Vehicular Camera Inductive Lens Heating for De-Icing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Vehicle cameras face challenges with obscured views due to condensation, ice, mud, salt, or dust, which existing lens heating solutions are expensive and difficult to implement effectively.

Innovation Solution

An inductive heating device that circumscribes the lens barrel of vehicle cameras to generate a magnetic field, inducing electrical current and heating the lens elements, thereby de-icing and preventing condensation, without the need for internal wiring.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a traditional heating element is installed inside the camera to heat the lens, then the lens can be defogged and de-iced, but the device complexity and manufacturing cost increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelens visibilityVSAvoidheating system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The heating function is extracted from the camera interior and placed outside the lens assembly. An inductive heating coil is positioned around the lens barrel externally, eliminating the need to install heating elements inside the sealed camera housing and removing the complexity of internal wiring.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The traditional direct-contact heating element is replaced with an inductive heating system. The inductive coil generates a magnetic field that induces eddy currents in a conductive heater ring, which then heats the lens assembly through thermal conduction, eliminating mechanical contact and internal wiring requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Reliability

If a heating element is added to the camera, then lens heating capability is achieved, but the manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelens visibilityVSAvoidassembly difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The heating functionality is extracted from the complex internal camera assembly and implemented externally using an inductive coil that surrounds the lens barrel. This external placement simplifies manufacturing by eliminating the need to integrate heating elements during camera assembly.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

A conductive heater ring is introduced as an intermediary component between the inductive coil and the lens assembly. This heater ring receives electromagnetic energy from the coil and transfers thermal energy to the lens, simplifying the overall system architecture and manufacturing process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If wires are run to power heating elements at the lens, then heating function is enabled, but the sealing and assembly complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelens heating capabilityVSAvoidwiring complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Physical wiring inside the camera housing is replaced with wireless electromagnetic energy transmission. The inductive coil transmits power through magnetic fields to the heater ring, eliminating the need for internal wires and maintaining camera sealing integrity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The power transmission function is extracted from the internal camera system and implemented externally through the inductive coil. This external power transmission method eliminates the complexity of routing wires through the sealed camera housing to the lens area.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Effectively de-ices and prevents condensation on camera lenses, ensuring continuous object detection and recognition while avoiding the complexity and cost of traditional heating solutions.

Implementation Method 1

The heating element comprises an inductive heating device that at least partially circumscribes the lens barrel and operates to generate a magnetic field to induce electrical current in a portion or portions of the lens assembly or lens barrel or lens support structure

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectromagnetic induction: Electromagnetic Induction

Implementation Method 2

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectInductive heating: Induction Heating

Implementation Method 3

induce electrical current in a portion or portions of the lens assembly or lens barrel or lens support structure to heat the portion or portions of the lens assembly

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectJoule heating: Joule Heating

Data Source

PatentUS11750905B2Vehicular camera with inductive lens heater

Publication Date: 2023.09.05 MAGNA ELECTRONICS INC

AI summary

A vehicular camera includes a camera housing, a lens assembly having a lens barrel and a lens disposed in the lens barrel, an imager printed circuit board (PCB) disposed in the camera housing, and an induction heating device having an inductive coil that at least partially circumscribes a portion of the lens assembly. The inductive coil is disposed at the imager PCB and is electrically connected to circuitry of the imager PCB. The camera housing includes an electrical connector that is configured to electrically connect with an electrical connector of a vehicle. With the vehicular camera disposed at the vehicle, the heating device is operable to generate a magnetic field that induces electrical current in the portion of the lens assembly to generate heat at the portion of the lens assembly to heat at least part of the lens.