Vehicular imaging device

Abstract

A vehicular imaging device 10 comprises: an imaging unit 20 including a lens 21; a metal attachment member 17 on which the imaging unit 20 is disposed and which is attached to a vehicle 1; and a housing 12 that accommodates the imaging unit 20 and the attachment member 17 so that the lens 21 is exposed to the outside. A heat conduction member 26 having a part 26a exposed from the imaging unit 20 is attached to the imaging unit 20, and a groove part 18c into which the part 26a of the heat conduction member 26 is inserted is formed in the attachment member 17.

Description

Vehicle imaging device

[0001] The present invention relates to an imaging device for a vehicle.

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a vehicle imaging device that houses an imaging unit (camera) that captures images of the rear side of the vehicle within a housing. The housing is provided with multiple heat dissipation fins that are plated and covered with a highly thermally conductive sheet. The imaging unit is housed within the housing so that it is in close contact with the highly thermally conductive sheet, thereby improving heat dissipation.

[0003] Patent No. 7509675

[0004] In the heat dissipation structure of the vehicle imaging device of Patent Document 1, it is necessary to plate a plurality of fins, so there is room for improvement in terms of manufacturing costs.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to improve the heat dissipation performance of the imaging unit while suppressing manufacturing costs.

[0006] The present invention provides a vehicle imaging device comprising an imaging unit including a lens that images the rear side of a vehicle, a metal mounting member on which the imaging unit is arranged and which is attached to the vehicle, and a housing that accommodates the imaging unit and the mounting member so that the lens is exposed to the outside, wherein a heat conductive member is attached to the imaging unit, a portion of which is exposed from the imaging unit, and a groove portion is formed in the mounting member into which the portion of the heat conductive member is inserted.

[0007] A portion of the thermally conductive member attached to the imaging unit is exposed from the imaging unit and inserted into a groove in a mounting member attached to the vehicle body. This allows heat from the imaging unit to be transferred to the metal mounting member via the thermally conductive member and dissipated. The heat dissipation structure has a simple configuration in which only the thermally conductive member is attached to the imaging unit and a groove is provided in the mounting member, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost of the vehicle imaging device compared to when multiple plated fins are provided on the housing.

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to improve the heat dissipation performance of the imaging section while suppressing manufacturing costs.

[0009] The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and may be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

[0010] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0011] 1, a vehicle imaging device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention is attached to an outer panel (vehicle body panel) 2 of a vehicle side door 1, and captures images of the rear side of the vehicle. The vehicle imaging device 10 shown in FIG. 1 is for the right side door 1. The vehicle imaging device 10 for the left side door has a shape symmetrical to that of the vehicle imaging device 10 for the right side door 1.

[0012] In the accompanying drawings, the X direction is the vehicle length direction, with the arrow pointing in the direction of the front side and the opposite direction of the arrow pointing in the direction of the rear side. The Y direction is the vehicle width direction, with the arrow pointing inward (inside the vehicle) and the opposite direction of the arrow pointing outward (outside the vehicle). The Z direction is the vehicle height direction, with the arrow pointing in the direction of the top side and the opposite direction of the arrow pointing in the direction of the bottom side.

[0013] 2 and 3, the vehicle imaging device 10 includes a housing 12, a bracket (mounting member) 17, and a camera (imaging unit) 20. In this embodiment, the configurations of the bracket 17 and the camera 20 are improved to improve the heat dissipation performance of the camera 20.

[0014] 1 to 3, the housing 12 is pentagonal when viewed from the vehicle height direction and is composed of a lower housing 13 and an upper housing 14. A storage section 15 is formed within the housing 12, which is a space for storing a bracket 17 and a camera 20. The housing 12 is attached to the side door 1 via the bracket 17.

