Front-view camera assembly capable of automatically adjusting installation angle

Abstract

The invention discloses a foresight camera assembly capable of automatically adjusting a mounting angle, which comprises a lens, the lens comprises a sleeve and a spherical structure, an iron block is arranged in front of the sleeve, and a positioning pin is arranged above the spherical structure; the lens seat is provided with a spherical groove matched with the spherical structure, so that the lens can rotate around the X axis and the Y axis to adjust the posture; the shell is provided with a magnet, the magnet is matched with the iron block so as to ensure that the lens faces forwards after rotating around the Z axis, a clamping spring is arranged in the shell, and the clamping spring is matched with the positioning pin to fix the posture of the lens; and the circuit system comprises an electric control unit and is used for supplying power to the lens and calculating an included angle between the lens and the front windshield by detecting current, so that the lens can automatically adjust the aperture according to the included angle. According to the front-view camera assembly, the installation angle can be automatically adjusted, lens posture adjustment is achieved through gravity and related structures, the included angle is calculated through a circuit, and the aperture is automatically adjusted. Calibration cost and time are saved, multiple vehicle types are adapted, and the performance of a driving assistance system is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of automobile assisted driving, and in particular to a front-view camera assembly capable of automatically adjusting an installation angle. Background Art

[0002] With the continuous development of the automotive industry, the penetration rate of driver assistance systems is increasing. The effective operation of driver assistance systems relies on image recognition technology, of which the front-view camera assembly is one of the core components.

[0003] The front-facing camera assembly is typically mounted on the windshield, with its lens fixed inside a housing that fits snugly against the windshield. When developing new products, the housing must be appropriately structured to ensure the lens's fixed angle matches the windshield's inclination, maintaining the proper lens position and ensuring a good field of view. Furthermore, to ensure the accuracy of the lens's angle, each vehicle undergoes static calibration using a check fixture after it rolls off the production line.

[0004] However, the existing technology has many shortcomings: (1) During the production process, errors are inevitable in the installation of the front-view camera assembly, which will affect the positioning accuracy of the relevant functions of the driver assistance system and may cause system performance degradation or even loss of function; (2) Each vehicle off the production line needs to be calibrated. This process requires the construction of a special calibration site, the purchase of calibration equipment, and the training of professional personnel to operate it. Not only is the cost high, but the calibration process is slow, which seriously affects production efficiency; (3) When the front-view camera assembly is applied to different models, due to the differences in the inclination angle of the front windshield of different models, the housing needs to be redesigned to maintain the correctness of the lens posture angle. (4) When the angle between the lens and the front windshield is different, the aperture parameters need to be recalibrated, which increases the complexity of the operation. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a front-view camera assembly that automatically adjusts the installation angle. By setting a lens and a lens mount that automatically adjust the posture angle, the lens is automatically adjusted to a suitable posture under the action of gravity, and is clamped by a positioning pin and a retaining spring. The angle between the lens and the front windshield is calculated through a current detection circuit, and the aperture is automatically adjusted.

[0006] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is achieved through the following technical solutions:

[0007] A front-view camera assembly capable of automatically adjusting an installation angle comprises:

[0008] The lens comprises a sleeve and a spherical structure located in the rear half of the sleeve, an iron block is provided at the front upper end of the sleeve, and a positioning pin is provided above the spherical structure;

[0009] A lens mount having a spherical groove that cooperates with the spherical structure. The lens mount and the spherical structure of the lens are concentrically arranged, and the radius of the lens mount is slightly larger than that of the spherical structure. Grease is applied between the lens mount and the spherical structure to enable the lens to rotate around the X and Y axes to adjust its posture.

[0010] A housing, wherein a magnet is provided on the housing and cooperates with the iron block to ensure that the lens faces forward after rotating about the Z axis. A retaining spring is provided in the housing and cooperates with the positioning pin to fix the posture of the lens;

[0011] The circuit system includes an electronic control unit, which is used to supply power to the lens and calculate the angle between the lens and the front windshield by detecting current, so that the lens can automatically adjust the aperture according to the angle.

[0012] Preferably, in the above technical solution, a small groove is provided in front of the lens mount, which is used to prevent the sleeve from hitting the lens mount when the lens rotates.

