In-vehicle equipment, electronic devices and mounting parts, etc.

Abstract

To provide a technology for heat countermeasures with an improved radiation effect.SOLUTION: A drive recorder 10 as an on-vehicle device is adhered and fixed to a windshield 2 through a flat plate-like bracket 17 mounted on a first case 14 side of a main body case 13 by using a double-side tape 19. The bracket is structured of heat-conductive resin. The double-sided tape is formed by using a heat conductive double-sided tape. Thereby, heat generated from a heat source such as a power supply circuit or the like in the main body case is transmitted to the windshield via the double-sided tape from the bracket, and can be escaped to an outside of a vehicle from the windshield. For example, even when the drive recorder operates under an environment in which a cabin temperature becomes high when a vehicle is parked, the heat can be radiated.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to, for example, in-vehicle devices, electronic devices, mounting members, and the like. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, the abstract of Patent Document 1 states the following about an in-vehicle camera with thermal countermeasures: "A heat sink is arranged inside the housing to dissipate heat inside the housing. The in-vehicle camera is fixed to the vehicle by a mounting part that is provided on the outer surface of the housing and is arranged between one end and the other end of the heat sink. An air intake is provided on one end of the heat sink, and an exhaust is provided on the other end opposite the air intake, with the mounting part in between." [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2015-60073 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The temperature inside a car parked under the blazing sun can become extremely high, for example, exceeding 80 degrees. The interior space of a car can become such a high-temperature environment. Therefore, the vehicle-mounted camera disclosed in Patent Document 1 may not be able to fully discharge the heat inside the housing to the outside. For this reason, there is a demand for a technology for heat countermeasures that improves the heat dissipation effect.

[0005] The above-mentioned problems are described as being independent, and the present invention does not necessarily have to solve all of the problems described. The purpose of the present invention is not limited to this, and the applicant intends to obtain rights for configurations that aim to obtain effects from parts of the configurations disclosed in this specification and drawings, etc., by filing a divisional application, amendment, etc. For example, this specification discloses a problem in which the part described as "can be" in this specification is read as "is a problem." The problems are described as being independent, and the applicant intends to obtain rights for the configurations for solving these problems alone by filing a divisional application, amendment, etc. Even if the problem is implicitly understood from the description in the specification, the applicant intends to include part of the configurations described in this specification in the scope of the patent claim by amendment or divisional application. Problems that combine these independent problems are also disclosed. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] (1) An in-vehicle device is provided that includes a case for accommodating a heat source and an attachment part for attaching the case to a predetermined part of a vehicle, the attachment part having a heat transfer path for transferring heat from the heat source to the predetermined part. In this way, heat generated from the heat source in the case is transferred to the attachment part in the vehicle via the heat transfer path of the attachment part, thereby improving the heat dissipation effect of the in-vehicle device. In addition, the attachment part required for attaching the case can also function as a heat dissipation member that promotes heat dissipation to the outside of the in-vehicle device.

[0007] (2) The case may include a fixing member having thermal conductivity for fixing the mounting portion to the predetermined portion, and the mounting portion may be formed using a thermally conductive material. In this way, heat generated from a heat source inside the case is transferred to the mounting portion via a heat transfer path provided by the mounting portion and the fixing member for fixing the mounting portion to the mounting portion, thereby improving the heat dissipation effect of the in-vehicle device. In addition, the mounting portion and the fixing member required for mounting the case can also function as a heat dissipation member for promoting heat dissipation to the outside of the in-vehicle device.

[0008] (3) The thermally conductive material may be a thermally conductive resin, which is lightweight and relatively easy to form into a desired shape, and can be used to configure the mounting portion that also functions as a heat dissipation member.

[0009] (4) It is preferable that at least a part of the surface of the mounting portion is formed with projections and recesses. In this way, the surface area of ​​the mounting portion is increased, and it is expected that the effect of further promoting heat dissipation from the mounting portion can be achieved.

[0010] (5) In the heat transfer path, it is preferable that the thermal conductivity of the fixing member is higher than that of the mounting portion. In this way, heat transferred to the mounting portion is more easily transferred to the fixing member, which is expected to have the effect of further promoting heat dissipation to the mounting portion of the vehicle.

[0011] (6) The mounting portion may be disposed along the surface of the case, so that the distance between the heat source and the mounting portion that constitutes the heat transfer path is relatively short, which is expected to promote heat dissipation to the mounting portion of the vehicle.

[0012] (7) The fixing member may be a double-sided tape that does not include a cushioning material. In this way, since a double-sided tape that does not include a cushioning material is used, heat insulation due to the cushioning material is eliminated and the double-sided tape used for adhesion can be made thinner.

[0013] (8) The thermal conductivity of the heat transfer path may be lower than the thermal conductivity of the predetermined portion. This is expected to have the effect of further promoting heat dissipation from the mounting portion to the mounting portion of the vehicle.

[0014] (9) The predetermined portion may be a glass of the vehicle. In this way, heat from a heat source can be dissipated to the outside of the vehicle by using glass that is normally provided in the vehicle. Examples of glass of the vehicle include glass that faces the outside of the vehicle, such as a windshield, a rear window, and a glass roof.

[0015] (10) The thermal conductivity of the mounting portion and the fixing member in the heat transfer path may be higher than that of the case. This can prevent the case from storing heat generated from a heat source inside the case, and can further promote heat dissipation to the mounting portion of the vehicle.

