In-car camera

Abstract

Different types of foreign matter, such as snow or moisture, adhering to the first lens are removed by the heater and piezoelectric element. [Solution] The in-vehicle camera comprises a lens barrel 30 having a lens 35 including at least a first lens 35a and a second lens 35b, an image sensor 50, and a circuit board 40 on which the image sensor is arranged. The lens barrel includes a ring-shaped heater portion 10 positioned between the first lens and the second lens, along the first edge of the first lens; a ring-shaped piezoelectric element 20 positioned between the first lens and the second lens, along the first edge of the first lens; and a ring-shaped resin member 70 positioned between the first lens and the second lens, along the second edge of the second lens. The resin member is positioned closer to the second lens than the heater portion and closer to the second lens than the piezoelectric element, and supports the heater portion and / or the piezoelectric element. The first thermal conductivity of the lens barrel is greater than the second thermal conductivity of the resin member.

Description

Technical Field

[0006] , , , ,

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an in-vehicle camera.

[0002] In recent years, with the demands for improving vehicle safety and introducing autonomous driving functions, the development of in-vehicle cameras mounted on vehicles to photograph the inside and outside of the vehicle has been active (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Patent Document 3

Patent Document 4

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] While the required levels regarding vehicle safety, autonomous driving functions, etc. are on the rise, further performance improvements, etc. are also demanded for in-vehicle cameras.

[0005] The present disclosure relates to a technology for providing a new in-vehicle camera.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] This disclosure provides a lens barrel that is first cylindrical along the optical axis and comprises a first end of the first cylindrical shape, a second end opposite to the first end, and a lens comprising at least a first lens and a second lens arranged along the optical axis, and an image sensor located on the optical axis and positioned closer to the second end of the first cylindrical shape of the lens barrel than to the first end, A circuit board comprising a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, on which the image sensor is disposed; a circuit board connector disposed on the circuit board; a housing comprising a second cylindrical shape along the optical axis, a third end of the second cylindrical shape, and a fourth end opposite to the third end, which is located further away from the third end of the second cylindrical shape than from the first end of the first cylindrical shape of the lens barrel, the third end of the second cylindrical shape supporting the lens barrel and housing the circuit board; a connector located on at least a portion of the fourth end of the housing and connected to the circuit board connector; the first lens being adjacent to the second lens and located further away from the second lens in the direction along the optical axis, with respect to the first surface of the circuit board; and the lens barrel comprising the first lens and the second The present invention relates to an in-vehicle camera comprising: a first ring-shaped heater portion positioned between the lens and the first lens along the first edge of the first lens; a second ring-shaped piezoelectric element positioned between the first lens and the second lens along the first edge of the first lens; and a third ring-shaped resin member positioned between the first lens and the second lens along the second edge of the second lens, wherein the resin member of the lens barrel is positioned closer to the second lens than the heater portion of the lens barrel, the resin member of the lens barrel is positioned closer to the second lens than the piezoelectric element of the lens barrel, the resin member of the lens barrel supports the heater portion and / or the piezoelectric element of the lens barrel, and the first thermal conductivity of the lens barrel is greater than the second thermal conductivity of the resin member. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to this disclosure, different types of foreign matter, such as snow and moisture, adhering to the first lens can be removed by the heater and piezoelectric element, thereby ensuring the field of view of the in-vehicle camera. Furthermore, since a resin component with lower thermal conductivity than the lens barrel supports the heater and / or piezoelectric element, heat dissipation from the heater to the outside is suppressed, allowing the heater to efficiently remove snow. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] An example of a vehicle, a top view of a vehicle equipped with an on-board camera. [Figure 2] Block diagram showing an example of the connection of an in-vehicle camera, camera ECU, and display installed in the vehicle shown in Figure 1. [Figure 3] Another example of a vehicle: a schematic diagram of the interior of a vehicle equipped with an onboard camera. [Figure 4] Top view of the vehicle in Figure 3. [Figure 5] Block diagram showing an example of the connection of an in-vehicle camera, camera ECU, and display unit installed in the vehicle shown in Figure 3. [Figure 6] Front perspective view of an in-vehicle camera according to the first embodiment. [Figure 7] Rearward perspective view of an in-vehicle camera according to the first embodiment. [Figure 8] Exploded perspective view of an in-vehicle camera according to the first embodiment. [Figure 9] Top view of an in-vehicle camera according to the first embodiment [Figure 10] Cross-sectional view along line II in Figure 9 [Figure 11] Exploded perspective view of an in-vehicle camera according to the second embodiment. [Figure 12] In the in-vehicle camera according to the second embodiment, a cross-sectional view along line II in Figure 9. [Figure 13] Exploded perspective view of an in-vehicle camera according to the third embodiment. [Figure 14] In the in-vehicle camera according to the third embodiment, a cross-sectional view along line II in Figure 9. [Figure 15] Circuit diagram of a circuit board [Figure 16] Flowchart showing the power supply procedure in an in-vehicle camera [Figure 17] In the in-vehicle camera according to an embodiment having two circuit boards, a cross-sectional view taken along line I-I in FIG. 9

Embodiments for Carrying out the Invention

[0009] Hereinafter, while appropriately referring to the drawings, embodiments specifically disclosing the in-vehicle camera according to the present disclosure will be described in detail. However, detailed descriptions that are more detailed than necessary may be omitted. For example, detailed descriptions of well-known matters and duplicate descriptions of substantially the same configurations may be omitted. This is to avoid making the following description unnecessarily redundant and to facilitate the understanding of those skilled in the art. Note that the attached drawings and the following description are provided for those skilled in the art to fully understand the present disclosure, and it is not intended to limit the subject matter described in the claims by these.

[0010] (Vehicle equipped with an in-vehicle camera) FIG. 1 shows an example of a vehicle and is a top view of a vehicle equipped with an in-vehicle camera. The vehicle V is equipped with in-vehicle cameras 100A, 100B, 100C, and 100D as in-vehicle cameras 100. The in-vehicle camera 100A is a front camera, the in-vehicle camera 100B is a rear camera, the in-vehicle camera 100C is a right-side camera, and the in-vehicle camera 100D is a left-side camera. The in-vehicle cameras 100A to 100D are, for example, wide-angle cameras having an angle of view of about 180°, and are arranged so that the entire circumference of the vehicle V is imaged.

