RECORDING DEVICE CAGE AND METHOD OF USE

Abstract

The device is designed to secure any camera or video device to a fixed object and allow for tilt and angle adjustments. The cage is unique such that it will allow for any size device to be held securely while maintain the attributes for camera alignment, yet provide access to the operator to access the capabilities of the device and do so while keeping the device secure from theft.

Description

This application claims priority under 35 USC 1.119(e) based on provisional application No. 61/616,738 filed on Mar. 28, 2012

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to a recording device cage and method of use, and more particularly to a cage that provides a secure environment for a camera or the like while at the same time allowing various sized devices to be used and the cage to be adjustably mounted for recording device use.

BACKGROUND ART

Originally, devices such as game cameras have been used to monitor and track game movement in strategic areas for hunting, crop damage, and property damage. While these are usually placed in remote, unmonitored area's it has become difficult to restrict tampering or theft. Security boxes when utilized for security restrict camera access for operator, are large and heavy, only secure camera within the box, rarely allow for tilt & angle adjustments, and are very costly.

A low cost total solution to the security of such device is the inventive open cage with is lockable door, ability to mounts a camera or other recording device therein securely and allow the cage to be adjustably mounted to a supporting structure, herein after the cage.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present application is directed to resolve the security of these devices, while providing the attributes generally required for field mounting these devices in such a manner for convenient operator access, in a low cost yet rigid solution.

The application is designed to allow any style, shape, or size device on the current market to be captured within the cage while allowing operator access, and maintain the security of the cage to a fixed asset such as a tree, pole, or similar physical feature.

The cage is light, yet durable, and can easily be transported to a remote location while providing the owner with the knowledge these devices cannot be easily stolen.

More particularly, the cage is designed to hold and secure a device such as a camera or other recording device for observation of an area. The cage includes an open cage with separable frame sections to permit access to an interior of the cage. The cage has a frame with frame members and a number of cross bars extending between frame members to define the interior, wherein a portion of the cross bars are moveable with respect to the frame to allow for different-sized devices to fit in the interior, the cross bars also creating sufficient interference that when the cage door is closed and the device is placed in the cage, the device cannot be removed from the interior.

The cage also includes means for mounting the device in the cage and means for locking the frame sections together to prevent removal of the device in the interior of the cage. Further, a means for adjustably mounting the cage to a cage supporting structure is provided.

The means for locking the door can include mounts attached to the frame, each mount having an opening to receive a lock or securing rope. The means for adjustably mounting the cage can include plates mounted to the frame, a ball and arm member assembly, wherein the plate is adapted to receive the ball to allow ball rotation and adjustment of the position of the cage with respect to the supporting structure, and the arm member extends from the ball as part of the mounting to the supporting structure. The arm of the arm assembly is mounted to a member, with the member adapted to be mounted to the supporting structure.

The means for mounting the device can include a plurality of spring loaded bumpers mounted to the frame of the cage, the bumpers adapted to bias the device against portions of the cage to keep it in place. The spring loaded bumpers can be mounted to cross bars of the cage.

The frame sections can include a frame section and a door hinged to the frame section, or two complementary frame sections that when fit together form the cage. The invention also entails a method of securely mounting a device such as a camera or other recording device in the cage as described above. That is, one the cage is provided, the recording device is mounted in the interior of the cage; and the cage is mounted to a supporting structure. The orientation of the cage can be adjusted when securing the cage to the supporting structure using the adjustable cage mounting means. The position of one of more of the moveable cross bars of the cage can be adjusted as well as part of the mounting step.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a back view of one embodiment of the cage of the invention.

FIG. 2 shows a front view of the cage of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 shows a side view of the cage of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 shows a sectional view along the line A-A in FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 shows a top and/or bottom view of the cage of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a chart showing dimensions for various cage embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 7 shows a security rope for use with the cage of the invention.

FIG. 8 shows a perspective view of the cage of FIG. 1.

FIG. 9 shows the cage of FIG. 8 in an open state.

FIG. 10 shows an alternative embodiment of the cage of claim 1 illustrating a different open state configuration.

FIG. 11 shows an enlarged perspective view of one embodiment of a mounting assembly to mount the cage in a desired orientation.

FIG. 12 shows an embodiment for mounting a recording device to the cage of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

The expense of such camera devices has become such that field security is mandatory to protect the owner's asset. Within the current industry, a security box is the only option. This costly and bulky option is not typically deployed to remote locations, and these boxes are typically suitable for a single camera size and shape. Furthermore, these security boxes do not allow for tilt or rotate alignment of the held device for field applications. Security of these boxes is limited to the camera in the box, and do not address the security of the box itself to a physical feature.

With reference to FIGS. 1-5, and 8-12, the cage is designed such that a game camera or similar device is captured within a wire cage between front bars (155) and rear adjustment bumper (149), while allowing for camera lens, flash, and detection features are free from obstruction. The cage allows for operator to adjust the front security bars (101) to clear these features. The front on the cage is hinged (107) or (107a) to allow for camera or such device to be placed within.

FIG. 12 shows a way or means for mounting the device in the cage. The assembly 140 includes spring (145) loaded adjustment screws (147) with bumper (149). The screws (145 extend through opening (146) on cross back bar (111). This assembly 140 provides the operator with means to “fit” a camera to the cage in the proper manner and secure camera within the cage for proper field use. By using the bumpers, the camera or other device is basically held in place against the various members of the cage so that there is no need for specific attachment to any particular location on the device. This permits the cage to adapt any number of devices without having to worry about having to mechanically attach, e.g., use the tripod screw opening found on many cameras for mounting purposes. While the bumpers are shown in FIG. 3 as mounted on the cross bars 111, they could be positioned on other sides of the cage with the inclusion of the appropriate cross bars or other mounting members for mounting a particular device.