[0016] (11) At least a part of the case may be made of a thermally conductive resin. In this way, a resin material may be used as the material of the case, but by selecting a thermally conductive resin as the resin material, the heat generated from the heat source is transferred through the part made of the thermally conductive resin, so that the heat dissipation effect can be further promoted. More preferably, the part of the case made of the thermally conductive resin and the mounting part are in contact with each other or are close to each other.

[0017] (12) The heat transfer path may pass through a first portion of the case on the side of the predetermined portion, and the thermal conductivity of the first portion may be higher than the thermal conductivity of a second portion of the case that is different from the first portion. In this way, when heat generated from a heat source is transferred to the case, it is more likely to be transferred more efficiently to the mounting portion of the vehicle, thereby further promoting heat dissipation to the mounting portion.

[0018] (13) The thermal conductivity of the mounting portion in the heat transfer path is preferably 1.0 W / m / K or more. This provides a higher thermal conductivity than the thermal conductivity of the mounting portion of a conventional in-vehicle device, and is expected to further promote heat dissipation to the mounting portion of the vehicle.

[0019] (14) The mounting portion may be formed integrally with the case. In this way, the distance between the heat source and the mounting member having the heat conduction path is relatively short, which is expected to have the effect of further promoting heat dissipation from the mounting member to the mounting portion of the vehicle.

[0020] (15) It is preferable that the case includes an antenna housed in the case, and at least a third portion of the case that is a path of electromagnetic waves transmitted or received by the antenna is made of a material that transmits electromagnetic waves, and a fourth portion different from the third portion is made of a thermally conductive material. In this way, even if at least a part of the case is made of a thermally conductive material, it is possible to prevent the antenna from impeding the transmission or reception of electromagnetic waves.

[0021] (16) It is preferable to provide a heat pipe constituting a part of the heat transfer path. In this way, heat from the heat source is transferred via the heat pipe, which is expected to have the effect of further promoting heat dissipation to the mounting portion of the vehicle.

[0022] (17) The mounting portion may include a stay formed of a thermally conductive material and including a bendable plate-like portion, and a fixing member having thermal conductivity and fixing the plate-like portion to the predetermined portion. In this way, the stay having thermal conductivity is expected to have the effect of further promoting heat dissipation to the mounting portion of the vehicle, and when removing the mounting portion after installation, it is easy to remove it by gradually bending the plate-like portion from the end.

[0023] (18) The plate-like portion may have a first plate-like portion and a second plate-like portion, the stay may have the first plate-like portion and the second plate-like portion around the portion to which the case is connected, and the first plate-like portion and the second plate-like portion may be bent independently. In this way, it is possible to easily remove the stay from any of the plate-like members.

[0024] (19) The imaging device may have at least one of an imaging element and a circuit for processing a signal from the imaging element as the heat source. In this way, heat from the imaging element or the circuit for processing a signal from the imaging element, which is one of the main heat sources in an imaging device mounted on a vehicle such as a drive recorder, can be dissipated to the mounting portion of the vehicle. This makes it possible to suppress operational problems caused by high temperatures in the imaging device.

[0025] (20) An electronic device may include a case that houses an image sensor and a circuit that processes a signal from the image sensor, and a mounting portion that mounts the case to a predetermined portion having a higher thermal conductivity than the case, the mounting portion having a heat transfer path that transfers heat from the image sensor or the circuit to the predetermined portion. In this way, it is possible to provide an electronic device in which the mounting portion functions as a mounting portion for an in-vehicle device and transfers heat from the in-vehicle device to the mounting portion of the vehicle, thereby improving the heat dissipation effect of the in-vehicle device.

[0026] (21) A mounting member for mounting a case for an in-vehicle device that houses a heat source to a predetermined location on a vehicle may have a heat transfer path for transferring heat from the heat source to the predetermined location. In this way, a mounting member can be provided that functions as a mounting part for the in-vehicle device and transfers heat from the in-vehicle device to the mounting location on the vehicle, thereby improving the heat dissipation effect of the in-vehicle device.

[0027] (22) It is preferable to provide a mounting member for mounting a case of an electronic device housing an image sensor and a circuit for processing a signal from the image sensor at a predetermined location having a higher thermal conductivity than the case, the mounting member having a heat transfer path for transferring heat from the image sensor or the circuit to the predetermined location. In this way, it is possible to provide a mounting member that functions as a mounting portion for an in-vehicle device and can transfer heat from the in-vehicle device to a mounting location on the vehicle to improve the heat dissipation effect of the in-vehicle device.

[0028] The above-mentioned inventions (1) to (22) can be arbitrarily combined. For example, the invention shown in (1) may be combined with at least a portion of the configuration of at least one of the inventions from (2) onward. In particular, the invention shown in (1) may be combined with at least a portion of the configuration of at least one of the inventions from (2) onward. The applicant intends to obtain patent rights, design rights, etc. for those including these configurations by filing amendments, divisional applications, or applications for conversion to design registration applications. Effect of the Invention

[0029] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a technology for heat countermeasures with improved heat dissipation effect. In addition, for example, at least one of the following effects may be achieved. Heat generated from a heat source inside the case can be transferred to the mounting portion of the vehicle via the mounting portion, promoting the heat dissipation effect. For example, if the mounting portion is the glass of the vehicle, heat can be transferred to the glass and dissipated from there to the outside of the vehicle. For example, even if the temperature inside the vehicle is very high compared to the air temperature, the outside air temperature is usually lower than the temperature inside the vehicle, so it is good because heat can be efficiently dissipated to the outside of the vehicle. In particular, some vehicle glass has a large area in contact with the outside of the vehicle, and in such cases, a higher heat dissipation effect can be expected.

