Abstract:
A vehicle video recorder module has an enclosure, a power supply circuit board, an isolation shield, an image recording circuit board, a lens and a connector. The enclosure has a rear base and a front cover connected to each other. The power supply circuit board, the isolation shield and the image recording circuit board are mounted inside the enclosure. The isolation shield is mounted around the power supply circuit board and the image recording circuit board. The lens is mounted on the front cover. The connector is connected to the rear base and is electrically connected to the power supply circuit board and the image recording circuit board. The structural design of the vehicle video recorder module can prevent electromagnetic interference, enables a stable operation and provides better waterproof performance.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a vehicle video recorder and more particularly to a waterproof vehicle video recorder module against electromagnetic interference (EMI). 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    Nowadays, vehicle video recorder modules are the common electronic devices equipped in vehicles and can be mounted around vehicle bodies to record images around the vehicle bodies to reduce the visual dead angle of the drivers and enhance safety in driving. 
         [0005]    A conventional vehicle video recorder has an enclosure, an image recording circuit board, a lens part and a cable. The enclosure has several openings. The image recording circuit board and the lens part are mounted inside the enclosure. The image recording circuit board has a photosensing element mounted thereon. The lens part is located to align with one of the openings of the enclosure. The photosensing element corresponds to the lens part. The cable is mounted through another opening of the enclosure and extends outwards. One end of the cable is connected with a connector. A power supply circuit board is a flexible printed circuit board electrically connected to the cable and mounted around a periphery of the cable, and has adhesive coated thereon to bond the power supply circuit board on the cable and also to render the power supply circuit board waterproof. A rubber sealing gasket is mounted to each opening of the enclosure to prevent external moisture from entering an inner portion of the enclosure. 
         [0006]    However, the power supply circuit boards of the conventional vehicle video recorders are sensitive to external EMI, causing instability in power supply thereof and leading to unstable operation of the conventional vehicle video recorders. Moreover, when vehicles are driving through a terrain with drastic temperature change, cracks easily appear around the openings of the enclosure due to the different coefficients of thermal expansion for the rubber sealing gasket and the enclosure. Therefore, moisture can still enter the enclosure and is condensed on the inside of the lens, rendering foggy lens and blurry recorded images. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    An objective of the present invention is to provide a vehicle video recorder module being waterproof and EMI-resistant to ensure a stable operation. 
         [0008]    To achieve the foregoing objective, the vehicle video recorder module has an enclosure, a power supply circuit board, an image recording circuit board, an isolation shield, a lens and a connector. 
         [0009]    The enclosure has a rear base, a front cover and a chamber. The front cover is connected with the rear base and has a lens recess formed in the front cover. The chamber is defined in the rear base and the front cover. 
         [0010]    The power supply circuit board is mounted in the chamber of the enclosure. 
         [0011]    The image recording circuit board is mounted in the chamber of the enclosure, is electrically connected to the power supply circuit board, and has a photosensing element mounted on a front side of the image recording circuit board. 
         [0012]    The isolation shield takes the form of a hollow metal frame, is mounted in the chamber of the enclosure, is mounted around the power supply circuit board and the image recording circuit board, and is electrically connected to the power supply circuit board and the image recording circuit board. 
         [0013]    The lens is mounted in the lens recess and aligns with the photosensing element. 
         [0014]    The connector is connected to the rear base and is electrically connected to the power supply circuit board and the image recording circuit board. 
         [0015]    Preferably, the rear base has a first connection part formed on a rear side of the rear base, and the connector has a second connection part connected with the first connection part of the rear base through a cable. 
         [0016]    Preferably, the connector is mounted on a rear side of the rear base and has a tubular wall and multiple power terminals. The tubular wall has a free end and an opening formed through the free end. The power terminals are mounted in the connector and are electrically connected to the power supply circuit board and the image recording circuit board. 
         [0017]    Preferably, a sealing colloid is mounted in the first connection part. 
         [0018]    Preferably, a sealing colloid is mounted in the enclosure and covers free ends of the power terminals. 
