US 6,268,882 B1
`(10) Patent N0.:
`(12) Unlted States Patent
`
`Elberbaum
`(45) Date of Patent:
`Jul. 31, 2001
`
`USOO6268882B1
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`(54) DOME SHAPED CAMERA WITH
`SIMPLIFIED CONSTRUCTION AND
`POSITIONING
`
`(75)
`
`Inventor: David Elberballm, Tokyo (JP)
`
`5,852,754 * 12/1998 Schneider ........................... .. 396/427
`* Cited b
`examiner
`
`y
`Primary Examiner—Vu Le
`(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Helfgott & Karas, PC.
`
`(73) Assignee: Elbex Video Ltd., Tokyo (JP)
`
`(57)
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`ABSTRACT
`
`( * ) Notice:
`
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days.
`
`(21) Appl. No.: 09/224,473
`
`(22)
`
`Filed:
`
`Dec 31, 1998
`
`Int. Cl.7 ..................................................... ..
`(52) US. Cl.
`........................................... .. 348/151; 348/143
`(58) Field of Search ................................... .. 348/143, 151,
`348/152
`
`(56)
`
`References Cited
`Us. PATENT DOCUMENTS
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`A television camera apparatus for surveillance applications
`includes a television camera having a base plate to be
`attached to a supporting structure, a camera holder fixed to
`the base plate and a camera body protruding from the camera
`holder. The camera body includes two antipodal segments
`spaced from each other and fixedly attached to the camera
`holder and having chord planes facing to and parallel to each
`other and a central segment disposed between the antipodal
`segments and having a shape of an arcuated drum having
`two sides parallel to each other and a thickness slightly
`smaller than the distance between the chord planes of the
`two antipodal segments facing each other. The central seg-
`ment houses a picture pickup element, a lens and a lens pane
`which has a curvature surface of a diameter equal to that of
`the central segment so that the telev1s10n camera looks like
`a dome-shaped television camera.
`
`5,153,623 * 10/1992 Bouvier .............................. .. 396/427
`5,818,519 * 10/1998 Wren .................................. .. 348/151
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`46 Claims, 31 Drawing Sheets
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`38 Snap Hook
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`3A Holder Hook
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`Snap lock
`rceptacle
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`FIG. 1A
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`3A Holder Hook
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`US 6,268,882 B1
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`1
`DOME SHAPED CAMERA WITH
`SIMPLIFIED CONSTRUCTION AND
`POSITIONING
`
`FIELD OF THE INVENTION
`
`This invention relates to a television camera apparatus
`used for surveillance applications.
`
`DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
`
`Surveillance television cameras are commonly mounted
`onto a wall, pole, ceiling or other fixed base positions by
`using an extended arm, known as a camera mount. The
`extended arm or the camera mount includes a swivel joint
`which permits the positioning of the horizontal and vertical
`axis of the camera in order to direct the camera lens toward
`its intended observation end. Other surveillance cameras are
`
`mounted onto a remotely controlled positioning device such
`as pan-tilt heads consisting of a fixed body which is attached
`to a wall, pole or ceiling and a movable body to which a
`television camera is attached. The remotely controlled pan-
`tilt head employs motors and power transmission assemblies
`consisting of gears or rollers or belts and pulleys or chains
`and the like and such pan-tilt heads are generally constructed
`so that the television cameras rotate angularly about their
`vertical and horizontal axes. In many cases the television
`cameras are covered by a housing which is bulky and as a
`result the entire camera assembly, be it remotely controlled
`or fixedly positioned, becomes large and heavy and this is
`very disturbing to the architecture of buildings and interiors.
`Some well-known dome housing for television cameras
`and and/or television cameras mounted inside dome enclo-
`sure are commonly used for concealing the camera and
`diminishing the damage to the building architecture or the
`interiors. However, such dome-shaped housing and enclo-
`sure made of plastic materials are difficult to manufacture
`with a perfect optical clearance, and therefore such domes
`cause optical distortions and introduce other optical imper-
`fections into the optical path of the television camera lens.
