JP2024066108A - Imaging device - Google Patents

Abstract

[Problem] In an imaging device equipped with a hood that is attached to the inside of a window material in a vehicle and cooperates with the window material to define a substantially closed visual space, the temperature difference between the portion of the window material that defines the visual space and the other portions is reduced. [Solution] An imaging device X equipped with a hood 38 that is attached to the inside of a window material 20 in a vehicle 1 and cooperates with the window material to define a closed visual space S, includes a heat transfer section 52 that extends from inside to outside the visual space on the inner surface of the window material or on the periphery of the window material and is made of a material that has a higher thermal conductivity than the window material. [Selected Figure] Figure 4

Description

The present invention relates to an imaging device mounted on a vehicle.

In recent years, efforts to provide access to sustainable transportation systems that take into consideration vulnerable transport participants have been gaining momentum. The applicant is promoting research and development of preventive safety technology and autonomous driving technology to further improve transport safety and convenience, with the aim of improving sustainable transport systems.

To improve preventive safety and autonomous driving technologies, there is a need to improve the detection accuracy and stability of imaging devices that capture images of the area around the vehicle.

Patent Document 1 discloses a mobile body equipped with an imaging device (monitoring device) that monitors the environment surrounding the mobile body through a window material (window component). The mobile body is equipped with a heating device for heating a portion of the window material within the monitoring area of the imaging device, and a control device that controls the operation of the heating device. By heating the monitoring area with the heating device, fogging of the window material is suppressed, allowing for good monitoring by the imaging device.

JP 2020-152324 A

The imaging device disclosed in Patent Document 1 is provided with a hood that seals the space between the window material and the imaging device (hereinafter, the viewing space) to prevent reflected light, scattered light, etc. from entering the lens.

The inventors of the present application discovered that when the visual space is sealed, the hood impedes air flow, creating a temperature difference between the portion of the window material that defines the visual space and the other portions. The temperature difference between the portion that defines the visual space and the other portions can cause fogging or icing to occur in the portion of the window material that defines the visual space.

In view of the above background, the present invention aims to reduce the temperature difference between the part of the window material that defines the visual space and the other parts in an imaging device that is equipped with a hood that is attached to the inside of a window material in a vehicle and cooperates with the window material to define a substantially closed visual space. Another objective of the present invention is to contribute to the development of a sustainable transportation system.

In order to solve the above problem, one aspect of the present invention is an imaging device (X) that is attached to the inside of a window material (20) in a vehicle (1) and has a hood (38) that cooperates with the window material to define a closed field of view (S), and is equipped with a heat transfer section (52) that extends from the inside to the outside of the field of view space on the inner surface of the window material or around the periphery of the window material and is made of a material that has a higher thermal conductivity than the window material.

According to this aspect, heat is transferred inside and outside the visual field space by the heat transfer section, so the temperature difference between the part of the window material that defines the visual field space and the other parts can be reduced.

In the above aspect, preferably, a heat storage section (51) is provided outside the visual space and stores heat to be supplied to the inside of the visual space via the heat transfer section, and the heat transfer section is connected to the heat storage section.

According to this aspect, heat is supplied from the heat storage section to the heat transfer section, so the temperature difference between the part that defines the viewing space of the window material and the other parts is more effectively reduced.

In the above aspect, preferably, the heat transfer portion contacts the edge of the field of view.

This aspect prevents the heat transfer section from interfering with the image capture device's ability to capture an image.

In the above embodiment, preferably, the device further includes a heating device (44) for heating the viewing space.

According to this aspect, by driving the heating device, it is possible to reduce the temperature difference between the part of the window material that defines the viewing space and the other parts.

In the above aspect, the heat transfer section is preferably arranged to be connected to the air blowing area (R) of an air blowing device (15) that blows air from the inside of the vehicle to the window material to remove fogging from the window material.

This aspect allows heat to be efficiently stored in the heat storage section.

In the above aspect, preferably, the window material has a transparent, plate-like base layer (21) and a low-translucency layer (22) that is provided on the base layer and has a lower translucency than the base layer, and the heat storage section is constituted by the low-translucency layer.

According to this aspect, the heat storage section can be constructed simply.

In the above aspect, preferably, the low light-transmittance layer includes a portion provided along one of the left and right edges of the base layer, and the heat storage section is constituted by the portion of the low light-transmittance layer provided along one of the left and right edges of the base layer.

This configuration allows the heat storage section to be constructed simply, and prevents the heat storage section from obstructing the driver's field of vision.

In one embodiment of the present invention, in order to solve the above problem, the heat storage section is formed by a pillar (7) provided along the outer edge of the window material, or a roof (70) that defines the upper edge of the vehicle interior.