[0030] The effect of the invention of the present application is not limited to this, and the effect achieved from the configuration disclosed in the specification and drawings, etc. is also disclosed, and there is an intention to obtain rights to the configuration achieving said effect through divisional application, amendment, etc. For example, in this specification, the part that states "can..." is a description that clearly indicates the effect achieved, and there are parts that show the effect even without the description "can...". Also, there are effects that can be understood from the configuration even without such a description. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0031] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a drive recorder which is an example of an in-vehicle device according to the present invention; [Diagram 2]11A to 11C are diagrams illustrating the process of mounting the drive recorder on the windshield. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the internal configuration of the drive recorder. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the mounting posture of the drive recorder. [Diagram 5] FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing actual measured values ​​of the temperatures of a heat source and glass when the heat source is attached to glass. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0032] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. These drawings are used to explain technical features that the present invention can employ. The configurations and shapes of the devices described are merely illustrative examples, and the present invention should not be interpreted as being limited thereto. Various changes, modifications, and improvements can be made based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[0033] [Background of the idea] For example, in a drive recorder, which is one of the in-vehicle devices, the amount of heat generated during operation tends to increase as the functions become more advanced. One of the functions is, for example, parking monitoring, which operates in an environment where no one is present. For example, the temperature inside a car parked under the blazing sun in summer can become very high, exceeding 80 degrees. If the drive recorder generates heat by performing parking monitoring in such a high-temperature environment, it may not be able to dissipate heat efficiently or may not be able to drop below the room temperature. If heat dissipation cannot be performed appropriately in this way, for example, it may malfunction or stop operating due to a rise in temperature, and the drive recorder may not be able to operate correctly. In the following embodiment, an in-vehicle device having a configuration related to heat countermeasures different from the conventional one will be described. Below, heat countermeasures for in-vehicle devices will be described, but there is room for applying heat countermeasure techniques related to electronic devices other than in-vehicle devices based on the same principle.

[0034] [Basic configuration of one embodiment of the in-vehicle device] 1 to 4 show an external view of an embodiment of a drive recorder 10, which is an example of an in-vehicle device. The drive recorder 10 is an imaging device having a function of capturing images and a function of recording the captured images. The drive recorder 10 of this embodiment has a function of capturing images in all directions of 360 degrees on a horizontal plane and 360 degrees on a vertical plane, and recording the captured omnidirectional images. The drive recorder 10 has a main body unit 11 that executes various processes, and a camera unit 12 that is arranged below the main body unit 11 when the drive recorder 10 is installed in a vehicle.

[0035] The main body 11 has a flat rectangular main body case 13, and various circuit boards and devices are mounted inside the main body case 13. The main body case 13 is formed by connecting a first case 14 and a second case 15. The first case 14 and the second case 15 are box-shaped with their opposing faces open, and are connected by a connecting means with their tip faces butted against each other. The connecting means may, for example, be comprised of a protrusion provided on one of the first case 14 and the second case 15, and a recess provided on the other case that links with the protrusion, and the protrusion and the recess may be fitted together.

[0036] The first case 14 has a shallow bottom, and the periphery of the opening is a substantially rectangular shape with four rounded corners, and the depth is substantially uniform over the entirety. When the drive recorder 10 is installed in the vehicle, the first case 14 is located at the front of the vehicle and faces the windshield 2. Therefore, the surface opposite to the opening of the first case 14 becomes the front surface 13a of the main body case 13. The front surface 13a is provided with a joint rail 16. Two joint rails 16 are provided at the top and bottom at a predetermined interval along the longitudinal direction of the first case 14. A bracket 17 is detachably attached between the two joint rails 16. The bracket 17 is connected to the main body case 13 (the first case 14 in this embodiment) and is a mounting part that is attached to the windshield 2 as a mounting site. The bracket 17 and the double-sided tape 19 constitute the mounting member 1 of this embodiment. The mounting member 1 mounts the main body case 13 to the windshield 2. The double-sided tape 19 corresponds to a fixing member that fixes the bracket 17 to the windshield 2. The double-sided tape 19 is a fixing member that has one side affixed to the bracket 17 and the other side affixed to the windshield 2, and fixes the main body case 13 to the windshield 2 by adhesion.

[0037] The second case 15 is a box-shaped case that is deeper than the first case 14, and the periphery of the opening surface is a substantially rectangular shape with four rounded corners, similar to the first case 14. When the drive recorder 10 is installed in the vehicle, the second case 15 is located at the rear side of the vehicle and faces the inside of the vehicle. Therefore, the surface opposite the opening surface of the second case 15 becomes the rear surface 13b of the main case 13. The rear surface 13b has a flat surface 13b' adjacent to one of a pair of rectangular long sides, which is a plane parallel to the front surface 13a of the main case 13, and a sloped surface 13b'' adjacent to the other of the pair of long sides. The sloped surface 13b'' is formed so as to gradually approach the opening surface of the second case 15 from the middle side of the short side toward the outer long side. Therefore, the depth of second case 15 is uniform in a first region including flat surface 13b', and gradually becomes shallower toward the long side in a second region including inclined surface 13b". By providing inclined surface 13b", the external shape of main case 13 is like a rectangular parallelepiped with one long side chamfered. The one long side to be chamfered is at the upper and rear when drive recorder 10 is installed in the vehicle. When first case 14 and second case 15 are connected, front surface 13a on the first case 14 side and flat surface 13b' on the second case 15 side are parallel to each other.

