Dome camera

Abstract

The present application provides a dome camera. The dome camera comprises a mounting bracket and a dome camera body connected to the mounting bracket. The dome camera body comprises: a body structure, the body structure comprising a main housing and a lens fixed in the main housing; an extension structure, the extension structure comprising an extension housing; and a connection structure, the extension housing being fixed at one end of the main housing by means of the connection structure. The present application can reduce the costs of the dome camera.

Description

Spherical camera

[0001] The present application claims priority to the Chinese patent application No. 202422430423.9, filed on September 30, 2024, and entitled "Spherical camera", the content of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The present application relates to the field of camera technology, and in particular, to a spherical camera. BACKGROUND

[0003] With the increasing application of spherical cameras in various industries, the functions of the spherical cameras are becoming more and more diversified, and the types of the spherical cameras are also becoming more and more various. For example, infrared spherical cameras, thermal imaging spherical cameras, binocular infrared spherical cameras, laser spherical cameras, etc.

[0004] The devices included in different types of spherical cameras are not completely the same, and the installation positions of the devices are also not completely the same. Therefore, in one related technology, the above-mentioned different types of spherical cameras are designed respectively. However, this will result in poor universality of the spherical cameras, non-uniform structure, and the need to design different molds for different types of spherical cameras, thereby increasing the manufacturing cost of the spherical cameras. SUMMARY

[0005] In order to solve the above technical problems, the present application provides a spherical camera, which can reduce the cost of the spherical camera.

[0006] In a first aspect of the present application, a spherical camera is provided, which includes a mounting bracket and a spherical camera main body connected to the mounting bracket. The spherical camera main body is rotatably connected to the mounting bracket, so that the spherical camera main body is convenient to rotate around the mounting bracket, thereby obtaining image information at different positions.

[0007] The spherical camera main body includes a main body structure, an expansion structure and a connecting structure. The main body structure includes a main shell and an imaging lens fixed in the main shell. The imaging lens can be a main imaging lens for obtaining image information. The expansion structure includes an expansion shell. The expansion shell can be an empty shell, i.e., no device is installed in the expansion shell; or the expansion shell can be an expansion shell with auxiliary camera devices installed inside, which can be, for example, a fill light, an auxiliary lens, etc. The auxiliary lens can be, for example, a thermal imaging lens or other imaging lens, etc. The expansion shell is fixed to one end of the main shell through the connecting structure.

[0008] In the production of the spherical camera, in one possible way, the main body structure, the extension structure and the connecting structure are produced respectively, and then the extension structure is mounted on the main body structure through the connecting structure. In another possible way, the main body structure and the extension structure are produced respectively, and then the main body structure and the extension structure are fixed through auxiliary connecting material, so as to form the connecting structure between the main body structure and the extension structure. Since the main imaging lens is arranged in any type of spherical camera, and the main imaging lens is fixed in the main shell, the installation position of the main imaging lens in the main shell is basically the same. Therefore, the main body structure of different types of spherical cameras can be the same. In actual production, the main body structure can be produced in batches, and the main body structure can be mounted with extension structures of different structures, that is, different types of spherical cameras can be obtained, thereby improving the universality of the main body structure, so as to better realize the batch production of the main body structure, improve the production efficiency, and reduce the production cost. Moreover, the same mold of the main body structure can be used in the production of different types of spherical cameras, thereby reducing the mold cost and the cost of the spherical camera.

[0009] For the connection mode between the main shell and the extension shell, in one possible embodiment, part of the main shell and part of the extension shell are nested. In this case, the connecting structure includes a fastener, which is arranged through and fixed at the nested part of the main shell and the extension shell, so as to fixedly connect the extension shell and the main shell. Thus, the connection area of the main shell and the extension shell is larger, so as to improve the connection stability between the main shell and the extension shell.

[0010] In one example, part of the main shell extends into the extension shell, and the outer wall of the part of the main shell extending into the extension shell can be in contact with the inner wall of the extension shell. The main shell includes a first shell body and a first built-in layer fixed in the first shell body. The first built-in layer is provided with a first threaded hole. The fastener includes a bolt, which is arranged through the extension shell, the first shell body and the first built-in layer, and is connected with the first threaded hole. Specifically, the extension shell can be provided with a first through hole, the first shell body can be provided with a second through hole, the first through hole, the second through hole and the first threaded hole are communicated, the bolt can pass through the first through hole, the second through hole and the first threaded hole in sequence, and is screwed in the first threaded hole. This connecting structure is simple and firm.

