IP Library Granted Patent US 11,938,868
Granted Patent B2
US 11,938,868 · App. 17/131,393 · Granted Mar 26, 2024

Photographing device for vehicle

Inventors: Jingsheng Hu (Beijing, CN); Zongtao Fan (Beijing, CN); Bolei Wang (Beijing, CN); Rui Ren (Beijing, CN); Cheng Tan (Beijing, CN); Jiali Zhang (Beijing, CN); Yanfu Zhang (Beijing, CN)
Assignee: Apollo Intelligent Connectivity (Beijing) Technology Co., Ltd.
B60R11/04B60S1/023B60S1/522B60S1/544B60R2011/0071B60R2011/0085
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,938,868
App. No.
17/131,393
Granted
Mar 26, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

A photographing device for a vehicle and relates to the field of automatic driving technology is disclosed. The specific solution is that the photographing device includes a seat; a camera mounted on the seat; a lens holder mounted on the seat and rotatable relative to the seat; a transparent lens mounted on the lens holder and arranged opposite to the camera; and a driving assembly connected with the lens holder to drive the lens holder to rotate relative to the base.

Claims (37)

1. A photographing device for a vehicle, comprising:

a seat;

a camera mounted on the seat;

a lens holder mounted on the seat and rotatable relative to the seat;

a transparent lens mounted on the lens holder and arranged opposite to the camera; and

a driving assembly connected with the lens holder to drive the lens holder to rotate relative to the base,

wherein the base comprises a cylindrical member and a cover plate; the cylindrical member has a chamber, a first end of the cylindrical member is opened to make a first end of the chamber open, and the cover plate is arranged at a second end of the cylindrical member to cover a second end of the chamber; the camera is mounted on the cover plate and located in the chamber; the lens holder is mounted at the first end of the cylindrical member to cover, together with the transparent lens, the first end of the chamber.

2. The photographing device according to claim 1 , further comprising a retaining ring arranged at the first end of the cylindrical member, a part of the lens holder being clamped between the retaining ring and the first end of the cylindrical member.

3. The photographing device according to claim 2 , wherein the retaining ring is provided with a water guiding groove that has a length extending along a peripheral direction of the retaining ring, a width extending along a radial direction of the retaining ring, and a depth extending along an axial direction of the retaining ring.

4. The photographing device according to claim 3 , wherein a plurality of water guiding grooves are arranged at intervals along the peripheral direction of the retaining ring.

5. The photographing device according to claim 1 , wherein the driving assembly comprises a motor, a gear, and a gear ring; the motor is mounted on the cover plate and located outside the chamber; the gear is located in the chamber and connected to an output shaft of the motor; the gear ring is mounted on the lens holder and arranged in the chamber; and the gear ring meshes with the gear.

6. The photographing device according to claim 1 , wherein the driving assembly comprises a first compressed gas nozzle and a plurality of blades mounted on the lens holder; the first compressed gas nozzle and the blades are arranged in the chamber; the first compressed gas nozzle ejects compressed gas to the blades to drive the blades to rotate.

7. The photographing device according to claim 6 , further comprising a second compressed gas nozzle that ejects compressed gas toward the transparent lens from an outer side of the transparent lens.

8. The photographing device according to claim 1 , further comprising a third compressed gas nozzle that ejects compressed gas toward the transparent lens from an inner side of the transparent lens.

9. The photographing device according to claim 8 , further comprising a heating component used to heat the compressed gas in the third compressed gas nozzle to defrost.

10. The photographing device according to claim 1 , further comprising a cleaning liquid nozzle that sprays a cleaning liquid to the transparent lens from an outer side of the transparent lens.

11. The photographing device according to claim 10 , further comprising a wiper assembly that cooperates with the cleaning liquid nozzle to remove stains on a surface of the transparent lens.

12. The photographing device according to claim 1 , wherein the cylindrical member and the cover plate are integrally formed.

13. The photographing device according to claim 1 , wherein the lens holder is provided with a through hole that runs through the lens holder in a front-rear direction, and the transparent lens is mounted in the through hole and opposite to the camera in the front-rear direction.

14. A photographing device for a vehicle, comprising:

a seat;

a camera mounted on the seat;

a lens holder mounted on the seat and rotatable relative to the seat;

a transparent lens mounted on the lens holder and arranged opposite to the camera; and

a driving assembly connected with the lens holder to drive the lens holder to rotate relative to the base,

wherein the transparent lens is substantially cylindrical, the lens holder is provided with a first annular groove, a first end of the transparent lens is fitted in the first annular groove, and the base is arranged in the transparent lens.

15. The photographing device according to claim 14 , further comprising a guide seat connected to the base and arranged opposite to the lens holder, wherein the guide seat is provided with a second annular groove, and a second end of the transparent lens is fitted in the second annular groove.

16. The photographing device according to claim 15 , wherein the lens holder and the guide seat are both substantially cylindrical; the driving assembly comprises a motor, and an output shaft of the motor is connected to the lens holder.

17. The photographing device according to claim 15 , wherein the base, the lens holder, and the guide seat are made of engineering plastics with self-lubrication, abrasion resistance, and good mechanical properties.

18. The photographing device according to claim 14 , further comprising a compressed gas nozzle that ejects compressed gas toward the transparent lens from an inner side of the transparent lens.

19. A photographing device for a vehicle, comprising:

a seat;

a camera mounted on the seat;

a lens holder mounted on the seat and rotatable relative to the seat;

a transparent lens mounted on the lens holder and arranged opposite to the camera;

a driving assembly connected with the lens holder to drive the lens holder to rotate relative to the base; and

a compressed gas nozzle that ejects compressed gas toward the transparent lens from an outer side of the transparent lens.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 13, 2021
From: BEIJING BAIDU NETCOM SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
To: APOLLO INTELLIGENT CONNECTIVITY (BEIJING) TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 057789/0357 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 22, 2020
From: HU, JINGSHENG; FAN, ZONGTAO; WANG, BOLEI; REN, RUI; TAN, CHENG; ZHANG, JIALI; ZHANG, YANFU
To: BEIJING BAIDU NETCOM SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 054733/0626 →
Priority Claims (2)
CN 202010479770.4 · May 29, 2020 · national
CN 202020962160.5 · May 29, 2020 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20210370844A1 · Dec 2, 2021