Camera apparatus

Abstract

The utility model relates to a camera device. The camera apparatus includes: a housing; a lens included in the housing; a plurality of light sources disposed around the lens; an illuminance sensor; a first cover covering an end portion of the lens; a first window installed on the first cover and corresponding to the lens; and a second window installed on the first cover and corresponding to the illuminance sensor.

Description

[0001] This application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2023-0058498 filed in the Korean Intellectual Property Office on May 4, 2023, and all rights and benefits obtained from the application, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] The utility model relates to a camera device. Background Art

[0003] In addition to the housing, the lens located in the housing, and the window covering the lens, the camera device may also include an infrared light source to improve shooting performance during nighttime. The camera device including the infrared light source may also include an illuminance sensor for detecting ambient illuminance, and may determine whether to operate the infrared light source based on the ambient illuminance detected by the illuminance sensor, and may switch between a daytime picture mode and a nighttime picture mode.

[0004] In the camera device, the infrared light source is covered by a cover formed of a material that blocks visible light and transmits only infrared light, thereby preventing the infrared light source from being exposed to the outside. On the other hand, the illuminance sensor, unlike the infrared light source, should receive visible light, so the illuminance sensor is located on the front surface of the cover, and the window is large so as to cover the illuminance sensor.

[0005] Therefore, there is a need for a camera device that reduces the size of each window covering a lens so as not to exceed the viewing angle of the lens. Utility Model Content

[0006] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, there is provided a camera apparatus having each window reduced in size and having its entire size reduced by configuring a window covering a lens and a window covering an illumination sensor as separate members.

[0007] According to one aspect of the utility model, a camera device includes: a housing; a lens included in the housing; a plurality of light sources arranged around the lens; an illumination sensor; a first cover covering an end of the lens; a first window mounted on the first cover corresponding to the lens; and a second window mounted on the first cover corresponding to the illumination sensor.

[0008] The first window and the second window may be separate and spaced apart from each other on a front surface of the first cover.

[0009] The first cover may include: a first opening located at the center of the first cover, the diameter of the first opening being larger than the diameter of the lens and being configured to allow the first window to be installed in the first opening; and an insertion hole located outside the first opening in a radial direction of the first cover and being configured to allow the second window to be installed in the insertion hole.

[0010] The second window may include a mounting flange protruding along an outer peripheral surface of the second window, and the insertion hole may include an insertion flange protruding along an inner peripheral surface of the insertion hole, and when the second window is inserted into the insertion hole, the front surface of the first cover may protrude in a forward direction to the front surface of the second window or beyond the front surface of the second window.

[0011] The plurality of light sources and the illuminance sensor may be arranged outside the first window in a radial direction.

[0012] The camera device may further include: a supporting substrate mounted on an outer peripheral surface of the lens and configured to allow the plurality of light sources and the illuminance sensor to be mounted on the supporting substrate; and a second cover mounted on the first cover, disposed closer to a center of the first cover in a radial direction of the first cover than the plurality of light sources, and including a second opening, in which the first window is mounted.

[0013] The support substrate may be spaced apart from inner ends of the first cover and the second cover in a longitudinal direction of the housing.

[0014] The first cover may further include: a first inner flange protruding along an inner circumferential surface of the first opening and configured to support the second cover; an insertion flange protruding along an inner circumferential surface of the insertion hole and configured to support the second window; and a first outer flange protruding along an outer circumferential surface of the first cover and contacting an end of the shell.

[0015] The second cover may further include: a second outer flange supported by the first inner flange and protruding along the outer peripheral surface of the second cover; a second inner flange protruding along the inner peripheral surface of the second opening; and a supporting flange located behind the second inner flange, protruding along the inner peripheral surface of the second opening, and configured to support the outer peripheral surface of the second window.

[0016] The first cover may be configured to block visible light and transmit infrared light, and the second cover may be configured to block visible light and infrared light.

[0017] The diameter of the first window may correspond to the viewing angle of the lens, and the first window may be offset from the second window.

[0018] The first window may include at least one of glass, polycarbonate (PC), or polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA).

[0019] The second window may include at least one of PC, PMMA, or acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) resin.

[0020] The first window and the second window may include different materials.

[0021] The first window may include optical glass and the second window may include injection molded plastic.

[0022] The first window may be configured to transmit visible light and infrared light.

[0023] The second window may be configured to transmit visible light and infrared light, or to transmit only visible light and block infrared light.

[0024] The illumination sensor may be located between the plurality of light sources.

[0025] The first cover and the first window may be concentrically arranged, a diameter of the first cover may be greater than a diameter of the first window, and the plurality of light sources may be located in a circular configuration between the first cover and the first window.

[0026] According to another aspect of the utility model, a camera device includes: a housing; a lens included in the housing; a support substrate connected to the lens; a plurality of infrared light sources mounted on the front surface of the support substrate and arranged around the lens; an illuminance sensor mounted on the front surface of the support substrate and located between the plurality of infrared light sources; a first cover covering the end of the lens, including a first opening at its center and an insertion hole at a position spaced apart from the first opening in a radial direction, the first cover can be configured to block visible light and transmit infrared light; a first window mounted in the first cover corresponding to the lens and offset from the plurality of infrared light sources, the first window can be configured to transmit visible light and infrared light; a second window mounted in the insertion hole corresponding to the illuminance sensor, formed using a material different from that of the first window, the second window can be configured to transmit visible light and infrared light, or configured to transmit only visible light and block infrared light; and a second cover mounted on the first cover, closer to the center of the first cover in the radial direction of the first cover than the plurality of infrared light sources, the second cover can be configured to support the first window and block visible light and infrared light.

