Vehicular optical instrument

Abstract

To control the sectional shape of a conductive member which is deformable when a heater and a terminal for supplying power to the heater are connected and when connected to the heater.SOLUTION: An optical instrument comprises: an optical element 62; terminals 48, 55 composed of conductive materials and a bracket 32 connected to the optical element; a heater 66 composed of light transmissive materials, provided on the optical element and generating heat when receiving power; power supply conductive members 72, 74 connected to the terminal and the heater, being deformable when connected to the heater; and spacers 42, 44 provided on one of the bracket and the optical element, capable of restricting the deformation of the conductive members when brought into contact with the other of the bracket and the optical element.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an optical device for a vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] The following Patent Document 1 discloses a heating element in which a conductive thin film formed on the surface of a transparent substrate and a pair of electrodes are connected via a conductive adhesive. When power is supplied from the pair of electrodes to the conductive thin film via the conductive adhesive, the conductive thin film generates heat.

[0003] With this heating element, it is difficult to control the cross-sectional shape (width and thickness) of the conductive adhesive when it hardens. The electrical resistance value of the conductive adhesive varies depending on the cross-sectional shape of the conductive adhesive. Therefore, if the cross-sectional shape of the conductive adhesive cannot be controlled, it is difficult to achieve the desired amount of heat generated per unit time by the conductive thin film. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2006-32067 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In consideration of the above, the present invention aims to provide an optical device for a vehicle that connects a heater to a terminal that supplies power to the heater and that can control the cross-sectional shape of a conductive member that can be deformed when connected to the heater. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The first aspect of the present invention provides an optical device for a vehicle, comprising an optical element, a terminal made of a conductive material and a bracket to which the optical element is fixed, a heater made of a light-transmitting material provided on the optical element and which generates heat when power is supplied thereto, a conductive member for power supply connected to the terminal and the heater and capable of deforming when connected to the heater, and a spacer provided on one of the bracket and the optical element and capable of restricting deformation of the conductive member when it comes into contact with the other of the bracket and the optical element.

[0007] A second aspect of the present invention is a vehicle optical device of the first aspect of the present invention, wherein the optical element includes a lens supported by the bracket and positioned between a pair of the conductive members, and the spacer includes a first spacer positioned between the conductive members and the lens.

[0008] A vehicle optical device according to a third aspect of the present invention is the vehicle optical device according to the second aspect of the present invention, wherein the first spacer is an annular body.

[0009] A vehicle optical device of a fourth aspect of the present invention is a vehicle optical device of any one of the first to fourth aspects of the present invention, wherein the optical element includes a lens supported by the bracket and a cover glass supported by the bracket and positioned just before the lens, the space between the outer periphery of the cover glass and the bracket is sealed in a watertight manner by an annular sealing member, and the spacer includes a second spacer positioned between the conductive member and the sealing member.

[0010] In this specification, when a heater is provided on the outer periphery of the camera-side surface of the cover glass, the outer periphery of the cover glass, the outer periphery of the heater, and the outer periphery of the camera-side surface of the heater correspond to the "outer periphery of the cover glass." In addition, in this specification, when a heater is not provided on the outer periphery of the camera-side surface of the cover glass, the outer periphery of the cover glass and the outer periphery of the camera-side surface of the cover glass correspond to the "outer periphery of the cover glass."

[0011] A vehicle optical device according to a fifth aspect of the present invention is the vehicle optical device according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, wherein the second spacer is an annular body. Effect of the Invention

[0012] The vehicle optical device according to the first aspect of the present invention includes a spacer that is provided on one of the bracket and the optical element and that can restrict deformation of the conductive member when the conductive member comes into contact with the other of the bracket and the optical element, and therefore, when the conductive member that is connected to the heater and the terminal that supplies power to the heater is connected to the heater, the cross-sectional shape of the deformable conductive member can be controlled by the spacer.

[0013] In the vehicle optical device according to the second aspect of the present invention, the first spacer can prevent the conductive member from deforming so as to come into contact with the lens.

[0014] In the vehicle optical device according to the third aspect of the present invention, the first spacer is an annular body located between the conductive member and the lens, and therefore the first spacer prevents the conductive member from contacting the lens.

