The present disclosure relates to the field of gimbal technology and, more particularly, to a foldable handheld gimbal.
When a handheld photographing device such as a mobile phone is used for shooting videos or images, the user's body or arm is easy to shake. As such, shaking or blurry may occur in the captured images. Therefore, when the user uses the handheld photographing device for shooting, a handheld gimbal is usually used to fix the handheld photographing device, so as to adjust a shooting angle of the handheld photographing device and stabilize the handheld photographing device at the determined shooting angle. However, the current handheld gimbal is relatively large, and the size is the same in a working state and a non-working state, which is inconvenient for a user to carry and store, thereby affecting the user experience.
In accordance with the disclosure, there is provided a foldable handheld gimbal including a handle having in a rod shape, a first motor arranged at the handle and configured to drive a load to rotate around a first motor shaft, a first connection bracket with one end of the first connection bracket connected to the first motor, a second motor connected to another end of the first connection bracket and configured to drive the load to rotate around a second motor shaft, a second connection bracket with one end of the second connection bracket being connected to the second motor, a third motor connected to another end of the second connection bracket and configured to drive the load to rotate around a third motor shaft, a carrier structure fixedly connected to a rotor of the third motor and configured to carry the load, and a hinge structure hinged to the first motor and the first connection bracket. The first connection bracket is configured to rotate around a hinge joint of hinge structure to switch the handheld gimbal among a plurality including a folded state. The second motor, the third motor, and the hinge structure are arranged at a same side of the handle.
100, handheld gimbal; 110, handle; 111, handle body; 112, matching member; 121, first motor; 122, second motor; 123, third motor; 130, first connection bracket; 131, bracket body; 132, first curved surface; 133, second curved surface; 134, side portion; 140, second connection bracket; 150, carrier structure; 151, main body; 152, clamp member;
160, first hinge structure; 161, first hinge member; 1611, first connection hole; 162, second hinge member; 1621, second connection hole; 163, first shaft assembly; 1631, first lock mechanism; 16311, first limit hole; 16312, second elastic member; 16313, second limit hole; 16314, positioning member; 1632, first shaft; 1633, first lock member; 1634, second lock member; 1635, convex structure; 16351, highest point of convex; 16352, lowest point of convex; 1636, concave structure; 16361, lowest point of concave; 1637, first elastic member;
170, second hinge structure; 171, third hinge member; 1711, sub-hinge member; 172, fourth hinge member; 173, second shaft assembly; 180, accommodation space; 190, control assembly; 191, operation member;
200, load; 300, mobile phone; Y, first motor shaft; P, second motor shaft; R, third motor shaft.
Implementation manners of the present disclosure are described in detail. Embodiments of the described implementation manner are shown in drawings. The same or similar reference numerals indicate the same or similar elements or elements with the same or similar functions. The implementation manners described in conjunction with accompanying drawings are merely used to explain the present disclosure and should not be considered as a limitation to embodiments of the present disclosure.
In the description of embodiments of the present disclosure, orientational or positional relationship indicated by a term such as “center,” “longitudinal,” “transverse,” “length,” “width,” “thickness,” “up,” “down,” “front,” “back,” “left,” “right,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” “top,” “bottom,” “inner,” “outer,” “clockwise,” or “counterclockwise” is based on the orientational or positional relationship shown in the drawings, and is only used to facilitate the description of embodiments of the present disclosure and simplify the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation and be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, the terms should not be understood to limit embodiments of the present disclosure. In addition, the terms “first” and “second” are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood to indicate or imply relative importance or implicitly indicate the number of indicated technical features. Thus, a feature as associated with “first” and “second” may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the feature. In the description of embodiments of the present disclosure, the meaning of “plurality” is two or more, unless otherwise specified.
According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, a handheld gimbal 100 includes a handle 110 and a stabilization gimbal structure connected to the handle 110. The stabilization gimbal structure includes a first motor 121, a second motor 122, a third motor 123, connection brackets, and hinge structures. The stabilization gimbal structure may be detachably connected to the handle 110. The stabilization gimbal structure may also be detachably connected to another carrier, such as an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), a vehicle, or a ground remote control vehicle, etc. The stabilization gimbal structure may be quickly connected to the above-described carrier, such that the stabilization gimbal structure may be switched between different carriers. For example, the stabilization gimbal structure may be switched between the UAV and the handle 110, or the stabilization gimbal structure may be switched between the ground remote control vehicle and the handle 110.
