JP6764195B2 - In-vehicle equipment - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an in-vehicle device having a camera.

In recent years, an increasing number of vehicles are equipped with in-vehicle devices (for example, drive recorders) capable of recording images before and after an automobile accident. Such an in-vehicle device is generally equipped with a camera having a moving image shooting function (some of which have a continuous shooting function of a still image), and the vehicle can shoot the front of the moving vehicle with the camera. It is often attached to the inside of the windshield of the above (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Here, when the in-vehicle device is attached to the inside of the windshield of the vehicle, the attachment position of the in-vehicle device with respect to the windshield is regulated by the safety standards of the road transport vehicle and the like. For example, the in-vehicle device must be installed within 20% in the vertical direction from the upper end of the windshield of the vehicle.

JP-A-2010-105530

On the other hand, when the in-vehicle device is mounted in the above range, a place that does not obstruct the driver's field of view is preferable. A preferred location for such mounting is, for example, the space between the rear side of the room mirror and the windshield. However, depending on the vehicle model, the area behind the rearview mirror, which is the central part of the windshield in the left-right direction, such as the rear side of the rearview mirror, is coated with opaque black ceramic. There is. Therefore, if a conventional drive recorder is attached to the black sera painted part, the camera will face the black sera painted part, so the black sera painted part will block the front of the vehicle, which is the direction you originally wanted to shoot. There is a problem that it cannot be done.

In addition, if the in-vehicle device is installed on either side of the black ceramic coating part by shifting it in order to avoid the black ceramic coating part, the sun visor will be located at both sides of the black ceramic coating part when using the sun visor. Since there is a sun visor area, the in-vehicle device may interfere with the sun visor when using the sun visor, and the sun visor may not be used well. Furthermore, if the in-vehicle device is staggered so as to avoid the sun visor area, it may be out of the wiper wiping area, and it may not be possible to take a good picture of the outside of the vehicle on a rainy day.

In this way, in an in-vehicle device equipped with a camera such as a conventional drive recorder, if an attempt is made to install it in a place suitable for installation in a vehicle, obstacles such as equipment may exist in a desired shooting direction, or in rainy weather, etc. In some cases, the shooting condition may deteriorate. Therefore, it may be difficult to shoot, or the desired image may not be obtained from the camera. On the other hand, there is a problem that the mounting place where the desired image can be obtained well is a place where mounting is prohibited, or a place where mounting may hinder the use of equipment or the like. ..

Therefore, the present invention provides an in-vehicle device having a camera, which can be suitably photographed by the camera even when it is attached to an unsuitable area which is an area suitable for mounting but not suitable for photographing. The purpose.

(1) An in-vehicle device including an imaging unit and a mounting unit that can be attached to a vehicle, which has an incident portion that injects light into the imaging unit, and is suitable for mounting but suitable for shooting an object to be imaged. It is characterized by being provided with a variable arm capable of changing the position and orientation of the incident portion so that the incident position of the incident portion can avoid the unsuitable region after the mounting portion is attached to the non-suitable region. To do.

According to this, even when the mounting part is mounted in an unsuitable area, the incident part is positioned in a place avoiding the unsuitable area by deforming the variable arm to change the position and orientation of the incident part, and the imaging unit takes a picture. It can be performed. In particular, the mounting portion may be attached to the windshield. By doing so, even if the attachment to the windshield fails, it is not necessary to reattach the attachment portion by adjusting the position and orientation of the incident portion with the variable arm.

The incident portion is a portion for incident light toward an image pickup unit such as an image pickup element, and is preferably arranged in front of the image pickup portion in the incident direction of the light, and more preferably at the tip of the variable arm. Further, an optical member such as a lens for forming an image of light may be arranged in the incident portion. The image pickup unit may be provided on the base end side of the variable arm, but it is more preferable to provide the image pickup unit on the tip end side.

As for the incident position of the incident part, when the incident part is pointed in the shooting direction in which the desired shooting target can be photographed (when trying to set the incident position), there is no obstacle reflected in the imaging unit in that shooting direction. Such as, it is preferable to set the region (hereinafter, referred to as “appropriate region”) in which the elements that hinder the photographing of the imaging target are less than the unsuitable region. For example, when photographing the front of the vehicle from the inside of the vehicle, the appropriate area may be a place around the black ceramic coating portion of the windshield, a place adjacent to the A pillar portion in the wiper wiping area on the windshield, and the like.

An unsuitable area is a place that meets the safety standards of road transport vehicles and does not interfere with the driver's field of view or in-vehicle equipment, but when the incident part is directed in a shooting direction in which the desired shooting target can be shot. It is preferable that the region has an element that hinders the shooting of the shooting target, such as the presence of an obstacle reflected in the imaging unit in the shooting direction. Factors that hinder the shooting of the object to be photographed are those that do not always exist and are manifested under specific conditions, such as places that are out of the wiper's wiping area and cannot be photographed well outside the vehicle on rainy days. However, it is particularly preferable that the expression occurs on a rainy day. Inappropriate areas include, for example, when photographing the front of the vehicle from inside the vehicle, from the black sera painted part of the windshield, the A pillar part, the ceiling part, the sun visor area, and the wiper wiping area that appears on a rainy day. It is good to use a place that is out of the way.

In this way, the unsuitable area is suitable for mounting, but if it is mounted directly, there will be opaque obstacles in the imaging direction of the imaging unit, so unless the opaque obstacles are avoided, the imaging unit will be photographed. It is good to make it a place where you cannot do it. As avoidance, it is particularly preferable that the factors that hinder the shooting of the shooting target can be reduced. In addition, the appropriate area should be an area that can be seen through the area outside the vehicle from the inside of the vehicle, and is likely to become an unsuitable area due to changes in the environment in which the vehicle is placed, such as weather conditions. It is good to avoid the place.

In addition, as a place unsuitable for mounting, for example, both sides of the room mirror or the sun visor area when the sun visor is lowered may be used. Attaching to both sides of the room mirror can obstruct the driver's view, and attaching to the sun visor area can interfere with the use of the sun visor. These are suitable locations for photographing the imaging unit, but are not suitable for mounting.

The mounting portion may be configured so that it can be mounted in an unsuitable area. In this way, the mounting part is mounted in an unsuitable area suitable for mounting, and the variable arm is deformed to change the position and orientation of the incident part so that the incident part is positioned in a place avoiding an unsuitable area unsuitable for photography. be able to. As the mounting means for mounting the mounting portion in an unsuitable area, there are a suction member, an adhesive member such as double-sided tape, a holding member such as a clip, an engaging member such as a hook, and the like, and it is preferable to mount using these.

Further, the mounting portion may be configured so that it can be mounted in the unsuitable area and also can be mounted in the appropriate area. In this way, when the mounting portion is mounted in an unsuitable area, the incident portion can be positioned in a place avoiding the unsuitable region, and when mounted in an appropriate region, the position of the incident portion is positioned by the variable arm. And the orientation can be easily adjusted.

Further, the mounting portion may be configured to be difficult to remove once mounted. In such a configuration, if the mounting fails (for example, if the mounting position or orientation is deviated), it is difficult to remove the mounting portion, so that it is difficult to readjust the position and orientation of the incident portion. However, in this way, even if the mounting portion fails to be mounted, the position and orientation of the incident portion can be adjusted with the variable arm, so that the position and orientation of the incident portion can be easily readjusted without removing the mounting portion. Become. As such a configuration, it is preferable to attach the attachment portion with a material that is difficult to reattach (for example, reattach), and for example, it is preferable to attach with double-sided tape or the like.

The variable arm includes, for example, a flexible arm that can be freely bent in any direction, a movable portion that can change the direction of the incident portion, a moving portion that can move the position of the incident portion, and the like. A joint arm or the like composed of members may be used. The movable portion of the joint arm may be, for example, a ball joint, a rotating shaft, or the like. In particular, by using a ball joint, the rotation direction of the incident portion can be freely changed, and fine position adjustment can be performed. Further, the moving portion may be a telescopic member in particular.

The variable arm may be directly attached to the vehicle with the base end portion as an attachment portion. In this case, it is preferable that the base end portion of the variable arm can be attached to an unsuitable area. Further, it is more preferable to interpose an intermediate member such as a housing between the mounting portion and the variable arm. The intermediate member may be integrated with the mounting portion or may be a separate body. In this case as well, it is advisable to mount the mounting portion in an unsuitable area.

(2) The variable arm is characterized by having a length capable of avoiding the incident position of the incident portion from the unsuitable region when the mounting portion is attached to the unsuitable region.

In this way, when the mounting portion is mounted in an unsuitable region, the position and orientation of the incident portion can be reliably positioned in the suitable region.

The length that can be avoided is preferably a length that allows the incident portion to avoid obstacles and the like and allow light to be incident. For example, if a variable arm longer than the longitudinal length of an obstacle that constitutes an unsuitable area such as a black ceramic painted part or a room mirror is used, there is a possibility that the incident part can be avoided from the unsuitable area no matter where it is attached in the unsuitable area. Is good because it is expensive.

However, if this is done, the length of the variable arm becomes long, and the variable arm may interfere with the equipment of the vehicle. Therefore, when the mounting portion is attached to a portion of an unsuitable region where the mounting portion can be most reliably attached to the vehicle, the length of the unsuitable region to which the mounting portion is attached may be avoided. For example, when mounting a mounting member in the center of an unsuitable region, the variable arm allows the incident portion to light beyond the outer peripheral portion of the outer peripheral portion of the unsuitable region, which is the farthest from the center (for example, the outer peripheral portion farthest from the mounting position). Should be a length that allows incident. Further, the variable arm may have a length that allows light to be incident beyond the outer peripheral portion of the unsuitable region in the direction in which the variable arm extends when the mounting portion is attached.

