Camera apparatus for a motor vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10070023-B2
Application number	US-201615138715-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 26, 2016
Priority date	Apr 30, 2015
Publication date	Sep 4, 2018
Grant date	Sep 4, 2018

Abstract

A camera apparatus for a motor vehicle includes a carrier housing which is disposed on a moveable vehicle part, and a camera module coupled to the carrier housing. The camera module includes a drive unit and a camera unit, wherein the drive unit is coupled to the camera unit and the drive unit is also coupled to a control mechanism. The camera unit is supported in the carrier housing such that it can rotate about a camera rotational axis, and can be rotated within an adjustment range, wherein the camera module forms at least a section of a handle extending along the camera rotational axis, with which a sensor mechanism, designed for sensing a proximity to the handle and/or for detecting an actuation of the handle, is coupled.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A reverse driving camera apparatus for a motor vehicle, comprising:
a carrier housing, disposed in a moveable vehicle part of the motor vehicle,
a camera module, which comprises a drive unit and a camera unit,
wherein the camera unit is designed such that it can be moved, via the drive unit between a retracted standby position in the carrier housing and an extended position, protruding out of the carrier housing,
wherein the camera unit is disposed in the extended position, at least during a movement of the vehicle part, and in that the camera module has at least one distance detection means that determines a spacing between the vehicle part and an obstacle disposed in a movement path of the vehicle part, and
wherein the camera unit is supported such that it can rotate about an adjustment axle coupled to the drive unit, in relation to the carrier housing, and can be moved between the standby position and the extended position through rotation about the adjustment axle, wherein an eccentric component is moveably coupled to the adjustment axle, which bears on a support means of the carrier housing, such that a rotation of the eccentric component alters the spacing of the adjustment axle to the support means, such that the camera unit can be moved into the extended position, in which the camera unit protrudes out of the carrier housing.

2. The reverse driving camera apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the distance detection means is the camera unit.

3. The reverse driving camera apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the distance detection means has at least one ultrasound sensor unit.

4. The reverse driving camera apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the at least one ultrasound sensor unit is accommodated in a housing for the camera unit.

5. The reverse driving camera apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the at least one ultrasound sensor unit is accommodated in a housing for the drive unit.

6. The reverse driving camera apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the adjustment axle is coupled via at least one pivot arm to the carrier housing, wherein the camera unit can be pivoted into the extended position in relation to the carrier housing via the adjustment axle and the at least one pivot arm, and wherein the at least one pivot arm is tensioned against the carrier housing with elastic reset means, such that the at least one pivot arm forces the camera unit into the standby position.

7. The reverse driving camera apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the drive unit for the camera module is disposed in the adjustment axle, wherein the drive unit can be pivoted, together with the camera unit, from the standby position into the extended position and back, via the at least one pivot arm.

Assignees

• Moenig Stefan
• Gorenzweig Igor
• Simon Joerg
• Huf Huelsbeck & Fuerst Gmbh & Co Kg

Inventors

• Moenig Stefan
• Gorenzweig Igor
• Simon Joerg

Classifications

• H04N23/51 Primary

  Housings · CPC title

• H04N23/57

  Mechanical or electrical details of cameras or camera modules specially adapted for being embedded in other devices · CPC title

• B60R11/04 Primary

  Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle · CPC title

• B60R2011/004

  outside the vehicle · CPC title

• H04N5/2252 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic