JP7471020B2 - Drive recorder body and equipment - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a drive recorder and optional in-vehicle parts.

Dash cams, which store information on the vehicle's condition before and after an automobile accident (forward video, vehicle speed, sudden acceleration/deceleration, etc.), provide useful information for investigating automobile collisions and other accidents, and so are increasingly being installed in transportation vehicles such as trucks, as well as commercial vehicles such as taxis and buses, and are also increasingly being installed in general vehicles.

This drive recorder is configured to store forward video footage for a certain period of time before and after an accident or emergency braking, as well as driving data showing the driver's driving operations (braking, blinker operation, driving route, etc.). To briefly explain how the video data is stored, a CCD camera constantly captures images of the vehicle and the surrounding environment from the driver's viewpoint (field of vision), and the captured images are stored in a temporary storage memory such as a ring buffer. The images stored in this temporary storage memory are updated to the latest images one after another, and past video data is retained for a set period of time. On the other hand, a drive recorder is equipped with a sensor such as an acceleration sensor that detects impacts that occur during accidents or sudden braking or steering, and when the output value of the sensor exceeds a threshold value, it reads from the temporary storage memory the video footage for a certain period before the threshold value was exceeded (impact detection) and stores it in a non-volatile memory (such as an SD memory card), and after the threshold value is exceeded, it stores the CCD camera video captured after that point in the non-volatile memory either directly or via the temporary storage memory, thereby storing the video footage for a certain period before and after the impact and the driving data, etc. in a non-volatile memory (SD card).

When an accident occurs, it is possible to clearly attest to the legitimacy of the driver based on the vehicle status information (video, etc.) stored in the non-volatile memory. In addition, if the drive recorder detects aggressive and dangerous driving behavior such as sudden steering or braking, it can sound an alarm or other warning to alert the driver, creating a certain sense of tension in the driver.

This drive recorder is usually attached to the windshield of the vehicle, as it captures and stores images of the area in front of the vehicle. Specifically, as shown in Patent Documents 1 and 2, a mounting member with a mounting surface that is inclined at a predetermined angle to the main body is provided on the top surface of a flat rectangular main body that contains a CCD camera, a sensor, etc., and the mounting member is attached and fixed to a predetermined position on the windshield using adhesive tape, double-sided adhesive tape, suction cups, etc., provided on the mounting surface.

JP 2006-193057 A JP 2006-321423 A

Improvements and developments to conventional drive recorders have focused on improving the original functions of the drive recorder, such as reliably recording video when an accident occurs, accurately collecting and recording as much information as possible, and preventing unnecessary information from being recorded due to malfunctions when no accident has occurred. Since this type of drive recorder only has value when an accident actually occurs, it is true that they are installed in vehicles that are driven relatively frequently, such as taxis and other commercial vehicles, and are not often installed in vehicles owned by ordinary drivers who do not drive very often.

On the other hand, if an accident occurs, a drive recorder can be used to objectively check the circumstances at the time of the accident, which is also beneficial for ordinary drivers. Therefore, there is a need to popularize drive recorders and have them installed in as many vehicles as possible.

When installing a drive recorder and optional in-vehicle components such as a radar detector after purchasing a vehicle, each piece of equipment must be fixed to the vehicle and a power cable must be wired for each piece of equipment, which can be time-consuming to install and can mar the aesthetic look of the vehicle's interior.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention is configured to include (1) a drive recorder main body (equipped with drive recorder functions such as a camera, recording means, and control unit) and an optional in-vehicle part connected to the drive recorder main body. By connecting the optional in-vehicle part, for example, during normal driving or other situations, the functions of the optional in-vehicle part are activated, and in the case of many optional in-vehicle parts, the user can experience the value of their existence on a daily basis. Then, once an accident occurs, the original drive recorder function of the drive recorder main body records the necessary information, and appropriate processing can be performed based on objective information at the time of the accident.

(2) The mounting bracket has a ring portion that is rotatably attached to the drive recorder body and a mounting member that is connected to the outside of the ring portion, and the ring portion is preferably sandwiched and fixed between the drive recorder body and the vehicle-mounted optional part.

In the embodiment, the ring part is attached to the outer peripheral surface of the drive recorder body and arranged so as to be exposed to the outside, but the present invention is not limited to this, and a configuration in which all or a part of the ring part is stored inside the drive recorder body may be adopted. In addition, when the ring part is attached to the outer peripheral surface of the drive recorder body and exposed to the outside, in addition to connecting the mounting member to the outside of the ring part, the configuration is simplified and it is preferable because it is easy to adjust the relative angle position between the ring part and the drive recorder body by rotating it by holding the outer peripheral surface of the exposed ring part. In addition, the rotatable angle is the entire circumference of 360 degrees in this embodiment, but it may be a predetermined angle range. Furthermore, if the shape of the drive recorder body is based on a cylindrical shape overall as in the embodiment, it is visually preferable because there is uniformity in the design with the ring part, but it does not necessarily have to be cylindrical and any shape can be adopted. Furthermore, the mounting position of the ring part is easy to adjust the angle and fix when it is attached to one end side of the drive recorder body as in the embodiment, but a layout in which it is installed closer to the center may be adopted.

In the present invention, the ring part is rotatably attached to the drive recorder body, so that before fixing to the drive recorder body, the ring part and the drive recorder body can be rotated relative to each other to set the relative angle position of the drive recorder body and the ring part (bracket) to a desired state. Then, by fixing in that state, the relative angle position between the mounting member fixed to the windshield or the like by adhesion or the like and the drive recorder body can be changed and adjusted, and it can be mounted on different vehicles (with different windshield angles) while adopting a single unit configuration. Furthermore, in the present invention, such fixing can be performed by connecting the in-vehicle optional part to the drive recorder body, and can be performed by the simple task of clamping, which is preferable.

