Camera support

Abstract

The invention relates to a camera support. The camera support comprises a support body and a light capturing structure, the support body is used for installing a camera, the support body is provided with an inwards-concave area used for avoiding the view field of the camera, and when the support body is installed on a windshield, the inwards-concave area is provided with a reflecting face facing the windshield; the light capturing structure is arranged on the reflecting surface, and the glossiness of the light capturing structure is smaller than 0.1 gloss unit under the 20-degree incident light test condition. Through the arrangement, the light capturing structure has extremely low glossiness, belongs to a low-reflection even non-reflection structure, and can effectively absorb light rays irradiated on the surface of the light capturing structure, greatly reduce the reflectivity of the light rays and prevent the light rays from being reflected back to a windshield from a reflecting surface; therefore, the condition that the reflected light is reflected to the lens of the camera again through the windshield is avoided, and the definition and accuracy of the image collected by the camera are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of vehicle component technology, and in particular to a camera bracket. Background Technology

[0002] To meet the needs of driving safety and intelligent driving, in-vehicle driving recorders, panoramic imaging and driver assistance functions have become standard equipment in vehicles, and cameras that collect image information are the core sensing components to realize the above functions.

[0003] Currently, cameras are mounted on the inside of the windshield using a bracket. When external light shines, the light that passes through the windshield and reflects onto the surface of the bracket is reflected back onto the windshield, and then reflected onto the camera. This results in unclear images and affects the final image quality. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a camera bracket that addresses the problem of strong light reflected from the current brackets, which affects the camera's imaging performance.

[0005] A camera bracket, comprising a bracket body and a light-capturing structure, wherein: The bracket body is used to mount a camera. The bracket body has a concave area to avoid the field of view of the camera. When the bracket body is mounted on the windshield, the concave area has a reflective surface facing the windshield. The light-catching structure is disposed on the reflective surface, and the gloss of the light-catching structure is less than 0.1 gloss units under the test condition of 20° incident light.

[0006] In one embodiment, the light-catching structure includes a first light-absorbing structure disposed on the reflective surface. The first light-absorbing structure includes a plurality of light-absorbing grooves arranged in an array. Under a 60° incident light test condition, the gloss of the light-catching structure is between 0.2 gloss units and 0.4 gloss units.

[0007] In one embodiment, the light-catching structure further includes a second light-absorbing structure disposed on the reflective surface and on the first light-absorbing structure, the second light-absorbing structure having a textured structure.

[0008] In one embodiment, the gloss of the light-catching structure located on the reflective surface is between 0.2 gloss units and 0.3 gloss units under a 60° incident light test condition.

[0009] In one embodiment, the bracket body has a light-shielding side near the windshield, and the second light-absorbing structure is also disposed at least on a portion of the light-shielding side.

[0010] In one embodiment, the arithmetic mean roughness Ra of the second light-absorbing structure is 8.7 μm-11.7 μm; and / or, The maximum height roughness Rz of the second light-absorbing structure is 47 μm-73 μm; and / or, The peak count Rpc of the second light-absorbing structure is 42-69.

[0011] In one embodiment, the support body includes a base, a sidewall portion, and a main body portion, wherein: The sidewall portion extends upward from the base and forms with the base a concave region having a top opening and a side opening, the top opening and the side opening being connected. The main body is located on the side of the side wall that is away from the center of the recessed area. The main body has an assembly through hole for mounting the camera, and the assembly through hole communicates with the recessed area. The surface of the base that opens toward the top constitutes the reflective surface.

[0012] In one embodiment, the main body portion has a tapered first assembly area that gradually widens from the assembly through hole toward the side end opening.

[0013] In one embodiment, the main body further includes a second assembly area connected to the first assembly area, the second assembly area having a rectangular structure.

[0014] In one embodiment, the support body and the light-catching structure are an integral structure formed by injection molding.

