Electronic devices and rotating bodies, etc.

Abstract

To provide an electronic device that has a rotor easy to perform a rotation operation for fixing an angle relative to a bracket to a main body by fastening.SOLUTION: An on-board imaging device 100 comprises: a main body 110 that includes a housing 101; and a bracket 126 for attaching the main body 110 to a vehicle body. The main body 110 has a rotation fastening structure 160 that rotates a rotor 400 having a knob 401 exposed outside the housing 101 around a rotation shaft to thereby fix an angle relative to the bracket 120 of the main body 110 by fastening. The knob 401 has a shape sloping from a housing side end in which a cross-section area becomes smaller in a direction separating from the housing 101.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an electronic device, a rotating body, and the like.

Background Art

[0002] An electronic device used by being attached to a vehicle body is known. For example, an in-vehicle imaging device used by being attached to a vehicle body to photograph the outside or inside of the vehicle is known. Such an electronic device is typically attached to a windshield. For this purpose, the electronic device includes a bracket attached to the vehicle body and a main body fixed to the bracket. The main body has a configuration that can rotate and be fixed with respect to the bracket so as to be attached at a desired angle with respect to the bracket (for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] In order to fix the angle of the main body with respect to the bracket or the vehicle body to which the bracket is fixed, rotational tightening is employed, in which tightening is performed by rotating a knob exposed outside the housing of the main body around the rotation axis of the main body.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a novel technology different from the prior art. In one aspect of the present invention, an object is to provide a rotating body that is easy to rotate to fix the angle of a main body with respect to a bracket by tightening, and an electronic device having such a rotating body.

[0006] Furthermore, the purpose of the present invention is not limited thereto, and the applicant intends to obtain rights through divisional applications, amendments, etc., for configurations that aim to obtain the effects derived from the components of the configuration disclosed in this specification and the drawings, etc. For example, problems that can be described as "can be done" in this specification are disclosed in this specification if they are reinterpreted as "the problem is." Each problem is described independently, and the applicant intends to obtain rights to the configurations for solving each of these problems individually through divisional applications, amendments, etc. Even if a problem is implicitly understood from the description in the specification, the applicant intends to include a part of the configuration described in this specification in the claims through amendment or divisional application. Furthermore, configurations that solve problems by combining these independent problems are also disclosed, and the applicant intends to obtain rights to them. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] (1) An electronic device according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a main body with a housing and a bracket for attaching the main body to a vehicle body, wherein the main body is provided with a rotational tightening structure that fixes the angle of the main body with respect to the bracket by tightening when a rotating body having a rotational operating part exposed on the outside of the housing is rotated around a rotation axis, and the rotational operating part preferably has a gradient shape in which the cross-sectional area decreases in the direction away from the housing from the housing side end.

[0008] With this configuration, the rotating part that the user rotates to tighten has a tapered shape in which the cross-sectional area decreases outward from the housing of the main body. Therefore, when a user operates the rotating part by pinching the rotating part with their fingers pointing inward from the outside of the housing and rotating the rotating body, the spread of the fingers toward the plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation can be suppressed. Thus, even when sufficient space cannot be secured around the rotating part, it becomes easier to rotate the rotating part. Note that the tapered shape may be one in which the cross-sectional area decreases in stages or continuously as it moves away from the housing.

[0009] (2) The rotating body may rotate with respect to the bracket the axis of rotation of the main body as its axis of rotation.

[0010] This configuration makes it easier to operate the rotating part by reducing interference between the bracket or vehicle body and fingers, even when the rotation axis of the main unit is close to the bracket or the vehicle body to which the bracket is attached, and consequently makes it easier to fix the angle of the main unit relative to the bracket or the vehicle body to which the bracket is attached.

[0011] (3) The gradient shape is preferably such that the cross-sectional area decreases continuously as it moves away from the housing.

[0012] This configuration allows a relatively large surface area of ​​the fingertip to contact the rotating part, thereby applying rotational force to the rotating part.

[0013] (4) The rotating operating part may have a projection that extends from the housing side end in a direction away from the housing.

[0014] This configuration allows the finger rotating the rotary control unit to catch on the protrusion, reducing the likelihood of the finger slipping against the rotary control unit. Multiple protrusions (for example, 2 to 8 are preferable) may be provided at intervals in the rotational direction of the rotary control unit, but only one protrusion may be provided. In particular, considering the size of the rotary control unit in an in-vehicle device mounted on a vehicle as an electronic device, the inventors have found that providing six equally spaced protrusions is especially beneficial. The protrusions may be called, for example, ribs, projections, or raised parts. Such protrusions function as means of suppressing movement or slippage of the finger operating the rotary control unit in the rotational direction, or as means of hooking the finger.

[0015] (5) The projection may be provided along the entire length of the housing side end in the direction away from the housing.

[0016] This configuration allows for a relatively large contact area between the fingertip and the protrusion, reducing the likelihood of the finger slipping against the rotating part.

[0017] (6) The projection may be provided on a portion of the total length in the direction away from the housing side end.

[0018] This configuration reduces the loss of visibility or incident light due to the rotating mechanism, while also reducing the risk of the finger slipping off the rotating mechanism due to the finger catching on the protrusion while rotating it.

[0019] (7) The projection may be provided in a manner that divides it into multiple parts and extends away from the housing side end.

[0020] This configuration reduces the loss of visibility or incident light due to the rotating mechanism, while also making it easier for the finger rotating the mechanism to grip the protrusion. Furthermore, the spacing between the divided protrusions should be such that a finger does not get caught in the gap between them and move in the direction of rotation of the mechanism.

[0021] (8) The projection may be provided at an angle or in a spiral shape.

[0022] This configuration makes it easier to insert fingers into the grooves between the protrusions, thus facilitating the rotation of the rotating body. The protrusions are preferably arranged at an angle or spirally so as to be inclined toward the direction of rotation of the rotating body. In particular, if the protrusions are located downstream of the tightening direction of the rotating body, as they are closer to the housing, it becomes easier to insert fingers into the grooves between the protrusions, and it also makes it easier to rotate the rotating body while the main body is attached to the vehicle.

[0023] (9) The projection may have a shape in which its height increases as it moves away from the housing.

[0024] With this configuration, the protrusion, in conjunction with the gradient shape of the rotating operating part, does not interfere with the vehicle body or bracket, increasing the contact area between the protrusion and the finger, and allowing the rotating operating part to receive rotational force from the finger over a wide area.

[0025] (10) It is preferable that the protruding portion has a shape in which the width becomes narrower as it moves away from the housing.

[0026] With such a configuration, as the gradient shape of the rotation operation portion causes the pitch in the rotation direction of the plurality of protruding portions to become narrower as it moves away from the housing, it is possible to secure a large interval between the valleys between the protruding portions.

[0027] (11) It is preferable that the protruding portion has a groove at the upper part.

[0028] With such a configuration, by inserting a finger into the groove, the contact area between the protruding portion and the finger can be increased, and the slippage of the finger can be effectively reduced.

[0029] (12) It is preferable that the tip of the protruding portion protrudes from the tip surface of the rotation operation portion.

[0030] With such a configuration, the portion related to the fingertip can be made relatively wide, so that the contact area between the protruding portion and the finger can be increased, and the slippage of the finger can be effectively reduced.

[0031] (13) A plurality of the protruding portions are provided at intervals in the circumferential direction of the rotation operation portion, and the distance between adjacent protruding portions is preferably 5 to 10 mm.

[0032] With this configuration, a fingertip can be placed between the plurality of protruding portions, and a rotational force can be applied from the fingertip to the rotation operation portion.

[0033] (14) The diameter of the rotation operation portion is 5 to 20 mm, and it is preferable that 2 to 8 of the protruding portions are provided at equal intervals.

[0034] With such a configuration, the pitch in the circumferential direction of the plurality of protruding portions is about 2.6 mm to 10.5 mm. Even when subtracting the width of the protruding portion itself, the distance between the protruding portions is ensured to be about 2 to 10 mm, and a fingertip can be placed on the protruding portion when rotating the rotation operation portion.

[0035] (15) The projection may consist of a hard core material and a soft surface material.

[0036] This configuration reduces the strain on the fingers that rotate the rotary control unit.

[0037] (16) The rotating body may be transparent in at least a portion of it.

[0038] This configuration reduces the loss of visibility or incident light due to the rotating operation unit.

[0039] (17) The rotating body may be a screw having a head that serves as the rotating operating part and a shaft that serves as the rotation axis.

[0040] With this configuration, the screw can be tightened by manipulating and rotating the screw head with one's fingers. Alternatively, the rotating part may be a nut screwed onto the screw.

[0041] (18) The head may have a through hole, and the tip of the shaft may be inserted into the through hole and fixed inside.

[0042] This configuration allows for direct operation of the shaft from the outside. Furthermore, since the tip of the shaft is located inside the through-hole, the shaft does not penetrate the head and protrude from it, improving aesthetics and preventing any impact on the user from a protruding shaft tip.

[0043] (19) The diameter of the through hole is preferably 5 to 10 mm.

[0044] This configuration allows the user to insert their finger into the through-hole from the outside and rotate the rotary control part.

[0045] (20) The rotating operating part may further have a cover that covers the through hole.

[0046] This configuration prevents foreign objects from entering the through-hole.

[0047] (21) The shaft portion may have a hole at its tip for inserting a tool.

[0048] With this configuration, the rotating body can be operated by inserting a tool into the hole for the tool and rotating it. The hole can be, for example, a hexagonal hole for inserting a hex wrench.

[0049] (22) The shaft portion is made of a material that has thermal conductivity, and it is preferable that the heat inside the main body is released through the shaft portion.

