Movable camera apparatus with a pan head

• US 6,793,414 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2001
• Issued: 09/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Akada, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Gray, David M.
• Application Number:
  US09/820,699
• Publication Number:
  US 20010055487A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,271 Days
• Field of Search: 396/427, 396/428, 396/50, 396/542, 352/243, 348/143, 348/144-161
• US Class Current: 396/427
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/00 Details of cameras or camera bodies; Accessories therefor lens hoods or caps G03B11/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/50 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/695 Control of camera direction for changing a field of view, e.g. pan, tilt or based on tracking of objects

Abstract

A movable camera apparatus including a camera unit and a pan head which has a movable portion and a fixed portion includes first and second support portions erected from the movable portion for supporting the camera unit from the opposite sides thereof for tilt rotation, a first circuit board disposed in the camera unit, a second circuit board disposed on the fixed portion, and a connecting member for connecting the first and second circuit boards together. The center of gravity of the camera unit is disposed near the center line of the tilt rotation, and tilt rotation driving means is provided on the first support portion, and the connecting member is disposed on the second support portion.

Claims

1. A movable camera apparatus comprising:

a camera unit;

a pan head comprising a movable portion and a fixed portion;

first and second support portions, provided on said movable portion of said pan head, that tilt-rotatably-support said camera unit at opposing sides of said camera unit;

a first circuit board, disposed in the second support portion side of said camera unit, that outputs an image signal from said camera unit;

a second circuit board, disposed in said fixed portion of said pan head, for receiving the image signal;

a drive unit, disposed in said first support portion, that drives said camera unit in a tilt rotation direction; and

a connecting member, disposed in said second support portion, that electrically connects said first and second circuit boards together, and transmits the image signal from said first circuit board to said second circuit board.

2. A movable camera apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said connecting member includes a flexible flat cable.

3. A movable camera apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

two case members,

wherein said first and second support portions provide an opening portion in the outer side thereof, and said two case members are mountable on said opening portion for covering said opening portion.