Imaging device for vehicle, lighting device for vehicle and foreign substance removal system for vehicle
AssigneeKoito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
InventorsToshihiro Okamura, Naoki Tatara, Akinobu Kubota
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A camera module shoots a satisfactory image by suppressing the adherence of water droplets to a part in a light transmitting cover through which imaging light is transmitted. Provided are an outer casing comprising a housing having an opening and a light transmitting cover for closing the opening; and a camera module arranged inside the outer casing. A part of the light transmitting cover is provided as a transmission window through which imaging light incident on the camera module is transmitted and a restriction part for restricting the inflow of water droplets toward the transmission window is provided to the light transmitting cover.
Claims17
A vehicle imaging device comprising:
- an outer casing comprising a housing having an opening and a translucent cover closing the opening;
- and
- a camera module disposed inside the outer casing,
- wherein a part of the translucent cover is provided as a transmission window through which image capturing light to be incident on the camera module is transmitted,
- wherein a fluid flowing part having a flow path of fluid to be blown onto the translucent window is provided, and
- wherein a backflow prevention mechanism is provided in the fluid flowing part.
A vehicle lamp comprising:
- an outer casing comprising a housing having an opening and a translucent cover closing the opening;
- a camera module disposed inside the outer casing;
- and
- a light emitting element provided as a light source and disposed inside the outer casing,
- wherein a part of the translucent cover is provided as a transmission window through which image capturing light to be incident on the camera module is transmitted,
- wherein a fluid flowing part having a flow path of fluid to be blown onto the translucent window is provided, and
- wherein a backflow prevention mechanism is provided in the fluid flowing part.
A vehicle imaging device comprising:
- an outer casing comprising a housing having an opening and a translucent cover closing the opening;
- and
- a camera module disposed inside the outer casing,
- wherein a part of the translucent cover is provided as a transmission window through which image capturing light to be incident on the camera module is transmitted,
- wherein the housing is provided with an injection portion of fluid to be blown onto the transmission window, and
- wherein the injection portion is provided with a water droplet guide portion for guiding water droplets.
The vehicle imaging device according to claim8,
- wherein a water drain hole is formed in a bottom surface portion of the water reservoir case.
A vehicle lamp comprising:
- an outer casing comprising a housing having an opening and a translucent cover closing the opening;
- a camera module disposed inside the outer casing;
- and
- a light emitting element provided as a light source and disposed inside the outer casing,
- wherein a part of the translucent cover is provided as a transmission window through which image capturing light to be incident on the camera module is transmitted,
- wherein the housing is provided with an injection portion of fluid to be blown onto the transmission window, and
- wherein the injection portion is provided with a water droplet guide portion for guiding water droplets.
A foreign substance removal system for vehicle for removing foreign substances by blowing fluid generated by a fluid supply source to each of a plurality of vehicle imaging devices attached to a vehicle body,
- wherein each of the vehicle imaging devices comprises
- an outer casing comprising a housing having an opening and a translucent cover closing the opening;
- and
- a camera module disposed inside the outer casing,
- wherein a part of the translucent cover is provided as a transmission window through which image capturing light to be incident on the camera module is transmitted and to which the fluid is blown,
- wherein a fluid flowing part having a flow path of the fluid and connected to the fluid supply source is provided,
- wherein the fluid flowing part has a first supply portion and a second supply portion which are branched into two or more, and
- wherein the fluid supplied to the first supply portion is blown onto the transmission window of a first one of the vehicle imaging devices, and the fluid supplied to the second supply portion is blown onto the transmission window of a second one of the vehicle imaging devices.
A foreign substance removal system for removing foreign substances by blowing fluid generated by a fluid supply source to each of a plurality of vehicle lamps attached to a vehicle body,
- wherein each of the vehicle lamps comprises
- an outer casing comprising a housing having an opening and a translucent cover closing the opening;
- a camera module disposed inside the outer casing;
- and
- a light emitting element provided as a light source and disposed inside the outer casing,
- wherein a part of the translucent cover is provided as a transmission window through which image capturing light to be incident on the camera module is transmitted and to which the fluid is blown,
- wherein a fluid flowing part having a flow path of the fluid and connected to the fluid supply source is provided,
- wherein the fluid flowing part has a first supply portion and a second supply portion which are branched into two or more, and
- wherein the fluid supplied to the first supply portion is blown onto the transmission window of a first one of the vehicle lamps, and the fluid supplied to the second supply portion is blown onto the transmission window of a second one of the vehicle lamps.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.