Mounting members, articles, and systems

Abstract

To provide a system which properly places goods at a position, for example, a side of a room mirror, where the goods do not interfere with a driver.SOLUTION: An attachment member 12 is used to attach a camera 11 to a room mirror 1 of a vehicle and includes: a first portion (a stay 13) attached to the back surface side of a room mirror; a second portion (a bracket 14) extending from the first portion in a longitudinal direction of the room mirror; and an attachment part 15 to which the camera provided at the second portion is attached. The attachment part uses a ball joint mechanism to enable the camera to be turned to, for example, a driver.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to, for example, mounting members, articles, and systems. [Background technology]

[0002] Regarding a driver monitoring system, which is one of the items installed in a vehicle, paragraph

[0046] of Patent Document 1 states that "the status monitoring device 1 is installed on the upper part of the steering column SC to which the steering wheel SH is connected, and is connected to another on-board device OM via a wire harness WH." and paragraph

[0045] of the same document states that "the status monitoring device 1 is...a so-called driver monitoring system." [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2013-103530 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The camera that captures the driver in the driver monitoring system is installed on the steering column, which can make it difficult to see the instruments, for example, and can get in the way of the driver while driving. There is a challenge in placing objects appropriately in a position that does not get in the way.

[0005] The purpose of the present invention is not limited to this, and the applicant intends to obtain rights for configurations that aim to obtain effects from parts of the configurations disclosed in this specification and drawings, etc., by filing a divisional application, amendment, etc. For example, this specification discloses a problem in which the part described as "can be" in this specification is read as "the problem is to be." The problems are described as being independent, and the applicant intends to obtain rights for the configurations for solving these problems alone by filing a divisional application, amendment, etc. Even if the problem is implicitly understood from the description in the specification, the applicant intends to include part of the configurations described in this specification in the scope of the patent claim by amendment or divisional application. Problems that combine these independent problems are also disclosed. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] When the mounting member according to the present invention is used for mounting an article, for example, to a rearview mirror, it may be, for example, as follows: (1) A mounting member for mounting at least a predetermined article to a rearview mirror of a vehicle, the mounting member having a first portion to be mounted on the back side of the rearview mirror, a second portion having a portion extending from the first portion in the longitudinal direction of the rearview mirror, and a mounting part provided on the second portion for mounting the predetermined article.

[0007] The device can be attached to the side or back of the end of the vehicle's rearview mirror in the longitudinal direction so that an object can be positioned thereon. There is not enough space above the rearview mirror, and the area below the rearview mirror obstructs visibility while driving, but this does not need to be the case at the end of the vehicle's longitudinal direction. The first portion may correspond to, for example, the stay of the embodiment. The second portion may correspond to, for example, the bracket or flexible arm of the embodiment. The mounting portion may correspond to, for example, a ball joint mechanism or a locking protrusion provided on a flat plate into which the object is fitted. Attaching to the rear side may mean that the first portion is fixed to the rearview mirror so that at least a part of the first portion is located on the rear side of the rearview mirror. The first portion may be fixed to the rearview mirror so that the first portion and the rearview mirror are in direct contact with each other, or a tape, a fixture, or other member may be interposed between the first portion and the rearview mirror. The first portion may be fixed to at least the rearview mirror, but in addition to or instead of this, the first portion may be fixed to at least one of the upper and lower surfaces of the rearview mirror.

[0008] (2) It is preferable to have a means for orienting the object in a direction different from the mirror surface of the rearview mirror. In this way, for example, when the object is attached to the rearview mirror using a mounting member, the object can be arranged so as to face a surface different from the mirror surface of the rearview mirror. The means for orienting in a different direction may be configured, for example, so that when the mounting member is attached to the rearview mirror, the object is oriented in the different direction without adjustment by the user, and it is even more preferable if the means for orienting in a different direction is configured, for example, so that the object can be easily oriented in a user-preferred position if the position of the object can be changed. The orientation of the object may be, for example, a direction in which the object is arranged to perform its function, or a direction in which the function of the object can be utilized by the user. Such an orientation of the object may be, for example, the orientation of the lens in the case of a camera, for example, the detection surface of the sensor in the case of a sensor, or for example, the mirror surface in the case of an auxiliary mirror.

[0009] (3) It is preferable to have a position change mechanism for changing the position of the article. In this way, it is possible to change the position of the article and change the direction of the article. The position change mechanism may be realized by, for example, a ball joint mechanism, a structure for bending or twisting a predetermined portion of a metal plate, a flexible arm, or the like.

[0010] (4) The first portion may have a first connection portion and a second connection portion that are connected to different surfaces of the rearview mirror. In this way, by connecting to different surfaces, the connection strength between the mounting member and the rearview mirror is increased. The first connection portion may be connected to, for example, the back surface, and the second connection portion may be connected to, for example, the top surface. The connection refers to a physical connection, and it is preferable that the mounting member and the rearview mirror are in direct contact with each other, but double-sided tape or other members may be interposed between the mounting member and the rearview mirror.

[0011] (5) It is preferable to provide a change mechanism for changing the angle between the second portion and the first portion. In this way, for example, the first portion can be arranged in a direction along the back surface of the rearview mirror, and the second portion can be positioned in a direction different from the back surface of the rearview mirror. For example, the second portion can be positioned parallel to the mirror surface to improve the appearance. The angle can be an angle in any direction, and can include at least one of the azimuth angle and the elevation / depression angle. Alternatively, the angle can include one or both of the front-rear direction and the up-down direction of the vehicle. The change mechanism can be realized, for example, by a configuration for rotating around an axis extending up and down attached to the back surface of the stay, a configuration for bending a metal stay, a flexible arm, or the like.

[0012] (6) A gap is provided between the item and the rearview mirror when viewed from the boarding area, and the second part is visible through the gap, and the vertical length of the second part is configured to be narrower at the part between the rearview mirror and the item when viewed from the boarding area than at the side of the first part. In this way, even if there is a gap between the item and the rearview mirror when viewed from the boarding area and the second part at the back is visible, the visible area can be reduced. The boarding area is an area where people who are boarding the vehicle exist, and may be, for example, a spatial area where seats are installed. The spatial area where seats are installed may be a spatial area where a driver sitting in the driver's seat exists, but may also be a spatial area where people sitting in auxiliary seats or rear seats exist. The view from the boarding area refers to a view from the position of the spatial area where people sitting in these seats exist, but is not limited thereto, and may be the front side of the rearview mirror, the front side of the item, the front side of the second part, or other sides visible to vehicle occupants.

[0013] (7) The first portion and the second portion may be made of different members, and the second portion may be configured to cover at least a portion of the first portion. In this way, at least a portion of the first portion may be hidden by the second portion, making the first portion less visible. In this way, the first portion is preferably hidden. In particular, when the first portion is attached and fixed to a rearview mirror, the attached portion may be partially or entirely hidden.

[0014] (8) The first part and the second part may be made of different members, and at least a part of the second part may be made of a bendable part. In this way, at least one of the posture and the position of the item attached to the second part can be changed by bending the bendable part. The bendable part may be made of, for example, a flexible arm or an arm that combines a link (also called, for example, a bone) and a joint (also called, for example, a joint).

[0015] (9) The first portion includes an upper pressing member and a lower pressing member that can contact the upper and lower surfaces of the rearview mirror, respectively, and a base member to which the upper and lower pressing members are attached, and the upper pressing member and the lower pressing member are configured to be movable toward and away from each other relative to each other, and when they are close to each other, the upper pressing member and the lower pressing member sandwich and hold the rearview mirror between their opposing surfaces, and at least one of the upper pressing member and the lower pressing member is provided with a front pressing member that sandwiches and holds the front and rear of the rearview mirror between the base member and the upper and lower pressing members. In this way, the rearview mirror is sandwiched from the top and bottom and the front and rear, so that the mounting member can be firmly attached to the rearview mirror, and is unlikely to come off even if vibrations are applied during driving or force is applied by accidentally touching it. In an embodiment, the front pressing member may correspond to a guide portion protruding from the lower side of the tip of the upper pressing member.

[0016] (10) The first and second parts may be integrally formed from the same sheet metal. This is preferable because it simplifies the configuration compared to when the first and second parts are not integrally formed. The configuration of integrally forming the first and second parts from the same sheet metal may be, for example, such that the attachment part to the rearview mirror is divided into upper and lower parts and connected at the tip side, or, for example, a narrow part is provided in the second part, and the angle of the attached object, for example the elevation or depression angle of the camera, can be changed by twisting the part, or, for example, the second part does not have a narrow part, and the attachment part at the tip side is a ball joint, and the orientation of the attached object can be changed. In addition, various other configurations can be used.

[0017] (11) A mounting mechanism for mounting a predetermined item on a longitudinal end of a vehicle rearview mirror may include a position changing mechanism for changing the position of the item. In this way, the position of the item can be changed so that it faces in a direction different from the mirror surface of the rearview mirror.

[0018] (12) The mounting member according to any one of (1) to (11) and an article that can be attached to the mounting member may be configured so that at least a part of the article is located on the rear side of the rearview mirror. In this way, if the article is placed next to the rearview mirror, it may interfere with the sun visor and the sun visor may not be usable, but if the article is placed on the back side of the mirror, the sun visor can be used. At least a part of the article may be hidden from the driver's side. The article may be hidden as a whole, or a part of the article. It is particularly preferable to provide an adjustment means for adjusting the position so that the article is not located directly to the side of the rearview mirror. In addition, as a configuration for positioning the article on the rear side of the rearview mirror, it is preferable to provide a mechanism for changing the direction at least in two places in at least one of the first part and the second part. For example, it is preferable to provide slits in two places to make it easier to bend, or to use a flexible arm. It is particularly preferable to provide a mechanism for positioning the second part closer to the rear side (for example, toward the front of the vehicle) than the first part.

