Camera for mounting on a vehicle

• US 8,866,907 B2
• Filed: 02/08/2010
• Issued: 10/21/2014
• 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: Sesti, Matthew C., Rieden, Richard, Byrne, Steven V., McElroy, Clarence Patrick
• Primary Examiner(s): Perungavoor, Sath V
• Assistant Examiner(s): Duley, Janese
• Application Number:
  US13/148,148
• Publication Number:
  US 20110310248A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,716 Days
• Field of Search: 348148-149
• US Class Current: 348/148
• 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 camera for mounting on a vehicle includes a front housing member having a first mating portion, a lens member and a circuit board having a plurality of individual front electrical connectors. The camera also includes a rear housing member having a second mating portion and a plurality of individual rear electrical connectors with first connector portions of the individual rear electrical connectors extending from the rear housing member to make electrical connection with an electrical connector of the vehicle. Second connector portions of at least some of the rear electrical connectors are configured for making electrical connection to a respective at least some of the front electrical connectors when the first and second mating portions are mated together and an alignment structure aligns second connector portion of the rear connectors with respect to the plurality of individual front electrical connectors.

Claims

1. A camera for mounting on a vehicle, said camera comprising:

a front housing member;

said front housing member comprising a first mating portion;

a lens member and an imaging element disposed at said front housing member;

a circuit board disposed at said front housing member;

said circuit board comprising a plurality of individual front electrical connectors;

a rear housing member;

said rear housing member comprising a second mating portion;

said rear housing member comprising a plurality of individual rear electrical connectors;

a plurality of first connector portions of said plurality of individual rear electrical connectors extending from said rear housing member and configured to be received by and to make electrical connection with an electrical connector of the vehicle;

a plurality of second connector portions of said plurality of individual rear electrical connectors configured for making electrical connection to respective ones of said plurality of individual front electrical connectors of said circuit board when said first mating portion of said front housing member and said second mating portion of said second housing member are mated together;

an alignment structure that aligns said second connector portions with respect to said plurality of individual front electrical connectors when said first mating portion of said front housing member and said second mating portion of said second housing member are mated together;

wherein, with said second connector portions so aligned with respect to said plurality of individual front electrical connectors and in electrical contact therewith, and with said first mating portion of said front housing member and said second mating portion of said second housing member mated together, said front and rear housing members are sealingly joined together by at least one of (a) welding and (b) an adhesive, said joining together of said front and rear housing members defining a camera interior;

wherein at least (i) said imaging element, (ii) said circuit board, (iii) said plurality of front electrical connectors and (iv) said second connector portions of said plurality of individual rear electrical connectors are positioned in the camera interior;

wherein one of (i) said plurality of individual front electrical connectors and (ii) said second connector portions of said plurality of individual rear electrical connectors comprises a plurality of pins and the other of (i) said plurality of individual front electrical connectors and (ii) said plurality of individual rear electrical connectors comprises a plurality of female connectors, and wherein said female connectors individual flex to accommodate for misalignment of respective ones of said pins when said first mating portion of said front housing member and said second mating portion of said second housing member are mated together; and

wherein said female connectors are configured to flex in a direction generally transverse to a longitudinal axis of said pins.

2. A camera as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second connector portions of at least one of said plurality of individual rear electrical connectors comprise electrically conductive pins.

3. A camera as claimed in claim 2, wherein said conductive pins comprise at least a part of said alignment structure.

4. A camera as claimed in claim 1, wherein said plurality of individual front electrical connectors comprise female electrical connectors.

5. A camera as claimed in claim 4, wherein said female electrical connectors are positioned in a female electrical connector housing, and wherein said rear alignment structure includes a sleeve that receives said female electrical connector housing.

6. A camera as claimed in claim 5, wherein said sleeve snugly receives said female electrical connector housing.

7. A camera as claimed in claim 5, wherein said sleeve is integral with said housing member.

8. A camera as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of said plurality of individual rear electrical connectors is integral with said rear housing member.

9. A camera as claimed in claim 1, wherein said rear housing member comprises a molding formed of a polymeric material, and wherein at least one of said plurality of individual rear electrical connectors is insert molded into said rear housing member when said rear housing member is being molded.

10. A camera as claimed in claim 1, wherein said front and rear housing members are sealingly joined together by welding.

11. A camera as claimed in claim 1, wherein said front housing member has a front housing member interior surface having a coating of an electrically conductive material thereon.

12. A camera as claimed in claim 11, wherein at least one of said front electrical connectors is in electrical communication with said front housing member coating.

13. A camera as claimed in claim 12, wherein said at least one of said front electrical connectors in electrical communication with said front housing member coating is electrically connectable to ground.

14. A camera as claimed in claim 11, wherein said circuit board is disposed at said front housing with an electrically conductive circuit board fastener that is in electrical communication with said front housing member coating.

15. A camera as claimed in claim 14, wherein said rear housing member has a rear housing member interior surface that has a rear housing member coating of electrically conductive material thereon, and wherein at least one of said rear electrical connectors is in electrical communication with said rear housing member coating.

16. A camera as claimed in claim 15, wherein said at least one of said rear electrical connectors in electrical communication with said rear housing member coating is electrically connectable to ground.

17. A camera as claimed in claim 1, wherein a video signal of a scene within the field of view of said lens element and as imaged by said imaging element passes through at least one of said front electrical connectors to a corresponding at least one of said rear electrical connectors.