`Other well-known television cameras are fixedly mounted
`inside a housing having dome-shaped covers and/or dome-
`shaped enclosures in which the lens faces a portion of the
`dome which has a good optical clearance. Such dome-
`shaped television cameras are re-positioned by rotating the
`entire dome along with the television camera and thereby
`ensuring that the television camera lens remains positioned
`against the same clear optical path or portion of the dome.
`However, even such rotating domes do not provide a perfect
`clear optical path and moreover, such domes rotating with
`the television cameras are complicated in their structure.
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`It is an object of the present invention to provide televi-
`sion cameras that can be concealed and that are enclosed in
`
`a dome shaped enclosure having a perfect and clear optical
`path and which can be fixedly positioned to observe a given
`scene, or remotely controlled to reposition the television
`camera lens by angularly rotating the dome structure about
`its horizontal and vertical axes for observing different
`scenes.
`
`invention is to mount
`Another object of the present
`television cameras that are enclosed in a dome shaped case
`so as to be concealed when mounted on wall or other vertical
`surfaces or recessed inside a wall or other vertical structure.
`
`Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a
`direct drive pan and tilt motors for remotely positioning the
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`pan and tilt axes of a television camera enclosed in a dome
`shaped enclosure having a perfect and clear optical path. A
`direct drive positioning device incorporating a slip ring
`assembly in the central shaft of the motor is disclosed in US.
`patent application Ser. No. 09/112,120 filed Jul. 8, 1998.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`The foregoing and other objects and features of the
`present invention will become apparent from the following
`description of preferred embodiments of the invention with
`reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
`FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a remotely repositioned
`television camera enclosed in a dome shaped case of the
`preferred embodiment;
`FIG. 1B is an exploded perspective view of the major
`parts of the camera of FIG. 1A;
`FIGS. 2A and 2B show an exploded perspective view of
`the camera body shown in FIG. 1A of the preferred embodi-
`ment of the invention;
`FIG. 3A is a perspective view of a fixedly positioned
`television camera enclosed in a dome shaped case of another
`preferred embodiment of the invention;
`FIG. 3B is an exploded perspective view along axis V—V
`of FIG. 3A;
`FIG. 3C is a partion exploded perspective view on axis
`H—H of FIG. 3A;
`FIGS. 4A and 4B are a perspective view and an exploded
`view, respectively, of a center segment of the dome which
`incorporates the lens of the camera of the preferred embodi-
`ment of the invention;
`FIG. 5 shows a perspective view and an exploded view of
`a wall mounted camera body shown in FIG. 1A;
`FIG. 5A shows another perspective view and an exploded
`view of a wall mounted camera body shown in FIG. 1A;
`FIG. 5B shows yet another perspective view and an
`exploded view of a wall mounted camera body shown in
`FIG. 1A;
`FIG. 6 shows a perspective view and an exploded view of
`a wall mounted fixedly positioned television camera shown
`in FIG. 3A;
`FIG. 6A shows a perspective view and an exploded view
`an embodiment of a wall mounted fixedly positioned tele-
`vision camera shown in FIG. 3A;
`FIG. 6B shows a perspective view and an exploded view
`of another of embodiment of a wall mounted fixedly posi-
`tioned television camera shown in FIG. 3A;
`FIGS. 7A and 7B show a perspective view and an
`exploded view, respectively of a drop ceiling mounted
`camera shown in FIG. 1A;
`FIG. 8 shows a perspective view of an outdoor mounted
`camera body shown in FIG. 1A;
`FIG. 8A shows an exploded perspective view of a modi-
`fied camera body of FIG. 1A sealed for outdoor installation;
`FIG. 9 shows an exploded perspective view of an embodi-
`ment of the camera body shown in FIG. 8A enclosed into an
`outdoor cover and supported by a pipe;
`FIG. 9B is an exploded perspective view of a flange
`assembly of the camera body of FIG. 9A;
`FIG. 9C shows connections between the camera body, the
`pipe and the flange assembly of FIG. 9A;
`FIGS. 10A—10C show exploded perspective views of a
`modified camera body shown in FIG. 3, enclosed in an
`outdoor cover and supported by a pipe;
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`FIGS. 11A—11C show another perspective view and
`exploded view of the camera body shown in FIG. 10,
`enclosed in an outdoor cover and supported by a pipe;
`FIGS. 12(a—e) respectively show perspective views of
`different dome-shaped covers for covering the cameras of
`FIG. 1, FIG. 7, FIG. 8, FIG. 9 and FIG. 10;
`FIG. 13 shows in detail a sealing between a camera holder
`and a camera body of FIG. 8A;
`FIG. 14 shows a perspective exploded view of an outdoor
`mounted camera body of FIG. 8; and
`FIG. 14A shows in detail a cable inlet of an outdoor base
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`plate shown in FIG. 8.
