Vehicle external environment detection device holding device

Abstract

To provide a vehicle surroundings detection equipment holding device with which it is possible to hold a surroundings detection sensor to a vehicle without requiring any particular processing on vehicle side.SOLUTION: A camera cradle 20 is a device for holding a vehicle rear camera CA to a vehicle, and the device comprises a bottom face part 21 having a first installation plane on a lower side, a lifting mechanism 41 that is disposed upward of the bottom face part 21, and a top face part 31 that is provided so as to be capable of approaching and leaving the bottom face part 21 in the vertical direction via the lifting mechanism 41. The top face part 31 has a second installation plane on upper side, and also has a protrusion 35 that protrudes upward of the second installation plane, the bottom face part 21 being provided with a camera holding part 51 to hold the vehicle rear camera CA.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a device for holding an external environment detection device for a vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] BACKGROUND ART Conventionally, there are motorcycles that have rear cameras for drive recorders mounted on the rear of the vehicle body (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Utility Model Registration No. 3222264 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] When installing a rear camera like the above-mentioned conventional technology on a vehicle, it is desirable to install it so that vehicle body parts do not get in the camera's field of view. However, if existing bolts or the like on the rear of the vehicle are used, it is difficult to install the rear camera in an optimal location, and vehicle body parts may get in the camera's field of view or a blind spot may be created. For this reason, some people drill additional fastening holes in the vehicle body parts and screw the camera in with bolts and nuts, or attach the camera with double-sided tape or the like. However, these methods often damage the vehicle body parts or cause the camera to fall off due to vibration.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and provides an external environment detection device holding device for a vehicle that can hold an external environment detection sensor on the vehicle without requiring processing on the vehicle body. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] As a means for solving the above problem, the present invention provides an external environment detection device holding device for a vehicle (e.g., camera cradle 20 of the embodiments) for holding an external environment detection sensor (e.g., vehicle rear camera CA of the embodiments) on a vehicle, comprising: a bottom surface portion (e.g., bottom surface portion 21 of the embodiments) having a first installation surface (e.g., first installation surface 22a of the embodiments) on one side in a first direction; a lifting mechanism (e.g., lifting mechanism 41 of the embodiments) arranged on the other side of the bottom surface portion in the first direction; and an upper surface portion (e.g., upper surface portion 31 of the embodiments) arranged so as to be able to approach and move away from the bottom surface portion via the lifting mechanism, wherein the upper surface portion has a second installation surface (e.g., second installation surface 32a of the embodiments) on the other side in the first direction and has a protrusion (e.g., protrusion 35 of the embodiments) that protrudes further to the other side in the first direction than the second installation surface, and at least one of the bottom surface portion and the upper surface portion is provided with a sensor holding portion (e.g., camera holding portion 51 of the embodiments) for holding the external environment detection sensor. According to this configuration, first, the movable holding device is positioned between two spaced-apart components on the vehicle exterior, with the bottom and top surfaces brought closer together to narrow the width in the first direction. In this state, the lifting mechanism is operated to move the bottom and top surfaces away from each other, widening the width of the movable holding device in the first direction. This causes the first and second installation surfaces to press against the two components on the vehicle exterior, respectively, and the resulting reaction force supports and fixes the movable holding device and, in turn, the external environment detection device holder to the vehicle exterior. Movement of the movable holding device in a second direction intersecting the first direction can be restricted by the protruding portion of the top surface abutting one of the two components on the vehicle exterior. This allows the external environment detection device holder and, in turn, the external environment detection sensor to be held on the vehicle without requiring any processing on the vehicle body.

[0007] In the above-described external environment detection device holder, the sensor holder may be provided on the bottom surface portion. With this configuration, compared to holding the external detection sensor on the top surface having a protrusion for positioning relative to the vehicle, the protrusion and sensor holding portion can be allocated and arranged on the top surface and bottom surface, thereby increasing the design freedom of the protrusion and sensor holding portion.

[0008] In the above-mentioned external environment detection device holding device, the external environment detection sensor is arranged at the rear of the vehicle to detect the area behind the vehicle, the external environment detection device holding device is arranged with the first direction facing the vertical direction of the vehicle, the protrusion is arranged on one side of the central position of the external environment detection device holding device in a second direction facing the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and the sensor holding portion is arranged on the other side of the central position in the second direction. According to this configuration, by distributing the protrusion and the sensor holding part to both sides in the second direction (and thus the vehicle front-rear direction), the protrusion and the sensor holding part can be efficiently arranged so as not to interfere with each other. Also, the external environment detection sensor that detects the area behind the vehicle can be arranged as far outward in the second direction as possible (toward the rear of the vehicle), and the protrusion can reliably restrict movement (detachment) of the external environment detection device holding device toward the rear of the vehicle.

[0009] In the above-mentioned external environment detection equipment holding device, the top surface portion may be provided with an extension portion (e.g., extension portion 36 in the embodiment) on one side in the second direction that extends further in the second direction than the protrusion, and the extension portion may be positioned on one side in the second direction than the end portion on one side in the second direction of the bottom surface portion. According to this configuration, the extension portion on one side of the top surface portion in the second direction is positioned on one side of the second direction relative to the protrusion and the bottom surface portion, so that when attaching or detaching the external environment detection device holding device to or from a vehicle, the extension portion of the top surface portion can be grasped to attach or detach the external environment detection device holding device, thereby improving the ease of attaching and detaching the external environment detection device.

