Patent ID: 7705338

Claim:
A raindrop detection apparatus comprising: at least one light emitting unit for emitting light toward an inner side of windshield; a light receiving unit for receiving the light reflected by an outer surface of the windshield; at least one first lens unit which is arranged between the windshield and the light emitting unit to convert the light from the light emitting unit into parallel light; a second lens unit which is arranged between the windshield and the light receiving unit to converge the reflected light at the light receiving unit; a light conducting unit arranged between an inner surface of the windshield, and the first and second lens units, the light conducting unit conducting the parallel light to the windshield and conducting the reflected light to the second lens unit; a case unit, in which the first lens unit, the second lens unit and the light conducting unit are accommodated; and a circuit board, to which the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit are mounted, the circuit board being directly supported by the case unit, wherein the case unit, the first lens unit, the second lens unit and the light conducting unit are integrally made of resin having an optical transparency, and an amount of raindrop landed on the outer surface of the windshield is detected based on an intensity of the light received by the light receiving unit.