An underwater anti-shake lens

Abstract

The application discloses an underwater anti-shake lens and belongs to the technical field of anti-shake lenses. The underwater anti-shake lens comprises a lens fixing shell, a plurality of anti-shake actuators and a control system. The lens fixing shell is arranged in a shell and can freely slide in the shell and is used for fixing a shooting lens. The plurality of anti-shake actuators are arranged in multiple directions of the lens fixing shell and are used for dynamically compensating the shaking of the shooting lens from different directions. The control system acquires a posture offset value of the lens fixing shell and drives the plurality of anti-shake actuators to individually or jointly act based on the posture offset value. The underwater anti-shake lens can compensate the shaking in multiple directions in the horizontal direction at the same time by arranging the anti-shake actuators in multiple directions of the lens fixing shell and individually or jointly driving the actuators by the control system, thereby significantly improving the image stability of underwater shooting.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of image stabilization lens technology, and specifically relates to an underwater image stabilization lens. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, underwater imaging equipment is widely used in bridge safety inspection, underwater structural flaw detection, and river ecological monitoring. Taking the submerged part of a bridge pier as an example, when the river current is rapid, the underwater camera will be subjected to continuous impact from the water flow, resulting in irregular pitch, yaw, roll, and translational shaking in multiple directions. This leads to blurred images and severe ghosting, making it difficult to clearly identify defects such as cracks, spalling, or exposed rebar on the surface of the bridge pier.

[0003] To address the aforementioned issues, existing underwater image stabilization technologies are mainly divided into two categories: one is mechanical passive image stabilization, such as using flexible shock-absorbing brackets or elastic damping materials. However, this method is effective for low-frequency large-amplitude swaying but insufficient for high-frequency irregular water flow disturbances; the other is electronic image stabilization (EIS) and optical image stabilization (OIS). Among them, electronic image stabilization relies on image algorithms and is prone to failure in low underwater light or when textures are blurred; optical image stabilization has a complex structure, high cost, and is not easy to seal in small underwater detection equipment.

[0004] It's worth noting that in typical airborne environments (such as handheld shooting), image stabilization is usually achieved in well-lit, textured conditions, allowing algorithms to reliably extract feature points. Disturbances are primarily low-frequency and unidirectional. However, the underwater environment is entirely different: the impact of high-speed water currents on imaging devices is a fully submerged hydrodynamic force. Disturbances arise from arbitrary couplings of pitch, yaw, roll, lateral translation, longitudinal translation, and even forward and backward impacts along the optical axis. Furthermore, turbulence and vortex streets generate numerous high-frequency, irregular vibrations. Simultaneously, underwater light rapidly attenuates, and suspended particles and bubbles result in low image contrast and blurred textures, making it easy for electronic image stabilization to lose inter-frame feature points.

[0005] Chinese patent application number 202310630793.4 discloses a stabilized focusing camera for underwater bridge pier photography. It uses liquids of different densities as transmission components, but the interface between these liquids causes swaying, resulting in slight additional shaking during image stabilization and reducing accuracy. Furthermore, its turbulent water stabilization module uses an electrically driven thermoelectric spring. Heating the spring deforms it, which in turn drives a drive block for image stabilization compensation. However, thermoelectric springs rely on thermal effects for deformation. The process from heating to deformation requires heat transfer and material phase change, exhibiting significant thermal inertia. This makes it difficult to meet the instantaneous response requirements for capturing images in underwater high-frequency turbulent water. Summary of the Invention

[0006] This invention provides an underwater image stabilization lens that solves the problems of insufficient multi-directional lens shake compensation in underwater environments and the difficulty of shooting in low-light and complex flow field conditions underwater.

[0007] The objective of this invention can be achieved through the following technical solutions: An underwater image-stabilized lens includes: shell; A lens mounting housing is disposed inside the outer casing and can slide freely within the outer casing; the lens mounting housing is used to fix the shooting lens. Multiple image stabilization actuators are arranged in multiple directions of the lens mounting housing to apply force to the lens mounting housing from different directions to dynamically compensate for the shaking of the shooting lens. The control system acquires the attitude offset value of the lens mounting housing and drives multiple image stabilization actuators to operate individually or in combination based on the attitude offset value.

[0008] Preferably, the anti-shake actuator includes a drive transmission module, a rheological fluid damping module, and a transmission reset module: The drive transmission module is slidably inserted into the rheological fluid damping module and interacts with the medium inside the rheological fluid damping module; The rheological fluid damping module is provided with a medium that instantaneously changes the damping state, which is used to selectively prevent or allow the drive transmission module to move relative to the rheological fluid damping module. The transmission reset module is connected between the rheological fluid damping module and the lens mounting housing. It is used to transmit the displacement of the rheological fluid damping module to the lens mounting housing. When the drive transmission module is prevented from sliding, its continuous movement force is converted into a push on the rheological fluid damping module, which is then applied to the lens mounting housing via the transmission reset module to achieve shake compensation.

[0009] Preferably, the rheological fluid damping module includes an outer cylinder and an inner cylinder arranged coaxially; an electromagnet is installed inside the outer cylinder, and the inner cylinder is slidably installed inside the outer cylinder and has a hollow structure, with the hollow part filled with magnetorheological fluid.