[0015] In the vehicle optical device of the fourth aspect of the present invention, the gap between the outer periphery of the cover glass and the bracket is sealed in a watertight state by the annular sealing member. Therefore, the vehicle optical device of the fourth aspect can reduce the risk of moisture such as rain passing through the gap between the bracket and the cover glass and contacting the conductive member. Furthermore, since the second spacer is located between the conductive member and the sealing member, the second spacer can prevent the conductive member from deforming so as to come into contact with the sealing member.

[0016] In the vehicle optical device according to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the second spacer is an annular body located between the conductive member and the sealing member, and therefore the second spacer prevents the conductive member from contacting the sealing member. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle camera device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the vehicle camera device. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 3-3 in FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 3 when the cover glass is attached to the bracket. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a front view of the vehicle camera device. [Figure 7] FIG. 4 is a front view of a vehicle camera device according to a first modified example of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 11 is a front view of a vehicle camera device according to a second modified example of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 13 is a front view of a vehicle camera device according to a third modified example of the present invention. [Figure 10] FIG. 13 is a front view of a vehicle camera device according to a fourth modified example of the present invention. [Figure 11] FIG. 13 is a front view of a vehicle camera device according to a fifth modified example of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0018] Hereinafter, a vehicle camera device (vehicle optical device) 10 (hereinafter referred to as camera device 10) in this embodiment will be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 6. The camera device 10 in this embodiment is provided in a vehicle. For example, the camera device 10 can be used as a component of a digital mirror for a vehicle. The camera device 10 can also be used as a device for photographing the inside or outside of a vehicle. Note that an arrow FR shown as appropriate in each drawing indicates the forward direction, an arrow UP indicates the upward direction, and an arrow LH indicates the leftward direction.

[0019] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, the camera device 10 includes a camera 15 and a cover glass unit 30.

[0020] The camera 15 comprises a first unit 16 and a second unit 20 .

[0021] The first unit 16 includes a support plate 18 and an imaging element 19 fixed to the front surface of the support plate 18 .

[0022] The second unit 20 has a bracket 21, a first lens (lens) 25, a second lens 26, a third lens 27, and a fourth lens .

[0023] The bracket 21, which is an integrally molded resin product, has a main body 22 and a lens holder 23. The main body 22 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, and the rear surface of the main body 22 is open. The lens holder 23 penetrates the center of the front plate 22A of the main body 22 in the front-rear direction. In other words, the center of the lens holder 23 in the front-rear direction is supported by the front plate 22A. The lens holder 23 is a cylindrical member that is open on both the front and rear ends and is centered on the central axis 10X.

[0024] The first lens 25, the second lens 26, the third lens 27, and the fourth lens 28, which are made of a light-transmitting material, are rotationally symmetrical bodies centered on their own optical axes. The first lens 25, the second lens 26, the third lens 27, and the fourth lens 28 are inserted into the lens holder 23 in this order and fixed to the lens holder 23. When the first lens 25, the second lens 26, the third lens 27, and the fourth lens 28 are fixed to the lens holder 23, the optical axes of the first lens 25, the second lens 26, the third lens 27, and the fourth lens 28 coincide with the central axis 10X.

[0025] The cover glass unit 30 includes a bracket 32, an anode terminal (terminal) 48, a cathode terminal (terminal) 55, a cover glass 62, a heater 66, conductive adhesives (conductive members) 72, 74, and an adhesive (sealing member) 78.

[0026] The bracket 32 ​​made of an insulating resin material is molded integrally with the anode terminal 48 and the cathode terminal 55. More specifically, with the anode terminal 48 and the cathode terminal 55 arranged in a molding die (not shown), an insulating resin material is injected into the molding die, and after the resin material has hardened, one side of the molding die is opened, thereby obtaining an integrally molded product of the bracket 32, the anode terminal 48, and the cathode terminal 55.

[0027] The bracket 32 ​​has a main body 33 having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape and a square frame-shaped connector portion 34 provided on the left side surface of the main body 33. Furthermore, a cover storage recess (support hole) 36 having a substantially square front shape is provided on the front surface of the main body 33. A recess 38 having a substantially square front shape is provided on the rear surface of the main body 33. Furthermore, a through hole 40 is formed in the main body 33, which connects the cover storage recess 36 and the recess 38. The through hole 40 is a cylindrical hole, and the inner diameter of the through hole 40 is substantially the same as the outer diameter of the lens holder 23.

