CN117597265A - Camera support assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

A bracket assembly (100) for a vehicle includes a bracket body (104) having a glare shield (148) and an electrical circuit (172). The cradle assembly (100) further includes an electrical device (186), wherein the electrical device (186) is electrically connected to the circuitry (172) of the cradle body (104). The circuit (172) includes a plurality of leads (168) extending along the bracket body (104).

Description

Camera support assembly

RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims priority from U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 17/691,398 and 15 at 2021, 3 and 10 at 2022, and U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 63/161,103 entitled "Camera Bracket Assembly [ camera mount assembly ]", each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Background

The bracket assembly may be used in a variety of applications, including automotive manufacturing. For example, an automatic driver assistance system (such as a lane departure warning system) may include a bracket assembly for mounting other electrical devices such as a camera on a front or rear windshield of a vehicle. Typical prior art camera mount assemblies require multiple armor wires to power the components on the mount body. Such conventional camera mount assemblies increase the complexity of several materials used and require a long time to assemble. Further, such conventional camera support assemblies may require a large package to accommodate the ergonomic gaps of multiple armor wires.

Disclosure of Invention

In one aspect, a bracket assembly for a vehicle includes a bracket body having a glare shield and an electrical circuit. The cradle assembly further includes an electrical device electrically connected to the electrical circuit of the cradle body. The circuit includes a plurality of leads extending along the bracket body.

In some embodiments, the electrical device is connected to a contact pad integrally formed on the carrier body. Spring-loaded contacts are provided between the electrical device and the electrical circuit. In some embodiments, the electrical device includes at least one of a heater, a camera, a humidity sensor, a rain sensor, or a port. The armor wires are disposed between the electrical circuit and the power source. The armor wires are two-pin armor wires or three-pin armor wires. In some embodiments, the glare shield is removably attached to the bracket body. In one embodiment, the leads are integrally formed with the stent body.

In another aspect, a bracket assembly for a vehicle includes a bracket body, an electrical device, and a circuit carrier attached to the bracket body. The electrical device is electrically connected to a terminal block disposed on the circuit carrier.

In some embodiments, the circuit carrier is attached to the bottom side of the bracket body. In one embodiment, the glare shield is attached to the bracket body. In some embodiments, the circuit carrier is positioned along the rear end of the bracket body. In some embodiments, the electrical device includes at least one of a heater, a camera, a humidity sensor, a rain sensor, or a port. The bracket body includes a retention portion, and the electrical device includes a retention clip configured to engage the retention portion.

In yet another aspect, a method of assembling a bracket assembly for a vehicle includes providing a bracket body and a glare shield, providing a circuit carrier and a plurality of electrical devices, attaching the circuit carrier and the plurality of electrical devices to the bracket body, and mounting the bracket assembly within the vehicle.

In some embodiments, electrical devices are connected to the circuit carrier to form a circuit subassembly that is then attached to the bracket body. Each of the plurality of electrical devices is connected to the circuit carrier and then attached to the bracket body. The electrical device includes at least one of a heater, a camera, a humidity sensor, a rain sensor, or a port. In some embodiments, the circuit carrier is attached to the underside of the bracket assembly by fasteners. In some embodiments, the circuit carrier includes a plurality of terminal blocks of different configurations. The circuit carrier includes a first terminal block on a first side and a second terminal block on a second side opposite the first side.

Drawings

FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of an isometric view of a stand assembly for a camera, the stand assembly including a stand body and a glare shield;

FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of a partial enlarged view of the stent assembly of FIG. 1 with leads integrally formed in the stent body;

FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of a partial enlarged view of a stent assembly similar to the stent assembly of FIG. 1, with leads integrally formed in the stent body;

FIG. 4 is a schematic representation of a partial enlarged view of a stent assembly similar to the stent assembly of FIG. 1, with leads integrally formed on the stent body;

FIG. 5 is a schematic representation of a partial enlarged view of a stent assembly similar to the stent assembly of FIG. 1, with leads integrally formed on the stent body;

fig. 6 is a schematic representation of an isometric view of a two pin armor wire;

fig. 7 is a schematic representation of an isometric view of a three pin armor wire;

FIG. 8 is a schematic representation of an isometric view of the underside of another embodiment of a bracket assembly;