[0011] Further, the first built-in layer is arranged to extend inwardly from the first shell body near the end of the first shell body close to the extension shell, and the first built-in layer covers part of the area on the first shell body, that is, the dimension of the first built-in layer along the first direction is less than the dimension of the first shell body along the first direction, and the first direction can be the direction in which the main structure points to the extension structure. On the one hand, the fastener can be provided with sufficient mounting positions; on the other hand, the dimension of the second built-in layer along the first direction is not too large, so that the material can be saved, and the cost of the spherical camera can be further reduced.

[0012] In another example, part of the extension shell extends into the main shell, and the outer wall of the part of the extension shell extending into the main shell can be in contact with the inner wall of the main shell. The extension shell comprises a second shell body and a second built-in layer fixed in the second shell body. The second built-in layer is provided with a second threaded hole. The fastener comprises a bolt, the bolt is arranged to pass through the main shell, the second shell body and the second built-in layer, and is connected with the second threaded hole. Specifically, the first shell body can be provided with a first through hole, the second shell body can be provided with a second through hole, the first through hole, the second through hole and the second threaded hole are communicated, the bolt can pass through the first through hole, the second through hole and the second threaded hole in sequence, and is screwed in the second threaded hole. The connection structure is simple and firm.

[0013] Further, the second built-in layer is arranged to extend inwardly from the second shell body near the end of the second shell body close to the main shell, and the second built-in layer covers part of the area on the second shell body, that is, the dimension of the second built-in layer along the first direction is less than the dimension of the second shell body along the first direction. On the one hand, the fastener can be provided with sufficient mounting positions; on the other hand, the dimension of the second built-in layer along the first direction is not too large, so that the material can be saved, and the cost of the spherical camera can be further reduced.

[0014] Based on this, the connection structure further comprises a sealing member, the sealing member is fixed at the nesting position of the main shell and the extension shell, and covers the fastener. On the one hand, the sealing member can cover the gap between the fastener and the main shell or the extension shell while covering the fastener, so that the sealing performance can be improved. On the other hand, from the outside of the spherical camera, the fastener cannot be observed, so that the appearance of the spherical camera can be improved.

[0015] For the connection between the main shell and the extension shell, in another possible implementation, the connection structure includes a welding portion, the main shell and the extension shell are oppositely arranged and fixedly connected through the welding portion. In the process of manufacturing the spherical camera, the main structure and the extension structure can be manufactured first. The main shell in the main structure and the extension shell in the extension structure can both be made of metal materials. Then the main structure and the extension structure are welded, for example, laser welding, so as to form the welding portion between the main structure and the extension structure, that is, the welding portion between the main shell and the extension shell. By using the welding manufacturing method, on the one hand, the gap between the main shell and the extension shell can be avoided, so as to improve the sealing performance. On the other hand, the connection stability between the main shell and the extension shell can also be improved.

[0016] For the connection between the main shell and the extension shell, in another possible implementation, the connection structure includes a sealing glue, the main shell and the extension shell are oppositely arranged and fixedly connected through the sealing glue. In the process of manufacturing the spherical camera, the main structure and the extension structure can be manufactured first. The main shell in the main structure and the extension shell in the extension structure can both be made of plastic materials. Then the main structure and the extension structure are welded, for example, ultrasonic welding. So as to form the sealing glue between the main structure and the extension structure, that is, the sealing glue between the main shell and the extension shell. By using the welding manufacturing method, on the one hand, the gap between the main shell and the extension shell can be avoided, so as to improve the sealing performance. On the other hand, the connection stability between the main shell and the extension shell can also be improved.

[0017] In some embodiments of the present application, the size of the main shell along the first direction is greater than the size of the extension shell along the first direction, and the first direction is the direction in which the main structure points to the extension structure. The imaging lens fixed in the main shell is a main imaging lens for acquiring image information. The extension shell can be fixed with other camera auxiliary devices in addition to the main imaging lens. The size of the imaging lens is usually large, so the size of the main shell along the first direction is set to be greater than the size of the extension shell along the first direction, which can provide more installation space for the imaging lens.

[0018] The extension structure further includes a support and a camera auxiliary device, which can be a thermal imaging lens, a light supplement lamp, etc. The camera auxiliary device can be located in the extension shell and fixed on the support.