[0011] For example, the in-vehicle camera 100A is installed in the front grille of the vehicle V and images in a direction that obliquely looks down at the front area with respect to the ground. The in-vehicle camera 100B is installed in the roof spoiler of the vehicle V and images in a direction that obliquely looks down at the rear area with respect to the ground. The in-vehicle cameras 100C and 100D are installed in the side mirrors of the vehicle V respectively and image in a direction that obliquely looks down at the side area with respect to the ground.

[0012] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a connection example of the in-vehicle cameras 100A to 100D, the camera ECU 111, and the display 7 provided in the vehicle V shown in FIG. 1. The camera ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 111 shown in FIG. 2 synthesizes the images captured by the in-vehicle cameras 100A to 100D and displays the synthesized image on the display 7 of the navigation system arranged, for example, on the instrument panel. The occupant can view the display 7 to check the situation around the vehicle V.

[0013] FIG. 3 is another example of a vehicle and is a schematic view of the passenger compartment of a vehicle equipped with an in-vehicle camera, and FIG. 4 is a top view of the vehicle in FIG. 3. The vehicle V is in the front part between the driver's seat 3 and the passenger seat 4 in the passenger compartment 2 and has a display 5 (for example, an electronic rearview mirror) at the mounting position of the rearview mirror. Further, the vehicle V is equipped with an in-vehicle camera 100 at the rear of the vehicle body. FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a connection example of the in-vehicle camera 100, the camera ECU 111, and the display 5 provided in the vehicle V shown in FIG. 3. The camera ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 111 shown in FIG. 4 processes the image captured by the in-vehicle camera 100, and the display 5 displays the image. The occupant can view the display 5 to check the situation behind the vehicle V.

[0014] (First Embodiment) Figure 6 is a front perspective view of the in-vehicle camera 100 according to the first embodiment. Figure 7 is a rear perspective view of the in-vehicle camera 100 according to the first embodiment. Figure 8 is an exploded perspective view of the in-vehicle camera 100 according to the embodiment. Figure 9 is a top view of the in-vehicle camera 100 according to the embodiment. Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view along line II in Figure 9. Note that a coordinate system including the X-axis along one side of the in-vehicle camera 100, the Y-axis perpendicular to this X-axis and along the other side of the in-vehicle camera 100, and the Z-axis perpendicular to the X and Y axes and along the height direction of the in-vehicle camera 100 will be defined and used in the following explanation.

[0015] The in-vehicle camera 100 of this embodiment includes a lens barrel 30, a circuit board 40, an image sensor 50, a housing 60, and a connector 80.

[0016] The lens barrel 30 has a first cylindrical shape aligned with the optical axis L (a direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper in Figure 9 and along the Z-axis), and as shown in Figure 10, it has a side wall 33 surrounding the optical axis L and a bottom wall 34 facing the circuit board 40 and the image sensor 50. Furthermore, the lens barrel 30 has a first end 30a of the first cylindrical shape and a second end 30b opposite to the first end 30a. The first end 30a is formed by the tip portion of the side wall 33, and the second end 30b is formed by the bottom surface of the bottom wall 34.

[0017] The lens barrel 30 has a lens 35 housed inside the lens barrel 30 at a position radially inward from the side wall 33 and positioned on the optical axis L. The lens 35 includes at least a first lens 35a and a second lens 35b, which are positioned along the optical axis L. The first lens 35a and the second lens 35b are arranged so that their respective optical axes L coincide and are used for imaging the inside and outside of the vehicle body V. The lens 35 may have three or more lenses.

[0018] The first lens 35a is adjacent to the second lens 35b and is positioned further away from the second lens 35b in the direction along the optical axis L, with reference to the first surface 40a of the circuit board 40.

[0019] The image sensor 50 is located on the optical axis L, and is positioned in the internal space of the housing 60, closer to the second end 30b of the lens barrel 30 than to the first end 30a. The image sensor 50 is electrically connected to the circuit of the circuit board 40, and by guiding external light to the image sensor 50, the image sensor 50 can capture an image. The image sensor 50 may be, for example, a CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor) image sensor.

[0020] The circuit board 40 is placed in the internal 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 be provided. The image sensor 50 is placed on the first surface 40a of the circuit board 40.

[0021] The circuit board 40 has a first shape in plan view. The first shape in plan view is the shape when viewed from the first surface 40a to the second surface 40b of the circuit board 40. The first shape is a rectangle, for example, as in the embodiment, but it may also be a polygon with pentagons or more. The circuit board 40 is fixed to the lens barrel 30 by screws 45.

[0022] The circuit board connector 47 is located on the second surface 40b of the circuit board 40. Details of the circuit board connector 47 will be described later.

[0023] The housing 60 is a cylindrical member having an internal space, and serves to house at least the circuit board 40 and the image sensor 50. The housing 60 is a second cylindrical shape along the optical axis L and includes a first housing portion 61 integrally formed with the lens barrel 30 so as to surround the outer circumference of the lens barrel 30, and a second housing portion 62 welded to the first housing portion 61. The housing 60 also has a third end portion 63 on the first housing portion 61 side and a fourth end portion 64 on the second housing portion 62 side. The third end portion 63 is connected to the first end portion 30a of the lens barrel 30. The fourth end portion 64 is opposite to the third end portion 63 in the direction along the optical axis L. In this embodiment, the housing 60 is rectangular cylindrical, but it is not limited to this, and may be a polygonal cylindrical shape other than rectangular, a circular or elliptical cylindrical shape, or a cylindrical shape of other shapes.

[0024] The connector 80 is located on at least a portion of the fourth end 64 of the housing 60 and is connected to the circuit board connector 47, supplying external power to the circuit board connector 47.

[0025] The first housing portion 61 and the second housing portion 62 are welded together in a state that accommodates at least the circuit board 40 and the image sensor 50. This welding is performed, for example, by laser welding. The first housing portion 61 and the second housing portion 62 may be formed integrally from the outset.

