BASE ASSEMBLY, REAR VIEW DEVICE, VEHICLE AND ASSEMBLING METHOD

Abstract

The present disclosure refers to a base assembly of an exterior rear view device to be mounted to a vehicle, comprising a base frame and at least one camera sub-assembly attached to the base frame, wherein the camera sub-assembly comprises at least one camera, a camera cradle and a camera holder designed to provide clamping force and datum onto the camera.

Claims

1-13. (canceled)

14. A base assembly of an exterior rear view device to be mounted to a vehicle, comprising: a base frame; and a camera sub-assembly attached to the base frame, the camera sub-assembly comprising, a camera, a camera cradle, and a camera holder configured to provide clamping force and datum onto the camera.

15. The base assembly of claim 14, wherein the camera is loaded into the camera cradle.

16. The base assembly of claim 15, wherein the camera extends at least partly through a housing portion of the camera cradle.

17. The base assembly of claim 15, wherein the camera is clamped within a housing portion of the camera cradle.

18. The base assembly of claim 15, wherein a lens extends beyond an opening of the camera cradle such that the camera can obtain images through the opening.

19. The base assembly of claim 14, wherein the camera cradle is clamped to the base frame both directly and via the camera holder.

20. The base assembly of claim 19, wherein the camera cradle comprises an extension and/or a protrusion configured designed to be inserted and/or clamped into a complementary recess of the base frame.

21. The base assembly of claim 19, wherein the camera cradle comprises a clip configured to be inserted and/or clamped into a complementary part of the base frame.

22. The base assembly of claim 19, wherein the camera cradle comprises an opening configured for a protrusion of the camera holder to pass through.

23. The base assembly of claim 19, wherein the camera cradle comprises a contact surface configured to be engaged by a clip of the camera holder.

24. The base assembly of claim 19, wherein a first camera cradle opening extends through a camera cradle protrusion.

25. The base assembly of claim 24, wherein the camera cradle protrusion is included in an arm extending from a portion of the camera cradle housing at an end opposite the first camera cradle opening beyond which a lens extends.

26. The base assembly of claim 25 wherein a second camera cradle opening is arranged in a region of the camera cradle housing portion.

27. The base assembly of claim 25, wherein there are two camera cradle contact surfaces arranged on two opposite lateral sides of the camera cradle housing portion.

28. The base assembly of claim 20, wherein the camera cradle extension is arranged in the camera cradle housing.

29. The base assembly of claim 14, further comprising two camera cradle protrusions, wherein one camera cradle protrusion is disposed in a camera cradle housing portion and another camera cradle portion is in an arm extending therefrom.

30. The base assembly of claim 14, wherein a position of the camera holder within the camera sub-assembly is achieved by one or more clip, and the camera holder is locked within the camera sub-assembly by the one or more clips and protrusions via clamping force.

31. The base assembly of claim 14, wherein the camera sub-assembly is clamped to the base frame, and the clamped camera sub-assembly is secured via at least one screw connection.

32. The base assembly of claim 31, wherein a screw is passed through protrusions and/or openings of the camera holder and the camera cradle.

33. The base assembly of claim 14, wherein the base frame includes a head attachment portion configured to attach a head assembly of the rear view device and a camera attachment portion configured to attach the camera sub-assembly, and wherein the head attachment portion and the camera attachment portion are disposed at opposite sides of the base frame.

34. The base assembly of claim 33, wherein the head attachment portion and the camera attachment portion are disposed at an end portion opposite a door attachment portion of the base frame.

35. The base assembly of claim 14, further comprising: a plurality of cover pieces configured to releasably mantle the base frame by being attached via one or more clip, snap, or latch connection.

36. The base assembly of claim 35, wherein the plurality of cover pieces include a lower base cover, a base cover cap, and an upper base cover.

37. The base assembly of claim 35, wherein at least one of the plurality of cover pieces provides a camera opening.

38. The base assembly of claim 35, wherein at least one of the plurality of cover pieces is attached to the camera sub-assembly via one or more clip, snap, or latch connection.

39. The base assembly of claim 14, further comprising a glare shield surrounding a lens of the camera, the lens extending through an opening of a base cover cap such that the camera can obtain images.

40. The base assembly of claim 39, wherein the glare shield is configured to be releaseably attached to at least one of one or more cover pieces, the camera cradle, or the camera holder via at least one clip, snap, or latch connection.

41. An exterior rear view device, comprising the base assembly of claim 14, and a head assembly moveably attached to the base assembly.

