Device for capturing an image of the external area of a vehicle by means of a camera

• US 8,305,443 B2
• Filed: 05/05/2007
• Issued: 11/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Huf Hulsbeck & Furst GmbH & Co. KG
• Original Assignee: Huf Hulsbeck & Furst GmbH & Co. KG
• Inventors: Buschmann, Gerd, Dammers, Bernd
• Primary Examiner(s): MacIlwinen, John
• Application Number:
  US12/227,325
• Publication Number:
  US 20090231430A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,012 Days
• Field of Search: 348/148
• US Class Current: 348/148
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/0023 the element being a sensor, e.g. distance sensor, camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0082 collapsible, e.g. for storing after use
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0084 with adjustment by linear movement in their operational position
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0085 with adjustment by rotation in their operational position
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0094 characterised by means for covering after user, e.g. boxes, shutters or the like

Abstract

In a device for capturing an image of the external area of a vehicle by means of a camera (20), there is a motor with a secondary transmission (40) which moves the camera (20) between a retracted position (10.1) and an extended position (10.2) relative to an aperture (51) in a vehicle wall (50). In order to realize a compact positioning of the camera in the retracted position, it is proposed to provide the sliding carriage with a sleeve-like cavity (11) which extends in the direction of movement (12) of the sliding carriage (10). The sliding carriage is therefore a sliding sleeve (10). The camera (20) is stored in a manner in which it can swivel (21) in the cavity (11) of the sliding sleeve (10), wherein the swivel axis (21) extends diagonal to its direction of movement (12). The camera (20) in its idle position is swivelled into the sleeve cavity, whereas in its operating position it projects at least partially through a side opening in the sleeve wall (16).

Claims

1. A device for image acquisition of a region outside of a vehicle, the device comprising:

a camera (20);

an image display system in an interior of the vehicle, the camera being linked with the image display system;

a sliding carriage (10) having a cavity (11)

a shaft (21) arranged in the cavity (11), the camera (20) being mounted on the shaft (21) so as to be swivelable between two positions (20.1, 20.2) that are separated by an angle (22), the positions including a retracted resting position (20.1) in which the camera (20) is in a first angular position (65) in the sliding carriage (10) adapted to the cavity (11), and an extended operating position (20.2) in which the camera (20) extends out of the sliding carriage (10) through a lateral opening (15) in a sleeve wall, (16),

wherein the sliding carriage (10) together with the camera (20) is displaceable relative to an opening (51) in a vehicle wall (50) between the two axially separated positions (10.1, 10.2), axial separated positions including a retracted position (10.1) behind (52) the vehicle wail (50) where there is a minimum space for accepting the camera (20), and an extended position (10.2) outside the opening (51) and in front of the vehicle wall (50), wherein a space for accepting the camera (20) is telescopically extended,

wherein in the retracted position (10.1) of the sliding carriage (10) the camera (20) is in the resting position (20.1) and in the extended position (10.2) of the sliding carriage (10) the camera (20) is in the operating position (20.2).

2. The device in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a motor (30) with a crank mechanism (40) arranged to telescopically move the sliding carriage (10) and/or swivel the camera (20).

3. A device in accordance with claim 2, with a cover (31), which is simultaneously moved by the motor (30) and covers the opening (51) in the vehicle wall (50) in the retracted position (10.1) and uncovers the opening in the extended position (10.2), wherein

the cover (31) is part of the sliding carriage (10) and carries out a linear stroke (32) during the displacement (12, 13) of the sliding (10),

and where the cover (31) closes and seals the opening (51) in the vehicle wall (51) in the retracted position (10.1).

4. A device in accordance with claim 3, wherein the cover (31) is fixed on the outer end face of the sliding carriage (10) and forms an outer base (17) of the cavity (11).

5. A device in accordance with claim 3, wherein the cover (31) is the support of an emblem (33), an ornamental wheel, or a functional part.