FIG. 9 is a schematic representation of an isometric view of the top side of the bracket assembly of FIG. 8;

FIGS. 10 and 11 are schematic representations of an isometric view of another embodiment of a circuit carrier;

FIG. 12 is a schematic representation of the bracket assembly of FIG. 8 attached to a windshield of a vehicle; and

fig. 13 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary assembly process according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Detailed Description

In general, the present disclosure includes a bracket assembly that allows for an efficient assembly and installation process in which an electrical device (e.g., a heater, camera, sensor, port, or other electrical device) is connected to an electrical circuit that is disposed with or as part of the bracket body. Unlike the case where several heavy and space-consuming sheathed wires or loose wires are individually wired per electrical device to receive power, the electrical device is connected to the circuit via contact pads or spring-loaded contacts or terminal blocks on the bracket body. In some embodiments, the rack assembly of the present disclosure requires only a single armor wire connected to the rack body to deliver power to the electrical device via the leads, contact pads, terminal blocks, and spring-loaded contacts. In this way, an efficient installation process requires less installation time, fewer installation components, and fewer quality problems due to unsatisfactory installation. Thus, a smaller package is required for the bracket assembly. In addition, the bracket assembly of the present disclosure has the advantage of being more ergonomic than conventional bracket assemblies in that the installer is able to connect electrical devices to the electrical circuit at a workstation where the workpiece (i.e., the bracket assembly) is resting on a surface on which the installer may work, rather than the workpiece being positioned above the installer's head or in an awkward location within the vehicle that is difficult to reach.

Fig. 1 depicts a stent assembly 100 comprising a stent body 104 that is a generally rectangular shaped stent comprising a front end 108 and an opposing rear end 112, a left side 116 and an opposing right side 120, and a first side or bottom side 124 and an opposing second side or top side 128. When the bracket assembly 100 is mounted to the windshield 132 of the vehicle 136 (see fig. 12), the front end 108 is positioned forward of the rear end 112 relative to the front of the vehicle 136. The bracket body 104 further includes a number of regions for holding electrical equipment. For example, the stand body 104 may include a camera mounting clip 140 centered on the bottom side 124 of the stand body 104. The camera mounting clip 140 is configured to hold or secure a portion of a camera (not shown) such that a lens of the camera (not shown) may be positioned at or extend through the aperture 144. The bracket body 104 includes a trapezoidal shaped glare shield 148 that at least partially defines the aperture 144 and that slopes outwardly from the bottom side 124 between the front end 108 and the rear end 112. In the illustrated embodiment, the glare shield 148 may be integrally formed with the bracket body 104, although other configurations are possible.

Additionally or alternatively, the bracket body 104 may include an electrical device region or receptacle. In the illustrated embodiment, the bracket body 104 may include a first electrical device region or first receptacle 152 positioned near the right side 120 of the bracket body 104 and having a first retention portion 156. It is contemplated that the first receptacle 152 and the first holder 156 are configured to engage an electrical device, such as a humidity sensor. The bracket body 104 may also include a second electrical device region or second receptacle 160 positioned near the left side 116 of the bracket body 104 and having a second retention portion 164. It is contemplated that the second receiving portion 160 and the second retaining portion 164 are configured to engage another electrical device, such as a rain sensor. In some embodiments, the stand body 104 may include a plurality of electrical device areas or receptacles configured to engage other types of electrical devices, such as heaters, cameras, light detection and ranging (LIDAR) sensors or radio detection and ranging (RADAR) sensors, or other types of electrical devices such as USB ports or USB-C ports. In other embodiments, the cradle body 104 may include any number of regions for holding electrical devices, including power supplies, controllers, cameras, sensors, or any other electrical devices, and the regions for holding electrical devices may be located in a suitable location.

