JP2019045690A - Gimbal device - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a hand-carry type gimbal device which can reduce a burden on an operator, can be installed on a floor, the ground or the like at standby, and can widely secure a space around an imaging device.SOLUTION: By constituting a gimbal mechanism part 10 of a first arm, a second arm and a third arm which exhibit L-shapes, respectively, an attachment stage 50 is cantilevered by three shafts, and a gimbal mechanism part is located on a side which is the same as those of handles with respect to a base part in a fundamental state that a pair of the handles 31a, 31b are protruded from the base part 20 to the same direction, and self-erected in a state that a face on a side opposite to protrusion directions of the handles in the base part is made to abut on an installation face.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a hand-held gimbal device that reduces the field of view of an imaging device such as a video camera.

  When imaging is performed while the operator moves with an imaging device such as a video camera or a television camera, a gimbal device is used to reduce the shake of the visual field (the visual field of the imaging device) accompanying the vibration. As a hand-held gimbal device, a type in which an imaging device is suspended has been generally used (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  However, if the hand-held gimbal device is a suspension type, the arm must be raised if the height of the field of view, that is, the height of the imaging device, is to be maintained at a certain height. Is a big problem. In addition, since the suspension type gimbal device does not stand on its own, it is inconvenient in that it can not be placed on the floor, the ground, or the like without using a dedicated stand at the time of standby when not photographing.

  In addition, some image pickup apparatuses can check the image pickup without passing through the finder by adjusting the angle by opening the liquid crystal monitor to the side. However, the conventional hand-held gimbal device exemplified in Patent Document 1 has a problem that the space around the imaging device is narrow and the liquid crystal monitor can not be opened to the side.

Patent No. 6090819

  Therefore, in view of the above situation, the present invention is a hand-held gimbal device, which can reduce the burden on the operator, can be installed on the floor or the ground when not in use, and has a space around the imaging device. It is an object of the present invention to provide a gimbal device which can be widely secured.

In order to solve the above problems, the gimbal device according to the present invention is:
"A pair of handles,
A base portion connecting one end of each of the pair of the handles;
The first arm includes an L-shaped first arm, a second arm, and a third arm bent at a right angle, and the first arm is pivotable about a first axis orthogonal to the base portion at one end side The second arm is pivotally supported at one end on the other end side of the first arm around a second axis orthogonal to the first axis, and the third arm is supported at one end A gimbal mechanism rotatably supported on a second axis and a third axis orthogonal to the first axis on the other end side of the second arm on the side;
A mounting stage on the other end side of the third arm on which an imaging device is mounted;
The rotation angle of the first arm about the first axis, the rotation angle of the second arm about the second axis, and the rotation angle of the third arm about the third axis are respectively detected. A first sensor, a second sensor, and a third sensor,
A first motor for driving rotation of the first arm about the first axis, rotation of the second arm about the second axis, and rotation of the third arm about the third axis. , The second motor, and the third motor,
A control unit for driving the first motor, the second motor, and the third motor based on detection of the first sensor, the second sensor, and the third sensor;
Equipped with
In a basic state in which a pair of the handles protrudes in the same direction from the base portion, the gimbal mechanism is on the same side as the handle with respect to the base portion, and The other side is self-supporting in a state of being in contact with the installation surface.

  Hereinafter, the first arm, the second arm, and the third arm are collectively referred to as "arm", the first motor, the second motor, and the third motor are collectively referred to as the "motor", and the first sensor, the second sensor , And the third sensor may be generically referred to as "sensor".

  In this configuration, when shooting while moving by the operator, even if vibration is transmitted to the handle held by the operator, the gimbal mechanism and its control maintain the posture of the imaging device, and the field of view shakes. Can be reduced. In other words, the difference in the rotation angle of each arm around each axis is detected by each sensor, and each motor is driven to cancel the rotation so that each arm is in the opposite direction around each axis by the difference angle. By turning, the posture of the imaging device is held constant. Further, the control of maintaining the relative posture of the imaging device with respect to the base portion causes the imaging device to follow the displacement of the base portion based on the operation in which the operator intentionally moves the handle, and changes the direction of the optical axis of the imaging device It can be done.

  Here, since the first axis is an axis orthogonal to the base portion, it is a pan axis (axis of turning in the left and right direction). The second axis is an axis orthogonal to the first axis, but depending on the positional relationship of the second arm with respect to the first arm, the tilt axis (axis of inclination in the vertical direction) may also be the roll axis (axis of inclination in the lateral direction) Can also be When the second axis is a tilt axis, the third axis orthogonal to the first axis and the second axis is a remaining roll axis, and when the second axis is a roll axis, the third axis is a tilt axis.

  Then, in the basic state in which the pair of handles project in the same direction from the base, the gimbal mechanism is on the same side as the handles with respect to the base, so that the operator holds the pair of handles and shoots In a typical mode of use, the gimbal mechanism is located above the base. Therefore, as compared with the suspension type gimbal device, imaging can be performed without raising the arm of the operator, and the burden on the operator's body is reduced.

