Vehicular imaging device

A vehicular imaging device is formed by housing a camera, which takes an image of one side and rearwardly of a vehicle body, in an interior of a minor housing of the door mirror. Since an objective lens of the camera is disposed further inside than the outer surface of the mirror housing, it is possible to prevent raindrops or snow flowing from top to bottom along the outer surface of the mirror housing by virtue of gravity or raindrops or snow flowing from front to rear along the outer surface of the mirror housing due to being pushed by air flow from adhering to the objective lens of the camera, thereby enabling the image taking function of the camera to be maintained.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a vehicular imaging device in which a camera that takes an image of one side and rearwardly of a vehicle body is housed in an interior of a minor housing of a door minor.

BACKGROUND ART

An arrangement in which a camera is housed in the interior of a door minor of an automobile and the condition of the road surface in the vicinity of a front wheel can be ascertained by taking an image using the camera is known from Patent Document 1 below.

The camera described in Patent Document 1 is one for taking an image of a region that is in a driver's blind spot, and is called a blind spot monitor; other than this, an arrangement in which a lane watch camera for taking an image of a white line, etc. on a road surface or a multi-view camera equipped with a fish eye lens having a large angle of view is housed in the interior of a door minor is known.

RELATED ART DOCUMENTS

Patent Documents

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

In the arrangement described in Patent Document 1 above, since the objective lens of the camera is provided so as to project downwardly from the underside of the minor housing, there is a possibility that raindrops or snow flowing from top to bottom along the outer surface of the minor housing by virtue of gravity or raindrops or snow flowing from front to rear along the outer surface of the mirror housing due to being pushed by means of air flow will adhere to the objective lens of the camera, and it will not be possible to obtain a clear image.

The present invention has been achieved in light of the circumstances above, and it is an object thereof to prevent raindrops or snow from adhering to an objective portion of an imaging device provided on a door mirror.

Means for Solving the Problems

In order to attain the above object, according to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a vehicular imaging device in which a camera that takes an image of one side and rearwardly of a vehicle body is housed in an interior of a mirror housing of a door mirror, wherein an objective portion of the camera is disposed further inside than an outer surface of the minor housing.

Further, according to a second aspect of the present invention, in addition to the first aspect, an image taken by the camera has an angle of view of less than 180°.

Furthermore, according to a third aspect of the present invention, in addition to the first or second aspect, a conical recess portion is formed in the outer surface of the mirror housing, and the objective portion is disposed at a bottom of the recess portion.

Moreover, according to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the third aspect, the minor housing comprises a bulge portion having the recess portion formed therein, a substantially horizontal bottom wall connected to the bulge portion, and a side wall rising from an outer end in a vehicle width direction of the bottom wall via a substantially right angled corner portion.

It should be noted here that an objective lens18bof an embodiment corresponds to the objective portion of the present invention.

Effects of the Invention

In accordance with the first aspect of the present invention, the vehicular imaging device is formed by housing the camera, which takes an image of one side and rearwardly of the vehicle body, in the interior of the minor housing of the door mirror. Since the objective portion of the camera is disposed further inside than the outer surface of the mirror housing, it is possible to prevent raindrops or snow flowing from top to bottom along the outer surface of the minor housing by virtue of gravity or raindrops or snow flowing from front to rear along the outer surface of the minor housing due to being pushed by means of air flow from adhering to the objective portion of the camera, thereby enabling the image taking function of the camera to be maintained.

Furthermore, in accordance with the second aspect of the present invention, since the camera takes an image with an angle of view of less than 180°, it is possible to use a standard inexpensive camera, thus cutting the cost.

Moreover, in accordance with the third aspect of the present invention, since the conical recess part is formed in the outer surface of the mirror housing, and the objective portion is disposed at the bottom of the recess part, it is possible to prevent the image region taken by the camera from being shielded by the minor housing while enabling the objective portion of the camera to be disposed on the inside relative to the outer surface of the mirror housing.

