JP2018086971A - Water droplet removing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a water droplet removing device that can further reliably remove a water droplet adhering to an on-board imaging device.SOLUTION: A water droplet removing device includes: a wiping member 50 for wiping a cover 30 for protecting a lens 22 of a camera 20; and a support member 40 for supporting the wiping member 50. The support member 40 is fitted to the camera 20 so as to be relatively movable to the camera. The wiping member 50 wipes a surface of the cover 30 with the relative movement of the support member 40.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

  The present invention relates to a water droplet removal device that can remove water droplets attached to an in-vehicle imaging device.

  2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, an imaging device that captures the rear or side of a vehicle is mounted on a vehicle and is used to assist a parking operation. However, when water droplets adhere to the lens of the imaging device, the image obtained by the imaging device is distorted or blurred.

  In order to solve such a problem, a technique has been proposed in which hydrophilic processing is performed on the upper portion of the outer surface of the lens of the imaging apparatus and water repellent processing is performed on the lower portion (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In addition, a piezoelectric member is attached to the inner surface of the lens, and the lens is vibrated in the optical axis direction by vibrating the piezoelectric member to remove raindrops attached to the lens (for example, see Patent Document 2).

  However, the technique according to Patent Document 1 may cause large water droplets to adhere to the lens when the amount of water droplets is large. In addition, the technique according to Patent Document 2 gives a vibration to the lens and removes water droplets, so that there is a problem in durability such as the lens being displaced or the lens being damaged.

JP 2009-265473 A JP 2007-082062 A

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a water droplet removing device that can more reliably remove water droplets attached to an in-vehicle imaging device.

  A first aspect of the present invention that solves the above problem is a water droplet removing device that removes water droplets adhering to an in-vehicle imaging device, the wiping member that wipes a cover that protects the lens of the in-vehicle imaging device, and the wiping A support member that supports the member, the support member is attached to the in-vehicle imaging device so as to be relatively movable, and the wiping member wipes the surface of the cover by the relative movement of the support member. It is in the water drop removing device.

  In the first aspect, the cover can be wiped by the wiping member fixed to the support member by rotating the support member relative to the in-vehicle imaging device. Thereby, the water droplet adhering to the surface of a cover can be removed. Further, the support member provided with the wiping member is integrally attached to the in-vehicle imaging device. With such a configuration, the wiping member can be accurately arranged at a position where it can contact the cover, and as a result, water droplets can be more reliably removed by the wiping member.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the water droplet removal apparatus described in the first aspect, the support member is attached to the in-vehicle imaging device so as to be relatively rotatable, and the wiping member is formed by relative rotation of the support member. In the water droplet removing apparatus, the surface of the cover is wiped off.

  In the second aspect, the mechanism for causing the wiping member to wipe the entire surface of the cover can be realized by using a simple rotation mechanism such as a motor.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided the water droplet removing apparatus according to the second aspect, wherein the surface of the cover is formed in a curved surface.

  In the third aspect, the surface of the cover is formed in a curved surface, and the surface of the cover is wiped while the wiping member rotates in accordance with the curved surface. Thereby, since the wiping member can wipe the entire surface of the cover evenly, water droplets can be more reliably removed from the entire surface of the cover.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the water droplet removal apparatus described in the first or second aspect, the surface of the cover is formed in a flat shape, and the support member biases the wiping member toward the cover. There is provided a water droplet removing device including an urging member that performs the above operation.

  In the fourth aspect, even when a flat cover is used to reduce image distortion, water droplets can be reliably removed by the wiping member.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the water droplet removal apparatus according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, the support member is formed in a frame shape, and the in-vehicle imaging device is a frame of the support member. The wiping member is disposed on the periphery of the frame of the support member and wipes the cover that rotates within the frame of the support member. The present invention provides a water droplet removal apparatus.

  In the fifth aspect, since the camera is actively rotated, not only the water droplets are removed by the wiping member but also the water droplets can be removed by the rotation operation of the camera.

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the water droplet removal apparatus according to the fifth aspect, the support member is fixed to a periphery of a through hole formed in an outer surface of the vehicle, and is at least a part of the in-vehicle imaging device. Is a water drop removing device that is accommodated inside the outer surface of the vehicle from the through hole.

  In the sixth aspect, the camera can be housed inside the outer surface of the vehicle. As a result, the camera can be protected when there is no need to image the rear.