[0010] Preferably, the drive transmission module includes a motor, an idler wheel, and a sliding rod. The idler wheel is connected to the output shaft of the motor, and a linkage rod is eccentrically arranged on the idler wheel. The sliding rod is movably connected to the linkage rod and is slidably inserted into the inner cylinder and the outer cylinder. A linkage post is provided on the side of the sliding rod away from the inner cylinder, and a linkage ring groove is opened at the end of the linkage post. The linkage rod is inserted into the linkage ring groove.

[0011] Preferably, the outer cylinder has an outer sliding groove on its side wall, and the inner cylinder has an inner sliding groove on its side wall; the sliding rod passes through both the outer sliding groove and the inner sliding groove; the portion of the sliding rod outside the outer cylinder is also provided with a sealing plate, the inner side of which is in contact with the outer wall of the inner cylinder, and the length of the sealing plate is greater than the length of the inner sliding groove, in order to prevent leakage of the magnetorheological fluid.

[0012] Preferably, the transmission reset module includes a spring, a three-pronged push rod, and a locking block; the spring is located between the inner cylinder and the outer cylinder, and is located on the side closer to the shooting lens; one end of the three-pronged push rod is inserted into a horizontal groove opened in the side wall of the lens fixing housing through the locking block, and the other end is provided with two connectors, each of which is connected to the inner cylinder.

[0013] Preferably, in the two inner cylinders connected by the three-headed push rod, the sliding rods of the two inner cylinders move in opposite directions.

[0014] Preferably, it also includes a top cover; the top cover is fixed to the top of the outer shell, and a slot is provided in the middle of the top cover, and a waterproof connector is provided in the slot; the inner ring of the waterproof connector is sealed to the outer wall of the shooting lens; the lens fixing shell is disposed in the outer shell and can slide freely.

[0015] An underwater image stabilization lens, the control system comprising: The attitude calculation module is used to acquire the inertial sensing data of the lens mounting shell in real time and calculate and generate an attitude offset vector containing the offset direction and offset magnitude. The normal drive control module is used to continuously generate and issue drive commands to control the operation of the motor; The decision scheduling module is used to compare the attitude offset vector with a preset dead zone threshold. When the offset amplitude exceeds the dead zone threshold, it determines at least one electromagnet that needs to be activated based on the offset direction and generates an activation command. The dynamic correction control module is used to receive the activation command and output a pulse energizing signal to the corresponding electromagnet, so that the magnetorheological fluid in the corresponding inner cylinder is instantly solidified. With the continuous running power of the motor, the lens fixing shell is pushed through the sliding rod, the inner cylinder and the three-head push rod to correct the deviation.

[0016] Preferably, the decision scheduling module includes: The dead zone decision submodule is used to compare the magnitude of the attitude offset vector with the dead zone threshold, and trigger subsequent actions only when the threshold is exceeded, and pass the directional component of the offset vector to the mapping lookup submodule. The mapping storage submodule stores a direction-electromagnet mapping table. The direction-electromagnet mapping table establishes a three-dimensional coordinate system with the geometric center of the lens fixing shell as the origin, and discretizes the spatial angle into multiple direction intervals. Each interval corresponds to the identification of at least one electromagnet. The mapping lookup submodule is used to receive the direction component, match the corresponding offset direction interval in the mapping table, extract the corresponding electromagnet identifier, and generate an activation command using the electromagnet identifier as a parameter. The pulse duration configuration submodule is used to dynamically calculate the duration of the pulse energizing signal according to the magnitude of the offset vector using a preset step function or proportional function, and then append this duration to the activation command.

[0017] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: Utilizing the instantaneous response characteristics of magnetorheological fluid after a magnetic field is applied, active displacement of the lens can be generated without transmission time delay to counteract lens shake. Furthermore, since the toggle block slides linearly within the inner cylinder after the device is turned on, it agitates the built-in magnetorheological fluid, thus preventing sedimentation and subsequent performance degradation. By arranging anti-shake actuators in multiple directions on the lens mounting housing and combining them with a control system to drive each actuator individually or in combination, simultaneous compensation for shake in multiple horizontal directions can be achieved, significantly improving the image stability of underwater photography. Attached Figure Description

[0018] To facilitate understanding by those skilled in the art, the present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the underwater image stabilization lens structure in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the installation structure of the anti-shake actuator in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the installation positions of the outer shell, outer cylinder, and motor in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the connection structure between the outer cylinder and the three-headed push rod in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the connection structure between the outer cylinder and the three-headed push rod in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 6 This is an exploded structural diagram of the outer cylinder, the three-headed push rod, and the sliding rod in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] Figure 7 This is an exploded structural diagram of the outer cylinder, three-headed push rod, and sliding rod connection in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the idler wheel structure in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 9 This is a mapping diagram of the movement directions of each motor when the lens shifts to the right and rear in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram showing the relationship between the modules of the control system in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] Legend: 1. Outer shell; 2. Top cover; 3. Waterproof connector; 4. Lens mounting shell; 5. Shooting lens; 6. Outer cylinder; 7. Inner cylinder; 8. Spring; 9. Sliding rod; 10. Three-headed push rod; 11. Motor; 12. Idler wheel; 101. Mounting groove; 401. Horizontal groove; 601. Limiting groove; 602. Outer sliding groove; 603. Electromagnet; 701. Limiting block; 702. Inner sliding groove; 703. Guide groove; 901. Sealing slide; 902. Toggle block; 903. Linkage column; 904. Linkage ring groove; 905. Guide bar; 1001. Locking block; 1201. Linkage rod. Detailed Implementation

[0030] To further illustrate the technical means and effects of the present invention in achieving its intended purpose, the following detailed description of the specific implementation methods, structures, features, and effects of the present invention, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and preferred embodiments, is provided.

