Pinhole video camera

• US 6,335,759 B1
• Filed: 10/30/1997
• Issued: 01/01/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nobuo Harada
• Original Assignee: Nobuo Harada
• Inventors: Harada, Nobuo
• Primary Examiner(s): CHRISTENSEN, ANDREW BRUCE
• Application Number:
  US08/961,159
• Time in Patent Office: 1,524 Days
• Field of Search: 348/335-342, 348/373-376, 348/82-83, 359/709, 359/811-815, 359/819, 257/432-434
• US Class Current: 348/373
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/50 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/55 Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof

Abstract

A pinhole camera in which a conical lens with an apical angle of 91.13° to 91.15° is used to correct the fisheye characteristics, and ⅓-inch fixed charged coupled device and a pinhole with a diameter of 0.8 mm are adopted to obtain clear image of a subject in an range from a point closely adjacent to the camera to a point far from the camera with strong contrast. The pinhole video camera comprising: a printed circuit board to which ⅓-inch fixed coupled charged device is attached; a holder fixed so as to cover a front surface of the coupled charged device of the printed circuit board; a lens holder having a pinhole with a diameter of 0.8 mm; a conical convex lens with an apical angle of 91.13° to 91.15°, the conical convex lens fixed on a rear face side of the pinhole of the lens holder.

Claims

1. A pinhole video camera comprising:

a printed circuit board to which ⅓

-inch fixed coupled charged device is attached;

a holder fixed so as to cover a front surface of said coupled charged device of the printed circuit board;

a lens holder having a pinhole with a diameter of 0.8 mm;

a conical convex lens with an apical angle of 91.13°

to 91.15°

, said conical convex lens fixed on a rear face side of said pinhole of the lens holder.

2. The pinhole video camera as claimed in claim 1, wherein said lens holder is movable in relation to said holder in a direction of a thickness of the fixed coupled charged device.

3. The pinhole video camera as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a coaxial cable, said coaxial cable comprising:

a central conductor;

a first cylindrical screened conductor disposed outside of said central conductor through an insulating body;

a second cylindrical screened conductor disposed outside of said first cylindrical screened conductor through an insulating body; and

an outer covering covering an outer periphery of the second screened conductor,

wherein said first and second cylindrical screened conductors are used for supplying current to drive said pinhole video camera.

4. The pinhole video camera as claimed in claim 3, wherein said first and second cylindrical screened conductor comprising aluminum foil and a metal knit conductor covering said aluminum foil.

5. The pinhole video camera as claimed in claim 3, further comprising a connector for connecting said coaxial cable to said pinhole video camera, said connector comprising a plug connected to an end of said coaxial cable and a plug receptacle fixed to said pinhole video camera,

said plug comprising:

a pin-shaped central contact connected to the central conductor of said coaxial cable;

a cylindrical outer contact disposed outside of the pin-shaped central contact in such a manner as to cover the pin-shaped central contact through an insulating body, said cylindrical outer contact being connected to the first cylindrical screened conductor of said coaxial cable; and

a cylindrical housing disposed outside of the cylindrical outer contact in such a manner as to cover the cylindrical outer contact through an insulating body, and the cylindrical housing being connected to the second cylindrical screened conductor of said coaxial cable,

said plug receptacle comprising;

a cylindrical housing with a flange at an axially intermediate portion thereof on an outer periphery thereof, a portion of said cylindrical housing on a side opposite to a side that the plug is connected with the flange in between machined to be a screw, a nut engaged with said screw, said cylindrical housing inserted into and engaged with said cylindrical housing of the plug;

a central contact formed on a central portion in said cylindrical housing, said central contact having an insertion portion of said pin-shaped central contact of the plug on a side thereof, the other side of said central contact projecting from one side of the cylindrical housing;

a contact disposed so as to cover said central contact in the cylindrical housing through an insulating body, said contact connected to a cylindrical contact which is engaged with the cylindrical outer contact of the plug, the contact projecting from one side of the cylindrical housing; and

a contact connected to the cylindrical housing through a conductor, said contact projecting in parallel with the central contact from one side of the cylindrical housing.