Photography – Camera support – Surveillance type
Reexamination Certificate
2002-11-13
2004-01-13
Adams, Russell (Department: 2851)
Photography
Camera support
Surveillance type
C348S148000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06676308
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a traffic accident photographing device for a vehicle which is installed on the vehicle to photograph an actual scene simultaneously with occurrence of a collision, and more particularly, to a traffic accident photographing device for a vehicle which has a simple mechanical construction while capable of precisely photographing a traffic accident, thereby ensuring easy manufacture and securing economic efficiency.
BACKGROUND ART
As well known in the art, a traffic accident photographing device has a camera installed on the front or rear of a vehicle. The camera is configured in a manner such that it can be operated simultaneously with occurrence of a collision to photograph an actual scene. The photographed actual scene is utilized as corroborative facts when handling the traffic accident.
However, the conventional traffic accident photographing device suffers from defects in that, since its construction is complicated, the number of component parts is increased, and it is difficult to manufacture the device. Also, because costly equipment such as a digital camera or an analog camcoder and an electric element such as an acceleration sensor for allowing the camera to be operated simultaneously with occurrence of an accident are needed, as a manufacturing cost is increased, financial burden cannot but be incurred upon purchasing and installing the device. Further, due to the fact that the device is susceptible to mechanical shock and breakdown frequently occurs, financial burden is further increased, and operational preciseness and reliability are deteriorated. Moreover, by the fact that a bolt-locking hole must be made in the vehicle, as damage to a vehicle body is caused, persons tend to show reluctancy to use the device.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, the present invention has been made in an effort to solve the problems occurring in the related art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a traffic accident photographing device for a vehicle which has a simple mechanical construction while capable of precisely photographing an actual scene of a collision, thereby ensuring easy manufacture and securing economic efficiency.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a traffic accident photographing device for a vehicle which is configured to photograph front, rear, left and right side images of the vehicle, with a camera fastened to the roof of the vehicle.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a traffic accident photographing device for a vehicle which is configured to allow a camera shutter to be pressed irrespective of the direction in which a collision occurs.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a traffic accident photographing device for a vehicle which has a simple construction despite adopting an electric circuit structure, thereby capable of being manufactured at a reduced cost and precisely operated.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a traffic accident photographing device for a vehicle which allows front, rear, left and right side images of the vehicle to be photographed, without requiring an arrangement or component parts for directing the front, rear, left and right side images of the vehicle toward a lens of a camera fastened to the roof of the vehicle.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a traffic accident photographing device for a vehicle which can keep constant resolution of a photograph taken simultaneously with occurrence of a collision, irrespective of day or night.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a traffic accident photographing device for a vehicle which does not need component parts for fastening a camera to the roof of the vehicle or other separate component parts, in such a way as to simplify construction.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a traffic accident photographing device for a vehicle which has a simple construction to be easily manufactured, can be mounted to the vehicle simply by bonding due to a light weight and a reduced volume, and can photograph an actual scene simultaneously with occurrence of a collision through a simple mechanical operating procedure, thereby further improving operational preciseness and reliability.
Yet still another object of the present invention is to provide a traffic accident photographing device for a vehicle which can automatically photograph an actual scene simultaneously with occurrence of a collision and at the same time allows manual photographing work to render user convenience.
In order to achieve the above objects, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a traffic accident photographing device for a vehicle, comprising: camera-fastening means for fastening a camera to the vehicle to allow the camera to photograph an actual scene upon occurrence of a collision; and shutter-pressing means for allowing a shutter of the camera fastened to the vehicle by the camera-fastening means, to be pressed by a weight member which is moved under action of inertia force generated by the collision.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the camera-fastening means comprises a transparent cover bracket having a reflection mirror at a center portion thereof; a roof bracket bolted to the roof of the vehicle along with the transparent cover bracket; and a housing coupled to a lower surface of the roof bracket, and defined, at a center portion thereof, with a camera insertion space which is opened at an upper end, the housing being further defined with a lens exposure opening below the camera insertion space.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the shutter-pressing means comprises a weight member-mounting hole defined through a side wall of the housing to be communicated with the camera insertion space; a round bar-shaped weight member disposed in the weight member-mounting hole; and a spring for biasing the weight member outward of the weight member-mounting hole.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the shutter-pressing means comprises a circular groove defined on a part of an upper surface of the housing; a pressing rod-mounting hole defined through a side wall of the housing below the circular groove, to be communicated with the camera insertion space; a discus-shaped weight member and a round bar-shaped pressing rod disposed in the circular groove and the pressing rod-mounting hole, respectively, and connected with each other by a rope extending through a connection hole which communicates the circular groove with the pressing rod-mounting hole; and a spring for biasing the pressing rod outward of the pressing rod-mounting hole.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the shutter-pressing means comprises a rectangular groove defined on a part of an upper surface of the housing; a receiving groove defined on a part of a bottom surface of the rectangular groove, to be communicated with the camera insertion space; a rotary pressing member hingedly received in the receiving groove and having a forward projection and an upward projection; a rectangular weight member disposed in the rectangular groove, and defined, on a lower surface thereof, with an inclined contact surface to be brought into sliding contact with the upward projection of the rotary pressing member; and a plurality of tension springs having one ends connected to both lengthwise ends of the rectangular weight member and the other ends connected to side surfaces of the rectangular groove.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the shutter-pressing means comprises a solenoid-mounting hole defined through a side wall of the housing, to be communicated with the camera insertion space; and a solenoid disposed in the solenoid-mounting hole, and electrically connected with an impact switch and batteries which are received in a switch mounting groove and a battery mounting groove, respectively, defined at a side of the solenoid-mounting hole and opened at their upper
Adams Russell
Baek Kyung-Il
Nguyen Michelle
Pennie & Edmonds LLP
LandOfFree
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