Patent Description:
Today, there exist different types of detection and sensor systems for road vehicles, by means of which various objects in the surroundings of the vehicles can be detected and analyzed. For this reason, such detection and sensor systems may comprise camera units for providing images and video sequences. Alternatively, such systems may comprise equipment such as radar systems, navigation systems, Lidar systems and other sensors and detectors.

Furthermore, such detection and sensor systems can be used in connection with, for example, automated vehicle systems for speed control and collision prevention, and also in the field of autonomously driving vehicles.

According to prior technology, a carrier arrangement can be configured for supporting a camera unit or similar type of equipment. Such a carrier arrangement can be positioned on the inside of a windshield of a vehicle. This means that the camera unit can be positioned in a suitable position in the vehicle, while being supported by the carrier arrangement and configured with a given detection area ahead of the vehicle or around the vehicle.

It is previously known that the carrier arrangement may comprise a frame or plate which is arranged so as to be attached to a vehicle windshield and which is also connected to a support device which is attached to the frame. Also, the support device comprises suitable attachment means which are configured for supporting the camera unit. Furthermore, the carrier arrangement is suitably attached to the windscreen by means of a suitable adhesive.

It is a general problem in this field of technology to provide systems which are configured for forcing away and cooling heated air from the camera unit and other relevant components which are heated during operation of the camera unit. In particular, such systems must be compact, silent and also must not obstruct the view of a driver of the vehicle in question. The systems must also be able to adapt to different windshields having different shapes and angles of inclination.

A previously known camera arrangement of the above-mentioned type is known from the patent document <CIT>. This known arrangement is based on a camera arrangement which comprises a mounting device for a camera unit and which is configured to be attached to a windshield of a vehicle. The arrangement also comprises a heat transfer device, a fan and a motor for operating said fan. In particular, the arrangement comprises a fan which is arranged for transporting air through a housing of a camera unit.

Even though the arrangement according to <CIT> is configured in a manner so as to be mounted to a windshield and to transport heated air, there is a need for further improvements within this field of technology. In particular, there is a demand for improved cooling of hot air which has been heated by the electronics and camera unit, while still obtaining an efficient camera arrangement.

Both documents <CIT> and <CIT> disclose a carrier arrangement for a camera arrangement according to the preamble of claim <NUM>.

For the above-mentioned reasons, it is an object of the present disclosure to provide a carrier arrangement for a camera arrangement by means of which the above-mentioned drawbacks and challenges related to the prior art can be solved.

In accordance with the disclosure, said object is achieved by means of a camera arrangement for mounting in a vehicle and comprising a carrier arrangement with the technical features of claim <NUM>.

A number of advantages are obtained by means of the camera arrangement according to the present disclosure. Mainly, the camera arrangement according to the disclosure will provide improved cooling of hot air from the electronics and camera unit, and also efficient transport of air away from the windshield, while still achieving a space-saving and efficient camera arrangement.

The carrier arrangement according to the disclosure is suitably used with a road vehicle such as a car, truck or other road vehicle, but can also in principle be used with any other vehicle having a windshield adapted for mounting the above-mentioned carrier arrangement on an interior side of the windshield. Other aspects of the present disclosure are disclosed in the dependent claims.

According to some aspects, the fan motor axle is arranged with an angle with reference to a vertical axis which is less than <NUM>°.

According to some aspects, the fan motor axle is arranged with an angle with reference to a vertical axis which is less than <NUM>°.

According to the invention, the camera arrangement also comprises a fan housing which supports said fan unit.

According to the invention, the fan housing comprises an arrangement of heatsink fins for cooling air which is forced into the interior of the vehicle.

According to the invention, the fan housing comprises a cover unit which at least partly surrounds the fan wheel and comprises a wall structure for the fan unit.

According to some aspects, the fan housing is shaped with a single outlet, forcing air in one direction, or a double outlet, forcing air in two separate directions.

