Vehicle-mounted camera
By designing a metal planar component in the vehicle-mounted camera to match the optical path of the lens group, the problem of incident light obstruction was solved, resulting in clearer imaging and more effective noise shielding, thus improving the camera's performance.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- PANASONIC AUTOMOTIVE SYST CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2025-12-31
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-21
AI Technical Summary
Existing vehicle-mounted cameras have a problem with noise shielding and optical path design: the incident light is blocked by the inner surface of the planar component, leading to stray light and other adverse conditions.
A vehicle-mounted camera is designed, which uses a metal planar component arranged in a parallel direction between the second end of the lens barrel and the first surface of the circuit board. The incident light is not obstructed by the inner surface of the planar component through a light-passing hole. Combined with the position adjustment of the lens group and the imaging element, the smooth passage of light is ensured.
It effectively prevents the generation of reflected incident light, reduces stray light, and improves the camera's image quality and noise shielding effect.
Smart Images
Figure CN122437987A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This disclosure relates to a vehicle-mounted camera. Background Technology
[0002] In recent years, with the increasing demands for vehicle safety and the introduction of autonomous driving functions, the development of vehicle-mounted cameras that capture images of the vehicle's interior and exterior has become active (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
[0003] Existing technical documents
[0004] Patent documents
[0005] Patent Document 1: International Publication No. 2024 / 004821 Summary of the Invention
[0006] The problem the invention aims to solve
[0007] The requirements for vehicle safety and autonomous driving functions are increasing, and there is also a demand for further performance improvements for in-vehicle cameras.
[0008] This disclosure relates to a technology for providing a new vehicle-mounted camera.
[0009] Solution for solving the problem
[0010] This disclosure discloses a vehicle-mounted camera, comprising: a lens barrel having a first cylindrical portion and a lens disposed inside the first cylindrical portion, the first cylindrical portion being a first cylindrical shape along an optical axis, the first cylindrical portion having a first end, a second end opposite to the first end, an inner surface of the lens barrel, and an outer surface of the lens barrel; an imaging element disposed on the optical axis at a position closer to the second end of the first cylindrical portion of the lens barrel than to the first end; a circuit board having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, the imaging element being disposed on the first surface; a housing having a second cylindrical portion supporting the lens barrel and at least housing the imaging element and the circuit board, the second cylindrical portion being a second cylindrical shape along the optical axis, the second cylindrical portion having a third end and a fourth end opposite to the third end; and a metal planar member located between the second end of the first cylindrical portion of the lens barrel and the circuit board. Between the first surfaces, the planar member is arranged in a direction parallel to the first surface of the circuit board. The lens of the lens barrel includes: a first lens located inside the first cylindrical portion and positioned closer to the first end point than to the second end point; and a second lens located inside the first cylindrical portion and positioned closer to the second end point than the first lens. The planar member has: a third surface; a fourth surface opposite to the third surface; and a light-passing aperture penetrating the third surface and the fourth surface. The optical axis passes through the light-passing aperture, which is formed by an inner surface of the planar member connecting the third surface and the fourth surface. Incident light incident on the first lens passes through the second lens and the light-passing aperture to reach the imaging element. The outermost light, being the outermost light in the incident light, passes through a position closer to the optical axis than the inner surface of the planar member.
[0011] Invention Effects
[0012] According to this disclosure, incident light can pass through the light-transmitting aperture without being obstructed by the inner surface of the planar member. Attached Figure Description
[0013] Figure 1 This is an example of a vehicle, specifically a top view of a vehicle equipped with an in-vehicle camera.
[0014] Figure 2 It shows the setting in Figure 1 The diagram shows a connection example of an onboard camera, camera ECU, and display for a vehicle.
[0015] Figure 3 This is another example of a vehicle, specifically a schematic diagram of the passenger compartment of a vehicle equipped with an in-vehicle camera.
[0016] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 A top-down view of the vehicle.
[0017] Figure 5 It shows the setting in Figure 3 The diagram shows a connection example of an onboard camera, camera ECU, and display for a vehicle.
[0018] Figure 6 This is a frontal perspective view of the vehicle-mounted camera according to the first embodiment.
[0019] Figure 7 This is a rear perspective view of the vehicle-mounted camera according to the first embodiment.
[0020] Figure 8 This is an exploded perspective view of the vehicle-mounted camera according to the first embodiment.
[0021] Figure 9 This is a top view of the vehicle-mounted camera according to the first embodiment.
[0022] Figure 10 It shows along Figure 9 A sectional view of the section along line II.
