Handheld holder for long-focus shooting device

Abstract

The application discloses a handheld gimbal capable of carrying a long-focus shooting device, which comprises a handheld part, a yaw shaft assembly and a pitch shaft assembly arranged in layers; the yaw shaft assembly comprises a yaw shaft shell, a yaw shaft driving device installed in the yaw shaft shell and a yaw shaft motor base connected with the yaw shaft driving device, and the top of the yaw shaft motor base is connected with the pitch shaft assembly; the pitch shaft assembly comprises a shaft arm fixedly connected with the yaw shaft motor base, a pitch shaft shell rotationally connected with the shaft arm, a pitch shaft driving device installed in the pitch shaft shell and fixedly connected with the shaft arm, a harmonic reducer connected with the output end of the pitch shaft driving device and fixedly connected with the pitch shaft shell; and the pitch shaft assembly further comprises a quick release part fixedly connected with the pitch shaft shell. The application has the beneficial effect that the "visual target detection / tracking" and the "high-precision execution structure of the two-axis gimbal" are integrated in a closed loop, so that the camera can keep stable and robust in tracking under the condition of rapid movement / occlusion.

Description

[0001] Priority application This application claims priority to Chinese invention patent application filed on March 16, 2026 [Application No. 2026103280257] [A handheld gimbal for mounting a telephoto camera], which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Technical Field

[0002] This invention relates to the field of gimbal technology, and more specifically to a handheld gimbal for mounting telephoto shooting equipment. Background Technology

[0003] With the growing demand for outdoor long-distance observation and content production, existing close-range handheld shooting devices cannot meet the requirements of long-distance intelligent photography. For example, long-distance shooting scenarios such as bird watching, sports events, wildlife recording, and patrol evidence collection generally have characteristics such as: long target distance, narrow field of view, rapid changes in target angular velocity, frequent obstruction, short shooting window, and operator movement. These characteristics make long-distance telephoto lenses extremely sensitive to even small shakes: the narrow field of view makes the same angular disturbance appear as a larger target displacement in the image; the pitch axis also needs to continuously resist gravitational torque and load eccentricity disturbances. Therefore, higher requirements are placed on close-range handheld shooting devices.

[0004] Currently, in the field of long-distance observation and photography, the most common approaches fall into two categories: one is to improve the shooting equipment itself; the other is to use a tripod / monopod in conjunction with a camera head. Improving the shooting equipment itself involves stabilizing the "internal optical system," including optical image stabilization (OIS) in camera lenses (counteracting shake by moving lens groups), in-body image stabilization (IBIS) (counteracting shake by moving the sensor), and "image-stabilized binoculars" in binoculars. These technologies are highly effective in reducing blur or field of view shake caused by hand-held camera shake: for example, Canon's explanation of lens stabilization emphasizes counteracting camera shake by moving lens groups; Nikon and others' descriptions of IBIS also emphasize compensating for camera movement by moving the sensor. Image-stabilized binoculars often reduce field of view shake caused by hand-held camera shake through mechanisms such as sensors / gyroscopes or prisms / lens groups. However, the core of this approach is "stabilizing the field of view," lacking the directional control capability to "keep moving targets continuously in the frame." When the target itself is moving and the operator is also moving, relying solely on in-camera / in-lens / telescope stabilization is insufficient to meet the system requirements of "continuous tracking, consistently centered composition, and robustness against obstructions and sudden maneuvers." For tripod / monopod setups, at long distances, the operator needs to manually push and pull frequently to barely keep up with the target. Furthermore, in the narrow field of view of a telephoto lens, even minor hand movements and friction are significantly amplified into image shake and the risk of the target going out of frame, resulting in a low success rate and tracking failures. In other words, relying solely on the operator's manual tracking and composition easily leads to problems such as target loss, image shake, and discontinuous tracking.

[0005] In addition, various consumer-grade handheld gimbals have been proposed in existing technologies for use in daily vlogs, travel shooting, live streaming and other scenarios, which can adjust the pitch angle, yaw angle and roll angle of the shooting device.

[0006] For example, patent CN115596980B discloses a two-axis gimbal where the connecting arm and the rotor end of a first motor can rotate relative to each other, allowing the gimbal to switch between a stowed state and a usable state. The clamping part includes a first gripper and a second gripper. When the gimbal is in the stowed state, the clamping part faces the handheld part; when the gimbal is in the usable state, the clamping part is located above the first motor, and the connecting arm is inclined towards the extension line of the first motor's axis, placing the clamping part on the extension line of the first motor's axis. The outer ring of the first motor rotor end and the connecting arm are provided with matching limiting structures to restrict the relative rotation between the first motor rotor end and the connecting arm. This invention discloses a two-axis gimbal that ensures the center of gravity of the two-axis gimbal remains balanced. By adding a rotating mechanism between the first motor and the connecting arm, the stowed length of the two-axis gimbal is achieved, and the length after stowage is only the length of the handheld part of the gimbal, thus solving the problem of motor obstruction when shooting with a wide-angle lens on a two-axis gimbal.

[0007] For example, patent CN110770496B discloses a gimbal (10) including a first axis assembly (12) and a second axis assembly (14). The first axis assembly (12) is used to connect a load (40) and drive the load (40) to rotate around a first axis (R). The second axis assembly (14) is used to drive the first axis assembly (12) to swing around a second axis (P). The second axis (P) is the drive shaft through which the second axis assembly (14) drives the first axis assembly (12) to swing. The gimbal (10) is configured such that the center of gravity (41) of the load (40) is closer to the second axis (P) relative to the center of gravity of the first axis assembly (12). The opposite sides of the vertical plane (S) where the second axis (P) is located are used to separate the center of gravity (121) of the first axis assembly (12) and the center of gravity (41) of the load (40). A handheld gimbal and a handheld shooting device are also disclosed.

