Imaging device

Abstract

Provided is an imaging device which can be installed with reduced deterioration in visibility of an occupant of a vehicle, and for which it is easy to adjust an imaging direction after installation. An imaging device (1) is characterized by comprising: a first camera (11) that captures an image of the outside of a vehicle; a second camera (12) that captures an image of the inside of the vehicle; a support part (13) that rotatably supports the first camera (11) and the second camera (12); an adhesion part (16) that can adhere window glass and a protruding part (134) fixedly provided to the support part (13); and a coupling part (17) that couples the first camera (11) and the second camera (12) to each other through the inside of the support part (13) such that the first camera (11) and the second camera (12) rotate integrally.

Description

Imaging device

[0001] The present invention relates to an imaging device.

[0002] Conventionally, an imaging device that includes a first camera for imaging outside the vehicle and a second camera for imaging inside the vehicle and is installed on the window glass of the vehicle has been used for a drive recorder or the like (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In the imaging device described in this patent document, after installation on the window glass, the imaging direction can be adjusted by changing the orientation of the case on which the first camera and the second camera are mounted.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2023-115584

[0004] Here, in the above imaging device, when the orientation of the case is changed to adjust the imaging direction, the apparent area of the imaging device from the vehicle occupants changes. As a result, depending on the vehicle at the installation location, the area that becomes a blind spot from the occupants increases, and the visibility of the scenery may decrease. Also, in order to facilitate adjustment of the imaging direction after installation for various vehicles, if sufficient clearance is ensured between the window glass and the case, the amount of protrusion of the case into the passenger compartment may increase depending on the vehicle at the installation location. And when such a protrusion amount is too large, there is also a possibility of reducing the visibility of the occupants in terms of this protrusion amount.

[0005] Therefore, an example of an object of the present invention is to provide an imaging device that can be installed while suppressing a decrease in the visibility of vehicle occupants and that can easily adjust the imaging direction after installation.

[0006] In order to solve the above-described problems and achieve the object, the imaging device of the present invention is an imaging device installed on the window glass of a vehicle, including a first camera that images the outside of the vehicle, a second camera that images the inside of the vehicle, a support portion that rotatably supports the first camera and the second camera, an adhesive portion that can adhere a protruding portion fixedly provided on the support portion and the window glass, and a coupling portion that couples the first camera and the second camera to each other through the inside of the support portion so that the first camera and the second camera rotate integrally.

[0007] This is a schematic diagram showing how a photographic device according to one embodiment is installed in a vehicle. This is a view of the photographic device shown in Figure 1 from the inside of the vehicle. This is a view of the photographic device shown in Figure 1 from the outside of the vehicle. This is a diagram showing the photographic device shown in Figure 1, with the inner outer wall removed from the state shown in Figure 2 to allow visualization of the internal structure. These are schematic diagrams showing the orientation of the dividing line between the first cylindrical wall and the second cylindrical wall in the cylindrical case of the photographic device shown in Figures 1 to 4, viewed from one end in the longitudinal direction, relative to the window glass. This is a schematic diagram showing that when the angle of the dividing line with respect to the adhesive surface on the window glass is the upper limit of 25 degrees, it can correspond to the angle of a typical vehicle's windshield (approximately 10 to 90 degrees). This is a schematic diagram showing that when the angle of the dividing line with respect to the adhesive surface on the window glass is the lower limit of 10 degrees, it can correspond to the angle of a typical vehicle's windshield (approximately 10 to 90 degrees).

[0008] The following describes a photographic device according to one embodiment of the present invention. The photographic device according to one embodiment of the present invention is a photographic device installed on the window glass of a vehicle. This photographic device comprises a first camera for photographing the outside of the vehicle, a second camera for photographing the inside of the vehicle, and a support part that rotatably supports the first camera and the second camera. Furthermore, the photographic device comprises an adhesive part that can bond a protruding part fixedly provided on the support part to the window glass, and a coupling part that connects the first camera and the second camera to each other, passing through the inside of the support part, so that the first camera and the second camera rotate together as a single unit.