42. A vehicle with the exterior rear view device of claim 41.

43. A method for assembling a base assembly of an exterior rear view device to be mounted to a vehicle, comprising: installing a camera in a camera cradle housing portion of a camera cradle, placing a camera holder onto the camera cradle via at least one clip, snap, or latch connection, rotating the camera holder into the camera cradle to clip into position and clamp the camera in place, such that the camera, the camera cradle, and the camera holder form a camera sub-assembly.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein the camera holder is placed onto the camera cradle via two clips of the camera holder engaging respective contact surfaces arranged at opposite sides of the cameral cradle housing.

45. The method of claim 44, further comprising: clamping the camera sub-assembly to a base frame of the base assembly, and securing a clamping force applied to the camera within the camera sub-assembly and the clamping force acting between the camera sub-assembly and the base frame via a further screw connection.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first exterior rear view device of the present disclosure, with a head assembly for carrying a mirror and a base assembly for carrying the head assembly and at least one camera;

[0024] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a base assembly of a second exterior rear view device of the present disclosure carrying two cameras, and

[0025] FIGS. 3a-3d are perspective views demonstrating the attachment of a camera to a abase frame of the base assembly of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] FIG. 1 depicts a first external rear view device 1 of the present disclosure. It comprises a base assembly 100 onto which a moveable head assembly 200 is attached at a head attachment portion. The base assembly 100 is configured to be mounted to a vehicle at a door attachment portion 115.

[0027] The head assembly 200 comprises a reflective element 250 in form of e.g. a mirror glass, and the base assembly 100 comprises a camera 300. The camera 300 is arranged in the base assembly 100 such that a lens 320 may obtain a rear view image through an opening 310 provided by the base assembly 100. The camera 300 is attached to a base frame 110, via a camera cradle as described with respect to FIGS. 3a to 3d, and the opening 310 may be provided by cover pieces of a base frame 110. Said cover pieces may comprise at least three pieces as described in detail in DE 10 2021 107 597.1 to which reference is made herewith. Said three pieces may comprise a base cover cap 180, a lower base cover 170 and an upper base cover 190, and they releaseably mantle the base frame 110 by being attached via clip, snap and/or latch connections.

[0028] Still further, the cover of the base frame 110 may comprise a glare shield 350. The glare shield 350 may be releaseably clipped to the base cover cap 180 as well as to the camera cradle.

[0029] FIG. 2 shows an alternative base assembling 100′ of a second rear view device of the present disclosure which is equipped with two cameras 300′, 300″, which may be arranged substantially perpendicular to each other and an axis of a head attachment portion 117′. A first camera 300′ may extend through an opening 310″ in a base cover cap 180′ with its lens 320′ as described with respect to FIG. 1. A glare shield as described above may be attached to the base cover cap 180′ and a camera cradle 340′. A second camera 300″ may be arranged such that its lens 320″ extends through an opening 310″ in the lower base cover 170″. A cleaning system may be associated with the second camera 300‴, which may comprise a nozzle 360″ attached to and/or extending through the lower base cover 170″. The cleaning system may be controlled by a control unit in dependency of the output of a sensor sensing contamination.

[0030] FIGS. 3a to 3d illustrate the attachment of a camera 303‴ to a base frame 110‴ of a base assembly, by making usage of a two part design, namely in form of a camera cradle 340‴ and a camera holder 360‴.

[0031] The camera cradle 340‴ comprises at least one clips 341‴ for the attachment to the base frame 110‴. Further, there is an opening 342″ at a first end of the camera cradle 340‴, through which at least a lens 320‴ of the camera 300‴ can be pushed such that images can be obtained. The camera cradle 340‴ further comprises an arm 343‴ extending at a second and, opposite the first end with the viewing opening 342‴. Said arm 343‴ is provided with a protrusion 344‴ through which an opening 344‴ extends to allow for attachment of the camera holder 360‴ and to the base frame 110‴ such that the camera cradle 340‴ is sandwiched between the camera holder 360‴ and the base frame 110‴. Still further, the camera cradle 340‴ has a housing portion 346‴ into which the camera 300‴ may be loaded by moving the same along the arrow A as indicated in FIG. 3a.

