JP7471605B2 - Electronics - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to electronic devices that capture images of the situation in a vehicle.

Conventionally, there are known drive recorders that are attached to the inside of the windshield (Patent Document 1) and drive recorders that are integrated into the rearview mirror (Patent Document 2).

JP 2006-321423 A JP 2006-193057 A

Drive recorders that are attached to the windshield, as in Patent Document 1, have problems with finding a place to install them and they can obstruct visibility. Drive recorders that are integrated into the rearview mirror, as in Patent Document 2, have problems with the need for installation by a professional.

The present invention aims to provide an electronic device that can capture images in an appropriate direction without obstructing the field of view and without the need for professional installation work.

The electronic device of the present invention, which has been made to achieve the above-mentioned object, is (a) an electronic device having a camera, comprising: a mounting portion for mounting to a vehicle accessory installed so that the facing angle to the driver's seat can be changed; and a protruding portion that protrudes beyond a specified side position of the vehicle accessory when mounted, the protruding portion having a protrusion that protrudes in a direction different from the protruding direction of the protruding portion, and the protruding portion is configured to comprise the camera and a means for changing the shooting direction of the camera.
In this way, it is possible to provide an electronic device or the like that is capable of capturing images in an appropriate direction without obstructing the field of vision and without the need for installation work by a professional.
Since these vehicle accessories are installed as necessary items, even if the protruding portion of the vehicle accessory protrudes beyond a predetermined side position when the vehicle accessory is attached to the vehicle accessory, it does not significantly impede the field of view. Also, since the structure allows the angle to be changed with respect to the driver's seat, the angle of the electronic device attached to the vehicle accessory also changes with the angle adjustment of the vehicle accessory, but the camera's imaging direction can be directed in the desired direction. In particular, since the protruding portion protruding in a direction different from the protruding direction is equipped with the camera and the means for changing the camera's imaging direction, even if the camera and the means for changing the camera's imaging direction become large in size, it does not significantly impede the field of view.
The camera may be one that captures the situation within the vehicle, particularly one that captures the situation inside the vehicle cabin, such as the driver's situation, or one that captures the situation outside the vehicle cabin, such as the surrounding situation outside the vehicle, and particularly one that captures the area in front of the vehicle.
The vehicle accessory may be, for example, an item that is installed in the vehicle cabin. It may also be, for example, an item that is pre-installed in the vehicle itself. In particular, it may be an item that is pre-installed in the vehicle itself and installed in the vehicle cabin. For example, it may be a rearview mirror.
The predetermined end position may be an end of the vehicle accessory that is relatively unlikely to interfere with driving of the vehicle. For example, if the vehicle accessory is a rearview mirror, the predetermined end position may be any one of the top end, left end, and right end of the rearview mirror. For example, in the case of a rearview mirror, protrusion toward the top end position, left end position, or right end position is preferable since it is an end that is less likely to interfere with driving of the vehicle than the bottom end position. In addition, the predetermined end position may be an end that is less likely to interfere with the view in the direction of image capture by the camera. For example, in the case of a rearview mirror, the top end position has a smoked portion or the like at the top of the windshield and is likely to interfere with the view in the direction of image capture by the camera, so the predetermined end position may be an end other than the top end.
The mounting unit may be configured to be mountable to the same type of vehicle equipment installed in a plurality of different vehicle models. In particular, the mounting position may be adjustable so that the mounting unit can be mounted to a vehicle equipment of the same type ranging from the largest size that can be accommodated to the smallest size that can be accommodated among the vehicle equipment of the same type. The size that can be accommodated may be determined to be a size that can be accommodated to vehicle equipment of as many vehicle models as possible.
The protruding direction of the protruding portion is preferably a direction that does not include a component of the protruding direction of the protruding portion. In this way, it is particularly unlikely to interfere with driving. For example, it is preferably a direction perpendicular to the protruding direction of the protruding portion. In this way, it is particularly unlikely to interfere with driving and it is possible to prevent the protruding portion from hitting electronic devices.
(b) The mounting portion is configured to be mounted by covering at least a portion of one side of the vehicle equipment, and the protruding portion protrudes to a position beyond the surface of the vehicle equipment opposite the one side, and at least a portion of the means for changing the shooting direction of the camera is provided at the protruding position.
In this way, the means for changing the camera's shooting direction is less likely to hit the vehicle equipment. In particular, if the entire means for changing the camera's shooting direction is provided at the exceeding position, for example, the means for changing the camera's shooting direction will not hit the vehicle equipment.
In particular, (c) when the protruding portion includes an arm portion connecting a portion having the means for changing the shooting direction of the camera with a portion that reaches the protruding portion, and at least a portion of the means for changing the shooting direction of the camera has a portion that protrudes beyond the arm portion in the opposite direction to the protruding direction, the means for changing the shooting direction of the camera is less likely to hit a vehicle accessory. For example, the protruding portion may be configured to include a spherical portion having the camera or the means for changing the shooting direction of the camera, and an arm portion that supports the spherical portion with a width smaller than the diameter of the spherical portion, and a portion of the sphere may be configured to protrude beyond the arm portion in the opposite direction to the protruding direction.