[0019] (13) The mounting member according to any one of (1) to (11) and an article that can be attached to the mounting member may be provided, and a first mounting portion may be provided on the rear surface of a case body of the article, the first mounting portion being attached to the mounting member, and a second mounting portion may be provided at a position different from the first mounting portion of the case body, the second mounting portion being attached to another mounting member that is attached to a portion of the vehicle different from the rear-view mirror. In this way, the article can be attached to the rear-view mirror or to a location different from the rear-view mirror. The first mounting portion and the second mounting portion correspond to slide grooves. The position different from the first mounting portion may be, for example, a different surface.

[0020] (14) The first mounting site has a slide groove extending in the left-right direction, and the second mounting site has a slide groove extending in the front-rear direction, and the connection strength between the first mounting site and the first mounting part is preferably weaker than the connection strength between the second mounting site and the second mounting part. In this way, the second mounting site can be firmly fixed, and the first mounting site can be easily attached and detached.

[0021] In an embodiment, the first attachment portion may be provided on the back surface, for example for a rear-view mirror, and the second attachment portion may be provided on the top surface, for example for a windshield.

[0022] (15) The mounting portion is a ball joint, and the ball joint has a ball portion, a socket portion that receives the ball portion, and a nut that is attached to the outer periphery of the socket portion. When the nut is tightened, the ball portion and the socket portion are tightly fitted together, and when the nut is loosened, the ball portion and the socket portion can be separated from each other. The nut and the socket portion may be shared for mounting to the different locations. In this way, the system may take a mode in which an article is mounted on a rearview mirror and a mode in which an article is mounted on a location other than the rearview mirror, depending on, for example, the user's preference, the vehicle situation, etc., and one article is not mounted on the rearview mirror and a location other than the rearview mirror at the same time. For this reason, the above-mentioned different modes can be taken with a small number of parts. When the ball receiver and the nut of the mounting portion are shared, it may be, for example, that the ball receiver and the nut are mounted on at least two different locations of the article.

[0023] (16) The article may be a camera, and the part different from the rearview mirror may be a windshield of the vehicle. In this way, the camera can be attached to either the rearview mirror or the windshield.

[0024] (17) The state of the vehicle occupant may be detected based on the image captured by the camera, and information corresponding to the state of the occupant may be notified. A driver monitoring system (DMS) may be preferably applied. In this way, the state of the user may be detected, and information corresponding to the state of the occupant may be notified. The notification may be performed by the camera, or by another device, an RD detector, such as a radar detector. The state of the occupant may be, for example, the driver looking away while driving, falling asleep, or other states.

[0025] (18) The camera may have a function of capturing an image of the occupant's face or eyes from a position higher than the occupant's eyes. This can prevent malfunction of the DMS caused by capturing an image in a state where sunlight is shining on the occupant's face or eyes.

[0026] (19) An article that can be attached to the attachment member (hereinafter, "first attachment member") described in any one of (1) to (11) may have attachment parts on different surfaces of a case body of the article that connect to second attachment members that are attached to different parts of the vehicle, one of the different surfaces being a back surface, and the attachment part provided on the back surface may be attached to the first attachment member. In this way, the article can be installed in different locations within the vehicle.

[0027] The above-mentioned inventions (1) to (19) can be arbitrarily combined. For example, the invention shown in (1) may be combined with at least a portion of the configuration of at least one of the inventions from (2) onward. In particular, the invention shown in (1) may be combined with at least a portion of the configuration of at least one of the inventions from (2) onward. The applicant intends to obtain patent rights, design rights, etc. for those including these configurations by filing amendments, divisional applications, or applications for conversion to design registration applications. Effect of the Invention

[0028] For example, items can be appropriately placed next to the rearview mirror so as not to get in the way of the driver.

[0029] Furthermore, if the article is a camera that photographs the driver and constitutes a driver monitoring system, for example, if it is installed on the steering column, it may be difficult to see instruments or may be a hindrance to the driver while driving. Furthermore, if the camera is placed on the dashboard or on the steering column, the illuminance difference between day and night is large, which may cause a malfunction. In contrast, if the camera is placed next to the rearview mirror or above the windshield, such a situation does not occur. Furthermore, by using a specified mounting member, the article can be appropriately placed, for example, next to the rearview mirror or above the windshield.

[0030] The effects of the invention of this application are not limited to this, and effects obtained from the configuration disclosed in the specification and drawings, etc. are also disclosed, and the intention is to obtain rights to the configuration that achieves the effects by divisional applications, amendments, etc. For example, in this specification, the phrase "can" is a description that clearly indicates the effect that is achieved, and there are also parts that show the effect even without the phrase "can." Also, there are effects that can be understood from the configuration even without such a description. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0031] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment in which an article is placed next to a rear-view mirror, which is an example of a system according to the present invention. [Diagram 2] (a) is a front view, and (b) is a rear view. [Diagram 3] (a) is a plan view thereof, and (b) is a bottom view thereof. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the state of FIG. 3 with the bracket omitted. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an example of a stay. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an example of a bracket. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 illustrates an example of a camera. [Figure 8] FIG. 4 is a view showing the socket side of the ball joint mechanism. [Figure 9] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a system according to the present invention in which an article is placed on a windshield. [Figure 10] FIG. [Figure 11] FIG. [Figure 12] FIG. [Figure 13] FIG. [Figure 14] FIG. [Figure 15] FIG. [Figure 16] FIG. [Figure 17] FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0032] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. These drawings are used to explain technical features that the present invention can employ. The configurations and shapes of the devices described are merely illustrative examples, and the present invention should not be interpreted as being limited thereto. Various changes, modifications, and improvements can be made based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[0033] [Basic configuration of one embodiment of a mounting member for attaching an item to a rearview mirror] The mounting member according to the present invention is a member for mounting a predetermined article to a predetermined location. An example of a case where the mounting member is used to mount a camera to a rearview mirror will be described below. Figs. 1 to 8 show an embodiment of a system 10 for mounting to a rearview mirror 1 of a vehicle. The vehicle is a four-wheeled automobile with a rearview mirror installed inside the passenger compartment. This system 10 comprises a camera 11, which is one form of an article, and a mounting member 12 for mounting the camera 11 to the rearview mirror 1.

[0034] The rearview mirror 1 comprises a housing 2 that is flat and elongated so as to extend horizontally and has an opening at the front, a mirror 3 that is attached to the opening at the front of the housing 2, and a support member 4 that is connected to the rear side of the housing 2. The other end side of the support member 4 (not shown) is attached to a predetermined position such as the windshield or ceiling of the vehicle, thereby supporting and suspending the rearview mirror 1 at a predetermined position in front of the front side of the vehicle interior.

[0035] The mounting member 12 includes, for example, a stay 13 that is attached to the back surface of the housing 2 of the rearview mirror 1, a bracket 14 that has one end attached to the stay 13 and extends in the longitudinal direction of the rearview mirror 1 from the attachment position of the stay 13, and a mounting portion 15 for the camera 11 that is disposed on the other end in the longitudinal direction of the bracket 14. The bracket 14 may extend, for example, parallel to the longitudinal direction of the rearview mirror 1. Also, the bracket 14 may be arranged to come into contact with at least a part of the back surface 2a of the housing 2 of the rearview mirror 1.

[0036] In this way, the camera 11 is attached to the side of the vehicle's rearview mirror 1, that is, in a state where it is positioned near the outside of one end in the longitudinal direction. One end where the camera 11 is arranged is on the right side when viewed from the passenger area side of the vehicle, and in a right-hand drive vehicle, the camera 11 is arranged on the driver's seat side, shortening the distance from the camera 11 to the driver. This increases the proportion of the driver in the shooting area of ​​the camera 11, making it possible to shoot the driver clearly with high accuracy. In addition, since the camera 11 is attached to the side of the rearview mirror 1, it is possible to shorten the distance between the camera 11 and the driver in the front-rear direction of the vehicle regardless of the type of vehicle, and the effect of increasing the proportion of the driver in the above-mentioned shooting area and being able to shoot the driver clearly with high accuracy is synergistically exhibited. For example, when the camera 11 is attached to the windshield as described later, for example, in a type of vehicle such as a truck in which the windshield is arranged at an angle close to 90 degrees or a large vehicle, the distance between the driver and the camera 11 in the front-rear direction is long. In contrast, when the sensor is disposed to the side of the driver's side of the rearview mirror as in this embodiment, it is closer to the driver than when it is attached to the windshield.

[0037] Furthermore, when mounting the camera 11 on the rearview mirror 1, it is preferable to mount it to the side of the rearview mirror 1, rather than to the top or bottom of the rearview mirror 1 as in the above-described embodiment. For example, there are some vehicle models in which it is not possible to secure sufficient installation space to mount the camera on the top side, and mounting the camera on the bottom side would be noticeable as it protrudes downward from the rearview mirror 1, and there is also a risk of it interfering with the driver's field of vision. In contrast, mounting the camera 11 to the side of the rearview mirror 1, coupled with the fact that the rearview mirror 1 is long and narrow from side to side, allows the mounted camera 11 to be naturally inconspicuous and does not interfere with the driver's field of vision, which is preferable.

[0038] [One form of mounting member] The mounting member of this embodiment is a form in which a first portion attached to the rear of the rearview mirror and a second portion extending from the first portion in the longitudinal direction of the rearview mirror are respectively formed of separate members, a stay 13 and a bracket 14, and are connected to each other. The stay 13 is mainly made of a metal plate, and has a first connection portion 21 that connects to the rear surface 2a of the housing 2 of the rearview mirror 1, a second connection portion 22 that connects to the upper surface 2b of the housing 2, and a narrow connection portion 23 that connects the first connection portion 21 and the second connection portion 22. The first connection portion 21, the second connection portion 22, and the connection portion 23 are made of a single metal plate, and are formed into a desired shape by bending the metal plate at appropriate positions. The first connection portion 21 and the second connection portion 22 are connected to the rearview mirror 1 on the same side of the single metal plate. In this embodiment, the first connecting portion 21 and the second connecting portion 22 are each attached and fixed to a predetermined portion of the housing 2 of the rearview mirror 1 using an adhesive member such as double-sided tape. Attaching and fixing is an example of connecting.

