VEHICULAR CAMERA AND LENS ASSEMBLY
First Claim
1. A process for providing a vehicular camera suitable for vehicular use, said process comprising:
- providing a front camera housing having a lens assembly disposed thereat;
said lens assembly including lens optics;
providing an imager disposed on a printed circuit board;
disposing an adhesive in its uncured state between said front camera housing and said printed circuit board;
adjusting said front camera housing and said printed circuit board relative to each other to achieve optical center-alignment and focusing of said lens optics relative to said imager;
wherein optical center-alignment and focusing of said lens optics relative to said imager is achieved via a multi-axis positioning device;
initially curing the adhesive from its uncured state to an initially-cured state in an initial radiation curing process that comprises exposure to UV light for a first time period;
further curing the adhesive from the initially-cured state to a further more cured state in a secondary curing process undertaken for a second time period;
wherein said second time period is longer than said first time period;
wherein the adhesive is initially cured from its uncured state to the initially-cured state via the initial radiation curing process after said lens optics is brought into focus with said imager and is optically center-aligned therewith;
wherein the adhesive, as cured to the initially-cured state via the initial radiation curing process, (i) attaches said printed circuit board to said front camera housing and (ii) holds said lens optics optically center-aligned and in focus with said imager; and
after the initial radiation curing process is completed, moving said front camera housing, with said printed circuit board adhesively attached thereto, to the secondary curing process and further curing the adhesive to the further more cured state.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A process for providing a vehicular camera suitable for vehicular use includes providing a front camera housing having a lens assembly disposed thereat and providing an imager disposed on a printed circuit board. An adhesive is disposed in its uncured state between the front camera housing and the printed circuit board. The front camera housing and said printed circuit board are adjusted relative to each other to achieve optical center-alignment and focusing of the lens optics relative to the imager. The adhesive is initially cured from its uncured state to an initially-cured state in an initial radiation curing process that includes exposure to UV light for a first time period. After optical center-alignment and focusing, the adhesive is further cured from the initially-cured state to a further more cured state in a secondary curing process undertaken for a second time period that is longer than the first time period.
-
Citations
64 Claims
-
1. A process for providing a vehicular camera suitable for vehicular use, said process comprising:
-
providing a front camera housing having a lens assembly disposed thereat; said lens assembly including lens optics; providing an imager disposed on a printed circuit board; disposing an adhesive in its uncured state between said front camera housing and said printed circuit board; adjusting said front camera housing and said printed circuit board relative to each other to achieve optical center-alignment and focusing of said lens optics relative to said imager; wherein optical center-alignment and focusing of said lens optics relative to said imager is achieved via a multi-axis positioning device; initially curing the adhesive from its uncured state to an initially-cured state in an initial radiation curing process that comprises exposure to UV light for a first time period; further curing the adhesive from the initially-cured state to a further more cured state in a secondary curing process undertaken for a second time period; wherein said second time period is longer than said first time period; wherein the adhesive is initially cured from its uncured state to the initially-cured state via the initial radiation curing process after said lens optics is brought into focus with said imager and is optically center-aligned therewith; wherein the adhesive, as cured to the initially-cured state via the initial radiation curing process, (i) attaches said printed circuit board to said front camera housing and (ii) holds said lens optics optically center-aligned and in focus with said imager; and after the initial radiation curing process is completed, moving said front camera housing, with said printed circuit board adhesively attached thereto, to the secondary curing process and further curing the adhesive to the further more cured state. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
-
21. A process for providing a vehicular camera suitable for vehicular use, said process comprising:
-
