Process for providing a vehicular camera

• US 10,556,555 B2
• Filed: 11/26/2018
• Issued: 02/11/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: McElroy, Clarence P., Sesti, Matthew C., Rieden, Richard, Byrne, Steven V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Duley, Janese
• Application Number:
  US16/199,475
• Publication Number:
  US 20190092250A1
• Time in Patent Office: 442 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/55 Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof

Abstract

A process for providing a vehicular camera includes providing a front camera housing portion and a rear camera housing portion. The front camera housing portion accommodates a lens, an imager and a circuit board, with the circuit board having at least one front housing electrical connector. The rear camera housing portion includes at least one rear housing electrical connector. The front and rear camera housing portion are positioned so that the front housing electrical connector aligns with the rear housing electrical connector. The front and rear camera housing portions are joined together to define a camera housing interior. When the front and rear camera housing portions are joined together, the front housing electrical connector mechanically and electrically connects within the camera interior with the rear housing electrical connector.

Claims

1. A process for providing a vehicular camera suitable for mounting and use at a vehicle, said process comprising:

providing a front camera housing portion;

wherein the front camera housing portion accommodates a lens, an imager and a circuit board;

wherein the circuit board has at least one front housing electrical connector thereon;

providing a rear camera housing portion;

wherein the rear camera housing portion comprises at least one rear housing electrical connector;

positioning the front and rear camera housing portions so that the at least one front housing electrical connector aligns with the at least one rear housing electrical connector;

joining the front and rear camera housing portions together to define a camera housing interior;

wherein, when the front and rear camera housing portions are joined together, the at least one front housing electrical connector mechanically and electrically connects within the camera housing interior with the at least one rear housing electrical connector; and

wherein joining the front and rear camera housing portions together comprises sealingly joining the front and rear camera housing portions together.

2. The process of claim 1, wherein, when the front and rear camera housing portions are joined together, a biasing element biases the at least one front housing electrical connector toward the at least one rear housing electrical connector when making electrical connection between the at least one front housing electrical connector and the at least one rear housing electrical connector.

3. The process of claim 1, wherein the at least one rear housing electrical connector comprises a male electrical connector and the at least one front housing electrical connector comprises a female electrical connector.

4. The process of claim 1, wherein the at least one rear housing electrical connector comprises an electrically conductive pin.

5. The process of claim 1, wherein the at least one rear housing electrical connector comprises a female electrical connector and the at least one front housing electrical connector comprises a male electrical connector.

6. The process of claim 1, wherein the at least one rear housing electrical connector is integral with the rear camera housing portion.

7. The process of claim 6, wherein the rear camera housing portion is molded over the at least one rear housing electrical connector.

8. The process of claim 1, wherein the front and rear camera housing portions are sealingly joined together mechanically.

9. The process of claim 1, wherein the front and rear camera housing portions are sealingly joined together by welding.

10. The process of claim 1, wherein the front and rear camera housing portions are sealingly joined together by an adhesive.

11. The process of claim 1, comprising forming the front camera housing portion of a polymeric material and coating an interior surface of the front camera housing portion with an electrically conductive coating, wherein the at least one front housing electrical connector is in electrical communication with the electrically conductive coating of the front camera housing portion.

12. The process of claim 11, comprising forming the rear camera housing portion of a polymeric material and coating an interior surface of the rear camera housing portion with an electrically conductive coating, wherein the at least one rear housing electrical connector is in electrical communication with the electrically conductive coating of the rear camera housing portion.

13. The process of claim 12, wherein, with the front and rear camera housing portions joined together and with the at least one rear housing electrical connector electrically connecting to the at least one front housing electrical connector, the electrically conductive coating of the rear camera housing portion and the electrically conductive coating of the front camera housing portion are electrically connectable to ground.

14. A vehicular camera provided in accordance with the process of claim 1.

15. A process for providing a vehicular camera suitable for mounting and use at a vehicle, said process comprising:

providing a front camera housing portion, wherein providing the front camera housing portion comprises forming the front camera housing portion of a polymeric material;

wherein the front camera housing portion accommodates a lens, an imager and a circuit board;

wherein the circuit board has a front housing electrical connector thereon;

providing a rear camera housing portion, wherein providing the rear camera housing portion comprises forming the rear camera housing portion of a polymeric material;

wherein the rear camera housing portion comprises a rear housing electrical connector;

wherein the rear housing electrical connector comprises a male electrical connector and the front housing electrical connector comprises a female electrical connector;

positioning the front and rear camera housing portions so that the front housing electrical connector aligns with the rear housing electrical connector;

joining the front and rear camera housing portions together to define a camera housing interior;

wherein, when the front and rear camera housing portions are joined together, the front housing electrical connector mechanically and electrically connects within the camera housing interior with the rear housing electrical connector; and

wherein joining the front and rear camera housing portions together comprises sealingly joining the front and rear camera housing portions together.

16. The process of claim 15, comprising coating an interior surface of the front camera housing portion with an electrically conductive coating, wherein the front housing electrical connector is in electrical communication with the electrically conductive coating at the interior surface of the front camera housing portion, and comprising coating an interior surface of the rear camera housing portion with an electrically conductive coating, wherein the rear housing electrical connector is in electrical communication with the electrically conductive coating at the interior surface of the rear camera housing portion, and wherein, with the front and rear camera housing portions joined together and with the rear housing electrical connector electrically connecting to the front housing electrical connector, the electrically conductive coating of the rear camera housing portion and the electrically conductive coating of the front camera housing portion are electrically connectable to ground.

17. A vehicular camera provided in accordance with the process of claim 15.

18. A process for providing a vehicular camera suitable for mounting and use at a vehicle, said process comprising:

providing a front camera housing portion, wherein providing the front camera housing portion comprises forming the front camera housing portion of a polymeric material;

wherein the front camera housing portion accommodates a lens, an imager and a circuit board;

wherein the circuit board has at least one front housing electrical connector thereon;

providing a rear camera housing portion, wherein providing the rear camera housing portion comprises forming the rear camera housing portion of a polymeric material;

wherein forming the rear camera housing portion comprises molding the rear camera housing portion over at least one rear housing electrical connector so that the at least one rear housing electrical connector is integral with the rear camera housing portion;

positioning the front and rear camera housing portions so that the at least one front housing electrical connector aligns with the at least one rear housing electrical connector;

joining the front and rear camera housing portions together to define a camera housing interior;

wherein, when the front and rear camera housing portions are joined together, the at least one front housing electrical connector mechanically and electrically connects within the camera housing interior with the at least one rear housing electrical connector; and

wherein joining the front and rear camera housing portions together comprises sealingly joining the front and rear camera housing portions together.

19. The process of claim 18, wherein the at least one rear housing electrical connector comprises a male electrical connector and the at least one front housing electrical connector comprises a female electrical connector.

20. The process of claim 18, wherein the at least one rear housing electrical connector comprises a female electrical connector and the at least one front housing electrical connector comprises a male electrical connector.

21. A vehicular camera provided in accordance with the process of claim 18.