[0013] Preferably, in the above technical solution, a square hole is provided on the back of the shell, one side of the retaining spring is fixed to the shell, and the other side extends from the square hole, and the middle part of the retaining spring is used to release or clamp the positioning pin.

[0014] Preferably, in the above technical solution, electrical components and a counterweight are provided inside the spherical structure, and the electrical components and the counterweight are used to assist the lens in automatically adjusting its posture under the action of gravity.

[0015] Preferably, in the above technical solution, the grease is a grease with good lubrication and temperature resistance properties to ensure that the lens can rotate smoothly in the lens mount.

[0016] Preferably, in the above technical solution, the iron block on the lens is connected to the magnet on the housing through magnetic attraction to ensure the stability of the lens during the driving of the vehicle.

[0017] Preferably, in the above technical solution, the electronic control unit can accurately calculate the angle between the lens and the front windshield according to the detected current signal, and can quickly adjust the aperture parameters of the lens.

[0018] The above technical solution of the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0019] The front-view camera assembly of the present application, which automatically adjusts the installation angle, is based on the traditional front-view camera assembly. By setting a lens and lens mount that automatically adjust the posture angle, the lens is automatically adjusted to a suitable posture under the action of gravity, and is clamped by a positioning pin and a retaining spring. The angle between the lens and the front windshield is calculated through a current detection circuit, and the aperture is automatically adjusted.

[0020] This application not only saves the calibration cost and time of the front-view camera assembly and improves production efficiency, but also makes the lens attitude angle calibration more accurate, thereby improving the performance of the driving assistance system. At the same time, a front-view camera assembly is developed that can automatically adapt to a variety of vehicle models with different glass inclination angles, and the lens can automatically adjust the aperture parameters according to the different angles with the glass. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

[0022] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a conventional front-view camera assembly installed on a front windshield.

[0023] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a lens being fixed to a housing by bolts in the prior art.

[0024] Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the lens, lens mount and retaining spring of this application.

[0025] Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the lens mount.

[0026] Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the lens and retaining spring.

[0027] Figure 6 Schematic diagram of the lens and lens mount.

[0028] Figure 7 Schematic diagram of the mutual attraction between the iron block on the lens and the magnet on the housing.

[0029] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the cooperation between the locating pin and the retaining spring.

[0030] Figure 9 Schematic diagram of the retaining ring protruding from the square hole of the rear housing.

[0031] Figure 10A This is a schematic diagram of tightening the positioning pin by loosening the retaining ring.

[0032] Figure 10B Schematic diagram of releasing the positioning pin by lifting the retaining spring.

[0033] Figure 11 This is the internal circuit schematic diagram of the front camera assembly.

[0034] Among them: 1-lens, 11-sleeve, 12-spherical structure, 13-iron block, 14-locating pin; 15-circlip, 2-lens mount, 21-small groove, 22-spherical groove; 3-grease; 4-housing, 41-magnet, 42-square hole, 5-front windshield, 6-front view camera assembly. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] Various exemplary embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that unless otherwise specifically stated, the relative arrangement of components and steps, numerical expressions and numerical values ​​set forth in these embodiments do not limit the scope of the present invention.

[0036] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, in the prior art, the front-view camera assembly 6 is usually fixed to the housing by bolts, and then the entire front-view camera assembly 6 is installed on the front windshield 5. This fixing method has many disadvantages: during the production process, due to the unavoidable installation errors, the posture angle of the lens of the front-view camera assembly will be inaccurate, which will affect the positioning accuracy of the relevant functions of the driving assistance system and even cause the loss of function. In order to ensure the accuracy of the lens posture angle, each vehicle needs to be statically calibrated with a check fixture after it comes off the production line. This process requires a special calibration site and equipment, and requires professional personnel to operate, resulting in increased costs and reduced production efficiency. When applied to different models, due to the differences in the inclination angle of the front windshield of different models, the housing of the front-view camera assembly needs to be redesigned to ensure the correctness of the lens posture angle. When the angle between the lens and the front windshield is different, the aperture parameters need to be recalibrated, which is a relatively complicated operation.

[0037] In view of this, the present application discloses a front-view camera assembly that automatically adjusts the installation angle, such as Figure 3-Figure 11 As shown, it specifically includes the following structure:

[0038] Lens 1 comprises a sleeve 11, the rear half of which is a spherical structure 12. Spherical structure 12 houses electrical components and a counterweight. The counterweight is positioned appropriately to adjust the center of gravity of lens 1, allowing it to automatically roll and rotate to a desired position under the influence of gravity.

[0039] Furthermore, an iron block 13 is provided in front of the sleeve 11, and the iron block 13 is used to interact with the magnet 41 in the housing 4. A positioning pin 14 is provided on the spherical structure 12, and the positioning pin 14 is used to cooperate with the retaining spring 15 on the housing 4 to fix the posture of the lens 1.

[0040] The lens mount 2 has a smooth spherical groove 22 inside, which is concentrically arranged with the spherical structure 12 of the lens 1 , and the radius of the lens mount 2 is slightly larger than the spherical structure 12 , so that the spherical structure 12 of the lens 1 can be placed in the spherical groove 22 .

[0041] Furthermore, a small groove 21 is provided in front of the lens mount 2 , and the small groove 21 can prevent the sleeve 11 from hitting the lens mount 2 when the lens 1 rotates.

[0042] Furthermore, grease 3 is applied between the lens mount 2 and the spherical structure 12 of the lens 1. The grease 3 ensures that the lens 1 can rotate smoothly around the X and Y axes in the lens mount 2 to adjust the posture.

[0043] The housing 4 has a magnet 41 therein, and the magnet 41 attracts the iron block 13 on the lens 1 to ensure that the lens 1 faces forward after rotating around the Z axis.

[0044] Furthermore, a resilient retaining spring 15 is secured to the housing 4. One side of the retaining spring 15 is fixed to the housing 4, while the other side extends from a square hole 42 in the rear housing. The upper surface of the square hole 42 is positioned farther from the retaining spring, while the lower surface is positioned closer to the retaining spring. The retaining spring 15 engages with the locating pin 14 on the spherical structure 12 and is slightly wider than the locating pin 14 to ensure that the locating pin 14 maintains contact with the retaining spring 15 after the lens 1 rotates about the X-axis. After the front-view camera assembly 6 is installed on the front windshield 5, the operator manually lifts the retaining spring 15 from the rear of the housing 4, releasing the locating pin 14 from its groove. The lens 1 rotates within the lens mount 2 under gravity. After several seconds, when the lens 1 stabilizes, the operator releases the retaining spring 15. The spring force compresses the retaining spring 15 downward, locking the locating pin 14 into the nearest groove. The lens's position is adjusted and fixed.

[0045] The circuit system includes an electronic control unit, which supplies power to the lens 1. The angle between the lens 1 and the front windshield 5 is calculated by detecting the current. According to the calculated angle, the lens 1 can automatically adjust the aperture parameters. Specifically, the current passes through the positioning pin 14 and the retaining spring 15, returns to the electronic control unit, and is collected by its current detection PIN pin. When the positioning pin 14 is stuck in different grooves, the length of the current flowing through the retaining spring 15 is different, and the resistance value is also different, resulting in different current sizes. The electronic control unit detects the current size and can calculate the angle between the lens 1 and the front windshield 5. When the angle between the lens 1 and the glass is different, the transmittance of the glass will change. The lens adjusts the aperture parameters according to the different transmittances. The electronic control unit inputs the glass angle information to the lens 1, and the lens calculates the glass transmittance according to the angle and automatically adjusts the aperture.

[0046] The assembly process of the front-view camera assembly with automatic adjustment of the installation angle in this application is as follows:

[0047] (1) Place the spherical structure 12 of the lens 1 into the spherical groove 22 of the lens holder 2. Since there is grease 3 between the two, the lens 1 can rotate freely within the lens holder 2 to a certain angle.

[0048] (2) Install the assembly of the lens holder 2 and the lens 1 into the housing 4 so that the iron block 13 on the lens 1 and the magnet 41 in the housing 4 attract each other, ensuring that the lens 1 faces forward after rotating around the Z axis.

