SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR FACILITATING FLUID THREE-DIMENSIONAL MOVEMENT OF AN OBJECT VIA DIRECTIONAL FORCE
A reeving system for filming movies, sporting events, or any other activity that requires fluid movement of a camera or other object to any position within a defined volume of space. To accomplish positioning embodiments move an object throughout three-dimensional space by relocating one or more lines that are feed through a plurality of opposing sides of the object. These line(s) (e.g., a cable, rope, string, cord, wire, or any other flexible connective element) which support the object from above or below the object within a volume of space are arranged in way that allows the object to be rapidly moved to and from any location within the defined volume of space. For instance, the system may be arranged to perform dimensional movement using one line configured as an endless loop, one line configured as a half loop, two lines configured as endless loops or two lines configured as half loops. Other embodiments which split the two lines at the X and Y junctions may yield three and four rope embodiments which are in keeping with the spirit of the invention.
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/251,439, filed on Oct. 15, 2005 which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/709,944, filed on Jun. 8, 2004 entitled “System and Method for Facilitating Fluid Three-Dimensional Movement of an Object via Directional Force” which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. This application is a continuation in part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/604,525, filed on Jul. 28, 2003 entitled “System and Method for Moving Objects within Three-Dimensional Space”, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,809,495 which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. This application is a continuation in part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/708,158, filed on Feb. 12, 2004 entitled “Cabling System and Method for Facilitating Fluid Three-Dimensional Movement of a Suspended Camera” which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the invention described herein pertain to the field of aerial cable rail systems. More particularly, these embodiments enable the movement of objects within three-dimensional space.
2. Description of the Related Art
An aerial cable rail system is a system based on an elevated cable or rope, along which objects are transported. Existing cable rail systems rely on large fixed structures and/or complex control systems in order to facilitate the movement of objects. Many of these systems are impractical or difficult to use in that such systems typically fail to satisfactorily achieve the full spectrum of platform stability, ease of control, a compact footprint, ease of transport, speed, load bearing, extensibility, maintainability and platform stability.
Objects have been supported and moved through three-dimensional space via ropes and cables for various purposes in the past. In U.S. Pat. No. 494,389 to Sherman granted in 1893, a device is described allowing for movement of a hoist through three dimensional space via a complex arrangement of cables and pulleys. A logging system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 1,782,043 to Lawson granted in 1926 employs large amounts of cable and extensive reeving in order to suspend and move logs over large distances. A similar rope crane is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,065,861 to Cruciani granted in 1960. These systems generally employ one or more highlines which are tightly stretched and from which an object is suspended. Other patents such as U.S. Pat. No. 3,043,444 to Melton granted in 1962 and French patent 2,318,664 to Kennedy granted in 1977 took a different approach to suspending and moving objects through three dimensional space by using one cable per support pulley per winch. The '444 and '664 patents minimize the amount of cable in the system but do not allow for simple control of the cables in the system since the speeds and lengths of each cable must change non-uniformly depending upon the path of motion of the supported object.
The cable movement systems previously mentioned were generally used to haul equipment or material. Simple cable support systems have also been used to support cameras in three-dimensional space on ropes with varying degrees of success. In U.S. Pat. No. 367,610 to Fairman granted in 1887, a balloon moved with two guy lines is described that allows a camera to take pictures from locations high above the ground. In U.S. Pat. No. 578,980 to Eddy granted in 1897, a group of cameras is hoisted on a kite string attached to a reel in order to capture panoramic photographs. In U.S. Pat. No. 894,348 to Seele granted in 1908, a camera is dropped from a balloon in a sphere in order to eliminate the undesirable pendulum effects and motion effects of wind from the resulting photograph that is exposed when a shutter string is fully extended. The '348 patent may possibly be the first patent that attempts to isolate an airborne camera from the jarring effects of the vehicle carrying the camera. In U.S. Pat. No. 1,002,897 to Brown granted in 1911, a camera is directly attached to a kite string with a timer in the form of a propeller that takes a picture after a certain period of time. In U.S. Pat. No. 1,301,967 to Parks granted in 1919, a kite string based camera is described that travels along the kite string to a preset point takes a photograph and automatically descends back down the kite string so that the kite does not have to be lowered between photos.
During the 1920's work was begun on stabilizing cameras carried in vehicles since the movement of the vehicles was limiting the quality of the photographs obtained. In U.S. Pat. No. 1,634,950 to Lucian granted in 1927, a gyro-stabilized camera mount is described that actively stabilizes a camera in the pitch and roll axes in order to keep a camera actively isolated from the undesired angular motion of the aerial, land or marine vehicle carrying the camera through three-dimensional space. Many other gyro-stabilizer patents were awarded after Lucian '950 and teach active stabilization for equipment when that equipment is supported by a moving vehicle.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,710,819, a camera suspension system is described that utilizes a minimum of at least three cables wherein each cable has two ends with one end of each cable fixedly attached to an equipment support member and the other end of each cable fixedly attached to a winch. In between the fixedly attached endpoints lies a pulley that is used as a support for the cable to provide a vertical offset between the ground and the equipment support member. Movement is achieved by reeling the cables in and out to position the camera with motion between two points generally requiring all cables to move simultaneously at different rates.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,625,938, a camera support system is disclosed in which a camera payload can be moved within three-dimensional space in a way that allows for active stabilization of velocity of the panning (vertical axis) of the equipment support member.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,440,476, a cable support system is described for moving objects by extending and retracting independent ropes that correspond one-to-one with the number of winches and support pulleys supporting a central object. Even simple one axis movement requires that all ropes in the system change length in a coordinated fashion to prevent slack in the other ropes supporting the object. The '476 device cannot be operated in its best mode without a computerized control system as is true for the '938 and '819 devices previously mentioned.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,566,834, an invention is disclosed in which a payload can be moved and angularly positioned within three-dimensional space. The invention requires a computer control system in order to calculate the change in lengths of the supports ropes in order to move the payload between two points. The invention appears to require power at the platform and locates the winches for the system on the platform, further reducing the payload capacity of the platform. Furthermore, the invention does not provide simple X, Y and Z independence for control purposes and it appears that complex sensing devices must be deployed in order to keep the cables tensioned properly.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,585,707, an invention is disclosed in which a robot or person can be readily moved within three-dimensional space. The payload is limited and the support structure is small scale. If the structure were to be scaled up, obstacles such as goal posts or light poles would inhibit the motion of the payload through a path between two points defined within the cube, since there are numerous wires required to practice the invention. Also, the invention would not appear to allow the Z-axis to vary beneath the cube, and the size of the cube support structure to service a large volume of space would be extremely expensive to build on the scale required. Again, complex control is required to keep the tension in all of the ropes at the correct level during movement of the supported equipment.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,568,189, an invention is disclosed for moving cameras in three-dimensional space. The problems with the '189 invention become apparent when attempting to enlarge the scale of the system.
Embodiments of the invention are ideally suited for moving objects through three-dimensional space using one or more lines. For instance, various embodiments of the invention provide mechanisms for positioning an object such as a human, mining implement, logging implement, manufactured object or any other useful object such as a camera. Thus it is possible to use embodiments of the invention to shoot footage for film and television productions as well as, sporting events, or any other activity that benefits from fluid movement of a camera or other object to any position within a defined volume of space.
To accomplish such positioning, embodiments of the invention are configured to move an object throughout three-dimensional space by relocating one or more lines that are feed through a plurality of sides of the object. These line(s) (e.g., a cable, rope, string, cord, wire, or any other flexible connective material) which support the object within a volume of space are arranged in way that allows the object to be rapidly moved to and from any location within the defined volume of space. For instance, the system may be arranged to perform three-dimensional movement using one line configured as an endless loop, one line configured as a half loop, two lines configured as endless loops or two lines configured as half loops.
The exact arrangement of the line(s) depends upon which embodiment of the invention is implemented. However, in each instance a set of one or more lines suspend an object by passing through a set of line support elements (e.g., one or more pulleys, sheaves, or any other support assembly configured to redirect line) and around a motorized push-pull wheel. The line support elements can comprise free wheeling elements or may be controlled elements, for example providing emergency brake components for automatically halting line travel in the event of a line break, or components to monitor or control vibrations. The motorized push-pull wheel is configured to relocate line to move the object and maintain suspension of the object in a given position. The line is moved via the push-pull wheel in way that enables movement of the object through the transferal of line between a plurality of sides of the object. The line is reeved in such a manner as to provide three junctions (for example in one embodiment two push-pull wheels and one winch) where the line can be subjected to force thereby moving an object in three dimensions. Movement in each of the three dimensions are substantially independent, with the X line allowing X-axis motion of the supported object and the Y line allowing Y-axis motion of the platform. In one embodiment of the invention X line and Y line may be joined to form sides of the same contiguous line. The X and Y axes are not required to orthogonally intersect. Displacing equal lengths of the X and Y line via a junction (for example a winch, push-pull wheel, hydraulic device, screw device or other mechanism for displacing or relocating line) allows the Z-axis of the platform to be traversed. The Z axis is not required to project orthogonally from the plane created by the intersection X and Y axes and all support areas are not required to lie in the same plane.
The system can be scaled to any size by employing longer lines and moving the supports. The supports themselves may be dynamically repositioned as well. Embodiments may be configured in scalene triangle or convex or concave quadrilateral arrangements where no two sides are required to have the same length nor equal distances or heights between any two supports. This holds for single line or two line embodiments of the invention or any variation of these embodiments. For simplicity of description of three-dimensional movement, the separate axes that a supported object may be moved are termed the X-axis, Y-axis and Z-axis wherein each of these axes are not required to project orthogonally from a plane formed by the other two axes.
In an embodiment of the invention configured for example in a rectangular configuration with four regions having any appropriate number of line support elements, the supported object is moved along the X-axis independently of movement along the Y-axis and therefore requires no complex control system. In this example, the Z-axis movement follows an ellipsoidal path (four foci ellipsoidal where the foci are the supports) that can be as flat or circular as desired depending on the shape of the area of coverage desired. In the case of an area of coverage over a physical potential well, for example a stadium or open pit mine that is deeper in the middle than on the sides, the X-axis and Y-axis motion can be configured with more or less line in the system to create a flatter or rounder elliptical shape in order to avoid the surface below since the Z-axis automatically traverses vertically when the object moves towards the sides of the area of coverage of the invention. The ellipsoidal path can be as flat or circular as desired depending upon the amount of line deployed in the system and the relative height of the supports. Displacing equal lengths of line into a plurality of sides of the supported object allows the Z-axis of the platform to be traversed which results in trivial control of the object. This technique of relocating line without the need for a control system in order to move an object in three dimensions provides many advantages over the prior art that requires complex control software and active stabilization.
Embodiments of the invention can also use a three support triangular configuration where no two sides are required to be the same length. For any topology that embodiments of the invention are configured, there is no ratcheting movement at the object since the same line supports an object on a plurality of sides with the object freely moving to the point of minimal potential energy based on the amount of line transferred from one side to another side of the supported object. In addition, the lengths of the line do not require adjustment in way that requires complex calculations and computer control since the junctions effecting movement of each axis are independently operated.
In an embodiment of the invention line may be relocated from one area comprising X, Y and Z motors, and therefore distantly located motors and electrical cables are not required although they may be utilized if desired. Other advantages of embodiments of the invention utilizing collocated motors and junctions for relocating line include allowing motors to be large, power cables to be short and located near a large generator and maintenance to be performed in one location. The line support elements (e.g., pulleys, sheaves, or any other mechanism that can redirect line) employed in the system may contain high speed bearings and may be configured to capture the line in order to prevent derailing thereby providing an added degree of safety to the system. The push-pull wheels may optionally comprise grooves that grip the line in order to prevent slippage. Any mechanism for driving or displacing line may be substituted for the push-pull wheels. Embodiments of the invention can utilize a push-pull wheel, reel or any mechanism for effecting movement of line to multiply Z-axis travel. The location of the various components in the system may be altered including modifications to the reeving while keeping with the spirit of the invention.
The supported object may comprise many types of useful devices, and the object may then be further attached to a platform that may comprise passive or active stabilization. For instance, the terms object may refer, but is not limited to, a camera, mechanical claw, hoist or loader, mining scoop or any other equipment where three-dimensional movement may be desired. It is also possible to use embodiments of the invention to effectuate three-dimensional movement of one or more persons. The word platform as used herein refers to any vehicle to which an object may be coupled for the purposes of movement through three dimensional space in any environment subject to a force, for example the force of gravity. For example, the platform itself could be supported and moved through the air or water with supports in the air or water so long as the platform is forced away from the supports. In one or more embodiments of the invention there may be more than one force at work on the platform, for example buoyancy and gravity. The platform may comprise an element that allows for the application of a directional force. The element could be a balloon, a sail, a counterweight, a buoyant counterweight, a ferromagnetic material, or any other element that would allow the platform or object being moved to become the subject of the directional force. The net force may provide a basis to move the platform in any direction, for example but not limited to the positive or negative direction with respect to the Z-axis, e.g., the force provided by wind. The Z-axis is not necessarily orthogonal to the face of the earth. The force could be magnetic or inertial for space based embodiments, or gravity for example, or the result of activation of a propeller, a thruster, positive buoyancy either under water or in the air via an element less dense than water or air respectively, such as a balloon, or any other means by which the platform is forced away from the associated supports. The supports in some embodiments may at ground or seabed level and have positive, negative or zero height. The supported object may utilize an electrical or fiber optic cable festooned to a support along at least one line or may travel to a non support area and may be used for the transmission of video images or other data from the supported object to the ground or data may be transmitted from the platform via wireless technologies. Alternatively the platform may send and receive video or image data via a wireless connection such as a microwave or any other suitable transport protocol.