(3) It is preferable to provide a mounting bracket having a ring portion rotatably attached to the drive recorder body and an attachment member connected to the outside of the ring portion, and a fixing member for fixing the ring portion and the vehicle-mounted optional part to the drive recorder body. In the embodiment, the fixing member corresponds to the nut member 40. Note that, it is preferable to fasten the fixing member to the drive recorder body using a screw mechanism like the nut member because it can be realized with a simple configuration, but it may be fixed using a spring or an appropriate locking mechanism. Furthermore, it is not limited to the embodiment in which the ring portion is sandwiched between the fixing member and the drive recorder body and fixed, and various mechanisms can be adopted, such as fixing by screwing using a screw (bolt) extending from the outside to the inside of the ring portion. In the embodiment, the target detection unit, which is an optional in-vehicle part, is stored inside the nut member, which is the fixing member, and the fixing member is connected to the drive recorder body, thereby sandwiching and fixing the ring part, and also sandwiching and fixing the optional in-vehicle part, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the optional in-vehicle part may be connected to the outside of the fixing member. Also, the fixing member and the optional in-vehicle part may be integrated in advance.

(4) The fixing member may be configured to clamp the ring portion between the main body and the fixing member to fix the ring portion. This is preferable because it is easy to switch between fixing the ring portion (positioning by stopping rotation) and releasing it (rotating and angle adjustable). In particular, if the clamping force can be adjusted, it is possible to perform temporary fixing in a lightly tightened state, which is advantageous because it makes it easier to adjust the position. In particular, if the fixing member is connected by a screw mechanism as in the embodiment, the gap between the main body and the fixing member can be narrowed by tightening the screw, and the mounting bracket can be firmly fixed with a simple configuration. Note that, as for the threads that make up the screw mechanism, in this embodiment, a male thread is formed on the main body side and a female thread is formed on the nut portion side, which is the fixing member, but the reverse arrangement is of course also acceptable.

In each of the above (2) to (4) inventions, it is preferable that unevenness is formed on at least a part of the opposing surfaces of the drive recorder main body and the ring portion, and that the unevenness is made to match when the ring portion is fixed by the fixing member or the optional vehicle-mounted part. Rotation of the mounting bracket can be prevented to some extent by the fastening force between the fixing member or the like and the drive recorder main body, but rotation can be prevented more reliably by providing unevenness at appropriate positions. Also, in the embodiment, the unevenness is formed continuously around the entire circumference, but it may be arranged discretely. However, forming it continuously is preferable because it allows fine adjustment of the rotation angle.

(5) The vehicle-mounted optional parts should be attached to the left or right side of the drive recorder main body when it is installed inside the vehicle. This configuration is preferable because the vehicle-mounted optional parts do not get in the way, particularly when the drive recorder is attached to the windshield. In other words, since there is not enough space above the drive recorder main body and the view is obstructed below, it is preferable to attach them to either the left or right side (of course, both are also possible).

(6) When connecting the vehicle-mounted optional part to the drive recorder main body, it is preferable to electrically connect them using connectors provided on both. In this way, some functions can be incorporated into the other device (drive recorder main body/vehicle-mounted optional part) or shared, increasing the flexibility of the layout of the mounted parts and enabling the overall size to be reduced by arranging them efficiently. The number of connectors is arbitrary, and may be one or multiple.

(7) At least one of the connectors provided on the vehicle-mounted optional part and the connector provided on the drive recorder main body should have a cable. This is preferable because it allows for some rotational room between the vehicle-mounted optional part and the drive recorder main body by the length of the cable, and also ensures space between the two when installing them (at least the length of the cable is wider than when there is no cable), making it easier to connect the connectors.

(8) The connector provided on the vehicle-mounted optional part and the connector provided on the drive recorder main body are a male connector and a female connector fixedly installed on the opposing surfaces of the vehicle-mounted optional part and the drive recorder main body, respectively, and the relative angular positions of the vehicle-mounted optional part and the drive recorder main body can be positioned by connecting these two connectors. In this way, the relative rotational angle positions are determined by connecting the vehicle-mounted optional part to the drive recorder main body, so that the user does not need to perform special positioning work, and even if the installation direction of a radio wave receiver, image capture device, or other part within the vehicle-mounted optional part is important, it can be set to an appropriate position and posture.

(9) The connector has at least one of a power line and a signal line. In the embodiment, the connector includes both a power line and a signal line, but it may include only one of the two.

(10) The connector may include a signal line and have a function of sending an event signal from the in-vehicle optional part to the drive recorder main body and performing event processing together with input information on the drive recorder main body side. In an embodiment, this event signal may be a reception signal of various radio waves in a target detection unit or image data captured from an additional main body 10'. In an embodiment, the event processing is performed by a control unit on the main body 10 side, and may determine the presence or absence of a target to be notified based on the received radio waves, and if a target is present, may issue a notification/alarm of the presence of the target, or may generate and record images as a stereo camera.

(11) The connector may include a signal line and may have a function for configuring the on-board optional part using a function configuration signal output from the drive recorder main body. This eliminates the need to provide a setting switch or the like on the on-board optional part, allowing for miniaturization.

(12) It is preferable to provide an external power supply port on the side of the vehicle-mounted optional part, and to make the vehicle-mounted optional part and the electronic devices in the drive recorder main body operable from the external power supply supplied from the power supply port. In this case, it is not prevented from providing a function of operating by discharging from the secondary battery when there is no supply from the external power supply by mounting a charging/discharging circuit together with a rechargeable battery (secondary battery) inside. In particular, when the vehicle-mounted optional part is not supplied with an external power supply when the vehicle is stopped, such as a security device, it is preferable to provide a secondary battery. Of course, when there is no supply from an external power supply, it is also possible to supply power from a primary battery, so a secondary battery is not necessarily required. In addition, the secondary battery may be installed anywhere in either the drive recorder main body or the vehicle-mounted optional part, or both.

(13) The drive recorder body may be provided with a card slot for inserting a memory card that stores recorded data, and the card slot may have an outlet on the end face opposite the mounting bracket. This makes it easier to insert and remove memory cards such as SD cards into and from the card slot.

