Imaging apparatus

• US 10,244,153 B2
• Filed: 10/03/2017
• Issued: 03/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Furutake, Yasuki, Takama, Daisuke, Masui, Soji
• Primary Examiner(s): Nazrul, Shahbaz
• Application Number:
  US15/724,122
• Publication Number:
  US 20180097977A1
• Time in Patent Office: 539 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 2011/0003 inside the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/021 for more than one lens
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/025 using glue
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/02 Bodies
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/12 with means for supporting objectives, supplementary lenses, filters, masks, or turrets
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/55 Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/57 Mechanical or electrical details of cameras or camera modules specially adapted for being embedded in other devices

Abstract

An imaging apparatus provided with a lens module which has a main body and two vane members. The main body holds a lens on an inside thereof. The vane members are plate shaped sections projected from an outside surface of the main body, which are provided with through-holes enabling fastening members to be threaded through. A base is provided with an imaging element and configured to fix thereto the main body. The case which accommodates the lens, the lens module and the base has two thread-holes formed on an inside thereof, into which the fastening members are fastened thereto. The lens module is fixed to the case by threading the fastening members through the through-holes, and fastening the fastening members into the thread-holes.

Claims

1. An imaging apparatus for capturing images in a forward view of the apparatus, comprising;

a lens;

a lens module provided with a main body and at least one vane member;

a base provided with an imaging element; and

a case configured to accommodate the lens, the lens module and the base, wherein,

the main body is configured to retain the lens on an inside thereof,

the at least one vane member is configured as a plate shaped part having a through-hole, which enables a fastening member to be threaded through the through-hole,

the base is fixed to the main body,

the case is provided with at least one thread-hole, which enables the fastening member to be fastened thereto, and

the lens module is configured to be fixed to the case without intervention of the base between the lens module and the case, by threading the fastening member through the through-hole and fastening the fastening member to the thread-hole.

2. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, the lens has an optical axis passing through a center of the lens, the main body has a width direction, and the through-hole is positioned nearer to an outer-side thereof than the main body in the width direction of the main body, when viewed from the optical axis.

3. The imaging apparatus according to claim 2, wherein, the at least one vane member is a plurality of vane members and the plurality of vane members are symmetrically disposed with the optical axis of the lens positioned in the center, when viewed from the optical axis of the lens.

4. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, the lens module is configured with the base provided with a box shaped base member and a cylinder part, the cylinder part is configured to project parallel to the optical axis, on an outer surface of the base member and keep the lens on an inside thereof, and the at the least one vane member is provided on an end section of the base member on a side in which the cylinder part is mounted.

5. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, the base is fixed to the lens module by using an adhesive agent.

6. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the lens module contains polyphenylene sulfide.

7. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, the apparatus is mountable inside a vehicle, for capturing images in a forward view of the vehicle.

8. The imaging apparatus according to claim 2, wherein, the at least one vane member is a plurality of vane members and the plurality of vane members are symmetrically disposed with the optical axis of the lens positioned in the center, when viewed from the optical axis of the lens.

9. The imaging apparatus according to claim 2, wherein, the lens module is configured with the base provided with a box shaped base member and a cylinder part, the cylinder part is configured to project parallel to the optical axis, on an outer surface of the base member and keep the lens on an inside thereof, and the at the least one vane member is provided on an end section of the base member on a side in which the cylinder part is mounted.

10. The imaging apparatus according to claim 3, wherein, the lens module is configured with the base provided with a box shaped base member and a cylinder part, the cylinder part is configured to project parallel to the optical axis, on an outer surface of the base member and keep the lens on an inside thereof, and the at the least one vane member is provided on an end section of the base member on a side in which the cylinder part is mounted.

11. The imaging apparatus according to claim 2, wherein, the base is fixed to the lens module by using an adhesive agent.

12. The imaging apparatus according to claim 3, wherein, the base is fixed to the lens module by using an adhesive agent.

13. The imaging apparatus according to claim 4, wherein, the base is fixed to the lens module by using an adhesive agent.

14. The imaging apparatus according to claim 2, wherein, the lens module contains polyphenylene sulfide.

15. The imaging apparatus according to claim 3, wherein, the lens module contains polyphenylene sulfide.

16. The imaging apparatus according to claim 4, wherein, the lens module contains polyphenylene sulfide.

17. The imaging apparatus according to claim 2, wherein, the apparatus is mountable inside a vehicle, for capturing images in a forward view of the vehicle.

18. The imaging apparatus according to claim 3, wherein, the apparatus is mountable inside a vehicle, for capturing images in a forward view of the vehicle.

19. The imaging apparatus according to claim 4, wherein, the apparatus is mountable inside a vehicle, for capturing images in a forward view of the vehicle.

20. The imaging apparatus according to claim 5, wherein, the apparatus is mountable inside a vehicle, for capturing images in a forward view of the vehicle.

21. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, the case includes a wall portion having the at least one thread-hole into which the fastening member is fastened.