Light irradiation system

Abstract

To provide a light irradiation system capable of efficiently lighting up over a range from a far location to a near location.SOLUTION: A camera unit 42 is mounted at a main body case 2 of a car room photographing camera 1 of a drive recorder, and an infrared LED 39A with a half value angle ± 10 degrees and an infrared LED 39B with a half value angle ± 60 degrees with lower radiation intensity relatively than that of the infrared LED 39A are arranged near the camera unit 42B as auxiliary lighting. Then, the main body case 2 is installed inside a front wind shield of a vehicle by a hanging bracket 3. In the case that photographing is performed with the camera unit 42, in particular, when the photographing is carried out in dark at night or the like, the infrared LEDs 39A and 39B are applied as the auxiliary lighting to cause the infrared rays to be radiated to perform photographing. With this arrangement as above, a front seat side can be more clearly irradiated over a wide range and at the same time the rear seat can be clearly irradiated in spot.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a lighting system for use in illuminating an object. [Background technology]

[0002] An example of a device that uses a light irradiation system used to illuminate an object is a drive recorder. Some drive recorders are installed in a vehicle and mainly record images inside the vehicle. These drive recorders are intended to be used, for example, to record the state of the vehicle when a traffic accident occurs, or to monitor the state of people inside the vehicle during normal driving, such as the behavior of taxi passengers and drivers. Patent Document 1 is shown as an example of such a drive recorder. In the drive recorder of Patent Document 1, an in-vehicle photographing unit 10 is attached near the rearview mirror inside the vehicle, and it is possible to photograph and record a wide area from the front seat to the back seat. In an electronic camera such as that used in Patent Document 1, the sensitivity of the light receiving element (CCD element or CMOS element) is limited, so that the amount of light is insufficient in dark places such as at night, and a clear image cannot always be obtained. Therefore, a plurality of infrared LEDs 17 are arranged adjacent to the infrared camera 15 in the in-vehicle photographing unit 10 so that a clear image can be captured. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2010-253987 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, as exemplified in Patent Document 1, the conventional technology merely irradiates the object to be photographed with infrared rays to compensate for the lack of light required for photography. For example, if many infrared light-emitting elements are provided or if the radiation intensity of the infrared light-emitting elements is increased and infrared rays are irradiated, the object to be photographed will certainly become brighter, and a clear image can be obtained. However, providing many infrared light-emitting elements or making the object unlimitedly brighter will increase power consumption and lead to high costs. In addition, the life of light-emitting elements such as infrared LEDs tends to be shortened by use under high load. Furthermore, there are cases where the object is used in an environment where unlimited power consumption is not possible in the first place due to a limited power supply. On the other hand, it is not necessary for all objects to be illuminated with infrared rays of the same brightness. For example, it should be easy to obtain a clear image of a nearby object even if the radiation intensity is not relatively high compared to a distant object, even if the intensity is low due to the close distance. Therefore, there has been a demand for a technology that efficiently illuminates the required range with an appropriate amount of light when illuminating an object to be photographed from far to close with lighting. In the above, we have taken the example of a drive recorder that emits infrared rays, but the same problem occurs when illuminating an object using not only infrared rays that cannot be recognized by the human eye, but also visible light or ultraviolet rays. Also, if the illumination is visible light, a shooting means such as a camera is not necessarily a requirement. The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a light irradiation system that can efficiently illuminate objects from far away to near. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] In order to achieve the above object, it is preferable that the first means comprises a first light irradiating means and a second light irradiating means, the first light irradiating means being capable of irradiating light having a higher radiant intensity than the second light irradiating means over a narrower range, and the second light irradiating means being capable of irradiating light having a lower radiant intensity than the first light irradiating means over a wider range. With this configuration, the distant object can be illuminated with light having a high radiation intensity, so that the necessary distant area can be seen more clearly, while the wide area near the object can be illuminated at a wide angle with light having a relatively low radiation intensity, so that the user can simultaneously recognize the necessary range from the distant object to the near object with appropriate brightness. In particular, it is preferable to appropriately set the irradiation intensity and irradiation area of ​​the first light irradiation means and the second light irradiation means according to the visual object and its relationship, and with this configuration, it is possible to efficiently suppress power consumption without waste and to make the necessary range visible. The light irradiation system may be configured by combining a plurality of light irradiation means each having increasing radiation intensity and capable of irradiating a narrower range. For example, n light irradiation means may be provided, with light irradiation means A irradiating the widest range with light having the lowest radiation intensity, light irradiation means B irradiating a narrower range with light having a higher radiation intensity than light irradiation means A, light irradiation means C irradiating a narrower range with light having a higher radiation intensity than light irradiation means B, and light irradiation means n irradiating a narrower range with light having a higher radiation intensity than light irradiation means n-1. The number of light irradiation means with different radiation intensities and irradiation ranges provided in the light irradiation system may be the number of areas that require visibility. The areas that require visibility may be positions with stepwise different distances from a reference position. For example, the stepwise different positions may be positions with a difference of a predetermined value or more. In particular, light irradiation means may be provided in correspondence with a plurality of different irradiation target areas with a difference of a predetermined value or more from the reference position. The reference position may be, for example, the position of one of the light irradiation means. For example, in a vehicle, when the reference position is near the rearview mirror and the rear interior is illuminated, if the vehicle has two rows of seats, two light irradiation means, a light irradiation means A that illuminates the driver's seat and the passenger seat and a light irradiation means B that illuminates the rear seats, may be provided. For example, if the vehicle has two rows of rear seats, one in front and one behind, making a total of three rows of seats, it is preferable to provide three light irradiation means, namely, a light irradiation means A for illuminating the driver's seat and the passenger seat, a light irradiation means B for illuminating the first rear seat behind the first rear seat, and a light irradiation means C for illuminating the second rear seat behind the first rear seat. In such a case, the light irradiation system can more reliably illuminate the people in the seats in each row than the conventional system, since there is a difference of a predetermined value or more in the distance from the reference position between the front and rear seats. In particular, it is preferable to set the irradiation ranges of the first light irradiation means to the nth light irradiation means so that the irradiation ranges in each row are approximately the same width. In this way, each row in the vehicle can be illuminated with the same width. However, when all the light irradiation means are installed in front of the driver's seat, it is preferable to set the width of the irradiation range of the first light irradiation means to be wider than the width of the irradiation range of the second and subsequent light irradiation means as the width of the irradiation range in each row. In particular, when the driver is driving, it is preferable to illuminate the driver's steering wheel operation and the area around the driver's feet, while illuminating the faces of people in the back seats.

[0006] Here, the first light irradiating means and the second light irradiating means may each be singular or plural. If there is no limit to the number, it becomes easier to consider a design that provides optimal power efficiency, and it becomes easier to accommodate optical devices with various specifications. In addition, the first light irradiating means and the second light irradiating means may be the same number or different numbers, but if they are the same number, the arrangement balance is particularly good. Specific examples of light irradiation means include LEDs (light-emitting diodes) and incandescent lamps. LEDs consume less power than non-LEDs, such as incandescent lamps, for the same amount of light, and are therefore advantageous because they do not waste electricity when powered from a battery power source, such as in a vehicle. They also contribute to compactness, which is advantageous for users when installing equipment in a small vehicle, for example. In addition, the low power consumption makes the power supply less likely to heat up, and power consumption increases especially when power is supplied from a power supply branched off from another electronic device, so it is advantageous to use LEDs, which consume less power.

[0007] As the second means, it is preferable that the light irradiated by the first light irradiating means has a half-value angle of ±10 to ±30 degrees, and the light irradiated by the second light irradiating means has a half-value angle of ±45 to ±60 degrees. The half-value angle is the angle at which the radiation intensity of light at the optical axis position is half, and is a measure of the directivity of light. The half-value angle is expressed as an angle to the left and right (i.e., ± direction) with the optical axis as the reference. Light with such an angle allows the user to recognize a wide range from far to near at the same time with appropriate brightness. In particular, when light is irradiated from a light irradiation means installed near the windshield inside the vehicle, such a configuration can illuminate people in the driver's seat and passenger seat over a wide area, and can also brightly illuminate people in the back seat.

[0008] As a third means, it is preferable that the light irradiated by the first light irradiation means and the second light irradiation means includes an infrared light range, and that the device is provided with an output means for detecting the infrared light and outputting the detected information in a state that can be recognized by a human. In this way, a person can recognize the necessary area, both near and far, even at night. Detection may be performed, for example, by a sensor, and in particular, sensors arranged in a matrix, for example, an infrared camera. The output may be configured to determine whether the detection intensity is equal to or higher than a predetermined level and output, or may be converted into visible light and output. Output may be performed, for example, by sound, or preferably by light. The output may be performed in real time, but it is particularly preferable to record the output and read out the recorded content later. For example, the detection may be performed by an infrared camera, the output may be recorded as a camera image, and the recorded image may be reproduced and output later on a monitor of a personal computer or the like.

[0009] As a fourth means, it is preferable that the first light irradiating means and the second light irradiating means are disposed adjacent to each other, and the irradiation directions of the first and second light irradiating means are substantially the same direction. In this way, the second illumination area by the second light illumination means is formed approximately at the center of the first illumination area by the first light illumination means. Therefore, of the entire illumination area, the center can be viewed farther, and the surrounding area can be widely viewed.