[0050] With this configuration, the conductive shaft is exposed to the outside through the through-hole in the head, allowing heat from inside the main body to be released via the shaft.

[0051] (23) The rotating operating part may have a means for dissipating heat.

[0052] This configuration allows the rotary operating section to release heat from inside the main body to the outside.

[0053] (24) The rotational clamping structure may fix the vertical angle of the main body with respect to the bracket.

[0054] This configuration allows the vertical angle of the electronic device to be adjusted to a desired angle.

[0055] (25) The main body has an imaging unit provided on it, and the rotational tightening structure is preferably configured to allow the imaging direction of the imaging unit to be changed while the main body is attached to the vehicle body.

[0056] With this configuration, in electronic devices where having the main unit closer to the vehicle body is advantageous in terms of less obstruction to the view, even when the rotation axis of the main unit is close to the vehicle body, interference between the rotation control unit, which is used to change and fix the angle of the main unit by rotating it around the rotation axis of the vehicle body, and the vehicle body is suppressed, and the rotation control unit becomes easier to operate, making it easier for the user to attach the main unit to the vehicle body while adjusting the shooting direction of the shooting unit. An example of an electronic device having a shooting unit would be a dashcam.

[0057] (26) A rotating body according to one aspect of the present invention is an electronic device comprising a main body with a housing and a bracket for attaching the main body to a vehicle body, wherein the rotating body is rotated by tightening to fix the angle of the main body with respect to the bracket, and comprises a head exposed to the outside of the housing and a shaft portion which serves as the axis of rotation of the head, and the head preferably has a tapered shape in which the cross-sectional area decreases in the direction away from the housing side end.

[0058] Even with this configuration, the rotating part that the user rotates to tighten has a gradient shape in which the cross-sectional area decreases outward from the housing of the main body. Therefore, when a user operating the rotating part grasps the rotating part with their fingers pointing inward from the outside of the housing and rotates the rotating body, the spread of the fingers toward the plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation can be suppressed. Thus, even when sufficient space cannot be secured around the rotating part, it becomes easier to rotate the rotating part. Note that the gradient shape may be one in which the cross-sectional area decreases in stages or continuously as it moves away from the housing.

[0059] The inventions described in (1) to (26) above can be combined in any way. For example, one may combine all or part of the configuration of the invention described in (1) with at least part of the configuration of at least one of the inventions described in (2) and onward. In particular, it is preferable to combine the invention described in (1) with at least part of the configuration of at least one of the inventions described in (2) to (25). Alternatively, one may extract any configuration from the inventions described in (1) to (25) and combine the extracted configurations. Alternatively, one may extract any configuration from the inventions described in (2) to (25) and combine the extracted configuration with the invention described in (26). The applicant of this application intends to acquire rights to inventions that include these configurations. Furthermore, even if there are descriptions such as "in the case of" or "when," these are not meant to be descriptions that limit the configuration to that case or time. These are merely examples of better configurations, and the applicant intends to acquire rights to configurations that do not fall under these cases or times. Also, even if there is a sequence of descriptions, the order is not limited to that order. Configurations with some parts deleted or the order rearranged are also disclosed, and the applicant intends to acquire rights to them as well. [Effects of the Invention]

[0060] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a technology different from the prior art, for example, a rotating body that facilitates rotational operation to fix the angle of the main body relative to the bracket by tightening, and an electronic device having such a rotating body.

[0061] Furthermore, the effects of the present invention are not limited thereto, and the effects produced by the components of the structure disclosed in this specification and the drawings are also disclosed. The applicant intends to obtain rights to the components that produce such effects through divisional applications, amendments, etc. For example, the phrases "can do ~" in this specification are descriptions that clearly indicate the effects produced, and there are components that produce effects even without such descriptions. Moreover, there are effects that can be grasped by the component even without such descriptions. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0062] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of a system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a plan view showing an example of the external configuration of an imaging device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a right side view showing an example of the external configuration of an imaging device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a rear view showing an example of the external configuration of an imaging device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a left side view showing an example of the external configuration of an imaging device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a front view showing an example of the external configuration of an imaging device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a bottom view showing an example of the external configuration of an imaging device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is a perspective view of the imaging device according to an embodiment of the present invention, viewed from the upper right direction on the publication side. [Figure 9A] Figure 9A is an exploded, enlarged view showing a rotational tightening structure for fixing the angle of the main body relative to the bracket in an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9B] Figure 9B is an exploded, enlarged view showing a rotational tightening structure for fixing the angle of the main body relative to the bracket in an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] Figure 10 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of an imaging device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11A] Figure 11A is a perspective view showing the configuration of a rotating body according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11B] Figure 11B is a front view of the head of an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11C] Figure 11C is a side view of the head of an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12A] Figure 12A is a perspective view showing the configuration of a rotating body in a modified example 1 of the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12B] Figure 12B is a front view of a knob according to Modification 1 of the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12C] Figure 12C is a side view of a knob according to Modification 1 of the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 13A] Figure 13A is a perspective view showing the configuration of a rotating body in a modified example 2 of the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 13B] Figure 13B is a front view of a knob according to a modified example 2 of the present invention. [Figure 13C] Figure 13C is a side view of a knob according to a modified example 2 of the present invention. [Figure 14] Figure 14 is a side view of a knob according to a modified example 3 of the present invention. [Figure 15] Figure 15 is a side view of a knob according to Modification 4 of the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 16A] Figure 16A is a perspective view showing the configuration of a rotating body in a modified example 5 of the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 16B] Figure 16B is a front view of a knob according to modified example 5 of the present invention. [Figure 17] Figure 17 is a perspective view showing the configuration of a rotating body in a modified example 6 of the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 18A] Figure 18A is a side view of a knob according to modified example 7 of the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 18B] Figure 18B is a partially enlarged view of the rotating body of Modification 7 of the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 19] Figure 19 is a front view of a rotating body of modified example 8 of the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 20] Figure 20 is a front view of the head of modified example 9 of the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 21] Figure 21 is a side view showing the configuration of a rotating body in a modified example 10 of the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 22] Figure 22 is a perspective view showing the configuration of a rotating body in a modified example 11 of the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 23] Figure 23 is a front view showing the configuration of a rotating body in a modified example 12 of the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 24]Figure 24 is a front view showing the configuration of a rotating body of a modified example 13 of the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 25] Figure 25 is a partially enlarged view of the rotating body of Modification 14 of the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 26A] Figure 26A is a left side view showing the external configuration of an imaging device according to a modified example 15 of the present invention. [Figure 26B] Figure 26B is a plan view showing an example of the external configuration of an imaging device according to modified example 15 of the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 27] Figure 27 is a perspective view showing the external configuration of a rotating body of modified example 16 of the present invention. [Figure 28] Figure 28 shows the configuration of an imaging device according to a modified example 16 of the present invention. [Figure 29A] Figure 29A shows a side view and a front view illustrating an example of the configuration of a rotating body having a knob with a gradient. [Figure 29B] Figure 29B shows a side view and a front view illustrating an example of a rotating body configuration with a knob that does not have a slope.

[0063] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The embodiments described below are merely examples of how the present invention can be implemented, and the present invention is not limited to the specific configurations described below. In implementing the present invention, specific configurations may be adopted as appropriate depending on the embodiment.

[0064] Furthermore, regarding the terminology used in the following explanation, for example, "horizontal direction" does not need to be strictly horizontal; it is sufficient if it is substantially horizontal. The same applies to "vertical downward direction," "perpendicular," "parallel," "normal," etc.

[0065] [1. Overall System Configuration] Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of the system of this embodiment. Figure 1 shows a schematic diagram of the vehicle 600 as viewed from the side. The vehicle 600 is, for example, an internal combustion engine vehicle having an engine as a power source, a hybrid vehicle having an engine and a drive motor as power sources, an electric vehicle having a drive motor as a power source, etc. System 1 has an on-board imaging device (hereinafter simply referred to as "imaging device") 100 as a first electronic device and an on-board imaging device (hereinafter simply referred to as "imaging device") 200 as a second electronic device, which are installed on the vehicle 600. The vehicle 600 is, for example, a four-wheeled automobile, but is not limited to a four-wheeled automobile; any vehicle capable of installing the imaging device 100 and imaging device 200 is acceptable. The vehicle may be, for example, a large transport vehicle with four or more wheels such as an automobile, bus, or truck, or a two-wheeled vehicle such as a motorcycle or bicycle, a forklift, or other vehicle. The vehicles may include, for example, trains, monorails, maglev trains, and other transportation vehicles.

[0066] The imaging device 100 and the imaging device 200 are devices (also called aftermarket products) that are retrofitted to the vehicle 600, such as by being purchased separately by the user. However, at least one of the imaging device 100 and the imaging device 200 may be a device that is pre-installed in the vehicle 600 (i.e., is standard equipment). The imaging device 100 is a front camera located on the front side of the vehicle 600. The imaging device 100 is, for example, mounted at a predetermined position on the front side of the passenger compartment of the vehicle 600 and takes pictures of the front of the vehicle 600 through the windshield. The imaging device 100 is a drive recorder. Specifically, the imaging device 100 has a function to take pictures, a function to record image data showing the pictures taken, and a function to record image data acquired from the imaging device 200.

[0067] The imaging device 200 is a rear camera positioned on the rear side of the vehicle 600. The imaging device 200 is, for example, mounted at a predetermined position on the rear side of the passenger compartment of the vehicle 600 and captures images of the rear of the vehicle through the rear window. The imaging device 200 has the function of capturing images and the function of outputting image data showing the captured images to the imaging device 100.