[0019] For the fixed position of the support, in one possible implementation, a part of the support is inserted into and fixed in the main shell, and the rest of the support is suspended in the extension shell, and the camera auxiliary device is fixed to the part of the support inserted into the extension shell. Since the main shell usually has a large size along the first direction, when a part of the support is inserted into and fixed in the main shell, the main shell can provide a large connection area for the part of the support, so that the fixing of the support in the main shell is more firm.

[0020] In another possible implementation, the support is located in the extension shell, and the camera auxiliary device is fixed in the extension shell through the support. Thus, in the process of making the extension structure, the extension shell, the support and the camera auxiliary device can be made respectively, then the camera auxiliary device is installed on the support, and the support with the camera auxiliary device installed is installed on the extension shell, so as to complete the making of the extension structure. Then, the main body structure and the extension structure are fixed, so as to complete the making of the spherical camera. Since the support is located in the extension shell, it is more convenient to fix the main body structure and the extension structure.

[0021] In some implementations of the present application, the main shell comprises a first shell body and a first partition plate, and the first partition plate is fixed to one end of the first shell body facing the extension shell. In this way, the overall structural strength of the main shell is higher. And / or, the extension shell comprises a second shell body and a second partition plate, and the second partition plate is fixed to one end of the second shell body facing the main shell. In this way, the overall strength of the extension shell is higher. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0022] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, the following will briefly introduce the drawings needed to be used in the description of the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the present application, and other drawings can also be obtained by those skilled in the art without any creative labor.

[0023] FIG. 1a is a structural schematic diagram of the spherical camera as an infrared spherical camera;

[0024] FIG. 1b is a structural schematic diagram of the spherical camera as a thermal imaging spherical camera;

[0025] FIG. 1c is a structural schematic diagram of the spherical camera as a binocular infrared spherical camera;

[0026] FIG. 1d is a structural schematic diagram of the spherical camera as a laser spherical camera;

[0027] FIG. 2 is a structural schematic diagram of the spherical camera in the first embodiment of the present application;

[0028] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the disassembled structure of the spherical camera body of the spherical camera in the second embodiment of this application;

[0029] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the disassembled structure of the spherical camera body of the spherical camera in the third embodiment of this application;

[0030] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the disassembled structure of the spherical camera body of the spherical camera in the fourth embodiment of this application;

[0031] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the disassembled structure of the spherical camera body of the spherical camera in the fifth embodiment of this application;

[0032] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the spherical camera body of the spherical camera in the sixth embodiment of this application;

[0033] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of the disassembled structure of the spherical camera body of the spherical camera in the seventh embodiment of this application;

[0034] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of the disassembled structure of the spherical camera body of the spherical camera in the eighth embodiment of this application;

[0035] Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of the disassembled structure of the spherical camera body of the spherical camera in the ninth embodiment of this application;

[0036] Figure 11 is a schematic diagram of the disassembled structure of the spherical camera body of the spherical camera in the tenth embodiment of this application;

[0037] Figure 12 is a schematic diagram of the spherical camera body of the spherical camera in the eleventh embodiment of this application.

[0038] Icons: 1-Spherical camera; 100-Mounting bracket; 200-Spherical camera body; 201-Housing shell; 202-Near-infrared fill light; 203-Thermal imaging lens; 204-Laser fill light; 10-Main structure; 11-Main housing; 111-First housing body; 1112-Second through hole; 112-First internal layer; 1121-First threaded hole; 113-First partition; 12-Imaging lens; 13-First sensor board; 14-Lens bracket; 15-Main control board; 20-Extension structure; 21-Extension housing; 211-Second housing body; 2111-First through hole; 212-Second internal layer; 2121-Second threaded hole; 213-Second partition; 22-Bracket; 23-Camera auxiliary device; 231-Fill light; 232-Auxiliary lens; 233-Speaker; 24-Second sensor board; 30-Connection structure; 31-Sealing component; 32-Welding part; 33-Sealant; 34-Fastener. Detailed Implementation

[0039] With reference to the drawings of the embodiments of the present application, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described. Obviously, the described embodiments are some of the embodiments of the present application but not all of the embodiments of the present application. Based on the embodiments of the present application, all other embodiments obtained by a person of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of the present application.

