阅读说明：本技术 车载相机 (Vehicle-mounted camera ) 是由 大庭徹也 金丸正宽 于 2019-05-08 设计创作，主要内容包括：通过相机单元(10)和支架(20)构成卡扣结合机构、按压机构和保持机构,所述卡扣结合机构进行卡扣结合,所述按压机构经由卡扣爪(24)朝使安装面(20fb)与相对面(10fc)之间的间隙变大的方向进行按压,所述保持机构对抗按压,并对相对面(10fc)与安装面(20fb)之间的间隔进行保持,在卡扣爪(24)形成有副卡合面(24s),所述副卡合面(24s)相对于插入方向(Dp)的倾斜角(θs)比主卡合面(24m)相对于插入方向(Dp)的倾斜角小,且将按压中的力的一部分转换为插入方向(Dp)的力。(A camera unit (10) and a holder (20) constitute a snap-fit mechanism that performs snap-fit engagement, a pressing mechanism that presses via a snap claw (24) in a direction in which a gap between a mounting surface (20fb) and an opposing surface (10fc) increases, and a holding mechanism that holds a gap between the opposing surface (10fc) and the mounting surface (20fb) against the pressing, wherein a sub-snap surface (24s) is formed on the snap claw (24), and an inclination angle (θ s) of the sub-snap surface (24s) with respect to an insertion direction (Dp) is smaller than an inclination angle of a main-snap surface (24m) with respect to the insertion direction (Dp), and converts a part of a force during the pressing into a force of the insertion direction (Dp).)

1. An in-vehicle camera, comprising:

a bracket fixed to an inner surface of a glass in front or rear of a vehicle; and

a camera unit configured to be attachable to and detachable from a mounting surface formed on a side opposite to a fixing surface of the bracket to the glass, and having a lens barrel extending outward from a vehicle,

it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,

the camera unit and the bracket form a buckle combination mechanism, a pressing mechanism and a holding mechanism,

the snap-fit coupling mechanism performs snap-fit coupling in an insertion direction parallel to a direction in which the optical axis is projected onto the mounting surface,

the pressing mechanism presses in a direction in which a gap between the attachment surface and an opposing surface of the camera unit opposing the attachment surface is increased via a latch claw constituting the latch coupling mechanism,

the holding mechanism resists the pressing and holds the interval between the opposite surface and the mounting surface,

the snap claw is formed with a main engagement surface for main engagement in the snap engagement and a sub engagement surface having an inclination angle with respect to the insertion direction smaller than that of the main engagement surface, and converting a part of the pressing force into the force in the insertion direction.

2. The in-vehicle camera of claim 1,

an elastic pressing portion that is formed with the snap claw at a leading end portion, extends from the attachment surface so as to be apart from the attachment surface as it goes in the insertion direction, and elastically deforms in a direction along the opposing surface when the opposing surface is brought close to the attachment surface is provided as the pressing mechanism,

as the holding mechanism, a supporting protrusion protruding in a direction parallel to the opposing face formed on the camera unit and a hook portion that opens in the same orientation as the insertion direction formed on the holder and hooks the supporting protrusion when the snap-fit engagement is provided.

3. The in-vehicle camera of claim 1 or 2,

the inclination angle of the sub-engaging surface with respect to the insertion direction is closer to 45 degrees than to 90 degrees or 0 degrees.

4. The vehicle-mounted camera according to any one of claims 1 to 3,

the projection area of the sub engagement surface on a vertical plane with respect to the insertion direction is equal to or greater than 1/4 of the projection area of the main engagement surface on the vertical plane.

5. The vehicle-mounted camera according to any one of claims 1 to 4,

the snap-fit coupling mechanisms are arranged in plane symmetry with respect to an optical axis plane perpendicular to the opposing surface and including the optical axis, and are spaced apart from the lens barrel in pairs.

6. The in-vehicle camera of claim 5,

an angle of a receiving surface for engaging with the main engaging surface in the snap coupling mechanism in a plane parallel to the opposing surface is orthogonal to the optical axis surface.

7. The in-vehicle camera of claim 5,

an angle of a receiving surface for engaging with the main engaging surface in the snap coupling mechanism in a plane parallel to the opposing surface is inclined with respect to a plane perpendicular to the optical axis plane.

8. The vehicle-mounted camera according to any one of claims 1 to 7,

a fitting structure is constituted by the holder and the camera unit, the fitting structure fitting each other in a direction perpendicular to a direction in which the opposing surface is away from the mounting surface and perpendicular to the insertion direction.

Technical Field

The application relates to an on-vehicle camera.