(d) The means for changing the shooting direction of the camera may be configured to change the direction of the camera in the up, down, left and right directions and may be configured to have a semi-fixed structure that can fix the direction of the camera when the camera is shooting.
In this way, when the facing angle of the vehicle equipment toward the driver's seat is changed, the orientation of the camera can be easily readjusted.
(e) It has a portion covering one side of the vehicle equipment, and the mounting portion is configured to mount the covering portion to the vehicle equipment, and the outer surface of the covering portion has a function equivalent to the function of the covered portion of the vehicle equipment, and it is preferable that the inside of the covering portion, on the protruding side of the center of the covering portion, is provided with a circuit for processing the video signal from the camera.
In this way, the electronic device can realize a function equivalent to that of the covered part of the vehicle accessory, and deterioration of the video signal of the camera, for example, can be prevented. In particular, it is preferable to have a circuit for processing the video signal of the camera only on the protruding side from the center of the covered part. For example, the vehicle accessory is a rearview mirror, and the equivalent function is a mirror function.
In particular, (f) the circuit may be configured to include a control board having at least two of a processing unit for processing the video signal of the camera, a display unit for displaying the video signal of the camera, a recording unit for the video signal of the camera, and an input unit for inputting control instructions for the video signal of the camera.
In particular, it is preferable to have a control board equipped with a processing unit for processing the camera's video signal, a display unit for displaying the camera's video signal, a recording unit for the camera's video signal, and an input unit for inputting control instructions for the camera's video signal, located only inside the covering part and on the protruding side of the center of the covering part.
(g) The means for changing the shooting direction of the camera may be configured to change the shooting direction of the camera in a direction that corrects a deviation between the shooting direction of the camera and the vehicle traveling direction caused by the angle between the vehicle equipment, which is installed so that the facing angle to the driver's seat can be changed, and the vehicle traveling direction at which the vehicle equipment is positioned when driving.
(h) The mounting section is configured to be attachable to the same type of vehicle equipment installed in a number of different vehicle models, and the mounting section has two clamping sections that clamp the vehicle equipment from above and below to mount the equipment, and the length from the left-right center of the two clamping sections to the left end of the electronic device is approximately the same as the length from the left-right center of the two clamping sections to the right end of the electronic device, and when mounted on the vehicle equipment such that the center position of the two clamping sections is the left-right center of the vehicle equipment, the protruding section is configured to be in close proximity to the vehicle equipment when mounted on a vehicle equipment of the largest size that can be accommodated among the vehicle equipment of the same type.
In this way, it is possible to easily fix the same type of vehicle equipment installed in a plurality of different vehicle models at the center position of the vehicle equipment without hitting the vehicle equipment of the largest size that can be supported. Therefore, for example, it is possible to prevent the electronic device from being attached to the vehicle equipment unevenly during installation, which causes discomfort.
The protruding amount of the protruding part should be, for example, the width required to support the camera and the means for changing the shooting direction of the camera from a predetermined end position of the largest size of the vehicle equipment of the same type, and should be as small as possible. In this way, it is possible to prevent the electronic device from hitting the vehicle equipment and, in particular, to prevent it from interfering with driving.
For example, it may be configured as shown in FIG. 16. In FIG. 16, the electronic device is configured to be mounted on the same type of rearview mirror installed in a plurality of different vehicle models, and the mounting part has two clamping parts that clamp the rearview mirror from above and below, and the length from the center position of the two clamping parts in the left-right direction to the left end of the electronic device and the length from the center position of the two clamping parts in the left-right direction to the right end of the electronic device are approximately the same, 142.5 mm. The electronic device is mounted on the rearview mirror so that the center position of the two clamping parts is the center position of the rearview mirror in the left-right direction, and is mounted on a rearview mirror with a left-right width of 24 cm as the largest size that can be supported among the same type of rearview mirror. In this case, a protruding part of 22.5 mm is formed on the right side of the rearview mirror in the figure, and the protruding part protruding from this protruding part to the back side of the main body is located close to the rearview mirror as shown in the figure. In this case, the protruding part should be long enough to support the camera at the position where it meets the back of the rearview mirror, and in some cases, a recess may be provided on the inner outer surface of the camera to avoid interference. Of course, a space may be provided between the rearview mirror and the protruding portion as long as it is not wasted.
(i) More specifically, the following configuration may be used: Of course, what is assumed to be the driver's seat in the following example may be assumed to be the passenger's seat.
The drive recorder of the present invention, which has been made to achieve the above-mentioned object, is a drive recorder that is attached to a vehicle equipment item that is installed so that the facing angle toward the driver's seat can be changed, and is characterized in that it comprises a main body that can be attached to the vehicle equipment item and has a protruding portion that protrudes toward the driver's seat when attached, and a lens holder that rotatably holds a lens body on the back side of the protruding portion, and is configured so that the lens body and the lens holder can be engaged and disengaged at a plurality of rotational positions within a predetermined range by matable concave and convex portions.

