Mounting of a rearview camera in a protection housing with a view window

• US 20070132610A1
• Filed: 10/25/2004
• Published: 06/14/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Valeo Systemes D'Essuyage (Valeo SE)
• Original Assignee: Valeo Systemes D'Essuyage (Valeo SE)
• Inventors: Guernalec, Stevan, Cathala, Franck, Trebouet, Marcel
• Application Number:
  US10/576,597
• Publication Number:
  US 20070132610A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/932.200
• 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: B60S 1/52 Arrangement of nozzles; Liquid spreading meansnozzles per se B05B
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/56 specially adapted for cleaning other parts or devices than front windows or windscreens rear-view mirror arrangements mounted on vehicle exterior including cleaning devices B60R1/0602

Abstract

The invention provides an arrangement for mounting and fixing a rearview camera (10) on a body shell structure element of a motor vehicle, said camera (10) being arranged at the back of the vehicle with the optical axis (C) thereof globally oriented longitudinally towards the rear. Said invention is characterised in that the camera is arranged inside a hermetically-sealed housing (12), comprising a view window which is located in the optical axis (C) of the camera (10).

Claims

1. An arrangement for mounting and fixing a rearview camera to a structure element of a body of a motor vehicle, the arrangement being of the type in which the rearview camera is arranged at a rear of the motor vehicle and an optical axis of the rearview camera extends substantially longitudinally towards the rear of the motor vehicle;

the rearview camera being arranged inside a housing that is hermetically-sealed, and that is provided with a view window situated on the optical axis of the rearview camera;

said arrangement being characterized in that the window comprises an opening in the housing that is provided on the optical axis of the rearview camera and that is closed off by a transverse vertical pane made of a transparent material.

2. The arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the housing comprises a frame for supporting the transverse vertical pane which defines a rear transverse vertical wall, and in that the transverse vertical pane is pressed longitudinally towards the rear against a front transverse vertical face of the frame.

3. The arrangement according to claim 2, characterized in that the frame carries resilient elements which are in contact with a front transverse vertical face of the transverse vertical pane, for holding the transverse vertical pane pressed against a front face of the frame.

4. The arrangement according to claim 2, characterized in that a top face of a bottom transverse segment of the frame slopes downwards, from the bottom edge of the transverse vertical pane.

5. The arrangement according to claim 2, characterized in that the housing carries spray means for spraying cleaning liquid for cleaning an outside transverse vertical face of the transverse vertical pane.

6. The arrangement according to claim 5, characterized in that the spray means are formed integrally with the housing.

7. The arrangement according to claim 6, characterized in that the spray means comprise a nozzle that is fixed to a top horizontal wall ofthe housing.

8. The arrangement according to claim 3, characterized in that an inside vertical transverse face of the transverse vertical pane is covered with a layer of heater material suitable for generating heat.

9. The arrangement according to claim 8, characterized in that the resilient elements are made of an electrically conductive material so as to connect the heater material electrically to an electrical current source.

10. The arrangement according to claim 9, further comprising strips of conductive material that extend longitudinally inside the housing for electrically connecting the resilient elements to a current source.

11. The arrangement according to claim 10, characterized in that each of the resilient elements constitutes a rear end segment of a respective one of the strips of conductive material.

12. The arrangement according to claim 10, characterized in that the resilient elements are separate elements mounted on the rear ends of the strips of conductive material.

13. The arrangement according to claim 12, characterized in that each of the resilient elements is provided with a presser finger for pressing against the front face of the transverse vertical pane, which finger is suitable for sliding inside a tubular element, and is held resiliently in abutment against the front face of the transverse vertical pane.

14. The arrangement according to claim 10, characterized in that a front longitudinal end of each of the strips of conductive material extends inside a socket that extends upwards relative to a top wall of the housing, and that is open at its rear end for receiving a complementary connector.

15. The arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the housing is provided with a frame for supporting the transverse vertical pane, which frame is overmolded around a peripheral edge of the transverse vertical pane.