[0040] The term "and / or" used herein is merely used to describe an associated relationship between associated objects, and means that three relationships can exist, for example, A and / or B can mean that three cases of A alone, A and B together, and B alone exist, where A and B can be singular or plural. The character " / " generally represents an "or" relationship between the front and rear associated objects. "At least one" means one or more, and "multiple" means two or more. "At least one of the following" or the like means any combination of these items, including any combination of single or multiple items. For example, at least one of a, b or c can mean a, b, c, "a and b", "a and c", "b and c", or "a and b and c", where a, b, and c can be singular or plural.

[0041] The terms "first" and "second" and the like in the description and claims of the embodiments of the present application are used to distinguish different objects, and are not used to describe a specific order of the objects. For example, the first target object and the second target object are used to distinguish different target objects, and are not used to describe a specific order of the target objects.

[0042] The terms "connected", "connected", and the like are used to express the intercommunication or interaction between different components, and can include direct connection or indirect connection through other components. In addition, the terms "include" and "have" and any variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, for example, including a series of steps or units. The method, system, product or device does not have to be limited to the clearly listed steps or units, but can include other steps or units that are not clearly listed or inherent to the process, method, product or device. "Up", "down", "left", "right", and the like are only used to describe the orientation of the components in the drawings, and these directional terms are relative concepts, which are used for relative description and clarification, and can change accordingly according to the change of the orientation of the components placed in the drawings.

[0043] In the embodiments of the present application, the word "exemplary" or "for example" is used to mean serving as an example, instance, or illustration. Any embodiment or design described in this application as "exemplary" or "for example" should not be construed as being preferred or advantageous over other embodiments or designs. Rather, use of the word "exemplary" or "for example" is intended to present concepts in a concrete manner.

[0044] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, the meaning of "plurality" is two or more, unless otherwise specified. For example, a plurality of processing units means two or more processing units; a plurality of systems means two or more systems.

[0045] With the increasing application of the spherical camera in various industries, the functions contained are more and more diversified, and the types of the spherical camera are more and more various. For example, the infrared spherical camera as shown in FIG. 1a, the thermal imaging spherical camera as shown in FIG. 1b, the binocular infrared spherical camera as shown in FIG. 1c, the laser spherical camera as shown in FIG. 1d, etc.

[0046] As shown in FIG. 1a, the spherical camera 1 can include a mounting bracket 100 and a spherical camera body 200, and the spherical camera body 200 is connected to the mounting bracket 100. The spherical camera body 200 can rotate around the mounting bracket 100 to obtain image information at different positions.

[0047] As shown in FIG. 1a, the spherical camera body 200 in the infrared spherical camera can include a shell 201, an imaging lens 12, and two near-infrared fill light 202. The imaging lens 12 and the two near-infrared fill light 202 are fixed in the shell 201, and the two near-infrared fill light 202 are respectively located on the two sides of the imaging lens 12.

[0048] As shown in FIG. 1b, the spherical camera body 200 in the thermal imaging spherical camera can include a shell 201, an imaging lens 12, a thermal imaging lens 203, and a near-infrared fill light 202. The imaging lens 12, the thermal imaging lens 203, and the near-infrared fill light 202 are fixed in the shell 201. The imaging lens 12 and the thermal imaging lens 203 are arranged side by side, and the near-infrared fill light 202 is located below the imaging lens 12 and the thermal imaging lens 203.

[0049] As shown in FIG. 1c, the spherical camera body 200 in the binocular infrared spherical camera can include a shell 201, an imaging lens 12, a thermal imaging lens 203, and two near-infrared fill light 202. The imaging lens 12, the thermal imaging lens 203, and the near-infrared fill light 202 are fixed in the shell 201. The imaging lens 12 and the thermal imaging lens 203 are arranged along a first direction Z, and the two near-infrared fill light 202 are respectively located on the two sides of the imaging lens 12.

[0050] As shown in FIG. 1d, the spherical camera body 200 in the laser spherical camera can include a shell 201, an imaging lens 12 and a laser fill light 204, wherein the imaging lens 12 and the laser fill light 204 are both fixed in the shell 201 and arranged side by side.

[0051] As can be seen from FIGS. 1a, 1b, 1c and 1d, the devices included in different types of spherical cameras 1 are not completely the same, and the installation positions of the devices are also not completely the same. Therefore, in the first related art, different designs are made for each of the above different types of spherical cameras 1, but this will result in poor universality and inconsistent structure of the spherical camera 1. In addition, different molds need to be designed for different types of spherical cameras 1, thereby increasing the manufacturing cost of the spherical camera 1.

