MONITOR CAMERA

• US 20100225802A1
• Filed: 01/31/2007
• Published: 09/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Koji
• Granted Patent: US 7,990,468 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/373
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/126 for tilting and panning F16M11/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/18 with mechanism for moving the apparatus relatively to the stand
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/02 for supporting on, or attaching to, an object, e.g. tree, gate, window-frame, cycle
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/561 Support related camera accessories
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19619 Details of casing
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1963 Arrangements allowing camera rotation to change view, e.g. pivoting camera, pan-tilt and zoom [PTZ]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings

Abstract

The monitor camera (9) comprises a pedestal (1) to be attached to a mounting surface, an imaging device (7) rotatably attached so as to be rotatable around the central axis L of the pedestal (1), and a dome-type cover (3) having a window (30) and being rotatably attached to the pedestal (1) so as to cover the imaging device (7). The dome-type cover (3) includes an inner cover (5) having an open window (50) in the position corresponding to the window (30) and an outer cover (4) placed over the inner cover (5). The outer cover (4) and the inner cover (5) have an engagement part (6) at which both the covers (4) and (5) are engaged by a specific manual operation of the outer cover (4).

Claims

1. A monitor camera comprising a pedestal to be attached to a mounting surface, an imaging device rotatably attached so as to be rotatable around the central axis L of the pedestal, and a dome-type cover having a window and being rotatably attached to the pedestal so as to cover the imaging device, the dome-type cover comprising an inner cover having an open window in a position corresponding to the window and an outer cover placed over the inner cover,

wherein the outer cover and the inner cover have an engagement part at which the both covers and can be engaged by a specific manual operation of the outer cover, and when the both covers and are in engagement, by rotating the outer cover, the inner cover is rotated concurrently and the open window of the inner cover is arranged to be in the direction of shooting of the imaging device.

2. The monitor camera according to claim 1, wherein the engagement part has a one-way clutch mechanism and enables the inner cover and the outer cover to rotate in an integrated manner only in response to the outer cover being rotated in one direction.

3. The monitor camera according to claim 1, wherein the engagement part is composed of a row of ratchet teeth provided along an opening of the outer cover and ratchet lugs provided on the inner cover that can hold on to the row of ratchet teeth, and the row of ratchet teeth and the ratchet lugs can be engaged by pushing the outer cover toward the inner cover.

4. The monitor camera according to claim 1, wherein the engagement part has a one-way clutch mechanism, and when the outer cover is pushed toward the pedestal, the inner cover and the outer cover engage, and when the outer cover is then rotated in the counterclockwise direction, the inner cover can be rotated together.

5. The monitor camera according to claim 1,

wherein the inner cover is rotatably attached to the pedestal, the outer cover is rotatably and vertically movably attached to the pedestal, the outer cover is urged in the direction of popping out of the pedestal by resilient members located between the outer cover and the inner cover,

the engagement part is composed of the row of ratchet teeth disposed along the edge of the opening of the outer cover and the ratchet lugs disposed on the outer circumferential surface of the inner cover,

when the outer cover is pushed against the resilient members, the row of ratchet teeth and the ratchet lugs engage, and when the force applied to the outer cover is then removed, the row of ratchet teeth and the ratchet lugs disengage.

6. The monitor camera according to claim 1,

wherein the pedestal has an installation opening on its underside, disposed on the installation opening are an inward-facing flange, resilient members located lower than the inward-facing flange, and retaining members located lower than the resilient members,

disposed along the edge of the opening of the outer cover is an outward-facing flange that is sandwiched between the inward-facing flange and the retaining members of the pedestal, is urged by the resilient members and is in contact with the retaining members,

alternately disposed along the edge of the opening of the inner cover in the circumferential direction are inward-hooking lugs and outward-hooking lugs that rotatably retain the inner cover on the pedestal with the inward-facing flange of the pedestal being sandwiched therebetween,

the engagement part is composed of the row of ratchet teeth disposed along the edge of the opening of the outer cover and the ratchet lugs disposed on the outer circumferential surface of the inner cover.

7. The monitor camera according to claim 6,

wherein the retaining members disposed on the pedestal are elastically deformable, allow entry of the outward-facing flange of the outer cover into the side where the outer cover is push-fitted and prevent the outward-facing flange from dislocating once the outer cover has entered,

the outward-hooking lugs of the inner cover are elastically deformable, allow the inner cover to be push-fitted outward from the inside of the pedestal against the inward-facing flange of the installation opening of the pedestal, and once the inner cover has been push-fitted, prevents upward dislocation by holding on to the aforementioned inward-facing flange, and grooves are disposed on the inward-facing flange through which the ratchet lugs can pass.