[0027] According to one or more embodiments, since a window through which visible light is transmitted and a window covering an illuminance sensor are separated from each other, the size of the window through which visible light is transmitted may be reduced, thereby compactly configuring a camera device.

[0028] However, the technical effects of the present invention are not limited thereto, and other unmentioned technical effects will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art based on the following description. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] The above and other aspects, features and advantages of certain embodiments will become more apparent from the following description of embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0030] Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a camera device according to one or more embodiments;

[0031] Figure 2 is a front view showing a portion of a camera device according to one or more embodiments;

[0032] Figure 3 illustrating a first cover according to one or more embodiments;

[0033] Figure 4 illustrating a second cover according to one or more embodiments;

[0034] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a portion of a camera device according to one or more embodiments;

[0035] Figure 6 It is shown Figure 5 an enlarged view of a portion of;

[0036] Figure 7 It is shown Figure 5 an enlarged view of another portion of

[0037] Figure 8 is a diagram showing a part of a conventional camera device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] Hereinafter, example embodiments of the present utility model will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the accompanying drawings, the same reference numerals are used for the same constituent elements, and repeated descriptions are omitted. The embodiments described herein are example embodiments, and therefore, the present utility model is not limited thereto and may be implemented in various other forms. It should be understood that unless the context clearly provides otherwise, the singular form includes plural referents. The terms (including technical or scientific terms) used in the present utility model may have the same meaning as those generally understood by those of ordinary skill in the art.

[0039] In addition, each feature of the various embodiments of the utility model can be partially or completely combined or combined with each other, and various connections and drives can also be performed. The embodiments can be implemented independently of each other or can be implemented together in association. Unless otherwise defined, the same reference numerals, characters or combinations thereof represent the same elements throughout the drawings and written descriptions, so their descriptions will not be repeated. In addition, parts that are irrelevant or unrelated to the description of the embodiments may not be shown to make the description clear.

[0040] In the drawings, the relative sizes of elements, layers, and regions may be exaggerated for clarity. In addition, the use of cross-hatching and / or shading in the drawings is generally provided to clarify the boundaries between adjacent elements. Therefore, unless specified, the presence or absence of cross-hatching or shading does not convey or indicate any preference or requirement for specific materials, material properties, dimensions, proportions, commonalities between the elements shown, and / or any other characteristics, attributes, properties, etc. of the elements.

[0041] Various embodiments are described herein with reference to cross-sectional illustrations that are schematic illustrations of embodiments and / or intermediate structures. Therefore, variations in the illustrated shapes due to, for example, manufacturing techniques and / or tolerances are expected. In addition, for the purpose of illustrating embodiments according to the concepts of the present utility model, the specific structural or functional descriptions disclosed herein are merely exemplary. Therefore, the embodiments disclosed herein should not be interpreted as being limited to the illustrated regional shapes, but rather include shape deviations caused by, for example, manufacturing.

[0042] For example, an implanted region illustrated as a rectangle may have rounded or curved features and / or a gradient of implant concentration at its edges rather than a binary change from implanted to non-implanted region. Likewise, a buried region formed by implantation may result in some implantation in the region between the buried region and the surface through which the implantation takes place.

[0043] Therefore, the regions shown in the drawings are schematic in nature, and their shapes are not intended to illustrate the actual shape of a region of a device and are not intended to be limiting. In addition, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the described embodiments may be modified in various ways, all without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention.

[0044] In the detailed description, for the purpose of explanation, many specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the various embodiments. However, it is apparent that the various embodiments can be practiced without these specific details or with one or more equivalent arrangements. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the various embodiments.

[0045] For ease of explanation, spatial relative terms such as "beneath", "below", "lower", "lower side", "under", "above", "upper", "upper side", etc. may be used herein to describe the relationship of an element or feature to one or more other elements or features as shown in the figures. It should be understood that in addition to the orientation shown in the figures, spatial relative terms are intended to cover different orientations of the device in use or operation. For example, if the device in the accompanying drawings is turned over, the elements described as "below", "beneath" or "under" other elements or features will be oriented as "above" other elements or features. Therefore, the example terms "below" and "under" can cover the orientations of above and below. The device can be oriented in other ways (e.g., rotated 90 degrees or in other orientations), and the spatial relative descriptors used herein should be interpreted accordingly. Similarly, when a first portion is described as being disposed “on” a second portion, this means that the first portion is disposed on the upper side or lower side of the second portion and is not limited to the upper side of the second portion based on the gravity direction.

[0046] In addition, "in a plan view" refers to the situation of observing the object portion from above, and "in a schematic cross-sectional view" refers to the situation of observing the schematic cross-sectional view obtained by vertically cutting the object portion from the side. The term "overlap" or "overlapped" means that the first object can be above or below or on the side of the second object, and vice versa. In addition, the term "overlap" can include layers, stacks, facing or facing, extending thereon, covering or partially covering, or any other suitable term as will be appreciated and understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art. The expression "not overlap" may include meanings such as "apartfrom" or "set aside from" or "offset from" and any other suitable equivalents that will be appreciated and understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art. The terms "face" and "facing" may mean that the first object may be directly or indirectly opposite to the second object. In the case where the third object is interposed between the first object and the second object, the first object and the second object may be understood as being indirectly opposite to each other but still facing each other.