(3) The variable arm is bent so that the position and orientation of the incident portion can be adjusted.

In this way, the position and orientation of the incident portion can be easily adjusted. In particular, when the variable arm extends along an unsuitable region or extends from an unsuitable region toward an appropriate region, the bending amount of the variable arm with respect to the extending direction can be set to within ± 90 degrees. .. For example, when shooting the front of a vehicle, bend it forward within 90 degrees with respect to the extension direction, and when shooting the inside of the vehicle, bend it within 90 degrees backward with respect to the extension direction to shoot. be able to. Therefore, the load acting on the bent portion of the variable arm can be reduced. The variable arm may be configured so that the position and orientation of the incident portion can be adjusted by bending, for example, but it is particularly preferable to use an arm having a configuration that bends everywhere, such as a flexible arm.

(4) An intermediate member is provided between the mounting portion and the variable arm, and the variable arm extends from the intermediate member along the unsuitable region to which the mounting portion is mounted. It is a feature.

In this way, it is possible to prevent the variable arm from becoming unnecessarily long. For example, if the variable arm extends in the normal direction of the mounting part, when the mounting part is mounted in an inappropriate area, it is necessary to fold back the variable arm to adjust the position of the incident part. , It is not necessary to fold back the variable arm, and it is possible to prevent the length of the variable arm from becoming unnecessarily long.

The intermediate member may be configured so as not to protrude from the unsuitable region when the mounting portion is mounted in the unsuitable region. In particular, it is preferable to make the size so that it does not protrude from the unsuitable area. Further, the intermediate member may be composed of a plurality of members. In particular, it may be one or two members. In this way, the possibility of protruding from the unsuitable region can be reduced. Further, the intermediate member may be a separate body from the member having the mounting portion, but it is particularly preferable to integrate the intermediate member with the member having the mounting portion. By doing so, it can be made less noticeable.

(5) The variable arm is characterized in that it extends from the intermediate member so as to go from the unsuitable region to which the mounting portion is attached to an appropriate region which is not the unsuitable region.

By doing so, the route from the unsuitable region to the appropriate region can be shortened, and the variable arm can be suppressed from becoming unnecessarily long.

(6) The variable arm is attached to the intermediate member so that the variable arm extends in a direction intersecting the normal direction of the attachment portion.

In this way, the variable arm can be extended substantially parallel to the mounting surface, and the length of the variable arm can be shortened. In order to attach the variable arm in this way, it is preferable to make the intermediate member into a box shape, or to make the intermediate member a member having a mounting wall that stands in the normal direction of the mounting portion.

(7) The variable arm is mounted at a position offset from the central portion of the intermediate member in the normal direction of the mounting portion in a direction away from the mounting portion.

In this way, the front area for bending the variable arm can be increased. Therefore, the variable arm can be easily bent forward. As a result, the incident portion can be positioned in an appropriate region more easily. Further, when bending the variable arm, the incident portion can be positioned more forward than the connection position, so that it is not necessary to bend the variable arm backward and then bend it forward. As a result, the load acting on the variable arm can be reduced. The offset distance may be set as far back as possible (in the direction away from the mounting part), and it is even better if the incident part can be positioned in an appropriate region without temporarily bending the variable arm backward. ..

(8) The variable arm is characterized in that it is detachably configured on the intermediate member.

In this way, maintenance such as replacement of the variable arm becomes easy. In addition, variable arms having different lengths can be easily replaced, and variable arms having a suitable length corresponding to the moving position can be connected.

(9) At least a part of the intermediate member is formed in a box shape.

In this way, it becomes easy to hold the intermediate member. Therefore, it becomes easy to handle when mounting the mounting portion. Further, when the mounting portion and the intermediate member are integrated, the mounting surface can be enlarged, and the mountability can be improved. Further, the intermediate member includes a mounting plate having a mounting portion, a main body mounting arm extending from the mounting plate, and a box-shaped member located on the other end side of the main body mounting arm, and is provided from the box-shaped member. The variable arm may be extended. Further, it is particularly preferable to provide a mounting portion on one side of the box-shaped member itself so that the variable arm extends from the other side of the box-shaped member.

(10) At least a part of the intermediate member is formed so as to be able to accommodate an electronic component.

By doing so, the weight of the variable arm and the imaging unit can be reduced by accommodating a part of the electronic components originally housed in the variable arm and the electronic components mounted on the imaging unit or the like in the intermediate member. .. In particular, the electronic components housed in the intermediate member may be an electronic component used for an imaging unit, wireless communication, or the like, a recording medium for recording an image, or the like. Further, the intermediate member includes a mounting plate having a mounting portion, a main body mounting arm extending from the mounting plate, and a box-shaped member located on the other end side of the main body mounting arm, and the box-shaped member includes. It is preferable that the electronic parts are accommodated and the variable arm is extended from the box-shaped member. Further, it is particularly preferable to provide a mounting portion on one surface side of the box-shaped member itself, accommodate the electronic component in the box-shaped member, and extend the variable arm from the other surface side of the box-shaped member.

(11) The intermediate member is characterized by having a connected portion to which a variable arm can be connected on a surface intersecting the mounting portion.

In this way, the variable arm can be attached to the surface intersecting the attachment portion of the intermediate member. Therefore, the variable arm can be easily extended along the unsuitable region. This makes it possible to prevent the length of the variable arm from becoming unnecessarily long.

(12) The intermediate member is characterized by having a plurality of connected portions to which the variable arm can be connected.

In this way, a plurality of variable arms can be connected. Further, the connection position of the variable arm can be easily changed, and a suitable connection position of the variable arm can be selected according to the mounting position of the mounting portion. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the variable arm from becoming unnecessarily long by selecting the required connection position.

(13) The intermediate member is characterized by having a monitor capable of displaying an image captured by the imaging unit.

In this way, the position and orientation of the incident portion can be adjusted while observing the image displayed on the monitor of the intermediate member. Therefore, the position and orientation of the incident portion can be easily adjusted by the variable arm. In addition, images before and after the accident, scenery during driving, and the like can be confirmed on the spot, and the convenience and playability of the in-vehicle device can be improved.

(14) A monitor display direction setting unit capable of setting the vertical direction of an image displayed on the monitor is provided.

In this way, when a monitor is provided on the intermediate member, the vertical direction of the image displayed on the monitor as seen by the driver may change depending on the orientation of the intermediate member or the imaging unit, but the monitor display direction By setting the vertical direction of the image in the setting unit, it is possible to prevent the vertical direction of the image displayed on the monitor from changing.

(15) The monitor display direction fixing unit is provided, which fixes the vertical direction of the image set by the monitor display direction setting unit as the vertical direction of the image pickup unit after the mounting unit is attached.

In this way, it is possible to shoot an image according to the behavior of the vehicle. For example, if an accident or the like occurs after the vertical direction of the image is set by the monitor display direction setting unit and the image pickup is rotated due to the vehicle rollover, the image can be recorded as if it were rotated in the same manner.

(16) The variable arm is characterized in that a cable can be inserted into the variable arm.

By doing so, it is possible to eliminate the exposure of cables such as electric wires and optical fibers that connect the image pickup unit and electronic components. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the cable or the like from unnecessarily obstructing the driver's field of view. As a result, it is possible to improve the safety, and at the same time, it is possible to improve the visual effect such as improving the appearance.

(17) The variable arm is characterized in that it is configured to be bendable so that the tip end portion can be moved in any direction with the base end portion as the center.

In this way, the degree of freedom in the movable direction in the movable region of the variable arm can be increased. Therefore, for example, when the incident portion is attached to the tip portion and the base end portion is connected to the attached portion, the variable arm can be freely bent in any direction, so that the position and orientation of the incident portion can be finely adjusted. become. As a result, the incident portion can be moved to a desired position of the driver within the reach of the variable arm, and for example, the layout of the incident portion can be finely adjusted according to the driver's preference. In addition, it is possible to reduce the possibility that the shooting range in the shooting direction in which the desired shooting target exists is obstructed by an obstacle or the like and the shooting target cannot be shot.

Variable arms with such a configuration include, for example, a flexible arm configured to rotatably connect a plurality of parts and freely bend in any direction, and a bellows configured to freely expand and contract and bend. A bellows arm with a shape may be used.

(18) The variable arm is configured to change its shape according to the applied force when a force larger than a predetermined force is applied, and to maintain the shape when a force less than a predetermined force is applied. It is characterized by being done.

In this way, the position and orientation of the incident portion are maintained in a situation where a force less than or equal to a predetermined force is applied, whereas the position and orientation of the incident portion is maintained when a force larger than the predetermined force is applied. Can be changed. In particular, the force equal to or less than the predetermined force may be a force generated by vibration of the vehicle or the like.

For example, when a force equal to or less than the force generated by the vibration of the vehicle acts on the variable arm, the shape (for example, posture) is maintained, but the force is larger than the force generated by the vibration of the vehicle by the driver's hand or the like. When is applied to the variable arm, a predetermined force may be set so that the variable arm bends in the direction of the applied force. In this way, the driver can manually change the shape of the variable arm to adjust the position of the incident part only when it is necessary to adjust the position of the incident part, and the incident part changes its shape while traveling. It is possible to take a picture of the driving condition without any problem. Further, since the shape of the variable arm does not change even if a force generated by vibration of the vehicle or the like acts after adjusting the position of the incident portion, it is not necessary to separately provide a member for fixing the incident portion after the position adjustment. Further, if it is adjusted once, it is not necessary to adjust the incident position every time. The variable arm may be deformed by applying a force equal to or greater than a predetermined force from the inside of the hollow variable arm in addition to the force being applied from the outside by the driver's hand.

