Camera mounting structure and inspection unmanned aerial vehicle

Abstract

The utility model discloses a camera mounting structure and an inspection unmanned aerial vehicle, and belongs to the technical field of inspection unmanned aerial vehicles, the camera mounting structure comprises a shooting mechanism used for shooting, and further comprises a stable mounting mechanism, side plates are fixedly connected below the four edges of a mounting plate respectively, and the side plates are fixedly connected with the stable mounting mechanism. An outer sliding rail and an inner sliding rail are arranged between every two side plates in a staggered mode, a connecting screw rod is arranged below the outer sliding rails and the inner sliding rails in a sliding mode, and the shooting mechanism is installed below the connecting screw rod. The stable mounting mechanism further comprises a stable control assembly, the stable control assembly is arranged in the transmission mounting assembly, the stable control assembly and the connecting screw rod are correspondingly arranged, and the stable control assembly is only composed of an upper extension rod, a magnetic rod, a magnetic ring and other core components and is free of a motor, a sensor and other complex elements. Compared with a three-axis cradle head, the overall weight and size of a transmission installation assembly are greatly reduced, and the strict requirement of the inspection unmanned aerial vehicle for the load weight is met.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of inspection drones, and more specifically, to a camera mounting structure and an inspection drone. Background Technology

[0002] In the operation of inspection drones, the stability of the camera directly determines the accuracy and effectiveness of the inspection data. During the flight of the drone, the fuselage is affected by factors such as motor operation and airflow disturbance, which will generate high-frequency vibration and low-frequency shaking. If the camera installation structure lacks an effective stabilization mechanism, the vibration and shaking will be directly transmitted to the camera, resulting in blurry images, ghosting, and difficulty in clearly capturing equipment details (such as power line joints, building cracks, etc.).

[0003] Existing camera stabilization solutions, while three-axis gimbals can achieve high-precision stabilization, rely on brushless motors, encoders, and complex control algorithms, resulting in complex structures, high power consumption, and high costs. Furthermore, the motor operation is prone to electromagnetic interference, making it unsuitable for small, lightweight inspection drones. Mechanical shock absorption structures such as silicone damping pads suffer from short lifespans, easy aging, and difficulty in precisely adjusting damping for multi-directional arc-shaped sliding. While electronic image stabilization can compensate for shake through image processing, it causes image cropping loss and relies on a continuous power supply, limiting its adaptability. How to invent a camera mounting structure and inspection drone that improves these problems has become a pressing issue for those skilled in the art. Utility Model Content

[0004] To overcome the above shortcomings, this utility model provides a camera mounting structure and an inspection drone, aiming to improve the existing camera stabilization solutions. Although the three-axis gimbal can achieve high-precision stabilization, it relies on brushless motors, encoders and complex control algorithms, resulting in complex structure, high power consumption and high cost, making it difficult to apply to small and lightweight inspection drones.

[0005] This utility model is implemented as follows: a camera mounting structure, including a shooting mechanism for taking pictures, and also including...

[0006] A stable mounting mechanism includes a transmission mounting assembly, which includes a mounting plate. Side plates are fixedly connected to the lower sides of the mounting plate. An outer slide rail and an inner slide rail are staggered between every two side plates. A connecting screw is slidably arranged below the outer slide rail and the inner slide rail. The shooting mechanism is mounted below the connecting screw.

[0007] The stable installation mechanism also includes a smoothing control component, which is disposed inside the transmission installation component and is correspondingly disposed to the connecting screw.

[0008] In a preferred embodiment of this utility model, ear plates are fixedly connected to both sides of the mounting plate, and a rectangular through hole is opened in the middle of the ear plate. Straps are connected to the through hole, and Velcro is provided at both ends of the straps.

[0009] In a preferred embodiment of this utility model, both the outer slide rail and the inner slide rail are arc-shaped. The outer slide rail is located outside the inner slide rail. The upper ends of the outer slide rail and the inner slide rail are respectively rotatably connected to a rotating shaft, and the other end of the rotating shaft is respectively rotatably connected to the lower end of the side plate.

