MODULAR IMAGE DETECTION UNIT

• US 20110211062A1
• Filed: 09/09/2009
• Published: 09/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Huf Hulsbeck & Furst GmbH & Co. KG
• Original Assignee: Huf Hulsbeck & Furst GmbH & Co. KG
• Inventors: Müller, Ulrich, Kamps, Rolf
• Granted Patent: US 9,260,062 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/118
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0094 characterised by means for covering after user, e.g. boxes, shutters or the like

Abstract

The invention relates to an image detection system (10) comprising a camera unit (21) for detecting images of the outside area of a motor vehicle, and a protection element (22) that can be moved from a closed position (Ia) to an open position (I1a) by a mechanism (23) through a drive (41), wherein at least one lens (21.1) of the camera unit (21) is located behind the protection element (22) inaccessible from the outside when the protection element (22) is located in the closed position (Ia), and at least the lens (21.1) of the camera unit (21) is released by the protection element (22) for image detection in the open position (IIa). According to the invention, at least the camera unit (21) with the mechanism (23) and the protection element (22) is disposed in a first module (20) and the drive (41) is provided in a second module (40) physically separate from the first module (20), wherein the first and the second module (20, 40) are mechanically connected to one another by way of at least one actuation element (60) so that the drive (41) drives the mechanism (23) by way of the actuation element (60).

Claims

1. Image acquisition system with a camera unit used for image acquisition of the outside area of the vehicle and a protective element, which can be moved from a closed position to an open position via a mechanism by means of a drive, in which

at least one lens of the camera unit is situated behind the protective element inaccessible from the outside in the closed position of protective element and

at least the lens of camera unit is released by the protective element for image acquisition in the open position, wherein

at least the camera unit with the mechanism and the protective element is arranged in a first module and the drive is provided in a second module separated from the first module, the first and second modules being mechanically connected to each other through at least one activation element so that the drive drives the mechanism via an activation element.

2. Image acquisition system according to claim 1, wherein the camera unit is mounted to move in the first module, the activation element also serving for a position change of camera unit from a rest position to a recording position.

3. Image acquisition system according to claim 2, wherein camera unit is mounted to move in a first module, the first activation element activating the protective element and a second activation element, especially of the same construction, serving for a position change of the camera unit from a rest position to the recording position.

4. Image acquisition system according to claim 1, wherein mechanism for the protective element also serves for accommodating and mounting the removing camera unit.

5. Image acquisition system according to claim 1, wherein the activation element transfers the protective element from its closed position to its open position and a recording direction of the moving camera unit can be controlled by the activation element.

6. Image acquisition system according to claim 1, wherein the protective element and/or the moving camera unit are spring-loaded so that the protective element can be transferred from its open position to its closed position and the camera unit from its recording position to the rest position by the spring force.

7. Image acquisition system according to claim 1, wherein the mechanism for activation of the protective element has a toggle lever mechanism so that the protective element cannot be activated from the outside in the closed position.

8. Image acquisition system according to claim 1, wherein the activation element is a Bowden cable, a pushrod or rotating rod, a gear mechanism, a toothed belt or chain or the like, in which the activation element, in particular, is configured flexible.

9. Image acquisition system according to claim 1, wherein the protective element is configured in one part as a cover or flap or the protective element is configured in several parts, especially as a louver or central closure or shutter closure.

10. Image acquisition system according to claim 1, wherein the protective element is mounted in a slit-like guide in front of lens of the camera unit.

11. Image acquisition system according to claim 1, wherein the protective element changes from its open position to its closed position through the mechanism by means of a translatory and/or rotatory movement, in which the movement process can be divided into different phases that differ by the type of the movement.

12. Image acquisition system according to claim 1, wherein the second module is arranged at a significant distance from the first module, the distance being greater than 5 centimeters, preferably greater than 10 and 20 centimeters.

13. Image acquisition system according to claim 1, wherein an operating element and/or a mechanical lock cylinder is arranged next to camera unit, which are also accommodated protected from the outside with the protective element in the closed position, the operating element being especially an electrical switch element, like a button, switch, piezo element or the like.

14. Image acquisition system according to claim 1, wherein a proximity sensor is provided on or in the first module so that the approach of persons and/or objects is detectable.