         [0019]    Preferably, the rear base has an insertion wall formed on and protruding inwards from a perimeter on a front side of the rear base, and the front cover has a peripheral sidewall and a lens. The peripheral sidewall has an insertion slot formed therein and engages the insertion wall of the rear base. The lens wall is formed on a front side of the front cover and has the lens recess. 
         [0020]    Preferably, the vehicle video recorder module further has a ring cap mounted around a periphery of the lens and fixed to an outer portion of the lens recess. A sealing colloid is mounted between a periphery of the lens and an inner wall of the lens recess. 
         [0021]    Preferably, the power supply circuit board has two engagement edges and two earthing copper foils. The engagement edges are formed on two opposite side edges of the power supply circuit board. The earthing copper foils are mounted on the front side of the power supply circuit board. The isolation shield has two engagement slots and two resilient pressing leaves. The engagement slots are respectively formed through two opposite walls of the isolation shield and engage the respective engagement edges of the power supply circuit board. The resilient pressing leaves respectively abut against the earthing copper foils on the power supply circuit board. 
         [0022]    Preferably, the front cover further has two assembly holes diagonally formed in an inner wall of the front cover. The image recording circuit board has two positioning holes and two grounding copper foils. The positioning holes are respectively formed through two diagonal corners of the image recording circuit board. The grounding copper foils are mounted thereon. The isolation shield further has two tabs and two fasteners. The tabs are respectively formed on and protrude inwards from two opposite walls of the isolation shield. Each tab has a hole formed therethrough. The fasteners are conductive, are sequentially and respectively mounted through the holes of the tabs, the positioning holes of the image recording circuit board and the assembly holes of the front cover. Each fastener has a head and a shank. The head abuts against the power supply circuit board. The shank is connected to the head and contacts one of the earthing copper foils on the image recording circuit board. 
         [0023]    Preferably, the lens recess has a lens mounting hole formed in a central wall and having an inner thread formed on an inner wall of the lens mounting hole. The lens has a mounting neck formed on a rear side of the lens and has an external thread formed around a periphery of the mounting neck and engaging the inner thread of the lens mounting hole of the front cover. 
         [0024]    Preferably, the rear base has two positioning blocks formed on and protruding from two diagonal corners on the front side of the rear base. One of the positioning blocks has a foolproof post formed on and protruding from the positioning block and having a positioning bore formed in a free end of the foolproof post. The front cover has a positioning rod formed on and protruding from a rear side of the lens wall and engaging the positioning bore of the foolproof post. The power supply circuit board further has two first unfilled corners respectively formed on and recessed from two diagonal corners of the power supply circuit board, and the positioning blocks of the rear base abut against and position the respective first unfilled corners. The image recording circuit board further has a second unfilled corner formed on and recessed from one of the corners of the image recording circuit board, and one of the positioning blocks of the rear base abuts against the second unfilled corner. 
         [0025]    As the power supply circuit board and the image recording circuit board are mounted in the chamber of the enclosure and the isolation shield is mounted around the power supply circuit board and the image recording circuit board, the isolation shield can shield EMI against the power supply circuit board and the image recording circuit board, thereby providing a more stable operation than conventional vehicle video recorder modules do. 
         [0026]    The second connection part of the connector is detachably connected with the first connection part of the rear base of the enclosure through a cable. Accordingly, the vehicle video recorder module of the present invention can be connected to various connection sockets having different specifications and mounted in vehicles by the replacement of different connectors, thereby enhancing operational flexibility. 
         [0027]    As the connector may be a cable-free design, the vehicle video recorder module can be promptly and conveniently removed from the stand and the connection socket and replaced with a new vehicle video recorder module upon repairing and mounting the vehicle video recorder module. 
         [0028]    The sealing colloid filled inside the vehicle video recorder module can surely seal the seams among all parts of the vehicle video recorder module to provide better waterproof performance. When vehicles drive through terrains with drastic temperature change, waterproof capability of the vehicle video recorder module can still be ensured. Moisture will not permeate through the enclosure and be condensed inside of the lens to shorten the operation duration of the vehicle video recorder module. 
