Stereoscopic camera for recording the surroundings

• US 8,488,045 B2
• Filed: 11/26/2008
• Issued: 07/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: First Sensor Mobility GmbH (TE Connectivity Ltd. (United Kingdom))
• Original Assignee: First Sensor Mobility GmbH (TE Connectivity Ltd. (United Kingdom))
• Inventors: Busse, Erik
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, PHUOC H
• Application Number:
  US12/324,011
• Publication Number:
  US 20090135247A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,693 Days
• Field of Search: 348/42, 348/46, 348/340
• US Class Current: 348/340
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/239 using two 2D image sensors having a relative position equal to or related to the interocular distance H04N13/243 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings

Abstract

A stereoscopic camera for recording the surroundings is provided with a right and a left image sensor having one lens each to display the surroundings on the image sensors, with the image sensors and the lenses being held by a carrier side-by-side and at a distance in reference to each other. The stereoscopic camera is additionally provided with a circuit board arranged on the carrier and comprising at least the signal and the supply lines of both image sensors. The image sensors are each mounted on a carrier substrate, which similar to the lenses, are arranged on the carrier and are distanced in reference to the circuit board, and have a flexible electric connection to the circuit board.

Claims

1. A stereoscopic camera for recording surroundings, comprising a right image sensor and a left image sensor, a lens associated with each image sensor to display the surroundings on the image sensors, with the image sensors being held next to each other and at a distance in reference to each other by a common carrier underlying the image sensors, and a circuit board arranged atop the carrier and at least provided with signaling and supply lines for both image sensors, wherein each image sensor is mounted on a separate carrier substrate, the lenses and both carrier substrates are arranged atop the carrier and distanced from the circuit board, and the image sensors are connected to the signaling and supply lines via flexible connections, and further comprising a lens fastener for mounting at least one lens above one image sensor, the lens fastener being made from an optically dense material, the lens fastener together with the carrier forming a hollow space around the at least one image sensor by the lens fastener being mounted optically dense atop the carrier, the lens fastener having a opening at a side of the lens fastener, the circuit board extending through the opening to reach into the hollow space providing a joint between the lens fastener and the circuit board, the joint being closed with a flexible and optically dense joint material, the flexible connections being located within said hollow space, and the lens fastener and the carrier substrates being connected to the circuit board only flexibly.

2. A stereoscopic camera according to claim 1, wherein the lens fastener has supports by which the lens fastener rests on the carrier so that a joint develops between the lens fastener and the carrier, the joint being closed by a flexible and optically dense joint material.

3. A stereoscopic camera according to claim 1, wherein the joint material comprises silicon.

4. A stereoscopic camera according to claim 1, wherein the lens fastener has a fastening means extending in a recess in the carrier, with a cross-section of the fastening means parallel to a base of the recess increasing towards the base, the fastening means extending so far into the recess of the carrier that a clear space develops between a base of the fastening means and the base of the recess, and a space of the recess surrounding the fastening means including said clear space is filled with a hardening material.

5. A stereoscopic camera according to claim 1, wherein a focus of the lens is adjustable.

6. A stereoscopic camera according to claim 1, wherein the image sensors are inside a housing.

7. A stereoscopic camera according to claim 1, wherein the carrier is made from metal.