Stabilized camera

• US 6,370,329 B1
• Filed: 01/20/2000
• Issued: 04/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ZEISS OPTRONIK GMBH
• Original Assignee: ZEISS OPTRONIK GMBH
• Inventors: Teuchert, Wolf-Dieter
• Primary Examiner(s): Gray, David M.
• Time in patent office: 810 Days
• Field of Search: 396/7, 396/10, 396/12, 396/13, 359/554, 359/555, 359/556
• US Class Current: 396/7
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/644 compensating for large deviations, e.g. maintaining a fixed line of sight while a vehicle on which the system is mounted changes course
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/48 adapted for combination with other photographic or optical apparatus

Abstract

A camera has camera optics and an optics support (3) which is rotatably journalled in a camera housing (5) and includes the camera optics. The camera optics include a first pivot mirror (7) at the input end and a second pivot mirror (11). The first pivot mirror (7) is pivotable about a first pivot axis (9) relative to the optics support (3). The optics support (3) is rotatable relative to the camera housing (5) about a rotational axis (9) parallel to a first pivot axis (9). Furthermore, the second pivot mirror (11) can be pivoted about a second pivot axis (13) running transversely relative to the first pivot axis (9).

Claims

1. A camera comprising:

camera optics defining an optical axis and having an input end for admitting a beam;

an optics support encompassing said camera optics;

said camera optics including;

a first pivot mirror mounted at said input end so as to be pivotally movable relative to said optics support about a first pivot axis;

a second pivot mirror mounted pivotally movable about a second pivot axis extending transversely to said first pivot axis; and

, an image sensor arranged on said optical axis downstream of said first and second pivot mirrors;

a housing; and

,

said optics support being rotatably journalled in said housing so as to be rotatable relative thereto about a rotational axis parallel to said first pivot axis.

2. The camera of claim 1, said optics support including:

a supporting structure;

an inner frame for supporting said camera optics; and

, a bearing assembly disposed between said supporting structure and said inner frame for rotatably journalling said inner frame to rotate relative to said supporting structure about said first pivot axis; and

, said first pivot mirror being pivotally movable relative to said inner frame.

3. The camera of claim 2, said camera optics including an image sensor optics upstream of said image sensor and a mirror objective of the Cassegrain type and said mirror objective including said first pivot mirror as a primary mirror;

a secondary mirror and said second pivot mirror; and

, said second pivot mirror being a planar deflecting mirror for deflecting said beam along a beam path to said image sensor optics.

4. The camera of claim 1, wherein said first pivot mirror pivots about said first pivot axis at a first angular velocity and said second pivot mirror pivots about said second pivot axis at a second angular velocity half of said first angular velocity.

5. The camera of claim 2, said bearing assembly including a ball joint for journalling said optics support in said housing.

6. The camera of claim 5, wherein said ball joint is a spherical air bearing.

7. The camera of claim 5, further comprising a spherical torque motor mounted between said housing and said optics support for rotating said optics support.

8. The camera of claim 7, wherein said spherical torque motors are magnetic motors having stator windings fixedly mounted in said housing and rotor magnets fixedly mounted on said optics support.

9. The camera of claim 5, said supporting structure and said bearing assembly conjointly defining a three-axes cardanic assembly having a cardanic frame arranged around said ball joint;

and, said inner frame being rotatable relative to said housing by said cardanic assembly.

10. The camera of claim 1, wherein said camera optics includes an image sensor;

and, an image sensor optic having a pivotal deflecting mirror and being assigned to said image sensor.

11. The camera of claim 1, wherein said camera optics includes electrooptical image sensors.

12. The camera of claim 1, wherein said camera optics includes an image sensor for visible light and an image sensor for infrared light.

13. The camera of claim 12, further comprising a first image sensor optic having a pivot mirror and being assigned to said image sensor for visible light;

and, a second image sensor optic having a pivot mirror and being assigned to said image sensor for infrared light.

14. A camera comprising:

camera optics defining an optical axis and having an input end for admitting a beam;

an optics support encompassing said camera optics;

said camera optics including;

a first pivot mirror mounted at said input end so as to be pivotally movable relative to said optics support about a first pivot axis; and

, a second pivot mirror mounted pivotally movable about a second pivot axis extending transversely to said first pivot axis;

a housing;

said optics support being rotatably journalled in said housing so as to be rotatable relative thereto about a rotational axis parallel to said first pivot axis;

said optics support including;

a supporting structure;

an inner frame for supporting said camera optics;

a bearing assembly disposed between said supporting structure and said inner frame for rotatably journalling said inner frame to rotate relative to said supporting structure about said first pivot axis; and

, said first pivot mirror being pivotally movable relative to said inner frame;

said bearing assembly including a ball joint for journalling said optics support in said housing;

said supporting structure and said bearing assembly conjointly defining a three-axes cardanic assembly having a cardanic frame arranged around said ball joint;

said inner frame being rotatable relative to said housing by said cardanic assembly; and

,

said inner frame having a dumbbell configuration having a mid region journalled in said bearing assembly.

15. The camera of claim 14, wherein said first pivot axis defines the longitudinal axis of the dumbbell-shaped inner frame.

16. A camera comprising:

camera optics defining an optical axis and having an input end for admitting a beam;

an optics support encompassing said camera optics;

said camera optics including;

a first pivot mirror mounted at said input end so as to be pivotally movable relative to said optics support about a first pivot axis; and

, a second pivot mirror mounted pivotally movable about a second pivot axis extending transversely to said first pivot axis;

a housing;

said optics support being rotatably journalled in said housing so as to be rotatable relative thereto about a rotational axis parallel to said first pivot axis;

a mirror objective having a primary mirror and a secondary mirror adjustable about two axes; and

,

said mirror objective being arranged downstream of said first pivot mirror and said second pivot mirror.

17. A camera comprising:

camera optics defining an optical axis and having an input end for admitting a beam;

an optics support encompassing said camera optics;

said camera optics including;

a first pivot mirror mounted at said input end so as to be pivotally movable relative to said optics support about a first pivot axis; and

, a second pivot mirror mounted pivotally movable about a second pivot axis extending transversely to said first pivot axis;

a housing;

said optics support being rotatably journalled in said housing so as to be rotatable relative thereto about a rotational axis parallel to said first pivot axis;

said optics support including;

a supporting structure;

an inner frame for supporting said camera optics;

a bearing assembly disposed between said supporting structure and said inner frame for rotatably journalling said inner frame to rotate relative to said supporting structure about said first pivot axis; and

, said first pivot mirror being pivotally movable relative to said inner frame; and

,

said inner frame having a dumbbell configuration having a mid region journalled in said bearing assembly.

18. The camera of claim 17, wherein said first pivot axis defines the longitudinal axis of the dumbbell-shaped inner frame.