GB2372290A - A mechanical joint for an equipment mount - Google Patents

Abstract

A mechanical joint for an equipment mount, e.g. a surveillance camera, comprises first and second portions forming halves 4, 5, the faces of which mate using a tapered fit 9, 10 and friction element 11. The halves 4, 5 pivot around central spigots 6, 7 with a fastener 8 passing through the centre which when tightened locks the tapers together and when partially slackened allows controlled adjustment of orientation against the resistance of the friction element 11. The joint is sealed against solid particle and liquid ingress by friction element 11 and seal 12 situated between the mating surfaces of the joint halves 4, 5. The halves 4, 5 may be hollow, providing ducts, through which electric cables may be routed.

Description

A Mechanical Joint

This invention relates to a mechanical joint particularly, but not exclusively, for an equipment mount that facilitates adjustment of the orientation of the mount and subsequent locking in that orientation.

There are several designs for mounts that allow equipment attached to them to be held in specific directional orientations and some of these mounts also provide an enclosed ducted route for electrical cables. However, these designs suffer from the disadvantages that either it is difficult to move the mechanical joints incorporated in the mount to point in the precise direction required, or once in position the effect of the weight of the load on the joints causes the orientation to alter over time. In addition some designs pose problems when one wishes to alter their orientation after they have been initially set up, either due to the mechanical joints providing excessive resistance to movement once the position locking mechanism has been removed or slackened, or due to the joint moving in an uncontrolled manner under the weight of the load it is carrying once the position locking mechanism has been removed or slackened.

An object of this invention is to provide a mechanical joint suitable for incorporation in an equipment mount which can be easily moved to the required orientation, locked in that orientation, and which

will allow the orientation to be subsequently adjusted in a controlled manner, whilst at all times carrying its rated load and allowing cabling to be ducted within it.

According to the invention there is provided a mechanical joint which comprises at least a first portion and a second portion provided with mutually engaging faces in use mating with a tapered fit; a fastener arranged to draw the engaging faces into engagement such that when fully tightened relative movement is prevented, by the engagement of the tapered faces of the portions and when partially tightened permits controlled adjustment of the orientation of the faces.

By providing a resilient friction element the fastener may be slackened to permit movement of the orientation of the joint without the joint unduly moving under the carried load.

The friction element is, preferably, disposed between the mutually engaging faces although other locations may be possible in other embodiments.

In the described preferred embodiment, the joint permits rotational movement about a pivot but in alternative embodiments the joint may permit other types of movement such as longitudinal movement.

Preferably, the fastener is also used as a pivot for the joint to permit relative rotational movement of the at least first and the second portions about an axis.

In the described embodiment, spigots are provided and the fastener is located in an axially extending bore of the spigots. The spigots are made mutually engaging at their axially inner faces and a seal is provided therebetween.

Preferably, at least one of the portions includes an integrally formed duct for, in use, routing cables.

The joint may be made from a number of materials such as plastics or metal.

The friction element in the preferred embodiment is an annulus.

However, other configurations may be used such as a discontinuous annulus or other shapes.

A number of materials may be used such as resiliently deformable materials including rubber, plastics and elastomeric materials.

The invention also provides an equipment mount including a joint according to the first aspect of the invention. In the described embodiment the mount is used for a camera.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: FIGURE 1 shows a mount with a camera housing attached.

FIGURE 2 is a section B-B through a mount joint.

As shown in Figure 1, a camera housing 3 is supported by a mount with two joints 1,2 each of similar construction. The joints facilitate the adjustment of the camera housing's orientation in the horizontal and/or vertical planes to provide the required field of view.

As shown in Figure 2, a section B-B though joint 1, the joint comprises first and second portions formed as two halves 4,5 provided with integrally moulded spigots 6,7 which permit relative rotational movement of the halves 4,5. The axially inward faces of the spigots 6 and 7 are formed as male and female members to enable positive engagement. An annular elastomeric seal 12 is located between the end faces.

A fastener 8, in this case a threaded fastener, joins the two halves of the joint together. The fastener 8 is located in an axially extending bore in both spigots 6,7 with the threaded portion of the fastener 8 uppermost in the figure engaging the bore in the spigot 6. A head of the fastener 8 engages a neck of the lower bore in the lower spigot 7.