Furthermore, in accordance with the fourth aspect of the present invention, since the minor housing includes the bulge portion having the recess part formed therein, the substantially horizontal bottom wall connected to the bulge portion, and the side wall rising from the outer end in the vehicle width direction of the bottom wall via the substantially right angled corner portion, it is possible to prevent raindrops or snow flowing down along the side wall of the minor housing from dropping down from the corner portion and going around it toward the bottom wall side, thus making it difficult for raindrops or snow to flow into the recess part provided in the bulge portion of the bottom wall.

EXPLANATION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS AND SYMBOLS

Mode for Carrying out the Invention

A mode for carrying out the present invention is explained below by reference toFIG. 1toFIG. 4.

First Embodiment

As shown inFIG. 1andFIG. 2, a minor support part12is provided on a triangular base plate11fixed to a forward area of a door glass of a front door, and a door mirror13is supported on the mirror support part12so as to protrude outside in the vehicle width direction, the door mirror13being one for a driver to visually check a region to the rear of the vehicle body. The door mirror13can be made to swing relative to the minor support part12by means of a retraction mechanism, which is not illustrated, and can be retracted to a position along the door glass so that it does not interfere with parking, etc.

A mirror housing14forming an outer shell of the door minor13is formed by joining, via a seal member, a rear housing15positioned on a side to the rear of the vehicle body and a front housing16positioned on a side to the front of the vehicle body. InFIG. 1andFIG. 2, the rear housing15is shown by shading. The rear housing15is formed into an elliptical frame shape, and a mirror17is supported so as to be fitted into an opening thereof. The mirror17can be made to swing in the vertical direction and the lateral direction relative to the rear housing15by means of an angle adjustment mechanism, which is not illustrated, such that an appropriate rearward view can be obtained regardless of difference in the driver's seated height or seating attitude.

A bulge portion15aprotrudes downwardly from the lower edge of the rear housing15, and a conical recess portion15bis formed integrally with an outer end in the vehicle width direction of the bulge portion15a. An axis L of the conical recess portion15bis tilted so that in plan view the front is directed toward the inside in the vehicle width direction and the rear is directed toward the outside in the vehicle width direction, and the recess portion15bincreases in angle in going toward the rear of the vehicle body. It is necessary for the angle of the apex of the conical recess portion15bto be less than 180°, and in the present embodiment it is 105°. Furthermore, the depth of the recess portion15bis 5 mm to 7 mm in the shallowest part.

A camera18mounted in the interior of the bulge portion15aof the rear housing15of the mirror housing14includes a camera main body18aformed into a rectangular tube shape, and a circular objective lens18bis provided on one end part of the camera main body18a.The camera18is one that is used as a blind spot monitor, and takes an image of, for example, a blind spot of the door minor or the blind spot plus a range that can be seen by the door mirror and shows the image on its display, and is fixed to the rear housing15via a rear camera holder19and a front camera holder20in a state in which the objective lens18bis directed to one side and rearwardly of the vehicle body.

That is, as is clear fromFIG. 3andFIG. 4, in a state in which the camera main body18ais sandwiched between a main body portion19aof the rear camera holder19and a main body portion20aof the front camera holder20from the front and the rear, two joining portions19band19bof the rear camera holder19and two joining portions20band20bof the front camera holder are secured integrally by means of two bolts21and21(seeFIG. 3). Two mounting brackets19cand19cextending from the main body portion19aof the rear camera holder19are secured to boss portions15cand15cof the rear housing15by means of two bolts22and22, thus fixing the camera18to the rear housing15(seeFIG. 4). A lead24is connected to an end part, on the side opposite to the objective lens18b, of the camera main body18avia a connector23.

Referring back toFIG. 1andFIG. 2, the front housing16is a bowl-shaped member with its rear face open, and a side turn lamp25is fitted into a slit16aformed in an outer end part in the vehicle width direction and extending in the horizontal direction. Furthermore, a bulge portion16bextending outside in the vehicle width direction protrudes downwardly on the underside of the front housing16, and this bulge portion16bforms a half cone shape in cooperation with the bulge portion15aof the rear housing15and houses the camera18in the interior.

