GB2401955A - Camera guard - Google Patents

Abstract

A guard 10 for protecting a camera, comprising a vertical stanchion 12 for securing the guard to a support pole; and a plurality of fins 11 arranged extending radially and upwardly from the stanchion 12 to form a protective enclosure above the stanchion 12.

Description

2401 955 Camera Guard The present invention relates to a guard for a

camera.

It is known to provide a camera, or more particularly a closed circuit television camera (CCTV) with a transparent shield for protecting the camera from damage resulting from thrown objects such as bricks, bottles or stones.

In some installations, the shield has been previously manufactured as a hemisphere, behind which the camera is mounted. It is known to manufacture the shield from bullet proof or impact-resistant materials to increase the protection provided by the shield. However, the use of such strength and materials can reduce the optical quality of the shield.

It is also known to mount the camera directly above a supporting pole, in order to allow the camera to pan and view 360 around the supporting pole.

An aim of the present invention is to provide a means for protecting a camera mounted above a supporting pole without substantially reducing the picture quality of the camera or the area viewable by the camera.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a guard for protecting a camera, the guard comprising: a vertical stanchion for securing the guard to a support pole; and a plurality of fins arranged extending radially and upwardly from the stanchion to form a protective enclosure above the stanchion.

This configuration of the guard brings many advantages. The guard can be mounted above the support pole enabling a camera located within the protective enclosure provided by the guard's fins to retain a 360 view around the support pole, whilst the fins of the guard do not restrict the area viewable by the camera significantly.

Preferably, the vertical stanchion defines a longitudinal central axis of the guard.

The arrangement of the stanchion at the longitudinal central axis of the guard enables the guard to be centrally balanced whilst mounted above a supporting pole.

Thereby, when the guard is mounted above a support pole, the guard is more resistant to lateral forces, such as those created by the wind.

Preferably, the fins are arranged to have a minor planar surface facing the longitudinal central axis of the guard.

Preferably, the fins are arranged to have a major planar surface normal to the longitudinal central axis of the guard. This arrangement reduces to a minimum the obstructed area of the camera's vision.

Preferably, the fins are arcuate. Advantageously, the arcuate shape of the fins allows the fins to closely follow the curvature of a spherical camera housing mounted within the guard.

Preferably, the fins are arranged to form a cup like protective enclosure above the stanchion.

Preferably, the fins are arranged to form a hemispherical-bowl like protective enclosure above the stanchion.

This arrangement of the fins advantageously allows a lo spherical camera housing to sit upon the guard and retain protection to the transparent hemisphere, whilst allowing access to the metal hemisphere, for example during routine maintenance.

Preferably, the guard comprises a circular attachment - ring; wherein the attachment ring is arranged to form a - rim of the partial enclosure.

Preferably, the guard comprises a downward sloping flange extending radially from the attachment ring; wherein the flange is arranged to mate with a corresponding downwardly sloping surface on a camera housing in order to centrally locate the camera housing upon the guard.

The flange allows a camera housing mounted within the - guard to easily locate on top of the guard. Ideally, a camera housing for mounting within the guard should have a corresponding downwardly sloping flange to mate against the flange provided on the guard.

Preferably, each fin has a rectangular cross-section having a ratio of major planar surface depth to minor planar surface width being at least 5:1.

Preferably, each fin has a ratio of major planar surface depth to minor planar surface width of 8:1.

Preferably, the major planar has a depth of 25mm and the minor planar surface has a width of 3mm.

Advantageously, the ratio of the major planar surface depth to minor planar surface width of the fins provides a camera mounted behind the guard with a minimally restricted viewable area, whilst providing the fins width adequate strength to resist impact with projectiles.

Preferably, the fins are arranged equispaced around the stanchion. The equispacing of the fins provides a camera mounted behind the guard with equal protection against projectiles from all angles.

Preferably, the guard has 24 fins.

Preferably, a mounting plate is provided for mounting the guard onto a corresponding mounting plate provided at the end of the support pole; wherein the mounting plate is a disc, arranged horizontally, at an end of the stanchion distal from the fins.

Advantageously, the mounting plate allows the guard to be securely fastened onto the top of a provided supporting pole.

Preferably, the mounting plate comprises one or more holes for attaching fasteners through for fastening the guard to the corresponding plate on the support pole.

Preferably, the guard is made from metal.

Preferably, the guard is dark and non-reflective in colour.

lo According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the camera mounting assembly comprising: a camera guard; and a support pole; wherein the camera guard is mounted above the support pole.

For a better understanding of the invention, and to show how embodiments of the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which: Figure 1 is a view of a spherical camera housing mounted on top of a support pole; Figure 2 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the guard; Figure 3 is a side view of a preferred embodiment of the guard attached on top of a support pole; Figure 4 is a cross sectional view of a preferred embodiment of the guard and a camera housing adapted for mounting within the guard; Figure 5 is a cross sectional view of a preferred embodiment of the guard and a camera housing mounted within the guard.

