Integrated module self-cleaning system

Abstract

According to the integrated module self-cleaning system, the cleaning module is arranged on the front shell of the camera module body, the driving device in the module drives the cleaning module to remove dirt on the surface of a lens, the imaging quality of camera equipment is guaranteed, the driving device is integrated in the camera module body, the size is small, and the driving device is convenient to use. According to the integrated module self-cleaning system, parts are concentrated, compared with a traditional self-cleaning camera module, the integrated module self-cleaning system does not need an additional space structure for fixing, only the camera module body needs to be fixed, the space of a client host is saved, the number of client parts and installation procedures are reduced, the cost is saved, the driving device is internally arranged, and the camera module body is provided with a power supply interface. The client host does not need to provide an additional power supply interface to power the driving device, and user experience is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of lens cleaning, and specifically relates to an integrated module self-cleaning system. Background Art

[0002] With the innovation of science and technology, the application fields of imaging devices tend to be diversified, and the installation quantity has also increased rapidly. From security monitoring to drones and intelligent driving in automobiles, due to the increasing demand for outdoor use, the impact of environmental factors such as dust and rain on the imaging quality of imaging modules has also attracted much attention from users; some imaging devices used in the external environment, such as highway monitoring cameras, are installed in high and inaccessible positions, making manual cleaning difficult and the maintenance cost relatively high; for imaging modules such as CMS in intelligent driving in automobiles, it is necessary to clean the dust and rain attached to the lens surface in a timely manner to ensure its imaging effect, thereby improving the user experience. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To solve the problem that existing imaging devices cannot clean the lens surface in a timely manner, the present invention provides an idea of an integrated module self-cleaning system. Through a driving device built in the module, the cleaning module is driven to remove the dirt on the lens surface, ensuring the imaging quality of the imaging device.

[0004] To achieve the above purpose, the present invention provides an integrated module self-cleaning system, including a module housing, a lens provided on the front side of the module housing and exposed therefrom, and a circuit board assembly provided in the module housing. The system further includes: A cleaning module, which is provided on the front side of the module housing and is located on the periphery of the lens surface; A driving device, which is provided in the module housing, and its input end is electrically connected to the circuit board assembly, and its output end extends out of the front side of the module housing and is drivingly connected to the cleaning module; The cleaning module can be driven by the driving device to move to the lens surface to wipe it.

[0005] In an integrated module self-cleaning system as described above, the module housing includes a module front shell and a module rear shell that are mutually covered, and a rotating shaft hole is provided on the module front shell on the side of the lens; The driving device includes a micro motor fixedly provided on the module front shell. The micro motor is electrically and flexibly connected to the circuit board assembly through a conductive member, and the output shaft of the micro motor extends out of the rotating shaft hole and is drivingly connected to the cleaning module.

[0006] In an integrated module self-cleaning system as described above, a sealing ring surrounding the rotating shaft hole is press-fitted between the micro motor and the module front shell.

[0007] In an integrated module self-cleaning system as described above, the cleaning module includes: A bracket, which is provided on the front side of the module housing; A cleaning blade, which is hinged on a bracket and can be rotated to fit the lens surface or separated from the lens surface; A transmission disk, which is rotatably arranged on the bracket and is respectively in transmission connection with the cleaning blade and the output shaft, and is used for driving the cleaning blade to rotate under the drive of a micro motor; A gland, which cooperates with the bracket to limit the transmission disk and the cleaning blade on the bracket.

[0008] For an integrated module self-cleaning system as described above, an annular guide groove is provided on the bracket, a through hole is provided in the annular guide groove, the rear end of the transmission disk is sleeved in the annular guide groove to form a rotational connection, and a transmission dial part is provided on the rear end of the transmission disk and is in transmission connection with the output shaft after passing through the through hole.

[0009] For an integrated module self-cleaning system as described above, a gear is provided at the end of the output shaft; The transmission dial part is arc-shaped, and an arc-shaped rack meshing with the gear is provided thereon.

[0010] For an integrated module self-cleaning system as described above, a lens passage for yielding to the lens is provided in the middle among the bracket, the transmission disk and the gland, and the cleaning blade can be moved into or out of the lens passage.