Background

The vehicle-mounted camera includes a bracket fixed to a vehicle body such as a front windshield, and a camera unit detachably formed on the bracket, and a lens barrel, an image processing unit, and the like are held by the frame. In such an in-vehicle camera, it is required that the camera unit reliably maintain the installation position and orientation in an in-vehicle environment such as vibration and impact of the vehicle and be easily attachable and detachable for maintenance and the like.

Thus, an in-vehicle camera in which a spring member that presses a camera unit is disposed on the front side or the rear side of a vehicle is disclosed (for example, see patent document 1). Alternatively, a bracket that fixes a camera unit by snap-engagement is disclosed (for example, refer to patent document 2).

Documents of the prior art

Patent document

Patent document 1: japanese patent laid-open publication No. 2013-193558 (paragraphs 0022 to 0038, FIGS. 1 to 4)

Patent document 2: US 2016/021659A1 (paragraphs 0019 to 0049, FIGS. 2 to 7)

Disclosure of Invention

Technical problem to be solved by the invention

However, in the case where the camera unit is pressed by the spring member, the spring member needs to be supported by a load larger than the vibration load received from the camera unit in order to reliably hold the vibration in the front-rear direction of the vehicle. Therefore, a strong large spring member needs to be provided, and when the camera unit is mounted, the strong spring needs to be compressed and mounted, which may not be easily attached and detached. On the other hand, if the molded product can be molded in a designed size, a strong fastening of the clip can be expected, but if there is dimensional variation in the molded product, if the dimensional variation occurs, even if it is small, looseness occurs, and therefore, in the case of receiving vibration, there is a possibility that reliable fastening cannot be achieved.

The present application discloses a technique for solving the above-described problems, and an object thereof is to obtain a vehicle-mounted camera that can be easily attached and detached and that can achieve reliable fixing.

Technical scheme for solving technical problem

The disclosed on-vehicle camera of this application includes: a bracket fixed to an inner surface of a glass in front or rear of a vehicle; and a camera unit configured to be attachable and detachable to and from a mounting surface formed on a side opposite to a fixing surface of the holder to which the glass is fixed, and having a lens barrel with an optical axis extending to the outside of the vehicle, wherein the camera unit and the holder constitute a snap coupling mechanism, a pressing mechanism, and a holding mechanism, the snap coupling mechanism performs snap coupling in an insertion direction parallel to a direction in which the optical axis is projected onto the mounting surface, the pressing mechanism presses in a direction in which an interval between the mounting surface and an opposing surface of the camera unit opposing the mounting surface is increased via a snap claw constituting the snap coupling mechanism, the holding mechanism holds the interval between the opposing surface and the mounting surface against the pressing, and a main snap surface and a sub-snap surface are formed on the snap claw, the main engaging surface is used for main engagement in the snap-fit engagement, and the sub-engaging surface has an inclination angle with respect to the insertion direction smaller than an inclination angle of the main engaging surface with respect to the insertion direction, and converts a part of the force in the pressing into a force in the insertion direction.

Effects of the invention

According to the on-vehicle camera disclosed in the present application, since a part of the pressing force is converted into the insertion direction component of the clip, the on-vehicle camera can be easily attached and detached, and a reliable fixation can be achieved.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a schematic view showing a state in which an in-vehicle camera according to embodiment 1 is mounted on a vehicle.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing an attachment direction of the camera unit to the cradle in the in-vehicle camera according to embodiment 1.

Fig. 3A and 3B are a side view and a top view, respectively, of a camera unit portion constituting the in-vehicle camera of embodiment 1.

Fig. 4A and 4B are cross-sectional views, respectively, of a camera unit portion constituting the in-vehicle camera according to embodiment 1, as viewed from the side, after the cutting position is changed.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of a camera unit portion constituting the in-vehicle camera of embodiment 1, as viewed from the back side.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of a cradle constituting the in-vehicle camera according to embodiment 1.

Fig. 7A and 7B are a bottom view and a side view of a cradle constituting the vehicle-mounted camera of embodiment 1.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view of a holder portion constituting the in-vehicle camera of embodiment 1, as viewed from the back side.

Fig. 9A, 9B, and 9C are cross-sectional views, respectively, of the bracket portion constituting the in-vehicle camera according to embodiment 1, as viewed from the side, after the cutting position is changed.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged cross-sectional view schematically showing the structure of a snap claw constituting a cradle of the onboard camera according to embodiment 1.

Fig. 11A to 11C are schematic cross-sectional views each showing a change in position of the support projection of the camera unit at each stage of attachment in the guide groove of the cradle, when the camera unit is attached to the cradle, as viewed from the side in the vehicle-mounted camera according to embodiment 1.