[0031] like Figures 1-10 As shown, an underwater image stabilization lens includes a housing 1, a lens mounting housing 4, an image stabilization actuator, and a control system. The lens mounting housing 4 is set inside the outer shell 1 and can slide freely in the outer shell 1. The lens mounting housing 4 is used to fix the shooting lens 5, so that the lens mounting housing 4 can only move in the horizontal direction.

[0032] Multiple image stabilization actuators are respectively set in the front, back, left and right directions of the lens mounting housing 4, and apply force to the lens mounting housing 4 from different directions to dynamically compensate for the shaking of the shooting lens 5.

[0033] The control system acquires the attitude offset value of the lens mounting housing 4, and drives multiple image stabilization actuators to operate individually or in combination based on the attitude offset value.

[0034] During filming, when underwater flow disturbances or equipment vibrations cause irregular shaking of the outer casing 1, the lens mounting housing 4, due to inertia, causes the shooting lens 5 to shift or tilt relative to the outer casing 1. The control system calculates the driving force that each anti-shake actuator should output based on the magnitude, direction, and required compensation of the attitude offset value, and drives the actuators in the corresponding positions to act individually or in combination. For example, when the lens mounting housing 4 shakes to the right and rear, the anti-shake actuators on the right and rear sides actively extend to push, while the anti-shake actuators on the left and front sides retract synchronously, jointly applying a resultant force to the left and forward on the lens mounting housing 4, forcing the lens mounting housing 4 to move in the opposite direction relative to the outer casing 1 by the same amount of displacement, thereby offsetting the deviation of the light incident path and ensuring that the imaging beam always falls stably on the same position of the image sensor, achieving dynamic real-time compensation.

[0035] As can be seen, by arranging anti-shake actuators in multiple directions on the lens mounting housing 4 and combining them with the control system to drive each anti-shake actuator individually or in combination, it is possible to compensate for shaking in multiple directions in the horizontal direction at the same time, significantly improving the image stability of underwater shooting. It can quickly respond to random and high-frequency disturbances caused by complex underwater flow fields, and can keep the image stable even in the presence of irregular water flow or strong surges.

[0036] In one embodiment, the anti-shake actuator includes a drive transmission module, a rheotropic fluid damping module, and a transmission reset module.

[0037] The drive transmission module is slidably inserted into the rheological fluid damping module and interacts with the medium inside the rheological fluid damping module.

[0038] The rheological fluid damping module is equipped with a medium that instantaneously changes the damping state, which is used to selectively prevent or allow the drive transmission module to move relative to the rheological fluid damping module. Specifically, when there is no jitter or compensation is not triggered, the drive transmission module can slide freely in the rheological fluid damping module, and the rheological fluid damping module maintains a stable relative position with the lens fixing shell 4 under the transmission reset module.

[0039] The transmission reset module is connected between the rheological fluid damping module and the lens mounting housing 4. When the lens mounting housing 4 shifts, the displacement of the rheological fluid damping module is transmitted to the lens mounting housing 4 through the transmission reset module. Specifically, when the control system determines that compensation is needed in a certain direction, it issues a command to the image stabilization actuator in that direction. First, the medium in the rheological fluid damping module within the corresponding image stabilization actuator instantly becomes a high-damping state, preventing the drive transmission module from sliding relative to the rheological fluid damping module, and prohibiting their relative movement. The continuous motion force is converted into a pushing force on the entire rheological fluid damping module, pushing the damping module to move axially along the drive transmission module. The axial movement is transmitted to the lens mounting housing 4 through the transmission reset module, driving the lens mounting housing 4 to generate a compensating displacement in the opposite direction to the shake. When the compensation is in place, the control system releases the damping state of the medium, the drive transmission module resumes free sliding, and the transmission reset module brings the damping module back to its initial equilibrium position, waiting for the next trigger.

[0040] This embodiment utilizes the instantaneous change in damping state of the rheological fluid medium, enabling the anti-vibration actuator to switch from free motion to rigid locking in an extremely short time. Its response speed is far superior to that of traditional electromagnetic direct drive structures, making it particularly suitable for compensating for high-frequency, irregular random vibrations underwater. The transmission reset module serves as both a displacement transmission component and an elastic reset function, allowing the rheological fluid damping module to automatically return to center after each compensation action, ensuring long-term stability for multiple continuous compensations.

[0041] In one specific embodiment, the rheological fluid damping module adopts a coaxial double-cylinder structure, including an outer cylinder 6 and an inner cylinder 7. The outer cylinder 6 and the inner cylinder 7 are coaxially arranged. An electromagnet 603 is fixedly arranged inside the outer cylinder 6. The inner cylinder 7 is slidably arranged inside the outer cylinder 6, and the inner cylinder 7 itself is a hollow structure, wherein the cavity is filled with magnetorheological fluid.