[0011] For an integrated module self-cleaning system as described above, the cleaning blade is composed of a plurality of blade single pieces, and a plurality of hinge shafts for respectively hinging the plurality of blade single pieces are provided on the bracket; The plurality of blade single pieces can be synchronously driven by the transmission disk to move from the periphery of the lens surface to the middle of the lens surface around the hinge, so that the plurality of blade single pieces cooperate to cover the entire lens surface; The plurality of blade single pieces can also be synchronously driven by the transmission disk to move from the middle of the lens surface to the periphery of the lens around the hinge, so that the plurality of blade single pieces are separated from the entire lens surface.

[0012] For an integrated module self-cleaning system as described above, a toggle rod is provided on each of the plurality of blade single pieces, and a plurality of transmission inclined grooves obliquely arranged for correspondingly sleeving the toggle rod are provided on the transmission disk.

[0013] For an integrated module self-cleaning system as described above, the blade single piece is of a blade structure and is bonded by a plastic layer and a silica gel layer. The plastic layer is on the side close to the transmission disk, and the silica gel layer is on the side close to the lens.

[0014] For an integrated module self-cleaning system as described above, the number of the blade single pieces is 4.

[0015] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present application are as follows: The present application provides an integrated module self-cleaning system. The cleaning module is arranged on the front shell of the camera module body. The driving device inside the module drives the cleaning module to remove the dirt on the lens surface, ensuring the imaging quality of the imaging device. The driving device of the present application is integrated inside the camera module body, with small size and concentrated parts. Compared with the traditional self-cleaning camera module, this integrated module self-cleaning system does not require additional space structure for fixation, and only needs to fix the camera module body, saving the customer host space, reducing the number of parts and installation procedures on the client side, saving costs, and the driving device is built-in. The camera module body has its own power supply interface, and there is no need for the customer host to provide an additional power supply interface to supply power to the driving device, improving the user experience. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application, the following will briefly introduce the drawings required for the description of the embodiments.

[0017] Figure 1 is a schematic structural diagram of an integrated module self-cleaning system in an embodiment of the present application; Figure 2 is an exploded schematic diagram of an integrated module self-cleaning system in an embodiment of the present application; Figure 3 is a schematic structural diagram when the blades of the cleaning module are in the open state in an embodiment of the present application; Figure 4 is an exploded schematic diagram when the blades of the cleaning module are in the open state in an embodiment of the present application; Figure 5 is a schematic structural diagram when the blades of the cleaning module are in the closed state in an embodiment of the present application; Figure 6 is an exploded schematic diagram when the blades of the cleaning module are in the closed state in an embodiment of the present application; Figure 7 is a schematic installation diagram of the driving device in an embodiment of the present application; Figure 8 is a partial exploded schematic diagram of an integrated module self-cleaning system in an embodiment of the present application; Figure 9 is a schematic working principle diagram of an integrated module self-cleaning system in an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0018] As Figures 1-9As shown in the figure, the present application provides an integrated module self-cleaning system, which includes a module housing 1, a lens 2, a circuit board assembly 3, a cleaning module 4, and a driving device 5. The lens 2 is arranged on the front side of the module housing 1 and exposed therefrom. The circuit board assembly 3 is arranged inside the module housing 1. The cleaning module 4 is arranged on the front side of the module housing 1, on the peripheral side of the lens 2 surface. The driving device 5 is arranged inside the module housing 1, and its input end is electrically connected to the circuit board assembly 3, and the output end extends out of the front side of the module housing 1 and is drivingly connected to the cleaning module 4. The cleaning module 4 can be moved to the lens 2 surface under the drive of the driving device 5 to wipe it.

[0019] The embodiment of the present application provides an integrated module self-cleaning system. The cleaning module is arranged on the front shell of the camera module main body, and the driving device inside the module drives the cleaning module to remove the dirt on the lens surface, ensuring the imaging quality of the imaging device. The driving device of the present application is integrated inside the camera module main body, with small size and concentrated parts. Compared with the traditional self-cleaning camera module, this integrated module self-cleaning system does not require additional space structure for fixing, and only needs to fix the camera module main body, saving the customer host space, reducing the number of client parts and installation processes, saving costs, and the driving device is built-in, and the camera module body has its own power supply interface, without the need for the customer host to provide an additional power supply interface to supply power to the driving device, improving the user experience.

[0020] The working principle of this solution is as follows: When the camera module is working while connected to the host, due to dust, rain, etc., the lens surface is soiled and the imaging clarity is affected. At this time, the user can issue a cleaning command through the host. The camera module main body receives the signal, supplies power to the driving device, the driving device outputs power through the output end, drives the cleaning module to clean, and when the cleaning is completed, the user ends the cleaning command, and the module stops supplying power to the cleaning module driving device, and the cleaning action ends.

[0021] Further, the module housing 1 includes a module front shell 11 and a module rear shell 12 that are mutually covered. A rotating shaft hole 10 is opened on the module front shell 11 on the side of the lens 2; it is used to pass through the motor rotating shaft, and the lens is fixed to the front shell with AA glue; the front and rear shells are laser welded to ensure connection and sealing; the coaxial connector and the front end of the power supply line are crimped with a sealing ring and fixed to the rear shell with screws.

[0022] As a preferred embodiment of the present application, the driving device 5 includes a micro motor 51 fixedly arranged on the front housing 11 of the module. The micro motor 51 is electrically and flexibly connected to the circuit board assembly 3 through a conductive member 53. The output shaft 50 of the micro motor 51 extends out from the rotating shaft hole 10 and is drivingly connected to the cleaning module 4. Specifically, the micro motor uses a stepper motor or a coreless motor (the front end needs to meet the IP67 protection level); the conductive member 53 can be an FPC or a flexible cable, and is flexibly connected to the PCBA circuit board assembly in the module through the FPC or the flexible cable, and the driving voltage and signal are obtained through the FPC or the wire.

[0023] Specifically, the circuit board assembly 3 includes a PCBA-1 board 31 and a PCBA-2 board 32. The micro motor is fixed on the front housing of the module by screws, and there is no hard connection with other components at the rear end. It is flexibly connected to the PCBA-2 through an FPC, avoiding the vibration of the moving parts of the driving device from affecting the imaging effect of the module;. The FPC is connected to the PCBA-2 through a ZIF connector to supply power and control the driving device. Compared with the traditional module self-cleaning device, it has a smaller volume and is more convenient to control.

[0024] Further, a sealing ring 52 is pressed between the micro motor 51 and the front housing 11 of the module and is arranged around the rotating shaft hole 10. The driving device is a micro motor, which is fixed on the front housing by screws, and the sealing ring is pressed at the front end: only the rotating shaft and the gear of the micro motor are exposed outside the housing of the camera module. Only the front end of the micro motor needs to be protected with IP67 to meet the protection requirements of the whole module, and there is no need to protect the whole motor, reducing the waterproof requirement of the motor.

[0025] Further, the cleaning module 4 includes a bracket 41, a cleaning blade 42, a transmission disk 43 and a gland 44; the bracket 41 is arranged on the front side of the module housing 1; the cleaning blade 42 is hinged on the bracket 41 and can be rotated to fit or disengage from the surface of the lens 2; the transmission disk 43 is rotatably arranged on the bracket 41 and is respectively drivingly connected to the cleaning blade 42 and the output shaft 50, and is used to drive the cleaning blade 42 to rotate under the drive of the micro motor 51; the gland 44 cooperates with the bracket 41 to limit the transmission disk 43 and the cleaning blade 42 on the bracket 41. Specifically, the gland is connected to the bracket by threads to fix the transmission disk. The transmission disk 43 is driven to rotate in the bracket 41 by the driving device, and the cleaning blade 42 is driven to wipe the surface of the lens.

[0026] As a further preferred embodiment, an annular guide groove 412 is provided on the bracket 41, and a through hole 413 is provided in the annular guide groove 412. The rear end of the transmission disc 43 is sleeved in the annular guide groove 412 to form a rotational connection. A transmission dial portion 432 that is connected to the output shaft 50 in a transmission manner after passing through the through hole 413 is provided on the rear end of the transmission disc 43. Specifically, a gear 54 is provided at the end of the output shaft 50; the transmission dial portion 432 is arc-shaped, and an arc-shaped rack 433 that meshes with the gear 54 for transmission is provided thereon. The transmission disc is supported by the bracket and rotates in the annular guide groove. The transmission disc is made of a metal material, preferably aluminum alloy: it is light in weight, high in strength, and widely used. The side end of the transmission dial portion 432 is made into an arc-shaped rack, and torque is output to the cleaning module through the gear. A sealing ring is crimped at the front end of the micro motor. The rotating shaft extends out through the opening in the front housing of the camera module and is fixed inside the front housing of the camera module with screws through the attachment plate, ensuring that the protection level of the camera module body meets IP67; the micro motor leads out an FPC or a wire from the side or the end and is plugged into the PCBA module of the camera module through a connector; after the installation of the micro motor is completed, the gear is installed on the motor rotating shaft by interference fit.

