DOME COVER AND CAMERA INCLUDING THE SAME

A dome cover configured to shield an opening of a housing in which at least one camera module and a light module corresponding to the at least one camera module are mounted, the dome cover includes: a light cover coupled to the housing and surrounding an outside of the light module; a camera cover surrounding the outside of the at least one camera module and shielding the opening of the housing; and a shield interposed between the light cover and the camera cover and configured to prevent transmission of light from the light module, wherein the light cover and the camera cover are attached to the shielding member.

This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2023-0098985, filed on Jul. 28, 2023, and No. 10-2024-0077519, filed on Jun. 14, 2024, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates to a dome cover and a camera including the same, and more particularly, to a dome cover including a light cover member, a camera cover and a shielding member, and a camera including the dome cover.

2. Description of Related Art

In general, surveillance cameras for monitoring a specific area include a plurality of camera modules having pan/tilt/zoom motions to cover a wide area with a small number of devices and track objects with specific movements. In particular, among various types of surveillance cameras, dome cameras are increasingly used because they are easy to pan/tilt/zoom and can be miniaturized due to their circularly symmetrical shape with respect to a central axis.

A surveillance camera includes a dome cover provided to cover a plurality of cameras as a transparent optical outer component and is configured to prevent fogging or condensation of the dome cover by sending air to an inner surface of the dome cover using a fan mounted on the inside of the dome cover. Specifically, a conventional dome camera has a plurality of blower fans and a plurality of intake and exhaust ports installed in the vicinity of a plurality of camera modules arranged in a circumferential direction of a housing.

The blower fans may be used to remove moisture generated by a temperature difference between the inside and outside of the camera device or may be used to cool the camera modules or a circuit board that may be overheated depending on the installation or use environments.

In addition, the dome cover includes a transparent panel that transmits reflected light from a subject so that the reflected light can enter a camera module and a transmissive panel that transmits infrared rays irradiated from a light module. Because the transmissive panel of the light module and the transparent panel of the dome cover are formed of different materials or shapes, they are manufactured as separate elements and then assembled and mounted on the housing.

However, the dome cover used in a conventional surveillance camera requires an intermediate injection-molded product for assembling the transparent panel and the transmissive panel and requires a fastening structure for assembling the panels on both sides to the intermediate injection-molded product and a space for providing the fastening structure. Therefore, the product size inevitably increases, and additional time and cost are incurred due to the assembly process.

SUMMARY

Provided is a dome cover and a camera including the same, in which a light cover and a camera cover are formed integrally with a shield therebetween without an assembly process, and light emitted from the light cover can be prevented from entering the camera cover member.

According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a dome cover configured to shield an opening of a housing in which at least one camera module and a light module corresponding to the at least one camera module are mounted, the dome cover includes: a light cover coupled to the housing and surrounding an outside of the light module; a camera cover surrounding the outside of the at least one camera module and shielding the opening of the housing; and a shield interposed between the light cover and the camera cover and configured to prevent transmission of light from the light module. The light cover and the camera cover may be attached to the shielding member.

The shield may include: a fixing portion having a fixing groove formed on a first side, that the fixing groove may be configured to allow at least a portion of a tip end of the camera cover to be inserted therein, and the light cover may be attached to a second side; and an extension portion extending from an inner circumferential surface of the fixing portion toward an inner area of the light cover member.

The light cover may be molded by double injection and the light cover may be attached to a tip end of the second side of the fixing portion.

The camera cover may be molded by ultrasonic welding and a portion of the camera cover inserted into the fixing groove is attached to the first side of the fixing portion.

The extension portion may include a reflection pattern on an outer surface facing an inner circumferential surface of the light cover and may be configured to reflect light irradiated from the light module toward the light cover member.

The shield may include a winkle pattern on a surface of the first side of the fixing portion.

The shield may include an eave protruding from an outer surface of the fixing portion along a circumferential direction.

An outer circumferential surface of the eave may protrude further outward than an outer circumferential surface of the fixing portion.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a dome cover configured to shield an opening of a housing in which at least one camera module and a light module corresponding to the at least one camera module are mounted, the dome cover includes: a light cover coupled to the housing and surrounding an outside of the light module; a camera cover surrounding the outside of the at least one camera module and shielding the opening of the housing; a shield interposed between the light cover and the camera cover and configured to prevent transmission of light from the light module; and an eave coupled to the shield and configured to prevent light emitted from the light cover from being incident toward the camera cover member.