[0042] A certain gap is left between the inner wall of the outer cylinder 6 and the outer wall of the inner cylinder 7, allowing the inner cylinder 7 to slide freely axially within the outer cylinder 6. When the control system issues an anti-shake command, the electromagnet 603 is instantaneously energized to generate a magnetic field. The magnetic field penetrates the cylinder wall of the inner cylinder 7 and acts on the magnetorheological fluid in the hollow cavity. Under zero magnetic field conditions, the magnetorheological fluid is in a low-viscosity Newtonian fluid state; when the magnetic field strength reaches a threshold, the magnetorheological fluid transforms into a high-viscosity or even solid-like Bingham fluid.

[0043] To avoid magnetic field interference between adjacent anti-vibration actuators, the outer cylinder 6 is made of a material with high magnetic permeability and magnetic shielding effect, such as electrical pure iron or permalloy. The cylinder wall of the outer cylinder 6 has sufficient thickness to confine the magnetic lines of force generated by the electromagnet 603 within a closed loop between the outer cylinder 6 and the inner cylinder 7, significantly reducing leakage flux. Simultaneously, the outer wall of the outer cylinder 6 can be further coated or covered with a non-magnetic conductive layer such as copper or aluminum to attenuate external stray magnetic fields using the eddy current effect.

[0044] Under normal conditions, the drive transmission module can move freely in the unmagnetized magnetorheological fluid without affecting the posture of the lens mounting shell 4. When it is necessary to compensate for jitter in a certain direction, the control system controls the electromagnet 603 to be energized, the magnetorheological fluid instantly solidifies, and the drive transmission module and the inner cylinder 7 cannot generate relative movement; the drive transmission module and the inner cylinder 7 move synchronously, and then push the lens mounting shell 4 through the transmission reset module to achieve jitter compensation on the horizontal plane of the outer shell 1. After the compensation is completed, the electromagnet 603 is de-energized, the magnetorheological fluid regains its fluidity, the relative movement between the drive transmission module and the inner cylinder 7 is restored, and the transmission reset module pushes the inner cylinder 7 back to its initial position.

[0045] The prior art mentioned in the background section describes a stabilized focusing camera for underwater bridge pier photography. This camera relies on the thermal effect of a thermoelectric spring after being energized to generate deformation. It requires heat transfer and material phase change processes, exhibits significant thermal inertia, and cannot effectively cope with high-frequency (tens of hertz and above) turbulent disturbances underwater. In contrast, this invention uses magnetorheological fluid and electromagnet 603 working in tandem. By switching the electromagnet 603 on and off, the magnetorheological fluid can be controlled to complete the instantaneous solid-liquid switching in a short time without waiting for thermal deformation. This significantly improves the response speed and enables real-time compensation for high-frequency underwater jitter.

[0046] In this embodiment, the magnetic field generated by the electromagnet 603 can control the solid-liquid switching of the magnetorheological fluid, with a short response time, effectively coping with high-speed underwater vibrations. The double-cylinder structure improves the efficiency of magnetic field utilization and reduces the power consumption of the electromagnet 603.

[0047] In another specific embodiment, the drive transmission module includes a motor 11, an idler wheel 12, and a sliding rod 9. The motor 11 is fixed on a base inside the outer casing 1, and its output shaft is connected to the idler wheel 12. A linkage rod 1201 is eccentrically mounted on the idler wheel 12. One end of the sliding rod 9 is movably connected to the linkage rod 1201. The sliding rod 9 slidably passes through the aforementioned inner cylinder 7 and outer cylinder 6. A linkage post 903 is provided on the side of the sliding rod 9 away from the inner cylinder 7, and a linkage ring groove 904 is opened at the end of the linkage post 903. The linkage rod 1201 is inserted into the linkage ring groove 904. In this way, when the idler wheel 12 rotates, the linkage ring groove 904 converts the eccentric motion of the linkage rod 1201 into linear motion of the sliding rod 9 along the axial direction of the inner cylinder 7 and the outer cylinder 6.

[0048] The rotation of motor 11 drives the idler wheel 12 to rotate, and the linkage rod 1201 located on the idler wheel 12 performs circular motion, which is converted into linear displacement of the sliding rod 9. When the lens shifts, the sliding rod 9 is locked by the rheological fluid damping module and cannot slide independently. The driving force of the linear displacement directly pushes the inner cylinder 7 to move, and then transmits the displacement to the lens fixing shell 4 through the transmission reset module, realizing a compensating displacement opposite to the direction of shaking. After the compensation action is completed, the electromagnet 603 is de-energized to unlock the rheological fluid damping module, and the relative motion between the sliding rod 9 and the inner cylinder 7 is restored. The mechanical conversion structure of motor 11, idler wheel 12 and eccentric linkage rod 1201 efficiently converts the rotational motion of motor 11 into the linear push-pull motion of sliding rod 9.

[0049] In one embodiment, to prevent leakage of the magnetorheological fluid from the sliding interface between the inner cylinder 7 and the outer cylinder 6, the sidewalls of the outer cylinder 6 and the inner cylinder 7 are improved. Specifically, the inner wall of the outer cylinder 6 is provided with a limiting groove 601 extending along the outer cylinder axis 6, and the outer side of the inner cylinder 7 is provided with a limiting block 701 located in the limiting groove 601 and sliding within the limiting groove 601. At the same time, an inner sliding groove 702 is also provided on its outer side, which is flush with the outer sliding groove 602 and located on the same side. The sliding rod 9 passes through the inner sliding groove 702 and the outer sliding groove 602, with one end located in the inner cylinder 7 and the other end located outside the outer cylinder 6. A lever 902 is provided on the surface of the inner cylinder 7 to increase the contact area with the magnetorheological fluid.

