Protection device

Abstract

A protection device (30A) protects an imaging device (10) that images the surroundings of a saddle-type vehicle. The protection device (30A) comprises: an attachment part (32b) that is attached to a cowl 2A serving as a vehicle body of the saddle-type vehicle; and a light-transmitting part (31A) that is disposed in an imaging region X of the imaging device (10) in a state in which the attachment part (32b) is attached to the vehicle body. At least a portion of the protection device (30A) can be attached to and detached from the vehicle body.

Description

Protective device

[0001] The present invention relates to a technique for protecting an imaging device in a saddle-type vehicle.

[0002] In Patent Document 1, in order to protect the imaging surface of a camera that images the surroundings of a vehicle, a structure is described in which a cover is attached to the camera and a nozzle for spraying fluid onto the outer surface of the cover is provided.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-022451

[0004] Such a cover needs to be replaced because problems such as deterioration of the water-repellent coating over time, soiling, and damage due to collisions with foreign objects such as insects and flying stones occur. However, in the structure described in Patent Document 1, since the cover is attached to the camera, it is difficult to replace the cover. For example, when replacing the cover with the camera removed from the vehicle body, in addition to attaching and detaching the cover to and from the camera, it is also necessary to attach and detach the camera to and from the vehicle body.

[0005] The present invention has been created in view of such circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a protective device that is easy to replace.

[0006] To solve the above problems, the protective device of the present invention is a device that protects an imaging device that images the surroundings of a saddle-type vehicle. The protective device includes an attachment portion that is attached to the vehicle body of the saddle-type vehicle, and a light-transmitting portion that is disposed in the imaging region of the imaging device in a state where the attachment portion is attached to the vehicle body. At least a part of the protective device is detachable from the vehicle body.

[0007] According to the present invention, since the protective device is detachably attached to the vehicle body instead of the imaging device, the protective device can be easily replaced.

[0008] This is a schematic diagram showing a saddle-type vehicle to which the protective device according to the first embodiment is applied. This is a schematic perspective view showing the imaging device, cylindrical member and mounting member. This is a schematic exploded perspective view showing the imaging device, cylindrical member and mounting member. This is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a protective system having the protective device according to the first embodiment, and is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in Figure 1. This is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a protective system having the protective device according to the second embodiment. This is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a protective system having the protective device according to the third embodiment. This is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a protective system having the protective device according to the fourth embodiment. This is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a protective system having the protective device according to the fifth embodiment. This is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a protective system having the protective device according to the sixth embodiment. This is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a protective system having the protective device according to the seventh embodiment.

[0009] Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings, using as an example the case in which the protective device is applied to a saddle-type vehicle (bar-handle vehicle) 1 such as a motorcycle, motorcycle tricycle, or all-terrain vehicle. In the following description, the same elements will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant descriptions will be omitted.

[0010] <First Embodiment> As shown in Figure 1, in the protective structure 3A according to the first embodiment, an on-board imaging device 10 for photographing the front of the saddle-type vehicle 1 is attached to the cowl (front cowl) 2A of the vehicle body.

[0011] In the first embodiment, imaging devices 10 are positioned on the left and right sides of the front of the cowl 2A. The mounting structure of the left and right imaging devices 10, 10 is symmetrical. The two imaging devices 10, 10 on the left and right constitute a stereo camera. Two holes 2a, 2a are formed in the cowl 2A of the first embodiment. Both holes 2a, 2a are positioned above the headlights 2b and on both the left and right sides of the screen 2c. The imaging devices 10 are positioned at the back of the holes 2a. The imaging devices 10 can photograph the area in front of the vehicle from inside the cowl 2A through the holes 2a.

[0012] As shown in Figure 2, the protection system 3A according to the first embodiment comprises an imaging device 10, a cylindrical member 14, a mounting member 20A, and a protection device 3A (see Figure 4).