[0052] In order to improve the universality of each spherical camera 1, in the second related art, all the devices mentioned above are included in the spherical camera body 200, that is, the imaging lens 12, the thermal imaging lens 203, the near-infrared fill light 202 and the laser fill light 204 are included in the spherical camera body 200. In this way, the spherical camera 1 can realize the functions of any one of the spherical cameras 1 shown in FIGS. 1a, 1b, 1c and 1d, thereby improving the universality.

[0053] However, due to the fact that the spherical camera 1 in the related art includes many devices, the volume of the spherical camera 1 will also be relatively large, thereby also resulting in high cost.

[0054] Based on this, the embodiment of the present application provides a spherical camera 1 which can reduce the manufacturing cost of the spherical camera 1.

[0055] As shown in FIG. 2, the spherical camera 1 includes a mounting bracket 100 and a spherical camera body 200 connected to the mounting bracket 100. The spherical camera body 200 is rotatably connected to the mounting bracket 100, so that the spherical camera body 200 is convenient to rotate around the mounting bracket 100, thereby obtaining image information at different positions.

[0056] As shown in FIG. 2, the spherical camera body 200 includes a body structure 10, an expansion structure 20 and a connecting structure 30.

[0057] As shown in FIG. 2, the body structure 10 includes a main shell 11 and an imaging lens 12 fixed in the main shell 11. Specifically, the body structure 10 can further include a lens bracket 14, and the imaging lens 12 can be fixed in the main shell 11 through the lens bracket 14. The imaging lens 12 can be a main imaging lens 12 for obtaining image information.

[0058] As shown in FIG. 2, the extension structure 20 can include an extension shell 21. The extension shell 21 can be fixed to one end of the main shell 11 through a connecting structure 30.

[0059] In manufacturing the spherical camera 1, in one possible manner, the main body structure 10, the extension structure 20 and the connecting structure 30 can be manufactured respectively, and then the extension structure 20 is installed on the main body structure 10 through the connecting structure 30. In another possible manner, the main body structure 10 and the extension structure 20 can be manufactured respectively, and then the main body structure 10 and the extension structure 20 are fixed through auxiliary connecting materials, so as to form the connecting structure 30 between the main body structure 10 and the extension structure 20. Since the main imaging lens 12 is arranged in any type of the spherical camera 1, and the main imaging lens 12 is fixed in the main shell 11, the installation position of the main imaging lens 12 in the main shell 11 is basically the same. Therefore, the main body structure 10 of different types of the spherical camera 1 is the same. In actual production, the main body structure 10 can be manufactured in batches, and is installed with the extension structure 20 of different structures, so as to obtain different types of the spherical camera 1. In this way, the universality of the main body structure 10 can be improved, so as to better realize the batch production of the main body structure 10, improve the production efficiency, and reduce the production cost. Moreover, the same mold of the main body structure 10 can be shared in manufacturing different types of the spherical camera 1, so as to reduce the mold cost, and thus reduce the cost of the spherical camera 1.

[0060] In addition, in the second related technology, only part of the devices is used for any purpose of the spherical camera 1, and the remaining devices are idle, which causes waste of resources. In the embodiment, the camera auxiliary device 23 can be selected according to actual needs, and all types of the camera auxiliary device 23 do not need to be installed in the extension shell 21, so as to avoid waste of resources.

[0061] In the embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the extension shell 21 can be an empty shell, that is, no device is installed in the extension shell 21. As shown in FIG. 4, FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, the extension shell 21 can also be an extension shell 21 in which the camera auxiliary device 23 is installed. In one example, as shown in FIG. 4, the camera auxiliary device 23 can be a light supplement lamp 231. Specifically, the light supplement lamp 231 can be a near-infrared light supplement lamp or a laser lamp. As shown in FIG. 5, the camera auxiliary device 23 can be an auxiliary lens 232. The auxiliary lens can be, for example, a thermal imaging lens or other imaging lens. As shown in FIG. 6, the camera auxiliary device 23 can be a loudspeaker 233.

