Abstract:
A flat vehicular video-recording module has a housing being transversely elongated and having a circuit board therein. The housing further has a photo-sensing element thereon to align with the circuit board, a connector extending outwards from the housing and sticking plasters thereon. Given the foregoing structural design, the video-recording module can be effectively reduced in thickness and can be applied to a vehicle with narrow space available inside the vehicle, thereby rendering higher flexibility in mounting and design.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a video-recording module and more particularly to a flat vehicular video-recording module. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    Video-recording modules are one of the popular electronic devices with which vehicles are equipped, and can be mounted on bodies of vehicles to record video of surrounding environment to reduce blind spot and increase driving safety upon driving. 
         [0005]    Currently, a conventional vehicular video-recording module has a housing, and an image-recording circuit board and a lens mounted inside the housing. The image-recording circuit board has a photo-sensing element mounted thereon. The lens is mounted on the housing to face the photo-sensing element. The housing has a wire and a power supply printed circuit board (PCB). The wire is mounted in the housing and extends outwards. The wire has a connector connected with one end thereof. The power supply PCB is mounted on the wire and is a flexible PCB mounted around the wire with adhesive covered on the power supply PCB for the power supply PCB to be firmly fastened on the wire and to be waterproof The housing further has waterproof seal rings mounted in openings of the housing to prevent external moisture from entering the housing. 
         [0006]    However, the conventional vehicular video-recording module is relatively thick as a whole due to its internal structural design and cannot be mounted in a narrow space. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    An objective of the present invention is to provide a flat vehicular video-recording module being thinned and capable of being mounted in a narrow space inside a vehicle. 
         [0008]    To achieve the foregoing objective, the vehicular video-recording module has a housing, a circuit board, a lens and a connector assembly. 
         [0009]    The housing is flat and has a top cover and a bottom cover. The top cover has a top, two lateral sides, a front side, an open bottom, a lens-mounting portion, two side wings and a first connection interface. The lens-mounting portion is formed on the top of the top cover opposite to the open bottom. The two side wings are formed on and protrude transversely from the respective lateral sides of the top cover. Each side wing has a sticking plaster formed on a top of the side wing. The first connection interface is mounted on the front side of the top cover. 
         [0010]    The bottom cover is mounted in the open bottom of the top cover and has a top. 
         [0011]    The circuit board is mounted inside the housing, is located between the top cover and the bottom cover, and has a photo-sensing element and a protection shield mounted on the circuit board. 
         [0012]    The lens is mounted in the lens-mounting portion of the housing and is aligned with the photo-sensing element on the circuit board. 
         [0013]    The connector assembly has a second connection interface, a connection cord and a plug electrically connected to one another. The second connection interface is connected to the first connection interface of the housing. 
         [0014]    Preferably, the lens-mounting portion has a receiving chamber, a mounting hole and a flange wall. The receiving chamber is formed in the top of the top cover and is defined by a wall. The mounting hole is a threaded hole and is formed through the receiving chamber and the top cover to communicate with the open bottom of the top cover. The flange wall is formed on and protrudes upwardly from a top of the wall of the receiving chamber. The lens has an assembly part and a lens-fixing ring. The assembly part is formed on one end of the lens, is externally threaded, and engages the mounting hole of the lens-mounting portion so that the lens is located within the receiving chamber. The lens-fixing ring is mounted on the lens and is securely combined with the flange wall of the lens-mounting portion. 
         [0015]    Preferably, a sealing adhesive is filled between the lens and the flange wall. 
         [0016]    Preferably, an inner wall of the lens-fixing ring and a periphery of the lens are spaced apart from each other by a gap. 
         [0017]    Preferably, the bottom cover is rectangular and has four corners, two engagement columns and a foolproof pin. The engagement columns are formed on and protrude upwardly from two opposite corners among the four corners on the top of the bottom cover. The foolproof pin is formed on and protrudes from one of the corners on the top of the bottom cover. The circuit board is rectangular and has four corners, two unfilled corners, and a foolproof hole. The unfilled corners are respectively formed on and recessed inwardly from two opposite corners among the four corners of the circuit board. The foolproof hole is formed through one of the corners of the circuit board. The unfilled corners of the circuit board respectively abut against the engagement columns of the bottom cover, and the foolproof pin of the bottom cover is mounted in the foolproof hole of the circuit board. 
         [0018]    Preferably, the bottom cover has a sidewall formed around an edge portion on the top of the bottom cover and being inserted into the open bottom of the top cover to engage the bottom cover and the top cover. 
         [0019]    Preferably, the bottom cover has multiple stand-mounting holes formed in a bottom of the bottom cover. 
         [0020]    Given the foregoing technical measure, the vehicular video-recording module can be effectively reduced in thickness and can be mounted to a narrow space inside a vehicle, thereby rendering flexibility and convenience in mounting. When being mounted, the vehicular video-recording module can be easily fixed inside the vehicle by sticking the two sticking plasters on corresponding positions or by securely fastening a stand in the vehicle on the bottom cover through the stand-mounting holes. As the protection shield covers the circuit board, external EMI interference to the circuit board can be isolated to ensure a stable operation of the circuit board. 
         [0021]    Other objectives, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0022]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a vehicular video-recording module in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0023]      FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the vehicular video-recording module in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0024]      FIG. 3  is a front view in partial section of the vehicular video-recording module in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0025]      FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view of a housing of the vehicular video-recording module in  FIG. 1 ; and 
           [0026]      FIG. 5  is another perspective view of the vehicular video-recording module in  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0027]    With reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a flat vehicular video-recording module in accordance with the present invention has a housing  10 , a circuit board  20 , a lens  30  and a connector assembly  40 . 
         [0028]    The housing  10  is flat and has a top cover  11  and a bottom cover  12 . 