[0038] Bracket 17 has flat plate 17a, and grooves 17b are formed along the longitudinal direction on a pair of long side surfaces of the plate 17a. The grooves 17b are configured to mate with the joint rails 16. The user fits the grooves 17b into the joint rails 16 and slides bracket 17 and main case 13 relative to one another to attach or detach bracket 17 to or from main case 13 (see FIG. 2, etc.).

[0039] When the bracket 17 is attached to the main case 13, the plate 17a has a protrusion 17c on its surface facing the main case 13 (see Figs. 2(a) and (b) and the like). When the bracket 17 is attached between the joint rails 16, this protrusion 17c fits into a hole 14b provided in the leaf spring portion 14a of the first case 14, preventing the bracket 17 from coming off. Double-sided tape 19 is attached to the surface of the bracket 17 opposite to the surface facing the main case 13. When the drive recorder 10 is attached to a vehicle, the bracket 17 is removed from the main case 13, and the removed bracket 17 is attached and fixed to the windshield 2 of the vehicle via the double-sided tape 19 (see Fig. 2(b) and the like). At this time, the bracket 17 is in a landscape state, with a pair of long sides horizontal. By mounting the main body case 13 to the bracket 17 affixed to the windshield 2 in this state (see FIG. 2(c) etc.), the drive recorder 10 is mounted and fixed at a fixed position on the vehicle. In this mounted state, the front surface 13a and the flat surface 13b' of the main body case 13 are arranged parallel to the mounting surface of the windshield 2, the long side of the main body case 13 is located in a horizontal plane, and the side surface on the short side of the main body case 13 is located in a vertical plane. Thus, the main body case 13 is fixed in a state where it is affixed to the windshield 2 in a landscape state, and the camera unit 12 is arranged in a state where it is suspended from the bottom side of the main body case 13.

[0040] Various processing circuits, power supply circuits, and the like are mounted in the main body case 13. As shown in FIG. 3 and other figures, the processing circuits and power supply circuits are mounted, for example, on a main circuit board 40 and a sub-circuit board 41. The main circuit board 40 and the sub-circuit board 41 are mechanically integrated by connecting connectors 42 attached to both boards to each other, and the signal lines and power lines formed on each circuit board are connected. The main circuit board 40 and the sub-circuit board 41 are connected in a parallel and overlapping state, and mounted in this state in the main body case 13. In this mounted state, the main circuit board 40 is located on the second case 15 side, and the sub-circuit board 41 is located in the first case 14. A GPS antenna unit 43 and a battery 44 are provided on the surface of the sub-circuit board 41 that does not face the main circuit board 40. The GPS antenna unit 43 is an example of an antenna that receives electromagnetic waves. The memory card slot 22 is mounted on the surface of the sub-circuit board 41 that faces the main circuit board 40. The main circuit board 40 is equipped with a microcomputer having a CPU and memory for various controls, a CMOS, the above-mentioned DC jack 24, a speaker 29, and the like. Although not shown, an acceleration sensor is also built into the main body case 13. The CPU uses a memory (e.g., RAM) as a work memory to perform various calculations. The CPU processes signals from the CMOS, for example, to generate video data representing captured images. The CMOS is an example of an imaging element. An imaging element such as a CCD may be used instead of the CMOS. The CPU is an example of a circuit that processes signals from an imaging element exemplified by the CMOS.

[0041] The camera unit 12 includes a housing 25, a first camera 26 and a second camera 27 mounted in the housing 25, and a switch unit 28. The housing 25 has an overall spherical shape and is configured by connecting a first camera case 30 and a second camera case 31, which are divided into two hemispherical parts, in a butt-to-button state. The first camera case 30 and the second camera case 31 can be fixed to each other by fitting a protrusion provided on one side, for example, the first camera case 30, with a recess provided on the other side, for example, the second camera case 31, in the same manner as the above-mentioned first case 14 and second case 15. The first camera 26 and the second camera 27 are arranged back-to-back, and are fixed and connected to each other so as to take pictures in opposite directions to form a camera unit, which is mounted in the housing 25.

[0042] When using the drive recorder 10, the housing 25 and the camera unit 12 are swung back and forth in a desired position after being attached and fixed to the windshield 2 as described above, and the nuts are tightened to fix the orientation of the camera unit 12. The desired position is one in which the first camera 26 faces forward and the second camera 27 faces backward, with the optical axes L of the lens units of these cameras parallel to the traveling direction of the vehicle. In this position, as shown in FIG. 4(a) and other figures, the joint surface M of the first camera case 30 and the second camera case 31 is located in a vertical plane and in a plane perpendicular to the traveling direction of the vehicle.

[0043] [Heat dissipation function] In this embodiment, the drive recorder 10, which is an in-vehicle device adhesively fixed to the glass of a vehicle, for example, the windshield 2, has a function of dissipating heat to the glass surface where it is attached. Inside the main body case 13, there are heat sources that generate heat when, for example, a power circuit, a microcomputer having a CPU and memory, an image sensor exemplified by a CMOS, etc. are driven.

[0044] For example, in an environment where the engine of a vehicle is ON and the user is in the vehicle, the air conditioner is operating even under the blazing sun, so the temperature inside the vehicle is suppressed to the set temperature of the air conditioner, and the heat generated from the heat source of the drive recorder 10 is efficiently dissipated to the outside of the main body case 13, and an excessive temperature rise of the heat source may be suppressed. On the other hand, for example, the drive recorder 10 may have a parking monitoring function and operate even while the vehicle is parked. In this case, for example, the air conditioner is stopped while the vehicle is parked, and the temperature inside the vehicle may exceed, for example, 80 degrees under the blazing sun in summer. In such an environment, the heat from the heat source of the drive recorder 10 cannot be efficiently dissipated.