[0062] Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the main body structure 10 can further include a first sensor board 13 and a main control board 15. The first sensor board 13 can be electrically connected with the imaging lens 12, so as to collect image or video information taken by the imaging lens 12. The first sensor board 13 can be electrically connected with the main control board 15, so that the first sensor board 13 can transmit the collected image or video information to the main control board 15. The main control board 15 can further control the rotation of the spherical camera body 200 according to the indication of the network side.

[0063] When the camera auxiliary device 23 is a thermal imaging lens or other imaging lens, as shown in FIG. 2, the extension structure 20 can further include a second sensor board 24. The second sensor board 24 can be electrically connected with the thermal imaging lens or other imaging lens, so as to collect image or video information taken by the thermal imaging lens or other imaging lens. The second sensor board 24 can be electrically connected with the main control board 15, so as to transmit the collected image or video information to the main control board 15.

[0064] For the connection mode between the main shell 11 and the extension shell 21, in one possible implementation, as shown in FIG. 7, part of the main shell 11 and part of the extension shell 21 are nested. In this case, the connection structure 30 includes a fastener 34, which is provided through and fixed to the nested part of the main shell 11 and the extension shell 21, so as to fixedly connect the extension shell 21 and the main shell 11. In this way, the connection area of the main shell 11 and the extension shell 21 is relatively large, so that the connection stability between the main shell 11 and the extension shell 21 can be improved.

[0065] In one example, as shown in FIG. 7, part of the main shell 11 extends into the extension shell 21, and the outer wall of the part of the main shell 11 extending into the extension shell 21 can be in contact with the inner wall of the extension shell 21. Specifically, the main shell 11 includes a first shell body 111 and a first built-in layer 112 fixed in the first shell body 111. The first built-in layer 112 is provided with a first threaded hole 1121. The fastener 34 includes a bolt, which is provided through the extension shell 21, the first shell body 111 and the first built-in layer 112, and is connected with the first threaded hole 1121. Specifically, the extension shell 21 can be provided with a first through hole 2111, and the first shell body 111 can be provided with a second through hole 1112. The first through hole 2111, the second through hole 1112 and the first threaded hole 1121 are communicated, and the bolt can pass through the first through hole 2111, the second through hole 1112 and the first threaded hole 1121 in sequence and be screwed in the first threaded hole 1121. This connection structure 30 is relatively simple and firm.

[0066] Further, as shown in FIG. 7, the first built-in layer 112 is arranged to extend inwardly from the first shell body 111 near the end of the extension shell 21, and the first built-in layer 112 covers part of the area on the first shell body 111, that is, the size of the first built-in layer 112 along the first direction Z is less than the size of the first shell body 111 along the first direction Z, and the first direction Z can be the direction in which the main structure 10 points to the extension structure 20. On the one hand, it can provide sufficient mounting position for the fastener 34; on the other hand, the size of the second built-in layer 212 along the first direction Z will not be too large, thereby saving materials and further reducing the cost of the spherical camera 1.

[0067] In another example, as shown in FIG. 8, part of the extension shell 21 extends into the main shell 11, and the outer wall of the part of the extension shell 21 extending into the main shell 11 can be in contact with the inner wall of the main shell 11. The extension shell 21 includes a second shell body 211 and a second built-in layer 212 fixed in the second shell body 211. The second built-in layer 212 is provided with a second threaded hole 2121. The fastener 34 includes a bolt, which is arranged to pass through the main shell 11, the second shell body 211 and the second built-in layer 212, and is connected with the second threaded hole 2121. Specifically, the main shell 11 can be provided with a second through hole 1112, the second shell body 211 can be provided with a first through hole 2111, the second through hole 1112, the first through hole 2111 and the second threaded hole 2121 are communicated, the bolt can pass through the second through hole 1112, the first through hole 2111 and the second threaded hole 2121 in sequence, and is screwed in the second threaded hole 2121. The connection structure 30 is relatively simple and firm.

[0068] Further, as shown in FIG. 8, the second built-in layer 212 is arranged to extend inwardly from the second shell body 211 near the end of the main shell 11, and the second built-in layer 212 covers part of the area on the second shell body 211, that is, the size of the second built-in layer 212 along the first direction Z is less than the size of the second shell body 211 along the first direction Z. On the one hand, it can provide sufficient mounting position for the fastener 34; on the other hand, the size of the second built-in layer 212 along the first direction Z will not be too large, thereby saving materials and further reducing the cost of the spherical camera 1.

