Abstract:
A camera security system including a camera housing having a camera therein, a bracket assembly and at least one non-standard fastener. The bracket assembly has at least two bracket members including a first bracket member configured to be securely connected to a second bracket member, with the bracket assembly securely receiving the camera housing therein such that the camera is exposed, but the camera cannot be removed from the bracket. The at least one non-standard fastener connects the first bracket member to the second bracket member. The first bracket member can be disconnected from the second bracket member by removing the at least one non-standard fastener to thereby allow the camera to be removed from the bracket assembly.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application U.S. Ser. No. 61/991,844, filed on May 12, 2014, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention concerns a bracket, and more particularly relates to a bracket for a camera. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Motion sensor cameras are used in the wild to take pictures of animals that pass by the cameras. The motion sensor cameras sense the motion of the animals passing by the camera and quickly take a picture of the animals. The motion sensor cameras can be equipped with a flash for taking pictures of the animals in low light. Typically, the motion sensor cameras are connected to a tree and can be held by the tree using a strap that surrounds the tree and connects to or passes through openings in the motion sensor camera. However, the straps do not always stably support the motion sensor camera and are easily removed, thereby allowing the motion sensor camera to be stolen. 
     A support system for a motion sensor camera is desired. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An aspect of the present invention is to provide a camera security system including a camera housing having a camera therein, a bracket assembly and at least one non-standard fastener. The bracket assembly has at least two bracket members including a first bracket member configured to be securely connected to a second bracket member, with the bracket assembly securely receiving the camera housing therein such that the camera is exposed, but the camera cannot be removed from the bracket. The at least one non-standard fastener connects the first bracket member to the second bracket member. The first bracket member can be disconnected from the second bracket member by removing the at least one non-standard fastener to thereby allow the camera to be removed from the bracket assembly. 
     Yet another aspect of the present invention is to provide a method of securely mounting a camera housing having a camera to a support comprising providing a bracket assembly having at least two bracket members including a first bracket member configured to be securely connected to a second bracket member, securing the first bracket member to the support, receiving the camera housing within the bracket assembly such that the camera is exposed, engaging the second bracket member with the first bracket member, and connecting the first bracket member to the second bracket member with at least one non-standard fastener. 
     Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a secure camera bracket comprising a rear bracket member, a left bracket member and a right bracket member. The rear bracket member includes a rear block having a plurality of first camera receiving recesses, a left fastener opening and a right fastener opening. The left bracket member includes a left block having a plurality of second camera receiving recesses, a first fastener opening and a left tube receiving slot. The right bracket member includes a right block having a plurality of third camera receiving recesses, a second fastener opening and a right tube receiving slot. The left bracket member is connected to the rear bracket member by a first non-standard fastener extending through the first fastener opening of the left block and into the left fastener opening of the rear block. The right bracket member is connected to the rear bracket member by a second non-standard fastener extending through the second fastener opening of the right block and into the right fastener opening of the rear block. A tube extends between the right bracket member and the left bracket member, with the tube being partially located in the left tube receiving slot and the right tube receiving slot. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a front view of a bracket of the present invention holding a motion sensor camera to a tree. 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the bracket of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a first exploded front view of the bracket of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a second exploded front view of the bracket of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of a rear bracket member of the bracket of the present invention taken along line V-V of  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view of a left bracket member of the bracket of the present invention taken along line VI-VI of  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of a right bracket member of the bracket of the present invention taken along line VII-VII of  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 8  is a rear view of a camera configured to be held by the bracket of the present invention. 
         FIG. 9  is a side view of a camera configured to be held by the bracket of the present invention. 
         FIG. 10A  is a front view of a second embodiment of the rear bracket member of the bracket of the present invention. 
         FIG. 10B  is a side view of the second embodiment of the rear bracket member of the bracket of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     It is to be understood that the invention as described herein may assume various alternative orientations, except where expressly specified to the contrary. It is also to be understood that the specific devices and processes illustrated in the attached drawings, and described in the following specification are simply exemplary embodiments of the inventive concepts defined in the appended claims. Hence, specific dimensions and other physical characteristics relating to the embodiments disclosed herein are not to be considered as limiting, unless the claims expressly state otherwise. 