[0009] With this imaging device, the shooting direction can be adjusted by rotating the first and second cameras, which are supported by a support. At this time, the orientation of the support installed on the window glass via the protruding and adhesive parts does not change, so the apparent change in the area of ​​the imaging device from the perspective of the occupant is suppressed, that is, the change in the blind spot from the occupant's perspective is suppressed. In other words, with the above imaging device, the decrease in visibility due to adjustment of the shooting direction after installation can be suppressed. Furthermore, since the first and second cameras rotate together, adjusting the shooting direction of the second camera on the inside of the vehicle, which can be easily touched by the occupant, simultaneously adjusts the shooting direction of the first camera on the window glass side. For this reason, there is no need to leave space between the window glass and the support to insert a finger to adjust the angle of the first camera after the imaging device has been installed on the window glass. In other words, it is possible to suppress the clearance between the window glass and the support when installing the imaging device, and the amount of protrusion of the support into the vehicle interior can be suppressed, thereby suppressing the decrease in visibility for the occupant. Thus, with the above imaging device, it is possible to install it while suppressing the decrease in visibility for the vehicle occupant, and to easily adjust the shooting direction after installation.

[0010] In the above-described imaging device, the support is a cylindrical case. This case supports the first camera and the second camera, housing them inside with their respective imaging lenses exposed from the outer surface of the case, and allowing them to rotate around a rotation axis along the longitudinal direction of the case. The protruding portion is provided protruding from the outer surface of the case, and the connecting portion is a member that extends along the rotation axis inside the case.

[0011] With this configuration, by housing the first camera, the second camera, and the connecting part in a cylindrical case, the apparent change in area when the camera is rotated can be further suppressed. In addition, by adopting a simple structure in which the protrusion for installing the window glass protrudes from the outer surface of the case, the clearance between the window glass and the support part can be easily reduced.

[0012] Furthermore, in the above-described imaging device, the amount of protrusion from the outer surface of the case of the protruding part is in the range of 1.2 to 2 times the amount of protrusion from the outer surface of the imaging lens in the first camera.

[0013] This configuration allows for further reduction of the clearance between the window glass and the support part, while keeping the amount of protrusion from the outer surface of the case to the minimum necessary to avoid interference between the window glass and the photographic lens.

[0014] Furthermore, in the above-described imaging device, the window glass to which it is installed is either the windshield or rear window of the vehicle. The case is installed on the window glass via a protruding part and an adhesive part, such that the longitudinal direction of the case is aligned with the width direction of the vehicle. The first camera is housed at one end of the case in the longitudinal direction, and the second camera is housed at the other end of the case in the longitudinal direction.

[0015] The first camera for external photography should ideally be able to capture the external scenery evenly from the center of the vehicle's width, and the second camera for internal photography should ideally be positioned on the driver's side so that the driver is included in the frame. With the above configuration, the desirable photography described above can be effectively achieved by positioning the housing side of the first camera on the center side of the case and the housing side of the second camera on the driver's side.

[0016] Furthermore, in the above-described photographic device, the protrusion is provided on the other end of the case, on the back side relative to the exposed side of the second camera's photographic lens.

[0017] With this configuration, when the second camera on the inside of the vehicle is rotated to adjust the shooting direction, the external force applied to the second camera is applied to the adhesive part provided on the protruding part on its back. Since the second camera and the adhesive part are located in approximately the same position along the longitudinal direction of the case, the above external force is transmitted to the adhesive part almost unchanged without being amplified by the action of a lever or the like. This effectively prevents the case, i.e., the shooting device, from peeling off the window glass due to the external force applied when rotating the second camera.

[0018] Furthermore, in the above-described imaging device, the imaging directions of the first camera and the second camera are set to be parallel to each other and in opposite directions.

[0019] This configuration is preferable because it allows for the horizontal adjustment of the shooting direction of the second camera for in-vehicle photography and the horizontal adjustment of the shooting direction of the first camera for exterior photography.