6. A device in accordance with claim 2, wherein the camera (20) is positioned in a mount (24) which has the shaft (21),

and where the shaft (21) serves to rotationally support the camera (20) on an inner wall (16) of the carriage.

7. A device in accordance claim 6, wherein a drive unit comprises not only the motor (30) and the crank mechanism (40) but also at least one spring force (35) acting on the sliding carriage (10),

and where the spring force (35) moves (12) the sliding carriage (10) into the extended position (10.2).

8. A device in accordance with claim 7, wherein the sliding carriage (10) is held in a stationary guide sleeve (18) in a way that allows the sliding carriage to be longitudinally displaced,

where an outer end face opening (36) of the stationary guide sleeve (18) spans the opening (51) in the vehicle wall (50),

and where, during a transition from the retracted position (10.1) to the extended position (10.2), the sliding carriage (10) can telescope from the outer end face opening (36) of the stationary guide sleeve (18).

9. A device in accordance with claim 8, wherein the outer end face of the stationary guide sleeve (18) has a flange (19), which rests on the vehicle wall (50) in a mounted position of the device.

10. A device in accordance with claim 9, wherein the flange (19) has an outwardly directed annular zone (29), which serves as a contact surface for a linearly displaceable cover (31) or sleeve base (17),

wherein when the cover (31) contacts the annular zone (29), the sliding carriage (10) is then positioned in the retracted, position (10.1) and closes the outer and face opening (36) of the stationary guide sleeve (18).

11. A device in accordance with claim 9, wherein at least certain segments of the stationary guide sleeve (18) are enclosed and protected by a housing bushing (60),

and where a base (61) of the housing bushing (60) has a hole (62), through which the crank mechanism (40) extends into the stationary guide sleeve (18) and reaches as far as the sliding carriage (10).

12. A device in accordance with claim 11, wherein the spring force (35) is produced by a compression spring,

and where one end of the compression spring is supported on a support point (37) of the base (61) of the housing bushing (60), and another end of the compression is supported on an axial shoulder (39) of the sliding carriage (10).

13. A device in accordance with claim 11, wherein the housing bushing (60) has a mating flange (63), which is supported around an opening (51) on a rear surface (55) of the vehicle wall (50),

and where the vehicle wall (50) is clamped in sandwich fashion between the flange (19) of the stationary guide sleeve (18) and the mating flange (63) of the housing bushing (60).

14. A device in accordance with claim 11, wherein the housing bushing (60) supports an additional jacket of the motor (30) and/or the crank mechanism (40).

15. A device in accordance with claim 11, wherein the sliding carriage (10), the guide sleeve (18), and the housing bushing (60) are telescoped within one another and have a linear arrangement relative to one another in the vehicle, which is determined by a direction of displacement (12, 13) of the sliding carriage (10).

16. A device in accordance with claim 15, wherein the motor (30) and/or the crank mechanism (40) is at least partly aligned with the linear arrangement of the sliding carriage (10), the stationary guide sleeve (18), and the housing hushing (60).

17. A device in accordance claim 8, wherein the stationary guide sleeve (18) has a peripheral cylindrical surface (28), but the crank, mechanism (40, 42) enters an interior of the guide sleeve through an opening at an inner end face (38) of the stationary guide sleeve (18) and continues as far as the sliding carriage (10).

18. A device in accordance with claim 8, wherein a longitudinal center axis (14) of the stationary guide sleeve (18) and a direction of displacement (13, 14) of the sliding carriage (10) are parallel or inclined to a travel path (49) of the vehicle.

19. A device in accordance with claim 8, wherein the rotatably supported camera mount (24) has one or more limit stops (56, 57), which, in the retracted resting position (20.1) of the camera (20), are supported on shoulders (58, 59) inside the sliding carriage (10) and/or the stationary guide sleeve (18).