[0039] 5 and other figures, the first connection portion 21 has a generally rectangular outer shape and a relatively large area, while the second connection portion 22 has a narrower rectangular shape and a relatively small area compared to the first connection portion 21. The middle part of the linking portion 23 is curved and the orientation of both ends, i.e., the angle between the connection surface of the first connection portion 21 and the connection surface of the second connection portion 22, is set to be approximately 90 degrees.

[0040] By bending the stay 13 so that the angle is approximately 90 degrees, the connection surface of the first connection portion 21 faces the back surface 2a of the housing 2 of the rearview mirror 1, and the connection surface of the second connection portion 22 faces the top surface 2b of the housing 2. Therefore, by bonding and connecting the stay 13 to the back surface 2a and the top surface 2b, which are examples of different surfaces of the housing 2 of the rearview mirror 1, the connection strength of the stay 13 to the rearview mirror 1 is increased and the stay 13 is resistant to bending moments. For example, as in this embodiment, the weight of the camera 11 connected via the bracket 14 and the position of the camera 11 are located laterally away from the position where the first connection portion 21 is attached to the housing, and the bracket 14 is tilted due to the weight of the main body and the rotational moment, and the stay 13 is biased in a direction in which it peels off. In this way, even if a force is applied to the connection portion between first connection portion 21 and rear surface 2a of housing 2 in the vertical direction or in the direction of rotation within the connection surface, second connection portion 22 which is integrated with first connection portion 21 is bonded and integrated with upper surface 2b of housing 2, and therefore second connection portion 22 resists the force acting in the vertical direction or the rotation direction applied to the connection portion between first connection portion 21 and rear surface 2a of housing 2, preventing first connection portion 21 from peeling off. In this embodiment, the camera is appropriately held in a configuration in which the attachment position of mounting member 12 to rearview mirror 1, i.e., the position of stay 13, is separated from the position of camera 11, which is the main body held by mounting member 12.

[0041] Furthermore, as in the modified example described later, the first connection part connected to the rearview mirror may be held by, for example, clamping it from above and below the rearview mirror. However, according to this embodiment, compared to clamping it from above and below, the parts and areas protruding and exposed above and below the housing 2 can be made smaller, resulting in a less conspicuous and visually pleasing form.

[0042] The first connection part 21 has narrow holes 21a arranged in a lattice pattern, and the first connection part 21 can be easily folded partially along the holes 21a. The holes 21a extending in the vertical or horizontal direction overlap at the intersections of the lattice pattern to form cross-shaped holes 21a. Furthermore, the horizontally extending holes 21a are made long and open directly or through the vertically extending holes 21a to the periphery of the first connection part 21. As a result, the first connection part 21 is divided into a plurality of small pieces 21b, and each small piece 21b can be folded at an angle different from the others. Therefore, the first connection part 21 is processed into a shape that follows the curved back surface 2a of the housing 2, and the contact area with the housing 2 at the connection surface can be increased, and the adhesive strength can be increased.

[0043] The vertical direction of the first connection part 21 in this embodiment is, for example, a direction connected to the second connection part 22 or a direction parallel to the extending direction of the linking part 23, and may be, for example, a direction along the up-down direction of the rearview mirror 1 when the first connection part 21 is attached to the back surface 2a of the housing 2 of the rearview mirror 1. The horizontal direction of the first connection part 21 in this embodiment is, for example, a direction along the left-right direction of the rearview mirror 1 when the first connection part 21 is attached to the back surface 2a of the housing 2 of the rearview mirror 1.

[0044] The second connection part 22 has narrow holes 22a in a lattice pattern, which makes it easy to partially fold the first connection part 21 along the holes 22a. The second connection part 22 is bonded to the upper surface 2b of the housing 2 of the narrow rearview mirror 1, and each hole 22a is made short, which is also due to the narrow width of the upper surface 2b of the housing 2. In this way, a pattern in which the hole 22a on the center line extending in the longitudinal direction is used as a reference according to the shape of the upper surface 2b of the housing 2, and a pattern in which the hole 22a extending in the lateral direction perpendicular to the center line is used as a reference can be taken. In particular, in the latter case of the pattern in which the hole 22a extending in the lateral direction is used as a reference, it is preferable because a large contact area can be obtained even if the upper surface 2b of the housing 2 is curved downward toward the end.

[0045] The housing 2 of the rearview mirror 1 is generally curved more on the back surface 2a than on the top surface 2b, and is often curved three-dimensionally. Also, since the depth of the top surface 2b in the front-to-rear direction is short, the area of ​​the back surface 2a in a section of the same length in the longitudinal direction is larger. Therefore, as in this embodiment, a cut is made in the first connecting portion 21 so that it can be bent in units of small pieces 21b at small locations, making it possible to accommodate curved surfaces. On the other hand, the top surface 2b of the housing 2 is often curved in the left-right direction but not so much in the front-to-rear direction, so the second connecting portion 22 does not have a large cut, which is characterized by increasing the rigidity and strength of the entire body.

[0046] The narrow width of the connecting portion 23 makes it less noticeable and does not obstruct the field of vision. Also, the narrow width makes it easier to bend, for example, to fit the surface shape of the rear surface 2a to the upper surface 2b of the housing 2 of the rearview mirror 1.

[0047] Also, the connecting portion 23 is, for example, an elongated strip extending from the first connecting portion 21 to the second connecting portion 22, and the lengths of the left and right side edges of the connecting portion 23 may be different. By making the lengths different in this way, for example, when the angle between the connecting surface of the first connecting portion 21 and the connecting surface of the second connecting portion 22 is set to approximately 90 degrees as described above, and when the connecting surface of the first connecting portion 21 is positioned in a vertical plane and the connecting surface of the second connecting portion 22 is positioned in a horizontal plane, the long side of the second connecting portion 22 and the connecting surface of the first connecting portion 21, i.e., the upper edge, become non-parallel in a plan view seen from above the rearview mirror 1, as shown in, for example, FIG. This is advantageous in cases where, for example, the depth of the housing 2 of the rearview mirror 1 gradually becomes shorter from the center in the longitudinal direction toward the end, and the rear surface 2a is inclined when viewed in a plane, but the surface of the rear surface 2a itself has a small curvature and is flat, because it is possible to ensure a large contact area with the rear surface 2a of the housing 2 without significantly bending the connection surface of the first connection portion 21.

[0048] The rear side opposite to the connection surface of the first connection part 21 is provided with a connection part 30 with the bracket 14. This connection part 30 connects one end of the bracket 14 in the longitudinal direction so as to be rotatable forward and backward within a predetermined angle range, and is configured so that the angle between the first connection part 21 and the bracket 14 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle can be changed. In this way, as shown in FIG. 3, for example, the depth of the housing 2 of the rearview mirror 1 gradually decreases from the center to the end in the longitudinal direction, and the bracket 14 can be positioned in a direction different from the rearview mirror 1 rearview mirror 2a in a state where the first connection part 21 is arranged in a direction along the rearview mirror 2a. As a result, for example, the adhesive area of ​​the first connection part 21 with respect to the housing 2 is widened to maintain the desired adhesive strength and connection strength, while the bracket 14 can be positioned parallel to the surface of the mirror 3 to improve the appearance.

[0049] The connecting portion 30 has a first protrusion 24 and a second protrusion 25 formed by bending the first connecting portion 21 made of a metal plate toward the rear side at a predetermined position at a predetermined distance in the vertical direction, and a support shaft 28 attached so as to pass through through holes provided in the first protrusion 24 and the second protrusion 25. The second protrusion 25 is located on the second connecting portion 22 and the linking portion 23 side. The support shaft 28 may be, for example, a hexagonal socket bolt, and in this embodiment, the bolt is inserted from the first protrusion 24 side, and the head 28a of the bolt is located on the outer surface side of the first protrusion 24, and the threaded portion of the bolt is located on the second protrusion 25 side. A fixing member 26 is attached to the inner surface of the second protrusion 25, i.e., the surface facing the first protrusion 24. The fixing member 26 has a predetermined thickness, and is provided with a female thread at a position corresponding to the through hole of the second protrusion 25, so as to mesh with the male thread of the bolt constituting the support shaft 28. The fixing member 26 has a disk-shaped protrusion 26a on a surface not in contact with the second protrusion 25, and the protrusion 26a has a first locking portion 26b on a surface facing the first protrusion 24, in which concaves and convexes are alternately formed in the circumferential direction. As described above, the support shaft 28 made of a bolt is inserted from the first protrusion 24 side, and its tip side is inserted into the through hole of the second protrusion 25, and the male thread of the bolt is fitted into the female thread provided on the fixing member 26. The first protrusion 24 and the second protrusion 25 are formed by bending a metal plate, and therefore have flexibility. Therefore, for example, when the bolt is tightened with the male and female threads engaged with each other, the distance between the opposing surfaces of the first protrusion 24 and the second protrusion 25 is narrowed, and when the bolt is loosened, the distance between the opposing surfaces of the first protrusion 24 and the second protrusion 25 is widened.

[0050] The bracket 14 is made of synthetic resin. As shown in Fig. 6 etc., the bracket 14 has a flat, elongated, roughly rectangular bracket body 31. A large number of small recesses are formed in a matrix pattern at predetermined positions on the front and rear surfaces of the bracket body 31 to reduce the thickness and to form ribs between adjacent recesses to ensure strength. Furthermore, in this embodiment, one of the front and rear surfaces, the other surface opposite the area where the recesses and ribs are formed, is formed as a flat surface.

