2-axis rotation mechanism

Abstract

Generally described, one or more aspects of the present disclosure relate to the configuration and management of one or more components to facilitate two-axis rotation. More specifically, one or more aspects of the present application relate to the configuration or management of a rotation mechanism to facilitate two-axis rotation of a display device. Illustratively, the display device is mounted to a rotation mechanism that utilizes a single actuator, a dual rotation joint, and associated linkages to facilitate dual-axis rotation. The rotation component further includes at least one additional floating joint that provides additional pulling force on a third axis. Furthermore, according to further embodiments, a control component can be utilized to generate control signals for the rotation of the single actuator, such as to establish a control position and a duty cycle.

Description

[Background Art]

[0001] [Cross-Reference to Related Applications] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 201,884, entitled "Two-axis rotation mechanism", filed on May 17, 2021, which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] Generally described, various vehicles such as electric vehicles, combustion engine vehicles, and hybrid vehicles can be configured with various sensors and components to facilitate operation. For example, a vehicle can be configured with various display devices that present information to vehicle occupants. Display devices may be embedded or incorporated into a vehicle, such as being integrated with at least a portion of a dashboard. Alternatively, display devices may be self-supporting, or may be at least partially independent from other vehicle structures. During operation of the vehicle, an occupant may desire to adjust the orientation of the display device, such as by rotating it along one or more axes. For example, the display device may be rotated about an x-axis, a y-axis, or a z-axis. [Brief Description of the Drawings]

[0003] Various features will now be described with reference to the following drawings. Throughout the drawings, reference numerals may be reused to indicate correspondence between referenced elements. The drawings are provided to illustrate examples described herein and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

[0004] [Figure 1A] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a linkage structure for use in a rotation mechanism according to one or more aspects of the present application.

[0005] [Figure 1B] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a linkage structure for use in a rotation mechanism according to one or more aspects of the present application.

[0006] [Figure 2A]This is a perspective view of a set of components including a display device, a rotating mechanism, and a linkage structure according to one or more embodiments of this application.

[0007] [Figure 2B] This is a perspective view of a set of components including a display device, a rotating mechanism, and a linkage structure according to one or more embodiments of this application.

[0008] [Figure 3] This is a perspective view of a set of components including a display device, a rotation mechanism, and a linkage structure that indicate a first rotation state corresponding to a rotational force according to one or more embodiments of this application.

[0009] [Figure 4] This is a perspective view of a set of components including a display device, a rotation mechanism, and a linkage structure that indicate a second rotation state corresponding to a rotational force according to one or more embodiments of the present application.

[0010] [Figure 5A] This is a perspective view of a rotary joint and a linear channel used in linkage structures according to various embodiments of this application. [Figure 5B] This is a perspective view of a rotary joint and a linear channel used in linkage structures according to various embodiments of this application. [Figure 5C] This is a perspective view of a rotary joint and a linear channel used in linkage structures according to various embodiments of this application. [Figure 5D] This is a perspective view of a rotary joint and a linear channel used in linkage structures according to various embodiments of this application.

[0011] [Figure 6] This is a block diagram logically representing various components of a control mechanism for operating a rotation mechanism including a linkage structure according to an embodiment of this application.

[0012] [Figure 7]This flowchart illustrates the routines performed by control components to determine the operating parameters of an actuator for applying rotational force to the linkage structure of a rotating mechanism. [Overview of the project]

[0013] Generally speaking, one or more aspects of this disclosure relate to the configuration and control of one or more components for facilitating two-axis rotation. More specifically, one or more aspects of this application relate to the configuration or control of a rotary mechanism for facilitating two-axis rotation of a display device. Exemplarily, the display device is mounted on a rotary mechanism that facilitates two-axis rotation using a single actuator, a dual rotary joint, and associated linkages. The rotary component further includes at least one further floating joint that provides additional tensile force to a third axis. Furthermore, according to further embodiments, control components can be used to generate control signals for the rotation of the single actuator, such as establishing a control position and duty cycle.