According to this aspect, the heat storage section can be constructed simply.

In the above aspect, the heat transfer portion is preferably made of metal.

This aspect allows the heat transfer section to be constructed simply.

In the above aspect, the heat transfer portion is preferably made of copper.

According to this aspect, the heat transfer section can effectively transfer heat inside and outside the visual field.

The above configuration is an imaging device installed in a vehicle that has an imaging device that captures images of the outside of the vehicle through the windows from inside the vehicle, which can prevent fogging of windows located within the imaging range of the imaging device and reduce power consumption.

FIG. 1A is a side view showing a front part of a vehicle equipped with an imaging device according to a first embodiment, and FIG. 1B is an enlarged view of the front part of the vehicle including the imaging device with the cover removed. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the front part of a vehicle as seen from inside the vehicle. (A) is a perspective view showing the front part of the vehicle as seen from the front of the vehicle, (B) is a cross-sectional view taken along line IIIB-IIIB of (A), and (C) is a cross-sectional view taken along line IIIC-IIIC of (A). FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a front camera, a bracket, and a case; FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a front part of a vehicle equipped with an imaging device according to a second embodiment, as viewed from the inside of the vehicle. FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a front part of a vehicle equipped with an imaging device according to a third embodiment, as viewed from the inside of the vehicle. FIG. 13A is a perspective view showing a front part of a vehicle equipped with an imaging device according to a fourth embodiment, as seen from the vehicle exterior side; FIG. 13B is a perspective view showing the front part of the vehicle as seen from the vehicle interior side; FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a front part of a vehicle provided with an imaging device according to a modification of the third embodiment, as viewed from the inside of the vehicle. FIG. 1A is a front view of an upper portion of a front window showing a first modified example of a heat transfer section; FIG. 1B is a partially enlarged view of the front window showing a second modified example of a heat transfer section; and FIG. 1C is a cross-sectional view of the front window showing a third modified example of a heat transfer section.

Below, an embodiment of an imaging device according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

First Embodiment
The imaging device X is an in-vehicle device mounted on a vehicle 1 such as a four-wheeled automobile for acquiring images of the periphery of the vehicle 1, and in this embodiment, the imaging device X acquires images of the area ahead of the vehicle 1. Here, an example in which the imaging device X is mounted on a four-wheeled automobile will be described. For convenience, the following description will be given by defining the front-rear, left-right, and up-down directions based on the front-rear direction of the vehicle 1. An arrow Fr in the drawings indicates the front of the vehicle 1.

As shown in FIG. 1(A), the vehicle 1 has a vehicle body 2 extending in the fore-and-aft direction. An interior space SP1 is formed inside the vehicle body 2, and a passenger compartment 3 for accommodating passengers is provided in the center of the interior space SP1 in the fore-and-aft direction. A plurality of seats are provided in the passenger compartment 3. As shown in FIG. 1(B), the imaging device X is provided on the interior side of the front window 6 (inside the passenger compartment 3).

The vehicle interior 3 is provided with, for example, multiple front seats 4 (driver's seat, passenger seat) and multiple rear seats (not shown) arranged behind the front seats 4. In this embodiment, two rows of seats are provided in the front and rear, but in other embodiments, only one row of seats may be provided in the front and rear. Furthermore, three or more rows of seats may be provided in the front and rear.

A front window 6 (an example of a window) is provided in front of the front seats 4 at the front of the vehicle body 2. The left and right edges of the front window 6 are connected to front pillars 7 (A pillars) that are provided in front of the driver's seat and passenger seat and on the outer sides in the vehicle width direction.

A rear window (not shown) is provided behind the rear seats at the rear of the vehicle body 2. Multiple side doors 9 are provided on both sides of the vehicle body 2, beside the front seats 4 and the rear seats, and a side window 10 is provided at the top of each side door 9.

The vehicle 1 is provided with a defroster 12 that prevents the windshield 6 from fogging by blowing air. As shown in FIG. 2, the defroster 12 has an air blower 15 that blows air from one or more air outlets 14 on the upper part of the instrument panel 13 located in front of the front seats 4. When the air blower 15 is driven, air blows against the lower part and the left and right sides of the windshield 6, preventing the wind from fogging up. The defroster 12 may also have a heater for warming the air blown out from the air blower 15.

As shown in FIG. 3A, the imaging device X is provided on the upper edge of the front window 6, approximately in the center in the left-right direction. The structure of the front window 6 on which the imaging device X is provided will be described in detail below.

The front window 6 is composed of a panel 20 that is a flat plate having a substantially trapezoidal shape. In other words, the panel 20 corresponds to the window material that constitutes the front window 6. As shown in FIG. 3(B), the panel 20 has a base layer 21 and a low-translucency layer 22 provided on the base layer 21.

The base layer 21 is composed of a translucent, generally trapezoidal flat plate. The base layer 21 may be formed of a transparent material, such as glass, or may be formed of a transparent material other than glass (for example, a transparent resin such as an acrylic resin). Alternatively, the base layer 21 may be composed of multiple transparent plate materials (glass plate materials) and at least one intermediate film that bonds the plate materials.

The low-transmittance layer 22 is a layer bonded to the outer surface of the base layer 21, and has a lower translucency (transparency) than the base layer 21. In this embodiment, the low-transmittance layer 22 is formed by printing a colored paint on the base layer 21. In detail, the low-transmittance layer 22 is formed by baking a black paint (black ceramic ink) containing ceramic. In other words, the low-transmittance layer 22 corresponds to a so-called black ceramic layer (black ceramic layer). The paint (black ceramic ink) for forming the low-transmittance layer 22 may be a black ink containing ceramic as a main component, for example, a known ink containing alumina as a main component and further containing metal oxide, copper chromate, titanium carbide, etc.

Alternatively, the low light-transmitting layer 22 may be formed by adhering a film or tape to the base layer 21. The film or tape may be made of a synthetic resin material such as polyester or polyurethane.

The low-light-transmitting layer 22 is provided on the upper edge, lower edge, left edge, and right edge of the base layer 21. Of the portion of the low-light-transmitting layer 22 provided along the upper edge of the base layer 21, a rectangular frame portion 25 is provided in the center in the left-right direction, and a substantially trapezoidal opening 26 is provided inside the frame portion 25. Light from the front of the vehicle reaches the interior of the vehicle through the opening 26.

As shown in FIG. 4, the imaging device X includes a front camera 31 and a bracket 32 for mounting the front camera 31 to the front window 6.

The front camera 31 (an example of a camera) is provided at the upper rear of the windshield 6. The front camera 31 is attached to the inner surface of the windshield 6 via a bracket 32. In this embodiment, the front camera 31 and the bracket 32 are integrally covered from the passenger compartment side by a cover 33 (not shown).

As shown in FIG. 1, the front camera 31 captures an image of the outside space SP2 from the inside space SP1 of the vehicle through the front window 6. As shown in FIG. 4, the front camera 31 is a so-called digital camera, and includes a housing 31A that houses a solid-state imaging element such as a CCD or CMOS, a lens barrel portion 31B that protrudes from the housing 31A, and a lens 31C housed in the lens barrel portion 31B. The housing 31A includes an upper portion that is a flat rectangular parallelepiped extending in a predetermined direction, and a lower portion that is connected to the lower end of the upper portion. The lens barrel portion 31B is the upper portion of the housing 31A, and is cylindrical in shape protruding from approximately the center in the extension direction.

The front camera 31 is connected to a control device 34 (see FIG. 1). The control device 34 is configured to execute advanced driving assistance control (e.g., lane keeping control and leading vehicle following control) of the vehicle 1 based on image data transmitted from the front camera 31.

The bracket 32 functions as a fixing member provided to fix the front camera 31 to the vehicle interior side of the panel 20 that constitutes the windshield 6. The bracket 32 has a fixing frame 36 that is fixed to the inner surface of the panel 20 that constitutes the windshield 6, a camera fixing portion 37 provided on the fixing frame 36, and a hood 38 that protrudes toward the rear lower side (the vehicle interior side).

The fixing frame 36 is flat and has an opening that aligns with the opening 26 when viewed from the front of the vehicle 1. The fixing frame 36 is positioned so that its opening overlaps the opening 26, and its front surface is adhered to the rear surface of the panel 20 that constitutes the windshield 6. As a result, the bracket 32 is joined to the inner surface of the panel 20 that constitutes the windshield 6 without any gaps at the front surface.

Multiple camera fixing parts 37 are provided on the underside of the fixing frame 36. The camera fixing parts 37 engage with the front camera 31 and connect the front camera 31 to the front window 6 via the fixing frame 36. The camera fixing parts 37 may have a known configuration such as a locking claw that engages with a predetermined locking part (e.g., a locking hole) provided on the front camera 31.

The hood 38 has a pair of vertical walls 40 that extend downward from the left and right edges of the fixed frame 36 and face each other in the left-right direction, and a bottom wall 41 that connects the lower edges of the vertical walls 40. The rear edges of the pair of vertical walls 40 and the rear edge of the bottom wall 41 form a lens opening 42 that directs light from the front of the vehicle toward the passenger compartment 3.

