Quick gimbal connector and an aerial vehicle

• US 9,890,900 B2
• Filed: 01/05/2017
• Issued: 02/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SZ DJI Technology Co., Ltd. (d/b/a DJI) (iFlight Technology Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: SZ DJI Technology Co., Ltd. (d/b/a DJI) (iFlight Technology Company Limited)
• Inventors: Zhao, Xifeng, Sun, Rongjian, Pan, Dahu, Ren, Lixue
• Primary Examiner(s): LaBalle, Clayton E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rhodes, Jr., Leon W
• Application Number:
  US15/399,095
• Publication Number:
  US 20170114954A1
• Time in Patent Office: 404 Days
• Field of Search: 396 13
• 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: F16M 11/041 Allowing quick release of the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/06 allowing pivoting
• 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 11/2071 for panning and rolling F16M11/2078 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/022 repositionable
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/024 by positive interaction, e.g. male-female connections
• 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

A quick gimbal connector comprises: a first cylinder comprising a sliding slot on an inner wall of a first end of the first cylinder, at least one entrance provided at an end portion of the sliding slot, and a first boss provided on the first cylinder; a second cylinder coaxially and rotatably connected with the first cylinder; a connector; at least one rib provided on the connector; and a connecting plate fixedly connected with the second cylinder and being provided with a second boss. The at least one rib is configured to fit with the at least one entrance and can enter into and exit from the sliding slot via the at least one entrance when the first boss abuts against the second boss, such that the first cylinder and the connector can be locked or separated.

Claims

1. A quick gimbal connector, comprising:

a first cylinder comprising;

a first end and a second end which are opposite to each other in an axial direction;

a sliding slot being provided on an inner wall of the first end and extending along a circumferential direction of the inner wall;

at least one entrance being provided at an end portion of the sliding slot; and

a first boss being provided on an end face of the second end;

a second cylinder received in the first cylinder and being coaxially and rotatably connected with the first cylinder;

a connector detachably mounted between the first cylinder and the second cylinder;

at least one rib being provided on a periphery of the connector, the at least one rib being configured to fit with the at least one entrance;

a connecting plate fixedly connected with the second cylinder, the connecting plate being configured to connect with an aerial device;

wherein

the connecting plate comprises a second boss being provided at a connection between the connecting plate and the second cylinder, the second boss being configured to abut against the first boss to limit a rotating of the first cylinder.

2. The quick gimbal connector of claim 1, wherein a side plate extends from the second end, the side plate comprises a horizontal part and a vertical part;

the first boss comprises a connecting portion and a shifting portion, the connecting portion is provided on an end face of the vertical part and is an arc-shaped rib, the shifting portion is provided on a periphery of the first cylinder and is located at a center of the connecting portion; and

the first cylinder rotates around its axis when the shifting portion is shifted.

3. The quick gimbal connector of claim 2, wherein a through-hole is provided at a center of the shifting portion, a plunger is provided in the through-hole;

two plunger holes are provided on a periphery of the second cylinder, a distance between centers of the two plunger holes is equal to a length of the connecting portion.

4. The quick gimbal connector of claim 2, wherein a step surface extends from the second cylinder, the step surface is carried on an end face of the horizontal part of the side plate;

the step surface connects the second cylinder with the first cylinder such that the second cylinder is sleeved in the first cylinder.

5. The quick gimbal connector of claim 1, wherein the second boss is an arc-shaped bar provided on the connecting plate.

6. The quick gimbal connector of claim 2, wherein the quick gimbal connector further comprises three entrances, the three entrances are provided on an end portion of the sliding slot which is proximal to the first end, and the connector is provided with three said ribs which are respectively fitted into the three entrances.

7. The quick gimbal connector of claim 6, wherein the inner wall of the first end is provided with three bar-shaped protrusions which are arranged as a triangle with respect to the axis of the first cylinder;

each one of the three bar-shaped protrusions is an arc-shaped bar, the sliding slot is formed by the three bar-shaped protrusions and an end face of the horizontal part; and

the three entrances are formed between the three bar-shaped protrusions.

8. The quick gimbal connector of claim 7, wherein each one of the three ribs is an arc-shaped rib provided on the periphery of the connector;

the three ribs comprise one first rib and two second ribs, a length of the first rib being greater than a length of the second rib; and

the first rib prevents a foolproof in connecting the connector with the first cylinder.

9. The quick gimbal connector of claim 1, wherein the quick gimbal connector comprises an elastic member which is elastically connected between the connector and the first cylinder in the axial direction.

10. The quick gimbal connector of claim 9, wherein the elastic member is a bumper cushion which is compressed by the first cylinder while connecting the connector with the first cylinder.

11. The quick gimbal connector of claim 10, wherein the connector is provided with two guiding columns, the guiding columns passing through the elastic member and being disposed symmetrically with respect to a center of the elastic member;

and the second cylinder is provided with two guiding holes, the two guiding columns passing through the two guiding holes.

12. The quick gimbal connector of claim 1, wherein the at least one rib is configure to enter into or exist from the sliding slot via the at least one entrance when the first cylinder is rotated to an extent that the first boss abuts against the second boss, so as to lock the connector with the first cylinder or separate the connector from the first cylinder.

13. The quick gimbal connector of claim 1, wherein a side plate extends from the second end, the side plate comprises a horizontal part and a vertical part;

the first boss comprises a connecting portion and a shifting portion, the connecting portion is provided on an end face of the vertical part and is an arc-shaped rib, the shifting portion is provided on a periphery of the first cylinder and is located at a center of the connecting portion; and

the first cylinder rotates around its axis when the shifting portion is shifted.

14. The quick gimbal connector of claim 13, wherein a through-hole is provided at a center of the shifting portion, a plunger is provided in the through-hole;

two plunger holes are provided on a periphery of the second cylinder, a distance between centers of the two plunger holes is equal to a length of the connecting portion;

when the first cylinder rotates to an extent that the first boss abuts against the second boss, the plunger is fitted into one of the plunger holes.

15. The quick gimbal connector of claim 1, wherein the connecting plate is provided with a signal receiver, the signal receiver receives a signal from the aerial device which is connected to the connecting plate.

16. An aerial vehicle, comprising:

a vehicle body;

an imaging device; and

a quick gimbal connector, comprising;

a first cylinder comprising;

a first end and a second end which are opposite to each other in an axial direction;

a sliding slot being provided on an inner wall of the first end and extending along a circumferential direction of the inner wall;

at least one entrance being provided at an end portion of the sliding slot; and

a first boss being provided on an end face of the second end;

a second cylinder received in the first cylinder and being coaxially and rotatably connected with the first cylinder;

a connector detachably mounted between the first cylinder and the second cylinder;

at least one rib being provided on a periphery of the connector, the at least one rib being configured to fit with the at least one entrance;

a connecting plate fixedly connected with the second cylinder, the connecting plate being configured to connect with the vehicle body; and

a second boss being provided at a connection between the connecting plate and the second cylinder, the second boss being configured to abut against the first boss to limit a rotating of the first cylinder,

wherein the vehicle body and the imaging device are respectively connected to two ends of the quick gimbal connector.

17. The aerial vehicle of claim 16, wherein the at least one rib is configured to enter into or exist from the sliding slot via the at least one entrance when the first cylinder is rotated to an extent that the first boss abuts against the second boss, so as to lock the connector with the first cylinder or separate the connector from the first cylinder.