  Further, all of the three arms constituting the gimbal mechanism are L-shaped, and the imaging device is cantilevered with respect to any of the three axes. Therefore, as compared with the case where the imaging device is rotatably supported on both sides with respect to each axis or is rotatably supported on both sides with respect to one or more of the three axes, A large space can be secured around. As a result, the operator's finger can be easily accessed to the imaging device, and the adjustment operation of the imaging device such as adjustment of the aperture can be easily performed. Also, the liquid crystal monitor can be opened to the side without any problem.

  Furthermore, since the gimbal device is self-supporting in a basic state in which a pair of handles project in the same direction from the base portion, a stand, such as a floor, a ground, or a table, can be installed without waiting for a dedicated stand during shooting. It can be put on the surface as it is. Further, in the basic state, since the handle and the gimbal mechanism are on the same side with respect to the base, the occupied volume is small and can be compactly stored in the storage case as it is.

The gimbal device according to the present configuration is, in addition to the above configuration,
"A state in which one of the pair of handles is detachable from the base portion and is attached to the base portion so as to project in the same direction as the direction in which the other handle protrudes. The other handle may be displaced between a state where it is attached to the base portion so as to protrude in a direction opposite to the direction in which the handle protrudes.

  In this configuration, one of the pair of handles can be attached to and detached from the base, and the pair of handles can protrude in opposite directions with respect to the base. Thus, when one of the handles is gripped with one hand and the base is placed on the shoulder of the operator, the gimbal mechanism is positioned above the shoulder, so the imaging device is held at eye level. Shooting, i.e. eye level shooting can be performed. In the conventional suspension type hand-held gimbal device exemplified in Patent Document 1, it is difficult to raise the imaging device higher as eye level imaging is performed, and it is impossible to keep the arm raised high for a long time. there were. On the other hand, in the present configuration, the weight of the gimbal device and the imaging device is supported by the shoulder of the operator, so that no burden is placed on the operator's arm, and even when eye level shooting is performed for a long time It can be done without.

The gimbal device according to the present invention may further include a "carrying holder" in addition to the main body of the gimbal device having the above configuration. The configuration of this "carrying holder" is
"A shoulder lock having a pair of shoulders that hang on the operator's shoulders,
A vertical base portion supported by the shoulder locking portion and vertically disposed on the front of the operator's body;
A coil spring whose one end is fixed to the vertical base portion;
An elevating body to which the other end of the coil spring is fixed;
An elevating mechanism which lowers the elevating body while extending the coil spring, and retracts the elevating body while contracting the coil spring;
And a mounting stage for mounting the base portion, which is disposed on the upper surface of the elevating body.

  In this configuration, the gimbal device (main body) can be held by the operator's body by fixing the base portion of the gimbal device (main body) in the basic state to the mounting stage of the carrying holder. Thus, by gripping the pair of handles with both hands, the burden on the operator can be reduced as compared to the case where the arm's arm and the entire weight of the imaging device are supported by the operator's arm. Even when the apparatus is large and heavy, or when the imaging takes a long time, imaging can be easily performed.

  In a three-axis gimbal device, the field of view swings in the left and right direction as the imaging device rotates about the pan axis, and the field of view tilts in the vertical direction as the imaging device rotates about the tilt axis. Although the shake in which the field of view is inclined in the left-right direction can be reduced as the apparatus rotates about the roll axis, the vertical vibration of the field of view caused by the movement of the operator can not be reduced. On the other hand, in the present configuration, the mounting stage to which the base portion of the gimbal device (main body) is attached is disposed on the upper surface of the elevating body which descends while extending the coil spring and ascends while contracting the coil spring.

  In the initial state in which the gimbal device (main body) is attached to the attachment stage of the carrying holder attached to the operator's body, the coil spring is extended to some extent and the elevating body is lowered by the weight. When the body moves upward with the movement of the operator, the elevating body supporting the imaging device stays at the same height while further expanding the coil spring from the initial state by the inertial force. On the other hand, when the body moves downward with the movement of the operator, the elevating body supporting the imaging device stays at the same height while contracting the coil spring by the inertial force. That is, the vertical vibration of the operator's body is absorbed by the carrying holder, and the height of the imaging device is easily held constant, so that the vertical vibration of the visual field accompanying the movement of the operator can be effectively reduced. .

  In addition, as an aspect in which the elevating mechanism unit raises and lowers the elevating body, one end of each is supported rotatably by the elevating body so that two arms of equal lengths are parallel, and each other It is possible to illustrate an aspect in which a four-bar link (parallel link) is formed by the end being pivotally supported with respect to the vertical base portion. With such a configuration, the two arms rotate at the same time, and along with this, the elevator moves up and down without changing its posture.

  Alternatively, as an aspect in which the elevating mechanism moves the elevating body up and down, a rail is disposed in the axial direction in the vertical base portion, and the elevating body is fixed to a slider moving up and down along the rail By inserting the part into the pipe member, the pipe member moves up and down along the vertical base portion, and an aspect in which the elevating body is fixed to the pipe member can be exemplified.