[0013] As shown in Figure 3, the imaging device 10 comprises a lens unit 11, an image sensor unit 13, and an intermediate shaft unit 12 connecting the lens unit 11 and the image sensor unit 13. The tip of the intermediate shaft unit 12 is formed in a cylindrical shape. The lens unit 11 is fitted into the tip of the intermediate shaft unit 12. A box-shaped housing 13a is connected to the base end of the intermediate shaft unit 12. The image sensor unit 13 is housed in the housing 13a. The image sensor unit 13 converts light that has passed through the lens unit 11 into image data. Power is supplied to the image sensor unit 13 from a battery via a power cord. The image sensor unit 13 also outputs image data to an image recording device or image processing device via a connection cord.

[0014] The cylindrical member 14 is a cylindrical member. The cylindrical member 14 is fitted onto the intermediate shaft portion 12 of the camera 10. The rear end of the cylindrical member 14 is fixed to the rear end of the intermediate shaft portion 12. As shown in Figure 3, a projection 15 is formed around the entire circumference of the outer circumferential surface of the front part of the cylindrical member 14, projecting radially outward from the cylindrical member 14. The outer surface of the projection 15 is formed as a curved surface created by cutting an annular section off a part of a sphere. The cylindrical member 14 (and the projection 15) may be integrally molded with the intermediate shaft portion 12.

[0015] The mounting member 20A is a cylindrical member through which a mounting hole 21 passes. The front side of the mounting member 20A is shaped to conform to the outer surface shape of the cowl 2A. The peripheral wall portion of the mounting member 20A in this embodiment has a shape such that the axial length increases from the outside of the vehicle toward the center of the vehicle. The mounting member 20A is attached to the inner surface of the cowl 2A. The mounting hole 21 is a hole with a circular cross-section through which the imaging device 10 is inserted (see Figure 2).

[0016] As shown in Figure 3, the mounting member 20A has a slit 22 that penetrates from the inner circumferential surface of the mounting hole 21 to the outer circumferential surface of the mounting member 20, and is formed in a straight line from one end to the other in the axial direction (the axial direction of the mounting hole 21) of the mounting member 20A. As a result, the axial cross-section of the mounting member 20A is formed in a C shape. The slit 22 in this embodiment is formed at the position where the axial length is smallest on the circumferential wall portion of the mounting member 20A.

[0017] Multiple fixing portions 24 are provided protruding from the outer circumferential surface of the mounting member 20A. By inserting bolts through the holes in the fixing portions 24 and screwing them into threaded holes formed on the inner surface of the cowl 2A, the mounting member 20A can be fixed to the inner surface of the cowl 2A. When the mounting member 20A is fixed to the inner surface of the cowl 2A, the front end of the mounting hole 21 is in communication with the hole 2a of the cowl 2A.

[0018] As shown in Figure 3, a recessed recess 23 is formed around the entire circumference of the rear of the inner circumferential surface of the mounting hole 21. The inner surface of the recess 23 is formed as a curved surface created by cutting out a ring-shaped portion of a spherical surface.

[0019] The imaging device 10 is inserted into the mounting hole 21. In this embodiment, the lens portion 11 of the imaging device 10 is located on the outside (front) side of the saddle-type vehicle 1, and the image sensor portion 13 is located on the inside (rear) side of the motorcycle 2. The intermediate shaft portion 12 and the cylindrical member 14 are inserted through the mounting hole 21.

[0020] The protruding portion 15 of the cylindrical member 14 fits into the recess 23 of the mounting hole 21, and the outer surface of the protruding portion 15 is fitted into the inner surface of the recess 23. As a result, the camera 10 can be tilted freely in all directions relative to the mounting hole 21. In this way, the imaging device 10 is mounted inside the cowl 2A in a state where the angle of the optical axis can be adjusted in all directions relative to the central axis of the mounting hole 21.

[0021] In the mounting structure 1A described above, as shown in Figure 1, the imaging device 10 is mounted inside the cowl 2A in a state where the angle of the optical axis can be adjusted, so the field of view of the imaging device 10 can be easily and accurately adjusted after the assembly of the saddle-type vehicle 1.

[0022] <Protective Device> Next, the protective device 30A will be described with reference to Figure 4. In Figure 4, the cowl 2A and mounting member 20A are drawn in a simplified manner, and the cylindrical member 14 is omitted. Also, the imaging device 10 is drawn with its front surface shown, not its cross-section. Note that in the drawings from Figure 5 onward, which correspond to other embodiments described later, the cowl 2A is also simplified.

[0023] As shown in Figure 4, the protective device 30A is detachably attached to the cowl 2 at a distance from the imaging device 10 and is a device that protects the imaging device 10. The protective device 30A comprises a light-transmitting portion 31A and a frame portion 32A.

[0024] The light-transmitting portion 31A has a disc shape when viewed from the front. The light-transmitting portion 31A is made of a resin material that can transmit light. The light-transmitting portion 31A is located in front of the imaging device 10. The radial center of the light-transmitting portion 31A is located within the imaging area X of the imaging device 10, and the peripheral edge of the hole portion 31A is located radially outward from the imaging area X of the imaging device 10.

[0025] The light-transmitting portion 31A has water-repellent and reflection-suppressing properties. Specifically, the light-transmitting portion 31A comprises a water-repellent portion 31x for achieving water repellency and a reflection-suppressing portion 31y for achieving reflection-suppressing properties.

[0026] The water-repellent portion 31x is composed of a film coated on the front surface of the light-transmitting portion (light-transmitting portion body) 31A, a seal attached to the front surface of the light-transmitting portion 31A, etc. The water-repellent portion 31x has light-transmitting properties and a water-repellent function that suppresses the adhesion of water droplets to the front surface of the light-transmitting portion 31A.

[0027] The reflection suppression section 31y is composed of a film coated on the rear surface of the light-transmitting section (light-transmitting section body) 31A, a seal attached to the rear surface of the light-transmitting section 31A, etc. The reflection suppression section 31y has light-transmitting properties and reflection suppression properties that suppress the reflection of light on the rear surface of the light-transmitting section 31A.

[0028] The frame portion 32A has a circular (ring-shaped) form when viewed from the front. The frame portion 32A is made of resin. The frame portion 32A includes a groove portion 32a and a plurality of mounting portions 32b.

[0029] The groove 32a is an annular recess formed on the inner circumferential surface of the frame 32A. The translucent portion 31A is detachably press-fitted into the groove 32a.

[0030] The mounting portion 32b is an elastically deformable claw portion that extends radially outward from the rear end of the frame portion 32A. Multiple mounting portions 32b are provided at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. The mounting portions 32b are attached to the cowl 2A by engaging with the peripheral edge of the hole portion 2a on the rear surface of the cowl 2A.

[0031] The imaging device 10 is attached to a first predetermined part of the vehicle body in a predetermined orientation by a mounting member 20A. The protective member 20A is attached to a second predetermined part of the vehicle body in a predetermined orientation by a mounting portion 32b. These first and second predetermined parts are set at a predetermined distance for each saddle-type vehicle 1. That is, the mounting portion 32b is configured such that the relative position of the imaging device 10 with respect to the mounting member 20A, which is the mounting part to the vehicle body, in this case the cowl 2A, remains constant. In other words, with the imaging device 10 and the protective member 30A respectively attached to the vehicle body, the relative distance and relative orientation of the protective member 30A, more specifically the light-transmitting portion 32A, with respect to the imaging device 10 remain constant.

[0032] The mounting structure of the mounting portion 32b to the cowl 2A is not limited to those described above. For example, if the hole portion 2a is long in the axial direction, the mounting portion 32b may be configured to engage with a recess formed on the inner circumferential surface of the hole portion 2a.

