Structure for mounting cameras on a vehicle

• US 6,811,330 B1
• Filed: 09/20/2000
• Issued: 11/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Subaru Corp.
• Original Assignee: Fuji Heavy Industries Limited (Subaru Corp.)
• Inventors: Tozawa, Yoshio
• Primary Examiner(s): Adams, Russell
• Assistant Examiner(s): BLACKMAN, ROCHELLE ANN J
• Application Number:
  US09/665,105
• Time in Patent Office: 1,504 Days
• Field of Search: 296/203.01, 296/204, 296/203.02, 296/37.7, 296/37.1, 296/210, 396/324, 396/325, 396/419, 396/427, 396/428, 396/429, 348/47, 348/118, 348/119, 348/373, 248/205.1, 248/207, 248/343, 224/483, 224/564, 224/557, 224/929, 224/309, 224/321, 701/28, 701/93, 701/94, 701/95, 701/96, 701/97, 701/98
• US Class Current: 396/428
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 11/02 Picture taking arrangements specially adapted for photogrammetry or photographic surveying, e.g. controlling overlapping of pictures
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 224/929 Article carrier for electrical device

Abstract

Each of the CCD cameras 10A, 10B for making a film of a vehicle forward road environment is mounted on the both ends of a chassis 16 with a high stiffness. A mounting seat member 17 is formed at a center of the chassis 16. The CCD cameras 10A, 10B are mounted onto a vehicle body through fixing the mounting seat member 17 onto the vehicle body. Portions other than the mounting seat member 17 of the chassis 16 are disposed apart from the vehicle body.

Claims

1. A structure for mounting cameras on a vehicle, comprising:

a chassis having a predetermined length and extended in a lateral direction of a vehicle body; and

a mounting seat surface formed in a center of an upper face of said chassis for mounting said chassis onto a predetermined mounting position of said vehicle body;

a pair of stereo cameras mounted on said chassis for obtaining an image signal of a forward road environment, a camera being mounted on each end of said chassis; and

a taper plate for adjusting a vertical angle of optical axis of said stereo cameras, said taper plate being formed of a wedge-like plate and sandwiched by said mounting seat surface of said chassis and said mounting position of said vehicle body when said chassis is mounted onto said vehicle body.

2. The structure for mounting camera on a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein;

said taper plate is selected from a group consisting of the taper plates having different taper angles so that said optical axis of said stereo cameras is directed into a correct direction when said chassis is mounted onto the mounting position of the vehicle body.

3. The structure for mounting cameras on a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

said chassis has a hooked sectional shape extending in said lateral direction.

4. The structure for mounting cameras on a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

said chassis is formed by one material having a high-coefficient of thermal conductivity for performing the thermal conductivity quickly so as to keep a thermal balance between said pair of cameras.

5. The structure for mounting cameras on a vehicle according to claim 4, wherein

said chassis is formed from an aluminum alloy.

6. The structure for mounting cameras on a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

said chassis is mounted onto a front rail of said vehicle body.

7. The structure for mounting cameras on a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

said chassis is supported by said vehicle body only through said mounting seat surface.

8. The structure for mounting cameras on a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

portions of said chassis other than said mounting seat surface are disposed apart from said vehicle body when said chassis is mounted on said vehicle.

9. The structure for mounting cameras on a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

said mounting seat surface has a width of about 50 mn in lateral direction.

10. A structure for mounting cameras on a vehicle, comprising:

a chassis having a predetermined length and extended in a lateral direction;

a pair of stereo cameras mounted on both ends of said chassis for obtaining an image signal of a forward road environment;

a mounting seat member formed in a center of said chassis and fixed onto a predetermined mounting position of said vehicle body; and

falling prevention members for engaging the both ends of said chassis with the vehicle body.

11. A structure for mounting cameras on a vehicle, comprising:

a chassis having a predetermined length and extended in a lateral direction;

a pair of stereo cameras mounted on both ends of said chassis for obtaining an image signal of a forward road environment;

a mounting seat member formed in a center of said chassis and fixed onto a predetermined mounting position of said vehicle body; and

falling prevention means for preventing said chassis from falling before said chassis is mounted onto said vehicle body.

12. The structure for mounting cameras on a vehicle according to claim 11, wherein said falling prevention means compromise:

a pair of brackets attached on an upper portion of both ends of said chassis, having at last one split pin inserted into said vehicle body before said chassis is mounted onto the vehicle body; and

a pair of belts being connected to said bracket at one end thereof and to said chassis at another end thereof.

13. The structure for mounting cameras on a vehicle according to claim 12, wherein said belt being bent in a U-shape does not support said chassis when said chassis is mounted onto the vehicle body.

14. A structure for mounting cameras on a vehicle, comprising:

a chassis having a predetermined length and extended in a lateral direction of a vehicle body; and

a pair of stereo cameras for mounting to said chassis to have a camera on a right and left side of said chassis for obtaining an image signal of a forward road environment of said vehicle, each of said right side and left side cameras being mounted on each right side and left side ends, respectively, of said chassis in said lateral direction having a positional relationship to each other;

chassis having a mounting seat surface formed in a center of an upper face of said chassis and for mounting said chassis onto a predetermined mounting position of said vehicle body so as to mount said pair of stereo cameras on said vehicle body;

said chassis having a hooked sectional shape extending in said lateral direction, a mounting seat member attached to said chassis at the mounting seat surface and a wedge shaped plate for attachment to said mounting seat member.

15. The structure for mounting cameras on a vehicle according to claim 14, wherein said chassis is formed by one material having a high-coefficient of thermal conductivity for performing thermal conductivity quickly so as to keep a thermal balance between said pair of cameras.

16. The structure for mounting cameras on a vehicle according to claim 15, wherein said chassis is formed from an aluminum alloy.

17. A structure for mounting cameras on a vehicle comprising:

a chassis having a predetermined length and extended in a lateral direction of a vehicle body;

a mounting seat surface formed in a center of an upper face of said chassis for mounting said chassis onto a predetermined mounting position of said vehicle body;

a wedge shaped plate for attachment to the chassis;

a pair of cameras mounted on said chassis for obtaining an image signal of a forward road environment, a camera being mounted on each end of said chassis; and

a pin for positioning said chassis onto said predetermined mounting position of said vehicle body.