Cantilevered Vehicle Camera Housing With Position Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing camera systems mounted directly on vehicles struggle to capture lateral vision areas effectively, especially in commercial vehicles, and pose a risk of collision due to their protruding design, which hinders optimal visibility and alignment.

Innovation Solution

A display device with an image recording unit housed in a protruding housing that provides optimal viewing angles and includes a detection means to alert the driver of the unit's position relative to obstacles, preventing collisions by offering indirect vision through a camera or mirror device.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-generated harmful factors

If the camera is mounted directly on the vehicle body, then the flow around the vehicle is not negatively influenced, but it is hardly possible to capture lateral vision areas next to the vehicle with similar viewing angles that the driver would have when looking into a conventional side mirror

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveflow resistanceVSAvoidlateral vision coverage
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transitions from direct mounting (0-dimensional contact) to cantilevered mounting (extending into 3D space), allowing the camera to achieve lateral vision coverage comparable to mirrors while maintaining aerodynamic benefits. The cantilevered structure extends the camera into the lateral dimension, capturing blind spots without significant protrusion from the vehicle body.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Reliability

If protruding brackets are provided for the camera to achieve optimal visibility and alignment, then the camera can be positioned for optimal field of view, but the holder of the image recording unit may not be directly visible to the driver and there is a risk of collision with the surroundings

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefield of view qualityVSAvoidcollision risk
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary detection system (sensors, cameras, or mirrors) that indirectly monitors the position of the cantilevered camera housing. This intermediary detection means provides the driver with awareness of the camera's position relative to obstacles, enabling collision prevention without requiring direct visual observation of the camera housing itself.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If the camera is positioned far from the vehicle to better record relevant areas, then the field of view is improved, but the holder of the image recording unit is not congruent with the usual outlines of the vehicle and is therefore not directly visible

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvearea recording qualityVSAvoiddriver awareness of camera position
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a feedback system where the detection means continuously monitors the position of the cantilevered camera housing and provides information to the driver. This feedback loop (detection → information provision → driver response) enables the driver to maintain awareness of the camera's extended position and adjust driving behavior accordingly, despite the camera being positioned far from the vehicle body.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP3109096B1Display apparatus for vehicles, in particular for commercial vehicles
Publication Date: 2020.10.07 MEKRA LANG GMBH & CO KG
  • EP3109096B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3109096B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3109096B1 patent drawingFigure 5~7

AI summary

The present application relates to a display device (10) for the vehicle environment of a vehicle (1). The disclosed display device (10) comprises at least one image acquisition unit (30) arranged on the vehicle (1) in a housing (32, 33) projecting outwards from the vehicle (1), a processing unit (20), a display unit (40) which provides and outputs vehicle environment information captured by the image acquisition unit (30) to the driver of the vehicle (1), and a detection means (50) for the position of the image acquisition unit (30), which enables the driver to recognize the position of the image acquisition unit (30) relative to the vehicle environment.