[0033] The protective device 30A is attached to the cowl 2A by press-fitting it into the hole 2a of the cowl 2A from the front of the cowl 2A. At least a part of the protective device 30A is detachable, i.e., replaceable. In this embodiment, the protective device 30A can be replaced with a new protective device 30A by removing it from the hole 2a of the cowl 2A toward the front of the cowl 2A. The new protective device 30A may be one in which at least one of the light-transmitting portion 31A and the frame portion 32A of the existing protective device 30A has been replaced. Furthermore, if the water-repellent portion 31x of the protective device 30A is made of a seal, the water-repellent portion 31x can be replaced by peeling the water-repellent portion 31A from the light-transmitting portion 31A and attaching a new water-repellent portion 31x to the front surface of the light-transmitting portion 31A.

[0034] The protective device 30A according to the first embodiment is a device that protects the imaging device 10 that images the surroundings of the saddle-type vehicle 1. The protective device 30A includes a mounting portion 32b that is attached to the body of the saddle-type vehicle 1, and a light-transmitting portion 31A that is positioned in the imaging area X of the imaging device 10 when the mounting portion 32b is attached to the vehicle body. At least a part of the protective device 30A is detachable from the vehicle body. Therefore, the protective device 30A can suitably protect the imaging device 10 from foreign objects such as insects and flying stones, water, etc., and can be easily replaced, preventing a decrease in the image quality of the imaging device 10.

[0035] The peripheral edge of the light-transmitting portion 31 is positioned outside the imaging area X. Therefore, the protective device 30A can suitably protect the imaging device 30A without obstructing the field of view of the imaging device 10.

[0036] The mounting portion 32b is configured such that the relative position of the imaging device 10 to the mounting portion on the vehicle body remains constant. Therefore, the protective device 30A eliminates the need for aiming of the imaging device 10 after replacement.

[0037] The protective device 30A is mounted on the vehicle body at a distance from the imaging device 10. Therefore, even if vibrations of the vehicle body or other factors act on the protective device 30A, contact with the imaging device 10 is prevented, thereby improving durability.

[0038] At least a portion of the outer surface of the light-transmitting portion 31A is water-repellent. Therefore, water droplets are less likely to adhere to the protective device 30A, and thus the image quality of the imaging device 10 can be suitably maintained.

[0039] The light-transmitting portion 31A has reflection-suppressing properties that suppress the reflection of light. Therefore, the protective device 30A prevents objects outside the imaging area X from being captured in the image, allowing the imaging device 10 to capture the target object effectively.

[0040] The protective device 30A includes a frame portion 32A provided on the periphery of the light-transmitting portion 31A. The frame portion 32A is provided with a mounting portion 32b. Therefore, the protective device 30A is easy to attach to the vehicle body.

[0041] The frame portion 32A is made of resin. Therefore, the mounting portion 32b of the protective device 30A can be easily molded, and the mounting portion 32b elastically deforms when the protective device 30A is attached to the vehicle body, making the installation work easier. Furthermore, if the light-transmitting portion 31A of the protective device 30A is also made of resin in addition to the frame portion 32A, the light-transmitting portion 31A and the frame portion 32A can be integrally molded, thereby achieving cost reduction.

[0042] <Second Embodiment> Next, the protection system according to the second embodiment will be described, focusing on the differences from the protection system 3A according to the first embodiment. As shown in Figure 5, the protection system 3B according to the second embodiment includes a mounting member 20B and an elastic member 40 instead of the cylindrical member 14 and the mounting member 20A. In Figure 5, the mounting member 20B and the elastic member 40 are depicted with their front surfaces rather than cross-sections (the same applies to Figures 6 to 10 described later).

[0043] The mounting member 20B is a stay for attaching the imaging device 10 to a part of the vehicle body other than the cowl 2A (for example, the vehicle frame 2B located behind the cowl 2A). The mounting member 20B has an L-shape when viewed from the side and integrally comprises a bottom wall portion 26 and a rear wall portion 27 extending upward from the rear end of the bottom wall portion 26. The bottom wall portion 26 is attached to the vehicle frame 2B by an assembly method such as bolt fastening.

