A gimbal device

Abstract

This invention discloses a gimbal device, comprising: a base, the base having an upward-opening movable cavity, a rotatable spherical shell rotatably disposed within the movable cavity, a connecting rod extending along the opening of the movable cavity connected to the spherical shell, the edge of the opening of the movable cavity preventing the spherical shell from detaching from the movable cavity, a lower support portion inside the base that can contact the inner surface of the spherical shell, and a pushing member on the base, the pushing member abutting against the inner surface of the spherical shell to make the edge of the opening of the movable cavity contact the outer surface of the spherical shell and to drive the spherical shell to be clamped between the edge of the opening of the movable cavity and the lower support portion. In this gimbal device, the pushing member abuts against the inner surface of the spherical shell, causing the outer surface of the spherical shell to fit tightly against the edge of the opening of the movable cavity. Simultaneously, the spherical shell deforms under force to clamp the lower support portion with its inner surface, thereby increasing the locking force of the gimbal device. Furthermore, using a spherical shell instead of a solid sphere helps reduce material costs.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a gimbal device. Background Technology

[0002] In photography or projection work, gimbals are often used to mount external devices such as cameras or projectors. To adjust the shooting or projection direction, a ball head is usually used to adjust the angle and position.

[0003] See Figure 3 A traditional ball head includes a mounting base 100, which has an upward-opening spherical cavity. The spherical cavity has a ball head 600 that can rotate at multiple angles. The ball head 600 is connected to a connecting rod 400 that extends out along the opening of the spherical cavity. A threaded push rod 310 is provided on the side of the mounting base 100. The end of the threaded push rod 310 extends into the spherical cavity. The spherical cavity has an inclined push block 500 located between the end of the threaded push rod 310 and the ball head 600.

[0004] When the threaded push rod 310 pushes the inclined push block 500 toward the interior of the spherical cavity, the inclined push block 500 tilts upward to lift the ball head 600, so that the surface of the ball head 600 presses tightly against the opening edge of the spherical cavity 101. However, the ball head 600 is a solid sphere, and the locking force between its surface and the opening edge of the spherical cavity 101 is relatively small, making it difficult to handle heavy loads connected by the connecting rod 400. Furthermore, because the ball head 600 is a complete sphere, this results in a large height dimension for the spherical gimbal, which is neither material-saving nor convenient for carrying and use. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present invention aims to solve at least one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. To this end, the present invention proposes a gimbal device that saves materials and has a large locking force.

[0006] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a gimbal device includes: a base body, the base body having an upward-opening movable cavity, a spherical shell rotatably disposed within the movable cavity, the spherical shell being connected to a connecting rod extending along the opening of the movable cavity, the opening edge of the movable cavity preventing the spherical shell from detaching from the movable cavity, a lower support portion inside the base body capable of contacting the inner surface of the spherical shell, and a pushing member on the base body capable of abutting against the inner surface of the spherical shell to cause the opening edge of the movable cavity to contact the outer surface of the spherical shell and to drive the spherical shell to be clamped between the opening edge of the movable cavity and the lower support portion.

[0007] A gimbal device according to an embodiment of the present invention has at least the following beneficial effects:

[0008] When the gimbal device needs to lock the angle position of the external device on the linkage, the pusher pushes against the inner surface of the spherical shell, so that the outer surface of the spherical shell fits tightly with the opening edge of the movable cavity. At the same time, the spherical shell deforms under the force, so that the part of the spherical shell below the opening edge of the movable cavity retracts inward. Thus, the inner surface of the spherical shell clamps the lower support. That is, there is a large friction between the lower support and the inner surface of the spherical shell, and between the opening edge of the movable cavity and the outer surface of the spherical shell, thereby improving the locking force of the gimbal device. Moreover, using a spherical shell instead of a solid sphere helps to reduce material costs.

[0009] In some embodiments of the present invention, the outer surface of the spherical shell is smaller than that of a hemisphere, and the seat body is provided with a first arc surface that is opposite to a portion of the outer surface of the spherical shell, the upper edge of the first arc surface forming the opening of the movable cavity.