[0014] Conventional methods for automating rotational mechanisms are limited to having individual actuators control rotation around a single axis. For example, a rotational mechanism that facilitates rotation along a single axis utilizes a single actuator to control rotation along that single axis. In more complex examples, a conventional rotational mechanism that facilitates rotation along two axes utilizes multiple actuators for each axis of rotation (e.g., two actuators to control two axes of rotation). Such conventional methods can be inefficient or complex with respect to the number of parts forming the rotational mechanism. Furthermore, such conventional rotational mechanisms require some form of synchronization signal or component to coordinate the operation of multiple actuators. Exemplarily, the mounting structure 113 is fixed to the first rotary joint.

[0015] According to these embodiments, in order to address at least some of the drawbacks associated with conventional multi-component rotating mechanisms, one or more aspects of the present application include a rotating mechanism comprising a single actuator that provides clockwise and counterclockwise rotation of the rotating mechanism defined around a rotation axis. The rotation of the actuator can be defined with respect to a control position relative to a given angular position, and a duty cycle that defines the time or actuator utilization to achieve the given angular position. The rotating mechanism also includes a linkage structure comprising three rotary joints that provide two-axis rotation based on a single actuator. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0016] Figure 1A is a perspective view of a rotary mechanism 101 including a linkage structure 104 for use in a rotary mechanism according to one or more embodiments of the present application. The linkage structure 104 includes a first rotary joint 108 and a second rotary joint 110 that cooperate in rotation based on rotation from a single actuator (not shown). Exemplarily, the first rotary joint 108 and the second rotary joint 110 are physically connected via one or more arms 109 or links that allow the translation of a rotational force applied to the first rotary joint 108 to be applied to the second rotary joint 110. As will be shown in more detail below, in response to the rotational forces applied to the first rotary joint and the second rotary joint 110, the second rotary joint 110 moves or rotates around the central axis 111 of the first rotary joint 108.

[0017] The linkage structure 104 further includes a mounting structure 113 that defines two or more anchor points 106 for mounting various components, such as display components. As shown in Figure 1A, the mounting structure 113 may include a plurality of arms 115 for accommodating the anchor points 106. Exemplarily, the arms 115 are equidistant from a central axis defined along the mounting structure 113. Furthermore, the mounting structure 113 may be fixed or bonded to a second rotary joint 110 so that the mounting structure 113 rotates in accordance with the rotation of the second rotary joint 110. As shown below, the mounted component (e.g., a display device) rotates in accordance with the mounting structure 113. The geometric shape of the mounting structure 113 may vary according to the dimensions of the component to be mounted, as well as mounting requirements such as the number of anchor points required based on the dimensions, and the weight and force applied to the linkage structure 104 or the mounted component.

[0018] The linkage structure 104 includes a third rotary joint 112 that floats to apply force on a third axis rather than rotating directly from an input from a single actuator. Thus, the third rotary joint 112 may be referred to as a floating joint that moves cooperatively along a linear axis to control the rotation of the mounted component. Exemplaryly, the movement of the third rotary joint 112 or floating joint is defined along a channel 117 defined within the mounting structure 113. The channel may include a substantially horizontal surface and opposing diagonal surfaces that contact the corresponding surface of the third rotary joint 112 in response to tension applied to the rotary joint by a spring or the like. In this regard, the floating joint aspect of the third rotary joint compensates for the different linear forces resulting from the cooperative rotation of the first and second rotary joints 108, 110. In some embodiments, the third rotary joint manages the movement of the mounting structure 113 (and the mounted device) so as to keep the mounted device coplanar with other internal compartments of the vehicle, such as a dashboard or console.

[0019] FIG. 1B represents a different perspective view of a rotation mechanism 101 including a linkage structure associated with FIG. 1A. FIG. 1B shows a linkage structure 104 including a first rotation joint 108 and a second rotation joint 110 that cooperate in rotation. Furthermore, FIG. 1B shows a single actuator 114 connected to the first rotation joint 108 to provide a rotational force. FIG. 1B also shows a mounting structure 113 and a plurality of anchor points 106 connected via an arm 115 of the mounting structure.