The halves 4, 5 are provided with inclined ramping taper faces 9 and 10 with an annular friction element 11 located therebetween. When the fastener 8 is tightened, the joint halves self align as the taper faces 9, 10 are drawn together to mate, such that when the fastener is fully tightened, the joint halves 4,5 become fixed in position relative to one another due to the forces exerted on and by the taper faces.

When the fastener 8 is slackened, the joint halves can move relative to one another, the movement being regulated by the amount that the fastener is slackened. The friction element 11, which is this preferred embodiment is an elastomeric seal with a circular crosssection such as an o-ring, allows controlled adjustment of the orientation of the two halves of the joint relative to one another when the joint is under load due to the weight of the equipment attached to the mount.

The seal 12, which may be of similar construction to friction element 11, works in conjunction with the friction element to seal the joint against the ingress of solid particles and liquid from the environment around the outside. The seal 12 may also in some embodiments provide a further friction element to resist pivotal movement.

The halves of the joint have low voids 13,14 forming ducts that allow electrical cables to be routed though the inside of the joint to or from the equipment 3.

Claims (14)

1. A mechanical joint which comprises at least a first portion and a second portion provided with mutually engaging faces in use mating with a tapered fit; a fastener arranged to draw the engaging faces into engagement such that when fully tightened relative movement is prevented, at least in part, by the engagement of the tapers and when partially tightened permits controlled adjustment of orientation against resistance created between the tapers.

2. A mechanical joint as claimed in claim 1 wherein the fastener provides a pivot for the joint to permit relative rotational movement of the at least first and the second portions about an axis.

3. A mechanical joint as claimed in claim 2 wherein the fastener is at least in part located through axially extending spigots formed in the at least first and second portions.

4. A mechanical joint as claimed in claim 3 wherein the spigots are mutually engaging.

5. A mechanical joint as claimed in claim 4 wherein one or more friction elements may be disposed between the mutually engaging faces.

6. A mechanical joint as claimed in claim 5 wherein a friction element provides a seal.

7. A mechanical joint as claimed in any preceding daim wherein at least one of the portions includes an integrally formed duct for in use routing cables.

8. A mechanical joint as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the portions are made from metal, or plastics material, or from a combination of these materials.

9. A mechanical joint as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the friction element or elements are annular.

10. A mechanical joint as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the friction element is made of resiliently defonnable material.

11. A mechanical joint as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the friction element is made of one or any combination of rubber, plastics or elastomeric material.

12. A mechanical joint substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated by, the drawings.

13. An equipment mount including a joint as claimed in any preceding claim and providing a location to which equipment may, in use, be fixed which joint permitting variation in the orientation of the equipment.

14. An equipment mount substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated by, the drawings.

14. An equipment mount substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated by, the drawings.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows

CLAIMS 1. A mechanical joint which comprises at least a first portion and a second portion provided with integral mutually engaging faces in use mating with a tapered fit; a fastener arranged to draw the engaging faces into engagement such that when fully tightened relative movement is prevented, at least in part, by the engagement of the tapers and when partially tightened permits controlled adjustment of orientation against resistance created between the tapers.

2. A mechanical joint as claimed in claim 1 wherein the fastener provides a pivot for the joint to permit relative rotational movement of the at least first and the second portions about an axis.

3. A mechanical joint as claimed in claim 2 wherein the fastener is at least in part located through axially extending spigots formed in the at least first and second portions.

4. A mechanical joint as claimed in claim 3 wherein the spigots are mutually engaging.

5. A mechanical joint as claimed in claim 4 wherein one or more friction elements are disposed between the mutually engaging faces.

6. A mechanical joint as claimed in claim 5 wherein the friction element provides a seal.

7. A mechanical joint as claimed in any preceding claim wherein at least one of the portions includes an integrally formed duct for in use routing cables.

8. A mechanical joint as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the portions are made from metal, or plastics material, or from a combination of these materials.

9. A mechanical joint as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the friction element or elements are annular.

10. A mechanical joint as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the friction element is made of resiliently deformable material.

11. A mechanical joint as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the friction element is made of one or any combination of rubber, plastics or elastomeric material.

12. A mechanical joint substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated by, the drawings.

13. An equipment mount including a joint as claimed in any preceding claim and providing a location to which equipment may, in use, be fixed which joint permitting variation in the orientation of the equipment.