[0010] As a fifth means, the first light irradiation means and the second light irradiation means can be installed so as to illuminate the interior of the vehicle compartment from a position in front of the vehicle, and the first light irradiation means can have an irradiation range and irradiation intensity that spotlights a rear seat that is far from the driver's seat in the vehicle, and the second light irradiation means can have an irradiation range and irradiation intensity that illuminates the vicinity including the driver's seat and passenger seat at a wide angle. In this way, the user (for example, a taxi driver or taxi company) can clearly see the area around the face of the person sitting in the back seat, while at the same time clearly seeing the overall appearance of the people sitting in the front seats (the driver and the passenger).

[0011] As a sixth means, it is preferable to dispose a cover body on the front surface of the first light-irradiating means and the second light-irradiating means, which allows the infrared rays irradiated from the first light-irradiating means and the second light-irradiating means to pass through, and which absorbs or reflects visible light so that the first light-irradiating means and the second light-irradiating means cannot be seen by the naked eye. This allows the user to directly visually confirm the first and second light emitting means, and the user is less conscious of the presence of the first and second light emitting means at that position. In addition, since it will not be noticed by a third party, the user can avoid the inconvenience of a third party pointing out its presence. In particular, it is preferable to use a cover that is transparent to infrared rays and blocks visible light.

[0012] As a seventh means, it is preferable to have an imaging means capable of imaging at least a part of an area including the area irradiated by the first light irradiating means and the area irradiated by the second light irradiating means. This allows the user to check the area illuminated by the light from a position different from the position where the object is illuminated, or to record the captured image and check it later. The captured image may be displayed in real time, but it is particularly preferable to record the image and play back the recorded image later for display.

[0013] As an eighth means, the photographing direction of the photographing means may be the irradiation direction of light irradiated by the first light irradiating means and the second light irradiating means. This ensures that the shooting direction faces the object illuminated by the light emitted by the first and second light irradiation means, and the object illuminated by reflected light can be photographed most efficiently, allowing the user to view the image shot under good conditions. As a ninth means, it is preferable that the first and second light irradiating means are located in the vicinity of the image capturing means, and the light irradiation direction by the first and second light irradiating means and the image capturing direction by the image capturing means are substantially the same direction.

[0014] As a tenth means, it is preferable that the light emitted by the first light-irradiating means and the second light-irradiating means is infrared light, and that the first light-irradiating means and the second light-irradiating means are arranged inside a vehicle together with the imaging means. Since the light emitted by the first and second light emitting means is infrared light, the user or a third party will not know that the light is being emitted, and the image can be recorded even in a dimly lit room or at night. The room may be, for example, the interior of a vehicle, since the size of the interior of a vehicle falls within the specified range.

[0015] As an eleventh means, it is preferable that the first light irradiating means and the second light irradiating means are mounted in a housing in which the image capturing means is mounted. Since the unit can be moved and installed as a whole unit, users can work more efficiently when installing the unit. As a twelfth means, it is preferable that the housing is supported by a support member, and the support member is connected to the housing at a position inside the lateral width of the housing. This reduces the amount of outward projection of the support member, making it more compact. As a result, even when a user installs the device in a narrow space, such as a vehicle, there is more room for the installation location, and the device is less likely to feel like it is in the way. In addition, since the device is located inside the width of the support member, if the housing or a member on the housing side is wide and protrudes outward significantly, interference with the support member is less likely to occur when the housing is swung, and the amount of swinging is increased, so there is more room for the housing to be displaced when the user installs the device in a certain location, making it possible to irradiate light in various directions. As a thirteenth means, it is preferable that the housing is supported by a support member, and the support member is connected to a protruding position on the rear side of the housing. Since the irradiation positions of the first and second light irradiating means are disposed further forward, the light can reach farther. Also, since the support member is disposed rearward away from the housing, interference with the support member is less likely to occur when the housing or a member on the housing side is wide and protrudes outward significantly when the housing is swung, and the amount of swinging is increased, so there is a margin in the range in which the housing can be displaced when the user installs it in a certain location, making it possible to irradiate light in various directions.

[0016] As a fourteenth means, it is preferable that the first and second light irradiating means are not disposed within the angle of view of the imaging means. This prevents the user from seeing a captured image in which the unnecessary first or second light emitting means is reflected, and allows the user to see only an image in which only the object that the user wants to see is reflected. As a fifteenth means, it is preferable that the first and second light irradiating means are not disposed in front of a lens surface of the imaging means. This prevents the user from seeing a captured image in which the unnecessary first or second light emitting means is reflected, and allows the user to see only an image in which only the object that the user wants to see is reflected. As a sixteenth measure, it is preferable to make the angle of view of the imaging means larger than the half-value angle of the light irradiated by the second light irradiating means. This allows the user to always see the area illuminated by the light illuminating means, and prevents the problem of the illuminated object not being imaged.

[0017] As a seventeenth means, it is preferable that the photographing means, together with the first light irradiating means and the second light irradiating means, be covered by the cover body. This prevents the user from directly viewing the photographing means together with the first and second light emitting means, and reduces the awareness that the photographing means and the first and second light emitting means are located at that position. In addition, since it will not be noticed by a third party, the user can avoid the inconvenience of a third party pointing out their presence. In particular, since the fact that a photograph is being taken by the photographing means is not necessarily viewed favorably by a third party, it is good that the lens, etc. cannot be directly viewed by eye by covering it with the cover body in this way.

[0018] As an 18th means, the light irradiating means includes a light irradiating means Y which makes visible light easier to recognize than the light irradiating means X, and a light irradiating means X which makes visible light harder to recognize than the light irradiating means Y, and when the light irradiating means Y is configured from a plurality of light sources, it is preferable that the lens of the imaging means is not sandwiched between the light sources. In this way, the presence of the photographing means can be made less noticeable. As a 19th means, the light irradiation means includes light irradiation means Y which makes visible light easier to recognize than light irradiation means X, and light irradiation means X which makes visible light less easily recognized than light irradiation means Y, and when light irradiation means Y is configured from a plurality of light sources, it is preferable to arrange the light sources approximately horizontally. In this way, the problem of something shining at an angle being seen, which gives a sense of incongruity, can be solved. In particular, it is preferable to arrange the light sources so that they are roughly horizontal and do not sandwich a lens. In particular, it is preferable to designate the first light irradiating means as light irradiating means Y and the second light irradiating means as light irradiating means X.

[0019] As a twentieth measure, when the number of the first light irradiating means is plural, it is preferable that the first light irradiating means are not disposed at positions that obliquely sandwich the lens of the image capturing means. The infrared rays from the first light emitting means have a higher radiation intensity than the infrared rays from the second light emitting means, and if the infrared rays contain near-infrared rays, they may be perceived as red by the human eye even if they are covered with a cover body, so the presence of the first light emitting means may be discovered. In that case, if multiple (for example, two) first light emitting means are arranged at an oblique position, it may give an impression of instability and may give the impression that there is something between them. In particular, the fact that a photograph is taken by a photographing means is not necessarily viewed favorably by third parties, so it is good for the user that such an impression is not given. Therefore, when multiple first light emitting means are arranged, they are not arranged at an oblique position to sandwich the lens of the photographing means, making it less likely that a third party will suspect it.

[0020] As a 21st means, it is preferable to have a means for concealing a part where the presence of the imaging means is visible from a subject being photographed by the imaging means. This makes it difficult for the camera to be seen, making it difficult to know that a photograph is being taken. The lens of the camera is particularly suitable as a part where the presence of the camera can be seen. Passengers are particularly suitable as people who can see the camera. As a twenty-second means, it is preferable to provide at least a part of the concealing means with a portion that mimics an object present inside the vehicle. In this way, the unnaturalness of hiding is reduced, and the photographing means becomes more difficult for the subject to notice. The form of the part to be camouflaged may be, for example, a speaker of a vehicle, an air conditioner outlet, or a mirror, and it is particularly preferable to camouflage an object existing in the vicinity of the mounting position of the photographing means. For example, when the photographing means is mounted in the vicinity of a rearview mirror, the part to be camouflaged may be a mirror.

[0021] As a twenty-third means, the part to be camouflaged may be a part for humans to see. This makes it easier for the subject's face to be photographed by the photographing means by drawing their gaze thereto. For example, this may be a rear-view mirror or a cosmetic mirror. As a 24th means, it is preferable that the object existing within the vehicle is an object whose direction is variable, and the direction of the camouflaged portion is also variable. With this configuration, the simulating portion can be displaced in various directions within the vehicle and set to a position suitable for use by the passenger. As a twenty-fifth means, it is preferable that the concealing means side is detachable from the photographing means side. This makes it possible to remove the hiding means when the installation space is too small to install it, when it is not necessary to use it, etc. Also, the members of the hiding means can be sold as optional parts, for example, so that only those who need it can purchase and install it, and those who do not need it will not need to purchase it. As a 26th means, it is preferable that the fixing force of the means for changing the photographing direction of the photographing means is made stronger than the fixing force of the means for changing the direction of the concealing means. This makes it difficult for the imaging direction of the imaging means, once fixed, to inadvertently move when the concealing means is operated. In particular, it is preferable for the direction of the concealing means to be a fixing force that can be changed by hand, and for the means for changing the imaging direction to be a mechanical fixing force, such as a screw or clamp, that is difficult to move even when moved by hand.

