JP5546012B2 - In-vehicle camera - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an in-vehicle camera attached to a vehicle for visually recognizing a blind spot of the vehicle.

  A driver of a vehicle has a blind spot that is not directly visible from the driver's seat, such as an area near the rear end of the vehicle or an area near the front end of the vehicle. In addition, even if it can be directly recognized, the image displayed on the screen in front of the driver's seat may be more convenient for the driver. In view of such circumstances, an in-vehicle camera may be attached to the outside of the vehicle.

  A conventional vehicle-mounted camera of this type includes a camera body, a bracket, and bolts and nuts as fastening means. A bracket is fixed to the camera body, and this bracket is attached to the vehicle attachment member using bolts and nuts (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 to 3).

JP 2003-2115 A JP 2004-203345 A JP 2004-306665 A

  However, the conventional vehicle-mounted camera requires a bracket, bolts, and nuts in addition to the camera body, and thus has a problem that the number of parts is large. In addition, in mounting on the vehicle, the operator needs to temporarily support the camera body at the mounting position of the vehicle mounting member, and the bolt and nut must be fastened in the temporarily supported state. There's a problem.

  Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an in-vehicle camera that can reduce the number of parts and has good mounting workability.

The present invention includes a camera body having a mounting protrusion protruding from the camera housing, is secured to the attachment projections, fixed clip that is inserted with the attachment projections into the mounting hole of the vehicle attachment member The fixing clip has a plurality of elastic arm portions protruding outward from the outer peripheral surface of the mounting projection, and each elastic arm portion is a process of inserting the vehicle mounting member into the mounting hole. Then, when it comes into contact with the peripheral edge of the mounting hole, it is elastically deformed in the direction of entering the mounting hole with its contact force, and when it comes out of the mounting hole and the contact force from the peripheral edge of the mounting hole is released, The vehicle mounting member is sandwiched between the camera housing and elastically deformed in a direction protruding outward .

  According to the present invention, when the mounting projection and the fixing clip of the vehicle-mounted camera are inserted into the mounting hole of the vehicle mounting member, the vehicle mounting member is sandwiched between the fixing clip and the camera housing, thereby the vehicle-mounted camera. Installation is completed, so it can be installed very easily. The component is one component of the in-vehicle camera. From the above, the number of parts can be reduced, and the mounting workability is good.

1 is a partial perspective view of a vehicle to which an in-vehicle camera is attached according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention, and (a) and (b) are perspective views of a vehicle-mounted camera, although the viewing directions are different. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention, (a) is an exploded perspective view of a vehicle-mounted camera, and (b) is a side view of a fixing clip. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention, (a) a front view of a vehicle-mounted camera, (b) a right side view of the vehicle-mounted camera, (c) a rear view of the vehicle-mounted camera, and (d) a plan view of the vehicle-mounted camera. (E) is a bottom view of a vehicle-mounted camera. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the present invention before a vehicle-mounted camera is inserted into a mounting hole. One Embodiment of this invention is shown, (a)-(c) is a side view which shows the attachment procedure of the vehicle-mounted camera. It is sectional drawing which shows one Embodiment of this invention and shows the attachment state of the vehicle-mounted camera. It is a side view which shows the modification of one Embodiment of this invention, and shows the state by which the vehicle-mounted camera was attached to the back door panel.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  1 to 7 show an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the in-vehicle camera 10 is attached to a back door panel 2 that is a vehicle attachment member on the back surface of the vehicle 1. The in-vehicle camera 10 is arranged with its external light intake opening 12a facing obliquely downward, and an area near the rear end of the vehicle is an imaging area. The vehicle-mounted camera 10 transmits the captured image signal to a display device (not shown) provided on an instrument panel (not shown). The display device displays an image corresponding to the received image signal.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the in-vehicle camera 10 includes a synthetic resin camera body 11 and a synthetic resin fixing clip 20 fixed integrally therewith.

  The camera body 11 includes a camera housing 12, a back cover 13 that closes the back opening of the camera housing 12, and an optical / imaging unit 14 accommodated in the camera housing 12. The camera housing 12 is in a vehicle installation state and has an external light intake opening 12a on an obliquely lower surface. The back cover 13 is fixed to the camera housing 12 with screws 15. The optical / imaging unit 14 takes in external imaging light and converts the captured imaging light into an image signal.

  A mounting projection 18 that protrudes rearward is integrally provided on the rear surface 12 b of the camera housing 12. An electric wire (not shown) is drawn outside through the mounting projection 18. Arm relief recesses 19 are formed above and below the outer surface 18 a of the mounting projection 18 and on the back cover 13.

