CAMERA PANNER

Abstract: A panner for a camera or the like has a base (1) on which is mounted a housing (2) carrying a support (3) for the camera or the like mounted above the housing (2). Drive means (42, 44, 46, 47, 49) serve to rotate the housing (2) relate to the base (1) about a first axis so that the camera may be clamped about this axis. The support (3) is pivotal above a second axis which is perpendicular to the first axis. An arm (10) extends from the support (3) into the housing (2) and second drive means (15, 21, 22, 24, 27-29) serve to reciprocate the end (14) of the arm (10) distal of the support (3) and to rotate this support about the second axis.

Description: The present invention relates to a powered panner for movie and video cameras. Such panners may also be used with telescopes, binoculars, still cameras and the like. In particular, the invention relates to a panner which is arranged to be mountd on a tripod, a camera or the like being mounted on the panner so that relative motion between the camera and tripod can be effected. Document US-A-3,782,671 discloses a camera panner which includes a base and a support onto which a camera or the like can be locked. This arrangement allows the movement of the base around a vertical axis and the rotation of the support around a horizontal axis. Said movements are made possible by means of two sets of drive means based on the use of a number of gearing components. Document DE-A-33,08,126 shows a camera panner having a support and a base allowing movement of said parts around a horizontal and vertical axis respectively. The movement is made possible by two motors. The present invention provides a panner or the like as claimed in claim 1. Preferred embodiments of the invention are disclosed in the dependent claims. Other preferred features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description. The invention will be further described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figure 1 is a schematic side view of a panner according to the invention; Figure 2 is a schematic end view of the panner of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a schematic view not to scale, illustrating a drive mechanism for tilting a camera platform of the panner; Figure 3a is a detail of Figure 3; Figure 4 is a schematic view not to scale illustrating a drive mechanism for rotating a housing of the panner relative to a base thereof; and Figures 5a and 5b together show an exploded perspective view of the panner illustrating the assembly thereof. Figure 1 is a schematic side view of a panner according to the invention, comprising a base 1, housing 2 and camera support 3. The housing 2 comprises a plastics, cylindrical inner portion 4 which houses drive motors for rotating the housing relative to the base 1, and tilting the support 3 relative to the housing. On opposite sides of the cylindrical portion 4 are integrally moulded plastics chambers 5, 6 for housing batteries to form a power supply and electronic controls respectively. The cylindrical portion 4 is closed at its upper end 8, save for a slot 9 which receives an arm 10 of the support 3. Support 3 comprises a platform 11 on which a camera, telescope etc. can be mounted. The platform 11 carries a screw (see Figure 5a) for securing a camera to the platform as generally used on tripods, it may also carry a retractable pin (see Figure 5a) for use in aligning cameras having an aperture for such a pin. Support 3 is pivotably mounted at each side on pins 12 which are fast in arms 13 which extend up from and are integrally formed with the cylindrical portion 4. Arm 10 is integral with the platform 11 and extends down through slot 9 into the cylindrical portion 4. Arm 10 is bifurcated at its lower end 14 to receive a pin 15 which is reciprocated along an arc to reciprocate the end 14 of the arm 10 and hence to tilt the platform 11. Preferably the platform is tiltable through an angle of + and - 15 degrees from a mean position parallel to the base. The base 1 comprises a moulded plastics cup 16 which is a close fit in the bottom of the cylindrical portion 4. Cup 16 carries means for mounting the base on a tripod or the like, as is commonly known. The base may of course simply be set on a flat surface. The cup has a top sidewall 17 which carries degree markings 18 which are visible through an aperture 19 in the wall of the cylindrical portion 4. Means for driving the pin 15 to tilt the platform 11 and for rotating the housing relation to the base will now be described. Referring to Figure 3, a sheet metal back plate 20 carries a small, 6 volt permanent magnet direct current (PMDC) motor 21 which is mounted behind the plate. A shaft of the motor projects through an aperture 23 in the plate 20 and carries a worm 22 which