Granted Patent B2

US 12,204,234 · App. 17/353,360 · Granted Jan 21, 2025

Inventors: Steven D. Wagner (Belmont, CA); Garrett W. Brown (Philadelphia, PA); Jerry Holway (Exton, PA); H. Robert Orf (Simi Valley, CA)

G03B17/563F16M11/105F16M11/18F16M11/2064F16M13/00F16M13/04G02B27/646G03B17/561F16M2200/042F16M2200/044

Abstract

Claims (28)

1. A payload stabilization apparatus comprising:

a gimbal having two or more mutually perpendicular axes about which motion is generated by at least two of a pan motor, a gimbal-bearing motor and a gimbal-yoke motor;

wherein the pan motor is integral to a gimbal handle and surrounds a main post of the gimbal handle.

2. The payload stabilization apparatus of claim 1 wherein the mass of the pan motor is central to the gimbal.

3. The payload stabilization apparatus of claim 1 wherein the pan motor is directly coupled to the pan axis.

4. The payload stabilization apparatus of claim 1 wherein the gimbal-yoke motor is aligned with the gimbal handle.

5. The payload stabilization apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

drive electronics for at least one of the pan, gimbal-bearing and gimbal-yoke motors located on the main gimbal body.

6. The payload stabilization apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

drive electronics for at least one of the pan, gimbal-bearing and gimbal-yoke motors located off the main gimbal body.

7. The payload stabilization apparatus of claim 1 , wherein tilt and roll axes of the payload are controlled based on a calculation of proportional power provided by drive electronics to the gimbal-bearing and gimbal-yoke motors as the gimbal itself rotates about the pan axis.

8. The payload stabilization apparatus of claim 1 further comprising permanent magnets and stator slots that are mismatched in at least one of the pan, roll and tilt motors.

9. The payload stabilization apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a payload stabilization system configured to act upon the payload stabilization apparatus having at least two mutually perpendicular rotational axes.

10. A method of stabilizing a payload stabilization apparatus, the method comprising:

providing a payload stabilization apparatus with a gimbal having two or more mutually perpendicular axes about which motion is generated by at least two of a pan motor, a gimbal-bearing motor and a gimbal-yoke motor; wherein the pan motor is integral to a gimbal handle and surrounds a main post of the gimbal handle;

providing a supplemental pan torque value;

providing a supplemental roll torque value;

calculating by a real time signal processor torques to be generated by the roll motor and pan motor based on the supplemental pan torque value, the supplemental roll torque value and a tilt angle; and

applying signals to the pan and gimbal-yoke motors based on the calculated torques.

11. A non-transitory computer readable medium with computer executable instructions stored thereon executed by a processor to perform a payload stabilization method for a payload stabilization apparatus with a gimbal having a yoke comprising:

providing a supplemental pan torque value;

providing a supplemental roll torque value;

tracking a tilt axis angle representing a momentary angular position of the gimbal yoke as momentary relationships of the gimbal torques vary;

calculating by a real time signal processor torques to be generated by the gimbal-yoke motor and pan motor based on the supplemental pan torque value, the supplemental roll torque value and the tilt axis angle; and

applying signals to pan and gimbal-yoke motors based on the calculated torques.

12. A payload stabilization apparatus comprising:

a gimbal having two or more mutually perpendicular axes about which motion is generated by at least two of a pan motor, a tilt motor and a roll motor;

wherein the gimbal is fully counterbalanced thereby accommodating an offset pan drive motor driven with a timing belt where all counterbalancing weights are useful weights not dead counterweights.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (11)

References Cited (20)