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Turntable device and optical apparatus

a technology of turning devices and optical equipment, applied in the direction of mechanical equipment, machine supports, television systems, etc., can solve the problems of reducing mechanical endurance strength, noise, and reducing size and weigh

Inactive Publication Date: 2005-09-22
ALPS ALPINE CO LTD
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention provides a miniaturized turntable device capable of performing micro angular adjustment and rapid response with excellent mechanical endurance and without noise produced. The device uses a VCM (voice coil motor) and a rare-earth permanent magnet containing neodymium, which has an extremely high maximum magnetic flux (BHmax) enabling a compact high-powered permanent magnet with excellent characteristics to be obtained. The device can be used in an optical apparatus for changing the direction of an object to be mounted, such as an optical instrument. The camera-platform mechanism uses a gimbal spring and a VCM, and the movement of the movable coil of the VCM is transmitted to the object to be mounted via an arm so as to direct the object to be mounted. The combination of movements in directions perpendicular to each other facilitates the object to swing at every angle. The rare-earth permanent magnet containing neodymium is preferably used for the VCM.

Problems solved by technology

However, the following problems have been encountered in the camera turntable device described above.
The reduction in size and weight is limited because of the mechanical structure such as a motor and gear / rack mechanism, and the mechanical backlash is not avoided so as to be difficult in obtaining micro angular changes and quick responsiveness, because the gear / rack mechanism is adopted in the rotation transmission.
Furthermore, if the device is installed outdoors, rattle is produced in the gear / rack mechanism for the repeated stress due to wind, thereby reducing the mechanical endurance strength and producing noise.

Method used

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  • Turntable device and optical apparatus
  • Turntable device and optical apparatus
  • Turntable device and optical apparatus

Examples

Experimental program
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Effect test

first embodiment

[0105]FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a turntable device 10 for changing a direction of an optical apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1, a base 1 is a thin box accommodating horizontally swinging means 3, which will be described in detail later, therewithin. On the base 1, a horizontal rotation base 2 is placed, which is rotatable about a horizontal rotation shaft 5 in the right-and-left and on a guide rail 6 arranged on the base 1.

[0106] On the horizontal rotation base 2, two supports 8 and 9 are erected in parallel with each other, and an optical apparatus 11 is supported to the supports 8 and 9 with an up-and-down swinging shaft 12 therebetween. In the drawing, numeral 11a denotes a lens of the optical apparatus.

[0107] Furthermore, at one end of the up-and-down swinging shaft 12, an arm 7 is attached perpendicularly to the up-and-down swinging shaft 12, and is connected to up-and-down swinging means 4, which will be descri...

second embodiment

[0128]FIG. 4 is an external perspective view of a turntable device according to another embodiment of the present invention for changing a direction of an optical apparatus. The point of a second embodiment different from the first embodiment is up-and-down swinging means for swinging the optical apparatus up-and-down. The mechanism for rotating the optical apparatus in the right and left is the same as that of the first embodiment. Accordingly, only a mechanism for swinging the optical apparatus up-and-down will be described.

[0129] Referring to FIG. 4, the optical apparatus 11 is fixed to an up-and-down rotation shaft 12 stretched between the two supports 8 and 9. On the bottom surface of an up-and-down rotation base 41, a semi-circular rotation gear 42 is attached so as to bring the center thereof together with the up-and-down rotation shaft 12. The rotation gear 42 is fitted to a rack plate 43 embedded within the horizontal rotation base 2. Since the rack plate 43 is connected t...

third embodiment

[0141]FIG. 6 is an external perspective view of a camera-platform mechanism 60 according to the present invention for changing a direction of an object to be mounted such as an optical apparatus. Referring to FIG. 6, a horseshoe frame 51 has a gimbal spring 52 made of a thin metallic plate attached on the horseshoe section thereof. The horseshoe frame 51 is provided with VCMs 53 and 54 respectively placed in two sides of the frame. In the center of the gimbal spring 52, a pedestal base 55 is attached for placing an optical apparatus. To movable coils of the VCMs 53 and 54, which will be described in detail later, arms 56 and 57 are attached. Each end of the arms 56 and 57 is forked to have a horseshoe shape extending in the direction of the horseshoe frame 51 so as to surround the gimbal spring 52 from the direction perpendicular to each other. The object to be mounted (not shown in FIG. 6) is to be pushed by the arms 56 and 57.

[0142]FIG. 7 is a perspective plan view of the camera-...

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Abstract

A turntable device principally includes a horizontal rotation base and an up-and-down swinging mechanism, which are driven by VCMs. An optical apparatus is placed on supports, which are arranged on the horizontal rotation base, with a horizontal rotation shaft therebetween. The optical apparatus is directed up-and-down and right-and-left by movable pieces connected to movable coils of the VCMs, so as to constitute the turntable device. The optical apparatus is placed on the turntable.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a turntable device for changing a direction of an optical apparatus such as a camera and a lamp, and relates to an optical apparatus incorporating the turntable device thereinto. [0003] 2. Description of the Related Art [0004] It is important that an optical apparatus such as a camera and a lamp decides a direction toward an object. In the camera, for example, by determining an optimum camera angle obtained from pointing the camera at the object in various directions, a well-composed picture can be obtained. Heretofore, as camera angle adjusting means, a manual turntable has been devised, and then a remote-controlled motor-driven turntable has been developed. Recently, surveillance TV cameras are frequently placed thereon for use in an indoor or outdoor surveillance system. [0005] For example, a motor-driven camera turntable device shown in FIGS. 35 and 36 is known. FIG. 35 is an ext...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & Authority Applications(United States)
IPC IPC(8): F16M11/12F16M11/18
CPCF16M11/10F16M11/2014F16M11/18F16M11/12
Inventor SAWADA, TORU
Owner ALPS ALPINE CO LTD