Brackets adapted for installation on the window glass of motor vehicles

Abstract

The present invention discloses a bracket (10) adapted for mounting to a window glass of a motor vehicle, the bracket comprising a base component (11) and at least one fixing device (12a, 12b, 12c) configured to secure a camera carrier (35) carrying at least one camera (14) to the bracket (10). Each of the at least one fixing device (12a, 12b, 12c) includes a retainer (13a, 13b, 13c) and a spring element (15) configured to apply an elastic locking force to a pin (19) of the camera carrier (35). The spring element (15) includes a base element (17) configured to be held in the retainer (13). The spring element (15) includes a retaining tongue (16) flexibly connected to the base element (17) at one end (23) and adapted to apply the elastic locking force to the pin (19) of the camera carrier (35).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a bracket adapted for mounting to a window glass of a motor vehicle, the bracket including a base component and at least one fixing device configured to secure a camera carrier carrying at least one camera to the bracket, wherein each of the at least one fixing device includes a retainer and a spring element, wherein the spring element includes a base element configured to apply an elastic locking force to a pin of the camera carrier.

[0002] Such a support is known, for example, from EP 3 566 907 A1. Here, the spring element is a strip with a through hole, which is engaged by a protrusion connected to the substrate of the support.

[0003] Known designs for fixing devices typically suffer from one or more of the following drawbacks: the retaining force exerted by the spring element on the pin is limited and depends on the installation force; therefore, it is impossible to increase the retaining force above a certain value, as installation would become additionally impossible. Relatively long tolerance chains are involved. Engaging and disengaging the pin in the retainer requires high forces, making it difficult to install and remove the camera carrier from the bracket. Additional costs are incurred for time-consuming manual or automated installation of the spring element. The plastic snap-fit ​​couplings used to secure the spring element can sometimes be sheared by the edges of the spring element during installation, leading to the possibility of the elastic element loosening during transport to the customer.

[0004] A potential problem with this invention is to provide a bracket to which a camera carrier can be installed and removed with low force, while achieving a relatively high holding force applied by the elastic element to the pin of the camera carrier and having a low tolerance chain.

[0005] This invention achieves this objective by utilizing the features of the independent claims. According to the invention, the elastic element includes a retaining tongue that is flexibly connected to a base element at one end and adapted to apply an elastic locking force to a pin of the camera carrier.

[0006] This invention overcomes the problem of high forces required for mounting / removing a camera carrier from a bracket in existing technologies. During installation and removal, the retaining tongue can be tensioned, for example, with a simple tool, to allow the pin to enter or leave with low force. With the retaining tongue of this invention, a higher retaining force of the pin in the retainer can be achieved compared to prior art designs. A specific retaining force can be optimized by modifying the bending angle and thickness and / or length of the spring element. A short tolerance chain is achieved by the invention as the retaining tongue pushes the camera carrier pin toward the vehicle windshield.

[0007] Preferably, the spring element is connected to the retainer via overlap injection molding. The spring element can be made of metal, particularly sheet metal or spring metal, such that the retaining tongue is a leaf spring. In a preferred embodiment, the spring element is a single component made of metal. The retainer is preferably made of thermoplastic. In a preferred embodiment, the retainer and base component are integrally formed as a single component made of thermoplastic. Because the retainer is preferably overlap-molded onto the spring element, the time-consuming step of mounting the spring element to the retainer as in the prior art is eliminated. A very stable joint between the spring element and the retainer is also achieved through overlap injection molding.

[0008] Preferably, the retaining tongue includes a notch formed to receive and hold the pin of the camera carrier in the installed state. The preferred notch helps to achieve a higher holding force (i.e., the force required to hold the pin in the retainer) and a lower installation / removal force (i.e., the force required to engage / disengage the pin from the retainer).

[0009] Preferably, the base element of the spring element includes a central opening that surrounds a retaining tongue in a plan view of the spring element. In this embodiment, the retaining tongue preferably extends through the central opening of the base element, particularly extending to the outside of the retainer. These features facilitate an easy installation / removal procedure because the free end of the retaining tongue can be easily bent away from the retainer to allow the pin to enter and exit with low installation force.

[0010] For similar reasons, the retaining tongue of the spring element preferably includes a processing segment that protrudes through the mounting opening of the retainer to the outside of the retainer. The processing segment can be operated manually or with simple tools during installation / removal. In this embodiment, the processing segment is preferably positioned between the cutout and the free end of the retaining tongue.

[0011] In a preferred embodiment, the retaining tongue of the spring element includes a protruding segment extending into the hollow space. In this case, the protrusion is arranged between the connecting end of the retaining tongue and the recess. The protruding segment allows for a closer fit towards the out-of-plane recess of the base element in the pin receiving groove of the retainer. Thus, the preferred design is achieved where the retaining tongue, rather than the base element, interacts with the pin, resulting in lower installation / removal forces.

