# US 10,374,483 B1 · Three-axis gimbal assembly with a spherical motor

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- Number: US 10,374,483 B1
- Document ID: US10374483B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 16/035,912
- Filed: 2018-07-16
- Granted: 2019-08-06
- Earliest claimed: 2018-07-16
- Assignees: Honeywell International Inc.
- Applicants: Honeywell International Inc.
- Inventors: Jason Dai; Pablo Bandera; Peter Yang; Yonghui Zhang; Jing Wang; Qiang Li
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10374483B1

## CPC

- H02K 7/14: Structural association with mechanical loads, e.g. with hand-held machine tools or fans (with fan or impeller for cooling the machine H02K9/06)
- B64D 47/08: Arrangements of cameras
- B64U 20/87: Mounting of imaging devices, e.g. mounting of gimbals
- F16M 11/105: {the horizontal axis being the roll axis, e.g. for creating a landscape-portrait rotation}
- F16M 11/123: {the axis of rotation intersecting in a single point, e.g. by using gimbals}
- F16M 11/14: with ball-joint (ball-jointed hinges F16C11/06 {; adjustable mountings employing universal joints for lighting devices F21V21/26 - F21V21/30})
- F16M 11/18: with mechanism for moving the apparatus relatively to the stand
- F16M 11/2064: {for tilting and panning (F16M11/2078 takes precedence)}
- F16M 13/02: for supporting on, or attaching to, an object, e.g. tree, gate, window-frame, cycle
- F16M 13/022: {repositionable}
- G03B 15/006: {Apparatus mounted on flying objects}
- G03B 17/561: {Support related camera accessories}
- H02K 3/28: Layout of windings or of connections between windings (windings for pole-changing H02K17/06, H02K17/14, H02K19/12, H02K19/32)
- B64U 10/14: with four distinct rotor axes, e.g. quadcopters
- B64U 2101/30: for imaging, photography or videography
- H02K 2201/18: Machines moving with multiple degrees of freedom
- H02K: DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES (dynamo-electric relays H01H53/00; conversion of DC or AC input power into surge output power {H03K3/53})
- B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT
- B64U: UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES [UAV]; EQUIPMENT THEREFOR
- F16M: FRAMES, CASINGS OR BEDS OF ENGINES, MACHINES OR APPARATUS, NOT SPECIFIC TO ENGINES, MACHINES OR APPARATUS PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE; STANDS; SUPPORTS
- G03B: APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS OR FOR PROJECTING OR VIEWING THEM; APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS EMPLOYING ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR (optical parts of such apparatus G02B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; apparatus for processing exposed photographic materials G03D)

## Abstract

A multi-axis gimbal assembly includes a spherical armature, a first coil, a second coil, a third coil, a bracket, a stator, and a motor. The spherical armature has first, second, and third perpendicularly disposed axes of symmetry. The first coil is wound about the first axis of symmetry, the second coil is wound about the second axis of symmetry, and the third coil is wound about the third axis of symmetry. The bracket is rotationally coupled to the spherical armature to allow relative rotation between the spherical armature and bracket around only the first axis of symmetry. The stator is rotationally coupled to the bracket to allow relative rotation between the stator and bracket around only the second axis of symmetry. The motor is coupled to the stator and is configured to simultaneously rotate the stator, the bracket, and the spherical armature around the third axis of symmetry.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A multi-axis gimbal assembly, comprising:
a spherical armature having an inner surface, an outer surface, a first axis of symmetry, a second axis of symmetry, and a third axis of symmetry, the inner surface defining a cavity, the first, second, and third axes of symmetry disposed perpendicular to each other;
a first coil wound on the spherical armature about the first axis of symmetry;
a second coil wound on the spherical armature about the second axis of symmetry;
a third coil wound on the spherical armature about the third axis of symmetry;
a bracket rotationally coupled to the spherical armature to allow relative rotation between the spherical armature and the bracket around only the first axis of symmetry;
a stator spaced apart from the spherical armature and including a magnet that emanates a magnetic field, the stator rotationally coupled to the bracket to allow relative rotation between the stator and the bracket and spherical armature around only the second axis of symmetry; and
a motor coupled to the stator and configured to simultaneously rotate the stator, the bracket, and the spherical armature around the third axis of symmetry,
wherein rotation of the spherical armature around the first and second axes of symmetry is controlled in response to current magnitudes and directions in one or more of the first, second, and third coils.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The gimbal assembly of claim 1, further comprising:
a camera assembly disposed at least partially within the cavity of the spherical armature.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The gimbal assembly of claim 2, wherein:
the spherical armature further includes an opening;
the camera assembly comprises a camera and a lens; and
the lens is disposed adjacent to the opening.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The gimbal assembly of claim 3, wherein the camera comprises a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) camera.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The gimbal assembly of claim 3, further comprising:
a shaft coupled to the lens and extending into the cavity; and
a bearing assembly disposed between the bracket and the shaft to allow the relative rotation between the spherical armature and the bracket.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The gimbal assembly of claim 1, wherein the motor comprises a direct current (DC) motor.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The gimbal assembly of claim 1, wherein:
the stator comprises a first stator section and a second stator section;
the first stator section extends perpendicularly from the motor; and
the second stator section extends from the first stator section at a predetermined, non-perpendicular angle.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The gimbal assembly of claim 7, wherein the predetermined, non-perpendicular angle is about 30-degrees (π/6 rad).