(19) The variable arm is characterized by having an irradiation means capable of irradiating the front of the incident portion.

In this way, when the amount of light is insufficient when the image pickup unit photographs the inside of the vehicle, the subject can be irradiated and the amount of light can be added. Also, by deforming the variable arm, it can be used as a spotlight when looking at or looking for something in the car.

For example, the above-described configurations (1) to (19) may be used alone or in any combination to configure the device. Further, the components described in each of the items (1) to (19) may be arbitrarily combined to form a device.

According to the present invention, in an in-vehicle device having an imaging unit, by deforming the variable arm to adjust the position and orientation of the incident portion, even when the variable arm is attached to an unsuitable region suitable for mounting but not suitable for photographing. , It is possible to shoot the object to be photographed suitably.

It is a perspective view which shows typically the drive recorder which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows typically the drive recorder which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is a functional block diagram of the drive recorder which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is the figure which shows the state which attached the drive recorder to the black sera painted part of the windshield of a vehicle. It is a perspective view which shows typically the drive recorder which concerns on 2nd Embodiment. It is a figure which shows typically the drive recorder which concerns on 2nd Embodiment. It is a functional block diagram of the drive recorder which concerns on 2nd Embodiment. It is a perspective view which shows typically the drive recorder which concerns on 3rd Embodiment. It is a figure which shows typically the drive recorder which concerns on 3rd Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the state which attached the drive recorder which concerns on 3rd Embodiment to the back surface of a room mirror. 6 is a six-view view showing an example of the appearance of the integrated device according to the fourth embodiment. It is a figure which shows the state which pulled out the flexible arm from the integrated device which concerns on 4th Embodiment.

An in-vehicle device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The in-vehicle device according to the present embodiment is provided with a variable arm for enabling shooting of the shooting target even when mounted in an unsuitable area that is suitable for mounting but not suitable for shooting the shooting target. In the following embodiments, as an example of such an in-vehicle device, a drive recorder (first to third embodiments) including a flexible camera unit having a CCD camera attached to the tip thereof, and first to third embodiments. It will be described with reference to an integrated device (fourth embodiment) having a drive recorder function and a navigation function to be described.

<First Embodiment>
The drive recorder 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, as an example of an unsuitable region when the front of the vehicle 100 is to be photographed from the vehicle interior, the black ceramic coating portion of the windshield 101 in front of the vehicle interior of the vehicle 100 is painted. The case where the drive recorder 1 is attached to 102 will be described. First, the schematic configuration of the drive recorder 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing a drive recorder 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2A is a front view schematically showing the drive recorder 1, FIG. 2B is a right side view, and FIG. 2C is a top view. FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of the drive recorder 1 according to the first embodiment.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the drive recorder 1 captures an image and records the photographed image with the drive recorder main body (hereinafter referred to as “drareco main body”) 2 and the drive recorder main body 2 as the windshield of the vehicle 100. A bracket 3 for attaching to the black ceramic coating portion 102 (see FIG. 4) of 101 is provided.

The dorareco main body 2 includes a housing 20 capable of accommodating electronic components such as various sensors inside, a flexible camera unit (hereinafter, simply referred to as “camera unit”) 4 capable of photographing an image target, and a control unit (see FIG. 3). ) 5 and.

The housing 20 has a flat, substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape (about 100 mm (longitudinal direction) × about 80 mm (short direction) × about 20 mm so as not to protrude from the black ceramic coated portion 102 when attached to the black ceramic coated portion 102. (Depth direction)). Further, the housing 20 is connected to a rectangular display panel 21 capable of displaying an image captured by the camera unit 4, an SD slot 22 into which an SD card 200 can be inserted, and a plurality of cameras to which the camera unit 4 can be connected. It includes terminals 23a to 23d, a first connection terminal 24 to which a cigar plug cord can be connected to receive power supply from the vehicle 100, and a second connection terminal 25 to which a personal computer or the like can be connected.

The display panel 21 is provided on the front surface of the housing 20 and is composed of a liquid crystal panel (about 3 inches). The SD slot 22 is located on one side W1 in the longitudinal direction (direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the display panel 21) W of the housing 20, and is provided on the first side surface substantially orthogonal to the front surface. By inserting the SD card 200 into the SD slot 22 and recording the captured image on the inserted SD card 200, the dorareco main body 2 can easily take out the captured image. The camera connection terminals 23a to 23d are located on the first side surface of the housing 20 and the other side W2 in the longitudinal direction W of the housing 20, the second side surface substantially orthogonal to the front surface, and the lateral direction (display) of the housing 20. It is located on one side H1 in H (direction substantially parallel to the lateral direction of the panel 21), is located on the third side surface substantially orthogonal to the front surface and the other side H2, and is provided on the fourth side surface substantially orthogonal to the front surface. The housing 20 is formed at a position offset to the front side (front side) D1 from the center in the depth direction (direction substantially parallel to the thickness direction of the display panel) D of the housing 20.

The first connection terminal 24 is provided on the second side surface of the housing 20. By connecting a cigar plug cord to the first connection terminal 24, the dorareco main body 2 is turned on and off in conjunction with the key operation of the vehicle 100. The second connection terminal 25 is provided on the second side surface of the housing 20. The Dora-Reco main body 2 can be upgraded in software by connecting it to a personal computer or the like via the second connection terminal 25.

The camera unit 4 includes a flexible arm 40 formed so that it can be freely bent and deformed in any direction, and a CCD camera 41 capable of photographing an object to be photographed. The flexible arm 40 is formed so that the CCD camera 41 is attached to the tip portion 40a and the base end portion 40b can be connected to a plurality of camera connection terminals 23a to 23d of the housing 20. The flexible arm 40 allows the CCD camera 41 attached to the tip to be freely attached to the housing 20 by connecting the base end portion 40b to any of the plurality of camera connection terminals 23a to 23d and then bending and deforming the base end portion 40b. It can be moved relative to. The flexible arm 40 according to the present embodiment is configured by connecting a plurality of members so as to be relatively angularly deformable, and the more members that are relatively angularly deformed in the same direction, the larger the overall bending angle. You can do it. That is, the amount of bending deformation can be increased.

Further, the flexible arm 40 is deformed according to the applied force when a force larger than a predetermined force is applied, and has the rigidity to maintain the shape when a force equal to or less than the predetermined force is applied. For example, the flexible arm 40 deforms when the driver tries to bend it by hand, but maintains its shape even when a force such as vibration of the vehicle 100 acts on it. That is, the flexible arm 40 is deformed when an artificial force is applied, and maintains its shape when a force based on the normal operation of the vehicle 100 is applied. Therefore, when the driver deforms the flexible arm 40, the shape is maintained until the driver next deforms the flexible arm 40.

Further, the flexible arm 40 has a length that allows the CCD camera 41 to avoid the black ceramic coating portion 102 and take a posture in which the outside of the vehicle can be photographed when the drive recorder 1 is attached to the black ceramic coating portion 102. ing. For example, the flexible arm 40 may be longer than the maximum length of the black ceramic coating portion 102. In this way, no matter where the drive recorder 1 is attached to the black ceramic coating portion 102, the flexible arm 40 can take a posture in which the CCD camera 41 avoids the black ceramic coating portion 102 and can take a picture of the outside of the vehicle. There is a high possibility that it can be done. Further, it is more preferable that the flexible arm 40 has a length capable of taking a posture in which the CCD camera 41 can take a picture of the outside of the vehicle beyond the outer peripheral portion of the black ceramic coating portion 102 farthest from the mounting position where the drive recorder 1 can be securely mounted. .. By doing so, it is possible to prevent the flexible arm 40 from becoming unnecessarily long.

In the present embodiment, when the drive recorder 1 is attached to the substantially central portion of the black ceramic coating portion 102, the CCD camera 41 exceeds the outer peripheral portion of the black ceramic coating portion 102 farthest from the substantially central portion. The length is such that it is possible to take a picture of the outside of the vehicle. By doing so, it is possible to further prevent the flexible arm 40 from becoming unnecessarily long.

Specifically, when the above-mentioned housing 20 is attached to a substantially central portion in the longitudinal direction of the black ceramic coating portion 102 having a length of 200 mm in the longitudinal direction and a length of 150 mm in the lateral direction, the housing 20 is the first. 1 In order to enable the CCD camera 41 attached to the tip of the flexible arm 40 connected to the camera connection terminal 23a on the side surface to photograph the outside of the vehicle from the inside of the vehicle beyond the outer peripheral portion on one side in the longitudinal direction of the black ceramic coating portion 102. Since the distance from the end of the one-sided W1 in the longitudinal direction W of the housing 20 to the one-sided end of the black ceramic coating portion 102 in the longitudinal direction is 50 mm, the flexible arm 40 of 80 mm is considered in consideration of the bending amount. If you use, you can get a good posture to take a picture of the outside of the vehicle. If a plurality of flexible arms having different lengths are selected and connected, it is possible to prevent the flexible arms from becoming unnecessarily long.

The structure of the flexible arm 40 is not particularly limited as long as it is a flexible arm that can be bent and deformed everywhere. Further, as the CCD camera 41, a general CCD camera can be used, so a specific description thereof will be omitted here. Further, the photographed data photographed by the CCD camera 41 is transmitted to a memory (see FIG. 3) 53 or the like arranged inside the housing 20 via a cable (not shown) inserted through the inside of the flexible arm 40. It has become so.

The control unit 5 is composed of a microcomputer or the like having a CPU, ROM, RAM, and the like, and controls the entire operation of the drive recorder 1. For example, the control unit 5 periodically stores the video (including continuously shot images) shot by the camera unit 4 in the memory 53 together with the time data, or from a detection sensor such as the G sensor 50 described later. Based on the detection signal, the captured image (including continuously captured images) is stored in the SD card 200. Regarding the control of the drive recorder 1 (operation of the drive recorder 1) by the control unit 5 when storing the video (including the continuously shot image) taken based on the detection signal from the detection sensor such as the G sensor 50. , Will be explained in detail later.