[0028] The anode terminal 48 and the cathode terminal 55 are made of a conductive material. The anode terminal 48 and the cathode terminal 55 are manufactured, for example, by press-forming a metal plate. As shown in FIG. 2, the anode terminal 48 includes a connection end 49, an intermediate portion 52, and a connection terminal 53 provided at an end of the intermediate portion 52 opposite to the connection end 49. The cathode terminal 55 includes a connection end 56, an intermediate portion 59, and a connection terminal 60 provided at an end of the intermediate portion 59 opposite to the connection end 56. As shown in FIG. 2, the connection terminal 53 and the connection terminal 60 are exposed at the bottom surface 36A of the cover storage recess 36.

[0029] 1 and 3, most of the anode terminal 48 and the cathode terminal 55 are located inside the bracket 32. A connection end 49 of the anode terminal 48 and a portion of a connection end 56 of the cathode terminal 55 are located in the internal space of the connector portion 34.

[0030] As shown in Figs. 2 to 4, a first spacer (spacer) 42 and a second spacer (spacer) 44 are provided on the bottom surface 36A of the cover housing recess 36 in the form of ribs protruding forward. The first spacer 42 is a circular portion in a front view located between the connection terminals 53 and 60 and the through-hole 40. The second spacer 44 is a rectangular portion in a front view located between the connection terminals 53 and 60 and the inner peripheral surface 36B of the cover housing recess 36. The second spacer 44 is located on the inner peripheral side of the inner peripheral surface 36B. The front surfaces of the first spacer 42 and the second spacer 44 are located rearward of the front surface of the bracket 32 ​​and are planes perpendicular to the front-rear direction.

[0031] A support plate 18 is fixed to the rear end surface of the main body 22. Therefore, the imaging element 19 is located immediately behind the fourth lens 28, and the imaging element 19 is located on the optical axis (central axis 10X) of the first lens 25, the second lens 26, the third lens 27, and the fourth lens 28.

[0032] The transparent cover glass 62 has a substantially square front shape. The front shape of the cover glass 62 is slightly smaller than the front shape of the cover storage recess 36. The front and rear surfaces of the cover glass 62 are flat surfaces perpendicular to the front-rear direction.

[0033] A heater 66, which is a film-like member, is fixed to the entire rear surface of the cover glass 62. The heater 66 is made of, for example, indium tin oxide (ITO), which is a compound in which tin is added to indium oxide. The heater 66 is colorless and transparent, and is formed as a film on the entire rear surface of the cover glass 62 by evaporation. However, the method for forming the film of the heater 66 on the rear surface of the cover glass 62 may be other methods such as electron beam evaporation, physical vapor deposition, sputtering evaporation, etc. The front shape of the heater 66 is approximately the same as that of the cover glass 62.

[0034] The integrated unit of the cover glass 62 and heater 66 is provided in the cover housing recess 36 from the front of the bracket 32. As shown in Figures 2 and 4, liquid conductive adhesives (conductive members) 72, 74 are applied to the rear surface of the heater 66 integrated with the cover glass 62 before it is attached to the bracket 32. Furthermore, as shown in Figures 2 and 4, a non-conductive liquid adhesive (sealing member) 78 is applied to the entire outer periphery of the rear surface of the heater 66.

[0035] In this state, when the integrated body of the cover glass 62, the heater 66, the adhesive 78, the conductive adhesives 72, 74, and the adhesive 78 is inserted into the cover housing recess 36 from the front of the bracket 32, the rear face of the heater 66 comes into contact with the front faces of the first spacer 42 and the second spacer 44 as shown in FIG. 3. Furthermore, the adhesive 78 comes into contact with the outer periphery of the bottom face 36A of the cover housing recess 36 and the rear part of the inner periphery 36B of the cover housing recess 36 in the annular space between the second spacer 44 and the inner periphery 36B. Furthermore, in the annular space between the first spacer 42 and the second spacer 44, the conductive adhesive 72 comes into contact with the connection terminal 53, and the conductive adhesive 74 comes into contact with the connection terminal 60. When the conductive adhesives 72, 74, and the adhesive 78 are solidified, the integrated body of the cover glass 62 and the heater 66 is fixed to the bracket 32 ​​by the conductive adhesives 72, 74, and the adhesive 78. 3, the conductive adhesives 72 and 74 move away from the adhesive 78 toward the inner periphery. Furthermore, the adhesive 78 watertightly seals the gap between the entire rear portion of the inner periphery 36B of the cover housing recess 36 and the entire outer periphery of the rear surface of the heater 66. Furthermore, the front end of the first lens 25 is positioned immediately behind the center of the rear surface of the heater 66.

