Car camera head and car

Abstract

The present invention provides a vehicle camera and a vehicle. The vehicle camera provided by the present invention is installed inside the vehicle compartment and includes a housing assembly, a shielding member, a transmission unit, a control unit, and an image capture unit. The transmission unit, control unit, and image capture unit are disposed on the housing assembly. The shielding member is movably disposed on the housing assembly and is located at the image capture unit. The shielding member is in transmission connection with the transmission unit. The transmission unit and the image capture unit are both electrically connected to the control unit. The transmission unit is configured to drive the shielding member to move so that the shielding member conceals or reveals the image capture unit. The present invention provides a vehicle camera that can protect the user's privacy.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of automobiles, and in particular to a vehicle-use photographing device and a vehicle. Background Art

[0002] At present, as people’s requirements for car experience become higher and higher, the application of video functions in cars has become more and more extensive.

[0003] Specifically, a camera is generally provided in the front of the car, which can capture the scene inside the car, so that users can conveniently make video calls in the car.

[0004] However, since this type of camera is always pointed into the car, it may leak the privacy of users in the car. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In order to solve at least one of the problems mentioned in the background technology, the present invention provides a vehicle-mounted camera device that can protect the privacy of users.

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides the following technical solutions:

[0007] In a first aspect, the present invention provides a vehicle-mounted camera device, which is installed inside a vehicle compartment. The vehicle-mounted camera device includes a shell assembly, a shielding member, a transmission unit, a control unit, and an image capture unit. The transmission unit, the control unit, and the image capture unit are arranged on the shell assembly. The shielding member is movably arranged on the shell assembly, and the shielding member is located at the image capture unit. The shielding member is transmission-connected to the transmission unit. The transmission unit and the image capture unit are both electrically connected to the control unit. The transmission unit is used to drive the shielding member to move so that the shielding member covers or exposes the image capture unit.

[0008] As an optional embodiment, the shell assembly includes a fixing plate and a mounting frame fixedly connected to the fixing plate, the fixing plate is used to fix the shooting device on the vehicle body, and the transmission unit, control unit and image capture unit are all arranged on the mounting frame.

[0009] As an optional embodiment, the housing assembly further includes a molding shell, the molding shell is fixedly connected to the mounting frame, the molding shell cover is arranged outside the image capturing unit, and the shielding member is arranged on the molding shell.

[0010] As an optional embodiment, the styling shell forms a groove at the image capturing unit, so that at least a portion of the image capturing unit is located in the groove, and the shielding member matches the notch of the groove and is disposed at the notch of the groove.

[0011] As an optional embodiment, the shielding member is slidably disposed at the notch of the groove. When the shielding member slides, the shielding member covers or reveals the notch of the groove.

[0012] As an optional embodiment, the transmission unit includes a motor and a transmission gear, the motor is electrically connected to the control unit, and meshing teeth are provided on the side of the shielding member facing the bottom of the groove, the meshing teeth are engaged with the transmission gear, and the transmission gear is connected to the motor to drive the shielding member to slide along the groove notch through the transmission gear.

[0013] As an optional implementation, a through hole is provided on the bottom wall of the groove, the image capturing unit is a camera, and the lens of the camera extends from the through hole into the groove.

[0014] As an optional embodiment, the angle between the side wall of the groove and the bottom wall of the groove is between 110° and 150°.

[0015] As an optional embodiment, a position sensor is further included. The position sensor is electrically connected to the control unit and is used to detect the current position of the shielding member.

[0016] In a second aspect, the present invention further provides a car, comprising a chassis and a body, wherein the body is arranged on the chassis, and any one of the vehicle-use camera devices according to the first aspect is arranged inside the body.

[0017] The vehicle camera device provided by the present invention is installed inside the interior of a vehicle compartment. The vehicle camera device includes a housing assembly, a shielding member, a transmission unit, a control unit, and an image capture unit. The transmission unit, the control unit, and the image capture unit are arranged on the housing assembly. The shielding member is movably arranged on the housing assembly and is located at the image capture unit. The shielding member is transmission-connected to the transmission unit. The transmission unit and the image capture unit are both electrically connected to the control unit. The transmission unit is used to drive the shielding member to move so that the shielding member covers or reveals the image capture unit. The vehicle camera device provided by the present invention can control the movement of the transmission unit through the control unit. The transmission unit drives the movement of the shielding member to cover or reveal the image capture unit through the shielding member. At the same time, the controller can control the opening or closing of the image capture unit. Therefore, when the shooting function is not needed, the shielding member can be used to timely cover the image capture unit of the camera device, thereby greatly protecting the user's personal privacy. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative labor.