[0010] In some embodiments of the present invention, the base includes a lower connecting seat and an upper connecting seat disposed on the lower connecting seat, the first arc surface is disposed on the upper connecting seat, the lower connecting seat and the upper connecting seat define the movable cavity, and the lower support portion is formed on the lower connecting seat and extends upward out of the opening of the movable cavity to support the spherical shell.

[0011] In some embodiments of the present invention, the upper connecting seat is provided with a communicating channel, the first arc surface is formed on the inner peripheral wall of the upper part of the communicating channel, the inner peripheral wall of the lower part of the communicating channel is provided with an internal thread, the lower connecting seat is provided with an external thread that mates with the internal thread, and there is a height space between the upper surface of the lower connecting seat and the lower edge of the first arc surface for the spherical shell to swing.

[0012] In some embodiments of the present invention, the upper surface of the lower support portion is an arcuate support surface that matches the inner surface of the spherical shell, and the side of the lower support portion has a corner portion that intersects with the lower edge of the arcuate support surface. The pushing member abuts upward against the spherical shell to deform the spherical shell, thereby driving the inner surface of the spherical shell to abut against the corner portion.

[0013] In some embodiments of the present invention, the lower support portion is provided with a clearance through hole that extends vertically through its interior, the push member is threaded through the clearance through hole, and the upper end of the push member is provided with a protrusion that can extend upward into the clearance through hole or be received downward into the clearance through hole.

[0014] In some embodiments of the present invention, the pusher includes a threaded push rod that is threaded to the seat in a vertical direction, the lower end of the threaded push rod extends out of the seat, the protrusion is provided at the upper end of the threaded push rod, the upper part of the clearance hole is provided with a limiting platform, and the protrusion can abut against the limiting platform when it is received downward in the clearance hole.

[0015] In some embodiments of the present invention, the upper end of the pusher can abut against the inner surface of the spherical shell along the center line of the opening of the movable cavity, so that the opening edge of the movable cavity can fully contact the outer surface of the spherical shell.

[0016] In some embodiments of the present invention, the connecting rod is disposed on the outer surface of the spherical shell, and the length direction of the connecting rod extends along the radial direction of the spherical shell.

[0017] In some embodiments of the present invention, the spherical shell and the connecting rod are an integral structure.

[0018] Additional aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0019] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent and readily understood from the description of the embodiments taken in conjunction with the following drawings, in which:

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of an embodiment of the gimbal device of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 2 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the structural breakdown of the embodiment;

[0022] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a gimbal device using existing technology. Detailed Implementation

[0023] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below. Examples of these embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0024] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the orientation descriptions, such as the terms "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", and "outer", indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limiting this invention.

[0025] In the description of this invention, "several" means one or more, "more than" means two or more, "greater than," "less than," and "exceeding" are understood to exclude the stated number, while "above," "below," and "within" are understood to include the stated number. The use of "first" and "second" in the description is merely for distinguishing technical features and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance, or implicitly indicating the number of indicated technical features, or implicitly indicating the order of the indicated technical features.

[0026] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0027] See Figure 1 and Figure 2 An embodiment of the present invention provides a gimbal device, comprising: a base 100, the base 100 having an upward-opening movable cavity 101, a rotatable spherical shell 200 disposed within the movable cavity 101, and a connecting rod 300 extending out along the opening of the movable cavity 101 connected to the spherical shell 200. One end of the connecting rod 300 away from the spherical shell 200 is used to mount an external photographic or projection device. When the spherical shell 200 rotates relative to the base 100, the connecting rod 300 can move freely within the opening range of the movable cavity 101. By swinging, the opening edge of the movable cavity 101 can prevent the spherical shell 200 from detaching from the movable cavity 101. The interior of the seat 100 is provided with a lower support 400 that can contact the inner surface of the spherical shell 200. The seat 100 is provided with a pusher 500, which can abut against the inner surface of the spherical shell 200 to make the opening edge of the movable cavity 101 contact the outer surface of the spherical shell 200 and drive the spherical shell 200 to be clamped between the opening edge of the movable cavity 101 and the lower support 400.