[0010] In the above-mentioned external environment detection device holding device, the shape of the protrusion on the other side in the second direction may be formed as an arc shape that is convex toward the other side in the second direction when viewed from the first direction. According to this configuration, the shape of the protrusion on the other side in the second direction (rearward of the vehicle) is formed into an arc shape that is convex toward the other side in the second direction (rearward of the vehicle), so that when the protrusion is brought into contact with the exterior of the vehicle body from one side in the second direction (frontward of the vehicle), the protrusion can easily and stably contact the exterior of the vehicle body. This makes it possible to more reliably prevent the external environment detection device holder from moving (falling off) toward the rear of the vehicle.

[0011] In the above-mentioned external environment detection equipment holding device, the upper surface portion may have a bulge portion (for example, the upper surface bulge portion 33 in the embodiment) that bulges out on both sides in a third direction facing the left-right direction of the vehicle, at a location located between the protrusion and the sensor holding portion in the second direction. According to this configuration, by providing the bulging portions on both sides of the upper surface in the third direction, when attaching or detaching the external environment detection device holder to or from a vehicle, it is possible to grip the bulging portions on both sides (left and right sides) of the upper surface in the third direction, thereby improving the ease of attaching or detaching the external environment detection device holder.

[0012] In the above-mentioned external environment detection equipment holding device, the bottom surface portion has a second bulge portion (e.g., bottom surface side bulge portion 23 in the embodiment) that bulges on both sides in the third direction at a portion that overlaps with the bulge portion when viewed from the first direction, and the lifting mechanism may be arranged between the bulge portion and the second bulge portion in the first direction. According to this configuration, by arranging the lifting mechanism between the pair of left and right bulging portions and the pair of left and right second bulging portions, it is easy to ensure the left and right width of the lifting mechanism, and it is possible to suppress left and right tilt of the external environment detection device holder and improve the attachment performance (holding force) to the vehicle body. Because the left and right width of the external environment detection device holder is narrowed at the fore-and-aft positions of the lifting mechanism (fore-and-aft positions of the bulging portions and second bulging portions), it is possible to slim down the external environment detection device holder overall.

[0013] In the above-mentioned external environment detection equipment holding device, an upper surface cushioning material (e.g., upper surface cushioning material 34 in the embodiment) may be provided on the second installation surface of the upper surface portion and the vertical surface on the other side of the second direction of the protrusion portion. According to this configuration, by providing an upper surface cushioning material on the second installation surface of the upper surface portion and the other vertical surface in the second direction of the protrusion portion (both of which are contact surfaces with the vehicle body exterior), it is possible to absorb unevenness on the outer surface of the vehicle body exterior, stably support and fix the external environment detection equipment holding device, and also suppress the transmission of vibrations to the external environment detection sensor.

[0014] In the above-described external environment detecting device support device, a bottom surface cushioning material (for example, bottom surface cushioning material 24 in the embodiment) may be provided on the first installation surface of the bottom surface portion. According to this configuration, by providing a bottom cushioning material on the first installation surface of the bottom portion (the contact surface with the vehicle body exterior), unevenness on the outer surface of the vehicle body exterior can be absorbed, the external environment detection equipment holding device can be stably supported and fixed, and the transmission of vibrations to the external environment detection sensor can be suppressed.

[0015] In the above-mentioned external environment detection device holding device, the lifting mechanism may be arranged so as to fit inside the outer shape of the upper surface portion when viewed from the first direction. According to this configuration, by keeping the lifting mechanism within the range that overlaps with the upper surface portion, the lifting mechanism is less likely to come into contact with surrounding people or objects (e.g., the bodies, clothing, bags, etc. of vehicle occupants), and the external environment detection equipment holding device can be stably supported and fixed. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an external environment detection device holding device for a vehicle that can hold an external environment detection sensor on the vehicle without requiring processing on the vehicle body side. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] 1 is a right side view of a motorcycle according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a right side view of a main part of the motorcycle. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a top view of a main part of the motorcycle. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a right side view of a camera cradle attached to a main part of the motorcycle. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a top view of the camera cradle. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a rear view of the camera cradle. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VII-VII in FIG. 5. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VIII-VIII in FIG. 5. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, directions such as front, rear, left, and right are the same as directions in the vehicle described below unless otherwise specified. In addition, in the drawings used in the following description, an arrow FR indicating the front of the vehicle, an arrow LH indicating the left side of the vehicle, and an arrow UP indicating the top of the vehicle are shown in appropriate positions.

[0019] <Entire vehicle> As shown in Fig. 1, a motorcycle (saddle-ride type vehicle) 1 according to an embodiment includes a front wheel 3 steered by a handlebar 2, a power unit 4 including an internal combustion engine or the like, and a rear wheel 5 driven by the power unit 4. The motorcycle 1 is an example of a saddle-ride type vehicle in which a rider straddles the body of the motorcycle 1. The motorcycle 1 can swing (bank) the body in the left-right direction (roll direction) with the ground contact points of the front and rear wheels 3, 5 as a reference. The body of the motorcycle 1 is covered with a body cover 6. The body cover 6 includes a front body cover 7 that covers the front portion of the body, and a rear body cover 8 that covers the rear portion of the body. A seat 14 for a rider is supported above the rear body cover 8. The seat 14 is integrally provided with a front seating portion for the rider and a rear seating portion for a rear passenger.