[0068] The imaging device 100 and the imaging device 200 are connected via a cable 300. The cable 300 is a wired communication path connecting the imaging device 100 and the imaging device 200. The cable 300 includes, for example, a power line that supplies power for operation from the imaging device 100 to the imaging device 200, and a signal line for transmitting various signals between the imaging device 100 and the imaging device 200. The imaging device 200 operates by receiving power from the imaging device 100 via the cable 300. The imaging device 100 and the imaging device 200 may be connected by a wireless communication path such as Wi-Fi®, Bluetooth®, or other standards, instead of a wired communication path. Furthermore, the imaging device 100 may be used without being connected to the imaging device 200 by communication.

[0069] [2. External configuration of the imaging device 100] Figures 2-7 are a plan view, right side view, rear view, left side view, front view, and bottom view, respectively, showing an example of the external configuration of the imaging device 100. Figure 8 is a view of the imaging device 100 from the rear, diagonally upward right. The imaging device 100 has a housing 101. The housing 101 is longer in the left-right direction than in the up-down direction, and is relatively thin. The housing 101 has a top surface 1011 that faces upward when mounted on the vehicle 600, a first side surface 1012, a second side surface 1013, a third side surface 1014 located opposite the second side surface 1013, a fourth side surface 1015 located opposite the first side surface 1012, and a bottom surface 1016 located opposite the top surface.

[0070] The housing 101 and the internal components of the housing are referred to as the main body. A bracket 120 is rotatably mounted on the top surface 1011 relative to the main body. The bracket 120 functions as a mounting member for attaching the housing 101 or the main body 110 to a predetermined mounting position. The mounting position of the bracket 120 may be the body of the vehicle 600, for example, the windshield of the vehicle 600 (for example, near the upper edge of the windshield), or the rearview mirror or the ceiling inside the vehicle 600. An adhesive member such as double-sided tape is provided on the mounting position side of the bracket 120, and this adhesive member is used to fix it to the mounting position. The mounting position side of the bracket 120 substantially coincides with the mounting position on the vehicle body side. When the imaging device 100 is attached to the vehicle 600 via the bracket 120, the first side surface 1012 faces the front side of the vehicle 600. At this time, the second side surface 1013 faces to the right when viewed from the rear side of the vehicle 600. The third side 1014 faces left when viewed from the rear of the vehicle 600. The fourth side 1015 faces the rear of the vehicle 600. The bracket 120 is provided integrally with the housing 101 or the main body 110, but it may also be configured to be detachable from the housing 101 or the main body 110.

[0071] The camera jack 191 is a terminal to which one end of the cable 300 is connected. The camera jack 191 may, for example, be compatible with the USB Type-C standard and may also serve as a terminal for the imaging device 100 to communicate with the imaging device 200 using the Ethernet standard.

[0072] The first side surface 1012 is provided with a sound emission hole 103 and a microphone hole 104. The sound emission hole 103 is a hole that allows sound output from the sound output unit (sound output unit 14, described later) of the imaging device 100 to pass through from the inside to the outside of the housing 101. The microphone hole 104 is a hole that allows sound from the outside to pass through from the outside to the inside of the housing 101. The sound that has passed through to the inside of the housing 101 is input to the microphone (microphone 12a, described later) of the imaging device 100.

[0073] The second side 1013 is provided with operating sections 12b and 12c and a display surface 131. The operating section 12c has a first button 12c1, a second button 12c2, a third button 12c3, and a fourth button 12c4. The operating section 12b is a fifth button. The first button 12c1, the second button 12c2, the third button 12c3, the fourth button 12c4, and the fifth button 12b are positioned on the second side 1013 facing the driver's seat so that they are easy for the driver of a right-hand drive vehicle 600 to operate. Examples of functions that can be assigned to each of these buttons include the following:

[0074] The first button 12c1 functions as a button to switch images when pressed and held, and as a button to instruct the formatting of the storage medium 500 when pressed briefly. The image displayed on the display surface 131 is, for example, one or both of the image currently being captured by the imaging device 100 and the image currently being captured by the imaging device 200. Formatting the storage medium 500 is understood as initializing the storage medium 500, and is understood as at least one of the following: erasing data such as images stored in the storage medium 500, writing setting information indicating the contents of the operation settings to the storage medium 500 in order to make the imaging device 100 able to use the storage medium 500 (for example, to make it possible to record and read images), and putting the storage medium 500 into a specific file state.

[0075] The second button 12c2 is used to display a selection screen for selecting the image to be played back by the imaging device 100. The third button 12c3 is used to display a menu related to the settings of the imaging device 100 and the imaging device 200. The fourth button 12c4 is used to instruct the start and stop of image recording. For example, if the fourth button 12c4 is briefly pressed while recording is being performed using the continuous recording function described later, the recording will be paused. If the fourth button 12c4 is briefly pressed during this pause, image recording using the continuous recording function will resume. If the fourth button 12c4 is long-pressed, the frame rate when recording images can be changed.

[0076] The fifth button 12b is the event recording button. The event recording button 12b is an operating means for instructing the imaging unit 15 (see Figure 10) to start or stop recording images it has captured. When the user operates the event recording button 12b while event recording is not in progress, the imaging device 100 starts event recording. More details about event recording will be described later.

[0077] The upper part of the second side 1013, on the vehicle body side (bracket 120 side), has a rotating body 400 for fixing the angle of the main body 110 relative to the bracket 120 by tightening when rotated around a rotation axis. The rotating body 400 has a rotating operation part 401 exposed on the outside of the housing 101. The user can fix the angle of the main body 110 relative to the bracket 120 by tightening when rotating the rotating operation part 401 around the rotation axis. The imaging device 100 is preferably configured to allow the angle of the main body 110 relative to the bracket 120 to be changed in the vertical direction (also called tilt, etc.), and even better if it is configured to allow it to be changed in the horizontal direction (also called pan, etc.).

[0078] The third side 1014 is provided with a terminal 192 and a storage medium insertion slot 181. Terminal 192 is a terminal for receiving power from an external device. Terminal 192 is, for example, a DC jack. One end of a power cord (for example, a cigarette lighter plug cord) is connected to terminal 192. The other end of the power cord is connected to a power supply terminal (for example, a cigarette lighter socket) provided on the vehicle 600 side.

[0079] Terminal 192 may be connected to an OBDII adapter that can be connected to the OBDII connector (where "II" is the Roman numeral for "2") of the vehicle 600. The OBDII connector, also called a fault diagnosis connector, is connected to the vehicle's ECU (Engine Control Unit) and is a terminal that outputs various vehicle information at predetermined intervals (for example, every 0.5 seconds). By connecting terminal 192 to the OBDII connector using an OBDII adapter, the imaging device 100 can receive power for operation and acquire vehicle information.

[0080] Vehicle information refers to information about the status of vehicle 600. Vehicle information should include at least one of the following: vehicle speed, engine speed, engine load percentage, throttle angle, ignition timing, percentage of remaining fuel, intake manifold pressure, intake air volume (MAF), injection opening time, engine coolant temperature, intake air temperature, ambient temperature, amount of remaining fuel in the fuel tank, fuel flow rate, instantaneous fuel consumption, accelerator pedal position, turn signal information (operation of left and right turn signals (ON / OFF)), brake position, steering wheel rotation angle, gear position, and door open / closed status.

[0081] The storage medium insertion slot 181 is an insertion slot for inserting a storage medium 500 (see Figure 10), which serves as an external storage means, into the imaging device 100. The storage medium 500 is a storage medium on which images captured by the imaging device 100 or imaging device 200 are recorded, and is, for example, an SD card. The SD card includes any of the following forms, such as an SD memory card, a miniSD card, and a microSD card. The storage medium 500 may also store a program for a viewer (for example, a dedicated viewer) for playing back the stored images on an information display terminal such as a personal computer.

[0082] A display surface 131 is provided on the fourth side surface 1015. The display surface 131 is an area where an image displayed by the display unit (display unit 13, described later) of the imaging device 100 is displayed. The display surface 131 is, for example, a rectangular or square area. A touch sensor 12d for detecting user touch operations is provided superimposed on the display surface 131.

[0083] An imaging lens 151 is provided on the bottom surface 1016, with the optical axis tilted slightly forward from the vertical downward. The imaging lens 151 is a light-gathering lens of the imaging unit (imaging unit 15, described later) of the imaging device 100. The field of view of this imaging lens 151 is a wide-angle lens of about 240 degrees, which allows the imaging device 100 to photograph from the front of the vehicle to the passenger compartment.

[0084] The imaging device 200 may also have a configuration similar to that of the imaging device 100. For example, the imaging device 200 may function as a drive recorder. In addition, one or more imaging devices that capture images in other directions may be used as imaging devices connected to the imaging device 100 by communication, instead of or in addition to the imaging device 200. Other directions include the right rear, left rear, and width of the vehicle 600 (sideways).

[0085] [3. External configuration of the imaging device 100] Figures 9A and 9B are enlarged exploded views showing the rotational clamping structure 160 that fixes the angle of the main body 110 relative to the bracket 120. Figure 9A shows the state with the housing 101 removed, and Figure 9B shows the state with the bracket 120 further removed from the main body 110. The bracket 120 has a bearing 121 that protrudes toward the main body. The main body 110 rotates around the bracket 120, which is fixed to the vehicle 600, using the shaft received by this bearing 121 as its axis of rotation. The rotational clamping structure 160 fixes the rotation angle of the main body 110 relative to the bracket 120 or the vehicle 600 to which it is fixed at an arbitrary angle.