[0008] For example, patent CN213302862U discloses a handheld gimbal, comprising: a gimbal mechanism including multiple rotating shaft mechanisms, each rotating shaft mechanism including a motor; a handle mechanically coupled to the gimbal mechanism; an operating structure; sensors sensing the operating state of the operating structure and generating sensing signals; a controller calculating multiple desired attitude angles corresponding to the operating state of the operating structure based on the sensing signals and a preset mapping relationship and generating control signals; an electronic speed controller controlling the motor rotation based on the control signals; and the controller controlling the motor rotation of at least two rotating shaft mechanisms based on the same sensing signal of the operating structure to change multiple attitude angles of the load. This handheld gimbal allows users to input an operation command once to adjust multiple attitude angles of the load, enhancing the user experience.

[0009] However, the aforementioned handheld gimbals are mainly designed for small fixed-focus shooting devices and are used to solve the problem of hand shakiness in close-up shooting scenarios. They are not suitable for shooting moving targets at a distance. Summary of the Invention

[0010] The purpose of this invention is to provide a handheld gimbal that can carry telephoto shooting equipment, which partially solves or alleviates the above-mentioned shortcomings in the prior art, enabling the handheld gimbal to carry telephoto shooting equipment and adapt to the scenario of shooting moving targets from a distance.

[0011] To solve the aforementioned technical problems, the present invention specifically adopts the following technical solution: A handheld gimbal for mounting telephoto shooting equipment includes: a handheld part, a yaw axis assembly, and a pitch axis assembly stacked from bottom to top. The yaw axis assembly includes: a yaw axis housing disposed on the top of the handheld part, a yaw axis drive device installed in the yaw axis housing, and a yaw axis motor mount rotatably mounted on the top of the yaw axis housing and connected to the output end of the yaw axis drive device, wherein the yaw axis motor mount is connected to the pitch axis assembly. The pitch axis assembly includes: at least one shaft arm connected to the yaw axis motor mount, and a pitch axis housing rotatably connected to the shaft arm, a pitch axis drive device installed in the pitch axis housing and fastened to the at least one shaft arm, and a harmonic reducer disposed at the output end of the pitch axis drive device. The harmonic reducer is fastened to the pitch axis housing, so that the pitch axis drive device drives the pitch axis housing to rotate relative to the at least one shaft arm through the harmonic reducer. The pitch axis assembly further includes a support portion located at the top of the pitch axis housing and coaxially arranged with the yaw axis, the support portion being used to mount the telephoto shooting device.

[0012] Furthermore, the at least one shaft arm includes a first shaft arm and a second shaft arm that are rotatably connected to both sides of the pitch shaft housing and are fastened to the pitch shaft housing.

[0013] Furthermore, both the yaw axis drive device and the pitch axis drive device employ brushless motors.

[0014] Furthermore, the upper end of the yaw shaft housing is open, and the yaw shaft motor mount protrudes out of the yaw shaft housing through the open.

[0015] Furthermore, the pitch axis drive device includes a pitch axis stator and a pitch axis rotor, the harmonic reducer is disposed in the pitch axis housing and connected to the pitch axis rotor, and the pitch axis stator is connected to the first shaft arm and the second shaft arm.

[0016] Furthermore, the yaw axis housing is provided with an operating component, which communicates data with the yaw axis assembly, the pitch axis assembly, and the telephoto shooting device.

[0017] Furthermore, the handheld part includes a housing with a connection interface for connecting to the telephoto shooting device, and the distal end of the connection interface is connected to the operating component.

[0018] Furthermore, the handheld unit also includes a motherboard and a power module disposed inside the housing. The connection interface is disposed on the motherboard, and the power module, the yaw axis drive device, and the pitch axis drive device are all electrically connected to the motherboard.

[0019] Furthermore, an angle sensor is provided on the pitch axis drive device.

[0020] Furthermore, the operating component includes: a joystick for generating a first trigger signal in response to a user's operation, the joystick being electrically connected or data-communication connected to the motherboard; the motherboard controlling the on / off state of the pitch axis drive device or the yaw axis drive device according to the first trigger signal; and / or, A mode adjustment button is used to generate a second trigger signal in response to a user's operation. The mode adjustment button is electrically connected or data-communications the motherboard. The motherboard controls the on / off state between the pitch axis drive device or the yaw axis drive device and the mode adjustment button according to the second trigger signal. A shutter button is used to generate a third trigger signal in response to a user's operation. The shutter button is electrically connected to or data-communicates with the motherboard. The motherboard controls the telephoto shooting device to take pictures or record videos according to the third trigger signal. A dial key is used to generate a fourth trigger signal in response to a user's operation. The dial key is electrically connected or data-communications the motherboard. The motherboard controls the telephoto shooting device to focus according to the fourth trigger signal.

[0021] Beneficial effects: Unlike shooting close-up scenes with small fixed-focus shooting devices, shooting moving targets with long-range telephoto shooting devices is highly sensitive to any slight shaking: the narrower field of view makes the same angular disturbance appear as a larger target displacement in the image; the pitch axis also needs to continuously resist gravitational torque and load eccentricity disturbances (for example, the shooting device may zoom in real time during the shooting process, so its center of gravity changes dynamically; also, compared with mobile phones, small fixed-focus cameras, etc., long-range telephoto shooting devices are heavier, and their load requirements on the gimbal are higher). Therefore, its core requirements are high torque, high precision, high stability, and the ability to independently control the pitch / yaw axes to follow high-speed moving distant small targets.