(14) It is advisable to place an operation switch on the front of the drive recorder body, and a volume operation unit for adjusting the volume of the speaker built into the drive recorder body on the side of the drive recorder body or the in-vehicle optional part. In this way, the switch that is used most frequently is located on the front, making it easy to operate.

(15) The vehicle-mounted optional part is preferably equipped with a radio wave receiving unit, and the receiving surface of the antenna of the radio wave receiving unit is preferably arranged parallel to the operating direction of the volume control unit. In this way, the orientation of the radio wave receiving unit can be inferred from the operating direction of the volume control unit, which is preferable because it is easy to adjust the radio wave receiving unit to an appropriate orientation and posture.

(16) The GPS antenna built into the drive recorder body may be arranged so as to be tilted diagonally upward. "Tilt diagonally upward" means that the GPS antenna surface faces diagonally upward based on the basic position of the body (the standard position when the on-board device is installed in the vehicle). In this way, for example, even if the orientation of the body (for example, the orientation of the camera if a camera is built in) is downward, the GPS antenna can obtain good GPS reception sensitivity.

(17) The vehicle-mounted optional part may be equipped with a radio wave receiving unit, and a positioning mechanism provided between the vehicle-mounted optional part and the drive recorder main body may be used to set the relative angular position between the two, thereby specifying the orientation of the antenna of the radio wave receiving unit. This is preferable because the user can automatically set the radio wave receiving unit to an appropriate position without having to be aware of its orientation.

(18) The installation surface of the switch formed on the surface of the drive recorder body may be a flat surface, and the camera may be oriented so that its field of view faces the opposite side of the installation surface. (19) In this case, it is more preferable that the direction of the flat surface and the field of view are set to be perpendicular to each other. When a camera is installed and the camera is set to capture the front as in a drive recorder, it is difficult to directly check the direction of the camera facing forward from inside the vehicle. However, since the installation surface of the switch (which faces the inside of the vehicle because it is operated by the driver, etc.) is made a flat surface and the field of view of the camera is set to face the opposite side of the flat surface, the orientation of the camera relative to the installation surface (flat surface) is known, and the orientation of the camera can be estimated from the orientation of the installation surface. In this case, if the orientation of the camera is perpendicular to the flat surface as in the invention of (19), for example, if the installation surface is parallel to the vertical direction, the camera will face horizontally, so that the direction can be more easily estimated. However, even if the orientation is not necessarily perpendicular, there is no problem because it can be estimated as long as the orientation of the camera relative to the installation surface is determined.

(20) It is preferable that another vehicle-mounted optional part can be connected to the side of the vehicle-mounted optional part that is not connected to the drive recorder main body. (21) The vehicle-mounted optional part can be a target detection unit that detects targets in the surrounding area, (22) an additional drive recorder main body that has a function of recording as a stereo camera based on the cameras built into the two drive recorder main bodies, (23) an indoor shooting device, a security device, or a device to prevent drowsiness at the wheel, or various other types can be used.

Also, since the inclination of the windshield varies depending on the type of vehicle, there is a problem that if there is only one fixed mounting structure, it cannot be mounted on some vehicles. The invention disclosed in Patent Document 2 proposes a technology that detects the orientation of the main body of the drive recorder and corrects the image captured by the CCD camera, assuming that the mounting orientation of the main body of the drive recorder will change. Although it is possible to prepare multiple types of mounting members (mounting jigs) according to the inclination of the windshield and mount the drive recorder using the mounting jig suitable for the vehicle to be mounted, such a configuration is not preferable because the multiple types of mounting members are sold as a set, which means that the user will have to purchase unnecessary mounting jigs. Therefore, according to the inventions such as (2) and (3), the ring part of the mounting bracket is mounted rotatably, so the relative rotation angle relationship between the mounting member of the mounting bracket and the main body can be changed, and one unit configuration can be used for different types of vehicles.

(24) The in-vehicle optional part of the present invention is an in-vehicle optional part that can be connected to the drive recorder main body in order to configure the drive recorder described in any one of (1) to (23) above.

Since vehicle-mounted optional parts are connected to the drive recorder body, they are called "vehicle-mounted optional parts" in the sense that they are options for the drive recorder body. However, in this invention, regardless of the name, all devices that meet the requirements of each claim and are connected to the drive recorder body are included.

The present invention makes it possible to popularize drive recorders that can provide various services on an everyday basis in many cases through optional in-vehicle parts, and are useful in the event of an accident.

1 is an external perspective view showing a preferred embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a preferred embodiment of the present invention. A diagram showing the mounting bracket 30. 1 is an exploded front view showing a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 1 is a front view showing a preferred embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 1A is a perspective view showing a main body according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1B is a perspective view showing the main body with a first case removed. FIG. 1A is a side view showing a preferred embodiment of the present invention with a first case and a CCD camera removed, and FIG. 1B is a side view showing the preferred embodiment of the present invention. It is an exploded front view showing a state in which a first case, a mounting bracket, and a nut member are removed in a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 14 is a perspective view showing a state in which the case is removed from the state shown in FIG. 13. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing another preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing another preferred embodiment of the present invention.

A preferred embodiment of a drive recorder according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the attached drawings. First, the drive recorder of this embodiment has a cylindrical body 10, and a mounting bracket 30 is attached to one axial end of the body 10, and the mounting bracket 30 is fixed with a nut member 40 as a fixing member.

The main body 10 is constructed by butting together a first case 11 and a second case 12, which are divided into two halves (front and rear). As shown in Figures 2 to 5, one end 11a, 12a of the first case 11 and the second case 12 is formed to have a slightly smaller outer dimension, and a step is formed between the one end 11a, 12a and the axial center of the main body. Triangular wave-shaped (saw-tooth) teeth 17 are formed on the wall surface where this step is created. Furthermore, a male thread 18 is formed on the outer peripheral surface on the tip side of one end 11a, 12a of the first case 11 and the second case 12.

The mounting bracket 30 comprises a ring portion 31 having an inner diameter that is approximately equal to (slightly larger than) the outer diameter of one end 11a, 12a of the first case 11 and the second case 12, a connecting column portion 32 standing on the outer periphery of the ring portion 31, and a mounting plate 33 provided at the tip of the connecting column portion 32. As shown in FIG. 6, the mounting plate 33 is disposed at an oblique angle at a predetermined angle with respect to the diameter direction of the ring portion 31.

In addition, teeth 34 are formed around the entire circumference of one side of the ring portion 31 (the side facing the main body 10). These teeth 34 are set to the same dimensions and shape as the teeth 17 formed on the main body 10 so as to match. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 7, the width D of the ring portion 31 is set to be approximately the same as the width D1 of the flat portion (area where the male thread 18 is not formed) of one end 11a, 12a of the first case 11 and the second case 12. Of course, it may be set wider than D1 (D1<D), but in that case, it should be set shorter than the width D2 to the tip including the male thread 18 (D1<D<D2).

Then, a nut member 40 is attached to the male thread 18. The nut member 40 is cylindrical with both ends open and of a predetermined length, and an internal thread that matches the male thread 18 is formed on the inner peripheral surface 41 of one end of the nut member 40. As a result, when the ring portion 31 is attached to one end 11a, 12a of the first case 11 and the second case 12, the ring portion 31 can rotate forward and backward relative to one end 11a, 12a of the first case 11 and the second case 12 about its central axis. Then, rotation is prevented by meshing the teeth 17 on the main body 10 with the teeth 34 on the ring portion 31.

On the other hand, when the ring portion 31 is attached to one end 11a, 12a of the first case 11 and the second case 12 as described above, the male screw 18 protrudes outward from the ring portion 31. Therefore, the nut member 40 is attached to the protruding male screw 18. Then, as shown in FIG. 8 etc., by firmly fastening the female screw of the nut member 40 and the male screw 18 of the main body 10, the distance between the nut member 40 and the step portion where the tooth portion 17 of the main body 10 is formed is narrowed, and the ring portion 31 can be clamped between the main body 10 and the nut member 40 with a predetermined force. In this firmly fastened state, the tooth portions 17, 34 mesh with each other to suppress the rotation of the ring portion 31 and the mounting bracket 30, and when the nut member 40 is loosened, the rotation is permitted. Therefore, the relative angular positional relationship between the main body 10 and the mounting bracket 30 can be set (adjusted) to any position and fixed at that position. In other words, if the plane (direction) parallel to the joint surface between the first case 11 and the second case 12 is the basic up-down direction of the main body 10, the angle between that up-down direction and the mounting plate 33 of the mounting bracket 30 can be changed.

Double-sided tape (not shown) or other adhesive material is attached to the upper surface of the mounting plate 33, and the double-sided tape is used to attach and fix the drive recorder to the windshield of the vehicle. Therefore, the drive recorder of this embodiment can be adjusted to fit various windshield angles (25 to 75 degrees). In other words, the mounting plate 33 is parallel to the angle of the windshield, but as described above, the relative angle of the main body 10 to the mounting plate 33 (mounting bracket 30) can be adjusted, so that the basic up-down direction of the main body 10 can be made parallel to, for example, a vertical plane (with respect to the ground) regardless of the angle of the mounting plate 33 (windshield). Of course, the angle between the basic up-down direction of the main body 10 and the vertical plane with respect to the ground can also be set to an appropriate angle. Therefore, one drive recorder can be installed in different types of vehicles.

Furthermore, by firmly tightening the nut member 40, the teeth 17 of the main body 10 and the teeth 34 of the mounting bracket 30 are firmly interlocked with each other, reliably preventing rotation. Therefore, even if the drive recorder is subjected to an impact due to an accident or the like, the orientation and posture of the main body 10 will maintain the basic posture when the drive recorder was attached to the windshield (unless the mounting plate 33 falls off from the windshield) and can be firmly fixed.

Furthermore, although not shown, it is preferable to arrange a gasket made of an elastic material such as rubber on the inside (main body 10 side) of the nut member 40. In this case, it is preferable to set the inner diameter of this gasket to be approximately the same as or slightly wider than the outer diameter of the male thread 18 of the main body 10, and the outer diameter of the gasket to be one size smaller than the outer diameter of the ring portion 31. The thickness of the gasket 50 is uniform around the entire circumference. In this embodiment, the width D of the ring portion 31 is approximately the same as the width D1 of the flat portion (area where the male thread 18 is not formed) of one end 11a, 12a of the first case 11 and the second case 12. Therefore, when the ring portion 31 is attached to the one end 11a, 12a, the tip of the flat portion of the one end 11a, 12a and the end face of the ring portion 31 on the nut member 40 side are approximately flush with each other. Therefore, one face of the packing can contact the main body 10 and the ring portion 31 beyond the male thread 18, and the other face of the packing contacts the inner surface of the nut member 40.

When the width D of the ring portion and the lengths D1, D2 of each portion of one end 11a, 12a are set so that D1 < D < D2, it is better to provide an annular protrusion that fits into the step between D and D1 on the ring portion, rather than making the packing into a ring shape (donut shape) of uniform thickness.

By adding a gasket and utilizing the elasticity of the gasket in this way, in addition to the effect of tightening the ring part by narrowing the gap between the fixing member and the main body, the elasticity of the gasket can improve the tightening force. Therefore, for example, if the gap between the fixing member and the main body is set slightly wider than the width of the ring (the distance when making it slightly wider can be changed appropriately depending on other factors such as the thickness of the gasket) and the ring part is fixed using the elasticity of the gasket, it can be temporarily fixed. By exerting the temporary fixing effect in this way, for example, when installing inside the car, the main body must always be supported by hand without a gasket, but with a gasket, it is possible to let go of the hand. Also, when adjusting the angle, for example, it is difficult to support the ring part with your hand while pressing it against the main body and check the angle, but since the gasket is temporarily fixed, it is easy to check whether the angle is correct without supporting it with your hand. Therefore, it has the excellent effect of making installation and adjustment easy even in the narrow space of the car.

