Vehicle camera with SMD pad for coaxial cable connection

• US 10,154,185 B2
• Filed: 06/12/2017
• Issued: 12/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Sigle, Marc-Andre, Newiger, Achim, Mai, Christian, Peter, Benjamin
• Primary Examiner(s): Girardi, Vanessa
• Application Number:
  US15/619,628
• Publication Number:
  US 20170366716A1
• Time in Patent Office: 547 Days
• Field of Search: 439 63, 439581
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/0007 Image acquisition
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/57 surface mounting terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/50 mounted on a PCB [Printed Circuit Board]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/57 Mechanical or electrical details of cameras or camera modules specially adapted for being embedded in other devices
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/111 Pads for surface mounting, e.g. lay-out
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09381 Shape of non-curved single flat metallic pad, land or exposed part thereof; Shape of electrode of leadless component notches in edge pads H05K2201/09181
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10356 Cables
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/0008 for aligning or positioning of tools relative to the circuit board H05K3/4638, H05K3/4679 take precedence; for manufacturing assemblages of components H05K13/0015
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/303 Surface mounted components, e.g. affixing before soldering, aligning means, spacing means H05K3/32 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/341 Surface mounted components
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

A camera for a vehicle vision system includes a front housing portion, a circuit board, and a rear housing portion having a connector portion for connection of a vehicle coaxial cable. The circuit board includes a first solder pad for soldering a core pin connecting element, and a second solder pad that partially circumscribes the first solder pad for soldering a shielding connecting element. The second solder pad only partially circumscribes the first solder pad so as to have a gap between opposing ends of the second solder pad. The gap is configured to allow for escape of gases that evaporate out of the solder during the soldering process. The core pin connecting element electrically connects between a core pin of the connected coaxial cable and circuitry of the circuit board and the shielding connecting element electrically connects between shielding of the coaxial cable and circuitry of the circuit board.

Claims

1. A camera for a vision system of a vehicle, said camera comprising:

a front housing portion comprising a lens;

a circuit board having circuitry established thereat, wherein said circuitry is associated with an imager of said camera;

a rear housing portion having a connector portion configured for connection of a coaxial cable of a vehicle when said camera is disposed at the vehicle;

wherein said circuit board comprises a first solder pad for soldering a core pin connecting element, and wherein said circuit board comprises a second solder pad that partially circumscribes said first solder pad for soldering a shielding connecting element;

wherein said second solder pad only partially circumscribes said first solder pad so as to have a gap between opposing ends of said second solder pad, and wherein said gap is configured to allow for escape of gases that evaporate out of the solder during the soldering process;

a shielding sublayer disposed between said second solder pad and said circuit board, and wherein said shielding sublayer provides enhanced shielding;

wherein said shielding sublayer has an aperture therethrough to accommodate said first solder pad, and wherein said shielding sublayer fully circumscribes the aperture and does not electrically conductively connect with said first solder pad; and

wherein said core pin connecting element electrically connects between a core pin of the connected coaxial cable and circuitry of said circuit board, and wherein said shielding connecting element electrically connects between shielding of the connected coaxial cable and circuitry of said circuit board.

2. The camera of claim 1, wherein said gap between opposing ends of said second solder pad spans less than one tenth of the circumferential dimension of said second solder pad.

3. The camera of claim 1, wherein a height dimension of said second solder pad at said gap is less than 0.2 mm.

4. The camera of claim 1, wherein the soldering process comprises heating said first solder pad and said second solder pad to melt solder disposed thereat.

5. The camera of claim 1, wherein said core pin connecting element and said shielding connecting element are part of a coaxial header element that is disposed at said circuit board.

6. The camera of claim 5, wherein said first solder pad and said second solder pad are heated to melt solder disposed thereat when said coaxial header element is disposed at said circuit board.

7. The camera of claim 5, wherein said coaxial header electrically connects to terminals of said connector portion of said rear housing portion to electrically connect the core pin and the shielding of the connected coaxial cable to respective circuitry of said circuit board.