[0047] It should be understood that when an element, layer, region, or component is referred to as being "formed on," "on," "connected to," or "(operably or communicatively) coupled to," it may be directly formed on, on, connected to, or coupled to, or indirectly formed on, connected to, or coupled to, such that one or more intermediate elements, layers, regions, or components may be present. Furthermore, this may be collectively referred to as direct or indirect coupling or connection, and integral or non-integral coupling or connection. For example, when a layer, region, or component is referred to as being "electrically connected" or "electrically coupled" to another layer, region, or component, it may be directly electrically connected or coupled to, or intermediate layers, regions, or components may be present. However, "direct connection", "direct coupling" or "directly on..." means that one component is directly connected or coupled to another component, or is on another component, without an intermediate component. In addition, in the utility model, when a part of a layer, film, region, plate, etc. is formed on another part, the formation direction is not limited to the upper direction, but includes forming the part on the side surface or in the lower direction. On the contrary, when a part of a layer, film, region, plate, etc. is formed "below" another part, this includes not only the case where the part is "directly below" another part, but also the case where there is another part between the part and the other part. At the same time, other expressions that explain the relationship between components, such as "between...", "directly between..." or "adjacent to..." and "directly adjacent to...", can be similarly interpreted. In addition, it should also be understood that when an element or layer is referred to as being "between" two elements or layers, it can be the only element or layer between the two elements or layers, or one or more intermediate elements or layers may also be present.

[0048] For the purpose of the present invention, expressions such as "at least one of ... " or "any one of ... " modify the entire list of elements when they are before the list of elements without modifying the individual elements in the list. For example, "at least one of X, Y and Z", "at least one of X, Y or Z", "at least one selected from the group consisting of X, Y and Z" and "at least one selected from the group consisting of X, Y or Z" can be interpreted as any combination of only X, only Y, only Z, two or more of X, Y and Z, such as XYZ, XYY, YZ and ZZ, or any variation thereof. Similarly, the expressions "at least one of A and B", "at least one of A or B", etc. may include A, B or A and B. As used herein, "or" generally means "and / or", and the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. For example, the expression "A and / or B" may include A, B or A and B. Similarly, expressions such as "at least one of ... ", "a plurality of", "one of ... " and other prepositional phrases modify the entire list of elements when they are before the list of elements without modifying the individual elements in the list.

[0049] It should be understood that although the terms "first", "second", "third", etc. can be used to illustrate various elements, components, regions, layers and / or parts in this article, these elements, components, regions, layers and / or parts should not be limited by these terms. These terms are used to distinguish an element, component, region, layer or part from another element, component, region, layer or part. Therefore, without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, the first element, component, region, layer or part described below can be referred to as the second element, component, region, layer or part. The element is described as a "first" element and the existence of the second element or other elements may not be required or implied. The terms "first", "second", etc. can also be used to distinguish elements of different categories or groups in this article. For simplicity, the terms "first", "second", etc. can respectively represent "first category (or first set)", "second category (or second set)", etc.

[0050] The terms used herein are only used for the purpose of illustrating specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present invention. As used herein, the singular forms "a" and "an" are also intended to include the plural forms, and the plural forms are also intended to include the singular forms, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that when used in the present invention, the terms "comprises", "comprising", "have", "having", "includes" and "including" specify the presence of the features, integers, steps, operations, elements and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components and / or groups thereof.

[0051] In the case where one or more embodiments can be implemented in different ways, a specific process order can be performed differently from the order described. For example, two processes described in succession can be performed substantially simultaneously or in an order opposite to the order described.

[0052] As used herein, the terms "substantially", "about", "approximately" and similar terms are used as terms of approximation rather than terms of degree, and are intended to account for the inherent deviations of measured or calculated values ​​that one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize. As used herein, "approximately" or "approximately" includes the value, and means within the acceptable deviation range of the specific value determined by one of ordinary skill in the art, taking into account the measurement in question and the errors associated with the measurement of the specific quantity (i.e., the limitations of the measurement system). For example, "approximately" can mean within one or more standard deviations, or within ±30%, 20%, 10%, 5% of the value. In addition, when describing embodiments of the present invention, the use of "may" refers to "one or more embodiments of the present invention".

[0053] Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as those commonly understood by ordinary technicians in the field to which the utility model belongs. It will be further understood that those terms such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant field and / or the utility model, and should not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless explicitly defined in this article.

[0054] Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a camera apparatus 10 according to one or more embodiments. Figure 2 is a front view showing a portion of the camera device 10 according to one or more embodiments. Figure 3 A first cover 600 is shown according to one or more embodiments. Figure 4A second cover 800 is shown according to one or more embodiments. Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a portion of the camera apparatus 10 according to one or more embodiments.

[0055] Figure 6 It is shown Figure 5 More specifically, for ease of explanation, Figure 6 It is shown Figure 5 An enlarged view of a portion excluding the lens 200, the support substrate 300, and the light source 400. Figure 7 It is shown Figure 5 More specifically, for ease of explanation, Figure 7 It is shown Figure 5 An enlarged view of a portion excluding the illumination sensor 500.

[0056] Reference Figures 1 to 7 , the camera device 10 may be used to detect an object or a person and capture an image of the object or the person. According to one or more embodiments, the camera device 10 may be a camera for recognizing a vehicle license plate number, a thermal imaging camera, or a flame detection camera. Figure 1 In the embodiment, the camera device 10 is substantially cylindrical in shape, but the shape of the camera device 10 is not limited thereto. According to one or more embodiments, the camera device 10 may be a bullet-shaped camera, a pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) camera, or a dome camera attached to a wall or ceiling via a support. According to one or more embodiments, the camera device 10 may be a day / night camera device capable of detecting both visible light and infrared light.