The shield may include: a fixing portion including a fixing groove and a coupling groove formed on a first side, the light cover may be attached to a second side of the fixing portion; and an extension portion extending from an inner circumferential surface of the fixing portion toward an inner area of the light cover member. The camera cover may be attached to the fixing groove, and the coupling groove, into which the eave is inserted, may be formed outside the fixing groove.

The eave may include: a coupling portion protruding from a lower surface of the eave and inserted into the coupling groove; a wrinkle pattern protruding from an upper surface of the eave in a set pattern along a circumferential direction; and a protruding portion protruding further outward from an outer circumferential surface of the eave than an outer circumferential surface of the fixing portion.

The eave may slope upward such that a height of the protruding portion increases from the inside toward the outside.

The protruding portion may be configured to interfere with an imaginary straight line that connects a light emission surface of the light cover to an outer surface of the camera cover member.

The light cover and the camera cover may be attached to both sides of the shielding member.

The light cover may be formed by double injection and the light cover is attached to a tip end of the second side of the fixing portion.

A tip end of the camera cover and the fixing groove may be attached by ultrasonic welding, and the coupling portion and the coupling groove may be attached by ultrasonic welding.

The camera cover may be attached inside the light cover to the shielding member.

The extension portion may include a reflection pattern on an outer surface facing an inner circumferential surface of the light cover and may be configured to reflect light irradiated from the light module toward the light cover member.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a camera including: a fixed stage; at least one camera module on the fixed stage; a light module corresponding to the at least one camera module; a bracket coupled onto the fixed stage and configured to simultaneously rotate the at least one camera module and the light module about one rotation axis; and a dome cover on the fixed stage and configured to cover the at least one camera module and the light module. The dome cover includes: a light cover surrounding the outside of the light module; a camera cover surrounding the outside of the at least one camera module; a shield interposed between the light cover and the camera cover and configured to block light from the light module from being transmitted to the camera cover member; and an eave coupled to the shield and configured to prevent light emitted from the light cover from being incident toward the camera cover member.

The eave may include a protruding portion protruding further outward than an outer circumferential surface of the shielding member and may be configured to interfere with an imaginary straight line that connects a light emission surface of the light cover to an outer surface of the camera cover member.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure may have various modifications and various embodiments, and thus specific embodiments are illustrated in the drawings and described in detail in the detailed description.

However, it should be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to specific embodiments and includes all modifications, equivalents or alternatives within the spirit and technical scope of the present disclosure.

Although the terms first, second, third, etc., may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms.

These terms are only used to distinguish one element from another element.

For example, a second element could be termed a first element without departing from the scope of right of the present disclosure. Similarly, the first element could be termed the second element.

As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. For example, the term “at least one of A, B or C” includes any and all combinations of A, B, or C alone and a group of A and B, A and C, B and C, and A, B, and C.

It will be understood that when an element is referred to as being “connected to” or “coupled to” another element, it can be directly connected or coupled to the other element or intervening elements may be present.

In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly connected to” or “directly coupled to” another element, there are no intervening elements present.

It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “has,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or combinations thereof, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or combinations thereof.

Hereinafter, various embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The same or corresponding elements will be identified by the same reference numerals regardless of numerals in the drawings, and any redundant description thereof will be omitted.

FIG.1is a perspective view of a camera100to which a dome cover160is coupled according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.FIG.2is an exploded perspective view of the camera100shown inFIG.1.FIG.3is a cross-sectional view of the camera100taken along line I-I′ ofFIG.1.

Referring toFIGS.1through3, the camera100according to some embodiments of the present disclosure may include a housing110, a fixed stage120, a rotation module130, a light module140, a camera module150, and the dome cover160.

First, the housing110may cover a border of the camera100approximately along a circumferential direction. The housing110may have a set height and may form an accommodation space111therein. The housing110may have a step112formed by a tip end bent inward along the circumferential direction, and the step112may be an area to which an outer end of the dome cover160to be described later is assembled.

In addition, the fixed stage120may be disposed in the accommodating space111of the housing110to support the installation of the rotation module130in an upper area, and a circuit board or the like may be installed in a lower area. The fixed stage120may include a hollow cylindrical pillar121in a central area, and the pillar121may be the center of rotation of the rotation module130.

Power lines or control signal lines of the camera module150and the light module140may be connected to the circuit board through a hollow area122inside the pillar121.

