Outside vehicle monitoring device

Abstract

To provide a vehicle external monitoring device which can efficiently remove fogging of a transparent member in front of the device.SOLUTION: A vehicle external monitoring device 10 comprises: a ventilation fan 14; an imaging module 15; and an air guiding part. The ventilation fan 14 cools the imaging module 15 and sends air toward a windshield 19 side of a vehicle. The imaging module 15 is arranged in the vicinity of an inner surface of the windshield 19 and includes an image pickup element 20 that picks up images of outside the vehicle. A first air guiding part 23 extends from the ventilation fan 14 side to the windshield 19 side and is thermally connected with the imaging module 15. The air sent by the ventilation fan 14 is heated up when cooling the image pickup element 20 and blown along the air guiding part against the windshield 19.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle exterior monitoring device, and more particularly to a vehicle exterior monitoring device that monitors the situation outside a vehicle with an image sensor. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, stereo-type vehicle exterior monitoring devices using a pair of stereo cameras incorporating solid-state imaging elements such as CMOS have been used. In vehicle exterior recognition in this type of vehicle exterior monitoring device, the stereo cameras capture images of the area ahead of the vehicle, and a predetermined arithmetic processing is performed based on the captured image data. Specifically, distance data is calculated using the principle of triangulation, and the distance data is subjected to well-known grouping processing or the like to recognize objects in the captured images.

[0003] The stereo camera is disposed close to the windshield. Therefore, if the windshield is fogged up, the stereo camera may not be able to capture a clear image of the situation outside the vehicle, and may not be able to accurately recognize objects outside the vehicle.

[0004] Patent Document 1 describes an invention for addressing the above-mentioned problem. In this invention, an imaging element that captures the outside through the windshield and a circuit board that mounts electronic components that process image data acquired by the imaging element are built into a housing. In addition, an exhaust port for discharging heat generated by the electronic components is formed in the housing. In this way, the heat generated by the electronic components is dissipated to the windshield included in the imaging area, and fogging of the windshield can be suppressed.

[0005] Furthermore, in the inventions described in Patent Documents 2 and 3, warm air generated by the vehicle's air temperature control device is blown between the vehicle monitoring device and the windshield, thereby preventing fogging on the glass in front of the vehicle monitoring device. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] JP 2017-92736 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2019-137288 A [Patent Document 3] JP 2019-137289 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] However, the inventions described in the above Patent Documents 1 to 3 have room for improvement in terms of more efficiently preventing the windshield from fogging up.

[0008] Specifically, the invention described in Patent Document 1 prevents fogging of the windshield by utilizing heat generated by electronic components, but there is no guarantee that sufficient heat exchange occurs between the electronic components and the air, which may result in insufficient heating of the windshield and cause fogging.

[0009] In addition, the inventions described in Patent Documents 2 and 3 use the vehicle's air temperature control device as a heat source to defog the windshield, but there is a problem in that if the temperature of the warm air from the air temperature control device is not sufficiently high, it is not easy to defog the windshield.

[0010] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide an outside vehicle monitoring device that can efficiently remove fogging from the transparent member in front of the device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] The vehicle exterior monitoring device of the present invention comprises: Blow air in one direction across the width A blower fan and The fan is disposed on one side of the blower fan in the width direction and captures images in front of the blower fan. An imaging module; a base member supporting the blower fan on its underside and supporting the imaging module on its upper side; and a portion formed by protruding downward from the underside of the base member in a wall shape, the portion continuously extending from the vicinity of the air outlet of the blower fan toward the one side and being thermally connected to the imaging module via the base member. and an air guiding section, the air guiding section comprising: The air blown by the blower fan is guided so that the air has a velocity component flowing toward the front below the imaging module. It is characterized by: Effect of the Invention

[0016] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an outside vehicle monitoring device that can efficiently remove fogging from a transparent member in front of the device. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0021] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is an oblique view showing a vehicle incorporating an exterior monitoring device according to one embodiment of the present invention, where (A) is an oblique view showing the front of the vehicle, and (B) is an enlarged oblique view showing the portion where the exterior monitoring device is attached. [Diagram 2] 1 is a diagram showing a connection configuration of a vehicle exterior monitoring device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 3] 1 is a bottom view of a vehicle exterior monitoring device according to an embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from below. FIG. [Figure 4] 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a vehicle exterior monitoring device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a bottom view showing an internal configuration of the vehicle exterior monitoring device according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 6] 1 is a diagram showing a vehicle exterior monitoring device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and is a perspective view showing an internal configuration of the vehicle exterior monitoring device. [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an exterior monitoring device for one embodiment of the present invention, in which (A) is a bottom view showing the configuration of the air induction section and the like inside the exterior monitoring device, and (B) is a bottom view showing the air flow inside the exterior monitoring device. [Figure 8] 1A and 1B are diagrams showing an exterior monitoring device for one embodiment of the present invention, in which (A) is a diagram showing air flow velocity contours inside the exterior monitoring device, and (B) is a diagram showing temperature contours inside the exterior monitoring device. [Figure 9] 11A and 11B are diagrams showing an exterior monitoring device according to another embodiment of the present invention, in which (A) is a bottom view showing the configuration of the air induction section etc. inside the exterior monitoring device, (B) is a diagram showing the relative configuration between the air outlet and the end, and (C) is a diagram showing another relative configuration between the air outlet and the end. [Figure 10]11A and 11B are diagrams showing an exterior vehicle monitoring device according to another embodiment of the present invention, in which (A) is a diagram showing the air flow velocity contour inside the exterior vehicle monitoring device, and (B) is a diagram showing the temperature contour inside the exterior vehicle monitoring device. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a vehicle exterior monitoring device according to another embodiment of the present invention, showing another form of the first air guiding portion. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0022] An exterior monitoring device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the same components are generally designated by the same reference numerals, and repeated description will be omitted. In addition, the following description will be given using the up, down, front, back, left and right directions, but the left and right directions refer to the directions when facing forward of the vehicle 11.

[0023] FIG. 1(A) is a perspective view showing the front part of a vehicle 11, and FIG. 1(B) is an enlarged perspective view showing a portion where a vehicle exterior monitoring device 10 is attached.

[0024] 1(A), a vehicle exterior monitoring device 10 is provided in the interior of a vehicle 11, which may be, for example, a passenger car. The vehicle exterior monitoring device 10 is disposed near the upper end of a windshield 19, which is a transparent member, and approximately in the center of the vehicle 11 in the left-right direction.

[0025] 1B, the vehicle exterior monitoring device 10 is disposed behind a portion of the windshield 19 that is shielded by the ceramic line 29. An image pickup element 20 (described later) of the vehicle exterior monitoring device 10 is exposed forward from an opening 12 that is formed by partially cutting out the ceramic line 29. In order to ensure a wide viewing angle of the image pickup element 20, the image pickup element 20 (described later) is disposed immediately behind the windshield 19 in the vehicle cabin. In this manner, the gap between the vehicle exterior monitoring device 10 and the windshield 19 becomes narrow, and fogging is likely to occur on the windshield 19 near the vehicle exterior monitoring device 10. In this embodiment, as described later, a blower fan 14 built into the vehicle exterior monitoring device 10 blows warm air toward this gap to prevent the above-mentioned fogging from occurring.

[0026] 2 is a diagram showing a connection configuration of a vehicle exterior monitoring device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The vehicle exterior monitoring device 10 mainly includes an imaging element 20, a control and arithmetic device 28, an image processing element 26, and a blower fan 14. The vehicle exterior monitoring device 10 also includes a vehicle drive unit 27. The imaging element 20 is included in an imaging module 15, which will be described later.

[0027] The imaging element 20 is, for example, a solid-state imaging element such as a CMOS or a CCD, and captures an image of the external environment in front of the vehicle 11 through the windshield 19. The vehicle exterior monitoring device 10 of this embodiment has two imaging elements 20 that constitute a stereo camera. The imaging elements 20 are built into an imaging module 15, which will be described later.

[0028] The control and arithmetic device 28 is made up of a CPU, RAM, ROM, etc., and controls the operation of each part of the vehicle exterior monitoring device 10. The control and arithmetic device 28 is also called an ECU (Electronic Control Unit).