The handheld gimbal 100 provided by embodiments of the present disclosure includes a folding function, so that the handheld gimbal 100 may be switched between an unfolded state (also referred to as a “use state”) and a folded state (also referred to as a “storage state”). When the handheld gimbal is switched from the unfolded state to the folded state, each motor may be switched from a power-on mode to the power-off mode. Oppositely, when the handheld gimbal is switched from the folded state to the unfolded state, each motor may be switched from a power-off mode to the power-on mode. For example, when the handheld gimbal is switched from the unfolded state to the folded state, two connection brackets start to rotate relative to each other. When an angle between the extension directions of the two connection brackets is smaller than a certain angle, at least one of a first motor 121, a second motor 122, or a third motor 123 is switched from the power-on mode to the power-off mode.
The angle between the extension directions of the two connection brackets being smaller than a certain angle can be that the angle is smaller than 90°, 80°, 70°, or 45°, which is not limited here.
In some embodiments, at least one of the first motor 121, the second motor 122, or the third motor 123 being switched from the power-on mode to the power-off mode can be that only the first motor 121, the second motor 122, or the third motor 123 is switched from the power-on mode to the power-off mode, that two of the three motors, such as the first motor 121 and the second motor 122, the first motor 121 and the third motor 123, or the second motor 122 and the third motor 123, are switched from the power-on mode to the power-off mode, or that all the three motors are switched from the power-on mode to the power-off mode.
Thus, when the handheld gimbal is switched from the unfolded state to the folded state, one or more of the motors are directly switched from the power-on mode to the power-off mode. Similarly, when the handheld gimbal is switched from the folded state to the unfolded state, one or more of the motors are directly switched from the power-off mode to the power-on mode. As such, not only battery power of the handheld gimbal can be saved, but also the convenient operation of the handheld gimbal for the user can be facilitated.
As shown in
In some embodiments, the load 200 may include one of an imaging device, a mobile terminal, or a sensor, etc. The imaging device may include a video camera, a camera, an ultrasound imaging device, an infrared (IR) imaging device, a camera lens, or other imaging devices. The mobile terminal may include a mobile phone, or a tablet, etc. The sensor may include an attitude sensor, such as an angle sensor, or an acceleration sensor, etc. In some embodiments, the imaging device may also include a mobile terminal, such as a mobile phone or a tablet computer with video recording and photographing functions, or another imaging device.
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In some embodiments, the carrier structure 150 may also include an imaging device, such as an imaging lens, or a camera with lens, etc. Take the imaging lens as an example, in some embodiments, the carrier structure 150 includes a movable part and a fixed part. The movable part and the fixed part are rotatably connected, as such, the movable part may be moved toward the fixed part or separated from the fixed part. The closure or the separation between the movable part and the fixed part may be implemented through a lock member, such as a snap-lock structure. The shape of the movable part and the fixed part match the imaging lens. When the movable part closes with the fixed part, the imaging lens may be locked to be fixed at the handheld gimbal 100. When the imaging lens needs to be removed, the lock member is operated to make the movable part separate from the fixed part, thereby loosening the imaging lens to facilitate the removal of the lens from the handheld gimbal 100. Further, the imaging lens may be a square lens, a circular lens, or an irregular shape lens, etc. In addition, the size and model of the imaging lens may also be selected according to the user's needs and is not limited here.
In some embodiments, the load 200 may swing around the first motor shaft Y, the second motor shaft P, and the third motor shaft R. As such, the handheld gimbal 100 may stabilize or control the attitude of the load 200 in three different axial directions, such that the load 200 may be maintained in better and more working states.