[0022] In this application, the force transmission mechanism formed by the pitch axis housing, the shaft arm, the yaw axis motor mount, and the yaw axis housing transmits the gravity of the load to the handheld part. In other words, this application uses a physical structure to ensure that the center of gravity of the load of the camera and the pitch axis assembly passes through the yaw axis axis, thereby reducing the torque on the yaw axis assembly and the handheld part. During the user's grip, the center of gravity of the gimbal as a whole passes through the central axis of the user's hand, reducing the load torque that the user's hand has to bear and ensuring the comfort of the hand when gripping. This invention ensures high precision and disturbance resistance of the pitch axis through a harmonic reducer and achieves ultra-smooth horizontal axis movement through a direct drive mechanism. This overcomes the bottleneck of balancing precision and smoothness in telephoto gimbals, mechanically satisfying the extreme requirements of telephoto tracking on both axes. Specifically, the near-zero backlash characteristic of the harmonic reducer and the zero transmission backlash characteristic of the direct drive mechanism jointly eliminate the root cause of image jitter and jumps at low speeds, significantly improving compositional stability during ultra-long-distance shooting. Furthermore, the direct drive design reduces mechanical friction and impact noise, making it particularly suitable for quiet shooting environments; the hybrid drive architecture allows each unit to operate in its efficient range, improving overall battery life; and the design avoids complex and bulky transmission chains, resulting in a simpler, more reliable structure that better suits the needs of portable outdoor use.

[0023] This invention effectively solves the long-standing systemic problems in this field, such as unstable tracking, awkward operation, and noise interference, by accurately identifying the core contradictions between the two axes in telephoto shooting scenarios and adopting highly matched differentiated drive technology. It provides a high-performance and highly reliable gimbal solution for professional-grade long-distance shooting. Attached Figure Description

[0024] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. In all the drawings, similar elements or parts are generally identified by similar reference numerals. The elements or parts in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention, and those skilled in the art can obtain other drawings based on these drawings without any creative effort.

[0025] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of a handheld gimbal for mounting telephoto shooting equipment, as described in this application; Figure 2 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the gimbal component of this application; Figure 3 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the gimbal pitch axis assembly of this application; Figure 4 This is an exploded view of the gimbal pitch axis assembly of this application; Figure 5 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the gimbal yaw axis assembly of this application; Figure 6 This is an exploded view of the gimbal yaw axis assembly of this application; Figure 7 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the handheld part of the gimbal in this application; Figure 8 yes Figure 3 A cross-sectional schematic diagram of the gimbal's pitch axis assembly; Figure 9 yes Figure 4 A cross-sectional schematic diagram of the gimbal yaw axis assembly; Figure 10 yes Figure 5 A cross-sectional view of the gimbal's handheld component; Figure 11 This is a perspective view of the quick-release assembly of this application; Figure 12 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the camera component of this application.

[0026] Summary of attached labeling and identification: 10. Gimbal; 11. Pitch axis assembly; 111. Pitch axis drive device; 1111. Pitch axis motor stator; 1112. Pitch axis motor rotor; 112. Reducer; 113. Connector; 114. Pitch axis encoder board; 115. Angle sensor; 116. First bearing; 117. Second bearing; 118. First shaft arm; 119. Second shaft arm; 1110. Pitch axis housing; 12. Yaw axis assembly; 121. Yaw axis motor mount; 122. Yaw axis motor... Yaw axis drive equipment; 1221, yaw axis motor stator; 1222, yaw axis motor rotor; 1223, third bearing; 123, operating components; 1231, joystick; 1232, shutter button; 1233, dial button; 1234, mode adjustment button; 1235, power switch; 124, yaw axis encoder board; 125, yaw axis housing; 13, handheld part; 131, housing; 132, main board; 133, power module; 20, quick-release assembly; 30, camera. Detailed Implementation

[0027] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of the present invention. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0028] In this document, suffixes such as "module," "part," or "unit" used to denote elements are used only for the purpose of illustrative purposes and have no specific meaning in themselves. Therefore, "module," "part," or "unit" may be used interchangeably.

[0029] In this document, the terms "upper," "lower," "inner," "outer," "front," "rear," "one end," and "the other end," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing the present invention and for 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 limitations on the present invention. Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0030] In this document, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installed," "equipped with," "connected," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, "connection" can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection, a direct connection, or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; it can be a connection within two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0031] In this document, "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the listed related items.

[0032] In this article, "multiple" means two or more, that is, it includes two, three, four, five, etc.

[0033] Example 1: This embodiment provides a handheld gimbal for mounting a telephoto camera, including: Pitch axis section: Pitch axis assembly 11, pitch axis motor (pitch axis drive device) 111, pitch axis motor stator 1111, pitch axis motor rotor 1112, reducer 112, connector 113, pitch axis encoder board 114, Hall plate (angle sensor) 115, first bearing 116, second bearing 117, first shaft arm 118, second shaft arm 119, pitch axis housing 1110 The pitch axis assembly 11 is connected to the camera 30 via the quick-release piece 20 and drives the camera 30 to rotate. The pitch axis assembly 11 includes a pitch axis motor (pitch axis drive device) 111, a reducer 112, a connector 113, a pitch axis encoder board 114, a Hall plate (angle sensor) 115, a first bearing 116, a second bearing 117, a first shaft arm 118, and a second shaft arm 119.