meshes with a first wormwheel 24. Wormwheel 24 is mounted fast on a shaft 25 which rotates in two ears 26 which are pressed from the plate 20. Also fast on the shaft 25 is a second worm 27 which meshes with a final drive wormwheel 28. Mounted on wormwheel 28 is a circular plate 29 carrying an arm 30 which carries at its end the pin 15. Wormwheel 28 and plate 29 are rotatable on a central shaft 31. A wavy washer is located between the wormwheel 28 and plate 29 and compressed therebetween to form a friction clutch transmitting drive from the wormwheel 28 to the plate 29, but allowing slip between the wormwheel and plate under high load conditions, for example if the plate is tilted manually. The motor 21 is driven in forward and reverse directions to reciprocate pin 15 through an arc and so reciprocate arm 10 and platform 11. Worm 27 is biassed towards wormwheel 28 to ensure close meshing between the teeth of the wormwheel and the worm avoiding backlash. Figure 3A is an end view of shaft 25 looking at ear 26b. Shaft 25 is carried in an oval or oblong hole 32 in ear 26b. A wire spring 33 is wound around shaft 25 and bears at its end on screws 34 which are secured into the ear 26b. Spring 33 thus urges the shaft 25 in the direction of worm 28. A degree of play is allowed where shaft 25 penetrates ear 26a to allow movement of the shaft 25 and so worm 27 towards the wormwheel 28. The drive assembly of Figure 3 is mounted by screws or the like to the undersurface of the top of cylindrical portion 4. Figure 4 is a schematic partially exploded view of the means for rotating the base relative to the housing. A plastics disc 35 is arranged to be a snug fit inside the cylindrical portion 4. Disc 35 is inserted from underneath the direction of base 4, and attached to abutments formed on the housing wall, for example by screws. A shaft 36 is journalled in disc 35 and held against axial movement by collars 37 which are attached to the shaft by grub screws. At the bottom end of the shaft 36, a plate member 38 comprising a lower disc 39, cylinder 40 and middle disc 41 is mounted fast on the shaft. Cylinder 40 is reduced in diameter at the level of disc 41 and extends up the shaft 36 to form a sleeve. An upper plate 43 is attached to the upper end of cylinder 40. A final driven wormwheel 42 and a friction clutch 45 in the form of a wavy washer are mounted on cylinders 40 between upper disc 43 and middle disc 41. Wormwheel 42 is driven by a 6V PMDC motor 44 carried by the disc 35 via a drive chain comprising a first worm 46 (mounted on the shaft of motor 44) which engages a wormwheel 47 mounted on the same shaft 48 as a second worm 49 which results with the wormwheel 42. This drive arrangement is identical in construction with that shown in Figure 3 and, as in the arrangement of Figure 3, includes spring means for biassing worm 49 towards wormwheel 42. Accordingly, operation of the motor 44 rotates wormwheel 42 to rotate lower disc assembly 38 via the clutch 45. The clutch allows the disc assembly to be rotated without rotation of wormwheel 42 (which will not rotate as it is held by a worm). Lower plate 39 is screwed to cup 16 to rotate the cup 16 relative to the disc 35, and hence the housing 2. Also mounted on disc 35 are position sensing switches. An arcuate plate 50 is carried on pillars 51 and has printed contacts 52 on its underside. A conducting leaf 53 is mounted on a metal pillar 54 on metal disc 39 and wipes over the contacts 52 as the disc 39 rotates. Electrical continuity between the plate 39 and a respective contact 52 can be detected to indicate the angular position of the plate relate to the disc 35. A limit stop 55 projects up from the cup 16 and is arranged to abut stops 56 on disc 35, to limit mechanically the angular rotations of the cup and disc assembly 38 relative to disc 35. To assemble the panner, the two drive assemblies of Figures 3 and 4 are constructed and the support 3 is attached to the housing 2. The drive assemblies are then inserted into cylindrical portion 4 and disc 35 attached to the housing by screws, access being had from the direction of plate 39. The cup 16, base 1, is then attached to the disc 39. Wiring from the motors and the position detectors 52, 53 is fed through to compartment 6. Control switches may be mounted on the compartment and a socket provided for a lead wire to a remote control. As indicated previously the circuitry may provide for various modes of operation: manual control via the remote control; automatic panning through predetermined angles such as 30°, 60°, 90°, by virtue of position switches 37, and automatic centering at 0°. Various modifications will be apparent to those in the art and it is desired to include all such modifications as fall within the scope of the accompanying claims.