[0049] (3) The retaining spring 15 is engaged with the positioning pin 14 of the lens 1 through the square hole 42 on the housing 4 to fix the posture of the lens 1.

[0050] The working principle of the front-view camera assembly with automatic adjustment of the installation angle in this application is as follows:

[0051] When the vehicle's posture changes while the vehicle is traveling, the lens 1 will rotate around the X and Y axes in the lens mount 2 under the action of gravity, automatically adjusting its posture, due to the counterweight block inside the spherical structure 12 of the lens 1.

[0052] After the posture of the lens 1 is adjusted, the electronic control unit in the circuit system calculates the angle between the lens 1 and the front windshield 5 by detecting the current.

[0053] According to the calculated included angle, the lens 1 automatically adjusts the aperture parameters to adapt to different light conditions and the inclination angle of the front windshield 5 to ensure a good field of view.

[0054] The front-view camera assembly with automatic installation angle adjustment disclosed in this application can automatically adjust the lens installation angle, avoiding the impact of installation errors on the driver assistance system's functions and improving the system's positioning accuracy. Since static calibration of each vehicle after it rolls off the production line is no longer necessary, calibration costs and time are saved, improving production efficiency. The front-view camera assembly can adapt to the inclination angle of the front windshield of different vehicle models without requiring a redesign of the housing. Furthermore, the lens can automatically adjust its aperture parameters based on the angle with the front windshield, eliminating the need for manual recalibration and simplifying the operational process.

[0055] Although the present invention has been disclosed above with reference to the embodiments, they are not intended to limit the present invention. Any person skilled in the art may make various choices and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A front-view camera assembly with automatic adjustment of installation angle, characterized in that: include: A lens (1) comprises a sleeve (11) and a spherical structure (12) located at the rear half of the sleeve (11), an iron block (13) is provided in front of the sleeve (11), and a positioning pin (14) is provided above the spherical structure (12); A lens mount (2) is provided with a spherical groove (22) that matches the spherical structure (12); the lens mount (2) and the spherical structure (12) of the lens (1) are arranged concentrically; grease (3) is applied between the lens mount (2) and the spherical structure (12), so that the lens (1) can be rotated around the X and Y axes to adjust its posture; A housing (4), wherein a magnet (41) is provided on the housing (4), and the magnet (41) cooperates with the iron block (13) to ensure that the lens (1) faces forward after rotating around the Z axis, and a retaining spring (15) is provided in the housing (4), and the retaining spring (15) cooperates with the positioning pin (14) to fix the posture of the lens (1); The circuit system includes an electric control unit, which is used to supply power to the lens (1) and calculate the angle between the lens (1) and the front windshield (5) by detecting the current, so that the lens (1) can automatically adjust the aperture according to the angle.

2. The front-view camera assembly with automatic adjustment of installation angle according to claim 1, characterized in that: A small groove (21) is provided in front of the lens mount (2) for preventing the sleeve (11) from hitting the lens mount (2) when the lens (1) rotates.

3. The front-view camera assembly with automatic adjustment of installation angle according to claim 1, characterized in that: A square hole (42) is provided on the back of the housing (4); one side of the clamping spring (15) is fixed to the housing (4) and the other side extends out of the square hole (42); the middle part of the clamping spring (15) is used to release or clamp the positioning pin (14).

4. The front-view camera assembly with automatic installation angle adjustment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The spherical structure (12) is internally provided with electrical components and a counterweight block, which are used to assist the lens (1) in automatically adjusting its posture under the action of gravity.

5. The front-view camera assembly with automatic adjustment of installation angle according to claim 1, characterized in that: The lubricating grease (3) is a grease with good lubrication and temperature resistance properties, so as to ensure that the lens (1) can rotate smoothly in the lens holder (2).

6. The front-view camera assembly with automatic installation angle adjustment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The iron block (13) on the lens (1) and the magnet (41) on the housing (4) are connected by magnetic attraction to ensure the stability of the lens (1) during vehicle travel.

7. The front-view camera assembly with automatic installation angle adjustment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The electronic control unit can accurately calculate the angle between the lens (1) and the front windshield (5) based on the detected current signal, and can quickly adjust the aperture parameters of the lens (1).

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