The present invention relates to a device for effectively and efficiently washing a lens of a camera, such as a camera located on a vehicle, that has a simplified design with no impact on the angle of view.
The lenses of cameras mounted to vehicles often become dirty due to environmental and weather conditions, thereby impacting safe driving. Cleaning devices exists to address this problem. See, for example, U.S. Published Patent Application Nos. 2016/0103316 to Rousseau, 2016/0101735 to Trebouet, 2016/0001330 to Romack et al, 2015/0344001 to Lopez Galera et al., 2015/0343999 to Lopez Galera et al., 2015/0203077 to Gokan, and 2011/0292212 to Tanabe et al., the subject matter of each of which is herein incorporated by reference. However, such conventional cleaning devices are often ineffective, bulky, and obstruct the camera's field of view.
Therefore, a need exists for a camera lens washing device that effectively and efficiently washes the camera lens while also having a compact profile and not obstructing the field of view of the camera lens.
Accordingly, the present invention may provide a camera lens washing device that includes an outer housing that has a main opening for receiving a camera lens, an attachment end configured to mount to a camera housing of the camera lens, and an exposed end remote from the attachment end. The exposed end includes an end face that has a recessed area extending inwardly therefrom. An inner ring is received in the recessed area of the outer housing which is configured to frame the camera lens. A plurality of nozzles are defined between the outer housing and the inner ring. The plurality of nozzles are configured to discharge fluid radially inwardly towards the camera lens. The inner ring may be substantially stationary with respect to the outer housing.
The present invention may also provide a camera lens washing device that includes an outer housing that has a main opening for receiving a camera lens. The main opening has opposite top and bottom sides. The outer housing also has an attachment end configured to mount to a camera housing of the camera lens and an exposed end remote from the attachment end. The exposed end includes an end face that has a recessed area extending inwardly therefrom. An inner ring is received in the recessed area of the outer housing which is configured to frame the camera lens. A plurality of nozzles are defined between the outer housing and the inner ring. The plurality of nozzles may be disposed at or near the top side of the main opening of the outer housing such that the plurality of nozzles are configured to discharge fluid radially inwardly towards the bottom side of the main opening of the outer housing.
The present invention may further provide a camera lens washing device that comprises a unitary one-piece washer housing that includes a ring portion and a fluid source attachment. The ring portion has a main opening for receiving a camera lens, an attachment side configured for mounting the washer housing, such as in a shroud, and a washing side configured to frame the camera lens. The washing side is in fluid communication with the fluid source attachment. A plurality of nozzles are disposed in a transition portion of the washer housing between the ring portion and the fluid source attachment of the washer housing. The plurality of nozzles are configured to discharge fluid to the washer side radially inwardly towards the main opening for receiving the camera lens. In a preferred embodiment, the washer housing is a compact design.
The present invention may yet further provide camera lens washing device that comprises a shroud that has a front face, a rear opening opposite the front face, and an inner receiving area therebetween. The front face has a lens opening for receiving a camera lens. A washer housing is disposed in the receiving area of the shroud. The washer housing includes a ring portion and a fluid source attachment. The ring portion has a main opening that is generally aligned with the lens opening of the shroud for receiving the camera lens, an attachment side that is configured to mount the washer housing to the shroud, and a washing side that is configured to frame the camera lens. The washing side is in fluid communication with said fluid source attachment. A plurality of nozzles are disposed in a transition portion of the washer housing between the ring portion and the fluid source attachment of the washer housing. The plurality of nozzles are configured to discharge fluid to the washer side and radially inwardly towards the main opening for receiving the camera lens. In a preferred embodiment, the washer housing is a compact design such that when received in the shroud, the top wall of the shroud covers the fluid source attachment which extends through the rear opening of the shroud.