[0086] The bearing 121 supports the shaft portion 402 of the rotating body 400. The main body 110 includes a fixed clamping plate 161 and a movable clamping plate 162 that clamp the bearing 121 in the axial direction. The fixed clamping plate 161 is provided on the side of the rotating body 400 closer to the head portion 401, and the movable clamping plate 162 is provided on the side of the rotating body 400 further away from the head portion 401. The fixed clamping plate 1671 and the movable clamping plate 162 each have through holes through which the shaft portion 402 passes, and the shaft portion 402 is loosely fitted into these through holes. That is, the shaft portion 402 is rotatable with respect to the fixed clamping plate 161 and the movable clamping plate 162. The fixed clamping plate 161 is fixed to other members of the main body 110, including the housing 101. The movable clamping plate 162 is movable in the axial direction with respect to other members of the main body 110, including the housing 101.

[0087] A nut stay 163 is provided on the outside of the movable clamping plate 162, protruding outward. A nut 164 that engages with the threads formed on the shaft portion 402 is mounted on the nut stay 163. By rotating the rotation operating portion 401, the shaft portion 402 rotates relative to the nut 164, whose rotation is restricted by the nut stay 163, and as a result, the nut 164 moves toward the head 401. This movement of the nut 164 toward the head 401 causes the movable clamping plate 162 to move toward the fixed clamping plate 161, and the distance between the movable clamping plate 162 and the fixed clamping plate 161 decreases. As a result, the bearing 121 is tightened by the movable clamping plate 162 and the fixed clamping plate 161, preventing rotation between the fixed clamping plate 161 and the bearing 121. In this way, rotation between the main body 110 to which the fixed clamping plate 161 is fixed and the bracket 120 to which the bearing 121 is fixed is prevented.

[0088] Multiple locking claws 165 and 122 are provided in a row on the surface of the fixed clamping plate 161 that contacts the bearing 121, and on the surface of the bearing 121 that contacts the fixed clamping plate 161. The locking claws 165 and 122 engage with each other at any angle, and the bearing 121 is clamped between the fixed clamping plate 161 and the movable clamping plate 162, thereby preventing the bearing 121 from rotating relative to the fixed clamping plate 161.

[0089] [4. Electrical configuration of the imaging device 100] Figure 10 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the imaging device 100. The control unit 11 controls various parts of the imaging device 100. The control unit 11 is a computer including, for example, a processor 111 and a memory 112. The processor 111 has, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), an MPU (Micro Processing Unit), a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), an ASIC (Application-Specific Integrated Circuit), and an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array). The memory 112 is a main memory having, for example, RAM (Random Access Memory) and ROM (Read Only Memory). The processor 111 temporarily stores the program read from the ROM of the memory 112 in the RAM. The RAM of the memory 112 provides the processor 111 with a workspace. The processor 111 performs various controls by performing calculations while temporarily storing data generated during program execution in the RAM. The control unit 11 further includes a timekeeping unit 113 for measuring time. The timekeeping unit 113 is, for example, a real-time clock. The timing unit 113 may be mounted on the motherboard of the processor 111, or it may be externally connected to the processor 111.

[0090] The input unit 12 receives information input from the user. The input unit 12 includes, for example, the microphone 12a, event recording button 12b, operation unit 12c, and touch sensor 12d. The microphone 12a converts sound incident through the microphone hole 104, etc., into an electrical signal. The microphone 12a is, for example, a condenser microphone. The touch sensor 12d detects the position touched by the user on the display surface 131. The touch sensor 12d is, for example, a capacitive type.

[0091] The display unit 13 displays an image on the display surface 131. The display unit 13 is, for example, a liquid crystal display (LCD).

[0092] The audio output unit 14 outputs sound. This sound may include, for example, notification sounds, background music, or voice messages. The audio output unit 14 includes, for example, an audio processing circuit and a speaker.

[0093] The imaging unit 15 captures images and generates image data obtained from the images. The imaging unit 15 includes, for example, an imaging lens 151 and an image sensor that captures the light focused by the imaging lens 151. The image sensor is, for example, a CMOS (Complementary MOS) or a CCD (Charge Coupled Device). The imaging unit 15 generates a color (multicolor) image consisting of, for example, red (R), green (G), and blue (B) color components.

[0094] The communication unit 16 communicates with external devices. The communication unit 16 has a communication circuit for wireless communication with external devices, for example, by Wi-Fi (registered trademark), Bluetooth (registered trademark), other wireless LAN (Local Area Network) communication, or short-range wireless communication. The communication unit 16 may also have a communication circuit for performing wireless communication compliant with standards such as LPWA (Low Power Wide Area), LTE (Long Term Evolution), 4G, 5G, and other mobile communication system standards.

[0095] The sensor unit 17 has various sensors. The sensor unit 17 has, for example, at least one of an acceleration sensor, a gyro sensor, a barometric pressure sensor, and an illuminance sensor. The acceleration sensor is, for example, a three-axis acceleration sensor that detects the acceleration of the vehicle in the forward / backward, left / right, and up / down directions. The gyro sensor is a sensor that detects the tilt of the imaging device 100. The acceleration sensor and gyro sensor may be used, for example, to estimate the position of the vehicle 600 by autonomous navigation when signals from GNSS satellites cannot be received. The barometric pressure sensor measures atmospheric pressure. The barometric pressure sensor is used, for example, to detect differences in elevation and determine whether it is a highway or a regular road. The illuminance sensor is a sensor that detects the illuminance indicating the brightness inside the vehicle interior, which is the area around the imaging device 100. The illuminance sensor is used, for example, to adjust the brightness of the display on the display unit 13.

[0096] The reader / writer 18 functions as a media holder that holds the storage medium 500 inserted into the imaging device 100 through the storage medium insertion slot 181. The reader / writer 18 writes data to the storage medium 500 and reads data from the storage medium 500. The reader / writer 18 may hold only one storage medium 500, but it may also be configured to hold two or more storage mediums 500 simultaneously.

[0097] The terminal section 19 has terminals for electrically connecting to external devices. The terminal section 19 has the camera jack 191 and terminal 192 described above. As a device connected to the terminal section 19, an external battery may be used so that the imaging device 100 and imaging device 200 can operate even without power supply from the vehicle 600. The device connected to the terminal section 19 may be, for example, a device that has a function to support the user's safe driving. Such devices include, for example, a device that has a function to photograph the driver (e.g., face) and detect and notify the driver's state, such as distracted driving and drowsy driving, or a device that has a function to detect and notify obstacles around the vehicle 600 (for example, a device used for vehicle detection for a Forward Vehicle Collision Warning System (FCWS)). Other devices connected to the terminal section 19 may be electronic devices such as a radar detector, laser detector, car navigation system, or display device.

[0098] The position information acquisition unit 20 acquires position information indicating the position of the imaging device 100 (more specifically, its current position). The position of the imaging device 100 can be considered equivalent to the position of the vehicle 600 on which the imaging device 100 is located, the position of the imaging device 200 located on the vehicle 600, and the positions of the driver and other people riding in the vehicle 600. The position information acquisition unit 20 acquires position information (latitude information and longitude information) of the imaging device 100 based on signals from GPS (Global Positioning System), which is one of the GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite Systems). The position information acquisition unit 20 may also use Michibiki as a QZSS (Quasi-Zenith Satellite System).

[0099] The light-emitting unit 21 emits light in a predetermined color. The light-emitting unit 21 includes, for example, a light-emitting diode.

[0100] The power control unit 22 controls the supply of power to each part of the imaging device 100 and to the imaging device 200. The power control unit 22 includes, for example, a power switch and a power control circuit. The power control unit 22 supplies power supplied from the vehicle 600 side via the terminal section 19 to each part of the imaging device 100 and to the imaging device 200. The power control unit 22 may also have a secondary battery, a button battery, or an electric double-layer capacitor (also called a supercapacitor) as a means of power storage.

[0101] The imaging device 100 may further have an auxiliary storage device as an internal storage means, such as flash memory (e.g., eMMC, SSD). Various storage media, such as optical storage media, magnetic storage media, and semiconductor storage media, can be used as the auxiliary storage device.

[0102] [5. Image recording function of imaging device 100] The imaging device 100 has one or more of the following image recording functions. The image recording function is a function that records images captured by the imaging device 100 as image data in a predetermined file format. The image data is often in a video format, such as MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group) format (e.g., MPEG2, MPEG4), but also AVI, MOV, WMV, etc.

[0103] <5-1. Continuous Recording Function> The continuous recording function (also called the continuous video recording function) is a function that continuously (i.e., continuously) records images captured by either or both of the imaging device 100 and the imaging device 200 while the imaging device 100 is in operation. When the continuous recording function is running, the control unit 11 stores images (image data, or video data) captured from the start to the stop of the vehicle 600's engine, or stores images captured from the time the vehicle 600's power supply (e.g., accessory power) is turned on until it is turned off.

[0104] <5-2. Event Recording Function> The event recording function is a function that records images captured by either or both of the imaging device 100 and the imaging device 200 in response to the occurrence of a specific event. An event is an occurrence for which images captured by the imaging device 100 or the imaging device 200 should be recorded, such as when the user performs operations such as sudden steering or sudden braking while the vehicle 600 is in motion, or when the vehicle 600 collides with another object. The control unit 11 determines that an event has occurred, for example, based on the measured value from the acceleration sensor of the sensor unit 17. Specifically, the control unit 11 determines that an event has occurred when the measured value from the acceleration sensor exceeds a predetermined threshold or shows a predetermined temporal change. The conditions for determining the occurrence of an event are not limited to these. The control unit 11 may also determine that an event has occurred based on vehicle information, for example, when the state of the vehicle 600, such as vehicle speed or steering state, meets predetermined conditions. The control unit 11 may analyze the images captured by the imaging unit 15 or the imaging device 200 and determine that an event has occurred if it detects dangerous driving by the vehicle 600 or another vehicle (e.g., aggressive driving, approaching, or dangerously close approach). The control unit 11 also determines that an event has occurred if the event recording button 12b is operated.