As shown in FIG. 3, the control unit 5 includes a camera unit 4, a display panel 21, an SD slot 22, a first connection terminal 24, a second connection terminal 25, a G sensor 50, and a gyro sensor 51. The GPS receiver 52, the memory 53, the vehicle signal acquisition unit 54, the display direction setting button 55, and the display direction fixing button 56 are connected to each other.

The G sensor 50 detects gravitational acceleration (G data) in two axial directions (X-axis and Y-axis) orthogonal to each other. The control unit 5 inputs the G data (Gx, Gy) detected by the G sensor 50, and calculates the acceleration value (magnitude) from the input G data. It is assumed that Gx indicates G data in the X-axis direction (front-rear direction of the vehicle 100) and Gy indicates G data in the Y-axis direction (left-right direction of the vehicle 100). Further, the G sensor 50 may be a three-axis one that detects acceleration in the Z-axis direction (vertical direction of the vehicle 100), and G in the Z-axis direction using a G sensor that detects acceleration in the three-axis direction. The configuration may not use data (Gz).

The gyro sensor 51 detects a change in the traveling direction (angular acceleration data) of the vehicle 100. The control unit 5 inputs the angular acceleration data detected by the gyro sensor 51, and calculates the angular acceleration value (magnitude) from the input angular acceleration data.

The GPS receiver 52 receives a GPS signal from the GPS antenna 52a, obtains the current position from the received GPS signal, and transmits the position information (latitude, latitude) of the obtained current position to the control unit 5. Further, the GPS signal includes date and time data, and the GPS receiver 52 transmits the date and time data included in the received GPS signal to the control unit 5.

The vehicle signal acquisition unit 54 is a vehicle failure diagnosis system (OBD) (not shown) that is connected to a failure diagnosis connector or the like of the vehicle 100 to acquire various signals and information (vehicle data) of the vehicle 100 and wirelessly transmit the acquired vehicle data. The configuration is such that the radio signal from the adapter is received, vehicle information is extracted, and the extracted vehicle information can be acquired from the control unit 5. The vehicle data includes, for example, a signal for detecting a brake operation during vehicle driving, a signal for detecting a winker operation, a signal for detecting an accelerator operation, a signal for detecting a handle rotation, a signal for detecting a shift lever position, and a side brake operation. There are signals that detect, vehicle failure diagnosis information (vehicle speed, engine speed, cooling water temperature, etc.) and various vehicle information (each function control data from the ECU, communication data from networks outside the vehicle and other vehicles, etc.) .. The control unit 5 acquires these and determines the state of the vehicle 100.

The display direction setting button 55 has the vertical direction of the image displayed on the display panel 21 regardless of the orientation of the housing 20 (the orientation in which the longitudinal direction W is the vertical direction or the orientation in which the lateral direction H is the vertical direction). It is for rotating the image so that it becomes constant. For example, when the housing 20 is mounted in the direction shown in FIG. 1 (one side H1 in the lateral direction H is on the top), pressing the display direction setting button 55 causes the image taken by the CCD camera 41 to be displayed. The image is rotated so as to be one side H1 in the lateral direction H. Further, for example, when the housing 20 is attached with the other side W2 in the longitudinal direction W facing up, by pressing the display direction setting button 55, the image captured by the CCD camera 41 is on the other side in the longitudinal direction W. The image is rotated so that it is on the side W2. The control unit 5 controls the rotation of the image displayed on the display panel 21, and the control unit 5 moves the housing 20 up and down based on the direction of the gravitational acceleration appearing on the Z axis acquired from the G sensor 50. The direction is detected, and the image is rotated based on the detected vertical direction of the housing 20.

The display direction fixing button 56 is for fixing the display direction of the image set by the display direction setting button 55. For example, when the vehicle 100 rolls over, if the vertical direction is set based on the direction of gravitational acceleration, the rolling image cannot be taken, but the vertical direction of the image displayed on the display panel 21 with the display direction fixing button 56 can be changed. By fixing it regardless of the direction of gravitational acceleration, it becomes possible to shoot an image according to the behavior of the vehicle 100. The control unit 5 controls to fix the orientation of the image.

As shown in FIGS. 2 (b) and 2 (c), the bracket 3 has a first mounting portion 30 to which double-sided tape for mounting on the back surface of the housing 20 of the dorareco main body 2 is attached, and a black ceramic coating on the windshield 101. It includes a second mounting portion 31 to which a double-sided tape for mounting the portion 102 is attached, and a connecting portion 32 for connecting the first mounting portion 30 and the second mounting portion 30. The connecting portion 32 and the first mounting portion 30 so that the display panel 21 of the housing 20 faces the driver when the bracket 3 to which the housing 20 is attached is attached to the black ceramic coating portion 102. It is connected to the second mounting portion 31. In the present embodiment, the mounting surface of the first mounting portion 30 to the housing 20 is formed to be about 30 degrees with respect to the mounting surface of the second mounting portion 31 to the black ceramic coating portion 102. ..

By adjusting the position of the CCD camera 41 using the flexible arm 40 as in the present embodiment, there is no need for an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the orientation of the housing 20 by the bracket 3 after being attached to the black ceramic coating portion 102. become. Therefore, after the housing 20 is attached to the black ceramic coating portion 102 via the bracket 3, it is possible to prevent the housing 20 from moving unnecessarily by the bracket adjusting mechanism. As a result, the mounting state of the housing 20 is stabilized.

Next, a method of using the drive recorder 1 according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a state in which the drive recorder 1 is attached to the black ceramic coating portion 102 of the windshield 101 of the vehicle 100. First, a method of attaching the drive recorder 1 to the black ceramic coating portion 102 will be described.

The drive recorder 1 according to the present embodiment is attached to the black ceramic coating portion 102 which is suitable for attachment but not suitable for photographing the object to be photographed. That is, the drive recorder 1 is attached to an unsuitable area. The unsuitable area here is a place that meets the safety standards of road transport vehicles and does not interfere with the driver's field of view or in-vehicle equipment, but points the camera in the shooting direction in which the desired shooting target can be shot. If this is the case, it is an area in which there are elements that hinder the shooting of the shooting target, such as the presence of obstacles reflected in the camera in the shooting direction. Factors that hinder the shooting of the object to be imaged include those that are always present and those that are expressed under specific conditions. Specifically, as an unsuitable region, as shown in FIG. 4, the black ceramic coating portion 102, the A pillar portion 105, the ceiling portion 106, the region 104 outside the wiper wiping region 103 that appears on a rainy day, and the like are included. is there.

The sun visor region 107a on which the sun visor 107 is located when the sun visor 107 is lowered and both sides of the room mirror 108 are suitable for photographing but not suitable for mounting. This is because if it is attached to both sides of the room mirror, it may obstruct the view of the driver, and if it is attached to the sun visor area 107a, it may obstruct the sun visor 107 when using the sun visor 107.

If a general drive recorder is directly attached to an unsuitable area, an opaque obstacle exists in the shooting direction of the camera, and the camera cannot take a picture unless the opaque obstacle is avoided. Therefore, as described above, the drive recorder 1 according to the present embodiment is provided with a flexible arm 40 having a CCD camera 41 attached to the tip thereof, and by deforming the flexible arm 40, the CCD camera 41 is removed from an opaque obstacle. By avoiding it and locating it in an appropriate area, it is possible to shoot the subject.

The appropriate region is an region in which there is no element that hinders the shooting of the shooting target, such as no obstacle reflected in the CCD camera 41 in the shooting direction. Specifically, as an appropriate region, as shown in FIG. 4, a place around the black ceramic coating portion 102 of the windshield 101, a place adjacent to the A pillar portion 105 in the wiper wiping area 103 of the windshield 101, and the like are used. is there. Hereinafter, the case where the drive recorder 1 is attached to the black ceramic coating portion 102 and the CCD camera 41 is positioned beyond the outer circumference of the black ceramic coating portion 102 to photograph the front of the vehicle 100 will be described.

First, the driver attaches the first attachment portion 30 of the bracket 3 to the back surface of the housing 20 with double-sided tape, and then exposes the double-sided tape attached to the second attachment portion 31 of the bracket 3. Then, the driver holds the housing 20 so that one side H1 in the lateral direction H of the housing 20 is on top, and the second mounting portion 31 of the bracket 3 is substantially centered in the width direction of the black ceramic coating portion 102. Paste it on the part. At this time, since the housing 20 is formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, the driver can easily hold the housing 20 and can easily attach the second mounting portion 31 to the black ceramic coating portion 102.

Next, the driver attaches the camera unit 4 to the housing 20. In the present embodiment, the base end portion of the camera unit 4 is inserted into the camera connection terminal 23a and attached. As a result, as shown in FIG. 4, the camera unit 4 extends toward the outer periphery of the black ceramic coating portion 102 substantially parallel to the black ceramic coating portion 102 and substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the housing 20. Become. The attachment of the base end portion of the camera unit 4 to the camera connection terminal 23a is not limited to insertion, and may be attached by screwing.