[0044] One elastic member 40 abuts against the lower surface of the intermediate shaft portion 12 and is inserted into a hole formed in the bottom wall portion 26. The intermediate shaft portion 12 is attached to the bottom wall portion 26 by a bolt inserted into a hole formed in the elastic member 40 and a nut screwed onto the bolt. The other elastic member 40 abuts against the rear surface of the housing 13a and is inserted into a hole formed in the rear wall portion 27. The housing 13a is attached to the rear wall portion 27 by a bolt inserted into a hole formed in the elastic member 40 and a nut screwed onto the bolt. Note that the assembling method of the imaging device 10 and the attachment member 20B is not limited to the above-described one. In a state where the imaging device 10 and the protection member 30A are attached to the vehicle body, respectively, the relative distance and relative posture of the protection member 30A, specifically, the imaging device 10 with respect to the light transmitting portion 32A, may be constant.

[0045] In the protection device 30A according to the second embodiment, the attachment portion 32b is configured such that the relative position with respect to the attachment site of the imaging device 10 to the vehicle body is constant. Therefore, in the protection device 30A, the imaging device 10 after replacement does not require aiming, and the replacement work becomes easy.

[0046] <Third Embodiment> Subsequently, the protection system according to the third embodiment will be described focusing on the differences from the protection system 3B according to the second embodiment. As shown in FIG. 6, the protection system 3C according to the third embodiment includes a protection device 30C instead of the protection device 30A.

[0047] The protection device 30C includes a frame portion 32C instead of the frame portion 32A. The frame portion 32C includes a front frame portion 33C as a first frame portion and a rear frame portion 34C as a second frame portion.

[0048] The front frame portion 33C is a resin member constituting the front portion of the frame portion 32C. The inner diameter of the front portion of the front frame portion 33C is smaller than the outer diameter of the light transmitting portion 31A. The front frame portion 33C includes a groove portion 33a and a plurality of convex portions 33b.

[0049] The groove portion 33a is an annular recess formed at the rear end portion of the inner peripheral surface of the front frame portion 33C. The groove portion 33a expands the diameter of the rear end portion of the inner peripheral surface of the front frame portion 33C.

[0050] The protrusions 33b are formed on the rear surface of the front frame portion 33C and protrude rearward from the rear surface of the front frame portion 33C. Multiple protrusions 33b are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction.

[0051] The rear frame portion 34C is a resin member that constitutes the rear part of the frame portion 32C. The inner diameter of the rear part of the rear frame portion 34C is smaller than the outer diameter of the light-transmitting portion 31A. The rear frame portion 34C includes a groove portion 34a, a plurality of recesses 34b, and a plurality of locking portions 32b.

[0052] The groove 34a is an annular recess formed at the front end of the inner circumferential surface of the rear frame portion 34C. The groove 33a widens the diameter of the front end of the inner circumferential surface of the rear frame portion 34C.

[0053] The recesses 34b are formed on the front surface of the rear frame portion 34C and are recessed to the rear of the front surface of the rear frame portion 34C. Multiple recesses 34b are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. The protrusions 33b are fitted into the recesses 34b. In other words, the front frame portion 33C and the rear frame portion 34C are detachably assembled.

[0054] The assembly structure of the front frame portion 33C and the rear frame portion 34C is not limited to those described above. For example, a recess formed on the rear surface of the front frame portion 33C and a protrusion formed on the front surface of the rear frame portion 34C may be configured to fit together detachably.

[0055] The translucent portion 31A is fitted into an annular recess formed by grooves 33a and 34a. That is, the translucent portion 31A is held between the front frame portion 33C and the rear frame portion 34C. In this embodiment, the front frame portion 33C can be replaced with a new front frame portion 33C by removing it forward from the rear frame portion 34C.

