IN-VEHICLE CAMERA

• US 20150042804A1
• Filed: 03/01/2013
• Published: 02/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2012
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Okuda, Syo
• Granted Patent: US 10,272,849 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/148
• 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: B60R 2011/0033 Rear-view mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0059 using clips, clamps, straps or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0071 using latches, clips, clamps, straps or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0075 using a containment or docking space

Abstract

A vehicle-mounted camera has a lens disposed on a protruding part, which protrudes from the upper surface of a vehicle-mounted camera body; thus, compared to the situation in which the entire vehicle-mounted camera body is positioned below a bracket, the lens can be positioned at the shortest distance from a windshield, thereby enabling the length of a hood to be reduced. Furthermore, the in-vehicle camera is able to take up a large area of the portion of the bracket affixed to the windshield.

Claims

1. An in-vehicle camera, comprising:

a bracket to be attached to an inner surface of a windshield; and

an in-vehicle camera body having a lens and fixed to the bracket,

wherein;

the bracket has an attachment portion and a mounting portion, the attachment portion being attached to the windshield, the mounting portion supporting the in-vehicle camera body under the attachment portion;

the in-vehicle camera body has a facing portion, a projection portion and a light-blocking portion, the facing portion being disposed under the attachment portion when the in-vehicle camera body is fixed to the bracket, the projection portion having a step projecting upward from the facing portion, the lens being provided to the projection portion, the light-blocking portion forming an inhibition space including at least a defined space defined by an angle of field of the in-vehicle camera body through the lens in a space between the lens and the windshield, the light-blocking portion configured to block light from the outside of the inhibition space entering to the inside of the inhibition space; and

the attachment portion has a first cut-out portion forming a space along the windshield above the projection portion when the in-vehicle camera body is fixed to the bracket.

2. The in-vehicle camera according to claim 1, wherein the projection portion is formed to project into the space formed along the windshield by the first cut-out portion.

3. The in-vehicle camera according to claim 2, wherein

the in-vehicle camera has an extending portion extending toward a direction to which the lens faces further than the projection portion extends, and

the extending portion has a recess forming the inhibition space.

4. The in-vehicle camera according to claim 1, wherein

the attachment portion has a rear portion formed to surround the projection portion behind the defined space.

5. The in-vehicle camera according to claim 4, wherein

the attachment portion has a front portion disposed ahead of the lens, the front portion having a second cut-out portion forming the defined space.

6. The in-vehicle camera according to claim 1, wherein

the light-blocking portion is formed to be a hood detachably to the in-vehicle camera body.