[0050] A sealing slide 901 is fixedly installed on the portion of the sliding rod 9 outside the inner cylinder 7. The sealing slide 901 is located between the outer cylinder 6 and the inner cylinder 7, with its inner surface adhering to the outer wall of the inner cylinder 7. The axial length of the sealing slide 901 is designed to be greater than the axial length of the inner sliding groove 702. A guide strip 905 is provided on the inner side of the sealing slide 901, and a corresponding guide groove 703 is provided on the outer wall of the inner cylinder 7 to restrict the sealing slide 901 to slide only along the axial direction of the inner cylinder 7. When the sliding rod 9 slides in the inner cylinder 7, it moves the sealing slide 901 together. The sealing slide 901 always covers the opening of the inner sliding groove 702, preventing the magnetorheological fluid from seeping out of the inner sliding groove 702. Simultaneously, the outer sliding groove 602 serves as a guide channel for the movement of the sliding rod 9, allowing the sliding rod 9 a certain amount of axial movement.

[0051] In one embodiment, the transmission reset module includes a spring 8, a three-pronged push rod 10, and a locking block 1001. The spring 8 is disposed between the inner cylinder 7 and the outer cylinder 6, and is located on the side closer to the shooting lens 5. One end of the spring 8 abuts against the end face of the inner cylinder 7, and the other end abuts against the inner end face of the outer cylinder 6 or a retaining ring fixed to the outer cylinder 6.

[0052] The three-pronged push rod 10 is a rod with three branches: two ends of the three-pronged push rod 10 are respectively inserted into two outer cylinders 6 on the same side and fixed to one end face of the inner cylinder 7 inside them; the other end extends into the transverse groove 401 on the same side of the lens mounting housing 4 and has a locking block 1001 at its end. The locking block 1001 is located in the transverse groove 401, so that the three-pronged push rod 10 is always connected to the lens housing 1. The cross-section of the transverse groove 401 is convex, so that the locking block 1001 is not easy to fall off; the other end of the three-pronged push rod 10 is provided with two connectors, each of which is connected to an inner cylinder 7, that is, one three-pronged push rod 10 is equipped with two rheological fluid damping modules. After the compensation is completed, the rheological fluid damping module is unlocked, and the elastic force of the spring 8 pushes the inner cylinder 7 back to the initial position away from the lens mounting housing 4. At the same time, the three-pronged push rod 10 drives the locking block 1001 to slide back to its original position in the transverse groove 401, and the lens mounting housing 4 is centered accordingly.

[0053] The prior art mentioned in the background section describes a stabilized focusing camera for underwater bridge pier photography. This camera uses liquids of different densities as the hydraulic transmission medium. The interface between the liquids experiences additional swaying under the influence of water flow, introducing not only minute vibrations but also inherent delays due to fluid inertia. In contrast, this invention utilizes the near-solid-state properties of a solidified magnetorheological fluid and the direct mechanical push between the sliding rod 9 and the inner cylinder 7 to form a solid transmission path. This avoids the interface swaying and flow lag problems inherent in hydraulic transmission, resulting in higher compensation accuracy and better stability.

[0054] In one embodiment, the sliding rods 9 of the two inner cylinders 7 connected by the three-headed push rod 10 move in opposite directions. That is, the two motors 11 driven by the sliding rods 9 rotate continuously in opposite directions, driving their respective sliding rods 9 to reciprocate within the inner cylinders 7. Because the directions of motion are opposite, the inertial force and periodic impact force generated cancel each other out on the same side of the lens mounting housing 4, and will not be transmitted to the shooting lens 5, thus preventing the motor 11 itself from becoming a new source of vibration.

[0055] When the electromagnet 603 is not energized and the magnetorheological fluid is in a liquid state, the two sliding rods 9 moving in opposite directions generate symmetrical micro-disturbances in the liquid through the spring 8 and the lever 902, putting the system in a "prepared response" active suspension state. Once the water flow disturbance occurs, as long as the electromagnet 603 is energized to solidify the magnetorheological fluid, the thrust can be immediately generated by the movement of one of the motors 11 without being interfered with by the other motor 11.

[0056] Furthermore, the motor 11 can run continuously, so the anti-shake action does not need to wait for the motor 11 to start or accelerate; the electromagnet 603 can output thrust simply by rapidly changing the state of the magnetorheological fluid. This "motor 11 constantly running, magnetic control switching" method is faster than the motor 11 responding from a standstill and is more suitable for high-frequency irregular water flow disturbances.

[0057] When the lens shifts to the right, only the electromagnet 603 on the right side can be activated, and the motor 11 moving to the left on the right side can be used to push the lens back to the center. Meanwhile, the other motor 11 moving to the right on the right side is buffered by the spring 8 and the liquid because the magnetorheological fluid is in a liquid state, so it will not produce reverse interference. This allows for bidirectional and independent image stabilization compensation on the same side.