An example of a vehicle accessory that is installed so that the facing angle to the driver's seat can be changed is the rearview mirror.

More specifically, the drive recorder has a lens body that is installed on the rear side of a main body that is attached to a rearview mirror so as to face the front of the vehicle, and is characterized in that (1) the main body has a protruding portion that protrudes on the driver's seat side of the rearview mirror, (2) a lens holder that rotatably holds the lens body is provided on the rear side of the protruding portion, and (3) the lens body and the lens holder are configured to be able to be engaged and disengaged at multiple rotational positions within a predetermined range by uneven portions that can be paired with each other.

In addition to the rearview mirror, other vehicle equipment that can change the facing angle to the driver's seat include, for example, a car navigation device that is attached to the front grille and a car television that is hung from the ceiling. Since it is attached to these vehicle equipment, the dashcam can be installed later. Therefore, there is no need to ask a professional to install the dashcam.

These vehicle accessories are installed as necessary items in themselves, so even if there is a protruding portion connected to them on the driver's seat side, it does not significantly impede the field of view. However, as a result of the structure being able to change the angle relative to the driver's seat as described above, the angle of the main body attached to the vehicle accessories also changes as the angle of the vehicle accessories is adjusted, and the imaging direction of the lens body changes.

However, according to the present invention, the lens body can be rotated relative to the lens holder provided on the back of the protruding portion to change the imaging direction, so the imaging direction can be adjusted to the optimal direction. Moreover, according to the present invention, the lens body and the lens holder are configured to be engageable and disengageable at multiple rotational positions within a predetermined range, so that the angle of the lens body can be adjusted after adjusting the angle of the vehicle accessories, and the lens body can be fixed in a state facing the optimal direction. Once fixed, the lens body cannot be rotated without performing an operation to release the engagement of the concave and convex portions, so the imaging direction will not change inadvertently. In addition, because the lens body is located on the back of the protruding portion located on the driver's seat side, the above-mentioned rotation operation can be easily performed by reaching out from the driver's seat.

Here, if the object to be attached is a rearview mirror, it is also preferable to adopt a configuration in which (4) the main body has an area that covers the front of the rearview mirror and is equipped with a half mirror on the front, and the back of the half mirror houses an emissive display device that emits light to display an image captured by the lens body.

By housing an emissive display device on the back of the half mirror, when adjusting the angle of the lens body after adjusting the angle of the rearview mirror, an image can be displayed on this emissive display device, and the lens body can be rotated to select the optimal position while watching the changing image. Furthermore, if the emissive display device is turned off, the entire half mirror can be used for rearview checking.

In this case, it is particularly preferable to adopt the following configuration: (5) The light-emitting display device is housed in front of the protruding portion.

By positioning the lens body and the light-emitting display device on the driver's seat side of the rearview mirror, the image becomes easier to see when rotating the lens body. Another advantage is that electronic circuits and other components can be housed together in the protruding portion, making it possible to achieve a compact design.

A drive recorder that is equipped with a half mirror and is attached to a rearview mirror may further adopt the following configuration: (6) the main body is equipped with clamp members that clamp the rearview mirror from above and below.

By clamping the rearview mirror from above and below with the clamp members, the weight of the dashcam is supported by the rearview mirror. In addition, because the top and bottom edges of the rearview mirror are long enough, it is possible to install multiple clamp members spaced apart on the left and right, ensuring a stable installation.

The drive recorder of the present invention may also adopt the following configuration: (7) The lens holder and the lens body are configured so that their spherical surfaces face each other and the lens body can rotate along the spherical surface.

This is because the operation of rotating from one mating position to another follows a spherical surface, allowing the operation to be performed smoothly. In addition, in the present invention, by allowing mating and disengagement at multiple positions, the imaging direction can be adjusted by selecting multiple angle positions while still allowing for this smooth movement, allowing for quick positioning.

In this case, (8) it is also preferable to adopt a configuration in which the lens holder and the lens body are provided, on one side, with a rotation axis that rotates the lens body along the spherical surface, and, on the other side, with an axis holding groove that supports the rotation axis in a state in which it can move in a predetermined direction.

The angle can be changed within a regulated range by moving the rotation axis along the axis holding groove. By changing the angle within this regulated range, it is determined which direction the image will face depending on which way it is rotated during the adjustment process, making it easier to adjust the imaging direction.

In this case, it is preferable that the uneven portion is formed so as to support the rotating shaft at any one of a plurality of positions in the shaft holding groove.

By having this configuration, the positioning in the direction along the shaft holding groove can be determined in multiple stages, and the angle adjustment in that direction can be completed quickly.

When the rotating shaft is supported by a shaft holding groove, it is preferable to further adopt the following configuration: (10) the projections and recesses are formed so as to engage with the spherical cover at a position rotated a predetermined angle around the rotating shaft while the rotating shaft is supported at a predetermined position within the shaft holding groove.

By providing such a configuration, it is possible to determine multi-stage positioning in a direction intersecting the axis holding groove, and angle adjustment in that direction can be completed quickly. In addition, when (9) and (10) are provided, multi-stage positioning in an orthogonal direction is possible, and as a result, the number of angle adjustment positions can be increased. For example, it is possible to quickly rotate the lens body to the upper left, lower left, upper right, lower right, etc., with multiple stages in the left-right direction and multiple stages in the up-down direction.

More specifically, these drive recorders of the present invention may also have the following configuration: (11) the lens holder includes a spherical holding portion having an approximately spherical inner surface; (12) the lens body includes a spherical cover body having an approximately spherical outer surface; and (13) at least one of the uneven portion on the inner surface of the spherical holding portion and the uneven portion on the outer surface of the spherical cover body is configured to perform a clicking action due to elastic deformation, thereby changing the fitting position of each other.

By adopting this configuration, the lens body fits into the lens holder, so there is no risk of the lens body falling off during angle adjustment. And because the lens body fits into and disengages with a click action, even if the lens body is fitted into the lens holder, you can easily tell when positioning is complete by the click you feel in your hand.

In this case, (13) the spherical holding portion may also have a window opening on the front side of the vehicle that corresponds to the outlines of the multiple engagement and disengagement positions within the specified range.

By providing window openings that correspond to the contours of multiple engagement and disengagement positions within a specified range, the lens body can be rotated without creating dead zones where photography is not possible, even when the lens body is fitted inside the lens holder.