[0029] The image processing element 26 is a semiconductor element that performs predetermined image processing based on image data transmitted from the imaging element 20, in accordance with instructions from the control and arithmetic device 28. The image processing element 26 is, for example, a semiconductor chip dedicated to image processing, which is made up of a field programmable gate array (FGPA), and is a heat generating element that generates a lot of heat when performing image processing.

[0030] The blower fan 14 blows air based on instructions from the control arithmetic device 28. By blowing air from the blower fan 14, the imaging module 15 can be cooled, and the windshield 19 in front of the imaging element 20 can be cleared of fog. This matter will be described later with reference to FIG. 5 etc.

[0031] The vehicle drive device 27 is a device for driving the vehicle exterior monitoring device 10, and includes, for example, a drive device, a braking device, and a steering device, which are not shown here.

[0032] The function of the vehicle exterior monitoring device 10 will be described. The vehicle exterior monitoring device 10 constitutes a vehicle driving support device. Specifically, the image processing element 26 of the vehicle exterior monitoring device 10 calculates distance data based on reference image data and comparison image data input from the imaging element 20 that captures the image in front of the vehicle. Furthermore, the image processing element 26 performs a well-known grouping process on this distance data to extract various three-dimensional objects, etc. Here, the three-dimensional objects, etc. include white lines, guardrails, curbs, two-wheeled vehicles, regular vehicles, large vehicles, pedestrians, utility poles, etc.

[0033] The vehicle driving device 27 controls the driving device, the braking device, and the steering device based on instructions from the image processing element 26 and the control and arithmetic device 28, and realizes vehicle driving assistance. For example, the vehicle driving device 27 can decelerate or stop the vehicle 11 by controlling the braking device and the driving device. In addition, the vehicle driving device 27 can correct the traveling direction of the vehicle 11 by controlling the steering device. Furthermore, the vehicle driving device 27 can also perform adaptive cruise control (ACC) with distance control by controlling the driving device, the braking device, and the steering device.

[0034] In the vehicle exterior monitoring device 10 of this embodiment, the imaging module 15 always captures images of the area in front of the vehicle while clearing the fog on the windshield 19 in front of the imaging element 20. This allows the imaging module 15 to capture clear images, and based on these images, the vehicle drive device 27 performs driving assistance for the vehicle, enabling safer automatic or semi-automatic driving.

[0035] FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the vehicle exterior monitoring device 10 as viewed from below.

[0036] The vehicle exterior monitoring device 10 is a device for monitoring the situation outside the vehicle, and mainly comprises a blower fan 14, an imaging module 15, a first air induction section 23, and a second air induction section 24. Each component of the vehicle exterior monitoring device 10 is supported by a base material 18. The base material 18 is made of a metal such as aluminum or a synthetic resin formed into a generally plate-like shape.

[0037] The blower fan 14 cools the imaging module 15 and blows air towards the windshield 19. The blower fan 14 is attached to the underside of the base material 18. The blower fan 14 is disposed in approximately the center of the vehicle exterior monitoring device 10 in the left-right direction. The blower fan 14 is, for example, a centrifugal fan that blows air taken in from below to the left and right. An air outlet 36 is formed on the left side of the blower fan 14, through which air blown leftward passes. An air outlet 25 is formed on the right side of the blower fan 14, through which air blown rightward passes.

[0038] Imaging module 15 is not shown in the drawing here because it is disposed behind hood 221 and hood 222. Imaging module 15 is disposed near the inner surface of windshield 19, and incorporates imaging element 20 that captures images of the outside of the vehicle. Imaging module 15 will be described later with reference to FIG.

[0039] The first air guiding section 23 and the second air guiding section 24 extend from the blower fan 14 side toward the windshield 19 side. Furthermore, the first air guiding section 23 and the second air guiding section 24 are thermally coupled to the imaging module 15 (not shown here) via the base material 18. As described below, the air blown by the blower fan 14 is heated by cooling the imaging element 20, flows along the first air guiding section 23 and the second air guiding section 24, and is then blown onto the windshield 19.

[0040] The first air guiding section 23 and the second air guiding section 24 are wall-like protrusions downward from the lower surface of the base material 18. The first air guiding section 23 extends continuously from the vicinity of the air outlet 36 of the blower fan 14 to the vicinity of the upper end of the hood 221. The second air guiding section 24 extends continuously from the vicinity of the air outlet 25 of the blower fan 14 to the vicinity of the upper end of the hood 222.