The platform may comprise a structure which has a center of gravity well below the region where the lines pass through or couple with the platform. Movement of the platform is so stable that passive stabilization may be utilized in bottom heavy embodiments. Alternatively the lines may couple with the platform at approximately the center of gravity of the supported object. (Objects with center of mass above the platform may be used with active control analogously to balancing a broom in one's hand.) Objects may include, but are not limited to devices that require external power or devices that possess their own power and are operated via wireless signals. Supported objects that may be moved comprise any camera system including but not limited to camera systems with vertical spars such as those found in Austrian Patent 150,740 with or without the combination of two-axis active stabilizers as found in U.S. Pat. No. 2,446,096, U.S. Pat. No. 1,634,950, U.S. Pat. No. 2,523,267 (also comprises a three axis active embodiment), U.S. Pat. No. 1,731,776 and Great Britain Patent 516,185 all of which provide active control in the two horizontal axes in order to maintain a camera support in a vertical position. The camera system of U.S. Pat. No. 4,625,938 which comprises a vertical spar and a means for stabilizing the spar may be supported and moved via using embodiments of the invention rather than the support technique described in the '938 patent. Helicopter or airplane mounted cameras such as U.S. Pat. No. 3,638,502 may be supported and moved in embodiments of the invention utilizing passive or active stabilization whether mounted at the center of gravity or not, which is not possible using prior art techniques since embodiments of the present invention move objects in a more stable manner.
The term stabilization as used herein comprises any mechanism for stabilizing an object about its axes. Passive stabilization may utilize struts or damping agents that limit the pendulum motion of a suspended object. Active stabilization utilizes sensors to provide feedback to a powered axis in order to controllably stabilize an axis in a given direction, velocity, acceleration, jerk or any other derivative of space over time.
The term line as used herein refers to a continuous and unbroken length of line that can bend and be directed through any number of passive or powered or active line support elements or any other redirection mechanism. In one embodiment of the invention line breakage causes components associated with the line to become non-functional. To avoid this issue and thereby enhance system safety, the invention contemplates the use of a limiting mechanism to keep a supported object from making contact with the area of coverage. By supporting an object on a plurality of sides with a single line, there is a built in safety characteristic not found in the prior art whereby one line may break without causing the supported object to contact the ground below. For example, if an object is supported on four sides, with one line reeved and coupled with two of the four opposing sides, and the other line (or line side in a one line embodiment) coupled with the other two of the four opposing sides whether ninety degrees apart or not with respect to the first line, then breakage of one line (or line side wherein the other line side is coupled for example on a winch whereby half of the line breaking does not release tension in the other half), does not allow for the platform to contact the ground below. In buoyant embodiments, a break in a line does not allow the platform to escape vertically to the sea surface or in a balloon embodiment to float away or damage a stadium ceiling for example. Zero-G environments with magnetic direction force elements would not escape into space for example if one line were to break.
A drum winch is a device that operates on a last-in-first-out basis for storing line and controlling the length of deployed line that is coupled with the drum. Thus a drum winch operates in much the same way that a reel (e.g., a fishing reel) does. A push-pull wheel works in a completely different way from a drum winch and is functionally a motorized pulley that operates on a first-in-first-out basis for relocating line without storing the line for later extension. The push-pull wheel does not change the amount of line deployed, but rather relocates line from the intake side to the outlet side of the device.
The word motor as used herein refers to a motor which may comprise a drive pulley or drum winch or any other device that can relocate line or cable. This definition is provided for purposes of ease of illustration since a motor must drive some type of device to relocate line. In addition, in certain embodiments motors may be substituted with hydraulics, electric actuators or any other method of moving line and keeping within the scope and spirit of the invention.
Some examples of the type of line embodiments of the invention that may be utilized include synthetic rope fibers such as but not limited to HMDPE (High Molecular Density Polyethylene) fibers such as Spectra, or improved fibers such as Vectran. Line of this length, strength and weight allows the platform to be deployed over large distances. Synthetic line is 90 percent as strong as metal cable while having 10 percent of the weight.