[0022] As a 27th means, it is preferable to removably arrange a second cover body on at least the front of the lens of the photographing means so as not to impede the photographing function of the photographing means and so as not to make the photographing means visible to the naked eye. As a result, even if the second cover body is placed in front of the imaging means, it is possible to take pictures, and since at least the lens of the imaging means is not visible, it is difficult to know that a picture is being taken. In addition, since it is removable, it can be removed when the interior of the vehicle is too narrow to place the second cover body or when it is not necessary to use it. "Does not interfere with the imaging function" means, for example, that the second cover body can absorb or reflect visible light to make the imaging means invisible to the naked eye, and in that case, it is preferable to transmit visible light to an extent that allows imaging. As for "does not interfere with the imaging function", for example, a configuration that "does not interfere with the imaging function" is the most desirable. As a 28th means, the second cover body is preferably arranged in front of the first light irradiation means and the second light irradiation means and allows infrared rays irradiated from the first light irradiation means and the second light irradiation means to pass therethrough. As a result, the first light irradiating means and the second light irradiating means are not visible, so it is difficult to know that the light irradiating means for photographing the interior of the vehicle is not discovered and photographing is taking place. In addition, when the first light irradiating means and the second light irradiating means are disposed near the photographing means, they can be hidden together with the photographing means by a single second cover body, which contributes to compactness.

[0023] As a twenty-ninth means, it is preferable that the second cover body is supported by a housing in which the image capturing means is mounted. This eliminates the need for a separate member from the housing to support the second cover body, and the installation work can be performed at the same time as the housing is installed, thereby reducing the labor required for installation. As a thirtieth means, it is preferable that the second cover body is held so as to be displaceable relative to the housing, and that the second cover body is not displaced and is maintained in a specific position unless an external force of a predetermined magnitude or more is applied. In other words, the second cover body can change its position relative to the housing, for example by swinging or rotating, but at the same time it must be able to stop at a certain set position. Therefore, if the second cover body is configured in such a way that it does not displace and maintains its held state unless an external force of a predetermined magnitude or more is applied, there is no need for a separate means such as a screw to fix it in place, and it can be freely and easily positioned in the optimal position without having to loosen or tighten the screw or the like each time. In addition, the holding force should be such that the stop position once set will not shift due to slight shaking or its own weight, and that it can be displaced by operating it with a force greater than a predetermined value. For example, when placed inside a vehicle, the holding force should be such that the position will not shift due to vibrations of the vehicle, and that the position can be easily changed by operating it with one hand. For example, it is preferable that the holding force is exerted by friction.

[0024] As a 31st means, a universal joint mechanism is configured between the housing side and the second cover body side, and the second cover body is preferably displaceable relative to the housing by the universal joint mechanism. By providing such a mechanism, the second cover body can be oriented in any direction relative to the housing, and even if the shooting direction of the shooting means is constant, the orientation of only the second cover body can be changed to be used as, for example, a rearview mirror or a cosmetic mirror. The universal joint mechanism may be configured, for example, so that the sphere is surrounded by an enclosure having the same curve as the sphere. The sphere and the enclosure may be on either the housing side or the second cover body side. The enclosure may be configured as a divided body in order to surround the sphere, in which case it may be divided into two parts, front and back, two parts, left and right, or may be configured with three or more divided members. Also, the sphere may not be a complete sphere but may be configured with only a portion of a sphere.

[0025] As a thirty-second means, the universal joint mechanism may have a holding means for holding the second cover body in a predetermined holding position relative to the housing by friction. With such a configuration, there is no need for a means such as a screw to hold it in a certain position, and it can be freely oriented in the optimal direction without having to loosen a screw or the like, making it easy to operate, and the holding position once set will not be distorted by slight shaking or its own weight. This holding force should be strong enough that the stop position once set will not shift due to slight shaking or its own weight, and it should be strong enough that it can be displaced by operating with a force greater than or equal to a predetermined value. For example, it should be strong enough that when placed inside a vehicle, it will not shift due to vibrations of the vehicle, and it can be easily operated with one hand to change its position. The holding means for providing friction may be a protruding member that contacts the surface of the sphere with pressure, or the material of the enclosure itself may be non-slip, for example, a material such as elastic rubber that generates friction on the contact surface. The holding means for providing friction is preferably formed on the inside of an enclosure surrounding the sphere, because this allows the enclosure to surround the sphere while providing friction to the universal joint mechanism. In the case where the surrounding body is configured as a divided body and the holding means is provided inside the divided body, it is preferable that when the divided bodies are assembled to surround the sphere, the divided bodies are deformed as the divided bodies are assembled, and the holding means is pressed against the sphere by the pressing force generated by the deformation. This makes it possible to provide friction between the second cover body and the housing as the divided bodies are assembled to construct the universal joint mechanism. It is preferable that the enclosure has flexibility and a suitable elasticity. This is because, particularly when a holding means is provided inside the enclosure, it can be deformed and biased to provide friction. In order to give flexibility and a suitable elasticity to a hard material, it is preferable to deform the shape so that it is easy to bend. For example, it is preferable to form slits partially. It is also preferable to use a flexible material, such as nylon or elastic rubber.

[0026] As a thirty-third means, it is preferable that the housing is structured to be supported by a support member, and the universal joint mechanism is disposed forward of the support member. This allows the second cover body to be positioned so as to protrude further forward and is spaced apart from the mounting surface of the housing, making it less likely to interfere with the surroundings, particularly when the housing is moved significantly. Further, as another technical idea that can be grasped from the 30th to 33rd means, it is possible to apply the housing as the first device and the second cover body as the second device to devices other than drive recorders and light irradiation systems.

[0027] As a thirty-fourth means, it is preferable that the device is connected to another electronic device and controlled by a control means of the other electronic device. This makes it possible to illuminate an object by controlling other electronic devices without requiring a separate control means. Also, if a photographing means is provided, photographing can be performed by controlling other electronic devices, and the photographed image can be recorded. This allows control together with other electronic devices with only a single control means, which contributes to cost reduction. Also, since the user does not need to perform a separate setting operation and can set the device at the same time as the other electronic devices, the setting operation is simplified, making it easy to use. As a thirty-fifth means, it is preferable that power is supplied by branching off from a power supply section on the other electronic device. This eliminates the need for a separate power supply unit, reducing the hassle of installation for users. Also, for example, in vehicles, electronic devices are often powered using a cigarette lighter, but if there are multiple power supplies, it is necessary to prepare separate cigarette lighter sockets or a special two-pronged cigarette lighter socket, but this does not cause any trouble. Effect of the Invention

[0028] According to the invention of each of the above claims, it is possible to provide a light irradiation system that can efficiently illuminate objects from far to near. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0029] [Figure 1]1 is an exploded perspective view showing a driving recorder according to an embodiment of the present invention with a mounting bracket for an in-vehicle camera removed; [Diagram 2] FIG. 4 is a side view of the vehicle interior camera of the drive recorder according to the embodiment; [Diagram 3] FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a camera for recording images inside a vehicle of the drive recorder according to the embodiment; [Figure 4] FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the first case piece as seen from the back side. [Figure 6] FIG. 4 is a rear view of the vehicle interior camera of the drive recorder according to the embodiment. [Figure 7] 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 6. [Figure 8] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB in FIG. 6 . [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram for explaining the connection relationship between a vehicle interior camera of the drive recorder and the drive recorder according to the embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a block diagram for explaining the electrical configuration of the in-vehicle camera and the drive recorder of the live recorder according to the embodiment. [Figure 11] 4 is a photographed image of Example 1 taken by using the drive recorder of the embodiment. [Figure 12] 11 is a captured image of Example 2 captured using the drive recorder of the embodiment. [Figure 13] 11 is a photographed image of Example 3 taken by using the drive recorder of the embodiment. [Figure 14] 13 is a captured image of Comparative Example 1 captured by changing the infrared LED of the drive recorder of the embodiment. [Figure 15] 13 is a captured image of Comparative Example 2 captured by changing the infrared LED of the drive recorder of the embodiment. [Figure 16] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a state in which a mirror device is attached to a camera for recording inside a vehicle of the drive recorder according to the embodiment; [Figure 17] FIG. [Figure 18]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a fixing ring of the mirror device. [Figure 19] 1A is a side view explaining how to attach (or remove) the mirror device to the camera for photographing inside the vehicle interior, and FIG. 1B is a side view of the same device attached. [Figure 20] FIG. 2 is a cutaway side view of a main body and a fixing ring that constitute the mirror device. [Figure 21] FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the concept of a fixing ring. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0030] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A drive recorder for capturing images of the interior of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. First, the schematic configuration of a camera for recording inside a vehicle interior of a drive recorder will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 8. The exterior of a camera 1 for recording inside a vehicle interior of a drive recorder (hereinafter referred to as camera 1) of this embodiment is composed of a main body case 2 and a hanging bracket 3 as a support member attached to the outer periphery of the main body case 2. In the following description, the left side in Figure 2 is the front side, and the upper side in Figure 6 is the upper side. The main body case 2 is configured by combining a pair of front and rear case pieces, first and second case pieces 2A and 2B. First, the configuration of the first case piece 2A will be described.