[0041] The wall portion 38 is a portion of the base material 18 that protrudes downward in a wall shape in the vicinity of the air outlet 36 so as to be parallel to the first air guiding section 23. By forming the wall portion 38, the air blown out from the air outlet 36 can be well guided so as to flow along the first air guiding section 23.

[0042] The wall portion 39 is a portion of the base material 18 that protrudes downward in a wall shape in the vicinity of the air outlet 25 so as to be parallel to the second air guiding section 24. By forming the wall portion 39, the air blown out from the air outlet 25 can be well guided so as to flow along the second air guiding section 24.

[0043] The hood 221 is a light-shielding member disposed on the left front end side of the base material 18, and covers the first imaging module 16 described below from below. The hood 221 has a generally triangular shape that widens toward the front. The slits 211 are formed by partially opening the hood 221. The slits 211 are formed to be elongated along the left-right direction. A plurality of slits 211 are formed along the front-rear direction. The slits 211 are openings through which air blown from the blower fan 14 and heated through the first air guide section 23 flows toward the windshield 19.

[0044] The hood 222 is a light-shielding member disposed on the right-hand front side of the base material 18, and covers the second imaging module 17 described below from below. The hood 222 has a generally triangular shape that widens toward the front. The slits 212 are formed by partially opening the hood 222. The slits 212 are formed long and thin along the left-right direction. A plurality of slits 212 are formed along the front-rear direction. The slits 212 are openings through which air blown from the blower fan 14 and heated through the second air guide section 24 flows toward the windshield 19.

[0045] The bracket 30 is an intermediate member for attaching the hood 221, the hood 222, and the imaging module 15 (described later) to the vehicle body, and is made of, for example, synthetic resin or metal molded into a predetermined shape.

[0046] The opening 31 is an opening formed between the bracket 30 and the hood 221, and light passes through from outside the vehicle toward a first imaging module 16 described later. The opening 32 is an opening formed between the bracket 30 and the hood 222, and light enters from outside the vehicle toward a second imaging module 17 described later.

[0047] FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing the vehicle exterior monitoring device 10. As shown in FIG.

[0048] The vehicle exterior monitoring device 10 has, from above, a bracket 30, an imaging module 15, and a camera cover 13.

[0049] 1(B) on the upper end of the interior side of the windshield 19, and has the function of mounting each component of the vehicle exterior monitoring device 10 on the side of the vehicle 11. Hoods 221 and 222 are attached to the front end side of the bracket 30.

[0050] The imaging module 15 mainly includes a base material 18, a first imaging module 16, and a second imaging module 17. The imaging module 15 is attached to the lower surface of the bracket 30 via fastening means such as screws.

[0051] The first imaging module 16 is disposed on the left end side of the base material 18, and has an imaging element 20 built in. The first imaging module 16 is thermally coupled to the base material 18, and heat generated from the first imaging module 16 during operation of the vehicle exterior monitoring device 10 is conducted to the base material 18. This prevents the first imaging module 16 from overheating.

[0052] The second imaging module 17 is disposed on the right end side of the base material 18, and has an imaging element 20 built in. The second imaging module 17 is thermally coupled to the base material 18, and heat generated from the second imaging module 17 during operation of the vehicle exterior monitoring device 10 is conducted to the base material 18. This prevents the second imaging module 17 from overheating.

[0053] Circuit elements such as the image processing element 26 are mounted on the base material 18. When the vehicle exterior monitoring device 10 is in operation, heat generated from the image processing element 26 and the like is conducted to the base material 18, thereby preventing overheating of the image processing element 26. As described above, the first air guiding section 23, the second air guiding section 24, and the blower fan 14 are disposed on the lower surface of the base material 18.

[0054] The camera cover 13 is made of a synthetic resin plate molded into a predetermined shape, and is attached to the bracket 30 so as to cover the imaging module 15, the hood 221, the hood 222, etc. from below.

[0055] Fig. 5 is a diagram showing a vehicle outside monitoring device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention, and is a bottom view showing the internal configuration of the vehicle outside monitoring device 10. Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing the internal configuration of the vehicle outside monitoring device 10. Here, the configuration and effects of the left portion of the vehicle outside monitoring device 10 will be described, but the same matters also apply to the right portion of the vehicle outside monitoring device 10. In Fig. 5 and subsequent figures, air flows are indicated by dotted arrows.

[0056] 5 and 6, the first air guiding section 23 has a shape that can generate the Coanda effect when air is blown along the first air guiding section 23. The Coanda effect is an effect in which air is drawn to the first air guiding section 23. Specifically, the right end portion of the first air guiding section 23 is disposed in the vicinity of the front end of the air outlet 36, the central portion is raised toward the rear, and the left end portion extends forward toward the slit 211. Moreover, the first air guiding section 23 has a smoothly curved shape as a whole.

[0057] Since the first air induction section 23 has such a shape, the air blown by the blower fan 14 flows leftward along the rear surface of the first air induction section 23 due to the Coanda effect. Here, the base material 18, which is the base material of the first air induction section 23, functions as a heat dissipation member for the imaging module 15 and the like, and therefore becomes hot due to heat received from the first imaging module 16 and the like when the vehicle exterior monitoring device 10 is in operation. Therefore, air flows along the first air induction section 23, which promotes heat dissipation from the first imaging module 16 and the like via the first air induction section 23, which is part of the base material 18, and the vehicle exterior monitoring device 10 can operate normally.

[0058] Thereafter, the air that has flowed along the first air guiding portion 23 flows forward, passes through the slits 211 of the hood 221, and hits the inner surface of the windshield 19. This makes it possible to clear the fog on the inner surface of the windshield 19.

[0059] Fig. 7(A) is a bottom view showing the configuration of the air guide section and the like inside the vehicle outside monitoring device 10 according to another embodiment, and Fig. 7(B) is a bottom view showing the air flow inside the vehicle outside monitoring device 10. The configuration of the vehicle outside monitoring device 10 shown here is basically similar to that of the vehicle outside monitoring device 10 shown in Fig. 3, except that it has a wall section 33.

[0060] 7(A), a wall portion 33 is formed on the lower surface of the base material 18. The wall portion 33 is a portion where the lower surface of the base material 18 protrudes in a wall shape. The wall portion 33 is formed on the rear side of the first air guiding section 23, and the left side end portion approaches the first air guiding section 23 and is inclined toward the right so as to move away from the first air guiding section 23. The wall portion 33 is curved so that the middle portion protrudes forward to the right. Furthermore, a plurality of wall portions 33 are arranged along the first air guiding section 23.

[0061] 7(B), the air blown by the blower fan 14 flows along the rear surface of the first air guiding section 23 via the air outlet 36 due to the Coanda effect. At that time, the air is caught in the air flow along the first air guiding section 23, and an air flow along the wall section 33 is generated. As a result, in addition to the first air guiding section 23, the wall section 33 also functions as a heat dissipation fin, and the effect of cooling each component device such as the imaging module 15 can be made remarkable.

[0062] FIG. 8(A) is a diagram showing air flow velocity contours inside the vehicle exterior monitoring device 10, and FIG. 8(B) is a diagram showing temperature contours inside the vehicle exterior monitoring device 10.

[0063] In Fig. 8(A), the lighter the color, the faster the air flow speed. The air blown out from the blower fan 14 flows toward the front left side along the rear surface of the first air guide section 23 due to the Coanda effect. In addition, air flows along the wall section 33.

[0064] In FIG. 8(B), the lighter the color, the higher the temperature. As is clear from this figure, the first air guiding section 23 and the wall section 33 are at high temperatures due to heat received from the first imaging module 16 and the second imaging module 17 described above. In addition, the air flowing along the first air guiding section 23 is also at a high temperature due to heat conduction from the first air guiding section 23. Furthermore, the air flowing along the wall section 33 is also at a high temperature due to heat conduction from the wall section 33. The air heated by receiving heat from the first air guiding section 23 and the wall section 33 is blown onto the windshield 19, thereby effectively clearing the fog on the windshield 19.