[0012] In one practical embodiment, the retainer preferably includes a hollow space with an insertion opening through which a pin of the camera carrier can be inserted and withdrawn. In this case, the connecting end of the fixing tongue is preferably positioned proximal to the insertion opening, and the free end of the fixing tongue is positioned distal to the insertion opening.

[0013] Returning to the connection of the elastic element to the retainer, the base element of the spring element preferably includes a proximal connecting segment at the proximal end of the base element and / or a distal connecting segment at the distal end of the base element. In this case, the proximal connecting segment and / or the distal connecting segment may include one or more connecting holes that allow the retaining tongue to engage tightly with the retainer, particularly by overmolding.

[0014] The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, based on preferred embodiments, wherein:

[0015] Figure 1 A schematic plan view of the bracket on the side from inside the vehicle is shown;

[0016] Figure 2 A side sectional view of the fixing device is shown;

[0017] Figure 3 A view of the mounting fixture from the side inside the vehicle is shown;

[0018] Figure 4 A view of the fixing device along the insertion direction is shown;

[0019] Figure 5 A perspective view of the fixing device is shown in the direction facing the insertion opening;

[0020] Figure 6 A perspective view of the spring element is shown;

[0021] Figure 7 A side sectional view of the fixing device in its installed state is shown;

[0022] Figure 8 Side sectional views of the fixing device at different times during the disassembly process are shown; and

[0023] Figure 9 A plan view of the spring element is shown in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the base element.

[0024] Figure 1The bracket 10 shown is configured to be mounted to the windshield (not shown) of a motor vehicle. The bracket 10 includes a windshield-facing surface 33 at the windshield side 34, pointing towards the vehicle windshield, and a windshield-reverse surface 36 at the windshield-reverse side 37, the windshield-facing surface pointing towards the vehicle interior and arranged opposite to the windshield-facing surface 33. The bracket includes a base component 11 (such as a base plate) and one or more fixing devices 12a, 12b, 12c configured to secure a camera carrier 35 to the bracket 10. In this embodiment, three fixing devices 12a, 12b, 12c are provided. The number of fixing devices 12a, 12b, 12c may be different than three.

[0025] The camera carrier 35 carries one or more camera units 14, which are positioned and aligned in an installed state to view through the windshield and capture images of the vehicle's surroundings. The camera carrier 35 includes one or more pins 19a, 19b, 19c, wherein the number of pins 19a, 19b, 19c corresponds to the number of fixing devices 12a, 12b, 12c, and each pin 19a, 19b, 19c is configured to... Figure 1 , Figure 3 and Figure 7 The locking method is shown, and the device interacts with the corresponding fixing devices 12a, 12b, and 12c in the installed state. This is achieved by moving along the insertion direction 38 (see...). Figure 1 Move the camera carrier 35 until the pins 19a, 19b, 19c enter and lock into the fixing devices 12a, 12b, 12c, and the camera carrier 35 is mounted onto the bracket 120, which will be explained below.

[0026] exist Figure 1In one embodiment, pin 19c is located at the front of the camera carrier 35 and positioned parallel to the insertion direction 38. This pin is referred to as longitudinal pin 39c, which interacts with longitudinal fixing device 12c. Pins 19a and 19b are located at each side 40a and 40b of the camera carrier 35 and oriented perpendicular to the insertion direction 38. These pins are referred to as lateral pins 39a and 39b, respectively, which interact with lateral fixing devices 12a and 12b. The number of lateral fixing devices 12a and 12b may be more than two, and the number of longitudinal fixing devices 12c may be more than one. Each fixing device 12a, 12b, and 12c includes retainers 13a, 13b, and 13c and a spring element 15 configured to lock pin 19 in the corresponding retainer 13a, 13b, and 13c, which will be explained in detail below. One or more retainers 13a, 13b, and 13c are preferably made of thermoplastic material. The base component 11 and one or more retainers 13a, 13b, 13c can be made as a single integrated component of the same material (e.g., thermoplastic material).

[0027] In the following text, relative to Figures 2 to 8 Describes a single fixing device 12 that interacts with a single pin 19. Figures 2 to 8 The fixing device 12 can be advantageously applied to Figure 1 The lateral fixing devices 12a and 12b can also be applied with almost no modification. Figure 1 The longitudinal fixing device 12c.