[0036] A connector (not shown) provided at one end of an electric cable (not shown) is mechanically connected to the connector portion 34. This allows power from an on-board battery (not shown) to which the other end of the electric cable is electrically connected to be supplied to the heater 66 via the electric cable, the anode terminal 48, the cathode terminal 55, and the conductive adhesives 72 and 74. When power from the on-board battery is supplied to the heater 66, the heater 66 generates heat.

[0037] Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described.

[0038] When the imaging light beam reflected by an object (subject) located in front of the camera device 10 and passing through the cover glass 62, the light-transmitting heater 66, the first lens 25, the second lens 26, the third lens 27, and the fourth lens 28 is received by the imaging element 19, the imaging element 19 images (photographs) the object. Therefore, for example, when the camera device 10 is used as an exterior camera device for photographing an object located in front of the vehicle, an image generated by the camera device 10 (imaging element 19) is displayed on a display (not shown) provided inside the vehicle.

[0039] Furthermore, when power from the vehicle battery is supplied to the heater 66, the heater 66 generates heat due to the electric resistance of the heater 66 itself. When the temperature of the heater 66 rises due to the heat generated by the heater 66, the heat of the heater 66 is transferred to the cover glass 62, and the temperature of the cover glass 62 rises. When the temperature of the cover glass 62 rises in this manner, water droplets and frost adhering to the cover glass 62 evaporate, and the fog on the cover glass 62 is removed. This allows the camera device 10 to capture clearer images than when the heater 66 is not generating heat.

[0040] When the cover glass 62 of the camera device 10 is attached to the bracket 32 ​​(cover storage recess 36), the rear surface of the heater 66 comes into contact with the front surfaces of the first spacer 42 and the second spacer 44. Furthermore, in the annular space between the first spacer 42 and the second spacer 44, the conductive adhesive 72 comes into contact with the connection terminal 53, and the conductive adhesive 74 comes into contact with the connection terminal 60. In this manner, the first spacer 42, which is an annular body, is located between the conductive adhesives 72, 74, and the first lens 25. Therefore, the first spacer 42 prevents the conductive adhesives 72, 74 from coming into contact with the first lens 25. Furthermore, in the annular space between the second spacer 44 and the inner peripheral surface 36B, the adhesive 78 comes into contact with the outer periphery of the bottom surface 36A of the cover storage recess 36 and the rear part of the inner peripheral surface 36B of the cover storage recess 36. In this manner, the second spacer 44, which is an annular body, is located between the conductive adhesives 72 and 74. Therefore, the second spacer 44 prevents the conductive adhesive 72 and the conductive adhesive 74 from mixing with each other.

[0041] Furthermore, the first spacer 42 is located on the inner periphery side of the conductive adhesives 72, 74, and the second spacer 44 is located on the outer periphery side of the conductive adhesives 72, 74. That is, the first spacer 42 prevents the conductive adhesives 72, 74 from freely deforming toward the inner periphery before solidification, and the second spacer 44 prevents the conductive adhesives 72, 74 from freely deforming toward the outer periphery before solidification. Therefore, the first spacer 42 and the second spacer 44 can control the cross-sectional shape of the conductive adhesives 72, 74 when solidified. That is, the first spacer 42 and the second spacer 44 can control the cross-sectional shape of the conductive adhesives 72, 74 perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. The electrical resistance value of the conductive adhesives 72, 74 changes depending on the cross-sectional shape of the conductive adhesives 72, 74. Therefore, if the cross-sectional shape of the conductive adhesives 72, 74 cannot be controlled, it is difficult to set the heat generation amount per unit time of the heater 66 to a desired value. In contrast to this, in this embodiment, the cross-sectional shape of the conductive adhesives 72, 74 when solidified can be controlled by the first spacer 42 and the second spacer 44, so that it is easier to set the heat generation amount per unit time of the heater 66 to the desired value compared to the case where the first spacer 42 and the second spacer 44 are not provided.

[0042] Furthermore, the camera device 10 has adhesive 78 that provides a watertight seal between the outer periphery of the rear surface of the heater 66 and the inner periphery 36B of the cover housing recess 36 of the bracket 32. Therefore, the camera device 10 can reduce the risk of moisture such as rain passing through the gap between the bracket 32 ​​and the cover glass 62 and coming into contact with the anode terminal 48 and the cathode terminal 55.