         [0029]    The insertion wall of the rear base engages and is welded to the insertion slot of the front cover with supersonic wave so that no additional fasteners are required to combine the rear base and the front cover. Total parts can be reduced, the production cost is lowered, and the enclosure has better waterproof performance. 
         [0030]    The ring cap is mounted around a periphery of the lens and fixed to an outer portion of the lens recess and sealing colloid is filled between a periphery of the lens and an inner wall of the lens recess so that the lens and the lens recess are maintained in a sealed condition and moisture will not enter the enclosure and be condensed on the inside of the lens through the lens and the lens recess to shorten the operation duration of the vehicle video recorder module. 
         [0031]    With the positioning blocks and the foolproof post of the rear base together with the positioning rod of the front cover and the second unfilled corner of the image recording circuit board, the enclosure and the image recording circuit board can be correctly oriented and assembled to ensure that the image recording circuit board can correctly output images. 
         [0032]    The front cover, the image recording circuit board and the isolation shield can be securely mounted through by the two fasteners so that the heads of the fasteners abut against the front side of the power supply circuit board and the power supply circuit board can be held by the heads of the fasteners and the electrical contacts on the rear base. 
         [0033]    The engagement edges of the power supply circuit board engage the respective engagement slots of the isolation shield to securely combine the power supply circuit board and the isolation shield. The two pressing leaves of the isolation shield abut against the front side of the power supply circuit board to achieve the grounding effect. 
         [0034]    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 
         [0035]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an embodiment of a vehicle video recorder module in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0036]      FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the vehicle video recorder module in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0037]      FIG. 3  an enlarged side view in partial section of the vehicle video recorder module in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0038]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of another embodiment of a vehicle video recorder module in accordance with the present invention; and 
           [0039]      FIG. 5  is a partially exploded perspective view of the vehicle video recorder module in  FIG. 4 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0040]    With reference to  FIGS. 1 to 3 , an embodiment of a vehicle video recorder module in accordance with the present invention has an enclosure, a power supply circuit board  20 , an image recording circuit board  40 , an isolation shield  30 , a lens  50  and a connector  60 . 
         [0041]    The enclosure has a rear base  10  and a front cover  11 . The rear base  10  takes the form of a rectangular board and has multiple electrical contacts  100 , an insertion wall  101 , a first connection part  102 , two positioning blocks  104  and a stand hole  106 . Each electrical contact  100  takes the form of a spring leaf and is mounted on a front side of the rear base  11 . The insertion wall  101  is formed on and protrudes inwards from a perimeter on the front side of the rear base  10 . The first connection part  102  is formed on and protrudes outwards from a rear side of the rear base  10 , has multiple power terminals  103  electrically connected to the respective electrical contacts  100 , and is provided with sealing colloid  107  sheathed around one end of each power terminal  103 . The two positioning blocks  104  are formed on and protrude from two diagonal corners on the front side of the rear base  10 . One of the positioning blocks  104  has a foolproof post  105 . The foolproof post  105  is formed on and protrudes from the positioning block  104  and has a positioning bore formed in a free end of the foolproof post  105 . The stand hole  106  is formed in the rear side of the rear base  10  and is a threaded hole. 
         [0042]    The front cover  11  takes the form of a rectangular box, is hollow, and has an opening, a peripheral sidewall  110  and a lens wall  111 . The opening is formed through a rear side of the front cover  11 . The peripheral sidewall  110  is rectangular tubular, is formed to define a chamber to communicate with the opening, and has an insertion slot  112  formed therein, being adjacent to the opening and corresponding to the insertion wall  101  in terms of size and shape. The lens wall  111  is formed on a front side of the front cover  11 , and has a lens recess  116 , a positioning rod  114  and two assembly holes  115 . The lens recess  116  is formed in the lens wall  111 , and has a stair-shaped inner sidewall, a central wall and a lens mounting hole  113 . The lens mounting hole  113  is formed in the central wall and has an inner thread formed on an inner wall therein. The positioning rod  114  is formed on and protrudes from a rear side of the lens wall  111 . The two assembly holes  115  are threaded holes and are diagonally formed in the lens wall  111 . 