[0023] Figure 11 This is a rear perspective view of the lens barrel in the vehicle-mounted camera according to the first embodiment.
[0024] Figure 12 It is shown in Figure 11 The diagram shows the state in which the lens barrel is equipped with planar components.
[0025] Figure 13 This is an image diagram showing the optical path of incident light in a vehicle-mounted camera according to the first embodiment.
[0026] Figure 14 This illustrates the vehicle-mounted camera according to the second embodiment, along... Figure 9 A sectional view of the section along line II.
[0027] Figure 15 This illustrates the vehicle-mounted camera according to the second embodiment. Figure 11 The diagram shows the state in which the lens barrel is equipped with planar components.
[0028] Figure 16 This is an image diagram showing the optical path of incident light in a vehicle-mounted camera according to the second embodiment. Detailed Implementation
[0029] Hereinafter, embodiments of the vehicle-mounted camera disclosed herein are described in detail with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings. However, sometimes unnecessary details are omitted. For example, detailed descriptions of well-known matters and repetitive descriptions of substantially the same structures are sometimes omitted. This is to avoid unnecessarily lengthy descriptions and to facilitate understanding by those skilled in the art. Furthermore, the drawings and the following description are provided to enable those skilled in the art to fully understand this disclosure and are not intended to limit the subject matter of the claims.
[0030] (Vehicle equipped with a vehicle-mounted camera)
[0031] Figure 1 This is an example of a vehicle, and a top view of a vehicle equipped with in-vehicle cameras is shown. Vehicle V is equipped with in-vehicle cameras 100A, 100B, 100C, and 100D as in-vehicle camera 100. In-vehicle camera 100A is a front-facing camera, in-vehicle camera 100B is a rear-facing camera, in-vehicle camera 100C is a right-side camera, and in-vehicle camera 100D is a left-side camera. In-vehicle cameras 100A-100D are, for example, wide-angle cameras with a field of view of approximately 180°, configured to capture the entire circumference of vehicle V.
[0032] For example, vehicle-mounted camera 100A is mounted on the front grille of vehicle V and captures images of the area in front, viewed from a tilted angle relative to the ground. Vehicle-mounted camera 100B is mounted on the roof spoiler of vehicle V and captures images of the area behind, viewed from a tilted angle relative to the ground. Vehicle-mounted cameras 100C and 100D are respectively mounted on the side mirrors of vehicle V and capture images of the areas to the sides, viewed from a tilted angle relative to the ground.
[0033] Figure 2 It shows the setting in Figure 1 The diagram shows a connection example of the vehicle-mounted cameras 100A-100D, camera ECU 110, and display 7 for vehicle V. Figure 2 The camera ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 110 shown synthesizes images captured by the vehicle-mounted cameras 100A to 100D and displays the synthesized image on a display 7 of a navigation system configured, such as the dashboard. Occupants can visually confirm the surroundings of the vehicle V by checking the display 7.
[0034] Figure 3 This is another example of a vehicle, specifically a schematic diagram of the passenger compartment of a vehicle equipped with an in-vehicle camera. Figure 4 yes Figure 3 A top-down view of the vehicle. The vehicle V has a display 5 (e.g., an electronic rearview mirror) located in the front part of the vehicle body between the driver's seat 3 and the passenger seat 4, where the room mirror is mounted. Furthermore, the vehicle V has an in-vehicle camera 100 mounted at the rear of the vehicle body. Figure 5 It shows the setting in Figure 3 The diagram shows a connection example of the vehicle-mounted camera 100, camera ECU 111, and display 5 in vehicle V. Figure 4 The camera ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 111 shown processes the images captured by the vehicle-mounted camera 100, and the display 5 shows the images. The occupants can visually confirm the situation behind the vehicle V by checking the display 5.
[0035] (First embodiment of a vehicle-mounted camera)
[0036] Figure 6 This is a frontal perspective view of the vehicle-mounted camera 100 according to the first embodiment. Figure 7 This is a rear perspective view of the vehicle-mounted camera 100 according to the first embodiment. Figure 8 This is an exploded perspective view of the vehicle-mounted camera 100 according to the first embodiment. Figure 9 This is a top view of the vehicle-mounted camera 100 according to the first embodiment. Figure 10 It shows along Figure 9 A cross-sectional view of line II. Furthermore, coordinates including the X-axis along one side of the vehicle-mounted camera 100, the Y-axis orthogonal to the X-axis and along the other side of the vehicle-mounted camera 100, and the Z-axis orthogonal to both the X-axis and Y-axis and along the height direction of the vehicle-mounted camera 100 are defined and applied in the following description.