The fixing frame 36 is connected to the panel 20 that constitutes the windshield 6, and the front camera 31 is fixed to the fixing frame 36 by the camera fixing part 37. As a result, the front camera 31 is attached to the windshield 6 via the bracket 32. At this time, the lens barrel part 31B extends in the front-rear direction, and the lens 31C is positioned so that its optical axis is approximately horizontal and faces in the front-rear direction of the vehicle.

In this embodiment, the lens barrel portion 31B extends into the hood 38 through the lens opening 42, and the lens 31C is exposed within the hood 38.

A space S is defined by a pair of left and right vertical walls 40, a bottom wall 41, the front surface of the housing 31A, and the panel 20 that constitutes the front window 6. The space S is also called a viewing space for allowing light from the exterior space SP2 to enter the lens 31C of the front camera 31. The space S is provided behind the front window 6 (inside the vehicle).

A pair of left and right vertical walls 40 and a bottom wall 41 close the gap between the panel 20 constituting the front window 6 and the imaging device X from the left, right and bottom, respectively. This prevents light other than the light from the front entering through the front window 6 from entering the lens 31C. As shown in FIG. 4, the bottom wall 41 may be provided with an anti-reflection structure 43 (also called a stray light shield structure) to reduce the effects of reflection of sunlight entering through the front window 6.

In this embodiment, a heating device 44 for heating the space S (visual space) is provided on the upper surface (also called the inner surface) of the bottom wall 41. In this embodiment, the heating device 44 is configured with a heater 44A. The voltage applied to the heater 44A may be controlled by the control device 34. The control device 34 is configured with a known computer equipped with a processor such as a central processing unit (CPU), memory, and storage device. The control device 34 (more specifically, the processor) is configured to determine whether or not the inner surface of the front window 6 is fogged based on the image captured by the front camera 31, and when it is determined that fog is present, to heat the space S with the heating device 44 and remove the fog.

In other words, the space S does not need to be sealed as long as the space between the panel 20 constituting the front window 6 and the imaging device X is closed by the vertical wall 40 and the bottom wall 41 to the extent that halation does not occur. However, because the space S is in a closed state, air flow is unlikely to occur between the inside and outside of the space S.

The inventors of the present application have discovered that by closing off the inside and outside of space S, it becomes difficult for wind from the defroster 12 to enter space S, and a temperature difference can occur between the portion of the panel 20 that defines space S (visual space) that constitutes the front windshield 6 (hereinafter, inside visual field 45) and the other portion (hereinafter, outside visual field 46). The temperature difference between the inside visual field 45 and outside visual field 46 can cause fogging on the inside side of the visual field 45, and can also cause icing on the outside of the vehicle.

Therefore, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, the imaging device X is equipped with a heat storage section 51 and a heat transfer section 52.

As shown in FIG. 3, the heat storage section 51 is provided on the panel 20 constituting the front window 6 at a location other than the inside field of view 45, i.e., at any portion of the outside field of view 46. The heat storage section 51 stores heat to be supplied to the inside field of view 45 in order to reduce the temperature difference between the inside field of view 45 and the outside field of view 46.

The heat storage section 51 is attached to the surface of the panel 20 on the vehicle interior side of the field of view 46. The heat storage section 51 is located outside the portion of the front window 6 to which the fixed frame 36 is attached, and is provided on at least one of the upper, left, and right sides of the panel 20.

As shown in FIG. 2, in this embodiment, the heat storage section 51 is provided on the left and right sides of the panel 20, respectively in the areas where the air is blown from the blower 15 of the defroster 12 (i.e., the air blowing area R). As a result, the heat storage section 51 functions as a heat receiving section that receives the heat of the air blown out from the defroster 12.

The heat storage section 51 is made of a film adhered to the interior surface of the panel 20. It is preferable that the heat storage section 51 is made of a material that has a higher heat storage capacity (i.e., that stores heat more easily) than the material that makes up the panel 20.

In particular, the heat storage section 51 is preferably made of a material having a larger specific heat capacity than the material constituting the panel 20. Specifically, when the material constituting the panel 20 is glass, the heat storage section 51 is preferably made of a metal such as iron or copper.

The heat storage section 51 is not limited to being configured by being joined to the panel 20, and may be configured as a part or multiple parts of the panel 20. In detail, the heat storage section 51 may be configured as a part having a higher heat storage capacity than other parts by doping the material (glass, transparent resin, etc.) that configures the base layer 21 with a material such as metal.

In addition, the heat storage section 51 may be configured as a part of the panel 20 that can store heat by receiving wind from a defroster 12 or the like.