Fig. 2 depicts the stent assembly 100 of fig. 1 and further illustrates leads 168 integrally formed with the stent body 104. In the illustrated embodiment, the stent body 104 may be made of a polymeric material (e.g., a thermoplastic material). The leads 168 may be integrally formed with the bracket body 104 by, for example, a molding process or an insert molding process. The leads 168 form a circuit 172 that provides a communication line between a power source (not shown) and/or a controller (not shown) and an electrical device. Accordingly, the circuit 172 is integrally formed with the bracket body 104. In some embodiments, leads 168 provide electrical connection from a power source (not shown) (e.g., a battery or alternator of a vehicle) or from a solar cell array or capacitor to electrical devices in the first receptacle 152, electrical devices in the second receptacle 160, and a camera (not shown) secured by the camera mounting clip 140. Further, the leads 168 provide electrical connection between a controller (not shown), such as a Central Processing Unit (CPU) or auxiliary controller or processing unit of the vehicle, and the electrical equipment in the second receptacle 160 and a camera (not shown) secured by the camera mounting clip 140.

The bracket body 104 may further include terminal blocks (not shown) thereon for connection to the leads 168, the electrical devices in the first receiving portion 152, the electrical devices in the second receiving portion 160, the camera (not shown) secured to the camera mounting clip 140, a power source (not shown), and a controller (not shown). In another example, the leads 168 may provide electrical connection via a Flexible Flat Connector (FFC) such as a two-pin armor wire 176 or a three-pin armor wire 180 (see fig. 6 and 7). The leads 168 may be configured to provide power to electrical device areas on the bracket body 104, such as the first and second receptacles 152, 160. Additionally or alternatively, the leads 168 may be configured to provide power to any electrical device (e.g., a heater, a camera, a LIDAR sensor, a humidity sensor, a rain sensor, a RADAR sensor, a USB or USB-C port, or any other electrical device) on or near the bracket body 104.

With further reference to fig. 2, the bracket body 104 may include contact pads 184 that form an electrical connection between the leads 168 and electrical devices 186 on the bracket body 104. The contact pad 184 may include one contact pad, two contact pads, three contact pads, or any suitable number of contact pads, and may be equal to or different from the number of electrical devices. The electrical device 186 is provided with or is reconfigured to include spring-loaded contacts 188 and retention clips (not shown) configured to engage the retention portions 156, 164 of the bracket body 104. Accordingly, the contact pads 184 may be configured to receive corresponding spring-loaded contacts 188 located on the electrical device 186, thereby allowing power to flow from the leads 168 of the circuit 172 to the electrical device through the contact pads 184 and through the spring-loaded contacts 188. The retention portions 156, 164 of the bracket body 104 cooperate with retention clips (not shown) of the electrical device to apply pressure between the spring-loaded contacts 188 and the corresponding contact pads 184 to secure the electrical device to the bracket body 104 and establish an electrical connection. The bracket body 104 may be otherwise configured to secure the electrical device to the bracket body 104, for example, by a press-fit configuration, a pin connection, a snap-fit attachment, a slidable attachment, or an adhesive.

Fig. 3 depicts another embodiment of a stent assembly 200 having a stent body 204, wherein leads 208 are applied to or formed on the stent body 204. The bracket assembly 200 is substantially similar to the bracket assembly 100 (see fig. 1 and 2) except for the components discussed herein. The leads 208 of the bracket assembly 200 form a circuit 212 on the bracket body 204 for establishing electrical connection between electrical devices. Referring to fig. 3, the contact tray 216 is attached to an electrical device 218 (e.g., a rain sensor) for use with the rack assembly 200. The cradle assembly 200 further includes spring-loaded contacts 220 that are attached to the circuit 212 and/or the leads 208 and are provided as part of the cradle body 204. The spring-loaded contacts 220 may be connected to contact pads 216 provided on the electrical device 218 to establish an electrical connection therebetween. In some embodiments, spring-loaded contacts 220 are integrally formed with bracket body 204 and attached to leads 208. In other embodiments, the spring-loaded contacts 220 are attached to the bracket body 204, for example, by a press-fit configuration, a pin connection, a snap-fit attachment, a slidable attachment, or an adhesive. Further, the spring-loaded contacts 220 are configured to receive a connector of an electrical device 218, which may be a camera, a sensor, or any other electrical device. The spring-loaded contacts 220 of the carrier body 204 may include one spring-loaded contact, two spring-loaded contacts, three spring-loaded contacts, or any suitable number of spring-loaded contacts, and may be equal to or different from the number of contact pads.

