A vehicle camera fixing device

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of automotive crash testing technology and discloses an on-board camera fixing device, including a guide member connected to the top of the vehicle and having a guide rail extending along a first direction; a first adjusting member and a first fastener, the first adjusting member being connected to the guide rail and capable of rotating about an axis in a second direction to adjust the connection angle, and the first fastener being used to lock the position; a second adjusting member and a second fastener, the second adjusting member being connected to the first adjusting member and capable of rotating about an axis in a third direction to adjust the connection angle, and the second fastener being used to lock the position; a camera to be fixed and a third fastener, the camera to be fixed being connected to the second adjusting member and capable of rotating about an axis in the first direction to adjust the connection angle, and the third fastener being used to lock the position; the first, second, and third directions are perpendicular to each other. This invention achieves precise calibration of the camera attitude and stability during the crash process through multi-degree-of-freedom adjustment and reliable locking, improving test efficiency and data reliability.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention generally relates to the field of automotive crash testing technology, and specifically to a vehicle-mounted camera mounting device. Background Technology

[0002] In automotive crash safety tests, standards such as C-NCAP (China New Car Assessment Program) and Euro NCAP (European New Car Assessment Program) have strict requirements for measuring the displacement of crash test dummies during a collision. In specific test scenarios, it is necessary to accurately measure whether the head displacement of the rear-seat dummy exceeds a preset limit (such as 450mm or 550mm). The accuracy of this displacement measurement directly affects the vehicle's safety rating.

[0003] To obtain accurate displacement data, a high-speed camera is typically installed inside the vehicle to capture the dummy's trajectory at the moment of impact. The accuracy and stability of the camera's captured images are prerequisites for ensuring reliable measurement results and fair evaluation. This requires the camera to be precisely calibrated to a horizontal and square state before the test, ensuring its optical axis is strictly aligned with the vehicle or dummy coordinate system required by the procedure, and to remain stable during the violent collision to avoid measurement distortion caused by vibration or displacement.

[0004] However, existing solutions for fixing vehicle-mounted cameras often suffer from insufficient adjustment freedom, structural instability, or poor adaptability to different vehicle models. The process of calibrating the camera angle is cumbersome, making it difficult for operators to quickly and accurately adjust the camera to the ideal position and orientation, especially when precise alignment in multiple dimensions such as pitch, horizontal, and lateral translation is required simultaneously; existing devices struggle to provide effective support in this regard. Therefore, existing technologies suffer from low adjustment accuracy, poor stability, and low operational efficiency in camera fixing devices, directly impacting the quality of crash test data and the efficiency of the testing process. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of the above-mentioned defects or deficiencies in the prior art, it is desirable to provide a vehicle-mounted camera mounting device to solve the above problems.

[0006] This invention provides a vehicle-mounted camera mounting device, comprising: A guide member, the guide member being connected to the top of the vehicle, the guide member having a guide rail extending in a first direction; A first adjusting member and a first fastener, the first adjusting member having a first connecting portion and a second connecting portion connected to each other, the first connecting portion being connected to the guide rail and being able to rotate relative to the guide member about an axis extending in a second direction to adjust the connection angle, the first fastener being used to lock the connection position; The second adjusting member has a third connecting portion and a fourth connecting portion connected to each other. The third connecting portion is connected to the second connecting portion and is rotatable relative to the first adjusting member about a third-direction extending axis to adjust the connection angle. The second fastener is used to lock the connection position. The camera to be fixed and the third fastener are provided. The camera to be fixed is connected to the fourth connecting part and can rotate relative to the second adjusting member about an axis extending in the first direction to adjust the connection angle. The third fastener is used to lock the connection position. The first direction, the second direction, and the third direction are perpendicular to each other.

[0007] According to the technical solution provided by the present invention, the guide member is provided with a slider that can be slidably connected to the guide rail along the first direction, and the first adjusting member is connected to the slider.

[0008] According to the technical solution provided by the present invention, the first connecting portion of the first adjusting member is provided with a first connecting through hole extending along the second direction. The first connecting through hole includes a first circular through hole and a first arc-shaped waist-shaped through hole. The slider is provided with a plurality of first connecting holes. The first fastener passes through the first circular through hole and the first arc-shaped waist-shaped through hole respectively and is connected to the slider. The connection angle is adjusted by adjusting the position of the first connecting hole and the first arc-shaped waist-shaped through hole.

[0009] According to the technical solution provided by the present invention, the first adjusting member includes two second connecting portions spaced apart along the third direction, one end of each of the second connecting portions being perpendicularly connected to the first connecting portion, and the second adjusting member includes two third connecting portions corresponding to the second connecting portions.

[0010] According to the technical solution provided by the present invention, the second connecting part is provided with a second connecting through hole extending in a third direction, and the third connecting part of the second adjusting member is provided with a plurality of third connecting through holes, which are arranged in an arc shape. The second fastener selectively passes through the third connecting through holes and the second connecting through holes to realize the connection and fastening between the second adjusting member and the first adjusting member.

[0011] According to the technical solution provided by the present invention, the second connecting through hole includes a second circular through hole and a second arc-shaped waist-shaped through hole, the third connecting through hole includes a third circular through hole corresponding to the second circular through hole, and a plurality of fourth circular through holes corresponding to the second arc-shaped waist-shaped through hole, the second fastener passes through the third circular through hole and the second circular through hole so that the second adjusting member is connected to the first adjusting member, the second fastener passes through the fourth circular through hole and the second arc-shaped waist-shaped through hole, and the connecting angle is adjusted by adjusting the connecting position of the second arc-shaped waist-shaped through hole.

[0012] According to the technical solution provided by the present invention, the second adjusting member includes two fourth connecting portions spaced apart along a first direction, and the second adjusting member also includes a fifth connecting portion, wherein the third connecting portion is connected to one side of the fifth connecting portion, and the fourth connecting portion is connected to the other side of the fifth connecting portion.

[0013] According to the technical solution provided by the present invention, at least one of the fourth connecting parts is provided with a plurality of fourth connecting through holes extending along a first direction. The fourth connecting through holes include a fifth circular through hole and a third arc-shaped waist-shaped through hole. The camera to be fixed is provided with a plurality of second connecting holes. The third fastener passes through the fifth circular through hole and the third arc-shaped waist-shaped through hole respectively and is connected to the camera to be fixed. The connection angle is adjusted by adjusting the position of the second connecting holes and the third arc-shaped waist-shaped through hole.

[0014] According to the technical solution provided by the present invention, it further includes at least two connectors, which are spaced apart along a first direction, with one end of each connector connected to the guide and the other end connected to the top of the vehicle.

[0015] According to the technical solution provided by the present invention, the connector is bonded to the roof of the vehicle.

[0016] Compared with existing technologies, the advantages of this invention are as follows: This invention offers high degrees of freedom in adjustment and precise calibration. Through a combination of a guide, a first adjusting component, and a second adjusting component, and utilizing the cooperation of a slider, a circular through-hole, and an arc-shaped through-hole, this invention achieves translational adjustment of the camera to be fixed along a first direction, as well as rotational adjustment around three mutually perpendicular axes (first, second, and third). This multi-degree-of-freedom adjustment capability allows operators to precisely calibrate the camera's pitch, level, and lateral orientation, ensuring strict alignment of the camera's optical axis with the measurement reference, improving the accuracy of measurement data. Furthermore, it is adaptable to the installation requirements of different vehicle models, possessing a certain degree of adaptability and versatility, and is relatively easy to operate. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of non-limiting embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the vehicle-mounted camera mounting device provided in the embodiment; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the first adjusting component. Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the first adjusting component.

