Vehicular camera with adhesively bonded construction
First Claim
1. A vehicular camera, said vehicular camera comprising:
- a lens comprising a plurality of optical elements, wherein the lens is accommodated in a lens barrel, and wherein the lens barrel comprises a cylindrical portion;
a lens holder comprising a cylindrical passageway that accommodates at least a portion of the cylindrical portion of the lens barrel;
a printed circuit board;
a CMOS imager disposed at the printed circuit board;
a flexible electrical ribbon cable with one end electrically connecting at the printed circuit board and with another distal end electrically terminating at an electrical connector of the flexible electrical ribbon cable;
wherein said vehicular camera utilizes an adhesive to hold the lens optically center-aligned and in focus with the CMOS imager, and wherein one selected from the group consisting of (i) the lens barrel is attached at the lens holder by the adhesive and the printed circuit board is attached at the lens holder and (ii) the printed circuit board is attached at the lens holder by the adhesive and the lens barrel is attached at the lens holder;
wherein the adhesive is initially curable in an initial radiation curing process that comprises exposure to UV light for an initial-cure time period of less than 10 seconds, and wherein the initially-cured adhesive is further curable to a further-cured strength in a secondary curing process;
wherein the adhesive is initially cured via the initial radiation curing process after the lens is brought into focus with the CMOS imager and is optically center-aligned therewith;
wherein the initially-cured adhesive, as cured via the initial radiation curing process, holds the lens optically center-aligned and in focus with the CMOS imager;
wherein, as further cured via the secondary curing process for a further-cure time period that is longer than the initial-cure time period, the further-cured adhesive maintains focus and optical center-alignment of the lens with the CMOS imager for use of said vehicular camera in a vehicle;
wherein the adhesive, in its uncured state, comprises a one-part, filled adhesive;
wherein the further-cured adhesive maintains at least 70% strength of bond after being exposed to at least one operating condition for a period of time; and
wherein the at least one operating condition comprises a temperature of 85 degrees Celsius, and wherein the period of time is greater than 1000 hours.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicular camera includes a lens accommodated in a lens barrel, a lens holder that accommodates at least part of the lens holder, and a printed circuit board with an imager disposed thereat. The lens barrel is attached at the lens holder by a cured adhesive with the printed circuit board attached at the lens holder, or the printed circuit board is attached at the lens holder by a cured adhesive with the lens barrel attached at the lens holder. With the lens in focus with the imager and optically center-aligned therewith, the adhesive is initially cured to an initially-cured state in an initial curing process that includes UV light exposure for a first period of time. The initially-cured adhesive is further cured to a further-cured state in a secondary curing process that is achieved within a second period of time that is longer than the first period of time.
146 Citations
67 Claims
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1. A vehicular camera, said vehicular camera comprising:
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a lens comprising a plurality of optical elements, wherein the lens is accommodated in a lens barrel, and wherein the lens barrel comprises a cylindrical portion; a lens holder comprising a cylindrical passageway that accommodates at least a portion of the cylindrical portion of the lens barrel; a printed circuit board; a CMOS imager disposed at the printed circuit board; a flexible electrical ribbon cable with one end electrically connecting at the printed circuit board and with another distal end electrically terminating at an electrical connector of the flexible electrical ribbon cable; wherein said vehicular camera utilizes an adhesive to hold the lens optically center-aligned and in focus with the CMOS imager, and wherein one selected from the group consisting of (i) the lens barrel is attached at the lens holder by the adhesive and the printed circuit board is attached at the lens holder and (ii) the printed circuit board is attached at the lens holder by the adhesive and the lens barrel is attached at the lens holder; wherein the adhesive is initially curable in an initial radiation curing process that comprises exposure to UV light for an initial-cure time period of less than 10 seconds, and wherein the initially-cured adhesive is further curable to a further-cured strength in a secondary curing process; wherein the adhesive is initially cured via the initial radiation curing process after the lens is brought into focus with the CMOS imager and is optically center-aligned therewith; wherein the initially-cured adhesive, as cured via the initial radiation curing process, holds the lens optically center-aligned and in focus with the CMOS imager; wherein, as further cured via the secondary curing process for a further-cure time period that is longer than the initial-cure time period, the further-cured adhesive maintains focus and optical center-alignment of the lens with the CMOS imager for use of said vehicular camera in a vehicle; wherein the adhesive, in its uncured state, comprises a one-part, filled adhesive; wherein the further-cured adhesive maintains at least 70% strength of bond after being exposed to at least one operating condition for a period of time; and wherein the at least one operating condition comprises a temperature of 85 degrees Celsius, and wherein the period of time is greater than 1000 hours. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A vehicular camera, said vehicular camera comprising:
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a lens comprising a plurality of optical elements, wherein the lens is accommodated in a lens barrel, and wherein the lens barrel comprises a cylindrical portion; a lens holder comprising a cylindrical passageway that accommodates at least a portion of the cylindrical portion of the lens barrel; a printed circuit board; a CMOS imager disposed at the printed circuit board; a flexible electrical ribbon cable with one end electrically connecting at the printed circuit board and with another distal end electrically terminating at an electrical connector of the flexible electrical ribbon cable; wherein the lens barrel is attached at the lens holder by an adhesive and the printed circuit board is attached at the lens holder; wherein the adhesive is initially curable in an initial radiation curing process that comprises exposure to UV light for an initial-cure time period of less than 7 seconds, and wherein the initially-cured adhesive is further curable to a further-cured strength in a secondary curing process; wherein the adhesive is initially cured via the initial radiation curing process after the lens is brought into focus with the CMOS imager and is optically center-aligned therewith; wherein the initially-cured adhesive, as cured via the initial radiation curing process, holds the lens optically center-aligned and in focus with the CMOS imager; wherein, as further cured via the secondary curing process for a further-cure time period that is longer than the initial-cure time period, the further-cured adhesive maintains focus and optical center-alignment of the lens with the CMOS imager for use of said vehicular camera in a vehicle; wherein the adhesive, in its uncured state, comprises a one-part, filled adhesive; wherein the further-cured adhesive maintains at least 70% strength of bond after being exposed to at least one operating condition for a period of time; and wherein the at least one operating condition comprises a temperature of 85 degrees Celsius, and wherein the period of time is greater than 1000 hours. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51)
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52. A vehicular camera, said vehicular camera comprising:
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a lens comprising a plurality of optical elements, wherein the lens is accommodated in a lens barrel, and wherein the lens barrel comprises a cylindrical portion; a lens holder comprising a cylindrical passageway that accommodates at least a portion of the cylindrical portion of the lens barrel; a printed circuit board; a CMOS imager disposed at the printed circuit board; a flexible electrical ribbon cable with one end electrically connecting at the printed circuit board and with another distal end electrically terminating at an electrical connector of the flexible electrical ribbon cable; wherein the printed circuit board is attached at the lens holder by an adhesive and the lens barrel is attached at the lens holder; wherein the adhesive is initially curable in an initial radiation curing process that comprises exposure to UV light for an initial-cure time period of less than 7 seconds, and wherein the initially-cured adhesive is further curable to a further-cured strength in a secondary curing process; wherein the adhesive is initially cured via the initial radiation curing process after the lens is brought into focus with the CMOS imager and is optically center-aligned therewith; wherein the initially-cured adhesive, as cured via the initial radiation curing process, holds the lens optically center-aligned and in focus with the CMOS imager; wherein, as further cured via the secondary curing process for a further-cure time period that is longer than the initial-cure time period, the further-cured adhesive maintains focus and optical center-alignment of the lens with the CMOS imager for use of said vehicular camera in a vehicle; wherein the adhesive, in its uncured state, comprises a one-part, filled adhesive; wherein the further-cured adhesive maintains at least 70% strength of bond after being exposed to at least one operating condition for a period of time; and wherein the at least one operating condition comprises a temperature of 85 degrees Celsius, and wherein the period of time is greater than 1000 hours. - View Dependent Claims (53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67)
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Specification