Embodiments of the invention may be nested in order to support and move multiple independent or dependent objects. Dependent objects may for example comprise a pole coupled with a plurality of reevings that may keep a pole aligned vertically or may be moved independently in order to angle the pole with respect to any axis. Rigid couplings with a fixed distance between a plurality of reevings coupled to the pole may be utilized or non-rigid dependent couplings may also be utilized including telescoping poles or elastic bands for example. A plurality of lines irrespective of reeving may be coupled with a pole in order to provide a platform for a microphone for example.
Independent objects may moved independent of one another and may also for example be controlled by one computer in order to avoid collisions between the independent objects. Collision sensors may be coupled with any element in the system in order to provide for collision avoidance with another object suspended and moved by another reeving instance, or with a stationary or moving object not associated with an embodiment of an invention as long as the position of the object is known to the system. Acoustic, optical or radar sensors, i.e., collision sensors, may be coupled anywhere within the system in order to reposition the supported object and/or line(s) in order to avoid a collision with a soccer ball, baseball, football or other sporting implement such as a javelin, hammer, shot put, or any other object that is capable of being detected. In pre-planned movements involving simulation, collision detection may be utilized in order to avoid a collision with an object that is sensed during actual movement of the physical embodiment followed by either exiting the pre-planned flight path or returning to the pre-planned flight path after avoidance.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIGS. 15A-D show two line embodiments at an embodiment of the Z movement device.
Embodiments of the invention are ideally suited for moving objects through three-dimensional space using one to more lines. Various embodiments of the invention are capable of positioning an object such as a human, animal, mining implement, logging implement, manufactured object or any other useful object. Embodiments of the invention may, for example, be used in filming movies, sporting events, or any other activity that benefits from fluid movement of a camera or other object to any position within a defined volume of space.
In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a more thorough description of embodiments of the invention. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art, that the invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well known features have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the invention. However, in each instance the claims and the full scope of any equivalents are what define the metes and bounds of the invention.
Embodiments of the invention move an object throughout three-dimensional space by relocating line coupled with a plurality of sides of the object. In an embodiment utilizing two lines, once the displacement height of the platform is set to a minimum value for a coverage area, if one line breaks, the supported platform maintains its elevation over the ground via the unbroken line and travels to the middle of the broken line axis. The lowest the platform can descend is to the preset minimum value since opposing sides of the platform are still coupled with the remaining unbroken line. In buoyant embodiments such as air or sea based embodiments where the platform is generally above the supports, the highest the platform can ascend is to the preset maximum value since opposing sides of the platform are still coupled with the remaining unbroken line.
Embodiments of the invention may comprise one line configured as an endless loop, one line configured as a half loop, two lines configured as endless loops or two lines configured as half loops. Each of these embodiments comprise two line sides designated the X line side and the Y line side, and may be termed the X line and Y line for short. In the embodiment comprising one line configured as an endless loop, approximately half of the loop is configured to effect movement of the X axis while the remaining line is configured to control the Y axis. The axes are for descriptive purposes and do not limit embodiments to orthogonal configurations. In the embodiment comprising one line configured as a half loop, approximately half of the loop is termed the X line side while the remaining line is termed the Y line side, although they may be called the X line and Y line for short. In the embodiment comprising two lines configured as endless loops, one line is termed the X line side and the other line is termed the Y line side. In the embodiment comprising two lines configured as half loops, one line is termed the X line side and the other line is termed the Y line side, again X line side and Y line side may be termed the X line and Y line for short. FIGS. 15A-D show two line embodiments while
Regardless of the embodiment, line is reeved in such a manner as to provide three junctions where the line can be subjected to force thereby moving an object in three dimensions that are substantially independent. Relocation of line on the X line side moves the object independent of the Y axis, while relocation of Y line side moves the object independent of the X axis. The X and Y axes are not required to orthogonally intersect. Displacing equal lengths of the line allows the Z-axis of the platform to be traversed. The Z axis is not required to project orthogonally from the plane created by the intersection X and Y axes.
