Payload Stabilization Assembly With Constant-Force Gravity Balance
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Payloads, such as imaging devices and sensors, often experience shaking or jitter when held in a person's hands, leading to adverse effects on image quality and user experience, necessitating an efficient stabilization method.
Innovation Solution
A stabilizing device comprising a handle assembly with grips, a payload stabilization assembly that allows rotation about one or more axes, and a constant force assembly that equipoises the gravity force of the payload, ensuring a net force of zero in the vertical direction, using a parallelogram linkage with a resilient member and sensors for control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a payload is held in a person's hand, then ease of operation is improved, but stability of the payload deteriorates due to shaking and jitter
Solution Approach 1:
The constant force assembly provides an upward force that counteracts the downward gravitational force on the payload, creating a force equilibrium that eliminates jitter and shaking. The resilient member (spring) stores and releases energy to maintain this counterbalancing force, allowing the payload to remain stable while being held handheld.
Solution Approach 2:
The payload stabilization assembly includes rotatable components that allow dynamic adjustment of the payload orientation. The system transitions from a static handheld position to a dynamically adjustable stable position, where the payload can rotate about one or more axes while maintaining stability through the constant force counterbalancing mechanism.
2Stability of the object's composition
If a constant force assembly is added to counteract gravity, then payload stability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The resilient member (spring) in the constant force assembly is a passive component that automatically provides the counterbalancing force through its elastic properties. The spring self-regulates the upward force to match the payload weight, eliminating the need for active sensors, motors, or control systems, thereby maintaining simplicity while achieving stability.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the payload stabilization assembly permits rotation about axes, then adaptability is improved, but control difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The payload stabilization assembly incorporates rotatable joints or gimbals that enable the payload to rotate freely about one or more axes. The constant force assembly maintains vertical orientation during rotation, and the resilient member accommodates positional changes, allowing intuitive manual control without complex feedback systems.
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 effectively diminishes or eliminates payload jitter, allowing for stable videography and cinematography by providing a constant force that counteracts gravitational forces, enhancing image quality and user experience.
Implementation Method 1
the constant force assembly is configured to provide a force that equipoises a gravity force of the payload stabilization assembly with the payload in a vertical direction
Implementation Method 2
constant force assembly...configured to support the payload stabilization assembly
Data Source
AI summary
A stabilizing device for stabilizing a payload includes a handle assembly, a payload stabilization assembly, and a constant force assembly. The handle assembly includes one or more grips. The payload stabilization assembly is configured to support a payload and permit the payload to rotate about at least one axis of rotation. The constant force assembly is operably connected to the handle assembly, is configured to support the payload stabilization assembly, and includes a parallelogram linkage. The parallelogram linkage includes four pivots and a resilient member obliquely arranged within the parallelogram linkage. The constant force assembly is configured to provide a force that equipoises a gravity force of the payload stabilization assembly with the payload in a vertical direction such that a net force of the payload stabilization assembly with the payload in the vertical direction is substantially zero.