  The fixing clip 20 is fixed to the distal end surface of the mounting projection 18 with a screw (not shown). The fixing clip 20 includes a base portion 21, a pair of upper elastic arm portions 22 extending from the upper edge end of the base portion 21, and a plate-like lower elastic arm extending from the lower edge end of the base portion 21. Part 23. The upper elastic arm portion 22 and the lower elastic arm portion 23 extend obliquely outward toward the back surface 12b side of the camera housing 12 along each arm escape recess 19. The upper elastic arm portion 22 and the lower elastic arm portion 23 are arranged in a state of floating from the bottom surface of each arm escape recess 19, and are installed in a direction to enter each arm escape recess 19 (when the back door panel 2 is inserted into the attachment hole 3). It can be elastically deformed in the direction of entering the hole 3). The distal ends of the upper elastic arm portion 22 and the lower elastic arm portion 23 protrude outward from the outer surface 18a of the mounting projection 18 respectively. Engagement steps 22 a and 23 a are formed at the respective distal ends of the upper elastic arm portion 22 and the lower elastic arm portion 23.

  When the upper elastic arm portion 22 and the lower elastic arm portion 23 are inserted into the attachment hole 3 of the back door panel 2, the upper elastic arm portion 22 and the lower elastic arm portion 23 are elastically deformed in the direction of entering the attachment hole 3 by the contact force when contacting the peripheral edge of the attachment hole 3. When the contact force from the peripheral edge of 3 is released, it is elastically restored and deformed in a direction protruding outward from the mounting hole 3.

  Next, the mounting operation of the vehicle-mounted camera 10 to the vehicle 1 will be described. First, the attachment hole 3 is opened at a predetermined position of the back door panel 2 arranged along the substantially vertical direction of the vehicle 1. The attachment hole 3 is a hole having a size that allows the attachment protrusion 18 to be inserted with almost no gap.

  Next, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6A, the mounting projection 18 of the camera body 11 is aligned with the mounting hole 3. Then, as shown in FIG. 6B, the mounting projection 18 of the camera body 11 is inserted into the mounting hole 3 from the outer surface side of the back door panel 2. As the insertion proceeds, the upper elastic arm portion 22 and the lower elastic arm portion 23 of the fixing clip 20 abut against the peripheral edge of the mounting hole 3. When further forcibly inserted from this state, as shown in FIG. 6C, the upper elastic arm portion 22 and the lower elastic arm portion 23 of the fixing clip 20 receive the contact force from the peripheral edge of the attachment hole 3 and receive the attachment hole 3. It is elastically deformed in the direction of entering, and the fitting protrusion 18 and the fixing clip 20 are allowed to enter.

  When the mounting protrusion 18 is inserted to the insertion completion position of the mounting hole 3, the upper elastic arm portion 22 and the lower elastic arm portion 23 of the fixing clip 20 are completely removed from the mounting hole 3, and the upper elastic arm portion 22 and the lower elastic arm are removed. The portion 23 is elastically deformed toward the outside of the mounting hole 3. Due to this elastic return deformation, as shown in FIG. 7, the locking steps 22 a, 23 a of the upper elastic arm portion 22 and the lower elastic arm portion 23 of the fixing clip 20 become the inner peripheral surface of the mounting hole 3 and the inner surface of the back door panel 2. It is locked to. As a result, the back door panel 2 is sandwiched between the back surface 12 b of the camera housing 12 and the fixing clip 20. The camera body 11 is attached to the back door panel 2 by this clamping force. This completes the mounting operation of the in-vehicle camera 10.

  As described above, the in-vehicle camera 10 is fixed to the camera body 11 having the mounting projection 18 projecting from the camera housing 12 and the mounting projection 18, and is attached to the mounting hole 3 of the back door panel 2. A fixing clip 20 that is inserted together with the mounting projection 18 and sandwiches the back door panel 2 with the camera housing 12 is provided. Accordingly, when the mounting protrusion 18 of the camera body 11 is inserted into the mounting hole 3 of the back door panel 2, the back door panel 2 is sandwiched between the fixing clip 20 and the camera housing 12. As a result, the mounting of the in-vehicle camera 10 is completed, so that it can be mounted very easily. Moreover, as a component, it is one component of the vehicle-mounted camera 10. From the above, the number of parts can be reduced, and the mounting workability is good.

  The fixed clip 20 has an upper elastic arm portion 22 on the upper side and a lower elastic arm portion 23 on the lower side. Therefore, a clamping force acts between the fixed clip 20 and the camera housing 12 from the upper side and the lower side of the mounting projection 18, so that the mounting property is improved.