[0037] The vehicle-mounted camera 100 of this embodiment includes a ring member 20, a lens barrel 30, a circuit board 40, an image sensor 50, a housing 60, a planar member 70, and a resin member 10.
[0038] The lens barrel 30 has a feature along the optical axis L (and) Figure 9 A first cylindrical portion 31 (orthogonal to the plane of the paper and along the Z-axis) is included. The first cylindrical portion 31 has a first end portion 31a and a second end portion 31b opposite to the first end portion 31a in the direction along the optical axis L. Furthermore, the first cylindrical portion 31 has an inner surface 33 and an outer surface 34. In this embodiment, the inner surface 33 has a cylindrical surface. The inner surface 33 may also be stepped rather than planar. The outer surface 34, located outside the inner surface 33 relative to the optical axis L, also has a cylindrical surface in this embodiment.
[0039] The first end portion 31a forms the front end portion of the lens barrel 30, and the second end portion 31b is located inside the housing 60, at least a portion of which faces the circuit board 40. The second end portion 31b has: a second end inner surface 36 disposed around the entire circumference centered on the optical axis L; and a second end outer surface 37 disposed around the entire circumference centered on the optical axis L, and located at a position outside the second end inner surface 36 with respect to the optical axis L. Furthermore, the second end portion 31b has at least a second end face 38 facing the first surface 40a of the circuit board 40.
[0040] The lens barrel 30 has a lens 35 located radially inward from the inner side 33 of the lens barrel. The lens 35 is housed inside the first cylindrical part and is positioned on the optical axis L. In this embodiment, the lens 35 includes a first lens 35a, a second lens 35b, a third lens 35c, a fourth lens 35d, a fifth lens 35e, a sixth lens 35f, and a seventh lens 35g arranged so that their respective optical axes L are aligned, forming a lens group used for photographing inside and outside the vehicle body V.
[0041] The lens barrel 30 has a flange 32 on the outer side of the first cylindrical portion 31, which is configured to extend outward around the optical axis L as a reference. The flange 32 has a first flange surface 32a and a second flange surface 32b. The lens barrel 30 is connected to the housing 60 via the flange 32 and the ring member 20, as described later.
[0042] The imaging element 50 is positioned on the optical axis L, closer to the first cylindrical second end 31b of the lens barrel 30 than to the first end 31a, within the interior space of the housing 60. The imaging element 50 is electrically connected to the circuit board 40, and by guiding external light to the imaging element 50, it is able to capture images. The imaging element 50 may, for example, be a CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor) image sensor.
[0043] The circuit board 40 is disposed within the interior space of the housing 60, and has a first surface 40a and a second surface 40b opposite to the first surface 40a. However, two or more circuit boards may also be disposed. The imaging element 50 is disposed on the first surface 40a of the circuit board 40.
[0044] The circuit board 40 has a first shape when viewed from above. The first shape when viewed from above refers to the shape when viewed from the first surface 40a of the circuit board 40 toward the second surface 40b. The first shape is, for example, a quadrilateral shape as in the embodiment, but it can also be a polygon with more than one pentagon.
[0045] The housing 60 is a cylindrical component along the optical axis L. The housing 60 includes a second cylindrical portion 61 and a third cylindrical portion 62 with a diameter smaller than that of the second cylindrical portion. The second cylindrical portion 61 is a second cylinder along the optical axis L, having a third end 63 and a fourth end 64 opposite to the third end 63. The housing 60 serves to support the lens barrel 30 and at least house the circuit board 40 and the imaging element 50.
[0046] The third end 63 of the second cylindrical portion 61 is connected to the lens barrel 30. The fourth end 64 of the second cylindrical portion 61 is opposite to the third end 63 in the direction along the optical axis L, and is positioned further away from the third end 63 than the first end 31a of the first cylindrical portion of the lens barrel 30. The housing 60 is rectangular in this embodiment, but is not limited to this, and may also be a polygonal cylindrical shape other than a rectangle, a circular cylindrical shape, an elliptical cylindrical shape, or a cylindrical shape of other shapes.
[0047] With the housing 60 at least containing the circuit board 40 and the imaging element 50, the flange portion 32 of the lens barrel 30 is connected to the third end portion 63 of the second cylindrical portion 61 of the housing 60 via a ring member 20. This connection is performed, for example, by laser welding. For instance, the ring member 20 is laser welded to the first flange surface 32a of the flange portion 32, and then the ring member 20 is laser welded to the third end portion 63 of the second cylindrical portion 61 of the housing 60.