[0010] In a preferred embodiment of this utility model, the outer slide rail and the inner slide rail are respectively provided with strip-shaped through holes, the connecting screw is located at the position where the strip-shaped through holes of the outer slide rail and the inner slide rail intersect, and the upper end of the connecting screw is fixedly connected to a limiting slider, which is slidably disposed on the inner wall of the inner slide rail.

[0011] In a preferred embodiment of this utility model, the bottom sides of the limiting slider are respectively fixedly connected to limiting rails, and the inner walls of the inner rails are respectively provided with grooves that cooperate with the limiting rails.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment of this utility model, the smooth control component includes an upper extension rod, which is fixedly installed in the middle of the upper surface of the limiting slider. A magnetic rod is fixedly connected to the top of the upper extension rod, and a magnetic ring is coaxially arranged on the outside of the magnetic rod. The magnetic ring is installed on the inner wall of the side plate.

[0013] In a preferred embodiment of this utility model, a connecting cylinder is fixedly connected to each of the four equal parts of the outer wall of the magnetic ring. The connecting cylinder is threaded with a limit bolt inside, and the limit bolt passes through the side plate and is threadedly connected to the connecting cylinder.

[0014] In a preferred embodiment of this invention, the top of the magnetic rod is hemispherical, and the magnetic rod is located at the center of the magnetic ring.

[0015] In another preferred embodiment of this utility model, an inspection drone includes a drone body, the drone body being located on the upper surface of the transmission mounting assembly, and the transmission mounting assembly being mounted below the drone body.

[0016] In a preferred embodiment of this utility model, the shooting mechanism further includes a camera, and the camera is provided with a mounting base on its exterior. The mounting base is threaded onto the bottom of the transmission mounting assembly.

[0017] The beneficial effects of this utility model are as follows: The camera mounting structure and inspection drone obtained by the above design of this utility model, when in use, the stable control component is only composed of core components such as the upper extension rod, magnetic rod, and magnetic ring, without complex components such as motors and sensors. Compared with the three-axis gimbal, it greatly reduces the overall weight and volume of the transmission mounting component, and is suitable for the strict requirements of the inspection drone on the load weight.

[0018] Zero power consumption and no heat generation, ensuring long-term stability: Based on the eddy current effect, pure physical damping is achieved without external power supply. This avoids additional consumption of drone battery life and eliminates the problem of motor or chip overheating, making it suitable for harsh working conditions such as long-term outdoor inspection.

[0019] Non-contact and wear-free, extending service life: The magnetic rod and magnetic ring are in a non-contact fit, with no physical friction loss. Compared with easily aging components such as silicone shock-absorbing pads, the maintenance cycle of the smooth control component is significantly extended, reducing the operation and maintenance cost of the inspection equipment.

[0020] Instant damping response, adaptable to curved sliding: The magnetic damping force is linearly related to the sliding speed of the limit slider, which can instantly suppress the instantaneous shaking on the curved trajectory of the outer and inner slide rails. The response speed is far superior to electronic stabilization schemes that rely on algorithms, effectively avoiding image shake caused by camera sliding inertia. Attached Figure Description

[0021] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this utility model, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some embodiments of this utility model and should not be regarded as a limitation of the scope. For those skilled in the art, other related drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0022] Figure 1 This is a top view structural diagram provided by an embodiment of the present utility model;

[0023] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the stable installation mechanism provided for an embodiment of this utility model;

[0024] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the transmission mounting assembly structure provided for an embodiment of this utility model;

[0025] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the smooth control component structure provided for an embodiment of this utility model.

[0026] In the diagram: 100 - UAV body; 200 - Stabilization mounting mechanism; 210 - Transmission mounting assembly; 211 - Mounting plate; 212 - Ear plate; 213 - Side plate; 214 - Outer slide rail; 215 - Inner slide rail; 216 - Connecting screw; 217 - Limiting slider; 218 - Limiting rail; 219 - Rotating shaft; 220 - Stability control assembly; 221 - Upper extension rod; 222 - Magnetic rod; 223 - Magnetic ring; 224 - Connecting cylinder; 225 - Limiting bolt; 300 - Shooting mechanism; 310 - Camera; 320 - Mounting base. Detailed Implementation

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

[0028] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 2 This utility model provides a technical solution: a camera mounting structure, including a shooting mechanism 300 for shooting, and also including...