[0020] A seat frame (not shown) that supports the seat 14 is disposed inside the rear body cover 8. A grab rail 16 disposed behind the seat 14 is supported on the rear portion of the seat frame. The grab rail 16 is held by a rear passenger to support their body, and by a user who has exited the vehicle to support the vehicle body. 2 and 3, the grab rail 16 is integrally provided with left and right leg portions 17 fixed to the seat frame and an installation portion 18 connecting the upper ends of the left and right leg portions 17. A tail cowl 11 is disposed behind the seat 14 to cover the periphery of the grab rail 16 in the rear body cover 8. The installation portion 18 of the grab rail 16 is disposed above and spaced apart from the cowl upper surface portion 12 of the tail cowl 11.

[0021] <Camera cradle> 2 and 3, a camera cradle (external environment detection device holding device) 20 for mounting a vehicle rear camera (external environment detection sensor) CA on the vehicle is disposed between the cowl upper surface portion 12 of the tail cowl 11 and the installation portion 18 of the grab rail 16, which are disposed with a gap in the vertical direction. Below, each component of the camera cradle 20 will be described based on the state in which the camera cradle 20 is attached to the vehicle.

[0022] The camera cradle 20 includes a bottom surface 21 that abuts against the cowl upper surface 12 of the tail cowl 11 from above, an upper surface 31 that abuts against the installation portion 18 of the grab rail 16 from below, an elevation mechanism 41 that moves the bottom surface 21 and the upper surface 31 toward or away from each other, and a camera holding portion 51 that holds the vehicle rear camera CA. The vehicle rear camera CA is a digital camera that uses a solid-state image sensor such as a CCD or CMOS, and is used in drive recorders and the like.

[0023] 4 and 5, the bottom surface portion 21, the top surface portion 31, and the lifting mechanism 41 constitute a cradle movable portion (movable holding device portion) 20A for supporting and fixing the camera cradle 20 to the vehicle. The cradle movable portion 20A is disposed between the cowl upper surface portion 12 of the tail cowl 11 and the installation portion 18 of the grab rail 16. The camera holding portion 51 is disposed behind the cradle movable portion 20A (rearward of the grab rail 16) and reduces the capture of the grab rail 16 and other elements in the vehicle rear camera CA.

[0024] Although the camera holding part 51 in the embodiment is provided integrally with the bottom surface part 21, it may also be provided integrally with the top surface part 31. The camera holding part 51 may be provided across both the bottom surface part 21 and the top surface part 31. In this case, the camera holding part 51 is connected to at least one of the bottom surface part 21 and the top surface part 31 via a movable member such as a link member or a slide member, for example. In the embodiment, the camera holding part 51 has a base part 52 (described later) integrally formed with the bottom surface part 21, but is not limited to this configuration. The base part 52 of the camera holding part 51 may be separate from the configuration of the cradle movable part 20A such as the bottom surface part 21, and may be fixed to the configuration of the cradle movable part 20A by fastening or the like.

[0025] In this embodiment, the camera cradle 20 is disposed (mounted) in such a manner that the approaching and separating direction (first direction, indicated by arrow Z in the figure) of the bottom surface portion 21 and the top surface portion 31 faces the vertical direction of the vehicle. The camera cradle 20 is disposed (mounted) in such a manner that the length direction (second direction, indicated by arrow Y in the figure) in a plan view seen from the vertical direction of the vehicle faces the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The camera cradle 20 is disposed (mounted) in such a manner that the width direction (third direction, indicated by arrow X in the figure) perpendicular to the length direction in the plan view faces the lateral direction of the vehicle. The configuration of camera cradle 20 will be explained below using the vehicle's orientations such as up / down, front / back, left / right, etc. Line CL in the drawing indicates the center of camera cradle 20 from left to right. Each component of camera cradle 20 is provided symmetrically with respect to line CL.

[0026] 4 to 7, the bottom portion 21 includes a substantially horizontally disposed, flat bottom portion main body 22. The bottom portion main body 22 has a rectangular shape that is elongated in the front-rear direction in a plan view. The bottom portion main body 22 is formed of, for example, a light metal such as an aluminum alloy or a synthetic resin such as an ABS resin. A pair of left and right bottom bulges 23 that bulge outward in the left-right direction are integrally formed on both left and right sides of a portion of the bottom portion main body 22 closer to the front than the front-rear center position c1 (see FIG. 4). A pair of rear left and right screw mechanisms 42, 43 (described later) are disposed between the pair of left and right bottom bulges 23. A front one of the plurality of screw mechanisms 42, 43 (described later) is disposed in a portion of the bottom portion main body 22 forward of the pair of left and right bottom bulges 23. A camera holder 51 that holds a vehicle rear camera CA is disposed in a portion of the bottom portion main body 22 rearward of the pair of left and right bottom bulges 23. The pair of left and right bottom surface bulges 23 are disposed forward of the camera holding portion 51 and rearward of the protrusions 35 of the top surface portion 31, which will be described later.

