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EP-4375141-B1 - A CAMERA ASSEMBLY

EP4375141B1EP 4375141 B1EP4375141 B1EP 4375141B1EP-4375141-B1

Inventors

  • SHASHI KIRAN, B S

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20221123

Claims (15)

  1. A camera assembly (100) for a vehicle (10), the camera assembly (100) comprising: - a camera housing (102) comprising a front side (104), a rear side (106) longitudinally opposite to the front side, a proximal side (114), a distal side (116) laterally opposite to the proximal side, and an attachment (120) configured to mount to a vehicle cab (310) of the vehicle, - a first camera lens (211) of a first camera (201), the first camera lens arranged distally, laterally offset from the attachment, the first camera mounted to the rear side of the camera housing to capture a first image (331) within a first rearward field of view (341), - a second camera lens (212) of a second camera (202), the second camera lens arranged distally, laterally offset from the attachment, the second camera mounted to the rear side of the camera housing to capture a second image (332) within a second rearward field of view (342), - a third camera lens (213) of a third camera (203), the third camera lens arranged distally, laterally offset from the attachment, the third camera mounted to the front side of the camera housing to capture a third image (333) within a third frontward field of view (343), the third frontward field of view being distally angled, and - a fourth camera lens (214) of a fourth camera (204), the fourth camera lens arranged longitudinally offset from the attachment, the fourth camera mounted to the front side of the camera housing to capture a fourth image (334) within a fourth frontward field of view (344), the fourth frontward field of view being proximally angled.
  2. The camera assembly (100) of claim 1, wherein the first rearward field of view (341) is at least partly different from the second rearward field of view (342).
  3. The camera assembly (100) of any one of claims 1 or 2, wherein the front side (106) of the camera housing (102) comprises a first inclined surface (110), the third camera (203) mounted to the first inclined surface to capture the third image in a vertical downward direction.
  4. The camera assembly (100) of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the front side (106) of the camera housing (102) comprises a second inclined surface (112), the fourth camera (204) mounted at the second inclined surface to capture the fourth image in a vertical downward direction.
  5. The camera assembly (100) of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the camera housing (102) comprises a first opening (221) and a second opening (222) at the rear side, the first camera arranged in the first opening and the second camera arranged in the second opening, wherein the camera housing (102) comprises a third opening (223) at the front side, the third camera arranged in the third opening, wherein the camera housing (102) comprises a fourth opening (224) at the front side, the fourth camera arranged in the fourth opening.
  6. The camera assembly (100) of any one of the preceding claims, the rear side (106) being a first rear side (106'), wherein the camera housing (102) comprises a second rear side (106'') longitudinally opposite the front side, the attachment arranged at the second rear side.
  7. The camera assembly (100) of claim 6, wherein the camera housing (102) is elongated and extends from the first rear side (106') to the second rear side (106").
  8. The camera assembly (100) of claim 7, wherein the camera housing (102) comprises a trapezoidal cross-section (140) along the entire elongation from the first rear side (106') to the second rear side (106").
  9. The camera assembly (100) of any one of claims 6 - 8, wherein the camera housing (102) comprises a first elongated portion (130) extending from the first rear side (106') to the front side (104).
  10. The camera assembly (100) of claim 9, wherein the camera housing (102) comprises an indicator lamp (162) arranged on a first surface (160) of the first elongated portion.
  11. The camera assembly (100) of claim 10, wherein the first surface (160) is downwardly inclined.
  12. The camera assembly (100) of any of the preceding claims, wherein the attachment comprises at least one protruding pin, the at least one protruding pin protrudes in a direction away from the front side.
  13. The camera assembly of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the attachment (120) comprises at least one recess (124), the at least one recess extends in a direction towards the front side (104).
  14. The camera assembly (100) of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a camera lens cleaner (502) arranged on at least one of the rear side (106) and the front side (104), the camera lens cleaner comprises a water spray injector (504) and an air blower (506).
