Vehicle inspection camera

Abstract

Control camera for motor vehicle The present invention relates to a control camera (10), comprising a casing (12) and an optical lens (18), fixed to the casing. The camera further comprises at least one LED (14) fixed to the casing, the LED comprising an external portion (34) arranged outside the casing. The casing comprises a reflective external surface (30), arranged around the external portion of the LED, so as to form a reflector capable of reflecting light radiation emitted by the LED. Figure for abstract: Figure 1

Description

Title of the invention: Control camera for motor vehicle

[0001] The present invention relates to a monitoring camera, of the type comprising a casing and an optical lens fixed to the casing.

[0002] The invention applies particularly to control cameras for motor vehicles. Such a camera is described in document US9628680.

[0003] Such cameras are typically fixed in the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle, to be incorporated into a system for monitoring the driver and / or the occupant(s) of said vehicle. Alternatively, these cameras are fixed to the exterior of the motor vehicle in order to provide a visual facilitating the driver's maneuvers. The arrangement of the various components of such a camera must take into account limited available space.

[0004] Furthermore, it is known to equip control cameras with infrared lighting, in particular to improve the quality of night images.

[0005] The present invention aims to propose an improvement in the arrangement of control cameras for motor vehicles. To this end, the invention relates to a control camera of the aforementioned type, further comprising at least one LED (light-emitting diode) fixed to the casing, the LED comprising an external portion arranged outside the casing; the casing comprising a reflective external surface, arranged around the external portion of the LED so as to form a reflector capable of reflecting light radiation emitted by the LED.

[0006] According to other advantageous aspects of the invention, the control camera comprises one or more of the following characteristics, taken individually or in all technically possible combinations:

[0007] - a shape of the reflective external surface varies according to a shape of the LED;

[0008] - the reflective external surface is formed from a metallic material;

[0009] - the envelope is formed from the metallic material;

[0010] - the LED is an infrared LED;

[0011] - the control camera further comprises a printed circuit, received inside the envelope, the LED being fixed to the printed circuit;

[0012] - the reflective external surface of the envelope extends along an axis, the portion external of the LED being arranged on said axis;

[0013] - the envelope is thermally connected to the LED, so as to dissipate heat generated by said LED.

[0014] The invention further relates to a system for monitoring the driver of a vehicle, comprising a control camera as described above.

[0015] The invention further relates to a motor vehicle, comprising a system monitoring as described above.

[0016] The invention will appear more clearly on reading the description which follows, given solely by way of non-limiting example, and made with reference to the drawings in which:

[0017] [Fig-1] [Fig.l] is a perspective view of a control camera according to a mode of carrying out the invention; and

[0018] [Fig.2] [Fig.2] is a sectional view of the control camera of [Fig.l].

[0019] Figures 1 and 2 show a control camera 10 according to one embodiment of the invention. The camera 10 is for example intended to be fixed inside a motor vehicle (not shown). Preferably, the camera 10 is intended to be incorporated into a system (not shown) for monitoring the driver and / or the occupant(s) of said motor vehicle.

[0020] The camera 10 comprises in particular: an envelope 12; an LED 14; a first printed circuit 16; and an optical lens 18. In the embodiment shown, the camera 10 further comprises a second printed circuit 20.

[0021] The envelope 12 defines an internal space 22. In the embodiment shown, the envelope 12 comprises a first 24 and a second 26 opening, opening onto the internal space 22.

[0022] In the embodiment shown, the first 24 and second 26 openings are arranged close to each other, respectively along a first 28 and a second 29 substantially parallel axes.

[0023] The envelope 12 comprises a reflective external surface 30. Said external surface 30 extends around the first opening 24. More precisely, the external surface 30 extends along the first axis 28, from said first opening 24.

[0024] The shape of the external surface 30 varies according to several elements, for example the shape of the LED 14, the orientation and position of the camera 10 relative to the occupant, the shape and surface of the illumination field. In the case where the camera is incorporated into a system for monitoring the driver or an occupant of the vehicle, the external surface 30 is preferably configured to uniformly illuminate the face of said driver or occupant.

[0025] According to one embodiment, the reflective external surface 30 has a concave shape. More specifically, according to one embodiment, the external surface 30 has a shape of revolution around the first axis 28, for example a truncated cone shape or a paraboloid shape. According to another embodiment, the external surface 30 comprises flat surfaces and has, for example, a substantially pyramidal shape.

[0026] Preferably, the external surface 30 is formed from a metallic material. More preferably, the casing 12 is entirely formed from said metallic material. The casing 12 is thus capable of combining the following functions: a function mechanical to accommodate the LED, the printed circuits 16, 20 and the optical lens 18; an optical reflector function for the reflective external surface 30; a thermal function to dissipate heat from the LED and the printed circuits; and an electromagnetic function to isolate the interior and exterior of the casing 14 from each other.

[0027] The LED 14 is fixed to the casing 12. In the embodiment shown, the LED 14 is fixed to the first printed circuit 16, said first printed circuit 16 being fixed to the casing 12.

[0028] More specifically, the first printed circuit 16 comprises a first face 32 and a second opposite face. The first printed circuit 16 is received in the internal space 22 of the casing 12, so as to close the first opening 24.

[0029] The LED 14 is fixed to the first face 32, oriented towards the outside of the envelope 12. Thus, the LED 14 comprises an external portion 34, arranged outside the envelope 12.

[0030] More precisely, the external portion 34 of the LED 14 extends along the first axis 28 from the first opening 24. Said external portion 34 is thus surrounded by the reflective external surface 30 of the envelope 12.

[0031] The LED 14 is preferably an infrared LED, capable of emitting infrared light radiation.

[0032] Preferably, the casing 12 is thermally connected to the LED 14, in particular via the first printed circuit 16. In a variant not shown, the casing 12 is thermally connected to the LED 14 by thermal pads and / or thermal pastes.

[0033] The optical lens 18 is received in the internal space 22 of the casing 12 and is arranged along the second axis 29. The optical lens 18 is flush with the second opening 26 of the casing 12. In the embodiment shown, the optical lens 18 is fixed to the second printed circuit 20.

[0034] In a variant not shown, the optical lens 18 is fixed directly to the casing 12 by glue or screws, according to an optimal focal distance between said optical lens 18 and optical detectors arranged on the second printed circuit 20. Such optical detectors are for example CCD (charge coupled device) or CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductor) optical detectors.

[0035] The second printed circuit 20 is arranged in the internal space 22 of the casing 12. In the embodiment shown, the second printed circuit 20 closes a third opening 36 of the casing 12.

[0036] A method of operating the control camera 10 described above will now be described.

[0037] The LED 14 emits light radiation, in particular infrared, towards the outside. of the envelope 12. In particular, the external portion 34 of said LED 14 emits said light radiation.

[0038] The reflective external surface 30 of the envelope 12 has a reflector function, contributing to concentrating a light beam along the first axis 28. Said light beam therefore illuminates an area of ​​space towards which the optical lens 18 is oriented.

[0039] The control camera 10 is thus able to receive and transmit an image recorded by the optical lens 18, said image corresponding to the area of ​​space illuminated by the light beam emitted by the LED 14.

[0040] The improvement of the illumination by the reflector leads to a better quality of the image obtained and the homogeneity of the illumination of the scene.

[0041] Preferably, the heat generated by the infrared LED is dissipated by means of the casing 12, thermally connected to said LED.

Claims

Claims

1. Control camera (10), comprising a casing (12) and an optical lens (18), fixed to the casing; the control camera being characterized in that it further comprises at least one LED (14) fixed to the casing, the LED comprising an external portion (34) arranged outside the casing; and in that the casing comprises a reflective external surface (30), arranged around the external portion of the LED so as to form a reflector capable of reflecting light radiation emitted by the LED.

2. A monitoring camera according to claim 1, wherein a shape of the reflective outer surface (30) varies according to a shape of the LED (14).

3. A monitoring camera according to claim 1, wherein the reflective outer surface (30) is formed of a metallic material.

4. A monitoring camera according to claim 3, wherein the casing (12) is formed from the metallic material.

5. Control camera according to one of the preceding claims, in which the LED (14) is an infrared LED.

6. A control camera according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising a printed circuit (16), received inside the casing, the LED (14) being fixed to the printed circuit.

7. Control camera according to one of the preceding claims, in which the reflective external surface (30) of the envelope extends along an axis (28), the external portion (34) of the LED being arranged on said axis.

8. Control camera according to one of the preceding claims, in which the casing (12) is thermally connected to the LED (14), so as to dissipate heat generated by said LED.

9. System for monitoring the driver of a vehicle, comprising a control camera (10) according to one of the preceding claims.

10. Motor vehicle, comprising a monitoring system according to claim 9.

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