[0065] Figure 9(A) is a bottom view showing another configuration of the exterior monitoring device 10, Figure 9(B) is a diagram showing the relative configuration between the air outlet 36 and the end portion 35, and Figure 9(C) is a diagram showing another relative configuration between the air outlet 36 and the end portion 35.

[0066] 9(A), here, a first air guiding section 23, a wall section 33 and a wall section 34 are formed on the lower surface of a base material 18. The configurations of the first air guiding section 23 and the wall section 33 are similar to those shown in FIG.

[0067] The wall portion 34 is formed on the lower surface of the base material 18, on the front side of the first air guiding section 23. The wall portion 34 is a portion of the lower surface of the base material 18 that is formed into a wall shape. The wall portion 34 is inclined toward the right so as to move away from the first air guiding section 23. Furthermore, a plurality of wall portions 34 are formed along the first air guiding section 23.

[0068] Here, the position of the end 35, which is the right end of the first air guiding section 23, can be set arbitrarily with respect to the air outlet 36. That is, as shown in Fig. 9(B), the end 35 may be disposed at the front end of the air outlet 36. Also, as shown in Fig. 9(C), the end 35 may be disposed at the middle part of the air outlet 36 in the front-rear direction.

[0069] Referring again to FIG. 9(A), here, the end 35, which is the right end of the first air guiding section 23, is disposed in the middle, for example, the center, of the air outlet 36 in the front-rear direction. In this configuration, when the blower fan 14 blows out air from the air outlet 36, part of the air flows along the rear surface of the first air guiding section 23 due to the Coanda effect. Along with this air flow, the air flows along the wall section 33. Meanwhile, part of the air blown out from the air outlet 36 flows along the front surface of the first air guiding section 23. Furthermore, along with this air flow, the air flows along the wall section 34. In this way, in addition to the first air guiding section 23, the wall section 33 and the wall section 34 also exchange heat with the air, and the heated air can be blown toward the windshield 19 described above more effectively.

[0070] FIG. 10A is a diagram showing air flow velocity contours inside the vehicle exterior monitoring device 10, and FIG. 10B is a diagram showing temperature contours inside the vehicle exterior monitoring device 10.

[0071] 10(A), the lighter the color, the faster the air flow speed. Here, the air blown out from the air outlet 36 flows along the front and rear surfaces of the first air guide section 23. Air flows also occur along the walls 33 and 34.

[0072] In Fig. 10(B), lighter colors indicate higher temperatures. Here, the air blown out from the air outlet 36 flows along the front and rear surfaces of the first air guide section 23 while absorbing heat, and thus assumes a high temperature state. In addition, air flows along the walls 33 and 34, and as a result, the air that exchanges heat with the walls 33 and 34 assumes a high temperature state.

[0073] FIG. 11 is a side view showing a first air guiding section 23 according to still another embodiment.

[0074] Here, a boundary layer control portion 37 is formed on the rear surface of the first air guiding portion 23, i.e., the surface through which air is blown. Here, a portion in which the rear surface of the first air guiding portion 23 is partially protruded rearward is exemplified as the boundary layer control portion 37. Here, one boundary layer control portion 37 is exemplified, but multiple boundary layer control portions 37 may be formed along the air flow.

[0075] Due to design limitations of the vehicle exterior monitoring device 10, etc., there are cases where the length of the first air guiding section 23 cannot be sufficiently ensured, and in such cases, there is a risk that the main flow of air will move away from the rear surface of the first air guiding section 23. By forming the first air guiding section 23, a turbulent flow is generated downstream of the first air guiding section 23, which inhibits the main flow of air from separating from the rear surface of the first air guiding section 23, and allows sufficient heat exchange between the first air guiding section 23 and the air.

[0076] The above-described embodiment can provide the following main effects.

[0077] 5, the vehicle exterior monitoring device 10 blows air heated by cooling the imaging element 20 onto the windshield 19 along the first air guide section 23, thereby preventing fogging of the windshield 19 in front of the imaging module 15. Furthermore, since air heated by heat exchange with the imaging element 20 is blown onto the windshield 19, it is possible to suitably cool the imaging element 20 while the vehicle 11 is traveling, and to eliminate fogging of the windshield 19 without the need for a dedicated heat source.