Fig. 12A to 12C are schematic cross-sectional views each showing a positional relationship at a snap-in portion at each attachment stage when the camera is attached to the cradle, as viewed from the side, in the vehicle-mounted camera according to embodiment 1.

Fig. 13 is an enlarged schematic cross-sectional view of the in-vehicle camera according to embodiment 1, showing a positional relationship at the hooking portion when the camera unit is attached to the cradle, as viewed from the side.

Fig. 14A and 14B are a plan view and a cross-sectional view seen from the side of a camera unit portion constituting the in-vehicle camera according to embodiment 2, respectively.

Fig. 15 is a bottom view of a cradle constituting the vehicle-mounted camera of embodiment 2.

Fig. 16 is an enlarged cross-sectional view schematically showing the structure of a snap claw constituting a cradle of the vehicle-mounted camera according to embodiment 2, as viewed from the side.

Detailed Description

Embodiment mode 1

Fig. 1 to 13 are schematic sectional views showing a state where the vehicle-mounted camera is mounted on a front windshield of a vehicle, as seen from a side, fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a mounting direction when the camera unit is mounted on a bracket, as seen from a rear side, and fig. 3 is a side view showing a camera unit portion (fig. 3A) and a plan view (fig. 3B) as a mounting surface (opposing surface) to be mounted on the bracket, in order to explain the vehicle-mounted camera according to embodiment 1. Further, fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view after changing the cut position of a camera unit portion constituting the in-vehicle camera, as viewed from the side, fig. 4A is a cross-sectional view after cutting along the line a2-a2 of fig. 3, and fig. 4B is a cross-sectional view after cutting along the line a1-a1 of fig. 3. Further, fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along line B-B of fig. 3 as a sectional view of the camera unit portion viewed from the back side.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of a mounting surface (fixing surface) of a front windshield as a bracket, fig. 7A is a bottom view of a surface (mounting surface) of the bracket to which a camera unit is mounted, fig. 7B is a side view of the bracket, and fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the bracket as viewed from the back side, which is a cross-sectional view taken along line D-D of fig. 7A. Further, fig. 9 is a sectional view after changing the cut position of the stent portion as viewed from the side, fig. 9A is a sectional view after cutting along the line C1-C1 of fig. 7A, fig. 9B is a sectional view after cutting along the line C2-C2 of fig. 7A, and fig. 9C is a sectional view after cutting along the line C3-C3 of fig. 7A. Fig. 10 is an enlarged schematic cross-sectional view showing the structure of the snap claw of the bracket shown in fig. 9C.

On the other hand, fig. 11A to 11C are schematic cross-sectional views showing changes in the positions of the bracket projections of the camera unit in the guide grooves of the bracket at each mounting stage when the camera unit is mounted to the bracket, as viewed from the side, corresponding to fig. 4B and 9A, respectively. Fig. 12A to 12C are schematic cross-sectional views, corresponding to fig. 4A and 9C, respectively, showing the positional relationship at the hooking portion at each mounting stage when the camera unit is mounted to the stand, as viewed from the side. Fig. 13 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a positional relationship between the engaging claw and the engaging recess at the engaging portion after the camera unit is attached to the stand, as viewed from the side, corresponding to fig. 12C.

Note that the front windshield to be mounted on the vehicle-mounted camera is not vertical, but is inclined downward in the forward direction, but in the contents including the description of the above drawings and the following embodiments, the surface facing the front windshield (inner surface) is defined as the top surface (upper side), and the opposite side is defined as the bottom surface (lower side). Further, a surface facing the front of the vehicle (the side on which a photograph is taken) is defined as a front surface, a surface facing the rear is defined as a rear surface, and both surfaces in the left-right direction are defined as side surfaces.

When the in-vehicle camera 1 according to each embodiment of the present application is used for forward monitoring, as shown in fig. 1, it is disposed in front of a rear view mirror 800, for example, which is an area of a front windshield 700 of a vehicle where a field of view of a driver is not obstructed. The camera unit is composed of a holder 20 fixed to an inner surface 700fi of the front windshield 700, and a camera unit 10 detachably attached to the holder 20 as shown in fig. 2. The lens barrel 11 and the image processing unit 12 of the camera unit 10 are held by a unit housing 13, and the unit housing 13 has a mechanism for attaching and detaching the unit housing 13 to and from the holder 20.