[0019] Figure 1A schematic diagram of the overall structure of a photographing device provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 2 for Figure 1 Cross-sectional view at AA in the middle;

[0021] Figure 3 for Figure 1 Exploded diagram.

[0022] Description of reference numerals:

[0023] 100-shooting device;

[0024] 110-housing assembly;

[0025] 111-fixed plate;

[0026] 112-mounting frame;

[0027] 113- modeling shell;

[0028] 1131-groove;

[0029] 1131a-side wall;

[0030] 1131b- bottom wall;

[0031] 120-shielding member;

[0032] 130-transmission unit;

[0033] 131- transmission gear;

[0034] 132-meshing teeth;

[0035] 140-control unit;

[0036] 150-image capture unit;

[0037] 160-Position sensor. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] The following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. All other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field based on the embodiments of the present invention without making any creative efforts shall fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0039] In this application, terms such as "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "front," "back," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "vertical," "horizontal," "transverse," and "longitudinal" indicate positions or locations based on the positions or locations shown in the accompanying drawings. These terms are primarily intended to better describe the present invention and its embodiments and are not intended to limit the devices, elements, or components indicated to having a specific orientation, or to being constructed or operated in a specific orientation.

[0040] Furthermore, some of the above terms may be used to express other meanings besides indicating a position or location. For example, the term "on" may also be used to indicate a dependency or connection in certain circumstances. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of these terms in the present invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0041] Furthermore, the terms "installed," "disposed," "provided with," "connected," and "connected" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to fixed connections, removable connections, or integral structures; mechanical connections or electrical connections; direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediary; or internal communication between two devices, elements, or components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of these terms in the present invention based on specific circumstances.

[0042] Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," etc., are primarily used to distinguish between different devices, elements, or components (which may or may not be of the same type and configuration), and are not intended to indicate or imply the relative importance or quantity of the devices, elements, or components indicated. Unless otherwise specified, "plurality" means two or more.

[0043] In the prior art, cars are generally equipped with a camera at the front of the vehicle to capture images from inside the vehicle, allowing users to conveniently make video calls, take photos, and other functions. However, since such cameras are always pointed at the interior of the vehicle, users may forget to turn them off, potentially leaking passengers' privacy.

[0044] In view of this, the present invention provides a vehicle-mounted camera device, which is installed inside a vehicle compartment. The vehicle-mounted camera device includes a housing assembly, a shielding member, a transmission unit, a control unit, and an image capture unit. The transmission unit, the control unit, and the image capture unit are disposed on the housing assembly. The shielding member is movably disposed on the housing assembly and is located at the image capture unit. The shielding member is in transmission connection with the transmission unit. The transmission unit and the image capture unit are both electrically connected to the control unit. The transmission unit is configured to drive the shielding member to move so that the shielding member covers or reveals the image capture unit. The vehicle-mounted camera device provided by the present invention can control the movement of the transmission unit through the control unit. The transmission unit drives the movement of the shielding member to cover or reveal the image capture unit through the shielding member. At the same time, the controller can control the opening or closing of the image capture unit. Thus, when the shooting function is not needed, the shielding member can be used to promptly cover the image capture unit of the camera device, thereby greatly protecting the user's personal privacy.

[0045] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the overall structure of a photographing device provided by an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 for Figure 1 Cross-sectional view at AA in the middle; Figure 3 for Figure 1 Exploded diagram. Figures 1 to 3 An embodiment of the present invention provides a vehicle-use camera 100, which is installed inside a vehicle compartment. The vehicle-use camera 100 includes a housing assembly 110, a shielding member 120, a transmission unit 130, a control unit 140, and an image capture unit 150. The transmission unit 130, the control unit 140, and the image capture unit 150 are arranged on the housing assembly 110. The shielding member 120 is movably arranged on the housing assembly 110, and the shielding member 120 is located at the image capture unit 150. The shielding member 120 is transmission-connected to the transmission unit 130. The transmission unit 130 and the image capture unit 150 are both electrically connected to the control unit 140. The transmission unit 130 is used to drive the shielding member 120 to move so that the shielding member 120 covers or exposes the image capture unit 150.