[0015] The aforementioned camera bracket, by placing the light-catching structure on the reflective surface, exhibits a gloss level of less than 0.1 gloss units under 20° incident light conditions. Due to its extremely low gloss level, this light-catching structure is classified as a low-reflection or even non-reflective structure, effectively absorbing light incident on its surface and significantly reducing light reflectivity. This prevents light from reflecting back to the windshield from the reflective surface, thus avoiding the situation where reflected light is reflected again onto the camera lens. By suppressing multiple reflections of light at the source, it solves the problem of unclear camera imaging caused by reflected light interference, significantly improving the clarity and accuracy of the images captured by the camera. Attached Figure Description

[0016] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this application, are used to provide a further understanding of this application. The illustrative embodiments of this application and their descriptions are used to explain this application and do not constitute an undue limitation of this application.

[0017] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0018] Figure 1 This is a front view of a camera bracket provided in one embodiment of this application.

[0019] Figure 2 This is an isometric view of a camera bracket provided in one embodiment of this application.

[0020] Figure 3 for Figure 1 A cross-sectional view along the NN plane.

[0021] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures 10. Camera bracket; 100. Support body; 110. Recessed area; 111. Reflective surface; 112. Top opening; 113. Side opening; 120. Light-shielding side; 130. Base; 140. Side wall; 150. Main body; 151. First assembly area; 152. Second assembly area; 160. Assembly through hole; 200, Light-catching structure; 210, First light-absorbing structure. Detailed Implementation

[0022] To make the above-mentioned objectives, features, and advantages of this application more apparent and understandable, the specific embodiments of this application are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Many specific details are set forth in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of this application. However, this application can be implemented in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar modifications without departing from the spirit of this application. Therefore, this application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0023] The technical solutions provided by the embodiments of the present invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0024] See Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, one embodiment of this application provides a camera bracket 10 for mounting a camera on the windshield of a vehicle, so that the camera can collect image information of the external environment of the vehicle through the windshield, thereby realizing the vehicle's driving recording function and assisted driving function.

[0025] The camera bracket 10 includes a bracket body 100 and a light-catching structure 200. The bracket body 100 is used to mount the camera; exemplarily, the camera can be detachably mounted to the bracket body 100 using fasteners. The bracket body 100 has a recessed area 110 to avoid obstructing the camera's field of view. When the bracket body 100 is mounted on a windshield, the recessed area 110 has a reflective surface 111 facing the windshield. It should be noted that the bracket body 100 is typically mounted on the inner surface of the windshield. Exemplarily, the bracket body 100 can be adhesively attached to the inner surface of the windshield using multiple fixing elements, or it can be fixed to the inner surface of the windshield using adhesive.

[0026] When the bracket body 100 is installed on the inner surface of the windshield, the recessed area 110 and the windshield form an optical channel for the camera lens to operate. That is, the camera lens collects image information of the outside of the vehicle through the windshield via the recessed area 110. It should be noted that the camera includes components such as lenses and sensors for image information acquisition, transmission and storage, which are mature technologies and will not be elaborated on here.

[0027] It should also be emphasized that the reflective surface 111 of the recessed area 110 is usually located below the lens, which is also the area where external light is most likely to be reflected on the camera bracket 10 after passing through the windshield.

[0028] Based on this, a light-catching structure 200 is set on the reflective surface 111. Under the test condition of 20° incident light, the gloss of the light-catching structure 200 is less than 0.1 gloss unit (GU). For example, the gloss of the light-catching structure 200 can be any value between 0U and 0.1GU, such as 0.01GU, 0.02GU, 0.035GU, 0.04GU, 0.05GU, 0.07GU, 0.09GU, etc.

[0029] With the above configuration, when external light (such as sunlight, streetlights, etc.) shines on the vehicle's windshield, some of the light passes through the windshield and illuminates the reflective surface 111 of the bracket body 100. The reflective surface 111 is equipped with a light-catching structure 200 with a gloss level of less than 0.1 GU. This light-catching structure 200 has extremely low gloss and is a low-reflection or even non-reflective structure, effectively absorbing the light that shines on its surface, significantly reducing the reflectivity of the light, and preventing light from being reflected back to the windshield from the reflective surface 111. This, in turn, prevents the reflected light from being reflected again onto the camera lens through the windshield.