[0051] On the front side of the bracket body 31, a connecting portion 32 is provided at one end in the longitudinal direction for rotatably connecting to the connecting portion 30 of the stay 13, and an attachment portion 15 for attaching the camera 11 is located at the other end.

[0052] The connecting part 32 is made of a cylindrical body that is open at the top and bottom, and the inner diameter of the through hole 32a is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the support shaft 28. The axial length of the connecting part 32 is made approximately equal to or slightly shorter than the distance between the opposing surfaces of the first protrusion 24 and the fixing member 26. As a result, when the support shaft 28 is removed, the cylindrical connecting part 32 is stored and arranged in the space formed between the first protrusion 24 and the fixing member 26. Then, in this state, the bolt that constitutes the support shaft 28 is inserted so as to penetrate through the through holes provided in the first protrusion 24, the fixing member 26, and the second protrusion 25, and the male thread of the bolt is fastened to the female thread of the fixing member 26, whereby the connecting part 32 is prevented from coming off the support shaft 28, the bracket 14 is connected to the stay 13, and the bracket 14 is configured to rotate forward and backward within a predetermined angle range around the support shaft 28 as the rotation center in this state.

[0053] The upper surface of the connecting portion 32 is provided with a second locking portion 32b in which concaves and convexes are alternately formed in the circumferential direction around the through hole 32a, similar to the first locking portion 26b provided on the fixing member 26. The first locking portion 26b and the second locking portion 32b have matching concave and convex shapes, and rotation is suppressed when the concaves and convexities fit together. When the bolt constituting the support shaft 28 is loosened and the distance between the first protrusion 24 and the fixing member 26 is long, the first locking portion 26b and the second locking portion 32b do not fit together or are weakly fitted together, allowing the bracket main body 31 to rotate, and when the bolt is tightened and the distance between the first protrusion 24 and the fixing member 26 is short, the first locking portion 26b and the second locking portion 32b fit together and rotation is suppressed. This allows the bracket main body 31 to be fixed at a desired angle position, for example, parallel to the mirror surface of the rearview mirror 1.

[0054] The short side of the bracket body 31 faces the up-down direction when attached, and the long side faces the left-right direction when attached. The short side length of the bracket body 31 is configured such that one end side, which is the side attached to the rearview mirror 1 and connected to the stay 13, is wide, and the other end side, which is the side to which the camera 11 is attached, is narrow. The short side length of the side attached to the rearview mirror 1 that is made wider is equal to or longer than the vertical length of the first connecting portion 21 of the stay 13. When the bracket 14 is connected to the stay 13, the bracket 14 overlaps the first connecting portion 21 of the stay 13, and is configured to cover it when viewed from the front side of the vehicle.

[0055] In this way, when the rear of the rearview mirror 1 or the mounting member 12 is viewed from outside the vehicle through the windshield, the first connection part 21 of the stay attached using double-sided tape is not visible or is mostly hidden, which is preferable for its appearance. The fact that the first connection part 21 of the stay 13 is attached can be hidden or made difficult to notice. In addition, in the area of ​​the bracket body 31 facing the first connection part 21, the rear side is formed into a flat surface. In this way, when the rearview mirror 1 or the mounting member 12 is viewed from the front outside of the vehicle, the first connection part 21 of the stay 13 is covered like, for example, a flat-surfaced plate material, which blends in with the rear surface 2a of the housing 2 of the rearview mirror 1 and does not feel out of place.

[0056] In this embodiment, a ball joint mechanism is used for the mounting portion 15 for mounting the camera 11 provided on the other end side of the bracket main body 31. By using the ball joint mechanism, the orientation of the camera 11 and the angle of view and viewing angle of the shooting area of ​​the camera 11 can be directed in any direction. The orientation of the camera 11 may be, for example, the orientation of the lens 40 provided in the camera 11. As described later, the lens 40 is disposed on the front surface 41a of the case main body 41 of the camera 11, and the orientation of the front surface 41a and the orientation of the lens 40 are made equal, so that the orientation of the camera 11 can be adjusted by adjusting the orientation of the front surface 41a of the case main body 41.

[0057] When the camera 11, which is an object, is attached to the rearview mirror 1 using this mounting member 12, the camera 11 can be positioned so that it faces in a direction different from the surface facing the mirror 3 of the rearview mirror 1, the front side of the mirror surface, and the direction perpendicular to the mirror surface. In this way, it is possible to effectively and accurately capture images in a direction different from the direction of the mirror 3.

[0058] The mirror surface of the rearview mirror 1 can be set to face the camera 11 in a direction different from directly behind the vehicle, for example, when the mirror surface is set to face directly behind the vehicle. The direction of the shooting area and viewing angle of the camera 11 can be set to face a direction different from directly behind. The different direction can be, for example, tilted horizontally based on the space and floor surface inside the vehicle, tilted up and down, or a combination of these, and in particular, tilted diagonally downward and diagonally sideways, and facing in a direction that includes the driver's seat and the driver in the shooting area. In this way, the rearview mirror 1 can beautifully shoot the driver when set to reflect the rear of the vehicle, for example, directly behind.

[0059] As described above, the bracket body 31 is configured to be rotatable in both directions within a predetermined angle range with the support shaft 28 as the rotation center, and it is preferable to adopt a posture in which the bracket body 31 is disposed parallel to the mirror 3 of the rearview mirror 1. In this way, the reference surface of the camera 11, which changes its posture and orientation by the ball joint mechanism, is parallel to the mirror 3. In other words, for example, if the bracket body 31 and the case body of the camera 11 are made parallel, the orientation of the camera 11 can be changed based on the posture in which the front surface 41a of the case body 41 of the camera 11 and the mirror are disposed parallel to each other, and for example, the orientation of the camera 11 can be easily changed from the above-mentioned reference position to face the driver. On the other hand, for example, if the bracket body 31 is configured not to rotate as in this embodiment and is disposed parallel to the inclination angle of the back surface of the rearview mirror 1, the mounting surface of the camera will also be parallel to the inclination angle, and in the reference posture in which the camera is disposed parallel to the mounting surface, the camera will face the center of the vehicle on the opposite side to the driver. Therefore, in order to photograph the driver, it is necessary to change the posture at a larger angle from the reference posture, which is not preferable. For example, there is a risk of a situation in which the variable angle range of a ball joint or the like is not sufficient to handle the situation. The greater the inclination of the rear of the rearview mirror, the more pronounced the above problem becomes. However, if the bracket body 31 is configured to be rotatable as in this embodiment, such a problem does not occur.

[0060] In this embodiment, the relative positions of bracket 14 and the members connected thereto are displaceable at two points, mounting portion 15 of the ball joint mechanism and support shaft 28. This widens the movable range of the direction of the angle of view of camera 11. By rotating bracket body 31 around support shaft 28, the position of camera 11 in the front-rear direction can be adjusted and bracket body 31 can be made parallel to the mirror surface of the windshield and / or the rearview mirror.

[0061] Since the mounting portion 15 uses a posture change mechanism for changing the posture of an article such as a ball joint mechanism, in order to secure a space for changing the posture of the case body 41 of the camera 11, which is an article, a gap is formed between the rearview mirror 1 and the camera 11 when viewed from the front side of the rearview mirror 1, which is an example of a riding area, as shown in the front view of FIG. 2, for example. In order to change the orientation of the camera 11, it is preferable to secure a gap of, for example, 5 mm or more. The bracket 14 at the back side is configured to be visible through the gap. In this embodiment, the length of the short side of the bracket body 31 is configured so that the other end side, which is the mounting side of the camera 11, is narrow, and the narrow area is configured to include the above-mentioned gap. In this way, for example, when viewed from the front side of the rearview mirror 1, the area of ​​the bracket body 31 visible through the gap can be reduced, and the presence of the bracket 14 can be eliminated or reduced, which is preferable.

[0062] The rear surface of bracket body 31 is positioned on approximately the same plane except for the area of ​​the small recessed portion described above, and the thickness in the front-to-rear direction is configured to be thinner on the other end side where camera 11 is attached. Then, mounting part 15 is provided in this thinner part. As a result, a predetermined space is formed between the surface of bracket body 31 facing camera 11 and rear surface 41b of case body 41 of camera 11, and it becomes possible to easily operate mounting part 15, for example, by inserting a finger into that space.

[0063] A ball stud 33 constituting the ball joint mechanism of the mounting part 15 is integrally formed on the other end side of the bracket body 31. A socket part 34 constituting the ball joint mechanism is formed as a separate member. The socket part 34 is integrally formed with a plate-shaped base member 35 for mounting on the camera 11, for example, as shown in FIG. 8. The socket part 34 has notches 34a extending from the tip side toward the base member 35 at 90 degree intervals in the circumferential direction, and the small pieces between the adjacent notches 34a are flexible. A male screw part 34b is provided on the outer periphery of the socket part 34, and a nut 36 that fits with the male screw part 34b is mounted on the outer periphery of the socket part 34. As a result, before the nut 36 is tightened with the ball part of the ball stud 33 mounted in the socket part 34, the socket part 34 rotates in a desired direction along the circumferential surface of the ball part, allowing the attitude and position of the base member 35 to be changed, and when the nut 36 is loosened, the angular position is fixed.

[0064] The base member 35 has guide rail portions 35a that protrude outward from a pair of opposite sides. Two cutouts are provided parallel to one another from one side of the pair of opposite sides where the guide rail portions 35a are not yet formed, and a flexible claw portion 35b is formed between the two cutouts. The claw portion 35b is connected to the other side and is configured in a cantilevered manner with a tip portion 35c side being free, and has a locking protrusion 35d on its bottom side.

[0065] Furthermore, in this embodiment, by loosening the nut 36 or, if necessary, removing it from the socket portion 34, the socket portion 34 can be detached from the ball portion of the ball stud 33, making it possible to separate the socket portion 34 and the ball stud 33.