  As described above, according to the present invention, the hand-held gimbal device can reduce the burden on the operator, and can be installed on the floor or the ground when not in use, and the space around the imaging device is widely used. A gimbal device can be provided that can be secured.

1A is a front perspective view of a gimbal device in a basic state, and FIG. 2B is a rear perspective view of the gimbal device in a basic state according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the gimbal device of FIG. 1 in a state where an imaging device is mounted. It is a perspective view explaining the deformation | transformation state of the gimbal apparatus of FIG. 1, and the use aspect in that state. It is a perspective view of a carrying holder. It is a side view of the carrying holder of FIG. 4, and the side view of the state which the raising / lowering body fell (b). FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the carrying holder of FIG. 4 with the gimbal device and the imaging device of FIG. 1 attached thereto. (A), (b) an explanatory view in the case of intentionally rotating the field of view about the pan axis, and (c), for the imaging device attached to the carrying holder of FIG. 4 via the gimbal device of FIG. (D) It is explanatory drawing in the case of intentionally shifting parallel to a roll axis on visual field. FIG. 20 is a front perspective view of the gimbal device in a basic state according to another embodiment. It is a perspective view explaining the other usage condition of the gimbal apparatus in a basic state.

  Hereinafter, the gimbal apparatus 1 which is one embodiment of the present invention and its use mode are explained using FIG. 1 to FIG. The gimbal apparatus 1 mainly includes a pair of handles 31a and 31b, a base unit 20, a gimbal mechanism unit 10, and a control unit 60.

  The gimbal device 1 is, as shown in FIG. 1, in a basic state in which the pair of handles 31a and 31b protrude in the same direction with respect to the base portion 20, and the operator is a pair of the gimbal device 1 in the basic state. A mode in which the handle 31a, 31b of the grip 31 is gripped with both hands is used as a basic mode of use. Hereinafter, upper and lower, front and rear, and left and right for the operator in the basic usage mode will be described as “upper and lower”, “front and rear”, and “left and right”, respectively.

  First, the configuration of the gimbal device 1 in the basic state will be described. The pair of handles 31a and 31b are parts of the pair of side members 30a and 30b, respectively. Each side member 30a, 30b is L-shaped by a shaft-like handle 31a, 31b covered with an elastic material, and an elongated flat connecting portion 32a, 32b extending at right angles to the handle 31a, 31b, respectively. I am The base portion 20 is an elongated flat plate, but is wider and longer than the connecting portions 32a and 32b of the side members 30a and 30b. One side member 30a of the pair is fixed to the base portion 20 in a state where the connecting portion 32a is superimposed on one end side on the upper surface of the base portion 20 so that the handle 31a protrudes upward from the base portion 20. It is done.

  The other handle 31 b of the pair of handles 31 a and 31 b is detachable from the base portion 20. In other words, the other side member 30 b of the pair is detachable from the base portion 20. Specifically, two slide grooves 21 and 22 are formed on each of both side surfaces of the base portion 20 along the axial direction (longitudinal direction). One slide groove 21 is formed near a corner that is a boundary with the upper surface on the side surface of the base portion 20, and the other slide groove 22 is near a corner that is a boundary with the lower surface on the side surface of the base portion 20. Is formed. The detachable side member 30 b has a clamp 33, and the clamp 33 is formed with a protrusion 33 r engaged with the slide grooves 21 and 22. The clamp 33 is fixed to the surface of the connecting portion 32b of the side member 30b opposite to the side where the handle 31b extends. Therefore, in a state where the protrusion 33 r of the clamp 33 is engaged with the upper slide groove 21 in the side surface of the base portion 20, the connecting portion 32 b is superimposed on the upper surface of the base portion 20 and the screw 33 s of the clamp 33 is tightened. Thus, when the side member 30b is attached to the base portion 20, the handle 31b is projected upward from the base portion 20. That is, the pair of handlebars 31a and 31b project from the base portion 20 in the same direction (upward).

  A thin flat support plate 29 is attached to the lower surface of the base portion 20 in the direction orthogonal to the axial direction of the base portion 20. The length of the support plate 29 is longer than the width of the base portion 20, and the width is 1 cm to 2 cm. In the present embodiment, the number of support plates 29 is two, and they are attached at equal distances from both ends of the base portion 20, respectively.

  The gimbal mechanism 10 includes a first arm 11, a second arm 12, and a third arm 13 which are L-shaped bent at right angles. More specifically, the first arm 11 is one in which two first plates 11a and 11b each being an elongated flat plate are connected at a right angle, and the second arm 12 is two elongated plates each being an elongated flat plate The second plates 12a and 12b are connected at a right angle, and the third arm 13 is a device in which two third plates 13a and 13b which are elongated flat plates are connected at a right angle.