[0030] This means that multiple reflections of light are suppressed at the source, solving the problem of unclear camera images caused by interference from reflected light. This significantly improves the clarity and accuracy of the images captured by the camera, providing a strong guarantee for the normal operation of the vehicle driving recorder and the reliable operation of the driver assistance function.

[0031] See Figure 3 As shown, to facilitate the design of the light-catching structure 200, in some embodiments, the light-catching structure 200 includes a first light-absorbing structure 210 disposed on the reflective surface 111. The first light-absorbing structure 210 includes a plurality of light-absorbing grooves arranged in an array. It should be noted that the specific number of light-absorbing grooves is set according to the area of ​​the reflective surface, and is not limited here. For example, it can be 80, 100, or any value according to actual requirements.

[0032] It should also be emphasized that multiple light-absorbing grooves are typically arranged adjacent to each other in a continuous manner. This arrangement increases the contact area between the light-catching structure 200 and stray light, further enhancing the stray light absorption effect. For example... Figure 3 As shown, the cross-section of the first light-absorbing structure 210 has a sawtooth structure.

[0033] With the above settings, under the test condition of 60° incident light, the gloss of the light-catching structure 200 is between 0.2 gloss units and 0.4 gloss units. Specifically, the gloss level of the light-catching structure 200 is typically between 0.3 and 0.4 gloss units. For example, the gloss level of the light-catching structure 200 can be any value between 0.3 GU and 0.4 GU, such as 0.31 GU, 0.32 GU, 0.34 GU, 0.36 GU, or 0.38 GU. Furthermore, under 85° incident light testing conditions, the gloss level of the light-catching structure 200 is between 0.4 GU and 0.7 GU. For example, the gloss level of the light-catching structure 200 can be any value between 0.4 GU and 0.7 GU, such as 0.42 GU, 0.45 GU, 0.5 GU, 0.55 GU, 0.6 GU, or 0.65 GU. Simultaneously, under 20° incident light testing conditions, the gloss level of the light-catching structure 200 is less than 0.1 GU. GU, for example, the gloss of the light-capturing structure 200 can be any value between 0U and 0.1GU, such as 0.01GU, 0.02GU, 0.035GU, 0.04GU, 0.05GU, 0.07GU, 0.09GU, etc.

[0034] The gloss parameter limitation of the light-catching structure 200 ensures that the light-catching structure 200 has excellent stray light absorption and suppression capabilities, effectively reducing the specular reflection intensity of the reflective surface 111: when external light passes through the windshield and enters the reflective surface 111, the light-catching structure 200 will fully absorb the incident stray light, preventing stray light from being reflected back from the reflective surface 111 to the windshield, thereby reducing the phenomenon of stray light entering the camera after being reflected again by the windshield.

[0035] To further enhance stray light suppression, the light-capturing structure 200 specifically includes a second light-absorbing structure. This second light-absorbing structure is disposed on the reflective surface 111 and is located on top of the first light-absorbing structure 210. The second light-absorbing structure has a textured surface. This textured surface has a certain degree of roughness, which can initially absorb and scatter stray light. By placing the second light-absorbing structure on top of the first light-absorbing structure 210, a double-layer light-absorbing structure is formed, enabling layered absorption of stray light and further enhancing the stray light suppression effect. Compared to a single light-absorbing structure, this more effectively avoids stray light reflection and further improves the camera's imaging quality.

[0036] To further reduce the gloss of the light-catching structure 200, thereby further reducing the specular reflection intensity of the reflecting surface 111, in some embodiments, the gloss of the light-catching structure 200 located on the reflecting surface 111 is set to be between 0.2 gloss units and 0.3 gloss units under a 60° incident light test condition. Specifically, the gloss of the light-catching structure 200 can be any value between 0.2 GU and 0.3 GU, such as 0.21 GU, 0.22 GU, 0.24 GU, 0.26 GU, 0.28 GU, etc.

