Camera mounting device and vehicle

Abstract

To provide a camera mounting device which eliminates the need to install an additional bracket, simplifies the mounting structure and mounting steps, reduces cost, and reliably fixes a camera.SOLUTION: The present invention provides a camera mounting device. The camera mounting device includes: a substrate 101 having at least one imaging hole formed therein; and elastic members 103, where, for each imaging hole, at least two of the elastic members are provided, the at least two elastic members being arranged on the substrate so as to be positioned respectively on both sides of the axis of the imaging hole. A camera 102 is interposed between the at least two elastic members, and a lens of the camera is directed toward the imaging hole.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of vehicle manufacturing, and more specifically, to a camera mounting device and a vehicle.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, the mounting of a narrow-angle camera and a wide-angle camera on a vehicle has been performed by mounting the cameras on an adhesive plate using a front camera bracket and a holding member, and then attaching the adhesive plate to the front glass. The harness / wiring of the camera is mounted inside the bracket. In the conventional camera mounting method, it is necessary to install an additional bracket to mount the camera on the adhesive plate, the mounting steps are complicated, the size of the bracket is large and wide, and the occupied space is large, so the size of the adhesive plate becomes large, the harness / wiring of the camera becomes long, and a larger accommodation space is required. Also, the thermal pads inside the holding member dissipate heat, which has an adverse thermal effect on the bracket structure.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0003] Therefore, in order to eliminate or reduce at least some of the drawbacks existing in the above prior art, it is necessary to provide an improved camera mounting device.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0004] According to a first aspect of the present invention, a substrate having at least one imaging hole, an elastic member, wherein at least two elastic members correspond to each imaging hole, and the at least two elastic members are arranged on both sides of the axis of the imaging hole on the substrate, the camera is interposed between the at least two elastic members, and the lens of the camera is directed towards and aligned with the imaging hole, and provides a camera mounting device including the elastic member.

[0005] Optionally, the camera mounting device includes a projection that extends along a direction away from the surface of the substrate, an elastic member is installed on the projection, and the projection has a recessed structure for housing the camera.

[0006] Optionally, the protrusion includes a first protruding wall and a second protruding wall, which are arranged on the substrate so as to be on both sides of the axis of the imaging hole, respectively, and the elastic member is installed on either the first or second protruding wall, and the recessed structure is formed between the first and second protruding walls.

[0007] Optionally, ribs are formed inside the recessed structure.

[0008] Optionally, the protrusion further includes a third protruding wall, the third protruding wall being formed on the side of the first and second protruding walls away from the imaging holes, and the distance between the upper surfaces of the first and second protruding walls and the substrate gradually decreases in the direction away from the third protruding wall and toward the imaging hole, such that the camera is at an angle to the substrate.

[0009] Optionally, the distance between the first protruding wall and the second protruding wall is 26.5 mm to 28 mm, and / or The angle between the camera and the circuit board is 21° to 23°.

[0010] Optionally, the elastic member is an elastic sheet member.

[0011] Optionally, each elastic sheet member includes a first section and a second section, the first section of each elastic sheet member extending in a direction away from the surface of the substrate, and the second section of each elastic sheet member extending from the end of the first section of the elastic sheet member toward the elastic sheet member located on the other side of the axis of the imaging hole.

[0012] According to a second aspect of the present invention, a vehicle having the camera mounting device is provided.

[0013] Optionally, the vehicle includes a windshield, and the camera mounting device is attached to the windshield via a circuit board. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] The camera mounting device according to the present invention is configured to include a substrate and elastic members, and at least two elastic members are arranged on the substrate so as to be on both sides of the axis of the imaging hole. By interposing the camera between at least two elastic members, the camera can be directly attached to the substrate, eliminating the need to install additional brackets, simplifying the mounting structure and steps, and reducing costs. At the same time, by interposing and fixing the camera between the elastic members, it is possible to ensure that the camera is securely fixed, and the camera can be easily removed from the substrate by deforming the elastic members. Furthermore, since the camera is directly attached to the substrate, there are no thermal effects, and the camera wiring arrangement becomes simpler.

