Imaging device and driver monitoring device

Abstract

In an imaging device equipped with screw holes for fixing, this prevents screw debris from adhering to the camera and provides highly reliable shielding for the camera. [Solution] The imaging device (100) comprises a substrate (2) on which a camera (1) is mounted, a base sheet metal (4) on which the substrate (2) is mounted, a cover component (5) that covers the top of the substrate (2), and a shield component (6) provided inside the cover component (5) to shield the substrate (2). The base sheet metal (4) has screw holes (4a) into which screws can be inserted from outside the imaging device (100). The cover component (5) has a partition portion (5a) that separates the space where the screw holes (4a) of the base sheet metal (4) are located from the space where the substrate (2) is located. The shield component (6) is sandwiched between the partition portion (5a) of the cover component (5) and the base sheet metal (4).

Description

Technical Field

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[0001] The present disclosure relates to an imaging device, and particularly to a structure for fixing the position of the imaging device.

Background Art

[0002] Various techniques for protecting the camera of an imaging device from dust and dirt have been proposed (for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2 below).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] For example, in-vehicle imaging devices used in driver monitoring devices and the like, screw holes for fixing the imaging device to the vehicle are provided. If screw chips generated when fixing the imaging device to the vehicle with screws enter the inside of the imaging device and adhere to the camera, there is a risk of causing a camera failure. In addition, since in-vehicle imaging devices are required to have high reliability, electromagnetic wave noise countermeasures are very important.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made to solve the above problems, and an object thereof is to prevent screw chips from adhering to the camera and shield the camera with high reliability in an imaging device provided with screw holes for fixing.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The imaging device according to this disclosure comprises a camera for imaging a subject, a substrate on which the camera is mounted, a base sheet metal on which the substrate is mounted, a cover component covering the upper part of the substrate, and a shield component provided inside the cover component for shielding the substrate, wherein the base sheet metal has screw holes into which screws can be inserted from outside the imaging device, the cover component has a partition portion that separates the space in the base sheet metal where the screw holes are located from the space in which the substrate is located, and the shield component is sandwiched between the partition portion of the cover component and the base sheet metal. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to this disclosure, screw shavings can be prevented from adhering to the camera, and the camera can be shielded with high reliability. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is an exploded view of the imaging device according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 2] This is an external view of the imaging device according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 3] This is a bottom view of the imaging device according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 4] This is a perspective cross-sectional view of the cover component. [Figure 5] This is a magnified view of parts of the base sheet metal, cover components, and shield components. [Figure 6] This is a cross-sectional view of the imaging device according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 7] This is a cross-sectional view of the imaging device according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 8] This figure shows the state of the imaging device according to Embodiment 1 before tightening the assembly screws. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] <Embodiment 1> Figures 1, 2, and 3 show the configuration of the imaging device 100 according to Embodiment 1, and are an exploded view, an external view, and a bottom view of the imaging device 100, respectively. In this embodiment, it is assumed that the imaging device 100 is an in-vehicle device applied to a driver monitoring system. In this case, the subject photographed by the imaging device 100 is the occupant of the vehicle, and the driver monitoring system monitors the state of the occupant as photographed by the imaging device 100. Possible mounting locations for the imaging device 100 inside the vehicle include, for example, on the steering column, on the dashboard, and inside the pillar.

[0010] As shown in Figure 1, the imaging device 100 comprises a camera 1, a substrate 2, an illumination unit 3, a base sheet metal 4, a cover component 5, a shield component 6, a panel component 7, a connecting cable 8, a bottom component 9, and screws 10. Note that the illumination unit 3 is a component mounted on the substrate 2 (see Figure 5 shown later) and is not shown in Figure 1. The substrate 2 on which the camera 1 and the illumination unit 3 are mounted may be a single unit.

[0011] Camera 1 captures images of the subject. There are no restrictions on the type of camera 1, but here we assume that camera 1 is a near-infrared camera. Camera 1 is mounted on the circuit board 2 together with an illumination unit 3 that irradiates the subject with near-infrared light. The illumination unit 3 is composed of, for example, an LED (Light Emitting Diode). A connection cable 8 for external connection is also connected to the circuit board 2.

[0012] The circuit board 2, on which the camera 1 and illumination unit 3 are mounted, is mounted on the base sheet metal 4. The base sheet metal 4 has screw holes 4a for screwing in screws (not shown) for fixing the imaging device 100 to the vehicle. For the sake of convenience, the screws 10 used in assembling the imaging device 100 will be referred to as "assembly screws," and the screws used to fix the imaging device 100 to the vehicle will be referred to as "fixing screws."

[0013] Above the substrate 2 on which the camera 1 and the irradiation unit 3 are mounted is covered by a cover component 5. Inside the cover component 5, a shield component 6 for shielding the substrate 2 is provided. Thereby, the camera 1, the substrate 2, and the irradiation unit 3 are protected from electromagnetic wave noise.

[0014] The subject side of the camera 1 is covered by a panel component 7 that passes near-infrared rays. The panel component 7 may have a function as an optical filter that cuts visible light.

[0015] Below the base sheet metal 4 is covered by a bottom component 9. However, an opening is formed in the bottom component 9 so that a fixing screw can be inserted into the screw hole 4a of the base sheet metal 4 from the outside of the imaging device 100, and the screw hole 4a is exposed to the outside of the imaging device 100.

[0016] Also, the shield component 6 is provided with a through hole 6a at a position corresponding to the screw hole 4a of the base sheet metal 4. Further, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the cover component 5 is provided with a partition portion 5a surrounding the screw hole 4a at a position corresponding to the screw hole 4a of the base sheet metal 4. When assembling the imaging device 100, as shown in FIG. 5, the through hole 6a of the shield component 6 and the partition portion 5a of the cover component 5 are aligned with the screw hole 4a of the base sheet metal 4.

[0017] As can be seen from FIGS. 2 and 3, the cover component 5, the panel component 7, and the bottom component 9 constitute the housing of the imaging device 100, and the camera 1, the substrate 2, the irradiation unit 3, the base sheet metal 4, the cover component 5, the shield component 6, and the connection cable 8 are housed in the housing. Although a part of the connection cable 8 is drawn out of the housing, the illustration of the connection cable 8 is omitted in FIGS. 2 and 3.

[0018] The bottom part 9, the base sheet metal 4, and the shield part 6 are fixed to the cover part 5 using the assembly screws 10. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the cover part 5 is provided with a columnar female screw part 5b for screwing the assembly screws 10. Through holes 6b, 4b, and 9b are provided in the shield part 6, the base sheet metal 4, and the bottom part 9, respectively, at positions corresponding to the female screw part 5b. By passing the assembly screws 10 through the through holes 6b, 4b, and 9b and screwing them into the female screw part 5b, the bottom part 9, the base sheet metal 4, and the shield part 6 are screwed and fixed to the cover part 5.

[0019] FIGS. 6 and 7 are cross-sectional views of the imaging device 100 along the A-A line and the B-B line shown in FIG. 3, respectively (in FIG. 6, illustration of the irradiation part 3 and the base sheet metal 4 mounted on the substrate 2 is omitted). As shown in FIG. 6, the space where the screw hole 4a of the base sheet metal 4 is disposed and the space where the substrate 2 is disposed are partitioned by the partition part 5a of the cover part 5. Therefore, even if screw chips are generated when the imaging device 100 is fixed to the vehicle with fixing screws, it is possible to prevent the screw chips from adhering to the camera 1 mounted on the substrate 2. In the present embodiment, the shape of the partition part 5a is a cylindrical shape surrounding the screw hole 4a, but as long as the space where the screw hole 4a is disposed and the space where the substrate 2 is disposed can be partitioned, the shape of the partition part 5a may be any shape.