[0028] When the gimbal device needs to lock the angle position of the external device on the connecting rod 300, the pusher 500 abuts against the inner surface of the spherical shell 200, so that the outer surface of the spherical shell 200 fits tightly with the opening edge of the movable cavity 101. At the same time, the spherical shell 200 deforms under the force, so that the part of the spherical shell 200 located below the opening edge of the movable cavity 101 retracts inward. Thus, the inner surface of the spherical shell 200 clamps the lower support 400. That is, there is a large friction between the lower support 400 and the inner surface of the spherical shell 200, and between the opening edge of the movable cavity 101 and the outer surface of the spherical shell 200, thereby improving the locking force of the gimbal device. Moreover, using a spherical shell 200 instead of a solid sphere helps to reduce material costs. It should be noted that when the pusher 500 is not against the inner surface of the spherical shell 200, the lower support 400 lifts the spherical shell 200. As the pusher 500 moves toward the inner surface of the spherical shell 200, the lower support 400 gradually separates from the inner surface of the spherical shell 200. When the pusher 500 abuts against the inner surface of the spherical shell 200 and causes the spherical shell 200 to deform, the inner surface of the spherical shell 200 can then press against a portion of the lower support 400.

[0029] See Figure 1 and Figure 2 In some embodiments of the present invention, the outer surface of the spherical shell 200 is smaller than a hemisphere, and the base 100 has a first arc surface 122 that is opposite to a portion of the outer surface of the spherical shell 200. The upper edge of the first arc surface 122 forms the opening of the movable cavity 101. It is understood that when the connecting rod 300 is adjusted, the outer surface of the spherical shell 200 rotates relative to the first arc surface 122. For cases where the angle adjustment range of the connecting rod 300 is small, the smaller outer surface of the spherical shell 200 compared to a hemisphere is beneficial for further reducing material costs and also for reducing the overall height of the gimbal device, making it easier to carry and use. Since the outer surface of the spherical shell 200 is smaller than a hemisphere, the first arc surface 122 cannot restrict the downward movement of the spherical shell 200, while the lower support 400 can support the spherical shell 200. It should be noted that the outer surface of the spherical shell 200 being smaller than that of a hemisphere means that the area of ​​the outer surface of the spherical shell 200 is less than half that of a sphere of the same outer diameter, that is, the outer surface of the spherical shell 200 is shaped like a spherical crown.

[0030] See Figure 2In some embodiments of the present invention, the seat 100 includes a lower connecting seat 110 and an upper connecting seat 120 disposed on the lower connecting seat 110. A first arcuate surface 122 is disposed on the upper connecting seat 120. A movable cavity 101 is defined between the lower connecting seat 110 and the upper connecting seat 120. A lower support portion 400 is formed on the lower connecting seat 110 and extends upward into the opening of the movable cavity 101 to support the spherical shell 200. The seat 100 is composed of the separately disposed lower connecting seat 110 and upper connecting seat 120, which helps to reduce the manufacturing difficulty of the movable cavity 101. The lower support portion 400 is formed on the lower connecting seat 110, which helps to simplify the production process. Preferably, the lower support portion 400 and the lower connecting seat 110 are an integral injection molded structure or an integral metal structure.

[0031] See Figure 1 and Figure 2 In some embodiments of the present invention, the upper connecting seat 120 is provided with a communicating channel 121, and the first arc surface 122 is formed on the inner peripheral wall of the upper part of the communicating channel 121, which helps to simplify the production process. The inner peripheral wall of the lower part of the communicating channel 121 is provided with an internal thread 123, and the lower connecting seat 110 is provided with an external thread 111 that mates with the internal thread 123, which facilitates the assembly of the upper connecting seat 120 and the lower connecting seat 110 together. There is a height space between the upper surface of the lower connecting seat 110 and the lower edge of the first arc surface 122 for the spherical shell 200 to swing.

[0032] When assembling the spherical shell 200, first place the spherical shell 200 on the lower support 400, and then use the internal thread 123 and the external thread 111 to assemble the upper connecting seat 120 on the lower connecting seat 110. At the same time, let the connecting rod 300 pass upward through the upper end of the connecting channel 121, that is, let the connecting rod 300 extend upward out of the opening of the movable cavity 101, so that the first arc surface 122 can contact the outer surface of the spherical shell 200, and the spherical shell 200 can rotate omnidirectionally in the movable cavity 101.