  According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the water droplet removing apparatus according to any one of the first to sixth aspects, the wiping member is made of an elastic material, and a protrusion is formed on the surface of the cover. It is in the water droplet removal apparatus characterized by having.

  In the seventh aspect, the protrusions elastically deform the wiping member, so that the water attached to the wiping member can be repelled. Thereby, it can suppress that the water wiped off by the wiping member returns and adheres to a cover.

  According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, in the water droplet removal apparatus according to any one of the first to seventh aspects, raindrop detection means for detecting that a waterdrop has adhered to the vehicle or the in-vehicle imaging device, and the raindrop And a control unit that causes the wiping member to wipe the cover by moving the support member relative to the in-vehicle image pickup device when raindrops are detected by the detecting means. .

  In the eighth aspect, the driver can more clearly check the back of the vehicle even when it is raining.

  According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, in the water droplet removal apparatus described in the eighth aspect, the raindrop detection means detects a distortion of an image obtained from the in-vehicle image pickup device, whereby raindrops are generated in the in-vehicle image pickup device. It is in the water droplet removal apparatus characterized by detecting that it adhered.

  In the ninth aspect, since it is directly detected whether or not raindrops are attached to the cover, it can be estimated that raindrops are attached to the cover with higher accuracy.

  According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, in the water droplet removal apparatus described in any one of the first to ninth aspects, the in-vehicle imaging device images the rear of the vehicle, and the shift lever of the vehicle is in the retracted position. And a controller that causes the wiping member to wipe the cover by moving the support member relative to the vehicle-mounted image pickup device when the fact is detected.

  In the tenth aspect, the driver can perform the reverse operation while confirming the rear of the vehicle clearly displayed.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the water droplet removal apparatus which can remove the raindrop adhering to a vehicle-mounted imaging device more reliably is provided.

It is the schematic which shows the water droplet removal apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 1. FIG. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the water droplet removal apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 1. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a water droplet removal apparatus according to Embodiment 1. FIG. It is sectional drawing of the water droplet removal apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 1. FIG. It is sectional drawing of the water droplet removal apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 1. FIG. It is sectional drawing which shows the state of the water droplet removal apparatus which wipes off a cover. It is sectional drawing to which the principal part of the water droplet removal apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 2 was expanded. It is the sectional view on the AA line of FIG. It is sectional drawing to which the principal part of the water droplet removal apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 2 was expanded. It is the top view to which the principal part of the water droplet removal apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 3 was expanded. It is sectional drawing to which the principal part of the water droplet removal apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 4 was expanded. FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a water droplet removal apparatus according to a fifth embodiment. FIG. 10 is a side view of a water droplet removal apparatus according to a fifth embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows operation | movement of the water droplet removal apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 6.

  Hereinafter, modes for carrying out the present invention will be described. In addition, description of embodiment is an illustration and this invention is not limited to the following description.

<Embodiment 1>
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a water droplet removing device, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the water droplet removing device. The longitudinal direction of the vehicle is the X direction, the vehicle width direction of the vehicle is the Y direction, and the height direction of the vehicle is the Z direction.

  A water droplet removal apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment is a device that removes water droplets attached to a cover 30 of a camera 20 that is an in-vehicle imaging device mounted on a vehicle 1. Specifically, the water droplet removing apparatus 10 includes a wiping member 50 and a support member 40 that supports the wiping member 50. Furthermore, a motor 60 as a power source for rotating the support member 40 relative to the camera 20 and an ECU (electronic control unit) 70 as a control unit are provided. Further, the vehicle 1 is provided with a raindrop sensor 80 and a display 90.

  The camera 20 is a device that is attached to the outside of the vehicle 1 and images the periphery of the vehicle 1. In the present embodiment, the camera 20 is attached to the rear part of the vehicle 1 and images the rear of the vehicle 1. The video imaged by the camera 20 is displayed on the display 90 disposed in the vehicle interior of the vehicle 1 via the ECU 70. The camera 20 is provided with a cover 30 that protects the camera 20 from water drops.

  The motor 60 rotates the support member 40 relative to the camera 20. Although details will be described later, when the support member 40 is rotated by the motor 60, the wiping member 50 attached to the support member 40 wipes the cover 30.

