摘要 |
An indexing mechanism may include a drive table, an indexing table, a control ring between the tables, and a cam follower. The cam includes lobes on an inner surface. A drive arm of the cam follower is coupled to the drive table and an end of an indexing arm of the cam follower rides over the lobes during use. A spring may be coupled between the drive table and the indexing table. As the drive table rotates continuously, the components serve to move the indexing table in a non-continuous movement, by which it stops for a period and then moves to the next stop, etc. A camera may take a still image at each stop position, and the images may be stitched together (e.g., through use of an onboard computer) to produce a panoramic image. A power supply may also be provided, so that the entire system may be self-contained.
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