Imaging device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11040671-B2
Application number	US-201716324762-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 28, 2017
Priority date	Sep 21, 2016
Publication date	Jun 22, 2021
Grant date	Jun 22, 2021

Abstract

The present invention provides an imaging device with which it is possible to easily mount/remove an imaging unit by a simpler operation than in the past when mounting/removing the imaging unit to and from a bracket, and to reduce more work space than in the past. In the present invention, an imaging unit 10 has a plurality of supported parts 15 that are supported by the bracket 20. The bracket 20 has a plurality of support structures 24 for supporting the plurality of supported parts 15. The support structures 24 have a receiving port 24a opened toward the rear of a mounting direction DF for receiving the supported parts 15 in the mounting direction DF and a support 24b for supporting the supported parts 15 on the forward side in the mounting direction DF of the receiving port 24a from a support direction DS that intersects the mounting direction DF.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An imaging device comprising:
an imaging unit; and
a bracket capable of mounting the imaging unit in a mounting direction,
wherein the imaging unit includes a plurality of supported parts supported by the bracket,
the bracket includes a plurality of support structures for supporting the plurality of supported parts, and
the plurality of support structures include:
a receiving port that opens toward a rear in the mounting direction to receive one of the plurality of supported parts in the mounting direction; and
a support for supporting the one of the plurality of supported parts on the forward side in the mounting direction of the receiving port from a support direction that intersects the mounting direction, wherein
the plurality of support structures includes at least one first support structure,
the first support structure is configured such that the support includes: an engagement recess provided in a recessed shape in the support direction to engage the one of the plurality of supported parts; and a guide part extending from a rear side to a front side of the receiving port in the mounting direction,
the plurality of support structures includes at least one second support structure,
the second support structure is configured such that the support includes a pair of guide parts including a first guide part and a second guide part, which are configured to oppose the support direction and extending from the rear side to the forward side of the receiving port in the mounting direction,
the imaging unit has a maximum dimension in a longitudinal direction intersecting the mounting direction and the support direction,
the second support structure includes a pair of guide walls opposing in the longitudinal direction and extending in an up-down direction,
the first guide part is provided on each of the pair of guide walls,
the second guide part is disposed between the pair of guide walls, and
the guide wall includes:
a first guide surface extending in the up-down direction from below the receiving port to the receiving port;
a second guide surface opposed to a rear side in the mounting direction and extending in the up-down direction; and
an inlet that opens downward between the first guide surface and the second guide surface to upwardly receive the one of the plurality of supported parts of the imaging unit.

2. The imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein
the imaging unit is configured such that the plurality of supported parts includes: a pair of first supported parts provided at a position being a front end portion in the mounting direction and being both end portions in the longitudinal direction; and at least one second supported part at a position being a rear end portion in the mounting direction and being a center portion in the longitudinal direction, and
the plurality of support structures consists of: a pair of the first support structures that supports the pair of first supported parts; and the at least one second support structure that supports the at least one second supported part.

3. The imaging device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the support direction is the up-down direction,
the engagement recess supports the one of the plurality of supported parts from below, and
one of the first guide part or the second guide part supports the one of the plurality of supported parts from above.

4. The imaging device according to claim 3 ,
wherein the engagement recess includes, at a rear end portion in the mounting direction, an inclined surface inclined rearward in the mounting direction with respect to the support direction.

5. The imaging device according to claim 4 ,
wherein the engagement recess includes, at a front end portion in the mounting direction, an inclined surface inclined forward in the mounting direction with respect to the support direction.

6. The imaging device according to claim 3 ,
wherein one of the first guide part or the second guide part has a rear end portion in the mounting direction defined as a fixed end, a front end portion in the mounting direction defined as a free end, and uses the front end portion to bias the supported part toward the engagement recess.

7. The imaging device according to claim 3 ,
wherein the plurality of support structures include an engagement part extending downward from above the guide part in the support direction on the forward side of the guide part in the mounting direction, and
the engagement part includes: the engagement recess provided at a lower end portion in the support direction; and a guide surface extending from below the receiving port to the receiving port in the support direction.

8. The imaging device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the second guide part has a rear end portion in the mounting direction defined as a fixed end, a front end portion in the mounting direction defined as a free end, and uses the front end portion to bias the supported part toward the first guide part.

9. The imaging device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the plurality of supported parts of the imaging unit has a pillar shape extending in an axial direction along a direction perpendicular to the mounting direction and the support direction.

10. The imaging device according to claim 2 ,
wherein the second supported part includes: a first portion projecting rearward in the mounting direction from a center portion in the longitudinal direction of the imaging unit; and a pillar-shaped second portion provided at a rear end of the first portion in the mounting direction and extending in an axial direction along a direction perpendicular to the mounting direction and the support direction.

11. The imaging device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the mounting direction is a direction along inclination of a windshield of a vehicle intersecting the support direction and an optical axis direction of the imaging unit.

Assignees

• Hitachi Automotive Systems Ltd

Inventors

• Yamamoto Kenji
• Shinohara Hidenori

Classifications

• H04N23/57

  Mechanical or electrical details of cameras or camera modules specially adapted for being embedded in other devices · CPC title

• H04N23/51

  Housings · CPC title

• G03B17/02

  Bodies · CPC title

• G03B17/56

  Accessories (carrying-cases A45C11/38) · CPC title

• G03B35/08

  by simultaneous recording · CPC title