In a drive recorder in which these lens bodies are fitted into a lens holder, (14) it is also preferable to adopt a configuration in which the spherical cover body has a rotation axis that protrudes outward on the center line of the sphere that constitutes the spherical surface, and the spherical holding portion has an axis holding groove that allows the rotation axis to slide along a predetermined direction.

More specifically, in a drive recorder in which these lens bodies are fitted into a lens holder, it is also preferable to further adopt the following configuration: (14) the spherical cover body has a rotation axis that protrudes outward on the center line of the sphere that constitutes the spherical surface, and the spherical holding portion has an axis holding groove that allows the rotation axis to slide along a predetermined direction.

This configuration makes it easier to manufacture the spherical cover by injection molding, as there is no need to make it thick, to make it into a split assembly shape, or to use a split mold as a core.

In this case, (15) it is also preferable to adopt a configuration in which the spherical cover body forms a part of the spherical surface, has an elastic lever portion, and the lever portion has an uneven portion formed on the lens body side.

Because the spherical cover is located on the inside, the lever part can elastically deform inward to disengage the uneven parts, and can elastically return to the outside to engage the uneven parts, making it possible to use the elastic deformation of the lever part to engage and disengage with a click action.

In a drive recorder in which the lens body is fitted into the lens holder, more specifically, (16) the spherical holding portion may also be provided with a plurality of holder-side concave and convex portions that can fit into the lens body-side concave and convex portions at a plurality of sliding positions of the rotation shaft within the shaft holding groove.

By adopting this configuration, the lens body can be rotated along the shaft holding groove and positioned.

More specifically, in a drive recorder in which these lens bodies are fitted into a lens holder, (17) the spherical holding portion may also be configured to have a plurality of holder-side concave and convex portions that can engage with the lens body-side concave and convex portions for a plurality of rotation angles when the lens body cover is rotated around the rotation axis at a predetermined position in the axis holding groove.

By adopting this configuration, the lens body can be rotated in a direction that intersects with the shaft holding groove to perform positioning.

The drive recorder of the present invention may further adopt a configuration in which (18) the main body is provided with an operation switch on the front side of the protruding portion. This is because the operation switch is also located on the driver's seat side, and the drive recorder itself can be easily operated from the driver's seat.

The drive recorder of the present invention may further adopt the following configuration: (19) the main body is provided with a storage medium mounting section on the driver's seat side of the protruding section. This is because the storage medium can be easily attached and detached from the driver's seat.

The drive recorder of the present invention may further adopt the following configuration: (20) the main body is provided with a power connector on the rear side of the protruding portion. This is because the power connector can be easily attached and detached from the driver's seat.

The drive recorder of the present invention may further adopt the following configuration: (21) the main body is provided with a microphone on the underside of the main body. This is because audio can also be recorded.

The drive recorder of the present invention may further adopt the following configuration: (22) the lens holder has a curved arm that shifts the lens body toward the driver's seat from its base side. This is because it is possible to reduce the amount of protrusion of the main body from the object to which it is attached.

In this case, it is also advisable to adopt a configuration in which (23) a power connector is provided near the base of the bent arm, on the opposite side of the base from the driver's seat. This is because the base of the arm acts as a guard, making it less likely that the power connector will be accidentally touched and the power cord will fall off when changing the angle of the attachment object or the orientation of the lens body.

The present invention provides a drive recorder that can capture images in the appropriate direction without obstructing the view and without requiring installation by a professional.

1 shows a drive recorder of Example 1, in which (A) is a front view, (B) is an oblique view seen from the front, (C) is an oblique view seen from the rear, (D) is a front view of the camera unit with the shooting direction facing forward, and (E) is an oblique view showing how the orientation of the lens body is changed. FIG. 2 is a six-view diagram of the drive recorder of the first embodiment. 1A and 1B are an exploded perspective view and a side view illustrating a mounting state of upper and lower clampers, respectively, of a drive recorder according to a first embodiment of the present invention; 1A shows a camera unit of a drive recorder according to a first embodiment, in which FIG. 1A is a perspective view seen from the mounting portion side, FIG. 1B is an exploded perspective view, and FIG. 1 is a six-view diagram of a lens cover of a drive recorder according to a first embodiment, with the state viewed from the front side of the vehicle being the front side. FIG. 4A to 4C are explanatory diagrams showing a rotation range of a lens body of the drive recorder of the first embodiment and a movement during rotation. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a mounting procedure of the drive recorder of the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the procedure of recording and reading data in the drive recorder of the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an operation procedure of a moving image recording mode in the drive recorder of the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an operation procedure for changing settings in a moving image recording mode in the drive recorder of the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an operation procedure for changing system settings in the drive recorder of the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an operation procedure of a still image recording mode in the drive recorder of the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an operation procedure of a playback mode in the drive recorder of the first embodiment. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a procedure for changing the playback mode setting in the drive recorder of the first embodiment and for formatting an SD card, etc. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an adjustment range of the light incidence angle to the lens in the drive recorder of the first embodiment. FIG. FIG. 11 is a bottom view showing the state in which the drive recorder is mounted on a rearview mirror of the largest compatible size among the same type of rearview mirrors installed in a number of different vehicle models.

The following describes an embodiment of the present invention, taking as an example a drive recorder that is attached to a rearview mirror.

Example 1 is a drive recorder suitable for use by mounting it on the rearview mirror of a right-hand drive vehicle. As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the drive recorder 1 has a half mirror 11 covering almost the entire front surface as seen from inside the vehicle cabin, an operation button 12 on the right edge of the front surface, and a main body case 20 housing a 2.5-inch full-color TFT LCD display 13 on the back surface of the half mirror immediately to the left of the operation button 12. The top 12a of the operation button 12 is a power button, and green and red LEDs are installed on the back surface, configured to light up the green LED when the power is on and the red LED when recording.