Further, since the optical axis Xo of the lens barrel 11 is fixed at a set position and orientation, scenes at a predetermined distance and range in front of the vehicle can be accommodated in the field angle Av, and the present invention can be used flexibly for vehicle travel control, recording of a travel state, and the like. For the sake of easy understanding, the configuration and operation of the in-vehicle camera 1 according to the present invention will be described on the premise that it is fixed to the front windshield so as to monitor the front side, but it may be fixed to the rear windshield so as to monitor the rear side. The details will be described below.

< Camera Unit >

As shown in fig. 3 to 5, in the camera unit 10, the optical axis Xo extends forward (left side in fig. 3), and the lens barrel 11 is exposed from the top surface side of the unit frame 13 as the opposing surface 10fc opposing the holder 20. The image processing unit 12 is built inside the bottom surface 10 fb.

At least a pair of support projections 14 supported by the holder 20 are provided on both side surfaces of the unit housing 13, and an engagement recess 15 for engaging with an engagement claw 24 of the holder 20 is provided on the side of the opposing surface 10 fc. In order to reliably support the camera unit 10 in the vertical direction against vibrations, the support projections 14 are formed of a pair of support projections 14a disposed on the vehicle front side and a pair of support projections 14b disposed on the vehicle rear side so as to ensure sufficient strength. In addition, holding surfaces 17a and 17b (collectively referred to as "holding surfaces 17") for supporting in the left-right direction when attached to the bracket 20 are formed on both side surfaces.

< support >

On the top surface side of bracket 20, as shown in fig. 6 and 8, a flat fixing surface 20fj for bonding to an inner surface 700fi of front windshield 700 is formed. On the other hand, as shown in fig. 7, a wall portion rising from the mounting surface 20fb is formed in the vicinity of the outer side in the left-right direction on the mounting surface 20fb side. Wall portion 20wa arranged in front and wall portion 20wb arranged in rear are provided on the right side (lower side in fig. 7A), and wall portion 20wc extending in the front-rear direction is provided on the left side (upper side in fig. 7A).

The wall portion is provided with column projections 26a, 26b (collectively referred to as "column projections 26"), which project inward in the left-right direction and extend in the longitudinal direction from the attachment surface 20fb so as to sandwich the holding surfaces 17a, 17b from the left-right direction when the camera unit 10 is attached. Further, corresponding to each of the support projections 14a, 14b of the camera unit 10, respectively, guide grooves 27a, 27b (collectively referred to as "guide grooves 27") as guides at the time of insertion are formed as shown in fig. 9A.

As shown in fig. 9C, an elastic pressing portion 22 is formed, and the elastic pressing portion 22 extends to be away from the mounting surface 20fb toward the rear, and has elasticity so as to be biased in a pushing-back direction like a leaf spring when the unit housing 13 is mounted. A snap claw 24 is formed at the distal end of the elastic pressing portion 22, and the snap claw 24 is snap-coupled to the engagement recess 15 of the unit housing 13. The details and combination of the engagement claw 24 and the engagement recess 15 will be described in detail.

As shown in fig. 9B, hook-shaped portions 23a and 23B (collectively referred to as "hook-shaped portions 23") are provided at the entrance portion (lower portion in the drawing) of the guide groove 27, and the hook-shaped portions 23a and 23B protrude rearward (rightward in fig. 9) and are configured to hook and support the projection 14 and prevent the projection from falling off.

Further, a pair of sliding convex portions 25a and 25b (collectively referred to as "sliding convex portions 25") are provided between the wall portion and the elastic pressing portion 22 on the front side and the rear side, respectively, and the sliding convex portions 25a and 25b extend in the front-rear direction by a predetermined length while maintaining a constant height from the mounting surface 20 fb. The sliding protrusion 25 is provided to contact the opposing surface 10fc when the camera unit is attached, and to smoothly move the camera unit 10 in the front-rear direction while contacting the opposing surface 10 fc.

Based on the above structure, the detailed structure will be further explained. As shown in fig. 10, the engaging claw 24 is provided with a main engaging surface 24m substantially orthogonal to the insertion direction Dp in general use, so as to prevent the disengagement at the time of engagement. In the in-vehicle camera 1 of the present application, in addition to the main engaging surface 24m, a sub engaging surface 24s is formed, and an inclination angle θ s of the sub engaging surface 24s with respect to the insertion direction Dp is smaller than the inclination angle θ m of the main engaging surface 24m and smaller than 90 degrees.

On the other hand, as shown in fig. 4A, the engaging recess 15 of the camera unit 10 is also provided with a sub receiving surface 15s corresponding to the sub engaging surface 24s in addition to the main receiving surface 15m corresponding to the main engaging surface 24 m.