  The ECU 70 is a device that comprehensively controls the vehicle 1, and includes an input / output device, a storage device (ROM, RAM, etc.), a central processing unit (CPU), a timer counter, and the like. The vehicle 1 is provided with various sensors for detecting the traveling state of the vehicle 1, and detection signals are sent from the various sensors to the ECU 70.

  The water droplet removal apparatus 10 of this embodiment includes a raindrop sensor 80 as an example of a raindrop detection unit that detects raindrops attached to a vehicle. A rain detection signal is transmitted from the raindrop sensor 80 to the ECU 70. The raindrop sensor 80 detects raindrops on the glass surface of the front window, and outputs the rain amount to the ECU 70 in place of an electrical signal.

  Further, the ECU 70 can detect raindrops attached to the cover 30 by processing an image obtained from the camera 20. Details of such processing will be described later. The ECU 70 having such an image processing function for detecting raindrops is included in the raindrop detection means of the present invention.

  A signal representing the position of the shift lever is transmitted from the shift position sensor 3 to the ECU 70. Further, the vehicle 1 is provided with a system start switch 2 (switch is abbreviated as SW in the figure) and a water droplet removal switch 4. The water droplet removal switch 4 is a switch provided in the passenger compartment of the vehicle 1 and capable of selecting auto, on, or off. The ECU 70 can detect the state of these switches.

  Although details will be described later, the ECU 70 starts control of the water droplet removal device 10 according to signals from various sensors and the state of the water droplet removal switch 4 as described above when the system activation switch 2 is on.

  The configuration of the water droplet removal apparatus 10 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 3 to 5. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the water droplet removing device, and FIGS. 4 and 5 are cross-sectional views of the water droplet removing device. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view in the YZ plane that passes through the vicinity of the rotation axis of the camera. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view in the XZ plane that passes through the central portion of the water droplet removal apparatus. 4 and 5, the illustration of the cover is omitted.

  As shown in these drawings, the camera 20 includes a lens 22 provided in the case, an image pickup device such as a CCD provided in the case, a circuit board for driving the image pickup device, and the like. The camera 20 is provided with a cover 30 that protects the lens 22.

  The cover 30 is a member provided at a position facing the lens 22 and protects the lens 22. The cover 30 is made of a transparent material that transmits light, and the light enters the lens 22 through the cover 30. The cover 30 of the present embodiment is formed in a curved surface shape such that the surface of the cover 30 draws an arc centered on the Y axis in a side view perpendicular to the XZ plane. Of course, the cover 30 is not limited to such a shape.

  In the camera 20 having such a cover 30, the imaging element forms an image from light that has passed through the cover 30 and entered from the lens 22, and transmits the image to the ECU 70.

  The support member 40 is a member that supports the wiping member 50 that wipes the cover 30. In the present embodiment, the support member 40 is formed in a frame shape, and the inside of the frame is referred to as an opening 41. A wiping member 50 is disposed at the peripheral edge of the frame of the support member 40 (periphery of the opening 41). Further, the camera 20 is disposed in the frame of the support member 40 (inside the opening 41), and is attached to the support member 40 so as to be relatively rotatable.

  In the present embodiment, the support member 40 is fixed, and the rotation of the camera 20 realizes relative rotation of the support member 40. Specifically, two bearing portions 42 that support the rotating shaft 21 of the camera 20 are provided on the periphery of the opening 41. The bearing portion 42 supports both ends of the rotating shaft 21.

  The rotation shaft 21 is disposed in parallel to the Y axis, and the camera 20 is fixed. Further, a motor 60 (not shown) (see FIG. 2) is connected to the rotating shaft 21. The rotating shaft 21 is rotated by the rotational force of the motor 60, so that the camera 20 can rotate around the Y axis.

  Note that the fact that the camera 20 rotates around the rotation axis 21 does not mean only one rotation. With reference to a fixed position (for example, the position shown in FIG. 5) where the camera 20 captures the rear of the vehicle, the cover 30 rotates around the rotation shaft 21 by a predetermined angle until the cover 30 contacts the wiping member 50.

  The camera 20 is provided with a rotation angle sensor (not shown) for detecting the rotation angle. The rotation angle is an angle rotated around the rotation axis 21 from a reference position of the camera 20 (for example, a position when the optical axis of the camera 20 is horizontal). The rotation angle detected by the rotation angle sensor is transmitted to the ECU 70. The ECU 70 performs control for rotating and stopping the motor 60 based on the rotation angle of the camera 20 detected by the rotation angle sensor. Thereby, the camera 20 reciprocates within a predetermined rotation angle range, and the wiping member 50 wipes the cover 30.