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`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED
`EMBODIMENTS
`
`A television camera apparatus 1 shown in FIGS. 1A and
`1B looks like a well-known dome shaped camera enclosure
`used in surveillance systems comprising a portion having a
`transparent or semitransparent dome. The television camera
`1 comprises a base plate 3 which is fixedly attached to a
`ceiling or a shelf or any other horizontal plane and contains
`electrical contacts 4A for propagating power, control, video
`and other signals to a matching set of electrical contacts 4B
`of the camera holder 5 and a pair of holder hooks 3A for
`locking the camera holder 5 into the base plate 3.
`The camera holder 5 is fixedly attached to the rotor of the
`motor 7D of the camera body 7 shown in FIG. 2, and as will
`be explained later this allows the camera body 7 to rotate
`freely around its horizontal axis H inside the camera holder
`5. The lower section of the camera body 7 protruding from
`the camera holder 5 is an elongated dome shaped enclosure;
`therefore when a cover 9 is locked onto the base 3 through
`snap hooks 3B and a snap hook receptacle 9B it covers the
`base plate 3, the camera holder 5 and a portion of the camera
`body 7; thereby the television camera 1 looks like a well-
`known dome shaped television camera. FIGS. 1A and 1B
`enhance the camera sections and segments as well as its lens
`pane, however the camera body can be tinted in a darker
`gray level or in any tint that matches the lens pane tint,
`thereby the segmented lines and the lens pane are indiscern-
`ible.
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`The camera holder 5 shown in FIG. 2 comprises a set of
`electrical contacts 4B, a set of protruding convexes 5A to
`which the holder hooks 3A are locked when the camera
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`holder 5 is attached to the base plate 3 shown in FIG. 1B and
`dual arms 5D for permanently bolting the camera holder 5
`onto the studs 3C of the base plate 3.
`The camera body 7 consists of an upper base 7B and an
`upper base cover 7A, a panning motor 7D and a slip ring
`assembly 7C. The slip ring assembly 7C is mounted inside
`the exact center hole of the rotor shaft of the panning motor
`7D and the panning motor is mounted inside the exact center
`of the upper base 7B so that the center of rotation of the slip
`ring assembly corresponds to the horizontal axis H. The slip
`ring assembly 7C per se is a well-known assembly of
`rotating conductive metal rings along with complementary
`mounted conductive metal brushes that provide pressure for
`a continuous current flow through the metal rings during the
`rotation of the metal rings.
`The slip ring assembly 7C is provided for feeding power,
`control signals and external sync. to the camera and a video
`signal, an audio signal and data signals from the camera
`through the hollow shaft 78 of the panning motor 7D and an
`opening 7R in the upper base cover 7A for connecting the
`brushes of the slip ring assembly 7C through the conductive
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`layer 4C of a PCB assembly 4P. The other end of the slip ring
`assembly uses a socket and plug connection (not shown) to
`connect the rotating rings to the inner circuits of the televi-
`sion camera. The aforementioned US. patent application
`Ser. No. 09/112,120 filed Jul. 8, 1998 discloses the use of a
`slip assembly ring inside the center shaft of a motor for
`directly driving the television camera.
`The motor 7D is a well-known stepping motor that can be
`precisely controlled, to provide a very accurate positioning
`at electronically controlled speed.
`The use of direct drive motor 7D incorporating the slip
`ring assembly 7C in the center of the shaft of the motor
`makes it possible to rotate the camera body 7 about its
`horizontal axis H directly without the use of gears, belts and
`pulleys, chains and sprockets, rollers or the like and further
`enables the construction of a slim cylindrical camera body,
`such as the camera body 7.
`The electrical contacts 4B are extended through copper
`lines 5C shown in dotted lines inside the camera holder 5 so
`
`that the PCB 4P of the slip ring assembly 7C which consists
`of a matching number of conductive layer 4C will make an
`electrical contact with the extended copper lines 5C of the
`electrical contacts 4B. Therefore, when the camera holder 5
`is attached to the rotor of the motor 7D of the camera body
`7 by the screws 5E, the contacts 4B become electrically
`connected with the slip ring assembly 7C through the
`extended copper lines 5C and the conductive layer 4C while
`the camera body 7 can be freely rotated about the horizontal
`axis H.
`
`The lower camera portion of the camera body 7 consists
`of left and right-handed elongated segments 8L, 8R of the
`dome enclosure and a center segment 8 of the dome having
`a shape of an arcuated drum or a disc. The center segment
`8 contains the lens and picture pickup elements, such a
`well-known CCD device, and the elongated dome segments
`8L and SR which support the center segment 8 contain a tilt
`motor 8A and bearings, shafts or other well-known pivoted
`rotating joint parts (not shown) which are extended together
`with the circular center of the center segment 8 along the V
`axis for rotating the center segment 8 about the V axis.
`The left and right-hand elongated segments 8L and SR are
`fixedly attached to the opposite sides of the body of the
`upper base 7B and have identical segmented curves to match
`the segmented curve of the center segment and the diameter
`of the upper base 7B makes the assembly of the elongated
`segments 8L, 8R, the center segment 8, the upper base 7B
`and the upper base cover 7A form together the elongated
`dome structure of the camera body 7, which can be equated
`to a cylindrical enclosure with a hemispheric bottom and a
`flat top.
`The panning motor 7D which rotates the television cam-
`era body 7 about the horizontal axis H directly rotates or
`drives the camera body 7 in a well-known panning
`movement, while the tilting motor 8A which directly rotates
`the center segment 8 about the vertical axis V causes a
`well-known tilting movement of the center segment. The
`lens 8Z shown in FIG. 4B which is mounted inside the center
`
`segment 8 has its optical center corresponding to the lens
`axis L and aligned to coincide with the V axis and the H axis.
`The vertical axis V (tilt) which is orthogonal
`to the
`horizontal axis H (pan) along with the lens axis L (lens)
`which is orthogonal to the vertical axis V (tilt) and the
`horizontal axis H (pan) all intersect at the center core of the
`hemispheric or dome shaped portion of the television cam-
`era 7 so as to provide for all-around unobstructed panning
`and tilting movement within the television camera surround-
`mg.
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`The fixedly positioned television camera 10 of FIGS.
`3A—3C is enclosed in an elongated dome shaped camera
`enclosure similarly to the television camera 1. The television
`camera 10 is manually positioned or directed to observe
`fixedly a surrounding scene, in two ways, first by adjusting
`the vertical inclination about the V axis and second by
`rotating the camera body 17 about its horizontal H axis.
`Similarly to the television camera 1, the television camera
`10 comprises of a base plate 13 for mounting the camera on
`the ceiling, shelves or other horizontal surfaces, an upper
`base or platform 15 which attaches the camera body 17 to
`the base plate 13, left and right-handed elongated segments
`of the dome enclosure 18L and 18R and a center segment 18
`having a shape of an arcuated drum or a disc.