[0018] Icon labels: 1. Guide components; 2. First adjusting component; 21. First connecting part; 211. First circular through hole; 212. First arc-shaped through hole; 22. Second connecting part; 221. Second circular through hole; 222. Second arc-shaped through hole; 3. Second adjusting component; 31. Third connecting part; 311. Third circular through hole; 312. Fourth circular through hole; 32. Fourth connecting part; 321. Fifth circular through hole; 322. Third arc-shaped waist-shaped through hole; 33. Fifth connecting part; 4. Camera to be fixed; 5. Connectors. Detailed Implementation

[0019] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the invention and not intended to limit it. Furthermore, it should be noted that, for ease of description, only the parts relevant to the invention are shown in the accompanying drawings.

[0020] It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in the present invention can be combined with each other. The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0021] Reference Figure 1 The vehicle-mounted camera fixing device provided by this invention mainly includes a guide member 1, a first adjusting member 2, a second adjusting member 3, and a camera 4 to be fixed. The first direction, the second direction, and the third direction are mutually perpendicular in space, forming a three-dimensional rectangular coordinate system, providing a clear kinematic basis for multi-dimensional adjustment of the camera. In this embodiment, the lateral direction of the vehicle can be defined as the first direction, the direction perpendicular to the roof of the vehicle as the second direction, and the longitudinal direction of the vehicle as the third direction.

[0022] Specifically, guide member 1 is connected to the roof of the vehicle, serving as a reference support for the entire device. Guide member 1 has a guide rail extending along a first direction. First adjusting member 2 is connected to the guide rail of guide member 1 via its first connecting portion 21 and is capable of rotating about an axis extending along a second direction, thereby adjusting its connection angle with guide member 1. After adjustment, the connection position between first adjusting member 2 and guide member 1 is locked by a first fastener. This solves the problem of inaccurate camera orientation caused by installation position deviation, achieving precise control of the camera's left and right viewing angles.

[0023] The second adjusting member 3 is connected to the second connecting member 22 of the first adjusting member 2 via its third connecting part 31, and the second adjusting member 3 can rotate relative to the first adjusting member 2 about an axis extending in a third direction to adjust the connection angle. After adjustment, the positions of the two are locked by the second fastener, which can calibrate the horizontal state of the camera, ensure that the horizon or baseline of the shooting image is horizontal, avoid the image skew caused by vehicle tilt or uneven mounting surface, and achieve precise horizontal adjustment of the camera image.

[0024] The camera 4 to be fixed is connected to the fourth connecting part 32 of the second adjusting member 3, and the camera 4 to be fixed can rotate relative to the second adjusting member 3 about an axis extending in the first direction to adjust the connection angle. After adjustment, the camera position is locked by the third fastener, which can adjust the camera's pitch angle to ensure that the target object (such as a dummy's head) can be fully presented within the effective monitoring range of the image, solving the problem of the shooting target not being in the center of the image or having insufficient range, and realizing precise control of the camera's pitch direction. Through the combination of the above three mutually perpendicular rotational degrees of freedom, this device can achieve comprehensive and precise adjustment of the camera's attitude to adapt to various complex test scenarios and strict shooting requirements.

[0025] The guide member 1 provided in this embodiment is a truss and is equipped with a slider that can slide along its guide rail in a first direction. The first adjusting member 2 is connected to the slider. In this way, by moving the slider, the entire camera adjusting assembly can be translated along the length of the guide member 1, thereby expanding the camera's installation range. This design solves the problem that the camera can only be installed at a fixed point and cannot be adjusted over a wide range of positions. By increasing the degree of translational freedom, the camera can be flexibly placed at any position laterally on the vehicle, realizing convenient adjustment of the camera's left and right positions.

[0026] Please see Figure 2The first adjusting member 2 has a first connecting through hole extending along a second direction on its first connecting portion 21. This first connecting through hole includes a first circular through hole 211 serving as a rotation center and a first arc-shaped through hole 212 for angle adjustment and locking. Correspondingly, the slider has multiple first connecting holes. During installation, first fasteners pass through the first circular through hole 211 and the first arc-shaped through hole 212, respectively, and connect to the first connecting holes on the slider. After loosening the fasteners, the first adjusting member 2 can rotate around the first fastener passing through the first circular through hole 211, while the first fastener passing through the first arc-shaped through hole 212 slides within the groove. Once the desired angle is achieved, tightening all the first fasteners locks the adjustment. By adjusting the relative positions of the first connecting holes and the first arc-shaped through hole 212, precise adjustment of the connection angle is achieved.