[0031] As shown in Figures 3, 5, 7, etc., the first case half 2A made of ultra heat-resistant ABS resin has a bowl-shaped outer shape, and its basic framework is formed by a first bowl-shaped portion 4 having a circular cross-sectional periphery that is curved and extended so as to be convex outward, and a front plate 5 consisting of a disk-shaped body formed at a position slightly setback from the front end of the first bowl-shaped portion 4. A circular lens through-hole 5a is formed in the center of the front plate 5. Four small circular through-holes 5b with a smaller diameter than the lens through-hole 5a are formed around the lens through-hole 5a at positions equidistant from the edge of the through-hole 5a and displaced by 90 degrees each (the corner positions of the square surrounding the through-hole 5a). As shown in Figs. 3 and 7, a very shallow recess 6 is formed on the front surface of the front plate 5. A small protrusion 7 is formed in the lower center of the recess 6 as a positioning member. As shown in Fig. 5, three cylindrical studs 8 are formed on the rear surface of the front plate 5, which is the inside of the first case piece 2A, adjacent to the inner wall surface of the first bowl-shaped portion 4. A screw hole is formed at the tip of each stud 8. Two studs 8 are horizontally arranged near the small through hole 5b on the upper side, and one stud is arranged at the lower center position, each shifted by 120 degrees. A stud 9 is formed as a positioning member at the upper center position adjacent to the inner wall surface of the first bowl-shaped portion 4 inside the first case piece 2A. A small hole is formed at the tip of the stud 9. Screw holes 10 for mounting a board are formed on both sides of the lens through hole 5a.

[0032] Next, the configuration of the second case half 2B will be described. As shown in Figures 3, 6, 7, etc., the second case piece 2B made of ultra heat-resistant ABS resin has a basic framework formed by a second bowl-shaped portion 11 having a circular cross-sectional periphery that extends outwardly and curves to be convex, a protruding wall portion 12 that extends substantially cylindrically from the rear of the second bowl-shaped portion 11, and a rear plate 13 that has a substantially circular outer shape and closes the rear of the protruding wall portion 12. A pair of left and right bracket bearings 14 that protrude rearward are formed in the rear plate 13. A cable through hole 16 is formed at a position slightly shifted downward from the rear plate 13. The upper area of ​​the cable through hole 16 on the back surface of the rear plate 13 is a label attachment surface 13a that is a slightly concave rectangular shape with rounded corners, and a label (not shown) on which information such as the model number of the camera 1 is written is attached. Three guide grooves 15, each recessed in a semicircular cross section, are formed on the outer periphery from the protruding wall portion 12 to the rear plate 13 at positions evenly offset by 120 degrees in the circumferential direction. As shown in FIG. 7, each guide groove 15 is connected to the internal space of a stud 18 protruding forward from the rear surface of the second bowl-shaped portion 11, and a small through hole 19 is formed at the front end of each stud 18. These studs 18 on the second case piece 2B side correspond to the studs 8 on the first case piece 2A side. A small protrusion 20 is formed as a positioning member at an upper central position on the inside of the second case piece 2B adjacent to the inner wall surface of the second bowl-shaped portion 11. The small protrusion 20 corresponds to the stud 9 on the first case piece 2A side.

[0033] The pair of bracket bearings 14 are hollow protrusions, and the outer peripheral shape of the cross section is formed in an arch shape. The outer surface 14a of the bracket bearing 14, which is formed as a flat surface, is designed to be integrated with the protruding wall portion 12. The outer surface 14a has a knob shaft hole 17 that communicates with the internal space. As shown in FIG. 6, the bracket bearings 14 are arranged at both ends at the center position in the vertical direction of the second case piece 2B, and are arranged so that the axial direction connecting the left and right knob shaft holes 17 coincides with the diameter direction of the rear plate 13. As shown in FIG. 3, FIG. 7, and FIG. 8, the internal space of the bracket bearing 14 is divided into a nut accommodating portion 23 and a relief portion 24 separated by a partition wall 22. The nut accommodating portion 23 and the relief portion 24 are open toward the front of the second case piece 2B. The partition wall 22 has a circular through hole 22a whose center coincides with the knob shaft hole 17. An engagement surface 23a is formed at the bottom (rear) of the nut accommodating portion 23, which is chamfered at an angle of 120 degrees in three places to correspond to the hexagonal shape of a nut 61 (described later). On the inside of the rear plate 13, on both sides of the cable through-hole 16, studs 25 with screw holes for attaching a cable holder are formed.

[0034] The first case piece 2A and the second case piece 2B configured as described above have their ends connected to each other in the first bowl-shaped portion 4 and the second bowl-shaped portion 11, and the stud 8 on the first case piece 2A side and the stud 18 on the second case piece 2B side are aligned and fastened together with screws 30 to form the main case 2. When fastening, the screws 30 advance while being guided by the guide grooves 15 on the second case piece 2B side, and are screwed into the screw holes on the stud 8 side through the small through holes 19 of the stud 18. In addition, since the ends of the first bowl-shaped portion 4 and the second bowl-shaped portion 11 are perfectly circular, it is difficult to determine the correct relative connection position in the circumferential direction of the first case piece 2A and the second case piece 2B. Therefore, when connecting, the small protrusion 20 on the second case piece 2B side is engaged with the stud 9 on the first case piece 2A side to determine the relative positioning in the circumferential direction of the first bowl-shaped portion 4 and the second bowl-shaped portion 11. When the small protrusion 20 is engaged with the stud 9, the corresponding stud 8 on the first case piece 2A side and the stud 18 on the second case piece 2B side are matched. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, when the first and second case pieces 2A and 2B are combined to form the main case 2, the connection surfaces of the first bowl-shaped portion 4 and the second bowl-shaped portion 6 are smoothly connected, and a part of a sphere with a predetermined curvature (spherical zone shape) is formed on the outer periphery of the main case 2. This spherical zone shape has a curved surface that is largest in diameter at the connecting position between the first bowl-shaped portion 4 and the second bowl-shaped portion 6 and narrows in the front-rear direction.

[0035] Next, the components of the camera 1 disposed inside and outside the main body case 2 will be described. As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, a black cover panel 33 having optical properties that does not transmit (i.e. absorbs) light in the visible light range but transmits infrared light is disposed in the recess 6 formed in the front plate 5 of the first case piece 2A. The cover panel 33 is a ring-shaped plate with a circular lens through hole 33a having the same diameter as the lens through hole 5a formed in the center. A small notch 34 is formed in the lower position of the cover panel 33 as a positioning member. As shown in Fig. 4, an attachment surface 35 made of double-sided tape is formed on the back surface of the cover panel 33. The cover panel 33 is attached to the front of the front plate 5 by the attachment surface 35. The attachment surface 35 has four hollows 35a formed therein. The hollows 35a are portions where no tape is disposed and are portions that maintain the light transmission properties of the cover panel 33. When the cover panel 33 is disposed in the recess 6, the cover panel 33 is disposed in the recess 6 so that the small protrusions 7 formed on the recess 6 side are engaged with the small notches 34. In this positional relationship, the hollowed-out portion 35 a is disposed at a position facing the four small through holes 5 b of the front plate 5 .

[0036] 3, a first board 37 is disposed on the rear surface of the first case piece 2A inside the main case 2. The first board 37 is attached by screws 38 through the board attachment screw holes 10. The first substrate 37 is a generally octagonal plate-like body, with three notches formed in total, two on the upper left and right sides and one at the center of the lower end, to form three-point support portions 37a. When the screw 38 is fastened to the screw hole 10, the three three-point support portions 37a of the first substrate 37 abut against the outer periphery of the corresponding stud 8 on the first case half 2A side. A lens through hole 37a slightly larger in diameter than the lens through hole 5a of the first case half 2A is formed in the center of the first substrate 37. Four infrared LEDs 39A, 39B are arranged around the lens through hole 37a. The infrared LEDs 39A, 39B are disposed at positions corresponding to the four small holes 5b, and are similarly disposed around the lens hole 37a at positions equidistant from the edge of the hole 37a and shifted by 90 degrees each. That is, the four infrared LEDs 39A, 39B are disposed such that two infrared LEDs 39A are disposed horizontally above and two infrared LEDs 39B are disposed directly below the LEDs 39A in the horizontal direction, that is, in the arrangement positions of elements of a matrix with 2 rows and 2 columns. The infrared LEDs 39A and 39B are arranged facing the four small through holes 5b formed in the first case piece 2A, and are arranged close to but not beyond the front surface of the front plate 5 (in this embodiment, they extend 0.4 mm rearward from the rear surface of the front plate 5). The two infrared LEDs 39A (first LEDs) arranged on the upper side are light sources that illuminate a narrow range with high radiation intensity, and in this embodiment, LEDs with a half-value angle of ±10 degrees are used. The two infrared LEDs 39B (second LEDs) arranged on the lower side are light sources that illuminate a relatively wide range with relatively low radiation intensity compared to the infrared LEDs 39A, and in this embodiment, LEDs with a half-value angle of ±60 degrees are used. The infrared LEDs 39A and 39B serve as supplementary lighting when photographing in a dimly lit room or at night.