The details of the mounting operation and the structure will be described based on the above-described structure. As illustrated in fig. 2, the camera unit 10 is mounted from below to above with respect to the bracket 20 attached to the front windshield 700. At this time, as shown in fig. 11A and 12A, the support projections 14a and 14b are inserted while being aligned with the guide grooves 27a and 27b of the bracket 20, respectively. In this way, the portion that rises from the facing surface 10fc of the camera unit 10 where the engaging recess 15 is formed serves to press the elastic pressing portion 22 of the holder 20.

Further, the camera unit 10 is pushed upward so that the opposing surface 10fc of the unit housing 13 abuts against the sliding protrusion 25 of the holder 20 as shown in fig. 12B. At this time, as shown in fig. 11B, the horizontal support surfaces 14ha, 14hb of the support projections 14a, 14B enter the guide groove 27 to a position above the horizontal holding surfaces 23ha, 23hb of the hook-shaped portions 23a, 23B in the guide groove 27. Here, the sliding convex portion 25a at the front of the vehicle and the sliding convex portion 25b at the rear of the vehicle are in contact with the opposing surface 10fc at the left and right sides, respectively, via a vertically long contact surface extending in the front-rear direction, so that the sliding convex portion 25 guides a smooth sliding motion of the camera unit 10 in the front-rear direction (the left-right direction in the drawing).

In the above state, when the camera unit 10 is slid toward the vehicle front side, as shown in fig. 11C, the horizontal support surfaces 14ha, 14hb of the support projection 14 are positioned on the horizontal holding surfaces 23ha, 23hb of the hook-shaped portion 23 opened in the insertion direction Dp, respectively. Further, by sliding the camera unit 10 toward the vehicle front side, the vertical support surface 14va of the support projection 14a on the vehicle front side is brought into contact with the abutment surface 23va of the hook-shaped portion 23 a.

Here, when the hand is released from the camera unit 10 and is no longer pressed in the attachment direction, the elastic pressing portion 22 is still pressed in a direction away from the camera unit 10, and therefore the horizontal support surfaces 14ha, 14hb receive the pressing load from the horizontal holding surfaces 23ha, 23 hb.

At this time, as shown in fig. 12C, the snap claws 24 of the holder 20 are engaged with the engaging concave portions 15 of the camera unit 10. At this time, the holding surface 17 on the side surface of the housing of the camera unit 10 is sandwiched from both sides by the vertical protrusions 26 on the side surface of the stand 20 by the sliding motion toward the front of the vehicle, and is brought into a fitted state. Further, as described above, since the elastic pressing portion 22 presses the opposing surface 10fc, the horizontal supporting surfaces 14ha and 14hb receive the pressing load from the horizontal holding surfaces 23ha and 23 hb. That is, mechanical support mechanisms for suppressing displacement between the camera unit 10 and the stand 20 are formed in four directions (up, down, left, and right) perpendicular to the front-back direction.

Here, the snap engagement by the snap claws 24 and the snap recesses 15 for suppressing displacement of the vehicle in the front-rear direction will be described. The surfaces sandwiched in the front-rear direction in the camera unit 10 are the vertical support surfaces 14va of the support projections 14a and the main receiving surface 15m of the engagement recess 15. The surfaces of the bracket 20 that correspond to the above-described surfaces and are sandwiched in the front-rear direction are the abutting surfaces 23va of the hook-shaped portions 23a and the main engaging surfaces 24m of the catch claws 24.

However, the dimension L10 (fig. 3B) between the vertical support surface 14va and the main receiving surface 15m and the dimension L20 (fig. 9C) between the abutting surface 23va and the main engaging surface 24m may vary depending on the manufacturing accuracy of the components. In particular, when the elastic pressing portion 22 is formed of a resin molded product, it is assumed that the dimension L20 between the abutting surface 23va and the main engaging surface 24m of the snap claw 24 is largely varied due to collapse deformation.

Therefore, when a general snap structure is configured and L20 is shorter than L10 to exceed the allowable range, the snap coupling as shown in fig. 12C cannot be realized. Alternatively, when L20 is longer than L10 by more than the allowable range, the gap between the main engaging surface 24m and the main receiving surface 15m is left open, and when vibration is received, the main engaging surface 24m and the main receiving surface 15m collide strongly, and the engagement may be disengaged. Here, it is conceivable to suppress the engagement and disengagement by increasing the projection height of the main engagement surface 24m, but in this case, the elastic pressing portion 22 needs to be bent greatly at the time of engagement, the force required for insertion increases, the force at the time of removal also increases, and the use becomes difficult.

