Inertial stabilization system

Claim 1

In an image motion compensator for an optical system having an objective supported within a housing subject to random angular motion with respect to the optical axis, a high and low frequency inertial stabilizer comprising: a. means for angularly decoupling the objective from the housing about mutually perpendicular axes transverse to the optical axis and defining a pivot longitudinally spaced from the objective, b. a first magnetic member rotatably supported coaxially with respect to the optical axis and arranged on the opposite side of the pivot from the objective in counterbalancing disposition therewith, c. a second magnetic member rotatably supported on an axis fixed with respect to the housing and in spaced-apart, magneticallycoupled disposition with respect to said first magnetic member such that rotation of said second magnetic member produces corresponding rotation of said first magnetic member, d. drive means for rotating said second magnetic member so that the axis of rotation thereof is coextensive with the optical axis in the absence of angular displacement of the housing relative to the optical axis, and e. an electrically conductive member rotatable with said first magnetic member in detached disposition with respect to said second magnetic member and including a surface traversed by the magnetic field thereof, whereby gyroscopic precession forces produced by said first magnetic member as a result of angular displacement of the housing are counteracted by restorative precessional forces produced in said electrically conductive member by eddy currents generated therein when a relative difference in surface velocities exists between said electrically conductive member and said second magnetic member as a consequence of axial misalignment caused by such angular displacement.