[0029] The stabilization mounting mechanism 200 includes a transmission mounting assembly 210, which includes a mounting plate 211. Side plates 213 are fixedly connected to the lower sides of the mounting plate 211. An outer slide rail 214 and an inner slide rail 215 are staggered between every two side plates 213. A connecting screw 216 is slidably arranged below the outer slide rail 214 and the inner slide rail 215. The shooting mechanism 300 is installed below the connecting screw 216. The stabilization mounting mechanism 200 also includes a stabilization control assembly 220, which is located inside the transmission mounting assembly 210. The stabilization control assembly 220 is correspondingly arranged with the connecting screw 216. The stabilization control assembly 220 consists only of core components such as an upper extension rod 221, a magnetic rod 222, and a magnetic ring 223. It does not contain complex components such as motors and sensors. Compared with a three-axis gimbal, it significantly reduces the overall weight and volume of the transmission mounting assembly 210, making it suitable for the stringent load weight requirements of inspection drones.

[0030] Please see Figure 3 and Figure 4Two carbon fiber reinforcing ribs are added diagonally on the upper surface of the mounting plate 211 to improve its resistance to deformation and adapt to the vibration and impact of wind speeds below 12m / s during the flight of the UAV body 100. At the same time, the weight increase is no more than 50g, ensuring the compactness of the structure. The outer slide rail 214 and the inner slide rail 215 are made of aviation aluminum alloy and the surface is treated with hard anodizing, with a hardness of HV300 or higher, which can reduce sliding wear and extend the service life to more than 2,000 inspection operations.

[0031] Ear plates 212 are fixedly connected to both sides of the mounting plate 211. A rectangular through hole is opened in the middle of the ear plate 212. Straps are connected to the through hole. Velcro is provided at both ends of the straps. The straps are made of nylon braided straps and are used to be tied to the drone body 100 to make it stably connected. Both the outer slide rail 214 and the inner slide rail 215 are arc-shaped. The outer slide rail 214 is located outside the inner slide rail 215. The upper ends of the outer slide rail 214 and the inner slide rail 215 are respectively rotatably connected to the rotating shaft 219. The other end of the rotating shaft 219 is rotatably connected to the lower end of the side plate 213. The rotating shaft 219 is made of 40Cr alloy steel with chrome plating. The diameter is set to 8mm, and the fit clearance is controlled at 0.02-0.05mm, which can reduce the rotation friction resistance and make the slide rail adjustment angle accuracy reach ±0.5°, which is suitable for the camera 310 to shoot the wind turbine blades at different angles. Miniature deep groove ball bearings are added to both ends of the rotating shaft 219. The model is 688ZZ, which can improve the smoothness of rotation and avoid jamming in windy and sandy environments.

[0032] The outer slide rail 214 and the inner slide rail 215 are respectively provided with strip-shaped through holes. The connecting screw 216 is located at the intersection of the strip-shaped through holes of the outer slide rail 214 and the inner slide rail 215. The upper end of the connecting screw 216 is fixedly connected to the limiting slider 217. The limiting slider 217 is slidably set on the inner wall of the inner slide rail 215. The width of the strip-shaped through hole is set to 12mm, and the length is adapted to the arc trajectory of the slide rail. The hole wall is honed and the surface roughness Ra≤0.8μm, which can reduce the jamming when the connecting screw 216 slides. The limiting slider 217 is made of polytetrafluoroethylene and has 10% carbon fiber filler inside. The coefficient of friction is ≤0.04, which can reduce the sliding wear with the inner slide rail 215. Its high and low temperature resistance is suitable for outdoor working environment from -30℃ to 60℃.

[0033] Limiting rails 218 are fixedly connected to the bottom two sides of the limiting slider 217. The inner walls of the inner rail 215 are respectively provided with grooves that cooperate with the limiting rails 218. The limiting rail 218 has a T-shaped cross section with a width of 5mm and a clearance of ≤0.1mm with the groove. This can limit the radial sway of the limiting slider 217, making the radial deviation of the sliding ≤0.2mm, and improving the shooting stability of the camera 310. The surface of the limiting rail 218 is coated with a polytetrafluoroethylene coating with a thickness of 0.05mm, which can further reduce the sliding resistance and reduce the vibration transmission during inspection operations.

