Variable field of view binocular eye mechanism

Abstract

This invention provides a binocular eyeball mechanism with a variable field of view, relating to the field of robotic mechanisms. It includes a base and an eyeball mounting base mounted on the base. Two eyeball body modules are movably mounted on the mounting base. Each eyeball body module includes an industrial camera, and a main motion track and a secondary motion track mounted on the module, the main and secondary motion tracks being spatially orthogonal. Each eyeball body module is correspondingly provided with a drive module. The drive modules drive a first active slider and a second active slider to move, thereby enabling independent rotation of the eyeball body module in the pitch and yaw directions. The advantages of this invention are that the servo motors are centrally fixed to the base, eliminating the need for a secondary motion platform; and the use of bushings as dry friction sliding bearing assemblies instead of rolling bearings simplifies the structure; the modular design facilitates parts production and assembly.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of robotic mechanisms, and in particular to a binocular eye mechanism with variable field of view. Background Technology

[0002] In today's rapidly developing technological landscape, bionic eyeball technology has demonstrated enormous application potential in numerous fields such as robotics, intelligent monitoring, and virtual reality. It can not only give devices a more realistic appearance but also significantly enhance their visual perception and interaction capabilities. However, existing bionic eyeball mechanisms have revealed a series of problems that urgently need to be addressed in practical applications.

[0003] Currently, in existing bionic eye mechanisms, the left and right eye movements are usually linked, making it difficult to decouple their degrees of freedom. From a biological perspective, human eyes can independently rotate and focus, enabling precise observation of different targets. For example, when reading a book, the left and right eyes can focus on different areas of text, integrating the information through the brain to obtain complete details. However, existing bionic eye mechanisms cannot achieve this independent movement, significantly reducing their ability to acquire visual information in complex environments. In scenarios where robots interact with humans, the inability to move the eyes independently makes the robot's performance appear unnatural and inflexible, lowering the user experience.

[0004] The large overall size or complex transmission system is also a major drawback of existing bionic eyeball mechanisms. In applications with high space requirements, such as small robots and wearable devices, excessive size can severely limit the design and application scope of the device. Taking smart glasses as an example, if the bionic eyeball mechanism is too large, the glasses will become bulky and extremely uncomfortable to wear. Furthermore, the complex transmission structure not only increases the manufacturing cost and maintenance difficulty of the mechanism but also reduces its reliability and stability. During long-term use, complex transmission components are prone to failure, leading to deviations in eyeball movement or malfunction.

[0005] Furthermore, the existing bionic eyeball mechanism components have relatively idealized structural designs, making them difficult to manufacture. In pursuit of higher performance and more realistic bionic effects, some designs employ complex geometries and high-precision dimensional requirements. However, achieving these design requirements in actual manufacturing is extremely difficult. For example, some bionic eyeballs have internal structures incorporating tiny gears, linkages, and other transmission components. These components require extremely high dimensional accuracy, and errors during manufacturing can easily occur, leading to a decrease in the overall mechanism's performance. Moreover, specialized materials and manufacturing processes also increase production costs and extend the manufacturing cycle.

[0006] Given the above problems, the development of a novel binocular eye-tracking platform is particularly urgent. This new platform should enable independent movement of the two eyeballs, allowing for variable field of view and focal length in any direction. Through independently moving eyeballs, the device can acquire visual information more flexibly, improving its adaptability and interactivity in complex environments. Utility Model Content

[0007] In view of the above, it is necessary to disclose a binocular eyeball mechanism with variable field of view, which allows the two eyeballs to be driven independently, simplifies the structure, and effectively reduces the design size.

[0008] Therefore, this utility model provides a binocular eyeball mechanism with variable field of view, including a base and an eyeball mounting seat disposed on the base;

[0009] The eyeball mount has two movable eyeball body modules, each of which includes:

[0010] An industrial camera, and a main motion track and a secondary motion track set on the eyeball body module, wherein the main motion track and the secondary motion track are arranged in a spatially orthogonal manner;

[0011] Each eyeball module is equipped with a corresponding driving module, which includes:

[0012] The first active slider slides in coordination with the main motion track;

[0013] The second active slider slides in coordination with the auxiliary motion track.

