This application claims priority to EP Application No. 18213511.1, filed on 18 Dec. 2018.
The present disclosure relates generally to a heating device that clears condensation from a camera lens.
Typical heating devices require electrical terminals and wiring attached to a windshield or cover-glass. United States Patent Application Publication Number 2006/0171704 A1 describes a heating element for heating a transparent camera lens cover that includes electrical terminals in contact with a surface of the transparent camera lens cover. Other applications describe a heating element positioned on a lens holder and resilient contacts used to heat a camera lens.
The present disclosure proposes to solve the above mentioned problem by providing a heating device comprising a housing configured to retain a camera lens, a primary induction coil positioned proximate the housing and configured to generate a magnetic field in response to receiving electrical power from a power supply, a controller circuit in electrical contact with the primary induction coil configured to control the electrical power delivered to the primary induction coil, and a secondary induction coil overlaying the primary induction coil, the secondary induction coil configured to receive the magnetic field from the primary induction coil and generate heat. The secondary induction coil heats the camera lens when the primary induction coil receives the electrical power.
According to other features of the present disclosure:
the primary induction coil surrounds an optical axis of the camera lens;
the secondary induction coil is interposed between the primary induction coil and the housing;
the secondary induction coil is in direct contact with the housing;
the secondary induction coil is located on an outer surface of the housing;
the secondary induction coil is located on an inner surface of the housing;
the secondary induction coil is in direct contact with the camera lens;
the controller circuit includes a low-Q resonant circuit in electrical communication with the primary induction coil;
the secondary induction coil is comprised of a first layer of resistive material and a second layer of low-Curie point ferrite;
the secondary induction coil is formed of a conductive material having a greater electrical resistance relative to the primary induction coil;
adjoining segments are formed of materials having a different electrical conductivity from one another;
a distance between the primary induction coil and the secondary induction coil is in a range from 0.0 mm to 10.0 mm;
a number of windings on the primary induction coil is at least one;
a number of windings on the secondary induction coil is at least one;
the secondary induction coil has a thickness in a range from 1 μm to 1000 μm;
the secondary induction coil has a width in a range from 0.1 mm to 5 cm.
The present disclosure is now described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
Hereinafter, a heating device 10 for a camera lens 14 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the figures.
The device 10 also includes a primary induction coil 22 positioned proximate the housing 12 and is configured to generate a magnetic field 24 in response to receiving electrical power 26 from a power supply 28. The power supply 28 may be a direct-current (DC) power supply 28, or may be an alternating-current (AC) power supply 28. In the examples illustrated herein the power supply 28 is an AC power supply 28. The primary induction coil 22 surrounds the optical axis 18 of the camera lens 14 and may also surround a portion of the housing 12. A number of windings 30 (e.g., wires, conductive traces, etc.) on the primary induction coil 22 is at least one, and are preferably wound onto a ferromagnetic core 32 (e.g. iron, ferrites, etc.). In the example illustrated in
The device 10 also includes a controller circuit 34 in electrical contact with the primary induction coil 22. The power supply 28 may be separate or integral to the controller circuit 34, and in the examples illustrated herein, the power supply 28 is integral to the controller circuit 34. The controller circuit 34 is configured to control the electrical power 26 delivered to the primary induction coil 22. The controller circuit 34 may include a processor (not shown) such as a microprocessor or other control circuitry such as analog and/or digital control circuitry including an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) for processing data as should be evident to those in the art. The controller circuit 34 may include a memory (not shown), including non-volatile memory, such as electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM) for storing one or more routines, thresholds, and captured data. The one or more routines may be executed by the processor to perform steps for determining the electrical power 26 delivered to the primary induction coil 22 based on signals received by the controller circuit 34 from the primary induction coil 22, as described herein.
The device 10 also includes a secondary induction coil 36 overlaying the primary induction coil 22. That is, the secondary induction coil 36 is encircled by the primary induction coil 22. The secondary induction coil 36 is configured to receive the magnetic field 24 from the primary induction coil 22, thereby generating heat 38. The magnetic field 24 from the primary induction coil 22 induces an electrical current in the secondary induction coil 36. The induced electrical current in the secondary induction coil 36 causes the secondary induction coil 36 to increase in temperature because the secondary induction coil 36 is formed of a material that has an electrical resistance. The electrical resistance of the secondary induction coil 36 resists the flow of electrical current within the secondary induction coil 36, which generates the heat 38 (also known as Joule heating or Ohmic heating). It will be appreciated that no wire connections exist between the primary induction coil 22 and the secondary induction coil 36. This has the technical benefit of reducing a size and complexity of the overall assembly.