[0020] FIG. 2A is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the present application including a component combination 100 including a display device 102, a rotation mechanism 101, and a linkage structure 104. By way of example, the display device corresponds to a video display device such as the display device 102 used in a vehicle to display information to one or more passengers. The display device 102 is mounted to the linkage structure 104 via two mounting points 106. Furthermore, the mounting structure may include one or more additional surfaces that come into contact with the mounted device (e.g., the display device).

[0021] FIG. 2B is a different perspective view of a combined component 100 including a display device 102, a rotation mechanism 101, and a linkage structure 104 according to one or more aspects of the present application. FIG. 2B shows the actuator 114.

[0022] Figures 3 and 4 illustrate different rotational states of a rotating mechanism according to various exemplary embodiments. More specifically, Figure 3 is a perspective view of a set of components including a display device, a rotating mechanism, and a linkage structure indicating a first rotational state in response to a rotational force according to one or more embodiments of this application. Figure 4 is a perspective view of a set of components including a display device, a rotating mechanism, and a linkage structure indicating a second rotational state in response to a rotational force according to one or more embodiments of this application. Exemplarily, the actuator 114 may operate in a duty cycle and direction of rotation that allows a predetermined rotational force to be gradually applied to the first revolute joint 108 and the second revolute joint 110. The rotational force may be discretely defined so that the rotation of the mounting structure 113 can be defined according to a predetermined angular distance. Thus, Figures 3 and 4 can exemplarily define two endpoints of the rotational range of the mounting structure 113. Thus, various further rotational states can be included between the two endpoints according to various increments. However, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the references and illustrations of rotational ranges are essentially illustrative and should not be construed as limitations.

[0023] Referring here to Figure 3, a first rotational state of the display device 102 is shown based on the rotation of actuator 114, which rotates clockwise. A third revolute joint 112 (e.g., a floating joint) further translates along a third axis defined by the linear channel 117 of the mounting structure 113 in order to maintain translational continuity. Figure 4 shows a second rotational state of the display device 102 based on the rotation of actuator 114 in counterclockwise rotation. Together, Figures 3 and 4 show that the combination of the first and second revolute joints 108,110 achieves a range of movement of the display device 102 based on a single actuator rotation. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the position of the second revolute joint 110 rotates around the central axis 111 of the first revolute joint 108 from the full range of rotation due to the mounting structure 113.

[0024] Furthermore, the third rotary joint 112 allows movement of the display device in a third axial direction defined by the linear channel 117. As previously mentioned, in embodiments where the display device is integrated into a vehicle component, the third joint allows movement of the display device 102 while maintaining integration between the display device and components such as part of the dashboard. In embodiments where the display device is not integrated into a vehicle component (e.g., a freestanding display), the third rotary joint facilitates further movement of the display device along the third axis.

[0025] Figures 5A to 5D show various perspective views of the rotary joint 112 and linear channel 117 used in linkage structures according to various embodiments of this application. Referring to Figure 5A, a detailed view of the third rotary joint 112 and support mechanism is shown. As previously stated, the mounting structure 113 includes a linear channel 117 which includes a set of surfaces defining contact points for the third rotary joint 112. Specifically, the linear channel 117 includes two inclined portions 502, 504 which are complementary to the inclined portions 506, 510 of the rotary joint 112. Similarly, the linear channel 117 includes, exemplary, two horizontal portions 507, 509 which are complementary to the horizontal portions 511, 513 of the rotary joint 112. In addition, at least the interface with the inclined or horizontal surface may include a bushing for controlling friction.

[0026] The respective inclined and horizontal sections provide a flush fit that allows the linkage structure 104 to absorb the force applied to the rotary joint 112 via a tension mechanism 512 such as a spring. The resulting response is that the rotary joint 112 maintains contact with the linkage 104 when the two other rotary joints 108,110 rotate. Although shown in the inclined section, the rotary joint can also be implemented in different forms.

[0027] Continuing to refer to Figure 5A, the linkage structure 104 may also include a bushing 516 between the tension member and the mounting structure 113 to control friction.

