Heatable device for use with a vehicle-mounted image acquisition unit

A heatable device for use with a vehicle-mounted image acquisition unit, the heatable device comprising:

• a main body including a first end, a second end opposite the first end, an interior cavity defined therein extending between the first and second ends, and a receiving portion disposed at the second end, the receiving portion including an opening therein providing access to the interior cavity;
• a transparent glass substrate fixed to the main body at the first end and including a transparent electrically-conductive coating on an inner surface thereof, the inner surface of the transparent glass substrate facing the first end of the main body;
• at least one electrically-conductive unit disposed at least partially outside of the interior cavity defined in the main body and contacting the transparent electrically-conductive coating on the inner surface of the transparent glass substrate, the at least one electrically-conductive unit configured to receive electric current selectively provided by a vehicle-mounted power supply and conduct the electric current to the transparent electrically-conductive coating on the inner surface of the transparent glass substrate, thereby selectively heating the transparent glass substrate;
• and
• a sealing member configured to couple the opening in the receiving portion of the main body with at least a portion of a vehicle-mounted image acquisition unit such that the interior cavity defined in the main body is hermetically sealed and the vehicle-mounted image acquisition unit has a field of view extending through the interior cavity and through the transparent glass substrate to an outside environment surrounding a vehicle;
• wherein the at least one electrically-conductive unit comprises first and second electrically-conductive units;
• the heatable device further comprises a one-piece assembly comprising:
• a first non-conductive carrier supporting the first electrically-conductive unit on an outer surface of the first non-conductive carrier,
• a second non-conductive carrier supporting the second electrically-conductive unit on an outer surface of the second non-conductive carrier,
• a first non-conductive double-sided adhesive member fixed to the outer surfaces of the first and second non-conductive carriers, the first non-conductive double-sided adhesive member overlaying the first and second electrically-conductive units and bridging the first and second non-conductive carriers, and
• a second non-conductive double-sided adhesive member fixed to inner surfaces of the first and second non-conductive carriers opposite the outer surfaces of the first and second non-conductive carriers, the second non-conductive double-sided adhesive member further bridging the first and second non-conductive carriers;
• wherein the first non-conductive double-sided adhesive member is further fixed to the inner surface of the transparent glass substrate and the second non-conductive double-sided adhesive member is further fixed to a peripheral face of the main body surrounding an opening of the interior cavity at the first end of the main body, thereby fixing the transparent glass substrate to the main body at the first end.