[0027] Specifically, a lens passage 40 for accommodating the lens 2 is formed in the middle between the bracket 41, the transmission disc 43, and the gland 44. The cleaning blade 42 can be moved into or out of the lens passage 40. The lens 2 performs normal imaging through the lens passage 40, and this design can avoid affecting the normal operation of the lens 2.

[0028] As a further preferred embodiment, the cleaning blade 42 is composed of a plurality of blade units 421. A plurality of hinge shafts 411 for respectively hinging the plurality of blade units 421 are provided on the bracket 41; the plurality of blade units 421 can be synchronously driven by the transmission disc 43 to move from the periphery of the surface of the lens 2 to the middle of the surface of the lens 2 along the hinge at the circumferential side of the surface of the lens 2, so that the plurality of blade units 421 cooperate to cover the entire surface of the lens 2; the plurality of blade units 421 can also be synchronously driven by the transmission disc 43 to move from the middle of the surface of the lens 2 to the periphery of the lens 2 along the hinge, so that the plurality of blade units 421 are separated from the entire surface of the lens 2. In the specific embodiment of the present application, the number of the blade units 421 is 4; the rotation centers of the four blades are fixed on the hinge shafts 411 of the bracket.

[0029] Specifically, a toggle rod 422 is provided on each of the plurality of blade units 421, and a plurality of obliquely arranged transmission inclined grooves 431 for correspondingly sleeving the toggle rod 422 are provided on the transmission disc 43. According to the position of the rotation center of the cleaning blade, the shape of the blade is determined to just cover the cleaning surface when closed, so as to determine the rotation angle of the blade; according to the rotation center, the position of the blade toggle shaft, and the rotation angle of the blade, the position and angle of the guide groove of the transmission disc are determined, so as to determine the rotation angle of the transmission disc; according to the rotation angle of the transmission disc and the position of the gear, the length of the arc-shaped rack and the mechanical limit angle of the transmission disc are determined; In the specific embodiments of the present application, the single-piece blade 421 has a blade structure and is formed by bonding a plastic layer and a silicone layer. The plastic layer is on the side close to the driving disk 43, and the silicone layer is on the side close to the lens 2. The blade adopts a plastic + silicone structure (which is convenient for light weight and reduces the driving resistance). The upper-layer plastic uses a PA + glass fiber material, which ensures a certain toughness while taking into account the hardness, thereby ensuring the impact resistance of the blade. The lower layer selects a silicone material with moderate hardness, which can ensure the cleaning effect without scratching the lens.

[0030] As Figure 9 shown, the working principle of the present application is as follows: When the camera module is used outdoors, due to environmental reasons or long usage time, the surface of the camera module lens is contaminated by rainwater, dust, etc., which affects the normal shooting or recording picture quality of the camera module. At this time, the user can issue a cleaning instruction through the host. The camera module main body receives the signal, powers the micro-motor, the micro-motor outputs power through the gear, transmits the power to the driving disk through the paired arc-shaped gear, and drives the cleaning blade to clean. When the cleaning is completed, the user ends the cleaning instruction, and the module stops powering the micro-motor, and the cleaning action is completed. Compared with the traditional camera module without a cleaning module, some cannot clean the dust and rainwater attached to the lens surface in time, and some are difficult to clean due to the inconvenient installation position, and manual cleaning is difficult and the maintenance cost is high. In contrast, if an integrated module self-cleaning system is adopted, the cleaning difficulty can be reduced, the cleaning cost can be saved, and the camera module will be safer during operation. The above are only the preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent replacements, and improvements made within the spirit and principle of the present invention shall be included in the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An integrated module self-cleaning system, comprising a module housing (1), a lens (2) disposed on the front side of the module housing (1) and exposed therefrom, and a circuit board assembly (3) disposed in the module housing (1), characterized in that: Also includes: A cleaning module (4) is arranged on the front side of the module housing (1) and is located around the surface of the lens (2); A driving device (5) is disposed in the module housing (1), and its input end is electrically connected to the circuit board assembly (3), and its output end extends out of the front side of the module housing (1) and is drivingly connected to the cleaning module (4); The cleaning module (4) can be driven by the driving device (5) to move to the surface of the lens (2) to wipe it.