Fig. 4 depicts yet another embodiment of a stent assembly 300 having a stent body 304 and leads 308 that form a circuit 312 integrally formed in the stent body 304. The bracket assembly 300 as depicted in fig. 4 includes a contact pad 316 attached to the bottom side 124 of the bracket body 304. The bracket assembly 300 is substantially similar to the bracket assembly 100 (see fig. 1 and 2) except for the components discussed herein. In the illustrated embodiment, the electrical circuitry 312 is provided on the bracket body 304 in the form of a flexible or resilient electrical circuit. The circuit 312 is formed at least in part by the leads 308 formed with or on the flexible substrate material 318. The circuit 312 may be integrally formed on the bracket body 304 or embedded therein. In other embodiments, the circuit 312 is attached to the bracket body 304. Because the circuit 312 is flexible or pliable, the circuit 312 may be deformed and twisted along the shape of the stent body 304 to accommodate, for example, the limited uninterrupted surface area available on the bottom side 124. In some embodiments, the circuit 312 and/or the leads 308 may be integrally formed on the bottom side 124 of the carrier body 304. The leads 308 may be a conductive material printed onto the bottom side 124 of the carrier body 304, for example, the leads 308 may be a copper material, which is well known for its conductive properties. In other examples, the leads 308 are a different metal or metal alloy material, or a composite material, such as a screen printed silver polymer.

In some embodiments, the leads 308 may be printed or stamped or otherwise integrally formed on the bottom side 124 of the stent body 304, or alternatively, the leads 308 may be printed or stamped or otherwise integrally formed on the top side 128 of the stent body 304. It is contemplated that the stent body 304 and the leads 308 may be formed by an additive manufacturing method during which a layer-by-layer printing process simultaneously forms the stent body 304 and the leads 308 disposed therein or thereon. For example, the leads 308 may extend within a core (not shown) of the stent body 304, sandwiched between the top side 128 and the bottom side 124, and have only portions or ends thereof exposed at the top side 128 or the bottom side 124 of the stent body 304 where electrical connections may be made.

Referring to fig. 4, the circuit 312 provides a power supply (not shown) and/or communication lines between a controller (not shown) and electronic components, for example, via two-pin armor wires 176 or three-pin armor wires 180 (see fig. 6 and 7). The circuitry 312 and/or leads 308 may be configured to provide electrical communication to any electronic device (e.g., a heater, a camera, a LIDAR sensor, a humidity sensor, a rain sensor, a radar sensor, a USB or USB-C port, or any other electrical device) on or near the stand body 304. In the illustrated embodiment, the electrical device 320 includes spring-loaded contacts 324 for electrically connecting to contact pads 316 disposed on the circuit 312. The spring-loaded contacts 324 may include one spring-loaded contact, two spring-loaded contacts, three spring-loaded contacts, or any suitable number of spring-loaded contacts. The contact pads 316 may include one contact pad, two contact pads, three contact pads, or any suitable number of contact pads.

Fig. 5 illustrates yet another bracket assembly 400 having a bracket body 404 with a circuit 412 of leads 408 integrally formed with the bracket body 404 and spring-loaded contacts 416 attached to the bottom side 124. The bracket assembly 400 is substantially similar to the bracket assembly 300 (see fig. 4) except for the components discussed herein. As shown in fig. 5, spring-loaded contacts 416 are attached to leads 408. The spring-loaded contacts 416 may include one spring-loaded contact, two spring-loaded contacts, three spring-loaded contacts, or any suitable number of spring-loaded contacts. Spring-loaded contacts 416 may be integrally formed with the bracket body 404 and the leads 408. In other embodiments, the spring-loaded contacts 416 may be attached to the bracket body 404, for example, by a press-fit configuration, a pin connection, a snap-fit attachment, a slidable attachment, or an adhesive. Further, the spring-loaded contacts 416 may be configured to receive an electrical device 418, such as a rain sensor. The spring-loaded contacts 416 may be attached to contact pads 420 on the electrical device 418.

Fig. 6 and 7 depict two pin armor wires 176 and three pin armor wires 180, respectively. Fig. 6 illustrates a two pin armor wire 176 that may be used to provide electrical connection to the bracket assembly shown in any of fig. 2-5. For example, a two pin armor wire 176 may be connected to the circuitry 172 of the stent body 104 shown in fig. 2. Accordingly, the two-pin armor wires 176 may provide electrical communication to any electrical devices directly or indirectly attached to the electrical circuit 172 and/or the leads 408. Alternatively, a plurality of two-pin armor wires 176 may be connected to the carrier body 104 shown in fig. 2 to provide electrical connection to the electrical circuit 172, thereby connecting to any component directly or indirectly attached to the electrical circuit 172 and/or the leads 168.

Fig. 7 illustrates a three pin armor wire 180 that may be used to provide electrical connection to the bracket assembly shown in any of fig. 2-5. For example, a three-pin armor wire 180 may be connected to the carrier body 104 shown in fig. 2 to provide electrical communication to the electrical circuitry 172. Accordingly, the three-pin armor wires 180 may provide electrical communication to any component attached directly or indirectly to the electrical circuit 172 and/or the lead 168. Alternatively, a plurality of three-pin armor wires 180 may be connected to the stent body 104 of fig. 2 to provide electrical communication to the electrical circuitry 172, thereby connecting to any component that is directly or indirectly attached to the electrical circuitry 172 and/or the leads 168.

Fig. 8 and 9 illustrate another embodiment of a bracket assembly 500 having a bracket body 504 with a bottom side 508 to which a circuit carrier 512 is attached. The bracket body 504 includes a bottom side 508 and a top side 514 opposite the bottom side, a rear end 520 and a front end 516 opposite the rear end, and a right side 528 and a left side 524 opposite the right side. The bracket assembly 500 includes a glare shield 532 positioned between the left side 524 and the right side 528 and also positioned between the front end 516 and the rear end 520. In the illustrated embodiment, the glare shield 532 is received within a cutout 536 formed in the bracket body 504 such that the glare shield 532 is positioned within the cutout 536 and coupled to the bracket body 504 by a plurality of clips 540. Further, the stand body 504 includes a stand mount 544 extending from a plurality of different locations of the bottom side 508 and a camera mounting clip 548 attached to the stand body 504. The camera mounting clip 548 is configured to receive and secure a camera (not shown) to the bottom side 508 and proximate the front end 516 of the bracket body 504. In other embodiments, the glare shield 532 may be integrally formed with the bracket body 504.

Referring to fig. 9, glare shield 532 includes an aperture 552 at rear end 520 of bracket body 504 and a field of view 556 extending from aperture 552 toward front end 516 of bracket body 504. The field of view 556 extends between the opposing sidewalls 560, 562 of the glare shield 532 and along an upper surface 564 that extends outwardly from the aperture 552 toward the front end 516. The longitudinal axis 568 intersects the aperture 552 and extends centrally along the glare shield 532 from the rear end 520 to the front end 516 of the bracket body 504. It should be appreciated that the viewing angle 572 of the field of view 556 is defined by the glare shield 532 between the sidewalls 560, 562, and the longitudinal axis 568 bisects the viewing angle 572. Accordingly, when a camera (not shown) is mounted at aperture 552, the camera (not shown) has visibility across the entire viewing angle 572 of view 556. When the bracket assembly 500 is mounted to the windshield 132 of the vehicle 136 (see fig. 12), a camera (not shown) is configured to view through the field of view 556 and through the windshield 132 to detect other possible things such as traffic lines, other vehicles, pedestrians, objects or landscapes, and sunlight or moonlight.

In the embodiment illustrated in fig. 8 and 9, the circuit carrier 512 extends along the rear end 520 of the bracket body 504 and near the right side 528, although other configurations are possible. The circuit carrier 512 may be provided in the form of a Printed Circuit Board (PCB), a rigid circuit board having circuitry formed or carried on a rigid substrate, or other types of circuit boards such as a Flexible Circuit (FC) or circuitry formed on a flexible substrate. The circuit carrier 512 includes leads 576 formed therein, which are represented by dashed lines in fig. 8 for illustrative purposes. The circuit carrier 512 and the leads 576 form a circuit 580 that provides a communication line for power across the circuit carrier 512. Accordingly, the circuit carrier 512, including the circuit 580 and the leads 576, extends along or across the bracket body 504. Further, the circuit carrier 512 includes a plurality of terminal blocks 584 for making electrical connection with the electrical device and the leads 576. For example, the circuit carrier 512 may be electrically coupled to a power source (not shown) and a controller (not shown) through connections made at the terminal set 584. In the illustrated embodiment, the circuit carrier 512 is electrically connected to a first electrical device 588 (e.g., a rain sensor) and a second electrical device 592 (e.g., a humidity sensor). The circuit carrier 512 may also include a contact pad (such as the contact pad 184 of fig. 2) and a spring-loaded contact (such as the spring-loaded contact 188 of fig. 2).