[0066] [camera] The camera 11 includes a substantially rectangular case body 41, and the lens 40 is arranged so as to be exposed on the front surface 41a of the case body 41, and the optical axis of the lens 40 is configured to be perpendicular to the front surface 41a. As a result, the direction directly facing the direction of the front surface 41a becomes the center of the angle of view of the camera 11. In addition, the case body 41 includes devices for realizing the camera function, such as an optical system for photographing and electronic components. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the camera 11 constitutes part of the function of a driver monitoring system (DMS). The DMS is a system that detects the state of the driver, etc., who is a passenger of the vehicle, based on an image captured by the camera 11, and notifies information according to the state of the driver, etc., and in this embodiment, the function of the DMS is also implemented in the case body 41. For example, the camera 11 includes a control unit that detects the state of the driver, etc., based on an image captured by the camera 11, and a speaker, etc., as a device for notifying information according to the detected state of the driver, etc. In this embodiment, the DMS is realized as a separate device of the camera 11. The speaker is disposed on the rear side of a hole 41c provided in the rear surface 41b of the case body 41, and a warning sound for the DMS and the like are outputted from the hole 41c to the outside.

[0067] The camera 11 has a first mounting portion 42 on the back surface 41b of the case body 41, to which the mounting portion 15 of the mounting member 12 to be attached to the rearview mirror is attached. The first mounting portion 42 has a slide groove 42a that extends laterally and has one end that opens to a side edge. The base member 35 is inserted into the slide groove 42a. A pair of inner surfaces of the slide groove 42a have guide groove portions 42b that match with the guide rail portions 35a of the base member 35, and the base member 35 moves in the slide groove 42a with the guide rail portions 35a and guide groove portions 42b matched.

[0068] Furthermore, slide groove 42a extends from one side edge of case body 41 toward the center, and has first locking recess 42c on the bottom surface near the center. This first locking recess 42c matches with locking protrusion 35d provided on claw piece portion 35b of base member 35. Furthermore, on the bottom surface of slide groove 42a, shallow recessed groove 42d is formed from the opening side edge toward first locking recess 42c, and a partition wall 42e is formed between recessed groove 42d and first locking recess 42c.

[0069] On the other hand, the claw piece portion 35b of the base member 35 is supported at one end and can be elastically deformed around the supported connection portion. Therefore, the base member 35 is inserted from the opening portion of the slide groove 42a and moves toward the center along the concave groove 42d of the slide groove 42a. Then, when the base member 35 is pushed further in with the first locking recess 42c in contact with the partition wall 42e, the claw piece portion 35b elastically deforms and the first locking recess 42c overcomes the partition wall 42e, and the locking protrusion 35d fits into the first locking recess 42c. Then, the engagement between the locking protrusion 35d and the first locking recess 42c prevents the base member 35 from moving laterally along the slide groove 42a.

[0070] In this embodiment, the angle of the first locking recess 42c is adjusted to weaken the engagement force with the locking protrusion 35d. As a result, the locking protrusion 35d and the first locking recess 42c are usually fixed in an engaged state, but when a certain amount of force is applied, the engagement between the locking protrusion 35d and the first locking recess 42c is released, and the base member 35 moves over the partition wall 42e to the recessed groove 42d side. Thereafter, the claw piece 35b becomes movable along the recessed groove 41d, and the base member 35 can be removed from the slide groove 42a, and the camera 11 can be detached from the attachment part 15.

[0071] Furthermore, in this embodiment, case body 41 has second attachment portion 44 at a portion different from rear surface 41b, which is attached to another second attachment member 50 that is attached to a portion different from the vehicle's rearview mirror 1. In this manner, camera 11 can be attached to the rearview mirror 1 or to a location different from the rearview mirror 1.

[0072] In this embodiment, the different portion may be, for example, the upper surface 41e of the case body 41, and the different portion may be, for example, the windshield. The second mounting portion 44 has a slide groove 44a that extends in the front-rear direction and has one end that opens to the rear edge side. The base member 35 is inserted into the slide groove 44a. A pair of inner surfaces of the slide groove 44a have guide groove portions 44b that match with the guide rail portions 35a of the base member 35, and the base member 35 moves in the slide groove 44a with the guide rail portions 35a and the guide groove portions 44b matched with each other.

[0073] Furthermore, the slide groove 44a has a second locking recess 44c on the bottom surface on the front opening side. This second locking recess 44c matches with the locking protrusion 35d provided on the claw piece 35b of the base member 35. That is, the claw piece 35b is supported as a cantilever and can be elastically deformed around the supported connection part. Therefore, when the base member 35 is inserted from the opening part of the slide groove 44a, the tip part 35c of the claw piece 35b is raised from the back surface of the slide groove 44a. Then, when the base member 35 is advanced to the back, the locking protrusion 35d matches with the second locking recess 44c, and the claw piece 35b is displaced along the back surface of the slide groove 44a by the elastic force. As a result, the engagement between the locking protrusion 35d and the second locking recess 44c prevents the base member 35 from moving laterally along the slide groove 44a.

[0074] In this embodiment, the angle of the second locking recess 44c is adjusted to strengthen the engagement force with the locking protrusion 35d. This is different from the case where the base member 35 is attached to the first mounting portion 42, and is characterized in that the second locking recess 44c and the locking protrusion 35d are not disengaged even when a force is applied in the sliding direction along the slide groove 44a. To disengage the second locking recess 44c and the locking protrusion 35d, the tip 35c of the claw piece 35b is lifted upward. In this way, the base member 35 can be firmly fixed when attached to the windshield.

[0075] Vehicles basically move up and down, and also in the front-rear direction, but rarely in the left-right direction. In addition, since the slide groove for the windshield is formed to extend in the front-rear direction on the upper surface, even if it is long, it is shorter than the thickness of the main body, so it will come off and fall if it moves a little. Therefore, in this embodiment, the joining force between the second locking recess 44c and the locking protrusion 35d is made strong so that it will not be released even if it is pressed in the sliding direction. On the other hand, a weaker joining is sufficient for the rearview mirror, which is rarely subjected to a large force in the left-right direction during normal driving and hardly generates a force in the direction of coming off. In addition, since the slide groove 42a for the windshield is formed to extend in the lateral direction on the back surface 41b of the camera 11, it can be made longer than the slide groove 44a for the windshield, so it will not come off even if it moves a little. Therefore, the rearview mirror side does not need to be very strong, and since it is difficult to lift the tip portion 35c of the claw piece portion 35b by hand, a similar joining structure but a different removal method is used in consideration of ease of removal. In other words, the strength of the fit is changed depending on the direction of removal and the other party to which it is attached, and the removal method is changed.

[0076] [Mounting parts for attaching windshield] The second mounting member 50 for mounting the camera 11 to the windshield or the like uses a ball joint mechanism similar to that for the rearview mirror. That is, it has a flat base portion 51 having an attachment surface to be attached to the windshield, a pair of ball studs 52 formed to stand from the base portion 51, a socket portion 34 to which the ball portion of the ball stud 52 is attached, a nut 36 detachably attached around the socket portion 34, and a base member 35 formed to pair with the socket portion 34. The base portion 51 is formed so as to be inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the support of the ball stud 52. An adhesive member such as double-sided adhesive tape is attached to the base portion 51, and the base portion 51 is attached and fixed to the windshield or the like via the adhesive member.

[0077] The nut and socket are the same as those attached to the rearview mirror. In other words, this system can be used to attach an item to the rearview mirror or to a location other than the rearview mirror depending on the user's preference, the vehicle's condition, etc., but an item is never attached to both the rearview mirror and a location other than the rearview mirror at the same time. Because of this, the above different configurations can be used with a small number of parts.

[0078] [Embodiment regarding mounting position of camera 11] In the above-mentioned embodiment, the camera 11 is fixed to the rearview mirror 1 or the windshield using a predetermined fixing member. When affixed to the windshield, it is preferable to place it near the ceiling or other high position, similar to the rearview mirror 1. Regardless of the specific mounting structure, the camera is preferable to be configured to capture an image of the face or eyes of the driver or other passenger from a position higher than the eyes of the driver or other passenger.

[0079] For example, when measuring the illuminance at each location in the vehicle during the day and at night on a clear day, the difference in illuminance is large on the dashboard, followed by the difference in illuminance on the steering column. On the other hand, the difference in illuminance between day and night is small in the upper space in the vehicle interior, beside the rearview mirror 1 and in the upper area of ​​the windshield, and the difference in illuminance is particularly small beside the rearview mirror, which is located a little further back in the vehicle. If the difference in illuminance is large, for example, the accuracy of the DMS that monitors the state of the driver, etc. based on images taken by a camera may decrease. Therefore, as in this embodiment, it is recommended to place the sensor in a place where it is difficult to be exposed to sunlight, such as the rearview mirror 1 or above the windshield. Also, if the sensor is placed beside the rearview mirror 1 or above the windshield, it is preferable because it does not interfere with the driver's view while driving and has a neat appearance.

[0080] [Fixed by clamping to the mirror + flexible arm] Fig. 10 shows another embodiment of the mounting structure. In this embodiment, the first portion connected to the rearview mirror 1 has a structure for clamping and fixing the housing 2 of the rearview mirror 1, and the second portion is configured with a flexible member.

[0081] The first portion includes an upper pressing member 55 and a lower pressing member 56 that can contact the upper and lower surfaces of the housing 2, respectively, and a flat support member 57 to which the upper pressing member 55 and the lower pressing member 56 are attached. The upper pressing member 55 and the lower pressing member 56 are configured to be movable toward and away from each other, and when they are close to each other, the housing 2 of the rearview mirror 1 is sandwiched and held between the opposing surfaces of the upper pressing member 55 and the lower pressing member 56 from above and below. As an example of a configuration for implementing this function, in this embodiment, one end side of the upper surface of the lower pressing member 56 is opposed to the lower surface of the upright support member 57. A first fixing screw 60 is inserted from the lower surface side into the center of the width direction of the lower pressing member 56, and the threaded portion at the tip of the first fixing screw 60 is inserted into a screw hole provided in the support member 57. As a result, by rotating the first fixing screw 60 forward or backward, the lower holding member 56 moves up and down, and its position is determined when the rotation of the first fixing screw 60 is stopped. Furthermore, guide pins 59 are arranged upright on both the left and right sides in the width direction of the upper surface of the lower holding member 56, and the guide pins 59 are inserted into guide holes provided in the support member 57. This stably guides the up and down movement accompanying the operation of the first fixing screw 60 described above. As the lower holding member 56 moves up and down, the distance between the lower holding member 56 and the upper holding member 55 changes, and the housing 2 of the rearview mirror 1 is held between the opposing surfaces so as not to come off.

[0082] The upper holding member 55 has a guide portion 58 that is flat and has a tip that hangs down, and the end surface opposite to the guide portion 58 is disposed opposite the upper end of the front surface of the support member 57. A second fixing screw 61 is inserted from the rear surface side into the center of the width direction of the area of ​​the support member 57 that faces the upper holding member 55, and the threaded portion of the tip of the second fixing screw 61 is inserted into a screw hole provided in the upper holding member 55. As a result, the upper holding member 55 moves forward and backward by rotating the second fixing screw 61 forward and backward, and its position is determined when the rotation of the second fixing screw 61 is stopped. Furthermore, guide pins 62 are disposed on both the left and right sides of the front surface of the support member 57 in the width direction, and the guide pins 62 are inserted into guide holes provided in the upper holding member 55. As a result, the forward and backward movement of the upper holding member 55 accompanying the operation of the second fixing screw 61 described above is stably guided. As the upper holding member 55 moves up and down, the distance between the guide portion 58 of the upper holding member 55 and the front surface of the support member 57 changes, and the front and rear of the housing 2 of the rear-view mirror 1 are sandwiched between the opposing surfaces, thereby holding it in place so that it does not come off.

[0083] In this way, the mounting member can be securely attached to the rearview mirror 1 by clamping it from above and below and from the front and back, and will not come off even if it is subjected to vibrations while driving or if it is accidentally touched and subjected to force. It can be attached regardless of the shape of the rearview mirror. In this embodiment, the second portion extending from the first portion in the longitudinal direction of the rearview mirror 1 is formed by a rod-shaped arm member 65. The arm member 65 is bent near both ends so that they face the same direction. A connecting portion 66 provided at one end of the arm member 65 is connected to the rear surface of the support member 57. The other end of the arm member 65 is provided with an attachment portion 15 for attaching a camera, which is an article. A member having a structure similar to that of the base member 35 connected to the socket portion 34 of the ball joint mechanism in the above-mentioned embodiment is attached to the tip of the attachment portion 15. As a result, the camera can be arranged next to the rearview mirror 1 by inserting the base member 35 into the slide groove 42a provided on the back surface of the camera 11.

[0084] In this embodiment, at least a part of the arm member 65 is configured with a bendable member, for example, a flexible arm. As a result, the flexible arm portion can be bent in any direction, and the attitude and orientation of the camera 11 attached to the attachment portion 15 can be changed. Furthermore, since the flexible arm can be bent in any direction, the position of the camera 11 in three-dimensional space can also be changed. The flexible arm is an arm having flexibility, but it is also possible to adopt an arm that combines a link (also called, for example, a bone) and a joint (also called, for example, a joint). A configuration using a flexible arm is more preferable because it can be bent in any direction at any location, and the degree of freedom of the placement position and the attitude and orientation of the camera 11 is increased.

[0085] In this embodiment, as in the above-mentioned embodiment, the camera is attached to the side of the rearview mirror 1 and can be placed at the same height as the driver's eye level or higher. Furthermore, the camera can be placed at a position of the driver's choice by using a flexible arm.

[0086] The flexible arm may be the entire arm member 65, but for example, a fixed, inflexible part may be used for a sharply bent part such as a curved part, and for example, the straight part shown in the figure may be made into a flexible arm. It is not preferable to bend at a sharp angle or curvature, and using a fixed part is better because it allows for a more accurate bending angle.

[0087] Meanwhile, in the above embodiment, the other end of the arm member 65 on which the camera is attached is bent 90 degrees to face forward, and camera attachment section 15 is provided in that state, but, for example, attachment section 15 may be provided at the tip of arm member 65 that is left in a straight line shape. That is, even if the arm is initially straight and camera 11 faces straight to the side when the camera is attached to attachment section 15 in that state due to a flexible arm or the like, camera 11 can be oriented in an appropriate direction by appropriately bending the flexible arm or the like.

[0088] In the embodiment described above, the upper holding member 55 and the lower holding member 56 are positioned using fixing screws, respectively, and the rearview mirror 1 is clamped and fixed thereto. However, either one or both of them may be configured to be clamped using the elastic restoring force of a spring or the like, but using fixing screws is preferable because it allows for more secure fixing.

[0089] In addition, in this embodiment, the first part has a structure in which the housing 2 of the rearview mirror 1 is sandwiched and fixed, and the second part is configured to have a flexible member, for example a flexible arm, but both configurations do not need to be implemented at the same time, and one of them may be combined with the embodiment described above or the embodiment shown below.

[0090] [Metal plate type] In the various embodiments described above, the first and second sections are configured as separate members, but they may be configured as one body formed from the same metal plate, for example. Such a configuration is advantageous because it is easy to realize.

[0091] *First form FIG. 11 shows the first form integrally formed from the same sheet metal. In this first form, the first portion 71 to be attached to the rearview mirror is configured by connecting a first plate portion 71a and a second plate portion 71b, which are separated into upper and lower portions, at one end. The first plate portion 71a is formed with cut lines 71c from above and below at an appropriate position in the longitudinal direction, making it easy to bend at the cut lines 71c. In this form, the first plate portion 71a and the second plate portion 71b, which are separated into upper and lower portions, are connected at one point at one end and arranged to extend in the longitudinal direction, so that the upper and lower sides can be bent at different angles. Therefore, for example, if the curved shape of the back surface of the rearview mirror is different between the upper and lower attachment portions, they can be attached along the curved surface by appropriately bending each of them, thereby increasing the connection strength.

[0092] A second portion 72 extending from the first portion 71 in the longitudinal direction of the rearview mirror is provided on the other end side of the second plate portion 71b. The second portion 72 is provided with an attachment portion 73 for fixing the camera 11 on its tip side. This attachment portion 73 has a structure in which, for example, an insertion portion is provided by appropriately cutting a portion of the sheet metal of the second portion 72, and the insertion portion is inserted and fixed into a groove formed on the back surface of the case body of the camera 11. In this manner, the first portion 71, the second portion 72, and the attachment portion 73 can be formed from a single sheet metal with a simple structure.

[0093] In addition, a narrow narrow portion 74 is provided by cutting from above and below on the side opposite to the side where the mounting portion 73 is provided in the comparatively wide plate portion of the second plate portion 71b. When the camera 11 is attached to the mounting portion 73, the case body of the camera 11 is set so as not to overlap the narrow portion 74. As a result, for example, by bending the narrow portion 74 in the front-rear direction, even if the second plate portion 71b is curved along the back surface of the rearview mirror 1 or tilted at a predetermined angle, the surface of the second portion 72 can be directed in a direction different from that of the second plate portion 71b, and thus the camera 11 can be directed, for example, toward the driver. In addition, by shortening the length of the narrow portion 74 from above to below, for example, it is possible to twist the narrow portion 74 as the center and tilt the surface of the second portion 72 and thus the direction of the camera 11 diagonally downward. By appropriately combining such bending in the front-rear direction and twisting in the up-down direction, the shooting area of ​​the camera 11 can be set to a desired location while adopting a simple configuration. The first plate portion 71a and the second plate portion 71b can be bent at different bending angles and in different directions, so that the camera can be pointed in a direction different from the mounting surface to the rearview mirror 1.

[0094] If it were a single flat plate, the camera would be oriented inward, following the angle of the rear of the rearview mirror. For example, by bending the constricted portion 74 back and forth as described above, the orientation of the camera 11 can be set to the desired direction. In this case, if the inclination angle of the rear of the rearview mirror 1 is steep, adjusting the orientation of the camera using only the constricted portion 74 would result in the constricted portion 74 being bent significantly, which is not preferable. In such a case, it is preferable to not attach part or all of the second plate portion 71b to the rearview mirror 1, but to bend it in an appropriate direction, thereby reducing the bending angle of the constricted portion 74.

[0095] Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the first plate portion 71a and the second plate portion 71b are divided into upper and lower portions, for example, the lower first plate portion 71a can be bent along the shape of the back surface of the rearview mirror 1 and glued as a whole, while the upper second plate portion 71b can be made flat and straight without being bent. In this case, part or all of the second plate portion 71b does not contribute to the fixing, and is made parallel to the surface of the mirror, for example. In this way, part or all of the second plate portion 71b can perform the same function as the second portion. Therefore, for example, the angle can be adjusted independently with the upper second plate portion 71b, and the lower first plate portion 71a can be firmly glued and fixed to fit along the back surface of the rearview mirror, so that both strong fixation and the ability to point the camera in any direction can be achieved. In this form, it can be installed at the same height as the eye level, similar to the form shown in Figure 10. In addition, it is easy to install, has a small number of parts, and reduces the initial investment and costs. In addition, it is not dependent on the thickness or height of the rearview mirror.

[0096] As described above, the orientation of camera 11 is adjusted by bending constricted portion 74 and second plate portion 71b, but if the angle adjustment range is insufficient, it is advisable to combine it with a ball joint mechanism or the like.

