Abstract:
A removable vehicle backup closed circuit television system for articulated vehicle trailers having a clamping device for instant securing or releasing of the rearward facing camera to the trailer. The clamp preferable is coupled to the trailer door&#39;s vertical locking rods.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of the following the disclosures of which are expressly incorporated by reference herein: U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/461,352, filed Jan. 18, 2011; U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/518,308, filed May 4, 2011; and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/574,434, filed Aug. 3, 2011. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention is related to a system comprising a camera and monitor in wired or wireless communication with a monitor and a mounting mechanism to removably secure the camera to the rear of a vehicle. 
     BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Currently, rearview cameras are readily available to passenger vehicles and to some fleet-based tractor trailers to greatly improve the driver&#39;s view behind the vehicle. Many tractor trailer drivers, such as “owner operators”, cannot employ these cameras, however, because these drivers frequently haul different trailers. There is therefore a need for a stable, yet removable, fixture to mount a closed caption television camera (CCTV) upon substantially any type of large truck trailer. Because of this camera mobility, there is also the need to ensure that images captured by the camera are correctly provided to the driver of which ever vehicle the camera is mounted on, by providing adaptable communications between the CCTV and the specific display system provided in the vehicle. 
     The invention comprises of a CCTV removable system enabled by clamping devices for instant securing or releasing of apparatuses containing camera(s), wiring, optional antenna(s), power supply modules and other accessories to be attached at the very back of large vehicles and especially designed for the articulated ones, which have to be frequently coupled or uncoupled. 
     The camera, placed at the rear of the vehicle(s) may be conventionally wired to the TV monitor placed inside the cab of the truck through a long cable connecting each other. The system may, however, alternatively be done in a wireless manner with one or more transmitting the antenna(s) connected to the camera(s) and one or more receiving antennas attached to the very back of the tractor chassis and wired to the viewing monitor. For a straight truck version, the receiving antenna(s) may be alternatively installed somewhere else upon the vehicle. One major benefit of a wireless system is the opportunity to move the camera between vehicles, and to be able to recalibrate or re-synchronize it each time, to communicate properly with the monitor associated the particular vehicle on which the camera is mounted. An example of a suitable protocol under which the camera may be moved and re-synchronized to different display monitors is a Bluetooth® Secure Simple Pairing (SSP) protocol. 
     The transmitting antenna(s) may be placed close to the ground sending signals to the receiving one(s), installed also near the pavement for unobstructed wireless transmission within the ground clearance of the vehicle(s). 
     It will be understood that mentioned transmission could alternatively be done overhead, on the sides of the vehicles, etc., by providing appropriate hardware to hold the antennas in pertinent configurations. 
     In order to activate the system also when the tractor is not coupled to any trailer, there is another hardware device to be permanently installed on the back of the tractor, which may feature replicas of segments of the fixtures or mechanisms where the camera(s) and accessory devices would be alternatively clamped onto when at the back of the trailer or maritime container. 
     Still further objects and advantages of the invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains upon reference to the following detailed description. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The description refers to the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views, and in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a side view of a first embodiment of the assembled camera clamp of the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a detailed view of the locking swing handle of the clamp of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of the upper plate of the clamp of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a side view of the lower plate of the clamp of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a side view of a second embodiment of the an alternate camera clamp of the invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a front view of the clamp of  FIG. 1 , mounted to a trailer&#39;s locking rod; 
         FIG. 7  is a front view of the clamp of  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 8  is an exemplary view of a wireless camera antenna; 
         FIG. 9  is a plan view of a retention clip for retaining a camera wire along the length of a trailer; 
         FIG. 10  is a side view of alternate embodiment of the clamp of the invention, having adjustable clamps; 
         FIG. 11  is a front view of the alternate embodiment of  FIG. 10 ; 
         FIG. 12  is a side view of a magnet secured embodiment of the clamp of the invention; 
         FIG. 12A  is an enlarged view of the angle adjustment feature of the embodiment of  FIG. 12 ; 
         FIG. 13  is a front view of the embodiments of  FIGS. 12 and 12A ; 
         FIG. 14  is a side view of the bobtail-only mounting bracket; 
         FIG. 14A  is a top view of the camera plate mounted to a vertical standard; and 
         FIG. 15  is a front view of the embodiment of  FIGS. 14 and 14A . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring now to the FIGs., a preferred CCTV mounting system is illustrated and is divided in three components: 
     The clamping mechanism with a plate holding the camera(s) optional battery box and wiring for AND the transmitting antenna(s) to be installed at the very end of the vehicle(s). 
     The optional apparatus to be permanently attached to the back of the tractor&#39;s cab to be used whenever vehicle is not attached to any trailer (bobtailing). This item is obviously not applicable to straight trucks. 
     The receiver/monitor TV screen wired straight to the camera or alternatively to the receiving antenna(s) for wireless transmission. 
     There are four basic versions of systems for installing CCTV systems on commercial vehicles: 
     For trucks, trailers, maritime containers, intermodals, etc. with revolving vertical locking rods installed on hinged, swing type cargo doors, the snap-on/off securing mechanism may clamp horizontally onto the mentioned rods. 
     For trucks, trailers, cargo containers, etc., with rollup type cargo doors, which snap-on/off securing mechanism may clamp vertically onto the horizontal handle bar of those doors. 
     For trucks and trailers without any cargo door mechanisms to host the devices above mentioned, when the securing mechanism may be clamped onto the back of the D.O.T. rear bumper or any other rearmost area of the vehicle(s). 
     For vehicle carriers without any surface to be clamped onto, when the securing mechanism may have magnets to be attached to exposed face of the rearmost automobile or alternatively to the surrounding hardware whenever the trailer is unloaded. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 1-4  and  6 , a preferred embodiment of the clamping device of the invention, is shown. The assembled device having two flat plates  1  and  2  hinged together at pivot pin  20  with jaws  5  and  6  that are configured to receive and grip the vertical locking rods of the above mentioned typical cargo doors. Plate  1  has two identical flat guide plates  12  protruding upwards and traveling through plate  2  which cooperatively define a yoke have round orifices for hosting the axles  14  which permit handle bar  3  to be rotatably coupled to the lower plate  1 . The handle bar  3  protrudes outwardly and rotating on both sides in order to allow vertical swing motion of said bar. In one preferred embodiment, bar  3  also has a roller  4  for securing purposes, attached to a control arm  7  and secured by axles  8  and  9 . Bolt  10  may penetrate a threaded hole  11  formed in handle bar  3 , and may rotate to adjust the tension of the system by extending or retracting the central beam of “H” bar  13 . In one non-limiting embodiment a transversal bar  15  may span the yoke formed by both plates  12  to hold these plates  12  in parallel alignment. A horseshoe-shaped loop  19  is installed onto plate  2  that may penetrate the slot of handle  3  shown on  22  of  FIG. 2 , where a padlock may be inserted through in order to prevent disengagement and theft of the equipment. 
     The upper jaw  16  on plate  2  may have a pair of reinforcing central surfaces or webs  17  which extends at an angle interconnecting the upper portion of jaw  16  to the plate  2 . These support webs  17  run adjacent to the yoke plates  12 . Similarly, reinforcing corner wedges  18  and  21  extend outwardly to support the elongated clamp jaws. In this manner, both plates  1  and  2  may have reinforcing material at the high stress area on and near the jaws. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 5  a profile view of an alternate embodiment of the securing mechanism is shown. This embodiment is very similar to the one described above except for its different locking jaws, in this case is especially designed to be used on Whiting® models of door handles  27 . Obviously other designs may be carried out for different configuration of handles. In this embodiment upper jaw  23 , and lower jaw  24  both extend beyond the edges of the devices are the reinforcing surfaces  25  and  26 , which are limited to the center area of the apparatus, as shown in  FIG. 7 . Like the first embodiment, the jaws are supported by reinforcing bracing such as corner reinforcing wedge  21 . All other numbers may be similar to the ones of  FIG. 1 . 
     Referring back to  FIG. 6  an upper view of the securing mechanism is illustrated installed on the vertical rod  32  of a cargo vehicle/trailer, showing the parts mentioned on  FIG. 1 , plus a mounting plate  33  which is coupled to the lower surface of plate  1  by conventional means, such as threaded fasteners. Mounted to the plate  33  is a secure storage box  29  enclosing a conventional rearview CCTV camera  28 , an optional battery, and the wiring connecting to the camera  28 . The camera is contained within box  29  behind a transparent window located in the front wall of the box&#39;s casing and secured by a lock mechanism  30 . The video camera may be connected to the monitor in the tractor&#39;s cabin in a wired version using cable  31 , or alternatively using the same cable to a transmitting antenna placed nearby for wireless transmission. 
     Similarly,  FIG. 7  illustrates is an upper view of the alternate embodiment of the securing mechanism installed on a Whiting® brand door handle  27 , attached to the camera system by a plate  42 , which holds a separate optional battery box  29   a  and a weather resistant CCTV camera  28  mounted on a frame  34  and secured via fasteners  35  to the support plate  42 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 8 , an optional magnet  36 , which may be installed on rear bumpers of adjacent area, for wireless systems, which hold wire  31  stopped at tie  37 , snapped in at  38 , may connect camera  28  to a transmitting antenna  39 . Antenna  39  may be protected from flying debris by a resilient removable enclosure  39 A. 
       FIG. 9  shows one of the small blocks of magnet or any other material that may be used to secure the cable  31  (going through orifice  40  and tightened by tablet bolt  41 ) connecting a TV monitor in the vehicle&#39;s cabin for the driver&#39;s view, through the chassis to the receiving antenna installed at the rear end of the tractor, probably using also the device of  FIG. 8  for hanging the antenna. 