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In some embodiments, the first motor shaft Y and the second motor shaft P are approximately perpendicular to each other, and the first motor shaft Y and the third motor shaft R are approximately perpendicular to each other, which means that an angle between the two motor shafts is 85°˜95°. The angle between the second motor shaft P and the third motor shaft R is an acute angle, for example, 50°. In some embodiments, the first motor shaft Y, the second motor shaft P, and the third motor shaft R may be arranged to be in any other suitable arrangement according to an actual application scenario, for example, the first motor shaft Y is non-orthogonal to the second motor shaft P.
In some embodiments, when the handheld gimbal 100 is in the folded state, an axis of the second motor shaft P is approximately perpendicular to the handle body 111. In some embodiments, an axis of the second motor shaft P and the handle body 111 may be arranged in any other suitable arrangement, for example, the axis of the second motor shaft P is non-orthogonal to the handle body 111.
In the above-described embodiments, the first motor 121 may control the attitude of the load 200 in the yaw direction, the second motor 122 may control the attitude of the load 200 in the pitch direction, and the third motor 123 may control the attitude of the load 200 in the roll direction. Thus, the handheld gimbal 100 may realize three-axis stabilization and attitude control for the load 200, such that the load 200 may be maintained in a better attitude.
The first motor shaft Y, the second motor shaft P, and the third motor shaft R are actual shafts of the handheld gimbal 100. The dotted lines shown in
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To effectively reduce the overall volume of the handheld gimbal 100, when the handheld gimbal 100 is in the folded state, the relative positions of the second motor shaft P and the third motor shaft R may be arranged in any suitable arrangement, so as to facilitate the user to store and carry. As shown in
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In some embodiments, the first hinge member 161 extends outward from the side periphery of the first motor 121. Compared with scenarios in which the first hinge member 161 is arranged at other positions of the first motor 121, the above-described arrangement not only can allow the first hinge member 161 to cooperate with the second hinge member 162 to cause the first connection bracket 130 to rotate around the hinge point, but also can relatively reduce the overall volume of the handheld gimbal 100 in the folded state.
The first hinge member 161 and the second hinge member 162 may be arranged at any suitable position of the first shaft assembly 163, as long as the first hinge member 161, the second hinge member 162, and the first shaft assembly 163 can cooperate to realize the hinge connection of the first motor 121 and the first connection bracket 130. For example, the first hinge member 161 may be arranged at an end of the first shaft assembly 163, or the second hinge member 162 may be arranged at a middle of the first shaft assembly 163. As another example, the first hinge member 161 may be arranged at the middle of the first shaft assembly 163, and the second hinge member 162 may be arranged at the end of the first shaft assembly 163. As another example, the first hinge member 161 may be arranged at one end of the first shaft assembly 163, and the second hinge member 162 may be arranged at the other end of the first shaft assembly 163.
Any suitable number of the first hinge member 161 and the second hinge member 162 may be set according to actual needs. For example, the number of the first hinge member 161 is one and the number of the second hinge member 162 is two, and the two second hinge members 162 extend along the same end of the first connection bracket 130 at an interval. The two second hinge members 162 can be arranged at two ends of the first shaft assembly 163, respectively. The first hinge member 161 is arranged at a position at the middle or close to the middle of the first shaft assembly 163.
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The fourth hinge member 172 may extend outward from any suitable position on the outer periphery of the third motor 123, as long as the fourth hinge member 172 can be hinged with the third hinge member 171 and the second shaft assembly 173. For example, the fourth hinge member 172 extends outward from the side periphery of the third motor 123, and the fourth hinge member 172 corresponds to the position of the third hinge member 171 of the second connection bracket 140.
The third hinge member 171 and the fourth hinge member 172 may be arranged at any position of the second shaft assembly 173, as long as the third hinge member 171, the fourth hinge member 172, and the second shaft assembly 173 can cooperate to realize the hinge connection of the second connection bracket 140 and the third motor 123. For example, the third hinge member 171 may be arranged at an end of the second shaft assembly 173, and the fourth hinge member 172 may be arranged at a middle of the second shaft assembly 173. As another example, the third hinge member 171 may be arranged at the middle of the second shaft assembly 173, and the fourth hinge member 172 may be arranged at an end of the second shaft assembly 173. As another example, the third hinge member 171 may be arranged at one end of the second shaft assembly 173, and the fourth hinge member 172 may be arranged at the other end of the second shaft assembly 173.
