# US 11,993,210 B2 · In-vehicle camera fixing structure and casing attaching method

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- Number: US 11,993,210 B2
- Document ID: US11993210B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/490,440
- Filed: 2021-09-30
- Published: 2022-04-07
- Granted: 2024-05-28
- Earliest claimed: 2020-10-02
- Assignees: Kojima Industries Corporation; Subaru Corporation
- Applicants: Kojima Industries Corporation; Subaru Corporation
- Inventors: Yasushi Maeda; Kazuhiro Kawamoto; Keiichiro Ito; Keiji Onodera; Satoshi Hasegawa; Kouki Tsukui; Keirai Jyou; Daisuke Kanou
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11993210B2

## CPC

- B60R 11/04: Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
- B60R 2011/0026: {Windows, e.g. windscreen}
- B60R 2011/0059: {using clips, clamps, straps or the like}
- H04N 13/239: using two two-dimensional [2D] image sensors having a relative position equal to or related to the interocular distance (H04N13/243 takes precedence)
- B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION

## Abstract

An in-vehicle camera fixing structure includes a casing that supports an in-vehicle camera, and a bracket that holds the casing below. The casing includes a fulcrum rod protruding forward, and a left shaft and a right shaft supported above the casing and extending in a lateral direction. The bracket includes a fulcrum support structure that swingably supports the fulcrum rod, left and right temporary shaft placement pieces, and left and right shaft fixing structures that fix the left shaft and the right shaft in front of the left and right temporary shaft placement pieces, respectively. When the casing is directed forward and the casing is attached to the bracket, the left and right temporary shaft placement pieces guide the left shaft and the right shaft forward, and guide the left shaft and the right shaft toward the bracket.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An in-vehicle camera fixing structure comprising:
a casing that supports an in-vehicle camera; and
a bracket that holds the casing below, wherein
the casing includes
a middle casing and a side casing,
a fulcrum rod that protrudes forward, and
a shaft that is supported above the casing, protrudes toward a center of the casing in a lateral direction, overlapping the middle casing and spaced apart from an upper surface of the middle casing in a thickness direction perpendicular to the lateral direction, and
the bracket includes
a fulcrum support structure that swingably supports the fulcrum rod,
an inclined surface structure that guides the shaft forward and guides the shaft toward the bracket when the casing faces forward and the casing is attached to the bracket, and
a shaft fixing structure that forms the inclined surface structure and fixes the shaft in front of the inclined surface structure.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The in-vehicle camera fixing structure according to claim 1, wherein
the inclined surface structure is
formed by a temporary shaft placement piece extending obliquely downward and rearward from the bracket.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The in-vehicle camera fixing structure according to claim 2, wherein
a tip end portion of the temporary shaft placement piece warps upward.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The in-vehicle camera fixing structure according to claim 1, wherein
the fulcrum support structure includes
a reception hole that receives the fulcrum rod from behind, and
a fulcrum spring piece extending in a front-rear direction inside the reception hole and coming into contact with the fulcrum rod.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The in-vehicle camera fixing structure according to claim 1, wherein
the shaft fixing structure includes
an arm portion holding the shaft below the bracket, and
a shaft spring piece attached to the bracket and urging the shaft between the shaft spring piece and the arm portion.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The in-vehicle camera fixing structure according to claim 1, wherein
the shafts are coaxially arranged on left and right of the casing,
the fulcrum rod is provided in front between the shafts of left and right, and
the bracket includes
a pair of the inclined surface structures provided corresponding to the shafts of left and right, and
a pair of the shaft fixing structures provided corresponding to the shafts of left and right.

### Claim 7

A casing attaching method by which a casing including a middle casing and a side casing supporting an in-vehicle camera is attached to a bracket fixed to a vehicle interior, wherein
the bracket includes
a fulcrum support structure that supports a tip end portion of a rod-shaped member extending in a front-rear direction,
an inclined surface structure that guides a shaft member, extending in a lateral direction, upward from a rear side toward a front side, and
a shaft fixing structure that forms the inclined surface structure and fixes the shaft member in front of the inclined surface structure, and
the casing attaching method comprises
bringing a shaft that is provided above the casing, protrudes toward a center of the casing in a lateral direction, overlapping the middle casing and spaced apart from an upper surface of the middle casing in a thickness direction perpendicular to the lateral direction into contact with the inclined surface structure, the shaft being the shaft member,
moving the shaft forward and upward along the inclined surface structure,
causing the fulcrum support structure to support a fulcrum rod protruding forward from the casing, the fulcrum rod being the rod-shaped member, and
fixing the shaft to the shaft fixing structure.