Camera module which includes lens units and configured to be mounted on inside of windshiled of vehicle

• US 10,534,253 B2
• Filed: 04/19/2018
• Issued: 01/14/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Okuda, Sho, Kazama, Takeshi, Furutake, Yasuki, Shimizu, Nobuhisa
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Luong T
• Application Number:
  US15/957,044
• Publication Number:
  US 20190146323A1
• Time in Patent Office: 635 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 11/04 Hoods or caps for eliminating unwanted light from lenses, viewfinders or focusing aids
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/561 Support related camera accessories
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 37/04 with cameras or projectors providing touching or overlapping fields of view
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/45 for generating image signals from two or more image sensors being of different type or operating in different modes, e.g. with a CMOS sensor for moving images in combination with a charge-coupled device [CCD] for still images
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/55 Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof

Abstract

A camera module, which is mounted on an inside of a front windshield of a vehicle and configured to image an external environment of the vehicle, includes multiple lens units on which an optical image of the external environment is incident, individually, and an imaging system to generate an outside image of the external environment by imaging through each of the lens units, individually.

Claims

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

a plurality of lens units having optical axes, respectively, wherein the optical axes are shifted from each other, an optical image of the external environment individually enters within angles of view, which are around the optical axes, respectively, the angles of view are different from each other;

an imaging system to perform imaging individually through the lens units and to generate an outside image of the external environment;

a camera casing attachable to the windshield and accommodates each of the lens units; and

a common positioning member commonly provided for the lens units and positioning each of the lens units relative to the camera casing in an axial direction, wherein

at least one of the lens units has a flange at an outer circumferential periphery,

the flange is in surface contact with the common positioning member in the axial direction,

the common positioning member is accommodated in the camera casing,

the camera casing has an opening which exposes at least partially each of the lens units, and

a length of the common positioning member in a vertical direction of the vehicle is greater than a length of the opening in the vertical direction.

3. The camera module according to claim 1, wherein

the common positioning member includes a reference surface portion abutting against each of the lens units in the axial direction to position each of the lens units.

5. The camera module according to claim 1, wherein

the common positioning member includes a reference surface portion abutting against each of the lens units in the axial direction to position each of the lens units on a same plane.

7. The camera module according to claim 1, wherein

angles of view of at least two of the lens units of the plurality of lens units overlap with each other within a distance of 10 meters from the camera module.

9. The camera module according to claim 1, wherein

each of the lens units has the flange.

11. The camera module according to claim 1, wherein

the at least one of the lens units is fixed to the common positioning member by using a screw.

13. The camera module according to claim 1, wherein

the at least one of the lens units is fixed to the common positioning member by using adhesive or by press fitting.

15. The camera module according to claim 1, wherein

the common positioning member has an insertion hole, and

the at least one of the lens units is inserted in the insertion hole from a side of the imaging system in the camera casing, and

the flange is in surface contact with a surface of the common positioning member on the side of the imaging system.

17. The camera module according to claim 1, wherein

the flange comprises an annular plate-like shape.

21. The camera module according to claim 1, wherein

the common positioning member is in surface contact with an interior surface of the camera casing on a first side and in surface contact with the flange on a second side that is opposite the first side.

24. The camera module according to claim 1, wherein

the common positioning member includes an upper portion in a vertical direction of the vehicle, and

the upper portion is in surface contact with an interior surface of the camera casing on a first side and is further in surface contact with a surface of the camera casing on a second side that is opposite to the first side.

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

a plurality of lens units having optical axes, respectively, wherein the optical axes are shifted from each other, an optical image of the external environment individually enters within angles of view, which are around the optical axes, respectively;

an imaging system to perform imaging individually through the lens units and to generate an outside image of the external environment;

a camera casing attachable to the windshield and accommodates each of the lens units; and

a common positioning member being a single piece and commonly provided for the lens units and positioning each of the lens units relative to the camera casing in an axial direction, wherein

at least one of the lens units has a flange at an outer circumferential periphery,

the flange is in surface contact with the common positioning member in the axial direction,

the common positioning member is accommodated in the camera casing,

the camera casing has an opening which exposes at least partially each of the lens units, and

a length of the common positioning member in a vertical direction of the vehicle is greater than a length of the opening in the vertical direction.