providing a front camera housing having a lens assembly disposed thereat; said lens assembly including lens optics; providing an imager disposed on a printed circuit board; disposing an adhesive in its uncured state between said front camera housing and said printed circuit board; adjusting said front camera housing and said printed circuit board relative to each other to achieve optical center-alignment and focusing of said lens optics relative to said imager; wherein optical center-alignment and focusing of said lens optics relative to said imager is achieved via a multi-axis positioning device; initially curing the adhesive from its uncured state to an initially-cured state in an initial radiation curing process that comprises exposure to UV light for a first time period; further curing the adhesive from the initially-cured state to a further more cured state in a secondary curing process undertaken for a second time period; wherein said second time period is longer than said first time period; wherein the adhesive is initially cured from its uncured state to the initially-cured state via the initial radiation curing process after said lens optics is brought into focus with said imager and is optically center-aligned therewith; wherein the adhesive, as cured to the initially-cured state via the initial radiation curing process, (i) attaches said printed circuit board to said front camera housing and (ii) holds said lens optics optically center-aligned and in focus with said imager; after the initial radiation curing process is completed, moving said front camera housing, with said printed circuit board adhesively attached thereto, to the secondary curing process and further curing the adhesive to the further more cured state; and wherein at least one of (i) said multi-axis positioning device comprises a multi-axis robot and said optical center-alignment and focusing of said lens optics relative to said imager is achieved robotically, (ii) the adhesive, as disposed in its uncured state between said printed circuit board and said front camera housing, has a thickness of up to approximately 0.75 mm and (iii) when the adhesive is cured, a gap exists between the end of said lens optics and said imager. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
-
-
30. A process for providing a vehicular camera suitable for vehicular use, said process comprising:
-
providing a front camera housing having a lens assembly disposed thereat; said lens assembly including lens optics; providing an imager disposed on a printed circuit board; disposing an adhesive in its uncured state between said front camera housing and said printed circuit board; adjusting said front camera housing and said printed circuit board relative to each other to achieve optical center-alignment and focusing of said lens optics relative to said imager; wherein optical center-alignment and focusing of said lens optics relative to said imager is achieved via a multi-axis positioning device; initially curing the adhesive from its uncured state to an initially-cured state in an initial radiation curing process that comprises exposure to UV light for a first time period; further curing the adhesive from the initially-cured state to a further more cured state in a secondary curing process undertaken for a second time period; wherein said first time period is seven seconds or less; wherein said second time period is longer than said first time period; wherein the adhesive is initially cured from its uncured state to the initially-cured state via the initial radiation curing process after said lens optics is brought into focus with said imager and is optically center-aligned therewith; wherein the adhesive, as cured to the initially-cured state via the initial radiation curing process, (i) attaches said printed circuit board to said front camera housing and (ii) holds said lens optics optically center-aligned and in focus with said imager; after the initial radiation curing process is completed, moving said front camera housing, with said printed circuit board adhesively attached thereto, to the secondary curing process and further curing the adhesive to the further more cured state; wherein said multi-axis positioning device comprises a multi-axis robot and wherein optical center-alignment and focusing of said lens optics relative to said imager is achieved robotically; and wherein, when the adhesive is in the initially-cured state, a gap exists between the end of said lens optics and said imager. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
-
-
38. A process for providing a vehicular camera suitable for vehicular use, said process comprising:
-
providing a front camera housing having a lens assembly disposed thereat; said lens assembly including lens optics; said front camera housing comprising a cylindrical opening; wherein said lens barrel is at least partially received in said cylindrical opening of said front camera housing; providing a printed circuit board; wherein an imager is disposed on said printed circuit board; disposing an adhesive in its uncured state between said printed circuit board and said front camera housing; adjusting said lens assembly relative to said front camera housing to achieve optical center-alignment and focusing of said lens optics relative to said imager; wherein optical center-alignment and focusing of said lens optics relative to said imager is achieved via a multi-axis positioning device; initially curing the adhesive from its uncured state to an initially-cured state in an initial radiation curing process that comprises exposure to UV light for a first time period; further curing the adhesive from the initially-cured state to a further more cured state in a secondary curing process undertaken for a second time period; wherein said second time period is longer than said first time period; wherein the adhesive is initially cured from its uncured state to the initially-cured state via