[0027] Please see Figure 3 To enhance the connection rigidity between the first adjusting member 2 and the second adjusting member 3, the first adjusting member 2 provided in this embodiment may include two second connecting portions 22 spaced apart along a third direction. One end of each of these two second connecting portions 22 is perpendicularly connected to the first connecting portion 21, forming a U-shape. Correspondingly, the second adjusting member 3 also includes two third connecting portions 31 corresponding to the second connecting portions 22. Compared with a single-point connection, this double-arm connection structure can better resist torsional and bending deformation, ensuring that the relative angle between the second adjusting member 3 and the first adjusting member 2 remains stable under severe vibration or impact, thereby improving the structural strength and stability of the entire device.

[0028] Furthermore, the second connecting portion 22 of the first adjusting member 2 has a second connecting through hole extending in a third direction, while the third connecting portion 31 of the second adjusting member 3 has multiple third connecting through holes arranged in an arc shape. During assembly, the second fastener selectively passes through one of the third connecting through holes and the second connecting through hole, thereby achieving the connection and fastening between the second adjusting member 3 and the first adjusting member 2. By selecting different third connecting through holes for connection, the horizontal angle of the camera can be adjusted.

[0029] Specifically, the second connecting through-hole may include a second circular through-hole 221 serving as a rotation center and a second arc-shaped through-hole 222 for fine-tuning. Correspondingly, the third connecting through-hole includes a third circular through-hole 311 corresponding to the second circular through-hole and multiple fourth circular through-holes 312 corresponding to the second arc-shaped through-hole. During assembly, a second fastener passes through the third circular through-hole 311 and the second circular through-hole 221, serving as a rotation pivot, allowing the second adjusting member 3 to rotate relative to the first adjusting member 2 about this axis. Another second fastener passes through one of the fourth circular through-holes 312 and the second arc-shaped through-hole 222, fine-tuning the angle by sliding within the arc-shaped groove, and locking the final angle by tightening the second fastener.

[0030] Similarly, to provide stable mounting for the camera 5 to be fixed, the second adjusting member 3 provided in this embodiment may include two fourth connecting parts 32 spaced apart along a first direction for connecting the camera 5 to be fixed. The second adjusting member 3 also includes a fifth connecting part 33 as the main structure, one side of which is connected to the third connecting part 31 for connecting with the first adjusting member 2, and the other side is connected to the fourth connecting part 32. The second adjusting member 3 is integrally formed, with a compact structure and a clear force transmission path, ensuring overall strength and stability.

[0031] Furthermore, at least one fourth connecting portion 32 has multiple fourth connecting through holes extending along the first direction. These fourth connecting through holes may include a fifth circular through hole 321 serving as a rotation center and a third arc-shaped through hole 322 for angle adjustment and locking. A plurality of second connecting holes are also provided at corresponding positions of the camera 5 to be fixed. During installation, third fasteners pass through the fifth circular through hole 321 and the third arc-shaped through hole 322, respectively, and connect to the second connecting holes on the camera 5 to be fixed. One third fastener passes through the fifth circular through hole 321 and connects to the second connecting hole, serving as a rotation pivot, allowing the camera 5 to be fixed to rotate relative to the second adjusting member 3 about this axis. Another third fastener passes through another second connecting hole and the third arc-shaped through hole 322, finely adjusting the angle by sliding within the arc-shaped groove, and locking the final pitch angle by tightening the third fastener. In this embodiment, another fourth connecting portion only has a third arc-shaped through hole 322 for easy installation.