[0045] *Double-sided tape 19 In this embodiment, heat generated from the heat source can be transferred to the windshield 2 and dissipated outside the vehicle, and excessive temperature rise of the heat source can be suppressed even in an atmosphere where the temperature inside the vehicle is high, and the drive recorder 10 can continue to operate, for example, even when the vehicle is parked.

[0046] In order to dissipate heat to the glass surface, the double-sided tape 19 that comes into direct contact with the windshield 2 is a thermally conductive double-sided tape. The thermally conductive double-sided tape is an example of a fixing member having thermal conductivity. The thermally conductive double-sided tape is a double-sided tape made of a material having higher thermal conductivity than that of a general double-sided tape. For example, the thermally conductive double-sided tape may be one having a structure in which a thermally conductive adhesive such as an acrylic adhesive is applied to both sides of a film substrate. The thermal conductivity may be, for example, about 0.7 to 1.5 W / m / K, and may be even higher.

[0047] It is preferable to use double-sided tape 19 having a thermal conductivity lower than that of windshield 2. In this way, it is expected that the effect of further promoting heat dissipation from mounting member 1 to windshield 2 of the vehicle can be achieved.

[0048] In addition, while some conventional double-sided tapes have adhesive layers on both sides of a rubber cushioning material, the present embodiment does not have such a cushioning material, and instead, as described above, applies a thermally conductive adhesive such as an acrylic adhesive to both sides of the film substrate. If a cushioning material is used, there is a risk that the cushioning material will hinder thermal conduction. In contrast, the double-sided tape 19 without a cushioning material is used, so there is no insulation caused by the cushioning material, and the fixing member used for adhesion can be made thinner.

[0049] *Bracket 17 The bracket 17, which is the mounting portion for mounting the main body case 13, is formed using a thermally conductive resin. By selecting a thermally conductive resin as the material, the bracket 17, which also functions as a heat dissipation member, is formed using a thermally conductive resin that is lightweight and relatively easy to form into a desired shape. It is particularly preferable that the bracket 17 is formed using a highly thermally conductive resin. The highly thermally conductive resin may be, for example, a highly thermally conductive polycarbonate (thermal conductivity of 8.3 W / m / K) or a resin (thermal conductivity of 1.0 W / m / K or more) to which a thermally conductive filler such as a ceramic filler is added, such as highly thermally conductive polybutylene terephthalate. In addition, the highly thermally conductive resin may be, for example, a resin such as polycarbonate or nylon mixed with a thermally conductive filler such as inorganic particles. The thermal conductor forming the bracket 17 may not be limited to a thermally conductive resin, and may be other materials with high thermal conductivity such as metals and semiconductors. The heat conductor may be, for example, a metal with good thermal conductivity such as aluminum or copper, or a resin with good thermal conductivity such as polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) resin. As an example, the heat conductor may be an epoxy resin made by mixing alumina filler and CTBN (Carboxy-Terminated Butadiene-Nitrile).

[0050] The resin used for the brackets of this type of conventional product is, for example, PC+GF30wt% material containing glass, and the thermal conductivity of this type of resin is 0.3W / m / K. In contrast, the thermal conductivity of the high thermal conductive resin of this embodiment is sufficiently higher than that of the conventional product, and a higher heat dissipation effect than the conventional one can be expected. As a result, the heat generated from the heat source inside the main body case 13 is transferred to the double-sided tape 19 via the bracket 17 and then to the windshield 2, where it is dissipated.

[0051] It is desirable that the thermal conductivity of the double-sided tape 19 is higher than that of the bracket 17. In this embodiment, it is preferable that the thermal conductivity of the material of the double-sided tape 19 is higher than that of the highly thermally conductive resin. In this way, the heat transferred to the bracket 17 is more easily transferred to the double-sided tape 19, so that it is expected to have the effect of further promoting heat dissipation to the windshield 2. As a result, the heat generated from the heat source of the main body case 13 is more easily transferred from the bracket 17 side to the double-sided tape 19.

[0052] Furthermore, in this embodiment, bracket 17 has flat, planar plate 17a, and the surface of plate 17a that faces main case 13 is in contact with or close to main case 13. When bracket 17 is disposed along the surface of main case 13 in this manner, the distance between the heat source and bracket 17 is relatively short, so that heat generated inside main case 13 is easily transferred to plate 17a, i.e., bracket 17, and the effect of further promoting heat dissipation from mounting member 1 to windshield 2 can be expected.

[0053] *Main case 13 The main body case 13 is formed using a predetermined resin material, for example, ABS resin. In this case, it is desirable that the thermal conductivity of the bracket 17 and the double-sided tape 19 in the heat transfer path is higher than the thermal conductivity of the main body case 13. In this way, it is possible to prevent the heat generated from the heat source inside the main body case 13 from being stored in the main body case 13, and therefore it is possible to further promote the dissipation of heat from the mounting member 1 to the windshield 2.

[0054] It is also preferable that at least a part of the main body case 13 is made of a highly heat-conductive resin or other heat-conductive resin. In this way, a resin material may be used as the material for the case, but by selecting a heat-conductive resin as the resin material, the heat generated from the heat source stored in the main body case 13 is transferred through the portion made of this heat-conductive resin, thereby further promoting the heat dissipation effect. In this case, it is preferable that the heat conductivity of the bracket 17 is higher than the heat conductivity of the heat-conductive resin that constitutes the main body case 13.