[0043] Furthermore, in the camera device 10, the conductive adhesives 72, 74 for fixing the cover glass 62 and the heater 66 to the bracket 32 ​​are used to supply power from the vehicle battery to the heater 66. That is, the conductive adhesives 72, 74 serve both as a conductive means for supplying power from the vehicle battery to the heater 66 and as a fixing means for fixing the cover glass 62 and the heater 66 to the bracket 32. Therefore, the cover glass 62 and the heater 66 can be fixed more firmly to the bracket 32 ​​than when the conductive adhesives 72, 74 do not function as fixing means.

[0044] While the camera device 10 according to the embodiment has been described above, the design of the camera device 10 can be modified as appropriate without departing from the gist of the present invention.

[0045] For example, the present invention may be implemented in the form of a first modified example shown in FIG. 7. The first spacer 42 and the second spacer 44 are not provided on the bottom surface 36A of the bracket 32 ​​of the first modified example 10A. Instead, a pair of left and right spacers 80, 81 are provided on the bottom surface 36A. The spacers 80, 81 are annular bodies having a substantially rectangular front shape. The front surfaces of the spacers 80, 81 are located rearward of the front surface of the bracket 32 ​​and are planes perpendicular to the front-rear direction. When the cover glass 62 of the camera device 10A is attached to the bracket 32 ​​(cover storage recess 36), the rear surface of the heater 66 (not shown in FIG. 7) provided on the rear surface of the cover glass 62 comes into contact with the front surfaces of the spacers 80, 81. Furthermore, the conductive adhesive 72 comes into contact with the connection terminal 53) in the inner peripheral space of the spacer 80, and the conductive adhesive 74 comes into contact with the connection terminal 60 in the inner peripheral space of the spacer 81. In this manner, the spacers 80, 81, which are annular bodies, are positioned around the conductive adhesives 72, 74. Therefore, the spacers 80, 81 prevent the conductive adhesives 72, 74 before solidification from contacting the first lens 25 and the adhesive 78. Furthermore, the spacers 80, 81 make it possible to control the cross-sectional shape of the conductive adhesives 72, 74 when solidified.

[0046] The present invention may be embodied in the form of a second modified example shown in FIG. 8. A first spacer 42 is provided on the bottom surface 36A of the bracket 32 ​​of the camera device 10B of the second modified example, while a second spacer 44 is not provided. Furthermore, a pair of left and right spacers 83, 84 are provided on the bottom surface 36A. The front shape of the spacers 83, 84 is substantially U-shaped. That is, the spacer 83 includes a first component 83A located between the left edge of the conductive adhesive 72 and the left side of the adhesive 78 and extending in the vertical direction, and a pair of second component parts 83B extending to the right from both the upper and lower ends of the first component part 83A. Similarly, the spacer 84 includes a first component part 84A located between the right edge of the conductive adhesive 74 and the right side of the adhesive 78 and extending in the vertical direction, and a pair of second component parts 84B extending to the left from both the upper and lower ends of the first component part 84A. The front faces of the spacers 83 and 84 are located behind the front face of the bracket 32 ​​and are planes perpendicular to the front-rear direction. When the cover glass 62 of the camera device 10B is attached to the bracket 32 ​​(cover storage recess 36), the rear face of the heater 66 (not shown in FIG. 8) provided on the rear face of the cover glass 62 comes into contact with the front faces of the spacers 83 and 84. Furthermore, the conductive adhesive 72 comes into contact with the connection terminal 53 (not shown in FIG. 7) in the inner peripheral space of the spacer 83, and the conductive adhesive 74 comes into contact with the connection terminal 60 in the inner peripheral space of the spacer 84. The conductive adhesives 72 and 74 before solidification are prevented from contacting the first lens 25 by the first spacer 42 located on the outer peripheral side of the first lens 25. Furthermore, the conductive adhesive 72 before solidification is prevented from contacting the left side, upper part, and lower part of the adhesive 78 by the spacer 83, and the conductive adhesive 74 before solidification is prevented from contacting the right side, upper part, and lower part of the adhesive 78 by the spacer 84. Furthermore, the spacers 83 and 84 can control the cross-sectional shape of the conductive adhesives 72 and 74 when solidified.