[0014] The drive module drives the first active slider and the second active slider to move respectively, thereby realizing the independent rotation of the eyeball body module in the pitch and yaw directions.

[0015] Furthermore, the drive module includes a first servo and a second servo. The output shaft of the first servo is connected to a servo end gear, which meshes with an eyeball end gear. A first active slider is connected to the eyeball end gear. The output shaft of the second servo is connected to a servo end side gear, which meshes with an eyeball end side gear. A second active slider is connected to the eyeball end side gear.

[0016] Furthermore, both the first and second active sliders are square sliders, and the corresponding main motion track and secondary motion track are square guide grooves with matching cross-sectional shapes; the base is provided with a servo mounting seat, and the first and second servos are fixed on the servo mounting seat.

[0017] Furthermore, the eyeball body module includes:

[0018] The main mounting frame, which securely supports the industrial camera, is equipped with the main motion track.

[0019] A secondary mounting frame is coaxially sleeved outside the main mounting frame and has the aforementioned secondary motion track.

[0020] The mating surfaces of the main mounting frame and the secondary mounting frame are cylindrical, and the secondary mounting frame can rotate relative to the main mounting frame at a limited angle around the axis of the main mounting frame.

[0021] Furthermore, a rotational gap is provided between the inner cylindrical surface of the sub-mounting frame and the outer cylindrical surface of the main mounting frame, forming an adjustable rotating pair.

[0022] Furthermore, it also includes a protective cover located at the front end of the optical path of the industrial camera, which is fixed to the front end of the eyeball body module via a quick-release mechanism.

[0023] Furthermore, the eyeball mounting base is provided with at least two sets of sliding bearings, which respectively support the rotating shafts of the first active slider and the second active slider.

[0024] Furthermore, it also includes:

[0025] The first driven slider, located within the main motion track, is arranged diagonally opposite to the first active slider.

[0026] The second driven slider, located within the secondary motion track, is arranged diagonally opposite to the second driving slider.

[0027] Furthermore, it also includes: a housing that covers the eyeball mounting base, the eyeball body module and the drive module, and is provided with a cable management channel; and is connected to external devices through the mounting interface on the back of the base.

[0028] Furthermore, the mounting interface includes a standardized array of threaded mounting holes, and the cable management channel includes a cable outlet structure.

[0029] Compared with the prior art, this utility model adopts a first servo motor and a second servo motor that are centrally fixed on the base, eliminating the need for a two-stage moving platform; and uses bushings as a dry friction sliding bearing assembly instead of rolling bearings, simplifying the structure; the transmission structure is simplified, effectively reducing the design size and making it more compatible; the modular design facilitates the production of parts and assembly. Attached Figure Description

[0030] To more clearly illustrate the specific implementation methods, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the implementation methods will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are some embodiments of this disclosure. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0031] Figure 1This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a binocular eyeball with variable field of view. Figure 1 .

[0032] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a binocular eyeball with variable field of view. Figure 2 .

[0033] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of a binocular eye mechanism with variable field of view.

[0034] Figure 4 This is an exploded view of the eyeball body module and the driving module.

[0035] Figure 5 This is an exploded view of the eyeball module.

[0036] Figure 6 A schematic diagram showing the eyeball body module separated from the gear and sliding bearing assembly at the end of the eyeball.

[0037] Explanation of key component symbols:

[0038] 1. Base; 101. Mounting Interface; 2. Eyeball Mounting Base; 3. Eyeball Body Module; 301. Industrial Camera; 302. Main Mounting Frame; 3021. Main Motion Rail; 303. Secondary Mounting Frame; 3031. Secondary Motion Rail; 304. Protective Cover; 4. First Active Slider; 5. Second Active Slider; 6. First Servo Motor; 7. Second Servo Motor; 8. Servo Motor Upper Gear; 9. Eyeball Upper Gear; 10. Servo Motor Side Gear; 11. Eyeball Side Gear; 12. Servo Motor Mounting Base; 13. Sliding Bearing Assembly; 14. First Driven Slider; 15. Second Driven Slider; 16. Encapsulation Housing; 1601. Cable Management Channel.

[0039] The following detailed embodiments will further illustrate this disclosure in conjunction with the above-described drawings. Detailed Implementation

[0040] To better understand the above-mentioned objectives, features, and advantages of this disclosure, the disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in this application can be combined with each other. Many specific details are set forth in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of this disclosure; the described embodiments are merely a part of the embodiments of this disclosure, and not all of them. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this disclosure without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of this disclosure.

[0041] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs. The terminology used in this specification is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of this disclosure.

[0042] In various embodiments, for ease of description and not limitation of this disclosure, the term "connection" used in the patent application specification and claims is not limited to physical or mechanical connections, but may include electrical connections, whether direct or indirect. Terms such as "upper," "lower," "below," "left," and "right" are used only to indicate relative positional relationships; when the absolute position of the described object changes, the relative positional relationship also changes accordingly.

[0043] This utility model of a variable field-of-view binocular eyeball mechanism aims to enable the independent rotation of the eyeball body module in the pitch and yaw directions, thereby changing the field of view. It is suitable for application scenarios that require flexible adjustment of visual angles, such as robot vision and security monitoring.

[0044] like Figures 1 to 6 As shown, the present invention discloses a binocular eyeball mechanism with variable field of view, comprising a base 1 and an eyeball mounting seat 2 disposed on the base 1. Two eyeball body modules 3 are movably disposed on the eyeball mounting seat 2, and each eyeball body module 3 is equipped with a corresponding drive module for driving it to rotate independently in the pitch and yaw directions.

[0045] The base 1 is the fundamental support component of the entire mechanism, providing a stable mounting platform for the eyeball mount 2. The eyeball mount 2 is fixed to the base 1 and is used to mount and support the two eyeball body modules 3, ensuring they can move within a specified range. Each eyeball body module 3 includes an industrial camera 301, a main motion track 3021, and a secondary motion track 3031. The industrial camera 301, as the core component for visual acquisition, is used to acquire image information. The main motion track 3021 and the secondary motion track 3031 are arranged orthogonally in space, with the specific structure as follows:

[0046] The main mounting frame 302 securely supports the industrial camera 301, and a main motion track 3021 is provided on it. The main mounting frame 302 serves as the mounting carrier for the industrial camera 301, ensuring the camera's stability.

[0047] The secondary mounting frame 303 is coaxially sleeved outside the main mounting frame 302 and has a secondary motion track 3031. The mating surfaces of the main mounting frame 302 and the secondary mounting frame 303 are cylindrical surfaces. A rotational clearance is provided between the inner cylindrical surface of the secondary mounting frame 303 and the outer cylindrical surface of the main mounting frame 302, forming an adjustable rotating pair, which allows the secondary mounting frame 303 to rotate relative to the main mounting frame 302 around the axis of the main mounting frame 302 by a limited angle.

[0048] Each eyeball body module 3 is equipped with a corresponding drive module, which includes a first servo motor 6, a second servo motor 7, a first active slider 4, and a second active slider 5. The output shaft of the first servo motor 6 is connected to a servo motor end gear 8, which meshes with an eyeball end gear 9. The first active slider 4 is connected to the eyeball end gear 9. When the first servo motor 6 is working, its output shaft drives the servo motor end gear 8 to rotate. Through gear meshing, the eyeball end gear 9 rotates, which in turn drives the first active slider 4 to rotate.