  The support member 40 is fixed to the rear gate outer panel 5 of the vehicle 1 (which is an example of an outer surface of claims). A part of the rear gate outer panel 5 is bent, and a through hole 6 is formed in a substantially horizontal part. The support member 40 is fixed to the periphery of the through hole 6 so that the opening 41 and the through hole 6 communicate with each other.

  As a means for fixing the support member 40 to the rear gate outer panel 5, an engagement portion 43 is provided on the support member 40. The engaging portion 43 is engaged with the peripheral edge of the through hole 6. The support member 40 is fixed to the rear gate outer panel 5 by such an engaging portion 43.

  By fixing the support member 40 to the rear gate outer panel 5 in this way, when the camera 20 is rotated around the Y axis, the support member 40 can be housed inside the rear gate outer panel 5 (between the rear gate inner panel not shown). It is possible.

  The wiping member 50 is a member that wipes the cover 30. In this embodiment, the wiping member 50 is a flat member formed from an elastic material such as resin. The wiping member 50 is disposed on the periphery of the opening 41 of the support member 40. The side end 51 of the wiping member 50 protrudes into the opening 41 and comes into contact with the surface of the cover 30.

  FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state of the water droplet removing device 10 that wipes the cover 30. FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of a part of a sectional view in the XZ plane similar to FIG.

  As described above, the camera 20 rotates around the Y axis with respect to the support member 40 fixed to the rear gate outer panel 5. The wiping member 50 is fixed to the support member 40 so that it can contact the cover 30 of the camera 20. Therefore, the wiping member 50 wipes the entire surface of the cover 30 by the rotation of the camera 20. The cover 30 is wiped off by the wiping member 50 as the camera 20 rotates relative to the support member 40 to which the wiping member 50 is fixed.

  There is no particular limitation on the mode of rotation of the camera 20. The camera 20 may be rotated so that at least a portion of the cover 30 located on the optical axis of the camera 20 is wiped by the wiping member 50. The camera 20 may be rotated any number of times, once or a plurality of times.

  The water droplet removing apparatus 10 having the above-described configuration can wipe the cover 30 by the wiping member 50 fixed to the support member 40 by rotating the camera 20. Thereby, water droplets adhering to the surface of the cover 30 can be removed.

  As described above, the water droplet removal apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment prevents the water droplets from directly attaching to the lens 22 by covering the camera 20 mounted outside the vehicle 1 with the cover 30, and has adhered to the cover 30. Water droplets can be removed quickly and reliably by the wiping member 50. Thereby, even if a water droplet adheres to the cover 30 in rainy weather or after a car wash, it can be reliably removed and the rear of the vehicle 1 can be clearly displayed on the display 90.

  The support member 40 provided with the wiping member 50 is integrally attached to the camera 20. With such a configuration, the wiping member 50 can be accurately arranged at a position where it can contact the cover 30.

  If the camera 20 and the support member 40 are individually attached to the vehicle body, the camera 20 and the support member 40 must be accurately positioned with respect to the vehicle body. That is, since there are two members that must be positioned with high accuracy, an error in the accuracy of the mounting position becomes large. On the other hand, in the water droplet removal apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment, the support member 40 may be positioned with respect to the camera 20, so that the wiping member 50 can be accurately arranged with respect to the cover 30.

  Even when the amount of water droplets adhering to the cover 30 is large, it can be more reliably removed by increasing the speed at which the camera 20 is rotated or by increasing the rotation time. Thereby, it is not necessary to apply the hydrophilic treatment or the water repellent treatment to the cover 30 as in the prior art. The cover 30 of the present invention may be subjected to hydrophilic treatment and water repellent treatment.

  The water droplet removal apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment employs a support member 40 that rotates relative to the camera 20 as a configuration for causing the wiping member 50 to wipe the surface of the cover 30. According to this, a mechanism for causing the wiping member 50 to wipe the entire surface of the cover 30 can be realized with a simple configuration using the motor 60 or the like.

  In the water droplet removing apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment, the surface of the cover 30 is formed in a curved shape, and the surface of the cover 30 is wiped while the wiping member 50 rotates in accordance with the curved surface. Accordingly, the wiping member 50 can wipe the entire surface of the cover 30 evenly, so that water droplets can be more reliably removed from the entire surface of the cover 30.