The heat transfer section 52 transfers the heat stored in the heat storage section 51 to the inside of the field of view 45 in order to reduce the temperature difference between the inside of the field of view 45 and the outside of the field of view 46.

The heat transfer section 52 is connected to the inner surface of the front window 6. The heat transfer section 52 is preferably arranged along the upper, left side, and right side of the front window 6. The heat transfer section 52 extends from inside to outside the space S (visual space) and connects the outside of the visual field 46 and the inside of the visual field 45 of the panel 20. However, the heat transfer section 52 extending from inside to outside the space S (visual space) here includes a state in which the heat transfer section 52 is in contact with the inside of the visual field 45, extends toward the outside of the visual field 46, and connects to the outside of the visual field 46, a state in which the heat transfer section 52 is connected to the inside of the visual field 45, extends toward the outside of the visual field 46, and contacts the outside of the visual field 46, and a state in which the heat transfer section 52 is in contact with the inside of the visual field 45, extends toward the outside of the visual field 46, and contacts the outside of the visual field 46.

The heat transfer section 52 is formed of a layer provided on the interior surface of the panel 20, i.e., heat transfer layer 52A. The heat transfer section 52 may be formed of a membrane formed by deposition or the like on the interior surface of the panel 20, or may be formed of a film. It is preferable that the heat transfer section 52 is formed of a material that has a higher thermal conductivity (i.e., that easily transfers heat) than the material that constitutes the panel 20.

In this embodiment, the heat transfer section 52 is provided so as to overlap the low light-transmitting layer 22. As shown in FIG. 3(C), it is preferable that the heat transfer layer 52A constituting the heat transfer section 52 is provided between the base layer 21 and the low light-transmitting layer 22, and the low light-transmitting layer 22 overlaps the heat transfer layer 52A. This makes it possible to prevent the driver's field of vision from being narrowed by providing the heat transfer section 52.

The heat transfer section 52 is made of a material having a higher thermal conductivity than the material constituting the panel 20. Specifically, when the material constituting the panel 20 is glass, the heat transfer section 52 is preferably made of a metal such as iron, copper, or silver. In this embodiment, the heat transfer section 52 is made of copper foil (copper film) from the standpoints of thermal conductivity, cost, ease of manufacture, and the like.

The heat transfer section 52 is not limited to being configured by being joined to the panel 20, and may be configured as a part or multiple parts of the panel 20. In detail, the heat transfer section 52 may be configured as a part that is higher than other parts by doping the material (glass, transparent resin, etc.) that configures the base layer 21 with a material such as metal.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the heat transfer section 52 is in contact with the heat storage section 51 and the inside of the field of view 45 (see FIG. 4 for the contact portion with the inside of the field of view 45). As a result, the heat stored in the heat storage section 51 is transferred to the heat transfer section 52, and the heat transferred to the heat transfer section 52 is transferred to the inside of the field of view 45. In other words, the end of the heat transfer section 52 that is in contact with the inside of the field of view 45 functions as a heat dissipation section that dissipates heat from the heat storage section 51 to the inside of the field of view 45.

The heat transfer section 52 is provided on the left and right sides of the field of view 45. The heat transfer section 52 extends left and right along the upper portion of the front window 6, is bonded to the heat storage section 51 at one end, and is disposed so as to contact the field of view 45 at the other end.

A portion of the frame 25 of the low-translucency layer 22 may not be provided with a black coating, and a band-shaped communication passage (not shown) may be formed that connects the opening 26 to the outside and extends in the left-right direction. The other end of the heat transfer section 52 may extend to the inside of the field of view 45 through the communication passage, and the end may be configured to contact the edge of the inside of the field of view 45. The width of the heat transfer section 52 may be equal to the width of the communication passage, and the gap between the frame 25 and the heat transfer section 52 may be sealed. The thickness of the film that constitutes the heat transfer section 52 is preferably equal to the thickness of the low-translucency layer 22. This makes it less likely that gaps will occur between the fixed frame 36 and the low-translucency layer 22, and between the fixed frame 36 and the heat transfer section 52.

Next, the effects of the imaging device X configured in this manner will be described.

The space S between the front camera 31 and the panel 20 that constitutes the front window 6 is closed by a pair of left and right vertical walls 40 and a bottom wall 41, defining a viewing space. This prevents light from entering the camera lens 31C from the outside left and right of the vertical walls 40 or from below the bottom wall 41, allowing the imaging device X to capture good images of the front. In this embodiment, an anti-reflection structure 43 is provided on the bottom wall 41, preventing light from the front from being reflected by the upper surface of the bottom wall 41 and entering the range.