Next, the driver connects the cigar plug cord to the first connection terminal 24. By connecting the cigar plug cord to the first connection terminal 24, the power supply of the drive recorder 1 is turned on in conjunction with the key operation for starting the operation of the vehicle 100. When the power is turned on, the control unit 5 displays the image captured by the CCD camera 41 on the display panel 21. The image is captured at a rate of 30 frames per second at any time and displayed on the display panel 21 in real time. Therefore, the driver positions the CCD camera 41 so that the front of the vehicle 100 can be photographed while observing the image displayed on the display panel 21. Specifically, the driver bends and deforms the flexible arm 40 by hand so that the CCD camera 41 faces the front of the vehicle 100 at a position beyond the outer circumference of the black ceramic coating portion 102. At this time, since the camera unit 4 extends along the black ceramic coating portion 102 toward the outer periphery of the black ceramic coating portion 102, the amount of bending deformation can be reduced when positioning the CCD camera 41.

After adjusting the position and orientation of the CCD camera 41, when the driver presses the display direction setting button 55, the control unit so that the image captured by the CCD camera 41 is on one side H1 in the lateral direction H. 5 rotates the image. The control unit 5 detects the vertical direction of the housing 20 based on the direction of gravitational acceleration, and rotates the image based on the detected vertical direction of the housing 20. It should be noted that this may be performed automatically without pressing the display direction setting button 55. After setting the orientation of the image, the driver then presses the display direction fixing button 56 to fix the orientation of the set image. As a result, it becomes possible to shoot an image linked to the behavior of the vehicle 100.

Next, the operation of the drive recorder 1 when an event occurs when the drive recorder 1 is attached to the vehicle 100 and then an impact that may be an impact at the time of an accident is applied to the vehicle 100 will be described.

When an impact is applied to the vehicle 100, the value (magnitude) of the G data output from the G sensor 50 rapidly increases. Then, when the value (magnitude) of the G data of the G sensor 50 reaches the threshold acceleration Gs (for example, 0.3 G), the control unit 5 determines that an event has occurred, the CCD camera 41 takes an image, and the memory The video that is cyclically primarily stored in 53 is stored in the SD card 200 together with the event occurrence time data. For example, the SD card 200 stores the video for T seconds from Ta seconds before the event occurrence time to Tb seconds after the event occurrence time. The time T seconds stored when an event occurs can be set in advance by the driver.

Further, when an event occurs, the control unit 5 includes G data detected by the G sensor 50, detection angle acceleration data of the gyro sensor 51, and vehicle data acquired by the vehicle signal acquisition unit 54 (for example, brake operation). Data, steering wheel operation data, vehicle speed data, etc.) and time data, which is time data acquired from these sensors, are stored in the SD card 200.

The number of events stored in the SD card 200 can be changed according to the storage capacity of the SD card 200, but it is preferable that 500 or more events can be stored. Further, the control unit 5 may create a folder on the SD card 200 for each event to store the data. Further, a memory such as a non-volatile memory may be separately provided, and the non-volatile memory may be configured to record the video of the event. Further, at the same time as the video, these data are periodically and primarily stored in the memory 53, and these data for T seconds from Ta seconds before the event occurrence time to Tb seconds after the event occurrence time are stored in the SD card 200. You may let it.

According to the drive recorder 1 having the above configuration, the following effects are obtained. The drive recorder 1 includes a flexible arm 40 that can freely change the relative position of the CCD camera 41 with respect to the housing 20. Therefore, even when the drive recorder 1 is attached to the black ceramic coating portion 102, the CCD camera 41 can be avoided from the black ceramic coating portion 102 so that the camera can be photographed. As a result, even when the drive recorder 1 is attached to the black ceramic coating portion 102, which is suitable for mounting but not suitable for photographing, the outside of the vehicle can be photographed with the CCD camera 41.

Further, even if the drive recorder 1 fails to attach the drive recorder 1 to the windshield 101, the flexible arm 40 adjusts the position and orientation of the CCD camera 41 to cover the failure of attachment. Can be done.

Further, the flexible arm 40 has a length capable of taking a posture in which the CCD camera 41 can take a picture of the outside of the vehicle beyond the black ceramic coating portion 102 when the drive recorder 1 is attached to the black ceramic coating portion 102. There is. Therefore, the drive recorder 1 can reliably position the CCD camera 41 in an appropriate region without making the flexible arm unnecessarily long.

Further, the flexible arm is configured so that the CCD camera 41 at the tip portion 40a can be moved in any direction and can be bent and deformed everywhere. Therefore, the degree of freedom in the position of the CCD camera 41 in the movable region of the flexible arm 40 is high, and the position and orientation of the CCD camera 41 can be finely adjusted.

Further, the flexible arm 40 is deformed when bent by the driver's hand, and is not deformed when a force acting on the vibration of the vehicle 100 or the like acts. Therefore, only when it is necessary to adjust the position and orientation of the CCD camera 41, the driver can manually change the shape of the flexible arm 40 to adjust the position of the CCD camera 41 and the like, and the flexible arm 40 has a shape during traveling. It is possible to take a picture of the running condition etc. without changing. Further, since the shape of the flexible arm does not change even if a force generated by vibration of the vehicle 100 or the like acts after adjusting the position of the CCD camera 41 or the like, a member for fixing the CCD camera 41 after the position adjustment is separately provided. There is no need. Further, if it is adjusted once, it is not necessary to adjust the incident position every time. The flexible arm 40 may be deformed by applying a force from the inside of the flexible arm 40 in addition to applying a force from the outside by the driver's hand.

Further, since the housing 20 of the drive recorder 1 is formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, it is easy to hold the housing 20. Therefore, for example, the drive recorder 1 can be easily attached. Further, by accommodating electronic components such as various sensors in the housing 20, the flexible arm 40 can be made lighter and smaller.

Further, in the drive recorder 1, since the flexible arm 40 is detachably configured with respect to the housing 20, maintenance of the flexible arm 40 becomes easy. Further, it can be easily replaced with a flexible arm having an appropriate length according to the mounting location.

Further, the drive recorder 1 has a flexible arm 40 in a direction intersecting the normal direction of the black ceramic coating portion 102 of the housing 20 so that the flexible arm 40 can be extended along the black ceramic coating portion 102. A plurality of camera connection terminals 23a to 23d to which the above can be connected are provided. Therefore, by changing the connection position of the flexible arm 40, it is possible to prevent the flexible arm 40 from becoming unnecessarily long.

Further, since the drive recorder 1 is provided with the plurality of camera connection terminals 23a to 23d offset to the front side of the housing 20, the area on the back side of the housing 20 can be increased. That is, it is possible to increase the area on the bending side when photographing the outside of the vehicle. As a result, the flexible arm 40 can be easily bent, and the position and orientation of the CCD camera 41 can be easily adjusted. The offset distance is preferably located on the front side as much as possible, and for example, it is preferable to secure a region where the flexible arm 40 does not need to be warped to the front side once.

Further, since the drive recorder 1 is provided with a display panel capable of displaying an image taken by the CCD camera 41, the driver adjusts the position and orientation of the CCD camera 41 while observing the image displayed on the display panel 21. can do. In addition, it is possible to check the scenery before and after the event occurs and while driving on the spot. That is, convenience and playability can be improved.

Further, since the drive recorder 1 has a cable for transmitting image data taken by the CCD camera inserted through the flexible arm 40, it is possible to prevent the cable or the like from being unnecessarily exposed, and the cable or the like can be used as a driver. It is possible to prevent the visibility from being obstructed. As a result, the safety can be improved, and the visual effect such as the appearance can be improved.

<Second Embodiment>
Next, the drive recorder 1A according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 to 7. The drive recorder 1A according to the second embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that it does not have a display panel and a member having a second mounting portion is integrated with a housing. Therefore, in the second embodiment, the differences from the first embodiment will be mainly described, and the same reference numerals will be given to the same configurations as those in the first embodiment, and the description thereof will be omitted.

First, the schematic configuration of the drive recorder 1A will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 to 7. FIG. 5 is a perspective view schematically showing the drive recorder 1A according to the second embodiment. 6A is a front view schematically showing the drive recorder 1A, FIG. 6B is a right side view, and FIG. 6C is a top view. FIG. 7 is a functional block diagram of the drive recorder 1A according to the second embodiment.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the drive recorder 1A includes a drive recorder main body 2A. The dorareco main body 2A includes a flat rectangular parallelepiped housing 20A, a camera unit 4, and a control unit (see FIG. 7) 5A.

The housing 20A is formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape so as not to protrude from the black ceramic coating portion 102 when attached to the black ceramic coating portion 102. Further, the housing 20A is attached to the SD slot 22, the plurality of camera connection terminals 23a to 23e, the first connection terminal 24, the second connection terminal 25, and the black ceramic coating portion 102 of the windshield 101. A unit 35 and the like are provided. The camera connection terminal 23e is provided on the front surface of the front side D1 in the depth direction D of the housing 20A. The mounting portion 35 is provided integrally with the housing 20A on the back surface of the back side D2 in the depth direction D of the housing 20A. By integrating the mounting portion 35 with the housing 20A, the mounting portion 35 can be made inconspicuous. A double-sided tape for attaching to the black ceramic coating portion 102 is attached to the attachment portion 35.

The control unit 5A includes a camera unit 4, an SD slot 22, a first connection terminal 24, a second connection terminal 25, a G sensor 50, a gyro sensor 51, a GPS receiver 52, a memory 53, and a vehicle. The signal acquisition unit 54, the display direction fixing button 56, and the wireless communication unit 57 are connected. The wireless communication unit 57 is provided to transmit the image taken by the control unit 5A to the smartphone or the navigation device in order to display the image taken by the camera unit 4 on the liquid crystal screen of the smartphone or the navigation device. There is.

Next, a method of using the drive recorder 1A according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. Since the operation of the drive recorder 1A after the event occurs is the same as that of the first embodiment, the description thereof will be omitted. Further, in the present embodiment, the case where the control unit 5A transmits the image captured by the CCD camera 41 to the smart phone via the wireless communication unit 57 will be described.

