Lens tilt mechanism for video teleconferencing unit

• US 5,436,654 A
• Filed: 02/07/1994
• Issued: 07/25/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Suarez, Aziel T., Boyd, Edward L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chan, Jason
• Application Number:
  US08/192,826
• Time in Patent Office: 533 Days
• Field of Search: 379/53, 379/54, 379/202, 348/13, 348/14, 348/15, 348/16, 348/17, 348/18, 348/19, 348/20, 348/143, 348/373, 348/375, 348/376, 354/74
• US Class Current: 348/14.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/142 Constructional details of the terminal equipment, e.g. arrangements of the camera and the display

Abstract

A video teleconferencing unit includes the lens assembly, the speaker, and the microphone in a single housing, and further includes a lens tilt mechanism wherein the lens is fixedly mounted to a bezel that is pivotally mounted on a front cover of said housing, such that rotation of the lens can be accomplished by rotating the bezel without having to move the housing.

Claims

1. A video teleconferencing unit comprising:

a housing;

a front cover mounted on said housing;

an opening formed in said front cover;

a bezel pivotally mounted in said opening for rotation about a horizontal axis and including a first indicated area and a second indicated area, each for pressing by a user and rotating said bezel;

a lens fixedly mounted on said bezel for rotation therewith;

a first plurality of apertures formed through said front cover at one side thereof adjacent said opening;

a second plurality of apertures formed through said front cover at another side thereof adjacent said opening;

a speaker mounted on said front cover at said first plurality apertures; and

a microphone mounted on said front cover at said second plurality of apertures.

2. A video teleconferencing unit as defined in claim 1, further comprising an upper flange and a lower flange mounted to said bezel wherein one of said upper flange and said lower flange contacts one of an upper surface or a lower surface of said front cover at an extreme point of rotation of said bezel.

3. A video teleconferencing unit as defined in claim 2, wherein said extreme point of rotation is 7.5°

from a normal position of said bezel.

4. A video teleconferencing unit as defined in claim 1, wherein said lens in mounted on said bezel at an angle of 7.5°

when said bezel is in a normal position.

5. A video teleconferencing unit as defined in claim 1, further comprising a left support shaft mounted on a left side of said bezel and a right support shaft mounted on a right side of said bezel for supporting said bezel on said front cover.

6. A video teleconferencing unit as defined in claim 5, further comprising a left receiving portion mounted on a left side of said opening and a right receiving portion mounted on a right side of said opening, wherein said left receiving portion is engageable with said left support shaft and said right receiving portion is engageable with said right support shaft, for supporting said bezel on said front cover.