Method of forming camera module for vehicular vision system
First Claim
1. A method of forming a vehicular camera module, the method comprising:
- providing an imager circuit board, wherein the imager circuit board has a first side and a second side separated by a thickness of the imager circuit board, and wherein an imager is disposed at the first side of the imager circuit board;
providing a connector circuit board, wherein the connector circuit board has a first side and a second side separated by a thickness of the connector circuit board, and wherein an electrical connecting element is disposed at the second side of the connector circuit board;
electrically connecting circuitry of the connector circuit board to circuitry of the imager circuit board, with the first side of the connector circuit board opposing the second side of the imager circuit board;
providing a lens holder for holding a lens assembly, the lens assembly including a lens, the lens comprising a plurality of optical elements;
disposing an adhesive in an uncured state at one or both of the lens holder and the first side of the imager circuit board;
positioning the lens holder at the imager circuit board with the uncured adhesive disposed between and contacting the lens holder and the first side of the imager circuit board;
optically aligning the lens with the imager at the first side of the imager circuit board;
with the lens optically aligned with the imager at the first side of the imager circuit board, and with the adhesive between and contacting the lens holder and the first side of the imager circuit board, curing the adhesive to an at least partially cured state to secure the lens holder relative to the imager circuit board;
wherein, with the adhesive cured to the at least partially cured state, and with circuitry of the connector circuit board electrically connected to circuitry of the imager circuit board, the lens holder, the imager circuit board and the connector circuit board form a lens holder and imager circuit board and connector circuit board construction;
with the adhesive cured to the at least partially cured state, and with the circuitry of the connector circuit board electrically connected to the circuitry of the imager circuit board, placing the lens holder and imager circuit board and connector circuit board construction in a first mold, wherein, when placing the lens holder and imager circuit board and connector circuit board construction in the first mold, the lens holder and imager circuit board and connector circuit board construction is datumed in the first mold by a portion of the lens holder;
forming an inner molded construction by molding, using a first polymeric resin, an inner molding over and around the imager circuit board and connector circuit board and over a portion of the lens holder;
placing the inner molded construction in a second mold, wherein, when placing the inner molded construction in the second mold, the inner molded construction is datumed in the second mold by the portion of the lens holder; and
forming an outer molded construction by molding, using a second polymeric resin, an outer molding over the inner molding and over another portion of the lens holder to encase the inner molding, wherein the second polymeric resin is molded partially over the electrical connecting element at the second side of the connector circuit board.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of forming a vehicular camera module includes providing an imager circuit board, a connector circuit board and a lens holder for holding a lens assembly. A lens holder and imager circuit board and connector circuit board construction is placed in a first mold and datumed in the first mold by a portion of the lens holder. An inner molded construction is formed by molding an inner molding over the circuit boards and a portion of the lens holder. The inner molded construction is placed in a second mold and datumed in the second mold by the portion of the lens holder. An outer molded construction is formed by molding an outer molding over the inner molding and over another portion of the lens holder. The outer molded construction may include a connector portion that is configured to connect to a connector end of a vehicular wire harness.
139 Citations
35 Claims
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1. A method of forming a vehicular camera module, the method comprising:
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providing an imager circuit board, wherein the imager circuit board has a first side and a second side separated by a thickness of the imager circuit board, and wherein an imager is disposed at the first side of the imager circuit board; providing a connector circuit board, wherein the connector circuit board has a first side and a second side separated by a thickness of the connector circuit board, and wherein an electrical connecting element is disposed at the second side of the connector circuit board; electrically connecting circuitry of the connector circuit board to circuitry of the imager circuit board, with the first side of the connector circuit board opposing the second side of the imager circuit board; providing a lens holder for holding a lens assembly, the lens assembly including a lens, the lens comprising a plurality of optical elements; disposing an adhesive in an uncured state at one or both of the lens holder and the first side of the imager circuit board; positioning the lens holder at the imager circuit board with the uncured adhesive disposed between and contacting the lens holder and the first side of the imager circuit board; optically aligning the lens with the imager at the first side of the imager circuit board; with the lens optically aligned with the imager at the first side of the imager circuit board, and with the adhesive between and contacting the lens holder and the first side of the imager circuit board, curing the adhesive to an at least partially cured state to secure the lens holder relative to the imager circuit board; wherein, with the adhesive cured to the at least partially cured state, and with circuitry of the connector circuit board electrically connected to circuitry of the imager circuit board, the lens holder, the imager circuit board and the connector circuit board form a lens holder and imager circuit board and connector circuit board construction; with the adhesive cured to the at least partially cured state, and with the circuitry of the connector circuit board electrically connected to the circuitry of the imager circuit board, placing the lens holder and imager circuit board and connector circuit board construction in a first mold, wherein, when placing the lens holder and imager circuit board and connector circuit board construction in the first mold, the lens holder and imager circuit board and connector circuit board construction is datumed in the first mold by a portion of the lens holder; forming an inner molded construction by molding, using a first polymeric resin, an inner molding over and around the imager circuit board and connector circuit board and over a portion of the lens holder; placing the inner molded construction in a second mold, wherein, when placing the inner molded construction in the second mold, the inner molded construction is datumed in the second mold by the portion of the lens holder; and forming an outer molded construction by molding, using a second polymeric resin, an outer molding over the inner molding and over another portion of the lens holder to encase the inner molding, wherein the second polymeric resin is molded partially over the electrical connecting element at the second side of the connector circuit board. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method of forming a vehicular camera module, the method comprising:
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providing an imager circuit board, wherein the imager circuit board has a first side and a second side separated by a thickness of the imager circuit board, and wherein an imager is disposed at the first side of the imager circuit board; wherein the imager circuit board comprises a square circuit board having cross dimensions along perimeter edges of the first side of no greater than 20 mm; providing a connector circuit board, wherein the connector circuit board has a first side and a second side separated by a thickness of the connector circuit board, and wherein an electrical connecting element is disposed at the second side of the connector circuit board; electrically connecting circuitry of the connector circuit board to circuitry of the imager circuit board, with the first side of the connector circuit board opposing the second side of the imager circuit board; providing a lens holder for holding a lens assembly, the lens assembly including a lens, the lens comprising a plurality of optical elements; disposing an adhesive in an uncured state at one or both of the lens holder and the first side of the imager circuit board; positioning the lens holder at the imager circuit board with the uncured adhesive disposed between and contacting the lens holder and the first side of the imager circuit board; optically aligning the lens with the imager at the first side of the imager circuit board; with the lens optically aligned with the imager at the first side of the imager circuit board, and with the adhesive between and contacting the lens holder and the first side of the imager circuit board, curing the adhesive to an at least partially cured state to secure the lens holder relative to the imager circuit board; wherein, with the adhesive cured to the at least partially cured state, and with circuitry of the connector circuit board electrically connected to circuitry of the imager circuit board, the lens holder, the imager circuit board and the connector circuit board form a lens holder and imager circuit board and connector circuit board construction; with the adhesive cured to the at least partially cured state, and with the circuitry of the connector circuit board electrically connected to the circuitry of the imager circuit board, placing the lens holder and imager circuit board and connector circuit board construction in a first mold, wherein, when placing the lens holder and imager circuit board and connector circuit board construction in the first mold, the lens holder and imager circuit board and connector circuit board construction is datumed in the first mold by a portion of the lens holder; forming an inner molded construction by molding, using a first polymeric resin, an inner molding over and around the imager circuit board and connector circuit board and over a portion of the lens holder; placing the inner molded construction in a second mold, wherein, when placing the inner molded construction in the second mold, the inner molded construction is datumed in the second mold by the portion of the lens holder; forming an outer molded construction by molding, using a second polymeric resin, an outer molding over the inner molding and over another portion of the lens holder to encase the inner molding, wherein the second polymeric resin is molded partially over the electrical connecting element at the second side of the connector circuit board; and wherein forming the outer molded construction comprises molding a connector portion that is configured to connect to a connector end of a vehicular wire harness to electrically connect the connector end of the vehicular wire harness to the electrical connecting element at the second side of the connector circuit board. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A method of forming a vehicular camera module, the method comprising:
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providing an imager circuit board, wherein the imager circuit board has a first side and a second side separated by a thickness of the imager circuit board, and wherein an imager is disposed at the first side of the imager circuit board; providing a connector circuit board, wherein the connector circuit board has a first side and a second side separated by a thickness of the connector circuit board, and wherein an electrical connecting element is disposed at the second side of the connector circuit board; electrically connecting circuitry of the connector circuit board to circuitry of the imager circuit board, with the first side of the connector circuit board opposing the second side of the imager circuit board; providing a lens holder for holding a lens assembly, the lens assembly including a lens, the lens comprising a plurality of optical elements; disposing an adhesive in an uncured state at one or both of the lens holder and the first side of the imager circuit board; positioning the lens holder at the imager circuit board with the uncured adhesive disposed between and contacting the lens holder and the first side of the imager circuit board; optically aligning the lens with the imager at the first side of the imager circuit board; with the lens optically aligned with the imager at the first side of the imager circuit board, and with the adhesive between and contacting the lens holder and the first side of the imager circuit board, curing the adhesive to an at least partially cured state to secure the lens holder relative to the imager circuit board; wherein, with the adhesive cured to the at least partially cured state, and with circuitry of the connector circuit board electrically connected to circuitry of the imager circuit board, the lens holder, the imager circuit board and the connector circuit board form a lens holder and imager circuit board and connector circuit board construction; with the adhesive cured to the at least partially cured state, and with the circuitry of the connector circuit board electrically connected to the circuitry of the imager circuit board, placing the lens holder and imager circuit board and connector circuit board construction in a first mold, wherein, when placing the lens holder and imager circuit board and connector circuit board construction in the first mold, the lens holder and imager circuit board and connector circuit board construction is datumed in the first mold by a portion of the lens holder; forming an inner molded construction by molding, using a first polymeric resin, an inner molding over and around the imager circuit board and connector circuit board and over a portion of the lens holder; placing the inner molded construction in a second mold, wherein, when placing the inner molded construction in the second mold, the inner molded construction is datumed in the second mold by the portion of the lens holder; forming an outer molded construction by molding, using a second polymeric resin, an outer molding over the inner molding and over another portion of the lens holder to encase the inner molding, wherein the second polymeric resin is molded partially over the electrical connecting element at the second side of the connector circuit board; wherein forming the outer molded construction comprises molding a connector portion that is configured to connect to a connector end of a vehicular wire harness to electrically connect the connector end of the vehicular wire harness to the electrical connecting element at the second side of the connector circuit board; wherein the connector portion is formed to be in line with a principal axis of the lens of the lens assembly; and wherein molding pressure in the first mold when molding the inner molding is lower than molding pressure in the second mold when molding the outer molding. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35)
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Specification