[0026] The lens barrel 30 and housing 60 are formed from, for example, a conductive metal. By being made of a conductive material, the lens barrel 30 and housing 60 can serve to shield the in-vehicle camera 100 from internal and external noise.

[0027] The lens barrel 30 of the in-vehicle camera 100 in this embodiment further comprises a heater unit 10, a piezoelectric element 20, and a resin member 70. The heater unit 10, the piezoelectric element 20, and the resin member 70 are arranged in this order along the optical axis L and are positioned inside the side wall 33 in the radial direction.

[0028] The heater section 10 is positioned between the first lens 35a and the second lens 35b, along the first edge 35a1 of the first lens 35a, and is a member having a first ring shape. The heater section 10 can generate heat using electricity, and the heat generated primarily melts and removes snow adhering to the first lens 35a. Through the action of such a heater section 10, the field of view of the in-vehicle camera 100 can be secured. The heater section 10 may be formed by, for example, a PTC (Positive Temperature Coefficient) heater. A PTC heater can self-temperature control. The heater section 10 may also be, for example, a metal heater.

[0029] The piezoelectric element 20 is positioned between the first lens 35a and the second lens 35b, along the first edge 35a1 of the first lens 35a, and is a component having a second ring shape. The piezoelectric element 20 is vibrable by electric power, and through vibration, primarily removes moisture such as raindrops adhering to the first lens 35a. Through the action of such a piezoelectric element 20, the field of view of the in-vehicle camera 100 can be secured. The piezoelectric element 20 can be formed from a general-purpose piezo element or the like.

[0030] The resin member 70 is positioned between the first lens 35a and the second lens 35b, along the second edge 35b1 of the second lens 35b, and has a third ring shape. The resin member 70 can be formed, for example, by injection molding of a common resin material such as polycarbonate or nylon.

[0031] The resin member 70 is positioned closer to the second lens 35b than the heater unit 10, and also closer to the second lens 35b than the piezoelectric element 20. Furthermore, the resin member 70 supports the heater unit 10 and / or the piezoelectric element 20.

[0032] Specifically, in this embodiment, the piezoelectric element 20 is positioned closer to the image sensor 50 than the heater unit 10 in the direction along the optical axis L. The heater unit 10 is positioned in contact with the first edge 35a1 of the first lens 35a, the piezoelectric element 20 is positioned in contact with the heater unit 10, and the resin member 70 is positioned in contact with the piezoelectric element 20.

[0033] Furthermore, the first thermal conductivity of the lens barrel 30 is greater than the second thermal conductivity of the resin member 70. For example, if the lens barrel 30 is made of a conductive material such as metal, its first thermal conductivity will be greater than the second thermal conductivity of the resin member 70, which is basically made of a resin material with poor conductivity.

[0034] According to this embodiment, different types of foreign matter, such as snow and moisture, adhering to the first lens 35a can be removed by the heater unit 10 and the piezoelectric element 20, thereby ensuring the field of view of the in-vehicle camera 100. Specifically, the heater unit 10, in contact with the first edge 35a1 of the first lens 35a, can melt and remove snow adhering to the first lens 35a through heat generation. In addition, the piezoelectric element 20, in contact with the heater unit 10, can remove moisture such as raindrops adhering to the first lens 35a through vibration via the heater unit 10.

[0035] A temperature sensor (not shown) may be provided near the first lens 35a. The temperature sensor may detect the temperature of the first lens 35a and control the on / off state of the heater unit 10 and the piezoelectric element 20 based on the detected temperature (see Figure 16).

[0036] Furthermore, a resin member 70, which has a lower thermal conductivity than the lens barrel 30, supports the heater unit 10 and / or the piezoelectric element 20. In this embodiment, the resin member 70 indirectly supports the heater unit 10 via the piezoelectric element 20. This suppresses the dissipation of heat from the heater unit 10 to the outside, allowing the heater unit 10 to efficiently remove snow.

[0037] In particular, in this embodiment, the piezoelectric element 20 is positioned closer to the image sensor 50 than the heater unit 10 in the direction along the optical axis L. This allows the heater unit 10 to be positioned closer to the first lens 35a than the piezoelectric element 20, enabling efficient removal of snow by the heat of the heater unit 10.

[0038] The heater unit 10 is positioned in contact with the first edge 35a1 of the first lens 35a, the piezoelectric element 20 is positioned in contact with the heater unit 10, and the resin member 70 is positioned in contact with the piezoelectric element 20. This allows the heater unit 10, the piezoelectric element 20, and the resin member 70 to be positioned in a limited space.

[0039] Furthermore, the first cylindrical part of the lens barrel 30, particularly the side wall 33, comprises an inner surface 33a that is on the inside when viewed from the optical axis L, and an outer surface 33b that is on the outside when viewed from the optical axis L. The heater unit 10, the piezoelectric element 20, and the resin member 70 are arranged along the inner surface 33a of the side wall 33 of the lens barrel 30. Specifically, the first outer peripheral edge 10a of the heater unit 10 is arranged along the inner surface 33a of the lens barrel 30. The second outer peripheral edge 20a of the piezoelectric element 20 is arranged along the inner surface 33a of the lens barrel 30. The third outer peripheral edge 70a of the resin member 70 is arranged along the inner surface 33a of the lens barrel 30. This allows the heater unit 10, the piezoelectric element 20, and the resin member 70 to be stably positioned relative to the side wall 33 of the lens barrel 30.

[0040] As described above, the first lens 35a is the lens furthest from the image sensor 50, the heater unit 10 can heat the first lens 35a, and the piezoelectric element 20 can vibrate the first lens 35a. This makes it possible to remove foreign matter from the first lens 35a, which is the closest to the object being imaged within the lens 35, using the heater unit 10 and the piezoelectric element 20, thereby ensuring a clear field of view for the in-vehicle camera 100.