  15. A vehicle (10) comprising the camera assembly (100) of any of claims 1 - 14.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The inventive concept relates generally to image vision for a vehicle. In particular aspects, the inventive concept relates to a camera assembly for a vehicle. The inventive concept can be applied in heavy-duty vehicles, such as trucks, buses, and construction equipment. Although the inventive concept may be described with respect to a particular vehicle, the inventive concept is not restricted to any particular vehicle. BACKGROUND To provide an operator of a vehicle with sufficient visibility of the vehicle surroundings, rear view mirrors are conventionally connected to the exterior of a vehicle cabin. In addition to these rear view mirrors, various camera based solutions are also presented. In particular, a rear camera which is activated when the vehicle reverses is a conventional arrangement for passenger cars, as well as for heavy-duty vehicles. However, the visible sight for operators of heavy-duty vehicles may not always be as good as for operators of passenger cars. In particular, the heavy-duty vehicle operator is sitting in the cabin at a somewhat elevated position compared to the position of an operator of a passenger car. The heavy-duty vehicle operator thus has a slight reduced visibility for positions downwardly in front of the cabin, as well as downwardly on the left- and right-hand side of the cabin. It is therefore a desire to improve the visibility of the vehicle surroundings for the operators of heavy-duty vehicles, reduce blind spots and risk of accidents. According to its abstract, US 2017/0015248 A1 describes a rearview vision system for a vehicle that includes a driver side rearview mirror element, a passenger side rearview mirror element, and a camera at or near the rear portion of the vehicle. SUMMARY According to a first aspect of the inventive concept, there is provided a camera assembly for a vehicle, the camera assembly comprising a camera housing comprising a front side, a rear side longitudinally opposite to the front side, a proximal side, a distal side laterally opposite to the proximal side, and an attachment configured to mount to a vehicle cab of the vehicle, a first camera lens of a first camera, the first camera lens arranged distally, laterally offset from the attachment, the first camera mounted to the rear side of the camera housing to capture a first image within a first rearward field of view, a second camera lens of a second camera, the second camera lens arranged distally, laterally offset from the attachment, the second camera mounted to the rear side of the camera housing to capture a second image within a second rearward field of view, a third camera lens of a third camera, the third camera lens arranged distally, laterally offset from the attachment, the third camera mounted to the front side of the camera housing to capture a third image within a third frontward field of view, the third frontward field of view being distally angled, and a fourth camera lens of a fourth camera, the fourth camera lens arranged longitudinally offset from the attachment, the fourth camera mounted to the front side of the camera housing to capture a fourth image within a fourth frontward field of view, the fourth frontward field of view being proximally angled. The first aspect of the inventive concept may seek to solve the problem of operator sight in the vicinity of the vehicle. A technical benefit may include that the camera assembly, when mounted to the vehicle cab, is able to capture at least four different areas around the vehicle cab. Improved visibility for the operator may thus be obtained. In particular, the camera assembly may capture the so-called A-pillar blind spot which is a position at the A-pillar not visible by the operator. Hence, safety during operation of the vehicle may be improved. Also, the inventive concept may enable for the removal of conventional rear view mirrors and instead fully rely on the improved images obtained by the cameras. The wording "rearward field of view" should be construed as rearward when the camera assembly is mounted to the vehicle cab. In a similar vein, the "frontward field of view" should be construed as frontward when the camera assembly is mounted to the vehicle cab. The frontward and rearward field of views are thus in opposite directions. Furthermore, and as indicated above, the proximal side and the distal side are arranged laterally opposite to each other. The wording "distally offset" should thus be construed as offset in a direction from the proximal side towards the distal side. The wording "longitudinally offset" should be construed as offset in a direction from the rear side towards the front side. Moreover, the wording "distally angled" should be construed as angled relative a direction from the proximal side towards the distal side. Hence, the third camera preferably captures the third image in an angled direction of which one directional component extends in a direction from the proximal side towards