[0027] Referring also to FIG. 2 , the substantially horizontal lower surface 22a of the bottom main body 22 presses against the upper surface 12a of the cowl upper surface 12 of the tail cowl 11 via the bottom cushioning material 24. The bottom cushioning material 24 is formed into a flat plate shape using, for example, nitrile rubber sponge, and is attached to the lower surface 22a of the bottom main body 22 with adhesive or the like. The lower surface 22a of the bottom main body 22 forms a first installation surface 22a for supporting and fixing the camera cradle 20 to the vehicle. The bottom main body 22 is supported by the tail cowl 11 from below by a reaction force pressing against the cowl upper surface 12 of the tail cowl 11. The anti-slip effect of the bottom cushioning material 24 restricts horizontal movement of the bottom main body 22 relative to the tail cowl 11. The bottom cushioning material 24 is available in a variety of thicknesses depending on the vehicle model, etc., and can be selected appropriately depending on the installation location of the camera cradle 20.

[0028] 4 to 7, the top surface portion 31 includes a flat top surface portion main body 32 disposed substantially horizontally, and a protrusion 35 protruding upward from the top surface portion main body 32. The top surface portion main body 32 is substantially parallel to the bottom surface portion main body 22 and is disposed opposite the front half of the bottom surface portion main body 22 in the vertical direction (thickness direction). The top surface portion main body 32 and the bottom surface portion main body 22 face each other in the vertical direction, and the vertical direction is also the direction in which they approach and move away from each other relative to each other (in other words, the lifting direction). The top surface portion main body 32 has a rectangular shape that is long in the front-to-rear direction in plan view, and is disposed so as to overlap the front half of the bottom surface portion main body 22 in plan view. The top surface portion main body 32 is formed of a light metal such as an aluminum alloy, or a synthetic resin such as ABS resin.

[0029] The protrusion 35 protrudes upward from the substantially horizontal upper surface 32a of the upper surface portion main body 32. For example, the protrusion 35 is detachably fixed to the upper surface portion main body 32 using a pair of left and right fixing bolts b1. The protrusion 35 is formed to a height that exceeds the height of the installation portion 18 of the grab rail 16. The height of the protrusion 35 is limited to, for example, less than approximately 10 cm. This is because if the protrusion 35 protrudes too much, it is susceptible to external disturbances such as contact with the body of an occupant or various objects. The protrusion 35 is positioned closer to the front than the front-rear center position c2 (see Figure 4) of the upper surface portion main body 32. In a plan view of the protrusion 35, the rear surface (elevation surface) 35a of the protrusion 35 is formed in an arc shape that convex rearward. The rear surface 35a of the protrusion 35 abuts against the front edge of the bridge portion 18 of the grab rail 16 from the front side (more specifically, it abuts via the upright portion 34a of the upper surface buffer material 34). This restricts rearward movement of the upper surface portion 31 and therefore the camera cradle 20. The protrusion 35 is made of a light metal such as an aluminum alloy or a synthetic resin such as ABS resin.

[0030] 4 and 5, the protruding portion 35 is positioned closer to the front than the center position c3 of the front-to-rear of the camera cradle 20, and the camera holding portion 51 is positioned closer to the rear than the center position c3 of the front-to-rear of the camera cradle 20. The protruding portion 35 and the camera holding portion 51 are both configured to protrude significantly above the camera cradle 20, but in the camera cradle 20 of this embodiment, the protruding portion 35 and the camera holding portion 51 are efficiently distributed between the front and rear.

[0031] The front end of the top body 32 is located forward of the protrusion 35. The front surface 35b of the protrusion 35 is formed in a substantially vertical plane, and the front end of the top body 32 forms an extension 36 that extends forward of the front surface 35b of the protrusion 35. The front end of the bottom body 22 terminates at a position in the front-to-rear direction where it overlaps with the protrusion 35. The extension 36 extends forward of the front end of the bottom body 22. The extension 36 can be used as a handle when attaching or detaching the camera cradle 20 to or from a vehicle. The protrusion 35 is movable from a first position shown in the figure to a second position displaced forward so that it is positioned above the extension 36. A pair of left and right screw holes 36a are formed in the extension 36 for tightening a pair of left and right fixing bolts b1 that secure the protrusion 35.

[0032] A pair of left and right upper bulges 33 that jut outward in the left-right direction are integrally formed on both left and right sides of the rear of the top main body 32. The pair of left and right upper bulges 33 are arranged to overlap the pair of left and right bottom bulges 23 in a plan view. A pair of rear left and right screw mechanisms 42, 43 are arranged in a region between the pair of left and right upper bulges 33. One of the front screw mechanisms 42, 43 is arranged in a region on the top main body 32 forward of the pair of left and right upper bulges 33. The pair of left and right upper bulges 33 are arranged forward of the camera holding portion 51 of the bottom portion 21 and rear of the protrusion 35.