According to the invention, the fan housing is configured to be mounted on the underside of the camera housing when said camera arrangement is mounted in the vehicle.

According to some aspects, the camera arrangement comprises an electronics unit, being configured for controlling the operation of the camera unit, which is arranged between the camera housing and the fan housing.

According to some aspects, the fan motor axle is rotatably arranged in the fan motor by means of fluid bearings.

According to some aspects, the carrier arrangement comprises a base plate which is configured to be attached to the inside of a windshield of said vehicle.

According to some aspects, the fan is configured for forcing air in a direction which is substantially parallel to a windshield of said vehicle.

According to some aspects, the fan unit is arranged in an enclosure which defines a space for guiding air past said fan wheel.

<FIG> schematically shows a perspective view of a vehicle <NUM>, which according to an embodiment is a regular car, having a windshield <NUM>. According to an embodiment, the vehicle <NUM> is equipped with a camera arrangement <NUM> which is mounted on the inside of the windshield <NUM>, i.e. the side of the windshield <NUM> facing the interior of the vehicle <NUM>. The camera arrangement <NUM> comprises a carrier arrangement <NUM> for a camera unit, which will be described in greater detail below.

The camera arrangement <NUM> is particularly intended to be used on road vehicles, primarily in the form of cars, trucks and buses and similar vehicles, but can alternatively be used in other vehicles.

As shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, the carrier arrangement <NUM> comprises a base plate <NUM> which is formed as a generally U-shaped frame element. The upper side of the base plate <NUM> is suitably provided with an adhesive for gluing it to the inside of the windshield <NUM>.

Furthermore, the carrier arrangement <NUM> comprises a support device which is configured as a camera housing <NUM> with a holder <NUM> for supporting a camera unit <NUM> or a similar device. The camera unit <NUM> is suitably of the type which is configured for supplying images or a video stream of a road ahead of the vehicle <NUM>. For this reason, the camera unit <NUM> comprises an image sensor device, a lens and a control unit. Such components are well known in the field of camera technology, and for this reason they are not described in detail here. In this manner, the camera unit <NUM> can, for example, be used in a vehicle system for detection of road conditions, for speed control, for navigation, or in connection with systems for autonomous driving or similar fields of use. These fields of technology are mentioned here purely as examples.

Furthermore, it should be noted that the camera unit <NUM> is shown in <FIG> separately and in a schematic manner since the camera unit <NUM> is normally marketed and sold as a piece of equipment which is separate from the carrier arrangement <NUM>.

According to different embodiments, the camera housing <NUM> can be configured for supporting other units than a camera unit <NUM>, for example a radar device or other types of sensors which can be suitable for detection systems in road vehicles.

The carrier arrangement <NUM> is suitably configured with a fastening arrangement for attaching the camera housing <NUM> to the base plate <NUM>. Such a fastening arrangement is not shown in detail in this disclosure. According to known technology, the fastening arrangement may be constituted by a plurality of locking elements which are arranged on the camera housing <NUM> and which are configured for cooperating with corresponding elements arranged on the base plate <NUM>.

Furthermore, as shown in <FIG>, the camera housing <NUM> is provided with a cooling arrangement in the form of a number of cooling fins <NUM> for absorbing heat which can be expected to be generated by the camera unit <NUM> and other related components during operation.

With reference to <FIG>, there is shown a perspective view of the camera arrangement <NUM> according to the disclosure and in an exploded view. As mentioned above, the camera housing <NUM> is configured for supporting the camera unit <NUM> and is also fastened to the base plate <NUM>. The base plate <NUM> is fastened on the inside of the windshield (not shown in <FIG>). Furthermore, an electronics unit <NUM> is mounted on the underside of the camera housing <NUM>, which for this reason is formed so as to accommodate the electronics unit <NUM>. The electronics unit <NUM> comprises components for controlling the operation of the camera unit <NUM>.