       FIGS. 10 and 11  show another alternate embodiment of the clamp portion of the invention, with the securing mechanism to be clamped onto the back of the rear bumper of trucks and trailers, which may be secured in between by a pair of “C-clamp” configured grippers having opposing upper jaws  43  and a rotary platform  50  which are rotated/tightened by bars  52  rotating around the thread  51 . The clamp jaws are secured at body or frame  44 , which may slide up and down elongated railings  43  whenever the securing mechanism is to be adjusted. For that purpose, levers  45  may be squeezed in releasing pins  46 , which may stop, entering one of the slots  47  at the desired height. Protruding edges  49  may guide and reinforce the whole system between the sliding engagement of rails  43  and frame  44 . There is also a flat plate  53  sliding in between the two jaws  43 , which may adjust the lengthwise positioning of the camera system (retained by bracket  63 ) by the release of the wing-nut  54  rotating around the threaded shaft  55  and with a stopping crown  57 . At least one loop  56  located on top of the edge  49  may be run through with a wire rope or similar security equipment attached to a padlock to prevent theft. At the other end, on top of plate  53  we may see the foundation for the camera/battery attachment, where base  58  may hold a carousel system that allows the camera, whose frame  63  may be secured by the bolts  61  and nuts  62 , to turn sideways whenever desired. The system may rotate around round plate  64 , where carousel  65  may have empty cups  59  which may be filled with spheres  60  with a spring expanding it to the top, thus, providing a natural click stop whenever desired level is reached. Additional aerodynamic equipment (cones, flaps, fairings, etc. not showing) may be installed on the apparatus in order to avoid droplets of water, snow or ice to interfere with quality of image provided by the camera(s). 
     As shown in  FIG. 11 , the twin adjustable clamps  43  with frame  44  moving up and down when tabs  45  are squeezed together and retracting the locking pins  84  out of the cavities  46 . It may automatically click to the next stop by the force of the expanding spring  85 . Plate  53  may be adjustable sideways by the release of the wing nut  54  traveling around  57 , and sliding through the slot  48  and guided by the inner walls of  43 .  58  is the pad where the camera/battery box may be installed upon, mounted through the bolts  61  and locked by the nuts  62 . The side angle camera adjustment could be done by rotating the whole unit, around center core  64 , making the balls  60  to skip cups  59  of carousel  65  until desired position is achieved. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 12 ,  12 A and  13 , another alternate embodiment is of the securing mechanism is illustrated, in this embodiment, the securing mechanism is especially configured for vehicle carriers with no surfaces to be clamped onto. In this case the system is attached magnetically to the very rearmost vehicle&#39;s body surface by magnet  66  which may be held by shaft  67  and  68  to the angle bar  69  of structure  70 . In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 12  an elongated pole  75  extends from the magnet-held angle plate  69  which is similar to the pole  86  of  FIGS. 14 and 15  described below. In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 13 , the camera  28  and optional battery box (not shown) is mounted directly to the magnet-supported plate  69 . Loops  74  provide for a wire rope to be inserted to prevent theft. Bubble  83  may help drivers to install the equipment in the right level. 
       FIG. 12A  is a mechanism to give up-and-down adjustment and independent flexibility to legs  67 , by releasing the wing-nut  73  which may turn around axle  71 , secured at hub  79  and by the force of the inner expanding spring (not showing), the intermeshing teeth  77  may open and separate segments  72  and  78  allowing rotary movements to whatever desired notch, and then tightened nut  73  to secure that side of the unit. Legs  68 / 67  may also have sideways independent flexibility in between the hinges  81  and adjusted in tension by pin  82 . All this flexibility is to adjust to the contour of various vehicles to be transported. 
       FIGS. 14-15  illustrate the “bobtail” mount portion the system, which may be attached permanently to the back of the tractors for alternatively host the camera system whenever there are no trailers attached thereto. Vertical standard or pipe  86  is configured to replicate the revolving locking rods of trailers and maritime containers to be clamped by the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1-4 , and may be secured to plate  87  by clamp  88 , and then bolted to the cabs through the holes  89 . Bar  94  is a replica of the horizontal handle bar to be clamped onto by the mechanism of  FIGS. 5 and 7 , and it is attached to the component  2  by the solid bar  90 . Bar  92  may hold the replica of a rear bumper  91 , to be used by the version illustrated in  FIGS. 10 and 11 , which may be detached by the release of optional bolts  80 . 
       FIG. 14A  is an upper view of plate  87  holding pipe  86 . 
       FIG. 15  is a front view of the system showing the pipe  86 , handle  94 , supported by bar  90 , and bar  91  secured by block  92  and bolted by optional bolts  80 . Plates  87  and  93  may be placed to the back surface of the tractor and bolted onto through the holes  89 . 
     While the present invention has been described with particular reference to various preferred embodiments, one skilled in the art will recognize from the foregoing discussion and accompanying drawing and claims that changes, modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof as defined in the following claims.