Motorized pan/tilt head for remote control

A pan/tilt unit for supporting a video camera and for releasable connection to a surface provided with one half of an electrical connector, said unit adapted for remote operation to aim said video camera in selected directions, which comprises:

• a support member having a first end carrying one half of an electrical connector which is complementary to said one half electrical connector on said surface, and a second end defining an axis, said support member provided with a passageway extending from said first end to said second end;
• a pan/tilt head, being substantially U-shaped, having a hollow base cross member pivotally mounted on said second end of said support member at a midpoint of said base cross member, and a pair of parallel hollow leg members, each said leg members having a first end attached at opposite ends of said base cross member, and second ends, said pan/tilt head further provided with a housing for mounting said video camera, said housing pivotally supported between said leg members proximate said second ends;
• first electrical drive means positioned within said base cross member for providing panning motion of said pan/tilt head around said axis of said second end of said support member;
• second electrical drive means positioned within one of said leg members for providing pivotal tilting motion of said housing for said video camera;
• a first position sensing element associated with said first drive means for producing an electrical signal related to a rotational position of said pan/tilt head with respect to said axis of said second end of said support member;
• a second position sensing element associated with said second drive means for producing an electrical signal related to a rotational tilting position of said housing with respect to said leg members;
• means for reciprocatively moving said pan/tilt head in a direction along said axis of said second end of said support member;
• a proximity sensing member supported proximate said second ends of said leg members;
• at least one electrical limit switch connected between said proximity sensing member and said second ends of said leg members whereby said means for reciprocative moving said pan/tilt head is disabled when said proximity sensing member encounters a foreign object;
• and
• electrical leads within said pan/tilt head and extending through said passageway in said support member connecting said first and second drive means, said first and second position sensing elements and said limit switch to said electrical connector half at said first end of said support member.

A motorized pan/tilt unit, for releasable connection to a surface that is provided with one half of an electrical connector, for the mounting of a video camera and the like, which comprises:

• a support member having a first end carrying a complementary half of an electrical connector to mate with said electrical connector of said surface, and a second end defining an axis, said support member provided with a passageway extending from said first end to said second end;
• a pan/tilt head rotatably mounted on said second end of said support member, said pan/tilt head being substantially U-shaped with a hollow base cross member and a pair of parallel hollow legs each having first ends attached at opposite ends of said base cross member, and a second ends, said pan/tilt head further provided with mounting means for said video camera and the like pivotally supported between said legs proximate said second ends, with electrical drive means within said head for panning motion of said pan/tilt head around said axis of said second end of said support member and for tilting of said mounting means for said video camera and the like;
• means for reciprocatively moving said pan/tilt in a direction along said axis of said second end of said support member;
• a proximity member supported at said second ends of said legs and mechanically coupled to at least one limit switch associated with said further ends of said legs whereby said means for reciprocatively moving said pan/tilt head is disabled when said proximity member encounters an object;
• and
• electrical leads from said electrical drive means and said limit switch threaded through said head and said passageway in said support member and connected to said complimentary half of an electrical connector at said first end of said support means.