[0049] The output shaft of the second servo motor 7 is connected to a servo motor end-side gear 10, which meshes with an eyeball end-side gear 11. The second active slider 5 is connected to the eyeball end-side gear 11. When the second servo motor 7 is working, it drives the servo motor end-side gear 10 to rotate, which in turn causes the eyeball end-side gear 11 to rotate through gear meshing, thereby driving the second active slider 5 to rotate.

[0050] Both the first active slider 4 and the second active slider 5 are square sliders, and the corresponding main motion track 3021 and auxiliary motion track 3031 are square guide grooves with matching cross-sectional shapes. The purpose of this design is to provide both guidance and constraint between the first active slider 4 and the main motion track 3021, or between the second active slider 5 and the auxiliary motion track 3031; combined with... Figure 6 See, when the first active slider 4 rotates, it causes the entire eyeball body module 3 to rotate relative to the eyeball mounting base 2 in the yaw direction. At this time, the second active slider 5 slides in the secondary motion track 3031 to achieve coordination. Similarly, when the second active slider 5 rotates, it causes the entire eyeball body module 3 to rotate relative to the eyeball mounting base 2 in the pitch direction. At this time, the first active slider 4 slides in the main motion track 3021 to achieve coordination. This design ensures the stability and accuracy of the slider sliding within the track. At the same time, the base 1 is provided with a servo mounting base 12, and the first servo 6 and the second servo 7 are fixed on the servo mounting base 12 to ensure that the servos are securely installed.

[0051] The eyeball mounting base 2 is provided with at least two sets of sliding bearing assemblies 13, which respectively support the first active slider 4 and the second active slider 5. The first active slider 4 and the second active slider 5 are rotatably assembled on the corresponding sliding bearing assembly 13. In this embodiment, the sliding bearing assembly 13 is a bushing. By using a bushing as a dry friction sliding bearing instead of a rolling bearing, the structure is simplified.

[0052] The main mounting frame 302 has symmetrically arranged main motion tracks 3021. One main motion track 3021 is slidably assembled with the first active slider 4, and the other main motion track 3021 is slidably assembled with the first driven slider 14. The first driven slider 14 and the first active slider 4 are arranged diagonally. Similarly, the secondary mounting frame 303 has symmetrically arranged secondary motion tracks 3031. One secondary motion track 3031 is slidably assembled with the second active slider 5, and the other secondary motion track 3031 is slidably assembled with the second driven slider 15. The second driven slider 15 and the second active slider 5 are arranged diagonally. The driven slider configuration can enhance the motion stability of the mechanism and balance the force during the motion process.

[0053] A protective cover 304 is provided at the front end of the optical path of the industrial camera 301. The protective cover 304 is fixed to the front end of the eyeball body module 3 by a quick-release mechanism. The protective cover 304 can protect the industrial camera 301 from external dust, moisture, collision and other factors. At the same time, the quick-release mechanism facilitates the disassembly and replacement of the protective cover 304, which is convenient for maintenance and cleaning. In this embodiment, the quick-release mechanism is a snap-fit ​​structure.

[0054] The housing 16 encapsulates the eyeball mounting base 2, the eyeball body module 3, and the drive module, protecting the internal components. The housing 16 has a cable management channel 1601, which includes a cable outlet structure for organizing and guiding cables, preventing tangled cables from affecting the normal operation of the mechanism. Furthermore, a mounting interface 101 is located on the back of the base 1, comprising a standardized array of threaded mounting holes, allowing for easy connection of the mechanism to external devices.

[0055] This utility model employs a drive module consisting of a first servo motor 6 and a second servo motor 7 to drive the first active slider 4 and the second active slider 5 to move, thereby enabling the eyeball body module 3 to rotate independently in the pitch and yaw directions, so as to adjust the field of view angle of the eyeball body module 3 and realize the function of variable field of view.

[0056] During installation, the eyeball mounting base 2 is first fixed to the base 1, and then the eyeball body module 3 is installed onto the eyeball mounting base 2. Next, the first servo motor 6 and the second servo motor 7 of the drive module are installed on the servo motor mounting base 12 of the base 1, and the eyeball body module 3 and the enclosure housing 16 are connected. Finally, the mechanism is connected to external equipment through the standardized threaded mounting hole array on the back of the base 1, and the cables are organized and led out through the cable outlet structure.