[0033] Referring also to FIG. 2 , the substantially horizontal upper surface 32a of the upper surface portion main body 32 presses against the lower surface 18a of the installation portion 18 of the grab rail 16 via the upper surface buffer material 34. The upper surface buffer material 34 is formed into a flat plate shape using, for example, nitrile rubber sponge, and is attached to the upper surface 32a of the upper surface portion main body 32 with adhesive or the like. The upper surface 32a of the upper surface portion main body 32 forms a second installation surface 32a for supporting and fixing the camera cradle 20 to the vehicle. The upper surface portion main body 32 is supported from above by the installation portion 18 of the grab rail 16 due to the reaction force pressing against the installation portion 18. The anti-slip effect of the upper surface buffer material 34 restricts horizontal movement of the upper surface portion main body 32 relative to the grab rail 16. The upper surface buffer material 34 is available in multiple thicknesses depending on the vehicle model, etc., and can be selected depending on the installation location of the camera cradle 20.

[0034] The upper surface buffer material 34 has a rising portion 34a that rises along the rear surface 35a of the protruding portion 35. The rear surface 35a of the protruding portion 35 abuts against the front edge of the installation portion 18 of the grab rail 16 via the rising portion 34a of the upper surface buffer material 34. This provides a cushion between the protruding portion 35 and the grab rail 16, preventing noise and vibration and damage to the grab rail 16.

[0035] The vehicle rear camera CA has a rectangular parallelepiped appearance and is held by a camera mount 53 in a camera holding portion 51 of the bottom surface portion 21. The camera holding portion 51 includes a base portion 52 formed integrally with the rear portion of the bottom main body 22 so as to extend rearward, and a camera mount 53 fixed onto the base portion 52. The camera mount 53 includes a pair of left and right mount arms 53a standing upright above the base portion 52. A vehicle rear camera CA is disposed between the pair of left and right mount arms 53a. The camera mount 53 is formed, for example, by bending a steel plate.

[0036] The vehicle rear camera CA is supported by a pair of left and right mount arms 53a via a pivot shaft 54 ​​extending in the left-right direction so as to be able to pivot up and down. For example, the pivot shaft 54 ​​also serves as a fixing bolt that secures the vehicle rear camera CA to the pair of left and right mount arms 53a. The camera mount 53 is supported by the base 52 via a rotation shaft 55 extending in the up-down direction so as to be able to rotate horizontally. The rotation shaft 55 also serves as a fixing bolt that secures the camera mount 53 to the base 52. The orientation (optical axis direction) of the vehicle rear camera CA can be adjusted vertically by pivoting about the pivot shaft 54, and the horizontal orientation can be adjusted by rotating about the rotation shaft 55. The orientation of the camera can be fixed in an adjusted state by tightening the fixing bolts corresponding to the pivot shaft 54 ​​and the rotation shaft 55, preventing the orientation (optical axis direction) of the camera from changing due to vibrations, etc., while driving the vehicle.

[0037] 4 to 7, the lifting mechanism 41 includes, for example, a plurality of (three) screw mechanisms 42, 43 arranged in a triangular shape in a plan view. The plurality of screw mechanisms 42, 43 includes, for example, a pair of left and right rear screw mechanisms 43 arranged relatively rearward, and a single front screw mechanism 42 arranged relatively forward. The configuration of the front screw mechanism 42 will be described below, but the pair of left and right rear screw mechanisms 43 each have the same configuration as the front screw mechanism 42.

[0038] The front screw mechanism 42 includes an adjust screw 44 arranged axially along the thickness direction (vertical direction) of the bottom body 22 and the top body 32, a nut portion 46 integrally provided on the upper surface of the bottom body 22, and a shaft insertion portion 48 integrally provided on the lower surface of the top body 32. The nut portion 46 has a bottomed nut hole 46a that opens upward. The shaft insertion portion 48 forms a bottomed shaft insertion hole 48a that opens downward and has a circular cross section.

[0039] In the embodiment, the nut portion 46 is formed integrally with the bottom body 22, for example, but is not limited to this configuration. The nut portion 46 may be formed as a separate body from the bottom body 22 and fixed to the bottom body 22 by welding, an insert, or the like. Similarly, although the shaft insertion portion 48 in the embodiment is formed integrally with the upper surface portion main body 32, for example, this configuration is not limiting. The shaft insertion portion 48 may be formed as a separate body from the upper surface portion main body 32 and fixed to the upper surface portion main body 32 by welding, an insert, or the like.

[0040] The adjust screw 44 has a threaded shaft 44a at its lower portion, which is threadedly engaged with the nut portion 46. The adjust screw 44 has a cylindrical shaft (cylindrical shaft 44b) at its upper portion, which is inserted into the shaft insertion portion 48. A disk-shaped rotation operation portion 44c is provided at the vertical middle portion of the adjust screw 44, which is coaxial with the threaded shaft 44a and the cylindrical shaft 44b and has a larger diameter than the threaded shaft 44a and the cylindrical shaft 44b. The user can rotate the rotation operation portion 44c by gripping it with their fingers from the outer periphery and rotating it, thereby rotating the adjust screw 44. This causes the threaded shaft 44a to move up and down relative to the nut portion 46, raising and lowering the adjust screw 44 relative to the bottom surface portion 21. At this time, the cylindrical shaft 44b rotates idly within the shaft insertion portion 48, raising and lowering the shaft insertion portion 48 and, therefore, the top surface portion 31. The adjustment screw 44 is available in a number of lengths depending on the vehicle model, etc., and can be selected appropriately depending on the installation location of the camera cradle 20. The adjustment screw 44 is an integral part made of metal.