[0015] The lower housing 13 includes a pentagonal lower wall 13a extending along the XY plane and a peripheral wall 13b projecting upward from the outer periphery of the lower wall 13a except for a portion of the lower wall 13a that is on the inner side in the vehicle width direction and that contacts the outer panel 2. The upper housing 14 includes a pentagonal upper wall 14a extending along the XY plane and spaced apart from the upper side of the lower wall 13a, and a peripheral wall 14b projecting downward from the outer periphery of the upper wall 14a except for a portion of the upper wall 14a that is on the inner side in the vehicle width direction and that contacts the outer panel 2. The peripheral walls 13b, 14b are provided with an assembly structure (not shown) using engaging claws or the like for assembling the lower housing 13 and the upper housing 14 together. The peripheral walls 13b, 14b may be assembled by welding.

[0016] The inner portions of the lower housing 13 and the upper housing 14 in the vehicle width direction constitute an inner portion 12a of the housing 12. The peripheral wall 13b of the lower housing 13 and the peripheral wall 14b of the upper housing 14 constitute a front portion 12b, a rear portion 12c, an outer portion 12d, and an inclined portion 12e of the housing 12.

[0017] The inner portion 12a is disposed in contact with the outer panel 2 and extends in the vehicle length direction along the outer panel 2. The inner portion 12a has an opening defined by a lower wall 13a, an upper wall 14a, and peripheral walls 13b, 14b, and communicating with the storage portion 15. The front portion 12b extends outward in the vehicle width direction from the front end of the inner portion 12a. The rear portion 12c extends outward in the vehicle width direction from the rear end of the inner portion 12a. The outer portion 12d is positioned outward in the vehicle width direction relative to the inner portion 12a and extends in the vehicle length direction. The outer portion 12d is connected to the outer end of the front portion 12b via an inclined portion 12e and is also connected to the outer end of the rear portion 12c. The inclined portion 12e is connected to the outer end of the front portion 12b and the front end of the outer portion 12d, and is inclined from the inner side in the vehicle width direction to the outer side in the vehicle length direction.

[0018] Cutouts 13c, 14c are provided in the peripheral walls 13b, 14b of the lower housing 13 and the upper housing 14 in the portions that form the rear portion 12c. The cutouts 13c, 14c are configured to expose the lens 21 of the camera 20 to the outside, and are provided outside the center of the rear portion 12c in the vehicle width direction. The cutouts 13c, 14c are semicircular and become circular when the lower housing 13 and the upper housing 14 are assembled.

[0019] 2 and 3, the bracket 17 is made of a metal (e.g., aluminum) with good thermal conductivity and is accommodated in the accommodation portion 15 of the housing 12. The bracket 17 is L-shaped when viewed from the vehicle height direction and extends in the vehicle width and length directions. More specifically, the bracket 17 includes a bottom plate portion 17a and a frame plate portion 17d.

[0020] The bottom plate portion 17a is an L-shaped plate extending along the XY plane and placed in surface contact with the lower wall 13a of the lower housing 13. The bottom plate portion 17a includes a first portion 17b extending in the vehicle width direction and a second portion 17c protruding forward in the vehicle length direction from the inner side of the first portion 17b in the vehicle width direction.

[0021] The frame plate portion 17d protrudes upward from the outer peripheral edge of the bottom plate portion 17a and abuts against the upper wall 14a of the upper housing 14. As a result, the bracket 17 is sandwiched between the bottom wall 13a of the lower housing 13 and the upper wall 14a of the upper housing 14. A reinforcing rib 17h extending in the vehicle width direction is further provided within the frame plate portion 17d.

[0022] An inner plate portion 17e of the frame plate portion 17d, which is located on the inside in the vehicle width direction, is exposed to the outside through an opening in the inner portion 12a of the housing 12 and is arranged so as to be in surface contact with the metal outer panel 2. The inner plate portion 17e has a shape that can close the opening in the inner portion 12a and protrudes in the vehicle length direction further than front plate portions 17f and rear plate portions 17g of the frame plate portion 17d, which are located at the front and rear of the vehicle length direction. The entire vehicle imaging device 10, including the bracket 17, is attached to the side door 1 by connecting the inner plate portion 17e to the outer panel 2 with a connecting member (not shown).

