Rotating Camera Housing for Vehicle Aerodynamics and Impact Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional camera monitoring systems (CMS) protrude from vehicles, causing aerodynamic losses and increasing the risk of damage during impacts, while also limiting the visibility of side and rear views due to their design.
Innovation Solution
A CMS with a housing and camera that rotate bidirectionally in response to vehicle speed, allowing the camera to fold into the vehicle body to reduce protrusion and prevent damage, while maintaining a consistent viewing angle through a cam plate and link mechanism, and incorporating air and washer fluid nozzles for cleaning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the camera monitoring system protrudes from the vehicle to capture side and rear views, then the visibility of external situation is improved, but the aerodynamic loss increases and the risk of damage during impacts increases
Solution Approach 1:
The camera monitoring system is designed with bidirectional rotation capability, allowing it to dynamically adjust its position between protruding (for visibility) and retracted (for aerodynamics and protection). The system rotates based on vehicle speed conditions, being protruded at low speeds for monitoring and retracted at high speeds to reduce aerodynamic loss and impact risk.
Solution Approach 2:
The camera system is designed to nest within the vehicle body when retracted, with the camera unit able to rotate inward and store inside the housing structure. This nesting capability allows the system to minimize its external profile during high-speed travel while maintaining full functionality when needed.
2Reliability
If the housing protrudes to allow camera rotation for maintaining viewing angle, then the camera view stability is improved, but the flow resistance increases
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is designed to rotate bidirectionally based on vehicle speed conditions. At low speeds, the housing protrudes to maintain the camera's viewing angle and stability. At high speeds, the housing rotates inward to reduce flow resistance and aerodynamic drag, dynamically balancing visibility needs with energy efficiency.
3Loss of energy
If the camera monitoring system is folded into the vehicle body to reduce protrusion, then the aerodynamic performance is improved, but the visibility of side and rear views is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements speed-based dynamic positioning where the camera monitoring system automatically transitions between folded and protruded states based on vehicle speed thresholds. Below a predetermined speed, the system protrudes for optimal visibility. Above the threshold, it folds inward to improve aerodynamic performance, eliminating the need for manual intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The camera system periodically adjusts its position based on changing vehicle speed conditions, transitioning between protruded and retracted states as speed thresholds are crossed. This periodic adjustment ensures optimal aerodynamic performance during high-speed travel while maintaining visibility capability when speed decreases.
Data Source
AI summary
A camera monitoring system includes: a housing rotatable around a coupling shaft of a base part disposed in a vehicle; a camera disposed on one end of the housing; a cam plate disposed inside the housing and fixed to the base part; a link including a first end moving along a guide part of the cam plate and a second end to rotate the camera when the housing rotates; a driving part for applying a driving force to rotate the housing; and a control part to determine a folded state of the housing by controlling the driving force applied from the driving part based on a vehicle speed, and to rotate the camera simultaneously with the housing based on the folded state of the housing so as to maintain a previously set angle of a camera view.