[0057] The camera apparatus 10 may include a housing 100 , a lens 200 , a support substrate 300 , a light source 400 , an illumination sensor 500 , a first cover 600 , a first window 710 , a second window 720 , a second cover 800 , and a controller 900 .

[0058] For example, the camera device 10 including the housing 100, the lens 200 included in the housing 100, a plurality of light sources 400 arranged around the lens 200, and an illumination sensor 500 may also include a first cover 600 covering an end of the lens 200, a first window 710 installed on the first cover 600 to correspond to the lens 200, and a second window 720 installed on the first cover 600 to correspond to the illumination sensor 500.

[0059] For example, the camera device 10 may include a housing 100, a lens 200 included in the housing 100, a support substrate 300 connected to the lens 200, and a plurality of infrared light sources 400 mounted on the front surface of the support substrate 300. The plurality of infrared light sources 400 may be arranged around the lens 20. The camera device 10 may include an illuminance sensor 500 mounted on the front surface of the support substrate 300 and located between the plurality of infrared light sources 400. The camera device 10 may include a first cover 600 covering an end of the lens 200. The first cover 600 may include a first opening 610 at the center and an insertion hole 620 at a position spaced apart from the first opening 610 in a radial direction, and may be configured to block visible light and transmit infrared light. The camera device 10 may include a first window 710 mounted in the first opening 610 to correspond to the lens 200 without overlapping the plurality of infrared light sources 400, and the first window 710 may be configured to transmit visible light and infrared light. The camera device 10 may include a second window 720 installed in the insertion hole 620 to correspond to the illumination sensor 500, the second window 720 is formed using a material different from that of the first window 710, and the second window 720 may be configured to transmit visible light and infrared light, or to transmit only visible light and block infrared light. The camera device 10 may include a second cover 800 installed on the first cover 600, located closer to the center of the first cover than the plurality of infrared light sources 400 in the radial direction of the first cover 600, supporting the first window 710, and the second cover 800 may be configured to block visible light and infrared light.

[0060] The housing 100 may have an internal space including other elements of the camera device 10 (e.g., a lens 200, a support substrate 300, a light source 400, an illumination sensor 500, a first cover 600, a first window 710, a second window 720, a second cover 800, and a controller 900), and may hold and support other elements of the camera device 10. For example, the housing 100 may have a cylindrical shape with a hollow interior. Alternatively, the housing 100 may also be a polyhedron such as a rectangular parallelepiped, a hemispherical shape, a bullet shape, or the like. For ease of explanation, as shown in FIG. Figure 1 As shown in FIG. 1 , the following description will be made on the case where the housing 100 is in a cylindrical shape.

[0061] The housing 100 may include wiring connected to an external device or an external power source. To this end, the housing 100 may have both ends opened in one direction (eg, the longitudinal direction of the housing 100), or may have one or more holes in at least a portion thereof.

[0062] Inside the housing 100, the lens 200 may be coaxial with the housing 100, or the lens 200 may be spaced apart from the central axis of the housing 100. The support substrate 300 may be included in the housing 100 to surround the lens 200. The outer end of the lens 200 (e.g., the end in the longitudinal direction of the camera device 10 or the end in the longitudinal direction of the camera device 10) may be provided. Figure 5 The first cover 600 may be mounted on the outer end of the housing 100, and the first cover 600 may further protrude outward beyond the outer end of the housing 100. The outer end of the housing 100 may define an area where a plurality of light sources 400 and an illuminance sensor 500 are present, and an inner area between the support substrate 300 and the first cover 600. The plurality of light sources 400 and the illuminance sensor 500 mounted on the support substrate 300 may further protrude outward beyond the outer end of the housing 100, or may be located on the inner side of the outer end of the housing 100. The second cover 800 may be mounted inside the first cover 600, and the second cover 800 may further protrude outward beyond the outer end of the housing 100.

[0063] The lens 200 may be located on one side of the housing 100 and may capture images of objects or people around the camera device 10. For example, the lens 200 may detect visible light during the day or when the light source 400 is not operating, and may detect infrared light at night or when the light source 400 is operating. The lens 200 may perform a zoom operation. Figure 1 In the embodiment of the present invention, one lens 200 is shown, but the number of lenses 200 may be more than two. For example, the plurality of lenses 200 may be arranged symmetrically with respect to the central axis of the housing 100.

[0064] The support substrate 300 may be located inside the housing 100, and the plurality of light sources 400 and the illuminance sensor 500 may be mounted on the support substrate 300. Figure 1 As shown, the support substrate 300 may have a ring shape having a mounting hole 310 at the center. The lens 200 may be inserted into the mounting hole 310 of the support substrate 300 so that the support substrate 300 surrounds the lens 200. The support substrate 300 may be connected to the controller 900 and an external power source so that the plurality of light sources 400 and the illuminance sensor 500 mounted on the support substrate 300 are controlled by the controller 900. The support substrate 300 may be a printed circuit board (PCB). The support substrate 300 may be coaxial with at least one of the housing 100, the lens 200, the first cover 600, and the second cover 800.

[0065] The support substrate 300 may be located at a position further back than the outer end of the housing 100 of the camera device 10 (or at a position further inside, such as Figure 5In addition, the support substrate 300 may be spaced apart from the inner ends of the first cover 600 and the second cover 800. Therefore, sufficient space for the plurality of light sources 400 and the illuminance sensor 500 to be installed on the support substrate 300 may be ensured, and the plurality of light sources 400 and the illuminance sensor 500 may not interfere with the first cover 600 and the second cover 800.