[0032] The vehicle-mounted camera mounting device provided in this embodiment also includes at least two connectors 5. These connectors 5 are spaced apart along the first direction, with one end connected to the guide member 1 and the other end connected to the roof of the vehicle, so as to evenly distribute the load on the roof structure, avoid stress concentration, thereby improving the stability and reliability of the installation, and ensuring that the device will not fall off or undergo excessive displacement under extreme conditions such as collisions.

[0033] Specifically, connector 5 is bonded to the roof of the vehicle using adhesive bonding. This method eliminates the need for drilling holes in the vehicle body, providing sufficient connection strength while protecting the integrity of the vehicle body structure. It is particularly suitable for test vehicles, facilitating quick installation and removal without affecting the subsequent use of the vehicle.

[0034] The specific usage method of the vehicle-mounted camera fixing device provided in this embodiment is as follows: First, the testers attached the connector 5 with the adhesive plate to a suitable position on the rear roof of the vehicle using high-strength adhesive. After the adhesive cured, they assembled the guide 1, the first adjusting component 2, the second adjusting component 3, and the camera 4 to be fixed in sequence, and initially tightened the fasteners at each location. At the same time, the testers marked the baseline of the standard displacement near the rear seat dummy.

[0035] Next, during the camera calibration phase, the test personnel turned on the camera and displayed the crosshair center auxiliary lines. First, by sliding the slider along the guide rail of guide member 1, the entire camera assembly was moved in the first direction, roughly aligning the camera with the reference plane and the rear dummy, and then the slider was tightened. Second, by loosening the third fastener, the angle of the camera 4 to be fixed relative to the second adjustment member 3 was rotated to adjust the tilt angle of the image, ensuring the dummy was within the effective monitoring range of the camera image, and then the third fastener was tightened. Third, by loosening the second fastener, the angle of the second adjustment member 3 relative to the first adjustment member 2 was rotated to fine-tune the horizontal direction of the camera, ensuring that the vertical direction of the crosshair auxiliary lines was strictly parallel to the reference line, and then the second fastener was tightened. Fourth, by loosening the first fastener, the angle of the first adjustment member 2 relative to guide member 1 was rotated to fine-tune the left and right directions of the camera until the laser calibration beam could accurately pass through the center of the camera lens, and the vertical direction of the crosshair center line of the image was completely coincident with the reference line.

[0036] Finally, after completing all the adjustments, the testers checked and tightened all the first, second, and third fasteners one by one to ensure that the camera position remained stable during the upcoming crash test and would not shift due to vibration or impact.

[0037] The vehicle-mounted camera fixing device provided in this application not only meets the requirements of the latest crash tests such as C-NCAP and Euro NCAP, ensuring the accuracy and reliability of camera data and providing reliable visual data support for the accurate determination of dummy head displacement, but also simplifies the debugging process for test personnel and improves test efficiency.

[0038] Furthermore, although the steps of the method in this invention are described in a specific order in the accompanying drawings, this does not require or imply that the steps must be performed in that specific order, or that all the steps shown must be performed to achieve the desired result. Additionally or alternatively, certain steps may be omitted, multiple steps may be combined into one step, and / or one step may be broken down into multiple steps.

[0039] Through the above description of the embodiments, those skilled in the art will readily understand that the exemplary embodiments described herein can be implemented by software or by combining software with necessary hardware.

[0040] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and an explanation of the technical principles employed. Those skilled in the art should understand that the scope of the invention is not limited to the specific combination of the above-described technical features, but also includes other technical solutions formed by arbitrary combinations of the above-described technical features or their equivalents without departing from the inventive concept. For example, technical solutions formed by substituting the above-described features with (but not limited to) technical features with similar functions disclosed in this invention.

