Imaging device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10870401-B2
Application number	US-201716325370-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 28, 2017
Priority date	Sep 21, 2016
Publication date	Dec 22, 2020
Grant date	Dec 22, 2020

Abstract

The present invention provides an imaging device wherein an imaging unit can be stably supported by a bracket and adverse effects on the imaging unit caused by differences in the amount of thermal expansion between the bracket and the imaging unit can be reduced. This imaging device 1 is provided with an imaging unit 10 attachable to the bracket. The imaging unit 10 is provided with a plurality of supported parts 15 to be supported by the bracket. The supported parts 15 are provided on both ends of the imaging unit 10 in the width direction DW crossing the light axis OA direction at one end of the imaging unit 10 in the light axis OA direction, and in the center part in the width direction DW at the other end of the imaging unit 10 in the light axis OA direction. The supported parts 15 have supported points 15a, which are supported by the bracket, and load points 15b, which receive the biasing force operating toward the supported points 15a from the bracket.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An imaging device comprising an imaging unit attachable to a bracket, wherein
the imaging unit comprises a plurality of supported parts to be supported by the bracket,
the plurality of supported parts include first supported parts provided on both ends of the imaging unit in a width direction crossing a light axis direction, and a second supported part provided at a center part in the width direction at another end of the imaging unit and including a projection extending substantially parallel to the light axis direction,
the plurality of supported parts have supported points, which are configured to be supported by the bracket, and load points, which are configured to receive a biasing force operating toward the supported points from the bracket,
the imaging unit comprises a pair of cameras aligned in the width direction,
the pair of cameras are arranged to be adjacent to a pair of the first supported parts, each of the first supported parts located respectively at one of the both ends of the imaging unit in the width direction,
the projection of the second supported part in the width direction is equidistant from the both ends of the imaging unit in the width direction,
the projection of the second supported part in the width direction is equidistant from each one of the pair of cameras, and
the projection of the second supported part tapers from a first thickness at the center part in the width direction to a second thickness that is smaller than the first thickness at a position offset from the center part in the light axis direction.

2. The imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein
the pair of the first supported parts are provided at a rear end of the imaging unit in the light axis direction and the second supported part is provided at a front end of the imaging unit in the light axis direction.

3. The imaging device according to claim 2 , wherein
the first supported part has two supported points which are aligned in the light axis direction of the imaging unit.

4. The imaging device according to claim 1 , further comprising the bracket to which the imaging unit is attachable,
wherein the bracket has a plurality of support structural parts which support the plurality of supported parts,
the support structural part has a biasing part which causes a biasing force to operate at one or more of the load points of the plurality of supported parts and a support that causes a drag against the biasing force to operate at one or more of the supported points of the plurality of supported parts,
the biasing part extends along the light axis direction of the imaging unit and has one end in the light axis direction as a fixed end and another end in the light axis direction as a free end, and
the support faces the biasing part in a direction crossing the light axis direction of the imaging unit and the width direction of the imaging unit.

5. The imaging device of claim 1 , wherein:
the plurality of supported parts include supported parts arranged to correspond to apexes of an isosceles triangle having a base substantially parallel to the width direction of the imaging unit and a height in the light axis direction of the imaging unit.

6. The imaging device of claim 1 , wherein a distance from one of the pair of the first supported parts to one of the pair of cameras is equal to or smaller than one-fifth of a distance between light axes of the respective cameras.

Assignees

• Hitachi Automotive Systems Ltd

Inventors

• KATAISHI Tomoyuki
• Shinohara Hidenori

Classifications

• H04N23/00

  Cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors; Control thereof · CPC title

• H04N23/51

  Housings · CPC title

• G03B19/07

  having more than one objective · CPC title

• G03B17/56

  Accessories (carrying-cases A45C11/38) · CPC title

• B60R11/04 Primary

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