Patent ID: 7690851
Filing Date: 2010-04-06
Classification: F16M,H04N

Abstract:
1. An imaging apparatus comprising: a camera unit that includes a camera; a base that has a built-in vertical rotation driving source to generate a driving force for pivotal rotation of the camera in the vertical direction and a built-in horizontal rotation driving source to generate a driving force for pivotal rotation of the camera in the horizontal direction; a camera unit pivotal support structure that pivotally supports the camera unit on the base to allow pivotal rotation of the camera in the vertical direction; a vertical rotation transmission mechanism that transmits the driving force of the vertical rotation driving source, as power of the pivotal rotation of the camera in the vertical direction, to the camera unit, so as to rotate the camera unit including the camera in the vertical direction; a horizontal rotation gear that is provided as a transmission destination of the driving force of the horizontal rotation driving source and causes rotation of the camera unit, including the camera, in the horizontal direction; and a horizontal rotation transmission mechanism that transmits the driving force of the horizontal rotation driving source, as power of the pivotal rotation of the camera in the horizontal direction, to the horizontal rotation gear, the base having: a ground plate that is directly placed on a surface of a supporting subject of the imaging apparatus; a pivot shaft projecting from the ground plate for horizontally rotating the camera; a pedestal plate that has the vertical rotation driving source disposed thereon, as well as the camera unit pivotal support structure and the vertical rotation transmission mechanism incorporated therein; and a plate mounting structure that allows the pivot shaft to fit in a through hole provided in a pivot shaft fitting part which is fixed to the pedestal plate, so as to mount the pedestal plate on the ground plate to allow pivotal rotation of the pedestal plate in the horizontal direction relative to the ground plate, wherein the horizontal rotation gear is located closer to the ground plate between the ground plate and the pedestal plate linked by the plate mounting structure and is attached to either one of a horizontal pivot axis and the ground plate in such a manner as to change a relative position of the horizontal rotation gear about the horizontal pivot axis to the pedestal plate but not to change a relative position of the horizontal rotation gear about the horizontal pivot axis to the ground plate; the horizontal rotation driving source is placed with the horizontal rotation transmission mechanism on the pedestal plate; and the horizontal rotation driving source and the vertical rotation driving source are arranged in an attitude having respective output shafts in the horizontal direction and are disposed to face each other across the plate mounting structure on the pedestal plate.