[0015] Specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. Those skilled in the art will be able to clearly understand the above and other objectives, advantages, and features of the present invention. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0016] The features, advantages, and exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same reference numerals indicate the same components. [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram showing the camera mounting device according to an embodiment of the present invention when used on a windshield. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of the camera mounting device when it is used on the windshield. [Figure 3] Figure 1 is a partially exploded perspective view of the camera mounting device. [Figure 4] This is a schematic diagram showing the process of attaching a camera to the camera mounting device shown in Figure 1. [Figure 5] This is another schematic diagram showing the process of attaching a camera to the camera mounting device shown in Figure 1. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0017] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The description of exemplary embodiments is illustrative only and does not limit the present invention or its applications or use. Furthermore, the sizes and proportions of the components shown in the drawings are approximate and do not strictly correspond to actual products.

[0018] The present invention provides a camera mounting device comprising a substrate 101 and elastic members 103. The substrate 101 has at least one imaging hole 110 (see Figure 3). Each imaging hole 110 is associated with at least two elastic members 103, and the at least two elastic members 103 are arranged on the substrate 101 so as to be on opposite sides of the axis of the imaging hole 110. A camera 102 is interposed between at least two elastic members 103, and the lens of the camera 102 is directed towards the imaging hole 110 and aligned with respect to the imaging hole 110. The camera mounting device according to an embodiment of the present invention is configured to include a substrate 101 and elastic members 103, and at least two elastic members 103 are arranged on the substrate 101 so as to be on both sides of the axis of the imaging hole 110. By interposing the camera 102 between at least two elastic members 103, the camera 102 can be directly attached to the substrate 101, eliminating the need to install additional brackets, simplifying the mounting structure and steps, and reducing costs. At the same time, by interposing and fixing the camera 102 between the elastic members 103, it is ensured that the camera 102 is securely fixed, eliminating the need to add a separate protective cover or the like to the camera 102, and the camera 102 can be easily removed from the substrate 101 by deforming the elastic members 103. Furthermore, since the camera 102 is directly attached to the substrate 101, there are no thermal effects, and the wiring arrangement of the camera 102 becomes simpler. This camera mounting device may be applied to any device or vehicle that requires the mounting of a camera 102, including but not limited to vehicles, self-driving robots, and self-service robots.

[0019] The present invention further provides a vehicle having the camera mounting device. In particular, the vehicle includes a windshield 200, and the camera mounting device is attached to the windshield 200 via a substrate 101. The substrate 101 is usually attached to the windshield 200. It is understood that the substrate 101 may be attached by other fixing methods, for example, adsorbed to the windshield 200 by a suction cup. By attaching the camera mounting device to the windshield 200, reliable and simple installation of the front camera 102 can be achieved. This vehicle may be a vehicle using an ADAS (Advanced Driving Assistance System), or may be other vehicles other than ADAS vehicles.

[0020] Hereinafter, the configuration of the camera mounting device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, only a part of the windshield 200 is shown.

[0021] For convenience of explanation, in FIG. 2, the X direction, Y direction, and Z direction are shown, and taking as an example that the camera mounting device is attached to the windshield 200 of the vehicle, the X direction is substantially parallel to the vertical height direction of the windshield 200, the Y direction is substantially parallel to the left - right length direction of the windshield 200, and the Z direction is substantially perpendicular to the X direction and the Y direction. At the same time, in FIG. 2, the angle α between the axis of the shooting hole 110 and the X direction is schematically shown by a broken line, and this is also the angle α between the axis of the camera 102 and the substrate 101. Also, the descriptions such as "up", "down", "left", "right" used in this specification are similarly exemplified by the case where the camera mounting device is attached to the windshield 200 of the vehicle.

[0022] The number of shooting holes 110 provided in the substrate 101 may be one or more, for example, one, two, or four. One camera 102 is installed corresponding to each shooting hole 110. The cameras 102 may usually be narrow - angle cameras or wide - angle cameras respectively.