On the other hand, if the space S is sealed, there is no air circulation inside and outside the space S (visual space), and fogging may occur. Although it is possible to turn on the defroster 12 to eliminate the fogging, the wind from the defroster 12 is blocked by the vertical wall 40 and the bottom wall 41, making it difficult for it to reach the inside of the space S.

Therefore, a heat transfer section 52 is provided that extends from the inside to the outside of the space S and connects the inside of the field of view 45 and the outside of the field of view 46. The heat transfer section 52 (heat transfer layer 52A) is made of a material with a higher thermal conductivity than the material that constitutes the panel 20, and is in contact with the heat storage section 51 and the inside of the field of view 45. Therefore, the heat stored in the heat storage section 51 is transferred to the inside of the field of view 45 via the heat transfer section 52.

By providing the heat transfer section 52, the heat stored in the heat storage section 51 is transferred to the inside of the field of view 45 more quickly than if it were transferred to the inside of the field of view 45 via the base material layer 21. This makes it possible to reduce the temperature difference between the part (inside of the field of view 45) that defines the space S (field of view space) of the panel 20 (window material) and the other part (outside of the field of view 46).

This reduces the probability of icing on the outside of the vehicle within the field of view 45, or of fogging on the inside of the vehicle within the field of view 45. Even if the outside of the vehicle within the field of view 45 freezes, heat is transferred to the inside of the field of view 45 quickly, allowing the ice on the outside of the vehicle to melt quickly. By preventing icing and fogging on the outside and inside of the vehicle within the field of view 45, it becomes possible to perform good imaging by the imaging device X. This promotes the development of preventive safety technology and autonomous driving technology, and further improves traffic safety, so the present invention can contribute to the development of a sustainable transportation system.

The heat transfer section 52 is provided so as to be in contact with the heat storage section 51 provided on the front windshield 6. The wind from the defroster 12 hits the heat storage section 51, and the heat supplied by the wind is stored in the heat storage section 51. Therefore, the heat stored in the heat storage section 51 is supplied to the inside of the field of view 45 via the heat transfer section 52, and the temperature difference between the inside of the field of view 45 and the outside of the field of view 46 is reduced. This more effectively reduces the temperature difference between the part that defines the space S (field of view space) of the front windshield 6 and the other parts.

The heat storage section 51 is provided in the air blowing area R where the air is blown from the defroster 12. Therefore, heat can be efficiently stored in the heat storage section 51.

The heat transfer section 52 is provided so as to contact the edge of the field of view interior 45. Therefore, since the heat transfer section 52 is provided so as to contact the edge from outside the space S (field of view space), the heat transfer section 52 is prevented from entering the inside of the field of view space. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the heat transfer section 52 from interfering with the acquisition of an image by the imaging device X.

In this embodiment, a heating device 44 that heats the space S is provided on the bottom wall 41. Therefore, the space S can be heated by driving the heating device 44. This makes it possible to reduce the temperature difference between the inside of the field of view 45 and the outside of the field of view 46.

<<Second embodiment>>
The imaging device X according to the second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the heat storage unit 51 is not made of a film. Other configurations are generally similar to those of the first embodiment, and therefore will not be described.

In the imaging device X according to the second embodiment, the heat transfer section 52 is configured by a layer provided on the vehicle interior surface of the panel 20, i.e., the heat transfer layer 52A, as in the first embodiment. As in the first embodiment, the heat transfer section 52 contacts the outer edge of the inside field of view 45 at one end. As shown in FIG. 5, the heat transfer section 52 extends from the outer edge of the inside field of view 45 outward to the left and right along the upper edge of the windshield 6. The heat transfer section 52 contacts the low-translucency layer 22 provided on the left and right edges of the panel 20 that constitutes the windshield 6 at the other end.

The low-light-transmitting layer 22 is provided at a position where air is blown from the defroster 12. The low-light-transmitting layer 22 is made of a material with a higher heat storage capacity than the base layer 21, and in this embodiment is made of a so-called black ceramic layer made of black ceramic. Heat is supplied to the low-light-transmitting layer 22 by the air blown from the defroster 12, and the heat is stored therein. In other words, the low-light-transmitting layer 22 functions as a heat storage section 51 that stores the heat sent from the defroster 12.

Next, the effect of the imaging device X configured in this manner will be described. Air is blown from the defroster 12 and stored in the low-translucent layer 22 located on the left and right edges of the windshield 6. The heat stored in the low-translucent layer 22 is transferred to the inside field of view 45 via the heat transfer section 52. As a result, similar to the first embodiment, the heat stored in the low-translucent layer 22 (heat storage section 51) is supplied to the inside field of view 45 via the heat transfer section 52, reducing the temperature difference between the inside field of view 45 and the outside field of view 46. This more effectively reduces the temperature difference between the portion that defines the space S (field of view space) of the panel 20 that constitutes the windshield 6 and the other portions.