[0037] To ensure the gloss level of the light-catching structure 200 on the reflective surface 111 is between 0.2 and 0.3 gloss units under a 60° incident light test condition, the gloss level of the light-catching structure 200 is required. In some embodiments, the bracket body 100 has a light-shielding side 120 near the windshield, and the second light-absorbing structure is also provided at least partially on the light-shielding side 120. In a specific configuration, the light-shielding side 120 is provided with a recessed area 110, and the second light-absorbing structure is also provided at least on other light-shielding sides 120 outside the reflective surface 111.

[0038] More specifically, the second light-absorbing structure is disposed on the entire light-shielding side 120. That is, in this embodiment, the first light-absorbing structure 210 is disposed on the reflective surface 111, and the second light-absorbing structure is not only disposed on the first light-absorbing structure 210, but also disposed on the entire light-shielding side 120 of the camera bracket 10 near the windshield. Through the above arrangement, the second light-absorbing structure further expands the range of stray light suppression, which is beneficial for the light-capturing structure 200 located on the core reflective surface 111 to further reduce the reflectivity of light.

[0039] Preferably, the arithmetic mean roughness Ra of the second light-absorbing structure is 8.7 μm-11.7 μm. Exemplarily, the arithmetic mean roughness Ra of the second light-absorbing structure can be any value between 8.7 μm and 11.7 μm, such as 9 μm, 9.4 μm, 9.7 μm, 10 μm, 10.5 μm, 11 μm, and 11.5 μm. It should be noted that the arithmetic mean roughness Ra refers to the arithmetic mean of the absolute values ​​of the profile offsets within the sampling length, used to reflect the overall roughness of the surface profile. By setting the Ra range of the second light-absorbing structure to 8.7 μm-11.7 μm, the second light-absorbing structure with a skin-textured structure can form suitable surface undulations, effectively scattering and absorbing stray light; and / or, The maximum height roughness Rz of the second light-absorbing structure is 47μm-73μm. For example, the maximum height roughness Rz of the second light-absorbing structure can be any value between 47μm and 73μm, such as 48μm, 50μm, 55μm, 60μm, 65μm, 68μm, or 70μm. It should be noted that the maximum height roughness Rz refers to the sum of the average height of the five largest profile peaks and the average depth of the five largest profile valleys within the sampling length. It is used to reflect the maximum height difference between the microscopic peaks and valleys of the surface, reflecting the extreme undulations of the surface. By setting the Rz range of the second light-absorbing structure to 47μm-73μm, the surface undulation amplitude of the textured structure is further limited, ensuring structural strength while improving light absorption stability; and / or, The contour peak count Rpc of the second light-absorbing structure is 42-69. For example, the contour peak count Rpc of the second light-absorbing structure can be any value between 42 and 69, such as 45, 48, 50, 55, 58, 60, 65, etc. It should be noted that the contour peak count Rpc refers to the number of texture protrusions (or depressions) per unit length within the sampling length. By setting the Rpc range of the second light-absorbing structure to 42-69, it is beneficial to ensure the uniformity of the skin texture structure, so that stray light can be uniformly absorbed and to avoid local stray light reflection affecting the imaging effect.

[0040] With the above settings, the gloss of the light-catching structure 200 on the reflective surface 111 not only satisfies the requirement that its gloss is between 0.2 and 0.3 gloss units under a 60° incident light test condition, but also satisfies that its gloss is between 0.4 and 0.5 GU under an 85° incident light test condition. For example, the gloss of the light-catching structure 200 can specifically be any value between 0.4 GU and 0.5 GU, such as 0.42 GU, 0.43 GU, 0.45 GU, 0.46 GU, 0.48 GU, or 0.49 GU. Simultaneously, the light-catching structure 200 on the reflective surface 111 also satisfies the requirement that its gloss is less than 0.1 GU under a 20° incident light test condition. GU, for example, the gloss of the light-capturing structure 200 can be any value between 0U and 0.1GU, such as 0.01GU, 0.02GU, 0.035GU, 0.04GU, 0.05GU, 0.07GU, 0.09GU, etc.