[0028] As described above, the retaining device 12 includes a retainer 13 and a spring element 15 connected to the retainer 13. The retainer 13, which may be made of a thermoplastic material, has an internal hollow space 21 for receiving the pin 19. The retainer 13 includes an insertion opening 22 that allows the pin 19 to be inserted into the hollow space 21. The retainer 13 preferably includes a groove 41 for receiving the pin 19 and retaining it in a locked state. The cross-section of the groove 41 may be circular or arc-shaped, such as... Figure 2 As shown.

[0029] The spring element 15 includes a preferred strip-shaped base element 17 and a preferred strip-shaped fixing tongue 16, which is flexibly connected to the base element 17 at the connecting end 23 of the fixing tongue 16. The base element 17 includes a proximal end 43, a distal end 32, and a central opening 20. The proximal end is located proximal to the insertion opening 22 in the installed state, and the distal end is located distal to the insertion opening 22 and opposite to the proximal end 44. The central opening is completely surrounded by the base element 17, as is best seen in the plan view of the spring element 15. See [reference needed]. Figure 9That is, in a direction perpendicular to the plane defined by the flat base element 17. Therefore, the base element 17 has a closed-loop form, wherein the central opening 20 forms an annular hole. In this plan view, the base element 17 completely surrounds the fixed tongue portion 16. The central opening 20 is U-shaped in this plan view, see [reference needed]. Figure 9 This is because the fixing tongue 16 is connected to the base element 17 at its connecting end 23. The fixing tongue 16 is only connected to the base element 17 at its connecting end 23, but is free at the other end. Therefore, the fixing tongue 16 includes a free end 24, which is freely movable and arranged opposite to its connecting end 23.

[0030] Spring element 15 can be made from a single piece of metal sheet or spring metal by drilling connecting hole 31 into base element 17 and cutting U-shaped center opening 20 into base element 17 (see...). Figure 9 ) and deform the fixed tongue 16 to form its different segments 27, 18, 28, 25.

[0031] Advantageously, the spring element 15 is connected to the retainer 13, particularly at the distal end 32 and / or proximal end 44 of the base element 17. This connection is preferably achieved by overmolding a retainer 13, for example, made of thermoplastic, onto the base element 17 of the spring element 15. The base element 17 preferably includes one or more connecting holes 31 in the region of the distal end 32 and / or proximal end 44, which can be filled by the material 13 of the retainer during the connection or molding process to achieve a tighter and more stable engagement between the spring element 15 and the retainer 13. If desired, additional process holes or bends can be added to the plastic material of the retainer 13 and / or the metal spring element 13, relative to the overmolding process. Other techniques for connecting the elastic element 15 to the retainer 13 are possible, such as welding.

[0032] The form of the spring element is best seen in a view parallel to the plane defined by the base element 17 and parallel to the axis of the pin 19, as shown in Figure 2 , Figure 7 and Figure 8 In the middle. From the connecting end 23 to the free end 24, the fixed tongue portion 16 has a protruding segment 27 that protrudes from the plane of the base element 17 into the hollow space 21. This protruding segment 27 can be as follows: Figure 2 The inclined segment shown is tilted toward the hollow space 21 at an angle between 15° and 45° (e.g., 30°) in the installed state.

[0033] Following the protruding segment 27 is a notched segment or notch 18, which is constructed and formed to receive and hold the pin 19 of the camera carrier 35. Figure 3 and Figure 7 The installation state is shown in the figure. The cross-section of the notch 18 can be circular or arc-shaped, such as... Figure 2 As shown, the groove 41 is similar to that of the retainer 13. In the installed state, the tongue 16 is fixed. Figure 7 (16A) Presses pin 19 into and holds it in groove 41, thus locking pin 19 in that position. In other words, in the installed or locked state, retaining tongue 16 applies a locking force to pin 19. By applying a locking force to all pins 19 of camera container 35, camera container 35 is secured in a stable position.

[0034] Following the notch 18, the retaining tongue 16 includes a processing segment 28 that then extends from the hollow space 21, through the central opening 20 of the spring element 15, and through the corresponding opening 42 of the retainer 13, to the other side of the spring element 15 and the exterior of the retainer 13. Figure 2 , Figure 7 and Figure 8 As can be seen, the opening 42 of the retainer 13 corresponds to the central opening 20 of the spring element 15 and is located on the windshield-facing surface 36 of the retainer 13 at the windshield-facing side 37. The processing segment 28 is configured to unlock the pin 19 and remove the pin 19 manually or by means of a tool from the notch 18, as will be described later.

[0035] Processing segment 28 can be as follows Figure 2 The downward-sloping segment shown, in its installed state, slopes downward toward the windshield-facing side 37 of the retainer 13 at an angle between 15° and 45° (e.g., 30°). The processing segment 28 may have a protrusion 25 at the free end 24 of the fixed tongue, thereby allowing, for example, a better grip on tools. Figure 2 , Figures 6 to 8 The angled protrusion 25 is shown. This protrusion 25 can preferably be oriented parallel to the base element 17 in the disassembled state, i.e., having a removed pin 19, as shown. Figure 2 middle.