[0034] The pitch axis motor (pitch axis drive device) 111 includes a pitch axis stator 1111 and a pitch axis rotor 1112. The pitch axis rotor 1112 can rotate relative to the pitch axis stator 1111 about the axis P of the pitch axis assembly 11. The reducer 112 is connected to the pitch axis motor rotor 1112 via a connector 113, and is used to reduce speed, increase torque, and improve load capacity. The reducer 112 is connected to the pitch axis motor (pitch axis drive device) 111 to drive the pitch axis assembly 11, thereby causing the camera 30 to rotate about the axis P of the pitch axis assembly 11.

[0035] The first bearing 116 and the second bearing 117 connect the pitch axis housing 1110 to the first shaft arm 118 and the second shaft arm 119. The shaft arms support the pitch axis assembly to rotate about the p-axis through the bearings and are fixedly connected to the yaw axis assembly 12 (yaw axis motor mount 121).

[0036] The pitch axis encoder board 114 is used to control the rotation speed and angle of the pitch axis motor (pitch axis drive device) 111, and the Hall plate (angle sensor) 115 is used to detect the pitch axis position and orientation.

[0037] Yaw axis section: 12. Yaw axis assembly, 121. Yaw axis motor mount, 122. Yaw axis motor (yaw axis drive device), 122. Yaw axis motor stator, 1221. Yaw axis motor rotor, 1222. Operating components, 123. Joystick, 1231. Shutter button, 1232. Dial button, 1233. Mode adjustment button, 1234. Power switch, 1235. Yaw axis encoder board, 124. Yaw axis housing, 125. The yaw axis assembly 12 includes a yaw axis motor mount 121, a yaw axis motor (yaw axis drive device) 122, an operating component 123, a yaw axis encoder board 124, and a yaw axis housing 125. The yaw axis motor (yaw axis drive device) 122 includes a yaw axis motor stator 1221 and a yaw axis motor rotor 1222. The yaw axis motor (yaw axis drive device) 122 drives the yaw axis motor rotor 1222 to rotate the pitch axis assembly around the Y-axis. The control component 123 is located between the yaw axis housings 125. The control component 123 includes a joystick 1231, a shutter button 1232, a dial button 1233, and a mode adjustment button 1234. Users can move the joystick to control the pitch axis assembly 11 and yaw axis assembly 12 of the gimbal 10, thereby adjusting the camera 30 to a preset attitude. The camera is connected to the motherboard of the handheld unit via a Type-C interface. Users can control the camera 30 through the buttons on the control component 123 of the gimbal 10, such as taking photos or recording videos.

[0038] The pitch axis encoder board 124 is used to control the rotation speed and angle of the yaw axis motor (yaw axis drive device) 122.

[0039] Handheld part: Handheld unit 13, housing 131, motherboard 132, battery (power module) 133 The handheld unit 13 includes a housing 131, a motherboard 132, and a battery (power module) 133. The motherboard and battery (power module) can be mounted on the housing. The camera is connected to the motherboard of the handheld unit via a Type-C interface. The user can control the camera 30 to operate, such as taking pictures and recording videos, through the operation components 123 buttons of the gimbal 10.

[0040] Quick-release component 20: The quick-release component 20 is used to connect the load, which is the camera 30 used for shooting, enabling quick assembly and disassembly of the gimbal 10 and the camera 30.

[0041] Camera 30: The camera 30 is equipped with a telephoto lens and can be connected to the gimbal 10 via the quick-release piece 20, enabling long-distance shooting.

[0042] This invention relates to a two-axis electrically controlled gimbal device for telephoto cameras or lenses, with core applications in birdwatching, sporting events, wildlife recording, and patrol and evidence collection. In these scenarios, the user's primary need is to continuously and stably point and track distant targets. Because telephoto lenses have narrow fields of view and high magnification, even minute angular disturbances of the gimbal will be significantly amplified into image shake, or even cause the target to disappear from the field of view. There is a general consensus in the industry that "the longer the focal length, the more sensitive it is to shake."

[0043] Based on the actual needs of the above application scenarios, the industry has formed general performance requirements for gimbal equipment, including pointing stability and shake suppression capabilities, which must maintain stable framing under external disturbances such as wind, impact, and tripod vibration; reliable tracking and framing capabilities, enabling smooth and continuous panning and tilt following, adapting to shooting modes where the target moves quickly, waits for a long time, and follows at any time; extremely low hysteresis and backlash are required to avoid image jitter caused by transmission gaps being magnified at the telephoto end; at the same time, the equipment should have characteristics such as portability, long battery life, and safe and reliable operation.

[0044] Currently, common industry solutions can be divided into three categories: The first category is purely manual mechanical gimbals (such as tripod gimbals and jib gimbals), where the operator manually performs pitch and horizontal tracking movements. This solution is simple in structure and low in cost, but under telephoto shooting conditions, the effects of unstable factors such as human body micro-movements, environmental wind disturbances, and changes in gimbal friction damping are significantly amplified, resulting in noticeable image shake. Furthermore, prolonged manual tracking can easily cause operator fatigue, significantly reducing the success rate of shots. The second category is electrically controlled gimbals and electrically controlled panning heads, commonly found in remote panning or security applications. These solutions can achieve a certain range of remote-controlled pitch and horizontal rotation, and provide adjustable speed and other functions. However, they are usually general-purpose designs and not optimized for telephoto tracking scenarios. Their transmission systems often have significant backlash and control dead zones, leading to inaccurate positioning and loss of tracking at low speeds. Shocks are easily generated during start-up and stop, causing sudden image jumps, and it is difficult to maintain control consistency under load changes, failing to meet the precision requirements of professional telephoto shooting. The third category is single-axis or dual-axis stabilizer solutions, which are more geared towards light-load or handheld shooting environments. These stabilizer devices, designed for handheld shooting, focus more on counteracting hand shake, and their design is usually centered around light load and high dynamic response.