20. A device in accordance with claim 19, wherein the limit stops (56, 57) consist of webs in a peripheral area of the camera mount (24),

and where the shoulders (58, 59) that serve as supports consist of inner surfaces of a sleeve wall (16) of the sliding carriage (10) and/or the stationary guide sleeve (18).

21. A device in accordance claim 6, wherein the crank mechanism (40) comprises a crank (42) rotationally driven by the motor (30) and a connecting rod (44, 45),

where the connecting rod (44, 45) articulates at one end with an end (46) of the crank (42) and articulates (47) at another end with an arm (27) of the camera mount (24).

22. A device in accordance with claim 21, wherein the connecting rod consists of two segments (44, 45), including a first (44) segment attached to the crank (42), and a second (45) segment attached to arm (27) of the camera mount (24),

and where the two connecting rod segments (44, 45) are coupled (48) with each other.

23. A device in accordance with claim 22, wherein the coupling (48) allows the connecting rod (44, 45) to be assembled and/or a length of the connecting rod to be adjusted.

24. A device in accordance claim 21, wherein the crank (42) and the connecting rod (44, 45) that articulates with the crank form a first pair of arms of a toggle joint,

which is substantially straight in the extended position (10.2) and bent in the retracted position (10.1).

25. A device in accordance with claim 24, wherein the connecting rod (44, 45) and arm (27) of the camera mount (24) that articulates with the connecting rod form a second pair of arms of a toggle joint,

which is bent in the extended position (10.2) and substantially straight in the retracted position (10.1).

26. A device in accordance with claim 21, wherein the crank (42) of the crank mechanism (40) carries out a rotation (43) between the retracted position (10.1) and the extended position (10.2) that is less than or equal to 180°

.

27. A device in accordance with claim 2, wherein the motor (30) and the crank mechanism (40) are used both to displace (12, 13) the sliding carriage (10) and to rotate (22) the camera (20).

28. A device in accordance with claim 27, wherein the crank mechanism (40) is self-locking, and the camera (20) is secured in the operating position (20.2), the resting position (20.1), and/or in every intermediate position between them.

29. A device in accordance with claim 2, wherein the motor (30) reverses direction of rotation when the motor changes from extension movement (12) of the sliding carriage (10) to retraction movement (13).

30. A device in accordance with claim 2, wherein the motor (30) is a stepper motor that determines the retracted position (10.1) and/or the extended position (10.2) of the sliding carriage (10) without limit stops.

31. A device in accordance with claim 2, wherein a light unit is integrally connected with the camera (20) and moves together with the camera (20) to carry out both translational movements (12, 13) between the retracted position (10.1) and the extended position (10.2) and rotational movements (22) between the resting position (20.1) and the operating position (20.2).

32. The device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the shaft (21) extends transversely to a telescopic displacement direction (12, 13) of the sliding carriage (10).

33. A device in accordance with claim 32, wherein extension movement (12) of the sliding carriage starts when the vehicle is placed in reverse.

34. A device in accordance with claim 33, wherein retraction movement (13) starts when the vehicle is moving forward at a well-defined, speed and/or a certain time after the reverse movement of the vehicle has ended.

35. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the camera (20) rotates (22) with the displacement (12, 13) of the sliding carriage (10).

36. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein, in the retracted resting position (20.1), the camera (20) is positioned in a longitudinally oriented way in the cavity (11).

37. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein, at least in an area of a zone that faces a roadway (49) on which the vehicle is located, the sliding carriage (10) has an opening (15) in a cylindrical surface (16) of the sliding carriage,

and in the operating position (20.2), the camera (20) can swing at least partially out of the opening (15) in the sleeve wall.

38. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein, in the retracted resting position (20.1) of the camera (20), an optical axis (64) of the camera (20) is positioned parallel to or at the first angle (65) to a longitudinal center axis (14) of the sliding carriage (10), which points in a direction of displacement (12, 13), while in the extended operating position (20.2), the optical axis (64) of the camera assumes a second angle (66) relative to the longitudinal center axis (14) that is larger than the first angle.