[0069] Based on this, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the connection structure 30 further includes a sealing member 31, which is fixed at the nested part of the main shell 11 and the extension shell 21, and covers the fastener 34. On the one hand, the sealing member 31 can cover the gap between the fastener 34 and the main shell 11 or the extension shell 21 while covering the fastener 34, thereby improving the sealing performance. On the other hand, from the outside of the spherical camera 1, the fastener 34 cannot be observed, thereby improving the appearance of the spherical camera 1.

[0070] For the connection between the main shell 11 and the extension shell 21, in another possible implementation, as shown in FIG. 9, the connection structure 30 includes a welding portion 32, the main shell 11 and the extension shell 21 are oppositely arranged and fixedly connected through the welding portion 32. In the process of manufacturing the spherical camera 1, the main structure 10 and the extension structure 20 can be manufactured first. The main shell 11 in the main structure 10 and the extension shell 21 in the extension structure 20 can both be made of metal materials. Then the main structure 10 and the extension structure 20 are welded, for example, laser welding, so as to form the welding portion 32 between the main structure 10 and the extension structure 20, that is, between the main shell 11 and the extension shell 21. By using the welding manufacturing method, on the one hand, it can avoid the gap between the main shell 11 and the extension shell 21, so as to improve the sealing performance. On the other hand, it can also improve the connection stability between the main shell 11 and the extension shell 21.

[0071] For the connection between the main shell 11 and the extension shell 21, in another possible implementation, as shown in FIG. 10, the connection structure 30 includes a sealing glue 33, the main shell 11 and the extension shell 21 are oppositely arranged and fixedly connected through the sealing glue 33. In the process of manufacturing the spherical camera 1, the main structure 10 and the extension structure 20 can be manufactured first. The main shell 11 in the main structure 10 and the extension shell 21 in the extension structure 20 can both be made of plastic materials. Then the main structure 10 and the extension structure 20 are welded, for example, ultrasonic welding. So as to form the sealing glue 33 between the main structure 10 and the extension structure 20, that is, between the main shell 11 and the extension shell 21. By using the welding manufacturing method, on the one hand, it can avoid the gap between the main shell 11 and the extension shell 21, so as to improve the sealing performance. On the other hand, it can also improve the connection stability between the main shell 11 and the extension shell 21.

[0072] In some embodiments of the present application, as shown in FIG. 2, the size of the main shell 11 along the first direction Z is greater than the size of the extension shell 21 along the first direction Z, and the first direction Z is the direction in which the main structure 10 points to the extension structure 20. The imaging lens 12 fixed in the main shell 11 is the main camera lens for acquiring image information. The extension shell 21 can be fixed with other camera auxiliary devices 23 in addition to the main imaging lens 12. The size of the imaging lens 12 is usually larger, so that the size of the main shell 11 along the first direction Z is set to be greater than the size of the extension shell 21 along the first direction, which can provide a larger installation space for the imaging lens 12.

[0073] As shown in FIG. 10 and FIG. 11, the extension structure 20 further comprises a support 22 and a camera auxiliary device 23, which can be the light supplement lamp 231 shown in FIG. 4, the auxiliary lens 232 shown in FIG. 5, the horn 233 shown in FIG. 6, or the like. The camera auxiliary device 23 can be located in the extension shell 21 and fixed on the support 22.

[0074] For the fixed position of the support 22, in one possible implementation, as shown in FIG. 11, a part of the support 22 is inserted into and fixed in the main shell 11, and the rest of the support 22 is suspended in the extension shell 21, and the camera auxiliary device 23 is fixed on the part of the support 22 inserted into the extension shell 21. Since the main shell 11 usually has a large size along the first direction Z, when a part of the support 22 is inserted into and fixed in the main shell 11, the main shell 11 can provide a larger connection area for the part of the support 22, so that the fixing of the support 22 in the main shell 11 is more stable.

[0075] In another possible implementation, as shown in FIG. 10, the support 22 is located in the extension shell 21, and the camera auxiliary device 23 is fixed in the extension shell 21 through the support 22. Thus, in the process of manufacturing the extension structure 20, the extension shell 21, the support 22 and the camera auxiliary device 23 can be manufactured respectively, then the camera auxiliary device 23 is installed on the support 22, and the support 22 with the camera auxiliary device 23 installed is installed on the extension shell 21, so as to complete the manufacturing of the extension structure 20. Then, the main body structure 10 and the extension structure 20 are fixed, so as to complete the manufacturing of the spherical camera 1. Since the support 22 is located in the extension shell 21, it is more convenient to fix the main body structure 10 and the extension structure 20.

