ROTATION STABILIZATION DEVICE

Abstract

A rotation stabilization device has an optical device, in particular a camera, and a position regulation apparatus for the optical device. The optical device is, in a support frame, pivotable about at least one axis of rotation which runs through the center of gravity of the optical device. For stabilization of the optical device, there are situated, on the at least one axis of rotation and between an electric motor and the optical device, a torque converter which stabilizes the optical device in, or moves the optical device into, a desired angular position without abrupt motion.

Claims

1. Rotation stabilization device with an optical device (6), in particular a camera, and a position adjustment apparatus for the optical device (6) with a support frame (1), with at least one axis of rotation (7), which runs through the center of gravity of the optical device (6), with at least one rotating body (9, 11), whereby the optical device (6) can be swiveled via at least one rotating body (11), with at least one electric motor (3), which drives a rotating body (9), in particular a shaft, with a device for determination of spatial orientation of the optical device (6), in particular a gyroscope (8), and with a control electronic unit (2) that controls the electric motor (3), wherein between the electric motor (3) and the optical device (6), a torque converter (10) is arranged on the rotating body (9) that is driven by the electric motor (3).

2. Rotation stabilization device according to claim 1, wherein the torque converter (10) is a rotary vibration absorber, in particular a hydrodynamic torque converter.

3. Rotation stabilization device according to claim 1, wherein another rotating body (11), in particular a shaft, is arranged on the torque converter (10) on a side of the torque converter (10) that does not point toward the electric motor (3), in particular on the side opposite to the electric motor (3).

4. Rotation stabilization device according to claim 1, wherein the additional rotating body (11), arranged on the torque converter (10), is a connecting piece between the torque converter (10) and the optical device (6), in particular that the additional rotating body (11) that is arranged on the torque converter (10) is connected to the optical device (6) or to a holding device (5) of the optical device (6).

5. Rotation stabilization device according to claim 1, wherein the additional rotating body (11) that is arranged on the torque converter (10) and optionally the rotating body (9) that is driven by the electric motor (3) are arranged on the axis of rotation (7).

6. Rotation stabilization device according to claim 1, wherein the support frame (1) has a recess, in particular a hole, and wherein the additional rotating body (11) that is arranged on the torque converter (10) is guided through the recess.

7. Rotation stabilization device according to claim 1, wherein the optical device (6) can be swiveled via the additional rotating body (11) that is arranged on the torque converter (10).

8. Rotation stabilization device according to claim 1, wherein in each case, a torque converter (10) is provided on two opposite sides of the optical device (6).

9. Rotation stabilization device according to claim 1, wherein the device for determination of spatial orientation of the optical device (6) is arranged on the optical device (6) or on a holding device (5) of the optical device (6) and wherein the control unit (2) adjusts or controls the electric motor (3) via the device for determination of spatial orientation of the optical device (6).

10. Rotation stabilization device according to claim 1, wherein the electric motor (3) has a holding device and wherein the holding device of the electric motor (3), and optionally the control electronic unit (2), is connected to the support frame (1).

11. Rotation stabilization device according to claim 1, wherein an axis of rotation (7) runs essentially horizontally in the state of use of the rotation stabilization device and/or wherein an axis of rotation is oriented essentially vertically in the state of use of the rotation stabilization device.

12. Rotation stabilization device according to claim 1, wherein the axis of rotation (7) or the axes of rotation runs or run through the center of gravity of the rotation stabilization device.

13. Rotation stabilization device according to claim 1, wherein the center of gravity of the optical device (6) is equal to the center of gravity of the rotation stabilization device.

14. Method for operating a rotation stabilization device with an optical apparatus (6), in particular a camera, and a position adjustment apparatus for the optical apparatus (6) with a support frame (1), with at least one axis of rotation (7), which runs through the center of gravity of the optical device (6), with at least one rotating body (9, 11), whereby the optical device (6) can be swiveled via at least one rotating body (11), with at least one electric motor (3), which drives a rotating body (9), in particular a shaft, with a device for determination of spatial orientation of the optical device (6), in particular a gyroscope (8), and with a control electronic unit (2), which controls the electric motor (3), wherein the position of the optical device (6) is adjusted by a torque converter (10) that is arranged between the electric motor (3) and the optical device (6) on the rotating body (9) that is driven by the electric motor (3).

15. Method according to claim 14, wherein the position of the optical device (6) is adjusted in such a way that the plot of the torque transferred by the torque converter (10) in a control range is essentially linear to its speed and in that the rotation stabilization device is moved in a linear rotary manner in this control range.

16. Method according to claim 14 or wherein the position of the optical device (6) is adjusted by two torque converters (10) that are arranged on opposite sides of the optical device (6), from which in each case an additional rotating body (11) extends on the axis of rotation (7).

17. Method according to claim 16, wherein the two torque converters (10) are driven in the mirror-inverted direction or in the same direction and/or at the same speed or at different speeds.

18. Method according to claim 16, wherein the rotation around the axis of rotation (7) in the case of mirror-inverted rotational movement of the torque converter (10) comes to a standstill when the torques of the torque converter (10) are of equal value or the sum of the mirror-inverted torques is zero.