[0048] The planar member 70 is made of metal and serves to shield noise generated inside and outside the vehicle-mounted camera 100 to suppress its impact on the imaging element 50. The planar member 70 is located between the second end 31b of the first cylindrical portion 31 of the lens barrel 30 and the first surface 40a of the circuit board 40, and is arranged in a direction parallel to the first surface 40a of the circuit board 40. The planar member 70 has: a third surface 71, at least a portion of which faces the second end 31b of the lens barrel 30; a fourth surface 72 opposite to the third surface 71; and a light-passing aperture 73 that penetrates the third surface 71 and the fourth surface 72, through which the optical axis L passes. The light-passing aperture 73 is formed by the inner surface 73a of the planar member for connecting the third surface 71 and the fourth surface 72 of the planar member 70.
[0049] The resin component 10 is in contact with the second surface 40b of the circuit board 40 and is housed inside the second cylindrical portion 61 of the housing 60. The resin component 10 serves to release, for example, heat generated from the circuit board 40 to the outside.
[0050] Figure 11 This is a rear perspective view of the lens barrel 30 in the vehicle-mounted camera 100 according to the first embodiment. Figure 12 It is shown in Figure 11The diagram shows the state in which the lens barrel 30 is equipped with the planar member 70. The incident light from the outside of the vehicle-mounted camera 100 enters the first lens 35a in the order of the second lens 35b, the third lens 35c, the fourth lens 35d, the fifth lens 35e, and the sixth lens 35f, and reaches the imaging element 50 after passing through the light passage hole 73 of the planar member 70.
[0051] Figure 13 This is an image diagram showing the optical path of incident light in the vehicle-mounted camera 100 according to the first embodiment. The incident light, indicated by the dashed line, reaches the imaging element 50 after passing through the sixth lens 35f.
[0052] In this embodiment, the inner surface 73a of the planar member 70 that defines the light-passing aperture 73 is positioned radially (in both the X and Y directions) at a position consistent with the inner surface 36 of the second end 31b. To ensure the noise shielding performance of the planar member 70, it is desirable to minimize the diameter of the light-passing aperture 73; however, if it is too small, the amount of incident light that can pass through will decrease. From the viewpoint of balancing noise shielding performance with ensuring the amount of incident light, the position of the inner surface 73a of the planar member, i.e., the diameter of the light-passing aperture 73, is determined as follows: Figure 13 That's how it's set up.
[0053] When the position of the inner side surface 73a of the planar member is set to be Figure 13 At the position shown, the outermost incident light (the radially outermost light in the incident light) passing through the seventh lens 35g may pass through a position further away from the optical axis L than the position of the inner side 33 of the lens barrel, i.e., the position of the inner side 73a of the planar member (a radially outer position compared to the inner side 33 of the lens barrel and the inner side 73a of the planar member from the perspective of the optical axis L). In this case, the outermost incident light shines on the inner side 73a of the planar member and is reflected, and the reflected light may enter the imaging element 50. The reflected light is obviously not the light that should have been captured, so there is a concern about the occurrence of stray light and other adverse conditions.
[0054] (Second embodiment of vehicle-mounted camera)
[0055] Figure 14 This illustrates the vehicle-mounted camera 100 according to the second embodiment, along... Figure 9 A cross-sectional view of line II, compared with the first embodiment. Figure 10 correspond. Figure 15 This illustrates the vehicle-mounted camera 100 according to the second embodiment. Figure 11 The diagram shows the state in which the lens barrel is equipped with a planar component, compared to the first embodiment. Figure 12Correspondingly, the appearance of the vehicle-mounted camera 100 according to the second embodiment is the same as that according to the first embodiment.
[0056] In the second embodiment, the diameter of the light-passing hole 73 of the planar member 70 is set to be larger than that in the first embodiment. That is, the position of the inner side surface 73a of the planar member of the light-passing hole 73 is set radially to be outside the inner side surface 36 of the second end of the lens barrel 30 and inside the outer side surface 37 of the second end.
[0057] Figure 16 This is an image diagram showing the optical path of incident light in the vehicle-mounted camera 100 according to the second embodiment, compared with that of the first embodiment. Figure 13 Correspondingly. In this embodiment, the incident light incident on the first lens 35a passes through other lenses and the light passage hole 73 before reaching the imaging element 50. However, the outermost light, which is the outermost light among the incident light, passes through the inner side 73a of the planar member 70, which is closer to the optical axis L than the inner side 36 of the second end and the inner side 73a of the planar member (from the perspective of the optical axis L, it is closer to the radially inner side than the inner side 36 of the second end and the inner side 73a of the planar member).