In contrast, in the onboard camera 1 of the present invention, the engaging claws 24 and the engaging recesses 15 that are responsible for the engagement form the sub engaging surfaces 24s, and the inclination angle θ s of the sub engaging surfaces 24s with respect to the insertion direction Dp is smaller than the inclination angle θ m of the main engaging surfaces 24m with respect to the insertion direction Dp and is smaller than 90 degrees. Further, a main receiving surface 15m and a sub receiving surface 15s are provided at positions of the unit housing 13 facing the main engaging surface 24m and the sub engaging surface 24s, respectively.

As shown in fig. 13, for example, the dimensions L20 and L10 are set to satisfy the relationship of L20 being L10+ G so that a gap G set in consideration of dimensional variation is generated between the main engagement surface 24m and the main receiving surface 15 m. The gap G is set so that the gap can be reliably secured even when L20 is the smallest and L10 is the largest within the dimensional tolerance of the components. Thus, in the normal state, the main engaging surface 24m and the main receiving surface 15m are separated, but the sub engaging surface 24s and the sub receiving surface 15s are reliably brought into contact by the vertical force due to the elastic force of the elastic pressing portion 22.

At this time, as described in fig. 10, since the sub receiving surface is inclined at the inclination angle θ s smaller than 90 degrees in the orientation opposite to the insertion direction Dp with respect to the insertion direction Dp, a force of a component in the direction of preventing the detachment is generated, and a force of directing the snap claw 24 to the insertion direction Dp is always applied. Therefore, even when a large load such as a collision load is applied, a force opposing the disengagement is applied between the sub engagement surface 24s and the sub receiving surface 15s, and the displacement in the disengagement direction does not easily occur. Further, for example, even if the main engaging surface 24m collides with the main receiving surface 15m, since the impact force is relaxed in the process of reducing the gap before the collision, the main engaging surface 24m and the main receiving surface 15m can reliably prevent the falling-off, and the displacement in the front-rear direction can be suppressed within the range of the gap G. Therefore, the height of the main engaging surface 24m can be reduced to be smaller than that of a general snap.

As described above, the sub engagement surface 24s may be inclined so as to apply a force in the vertical direction and convert a part of the applied force into a direction in which the falling-off is suppressed. Therefore, for example, the inclination angle θ s is preferably an angle closer to 45 degrees than 0 degree or 90 degrees, on the assumption that the inclination angle θ s is smaller than the inclination angle θ m of the main engagement surface 24m, before and after 45 degrees with respect to the insertion direction Dp.

Further, the sub engagement surface 24s may be a flat surface or may be curved as long as a part of the force is converted into the falling direction. Even in this case, the projected area of the surface perpendicular to the insertion direction Dp is preferably 1/4 or more, and more preferably 1/3 or more, of the main engagement surface 24 m.

In order to stably fix the camera unit 10, it is necessary to support the camera unit 10 at a center of gravity or at a position symmetrical with respect to the center of gravity. On the other hand, the lens barrel 11 occupying most of the weight in the camera unit 10 is often disposed substantially at the center of the camera unit 10, and the unit housing 13 has a large front-rear left-right dimension, i.e., a large left-right dimension, and a small front-rear dimension, in order to ensure a large field of view. Therefore, the support space around the center of gravity is small, and it is difficult to provide the click mechanism. Thus, in order to stably fix the camera unit 10, it is preferable to include a pair symmetrically with respect to a plane (for example, referred to as an optical axis plane) perpendicular to the opposing plane 10fc including the optical axis Xo.

That is, with the above configuration, the camera unit 10 can be reliably fixed in the vertical, lateral, and front-rear directions of the vehicle, and the camera unit 10 can be attached to the bracket 20 at a predetermined position and direction. Further, at the time of detachment, the camera unit 10 can be easily detached by pushing the engagement releasing portion 22r located at the tip of the snap claw 24 toward the front windshield 700 and sliding it toward the rear of the vehicle.

Here, in the case of a vehicle camera, particularly a front monitoring camera, in order to bring a predetermined range in front of the vehicle into the field angle Av of the camera, it is necessary to arrange the camera in the vehicle center periphery of the front windshield 700 in the vehicle compartment and reliably fix the camera at a predetermined position and orientation. Further, the periphery of the vehicle center of the front windshield 700 is used to ensure the visibility of the front of the driver, and therefore, the front monitoring camera is mounted on the rear portion of the rearview mirror 800 which is a blind spot when viewed from the driver in many cases. Accordingly, the front monitoring camera is required to have a small occupation area of the front windshield as much as possible and to be configured to be thin so as to reduce the protrusion into the vehicle interior.