[0105] When the control unit 11 determines that an event has occurred, it records images captured during a predetermined period before and after the event (hereinafter referred to as the "event recording period") onto the storage medium 500. The control unit 11 may, for example, temporarily store images captured by the imaging unit 15 and the imaging device 200 in memory 112 (e.g., RAM), and when it determines that an event has occurred, it may read the images from memory 112 for the event recording period and record them onto the storage medium 500. For example, the control unit 11 may create a single file containing images from 20 seconds before the event and 20 seconds after the event, for a total of 40 seconds. The event recording period is just an example and may vary depending on the type of event, and may also be changeable by the user. The control unit 11 may record images consisting of multiple files onto the storage medium 500 for each event. The control unit 11 may also record values ​​measured by the sensor unit 17 during the event recording period (e.g., acceleration in each of the three axes) and position information acquired by the position information acquisition unit 20, in association with the images, onto the storage medium 500.

[0106] <5-3. Parking Surveillance Function> The parking surveillance function is a function that records images taken by either or both of the imaging device 100 and the imaging device 200 while the vehicle 600 is parked. The parking surveillance function is a function for monitoring the interior of the parked vehicle 600 or the exterior surrounding the vehicle 600. When the engine of the vehicle 600 is off, the control unit 11 receives power from an external battery and records images to the storage medium 500. The control unit 11 determines whether or not the vehicle 600 is parked based on one or more of the following: for example, the accessory power is turned off, the engine is turned off, power supply from the external battery has started, the vehicle speed is 0 km / h or below a predetermined speed, and the location information acquired by the location information acquisition unit 20 is predetermined location information (for example, location information of home, workplace, or parking lot).

[0107] The parking surveillance function may include a time-lapse mode and a motion detection mode. Specifically, when the time-lapse mode is selected by the user, the control unit 11 records images at a lower frame rate than other image recording functions such as the continuous recording function and the event recording function. For example, while the frame rate of other image recording functions is 20 to 30 frames / second, the frame rate of the time-lapse mode is 1 frame / second. The motion detection mode is a mode that records images in response to the detection of a moving object. Specifically, when the motion detection mode is selected by the user, the control unit 11 detects a moving object from changes in images captured by the imaging device 100 and the imaging device 200, and records the images taken during a predetermined period before and after the detection to the storage medium 500. The frame rate may be the same as that of the continuous recording function and the event recording function.

[0108] Furthermore, imaging devices 100 and 200 may be imaging devices that capture celestial images such as a full sphere or a hemisphere. Also, imaging device 100 may be an imaging device that does not have a display unit 13. In addition, the housing of imaging device 100 does not have to be rectangular parallelepiped, and may be a cylindrical imaging device, for example. Also, imaging device 200 may be an imaging device that has various sensors and a display unit. In addition, the housing of imaging device 200 does not have to be cylindrical, and may be a rectangular parallelepiped imaging device, for example. The following are examples of other forms of imaging devices 100 and 200.

[0109] [6. Configuration of the rotating body 400] As described above, it is advantageous for the main body 110 of the imaging device 100 to be closer to the vehicle body to which the bracket 120 is attached, as this minimizes obstruction of the view. In other words, it is desirable for the rotation axis of the main body 110 to be close to the vehicle body. However, if the rotation axis of the main body 110 is brought closer to the vehicle body, the rotation operation unit 401, which is used to rotate the main body 110 around the rotation axis of the vehicle body in order to fix its angle, will also be closer to the vehicle body, which can make it difficult to rotate the rotation operation unit 401. At least some of the following embodiments and their modifications have a configuration that solves this problem. This will be explained in detail below.

[0110] <6-1. Examples> As described above, by rotating the rotating body 400, which has a rotating operating part 401 exposed on the outside of the housing 101, the angle of the main body 110 relative to the bracket 120 is fixed by the rotating tightening structure 160. In this embodiment, the axis of rotation of the rotating body 400 coincides with the axis of rotation of the main body 110 relative to the bracket 120. It is preferable that the axis of rotation of the main body 110 is close to the location on the vehicle 600 where the bracket 120 is attached (typically the windshield or rear window). In a configuration in which the axis of rotation of the rotating body 400 for fixing the rotation angle of the main body 110 relative to the bracket 120 coincides with the axis of rotation of the main body 110 relative to the bracket 120, as the axis of rotation of the main body 110 is brought closer to the bracket 120 or the vehicle 600, the rotating operating part 401 of the rotating body 400 naturally also moves closer to the bracket 120 or the vehicle 600.

[0111] Consequently, if one attempts to operate the rotary operating part 401 by pinching it with their fingers, sufficient space cannot be secured between the rotary operating part 401 and the bracket 120 or vehicle 600, resulting in a decrease in the rotatability of the rotary operating part 401. Therefore, in this embodiment, we propose a configuration of the rotary operating part 401 or a rotating body 400 having such a rotary operating part 401 in order to mitigate the decrease in the rotatability of the rotary operating part 401.

[0112] Figure 11A is a perspective view showing the configuration of the rotating body 400, Figure 11B is a front view of the head 401, and Figure 11C is a side view of the head 401. The rotating body 400 has a screw shape with a head that serves as a rotating operating part 401 and a shaft part 402. The tip of the shaft part 402 has threads formed for screwing into the nut 164. The base end of the shaft part 402 is provided with the head 401. The rotating operating part 401 is operated by pinching it with the fingers and is hereinafter also referred to as the knob 401.

[0113] The knob 401 has a conical base 403 and multiple ribs 404 as projections extending in the direction of the ridge. That is, the base 403 of the knob 401 is sloped from the base end (the end closer to the housing 101) to the tip end (the end further away from the housing 101). This slope allows the user to apply rotational force to the knob 401 by contacting a relatively large area of ​​their fingertip with it. In particular, the shape of this slope is preferably such that the cross-sectional area decreases continuously as it moves away from the base end. This allows a larger area of ​​the fingertip to contact the knob 401 and apply rotational force to it. The shape that decreases continuously is preferably a linear shape, but it may also be a curved shape, for example. In addition to a shape that decreases continuously, the slope shape may also be such that the cross-sectional area decreases in steps as it moves away from the base end.

[0114] The tip of the shaft portion 402 is inserted into the cylindrical through hole 405 formed in the center of the base body 403. The knob 401 and the shaft portion 402 are fixed together by bonding the outer surface of the tip of the shaft portion 402 to the outer surface of the through hole 405.

[0115] Ribs 404 are an example of projections that protrude from the base body 403 in a predetermined direction. Ribs 404 preferably have at least a portion that protrudes outward in the radial direction of the base body 403. Six ribs 404 are provided around the base body 403 at equal angular intervals of 60 degrees. The base body 403 has a tapered shape in which the diameter gradually decreases from the large-diameter base end to the small-diameter tip end. Ribs 404 have a tapered shape in which the width gradually decreases from the wide base end to the narrow tip end. As a result, the width of the valley portion between adjacent ribs 404 is kept approximately constant. In addition, ribs 404 have a tapered shape in which the height gradually decreases from the high-height base end to the low-height tip end.

[0116] Since the base 403 has a tapered shape in which the diameter decreases from the base end to the tip end, when reaching out with fingers from the tip end to the base end to grasp the knob 401, even if the bracket 120 or the vehicle body 600 is nearby, the fingertips will fit onto the knob 401, allowing the fingertips to reach deep into the knob 401 and securely grip the knob 401 with the fingers.

[0117] The height L1 of the knob 401 from the base to the tip is 7.6 mm (preferably 5-10 mm). This height corresponds to about half the length of the belly portion of the main rib. The width L2 of the base of the rib 404 is 2.9 mm (preferably 2-5 mm), the width L3 of the tip is 2.2 mm (preferably 1.5-4 mm), and the height L4 is 1.9 mm (preferably 1-3 mm). The diameter L5 of the base of the base body 403 is 13 mm (preferably 7-20 mm), and the diameter L6 of the tip is 11.8 mm (preferably 9-18 mm). The diameter L7 of the through hole 405 is 5.6 mm (preferably 3-8 mm). As a result, the diameter L8 of the base end of the knob 401, including the ribs 404, is 13.7 mm (preferably 10-21 mm), and the distance L10 between adjacent ribs 404 is approximately 5 mm (preferably 1-9 mm).

[0118] With these dimensions, the pads of the fingers can fit between adjacent ribs 404, ensuring that rotational force is reliably transmitted from the fingers to the ribs 404, allowing for easy rotation of the knob 401 with the fingers. Furthermore, the height and width of the ribs 404 are determined with consideration to prevent finger pain. The corners of the ribs 404 are rounded to a radius of approximately R0.5 mm.

[0119] Of the outer surfaces of the base body 403, the surfaces between adjacent ribs 404 are curved. However, these surfaces may be flat or surfaces that can be considered flat.

[0120] The tip of the shaft portion 402 is exposed inside the through hole 405. The distance (depth) from the tip of the rib 404 to the tip of the shaft portion 402 is 1.5 mm (preferably 0.5 to 7 mm). A tool hole (e.g., a hexagonal hole) for inserting a tool (e.g., a hex wrench) is formed on the tip surface of the shaft portion 402. By inserting a tool from the tip side of the through hole 405 and inserting it into the tool hole of the shaft portion 402, rotational operation can be performed directly on the shaft portion 402 without using the knob 401. It is desirable that the diameter and depth of the through hole 405 be designed such that the user's thumb can be inserted at least partially.

[0121] A removable cover may be provided to cover the through-hole 405. This cover is placed over the through-hole 405 from the tip side of the knob 401. By covering it with the cover, foreign matter can be prevented from entering the through-hole 405.