`The center segment 18 contains the lens and the picture
`pickup elements such as a well-known CCD device, and the
`elongated dome segments 18L and 18R which support the
`center segment 18 contain shafts or other well-known piv-
`oted rotating joint parts (not shown) which are extended
`together with the circular center of the center segment 18
`along the V axis for providing that the center segment 18 can
`freely rotate about the V axis.
`The left and right-handed elongated segments 18L and
`18R are fixedly attached to the opposite sides of the upper
`base 15 and because the left and right-handed elongated
`dome segments 18L and 18R have identical segmented
`curves to match the segmented curve of the center segment
`18 and the diameter of the base plate 13, the assembly of the
`elongated segments 18L, 18R, the center segment 18 and the
`base plate 13 form together the elongated dome structure of
`the television camera 10 which looks like a well-known
`
`dome shaped television camera.
`The upper base 15 comprises dual protruding hooks 15A
`that match dual cutouts 13A in a rim 13B of the base plate
`shown in FIG. 3C. The hooks 15A can be inserted through
`the cutouts 13A and slid into between the rim 13B and the
`
`inner surface of the base plate top 13C and thereby provide
`for freely rotating the television camera 10 about its hori-
`zontal axis H and positioning the lens axis L to adjust to any
`surrounding scene.
`On the other hand, the center segment 18 can be manually
`adjusted to any inclination angle about its vertical axis V,
`thereby completing its all-around positioning for observing
`a scene surrounding the television camera 10.
`The upper base 15 further comprises two tongues 15B for
`locking the center segment 18 to its vertical position about
`its horizontal axis V and two rims 15C for locking the
`horizontal position of the upper base 15 about its horizontal
`axis H.
`
`The doubling of the vertical and horizontal locking facili-
`ties is not mandatory; however such arrangement would
`provide the locking from two opposing sides behind the side
`covers 19.
`
`The locking of the horizontal and vertical set positions of
`the television camera 10 is the final process after the camera
`is installed and this mandates a simple access to the camera
`locking facilities; therefore the two covers 19 are locked
`between and onto a rim 18Z of the elongated segments 18L
`and 18R by two snap hooks 19A, covering the two spaces
`between the center segment and the base plate 13 containing
`locking screws 13D and 15D. Each cover 19 is removed by
`releasing the snap hooks 19A for providing access to the
`locking screws 13D for the horizontal rim 15C and screws
`15D for the vertical tongue 15B.
`The horizontal
`locking screws 13D mounted onto an
`angle support 13E are positioned toward the rim 15C at an
`
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`angle complementary to the angle of the rim 15C and when
`the screws 13D are fastened they lock the upper base 15 into
`the horizontal set position about the horizontal axis H by the
`pressure of the tightened screws 15D.
`The vertical locking screws 15D are mounted onto hold-
`ers 15E which are parallel to the tongues 15B and when the
`screws 15D are fastened they drive the tongue onto the body
`of the center segment 18 by the screw pressure, thereby
`locking the center segment 18 into its vertical set position
`about the vertical axis V.
`
`The center segment 8 shown in FIGS. 4A—4B consists of
`two half center segment covers 8B and 8D, a lens with a
`picture pickup device 8Z and a lens pane 8C. The diameter
`of the curvature of the surface of the lens pane 8C is identical
`to the diameter of the elongated dome; therefore the lens
`pane 8C can be installed into the half center segment cover
`8B in a perfect matching circular surface.
`The size and shape of the lens pane 8C is similar to
`commonly used sunglasses and it is very simple to produce
`such pane in a perfect optical clearance, with no distortion.
`It is also very simple to darkly tint the lens pane 8C and the
`half center segments 8B and 8D identically; thereby the lens
`pane 8C becomes inconspicuous.