[0023] Each imaging hole 110 is associated with at least two elastic members 103, which are arranged on the substrate 101 so as to be on either side of the axis of the imaging hole 110. In other words, at least one elastic member 103 should be installed on each side of the imaging hole 110 along the Y direction, so that when the camera 102 is interposed between these elastic members 103, the lens of the camera 102 can be directed towards the imaging hole 110 and aligned with it. The elastic members 103 primarily hold the camera 102 in the Z direction. Typically, the lens of the camera 102 faces the imaging hole 110 directly, and the axis of the imaging hole 110 coincides with the axis of the camera 102. For example, each imaging hole 110 is associated with two elastic members 103, one of which is located to the left of the axis of the imaging hole 110, and the other elastic member 103 is located to the right of the axis of the imaging hole 110. Alternatively, for example, each imaging hole 110 is associated with three elastic members 103, two of which are located to the left of the axis of the imaging hole 110, and the remaining elastic member 103 is located to the right of the axis of the imaging hole 110.

[0024] In the camera mounting device of the embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2, the substrate 101 has two imaging holes 110. Above each imaging hole 110, one elastic member 103 is symmetrically installed on both the left and right sides of the axis of the imaging hole 110. Two cameras 102 are interposed between the two corresponding elastic members 103, and the lenses of each camera 102 are directed toward the corresponding imaging hole 110. The two cameras 102 may be a narrow-angle camera and a wide-angle camera, and are used for monitoring visibility in front of the vehicle.

[0025] In some embodiments, the elastic member 103 may be an elastic sheet member. By using a sheet-like elastic member 103 and bending the elastic sheet member outward, the distance between two opposing elastic sheet members can be increased, making it easier to remove the camera 102. At the same time, the structure of the elastic sheet member is simple, and it is easy to fix the elastic sheet member to the substrate 101. Typically, a metal elastic member 103 is used, which is aesthetically pleasing and highly durable. It is understood that elastic members 103 of other materials may also be used.

[0026] Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of the camera mounting device of Figure 1. Referring to Figure 3, in a preferred embodiment, each elastic sheet member may include a first section 131 and a second section 132, the first section 131 of each elastic sheet member extending away from the surface of the substrate 101, and the second section 132 of each elastic sheet member extending from the end of the first section 131 of the elastic sheet member toward the elastic sheet member located on the other side of the axis of the imaging hole 110. The configuration of the elastic sheet member to include a first section 131 and a second section 132 ensures that when the camera 102 is inserted between the two opposing elastic sheet members, the second section 132 of the elastic sheet member is exposed to the outer surface of the camera 102, applying pressure to the outer surface of the camera 102, and also ensures that the camera 102 is securely fixed due to the large clamping force between the two opposing second sections 132. Furthermore, to ensure more secure fixation, a projection 120 may be further formed on the outer surface of the camera 102, which is configured to align with the second section 132, so that when the camera 102 is inserted between two opposing elastic sheet members, the second section 132 of the elastic sheet member is released to the projection 120 of the camera 102 and fixed to the camera 102. Referring also to Figure 2, the first section 131 is formed substantially extending from the substrate 101 in the Z direction, and the second section 132 is formed extending from the end of the first section 131 of the elastic member 103 toward the side of the other elastic member 103. The first section 131 may be straight or curved. As shown in Figure 3, the first section 131 is preferably curved, as a curved first section 131 can provide greater clamping and deformation capabilities compared to a straight structure.

[0027] In some embodiments, the camera mounting device according to the embodiment of the present invention may include a protrusion 104, which is formed extending along a direction away from the surface of the substrate 101, and an elastic member 103 is installed on the protrusion 104, and a recessed structure 140 is formed on the protrusion 104, which accommodates the camera 102. By installing the protrusion 104 and forming a recessed structure 140 on the protrusion 104 for accommodating the camera 102, the camera 102 can have an appropriate angle with respect to the substrate 101, and at the same time, the camera 102 can be better stabilized by the fitting of the recessed structure 140 and the elastic member 103. In the embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2, the camera 102 mounting device includes two protrusions 104, one of which corresponds to one imaging hole 110 and one camera 102, and the protrusion 104 is formed extending toward the inside of the vehicle in substantially the Z direction.

