Vehicular image pickup device

• US 7,580,057 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2005
• Issued: 08/25/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Niles Company Limited (Valeo SE)
• Original Assignee: Niles Company Limited (Valeo SE)
• Inventors: Sato, Yasuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho; Tuan V
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cowan; Euel K
• Application Number:
  US11/304,806
• Publication Number:
  US 20060132603A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,348 Days
• Field of Search: 348/118, 348/120, 348/148, 348/80, 348/81, 348/86, 348/92, 348/94, 348/95, 348/100, 348/108, 348/116, 348/119, 348/207.99, 396/12, 396/419, 396/422, 396/424, 396426-482, 344/144, 340/937, 356/138, 356/139.06, 356/139.09, 356/150, 356153-155
• US Class Current: 348/207.99
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle

Abstract

A position adjustment of the camera body 2 to a reference position can be performed by the position adjustment mechanism 4 with reference to a position relation between the mark 5 provided in the bottom portion 2a of the camera body 2 and the slit 6 formed in the bottom portion 3a of the bracket 3. Therefore, it is not required that the vehicular image pickup device is connected to the monitor to perform the position adjustment by confirming the pickup image of each one, thus allowing reduction of hours and labors required for reference position adjustment of the camera body 2. Further, since the vehicular image pickup device can be shipped in a state where the camera body 2 is still adjusted to the reference position, hours and labors required for the reference position adjustment of the camera body 2 after the image pickup device is mounted to the vehicle can be reduced.

Claims

1. A vehicular image pickup device, comprising:

an image pickup device body to pick up an image of an environment outside of a vehicle;

a receiving part which receives the image pickup device body therein and is fixed to a predetermined mounting position of the vehicle; and

a position adjustment mechanism which adjusts a position of the image pickup device body in the receiving part, wherein;

a position adjustment mark having a predetermined shape is provided in a predetermined portion of the image pickup device body; and

a through hole is formed in a corresponding portion of the receiving part facing the predetermined portion of the image pickup device body, the through hole having a shape through which a shift in a relative position with the position adjustment mark is recognized.

2. The vehicular image pickup device according to claim 1, wherein:

the position adjustment mechanism includes

a device to adjust one directional position of the image pickup device body;

a device to adjust a directional position of the image pickup device body perpendicular to the one directional position thereof; and

a device to adjust a rotational angle of the image pickup device body.

3. The vehicular image pickup device according to claim 1, wherein:

the predetermined portion of the image pickup device body is a bottom portion thereof;

the predetermined shape of the position adjustment mark is a cross shape;

the corresponding portion of the receiving part is a bottom portion thereof; and

the shape of the through hole is a cross shape.

4. The vehicular image pickup device according to claim 1, wherein:

the predetermined shape of the position adjustment mark is a cross shape; and

the shape of the through hole is a circular shape.