[0046] Among them, the function of the shell component 110 is mainly to protect the components that make up the shooting device 100. At the same time, the shooting device 100 can also be conveniently fixed inside the vehicle through the shell component 110. Specifically, the shooting device 100 can be fixed inside the vehicle by threaded connection or gluing. The material of the shell component 110 can be plastic products.

[0047] The shielding member 120 is generally disposed between the image capturing unit 150 and the passengers in the vehicle. There is no specific limitation on the shielding method of the shielding member 120 . The shielding member 120 may be rotated, slid along a straight line, or the like.

[0048] In one application scenario, a user in a car receives a video call. After the user clicks to answer the call, the video connection signal can be transmitted to the control unit 140 in the shooting device 100. The control unit 140 controls the action of the driving unit according to the instruction signal. The driving unit drives the shielding member 120 to move, and the shielding member 120 blocking the user and the image capture unit 150 is removed. At the same time, the controller can control the image capture unit 150 to turn on, and the image capture unit 150 captures the user's image information, and the video function is started. It can be seen that the shooting device 100 provided in this embodiment can not only protect the user's privacy as much as possible through the set shielding member 120, but also the set shielding member 120 does not bring additional operations.

[0049] The vehicle shooting device 100 provided by the embodiment of the present invention can control the action of the transmission unit 130 through the control unit 140, and the transmission unit 130 drives the movement of the shielding member 120 to block or expose the image capture unit 150 through the shielding member 120. At the same time, the controller can control the opening or closing of the image capture unit 150. Therefore, when the shooting function is not needed, the shielding member 120 can be used to timely block the image capture unit 150 of the shooting device 100, thereby greatly protecting the user's personal privacy.

[0050] In the above embodiment, the housing assembly 110 may include a fixing plate 111 and a mounting bracket 112 fixedly connected to the fixing plate 111. The fixing plate 111 is used to fix the camera 100 to the vehicle body, and the transmission unit 130, the control unit 140, and the image capture unit 150 are all disposed on the mounting bracket 112. The housing assembly 110 is composed of multiple parts. On the one hand, it can facilitate the maintenance of the camera 100 in the event of a problem. On the other hand, it also facilitates the installation of the camera 100 in the vehicle compartment. Specifically, the fixing plate 111 can be first fixed to the top of the vehicle with screws, and then the mounting bracket 112 can be fixed to the fixing plate 111 with bolts.

[0051] In the above embodiment, the housing assembly 110 may further include a sculpted shell 113, which is fixedly connected to the mounting bracket 112 and covers the image capture unit 150. The shielding member 120 is disposed on the sculpted shell 113. The sculpted shell 113 can provide a certain degree of protection for the camera 100 and, through its special shape, facilitates the installation of the shielding member 120.

[0052] like Figure 1 and Figure 3As shown, in the above embodiment, specifically, the molded housing 113 may be formed with a recess 1131 at the image capture unit 150, so that at least a portion of the image capture unit 150 is positioned within the recess 1131. The shielding member 120 matches the notch of the recess 1131 and is positioned within the notch of the recess 1131. The recess 1131 not only provides some protection for the image capture unit 150 but also ensures more uniform lighting for the image capture unit 150, preventing light from entering the image capture unit 150 from one side. Furthermore, the recess 1131 facilitates the installation of the shielding member 120.

[0053] In a specific implementation, the shielding member 120 can be slidably disposed at the notch of the groove 1131. When the shielding member 120 slides, the shielding member 120 covers or reveals the notch of the groove 1131. Specifically, two opposing sliding grooves can be provided near the notch on the sidewall 1131a of the groove 1131. The shielding member 120 can be inserted into the sliding grooves and can slide along the sliding grooves.

