DE102021209470A1 - Vehicle with reversing camera - Google Patents

Abstract

A camera (4) can be detachably mounted at a mounting location (3) in a rear body area (1) of a vehicle. The camera (4) is connected to the rear body area (1) via an extendable umbilical cord (9).

Description

The present invention relates to a vehicle with a rear view camera.

Rear-view cameras that are permanently mounted in the rear of a vehicle have the problem that their effectiveness is impaired when a trailer is coupled to the vehicle and occupies a significant part of the camera's field of view.

To fix this problem, proposes DE 10 2019 124 626 A1 proposes a vehicle having a body and a camera module that is relocatable between a mounting location in a rear body portion of the vehicle and a mounting location on a trailer. In order to be able to operate the camera on the trailer without a cable connection to the vehicle, the camera module is equipped with an accumulator that is charged when the camera module is in the mounting location on the vehicle; a radio interface is also provided to transmit image data from the camera to a display in the vehicle. The wireless transmission of the image data makes this known system expensive. The anchoring of the camera module on the trailer by means of an electromagnet puts a load on the accumulator even when the camera itself is not being used, for example because the vehicle is stationary. This entails the risk that when the vehicle is to be moved again after a long break, the camera module on the trailer is not available because the battery is exhausted. The conventional system is unsuitable for securing journeys in which freight protrudes backwards from a loading space of the vehicle, unless the freight is accidentally ferromagnetic.

Therefore, there is a need for a vehicle with a backup camera in which the backup camera is reliable and usable in a variety of situations where a driver's rear view is obstructed by cargo.

In order to meet this need, a vehicle is proposed with a body and a camera that can be detachably mounted at a mounting location in a body rear area of the vehicle, in which the energy supply and data transmission of the camera are ensured by an extendable umbilical cord connecting the camera to the body rear area is. This avoids both the costs of wireless data transfer and the problems of limited battery life, while still allowing the camera's position to be adjusted if necessary.

When mounted at the mounting location, the umbilical cord should be covered to protect it from damage.

The mounting location is preferably a recess in the body rear area. The recess can also provide protection and a secure hold for the camera when it is mounted.

To ensure extensibility, the umbilical cord may include a coiled cable.

To ensure that when the camera is mounted in the field, the umbilical cord does not hang freely and interfere with other objects, the umbilical cord is preferably associated with a spring-loaded retractor.

The camera may include means for temporarily attaching to a surface remote from the mounting site, or an adapter for connecting to means for temporarily attaching. The use of an adapter has the advantage that the installation space does not have to be dimensioned to also accommodate the means for temporary attachment; moreover, different means of temporary attachment can be connected to the camera via the adapter depending on the surface to which the camera is to be attached.

A strap, a clamp, a magnet or an adhesive film can be considered as means for temporary fastening. A strap or clip is particularly useful for attachment to a rod-shaped object such as a frame of a bicycle loaded on a rear carrier of the vehicle. The magnet can be used to attach it to metallic surfaces of the body away from the assembly area; an adhesive film is suitable for attachment to any surface of the body, including a window glass.

The means for temporarily attaching can be connected to a housing of the camera via a hinge in order to be able to orientate the camera in a desired viewing direction independently of the orientation of a surface on which the camera is mounted.

An extender can be provided as an accessory, which has a first end that can be mounted at the mounting location and a second end that is designed as an auxiliary mounting location for the camera and can thus be inserted between the mounting location and the camera.

The cable may have a detachable connector on at least one end for connection to the Have camera or the body rear area; so, if necessary, an extension cable can be inserted. Also, to bridge long distances between the mounting site and an intended temporary location of the camera, a first cordless transponder can be placed at the mounting site instead of the camera, and a second transponder and battery can be connected to the camera.

• 1 eine schematische Ansicht eines Karosserie-Heckbereich eines Fahrzeugs mit einem Fahrradträger und einer Kamera;
• 2 eine Detailansicht eines Montageplatzes und der abseits des Montageplatzes befestigten Kamera gemäß einer ersten Ausgestaltung; und
• 3 eine Detailansicht eines Montageplatzes und der abseits des Montageplatzes befestigten Kamera gemäß einer zweiten Ausgestaltung.

Further features and advantages of the invention result from the following description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the attached figures. Show it:

• 1 a schematic view of a body rear area of a vehicle with a bicycle rack and a camera;
• 2 a detailed view of an assembly area and the camera attached away from the assembly area according to a first embodiment; and
• 3 a detailed view of an assembly area and the camera attached away from the assembly area according to a second embodiment.

1 shows schematically a body rear area 1 of a motor vehicle. A luggage compartment of the vehicle is closed off by a tailgate 2 . The tailgate 2 has a mounting location 3 for a camera 4 . The assembly area 3 is shaped in order to provide the camera 4 mounted therein with a field of view 5 that is centered backwards and diagonally downwards, so that the ground 6 can be monitored up to close to the rear of the vehicle.

in the in 1 In the configuration shown, in which a bicycle carrier 7 is attached to the rear of the vehicle and equipped with bicycles 8, the view of the camera 4 from the mounting location 3 is severely limited.

Similarly, the view of the camera 4 would be limited if the tailgate 2 were swung up to carry cargo that is too long to fit fully in a vehicle cargo area and therefore overhangs the rear of the cargo area.

In order to still be able to ensure a satisfactory view of the camera 4, the camera 4 can be removed from the assembly area 3, as shown in 2 shown schematically. The mounting location 3 is a recess in the tailgate 2, which narrows at least in an entrance area in the depth direction, complementary to the housing of the camera 4, in order to ensure easy insertion of the camera 4 and stable contact with the walls of the recess.

2 showed the camera 4 outside the assembly area 3. In this position, too, the camera 4 is connected to the vehicle 1 via an umbilical cord 9 in order to be supplied with energy from there and to forward recorded images to a screen (not shown) in the passenger compartment. The umbilical cord 9 can be designed as an elastically extendable coiled cable in the manner of a telephone cable; It is also conceivable to provide a winder for the umbilical cord 9 at the assembly site, from which the umbilical cord 9 is unwound when the camera 4 is moved away from the assembly site 3 and which rolls it up again when the camera 4 is moved back to the assembly site.

In the embodiment outlined here, the umbilical cord 9 comprises a traction cable 10 and a cable 11 for energy and data transmission that extends loosely in coils around the traction cable 10 . The traction cable 10 can be thinner and more flexible than the cable 11; therefore, a winder 12 associated therewith can be kept compact. The winder 12 comprises a winding drum 13 for the traction cable 10 and a spring 14 which is tensioned by the rotation of the winding drum 13 when the traction cable 10 is pulled off and thus exerts a restoring force on the traction cable 10 .

When the winder 12 catches up with the traction cable, the cable 11 hanging from it is also drawn into the recess of the assembly area 3 and thus does not hinder the placement of the camera 4 in its entrance area.

The camera 4 is connected to a clamp 16 via a ball joint 15 . The clamp 16 is sized to be attached to a frame tube 17 of a bicycle 8 . The ball joint 15 enables correct alignment of the camera 4 regardless of the orientation of the frame tube 17.

The recess of the assembly station 3 can be dimensioned to accommodate the clamp 16 together with the camera 4 therein. However, it is preferred that the bracket 16 be detached from the camera 4 and replaced by some other means of temporarily mounting the camera if desired. For this purpose, for example, the ball joint 15 can be designed so that it can be dismantled, so that one of its ball 18 and socket 19 is firmly connected to the camera 4 and the other can be replaced. For example, the socket 19 and the clamp connected to it can be replaced by a socket connected to a magnet, a suction cup, a plate provided with an adhesive film or the like.

Pull rope 10 and cable 11 are detachably connected to the camera. If, for example, a connector 20 of the cable 11 is removed from the camera, it can instead be connected to a first transponder (not shown) and this can be attached to the assembly station 3 . By instead connecting the camera 4 to a second transponder and a battery, the camera 4 can operate without constant power supply via the cable 11 and provide images via the transponders to the screen. This allows the camera with the second transponder and the battery to be attached to a trailer coupled to the vehicle 1, for example.

If there is no suitable solid surface within reach of the umbilical cord to attach the camera to, an extender 21 as in 3 outlined. The extender 21 is a slotted tube or U-profile, a first end 22 of which replicates the shape of the camera 4 in order to be fixed in its place at the assembly site 3, and the second end 23 of which replicates the shape of the assembly site 3 in order to Camera 4 to provide support. The slot of the extender 21, which is preferably open at the bottom in the installed position, allows it to be placed over the umbilical cord 9 when the camera 4 is pulled out, in order to then connect the ends 22, 23 to the mounting location 3 or the camera 4.

Reference List

1

Body rear area

2

tailgate

3

assembly place

4

camera

5

field of view

6

ground

7

bike rack

8th

Bicycle

9

umbilical cord

10

traction rope

11

Cable

12

rewinder

13

winding drum

14

Feather

15

ball joint

16

clamp

17

frame tube

18

Bullet

19

Pan

20

connector

21

extenders

22

first end

23

second end

QUOTES INCLUDED IN DESCRIPTION

This list of documents cited by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Patent Literature Cited

• DE 102019124626 A1 [0003]

Claims (10)

Vehicle with a body and a camera (4) which can be detachably mounted at a mounting location (3) in a body rear area (1) of the vehicle, characterized in that the camera (4) is connected to the body rear area (1) via an extendable umbilical cord (9) is connected. vehicle after claim 1 , in which the camera (4) covers the umbilical cord (9) in the mounted state at the mounting location (3). vehicle after claim 1 or 2 , in which the mounting location (3) is a recess in the body rear area (1). A vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the umbilical cord (9) comprises a coiled cable (11). Vehicle according to one of the preceding claims, in which the umbilical cord (9) is associated with a spring-operated retractor (12). Vehicle according to one of the preceding claims, in which the camera (4) comprises means for temporary attachment or an adapter (15) for connection to means for temporary attachment. vehicle after claim 6 , in which the means for temporarily fixing comprise a strap, a clip (16), a magnet or an adhesive film. vehicle after claim 6 or 7 , in which the means for temporarily fixing are connected to a housing of the camera (4) via a hinge (15). Vehicle according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising an extender (21) having a first end (22) mountable at the mounting location (3) and a second end (23) configured as an auxiliary mounting location for the camera (4). Vehicle according to one of the preceding claims, in which the cable (11) has at least one end a detachable connector (20) for connection to the camera (4) or the rear body area (1).

Images