     The reference number  10  ( FIG. 1 ) generally designates a camera security system of the present invention. The illustrated camera security system  10  includes a motion sensor camera  12  held to a tree  14  by a bracket  16  of the present invention. The motion sensor camera  12  includes a housing  18  having front panel  20  with a flash  22 , a camera lens  24  and a motion sensor  26  extending therefrom or therethrough. The motion sensor camera  12  takes pictures when the motion sensor  26  is activated. The motion sensor camera  12  as illustrated and described herein is used for illustrative purposes only and any commercial motion sensor camera  12  could be used with the bracket  16 . 
     The illustrated bracket  16  of the present invention securely holds the motion sensor camera  12  to the tree  14 . The bracket  16  includes a rear bracket member  28 , a left bracket member  30  and a right bracket member  32 . The rear bracket member  28 , the left bracket member  30  and the right bracket member  32  securely hold the motion sensor camera  12  when connected together. The rear bracket member  28  securely connects to the tree  14  (or other appropriate support) and the left bracket member  30  and the right bracket member  32  capture the motion sensor camera  12  when the bracket  16  is assembled. 
     In the illustrated example, the rear bracket member  28  connects to the tree  14 , the left bracket member  30  and the right bracket member  32 . The rear bracket member  28  is a block  34  and includes a substantially rectangular front face  36 , a substantially rectangular rear face  38 , a top side  40 , a bottom side  42 , a left side  44  and a right side  48 . The block  34  can be made out of any material (e.g., wood, metal, plastic or a combination thereof). As discussed in more detail below, the block  34  includes a plurality of camera projection receiving recesses  70  for receiving projections  72  extending from the motion sensor camera  12  to allow the motion sensor camera  12  to be flush against the block  34 . 
     The illustrated block  34  includes at least one connection hole  50  extending therethrough from the front face  36  to the rear face  38 . Each connection hole  50  can include a countersink  52  or a counterbore at the front face  36  of the block  34 . Each connection hole  50  is configured to receive a standard fastener  54  therethrough, with the standard fastener  54  extending into the tree  14  to connect the rear bracket member  28  to the tree  14 . The standard fastener  54  can include a head  56  that is received into the countersink  52  or counterbore for the connection hole  50  for allowing the head  56  of the standard fastener  54  to be flush with the front face  36  of the block  34  so as to not interfere with the motion sensor camera  12  when the motion sensor camera  12  abuts the block  34 . As used herein, “standard fastener” means a screw that has a flat blade-type slot or a Phillips slot or any fastener that does not need a special tool to use (e.g., a nail). It is contemplated that the block  34  of the rear bracket member  28  could be connected to the tree  14  by other methods. The left side  44  of the block  34  includes a left side threaded opening  62  for accepting a left side non-standard fastener  64  therein for connecting the left bracket member  30  to the rear bracket member  28 . Likewise, the right side  48  of the block  34  includes a right side threaded opening  66  for accepting a right side non-standard fastener  68  therein for connecting the right bracket member  32  to the rear bracket member  28 . 
     In the illustrated example, the left bracket member  30  connects to the rear bracket member  28  and helps to hold the motion sensor camera  12  within the bracket  16 . The left bracket member  30  is a block  74  and includes a substantially rectangular inside face  76 , a substantially rectangular outside face  78 , a top side  80 , a bottom side  82 , a front side  84  and a rear side  88 . The block  74  can be made out of any material (e.g., wood, metal, plastic or a combination thereof). It is contemplated that the block  74  could have a level bubble tube  58  in a recess  60  in the inside face  76  of the block  74  to assist in levelling the bracket  16  while connecting the bracket  16  to the tree  14 . As discussed in more detail below, the block  74  includes a plurality of the camera projection receiving recesses  70  for receiving projections  72  extending from the motion sensor camera  12  to allow the motion sensor camera  12  to be flush against the block  74 . 
     The illustrated block  74  includes at least one connection hole  90  extending therethrough from the outside face  78  to the inside face  76 . Each connection hole  90  can include a countersink  92  or a counterbore at the outside face  78  of the block  74 . Each connection hole  90  is configured to receive the left side non-standard fastener  64  therethrough from the outside face  78 , with the left side non-standard fastener  64  extending into the left side threaded opening  62  in the left side  44  of the block  34  of the rear bracket member  28  for connecting the left bracket member  30  to the rear bracket member  28 . The left side non-standard fastener  64  can include a head  94  that is received into the countersink  92  or counterbore for the connection hole  90  for allowing the head  94  of the left side non-standard fastener  64  to be flush with the outside face  78  of the block  74 . As used herein, a “non-standard fastener” means a screw that has a slot other than a flat blade-type slot or a Phillips slot such that a special tool is needed to rotate the non-standard fastener. For example, the non-standard fastener could include a slot having any non-standard pattern (e.g., square, hex socket (Allen), torx, tri-wing, torq-set, spanner head, double-square, triple square, polydrive, spline drive, double hex, Bristol, and pentalobular). The block  74  includes a tube  96  extending perpendicularly out of the inside face  76  thereof, with the tube  96  being configured to extend into the right bracket member  32  and to hold the motion sensor camera  12  as discussed in more detail below. 
