Remote controlled moving platform for a camera

• US 9,157,569 B2
• Filed: 10/16/2013
• Issued: 10/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Polycom Design Inc.
• Original Assignee: Polycom Design Inc.
• Inventors: Poliquin, Yves
• Primary Examiner(s): MATTEI, BRIAN DAVID
• Application Number:
  US14/054,870
• Publication Number:
  US 20150102198A1
• Time in Patent Office: 727 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B61C 13/00 Locomotives or motor railcars characterised by their application to special systems or purposes B61C11/00 takes precedence; self-propelled scaffold cars, break-down cranes, inspection trolleys B61D15/00; general design of track recording vehicles B61K9/00
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/10 around a horizontal axis F16M11/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/18 with mechanism for moving the apparatus relatively to the stand
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/2014 around a vertical axis F16M11/2035 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/28 Undercarriages for supports with one single telescoping pillar
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/425 along guiding means
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/50 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings

Abstract

A moving platform for use with a camera and track assembly, and comprising a platform body having a hollow rectangular shape with five mirrored exterior sides and one open bottom side. Within and attached to the platform body is a drive wheel, an electric motor and a gear box adapted to drive the drive wheel, a non-drive wheel positioned and rotatable parallel to the drive wheel, a pair of directional wheels spaced from the drive wheel and the non-drive wheel, and a guide wheel assembly attached between the pair of directional wheels and including at least one caster wheel assembly adapted to roll within a recessed rail of a track assembly.

Claims

1. A moving platform for use with a camera and track assembly, said moving platform comprising a platform body having a hollow rectangular shape with five mirrored exterior sides and one open bottom side, and within and attached to said platform body includes a drive wheel, an electric motor and a gear box adapted to drive said drive wheel, a non-drive wheel positioned and rotatable parallel to said drive wheel, a pair of directional wheels spaced from said drive wheel and said non-drive wheel, and a guide wheel assembly attached between said pair of directional wheels and including at least one caster wheel assembly adapted to roll within a recessed rail of a track assembly;

said moving platform further comprising a monopod extending upwards from a top mirrored exterior side of said five mirrored exterior sides, and a tilt and pan head member attached to a distal end of said monopod and adapted to releasably connect and adjustably move said camera thereon, such that said moving platform is adapted to adjustably move said camera around a configuration of said track assembly.

2. The moving platform of claim 1, wherein said platform body defines a center line along a length thereof that is adapted to be in line with a center line of a track member of a track assembly, and wherein a center point between said drive wheel and said non-drive wheel is positioned offset from said center line of said platform body a chosen distance, and wherein a center point between said pair of directional wheels is positioned at the center line of said platform body, such that said moving platform is adapted to move more efficiently around a circular or elliptical track.

3. The moving platform of claim 1, wherein the attachment between said at least one caster wheel assembly and said platform body is adjusted by an adjustment screw, such that the distance that said at least one caster wheel assembly can extend outwardly and below said platform body can be adjusted to properly fit within a recessed rail of a chosen track assembly.

4. The moving platform of claim 1, wherein said platform body further including an electric controller electronically connected to said electric motor and adapted to receive electronic signals from a remote control device, thereby capable of controlling the movements of said moving platform remotely.

5. The moving platform of claim 1, wherein said monopod is releasably connected to said top mirrored exterior side of said five mirrored exterior sides by an anchor member located inside said platform body and under said top mirrored exterior side.

6. The moving platform of claim 1, wherein said monopod is formed as a telescoping pole, such that said height of said monopod can be adjusted.

7. The moving platform of claim 1, wherein said guide wheel assembly includes two spaced caster wheel assemblies connected thereon in a linear configuration, such that both said caster wheel assemblies are adapted to roll within the same recessed rail of a track assembly.

8. A moving camera assembly comprising;

a camera member;

a moving platform; and

a track assembly;

wherein said moving platform comprises a platform body having a hollow rectangular shape with five mirrored exterior sides and one open bottom side, and within and attached to said platform body includes a drive wheel, electric motor and a gear box adapted to drive said drive wheel, a non-drive wheel positioned and rotatable parallel to said drive wheel, a pair of directional wheels spaced from said drive wheel and said non-drive wheel, and a guide wheel assembly attached between said pair of directional wheels and including at least one caster wheel assembly adapted to roll within a recessed rail of said track assembly;

said moving platform further comprising a monopod extending upwards from a top mirrored exterior side of said five mirrored exterior sides, and a tilt and pan head member attached to a distal end of said monopod and adapted to releasably connect and adjustably move said camera thereon, such that said moving platform is adapted to adjustably move said camera around a configuration of said track assembly and wherein said platform body can move along and follow said track assembly as desired;

and wherein said track assembly includes a plurality of track members interconnected to form a continuous track, each said track member including a recessed rail therein extending the length thereof, such that said at least one caster wheel assembly can ride within said recessed rails and keep said moving platform in proper position around said track assembly.

9. The moving platform of claim 8, wherein said platform body defines a center line along a length thereof that is adapted to be in line with a center line of each track member of said track assembly, and wherein a center point between said drive wheel and said non-drive wheel is positioned offset from said center line of said platform body a chosen distance, and wherein a center point between said pair of directional wheels is positioned at the center line of said platform body, such that said drive wheel and said non-drive wheel are offset from said pair of directional wheels, such that said moving platform is adapted to move more efficiently around a circular or elliptical configuration of said track assembly.

10. The moving platform of claim 8, wherein the attachment between said at least one caster wheel assembly and said platform body is adjusted by an adjustment screw, such that the distance that said at least one caster wheel assembly can extend outwardly and below said platform body can be adjusted to properly fit within said recessed rail of said track members.

11. The moving platform of claim 8, wherein said platform body further including an electric controller electronically connected to said electric motor and adapted to receive electronic signals from a remote control device, thereby capable of controlling the movements of said moving platform remotely.

12. The moving platform of claim 8, wherein said monopod is releasably connected to said top mirrored exterior side of said five mirrored exterior sides by an anchor member located inside said platform body and under said top mirrored exterior side.

13. The moving platform of claim 8, wherein said monopod is formed as a telescoping pole, such that said height of said monopod can be adjusted.

14. The moving platform of claim 8, wherein said guide wheel assembly includes two spaced caster wheel assemblies connected thereon in a linear configuration, such that both said caster wheel assemblies are adapted to roll within the same recessed rail of each track member.

15. The moving platform of claim 8, wherein each said track member has a male and female interlocking connector portion on each end, such that adjacent track members can be easily releasably connected to one another.

16. The moving platform of claim 8, wherein said continuous track is formed in a shape chosen from a list of shapes comprising circular and elliptical.

17. The moving platform of claim 8, wherein said monopod and said plurality of track members are formed from a transparent material.

18. The moving platform of claim 8, wherein each said track member can have differing shapes, curvatures, and lengths from one another.