[0058] Unlike the first embodiment, in the second embodiment, the outermost light of the incident light does not illuminate the inner surface 73a of the planar member, thus preventing reflected light. That is, the incident light can pass through the light-transmitting hole 73 without being obstructed by the inner surface 73a of the planar member 70. Therefore, stray light and other undesirable conditions can be prevented.
[0059] The above structure is achieved by adjusting the position of the lens from which the incident light finally exits after passing through the initially incident lens, and the inner surface 33 of the lens barrel and the inner surface 73a of the planar member. Therefore, the lens 35 is based on the premise that it has at least two lenses, namely, a lens, such as a first lens 35a, disposed closer to the first end 31a of the lens barrel 30 than to the second end 31b, and a lens, such as a second lens 35b, disposed closer to the second end 31b than the first lens 35a.
[0060] Furthermore, the light from the planar member 70 passes through the inner surface 73a of the planar member through the aperture 73, for example, located in a radial direction orthogonal to the optical axis L between the inner surface 36 and the outer surface 37 of the second end of the second end of the first cylindrical portion 31b of the lens barrel 30. This reliably suppresses the generation of reflected light by the inner surface 73a of the planar member 70, thus preventing reflected light from reaching the imaging element 50 and suppressing stray light and other undesirable conditions.
[0061] More specifically, the inner surface 73a of the planar member 70 through the light-passing hole 73 is positioned radially orthogonal to the optical axis L, closer to the outer surface 37 of the second end than to the inner surface 36 of the second end. This further reduces the likelihood of incident light being reflected by the inner surface 73a of the planar member 70, and further suppresses the generation of reflected light.
[0062] The second end portion 31b of the first cylindrical portion 31 of the lens barrel 30 has at least a second end face 38 facing the first surface 40a of the circuit board 40. Furthermore, the planar member 70 is positioned closer to the second end face 38 than to the first surface 40a of the circuit board 40 in the direction along the optical axis L. Therefore, the planar member 70 can be positioned closer to the lens barrel 30 than to the circuit board 40.
[0063] The planar member 70 is disposed along the second end face 38. Thus, the planar member 70 can be disposed near the second end face 31b.
[0064] The planar member 70 is mounted on the flange portion 32 of the lens barrel 30. Thus, the planar member 70 can be mounted on the lens barrel 30.
[0065] In this embodiment, the light-passing hole 73 of the planar member 70 is circular. Therefore, the light-passing hole 73 can be easily formed.
[0066] In addition, the vehicle-mounted camera 100 also includes a metal shielding member 90, which is disposed inside the housing 60 and at least houses the circuit board 40. A planar member 70 is electrically connected to the shielding member 90. Thus, the metal planar member 70 and the metal shielding member 90 can be used to shield internal and external noise from the housing.
[0067] In this embodiment, the planar member 70 is a first quadrilateral when viewed from above, and the shielding member 90 is a second quadrilateral when viewed in cross-section. Furthermore, each side of the first quadrilateral of the planar member 70 is electrically connected to each side of the second quadrilateral of the shielding member 90. Therefore, the electrical connection between the planar member 70 and the shielding member 90 can be easily and reliably ensured.
[0068] like Figure 11As shown, the vehicle-mounted camera 100 further includes: a circuit board connector 47 disposed on a circuit board 40; and a connector 80 disposed on at least a portion of the fourth end 64 of the housing 60. The connector 80 has a first connector end 81 and a second connector end 82 opposite to the first connector end 81. The first connector end 81 is connected to the circuit board connector 47, and when the vehicle-mounted camera 100 is disposed in a vehicle V, the second connector end 82 is connected to a line in the vehicle V. Thus, power can be supplied from the vehicle to the circuit board 40 via the connector 80 and the circuit board connector 47.
[0069] Connector 80 can also be a coaxial connector with signal terminals 83 and ground terminals 84. Thus, connector 80 can ensure both signal supply and grounding.
[0070] The housing 60 is made of resin, for example. Therefore, the housing 60 can be formed easily and inexpensively.
[0071] Furthermore, the housing 60 and the ring member 20 can also be understood as a housing. Additionally, the housing 60 and the flange portion 32 of the lens barrel 30 can also be understood as a housing. Furthermore, the housing 60, the ring member 20, and the flange portion 32 can also be understood as a housing. Therefore, the third end 63 of the second cylindrical portion 61 of the housing 60 and the ring member 20 can also be understood as a support portion for supporting the lens barrel 30.