[0066] For example, the lens 200 may be inserted into the mounting hole 310 of the substrate 300 or may be coupled to the mounting hole 310 of the support substrate 300 by an adhesive or a bolt.

[0067] The light source 400 may be arranged around the lens 200. For example, Figure 1 As shown, the light source 400 may include a plurality of light sources 400, and the plurality of light sources 400 may be installed on one surface of the support substrate 300 at equal or different intervals in the circumferential direction. An imaginary line connecting the plurality of light sources 400 may form a concentric circle with the support substrate 300.

[0068] The light source 400 may be an infrared light source. When the illuminance sensor 500 detects the ambient illuminance of the camera device 10 and sends the illuminance to the controller 900 and the detected illuminance is equal to or less than the reference illuminance, the controller 900 may operate some or all of the plurality of light sources 400. Alternatively, in the case where the detected illuminance exceeds the reference illuminance, the controller 900 may also end the operation of some or all of the plurality of light sources 400. Light emitted from the plurality of light sources 400 may pass through the first cover 600, be reflected from an object, and then be transmitted to the lens 200.

[0069] The light source 400 may be arranged in a radial direction of the housing 100 (eg, in Figure 5 In the vertical direction, the first cover 600 is located at a position further outward than the first opening 610. Figure 1 As shown, the support substrate 300 on which the light source 400 is mounted may be coaxial with the first cover 600. In addition, in a plan view, the mounting surface of the support substrate 300 may be located outside the first opening 610 of the first cover 600 in a radial direction. For example, the light source 400 may be an infrared light source. In a state where the camera device 10 is assembled, when viewed from the front, a plurality of light sources 400 may be located outside the first opening 610 and may overlap with the first cover 600. Therefore, external visible light is blocked by the first cover 600 and is not incident on the light source 400, and infrared light emitted from the light source 400 may pass through the first cover 600.

[0070] The light source 400 may be located at a position further outward than the second cover 800 in the radial direction of the housing 100. Figure 1As shown, the second cover 800 may be inserted into the first opening 610 of the first cover 600, and the second cover 800 may surround the end of the lens 200. Figure 5 As shown, in a state where the camera device 10 is assembled, the light source 400 may be located outside the second cover 800, and light emitted from the light source 400 may be blocked by the second cover 800 so as not to be directly transmitted to the lens 200. In a state where the light source 400 is mounted on the support substrate 300, the front end (outer end) may be spaced apart from the inner surface of the first cover 600.

[0071] The light sources 400 may form a plurality of rows. Figure 1 In the embodiment, the plurality of light sources 400 are arranged in a row so that an imaginary line connecting the plurality of light sources 400 is Figure 1 According to one or more embodiments, the plurality of light sources 400 may form a plurality of concentric circles. The number of the light sources 400 is not particularly limited and may be appropriately selected according to the specifications of the camera device 10.

[0072] The illuminance sensor 500 may be mounted on one surface of the support substrate 300, and may be configured to detect the ambient illuminance of the camera device 10 and transmit the ambient illuminance to the controller 900. Figure 1 As shown, the illuminance sensor 500 may be located between the plurality of light sources 400. In addition, the illuminance sensor 500 may be located further outward in the radial direction than the first opening 610 of the first cover 600. The illuminance sensor 500 may be mounted on the support substrate 300 to correspond to the insertion hole 620 of the first cover 600. External visible light may be incident on the illuminance sensor 500 through the insertion hole 620 and the second window 720 inserted into the insertion hole 620, and the illuminance sensor 500 may detect the ambient illuminance of the camera device 10. In a state where the illuminance sensor 500 is mounted on the support substrate 300, the front end (outer end) may be spaced apart from the inner surface of the second window 720 (e.g., in the longitudinal direction or the left side of the housing 100). Figure 5 in the left and right directions).

[0073] The first cover 600 may be formed of a material that blocks visible light and transmits infrared light. The first cover 600 may cover the end of the lens 200 in front of the light source 400. Figure 1 As shown, the first cover 600 may have an annular shape including a first opening 610 at its center. The first cover 600 may be installed at an outer end of the housing 100 (eg, an end in the longitudinal direction of the housing 100 or Figure 5 The first cover 600 may be coaxial with the housing 100 or the lens 200, and the inner end of the first cover 600 may be inserted into the housing 100 or may be coupled to the housing 100 by an adhesive or a bolt.

[0074] The first cover 600 may be spaced apart from the end of the lens 200 so that the lens 200 corresponds to the first opening 610, and the second cover 800 may be installed in the first opening 610. The diameter of the first opening 610 may be equal to or greater than the diameter of the lens 200. The first opening 610 may be coaxial with the central axis of the first cover 600.

[0075] The first cover 600 may be arranged concentrically with the first window 710. For example, the first cover 600 and the first window 710 may be coaxial with each other. In addition, the outlines of the first cover 600 and the first window 710 may form concentric circles. The diameter of the first cover 600 may be greater than the diameter of the first window 710. An imaginary line extending from the plurality of light sources 400 may be located between the first cover 600 and the first window 710. For example, an imaginary line connecting the plurality of light sources 400 may form a circle and may have a diameter that is smaller than the diameter of the first cover 600 and greater than the diameter of the first window 710.

[0076] The insertion hole 620 may be formed in the first cover 600 to correspond to the illumination sensor 500. Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the insertion hole 620 may be spaced apart from the first opening 610 in the radial direction, and the second window 720 may be inserted into the insertion hole 620. Figure 1 and Figure 2 , the insertion hole 620 is formed below the first opening 610, but the position of the insertion hole 620 is not particularly limited. The specific position of the insertion hole 620 can be appropriately selected according to the position of the illumination sensor 500, as long as the insertion hole 620 is spaced (separated) from the first opening 610 and the first window 710 and the second window 720 are spaced from each other. Since the insertion hole 620 is spaced from the first opening 610, the first window 710 does not need to cover the insertion hole 620 corresponding to the illumination sensor 500, and therefore, the size of the first window 710 inserted into the first opening 610 can be reduced.

[0077] The first outer flange 630 may protrude outward continuously or discontinuously in the radial direction along the outer circumferential surface of the first cover 600. Figure 3 As shown, the first outer flange 630 may be formed at the center of the first cover 600 in the thickness direction and may have an annular shape surrounding the outer circumferential surface of the first cover 600 .

[0078] The first outer flange 630 may form a stepped portion from the outer surface of the first cover 600 to form an area where the first outer flange 630 is installed in the housing 100. Figure 5As shown, in a state where the first cover 600 is mounted on the housing 100, the inner side of the first cover 600 relative to the first outer flange 630 may be inserted into the housing 100. The inner surface of the first outer flange 630 may contact the outer end of the housing 100. A plurality of coupling holes may be formed on the outer surface of the first outer flange 630, and screws may be inserted into the plurality of coupling holes to be coupled to the first cover 600.

[0079] The first inner flange 640 may protrude inwardly continuously or discontinuously in the radial direction along the inner circumferential surface of the first opening 610. Figure 3 As shown, the first inner flange 640 may be formed on the inner side of the first cover 600 in the thickness direction. The first inner flange 640 may be formed from the outer surface (eg, Figure 5 The left surface or the front surface of the cover 800 may be formed with a stepped portion, and the mounting surface 641 on which the second cover 800 is mounted may be formed on the front surface. Figure 6 As shown, in a state where the second cover 800 is mounted on the first cover 600, the first inner flange 640 may contact the second outer flange 830 of the second cover 800. The first cover 600 and the second cover 800 may be inserted into each other, or may be combined with each other by an adhesive or a bolt. The second cover 800 may be inserted into the first opening 610 from the outside toward the inside (e.g., from the outer end toward the inner end in the longitudinal direction of the camera device 10) so that the second outer flange 830 is mounted on the mounting surface 641 of the first inner flange 640.

[0080] The insertion flange 650 may protrude inwardly continuously or discontinuously along the inner circumferential surface of the insertion hole 620 in the radial direction of the insertion hole 620. The insertion flange 650 may form a stepped portion from the outer surface (front surface) of the first cover 600, and a mounting surface 651 on which the second window 720 is mounted may be formed on the front surface. Figure 7 As shown, in a state where the second window 720 is mounted on the first cover 600, the insertion flange 650 may contact the mounting flange 721 of the second window 720. The insertion flange 650 and the second window 720 may be inserted into each other, or may be combined with each other by an adhesive or bolts.

[0081] The first window 710 may be installed in the second opening 810 of the second cover 800, and may transmit light reflected from an object to the lens 200. The first window 710 may have a shape corresponding to the second opening 810, such as a circular shape. However, the first window 710 may have a size and shape corresponding to the second opening 810, and may have any one of various shapes such as an elliptical shape or a quadrilateral shape, but is not limited thereto.

[0082] The first window 710 may be located in front of the lens 200 to correspond to the lens 200, and may be spaced apart from the lens 200. The first window 710 may be inserted between the support flanges 840 of the second cover 800, and may be supported by the second inner flange 820 so as not to be separated from the second cover 800. For example, the first window 710 may be formed using a material that can transmit both visible light and infrared light. For example, the first window 710 may include optical glass or plastic. For example, the first window 710 may include at least one of glass, polycarbonate (PC), and polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA). Alternatively, the first window 710 may include a material having excellent optical properties.

[0083] The diameter of the first window 710 may correspond to the viewing angle of the lens 200 (or the viewing angle of the camera device 10). For example, by considering the change in viewing angle according to the zoom operation of the lens 200, the first window 710 may have a diameter corresponding to the maximum viewing angle of the lens 200. In addition, the first window 710 may not overlap with the second window 720.

[0084] The outer edge of the first window 710 may be covered by the second inner flange 820. For example, Figure 6 As shown, in a state where the first window 710 is inserted into the second cover 800, the second inner flange 820 may be located in front of the first window 710 to cover the outer edge of the first window 710. Therefore, the first window 710 may be located further inward than the outer end of the second cover 800, and may be supported and protected by the second inner flange 820. The remaining portion of the first window 710 except for the outer edge covered by the second inner flange 820 may correspond to the viewing angle of the lens 200.

[0085] The first window 710 may be located further inward than the first cover 600. Figure 6 As shown, the outer end of the first window 710 may be spaced inwardly by a length L3 from the outer end of the first cover 600. Therefore, the portion of the first window 710 exposed to the outside of the housing 100 or the first cover 600 may be minimized, thereby improving the durability of the first window 710 and stably supporting the first window 710.

[0086] The second window 720 may be installed in the insertion hole 620 of the first cover 600, and may transmit light reflected from the object to the illuminance sensor 500. The second window 720 may have a shape corresponding to the insertion hole 620, for example, a circular shape. The second window 720 may be installed in front of the illuminance sensor 500 to correspond to the illuminance sensor 500, and may be installed on the first cover 600. For example, the second window 720 may be installed on the installation surface 651 of the insertion flange 650.