the initial radiation curing process after said lens optics is brought into focus with said imager and is optically center-aligned therewith; wherein the adhesive, as cured to the initially-cured state via the initial radiation curing process, (i) attaches said printed circuit board to said front camera housing and (ii) holds said lens optics optically center-aligned and in focus with said imager; after the initial radiation curing process is completed, moving said front camera housing, with said printed circuit board adhesively attached thereto, to the secondary curing process and further curing the adhesive to the further more cured state; wherein, when more cured via the secondary curing process, the adhesive, in the further more cured state, maintains focus and optical center-alignment of said lens optics with said imager for use of said vehicular camera on a vehicle; and wherein, when the adhesive is in the initially-cured state, a gap exists between the end of said lens optics and said imager and wherein the gap is devoid of the adhesive. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
-
-
44. A process for providing a vehicular camera suitable for vehicular use, said process comprising:
-
providing a front camera housing having a lens assembly disposed thereat; said lens assembly including lens optics; providing an imager disposed on a printed circuit board; disposing an adhesive in its uncured state between said front camera housing and said printed circuit board; adjusting said front camera housing and said printed circuit board relative to each other to achieve optical center-alignment and focusing of said lens optics relative to said imager; wherein optical center-alignment and focusing of said lens optics relative to said imager is achieved via a multi-axis positioning device; initially curing the adhesive from its uncured state to an initially-cured state in an initial radiation curing process that comprises exposure to UV light for a first time period; further curing the adhesive from the initially-cured state to a further more cured state in a secondary curing process undertaken for a second time period; wherein said second time period is longer than said first time period; wherein the adhesive is initially cured from its uncured state to the initially-cured state via the initial radiation curing process after said lens optics is brought into focus with said imager and is optically center-aligned therewith; wherein the adhesive, as cured to the initially-cured state via the initial radiation curing process, (i) attaches said printed circuit board to said front camera housing and (ii) holds said lens optics optically center-aligned and in focus with said imager; after the initial radiation curing process is completed, moving said front camera housing, with said printed circuit board adhesively attached thereto, to the secondary curing process and further curing the adhesive to the further more cured state; wherein, when the adhesive is in the initially-cured state, a gap exists between the end of said lens optics and said imager and wherein the gap is devoid of the adhesive; and joining a rear camera housing to said front camera housing to substantially encase said printed circuit board. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53)
-
-
54. A process for providing a vehicular camera suitable for vehicular use, said process comprising:
-
providing a front camera housing; providing a lens assembly including lens optics; providing an imager disposed on a printed circuit board; attaching said printed circuit board to said front camera housing; disposing an adhesive in its uncured state between said front camera housing and a portion of said lens assembly; adjusting said front camera housing and said lens assembly relative to each other to achieve optical center-alignment and focusing of said lens optics relative to said imager; wherein optical center-alignment and focusing of said lens optics relative to said imager is achieved via a multi-axis positioning device; initially curing the adhesive from its uncured state to an initially-cured state in an initial radiation curing process that comprises exposure to UV light for a first time period; further curing the adhesive from the initially-cured state to a further more cured state in a secondary curing process undertaken for a second time period; wherein said second time period is longer than said first time period; wherein the adhesive is initially cured from its uncured state to the initially-cured state via the initial radiation curing process after said lens optics is brought into focus with said imager and is optically center-aligned therewith; wherein the adhesive, as cured to the initially-cured state via the initial radiation curing process, (i) attaches said lens assembly to said front camera housing and (ii) holds said lens optics optically center-aligned and in focus with said imager; after the initial radiation curing process is completed, moving said front camera housing, with said lens assembly adhesively attached thereto, to the secondary curing process and curing the adhesive to the further more cured state; and wherein, when the adhesive is in the initially-cured state, a gap exists between the end of said lens optics and said imager, and wherein the gap is devoid of the adhesive. - View Dependent Claims (55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64)
-
Specification