[0047] The present invention may be embodied in the form of a third modified example shown in FIG. 9. The bottom surface 36A of the bracket 32 ​​of the camera device 10C of the third modified example does not have the first spacer 42 and the second spacer 44. Instead, a pair of left and right spacers 85, 86 are provided on the bottom surface 36A. The front shape of the spacers 85, 86 is approximately U-shaped. That is, the spacer 85 includes a first component 85A located between the right edge of the conductive adhesive 72 and the first lens 25 and extending in the vertical direction, and a pair of second component parts 85B extending leftward from both upper and lower ends of the first component part 85A. Similarly, the spacer 86 includes a first component part 86A located between the left edge of the conductive adhesive 74 and the first lens 25 and extending in the vertical direction, and a pair of second component parts 86B extending rightward from both upper and lower ends of the first component part 86A. The front surfaces of the spacers 85, 86 are located rearward of the front surface of the bracket 32 ​​and are planes perpendicular to the front-rear direction. When the cover glass 62 of the camera device 10C is attached to the bracket 32 ​​(cover storage recess 36), the rear surface of the heater 66 (not shown in FIG. 9) provided on the rear surface of the cover glass 62 comes into contact with the front surface of the spacers 85, 86. Furthermore, the conductive adhesive 72 comes into contact with the connection terminal 53 in the inner peripheral space of the spacer 85, and the conductive adhesive 74 comes into contact with the connection terminal 60 in the inner peripheral space of the spacer 86. In the third modified example, the spacers 85, 86 prevent the conductive adhesives 72, 74 before solidification from coming into contact with the first lens 25. Furthermore, the spacers 85, 86 can control the cross-sectional shape of the conductive adhesives 72, 74 when solidified.

[0048] The present invention may be embodied in the form of a fourth modified example shown in FIG. 10. A first spacer (spacer) 88 and a second spacer (spacer) 89 are provided on the bottom surface 36A of the bracket 32 ​​of the camera device 10D of the fourth modified example. The position of the first spacer 88 on the bottom surface 36A is the same as that of the first spacer 42, and the front shape of the first spacer 88 is substantially the same as that of the first spacer 42. The position of the second spacer 89 on the bottom surface 36A is the same as that of the second spacer 44, and the front shape of the second spacer 89 is substantially the same as that of the second spacer 44. However, the first spacer 88 and the second spacer 89 are discontinuous annular bodies. That is, the first spacer 88 is provided with a plurality of slits 88A, and the second spacer 89 is provided with a plurality of slits 89A. However, the circumferential distance of the slits 88A in the first spacer 88 is short, and the circumferential distance of the slits 89A in the second spacer 89 is short. Therefore, there is little risk that the conductive adhesives 72, 74 before solidification will pass through the slit 88A and reach the first lens 25. Similarly, there is little risk that the conductive adhesives 72, 74 before solidification will pass through the slit 89A and reach the adhesive 78. Furthermore, the first spacer 88 and the second spacer 89 make it possible to control the cross-sectional shape of the conductive adhesives 72, 74 when solidified.

[0049] The present invention may be embodied in the form of a fifth modified example shown in FIG. 11. The bottom surface 36A of the bracket 32 ​​of the camera device 10E of the fifth modified example does not have the first spacer 42 and the second spacer 44. Instead, the bottom surface 36A is provided with a plurality of spacers 90 located on the outer periphery side of the through hole 40 (first lens 25). Although four spacers 90 are depicted in FIG. 11, the number of spacers 90 may be any number as long as it is more than one. The front surface of the spacer 90 is located behind the front surface of the bracket 32 ​​and is a plane perpendicular to the front-rear direction. Therefore, in the camera device 10E, the conductive adhesives 72 and 74 before solidification are less likely to come into contact with the first lens 25 and the adhesive 78 compared to a case where no spacers are provided on the bottom surface 36A. Furthermore, the spacers 90 can control the cross-sectional shape of the conductive adhesives 72 and 74 when solidified. Note that in the fifth modified example, a spacer (e.g., the second spacer 44) located on the outer periphery side of the conductive adhesives 72 and 74 may be provided on the bottom surface 36A of the bracket 32.

[0050] In the above embodiment and each modification, a spacer that comes into contact with the bottom surface 36A when the cover glass 62 is attached to the bracket 32 ​​(cover storage recess 36) may be provided on the rear surface of the cover glass 62. In this case, a spacer may or may not be provided on the bottom surface 36A. The spacer provided on the cover glass 62 may have a shape corresponding to each spacer in the above embodiment and each modification, for example.