In view of the above-described requirements, in the in-vehicle camera 1 of the present application, since reliable fixing is achieved without using an unnecessary space or a large member, downsizing can be achieved. Therefore, even in the case of front monitor, the occupied area of the front windshield 700 can be reduced as much as possible, the protrusion into the vehicle interior can be reduced, the camera unit 10 can be easily attached and detached at the time of installation and maintenance in the vehicle, and the effect is more remarkable.

Embodiment mode 2

In embodiment 1 described above, an example in which the surfaces that engage with each other in the snap engagement are orthogonal to the insertion direction of the snap in the left-right direction is described. In the present embodiment, an example will be described in which the surfaces that engage with each other in the snap coupling are inclined in the left-right direction with respect to a perpendicular surface to the insertion direction of the snap.

Fig. 14 to 16 are views for explaining the in-vehicle camera according to embodiment 2, fig. 14A is a plan view of the camera unit, fig. 14B is a cross-sectional view as viewed from the side, which is a cross-sectional view taken along the line E-E of fig. 14A, fig. 15 is a bottom view of the holder, and fig. 16 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line F-F of fig. 15, which is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the structure of the latching claw of the holder as viewed from the side. The configuration of the in-vehicle camera according to embodiment 2 other than the portion related to the surfaces of the snaps that engage with each other is the same as that described in embodiment 1, and detailed description of the configuration will not be repeated.

In the in-vehicle camera 1 according to embodiment 2, as shown in fig. 14 to 16, the main receiving surface 19m of the engaging recess 19 and the main engaging surface 28m of the catch pawl 28 have an inclination angle θ h of less than 90 degrees with respect to a vertical plane in the insertion direction Dp in the left-right direction. The engaging claws 28 and the engaging recesses 19 disposed on both the left and right sides are disposed symmetrically with respect to the optical axis plane.

According to the above configuration, when receiving the pressing load from the elastic pressing portion 22, the sub engagement surface 28s and the sub receiving surface 19s uniformly apply the component of the load toward the optical axis Xo in the left-right direction to the left and right click mechanisms in a state of being symmetrical with respect to the plane including the optical axis Xo and the plumb line. Therefore, the camera unit 10 can be centered with respect to the left-right direction of the vehicle and toward the optical axis Xo (japanese: センタリング), so that the camera unit 10 can be fixed more accurately to a prescribed position and direction.

Modification example

In embodiment 2, an example is shown in which the left and right main engagement surfaces 28m are inclined so that the distance therebetween decreases as the insertion direction Dp at the time of the snap-fit engagement becomes closer to each other, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the left and right primary engagement surfaces 28m may be inclined so that the distance therebetween increases as the insertion direction Dp advances. In this case, a component of a part of the pressing load toward the side away from the optical axis Xo in the left-right direction is applied in a state of being symmetrical with respect to the plane, and therefore, the camera unit 10 can be centered toward the optical axis Xo with respect to the left-right direction of the vehicle.

In addition, although the present application describes various exemplary embodiments and examples, various features, modes, and functions described in one or more embodiments are not limited to the application to specific embodiments, and can be applied to the embodiments alone or in various combinations. Therefore, numerous modifications not illustrated are contemplated within the technical scope disclosed in the present specification. For example, the case where at least one component is modified, added, or omitted is included, and the case where at least one component is extracted and combined with the components of the other embodiments is also included.

For example, the locking claw 24 and the locking recess 15 constituting the locking mechanism may be provided on the camera unit 10 side and the cradle 20 side, and the support projection 14 may be projected in a hook shape from the opposite surface 10fc side without being limited to the example of projection from the side surface. Basically, it is sufficient to provide a pressing mechanism that presses the holder 20 and the camera unit 10 in a direction of separating them from each other via the snap claws 24, and a holding mechanism, and the snap claws 24 have sub engagement surfaces 24s, and the insertion direction Dp of the sub engagement surfaces is the front-rear direction.