[0020] Furthermore, in the above-described imaging device, the connecting portion is a shaft member that extends inside the case so as to overlap with the axis of rotation, with one end of the shaft member connected to the first camera and the other end connected to the second camera.

[0021] With this configuration, the rotation of the second camera for in-vehicle photography around its rotation axis can be effectively transmitted to the first camera for exterior photography via a shaft member inside the case.

[0022] An embodiment of the imaging device will be described. Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing how the imaging device according to one embodiment is installed in a vehicle. Figure 2 is a view of the imaging device shown in Figure 1 from inside the vehicle, and Figure 3 is a view of the imaging device shown in Figure 1 from outside the vehicle. Furthermore, Figure 4 is a diagram showing the imaging device shown in Figure 1 with the inner outer wall removed from the state shown in Figure 2, allowing the internal structure to be seen.

[0023] The imaging device 1 in this embodiment is mounted on a vehicle C1 such as a passenger car and is a component of a drive recorder that performs the function of capturing images inside and outside the vehicle. The imaging device 1 is installed on the windshield C11 or rear window C12 of the vehicle C1 and is connected to a drive recorder main unit (not shown) by a USB (Universal Serial Bus) cable. The drive recorder main unit is equipped with an impact sensor, supplies power to the imaging device 1, acquires images of the inside and outside of the vehicle from the imaging device 1, and stores them in a storage unit (SD (Secure Digital) card) according to the detection result of the impact sensor. The imaging device 1 and the drive recorder main unit constitute a drive recorder.

[0024] The imaging device 1 first comprises a first camera 11, a second camera 12, and a support part 13. The first camera 11 is a camera that photographs the outside of the vehicle C1, and the second camera 12 is a camera that photographs the inside of the vehicle C1. The support part 13 is a resin member that rotatably supports these cameras. In this embodiment, the support part 13 is a cylindrical case, and the case houses the first camera 11 and the second camera 12 inside, with their respective imaging lenses 111 and 121 exposed from the outer circumferential surface 13a of the case. The cylindrical case as the support part 13 supports the first camera 11 and the second camera 12 so that they can rotate around a rotation axis X1 along the longitudinal direction D11 of the case.

[0025] As shown in Figure 4, the first camera 11 and the second camera 12 have cylindrical camera bodies 112 and 122, which also serve as camera rotation guides, with thin cylindrical photographic lenses 111 and 121 protruding from their outer circumferential surfaces 112a and 122a. The cylindrical camera bodies 112 and 122 are housed inside a cylindrical case that serves as a support part 13, with the outer circumferential surface 13b of the case rubbing against the outer circumferential surface 112a and 122a. The case also has lens guide windows 131a and 132a formed therein, which expose the photographic lenses 111 and 121 of the first camera 11 and the second camera 12, respectively, from their outer circumferential surfaces 13a. Each lens guide window 131a and 132a exposes the respective photographic lenses 111 and 121 and is an arc-shaped guide that moves the photographic lenses 111 and 121 in the rotation direction D12 when the camera rotates.

[0026] In this embodiment, the cylindrical case serving as the support portion 13 comprises a first cylindrical wall 131, a second cylindrical wall 132, and a pair of end caps 133. The first cylindrical wall 131 is a semi-cylindrical outer wall portion positioned to face outwards, and a lens guide window 131a for exposing the photographic lens 111 of the first camera 11 is formed on one end in the longitudinal direction D11. The second cylindrical wall 132 is a semi-cylindrical outer wall portion positioned to face inwards, and a lens guide window 132a for exposing the photographic lens 121 of the second camera 12 is formed on the other end in the longitudinal direction D11, opposite to the side where the first camera 11 is installed. The first cylindrical wall 131 and the second cylindrical wall 132 are combined to form a cylinder, and the pair of end caps 133 are attached to close the openings at both ends of the cylinder in a one-to-one manner to form the cylindrical case serving as the support portion 13. As shown in Figure 1, this case is installed on the windshield C11 or rear window C12 such that the longitudinal direction D11 of the case is aligned with the width direction D13 of the vehicle C1. The first camera 11 is housed at one end of the case in the longitudinal direction D11, and the second camera 12 is housed at the other end of the case in the longitudinal direction D11. More specifically, the first camera 11 for external photography is positioned towards the center in the width direction D13 of the vehicle C1, and the second camera 12 for internal photography is positioned towards the driver's side in the width direction D13.