[0041] The heater unit 10 and the piezoelectric element 20 will be described in more detail. The heater unit 10 includes a first wire end 12 and a second wire end 13 opposite to the first wire end 12, with the first wire end 12 connected to the heater unit 10 and the second wire end 13 connected to the circuit board 40, comprising a first wire 11. On the other hand, the piezoelectric element 20 includes a third wire end 22 and a fourth wire end 23 opposite to the third wire end 22, with the third wire end 22 connected to the piezoelectric element 20 and the fourth wire end 23 connected to the circuit board 40, comprising a second wire 21.

[0042] Power is required to drive the heater unit 10 and the piezoelectric element 20, but with the above configuration, the power required for the heater unit 10 and the piezoelectric element 20 can be supplied from the circuit board 40.

[0043] The circuit board 40 is equipped with wire connectors 42a and 42b on either the first surface 40a or the second surface 40b of the circuit board 40, and the first wire 11 and the second wire 21 are connected to wire connectors 42a and 42b (see Figure 17).

[0044] As shown in Figure 10, at least a portion of the first conductor 11 of the heater unit 10 and at least a portion of the second conductor 21 of the piezoelectric element 20 are connected to the circuit board 40 by passing outside the first cylindrical outer surface 33b of the lens barrel 30. That is, at least a portion of the first conductor 11 and at least a portion of the second conductor 21 are positioned between the side wall 33 of the lens barrel 30 and the first housing portion 61 of the housing 60. This allows the first conductor 11 and the second conductor 21 to be positioned in the space between the lens barrel 30 and the housing 60, and this space can be effectively utilized.

[0045] The first conductor 11 of the heater unit 10 and the second conductor 21 of the piezoelectric element 20 may each be made from a flexible printed circuit board. This allows for easy construction of the first conductor 11 and the second conductor 21. In this case, the flexible printed circuit board of the first conductor 11 and the flexible printed circuit board of the second conductor 21 may be integrated. This integrates the first conductor 11 and the second conductor 21, making it easier to assemble the in-vehicle camera 100.

[0046] Let's assume that the power driving the heater unit 10 is the first power, and the power driving the piezoelectric element 20 is the second power. In this case, the first power may be supplied to the heater unit 10 via the first conductor 11, and then the second power may be supplied to the piezoelectric element 20 via the second conductor 21. This allows foreign matter such as snow adhering to the first lens 35a to be melted into water by the heat of the heater unit 10, and then the water to be evaporated by the vibration of the piezoelectric element 20, thereby efficiently removing the foreign matter.

[0047] The first and second power can be supplied from connector 80 and circuit board connector 47. This allows the first and second power to be supplied from an external source.

[0048] (Second Embodiment) Figure 11 is an exploded perspective view of the in-vehicle camera 100 according to the second embodiment, and Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view of the in-vehicle camera 100 according to the second embodiment, along line II in Figure 9. The appearance of the in-vehicle camera 100 according to the second embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment.

[0049] In this embodiment, unlike the first embodiment, the heater unit 10 is positioned closer to the image sensor 50 than the piezoelectric element 20 in the direction along the optical axis L. In other words, the arrangement order of the heater unit 10 and the piezoelectric element 20 in this embodiment is the reverse of the arrangement order in the first embodiment.

[0050] This allows the piezoelectric element 20 to be positioned closer to the first lens 35a than the heater unit 10, enabling efficient removal of moisture through vibration of the piezoelectric element 20.

[0051] Specifically, the piezoelectric element 20 is positioned in contact with the first edge 35a1 of the first lens 35a, the heater unit 10 is positioned in contact with the piezoelectric element 20, and the resin member 70 is positioned in contact with the heater unit 10. This allows the piezoelectric element 20, the heater unit 10, and the resin member 70 to be positioned in a limited space.

[0052] (Third embodiment) Figure 13 is an exploded perspective view of the in-vehicle camera 100 according to the third embodiment, and Figure 14 is a cross-sectional view of the in-vehicle camera 100 according to the third embodiment along line II in Figure 9. The appearance of the in-vehicle camera 100 according to the third embodiment is the same as that of the first and second embodiments.

[0053] In this embodiment, unlike the first and second embodiments, at least a portion of the first conductor 11 of the heater unit 10 and at least a portion of the second conductor 21 of the piezoelectric element 20 are connected to the circuit board 40 by passing inside the first cylindrical inner surface 33a of the lens barrel 30. That is, at least a portion of the first conductor 11 and at least a portion of the second conductor 21 are arranged inside the lens barrel 30.

[0054] This allows the first conductor 11 and the second conductor 21 to be positioned inside the inner surface 33a, thereby shortening the lengths of the first conductor 11 and the second conductor 21. The arrangement order of the heater section 10 and the piezoelectric element 20 in this embodiment is the same as that of the second embodiment, but it may also be the same as that of the first embodiment.

[0055] (Circuit board) Figure 15 is a detailed circuit diagram of the circuit board 40. Figure 15 is a schematic diagram showing the electrical connections of each part and does not show the arrangement structure of either the first surface 40a or the second surface 40b of the circuit board 40.

[0056] The circuit board 40 includes a heater circuit section 120 that has the function of supplying power to the heater section 10, a piezoelectric element circuit section 130 that has the function of supplying power to the piezoelectric element 20, and a camera circuit section 140 that mainly has the function of supplying power to parts of the in-vehicle camera 100 other than the heater section 10 and the piezoelectric element 20.

[0057] The heater circuit section 120 includes a wire connector 121 and a switch 122. The wire connector 121 is located on the circuit board 40, and the second wire end 13 of the first wire 11 is connected to it, as well as to the circuit board connector 47 (see Figure 10). The wire connector 121 functions as a wire connection section that connects the first wire 11 to the circuit board 40.

[0058] The switch 122 is located on the circuit board 40 and is electrically connected to the circuit board connector 47 and the wire connector 121, and has the function of increasing or decreasing the voltage and / or current supplied to the heater unit 10.

[0059] Connector 80 has a coaxial connector 80a capable of supplying both power and signals. The coaxial connector 80a can receive a portion of the source power from the vehicle V and supply it to the circuit board 40, and can also output power for the image signal output from the image sensor 50 to the vehicle V.

