Camera built into a motor vehicle

• US 6,524,020 B2
• Filed: 09/24/2001
• Issued: 02/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dr Ing hc F Porsche AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Original Assignee: Dr Ing hc F Porsche AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Inventors: Hill, Jason, Terry, Paul, Ellinger, Juergen, Meade, Martin, Farnham, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Mathews, Alan A.
• Application Number:
  US09/960,724
• Publication Number:
  US 20020041760A1
• Time in Patent Office: 519 Days
• Field of Search: 396/419, 396/427, 396/428, 352/132, 352/242, 352/243, 348/143, 348/148, 348/151, 348/373
• US Class Current: 396/419
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle

Abstract

A camera is suitable for installation in a passenger car motor vehicle and is arranged on a superstructure via a retaining device. To make sure that the camera will be advantageously integrated into the motor vehicle, it can be swung by the retaining device out of a resting position sunk into a wall of the superstructure into an extended operating position and vice versa.

Claims

1. Camera assembly for a motor vehicle passenger car, comprising a camera arranged on a vehicle superstructure via a retaining device,

wherein the camera can be swung by a retaining device from a resting position that is sunk into a wall of the superstructure into an extended operating position and vice-versa;

wherein the retaining device can be swung by a rotation axle that is positioned on the superstructure, which rotation axle cooperates with an activation device;

wherein a gear is provided between the activation device and the rotation axle;

wherein the gear is a crank gear which has a first crank lever on the activation device and a second crank lever on the rotation axle; and

wherein a connecting rod is provided between the first crank lever and the second crank lever.

2. Camera according to claim 1, wherein the retaining device is made on a first side as a carrier for the camera and on a second side as a wall segment of the wall of the superstructure.

3. Camera according to claim 2, wherein the wall segment and wall of the superstructure extend in a surface-flush manner toward each other when the camera is in the resting position.

4. Camera according to claim 2, wherein the wall segment has parallel limitations that extend in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

5. Camera according to claim 1, wherein the activation device is an electric motor.

6. Camera according to claim 2, wherein the activation device is an electric motor.

7. Camera according to claim 3, wherein the activation device is an electric motor.

8. Camera according to claim 4, wherein the activation device is an electric motor.

9. Camera assembly for a motor vehicle passenger car, comprising a camera arranged on a vehicle superstructure via a retaining device,

wherein the camera can be swung by a retaining device from a resting position that is sunk into a wall of the superstructure into an extended operating position and vice-versa;

and

wherein the wall of the superstructure is a wall between a pair of rollbars located behind a respective pair of passenger seats.

10. A passenger vehicle assembly, comprising:

a vehicle superstructure wall disposed inside a vehicle passenger space, and

a camera supported on a retainer device operable to move the camera between an inoperative position in a recess in the superstructure wall and an operative position outside of said recess,

wherein said vehicle superstructure wall is a wall adjoining a pair of vehicle rollbars.

11. A passenger vehicle assembly according to claim 10, wherein said retainer device includes a surface which is flush with adjoining walls of the superstructure wall when said camera is in said inoperative position.

12. A passenger vehicle assembly according to claim 10, comprising an electric motor operable to selectively move the retainer device with the camera between said inoperative and operative positions.

13. A passenger vehicle assembly according to claim 10, wherein said retainer device includes a multi-lever linkage between the motor