Optical unit, image pickup device using the optical unit, and on-vehicle image display device using the image pickup device

• US 8,425,058 B2
• Filed: 10/17/2007
• Issued: 04/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alpine Electronics Incorporated (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Alpine Electronics Incorporated (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Nomura, Tsubasa
• Primary Examiner(s): Shafer, Ricky D
• Application Number:
  US11/873,926
• Publication Number:
  US 20080112050A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,015 Days
• Field of Search: 359/507, 359/509
• US Class Current: 359/507
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 1/18 Coatings for keeping optical surfaces clean, e.g. hydrophobic or photo-catalytic films G02B1/16 takes precedence
• 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: G02B 3/00 Simple or compound lenses

Abstract

A lens unit or the like with improved ability to capture proper images by reducing the likelihood that water droplets will adhere to the lens surface and change the refractive index. A surface of a lens portion (1) is imparted with a water-repellent property and a surface of a non-lens portion (2), surrounding the lens portion (1), is imparted with a hydrophilic property. As a result, if droplets on the surface of the lens portion (1) contact the non-lens portion (2), the droplets are guided from the water-repellent surface of the lens portion (1) to the hydrophilic surface of the non-lens portion (2) thereby reducing the number of droplets residing on the lens portion (1).

Claims

1. An optical unit comprising:

a light transmissive portion; and

a light non-transmissive portion adjacent the light transmissive portion,

wherein the light transmissive portion includes a water-repellent surface region and the light non-transmissive portion includes a hydrophilic surface region;

wherein hydrophilicity in the hydrophilic surface region increases toward a predetermined drainage location; and

the surface region of the light-transmissive portion and the surface region of the light non-transmissive portion includes a first coating of a water-repellent material, and a second coating over a portion of the first coating of the water-repellent material, wherein the second coating comprises a hydrophilic material, and covers the portion of the first coating corresponding to the hydrophilic surface region of the light non-transmissive portion.

2. The optical unit according to claim 1, wherein a drainage structure is connected to the light non-transmissive portion.

3. The optical unit according to claim 1, wherein the hydrophilicity of the surface region of the light non-transmissive portion increases toward the location of a drainage structure.

4. The optical unit according to claim 3, wherein the drainage structure comprises a thin tube member.

5. The optical unit according to claim 3, wherein the drainage structure comprises a linear member having a hydrophilic surface.

6. The optical unit according to claim 3, wherein a groove portion is formed in the hydrophilic surface region of the light non-transmissive portion.

7. The optical unit according to claim 6, wherein the groove portion includes an open groove that extends to an outer peripheral portion of the light non-transmissive portion.

8. The optical unit according to claim 3, wherein the light transmissive portion includes a transparent covering member, wherein the transparent covering member covers a portion of the water-repellant surface region of the light transmissive portion.

9. An optical unit comprising:

a light transmissive portion;

a light non-transmissive portion adjacent the light transmissive portion; and

,

an image pickup device located opposite a surface of the light transmissive portion;

wherein the light transmissive portion includes a water-repellant surface region and the light non-transmissive portion includes a hydrophilic surface region;

wherein hydrophilicity varies in the hydrophilic surface region; and

,

wherein the image pickup device is attached to a vehicle such that a light transmissive portion of the image pickup device is oriented non-perpendicular to a ground, wherein the hydrophilicity varies in the hydrophilic region to gradually increase from an upper portion to a lower portion of the hydrophilic region.

10. The optical unit according to claim 9, wherein the image pickup device is attached to the vehicle such that the light transmissive portion of the image pickup device is oriented down toward the ground, wherein the hydrophilicity gradually increases in a direction opposite to a moving direction of the vehicle.

11. The optical unit according to claim 10, wherein the image pickup device is attached to the vehicle such that the light transmissive portion of the image pickup device is oriented down toward the ground, and a drainage structure is connected to a rear portion of the light non-transmissive portion located on a side opposite the moving direction of the vehicle.

12. The optical unit according to claim 11, wherein a groove portion is formed in the hydrophilic surface region of the light non-transmissive portion, and the groove portion includes an open groove that extends to an outer peripheral portion of the light non-transmissive portion.

13. The optical unit according to claim 9, wherein the optical unit of the image pickup device further comprises a drainage structure connected to the lower portion of the hydrophilic region of the light non-transmissive portion, and the image pickup device is attached to the vehicle such that the light transmissive portion of the image pickup device is oriented non-perpendicular to the ground.

14. The optical unit according to claim 13, wherein a groove portion is formed in the hydrophilic surface region of the light non-transmissive portion, and the groove portion includes an open groove that extends to an outer peripheral portion of the light non-transmissive portion.