First, the driver exposes the double-sided tape attached to the attachment portion 35 on the back surface of the housing 20A. Then, holding the housing 20A, the mounting portion 35 with the double-sided tape exposed is attached to the substantially central portion in the width direction of the black ceramic coating portion 102. At this time, since the housing 20A is formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, the driver can easily hold the housing 20A and easily attach it to the black ceramic coating portion 102.

Next, the driver attaches the camera unit 4 to the housing 20A. In the present embodiment, the base end portion of the camera unit 4 is attached to the camera unit 4 by inserting it into the camera connection terminal 23a. By attaching the base end portion of the camera unit 4 to the camera connection terminal 23a, as shown in FIG. 4, the camera unit 4 extends substantially parallel to the black ceramic coating portion 102 toward the outer periphery of the black ceramic coating portion 102. It will be in the state of

Next, the driver connects the cigar plug cord to the first connection terminal 24. When the power of the drive recorder 1 is turned on in conjunction with the key operation of the vehicle 100 to start driving, the control unit 5A transmits the image captured by the CCD camera 41 to the smart phone via the wireless communication unit 57. , Display on the LCD screen of the smartphone. Therefore, the driver positions the CCD camera 41 so that the front of the vehicle 100 can be photographed while observing the image displayed on the liquid crystal screen of the smartphone. Specifically, the driver manually bends various parts of the flexible arm 40 so that the CCD camera 41 at the tip of the flexible arm 40 faces the front of the vehicle 100 at a position beyond the outer circumference of the black ceramic coating portion 102. Transform.

As described above, in the drive recorder 1A according to the second embodiment, since the control unit 5A transmits the image taken by the CCD camera 41 to the smartphone via the wireless communication unit 57, the front panel display becomes unnecessary. The housing 20A can be miniaturized.

Further, in the drive recorder 1A, since the mounting portion 35 is integrated with the housing 20A, the mounting surface of the mounting portion 35 can be enlarged, and the mountability of the housing 20A can be improved.

<Third Embodiment>
Next, the drive recorder 1B according to the third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 8 to 10. The drive recorder 1B according to the third embodiment is different from the second embodiment in that the drive recorder 1B can be attached to the room mirror 108 of the vehicle 100. Therefore, in the third embodiment, the differences from the second embodiment will be mainly described, and the same reference numerals will be given to the same configurations as those in the second embodiment, and the description thereof will be omitted.

First, FIG. 8 for explaining the schematic configuration of the drive recorder 1B with reference to FIGS. 8 and 9 is a perspective view schematically showing the drive recorder 1B according to the third embodiment. 9A is a front view schematically showing the drive recorder 1B, FIG. 9B is a right side view, and FIG. 9C is a top view.

As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the drive recorder 1B includes a drive recorder main body 2B. The dorareco main body 2B includes a flat rectangular parallelepiped housing 20B, a camera unit 4, and a control unit (see FIG. 7) 5A.

The housing 20B is formed so that the length in the longitudinal direction W is shorter than the length in the width direction of the room mirror 108, and the length in the lateral direction H is substantially the same as the length in the vertical direction of the room mirror. It is formed like this. Further, the housing 20A includes an SD slot 22, a plurality of camera connection terminals 23a to 23c, a first connection terminal 24, a second connection terminal 25, and a mounting portion 3B for mounting on the room mirror 108. ing.

The mounting portion 3B includes a pair of sandwiching portions 36, 37 that sandwich the room mirror 108. The pair of holding portions 36, 37 includes first locking claws 36a, 37a and second locking claws 36b, 37b, and the first locking claws 36a, 37a are placed on the upper outer edge of the room mirror 108. The housing 20B is fixed to the room mirror 108 by locking the second locking claws 36b and 37b to the lower outer edge of the room mirror 108.

Next, a method of using the drive recorder 1B according to the third embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. Since the operation of the drive recorder 1B after the event occurs is the same as that of the first embodiment, the description thereof will be omitted. Further, in the present embodiment, the case where the control unit 5A transmits the image captured by the CCD camera 41 to the smart phone via the wireless communication unit 57 will be described. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a state in which the drive recorder 1B according to the third embodiment is attached to the back surface of the room mirror 108.

First, the driver locks the first locking claws 36a and 37a to the upper edge of the room mirror 108, and while maintaining this state, locks the second locking claws 36b and 37b to the lower edge of the room mirror 108. Let me. As a result, the drive recorder 1B is fixed to the room mirror 108.

Next, the driver attaches the camera unit 4 to the housing 20B. In the present embodiment, the camera unit 4 is attached to the housing 20B by inserting the base end portion of the camera unit 4 into the camera connection terminal 23a. By inserting the base end portion of the camera unit 4 into the camera connection terminal 23a, as shown in FIG. 10, the camera unit 4 is in a state of extending substantially parallel to the width direction of the room mirror 108.

Next, the driver connects the cigar plug cord to the first connection terminal 24. When the power of the drive recorder 1 is turned on in conjunction with the key operation for starting the operation of the vehicle 100, the control unit 5A transmits the image captured by the CCD camera 41 to the smartphone via the wireless communication unit 57. Display on the LCD screen of the smartphone. Therefore, the driver positions the CCD camera 41 so that the front of the vehicle 100 can be photographed while observing the image displayed on the liquid crystal display of the smartphone. Specifically, the driver bends and deforms the flexible arm 40 by hand so that the CCD camera 41 avoids obstacles such as the support portion of the room mirror 108 and can take a picture in front of the vehicle 100. The arm 40 is bent and deformed for adjustment.

As described above, since the drive recorder 1B according to the third embodiment is formed so as to be mountable on the back surface of the room mirror 108, it is mounted on the vehicle 100 without obstructing the driver's field of view or the in-vehicle device. be able to.

<Fourth Embodiment>
Next, the in-vehicle device according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 11 and 12. The in-vehicle device according to the fourth embodiment is an integrated device 1000 having a general navigation function in addition to the drive recorder function having the camera unit 4 described in the first to third embodiments. As for the drive recorder function of the integrated device 1000, the above description is incorporated, and for the navigation function, the function of the conventional navigation device is incorporated, and the description of the specific function is omitted.

FIG. 11 is a six-view view showing an example of the appearance of the integrated device 1000. In FIG. 11, the front view is shown in the second row of the center row. Here, in FIG. 11, the surface facing the touch panel 110 when the integrated device 1000 is installed is a front view. A touch panel 110 is arranged in front of the integrated device 1000. Further, buttons 140 and the like are not arranged on the bezel surrounding the touch panel 110 so as not to obstruct the visual inspection of the touch panel 110.

The left side view is shown on the left side of the front view. As shown in the left side view, an SD slot 180, a notification LED 130b, and a USB terminal 320 are arranged on the left side surface of the integrated device 1000. An SD card is inserted into the SD slot 180. The notification LED 130b is an LED indicating whether or not the integrated device 1000 is being fed, and is lit in green, for example, during power feeding. A cigar plug cord 504 for connecting to a cigar socket capable of supplying power to the integrated device 1000 is connected to the USB terminal 320. In addition, in order to clarify the shape of the integrated device 1000, the cord portion extending from the socket of the cigar plug cord is not shown in FIG.

The right side view is shown on the right side of the front view. As shown in the right side view, an SD slot 230 is arranged on the right side surface of the integrated device 1000, and an SD card is inserted into the SD slot 230.

A top view is shown above the front view. As shown in the top view, the notification LED 130a, the button 140a, the button 140b, and the button 140c are arranged on the upper surface of the integrated device 1000. The notification LED 130a is used to indicate whether or not continuous recording is performed by the drive recorder function of the integrated device 1000. For example, the notification LED 130a lights up in red when continuous recording is not performed. The button 140a is a button 140 for starting manual recording by using the drive recorder function, and recording is started when the button 140a is pressed. Button 140b is a button 140 for stopping or resuming continuous recording, and each time a press is accepted, continuous recording is stopped or restarted. The button 140c is a button 140 for turning on or off the integrated device 1000. When the integrated device 1000 is pressed when the power is on, the integrated device 1000 is turned off, and when the power is turned off, the button 140 is received. The body device 1000 is turned on.

The rear view is shown in the third row of the center row. As shown in the rear view, the CCD camera 41 and the joint portion 502 are arranged on the back surface of the integrated device 1000. Further, an edge 501a, an edge 501b, an edge 501c, and an edge 501d are formed on the back surface of the integrated device 1000. The CCD camera 41 is incorporated in the integrated device 1000 by a flexible arm 40 that is retractably housed inside the integrated device 1000. As shown in FIG. 12, the flexible arm 40 is mounted from the inside of the integrated device 1000. By pulling it out, it can be moved to any position.

The flexible arm 40 is formed so that it can be freely bent and deformed in any direction, and by bending and deforming everywhere, the CCD camera 41 attached to the tip is freely relative to the integrated device 1000. It can be moved. The flexible arm 40 according to the present embodiment is configured by connecting a plurality of members so as to be relatively angularly deformable, and the more members that are relatively angularly deformed in the same direction, the larger the bending angle. Can be done. That is, the amount of bending deformation can be increased.

Further, although the flexible arm 40 is deformed when the driver tries to bend it by hand, the flexible arm 40 maintains its shape even when a force due to vibration of the vehicle 100 or the like acts. That is, the flexible arm 40 is deformed when an artificial force is applied, and maintains its shape when a force based on the normal operation of the vehicle 100 is applied. Therefore, when the driver deforms the flexible arm 40, the shape is maintained until the driver next deforms the flexible arm 40.

The flexible arm 40 is housed inside the integrated device 1000 along the back side of the edge 501b so that the flexible arm 40 does not come off from the integrated device 1000 when the flexible arm 40 is pulled out. Is provided with an engaging portion (not shown) that engages with the integrated device 1000. In this way, the flexible arm can be pulled out by the driver when it is needed, and can be accommodated inside the integrated device 1000 when it is not needed.

A cradle 2000 and a pedestal portion 3000 for fixing the integrated device 1000 to the dashboard, center console, or the like of the vehicle 100 are mounted on the joint portion 502. By making the joint portion 502 detachable from the cradle 2000, the integrated device 1000 can be installed and used on the dashboard of the vehicle 100 via the cradle 2000, or can be removed from the cradle 2000 and used as a portable navigation system. You can do it.

The cradle 2000 is connected to the pedestal portion 3000. The pedestal portion 3000 supports the cradle 2000 in an arbitrary posture. The pedestal portion 3000 is fixed by suction on a dashboard, a center console, or the like with a suction cup, a suction sheet, or the like provided on the bottom surface. The pedestal portion 3000 and the cradle 2000 are rotatably connected within a predetermined angle range via a connecting mechanism such as a ball joint. Since it is a ball joint, the pedestal portion 3000 and the cradle 2000 rotate and move relatively within an arbitrary angular range in the three-dimensional direction, and retain their positions at an arbitrary angular position due to frictional resistance at the joint portion. Therefore, the integrated device 1000 attached to the cradle 2000 can also be arranged in an arbitrary posture on the dashboard or the center console.

As described above, in the integrated device 1000 according to the fourth embodiment, the CCD camera 41 is incorporated into the integrated device 1000 by a flexible arm 40 that is retractably housed from the inside of the integrated device 1000 on the back side. It has been. Therefore, for example, when the integrated device 1000 is mounted on the dashboard in the vehicle interior, if it is mounted on the right end or the left end in the width direction of the dashboard so as not to obstruct the driver's field of view, the position of the CCD camera 41 is the wiper. It is located in an unsuitable area, which is an area 104 outside the wiping area 103, and it may be difficult to take a picture outside the vehicle on a rainy day. Even in this case, for example, by pulling out the flexible arm 40 having a length of about 100 mm, it becomes possible to easily take a picture of the outside of the vehicle even on a rainy day. Further, in this case, the movement of the CCD camera 41 can be easily performed even after the integrated device 1000 is attached to the dashboard by simply pulling out the flexible arm 40, so that it is not necessary to reattach the pedestal portion 3000 or the like. Become. For example, even if it is noticed that the pedestal portion 3000 is located in an unsuitable area only on a rainy day, it is not necessary to reattach the pedestal portion 3000.

Further, for example, when the dashboard is provided with a step portion in which the driver side is lowered by about 120 mm, if the integrated device 1000 is attached to the step portion so as not to obstruct the driver's field of vision, the height is increased by about 120 mm. It may be difficult to shoot outside the vehicle due to the dashboard on the back side. Even in this case, by pulling out the flexible arm 40 having a length of about 100 mm, the outside of the vehicle can be easily photographed by the CCD camera 41.

Further, for example, when an integrated device is attached instead of the audio or the genuine navigation device to the attachment portion formed so that the audio or the genuine navigation device of the center console can be attached, the CCD camera 41 is attached to the center console. It may be difficult to take a picture outside the vehicle because they face each other. Even in this case, by pulling out the flexible arm having a length of about 200 mm, the outside of the vehicle can be easily photographed by the CCD camera 41.

The integrated device 1000 may be a portable navigation device with a drive recorder function. As the drive recorder function, the one used in the first to third embodiments described above may be used.

<Modification example, etc.>
Although each embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to each of the above-described embodiments. In addition, the effects described in the embodiments of the present invention merely list the most preferable effects arising from the present invention, and the effects according to the present invention are not limited to those described in the respective embodiments of the present invention.

For example, in each embodiment, a drive recorder has been described as an example of an in-vehicle device, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the in-vehicle device may be a portable navigation device. By using it in a portable navigation device, for example, the portable navigation device can have a drive recorder function.

Further, in each embodiment, the configuration in which the position of the CCD camera 41 is fixed by the rigidity of the flexible arm 40 has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a lock mechanism or the like for securely fixing the flexible arm 40 at an arbitrary position may be provided.

Further, in each embodiment, the Dora-Reco main body 2 has been described using the bracket 3 that can be attached to the black ceramic coating portion 102, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, by using a bracket that can be attached to the A-pillar portion 105, the sun visor 107, the ceiling portion 106, etc. of the vehicle 100, the dorareco main body 2 can be attached to an unsuitable area other than the black ceramic coating portion 102. Also in this case, by moving the position of the CCD camera 41 to an appropriate area with the flexible arm 40, even if the Dora-Reco main body 2 is attached to the unsuitable area, the CCD camera 41 can take a picture.

Further, in each embodiment, the flexible arm has been described as the variable arm, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The variable arm may be a joint arm or the like composed of a plurality of members having different functions, having a movable portion capable of changing the direction of the tip portion and a moving portion capable of moving the position of the tip portion. As the movable portion of the joint arm, for example, a ball joint, a rotating shaft, or the like is preferable. In particular, by using a ball joint, the rotation direction of the incident portion can be freely changed, and fine position adjustment can be performed. Further, as the moving portion, an elastic member is preferable.

Further, the flexible arm 40 may be directly attached to the black ceramic coating portion 102 with the base end portion 40b as the attachment portion. In this case, the base end portion 40b of the flexible arm 40 may be attached to the black ceramic coating portion 102. Further, the housing 20 may be composed of a plurality of members. In particular, it may be one or two members. In this way, the possibility of protruding from the unsuitable region can be reduced. Further, the housing includes a mounting plate having a mounting portion, a main body mounting arm extending from the mounting plate, and a box-shaped member located on the other end side of the main body mounting arm, from the box-shaped member. The flexible arm may be extended. Further, it is particularly preferable to provide a mounting portion on one surface side of the box-shaped member itself so that the flexible arm extends from the other surface side of the box-shaped member itself. It is advisable to accommodate electronic parts and the like in this box-shaped member.

Further, it is preferable to provide an irradiation means such as an LED lamp capable of irradiating the front of the tip of the flexible arm 40. In this way, the flexible arm 40 can be used as a spotlight when searching for an object in the vehicle. It can also be used as a substitute for a flash when the amount of light is insufficient when shooting the inside of a vehicle.

Further, in the fourth embodiment, the flexible arm is housed inside the integrated device 1000 along the back side of the edge 501b. For example, a reel is provided inside the integrated device and the reel is wound around the reel. It may be configured as follows. By winding the reel around the reel and stopping the rotation of the reel, for example, the flexible arm 40 can be pulled out by a required length.

The example described in the embodiment for carrying out the invention is an example, and it is preferable to construct the embodiment as appropriate by applying the configuration and the technical idea described in the means for solving the problem.

Further, in the first embodiment, the drive recorder 1 in which the orientation of the housing 20 is fixed by the bracket 3 has been described, but it is preferable that the orientation of the housing 20 is variable. For example, a ball joint is provided between the bracket 3 and the housing 20, and the posture of the housing 20 with respect to the bracket 3 is maintained when the driver does not manually apply force to the housing 20, but the driver is placed on the housing 20. It is preferable that the orientation of the housing 20 can be changed so that the driver can easily see the display panel 21 by changing the posture of the housing 20 with respect to the bracket 3 when a force is applied by hand. Further, it is preferable that the connecting portion 32 of the bracket 3 is a ball joint, and the orientation of the housing 20 can be changed so that the driver can easily see the display panel 21 by the same configuration. Further, it is more preferable that the relative angle of the display panel 21 with respect to the housing 20 can be changed. For example, a hinge that is normally fixed but can be moved by applying force by hand or a connecting mechanism that can change the angle is provided between the outer edge of the display panel 21 and the housing 20, or the display panel 21 and the housing 20 May be connected with a ball joint so that the relative angle of the display panel 21 with respect to the housing 20 can be adjusted. By making only the display panel 21 variable, it is possible to stabilize the mounting state of the housing 20 with respect to the vehicle.

Further, in the first embodiment, the configuration in which the bracket 3 is attached to the housing 20 has been described, but a structure for fitting the bracket 3 to the housing 20 or a structure for inserting the bracket 3 is provided, and the housing 20 and the bracket 3 are provided. It is preferable to have a structure in which In particular, it is preferable to provide a means for holding the state in a state of being fitted or inserted. For example, in a groove provided in either the housing 20 or the bracket 3, either the housing 20 or the bracket 3 is provided. It is preferable that the claws provided in the above are fitted together to maintain the fixed state of the housing 20 and the bracket 3.

Further, in the first embodiment, the camera unit 4 is attached to the housing 20 by inserting the base end portion of the camera unit 4 into the camera connection terminal 23a, but when the camera unit 4 is attached to the housing 20, the camera is attached. It is preferable to have a configuration that regulates the insertion direction of the base end portion of the camera unit 4 with respect to the connection terminal 23a. The insertion direction of the base end portion of the camera unit 4 is such that when the camera unit 4 is attached to the housing 20 in that direction, the left-right direction of the image captured by the camera unit 4 coincides with the horizontal direction of the scenery outside the vehicle. It is good to do. In this way, for example, as shown in FIG. 2B, the camera unit 4 extending from the side surface of the housing 20 is simply bent 90 degrees forward by simply mounting the housing 20 in the vertical direction. It is possible to take an image in which the scenery outside the vehicle matches the horizontal direction. For example, a male connector is provided at the base end of the camera unit 4, and a female connector is provided on the side surface side of the housing 20, and signals are transmitted between the two by fitting the connectors, and in the above-mentioned direction. It is preferable to configure it so that it is uniquely fixed to.