[0034] The smooth control assembly 220 includes an upper extension rod 221, which is fixedly installed in the middle of the upper surface of the limit slider 217. A magnetic rod 222 is fixedly connected to the top of the upper extension rod 221. A magnetic ring 223 is coaxially arranged on the outside of the magnetic rod 222. The magnetic ring 223 is installed on the inner wall of the side plate 213. The upper extension rod 221 is made of titanium alloy, with a diameter of 6mm and a length adapted to the mating height of the magnetic rod 222 and the magnetic ring 223. It weighs only 3g, which can reduce the overall load. The magnetic rod 222 is made of neodymium iron boron N52 permanent magnet, axially magnetized, with a surface magnetic field strength ≥12000Gs. The magnetic ring 223 is made of oxygen-free copper with a wall thickness of 3mm, which can generate a strong eddy current damping effect, making the sliding decay time of the limit slider 217 ≤0.5s, effectively offsetting the low-frequency vibration of the UAV below 10Hz. The inner wall of the magnetic ring 223 is polished, with a surface roughness Ra≤0.2μm, and the coaxiality with the magnetic rod 222 ≤0.1mm, ensuring the uniformity of the damping force.

[0035] Connecting cylinders 224 are fixedly connected to four equal sections of the outer wall of the magnetic ring 223. Limiting bolts 225 are threaded inside the connecting cylinders 224. The limiting bolts 225 pass through the side plate 213 and are threaded to the connecting cylinders 224. The connecting cylinders 224 are made of brass, are 15mm long, and have an internal thread of M6×1. The fit with the limiting bolts 225 is 6H / 6g. The limiting bolts 225 are made of stainless steel 304, with an internal hexagonal head structure. The adjustment stroke is ≥5mm. The gap between the magnetic ring 223 and the magnetic rod 222 can be changed by rotation to achieve stepless adjustment of the damping force from 0-5N, which can meet the stabilization requirements of cameras 310 of different weights. An anti-loosening nut, model M6 nylon anti-loosening nut, is added to the tail of the limiting bolts 225 to prevent the bolts from loosening due to the vibration of the drone during flight.

[0036] Magnetic rod 222 (permanent magnet): As an active magnetic field source, it needs to have a fixed and uniform magnetic pole distribution, usually using axial magnetization (i.e., the top of the magnetic rod 222 is one pole, and the bottom is the other pole, such as the top N pole and the bottom S pole). This magnetization method can form a uniform magnetic field along the axial direction outside the magnetic rod 222, providing a stable magnetic field environment for the magnetic ring 223 to cut magnetic field lines, ensuring the linear output of the damping force.

[0037] Magnetic ring 223 (magnetic conductor): Made of non-magnetic conductive materials such as oxygen-free copper and aluminum, it has no fixed magnetic poles. Its function is to cut magnetic field lines when the magnetic rod 222 moves, generating eddy currents through electromagnetic induction. The eddy currents will spontaneously form an "induced magnetic field" opposite to the magnetic field direction of the magnetic rod 222. The direction of the magnetic poles of this induced magnetic field changes dynamically with the motion state of the magnetic rod 222.

[0038] The magnetic pole relationship between the magnetic rod 222 and the magnetic ring 223 is not a static "fixed polarity match," but a dynamic resistance relationship of "fixed magnetic poles of a permanent magnet + dynamically induced magnetic poles of a magnetic conductor": the magnetic rod 222 provides a stable magnetic field by axial magnetization, while the magnetic ring 223 generates an inverse induced magnetic field that matches the direction of motion of the magnetic rod 222 through eddy currents, achieving a damping effect through dynamic adjustment of "like poles repel and unlike poles attract." This relationship avoids the physical wear of traditional mechanical damping and requires no electronic control intervention, perfectly meeting the core requirements of "purely physical, no power consumption, and instant response" in the solution.