[0028] As can be seen from Figures 2 and 3, the protrusion 104 may include a first protrusion wall 141 and a second protrusion wall 142, which are positioned on both sides of the axis of the imaging hole 110 on the substrate 101, respectively. The elastic member 103 is installed on either the first protrusion wall 141 or the second protrusion wall 142, and the recess structure 140 is formed between the first protrusion wall 141 and the second protrusion wall 142. By installing the first protrusion wall 141 and the second protrusion wall 142 in conjunction with the elastic member 103, the position of the camera 102 on the substrate 101 can always be kept constant, which helps to securely fix the camera 102 and prevent it from moving. When multiple protrusions 104 are installed, it is understood that adjacent protrusions 104 can share a protrusion wall. The elastic member 103 and the protrusion 104 are assembled as a single unit. Referring to Figure 3, clamp grooves are provided in the first protruding wall 141 and the second protruding wall 142, a clamp rod is placed in the clamp groove, and the elastic sheet member is bent and passed through the clamp rod in the clamp groove, thereby fixing the elastic sheet member to the protruding portion 104.

[0029] In some embodiments, ribs 144 may be further formed inside the recessed structure 140. The ribs 144 can help slide and secure the surface of the camera 102. To better accommodate the camera 102, an arc-shaped surface is usually formed inside the recessed structure 140. The recessed structure 140 may be formed to have an arc-shaped surface as a whole, or a structure having an arc-shaped surface may be formed inside the recessed structure 140. In the embodiment shown in Figure 3, a structure having an arc-shaped surface extends inside the recessed structure 140 between the first protruding wall 141 and the second protruding wall 142, along the direction away from the surface of the substrate 101, and ribs 144 are formed on this structure. In the recessed structure 140, a plurality of ribs 144, for example, three ribs 144 may be spaced apart between the first protruding wall 141 and the second protruding wall 142. The ribs 144 usually have a smooth upper surface.

[0030] The protrusion 104 may further include a third protruding wall 143, which is formed on the side of the first protruding wall 141 and the second protruding wall 142 away from the imaging hole 110, and the distance between the upper surfaces of the first protruding wall 141 and the second protruding wall 142 and the substrate 101 gradually decreases in the direction away from the third protruding wall 143 and toward the imaging hole 110, so that the camera 102 is at an angle with respect to the substrate 101. By installing the third protruding wall 143, better stability and a fixed position can be provided for the camera 102. For example, as can be seen in Figure 3, the third protruding wall 143 can abut against the back of the camera 102, and by installing the first protruding wall 141 and the second protruding wall 142 in a slope structure, the camera 102 can be installed at an angle with respect to the substrate 101, which is advantageous for positioning the lens of the camera 102 toward the imaging hole 110 and for alignment with the imaging hole 110. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the first protruding wall 141, the second protruding wall 142, and the third protruding wall 143 are formed extending toward the inside of the vehicle in approximately the Z direction, and the first protruding wall 141 and the second protruding wall 142 are symmetrically positioned on both the left and right sides of the axis of the camera hole 110 along the Y direction, while the third protruding wall 143 is formed toward each other on the sides of the first protruding wall 141 and the second protruding wall 142 that are away from the camera hole 110.

[0031] The distance between the first protruding wall 141 and the second protruding wall 142 may be 26.5 mm to 28 mm, for example, 26.5 mm, 27.8 mm, and 28 mm. The structures of the multiple protrusions 104 located on the same substrate 101 may be exactly the same, that is, the distance between the first protruding wall 141 and the second protruding wall 142 is the same, in which case the elasticity of the elastic member 103 can be used to adjust the mounting space for the camera to fit cameras 102 of different sizes. Of course, the structures of the multiple protrusions 104 located on the same substrate 101 may be different.