8. A camera for a vision system of a vehicle, said camera comprising:

a front housing portion comprising a lens;

a circuit board having circuitry established thereat, wherein said circuitry is associated with an imager of said camera;

a rear housing portion having a connector portion configured for connection of a coaxial cable of a vehicle when said camera is disposed at the vehicle;

a coaxial header element comprising a core pin connecting element and a shielding connecting element;

wherein said circuit board comprises a first solder pad for soldering said core pin connecting element at said circuit board, and wherein said circuit board comprises a second solder pad that partially circumscribes said first solder pad for soldering said shielding connecting element at said circuit board;

wherein said first solder pad and said second solder pad are configured to be heated to melt solder disposed thereat when said coaxial header element is disposed at said circuit board;

wherein said second solder pad only partially circumscribes said first solder pad so as to have a gap between opposing ends of said second solder pad, and wherein said gap is configured to allow for escape of gases that evaporate out of the solder during the soldering process;

a shielding sublayer disposed between said second solder pad and said circuit board, and wherein said shielding sublayer provides enhanced shielding;

wherein said shielding sublayer has an aperture therethrough to accommodate said first solder pad, and wherein said shielding sublayer fully circumscribes the aperture and does not electrically conductively connect with said first solder pad;

wherein said core pin connecting element electrically connects between a core pin of the connected coaxial cable and circuitry of said circuit board, and wherein said shielding connecting element electrically connects between shielding of the connected coaxial cable and circuitry of said circuit board; and

wherein said coaxial header electrically connects to terminals of said connector portion of said rear housing portion to electrically connect the core pin and the shielding of the connected coaxial cable to said core pin connecting element and said shielding connecting element, respectively, and to the respective circuitry of said circuit board.

9. The camera of claim 8, wherein said gap between opposing ends of said second solder pad spans less than one tenth of the circumferential dimension of said second solder pad.

10. The camera of claim 8, wherein a height dimension of said second solder pad at said gap is less than 0.2 mm.

11. A camera for a vision system of a vehicle, said camera comprising:

a front housing portion comprising a lens;

a circuit board having circuitry established thereat, wherein said circuitry is associated with an imager of said camera;

a rear housing portion having a connector portion configured for connection of a coaxial cable of a vehicle when said camera is disposed at the vehicle;

wherein said circuit board comprises a first solder pad for soldering a core pin connecting element, and wherein said circuit board comprises a second solder pad that partially circumscribes said first solder pad for soldering a shielding connecting element;

wherein said second solder pad only partially circumscribes said first solder pad so as to have a gap between opposing ends of said second solder pad, and wherein said gap is configured to allow for escape of gases that evaporate out of the solder during the soldering process;

wherein the soldering process comprises heating said first solder pad and said second solder pad to melt solder disposed thereat;

a shielding sublayer disposed between said second solder pad and said circuit board, and wherein said shielding sublayer provides enhanced shielding;

wherein said shielding sublayer has an aperture therethrough to accommodate said first solder pad, and wherein said shielding sublayer fully circumscribes the aperture and does not electrically conductively connect with said first solder pad; and

wherein said core pin connecting element electrically connects between a core pin of the connected coaxial cable and circuitry of said circuit board, and wherein said shielding connecting element electrically connects between shielding of the connected coaxial cable and circuitry of said circuit board.

12. The camera of claim 11, wherein said core pin connecting element and said shielding connecting element electrically connect to respective terminals of said connector portion of said rear housing portion to electrically connect the core pin and the shielding of the connected coaxial cable to respective circuitry of said circuit board.

13. The camera of claim 11, wherein a height dimension of said second solder pad at said gap is less than 0.2 mm.

14. The camera of claim 11, wherein said gap between opposing ends of said second solder pad spans less than one tenth of the circumferential dimension of said second solder pad.

15. The camera of claim 14, wherein said core pin connecting element and said shielding connecting element are part of a coaxial header element that is disposed at said circuit board.