Furthermore, when a rubber material is used as the packing, in addition to the temporary fastening effect described above, it also exhibits vibration prevention and anti-slip effects, which prevents the nut member 40 from loosening due to vibration, and is more preferable as it exhibits excellent effects not only when mounting the in-vehicle device but also when using it for stability. In other words, it is possible to prevent unnecessary recording triggered by vibration as a drive recorder, and it is possible to more reliably record accident footage in the event of an impact. Of course, this packing does not necessarily have to be provided.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, a target detection unit 50 is disposed inside the cylindrical nut member 40. This target detection unit 50 receives various radio waves emitted from the target to be detected and issues a specified alarm depending on the content of the received radio waves, or acquires the current position, and if there is information around the current position that requires an alarm or notification, issues an alarm depending on the type of information.

The target detection unit 50 is constructed by incorporating certain parts inside a cylindrical case 51 as shown in Figures 9 and 10. The outer diameter R1 of this case 51 is set to be approximately equal to the inner diameter of the nut member 40 or an appropriate amount smaller, so that it can be stored inside the nut member 40. When the target detection unit 50 is stored inside the nut member 40, the nut member 40 and the target detection unit 50 are arranged so that their central axes are approximately aligned, and are relatively rotatable around the central axis. In other words, even if the target detection unit 50 is not rotating and is holding its position, the nut member 40 is rotatable.

The other end of the nut member 40 (the tip side not connected to the male thread 18 of the main body 10) is provided with a flange 42 that protrudes toward the center. The inner diameter R2 of this flange 42 is set smaller than the outer diameter R1 of the case 51 of the target detection unit 50. As a result, as shown in FIG. 10, when the target detection unit 50 is stored in the nut member 40, the tip surface 51a of the case 51 is exposed to the outside from the other end of the nut member 40, but the peripheral portion of the tip surface 51a of the case 51 contacts the flange 42, preventing it from moving further forward (in the direction of jumping out of the nut member 40). Therefore, the target detection unit 50 stored in the nut member 40 is prevented from escaping to the outside from the opening at the other end of the nut member 40.

Therefore, when the nut member 40 is fastened to the male thread 18 of the main body 10, the target detection unit 50 in the nut member 40 is maintained in a state housed inside. As described above, in this embodiment, the nut member 40 and the target detection unit 50 are rotatable relative to each other, so that when rotating forward and backward to fasten/unfasten the nut member 40, the operation can be performed regardless of whether the target detection unit 50 is in a rotatable state or not.

Furthermore, the tip surface 51a of the case 51 of the target detection unit 50 is provided with objects to be operated by the user, such as a volume dial 53 and a DC jack 55. As described above, the other end of the nut member 40 is opened and the tip surface 51a of the case 51 is exposed to the outside, so the volume dial 43 and the like are also exposed. By adopting such a configuration, the objects to be operated by the user can be placed in the limited space of the device, and as a result of attracting the user's attention during operation, it is easy to check whether the nut member 40 is loose.

In this embodiment, the nut member 40 and the target detection unit 50 are separate members, but in this embodiment, the two are formed as one unit, that is, the nut member is coaxially connected to the other end surface 51b of the case 51 of the target detection unit 50 so that it can be rotated freely. This allows the target detection unit 50 to be attached to or detached from the main body 10 by rotating the nut member in the forward or reverse direction.

Next, the layout of the components mounted inside the main body 10 and the external exposure structure of these components will be described. As shown in FIG. 11, the CCD camera 13, GPS antenna 14, first connector 15, power supply circuit, etc. are mounted on the first case 11 side. A circular opening 11b is formed at a predetermined position of the first case 11 (opposite the CCD camera 13), and the CCD camera 13 is exposed to the outside through this opening 11b.

The GPS antenna 14 is also tilted at a predetermined angle with respect to the vertical direction of the main body 10 (the plane (direction) parallel to the joint surface between the first case 11 and the second case 12) so that it faces diagonally upward (see FIG. 12(a) and other figures). This makes it possible to obtain good GPS reception sensitivity even if the field of view of the CCD camera 13 is set to face diagonally downward when mounted on a truck or the like.

Furthermore, the first connector 15 is arranged parallel to the axial direction of the main body 10 and protrudes outward from one end of the main body 10. That is, a window hole 11d is formed at a predetermined position on the end face (side surface perpendicular to the axial direction) of one end 11a of the first case 11, and the first connector 15 is exposed to the outside (its tip protrudes) through the window hole 11d. This first connector 15 is connected to the target detection unit 50, and the circuitry within the main body 10 and the circuitry within the target detection unit 50 are electrically connected.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 11(b) etc., a locking claw 12c is provided at a predetermined position on the joint surface of the second case 12. A locking recess is formed on the joint surface of the first case 11 at a position corresponding to this locking claw 12c, and when the first and second cases 11, 12 are butted together, the locking claw 12c and the recess engage, positioning them and preventing misalignment (especially axial movement).

On the other hand, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5, the second case 12 is equipped with man-machine interfaces such as the switch unit 20, display unit 21, and SD card slot 22, as well as a control circuit. The control circuit is a circuit for implementing the basic functions of the drive recorder, and stores images captured by the CCD camera 13, and stores the captured images and other data in a non-volatile memory based on detection signals from impact detection sensors such as an acceleration sensor (not shown). Although not shown, an output device such as a speaker is also implemented. For example, the speaker outputs the operation sound of the switch unit 20 and various messages (guides, warnings, etc.). The second case 12 is also equipped with electronic components and electronic circuits for implementing the functions of the drive recorder, such as an acceleration sensor for detecting collisions, etc.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 12(b), the surfaces of the first case 11 and the second case 12 opposite the joining surface are flat surfaces 11e, 12e that are parallel to the joining surface. Therefore, both flat surfaces 11e, 12e are set parallel to each other. The CCD camera 13 is exposed to the outside from the flat surface 11e of the first case 11 (the circular opening 11b is formed in this flat surface 11e), and the direction of the field of view of the CCD camera 13 is set to be perpendicular to the flat surface 11e.