     In the illustrated example, the right bracket member  32  connects to the rear bracket member  28  and helps to hold the motion sensor camera  12  within the bracket  16 . The right bracket member  32  is a block  104  and includes a substantially rectangular inside face  106 , a substantially rectangular outside face  108 , a top side  110 , a bottom side  112 , a front side  114  and a rear side  118 . The block  104  can be made out of any material (e.g., wood, metal, plastic or a combination thereof). As discussed in more detail below, the block  104  includes a plurality of the camera projection receiving recesses  70  for receiving projections  72  extending from the motion sensor camera  12  to allow the motion sensor camera  12  to be flush against the block  104 . The block  104  also includes a right tube receiving recess  126  for receiving an end of the tube  96  therein when the right bracket member  32  is connected to the rear bracket member  28 . 
     The illustrated block  104  includes at least one connection hole  120  extending therethrough from the outside face  108  to the inside face  106 . Each connection hole  120  can include a countersink  122  or a counterbore at the outside face  108  of the block  104 . Each connection hole  120  is configured to receive the right side non-standard fastener  68  therethrough from the outside face  108 , with the right side non-standard fastener  68  extending into the right side threaded opening  66  in the right side  48  of the block  34  of the rear bracket member  28  for connecting the right bracket member  32  to the rear bracket member  28 . The right side non-standard fastener  68  can include a head  124  that is received into the countersink  122  or counterbore for the connection hole  120  for allowing the head  124  of the right side non-standard fastener  68  to be flush with the outside face  108  of the block  104 . 
     In the illustrated example, the bracket  16  is connected to the tree  14  (or other support) by first connecting the rear bracket member  28  to the tree  14  (or other support). As outlined above, the rear bracket member  28  is connected to the tree  14  (or other support) by inserting the standard fasteners  54  through the connection holes  50  and screwing (or otherwise inserting) the standard fasteners  54  into the tree  14  (or other support). One of the left bracket member  30  or the right bracket member  32  can be connected to the rear bracket member  28  before or after the rear bracket member  28  is connected to the tree  14  (or other support). However, one of the left bracket member  30  or the right bracket member  32  must remain unattached to the rear bracket member  28  after the rear bracket member  28  is connected to the tree  14  (or other support) and before the motion sensor camera  12  is positioned in place on the rear bracket member  28 . It is contemplated that the rear bracket member  28  could be made integral with one of the left bracket member  30  or the right bracket member  32  without any need for the non-standard fastener  64 ,  68  connecting the rear bracket member  28  to the integrally connected bracket member. 
     Once the illustrated rear bracket member  28  and either the left bracket member  30  or the right bracket member  32  are connected together and connected to the tree  14  (or other support), the motion sensor camera  12  can be connected to the bracket  16 .  FIGS. 8 and 9  illustrate a typical motion sensor camera  12  that can be used with the bracket  16  of the present invention. The housing  18  of the motion sensor camera  12  includes a front housing member  200  and a rear housing member  202  connected together. The front housing member  200  is connected to the rear housing member  202  by a hinge  204 , with a rim  148  being formed at the intersection of the front housing member  200  and the rear housing member  202 . A pair of clasps  140  can be used to maintain the front housing member  200  against the rear housing member  202  to keep the housing  18  and everything therein from exposure. The typical motion sensor camera  12  includes a pair of rear connection extensions  128  extending rearwardly from the rear face of the rear housing member  202 . As illustrated in  FIG. 9 , the rear connection extensions  128  each include a slot  130 . During typical use of the motion sensor camera  12 , a belt is wrapped around the tree  14  and passed through the slots  130  to connect the motion sensor camera  12  to the tree  14 . In the present case, the slots  130  are used to fixedly maintain the motion sensor camera  12  within the bracket  16 . 