[0122] In this embodiment, six ribs 404 are provided at equal intervals in the circumferential direction of the base body 403, but fewer or more ribs 404 may be provided. For example, the number of ribs 404 may be 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, or more. In particular, considering the size of the rotary operating part (in other words, the knob 401) in the imaging device 100 mounted on the vehicle, it is especially good to provide six ribs 404 at equal intervals. The reason for this will be explained later.

[0123] The rib 404 is provided along the entire length of the knob 401, from the base end (the end closer to the housing 101) toward the housing 101. This allows for a relatively large contact area between the fingertip and the rib 404, reducing the likelihood of the finger slipping against the knob 401.

[0124] The shaft portion 402 is made of metal. The knob 401 is made of plastic. The knob 401 may consist of a core material made of a hard material such as metal or plastic, and a surface material made of a soft material such as elastomer that covers the core material. In this case, it may consist of a conical portion corresponding to the base 403 and a projection corresponding to the rib 404.

[0125] The housing 101 may be colored, for example, black, while the knob 401 may be transparent. This allows for a wider field of view of the outside of the vehicle for the driver and reduces the reduction in the amount of light entering the cabin from outside.

[0126] While such an imaging device 100 is advantageous in that the main body 110 is closer to the vehicle body to minimize obstruction of the view, even with a configuration where the shaft portion 402, which is the rotation axis of the main body 110, is closer to the vehicle body, interference between the rotation operating portion 401, which is used to change and fix the angle of the main body 110 by rotating it around the rotation axis of the vehicle body, and interference between the fingers gripping the rotation operating portion 401 and the vehicle body are suppressed, making it easier to rotate the rotation operating portion 401. Therefore, with the imaging device 100, the user can easily attach the main body 110 to the vehicle body while adjusting the shooting direction of the shooting unit 15.

[0127] In particular, the knob 401 is constructed based on the inventor's knowledge that the cross-sectional shape of a finger is semi-circular, the axial length of the shaft portion 402 of the knob 401 is about half the length of a thumb, and the knob 401 is tapered from the base to the tip (i.e., the radial dimension decreases). Figure 29A is an example of a configuration in which the knob 401 of the rotating body 400 is tapered based on this knowledge. If the rotating body 700 were constructed without a tapered knob 701, as shown in Figure 29B, the car body (for example, the windshield) would be quite close. As a result, there is a problem that a finger cannot fit into the gap between the car body and the knob 701. Therefore, in such a configuration, it is necessary to make the diameter as small as possible. However, a certain diameter is necessary to make it easy to hook a finger. Focusing on this issue, the inventor thought that if the knob 401 is tapered from the base to the tip, the gap will increase to some extent, and a shape will be obtained in which the rib 404 fits the finger.

[0128] Furthermore, the configuration of the base body 403 and ribs 404 was conceived by the inventor based on the idea of ​​making it easier for the user's fingers to catch on the ribs 404 when performing a rotation operation. The inventor increased the number of ribs 404 to two, three, four, five, and so on, and considered the shapes of the cross-section of the base body 403, such as rod, triangle, square, pentagon, etc., and concluded that the best shape was when there were six ribs 404 and the cross-section of the base body 403 was hexagonal. With a rotating body 400, it is usually difficult to know where the ribs 404 will stop when tightened, making it difficult to control the position of the ribs 404. In contrast, the inventor thought that with six ribs 404, it would be easier for the user's fingers to catch on the ribs 404 regardless of where they stopped.

[0129] <6-2. Variation 1> Figure 12A is a perspective view showing the configuration of the rotating body 410 of Modification 1, Figure 12B is a front view of the knob 411, and Figure 12C is a side view of the knob 411. The rotating body 410 of this Modification 1 consists of a knob 411 as a rotating operating part and a shaft portion 412, similar to the rotating body 400 of the above embodiment. In the rotating body 410 of this Modification, a through hole 415 is formed in the knob 411, and the base end of the shaft portion 412 is inserted into the through hole 415, with its tip exposed within the through hole 415.

[0130] In this modified example 1, a groove 416 is provided in the rib 414. The groove 416 is located at the top of the rib 414. The groove 416 extends in the direction in which the rib 414 extends, that is, from the base end to the tip of the knob 411. This groove 416 allows the fingers to enter the groove 416 when rotating the knob 411 with the fingers gripping it, thereby increasing the contact area between the fingers and the rib 414 and effectively reducing finger slippage in the rotational direction of the knob 411.

[0131] <6-3. Modification Example 2> Figure 13A is a perspective view showing the configuration of the rotating body 420 of the modified example 2, Figure 13B is a front view of the knob 421, and Figure 13C is a side view of the knob 421. The rotating body 420 of this modified example 2 consists of a knob 421 as a rotating operating part and a shaft portion 422, similar to the rotating body 400 of the above embodiment. In the rotating body 420 of this modified example, a through hole 425 is formed in the knob 421, and the base end of the shaft portion 422 is inserted into the through hole 425, with its tip exposed within the through hole 425.

[0132] In this modified example 2, the rib 424 is formed to wrap around from the side surface of the base 423 to the front surface of the base 423. In this way, the rib 424 has a portion that protrudes in front of the base 423, that is, a portion that protrudes in the direction away from the housing 101 (for example, a convex portion). With this configuration, a larger area of ​​the rib 424 that comes into contact with the finger can be secured, thereby increasing the contact area between the rib 424 and the finger, and effectively reducing finger slippage.

[0133] <6-4. Modification 3> Figure 14 is a side view of the knob 431 of Modification 3. In this Modification 3, the ribs 434 of the knob 431 increase in height from the base end to the tip end. On the other hand, the base body 433 decreases in diameter from the base end to the tip end. Therefore, the overall shape of the knob 431, including the ribs 434, becomes flat from the base end to the tip end.

[0134] This configuration also ensures a relatively wide space for inserting a finger between adjacent ribs 434 when attempting to grasp the knob 431, moving from the tip to the base. Furthermore, the increased surface area of ​​the ribs 434 in contact with the finger allows for sufficient rotational force to be transmitted from the finger to the knob 431.

[0135] <6-5. Modification 4> Figure 15 is a side view of the knob 441 of Modification 4. The rib 434 of the knob 441 in Modification 4 is divided into a base-side rib 444a and a tip-side rib 444b. Thus, the rib does not need to be completely continuous from the base end to the tip end, and may be provided only on a part of its entire length. That is, in Modification 4, the rib is divided into two parts, the base end and the tip end, but it may be divided into three or more parts, or the rib may be formed only on a part of the length from the base end to the tip end. This reduces the loss of visibility or incident light rays caused by the knob 441, while also reducing the risk of fingers getting caught on the ribs 444a and 444b and slipping against the knob 441. Furthermore, the spacing between the base-side rib 444a and the tip-side rib 444b should be such that a finger does not get caught in the gap between the base-side rib 444a and the tip-side rib 444b and move in the direction of rotation of the rotating body 400.

[0136] <6-6. Modification 5> Figure 16A is a perspective view showing the configuration of the rotating body 450 of Modification 5, and Figure 16B is a front view of the knob 451 of Modification 5. The rotating body 450 of Modification 5 consists of a knob 451 and a shaft portion 452. The knob 451 has a single lever 454 extending radially outward from a disc-shaped base 453. The length of the lever 454 may be approximately the radius of the base 453.

[0137] The base 453 and the lever 454 are connected by a smooth curve. The lever 454 is formed continuously from the tip surface of the base 453. The tip of the lever 454 is also curved. Furthermore, the lever 454 is curved toward the housing 101. This helps to minimize the impact on the occupant even if the knob 451 comes into contact with the occupant unintentionally.

[0138] <6-7. Modification 6> Figure 17 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the rotating body 460 of Modification 6. The rotating body 460 of Modification 6 consists of a knob 461 and a shaft portion 462. The knob 461 has a lever 464 extending radially outward from a generally cylindrical base 463. While the lever 454 of Modification 5 is formed continuously from the tip surface of the knob 451, the lever 464 of Modification 6 protrudes from the side surface slightly closer to the base end than the tip surface of the knob 461.

[0139] The lever 464 is curved toward the housing 101. This, as in the modified example 5, helps to minimize the impact on the occupant even if the knob 461 comes into unintentional contact with the occupant. Furthermore, because the lever 464 is curved, a larger surface area of ​​the lever 464 that contacts the finger is secured in the direction from the tip end to the base end of the rotating body 460, thereby increasing the contact area between the lever 464 and the finger and effectively reducing finger slippage.

[0140] <6-8. Variation 7> Figure 18A is a side view of the knob 471 of Modification 7, and Figure 18B is a partially enlarged view of the rotating body 470 of Modification 7. The knob 471 consists of a base body 473 and protrusions 474a and 474b that project radially outward from the base body 473. Protrusions 474a and 474b are examples of projections. The amount of radial outward projection of protrusions 474a and 474b is different from that of protrusions 474b, with protrusion 474b protruding further outward than protrusion 474a.

[0141] The protrusions 474a and 474b are positioned symmetrically on the plane passing through the axis. The user can rotate the knob 471 by placing their fingers on these protrusions 474a and 474b. When the knob 471 is tightened, the shorter protrusion 474a is positioned further away from the main body. This ensures a wide field of view for the driver outside the vehicle and reduces the reduction in the amount of light entering the cabin from outside.

[0142] <6-9. Variation 8> In the imaging device 100, the temperature inside the housing 101 tends to rise due to the heat generated by the operating power of the CPU and other components. Furthermore, since the imaging device 100 is mounted on the windshield or rear window, it is also prone to becoming hot due to radiant heat from direct sunlight. There is a concern that if the temperature becomes too high, the various electronic components inside the housing 101 may not function properly. Therefore, in this modified example, a configuration that is advantageous for releasing heat from inside the housing 101 to the outside is proposed.