As shown in Figure 1, a spherical camera housing 1 is shown mounted on a support pole 2. The camera housing comprises an upper hemisphere 3, typically made of metal, and a lower transparent hemisphere 4. A closed circuit television camera (not shown) is mounted within the lo housing 1 and views through the transparent hemisphere 3.

Figure 2 shows a preferred embodiment of the guard 10.

The guard comprises a plurality of arcuate fins 11, arranged radially around and extending from a vertical stanchion 12. The fins 11 form a protective hemispherical bowl, behind which a camera or camera housing can be mounted. The fins 11 extend upward to a circular attachment ring 13. The circular attachment ring 13 is arranged at an equatorial point of the hemispherical bowl formed by the arcuate fins 11. The attachment ring 13 additionally comprises a downward sloping flange 14, which extends radially outward from the attachment ring. The vertical stanchion 12 is mounted upon a mounting plate 15.

The mounting plate 15 is provided for mounting the guard onto a support pole. Ideally, the mounting plate 15 has a number of holes 16 for allowing fasteners to securely fasten the guard onto a corresponding mounting plate provided upon the support pole.

Figure 3 shows the preferred embodiment of the guard attached onto a support pole 21. The minor planar surface width W of the fins is indicated as shown. The mounting plate 15 is used to secure the guard to a corresponding mounting plate 22, provided on the support pole 21.

Figures 4 and 5 show a preferred embodiment of the guard 10 mounted onto a support pole 21, wherein the guard is used to protect a spherical camera housing 31. The major planar surface depth D of the fins is indicated as shown.

lo As can be seen from Figures 4 and 5 the downward sloping flange 14 centrally locates the spherical camera housing within the preferred embodiment of the guard by mating with a corresponding downwardly sloping surface 32 provided on the camera housing 31.

A guard suitable for protecting a camera or a camera mounted within a spherical housing has been described herein. The guard of the present invention provides protection for a camera or camera housing mounted on top of a pole whilst minimally obstructing the cameras viewable area and without reducing the overall picture quality.

Although a few preferred embodiments have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications might be made without departing from the scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.

Attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.

All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

Each feature disclosed in this specification

(including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings) may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, 3 equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment(s). The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features

disclosed in this specification (including any

accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

Claims (20)

1. Claims 1. A guard for protecting a camera, the guard comprising: a

   vertical stanchion for securing the guard to a support pole; and a plurality of fins arranged extending radially and lo upwardly from the stanchion to form a protective enclosure above the stanchion.
2. 2. The guard according to claim 1, wherein the vertical stanchion defines a longitudinal central axis of the guard.
3. 3. The guard according to claim 2, wherein the fins are arranged to have a minor planar surface facing the longitudinal central axis of the guard.
4. 4. The guard according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the fins are arranged to have a major planar surface normal to the longitudinal central axis of the guard.
5. 5. The guard according to any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the fins are arcuate.
6. 6. The guard according to any of claims 1 to 5, wherein the fins are arranged to form a cup like protective enclosure above the stanchion.
7. 7. The guard according to claim 6, wherein the fins are arranged to form a hemispherical-bowl like protective enclosure above the stanchion.
8. 8. The guard according to claim 6 or 7, comprising: a circular attachment ring; wherein the attachment ring is arranged to form a rim lo of the partial enclosure.
9. 9. The guard according to claim 8, comprising: a downward sloping flange extending radially from the attachment ring; wherein the flange is arranged to mate with a corresponding downwardly sloping surface on a camera housing in order to centrally locate the camera housing i upon the guard.
10. 10. The guard according to any preceding claim, wherein each fin has a rectangular cross-section with the ratio of major planar surface depth to minor planar surface width being at least 5:1.
11. 11. The guard according to claim 10, wherein each fin has a ratio of major planar surface depth to minor planar surface width of 8:1. t
12. 12. The guard according to claim 11, wherein the major planar has a depth of 25mm and the minor planar surface has a width of 3mm.
13. 13. The guard according to any preceding claim, wherein the fins are arranged equispaced around the stanchion.
14. 14. The guard according to any preceding claim having 24 fins.
15. 15. The guard according to any preceding claim, comprising: a mounting plate for mounting the guard onto a corresponding mounting plate provided at the end of the support pole; wherein the mounting plate is a disc arranged horizontally, at an end of the stanchion distal from the fins.
16. 16. The guard according to claim 12, wherein the I mounting plate comprises one or more holes for attaching fasteners through to fasten the guard to the corresponding plate on the support pole.
17. 17. The guard of any preceding claim being made from metal.
18. 18. The guard of any preceding claim being dark and non-reflective in colour.
19. 19. The camera mounting assembly comprising: a camera guard; and a support pole; wherein the camera guard is mounted above the support E pole.
20. 20.A guard for protecting a camera, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.