[0027] Inside the support section 13 are a connector board 14 and a main board 15, which are electrically connected to each other by a flexible board. The connector board 14 is a circuit board that controls the USB connection between the shooting device 1 and the external drive recorder unit, and is equipped with a Type C USB connector 141. This USB connector 141 is exposed through a connector opening 131b provided in the first cylindrical wall 131 on the outside of the vehicle, which constitutes the case of the support section 13, and a USB cable is connected through this connector opening 131b. The main board 15 is a circuit board that controls the on / off of the power to the shooting device 1, shooting with the first camera 11 and the second camera 12, etc. The main board 15 is equipped with operation buttons 151 that instruct the start of shooting (mainly video recording) with the first camera 11 and the second camera 12. A microphone 152 (Figure 2) for collecting sounds inside the vehicle is also connected to the main board 15. The operation button 151 is exposed through a button opening 132b provided in the second cylindrical wall 132 on the interior side of the vehicle. The occupants of vehicle C1 (mainly the driver) operate the operation button 151 via the button opening 132b. In addition, sound is input to the microphone 152 through a microphone opening 132c provided in the second cylindrical wall 132 on the interior side of the vehicle.

[0028] Next, the imaging device 1 is equipped with an adhesive portion 16 and a connecting portion 17.

[0029] The adhesive portion 16 is a component for attaching the photographic device 1 to the window glass of the vehicle C1, such as the windshield C11 or rear window C12, and is capable of bonding a protruding portion 134, which is fixedly provided on the support portion 13, to the window glass. The protruding portion 134 is a rectangular protruding part integrally molded on the outer peripheral surface 13a on the back side of the first cylindrical wall 131 on the outside of the vehicle, relative to the exposed side of the photographic lens 121 of the second camera 12, and the adhesive portion 16 is provided on the tip surface of the protruding portion 134. One example of this adhesive portion 16 is double-sided tape or the like attached to the tip surface of the protruding portion 134. The photographic device 1 is attached by attaching this adhesive portion 16 to the window glass.

[0030] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 3, the amount of protrusion T11 of the protrusion portion 134 from the outer peripheral surface 13a of the case is set to a range of 1.2 to 2 times the amount of protrusion T12 of the photographic lens 111 from the outer peripheral surface 13a of the first camera 11.

[0031] The connecting portion 17 is a part that connects the first camera 11 and the second camera 12 to each other, passing through the inside of the support portion 13, so that the first camera 11 and the second camera 12 can rotate together as a single unit. This connecting portion 17 is a member that extends along the rotation axis X1 inside the cylindrical case that serves as the support portion 13. More specifically, it is a shaft member that extends inside the case so as to overlap with the rotation axis X1, with one end of the shaft member connected to the first camera 11 and the other end connected to the second camera 12. The first camera 11 and the second camera 12 are housed inside the case in a state where they are connected by this shaft member that serves as the connecting portion 17. Due to this connection by the shaft member, the first camera 11 and the second camera 12 can rotate together as a single unit inside the case, around the rotation axis X1 that passes through the center of the cylindrical camera bodies 112 and 122. Furthermore, the connection by this coupling part 17 is set so that the shooting directions D14 and D15 of the first camera 11 and the second camera 12 are parallel to each other and facing in opposite directions.

[0032] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the dividing line between the first cylindrical wall 131 and the second cylindrical wall 132 in the cylindrical case serving as the support portion 13 is set to face the following orientation with respect to the window glass.

