Camera and method for manufacturing the camera
A camera includes a lens part in which a lens is installed, a housing coupled to the lens part, and a substrate electrically coupled to the lens part, wherein the housing includes a metal compound, a heating-element groove is formed over one or more surfaces of the housing, and a heating element including a conductive material is disposed in the heating-element groove, and wherein the substrate includes a coupling part coupled with the heating element.
1. A camera, comprising:
a lens part in which a lens is installed;
a housing coupled to the lens part; and
a substrate electrically coupled to the lens part,
wherein the housing, which is made of a metal compound, includes:
a heating-element groove on one or more surfaces of the housing; and
a heating element, which includes a conductive material, disposed in the heating-element groove,
wherein the substrate includes a coupling part coupled with the heating element, and
wherein the one or more surfaces of housing on which the heating-element groove is disposed includes a surface of the housing located adjacent the lens part.
2. The camera according to claim 1 , wherein the housing includes a resin including at least one of polycarbonate (PC), polyamide (PA) and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene copolymer (ABS), and a metal oxide including at least one of magnesium (Mg), chrome (Cr), copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), barium (Ba), iron (Fe), titanium (Ti) and aluminum (Al).
3. The camera according to claim 2 , wherein the housing is formed by coating a base having the metal oxide over a surface formed of at least one of resin, glass, rubber and leather.
4. The camera according to claim 1 , wherein the heating element is provided at one surface of the housing located close to the lens part.
5. The camera according to claim 4 , wherein the housing includes an accommodation part in which an accommodation hole including the lens part is formed; and
the heating element is provided at an inner circumference surface of the accommodation hole or an end part of the accommodation part.
6. The camera according to claim 5 , wherein the lens part includes a lens fixing part protruding outward of the housing, and a coupling part contained in the accommodation hole;
the end part of the accommodation part is in contact with the lens fixing part; and
the heating element is provided at the end part of the accommodation part, and encloses the accommodation hole.
7. The camera according to claim 6 , wherein the housing further includes a main body to support the accommodation part, and
wherein the heating element is connected to a coupling part, which extends from the end part of the accommodation part toward a side surface of the accommodation part and a side surface of the main body, and is located at the substrate.
8. The camera according to claim 1 , wherein at least some parts of the substrate are accommodated in the housing.
9. The camera according to claim 1 , wherein the substrate provides a high-frequency radio frequency (RF) signal to the heating element through the coupling part.
10. The camera according to claim 9 , wherein the heating element removes frost or moisture from the lens through convection.
11. The camera according to claim 2 , wherein the housing is formed of an injection-molded material; and
the heating element is included with the housing.
12. The camera according to claim 1 , wherein a surface of the housing in which the heating-element groove is formed includes a curved surface or a discontinuous surface; and
the heating element is provided at the curved surface or the discontinuous surface of the housing.
13. The camera according to claim 1 , wherein the camera is used for vehicle.