On the other hand, the switch section 20 and the display section 21 are arranged on the flat surface 12e of the second case 12. When the drive recorder is attached to the windshield, the first case 11 (CCD camera 13) is set to face the front of the vehicle, and the second case 12 is set to face the interior of the vehicle. Therefore, it is difficult for a user such as a driver in the vehicle to directly check the orientation of the CCD camera 13. However, in this embodiment, the flat surface 11e of the first case 11 and the flat surface 12e of the second case 12 are set to be parallel, so that the orientation of the flat surface 12e of the second case 12 facing the interior of the vehicle is the orientation of the flat surface 11e of the first case 11 and the CCD camera 13 as it is. Therefore, the orientation of the CCD camera 13 can be estimated by looking at the orientation of the switch section 20 and the display section 21 (flat surface 12e), and the orientation of the CCD camera 13 can be easily adjusted.

Furthermore, the SD card slot 22 is arranged on the side opposite to one end 12a of the second case 12 (see FIG. 11, etc.). In this way, by arranging the frequently used man-machine interface such as the switch unit 20 on the front and the less frequently used such as the volume dial 23 and the SD card slot 22 on the side, operability is improved. Furthermore, since the SD card slot 22 is arranged on the side, there is no windshield or roof in the direction of insertion and removal of the SD card 60, and the SD card 60 can be easily inserted and removed regardless of the inclination angle of the windshield on which the drive recorder is attached or the orientation of the drive recorder. Moreover, since the SD card slot 22 is arranged on the side opposite to the mounting bracket 30, it is even easier to insert and remove the SD card 60 from the SD card slot 22.

Furthermore, in the structure of this embodiment, when viewed from the driver, the CCD camera 13 faces the front of the vehicle and the second case 12 is located on the driver's side, so the SD card slot 22 is located on the right side and the mounting bracket 30 (volume dial 53, DC jack 55) is located on the left side (see FIG. 3). The main body 10 (one end 11a, 12a) and the mounting bracket 30 (ring portion 31) can be rotated 360 degrees relative to each other by loosening the nut member 40. Therefore, when the main body 10 is rotated 180 degrees from the state shown in FIG. 1 and the like and turned upside down, when the drive recorder is attached to the windshield, the SD card slot 22 is located on the left side and the mounting bracket 30 (volume dial 53, DC jack 55) is located on the right side when viewed from the driver. Therefore, it can be installed by inverting the left and right sides, and can be used with both right-hand and left-hand drive vehicles. Furthermore, the mounting bracket 30 can be attached to multiple vehicles in advance, making it easy to use a single main unit by transferring it between these multiple vehicles.

The target detection unit 50, which is an optional part, is connected to the first connector 15 and linked to the circuitry in the main body 10, as shown in Figures 13 to 15. That is, although not shown, a through hole is provided at a predetermined position (opposite the first connector 15) on the other end surface 51b of the case 51, and the tip of the first connector 15 is inserted into the inside of the case 51 through the through hole and linked to a receiving connector portion provided inside the case 51. In addition, a second connector 52 is provided on the target detection unit 50 side, and the second connector 52 is connected to the main body 10. In this embodiment, the first and second connectors 15 and 52 are used to link the circuitry in the main body 10 and the circuitry in the target detection unit 50, but the number of connectors and the location at which they are installed are arbitrary.

In addition, in this embodiment, the first connector 15 provided on the main body 10 is integrated with the main body, and when the main body 10 is fixed, the first connector 15 also remains in its position. Similarly, the second connector 52 provided on the case 51 of the target detection unit 50 is also fixedly installed relative to the case 51. Therefore, by connecting the first connector 15 and the second connector 52 to their corresponding counterparts, the main body 10 and the target detection unit 50 are integrated, and since there are two connecting parts, the main body 10 and the target detection unit 50 are prevented from rotating relative to each other, and the two rotate together around the central axis of the main body 10. In particular, if the tip part of the connector (the connecting part) is made of a relatively hard material such as a pin and is directly connected to the female connector of the other party, the connection will result in a more integrated structure and will reliably prevent relative rotational movement. Even if the main body 10 and the target detection unit 50 are integrated in this way, the nut member 40 can rotate relative to the target detection unit 50, so the nut member 40 can be tightened and loosened against the male thread 18 of the main body 10.

Assuming that the main body 10 and the target detection unit 50 do not rotate relative to each other as described above (even if they do rotate, the angle is narrow), the rotational angle position of the target detection unit 50 relative to the main body 10 can be kept constant. As described below, the target detection unit 50 is equipped with a radio wave receiving unit, and in order to receive radio waves from a specific direction such as the front or top of the vehicle with good sensitivity, the radio wave receiving unit needs to be oriented appropriately, but it can be set to an appropriate angle position without the user having to adjust the positioning, etc.

As shown in Figures 14 and 15, the target detection unit 50 includes a microwave receiving antenna 56 for receiving microwaves, which serves as a radio wave receiving section, a receiving circuit unit 57, a volume dial 53, and a DC jack 55, inside a case 51. It may also include a built-in wireless receiving antenna unit for receiving wireless signals of a specified frequency.

As described above, the DC jack 55 is arranged parallel to the axial direction of the case 51 and is configured to be exposed to the outside from one end side of the case 51. That is, a window hole 51c is formed at a predetermined position on the tip surface 51a of the case 51, and the DC jack 55 is exposed to the outside through the window hole 51c. By attaching a DC plug (not shown) attached to one end of a power cable connected to a cigarette lighter socket, for example, to this DC jack 55, the drive recorder of this embodiment can be supplied with power from the vehicle battery. In this way, since the power cable is pulled out from the side of the drive recorder (target detection unit 50), the power cable can be hidden in the rearview mirror by mounting the drive recorder next to or near the rearview mirror, making it look beautiful.