[0060] In accordance with the function of the coaxial connector 80a described above, a PoC filter 150, which is a filter circuit, is provided on the circuit board 40. The PoC filter 150 is electrically connected to the circuit board connector 47 and the switch 122, and is capable of separating a portion of the power supplied from the coaxial connector 80a from the power of the image signal output from the image sensor 50.

[0061] As a result, by using the PoC filter 150 to separate the power supplied from the vehicle V's power supply via the coaxial connector 80a from the image signal from the image sensor 50, the image signal and power can be superimposed and transmitted through a single coaxial cable, the coaxial connector 80a, without adversely affecting signal quality.

[0062] A portion of the source power supplied from connector 80 is supplied to switch 122 via coaxial connector 80a and PoC filter 150. This allows a portion of the source power to be supplied to switch 122, which in turn can increase or decrease the voltage and / or current supplied to heater section 10. Other filter circuits may be used instead of PoC filter 150.

[0063] The piezoelectric element circuit section 130 includes a wire connector 131. The wire connector 131 is located on the circuit board 40, and the fourth wire end 23 of the second wire 21 is connected to it, as well as to the circuit board connector 47 (see Figure 10). The wire connector 131 functions as a wire connection section that connects the second wire 21 to the circuit board 40.

[0064] Connector 80 has a two-pin connector 80b with male and female terminals. The two-pin connector 80b receives an ultrasonic signal from the vehicle V to drive the piezoelectric element 20 and outputs it to the wire connector 131. The wire connector 131 outputs the ultrasonic signal to the piezoelectric element 20 via the second wire 21.

[0065] Regarding the camera circuit section 140, a serializer 141 is provided on the circuit board 40. The serializer 141 can be positioned on the first surface 40a or the second surface 40b of the circuit board 40 and is electrically connected to the circuit board connector 47 and the image sensor 50.

[0066] The image signal output from the image sensor 50 is a parallel signal. On the other hand, the signal suitable for handling by the coaxial connector 80a is a serial signal. The serializer 141 converts the parallel signal (image signal) output from the image sensor 50 into a serial signal (parallel-to-serial conversion) and outputs the serial signal to the coaxial connector 80a.

[0067] This allows the serializer 141 to convert the parallel signal output from the image sensor 50 into a serial signal suitable for the coaxial connector 80a without signal synchronization.

[0068] Furthermore, an integrated circuit (PMIC) 143 is provided on the circuit board 40. The PMIC 143 can be placed on the first surface 40a or the second surface 40b of the circuit board 40 and is electrically connected to the PoC filter 150, the image sensor 50, and the serializer 141. The PMIC 143 not only combines multiple power supplies required for a system for a specific application, but also performs power control such as controlling the power startup sequence tailored to the system and on / off control of each power supply to reduce power consumption, and is also called a power management IC. The PMIC 143 is, for example, a Power Management IC.

[0069] A portion of the power supplied from the coaxial connector 80a is supplied to the power supply IC 143 via the PoC filter 150, and then supplied from the power supply IC 143 to the image sensor 50 and the serializer 141. This allows the power supply IC 143 to secure the power to drive the image sensor 50 and the serializer 141.

[0070] The camera ECU (ECU) 111 inputs and outputs a power overlap signal, which is the power supplied to the power supply IC 143 and switch 122 via the PoC filter 150, and the image signal output from the serializer 141. The ultrasonic emission circuit 112 outputs an ultrasonic signal to drive the piezoelectric element 20. The camera ECU 111 and ultrasonic emission circuit 112 may be installed in the vehicle V or in the in-vehicle camera 100.

[0071] (Power supply procedure) Figure 16 is a flowchart illustrating the power supply procedure for the in-vehicle camera 100. This example assumes that a temperature sensor (not shown) is located near the first lens 35a. At a predetermined timing, such as when the vehicle V starts moving, the camera ECU 111 activates the temperature sensor (step S1). The camera ECU 111 reads the value from the temperature sensor (temperature of the first lens 35a or the vicinity of the first lens 35a) (step S2). The camera ECU 111 determines whether the read value is lower than a predetermined temperature (threshold temperature) (step S3). If the read value is lower than the predetermined temperature (step S3; Yes), the heater unit 10 is turned on and a timer is started to measure the activation time of the heater unit 10 (step S4). After the heater unit 10 and timer are started, or if the read temperature sensor value is above a predetermined temperature (step S3; No), the ultrasonic emitting circuit 112 determines whether or not to remove the water droplets (moisture) attached to the first lens 35a (step S5). If the water droplets are to be removed, the ultrasonic emitting circuit 112 turns on the piezoelectric element 20 (step S6).

[0072] If the piezoelectric element 20 is turned on, or if the water droplets attached to the first lens 35a are not removed (Step S5; No), the camera ECU 111 determines whether the timer count has elapsed a predetermined time (Step S7). If the count has elapsed a predetermined time (Step S7; Yes), the camera ECU 111 turns off the heater unit 10 (Step S8). Furthermore, the ultrasonic emission circuit 112 determines whether to continue removing the water droplets (Step S9). If the removal of water droplets is not continued (Step S9; No), the ultrasonic emission circuit 112 turns off the piezoelectric element 20 (Step S10) and returns to Step S2.

[0073] Other configurations of the in-vehicle camera 100 will now be described. The connector 80 may be made up of a pin connector or a coaxial connector, as shown in Figure 15, or it may be made up of both a pin connector and a coaxial connector. This makes it easy to configure the connector 80.

[0074] The heater unit 10 may be a PTC (Positive Temperature Coefficient) heater. This can reduce power consumption.

[0075] The connector 80 includes a first connector end 81 connected to the circuit board connector 47, and a second connector end 82 opposite to the first connector end 81, which is connectable to a cable of the vehicle V. This allows the connector 80 to supply power from the vehicle V to the circuit board connector 47.

[0076] The circuit board 40 may include a first circuit board and a second circuit board. This allows components to be placed on each of the multiple circuit boards 40.

[0077] The circuit board connector 47 is located on the second surface 40b of the circuit board 40. This allows the circuit board connector 47 to be located on the second surface 40b of the circuit board 40, which is opposite to the first surface 40a on which the image sensor 50 is located.

