Connect/disconnect mechanism for a surveillance camera head

• US 7,217,045 B2
• Filed: 01/03/2005
• Issued: 05/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bosch Security Systems Incorporated (Robert Bosch GmbH), Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Jones, Theodore L
• Primary Examiner(s): Perkey; W. B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Suthar; Rishi S.
• Application Number:
  US11/028,011
• Publication Number:
  US 20060147194A1
• Time in Patent Office: 862 Days
• Field of Search: 396/419, 396/427, 396/428, 348/143, 348373-376, 206/316.2
• US Class Current: 396/427
• 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: G08B 13/19632 Camera support structures, e.g. attachment means, poles
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings

Abstract

A surveillance camera assembly includes a mounting apparatus that is attachable to a mounting surface. A camera head assembly is secured to the mounting apparatus by moving the camera head assembly toward the mounting apparatus in a direction along an axis, and rotating the camera head assembly about the axis. The camera head assembly includes a camera head base for engaging the mounting apparatus. A camera head is coupled to the camera head base. The camera head is rotationally locked to the camera head base when the camera head base engages the mounting apparatus, and is rotatable relative to the camera head base after the camera head assembly has been rotated about the axis.

Claims

1. A surveillance camera assembly, comprising:

a mounting apparatus configured to be attached to a mounting surface;

a camera head assembly configured to be secured to said mounting apparatus by moving said camera head assembly toward said mounting apparatus in a direction along an axis, and rotating said camera head assembly about the axis, said camera head assembly including;

a camera head base configured to engage said mounting apparatus; and

a camera head coupled to said camera head base, said camera head being configured to be;

rotationally locked to said camera head base when said camera head base engages said mounting apparatus; and

rotatable relative to said camera head base after said camera head assembly has been rotated about the axis.

2. The camera assembly of claim 1 wherein said camera head base is configured to engage said mounting apparatus before said camera head assembly is rotated about the axis.

3. The camera assembly of claim 1 wherein said camera head base includes a bayonet catch configured to engage said mounting apparatus during the rotating of said camera head assembly.

4. The camera assembly of claim 1 wherein said camera head includes a covert liner.

5. The camera assembly of claim 1 wherein said camera head includes a pan plate having a plurality of ribs extending parallel to the axis, said camera head base including a locking element configured to be biased against said ribs when said camera head base engages said mounting apparatus to thereby rotationally lock said camera head to said camera head base.

6. The camera assembly of claim 5 wherein said camera head base includes a radially outwardly projecting cam, said mounting apparatus including a ridge configured to bias said cam in a radially inward direction to thereby rotationally lock said camera head base to said camera head.

7. The camera assembly of claim 6 wherein said camera head is rotatable relative to said camera head base after said cam has been rotated past said ridge.

8. The camera assembly of claim 6 wherein said camera head base includes a manual actuator configured for manually rotationally locking said camera head base to said camera head after said cam has been rotated past said ridge.

9. A surveillance camera assembly, comprising:

a mounting apparatus configured to be attached to a mounting surface;

a camera head assembly configured to be secured to said mounting apparatus via rotation of said camera head assembly from a first position to a second position about a longitudinal axis, said camera head assembly including;

a camera head base configured to engage said mounting apparatus, said camera head base including a first rotational locking element; and

a camera head coupled to said camera head base, said camera head including a second rotational locking element, wherein said first and second rotational locking elements are biased together by said mounting apparatus when said camera head assembly is in the first position and substantially throughout the rotation of said camera head assembly, and said first and second rotational locking elements are disengaged from each other when said camera head assembly reaches the second position.

10. The camera assembly of claim 9 wherein said camera head base is configured to engage said mounting apparatus before said rotation of said camera head assembly.

11. The camera assembly of claim 9 wherein said camera head base includes a bayonet catch configured to engage said mounting apparatus during the rotation of said camera head assembly.

12. The camera assembly of claim 9 wherein said camera head includes a covert liner.

13. The camera assembly of claim 9 wherein said camera head includes a pan plate, said second rotational locking element comprising a plurality of ribs on said pan plate, said ribs extending parallel to the axis, said first rotational locking element being configured to be biased against said ribs when said camera head base engages said mounting apparatus to thereby rotationally lock said camera head to said camera head base.

14. The camera assembly of claim 13 wherein said camera head base includes a radially outwardly projecting cam, said mounting apparatus including a ridge configured to bias said cam in a radially inward direction to thereby bias said first rotational locking element against said ribs.

15. The camera assembly of claim 14 wherein said camera head is rotatable relative to said camera head base after said cam has been rotated past said ridge.

16. The camera assembly of claim 14 wherein said camera head base includes a manual actuator configured for manually biasing said first rotational locking element against said ribs after said cam has been rotated past said ridge.

17. A method of arranging a surveillance camera assembly, said method comprising:

providing a mounting apparatus;

forming a camera head assembly by coupling a camera head to a camera head base, said camera head base including a first locking element, said camera head including a second locking element;

pressing said camera head assembly and said mounting apparatus together such that said first and second locking elements are biased together by said mounting apparatus, thereby rotationally locking said camera head and said camera head base together;

gripping and rotating said camera head such that both said camera head and said camera head base rotate relative to said mounting apparatus; and

allowing said first and second locking elements to disengage from one another when said camera head assembly reaches a predetermined rotational position wherein said camera head assembly is secured to said mounting apparatus.

18. The method of claim 17 comprising the further step of attaching said mounting apparatus to a mounting surface.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein said camera head is freely rotatable relative to said camera head base and said mounting apparatus after said allowing step.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein said pressing step includes said camera head base engaging said mounting apparatus before said rotating of said camera head.

21. The method of claim 17 wherein said camera head base includes a bayonet catch, said gripping and rotating step including said bayonet catch engaging said mounting apparatus.

22. The method of claim 17 wherein said camera head includes a covert liner, said gripping and rotating step including gripping and rotating said covert liner.

23. The method of claim 17 wherein said camera head includes a pan plate, said second locking element comprising a plurality of ribs on said pan plate, said ribs extending parallel to the axis, said pressing step including biasing said first locking element against said ribs.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein said camera head base includes a radially outwardly projecting cam, said mounting apparatus including a ridge, said pressing step including said ridge biasing said cam in a radially inward direction to thereby bias said first locking element against said ribs.

25. The method of claim 24 comprising the further step of rotating said camera head relative to said camera head base after said camera head assembly has reached said predetermined rotational position, said cam having been rotated past said ridge when said camera head assembly has reached said predetermined rotational position.

26. The method of claim 24 wherein said camera head base includes a manual actuator, said method comprising the further steps of:

using said manual actuator to manually bias said first and second locking elements together after said cam has been rotated past said ridge; and

gripping and rotating said camera head in a direction opposite to the direction of rotating of the first gripping and rotating step, the second gripping and rotating step including rotating both said camera head and said camera head base relative to said mounting apparatus, the second gripping and rotating step including decoupling said camera head assembly from said mounting apparatus.

27. The method of claim 17 wherein said gripping and rotating step includes securing said camera head assembly to said mounting apparatus.