  One of the two first plates 11 a and 11 b constituting the first arm 11, the first plate 11 a is pivotally supported by the base portion 20 rotatably around a first axis P 1 orthogonal to the base portion 20. ing. Between the first plate 11a and the base portion 20, a first motor 41 is provided which drives rotation of the first arm 11 around the first axis P1. Inside the first motor 41, a first sensor for detecting a relative rotation angle of the first arm 11 with respect to the base portion 20 about the first axis P1 is accommodated.

  A second plate 12a of the second arm 12 is pivotally supported by the other first plate 11b of the first arm 11 so as to be rotatable about a second axis P2 orthogonal to the first axis P1. A second motor 42 is provided between the second plate 12a and the first plate 11b to drive the rotation of the second arm 12 about the second axis P2. The second motor 42 houses a second sensor that detects a relative rotation angle of the second arm 12 with respect to the first arm 11 about the second axis P2.

  The third plate 13a of the third arm 13 is pivotally supported by the other second plate 12b of the second arm 12 so as to be rotatable about a second axis P2 and a third axis P3 orthogonal to the first axis P1. ing. A third motor 43 is provided between the third plate 13a and the second plate 12b to drive the rotation of the third arm 13 about the third axis P3. Inside the third motor 43, a third sensor for detecting a relative rotational angle of the third arm 13 with respect to the second arm 12 about the third axis P3 is accommodated.

  The first motor 41, the second motor 42, and the third motor 43 are motors capable of controlling rotational angles in forward and reverse directions around their respective rotation axes, and in the present embodiment, use brushless motors provided with respective encoders doing. The encoders included in each of the brushless motors correspond to a first sensor, a second sensor, and a third sensor.

  A mounting stage 50 for mounting the imaging device C is fixed to the other third plate 13 b of the third arm 13. The mounting stage 50 is a clamp in which a protrusion 50r extending in a direction parallel to the third axis P3 is formed. Therefore, the imaging device C can be mounted on the mounting stage 50 via the slide plate 90 which is generally used to mount the imaging device C on a tripod or the like. The slide plate 90 is an elongated flat plate in which a long hole 95 is formed, and a bolt screwed into a screw groove generally provided at the bottom of the imaging device C is passed through the long hole 95. The projection 50 r of the mounting stage 50 is engaged with a slide groove 91 formed on the side surface of the slide plate 90. Therefore, after adjusting the position by sliding the slide plate 90 to which the imaging device C is fixed by the bolt through the long hole 95 along the ridge 50r of the mounting stage 50, the screw 50s is tightened. As shown in FIG. 2, the imaging device C is fixed to the mounting stage 50 in a state where the optical axis is parallel to the third axis P3.

  The control unit 60 includes a microprocessor, and the first motor 41, the second motor 42, the third motor 43, and the first sensor, the second sensor, and the third sensor housed in each are electrically connected. It is done. Further, in the present embodiment, the joystick 61 is attached to one of the pair of handles 31 a and 31 b, and the joystick 61 is also electrically connected to the microprocessor of the control unit 60. Here, the handle on which the joystick 61 is attached is a removable handle 31 b. In the present embodiment, the control unit 60 is supported by the first plate 11 b of the first arm 11. Further, a battery (not shown) as a power supply of the control unit 60 is similarly supported by the first plate 11 b in the vicinity of the control unit 60.

  When using the gimbal device 1 configured as described above, the operator holds the pair of handles 31a and 31b with both hands. In the gimbal mechanism 10, when the first axis P1 is a pan axis (Z axis) and the second axis P2 is parallel to the axial direction of the base 20, the optical axis of the imaging device C faces the front of the operator, The second axis P2 is a tilt axis (Y axis), and the third axis P3 is a roll axis (X axis).

  In photographing, a holding mode for holding the posture of the imaging device C based on an input to the control unit 60, and a tracking mode in which the imaging device C follows the displacement of the base portion 20 based on the operation of the handles 31a and 31b by the operator. And can be switched for each axis.

  In the holding mode, when the posture of the imaging device C changes, each sensor detects the rotation angle (difference) of the arm around the corresponding axis. The control unit 60 drives the motor corresponding to the axis in which the difference is detected, and rotates the rotation axis of the motor in the reverse direction by the angle of the difference, so that the arm corresponding to the axis is Rotate in the opposite direction by an angle. That is, the rotation given to the imaging device C is canceled. In this way, shooting is performed while the operator moves, and even if vibrations in various directions are given to the imaging device C, the posture of the imaging device C is easily held constant, and the shake of the field of view (image blurring) is reduced. can do.

  On the other hand, in the follow mode, when the operator intentionally changes the directions of the handles 31a and 31b, the initial state set as the relative positional relationship of the imaging device C with respect to the base unit 20 is maintained. Thereby, the direction of imaging can be changed in the direction intended by the operator. For example, if one of the hands holding the pair of handles 31a and 31b is pulled forward and the other is pulled backward, the base unit 20 rotates around the first axis P1, and the field of view of the imaging device C is in the left-right direction To turn. In addition, when the arms gripping the pair of handles 31a and 31b are bent and extended with elbows, the base unit 20 rotates around the second axis P2, and the field of view of the imaging device C inclines in the vertical direction.

