The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 25, 2021
Filed:
Jan. 04, 2019
Flir Surveillance, Inc., Wilsonville, OR (US);
Adam C. Espersen, Portland, OR (US);
Charles Rush, Portland, OR (US);
FLIR Surveillance, Inc., Wilsonville, OR (US);
Abstract
Radial counterbalance mechanisms and related techniques are provided to improve the accuracy and reliability of gimbal systems. A radial counterbalance system includes a radial counterbalance mechanism, an orientation sensor, and a logic device. The radial counterbalance mechanism includes a counterbalance weight and a motor configured to adjust a radial position of the counterbalance weight. The orientation sensor is configured to provide an orientation of a payload coupled to the gimbal ring, a platform coupled to the gimbal ring, and/or the gimbal ring. The logic device is configured to determine a compensating radial weight position for the counterbalance weight based, at least in part, on a received orientation, and to control the motor to position the counterbalance weight at the compensating radial weight position. The compensating radial weight position is configured to reduce a radial displacement of a center of gravity of the payload from the rotational axis of the gimbal ring.