Camera unit, vehicle, and method for manufacturing camera unit

• US 10,189,421 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2013
• Issued: 01/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Matori, Tadahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Messmore, Jonathan R
• Application Number:
  US14/773,664
• Publication Number:
  US 20160023620A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,150 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0026 Windows, e.g. windscreen
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 11/045 Lens hoods or shields
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/02 Bodies
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/55 Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof

Abstract

Provided is a camera unit, a vehicle, and a method for manufacturing the camera unit. The first wall part of a housing for the camera unit extends parallel to an optical axis or in a slanted manner so as to gradually draw away from the optical axis in the direction from a lens toward a subject. A plurality of projections is disposed on the first wall part in alignment with the optical axis direction. The plurality of projections each have a first surface made up of a flat or curved surface in which the lens side is nearer to the optical axis than the subject side, and a second surface made up of a flat or curved surface in which the lens side is further away from the optical axis than the subject side, or made up of a flat surface parallel to the optical axis.

Claims

1. A camera unit comprising:

a camera casing,

a lens, and

an image sensor that is disposed in interior of the camera casing,

wherein;

a recess is formed in the camera casing on a side that is closer to a subject than is the lens;

at least a portion of the recess is formed by a first wall portion, which is exposed on an exterior side of the camera casing and faces toward an optical axis;

the first wall portion extends in parallel with the optical axis or is inclined so as to space away from the optical axis as the first wall portion extends from the lens toward the subject; and

a plurality of projections are arranged on the first wall portion alongside one another in a direction of the optical axis, each of the plurality of projections comprising;

a first surface, which is a flat or curved surface, one side of the first surface close to the lens being closer to the optical axis than another side of the first surface facing toward the subject;

a second surface which is a flat or curved surface, and which extends substantially perpendicular to the optical axis,

wherein the first surface and the second surface of each of the plurality of projections are arranged such that an imaginary line extending perpendicularly to the second surface from an apex of the projection toward the lens intersects the first surface facing toward the second surface.

2. The camera unit according to claim 1, wherein, when the first surface and the second surface are compared alongside one another, the first surface is longer than the second surface in the direction of the optical axis.

3. The camera unit according to claim 1, wherein at least five of the projections, which are of the same shape, are arranged in the direction of the optical axis.

4. The camera unit according to claim 1, wherein:

the camera casing includes a second wall portion, which is positioned closer to the image sensor than the first wall portion at a location between the subject and the lens, and which is formed with an opening therein through which the optical axis passes; and

the opening is closed by a transparent member that differs from the lens.

5. The camera unit according to claim 1, further comprising a bracket configured to fix the camera casing to an attachment object, and to support the camera casing in a detachable manner,

wherein the camera casing further comprises:

a first connector for connection to the bracket, and which is arranged on a side closer to the image sensor than the lens; and

a second connector for connection to the bracket, and which is arranged on a side closer to the subject than the lens.

6. A vehicle in which a camera unit is disposed on a front windshield thereof, wherein:

the camera unit comprises a camera casing, a lens, and an image sensor that is disposed in interior of the camera casing;

a recess is formed in the camera casing on a side that is closer to a subject than is the lens;

at least a portion of the recess is formed by a first wall portion, which is exposed on an exterior side of the camera casing and faces toward an optical axis;

the first wall portion extends in parallel with the optical axis or is inclined so as to space away from the optical axis as the first wall portion extends from the lens toward the subject; and

a plurality of projections are arranged on the first wall portion alongside one another in a direction of the optical axis, each of the plurality of projections comprising;

a first surface, which is a flat or curved surface, one side of the first surface close to the lens being closer to the optical axis than another side of the first surface facing toward the subject;

a second surface which is a flat or curved surface, and which extends substantially perpendicular to the optical axis,

wherein the first surface and the second surface of each of the plurality of projections are arranged such that an imaginary line extending perpendicularly to the second surface from an apex of the projection toward the lens intersects the first surface facing toward the second surface, and

wherein the camera unit is configured to capture an image in front of the vehicle.

7. A method for producing a camera unit, the camera unit comprising a camera casing, a lens, and an image sensor that is disposed in interior of the camera casing, wherein:

a recess is formed in the camera casing on a side that is closer to a subject than is the lens;

at least a portion of the recess is formed by a first wall portion, which is exposed on an exterior side of the camera casing and faces toward an optical axis;

the first wall portion extends in parallel with the optical axis or is inclined so as to space away from the optical axis as the first wall portion extends from the lens toward the subject; and

a plurality of projections are arranged on the first wall portion alongside one another in a direction of the optical axis;

each of the plurality of projections comprising;

a first surface, which is a flat or curved surface, one side of the first surface close to the lens being closer to the optical axis than another side of the first surface facing toward the subject;

a second surface which is a flat or curved surface, and which extends substantially perpendicular to the optical axis,

wherein the first surface and the second surface of each of the plurality of projections are arranged such that an imaginary line extending perpendicularly to the second surface from an apex of the projection toward the lens intersects the first surface facing toward the second surface,

the method comprising the step of;

setting angles of the first surface and the second surface to be equal to or greater than a draft angle.