[0058] In one embodiment, the underwater image stabilization lens further includes a housing 1 and a top cover 2. The housing 1 is a rectangular cylinder that houses the lens mounting shell 4, the image stabilization actuator, and the control system. The top cover 2 has two mounting slots 101 on each of its four inner walls, and each slot 101 contains an outer cylinder 6 facing the lens mounting shell 4. The top cover 2 is fixed to the top of the housing 1. A slot corresponding to the outer diameter of the shooting lens 5 is located in the center of the top cover 2, and a waterproof connector 3 is installed within the slot. The outer ring of the waterproof connector 3 is sealed to the inner wall of the slot, while the inner ring is sealed to the outer wall of the shooting lens 5. The inner ring can slide relative to the outer wall of the shooting lens 5 while maintaining a seal. The lens mounting shell 4 is disposed within the housing 1 and can slide freely in any direction within the housing 1. The waterproof connector 3 provides minimal resistance to lens movement and has almost no impact on the compensation accuracy of the image stabilization actuator.

[0059] Furthermore, the waterproof connector 3 adopts a multi-layer composite structure, including at least one pressure-resistant layer and one flexible sealing layer (not shown in the figure). The pressure-resistant layer is made of an elastomer material with high hardness to withstand the static pressure and dynamic disturbance of external water flow; the flexible sealing layer is attached to the inner side of the pressure-resistant layer and has a low elastic modulus. The multi-layer structure is bonded together, which not only ensures the overall waterproof and pressure-resistant capability, but also ensures that the lens mounting housing 4 can move flexibly during image stabilization compensation without being excessively constrained by the waterproof connector 3.

[0060] In one embodiment, the control system includes an attitude calculation module, a normal drive control module, a decision scheduling module, and a dynamic correction control module.

[0061] The attitude calculation module has a built-in six-axis inertial measurement unit, which is used to acquire the angular velocity and linear acceleration data of the lens mounting shell 4 in real time. After Kalman filtering or complementary filtering, the attitude offset vector containing the offset direction and offset amplitude is calculated and generated.

[0062] The normal drive control module is used to control the operation of motor 11. The normal drive control module also includes a normal drive control module, a reverse pairing submodule, and a speed status monitoring submodule.

[0063] The normal drive control module is used to store the preset target speed value of motor 11.

[0064] The reverse pairing submodule is used to bind two motors 11 located on the same side into a reverse pair according to the correspondence between the motor 11 and the lens mounting housing 4.

[0065] The speed status monitoring submodule is used to monitor the actual speed feedback of each motor 11 in real time, and when the speed deviation is detected to exceed the allowable range, it reports the abnormal status to the decision scheduling module. The decision scheduling module decides whether to suspend the dynamic correction function and issue an alarm.

[0066] Furthermore, the normal drive control module also needs to maintain the motors 11 located in the same direction but rotating in opposite directions. That is, the two sliding rods 9 installed in the inner cylinder 7 of the same three-headed push rod 10 move in opposite directions. The two motors 11 rotate continuously in opposite directions, driving their respective sliding rods 9 to reciprocate in the inner cylinder 7. For example, if the two motors 11 on the right side rotate in opposite directions, then the two sliding rods 9 on the right side move in opposite directions in the inner cylinder 7. Because the directions of movement are opposite, the inertial force and periodic impact force generated cancel each other out on the same side of the lens mounting shell 4 and will not be transmitted to the shooting lens 5, thus preventing the motor 11 itself from becoming a new source of vibration. Under normal conditions, the magnetorheological fluid in the rheological fluid damping module is in a low viscosity state, and the sliding rods 9 can slide freely within the damping module. Therefore, the rotation of the motor 11 will not push the lens mounting shell 4.

[0067] The decision scheduling module receives the attitude offset vector from the attitude calculation module and compares its magnitude with a preset dead zone threshold. When the offset magnitude does not exceed the dead zone threshold, the decision scheduling module does not issue any activation command. When the offset magnitude exceeds the dead zone threshold, the decision scheduling module determines at least one electromagnet 603 that needs to be activated based on the direction of the offset vector through a built-in mapping table, and generates an activation command containing the identifier of the electromagnet 603.

[0068] After receiving the activation command, the dynamic correction control module outputs a pulse energizing signal to the corresponding electromagnet 603, causing the magnetorheological fluid in the corresponding inner cylinder 7 to change from a liquid state to a near-solid state and solidify instantaneously.

[0069] In one embodiment, the decision scheduling module further includes a dead zone decision submodule, a mapping storage submodule, a mapping lookup submodule, and a pulse duration configuration submodule.

[0070] The dead zone decision submodule compares the magnitude of the attitude offset vector output by the attitude calculation module with a pre-set dead zone threshold. Only when the offset magnitude exceeds the threshold will the dead zone decision submodule output a trigger signal and continue subsequent actions, passing the direction component of the offset vector to the mapping lookup submodule; otherwise, the offset vector data is discarded directly without generating any activation command, in order to reduce unnecessary power consumption and actuator wear.

[0071] The mapping storage submodule stores a direction-electromagnet 603 mapping table. This mapping table is discretized into multiple direction intervals by establishing a Cartesian coordinate system with the geometric center of the lens fixing shell 4 as the origin. Each interval corresponds to a unique identifier of one or more electromagnets 603.

