Linear Actuator Transfer Gear Guide Way Back Focus
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Solution Overview
Problem
Surveillance cameras require a compact and robust linear actuator to adjust the back focus of image capturing units efficiently, with existing solutions often being complex and prone to maintenance issues due to limited space and mechanical reliability.
Innovation Solution
A linear actuator comprising a supporting structure, a step motor, and a gear mechanism with a transfer gear featuring a guide way that converts rotational movement into linear motion, allowing precise and trouble-free operation with minimal maintenance, integrated into a camera's motorized back focus module.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional linear actuator is used for adjusting back focus in surveillance cameras, then the camera can achieve focus adjustment capability, but the actuator becomes complex and requires frequent maintenance due to limited space and mechanical reliability issues
Solution Approach 1:
The transfer gear integrates two functions into a single component: it transmits rotational movement from the drive mechanism and simultaneously guides the linear motion of the image capturing unit through its guide way. This merging eliminates the need for separate transmission and guidance mechanisms, reducing overall actuator complexity while improving mechanical reliability through fewer moving parts.
Solution Approach 2:
The transfer gear serves multiple purposes within the linear actuator system: it acts as a transmission gear for converting rotational to linear motion, provides structural support for the guide way, and serves as a mounting element for the image capturing unit. This multi-functionality reduces the total number of components needed, simplifying the actuator design while maintaining reliability.
2Volume of moving object
If the linear actuator is made compact to fit surveillance cameras with limited space, then space requirements are reduced, but mechanical reliability may deteriorate due to constrained component arrangement
Solution Approach 1:
The guide way is integrated within the body of the transfer gear itself, creating a nested structure where the guidance feature is embedded in the transmission component. This nesting allows the linear motion guidance to be accomplished within the existing rotational mechanism footprint, reducing overall actuator volume while maintaining reliable mechanical guidance through the integrated guide way.
3Ease of operation
If existing linear actuator solutions are used, then focus adjustment is possible, but maintenance requirements increase due to complex mechanical structures
Solution Approach 1:
By combining the transfer gear and guide way into a single integrated component, the actuator reduces the number of separate mechanical parts that require maintenance. The merged structure eliminates interfaces between separate transmission and guidance components, reducing potential failure points and simplifying maintenance procedures while maintaining ease of operation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides a compact, robust, and low-maintenance linear actuator that effectively adjusts the image capturing unit's position, ensuring reliable operation and easy integration into surveillance cameras with limited space, while maintaining high precision and reducing maintenance needs.
Implementation Method 1
a motor (10), which generates a rotational movement
Implementation Method 2
the last gear of the gear mechanism before the component carrier is a transfer gear (20)... the guide way (23) is arranged, preferably formed on the transfer gear (20) and extends in rotational direction
Data Source
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AI summary
Surveillance networks are used to observe large areas, like public places, streets, public buildings or private houses, privates premises etc. The surveillance networks often comprise a plurality of surveillance cameras. Such surveillance cameras should be small, robust, trouble-free and have low- maintenance requirements. Subject-matter of the invention is a linear actuator (8) for a linear motion of a component of a camera (1), the linear actuator comprising a supporting structure (6), a motor (10) arranged on the supporting structure for generating a rotational movement, a component carrier (7) for carrying the component and for performing the linear motion relative to the supporting structure, a gear mechanism (11) for transmitting the rotational movement, whereby the last gear of the gear mechanism before the component carrier is a transfer gear (20), whereby the transfer gear comprises a guide way (23 a, b, c) extending in rotational direction of the transfer gear with a slope along the guide way whereby the component carrier is coupled with the guide way by resting means (24 a, b, c), so that the component carrier is displaced in the linear direction (9) by a rotational movement of the transfer gear due to the slope of the guide way.