[0041] The cylindrical shafts 44b and the shaft insertion portions 48 may be relatively tiltable so that their axial directions intersect with each other, for example, by ensuring a large gap between the cylindrical shafts 44b. In this case, the upper surface portion 31 can be tilted relative to the bottom surface portion 21 by varying the height at which the adjust screws 44 are raised and lowered among the multiple screw mechanisms. In this case, the tip surfaces of the cylindrical shafts 44b are made convex spherical, and the bottom surfaces of the shaft insertion portions 48 are made concave spherical, so that the upper surface portion 31 can be tilted more smoothly.

[0042] Although the rotation operation unit 44c can be rotated by gripping it with the user's fingertips, this configuration is not limited to this. For example, if the rotation operation unit 44c can be rotated using a tool such as a wrench, it is possible to press the grab rail 16 and the tail cowl 11 more firmly and securely fix the camera cradle 20. This also prevents malicious third parties from manipulating the rotation operation unit 44c (i.e., vandalism, theft, etc.). Alternatively, the adjustment screw 44 may be arranged upside down, with the shaft insertion portion 48 provided on the bottom main body 22 and the nut portion 46 provided on the top main body 32.

[0043] The multiple screw mechanisms (particularly the multiple adjustment screws 44) are arranged so as to fit within the outer shape of the upper surface main body 32 in a plan view. This prevents the adjust screws 44 from coming into contact with the bodies of passengers or various objects when the camera cradle 20 is attached to the vehicle, thereby minimizing the impact on the fixation of the camera cradle 20.

[0044] In this embodiment, a pair of left and right rear screw mechanisms 43 are disposed between the pair of left and right bottom bulges 23 and between the pair of left and right top bulges 33. To ensure a proper left-right pitch, the pair of left and right rear screw mechanisms 43 protrude outward from the left and right side edges of the general portion of the bottom main body 22 excluding the bottom bulges 23 and the left and right side edges of the general portion of the top main body 32 excluding the top bulges 33. In contrast to this configuration, by providing the pair of left and right bottom bulges 23 on the bottom main body 22 and the pair of left and right top bulges 33 on the top main body 32, the pair of left and right rear screw mechanisms 43 are more likely to fit inside the outer shapes of the bottom main body 22 and the top main body 32 (and thus inside the outer shape of the camera cradle 20) in a plan view. Ensuring a proper left-right pitch between the pair of left and right rear screw mechanisms 43 makes it easier to prevent the camera cradle 20 from tilting left and right. At positions forward and rearward of the pair of left and right rear screw mechanisms 43 (positions forward and rearward of the bottom surface bulging portion 23 and the top surface bulging portion 33), the left and right width of the camera cradle 20 narrows, making the camera cradle 20 slim overall.

[0045] In the embodiment, the single front screw mechanism 42 protrudes outward (forward) from the front surface 35b of the protrusion 35 in order to ensure a longitudinal pitch relative to the pair of left and right rear screw mechanisms 43. In contrast to this configuration, by providing a forward extension 36 on the top surface portion main body 32, the front screw mechanism 42 can be more easily accommodated inside the external shape of the top surface portion main body 32 in a plan view.

[0046] As described above, the camera cradle 20 in the above embodiment is a device for holding a vehicle rear camera CA on a vehicle, and comprises a bottom surface 21 having a first installation surface 22a on the lower side, a lifting mechanism 41 arranged above the bottom surface 21, and an upper surface 31 arranged so as to be able to move towards and away from the bottom surface 21 in the vertical direction via the lifting mechanism 41, the upper surface 31 having a second installation surface 32a on the upper side and a protrusion 35 that protrudes above the second installation surface 32a, and the bottom surface 21 is provided with a camera holding portion 51 for holding the vehicle rear camera CA. According to this configuration, the cradle movable part 20A is first positioned between two spaced-apart components on the vehicle exterior, with the bottom surface 21 and top surface 31 brought closer together to narrow the vertical width. In this state, the lifting mechanism 41 is operated to move the bottom surface 21 and top surface 31 away from each other, widening the vertical width of the cradle movable part 20A. This causes the first mounting surface 22a and the second mounting surface 32a to press against the two components on the vehicle exterior, respectively, and the resulting reaction force supports and secures the cradle movable part 20A and, in turn, the camera cradle 20 to the vehicle exterior. Forward-backward movement of the cradle movable part 20A (particularly rearward movement) can be restricted by the protrusion 35 on the top surface 31 abutting against one of the two components on the vehicle exterior (the grab rail 16). This allows the camera cradle 20 and, in turn, the vehicle rear camera CA to be held on the vehicle without requiring any modifications to the vehicle body.

[0047] In the camera cradle 20 in the above embodiment, the camera holding portion 51 is provided on the bottom surface portion 21. With this configuration, compared to when the vehicle rear camera CA is held on the top surface 31 having a protrusion 35 for positioning relative to the vehicle, the protrusion 35 and the camera holding portion 51 can be allocated and arranged on the top surface 31 and the bottom surface 21, thereby increasing the design freedom of the protrusion 35 and the camera holding portion 51.