[0033] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram showing, viewed from one end in the longitudinal direction, the orientation of the dividing line between the first cylindrical wall and the second cylindrical wall in the cylindrical case of the imaging device shown in Figures 1 to 4, relative to the window glass.

[0034] As shown in Figure 5, the dividing line 13c between the first cylindrical wall 131 and the second cylindrical wall 132 in the cylindrical case serving as the support portion 13 is set to form an angle θ1 of 10 to 25 degrees with respect to the adhesive surface C13 of the window glass. This angle setting is achieved by setting the shape of the protrusion 134 provided on the first cylindrical wall 131, specifically by setting the dividing line 13c to form an angle θ1 of 10 to 25 degrees with respect to the tip plane of the protrusion 134. With this angle setting of the dividing line 13c, firstly, as seen from the perspective of the occupants of the vehicle C1, the dividing line 13c is almost hidden behind the second cylindrical wall 132 on the interior side, resulting in an excellent aesthetic appearance. Furthermore, it becomes possible to set the lens guide windows 131a and 132a, which are necessary for orienting the shooting directions D14 and D15 of the first camera 11 and the second camera 12 horizontally to the ground, so as not to extend beyond the dividing line 13c. This allows the mold for forming the first cylindrical wall 131 and the second cylindrical wall 132 made of resin to be made into a simple two-piece structure, so that these two cylindrical walls, i.e., the cylindrical case that serves as the support part 13, can be produced efficiently.

[0035] Furthermore, the 10-25 degree angle setting of the dividing line 13c relative to the adhesive surface C13 on the window glass can correspond to the angle of the window glass of a typical vehicle C1, specifically the windshield C11 (approximately 10-90 degrees).

[0036] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram showing that when the angle of the dividing line relative to the adhesive surface on the window glass is the upper limit of 25 degrees, it can accommodate the angles of typical vehicle windshields (approximately 10 to 90 degrees). Figure 6(A) shows the dividing line 13c for a windshield C11 with an angle of 90 degrees, and Figure 6(B) shows the dividing line 13c for a windshield C11 with an angle of 45 degrees. Figure 6(C) also shows the dividing line 13c for a windshield C11 with an angle of 10 degrees.

[0037] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram showing that when the angle of the dividing line relative to the adhesive surface on the window glass is the lower limit of 10 degrees, it can correspond to the angle of a typical vehicle's windshield (approximately 10 to 90 degrees). Figure 7(A) shows the dividing line 13c for a windshield C11 with an angle of 90 degrees, and Figure 7(B) shows the dividing line 13c for a windshield C11 with an angle of 45 degrees. Figure 7(C) also shows the dividing line 13c for a windshield C11 with an angle of 10 degrees.

[0038] Figures 6 and 7 show the lens guide windows 131a and 132a necessary for orienting the shooting directions D14 and D15 of the first camera 11 and the second camera 12 horizontally, for various angles of the front glass C11 from approximately 10 to 90 degrees. As shown in Figures 6 and 7, at any angle, the lens guide windows 131a and 132a can be set so as not to exceed the dividing line 13c.

[0039] According to the imaging device 1 of the embodiment described above, the shooting directions D14 and D15 can be adjusted by rotating the first camera 11 and the second camera 12, which are supported by the support portion 13. At this time, the orientation of the support portion 13, which is installed on the window glass via the protruding portion 134 and the adhesive portion 16, does not change, so the apparent change in the area of ​​the imaging device 1 from the perspective of the occupant is suppressed, that is, the change in the blind spot from the occupant's perspective is suppressed. In other words, according to the imaging device 1 described above, the decrease in visibility due to the adjustment of the shooting directions D14 and D15 after installation can be suppressed. Furthermore, since the first camera 11 and the second camera 12 rotate together, adjusting the shooting direction D15 of the second camera 12 on the inside of the vehicle, which can be easily touched by the occupant, simultaneously adjusts the shooting direction D14 of the first camera 11 on the window glass side. For this reason, even with the installation of the imaging device 1 itself, by suppressing the clearance between the window glass and the support portion 13, the amount of protrusion of the support portion 13 into the vehicle interior can be suppressed, thereby suppressing the decrease in visibility for the occupant. Thus, according to this embodiment, the system can be installed while minimizing the reduction in visibility for vehicle occupants, and the shooting directions D14 and D15 can be easily adjusted after installation.