Further, the circuit carrier 512 may be electrically connected to an interface 596 that is electrically coupled to the wiring 600 for a third electrical device 604 (e.g., a heater) that is disposed separate from or with the glare shield 532. As such, the circuit carrier 512 may be electrically coupled to the glare shield 532 to provide control and power to the third electrical device 604. In the embodiment shown, the third electrical device 604 is attached to the front end 516 of the glare shield 532. In some embodiments, the third electrical device 604 may be applied to the upper surface 564 of the glare shield 532, between the sidewalls 560, and also between the aperture 552 and the front end 516. In some embodiments, the third electrical device 604 is provided in the form of a variable resistance heater, a fixed resistance heater, or the like. In some embodiments, third electrical device 604 is a heater configured to increase the temperature of glare shield 532 and to provide heat to windshield (not shown) and glare shield 532 to clear view 556 of, for example, frost or condensation when bracket assembly 500 is mounted to the windshield (not shown).

In the illustrated embodiment, the first electrical device 588 is received within the first receiving portion 608 and secured against displacement from the bracket body by a first retaining clip 612 secured to the first retaining portion 616 of the bracket body 504. The first electrical device 588 is electrically connected to the circuit carrier 512 by a first set of wires 620, which may be soldered, fastened, or otherwise attached to the circuit carrier 512. In some embodiments, first set of wires 620 are connected to terminal set block 584. In some embodiments, the first set of wires 620 of the first electrical device 588 are replaced or modified to include spring-loaded contacts or connection pins. Further, the second electrical device 592 is received within the second receiving portion 624 of the bracket body 504 and is secured to the second retaining portion 628 of the bracket body 504 by the second retaining clip 632. The second electrical device 592 is electrically connected to the circuit carrier 512 by a second set of wires 636, which may also be fastened or soldered or otherwise attached to the circuit carrier 512. In some embodiments, a second set of wires 636 are connected to the terminal set 584. In some embodiments, the second set of wires 636 of the second electrical device 592 is replaced or modified to include spring loaded contacts or connection pins. In some embodiments, the circuit carrier 512 is electrically connected to other electrical devices such as other sensors and/or cameras (not shown). For example, the third receptacle 640 is positioned on the left side 524 of the bracket body 504 opposite the first receptacle 608 and the second receptacle 624 relative to the glare shield 532. The third receptacle 640 is illustrated in fig. 8 and 9 as having a placeholder panel 644 attached therein, but the third receptacle 640 is configured to receive another type of electrical device, such as a heater, camera, or LIDAR sensor, etc., that is different from the first electrical device 588 and the second electrical device 592.

Accordingly, the circuit carrier 512 merges and concentrates electrical connections between electrical devices on the rack assembly 500, which minimizes the number of components provided by the rack assembly 500. Thus, fewer parts are to be assembled, which reduces the risk of parts being lost or misplaced, thereby reducing the risk of mishandling or misassembly. In addition, due to the reduction of parts, the need for packaging materials (e.g., plastic bags or containers) is minimized or eliminated, thereby reducing waste and environmental impact.

With continued reference to fig. 8, the circuit carrier 512 is attached to the bottom side 508 of the bracket body 504 during the assembly process. In some embodiments, the circuit carrier 512 is attached to the bracket body 504 by fasteners (e.g., clips, posts, screws, etc.). In other embodiments, the circuit carrier 512 is attached to the bracket body 504 by an adhesive. The circuit carrier 512 may be removably attached to the bracket body 504, or alternatively, the circuit carrier 512 may be permanently attached to the bracket body 504. In some embodiments, the shape and size of the circuit carrier 512 is designed differently than shown in fig. 8. For example, the circuit carrier 512 may extend between the left side 524 and the right side 528 along the entire front end 516 of the bracket body 504. In other examples, the circuit carrier 512 may be positioned entirely on the right side 528 or entirely on the left side 524 of the bracket body 504. In some embodiments, the circuit carrier 512 is attached to a top side 514 of the bracket body 504 (see fig. 9).