Similarly, the volume dial 53 is located on one end (tip surface 51a of case 51) of the target detection unit 50, and a part of the volume dial 53 protrudes to the outside from a vertical slit 51f provided on the tip surface 51, allowing it to be rotated. The volume dial 53 provided on the target detection unit 50 adjusts the output level of the speaker mounted inside the main body 10, and information based on the operation of the volume dial 53 is sent to the inside of the main body 10 via the second connector 52, etc.

The power supplied from the DC jack 55 is used to power the devices in the target detection unit 50, and is also transmitted to the main body 10 via the second connector 52 and used to power the circuits in the main body 10. If a rechargeable secondary battery is installed in the main body 10, the secondary battery can be charged by the power supplied via the second connector 52 using a rechargeable power supply circuit, and during the period when the power supply from the vehicle is cut off, the secondary battery can be discharged to supply power to the circuits in the main body 10. In this case, the power supply to the circuits in the target detection unit 50 can also be provided by using the discharge from the secondary battery. This is to prevent the target detection unit 50 and the nut member 40 from becoming larger when a power supply circuit including a secondary battery is installed in the target detection unit 50.

Furthermore, the target detection unit 50 is provided with a radio wave receiving function that is not required for the drive recorder functions and is not provided in the main body 10, and the control unit that determines whether an alarm is necessary based on the acquired information and controls to issue an alarm if necessary, and the output unit that actually issues an alarm to the outside, etc., can be shared with those provided in the main body 10. In this way, it is possible to miniaturize the target detection unit 50 and the entire drive recorder.

Specifically, the control unit (MPU) mounted in the main body 10 has a target detection and notification function in addition to the original functions of the drive recorder. Also, information about the target (position information, type, etc.) is stored in the storage means (EEPROM, SD card 60 mounted in the SD card slot 22, etc.) in the main body 10. The control unit accesses the storage means based on the current position detected by the GPS antenna 14 in the main body 10, determines whether there is a target to be detected around the current position, and issues a predetermined alarm if there is one. In this embodiment, the type, direction, remaining distance, etc. of the target are notified by voice from the speaker, and a message is output to the display unit 21 in the form of letters or marks. Also, when the desired microwave is received by the microwave receiving antenna 56 mounted in the target detection unit 50, an alarm is issued to the effect that the microwave has been received. Also, when a radio wave of a predetermined frequency is received by the radio receiving antenna unit, an alarm is issued to the effect. Examples of predetermined frequencies include radio frequencies used by emergency vehicles in car locator systems to notify their vehicle locations, and frequencies used for emergency radio.

In the above embodiment, the first and second connectors 15 and 52 are directly connected to the connectors (not shown) provided on the other side, respectively. However, one or both of the first connector 15 and the second connector 52 may be provided with a cable. In that case, when connecting the connectors, the work can be performed with a slight gap between the main body 10 and the target detection unit 50 due to the leeway in cable length, so that the connector connection work can be easily performed. In this case, it is preferable to separately provide a positioning mechanism between the main body 10 and the target detection unit 50 as necessary. That is, for example, a protrusion is provided on one or both of the other end surface 51b of the target detection unit 50 and the tip surface of the main body 10 facing the other end surface 51b, a recess is provided at a position facing the protrusion, and the protrusion and the recess are fitted together after the above connector connection to perform positioning. In addition, a part of the board mounted in the target detection unit 50 may be protruded from the other end surface 51b of the case 51 to the outside, and the protruding part may be inserted into the rear part provided at a predetermined position on the main body 10 side to perform positioning. In particular, the board on which the microwave receiving circuit unit 57 is mounted is parallel to the microwave receiving antenna 56, so the position (orientation) of the board directly corresponds to the orientation of the microwave receiving antenna 56, which is preferable because it allows the orientation of the radio wave receiving unit to be directly adjusted and set.

It is also possible to adopt a configuration in which the first connector 15 and the second connector are connected (the main body 10 and the target detection unit 50 are linked by one connector). In that case, for example, by providing a cable to the second connector 52, connection is possible even in the state of this embodiment in which the pull-out position of the second connector 52 is eccentric. Of course, for example, the pull-out position (installation position) of the second connector may be set to a position facing the first connector 15 near the center of the other end face 51b, and the two may be directly connected.

Also, since the target detection unit 50 is an optional part, it is of course possible to configure the drive recorder without the optional part. In this case, in order to provide the function of adjusting the volume and receiving power from the vehicle, it is preferable to prepare a basic unit equipped with a volume dial 53 and a DC jack 55 mounted in the case 51 of the target detection unit 50, and to integrate the basic unit with the main body using the nut member 40. In other words, if the basic unit is made by removing the parts required for target detection, such as the radio wave receiving unit, from the parts mounted in the case 51 of the target detection unit 50, the nut member 40 can be used for both. Also, since the volume dial 53 and the like are smaller in size than the radio wave receiving unit, the axial length of the basic unit may be shortened to reduce the size of the entire drive recorder. Of course, the nut member and the basic unit may be formed integrally.

The volume can be adjusted by operating the switch section 20 on the main body 10, or by using a remote control that has the function of sending and receiving operation signals via the remote control. Furthermore, if the DC jack is placed on the opposite side of the main body 10 (the side where the SD card slot 22 is located), the first connector 15 will be used for communication with the optional component or for supplying power from the main body to the optional component if an optional component is present. Therefore, if an option such as the target detection unit 50 is not installed, a short nut member may be attached to simply secure the mounting bracket 30.

Figures 16 and 17 show another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the optional parts connected to the main body 10 are different. That is, two main bodies of the above-mentioned embodiment are prepared, and the mounting bracket 30 is attached to one main body 10, while the other main body 10' is turned upside down and the CCD camera 13 is positioned on the same side, and the two main bodies 10, 10' are connected and integrated via the connecting member 70. In this case, the main body 10' has the same configuration as the main body 10, but a dedicated main body for expansion may be prepared.

