Onboard device and attachment structure for onboard device

An onboard device includes a body member, a support member projecting from the body member and including a base to be attached to a concave inner surface of a glass member having a curved shape provided in a vehicle, and a double-sided adhesive tape stuck on a the base. The base is a plate-like member including an attachment surface to be opposed to the inner surface of the glass member. The attachment surface is a curved surface having a curvature at least in a first direction along the attachment surface. The double-sided adhesive tape is provided with at least one first slit open toward an upper edge located on the upper side and cut downward and at least one second slit open toward a lower edge located on the lower side and cut upward when the base (3) is attached to the inner surface.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates to an onboard device and an attachment structure for an onboard device.

Onboard devices are known that are attached on the inner surface of a windshield of a vehicle via a double-sided adhesive tape. JP 5646924 discloses a drive recorder as an example of such an onboard device.

The drive recorder disclosed in JP 5646924 is attached to the windshield such that a stuck surface of a projection projecting from a body member of the drive recorder is stuck on the inner surface of the windshield with a double-sided adhesive tape.

While the stuck surface on the onboard device side is a flat surface, the inner surface of the windshield of the vehicle is typically a concave surface. The double-sided adhesive tape to be used is thick and usually has a thickness of about 2 to 3 mm, so that a difference in the compression amount of the thick double-sided adhesive tape absorbs a distance difference caused between the curved inner surface of the windshield and the stuck surface of the onboard device.

JP 5646924 also discloses in paragraph [0067] that the stuck area of the projection is decreased so as to enable the attachment of the drive recorder to the windshield without being influenced by the curve of the windshield.

However, the use of the thick doubled-sided adhesive tape increases the cost. In addition, since the compression amount is large at the edge of the stuck surface but is small in the middle part of the stuck surface, a space may be caused in the middle part of the stuck surface not stuck on the windshield, which decreases the attachment strength.

The adhesive strength with respect to the moment applied to the stuck part is decreased as the stuck area is smaller. The conventional technique thus needs to use the double-sided adhesive tape having higher adhesive force so as to ensure the sufficient attachment strength, leading to an increase in cost accordingly.

When the stuck surface of the projection that is the flat surface is stuck on the curved surface of the windshield with the double-sided adhesive tape interposed therebetween, air bubbles tend to remain on the stuck surface after the sticking operation. The air bubbles remaining on the stuck surface decrease the stuck area to lead to a decrease in the adhesive strength, and are thus required to be eliminated as much as possible. This issue is also applied to the double-sided adhesive tape having a greater thickness.

The double-sided adhesive tape adhering to the inner surface of the windshield sometimes needs to be removed in order to detach the onboard device for replacement, for example. When the double-sided adhesive tape is removed from the windshield, a thin flathead screwdriver is usually forced into the stuck part, and is then lifted up so as to remove the double-sided adhesive tape. However, since the double-sided adhesive tape strongly adheres to the windshield with no gap, the flathead screwdriver cannot be easily forced into the stuck part, which impedes the easy detachment of the onboard device.

SUMMARY

A first aspect of one or more embodiments provides an onboard device including: a body member; a support member projecting from the body member and including a base to be attached to a concave inner surface of a glass member having a curved shape provided in a vehicle; and a double-sided adhesive tape prepared to be stuck on the base, wherein the base of the support member is a plate-like member including an attachment surface to be opposed to the inner surface of the glass member and a pillar-part formation surface provided with a pillar part connected to the body member on an opposite side of the attachment surface, the attachment surface is a curved surface having a curvature at least in a first direction along the attachment surface and projecting toward an opposite side of the pillar-part formation surface, and the double-sided adhesive tape is provided with a plurality of slits including at least one first slit open toward an upper edge located on an upper side when the base is attached to the inner surface and cut downward in a direction perpendicular to an axial line about which the base is rotated when attached to the inner surface, and at least one second slit open toward a lower edge located on a lower side and cut upward in the direction perpendicular to the axial line about which the base is rotated when attached to the inner surface.

A second aspect of one or more embodiments provides an attachment structure for an onboard device including: a body member; a support member projecting from the body member and including a base to be attached to a concave inner surface of a glass member having a curved shape provided in a vehicle; and a double-sided adhesive tape prepared to be stuck on the base and the inner surface so as to attach the support member to the glass member, wherein the double-sided adhesive tape is provided with a plurality of slits including at least one first slit open toward an upper edge located on an upper side when the base is attached to the inner surface and cut downward in a direction perpendicular to an axial line about which the base is rotated when attached to the inner surface, and at least one second slit open toward a lower edge located on a lower side and cut upward in the direction perpendicular to the axial line about which the base is rotated when attached to the inner surface.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

An onboard device according to an embodiment is illustrated below with a drive recorder91according to an example.

EXAMPLE

FIG.1is a side view illustrating an attachment state in which the drive recorder91is attached to an inner surface81aof a windshield81that is a glass member of a vehicle, for example. The respective upper, lower, front, and rear directions are indicated by the arrows based on the attitude of the vehicle. The right and left directions are the front and back directions of the surface of the drawing. The windshield81has a curved shape in which the inner surface81ais concave.

The drive recorder91includes a body member1having a cuboidal shape with a slightly longer length in the right and left direction, and a support member2projecting in a diagonally front-upper direction from a front-upper part of the body member1.

The body member1includes a camera unit13on the front surface, and an image display unit14on the rear surface.

The camera unit13captures images through the glass member, and the image display unit14displays the images captured by the camera unit13.

The support member2includes an arm part21, a pillar part23, a base3, and a double-sided adhesive tape5as an adhesive member.

The arm part21projects from the body member1, and the pillar part23is rotatably engaged with the arm part21about an axial line extending in the right-left direction and locked at a predetermined rotational angle at the arm part21by fastening of a nut22. This configuration can bring the body member1to an intended swing attitude in the upper-lower direction with respect to the windshield81.

FIG.2is a view illustrating the base3as viewed in a direction indicated by the arrow Ya inFIG.1.FIG.2illustrates only the fundamental outline of the pillar part23.

As illustrated inFIG.2, the base3is a plate-like member having a substantially rectangular shape integrated with the pillar part23connected to the body member1, and includes a cable hook24for hooking a cable (not illustrated) connecting the body member1to an external device.

FIG.3Ais a cross-sectional view taken along line S3-S3inFIG.2. Namely,FIG.3Aillustrates the base3cross-sectioned along the middle of the pillar part23in the right-left direction.FIG.3Bis a view partly exaggerating the dimensions of the shape illustrated inFIG.3A.

The base3is formed of resin into a plate shape having an attachment surface3aand an inclination surface3bserving as a pillar-part formation surface provided with the pillar part23on the opposite side of the attachment surface3a.

The base3is formed of resin to have a rectangular shape in a planar view, for example.

The attachment surface3a, to which the double-sided adhesive tape5is stuck, is opposed to the windshield81.

As illustrated inFIG.3AandFIG.3B, the attachment surface3ais a curved surface projecting most in the middle in the right-left direction that is a first direction. The curved surface is a circumferential surface of a cylinder having a curvature of zero in the upper-lower direction and having a radius Ra in the right-left direction. The attachment surface3amay be a curved surface having a curvature in both the upper-lower direction and the right-left direction.

The radius Ra is set to be approximate to a curvature in the right-left direction in the typical windshield81around to the upper part in the middle in the right-left direction at which the onboard device is attached. The radius Ra is set to 961, for example.

A distance d1, which is a projecting amount in the middle part of the attachment surface3awith respect to the right and left ends, is set to about 0.4 mm, for example.