  In the water droplet removal apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment, the support member 40 is formed in a frame shape having an opening 41 and is fixed to the vehicle 1. The camera 20 is disposed in the opening 41 and is rotatably attached to the support member 40. As described above, since the camera 20 is actively rotated, not only the removal of water droplets by the wiping member 50 but also the water droplets can be removed by the rotation operation of the camera 20.

  In the water droplet removal apparatus 10 according to this embodiment, the camera 20 can be accommodated inside the rear gate outer panel 5 of the vehicle. Thereby, when it is not necessary to image the back, the camera 20 can be protected inside the rear gate outer panel 5.

<Embodiment 2>
In the first embodiment, the wiping member 50 is fixed to the support member 40. However, the wiping member 50 is not limited to this, and may be biased toward the cover 30 side. FIG. 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part of the water droplet removing apparatus, and FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the same thing as Embodiment 1, and the overlapping description is abbreviate | omitted.

  In the support member 40, a flat wiping member 50 is disposed on the periphery of the opening 41. In addition, a guide portion 44 is provided on the upper surface of the support member 40. The guide part 44 is a member that guides the wiping member 50 so as to move along the X direction. Specifically, two guide portions 44 are provided on both sides of the cover 30 in the Y direction. A guide groove 45 formed along the X direction is provided on a side surface of the guide portion 44 facing the wiping member 50.

  A guide protrusion 52 is provided on the side surface of the wiping member 50 facing the guide portion 44. The guide protrusion 52 is fitted in the guide groove 45. Thereby, the wiping member 50 is movable along the X direction along the guide groove 45.

  The support member 40 is provided with an urging member 47 such as a spring and a fixing portion 46 for fixing the urging member 47. The urging member 47 is attached to the rear end side (the side opposite to the cover 30) of the wiping member 50, and urges the wiping member 50 toward the cover 30 side.

  According to the water droplet removing device having such a configuration, the wiping member 50 is urged toward the cover 30 by the urging member 47, so that the wiping member 50 can be brought into contact with the surface of the cover 30 more reliably. Thereby, the water droplet adhering to the cover 30 can be removed more reliably.

  The water droplet removing apparatus 10 including such an urging member 47 is particularly useful for the camera 20 including the cover 30 formed in a flat shape.

  FIG. 9 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part of the water droplet removing apparatus. As shown in the figure, the cover 30 has a planar surface. When the surface of the cover 30 is a flat surface, the image captured by the camera 20 is less distorted than the cover 30 formed in a curved surface.

  When the camera 20 including such a flat cover 30 rotates, the distance between the surface of the cover 30 and the side end portion 51 of the wiping member 50 is not constant in the fixed wiping member 50 as in the first embodiment. . For example, when the part A which is the lower part of the cover 30 is at the same height position (position in the Z direction) as the side end 51, the part B which is the center part of the cover 30 is about the same as the side end 51. The distance between the surface of the cover 30 and the side end portion 51 is different from that at the height position.

  However, since the wiping member 50 of this embodiment is biased toward the cover 30, the wiping member 50 can be brought into contact with the cover 30 even if the cover 30 is formed in a flat shape. As described above, according to the water droplet removal apparatus of the present embodiment, even when the flat cover 30 is used to reduce image distortion, water droplets can be reliably removed by the wiping member 50. it can.

<Embodiment 3>
In Embodiment 1 and Embodiment 2, although the flat wiping member 50 was used, it is not limited to this. FIG. 10 is an enlarged plan view of a main part of the water droplet removing apparatus. In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the same thing as Embodiment 1, and the overlapping description is abbreviate | omitted.

  As shown in the figure, a drainage groove 54 extending from the side end 51 is provided on the surface of the wiping member 50. Water droplets move from the surface of the cover 30 to the wiping member 50 by the wiping operation. The water adhering to the wiping member 50 is discharged from the wiping member 50 through the drainage groove 54. According to the water droplet removing apparatus 10 of the present embodiment having such a configuration, it is possible to suppress the water wiped by the wiping member 50 from returning to the cover 30 and adhering thereto.

<Embodiment 4>
FIG. 11 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part of the water droplet removal apparatus. In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the same thing as Embodiment 1, and the overlapping description is abbreviate | omitted.