[0032] The angle of the angle between the camera 102 and the substrate 101 may typically be between 21° and 23°, for example, 21°, 22°, or 23°.

[0033] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing the process of mounting the camera 102 to the camera mounting device of Figure 1. Figure 5 is another schematic diagram showing the process of mounting the camera 102 to the camera mounting device of Figure 1. Figures 1 and 2 are schematic diagrams after the camera 102 has been mounted. When using the camera mounting device according to an embodiment of the present invention in a vehicle, the camera 102 is inserted from the Z direction between the two elastic members 103, and the insertion is continued until the camera 102 is housed in the recessed structure 140, and then the substrate 101 is attached to the windshield 200 to complete the mounting of the front camera 102. When using the camera mounting device according to an embodiment of the present invention in a vehicle, the substrate 101 can also be attached to the windshield 200 first, and then the camera 102 is inserted from the Z direction between the two elastic members 103, and the insertion is continued until the camera 102 is housed in the recessed structure 140 to complete the mounting of the front camera 102. In Figure 4, the camera 102 is about to be inserted between the two elastic members 103, and in Figure 5, the camera 102 has already been inserted between the two elastic members 103 and is housed within the recessed structure 140.

[0034] In this specification, any reference to terms such as “one embodiment,” “several embodiments,” “one example,” “several examples,” or “preferred embodiment” means that the specific features, structures, materials, or properties described in relation to such embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, a general expression for the above terms does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or properties described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0035] Embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above. However, the embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the embodiments described above. Various modifications and substitutions can be applied to the above embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A substrate with at least one imaging hole, An elastic member, wherein each of the imaging holes is corresponding to at least two elastic members, the at least two elastic members are arranged on the substrate so as to be on both sides of the axis of the imaging hole, the camera is interposed between the at least two elastic members, and the lens of the camera is directed towards the imaging hole and aligned with an elastic member relative to the imaging hole, Includes, The camera mounting device includes a protrusion formed extending in a direction away from the surface of the substrate, The aforementioned protrusion includes a first protruding wall, a second protruding wall, and a third protruding wall. The first and second protruding walls are arranged on the substrate so as to be on both sides of the axis of the imaging hole, and the elastic member is installed on the first or second protruding wall. The camera mounting device is characterized in that the third protruding wall is formed on the side of the first protruding wall and the second protruding wall away from the imaging hole, and contacts the back of the camera.

2. The camera mounting device according to claim 1, characterized in that a recessed structure for housing the camera is formed in the protruding portion.

3. The camera mounting device according to claim 2, characterized in that the recessed structure is formed between the first protruding wall and the second protruding wall.

4. The camera mounting device according to claim 2, characterized in that a rib is formed inside the recessed structure.

5. The camera mounting device according to claim 3, characterized in that the distance between the upper surface of the first protruding wall and the upper surface of the second protruding wall and the substrate gradually decreases in the direction away from the third protruding wall and toward the imaging hole, such that the camera forms an angle with respect to the substrate.

6. The distance between the first protruding wall and the second protruding wall is 26.5 mm to 28 mm, and / or The camera mounting device according to claim 5, characterized in that the angle of the angle between the camera and the substrate is 21° to 23°.

7. The camera mounting device according to claim 1, characterized in that the elastic member is an elastic sheet member.

8. The camera mounting device according to claim 7, wherein each of the elastic sheet members includes a first section and a second section, the first section of each elastic sheet member extends in a direction away from the surface of the substrate, and the second section of each elastic sheet member extends from the end of the first section of the elastic sheet member toward the elastic sheet member located on the other side of the axis of the imaging hole.

9. A vehicle characterized by being equipped with a camera mounting device according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. The vehicle according to claim 9, wherein the vehicle includes a windshield, and the camera mounting device is attached to the windshield via the substrate.

Images