As illustrated inFIG.3A, the pillar part23projects upward substantially in the middle in the right-left direction of the inclination surface3b. The part of the inclination surface3bon the left side based on the pillar part23is referred to below as an inclination surface3bL, and the part of the inclination surface3bon the right side is referred to below as an inclination surface3bR.

The inclination surface3bL and the inclination surface3bR are inclined with respect to the plane surface perpendicular to the axial line CL23of the pillar part23. In particular, the respective inclination surfaces are inclined in the direction closer to the attachment surface3aas the respective inclination surfaces are separated from the pillar part23in the respective right and left directions.

An angle θa between the respective inclination surfaces and the axial line CL23of the pillar part23inFIG.3Bis thus greater than 90 degrees. The angle θa in this case is 94 degrees, for example.

The inclination surface3bL and the inclination surface3bR are each illustrated with the flat surface in this example, but may be a curved surface instead.

The configuration of the inclination surface3bL and the inclination surface3bR described above leads the base3to have a smaller thickness (to be thinner) as the base3is separated from the pillar part23in the respective right and left directions.

The thickness is set to a degree so that the base3can be bent and deformable in the thickness direction due to the pressing force by fingers in the thickness direction, as indicated by the arrows DRa shown inFIG.3A.

The attachment surface3ais provided with the double-sided adhesive tape5stuck thereto as an adhesive member. The double-sided adhesive tape5is shipped in a state in which one of the surfaces is stuck on the attachment surface3aduring the manufacture of the drive recorder91. The double-sided adhesive tape5, of course, may be packed with the product upon the shipping so as to allow a buyer or a dealer of the drive recorder91to stick the double-sided adhesive tape5to the base3when attaching the drive recorder91to the windshield81.

As illustrated inFIG.4, the double-sided adhesive tape5is formed into a shape corresponding to the outline of the base3. The double-sided adhesive tape5in this example has a rectangular shape. The double-sided adhesive tape5is not thick with a thickness of about 1 mm, for example.

The double-sided adhesive tape5has a slit52extending from a side5athat is an upper edge, and slits51extending from a side5bthat is a lower edge, in the state in which one of the surfaces is stuck on the base3in the attached state of the drive recorder91.

The slits51in this example are provided more than the slit52, and include the two slits51aand51b.

The double-sided adhesive tape5has adhesive force sufficient to be tightly stuck on the attachment surface3aof the base3not only in its natural state but also in the state in which the right and left edges of the attachment surface3aare bent and deformed in the thickness direction.

FIG.5AtoFIG.5Care views showing a first operation that is part of operation of attaching the base3of the drive recorder91to the windshield81.

This example is illustrated with a case in which the radius Ra of the attachment surface3aof the base3is different from and slightly smaller than the radius of curvature in the right-left direction at the part on the inner surface81aof the windshield81to which the drive recorder91is attached.

When the drive recorder91is attached to the windshield81, the middle part of the base3in the right-left direction is first pressed against the windshield81in the state in which one of the surfaces of the double-sided adhesive tape5is stuck on the attachment surface3aso as to stick the other surface of the double-sided adhesive tape5to the windshield81, as illustrated inFIG.5A.

Then, as illustrated inFIG.5B, the respective inclination surfaces3bL and3bR are pressed by the fingers82against the windshield81.

As illustrated inFIG.2, the regions pressed by the fingers in the base3are defined as pressed regions82A indicated by the dash-dotted lines. The drive recorder91also has a shape that allows the tips of the fingers to reach the pressed regions82A.

The press of the pressed regions82A by the fingers causes the respective inclination surfaces3bL and3bR having flexibility to be deformed together with the double-sided adhesive tape5so as to conform to the curvature of the inner surface81aof the windshield81.

The base3and the windshield81thus tightly adhere to each other via the double-sided adhesive tape5along the entire region from the middle part to the circumferential edge of the attachment surface3a, as illustrated inFIG.5C.

