CAMERA SUITABLE FOR USE IN A VEHICLE

• US 20140009619A1
• Filed: 03/22/2012
• Published: 01/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magna Electronics Europe Gmbh & Co. Kg
• Original Assignee: Magna Electronics Europe Gmbh & Co. Kg
• Inventors: Koppe, Andreas
• Granted Patent: US 10,017,127 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
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0006 with means to keep optical surfaces clean, e.g. by preventing or removing dirt, stains, contamination, condensation G02B1/18 takes precedence; cleaning in general B08B
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings

Abstract

A camera having a housing, an optical system and an electrical image sensor, particularly for applications in the exterior region of motor vehicles, i limits or events undesirable influences from moisture penetrating the camera or the housing. This is achieved by virtue of there being channels provided for air circulation in an interior of the optical system on the basis of the heating of air in the housing by operation of the image sensor, with the channels channeling air around lenses of the optical system. The channels may be along an internal wall of a lens frame of the optical system, and the channels may extend from an end portion of the lens frame at or near the image sensor to an internal space within the lens frame and between two adjacent lens elements of the optical system.

Claims

1. A camera suitable for use in a vehicle said camera comprising:

a housing, an optical system and an image sensor,

wherein the optical system comprises a plurality of lenses, wherein the image sensor, when operated, generates heat that heats the air in the housing, and

wherein a plurality of channels are provided for circulation in an internal space of the optical system as a result of the heating of air in the housing by the image sensor during operation of the image sensor, and wherein the plurality of channels channel air around lenses of the optical system.

2. The camera as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of lenses are arranged in a tubular frame.

3. The camera as claimed in claim 2, wherein a number of the channels extend from one end of the tubular frame of the optical system to an internal space between two lenses.

4. The camera as claimed in claim 3, wherein the channels open into a plurality of internal spaces between pairwise different lenses of the optical system, and are applied as a channel in an inner wall of the frame of the optical system.

5. The camera as claimed in claim 4, wherein the channel in the inner wall lies in a plane with the optical axis.

6. The camera as claimed in claim 5, wherein elements for increasing the conductive heat transfer in the direction of the flow direction are arranged in at least some of the channels.

7. The camera as claimed in claim 6, wherein the channels equipped with the conductive heat transfer elements are open toward the image sensor.

8. The camera as claimed in claim 7, wherein the conductive heat transfer elements project out of the relevant selected channels toward the image sensor.

9. The camera as claimed in claim 8, wherein the conductive heat transfer elements are configured as one of (i) an elongate metal body arranged in the channel as a wire, a strip, or a tube, and (ii) a strip-shaped metallic coating of the channel.

10. The camera as claimed in claim 9, wherein the conductive heat transfer elements have a thermal connection to a heat sink protruding from the frame.

11. The camera as claimed in claim 10, wherein the heat sink projects into the region between the image sensor and the optical system.

12. The camera as claimed in claim 1, wherein a section of the outer wall of the housing is formed by a membrane which is impermeable to water but open to vapor diffusion.

13. The camera as claimed in claim 12, wherein the membrane is arranged at a position in the vicinity of the image sensor in order to be heated by the heat given off by the image sensor.

14. The camera as claimed in claim 13, wherein the membrane comprises one of (i) a mechanically expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) sheet (ii) a sheet of a polyester and polyether block copolymer.

15. A camera suitable for use in a vehicle, said camera comprising:

a housing, an optical system and an image sensor,

wherein the optical system comprises an arrangement of at least two lens elements in a lens frame, and

wherein the optical system includes a plurality of channels along an internal wall of the lens frame, and wherein the channels extend from an end portion of the lens frame at or near the image sensor to an internal space within the lens frame and between two adjacent lens elements.

16. The camera as claimed in claim 15, the at least two lens elements comprise at least three lens elements, and wherein the channels open into a plurality of internal spaces between pairwise lens elements of the optical system.

17. The camera as claimed in claim 16, wherein the channels are disposed at generally opposite sides of the inner wall of the lens frame of the optical system and at least along portions of the inner wall at which the lens elements are disposed.

18. The camera as claimed in claim 15, comprising at least one of (i) an elongate metal body arranged in the channels and (ii) a strip-shaped metallic coating of the channels.

19. A camera suitable for use in a vehicle, said camera comprising:

a housing, an optical system and an image sensor,

wherein the optical system comprises an arrangement of at least three lens elements in a lens frame,

wherein the optical system includes a plurality of channels established at an inner wall of the lens frame and at least along portions of the inner wall at which the lens elements are disposed,

wherein the plurality of channels comprise at least two first channels and at least two second channels disposed along generally opposite sides of the inner wall at the portions of the inner wall at which the lens elements are disposed,

wherein at least one of the first channels opens into internal spaces between pairwise lens elements of the optical system and wherein at least one of the first channels opens into an internal space at the image sensor,

wherein at least one of the second channels opens into the internal spaces between pairwise lens elements of the optical system and wherein at least one of the second channels opens into the internal space at the image sensor, and

wherein air circulates from the internal space at the image sensor through one of the first channels, an internal space between pairwise lens elements, one of the second channels and back to the internal space at the image sensor.

20. The camera as claimed in claim 19, wherein the lens frame comprises at least one of (i) an elongate metal body arranged in at least one of the channels and (ii) a strip-shaped metallic coating established in at least one of the channels.