  In the water droplet removal apparatus 10 of the present embodiment, a protrusion 31 is provided on the surface of the cover 30. The protrusions 31 protrude toward the wiping member 50 and are provided at two locations, the upper part and the lower part of the cover 30. The wiping member 50 is made of an elastic material.

  When the cover 30 having such a protrusion 31 rotates together with the camera 20, the protrusion 31 elastically deforms the side end 51 of the wiping member 50. For example, it is assumed that the camera 20 rotates from below to above. At this time, the lower protrusion 31 pushes the side end 51 upward from below and elastically deforms it. When the camera 20 further rotates upward, the protrusion 31 is separated from the wiping member 50, and the side end 51 returns to its original shape. Thus, the protrusion 31 elastically deforms the side end portion 51, so that the water adhering to the vicinity of the side end portion 51 of the wiping member 50 can be repelled. According to the water droplet removing apparatus 10 of the present embodiment having such a configuration, it is possible to suppress the water wiped by the wiping member 50 from returning to the cover 30 and adhering thereto.

<Embodiment 5>
In Embodiments 1 to 4, the support member 40 is fixed and the camera 20 rotates to realize a configuration in which the support member 40 rotates relative to the camera 20. However, the present invention is not limited to this. That is, the structure in which the support member 40 rotates and the camera 20 is fixed may be used. FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the water droplet removing device, and FIG. 13 is a side view of the water droplet removing device. In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the same thing as Embodiment 1, and the overlapping description is abbreviate | omitted.

  The camera 20 is fixed to a vehicle (not shown) by a fixing member 23. The water droplet removal apparatus 10A includes a support member 40A that is rotatably attached to such a camera 20. The support member 40 </ b> A includes two arm portions 48 and a connecting portion 49 that connects the arm portions 48. A wiping member 50 is fixed to the connecting portion 49 so as to contact the cover 30.

  The camera 20 is provided with a rotation shaft 21, and one end of the arm portion 48 is attached to the rotation shaft 21. The rotation of the rotating shaft 21 supported by the camera 20 causes the arm portion 48 to rotate.

  The water droplet removing apparatus 10A having the configuration described above can wipe the cover 30 by the wiping member 50 fixed to the support member 40 by rotating the support member 40A. Thereby, water droplets adhering to the surface of the cover 30 can be removed.

  As described above, the water droplet removing apparatus 10A according to the present embodiment prevents the water droplets from directly attaching to the lens 22 by covering the camera 20 mounted outside the vehicle 1 with the cover 30, and has adhered to the cover 30. Water droplets can be removed quickly and reliably by the wiping member 50. Thereby, even if a water droplet adheres to the cover 30 in rainy weather or after a car wash, it can be reliably removed and the rear of the vehicle 1 can be clearly displayed on the display 90.

  The support member 40 provided with the wiping member 50 is integrally attached to the camera 20. With such a configuration, the wiping member 50 can be accurately arranged at a position where it can contact the cover 30.

<Embodiment 6>
In the water droplet removal apparatus according to Embodiments 1 to 5, the timing for performing the operation of removing water droplets will be described.
There is no particular limitation on the timing at which the water droplet removal device rotates the support member relative to the camera. For example, the timing at which the driver performs a predetermined operation (for example, operation of a switch for performing water droplet removal). May be implemented. Moreover, you may implement based on the detection value of various sensors.

  For example, when the ECU 70 detects that the shift position of the shift lever has become R, the ECU 70 operates the motor 60 to cause relative rotation of the support member. By rotating the support member at such a timing, water droplets are removed from the cover 30 when the driver enters the shift position R in order to move the vehicle 1 backward. As a result, the driver can perform the backward operation of the vehicle 1 while visually recognizing the rear of the vehicle 1 that is clearly displayed on the display 90.

  Further, the ECU 70 detects raindrops attached to the vehicle 1 by raindrop detection means for detecting that raindrops have adhered to the vehicle 1, and operates the motor 60 when the amount of raindrops exceeds a predetermined value. The support member may be rotated. Thereby, the support member is rotated at a timing when there is a high possibility that water droplets are attached to the cover 30 due to rain, and the water droplets are removed from the cover 30. Thereby, the driver | operator can visually recognize the back of the vehicle 1 more clearly on the display 90 even in rainy weather.

