Optical device

• US 10,640,090 B2
• Filed: 02/13/2018
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Adachi, Takahiro, Kawasaki, Toshifumi, Morii, Yasutomo, Mori, Takeki, Chida, Kazumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Shirsat, Vivek K
• Application Number:
  US15/895,075
• Publication Number:
  US 20180229690A1
• Time in Patent Office: 812 Days
• Field of Search: 454 75, 454906
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/023 including defroster or demisting means
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0848 Cleaning devices for cameras on vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/54 using gas, e.g. hot air
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/56 specially adapted for cleaning other parts or devices than front windows or windscreens rear-view mirror arrangements mounted on vehicle exterior including cleaning devices B60R1/0602

Abstract

An optical device includes an optical unit that is disposed with a closed space interposed between the optical unit and a windshield glass and is configured to acquire information of an outside of a vehicle cabin through the windshield glass, a heating unit that heats the closed space, an opening and closing unit that is disposed in an air flow path between the closed space and a vehicle cabin internal space and controls communication of air between the closed space and the vehicle cabin internal space, and a controller that controls an open and closed state of the opening and closing unit based on either an outside air temperature of a vehicle or a difference in humidity acquired by subtracting a humidity of the vehicle cabin internal space from a humidity of the closed space.

Claims

1. An optical device comprising:

an optical apparatus configured to acquire information regarding an outside of a vehicle cabin through a windshield glass, where a closed space of the optical device is located between the optical apparatus and the windshield glass;

a heater configured to heat the closed space;

an opening and closing vent disposed in an air flow path between the closed space and a vehicle cabin internal space, the opening and closing vent being configured to control communication of air between the closed space and the vehicle cabin internal space; and

a controller configured to control an open and closed state of the opening and closing vent based on a difference in a value of a humidity acquired by subtracting a humidity of the vehicle cabin internal space from a humidity of the closed space, wherein;

when the difference in humidity is greater than or equal to a predetermined difference in humidity, the heater heats the closed space and the controller is configured to set the opening and closing vent to the open state, and

when the difference in humidity is less than the predetermined difference in humidity, the heater heats the closed space and the controller is configured to set the opening and closing vent to a closed state.

2. The optical device according to claim 1, further comprising a determination processor configured to determine whether or not the optical apparatus acquires the information regarding the outside of the vehicle cabin,

wherein the controller is configured to control the open and closed state of the opening and closing vent when the determination processor determines that the information regarding the outside of the vehicle cabin cannot be acquired by the optical apparatus.

3. The optical device according to claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to stop controlling the open and closed state of the opening and closing vent when the determination made by the determination processor, which determines that the information regarding the outside of the vehicle cabin cannot be acquired, is not changed after elapse of a predetermined time period.

4. The optical device according to claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to stop the heater from heating the closed space when the determination made by the determination processor, which determines that the information regarding the outside of the vehicle cabin cannot be acquired, is not changed after elapse of a predetermined time period.