Patent ID: 8317414
Filing Date: 2012-11-27
Classification: G03B,G08B

Abstract:
1. A surveillance camera arrangement including: a substantially spherical enclosure including a substantially round optical region, the optical region having better optical qualities than a remainder of the enclosure; a camera disposed within and fixedly attached to the enclosure, the camera having a lens with an optical axis extending approximately through the optical region; and actuating means coupled to the enclosure and to the camera, the actuating means being for pivoting both the enclosure and the camera in both pan and tilt directions such that the optical axis of the camera remains substantially aligned with the optical region, the actuating means including a tilt module pivotably coupled to the substantially spherical enclosure, the tilt module including a motorized rack and pinion mechanism configured to actuate the enclosure in the tilt directions relative to a body of the tilt module, a bottom wall of the tilt module body is disposed adjacent to the enclosure, the bottom wall including an arcuate, rectangular through slot, the rack and pinion mechanism including a coupling received within the slot, attached to the enclosure, and slidably coupled to the bottom wall of the tilt module body, an upper surface of the bottom wall including two upper races, each said upper race extending parallel to the through slot and being disposed adjacent to a respective one of two longitudinal edges of the through slot, a lower surface of the bottom wall including two lower races, each said lower race extending parallel to the through slot and being disposed adjacent to a respective one of the two longitudinal edges of the through slot, the rack and pinion mechanism including two bearing sets, each said bearing set being received in a respective pair of the races along a respective one of the two longitudinal edges of the through slot, the coupling being coupled to each of the bearing sets such that the coupling is slidable along lengths of the races.