[0036] In order to mount the camera carrier 35 to the bracket 10, each pin 19 is inserted into the hollow space 21 of the corresponding retainer 13 and moved further along the insertion direction 28, thereby moving the pin 19 along the fixing tongue 16, specifically along its protruding segment 27, and bending the fixing tongue 16 back toward the windshield-facing side 37 of the retainer 13 until the pin 19 is fully received and thus locked in the notch 18 of the fixing tongue 16 and the groove 41 of the retainer 13.

[0037] Compared to Figure 7 and Figure 8The process of detaching the camera carrier 35 from the bracket 10 is described. Figure 7 Three different states 16A, 16B, and 16C of the fixed tongue 16 are shown. In the locked state 16A, the pin 19 is locked and held in place within the notch 18 and groove 41. For disassembly, a simple tool 43, such as a screwdriver, can be used to work on the segment 28, for example, on its protrusion 25. The tool 43 can be used, for example, as... Figure 7 The lever is shown, in which a leverage force of 45 is applied. In this way, the fixed tongue 16 moves from the locked state 16A, through intermediate states 16B and 16C, to the unlocked state 16D (see...). Figure 8 The pin 19 can be easily pulled out of the groove 41 and thus out of the retainer 13 to disengage the camera carrier 35 from the bracket 10. The unlocking movement of the retaining tongue 16 is achieved by... Figure 7 Arrow 46 in the image represents...

Claims

1. A bracket (10) adapted for mounting to a window glass of a motor vehicle, the bracket (10) comprising a base component (11) and at least one fixing device (12a, 12b, 12c), the at least one fixing device being configured to secure a camera carrier (35) carrying at least one camera (14) to the bracket (10), wherein each of the at least one fixing device (12a, 12b, 12c) comprises a retainer (13a, 13b, 13c) and a spring element (15), the spring element being configured to apply an elastic locking force to a pin (19) of the camera carrier (35), wherein the spring element (15) comprises a base element (17) configured to be held in the retainer (13), characterized in that, The spring element (15) includes a fixed tongue (16) which is flexibly connected to the base element (17) at one end (23) and adapted to apply the elastic locking force to the pin (19) of the camera carrier (35), wherein the base element (17) includes a central opening (20) which surrounds the fixed tongue (16) in a plan view on the spring element (15).

2. The bracket (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The spring element (15) is overlapped and injection molded onto the retainer (13).

3. The stent (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The fixed tongue (16) includes a notch (18) formed to receive the pin (19) of the camera carrier (35) and hold it in the installed state.

4. The bracket (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The fixed tongue (16) extends through the central opening (20) of the base element (17).

5. The bracket (10) according to claim 3, characterized in that, The fixed tongue (16) includes a processing segment (28) that protrudes through the mounting opening (26) of the retainer (13) to the outside of the retainer (13).

6. The bracket (10) according to claim 5, characterized in that, The processing segment (28) is arranged between the notch (18) and the free end (24) of the fixed tongue (16).

7. The bracket (10) according to claim 6, characterized in that, The fixed tongue (16) includes a protruding segment (27) that protrudes into the hollow space (21).

8. The bracket (10) according to claim 7, characterized in that, The protruding segment (27) is arranged between the connecting end (23) of the fixed tongue (16) and the notch (18).

9. The bracket (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The retainer (13) includes a hollow space (21) with an insertion opening (22), through which the pin (19) of the camera carrier (35) can be inserted into and withdrawn from the hollow space (21).

10. The bracket (10) according to claim 9, characterized in that, The connecting end (23) of the fixed tongue (16) is positioned near the insertion opening (22), and the free end (24) of the fixed tongue (16) is positioned far from the insertion opening (22).

11. The bracket (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The base element (17) includes a proximal connecting segment (29) located at the proximal end (44) of the base element (17) and / or a distal connecting segment (30) located at the distal end (32) of the base element (17).

12. The bracket (10) according to claim 11, characterized in that, The proximal connecting segment (29) and / or the distal connecting segment (30) include one or more connecting holes (31) that allow the fixing tongue (16) to be connected to the retainer (13).

13. The bracket (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The spring element (15) is a single component made of metal.

14. The bracket (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The retainer (13) and the base component (11) are integrally formed as a single component made of thermoplastic.

15. The bracket (10) according to claim 12, characterized in that, The one or more connecting holes enable the fixing tongue (16) to be connected to the retainer (13) by overlapping injection molding.

16. The bracket (10) according to claim 13, characterized in that, The spring element (15) is a single component made of a metal sheet or spring metal.

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