[0032] There is a further projection 347‴ provided by the camera cradle 340‴, also serving to clamp the camera cradle 340‴ holding the camera 300‴ between the camera holder 360‴ and the base frame 110‴, as explained below. For providing further strength to said connection, the camera cradle 340‴ has an extension 345‴ to be inserted into a complementary recess of the base frame 110‴. Thus, the extension 345‴, and the protrusions 344‴, 347‴ are provided for clamping into the base frame 110‴. In addition, the camera cradle 340‴ is provided with two contact surfaces 348‴ one on each side of the housing portion 346‴ for the attachment of the camera holder 360‴.

[0033] FIG. 3b shows the camera 300‴ loaded into the camera cradle 340‴. By the arrow B a first attachment step of the camera holder 360‴ to the camera cradle 340‴ is illustrated, namely by locating the camera holder 360‴ into the camera cradle 340‴ as soon as two clips 365‴ and 366‴ of the camera holder 360‴ engage the contact surfaces 348‴ of the camera cradle 340‴ as shown in FIG. 3c.

[0034] The camera holder 360‴ is provided with an arm 361‴ which is provided at its free end with a protrusion 362‴ through which a pass through is provided to form an opening. Further, another protrusion 363‴ in form of a tapered shoulder is provided, in the region of a supporting portion 364‴ of the camera holder 360‴ strengthening the same.

[0035] As indicated by the arrow C in FIG. 3c the camera holder 360‴ is to be rotated towards the camera cradle 340‴ in a second attachment step such that the protrusions 362‴ and 363‴ enter respective openings of the camera cradle 340‴ as shown in FIG. 3d. Thus, by rotating the camera holder 360‴ into the camera cradle 340‴ a clip connection is obtained which places the camera 300‴ in its final position of a camera sub-assembly comprising both, the camera cradle 340‴ and the camera holder 360‴ in addition to the camera 300‴.

[0036] As further indicated in FIG. 3d, said camera sub-assembly is attached to the bottom surface of the base frame 110‴, that is at a camera attachment portion 118‴, whereas the head attachment portion 117″ is on the upper side of the base frame 110‴. The attachment is archived not only by the protrusions 362‴ and 363‴ being clamped to the base frame 110‴, but this attachment is further secured by two screws 400‴ and 401‴ passing through the opening extending through the protrusion 362‴ and a further opening and, thus, through both, the camera cradle 340‴ and the camera holder 360‴. The two screws 400‴, 401‴ further clamp the camera sub-assembly to the base frame 110‴ which will secure the clamping force to the camera 300‴ within said camera sub-assembly.

[0037] As soon as the camera sub-assembly has been attached to the base frame 110‴, a lower base cover, a base cover cap and an upper base cover can be attached to the base frame 110‴ to obtain the base assembly shown in FIG. 2.

[0038] The attachment of the camera 300‴ via the camera cradle 340‴ as well as the camera holder 360‴ ensures a correct placement of the camera 300‴ due to the positioning explained with respect to FIG. 3b and the locking explained with respect to FIG. 3c by simply rotating the camera holder 360‴, with the clamping force between the camera holder 360‴, the camera cradle 340‴ and the base frame 110‴ being maintained via the screws 400‴ and 401‴.

[0039] In summary, the camera holder 360‴ provides clamping force and datum to the camera 300‴, i.e. the body of the camera. This leads to a well-defined suspension of the camera 300‴ within the base assembly.

[0040] It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes could be made to the embodiments described above without departing from the broad inventive concept thereof. It is understood, therefore, that the invention disclosed herein is not limited to the particular embodiments disclosed, and is intended to cover modifications within the spirit and scope of the present invention.

TABLE-US-00001 REFERENCE SIGNS 1 exterior rear view device 100, 100′, 100″ base assembly 110, 110′, 110″, 110‴ base frame 115, 115′, 115″, 115‴ door attachment portion 117′, 117″, 117‴ head attachment portion 118‴ camera attachment portion 170, 170′ lower base cover 180, 180′ base cover cap 190, 190′, 190″ upper base cover 200, 200′ head assembly 250 reflective element 300, 300′, 300″, 300‴ camera 310, 310′, 310″ opening 320, 320′, 320″, 320‴ lens 340′, 340‴ camera cradle 341‴ clips 342‴ opening 343‴ arm 344‴ protrusion 345‴ extension 346‴ housing portion 347‴ protrusion 348‴ contact surface 350 glare shield 360‴ camera holder 361‴ arm 362‴ protrusion 363‴ protrusion 364‴ supporting portion 365‴ clip 366‴ clip 370″ cleaning nozzle 400‴ screw 401‴ screw