         [0043]    The insertion wall  101  of the rear base  10  engages the insertion slot  112  of the front cover  11  to combine the enclosure. The insertion wall  101  and the insertion slot  112  may be welded together with supersonic wave so that the enclosure is closed and has a chamber defined therein and the positioning rod  114  is mounted in the positioning bore of the foolproof post  105 . 
         [0044]    The power supply circuit board  20  takes the form of a rectangular board and has two engagement edges  21  and two first unfilled corners  22 . The engagement edges  21  are formed on two opposite side edges of the power supply circuit board  20 . A rear side of the power supply circuit board  20  contacts and is electrically connected with the electrical contacts  100 . The two first unfilled corners  22  are respectively formed on and recessed from two diagonal corners of the power supply circuit board  20 . The positioning blocks  104  of the rear base  10  abut against and position the respective first unfilled corners  22 . 
         [0045]    The image recording circuit board  40  takes the form of a rectangular board, is mounted in the chamber of the enclosure, is electrically connected to the power supply circuit board  20 , and has a photosensing element  41 , two positioning holes  42 , a second unfilled corner  43  and two earthing copper foils  44 . The photosensing element  41  is centrally mounted on a front side of the image recording circuit board  40 . The positioning holes  42  are respectively formed through two diagonal corners of the image recording circuit board  40 . The second unfilled corner  43  is formed on and recessed from one of the corners of the image recording circuit board  40 . One of the positioning blocks  104  of the rear base  10  abuts against the second unfilled corner  43 . The earthing copper foils  44  are mounted on the image recording circuit board  40 . 
         [0046]    The isolation shield  30  takes the form of a hollow and rectangular metal frame, is mounted in the chamber of the enclosure and is mounted around the power supply circuit board  20  and the image recording circuit board  40 , is electrically connected with the power supply circuit board  20  and the image recording circuit board  40 , and has two engagement slots  31 , two tabs  33  and two fasteners  34 . The engagement slots  31  are respectively formed through two opposite walls of the isolation shield  30  and engage the respective engagement edges  21  of the power supply circuit board  20 . In the present embodiment, the isolation shield  30  further has two resilient pressing leaves  32  respectively abutting against two earthing copper foils  23  on the front side of the power supply circuit board  20  for grounding. The tabs  33  are respectively formed on and protrude inwards from two opposite walls of the isolation shield  30  and each tab  33  has a hole  330  formed therethrough. The fasteners  34  are conductive and may be bolts, and each fastener  34  has a head  340  and a shank  341 . The shank  341  is relatively smaller than the head  340  in diameter and has a thread formed around a periphery of the shank  341 . The fasteners  34  are sequentially and respectively mounted through the holes  330  of the tabs  33 , the positioning holes  42  of the image recording circuit board  40  and the assembly holes  115  of the front cover  11 . The shanks  341  of the fasteners  34  contact the respective earthing copper foils  44  on the image recording circuit board  40  so that the isolation shield  30  and the image recording circuit board  40  are also grounded. A rear end face of the head  340  abuts against the front side of the power supply circuit board  20  so that the power supply circuit board  20  is commonly held by the heads  340  of the fasteners  34  and the electrical contacts  100 . 
         [0047]    The lens  50  is mounted in the lens recess  116  and has a mounting neck  51  and a ring cap  52 . The mounting neck  51  has an external thread formed around a periphery of the mounting neck  51 . The mounting neck  51  is mounted in the lens mounting hole  113  of the front cover  11  and aligns with the photosensing element  41 . The external thread of the mounting neck  51  engages the inner thread of the lens mounting hole  113 . The ring cap  52  is mounted around a periphery of the lens and is secured to an opening of the lens recess  116  with a supersonic wave processing. A sealing colloid  53  is mounted between a periphery of the lens  50  and an inner wall of the lens recess  116  adjacent to the opening of the lens recess  116 . 