The camera18thus mounted takes an image downwardly to the rear of the vehicle body, which is a blind spot for the driver even using the door minor13, and shows this image on a display within a vehicle compartment, thus enabling the driver to safely and easily put the vehicle in a garage, etc.

The mirror housing14formed by joining the rear housing15and the front housing16includes a bottom wall16c(see hatched area ofFIG. 2) protruding in the horizontal direction above the recess portion15band also includes a side wall16eextending upwardly via a corner portion16dbent at substantially right angles from the outer end in the vehicle width direction of the bottom wall16c, and the recess portion15bin which the objective lens18bof the camera18is positioned is disposed beneath the bottom wall16c.

The operation of the embodiment of the present invention having the above arrangement is now explained.

When an automobile is stopped or travels at low speed, if raindrops or snow (hereinafter, also referred to as raindrops, etc.) falling on the mirror housing14of the door minor13flow downwardly by virtue of gravity and adhere to the objective lens18bof the camera18, there is the problem that an image taken by the camera18will become unclear. However, in accordance with the present embodiment, raindrops, etc. that have flowed downwardly along the outer surface of the side wall16eof the front housing16of the minor housing14drop downwardly from the corner portion16d, which is bent at substantially right angles (see arrow A inFIG. 2andFIG. 4), and are prevented from going around it toward the substantially horizontal bottom wall16cof the front housing16from the corner portion16d.As a result, it becomes difficult for raindrops, etc. to adhere to the objective lens18bof the camera18exposed in the bottom of the recess portion15bof the rear housing15connected to the bottom wall16c, thus enabling a clear camera image to be obtained.

Furthermore, even if some of the raindrops, etc that have flowed down along the outer surface of the side wall16eof the front housing16pass through the corner portion16dbent at right angles and go around it toward the substantially horizontal bottom wall16cof the front housing16, since the objective lens18bof the camera18is positioned at the bottom of the recess portion15b, which is recessed in a cone shape from the outer surface of the rear housing15, it becomes difficult for rain water, etc. that has gone around the bottom wall16cto adhere to the objective lens18bof the camera18, thus enabling a clear camera image to be obtained.

Moreover, when the automobile is traveling at high speed, although rain water, etc. adhering to the front housing16is made to flow from the front to the rear on the outer surface of the bulge portion16bby means of air flow, since the objective lens18bof the camera18is positioned at the bottom of the recess portion15b, which is recessed in a cone shape from the rear end of the bulge portion16b, it becomes difficult for rain water, etc. that has gone around the bottom wall16cto adhere to the objective lens18bof the camera18(see arrow B inFIG. 1andFIG. 3), thus enabling a clear camera image to be obtained.

As hereinbefore described, in accordance with the present embodiment, since the objective lens18bof the camera18is disposed further inside than the outer surface of the mirror housing14, it is possible to prevent raindrops, etc. that are made to flow from top to bottom on the surface of the mirror housing14by virtue of gravity or raindrops, etc. that are made to flow from front to rear on the surface of the mirror housing14due to being pushed by means of air flow from adhering to the objective lens18bof the camera18, thus enabling the image taking function of the camera18to be maintained.

Furthermore, the angle of the apex of the conical recess portion15bformed in the surface of the mirror housing14is inevitably less than 180°, but since the camera18is a blind spot monitor having an angle of view of less than 180°, the recess portion15bdoes not interfere so as to restrict the image region taken by the camera18.

An embodiment of the present invention is explained above, but the present invention may be modified in a variety of ways as long as the modifications do not depart from the spirit and scope thereof.

For example, the objective portion of the present invention is not limited to the objective lens18bof the embodiment and may be a transparent cover that covers the objective lens18b.

Furthermore, in the embodiment, the camera18is fixed to the minor housing14via the front camera holder19and the rear camera holder20, but any fixing structure may be used.

Moreover, the camera18of the embodiment has an angle of view of less than 180°, but a camera having an angle of view of 180° or greater may be employed, and only part of the image (a portion with an angle of view of less than 180°) may be shown on a display. In addition, the camera18having an angle of view of less than 180° is generally inexpensive, and the cost may be cut by using same.