Apparatus for mounting a surveillance camera

• US 20100025554A1
• Filed: 07/30/2008
• Published: 02/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pelco Incorporated (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Pelco Incorporated (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Foreman, William L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,544,807 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 248/231.900
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/04 Recessed bases
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19619 Details of casing
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/20 Ceiling roses or other lighting sets
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings

Abstract

An apparatus for mounting a recessed electric fixture in a hole in a support surface having a front side and a back side, the electric fixture having a housing and a flange perpendicular to the housing with apertures adapted to receive a tightening member, the apparatus comprising a flexible member having first and second ends, a first spring clip attached to the first end of the flexible member, and a second spring clip attached to the second end of the flexible member, the first and second spring clips having a tightening section for receiving a tightening member, a surface-bearing section for bearing against the back side of the support surface, and a connecting section connecting the tightening section and the surface-bearing section, whereby when tightening members are inserted through the apertures in the flange and received in the threaded section of the first and second spring clips, pressure applied to the tightening members causes the flexible member to bend so that the first and second spring clips are moved inwardly towards the center of the housing so that the first and second spring clips and the flexible member can pass through the hole and whereby the flexible member unbends when the pressure on the tightening members is removed causing the first and spring clips to move outwardly away from the center of the housing so the surface-bearing section bears against the back side of the support surface to retain the electric fixture in the support surface hole.

Claims

1. An apparatus for mounting a recessed electric fixture in a hole in a support surface having a front side and a back side, the electric fixture having a housing and a flange perpendicular to the housing with apertures adapted to receive a tightening member, said apparatus comprising:

a flexible member having first and second ends;

a first spring clip attached to said first end of said flexible member; and

a second spring clip attached to said second end of said flexible member;

said first and second spring clips having a tightening section for receiving a tightening member, a surface-bearing section for bearing against the back side of the support surface, and a connecting section connecting the tightening section and the surface-bearing section, whereby when tightening members are inserted through the apertures in the flange and received in said threaded section of said first and second spring clips, pressure applied to the tightening members causes said flexible member to bend so that said first and second spring clips are moved inwardly towards the center of the housing so that said first and second spring clips and said flexible member can pass through the hole and whereby said flexible member unbends when the pressure on the tightening members is removed causing said first and spring clips to move outwardly away from the center of the housing so said surface-bearing section bears against the back side of the support surface to retain the electric fixture in the support surface hole.

2. An apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said flexible member prevents said first and second spring clips from rotating when a tightening member is tightened into said tightening section.

3. An apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said surface-bearing section of said first and second spring clips has a slot sized to accommodate the tightening member and to allow the position of said surface-bearing section in relation to the tightening member to be changed.

4. An apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said flexible member is connected to said first and second spring clips by only a single fastener and the surface of said first and second ends of said flexible member are positioned against the intersection of said connecting section and said surface-bearing section.

5. An apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the tightening member is threaded and said tightening section is threaded to mate with said tightening member and the tightening of the tightening member draws the flange towards the front side of the support surface and said surface-bearing section against the back side of the support surface.

6. A recessed surveillance camera for mounting in a hole in a support surface having a front side and a back side, said surveillance camera comprising:

a housing with an annular flange perpendicular to the housing portion, said flange having apertures for receiving tightening members; and

a mounting assembly comprising a flexible member having first and second ends, a first spring clip attached to said first end of said flexible member, and a second spring clip attached to said second end of said flexible member, said first and second spring clips having a tightening section for receiving a tightening member, a surface-bearing section for bearing against the back side of the support surface, and a connecting section connecting the tightening section and the surface-bearing section, whereby when tightening members are inserted through said apertures in said flange and received in said threaded section of said first and second spring clips, pressure applied to the tightening members causes said flexible member to bend so that said first and second spring clips are moved inwardly towards the center of said housing so that said mounting assembly can pass through the hole and whereby said flexible member unbends when the pressure on the tightening members is removed causing said first and second spring clips to move outwardly away from the center of said housing so said surface-bearing section bears against the back side of the support surface to retain said surveillance camera in the support surface hole.

7. A surveillance camera as recited in claim 6 wherein said flexible member prevents said first and second spring clips from rotating when a tightening member is tightened into said tightening section.

8. A surveillance camera as recited in claim 6 wherein said surface-bearing section of said first and second spring clips has a slot sized to accommodate the tightening member and to allow the position of said surface-bearing section in relation to the tightening member to be changed.

9. A surveillance camera as recited in claim 6 wherein said flexible member is connected to said first and second spring clips by only a single fastener and the surface of said first and second ends of said flexible member are positioned against the intersection of said connecting section and said surface-bearing section.

10. A surveillance camera as recited in claim 6 wherein the tightening member is threaded and said tightening section is threaded to mate with said tightening member and the tightening of the tightening member draws the flange towards the front side of the support surface and said surface-bearing section against the back side of the support surface.