Vehicle vision system with light baffling system
First Claim
1. A vehicle vision system comprising:
- a bracket, wherein said bracket comprises an attachment portion configured to attach at an in-cabin surface of a windshield of a vehicle equipped with said vision system;
a stray light shield, wherein said stray light shield comprises a base portion and side walls that extend upward from said base portion so as to establish a pocket;
a camera module comprising a camera having an image sensor array and a lens, wherein said camera module is configured to mount at said bracket;
wherein said stray light shield, when said camera module is mounted at said bracket attached at the in-cabin surface of the windshield, shields said image sensor array from light emanating from within the cabin of the equipped vehicle;
wherein said stray light shield comprises light traps structurally established thereat and configured to at least partially trap extraneous light emanating from exterior the equipped vehicle and passing through the windshield of the equipped vehicle so as to be incident at said base portion, said light traps reducing incidence of said extraneous light at said image sensor array;
wherein said stray light shield is formed by injection molding of a plastic material and wherein said light traps are integrally formed as part of said stray light shield by the injection molding process;
wherein said light traps comprise a plurality of shaped light absorbing elements that are spaced apart and shaped to trap light;
wherein said base portion and said side walls of said stray light shield comprise said shaped light absorbing elements structurally established thereat;
wherein, at least when said camera module is mounted at said bracket attached at the in-cabin surface of the windshield, said stray light shield is disposed at said camera module and said lens views via said pocket through the windshield of the equipped vehicle; and
wherein, when said camera module is mounted at said bracket attached at the in-cabin surface of the windshield, said base portion of said stray light shield is below said lens and not viewed by said lens, and wherein said shaped light absorbing elements are height dimensioned so as to be below said lens and not encompassed by the field of view of said camera.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicle vision system includes a bracket, a stray light shield and a camera module. The bracket is configured to attach at an in-cabin surface of a vehicle windshield. The light shield includes a base portion and side walls that extend upward from the base portion so as to establish a pocket. The camera module includes a camera having an image sensor array and a lens, and the camera module is configured to mount at the bracket. The stray light shield, when the camera module is mounted at the bracket attached at the windshield, shields the image sensor array from light emanating from within the cabin of the vehicle. At least the base portion of the stray light shield comprises light traps structurally established thereat and configured to reduce incidence of extraneous light at the image sensor array.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A vehicle vision system comprising:
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a bracket, wherein said bracket comprises an attachment portion configured to attach at an in-cabin surface of a windshield of a vehicle equipped with said vision system; a stray light shield, wherein said stray light shield comprises a base portion and side walls that extend upward from said base portion so as to establish a pocket; a camera module comprising a camera having an image sensor array and a lens, wherein said camera module is configured to mount at said bracket; wherein said stray light shield, when said camera module is mounted at said bracket attached at the in-cabin surface of the windshield, shields said image sensor array from light emanating from within the cabin of the equipped vehicle; wherein said stray light shield comprises light traps structurally established thereat and configured to at least partially trap extraneous light emanating from exterior the equipped vehicle and passing through the windshield of the equipped vehicle so as to be incident at said base portion, said light traps reducing incidence of said extraneous light at said image sensor array; wherein said stray light shield is formed by injection molding of a plastic material and wherein said light traps are integrally formed as part of said stray light shield by the injection molding process; wherein said light traps comprise a plurality of shaped light absorbing elements that are spaced apart and shaped to trap light; wherein said base portion and said side walls of said stray light shield comprise said shaped light absorbing elements structurally established thereat; wherein, at least when said camera module is mounted at said bracket attached at the in-cabin surface of the windshield, said stray light shield is disposed at said camera module and said lens views via said pocket through the windshield of the equipped vehicle; and wherein, when said camera module is mounted at said bracket attached at the in-cabin surface of the windshield, said base portion of said stray light shield is below said lens and not viewed by said lens, and wherein said shaped light absorbing elements are height dimensioned so as to be below said lens and not encompassed by the field of view of said camera. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 22)
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16. A vehicle vision system comprising:
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a bracket, wherein said bracket comprises an attachment portion configured to attach at an in-cabin surface of a windshield of a vehicle equipped with said vision system; a stray light shield, wherein said stray light shield comprises a base portion and side walls that extend upward from said base portion so as to establish a pocket; a camera module comprising a camera having an image sensor array and a lens, wherein said camera module is configured to mount at said bracket; wherein said stray light shield, when said camera module is mounted at said bracket attached at the in-cabin surface of the windshield, shields said image sensor array from light emanating from within the cabin of the equipped vehicle; wherein said stray light shield comprises light traps structurally established thereat and configured to at least partially trap extraneous light emanating from exterior the equipped vehicle and passing through the windshield of the equipped vehicle so as to be incident at said base portion, said light traps reducing incidence of said extraneous light at said image sensor array; wherein said stray light shield is formed by injection molding of a plastic material and wherein said light traps are integrally formed as part of said stray light shield by the injection molding process; wherein said light traps comprise a plurality of shaped light absorbing elements that are spaced apart and shaped to trap light; wherein said base portion and said side walls of said stray light shield comprise said shaped light absorbing elements structurally established thereat; wherein, at least when said camera module is mounted at said bracket attached at the in-cabin surface of the windshield, said stray light shield is disposed at said camera module and said lens views via said pocket through the windshield of the equipped vehicle; wherein, when said camera module is mounted at said bracket attached at the in-cabin surface of the windshield, said stray light shield is urged towards the in-cabin surface of the windshield; wherein, when said camera module is mounted at said bracket attached at the in-cabin surface of the windshield, said base portion of said stray light shield is below said lens and not viewed by said lens; wherein said shaped light absorbing elements are height dimensioned so as to be below said lens and not encompassed by the field of view of said camera; and wherein said shaped light absorbing elements comprise generally vertical ribs each having a first surface and a second surface opposite said first surface, and wherein said first surface of a given rib is closer to the windshield than said second surface of the given rib, and wherein said first surface is configured to be at an angle of less than or equal to about five degrees relative to vertical and said second surface is configured to be at an angle of less than or equal to about ten degrees relative to vertical when said camera module and said stray light shield are normally mounted at said bracket attached at the in-cabin surface of the windshield of the equipped vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 23)
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19. A vehicle vision system comprising:
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a bracket, wherein said bracket comprises an attachment portion configured to attach at an in-cabin surface of a windshield of a vehicle equipped with said vision system; a stray light shield, wherein said stray light shield comprises a base portion and side walls that extend upward from said base portion so as to establish a pocket; a camera module comprising a camera having an image sensor array and a lens, wherein said camera module is configured to mount at said bracket; wherein said stray light shield, when said camera module is mounted at said bracket attached at the in-cabin surface of the windshield, shields said image sensor array from light emanating from within the cabin of the equipped vehicle; wherein said stray light shield comprises light traps structurally established thereat and configured to at least partially trap extraneous light emanating from exterior the equipped vehicle and passing through the windshield of the equipped vehicle so as to be incident at said base portion, said light traps reducing incidence of said extraneous light at said image sensor array; wherein said stray light shield is formed by injection molding of a plastic material and wherein said light traps are integrally formed as part of said stray light shield by the injection molding process; wherein said stray light shield is a construction formed separate and distinct from the construction of said camera module and wherein said stray light shield adapts said camera module for use on different windshield angles; wherein said light traps comprise a plurality of shaped light absorbing elements that are spaced apart and shaped to trap light; wherein said base portion and said side walls of said stray light shield comprise said shaped light absorbing elements structurally established thereat; wherein, at least when said camera module is mounted at said bracket attached at the in-cabin surface of the windshield, said stray light shield is disposed at said camera module and said lens views via said pocket through the windshield of the equipped vehicle; wherein, when said camera module is mounted at said bracket attached at the in-cabin surface of the windshield, said base portion of said stray light shield is below said lens and not viewed by said lens, and; wherein said shaped light absorbing elements are height dimensioned so as to be below said lens and not encompassed by the field of view of said camera; and wherein said shaped light absorbing elements comprise generally vertical ribs each having a first surface and a second surface opposite said first surface, and wherein said first surface of a given rib is closer to the windshield than said second surface of the given rib, and wherein said first surface is configured to be at an angle of less than or equal to about five degrees relative to vertical and said second surface is configured to be at an angle of less than or equal to about ten degrees relative to vertical when said camera module and said stray light shield are normally mounted at said bracket attached at the in-cabin surface of the windshield of the equipped vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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Specification