Fig. 10 and 11 depict another embodiment of a circuit carrier 712 for use with the bracket assembly 500 of fig. 8 and 9. The circuit carrier 712 may be provided in the form of a Printed Circuit Board (PCB), a rigid circuit board having circuitry formed or carried on a rigid substrate, or other types of circuit boards such as a Flexible Circuit (FC) or circuitry formed on a flexible substrate. The circuit carrier 712 includes a first side 716 and a second side 720 (see fig. 11). A plurality of mounting holes 724 are disposed on the circuit carrier 712 and extend through the first side 716 and the second side 720. The mounting holes 724 are configured to receive mounting posts (not shown) therethrough for attachment to the bracket body 504. In some embodiments, the mounting holes 724 receive fasteners, clips, or other structures such as brackets. The circuit carrier 712 also includes terminal blocks 726 on the first side 716 that include a large terminal block 728 (e.g., sixteen pin terminal block) and a small terminal block 732 (e.g., six pin terminal block). In addition, the first side 716 of the circuit carrier 712 includes a plurality of terminals or pins 736 to which wires can be coupled by, for example, soldering, fastening, or adhering. Further, one or more terminal blocks 726 may be disposed on the circuit carrier 712 along the first side 716 and also disposed on the second side 720 (see fig. 11). In the illustrated embodiment, the terminal block 726 is attached to the circuit carrier 712 by snap-in plugs 740 extending to opposite sides of the circuit carrier 712. The terminal block 726 is arranged for electrical connection with devices such as heaters, cameras, sensors, power supplies, USB or USB-C ports, controllers or wiring harnesses, and other connections. It is contemplated that the circuit carrier 712 may be attached to the bottom side 508 of the bracket body 504 (see fig. 8), but other configurations are possible.

Fig. 12 shows a windshield 132 of a vehicle 136 with a bracket assembly 500 attached. The bracket assembly 500 is arranged on the windshield 132 such that the top side 514 (see fig. 2) faces the windshield 132 and forward toward the forward travel direction of the vehicle. As such, the bracket assembly 100 is configured to operate as part of other functions, such as a Lane Departure Warning (LDW) system and/or an automatic emergency braking system. It will be appreciated that each of the bracket assemblies 100, 200, 300, 400, 500 of the present disclosure is intended to be mounted to a windshield 132 of a vehicle 136, as depicted in fig. 12.

FIG. 13 depicts a flowchart of an exemplary process for assembling a bracket assembly for a vehicle. For clarity, the following steps of the assembly process of fig. 13 will be described with reference to the bracket assembly 500 of fig. 8 and 9. It will be appreciated that the assembly process of fig. 13, or variations thereof, may be performed with any of the bracket assemblies 100, 200, 300, 400, 500 of the present disclosure.

In step S100, the bracket body 504, the glare shield 532, the circuit carrier 512, and the electrical devices (e.g., the first electrical device 588 and the second electrical device 592) are provided to an installer. In some embodiments, the installer receives the bracket body 504 with the windshield 132 such that the bracket body 504 is at least partially attached to the windshield 132. In some embodiments, the installer secures the glare shield 532 to the bracket body 504, while in other embodiments, the glare shield 532 is pre-secured to the bracket body 504 before being received by the installer. In some embodiments, the glare shield 532 is integrally formed with the bracket body 504. Further, step S100 may include providing a wiring 600 and a third electrical device 604 for connection between the bracket body 504 and the glare shield 532. In addition, the circuit carrier 512 and the first and second electrical devices 588, 592 are provided to the installer separately from the carrier body 504 for subsequent installation.

In step S104, the first electrical device 588 and the second electrical device 592 are connected to the circuit carrier 512 to form a subassembly, such as the bracket assembly 500 depicted in fig. 8 and 9 in a partially installed state. Step S104 may be performed on a surface of the workstation on which the installer may ergonomically make the electrical connection between the first and second electrical devices 588, 592 and the circuit carrier 512. Accordingly, the workstation is preferably equipped with suitable tools, for example soldering irons and soldering materials, optical devices (such as articulated arms or headbands with magnifying glass) and protective equipment (such as protective glasses and gloves). Thus, making the electrical connection between the first electrical device 588 and the second electrical device 592 and the circuit carrier 512 at the workstation provides several advantages over making such connections inside the vehicle 136.