According to the shown embodiment, the camera housing <NUM> is provided with a light trap 6a, which can optionally be mounted on the camera housing <NUM> and which is adapted for reducing disturbing light towards the camera unit <NUM>.

Furthermore, a cover unit <NUM> is arranged on the underside of the electronics unit <NUM>. This means that the electronics unit <NUM> is generally enclosed by the camera housing <NUM> and the cover unit <NUM>. Also, on the underside of the cover unit <NUM>, a fan unit <NUM> is mounted. This means that a fan housing is defined on the underside of the cover unit <NUM>, through the fact that the cover unit <NUM> is arranged so as to accommodate the fan unit <NUM>. This will be described in further detail below with reference to <FIG> and <FIG> (see in particular reference numeral <NUM>).

<FIG> is a perspective view showing how the electronics unit <NUM> is mounted in the camera housing <NUM>. It should be noted that, for reasons of clarity, the components shown in <FIG> are turned upside down as compared with <FIG>.

Furthermore, <FIG> is a perspective view showing how the fan housing <NUM> - being formed by the cover <NUM> and including the fan unit <NUM> - is mounted on the camera housing <NUM>. It should be noted that the components of <FIG> are also turned upside down as compared with <FIG>. As indicated in <FIG>, the electronics unit <NUM> is mounted in a cavity formed by the camera housing <NUM>, and the cover unit <NUM> which is formed also as the fan housing <NUM> is mounted so as to cover the electronics unit <NUM>. The reverse side of the fan housing <NUM> (i.e. the upper side shown in <FIG>) is formed so as to accommodate the fan unit <NUM>. Referring back to <FIG>, it is clear that the fan unit <NUM> is mounted on the lowermost end of the camera arrangement <NUM> when the camera arrangement <NUM> is mounted in the vehicle <NUM> during normal operation of the camera arrangement <NUM>.

<FIG> also shows the general design of the fan unit <NUM>, i.e. comprising a fan wheel 12a and a fan motor 12b with a fan motor axle 12c for operating the fan wheel 12a.

The fan wheel 12a is configured for forcing air heated by the camera arrangement <NUM> into the interior of the vehicle <NUM>. Also, the fan motor 12b comprises the fan motor axle 12c which is connected to the fan wheel 12a. Furthermore, the fan motor axle 12c is configured with a generally vertical orientation, i.e. extending along a generally vertical axis, when the camera arrangement <NUM> is mounted in the vehicle <NUM> in its normal operating condition.

Furthermore, the fan housing <NUM> suitably comprises a cover plate <NUM> which covers and encloses the fan wheel 12a, fan motor 12b and fan motor axle 12c. In other words, the fan unit <NUM> is mounted underneath the cover plate <NUM>.

Referring now to <FIG>, there is shown how the fan unit <NUM> is mounted so that it is supported by the fan housing <NUM>. <FIG> also shows that the fan housing <NUM> comprises an arrangement of heatsink fins <NUM> for cooling the air which is forced into the interior of the vehicle <NUM>, i.e. for cooling air which is heated by the components forming part of the camera arrangement <NUM>. More precisely, the heatsink fins <NUM> are formed as a number of guiding fins <NUM> which extend from the fan housing <NUM> and which together are formed as an air duct for guiding air from the fan 12a and towards the interior of the vehicle while cooling the air.

Furthermore, the fan housing <NUM> comprises a wall structure <NUM> which is formed so as to surround the fan wheel 12a and which is at least partly shaped as a wall for the fan unit <NUM>. Suitably, the wall structure <NUM> is generally circular in order to accommodate the fan wheel 12a. As shown in <FIG>, the wall structure <NUM> is also formed so as to connect with the air duct being defined by the heatsink fins <NUM>.

Consequently, the fan housing <NUM> is formed with a wall structure <NUM> which forms a part of an enclosing structure for the fan unit <NUM>. This means that the fan unit <NUM> itself does not have to be formed with any wall or side structure to accommodate the fan wheel 12a.

