US-20260126824-A1 - KNOB ASSEMBLY AND FOLLOW FOCUS REMOTE CONTROLLER

US20260126824A1US 20260126824 A1US20260126824 A1US 20260126824A1US-20260126824-A1

Abstract

A knob assembly and a follow focus remote controller are disclosed. The knob assembly includes a base, a rotating assembly, and a damping adjustment assembly. The rotating assembly is rotatably mounted on the base. The damping adjustment assembly includes a damping member and an actuator. The damping member is positioned between the base and the actuator. The actuator can drive the damping member to move, thereby altering the insertion depth of an insertion segment into a damping groove for housing damping grease. The damping grease creates a sticky sensation between the damping member and the base, enabling the user to adjust the damping feel to their preference and providing excellent damping feedback.

Inventors

Long Ma
Wenping Zeng
Kefeng Zhou

Assignees

TILTA INC.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20251104
Priority Date: 20241107

Claims (12)

1 . A knob assembly comprising: a base; a rotating assembly rotatably mounted on the base; and a damping adjustment assembly comprising a damping member and an actuator; wherein the damping member is disposed between the base and the actuator; wherein the actuator is movably connected to the rotating assembly; wherein the actuator is configured to rotate relative to the rotating assembly about a rotation axis of the base and the rotating assembly, and convert rotation into linear movement along the rotation axis to drive the damping member to move along the rotation axis; wherein a damping groove for accommodating damping grease is provided at one of the base and the damping member, and an insertion segment for extending into the damping groove along the rotation axis is provided at the other one of the base and the damping member; and wherein the actuator is configured to drive the damping member to move, so as to change an insertion depth of the insertion segment into the damping groove.
2 . The knob assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the damping adjustment assembly further comprises an elastic member; wherein the elastic member is installed in the damping groove and abuts against the insertion segment; and wherein the elastic member presses the damping member against the actuator, so as to adaptively adjust a position of the damping member according to a position of the actuator, thereby changing the insertion depth of the insertion segment into the damping groove.
3 . The knob assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the actuator comprises a knob panel and a pressing panel; wherein an engagement protrusion is provided at one of the pressing panel and the knob panel, and an engagement slot is provided at the other one of the pressing panel and the knob panel; wherein the pressing panel and the knob panel are configured to rotate synchronously via the engagement protrusion and the engagement slot; wherein the pressing panel is threadedly connected to the rotating assembly; wherein the knob panel is rotatably mounted on the rotating assembly; wherein a rotation of the knob panel drives the pressing panel to rotate and to move relative to the rotating assembly and the knob panel along the rotation axis; wherein the damping member is disposed between the base and the pressing panel along the rotation axis; and wherein the pressing panel is configured to drive the damping member to move along the rotation axis.
4 . The knob assembly according to claim 3 , wherein the rotating assembly is provided with a first through hole penetrating along the rotation axis; wherein the damping adjustment assembly is located within the first through hole; wherein an inner wall of an end of the first through hole away from the base is formed with an annular step; wherein the knob panel is further provided with a limiting plate; wherein the limiting plate is connected to the knob panel; wherein, along the rotation axis, the limiting plate and the knob panel clamp the annular step to axially position the knob panel; wherein the limiting plate is located between the knob panel and the pressing panel; and wherein the limiting plate is provided with an engagement slot for the engagement protrusion to pass through.
5 . The knob assembly according to claim 4 , wherein the limiting plate, the knob panel, and the pressing panel are configured to rotate synchronously; wherein, on mutually facing end surfaces of the limiting plate and the annular step, one of the limiting plate and the annular step is embedded with a plurality of spring plungers, and the other one of the limiting plate and the annular step is provided with a plurality of positioning recesses for accommodating the spring plungers; wherein two of the spring plungers are disposed at two ends of a same diameter of an imaginary cylindrical surface where a rotation shaft of the actuator relative to the rotating assembly is located; and wherein the positioning recesses are arranged at intervals circumferentially around the imaginary cylindrical surface.
6 . The knob assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the base comprises a connection hole, and a bearing is installed in the connection hole; wherein the rotating assembly comprises a connecting shaft and a rotating housing; wherein the connecting shaft is mounted in the bearing; wherein the rotating housing is rotatably mounted on the base via the connecting shaft; wherein the actuator is threadedly connected to the connecting shaft; wherein the bearing, the connecting shaft, and the damping member are all located within the rotating housing; wherein an end of the actuator facing away from the base is exposed outside the rotating housing; wherein an inner wall of the rotating housing is formed with a connecting part; wherein the connecting part comprises a connecting disk and a plurality of ribs extending toward the connecting shaft; wherein one end of each of the ribs is connected to the inner wall of the rotating housing, the other end of each of the ribs is connected to the connecting disk; wherein the connecting disk is threadedly connected to the connecting shaft; wherein the damping member is provided with a plurality of insertion slots corresponding to the ribs; and wherein the rotating housing and the damping member are in sliding fit and rotate synchronously through engagement of the insertion slots and the ribs.