A more complete appreciation of the invention and many of the attendant advantages thereof will be readily obtained as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing figures:
Referring to
As seen in
Outer housing 102 generally includes a main body 110 that may be substantially ring shaped and includes a main opening 112 therein for receiving the camera lens 10. One end of main body 110 is an attachment end 114 configured to mount to a camera housing 12 of the lens 10. The other end of main body 110 is an exposed end 116, as best seen in
Exposed end 116 of outer housing 102 includes an end face 130. A recessed area 132 extends inwardly from end face 130 for accepting inner ring 104. Extending inwardly from main opening 112 are spaced tabs 134 which define fluid path slots 136 therebetween, as best seen in
Inner ring 104 is configured and sized to frame the camera lens 10, as best seen in
A plurality of channels 150 are provided in inner diameter surface 144 of inner ring 104, as best seen in
Remote from channels 150 is an alignment member 154 that corresponds to alignment member 138 of outer housing 102 to ensure proper alignment between inner ring 104 and outer housing 104 to form the nozzles 106. In one embodiment, alignment member 154 may be a protruding flange (
Other alignment or keying methods may be used as long as channels 150 and slots 136 are substantially aligned in order to form the nozzles 106. Nozzles 106, including tabs 134 and channels 150, are preferably located at or near the top side 120 of main opening 112 such that fluid from fluid source attachment 124 can flow downwardly through slots 136 and channels 150 so that nozzles 106 discharge the fluid directly onto the camera lens 10. And because nozzles 106 are on the top of the lens 10, gravity will subsequently wash away the fluid from the lens 10. In a preferred embodiment, none of the nozzles 106 are located at the bottom, that is the bottom side 122 of the main opening 112 such that the nozzles 106 are only provided near or at top side 120. The nozzles 106 may be evenly spaced from one another and radially arranged with respect to the lens 10, as best seen in
A sealing member 160 (
Camera lens washing device 100″ comprises a washer housing 800 that includes a ring portion 802, a fluid source attachment 804, and a transition portion 806 therebetween. In a preferred embodiment, washer housing 800 is a unitary one-piece member. The unitary one-piece washer housing 800 may be formed by a molding process, for example. Ring portion 802 generally includes a main opening 810 for receiving the camera lens 10, an attachment side 812 for mounting housing 800 to shroud 200″, and a washing side 814 that frames the camera lens 10 and is in fluid communication with fluid source attachment 804 through transition portion 806. The attachment side 812 preferably includes one or more engagement members 830 for engaging shroud 200″. The engagement members 830 may be snap legs, for example, that extend from attachment side 812. A sealing member 840, such as a rubber gasket, may be provided on the inner surface 842 of ring portion 802 around main opening 810 to seal the area behind washing side 814.
Fluid source attachment 804 of washer housing 800 extends from transition portion 806 in a direction away from washing side 814 and toward the direction in which attachment side 812 faces, as best seen in
One or more nozzles 820 are disposed on transition portion 806 at the top 816 of ring portion 802 on the washing side 814 thereof. Each nozzle 820 is designed to discharge fluid received from fluid source attachment 804 generally radially inwardly and downwardly towards main opening 810 and the camera lens 10, in a similar manner as the above embodiments. The bottom 818 of the ring portion 802 does not include any nozzles 820. That is, the nozzles 820 are disposed only at or near the top 816 of ring portion 802. Bottom 818 may include a lateral slot 822 (
As seen in
Shroud 200″ generally includes a front face 900, a rear opening 902 opposite the front face 900, an inner receiving area 906, opposite sidewalls 910 and 912 extending between front face 900 and rear opening 902, and top and bottom walls 914 and 916 extending between sidewalls 910 and 912, as best seen in
Front face 900 has a lens opening 906 sized to accept ring portion 802 of washer housing 800 and the camera lens 10. As seen in
Washer housing 800 is compact in nature such that it can be received inside shroud 200″, that is in inner receiving area 904, such that fluid source attachment 804 does not extend through or from any walls, including front face 900, sidewalls 910 and 912, and top and bottom walls 914 and 916 of shroud 200″ and instead only extends through rear opening 902. In other words, as best seen in
While particular embodiments have been chosen to illustrate the invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.
The present application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/267,938, entitled Camera Lens Washing Device, filed on Sep. 16, 2016, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 15267938 | Sep 2016 | US |
Child | 15428706 | US |