[0055] As described above, the main body case 13 is divided into two parts: the first case 14 (corresponding to a first part of the main body case 13 on the windshield 2 side) located on the windshield 2 side when attached to the vehicle, and the second case 15 (corresponding to a second part of the main body case 13 different from the first part) located on the rear side of the vehicle, on the inside of the vehicle. Therefore, it is preferable that the thermal conductivity of the first case 14 is higher than that of the second case 15. For example, it is preferable that the first case 14 is formed of a highly thermally conductive resin, and the second case 15 is formed of a normal resin that does not have a high thermal conductivity. Heat is transferred to the windshield 2 through the first case 14, the bracket 17, and the double-sided tape 19. In this way, when heat generated from a heat source is transferred to the main body case 13, it is more efficiently transferred to the windshield 2 side, so that the heat dissipation from the mounting member 1 to the windshield 2 can be further promoted. In addition, since the second case 15 has a lower thermal conductivity than the first case 14, the temperature rise of the second case 15 due to the heat generated from the heat source can be relatively suppressed compared to the first case 14.

[0056] In particular, heat from the imaging element or a circuit that processes a signal from the imaging element, which is one of the main heat sources in the drive recorder 10, can be dissipated to the windshield 2 to which the mounting member 1 is attached. This makes it possible to suppress the occurrence of operational problems associated with high temperatures in the drive recorder 10.

[0057] In the above-described embodiment, the layout is such that the GPS antenna unit 43 is disposed near the center of the sub-circuit board 41 in the longitudinal direction, and is located opposite the bracket 17. For example, if the thermally conductive resin used for the bracket 17 is made of a material that is difficult to transmit GPS signals, it is preferable to dispose the GPS antenna unit 43 at a position that does not face the bracket 17. Also, if the first case 14 is formed of a thermally conductive resin, it is preferable that the portion facing the receiving area of ​​the GPS antenna unit 43 is formed of a resin that transmits GPS signals, and the other portions are formed of a thermally conductive resin. In this way, at least the portion (corresponding to the third portion) of the main case 13 that is the path of the electromagnetic waves received by the GPS antenna unit 43 (i.e., the GPS signals) is formed of a material that transmits electromagnetic waves, so that reception of the electromagnetic waves by the GPS antenna unit 43 is not hindered.

[0058] When the drive recorder 10 performs wireless communication by LTE or other communication method, it is preferable that the part of the main body case 13 that is the path of the electromagnetic waves transmitted and received by the antenna (corresponding to the third part) is made of a radio wave transparent material that allows the radio waves to pass through. In this way, it is possible to prevent the transmission or reception of signals related to wireless communication from being impeded. When the drive recorder 10 has an antenna, it is preferable that the part that is the path of the transmitted or received electromagnetic waves is made of a radio wave transparent material, regardless of the use of the antenna.

[0059] With bracket 17 attached to first case 14, it is preferable to provide an opening in a part or all of the area of ​​first case 14 that faces bracket 17. In this way, the internal space of main case 13 comes into direct contact with bracket 17, so that heat generated from the heat source is transferred directly to bracket 17, which is advantageous because it allows efficient heat dissipation. In addition, since the opening is covered by bracket 17 when in use, it is possible to prevent the interior from being exposed.

[0060] In the above embodiment, the heat generated from the heat source is transmitted through the air inside the main case 13 to the main case 13, and then transmitted to the bracket 17 via the main case 13, but the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, various types of heat conductive members may be interposed between the heat source and the main case 13 so as to be in contact with each other. In this case, the main case 13 to which the heat conductive member is connected is preferably the side closer to the bracket 17, such as the first case 14.

[0061] Also, the thermally conductive member may be configured using, for example, a heat pipe, and one end of the heat pipe may be placed in direct contact with or close to the bracket 17. In this way, the heat generated from the heat source can be transferred to the bracket 17 more efficiently. The heat pipe may extend from, for example, a board on which the heat source, the microcomputer and the image pickup element, are mounted, in the direction of the bracket 17 from the main circuit board 40 in this embodiment. In this way, the freedom of selection of the position at which the heat source housed in the main body case 13 should be placed to dissipate heat to the windshield 2 is increased, and thus the freedom of design of the drive recorder 10 is improved.

[0062] (Modifications of mounting parts and brackets) In the above-described embodiment, the detachable bracket 17 is provided on the main body case 13, and the main body case 13 is adhesively fixed to the windshield 2 via the bracket 17, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a thermally conductive double-sided tape 19 may be attached to the surface of the main body case 13, and the adhesive surface on the opposite side of the thermally conductive double-sided tape 19 may be attached to the windshield 2 to directly attach the main body case 13 to the windshield 2. In this way, heat can be dissipated to the windshield 2 side more efficiently. In this case, the main body case 13 constitutes the mounting portion, and the mounting portion is integrated with the main body case 13. In this way, the distance between the heat source and the mounting portion having the heat conduction path is relatively short, so that the effect of further promoting heat dissipation to the mounting portion of the vehicle can be expected.

[0063] Furthermore, in the case of a configuration in which the mounting portion is provided as a separate member from the main case 13 as described above, for example, as in bracket 17' shown in FIG. 5 and bracket 17" shown in FIG. 6, the adhesive surface 17d to which double-sided tape 19 is affixed to the windshield 2 is separated from the main case 13, and a support portion for supporting it by hanging may be provided. In this case, the entire structure may be formed as a single unit from resin as shown in FIG. 5, or may be composed of multiple members as shown in FIG. 6. In either case, it is preferable that each member be made of thermally conductive resin, for example.