  The holding mode and the following mode can be combined differently for each axis. For example, the setting can be made switchable to the three modes shown in the following Table 1 according to the assumed shooting situation. Such mode switching can be performed by the input to the control unit 60 by the operation of the joystick 61. For example, it is switched to the first mode by pressing the joystick 61 once, switched to the second mode by pressing the joystick 61 twice continuously, and switched to the third mode by pressing the joystick 61 three times continuously It can be set.

  In addition to the mode switching as described above, the imaging device C can be rotated by an intended angle around each axis by the operation of the joystick 61. For example, when the joystick 61 is tilted to the left or right, the control unit 60 drives the first motor 41 so as to rotate left or right around the first axis P1 (pan axis) by the time during which the joystick 61 is tilted. When tilting the joystick 61 forward or backward, the control unit 60 rotates the second motor 42 so that the second motor 42 pivots upward or downward about the second axis P2 (tilt axis) by the time during which the joystick 61 is tilted. It can be set to drive. Thereby, the direction of the optical axis of the imaging device C can be changed without operating the handles 31a and 31b. In addition, since the joystick 61 is attached to the handle 31b, it can be operated with the fingertip of the hand holding it.

  The gimbal device 1 is placed in a basic state in which the pair of handles 31a and 31b project upward from the base portion 20, with the lower surface of the base portion 20 in contact with the installation surface such as a floor, ground or table. can do. Assuming that various imaging devices C having different sizes and weights within a certain range are mounted, the weight, width, and length of the base portion 20 so that the gimbal device 1 in the basic state becomes independent. Is set. In addition, since the support plate 29 which is orthogonal to the axial direction of the base portion 20 and longer than the width of the base portion 20 is attached to the lower surface of the base portion 20, the gimbal device 1 mounted on the installation surface It is prevented by the support plate 29 from tilting, and the posture of standing on the installation surface is stabilized.

  In the gimbal apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, in addition to the basic state in which the pair of handles 31 a and 31 b protrude in the same direction from the base portion 20, the pair of handles 31 a and 31 b protrude in the opposite direction from the base portion 20 It can be in a deformed state. When changing from the basic state to the deformed state, first, the screw 33s of the clamp 33 is loosened to release the engagement between the protrusion 33r and the slide groove 21, and the side member 30b is removed from the base portion 20. Then, the side member 30 b is turned upside down, and the protrusion 33 r of the clamp 33 is engaged with the lower slide groove 22 of the base portion 20. Thus, the side member 30b is fixed to the base portion 20 by tightening the screw 33s in a state where the connecting portion 32b is superimposed on the lower surface of the base portion 20. As a result, the handles 31b of the side members 30b project downward from the base portion 20, and the projecting directions of the pair of handles 31a and 31b with respect to the base portion 20 are opposite to each other.

  The gimbal device 1 in the deformed state is used in a mode in which the base portion 20 is placed on the shoulder of the operator. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, the handle 31 b protruding downward is held in front of the operator with one hand, and the base 20 is placed on the shoulder. The optical axis of the imaging device C can be directed to the front of the operator by rotating the gimbal mechanism 10 about the first axis P1 by 90 degrees from the state of holding with both hands. As described above, when the base unit 20 is placed on the shoulder, the imaging device C is at the height of the eye of the operator, so that it is possible to shoot an image as viewed by the human eye, that is, to shoot the eye level. it can. Since the joystick 61 is attached to the handle 31 b (removable handle) that the operator grips, the joystick 61 can perform input to the control unit 60 also in this usage mode.

  As described above, according to the gimbal apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, in the basic mode of use in which the operator holds the pair of handles 31a and 31b for shooting, the pair of handles 31a and 31b are connected. Since the gimbal mechanism 10 is located above the base 20, shooting can be performed without raising the arm compared to a conventional suspension type gimbal device, and the burden on the operator's body is reduced. There is.

  Further, all three arms constituting the gimbal mechanism 10 are L-shaped, and the imaging device C is cantilevered with respect to any of the three axes. Therefore, a large space can be secured around the imaging device C, as shown in FIG. Thereby, access to the imaging device C such as a finger of the operator is easy, and adjustment work of the imaging device C such as adjustment of the aperture is easily performed. Also, the liquid crystal monitor can be opened to the side without any problem.

  Furthermore, in the stand-by state where imaging is not performed, it is possible to place it on an installation surface such as a floor, a ground, a table or the like in a basic state without requiring a dedicated stand and to stand on its own. In particular, since the support plate 29 orthogonal to the base portion 20 is provided, the self-standing posture is stabilized. The gimbal device 1 can be attached to a tripod through the base portion 20 using a general-purpose clamp, since the self-standing device is configured to stand on a mounting surface. Further, in the basic state, all the components such as the handles 31a and 31b, the gimbal mechanism 10, and the control unit 60 are on the same side with respect to the base portion 20, and thus can be compactly stored in the storage case in this state. .