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In some embodiments, a structure of the second shaft assembly may be any suitable structure, as long as the third hinge member 171, the fourth hinge member 172, and the second shaft assembly 173 can cooperate to realize the hinge connection between the second connection bracket 140 and the third motor 123. In some embodiment, the structure of the second shaft assembly 173 is approximately the same as the structure of the first shaft assembly 163.
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Two ends of the bracket body are connected to the first motor 121 and the second motor 122, respectively. In some embodiments, the bracket body 131 is approximately in a long-stripe shape. In some embodiments, the bracket body 131 may be in any suitable shape, such as an L shape.
The first curved surface 132 is arranged on one side of the bracket body 131. The second curved surface 133 and the first curved surface 132 are arranged on both sides of the bracket body 131. In some embodiments, the second curved surface 133 and the first curved surface 132 are oppositely arranged at both sides of the bracket body 131. Bending directions of the second curved surface 133 and the first curved surface 132 are about the same. In some embodiments, the bending directions of the second curved surface 133 and the first curved surface 132 may also be different, as long as the first curved surface 132 can match the matching member 112 of the handle 110 when the handheld gimbal 100 is in the folded state.
In some embodiment, when the handheld gimbal 100 is in the folded state, the first curved surface 132 partially abuts against the handle 110. When the handheld gimbal 100 is in the folded state, the first curved portion 132 partially abuts against the matching member 112 of the handle 110. In some embodiments, when the handheld gimbal 100 is in a folded state, the first curved surface 132 and the handle 110 are arranged at an interval.
In some embodiments, when the handheld gimbal 100 is in the folded state, the matching member 112 at least partially abuts against the first curved surface 132. In some embodiments, the matching member 112 and the first curved surface 132 may also be arranged at an interval.
In some embodiments, the first connection bracket 130 further includes a side portion 134. The side portion 134 is connected to the first curved surface 132 and the second curved surface 133. The width of the first connection bracket 130 is smaller than the clamping width of the carrier structure 150, as such, when the handheld gimbal 100 is in the folded state, the clamp member 152 can be arranged at the side of the first connection bracket 130. The main body 151 of the carrier structure 150 and the second curved surface 133 are arranged to each other (that is, arranged face to face), thereby reducing the overall volume of the handheld gimbal 100 after being folded.
In some embodiments, when the handheld gimbal 100 is in the folded state, the carrier structure 150 at least partially abuts against the second curved surface 133. The main body 151 of the carrier structure 150 partially abuts against the second curved surface 133. The main body 151 and the second curved surface 133 may be arranged at an interval. The clamp member 152 of the carrier structure 150 may partially abut against or arranged at an interval from the side portion 134 of the first connection bracket 130. The clamp member 152 of the carrier structure 150 may partially abut against or arranged at an interval from the matching member 112 of the handle 110.
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The second connection bracket 140 may be designed to have any suitable structure or shape. As shown in
In some embodiments, a connection part of the first hinge member 161 and the first motor 121, the connection part of the second hinge member 162 and the first connection bracket 130, the connection part of the first connection bracket 130 and the second motor 122, the connection part of the second connection bracket 140 and the second motor 122, the connection part of the second connection bracket 140 and the third hinge member 171, the connection part of the fourth hinge member 172 and the third motor 123, and the connection part of the carrier structure 150 and the third motor 123 may be an integrated structure. As such, the number of parts can be reduced, thereby facilitating assembly and improving the production efficiency of the handheld gimbal 100.
In some embodiments, the connection part of the first hinge member 161 and the first motor 121, the connection part of the second hinge member 162 and the first connection bracket 130, the connection part of the first connection bracket 130 and the second motor 122, the connection part of the second connection bracket 140 and the second motor 122, the connection part of the second connection bracket 140 and the third hinge member 171, the connection part of the fourth hinge member 172 and the third motor 123, and the connection part of the bearing structure 150 and the third motor 123 may also be molded separately.