In step S108, the subassembly including the circuit carrier 512 and the first and second electrical devices 588, 592 is attached to the bracket body 504 on the windshield 132. In some examples, the windshield 132 and the bracket body 504 have been mounted to the vehicle 136, thus attaching the subassembly to the windshield 132 in the vehicle 136. In other examples, the windshield 132 and the bracket body 504 are separate from the vehicle 136, and therefore, the subassembly is attached to the windshield 132 prior to installation into the vehicle 136. Accordingly, the subassemblies may be attached to the vehicle 136 in various ways. It is contemplated that where the bracket body 104 includes the integrated circuit 172, the bracket body 104 may be electrically connected to the first electrical device 588 and the second electrical device 592 prior to installation on the windshield 132.

Accordingly, the bracket assembly 100, 200, 300, 400, 500 of the present disclosure provides an assembly process involving fewer steps due to the reduction of parts. In this way, the assembly process is simplified and fewer contacts are required, which results in reduced assembly time. Further, the assembly process may be performed ergonomically at the workstation rather than in an awkward location within the vehicle.

The entire disclosures of each patent and publication cited herein are incorporated by reference as if each such patent or publication were individually incorporated by reference.

Industrial applicability

Various modifications to the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art of stent assemblies in view of the foregoing description. Accordingly, this description is to be construed as illustrative only and is presented for the purpose of enabling those skilled in the art to make and use the invention. All modifications which come within the scope of the following claims are reserved.

Claims (20)

1. A bracket assembly for a vehicle, the bracket assembly comprising:

the support body is provided with a glare shield and a circuit; and

an electrical device, wherein the electrical device is electrically connected to the electrical circuit of the bracket body, and wherein the electrical circuit comprises a plurality of leads extending along the bracket body.

2. The cradle assembly of claim 1, wherein the electrical device is connected to a contact pad integrally formed on the cradle body.

3. The rack assembly of claim 1, wherein a spring-loaded contact is provided between the electrical device and the electrical circuit.

4. The rack assembly of claim 1, wherein the electrical device comprises at least one of a heater, a camera, a humidity sensor, a rain sensor, or a port.

5. The cradle assembly of claim 1, wherein the armor wires are disposed between the electrical circuit and a power source.

6. The stent assembly of claim 5 wherein the armor wires are two-pin or three-pin armor wires.

7. The stand assembly of claim 1, wherein the glare shield is removably attached to the stand body.

8. A bracket assembly for a vehicle, the bracket assembly comprising:

a bracket body;

an electrical device; and

a circuit carrier attached to the cradle body, wherein the electrical device is electrically connected to a terminal block disposed on the circuit carrier.

9. The cradle assembly of claim 8, wherein the circuit carrier is attached to a bottom side of the cradle body.

10. The stand assembly of claim 8, wherein a glare shield is attached to the stand body.

11. The cradle assembly of claim 8, wherein the circuit carrier is positioned along a rear end of the cradle body.

12. The rack assembly of claim 8, wherein the electrical device comprises at least one of a heater, a camera, a humidity sensor, a rain sensor, or a port.

13. The rack assembly of claim 8, wherein the rack body comprises a retention portion and the electrical device comprises a retention clip configured to engage the retention portion.

14. A method of assembling a bracket assembly for a vehicle, the method comprising:

providing a bracket body and a glare shield;

providing a circuit carrier and a plurality of electrical devices;

attaching the circuit carrier and the plurality of electrical devices to the bracket body; and

the bracket assembly is mounted to the vehicle.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the electrical device is connected to the circuit carrier to form a circuit subassembly, which is then attached to the bracket body.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein each of the plurality of electrical devices is connected to the circuit carrier prior to being attached to the bracket body.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the electrical device comprises at least one of a heater, a camera, a humidity sensor, a rain sensor, or a port.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the circuit carrier is attached to the underside of the bracket assembly by fasteners.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the circuit carrier comprises a plurality of terminal blocks of different configurations.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the circuit carrier comprises a first terminal block on a first side and a second terminal block on a second side opposite the first side.