Claims: An electrically powered panner for a camera or the like comprising: a base (1); a housing (2) mounted on the base (1); first and second drive means (42, 44, 46, 47 & 49; 15, 21, 22, 24 & 27-29) wholly contained within the housing (2); the first drive means (42, 44, 46, 47 & 49) comprising: an electric motor (44) including a motor shaft, the motor (44) being fixed relative to the housing (2), a worm (46) on the motor shaft, a first wormwheel (47) in mesh with the worm (46), a second worm (49) co-axial with and connected to the first wormwheel (47), a second wormwheel (42) in mesh with the second worm (49), the second wormwheel (42) being drivingly connected to the base (1) such that upon actuation of the motor (44), the base (1) is rotated relative to the housing (2) about a first axis; the second drive means (15, 21, 22, 24 & 27-29) comprising: an electric motor (21) including a motor shaft, the motor (21) being fixed relative to the housing (2), a worm (22) on the motor shaft, a first wormwheel (24) in mesh with the worm (22), a second worm (27) co-axial with and connected to the first wormwheel (24), a second wormwheel (28) in mesh with the second worm (27), a first arm (30) mounted on the central axis of the second wormwheel (28) such that rotation thereof causes swinging movement of the first arm (30); a support (3) for the camera or the like mounted above the housing (2) to pivot about a second axis perpendicular to the first axis; and a second arm (10) extending from the support (3) into the housing (2), the distal end (14) of the second arm (10) being drivingly connected to the distal end of the first arm (30) such that upon actuation of the second drive means (15, 21, 22, 24 & 27-29) the second arm (10) and hence the support (3) rotates about the second axis. A panner as claimed in Claim 1, wherein each worm (22, 27, 46 or 49) is biassed towards a respective wormwheel (24, 28, 47 or 42). A panner as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein a friction clutch (45) is provided in the first drive means (42, 44, 46, 47 & 49) between the housing (2) and the base (1). A panner as claimed in Claim 3, wherein the friction clutch (45) comprises a wavy washer compressingly sandwiched between a first and a second plate (43 & 41), the first plate (43) being drivingly connected to the second wormwheel (42) of the first drive means (42, 44, 46, 47 & 49) and the second plate (41) being drivingly connected to the base (1), the arrangement affording manual rotation of the base (1) relative to the housing (2) without rotation of the second wormwheel (42). A panner as claimed in Claim 1, in which the first arm (30) has a pin (15) on the distal end thereof and the distal end (14) of the second arm (10) is bifurcated, the arrangement being such that the pin (15) locates in the bifurcated end (14) of the second arm (10) to thereby drivingly connect the second wormwheel (28) of the second drive means (15, 21, 22, 24 & 27-29) to the distal end (14) of the second arm (10). A panner as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the first drive means (42, 44, 46, 47 & 49) is mounted on a platform (35) housed in and attached to the housing (2), the electric motor (44) of the first drive means (42, 44, 46, 47 & 49) being mounted above the platform (35) and the first and second worms (46 & 49) and first and second wormwheels (47 & 42) being mounted below the platform (35), the second drive means (15, 21, 22, 24 & 27-29) being mounted above the platform (35). A panner as claimed in Claim 1, wherein position sensing electrical contacts (52) are provided for sensing when the base (1) and housing (2) reach predetermined relative positions. A panner as claimed in Claim 1, including remote control means for controlling remotely each drive means (42, 44, 46, 47 & 49 or 15, 21, 22, 24 & 27-29). A panner as claimed in Claim 1, including automatic control means for controlling the first drive means (42, 44, 46, 47 & 49) and the second drive means (15, 21, 22, 24 & 27-29) according to a preset programme.

Inventors: BITTNER,WILFRIED ALOIS ANTON
Applicants: MAXWELL ELECTRONICS LIMITED
Application year: 1987
Main classification: G03B17
IPC codes: F16M11, G03B17