[0056] In the protective device 30C according to the third embodiment, at least a portion of the frame portion 32C is detachable from the vehicle body. Therefore, the protective device 30C allows for easy replacement of the frame portion 32C. Furthermore, the protective device 30C allows for a suitable change in the vehicle body's appearance design by replacing the frame portion 32C with one of a different color, pattern, etc.

[0057] The frame portion 32C comprises a first frame portion and a second frame portion that sandwich the light-transmitting portion 31A. Therefore, the protective device 30C can easily attach and detach the light-transmitting portion 31A from the frame portion 32C.

[0058] <Fourth Embodiment> Next, the protection system according to the fourth embodiment will be described, focusing on the differences from the protection system 3B according to the second embodiment. As shown in Figure 7, the protection system 3D according to the fourth embodiment includes a protection device 30D instead of a protection device 30A.

[0059] The protective device 30D includes a light-transmitting portion 31D in place of the light-transmitting portion 31A and the frame portion 32A. The light-transmitting portion 31D is a resin component that has a shape in which the light-transmitting portion 31A and the frame portion 32A are integrated.

[0060] In the light-transmitting portion 31D, the portion corresponding to the frame portion 32A (see Figure 4) is configured to transmit light. The water-repellent portion 31x is composed of a film, seal, etc., placed on the front surface of the light-transmitting portion 31D. The reflection-suppressing portion 31y is composed of a film, seal, etc., placed on the rear surface of the light-transmitting portion 31D.

[0061] In the protective device 30D according to the fourth embodiment, the frame portion 32A is formed integrally with the light-transmitting portion 31A. Therefore, the protective device 30D can prevent movement (shaking) of the light-transmitting portion 31A relative to the frame portion 32A, thereby maintaining the image quality of the imaging device 10 effectively.

[0062] The frame portion 32A has reflection-suppressing properties that suppress light reflection. Therefore, the protective device 30D allows the imaging device 10 to capture the target object effectively.

[0063] <Fifth Embodiment> Next, the protection system of the fifth embodiment will be described, focusing on the differences from the protection system 3B according to the second embodiment. As shown in Figure 8, the protection system 3E according to the fifth embodiment is equipped with a protection device 30E instead of protection device 30A.

[0064] <Radial Protection Section> The protective device 30E includes a radial protection section 35. The radial protection section 35 is a resin member that surrounds the imaging area from the radial outward direction between the light-transmitting section 31A and the imaging device 10. In this embodiment, the radial protection section 35 is formed separately from the frame section 32A. The rear end of the radial protection section 35 is attached to the imaging device 10. It is preferable that a gap is formed between the front end of the radial protection section 35 and the frame section 32A.

[0065] In this embodiment, the radial protection portion 35 is a cylindrical resin member that does not transmit light. The radial protection portion 35 only needs to be positioned in at least a portion of the optical axis direction of the imaging device 10 between the light-transmitting portion 31A and the imaging device 10. Alternatively, the radial protection portion 35 only needs to be positioned in at least a portion of the circumferential direction. That is, the radial protection portion 35 may have a C-shape, an arc shape, or the like when viewed from the front.

[0066] The protective device 30E according to the fifth embodiment includes a radial protective portion 35 that covers the imaging area X from the radial outward direction between the light-transmitting portion 31A and the imaging device 10. Therefore, the protective device 30E can suppress the entry of foreign matter, unwanted light, etc. into the imaging area X and maintain the image quality of the imaging device 10 favorably.

[0067] <Sixth Embodiment> Next, the protection system according to the sixth embodiment will be described, focusing on the differences from the protection system 3B according to the second embodiment. As shown in Figure 9, the protection system 3F according to the sixth embodiment includes a protection device 30F instead of a protection device 30A. The protection device 30F includes a frame portion 32F instead of a frame portion 32A.