As mentioned above, the fan motor axle 12c is configured with a generally vertical orientation, i.e. along an imaginary axis 12d. According to an embodiment, the fan motor axle 12c defines an angle α with reference to a vertical axis <NUM> which is less than <NUM>°. According to a further embodiment, the fan motor axle 12c defines an angle α with reference to a vertical axis <NUM> which is less than <NUM>°. This vertical orientation of the fan motor axle 12c allows a compact camera arrangement <NUM> which can be mounted inside a windshield in a space-saving manner while allowing hot air to be guided away from the camera arrangement <NUM>.

According to the embodiment shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, the fan housing <NUM> is shaped with an air duct defined along the heatsink fins <NUM>, which consequently defines a single outlet from the fan unit <NUM> to the interior of the vehicle. It should be noted that suitably, the fan wheel 12a is configured for forcing air in a direction which is substantially parallel to the windshield <NUM>.

According to a further embodiment, the fan housing <NUM> can be designed with several sets of heatsink fans which consequently define two or more outlets for air, in two or more directions along the windscreen.

With reference to <FIG>, there is shown a simplified side view of an embodiment comprising a fan unit <NUM> with a fan wheel 12a and a fan motor 12b. According to this embodiment, the fan motor 12b is mounted on a bottom surface of the fan housing <NUM> so that the fan motor axle 12c extends upwards and generally in a vertical manner, as described above. Furthermore, there is a space, in the vertical direction, between the upper end of the fan motor axle 12c and the underside of the cover plate <NUM>. In this manner, a enclosure <NUM> is formed for the fan unit <NUM> in a manner so that the enclosure <NUM> defines an available space in its upper part between the upper end of the fan motor axle 12c and the cover plate <NUM> which is used for guiding away air above the fan unit <NUM>, i.e. by passing the fan wheel 12a, and for cooling. Furthermore, the embodiment shown in <FIG> is arranged so that the fan motor 12b is arranged in a recessed section <NUM> in the bottom surface of the enclosure <NUM>.

Also, it should be noted that the fan motor 12b is not provided with any specific housing. Instead, the wall structure <NUM> shown in <FIG> is used for enclosing the fan motor 12b.

Also, according to a further embodiment, a fan housing may accommodate more than one fan unit, with corresponding air outlets corresponding to the embodiment mentioned above.

Claim 1:
A camera arrangement (<NUM>) for mounting in a vehicle (<NUM>) and comprising a carrier arrangement (<NUM>) configured so as to be attached to said vehicle (<NUM>) in order to support a camera housing (<NUM>) which carries a camera unit (<NUM>), said camera arrangement (<NUM>) further comprising an electronics unit (<NUM>) and a fan unit (<NUM>) with a fan wheel (12a) which is configured for forcing air heated by said camera arrangement (<NUM>) into the interior of said vehicle (<NUM>), and a fan motor (12b) for operating said fan wheel (12a), characterized in that a cover unit (<NUM>) is arranged on the underside of the electronics unit (<NUM>) such that the electronics unit (<NUM>) is enclosed by said camera housing (<NUM>) and said cover unit (<NUM>), said fan unit (<NUM>) being mounted on the underside of the cover unit (<NUM>) such that the cover unit (<NUM>) defines a fan housing (<NUM>) for said fan unit (<NUM>) on the underside of the cover unit (<NUM>), wherein said fan motor (12b) comprises a fan motor axle (12c) which is connected to the fan wheel (12a) and which is configured with a generally vertical orientation when the camera arrangement (<NUM>) is mounted in the vehicle (<NUM>), and wherein said fan housing (<NUM>) is formed with a wall structure (<NUM>) which is formed so as to surround the fan wheel (12a), and which is at least partly shaped as a wall for the fan unit (<NUM>), said wall structure (<NUM>) having an opening to an air duct being defined by heatsink fins (<NUM>) for guiding air from the fan (12a).