[0143] Figure 19 is a front view of the rotating body 480 of the modified example 8. In the rotating body 480, the knob 481 has a conical base 483 and ribs 484 provided on the circumferential surface of the base 483. There are six ribs 484 that are spaced at equal angles, and each rib 484 extends from the base end to the tip end. A through hole 485 is formed in the center of the knob 481, and a shaft portion 482 is inserted from the base end.

[0144] The shaft portion 482 has seven through holes 486 formed in the axial direction, and these through holes 486 open to the outside of the housing 101 from the base end of the shaft portion 482 via a through hole 485. In addition, the through holes 486 open to the inside of the housing 101 from the tip of the shaft portion 482. These seven through holes 486 allow air to circulate. In other words, the through holes 486 communicate the inside and outside of the housing 101.

[0145] With this configuration, the heat generated inside the housing 101 is carried to the outside of the housing 101 by the air flowing through the through-hole 486. In other words, the main body of the imaging device 100 can be cooled (air-cooled) by heat transfer through the through-hole 486. Such a through-hole 486 is an example of a heat dissipation means.

[0146] Airflow may be created naturally through the through-hole 486, or it may be forcibly created using a device such as a fan. The airflow within the through-hole 486 may be from the inside to the outside of the housing 101, or conversely, from the outside to the inside of the housing 101. In the former case, air from outside the housing 101 is drawn into the housing 101 through an intake port provided in the housing 101. In the latter case, air from inside the housing 101 is discharged to the outside of the housing 101 through an exhaust port provided in the housing 101.

[0147] Furthermore, sound from a speaker or microphone may be passed through this through-hole 486. Also, if the part of the through-hole 486 that is open to the outside of the housing faces downwards, the imaging device 100 can be used outdoors, for example, by mounting it on a motorcycle or forklift.

[0148] As described above, in this modified example 8, at least the shaft portion of the rotating body used to adjust the angle of the main body 110 with respect to the bracket 120 has a structure that plays a role in heat dissipation. For example, the nut through which the shaft portion passes is connected to a component (such as a heat pipe) that dissipates heat from components that generate heat due to the operation (power) of a CPU or other components.

[0149] <6-10. Variation 9> Figure 20 is a front view of the head 491 of the modified example 9. The knob 491, which is the part that is turned by the fingers, has a cylindrical base 493 having a through hole 495 connected to the shaft, around which multiple (six in this modified example 9) ribs 494 are provided at equal angular intervals, extending radially outward. Between these ribs 494, multiple heat dissipation fins 496 are provided, similarly extending radially outward from the base 493.

[0150] The base 493 and fins 496 are heat dissipation means made of a material with high thermal conductivity (e.g., metal). Furthermore, it is desirable that the ribs 494 are also made of a material with high thermal conductivity (e.g., metal). In addition, a material with high thermal conductivity (e.g., metal) is used for the members that come into contact with the shaft portion inside the housing 101 (e.g., bolts). With this configuration, the heat generated inside the housing 101 of the imaging device 100 is transmitted to the knob 491 through the shaft portion and released to the outside of the housing 101 via the fins 496 and ribs 494.

[0151] <6-11. Variation 10> Figure 21 is a side view showing the configuration of the rotating body 510 of the modified example 10. The rotating body 510 consists of a knob 51 and a shaft portion 512, and the knob 511 is provided with a plurality of mutually parallel fins 513 in the axial direction of the shaft portion 512. With this configuration as well, heat generated inside the housing 101 of the imaging device 100 is transmitted to the knob 511 through the shaft portion and released to the outside of the housing 101 via the fins 513, which act as a heat dissipation means.

[0152] <6-12. Variation 11> Figure 22 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the rotating body 520 of the modified example 11. The rotating body 52 consists of a knob 521 and a shaft portion 522. The knob 521 comprises a base body 523 having a substantially cylindrical shape and a bellows-shaped fibrous member 524 covering the side surface of the base body 523. This configuration reduces finger slippage when rotating the rotating body 520 due to the bellows shape of the fibrous member 524. It is also preferable that the base body 523 and the fibrous member 524 function as heat dissipation means. By making the base body 523 and the fibrous member 524 from a material with high thermal conductivity, heat generated inside the housing 101 of the imaging device 100 is transferred to the base body 523 through the shaft portion and released to the outside of the housing 101 via the fibrous member 524.

[0153] <6-13. Variation 12> Figure 23 is a front view showing the configuration of the rotating body 530 of the modified example 12. In the rotating body 530, the configuration of the knob is the same as that shown in Figures 11A to 11C, so its explanation is omitted. In Figure 23, the tip of the shaft portion 532 bonded to the knob is shown. Multiple parallel heat dissipation fins 533 are formed on the tip of the shaft portion 532. Each heat dissipation fin 533 is formed continuously from side to side of the shaft portion 532.

[0154] The shaft portion 532 and the multiple heat dissipation fins 533 at its tip are an example of a heat dissipation means made of a material with high thermal conductivity. The multiple heat dissipation fins 533 are open to the outside of the housing 101 inside the through hole of the knob 521, and the heat generated inside the housing 101 is transmitted through the shaft portion 532 and released to the outside of the housing 101 via the multiple heat dissipation fins 533.

[0155] <6-14. Variation 13> Figure 24 is a front view showing the configuration of the rotating body 540 of Modification 13. In the rotating body 540, the configuration of the knob is the same as that shown in Figures 11A to 11C, so its explanation is omitted. Figure 24 shows the tip of the shaft portion 542 bonded to the knob. Multiple parallel heat dissipation fins 543 are formed on the tip of the shaft portion 542. In Modification 12 of Figure 23, the heat dissipation fins 533 were formed continuously from side to side of the shaft portion 532, but in this modification, multiple divided heat dissipation fins 543 are provided from side to side of the shaft portion 542.

[0156] The shaft portion 542 and the multiple heat dissipation fins 543 at its tip are an example of a heat dissipation means made of a material with high thermal conductivity. The multiple heat dissipation fins 543 are open to the outside of the housing 101 inside the through hole of the knob, and the heat generated inside the housing 101 is transmitted through the shaft portion 542 and released to the outside of the housing 101 via the multiple heat dissipation fins 543. This modified example 13 is expected to have a higher heat dissipation effect than modified example 12.

[0157] <6-15. Variation 14> Figure 25 is a magnified view of a portion of the rotating body of Modification 14. The rotating body 550 consists of a knob 551 and a shaft portion 552. The knob 551 is roughly cylindrical in shape, and has a raised portion 553 at an angle, which is a protruding part for gripping with a finger. The raised portion 553 is an example of a projection that extends radially outward from the knob 551. In the example in Figure 25, the raised portion 553 is formed in a spiral shape.

[0158] In particular, the raised portion 553 is angled in the direction of tightening the screw (clockwise in the example of Figure 25). In other words, the raised portion 553 is located downstream of the tightening direction of the rotating body 550 as it approaches the end of the housing 101, and upstream of the tightening direction of the rotating body 550 as it moves away from the housing 101. This configuration provides good grip for the fingers when tightening the screw, but relatively little grip when loosening it. Therefore, more secure fastening is possible, and accidental loosening can be suppressed. Alternatively, the raised portion 553 may be configured to be angled in the direction of loosening the screw (counterclockwise in the example of Figure 25), in other words, the raised portion 553 is located upstream of the tightening direction of the rotating body 550 as it approaches the end of the housing 101, and downstream of the tightening direction of the rotating body 550 as it moves away from the housing 101. Furthermore, the configuration of the projection that protrudes obliquely with respect to the rotational direction of the rotating body, as in this modified example 14, or the configuration of the projection that is spiral-shaped, may also be applied to the ribs or projections described in other embodiments or modifications.

[0159] <6-16. Variation 15> Figure 26A is a left side view showing the external configuration of the imaging device 100' of the modified example 15, and Figure 26B is a plan view showing an example of the external configuration of the imaging device 100'. The same configuration in the imaging device 100' as in the imaging device 100 will not be explained. In this modified example 15, the rotating operating member is a disc-shaped dial 561. Instead of being rotated by pinching it with the fingers, the dial 561, as the head, is rotated by dragging its side with the fingers. For this purpose, an arc-shaped notch 5611 is formed on the side of the dial 561 for gripping with the fingers. Note that in the examples of Figures 26A and 26B, one notch 5611 is provided on the dial 561, but there may be multiple notches 5611 (for example, 2 to 5).

[0160] As shown in Figures 26A and 26B, the dial 561 is positioned to fit into the housing 101. The housing 101 has a recessed shape to accommodate the dial 561. A portion of the dial 561 is exposed from the top and front (outside the vehicle) surfaces of the housing 101. The user can rotate the dial 561 by moving this exposed portion up and down with their finger.

[0161] The dial 561 can be about 5 mm thick and 30-35 mm in diameter, and may protrude about 10 mm from the housing 101. By using such a dial 561, the rotation of the rotating body can be adjusted by rotating it with relatively little force, and the thickness of the dial 561 can be kept thin, thus minimizing the loss of the driver's field of view.

[0162] <6-17. Variation 16> Figure 27 is a perspective view showing the external configuration of the rotating body 570 of the modified example 16. In the above embodiment and modified example, the rotating body consists of a rotating operating part and a shaft part. A nut 164 (see Figures 9A and 9B) is passed through the tip of the shaft part, fixed by a nut stay 163 to prevent rotation. By rotating the rotating body, the nut 164 is moved in the axial direction and tightened, thereby fixing the angle of the main body 110 with respect to the bracket 120. In this modified example 16, instead, the component corresponding to the nut 164 is replaced by the rotating body 570.

