Automotive camera mounting apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9344611-B2
Application number	US-201214352252-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 24, 2012
Priority date	Nov 30, 2011
Publication date	May 17, 2016
Grant date	May 17, 2016

Abstract

To provide an automotive camera mounting apparatus that has a simplified, lightweight configuration with a minimum increase in weight, is vibration-free during running, and can be steadily mounted on a vehicle body, an automotive camera mounting apparatus 10 for mounting on an inside of a windshield 3 of a vehicle 1 an automotive camera 6 that images a forward view of the vehicle 1 through the windshield 3 includes a taper plate 11 as a support plate disposed along the windshield 3 . The taper plate 11 has a first fixing portion 12 on a first end thereof fixed to a front rail 2 disposed on a periphery of the windshield 3 and a second fixing portion 13 on a second end thereof fixed to the windshield 3 via a mirror base 4 . The automotive camera 6 is supported by a stay 7 that has a fixing portion 8 fixedly disposed on a third fixing portion 14 formed at an intermediate portion of the taper plate 11.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An automotive camera mounting apparatus for mounting on an inside of a windshield of a vehicle an automotive camera that images a forward view of the vehicle through the windshield, the automotive camera mounting apparatus comprising:
a support plate disposed along the windshield, wherein
the support plate has a first end portion fixed to a front rail disposed on a periphery of the windshield, a second end portion fixed to the windshield, and an intermediate fixing portion holding the automotive camera,
the intermediate fixing portion is formed at an intermediate portion of the support plate,
the automotive camera is a stereo camera comprising a stay and two camera portions disposed on respective lateral end portions of the stay, and
an intermediate portion of the stay of the automotive camera is fixedly disposed on the intermediate fixing portion.

2. The automotive camera mounting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the automotive camera is supported by the stay fixed to the fixing portion of the support plate.

3. The automotive camera mounting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the stay is formed into a long taper shape extending in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the support plate.

4. The automotive camera mounting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the second end portion of the support plate is fixed via a bearing member fixed to the windshield.

5. The automotive camera mounting apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the bearing member has a bearing portion that accommodates any mounting error in the support plate.

6. The automotive camera mounting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the support plate has a groove portion formed therein, the groove portion extending in the longitudinal direction of the support plate.

7. The automotive camera mounting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the second end portion of the support plate is fixed to a fixing portion of an inside rearview mirror of the vehicle.

8. The automotive camera mounting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first end portion of the support plate is bifurcated or trifurcated, or separated into four or more branches, and fixed to the front rail.

9. The automotive camera mounting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the second end portion of the support plate is bifurcated or trifurcated, or separated into four or more branches, and fixed to the windshield.

10. The automotive camera mounting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the support plate includes a shielding portion that covers an upper portion of the automotive camera.

11. The automotive camera mounting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the support plate includes a cover portion that covers a lower portion of the automotive camera.

12. The automotive camera mounting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the support plate has a vent port and a vent path.

Assignees

• Hitachi Automotive Systems Ltd

Inventors

• Ohsumi Ken

Classifications

• H04N23/54 Primary

  Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils · CPC title

• H04N23/50

  Constructional details · CPC title

• H04N23/51

  Housings · CPC title

• B60R2011/0028

  Ceiling, e.g. roof rails · CPC title

• H04N13/0239

  Electricity · mapped topic