JP2006323079A - On-vehicle camera device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an on-vehicle camera device in which a gap is not caused between a shielding body and the front surface of a lens even when moving the lens in an axial direction for the focusing. <P>SOLUTION: A plurality of engaging parts 13a1 to 13a3 are formed on the inner periphery part of the cylindrical barrel part 13P of the shielding body 13 and engaged with the flange-shaped operation part 12Aa of an adjuster 12A, thus the positional relation between the front surface of a wide-angle lens 12L and the light shielding part 13R of the shielding body 13 is kept constant even when a lens unit 12 is moved in the axial direction relative to a lens holder part 11 by rotating the adjuster 12A. Thus, stray light is prevented by eliminating the variation of a field range and the gap. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an in-vehicle camera device and a technology related thereto.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is a technique in which a camera device such as a CCD camera is attached to a bumper of an automobile, a blind spot of the automobile is imaged, and the captured image is displayed on a display device in a vehicle interior.

  By the way, the light incident from obliquely above the camera device becomes unnecessary, and the light from obliquely above is reflected in the lens and the camera case, which causes stray light.

  Therefore, in order to prevent such stray light, for example, as shown in FIG. 4, a shield 42 that blocks at least part of light from outside the imaging field of view of the camera device 41 is disclosed for a camera device 41 attached to a vehicle. (For example, Patent Documents 1 to 7).

  The shield 42 includes a substantially annular plate-shaped main body 43 and a flange (light-shielding part) 45 that is formed in the circular hole 43a of the main body 43 and covers substantially the upper half of the lens front surface 44 of the camera device 41. The flange portion 45 has a shape that follows the shape of the lens front surface 44.

Design Registration No. 1220983 Design Registration No. 1220984 Design Registration No. 1226643 Design Registration No. 1226644 Design Registration No. 1226645 Design Registration No. 1226646 Design Registration No. 1226647

  Incidentally, in the camera device 41, in order to adjust the focus, it is necessary to move the lens accommodated in the camera case relative to the camera case in the axial direction.

  However, if the lens is moved in the axial direction to adjust the focus while the shield 42 is fixed to the camera case, the dimensions between the inner surface of the flange 45 and the lens front surface 44 inevitably vary. It will be. If there is a gap between the inner surface of the flange 45 and the lens front surface 44, the visual field range of the image captured by the camera device 41 may vary, and light may enter the gap and become stray light. is there. That is, although it is necessary to move the lens in the axial direction for focus adjustment, in order to prevent the variation in the visual field range and the generation of stray light using the shield 42, It is necessary to always prevent the generation of a gap between the inner surface and the lens front surface 44.

  In particular, with the method of attaching the shield 42 to the camera device 41 as shown in FIG. 4, it is difficult to position the shield 42 and the lens front surface 44 relative to each other.

  In order to solve such problems, for example, in the attachment mechanism of the camera device 41 and the shield 42, a certain amount of positional deviation is allowed without fixing the positional relationship. For example, a proposal example in which a double-sided tape is attached to the back surface of the collar portion 45 to prevent a gap between the inner surface of the collar portion 45 and the lens front surface 44 is also considered.

  However, depending on the surface treatment of the back surface of the collar part 45 and the front surface 44 of the lens, the adhesive force of the double-sided tape may be reduced, and the double-sided tape may be peeled off due to vibration during driving of the automobile. There is a possibility that a gap between the inner surface of 45 and the lens front surface 44 is formed, causing a change in the visual field range and stray light. Moreover, when it is going to remove the collar part 45 intentionally by mischief etc., the adhesive force of a double-sided tape may be inadequate.

  Further, the double-sided tape may protrude downward from the back surface of the flange 45 when the double-sided tape is fixed or when the double-sided tape is peeled off as described above. Then, the double-sided tape blocks the field of view of the lens front surface 44.

  For these reasons, there is a need for a technique that can prevent the gap more reliably than the proposed example that prevents the gap between the inner surface of the flange 45 and the lens front surface 44 with a double-sided tape.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is an in-vehicle camera device capable of moving the lens in the axial direction for focus adjustment, and a gap between the shield and the lens front surface without using a double-sided tape. It is an object of the present invention to provide an in-vehicle camera device that can reliably prevent fluctuations in the visual field range and generation of stray light.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the invention according to claim 1 is characterized in that a substantially cylindrical lens holder portion and a first engaging portion on the outer peripheral portion are inserted and arranged in the lens holder portion. A lens unit capable of relative movement adjustment in the axial direction, a second engagement portion on the inner peripheral portion, and extrapolated from the front of the lens unit to abut against a part of the lens front surface of the lens unit to shield light. An in-vehicle camera device including a shielding body having a light shielding portion, wherein the first engagement portion and the second engagement portion are engaged with the light shielding portion in contact with the front surface of the lens. The shield is positioned and fixed in the axial direction with respect to the lens unit.