[0040] In this embodiment, the support portion 13 is a cylindrical case. This case supports the first camera 11 and the second camera 12, housing them inside with their respective photographic lenses 111 and 121 exposed from the outer circumferential surface 13a of the case, and allowing them to rotate around a rotation axis X1 along the longitudinal direction D11 of the case. The protruding portion 134 is provided protruding from the outer circumferential surface 13a of the case, and the connecting portion 17 is a member that extends along the rotation axis X1 inside the case. With this configuration, by housing the first camera 11, the second camera 12, and the connecting portion 17 in a cylindrical case, the apparent change in area when the camera is rotated can be further suppressed. In addition, by adopting a simple structure in which the protruding portion 134 for window glass installation protrudes from the outer circumferential surface 13a of the case, the clearance between the window glass and the support portion 13 can be easily suppressed.

[0041] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the amount T11 of the protrusion 134 from the outer peripheral surface 13a of the case is in the range of 1.2 to 2 times the amount T12 of the protrusion from the outer peripheral surface 13a of the photographic lens 111 in the first camera 11. With this configuration, the amount T11 of the protrusion 134 from the outer peripheral surface 13a of the case can be kept to the minimum necessary to avoid interference between the window glass and the photographic lens 111, while further suppressing the clearance between the window glass and the support part 13.

[0042] In this embodiment, the case is installed on the window glass via a protruding portion 134 and an adhesive portion 16 such that the longitudinal direction D11 of the case is aligned with the width direction D13 of the vehicle C1. The first camera 11 is housed at one end of the case in the longitudinal direction D11, and the second camera 12 is housed at the other end of the case in the longitudinal direction D11. It is desirable that the first camera 11 for exterior photography be able to capture the external scenery evenly from the center of the vehicle's width direction D13, and it is desirable that the second camera 12 for interior photography be positioned on the driver's side so that the driver is included in the frame. With the above configuration, by positioning the housing side of the first camera 11 on the central side of the case and the housing side of the second camera 12 on the driver's side, the above-mentioned desirable photography can be effectively achieved.

[0043] Further, in the present embodiment, the protruding portion 134 is provided on the back side of the exposure side of the photographing lens 121 of the second camera 12 on the other end side of the case. According to this configuration, when rotating the second camera 12 inside the vehicle in adjusting the photographing directions D14 and D15, the external force applied to the second camera 12 is applied to the adhesion portion 16 provided on the protruding portion 134 on the back side thereof. Since the second camera 12 and the adhesion portion 16 are substantially at the same position in the longitudinal direction D11 of the case, the above external force is transmitted to the adhesion portion 16 substantially as it is without being strengthened by the action of a lever or the like. Thereby, it is possible to effectively suppress a situation where the case, that is, the photographing device 1 is peeled off from the window glass due to the external force when rotating the second camera 12.

[0044] Further, in the present embodiment, the photographing directions D14 and D15 of the first camera 11 and the second camera 12 are set to be parallel to each other and in opposite directions. According to this configuration, it is suitable because the photographing direction D14 of the first camera 11 for photographing outside the vehicle can be adjusted in the horizontal direction simultaneously with adjusting the photographing direction D15 of the second camera 12 for photographing inside the vehicle in the horizontal direction.

[0045] Further, in the present embodiment, the coupling portion 17 is a shaft member extending so as to overlap the rotation axis X1 inside the case, and one end of the shaft member is connected to the first camera 11 and the other end is connected to the second camera 12. According to this configuration, the rotation of the second camera 12 for photographing inside the vehicle around the rotation axis X1 can be effectively transmitted to the first camera 11 for photographing outside the vehicle via the shaft member inside the case.