[0020] Also, as can be seen from FIGS. 6 and 7, the shield part 6 is sandwiched between the partition part 5a of the cover part 5 and the base sheet metal 4 at the edge portion of the through hole 6a. Also, at the edge portion of the through hole 6b, the shield part 6 is sandwiched between the female screw part 5b of the cover part 5 and the base sheet metal 4. Thereby, the shield part 6 and the base sheet metal 4 can be surely brought into contact with each other, and the camera 1, the substrate 2, and the irradiation part 3 can be shielded with high reliability.

[0021] Particularly, at the edge portion of the through hole 6a, the partition part 5a of the cover part 5 is press-contact with the base sheet metal 4 through the shield part 6, making the contact between the shield part 6 and the base sheet metal 4 more reliable. The reason will be explained below.

[0022] The columnar female thread portion 5b provided on the cover component 5 is designed to be lower than the height required to contact the shield component 6. Therefore, in the state before tightening the assembly screw 10, as shown in Figure 8, the partition portion 5a and the shield component 6 are in contact, but a gap d is created between the female thread portion 5b and the shield component 6. When the assembly screw 10 is tightened from the state shown in Figure 8, the cover component 5 is elastically deformed by the tightening axial force of the assembly screw 10, and this elastic force is applied between the partition portion 5a and the base sheet metal 4, resulting in the partition portion 5a being pressed against the base sheet metal 4 via the shield component 6.

[0023] The above embodiments can be modified or omitted as appropriate.

[0024] <Note> The various aspects of this disclosure are summarized below as an appendix.

[0025] (Note 1) A camera that captures images of the subject, The circuit board on which the aforementioned camera is mounted, A base sheet metal on which the aforementioned substrate is mounted, A cover component that covers the top of the aforementioned substrate, A shielding component provided inside the cover component to shield the substrate, An imaging device comprising, The base sheet metal has screw holes into which screws can be inserted from the outside of the imaging device. The cover component includes a partition that separates the space where the screw holes of the base sheet metal are located from the space where the substrate is located. The shield component is sandwiched between the partition portion of the cover component and the base sheet metal. Imaging device.

[0026] (Note 2) The cover component is fixed to the base sheet metal using assembly screws in a portion different from the partition portion, and the partition portion of the cover component is pressed against the base sheet metal via the shield component by the tightening axial force of the assembly screws. The imaging device described in Appendix 1.

[0027] (Note 3) The screw holes are exposed to the outside of the imaging device, and the bottom part further covers the lower part of the base sheet metal, The imaging device described in Appendix 1 or Appendix 2.

[0028] (Note 4) The system is equipped with an imaging device as described in any one of the appendices 1 to 3, The imaging device monitors the condition of the vehicle occupants as captured by the aforementioned imaging device. Driver monitoring device. [Explanation of symbols]

[0029] 100 Imaging device, 1 Camera, 2 Substrate, 3 Irradiation unit, 4 Base sheet metal, 4a, 4b, 6a, 6b, 9a, 9b Through holes, 5 Cover part, 5a Partition part, 5b Female screw part, 6 Shield part, 7 Panel part, 8 Connecting cable, 9 Bottom part, 10 Assembly screws, d Gap.

Claims

1. A camera that captures images of the subject, The circuit board on which the aforementioned camera is mounted, A base sheet metal on which the aforementioned substrate is mounted, A cover component that covers the top of the aforementioned substrate, A shielding component provided inside the cover component to shield the substrate, An imaging device comprising, The base sheet metal has screw holes into which screws can be inserted from the outside of the imaging device. The cover component includes a partition that separates the space where the screw holes of the base sheet metal are located from the space where the substrate is located. The shield component is sandwiched between the partition portion of the cover component and the base sheet metal. Imaging device.

2. The cover component is fixed to the base sheet metal using assembly screws in a portion different from the partition portion, and the partition portion of the cover component is pressed against the base sheet metal via the shield component by the tightening axial force of the assembly screws. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1.

3. The screw holes are exposed to the outside of the imaging device, and the bottom part further covers the lower part of the base sheet metal, The imaging apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2.

4. The imaging device comprises the imaging device described in claim 1 or claim 2, The imaging device monitors the condition of the vehicle occupants as captured by the aforementioned imaging device. Driver monitoring device.

Images