[0028] Figure 5B shows a cross-section of the third rotary joint 112 and the mounting structure 113. Figure 5B shows a linear channel 117 of the mounting surface 113, which includes a set of surfaces defining the contact points for the third rotary joint 112. Specifically, the linear channel 117 includes two inclined portions 502, 504 that are complementary to the inclined portions 506, 510 of the third rotary joint 112. Similarly, the linear channel 117 includes, exemplary, two horizontal portions 507, 509 that are complementary to the horizontal portions 511, 513 of the rotary joint 112. In addition, at least the interface with the inclined or horizontal surface may include a bushing for controlling friction.

[0029] Furthermore, the linkage structure 104 may also include a bushing 516 between the tension member and the mounting structure 113 to control friction. As shown in Figure 5B, the third rotary joint 112 may further include a lock nut 514 to absorb vibrational forces, such as vibrational forces that occur during use in vehicle operation.

[0030] Figure 5C shows the front and rear cross-sections of the third rotary joint 112 and the mounting structure 113. Similar to Figures 5A and 5B, Figure 5C shows the connection between the third rotary joint 112 in a linear channel 117, including the side surface 502 of the mounting structure 113 that abuts against the side surface 506 of the third rotary joint. Figure 5C further shows a bushing 516 between the tension member and the mounting structure 113 for controlling friction. The third rotary joint 112 may further include a lock nut 514 for absorbing vibration forces, such as vibration forces that occur during use in vehicle operation.

[0031] Figure 5D is a perspective view of another embodiment of the third rotary joint 112, in which the sides 506, 510 are not angled and are substantially vertical. As also shown in Figure 5D, in this embodiment the third rotary joint 112 may include horizontal planes 511, 513 and an integrated tension member 512. In this embodiment the third rotary joint 112 still has the function of similar projection movement along the linear channel 117.

[0032] Figure 6 is a block diagram logically representing various components of a control mechanism for operating a rotation mechanism including a linkage structure according to an embodiment of this application. The sensor / controller 604 can receive user input for determining a desired rotation of a device such as the display device 102. Such examples may include manual input audio input, etc. The sensor / controller 604 can detect rider characteristics for determining the desired rotation. Such attributes may include physical attributes (e.g., height, weight, gaze direction, etc.). Such attributes may also include identification of a specific user, such as a user pre-configured with respect to a user profile. The sensor / controller 604 may also include pre-configured settings with respect to the rotation angle.

[0033] The control component 602 can be compatible with any microprocessor-based controller, such as a programmable logic controller (PLC) or other controller. The control component 602 can include logic to facilitate the selection of operating parameters for a single actuator 114 regarding the direction of rotation and duty cycle in order to achieve a desired rotational position. The control component 602 can also include the transmission of operating parameters via control signals or communication protocols.

[0034] For example, the control component 602 may utilize a lookup table that can map information from identified sensors, which result in the rotation of the rotating mechanism 101, to the operating parameters of the actuator 114. In some embodiments, the lookup table can map individual sensor inputs / operating states to determine the operating parameters of the actuator (e.g., rotation angle and duty cycle).

[0035] Figure 7 is a flowchart showing routines performed by control components to determine the operating parameters of an actuator for applying rotational force to the linkage structure 104 of a rotating mechanism. Routine 700 can be performed for each individual component 602 to determine the operating parameters of the actuator 114 and to generate a control signal corresponding to the determined operating parameters. In block 702, the control component 602 acquires a set of information sources from multiple sensors 604, controllers, etc.

[0036] In block 704, the control component 602 determines an appropriate lookup table. In some embodiments, one or more lookup tables utilized by the control component 602 may be configured specifically for individual vehicles. Alternatively, the lookup tables may be common to a set of vehicles, depending on the type of vehicle, geographical location, user type, etc. For example, vehicles associated with the northeast region may be configured with a common table, while vehicles associated with the south region may be configured with a different common table. Furthermore, in other embodiments, vehicle 100 may be configured with a set of tables that can be applied according to geographical location, user, calendar time, etc. For example, a vehicle may configure or select different lookup tables during winter months than during summer or spring months. The lookup tables may be statically configured in a control component that can be updated periodically. In other embodiments, the lookup tables may be more dynamic, allowing for easier adjustment of update frequency via vehicle-related communication functions. If multiple lookup tables are not provided, or if the control component is not configured to handle selection criteria, a single lookup table can be automatically retrieved as part of block 704.

