PROCESS FOR PROVIDING A CAMERA FOR MOUNTING ON A VEHICLE

• US 20160264066A1
• Filed: 05/23/2016
• Published: 09/15/2016
• 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.
• Granted Patent: US 10,137,843 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 housing member and a rear housing member. The front housing member includes a lens member, an imaging element and a circuit board mounted thereat, with the circuit board having at least first and second front housing electrical connectors. The rear housing member includes at least first and second rear housing electrical connectors. The front and rear housing members are positioned so that the first front housing electrical connector aligns with the first rear housing electrical connector and the second front housing electrical connector aligns with the second rear housing electrical connector. The front and rear housing members are joined together to define a camera interior. When the front and rear housing members are joined together, the front housing electrical connectors mechanically contact and electrically connect within the camera interior with the rear housing electrical connectors.

Claims

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

providing a front housing member;

said front housing member comprising a lens member, an imaging element and a circuit board mounted thereat;

wherein said circuit board has a plurality of front housing electrical connectors thereon, said plurality of front housing electrical connectors comprising at least a first front housing electrical connector and a second front housing electrical connector;

providing a rear housing member;

wherein said rear housing member comprises a plurality of rear housing electrical connectors comprising at least a first rear housing electrical connector and a second rear housing electrical connector;

positioning said front and rear housing members so that said first front housing electrical connector aligns with said first rear housing electrical connector and said second front housing electrical connector aligns with said second rear housing electrical connector;

joining said front and rear housing members together to define a camera interior; and

wherein, when said front and rear housing members are joined together, said plurality of front housing electrical connectors mechanically contact and electrically connect within said camera interior with said plurality of rear housing electrical connectors so that said first front housing electrical connector makes electrical connection with said first rear housing electrical connector and said second front housing electrical connector makes electrical connection with said second rear housing electrical connector.

2. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein, when said front and rear housing members are joined together, said first front housing electrical connector makes electrical connection with said first rear housing electrical connector via at least one biasing member and said second front housing electrical connector makes electrical connection with said second rear housing electrical connector via at least one biasing member.

3. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first rear housing electrical connector comprises a first male electrical connector and said first front housing electrical connector comprises a first female electrical connector, and wherein said second rear housing electrical connector comprises a second male electrical connector and said second front housing electrical connector comprises a second female electrical connector.

4. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first rear housing electrical connector comprises an electrically conductive pin.

5. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first rear housing electrical connector comprises a first female electrical connector and said first front housing electrical connector comprises a first male electrical connector, and wherein said second rear housing electrical connector comprises a second female electrical connector and said second front housing electrical connector comprises a second male electrical connector.

6. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first and second rear housing electrical connectors are integral with said rear housing member.

7. The process as claimed in claim 6, wherein said first and second rear housing electrical connectors are integrally molded with said rear housing member.

8. The process as claimed in claim 7, wherein said first and second rear housing electrical connectors are insert molded into said rear housing member.

9. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein said front and rear housing members are sealingly joined together.

10. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein said front and rear housing members are joined together mechanically.

11. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein said front and rear housing members are sealingly joined together by welding.

12. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein said front and rear housing members are sealingly joined together by use of an adhesive.

13. The process as claimed in claim 1, comprising forming said front housing member of a polymeric material and coating an interior surface of said front housing member with an electrically conductive coating, wherein said first front housing electrical connector is in electrical communication with said electrically conductive coating of said front housing member.

14. The process as claimed in claim 13, comprising forming said rear housing member of a polymeric material and coating an interior surface of said rear housing member with an electrically conductive coating, wherein said first rear housing electrical connector is in electrical communication with said electrically conductive coating of said rear housing member.

15. The process as claimed in claim 14, wherein, with said front and rear housing members joined together and with said first rear housing electrical connector electrically connecting to said first front housing electrical connector, said electrically conductive coating of said rear housing member and said electrically conductive coating of said front housing member are electrically connectable to ground.

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

17. A process for providing a vehicular camera suitable for mounting and use on a vehicle, comprising:

providing a front housing member;

said front housing member comprising a lens member, a CMOS imaging element and a circuit board mounted thereat;

wherein said circuit board has a plurality of front housing electrical connectors thereon, said plurality of front housing electrical connectors comprising at least a first front housing electrical connector and a second front housing electrical connector;

providing a rear housing member;

wherein said rear housing member comprises a plurality of rear housing electrical connectors comprising at least a first rear housing electrical connector and a second rear housing electrical connector;

positioning said front and rear housing members so that said first front housing electrical connector aligns with said first rear housing electrical connector and said second front housing electrical connector aligns with said second rear housing electrical connector;

joining said front and rear housing members together to define a camera interior;

wherein said front and rear housing members are joined together at least one of (i) mechanically and (ii) by use of an adhesive; and

wherein, when said front and rear housing members are joined together, said plurality of front housing electrical connectors mechanically contact and electrically connect within said camera interior with said plurality of rear housing electrical connectors so that said first front housing electrical connector makes electrical connection with said first rear housing electrical connector and said second front housing electrical connector makes electrical connection with said second rear housing electrical connector.

18. The process as claimed in claim 17, wherein said front and rear housing members are joined together mechanically.

19. The process as claimed in claim 17, wherein said front and rear housing members are sealingly joined together by welding.

20. The process as claimed in claim 17, wherein said first front housing electrical connector has a rear end and said first rear housing electrical connector has a front end, and wherein the front and rear ends engage each other when said front and rear housing members are joined together.

21. The process as claimed in claim 17, wherein, with said front and rear housing members joined together, said first front housing electrical connector and said first rear housing electrical connector are configured to permit a degree of misalignment therebetween while maintaining electrical connection therebetween.

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

23. A process for providing a vehicular camera suitable for mounting and use on a vehicle, comprising:

providing a front housing member;

said front housing member comprising a lens member, a CMOS imaging element and a circuit board mounted thereat;

wherein said circuit board has a plurality of front housing electrical connectors thereon, said plurality of front housing electrical connectors comprising at least a first front housing electrical connector and a second front housing electrical connector;

providing a rear housing member;

wherein said rear housing member comprises a plurality of rear housing electrical connectors comprising at least a first rear housing electrical connector and a second rear housing electrical connector;

positioning said front and rear housing members so that said first front housing electrical connector aligns with said first rear housing electrical connector and said second front housing electrical connector aligns with said second rear housing electrical connector;

wherein said first and second rear housing electrical connectors are integral with said rear housing member;

joining said front and rear housing members together to define a camera interior; and

wherein, when said front and rear housing members are joined together, said plurality of front housing electrical connectors mechanically contact and electrically connect within said camera interior with said plurality of rear housing electrical connectors so that said first front housing electrical connector makes electrical connection with said first rear housing electrical connector and said second front housing electrical connector makes electrical connection with said second rear housing electrical connector.

24. The process as claimed in claim 23, wherein said front and rear housing members are joined together at least one of (i) mechanically and (ii) by use of an adhesive.

25. The process as claimed in claim 24, wherein, with said front and rear housing members joined together, said first front housing electrical connector and said first rear housing electrical connector are configured to permit a degree of misalignment therebetween while maintaining electrical connection therebetween.

26. A vehicular camera provided in accordance with the process of claim 23.