4. The camera module according to claim 2, wherein

the common positioning member includes a reference surface portion abutting against each of the lens units in the axial direction to position each of the lens units.

6. The camera module according to claim 2, wherein

the common positioning member includes a reference surface portion abutting against each of the lens units in the axial direction to position each of the lens units on a same plane.

8. The camera module according to claim 2, wherein

angles of view of at least two of the lens units of the plurality of lens units overlap with each other within a distance of 10 meters from the camera module.

10. The camera module according to claim 2, wherein

each of the lens units has the flange.

12. The camera module according to claim 2, wherein

the at least one of the lens units is fixed to the common positioning member by using a screw.

14. The camera module according to claim 2, wherein

the at least one of the lens units is fixed to the common positioning member by using adhesive or by press fitting.

16. The camera module according to claim 2, wherein

the common positioning member has an insertion hole, and

the at least one of the lens units is inserted in the insertion hole from a side of the imaging system in the camera casing, and

the flange is in surface contact with a surface of the common positioning member on the side of the imaging system.

18. The camera module according to claim 2, wherein

the flange comprises an annular plate-like shape.

22. The camera module according to claim 2, wherein

the common positioning member is in surface contact with an interior surface of the camera casing on a first side and in surface contact with the flange on a second side that is opposite the first side.

25. The camera module according to claim 2, wherein

the common positioning member includes an upper portion in a vertical direction of the vehicle, and

the upper portion is in surface contact with an interior surface of the camera casing on a first side and is further in surface contact with a surface of the camera casing on a second side that is opposite to the first side.

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

a plurality of lens units having optical axes, respectively, wherein the optical axes are shifted from each other, an optical image of the external environment individually enters within angles of view, which are around the optical axes, respectively, the angles of view are different from each other;

an imaging system to perform imaging individually through the lens units and to generate an outside image of the external environment;

a camera casing attachable to the windshield and accommodates each of the lens units; and

a common positioning member commonly provided for the lens units and positioning each of the lens units relative to the camera casing in an axial direction, wherein

the common positioning member has an insertion hole,

the at least one of the lens units is inserted in the insertion hole from a side of the imaging system in the camera casing,

the common positioning member is accommodated in the camera casing,

the camera casing has an opening which exposes at least partially each of the lens units, and

a length of the common positioning member in a vertical direction of the vehicle is greater than a length of the opening in the vertical direction.

23. The camera module according to claim 19, wherein

the common positioning member is in surface contact with an interior surface of the camera casing on a first side and in surface contact with the flange on a second side that is opposite the first side.

26. The camera module according to claim 19, wherein

the common positioning member includes an upper portion in a vertical direction of the vehicle, and

the upper portion is in surface contact with an interior surface of the camera casing on a first side and is further in surface contact with a surface of the camera casing on a second side that is opposite to the first side.

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

a plurality of lens units having optical axes, respectively, wherein the optical axes are shifted from each other, an optical image of the external environment individually enters within angles of view, which are around the optical axes, respectively;

an imaging system to perform imaging individually through the lens units and to generate an outside image of the external environment;

a camera casing attachable to the windshield and accommodates each of the lens units; and

a common positioning member being a single piece and commonly provided for the lens units and positioning each of the lens units relative to the camera casing in an axial direction, wherein

the common positioning member has an insertion hole,

the at least one of the lens units is inserted in the insertion hole from a side of the imaging system in the camera casing,

the common positioning member is accommodated in the camera casing,

the camera casing has an opening which exposes at least partially each of the lens units, and

a length of the common positioning member in a vertical direction of the vehicle is greater than a length of the opening in the vertical direction.

27. The camera module according to claim 20, wherein

the common positioning member includes an upper portion in a vertical direction of the vehicle, and

the upper portion is in surface contact with an interior surface of the camera casing on a first side and is further in surface contact with a surface of the camera casing on a second side that is opposite to the first side.