JPS60214691A - Camera incorporated in reflector glass - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To photograph and monitor sides, etc., of an automobile in a wide range without protruding a monitor camera outside of the automobile by installing the monitor camera to the interior of a mirror case fixed on a car body. CONSTITUTION:A mirror case 1 is fixed on a car body 2 with screws, etc., and on a pedestal 4 fixed on the case 1 a monitor camera 3 having a zoom mechanism is movably supported, its image pickup range being made variable in four directions. Then a translucent protective member 5 is fixed on a supporting member 6, and a space between the member 6 and the case 1 is sealed by a sealing material 7. A photographing direction changing means 8 is connected to a camera 3, whose photographing direction is made variable. Simultaneously the direction of the member 5 is made variable with the aid of an electric-powered mechanism 9 through 1st and 2nd pivots 10 and 11. The camera 3 can photograph and monitor sides of an automobile in a wide range without protruding the camera 3 outside of a car body, and furthermore the camera 3 can monitor when a reflector glass can hardly monitor.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention Technical Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a camera monitoring device that is mounted on a vehicle and captures images of the situation outside the vehicle. The present invention relates to a camera device installed in a rearview mirror that can monitor a wide range without causing any disturbance.

BACKGROUND ART Conventionally, in this type of monitoring device, a monitoring camera is attached to the rear of a vehicle such as a bus, and images of the rear are monitored. However, this device has a structure that projects outside the vehicle, so there is a risk of it being damaged by obstacles such as trees, and since it is attached to the rear of the vehicle, it is not possible to image and monitor the side of the vehicle, etc. . In addition, when monitoring the rear side surface etc. using existing rearview mirrors, it becomes difficult to monitor if dew condenses on the car window due to temperature differences between the inside and outside of the car, and since the rearview mirror has a constant convex surface, it is difficult to grasp the distance. was difficult.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION The present invention was invented to solve these drawbacks, and by installing a surveillance camera inside a mirror case fixed to the vehicle body, the surveillance camera can be installed inside the vehicle without protruding outside the vehicle. It is possible to image and monitor a wide range of sides, etc., and even if it becomes difficult to monitor using the rearview mirror due to condensation on the car window, monitoring can be performed using a surveillance camera, and if the focal length of the surveillance camera is varied using a zoom mechanism, it is usually possible to use a wide-angle camera. The object of the present invention is to provide a camera device installed in a rearview mirror that can be used to monitor a wide field of view in the mode and, when it is desired to grasp the sense of distance, be monitored in the standard mode.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

Reference numeral 1 denotes a mirror case, which is fixed to the vehicle body 2 with screws or the like.

3 is a surveillance camera, for example, a CCD (Char-rg
This is a video camera that uses a solid-state image sensor such as an e-coupled device and has a zoom mechanism.

The surveillance camera 3 is movably supported on a pedestal 4 fixed to the mirror case 1 so that its imaging range can be varied vertically and horizontally. To be more specific, the surveillance camera 3 is pivotally attached to the first pedestal 42 by a first screw 41 so as to be able to rotate up and down, and is attached to the second pedestal 4 by a second screw 43 so as not to be able to rotate left and right.
It is pivoted to 4.

5 is a light-transmitting protective member, and in the preferred embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 1, a half mirror is used.

The transparent protection member 5 is fixed to a support member 6, and the gap formed between the support member 6 and the mirror case 1 is sealed by a bellows-shaped seal member 7 to prevent water, dust, etc.

Reference numeral 8 denotes an imaging direction variable means, which is attached to the surveillance camera 3 in order to vary the imaging direction of the surveillance camera 3.

Reference numeral 9 denotes an electric mechanism, which is connected to the support member 6 via a second pivot 11 in order to change the direction of the transparent protection member 5 around a first pivot 10 fixed to the mirror case 1. .

Reference numeral 12 denotes an image receiver, which is disposed in the vehicle 2, for example, near the driver's seat, and is used to receive video signals from the surveillance camera 3.

Further, 13 is a gasket, 14 is a connector, 15 is a harness, and 16 and 17 are air holes connecting the inside of the mirror case 1 and the inside of the vehicle body 2.

Effect of the present invention Next, the action will be explained.

When the electric circuit is formed, the surveillance camera 3 captures an image of the outside of the vehicle through the transparent protection member 5, and transmits the video signal to the image receiver 12.
Send to.

For example, when a control signal is input to the imaging direction variable means 8 in response to an operation by a passenger, an ON action of a turn shift switch or a reverse switch, or rotation of a steering wheel, the surveillance camera 3 is controlled in a predetermined manner. The imaging direction is changed.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an imaging range of a vehicle equipped with a camera device installed in a rearview mirror according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. In Fig. 2, a to a' or b to b' are the monitoring ranges by conventional rearview mirrors;
The range from "a" to "b" to "b" is the monitoring range controlled by the imaging direction variable means 8.

This monitoring range is ensured even if it becomes difficult to monitor using the bank mirror when there is condensation on the car window.

Further, the surveillance camera 3 is protected from water, dust, etc. by a sealing member 7. Furthermore, the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the mirror case 1 due to changes in outside temperature is alleviated through the hole air electrodes 16 and 17.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments, and includes a surveillance camera installed in a mirror case, a transparent protection member that covers at least the imaging range of the surveillance camera, and a means for changing the imaging direction of the surveillance camera. That's fine. Therefore, the photographing direction i of the surveillance camera may be any direction. Further, the mirror case may be a door mirror or a fender mirror mounted on the outside of the vehicle.

Further, the zoom mechanism of the surveillance camera may be used to set the focal length to wide-angle mode when the vehicle is traveling forward, and the focal length may be set to standard mode when the vehicle is traveling backwards in response to a backup lamp switch or the like.

Effects of the present invention According to the present invention, a mirror case fixed to the side of the vehicle;
The configuration includes a surveillance camera housed inside the mirror case, a light-transmitting protective member covered at least within the imaging range of the surveillance camera, and means for changing the imaging direction of the surveillance camera, so that the surveillance camera can be placed outside the vehicle. It is possible to image and monitor a wide range of sides of the vehicle without protruding, and even if monitoring with the rearview mirror becomes difficult due to condensation on the car window, it is possible to monitor with the surveillance camera, and the focal length of the surveillance camera can be zoomed. If you change the angle, you can usually monitor a wide field of view in wide-angle mode, and if you want to know the distance, you can monitor in standard mode.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 shows a camera device mounted inside a rearview mirror according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
...Translucent protective member, 6... Support member, 7
. . . Seal member, 8 . . . Imaging direction variable means.

Claims (1)

[Claims] In a camera monitoring device mounted on a vehicle to image the situation outside the vehicle, there is a mirror case fixed to the side of the vehicle, a surveillance camera installed inside the mirror case, and at least within the imaging range of the surveillance camera. What is claimed is: 1. A camera device installed in a rearview mirror, comprising a covered light-transmitting protection member and a means for changing the imaging direction of the surveillance camera.