Underwater housing with tilted camera mount for dual lens spherical camera

1. An underwater housing for a dual-lens camera, comprising:

a mounting plate comprising a perimeter portion surrounding a cutout, the perimeter portion having a first plurality of attachment points on a first surface of the mounting plate and a second plurality of attachment points on a second surface of the mounting plate opposite the first surface;

a first dome coupled to the first surface of the mounting plate via the first plurality of attachment points;

a second dome coupled to the second surface of the mounting plate via the second plurality of attachment points; and

a camera mount for securing the dual-lens camera within the cutout, the dual-lens camera having a first lens assembly with a first optical axis laterally offset from a second lens assembly with a second optical axis, the camera mount structured to secure the camera at a tilt angle offset from a plane of the mounting plate such that the first optical axis intersects a center point on a surface of the first dome and such that the second optical axis intersects a center point of a surface of the second dome.

2. The underwater housing of claim 1 , wherein

the first dome comprises a first transparent substantially hemispherical portion and a first flange portion, the first flange portion extending radially from a first substantially circular edge of the first hemisphere portion, the first flange portion having a first surface that mates with the first surface of the mounting plate and is secured with the mounting plate via the first plurality of attachment points; and

the second dome comprises a second transparent substantially hemispherical portion and a second flange portion, the second flange portion extending radially from a second substantially circular edge of the second hemisphere portion, the second flange portion having a second surface that mates with a corresponding surface of the second surface of the mounting plate and is secured with the mounting plate via the second plurality of attachment points.

3. The underwater housing of claim 2 , wherein the underwater housing further comprises:

a first compressible sealing element between the first flange portion and the first surface of the mounting plate; and

a second compressible sealing element between the second flange portion and the second surface of the mounting plate.

4. The underwater housing of claim 1 , wherein the tilt angle relative to the plane of the mounting plate is given by

1

2

⁢

sin

-

1

⁢

d

R

-

sin

-

1

⁢

d

nR

where d is a lateral distance between the first lens assembly and the second lens assembly, R is a radius of the first dome and the second dome, and n is an index of refraction of an external environment outside the first dome and the second dome to an internal environment inside the first dome and the second dome.

5. The underwater housing of claim 1 , wherein the first dome and the second dome each comprise a hemisphere.

6. The underwater housing of claim 1 , wherein the first dome and the second dome each comprise a raised hemisphere comprising a hemispherical portion and a cylindrical portion.

7. The underwater housing of claim 1 , wherein the first dome and the second dome each comprise a parabolic surface.

8. An underwater housing for a dual-lens camera, comprising:

a waterproof housing having a first dome and a second dome with a waterproof seal in between them; and

a camera mount for securing within the waterproof housing, a camera having a first lens assembly with a first optical axis laterally offset from a second lens assembly with a second optical axis, the camera mount structured to secure the camera at a tilt angle offset from a plane of a mounting plate such that the first optical axis intersects a center point on a surface of the first dome and such that the second optical axis intersects a center point of a surface of the second dome.

9. The underwater housing of claim 8 , wherein

the first dome comprises a first transparent substantially hemispherical portion and a first flange portion, the first flange portion extending radially from a first substantially circular edge of the first hemisphere portion, the first flange portion having a first surface that mates with the first surface of the mounting plate and is secured with the mounting plate via the first plurality of attachment points; and

the second dome comprises a second transparent substantially hemispherical portion and a second flange portion, the second flange portion extending radially from a second substantially circular edge of the second hemisphere portion, the second flange portion having a second surface that mates with a corresponding surface of the second surface of the mounting plate and is secured with the mounting plate via the second plurality of attachment points.

10. The underwater housing of claim 9 , wherein the underwater housing further comprises:

a first compressible sealing element between the first flange portion and the first surface of the mounting plate; and

a second compressible sealing element between the second flange portion and the second surface of the mounting plate.

11. The underwater housing of claim 8 , wherein the tilt angle relative to the plane of the mounting plate is given by

1

2

⁢

sin

-

1

⁢

d

R

-

sin

-

1

⁢

d

nR

where d is a lateral distance between the first lens assembly and the second lens assembly, R is a radius of the first dome and the second dome, and n is an index of refraction of an external environment outside the first dome and the second dome to an internal environment inside the first dome and the second dome.

12. The underwater housing of claim 8 , wherein the first dome and the second dome each comprise a raised hemisphere comprising a hemispherical portion and a cylindrical portion.

13. The underwater housing of claim 8 , wherein the first dome and the second dome each comprise a parabolic surface.