  As such a raindrop detection means, a raindrop sensor 80 can be used. Since the raindrop sensor 80 can more reliably detect that raindrops are attached to the vehicle 1, it can be estimated that there is a high possibility that raindrops are also attached to the cover 30.

  Moreover, ECU70 which processes the image obtained from the camera 20 as a raindrop detection means is employable. For example, if raindrops are attached to the cover 30, the image obtained from the camera 20 is highly likely to be distorted. Therefore, when the ECU 70 detects that the image is distorted, the ECU 70 may drive the motor 60 to rotate the support member. According to such a raindrop detection means, it is directly detected whether or not raindrops are attached to the cover 30, so that it can be estimated that the raindrops are attached to the cover 30 with higher accuracy.

  Distortion can be detected by a known image processing method. For example, a figure such as a reference line is attached to the cover 30 in advance. Then, the line detected by the image processing by the ECU 70 is compared with the reference line. If the results are different, it can be determined as distortion.

  FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing the operation of the water droplet removal apparatus 10 of the present embodiment. The operation when the ECU 70 rotates the support member based on various sensors will be described with reference to FIG.

  First, the ECU 70 determines whether the system activation switch 2 is on (step S1). If the system activation switch 2 is on (step S1: Yes), it is next determined whether or not the water droplet removal switch 4 is auto (step S2).

  When the water drop removal switch is auto (step S2: Auto), the ECU 70 acquires the shift position from the shift position sensor 3, and determines whether the shift position is R (reverse position) (step S3).

  When the shift position is R (step S3: Yes), the ECU 70 acquires a signal indicating the rainfall from the raindrop sensor 80 and determines whether it is larger than a predetermined value (step S4).

  When the rainfall is larger than the predetermined value (step S4: Yes), the ECU 70 sets a predetermined value (for example, zero) in the counter 1 and starts (step S5). Then, the ECU 70 drives the motor 60 (step S6). Specifically, the motor 60 is rotated to rotate the camera 20 upward (forward rotation). When the rotation angle detected by the rotation angle sensor reaches a predetermined upper limit value, the forward rotation is stopped and the camera 20 is rotated downward (reverse). Then, when the rotation angle detected by the rotation angle sensor reaches a predetermined lower limit, the inversion is stopped. Then, one counter 1 is added.

  Next, the ECU 70 determines whether the counter 1 has reached a predetermined value (step S7). If the counter 1 has reached the predetermined value (step S7: Yes), the motor 60 is stopped (step S8). Thereafter, for example, the camera 20 returns to a position where the rear of the vehicle 1 can be imaged. If the counter 1 has not reached the predetermined value (step S7: No), the forward rotation / reversal of the motor 60 is repeated until the counter 1 reaches the predetermined value (steps S6 to S8).

  After the motor 60 is stopped, the ECU 70 ends a series of water droplet removal processes in which the support member is swung to remove water droplets. Of course, the ECU 70 is not limited to the case of performing a single water droplet removal process. For example, the ECU 70 may execute the process from step S1 described above after a predetermined time has elapsed.

  In addition, when the system start switch 2 is off (step S1: No), when the shift position is not R (step S3: No), when the rain detected by the raindrop sensor 80 is equal to or less than a predetermined value (step S4: No) In any case where the water droplet removal switch is OFF in step S2, the motor 60 is not driven and the state before execution of step S1 is returned.

  When the water drop removal switch is on (step S2: Manual), the ECU 70 sets a predetermined value (for example, zero) in the counter 2 and starts (step S9). Then, the ECU 70 drives the motor 60 (step S10). Specifically, the motor 60 is rotated forward and reverse as in step S6, and the counter 2 is incremented by one.

  Next, the ECU 70 determines whether or not the counter 2 has reached a predetermined value (step S11). If the counter 2 has reached the predetermined value (step S11: Yes), the motor 60 is stopped (step S12). Thereafter, for example, the camera 20 returns to a position where the rear of the vehicle 1 can be imaged. If the counter 2 has not reached the predetermined value (step S11: No), the forward rotation / reversal of the motor 60 is repeated until the counter 2 reaches the predetermined value (steps S10 to S12).

  The ECU 70 ends the water droplet removal process after stopping the motor 60 in step S12, but may execute the water drop removal process from step S1 after a predetermined time has elapsed.