  A second aspect of the present invention is the in-vehicle camera device according to the first aspect, wherein the lens unit includes a lens unit main body part, a focus adjustment adjuster screwed into the lens holder part, and the lens. A unit main body and a retaining ring that is rotatably held by the adjuster, and the first engaging portion is formed on the outer periphery of the adjuster and engages with the second engaging portion. is there.

  Invention of Claim 3 is the vehicle-mounted camera apparatus of Claim 2, Comprising: The said shielding body has the cylindrical trunk | drum externally covered from the said lens unit to the said lens holder part, The said cylindrical shape The light-shielding portion is formed on the front end side of the body portion, and the second engaging portion including a plurality of protrusions formed to protrude in the circumferential direction at an inner peripheral portion of the cylindrical body portion is provided. It is what was done.

  A fourth aspect of the present invention is the in-vehicle camera device according to any one of the first to third aspects, wherein the shield is provided on at least one of the first engagement portion and the second engagement portion. When the lens holder portion is attached to the lens holder portion from the front, a tapered surface is formed to guide the second engagement portion over the first engagement portion and elastically engaging the second engagement portion.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion are engaged with each other in a state where the light shielding portion of the shielding body is in contact with the front surface of the lens, so that the shielding body is a lens unit. On the other hand, since it is positioned and fixed in the axial direction, it is possible to eliminate the gap between the shield and the lens front surface, and to suppress the variation in the visual field range and the generation of stray light.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the second engagement portion and the first engagement portion formed on the adjuster outer peripheral portion engage with each other, the adjuster moves in the optical axis direction with respect to the lens holder portion during focus adjustment. Even if the shield moves, the shield moves following the adjuster to eliminate the gap between the shield and the front surface of the lens, thereby suppressing the variation in the visual field range and the generation of stray light.

  According to the third aspect of the present invention, the second engagement portion is formed with a simple configuration in which a plurality of protrusions are formed to protrude from the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical body portion at intervals in the circumferential direction. It becomes possible to do.

  According to the invention described in claim 4, since the tapered surface is formed on at least one of the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion, the shield is mounted so as to be inserted from the front of the lens unit. Only by the action of the taper surface, the first engagement portion can be elastically engaged with the second engagement portion, and the mounting work of the shield can be easily performed.

<Configuration>
FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing an in-vehicle camera device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view thereof. The in-vehicle camera device 10 includes a lens holder unit 11, a lens unit 12, a shield 13, and a substrate unit 14.

  The lens holder part 11 includes, for example, a front lens holder part 11F formed in a substantially cylindrical shape, and a rear lens holder part 11B formed in a substantially bowl shape.

  The front lens holder portion 11F has a substantially rectangular tube-shaped joint portion 11FF formed at the rear end thereof, and the joint portion 11FF and the rear lens holder portion 11B are sealed to each other by a screw 11S in a state of being sealed by the packing 11P. It is fixed.

  The rear lens holder portion 11B has a hole 11h for pulling out the connection cable at the rear end.

  Furthermore, lens holder side engaging portions 11Fa and 11Fb are formed at the upper and lower portions of the joining portion 11FF, and are engaged with the through-hole portions 13b1 and 13b2 of the shield 13 in a loosely fitted state.

  The lens unit 12 includes, for example, a lens unit main body 12M, a plurality of lenses (not shown) including a wide-angle lens 12L, a lens presser 12S, a focus adjustment adjuster 12A, and an E ring (retaining ring) 12E. I have.

  The lens unit main body 12M has a configuration in which a large-diameter portion 12a on the front end side and a thin-diameter portion 12b on the rear-end side are connected to each other via a step portion 12c. It is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape that can be inserted into the lens holder portion 11F.

  In addition, a positioning recess 12d is formed at a position that is a predetermined distance away from the stepped portion 12c on the outer periphery of the small-diameter portion 12b, and an E-ring 12E as a retaining member to be described later is positioned in the positioning recess. 12d is engaged and fixed.

  In addition, a circumferential groove 12e is formed in the outer peripheral portion of the small-diameter portion 12b and in the rear portion of the positioning concave portion 12d. A packing 12f that is an annular elastic member is fitted into the circumferential groove 12e. Then, in a state where the packing 12f is fitted, the narrow diameter portion 12b is inserted and fixed in the front lens holder portion 11F, so that the packing 12f has the outer peripheral surface of the lens unit 12 and the inner peripheral surface of the front lens holder portion 11F. Between the two and the like, and is configured to seal the gap between them.