When the radius Ra of the attachment surface3ais greater than the radius of curvature of the inner surface81aof the windshield81, the edges on both sides of the base3in the right-left direction are first stuck on the windshield81, and the middle part in which the pillar part23is provided is then pressed against the windshield81.

This causes the respective inclination surfaces3bL and3bR having flexibility to be deformed together with the double-sided adhesive tape5so as to conform to the curvature of the inner surface81aof the windshield81. The base3and the windshield81in this case also tightly adhere to each other via the double-sided adhesive tape5along the entire region from the middle part to the circumferential edge of the attachment surface3a, as illustrated inFIG.5C.

As described above, the base3has flexibility in the thickness direction at the parts extending in the respective right and left directions from the pillar part23. The base3thus can be deformed along substantially the entire surface from the middle part to the edges so as to conform to the curvature of the inner surface81aof the windshield81. This enables substantially the entire attachment surface3aof the base3to be stuck on the windshield81via the double-sided adhesive tape5.

The attachment surface3aof the base3is curved to project in the middle having the radius Ra substantially corresponding to the inner surface81aof the windshield81.

The deformed amount of the base3upon the attachment to the windshield81via the double-sided adhesive tape5is thus small, and the force acting in the direction of removing the base3after being attached is also small.

The configuration described above enables attach the drive recorder91to the windshield81with the high attachment strength, so as to keep the stable fixation to the windshield81for a long period of time accordingly.

When the base3is formed of resin by injection molding, a recess called a sink mark could be caused during the injection molding at a part on the attachment surface3acorresponding to the pillar part23due to the influence of resin flow on the pillar part23in which the amount of resin to be used is large.

Providing the attachment surface3awith the thick projecting middle part corresponding to the pillar part23can reduce the influence on the curved shape of the attachment surface3aif a recess called a sink mark is caused, so as to keep the fine curved shape of the entire attachment surface3aaccordingly.

The attachment of the drive recorder91to the windshield81is made by a lower-side rotational mounting method in the application to automobiles, for example, as described below with reference toFIG.6andFIG.7.

The lower-side rotational mounting method illustrated inFIG.6positions and presses the upper end part of the base3against the windshield81(indicated by the arrow DRb), and rotates the lower side of the base3about the pressed part used as a fulcrum (indicated by the arrow DRc).

This method is applied to vehicles such as automobiles in which the operator can operate at a position close to the position of the windshield81at which the drive recorder91is attached and can easily recognize the upper end part of the attachment position.

This method first sticks an upper end region AR7(indicated by the hatching) along the side5athat is the upper edge of the double-sided adhesive tape5, and then gradually extends the stuck range downward as indicated by the arrows DRf1in association with the rotation of the base3, as illustrated inFIG.7.

The operation of extending the stuck range needs to release air bubbles that would be enclosed between the double-sided adhesive tape5and the windshield81sufficiently to the outside.

The double-sided adhesive tape5used for the drive recorder91is provided with the slits51open toward the side5bthat is the lower edge, as illustrated inFIG.7.

The provision of the slits51can release most of the air bubbles that would be enclosed between the double-sided adhesive tape5and the windshield81to the outside through the slits51(indicated by the arrows DRf2) in association with the downward extension of the stuck range by the time of completion of the entire sticking, so as to reliably ensure the high attachment strength without a decrease in the stuck area caused by the air bubbles.

An upper-side rotational mounting method illustrated inFIG.8positions and presses the lower end part of the base3against the windshield81(indicated by the arrow DRd), and rotates the upper side of the base3about the pressed part used as a fulcrum (indicated by the arrow Dre).

This method is typically applied to commercial vehicles such as trucks in which the roof of the driver's seat is high and the operator is distant from the upper end of the windshield81, which impedes the recognition of the upper end of the attachment position.

This method first sticks a lower end region AR6(indicated by the hatching) along the side5bthat is the lower edge of the double-sided adhesive tape5, and then Gradually extends the stuck range upward as indicated by the arrows DRg1association with the rotation of the base3, as illustrated inFIG.9.