[0039] The top of the magnetic rod 222 is hemispherical and located at the center of the magnetic ring 223. The radius of the hemispherical top of the magnetic rod 222 is set to 3mm and is rounded and polished to avoid mechanical interference with the magnetic ring 223 during sliding, thus improving structural safety. The bottom of the magnetic rod 222 is connected to the upper extension rod 221 by laser welding with a welding strength ≥200MPa, which can withstand the impact of a horizontal speed of 20m / s during the flight of the UAV, ensuring the stability of the magnetic damping structure.

[0040] An inspection drone includes a drone body 100, which is located on the upper surface of a transmission mounting assembly 210. The transmission mounting assembly 210 is installed below the drone body 100. A silicone shock-absorbing pad is added between the transmission mounting assembly 210 and the drone body 100. The silicone material is made of Shore hardness 60° and has a thickness of 8mm. It has a built-in honeycomb buffer structure to absorb high-frequency vibrations above 200Hz generated by the motor of the drone body 100. Together with the magnetic damping structure, it forms a two-stage shock absorption, further improving the stability of the camera 310. The upper surface of the mounting plate 211 has four φ4mm positioning holes that precisely match the mounting holes of the drone body 100, with a positioning accuracy of ≤0.2mm, ensuring installation coaxiality. The shooting mechanism 300 also includes a camera 310. The camera 310 has an external mounting base 320, which is threaded onto the bottom of the transmission mounting assembly 210. The mounting base 320 is made of aluminum alloy and weighs ≤100g. It has a standard 1 / 4-inch camera screw hole on the bottom, which is compatible with mainstream multi-sensor gimbal cameras. The screw hole depth is ≥10mm. With the help of a locking wrench, the camera 310 can be quickly installed and removed in ≤30s. The mounting base 320 has two φ3mm through holes on its side wall, through which a 1mm diameter stainless steel wire rope can be threaded. One end of the rope is connected to the camera 310 and the other end is fixed to the connecting screw 216 to prevent the camera 310 from falling from a height. The mounting base 320 has an internal rubber buffer pad with a thickness of 2mm to reduce the rigid collision between the camera 310 and the mounting base, protecting the lens and sensor.

[0041] The compatible drone is selected from mainstream domestic brands, possessing strong wind resistance and stability, with a maximum wind speed of ≥12m / s. Hovering accuracy reaches ±0.1m vertically and horizontally when RTK positioning is normal, with a maximum flight time of ≥55 minutes and an IP protection rating of IP55. The accompanying multi-sensor gimbal camera has an IP54 protection rating and integrates zoom, wide-angle, thermal imaging cameras, and a laser rangefinder. It supports 34x hybrid optical zoom and 400x digital zoom, with a thermal imaging temperature measurement range covering -20℃ to 1600℃ (including attenuation filters). Laser ranging accuracy is ≤±(0.2m + 0.15% of the measurement distance). The accompanying field mobile station supports GPS, BeiDou, and other multi-satellite system reception, with RTK positioning horizontal accuracy of 1cm + 1ppm and vertical accuracy of 2cm + 1ppm. It has an IP65 protection rating and a working time of ≥2 hours. It can be used as a base station when trees or hilltops obstruct the mobile network RTK signal, improving the positioning accuracy of field inspections.

[0042] Working principle: Installation and fixing: The mounting plate 211 is fixed to the bottom of the drone body 100 by the straps of the two ear plates 212. The silicone shock-absorbing pad absorbs the high-frequency vibration above 200Hz generated by the drone body 100. The mounting base 320 fixes the camera 310 to the bottom of the connecting screw 216, realizing the quick installation and removal of the camera 310 and safety protection.

[0043] Angle adjustment: The outer slide rail 214 and the inner slide rail 215 are rotatably connected to the side plate 213 through the rotating shaft 219, and can rotate around the rotating shaft 219 to adjust the angle; the connecting screw 216 slides along the strip-shaped through hole of the outer slide rail 214 and the inner slide rail 215 through the limiting slider 217, and the limiting rail 218 cooperates with the slide groove to limit radial shaking, ensure sliding accuracy, and realize the camera 310 to adapt to shooting at different angles.