  The wide-angle lens 12L is disposed in the front opening of the lens unit main body 12M, and a plurality of lenses are appropriately disposed behind the wide-angle lens 12L, so that a wide imaging field required in the camera device 10 can be captured. It is possible.

  The lens retainer 12S is disposed on the outer periphery of the front opening of the lens unit main body 12M and screws the wide-angle lens 12L to the lens unit main body 12M.

  The adjuster 12A is disposed behind the lens presser 12S and can be rotatably screwed into a screw portion 11a provided inside the front opening of the front lens holder portion 11F. By rotating, the lens holder portion The fixed position of the lens unit main body 12M is adjusted along the axial direction of 11 to focus on the image sensor 14D of the substrate unit 14.

  More specifically, the adjuster 12A includes an adjuster main body 12AM that can be fitted to the outer peripheral portion of the small-diameter portion 12b and a front side of the positioning recess 12d, and a radial direction from the front of the adjuster main body 12AM. And a hook-like operation part (first engagement part) 12Aa projecting outward.

  In this adjuster 12A, the adjuster main body 12AM is rotatably fitted on the outer peripheral portion of the small diameter portion 12b and on the front side of the positioning recess 12d. Further, by fixing the E ring 12E to the positioning recess 12d, the adjuster 12A is held in a retaining shape so as to be rotatable without being displaced in the axial direction between the step portion 12c and the E ring 12E.

  A screw portion that can be screwed into the screw portion 11a of the front lens holder portion 11F is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the adjuster main body portion 12AM.

  The E-ring 12E is a member that is disposed behind the adjuster 12A and holds the lens unit main body 12M and the adjuster 12A in a rotatable and retaining shape. For example, the E-ring 12E has a substantially C-shape and an inner peripheral side. It is set as the structure pierced in the shape which has a protrusion piece in the space | interval suitably.

  Then, the E-ring 12E is fixed to the outer peripheral portion of the small-diameter portion 12b by fitting the projecting piece on the inner peripheral side into the positioning recess 12d while elastically deforming the E-ring 12E.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the shield 13 has a shape following the outer surface (front surface) of the wide-angle lens 12L on the front end side, and a light shielding portion 13R which shields at least a part of light from outside the imaging field of the camera device 10 and a rear end. This is an elastic member that is connected to the fitting portion 13F formed in a substantially rectangular tube shape on the side through a substantially cylindrical tube barrel portion 13P, and the lens unit 12 is inserted into the front lens holder portion 11F. They can be accommodated in the cylindrical body portion 13P in the arranged state.

  More specifically, the inner peripheral portion of the cylindrical body portion 13P includes, for example, a plurality (three in this case) of engaging portions (second engaging portions) 13a1 to 13a3 with an interval in the circumferential direction. The protrusions are formed so that the engaging portions (second engaging portions) 13a1 to 13a3 are the hook-like operating portions (first engaging portions) of the adjuster 12A with the light shielding portion 13R in contact with the front surface of the wide-angle lens 12L. Part) By engaging with 12Aa, the shield 13 is positioned and fixed in the axial direction with respect to the lens unit 12.

  In addition, a tapered surface 13b is formed on the rear side of the engaging portions 13a1 to 13a3, and a tapered surface 12Ab is also formed on the front side of the saddle-like operation portion 12Aa of the adjuster 12A. By simply pushing into the unit 12 from the front, the engaging portions 13a1 to 13a3 elastically engage with each other so that the engaging portions 13a1 to 13a3 get over the saddle-shaped operating portion 12Aa by the guide action of the tapered surfaces 13b and 12Ab. It can be installed. Further, the adjuster 12A is pressed against the front side taper surface 12Ab, thereby eliminating backlash.

  Since the engaging portions 13a1 to 13a3 are formed inside the cylindrical body portion 13P, they cannot be seen from the outside. When the cylindrical body part 13P is intentionally grasped and the shield 13 is pulled out, the cylindrical body part 13P bends toward a smaller inner diameter. For this reason, the engagement force between the engagement portions 13a1 to 13a3 and the bowl-shaped operation portion 12Aa is increased, and the removal can be prevented.

  In this embodiment, the tapered surfaces 13b and 12Ab are formed on both the engaging portions 13a1 to 13a3 and the hook-like operation portion 12Aa, but the tapered surfaces are formed on the engaging portions 13a1 to 13a3 and the hook-like operation portion 12Aa. It suffices if it is formed on at least one side.

