JP2003209722A - In-vehicle imaging apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an in-vehicle imaging apparatus for picking up an image in front of a vehicle and an image behind the vehicle by a camera, displaying the images on a display section in the interior of the vehicle, executing adjustments such as sensitivity switching adjustment of the imaging camera, opening/closing of an imaging opening part of the imaging camera, and cleaning of water drops deposited on a lens surface so as to prevent unsharpened video image displayed on the display section in order to prevent the sharpness of the video image displayed on the display section due to external surrounding environment such as rain and snow or the like encountered by the vehicle. <P>SOLUTION: The in-vehicle imaging apparatus 10 where protection covers 22 are covered to imaging cameras 11, 12, is characterized in that an open hole 24 is formed to the protection cover 22 at the position opposed to the imaging opening part of the imaging cameras 11, 12, and the imaging opening part is shielded in interlocking with an output of a rain sensor 5 installed in the vehicle 1. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vehicle-mounted image pickup device which has a display section inside a vehicle and displays an image of an image pickup camera arranged outside the vehicle on the display section.
For in-vehicle use, which is designed to shield the imaging opening of the imaging camera, clean the lens part of the imaging camera, and adjust the sensitivity of the imaging camera in response to the surrounding environment such as snow and day and night. The present invention relates to an imaging device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As an example of an imaging camera installed outside a vehicle used for an on-vehicle imaging device, a front imaging camera installed in front of the vehicle and a rear imaging camera installed in the rear top of the vehicle are used together. There is something. An image of the front of the vehicle and an image of the rear of the vehicle taken by this imaging camera are displayed on the display section provided in the instrument panel section in the vehicle interior so that the driver can check the situation outside the vehicle on the display section. For example, there has been proposed a device in which the rear view of the vehicle is displayed on the display unit even if the driver does not turn around when the vehicle moves backward. Normally, this vehicle-mounted imaging device is not particularly problematic when the surrounding environment is good, such as a sunny day, but at night, it is difficult to check the image because the brightness of the subject is low, and In the case of an external environment such as snow, water drops and the like may adhere to the lens surface of the camera unit and the image may be blurred.

[0003]

As described above, in the conventional vehicle-mounted image pickup device, the sharpness of the image projected on the display section in the vehicle compartment changes depending on the outside environment encountered by the vehicle. That is, when the outside environment is at night, it is difficult to check the image because the brightness of the subject is low, and when the environment is rainy, snowy, or the like, water drops or the like adhere to the lens surface of the camera unit. There was a problem that the image was blurred.

The present invention solves such a problem, and shields the image pickup opening of the camera section in response to the sensitivity switching adjustment of the image pickup camera corresponding to day and night, and rain, snow, etc. encountered by the vehicle. However, it is an object of the present invention to realize an in-vehicle image pickup device that prevents water droplets and the like from adhering to the lens surface and cleans the lens portion of the image pickup camera to prevent blurring of an image displayed on the display portion.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention relates to an in-vehicle image pickup device in which an image pickup camera is covered with a protective cover, wherein the protective cover has an image pickup opening portion of the image pickup camera. An opening hole is provided at a position facing each other, and the image pickup opening portion is shielded in conjunction with an output of a rainfall detecting means installed in the vehicle.

Further, a rotation mechanism portion is provided which rotates in conjunction with the output of the rainfall detection means and moves the image pickup opening portion of the image pickup camera away from the opening hole of the protective cover to shield it from the outside. It is characterized by.

Further, a shutter opening / closing mechanism portion is provided in the vicinity of the opening hole of the protective cover and is driven in conjunction with the output of the rainfall detecting means to open / close the opening hole of the protective cover. Is.

Further, the rain detecting means is a rain sensor.

Further, the rain detecting means detects the operation of the wiper.

Further, in the vehicle-mounted image pickup device in which the image pickup camera is covered with a protective cover, the protective cover is
It is characterized in that a cleaning means for contacting and sliding on the lens portion of the image pickup camera to clean dirt on the lens portion is provided in association with the power supply activation of the vehicle.

Further, as the cleaning means, a cleaning mechanism section is installed on the inner wall of the protective cover, and a rotation mechanism section installed on the image pickup camera rotates in association with the power supply activation of the vehicle, The lens part of the imaging camera is slid in contact with the cleaning mechanism part to clean the dirt of the lens part.

Further, as the cleaning means, the cleaning mechanism section is installed on the inner wall of the shutter of the shutter opening / closing mechanism section for opening / closing the opening of the protective cover, and the shutter opening / closing mechanism section starts the power supply of the vehicle. The cleaning mechanism part installed in the shutter opening / closing mechanism part is slid on the lens part of the image pickup camera so that the lens part is cleaned. is there.

Further, in a vehicle-mounted image pickup apparatus for displaying an image picked up by the image pickup camera on a display unit, the image pickup camera is linked with activation of a head lamp or a tail lamp installed in the vehicle. The sensitivity of is switched and adjusted to a sensitivity corresponding to the brightness of the outside environment.

[0014]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The general structure of a vehicle-mounted image pickup apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a general layout view of components used in a vehicle-mounted image pickup apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention in a vehicle.
FIG. 2A is a top view, FIG. 2B is a side view, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram of components used in the vehicle-mounted image pickup device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

The first to fifth embodiments are described.
The same components up to those according to the embodiment will be described as components according to the present embodiment, and description thereof will be omitted in the first to fifth embodiments.

The vehicle-mounted image pickup device 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention is used as an example of an image pickup camera installed outside the vehicle.
A front camera section (referred to as a front imaging camera section) 20a is installed on a floor tunnel 1b in front of the vehicle 1, and a rear camera section (referred to as a rear imaging camera section) 20b is installed on a top section 1c behind the vehicle 1. However, it is assumed that they are used together. A monitor (referred to as a display unit) provided on the instrument panel unit 1d in the vehicle with an image of the front of the vehicle 1 and an image of the rear of the vehicle 1 by the imaging cameras 20a and 20b.
The image is displayed on the display unit 86 so that the driver can check the condition outside the vehicle on the display unit 86. For example, when the vehicle moves backward, the rear view of the vehicle is displayed on the display unit 86 even if the driver does not turn to the rear. Is to be projected. The front imaging camera 11 and the rear imaging camera 12 used in the vehicle-mounted imaging device 10 are installed in the front window part of the vehicle when the environment surrounding the vehicle is rain, snow, or the like. In association with the operation of the rain sensor 5 or the wiper 4, the rotation mechanism section 30 of the image pickup camera (described in detail in the third embodiment) is driven to move the image pickup opening section of the image pickup camera downward. The imaging opening is shielded from the outside to prevent water droplets and the like from adhering to the lens surface.

Further, as will be described in detail in a third embodiment described below, the front image pickup camera 11 and the rear image pickup camera 12 have a start signal 6a (accessory SW or ON / OFF SW) for the power source 6 of the vehicle. , Or Starter S
The rotation mechanism section 30 of the image pickup camera is driven in synchronism with a signal corresponding to a start signal from W or the like, and the lens section of the image pickup camera is cleaned via the lens cleaning mechanism section 60. The image projected on the unit 86 is prevented from being blurred.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the vehicle-mounted image pickup device 10 takes a front image pickup camera section 20a having a front image pickup camera 11 for picking up an image of the front of the vehicle 1 and an image of the rear of the vehicle 1. A rear imaging camera unit 20b having a rear imaging camera 12, a signal detection unit 90 for detecting a start signal 2a of the headlamp 2, etc., a CPU, a ROM,
The control circuit unit 80 includes a RAM and the like, a monitor (referred to as a display unit) 86, and the like.

The front image pickup camera section 20a and the rear image pickup camera section 20b will be described in the first embodiment described below. Since the front imaging camera unit 20a and the rear imaging camera unit 20b have the same configuration and the same function, the rear imaging camera unit 20b (hereinafter,
Only the image pickup camera unit 20 will be described, and the description of the front image pickup camera unit 20a will be omitted.

The signal detection unit 90 detects and controls signals including a headlamp activation signal 2a, a tail lamp activation signal 3a, a wiper activation signal 4a, a rain sensor output signal 5a, a vehicle power source activation signal 6a, and the like. It is transmitted to the circuit section 80.

Output signal 5a of rain sensor 5, wiper 4
The operation signal 4a is a signal that is activated and output when the environment surrounding the vehicle is rain, snow, or the like. For example, the rain sensor 5 uses infrared rays to measure the size of raindrops,
By detecting the amount, the presence or absence of rainfall and the amount of rainfall are detected. In association with the output signal 5a of the rain sensor or the wiper operation signal 4a, the rotation mechanism section 30 provided in the imaging camera 12 section is rotationally driven through the control circuit section 80, and the imaging opening section of the imaging camera 12 is driven. To a position facing the bottom surface of the protective cover to shield the imaging opening of the camera unit from the outside. Details will be described in first and second embodiments described below.

The activation signal 6a of the vehicle power source 6 (a signal corresponding to the activation signal from the accessory SW, the ON / OFF SW, or the starter SW) is passed through the lens cleaning mechanism 60 of the lens portion of the image pickup camera 12. In order to perform cleaning by rotating the rotation mechanism unit 30 in association with the activation signal 6a of the power source 6, the lens unit of the imaging camera 12 is moved to a position facing the cleaning mechanism unit,
It is also used for cleaning by sliding the lens part on the cleaning mechanism part. The details will be described in the third and fourth embodiments described below.

The start signal 2a for the headlamp 2 and the start signal 3a for the tail lamp 3 are output when the environment surrounding the vehicle is at night, and the start signal 2a for the headlamp and the start signal for the tail lamp. In association with the output of the signal 3a, the sensitivity of the image pickup camera 12 is switched and adjusted to a predetermined sensitivity corresponding to day and night through the control circuit unit 80, and is diverted to prevent blurring of the image displayed on the display unit. is there. Details will be described in a fifth embodiment described below.

The control circuit section 80 includes an I / O circuit 61, a central control unit (CPU), and a read only memory (RO).
M), a control unit 82 including a random access memory (RAM), and a camera imaging / drawing unit 83. In accordance with the program stored in the ROM, the CPU shields the imaging opening of the imaging camera from the outside according to the external environment encountered by the vehicle, or sets the lens unit of the imaging camera 12 at the start of driving of the vehicle. In order to perform cleaning via the cleaning mechanism unit, various processing operations of start control for rotationally driving the drive motor of the rotation mechanism unit 30 are performed. Then, the sensitivity of the image pickup camera 12 is switched and adjusted to a predetermined value in accordance with the state of day and night when the vehicle encounters. The RAM has a headlamp activation signal 2a, a taillight activation signal 3a, a wiper activation signal 4a, a rain sensor output signal 5a, and a vehicle power supply 6 activation signal 6a.
This is a memory for storing data obtained by detecting a signal such as a and a result calculated by the CPU based on the data. Further, the I / O circuit 81 includes a headlamp activation signal 2a, a taillamp activation signal 3a, a wiper activation signal 4a, a rain sensor output signal 5a, and a vehicle power source 6a.
Signal such as the start signal 6a of the control circuit 80
It is a circuit for outputting a detection signal to the.

The camera image pickup / drawing unit 83 is provided for the image pickup camera 12
The image pickup signal from the I / O circuit 81 is input to the control unit 82.
It is converted into a digital image signal via the and is displayed on the display unit 86.

The image displayed on the display unit 86 is influenced by the outside environment encountered by the vehicle. For example, in an environment such as rain or snow, the imaging opening of the imaging camera is shielded from the outside to prevent attachment of water droplets or the like to the lens portion of the imaging camera due to intrusion of rain or snow. No image is displayed on the display unit 86. Further, when the vehicle starts to operate, the lens unit of the image pickup camera 12 is the lens cleaning mechanism unit 6
Since the cleaning is performed via 0, the dirt and the like of the lens unit is cleaned and the image on the display unit 86 is clear and is not blurred. In addition, the imaging camera 1 can be used according to the state of day and night.
The sensitivity of 2 is switched and adjusted to a predetermined value by the control unit 82,
Even at night, the image is relatively clear.

The I / O circuit 81, the control unit 82, and the camera imaging / drawing unit 83 are housed in an ECU (electronic control unit), and as shown in FIG. is set up.

Next, regarding the image pickup camera section 20 of the vehicle-mounted image pickup apparatus 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, FIG.
This will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5.

FIG. 3 is an external perspective view of the rotation mechanism portion of the image pickup camera used in the vehicle-mounted image pickup apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line AA ′ of FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the rotation mechanism portion of the image pickup camera of the vehicle-mounted image pickup apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
The same components from the first embodiment to those according to the fifth embodiment will be described in the components according to the first embodiment, and the second to fifth embodiments will be described. Description will be omitted.

In the vehicle-mounted image pickup apparatus 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the lens unit 12a of the image pickup camera 12 has a predetermined viewing angle A11 through the opening hole 24 of the protective cover 22 which is covered by the image pickup camera 12. As can be obtained, the imaging camera 1 is rotatably attached to and installed in the rotation mechanism section 30.

The outside environment encountered by the vehicle is rain,
In the case of an environment such as snow, the rotation mechanism unit 30 is driven in conjunction with the rain sensor 5 or the wiper 4 installed in the windshield of the vehicle to drive the lens unit 12 of the imaging camera 12.
By moving a downwardly, the lens portion 12a is shielded from the outside, and water droplets and the like are prevented from adhering to the lens surface.

In the configuration according to the first embodiment, FIG.
The description of the same structure as the general structure shown in FIG. 2 is omitted, and only the part related to the rotation mechanism unit 30 of the imaging camera unit 20 shown in FIGS.

The image pickup camera section 20, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, has a rotation mechanism section 30 for rotating and holding the image pickup camera 12.
(The rotation mechanism section 30a on the left side and the rotation mechanism section 30 on the right side
b)), a base portion 23 for mounting and fixing the rotation mechanism portions 30a and 30b, a protective cover 22 put on the imaging camera 12, and the like.

The rotation mechanism portion 30a includes a holder 31 for holding the left end portion of the image pickup camera 12, a shaft portion 34 for rotating and holding the holder 31, and a gear 37 fixedly fitted into the shaft portion 34.
A bearing 36 inserted into and fitted to the shaft portion 34, a nut 35 for fixing the shaft portion 34 by screwing, and a drive for rotationally driving the imaging camera 12 in conjunction with the output signal 5a of the rain sensor or the operation signal 4a of the wiper. Motor 33 and drive motor 33
A gear 38 (which is meshed with a gear 37) fixed by being fitted to the shaft, a support plate 32 to which a drive motor 33 and a shaft portion 34 are fixed, and a base portion 23 to which the support plate 32 is fixed. Etc. Imaging camera 12
Is attached and gripped by the rotation mechanism portion 30a on the left side having the drive motor 33 and the gears 37 and 38, and the rotation mechanism portion 30b on the right side not having the drive motor 33 etc.
It is installed and installed in.

The holder 31 is made of a resin material or the like in a vertically elongated shape having a U-shaped cross section, and has a rotation mechanism portion 30a, 3a.
0b is used in a symmetrical state. The holder 31 is provided at the left and right ends of the image pickup camera 12.
It is to be inserted into the U-shaped groove portion and to hold the imaging camera 12. Then, the shaft portions 34 are attached and fixed to the outer side portions of the holder 31, respectively, and the support plate 3 formed in left-right symmetry is formed.
2a, 32b are mounted and installed via a bearing 36, and are fixedly mounted on the base portion 23.

The support plates 32a, 32b are made of a resin material or the like in a vertically long L-shape, and the rotation mechanism portions 30a, 30b.
It is used for left and right objects. The support plates 32a, 32
b, the imaging camera 12 via the shaft portion 34 and the bearing 36.
Is attached and installed in a state of being held by the holder 31, and the support plates 32a and 32b are attached and installed to the base portion 23 using the attaching screws 39.

A drive motor 33, which is rotationally driven via a control circuit section 80, is attached and fixed to the support plate 32a in association with the output signal 5a of the rain sensor or the operation signal 4a of the wiper. The gear 38 inserted and fixed to the shaft of the drive motor 33 rotates in conjunction with the rotational drive of the drive motor 33, and transmits and rotates the gear 37 meshed with the gear 38.

The transmission rotation of the gear 37 causes the gear 37 to rotate.
The shaft portion 34, which is fitted and fixed, rotates together. By the interlocked rotation of the shaft portion 34, the imaging camera 12 held by the holder 31 is rotationally driven in the clockwise direction R12 and the counterclockwise direction R11 with the center of the shaft portion 34 as the rotation center line C11.

The shaft portion 34 is formed of a cylindrical resin material or the like, and is attached and installed on the side surface of the holder 31. The shaft portion 34 installed in the holder 31 is inserted and fitted into the bearing 36 installed in the support plate 32, and the holder 31 is rotatably held by the support plate 32. A gear 37 formed of a resin material or the like is fitted into and fixed to the shaft portion 34, and a nut 35 formed of a resin material or the like is screwed and fixed to the support plate 32 via a bearing 36.

The drive motor 33 is mounted and fixed to the support plate 32, is driven via the control circuit section 80 in conjunction with the output signal 5a of the rain sensor or the operation signal 4a of the wiper, and rotates the image pickup camera 12. is there. This drive motor 3
A gear 38 made of a resin material or the like is fitted and fixed to the shaft of 3, and a gear 37 is meshed with the gear 38. Therefore, the drive rotation of the drive motor 33 is transmitted to the gear 38 and the gear 37, and the image pickup camera 12 held by the holder 31 rotates in conjunction with the gear 37 via the shaft 34 to which the gear 37 is fitted and fixed.

The protective cover 22 is formed of a thin resin material or the like in a box shape having an opened bottom surface.
Is attached to the base portion 23 by using the attaching screw 25 so as to be covered with the image pickup camera 12 so as to be protected. The protective cover 22 is provided with an opening hole 24 at a portion corresponding to the lens portion 12a (referred to as an image pickup opening portion) of the image pickup camera 12.

The image pickup camera 12 installed so as to be covered with the protective cover 22 usually has a lens portion 12a of the image pickup camera 12.
The imaging opening corresponding to the opening is the opening 24 of the protective cover 22.
It is installed facing the. When the environment surrounding the vehicle is rain, snow, or the like, the lens portion 12a of the image pickup camera 12 is provided with the opening hole 24 of the protective cover 22.
Detection signal 5 of the rain sensor 5 installed in the windshield of the vehicle in order to escape from rain, snow, etc.
a, or the operation detection signal 4a of the wiper 4, the rotation mechanism parts 30a and 30b provided in the imaging camera 12 are rotationally driven in the clockwise direction R12, and the lens part 12a of the imaging camera 12 is attached to the bottom surface of the protective cover 22. It is moved to a position facing the part to shield it from the outside.

The base portion 23 is formed of a rectangular plate-shaped resin material or the like, and the support plates 32a and 32b holding the image pickup camera 12 via the holder 31 and the image pickup camera 12 are provided.
With the protective cover 22 that protects the
It is mounted on the outer surface of the vehicle 1 or the like.

Next, the control operation of the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the control operation of the rotation mechanism section of the image pickup camera of the vehicle-mounted image pickup apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

In step S12, whether or not the wiper actuation signal 4a or the rain sensor output signal 5a is output is determined by whether or not the ON signal is output, and NO, that is, the outside environment where the ON signal is not output. Is good, the process proceeds to step S15, and if YES, that is, in the case of an environment in which an ON signal is output, such as rain or snow, step S13.
Proceed to.

In step S13, the drive motor 33 of the rotation mechanism section 30 of the image pickup camera is rotationally driven via the control circuit section 80 in conjunction with the wiper actuation signal 4a or the rain sensor output signal 5a, and the image pickup camera is rotated. The imaging opening 12 is rotated clockwise in the direction R12 to a position facing the bottom surface of the protective cover 22, the imaging opening of the imaging camera is shielded from the outside, and the process proceeds to step S14.

The main driving operation is, as shown in FIG. 2, a wiper operation signal 4a or a rain sensor output signal 5a.
Is input to the control circuit unit 80, and is processed into a drive command signal for the drive motor 33 in the control circuit unit 80. The counterclockwise drive rotation of the drive motor 33 by this drive command signal is as shown in FIGS.
It is interlocked with the gear 38 which is fitted and fixed to the shaft of 3,
The gear 37 meshed with the gear 38 is transmitted and rotated clockwise. By the transmission rotation of the gear 37 in the clockwise direction, the shaft portion 34 into which the gear 37 is fitted and fixed is rotated. As a result, the holder 31 attached and fixed to the shaft portion 34 rotates, and rotates in the clockwise direction R12 to a position where the imaging opening of the imaging camera 12 gripped by the holder 31 faces the bottom surface of the protective cover 22. It moves and shields the imaging opening of the imaging camera from the outside. Then, when the image pickup opening of the image pickup camera 12 is opened to the outside, an OFF signal from the wiper actuation signal 4a or the rain sensor output signal 5a is input to the control circuit unit 80,
In the control circuit unit 80, the return drive command signal to the drive motor 33 is processed, and the image pickup opening of the image pickup camera 12 is rotationally driven in the counterclockwise direction opposite to the above operation, and faces the opening hole 24 of the protective cover 22. It is driven in the direction to

In step S14, it is judged whether or not the image pickup opening of the image pickup camera is shielded from the image on the display unit 86. If NO, that is, if the image has not disappeared, the process returns to the step before step S13. If YES, that is, if the image disappears, the process proceeds to step S15, and the process ends.

In the present embodiment, the rotation mechanism section 30 of the image pickup camera 12 drives the image pickup opening of the image pickup camera 12 to a position facing the bottom surface of the protective cover 22. Instead of sticking to the protective cover 22, the protective cover 22 may be rotationally driven to an arbitrary direction away from the opening hole 24, for example, a position facing the upward direction or the back side.

As described above, in the vehicle-mounted image pickup apparatus 10,
Depending on the environment surrounding the vehicle, the display unit 86 inside the vehicle
To prevent the sharpness of the projected image from changing,
In the case of an environment such as snow, the rotation mechanism section 30a is interlocked with the output signal 5a of the rain sensor or the operation signal 4a of the wiper.
The drive motor 33 is rotationally driven via the control circuit unit 80, and the imaging opening of the imaging camera 12 is moved to a position facing the bottom surface of the protective cover 22. This can prevent rain and snow from adhering to the lens portion 12a of the image pickup camera 12 through the image pickup opening portion 24 of the protective cover 22, and when used again, the image projected on the display portion 86 is not blurred. You can

Next, regarding the image pickup camera section 20 of the vehicle-mounted image pickup apparatus 10 according to the second embodiment of the present invention, FIG.
This will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 7 is an external perspective view of a shutter opening / closing mechanism portion used in the vehicle-mounted image pickup apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 8 is a front sectional view of the shutter opening / closing mechanism portion of FIG. It should be noted that only parts related to the shutter opening / closing mechanism portion different from those of the first embodiment will be described, and description of the same components as those of the first embodiment will be omitted.

The on-vehicle image pickup device according to the second embodiment of the present invention is mounted and installed at a position where the lens portion 12a of the image pickup camera 12 faces the opening hole 24 of the protective cover 22 put on the image pickup camera 12. A shutter opening / closing mechanism 40 for opening / closing the opening 24 is provided near the opening 24 of the protective cover 22.

Then, the outside environment encountered by the vehicle is rain,
In the case of an environment such as snow, the shutter opening / closing mechanism 40 is driven in conjunction with the rain sensor 5 or the wiper 4 installed in the front window of the vehicle to open the opening 24 of the protective cover 22 in the shutter opening / closing mechanism. It is closed by a shutter 43 provided at 40 to prevent rain, snow, and the like from entering through the opening 24, and to shield the lens portion 12a of the imaging camera 12 from the outside to prevent water droplets and the like from adhering.

As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the image pickup camera section 20 includes a support plate 41 for holding and fixing the image pickup camera 12, a protective cover 22 put on the image pickup camera 12, and an opening formed in the protective cover 22. A shutter opening / closing mechanism section 40 for opening / closing the hole 24, and a base section 59 for mounting and fixing the shutter opening / closing mechanism section 40.
Etc.

The support plate 41 has a U-shaped groove 41a in cross section.
The left and right ends of the image pickup camera 12 are inserted into the respective groove portions 41a and are gripped by the left and right ends of the image pickup camera 12 which are formed in a vertically long L-shape with a resin material or the like. . The support plate 41 is attached to the base portion 59 while holding the image pickup camera 12.

The protective cover 22 is substantially the same as that of the first embodiment, and covers the image pickup camera 12 and the shutter opening / closing mechanism section 40 so as to protect it.
It is attached and installed on the base portion 59 using the attaching screw 58. The protective cover 22 is provided with an opening hole 24 in a portion facing the lens portion 12a (referred to as an imaging opening portion) of the imaging camera 12, and the opening hole 24 is provided in the vicinity of the opening hole 24.
A shutter opening / closing mechanism section 40 for opening / closing is provided.

The image pickup camera 12 installed so as to be covered with the protective cover 22 usually has a lens portion 12a of the image pickup camera 12.
The imaging opening corresponding to the opening is the opening 24 of the protective cover 22.
It is installed facing the. When the environment surrounding the vehicle is rain, snow, or the like, a rain sensor installed in the front window of the vehicle to prevent rain, snow, or the like from entering through the opening 24 of the protective cover 22. 5 activation signal 5a or wiper 4 actuation detection signal 4a
The shutter 4 of the shutter opening / closing mechanism 40 is linked to
3 moves to the right L21, and the opening 2 of the protective cover 22
4 is closed to shield the lens portion 12a of the imaging camera 12 from the outside.

The shutter opening / closing mechanism section 40 includes a shutter 43 for opening / closing the opening hole 24 of the protective cover 22, and a support plate 42 (a left side support plate 42a and a right side support) provided on the left and right for movably mounting and holding the shutter 43. Plate 42b), a lead screw 44 for moving the shutter 43, a slide frame 45 engaged with the lead screw 44, and a connecting plate 49 for holding the shutter 43 fixedly attached to the slide frame 45.
A gear 52 fixed to the shaft portion 44a of the lead screw 44 and the lead screw 44 by a support plate 42.
Bearing 54 and nut 55 for rotating and holding the guide shaft 46 for guiding the movement of the shutter 43, and the guide shaft 4
6, the joint 47 fitted and fitted to the joint 47, the connecting plate 48 holding the shutter 43 fixedly attached to the joint 47, the nut 56 for fixing and fixing the guide shaft 46 to the support plate 42, and the rain sensor A drive motor 51 that moves and drives the imaging camera 12 in synchronization with the output signal 5a or the wiper operation signal 4a, and a gear 53 (which is meshed with the gear 52) fixed to the shaft of the drive motor 51 and supported. It is composed of a base portion 59 and the like to which the plate 42 is attached and fixed.

The image pickup camera 12 includes a drive mechanism 51, a rotation mechanism section including a left side support plate 42a having gears 53 and 52, and a rotation mechanism section including a right side support plate 42b without the drive motor 51 and the like. It is mounted and grasped in a freely movable state, and is attached and installed on the base portion 59.

The shutter 43 has a connecting plate 4 at the lower end.
A convex portion for attaching and fixing 9 and a convex portion for attaching and fixing the connecting plate 48 at the upper end portion are formed of a circular thin plate resin material, respectively. The connecting plate 49 that holds the lower end of the shutter 43 is the slide frame 4.
A connecting plate 4 which is movably connected to the lead screw 44 via 5 and holds the upper end of the shutter 43.
Reference numeral 8 is slidably connected to a guide shaft 46 via a joint 47. And this shutter 43
In a state of being connected to the lead screw 44 and the guide shaft 46, the lead screw 44 is mounted and held on the support plates 42a and 42b, moves in conjunction with the driving of the drive motor 51, and opens and closes the opening hole 24 of the protective cover 22.

The support plates 42a and 42b are made of a resin material or the like in a vertically long L shape and are used for left and right symmetry. A lead screw 44 is attached and installed on the lower side of the support plates 42a and 42b by a nut 55 via a bearing 54, and a guide shaft 4 is attached and installed on the upper side by a nut 56. The support plates 42a and 42b are attached and installed on the base portion 59 using attachment screws 57.

A drive motor 51, which is rotationally driven via the control circuit section 80 in synchronization with the output signal 5a of the rain sensor or the operation signal 4a of the wiper, is attached and fixed to the support plate 42a. The gear 53, which is inserted and fixed to the shaft of the drive motor 51, rotates in conjunction with the rotational drive of the drive motor 51, and transmits and rotates the gear 52 meshed with the gear 53.

By the transmission rotation of the gear 52, the gear 52
The lead screw 44, which is fitted and fixed, rotates together. The interlocked rotation of the lead screw 44 causes the slide frame 45 meshed with the lead screw 44 to interlock.

Due to the interlocking movement of the slide frame 45, the center line C21 of the shutter 43 moves to the right in the state where the connecting plate 49 fixedly attached to the slide frame 45 holds and holds the shutter 43. Drive (arrow L2) to the center position of the opening hole 24 of
1). At this time, in a state where the connecting plate 48 attached and fixed to the upper end of the shutter 43 is fitted and connected to the guide shaft 46 via the joint 4, the sliding movement is performed in conjunction with the movement of the slide frame 45. Become. The detailed operation of moving the shutter opening / closing mechanism 40 will be described later.

The lead screw 44 has a rotation function formed of a cylindrical resin material or the like provided with a screw portion 44b for moving the slide frame 45 by fitting a ball portion installed in the slide frame 45. It is a thing. The lead screw 44 is provided on the support plates 42a, 42
It is attached and fixed to b by a nut 55 via a bearing 54. A gear 52 is attached and fixed to the support plate 42a side of the lead screw 44.

The slide frame 45 is made of a resin material or the like, has an attachment surface for attaching the connecting plate 49 at its upper end, and has a threaded portion 44 of the lead screw 44 inside thereof.
A ball portion fitted in b is installed, and has a moving function of moving the shutter 43.

The guide shaft 46 is formed of a cylindrical resin material or the like, and a joint 47 fixedly attached to a connecting plate 48 (holding the shutter 43) is inserted and fitted,
It has a function of sliding the joint 4. The guide shaft 46 is attached and fixed to the support plates 42a and 42b with a nut 56. The drive motor 51 is attached and fixed to the support plate 42a, and is driven via the control circuit unit 80 in association with the output signal 5a of the rain sensor or the wiper operation signal 4a installed in the instrument panel section in the vehicle interior, The shutter 43 is moved.

A gear 53 made of a resin material or the like is fitted and fixed to the shaft of the drive motor 51, and the gear 52 is meshed with the gear 53. Therefore, the drive rotation of the drive motor 51 is transmitted to the gear 53 and the gear 52, and the gear 52 is fitted and fixed in the lead screw 4.
Therefore, the shutter 43 held by the connecting plates 48 and 49 is interlocked with each other through 4.

The base portion 59 is made of a rectangular plate-shaped resin material or the like, and has a support plate 41 for holding the image pickup camera 12 and support plates 42 a, 4 of the shutter opening / closing mechanism 40.
2b and the protective cover 22 are mounted and installed on the outer surface of the vehicle 1 or the like.

Next, the control operation of the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 9 is a flow chart showing the control operation of the shutter opening / closing mechanism section used in the vehicle-mounted image pickup apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention. Step S22 is
Since the control operation according to the first embodiment is the same as the control operation in step S12, description thereof will be omitted.

In step S23, the drive motor 51 of the shutter opening / closing mechanism section 40 is interlocked with the wiper operation signal 4a or the rain sensor output signal 5a, and the control circuit section 8 is operated.
The shutter 43 of the shutter opening / closing mechanism section 40 is moved to a position facing the center of the opening hole 24 of the protective cover 22 to open the opening hole 24 by the shutter 43.
And close the imaging opening of the imaging camera from the outside,
It proceeds to step S24.

The main driving operation is, as shown in FIG. 2, an operation signal 4a of the wiper or an output signal 5a of the rain sensor.
Is input to the control circuit unit 80, and is processed by the control circuit unit 80 into a drive command signal for the drive motor 51. The counterclockwise drive rotation of the drive motor 51 by this drive command signal is as shown in FIGS.
It is interlocked with the gear 53 that is fitted and fixed to the shaft of 1.
The gear 52 meshed with the gear 53 is transmitted and rotated clockwise. The transmission rotation of the gear 52 in the clockwise direction causes the lead screw 44 into which the gear 52 is fitted and fixed to rotate.

By the rotation of the lead screw 44,
The slide frame 45 having the ball portion meshed with the screw portion 44b of the lead screw 44 moves in conjunction with the right direction of the arrow L21 shown in FIG. By this interlocking movement of the slide frame 45, the slide frame 45
With the connecting plate 49 attached and fixed to the shutter 43 holding and holding the shutter 43, the center line C of the shutter 43 is moved to the right.
21 is moved (driven by an arrow L21) to a line C22 (a central position of the opening hole 24 of the protective cover 22).

At this time, with the connecting plate 48 fixedly attached to the upper end of the shutter 43 being fitted and connected to the guide shaft 46 via the joint 4, the slide frame 45
It will slide in conjunction with the movement of. As a result, the opening hole 24 of the protective cover 22 is closed by the shutter 4
3, and the imaging opening of the imaging camera is shielded from the outside. Then, when the shutter 43 is opened, the operation signal 4a of the wiper or the OFF signal from the output signal 5a of the rain sensor is input to the control circuit unit 80, and the control circuit unit 80 causes a return drive command signal to the drive motor 51. The shutter 43, which is the reverse of the above operation, is moved to the left and is driven in the direction to open the opening hole 24 of the protective cover 22.

In step S24, it is determined whether or not the image pickup opening of the image pickup camera is shielded from the image on the display unit 86. If NO, that is, if the image has not disappeared, the process returns to the step before step S23. If YES, that is, if the image disappears, the process proceeds to step S25, and the process ends.

In this embodiment, the shutter 43 is moved by using the slide frame 45 having the lead screw 44 and the ball in the shutter opening / closing mechanism 40, but the rack and the pinion are not limited to this. Alternatively, the shutter may be moved by an opening / closing mechanism section using, or an opening / closing mechanism section using a pulley and a wheel.

As described above, in the vehicle-mounted image pickup apparatus, in the case of an environment such as rain or snow, the sharpness of the image projected on the display unit 86 in the vehicle interior is not changed due to the external environment encountered by the vehicle. In conjunction with the output signal 5a of the rain sensor or the operation signal 4a of the wiper, the drive motor 51 of the shutter opening / closing mechanism section 40 is rotationally driven via the control circuit section 80, and is interlocked with the drive of this drive motor 51. Then, the shutter 43 is moved to close the opening hole 24 of the protective cover 22. As a result, the shutter 43 prevents invasion of rain, snow, and the like from the opening 24 of the protective cover 22, and the imaging camera 1
The second lens portion 12a can be prevented from raining, adhering water drops of snow, and the like, and the image projected on the display portion 86 can be prevented from being blurred when used again.

Next, a lens cleaning mechanism portion of the image pickup camera of the vehicle-mounted image pickup apparatus according to the third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 3, 4, 10 and 11. The structure for cleaning the lens of the third embodiment is a structure for carrying out the drive mechanism unit 30 of the imaging camera used in the first embodiment, and therefore, the structure of the drive mechanism unit 30 Description of the configuration is omitted,
The configuration related to the lens cleaning mechanism unit 60 and the control operation of the lens cleaning mechanism unit 60 will be described.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view (side sectional view) of a lens cleaning mechanism portion of an image pickup camera of a vehicle-mounted image pickup apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 11 is a third embodiment of the present invention. 6 is a flowchart showing a control operation of a lens cleaning mechanism unit used in the vehicle-mounted image pickup apparatus according to the present invention.

The lens cleaning mechanism portion 60 of the image pickup camera 12 of the vehicle-mounted image pickup apparatus according to the third embodiment has a possibility that the image pickup camera 12 may occur when the environment surrounding the vehicle is rain, snow, or the like. The attachment of water droplets or the like to the lens portion of the rotation mechanism portion 30 (see FIG.
The cleaning is carried out through the above), and is installed on the upper inner wall of the protective cover 22. The cleaning of the lens unit 12a by the lens cleaning mechanism unit 60 interlocks with the activation signal 6a of the power supply 6 of the vehicle, and rotationally drives the drive motor 33 of the rotation mechanism unit 30a via the control circuit unit 80 to drive the imaging camera 12. The lens portion 12a of FIG.
As shown in, the lens unit 12 of the imaging camera 12 rotates in the counterclockwise direction R11 from the position P11 to the position P13.
a is a cleaning map section 61 of the lens cleaning mechanism section 60.
Move to the position where it comes into contact with. With this movement, the rotation mechanism unit 30a is rotated clockwise and counterclockwise within a predetermined rotation angle A12 while the lens unit 12a of the imaging camera 12 is in contact with the cleaning map unit 61 of the lens cleaning mechanism unit 60. And slide in contact with the imaging camera 12 a predetermined number of times.
The lens portion 12a is cleaned.

As shown in FIG. 10, the lens cleaning mechanism section 60 of the third embodiment has a cleaning map section 61 formed of a cloth material or the like for cleaning the lens section 12a of the image pickup camera 12, The cleaning map portion 61 is gripped and fixed to the upper inner wall of the protective cover 22 by a holder 62 or the like whose cross section is formed by a U-shaped resin material or the like.

The control operation of the lens cleaning mechanism 60 will be described with reference to FIG.

In step S32, it is determined whether or not the start signal 6aa for the power supply 6 of the vehicle has been output depending on whether or not the ON signal is output. If NO, that is, if the ON signal is not output, the process proceeds to step S37 and YES. That is, when the ON signal is output, the process proceeds to step S33.

In step S33, the drive motor 33 of the rotation mechanism section 30 of the image pickup camera is set to the start signal 6 of the power source 6 of the vehicle.
It is rotationally driven via the control circuit 60 in conjunction with aa.
By this rotation drive, the lens unit 12a of the imaging camera 12
Is moved in the counterclockwise direction R11 to a position facing the cleaning map section 61 of the lens cleaning mechanism section 60 installed on the inner wall of the upper portion of the protective cover 22, and the lens section 1 of the imaging camera is moved.
2a is brought into contact with the cleaning map portion 61, and step S34
Proceed to.

In this drive operation, as shown in FIG. 2, the output signal of the activation signal 6aa of the power source 6 of the vehicle is the control circuit section 8.
0 is input to the control circuit section 80, and the control circuit section 80 processes the drive command signal to the drive motor 33. The clockwise drive rotation of the drive motor 33 by this drive command signal is as shown in FIGS.
As shown in, the gear 37, which is engaged with and fixed to the shaft of the drive motor 33 and meshed with the gear 38, is transmitted and rotated in the counterclockwise direction. The transmission rotation of the gear 37 in the counterclockwise direction rotates the shaft portion 34 into which the gear 37 is fitted and fixed. This allows
The lens unit 1 of the image pickup camera 12 held by the holder 31 rotates by rotating the holder 31 attached to the shaft portion 34.
2a is rotated counterclockwise R11 to a position opposite to the cleaning map section 61 of the lens cleaning mechanism section 60 installed on the upper inner wall of the protective cover 22, and the lens section 12a of the imaging camera hits the cleaning map section 61. Will be contacted.

In step S34, the lens section 12a of the image pickup camera 12 is brought into contact with the cleaning map section 61 of the lens cleaning mechanism section 60 while the lens section 12a of the image pickup camera 12 is instructed by the command signal from the control circuit section 80. The drive motor 33 of the rotation mechanism unit 30a is rotationally driven, and contacts and slides a predetermined number of times clockwise and counterclockwise within a range of a predetermined rotation angle A12 to clean the lens unit 12a of the imaging camera 12, It proceeds to step S35.

In step S35, the lens unit 12 of the imaging camera 12 is driven by the drive motor 33 of the rotation mechanism unit 30a.
After a is slid on the cleaning map unit 61 a predetermined number of times, the end signal is input to the control circuit unit 80 and the control circuit unit 8
At 0, the return drive command signal to the drive motor 33 is processed, and the lens portion 12a of the imaging camera 12 is rotationally driven in the clockwise direction opposite to the above operation, and the opening hole 24 of the protective cover 22 is opened.
It is driven to return in the direction opposite to.

In step S36, whether or not the lens portion 12a of the image pickup camera 12 has been cleaned is determined by the image of the monitor 86 projected by operating the image pickup camera 12 so that the sharpness of this image becomes a predetermined sharpness. If NO, that is, if the image is blurred, the process returns to the previous step of step S33. If YES, that is, if the image is clear and not blurred, the process proceeds to step S37, and the process ends. To do.

In this embodiment, the lens cleaning mechanism section 60 is installed on the inner wall of the upper portion of the protective cover 22, and the rotation mechanism sections 30a and 30b are rotationally driven in the counterclockwise direction R11 to drive the lens section 12a of the image pickup camera 12. Is moved to an upper position facing the cleaning map portion 61 of the lens cleaning mechanism portion 60, but the lens cleaning mechanism portion 60 is protected by the protective cover 2 without being particular about this.
It may be installed at an arbitrary position of the inner wall of 2, such as a lower position, a rear position, or the like, and the rotation mechanism parts 30a and 30b may be rotationally driven to the position.

As described above, in the vehicle-mounted image pickup apparatus, the image projected on the monitor 86 inside the vehicle is blurred due to the water droplets or the like attached to the lens portion 12a of the image pickup camera 12 depending on the external environment encountered by the vehicle. As described above, the drive motor 33 of the rotation mechanism unit 30a is rotationally driven via the control circuit unit 80 in association with the output of the activation signal 6a of the vehicle power source, and the lens unit of the imaging camera 12 is moved to the lens cleaning mechanism unit. By moving to a position facing 60 and cleaning, the image displayed on the monitor 86 can be prevented from being blurred and can be made clear.

Next, a lens cleaning mechanism portion of the image pickup camera of the vehicle-mounted image pickup apparatus according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

Incidentally, the structure for cleaning the lens of the fourth embodiment is a structure for diversion of the shutter opening / closing mechanism 40 used in the second embodiment. The description of the configuration of 40 is omitted, and the configuration related to the lens cleaning mechanism unit 110 and the control operation of the lens cleaning mechanism unit 110 will be described.

FIG. 12 is a sectional view (side sectional view) of a lens cleaning mechanism portion of an image pickup camera of a vehicle-mounted image pickup apparatus according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 13 is a fourth embodiment of the present invention. 6 is a flowchart showing a control operation of a lens cleaning mechanism unit used in the vehicle-mounted image pickup apparatus according to the present invention.

The lens cleaning mechanism section 110 of the image pickup camera 12 of the vehicle-mounted image pickup apparatus according to the fourth embodiment is
A shutter opening / closing mechanism installed in the vicinity of the opening hole 24 of the protective cover 22 for attaching water droplets or the like to the lens portion 12a of the imaging camera 12 that may occur when the environment surrounding the vehicle encounters rain, snow, or the like. The shutter opening / closing mechanism section 40 is for cleaning through the section 40 (see FIGS. 7 and 8).
It is installed on the back surface of the shutter 43 provided in the.
The lens unit 1 by the lens cleaning mechanism unit 110
For cleaning 2a, the drive motor 51 of the shutter opening / closing mechanism unit 40 is rotationally driven via the control circuit unit 80 in association with the activation signal 6a of the power source 6 of the vehicle, and the shutter 43
Lens cleaning mechanism 11 installed on the back of the
0, as shown in FIG. 12, the center position of the lens cleaning mechanism 110 is in the right direction L from the line C21 to the line C22.
21 and the cleaning map section 61 of the lens cleaning mechanism section 60 is brought into contact with the lens section 12a of the imaging camera 12. By this movement, the imaging camera 1
In the state where the cleaning map portion 61 of the lens cleaning mechanism portion 60 is in contact with the second lens portion 12a, the cleaning map portion 6
The shutter opening / closing mechanism 40 to which 1 is mounted is slid in the right and left directions a predetermined number of times within a predetermined movement dimension L22 to clean the lens portion 12a of the imaging camera 12. is there.

As shown in FIG. 12, the lens cleaning mechanism section 110 of the fourth embodiment includes a cleaning map section 111 formed of a canvas material or the like for cleaning the lens section 12a of the imaging camera 12, Cleaning map section 1
A section for holding and fixing 11 is composed of a holder 112 or the like formed of a U-shaped resin material or the like, and is installed on the back surface of the shutter 43 provided in the shutter opening / closing mechanism section 40. This lens cleaning mechanism section 110
The control operation of will be described with reference to FIG.

Step S42 according to the third embodiment is the same as the control operation of step S32, and a description thereof will be omitted.

In step S43, the drive motor 51 of the shutter opening / closing mechanism 40 is turned on by the start signal 6a of the power source 6 of the vehicle.
In association with, the rotation is driven via the control circuit 60. By this rotation drive, the cleaning map unit 11 of the lens cleaning mechanism unit 110 installed on the back surface of the shutter 43.
1 is moved in the right direction L21 to a position facing the lens unit 12a of the image pickup camera 12, the cleaning map unit 61 is brought into contact with the lens unit 12a of the image pickup camera 12, and the process proceeds to step S44.

The main driving operation is as shown in FIG.
Cleaning map unit 111 of the lens cleaning mechanism unit 110
Is performed by moving the shutter 43 of the shutter opening / closing mechanism unit 40 to which the shutter is mounted in the right direction L21 to a position facing the lens unit 12a of the image pickup camera 12, and therefore the driving operation of the second embodiment is omitted. Since they are the same, detailed description is omitted.

In step S44, the cleaning map unit 11 is brought into contact with the cleaning map unit 111 of the lens cleaning mechanism unit 110 and the lens unit 12a of the image pickup camera 12.
The drive motor 51 of the shutter opening / closing mechanism unit 40 in which No. 1 is mounted is rotationally driven by a command signal from the control circuit unit 80, and the contact sliding is performed a predetermined number of times in the right direction and the left direction within the range of the predetermined movement dimension L22. Then, the lens portion 12a of the image pickup camera 12 is cleaned by the cleaning map portion 111, and the process proceeds to the next step S45.

In step S45, the drive motor 51 of the shutter opening / closing mechanism 40 causes the lens portion 12a of the image pickup camera 12 to slide in contact with the cleaning map portion 111 a predetermined number of times, and then the end signal is input to the control circuit portion 80. Then, the control circuit section 80 processes the return drive command signal to the drive motor 51, and the shutter 43 of the shutter opening / closing mechanism section 40 to which the cleaning map section 111 is attached moves to the left direction opposite to the above operation. The opening hole 24 of the protective cover 22 is opened.

In step S46, whether or not the lens portion 12a of the image pickup camera 12 has been cleaned is determined by the image of the monitor 86 projected by operating the image pickup camera 12 so that the sharpness of this image becomes a predetermined sharpness. If NO, that is, if the image is blurred, the process returns to the previous step of step S43. If YES, that is, if the image is clear and not blurred, the process proceeds to step S47, and the process ends. To do.

As described above, in the vehicle-mounted image pickup device, water drops or the like are attached to the lens portion 12a of the image pickup camera 12 and the image projected on the monitor 86 inside the vehicle is blurred due to the external environment encountered by the vehicle. In order to prevent the occurrence of the problem, the control circuit unit 80
The drive motor 51 of the shutter opening / closing mechanism section 40 is rotationally driven via the, and the cleaning map section 111 of the lens cleaning mechanism section 110 is moved to a position facing the lens section of the imaging camera 12, and the cleaning map of the lens cleaning mechanism section 110 is moved. With the portion 111 in contact with the lens portion 12a of the imaging camera 12, the cleaning map portion 111 of the lens cleaning mechanism portion 110 is driven by the drive motor 51 of the shutter opening / closing mechanism portion 40 within a predetermined movement dimension L22. Then, the lens unit 12a of the image pickup camera 12 is cleaned by the cleaning map unit 111 by sliding a predetermined number of times in the right direction and the left direction, and the image projected on the monitor 86 can be prevented from being blurred and can be made clear.

Next, a camera sensitivity adjustment control section of the image pickup camera section 20 of the vehicle-mounted image pickup apparatus according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 14 is a flow chart showing the control operation of the camera sensitivity adjustment of the image pickup camera section used in the vehicle-mounted image pickup apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

Vehicle-mounted image pickup apparatus 1 according to the fifth embodiment
The imaging camera 12 used in
Opening 24 of the protective cover 22 covered so as to cover the
It is rotatably attached to and installed in the rotation mechanism parts 30a and 30b so that a predetermined viewing angle A11 can be obtained through (a hole formed at a position facing the imaging opening of the imaging camera 12). When the outside environment encountered by the vehicle is night, the imaging camera 12 has difficulty in confirming the image because the brightness of the subject is low. Therefore, the headlamp used at night is activated. In conjunction with the output of the signal 2a and the tail lamp start-up signal 3a, the sensitivity of the imaging camera 12 is switched and adjusted via the control circuit unit 80 so that the brightness becomes a predetermined brightness corresponding to day and night, and the image displayed on the display unit is displayed. It is intended to prevent blurring of.

The structure of the fifth embodiment is as follows:
Since the general configuration is the same as that shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, description thereof is omitted, and only the control operation will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 14.

In step S52, whether or not the headlamp start signal 2a or the tail lamp start signal 3a is output is determined based on whether the ON signal is output.
That is, if the ON signal is not output and the surrounding environment is still relatively bright, the process proceeds to step S55 and YES,
That is, if the outside environment where the ON signal is output is dark, the process proceeds to step S53.

In step S53, since it is difficult to confirm the image because the brightness of the subject is low, the control circuit section 80 is interlocked with the output of the headlamp start signal 2a or the tail lamp start signal 3a. The sensitivity of the image pickup camera 12 is switched and adjusted so as to obtain a predetermined brightness corresponding to day and night (for example, although not shown, adjustment of the diaphragm mechanism unit at the opening of the image pickup camera 12 is performed via the control circuit unit 80). The exposure control adjustment or the exposure control adjustment by an electronic shutter or the like) is performed to prevent blurring of the image projected on the display unit, and the process proceeds to step S54.