[0097] *Second form 12 shows the second embodiment, which is integrally formed from the same sheet metal. In this embodiment, the shape of the first portion 75 for attaching and fixing to the rearview mirror 1 is changed so that the notches are arranged in various directions compared to the first embodiment. In this embodiment, the notches are arranged radially, which allows the product to be firmly attached to the rearview mirror 1 even if the rearview mirror 1 has a spherical back surface, and increases the adhesive strength.

[0098] In addition, the second portion 76 extending in the longitudinal direction of the rearview mirror 1 has a first element 76a connected to the first portion 75, and a second element 76b connected to the first element 76a and receiving the back surface of the camera 11, and a connecting portion 76c between the first element 76a and the second element 76b is narrowed by cutting from above and below. This makes it possible to change and adjust the elevation angle of the attached camera by twisting the narrow connecting portion 76c.

[0099] The tip side of the second element 76b is provided with an attachment portion 78 for fixing the camera 11. This attachment portion 78 has a structure in which, for example, an insertion portion is provided by appropriately cutting a metal portion of the second element 76b, and the insertion portion is inserted into a groove formed on the back surface of the case body of the camera 11 for fixing.

[0100] In this embodiment, the preferred position of connecting portion 76c is closer to camera 11. When camera 11 is attached, it is preferable to arrange this narrow connecting portion 76c near the side of camera 11. In this way, even if first portion 75 is attached closer to the center of the rearview mirror, it is possible to minimize the possibility of connecting portion 76c being hidden behind the rearview mirror 1, and the angle of camera 11 can be adjusted.

[0101] *Third form 13 shows a third embodiment which is integrally formed from the same sheet metal. In this embodiment, as in the second embodiment, the shape of the first portion 75 for attaching and fixing to the rearview mirror 1 is such that the cutouts are arranged radially, so that the cover can be attached securely to the rearview mirror 1 even if the rearview mirror 1 has a spherical surface.

[0102] In this embodiment, the second portion 77 extending in the longitudinal direction of the rearview mirror 1 has a first element 77a connected to the first portion 75 and a second element 77b connected to the first element 77a, and the connecting portion 77c between the first element 77a and the second element 77b is not narrowed, unlike the second embodiment. This ensures a certain degree of strength at the connecting portion 77c, and prevents twisting at the connecting portion 77c. However, holes 77d are formed at the top and bottom of the middle point of the connecting portion 77c, so that it can be bent in the front-rear direction. This allows, for example, when the first portion 75 is inclined relative to the mirror surface along the back surface of the rearview mirror 1, to bend the connecting portion 77c at a predetermined angle, so that the second element 77b can be arranged parallel to the mirror surface.

[0103] In this embodiment, the mounting portion 15 for mounting the camera is attached to the second element 77b of the second section 77. This mounting portion 15 is configured with a ball joint mechanism for adjusting the elevation angle of the camera. That is, the ball joint mechanism includes a ball stud 33, a socket portion 34, and a nut 36, as in the various embodiments described above. A base member 35 is integrally formed with the socket portion 34, and the camera 11 is attached via the base member 35. In this embodiment, the base portion 33a of the ball stud 33 is adhesively fixed to the second element 77b using an adhesive member 79 such as double-sided tape.

[0104] *Fourth form 14 shows a fourth embodiment in which the cover is integrally formed from the same sheet metal. In this embodiment, as in the third embodiment, the shape of the first portion 75 for attaching and fixing to the rearview mirror 1 is such that notches are arranged radially, so that the cover can be attached securely to the rearview mirror 1 even if the rearview mirror 1 has a spherical surface.

[0105] The second portion 77 extending in the longitudinal direction of the rearview mirror 1 has a first element 77a connected to the first portion 75 and a second element 77b connected to the first element 77a, and the connecting portion 77c between the first element 77a and the second element 77b is not narrowed, unlike the second embodiment. This ensures a certain degree of strength at the connecting portion 77c, and prevents twisting at the connecting portion 77c. However, holes 77d are formed at the top and bottom of the middle point of the connecting portion 77c, so that it can be bent in the front-rear direction. This allows, for example, when the first portion 75 is inclined relative to the mirror surface along the back surface of the rearview mirror 1, to bend the connecting portion 77c at a predetermined angle, so that the second element 77b can be arranged parallel to the mirror surface.

[0106] In this embodiment, the second element 77b of the second portion 77 is fitted with the mounting portion 15 for mounting the camera. The mounting portion 15 is made of a ball joint mechanism for adjusting the elevation angle of the camera. That is, the ball joint mechanism includes a ball stud 33, a socket portion 34, and a nut 36, as in the various embodiments described above. A base member 35 is integrally formed with the socket portion 34, and the camera 11 is attached via the base member 35. In this embodiment, the ball stud 33 is fixed by using a claw engagement. That is, for example, a claw portion 77e is integrally formed on the outer periphery of the second element 77b. The base portion 33a of the ball stud 33 is a shallow box-shaped portion for housing the second element 77b, and includes a hole portion 33b for inserting the claw portion 77e in the side wall of the base portion 33a. As a result, while the second element 77b is disposed within the base portion 33a, the claw portions 77e are fitted into the holes 33b, thereby connecting the ball stud 33 to the second element 77b. In this embodiment, the claw portions 77e are formed in two locations on each of the upper and lower sides of the second element 77b, and are firmly fixed.

[0107] *Fifth form 15 shows a fifth embodiment which is integrally formed from the same sheet metal. In this embodiment, as in the third embodiment, the shape of the first portion 75 for attaching and fixing to the rearview mirror 1 is such that notches are arranged radially, so that the cover can be attached securely to the rearview mirror 1 even if the rearview mirror 1 has a spherical surface.

[0108] The second portion 77 extending in the longitudinal direction of the rearview mirror 1 has a first element 77a connected to the first portion 75 and a second element 77b connected to the first element 77a, and the connecting portion 77c between the first element 77a and the second element 77b is not narrowed, unlike the second embodiment. This ensures a certain degree of strength at the connecting portion 77c, and prevents twisting at the connecting portion 77c. However, holes 77d are formed at the top and bottom of the middle point of the connecting portion 77c, so that it can be bent in the front-rear direction. This allows, for example, when the first portion 75 is inclined relative to the mirror surface along the back surface of the rearview mirror 1, to bend the connecting portion 77c at a predetermined angle, so that the second element 77b can be arranged parallel to the mirror surface.

[0109] In this embodiment, the mounting portion 15 for mounting the camera is attached to the second element 77b of the second portion 77. Specifically, the second element 77b is formed in an annular shape, and the ball stud 33 is disposed on the front side of the second element 77b, and the male screw portion 33c provided on the base portion 33a of the ball stud 33 is inserted into the second element 77b and protrudes to the rear side. The male screw portion 33c is then fastened by a nut portion 80 disposed on the rear side of the second element 77b. This allows the second element 77b to be clamped between the ball stud 33 and the nut portion 80 and fastened, thereby enabling a more secure fixation.

[0110] *6th form 16 shows a sixth embodiment which is integrally formed from the same sheet metal. In this embodiment, as in the fifth embodiment, the shape of the first portion 75 for attaching and fixing to the rearview mirror 1 is such that notches are arranged radially, so that the rearview mirror 1 can be attached securely even if the rearview mirror 1 has a spherical surface.

[0111] The second portion 77 extending in the longitudinal direction of the rearview mirror 1 has a first element 77a connected to the first portion 75 and a second element 77b connected to the first element 77a, and the connecting portion 77c between the first element 77a and the second element 77b is not narrowed, unlike the second embodiment. This ensures a certain degree of strength at the connecting portion 77c, and prevents twisting at the connecting portion 77c. However, holes 77d are formed at the top and bottom of the middle point of the connecting portion 77c, so that it can be bent in the front-rear direction. This allows, for example, when the first portion 75 is inclined relative to the mirror surface along the back surface of the rearview mirror 1, to bend the connecting portion 77c at a predetermined angle, so that the second element 77b can be arranged parallel to the mirror surface.

[0112] In this embodiment, the mounting portion 15 for mounting the camera is attached to the second element 77b of the second portion 77. Specifically, the second element 77b is formed in an annular shape. Then, a rubber socket portion 83 into which a ball portion 85 constituting a ball joint is inserted is disposed on the rear side of the second element 77b, and the annular portion of the second element 77b is inserted into the socket portion 83 to protrude forward. In this state, the socket portion 83 and the second element 77b are sandwiched between a nut portion 82 disposed on the rear side of the second element 77b and a holder portion 84 disposed on the front side of the second element 77b, and the female thread of the nut portion 82 and the male thread of the socket portion 83 are fitted together and fixed. The ball portion 85 is mounted in the rubber socket portion 83 and is stopped by the frictional force generated on the contact surface. Then, the angle changes when a force is applied, so that the angle can be easily adjusted.

[0113] [Installed behind the rearview mirror] The mounting member may be provided with an adjustment means for adjusting the position of the camera 11 so that the camera 11 is positioned directly to the side of the rear-view mirror 1. FIG. 17 shows one embodiment of this. The mounting member 100 shown in FIG. 17 includes a first portion 101 and a second portion 102. The first portion 101 is a portion connected to the rear of the rear-view mirror 1. The second portion 102 includes a portion extending in a direction away from the rear of the rear-view mirror 1. The second portion 102 includes a first portion 1021 and a second portion 1022. The first portion 1021 is connected to the first portion 101 and extends in a direction substantially perpendicular to the rear of the rear-view mirror 1. The second portion 1022 is connected to the first portion 1021 and extends in the longitudinal direction of the rear-view mirror 1. The second portion 102 is bent so that the second portion 1022 extends in a direction having a component in the longitudinal direction of the rear-view mirror 1 and in a direction away from the rear 2a of the rear-view mirror 1. A part of the second portion 1022, which is closer to the first portion 1021, is located on the rear side of the rear-view mirror 1. The camera 11 is attached to the second portion 102 of the mounting member 100, more specifically, to the second portion 1022. At least a part of the camera 11 is located on the rear side of the rear-view mirror 1 and configured to be hidden when viewed from the driver 90 seated in the driver's seat. If the camera 11 is arranged beside the rear-view mirror 1 as in each of the above-mentioned embodiments, it may interfere with the sun visor 91, leading to a situation in which the sun visor cannot be used. In contrast, if the camera 11 is arranged on the far side of the rear-view mirror 1 as in this embodiment, the camera 11 is not within the movable range of the sun visor 91, and the sun visor 91 can be used, which is preferable.

