Abstract:
A method of assembling a vehicular camera includes providing a lens assembly having a base portion, a lens barrel and a plurality of optical elements in the lens barrel, and providing a circuit element having a circuit board and an imaging array. An adhesive bead is dispensed at the base portion and/or circuit element. The circuit element is placed at the base portion with the adhesive bead therebetween and the optical elements are aligned with the imaging array via a six axis robotic device when the circuit element is at the base portion and in contact with the adhesive bead. The adhesive bead is cured to a first cure level via exposure of the adhesive bead to ultraviolet light. The assembly is moved to a second curing stage and the adhesive bead is cured to a second cure level via heating the adhesive bead.
Abstract:
A vehicular camera includes a lens disposed at a lens holder and an imager disposed at a printed circuit board. The lens holder is one of (i) attached at the printed circuit board by a cured adhesive and (ii) attached at a holding element by a cured adhesive with the printed circuit board held by the holding element. The adhesive is initially curable in an initial radiation curing process and initially-cured adhesive is further curable to a further cured strength in a secondary thermal curing process. The adhesive is initially cured via the initial radiation curing process after the lens is brought into focus with the imager and is optically center-aligned therewith. When further cured via the secondary thermal curing process, the further-cured adhesive maintains focus and optical center-alignment of the lens with the imager for use of the camera in a vehicle.
Abstract:
A vehicular camera includes a lens holder and a plurality of stacked, overlapping, board-to-board interconnected printed circuit boards that includes at least a first printed circuit board and a second printed circuit board. Circuitry disposed at the first printed circuit board is electrically connected with circuitry disposed at the second printed circuit board via board-to-board electrical connection. The circuitry disposed at the first printed circuit board includes an imaging sensor at a first side of the first printed circuit board. Pliable material is disposed between and contacts a second side of the first printed circuit board a third side of the second printed circuit board. The pliable material allows for movement between the first printed circuit board and the second printed circuit board when the plurality of printed circuit boards is being accommodated within a cavity of a rear housing during assembly of the vehicular camera.
Abstract:
An imager assembly for a vehicular camera module includes an imager circuit board and a lens holder. An imager is disposed at the imager circuit board. The lens holder includes a lens holding portion that accommodates a lens. The lens holder includes a plurality of pins extending from an attaching portion and extending in a direction away from the lens holding portion of the lens holder. With the attaching portion of the lens holder at the imager circuit board, individual pins of the plurality of pins are received at least partially through respective apertures of the imager circuit board to locate the lens holder at the imager circuit board. With the pins received at least partially through the apertures of the imager circuit board, and with the lens aligned with the imager at the imager circuit board, the pins are fixedly attached at the imager circuit board.
Abstract:
A vehicular camera includes (i) a lens barrel accommodating a lens, (ii) a lens holder having a passageway and (iii) an imager printed circuit board attached to the lens holder with the imager facing the lens. The lens barrel at least partially passes through the passageway of the lens holder when attaching the lens barrel to the lens holder. The imager printed circuit board is attached to the lens holder with the imager facing the lens and optically aligned with the lens. A biasing element urges the lens barrel in a direction outward away from the imager printed circuit board. With the imager printed circuit board attached to the lens holder, the lens barrel is fine adjustable relative to the lens holder. A rear housing attached at the lens holder to encase the imager printed circuit board.
Abstract:
A vehicular camera includes a lens barrel accommodating a lens and having at least two radial protrusions protruding radially outward at or near an inner end of the lens barrel. A lens holder includes a passageway for receiving the inner end of the lens barrel and has at least two slots extending longitudinally from a board end of the lens holder. The lens barrel is received in the lens holder and the board end of the lens holder is attached at an imager printed circuit board with the imager facing the lens. The radial protrusions are movable within the slots while the lens barrel is adjusted relative to the imager to align the lens at the imager. After the lens is aligned relative to the imager, the radial protrusions within the slots are welded to the lens holder to secure the lens barrel relative to the imager printed circuit board.
Abstract:
A vehicular camera module includes a front housing member, an imaging sensor, a lens optically aligned with the imaging sensor, a rear housing member, and a circuit board. With the circuit board accommodated within the camera housing formed by the joined front and rear housing members, the imaging sensor is closer to a first side of the circuit board than to a second side of the circuit board. The rear housing member includes an electrical plug connector having a plurality of individual electrically-conductive pins that are configured to plug into respective individual pin-receiving sockets of an electrical socket connector disposed at the second side of the circuit board. Individual electrically-conductive pins of the plurality of individual electrically-conductive pins are plugged into and make electrical-conductive contact with corresponding individual pin-receiving sockets of the plurality of individual pin-receiving sockets.
Abstract:
A vehicular camera module includes a front housing member, a rear housing member, an imager, and a circuit board. With the circuit board accommodated within a cavity formed by the mated front and rear housing members, the imager is closer to a first side of the circuit board than to a second side of the circuit board. The rear housing member includes an electrical plug connector that is configured to plug into an electrical socket connector at the second side of the circuit board when the front and rear housing members are being mated together during assembly of the vehicular camera module. With the vehicular camera module mounted at a vehicle, electrical power is provided from the vehicle to the electrical circuitry of the circuit board via the connection made by the electrical plug connector of the rear housing member plugged into the electrical socket connector of the circuit board.
Abstract:
A vehicular camera includes a camera housing having a first portion and a second portion joined together to form a cavity within the camera housing. A first electrical connector is disposed at a circuit board and is in electrically-conductive connection with an imager. The first electrical connector includes a plurality of pin-receiving sockets. A second electrical connector includes a plurality of pins, each including a first end and a second end opposite the first end. When the second portion of the camera housing is being joined with the first portion of the camera housing, respective first ends of pins insert into and electrically-conductively connect with respective pin-receiving sockets at the second side of the circuit board. The first electrical connector and the second electrical connector cooperate to allow for misalignment of the second electrical connector relative to the first electrical connector when the first and second portions are being joined.
Abstract:
A vehicular camera module includes a front housing member, a rear housing member, an imager, and a circuit board. With the circuit board accommodated within a cavity formed by the mated front and rear housing members, the imager is closer to a first side of the circuit board than to a second side of the circuit board. The rear housing member includes an electrical plug connector that is configured to plug into an electrical socket connector at the second side of the circuit board when the front and rear housing members are being mated together during assembly of the vehicular camera module. With the vehicular camera module mounted at a vehicle, electrical power is provided from the vehicle to the electrical circuitry of the circuit board via the connection made by the electrical plug connector of the rear housing member plugged into the electrical socket connector of the circuit board.