         [0048]    The connector  60  has a plug-in end  61  and a second connection part  63 . The plug-in end  61  is formed on one end of the connector  60 . The second connection part  63  is connected with the other end of the connector  60  through a cable  62 , and has multiple terminal holes  630  and a waterproof gasket  631 . The terminal holes  630  are formed in a front end of the second connection part  63 . The waterproof gasket  631  is mounted around the front end of the second connection part  63 . The second connection part  63  and the first connection part  102  are detachably connected. The power terminals  103  of the first connection part  102  respectively are plugged in the respective terminal holes  630  for the connector  60  to be electrically connected to the power supply circuit board  20  and the image recording circuit board  40  via the cable  62 . 
         [0049]    When the vehicle video recorder module is operated, a connection socket and a stand are mounted inside a vehicle and the connection socket is connected to a computer inside the vehicle. When the vehicle video recorder module is mounted, the stand hole  106  of the rear base  10  is securely connected to the stand, and the plug-in end  61  of the connector  60  is connected to the connection socket so that the power supply circuit board  20  and the image recording circuit board  40  are electrically connected to the computer inside the vehicle in completion of the mounting procedures. As the isolation shield  30  is mounted around the power supply circuit board  20  and the image recording circuit board  40 , an EMI shielding effect is generated against external electromagnetic wave interfering with the power supply circuit board  20  and the image recording circuit board  40  so that the power supply circuit board  20  and the image recording circuit board  40  can be stably operated. Furthermore, as the front cover  11  is secured to the rear base  10  and the ring cap  52  with a supersonic wave processing, no fastener, such as bolts, is required for the assembly and no waterproof gasket is required for the front cover  11 , the rear base  10  and the ring cap  52  to achieve a tight connection. The arrangements of the sealing colloid  107 ,  53  effectively achieve an airtight effect and a good waterproof performance. 
         [0050]    The second connection part  63  of the connector  60  and the first connection part  102  of the enclosure are designed to be detachable. Hence, multiple of the connectors  60  can be prepared to have the plug-in ends  61  capable of interfacing with different connection sockets and the second connection parts  63  capable of interfacing with the first connection part  102 . Hence, the connector  60  can be replaced to suit for the connection socket inside a vehicle, thereby providing more operational flexibility. 
         [0051]    With reference to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , another embodiment of a vehicle video recorder module in accordance with the present invention has an enclosure, a power supply circuit board, an isolation shield, an image recording circuit board, a lens and a connector  60 A. 
         [0052]    The enclosure has a rear base  10 A and a front cover  11 A. The front cover  11 A is structurally similar to the front cover  11  in the foregoing embodiment. The rear base  10 A has multiple electrical contacts  100 A mounted on a front side of the rear base  10 A. The connector  60 A is mounted on a rear side of the rear base  10 A and has a tubular wall, a fastening block  61 A and multiple power terminals  101 A. The tubular wall has a free end and an opening formed through the free end. The fastening block  61 A is formed on an outer periphery of the tubular wall. The power terminals  101 A are mounted in the connector  60 A and electrically connected to the respective electrical contacts  100 A. A sealing colloid  62 A is mounted in the connector  60 A and covers one end of each of the power terminals  101 A. 
         [0053]    The power supply circuit, the isolation shield and the image recording circuit board are mounted inside the enclosure. The power supply circuit and the image recording circuit board are electrically connected to the power terminals  101 A. The lens is mounted on the front cover  11 A and is structurally similar to the front cover  11  in the foregoing embodiment. 
         [0054]    When the vehicle video recorder module in the present embodiment is operated, a connection socket and a stand are mounted inside a vehicle and the connection socket is connected to a computer inside the vehicle. The rear base  10 A is connected to the stand, and the connector  60 A is connected to the connection socket and is connected to the computer in the vehicle. The present embodiment has the identical EMI resistant function and waterproof feature. As the connector  60 A is a cable-free design, the vehicle video recorder module can be promptly and conveniently removed from the stand and the connection socket and replaced with a new vehicle video recorder module upon repairing and mounting the vehicle video recorder module. 
         [0055]    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.