[0068] The frame portion 32F integrally comprises the frame portion 32A as the frame portion body and the radial protection portion 35. The rear end of the radial protection portion 35 may be located radially outward from the front end of the imaging device 10. In this case, a gap is formed between the inner circumferential surface of the rear end of the radial protection portion 35 and the outer circumferential surface of the front end of the imaging device 10.

[0069] In the protective device 30F according to the sixth embodiment, the frame portion 32F includes a radial protective portion 35 that covers the imaging area X from the radial outward direction between the light-transmitting portion 31A and the imaging device 10. Therefore, the protective device 30F can suppress the entry of foreign matter, unwanted light, etc. into the imaging area X and maintain the image quality of the imaging device 10 favorably.

[0070] <Seventh Embodiment> Next, the protection system according to the seventh embodiment will be described, focusing on the differences from the protection system 3C according to the third embodiment. As shown in Figure 10, the protection system 3F according to the seventh embodiment includes a protection device 30G instead of a protection device 30C.

[0071] The protective device 30G includes a rear frame portion 34G in place of the rear frame portion 34C. The rear frame portion 34G integrally comprises the rear frame portion 34C as the main body of the rear frame portion and the radial protective portion 35.

[0072] In the protective device 30G according to the seventh embodiment, the frame portion 32G includes a radial protective portion 35 that covers the imaging area X from the radial outward direction between the light-transmitting portion 31A and the imaging device 10. Therefore, the protective device 30G can suppress the entry of foreign matter, unwanted light, etc. into the imaging area X and maintain the image quality of the imaging device 10 favorably.

[0073] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and can be modified as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0074] 1...Saddle-type vehicle 2A...Cowl (body) 2B...Body frame (body) 10...Imaging device 20A, 20B...Mounting members 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 3E, 3F, 3G...Protection system 30A, 30C, 30D, 30E, 30F, 30G...Protection device 31A, 31D...Light-transmitting part 31x...Water-repellent part 31y...Reflection suppression part 32A, 32C, 32F, 32G...Frame part 32b...Mounting part 33C...Front frame part (first frame part) 34C, 34G...Rear frame part (second frame part) 35 Radial protection part

Claims

1. A protective device for protecting an imaging device that images the surroundings of a saddle-type vehicle, comprising: a mounting portion that is attached to the body of the saddle-type vehicle; and a light-transmitting portion that is positioned in the imaging area of ​​the imaging device when the mounting portion is attached to the body, wherein at least a portion of the protective device is detachable from the body.

2. The protective device according to claim 1, wherein the peripheral edge of the light-transmitting portion is located outside the imaging area.

3. The protective device according to claim 1, wherein the mounting portion is configured such that the relative position of the imaging device with respect to the mounting portion on the vehicle body remains constant.

4. The protective device according to claim 1, which is attached to the vehicle body at a distance from the imaging device.

5. The protective device according to claim 4, further comprising a radial protective portion between the light-transmitting portion and the imaging device, which covers the imaging area from the radially outward direction.

6. The protective device according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the outer surface of the light-transmitting portion is water-repellent.

7. The protective device according to claim 1, wherein the light-transmitting portion has reflection-suppressing properties that suppress the reflection of light.

8. The protective device according to claim 1, comprising a frame portion provided on the periphery of the light-transmitting portion, wherein the mounting portion is provided on the frame portion.

9. The protective device according to claim 8, wherein at least a portion of the frame is detachable from the vehicle body.

10. The protective device according to claim 8, wherein the frame portion comprises a first frame portion and a second frame portion that sandwich the light-transmitting portion.

11. The protective device according to claim 8, wherein the frame portion is formed integrally with the light-transmitting portion.

12. The protective device according to claim 8, wherein the frame portion has a reflection-suppressing property that suppresses the reflection of light.

13. The protective device according to claim 8, wherein the frame portion comprises a radial protective portion that surrounds the imaging area radially outward between the light-transmitting portion and the imaging device.

14. The protective device according to claim 8, wherein the frame portion is formed of resin.

Images