Cameras and camera housings for vehicle trailers

• US 10,239,469 B2
• Filed: 07/19/2017
• Issued: 03/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Ghannam, Mahmoud Yousef, Carremm, Swadad
• Primary Examiner(s): Perkey, William B
• Application Number:
  US15/654,322
• Publication Number:
  US 20190023194A1
• Time in Patent Office: 615 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/28 with an adjustable field of view
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/29 for viewing an area inside the vehicle, e.g. for viewing passengers or cargo
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/101 using cameras with adjustable capturing direction
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/60 characterised by monitoring and displaying vehicle exterior scenes from a transformed perspective
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8006 for monitoring and displaying scenes of vehicle interior, e.g. for monitoring passengers or cargo
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/802 for monitoring and displaying vehicle exterior blind spot views
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/806 for aiding parking
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8066 for monitoring rearward traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/57 Mechanical or electrical details of cameras or camera modules specially adapted for being embedded in other devices

Abstract

Apparatus are disclosed for cameras and camera housings for vehicle trailers. An example camera housing for vehicle trailers includes a first body defining an aperture and a second body coupling to the first body to define a cavity. The example camera housing also includes a panel that slides along the first body toward an open position to expose the aperture as the cavity receives a camera and toward a closed position to cover the aperture as the camera is removed. The example camera housing also includes a spring biasing the panel toward the closed position.

Claims

1. A camera housing for vehicle trailers comprising:

a first body defining an aperture;

a second body coupling to the first body to define a cavity;

a panel that slides along the first body toward an open position to expose the aperture as the cavity receives a camera and toward a closed position to cover the aperture as the camera is removed; and

a spring biasing the panel toward the closed position.

2. The camera housing of claim 1, further including latches to couple the first body and the second body.

3. The camera housing of claim 2, wherein the cavity is enclosed by the first body and the second body when the first body and the second body are coupled together via the latches.

4. The camera housing of claim 1, further including flanges protruding from at least one of the first body and the second body to enable coupling to a surface of a trailer.

5. The camera housing of claim 1, wherein the aperture of the first body is to face an exterior of a trailer to enable the camera to obtain images of the exterior through the aperture or an interior of the trailer to enable the camera to obtain images of the interior through the aperture.

6. The camera housing of claim 1, wherein:

the panel slides to the open position to expose the aperture for a lens of the camera to enable the camera to capture images while positioned within the cavity; and

the panel slides to the closed position to cover the aperture to prevent access to the cavity.

7. The camera housing of claim 1, wherein the panel is positioned to slide along an interior surface of the first body within the cavity.

8. The camera housing of claim 7, further including a ledge protruding from the interior surface of the first body, the ledge is to engage the panel to prevent the panel from sliding beyond the open position.

9. The camera housing of claim 1, wherein the first body couples to the second body via a detachable hinge.

10. The camera housing of claim 1, further including a shelf protruding from the panel on which the camera is to rest within the cavity, the camera applies a force onto the shelf to cause the panel to slide toward the open position.

11. The camera housing of claim 1, wherein the second body defines a second aperture opposite the aperture.

12. The camera housing of claim 11, further including a second panel to slide along the second body, the second body to slide toward the open position as the cavity receives the camera to expose the second aperture, the second body to slide toward the closed position as the camera is removed from the cavity to cover the second aperture.

13. The camera housing of claim 12, wherein the aperture and the second aperture enable an orientation of the camera to be adjusted without changing an orientation of the first body and the second body.

14. A camera housing comprising:

a first body defining a first of apertures;

a second body that defines a second of the apertures and couples to the first body to define a cavity; and

panels to slide along the first body and the second body, the panels slide toward an open position to expose the apertures as the cavity receives a camera and toward a closed position to cover the apertures as the camera is removed.

15. The camera housing of claim 14, further including flanges protruding from at least one of the first body and the second body to enable coupling to a trailer.

16. The camera housing of claim 14, wherein:

the first of the apertures is oriented to face an exterior of a trailer to enable the camera to obtain images of the exterior through the first of the apertures;

the second of the apertures is oriented to face an interior of the trailer to enable the camera to obtain images of the interior through the second of the apertures; and

the first of the apertures and the second of the apertures enable an orientation of the camera to be adjusted relative to the trailer without adjusting the first body and the second body relative to the trailer.

17. The camera housing of claim 14, wherein the panels include:

a first panel that slides along a first interior surface of the first body to expose and cover a first aperture of the apertures; and

a second panel that slides along a second interior surface of the second body to expose and cover a second aperture of the apertures.

18. The camera housing of claim 17, further including:

a first spring that biases the first panel toward the closed position by compressing as the first panel moves toward the open position; and

a second spring that biases the second panel toward the closed position by compressing as the second panel moves toward the open position.

19. The camera housing of claim 17, further including a first shelf protruding from the first panel and a second shelf protruding from the second panel, the camera to rest on at least one of the first shelf and the second shelf, and the camera to apply a force onto the first shelf and the second shelf to cause the first panel and the second panel to slide toward the open position.

20. The camera housing of claim 17, further including:

a first ledge protruding from the first interior surface that is to engage the first panel to prevent the first panel from sliding beyond the open position; and

a second ledge protruding from the second interior surface that is to engage the second panel to prevent the second panel from sliding beyond the open position.