Platform 124 provides a mobile support for any object or piece of equipment that would benefit from having the ability to move in three-dimensions. For example, platform 124 may comprise a structure which has a center of gravity well below the region where the lines pass through, about or couple with the platform. Alternatively the lines may couple with the platform at approximately the center of gravity of the supported object. Objects may include, but are not limited to devices that require external power or devices that possess their own power and are operated via wireless signals. Supported objects that may be moved comprise any camera system and include, but are not limited to, camera systems with vertical spars such as those found in Austrian Patent No. 150,740 with or without the combination of two-axis active stabilizers as found in U.S. Pat. No. 2,446,096, U.S. Pat. No. 1,634,950, U.S. Pat. No. 2,523,267 (also comprises a three axis active embodiment), U.S. Pat. No. 1,731,776 and Great Britain Patent No. 516,185 all of which provide active control in the two horizontal axes in order to maintain a camera support such as '740 in a vertical position. The camera system of U.S. Pat. No. 4,625,938 which comprises a vertical spar and a stabilizer may be supported and moved using embodiments of the invention rather than the cable support mechanism described in the '938 patent. Helicopter or airplane mounted cameras such as U.S. Pat. No. 3,638,502 may be supported and moved in embodiments of the invention utilizing passive or active stabilization whether mounted at the center of gravity or not, which is not possible using prior art techniques since embodiments of the present invention move objects in a more stable manner.
Platform 124 is supported and is moved in three dimensions by one or two lines depending upon the embodiment of the invention utilized. Each line is reeved to form a pair of “V” shapes when platform 124 is centered within the system and when viewed from above with the points of the “V” nearest platform 124. In embodiments utilizing two rope sides to support the platform, the total amount of each of the rope line sides has the same length as measured from supports 110, 112, 114 and 116 to platform 124. This result is independent of the topology used, i.e., independent of the number of supports and allows for trivial Z-axis displacement. By displacing the line (either one or two lines depending upon the embodiment) from the system via Z movement device 104, platform 124 is raised. Conversely, by deploying the two line sides, platform 124 is lowered. In
In a two line embodiment employing two half loops of line, Z movement device 104 may be coupled with opposing ends of X line, side 18a and side 18b and opposing ends of Y line, side 19a and side 19b. In a two line embodiment employing two endless loops, the X line for example can be hooked into an eyelet of a winch or coupled with a non-rotating pulley that may be displaced vertically without a winch (hydraulics or screw for example) in order to displace X line in the system in order to adjust the vertical placement of platform 124. This means that not only is there a two line embodiment comprising two half loops each with a pair of ends, but there is a two line embodiment where each line is in an endless loop with no ends. Although both lines may be formed into half loops, one or the other line may be formed into a half loop while the other line is formed into an endless loop. For example the X line could be an endless loop coupled with Z movement device 104 with a winch eyelet while the Y line could be a half loop with both ends coupled with a different portion of the winch. These embodiments are shown in FIGS. 15A-D.
Regardless of the number of line ends (zero or two) for each line in the two line embodiment, line support element 120 is coupled with Y line side 19a. These line support elements may be passive (e.g., pulleys or sheaves), however if control software is utilized to coordinate movement may also be active (e.g., motorized push-pull wheels or pulleys). Active components may be utilized to further stabilize platform 124 during movement or acceleration. Line support element 122 is coupled with Y line side 19b. Line support element 121 is coupled with X line side 18a and line support element 123 is coupled with X line side 18b. By rotating X-axis motor 103 clockwise in the figure, thereby decreasing the amount of line on X line side 18a, which increases the amount of line on X movement side 18b, the platform moves in the positive X direction, to the right in the figure. By rotating Y-axis motor 102 clockwise in the figure, thereby decreasing the amount of line on Y line side 19a, which increases the amount of line on Y movement side 19b, the platform moves in the positive Y direction, into the figure. Line support elements 120, 121, 122 and 123 may freely rotate or may comprise active components to further aid in stabilizing platform 124.
Generator and electronic drive units 100 may be utilized to power Z-axis motor 101 and or Z movement device 104, X-axis motor 103 and Y-axis motor 102. Any other source of power may be used for the motors. Z-axis motor 101 may drive Z movement device 104 configured as a drum winch with separate areas for holding line sides. Z movement device 104 displaces line into and out of the system. For ease of illustration, other possible Z movement device 104 embodiments are not shown, such as but not limited to electronic actuator components. X-axis motor 103 and Y-axis motor 102 drive bull wheels, push-pull wheels or powered pulleys, and are also not shown for ease of illustration. Push-pull wheels move line in a first-in-first-out manner without engaging a line end and act to transfer line without storing line while drum winches move line in a last-in-first-out manner and store line that is later reeled back out. Push-pull wheels (e.g., drive pulleys) and drum winches that minimize line wear and provide anti-derailing features may be employed to drive the line in the system.