[0037] 3, the second board 40 is disposed behind the first board 37. The second board 40 is sandwiched between the stud 8 of the first case piece 2A and the stud 18 of the second case piece 2B. In other words, as the first case piece 2A and the second case piece 2B are fastened together by the screw 30, the studs 8, 18 are brought relatively close to each other, and the second board 40 is fixed. The second board 40 is in the shape of a substantially octagonal plate, and is connected to the first board 37 by a connector. A pair of left and right through-holes 41 that allow the screws 30 to pass through are formed above the first board 37 of the second board 40 (only the front side is shown in FIG. 3). The through-holes 41 are formed at positions corresponding to the two three-point support parts 37a located above the first board 37. A camera unit 42 is disposed on the front side of the second board 40. The camera unit 42 is an electronic camera that uses, for example, a CCD element or a CMOS element as a light receiving element, and has sensitivity from visible light to infrared light. The camera unit 42 is composed of a camera base 42A in which a control circuit and the like are disposed, and a lens section 42B. The lens section 42B is composed of a group of lenses, and is a wide-angle lens with a field angle of 180 degrees. When placed in the main body case 2, the lens section 42B is inserted through the lens through hole 37a of the first substrate 37, the lens through hole 5a of the first case piece 2A, and the lens through hole 33a of the cover panel 33, respectively, and the tip protrudes slightly forward from the cover panel 33 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 (6 mm from the front of the infrared LEDs 39A and 39B, and 4.7 mm from the front of the cover panel 33 in this embodiment). The optical axis of the lens in the lens section 42B is arranged parallel to the front direction in which the irradiated infrared rays are directed. In such an advanced position, the wide-angle lens of the lens section 42B can capture an object up to about 210 degrees, although a large aberration actually occurs. However, the advanced position is limited so that the main body case 2 (first case piece 2A) is not captured in the image.

[0038] As shown in FIG. 3, a cable holder 45 is disposed behind the second substrate 40. The cable holder 45 has a horizontally long baseball home base-like appearance and is made of synthetic rubber. An engagement protrusion 47 is formed in the center of the cable holder 45, bulging out in a hemispherical shape toward the rear. A through hole 48 for a cable is formed at the position where the engagement protrusion 47 is formed. A slit 49 is formed downward from the through hole 48, and screw holes 50 are formed on the left and right sides of the through hole 48. The cable holder 45 is fixed by a screw 51 with the screw hole 50 aligned with the stud 25 on the second case piece 2B side in a state where the engagement protrusion 47 is fitted into the cable through hole 16 from the inside. When the cable holder 45 is fixed, it is disposed in the open front position of the nut accommodating portion 23 and the escape portion 24 formed at the rear end of the second case piece 2B side, and the nut 61 stored in the nut accommodating portion 23 is prevented from falling off. A cable 53 is inserted through the through hole 48 of the cable holder 45 and connected at its tip to the first and second boards 37, 40 (only a part of the cable 53 is shown in FIG. 3). The cable 53 can be positioned at the through hole 48 while pushing and widening the slit 49.

[0039] Next, components related to the attachment of the hanging bracket 3 to the main body case 2 will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, a hanging bracket 3 is attached to a bracket bearing 14 formed on the second case half 2B side of the main body case 2. The hanging bracket 3 made of alloy is composed of a top plate portion 55 to which double-sided tape is attached as a fixing member, and hanging plate portions 56 hanging down from both ends of the top plate portion 55. The hanging plate portion 56 is formed in a substantially right-angled triangle shape. An attachment hole 57 is formed near the tip of the hanging plate portion 56. The hanging plate portion 56 is tapered so that the material on the rear side is removed, so that the attachment hole 57 is formed in a position offset forward from the top plate portion 55.

[0040] Such a hanging bracket 3 is attached to the main body case 2 as follows. The left and right hanging plate parts 56 of the hanging bracket 3 are attached to the second case piece 2B by the fixing knob 60 via the toothed washer 58 and the flat washer 59 so as to be rotatable relative to the second case piece 2B at any tightening degree. The fixing knob 60 as a connecting means is composed of a knob part 60a and a screw part 60b. Then, the toothed washer 58 and the flat washer 59 are arranged so as to match the mounting hole 57 on the outer surface of the hanging plate part 56 as shown in FIG. 1 (the flat washer 59 is on the outside), and the screw part 60b of the fixing knob 60 is inserted through these three members (hanging plate part 56, toothed washer 58, flat washer 59) and the tip is inserted into the knob shaft hole 17 formed on the outer surface 14a of the bracket bearing 14. As shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8, the nut 61 is accommodated in the nut accommodating part 23 in the bracket bearing 14 in a state of engaging with the engagement surface 23a. In addition, the nut 61 is sandwiched between the outer wall of the bracket bearing 14 and the partition wall 22. Therefore, the nut 61 will not move (displace) even if a load is applied in either the thrust direction or the radial direction. In this state, the knob portion 60a is operated to advance the screw portion 60b while screwing it into the nut 61, and the hanging plate portion 56 is firmly held between the knob portion 60a and the outer surface 14a by the cooperation with the nut 61. The straight line connecting the axes of the left and right fixing knobs 60 (i.e., the rotation axis of the hanging bracket 3) is perpendicular to the optical axis of the lens in the lens portion 42B. As shown by the imaginary line in Fig. 2, when the hanging bracket 3 has the top plate portion 55 disposed upward (the position of the imaginary line in Fig. 2), the top plate portion 55 extends rearward from the position of the bracket bearing 14, so that the top plate portion 55 does not get in the way when the main body case 2 swings relatively upward (in the direction of the arrow S in Fig. 2). In this state, the top plate portion 55 does not advance forward from the knob portion 60a, and even if the hanging bracket 3 falls backward from the horizontal state (i.e., even if it swings from the imaginary line state in the solid line direction), the hanging bracket 3 is always disposed at the rear position of the main body case 2, so that a sufficient swing area can be secured so that the mirror device 75 described later does not interfere even when the mirror device 75 is attached.

[0041] As shown in Fig. 9, the camera 1 is connected to an integrated drive recorder 65, which is a parent device of the camera 1 as another electronic device, by a cable 53. The drive recorder 65 is attached to the windshield and captures the image in the forward outward direction of the vehicle. Fig. 10 is a block diagram explaining the electrical configuration of the camera 1 and the drive recorder 65. Note that the illustration of the configuration that is not directly related to the present embodiment is omitted. On the drive recorder 65 side, a controller MC as a control means and a regulator R that steps down the 12V power supply voltage supplied from a power source (here, a cigarette lighter is used) to a predetermined constant voltage and supplies it to the load side (i.e., external equipment) are housed in a housing 66. An outside surveillance camera unit 67, an A / D converter 68, a G sensor 69, an SD card reader / writer 70, etc. are connected to the controller MC. Also, a camera unit 42, an A / D converter 71, infrared LEDs 39A and 39B, etc. of the child camera 1 are connected to the controller MC. Also, power is supplied from the regulator R to the controller MC and the external equipment housed in both the drive recorder 65 and the camera 1. The controller MC is composed of a microcomputer having a known CPU, memories such as ROM and RAM, a timer, etc. In response to an instruction from the controller MC, images from both the outside monitoring camera unit 67 and the camera unit 42 are converted into digital data by the A / D converters 68, 71, and a predetermined image processing is performed based on a program in the ROM. During normal operation, the controller MC stores acquired image data in the RAM in sequence, and when a predetermined storage area in the RAM becomes full, it returns to the top of the storage area and overwrites the image data with new data. Then, when the G sensor 69 detects a predetermined acceleration value (i.e., when it is determined that some kind of accident event has occurred), the image data before and after the event is recorded in the SD memory card by the SD card reader / writer 70.

[0042] The camera 1 configured as described above is mounted, for example, on the inside of the windshield of the vehicle together with the drive recorder 65. Specifically, the top plate portion 55 of the hanging bracket 3 is attached to the inside of the windshield with double-sided tape, the main body case 2 is hung so that the optical axis of the lens portion 42 faces the inside of the vehicle, and the main body case 2 is appropriately swung around the fixing knob 60 as the rotation center to determine the shooting direction. The most preferable mounting position for the camera 1 is the upper part of the windshield in front of the passenger seat, but it can be mounted in other positions, such as the upper part of the windshield midway between the driver's seat and the passenger seat, or conversely, at the lower part of the windshield. When setting the shooting direction, it is advisable to aim at the position illuminated by the upper infrared LED 39A, which has strong directionality (i.e., it is bright only in a narrow range). With passengers sitting in the back seats in mind, the user aims at the back seats where the upper infrared LED 39A can be seen between the driver's seat and the passenger seat, near the height of the headrests of the front seats. This is a setting operation that allows the upper bodies of passengers in the back seats, especially the areas around their faces, to be clearly seen. Since the optical axis of the lens in lens unit 42B is originally disposed near the infrared LED 39A, the optical axis of the lens is naturally directed toward the upper bodies of passengers in the back seats.