In this embodiment, there is no need to provide a separate film or layer on the front window 6 to configure the heat storage section 51, and the heat storage section 51 can be configured simply.

<<Third embodiment>>
The imaging device X according to the third embodiment also differs from the first embodiment in that the heat storage unit 51 is not made of a film. Other configurations are generally similar to those of the first embodiment, and therefore will not be described.

In the imaging device X according to the second embodiment, the heat transfer section 52 is made of a film, similar to the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 6, the heat transfer section 52 is in contact with the outer edge of the inside field of view 45 at one end, similar to the first embodiment. The heat transfer section 52 extends outward to the left and right along the upper edge of the windshield 6, and is in contact with the front pillars 7 provided on the left and right sides of the windshield 6.

The front pillar 7 is configured to receive air from the defroster 12. In other words, the air-blowing region R of the defroster 12 is configured to include the front pillar 7 inside. Heat is supplied to the front pillar 7 by the air blown from the defroster 12, and the heat is stored. In other words, the front pillar 7 functions as a heat storage section 51 that stores the heat sent from the defroster 12.

Next, the effect of the imaging device X configured in this manner will be described. Air is blown from the defroster 12 and stored in the front pillar 7. The heat stored in the front pillar 7 is transferred to the inside field of view 45 via the heat transfer section 52. As a result, similar to the first embodiment, the heat stored in the front pillar 7 (heat storage section 51) is supplied to the inside field of view 45 via the heat transfer section 52, reducing the temperature difference between the inside field of view 45 and the outside field of view 46. This more effectively reduces the temperature difference between the portion that defines the space S (field of view space) of the panel 20 that constitutes the front window 6 and the other portions.

In this embodiment, there is no need to provide a separate film on the panel 20 that constitutes the front window 6 in order to configure the heat storage section 51, and the heat storage section 51 can be configured simply.

<<Fourth embodiment>>
The imaging device X according to the fourth embodiment does not include a heat storage section 51, and the configuration of the heat transfer section 52 differs from that of the first embodiment. The other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment, so that the description thereof will be omitted.

The heat transfer section 52 according to the fourth embodiment is composed of a heat pipe 52H. The heat pipe 52H is made of a metal (copper) or the like that has a higher thermal conductivity than the material (e.g., glass) that constitutes the panel 20, and serves to transfer heat. In detail, the heat pipe 52H is made of a metal (e.g., copper) pipe with a working fluid sealed inside, and transfers heat by using latent heat.

In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 7(A) and 7(B), one end of the heat pipe 52H (heat transfer section 52) is provided so as to be in contact with a drive device 81, such as an engine or motor 80, that drives the vehicle 1. However, the form of the heat pipe 52H is not limited to this, and one end of the heat pipe 52H may be provided in a position where it can receive heat from a heat source device or the like and store the heat. Specifically, one end of the heat pipe 52H may be provided so as to be adjacent to the engine or motor 80, as well as a PCU (power control unit) equipped with a battery or an inverter.

The heat pipe 52H connects a heat-generating device such as the drive unit 81 to a portion of the panel 20 that constitutes the front window 6, which defines the space S (visual space). As a result, the heat pipe 52H receives heat at one end and dissipates heat at the portion that defines the space S (visual space) of the panel 20 that constitutes the front window 6. In this embodiment, the heat pipe 52H contacts the visual field interior 45 at the other end. Alternatively, the heat transfer section 52 may be composed of a heat pipe 52H that contacts the upper edge of the panel 20 at its other end, and copper foil that contacts the other end of the heat pipe 52H at its one end and contacts the visual field interior 45 at its other end.

The heat pipe 52H is provided on the periphery of the panel 20 that constitutes the front window 6. In this embodiment, the heat pipe 52H extends along the periphery of the panel 20 that constitutes the front window 6. In detail, the heat pipe 52H extends from below to above on the left and right sides, and extends along the upper edge of the panel 20 toward the portion that defines the space S (visual space) of the panel 20. It is preferable that a portion of the heat pipe 52H is housed inside the front pillar 7 or inside the roof lining 82.

Next, the effect of the imaging device X configured in this manner will be described. Heat generated from the drive device, etc. is transferred to the inside of the field of view 45 via the heat pipes 52H that constitute the heat transfer section 52. As a result, heat is transferred to the portion that defines the space S (field of view space) of the panel 20 that constitutes the front window 6, and the temperature difference between the portion that defines the space S (field of view space) of the panel 20 that constitutes the front window 6 and the other portions is reduced.