[0072] Alternatively, the third end portion 63 of the second cylindrical portion 61 of the housing 60 and the flange portion 32 of the lens barrel 30 can be included as a support portion for supporting the lens barrel 30. Alternatively, the third end portion 63 of the second cylindrical portion 61 of the housing 60, the ring member 20, and the flange portion 32 of the lens barrel 30 can be included as a support portion for supporting the lens barrel 30. Alternatively, only the third end portion 63 of the second cylindrical portion 61 of the housing 60 can be considered as a support portion for supporting the lens barrel 30.
[0073] Based on the above, at least the following matters are described in this disclosure. Furthermore, the constituent elements corresponding to the above embodiments are shown in parentheses, but the scope is not limited thereto.
[0074] (1) A vehicle-mounted camera (vehicle-mounted camera 100), comprising:
[0075] The lens barrel (lens barrel 30) includes a first cylindrical portion (first cylindrical portion 31) and a lens (lens 35) disposed inside the first cylindrical portion. The first cylindrical portion is a first cylindrical shape along the optical axis (optical axis L). The first cylindrical portion has a first end (first end 31a), a second end opposite to the first end (second end 31b), an inner side surface of the lens barrel (inner side surface of the lens barrel 33), and an outer side surface of the lens barrel (outer side surface of the lens barrel 34).
[0076] The imaging element (image element 50) is disposed on the optical axis at a position closer to the second end of the first cylindrical portion of the lens barrel than to the first end;
[0077] A circuit board (circuit board 40) has a first surface (first surface 40a) and a second surface (second surface 40b) opposite to the first surface, and the imaging element is disposed on the first surface;
[0078] A housing (housing 60) having a second cylindrical portion (second cylindrical portion 61) supporting the lens barrel and at least housing the imaging element and the circuit board, the second cylindrical portion being a second cylinder along the optical axis, the second cylindrical portion having a third end (third end 63) and a fourth end (fourth end 64) opposite to the third end; and
[0079] A metal planar member (planar member 70) is located between the second end of the first cylindrical portion of the mirror barrel and the first surface of the circuit board, the planar member being arranged along a direction parallel to the first surface of the circuit board.
[0080] The lens of the lens tube includes:
[0081] A first lens (first lens 35a), located inside the first cylindrical portion, is positioned closer to the first end point than to the second end point; and
[0082] The second lens (second lens 35b) is located inside the first cylindrical portion and is positioned closer to the second end than the first lens.
[0083] The planar component has:
[0084] Page 3 (Page 71);
[0085] A fourth surface (fourth surface 72) opposite to the third surface; and
[0086] A light-passing aperture (light-passing aperture 73) penetrates the third surface and the fourth surface, and the optical axis passes through the light-passing aperture.
[0087] The light-passing aperture is formed by the inner surface of the planar member (inner surface 73a of the planar member) for connecting the third surface and the fourth surface of the planar member.
[0088] The incident light incident on the first lens passes through the second lens and the light-passing aperture to reach the imaging element. The outermost light, which is the outermost light in the incident light, passes through a position closer to the optical axis than the inner surface of the planar member.
[0089] Thus, incident light can pass through the light-transmitting aperture without being obstructed by the inner surface of the planar member.
[0090] (2) The vehicle-mounted camera according to (1), wherein,
[0091] The second end of the first cylindrical portion of the lens tube has:
[0092] The inner surface of the second end (inner surface of the second end 36) lies on a full circumference centered on the optical axis; and
[0093] The outer surface of the second end (second end outer surface 37) is located on the entire circumference centered on the optical axis, and is positioned on the outer side relative to the inner surface of the second end, with reference to the optical axis.
[0094] The inner side of the planar member of the light-passing hole is located between the inner side of the second end and the outer side of the second end of the second end of the first cylindrical portion of the lens barrel in a direction orthogonal to the optical axis.
[0095] Therefore, incident light is reliably suppressed from being reflected by the inner surface of the planar member, thus preventing reflected light from reaching the imaging element and suppressing stray light and other adverse conditions.
[0096] (3) The vehicle-mounted camera according to (2), wherein,
[0097] The inner surface of the light-passing hole of the planar member is positioned in a direction orthogonal to the optical axis closer to the outer surface of the second end of the first cylindrical portion of the lens barrel than to the inner surface of the second end.
[0098] Therefore, the possibility of incident light being reflected by the inner surface of the planar component can be further reduced, and the generation of reflected light can be further suppressed.
[0099] (4) The vehicle-mounted camera according to (1), wherein,
[0100] The second end of the first cylindrical portion of the lens barrel has at least a second end face (second end face 38) facing the first surface of the circuit board.