As described above, the in-vehicle camera 1 according to each embodiment includes: a bracket 20, the bracket 20 being fixed to an inner surface 700fi of a glass (e.g., a front windshield 700) in front or rear of a vehicle; and a camera unit 10 configured to be attachable and detachable to and from a mounting surface 20fb formed on the opposite side of a fixing surface 20fi of the bracket 20 to which the front windshield 700 is fixed, the camera unit 10 including a lens barrel 11 having an optical axis Xo extending to the outside of the vehicle through the fixed front windshield 700, the camera unit 10 and the bracket 20 constituting a snap-fit coupling mechanism (snap claws 24 and 28, engagement recesses 15 and 19), a pressing mechanism (elastic pressing portion 22) that is snap-fit coupled in an insertion direction Dp parallel to a direction in which the optical axis Xo is projected onto the mounting surface 20fb, and a holding mechanism (supporting projection 14 and hook portion 23) that is pressed in a direction in which an interval between the mounting surface 20fb and an opposing surface 10fc of the camera unit 10 opposing the mounting surface 20fb is increased through the snap claws 24 and 28 constituting the snap-fit coupling mechanism, the holding mechanism holds the space between the opposing surface 10fc and the mounting surface 20fb against pressing, and the snap claw 24 is configured to form a main engagement surface 24m and a sub engagement surface 24s, the main engagement surface 24m is used for performing main engagement in the snap coupling, and the sub engagement surface 24s has a smaller inclination angle θ s with respect to the insertion direction Dp than an inclination angle (inclination angle θ m) of the main engagement surface 24m with respect to the insertion direction Dp, and converts a part of the force during pressing into a force (component) in the insertion direction Dp.

In particular, when an elastic pressing portion 22 is provided as a pressing means, the elastic pressing portion 22 has a click claw 24 formed at a distal end portion thereof, extends from the attachment surface 20fb so as to be apart from the attachment surface 20fb as the elastic pressing portion advances in the insertion direction Dp, and is elastically deformed in the direction along the opposing surface 10fc when the opposing surface 10fc is brought closer to the attachment surface 20fb, and a support protrusion 14 and a hook portion 23 are provided as a holding means, the support protrusion 14 protrudes in the direction parallel to the opposing surface 10fc formed on the camera unit 10, the hook portion 23 is opened in the same orientation as the insertion direction Dp formed on the holder 20, and the support protrusion 14 is hooked at the time of the click engagement, the operation of the click engagement and the operation of the holding means can be performed by one click, and therefore, the attachment and detachment can be greatly simplified.

In particular, if the inclination angle θ s of the sub engagement surface 24s with respect to the insertion direction Dp is set to be closer to 45 degrees than 0 degree or 90 degrees, the pressing force can be reliably received, and a force in a direction in which the snap-fit engagement does not fall off can be reliably generated from the received pressing force.

Alternatively, if the projected area of the sub engagement surface 24s on the vertical surface perpendicular to the insertion direction Dp is equal to or larger than 1/4 of the projected area of the main engagement surface 24m on the vertical surface, a force in the direction in which the snap-fit engagement does not fall off can be sufficiently generated. Further, when 1/3 or more is used, a force in a direction in which the snap-fit connection does not fall off can be generated more reliably.

If the above-described snap coupling mechanisms are provided in plane symmetry with respect to the optical axis plane perpendicular to the opposing surface 10fc and including the optical axis plane Xo, and are provided in pairs away from the lens barrel 11, the camera unit 10 can be stably supported.

At this time, if the receiving surface (main receiving surface 15m) of the engaging recess 15 for engaging with the main engaging surface 24m in the snap-fit mechanism is configured to be orthogonal to the optical axis surface at the angle θ h in the plane parallel to the opposing surface 10fc, the snap-fit can be maintained even against a large impact.

Alternatively, in the snap-fit mechanism, the receiving surface (main receiving surface 19m) of the engaging recess 19 for engaging with the main engaging surface 28m is inclined at an angle θ h in a plane parallel to the opposing surface 10fc with respect to a plane perpendicular to the optical axis plane, and thus, the centering function is exhibited during mounting, and the positioning becomes more appropriate.

If the holder 20 and the camera unit 10 are configured to form a fitting structure (the holding surface 17 and the wale protrusion 26) that fits each other in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the opposing surface 10fc is spaced apart from the mounting surface 20fb and the insertion direction Dp, displacement of the camera unit 10 relative to the holder 20 can be restricted in six directions, i.e., front-back, left-right, and up-down.

(symbol description)

1 vehicle-mounted camera; 10 a camera unit; the opposite face of 10 fc; 11a lens barrel; 14 support the projection; 14ha horizontal bearing surface; 14va vertical bearing surface; 15 engaging the concave part; 15m main receiving surface (receiving surface); 15s of secondary bearing surface; 17 holding surface (fitting structure); 19 an engaging recess; 20 a support; 20fj fixed surface; 20fb mounting surface; 22 an elastic pressing part; 23a hook portion; 24 snap-in claws; 24m main engaging surface; 24s of auxiliary snap surfaces; 26 longitudinal protrusions (fitting structure); 28, a clamping claw; 28m main engaging surface; 28s of auxiliary clamping surfaces; 700 front windshield (glass); 800 rear-view mirrors; an Av field of view; g gap; theta h inclination angle; thetam inclination angle; θ s tilt angle; xo optical axis.