Vehicle Camera Integrated with Light Assembly

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional vehicle cameras are obtrusive in appearance, prone to theft, and require invasive mounting procedures, which complicates retrofitting and affects their integration with the vehicle's original styling.

Innovation Solution

A vehicle camera design that incorporates a camera body within a vehicle lens, allowing for wireless video transmission and mounting at various angles, using a base that can be attached to the vehicle without external exposure, blending seamlessly with existing vehicle lighting fixtures and eliminating the need for visible mounting hardware.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a camera is mounted on the side or rear of a vehicle using a bracket and housing, then the driver can see in blind spots, but the camera becomes obtrusive in appearance and increases theft risk

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveblind spot monitoring capabilityVSAvoidaesthetic harm and theft risk

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The camera is merged with an existing vehicle light assembly, where the camera body is positioned within the light assembly's housing and the lens is aligned with the light's opening. This combines the camera function with the existing light fixture, making the camera unobtrusive while maintaining blind spot monitoring capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The existing vehicle light assembly serves as an intermediary structure that conceals the camera. The light assembly's housing and opening provide a natural cover and aperture for the camera, eliminating the need for separate visible mounting structures

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of manufacture

If a camera is retrofitted to a vehicle using a separate housing and bracket, then the camera can be installed, but drilling holes and creating mounting points is required

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecamera installation capabilityVSAvoidmounting structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The vehicle light assembly is utilized for multiple purposes: its housing serves as the camera's protective enclosure, its opening serves as the camera's lens aperture, and its mounting structure serves as the camera's attachment point. This multi-functional use eliminates the need for separate mounting components and drilling operations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The light assembly is pre-configured with the appropriate opening and mounting provisions, so the camera can be installed by simply positioning it within the existing structure rather than creating new mounting points

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Object-affected harmful factors

If a camera body is positioned within a vehicle light assembly, then the camera becomes unobtrusive, but the viewing axis must be angled relative to the base plane

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaesthetic harmVSAvoidviewing angle configuration

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The camera's viewing axis is made adjustable relative to the base plane, allowing the viewing angle to be dynamically configured within a range (e.g., 15 to 75 degrees) to achieve both aesthetic concealment and proper monitoring coverage

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS7609961B2Vehicle camera

Publication Date: 2009.10.27 LEXIDINE LLC

AI summary

A vehicle camera includes a vehicle lens having an opening, a camera body within the vehicle lens having a viewing axis through the opening, a base attached to the vehicle lens, wherein the viewing axis is at an angle between about 15 to 75 degrees with respect to a plane of the base.