Seal ring for pickup truck box camera in center high mount stop lamp

• US 9,304,386 B1
• Filed: 08/17/2015
• Issued: 04/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2015
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Clement, Chad, Henige, Gary Edward, Abdelnour, Sleiman N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Perkey, W B
• Application Number:
  US14/828,036
• Time in Patent Office: 232 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/0023 the element being a sensor, e.g. distance sensor, camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/302 mounted in the vicinity, e.g. in the middle, of a rear window
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/08 Waterproof bodies or housings
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 29/00 Combinations of cameras, projectors or photographic printing apparatus with non-photographic non-optical apparatus, e.g. clocks or weapons; Cameras having the shape of other objects combinations with flash apparatus G03B15/03

Abstract

A camera assembly includes a light assembly lens having a camera aperture and a seal ring received and held in the camera aperture. In addition, the camera assembly includes a camera having an outer housing projecting into the seal ring and a seal between the seal ring and the outer housing.

Claims

1. A camera assembly, comprising:

a light assembly lens including a camera aperture;

a seal ring received and held in said camera aperture;

a camera including an outer housing projecting through said seal ring; and

a seal between said seal ring and said outer housing.

2. The camera assembly of claim 1 wherein said seal ring includes an annulus and a seating flange encircling said annulus.

3. The camera assembly of claim 2, further including a mounting tab carried on said seating flange.

4. The camera assembly of claim 3, wherein said mounting tab extends concentrically around said annulus.

5. The camera assembly of claim 4, wherein said light assembly lens includes a circular mounting groove for receiving said mounting tab.

6. The camera assembly of claim 5, further including a vibration weld securing said seal ring in said camera aperture to said light assembly lens.

7. The camera assembly of claim 5, wherein said seal includes multiple ribs engaging said seal ring.

8. The camera assembly of claim 7, wherein said outer housing includes a channel and said seal is received and held in said channel.

9. The camera assembly of claim 1, wherein said seal includes multiple ribs engaging said seal ring.

10. The camera assembly of claim 9, wherein said outer housing includes a channel and said seal is received and held in said channel.

11. A center high mount stop lamp incorporating the camera assembly of claim 1.

12. A motor vehicle incorporating the camera assembly of claim 1.

13. A method of securing a camera in a light assembly lens, comprising:

molding said light assembly lens with a camera aperture;

securing a seal ring in said camera aperture;

positioning a seal on an outer housing of said camera; and

inserting said camera into said seal ring with said seal sealing between said outer housing and said seal ring.

14. The method of claim 13 including vibration welding said seal ring in said camera aperture to said light assembly lens.

15. The method of claim 14 including directing said camera in a different direction than a die draw direction for said light assembly lens.