[0072] The mapping lookup submodule receives the direction component from the dead zone decision submodule, matches the corresponding offset direction interval in the mapping table, extracts the corresponding electromagnet 603 identifier, and generates an activation command using the electromagnet 603 identifier as a parameter.

[0073] The pulse duration configuration submodule is used to dynamically calculate the duration of the pulse energizing signal according to the magnitude of the offset vector using a preset step function or proportional function, and to append this duration parameter to the activation command.

[0074] The dynamic correction control module includes a pulse generation submodule, a channel selection submodule, and a pulse end reset submodule.

[0075] The pulse generation submodule is used to receive activation commands, parse the target electromagnet 603 identifier and pulse duration parameters, and generate a single pulse signal that conforms to the duration.

[0076] The channel selection submodule is used to select and output the pulse signal to the drive channel corresponding to the target electromagnet 603 according to the identifier of the target electromagnet 603, so that the electromagnet 603 is energized and excited within the pulse duration.

[0077] The pulse end reset submodule is used to automatically cut off the output after the pulse duration ends, so that the electromagnet 603 is de-energized and the magnetorheological fluid returns to a liquid state. The automatic reset of the inner cylinder 7 and the three-head push rod 10 is completed by the spring 8 of the mechanical structure.

[0078] Multi-directional compensation working principle: The lens mounting housing 4 moves only in the horizontal plane (in four directions: forward, backward, left, and right). Two image stabilization actuators are installed in each direction, for a total of eight actuators. The sliding rod 9 inside each actuator reciprocates linearly under the drive of the motor 11, and moves in the same direction. For example, in the image stabilization actuator on the right, the two sliding rods 9 move in opposite directions within the inner cylinder 7. Therefore, at any given time, the lens mounting housing 4 can move towards or away from the center position in the horizontal plane. Here, the center position refers to the position where the shooting lens 5 is in a position where no compensation is needed.

[0079] The control system acquires the phase of each sliding rod 9 in real time through Hall sensors or encoders, thereby determining its current instantaneous force direction Fi, i=1...8. When the attitude calculation module detects that the lens fixing shell 4 has shifted, it generates the required target compensation vector Ft.

[0080] The decision scheduling module iterates through all eight actuators, calculates the dot product of each Fi and Ft, and activates all stabilization actuators with positive dot products. Additional resistance generated on the inactive side is negligible or absorbed by spring 8. This process is completed by the mapping lookup submodule within the decision scheduling module. A Cartesian coordinate system is established with the geometric center of the lens mounting housing 4 as the origin and discretized into multiple direction intervals, each interval corresponding to one or more electromagnets 603. The mapping lookup submodule receives the direction component of the target compensation vector and quickly matches the corresponding stabilization actuator. Since the two stabilization actuators in each direction move in opposite phases, it is always guaranteed that at least one stabilization actuator can generate the force in the desired direction. Therefore, regardless of the offset direction, the set of stabilization actuators with positive dot products is never empty.

[0081] Simultaneously, the dynamic correction control module outputs pulse energizing signals of corresponding duration to all activated actuators, causing their magnetorheological fluids to solidify at the same time, locking the sliding rod 9 and the inner cylinder 7. The forces generated by each anti-shake actuator are instantaneously combined, jointly pushing the lens fixing shell 4 along the target compensation direction.

[0082] For example, when the camera lens 5 is shifted to the right rear due to water flow disturbance, the target compensation vector Ft = shifts to the left front. The control system iterates through the eight image stabilization actuators and activates all image stabilization actuators whose dot product of Fi and Ft is positive, as follows: Figure 9 As shown, activating L2, R1, U2, and D1 generates forces to the left and forward, respectively. The resultant force points to the left front, which precisely compensates for the offset to the right rear.

[0083] The left and right anti-jitter actuators can be activated simultaneously, as can the front and rear anti-jitter actuators. Since the two anti-jitter actuators in each direction move in opposite phases, it is always guaranteed that at least one anti-jitter actuator can generate the force in the desired direction.

[0084] The aforementioned adaptive capability is uniformly coordinated by the decision-making and scheduling module: for small offsets, dead-zone decision is used to avoid frequent actions; for medium offsets, pulse duration is dynamically adjusted according to the modulus, activating only necessary actuators; for large offsets or strong turbulence, all anti-jitter actuators with positive dot products are activated without reservation to achieve maximum compensation force output. Throughout the process, the normal drive control module continuously monitors the actual speed feedback of each motor 11. If the speed deviation is detected to exceed the allowable range, an anomaly is reported to the decision-making and scheduling module, which then decides whether to suspend the dynamic correction function and issue an alarm to ensure system safety.

[0085] When lighting is good and vibration is minimal, activating only some anti-vibration actuators is sufficient to meet compensation requirements, thus saving energy. When underwater in low-light, turbulent, and harsh environments, requiring rapid large displacement compensation, the control system can force the activation of all anti-vibration actuators capable of providing the target direction force component (i.e., those with a positive dot product) to maximize compensation force and response speed.

[0086] Thanks to the improved image stabilization performance, longer exposure times can be used to capture more light when shooting in low-light underwater environments. This eliminates concerns about image blur caused by shaking, effectively overcoming the problems of low signal-to-noise ratio and loss of details in dark areas under low-light conditions, resulting in clear and bright images.