[0048] In the camera cradle 20 of the above embodiment, the protrusion 35 is located forward of the front-rear center position c3 of the camera cradle 20, and the camera holding portion 51 is located rearward of the front-rear center position c3. According to this configuration, by distributing the protrusions 35 and the camera holding parts 51 to both sides in the front-rear direction, the protrusions 35 and the camera holding parts 51 can be efficiently arranged so as not to interfere with each other. Also, the vehicle rear camera CA that detects the area behind the vehicle can be arranged as far outward in the front-rear direction as possible (toward the rear of the vehicle), and the protrusions 35 can reliably prevent the camera cradle 20 from moving (falling off) toward the rear of the vehicle.

[0049] In the camera cradle 20 in the above embodiment, the front side of the top surface portion 31 is provided with an extension portion 36 that extends further forward than the protrusion 35, and the extension portion 36 is positioned further forward than the front end portion of the bottom surface portion 21. According to this configuration, the extension 36 on the front side of the top surface 31 is positioned further forward than the protrusion 35 and the bottom surface 21, so that when attaching or detaching the camera cradle 20 to or from a vehicle, the extension 36 of the top surface 31 can be grasped to attach or detach the camera cradle 20, thereby improving the ease of attaching and detaching the external environment detection equipment holding device.

[0050] In the camera cradle 20 in the above embodiment, the rear side shape (rear surface 35a) of the protrusion 35 is formed in an arc shape that is convex rearward when viewed from the top-bottom direction. According to this configuration, the rear side of the protrusion 35 is formed in an arc shape that is convex toward the rear, which makes it easier for the protrusion 35 to stably abut against the exterior of the vehicle body when the protrusion 35 is brought into abutment against the exterior of the vehicle body from the front side. This makes it possible to more reliably prevent the camera cradle 20 from moving (falling off) toward the rear of the vehicle.

[0051] In the camera cradle 20 in the above embodiment, the upper surface portion 31 has an upper surface bulge portion 33 that bulges out on both sides in the left-right direction in a portion located between the protrusion portion 35 and the camera holding portion 51 in the front-to-rear direction. According to this configuration, by providing the upper surface bulges 33 on both the left and right sides of the upper surface 31, when attaching or detaching the camera cradle 20 to or from a vehicle, the work can be performed by gripping the upper surface bulges 33 on both the left and right sides of the upper surface 31. This improves the ease of attaching or detaching the camera cradle 20.

[0052] In the camera cradle 20 of the above embodiment, the bottom surface 21 has a bottom surface bulge 23 that bulges out on both sides in the left-right direction at the portion that overlaps with the top surface bulge 33 in a planar view, and a lifting mechanism 41 is arranged between the top surface bulge 33 and the bottom surface bulge 23 in the up-down direction. According to this configuration, by disposing the lifting mechanism 41 between the pair of left and right upper bulges 33 and the pair of left and right bottom bulges 23, it is easy to ensure the left and right width of the lifting mechanism 41, and it is possible to improve the mounting performance (holding force) to the vehicle body by suppressing left and right tilt of the camera cradle 20. Since the left and right width of the camera cradle 20 is narrowed at the fore-and-aft positions of the lifting mechanism 41 (the fore-and-aft positions of the bottom bulges 23 and the top bulges 33), it is possible to slim down the camera cradle 20 as a whole.

[0053] In the camera cradle 20 in the above embodiment, an upper surface cushioning material is provided on the second installation surface 32a of the upper surface portion 31 and on the rear side upright surface (rear surface a) of the protrusion . According to this configuration, by providing an upper surface cushioning material 34 on the second installation surface 32a of the upper surface portion 31 and the rear vertical surface of the protrusion 35 (both of which are contact surfaces with the vehicle body exterior), unevenness on the outer surface of the vehicle body exterior can be absorbed, the camera cradle 20 can be stably supported and fixed, and the transmission of vibrations to the vehicle rear camera CA can be suppressed.

[0054] In the camera cradle 20 in the above embodiment, a bottom surface side cushioning material 24 is provided on the first installation surface 22a of the bottom surface portion 21. According to this configuration, by providing a bottom side cushioning material 24 on the first installation surface 22a (contact surface with the vehicle body exterior) of the bottom surface portion 21, unevenness on the outer surface of the vehicle body exterior can be absorbed, stably supporting and fixing the camera cradle 20, and the transmission of vibrations to the vehicle rear camera CA can be suppressed.

[0055] In the camera cradle 20 in the above embodiment, the lifting mechanism 41 is arranged so as to be housed inside the outer shape of the upper surface portion 31 when viewed from the top-bottom direction. According to this configuration, by keeping the lifting mechanism 41 within the range that overlaps with the upper surface portion 31, the lifting mechanism 41 is less likely to come into contact with surrounding people or objects (for example, the bodies, clothing, bags, etc. of vehicle occupants), and the camera cradle 20 can be stably supported and fixed.

[0056] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. For example, the arrangement of the camera cradle 20 is not limited to that of the above-described embodiment. For example, the camera cradle 20 may be configured (mounted) so that the bottom surface 21 and the top surface 31 are arranged substantially vertically, with their approach / departure direction (first direction) facing the left-right direction of the vehicle. Furthermore, instead of the vehicle rear camera CA, a camera that captures images of the area in front of the vehicle may be held. The camera may capture not only visible light but also invisible light such as infrared light. The camera is an example of an external detection sensor, and may be not only an optical sensor but also an electromagnetic sensor such as radar using infrared or microwaves such as millimeter waves. The lifting mechanism 41 is not limited to a configuration in which the top surface 31 is lifted and lowered by screw mechanisms 42 and 43, but may also be a configuration in which the top surface 31 is lifted and lowered via a movable member such as a link member or a slide member. The top surface 31 is not limited to a configuration in which it lifts and lowers along the up-down direction (first direction, vertical direction), but may also be a configuration in which it lifts and lowers obliquely relative to the up-down direction or in an arc.