In step S54, it is determined whether or not the sensitivity of the image pickup camera 12 has been switched and adjusted to the predetermined sensitivity.
It is judged from the image of the monitor 86 projected by operating 2 that the sharpness of this image is within a predetermined sharpness. If NO, that is, if the image is blurred, the previous step of step S53. If YES, that is, if the image is clear and not blurred, the process proceeds to step S55, and the process ends.

As described above, in the vehicle-mounted image pickup apparatus, when the outside environment encountered by the vehicle is at night, it is difficult to check the image because the brightness of the subject is low, and therefore, it is used at night. The control circuit unit 8 is interlocked with the output of the headlamp start signal 2a and the tail lamp start signal 3a.
The sensitivity of the image pickup camera 12 can be switched and adjusted so that the brightness becomes a predetermined brightness corresponding to day and night via 0, and the image projected on the monitor 86 can be prevented from blurring and become clear.

[0115]

As described above, according to the present invention, in the vehicle-mounted image pickup device, the outside environment encountered by the vehicle is rain,
In the case of an environment such as snow, in conjunction with the output signal of the rain sensor or the operation signal of the wiper, the drive motor of the rotation mechanism unit or the shutter opening / closing mechanism unit is rotationally driven through the control circuit unit, and the imaging camera In addition to closing the imaging opening of the outside from the outside, dirt such as water droplets adhering to the lens part of the imaging camera is interlocked with the power supply start signal of the vehicle, and via the control circuit part, the rotation mechanism part or the shutter opening / closing mechanism part By driving the drive motor, the lens part of the image pickup camera is rotated to a position facing the cleaning mechanism part, and the lens part is cleaned by the cleaning map part of the cleaning mechanism part to prevent blurring of the image projected on the monitor and make it clear. Can be
In addition, if the ambient environment encountered by the vehicle is at night,
In conjunction with the output of the start signal of the head lamp used at night, etc., or the start signal of the tail lamp, the sensitivity of the imaging camera is switched and adjusted via the control circuit unit so as to have a predetermined brightness corresponding to day and night, The image projected on the monitor can be prevented from being blurred and can be made clear.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a general layout diagram of components used in an in-vehicle image pickup device according to an embodiment of the present invention in a vehicle.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the present component used in the vehicle-mounted imaging device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an external perspective view of a rotation mechanism section of the image pickup camera used in the vehicle-mounted image pickup apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a sectional view (front sectional view) taken along the line AA ′ of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view (side sectional view) of a rotation mechanism portion of the image pickup camera of the vehicle-mounted image pickup apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a control operation of a rotation mechanism section of the image pickup camera of the vehicle-mounted image pickup apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an external perspective view of a shutter opening / closing mechanism section used in the vehicle-mounted image pickup apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

8 is a front sectional view of the shutter opening / closing mechanism portion of FIG.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a control operation of a shutter opening / closing mechanism unit used in the vehicle-mounted image pickup apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view of a lens cleaning mechanism portion of the image pickup camera of the vehicle-mounted image pickup apparatus according to the third embodiment of the present invention.
(Side sectional view)

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing a control operation of a lens cleaning mechanism unit used in the vehicle-mounted image pickup apparatus according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a front cross-sectional view of a lens cleaning mechanism portion of the image pickup camera of the vehicle-mounted image pickup apparatus according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing the control operation of the lens cleaning mechanism unit used in the vehicle-mounted image pickup apparatus according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing a control operation of camera sensitivity adjustment of the image pickup camera used in the vehicle-mounted image pickup apparatus according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols] 1 ... Vehicle 2 headlamp 3 ... Tail light 4 ... wiper 5: Rain sensor 6 ... Vehicle power supply 10 ... In-vehicle imaging device 11 ... Front imaging camera 12 ... Rear imaging camera 20a ... Front imaging camera section 20b: Rear imaging camera section 30a, 30b ... Rotating mechanism section 31: Holder 32, 41, 42 ... Support plate 33 ... Drive motor 34 ... Shaft 35 ... Nut 36 ... Bearing 37, 38 ... Gears 40: Shutter opening / closing mechanism 43 ... Shutter 44 ... Lead screw 45 ・ ・ ・ Slide frame 46 ... Guide shaft 47 ... Joint 48, 49 ... Connecting plate 51 ... Drive motor 52, 53 ... Gears 54 ... Bearing 55, 56 ... Nuts 57, 58 ... Mounting screws 59 ... Base part 60, 110 ... Lens cleaning mechanism section 61, 111 ... Cleaning map section 62, 112 ... Holder 70 ... Camera sensitivity adjustment unit 80 ... Control circuit section 81 ... I / O circuit 82 ... Control unit 83 ... Camera image capturing and rendering unit 86 ... Monitor (display section) 90 ... Signal detection unit

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued Front Page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification Code FI Theme Coat (Reference) G03B 17/56 G03B 17/56 HZ H04N 7/18 H04N 7/18 J

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. An in-vehicle image pickup device comprising an image pickup camera covered with a protective cover, wherein the protective cover is provided with an opening at a position facing an image pickup opening of the image pickup camera, and the image pickup opening is An in-vehicle image pickup device, which is shielded in conjunction with an output of a rainfall detecting means installed in a vehicle. 2. A rotation mechanism portion that rotates in conjunction with the output of the rainfall detection means and moves the image pickup opening portion of the image pickup camera away from the opening hole of the protective cover to shield it from the outside. The vehicle-mounted image pickup device according to claim 1. 3. A shutter opening / closing mechanism portion provided near the opening hole of the protective cover, which is driven in conjunction with the output of the rainfall detecting means to open / close the opening hole of the protective cover. Item 1. The vehicle-mounted image pickup device according to item 1. 4. The vehicle-mounted image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the rainfall detection means is a rain sensor. 5. The vehicle-mounted image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the rainfall detecting means detects an operation of a wiper. 6. An in-vehicle image pickup device comprising an image pickup camera covered with a protective cover, wherein the protective cover is brought into contact with and slides on a lens portion of the image pickup camera in association with the activation of a power source of the vehicle. An in-vehicle image pickup device comprising: a cleaning unit that cleans dirt on a portion. 7. A cleaning mechanism unit as the cleaning means is installed on an inner wall of the protective cover, and a rotation mechanism unit installed on the image pickup camera rotates in association with activation of a power source of the vehicle. 7. The vehicle-mounted image pickup apparatus according to claim 6, wherein a lens portion of the image pickup camera is brought into contact with and slid on the cleaning mechanism portion to clean dirt of the lens portion. 8. The cleaning mechanism as the cleaning means is installed on an inner wall of a shutter of a shutter opening / closing mechanism that opens / closes an opening of the protective cover, and the shutter opening / closing mechanism is activated by a power source of the vehicle. 7. The cleaning mechanism part installed in the shutter opening / closing mechanism part is slid on the lens part of the image pickup camera so as to be cleaned by cleaning the lens part of the imaging camera. 6. The vehicle-mounted image pickup device according to item 6. 9. An in-vehicle image pickup device for displaying an image picked up by an image pickup camera on a display unit, the image pickup camera being linked with activation of a head lamp or a tail lamp installed in the vehicle. The in-vehicle image pickup device is characterized in that the sensitivity is switched and adjusted to a sensitivity corresponding to the brightness of the outside environment.