Camera mounting plate and lock

• US 6,033,129 A
• Filed: 07/21/1998
• Issued: 03/07/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Linear LLC (Melrose Industries Plc), Schumaker Lighting, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Multiplex Technology, Inc. (Melrose Industries Plc)
• Inventors: Foye, Richard T.
• Primary Examiner(s): BLANKENSHIP, HOWARD BENNETT
• Application Number:
  US09/120,390
• Time in Patent Office: 595 Days
• Field of Search: 396/419, 396/427, 348/143, 348/151
• US Class Current: 396/427
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/02 for supporting on, or attaching to, an object, e.g. tree, gate, window-frame, cycle
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/028 by positive interaction, e.g. male-female connections

Abstract

A mounting plate and locking key are arranged to mount a camera lens housing to a faceplate. The lens housing extends through a hole in the mounting plate so that an end of the lens housing is aligned with a hole in the faceplate. The mounting plate is a thin, elongate rectangle having a raised central portion and a pair of support members extending in opposite directions therefrom. The locking key is a thin elongate rectangle having a generally U-shaped opening formed in one end. The locking key is inserted between the faceplate and the raised central portion of the mounting plate. The U-shaped opening is then in alignment with the hole in the mounting plate so that edges of the U-shaped opening are engaged with the lens housing. Fastening apparatus retains the lens housing within the central passage of the mounting key by pressing the mounting plate against the faceplate, which holds the mounting plate against the locking key to retain the locking key in engagement with the lens housing and compresses the outer end of the lens housing against the faceplate at the edges of the faceplate opening.

Claims

1. Apparatus for mounting a camera having a lens housing formed as a stepped cylinder to a faceplate having a faceplate opening arranged for alignment with the lens housing, comprising:

a mounting plate formed generally as a thin, elongate rectangle having a raised central portion and a pair of support members extending in opposite directions from the raised central portion, the raised central portion having a central passage therein formed so that an outer end of the lens housing may be arranged to extend therethrough;

a locking key formed generally as a thin elongate rectangle having a generally U-shaped opening formed in one end thereof, the locking key being formed so that it may be inserted between the faceplate and the raised central portion of the mounting plate with the U-shaped opening in alignment with the central passage in the mounting plate with edges of the U-shaped opening being engaged with a shoulder formed in the lens housing at the intersection of a narrowed diameter portion of the lens housing with a larger diameter portion; and

fastening apparatus for retaining the lens housing within the central passage of the mounting key by pressing the mounting plate against the faceplate to hold mounting plate against the locking key to retain the locking key in engagement with the shoulder of the lens housing and compress an outer end of the lens housing against the faceplate at the edges of the faceplate opening.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a locking projection extending from the raised central portion of the mounting plate and a locking hole formed in the locking plate, the locking projection and the locking hole being arranged so that the locking projection extends into the locking hole when the locking plate is arranged to retain the lens housing in the central passage of the mounting plate.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the fastening apparatus includes an elongate opening in one of the support members of the mounting plate and a nut and bolt combination arranged so that the mounting plate may move lengthwise relative to the faceplate as the nut is tightened on the bolt to move the raised central portion of the mounting plate toward the faceplate.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the mounting plate includes a bracket that extends outwardly from one of the support members to provide apparatus for mounting electrical circuitry associated with the camera to the mounting plate.