A camera unit 30 is attached to the rear side of the main body case 20 at the left end on the driver's seat side with the lens facing forward of the vehicle. A speaker sound output hole 41 is provided directly below the camera unit 30, and a DC jack 42 is provided below and inside that. A microphone sound input hole 43 is provided at the center bottom of the main body case 20, and upper clampers 51, 51 and lower clampers 52, 52 are provided facing each other at the top and bottom of the rear, at positions approximately symmetrical to the center in the width direction. Furthermore, a micro SD card insertion port 45 is provided on the driver's seat side of the main body case 20.

3, the main body case 20 is composed of a bottom case 21 located on the rear side, and a top case 22 that is fixed to the front side of the bottom case 21 with screws from the back side. The printed wiring board 14 is housed between the bottom case 21 and the top case 22. The aforementioned operation buttons 12 and 2.5-inch full-color TFT LCD display 13 are installed on the front side of the printed wiring board 14, and the SD slot 16, speaker 17, etc. are installed on the rear side.
A microcomputer circuit is also provided on the rear side of printed wiring board 14. This microcomputer circuit serves as a processing section for processing the camera's video signal, LCD display 13 serves as a display section for displaying the camera's video signal, SD slot 16 serves as a recording section for the camera's video signal, and operation button 12 serves as an input section for inputting control instructions for the camera's video signal. In this embodiment, printed wiring board 14 is provided with these "processing section,""displaysection,""recordingsection," and "input section."

The right end of the top case 22 is provided with an opening that exposes the operation buttons 12 and has a button cover 23 attached, and a display film 18 is attached to the front of the button cover 23, on which the functions of each operation button are printed and which has a transparent portion that transmits the LED light. A half mirror 11 is attached to the front side of the area of the top case 22 to the left of the button cover 23. A display window 22a is provided in the top case 22 in the part facing the liquid crystal display 13 at the right end of the area where the half mirror 11 is attached.

An opening 21a is formed at the right end (driver's seat side) of the bottom case 21 for passing a cable connecting the printed wiring board 14 and the camera unit 30, and a protrusion 21b that forms the aforementioned SD card insertion port 45 is formed on the right side of the opening 21a. In addition, an air vent 21c is provided on the left side of the rear cover 21.

A lower back projection 21d is formed at the bottom of the back surface at a position about 1/4 from the left and right of the bottom case 21, protruding backwards, and an inverted L-shaped metal fitting 24 is attached from the front side so that a protruding portion 24a protrudes to the upper part of the back surface above the lower back projection 21d. This inverted L-shaped metal fitting 24 is connected to a hook 21e formed at the bottom of the front surface of the bottom cover 21 by a coil spring 25, and is attached in a state where it is biased downward. The protruding portion 24a of the inverted L-shaped metal fitting 24 and the lower back projection 21d of the bottom case 21 are respectively attached to the rubber bodies that make up the upper clamper 51 and lower clamper 52 mentioned above.

In addition to the above, the main body case 20 also contains cushion members 26 and 27, and also contains a microphone 18 in the lower center.

As shown in FIG. 4, the camera unit 30 is composed of a lens body 60 and a lens holder 70 that holds the lens body 60 in a rotatable manner.

The lens body 60 is an assembly in which a camera body 62 is housed inside a hemispherical lens cover 61, and a printed wiring board 63 is attached so as to cover the opening side of the lens cover 61.

As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the lens cover 61 is formed with pivots 64L, 64R that pass through the center of the sphere and protrude outward. Lever sections 65L, 65R are provided below the left and right pivots 64L, 64R, respectively, which are formed by two cuts extending forward from the opening side of the hemisphere. Hemispherical convex sections 66L, 66R are provided on the outer surfaces of the left and right lever sections 65L, 65R. The lens cover 61 is manufactured as a synthetic resin injection molded body, and the lever sections 65L, 65R are elastically deformed by pressure. A circular ring-shaped lens frame 67 is formed at the front end of the lens cover 61 and protrudes forward.

As shown in FIG. 4, the lens holder 70 is configured so that when the halves of the left member 71 and the right member 72 are assembled, a spherical holding portion 73 is formed on the front side of the vehicle and an attachment arm portion 74 is formed on the main body case 20 side. When the left member 71 and the right member 72 are assembled, the arm portion 74 is a bent arm that supports the holding portion 73 in a position shifted toward the driver's seat from the base side.

At the vertical center of the inner surface of the holding parts 73L, 73R of the left member 71 and the right member 72, slide grooves 75L, 75R are formed over a specified range so as to protrude outward to a specified depth. In addition, six hemispherical recesses 76L, 76R are formed on the inner surface below the slide grooves 75L, 75R so as to protrude outward. These six hemispherical recesses 76L, 76R are arranged in a zigzag pattern with the distance from the slide grooves 75L, 75R slightly changed. The left member 71 and the right member 72 are also manufactured by synthetic resin injection molding.