[0033] See Figure 1 and Figure 2In some embodiments of the present invention, the upper surface of the lower support portion 400 is an arcuate support surface 410 that matches the inner surface of the spherical shell 200, and the side of the lower support portion 400 has a corner portion 420 that intersects with the lower edge of the arcuate support surface 410. The pusher 500 pushes upward against the spherical shell 200 to deform the spherical shell 200, thereby driving the inner surface of the spherical shell 200 to abut against the corner portion 420. Understandably, when the pusher 500 is not in contact with the spherical shell 200, the inner surface of the spherical shell 200 is placed on the arc support surface 410, and there is space between the side of the lower support 400 and the inner surface of the spherical shell 200 for the spherical shell 200 to deform. When the pusher 500 pushes upward against the spherical shell 200 to deform the spherical shell 200, the outer surface of the spherical shell 200 abuts against the opening of the movable cavity 101, and the lower part of the spherical shell 200 retracts inward to clamp the corner portion 420, thereby forming a situation where the spherical shell 200 is clamped between the corner portion 420 and the opening edge of the movable cavity 101.

[0034] See Figure 2 In some embodiments of the present invention, the lower support portion 400 is provided with a clearance through hole 430 extending vertically through its interior. The pusher 500 passes through the clearance through hole 430 via a threaded structure. The upper end of the pusher 500 is provided with a protrusion 520 that can extend upward into the clearance through hole 430 or be received downward into the clearance through hole 430. The clearance through hole 430 extends vertically through the middle of the lower support portion 400. After passing through the clearance through hole 430, the pusher 500 abuts against the middle of the spherical shell 200. This is beneficial to improving the structural compactness of the gimbal device and also to ensuring uniform force distribution on the spherical shell 200. A tight contact friction area can be formed between the outer surface of the spherical shell 200 and the opening edge of the movable cavity 101. A tight contact friction area can also be formed between the inner surface of the spherical shell 200 and the aforementioned corner portion 420. This greatly improves the locking force of the gimbal device and ensures the stable installation of external equipment on the connecting rod 300.

[0035] See Figure 1 and Figure 2In some embodiments of the present invention, the pusher 500 includes a threaded push rod 510 threaded vertically to the base 100. The lower end of the threaded push rod 510 extends beyond the base 100. A protrusion 520 is provided at the upper end of the threaded push rod 510. A limiting platform 431 is provided at the upper part of the clearance hole 430. When the protrusion 520 is received downward into the clearance hole 430, it can abut against the limiting platform 431. A knob 511 is connected to the lower end of the threaded push rod 510. When the knob 511 is rotated, the threaded push rod 510 feeds in the vertical direction, and the protrusion 520 presses upward against the inner surface of the spherical shell 200 or moves downward away from the inner surface of the spherical shell 200. The limiting platform 431 prevents the threaded push rod 510 from falling off the base 100 and also reduces the number of turns required to re-tighten the threaded push rod 510, making it convenient to use.

[0036] See Figure 1 In some embodiments of the present invention, the upper end of the pusher 500 can abut against the inner surface of the spherical shell 200 along the center line of the opening of the movable cavity 101, so that the opening edge of the movable cavity 101 can fully contact the outer surface of the spherical shell 200.

[0037] The pusher 500 abuts upwards against the inner surface of the spherical shell 200 along the center line of the opening of the movable cavity 101, so that the opening edge of the movable cavity 101 can fully contact the outer surface of the spherical shell 200. The gap between the outer surface of the spherical shell 200 and the opening edge of the movable cavity 101 at various positions is more uniform, and the clamping force is more even. A tight friction area can be formed between the outer surface of the spherical shell 200 and the opening edge of the movable cavity 101, so that the opening edge of the movable cavity 101 is in a state of hugging the spherical shell 200, which helps to improve the locking force on the spherical shell 200. This gimbal device can be used in applications with large loads, ensuring the stability of projection or photography.

