Offset-Arch Gimbal for High-Temp Camera Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gimbal designs for high-temperature environments, such as under-cowl areas of gas turbines, face challenges in maximizing field of view while minimizing camera window size, leading to increased system costs, maintenance, and heat exposure for cameras.
Innovation Solution
The offset-arch gimbal design utilizes a panel with a window and a gimbal body that translates and rotates to maximize field of view through an arched rack system, allowing the camera to maintain a smaller viewing window and reduce heat transfer, with stepper motors adjusting the position of pinions on arched racks to optimize coverage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the camera window size is reduced to protect the camera from heat, then the camera is better protected from harsh conditions, but the field of view is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a dynamic gimbal system with two degrees of freedom that actively adjusts the camera's field of view and orientation. The gimbal allows the camera to rotate and translate to capture a larger area, compensating for the limited window size. This dynamic adjustment enables the system to maintain comprehensive monitoring coverage while keeping the camera protected behind a smaller window.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces translational movement in addition to rotational movement, creating a three-dimensional positioning system. The camera can move both rotate about axes and translate along paths defined by arched racks. This multi-dimensional movement expands the effective field of view beyond what a fixed camera could achieve, allowing comprehensive coverage despite the constrained window size.
2Area of stationary object
If multiple cameras are installed to increase field of view coverage, then the monitoring coverage is improved, but the system cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs a single camera system with a gimbal mechanism that provides multiple functions: the camera can rotate about two axes and translate along arched racks to monitor different areas. This multi-functional capability allows one camera to perform the work of multiple fixed cameras, reducing system cost and complexity while maintaining comprehensive monitoring coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
By making the camera position and orientation dynamically adjustable through the gimbal system, the patent enables a single camera to sweep through a large monitoring area. This dynamic positioning eliminates the need for multiple static cameras, as one mobile camera can cover the same ground that would require several fixed units.
3Area of stationary object
If the camera is positioned closer to the hot components to improve monitoring, then the field of view coverage is improved, but the camera is exposed to higher temperatures
Solution Approach 1:
The gimbal system enables the camera to dynamically adjust its position and orientation, allowing it to monitor hot components from an optimized distance. The camera can rotate and translate to capture the necessary views without being permanently positioned in the harshest thermal environment, thereby reducing continuous heat exposure while maintaining monitoring effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The gimbal mechanism acts as an intermediary between the camera and the hot components. It provides the necessary degrees of freedom to position the camera optimally for monitoring while maintaining a protective barrier (the gimbal structure and window) between the camera sensor and the harsh thermal environment.
Data Source
AI summary
Improved gimbal systems, apparatus, articles of manufacture and associated methods are disclosed. Examples include a panel including a window, the window to define an aperture for a sensor; a platform to mount the sensor, the platform including a first pinion; a first stepper motor to move the first pinion about a first arched rack; a gimbal body including the first arched rack and a second pinion; and a second stepper motor to move the second pinion about a second arched rack, the second arched rack positioned orthogonally to the first arched rack.