An embodiment of the invention can run fiber optics cables or power cables along X line side 18b or Y line side 19a from support structure 110 to platform 124. Support structures 112, 114 and 116 can alternatively supply power to the platform via identical means. Platform 124 may alternatively house devices with collocated power supplies negating the need for external power cables. Devices attached to platform 124 may include wireless or other remote controlled devices and may comprise their own active or passive stabilization. Lines comprising electrical transmission characteristics may loop many times through a line support element 120 in order to inductively transfer power to platform 124 with the number of coils about line support element 120 and the number of coils on platform 124 effectively forming a transformer with the ratio of coils determining the reduction or increase of voltage.
Rotating Z-axis motor 101 in one direction rotates screw device 1000 which raises Z movement device 104, which increases the length of deployed line in X line sides 18a and 18b. This lowers the platform in the Z-axis direction. As Z movement device 104 rises, X line side 18a moves upward into line support assembly 105 to support structure 112, to support structure 114 and into line support element 121. At the same time, X line side 18b, also attached to Z movement device 104 moves upward into line support assembly 105 and into line support element 123. Since both sides of platform 124 have increased line length, the platform lowers. Conversely, rotating Z-axis motor 101 in the other direction raises platform 124.
Note that Z movement device 104 can comprise a sequence of pulleys for multiplying the Z-axis traversal (see
Rotating Z-axis motor 101 in one direction increases the length of deployed line in Y line sides 19a and 19b. This lowers the platform in the Z-axis direction. As Z movement device 104 (shown in
Referring to
A one line embodiment of the invention is formed by connecting one end of the X line to one end of the Y line, thereby yielding one line with two ends total. Another embodiment of the invention is created by connected the remaining two ends of line, i.e., the other end of X line to the other remaining end of Y line in order to form a single endless loop of line. See
As shown in
FIGS. 15A-D show two line embodiment logical reevings that may occur at the bottom left portion of
Although the embodiments shown in FIGS. 15A-D and 16A-B are easily transformed near Z movement device 104, other arrangements utilizing one line or two lines in the system may be accomplished by separating the junctions where force is applied to line. Additional insertion of two wheel winches that reel in one line and reel out a separate line at the same rate can be inserted anywhere in the system in order to create embodiments employing as many lines as is possible, however, these embodiments can be replaced by embodiments having fewer lines until only one or two lines are utilized in the system. Regardless of the number of lines, if the length of the two lines or two sides of one line between the supports and the platform is the same, then Z movement is accomplished with one Z movement device and X and Y movement is substantially independent. By utilizing an embodiment where X, Y and Z forces are applied in a centralized location, maintenance is easily performed however embodiments of the invention relocating various components are clearly within the scope of the invention.
Platform 124 can have many different apparatus attached to it to perform a variety of functions including but not limited to stabilization devices, gimbals, camera equipment, mining loaders, ship-to-ship loaders, logging devices, ski lift seats, gondolas, body sensing flight simulator suits for allowing a person to simulate flying, reduced gravity simulator suits, lifting harnesses, munitions depot bomb retrievers, digital video equipment for security checks in railroad yards or nuclear facilities, robotic agricultural harvest pickers for quickly picking and storing grapes or other produce or any other device that benefits from repeatable placement and motion in three dimensional space. In another embodiment, platform 124 comprises a witness camera mounted pointing down from the platform, providing a picture from the viewpoint of the platform. Camera systems previously described may be mounted at above or at approximately the center of gravity of each device with active, passive or a combination of active and passive stabilization in any number of axes, some of which may be multiply actively or passively stabilized. Platform 124 may comprise line support elements that may or may not be located on opposing sides of the platform as long as a line supporting platform 124 travels to supports that oppose each other in order to prevent ground collision in the case of a break on another line side.
In addition to moving platform 124 as per an operator input, embodiments of the invention contemplate the use of a virtual system simulation to pre-plan platform travel paths and thereby determine a preferred camera angle or platform position. The system stores the path information for subsequent use in a physical environment. Once the physical structure implementing one or more aspects of the invention is erected the path data provides a basis for movement of the platform or any object coupled with the platform (e.g., a camera). The simulation is typically performed in a computer environment scaled to match or approximate a physical location such as a football stadium or movie set. Thus, users of the system described herein (or any other rigging system preferred for the task at hand) can attempt various configurations without having to undertake the expense of an actual system setup.