`The center segment 18 of FIGS. 3A—3C is very similar in
`its construction to the center segment 8 shown in FIGS.
`4A—4B, except for the pivotally rotating joint parts (not
`shown) which in the center segment 8 are connected to a
`tilting motor 8A that provides their tilting movement, while
`for the center segment 18 no such tie-up to a tilting motor is
`needed.
`
`It can be clearly seen that the center segments 8 and 18
`can be fixedly set or remotely rotated around their vertical
`axis V and that
`the camera body 7 of FIG. 2 and the
`television camera 10 of FIGS. 3A—3B are similar in their
`
`inconspicuous appearance, with the exception that the cam-
`era body 7 is longer. Both the camera body 7 and the
`television camera 10 look like an elongated dome or a
`cylinder that is domed at its lower end or the optical pickup
`end and is perpendicularly flat at
`its upper end or the
`mechanical attaching end, and which can be fixedly set or
`remotely rotated about
`its horizontal H axis to observe
`surround scenes.
`
`It will also become obvious that the camera body 7 and
`the television camera 10 can be combined with camera
`
`holders or base plates for mounting on vertical structure
`such as walls, poles and the like.
`A television camera 20 of FIG. 5 comprises the camera
`body 7, a wall mounting plate 23, a camera holder 25, an
`upper cover 29 and a mounting box 21 to be embedded
`inside a vertical structure such as a wall or a pole. The wall
`mounting plate 23 uses screws 21D or other fasteners for
`attaching the plate to the mounting box 21 through mounting
`holes 23D; similarly screws 25E or other fasteners may be
`used for attaching the camera holder 25 perpendicularly to
`the wall mounting plate 23, with the camera holder 25
`having its center 25A coincide with the outer surface 23E of
`the wall mounting plate; thereby the horizontal axis H of the
`camera body 7 is aligned with the outer surface 23E.
`The camera holder 25 is also fixedly attached to the rotor
`of the motor 7D of the camera body 7 shown in FIG. 2, using
`screws 5E, and this allows the camera body 7 to rotate freely
`about its horizontal axis H under the camera holder 25 and
`
`inside a cutout 23F of the wall mounting plate 23.
`The camera holder 25 shown in FIG. 5 comprises a set of
`electrical terminals 25B which are extended through copper
`lines 25C, shown by dotted lines under the camera holder 25,
`
`AXIS EXHIBIT 1013-35
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`AXIS EXHIBIT 1013-35
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`

`

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`US 6,268,882 B1
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`7
`so that the top section of the slip ring assembly 7C shown in
`FIG. 2 which consists of a matching number of conductive
`layer 4C will make an electrical contact with the extended
`copper lines 25C of electrical terminals 25B. Therefore,
`when the camera holder 25 is attached to the rotor of the
`motor 7D of the camera body 7 by the screws 5E the contacts
`25B become electrically connected with the slip ring assem-
`bly 7C through the extended copper lines 25C and the
`conductive layer 4C while the camera body 7 can be
`remotely rotated about the horizontal axis H.
`When the top cover 29 which is a semicircular cover
`having a diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the
`camera body 7 is locked onto the camera holder 25 using
`screws 29D it covers the camera holder 25 and a top portion
`of the camera body 7 along with the cutout area 23G in the
`wall mounting plate through which wires and mounting
`screws are reachable and visible. Thereby the half of the
`television camera 20 is exposed, which looks like a half
`covered elongated dome shaped television camera that is
`mounted on a vertical surface such as a wall, to be remotely
`rotated to observe varying scenes in front of the wall.
`However, the television camera 20 obviously limits the
`rotation of the camera body 7 about its horizontal axis H to
`less than 180°, or to an angle in which the lens pane 83 is
`not optically obstructed by the wall mounting plate 23.