  And, for example, through holes 13b1 and 13b2 are formed in the upper and lower portions of the fitting portion 13F, and engage the lens holder side engaging portions 11Fa and 11Fb formed in the joint portion 11FF of the front lens holder portion 11F. It is possible.

  The axial width of the through holes 13b1 and 13b2 is, for example, formed larger than the axially movable distance associated with the focus adjustment of the lens unit 12, and the axis of the lens unit 12 by the rotation of the bowl-shaped operation unit 12Aa. The movement of the direction is not disturbed. The distance between the through holes 13b1 and 13b2 is, for example, approximately the same as the distance between the lens holder side engaging portions 11Fa and 11Fb, and the shield 13 is rotated by the rotation of the bowl-shaped operation portion 12Aa. It is designed to prevent this from happening.

  The substrate unit 14 is provided with an imaging element 14D such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device), for example, and has a substantially bowl shape constituted by a front lens holder part 11F and a rear lens holder part 11B. Is housed in the housing space by being fixed to the front lens holder portion 11F by screws 14S.

  Further, in this camera apparatus 10, by rotating the adjuster 12A, the lens unit 12 is moved in the axial direction of the lens holder portion 11 to adjust the focus, and then the set screw 15 shown in FIG. The lens unit 12 can be fixed to the lens holder portion 11 by being screwed into the screw hole 16 of the lens holder portion 11 shown in FIG.

  Accordingly, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of a gap between the wide-angle lens 12L and the light shielding portion 13R as in the conventional example, and it is possible to prevent the change in the visual field range and the generation of stray light.

  Further, the first and second engaging portions are also formed with a flange-like operation portion 12Aa on the outer peripheral portion of the adjuster 12, and spaced along the inner peripheral portion of the cylindrical trunk portion 13P of the shield 13 along the circumferential direction. It is possible to simply configure by simply forming the engaging portions 13a1 to 13a3 so as to protrude.

  Furthermore, since the tapered surfaces 13b and 12Ab are formed on the engagement portions 13a1 to 13a3 and the saddle-like operation portion 12Aa of the adjuster 12A, the tapered surfaces 13b and 12Ab can be simply pushed into the lens unit 12 from the front. By the guide action, the engaging portions 13a1 to 13a3 are elastically engaged so as to get over the bowl-shaped operating portion 12Aa, and the shield 13 can be easily attached to the lens unit 12.

It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the vehicle-mounted camera apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a disassembled perspective view which shows the vehicle-mounted camera apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the shield which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the camera apparatus attached to the conventional vehicle.

Explanation of symbols

10 Camera device
11 Lens holder
12 Lens unit
12M Lens unit body
12A adjuster
12Aa saddle-like operation unit
12Ab taper surface
12E E-ring
13 Shield
13a1-13a3 Engagement part
13b Tapered surface
13R Shading part
13P cylindrical body
14 Board unit

Claims (4)

A substantially cylindrical lens holder,
A lens unit that has a first engagement portion on the outer peripheral portion, is inserted and arranged in the lens holder portion, and can be relatively moved and adjusted in the axial direction of the lens holder portion;
A shielding body having a light-shielding portion that has a second engagement portion on an inner peripheral portion and shields light by contacting a part of the lens front surface of the lens unit by being extrapolated from the front of the lens unit;
An in-vehicle camera device comprising:
The shield is positioned and fixed in the axial direction with respect to the lens unit by engaging the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion with the light shielding portion in contact with the front surface of the lens. An in-vehicle camera device characterized by that. The in-vehicle camera device according to claim 1,
The lens unit is
The lens unit body,
An adjuster for focus adjustment screwed to the lens holder portion;
The lens unit main body and a retaining ring that holds the adjuster in a rotatable and retaining shape;
The in-vehicle camera device characterized in that the first engaging portion is formed on the outer periphery of the adjuster and engages with the second engaging portion. The in-vehicle camera device according to claim 2,
The shielding body includes a cylindrical body portion that is externally provided from the lens unit to the lens holder portion, and the light shielding portion is formed on a front end side of the cylindrical body portion, and the inside of the cylindrical body portion An in-vehicle camera device characterized in that the second engaging portion including a plurality of protrusions formed to protrude in the circumferential direction at intervals in the circumferential portion. The in-vehicle camera device according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
When at least one of the first engagement portion and the second engagement portion attaches the shield to the lens holder portion from the front, the second engagement portion overcomes the first engagement portion and is elastic. An in-vehicle camera device characterized in that a tapered surface for guiding engagement is formed.

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