[0046] Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and includes other configurations and the like that can achieve the object of the present invention, and modifications and the like as shown below are also included in the present invention.

[0047] For example, in the above-described embodiment, as an example of the imaging device, an imaging device 1 that is connected to the drive recorder main body by a USB cable to form a drive recorder is illustrated. However, the imaging device is not limited to this, and as long as it is a device installed on the window glass of a vehicle, it may be a single device that functions as a drive recorder only by itself without being connected to other devices. Alternatively, as a device separate from the drive recorder, it may be a single device that only performs imaging, etc.

[0048] Also, in the above-described embodiment, as an example of the first camera and the second camera, a first camera 11 and a second camera 12 in which thin cylindrical imaging lenses 111 and 121 protrude from the outer peripheral surfaces 112a and 122a of cylindrical can-shaped camera bodies 112 and 122 are illustrated. However, the first camera and the second camera are not limited to this, and as long as they can photograph inside and outside the vehicle and are rotatably supported by a support portion, the specific camera shape and the like are not questioned.

[0049] Also, in the above-described embodiment, as an example of the imaging device, an imaging device 1 is illustrated in which a support portion 13 is a cylindrical case, a protruding portion 134 is provided so as to protrude from the outer peripheral surface 13a of the case, and a coupling portion 17 extends along a rotation axis X1 inside the case. However, the imaging device is not limited to this, and as long as the support portion rotatably supports the first camera and the second camera, the specific shape and the camera support mode are not questioned. For example, the support portion may be a support block that rotatably supports the first camera and the second camera in a state of being sandwiched between the first camera and the second camera in the axial direction of the rotation axis, and this support block may be installed on the window glass via a protruding portion and an adhesive portion, etc. However, according to the mode of accommodating and supporting the camera with a cylindrical case as the support portion 13, as described above, the change in area seen by the occupant when the camera rotates can be further suppressed. Also, according to the mode of protruding and forming the protruding portion 134 on the outer peripheral surface 13a of the cylindrical case, as described above, the clearance between the window glass and the support portion 13 can be easily suppressed. Note that the case shape of the support portion is not limited to a cylindrical shape, and other cylindrical shapes such as a rectangular cylinder can also be adopted.

[0050] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, an example of a photographic device is shown in which the protrusion amount T11 of the protruding portion 134 is in the range of 1.2 to 2 times the protrusion amount T12 of the photographic lens 111. However, the photographic device is not limited to this, and the protrusion amount of the protruding portion can be set arbitrarily as long as interference between the photographic lens and the window glass can be avoided. However, as mentioned above, by setting the protrusion amount T11 of the protruding portion 134 to the above range, it is possible to further suppress the clearance between the window glass and the support portion 13 while keeping this protrusion amount T11 to the necessary minimum.

[0051] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, an example of a case serving as a support is shown in which the case is installed on the windshield C11 or rear window C12 such that its longitudinal direction D11 aligns with the width direction D13 of the vehicle C1. The first camera 11 is housed at one end of this case, and the second camera 12 is housed at the other end. However, the case serving as a support is not limited to this. The case may be installed on other windows besides the windshield or rear window, such as the side windows, and the installation orientation of the case on the window and the housing positions of the two cameras can be arbitrarily set. However, as mentioned above, by installing the case serving as a support 13 on the windshield C11 or rear window C12 as described above, and housing the first camera 11 and the second camera 12 at both ends, desirable shooting of the interior and exterior of the vehicle can be effectively achieved.

[0052] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, a protrusion 134 provided on the back side of the photographic lens 121 of the second camera 12 relative to the exposed side is given as an example of a protrusion. However, the protrusion is not limited to this, and may be provided at a position unrelated to the installation position of the photographic lens of the second camera. However, as mentioned above, by providing the protrusion 134 at the back side position described above, it is possible to effectively suppress situations such as the photographic device 1 being detached from the window glass due to external forces when the second camera 12 is rotated.