[0078] Furthermore, referring to FIG. 5, when air is blown along the air guiding section, the Coanda effect occurs, so that the air is blown in close contact with the air guiding section, effectively cooling the first air guiding section 23 and the imaging module 15, and furthermore, the heated air can be preferably blown onto the windshield 19.

[0079] Furthermore, referring to FIG. 5, since the slits 211 are formed in the hood 221, the heated air can be effectively blown toward the windshield 19 through the slits 211.

[0080] Furthermore, referring to FIG. 3, air can be blown to both sides in the width direction of the blower fan 14, and the air can be effectively blown onto the windshield 19 in front of the first imaging module 16 and the second imaging module 17.

[0081] Furthermore, referring to FIG. 7(B), by flowing air between the wall portion 33 and the first air guiding portion 23, heat exchange between the first air guiding portion 23 and the wall portion 33 and the air can be more effectively achieved, and furthermore, hotter air can be blown against the windshield 19.

[0082] Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment, and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. In addition, the above-described embodiments can be combined with each other. The invention that can be understood from the above-described embodiment will be described below together with its effects. The vehicle exterior monitoring device of the present invention is a vehicle exterior monitoring device that monitors the situation outside the vehicle, and is equipped with a blower fan, an imaging module, and an air induction unit, the blower fan cools the imaging module and blows air toward a transparent member provided on the vehicle body, the imaging module is disposed near the inner surface of the transparent member and incorporates an imaging element that captures the outside of the vehicle, the air induction unit extends from the blower fan toward the transparent member and is thermally connected to the imaging module, and the air blown by the blower fan is heated by cooling the imaging element and blown onto the transparent member along the air induction unit. According to the vehicle exterior monitoring device of the present invention, the air heated by cooling the imaging element is blown onto the windshield, which is a transparent member, along the air induction unit, thereby suppressing the occurrence of fogging on the windshield in front of the imaging module. Therefore, the robustness of the vehicle exterior monitoring device can be improved. Furthermore, the air heated by heat exchange with the imaging element is blown onto the windshield, so that the imaging element can be appropriately cooled while the vehicle is traveling, and fogging of the windshield can be eliminated without the need for a dedicated heat source. In the vehicle exterior monitoring device of the present invention, the air guiding section has a shape that can generate the Coanda effect when the air is blown along the air guiding section. According to the vehicle exterior monitoring device of the present invention, when the air is blown along the air guiding section, the Coanda effect occurs, so that the air is blown in close contact with the air guiding section, effectively cooling the air guiding section and the imaging module, and furthermore, the heated air can be suitably blown against the transparent member. The vehicle exterior monitoring device of the present invention is further characterized in that it includes a hood that covers the imaging module and has a slit formed therein, and the air blown by the blower fan is blown toward the transparent member through the slit of the hood. According to the vehicle exterior monitoring device of the present invention, heated air can be effectively blown toward the transparent member through the slit of the hood. In the vehicle exterior monitoring device of the present invention, the imaging module has a first imaging module arranged on one side of the blower fan in the width direction and a second imaging module arranged on the other side of the blower fan in the width direction, and the air guiding section has a first air guiding section that is thermally connected to the first imaging module and guides the air from the blower fan, and a second air guiding section that is thermally connected to the second imaging module and guides the air from the blower fan. According to the vehicle exterior monitoring device of the present invention, air can be effectively blown to both sides in the width direction of the blower fan, and further, air can be effectively blown onto the transparent member in front. In addition, in the vehicle exterior monitoring device of the present invention, a plurality of walls are provided along the air guide portion, and the air blown by the blower fan flows between the walls and the air guide portion. According to the vehicle exterior monitoring device of the present invention, by flowing the air between the walls and the air guide portion, heat exchange between the air and the air guide portion can be more effectively performed, and high-temperature air can be blown against the transparent member. [Explanation of symbols]

[0083] 10. Exterior monitoring device 11 Vehicles 12 Opening 13 Camera cover 14 Blower fan 15 Imaging module 16 First imaging module 17 Second imaging module 18 Base material 19 Windshield 20. Image sensor 211 Slit 212 Slit 221 Food 222 Food 23 First air induction section 24 Second air induction section 25 Air outlet 26 Image processing element 27 Vehicle drive unit 28 Control and arithmetic unit 29 Ceramic Line 30 Bracket 31 Opening 32 Opening 33 Wall section 34 Wall 35 End 36 Air outlet 37 Boundary layer control section 38 Wall 39 Wall

Claims

1. A blower fan that blows air in one direction in the width direction; an imaging module that is disposed on the one side of the blower fan in the width direction and captures an image of a forward direction; a base member supporting the blower fan on a lower surface thereof and supporting the imaging module on an upper surface thereof; an air guide section which is a portion formed by protruding downward from the lower surface of the base material in a wall shape, the air guide section continuously extends from a vicinity of the air outlet of the blower fan toward the one side, and is thermally connected to the imaging module via the base material; The vehicle exterior monitoring device is characterized in that the air induction section induces the air blown by the blower fan below the imaging module so that the air has a velocity component flowing toward the front.

2. 2. The vehicle exterior monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein the air guide portion has a curved portion that is curved along a curve that is convex rearward when viewed from below.

3. An exterior monitoring device as described in Claim 2, characterized in that the air induction portion has a shape in which the central portion of the curved portion is located rearward of both ends of the air induction portion in the width direction.

4. a hood disposed in front of and below the imaging module and having a slit formed therein; 4. The vehicle exterior monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein the air blown by the blower fan flows from the lower side of the hood to the upper side of the hood through the slits in the hood.

5. A plurality of wall portions are provided along the air guide portion, the lower surface of the base material being protruded downward in a wall shape, 5. The vehicle exterior monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein the air blown by the blower fan flows between the wall portion and the air guide portion.

6. A blower fan having an air outlet on one side and the other side in a width direction, which blows air toward the one side and the other side in the width direction; a first imaging module that is disposed on the one side of the blower fan in the width direction and captures an image of a forward direction; a second imaging module that is disposed on the other side of the blower fan in the width direction and captures an image of the front; a base member supporting the blower fan on a lower surface thereof and supporting the first imaging module and the second imaging module on an upper surface thereof; a first air guide portion that is a portion formed by protruding downward from the lower surface of the base material in a wall shape, the first air guide portion extending continuously from a vicinity of the air outlet on the one side of the blower fan toward the one side, and that is thermally connected to the first imaging module via the base material; a second air guide portion that is a portion of the lower surface of the base material that protrudes downward in a wall shape, the second air guide portion extending continuously from a vicinity of the air outlet on the other side of the blower fan toward the other side, and is thermally connected to the second imaging module via the base material, the first air guide unit guides, below the first imaging module, the air blown toward the one side by the blower fan such that the air blown toward the one side by the blower fan has a velocity component flowing toward the front; The second air induction section induces the air blown by the blower fan toward the other side below the second imaging module so that the air has a velocity component flowing toward the front.

7. The first air induction section has a first curved section that curves along a first curve that is convex toward the rear when viewed from below, 7. The vehicle exterior monitoring device according to claim 6, wherein the second air guide portion has a second curved portion that is curved along a second curve that is convex toward the rear when viewed from below.

8. The first air induction section has a shape in which a central portion of the first curved section is located rearward of both ends of the first air induction section in the width direction, The vehicle exterior monitoring device according to claim 7, characterized in that the second air guiding portion has a shape in which a central portion of the second curved portion is located rearward of both ends of the second air guiding portion in the width direction.

9. A first hood disposed in front of and below the first imaging module and having a slit formed therein; a second hood disposed in front of and below the second imaging module and having a slit formed therein; the air blown toward the one side by the blower fan passes through the slits of the first hood and flows from a lower surface side of the first hood toward an upper surface side of the first hood, The vehicle exterior monitoring device according to any one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that the air blown toward the other side by the blower fan flows from the lower side of the second hood to the upper side of the second hood through the slits of the second hood.

10. A plurality of first wall portions arranged along the first air induction portion and protruding the lower surface of the base material downward in a wall-like manner; The vehicle exterior monitoring device according to any one of claims 6 to 9, further comprising a plurality of second wall portions arranged along the second air guide portion and protruding the lower surface of the base material downward in a wall-like shape.

Images