[0078] Figure 17 is a cross-sectional view along line II in Figure 9 of an in-vehicle camera 100 according to an embodiment having two circuit boards. The appearance of the in-vehicle camera 100 according to this embodiment is the same as that of the embodiment described above. The two circuit boards, the first circuit board 40A and the second circuit board 40B, are housed in a housing 60.

[0079] The first circuit board 40A is positioned closer to the first end 30a of the lens barrel 30 than the second circuit board 40B along the optical axis L, and the image sensor 50 is positioned on the first surface 40a of the first circuit board 40A. A resin spacer 90 is placed between the first circuit board 40A and the second circuit board 40B, filling the space between the two circuit boards and ensuring their respective rigidity. In addition, a first board connector 43 provided on the first circuit board 40A and a second board connector 44 provided on the second circuit board 40B are connected, ensuring the electrical connection between the first circuit board 40A and the second circuit board 40B. The spacer 90, the first board connector 43, and the second board connector 44 are not mandatory.

[0080] In this embodiment, components can be placed on both the first circuit board 40A and the second circuit board 40B, providing greater flexibility in the number and type of components to be mounted. The number of circuit boards may be three or more.

[0081] Based on the above, this disclosure contains at least the following information. Note that the components and other elements corresponding to those in the embodiments described above are indicated in parentheses, but are not limited thereto.

[0082] (1) A lens barrel (lens barrel 30) which is a first cylindrical shape along the optical axis (optical axis L), and comprises a first end (first end 30a) of the first cylindrical shape, a second end (second end 30b) opposite to the first end, a lens including at least a first lens and a second lens arranged along the optical axis, and a lens (lens 35) including at least a first lens (first lens 35a) and a second lens (second lens 35b) arranged along the optical axis, An image sensor (image sensor 50) positioned on the optical axis and closer to the second end than the first end of the first cylindrical shape of the lens barrel, A circuit board (circuit board 40) comprising a first surface (first surface 40a) and a second surface (second surface 40b) opposite to the first surface, wherein the image sensor is arranged on the first surface, A circuit board connector (circuit board connector 47) is arranged on the circuit board, A housing (housing 60) is provided, which is a second cylindrical shape along the optical axis, and comprises a third end (third end 63) of the second cylindrical shape, and a fourth end (fourth end 64) opposite to the third end and positioned further away from the third end of the second cylindrical shape than the first end of the first cylindrical shape of the lens barrel, with the third end of the second cylindrical shape supporting the lens barrel, and housing the circuit board. The housing comprises a connector (connector 80) located at least a portion of the fourth end and connected to the circuit board connector, The first lens is adjacent to the second lens and is positioned further away from the second lens in a direction along the optical axis, with reference to the first surface of the circuit board. The aforementioned lens barrel is Between the first lens and the second lens, a first ring-shaped heater portion (heater portion 10) is positioned along the first edge portion (first edge portion 35a1) of the first lens, Between the first lens and the second lens, a second ring-shaped piezoelectric element (piezoelectric element 20) is arranged along the first edge of the first lens, The device comprises a third ring-shaped resin member (resin member 70) positioned between the first lens and the second lens, so as to be aligned with the second edge (second edge 35b1) of the second lens, The resin member of the lens barrel is positioned closer to the second lens than the heater portion of the lens barrel. The resin member of the lens barrel is positioned closer to the second lens than the piezoelectric element of the lens barrel. The resin member of the lens barrel supports the heater portion and / or the piezoelectric element of the lens barrel. The first thermal conductivity of the lens barrel is greater than the second thermal conductivity of the resin member. In-car camera.

[0083] This makes it possible to remove different types of foreign matter, such as snow and moisture, adhering to the first lens using the heater and piezoelectric element, thereby ensuring a clear field of view for the in-vehicle camera. Furthermore, since the heater and / or piezoelectric element are supported by a resin component with lower thermal conductivity than the lens barrel, heat dissipation from the heater to the outside is suppressed, allowing the heater to efficiently remove snow.

[0084] (2) The in-vehicle camera described in (1), The piezoelectric element of the lens barrel is positioned closer to the image sensor than the heater portion of the lens barrel in the direction along the optical axis. In-car camera.

[0085] This allows the heater unit to be positioned closer to the first lens than the piezoelectric element, enabling efficient snow removal using the heat from the heater unit.

[0086] (3) The in-vehicle camera described in (2), The heater portion of the lens barrel is positioned in contact with the first edge of the first lens of the lens barrel. The piezoelectric element of the lens barrel is positioned in contact with the heater portion of the lens barrel. The resin member of the lens barrel is positioned in contact with the piezoelectric element of the lens barrel. In-car camera.

[0087] This allows the heater unit, piezoelectric element, and resin component to be arranged in a limited space.

[0088] (4) The in-vehicle camera described in (1), The heater portion of the lens barrel is positioned closer to the image sensor than the piezoelectric element of the lens barrel in the direction along the optical axis. In-car camera.

[0089] This allows the piezoelectric element to be placed closer to the first lens than the heater unit, enabling efficient removal of moisture through the vibration of the piezoelectric element.

[0090] (5) The in-vehicle camera described in (4), The piezoelectric element of the lens barrel is positioned in contact with the first edge of the first lens of the lens barrel. The heater portion of the lens barrel is positioned in contact with the piezoelectric element of the lens barrel. The resin member of the lens barrel is positioned in contact with the heater portion of the lens barrel. In-car camera.

[0091] This allows the piezoelectric element, heater unit, and resin component to be arranged in a limited space.

[0092] (6) The in-vehicle camera described in (1), The first cylindrical portion of the lens barrel comprises an inner surface (inner surface 33a) and an outer surface (outer surface 33b), The first outer peripheral edge (first outer peripheral edge 10a) of the heater portion of the lens barrel is arranged along the inner surface of the lens barrel. The second outer peripheral edge (second outer peripheral edge 20a) of the piezoelectric element of the lens barrel is arranged along the inner surface of the lens barrel. The third outer edge (third outer edge 70a) of the resin member of the lens barrel is arranged along the inner surface of the lens barrel. In-car camera.

[0093] This allows the heater unit, piezoelectric element, and resin component to be stably positioned against the inner surface of the lens barrel.

[0094] (7) The in-vehicle camera described in (1), The first lens of the lens barrel is the lens furthest from the image sensor, The heater portion of the lens barrel is capable of heating the first lens of the lens barrel. The piezoelectric element of the lens barrel is capable of vibrating the first lens of the lens barrel. In-car camera.

[0095] This makes it possible to remove foreign objects from the first lens, which is closest to the object being imaged, using the heater and piezoelectric element, thereby ensuring a clear field of view for the in-vehicle camera.

[0096] (8) The in-vehicle camera described in (1), The heater section of the lens barrel is The first conductor (first conductor 11) comprises a first conductor end (first conductor end 12) and a second conductor end (second conductor end 13) opposite to the first conductor end, the first conductor end being connected to the heater section and the second conductor end being connected to the circuit board. The piezoelectric element of the lens barrel is A second conductor (second conductor 21) is provided, which has a third conductor end (third conductor end 22) and a fourth conductor end (fourth conductor end 23) opposite to the third conductor end, the third conductor end being connected to the piezoelectric element and the fourth conductor end being connected to the circuit board. In-car camera.

[0097] This allows the circuit board to supply the power required for the heater and piezoelectric elements.

[0098] (9) The in-vehicle camera described in (8), At least a portion of the first conductor of the heater portion of the lens barrel and at least a portion of the second conductor of the piezoelectric element of the lens barrel are connected to the circuit board, passing outside the first cylindrical outer surface of the lens barrel. In-car camera.

[0099] This allows at least a portion of the first conductor and at least a portion of the second conductor to be placed in the space between the lens barrel and the housing, thereby making effective use of that space.

[0100] (10) The in-vehicle camera described in (8), At least a portion of the first conductor of the heater portion of the lens barrel and at least a portion of the second conductor of the piezoelectric element of the lens barrel are connected to the circuit board, passing inside the first cylindrical inner surface of the lens barrel. In-car camera.

[0101] This allows at least a portion of the first conductor and at least a portion of the second conductor to be placed inside the telescope tube, thereby shortening the lengths of the first and second conductors.

[0102] (11) The in-vehicle camera described in (8), The first conductor of the heater section of the lens barrel and the second conductor of the piezoelectric element of the lens barrel are each made of a flexible printed circuit board. In-car camera.

[0103] This makes it easy to configure the first and second conductors.

[0104] (12) The in-vehicle camera described in (11), The flexible printed circuit board for the first conductor of the heater section of the lens barrel and the flexible printed circuit board for the second conductor of the piezoelectric element of the lens barrel are integrated. In-car camera.

[0105] This allows the first and second conductors to be integrated, making it easier to assemble the in-vehicle camera.

[0106] (13) The in-vehicle camera described in (8), After the first power is supplied to the heater section via the first conductor, the second power is supplied to the piezoelectric element via the second conductor. In-car camera.

[0107] This allows foreign matter, such as snow, adhering to the first lens to be melted into water by the heat of the heater, and then the water to be evaporated by the vibration of the piezoelectric element, thereby efficiently removing the foreign matter.

[0108] (14) The in-vehicle camera described in (13), The first power and the second power are supplied from the connector and the circuit board connector, In-car camera.

[0109] This allows the first and second power sources to be supplied externally.

[0110] (15) The in-vehicle camera described in (1), The connector is a pin connector and / or a coaxial connector. In-car camera.

[0111] This makes it easy to configure the connector.

[0112] (16) The in-vehicle camera described in (1), The heater unit is a PTC (Positive Temperature Coefficient) heater. In-car camera.

[0113] This makes it possible to reduce electricity consumption.

[0114] (17) The in-vehicle camera described in (1), The aforementioned connector is The first connector end (first connector end 81) connected to the circuit board connector, The device comprises a second connector end (second connector end 82) opposite to the first connector end and capable of connecting to a vehicle cable, In-car camera.

[0115] This allows power from the vehicle to be supplied to the circuit board connector via the connector.

[0116] (18) The in-vehicle camera described in (1), The circuit board comprises a first circuit board and a second circuit board. In-car camera.

[0117] This allows components to be placed on each of multiple circuit boards.

[0118] (19) The in-vehicle camera described in (1), The circuit board connector is located on the second surface of the circuit board. In-car camera.

[0119] This allows the circuit board connector to be placed on the second surface of the circuit board, which is opposite to the first surface on which the image sensor is located.

[0120] While embodiments have been described above with reference to the attached drawings, this disclosure is not limited to such examples. Those skilled in the art will understand that various modifications, alterations, substitutions, additions, deletions, and equivalents are possible within the scope of the claims, and that these also fall within the technical scope of this disclosure. Furthermore, the components of the embodiments described above may be combined in any way without departing from the spirit of the invention. [Industrial applicability]

[0121] This disclosure is useful for in-vehicle cameras that can remove foreign objects and secure a field of view. [Explanation of symbols]

[0122] 10 Heater section 10a First outer edge 11 1st conductor 12 1st conductor end 13 Second conductor end 20 Piezoelectric elements 20a Second outer edge 21 Second conductor 22 Third conductor end 23 4th conductor end 30 Telescope Tubes 30a 1st end 30b 2nd end 33 Side wall 33a Inside surface 33b External surface 34 Bottom wall 35 Lens 35a First lens 35a1 1st edge 35b Second lens 35b1 2nd edge 40 Circuit boards 40a Page 1 40b 2nd side 42a Wire connector (wire connection part) 42b Wire connector (wire connection part) 47 Circuit board connectors 50 Image sensors 60 cabinets 61 First enclosure section 62 Second Enclosure Section 63 Third end 64 4th end 70 Resin components 70a Third outer edge 80 connectors 80a Coaxial Connector 80b 2-pin connector 81 First connector end 82 Second connector end 100 In-Car Cameras 111 Camera ECU (ECU) 112 Ultrasonic Emission Circuit 120 Heater circuit section 122 switches 130 Piezoelectric element circuit section 140 Camera Circuit Section 141 Serializer 143 Power IC 150 PoC filters (filter circuits)

Claims

1. A lens barrel having a first cylindrical shape along the optical axis, a first end of the first cylindrical shape, a second end opposite to the first end, and a lens comprising at least a first lens and a second lens arranged along the optical axis, An image sensor positioned on the optical axis, closer to the second end than the first end of the first cylindrical shape of the lens barrel, A circuit board comprising a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, wherein the image sensor is arranged on the first surface, A circuit board connector arranged on the aforementioned circuit board, A housing comprising a second cylindrical shape aligned with the optical axis, a third end of the second cylindrical shape, and a fourth end opposite to the third end, positioned further away from the third end of the second cylindrical shape than the first end of the first cylindrical shape of the lens barrel, with the third end of the second cylindrical shape supporting the lens barrel and housing the circuit board, The housing comprises a connector located at least a portion of the fourth end and connected to the circuit board connector, The first lens is adjacent to the second lens and is positioned further away from the second lens in a direction along the optical axis, with reference to the first surface of the circuit board. The aforementioned lens barrel is Between the first lens and the second lens, a first ring-shaped heater portion is arranged along the first edge of the first lens, A second ring-shaped piezoelectric element is positioned between the first lens and the second lens, so as to be aligned with the first edge of the first lens, The device comprises a third ring-shaped resin member positioned between the first lens and the second lens, arranged along the second edge of the second lens, The resin member of the lens barrel is positioned closer to the second lens than the heater portion of the lens barrel. The resin member of the lens barrel is positioned closer to the second lens than the piezoelectric element of the lens barrel. The resin member of the lens barrel supports the heater portion and / or the piezoelectric element of the lens barrel. The first thermal conductivity of the lens barrel is greater than the second thermal conductivity of the resin member. In-car camera.

2. An in-vehicle camera according to claim 1, The piezoelectric element of the lens barrel is positioned closer to the image sensor than the heater portion of the lens barrel in the direction along the optical axis. In-car camera.

3. The in-vehicle camera according to claim 2, The heater portion of the lens barrel is positioned in contact with the first edge of the first lens of the lens barrel. The piezoelectric element of the lens barrel is positioned in contact with the heater portion of the lens barrel. The resin member of the lens barrel is positioned in contact with the piezoelectric element of the lens barrel. In-car camera.

4. An in-vehicle camera according to claim 1, The heater portion of the lens barrel is positioned closer to the image sensor than the piezoelectric element of the lens barrel in the direction along the optical axis. In-car camera.

5. The in-vehicle camera according to claim 4, The piezoelectric element of the lens barrel is positioned in contact with the first edge of the first lens of the lens barrel. The heater portion of the lens barrel is positioned in contact with the piezoelectric element of the lens barrel. The resin member of the lens barrel is positioned in contact with the heater portion of the lens barrel. In-car camera.

6. An in-vehicle camera according to claim 1, The first cylindrical shape of the lens barrel comprises an inner surface and an outer surface, The first outer peripheral edge of the heater portion of the lens barrel is arranged along the inner surface of the lens barrel. The second outer edge of the piezoelectric element of the lens barrel is arranged along the inner surface of the lens barrel, The third outer peripheral edge of the resin member of the lens barrel is arranged along the inner surface of the lens barrel. In-car camera.

7. An in-vehicle camera according to claim 1, The first lens of the lens barrel is the lens furthest from the image sensor, The heater portion of the lens barrel is capable of heating the first lens of the lens barrel. The piezoelectric element of the lens barrel is capable of vibrating the first lens of the lens barrel. In-car camera.

8. An in-vehicle camera according to claim 1, The heater portion of the lens barrel is A first conductor comprises a first conductor end and a second conductor end opposite to the first conductor end, wherein the first conductor end is connected to the heater section and the second conductor end is connected to the circuit board, The piezoelectric element of the lens barrel is A second conductor comprising a third conductor end and a fourth conductor end opposite to the third conductor end, wherein the third conductor end is connected to the piezoelectric element and the fourth conductor end is connected to the circuit board, In-car camera.

9. The in-vehicle camera according to claim 8, At least a portion of the first conductor of the heater portion of the lens barrel and at least a portion of the second conductor of the piezoelectric element of the lens barrel are connected to the circuit board, passing outside the first cylindrical outer surface of the lens barrel. In-car camera.

10. The in-vehicle camera according to claim 8, At least a portion of the first conductor of the heater portion of the lens barrel and at least a portion of the second conductor of the piezoelectric element of the lens barrel are connected to the circuit board, passing inside the first cylindrical inner surface of the lens barrel. In-car camera.

11. The in-vehicle camera according to claim 8, The first conductor of the heater section of the lens barrel and the second conductor of the piezoelectric element of the lens barrel are both flexible printed circuit boards. In-car camera.

12. An in-vehicle camera according to claim 11, The flexible printed circuit board for the first conductor of the heater section of the lens barrel and the flexible printed circuit board for the second conductor of the piezoelectric element of the lens barrel are integrated. In-car camera.

13. The in-vehicle camera according to claim 8, After the first power is supplied to the heater section via the first conductor, the second power is supplied to the piezoelectric element via the second conductor. In-car camera.

14. The in-vehicle camera according to claim 13, The first power and the second power are supplied from the connector and the circuit board connector, In-car camera.

15. An in-vehicle camera according to claim 1, The connector is a pin connector and / or a coaxial connector. In-car camera.

16. An in-vehicle camera according to claim 1, The heater unit is a PTC (Positive Temperature Coefficient) heater. In-car camera.

17. An in-vehicle camera according to claim 1, The aforementioned connector is The first connector end connected to the circuit board connector, A second connector end, opposite to the first connector end, is connected to a vehicle cable, In-car camera.

18. An in-vehicle camera according to claim 1, The circuit board comprises a first circuit board and a second circuit board. In-car camera.

19. An in-vehicle camera according to claim 1, The circuit board connector is located on the second surface of the circuit board. In-car camera.

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