Method of assembling vehicular camera using molded interconnect device technology

• US 10,205,858 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2018
• Issued: 02/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Biemer, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Chio, Tat C
• Application Number:
  US15/966,242
• Publication Number:
  US 20180255214A1
• Time in Patent Office: 288 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/54 Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils

Abstract

A method of assembling a vehicular camera includes providing a front housing and a rear housing and accommodating a lens assembly at the front housing. The rear housing includes first structure and second structure at an interior portion thereof. The rear housing includes electrically connecting elements established at and between the first structure and the second structure via molded interconnect device (MID) technology. A first printed circuit board has first circuitry that electrically connects to electrical contacts at the first structure. A second printed circuit board has second circuitry that includes an imager and that is in electrical connection with the electrical contacts at the second structure. An electrical connector at the rear housing electrically connects to circuitry of at least one of the first and second printed circuit boards. The front housing is mated with the rear housing to house the first and second printed circuit boards.

Claims

1. A method of assembling a vehicular camera, said method comprising:

providing a front housing and a rear housing;

accommodating a lens assembly at the front housing;

wherein providing the rear housing comprises providing an electrical connector at the rear housing that is configured for electrical connection with an electrical connector of a vehicle when the vehicular camera is disposed at the vehicle;

wherein providing the rear housing comprises providing first structure and second structure at an interior portion of the rear housing;

wherein providing the rear housing comprises establishing electrically connecting elements at and between the first structure and the second structure via molded interconnect device (MID) technology;

providing electrical contacts at the first structure and electrical contacts at the second structure, and wherein the MID-established electrically connecting elements electrically connect between the electrical contacts at the first structure and the electrical contacts at the second structure;

providing a first printed circuit board at the first structure of the rear housing;

wherein the first printed circuit board has a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, the second surface of the first printed circuit board contacting the first structure of the rear housing when the first printed circuit board is provided at the first structure of the rear housing;

wherein the first printed circuit board has first circuitry disposed at the first surface of the first printed circuit board, and wherein the first circuitry electrically connects to the electrical contacts at the first structure when the first printed circuit board is provided at and contacts the first structure of the rear housing;

providing a second printed circuit board at the second structure of the rear housing;

wherein the second printed circuit board has a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, the second surface of the second printed circuit board contacting the second structure of the rear housing when the second printed circuit board is provided at the second structure of the rear housing;

wherein the second printed circuit board has second circuitry disposed thereat, and wherein the second circuitry includes an imager disposed at the first surface of the second printed circuit board, and wherein the imager comprises an imaging array having a plurality of photosensing elements;

wherein the second circuitry of the second printed circuit board is in electrical connection with the electrical contacts at the second structure when the second printed circuit board is provided at and contacts the second structure of the rear housing;

wherein the electrical connector at the rear housing electrically connects to circuitry of at least one of the first and second printed circuit boards when the first and second printed circuit boards are provided at the respective first and second structure of the rear housing; and

mating the front housing with the rear housing to house the first and second printed circuit boards.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the MID-established electrically connecting elements are applied by MID technology at an inner surface of the interior portion of the rear housing.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the electrical connector at the rear housing includes at least one electrically conductive terminal that electrically connects to at least one electrically conductive terminal of the electrical connector of the vehicle when the electrical connector at the rear housing electrically connects to the electrical connector of the vehicle when the vehicular camera is disposed at the vehicle.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the at least one electrically conductive terminal of the electrical connector at the rear housing is electrically connected to circuitry of at least one of the first and second printed circuit boards via a connecting element of the rear housing that is applied by MID technology.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the at least one electrically conductive terminal of the electrical connector at the rear housing comprises a core pin that electrically connects to a pin of a coaxial electrical connector of the vehicle when the electrical connector at the rear housing electrically connects to the electrical connector of the vehicle when the vehicular camera is disposed at the vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the interior portion of the rear housing has a first cross dimension at the first structure and a second cross dimension at the second structure, and wherein the first cross dimension is less than the second cross dimension.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the rear housing has an open end at its end that is mated with the front housing, and wherein the first and second printed circuit boards are received in the rear housing at the open end before the front housing is mated with the rear housing.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first printed circuit board is spaced from the second printed circuit board along a longitudinal axis of the rear housing.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first circuitry is electrically connected to connecting pads at the second surface of the first printed circuit board, and wherein the connecting pads at the second surface of the first printed circuit board electrically connect to the electrical contacts at the first structure when the first printed circuit board is provided at the first structure of the rear housing.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the second circuitry is electrically connected to connecting pads at the second surface of the second printed circuit board, and wherein the connecting pads at the second surface of the second printed circuit board electrically connect to the electrical contacts at the second structure when the second printed circuit board is provided at the second structure of the rear housing.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the front housing has electrically connecting elements established via MID technology.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein mating the rear housing when the front and rear housings comprises electrically connecting the MID-established electrically connecting elements of the front housing to MID-established electrically connecting elements of the rear housing.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the MID-established electrically connecting elements of the front housing electrically connect to electrically conductive traces that generate heat when powered so as to defrost or defog at least one optic of the lens assembly.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the MID-established electrically connecting elements of the front housing electrically connect to an actuator for adjusting the lens assembly.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicular camera is configured to be disposed at the vehicle so as to have a field of view exterior of the vehicle.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the vehicular camera, when disposed at the vehicle, is part of a surround view system for the vehicle.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicular camera is configured to be disposed at the vehicle so as to have a field of view rearward of the vehicle, and wherein the vehicular camera, when disposed at the vehicle, functions as a rear backup camera.

