Photographic assembly and unmanned aerial vehicle

• US 10,551,725 B2
• Filed: 09/11/2018
• Issued: 02/04/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Autel Robotics Co., Ltd (Autel Intelligent Technology Corp., Ltd. (f/k/a Autel Intelligent Technology Company Limited))
• Original Assignee: Autel Robotics Co., Ltd (Autel Intelligent Technology Corp., Ltd. (f/k/a Autel Intelligent Technology Company Limited))
• Inventors: Peng, Huai, Zhang, Zhengli, Ji, Zhipeng
• Primary Examiner(s): Perkey, William B
• Application Number:
  US16/127,766
• Publication Number:
  US 20180373127A1
• Time in Patent Office: 511 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 47/08 Arrangements of cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 20/87 Mounting of imaging devices, e.g. mounting of gimbals
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/04 Means for attachment of apparatus; Means allowing adjustment of the apparatus relatively to the stand
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/10 around a horizontal axis F16M11/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/105 the horizontal axis being the roll axis, e.g. for creating a landscape-portrait rotation
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/123 the axis of rotation intersecting in a single point, e.g. by using gimbals
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/18 with mechanism for moving the apparatus relatively to the stand
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/2064 for tilting and panning F16M11/2078 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/2071 for panning and rolling F16M11/2078 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/02 for supporting on, or attaching to, an object, e.g. tree, gate, window-frame, cycle
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/041 for balancing rotational movement of the head
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/044 for balancing rotational movement of the undercarriage
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/006 Apparatus mounted on flying objects
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/561 Support related camera accessories

Abstract

The present invention provides a photographic assembly, including a pitch motor, a roll motor and a camera. A second rotor portion of the pitch motor is coupled to the third stator portion of the roll motor and a third rotor portion of the roll motor is coupled to the camera, so that a connection manner of the photographic assembly is a pitch-roll manner. When the roll motor is working, a displacement variation of the camera along a pitch axis is small. That is, a rotation interference phenomenon is weakened, so that a rotation space that needs to be reserved between the camera and the roll motor is correspondingly reduced. That is, distances between the centre of gravity of the camera and the motors are also decreased. Therefore, the photographic assembly becomes more compact at some portions, thereby achieving an objective that the volume, the weight, and the moment of inertia of the photographic assembly are reduced.

Claims

1. A photographic assembly, comprising:

a pitch motor, comprising a first stator portion and a first rotor portion coupled to the first stator portion, wherein the first rotor portion is capable of rotating around a pitch axis relative to the first stator portion;

a roll motor, comprising a second stator portion and a second rotor portion coupled to the second stator portion, wherein the second rotor portion is capable of rotating around a roll axis relative to the second stator portion; and

a camera, the camera being coupled to the second rotor portion of the roll motor, an optical axis of the camera being coincides with or parallel to the roll axis;

wherein the first rotor portion of the pitch motor is coupled to the second stator portion of the roll motor by a pitch axis connection arm;

wherein the pitch axis connection arm comprises a first arm and a second arm connected to the second arm;

wherein the first arm is connected to the first rotor portion of the pitch motor and the first arm is substantially parallel to the roll axis;

wherein the second arm is connected to the second stator portion of the roll motor and the second arm is substantially perpendicular to the roll axis;

wherein a distance between, the first arm and the roll axis is greater than a maximum radius that the camera rotates around the roll axis.

2. The photographic assembly according to claim 1 further comprising a yaw motor, the yaw motor comprising a third stator portion and a third rotor portion coupled to the third stator portion, wherein the third rotor portion is capable of rotating around a yaw axis relative to the third stator portion and the third rotor portion is coupled to the first stator portion of the pitch motor.

3. The photographic assembly according to claim 2, wherein the third rotor portion is connected to the first stator portion of the pitch motor by a yaw axis connection arm.

