Apparatus for use in association with a vehicle

• US 8,339,453 B2
• Filed: 07/14/2010
• Issued: 12/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TRW Automotive USLLC (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: TRW Automotive USLLC (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Inventors: Blake, Thomas E. III, Newton, Robert J.
• Primary Examiner(s): VO, TUNG T
• Application Number:
  US12/836,125
• Publication Number:
  US 20120013741A1
• Time in Patent Office: 895 Days
• Field of Search: 348143-148, 89143-148
• US Class Current: 348/148
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/00 Arrangements for holding or mounting articles, not otherwise provided for
• 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: B60S 1/0844 including a camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0881 characterized by the attachment means on the windshield
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0888 characterized by the attachment of the elements in a unit
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 11/30 Supports specially adapted for an instrument; Supports specially adapted for a set of instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 1/16 Special arrangements for conducting heat from the object to the sensitive element
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/02 Bodies
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/561 Support related camera accessories
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/55 Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof

Abstract

An apparatus for use in association with a vehicle having a windshield (38) includes a module (30) having an end portion which pivotally engages a bracket (40) connected with the windshield. The module (30) is pivotal relative to the bracket (40) to press a rain sensor coupler (34) connected with the module against the windshield (38) with a predetermined force. A camera assembly (72) may be disposed in the module (30). The camera assembly (72) may include an image sensor (154) and a camera lens (150). A polarizer lens (202) is disposed adjacent to the camera lens (150).

Claims

1. An apparatus for use in association with a vehicle having a windshield, said apparatus comprising a bracket adapted to be connected with the windshield of the vehicle, and a module adapted to be connected with said bracket to position a rain sensor disposed within said module relative to the windshield of the vehicle, said module having a first end portion which pivotally engages a first end portion of said bracket to position said module for pivotal movement relative to said bracket from a disengaged condition in which a second end portion of said module is spaced from a second end portion of said bracket and in which a rain sensor coupler connected to said module is spaced from the windshield to an engaged condition in which said second end portion of said module engages said second end portion of said bracket and in which said rain sensor coupler is pressed against the windshield with a predetermined force.

2. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein a camera assembly is provided in said module, said camera assembly includes an image sensor and a camera lens which are disposed in said module, said camera lens having a first end portion disposed adjacent to said image sensor and a second end portion spaced from said image sensor, a polarizer lens being disposed in said module adjacent to said second end portion of said camera lens.

3. An apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said module has a first major side which faces toward said bracket when said module is in the engaged condition, a second major side which faces away from said bracket when said module is in the engaged condition, and a minor side which extends between said first and second major sides, said minor side of said module having an opening through which said camera lens is optically exposed to environment adjacent to said module.

4. An apparatus as set forth in claim 2 further including a camera lens support disposed within and connect to said module, said first end portion of said camera lens being at least partially enclosed by said camera lens support, a polarizer lens retainer having mounting sections which are connected with said camera lens support and which position a main portion of said polarizer lens retainer relative to said camera lens support, an inner seal disposed on said main portion of said polarizer lens retainer, said inner seal having an inner end portion which provides a seal between said camera lens and said inner seal, said inner seal having an outer end portion which provides a seal between said polarizer lens and said inner seal, an outer seal disposed on said polarizer lens retainer, said outer seal having an inner end portion which provides a seal between said polarizer lens and said outer seal, said outer seal having an outer end portion which provides a seal between said module and said outer seal.

5. An apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said rain sensor includes a first printed circuit board, said camera assembly includes a second printed circuit board having a major side surface extending transversely to a major side surface of said first printed circuit board, a third printed circuit board which extends parallel to said first circuit board, a single hybrid flex connector interconnects said first, second and third printed circuit boards, said single hybrid flex connector having a first end portion connected with said third printed circuit board, a central portion connected with said second printed circuit board and a second end portion connected with said first printed circuit board.

6. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein at least one printed circuit board is pressed into said module, said at least one printed circuit board having openings adjacent a portion of a periphery of said at least one printed circuit board that engages said module to isolate strain in said at least one printed circuit board produced in said at least one printed circuit board upon pressing said at least one printed circuit board into said module.

7. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein a temperature sensor is provided in said module, a temperature sensor coupler is connected with said module at a location adjacent to said temperature sensor, said temperature sensor coupler is spaced from the windshield when said module is in the disengaged condition, said temperature sensor coupler is pressed against the windshield with a predetermined force when said module is in the engaged condition.

8. An apparatus as set forth in claim 7 further including a humidity sensor disposed in said module and at least partially exposed to the interior of a chamber formed in said module, said chamber having an air inlet formed in said module to enable air to flow into and out of said chamber.

9. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said rain sensor includes a lens plate in which a plurality of lens are disposed, a retainer which extends around at least a portion of said lens plate, and a seal which extends around at least a portion of said retainer, said lens plate, retainer, and seal being disposed in a recess formed in one major side of said module, said seal having a plurality of mounting tabs which extend into openings formed in a sidewall of said recess.

10. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said module includes a base section and a cover section, said cover section having a first end portion which pivotally engages a first end portion of said base section, said cover section being pivotal relative to said base section between an open condition in which a second end portion of said cover section is spaced from a second end portion of said base section and a closed condition in which said second end portion of said cover section engages said second end portion of said base section, a first cam surface connected with said base section, and a second cam surface connected with said cover section, said second cam surface being slidable along said first cam surface to urge said first end portion of said cover section toward said first end portion of said base section during movement of said cover section from the open condition to the closed condition.

11. An apparatus as set forth in claim 10 wherein said cover section and base section are formed of metal, said cover section having a projection which extends towards a printed circuit board in said module and is thermally coupled to circuitry on said printed circuit board by a pad formed of a thermally conductive polymeric material.

12. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said module has a first major side which faces toward said bracket when said module is in the engaged condition, a second major side which faces away from said bracket when said module is in the engaged condition, a camera assembly is provided in said module, said first major side of said module includes a recess through which said camera assembly is optically exposed to environment adjacent to said module.

13. An apparatus as set forth in claim 12 wherein said camera assembly is disposed adjacent to a first minor side of said module, said rain sensor coupler being disposed between an end portion of said recess and a second minor side of said module, said second minor side of said module being disposed opposite from said first minor side of said module.

14. An apparatus as set forth in claim 13 wherein said camera assembly has a central axis which extends along said recess and intersects a central axis of said rain sensor coupler.

15. An apparatus as set forth in claim 13 wherein said bracket includes an opening through which said recess and said rain sensor coupler are exposed to an inner side of the windshield of the vehicle.

23. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the first end portion of the bracket includes a first mounting tab that pivotally engages the first end of the module and the second end portion of the bracket includes a second mounting tab that is releasably engageable with the second end of the module to maintain the module in the engaged condition.

24. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the rain sensor and a camera assembly are provided within the module, the module enclosing the rain sensor and camera assembly and being movable as a single unit with the rain sensor and camera assembly between the disengaged condition and the engaged condition with the bracket.

27. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the first end portion and second end portion of the bracket define opposite ends of the periphery of the bracket.

16. An apparatus for use in association with a vehicle having a windshield, said apparatus comprising a module, a camera assembly disposed in said module, said camera assembly includes an image sensor and a camera lens, said camera lens having a first end portion disposed adjacent to said image sensor and a second end portion spaced from said image sensor, and a polarizer lens disposed adjacent to said second end portion of said camera lens, said module having a first major side which faces toward the windshield, a second major side which faces away from the windshield, and a minor side which extends between said first and second major sides, said minor side of said module having an opening through which said camera lens is optically exposed to environment adjacent to said module, further including a polarizer lens retainer, an inner seal disposed on said polarizer lens retainer, said inner seal having an inner end portion which provides a seal between said camera lens and said inner seal, said inner seal having an outer end portion which provides a seal between said polarizer lens and said inner seal, and an outer seal disposed on said polarized lens retainer, said outer seal having an inner end portion which provides a seal between said polarizer lens and said outer seal, said outer seal having an outer end portion which provides a seal between said module and said outer seal.

17. An apparatus as set forth in claim 16 wherein said outer seal has a plurality of projections which engage openings formed in said polarizer lens retainer to connect said outer seal with said polarizer lens retainer, a camera lens support disposed within and connected with said module, said first end portion of said camera lens being at least partially enclosed by said camera lens support, said polarizer lens retainer having a plurality of projections which engage openings formed in said camera lens support to connect said polarizer lens retainer with said camera lens support.

18. An apparatus as set forth in claim 16 further including a rain sensor disposed within said module, and a rain sensor coupler which projects from the first major side of said module and engages the windshield of the vehicle.

19. An apparatus as set forth in claim 18 further including a temperature sensor disposed within said module, and a temperature sensor coupler which projects from the first major side of said module and engages the windshield of the vehicle.

20. An apparatus for use in association with a vehicle having a windshield, said apparatus comprising a bracket adapted to be connected with the windshield of the vehicle, and a module adapted to be connected with said bracket to position a rain sensor and a camera assembly disposed within said module relative to the windshield of the vehicle, said module has a first major side which faces toward said bracket when said module is connected with said bracket, said first major side of said module includes a recess through which said camera assembly is optically exposed to environment adjacent to said module, said rain sensor having a coupler which extends from said first major side of said module and is pressed against an inner side of the windshield, said bracket having an opening which extends around an end portion of said recess in said first major side of said module and around said coupler of said rain sensor.

21. An apparatus as set forth in claim 20 wherein said recess in said first major side of said module has a central axis which intersects a central axis of said coupler of said rain sensor.

22. An apparatus as set forth in claim 21 wherein said recess in said first major side of said module has a triangular cross sectional configuration as viewed in a plane extending perpendicular to said first major side of said module, said coupler of said rain sensor has a circular configuration as viewed in a plane extending parallel to said first major side of said module.

25. An apparatus as set forth in claim 20 wherein the bracket includes a first mounting tab that pivotally engages a first end of the module and a second mounting tab that is releasably engageable with a second end of the module to maintain the module in the engaged condition.

26. An apparatus as set forth in claim 20 wherein the module encloses the rain sensor and the camera assembly and is movable as a single unit with the rain sensor and camera assembly between the disengaged condition and the engaged condition with the bracket.