19. Method according to claim 17, wherein the rotation around the axis of rotation (7) in the case of mirror-inverted rotational movement of the torque converter (10) is carried out when the sum of the torques is not equal to zero.

20. Method according to claim 17, wherein the transfer of torque from the electric motor (3) to the torque converter (10) is done in the region of sliding friction, in particular wherein the changes in the torques transferred from the torque converter (10) to the optical device (6) run in a linear manner in the region of sliding friction.

Description

[0032] Additional features and advantages of the invention are given in the description below of a preferred embodiment of the invention with reference to the attached drawings.

[0033] Here:

[0034] FIG. 1 shows a diagrammatic design of a known camera stabilization,

[0035] FIG. 2 shows a diagrammatic depiction of an embodiment of an apparatus according to the invention,

[0036] FIG. 3 shows an image of a torque plot based on the speed of a torque converter, and

[0037] FIG. 4 shows an image of a torque plot based on the control deviation.

[0038] In FIG. 1, the diagrammatic design of a known camera stabilization is depicted. A control electronic unit 2 and an electric motor 3 are arranged on a support frame 1. Via a rotating body 4, which runs through the support frame 1, the torque of the electric motor 3 is transferred to a holding device 5. An optical device 6, which can be swiveled around a horizontal axis of rotation 7, is arranged on the holding device 5. In FIG. 1, the optical device 6 is a camera. The axis of the rotating body 4 runs with the axis of rotation 7 through the center of gravity of the optical device 6. Thus, only the moments of inertia of the elements to be rotated have to be overcome. In order to adjust the electric motor 3 via the control electronic unit 2, a gyroscope 8 is provided to determine the position of the optical device 6.

[0039] In FIG. 2, an embodiment of an apparatus according to the invention is diagrammatically depicted, which in principle is constructed similarly to the apparatus described in FIG. 1. In contrast to the apparatus that is shown in FIG. 1, the apparatus that is shown according to the invention in each case has an electric motor 3 on both sides of the support frame 1, which motor in each case drives a rotating body 9. Between the electric motors 3 and the optical device 6, in each case a torque converter 10 is arranged on the rotating body 9 that is driven by the electric motor 3. Starting from the torque converters 10, in each case another rotating body 11 is arranged in the direction toward the optical device 6, which runs through a recess in the support frame 1 and is connected to the holding device 5, by which the optical device 6 can be swiveled around the axis of rotation 7.

[0040] For the sake of a better overview, an apparatus that can swivel only around a horizontal axis of rotation 7 is depicted. In other embodiments, the device can also be swiveled via additional axes of rotation, for example via a vertical axis of rotation or via another horizontal axis of rotation, which runs in particular perpendicular to the axis of rotation 7. The axis of rotation 7 runs through the center of gravity of the rotation stabilization device and is identical to the axes of the rotating body 9, 11.

[0041] In FIG. 3, the course of the torque of a torque converter 10 based on the speed is depicted. In this case, it can be seen that in a large region, torque runs linearly with respect to speed. Only in the last third does the torque asymptotically approach a constant maximum value. This maximum value varies in a structurally-typical manner. To adjust or stabilize the position of the optical device 6, adjustment between speed and torque is preferably done only in the region of linear dependency.

[0042] In FIG. 4, a linear torque plot based on control deviation is depicted in degrees []. The mechanical arrangement of the two units that consist of electric motor 3 and torque converter 10 makes it possible that either both electric motors 3 can rotate in the same direction of rotation or in each case one can rotate in the opposite direction to the other, and this for each electric motor 3 with in each case different speeds. The diagram illustrates at what torque (=based on the speed) the units that consist of electric motor 3 and torque converter 10 are to react in the case of positive or negative control deviations. The slopes of the two motor/rotary vibration absorber lines 12, 13 as well as the line 14 with the total torque are added to the diagram and depict only one example of a control adjustment. It is essential that the two torques always have an amount that is of the same value but act in opposite directions in the case of a zero control deviation, i.e., the two torques cancel each other out at this point.

[0043] The special feature in the use of a combination that consists of electric motor 3 and torque converter 10 lies in the possibility of operating the electric motors 3 even when the outlet of the corresponding torque converter 10 is blocked. This blocking is achieved in such a way that the second combination that consists of electric motor 3 and torque converter 10 works at the speed that is the same but acts in the direction that is opposite to that of the first combination.

[0044] In the case of minor control deviation values (in the diagram, between 0 to +5 or 0 to 5), the directions of rotation of the two units, consisting of electric motor 3 and torque converter 10, are opposite, and thus only differential torque acts on the rotating body 11. In the case of major deviations, the electric motors 3 operate with one another (direction of rotation in the same direction), and the torques of the torque converter 10 are added and are therefore corresponding large.

[0045] This also means, however, that at the zero point (i.e., no control deviation is present=holding device 5 is correct), the two servomotors 3 additionally rotate in opposite directions at the same (lower) speed. The differential torque is zero and therefore the rotating body 11 or the optical device 6 is stationary with motors running. The rotating body 11 including the two units are clamped to one another; gear backlash is thus eliminated. Static friction is overcome just by the continuous rotation of the impellers in the interior of the torque converter 10, and the state of sliding friction prevails. Therefore, in the case where a deviation is compensated for again, there is no longer any static friction or gear backlash to overcome.