CAMERA MOUNTING STRUCTURE, CAMERA MOUNTING METHOD AND EXTERIOR PANEL COMPONENT OF A VEHICLE

• US 20090122141A1
• Filed: 11/07/2008
• Published: 05/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: NAKAMURA, Akihiro, OBA, Eiji
• Granted Patent: US 8,444,329 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/148
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle

Abstract

A camera mounting structure for mounting an on-vehicle camera on a vehicle, in which the on-vehicle camera includes an imaging module having a lens and an imaging element, and in an exterior panel component making up an exterior of the vehicle, a bracket part for attaching the imaging module is molded integrally with the exterior panel component as a portion of the exterior panel component.

Claims

1. A camera mounting structure for mounting an on-vehicle camera on a vehicle, wherein;

the on-vehicle camera includes an imaging module having a lens and an imaging element, and in an exterior panel component making up an exterior of the vehicle, a bracket part for attaching the imaging module is molded integrally with the exterior panel component as a portion of the exterior panel component.

2. The camera mounting structure according to claim 1, wherein;

one side of the imaging module and the bracket part are provided with claw portions, and another side is provided with receiving portions to be engaged with the claw portions, and the engagement between the claw portions and the receiving portions allows the imaging module to be attached and fixed to the bracket part.

3. The camera mounting structure according to claim 2, wherein;

the bracket part and the claw portions or the receiving portions in the bracket part have shapes enabling the exterior panel component and the bracket part to be formed by molding processing of one step.

4. The camera mounting structure according to claim 2, wherein;

an exterior cover that covers the imaging module attached and fixed to the bracket part is attached in a formation position of the bracket part in the exterior panel component, and

in the exterior cover, deformation-movement restraining means for the claw portions or the receiving portions is formed.

5. A camera mounting method for mounting an on-vehicle camera on a vehicle, comprising the steps of:

constructing the on-vehicle camera so as to include an imaging module having a lens and an imaging element;

molding a bracket part for attaching the imaging module to an exterior panel component making up an exterior of the vehicle integrally with the exterior panel component as a portion of the exterior panel component; and

attaching and fixing the imaging module to the bracket part to thereby mount the on-vehicle camera on the vehicle.

6. An exterior panel component making up an exterior of a vehicle, wherein;

a bracket part for attaching an imaging module of an on-vehicle camera having a lens and an imaging element is molded integrally with the exterior panel component as a portion of the exterior panel component.