[0045] When faced with static or low-speed tracking scenarios using a telephoto lens and tripod, it is often difficult to simultaneously ensure stability at extremely low speeds under heavy inertia loads, low hysteresis, and low-noise operation, which limits its application in professional telephoto tracking.

[0046] The reason why the aforementioned technical pain points have persisted for so long and are difficult to resolve stems from their inherent concealment and complexity under normal shooting conditions. When shooting at wide-angle or mid-range focal lengths, the slight hysteresis, frictional lag, and control instability of the gimbal are not easily detected. However, under telephoto conditions, these defects are significantly amplified by the optical system, directly manifesting as visible image shake. Furthermore, the complex outdoor shooting environment, with its interplay of factors such as wind load, tripod resonance, and load inertia fluctuations caused by changes in lens zoom or pitch angles, means that simply increasing motor power, adding mechanical damping, or improving the reduction ratio often results in trade-offs between stability, smoothness of movement, quietness, and battery life, making it difficult to achieve the overall optimal solution.

[0047] To address this, the present invention proposes an innovative two-axis differentiated drive architecture. Through in-depth research into the motion characteristics of telephoto tracking shooting, the inventors recognized that the core challenges faced by the pitch and yaw axes in actual working conditions differ: Pitch axis: It mainly bears the fluctuation of gravitational torque caused by the shift of the lens center of gravity and the change of pitch angle. It has extremely stringent requirements for maintaining angle stability, resisting disturbances, and achieving high-precision positioning and extremely low backlash.

[0048] Horizontal axis (Yaw): It focuses more on achieving smooth rotation with a wide range, continuous and stepless speed change, while having high requirements for the consistency of operating noise and control response, in order to meet the needs of long-term smooth panning.

[0049] Based on this analysis, this invention employs a targeted design, using a combination of a brushless motor and a harmonic reducer on the pitch axis. The harmonic reducer, with its high reduction ratio, near-zero backlash, high positioning accuracy, and compact structure, perfectly matches the pitch axis's requirements for high rigidity, high-precision disturbance rejection, and precise micro-motion control. On the yaw axis, an innovative high-torque brushless motor direct-drive solution is adopted. This eliminates traditional gear or belt transmission links, fundamentally eliminating low-speed crawling, start-stop shocks, and hysteresis problems caused by transmission chain backlash and frictional nonlinearity, thus achieving truly smooth, quiet, and consistent horizontal following motion.

[0050] Compared with existing technologies, the core difference and advantage of this invention lies in the fact that traditional gimbal solutions mostly adopt homogeneous or simple combination drive methods, such as both axes using worm gears or ordinary gear reduction, failing to conduct in-depth matching design according to the different mechanical characteristics and performance requirements of the two axes; while this invention breaks this conventional thinking and creatively proposes a differentiated hybrid drive architecture of "Pitch axis harmonic reduction + Yaw axis direct drive".

[0051] Based on this distinction, the benefits of this invention are significant. By using a harmonic reducer to ensure high precision and interference resistance of the pitch axis, and combining this with a direct-drive approach to achieve ultra-smooth horizontal axis movement, it overcomes the bottleneck of balancing precision and smoothness in telephoto gimbals, mechanistically satisfying the extreme requirements of telephoto tracking on both axes. Specifically, the near-zero backlash characteristic of the harmonic reducer and the zero transmission backlash characteristic of the direct-drive approach jointly eliminate the root cause of image jitter and jumps at low speeds, significantly improving compositional stability during ultra-long-distance shooting. Furthermore, the direct-drive design reduces mechanical friction and impact noise, making it particularly suitable for quiet shooting environments; the hybrid drive architecture allows each unit to operate in its efficient range, improving overall battery life; and the design avoids complex and bulky transmission chains, resulting in a simpler, more reliable structure that better suits the needs of portable outdoor use.

[0052] This invention effectively solves the long-standing systemic problems in this field, such as unstable tracking, awkward operation, and noise interference, by accurately identifying the core contradictions between the two axes in telephoto shooting scenarios and adopting highly matched differentiated drive technology. It provides a high-performance and highly reliable gimbal solution for professional-grade long-distance shooting.

[0053] Example 2: The handheld gimbal for mounting telephoto shooting equipment described in this embodiment is mainly suitable for... Figure 12The camera 30 shown has a telephoto lens, which enables long-distance shooting. The camera 30 can be connected to the gimbal 10 via the quick-release piece 20. The gimbal 10 can adjust the pitch angle and rotate the camera 30 horizontally.

[0054] In some embodiments, telephoto shooting devices include interchangeable lens mirrorless / SLR cameras, integrated telephoto cameras, etc. In other embodiments, handheld gimbals for mounting telephoto shooting devices can also be used to mount shooting devices such as mobile phones, action cameras, infrared cameras, and wide-angle cameras.

[0055] Specifically, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, a handheld gimbal for mounting telephoto shooting equipment includes a handheld part 13, a yaw axis assembly 12, and a pitch axis assembly 11 stacked sequentially from bottom to top. The camera 30 is mounted via... Figure 11 The quick-release piece 20 shown is detachably mounted on top of the pitch axis assembly 11.