[0023] 2 and 4, a camera mounting portion 18 for mounting a camera 20 is provided in a portion of the first portion 17b of the bottom plate portion 17a that protrudes outward in the vehicle width direction relative to the second portion 17c. The specific configuration of the camera mounting portion 18 will be described in detail later.

[0024] The camera 20 is disposed in the camera mounting portion 18 of the bracket 17 and is accommodated together with the bracket 17 in the accommodation portion 15 of the housing 12. The camera 20 includes a lens 21, an image sensor portion 22, a circuit board 23 including a number of chip components 24, and a cover member 25. A heat sink (thermal conductive member) 26 is attached to the camera 20 to dissipate heat from the image sensor portion 22.

[0025] The optical axis Ao of the camera 20 extends rearward in the vehicle length direction from the lens 21. Image data captured through the lens 21 is sent from an image sensor unit 22, which is disposed adjacent to the lens 21 on the front side in the vehicle length direction, to an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) (not shown) of the vehicle via a circuit board 23.

[0026] The cover member 25 is screwed to the camera mounting portion 18 to cover the image sensor unit 22, circuit board 23, and heat sink 26 of the camera 20, excluding the lens 21. More specifically, the image sensor unit 22, circuit board 23, and heat sink 26 are placed on the cover member 25 through an opening at the bottom end and screwed in. In this way, by placing the cover member 25 on the camera mounting portion 18, the camera 20, excluding the lens 21, can be placed on the bracket 17.

[0027] The heat sink 26 is made of metal (e.g., aluminum) and is configured as a flat, rectangular plate. The heat sink 26 is disposed adjacent to the front side of the image sensor unit 22 in the vehicle length direction, and extends along the YZ plane so as to be perpendicular to the optical axis Ao. The width of the heat sink 26 in the vehicle width direction is the same as the width of the image sensor unit 22 in the vehicle width direction. As long as the heat sink 26 can absorb heat from the image sensor unit 22, the width of the heat sink 26 may be different from the width of the image sensor unit 22, or the heat sink 26 may have a curved shape.

[0028] The heat sink 26 has an exposed portion (part of the thermally conductive member) 26a exposed from the cover member 25. When the heat sink 26 is attached to the cover member 25 and before the cover member 25 is attached to the bracket 17, the exposed portion 26a protrudes downward from the cover member 25 and extends elongatedly in the vehicle width direction when viewed in the vehicle length direction and the vehicle width direction.

[0029] The camera placement section 18 includes a board placement section 18a, a notch 18b, and a groove 18c.

[0030] The board placement section 18a is configured to accommodate a circuit board 23 including chip components 24. The board placement section 18a has a rectangular shape that is slightly larger than the circuit board 23 and is recessed downward.

[0031] The notch 18b is configured to hold the lens 21 of the camera 20. The notch 18b is U-shaped and is provided in the rear plate 17g of the bracket 17 so as to correspond to the notches 13c and 14c of the housing 12.

[0032] The groove 18c is configured to transfer heat from the image sensor unit 22 to the bracket 17 and dissipate it when the exposed portion 26a of the heat sink 26 is inserted into the groove 18c. The groove 18c is provided on the rear side of the circuit board placement portion 18a in the vehicle length direction. The groove 18c is a single elongated recessed groove that is recessed downward and extends in the vehicle width direction along the outer shape of the exposed portion 26a. The groove 18c may be configured as a through-hole that penetrates in the vehicle height direction, as long as the heat sink 26 is in direct or indirect contact with the bracket 17.