         [0029]    With reference to  FIGS. 1 to 4 , the top cover  11  is rectangular and hollow, and has an open bottom, a lens-mounting portion  13 , two side wings  14  and a first connection interface  15 . The lens-mounting portion  13  is formed on a top of the top cover  11  opposite to the open bottom, and has a receiving chamber  131 , a mounting hole  130 , and a flange wall  132 . The receiving chamber  131  is formed in the top of the top cover  11  and is defined by a wall. The mounting hole  130  is a threaded hole and is formed through the bottom of the receiving chamber  131  and the top cover  11  to communicate with the open bottom of the top cover  11 . The flange wall  132  is formed on and protrudes upwardly from a top of the wall defining the receiving chamber  131 . The side wings  14  are formed on and protrude transversely from two respective lateral sides of the top cover  11 , and each side wing  14  has a sticking plaster  140  mounted on a top of the side wing  14 . The first connection interface  15  is mounted on a front side of the top cover  11  and has multiple metal terminals mounted in the first connection interface  15  and extending into the top cover  11 . The top cover  11  further has four posts formed on the open bottom of the top cover  11 . Each post has a threaded hole therein. 
         [0030]    The bottom cover  12  is rectangular and has a sidewall  120 , two engagement columns  121 , a foolproof pin  122 , four indentations  123  and two stand-mounting holes  124 . The sidewall  120  is formed around an edge portion on a top of the bottom cover  12 . The engagement columns  121  are formed on and protrude upwardly from two opposite corners on the top of the bottom cover  12 . The foolproof pin  122  is formed on and protrudes from one of the corners on the top of the bottom cover  12 . The indentations  123  are formed in the top of the bottom cover  12  to correspond to the respective posts on the top cover  11 . With reference to  FIG. 5 , the stand-mounting holes  124  are formed in two opposite corners on a bottom of the bottom cover  12 . The top cover  11  and the bottom cover  12  are correspondingly assembled together by inserting the sidewall  120  of the bottom cover  12  into the open bottom of the top cover  11 . Another way of securely assembling the top cover  11  and the bottom cover  12  may be ultrasonic welding. 
         [0031]    With reference to  FIG. 2 , the circuit board  20  is rectangular and has a photo-sensing element  21 , a protection shield  22 , four through holes  200 , two unfilled corners  201 , a foolproof hole  202  and four fasteners  203 . The photo-sensing element  21  is mounted on a top of the circuit board  20 . The through holes  200  are formed through the circuit board  20 . The unfilled corners  201  are respectively formed on and recessed inwardly from two opposite corners of the circuit board  20 . The foolproof hole  202  is formed through one of the rest of corners of the circuit board  20 . With reference to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the circuit board  20  is mounted inside the housing  10  and between the top cover  11  and the bottom cover  12 . The unfilled corners  201  respectively abut against the engagement columns  121  of the bottom cover  12 . The foolproof pin  122  of the bottom cover  12  is mounted in the foolproof hole  202  of the circuit board  20 . The four fasteners  203  sequentially and respectively engage the threaded holes of the four posts on the top cover  11  through the through holes  200 , and one end of each fastener  203  abuts against one of the indentations  123 . 
         [0032]    With reference to  FIGS. 1 to 3 , the lens  30  is aligned with the photo-sensing element  21  and has an assembly part  31 . The assembly part  31  is formed on one end of the lens  30  and is externally threaded. When the lens  30  is mounted in the lens-mounting portion  13  of the housing  10 , the externally threaded assembly part  31  of the lens  30  engages the internally threaded mounting hole  130  of the lens-mounting portion  13 , and the lens  30  is located within the receiving chamber  131 . The lens  30  further has a lens-fixing ring  32  mounted on the lens  30  and is securely combined with the flange wall  132  of the lens-mounting portion  13 . The way of securely combining the lens-fixing ring  32  and the flange wall  132  may be ultrasonic welding. An inner wall of the lens-fixing ring  32  and a periphery of the lens  30  are spaced apart from each other by a gap. A sealing adhesive  33  is filled between the lens  30  and the flange wall  132 . 
         [0033]    With reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the connector assembly  40  has a second connection interface  42 , a connection cord  41  and a plug  43  electrically connected to one another. The second connection interface  42  is narrow and transversely elongated, is connected to the first connection interface  15  of the housing  10  with fasteners, and has multiple metal terminals therein electrically connected with the respective metal terminals in the first connection interface  15 . The plug  43  is connected to the second connection interface  42  through the connection cord  41 . 
         [0034]    To support the operation of the flat vehicular video-recording module, a connection socket in the vehicle for connecting with the plug  43  of the connector assembly  40  is connected to a vehicular computer in the vehicle. When being mounted, the flat vehicular video-recording module can be fixed inside the vehicle by sticking the two sticking plasters  140  on corresponding positions or by securely fastening a stand in the vehicle on the bottom cover  12  through the stand-mounting holes  124 . The plug  43  of the connector assembly  40  is connected with the connection socket for the circuit board  20  to be electrically connected to the vehicular computer in completion of the mounting procedures. As the protection shield  22  covers the circuit board  20 , external EMI interference to the circuit board  20  can be isolated to ensure a stable operation of the circuit board. The top cover  10 , the bottom cover  12  and the lens-fixing ring  32  can be mutually combined by ultrasonic welding, and the junctions thereof can thus be tightly combined for waterproof assurance without requiring the use of waterproof rubber seal rings. The sealing adhesive  33  between the lens  30  and the receiving chamber  131  can ensure the waterproof protection of the lens  30 . Given the foregoing technical approach, the present invention is relatively thinner in profile and can therefore be applied to a vehicle with limited and narrow space therein, thereby rendering higher flexibility in mounting. 
         [0035]    Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only. Changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.