[0087] The second window 720 may include a mounting flange 721. For example, Figure 7 As shown, the mounting flange 721 may protrude outwardly in a radial direction continuously or discontinuously along the outer circumferential surface of the second window 720. In a state where the second window 720 is inserted into the insertion hole 620, the mounting flange 721 may be supported by contacting the mounting surface 651 of the insertion flange 650.

[0088] The second window 720 may be formed using a material that can transmit visible light and infrared light or a material that only transmits visible light and blocks infrared light. For example, the second window 720 may include plastic (e.g., plastic for injection molding). For example, the second window 720 may include at least one of PC, PMMA, and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene copolymer (ABS). Alternatively, the second window 720 may include a material having excellent formability.

[0089] The first window 710 and the second window 720 may be separate components. That is, the first window 710 and the second window 720 may be different components rather than a main body or a piece, and may be spaced apart from each other on the first cover 600. For example, the first window 710 may be installed at a position in the center of the front surface of the first cover 600, and the second window 720 may be spaced apart from the first window 710 outwardly in the radial direction of the first cover 600, and may be installed at different positions on the front surface of the first cover 600. The first window 710 and the second window 720 may be formed using the same material or different materials. For example, the first window 710 may be formed using optical glass, and the second window 720 may be formed using an injection molded plastic (e.g., at least one of PC, PMMA, and ABS resin).

[0090] The second cover 800 may block the light emitted from the light source 400 so that the light emitted from the light source 400 is not diffusely reflected within the camera device 10, and may support the first window 710. Figure 1 and Figure 5 As shown, the second cover 800 may be inserted into the first opening 610 of the first cover 600 to surround a portion of the outer end of the lens 200. For example, the second cover 800 may be formed using a material that blocks both visible light and infrared light.

[0091] The inner end of the second cover 800 may extend inwardly further than the inner end of the first cover 600. Figure 6 As shown, the inner end of the second cover 800 may extend inward by a length L1 than the inner end of the first cover 600. Therefore, the inner end of the second cover 800 may be closer to the support substrate 300 than the inner end of the first cover 600. The light emitted from the light source 400 may be more reliably blocked from being directly incident on the lens 200.

[0092] The second opening 810 of the second cover 800 may correspond to the lens 200, and external visible light may be incident on the lens 200 through the first window 710 installed in the second opening 810. For example, the second opening 810 may be spaced apart from the front end of the lens 200. The second cover 800 may have an annular shape surrounding the second opening 810, and may be coaxial with the first cover 600. A plurality of light sources 400 may be arranged outside the second cover 800.

[0093] The second inner flange 820 may protrude inwardly continuously or discontinuously in the radial direction along the inner circumferential surface of the second opening 810. Figure 4 and Figure 6 As shown, a second inner flange 820 may be formed on the outer end of the second cover 800 to form an area supporting the first window 710. The second inner flange 820 may extend radially inward and obliquely toward the lens 200. For example, as shown in FIG. Figure 6 As shown, the second inner flange 820 may include an inclined surface 821 on an outer surface.

[0094] The second outer flange 830 may protrude outward continuously or discontinuously in the radial direction along the outer circumferential surface of the second cover 800. Figure 4 and Figure 6 As shown, the second outer flange 830 may be formed on the outer end of the second cover 800 to be opposite to the second inner flange 820, and may contact the first inner flange 640 in a state where the second cover 800 is inserted into the first cover 600. The inner surface of the second outer flange 830 may contact the mounting surface 641 of the first inner flange 640.

[0095] The second outer flange 830 may have a thickness L2. The thickness L2 may be greater than the length L3 between the mounting surface 641 of the first inner flange 640 and the outer surface of the first cover 600. Figure 6 As shown, a portion of the second outer flange 830 may protrude outside the mounting surface 641 , and the user may easily separate the second cover 800 from the first cover 600 when necessary.

[0096] The support flange 840 may protrude inwardly continuously or discontinuously in the radial direction along the inner circumferential surface of the second cover 800. Figure 6 As shown, the support flange 840 may be located further inward than the second inner flange 820 to support the outer peripheral surface of the first window 710. The first window 710 may be securely supported by the second cover 800 by contacting the support flange 840 and having an outer surface contacting the inner surface of the second inner flange 820.

[0097] The controller 900 may be located inside or outside the housing 100 to control other elements of the camera device 10. According to one or more embodiments, the controller 900 is located inside the housing 100 to control the lens 200, the light source 400, and the illuminance sensor 500. The controller 900 may control the shooting operation and the zoom operation of the lens 200, and may control the intensity and power of the plurality of light sources 400 individually. In addition, the controller 900 may receive the illuminance measured by the illuminance sensor 500, and may turn on the light source 400 when the illuminance is equal to or less than a preset value. In addition, when the illuminance is greater than the preset value, the controller 900 may turn off the light source 400.

[0098] According to one or more embodiments, the controller 900 may use a direct circuit structure, such as a memory, a processor, a logic circuit, a lookup table, etc., which can perform corresponding control functions through the control of one or more microprocessors or other control devices. According to an embodiment, the controller 900 may be specifically implemented by a module, a program or a part of a code, which contains one or more executable instructions for performing a specified logical function and is executed by one or more microprocessors or other control devices. In addition, according to one or more embodiments, the controller 900 may include a processor, a microprocessor, etc. such as a central processing unit (CPU) that performs the corresponding function, or may be implemented by it. The communication module (not shown) includes any one or any combination of a digital modem, a radio frequency (RF) modem, an antenna circuit, a WiFi chip, and associated software and / or firmware.

