Camera stabilizing support - Patent Review 5579071

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. In a mobile support system for receiving a plurality of elements during use, the support system including an elongated support body, a mounting assembly associated with a first end of the support body, for receiving an apparatus and for causing the apparatus to assume a selected attitude, means associated with a second end of the support body, for receiving components for use with the apparatus, and gimbal means associated with the support body at a position between the first end and the second end, for attaching the support body and the support system to a carrying system, the improvement which comprises:

an X-Y table associated with the mounting assembly, including automated driving means for moving the X-Y table; and

means for automated control of operations of the driving means, wherein the control means is associated with the driving means to prevent an application of forces to the support system capable of altering the selected attitude of the apparatus.

2. The support system of claim 1 wherein the X-Y table includes screw drive means for separately moving the X-Y table in a first direction, and in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

3. The support system of claim 2 wherein the driving means for moving the X-Y table are motors coupled with the screw drive means of the X-Y table.

4. The support system of claim 3 which further includes adjustment knobs coupled with the screw drive means, for manually moving the X-Y table.

5. The support system of claim 3 which further includes sensor means for detecting the position of the X-Y table.

6. The support system of claim 5 wherein the sensor means is a linear potentiometer coupled with the screw drive means.

7. The support system of claim 1 wherein the control means is mechanically isolated from the driving means and the X-Y table.

8. The support system of claim 7 wherein the gimbal means includes an isolating mechanism attached to and between a first connector for engaging the support body and a second connector for engaging the carrying system, and wherein the control means is associated with the second connector of the gimbal means.

9. The support system of claim 8 wherein the control means is a dual axis switching device.

10. The support system of claim 8 wherein the support system further includes sensor means for detecting the position of the X-Y table, in operative association with the control means.

11. The support system of claim 8 wherein the support system further includes level sensing means associated with the driving means, for automatically leveling the support system.

12. The support system of claim 7 wherein the control means is coupled with the driving means by a wireless connection.

13. The support system of claim 7 wherein the control means is coupled with the driving means by a wireless connection.

14. The support system of claim 13 wherein the support system further includes sensor means for detecting the position if the X-Y table, in operative association with the control means.

15. The support system of claim 13 wherein the support system further includes level sensing means associated with the driving means, for automatically leveling the support system.

16. The support system of claim 1 wherein the control means is mechanically coupled with the driving means and the X-Y table.

17. The support system of claim 16 wherein the support system further includes sensor means for detecting the position of the X-Y table, in operative association with the control means.

18. The support system of claim 16 wherein the support system further includes level sensing means associated with the driving means, for automatically leveling the support system.

19. The support system of claim 1 wherein the apparatus is a camera.

20. The support system of claim 19 wherein the selected attitude assumed by the camera is controlled in pan, tilt and roll.

21. In a mobile support system for receiving a plurality of elements during use, the support system including an elongated support body, a mounting assembly associated with a first end of the support body, for receiving an apparatus and for causing the apparatus to assume a selected attitude, means associated with a second end of the support body, for receiving components for use with the apparatus and for placing the support system in dynamic balance, and gimbal means associated with the support body at a position between the first end and the second end, for attaching the support body and the support system to a carrying system, the improvement which comprises:

means associated with the second end of the support body, for coordinating movements of two of the components received by the support system so that movement of a first of the two components automatically causes a corresponding movement of a second of the two components, for maintaining the dynamic balance of the support system.

22. The support system of claim 21 wherein the first of the two components is positioned on one side of the support body, and the second of the two components is positioned on another, opposite side of the support body.

23. The support system of claim 22 wherein the first of the two components is caused to move along a first path and the second of the two components is caused to move along a second path, and wherein the first path and the second path are substantially co-planar with the support body.

24. The support system of claim 21 which further comprises means associated with the first end of the support body, for placing the support system in static balance.

25. The support system of claim 24 wherein the means for placing the support system in static balance is an adjustable X-Y table associated with the mounting assembly.

26. The support system of claim 25 which further includes driving means for moving the X-Y table, and means for automated control of operation of the driving means, wherein the control means is associated with the driving means to prevent an application of forces to the support system capable of altering the selected attitude of the apparatus.

27. The support system of claim 26 wherein the control means is mechanically isolated from the driving means and the X-Y table.

28. The support system of claim 27 wherein the gimbal means includes an isolating mechanism attached to and between a first connector for engaging the support body and a second connector for engaging the carrying system, and wherein the control means is associated with the second connector of the gimbal means.

29. The support system of claim 27 wherein the control means is coupled with the driving means by a wireless connection.

30. The support system of claim 21 wherein the first of the two components is carried by a first track and the second of the two components is carried by a second track, and wherein the first track and the second track are operatively coupled for corresponding movement.

31. The support system of claim 30 wherein the first track and the second track are operatively coupled by a cogged belt.

32. The support system of claim 31 which further includes a first extension post connecting the first of the two components and the first track, and a second extension post connecting the second of the two components and the second track, wherein the first extension post and the second extension post are operatively coupled with the first track and the second track for coordinated fore and aft movement responsive to movements of the first track and the second track.

33. The support system of claim 30 wherein the first track and the second track are operatively coupled so that the first of the two components and the second of the two components are moved in inverse proportion to the weight of the first of the two components relative to the weight of the second of the two components.

34. The support system of claim 30 wherein the first track and the second track are substantially co-planar with the support body, and parallel to an axis extending longitudinally along the mounting assembly, so that the first of the two components and the second of the two components are capable of corresponding forward and rearward movements for maintaining a selected rotational inertia for the support system.

35. The support system of claim 21 wherein the apparatus is a camera.

36. The support system of claim 35 wherein the first of the two components is a monitor for guiding the camera and the second of the two components is a battery for providing the camera with power.

37. In a mobile support system for receiving a plurality of elements during use, the support system including an elongated support body, a mounting assembly associated with a first end of the support body, for receiving an apparatus, means associated with a second end of the support body, for receiving components for use with the apparatus, and gimbal means associated with the support body at a position between the first end and the second end, for attaching the support body and the support system to a carrying system, the improvement which comprises:

means connecting the gimbal means with the support body, for adjustably and releasably positioning the gimbal means along the support body.

38. The support system of claim 37 wherein the connecting means includes a tubular element for surrounding the support body, and a releasable clamp for selectively engaging the tubular element with the support body.

39. The support system of claim 38 wherein the releasable clamp is a ball and detent structure.

40. The support system of claim 38 wherein the connecting means further includes a threaded engagement between the releasable clamp and the tubular element, for a vernier adjustment of the position of the connecting means relative to the support body.

41. The support system of claim 38 wherein the releasable clamp is self-centering.

42. The support system of claim 37 wherein the support body includes two telescoping members, and a releasable clamp for selectively engaging one of the two telescoping members relative to the other of the two telescoping members.

43. The support system of claim 42 wherein the gimbal means is coupled with an outermost one of the two telescoping members.

44. The support system of claim 42 wherein an outermost one of the two telescoping members has an inner surface and an innermost one of the two telescoping members has an outer surface, and wherein the inner surface and the outer surface include cooperating grooves for engaging each other.

45. The support system of claim 44 wherein the grooves of the inner surface are not coextensive with the grooves of the outer surface, so that contact between the grooves is limited to surface portions of the grooves.

46. The support system of claim 42 wherein the releasable clamp is a ball and detent structure.

47. The support system of claim 46 wherein the releasable clamp is self-centering.

48. The support system of claim 37 wherein the connecting means includes a tubular element for surrounding the support body, and wherein the gimbal means includes a yoke for engaging a trunnion associated with the tubular element, and a handle for engaging the carrying system and including an axially disposed bearing for receiving a pivot pin axially extending from the yoke.

49. The support system of claim 48 wherein the support system has a center of gravity, and wherein the yoke and the trunnion are positioned relative to the tubular element to allow the support body to be guided from a position adjacent to the center of gravity.

50. The support system of claim 48 wherein the gimbal means further includes a bearing surrounding the tubular element and connecting the tubular element with the support body, for permitting rotation of the connecting means about the support body.

51. The support system of claim 50 wherein the bearing is positioned above the trunnion associated with the tubular element.

52. The support system of claim 37 wherein the apparatus is a camera.

53. In a mobile support system for receiving a plurality of elements during use, the support system including an elongated support body, a mounting assembly associated with a first end of the support body, for receiving an apparatus and for causing the apparatus to assume a selected attitude, means associated with a second end of the support body, for receiving components for use with the apparatus and for placing the support system in dynamic balance, and gimbal means associated with the support body at a position between the first end and the second end, for attaching the support body and the support system to a carrying system, the improvement which comprises:

an X-Y table associated with the mounting assembly, including automated driving means for moving the X-Y table;

means for automated control of operations of the driving means, wherein the control means is associated with the driving means to prevent an application of forces to the support system capable of altering the selected attitude of the apparatus;

means associated with the second end of the support body, for coordinating movements of two of the components received by the support system so that movement of a first of the two components automatically causes a corresponding movement of a second of the two components, for maintaining the dynamic balance of the support system; and

means connecting the gimbal means with the support body, for adjustably and releasably positioning the gimbal means along the support body.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to body-mounted camera stabilizing devices which are adapted to isolate devices such as a camera from the unwanted angular and spatial motions of an ambulatory operator. This is done to permit smooth moving camera shots over rough ground, up stairs, and the like.

Such devices are generally comprised of a camera equipment support structure, gimbaled at its center of gravity and supported by an equipoising structure attached to a vest worn by the operator. Camera stabilizers of this kind have long been in use and have become a staple of the motion picture and video industries. The Steadicam.RTM. camera stabilizing device received an Oscar in 1978. This device is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. Re. 32,213; 4,156,512; and 4,474,439. A support arm for use in conjunction with this device is further described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,208,028 and 4,394,075. For further details, reference is made to these patents, which are incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.

Camera stabilizers such as these typically employ a three-axis gimbal at the point of attachment to the camera equipment support structure which provides the desired degree of isolation from the operator. It is necessary to position the camera components and their support structure (i.e., camera equipment) such that the static center of gravity of all of the components is located approximately at the common centers of rotation of the axes of the gimbal. The relatively massive camera is itself counterbalanced by the other (rigidly attached) components, and is supported in approximately neutral balance. The camera can thus be aimed in any direction by a slight pressure of the hand adjacent to the gimbal. The directions of these aiming motions are distinctly referred to as pan, tilt and roll.

As used herein, "roll" is defined as rotation about an axis parallel to that of the camera's lens. "Tilt" refers to rotation about an axis which is horizontal, but offset 90.degree. from the axis of the lens. "Pan" means rotation about an axis parallel to that of "true vertical" (i.e., rotation around a line to the gravitational center of the Earth, which is not necessarily related to the momentary tilt angle of the camera, which may then be tilted).

To achieve an enhanced result, the present invention includes improvements to several aspects of the camera equipment support structure. The support structure (also known as the "sled") includes improvements to its so-called upper stage (the top portion of the camera support which includes camera attaching hardware and means for adjusting the camera's fore-and-aft and/or side-to-side position), to its lower portions (which include the video monitor, the battery, their attaching hardware, and the associated electronics and wiring), and to its support structures (including the center post, gimbal and handgrips). Also provided are improvements in the handgrip associated with the gimbal, on the operator's side, and the center post and gimbal which support the "sled".

For some time, the technique of operating camera stabilizing supports has been refined so that a skilled practitioner can make and control rapidly panning shots. As the speed of this rotation increases (at times beginning from rest, sweeping 180.degree. or more, and coming to a stop in less than a half second), the dynamic balance of the spinning mass becomes crucial to retaining control over the camera's attitude at the end of the pan. Consequently, an important goal is to help operators with the complex requirements of dynamic balance. Various articles have been published describing empirical methods for achieving dynamic balance in order to permit operators to make such rapid pans without gyroscopic "precession" which can cause the camera to seek a different tilt or roll angle when spun. Articles have also been published setting out the mathematical basis for the dynamic balance of a camera stabilizing support, including G. Brown, "Trim", Steadicam Letter, Vol. 1, No. 1 (Spring, 1988), and A. DiGiulio, "Trim-II, The Sequel", Steadicam Letter, Vol. 1, No. 2 (Summer, 1988, which are incorporated. by reference as if fully set forth herein. A number of modifications and after-market accessories have also been developed to permit the lower sled components to move into the positions required for dynamic as well as static balance of the system.

Unfortunately, the average operator still generally relies on guessing or trial and error (with empirical "spin-test" rigs) to achieve this desirable condition. What is more, any subsequent change to the camera equipment configuration, such as raising the monitor, not only degrades dynamic balance but also alters static balance. This requires the operator to raise or lower the vertical position of the gimbal to restore balance. Neither the few operators who are comfortable with the empirical balancing methods, nor the fewer yet who understand the mathematics involved, have the time necessary to deal with problems of dynamic balance in the middle of a "shoot". The addition and removal of accessories still further complicates the situation. As a result, and most of the time, such camera stabilizing supports are not dynamically balanced, and are therefore liable to precession during rapid panning shots.

The technique of operating camera stabilizing supports has also been refined so that a skilled practitioner can execute moving shots which may be indistinguishable from those made with wheeled camera dollies. However, the hardware itself has only been improved incrementally. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,474,439 discloses a sled having additional flexibility for arranging the camera equipment components in order to execute various kinds of shots, and various practitioners have improved upon its ease of use. However, a number of quite fundamental operating problems relating to the structure of these devices still have not been fully resolved.

One important goal is to help operators with the frequent requirement for "trimming" of the camera. Adjusting the position of one or more components of the gimbaled camera equipment will alter its nominal balanced angle. Trimming currently requires touching the gimbaled mass of the camera equipment (which is freely rotatable in three axes), which inevitably causes it to swing back and forth. As a result, the operator must make an adjustment, counteract the camera's induced (unwanted) motions by hand, and wait for the system to settle down to ascertain if the adjustment has had the desired effect (such as to level the camera, or otherwise alter its angle). Any attempt to manually "trim" the camera's balance during a shot results in unwanted angular motions that are easily visible when viewing the results. Operators have therefore had to make do during a shot with a preselected, fixed "trim" and have had to work against the unit's fixed trim during any portion of the shot that required a different camera attitude.

Also to consider is that camera stabilizing supports exhibit a moment of rotational inertia in their pan axis, based upon the fore-aft distribution of the system's masses. This value is not subject to the operator's control, despite the fact that certain shots (such as slow moving shots with a minimum of panning) would benefit by the ability to increase this moment to provide greater inertia, and thus, stability. On the contrary, rapidly panning shots would benefit by a reduction in the moment of rotational inertia to reduce the torque needed to rapidly spin and/or stop spinning this relatively large mass.

An exact, "neutral" balance of the camera equipment is seldom employed by operators because it provides no tendency to cause the camera equipment to remain upright, and therefore requires constant vigilance in order to keep the camera level in the roll axis. This means that attention would have to be diverted from the content of the shot to accomplish this task. In practice, it has been found that displacement of the center of gravity slightly downward from the center of the gimbal (typically accomplished by raising the gimbal about one-quarter inch up the center post which connects the top and bottom masses of the camera equipment) provides a very slight bottom-heaviness which causes the camera to weakly seek a level attitude in tilt and roll. This arrangement has been found convenient, and contributes to the operator's ability to repeatably execute shots.

If, in addition, the camera's fore-aft balance is altered (e.g., offset slightly forward from the level neutral position), it will have a tendency to remain tilted slightly downwardly throughout the shot. This fore-aft balance can be adjusted to help preserve a desired tilt angle, and seek a given framing (i.e., "headroom" for an actor following at a given