Vehicle Camera Mounting Assembly Without Through-Panel Fasteners
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle camera mounting systems face challenges in securely attaching cameras to vehicle panels without using fasteners that pass through the panel, while also preventing theft and ensuring easy access for maintenance.
Innovation Solution
A mounting assembly comprising a bezel and clip that overlie the panel's outer and inner surfaces, respectively, with the bezel having a connection feature extending through the panel to secure the camera, and the clip having a retention feature to engage the camera and panel, allowing secure attachment without fasteners passing through the panel and deterring theft.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If fasteners are used to secure the camera to the panel, then the camera mounting reliability is improved, but the panel structure becomes more complex and theft resistance is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting assembly is divided into separate components: a clip that attaches to the panel and a bezel that secures the camera. This segmentation allows each component to perform its function independently without requiring complex integrated structures or fasteners passing through the panel.
Solution Approach 2:
The clip is inserted through the panel opening from the interior, and the bezel is then placed over the clip, creating a nested arrangement where the bezel encompasses the clip and camera assembly. This nesting provides secure mounting without requiring fasteners to penetrate the panel exterior.
2Reliability
If the clip is made larger than the opening to prevent camera removal, then theft resistance is improved, but the installation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of making the opening smaller than the camera to prevent removal, the solution inverts the approach by making the clip larger than the opening. The clip is inserted through the opening and then prevents removal by its larger dimensions, while the camera remains accessible through the opening for installation and maintenance.
3Device complexity
If no fasteners pass through the panel, then theft resistance and panel simplicity are improved, but the camera retention security may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The clip includes resilient arms with curved or flexible sections that allow the clip to be inserted through the panel opening and then expand or flex to engage with the camera housing. This curvature enables the clip to provide secure retention without requiring rigid fasteners to pass through the panel.
Solution Approach 2:
The clip utilizes changes in physical parameters such as flexibility and resilience of its arms. The resilient arms can deform during installation to pass through the opening, then return to their original shape to engage and secure the camera, providing reliable retention without through-panel fasteners.
Data Source
AI summary
In at least one implementation, a mounting assembly for a vehicle camera to mount the camera to a vehicle panel having inner and outer surfaces and an opening includes a clip and a bezel. The clip is adapted to overlie an inner surface of the panel and has a camera retention feature for connecting the clip to the camera, and the clip is larger than the opening in the panel to inhibit the camera from being removed through the opening. The bezel is adapted to overlie the outer surface of the panel and has a connection feature adapted to connect the bezel with one or both of the clip and the camera to trap a portion of the vehicle panel between the bezel and the clip.