[0057] The external environment detection device holding device of this embodiment may be applied to saddle-ride type vehicles other than motorcycles. Saddle-ride type vehicles include all vehicles on which a driver straddles the body, and include not only motorcycles (including motorized bicycles and scooter-type vehicles), but also three-wheeled vehicles (including vehicles with one front wheel and two rear wheels, as well as vehicles with two front wheels and one rear wheel) or four-wheeled vehicles (such as four-wheeled buggies). The device may also be applied to vehicles that include an electric motor as a motor (including assisted bicycles). Furthermore, the device may be applied to vehicles other than saddle-ride type vehicles (such as passenger cars, buses, and trucks). The configurations in the above-described embodiments are merely examples of the present invention, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the gist of the present invention, such as replacing the components of the embodiments with well-known components. [Explanation of symbols]

[0058] 1. Motorcycles (saddle-type vehicles) 12 Tail cowl (body exterior) 16 Grab rail (body exterior) 20 Camera cradle (external detection device holding device) C3 front and rear center position (center position) 21 Bottom surface 22a First installation surface 23 Bottom surface side bulging part (second bulging part) 24 Bottom surface side buffer material 31 Upper surface 32a Second installation surface 33 Upper surface side bulging part (bulging part) 34 Upper surface side buffer material 35 Protrusion 35a Rear surface (vertical surface) 36 Extension part 41 Lifting mechanism 51 Camera holding part (sensor holding part) CA Rear vehicle camera (external detection sensor)

Claims

1. An external environment detection device holding device for holding an external environment detection sensor on a vehicle, a bottom surface portion having a first installation surface on one side in a first direction; a lifting mechanism disposed on the other side of the bottom surface portion in the first direction; an upper surface portion provided so as to be movable toward and away from the bottom surface portion via the lifting mechanism; the upper surface portion has a second installation surface on the other side in the first direction and a protruding portion that protrudes further toward the other side in the first direction than the second installation surface, a sensor holding portion for holding the external environment detection sensor is provided on at least one of the bottom surface portion and the top surface portion; the external environment detection sensor is disposed at a rear portion of the vehicle to detect the area behind the vehicle, The external environment detection device holding device is arranged so that the first direction faces the vehicle vertical direction, the protrusion is disposed on one side of a center position of the external environment detection device support device in a second direction facing the vehicle front-rear direction, An external environment detection device holding device for a vehicle, characterized in that the sensor holding portion is arranged on the other side of the central position in the second direction.

2. An external environment detection device holding device for holding an external environment detection sensor on a vehicle, a bottom surface portion having a first installation surface on one side in a first direction; a lifting mechanism disposed on the other side of the bottom surface portion in the first direction; an upper surface portion provided so as to be movable toward and away from the bottom surface portion via the lifting mechanism; the upper surface portion has a second installation surface on the other side in the first direction and a protruding portion that protrudes further toward the other side in the first direction than the second installation surface, a sensor holding portion for holding the external environment detection sensor is provided on the bottom surface portion, the external environment detection sensor is disposed at a rear portion of the vehicle to detect the area behind the vehicle, The external environment detection device holding device is arranged so that the first direction faces the vehicle vertical direction, the protrusion is disposed on one side of a center position of the external environment detection device support device in a second direction facing the vehicle front-rear direction, An external environment detection device holding device for a vehicle, characterized in that the sensor holding portion is arranged on the other side of the central position in the second direction.

3. An external environment detection device holding device for a vehicle as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the top surface portion has an extension portion on one side in the second direction that extends further in the second direction than the protrusion portion, and the extension portion is positioned on one side in the second direction than the end portion on one side in the second direction of the bottom surface portion.

4. An external environment detection device holding device for a vehicle as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the shape of the protrusion on the other side in the second direction is formed in an arc shape that is convex toward the other side in the second direction when viewed from the first direction.

5. An external environment detection equipment holding device for a vehicle as described in any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the upper surface portion has a bulge portion that bulges on both sides in a third direction facing the left-right direction of the vehicle at a portion located between the protrusion and the sensor holding portion in the second direction.

6. the bottom surface portion has a second bulging portion that bulges outward on both sides in the third direction at a portion that overlaps with the bulging portion when viewed from the first direction, 6. The external environment detection device holding device for a vehicle according to claim 5, wherein the lifting mechanism is disposed between the bulging portion and the second bulging portion in the first direction.

7. An external environment detection equipment holding device for a vehicle as described in any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that an upper surface cushioning material is provided on the second installation surface of the upper surface portion and on the other side of the vertical surface in the second direction of the protrusion portion.

8. The external environment detection device support device for a vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein a bottom cushioning material is provided on the first installation surface of the bottom portion.

9. The external environment detection device holding device for a vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the lifting mechanism is arranged so as to fit within the outer shape of the upper surface portion when viewed from the first direction.

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