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The gimbal assembly of claim 7, wherein:
the magnet comprises a plurality of first permanent magnets and a plurality of second permanent magnets;
the first permanent magnets are each coupled to the first stator section; and
the second permanent magnets are each coupled to the second stator section.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The gimbal assembly of claim 1, further comprising:
an armature cover assembly coupled to the stator and surrounding at least a portion of the spherical armature.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The gimbal assembly of claim 1, wherein:
the relative rotation between the spherical armature and the bracket around the first axis of symmetry spans approximately 60-degrees (π/3 rad);
the relative rotation between the stator and the bracket and spherical armature around the second axis of symmetry spans approximately 120-degrees (2π/3 rad); and
the stator, the bracket, and the spherical armature are rotatable 360-degrees (2π rad) around the third axis of symmetry.

### Claim 12

A multi-axis gimbal assembly, comprising:
a spherical armature having an inner surface, an outer surface, a first axis of symmetry, a second axis of symmetry, and a third axis of symmetry, the inner surface defining a cavity, the first, second, and third axes of symmetry disposed perpendicular to each other;
a first coil wound on the spherical armature about the first axis of symmetry;
a second coil wound on the spherical armature about the second axis of symmetry;
a third coil wound on the spherical armature about the third axis of symmetry;
a bracket rotationally coupled to the spherical armature to allow relative rotation between the spherical armature and the bracket around only the first axis of symmetry;
a stator spaced apart from the spherical armature and including a magnet that emanates a magnetic field, the stator rotationally coupled to the bracket to allow relative rotation between the stator and the bracket and spherical armature around only the second axis of symmetry;
a camera assembly disposed at least partially within the cavity of the spherical armature; and
a DC motor coupled to the stator and configured to simultaneously rotate the stator, the bracket, and the spherical armature around the third axis of symmetry,
wherein rotation of the spherical armature around the first and second axes of symmetry is controlled in response to current magnitudes and directions in one or more of the first, second, and third coils.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The gimbal assembly of claim 10, wherein:
the spherical armature further includes an opening;
the camera assembly comprises a camera and a lens; and
the lens is disposed adjacent to the opening.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The gimbal assembly of claim 11, wherein the camera comprises a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) camera.

### Claim 15 (depends on 11)

The gimbal assembly of claim 11, further comprising:
a shaft coupled to the lens and extending into the cavity; and
a bearing assembly disposed between the bracket and the shaft to allow the relative rotation between the spherical armature and the bracket.

### Claim 16 (depends on 10)

The gimbal assembly of claim 10, wherein:
the stator comprises a first stator section and a second stator section;
the first stator section extends perpendicularly from the motor;
the second stator section extends from the first stator section at a predetermined, non-perpendicular angle; and
the predetermined, non-perpendicular angle is about 30-degrees (π/6 rad).

### Claim 17 (depends on 14)

The gimbal assembly of claim 14, wherein:
the magnet comprises a plurality of first permanent magnets and a plurality of second permanent magnets;
the first permanent magnets are each coupled to the first stator section; and
the second permanent magnets are each coupled to the second stator section.

### Claim 18 (depends on 10)

The gimbal assembly of claim 10, further comprising:
an armature cover assembly coupled to the stator and surrounding at least a portion of the spherical armature.

### Claim 19 (depends on 10)

The gimbal assembly of claim 10, wherein:
the relative rotation between the spherical armature and the bracket around the first axis of symmetry spans approximately 60-degrees (π/3 rad);
the relative rotation between the stator and the bracket and spherical armature around the second axis of symmetry spans approximately 120-degrees (π/3 rad); and
the stator, the bracket, and the spherical armature are rotatable 360-degrees (2π rad) around the third axis of symmetry.

### Claim 20

A machine, comprising:
an unmanned air vehicle (UAV); and
a multi-axis gimbal assembly coupled to the UAV, the multi-axis gimbal assembly comprising:
a spherical armature having an inner surface, an outer surface, a first axis of symmetry, a second axis of symmetry, and a third axis of symmetry, the inner surface defining a cavity, the first, second, and third axes of symmetry disposed perpendicular to each other;
a first coil wound on the spherical armature about the first axis of symmetry;
a second coil wound on the spherical armature about the second axis of symmetry;
a third coil wound on the spherical armature about the third axis of symmetry;
a bracket rotationally coupled to the spherical armature to allow relative rotation between the spherical armature and the bracket around only the first axis of symmetry;
a stator spaced apart from the spherical armature and including a magnet that emanates a magnetic field, the stator rotationally coupled to the bracket to allow relative rotation between the stator and the bracket and spherical armature around only the second axis of symmetry;
a camera assembly disposed at least partially within the cavity of the spherical armature; and
a motor coupled to the stator and configured to simultaneously rotate the stator, the bracket, and the spherical armature around the third axis of symmetry,
wherein rotation of the spherical armature around the first and second axes of symmetry is controlled in response to current magnitudes and directions in one or more of the first, second, and third coils.