[0099] Figure 8 2 is a diagram showing a part of a conventional camera device 2. The conventional camera device 2 includes: a window W having an opening O, a cover C located behind the window W, and an illumination sensor S located on the cover C. Figure 8 As shown, the window W of the conventional camera device 2 is located on the front surface of the conventional camera device 2 so that the opening O corresponds to the lens. In addition, the illuminance sensor S is also positioned to correspond to the window W so as to receive visible light to measure the illuminance. Therefore, the size of the window W is inevitably increased so that the window W covers the illuminance sensor S.

[0100] Furthermore, in the conventional camera device 2, the light source may not be arranged in the area around the opening O covered by the window W (ie, the light source is arranged only in the area around the opening O covered by the window W). Figure 8 ). Therefore, the number of light sources that can be installed may be small, thereby reducing the performance of the conventional camera device 2.

[0101] On the other hand, as described above, in the camera device 10, the first cover 600 may include the first opening 610 and the insertion hole 620 spaced apart from each other, and the first window 710 and the second window 720 may be spaced apart from each other to correspond to the first opening 610 and the insertion hole 620, respectively. Therefore, the size of the first window 710 may be minimized to correspond to the viewing angle of the lens 200, without having to increase the size to cover not only the lens 200 but also the illuminance sensor 500. Therefore, the size of the first window 710 may be greatly reduced compared to a conventional camera. In addition, since the size of the first window 710, which needs to have excellent optical characteristics to prevent distortion of light incident on the lens 200, may be reduced, the cost required to manufacture the camera device 10 may be reduced and economic benefits may be improved. In addition, the illuminance sensor 500 may be covered by the second window 720 separated from the first window 710, and the second window 720 may be formed using any material as long as relatively minimal formability is ensured.

[0102] In addition, in the camera device 10, since the size of the first window 710 is reduced, a plurality of light sources 400 can be arranged in the entire region of the first cover 600 that does not overlap the first window 710. Therefore, since the number of light sources 400 that can be mounted on the support substrate 300 increases, the performance of the camera device 10 can be improved.

[0103] According to one or more embodiments, since a window through which visible light is transmitted and a window covering an illuminance sensor are separated from each other, the size of the window through which visible light is transmitted may be reduced, thereby compactly configuring a camera device.

[0104] However, the technical effects of the present invention are not limited thereto, and other unmentioned technical effects will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art based on the following description.

[0105] Although the utility model has been shown and described with reference to one or more embodiments, it should be understood that one or more embodiments are intended to be illustrative rather than restrictive. It will be further understood by those skilled in the art that various changes can be made in form and detail without departing from the true spirit and full scope of the utility model including the attached claims and their equivalents. It will also be understood that any embodiment described herein can be used in combination with any other embodiment described herein.

Claims

1. A camera device, characterized in that: include: case; a lens, included in the housing; a plurality of light sources arranged around the lens; Illuminance sensor; A first cover covering an end of the lens; a first window, mounted on the first cover, corresponding to the lens; as well as A second window is installed on the first cover and corresponds to the illumination sensor.

2. The camera device according to claim 1, characterized in that The first window and the second window are separate and spaced apart from each other on a front surface of the first cover.

3. The camera device according to claim 1, characterized in that The first cover comprises: a first opening located at a center of the first cover, the first opening having a diameter greater than a diameter of the lens and configured to allow the first window to be mounted in the first opening; and An insertion hole is located outside the first opening in a radial direction of the first cover and is configured to allow the second window to be mounted in the insertion hole.

4. The camera device according to claim 3, characterized in that The second window includes a mounting flange protruding along an outer peripheral surface of the second window, The insertion hole includes an insertion flange protruding along an inner peripheral surface of the insertion hole, In a state in which the second window is inserted into the insertion hole, the front surface of the first cover protrudes to or beyond the front surface of the second window in a forward direction.

5. The camera device according to claim 1, characterized in that The plurality of light sources and the illuminance sensor are arranged outside the first window in a radial direction.

6. The camera device according to claim 3, characterized in that Also includes: a support substrate mounted on an outer peripheral surface of the lens and configured to allow the plurality of light sources and the illuminance sensor to be mounted on the support substrate; as well as The second cover is mounted on the first cover, is disposed closer to the center of the first cover than the plurality of light sources in the radial direction of the first cover, and includes a second opening in which the first window is mounted.

7. The camera device according to claim 6, characterized in that The support base plate is spaced apart from inner ends of the first cover and the second cover in a longitudinal direction of the housing.

8. The camera device according to claim 6, characterized in that The first cover also includes: a first inner flange protruding along an inner peripheral surface of the first opening and configured to support the second cover; an insertion flange protruding along an inner peripheral surface of the insertion hole and configured to support the second window; and A first outer flange protrudes along an outer peripheral surface of the first cover and contacts an end portion of the housing.

9. The camera device according to claim 8, characterized in that The second cover also includes: a second outer flange supported by the first inner flange and protruding along an outer peripheral surface of the second cover; a second inner flange protruding along an inner peripheral surface of the second opening; and A supporting flange, located behind the second inner flange, protrudes along the inner peripheral surface of the second opening and is configured to support an outer peripheral surface of the second window.

10. The camera device according to claim 1, characterized in that The diameter of the first window corresponds to the viewing angle of the lens, The first window is offset from the second window.

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