[0057] In the several specific embodiments provided in this disclosure, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that this disclosure is not limited to the details of the exemplary embodiments described above, and that this disclosure can be implemented in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. Therefore, the embodiments should be considered in all respects as exemplary and non-limiting, and the scope of this disclosure is defined by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description. Thus, it is intended that all variations falling within the meaning and scope of equivalents of the claims be encompassed within this disclosure. Furthermore, it is clear that the word "comprising" does not exclude other units or steps, and the singular does not exclude the plural. Terms such as "first," "second," etc., are used to denote names and do not indicate any particular order.

[0058] The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this disclosure and are not intended to limit it. Although this disclosure has been described in detail with reference to the above preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications or equivalent substitutions to the technical solutions of this disclosure should not depart from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of this disclosure.

Claims

1. A binocular eyeball mechanism with variable field of view, characterized in that, Includes a base and an eyeball mounting bracket disposed on the base; The eyeball mount has two movable eyeball body modules, each of which includes: An industrial camera, and a main motion track and a secondary motion track set on the eyeball body module, wherein the main motion track and the secondary motion track are arranged in a spatially orthogonal manner; Each eyeball module is equipped with a corresponding driving module, which includes: The first active slider slides in coordination with the main motion track; The second active slider slides in coordination with the auxiliary motion track. The drive module drives the first active slider and the second active slider to move respectively, thereby realizing the independent rotation of the eyeball body module in the pitch and yaw directions.

2. The variable field of view binocular eyeball mechanism as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The drive module includes a first servo and a second servo. The output shaft of the first servo is connected to a servo end gear, which meshes with an eyeball end gear. A first active slider is connected to the eyeball end gear. The output shaft of the second servo is connected to a servo end side gear, which meshes with an eyeball end side gear. A second active slider is connected to the eyeball end side gear.

3. The variable field of view binocular eyeball mechanism as described in claim 2, characterized in that, Both the first and second active sliders are square sliders, and the corresponding main motion track and secondary motion track are square guide grooves with matching cross-sectional shapes; the base is provided with a servo mounting seat, and the first servo and the second servo are fixed on the servo mounting seat.

4. The variable field of view binocular eyeball mechanism as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The eyeball body module includes: The main mounting frame, which securely supports the industrial camera, is equipped with the main motion track. A secondary mounting frame is coaxially sleeved outside the main mounting frame and has the aforementioned secondary motion track. The mating surfaces of the main mounting frame and the secondary mounting frame are cylindrical, and the secondary mounting frame can rotate relative to the main mounting frame at a limited angle around the axis of the main mounting frame.

5. The variable field of view binocular eyeball mechanism as described in claim 4, characterized in that, A rotational gap is provided between the inner cylindrical surface of the auxiliary mounting frame and the outer cylindrical surface of the main mounting frame, forming an adjustable rotating pair.

6. The variable field of view binocular eyeball mechanism as described in claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a protective cover located at the front end of the optical path of the industrial camera, which is fixed to the front end of the eyeball body module by a quick-release mechanism.

7. The variable field of view binocular eyeball mechanism as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The eyeball mounting base is provided with at least two sets of sliding bearings, which respectively support the rotating shafts of the first active slider and the second active slider.

8. The variable field of view binocular eyeball mechanism as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: The first driven slider, located within the main motion track, is arranged diagonally opposite to the first active slider. The second driven slider, located within the secondary motion track, is arranged diagonally opposite to the second driving slider.

9. The variable field of view binocular eyeball mechanism as described in any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, Also includes: The encapsulation housing covers the eyeball mounting base, the eyeball body module and the drive module, and is provided with a cable management channel; It connects to external devices via the mounting interface on the back of the base.

Images