[0056] like Figure 5 , Figure 6 and Figure 9 As shown, the yaw axis assembly 12 includes a yaw axis housing 125 disposed on the top of the handheld part 13. The upper end of the yaw axis housing 125 is open, and a yaw axis motor mount 121 is protruding from the open. The yaw axis motor mount 121 is rotatably connected to the yaw axis housing 125. A yaw axis drive device 122 is disposed inside the yaw axis housing 125. The output end of the yaw axis drive device 122 is fixedly connected to the bottom of the yaw axis motor mount 121. The top of the yaw axis motor mount 121 is connected to the pitch axis assembly 11.

[0057] Based on this structure, driving the yaw axis drive device 122 will force the yaw axis motor mount 121 to rotate relative to the yaw axis housing 125, thereby driving the pitch axis assembly 11 and the camera 30 to rotate around the handheld part 13, so that the camera 30 can be rotated and adjusted in the horizontal direction.

[0058] Furthermore, such as Figure 9As shown, the yaw axis drive device 122 includes a yaw axis motor stator 1221 and a yaw axis motor rotor 1222. The yaw axis motor stator 1221 is fixedly installed inside the yaw axis housing 125, and the yaw axis motor rotor 1222 can rotate relative to the yaw axis motor stator 1221. The yaw axis motor rotor 1222 is fixedly connected to the yaw axis motor mount 121. In this embodiment, the yaw axis drive device 122 preferably uses a brushless motor. By using a brushless motor direct drive scheme, the traditional gear or belt transmission links are eliminated, fundamentally eliminating the low-speed crawling, start-stop shock, and backlash problems caused by transmission chain backlash and frictional nonlinearity, thereby achieving truly smooth, quiet, and consistent horizontal following motion.

[0059] In some embodiments, a third bearing 1223 is provided between the yaw axis motor stator 1221 and the yaw axis motor rotor 1222. On the one hand, the third bearing 1223 enables the yaw axis motor rotor 1222 to rotate more smoothly. On the other hand, when the gimbal is in an inclined or horizontal state during use, the third bearing 1223 can support the yaw axis motor rotor 1222, increase the overall rigidity of the yaw axis drive device 122, and prevent the yaw axis from deforming due to the gravity load of the pitch axis assembly 11 and the camera 30.

[0060] In some embodiments, the yaw axis assembly 12 further includes a yaw axis encoder plate 124 disposed inside the yaw axis housing 125 and connected to the yaw axis drive device 122. The yaw axis encoder plate 124 is used to detect the rotation angle of the yaw axis drive device 122. Specifically, the yaw axis encoder plate 124 is installed at one end close to the yaw axis motor stator 1221.

[0061] like Figure 3 , Figure 4 and Figure 8As shown, the pitch axis assembly 11 includes at least one shaft arm fixedly connected to the yaw axis assembly 12, and a pitch axis housing 1110 rotatably connected to the shaft arm. The pitch axis housing 1110 contains at least one pitch axis drive device 111, which is fastened to one of the shaft arms. A harmonic reducer 112 is also provided at the output end of the pitch axis drive device 111. The harmonic reducer 112 is fastened to the pitch axis housing 1110, thereby allowing the pitch axis drive device 111 to drive the pitch axis housing 1110 via the harmonic reducer 112. For at least one axis arm rotation; the pitch axis assembly 11 also includes a support portion located on the top 1 of the pitch axis housing 1110 and coaxially arranged with the yaw axis. In this embodiment, the support portion specifically consists of four mounting posts on the top of the pitch axis housing 1110. The quick-release member 20 has four mounting holes corresponding to the four mounting posts. The top of the quick-release member 20 has a support plane and a buckle for fixing the camera 30. After the camera 30 is fixedly supported on the support plane on the top of the quick-release member 20 by the buckle, the overall center of gravity of the camera 30 is close to the yaw axis. The quick-release member 20 also has a locking portion for restricting the mounting posts within the mounting holes.

[0062] Specifically, such as Figure 8 As shown, the pitch axis assembly 11 includes components symmetrically arranged on both sides of the pitch axis housing 1110 (i.e., Figure 8 The pitch axis housing 1110 has a first shaft arm 118 and a second shaft arm 119 at its left and right ends. The first shaft arm 118 is rotatably connected to the pitch axis housing 1110 via a first bearing 116, and the second shaft arm 119 is rotatably connected to the pitch axis housing 1110 via a second bearing 117. The bottom ends of both the first shaft arm 118 and the second shaft arm 119 are fixedly connected to the top of the yaw axis motor mount 121. It should be noted that this embodiment does not limit the specific fixing method between the first shaft arm 118, the second shaft arm 119 and the yaw axis motor mount 121. It can be a screw fixing connection or a fixing connection by means of clips, etc.

[0063] Furthermore, the pitch axis drive device 111 includes a pitch axis stator 1111 and a pitch axis rotor 1112. The two ends of the pitch axis stator 1111 are fixedly connected to the first shaft arm 118 and the second shaft arm 119, respectively. The pitch axis rotor 1112 is connected to the harmonic reducer 112 through the connector 113. The harmonic reducer 112 is fixedly installed inside the pitch axis housing 1110. Based on this structure, when the pitch axis drive device 111 is running, the pitch axis rotor 1112 can rotate relative to the pitch axis stator 1111. During the rotation of the pitch axis rotor 1112, the pitch axis housing 1110 can rotate relative to the first axis arm 118 and the second axis arm 119, thereby realizing the pitch angle adjustment of the camera 30. The harmonic reducer 112, with its high reduction ratio, near-zero backlash, high positioning accuracy, and compact structure, perfectly matches the pitch axis's requirements for high rigidity, high-precision anti-interference, and precise micro-motion control. The first bearing 116 and the second bearing 117 make the pitch adjustment of the camera 30 smoother, helping to reduce the noise generated by the gimbal operation and improve user comfort. It should be noted that the pitch axis stator 1111 can be fixedly connected only to the first axis arm 118 or the second axis arm 119, specifically through bolts.