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Users may input information through the operation member 191. The controller controls the handheld gimbal 100 according to the input information, thereby changing the attitude of the load 200. For example, when using the handheld gimbal 100, the user may input information through the operation member 191 to determine a preset attitude of the load 200, so as to cause the load 200 to achieve the preset effect. The operation member 191 may also execute control functions to control the load 200, such as starting or stopping the photographing and recording, turning photo page, playing videos or photos, etc., which is convenient for users to use, thereby improving user experience.
When the handheld gimbal in the unfolded state shown in
Referring to
For the handheld gimbal 100 provided by the above-described embodiments, the first motor 121 is hinged to the first connection bracket 130. When the handheld gimbal 100 is not in use, the first connection bracket 130 may be rotated around the hinge, so that the handheld gimbal 100 may be switched from the use state to the folded state. The first shaft assembly 163, the second motor 122, and the third motor 123 are arranged at the same side of the handle 110, thereby reducing the overall volume of the handheld gimbal 100. As such, the handheld gimbal 100 occupies a small space, which is convenient for user to carry and store. thereby improving the user experience.
In some embodiments, as shown in
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In some embodiments, the first lock mechanism 1631 may be any suitable lock structure, as long as the first lock mechanism can lock the relative rotation between the first connection bracket 130 and the first motor 121. For example, the first lock mechanism 1631 may include at least one of an inclined plane lock structure, an eccentric lock structure, a four-bar lock structure, or a buckle lock structure.
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For the above-described handheld gimbal 100, the first connection bracket 130 may rotate relative to the first motor 121 between the unfolded position and the folded position. For the first connection bracket 130, during the switching process from the unfolded state or the folded state to the other, the first lock member 1633 and the second lock member 1634 rotate relative to each other. During the movement, the second lock member 1634 moves along the axial direction of the first shaft 1632, compresses the first elastic member 1637, causes the first elastic member 1637 to be elastically deformed, and generates elastic force. When the first lock member 1633 and the second lock member 1634 rotate for a certain angle and reach a matching angle, under the elastic force of the first elastic member 1637, the first lock member 1633 and the second lock member 1634 may tightly match each other. Then, the elastic force of the first elastic member 1637 keeps the first connection bracket 130 in the unfolded or folded state. Therefore, the above-described handheld gimbal 100 does not need to be locked manually, and the first connection bracket 130 can be fixed by only rotating the first connection bracket 130 in the unfolded state and the folded state,
In some embodiments, the convex structure 1635 may include a plurality of protrusions (not shown), and the concave structure 1636 may include a plurality of grooves (not shown) that cooperate with the protrusions. A bottom wall of a groove is an arc-shaped inclined surface, and a protrusion includes a matching surface (not shown) that matches the arc-shaped inclined surface. The contact point of the first lock member 1633 and the second lock member 1634 rotates around the arc-shaped inclined surface or the matching surface. When the contact point of the first lock member 1633 and the second lock member 1634 is arranged at the highest point of the matching surface, the first connection bracket 130 is at a certain working state. When the contact point of the first lock member 1633 and the second lock member 1634 is arranged at the lowest point of the matching surface, the first connection bracket 130 is at another working state.
In some embodiments, the plurality of protrusions may be arranged at intervals along the circumferential direction of the first shaft 1632. In some embodiments, the plurality of protrusions is arranged at equal intervals along the circumferential direction of the first shaft 1632. The number of protrusions may be two, three, four, or more.
The above-described handheld gimbal 100 may be switched between the folded state and the unfolded state. When the handheld gimbal 100 is in the folded state, the handheld gimbal 100 has a compact structure and occupies a small space, which is convenient for user to carry, thereby effectively improving the portability of the handheld gimbal 100. In addition, the first lock mechanism 1631 of the first shaft assembly 163 and the lock mechanism of the second shaft assembly 173 may lock the handheld gimbal at the folded or unfolded state, thereby improving the reliability of the handheld gimbal 100.
Another example of the handheld gimbal 100 will be described below in connection with
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In some embodiments, the first limit hole 16311 is arranged at the first hinge member 161. The number of the first limit holes 16311 is two, and the two first limit holes 16311 are symmetrically arranged on the first hinge member 161 along the radial direction of the first shaft 1632. To facilitate manufacturing and improve the operability of the handheld gimbal 100, size and structure of the two first limit holes 16311 are approximately the same.