[0043] Next, a mirror device 75 serving as an auxiliary device that can be attached to and detached from the camera 1 thus configured will be described. As shown in Figs. 16 to 21, the mirror device 75 is composed of two members, a main body 76 and a fixing ring 77. The main body 76 is an integrally molded product made of ultra-heat-resistant ABS resin, and has a mirror mounting part 78 and a ring part 79 protruding from the mirror mounting part 78. As shown in Fig. 17, the mirror mounting part 78 has a rectangular shape with rounded corners as seen from the front, and a flat attachment surface 78a for mounting the mirror is formed on the entire peripheral edge slightly recessed from the front surface. Inside the mirror mounting part 78, a shallow, dish-shaped narrow space is formed by a narrow (narrow) side wall 78b and a back wall 78c. The front end 79a of the opening of the ring part 79 is exposed at the center of the back wall 78c. A mirror part 80 is attached to the attachment surface 78a. The mirror section 80 has an external shape similar to the outer circumference of the mirror mounting section 78 but slightly smaller than the outer circumference of the mirror mounting section 78, and a coating layer having predetermined reflection and transmission characteristics for visible light to infrared light is formed by performing a deposition process on the back surface of a transparent glass substrate (transmission-reflection characteristics of the coating layer: incident angle: 25°, incident polarization: N polarization, average reflectance of visible light 38±3%, average transmittance of visible light 24%, average transmittance of infrared light 93% or more). In other words, the mirror section 80 is a one-way mirror (a so-called half mirror), and basically functions as a mirror by reflecting visible light and can transmit visible light. In addition, since infrared rays from the infrared LEDs 39A and 39B can also be transmitted, it is possible to photograph the surrounding scenery reflected by the external light and infrared rays from the infrared LEDs 39A and 39B through the mirror section 80 by the lens section 42B. The mirror mounting section 78 is configured to be larger overall than the main body case 2 arranged behind it (on the front side of the vehicle).

[0044] As shown in FIG. 18, the ring portion 79 protrudes rearward from the mirror mounting portion 78 so that the front end 79a of the opening opens at the center of the rear wall 78c of the mirror mounting portion 78. The front end 79 of the opening is substantially flush with the inner surface of the rear wall 78c. The inner diameter of the front end 79 of the opening is exactly the same as the outer diameter of the front surface of the first case half 2A. The inner peripheral surface 76a of the ring portion 79 is curved to correspond to the outer peripheral curved shape of the first bowl-shaped portion 4 of the first case half 2A of the main body case 2. That is, the inner peripheral surface 76a is formed as a curved surface that is concave inwardly with the same curvature as the outer peripheral shape so that it can be in close contact with the outer peripheral shape of the spherical zone of the first bowl-shaped portion 4 in a concave-convex relationship. The inner peripheral surface 76a is formed widest on the rear side and has a tapered shape that narrows toward the front side. The curved shape is shown as a quadratic curve as shown in the cutaway view of FIG. 20. A plurality of (four) studs 81 having female threads for screws are formed on the outer periphery of the ring portion 79 .

[0045] The fixing ring 77 is a one-piece molded product made of nylon, and is an annular endless belt-like body formed with the same width in the circumferential direction. A plurality of (four) studs 84 for screw holes are formed at the edge position on the front end side of the outer periphery of the fixing ring 77. The reason why a different material is used from the main body 76 is because nylon is highly flexible. The inner peripheral surface 77a of the fixing ring 77 is curved to correspond to the outer peripheral curved surface shape of the second bowl-shaped portion 11 of the second case half 2B. That is, the inner peripheral surface 77a is curved to be concave inward with the same curvature as the outer peripheral shape of the spherical zone of the second bowl-shaped portion 11 so that the inner peripheral surface 77a can be in intimate contact with the outer peripheral shape of the spherical zone of the second bowl-shaped portion 11 in a concave-convex relationship. The inner peripheral surface 77a is widest at the front and narrows toward the rear. The curved shape is shown as a quadratic curve as shown in the cutaway view of FIG. 20. A flange-shaped protrusion 83 that protrudes slightly inward is formed near the rear end edge of the inner peripheral surface 77a of the fixing ring 77. The fixing ring 77 has a plurality of slits 85 (here, six at 60° intervals on each edge) formed at a predetermined equal interval along the circumferential direction. Each slit 85 extends from the edge position to a position slightly more than halfway in the width direction as its cutout area. The group of slits 85 formed at the front edge position and the group of slits 85 formed at the rear edge position are arranged with a phase shift of 30°. In other words, the slits 85 are arranged alternately front and rear at equal intervals in the width direction of the fixing ring 77. Since the slits 85 are arranged in this way, the fixing ring 77 does not have a linearly continuous area in the circumferential direction. In other words, the fixing ring 77 has a band-like configuration that is meandering in the circumferential direction as shown by the arrow in FIG. 21. In this configuration, for example, the fixing ring 77 exhibits ease of bending in the narrower areas between the front slits 85 P and the rear slits 85 Q. In addition to the ease of bending in the circumferential direction between adjacent slits 85, cutting many slits deeply in the width direction in this manner results in ease of bending in various directions between the slits 85, thereby improving flexibility against external forces as a whole. Also, since the slits 85 are evenly arranged overall, uniform flexibility can be imparted to the entire area.

[0046] The mirror device 75 configured as described above can be attached to the body case 2 of the camera 1 as follows. When performing the attachment work, it is necessary to either remove the hanging bracket 3, which gets in the way, or to attach the mirror device 75 before attaching the hanging bracket 3. The same applies when removing the mirror device 75 from the body case 2. As shown in FIG. 19(a), the main body 76 is guided from the front side of the first case piece 2A of the main body case 2 to the rear of the main body case 2, and the fixing ring 77 is guided from the rear side of the second case piece 2B to the front of the main body case 2, bringing the two close to each other and fixing them together via their studs 81, 84 with screws 87. As the screw 87 is tightened, the main body 76 and the fixing ring 77 approach each other and surround the spherical portions of the first and second bowl-shaped portions 4, 11 on the main body case 2 side (hereinafter referred to as the spherical surfaces on the main body case 2 side). At this time, the inner peripheral surface 76a of the ring portion 79 on the main body 76 side can finally come into close contact with the spherical surfaces on the main body case 2 side, but since the protrusions 83 are formed on the inner peripheral surface 77a on the fixing ring 77 side, these interfere with each other and prevent the entire inner peripheral surface 77a from coming into close contact with the spherical surface on the main body case 2 side. The fixing ring 77 deforms slightly as the screw 87 is tightened, and the protrusions 83 are pressed against the spherical surface on the main body case 2 side, and the fixing ring 77 is connected to the main body 76 in a state in which it is given a biasing force by the deformation. When the screw 87 is completely tightened and the main body 76 and the fixing ring 77 are completely connected, the entire inner circumferential surface 76a of the main body 76 and most of the inner circumferential surface 77a of the fixing ring 77 are in close contact with the spherical surface of the main body case 2, and the protrusion 83 is in contact with the spherical surface of the main body case 2 with an appropriate frictional force. In this state, a universal joint mechanism is established between the main body case 2 and the mirror device 75. The connected fixing ring 77 and the ring portion 79 are narrowed in the front-rear direction, so the main body case 2 will not fall off. Therefore, it is possible to freely change the orientation of the mirror device 75 around the main body case 2 within a predetermined rotation range while maintaining an appropriate positional holding force.

[0047] As shown in FIG. 19(b), when the screws 87 have been tightened, the fixing ring 77 does not surround the entire spherical outer periphery of the second bowl-shaped portion 11, but rather an unencircled area is formed between the fixing ring 77 and the rear protruding wall portion 12 (part S in FIG. 19(b)). This unencircled area is the area into which the mirror device 75 advances when the mirror device 75 is freely rotated relative to the main body case 2. Furthermore, when the mirror device 75 is rotated beyond a predetermined amount, the mirror device 75 interferes with the protruding wall portion 12 and is prevented from rotating further. In other words, the protruding wall portion 12 serves as a restricting means for restricting the mirror device 75 from rotating beyond what is necessary. Furthermore, when the screw 87 has been tightened, the lens section 42B disposed at the front position on the main body case 2 side is disposed at a slight distance from the back surface of the mirror section 80 in the space formed inside the mirror attachment section 78, and is disposed so as not to come into contact with the mirror section 80 within the rotation range of the mirror device 75. Furthermore, the main body case 2 is disposed so that the front surface of the first case piece 2A is approximately flush with the front end 79 of the opening with the optical axis of the lens in the lens section 42B coinciding with the central axis of the fixing ring 77 (or ring section 79). Furthermore, because the hanging bracket 3 is directly attached to the main body case 2, the orthogonal relationship between the rotation axis of the hanging bracket 3 and the optical axis of the lens is maintained even when the mirror device 75 is rotated. And, because the main body case 2 is arranged so as to be hidden behind the mirror mounting part 78 of the mirror device 75 from the direction directly facing the mirror part 80 within the rotatable range, the main body case 2 (camera 1) cannot be seen with the naked eye. Furthermore, since mirror device 75 is not an essential component of camera 1, camera 1 can function perfectly even if it is not used.