  In the process of inserting the back door panel 2 into the mounting hole 3, the upper elastic arm portion 22 and the lower elastic arm portion 23 are elastically deformed in the direction of entering the mounting hole 3 by the contact force when contacting the peripheral edge of the mounting hole 3. When the contact force from the peripheral edge of the mounting hole 3 is released after coming out of the hole 3, it elastically returns and deforms in a direction protruding outward from the mounting hole 3, and the back door panel 2 is sandwiched between the camera housing 12. Therefore, simply inserting the mounting protrusion 18 and the fixing clip 20 into the mounting hole 3 of the back door panel 2 causes the upper elastic arm portion 22 and the lower elastic arm portion 23 to shift to the clamping position, which makes the mounting workability troublesome. Never become.

  Since the locking steps 22a and 23a of the upper elastic arm portion 22 and the lower elastic arm portion 23 of the fixing clip 20 are also locked to the inner peripheral surface of the mounting hole 3 with the elastic return force applied, Even if there is a gap between the inner peripheral surface 3 and the outer surface 18a of the mounting projection 18, the in-vehicle camera 10 is mounted without backlash.

(Modification)
FIG. 8 shows a modification of the embodiment. As shown in FIG. 8, the vehicle-mounted camera 10 </ b> A according to the modified example is not formed with the locking steps 22 a and 23 a at the distal ends of the upper elastic arm portion 22 and the lower elastic arm portion 23 of the fixed clip 20 </ b> A. When the in-vehicle camera 10 </ b> A is attached to the back door panel 2, the distal ends of the upper elastic arm portion 22 and the lower elastic arm portion 23 of the fixing clip 20 </ b> A completely pass through the attachment hole 3 and engage with the inner surface of the back door panel 2. It has come to be stopped. Also in this modification, the back door panel 2 is sandwiched between the back surface 12b of the camera housing 12 and the fixing clip 20A. And since each front-end | tip part of the upper elastic arm part 22 of the fixed clip 20A and the lower elastic arm part 23 passes completely through the attachment hole 3, and is latched by the inner surface of the back door panel 2, the camera housing | casing 12 is backed. Exhibits a very strong pull-out preventing force against an external force to be pulled out of the door panel 2.

  In the embodiment, a seal member may be provided on the back surface 12 b side of the camera housing 12. If the seal member is provided, it is possible to effectively prevent water, dust, and the like outside the vehicle body from entering the back door panel 2 through the mounting hole 3. Further, the camera body 11 can be attached to the back door panel 2 while absorbing dimensional errors of the fixed clip 20 and the back door panel 2 due to the compression deformation of the seal member. Furthermore, vibration transmitted from the vehicle body side to the camera body 11 can be reduced.

  In the embodiment, the camera body 11 and the fixing clip 20 are formed of a synthetic resin material, but may be formed of a metal material, and any material may be used.

  In the embodiment, the fixed clip 20 has the upper elastic arm portion 22 and the lower elastic arm portion 23, and sandwiches the back door panel 2 from the upper and lower directions, but the clamping direction and the clamping position are not limited to this. Absent. For example, the fixed clip 20 may be configured to be clamped from the left and right directions, or the fixed clip 20 may be configured to be clamped from three directions, four directions, or more directions.

  In the embodiment, the in-vehicle camera 10 is attached to the back door panel 2, but may be attached to any location of the vehicle 1. The in-vehicle camera 10 may be attached to the inside instead of the outside of the vehicle, and the shooting area may be inside the vehicle instead of outside the vehicle.

  In the embodiment, the fixing clip 20 is fixed to the mounting projection 18 with a screw (not shown), but the fixing means is not limited to this. It may be fixed with an adhesive.

  In the above-described embodiment, the in-vehicle camera 10 is attached to the back door panel 2 arranged in the vertical direction. However, if the external light intake opening 12a is set so as to face a desired photographing area, the vehicle mounting member can be attached to any orientation. It can be attached.

2 Back door panel (vehicle mounting member)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 3 Mounting hole 10, 10A Vehicle-mounted camera 11 Camera main body 12 Camera housing 18 Mounting protrusion 20, 20A Fixed clip 22 Upper elastic arm part (elastic arm part)
23 Lower elastic arm part (elastic arm part)

Claims (1)

A camera body having a mounting projection protruding from the camera housing;
Secured to said attachment projections, and a fixed clip that is inserted with the attachment projections into the mounting hole of the vehicle attachment member,
The fixing clip has a plurality of elastic arm portions protruding outward from the outer peripheral surface of the mounting projection,
In the process of inserting the vehicle attachment member into the attachment hole, each elastic arm portion is elastically deformed in a direction of entering the attachment hole by the contact force when coming into contact with the peripheral edge of the attachment hole. When the contact force from the peripheral edge of the mounting hole is released, the vehicle mounting member is elastically deformed in a direction protruding outward from the mounting hole and sandwiches the vehicle mounting member between the camera housing Camera.

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