One end of the second elastic member 16312 abuts against the bottom wall of the first limit hole 16311, and the other end of the second elastic member 16312 abuts against the positioning member 16314. The second limit hole 16313 is arranged at the second hinge member 162 corresponding to the first limit hole 16311. The positioning member 16314 may be partially stored in the second limit hole 16313 under the action of the second elastic member 16312, thereby locking the relative rotation of a connection bracket 130 and the first motor 121. When the first connection bracket 130 rotates relative to the first motor 121 under the action of an external force, the positioning member 16314 may compress the second elastic member 16312, so that the positioning member 16314 may be separated from the second limit hole 16313, as such, the first connection bracket 130 and the first motor 121 may rotate relative to each other.
In some embodiments, the shape of the second limit hole 16313 and that of the positioning member 16314 may be any suitable shape, as long as they can cooperate to facilitate the positioning member 16314 to enter or leave the second limit hole 16313. For example, the shape of the positioning member 16314 may be spherical, and the second limit hole 16313 is a circular hole that matches the positioning member 16314. The number of the first lock mechanism 1631 may also be any suitable number, for example, one, two, or more. When the number of the first lock mechanism 1631 is more than one, the plurality of first lock mechanisms 1631 are arranged at intervals along the circumferential direction of the first shaft 1632 to further improve the reliability of the handheld gimbal 100.
The above-described handheld gimbal 100 may be switched between the folded state and the unfolded state. When the handheld gimbal 100 is in the folded state, the handheld gimbal 100 has a compact structure and occupies a small space, which is convenient for users to carry, thereby effectively improving the portability of the handheld gimbal 100. In addition, the first lock mechanism 1631 of the first shaft assembly 163 and the lock mechanism of the second shaft assembly 173 may lock the handheld gimbal 100 in the folded or unfolded state, thereby improving the reliability of the handheld gimbal 100.
In the description of the present disclosure, unless otherwise specified and defined, the terms “mount,” “connect,” or “connection” should be understood in a broad sense. For example, the connection may be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or in one piece. The connection may further be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection. The connection may be a direct connection, or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium. The connection may also be an internal communication between two components or an interaction relationship between two components. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present disclosure may be understood according to specific circumstances.
In embodiments of the present disclosure, unless otherwise specified and defined, a first feature being “above” or “below” a second feature may include the direct contact of the first and second features, or may include indirect contact of the first and second features through another feature therebetween. Moreover, a first feature being “above,” “on,” or “over” a second feature includes that the first feature is directly above or obliquely above the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is higher in level than the second feature. The first feature being “below,” “under,” or “beneath” a second feature includes that the first feature is directly under or obliquely under the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is lower in height than the second feature.
The present disclosure provides many various implementations or examples to implement different structures of embodiments of the present disclosure. To simplify embodiments of the present disclosure, components and settings of specific examples are described above. The description is merely exemplary and does not intend to limit embodiments of the present disclosure. Reference numerals and/or letters are repeated in different examples in embodiments of the present disclosure for simplicity and clarity, and do not indicate relationship among various implementations and/or settings. Embodiments of the present disclosure provide examples of various specific processes and materials, but those of ordinary skill in the art may be aware of application of other processes and/or use of other materials.
In this specification, description with the terms “one embodiment,” “certain embodiments,” “examples,” “specific examples,” or “some embodiments,” etc., means that specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in connection with embodiments or examples are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present disclosure. In the present disclosure, the schematic description of the above terms does not necessarily refer to a same embodiment or example. Moreover, the described specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in any one or more embodiments or examples.
Although implementation manners of the present disclosure are shown and described above. Those of ordinary skill in the art may understand that changes, modifications, replacements, and transformations can be made on above-described embodiments without departing from the principle and purpose of the present disclosure. The scope of the invention is defined by the claims and their equivalents.
This application is a continuation of International Application No. PCT/CN2019/088595, filed May 27, 2019, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | PCT/CN2019/088595 | May 2019 | US |
Child | 17455707 | US |