Claims

1. A vehicle-mounted camera mounting device, characterized in that, include: A guide (1) is connected to the top of the vehicle and has a guide rail extending in a first direction; The first adjusting member (2) and the first fastener, the first adjusting member (2) having a first connecting part (21) and a second connecting part (22) connected to each other, the first connecting part (21) being connected to the guide rail and being able to rotate relative to the guide member (1) about an axis extending in a second direction to adjust the connection angle, the first fastener being used to lock the connection position; The second adjusting member (3) and the second fastener, the second adjusting member (3) having a third connecting part (31) and a fourth connecting part (32) connected to each other, the third connecting part (31) being connected to the second connecting part (22) and being able to rotate relative to the first adjusting member (2) about a third-direction extending axis to adjust the connection angle, the second fastener being used to lock the connection position; The camera (4) to be fixed and the third fastener, the camera (4) to be fixed is connected to the fourth connecting part (32) and can rotate relative to the second adjusting member (3) about the axis extending in the first direction to adjust the connection angle, the third fastener is used to lock the connection position; The first direction, the second direction, and the third direction are perpendicular to each other.

2. The vehicle-mounted camera fixing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The guide member (1) is equipped with a slider that can slide and connect with the guide rail along the first direction, and the first adjusting member (2) is connected to the slider.

3. The vehicle-mounted camera fixing device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first connecting part (21) of the first adjusting member (2) is provided with a first connecting through hole that extends along the second direction. The first connecting through hole includes a first circular through hole (211) and a first arc-shaped waist-shaped through hole (212). The slider is provided with a plurality of first connecting holes. The first fastener passes through the first circular through hole (211) and the first arc-shaped waist-shaped through hole (212) respectively and is connected to the slider. The connection angle is adjusted by adjusting the position of the first connecting hole and the first arc-shaped waist-shaped through hole (212).

4. The vehicle-mounted camera fixing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first adjusting member (2) includes two second connecting parts (22) spaced apart along the third direction, one end of each of the second connecting parts (22) being vertically connected to the first connecting part (22). The second adjusting member (3) includes two third connecting parts (31) corresponding to the second connecting parts (22).

5. The vehicle-mounted camera fixing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second connecting part (22) has a second connecting through hole that extends in a third direction. The third connecting part (31) of the second adjusting member (3) has a plurality of third connecting through holes arranged in an arc shape. The second fastener selectively passes through the third connecting through hole and the second connecting through hole to realize the connection and fastening between the second adjusting member (2) and the first adjusting member (2).

6. The vehicle-mounted camera fixing device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The second connecting through hole includes a second circular through hole (221) and a second arc-shaped waist-shaped through hole (222). The third connecting through hole includes a third circular through hole (311) corresponding to the second circular through hole (221) and a plurality of fourth circular through holes (312) corresponding to the second arc-shaped waist-shaped through hole (222). The second fastener passes through the third circular through hole (311) and the second circular through hole (221) so that the second adjusting member (3) is connected to the first adjusting member (2). The second fastener passes through the fourth circular through hole (312) and the second arc-shaped waist-shaped through hole (222). The connecting angle is adjusted by adjusting the connecting position of the second arc-shaped waist-shaped through hole (222).

7. The vehicle-mounted camera fixing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second adjusting member (3) includes two fourth connecting parts (32) spaced apart along a first direction. The second adjusting member (3) also includes a fifth connecting part (33). The third connecting part (31) is connected to one side of the fifth connecting part (33), and the fourth connecting part (32) is connected to the other side of the fifth connecting part (33).

8. The vehicle-mounted camera fixing device according to claim 7, characterized in that, At least one of the fourth connecting parts (32) is provided with a plurality of fourth connecting through holes extending along the first direction. The fourth connecting through holes include a fifth circular through hole (321) and a third arc-shaped waist through hole (322). The camera to be fixed (4) is provided with a plurality of second connecting holes. The third fastener passes through the fifth circular through hole (321) and the third arc-shaped waist through hole (322) respectively and is connected to the camera to be fixed (4). The connection angle is adjusted by adjusting the position of the second connecting hole and the third arc-shaped waist through hole (322).

9. The vehicle-mounted camera fixing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes at least two connectors (5), which are spaced apart along a first direction. One end of each connector (5) is connected to the guide (1), and the other end is connected to the top of the vehicle.

10. The vehicle-mounted camera fixing device according to claim 9, characterized in that, The connector (5) is bonded to the roof of the vehicle.

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