7 . The knob assembly according to claim 6 , wherein the rotating housing comprises an inner housing and an outer housing detachably connected to the inner housing; wherein the inner housing is installed within the outer housing; wherein the connecting part is formed on the inner housing; and wherein the actuator is rotatably mounted on the outer housing.
8 . The knob assembly according to claim 1 , wherein an outer profile surface of the insertion segment is formed with a grease groove.
9 . The knob assembly according to claim 1 , wherein a side wall of the damping groove is formed with a grease groove.
10 . The knob assembly according to claim 1 , wherein an outer profile surface of the insertion segment and a side wall of the damping groove are formed with a grease groove.
11 . The knob assembly according to claim 1 , wherein two damping grooves are provided, and the two damping grooves are concentrically arranged; wherein the insertion segment comprises a first insertion segment and a second insertion segment; and wherein the first insertion segment and the second insertion segment are configured to extend into different ones of the two damping grooves.
12 . A follow focus remote controller comprising: a remote controller main body and the knob assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the base of the knob assembly is fixable to the remote controller main body.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS The present application for patent claims priority to and the benefit of pending Chinese Application No. 2024227169652, filed November 7, 2024, and hereby expressly incorporated by reference herein as if fully set forth below in its entirety and for all applicable purposes. TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure pertains to the field of lens parameter adjustment devices, specifically to a knob assembly and a follow focus remote controller. INTRODUCTION When employing a camera for shooting, different compositions often necessitate adjustments to various lens parameters, such as zoom, focus, aperture, etc. Hence, it becomes imperative to rotate the lens for appropriate adjustment to capture the desired image. To simplify lens adjustment, follow focus remote controllers have been introduced in the market. By rotating the handwheel of the follow focus remote controller, the focal length of the corresponding shooting device can be altered. The resistance encountered during the rotation of the handwheel can be modified via a knob on the follow focus remote controller. Although existing follow focus remote controllers enable lens parameter adjustment, they fall short in providing adequate operational feedback to the user, for instance, lacking an optimal damping feel when rotating the handwheel. This issue represents a technical problem that requires prompt resolution in the field. BRIEF SUMMARY Aspects of the present disclosure provide a knob assembly and a follow focus remote controller that deliver superior damping operational feedback to users. Some aspects of the present disclosure provide: a base; a rotating assembly, rotatably mounted on the base; and a damping adjustment assembly, including a damping member and an actuator. The damping member is situated between the base and the actuator. The actuator is movably connected to the rotating assembly and can rotate relative to the rotating assembly about the rotation axis of the base and the rotating assembly; this rotation is converted into linear movement along the rotation axis to drive the damping member to move accordingly. Either the base or the damping member has a damping groove for housing damping grease, while the other has an insertion segment that extends into the damping groove along the rotation axis; and the actuator can drive the damping member to move, changing the insertion depth of the insertion segment into the damping groove. According to a second aspect, the present disclosure discloses a follow focus remote controller, including a remote controller main body and the aforementioned knob assembly, wherein the base of the knob assembly is fixable to the remote controller main body. In the knob assembly according to the aforementioned embodiments and the follow focus remote controller incorporating it, when the actuator is rotated, it rotates relative to the combined entity of the damping member and the rotating assembly. The rotation of the actuator is converted into linear movement along the rotation axis of the base and the rotating assembly, causing the actuator to move relative to the rotating assembly along the rotation axis. This, in turn, drives the damping member to move along the rotation axis, adjusting the relative distance between the damping member and the base. The damping groove is filled with damping grease. When the insertion depth of the insertion segment into the damping groove varies, the amount of damping grease filling the gap between the insertion segment and the damping groove also changes, thereby altering the damping force when the damping member and the base rotate relative to each other. In the knob assembly disclosed in this disclosure, during the process of adjusting the insertion depth of the insertion segment into the damping groove by rotating the actuator, the rotating assembly as a whole does not rotate or move relative to the base. When the rotating assembly is driven to rotate relative to the base, both the actuator and the damping member rotate synchronously with the rotating assembly. Consequently, when the user drives the rotating assembly to rotate relative to the base for parameter adjustment, a sticky sensation is generated between the damping member and the base via the damping grease, providing the user with excellent damping feedback. The user can adjust the damping feel to their preference, enhancing the adaptability and practicality of the knob assembly and the follow focus remote controller. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Reference Numerals: FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a follow focus remote controller according to some aspects of the disclosure. FIG. 2 is a schematic illustrating a knob assembly according to some aspects of the disclosure. FIG. 3 is a top view of the knob assembly of FIG. 2 according to some aspects of the disclosure. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in FIG. 3 according to some aspects of the discl