Patent ID: 6731340
Filing Date: 2004-05-04
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
A surface-mount video camera adapted to be mounted on and used with a personal computer, comprising:a seat body including a bottom support adapted to be mounted on the personal computer, and an upper seat portion spaced apart from said bottom support in an upright direction, said upper seat portion having upper and lower walls opposite to each other in said upright direction, and a mounting hole defining a rotating axis parallel to said upright direction, said upper and lower walls being form respectively with outer and inner annular engaging portions which define said mounting hole; an anchored body having a lower cylindrical portion of such a dimension as to be rotatably insertable into said mounting hole about said rotating axis and downwardly beyond said inner annular engaging portion, and a flange portion disposed to extend outwardly and radially from said lower cylindrical portion and distal to said inner annular engaging portion when said lower cylindrical portion is inserted in said mounting hole, such that said flange portion is slidably rotatable relative to said outer annular engaging portion; a retaining member disposed between said lower cylindrical portion and said inner annular engaging portion such that said lower cylindrical portion will be retainingly and rotatably slidable relative to said inner annular engaging portion when said lower cylindrical portion is inserted into said mounting hole and downwardly beyond said inner annular engaging portion; a first knuckle member disposed on said flange portion with a hinging axis thereof extending in a direction transverse to said rotating axis; a pin shaft having a fixed end received in and secured to said first knuckle member, and a mounting end extending outwardly of said first knuckle member along said hinging axis; a second knuckle member hingeably mounted on said mounting end of said pin shaft; a video camera body with a lens oriented in a longitudinal direction; and a coupling member having a first end mounted on said second knuckle member distal to said first knuckle member, and a second end secured to said video camera body such that said longitudinal direction of said lens is transverse to both said hinging axis and said rotating axis.