[0087] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention in any way. Although the present invention has been disclosed above with reference to preferred embodiments, it is not intended to limit the present invention. Any person skilled in the art can make some modifications or alterations to the above-disclosed technical content to create equivalent embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention. Any simple modifications, equivalent changes and alterations made to the above embodiments based on the technical essence of the present invention without departing from the scope of the present invention shall still fall within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An underwater image stabilization lens, characterized in that, include: shell; A lens mounting housing is disposed inside the outer casing and can slide freely within the outer casing; the lens mounting housing is used to fix the shooting lens. Multiple image stabilization actuators are arranged in multiple directions of the lens mounting housing to apply force to the lens mounting housing from different directions to dynamically compensate for the shaking of the shooting lens. The control system acquires the attitude offset value of the lens mounting housing and drives multiple image stabilization actuators to operate individually or in combination based on the attitude offset value; The anti-vibration actuator includes a drive transmission module, a rheological fluid damping module, and a transmission reset module: The drive transmission module is slidably inserted into the rheological fluid damping module and interacts with the medium inside the rheological fluid damping module; The rheological fluid damping module is provided with a medium that instantaneously changes the damping state, which is used to selectively prevent or allow the drive transmission module to move relative to the rheological fluid damping module. The transmission reset module is connected between the rheological fluid damping module and the lens mounting housing. It is used to transmit the displacement of the rheological fluid damping module to the lens mounting housing. When the drive transmission module is prevented from sliding, its continuous movement force is converted into a push on the rheological fluid damping module, which is then applied to the lens mounting housing via the transmission reset module to achieve shake compensation. The rheological fluid damping module includes an outer cylinder and an inner cylinder arranged coaxially; an electromagnet is installed inside the outer cylinder, and the inner cylinder is slidably installed inside the outer cylinder and has a hollow structure, with the hollow part filled with magnetorheological fluid; The drive transmission module includes a motor, an idler wheel, and a sliding rod. The idler wheel is connected to the output shaft of the motor, and a linkage rod is eccentrically arranged on the idler wheel. The sliding rod is movably connected to the linkage rod and is slidably inserted into the inner cylinder and the outer cylinder. A linkage post is provided on the side of the sliding rod away from the inner cylinder, and a linkage ring groove is opened at the end of the linkage post. The linkage rod is inserted into the linkage ring groove. The transmission reset module includes a spring, a three-pronged push rod, and a locking block; the spring is located between the inner cylinder and the outer cylinder, and is located on the side closer to the shooting lens; one end of the three-pronged push rod is inserted into a horizontal groove opened in the side wall of the lens fixing housing through the locking block, and the other end is provided with two connectors, each of which is connected to the inner cylinder; The control system includes: The attitude calculation module is used to acquire the inertial sensing data of the lens mounting shell in real time and calculate and generate an attitude offset vector containing the offset direction and offset magnitude. The normal drive control module is used to continuously generate and issue drive commands to control the operation of the motor; The decision scheduling module is used to compare the attitude offset vector with a preset dead zone threshold. When the offset amplitude exceeds the dead zone threshold, it determines at least one electromagnet that needs to be activated based on the offset direction and generates an activation command. The dynamic correction control module is used to receive the activation command and output a pulse energizing signal to the corresponding electromagnet, so that the magnetorheological fluid in the corresponding inner cylinder is instantly solidified. With the continuous running power of the motor, the lens fixing shell is pushed through the sliding rod, the inner cylinder and the three-head push rod to correct the deviation.

2. The underwater image stabilization lens according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outer cylinder has an outer sliding groove on its side wall, and the inner cylinder has an inner sliding groove on its side wall. The sliding rod passes through both the outer sliding groove and the inner sliding groove. The portion of the sliding rod outside the outer cylinder is also provided with a sealing plate. The inner side of the sealing plate is attached to the outer wall of the inner cylinder, and the length of the sealing plate is greater than the length of the inner sliding groove, in order to prevent leakage of the magnetorheological fluid.

3. The underwater image stabilization lens according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sliding rods of the two inner cylinders connected by the three-headed push rod move in opposite directions.

4. The underwater image stabilization lens according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a top cover; the top cover is fixed to the top of the outer shell, and a slot is provided in the middle of the top cover, and a waterproof connector is provided in the slot; the inner ring of the waterproof connector is sealed to the outer wall of the shooting lens; the lens fixing shell is disposed in the outer shell and can slide freely.

5. An underwater image stabilization lens according to claim 1, characterized in that, The decision-making and scheduling module includes: The dead zone decision submodule is used to compare the magnitude of the attitude offset vector with the dead zone threshold, and trigger subsequent actions only when the threshold is exceeded, and pass the directional component of the offset vector to the mapping lookup submodule. The mapping storage submodule stores a direction-electromagnet mapping table. The direction-electromagnet mapping table establishes a three-dimensional coordinate system with the geometric center of the lens fixing shell as the origin, and discretizes the spatial angle into multiple direction intervals. Each interval corresponds to the identification of at least one electromagnet. The mapping lookup submodule is used to receive the direction component, match the corresponding offset direction interval in the mapping table, extract the corresponding electromagnet identifier, and generate an activation command using the electromagnet identifier as a parameter. The pulse duration configuration submodule is used to dynamically calculate the duration of the pulse energizing signal according to the magnitude of the offset vector using a preset step function or proportional function, and then append this duration to the activation command.

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