Further, notches 77L, 77R are provided at the front ends of the holding parts 73L, 73R of the left member 71 and the right member 72 so as to form a horizontally elongated rectangular lens window 77 having R-shaped corners as shown in Fig. 1(D) when assembled. Notches 78L, 78R are provided at the base sides of the arm parts 74L, 74R of the left member 71 and the right member 72 so as to form an insertion hole 78 through which a cable connected to the connector block 68 on the lens body 60 side is inserted when assembled. Further, a circular recess 79 recessed inward is formed near the base of the holding part of the left member 71. This recess 79 is useful for avoiding interference with the rearview mirror when attached.
Here, the cable connecting the printed wiring board 14 and the camera unit 30 is inserted into the camera body 30 from the insertion port 78, and is connected to the connector block 68 of the printed wiring board 63 on the camera body 62 side. By arranging the printed wiring board 14 on the side where the camera unit 30 is attached, noise can be suppressed.

The outer diameter of the lens cover 61 is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the holding portion 73 of the lens holder 70, and the lens cover 61 can be rotated inside the holding portion 73 when assembled. At this time, the lens cover 61 is assembled so that its rotation shafts 64L, 64R fit into the slide grooves 75L, 75R of the holding portion 73. At this time, the lens frame 67 of the lens cover 61 fits into the lens window 77 of the holding portion 73. The convex parts 66L, 66R on the outer surface of the lever parts 65L, 65R fit into one of the six concave parts 76L, 76R on the inner surface of the holding portion 73. The initial assembly position is a state in which the lens frame 67 is located at the center of the lens window 77, as shown in FIG. 1(D), and the rotation shafts 64L, 64R are located at the center of the length of the slide grooves 75L, 75R. Additionally, the convex portions 66L, 66R on the lens cover 61 side fit into the third from the front of the six concave portions 76L, 76R.

By rotating the lens cover 61 in the left-right direction, the rotation shafts 64L, 64R move from one end of the slide grooves 75L, 75R to the other. The lens cover 61 also rotates in the up-down direction around the rotation shafts 64L, 64R. With these operations, in this embodiment, it is possible to realize a state in which the lens frame 67 is fixed in one of the six positions P1 to P6 shown in FIG. 1(E).

Figure 6 shows the rotational movement of the lens cover 61 when fixing it in the six positions P1 to P6. When the convex portions 66L, 66R on the lens cover 61 side are fitted into the third one from the front end of the six recesses 76L, 76R of the holding portion 73, the P1 position is realized, with the lens frame 67 above the center of the lens window 77.

When the lens cover 61 is rotated from the initial position P1 towards the driver's seat, the left convex portion 66L of the lens cover 61 fits into the front of the six recesses 76L of the left member 71, and the right convex portion 66R of the lens cover 61 fits into the second from the back of the six recesses 76R of the right member 72, achieving position P2 where the lens frame 67 is at the upper left of the lens window 77.

When the lens cover 61 is rotated from the initial position P1 in a direction away from the driver's seat, the left convex portion 66L of the lens cover 61 fits into the second-to-rear of the six recesses 76L of the left member 71, and the right convex portion 66R of the lens cover 61 fits into the front of the six recesses 76R of the right member 72, achieving position P3, with the lens frame 67 at the upper right of the lens window 77.

When the lens cover 61 is rotated downward from the initial position P1, the convex portions 66L, 66R on the lens cover 61 engage with the fourth of the six recesses 76L, 76R from the front end, achieving position P4, with the lens frame 67 below the center of the lens window 77.

When the lens cover 61 is rotated downward from the upper left position P2, the left convex portion 66L of the lens cover 61 fits into the second from the front of the six recesses 76L of the left member 71, and the right convex portion 66R of the lens cover 61 fits into the rearmost of the six recesses 76R of the right member 72, achieving the P5 position where the lens frame 67 is at the upper left of the lens window 77.

When the lens cover 61 is rotated downward from the upper right position P3, the left convex portion 66L of the lens cover 61 fits into the rearmost of the six recesses 76L of the left member 71, and the right convex portion 66R of the lens cover 61 fits into the second from the front of the six recesses 76R of the right member 72, achieving the P6 position where the lens frame 67 is at the upper left of the lens window 77.

Next, the installation procedure for the drive recorder 1 of the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 7. First, the upper clamper 51 is placed against the upper edge of the rearview mirror 81, and the main body is rotated forward while being pulled slightly downward. At this time, the coil spring 25 that is biasing the upper clamper 51 downward expands, and the lower clamper 52 can be easily positioned below the rearview mirror 81. Then, by releasing the force that was pulling the main body downward, the coil spring 25 contracts, and the drive recorder 1 is installed such that the upper clamper 51 and the lower clamper 52 clamp the rearview mirror 81 from above and below. Note that since the upper and lower clampers 51 and 52 are made of rubber, the elastic deformation of the rubber also acts, and the rearview mirror 81 is firmly but softly clamped from above and below.

When mounting the drive recorder 1, the center of the main body is aligned with the center of the rearview mirror 81. The width of the drive recorder 1 is longer than the width of the rearview mirror 81, and is set so that the camera unit 25 is positioned to protrude from the driver's seat side of the rearview mirror 81. The amount of protrusion on the opposite side of the driver's seat is also set to be approximately the same, and the air vent 21c is also positioned in the protruding part of the rearview mirror 81 opposite the driver's seat.

As a result, the front of the rearview mirror 81 is covered and hidden, but because the front of the drive recorder 1 is made up of the half mirror 11, this half mirror 11 functions as a mirror for checking the rear, which is the role of the rearview mirror 81. Therefore, the orientation of the drive recorder 1 is adjusted so that rearward checking through this half mirror 11 is appropriate. This orientation adjustment is performed by utilizing the fact that the rearview mirror 81 has a mechanism for adjusting its orientation.

The power supply is secured by connecting one end of the power cord 83 to the cigarette lighter socket 82 and the other end to the DC jack 42.