16. The arrangement according to claim 8, characterized in that the housing is provided with a frame for supporting the transverse vertical pane, which frame is overmolded around a peripheral edge of the transverse vertical pane, and characterized in that the frame and the transverse vertical pane are fixed to the housing by fixing means which are suitable for electrically connecting the layer of heater material to a current source.

17. The arrangement according to claim 16, characterized in that the fixing means comprise at least one clip arranged at one edge of the transverse vertical pane, and a longitudinal fixing catch that extends longitudinally forwards from the clip and that is suitable for being received in a complementary recess in the housing.

18. The arrangement according to claim 17, characterized in that the clip is provided with at least one contact finger for establishing contact with the layer of heater material.

19. The arrangement according to claim 16, characterized in that the fixing means are made in one piece by cutting out and folding a strip of electrically conductive material.

20. The arrangement according to claim 18, characterized in that the clip is provided with means for vertically positioning it relative to the transverse vertical pane.

21. The arrangement according to claim 16, characterized in that the fixing means are symmetrical about a horizontal midplane.

22. The arrangement according to claim 17, characterized in that the frame is overmolded around the clip of each fixing means.

23. The arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising a structural vehicle-body element having a rear vertical wall and a bottom horizontal wall which extends longitudinally forwards from a bottom edge of the rear vertical wall, and of the type in which a body of the housing passes through a complementary orifice in the bottom horizontal wall at least in part, said arrangement being characterized in that it is provided with means for deflecting water flowing over the rear wall, substantially above the rearview camera.

24. The arrangement according to claim 23, characterized in that the arrangement is provided with a tongue that extends vertically downwards from the bottom wall, behind the rearview camera, and that has a free bottom end edge that is arched so as to at least partially re-direct the water flowing over the rear wall.

25. The arrangement according to claim 24, characterized in that the bottom edge of the tongue is curved back towards the rear to form an arched lip.

26. The arrangement according to claim 23, characterized in that the rear vertical wall is provided with a projection that projects towards the rear.

27. The arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the housing is made of a transparent material, and in that each wall of the housing other than the rear vertical transverse wall is covered with a layer of an opaque material.

28. The arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the transverse vertical pane is in the form of a disk that is coaxial with the optical axis of the rearview camera, and in that a peripheral edge of the transverse vertical pane is provided with a thread that co-operates with a complementary thread in the frame so as to close the opening in the housing in waterproof manner and in removable manner.

29. The arrangement according to claim 8, further comprising:

at least one resilient electrical connection means; and

conductive tracks designed for electrically powering the layer of heater material suitable for generating heat;

the resilient electrical connection means being placed such as to generate electrical contact between said layer and said tracks.

30. The arrangement according to claim 29, characterized in that one resilient connection means extends over a first side of the rear face of the transverse vertical pane and another resilient connection means extends over a second side of the face opposite from the first face.

31. The arrangement according to claim 29, characterized in that the arrangement is provided with sealing means whose rear portion is overmolded around a peripheral edge of the resilient connection means and extends over a periphery of the rear face of the transverse vertical pane.

32. The arrangement according to claim 31, characterized in that the sealing means are in the form of a non-conductive elastomer.

33. The arrangement according to claim 31, characterized in that the sealing means further include a front portion connected to the rear portion via at least one bridge, the bridge being designed to be folded so that the rear portion and the front portion are placed respectively against the rear transverse face and against the front transverse face of the transverse vertical pane.

34. The arrangement according to claim 29, characterized in that the arrangement is provided with a thermal protection component for regulating the temperature of the layer.

35. The arrangement according to claim 34, characterized in that the thermal protection component is electrically coupled between the resilient connection means and the conductive tracks.

36. The arrangement according to claim 29, characterized in that the resilient connection means are filled with electrically conductive particles.

37. The arrangement according to claim 29, characterized in that the arrangement is provided with a locking clip suitable for compressing the resilient connection means between the transverse vertical pane and the conductive tracks.