[0064] In this embodiment, the pitch axis drive device 111 is also preferably a brushless motor. The brushless motor can effectively reduce the noise generated during the operation of the pitch axis assembly 11 and ensure the efficient operation of the pitch axis assembly 11.

[0065] like Figure 4 and Figure 8 As shown, the pitch axis drive device also includes a pitch axis encoder board 114 and an angle sensor 115 (e.g., a Hall plate). The pitch axis encoder board 114 is located at one end near the pitch axis stator 1111, and the pitch axis encoder board 114 can detect the rotation angle of the pitch axis drive device 111. The angle sensor 115 is located at one end near the pitch axis rotor 1112, and it is used to detect the rotation angle of the pitch axis rotor 1112 to ensure that the pitch adjustment angle of the camera 30 is more accurate.

[0066] like Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, an operation component 123 is provided on the yaw axis housing 125. In this embodiment, the operation component 123 is installed on the yaw axis housing 125 in an embedded manner. This design makes the overall structure of the gimbal 10 more compact.

[0067] In this embodiment, the operation component 123 communicates with the yaw axis component 12, the pitch axis component 11, and the camera 30. With this design, when the camera 30 is fixed to the top of the pitch axis component 11 via the quick-release piece 20, operating the operation component 123 can realize the pitch adjustment (i.e., pitch axis angle adjustment), horizontal rotation adjustment (i.e., yaw axis angle adjustment), and the operation of the camera 30 (e.g., taking pictures, recording videos, etc.).

[0068] Specifically, such as Figure 7 and Figure 10 As shown, the handheld unit 13 includes a housing 131, on which a connection interface (e.g., a Type-C interface) is provided. The connection interface is used to connect to the camera 30, and the distal end of the connection interface is connected to the operating component 123. Based on this structure, the camera 30 can complete data communication between the operating component 123 and the camera 30 by connecting to the connection interface via a data cable, thereby enabling the operating component 123 to control the operation of the camera 30.

[0069] Furthermore, such as Figure 10 As shown, the handheld unit 13 also includes a mainboard 132 and a power module 133 disposed inside the housing 131. The connection interface is disposed on the mainboard 132, and the power module 133, the yaw axis drive device 122, the pitch axis drive device 111, and the operating component 123 are all electrically connected to the mainboard 132. The mainboard 132 enables the operating component 123 to control the yaw axis drive device 122, the pitch axis drive device 111, and the camera 30; the power module 133 provides a power source for the gimbal 10, ensuring the normal operation of the gimbal 10.

[0070] Furthermore, such as Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, the operation component 123 includes a joystick 1231, which generates a first trigger signal in response to the user's operation. The joystick 1231 is electrically connected or communicates with the motherboard 132. When the user moves the joystick 1231, the motherboard 132 can control the pitch axis drive device 111 or the yaw axis drive device 122 to turn on or off according to the first trigger signal.

[0071] In some embodiments, the operation component 123 further includes a mode adjustment button 1234, which generates a second trigger signal in response to a user's operation. The mode adjustment button 1234 is electrically connected or data-communications a motherboard 132. When the user presses the mode adjustment button 1234, the motherboard 132 can control the connection and disconnection between the pitch axis drive device 111 or the yaw axis drive device 122 and the mode adjustment button 1234 according to the second trigger signal.

[0072] In some embodiments, the operation component 123 further includes a shutter button 1232, which generates a third trigger signal in response to a user's operation. The shutter button 1232 is electrically connected to or data-communicates with the motherboard 132. When the user presses the shutter button 1232, the motherboard 132 can control the camera 30 to take a picture or record a video according to the third trigger signal.

[0073] In some embodiments, the operation component 123 further includes a dial key 1233, which is used to generate a fourth trigger signal in response to the user's operation. The dial key 1233 is electrically connected or data-communications the motherboard 132. When the user moves the dial key 1233, the motherboard 132 can control the camera 30 to focus according to the fourth trigger signal.

[0074] In some embodiments, the operation component 123 further includes a power switch 1235, which is used to control the overall power supply or power deprivation of the gimbal 10.

[0075] Based on the above structure, the overall usage steps of the operation component 123 are as follows: First, press the power button 1235 to turn on the gimbal 10; then, fix the camera 30 on the top of the pitch axis assembly 11 and communicate with the operation component 123 via a data cable; next, press the mode adjustment button 1234 to connect the pitch axis assembly 11 and the mode adjustment button 1234; then, shake the joystick 1231 to adjust the camera 30 to the preset pitch angle; press the mode adjustment button 1234 again to disconnect the connection between the pitch axis assembly 11 and the mode adjustment button 1234, and connect the yaw axis assembly 12 and the mode adjustment button 1234; then, shake the joystick 1231 to adjust the camera 30 to the preset yaw angle; then, rotate the dial button 1233 to focus the camera 30; finally, press the shutter button 1232 to take a picture or record a video.

[0076] It should be noted that the order in which the joystick 1231 is used to adjust the pitch axis assembly 11 and the yaw axis assembly 12 in the above-described usage steps is not particularly limited. That is, in some embodiments, the joystick 1231 is used to adjust the yaw angle of the camera 30 first, and then the joystick 1231 is used to adjust the pitch angle of the camera 30. In addition, in other embodiments, after the joystick 1231 has been used to adjust both the pitch angle and the yaw angle of the camera 30 once, the joystick 1231 can be moved again to achieve further angle adjustment of the camera 30.