[0101] The planar member is positioned closer to the second end face than to the first face of the circuit board in the direction along the optical axis.
[0102] Therefore, planar components can be positioned closer to the mirror barrel than to the circuit board.
[0103] (5) The vehicle-mounted camera according to (4), wherein,
[0104] The planar member is arranged along the second end face.
[0105] Therefore, the planar member can be positioned near the second end.
[0106] (6) The vehicle-mounted camera according to (5), wherein,
[0107] The lens barrel also has a flange (flange 32) on the outer side of the first cylindrical portion of the lens barrel, the flange being configured to extend outward along the entire circumference centered on the optical axis, with the optical axis as a reference.
[0108] The planar member is mounted on the flange portion of the housing.
[0109] This allows planar components to be mounted on the lens barrel.
[0110] (7) The vehicle-mounted camera according to (1), wherein,
[0111] The light-passing hole of the planar component is circular.
[0112] Therefore, it is easy to form a light-passing aperture.
[0113] (8) The vehicle-mounted camera according to (1), wherein,
[0114] It also includes a metal shielding member (shielding member 90), which is disposed inside the housing and at least accommodates the circuit board.
[0115] The planar component is electrically connected to the shielding component.
[0116] Therefore, it is possible to use metal planar components and metal shielding components to shield the internal and external noise of the housing.
[0117] (9) The vehicle-mounted camera according to (8), wherein,
[0118] The planar component appears as a first quadrilateral when viewed from above.
[0119] The shielding member is a second quadrilateral in cross-section.
[0120] Each side of the first quadrilateral of the planar member is electrically connected to each side of the second quadrilateral of the shielding member.
[0121] Therefore, the electrical connection between the planar component and the shielding component can be easily and reliably ensured.
[0122] (10) The vehicle-mounted camera according to (1), further comprising:
[0123] Circuit board connector (circuit board connector 47), disposed on the circuit board; and
[0124] A connector (connector 80) disposed at least a portion of the fourth end of the housing.
[0125] The connector has the following features:
[0126] First connector end (first connector end 81); and
[0127] The second connector end (second connector end 82) is opposite to the first connector end.
[0128] The first connector end is connected to the circuit board connector.
[0129] When the vehicle-mounted camera is installed in a vehicle, the end of the second connector is connected to the vehicle's wiring.
[0130] Thus, electricity can be supplied from the vehicle to the circuit board via connectors and circuit board connectors.
[0131] (11) The vehicle-mounted camera according to (10), wherein,
[0132] The connector is a coaxial connector with signal terminals (signal terminal 83) and ground terminals (ground terminal 84).
[0133] Thus, the connector enables both signal supply and grounding to be ensured.
[0134] (12) The vehicle-mounted camera according to (1), wherein,
[0135] The shell is made of resin.
[0136] Therefore, the shell can be formed easily and cheaply.
[0137] The above is with reference to the appendix. Figure 1 While the embodiments have been described, this disclosure is not limited to such examples. Those skilled in the art will readily recognize various modifications, alterations, substitutions, additions, deletions, and equivalents within the scope of the claims, and understand that they also fall within the technical scope of this disclosure. Furthermore, the constituent elements of the above embodiments can be combined arbitrarily without departing from the spirit of the invention.
[0138] Industrial availability
[0139] This disclosure is useful for vehicle-mounted cameras in which incident light passes through a light-passing aperture without being obstructed by the inner surface of the planar member.
[0140] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures
[0141] 10: Resin components
[0142] 20: Ring component
[0143] 30: Lens tube
[0144] 31: First cylindrical part
[0145] 31a: First end
[0146] 31b: Second end
[0147] 32: Flange portion
[0148] 33: Inner side of the lens tube
[0149] 34: Outer side of the lens tube
[0150] 35: Lens
[0151] 35a: First lens
[0152] 35b: Second lens
[0153] 36: Inner side of the second end
[0154] 37: Second end outer surface
[0155] 38: Second end face
[0156] 40: Circuit board
[0157] 40a: First page
[0158] 40b: Second page
[0159] 47: Circuit board connector
[0160] 50: Camera element
[0161] 60: Shell
[0162] 61: Second cylindrical part
[0163] 62: Third cylindrical part
[0164] 63: Third end
[0165] 64: Fourth end
[0166] 70: Planar components
[0167] 71: Third Page
[0168] 72: Fourth page
[0169] 73: Light passes through the aperture
[0170] 73a: Inner surface of planar component
[0171] 80: Connector
[0172] 81: First connector end
[0173] 82: Second connector end
[0174] 83: Signal terminal
[0175] 84: Grounding terminal
[0176] 90: Shielding components
[0177] 100: Vehicle-mounted camera
[0178] L: Optical axis.