[0037] In block 706, the control component 602 can optionally process identified operating parameters to perform error checking, threshold comparison, conflict resolution, normalization, and the like.

[0038] In block 708, the control component 602 transmits information or control signals that cause the actuator to operate according to selected and processed operating parameters, including the omission of transmitting control signals. Exemplarily, in some embodiments, the control component 602 may further monitor the operation of the actuator 114 to monitor for abnormalities or other inputs that may indicate various undesirable or error conditions. For example, the control component 602 may use a visual system to detect the presence of an obstacle in the rotation path that may be damaged by a display device (or other mounted device) or damage the display device or the rotating mechanism 101 or other components. In another example, the control component 602 may monitor the operating characteristics of components such as the actuator 114 that may indicate an obstacle, a malfunction, etc. Such operating characteristics may include power consumption, rotation timing, load or force measurements, etc. Other examples or monitoring methods may be included according to aspects of this application. In such scenarios, the control component 602 may terminate the selected rotation, generate a notification, create a log, etc. Routine 700 may return to block 702 or wait for routine 200 to start in embodiments for continuous monitoring.

[0039] The foregoing disclosure is not intended to limit the disclosure to the exact form or specific field of use disclosed herein. Therefore, various other embodiments and / or modifications to the disclosure, whether expressly described or implied herein, are conceivable in light of the disclosure. While embodiments of the disclosure have been described in this manner, as those skilled in the art will see, modifications can be made in form and detail without departing from the scope of the disclosure. Therefore, the disclosure is limited solely by the claims.

[0040] The above specification describes the disclosure with reference to specific embodiments. However, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the various embodiments disclosed herein can be modified or implemented in various other ways without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. Therefore, this description should be considered illustrative and is intended to teach those skilled in the art how to create and use various embodiments of the disclosed ventilation assemblies. It should be understood that the forms of disclosure shown and described herein should be interpreted as representative embodiments. Equivalent elements, materials, processes, or steps may be substituted for those typically illustrated and described herein. Furthermore, certain features of the disclosure may be used independently of the use of other features, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art after benefiting from this description of the disclosure. Expressions such as “including,” “comprising,” “incorporating,” “consisting of,” “have,” and “is” used to describe the disclosure and to describe the claims are intended to be interpreted in a non-exclusive manner, that is, to allow for the existence of items, components, or elements not expressly described. Furthermore, any reference to the singular form should be interpreted as also relating to the plural form.

[0041] Furthermore, the various embodiments disclosed herein should be interpreted in an illustrative and descriptive sense and not in any way be construed as limiting the disclosure. All references to connections (e.g., mounting, fixing, joining, connecting, etc.) are used solely to aid the reader's understanding of the disclosure and do not imply any limitation with respect to the location, orientation, or use of the systems and / or methods disclosed herein. Accordingly, where there is a reference to a connection, it should be interpreted broadly. Moreover, such references to connections do not necessarily mean that the two elements are directly connected to each other. Furthermore, all numerical terms, including but not limited to “first,” “second,” “third,” “primary,” “secondary,” and “main,” or any other ordinary and / or numerical terms, should be interpreted solely as identifiers to aid the reader’s understanding of the various elements, embodiments, variations, and / or modifications of this disclosure, and in particular, they should not impose any restrictions on the order or preference of any other elements, embodiments, variations, and / or modifications, or any elements, embodiments, variations, and / or modifications beyond them.

[0042] Furthermore, it can be seen that one or more elements depicted in the drawing / figure can be implemented in a more separated or integrated manner to be useful for a specific purpose, or even removed or rendered in a non-functional manner in certain cases.