     In the illustrated example, the motion sensor camera  12  is connected to the bracket  16  by sliding the tube  96  through the slots  130  in the rear connection extensions  128  extending from the rear of the housing  18  of the motion sensor camera  12 . The tube  96  can be connected to the left bracket member  30  or the right bracket member  32  connected to the rear bracket member  28  during use. For example, the tube  96  can be nailed or otherwise fixed in a left tube receiving recess  210  in the left bracket member  30  or the right tube receiving recess  126  of the right bracket member  32 . If the tube  96  is fixed to the bracket member that is connected to the rear bracket member  28 , the motion sensor camera  12  is slid laterally onto the bracket  16 . 
     The illustrated motion sensor camera  12  may have projections  72  that need to be accommodated during connection of the motions sensor camera  12  to the bracket  16 . For example, the motion sensor camera  12  may need to be tilted such that the front panel  20  of the housing  18  of the motion sensor camera  12  is not vertical while the motion sensor camera  12  is slid onto the tube  96 . In the illustrated motion sensor camera  12 , the rear housing  202  of the motion sensor camera  12  may include bottom flanges  144  of the rear connection extensions  128  and a bottom levelling bar  142  that extends rearwardly from the rear housing member  202 . After the housing  18  of the motion sensor camera  12  is fully slid onto the tube  96 , the bottom of the motion sensor camera  12  is rotated downward and the bottom flanges  144  and the bottom levelling bar  142  can extend into the camera projection recesses  70  in the block  34  of the rear bracket member  28 . Furthermore, if the left bracket member  30  is connected to the rear bracket member  28 , hinge extensions  146  of the housing  18  of the motion sensor camera  12  can extend into the camera projection recesses  70  in the block  74  of the left bracket member  30 . 
     After the illustrated motion sensor camera  12  is in place against the rear bracket member  28  and the left bracket member  30  in the illustrated embodiment, the right bracket member  32  is connected to the rear bracket member  28 . During connection of the right bracket member  32  to the rear bracket member  28 , the tube  96  is slid into the right tube receiving recess  126  of the right bracket member  32 . In order to prevent the housing  18  of the motion sensor camera  12  from being opened, one of the left bracket member  30  and the right bracket member  32  should cover the rim  148  of the housing  18  to prevent the front housing member  200  from being pivoted relative to the rear housing member  202 . As illustrated in  FIGS. 2, 4 and 7 , the block  104  of the right bracket member  32  includes a vertically aligned rim receiving slot  170 . As the right bracket member  32  is brought into engagement with the rear bracket member  28 , the vertically aligned rim receiving slot  170  will receive the rim  148  of the housing  18  of the motion sensor camera  12  therein, thereby preventing the housing  18  from being opened. The vertically aligned rim receiving slot  170  can include one of the camera projection recesses  70  therein for receiving a lock hole extension  150  extending from the rim  148  (which is used to receive a lock to maintain the rear housing member  202  against the front housing member  200  when the bracket  16  of the present invention is not used). After the right bracket member  32  is brought into engagement with the rear bracket member  28 , the right side non-standard fastener  68  is inserted through the connection hole  120  in the block  104  of the right bracket member  32  and into the right side threaded opening  66 . 
     In the illustrated example, only the left side non-standard fastener  64  and the right side non-standard fastener  68  are exposed while the bracket  16  is connected to the tree  14  (or other support). Therefore, a special tool is needed to open the bracket  16  to access the motion sensor camera  12  therein because of the non-standard fasteners. In the present embodiment, the bracket  16  is small and holds the motion sensor camera  12  close to the mounting surface (e.g., tree  14 ) for concealment. Since the bracket  16  holds the housing  18  closed, no padlock is needed. The bracket  16  can be positioned in a desired location all year and the motion sensor camera  12  only added when desired. 
       FIGS. 10A and 10B  illustrate a second embodiment of the rear bracket member  28   a  of the bracket  16 . In the second embodiment of the rear bracket member  28   a , the plurality of camera projection receiving recesses are combined into a single camera projection receiving recess  70   a  that extends along the entire front face  36   a  from the left side  44   a  and the right side  48   a  of the rear bracket member  28   a . To accommodate the single camera projection receiving recess  70   a , the top connection hole  50   a  is moved down. 
     It is to be understood that variations and modifications can be made on the aforementioned structure without departing from the concepts of the present invention. For example, it is contemplated that the left bracket member  30  or the right bracket member  32  could be connected to the tree  14  (or other support) to have a camera positioned at a right angle to the surface of the tree  14  (or other support), but still with only a single non-standard fastener exposed for opening the bracket  16 . Further, it is to be understood that such concepts are intended to be covered by the following claims unless these claims by their language expressly state otherwise.