[0114] The second portion 102 described above is configured so that at least the eyes or face of the driver 90 are included in the imaging range of the camera 11. The camera 11 images the driver 90 through a space further to the side than one end of the rearview mirror 1 on the driver's seat side. It is preferable that the rearview mirror 1 is not reflected in the imaging range, but it is also acceptable for the rearview mirror 1 to be partially reflected. The part of the camera 11 that is hidden from the driver 90 side may be the entire camera 11, but it is preferable that it is only a part of the camera 11.

[0115] In this way, in order to position the camera 11 on the rear side of the rearview mirror 1, it is preferable to provide a mechanism for changing direction at two locations on at least one of the mounting members. The mechanism may be, for example, a mechanism that makes it easier to bend by providing slits in two locations. For example, the second part 102 may be bendable so that the angle between the second part 1022 and the first part 821 can be changed, and the mechanism for changing direction may be a flexible arm. It is particularly preferable to provide a mechanism for positioning the second part closer to the rear side (for example, toward the front of the vehicle) than the first part.

[0116] Also, by hiding a part of the camera in this way, it is less likely that the camera 11 will be in the driver's field of view, and the area in the field of view will be smaller, which is advantageous. It is advisable to orient the camera 11 so that the boundary line of the field of view of the camera 11 does not enter the edge of the rearview mirror 1, or at least so that the rearview mirror 1 is not reflected in the area used for detection.

[0117] As shown in Fig. 17(b), it is preferable to decenter the lens 40 of the camera 11 from the center of the case body 41 toward the driver on the right side. In this example, the lens 40 is disposed at a position closer to the opposite end of the second part 1022 than to one end where the second part 1022 is connected to the first part 1021. In this way, a larger area of ​​the case body 41 of the camera 11 can be disposed behind the rearview mirror 1 and hidden. It is preferable that the camera 11 is difficult for the driver to see, so it is possible to hide its presence or make it less noticeable.

[0118] [Function to trigger recording when it detects that the driver is looking at the rearview mirror] For example, in a system in which a camera is mounted next to a rear-view mirror, it is desirable to have a function that determines whether or not the driver has looked at the rear-view mirror based on an image captured by camera 11, and if it is detected that the driver has looked at the rear-view mirror, this is used as a trigger to record an event of the forward image, the driver's image, etc.

[0119] For example, there may be cases in which whether or not the driver looked at the rearview mirror is contested in court. In such cases, it is advantageous to be able to easily identify the time when the driver looked at the rearview mirror. It is advantageous to make various records triggered by the fact that the driver looked at the rearview mirror. The determination of whether or not the driver looked at the rearview mirror may be based on, for example, "directing the driver's gaze" or "directing the driver's gaze and face" etc.

[0120] In this embodiment, the camera is placed next to the rearview mirror, so it is possible to detect whether the driver has looked at the rearview mirror by detecting, for example, the direction of the face or the direction of the line of sight directly facing the camera. For example, if the camera is placed on the dashboard, the position of the rearview mirror must be set and it must be determined in which direction the driver has looked at the rearview mirror, which is complicated and has poor accuracy, but this embodiment does not cause such problems.

[0121] Alternatively, the date and time when it was detected that the person looked at the rearview mirror can be recorded in an identifiable manner, and when playing back the video using playback software, that date and time can be searched for, or a message indicating that the detection occurred during playback can be displayed when the video of that date and time is being played back.

[0122] [Installation position setting function] In this embodiment, it is preferable to provide a function for setting the mounting position of the camera and changing the warning range according to the set mounting position. For example, a function for setting the possible mounting positions, such as the rearview mirror, the top of the windshield, on the steering column, on the dashboard, etc., is provided. It is preferable to provide a function for changing the warning range for inattentive driving, etc., according to the set position.

[0123] Commercially available DMS software sets its thresholds on the assumption that it will be installed on the steering column, etc., slightly below and in front of the driver. In that case, for example, if the software is located to the upper left of the driver, like a rearview mirror, the thresholds are too low for downward and rightward directions, causing frequent warnings, while the thresholds are too high for upward and leftward directions, making it difficult to issue a warning when a warning is required. This solves this problem.

[0124] For example, a switch is provided that allows the selection of rear-view mirror mounting or steering column mounting. The switch may be set by software, but is preferably set by hardware. When the rear-view mirror mounting is selected, the threshold values ​​for the right and downward directions are changed to be higher and the threshold values ​​for the left and upward directions are changed to be lower than when the steering column mounting is selected.

[0125] When the camera is installed in front of the driver, such as on the dashboard or steering column, the threshold value for the angle when facing right / left is the same, but when the camera is installed on the rearview mirror or pillar, for example, the driver is photographed from an angle, so it is better to use different threshold values ​​for left and right when determining that the face has been rotated. Furthermore, the setting of this threshold value is linked to the setting made by the mounting position setting function.

[0126] [Function to set stricter standards for determining inattentive driving at night than during the day] It is advisable to set stricter standards for determining inattentive behavior at night than for daytime. At night, the surrounding scenery is dark and difficult to see, and drivers often look at the taillights of the vehicle ahead, so head direction and eye movement are smaller than during the day. The range of infrared LED illumination is also limited. Thus, since drivers do not look to the side as much at night, it is advisable to set up a system that sounds an alarm if the driver tilts even slightly. In this way, inattentive behavior can be accurately and precisely determined both at night and during the day.

[0127] For example, if the daytime inattentive warning is issued when the head is turned more than 10 degrees to the left or right, then at night it may be issued when the head is turned more than 8 degrees to the left or right. The day / night switching may be changed, for example, according to the brightness of the surroundings or according to the time of day. It may be simple, based on whether the headlights are on or off. Also, the change may be made continuously or in stages.

[0128] [Linkage with other devices] For example, if the camera has a DMS function, it may cooperate with other devices. In cooperation with other devices, for example, the notification may be performed by the camera 11 or by a cooperating device such as a radar detector or a car navigation system. In this embodiment, it is preferable that the state of the user is detected and information according to the state of the occupant is notified. In particular, if a device equipped with a display unit such as a radar detector or a car navigation system is used, it is possible to notify visually, and further, since these devices are installed in a position where the driver can check the display unit while driving, the notification content can be easily confirmed.

[0129] [Modification of the item] In the above-mentioned various embodiments, examples have been shown in which the object is a camera, but the present invention is not limited to this, and examples include a sensor that detects a person, an auxiliary mirror for viewing the direction of the rearview mirror and powder, etc. In addition, the present invention may be applied to an object that is desired to be provided near the rearview mirror but facing in a different direction from the rearview mirror.

[0130] Various aspects of the present invention have been described above using embodiments and modified examples, but it should be noted that these embodiments and descriptions are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention, but are provided to aid in understanding the present invention. The scope of the present invention is not limited to the configurations explicitly described in the specification, but includes combinations of various aspects of the present invention disclosed in this specification. Although the configurations of the present invention for which a patent is sought are specified in the claims attached to the application, it is hereby noted that configurations not currently specified in the claims may be claimed in the future as disclosed in this specification. The applicant intends to obtain rights to such portions and combinations by filing amendments, divisional applications, applications for conversion to design registration applications, etc.

[0131] In addition, we intend to obtain rights to the overall design or partial design by filing a conversion application to a design application. The drawings show the entire device in solid lines, but they include not only the overall design but also partial designs claimed for a portion of the device. For example, it is of course possible to make a portion of the device a partial design, and it is of course possible to make a portion of the device a partial design regardless of the portion. A portion of the device may be a portion of the device, or it may be a part of that portion. We intend to obtain rights to the overall design as well as partial designs in which any portion of the solid line portion of the drawings is made into a dashed line portion.

[0132] The present invention is not limited to the configurations described in the above-mentioned embodiments. The components of each of the above-mentioned embodiments and modifications may be arbitrarily selected and combined. Any component of each of the embodiments and modifications may be arbitrarily combined with any component described in the Summary of the Invention or any component that embodies any component described in the Summary of the Invention. The present invention also intends to obtain rights to such configurations through amendments to this application or divisional applications, etc. [Explanation of symbols]

[0133] 1: Rearview mirror 2: Housing 3: Mirror 10: System 11: Camera 12: Mounting material 13: Stay 14: Bracket 15: Mounting part 21: First connection part 22: Second connection part 31: Bracket body 40: Lens 41: Case body

Claims

1. A mounting member for mounting a predetermined item to a vehicle rearview mirror, A first portion is attached to a rear side of the rearview mirror; a second section having a portion extending from the first section; and An attachment portion provided in the second portion for attaching the predetermined item; having The first portion attached to the rear side of the rearview mirror is configured by connecting a first plate portion and a second plate portion separated into upper and lower portions at one end, so that the first plate portion and the second plate portion can be bent at different angles. A mounting member comprising:

2. The first plate portion has cut lines formed from above and below at predetermined positions in the longitudinal direction, making it easy to bend at the cut lines. The mounting member according to claim 1 .

3. One of the first plate portion and the second plate portion is bent to conform to the shape of the rear of the rearview mirror and bonded as a whole, and the other plate portion is configured to be flat and straight without being bent. The mounting member according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that

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