[0076] As shown in FIG. 12, the main shell 11 further comprises a first partition plate 113 fixed on one end of the first shell body 111 towards the extension shell 21. In this way, the overall structural strength of the main shell 11 is higher.

[0077] As shown in FIG. 12, the extension shell 21 further comprises a second partition plate 213 fixed on one end of the second shell body 211 towards the main shell 11. In this way, the overall structural strength of the extension shell 21 is higher.

[0078] It can be understood that, in the present embodiment, the main shell 11 comprises the first partition plate 113, and the extension shell 21 comprises the second partition plate 213. In other embodiments, the main shell 11 comprises the first partition plate 113, and the extension shell 21 does not comprise the second partition plate 213; or, the main shell 11 does not comprise the first partition plate 113, and the extension shell 21 comprises the second partition plate 213.

[0079] The embodiments of the present application are described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, but the present application is not limited to the specific embodiments described above, and the specific embodiments described above are merely illustrative, but not restrictive, and a person of ordinary skill in the art can make many forms under the inspiration of the present application without departing from the purpose of the present application and the scope protected by the claims.

Claims

1. A spherical camera characterized by, The mounting bracket and the ball-shaped camera body connected to the mounting bracket, the ball-shaped camera body comprising: The main body structure comprises a main shell and an imaging lens fixed in the main shell; The extension structure comprises an extension shell; The extension shell is fixed to one end of the main shell through the connecting structure.

2. The sphere camera of claim 1, wherein, Part of the main shell is nested with part of the extension shell; The connecting structure comprises a fastener, which is threaded and fixed at the nested part of the main shell and the extension shell to fixedly connect the extension shell and the main shell.

3. The sphere camera of claim 2, wherein, Part of the main shell extends into the extension shell; The main shell comprises a first shell body and a first built-in layer fixed in the first shell body, and the first built-in layer is provided with a first threaded hole; The fastener comprises a bolt, which is threaded through the extension shell, the first shell body and the first built-in layer, and is connected with the first threaded hole.

4. The sphere camera of claim 3, wherein, The first built-in layer extends inward from one end of the first shell body close to the extension shell, and covers part of the area on the first shell body.

5. The sphere camera of claim 2, wherein, Part of the extension shell extends into the main shell; The extension shell comprises a second shell body and a second built-in layer fixed in the second shell body, and the second built-in layer is provided with a second threaded hole; The fastener comprises a bolt, which is threaded through the main shell, the second shell body and the second built-in layer, and is connected with the threaded hole.

6. The sphere camera of claim 5, wherein, The second built-in layer extends inward from one end of the second shell body close to the main shell, and covers part of the area on the second shell body.

7. The sphere camera according to any one of claims 2-6, wherein, The connecting structure further comprises a sealing member fixed at the nested part of the main shell and the extension shell, and covering the fastener. 8.The spherical camera of claim 1, wherein, The connecting structure comprises a welding part, and the main shell and the extension shell are oppositely arranged and fixedly connected through the welding part. 9.The ball camera according to claim 1, wherein, The connecting structure comprises sealing glue, and the main shell and the extension shell are oppositely arranged and fixedly connected through the sealing glue.

10. The sphere camera according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein, The size of the main shell along the first direction is greater than the size of the extension shell along the first direction, and the first direction is the direction in which the main body structure points to the extension structure.

11. The sphere camera according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein, The extension structure further comprises a bracket and a camera auxiliary device in the extension shell, part of the bracket extends into and is fixed in the main shell, the rest of the bracket is suspended in the extension shell, and the camera auxiliary device is fixed to the part of the bracket extending into the extension shell.

12. The sphere camera according to any one of claims 1-10, wherein, The extension structure further comprises a bracket and a camera auxiliary device in the extension shell, and the camera auxiliary device is fixed in the extension shell through the bracket.

13. The sphere camera according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein, The main shell comprises a first shell body and a first partition plate, and the first partition plate is fixed to one end of the first shell body towards the extension shell; And / or, the extension housing comprises a second housing body and a second partition, the second partition being fixed to the second housing body at an end thereof towards the main housing.

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