Camera module

• US 10,466,450 B2
• Filed: 04/24/2019
• Issued: 11/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Furutake, Yasuki, Kazama, Takeshi, Masui, Soji
• Primary Examiner(s): Tissire, Abdelaaziz
• Application Number:
  US16/393,172
• Publication Number:
  US 20190250383A1
• Time in Patent Office: 195 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: G02B 13/06 Panoramic objectives; So-called "sky lenses" including panoramic objectives having reflecting surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/021 for more than one lens
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 11/045 Lens hoods or shields
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/02 Bodies
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0238 using obstacle or wall sensors G05D1/0246 and G05D1/0289 take precedence; lidar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S17/93
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/55 Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/698 for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/73 by influencing the exposure time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/185 from a mobile camera, e.g. for remote control

Abstract

A camera module, which is mounted on an inside of a front windshield of a vehicle and to image an external environment of the vehicle, includes a lens unit and an imager to image the external environment by forming an optical image, which is from the external environment through the lens unit.

Claims

1. A camera module configured to be mounted to an inside of a windshield of a vehicle and to image an external environment of the vehicle, the camera module comprising:

a lens unit through which an optical image from the external environment enters;

an imager to image the external environment by forming the optical image thereon through the lens unit; and

a hood to restrict incidence of light on the lens unit from the external environment outside an imaging target range of the imager, wherein

under a definition that an imaginary intersection is a point, at which a lower light ray imaginarily intersects with the windshield, that the lower light ray is incident on the lens unit at a taper angle (θ

1) within the imaging target range, and that the taper angle (θ

1) defines a horizontal angle of view range which is smaller than a horizontal angle of view range (θ

w) of the lens unit,

the hood includes;

a base wall portion to be located to face the windshield across an imaging space in which the optical image within the imaging target range is led to the lens unit; and

a side wall portion raised from the base wall portion on a lateral side of the imaging space and formed to spread at the taper angle (θ

1) from a periphery of the lens unit toward the imaginary intersection, wherein

the taper angle (θ

1) of the side wall portion is smaller than the horizontal angle of view range (θ

w) of the lens unit.

2. The camera module according to claim 1, wherein the lens unit includes a wide angle lens.

3. The camera module according to claim 1, wherein the side wall portion is formed to spread on an outside of the taper angle and further formed to bend to go through the imaginary intersection.

4. The camera module according to claim 3, wherein the side wall portion is formed to spread parallel to the taper angle on an outside of the taper angle.

5. The camera module according to claim 3, wherein a length of the base wall portion in a vehicle front-rear direction is longer than a length from the lens unit to the imaginary intersection in a vehicle-rear direction.

6. The camera module according to claim 3, wherein the base wall portion extends to a front side of the vehicle relative to the imaginary intersection.

7. The camera module according to claim 1, wherein the side wall portion is formed to spread parallel to the taper angle on an outside of the taper angle on the external environment side beyond the imaginary intersection.

8. The camera module according to claim 1, wherein the side wall portion is formed to spread inside the taper angle on the external environment side beyond the imaginary intersection.

9. The camera module according to claim 8, wherein the side wall portion is formed to spread along an optical axis of the lens unit on the external environment side beyond the imaginary intersection.

10. The camera module according to claim 1, wherein the taper angle defines the horizontal angle of view range required for a specific control of the vehicle within the imaging target range.

11. The camera module according to claim 10, wherein the specific control includes a collision avoidance control of the vehicle against an obstacle.

12. The camera module according to claim 10, wherein

under a definition that a first imaginary intersection is the imaginary intersection at which the first lower light ray imaginarily intersects with the windshield, that the first lower light ray is incident on the lens unit at a first depression angle and at a first taper angle, and that the first taper angle is the taper angle defining the horizontal angle of view range required for the specific control, and

under a definition that a second imaginary intersection is a point at which a second lower light ray imaginarily intersects with the windshield, that the second lower light ray is incident on the lens unit at a second depression angle and at a second taper angle, and that the second taper angle defines a horizontal angle of view range required for another control different from the specific control of the vehicle in the imaging target range,

the second taper angle is smaller than the first taper angle,

the second depression angle is larger than the first depression angle,

the side wall portion is formed to spread from a periphery of the lens unit toward the first imaginary intersection, and

the base wall portion is formed to spread from the periphery of the lens unit toward the second imaginary intersection.

13. The camera module according to claim 12, wherein the side wall portion and the base wall portion are formed to spread toward the second imaginary intersection.

14. The camera module according to claim 12, wherein

the specific control includes a collision avoidance control of the vehicle against an obstacle, and

the other control is an operation control of the vehicle in a traveling lane.

15. The camera module according to claim 1, further comprising:

a bracket assembly detachable from the windshield; and

a camera casing accommodating the lens unit and the imager and to be suspended from the bracket assembly.

16. The camera module according to claim 1, wherein the base wall portion is provided with a plurality of restriction ribs protruding into the imaging space and to restrict light reflection on the lens unit.

17. The camera module according to claim 16, wherein a protrusion height of the restriction ribs is higher around the lens unit.

18. The camera module according to claim 1, wherein

the taper angle (θ

1) is set to 100 degrees or more, and

the horizontal angle of view range (θ

w) of the lens unit (θ

w) is set to 120 degrees or more.

19. A camera module configured to be mounted to an inside of a windshield of a vehicle and to image an external environment of the vehicle, the camera module comprising:

a lens unit through which an optical image from the external environment enters;

an imager to image the external environment by forming the optical image thereon through the lens unit; and

a hood to restrict incidence of light on the lens unit from the external environment outside an imaging target range of the imager, wherein

under a definition that an imaginary intersection is a point, at which a lower light ray imaginarily intersects with the windshield, that the lower light ray is incident on the lens unit at a taper angle (θ

1) within the imaging target range, and that the taper angle (θ

1) defines a horizontal angle of view range which is smaller than a horizontal angle of view range (θ

w) of the lens unit,

the hood includes;

a base wall portion to be located to face the windshield across an imaging space in which the optical image within the imaging target range is led to the lens unit; and

a side wall portion raised from the base wall portion on a lateral side of the imaging space, wherein

the horizontal angle of view range (θ

w) of the lens unit is defined between first lines (δ

wL) in which the lens unit is configured to image on a horizontal plane, which passes through the target range,

the first lines (δ

wL) are blocked by the side wall portions, respectively.

20. The camera module according to claim 19, wherein

the taper angle (δ

1) is defined between second lines (θ

1L), which pass on the horizontal plane and pass on an upper side of the side wall portions, respectively, via a clearance (D), and

the clearance (D) is greater than 0.