Once the power supply has been secured in this way, the operation button 12 is operated to put the drive recorder 1 into recording mode. The image captured by the camera is then displayed on the liquid crystal display 13 housed behind the half mirror 11, and can be seen from the driver's seat through the half mirror 11. If the image seen at this time is not the image that should be recorded by the drive recorder 1, the lens cover 61 is rotated left/right and up/down as described above to adjust the camera orientation to the most appropriate position among P1 to P6.

In this way, the drive recorder 1 can be installed with the camera facing in the optimal shooting direction without obstructing the driver's field of vision.

As shown in FIG. 8(A), the drive recorder 1 of this embodiment inserts a micro SD card 84 into the SD card insertion slot 45 and records the captured data on the micro SD card 84. The data recorded in this manner can be read by the computer 85 by removing the micro SD card 84 and inserting it into a reader/writer 86 connected to the computer 85.

The drive recorder 1 of the embodiment is configured to constantly record video from engine start to engine stop on the micro SD card 84. As shown in FIG. 8(B), the recording method is configured so that the video is divided into files of up to 15 minutes per file depending on the settings, and if the recording time exceeds the card capacity, the oldest file is overwritten on a file-by-file basis.

As shown in FIG. 8(C), the drive recorder 1 of the embodiment is also configured to perform "one-touch recording" by pressing the "REC" button during continuous recording, which moves the video in the set file units to the "SWEVT" folder on the micro SD card as a file that cannot be overwritten.

The drive recorder 1 of the embodiment is configured to be able to record videos continuously like a video camera by selecting the "video recording mode." In the video recording mode, as shown in FIG. 9(A), [1] video recording mode icon, [2] file division time, [3] viewfinder, [4] zoom magnification, [5] date, [6] time, [7] recording time/remaining recording time, [8] resolution, [9] file protect icon, [10] micro SD icon, and [11] recording mark are displayed on the liquid crystal display 13 (see circled numbers in the figure).

Here, [7] Recording time/recordable time displays the current video recording time when recording, and displays the available recording time with the current settings when recording is stopped. In addition, [9] File protect icon is displayed on the one-touch recorded file mentioned above. [10] Micro SD icon indicates that a micro SD card is inserted, and [11] Record mark is displayed flashing while video is being recorded.

When recording video in this video recording mode, first make sure the power is on, then press the "MODE OK" button to change to video recording mode as shown in Figure 9 (B), and press the "REC" button to start video recording. Note that it is also possible to turn off the viewfinder during video recording, in which case the "MODE OK" button should be pressed while the viewfinder during video recording is displayed.

Next, we will explain how to change settings in video recording mode. As shown in Figure 10 (A), press the "MENU" button to stop video recording, press the "MODE OK" button to select video recording mode, and then press the "MENU" button to display the video recording mode settings menu. The settings menu will be the screen shown in Figure 10 (B).

For "Resolution", you can select from 1080P (1920 x 1082), 1080P (1440 x 1080), 720P (1280 x 720), VGA (640 x 480), and QVGA (320 x 240). The default setting is 720P.

"Recording file structure" allows you to select the length of time to split and store the video file from 5-minute, 10-minute, or 15-minute units. The default setting is 5-minute units.

"Audio recording" can be switched off or on. The default setting is on. "Continuous recording overwrite" can also be switched off or on. When overwrite is set to on and there is insufficient capacity on the microSD card, old files will be deleted one file at a time and new files will be saved, as described above. The default setting is on.

To select a setting item, use the "∧ VOL+" and "∨ VOL-" buttons. These buttons are also used to increase and decrease values. To confirm a setting item, press the "MODE OK" button. Pressing the "MENU" button will exit the setting screen and return to the previous mode on the setting screen (for example, video recording mode).

Next, we will explain how to change the system settings. As shown in Figure 11 (A), press the "MENU" button to stop video recording, press the "MODE OK" button to select video recording mode, press the "MENU" button to display the video recording mode settings menu, and press the "MODE OK" button again to display the system settings menu. The system settings menu will be the screen shown in Figure 11 (B).

The system settings menu includes "Date/Time", "Operation Sound", "Flickerless Function", "Default Settings", and "Version". Just as when changing the video recording mode settings, the desired item can be selected and the settings changed using the "∧ VOL+", "∨ VOL-" and "MODE OK" buttons. The "Operation Sound" setting is on by default, but can be switched off. The flickerless function is used to match the commercial frequency of the area in which it is used, and can be selected between Eastern Japan: 50 Hz and Western Japan: 60 Hz. The default setting is 60 Hz.

When setting "Date/Time," use the "∧ VOL+," "∨ VOL-" buttons and the "MODE OK" button to change the item you want to change and to increase or decrease the value on the screen shown in Figure 11 (C).

In addition to the aforementioned "video recording mode," the drive recorder 1 of the embodiment is also configured to be able to select a "still image recording mode." By selecting the "still image recording mode," still images can be taken like a digital camera.

In the still image recording mode, as shown in FIG. 12(A), [1] still image recording mode icon, [2] viewfinder, [3] zoom magnification, [4] number of shots that can be taken, and [5] micro SD icon are displayed on the LCD display 13 (see circled numbers in the figure).

Here, [4] Number of shots that can be taken indicates the number of still images that can be compressed using the remaining capacity of the microSD card. [3] The zoom magnification ranges from 1.0x to 4.0x, and can be increased or decreased using the "∧ VOL+" and "∨ VOL-" buttons. Note that the magnification returns to 1.0x when the power is turned off or when switching to another mode.

When recording still images in this still image recording mode, make sure the power is on, then as shown in Figure 12 (B), if video recording is in progress, press the "MENU" button to stop video recording, press the "MODE OK" button to change to still image recording mode, and press the "REC" button to start still image recording. In this embodiment, the resolution of still images is fixed at 2592 x 1944.

Next, playback of a recorded file will be described. As shown in Fig. 13(A), press the "MENU" button to stop video recording, and press the "MODE OK" button to switch to playback mode. After that, select a recorded file using the "V VOL+" and "V VOL-" buttons, and press "REPLAY".
13C" button to play the video. The video playback screen will be the screen shown in Fig. 13B. The still image playback screen will be the screen shown in Fig. 13C.

As shown in Figure 13 (B), the video playback screen displays on the LCD display 13: [1] video icon, [2] recorded video, [3] video playback operation icon, [4] file number, [5] file resolution, [6] recording date, [7] recording time, and [8] file protection icon (see circled numbers in the figure).

As shown in Fig. 13(C), the still image playback screen displays [1] a still image icon, [2] the recorded image, [3] an operation icon, [4] the file number, [5] the file resolution, [6] the recording date, [7] the recording time, and [9] the recording date and time on the LCD display 13 (see the circled numbers in the figure). Note that [9] the recording date and time is the recording date and time written into the recording file.

Next, we will explain how to change the playback mode settings. As shown in Figure 14 (A), press the "MENU" button to stop video recording, and press the "MODE OK" button to select the playback mode. Press the "MENU" button again to display the playback mode settings menu. The playback mode settings menu will be the screen shown in Figure 14 (B).

The settings in playback mode are "Volume," "Erase," and "Format." "Volume" sets the playback volume of recorded files, operation sounds, and startup sounds, and can be set to off, or 1 to 8. The default setting is 6. "Erase" deletes recorded files, and in addition to deleting the current file, you can also choose to erase all files. Note that overwrite-prohibited files cannot be erased. "Format" initializes the micro SD card. When you perform a "format," overwrite-prohibited files will also be erased.

To initialize a micro SD card, use the "∧ VOL+" and "∨ VOL-" buttons to select "Format" as shown in Figure 14 (C), then press the "MODE OK" button. This will switch to the format screen as shown in Figure 14 (D). On this screen, select "SD card" and press the "MODE OK" button, and the screen will switch to a confirmation message screen as shown in Figure 14 (E). Formatting will only begin when you use the "∨ VOL-" button to select "Confirm" and then press the "MODE OK" button.

As described above, according to this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 15, the angle of light incidence on the camera lens can be changed by 20° to the left, 20° to the right, and 10° downward. This allows the optimal shooting direction to be set by attaching the camera to the rearview mirror, adjusting the angle of the rearview mirror, and then changing the orientation of the camera lens.

Moreover, this operation can be performed from the driver's seat, so the driver can easily perform it after adjusting the rearview mirror. And since the angle is not changed arbitrarily but is adjusted by selecting from P1 to P6, the angle adjustment operation can be performed quickly and easily. At this time, the driver can easily understand that the lens body has been firmly fixed by feeling a clicking action.

In addition, the lens direction can be adjusted while the image is displayed on the LCD display behind the half mirror, allowing for reliable work, and because the LCD display is on the driver's side, the screen can be viewed while looking at what is in front of you.

The above describes examples of how to implement the invention, but the present invention is not limited to these, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The present invention can be used as an in-vehicle device for recording vehicle accidents, etc.

1: Drive recorder, 11: Half mirror, 12: Operation button, 13: Liquid crystal display, 17: Speaker, 18: Microphone, 20: Main body case, 21: Bottom case, 21d: Lower back protrusion, 22: Top case, 22a: Display window, 24: Inverted L-shaped metal fitting, 24a: Protrusion, 25: Coil spring, 30: Camera unit, 42: DC jack, 45: SD card insertion port, 51: Upper clamper, 52: Lower clamper, 60: Lens body, 61: Lens cover, 62: Camera body , 63: printed wiring board, 64L, 64R: rotating shaft, 65L, 65R: lever portion, 66L, 66R: hemispherical convex portion, 67: lens frame, 70: lens holder, 71: left member, 72: right member, 73: hold portion, 74: mounting arm portion, 75L, 75R: slide groove, 76L, 76R: hemispherical recess, 77: lens window, 81: rearview mirror, 82: cigarette lighter socket, 83: power cord, 84: micro SD card, 85: computer, 86: reader/writer.

Claims (2)

A main body having a half mirror section on the front side that transmits light from a display section therein;
A mounting portion for mounting the main body on a rearview mirror of a vehicle;
A camera unit provided on the main body for capturing an image of a front view of the vehicle;
Equipped with
the main body has a protruding portion that protrudes beyond a right end or a left end of the rearview mirror on a driver's seat side of the vehicle when the main body is attached to the rearview mirror,
the camera unit is provided on the protruding portion of the main body,
the photographing direction of the camera unit can be changed within a range from the horizontal direction to a predetermined angle below the horizontal direction in a side view, and can be changed within a range from the front-rear direction to a predetermined angle to the left of the horizontal direction and a predetermined angle to the right of the horizontal direction in a plan view;
The range of angles that can be changed from the front-back direction to the left and right in a plan view is greater than the range of angles that can be changed from the horizontal direction to the downward direction in a side view.
Electronics. The electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the camera unit has a portion located behind the rear-view mirror in a front-rear direction of the vehicle.

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