Claims

1. A rotating mechanism having a linkage structure, The aforementioned linkage structure is, A mounting structure including multiple anchor points, wherein the anchor points can be attached to a component, A first rotary joint having a central axis and configured to receive rotational input, A second rotary joint connected to the first rotary joint, wherein the first and second rotary joints are arranged such that the rotational force applied to the first rotary joint is applied to the second rotary joint, causing the second rotary joint to rotate at least partially around the central axis of the first rotary joint, A linear channel formed within the central axis of the mounting structure, the linear channel having a set of surfaces that define movement along the linear channel, A third rotary joint that contacts the linear channel based on a tension member, wherein the third rotary joint is a floating joint and the linkage structure is configured to control the movement of the rotation mechanism along the linear axis so that the force applied to the third rotary joint via the tension member can be absorbed, A rotating mechanism, including a rotating mechanism.

2. The rotating mechanism according to claim 1, further comprising a lock nut for the third rotating joint for damping vibrational force.

3. The rotating mechanism according to claim 1, further comprising a bushing between the contact points in the set of surfaces of the linear channel and the third rotating joint.

4. The rotation mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the set of surfaces in the linear channel includes a set of horizontal surfaces for contact with a corresponding horizontal surface provided by the third rotation joint.

5. The rotation mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the set of surfaces in the linear channel includes a set of inclined surfaces for contact with the corresponding inclined surfaces provided by the third rotational joint.

6. The rotation mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the mounting structure includes a set of arms for positioning the anchor points on both sides of the central axis of the mounting structure.

7. The rotation mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the tension member is a spring.

8. The rotary mechanism according to claim 1, further comprising a control unit for giving control commands to a single actuator connected to the first rotary joint.

9. A rotating mechanism having a linkage structure, The aforementioned linkage structure is, A mounting structure including multiple anchor points, wherein the anchor points can be attached to a component, A first rotary joint having a central axis and configured to receive rotational input from a single actuator, A second rotary joint connected to the first rotary joint, wherein the first and second rotary joints are arranged such that the rotational force applied to the first rotary joint is applied to the second rotary joint, causing the second rotary joint to rotate at least partially around the central axis of the first rotary joint, A third rotary joint for controlling the movement of the rotation mechanism along a linear axis, wherein the third rotary joint is a floating joint and is configured to control the movement of the rotation mechanism along a linear axis such that the linkage structure can absorb the force applied to the third rotary joint via a tension member, A linear channel formed within the central axis of the mounting structure, wherein the linear channel has a set of horizontal surfaces for contacting a corresponding horizontal surface provided by the third rotary joint, and a set of inclined surfaces for contacting a corresponding inclined surface provided by the third rotary joint, A rotating mechanism, including a rotating mechanism.

10. The rotating mechanism according to claim 9, further comprising a lock nut for the third rotating joint for damping vibrational force.

11. The rotary mechanism according to claim 9, wherein the linear channel has a set of surfaces that define movement along the linear channel, and further comprises a bushing between a contact point in the set of surfaces of the linear channel and the third rotary joint.

12. The rotation mechanism according to claim 9, wherein the mounting structure includes a set of arms for positioning the anchor points on both sides of the central axis of the mounting structure.

13. The rotation mechanism according to claim 9, wherein the tension member is a spring.

14. The rotary mechanism according to claim 9, further comprising a control unit for giving control commands to the single actuator, wherein the single actuator is connected to the first rotary joint.

15. The rotating mechanism according to claim 9, further comprising a bushing between the third rotating joint and the mounting structure.

16. A rotating mechanism having a linkage structure, The aforementioned linkage structure is, A mounting structure including multiple anchor points, wherein the anchor points can be attached to a component, A first rotary joint having a central axis and configured to receive rotational input, A second rotary joint connected to the first rotary joint, wherein the first and second rotary joints are arranged such that the rotational force applied to the first rotary joint is applied to the second rotary joint, causing the second rotary joint to rotate at least partially around the central axis of the first rotary joint, A linear channel formed within the central axis of the mounting structure, the linear channel having a set of surfaces that define movement along the linear channel, A third rotary joint that contacts the linear channel based on a tension member, wherein the third rotary joint is a floating joint configured to translate along a linear axis defined by the linear channel so as to absorb the force applied to the third rotary joint via the tension member, A rotating mechanism, including a rotating mechanism.

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