US 12,214,754 B2
Heatable device for use with a vehicle mounted image acquisition unit
Peter Hein, Stuttgart (DE); Alexandru Dobrete, Stuttgart (DE); and Ivan Batinic, Stuttgart (DE)
Assigned to Motherson Innovations Company Limited, London (GB)
Filed by MOTHERSON INNOVATIONS COMPANY LIMITED, London (GB)
Filed on May 6, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/313,168.
Application 17/313,168 is a continuation in part of application No. PCT/EP2019/077092, filed on Oct. 7, 2019.
Application PCT/EP2019/077092 is a continuation of application No. 16/181,740, filed on Nov. 6, 2018, granted, now 11,453,366.
Prior Publication US 2021/0253065 A1, Aug. 19, 2021
Int. Cl. B60S 1/02 (2006.01); G02B 7/02 (2021.01); G02B 27/00 (2006.01); H05B 3/03 (2006.01); H05B 3/84 (2006.01)
CPC B60S 1/026 (2013.01) [G02B 7/028 (2013.01); G02B 27/0006 (2013.01); H05B 3/03 (2013.01); H05B 3/84 (2013.01); H05B 2203/013 (2013.01)] 46 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A heatable device for use with a vehicle-mounted image acquisition unit, the heatable device, comprising:
a main body including a first end, a second end opposite the first end, an interior cavity defined therein extending between the first and second ends, and a receiving portion disposed at the second end, the receiving portion including an opening therein providing access to the interior cavity;
a transparent glass substrate fixed to the main body at the first end and including a transparent electrically-conductive coating on an inner surface thereof, the inner surface of the transparent glass substrate facing the first end of the main body;
at least one electrically-conductive unit disposed at least partially outside of the interior cavity defined in the main body and contacting the transparent electrically-conductive coating on the inner surface of the transparent glass substrate, the at least one electrically-conductive unit configured to receive electric current selectively provided by a vehicle-mounted power supply and conduct the electric current to the transparent electrically-conductive coating on the inner surface of the transparent glass substrate, thereby selectively heating the transparent glass substrate; and
a sealing member configured to couple the opening in the receiving portion of the main body with at least a portion of a vehicle-mounted image acquisition unit such that the interior cavity defined in the main body is hermetically sealed and the vehicle-mounted image acquisition unit has a field of view extending through the interior cavity and through the transparent glass substrate to an outside environment surrounding a vehicle.