2. The integrated module self-cleaning system according to claim 1, wherein: The module housing (1) comprises a module front housing (11) and a module rear housing (12) which cover each other, and a rotating shaft hole (10) is provided on the module front housing (11) at one side of the lens (2); The driving device (5) comprises a micro motor (51) fixedly mounted on the module front housing (11); the micro motor (51) is electrically and flexibly connected to the circuit board assembly (3) via a conductive member (53); and an output shaft (50) of the micro motor (51) extends from the rotating shaft hole (10) and is drivingly connected to the cleaning module (4).

3. The integrated module self-cleaning system according to claim 2, wherein: A sealing ring (52) arranged around the rotating shaft hole (10) is pressed between the micro motor (51) and the module front shell (11).

4. The integrated module self-cleaning system according to claim 2, wherein: The cleaning module (4) comprises: A bracket (41) disposed on the front side of the module housing (1); A cleaning blade (42) is hingedly mounted on the bracket (41) and can be rotated to fit the surface of the lens (2) or to be detached from the surface of the lens (2); a transmission plate (43) rotatably disposed on the support (41) and respectively connected to the cleaning blade (42) and the output shaft (50) for driving the cleaning blade (42) to rotate when driven by the micro motor (51); A pressure cover (44) cooperates with the bracket (41) to restrict the transmission disc (43) and the cleaning blade (42) to be positioned on the bracket (41).

5. An integrated module self-cleaning system according to claim 4, wherein: The bracket (41) is provided with an annular guide groove (412), a through hole (413) is provided in the annular guide groove (412), the rear end of the transmission disc (43) is sleeved in the annular guide groove (412) to form a rotational connection, and the rear end of the transmission disc (43) is provided with a transmission shifting portion (432) which passes through the through hole (413) and is transmission-connected to the output shaft (50).

6. The integrated module self-cleaning system according to claim 5, characterized in that: A gear (54) is provided at the end of the output shaft (50); The transmission shifting portion (432) is arc-shaped and is provided with an arc-shaped rack (433) that meshes with the gear (54) for transmission.

7. An integrated module self-cleaning system according to claim 4, characterized in that: A lens passage (40) for accommodating the lens (2) is provided in the middle between the support (41), the transmission plate (43) and the pressure cover (44), and a cleaning blade (42) can be moved into or out of the lens passage (40).

8. An integrated module self-cleaning system according to claim 4, wherein: The cleaning blade (42) is composed of a plurality of blade pieces (421), and the bracket (41) is provided with a plurality of hinge shafts (411) for respectively hingedly connecting the plurality of blade pieces (421); The plurality of blade pieces (421) can be moved into the middle of the surface of the lens (2) along the circumference of the surface of the lens (2) around the hinged portion under synchronous driving of the transmission disk (43), so that the plurality of blade pieces (421) cooperate to cover the entire surface of the lens (2); Multiple blade units (421) can also be synchronously driven by the drive disk (43) to move out from the middle of the surface of the lens (2) to the periphery of the lens (2) around the hinge, so that the multiple blade units (421) are separated from the entire surface of the lens (2).

9. An integrated module self-cleaning system according to claim 8, characterized in that: A toggle lever (422) is provided on each of the multiple blade units (421), and multiple drive inclined slots (431) are provided on the drive disk (43) and arranged obliquely for correspondingly sleeving the toggle lever (422).

10. An integrated module self-cleaning system according to claim 8, characterized in that: The blade unit (421) has a blade structure and is formed by bonding a plastic layer and a silica gel layer. The plastic layer is on the side close to the drive disk (43), and the silica gel layer is on the side close to the lens (2); and / or The number of the blade units (421) is 4.

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