[0038] See Figure 1 and Figure 2 In some embodiments of the present invention, the connecting rod 300 is disposed on the outer surface of the spherical shell 200, and the length direction of the connecting rod 300 extends along the radial direction of the spherical shell 200, so that the connecting rod 300 can swing in different directions at the same angle under the limiting action of the opening of the movable cavity 101, so as to maximize the range of angle adjustment of the connecting rod 300.

[0039] In some embodiments of the present invention, in order to simplify the production and assembly process and improve the connection strength between the connecting rod 300 and the spherical shell 200, the spherical shell 200 and the connecting rod 300 are integral structures.

[0040] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0041] Although embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A gimbal device, characterized in that, include: A seat (100) is provided with an upward-opening movable cavity (101). A spherical shell (200) is rotatably disposed inside the movable cavity (101). The spherical shell (200) is connected to a connecting rod (300) extending along the opening of the movable cavity (101). The edge of the opening of the movable cavity (101) can prevent the spherical shell (200) from detaching from the movable cavity (101). The interior of the seat (100) is provided with a lower support (400) that can contact the inner surface of the spherical shell (200). A pusher (500) is provided on the seat (100). The pusher (500) can abut against the inner surface of the spherical shell (200). The inner surface of the spherical shell (200) is such that the opening edge of the movable cavity (101) contacts the outer surface of the spherical shell (200) and drives the spherical shell (200) to be clamped between the opening edge of the movable cavity (101) and the lower support (400); the lower support (400) is provided with a clearance hole (430) that penetrates its interior in a vertical direction, and the pusher (500) is threaded through the clearance hole (430), and the upper end of the pusher (500) is provided with a protrusion (520) that can extend upward into the clearance hole (430) or be received downward into the clearance hole (430).

2. The gimbal device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The outer surface of the spherical shell (200) is smaller than a hemisphere. The seat (100) has a first arc surface (122) that is opposite to a portion of the outer surface of the spherical shell (200). The upper edge of the first arc surface (122) forms the opening of the movable cavity (101).

3. A gimbal device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The seat (100) includes a lower connecting seat (110) and an upper connecting seat (120) disposed on the lower connecting seat (110). The first arc surface (122) is disposed on the upper connecting seat (120). The movable cavity (101) is defined between the lower connecting seat (110) and the upper connecting seat (120). The lower support (400) is formed on the lower connecting seat (110) and extends upward into the opening of the movable cavity (101) to support the spherical shell (200).

4. A gimbal device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The upper connecting seat (120) is provided with a connecting channel (121), the first arc surface (122) is formed on the inner peripheral wall of the upper part of the connecting channel (121), the inner peripheral wall of the lower part of the connecting channel (121) is provided with an internal thread (123), the lower connecting seat (110) is provided with an external thread (111) that mates with the internal thread (123), and there is a height space between the upper surface of the lower connecting seat (110) and the lower edge of the first arc surface (122) for the spherical shell (200) to swing.

5. A gimbal device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The upper surface of the lower support (400) is an arc support surface (410) that matches the inner surface of the spherical shell (200). The side of the lower support (400) has a corner portion (420) that intersects with the lower edge of the arc support surface (410). The pusher (500) pushes upward against the spherical shell (200) to deform the spherical shell (200), thereby driving the inner surface of the spherical shell (200) to abut against the corner portion (420).

6. A gimbal device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The pusher (500) includes a threaded push rod (510) that is threaded to the seat (100) in the vertical direction. The lower end of the threaded push rod (510) extends out of the seat (100). The protrusion (520) is provided at the upper end of the threaded push rod (510). The upper part of the clearance hole (430) is provided with a limiting platform (431). When the protrusion (520) is received downward in the clearance hole (430), it can abut against the limiting platform (431).

7. A gimbal device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The upper end of the pusher (500) can abut against the inner surface of the spherical shell (200) along the center line of the opening of the movable cavity (101), so that the opening edge of the movable cavity (101) can fully contact the outer surface of the spherical shell (200).

8. A gimbal device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The connecting rod (300) is disposed on the outer surface of the spherical shell (200), and the length direction of the connecting rod (300) extends along the radial direction of the spherical shell (200).

9. A gimbal device according to claim 8, characterized in that: The spherical shell (200) and the connecting rod (300) are an integral structure.

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