Overview
Case for the ELP USB HIGH SPEED USB CAMERA WITH 170 DEGREE FISH-EYE LENS (Model ELP-USBFHD01M-L170)
This ELP module is a bare camera board: a small PCB, a wide-angle fish-eye lens, and a short USB cable, with no enclosure of any kind. That makes it cheap and easy to source, but it also means the bare board and lens are exposed to dust, accidental knocks, and stray fingers unless you build something to protect it, which is exactly the gap this case fills. I use these wide field-of-view cameras for robotics vision experiments, where a 170 degree lens is useful for capturing as much of the surroundings as possible from a single fixed viewpoint, so having a solid mount that keeps the sensor aligned and protected really matters once the robot starts moving around.
The case wraps around the camera PCB and holds the lens centered in a front opening, so the wide field of view is not obstructed by the case itself. It closes with bolts rather than a snap-fit or glue, which makes it easy to open back up if you ever need to check the wiring or reseat the USB connector, and it exposes mounting points on the sides so the whole assembly can be bolted onto a robot chassis or a fixed rig.
Camera model:link
Note:
- Use M3 nuts and bolts ( 35 mm length) to close the case
- Use M4 hex bolts for lateral mount supports.
I have reused this same case across a few different robotics builds whenever I needed a wide-angle view from a fixed, low-cost camera rather than a full stereo rig. It is a good reminder that not every vision sensor on a robot needs to be an expensive, purpose-built module; a cheap USB fish-eye camera in a solid printed case covers a lot of ground for very little money.
The bolt-together assembly also makes it easy to swap the camera module out entirely if a project’s requirements change, without having to reprint the whole enclosure from scratch.
A simple enclosure, but the difference between a bare board you are afraid to touch and hardware you can actually bolt onto a robot with confidence.
A simple shell, and the difference between a bare board and hardware you trust on a moving robot.
Download
The model is free to download and print, licensed under the Standard Digital File License.