Vehicle-mounted camera and mobile body

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12061314-B2
Application number	US-201917263545-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 26, 2019
Priority date	Jul 27, 2018
Publication date	Aug 13, 2024
Grant date	Aug 13, 2024

Abstract

A vehicle-mounted camera and a mobile body that improve the quality of a captured image are provided. The vehicle-mounted camera includes a lens arranged closest to a subject side and a housing that supports the lens. The lens is at least partially subjected to a surface treatment that changes its water-contact characteristics, or the housing has at least a shape to change its water-contact characteristics or is at least subjected to a surface treatment that changes the water-contact characteristics.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A vehicle-mounted camera comprising:
a lens arranged closest to a subject side; and
a housing that supports the lens,
wherein
the lens has a first surface facing the subject side and a side surface being located around the first surface,
the housing includes an inner wall surrounding the side surface,
the first surface and the side surface are at least partially subjected to a surface treatment that changes their water-contact characteristics,
a clearance is provided between the inner wall and the side surface, and
a water-contact angle of the side surface is smaller than a water-contact angle of the first surface.

2. The vehicle-mounted camera according to claim 1 ,
wherein the lens has a second surface facing an opposite side from the subject side, and
the water-contact angle of the first surface is smaller than 5 degrees, and a water-slide angle of the first surface is smaller than 10 degrees.

3. The vehicle-mounted camera according to claim 1 ,
wherein the lens has a second surface facing an opposite side from the subject side, and
the water-contact angle of the first surface exceeds 105 degrees, and a water-slide angle of the first surface is smaller than 10 degrees.

4. The vehicle-mounted camera according to claim 1 ,
wherein the lens has a second surface facing an opposite side from the subject side,
the water-contact angle of the first surface is smaller than 5 degrees, and
a water-contact angle of the second surface is smaller than 5 degrees.

5. The vehicle-mounted camera according to claim 1 ,
wherein the lens has a second surface facing an opposite side from the subject side,
the water-contact angle of the first surface is smaller than 5 degrees, and a water-slide angle of the second surface is smaller than 10 degrees.

6. The vehicle-mounted camera according to claim 1 ,
wherein the lens has a second surface facing an opposite side from the subject side,
the water-contact angle of the first surface exceeds 105 degrees, and a water-contact angle of the second surface is smaller than 5 degrees.

7. The vehicle-mounted camera according to claim 1 ,
wherein the lens has a second surface facing an opposite side from the subject side,
the water-contact angle of the first surface exceeds 105 degrees, and a water-slide angle of the second surface is smaller than 10 degrees.

8. The vehicle-mounted camera according to claim 2 ,
wherein a water-contact angle of the second surface is smaller than 5 degrees.

9. The vehicle-mounted camera according to claim 2 ,
wherein a water-slide angle of the second surface is smaller than 10 degrees.

10. The vehicle-mounted camera according to claim 3 ,
wherein a water-contact angle of the second surface is smaller than 5 degrees.

11. The vehicle-mounted camera according to claim 3 ,
wherein a water-slide angle of the second surface is smaller than 10 degrees.

12. The vehicle-mounted camera according to claim 1 ,
wherein
a water-contact angle of a predetermined region of the first surface is larger than a water-contact angle of a region of the first surface other than the predetermined region, and
the predetermined region is a region associated with a captured image by the vehicle-mounted camera.

13. The vehicle-mounted camera according to claim 1 , wherein the housing has a slope that extends to a ground from under the lens exposed from the housing, in a manner inclined with respect to the ground.

14. The vehicle-mounted camera according to claim 1 ,
wherein the housing includes a front surface portion that has at least one corner portion facing a ground and exposes a portion of a lens.

15. A vehicle-mounted camera comprising:
a lens arranged closest to a subject side; and
a housing that supports the lens,
wherein
the lens is at least partially subjected to a surface treatment that changes its water-contact characteristics, or
the housing has at least a shape that changes its water-contact characteristics, or
the housing is at least subjected to a surface treatment that changes its water-contact characteristics,
wherein the housing includes a front surface portion that has at least one corner portion facing a ground and exposes a portion of a lens, and
wherein the front surface portion has an inverted water-drop shape.

16. The vehicle-mounted camera according to claim 14 ,
wherein the front surface portion has a substantially polygonal shape.

17. The vehicle-mounted camera according to claim 14 ,
wherein the housing further has a side surface portion being located around the front surface portion, and
the side surface portion includes an inclined portion that extends from the at least one corner portion in a manner inclined with respect to the ground in a direction opposite from a direction in which a subject is located.

18. A mobile body comprising:
a vehicle-mounted camera including a lens arranged closest to a subject side and a housing that supports the lens,
wherein
the lens has a first surface facing the subject side and a side surface being located around the first surface,
the housing includes an inner wall surrounding the side surface,
the first surface and the side surface are at least partially subjected to a surface treatment that changes their water-contact characteristics,
a clearance is provided between the inner wall and the side surface, and
a water-contact angle of the side surface is smaller than a water-contact angle of the first surface.

19. A vehicle-mounted camera comprising:
a lens arranged closest to a subject side; and
a housing that supports the lens,
wherein
the lens is at least partially subjected to a surface treatment that changes its water-contact characteristics, or
the housing has at least a shape that changes its water-contact characteristics, or
the housing is at least subjected to a surface treatment that changes its water-contact characteristics,
wherein the housing has a slope that extends to a ground from under the lens exposed from the housing, in a manner inclined with respect to the ground,
wherein the housing further includes a connection portion that connects a lower end portion of an outer surface of the lens exposed from the housing and the slope, and
wherein a water-contact angle of the outer surface of the connection portion is smaller than a water-contact angle of the lower end portion.

Assignees

• Kyocera Corp

Inventors

• Koshiba Yasushi
• Okada Takahiro
• Abe Hiroyuki
• Nakao Hiroshi
• Morishima Riyou

Classifications

• B60R2011/004

  outside the vehicle · CPC title

• B60S1/56

  specially adapted for cleaning other parts or devices than front windows or windscreens {(rear-view mirror arrangements mounted on vehicle exterior including cleaning devices B60R1/0602)} · CPC title

• B60R11/04

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

• G03B17/08

  Waterproof bodies or housings · CPC title

• G02B7/02

  for lenses {(supports for magnifying lenses G02B25/002)} · CPC title