[0077] This invention employs a differentiated hybrid drive architecture combining pitch-axis harmonic reduction and horizontal-axis direct drive. By leveraging the near-zero backlash of the harmonic reduction and the zero transmission backlash of the direct drive, the root cause of image jitter and jumps at low speeds and micro-motion is eliminated, significantly improving compositional stability during ultra-long-distance shooting. Furthermore, the direct drive design reduces mechanical friction and impact noise, making it particularly suitable for quiet shooting environments; the hybrid drive architecture allows each unit to operate within its high-efficiency range, contributing to improved overall battery life; simultaneously, this design avoids complex and bulky transmission chains, resulting in a simpler, more reliable structure that better suits the needs of portable outdoor use.

[0078] The embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described above. The specific embodiments described above are merely illustrative and not restrictive. Those skilled in the art can make many other forms under the guidance of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims. All of these forms are within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A handheld gimbal for mounting telephoto shooting equipment, characterized in that, include: The handheld part (13), yaw axis assembly (12) and pitch axis assembly (11) are arranged in layers from bottom to top. The yaw axis assembly (12) includes: a yaw axis housing (125) disposed on the top of the handheld part (13), a yaw axis drive device (122) installed in the yaw axis housing (125), and a yaw axis motor mount (121) rotatably mounted on the top of the yaw axis housing (125) and connected to the output end of the yaw axis drive device (122), wherein the yaw axis motor mount (121) is connected to the pitch axis assembly (11); The pitch axis assembly (11) includes: at least one shaft arm connected to the yaw axis motor mount (121), and a pitch axis housing (1110) rotatably connected to the shaft arm, a pitch axis drive device (111) installed in the pitch axis housing (1110) and fastened to the at least one shaft arm, and a harmonic reducer (112) disposed at the output end of the pitch axis drive device (111), the harmonic reducer (112) being fastened to the pitch axis housing (1110), thereby driving the pitch axis housing (1110) to rotate relative to the at least one shaft arm by the pitch axis drive device (111) through the harmonic reducer (112); The pitch axis assembly (11) further includes a support portion located on top of the pitch axis housing (1110) and coaxially arranged with the yaw axis, the support portion being used to mount the telephoto shooting device.

2. The gimbal for handheld telephoto shooting equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The at least one shaft arm includes a first shaft arm (118) and a second shaft arm (119) that are rotatably connected to both sides of the pitch shaft housing (1110) and are fastened to the pitch shaft housing (1110).

3. The gimbal for handheld telephoto shooting equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, Both the yaw axis drive device (122) and the pitch axis drive device (111) are brushless motors.

4. The gimbal for handheld use with telephoto shooting equipment according to claim 2, characterized in that, The upper end of the yaw shaft housing (125) is open, and the yaw shaft motor mount (121) protrudes out of the yaw shaft housing (125) through the open.

5. The gimbal for handheld telephoto shooting equipment according to claim 2, characterized in that, The pitch axis drive device (111) includes a pitch axis stator (1111) and a pitch axis rotor (1112). The harmonic reducer (112) is disposed in the pitch axis housing (1110) and connected to the pitch axis rotor (1112). The pitch axis stator (1111) is connected to the first shaft arm (118) and the second shaft arm (119).

6. The gimbal for handheld telephoto shooting equipment according to claim 4, characterized in that, An operating component (123) is provided on the yaw axis housing (125). The operating component (123) communicates with the yaw axis assembly (12), the pitch axis assembly (11), and the telephoto shooting device.

7. The gimbal for handheld telephoto shooting equipment according to claim 6, characterized in that, The handheld part (13) includes a housing (131) with a connection interface provided on the housing (131). The connection interface is used to connect to the telephoto shooting device, and the far end of the connection interface is connected to the operating component (123).

8. The gimbal for handheld telephoto shooting equipment according to claim 7, characterized in that, The handheld unit (13) also includes a motherboard (132) and a power module (133) disposed inside the housing (131). The connection interface is disposed on the motherboard (132). The power module (133), the yaw axis drive device and the pitch axis drive device are all electrically connected to the motherboard (132).

9. The gimbal for handheld use with telephoto shooting equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, An angle sensor (115) is provided on the pitch axis drive device (111).

10. The gimbal for handheld telephoto shooting equipment according to claim 8, characterized in that, The operating component (123) includes: A joystick (1231) for generating a first trigger signal in response to a user's operation, the joystick (1231) being electrically connected or data-communication connected to the motherboard (132); the motherboard (132) controlling the on / off state of the pitch axis drive device (111) or the yaw axis drive device (122) according to the first trigger signal; and / or, A mode adjustment button (1234) is used to generate a second trigger signal in response to a user's operation. The mode adjustment button (1234) is electrically connected or data-communications-with the motherboard (132). The motherboard (132) controls the on / off state between the pitch axis drive device (111) or the yaw axis drive device (122) and the mode adjustment button (1234) according to the second trigger signal. A shutter button (1232) is used to generate a third trigger signal in response to a user's operation. The shutter button (1232) is electrically connected to or data-communicating with the motherboard (132). The motherboard (132) controls the telephoto shooting device to take pictures or record videos according to the third trigger signal. A dial key (1233) is used to generate a fourth trigger signal in response to a user's operation. The dial key (1233) is electrically connected or data-communications-to-the-motherboard (132). The motherboard (132) controls the telephoto shooting device to focus according to the fourth trigger signal.

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