Device for a vehicle having a camera unit located in a protective housing

• US 9,744,914 B2
• Filed: 04/04/2012
• Issued: 08/29/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Huf Hulsbeck & Furst GmbH & Co. KG
• Original Assignee: Huf Hulsbeck & Furst GmbH & Co. KG
• Inventors: Barthel, Joachim, Buschmann, Gerd
• Primary Examiner(s): Jebari, Mohammed
• Application Number:
  US13/439,028
• Publication Number:
  US 20120257057A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,973 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 19/48 combined with, or convertible into, other devices or objects, e.g. bumpers combined with road brushes, bumpers convertible into beds
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0094 characterised by means for covering after user, e.g. boxes, shutters or the like

Abstract

The invention relates to a device, particularly for a rear area of a vehicle, and a related method for operating the device, where the device includes a camera unit serving to record an image of the exterior area of the vehicle with the camera unit being protectively arranged via a support element at the vehicle, particularly protected in a housing, and a mobile closing element being provided for closing the housing opening, which by a drive unit can be moved into at least two end positions, namely a closed position and an open position.

Claims

1. A device for a vehicle, comprising:

a camera unit disposed in a protective housing, the protective housing containing a cable chain disposed between an interior of the cover and the camera unit and configured to guide an electric line, wherein the cable chain is arranged about the electric line and includes a first end disposed at the uppermost area of the housing and a second end disposed at a sled;

a support element disposed on the housing and configured to secure the housing to the vehicle;

a mobile closing element comprising two walls and moveable between a closed position in which an opening of the housing is at least partially occluded by the mobile closing element and an open position in which the opening is at least partially open;

an electric switch disposed between the two walls of the closing element so as to be actuated by the mobile closing element, the switch configured to detect any force applied from outside of the vehicle as a control signal, wherein in the closed position, the switch detects both a tension and a pressure applied to the closing element using measurement technology;

a groove guide having a first portion which extends parallel to a longitudinal axis of the house and a second portion which extends upwardly at an angle to the longitudinal axis;

a pivot having a first end connected to the camera unit and a second end associated with and moveable within the groove guide;

a sled having a first end connected to the mobile closing element and a second end disposed moveably within the housing;

wherein the pivot is rotatably connected to the sled at a point of rotation;

wherein the camera unit is configured to rotate about the point of rotation into a downward tilting orientation when the mobile closing element is moved into the open position by way of the second end of the pivot traversing the second portion of the groove guide;

wherein the camera unit sends data via the electric line to the vehicle.

2. A device for a vehicle, comprising:

a camera unit disposed in a protective housing, the protective housing containing a cable chain disposed between an interior of the cover and the camera unit and configured to guide an electric line, wherein the cable chain is arranged about the electric line and includes a first end disposed at the uppermost area of the housing and a second end disposed at a sled;

a support element disposed on the housing and configured to secure the housing to the vehicle;

a mobile closing element comprising two walls and moveable between a closed position in which an opening of the housing is at least partially occluded by the mobile closing element and an open position in which the opening is at least partially open;

an electric switch disposed between the two walls of the closing element so as to be actuated by the mobile closing element, the switch configured to detect any force applied from outside of the vehicle as a control signal, wherein in the closed position, the closing element cooperates with the electric switch when a force acts mechanically from the outside to create a controlled signal;

a groove guide having a first portion which extends parallel to a longitudinal axis of the house and a second portion which extends upwardly at an angle to the longitudinal axis;

a pivot having a first end connected to the camera unit and a second end associated with and moveable within the groove guide;

a sled having a first end connected to the mobile closing element and a second end disposed moveably within the housing;

wherein the pivot is rotatably connected to the sled at a point of rotation;

wherein the camera unit is configured to rotate about the point of rotation into a downward tilting orientation when the mobile closing element is moved into the open position by way of the second end of the pivot traversing the second portion of the groove guide;

wherein the camera unit sends data via the electric line to the vehicle.