[0044] Smooth Control: When the drone vibrates, the connecting screw 216 drives the limit slider 217, the upper extension rod 221, and the magnetic rod 222 to move. The magnetic rod 222 cuts the magnetic field lines around the magnetic ring 223, causing the magnetic ring 223 to generate eddy currents and form a reverse induced magnetic field. The magnetic field force opposes the movement of the magnetic rod 222, achieving damping and shock absorption, and canceling low-frequency vibrations below 10Hz. By rotating the limit bolt 225 to adjust the gap between the magnetic ring 223 and the magnetic rod 222, the damping force can be steplessly adjusted to meet the stabilization requirements of cameras 310 of different weights.

[0045] It should be noted that the specific model and specifications in this solution need to be selected and determined based on the actual specifications of the device. The specific selection and calculation method adopts the existing technology in this field, so it will not be described in detail here.

[0046] The power supply and its principle in this solution are clear to those skilled in the art, and will not be described in detail here.

[0047] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this utility model and is not intended to limit the utility model. Various modifications and variations can be made to this utility model by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, or improvements made within the spirit and principles of this utility model should be included within the protection scope of this utility model.

Claims

1. A camera mounting structure, comprising a shooting mechanism for taking pictures, characterized in that, Also includes A stable mounting mechanism includes a transmission mounting assembly, which includes a mounting plate. Side plates are fixedly connected to the lower sides of the mounting plate. An outer slide rail and an inner slide rail are staggered between every two side plates. A connecting screw is slidably arranged below the outer slide rail and the inner slide rail. The shooting mechanism is mounted below the connecting screw. The stable installation mechanism also includes a smoothing control component, which is disposed inside the transmission installation component and is correspondingly disposed to the connecting screw.

2. The camera mounting structure as described in claim 1, characterized in that: Ear plates are fixedly connected to both sides of the mounting plate. A rectangular through hole is opened in the middle of the ear plate, and a strap is connected to the through hole. Velcro is provided at both ends of the strap.

3. The camera mounting structure as described in claim 2, characterized in that: Both the outer slide rail and the inner slide rail are arc-shaped. The outer slide rail is located outside the inner slide rail. The upper ends of the outer slide rail and the inner slide rail are respectively rotatably connected to a rotating shaft, and the other end of the rotating shaft is respectively rotatably connected to the lower end of the side plate.

4. The camera mounting structure as described in claim 3, characterized in that: The outer slide rail and the inner slide rail are respectively provided with strip-shaped through holes. The connecting screw is located at the intersection of the strip-shaped through holes of the outer slide rail and the inner slide rail. The upper end of the connecting screw is fixedly connected to a limiting slider, which is slidably disposed on the inner wall of the inner slide rail.

5. The camera mounting structure as described in claim 4, characterized in that: The bottom sides of the limiting slider are fixedly connected to limiting rails, and the inner walls of the inner rails are respectively provided with grooves that cooperate with the limiting rails.

6. The camera mounting structure as described in claim 5, characterized in that: The smooth control component includes an upper extension rod, which is fixedly installed in the middle of the upper surface of the limiting slider. A magnetic rod is fixedly connected to the top of the upper extension rod, and a magnetic ring is coaxially arranged on the outside of the magnetic rod. The magnetic ring is installed on the inner wall of the side plate.

7. The camera mounting structure as described in claim 6, characterized in that: Connecting cylinders are fixedly connected to four equal parts of the outer wall of the magnetic ring. Limiting bolts are threaded inside the connecting cylinders, and the limiting bolts pass through the side plates and are threaded to the connecting cylinders.

8. A camera mounting structure as described in claim 6, characterized in that: The top of the magnetic rod is hemispherical, and the magnetic rod is located at the center of the magnetic ring.

9. An inspection drone, comprising a camera mounting structure as described in any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that: The drone body is located on the upper surface of the transmission mounting assembly, which is mounted below the drone body.

10. An inspection drone as described in claim 9, characterized in that: The shooting mechanism also includes a camera, and the camera has an external mounting base that is threaded onto the bottom of the transmission mounting assembly.

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