The fixed stage120may have a ring gear123provided along an inner circumferential surface to face the pillar121. The fixed stage120may be fixed on a support frame124inside the housing110, the circuit board may be built into the support frame124, and the step112of the housing110may be fixed on an upper end of the support frame124, together with an outer tip end of the dome cover160.

In addition, the rotation module130may include a clamp131, a bracket132, a planetary gear133, and a mounting portion134.

The clamp131may be coupled to the pillar121to cover the pillar121. For example, in the case of a multi-camera in which a plurality of camera modules150are provided, a plurality of clamps131may be coupled at different heights on the pillar121. Although not shown in the drawings, a bearing may be provided inside an area where the clamp131and the pillar121contact to face each other.

The bracket132may be coupled to the clamp131and disposed such that it can rotate about the pillar121. The bracket132may be partially bent so that its vertical cross section has an “L” shape, and the camera module150may be mounted on the bracket132. A rotating portion135may be provided on the bracket132to support the camera module150such that the camera module150can rotate along a vertical direction. The bracket132may have a through hole136through which a power line or a control signal line connected to the camera module150or the light module140can pass.

At the back of the bracket132coupled to the clamp131, a plurality of fastening holes137may be formed in a set pattern along the vertical direction to correspond to a coupling height of the clamp131, so that the clamp131can be coupled to the fastening holes137. For example, the height of the clamp131may correspond to a height of the fastening holes137of the bracket132. Therefore, when a second clamp131is coupled above a first clamp131on the pillar121, it may be coupled to fastening holes of another bracket132spaced upward from the bracket132by a height of the first clamp131.

The planetary gear133may be disposed under the bracket132to mesh with the ring gear123while rotating together with the bracket132.

The bracket132may be supported to be rotatable about the pillar121through the clamp131, but may also be supported in an up-and-down direction through the fixed stage120or the ring gear123.

The mounting portion134may be disposed on the outside of the bracket132so that the light module140can be mounted. Although not shown in the drawings, the bracket132may be configured or controlled to rotate only within a set range on the fixed stage120.

The mounting portion134may be disposed at an outer tip end of the bracket132, and the light module140may be installed on the mounting portion134.

In addition, the bracket132may have a shielding groove138formed between an area where the camera module150is installed and the mounting portion134where the light module140is installed, so that a portion of the dome cover160can be inserted into the shielding groove138.

In addition, the light module140may be disposed at a position corresponding to the camera module150along the circumferential direction of the rotation module130. That is, one light module140may be paired with one camera module150, and one light module140and one camera module150may be disposed at the same angle with respect to the circumferential direction.

In the case of a multi-camera in which a plurality of light modules140and a plurality of camera modules150are provided, pairs of the light modules140and the camera modules150may be disposed at equal angles or equal intervals around the pillar121, and the light module140and the camera module150in each pair may be disposed to rotate simultaneously on the rotation module130.

The light module140may irradiate light to the outside and may be disposed adjacent to each camera module150so that the irradiated light can sufficiently illuminate a subject. The light irradiated from the light module140may be irradiated to the outside through the dome cover160, reflected from the subject, and then incident on the camera module150through the dome cover160again.

In addition, the camera module150may be mounted on the rotating portion135provided on the bracket132. Therefore, since the camera module150is coupled to rotation axes on both sides provided on the rotating portion135, tilt motion is possible along the up-and-down direction, and pan motion is possible according to the circumferential rotation of the rotation module130. Although not shown in the drawings, the camera module150may additionally have a self-rotating motion or zooming function by rotating about an optical axis (an axis perpendicular to the center of each lens).

Although a case where an infrared camera is applied to the camera module150and an infrared light-emitting diode (LED) is applied to the light module140is described as an example embodiment, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and a camera module and a light module using a visible light camera and a visible light source or other wavelengths may also be applied. In this sense, the dome cover160may be applied such that light of a specific wavelength range used according to a designer's intention can be incident or emitted.

Although not shown inFIGS.2and3, the camera100may be equipped with a motor. The motor may rotate the rotating portion135about the pillar121on the fixed stage120. At this time, the light module140and the camera module150may simultaneously rotate about one rotation axis. For example, the motor may be provided in a lower space of the fixed stage120, and various elements such as the circuit board for controlling the motor may be further provided.

FIG.4is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion of the dome cover160shown inFIG.3.FIG.5is a partial enlarged view of area A ofFIG.4.

Referring toFIGS.4and5, the dome cover160according to the present disclosure may include a light cover161, a camera cover162, and a shield163.

First, the light cover161may surround the outside of the light module140described above. The light cover161may be fastened to a tip end of the housing110. The light cover161may be inclined according to the angle of inclination at which the light module140is installed. The light module140and the light cover161may be spaced apart from each other.

An outer tip end of the light cover161may be provided with a flange168which is fastened to the inside of the step112described above.

In addition, the camera cover162may surround the outside of the camera module150described above and shield the top of an opening of the housing110. For example, in the camera cover162, at least a tilting angle range of the camera module150may be formed as a curved surface to correspond to the tilt motion in which the camera module150rotates in the up-and-down direction.

In addition, the shield163may be interposed between the light cover161and the camera cover162to attach them from both sides. Here, the camera cover162may be attached inside the light cover161to the shield163along a horizontal direction. The shield163can prevent the transmission of light irradiated from the light module140.

The shield163may include a fixing portion164and an extension portion165.

The fixing portion164may have the camera cover162attached to a first side and the light cover161attached to a second side.

A fixing groove166may be formed on an inner side of the first side of the fixing portion164, and a wrinkle pattern167may be formed on an outer side.

At least a portion of a tip end of the camera cover162may be inserted into the fixing groove166and molded to be attached through ultrasonic welding. In other words, the fixing groove166may be configured to allow at least a portion of a tip end of the camera cover162to be inserted therein.

Ultrasonic welding molding may be a method of heat welding using a piezoelectric effect by converting ultrasonic waves into electrical energy using about 15 to 50 kHz in the range of about 10 kHz to 10 MHz of the ultrasonic waves and converting the electric energy into mechanical vibrations through repetition of contraction and relaxation according to the direction of a voltage.

Although not shown in the drawings, the tip end of the cover162may fill the inside of the fixing groove166as a portion of the tip end melts in the ultrasonic welding molding process.

Therefore, a sealing function may be provided between the camera cover162and the shield163.

The wrinkle pattern167may be formed on an upper surface of the outer side of the first side of the fixing portion164. The wrinkle pattern167may block light L1irradiated from the light module140or light reflected from the light cover161from being reflected toward the camera cover162. Since a combined cross section of the fixing portion164and the extension portion165is bent in an approximately ‘L’ shape, the shield163can basically block the light L1irradiated from the light module140from travelling toward the camera cover162.

In addition, the extension portion165may extend from an inner side of the fixing portion164toward an inner area of the light cover161. InFIG.5, a lower end of the extension portion165may be positioned lower than an upper end of an LED board (circuit board CB) provided in the light module140.

As shown inFIGS.2and3, the extension portion165may be inserted into the shielding groove138formed between the area where the camera module150is installed and the mounting portion134where the light module140is installed. Therefore, the extension portion165can prevent the light L1irradiated from the light module140from being transmitted to an inner area of the camera cover162after being reflected from the inner area of the light cover161.

In addition, the light cover161may be attached adjacent to an outer tip end on the second side of the fixing portion164through double injection molding. In the double injection molding, a product can be molded through half a cycle using different resins with different colors. Generally, the double injection molding may be a method of molding by filling a second cavity space with a first molded product and a second resin using an injection molding machine structured to have two injection devices and a rotating mechanism installed on a movable plate or a mold designed to enable double injection using a core or slide structure.

Since two parts can be molded through one molding in the double injection molding, cost reduction and production of products with various designs can be expected.

Here, in the process of forming the dome cover160, a process of attaching the light cover161to the shield163through double injection molding or simultaneously molding the light cover161and the shield163may be performed prior to the process of molding the shield163and the camera cover162through ultrasonic welding.

The light cover161and the camera cover162may also be attached to the shield163by adhesion.

FIG.6is a reference diagram of the dome cover160according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

Referring toFIG.6, a dome cover160according to some embodiments of the present disclosure may include a reflection pattern260to reflect light, which is reflected from a light module140toward a shield163, back toward a light cover161.

InFIG.6, a saw tooth pattern having a constant size and shape is shown as an example of the reflection pattern260. However, the reflection pattern260may also be formed as a sawtooth pattern whose size and shape are not constant. The reflection pattern260may also be designed to reflect light, which is reflected toward an outer circumferential surface of an extension portion165, toward the outside of a shielding groove138or toward the light cover161by using a flat surface, a curved surface or a combination of the same, in addition to the saw tooth shape.

The reflection pattern260may extend such that a protruding tip end corresponds to a width of the shielding groove138, and its surface that reflects light may be formed as a concave curved surface.

