Vehicle camera with replaceable cover

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016264064-A1
Application number	US-201615062526-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 7, 2016
Priority date	Mar 12, 2015
Publication date	Sep 15, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A vision system of a vehicle includes a camera disposed at an exterior portion of a vehicle and having a field of view exterior of the vehicle. The camera has a camera housing and a lens. A cover element is removably disposed at the camera. The cover element includes a curved transparent portion and a mounting portion. The curved transparent portion of the cover element, when the cover element is disposed at the camera, protects the lens so that the lens is not exposed to the environment external the vehicle. The cover element may be configured to be fixedly mounted at the exterior portion of the vehicle, such that the camera is removably mounted at the vehicle by detachable attachment at the cover element.

First claim

1 . A vision system of a vehicle, said vision system comprising:
a camera configured to be disposed at an exterior portion of a vehicle so as to have a field of view exterior of the vehicle, said camera having a camera housing and a lens; a cover element removably disposed at said camera, wherein said cover element comprises a curved transparent portion and a mounting portion; and wherein said curved transparent portion of said cover element, when said cover element is disposed at said camera, protects said lens so that said lens is not exposed to the environment external the vehicle.

2 . The vision system of claim 1 , wherein said camera is configured to fixedly mount at the exterior portion of the vehicle.

3 . The vision system of claim 2 , wherein, with said camera mounted at the exterior portion of the vehicle, said lens is disposed at an aperture through the exterior portion of the vehicle.

4 . The vision system of claim 3 , wherein said mounting portion of said cover element is detachably attachable to the exterior portion of the vehicle and substantially covers or encompasses the aperture through the exterior portion of the vehicle.

5 . The vision system of claim 4 , wherein said mounting portion includes external threads that threadedly engage internal threads at the aperture of the exterior portion of the vehicle to threadedly attach said cover element at the exterior portion of the vehicle.

6 . The vision system of claim 3 , wherein said mounting portion of said cover element is detachably attachable to said camera housing and substantially covers or encompasses the aperture through the exterior portion of the vehicle.

7 . The vision system of claim 6 , wherein said mounting portion includes internal threads that threadedly engage external threads at said camera housing to threadedly attach said cover element at said camera.

8 . The vision system of claim 1 , wherein said cover element comprises a washer fluid dispensing portion and wherein said washer fluid dispensing portion is configured to connect to a washer system of the vehicle to provide washer fluid to said cover element.

9 . The vision system of claim 1 , wherein said cover element comprises an attaching portion for attaching a washer fluid dispensing element that, when attached at said cover element at said camera, is configured to connect to a washer system of the vehicle to provide washer fluid to said cover element.

10 . The vision system of claim 1 , wherein said cover element comprises a transparent polycarbonate material.

11 . A vision system of a vehicle, said vision system comprising:
a camera configured to be disposed at an exterior portion of a vehicle so as to have a field of view exterior of the vehicle, said camera having a camera housing and a lens; a cover element removably attached at said camera, wherein said cover element comprises a curved transparent portion and a mounting portion; wherein said mounting portion comprises internal attaching elements that engage external attaching elements at said camera housing to removably attach said cover element at said camera housing; and wherein said curved transparent portion of said cover element, when said mounting portion is attached at said camera housing, protects said lens so that said lens is not exposed to the environment external the vehicle.

12 . The vision system of claim 11 , wherein said internal attaching elements comprise internal threads that threadedly engage threads of said external attaching elements of said camera housing.

13 . The vision system of claim 12 , wherein, with said camera mounted at the exterior portion of the vehicle, said lens is disposed at an aperture through the exterior portion of the vehicle, and wherein, when said mounting portion is attached to said camera housing, said curved transparent portion substantially covers or encompasses the aperture through the exterior portion of the vehicle.

14 . The vision system of claim 11 , wherein said cover element comprises a washer fluid dispensing portion and wherein said washer fluid dispensing portion is configured to connect to a washer system of the vehicle to provide washer fluid to said cover element.

15 . The vision system of claim 11 , wherein said cover element comprises an attaching portion for attaching a washer fluid dispensing element that, when attached at said cover element at said camera, is configured to connect to a washer system of the vehicle to provide washer fluid to said cover element.

16 . The vision system of claim 11 , wherein said cover element comprises a transparent polycarbonate material.

17 . A vision system of a vehicle, said vision system comprising:
a camera configured to be disposed at an exterior portion of a vehicle so as to have a field of view exterior of the vehicle, said camera having a camera housing and a lens; a cover element removably disposed at said camera, wherein said cover element comprises a curved transparent portion and a mounting portion, and wherein said mounting portion comprises a threaded mounting portion for removably attaching said cover element at one of (i) said camera housing and (ii) the exterior portion of the vehicle; wherein said curved transparent portion, when said cover element is disposed at said camera, protects said lens so that said lens is not exposed to the environment external the vehicle; and wherein said cover element comprises a washer fluid dispensing portion and wherein, when said cover element is disposed at said camera disposed at the exterior portion of the vehicle, said washer fluid dispensing portion is configured to connect to a washer system of the vehicle to provide washer fluid to said cover element.

18 . The vision system of claim 17 , wherein, with said camera disposed at the exterior portion of the vehicle, said lens is disposed at an aperture through the exterior portion of the vehicle, and wherein said threaded mounting portion of said cover element is configured to threadedly attach said cover element at the exterior portion of the vehicle, and wherein, when said threaded mounting portion is threadedly attached at the exterior portion of the vehicle, said curved transparent portion substantially covers or encompasses the aperture through the exterior portion of the vehicle.

19 . The vision system of claim 17 , wherein said threaded mounting portion of said cover element is configured to threadedly attach said cover element at a threaded portion of said camera housing.

20 . The vision system of claim 17 , wherein said cover element comprises a transparent polycarbonate material.

Assignees

• Magna Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Byrne Steven V
• Lu Yuesheng
• Hough James R

Classifications

• H04N23/57

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

• H04N23/50

  Constructional details · CPC title

• B60R11/04 Primary

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

• G02B27/0006

  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 title

• B60R1/00

  Optical viewing arrangements; Real-time viewing arrangements for drivers or passengers using optical image capturing systems, e.g. cameras or video systems specially adapted for use in or on vehicles · CPC title