  In addition, in the gimbal device 1, one of the pair of handles 31 b is detachable from the base portion 20, and the pair of handles 31 a and 31 b project in the opposite direction from the base portion 20. Can. As a result, the base unit 20 can be placed on the shoulder of the operator, and one handle 31 b can be held by one hand to perform eye level imaging.

  The gimbal device 1 of the present embodiment further includes a carrying holder 100 that absorbs vertical vibration. In the basic state in which the pair of handles 31a and 31b project in the same direction from the base portion 20, the gimbal mechanism 10 is located above the base portion 20. It is possible to attach to the carrying holder 100 via the. When the whole including the carrying holder 100 is regarded as a gimbal device, the gimbal device 1 of the above configuration corresponds to its main body.

  As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the carrying holder 100 is supported by a shoulder locking portion 110 having a pair of shoulders 111 hanging on both shoulders of the operator and the shoulder locking portion 110, and the operator's body The vertical base portion 120a disposed in the vertical direction on the front surface, the coil spring S whose one end is fixed to the vertical base portion 120a, the elevating body 160a to which the other end of the coil spring S is fixed, and the coil spring S An elevation mechanism portion 130 for raising the elevation body 160a while lowering the elevation body 160a while contracting the coil spring S, and a mounting stage 170 for attaching the base portion 20 disposed on the upper surface of the elevation body 160a; Equipped with

  More specifically, the shoulder locking portion 110 is constituted by a pair of shoulders 111 and an upper arm 112 connecting one end of each. The pair of shoulders 111 are arc-shaped, and the upper arm 112 is an elongated flat plate. One end of each of the pair of shoulder rests 111 is rotatably attached to each end of the upper arm 112 by a pin 115. When the carrying holder 100 is not in use, the occupied volume can be reduced by rotating each of the pair of shoulders 111 around the axis of the pin 115.

  When the pair of shoulders 111 is hung from the front on the operator's shoulder in a state where the arc of the shoulder 111 is curved downward, the upper arm 112 is stretched left and right in front of the operator's neck. Become. The vertical base portion 120 a is an elongated flat plate, and extends downward from the center of the upper arm 112 at a right angle.

  An abdominal plate 180 is attached to the lower end of the vertical base portion 120 a via a spring 181. The abdominal plate 180 has a flat shape that is long in a direction orthogonal to the vertical base portion 120 a and is slightly curved. When the abdomen plate 180 is brought into contact with the abdomen of the operator, the state in which the vertical base portion 120a is vertically arranged on the front of the operator's body is stabilized. The spring 181 disposed between the abdominal plate 180 and the vertical base portion 120a allows the operator who wears the gimbal device 1 and the imaging device C to the body via the carrying holder 100 to move and shoot as described later. When performing, the magnitudes of the vibration transmitted from the body to the carrying holder 100 and the reaction force thereof are reduced.

  Two projecting plates 131a and 131b projecting forward are fixed to the vertical base portion 120a, and from the lower projecting plate 131a, one pivot shaft 132 can be pivoted upward It is set up in The upper projecting plate 131b rotatably penetrates the support shaft 132 to stabilize its standing state. In the vicinity of the upper end of the support shaft 132, a rotation plate 133 which is integrally rotated with the support shaft 132 is fixed. A pair of side plates 134 is fixed to the rotation plate 133 so as to be sandwiched from the left and right.

  On the other hand, the elevating body 160a is in the form of a box released rearward. A long rod-like first shaft 135 and a second shaft 136 having the same length are connected between the pair of side surfaces of the lift 160a and the pair of side plates 134. The first shaft 135 is pivotally supported by the side plate 134 at its lower end side at point Q1 and is pivotally supported at its upper end side at the point Q1 'to the side surface of the lift 160a. There is. The second shaft 136 is pivotally supported by the side plate 134 at its lower end side at point Q2 and is pivotally supported at its upper end side to the side surface of the lift 160a at point Q2 ' There is.

  Thus, the pair of side plates 134, the first shaft 135, the second shaft 136, and the elevating body 160a form a four-bar link. When the first shaft 135 and the second shaft 136 are parallel and the line connecting the point Q1 and the point Q2 is parallel to the axial direction of the vertical base portion 120a, the first shaft 135 and the second shaft 136 Are simultaneously pivoted about points Q1 and Q2 respectively, and the elevator 160a is pivoted relative to the first shaft 135 about the point Q1 'and relative to the second shaft 136 about the point Q2' While moving up and down, the line connecting the point Q1 'and the point Q2' is maintained in parallel with the axial direction of the vertical base portion 120a. That is, when the elevating body 160a is attached to the first shaft 135 and the second shaft 136 such that the upper surface thereof is perpendicular to the vertical base portion 120a, the vertical direction of the vertical base portion 120a is vertical The body 160a moves up and down while keeping its upper surface horizontal.

  Two coil springs S are used so as to sandwich the elevating body 160a from the left and right, and one end thereof is fixed near the upper end of the vertical base portion 120a, and the other end is elevating body 160a via a fastener 139. It is fixed to the side of the As a result, the elevating body 160 a descends while expanding the coil spring S, and ascends while contracting the coil spring S. A plurality of holes are formed through the fasteners 139 in the axial direction of the coil spring S, and any of the holes is selected and a screw passing therethrough is fastened to the side surface of the elevating body 160a. , Can adjust the strength of the spring.

  In addition, since the side plate 134 is fixed to the pivot plate 133, the lift 160a, the first shaft 135, the second shaft 136, and the pair of side plates 134 are integral with the pivot plate 133. The support plate 132 is pivotally supported by the support plate 132 so as to be rotatable. That is, the elevating body 160a, the first shaft 135, the second shaft 136, and the pair of side plates 134 turn so as to integrally pivot in the left and right direction around the Z1 axis which is the central axis of the support shaft 132. Do. The Z1 axis is parallel to the axial direction of the vertical base portion 120a. From the pair of side plates 134, stoppers 138 for limiting the rotation around the Z1 axis to a predetermined angle by the interference with the vertical base portion 120a protrude outward.

  A rail 175 is fixed to the upper surface of the lift 160 a, and a mounting stage 170 is fixed to a slider 176 sliding along the rail 175. The rail 175 slides the slider 176 in the front-rear direction in a state in which the elevating body 160 a is not rotated about the Z1 axis. The mounting stage 170 is formed with a protrusion 170 r that engages with the slide groove 22 in the base portion 20 of the gimbal device 1. The mounting stage 170 is fixed to the slider 176 so as to be rotatable about a Z2 axis parallel to the Z1 axis.

  In the above configuration, the protruding plates 131a and 131b, the support shaft 132, the rotating plate 133, the pair of side plates 134, the first arm 135, and the second arm 136 correspond to the elevating mechanism unit 130. The elevating mechanism unit 130 of the present embodiment has not only the action of raising and lowering the elevating body 160a but also the action of rotating the elevating body 160a around the Z1 axis.

  In the carrying holder 100 of the above configuration, the projection 170r of the mounting stage 170 and the slide groove 22 of the base portion 20 of the gimbal device 1 are engaged and screwed with a screw 170s, as shown in FIG. The gimbal device 1 on which the device C is mounted can be fixed. In this initial state, the coil spring S is extended to some extent by the weight of the gimbal device 1 and the imaging device C, and the elevating body 160a is in a lowered state (see FIG. 5B). Then, when the body moves upward with the movement of the operator, the imaging device C and the elevating body 160a stay at the same height while further expanding the coil spring S from the initial state by the inertial force (vertical base portion 120a Descent relative to On the other hand, when the operator's body moves downward, the imaging device C and the elevator 160a stay at the same height while contracting the coil spring S by the inertial force (rises relative to the vertical base portion 120a) ).

  Therefore, by attaching the gimbal device 1 on which the imaging device C is mounted to the carrying holder 100, an external force that causes the imaging device C to rotate around the pan axis, the tilt axis, and the roll axis along with the movement of the operator. Therefore, the vertical movement of the operator's body which can not be reduced by the gimbal device 1 is absorbed by the carrying holder 100 while the gimbal device 1 holds the posture of the imaging device C constant. Can easily be held constant, and the deflection of the visual field accompanying the movement of the operator can be effectively reduced.

  Then, by holding the gimbal device 1 and the imaging device C on the operator's body, the operator grips the pair of handles 31a and 31b with both hands and supports the entire weight of the gimbal device 1 and the imaging device C with the operator's arm. The burden on the operator can be reduced compared to the case of FIG. Therefore, even when the imaging device C is large and heavy, or when imaging takes a long time, imaging can be easily performed.

  In addition, if the base portion 20 of the gimbal device 1 is fixedly attached to the carrying holder 100 attached to the body of the operator, the field of view of the imaging device C is intentionally turned to the left and right around the pan axis. In order to make it happen, it is necessary to change the direction of the operator's body. On the other hand, in the carrying holder 100 of the present embodiment, since the mounting stage 170 is rotatable around the Z2 axis, as shown in FIGS. 7 (a) and 7 (b), the pair of handles 31a and 31b is operated. By rotating the base unit 20 around the Z2 axis, the field of view of the imaging device C can be turned left and right around the pan axis.

  In addition, since the elevating body 160a is rotatable about the Z1 axis integrally with the first shaft 135, the second shaft 136, and the pair of side plates 134, as shown in FIGS. 7 (c) and 7 (d). As shown, when the lift 160a is rotated about the Z1 axis, the mounting stage 170 is rotated about the Z2 axis by the same angle in the opposite direction by the inertial force acting on the imaging device C, the light of the imaging device C The direction of the axis can be shifted left and right parallel to the roll axis (X axis).

  When the operator grips the handles 31a and 31b of the gimbal device 1 attached to the carrying holder 100, the gimbal device 1 may be slightly vibrated back and forth via the handles 31a and 31b when moving backward and forward while holding by the operator. is there. On the other hand, in the carrying holder 100, the mounting stage 170 for mounting the gimbal device 1 can slide smoothly along the rail 175. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the possibility that slight vibration in the forward and backward direction accompanying the movement of the operator may be transmitted to the gimbal device 1 as an impact to affect imaging.

  The present invention has been described above by way of preferred embodiments, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and as described below, various improvements can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. And design changes are possible.

  For example, in the above embodiment, the first arm 11 pivotally supported on the base portion 20 by the first axis P1 which is the pan axis (Z axis) has a second axis P2 which is the tilt axis (Y axis) The gimbal apparatus 1 is provided with the gimbal mechanism 10 in which the arm 12 is pivotally supported and the third arm 13 is pivotally supported by the third axis P3 which is the roll axis (X axis) in the second arm 12 did. The present invention is not limited to this, and as shown in FIG. 8, the first arm 11 pivotally supported on the base portion 20 by the first axis P1 which is the pan axis (Z axis), the second arm which is the roll axis (X axis) The second arm 12 is pivotally supported by the axis P2, and the second arm 12 is provided with the gimbal mechanism portion 10b in which the third arm 13 is pivotally supported by the third axis P3 which is a tilt axis (Y axis) The gimbal device 1 b can be used. The mounting stage 50 of the gimbal device 1 is fixed to the third plate 13b in the direction in which the protrusion 50r is parallel to the third axis P3. However, in the mounting stage 50 of the gimbal device 1b, the protrusion 50r is the second axis It is fixed to the third plate 13b in a direction parallel to P2.

  In the above description, the gimbal device 1 in the basic state is used by gripping the pair of handles 31 a and 31 b with both hands, and the gimbal device 1 in the deformed state with the base portion 20 as the operator's shoulder The aspect which mounts and uses it was demonstrated. In addition to this, as illustrated in FIG. 9, the gimbal mechanism 1, 1b in the basic state or the deformed state is gripped with only one handle 31b of the pair of handles 31a, 31b, and the gimbal mechanism from the handle 31b. Photographing can be performed with the units 10 and 10b positioned below. In this way, it is possible to take a picture with the height of the field of view lowered with a comfortable posture without bending the operator's body. FIG. 9 illustrates the case where the gimbal device 1b in the basic state is used for photographing a low field of view. In this mode of use, the first axis P1 is the roll axis (X axis), and the second axis is the second axis P2 is a pan axis (Z axis), and a third axis P3 is a tilt axis (Y axis).

1, 1b Gimbal device 10, 10b Gimbal mechanism 11 first arm 12 second arm 13 third arm 20 base 31a, 31b handle 41 first motor 42 second motor 43 third motor 50 mounting stage 60 control unit 100 carrying Holder 110 Shoulder locking portion 111 Shoulder hook 120a Vertical base portion 130 Lifting mechanism portion 160a Lifting body 170 Mounting stage C Imaging device P1 First axis P2 Second axis P3 Third axis S Coil spring

Claims (3)

With a pair of handles,
A base portion connecting one end of each of the pair of the handles;
The first arm includes an L-shaped first arm, a second arm, and a third arm bent at a right angle, and the first arm is pivotable about a first axis orthogonal to the base portion at one end side The second arm is pivotally supported at one end on the other end side of the first arm around a second axis orthogonal to the first axis, and the third arm is supported at one end A gimbal mechanism rotatably supported on a second axis and a third axis orthogonal to the first axis on the other end side of the second arm on the side;
A mounting stage on the other end side of the third arm on which an imaging device is mounted;
The rotation angle of the first arm about the first axis, the rotation angle of the second arm about the second axis, and the rotation angle of the third arm about the third axis are respectively detected. A first sensor, a second sensor, and a third sensor,
A first motor for driving rotation of the first arm about the first axis, rotation of the second arm about the second axis, and rotation of the third arm about the third axis. , The second motor, and the third motor,
A control unit for driving the first motor, the second motor, and the third motor based on detection of the first sensor, the second sensor, and the third sensor;
Equipped with
In a basic state in which a pair of the handles protrudes in the same direction from the base portion, the gimbal mechanism is on the same side as the handle with respect to the base portion, and A gimbal device characterized in that it is self-supporting with the opposite surface in contact with a mounting surface. One of the pair of handles is detachable from the base portion, and the other handle is attached to the base portion so as to protrude in the same direction as the direction in which the other handle protrudes. The gimbal device according to claim 1, wherein the gimbal device is displaced between a state in which the handle is attached to the base portion so as to protrude in a direction opposite to a direction in which the handle protrudes. A shoulder lock having a pair of shoulders that hang on the operator's shoulders;
A vertical base portion supported by the shoulder locking portion and vertically disposed on the front of the operator's body;
A coil spring whose one end is fixed to the vertical base portion;
An elevating body to which the other end of the coil spring is fixed;
An elevating mechanism which lowers the elevating body while extending the coil spring, and retracts the elevating body while contracting the coil spring;
The gimbal device according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a carrying holder having a mounting stage for mounting the base portion, which is disposed on the upper surface of the elevating body.

Images