`A television camera 20A of FIG. 5A also comprises the
`camera body 7, a wall mounting plate 23A, camera holder
`25, an upper cover 29A and a mounting box 21A to be
`embedded inside the vertical structure such as a wall or a
`
`pole. The wall mounting plate 23A uses screws 21D or other
`fasteners for attaching the plate to the mounting box 21A
`through the mounting holes 23D. Similarly, screws 25E or
`other fasteners may be used for attaching the camera holder
`25 perpendicularly to the wall mounting plate 23A with the
`camera holder 25 having its center 25A protruding from the
`outer surface 23H of the wall mounting plate. This enables
`camera body 7 to rotate 180° about the horizontal axis H of
`camera body 7 without having the lens pane 83 optically
`obstructed by the wall mounting plate 23A.
`The cutout 23] in the wall mounting plate 23A is smaller
`than the cutout 23F of the wall mounting plate 23 to match
`the smaller segment of the camera body 7 that projects into
`the mounting box 21A. Similarly, the mounting box 21A is
`shallower than the mounting box 21.
`The wall mounting plate 23A further comprises two rims
`23K each projected from the outer surface 23H of the
`mounting plate to cover one side of the segment of the
`camera body 7 which extends from the outer surface 23H
`and up to the semicircle line 7L of the camera body 7 and
`each rim has a cutout portion 23M through which the lens
`pane 83 will not be optically obstructed when the camera
`body is rotated to its extreme left or right position, thereby
`providing for an 1800 horizontal positioning angle about the
`horizontal H axis with no optical obstruction.
`The elongated semicircular cover 29A is similar to the
`semicircular top cover 29 of FIG. 5 but is elongated to the
`same extent to that the camera body 7 center protrudes from
`the wall mounting surface 23H and when the top cover 29A
`is locked onto the camera holder 25 it covers the camera
`
`holder 25 and the top portion of the camera body 7 along
`with the cutout area 23N in the wall mounting plate 23A
`through which wires and mounting screws are reachable and
`visible. Thereby the television camera 20A looks as a
`partially covered elongated dome shaped television camera
`that is mounted on a vertical surface such as a wall to be
`
`freely and remotely rotated up to 180° about its horizontal
`axis H to any and all scenes in front of the wall.
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`The camera 20B of FIG. 5B also looks like a partially
`covered elongated dome shaped television camera that can
`be rotated up to 180° about its horizontal axis H without
`obstructing its optical path,
`the television camera 20B,
`however, can be installed flush onto a vertical surface such
`as a wall or a pole without the use of a mounting box to
`provide for mounting the television camera 20B in places
`were mounting boxes cannot be buried inside the vertical
`structure.
`
`A television camera 20B of FIG. 5B also comprises the
`camera body 7, wall mounting plate 23B, camera holder 25
`and upper cover 29B. The wall mounting plate 23B uses
`screws 23V or other fasteners for attaching the plate directly
`to a vertical structure such as a wall, through the mounting
`holes 23D, similarly, screws 25E or other fasteners may be
`used for attaching the camera holder 25 perpendicularly to
`the wall mounting plate 23B with the camera holder 25
`having its center 25A protruding from the outer surface 23P
`of the wall mounting plate by such an extent to allow free
`rotation of the camera body 7 around its horizontal axis H,
`without being obstructed by the wall mounting plate 23B.
`Instead of two rims 23K of the wall mounting plate 23A
`projecting to cover two sides of the camera body 7, the wall
`mounting 23B comprises a single rim 23R surrounding the
`camera body 7, extending from the mounting plate outer
`surface 23P up to the semicircle line 7L of the camera body
`7 and having a cutout portion 238 through which the lens
`pane 83 will not be optically obstructed when the camera
`body is rotated to its extreme left or right position, thereby
`providing for an 180° horizontal positioning angle about the
`horizontal H axis with no optical obstruction.
`The elongated semicircular cover 29B is similar to the
`elongated semicircular top cover 29A of FIG. 5A but is
`further elongated to the same extent such that the center of
`the camera body 7 protrudes from the wall mounting outer
`surface 23F and when the top cover 29B i