Further, in the first embodiment, the CCD camera 41 fixed to the tip of the flexible arm 40 has been described, but the CCD camera 41 is configured to be rotatable with respect to the flexible arm 40 with the photographing direction as the rotation axis. Good. For example, a guide rail is provided in the circumferential direction on one member of a portion where the outer peripheral portion of the tip end portion of the flexible arm 40 and the inner peripheral portion of the mounting portion of the CCD camera 41 attached to the outer peripheral portion are in contact with each other. It is preferable that the other member is engaged and guided in the rail. By doing so, it is possible to easily adjust the left-right direction of the image captured by the camera unit 4 so as to match the horizontal direction of the scenery outside the vehicle. Therefore, for example, when the recorded video is reproduced, it is possible to prevent the video from being tilted and causing a sense of discomfort.

Further, in each embodiment, the flexible arm is bent and deformed by hand and fixed in the bent and deformed state. However, for example, the flexible arm can be fixed in a twisted state by twisting by hand in the circumferential direction. A flexible arm may be used, and the flexible arm may be twisted to adjust the horizontal and vertical directions of the captured image with respect to the scenery outside the vehicle. In particular, the flexible arm may be formed of a flexible tube. The flexible tube may have a configuration in which a stainless wire for the lower winding and an aluminum wire for the upper winding are combined. In particular, it is more preferable to plate, paint, and heat-shrink tube coating on each metal wire.

Further, the flexible arm may be configured with an articulated structure, for example, it may be configured by combining a large number of ball joints, and a through hole is provided so that a signal line connected to the CCD camera 41 passes through the inside of the ball joints. It is even better to provide. For example, a through hole may be provided inside a plurality of ball joint members connected in series used for the legs of the tripod described in US Pat. No. 8,740,160 so that a signal line connected to the CCD camera 41 can pass through. ..

Further, in each embodiment, the portion where the CCD camera 41 is housed is cylindrical, but it is preferable to provide a surface parallel to the horizontal line and the vertical line of the camera, respectively. In particular, it is preferable to have a square shape. Further, it is preferable to provide a line indicating the horizontal direction and a line indicating the vertical direction of the camera on the outer periphery of the housing of the CCD camera 41. For example, the horizontal direction of the camera can be changed by making a point at the intersection of the extension line of the vertical center line of the image sensor of the camera and the outer circumference, or printing a line perpendicular to the outer circumference including this point. It is good to make it visible from the outside.

Further, in each embodiment, the camera unit 4 in which the CCD camera 41 is attached to the tip of the flexible arm 40 in the axial direction of the flexible arm 40 has been described. However, the CCD camera 41 is the tip of the flexible arm 40. The flexible arm 40 may be provided on a side surface (peripheral surface) orthogonal to the axial direction. By attaching the CCD camera 41 to the side surface, even when the flexible arm 40 extends from the housing 20 in a direction orthogonal to the shooting direction, it is possible to take a picture of the front outside the vehicle without bending the flexible arm 40. Further, the configuration may be provided only on the side surface, or a plurality of cameras may be provided so as to capture both the side surface and the surface described with reference to FIG.

Further, in the third embodiment, the housing 20B is attached to the room mirror 108 so that the housing 20B is hidden behind the room mirror 108, but the housing 20B protrudes from the room mirror 108 to the driver side. It is preferable that the 20B is attached to the room mirror 108 and an operation unit such as an operation button is arranged in front of the protruding portion. In this case, the flexible arm 40 may be attached at a position away from the operation button. For example, it is preferable to attach the flexible arm 40 to a surface different from the surface on the protruding side. By connecting the flexible arm 40 at a position away from the operation button provided on the protruding portion, it is possible to prevent the flexible arm from moving unnecessarily in contact with the flexible arm when the driver operates the operation button. can do.

Further, in the third embodiment, the housing 20B whose length in the longitudinal direction is slightly shorter than the length in the longitudinal direction of the room mirror 108 has been described, but the housing is the length in the longitudinal direction of the room mirror. It is recommended to use one that is about half the length of. In this case, it is preferable that the mounting portion 3B is not provided and the mounting portion 3B is attached to the room mirror 108 with double-sided tape or the like. Also in this case, as described above, it is preferable that the driver side of the housing 20B is slightly protruded and the operation buttons and the like are arranged in the protruding portion.

For example, a display unit such as an LED lamp may be provided together with the operation button or in place of the operation button on the protruding portion. In particular, it is advisable to provide an LED that emits light when power is supplied or when recording is performed. By doing so, for example, when power is supplied from the cigar socket, it is possible to prevent the problem that the plug is pulled out from the cigar socket and recording is not performed.

Further, when the power is turned on, the voice "Recording will start" may be output from the speaker. Further, it has a function of detecting whether the flexible arm 40 is attached to any of the camera connection terminals 23a to 23d, and blinks this LED when the flexible arm is not connected to any of the camera connection terminals 23a to 23d. It is advisable to let the speaker output a warning sound such as "The camera arm is not attached". In this way, the flexible arm 40 is not connected to any of the camera connection terminals 23a to 23d, and the image of a necessary scene such as an accident is recorded without noticing that the image is not recorded at all. It increases the possibility of preventing the problem of not being done.

Further, when the flexible arms 40 are connected to the plurality of camera connection terminals 23a to 23d, the images from the connected flexible arms 40 may be recorded, or any of the flexible arms 40 may be recorded. It may be configured to display and select whether to record the video from. It is particularly good to keep outputting at least one of the warning screen or the warning sound indicating that multiple cameras are connected, and stop the output when one flexible arm 40 is connected. It is good to do it. In this way, it is possible to prevent the model that can record only one camera from running with the flexible arm 40 attached due to exceeding the load capacity or the like.

Further, in each embodiment, the flexible arm 40 is bent and deformed so that the CCD camera 41 is directed to the front outside the vehicle to photograph the front outside the vehicle. However, the CCD camera 41 facing the front outside the vehicle is a transparent portion of the windshield. It is preferable to configure it so that it can be fixed to. For example, it is preferable to provide a fixing member capable of fixing the CCD camera 41 to the transparent portion of the windshield. By doing so, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of blurring of the captured image due to the shaking of the flexible arm 40 due to vehicle vibration or the like. The fixing members include a fixing part that is attached to the transparent part of the windshield and fixed, and a diameter that is slightly larger than that of the flexible arm 40, and protrudes from the fixing part toward the passenger compartment to the same extent as the axial length of the CCD camera. It is preferable to have a tubular receiving portion and to insert the CCD camera 41 inside the cylinder of the receiving portion. The fixing member may be a transparent member, and more preferably a resin material.

Further, in each embodiment, the SD slot 22 is provided in the vicinity of the camera connection terminal 23a, but the SD slot 22 may be provided at a position away from the camera connection terminal 23a. By providing the SD slot 22 at a position away from the camera connection terminal 23a, the driver's hand has a flexible arm when, for example, when inserting or removing the SD card after connecting the camera unit 4 to the camera connection terminal 23a. It is possible to prevent unnecessary contact with 40.

Further, in each embodiment, when the event occurs, the video for T seconds from Ta seconds before the event occurrence time to Tb seconds after the event occurrence time is stored in the SD card 200, and the number of seconds is the number of seconds. It is advisable to set it based on the nature of the event that occurs so that the cause of the event can be determined when viewed. For example, if the event is a "collision", it may be 60 seconds from 30 seconds before the collision time to 30 seconds after the collision.

Further, in each embodiment, the SD card 200 is configured to record when an event occurs, but instead of or together with this, the image is continuously recorded in the non-volatile memory or the like while the power is supplied. It is preferable to have a continuous recording (for example, constant recording) function (overwrites the old one when the storage capacity is full).

Further, in each embodiment, the flexible arm 40 that cannot be expanded and contracted has been described, but the flexible arm may be expanded and contracted like a rod antenna, and the total length thereof may be variable. The full length adjusting portion such as the telescopic portion may be provided on the entire flexible arm, but may be provided on a part of the flexible arm, and particularly preferably on a part of the base end portion of the flexible arm. For example, if half of the total length of the flexible arm on the base end side is a three-stage rod, the length of that part can be extended to approximately three times, and the direction of the part beyond that can be adjusted. Good. Of course, it may be composed of a member having both a bending function as a flexible arm and a full length adjusting function (expansion / contraction function) such as a rod. In this way, the CCD camera 41 can be easily adjusted so as to avoid the opaque region and position the CCD camera 41 in the transmissive region.

It is advisable to arbitrarily combine the constituent elements of the contents of the modified examples and the respective embodiments, the elements described in the means for solving the problem, and the elements to which the idea is applied to form the embodiments.

1 drive recorder (vehicle-mounted device)
2 Dora-Reco main unit 3 Bracket 4 Flexible camera unit 5 Control unit 20 Housing 21 Display unit 23a to 23d Camera connection terminal 40 Flexible arm 41 CCD camera

Claims (3)

With the housing
A mounting part that can be mounted on the vehicle and
Bendable arm and
An imaging unit provided on the arm,
Have,
The housing is interposed between the mounting portion and the arm .
It said arm from said housing and a position away from the mounting portion than the center portion in the first direction is a direction passing through the mounting portion of said housing, first crossing the first direction An in-vehicle device that extends in two directions . A housing having a first surface and a second surface intersecting the first surface,
A mounting portion that can be mounted on a vehicle and is located on the first surface side when viewed from the housing.
An arm that is bendable and extends from a position away from the first surface of the second surface from the center of the housing in the normal direction of the first surface.
An imaging unit provided on the arm and
In-vehicle device with. The vehicle-mounted device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the arm extends from a surface of the housing facing the width direction of the vehicle when the mounting portion is attached to the vehicle.

Images