[0033] A heat dissipation material 28 made of a heat dissipation resin (e.g., silicone) with good thermal conductivity is embedded in the groove 18c. The heat dissipation material 28 is in close contact with the outer surface of the exposed portion 26a of the heat sink 26 and with the wall surfaces defining the groove 18c. This ensures a sufficient contact area between the heat sink 26 and the bracket 17. The outer surfaces of the exposed portion 26a refer to both side surfaces in the thickness direction of the heat sink 26, which is the vehicle length direction, the lower surface in the vehicle height direction, and both end surfaces in the vehicle width direction. The wall surfaces defining the groove 18c refer to the four groove wall surfaces and groove bottom surface surrounding the heat sink 26.

[0034] In the vehicle imaging device 10 configured as described above, the camera 20 can capture image data of the rear side of the vehicle. The image data is sent to the vehicle's ECU and displayed on an in-vehicle monitor (not shown). When the camera 20 captures an image, the image sensor unit 22 generates heat. This heat is absorbed by the heat sink 26 in contact with the image sensor unit 22, and is then transmitted in this order to the heat dissipation material 28, the bracket 17, and the outer panel 2 exposed to the outside air. This ensures that the heat from the camera 20 can be dissipated reliably.

[0035] The vehicle imaging device 10 of this embodiment has the following features.

[0036] An exposed portion 26a of the heat sink 26 attached to the camera 20 is exposed from the camera 20 and is inserted into a groove 18c of a bracket 17 attached to the side door 1. This allows heat from the camera 20 to be transferred to the metal bracket 17 via the heat sink 26 and dissipated. The heat dissipation structure is a simple configuration in which the heat sink 26 is attached to the camera 20 and the groove 18c is provided in the bracket 17, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost of the vehicle imaging device 10 compared to when a plurality of plated fins are provided on the housing 12.

[0037] Since the heat dissipation material 28 is embedded in the groove 18c, a sufficient contact area can be secured between the heat sink 26 and the bracket 17. Therefore, heat from the camera 20 can be efficiently transferred to the bracket 17 via the heat sink 26 and dissipated.

[0038] The groove 18c is a single elongated member extending along the outer shape of the exposed portion 26a of the heat sink 26. Therefore, compared to when a plurality of grooves 18c are formed, it is possible to prevent the complexity of managing the dimensions of the heat sink 26 and the groove 18c from increasing, and it is also possible to improve the ease of assembling the heat sink 26 into the groove 18c.

[0039] The present invention is not limited to the configuration of the above embodiment, and various modifications are possible.

[0040] For example, the exposed portion 26a of the heat sink 26 may be in contact with the wall surface defining the groove 18c of the bracket 17 without embedding the heat dissipation material 28 in the groove 18c.

[0041] The groove 18c of the bracket 17 and the exposed portion 26a of the heat sink 26 may have a curved or bent shape, or may have a different shape as long as the exposed portion 26a can be inserted into the groove 18c. In addition, two or more grooves 18c and two or more exposed portions 26a may be provided.

[0042] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Side door (vehicle) 10 Vehicle imaging device 12 Housing 17 Bracket (mounting member) 18c Groove portion 20 Camera (imaging unit) 21 Lens 26 Heat sink (thermal conductive member) 26a Exposed portion (part of thermal conductive member) 28 Heat dissipation material Ao Optical axis

Claims

1. A vehicle imaging device comprising: an imaging unit including a lens for imaging the rear side of a vehicle; a metal mounting member on which the imaging unit is disposed and which is attached to the vehicle; and a housing that houses the imaging unit and the mounting member so that the lens is exposed to the outside, wherein a heat-conducting member is attached to the imaging unit, a portion of which is exposed from the imaging unit, and a groove is formed in the mounting member into which the portion of the heat-conducting member is inserted.

2. The vehicle imaging device according to claim 1, wherein a heat dissipation material is embedded in the groove.

3. The vehicle imaging device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the groove portion is a single elongated portion extending along the outer shape of the portion of the heat conduction member.

Images