4. The photographic assembly according to claim 3, wherein the yaw axis connection arm comprises a first portion and a second portion connected to the first portion;

wherein the first portion is connected to the third rotor portion of the yaw motor and the first portion is substantially perpendicular to the yaw axis;

wherein the second portion is connected to the first stator portion of the pitch motor and the second portion is substantially parallel to the yaw axis.

5. The photographic assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a mounting frame coupled to the second rotor portion of the roll motor, wherein the camera is detachably connected to the mounting frame.

6. The photographic assembly according to claim 5, wherein the mounting frame is provided with a bind buckle for detachably connecting the camera to the mounting frame.

7. The photographic assembly according to claim 1, wherein the camera comprises a body and a lens coupled to the body, the body being coupled to the second rotor portion of the roll motor and the optical axis of the lens is coincided with or parallel to the roll axis.

8. The photographic assembly according to claim 7, wherein a length of the body along the pitch axis is greater than a length of the body along the roll axis.

9. The photographic assembly according to claim 7, wherein a length of the lens along the roll axis is less than or equal to twice a length of the body along the roll axis.

10. An unmanned aerial vehicle, comprising:

a vehicle body;

a gimbal base, coupled to the vehicle body;

a vibration reduction apparatus sandwiched between the vehicle body and the gimbal base; and

a photographic assembly, the photographic assembly being connected to the gimbal base;

wherein the photographic assembly comprises;

a pitch motor, comprising a first stator portion and a first rotor portion coupled to the first stator portion, wherein the first rotor portion is capable of rotating around a pitch axis relative to the first stator portion;

a roll motor, comprising a second stator portion and second rotor portion coupled to the second stator portion, wherein the second rotor portion is capable of rotating around a roll axis relative to the second stator portion; and

a camera, the camera being coupled to the second rotor portion of the roll motor, an optical axis of the camera being coincides with or parallel to the roll axis;

wherein the first rotor portion of the pitch motor is coupled to the second stator portion of the roll motor by a pitch axis connection arm;

wherein the pitch axis connection arm comprises a first arm and a second arm connected to the second arm;

wherein the first arm is connected to the first rotor portion of the pitch motor and the first arm is substantially parallel to the roll axis;

wherein the second arm connected to the second stator portion of the roll motor and the second arm is substantially perpendicular to the roil axis;

wherein a distance between the first arm and the roll axis is greater than a maximum radius that the camera rotates around the roll axis.

11. The photographic assembly according to claim 10 further comprising a yaw motor, the yaw motor comprising a third stator portion and a third rotor portion coupled to the third stator portion, wherein the third rotor portion is capable of rotating around a yaw axis relative to the third stator portion and the third rotor portion is coupled to the first stator portion of the pitch motor.

12. The photographic assembly according to claim 11, wherein the third rotor portion is connected to the first stator portion of the pitch motor by a yaw axis connection arm.

13. The photographic assembly according to claim 12, wherein the yaw axis connection arm comprises a first portion and a second portion connected to the first portion;

wherein the first portion is connected to the third rotor portion of the yaw motor and the first portion is substantially perpendicular to the yaw axis;

wherein the second portion is connected to the first stator portion of the pitch motor and the second portion is substantially parallel to the yaw axis.

14. The photographic assembly according to claim 10, further comprising a mounting frame coupled to the second rotor portion of the roll motor, wherein the camera is detachably connected to the mounting frame.

15. The photographic assembly according to claim 14, wherein the mounting frame is provided with a bind buckle for detachably connecting the camera to the mounting frame.

16. The photographic assembly according to claim 10, wherein the camera comprises a body and a lens coupled to the body, the body being coupled to the second rotor portion of the roll motor and the optical axis of the lens is coincided with or parallel to the roll axis.

17. The photographic assembly according to claim 16, wherein a length of the body along the pitch axis is greater than a length of the body along the roll axis.

18. The photographic assembly according to claim 16, wherein a length of the lens along the roll axis is less than or equal to twice a length of the body along the roll axis.