LOW GLOSS HOUSING ASSEMBLY FOR A DRIVER ASSIST SYSTEM CAMERA

• US 20180069993A1
• Filed: 03/14/2016
• Published: 03/08/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2015
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: TRW Automotive USLLC (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: TRW Automotive USLLC (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Inventors: Hart, Michael A.
• Application Number:
  US15/548,980
• Publication Number:
  US 20180069993A1
• Time in Patent Office: 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 1/11 Anti-reflection coatings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/54 Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils

Abstract

A low gloss housing arrangement for use with a driver assistance system is provided to reduce glare into a camera of the system. In accordance with the present invention, a low gloss panel is secured to the area near the camera lens. Alternatively, a low gloss material is overmolded onto surfaces near the camera lens.

Claims

1. A housing for a vehicle driver assistance system comprising:

a main body portion and a mounting face, the mounting face having a viewing window defined by at least one wall;

a camera provided in the main body portion adjacent the at least one wall and having a field of view outside of the vehicle; and

at least one panel having a gloss level of less than 1.0 gloss units attached to the at least one wall to reduce glare for the camera.

2. A housing for a vehicle driver assistance system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the viewing window is defined by spaced apart sidewalls that extend away from the mounting face toward a bottom wall of the viewing opening, the bottom wall interconnecting and extending between the sidewalls.

3. A housing for a vehicle driver assistance system as set forth in claim 2 wherein a low gloss camera shield having side wall panels interconnected by a bottom wall panel is mounted within the viewing window.

4. A housing for a vehicle driver assistance system as set forth in claim 3 wherein the side wall panels of the low gloss camera shield are attached to the sidewalls defining the viewing window and the bottom wall panel of the low gloss camera shield is attached to the bottom wall of the viewing opening.

5. A housing for a vehicle driver assistance system as set forth in claim 3 wherein the camera shield is a one piece unit.

6. A housing for a vehicle driver assistance system as set forth in claim 3 wherein the side wall panels and bottom wall panel of the camera shield are separate panels each separately attachable to the main body portion within the viewing window.

7. A housing for a vehicle driver assistance system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the at least one panel has a snap connector that is received in an opening in the main body portion.

8. A housing for a vehicle driver assistance system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the at least one panel is made from a material that resists or attenuates light reflection.

9. A housing for a vehicle driver assistance system as set forth in claim 1 wherein an inner surface of the at least one panel is coated with suitable non-glare material.

11. A housing for a vehicle driver assistance system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the viewing window is defined by spaced apart sidewalls that extend away from the mounting face toward a bottom wall of the viewing opening, the bottom wall interconnecting and extending between the sidewalls.

12. A housing for a vehicle driver assistance system as set forth in claim 11 wherein the sidewalls defining the viewing window and the bottom wall are overmolded with the material having the gloss level less than 1.0 gloss units.

10. A housing for a vehicle driver assistance system comprising:

a main body portion and a mounting face, the mounting face having a viewing window defined by at least one wall; and

a camera provided in the main body portion adjacent the at least one wall and having a field of view outside of the vehicle;

wherein the at least one wall is overmolded with a material having a gloss level of less than 1.0 gloss units to reduce glare for the camera.