[0054] like Figure 2 As shown, in the above embodiment, the transmission unit 130 may include a motor (not shown) and a transmission gear 131, the motor is electrically connected to the control unit 140, and the shielding member 120 is provided with a meshing tooth 132 on one side facing the bottom of the groove 1131, the meshing tooth 132 meshes with the transmission gear 131, and the transmission gear 131 is connected to the motor to drive the shielding member 120 to slide along the notch of the groove 1131 through the transmission gear 131. Specifically, when a video connection instruction is received, the controller controls the motor to rotate, and the motor drives the gear to rotate, and the gear meshes with the meshing tooth 132 on the shielding member 120, driving the shielding member 120 to slide along the notch of the groove 1131, so that the notch of the groove 1131 is completely exposed, and at the same time, the image capture unit 150 in the groove 1131 is exposed.

[0055] In the above embodiment, during specific implementation, a through hole can be set on the bottom wall 1131b of the groove 1131, wherein the image capture unit 150 can be specifically a camera, and the lens of the camera can extend into the groove 1131 through the through hole.

[0056] In the above embodiment, the angle between the side wall 1131a of the groove 1131 and the bottom wall 1131b of the groove 1131 can be set between 110° and 150°. Specifically, when the angle between the side wall 1131a of the groove 1131 and the bottom wall 1131b of the groove 1131 is less than 110°, on the one hand, the field of view of the image capture unit 150 will be blocked by the side wall 1131a of the groove 1131, which may cause the image capture unit 150 to be unable to capture the image of the passenger sitting on the side of the vehicle. At the same time, if the angle between the side wall 1131a of the groove 1131 and the bottom wall 1131b of the groove 1131 is too small, it will also affect the lighting intensity of the image capture unit 150. And when the angle between the side wall 1131a of the groove 1131 and the bottom wall 1131b of the groove 1131 is less than 110°, on the one hand, the field of view of the image capture unit 150 will be blocked by the side wall 1131a of the groove 1131, which may cause the image capture unit 150 to be unable to capture the image of the passenger sitting on the side of the vehicle. When the angle between the groove 1131 and the side wall 1131a is greater than 150°, on the one hand, the protection effect of the side wall 1131a of the groove 1131 on the image capture unit 150 will be reduced, and on the other hand, the uniformity of the lighting of the image capture unit 150 will be reduced. Specifically, it can be understood that the intensity of light entering the groove 1131 from various directions is generally different, and these lights can become more uniform through the mutual reflection of the side wall 1131a of the groove 1131, and then be collected by the image capture unit 150. If the inclination of the groove 1131 is too large, the mutual reflection of light formed between the side walls 1131a of the groove 1131 will be rapidly weakened.

[0057] The above embodiment may further include a position sensor 160, which is electrically connected to the control unit 140 and is used to detect the current position of the shielding member 120. The position sensor 160 can detect the current position of the shielding member 120 at any time, which helps the control unit 140 to correctly issue instructions (forward rotation, reverse rotation, etc. of the motor). For example, in one application scenario, when a user in a car receives a video call, after the user clicks to answer, a video connection signal is transmitted to the control unit 140 in the shooting device 100. The control unit 140 can then control the specific action of the motor based on the signal transmitted by the position sensor 160. If the signal displayed by the position sensor 160 indicates that the current shielding member 120 is in a state of blocking the image capture unit 150, the control unit 140 controls the motor to rotate to remove the shielding member 120. However, if the shielding member 120 is already in a removed state at this time, the motor does not need to be started. In addition, the control unit 140 can also specifically control the number of revolutions of the motor according to the detection result of the position sensor 160 to make the motor run more smoothly and reduce the sound when the shooting device 100 is in operation.

[0058] The vehicle-use shooting device 100 provided by an embodiment of the present invention is installed inside the vehicle compartment. The vehicle-use shooting device 100 includes a shell assembly 110, a shielding member 120, a transmission unit 130, a control unit 140 and an image capture unit 150. The transmission unit 130, the control unit 140 and the image capture unit 150 are arranged on the shell assembly 110. The shielding member 120 is movably arranged on the shell assembly 110, and the shielding member 120 is located at the image capture unit 150. The shielding member 120 is transmission-connected to the transmission unit 130. The transmission unit 130 and the image capture unit 150 are both electrically connected to the control unit 140. The transmission unit 130 is used to drive the shielding member 120 to move so that the shielding member 120 covers or exposes the image capture unit 150. The vehicle shooting device 100 provided by the embodiment of the present invention can control the action of the transmission unit 130 through the control unit 140, and the transmission unit 130 drives the movement of the shielding member 120 to block or expose the image capture unit 150 through the shielding member 120. At the same time, the controller can control the opening or closing of the image capture unit 150. Therefore, when the shooting function is not needed, the shielding member 120 can be used to timely block the image capture unit 150 of the shooting device 100, thereby greatly protecting the user's personal privacy.

[0059] In addition, the present invention further provides an automobile, comprising a chassis and a body, the body being disposed on the chassis, and a vehicle camera 100 according to any of the above embodiments being disposed within the body. The vehicle camera 100 is installed within the vehicle compartment and comprises a housing assembly 110, a shielding member 120, a transmission unit 130, a control unit 140, and an image capture unit 150. The transmission unit 130, the control unit 140, and the image capture unit 150 are disposed on the housing assembly 110. The shielding member 120 is movably disposed on the housing assembly 110 and is located at the image capture unit 150. The shielding member 120 is in transmission connection with the transmission unit 130. The transmission unit 130 and the image capture unit 150 are both electrically connected to the control unit 140. The transmission unit 130 is configured to drive the shielding member 120 to move so that the shielding member 120 conceals or reveals the image capture unit 150. The vehicle camera device 100 provided by the embodiment of the present invention can control the movement of the transmission unit 130 through the control unit 140. The transmission unit 130 drives the movement of the shielding member 120 to cover or reveal the image capture unit 150. At the same time, the controller can control the opening or closing of the image capture unit 150. As a result, the shielding member 120 can be used to promptly cover the image capture unit 150 of the camera device 100 when the camera function is not needed, greatly protecting the user's personal privacy. Because the vehicle provided by the present invention can effectively protect the privacy of passengers, the cost-effectiveness of the vehicle is improved.

[0060] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, rather than to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the above embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions described in the above embodiments, or replace some or all of the technical features therein with equivalents. However, these modifications or replacements do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A vehicle-mounted camera, characterized in that: The vehicle camera device is installed inside a vehicle compartment, and includes a housing assembly, a shielding member, a transmission unit, a control unit, and an image capture unit. The transmission unit, the control unit, and the image capture unit are disposed on the housing assembly. The shielding member is movably disposed on the housing assembly and is located at the image capture unit. The shielding member is in transmission connection with the transmission unit. The transmission unit and the image capture unit are both electrically connected to the control unit. The transmission unit is configured to drive the shielding member to move so that the shielding member covers or exposes the image capture unit. The housing assembly further comprises a molding shell, the molding shell cover is arranged outside the image capturing unit, and the shielding member is arranged on the molding shell; The styling shell forms a groove at the image capture unit so that at least a portion of the image capture unit is located in the groove, the shielding member matches a notch of the groove, and the shielding member is slidably disposed at the notch of the groove. When the shielding member slides, the shielding member covers or reveals the notch of the groove; An included angle between the side wall of the groove and the bottom wall of the groove is between 110° and 150°.

2. The photographing device according to claim 1, wherein: The housing assembly includes a fixing plate and a mounting frame fixedly connected to the fixing plate. The fixing plate is used to fix the shooting device on the vehicle body. The transmission unit, the control unit and the image capture unit are all arranged on the mounting frame.

3. The photographing device according to claim 2, wherein: The molding shell is fixedly connected to the mounting frame.

4. The photographing device according to claim 3, wherein: The transmission unit includes a motor and a transmission gear, the motor is electrically connected to the control unit, and the shielding member is provided with meshing teeth on the side facing the bottom of the groove, the meshing teeth are engaged with the transmission gear, and the transmission gear is connected to the motor to drive the shielding member to slide along the groove notch through the transmission gear.

5. The photographing device according to claim 4, wherein: A through hole is provided on the bottom wall of the groove, and the image capturing unit is a camera, and the lens of the camera extends into the groove from the through hole.

6. The photographing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: It also includes a position sensor, which is electrically connected to the control unit and is used to detect the current position of the shielding member.

7. An automobile, characterized in that: The car includes a chassis and a body, the body is arranged on the chassis, and the shooting device according to any one of claims 1 to 6 is arranged inside the body.

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