The connecting member 70 has female threads on both axial sides, and both ends are designed to be freely rotatable relative to each other. This allows both ends of the connecting member 70 to be rotated independently relative to the male threads 18 of the opposing main bodies 10, 10' to be connected. When the two main bodies 10, 10' are connected, the CCD cameras installed on both main bodies 10, 10' are set to be fixed in a position where the shooting areas and shooting directions of the CCD cameras are as close as possible to each other.

The connecting member 70 connects the first connector 15 provided on the main body 10, 10', and also has a DC jack at a predetermined position of the connecting member 70 (not shown), and has a power supply function that supplies power supplied from the vehicle side via the DC jack to each of the main bodies 10, 10'. This power supply function is configured with a connector that connects to the connector part that is connected to the second connector of the target detection unit 50, a DC jack, wiring that connects the DC jack and the connector, etc.

The image captured by the CCD camera 13 of the added main body 10' is sent to the main main body 10 side via the first connector 15 connecting member 70. Then, the main main body 10 side can record as a stereo camera based on the image captured by its own CCD camera 13 and the image sent. A stereo camera is preferable because it is useful for analyzing accidents because the distance can be obtained from the difference in the images of both cameras. The control unit of the main body 10 has a function to function as a normal drive recorder when operating alone, record the necessary information when an accident occurs, and operate to record as a stereo camera when it recognizes that the added main body 10' is connected. Whether the added main body 10' is connected or not can be recognized by the function of checking whether or not an optional part is connected, and if so, the type of the optional part, since it has a function to check whether or not an optional part is connected. In other words, it is possible to check the other party by communicating (establishing a connection) with the other party connected via the first connector. In addition, the added main body 10' sends the captured image to the other party as described above, but may also have a function to record it in its own non-volatile memory. In this case, the added main unit 10' functions as a normal drive recorder, and even if there is a problem with recording with the stereo camera on the main unit 10, information can still be obtained as a normal drive recorder.

When recording data on SD cards in each of the main units 10 and 10', the data recorded on the two SD cards can be read by a PC and the two images or other data can be synchronized and played back based on synchronization data such as shooting time data contained in both data.

In addition, since the two main bodies 10 and 10' start and end recording with different sensors,
Although a deviation in the recording range may occur, this deviation can be addressed by performing appropriate correction processing, such as correcting based on time information, and creating a stereo image based on frames captured at the same time.

The inside of the connecting member 70 may have a through hole that passes from the main body 10 side to the main body 10' side, and electrical connection may be made via a cable passing through the through hole. The main body 10 may be fixed so that it faces in a direction that photographs the front of the vehicle, and the main body 10' faces the rear of the vehicle or the interior of the vehicle. In this way, multiple directions can be photographed simultaneously. The main body 10 is easy to attach and remove, so for example, it is easy to attach one main body to each of two cars and combine and reattach the two main bodies to one car only when stereo images are required. Furthermore, in the main units 10 and 10', information relating to the mounting angles of both units (for example, information output by an acceleration sensor provided in the main unit 10) can be recorded on an SD card, and the information on this SD card can be imported into a PC, and the mounting directions of each unit can be displayed (illustrated) in the PC's application software (viewer) based on the information relating to the mounting angles of the two units, or the images and vehicle behavior recorded by the functions of the drive recorder can be synthesized and displayed based on the information relating to the mounting angles of the two units.

Optional parts are not limited to the target detection device and second drive recorder mentioned above, but can include various in-vehicle devices such as a camera recording device for indoor filming (to prevent taxi robberies, etc.), security devices, and devices to prevent drowsiness at the wheel.

Furthermore, the connection of an option does not have to be limited to one to the main body, but it is preferable to provide a similar structure on the side opposite the main body of the option unit that allows further options to be connected, so that multiple options (which may be of the same or different types) can be connected.

10, 10' Body 13 CCD camera 20 Switch section 22 SD card slot 30 Mounting bracket 31 Ring section 33 Mounting plate 40 Nut section (fixing member)
50 target detection unit

Claims (9)

An in-vehicle device,
a first portion having a display portion facing a first direction and a first camera facing a second direction different from the first direction;
a mounting member attached to the first portion for mounting the first portion to a vehicle;
having
The first portion is configured such that, in the left-right direction as viewed from the first direction , the display unit is provided on one side of a position on the first portion where the mounting member is attached, and the first camera is provided on the other side. An in-vehicle device,
a first portion having a display portion facing a first direction and a first camera facing a second direction different from the first direction;
a mounting member attached to the first portion for mounting the first portion to a vehicle;
having
When the first camera is attached to the vehicle so that it faces forward of the vehicle as the second direction, the first part is configured so that, in the width direction of the vehicle, the display unit is provided on one side of a position where the mounting member is attached to the first part, and the first camera is provided on the other side. The in-vehicle device according to claim 1 , wherein an operation unit operated by a user is provided on the one side of a surface of the front first portion facing the first direction. The in-vehicle device according to claim 1 , further comprising a second portion having a second camera provided in the first portion and positioned so as to be visible from the first direction. The second portion is
The in-vehicle device according to claim 4 , wherein the direction in which the second camera faces can be changed without changing the attitude of the first portion. The in-vehicle device according to claim 4 , wherein the first camera and the second camera are disposed at different positions in the left -right direction or in a width direction of the vehicle. The in-vehicle device according to claim 4 , wherein the first direction and the second direction are directions in which a front side of the vehicle and a rear side of the vehicle can be photographed. The mounting member has a mounting plate that is fixed to a glass of the vehicle,
The in-vehicle device according to claim 1 , wherein the mounting member is attached to the first portion such that a position at which the mounting member is attached in the first portion is lower than the mounting plate. A drive recorder having an on-board device according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

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