[0041] The aforementioned gloss setting results in an extremely low gloss level for the light-catching structure 200 on the reflective surface 111. This allows the light-catching structure 200 to further absorb light incident on the surface, significantly reducing light reflectivity and preventing light from reflecting back from the camera bracket 10 to the windshield. This, in turn, prevents reflected light from being reflected again onto the camera lens through the windshield. By suppressing multiple reflections of light at the source, the problem of unclear camera imaging caused by reflected light interference is solved, significantly improving the clarity and accuracy of the images captured by the camera.

[0042] To facilitate the camera lens capturing images of the vehicle's exterior through the windshield via the recessed area 110, in some embodiments, the bracket body 100 includes a base 130, a sidewall portion 140, and a main body 150. The sidewall portion 140 extends upward from the base 130, and together with the base 130, forms a recessed area 110 with a top opening 112 and a side opening 113, which are connected. By configuring the top opening 112 and the side opening 113, the clearance space of the recessed area 110 is expanded, preventing obstruction of the camera's field of view.

[0043] The main body 150 is located on the side of the side wall 140 away from the center of the recessed area 110. The main body 150 has a mounting through hole 160 for mounting a camera, which communicates with the recessed area 110. When the camera is placed in the mounting through hole 160 communicating with the recessed area 110, it ensures that the camera can capture images of the outside of the windshield through the opening of the recessed area 110.

[0044] In practical use, the main body 150 is installed on the inner surface of the windshield, and the lens of the camera faces the windshield through the mounting through hole 160. The recessed area 110, which is connected to the mounting through hole 160, is used to ensure that the field of view of the lens is unobstructed so that the lens can collect image information of the outside of the vehicle.

[0045] The surface of the base 130 facing the top opening 112 forms a reflective surface 111. It is easy to understand that the reflective surface 111 also faces the windshield, ensuring that external light can directly enter the reflective surface 111 after passing through the windshield and be absorbed by the light-catching structure 200.

[0046] In a specific configuration, a first light-absorbing structure 210 and a second light-absorbing structure are provided on the reflective surface 111, with the second light-absorbing structure disposed on the first light-absorbing structure 210. The second light-absorbing structure can also be disposed on the sidewall portion 140 and / or the upper surface of the main body portion 150. The upper surface of the sidewall portion 140 and the main body portion 150 is the side of the sidewall portion 140 and the main body portion 150 closest to the windshield.

[0047] To facilitate the design of the main body 150, in some embodiments, the self-assembly through hole 160 faces the side opening 113, and the main body 150 is provided with a gradually widening conical first assembly area 151. This facilitates quick assembly and positioning of the camera and prevents the camera from being installed backwards. The main body 150 also includes a second assembly area 152 connected to the first assembly area 151, and the second assembly area 152 has a rectangular structure. The rectangular structure of the second assembly area 152 provides stable support and restraint for the camera's tail, improving the stability and firmness of the camera installation.

[0048] In order to facilitate the fabrication of the camera bracket 10, in some embodiments, the bracket body 100 and the light-capturing structure 200 are integral structures formed by injection molding.

[0049] Preferably, the support body 100 and the light-catching structure 200 are formed by injection molding of a plastic material, such as a polymer material, preferably a dark-colored or light-absorbing or non-reflective plastic or polymer material, etc. The selected material preferably includes a low-gloss material, and is preferably dark or black. For example, the selected material may include a PBT / PC (polybutylene terephthalate / polycarbonate alloy) alloy, which may contain 15% GF glass fiber reinforced plastic by mass.

[0050] In the specific preparation process, by setting a structure corresponding to the light-catching structure 200 in the inner cavity of the molding mold, the support body 100 prepared using the molding mold has the light-catching structure 200.

[0051] It should be noted that, in one embodiment of this application, both the first light-absorbing structure 210 and the second light-absorbing structure of the light-catching structure 200 are disposed on the reflective surface 111, and the second light-absorbing structure is disposed on the first light-absorbing structure 210. In this case, the support body 100 and the light-catching structure 200 can be formed by injection molding of plastic material.