  According to such a processing flow, whether the driver operates the water droplet removal switch to automatically perform water droplet removal by the shift lever and the rain amount (step S2: Auto to S8) or forcibly ( Three modes can be selected: Step S2: Manual to S12) or not (no water drop removal switch is off).

<Other embodiments>
As mentioned above, although one embodiment of the present invention has been described, of course, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and addition, omission, replacement, etc., of a configuration is possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention. And other changes are possible.

  In the water droplet removal apparatus according to the first to sixth embodiments, the rotation shaft 21 on which the support member rotates relative to the camera is parallel to the Y-axis direction, but is not limited thereto. For example, the support member may rotate about a rotation axis parallel to the Z-axis direction.

  In the water droplet removal apparatus according to the first to sixth embodiments, the support member rotates relative to the camera. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the support member may be configured to be movable relative to the camera. Specifically, the camera is provided with a guide for translating the support member, and the support member is translated along the guide. The surface of the cover 30 can be wiped by the wiping member provided on the support member also by such relative translation.

  In the water droplet removing apparatus of the first to sixth embodiments, the water droplets on the surface of the cover 30 are wiped by the wiping member 50 made of an elastic material, but the present invention is not limited to this. Wiping by the wiping member in the present invention is not only removing the water droplets attached to the surface of the cover 30 by wiping the surface of the cover 30 but also absorbing the water droplets attached to the surface of the cover 30 to remove the water droplets. It also includes removing. What is necessary is just to form the latter wiping member from the material which can absorb water.

  In the processing flow of the sixth embodiment, the water droplet removal processing is performed based on both the shift position and the rainfall, but the processing flow is not limited to such processing flow. For example, the execution of the water droplet removal process may be determined based on whether or not the shift position is R. Similarly, the execution of the water droplet removal process may be determined depending on whether the rainfall exceeds a predetermined value.

  The present invention can be used in the industrial field of automobiles.

1 vehicle 10, 10A water drop removing device 20 camera (vehicle-mounted imaging device)
30 Cover 40, 40A Support member 47 Biasing member 50 Wiping member 70 ECU
80 Raindrop sensor

Claims (10)

A water droplet removing device that removes water droplets adhering to an in-vehicle imaging device,
A wiping member for wiping a cover protecting the lens of the in-vehicle imaging device;
A support member for supporting the wiping member,
The support member is attached to the in-vehicle imaging device so as to be relatively movable,
The wiping member wipes the surface of the cover by relative movement of the support member. In the water droplet removal apparatus according to claim 1,
The support member is attached to the in-vehicle imaging device so as to be relatively rotatable,
The wiping member wipes the surface of the cover by relative rotation of the support member. The water droplet removal apparatus according to claim 2,
The surface of the cover is formed in a curved surface. In the water droplet removing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2,
The surface of the cover is formed in a flat shape,
The water droplet removing apparatus, wherein the support member includes a biasing member that biases the wiping member toward the cover. In the water droplet removal apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The support member is formed in a frame shape,
The in-vehicle imaging device is disposed in a frame of the support member and is rotatably attached to the support member.
The said wiping member is arrange | positioned in the peripheral part of the frame of the said supporting member, and wipes the said cover which rotates within the frame of the said supporting member. The water droplet removal apparatus characterized by the above-mentioned. In the water droplet removing apparatus according to claim 5,
The support member is fixed to the periphery of a through hole formed on the outer surface of the vehicle,
At least a part of the in-vehicle imaging device is accommodated inside the outer surface of the vehicle through the through hole. In the water droplet removing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
The wiping member is formed of an elastic material,
A protrusion is formed on the surface of the cover. In the water droplet removal apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7,
Raindrop detection means for detecting that waterdrops are attached to the vehicle or the vehicle-mounted imaging device;
A water drop removing device comprising: a control unit that wipes the cover on the wiping member by moving the support member relative to the vehicle-mounted imaging device when the raindrop detecting unit detects the raindrop. . The water droplet removing apparatus according to claim 8,
The water droplet removing device, wherein the raindrop detection unit detects that a raindrop has adhered to the vehicle-mounted image pickup device by detecting distortion of an image obtained from the vehicle-mounted image pickup device. In the water droplet removal apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 9,
The in-vehicle imaging device images the rear of the vehicle,
When it is detected that the shift lever of the vehicle is in the retracted position, a control unit is provided that causes the wiping member to wipe the cover by moving the support member relative to the in-vehicle imaging device. Water drop remover.

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