IP Library Granted Patent US 10,931,932
Granted Patent B2
US 10,931,932 · App. 16/306,989 · Granted Feb 23, 2021

Supporting housing for stereo camera and circuit board

Inventors: Atsushi Kazama (Tokyo, JP); Hidenori Shinohara (Hitachinaka, JP); Hiroaki Nagai (Hitachinaka, JP); Kenichi Takeuchi (Hitachinaka, JP)
Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
H04N13/239H04N5/2252H04N5/2258H04N5/22521G01C3/085H04N2213/001
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,931,932
App. No.
16/306,989
Granted
Feb 23, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present invention provides a stereo camera capable of mitigating thermal stress generated between members and reducing measurement error. In the present invention, a housing is provided with a high-rigidity support part and low-rigidity support part for supporting a circuit board, a high-rigidity support area including the high-rigidity support part, and a low-rigidity support area including the low-rigidity support part. The high-rigidity support part has greater rigidity in relation to force acting in a baseline direction (X-axis direction) following a baseline length of a pair of camera modules than the low-rigidity support part. The high-rigidity support area is provided in one location so as to be adjacent to the low-rigidity support area in the baseline direction.

Claims (34)

1. A stereo camera comprising: a pair of camera modules; a circuit board connected to the pair of camera modules; and a housing supporting the circuit board and the pair of camera modules,

wherein

the housing comprises: a high-rigidity support part and a low-rigidity support part for supporting the circuit board; a high-rigidity support area having the high-rigidity support part; and a low-rigidity support area having the low-rigidity support part,

the high-rigidity support part has higher rigidity against force acting in a baseline direction along a baseline length of the pair of camera modules than that of the low-rigidity support part,

the high-rigidity support area is included at one location adjacent to the low-rigidity support area in the baseline direction, and

the high-rigidity support area is included at one end in the baseline direction.

2. The stereo camera according to claim 1 ,

wherein the low-rigidity support area is included at each of both ends in the baseline direction, and

the high-rigidity support area is included between the low-rigidity support areas in the baseline direction.

3. The stereo camera according to claim 1 , wherein the high-rigidity support area has one high-rigidity support part.

4. The stereo camera according to claim 1 , wherein the high-rigidity support area has a plurality of high-rigidity support parts, including the high-rigidity support part, arranged in a direction intersecting with the baseline direction.

5. The stereo camera according to claim 1 , wherein the high-rigidity support area has a plurality of high-rigidity support parts, including the high-rigidity support part, arranged in the baseline direction.

6. The stereo camera according to claim 1 ,

wherein the housing has a front end and a rear end in an optical axis direction of the camera modules, and

the front end has a smaller height dimension in a height direction perpendicular to the baseline direction and the optical axis direction than that of the rear end.

7. The stereo camera according to claim 6 , wherein the low-rigidity support part is included at the rear end of the housing and formed into a columnar shape in which the height direction is an axial direction.

8. The stereo camera according to claim 6 , wherein the low-rigidity support part is included at the front end of the housing and formed into a cantilever shape in a planar view when viewed from the height direction.

9. The stereo camera according to claim 1 , wherein the low-rigidity support part and the high-rigidity support part are arranged on an inner side between the pair of camera modules in the baseline direction.

10. A stereo camera comprising: a pair of camera modules; a circuit board connected to the pair of camera modules; and a housing supporting the circuit board and the pair of camera modules,

wherein

the housing comprises: a high-rigidity support part and a low-rigidity support part for supporting the circuit board; a high-rigidity support area having the high-rigidity support part; and a low-rigidity support area having the low-rigidity support part,

the high-rigidity support part has higher rigidity against force acting in a baseline direction along a baseline length of the pair of camera modules than that of the low-rigidity support part,

the high-rigidity support area is included at one location adjacent to the low-rigidity support area in the baseline direction,

the housing has a front end and a rear end in an optical axis direction of the camera modules, and

the front end has a smaller height dimension in a height direction perpendicular to the baseline direction and the optical axis direction than that of the rear end.

11. The stereo camera according to claim 10 ,

wherein the low-rigidity support area is included at each of both ends in the baseline direction, and

the high-rigidity support area is included between the low-rigidity support areas in the baseline direction.

12. The stereo camera according to claim 10 , wherein the high-rigidity support area has one high-rigidity support part.

13. The stereo camera according to claim 10 , wherein the high-rigidity support area has a plurality of high-rigidity support parts, including the high-rigidity support part, arranged in a direction intersecting with the baseline direction.

14. The stereo camera according to claim 10 , wherein the high-rigidity support area has a plurality of high-rigidity support parts, including the high-rigidity support part, arranged in the baseline direction.

15. The stereo camera according to claim 10 , wherein the low-rigidity support part is included at the rear end of the housing and formed into a columnar shape in which the height direction is an axial direction.

16. The stereo camera according to claim 10 , wherein the low-rigidity support part is included at the front end of the housing and formed into a cantilever shape in a planar view when viewed from the height direction.

17. The stereo camera according to claim 10 , wherein the low-rigidity support part and the high-rigidity support part are arranged on an inner side between the pair of camera modules in the baseline direction.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Nov 30, 2021
From: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD.
To: HITACHI ASTEMO, LTD.
Reel/Frame 058481/0935 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 4, 2018
From: KAZAMA, ATSUSHI; SHINOHARA, HIDENORI; NAGAI, HIROAKI; TAKEUCHI, KENICHI
To: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD.
Reel/Frame 047667/0485 →