[0048] <About the Examples> In the above configuration, the result of photographing the inside of a vehicle using the camera 1 of the above embodiment (without the mirror device 75 attached) will be described below as an example in comparison with a comparative example. In the comparative example, photographing was done by changing only the LED conditions. Note that photographing was done at night, and when photographing without infrared auxiliary light, even if other conditions are the same, the image data is too dark and it is difficult to distinguish what is being photographed. Example 1 The two upper infrared LEDs 39A used elements (manufactured by OPTSUPPLY, model number SFH4641) with a half-value angle of ±10 degrees and a radiation intensity of 55 mW / sr (IF (forward current) = 70 mA), and the two lower infrared LEDs 39B used elements (manufactured by OPTSUPPLY, model number OSI5LAS1C1A) with a half-value angle of ±60 degrees and a radiation intensity of 20 mW / sr (IF (forward current) = 100 mA). The actual current value was 50 mA per element, which is lower than the rated value. The lens angle of view was 180 degrees as described above, and the camera 1 was installed in front of the passenger seat and at the upper inside position of the windshield, and the target was a little closer to the driver's seat in the rear seat that can be seen visually between the driver's seat and the passenger seat near the height of the headrest as described above. In the shooting, the state of the image was verified for three patterns in which the person's riding position was changed. The results are shown in Figure 11. In Figure 11, the passenger seat is located directly in front of and close to the installed camera 1, so the entire image is captured clearly. The driver's seat is shifted from the front, so although not as close as the passenger seat, it is captured from a position closer to camera 1, so even the person's (the driver's) legs are captured clearly. Also, because the angle of view is wide, the door on the driver's seat side is captured, and this door is also captured clearly. The rear seats are captured clearly enough that the faces of the people (passengers) can be easily made out.

[0049] Example 2 As in Example 1, the upper two infrared LEDs 39A were made of elements (manufactured by OPTSUPPLY, model number SFH4641) with a half-value angle of ±10 degrees and a radiation intensity of 55 mW / sr (IF (forward current) = 70 mA), and the lower two infrared LEDs 39B were made of elements (manufactured by OPTSUPPLY, model number OSI5LAS1C1A) with a half-value angle of ±60 degrees and a radiation intensity of 20 mW / sr (IF (forward current) = 100 mA). However, the current value was set to 30 mA per LED. Since the brightness of the infrared LED is proportional to the magnitude of the current, the overall illumination is darker than in Example 1, but the power consumption is less than in Example 1. The installation conditions of the camera 1 were the same as in Example 1. The results are shown in FIG. 12. 12, the front seats are comparable to Example 1. In addition, the rear seats are also photographed clearly enough to make out the faces of people (passengers), so reducing the current value to this extent is within the practical range without any problems.

[0050] Example 3 As in Examples 1 and 2, elements (manufactured by OPTSUPPLY, model number SFH4641) with a half-value angle of ±10 degrees and a radiation intensity of 55 mW / sr (IF (forward current) = 70 mA) were used as the two upper infrared LEDs 39A, and elements (manufactured by OPTSUPPLY, model number OSI5LAS1C1A) with a half-value angle of ±60 degrees and a radiation intensity of 20 mW / sr (IF (forward current) = 100 mA) were used as the two lower infrared LEDs 39B. However, the current value was 20 mA per element. The installation conditions of the camera 1 were the same as in Example 1. The results are shown in FIG. 13. In FIG. 13, the overall impression is dark, and although the front seats are considerably darker than those in Examples 1 and 2, the image is still within a sufficient usable range. On the other hand, in the rear seats, the faces of people (passengers) are somewhat difficult to distinguish. However, since the irradiation direction is somewhat downward, it is considered that it is possible to sufficiently distinguish them by shifting it a little more upward. In Example 3, it is considered possible to make it more suitable for a practical range by increasing the current value applied to one or both of the upper infrared LEDs 39A to about 25 to 30 mA, and leaving the slightly dark front seats as they are or slightly increasing the current value (for example, setting the current value to about 25 mA for one or both of the lower infrared LEDs 39B).

[0051] Comparative Example 1 All four infrared LEDs used were elements (manufactured by OPTSUPPLY, model number OSI5LAS1C1A) with a half-value angle of ±60 degrees and a radiation intensity of 20 mW / sr (IF (forward current) = 100 mA). The actual current value was 50 mA per LED. The installation conditions for camera 1 were the same as in Example 1. The results are shown in FIG. 14. In Fig. 14, the front seats are photographed clearly overall, similar to the above-mentioned Examples 1 and 2. However, the rear seats are photographed even darker than in the above-mentioned Example 3, and the faces of people (passengers) cannot be clearly distinguished. Comparative Example 2 All four infrared LEDs used were elements (manufactured by OPTSUPPLY, model number SFH4641) with a half-value angle of ±10 degrees and a radiation intensity of 55 mW / sr (IF (forward current) = 70 mA). The actual current value was 50 mA per LED. The installation conditions for camera 1 were the same as in Example 1. The results are shown in FIG. 15. Compared with the above Examples 1 to 3 and Comparative Example 1, the front seats were generally dark, and for example, it was quite difficult to distinguish the legs of the person in the driver's seat. On the other hand, in the back seats, although the illumination direction of the faces of the people (passengers) was slightly downward, it was still bright enough to distinguish them.

[0052] With the above-mentioned configuration, the camera 1 of this embodiment provides the following effects. (1) The upper infrared LED 39A illuminates a narrow area of ​​the rear seat with a large radiation intensity, and the lower infrared LED 39B illuminates a relatively wider area of ​​the entire interior of the vehicle with a relatively small radiation intensity. Therefore, the rear seats can be spot-illuminated to illuminate the passengers sitting in the rear seats, which are objects that are particularly desired to be illuminated, while the front seats can be sufficiently illuminated because they are close to the camera unit 42, even if they illuminate a wide area with a small radiation intensity, and the interior of the vehicle can be efficiently photographed and recorded. If all infrared LEDs are the same as the infrared LED 39A as in Comparative Example 1, only a certain spot object can be clearly recorded, but this is not preferable for distinguishing the entire interior of the vehicle. Also, if all infrared LEDs are the same as the infrared LED 39B as in Comparative Example 2, it is insufficient to distinguish the passengers sitting in the rear seats, which are objects that are particularly desired to be distinguished in the vehicle, and is also not preferable. None of the embodiments have such a problem, and the images become an extremely useful source of information for users such as drivers and managers to analyze the images later. (2) Comparing Example 1 with Comparative Examples 1 and 2, it can be seen that, even though the same amount of current is flowing, Example 1 provides clearer images on the front seats and also provides clearer images of the objects to be illuminated in the back seats. In other words, with the camera 1 of this embodiment, better images can be obtained even with the same power consumption, and users can use it to perform more accurate image analysis. (3) The camera 1 of this embodiment is connected to the drive recorder 65, and is supplied with power by branching from the regulator R in the housing 66 of the drive recorder 65. Therefore, the regulator R cannot supply unlimited power to the load side, considering the load resistance. Therefore, by using two types of infrared LEDs 39A and 39B in this way, it is possible to obtain a sufficient image without consuming much power. In addition, since the camera 1 is controlled by the controller MC of the drive recorder 65, the load on the controller MC is larger than that in the case of only one camera. As a result, the temperature inside the housing 66 tends to rise. Therefore, it is preferable to use two types of infrared LEDs 39A and 39B from the viewpoint of suppressing the power consumption of the regulator R and suppressing the heat generated by the regulator R. (4) The front end of camera unit 42B protrudes from the front surface of cover panel 33, and has an angle of view of 180 degrees (although in reality it can see an area slightly wider than 180 degrees), which is larger than the half-angle of the lower infrared LED 39A, which illuminates a wide area. Therefore, the range of the infrared light can be reliably captured as an image, and there is no problem in which important, distinguishable surrounding areas are overlooked. On the other hand, since the front end of camera unit 42B protrudes from the front surface of cover panel 33, the angle of view is very large, but infrared LEDs 39A and 39B are disposed outside the angle of view, and therefore infrared LEDs 39A and 39B are not captured in the image. (5) In camera 1, lens unit 42B and infrared LEDs 39A, 39B are mounted on the same main body case 2 and face the same direction, so there is no need to adjust them separately when positioning camera 1, simplifying the installation work for the user. (6) When connecting (assembling) the main body case 2, the first case piece 2A and the second case piece 2B can be connected in the correct position by engaging the stud 9 with the small protrusion 20. Similarly, when attaching the cover panel 33 to the front of the first case piece 2A, the cover panel 33 can be attached in the correct position by engaging the small protrusion 7 in the recess 6 with the small cutout 34 on the cover panel 33 side. Also, since a positioning mechanism is provided for assembling circular members with no directionality, the work is simplified when assembling at the manufacturer or when assembling the camera 1 after it has been disassembled by the user. (7) The second board 40 is supported at three points by the studs 8 and 18, so even if there is some inclination during installation, it is less likely to wobble than if it were supported at four points. Also, the first board 37 is fixed to the board installation screw hole 10 at two points by the screws 38, but is supported from all sides by the studs 8 as supports, so it is less likely to wobble. (8) The hanging bracket 3 is attached to a pair of bracket bearings 14 that protrude further rearward from the main case 2, which increases the range of movement (swing range) of the main case 2 relative to the hanging bracket 3. In addition, the top plate 55 extends rearward beyond the position of the bracket bearings 14, which also increases the range of movement (swing range) of the main case 2. This allows the user to freely position the main case 2 in any swing position. (9) The hanging bracket 3 is disposed at a position sandwiching a pair of bracket bearings 14 located inside the maximum width of the main case 2 (exactly where the first case piece 2A and the second case piece 2B are connected), and the hanging bracket 3 itself does not protrude outside the width of the main case 2. This contributes to making the entire camera 1 compact, which is advantageous when the user installs the camera 1 in a particularly narrow vehicle interior. (10) In the nut housing 23 for fixing the fixing knob 60 disposed in the racket bearing 14, the nut 61 does not have its own anti-falling means, but is prevented from falling off when the cable holder 45, which is a member for a different purpose, is attached. This reduces the number of parts and the number of assembly steps, resulting in cost reduction. The prevention of the nut 61 from falling off by the cable holder 45 is possible because the cable 53 is inserted into the main body case 2 at a lower position. By positioning the cable 53 at a lower position, there is enough space to provide the racket bearing 14 and the nut housing 23 in the center, and the cable holder 45, which is also positioned at a lower position, can close the nut housing 23 as the cable 53 moves downward. (11) The upper infrared LEDs 39A have a particularly high radiation intensity, so there is a possibility that the near-infrared region may be visible from the front of the cover panel 33. If the camera 1 is installed in a taxi, passengers in the direction of the irradiation may notice this. If the infrared LEDs 39A were not arranged horizontally as described above, but arranged diagonally across the camera unit 42B, it would look very unnatural and passengers may suspect the presence of the camera. Since the above camera 1 has two infrared LEDs 39A arranged in a horizontal direction that looks quite natural, such a possibility is extremely small. Also, since the infrared LEDs 39A are arranged on the top and bottom, they are difficult for the driver to see and are unlikely to be a nuisance.