The virtual system (e.g., rigging) is accomplished in one or more embodiments of the invention by approximating the location of key rigging components (e.g., support structures, sheaves, etc . . . ) and based on the present location of the platform, calculating the effects of transferring line into the system via the Z movement device or transferring line from one side of the system to the other side of the system via the X junction and Y junction. In this manner it is possible to simulate platform travel in a virtual environment before implementing the actual travel sequence in a physical environment. Adjustments or changes to the path of travel to obtain an optimal angle can be made in the virtual environment before undertaking the expense of making changes to the physical environment. Each of the virtual systems (e.g., rigs) may possess a different geometry, however, once the geometry is known, and the starting position of the platform is known, control inputs are used in order to calculate the resulting position of the platform. This technique provides a method for determining a path of travel that would avoid other virtual objects that have been measured and entered into the simulation. In addition, since the locations of the supports are known and the location of the platform is known, the location of the lines may be calculated. In this way, buildings or trees for example may be avoided by the platform and the lines and a particular travel path may be performed over and over by computer control without human intervention or variance. Having a virtual system is advantageous in that it gives system operators the ability to simulate various system configurations and thereby determine whether it is possible to obtain specific camera angles.
By selecting travel points to which the platform has traveled and moving these points through a graphical user interface, the control inputs can be recalculated in order to meet the desired three-dimensional path and saved for later playback on the physical embodiment. By simulating an embodiment by measuring and entering the sizes and locations of supports, and entering the sizes and locations of known obstacles or waypoints, a platform travel path may be constructed before the physical embodiment is completely assembled thereby saving time and effort in the coverage area.
Embodiments of the invention may be nested in order to allow more than one object to be moved within a given volume of space. Any additional instance of the embodiment of the invention comprising the line or lines reeved in the spirit of the invention whether or not identically reeved as the primary reeving is reeved is termed a nested reeving.
Although the configuration in
Embodiments may also be recursively nested with one large embodiment moving an object which actually comprises a small embodiment which may be independently controlled for example to provide fine tuning.
Whether nested or not, embodiments of the invention may comprise radar, optical or acoustic sensors anywhere in the system, for example at platform 124 in order to provide collision avoidance with stationary or moving objects. Examples of stationary objects may include trees or buildings while examples of moving objects may comprise vehicles, sporting implements such as soccer balls, baseballs, footballs, track and field implements or any other object. By calculating the trajectory of the stationary or moving object and calculating the position of platform 124 and supporting line sides, platform 124 may be moved, thereby moving the line sides and thereby avoiding a collision with either platform 124 or line sides with an external stationary or moving object.
Uses of the device in space with thrusters on the platform, or magnetic repulsion or attraction to provide the directional force, i.e., without need for air or water or gravity is readily achieved by adapting the platform or object being moved to comprise a magnet or compound that is attracted or repulsed in response to a magnetic field of a given direction.
Thus, a cabling system and method for facilitating fluid three-dimensional movement of a suspended camera or other object via a directional force has been described. The claims, however, and the full scope of any equivalents are what define the metes and bounds of the invention.
Claims
1. A system for facilitating three-dimensional movement of an object comprising:
- a non-empty set of line support elements coupled with an object having at least one element for applying a directional force;
- an X line and a Y line coupled with a plurality of sides of said object and wherein said X line and said Y line are configured to move via said non-empty set of line support elements;
- an X junction configured to relocate said X line to effectuate X movement of said object;
- a Y junction configured to relocate said Y line to effectuate Y movement of said object; and,
- a Z movement device configured to displace said X line and said Y line to effectuate Z movement of said object.
2. The system of claim 1 wherein said X line and said Y line are two line sides of a line.
3. The system of claim 1 further comprising:
- said X junction comprising an X movement motor having an X movement device coupled with said X line;
- said Y junction comprising a Y movement motor having a Y movement device coupled with said Y line; and,
- a Z movement motor coupled with said Z movement device.
4. A method for facilitating three-dimensional movement of an object comprising:
- relocating an X line associated with an object wherein said X line is reeved through a plurality of supports to effectuate X-movement of said object;
- relocating a Y line associated with said object wherein said Y line is reeved through said plurality of supports to effectuate Y-movement of said object; and,
- displacing said X line and Y line to effectuate Z-movement of said object.
5. The method of claim 5 wherein said X line and Y line are two line sides of a line.
Type: Application
Filed: Jul 2, 2007
Publication Date: Mar 6, 2008
Inventors: Jim Rodnunsky (Granada Hills, CA), S. MacDonald (Porter Ranch, CA)
Application Number: 11/772,752
International Classification: B64C 17/06 (20060101);