[0051] A heater 66 may be provided on the front surface of the first lens 25, and the conductive adhesive applied to the bottom surface 36A may be in contact with the rear surface of the heater 66.

[0052] When the cover glass 62 is attached to the bracket 32 ​​(cover storage recess 36), the conductive adhesives (conductive members) 72, 74 may come into contact with the spacer. In this case, the cross-sectional shape of the conductive adhesives 72, 74 when solidified can be controlled with higher accuracy.

[0053] The camera device may include a deformable conductive member instead of the conductive adhesive. For example, a conductive member made of an elastic material corresponding to the conductive adhesive 72 and a conductive member made of an elastic material corresponding to the conductive adhesive 74 may be provided between the bottom surface 36A and the heater 66. In this case, when the cover glass 62 is attached to the bracket 32 ​​(cover storage recess 36), these conductive members are sandwiched between the bottom surface 36A (connection terminals 53, 60) and the heater 66, and are elastically deformed. In this case, the cross-sectional shape of the conductive member when the camera device is completed can also be controlled by the spacer.

[0054] Each spacer in the above embodiment and each modified example may be in a block shape rather than a rib shape.

[0055] The adhesive 78 in the above embodiment and each modified example may contact the outer peripheral surface of the heater 66 and the outer peripheral surface of the cover glass 62 and the inner peripheral surface 36B of the cover housing recess 36. When the adhesive 78 is provided in the cover housing recess 36 in this manner, an annular gap formed between the outer peripheral surfaces and the inner peripheral surface 36B of the cover glass 62 and the heater 66 for assembling the cover glass 62 and the heater 66 to the cover housing recess 36 is filled with the adhesive 78. Therefore, after the adhesive 78 hardens, the cover glass 62 is prevented from moving in a direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction relative to the cover housing recess 36.

[0056] Furthermore, the adhesive 78 in the above embodiment and each modified example does not have to contact the inner circumferential surface 36B.

[0057] In addition, in the above embodiment and each modified example, a ring-shaped gasket made of an elastic material may be provided in the ring-shaped gap formed between the outer peripheral surface of the cover glass 62 and the heater 66 and the inner peripheral surface 36B, instead of the adhesive 78.

[0058] The present invention may be applied to optical devices for vehicles other than a camera device for vehicles. Such optical devices for vehicles include, for example, a sensor having an optical element and a projection device having an optical element. The sensor includes, for example, a radar sensor. The projection device includes, for example, a projection device that forms characters or images on the floor surface inside the vehicle. [Explanation of symbols]

[0059] 10, 10A, 10B, 10C, 10D, 10E...vehicle camera device (vehicle optical device), 15...camera, 25...first lens (lens) (optical element), 32...bracket, 42...first spacer (spacer), 44...second spacer (spacer), 48...anode terminal (terminal), 55...cathode terminal (terminal), 62...cover glass (optical element), 66...heater, 72, 74...conductive adhesive (conductive member), 78...adhesive (sealing member), 80, 81...spacer, 83, 84...spacer, 85, 86...spacer, 88...first spacer (spacer), 89...second spacer (spacer), 90...spacer

Claims

1. An optical element; a bracket to which a terminal made of a conductive material and the optical element are fixed; a heater provided on the optical element, the heater being made of a light-transmitting material and generating heat when power is supplied thereto; a conductive member for supplying electric power, which is connected to the terminal and the heater and is deformable when connected to the heater; a spacer provided on one of the bracket and the optical element, the spacer being capable of restricting deformation of the conductive member when the conductive member comes into contact with the other of the bracket and the optical element; An optical device for a vehicle comprising:

2. the optical element includes a lens supported by the bracket and positioned between the pair of conductive members; 2. The vehicle optical device according to claim 1, wherein the spacer includes a first spacer located between the conductive member and the lens.

3. 3. The optical device for a vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the first spacer is an annular body.

4. the optical element includes a lens supported by the bracket and a cover glass supported by the bracket and positioned immediately in front of the lens; a gap between an outer periphery of the cover glass and the bracket is sealed in a watertight manner by an annular sealing member; 3. The optical device for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the spacer includes a second spacer located between the conductive member and the sealing member.

5. 5. The optical device for a vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the second spacer is an annular body.

Images