Vehicle Camera Holder Front Screw Mounting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Front cameras for vehicles face a trade-off between miniaturization and high functionality due to the screw placement hindering the arrangement of the imaging device board, limiting the size of the holder and the expansion of the mounting surface.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle-mounted camera design featuring an optical unit, frame, cover member, and holder with screw members that allow the holder and cover to be screwed to the frame from the front, preventing screws from protruding behind the holder, thus allowing for a larger imaging device board without increasing the holder size.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the holder is miniaturized to ensure a wider field of view, then the size of the holder is reduced, but the mounting surface area for the imaging device board is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a conventional rear-screwed configuration to a front-screwed configuration, fundamentally changing the spatial dimension in which the screwing operation occurs. By moving the screwing action to the front side of the holder, the back surface becomes entirely available for mounting the imaging device board, effectively utilizing the Z-dimension to resolve the area constraint without increasing holder volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent inverts the conventional assembly sequence and screwing direction. Instead of screwing from the back side of the holder as in traditional designs, the screw members are inserted from the front side through the cover member and holder. This inversion allows the entire back surface of the holder to be dedicated to the imaging device board mounting, resolving the contradiction between miniaturization and mounting surface area.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the mounting surface of the imaging device board is extended to enhance functionality, then more components can be mounted, but the holder size must be increased
Solution Approach 1:
By changing the screwing dimension from rear to front, the patent fully utilizes the back surface area of the holder for mounting purposes. This dimensional reconfiguration allows the mounting surface to extend to the maximum available area without requiring an increase in holder volume, thereby enhancing functionality while maintaining compact size.
3Strength
If screws are placed on the back surface of the holder for fixing, then the holder can be securely attached to the housing, but the screw heads hinder the arrangement of the imaging device board
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the screwing direction from back-to-front to front-to-back. The screw members are inserted from the front side through the cover member and holder, and tightened against the front surface. This inversion completely eliminates screw heads from the back surface, making the entire back area available for the imaging device board while maintaining secure fixing strength through the front-surface attachment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the screw heads from the back surface location and relocates them to the front surface. By removing the obstructive element (screw heads) from the critical mounting area (back surface), the design allows maximum space for the imaging device board while preserving the fixing function through the repositioned screwing mechanism.
Data Source
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AI summary
[Object] To provide a vehicle-mounted camera capable of achieving both of miniaturization and high functionality. [Solving Means] The vehicle-mounted camera includes an optical unit, a frame, a cover member, a holder, and a pair of screw members. The frame includes a front wall portion having a flat plate shape and extending along a plane orthogonal to an axis, and a pair of first through-hole portions provided to the front wall portion. The cover member includes a pair of second through-hole portions adjacent to the pair of first through-hole portions in a forward direction of the axis. The holder includes a holding portion that holds the optical unit, a pair of columnar portions that protrude in the forward direction and are inserted into the pair of first through-hole portions and the pair of second through-hole portions from a rearward direction of the axis, and a pair of screw hole portions formed toward the rearward direction from distal end portions of the pair of columnar portions. The pair of screw members fix the holder and the cover member to the frame by being inserted into the pair of second through-hole portions from the forward direction and fastened to the pair of screw hole portions.