HOLDING APPARATUS FOR A CAMERA LENS

• US 20090046201A1
• Filed: 08/14/2007
• Published: 02/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Shoppertrak RCT Corporation (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Shoppertrak RCT Corporation (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Gore, Michael, Kastilahn, William C.
• Application Number:
  US11/838,644
• Publication Number:
  US 20090046201A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/375
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/021 for more than one lens

Abstract

An apparatus for maintaining registration of a lens assembly in a consistent position over a sensor by positioning the sensor adjacent a sensor mount instead of a housing encompassing the lens assembly and sensor. The apparatus comprises a lens assembly having at least one predetermined focal center, and a lens barrel for holding the lens assembly. A holder adjustably supports the lens barrel, the holder having a base and a cylinder, with the lens barrel adjustably mounted in the cylinder. The base of the holder is attached to a support, such as a circuit board, whereby the focal center of the lens assembly is held in a predetermined aligned position relative to the sensor. In an embodiment, wall surfaces defining an opening in the base of the holder firmly engage the sidewalls of a ceramic sensor mount.

Claims

1. An apparatus for holding a lens assembly in a consistent position adjacent a sensor, the sensor mounted on a support and the lens assembly having at least one predetermined focal center, the apparatus comprising:

a lens barrel adapted to hold the lens assembly;

a holder adapted to adjustably support the lens barrel, the holder comprising a base and a cylinder, the cylinder orthogonally extending from said base, said base adapted to be fixedly attached to said support, said at least one focal center of said lens assembly being held in a predetermined aligned position relative to said sensor.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said lens barrel includes a threaded exterior surface and said cylinder includes a threaded interior surface, said threaded exterior surface of said lens barrel meshing with said threaded interior surface of said cylinder.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said support is a circuit board.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the sensor is a video sensor.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said video sensor is selected from the group consisting of a Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor and a Charged-Coupled Device.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the lens assembly comprises two lenses mounted in said lens barrel.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein an additional lens assembly holder comprising a base and a cylinder is adapted to be mounted to the support over an additional sensor, with the focal center of each lens assembly mounted in each holder being held in a predetermined aligned position relative to a respective sensor.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said base includes a light passage opening in the center of the base, and two flange portions on opposing sides adjacent the center of the base.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein walls in said base form said opening in said base, said walls having lead-in surfaces in portions of said walls.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said lead-in surfaces are beveled at a forty-five degree angle from the surface of said walls.

11. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein corners of said walls of said opening are each provided with carved-out positions.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said carved-out portions are circular in cross section.

13. An apparatus for holding a lens assembly in a consistent position adjacent a sensor, the lens assembly having at least one predetermined focal center, comprising:

a support surface,

a sensor mount attached to said support surface, said sensor mount having side walls extending away from said support surface;

the sensor mounted to said sensor mount;

a lens barrel adapted to hold said lens assembly;

a holder adapted to adjustably support the lens barrel, the holder comprising a base and a cylinder, the cylinder orthogonally extending from the base, an opening extending through the base, said opening in said base defined by wall surfaces extending away from said support surface;

the base adapted to be attached to said support surface;

said wall surfaces of said base snugly engaging said side walls of said sensor mount when said base is attached to said support surface;

said at least one predetermined focal center of said lens assembly held in a predetermined aligned position relative to said sensor.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the sensor mount is made of a ceramic material.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said lens assembly comprises two lenses, each lens having the same focal center.

16. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said lens barrel includes a threaded exterior surface and said cylinder comprises a threaded interior surface, said threaded exterior surface of said lens barrel meshing with said threaded interior surface of said cylinder.

17. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said wall surfaces of said base defining said opening have lead-in surfaces in portions of said wall surfaces.

18. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said sensor comprises a sensor chip attached to said sensor mount.

19. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said wall surfaces of said base are adapted to firmly engage said sidewalls of said sensor mount and retain the lens assembly in a predetermined fixed position relative to said sensor as said wall surfaces of said base create a pressure fit with said side walls of said sensor mount.

20. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein said lead-in surfaces assist the wall surfaces of said base to advance along said side walls of said sensor mount upon placement of said base adjacent said sensor mount.