[0053] (12) Because the mirror device 75 completely hides the camera 1 from the visual view from the direction directly facing the mirror unit 80, the presence of the camera 1 is less noticeable to passengers in the vehicle, making it difficult for them to notice that they are taking pictures with the camera 1, and reducing the possibility of being pointed out by passengers who do not want to be photographed by the camera 1. In particular, when a passenger sits in the back seat, there is a distance from the mirror unit 80 and the passenger is generally directly facing the mirror unit 80 where the camera 1 is not visible, so it is advisable to install the mirror device 75 especially when passengers in the back seats other than the front seats are taken into consideration. (13) A universal joint mechanism is provided between mirror device 75 and camera 1 (more specifically, between inner surface 76a of ring portion 79 on the mirror device 75 side and inner surface 77a of fixing ring 77 on the side of the spherical surface of main body case 2 on the side of camera 1), and mirror portion 80 can be rotated freely. This makes it possible to conceal the presence of camera 1 and at the same time to practically use the mirror as a rearview mirror for use in a vehicle or as a cosmetic mirror. (14) In the universal joint mechanism, the protrusion 83 comes into contact with the spherical surface on the main body case 2 side with a moderate frictional force, which is a holding force that is not so large that the mirror device 75 can be easily moved by hand when rotating, but is not so weak that its position is easily displaced by vibrations of the vehicle. Therefore, the mirror device 75 can be rotated without any operation to release the held state, and can be held at any rotational position without a separate fixing means. (15) If the mirror device 75 rotates too much, the main body case 2 will be reflected in the image captured by the lens, so it is better not to rotate it too much. Also, if the mirror device 75 rotates too much, the main body case 2 behind the mirror attachment part 78 may appear due to the angle, so it is also better not to rotate it too much. Therefore, in the above, the rotation amount of the mirror device 75 is restricted to prevent this from happening. Since the fixing ring 77 is assembled separately to the main body 76, it can be attached to the main body case 2 with a simple assembly process. (16) By simply connecting the fixing ring 77 to the main body 76 on the mirror device 75 side, the fixing ring 77 can bend appropriately due to the action of the highly flexible nylon material and the slits 85, and can press the protrusion 83 against the spherical surface on the main body case 2 side with an appropriate frictional force, thereby reducing the amount of assembly work required to apply such frictional force. (17) The hanging bracket 3 is attached to a pair of bracket bearings 14 that protrude further rearward from the main case 2, and is restricted from advancing toward the main case 2. Therefore, even if the main case 2 is swung significantly, the mirror mounting portion 78 is unlikely to interfere with the hanging bracket 3.

[0054] The present invention may be embodied and carried out as follows. The infrared LEDs 39A and 39B are four in total, two each, but this number and type is merely an example, and for example, a third LED with a different radiation intensity or half-value angle may be provided, and the number of the same LEDs may be one, three or more instead of two. Also, the radiation intensity of the same infrared LED may be changed by changing the current value. In the above description, the infrared LED is mounted on the first substrate 37 as an LED chip, but a normal bullet-shaped LED may be used instead of a chip. In the above, the infrared LEDs are of the same type and arranged horizontally, but they may be arranged diagonally or randomly. In either case, it is preferable that they are located near the lens portion 42B. In the above embodiment, the optical axis of the lens is parallel to the front direction in which the infrared rays of the infrared LEDs 39A and 39B are directed, but they do not have to be parallel. Each infrared LED may face in a different direction. A USB cable may be used as the cable 53. In that case, since removal is easy, it is possible to remove the camera 1 from the main drive recorder 65 and use only the main drive recorder 65, for example. Camera 1 may have an independent control unit (controller) and power supply unit (regulator). In the above, there is no independent on / off switch for starting and stopping the operation of the camera 1, but this may be provided. It may be provided in the camera 1 or in the main drive recorder 65. The wide-angle lens of the lens unit 42B has a field angle of 180 degrees, but may have another field angle. The shapes of the main body case 2 and the hanging bracket 3 may be other than those described above. The supporting position of the hanging bracket 3 on the case 2 may be changed. In the above embodiment, infrared light is used as auxiliary light, but depending on the situation, a light irradiation system using light other than infrared light, such as visible light or ultraviolet light, may be used. The material may be other than those mentioned above. In that case, it is better to use a particularly flexible material for the members that are particularly likely to deform, such as the nylon of the fixing ring 77. Although the cover panel 33 is black in the above description, the color is not particularly limited. It may be configured as an opaque white color. Also, the cover panel 33 may not only absorb but also reflect visible light.

[0055] May be applied to other electronic devices. In the above, as an example, the universal joint mechanism as described above is applied to the mirror device 75 which freely rotates between the main body case 2 of the camera 1, but it may also be used when freely rotating between a first device and a second device other than the camera 1 or the mirror device 75. In the mirror device 75 of the above embodiment, the main body 76 and the fixing ring 77 are divided into two parts, front and rear, but they may be divided into two parts, left and right, or may be composed of three or more divided members. The slits 85 formed in the fixing ring 77 are just an example, and the shape and number of the slits can be changed as appropriate. The point is that the slits 85 should be formed to give the desired flexibility and allow the member to bend. In order to provide flexibility, it is possible to change the material in addition to the geometrical method of the slits 85. For example, it is possible to configure the fixing ring 77 from a more flexible elastic rubber body. In the above, in order to make it difficult for the fixing ring 77 to rotate due to friction, the fixing ring 77 is bent at the same time as the fixing operation to press the protrusion 83 against the spherical surface of the universal joint, but the protrusion 83 may be pressed against the spherical surface of the universal joint by an operation separate from the fixing operation. In short, it is sufficient to provide some kind of friction means for braking the rotation in the universal joint mechanism. In the above description, the protruding wall portion 12 serves as a rotation restricting means for the mirror device 75, but other restricting means may be provided separately. In addition, the present invention may be freely embodied in modified forms within the scope of its spirit. [Explanation of symbols]

[0056] 1...Camera for recording inside the vehicle interior of a drive recorder as an illumination system, 39A, 39B2...Infrared LED.

Claims

1. The main body case, a lens unit disposed within the main body case and facing in a photographing direction; a first light irradiating means and a second light irradiating means disposed in the main body case and configured to irradiate light onto an area in the photographing direction; a support member for attaching the main body case to a vehicle from above; A camera having The support member is A top plate portion that realizes a fixed state fixed to the vehicle; a hanging portion that is hung down from the top plate portion and is connected to the main body case at a lower portion thereof, and that enables a relative attitude of the support member with respect to the main body case to be changed in the fixed state; Equipped with a rotation center that allows the main body case to swing and change the relative position is provided at a position offset forward from the top plate in the hanging portion, a dimension from the rotation center to a front end of the top plate portion is set to be shorter than a maximum dimension from the rotation center to an outer shape in a swing direction in which the main body case swings, The first light irradiation means is The second light emitting means has a configuration for emitting light having a smaller half-value angle than the second light emitting means, The second light irradiating means is disposed on the end side of the first light irradiating means in the swing direction. camera.

2. A fixing knob is attached to the rotation center, which allows the main body case to swing relative to the hanging portion. The camera of claim 1 .

3. The hanging portion is substantially perpendicular to the top plate portion.

3. A camera according to claim 1 or 2.

3. The support member is fixed to the vehicle such that the lens portion is directed toward the interior of the vehicle cabin. The camera according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

Images