Claims
1. A vehicle-mounted camera, comprising: A lens barrel having a first cylindrical portion and a lens disposed inside the first cylindrical portion, the first cylindrical portion being a first cylindrical shape along the optical axis, the first cylindrical portion having a first end, a second end opposite to the first end, an inner side surface of the lens barrel, and an outer side surface of the lens barrel; The imaging element is positioned on the optical axis at a location closer to the second end of the first cylindrical portion of the lens barrel than to the first end. A circuit board having a first side and a second side opposite to the first side, wherein the imaging element is disposed on the first side; A housing having a second cylindrical portion supporting the lens barrel and at least housing the imaging element and the circuit board, the second cylindrical portion being a second cylinder along the optical axis, the second cylindrical portion having a third end and a fourth end opposite to the third end; and A metal planar member is located between the second end of the first cylindrical portion of the mirror barrel and the first surface of the circuit board, the planar member being arranged along a direction parallel to the first surface of the circuit board. in, The lens of the lens barrel includes: A first lens, located inside the first cylindrical portion, is positioned closer to the first end point than to the second end point; and The second lens is located inside the first cylindrical portion and is positioned closer to the second end than the first lens. The planar component has: The third side; A fourth surface opposite to the third surface; and Light passes through the aperture, penetrating both the third and fourth surfaces, and the optical axis passes through the aperture. The light-passing aperture is formed by the inner surface of the planar member for connecting the third and fourth surfaces of the planar member. The incident light incident on the first lens passes through the second lens and the light-passing aperture to reach the imaging element. The outermost light, which is the outermost light in the incident light, passes through a position closer to the optical axis than the inner surface of the planar member.
2. The vehicle-mounted camera according to claim 1, wherein, The second end of the first cylindrical portion of the lens tube has: The inner surface of the second end, which lies on a full circumference centered on the optical axis; and The outer surface of the second end is located on the entire circumference centered on the optical axis, and is positioned on the outer side relative to the inner surface of the second end, with reference to the optical axis. The inner side of the planar member of the light-passing hole is located between the inner side of the second end and the outer side of the second end of the second end of the first cylindrical portion of the lens barrel in a direction orthogonal to the optical axis.
3. The vehicle-mounted camera according to claim 2, wherein, The inner surface of the light-passing hole of the planar member is positioned in a direction orthogonal to the optical axis closer to the outer surface of the second end of the first cylindrical portion of the lens barrel than to the inner surface of the second end.
4. The vehicle-mounted camera according to claim 1, wherein, The second end of the first cylindrical portion of the lens barrel has at least a second end face facing the first surface of the circuit board. The planar member is positioned closer to the second end face than to the first face of the circuit board in the direction along the optical axis.
5. The vehicle-mounted camera according to claim 4, wherein, The planar member is disposed along the second end face of the second end of the first cylindrical portion of the lens barrel.
6. The vehicle-mounted camera according to claim 5, wherein, The lens barrel also has a flange portion on the outer side of the first cylindrical portion of the lens barrel, the flange portion being configured to extend outward with reference to the optical axis along a full circumference centered on the optical axis. The planar member is mounted on the flange portion of the housing.
7. The vehicle-mounted camera according to claim 1, wherein, The light-passing hole of the planar component is circular.
8. The vehicle-mounted camera according to claim 1, wherein, It also includes a metal shielding member disposed inside the housing, which at least accommodates the circuit board. The planar component is electrically connected to the shielding component.
9. The vehicle-mounted camera according to claim 8, wherein, The planar component appears as a first quadrilateral when viewed from above. The shielding member is a second quadrilateral in cross-section. Each side of the first quadrilateral of the planar member is electrically connected to each side of the second quadrilateral of the shielding member.
10. The vehicle-mounted camera according to claim 1, wherein, It also has: Circuit board connector, disposed on the circuit board; and A connector disposed at least a portion of the fourth end of the housing. The connector has the following features: The first connector end; and The second connector end is opposite to the first connector end. The first connector end is connected to the circuit board connector. When the vehicle-mounted camera is installed in a vehicle, the end of the second connector is connected to the vehicle's wiring.
11. The vehicle-mounted camera according to claim 10, wherein, The connector is a coaxial connector with signal terminals and ground terminals.
12. The vehicle-mounted camera according to claim 1, wherein, The shell is made of resin.