VEHICULAR CAMERA WITH ALIGNED HOUSING MEMBERS AND ELECTRICAL CONNECTION BETWEEN ALIGNED HOUSING MEMBERS
First Claim
1. A camera for mounting on a vehicle, the camera comprising:
- a front housing portion;
a lens mounted to the front housing portion;
an imager that is positioned to capture image data derived from light received through the lens;
a circuit board mounted to the front housing portion, wherein the circuit board comprises circuitry that is configured to receive signals from the imager and to send signals to another component, wherein the circuit board has a plurality of front electrical connectors;
a rear housing portion, wherein the rear housing portion has a rear housing alignment structure that mates with a front housing alignment structure of the front housing portion to align the rear housing portion with respect to the front housing portion along a first axis;
wherein the rear housing portion has a plurality of rear electrical connectors extending therefrom, wherein the rear electrical connectors are electrically connected to the front electrical connectors;
wherein at least one of (i) the front electrical connectors comprise female electrical connectors and the rear electrical connectors comprise male electrical connectors and (ii) the front electrical connectors comprise male electrical connectors and the rear electrical connectors comprise female electrical connectors;
wherein at least one of the female electrical connectors has a jaw structure including first and second jaws, wherein the first and second jaws together define a second axis along which the first and second jaws engage one of the male electrical connectors, wherein the second axis is generally perpendicular to the first axis, and wherein the first and second jaws are sized so that the male electrical connector is positionable therebetween over a range of positions along the second axis; and
wherein the female electrical connector has a jaw structure biasing member that biases the jaw structure towards a home position but permits movement of the jaw structure along a third axis that is generally perpendicular to the second axis.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A camera for mounting on a vehicle includes a front housing member that holds a lens member, an imaging element and a circuit board with a set of front electrical connectors thereon, and a rear housing member that holds a set of rear electrical connectors that are directly mounted to the front electrical connectors. The rear housing member is aligned to the front housing member with respect to a first axis. The front and rear electrical connectors are able to accommodate misalignment along two axes which are generally orthogonal to each other and to the first axis. The front and rear electrical connectors may be directly connected so that a jumper wire is not needed. Also, by aligning the front and rear housing members, the overall space occupied by the camera may be reduced.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A camera for mounting on a vehicle, the camera comprising:
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a front housing portion; a lens mounted to the front housing portion; an imager that is positioned to capture image data derived from light received through the lens; a circuit board mounted to the front housing portion, wherein the circuit board comprises circuitry that is configured to receive signals from the imager and to send signals to another component, wherein the circuit board has a plurality of front electrical connectors; a rear housing portion, wherein the rear housing portion has a rear housing alignment structure that mates with a front housing alignment structure of the front housing portion to align the rear housing portion with respect to the front housing portion along a first axis; wherein the rear housing portion has a plurality of rear electrical connectors extending therefrom, wherein the rear electrical connectors are electrically connected to the front electrical connectors; wherein at least one of (i) the front electrical connectors comprise female electrical connectors and the rear electrical connectors comprise male electrical connectors and (ii) the front electrical connectors comprise male electrical connectors and the rear electrical connectors comprise female electrical connectors; wherein at least one of the female electrical connectors has a jaw structure including first and second jaws, wherein the first and second jaws together define a second axis along which the first and second jaws engage one of the male electrical connectors, wherein the second axis is generally perpendicular to the first axis, and wherein the first and second jaws are sized so that the male electrical connector is positionable therebetween over a range of positions along the second axis; and wherein the female electrical connector has a jaw structure biasing member that biases the jaw structure towards a home position but permits movement of the jaw structure along a third axis that is generally perpendicular to the second axis. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A camera for mounting on a vehicle, the camera comprising:
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front and rear housing portions; the front housing portion having a lens disposed thereat; an imager configured to capture image data derived from light received through the lens; circuitry disposed at the front housing portion, wherein the circuitry receives an output from the imager and generates an output to at least one accessory, wherein the circuitry comprises a plurality of female electrical connectors; wherein the rear housing portion is configured to mate with the front housing portion via relative movement of the front and rear housing portions along a first axis; wherein the rear housing portion has a plurality of male electrical connectors extending therefrom, wherein the male electrical connectors are electrically connected to the female electrical connectors when the rear housing portion is mated with the front housing portion; wherein at least one of the female electrical connectors has a jaw structure configured to receive a corresponding one of the male electrical connectors, wherein the jaw structure is configured to clamp onto and electrically connect with the corresponding male electrical connector; wherein, when the male electrical connector is received in the jaw structure of the female electrical connector, the male electrical connector is movable relative to the jaw structure along a second axis that is generally perpendicular to the first axis; and wherein the female electrical connector comprises a biasing element that biases the jaw structure of the female electrical connector towards a home position but permits movement of the jaw structure along a third axis that is generally perpendicular to the second axis. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A camera for mounting on a vehicle, the camera comprising:
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front and rear housing portions; the front housing portion having a lens disposed thereat; an imager configured to capture image data derived from light received through the lens; circuitry disposed at the front housing portion, wherein the circuitry receives an output from the imager and generates an output to at least one accessory, wherein the circuitry comprises a plurality of front electrical connectors; wherein the rear housing portion is configured to mate with the front housing portion via relative movement of the front and rear housing portions along a first axis; wherein the rear housing portion has a plurality of rear electrical connectors extending therefrom, wherein the rear electrical connectors are electrically connected to the front electrical connectors when the rear housing portion is mated with the front housing portion; wherein at least one of (i) the front electrical connectors comprise female electrical connectors and the rear electrical connectors comprise male electrical connectors and (ii) the front electrical connectors comprise male electrical connectors and the rear electrical connectors comprise female electrical connectors; wherein at least one of the female electrical connectors has a jaw structure configured to receive a corresponding one of the male electrical connectors; wherein, when the male electrical connector is received in the jaw structure of the female electrical connector, the male electrical connector is movable relative to the jaw structure along a second axis that is generally perpendicular to the first axis; and wherein the jaw structure of the female electrical connector is movable along a third axis that is generally perpendicular to the first and second axes, and wherein the jaw structure of the female electrical connector is biased along the third axis and towards a home position. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification