Patent ID: 9718561
Date: 2017-08-01
CPC Classifications: B64D,F16M,G01C,G02B,G08B

Claim:
1. A gimbal mechanism for a turret, comprising: a support member; a pair of opposing yoke arms extending from the support member, the pair of opposing yoke arms defining a first axis; a sphere rotatably mounted between the opposing yoke arms for rotation about the first axis; a disk rotatably mounted within the sphere for rotation about a second axis perpendicular to the first axis, the disk including a diameter slightly smaller than the sphere that permits rotation of the disk within the sphere, wherein the second axis is offset from the first axis; an aperture provided in the disk, wherein the sphere comprises a slot within which the aperture is moveable between a position proximate each of the pair of opposing yoke arms in response to rotation of the disk about the second axis, the aperture being movable to define a field of coverage in response to rotation of the sphere about the first axis and the disk about the second axis; an optical system, wherein the disk comprises at least an element of the optical system housed within the disk, the optical system being configured for transmitting and receiving optical signals via the aperture; and an optical path for transmitting optical signals from an optical signal transmitter to the optical system.