Imaging unit of a camera for recording the surroundings with optics uncoupled from a circuit board

• US 9,350,976 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2013
• Issued: 05/24/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: First Sensor Mobility GmbH (TE Connectivity Ltd. (United Kingdom))
• Original Assignee: First Sensor Mobility GmbH (TE Connectivity Ltd. (United Kingdom))
• Inventors: Busse, Erik
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Jay
• Assistant Examiner(s): Geroleo, Francis G
• Application Number:
  US13/798,288
• Publication Number:
  US 20130194388A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,168 Days
• Field of Search: 348/46
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/20 Image signal generators
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/239 using two 2D image sensors having a relative position equal to or related to the interocular distance H04N13/243 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/50 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/54 Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/55 Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/57 Mechanical or electrical details of cameras or camera modules specially adapted for being embedded in other devices

Abstract

An imaging unit of a camera for recording the surroundings has an image sensor with a lens for the display of the surroundings on the image sensor. The image sensor and the lens are held by a carrier. The camera additionally has a circuit board and at least the signal and the supply lines of the image sensor arranged an the carrier. The image sensor is mounted an a carrier substrate, which similar to the lens, is arranged on the carrier at a distance from the circuit board, and has a flexible electrical connection to the circuit board.

Claims

1. An imaging unit of a camera for recording of surroundings, comprising:

an image sensor, a lens to display the surroundings on the image sensor, a carrier, a separate carrier substrate for mounting the image sensor upon a first exterior surface of the carrier, and a circuit board arranged on the first exterior surface of the carrier laterally spaced apart from the separate carrier substrate, the circuit board having at least signaling and supply lines for the image sensor, wherein the image sensor is electrically contacted by the separate carrier substrate, and the separate carrier substrate is electrically connected to the signaling and supply lines using flexible electrical connections, resulting in flexible contacting between the circuit board and the separate carrier substrate, and further comprising a lens fastener of optically dense material forming a hollow space around the image sensor together with the carrier, the lens fastener being mounted on the carrier in an optically sealed manner, and wherein the lens fastener has a penetration, through which the circuit board extends into the hollow space, so that there is a joint between the lens fastener and the circuit board, and the joint is closed with a flexible and optically dense joint material.

2. The imaging unit of a camera according to claim 1, wherein the lens fastener is arranged above the first exterior surface of the carrier circumferentially with a joint, and the joint is closed with a flexible and optically dense joint material.

3. The imaging unit of a camera according to claim 2, wherein the lens fastener is fixated on the carrier through adhesion using the joint material.

4. The imaging unit of a camera according to claim 2, wherein the joint material comprises silicone.

5. The imaging unit of a camera according to claim 1, wherein the lens fastener is fixated on the carrier through adhesion using the joint material.

6. The imaging unit of a camera according to claim 1, wherein the joint material comprises silicone.

7. The imaging unit of a camera according to claim 1, wherein focus of the lens is adjustable.

8. The imaging unit of a camera according to claim 1, wherein the image sensor is encased.

9. The imaging unit of a camera according to claim 1 wherein the carrier comprises metal.

10. An imaging unit of a camera for recording of surroundings, comprising:

an image sensor, a lens to display the surroundings on the image sensor, a carrier, a separate carrier substrate for mounting the image sensor upon a first exterior surface of the carrier, and a circuit board arranged on the first exterior surface of the carrier laterally spaced apart from the separate carrier substrate, the circuit board having at least signaling and supply lines for the image sensor, wherein the image sensor is electrically contacted by the separate carrier substrate, and the separate carrier substrate is electrically connected to the signaling and supply lines using flexible electrical connections, resulting in flexible contacting between the circuit board and the separate carrier substrate, and further comprising a lens fastener of optically dense material forming a hollow space around the image sensor together with the carrier, the lens fastener being mounted on the carrier in an optically sealed manner, wherein the lens fastener has a fastening means extending into a recess in the first exterior surface of the carrier, and a cross sectional area of the fastening means positioned parallel to a base of the recess increases towards the base, the fastening means extends into the recess to an extent that there is an intermediate space between a base of the fastening means and the base of the recess, and a space of the recess surrounding the fastening means including said intermediate space is filled with a curable material.