Orthogonal Axis Attitude Control via Segmented Belt Drive
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional attitude control devices for imaging and measuring equipment suffer from increased weight and reduced responsivity due to directly coupled motors and drive shafts, which require more motive power and lead to decreased responsiveness.
Innovation Solution
A support unit, a movable unit, and a drive unit are configured with paired motors, pulleys, and gears to transmit power between orthogonal rotation axes, allowing for independent rotation of the movable unit about two axes while keeping the motor separate from the movable unit, thereby reducing weight and enhancing responsiveness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If motors are directly coupled to drive shafts, then the structure is simple, but the weight of the movable portion increases and responsivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The drive system is segmented into separate components: motors are mounted on the support unit while drive shafts and pulleys are mounted on the movable unit. This segmentation separates the heavy motor components from the movable portion, reducing its weight while maintaining functional integration through belt connections.
Solution Approach 2:
An intermediary belt transmission system is introduced between the motors and drive shafts. The belts act as mediators that transmit rotational force from the motors on the support unit to the drive shafts on the movable unit without requiring direct coupling, thus reducing the weight of the movable portion while maintaining drive functionality.
2Device complexity
If motors are directly coupled to drive shafts, then the structure is simple, but the motive power required increases
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the drive system into motor and drive shaft components mounted on different units, the movable unit's weight is reduced. This reduction in mass directly decreases the motive power required to accelerate and move the movable unit, while the motors on the support unit can operate at optimal power levels.
3Device complexity
If motors are directly coupled to drive shafts, then the structure is simple, but the responsivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
Segmenting the drive system allows the movable unit to have reduced mass, which directly improves its responsivity and acceleration capability. The lighter movable unit can respond more quickly to control signals while the motors on the support unit provide the necessary driving force through belt transmission.
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
This configuration reduces the weight of the movable unit, decreases the required motive power, and improves responsiveness, enabling three-dimensional attitude adjustment of attached equipment with increased range and accuracy, suitable for various movable bodies like flying, land, or water traveling objects.
Implementation Method 1
an endless belt wound between a pulley provided to each of the first shafts and each of the motors for motive power transmission
Implementation Method 2
paired gears respectively attached to the first shaft and the second shaft adjacent to each other as a set and converting rotation about the first rotation axis line into rotation about the second rotation axis line
Data Source
AI summary
A heavy-weight object such as a motor is installed separately from a movable portion to reduce the weight of the movable portion. The invention includes a support unit, a movable unit to which equipment is attached, and a drive unit interposed between the support unit and the movable unit. The movable unit has a first rotating member rotatably attached to the support unit about a first rotation axis line and a second rotating member rotatably attached to the first rotating member about a second rotation axis line orthogonal to the first rotation axis line. The support unit is provided with paired first brackets positioned so as to sandwich the first rotating member, and these first brackets are each provided with a first shaft configuring the first rotation axis line. The second rotating member is provided with paired second brackets positioned so as to sandwich the first rotating member from a direction orthogonal to the paired first brackets, and the second brackets are each provided with a second shaft configuring the second rotation axis line and causing the first rotating member to rotatably support the second rotating member. The drive unit includes paired motors attached to the support unit and having a rotation axis line parallel to each of the first shafts, an endless belt wound between a pulley and each of the motors, and paired gears respectively attached to the first shaft and the second shaft adjacent to each other as a set and converting rotation about the first rotation axis line into rotation about the second rotation axis line. One of the gears is fastened to the pulley and is rotatably attached to the first rotating member, the other gear is fastened to the second bracket of the second rotating member, and to the first shaft to which the gear is not attached, the pulley provided to this first shaft and the first rotating member are fastened.