ONE-PIECE SOLUTION OF EXTERIOR CAMERA CLEANING NOZZLE INTEGRATED INTO CAMERA MOUNTING BRACKET FOR AUTOMOTIVE APPLICATION
A motor vehicle includes an imaging device capturing images of a scene surrounding the motor vehicle, and a one-piece bracket attached to a body of the vehicle. The imaging device is attached to the one-piece bracket. The one-piece bracket includes a nozzle configured and positioned to carry a fluid such that the fluid is ejected from the nozzle and washes the imaging device.
1 . A motor vehicle, comprising:
a vehicle body;
an imaging device configured to capture images of a scene surrounding the motor vehicle; and
a one-piece bracket attached to the vehicle body, the imaging device being attached to the one-piece bracket, the one-piece bracket including a nozzle configured and positioned to carry a fluid such that the fluid is ejected from the nozzle and washes the imaging device.
2 . The motor vehicle of claim 1 wherein the one-piece bracket is an integral, plastic injection molded one-piece bracket.
3 . The motor vehicle of claim 1 wherein the one-piece bracket is elongate and includes two opposite ends and an elongate channel extending between the two opposite ends, the channel being configured to carry the fluid.
4 . The motor vehicle of claim 3 wherein the elongate channel is substantially parallel to an optical axis of the imaging device.
5 . The motor vehicle of claim 4 wherein the elongate channel is disposed at a higher vertical level than the optical axis of the imaging device.
6 . The motor vehicle of claim 1 wherein the fluid comprises water, air, or washer fluid.
7 . The motor vehicle of claim 1 wherein the one-piece bracket includes a throughhole, an optical axis of the imaging device extending through the throughhole.
8 . A method of washing an imaging device on a motor vehicle, the method comprising:
attaching the imaging device to a one-piece bracket, the one-piece bracket including a nozzle;
attaching the one-piece bracket to a body of the motor vehicle;
using the nozzle of the one-piece bracket to carry a fluid;
ejecting the fluid from the nozzle such that the ejected fluid washes the imaging device; and
using the imaging device to capture images of a scene surrounding the motor vehicle.
9 . The method of claim 8 further comprising forming the one-piece bracket by a plastic injection molding process.
10 . The method of claim 8 wherein the one-piece bracket is elongate and includes two opposite ends and an elongate channel extending between the two opposite ends, the channel carrying the fluid.
11 . The method of claim 10 wherein the elongate channel is substantially parallel to an optical axis of the imaging device when the one-piece bracket is attached to the imaging device.
12 . The method of claim 11 wherein the elongate channel is disposed at a higher vertical level than the optical axis of the imaging device when the one-piece bracket is attached to both the body of the motor vehicle and the imaging device.
13 . The method of claim 8 wherein the fluid comprises water, air, or washer fluid.
14 . The method of claim 8 wherein the one-piece bracket includes a throughhole, an optical axis of the imaging device extending through the throughhole when the one-piece bracket is attached to the imaging device.
15 . A camera washer assembly for a motor vehicle, the camera washer assembly comprising:
an imaging device configured to capture images of a scene surrounding the motor vehicle; and
a one-piece bracket attached to the imaging device, the one-piece bracket being configured to be attached to a body of the motor vehicle, the one-piece bracket including a nozzle configured and positioned to carry a fluid such that the fluid is ejected from the nozzle and washes the imaging device.
16 . The camera washer assembly of claim 15 wherein the one-piece bracket is an integral, plastic injection molded one-piece bracket.
17 . The camera washer assembly of claim 15 wherein the one-piece bracket is elongate and includes two opposite ends and an elongate channel extending between the two opposite ends, the channel being configured to carry the fluid.
18 . The camera washer assembly of claim 17 wherein the elongate channel is substantially parallel to an optical axis of the imaging device.
19 . The camera washer assembly of claim 15 wherein the fluid comprises water, air, or washer fluid.
20 . The camera washer assembly of claim 15 wherein the one-piece bracket includes a throughhole, an optical axis of the imaging device extending through the throughhole.