[0064] However, in the present embodiment, bracket 17 is preferably constructed in a flat plate shape and arranged along the surface of main body case 13, because heat inside main body case 13 is efficiently transferred via bracket 17 to double-sided tape 19 and ultimately to windshield 2.

[0065] In the above-described embodiments and variations, the mounting portions of the brackets 17, 17', 17" are all constructed using a thermally conductive resin, but as an example of a thermally conductive material, a stay made of, for example, metal may be used. And, for example, as shown in FIG. 7, the shape of the stay 50 is such that a first blade-shaped portion 52 and a second blade-shaped portion 53 are provided on either longitudinal side of a base portion 51. The base portion 51 has a flat base portion 51a and side portions 51b connected to the left and right sides of the base 51a. The first blade-shaped portion 52 and the second blade-shaped portion 53 are connected to the tips of the pair of side portions 51b, respectively.

[0066] By appropriately bending the boundary line between the first blade-shaped portion 52 and side portion 51b, the boundary line between the second blade-shaped portion 53 and side portion 51b, and the boundary line between the base 51a and side portion 51b, the side portion 51b is raised and the base 51a is positioned in front of the first blade-shaped portion 52 and the second blade-shaped portion 53.

[0067] First blade portion 52 and second blade portion 53 each have cutouts 52a, 53a at the center of the side opposite to the connection side with side portion 51b, thereby forming two plate-like portions 54 (corresponding to the first plate-like portion and the second plate-like portion). Double-sided tape 19 is attached to one side of plate-like portion 54, i.e., the side opposite to raised base portion 51a, and the plate-like portion is bonded and fixed to a predetermined position on windshield 2 via double-sided tape 19. Base portion 51a further has cutout groove 51a' extending from the midpoint of one side not in contact with side portion 51b toward the center. Double-sided tape 19 is a thermally conductive double-sided tape.

[0068] Meanwhile, the drive recorder 60 is provided with a camera 62 on one side of a main body case 61 in which a heat source and other devices are mounted, and a connecting portion 63 to the stay 50. The connecting portion 63 may be configured to be inserted into a cut groove 51a' provided in the base portion 51a for connection, for example.

[0069] When mounting the drive recorder 60 having such a configuration to a vehicle using the stay 50, for example, first, the double-sided tape 19 is attached to the plate-like portion 54, and the stay 50 is attached to a predetermined position on the windshield 2. At this time, the side of the base 51a on which the cut groove 51a' is provided is positioned upward. Then, the drive recorder 60 is attached to the attached stay 50. In other words, this can be done by inserting the connecting portion 63 of the main body case 61 from the upper opening of the cut groove 51a'.

[0070] The stay 50 may be made of a plate material with good thermal conductivity, such as stainless steel, and may be formed, for example, by bending a single metal plate. The plate-like portion 54 is bendable because it is made of a metal plate, and when the stay 50 is attached to the windshield 2, it can be deformed into a shape that conforms to the glass surface and can be neatly bonded and fixed. Furthermore, by adjusting the bending angle of the boundary portion of the side portion 51b, for example, the camera 62 can be directed forward even with a curved windshield 2.

[0071] Since the stay 50 has a relatively high thermal conductivity, heat generated from a heat source inside the main body case 61 is transferred from the stay 50 to the windshield 2 via the double-sided tape 19 and dissipated. In order to enhance the heat dissipation effect, it is preferable that a part or the whole of the main body case 61 is made of a thermally conductive resin or the like.

[0072] Further, plate-like portions 54 are separated by first blade-like portion 52 and second blade-like portion 53, and are further divided into two by notches 52a and 53a, resulting in a layout in which four plate-like portions 54 are arranged around base portion 51a. Each of plate-like portions 54 can be bent independently. Therefore, for example, when it is desired to remove stay 50 after it has been bonded to windshield 2 as described above, each of plate-like portions 54 can be peeled off little by little from the edge while being appropriately bent, and can be removed without causing scratches or the like on the windshield.

[0073] In the drive recorder of each embodiment described above, the vehicle mounting portion is the windshield 2, but the vehicle may be mounted on glass that faces the outside, such as the rear glass or glass roof. In this way, the heat from the heat source can be dissipated to the outside of the vehicle by using glass that is normally provided on the vehicle. In addition, such glass is always in contact with the outside air, has a smaller thermal resistance than air, and is less likely to heat up even in direct sunlight because it transmits light. Furthermore, when the drive recorder 10 is in use, the fact that the drive recorder 10 is always in contact with glass is also a reason why it is desirable to dissipate heat to the mounting portion.

[0074] Fig. 8 is a diagram showing the actual measured values ​​of the temperature of the heat source and the glass when the heat source is attached to the glass. Fig. 8 shows the temperature distribution when the glass is viewed from the side opposite to the side where the heat source is present, with the diagram on the left showing the temperature distribution when the heat source is in contact with the glass, and the diagram on the right showing the temperature distribution when the heat source is not in contact with the glass and is separated from the glass as a comparative example. In Fig. 8, the areas of the heat source that are displayed as whitish have lower temperatures, and the areas that are displayed as darkish have higher temperatures (excluding the black area in the background). It was also confirmed from Fig. 8 that when the heat source is in contact with the glass, the temperature of the heat source is reduced by dissipating heat from the heat source to the glass.