18. A camera as claimed in claim 17, wherein a video signal of a scene within the field of view of said lens element and that is imaged by said imaging element passes through at least one of said front electrical connectors to a corresponding at least one of said rear electrical connectors.

19. A camera for mounting on a vehicle, said camera comprising:

a front housing member;

said front housing member comprising a first mating portion;

a lens member and an imaging element disposed at said front housing member;

a circuit board disposed at said front housing member;

said circuit board comprising a plurality of individual front electrical connectors;

a rear housing member;

said rear housing member comprising a second mating portion;

said rear housing member comprising a plurality of individual rear electrical connectors;

a plurality of first connector portions of said plurality of individual rear electrical connectors extending from said rear housing member and configured to be received by and to make electrical connection with an electrical connector of the vehicle;

a plurality of second connector portions of said plurality of individual rear electrical connectors configured for making electrical connection to respective ones of said plurality of individual front electrical connectors of said circuit board when said first mating portion of said front housing member and said second mating portion of said second housing member are mated together;

an alignment structure that aligns said second connector portions with respect to said plurality of individual front electrical connectors when said first mating portion of said front housing member and said second mating portion of said second housing member are mated together;

wherein, with said second connector portions so aligned with respect to said plurality of individual front electrical connectors and in electrical contact therewith, and with said first mating portion of said front housing member and said second mating portion of said second housing member mated together, said front and rear housing members are sealingly joined together, said joining together of said front and rear housing members defining a camera interior;

wherein at least (i) said imaging element, (ii) said circuit board, (iii) said plurality of front electrical connectors and (iv) said second connector portions of said plurality of individual rear electrical connectors are positioned in the camera interior;

wherein said rear housing member comprises a molding formed of a polymeric material, and wherein at least one of said plurality of individual rear electrical connectors is insert molded into said rear housing member when said rear housing member is being molded;

wherein one of (i) said plurality of individual front electrical connectors and (ii) said second connector portions of said plurality of individual rear electrical connectors comprises a plurality of pins and the other of (i) said plurality of individual front electrical connectors and (ii) said plurality of individual rear electrical connectors comprises a plurality of female connectors, and wherein said female connectors individually flex to accommodate for misalignment of respective ones of said pins when said first mating portion of said front housing member and said second mating portion of said second housing member are mated together; and

wherein said female connectors are configured to flex in a direction generally transverse to a longitudinal axis of said pins.

20. A camera as claimed in claim 19, wherein at least one of said first and said second housing members inhibits build-up of a static electrical charge.

21. A camera as claimed in claim 19, wherein said front and rear housing members are sealingly joined together by at least one of (a) welding and (b) an adhesive.

22. A camera for mounting on a vehicle, said camera comprising:

a front housing member;

said front housing member comprising a first mating portion;

a lens member and an imaging element disposed at said front housing member;

a circuit board disposed at said front housing member;

said circuit board comprising a plurality of individual front electrical connectors;

a rear housing member;

said rear housing member comprising a second mating portion;

said rear housing member comprising a plurality of individual rear electrical connectors;

a plurality of first connector portions of said plurality of individual rear electrical connectors extending from said rear housing member and configured to be received by and to make electrical connection with an electrical connector of the vehicle;

a plurality of second connector portions of said plurality of individual rear electrical connectors configured for making electrical connection to respective ones of said plurality of individual front electrical connectors of said circuit board when said first mating portion of said front housing member and said second mating portion of said second housing member are mated together;

an alignment structure that aligns said second connector portions with respect to said plurality of individual front electrical connectors when said first mating portion of said front housing member and said second mating portion of said second housing member are mated together;

wherein, with said second connector portions so aligned with respect to said plurality of individual front electrical connectors and in electrical contact therewith, and with said first mating portion of said front housing member and said second mating portion of said second housing member mated together, said front and rear housing members are sealingly joined together, said joining together of said front and rear housing members defining a camera interior;

wherein at least (i) said imaging element, (ii) said circuit board, (iii) said plurality of front electrical connectors and (iv) said second connector portions of said plurality of individual rear electrical connectors are positioned in the camera interior;

wherein a video signal of a scene within the field of view of said lens element and as imaged by said imaging element passes through at least one of said front electrical connectors to a corresponding at least one of said rear electrical connectors;

wherein one of (i) said plurality of individual front electrical connectors and (ii) said second connector portions of said plurality of individual rear electrical connectors comprises a plurality of pins and the other of (i) said plurality of individual front electrical connectors and (ii) said plurality of individual rear electrical connectors comprises a plurality of female connectors, and wherein said female connectors individually flex to accommodate for misalignment of respective ones of said pins when said first mating portion of said front housing member and said second mating portion of said second housing member are mated together; and

wherein said female connectors are configured to flex in a direction generally transverse to a longitudinal axis of said pins.

23. A camera as claimed in claim 22, wherein at least one of said first and said second housing members inhibits build-up of a static electrical charge.

24. A camera as claimed in claim 22, wherein said front and rear housing members are sealingly joined together by at least one of (a) welding and (b) an adhesive.

25. A camera as claimed in claim 22, wherein said rear housing member comprises a molding formed of a polymeric material, and wherein said plurality of individual rear electrical connectors is insert molded into said rear housing member when said rear housing member is being molded.