While the spring loaded bumpers are shown as one way to fit the device inside the cage, other means for mounting the device inside the cage can be employed. These could include the use of fasteners that would mechanically link one or parts of the cage to one or more parts of the device being mounted instead of using the press fit concept of the bumpers.

Top and bottom cage (109) faces are welded into place wire fixed cross bars (119) to complete the cage.

With particular reference to FIG. 11, and in another aspect of the invention a means for adjustably mounting the cage to a supporting structure is shown. In this embodiment, the cage can be now be mounted using rotational ball (135) attached to plate (115) with lock pin (137) to a physical location and adjusted through mechanical receiver plates (131) and (133) at the rear for alignment of tilt and angle by locking screws (139) when desired, which secure the receiver plates together and hold the rotational ball so that the cage is held in its desired orientation. In this aspect, the rotational ball and its related components allow for adjustably mounting the cage to a supporting structure, e.g., adjusting it so that the camera or other recording device is pointed in the desired direction.

Other mechanical means are available for this alignment (rotational and angular), such as round bars with similar capture devices which could locate on a rear of the cage therefore the invention includes any such mechanical means for which this attribute can be achieved.

In another aspect the cage can now be secured to the physical location by means of wire rope (131), see FIG. 7, and standard padlock, through lock mounts (105) located on each side of the back of cage and on cage door of the front of cage. The use of the wire rope can both secure the cage to a support structure by wrapping around the structure, e.g., a pole, and also lock the door of the cage. In this instance, a rope or the like could function not only as a means for adjustably mounting the cage to a supporting structure but also a means for locking the door.

The lock mounts 105 can be used just to lock the door closed by just using a lock 106 to pass through each opening in the mounts that are adjacent each other. Of course, other locking arrangements can be employed as would be within the skill of the art.

FIG. 10 shows an alternative cage arrangement wherein the hinge of the cage is located on a different frame member (108) than the hinge shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. While the cage is shown with a hinged door, other arrangements can be employed whereby frame sections are separable so that the interior of the cage can be accessed for camera mounting and removal. For example, the frame sections (112) and (114) of FIG. 10 could be connected together using fasteners, clamps or any type of mechanical engagement and the two frame sections could be held together with a security rope as shown in FIG. 7 or another type of lock that would keep the frame sections from being separated. While two frame sections are shown, more than two could be used to form the cage.

The front bars (101) and side bars (113) are adjustable in so that any make or model of a camera is securely captured by the cage, see FIGS. 2 and 3. The position and number of the adjustable bars can be varied if so desired.

The field camera or device can now be accessed by the opening the front door (161) of the cage and/or through the cage itself. The cage itself remains secure to the physical location until operator wishes to relocate.

The field camera or similar devices can be swapped out with varies other style or size devices by simply reconfiguring the cage for the shape of the device without removing cage from the physical location.

The cage can be made in any size and any material, with the material being the type that it will withstand attempts to break the cage, preferably a metal material. It is preferred to provide a number of different sized cages so as to accommodate different sized cameras. By using the three sizes shown in FIG. 6, it is possible to virtually encompass the entire family of products on the market for these types of cameral or recording device applications. The physical size of the cage is generally the only attribute that varies. All mechanical alignment and security characteristics of the cage can generally remain consistent regardless of which size cage is used. However, the characteristics could also vary between different size cages if so desired.

The cage is designed for manufacturing, with the front and rear panels similar and top and bottom alike. These sections of the cage are welded securely together. Mechanical adjustments for all sizes are identical, along with the security mechanism. This provides for a low cost manufacturing solution that will be presented to the consumer.

Claims

1. A cage designed to hold and secure a device such as a camera or other recording device for observation of an area comprising:

an open cage with separable frame sections to permit access to an interior of the cage; the cage having a frame with frame members and a number of cross bars extending between frame members to define the interior, wherein a portion of the cross bars are moveable with respect to the frame to allow for different-sized devices to fit in the interior, the cross bars also creating sufficient interference that when the cage door is closed and the device is placed in the cage, the device cannot be removed from the interior;

means for mounting the device in the cage;

means for locking the frame sections together to prevent removal of the device in the interior of the cage; and

means for adjustably mounting the cage to a cage supporting structure.

2. The cage of claim 1, wherein the means for locking the door includes mounts attached to the frame, each mount having an opening to receive a lock or securing rope.

3. The cage of claim 1, wherein the means for adjustably mounting the cage comprises:

plates mounted to the frame;

a ball and arm member assembly, wherein the plate is adapted to receive the ball to allow ball rotation and adjustment of the position of the cage with respect to the supporting structure, and the arm member extends from the ball as part of the mounting to the supporting structure,

4. The cage of claim 3, wherein an arm of the arm assembly is mounted to a member, with the member adapted to be mounted to the supporting structure.

5. The cage of claim 1, wherein the device mounting means comprises:

a plurality of spring loaded bumpers mounted to the frame of the cage, the bumpers adapted to bias the device against portions of the cage to keep it in place.

6. The cage of claim 5, wherein the spring loaded bumpers are mounted to cross bars of the cage.

7. The cage of claim 1, wherein the frame sections comprise a frame section and a door hinged to the frame section, or two complementary frame sections that when fit together form the cage.

8. A method of securely mounting a device such as a camera or other recording device in a cage comprising the steps of:

providing the cage of claim 1;

mounting the device in the interior of the cage; and

securing the cage to a supporting structure.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein an orientation of the cage is adjusted when securing the device to the supporting structure using the adjustable cage mounting means.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising adjusting the position of one of more of the moveable cross bars of the cage as part of the mounting step.