[0075] If the above-mentioned heat dissipation effect to the mounting portion can be expected, the above-mentioned thermal conductivity values ​​and the relationship of the thermal conductivity of each portion do not have to be satisfied. For example, if the thermal conductivity relationship is that of the mounting portion (e.g., the windshield 2)>the fixing member (e.g., the double-sided tape 19), it is considered that the effect of promoting the heat dissipation effect can be expected. Also, if the relationship is that of the mounting portion (e.g., the windshield 2)>the fixing member (e.g., the double-sided tape 19)>the mounting portion (e.g., the brackets 17, 17′, 17″ or the stays 50)>the case of the drive recorder (e.g., the main body case 13 (e.g., the first case 14) or 61), it is considered that the effect of promoting the heat dissipation effect can be expected. Also, even if the entirety of each portion does not have such a thermal conductivity relationship, if a heat transfer path that satisfies such a relationship is formed, it is expected that the effect of promoting the heat dissipation effect can be expected.

[0076] The drive recorder may be attached to a location other than the glass. The attachment location should be a location that allows heat generated from a heat source to be transferred to the attachment location and dissipated to the outside of the vehicle.

[0077] Although the example of application to a drive recorder as an in-vehicle device has been described, it is preferable to apply the present invention to an in-vehicle device that operates while parked, such as a parking monitoring device, but it may also be applied to an in-vehicle device that generates heat while driving. It may also be an electronic device for an in-vehicle device, such as an imaging device exemplified by a surveillance camera. Even if the imaging device is installed on a windowpane of a facility such as a house using a mounting member and takes pictures of the outdoors through the windowpane, a high heat dissipation effect can be expected due to the same action as described above.

[0078] The fixing member for fixing the mounting portion of the in-vehicle device to the mounting site is not limited to double-sided tape, but may be an adhesive sheet or other fixing member. In this way, the fixing member is not limited to adhesion, and the mounting portion may be fixed to the mounting site by adhesion, mechanical methods, etc. However, if the fixing member is a relatively thin member such as a sheet or plate like double-sided tape, the distance between the mounting portion and the mounting site will be short, and the heat dissipation effect can be expected to be improved.

[0079] The scope of the present invention is not limited to the configurations explicitly described in the specification, but includes combinations of various aspects of the present invention disclosed in this specification. The configurations of the present invention that are to be patented are specified in the attached claims, but it is our intention to include configurations disclosed in this specification in the claims in the future, even if they are not currently specified in the claims.

[0080] The present invention is not limited to the configuration described in the above-mentioned embodiment. The components of each of the above-mentioned embodiments and modifications may be arbitrarily selected and combined. Any components of each of the embodiments and modifications may be arbitrarily combined with any components described in the means for solving the invention or any components that embody any components described in the means for solving the invention. We intend to acquire rights to these as well through amendments to this application or divisional applications. Even if there is a description such as "in the case of" or "when", this is not intended to describe a configuration that is limited to that case or time. We also disclose configurations that are not in these cases or times, and we intend to acquire rights. Furthermore, the parts described in order are not limited to this order. We also disclose configurations in which some parts are deleted or the order is changed, and we intend to acquire rights.

[0081] In addition, we intend to obtain rights to the overall design or partial design by converting to a design registration application. The drawings depict the entire device in solid lines, but they include not only the overall design but also partial designs claimed for a part of the device. For example, some parts of the device may be partial designs, and the drawings include some parts of the device as partial designs regardless of the parts. A part of the device may be a part of the device, or a part of that part. We intend to obtain rights to the overall design, as well as partial designs in which any part of the solid line part of the drawing is shown as a broken line part. In addition, the modules, parts, and components inside the device's casing, all of which are shown in the drawings, are subject to trade independently, and we intend to obtain rights to them by converting to a design registration application. [Explanation of symbols]

[0082] 2: Windshield 10:Dashcam 13: Main body case 14: First case 15: Second case 17: Bracket 17′ : Bracket 17″: Bracket 19: Double-sided tape 50: Stay 54: Plate-shaped area 60: Drive recorder 61: Main body case

Claims

1. A case for storing a heat source; an attachment portion for attaching the case to a glass of a vehicle; Equipped with The case is configured by connecting a first case and a second case that are divided into two parts with their tip surfaces butted against each other, The attachment portion is disposed on the first case side, When the mounting portion is attached to the glass, the first case is located on the glass side and the second case is located inside the vehicle cabin, The thermal conductivity of the first case is set to be higher than that of the second case, and the heat from the heat source is transferred to the glass through a heat transfer path from the first case to the mounting portion, so that the temperature rise of the second case due to the heat from the heat source is relatively suppressed compared to the first case. In-vehicle equipment.

2. A case for storing a heat source; an attachment portion for attaching the case to a glass of a vehicle; a fixing member having thermal conductivity and fixing the mounting portion to the glass; Equipped with the mounting portion is formed using a thermally conductive material and has a heat transfer path for transferring heat from the heat source to the glass; The thermal conductivity of the mounting portion in the heat transfer path is higher than the thermal conductivity of the case, and the thermal conductivity of the fixing member is higher than the thermal conductivity of the mounting portion, The thermal conductivity of the fixing member is lower than the thermal conductivity of the glass. In-vehicle equipment.

3. a heat pipe constituting a part of the heat transfer path; One end of the heat pipe is placed in direct contact with or close to the attachment portion, and the other end of the heat pipe is placed on the heat source side.

3. The in-vehicle device according to claim 1.

4. The heat source is an imaging device having at least one of an image sensor and a circuit for processing a signal from the image sensor. The vehicle-mounted device according to claim 1 .

Images