Vehicular exterior camera assembly with self cleaning system

A vehicular camera module, the vehicular camera module comprising:

• a housing configured to mount the vehicular camera module at a vehicle;
• a transparent cover element rotatably mounted at the housing;
• a camera accommodated by the housing, wherein, with the vehicular camera module mounted at the vehicle, the camera views exterior of the vehicle and through the transparent cover element;
• wherein the transparent cover element rotates relative to the housing about an axis of rotation that is parallel to a primary viewing axis of the camera;
• wherein, with the vehicular camera module mounted at the vehicle, an outer surface of the transparent cover element is exposed exterior of the vehicle;
• a turbine mechanically coupled to the transparent cover element;
• and
• wherein, with the vehicular camera module mounted at the vehicle, and when pressurized fluid flows across the turbine, the turbine rotatably drives the transparent cover element relative to the housing to remove moisture and/or debris from the outer surface of the transparent cover element.

A vehicular camera module, the vehicular camera module comprising:

• a housing assembly comprising an outer housing element and an inner housing element that is pivotable relative to the outer housing element, wherein the outer housing element is configured to mount the vehicular camera module at a vehicle, and wherein the inner housing element accommodates a transparent cover element that is pivotable together and in tandem with the inner housing element relative to the outer housing element;
• a torsion spring engaged between the outer housing element and the inner housing element;
• wherein a counterweight is coupled to the inner housing element, and wherein the inner housing element and the transparent cover element pivot relative to the outer housing element responsive to gravitational force at the counterweight;
• a camera accommodated by the housing assembly, wherein the camera is mounted to the outer housing element;
• wherein, with the vehicular camera module mounted at the vehicle, and with the transparent cover element disposed at an aperture of the outer housing element, the camera views exterior of the vehicle via the transparent cover element of the inner housing element;
• wherein, with the vehicular camera module mounted at the vehicle, and with the transparent cover element disposed at the aperture of the outer housing element, an outer surface of the transparent cover element is exposed exterior of the vehicle;
• wherein the outer housing element comprises a first wiper element and a second wiper element;
• wherein, as the inner housing element and the transparent cover element pivot relative to the outer housing element and the camera in a first direction, the transparent cover element moves toward the first wiper element and the first wiper element engages the outer surface of the transparent cover element to remove moisture and/or debris from the outer surface of the transparent cover element, and wherein, as the inner housing element and the transparent cover element pivot relative to the outer housing element and the camera in a second direction opposite to the first direction, the transparent cover element moves toward the second wiper element and the second wiper element engages the outer surface of the transparent cover element to remove moisture and/or debris from the outer surface of the transparent cover element;
• and
• wherein, when the inner housing element and the transparent cover element pivot relative to the outer housing element in the first direction, the torsion spring biases the inner housing element and the transparent cover element relative to the outer housing element in the second direction, and wherein, when the inner housing element and the transparent cover element pivot relative to the outer housing element in the second direction, the torsion spring biases the inner housing element and the transparent cover element relative to the outer housing element in the first direction.