Imaging unit support structure

• US 10,150,427 B2
• Filed: 11/06/2015
• Issued: 12/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai RIKA Denki Seisakusho, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai RIKA Denki Seisakusho, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Nakai, Toshinari, Inayama, Masahide, Ichikawa, Tomonori, Hanazato, Masashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Hsu, Amy R
• Application Number:
  US15/538,527
• Publication Number:
  US 20170341598A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,131 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 2011/004 outside the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/802 for monitoring and displaying vehicle exterior blind spot views
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/54 Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/90 Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums

Abstract

In an imaging device, a stay is supported at a side door of a vehicle, and a camera module is attached to a camera cover. The stay and the camera cover are integrally molded together. This enables a simple configuration.

Claims

1. An imaging device, comprising:

a support body having one end that is supported by a vehicle body side section and another end that extends out toward a vehicle width direction outer side;

an attachment body that is integrally formed with the another end side of the support body;

an imaging unit that is attached to the attachment body and that is configured to perform imaging;

wiring that is connected to the imaging unit;

a housing section that is provided at the support body, that does not pass through the attachment body, that houses the wiring, and that is open toward an upper side along its entire length in a length direction of the wiring; and

a reinforcement section that is disposed inside a peripheral wall of the support body so as to form the housing section, and that is integrally provided at a lower wall of the support body and integrally coupled to the peripheral wall of the support body so as to reinforce the support body.

2. The imaging device of claim 1, wherein the attachment body covers the imaging unit.

3. The imaging device of claim 1, wherein the wiring is configured to engage with a side face of the housing section in a vertical direction.

4. The imaging device of claim 1, wherein a vertical direction dimension of the support body is smaller than a vertical direction dimension of the imaging unit.

5. The imaging device of claim 1, wherein an upper face of the support body is disposed along a lower face of the support body.

6. The imaging device of claim 1, wherein the imaging unit is disposed at a vehicle rear side of a vehicle front side face of the support body.

7. The imaging device of claim 1, wherein the imaging unit is disposed at a lower side of an upper face of the support body.

8. The imaging device of claim 1, wherein the imaging device comprises a plurality of the imaging units, and the support body is disposed between the imaging units.

9. The imaging device of claim 1, wherein the support body has an open box-shaped interior.

10. The imaging device of claim 1, wherein a communication hole is provided in a peripheral wall of a support tube provided at the support body.

11. The imaging device of claim 1, wherein the support body is supported at a vehicle body side so as to be capable of swinging in a vehicle front-rear direction.

12. The imaging device of claim 1, wherein the peripheral wall of the support body extends from the support body at a different angle than the lower wall.

13. The imaging device of claim 1, wherein the reinforcement section includes a rib that extends from the lower wall of the support body.