That is, since the shield163can reflect light L2, which is reflected toward the shielding groove138, back toward the light cover161through the reflection pattern260, it brings about the effect of increasing light efficiency and preventing reflected light from entering a camera module150.

FIG.7is a reference diagram of the dome cover160according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

Referring toFIG.7, a dome cover160may include a light cover161, a camera cover162, a shield163, and an eave170.

Since the structures of the light cover161and the camera cover162are the same as those of the above-described embodiments, a redundant description thereof will be omitted.

The shield163may include a fixing portion164and an extension portion165.

A fixing groove166to which the camera cover162is attached may be formed on a first side of the fixing portion164, and a coupling groove169to which the eave170is attached may be formed outside the fixing groove166. In addition, the light cover161may be attached to a second side of the fixing portion164.

In addition, the extension portion165may extend from an inner tip end of the fixing portion164to an inner area of the light cover161. Since a light module140and a camera module150(seeFIG.2) are structured to move together, a predetermined space may be required between the camera module150and the shield163, and the extension portion165may provide a function of blocking the introduction of light through this space. Therefore, the extension portion165may extend into a shielding groove138but may be placed not to interfere with the movement of the camera module150or the light module140.

The eave170may include a coupling portion172, a protruding portion171, and a wrinkle pattern173.

The coupling portion172may protrude from the bottom of the eave170to correspond to the coupling groove169. The coupling portion172and the coupling groove169may be attached to each other through ultrasonic welding. InFIG.7, one coupling portion172and one coupling groove169are provided as an example embodiments. However, a plurality of coupling portions172and a plurality of coupling grooves169may also be provided.

In addition, the protruding portion171may protrude further outward from an outer circumferential surface of the eave170than an outer circumferential surface of the fixing portion164. The protruding portion171may be disposed to interfere with an imaginary straight line that connects a light emission surface161aof the light cover161to an outer surface of the camera cover162. That is, the protruding portion171may function as a shade that prevents light emitted from the light emission surface161aof the light cover161from directly entering the camera cover162. For example, a length by which the protruding portion171protrudes from an outer circumferential surface of the shield163may correspond to a center height of the eave170from an upper surface of the shield163. However, the protruding portion171may protrude to a range that does not interfere with a shooting angle of the camera module150.

In addition, the wrinkle pattern173may protrude from an upper surface of the eave170in a set pattern along the circumferential direction. The wrinkle pattern173provides the same function and effect as the wrinkle pattern167of the above-described embodiment ofFIG.5, and thus a redundant description thereof will be omitted.

The shield163may be formed to slope upward so that its height increases from the inside toward the outside. Accordingly, a height of the wrinkle pattern173may also increase toward the outside.

Therefore, according to a dome cover and a camera including the same according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, because a process of assembling each of a light cover and a camera cover to a shield is not required, tact time of the manufacturing process can be significantly reduced. In addition, because the dome cover is manufactured through double injection molding or ultrasonic welding molding, a sealing function can be additionally provided. Also, a bracket structure for assembling the camera cover and the light cover is removed, and an assembly area is eliminated. Therefore, miniaturization is possible, and/or space utilization can be increased. A reflection pattern provided on an extension portion of the shield can prevent light irradiated from a light module from being reflected to an internal area of the camera cover member. In addition, an eave provided on the shield can prevent light emitted from the light cover from being incident on the camera cover member.

A dome cover and a camera including the same according to the various embodiment of the present disclosure provide at least one of the following advantages.

First, because a process of assembling each of a light cover and a camera cover to a shield is not required, tack time of the manufacturing process can be significantly reduced.

Second, because the dome cover is manufactured through double injection molding or ultrasonic welding molding, a sealing function can be additionally provided.

Third, a bracket structure for assembling the camera cover and the light cover is removed, and an assembly area is eliminated. Therefore, miniaturization is possible, and/or space utilization can be increased.

Fourth, a reflection pattern provided on an extension portion of the shield can prevent light irradiated from a light module from being reflected to an internal area of the camera cover member.

Fifth, an eave provided on the shield can prevent light emitted from the light cover from being incident on the camera cover member.

However, the effects of the present disclosure are not restricted to the one set forth herein. The above and other effects of the present disclosure will become more apparent to one of daily skill in the art to which the present disclosure pertains by referencing the claims.

While the present disclosure has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the present disclosure is not limited to the same configurations and operations as the specific embodiments described above, and various changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure as defined by the following claims. Therefore, the scope of the present disclosure is defined not by the detailed description of the invention but by the following claims, and all differences within the scope will be construed as being included in the present disclosure.