[0053] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, as an example of the first and second cameras, a first camera 11 and a second camera 12 are provided in which the shooting directions D14 and D15 are set to be parallel to each other and opposite to each other. However, the first and second cameras are not limited to these, and the shooting direction of each camera can be set to any direction as long as it is possible to shoot both inside and outside the vehicle. However, as mentioned above, by setting the shooting directions D14 and D15 to be parallel to each other and opposite to each other, the shooting directions D14 and D15 of the first camera 11 and the second camera 12 can be simultaneously adjusted to the preferred horizontal direction.

[0054] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, as an example of a connecting portion, a connecting portion 17 is provided which is formed as a shaft member extending inside the case, which serves as the support portion 13, so as to overlap with the rotation axis X1. However, the connecting portion is not limited to this, and as long as the first camera and the second camera are connected to each other by passing through the inside of the support portion, the specific shape of the connection is not limited. For example, the connecting portion may be formed in a cylindrical shape surrounding the rotation axis inside the support portion, with one end opening connected to the first camera and the other end opening connected to the second camera. Alternatively, it may be one or more rod members extending along the rotation axis at a position away from the rotation axis, with one end connected to the first camera and the other end connected to the second camera. However, as described above, by employing a shaft member that extends inside the case so as to overlap with the rotation axis X1 as the support portion 13, the rotation of the second camera 12 around the rotation axis X1 can be effectively transmitted to the first camera 11.

[0055] 1. Imaging device 11. First camera 12. Second camera 13. Support part 13a, 112a, 122a. Outer surface 13b. Inner surface 13c. Dividing line 14. Connector board 15. Main board 16. Adhesive part 17. Joint part 111, 121. Imaging lens 112, 122. Camera body 131. First cylindrical wall 131a, 132a. Lens guide window 131b. Connector opening 132. Second cylindrical wall 132b. Button opening 132c. Microphone opening 133. End cap 134. Protruding part 141. USB connector 151. Operation button C1. Vehicle C11. Windshield C12. Rear window D11. Longitudinal direction D12. Rotational direction D13. Width direction D14, D15. Imaging direction T11, T12 Protrusion amount X1 Rotation axis θ1 Angle

Claims

1. A photographic device installed on the window glass of a vehicle, comprising: a first camera for photographing the exterior of the vehicle; a second camera for photographing the interior of the vehicle; a support portion for rotatably supporting the first camera and the second camera; an adhesive portion capable of bonding a projection fixedly provided on the support portion to the window glass; and a coupling portion that connects the first camera and the second camera to each other, passing through the inside of the support portion, so that the first camera and the second camera rotate together as a single unit.

2. The photographic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the support portion is a cylindrical case, and the case supports the first camera and the second camera so that they can rotate around a rotation axis along the longitudinal direction of the case, with their respective photographic lenses exposed from the outer circumferential surface of the case, the protruding portion is provided protruding from the outer circumferential surface of the case, and the connecting portion is a member that extends along the rotation axis inside the case.

3. The photographic apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that the amount of the protrusion of the protruding portion from the outer peripheral surface of the case is in the range of 1.2 to 2 times the amount of the photographic lens in the first camera protruding from the outer peripheral surface.

4. The photographic device according to claim 2, wherein the window glass is the windshield or rear window of the vehicle, the case is installed on the window glass via the protruding portion and the adhesive portion such that the longitudinal direction of the case is aligned with the width direction of the vehicle, the first camera is housed on one end of the case in the longitudinal direction, and the second camera is housed on the other end of the case in the longitudinal direction.

5. The photographic apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that the protrusion is provided on the other end side of the case, on the back side relative to the exposed side of the photographic lens of the second camera.

6. The imaging device according to claim 1, characterized in that the shooting directions of the first camera and the second camera are set to be parallel to each other and in opposite directions to each other.

7. The imaging device according to any one of claims 2 to 6, characterized in that the connecting portion is a shaft member that extends inside the case so as to overlap with the rotation axis, with one end of the shaft member connected to the first camera and the other end connected to the second camera.

Images