This concludes the explanation of the specific embodiment, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment and can be modified in a wide range of ways.

In the third embodiment, the heat storage unit 51 is formed by the front pillar 7, but it may be formed by the roof 70 that defines the upper edge of the passenger compartment 3 instead of the front pillar 7. In this case, as shown in FIG. 8, the heat transfer unit 52 may be configured so that one end is in contact with the inside of the field of view 45 and the other end is connected to the roof 70. Alternatively, the heat storage unit 51 may be configured to receive light from the sun and store heat.

In Figs. 3 to 5, an example is shown in which the heat transfer section 52 (heat transfer layer 52A) is configured to extend outward to the left and right from both the left and right ends of the inside field of view 45, but this is not limited to the embodiment. As shown in the first modified example in Fig. 9(A), the heat transfer section 52 (heat transfer layer 52A) may be configured to extend along the edge of the inside field of view 45. This increases the contact area between the edge of the inside field of view 45 and the heat transfer section 52, allowing for good heat dissipation from the heat transfer section 52 to the inside field of view 45.

The heat transfer section 52 may be configured to have a fractal structure 52B in the portion in contact with the inside of the field of view 45. As shown in the second modified example of FIG. 9B, the fractal structure 52B may be configured as a portion 52C in which the heat transfer layer 52A is formed to have a linear shape extending along a so-called Koch curve. In this way, by providing the fractal structure 52B at the contact portion between the heat transfer section 52 and the inside of the field of view 45, the contact area between the heat transfer section 52 and the inside of the field of view 45 can be expanded, and heat dissipation can be improved. In addition, since the heat transfer section 52 can be formed by printing or the like, the fractal structure 52B can be easily provided in the heat transfer section 52.

At least one of the heat storage section 51 and the heat transfer section 52 may be configured as a doped layer formed by doping a material such as a metal into the material (glass, transparent resin, etc.) that constitutes the base layer 21. FIG. 9(C) shows an example (third modified example) in which the heat transfer section 52 is formed by doping a material such as a metal into the base layer 21. As shown in FIG. 9(C), since the heat transfer section 52 is provided inside the base layer 21, the surface of the portion where the low-translucency layer 22 is provided is flat. Therefore, when the low-translucency layer 22 is formed using black ink, the ink can be applied well and easily, and the adhesion between the low-translucency layer 22 and the base layer 21 can be improved.

In the fourth embodiment, an example in which the heat storage unit 51 is not provided is described, but the present invention is not limited to this embodiment, and the heat storage unit 51 made of a material capable of storing waste heat may be provided near a heat source such as the motor 80. The heat pipe 52H may be configured at one end to be in close proximity to or in contact with the heat storage unit 51 so as to be able to receive the heat stored in the heat storage unit 51.

1: Vehicle 3: Vehicle compartment 7: Front pillar (an example of a pillar)
20: Panel (an example of a window material)
15: Air blower 21: Base material layer 22: Low light-transmitting layer 38: Hood 51: Heat storage section 52: Heat transfer section 52A: Heat transfer layer 70: Roof R: Air blowing area S: Space (visible space)
X: Imaging device

Claims (10)

An imaging device including a hood attached to an inside of a window material in a vehicle and defining a closed visual field space in cooperation with the window material,
An imaging device comprising a heat transfer section extending from inside to outside the field of view on an inner surface of the window material or around the periphery of the window material, and made of a material having a higher thermal conductivity than the window material. a heat storage section provided outside the visual field space and configured to store heat to be supplied to the inside of the visual field space via the heat transfer section;
The imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein the heat transfer section is connected to the heat storage section. The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the heat transfer portion contacts the edge of the field of view. The imaging device according to claim 1, further comprising a heating device for heating the field of view space. The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the heat transfer section is arranged to be connected to a blowing area of a blower that blows air from inside the vehicle to the window material to remove fogging from the window material. The window material includes a transparent, plate-shaped base layer and a low-light-transmittance layer provided on the base layer and having a lower light transmittance than the base layer,
The imaging device according to claim 2 , wherein the heat storage section is formed by the low light-transmitting layer. the low light-transmittance layer includes a portion provided along one of the left and right edges of the base layer,
The imaging device according to claim 6 , wherein the heat storage portion is formed by a portion of the low light-transmittance layer provided along one of the left and right edges of the base layer. The imaging device according to claim 2, wherein the heat storage unit is formed by a pillar provided along the outer edge of the window material, or by a roof that defines the upper edge of the vehicle interior. The imaging device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the heat transfer section is made of metal. The imaging device according to claim 9, wherein the heat transfer section is made of copper.

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