[0052] Alternatively, the base 130 of the support body 100 and the light-catching structure 200 can be formed by injection molding of plastic material, and the side wall portion 140 and the main body portion 150 of the support body 100 can be made by metal forming methods such as stamping, casting, or die casting. Preferably, in order to achieve the requirement of lightweighting, the side wall portion 140 and the main body portion 150 can be made of aluminum or aluminum alloy, magnesium or magnesium alloy, or copper or copper alloy. The prepared side wall portion 140, main body portion 150, and base 130 are connected and fixed by fasteners, interlocking joints, adhesive bonding, etc.

[0053] When the sidewall portion 140 and the main body portion 150 are provided with a second light-absorbing structure, the component corresponding to the second light-absorbing structure and the base portion 130 are manufactured together by injection molding in order to improve production efficiency.

[0054] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0055] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementation methods of this application, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the patent application. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make numerous modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this application, and these all fall within the protection scope of this application. Therefore, the protection scope of this patent application should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A camera bracket (10), characterized in that, The camera bracket (10) includes a bracket body (100) and a light-capturing structure (200), wherein: The bracket body (100) is used to install a camera. The bracket body (100) is provided with a concave area (110) for avoiding the field of view of the camera. When the bracket body (100) is installed on the windshield, the concave area (110) has a reflective surface (111) facing the windshield. The light-catching structure (200) is disposed on the reflective surface (111), and the gloss of the light-catching structure (200) is less than 0.1 gloss units under the test condition of 20° incident light.

2. The camera bracket (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The light-catching structure (200) includes a first light-absorbing structure (210) disposed on the reflective surface (111). The first light-absorbing structure (210) includes a plurality of light-absorbing grooves arranged in an array. Under the test condition of 60° incident light, the gloss of the light-catching structure (200) is between 0.2 gloss units and 0.4 gloss units.

3. The camera bracket (10) according to claim 2, characterized in that, The light-catching structure (200) further includes a second light-absorbing structure, which is disposed on the reflective surface (111) and on the first light-absorbing structure (210). The second light-absorbing structure has a textured structure.

4. The camera bracket (10) according to claim 3, characterized in that, Under 60° incident light test conditions, the gloss of the light-catching structure (200) located on the reflective surface (111) is between 0.2 gloss units and 0.3 gloss units.

5. The camera bracket (10) according to claim 3, characterized in that, The bracket body (100) has a light-shielding side (120) near the windshield, and the second light-absorbing structure is also disposed at least in part of the light-shielding side (120).

6. The camera bracket (10) according to claim 3, characterized in that, The arithmetic mean roughness Ra of the second light-absorbing structure is 8.7 μm-11.7 μm; and / or, The maximum height roughness Rz of the second light-absorbing structure is 47 μm-73 μm; and / or, The peak count Rpc of the second light-absorbing structure is 42-69.

7. The camera bracket (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The support body (100) includes a base (130), a sidewall portion (140), and a main body portion (150), wherein: The sidewall portion (140) extends upward from the base portion (130) and forms with the base portion (130) the recessed area (110) having a top opening (112) and a side opening (113), the top opening (112) and the side opening (113) being connected. The main body (150) is disposed on the side of the side wall (140) away from the center of the recessed area (110). The main body (150) has an assembly through hole (160) for mounting the camera, and the assembly through hole (160) communicates with the recessed area (110). The surface of the base (130) facing the top opening (112) constitutes the reflective surface (111).

8. The camera bracket (10) according to claim 7, characterized in that, From the direction of the mounting through hole (160) toward the side opening (113), the main body (150) is provided with a tapered first mounting area (151) that gradually widens.

9. The camera bracket (10) according to claim 8, characterized in that, The main body (150) also includes a second assembly area (152) connected to the first assembly area (151), and the second assembly area (152) has a rectangular structure.

10. The camera bracket (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The support body (100) and the light-capturing structure (200) are an integral structure formed by injection molding.

Images