The secondary induction coil 36 also surrounds the optical axis 18 and, in the example illustrated in
The secondary induction coil 36 heats the camera lens 14 and the housing 12, and removes condensation (e.g., fog, ice, etc.) when the primary induction coil 22 receives the electrical power 26 from the controller circuit 34. A heating rate and a maximum temperature is controlled to inhibit a thermal shock to the housing 12 and/or camera lens 14, and also to prevent an unsafe surface temperature for human contact.
The number of windings 30 on the secondary induction coil 36 is at least one, and may be increased to achieve a specific temperature profile applied to the housing 12. The windings 30 on the secondary induction coil 36 may be a single flat winding 30 that may be deposited using a thick-film ink, for example. The secondary induction coil 36 as illustrated in
Referring back to
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
18213511 | Dec 2018 | EP | regional |
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
3058840 | Kerr | Oct 1962 | A |
3250636 | Wilferth | May 1966 | A |
20060035051 | Lhoest | Feb 2006 | A1 |
20060171704 | Bingle et al. | Aug 2006 | A1 |
20070023424 | Weber | Feb 2007 | A1 |
20070132318 | Schmidt | Jun 2007 | A1 |
20080034528 | Bourke et al. | Feb 2008 | A1 |
20100016671 | Wieters et al. | Jan 2010 | A1 |
20100078427 | Haas | Apr 2010 | A1 |
20120243093 | Tonar et al. | Sep 2012 | A1 |
20130032973 | Lucas | Feb 2013 | A1 |
20140158680 | Kitaizumi | Jun 2014 | A1 |
20140238978 | Kitaizumi et al. | Aug 2014 | A1 |
20150160536 | Lang | Jun 2015 | A1 |
20160091714 | Hui et al. | Mar 2016 | A1 |
20180170314 | Paule et al. | Jun 2018 | A1 |
20180210161 | Park et al. | Jul 2018 | A1 |
20180283913 | Chen | Oct 2018 | A1 |
20190006209 | Wieser et al. | Jan 2019 | A1 |
20190033579 | Ohsumi et al. | Jan 2019 | A1 |
20200189523 | Dworakowski et al. | Jun 2020 | A1 |
20200192085 | Dworakowski et al. | Jun 2020 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country |
---|---|---|
2790428 | Mar 2013 | CA |
101553765 | Oct 2009 | CN |
101766049 | Jun 2010 | CN |
102187273 | Sep 2011 | CN |
102736369 | Oct 2012 | CN |
102789115 | Nov 2012 | CN |
104618630 | May 2015 | CN |
104717410 | Jun 2015 | CN |
204405924 | Jun 2015 | CN |
106200214 | Dec 2016 | CN |
205901891 | Jan 2017 | CN |
206096730 | Apr 2017 | CN |
107942502 | Apr 2018 | CN |
207416705 | May 2018 | CN |
108535939 | Sep 2018 | CN |
108803201 | Nov 2018 | CN |
208175020 | Nov 2018 | CN |
102004057322 | Jun 2006 | DE |
102007004275 | Jul 2008 | DE |
3001674 | Mar 2016 | EP |
835161 | Nov 1957 | GB |
20150124197 | Nov 2015 | KR |
2018015856 | Jan 2018 | WO |
2018184892 | Oct 2018 | WO |
Entry |
---|
“Extended European Search Report”, EP Application No. 18213507.9, dated Jun. 19, 2019, 6 pages. |
“Foreign Office Action”, CN Application No. 201911280725.X, dated Aug. 24, 2021, 16 pages. |
“Foreign Office Action”, CN Application No. 201911280305.1, dated Aug. 12, 2021, 15 pages. |
Extended European Search Report for Application No. EP 18 21 3511 dated May 19, 2019. |
“Notice of Opposition”, EP Application No. 18213511.1, dated Apr. 7, 2022. |
“Notice of Opposition”, EP Application No. 18213507.9, dated Apr. 7, 2022, 18 pages. |
“Summons to Attend Oral Proceedings”, EP Application No. 18213511.1, Sep. 22, 2022, 10 pages. |
“Summons to Attend Oral Proceedings”, EP Application No. 18213507.9, Feb. 2, 2023, 20 pages. |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20200192085 A1 | Jun 2020 | US |