[0163] The rotating body 570 has a cap shape, with screw grooves formed on the inner surface of its cylindrical side wall. Alternatively, the rotating body 570 may be a nut with a through hole instead of a cap shape.

[0164] Figure 28 shows the configuration of the imaging device 100'' of modified example 16. In Figure 28, the configuration of the imaging device 100'' is shown in a simplified manner. In addition, in the imaging device 100'' of Figure 28, the same configuration as that of imaging device 100 is omitted from explanation, or the same reference numerals are used to omit explanation.

[0165] The imaging device 100'' includes a fixed clamping plate 161 that clamps the bearing 121 of the bracket 120 in the axial direction, and a movable clamping plate 162. An axis 572 is fixed to the movable clamping plate 162 in a direction perpendicular to it. The movable clamping plate 162 is movable in the left-right direction in conjunction with the axis 572. The fixed clamping plate 161 is fixed to the housing 101. The movable clamping plate 162 is fixed to the base end of the axis 572, and a screw thread is formed at the tip that engages with a screw groove formed on the inner surface of the cylindrical side wall of the rotating body 570. The movable clamping plate 162 is supported within the housing 101 so that it cannot rotate around the axis of the axis 572 in conjunction with the axis 572.

[0166] The tip of the shaft 572 protrudes from the housing 101. The threads at the tip of the shaft 572 protruding from the housing 101 are screwed into the thread grooves formed on the inner surface of the cylindrical side wall of the rotating body 570. With this configuration, when the rotating body 570 is rotated, the shaft 572 and the movable clamping plate 162 integrated with it move, and the bearing 121 is clamped between the movable clamping plate 162 and the fixed clamping plate 161. At this time, the rotating body 570 is pressed against the housing 101.

[0167] As described above, in this modified example 16 as well, the axis of rotation of the main body 110 relative to the bracket 120 coincides with the axis of rotation of the rotating body 570. The depth of the cylindrical side wall of the rotating body 570, in which the screw grooves are formed, is designed to be sufficiently larger than the amount that the shaft 572 protrudes from the housing 101. This prevents the tip of the shaft 572 from coming into contact with the bottom of the rotating body 570 and becoming unable to move any further.

[0168] <6-18. Other variations> The configurations described in the above embodiments and modifications can be combined and adopted in any way possible. For example, the heat dissipation configurations of modifications 9, 12, and 13 can be applied to the shaft portion of other embodiments and modifications, and the configuration of the raised portion 553 of the knob 551 in modification 14 may be adopted for the rotating body 570 in modification 16.

[0169] The configuration applied to the imaging device mounted on the vehicle 600 in the above embodiments and modifications (for example, imaging devices 100, 100', 100'') may also be applied to other in-vehicle devices. Such in-vehicle devices may include all-driving assistance systems (for example, radar detectors), car navigation systems, ETC, devices that have a function to detect and notify the driver's state, such as distracted driving and drowsy driving, devices used for vehicle detection for devices that have a function to detect and notify obstacles around the vehicle 600, devices equipped with optical distance measuring sensors, sound devices, display devices, etc., which are devices that can be legally mounted on the vehicle body. Furthermore, the configuration applied to the imaging device mounted on the vehicle 600 in the above embodiments and modifications may also be applied to electronic devices other than in-vehicle devices. Such electronic devices may include devices with security functions, such as surveillance cameras and sensor devices installed in facilities (for example, inside buildings), and other devices. Furthermore, the configuration applied to the imaging device mounted on the vehicle 600 in the above embodiments and modifications may also be applied to devices other than electronic devices. Examples of such devices include cradles, which are devices used to fix electronic devices to the vehicle body, and other such devices.

[0170] The angle of the main body, which can be changed and fixed by the rotating body described in the above embodiments and modifications, may be in the vertical, horizontal, or other directions. The position where the rotating body is provided can also be appropriately selected, but it is particularly effective when the rotating operation part is provided on a surface facing the vehicle width direction (e.g., the second side surface 1013), as in the imaging device described in the above embodiments and modifications (e.g., imaging device 100, 100', 100''), because interference with the vehicle body such as the windshield (i.e., the mounting position) is more likely to occur. Furthermore, the closer the rotating body is to the vehicle body, the less noticeable its presence is when viewed from inside the vehicle. In particular, it is desirable to provide the rotating body in a position where at least a part of it is hidden by the bracket when viewed from inside the vehicle (e.g., the driver), in order to ensure aesthetics when viewed from inside the vehicle.

[0171] Furthermore, the protrusions in the configurations described in the above embodiments and modifications also function as movement-restricting means to suppress the movement of the finger used to rotate the rotating part in the rotational direction of the rotating part, and as hooking means for hooking the finger. The properties of the protrusions, such as shape, dimensions, material, and physical properties, may be changed as appropriate, as long as they perform these functions. For example, the movement-restricting means and the hooking means may be configured without protrusions, and may be realized from materials such as highly adhesive materials, materials with a high coefficient of friction against the finger, or elastic materials.

[0172] Furthermore, the scope of the present invention is not limited to the configurations explicitly described in the specification, but also includes combinations of various aspects of the present invention disclosed herein. While the configurations for which patent protection is sought are specified in the appended claims, we intend to include configurations disclosed herein that are not currently specified in the claims in the future.

[0173] The present invention is not limited to the configuration described in the embodiments above. The components of each embodiment and modification described above can be arbitrarily selected and combined. Furthermore, any component of each embodiment and modification can be arbitrarily combined with any component described in the means for solving the invention, or any component that embodies any component described in the means for solving the invention. The present application intends to obtain rights to these as well through amendments or divisional applications. Even if there are descriptions such as "in the case of" or "when," the configuration is not described as being limited to that case or time. Configurations that do not fall under these cases or times are also disclosed, and the present application intends to obtain rights to them. Also, even if there is a sequence of descriptions, it is not limited to that order. Configurations with some parts deleted or the order rearranged are also disclosed, and the present application intends to obtain rights to them.

[0174] Furthermore, by converting to a design registration application, we intend to acquire rights to the overall design or a partial design. The drawing depicts the entire device with solid lines, but it is a drawing that includes not only the overall design but also partial designs claimed for parts of the device. For example, it is a drawing that includes not only a partial design for a part of the device's components, but also a partial design for a part of the device regardless of its components. A part of the device may be a component of the device, or a part of a component. We intend to acquire rights to the overall design, as well as to any part of the drawing where a solid line portion is represented as a dashed line. In addition, all modules, components, and parts inside the device's casing that are shown in the drawing are independently tradable, and we intend to acquire rights to them by converting to a design registration application. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0175] 100 Imaging device 200 Imaging device 300 Cable 600 vehicles 110 Main Unit 120 bracket 121 Bearing 101 cabinets 400, 410, 420, 450, 460, 470, 480, 510, 520, 530, 540, 550, 570 Rotating solids 401, 411, 421, 431, 441, 451, 461, 471, 481, 491, 511, 521, 551 Rotary operation part (knob) 561 Rotary control section (dial) 402, 412, 422, 452, 462, 482, 512, 522, 532, 542, 552, shaft part 403, 423, 433, 453, 463, 473, 483, 493, 523 Base 404, 414, 424, 434, 484, 494 Protrusions (ribs) 553 Protrusion (protrusion) 405, 415, 425, 485, 486, 495 through holes 151 Imaging Lens 160-turn tightening structure 161 Fixed clamping plate 162 Movable clamping plate 163 Nut Stay 164 nuts 12 Input section 13 Display section 14. Audio output section 15. Photography Department 16 Communications Department 11 Control Unit 17. Sensor Unit 18 Reader / Writer 500 storage medium 19 Terminal section 20 Location information acquisition section 21 Publishing Department 22 Power Control Unit

Claims

1. An electronic device, The main unit with a casing, A bracket for attaching the main body to the vehicle body, Equipped with, The main body includes a rotational tightening structure that fixes the angle of the main body relative to the bracket by tightening a rotating body having a rotating operating part exposed on the outside of the housing around a rotation axis. The rotating operating part has a gradient shape in which the cross-sectional area decreases in the direction away from the housing, The rotating body comprises a head portion serving as the rotation operating part and a shaft portion having thermal conductivity serving as the rotation shaft. The rotating operating section is an electronic device having a heat dissipation means for releasing heat from inside the main body to the outside via the shaft.

2. The head is A thermally conductive substrate, The heat dissipation means includes a heat-conductive heat dissipation fin provided radially outward from the substrate, The electronic device according to claim 1, comprising:

3. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the heat dissipation means is a plurality of parallel heat dissipation fins provided on the head portion in the axial direction of the shaft portion.

4. The head is A base having a cylindrical shape, The heat dissipation means includes a bellows-shaped fibrous member that covers the side surface of the base, The electronic device according to claim 1, comprising:

5. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the head has a through hole, and the tip of the shaft is inserted into the through hole, fixed inside the through hole, and open to the outside.

6. The electronic device according to claim 5, wherein the heat dissipation means is a through hole formed in the shaft portion in the axial direction for air cooling the main body.

7. The electronic device according to claim 6, wherein the heat dissipation means is a plurality of heat dissipation fins formed on the tip of the shaft portion.

8. The electronic device according to claim 7, wherein the plurality of heat dissipation fins are open to the outside inside the through hole of the head.

9. An electronic device comprising a main body with a housing and a bracket for attaching the main body to a vehicle body, wherein a rotating body is rotated by tightening to fix the angle of the main body with respect to the bracket, The head portion exposed on the outside of the aforementioned housing, A heat-conductive shaft portion which serves as the rotation axis of the head, A heat dissipation means for releasing heat from inside the main body via the shaft portion, Equipped with, The head is a rotating body having a gradient shape in which the cross-sectional area decreases in the direction away from the housing.

Images