The operation of extending the stuck range in this case also needs to release air bubbles that would be enclosed between the double-sided adhesive tape5and the windshield81sufficiently to the outside.

The double-sided adhesive tape5used for the drive recorder91is provided with the slit52open toward the side5athat is the upper edge, as illustrated inFIG.9.

The provision of the slit52can release most of the air bubbles that would be enclosed between the double-sided adhesive tape5and the windshield81to the outside through the slit52(indicated by the arrows DRg2) in association with the upward extension of the stuck range by the time of completion of the entire sticking, so as to reliably ensure the high attachment strength without a decrease in the stuck area caused by the air bubbles.

When the drive recorder91is on the market in automobiles in which the ceiling over the driver's seat is relatively low, the slits51open downward are preferably provided more than the slit52open upward, as illustrated inFIG.7andFIG.9.

As described above, according to the present embodiment can ensure the high attachment strength while avoiding an increase in cost of the double-sided adhesive tape5.

The double-sided adhesive tape is preferably a double-sided adhesive tape5A as illustrated inFIG.11. The double-sided adhesive tape5A differs from the double-sided adhesive tape5in being provided with guide parts51ccut into a substantially rectangular shape having a wider width than the respective slits51and52at the openings of the respective slits51and52. The width of the guide parts51cis set to a degree allowing a flathead screwdriver83(refer toFIG.12) to be inserted to the gap. A depth of the guide parts51cis set to a degree such that a back edge part51c1is located on the inner side of an outer circumferential part3dof the base3when the double-sided adhesive tape5A is stuck on the base3, as illustrated inFIG.12.

The structure of the double-sided adhesive tape5A stuck on the inner surface81aof the windshield81thus can allow the tip of the flathead screwdriver83to be inserted to the guide parts51c, as illustrated inFIG.12. The tip of the flathead screwdriver83, when inserted to the guide part51c, is regulated in the width direction by the guide part51cso as to lead the inserted position to be stable, and the outer circumferential part3dof the base3can be directly removed in a direction separated from the windshield81(indicated by the arrow DRj) when the flathead screwdriver83is lifted up. The use of the double-sided adhesive tape5A thus facilitates the removal of the drive recorder91attached to the windshield81.

The guide parts51care provided at the openings toward the edges of the respective slits51and52. This configuration can suppress a decrease in the stuck area of the double-sided adhesive tape5A derived from the provision of the guide parts51c, namely, a reduction in the adhesive force of the double-sided adhesive tape5A, to a substantially ignorable level.

It should be understood that the above embodiment is not intended to be limited to the configurations described above, and various modified examples may be applied without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

The base3is formed to have a smaller thickness (to be thinner) as being separated from the pillar part23, so that the parts (corresponding to the inclination surfaces3bL and3R) extending in the respective right and left directions from the pillar part23can be bent in the thickness direction.

These characteristics can also be applied to a case of including a plurality of pillar parts23.

In particular, as illustrated inFIG.10, an attachment surface3Aa of a drive recorder91A including a base3A provided with plural pillar parts23Aa and23Ab is a curved surface projecting most in the middle in the right-left direction, as in the case of the attachment surface3a. An inclination surface3Ab provided with the pillar parts23Aa and23Ab is a surface gently inclined into a V-shape so that the middle part between the respective pillar parts23Aa and23Ab has the smallest thickness toward the attachment surface3Aa.

While the example of the onboard device is illustrated with the drive recorder91, the onboard device is not limited to the drive recorder91. The onboard device may be a car navigation device, for example.

The glass member to which the onboard device is attached is illustrated with the windshield on the front side of the vehicle, but is not limited to this case. The glass member may be any of windshields on the front side, on the rear side, and on the lateral sides. The glass member includes inorganic glass and resin glass.