18. A method of assembling a vehicular camera, said method comprising:

providing a front housing and a rear housing;

accommodating a lens assembly at the front housing;

wherein providing the rear housing comprises providing an electrical connector at the rear housing that is configured for electrical connection with an electrical connector of a vehicle when the vehicular camera is disposed at the vehicle, and wherein the vehicular camera is configured to be disposed at the vehicle so as to have a field of view exterior of the vehicle;

wherein providing the rear housing comprises providing first structure and second structure at an interior portion of the rear housing;

wherein providing the rear housing comprises establishing electrically connecting elements at and between the first structure and the second structure via molded interconnect device (MID) technology;

providing electrical contacts at the first structure and electrical contacts at the second structure, and wherein the MID-established electrically connecting elements electrically connect between the electrical contacts at the first structure and the electrical contacts at the second structure;

providing a first printed circuit board at the first structure of the rear housing;

wherein the first printed circuit board has a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, the second surface of the first printed circuit board contacting the first structure of the rear housing when the first printed circuit board is provided at the first structure of the rear housing;

wherein the first printed circuit board has first circuitry disposed at the first surface of the first printed circuit board, and wherein the first circuitry electrically connects to the electrical contacts at the first structure when the first printed circuit board is provided at and contacts the first structure of the rear housing;

providing a second printed circuit board at the second structure of the rear housing;

wherein the second printed circuit board has a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, the second surface of the second printed circuit board contacting the second structure of the rear housing when the second printed circuit board is provided at the second structure of the rear housing;

wherein the second printed circuit board has second circuitry disposed thereat, and wherein the second circuitry includes an imager disposed at the first surface of the second printed circuit board, and wherein the imager comprises an imaging array having a plurality of photosensing elements;

wherein the second circuitry of the second printed circuit board is in electrical connection with the electrical contacts at the second structure when the second printed circuit board is provided at and contacts the second structure of the rear housing;

wherein the electrical connector at the rear housing includes at least one electrically conductive terminal that electrically connects to circuitry of at least one of the first and second printed circuit boards when the first and second printed circuit boards are provided at the respective first and second structure of the rear housing;

wherein the at least one electrically conductive terminal of the electrical connector at the rear housing is electrically connected to circuitry of at least one of the first and second printed circuit boards via a connecting element of the rear housing that is applied by MID technology;

wherein the at least one electrically conductive terminal is configured to electrically connect to at least one electrically conductive terminal of the electrical connector of the vehicle when the electrical connector at the rear housing electrically connects to the electrical connector of the vehicle when the vehicular camera is disposed at the vehicle; and

mating the front housing with the rear housing to house the first and second printed circuit boards.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the at least one electrically conductive terminal of the electrical connector at the rear housing comprises a core pin that electrically connects to a pin of a coaxial electrical connector of the vehicle when the electrical connector at the rear housing electrically connects to the electrical connector of the vehicle when the vehicular camera is disposed at the vehicle.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the vehicular camera is configured to be disposed at the vehicle so as to have a field of view rearward of the vehicle, and wherein the vehicular camera, when disposed at the vehicle, functions as a rear backup camera.

21. A method of assembling a vehicular camera, said method comprising:

providing a front housing and a rear housing;

accommodating a lens assembly at the front housing;

wherein the rear housing has an open end that is configured to mate with the front housing;

wherein providing the rear housing comprises providing an electrical connector at the rear housing that is configured for electrical connection with an electrical connector of a vehicle when the vehicular camera is disposed at the vehicle, and wherein the vehicular camera is configured to be disposed at the vehicle so as to have a field of view exterior of the vehicle;

wherein providing the rear housing comprises providing first structure and second structure at an interior portion of the rear housing, and wherein the interior portion of the rear housing has a first cross dimension at the first structure and a second cross dimension at the second structure, and wherein the first cross dimension is less than the second cross dimension;

wherein providing the rear housing comprises establishing electrically connecting elements at and between the first structure and the second structure via molded interconnect device (MID) technology;

providing electrical contacts at the first structure and electrical contacts at the second structure, and wherein the MID-established electrically connecting elements electrically connect between the electrical contacts at the first structure and the electrical contacts at the second structure;

receiving a first printed circuit board at the open end of the rear housing and disposing the first printed circuit board at the first structure of the rear housing;

wherein the first printed circuit board has a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, the second surface of the first printed circuit board contacting the first structure of the rear housing when the first printed circuit board is disposed at the first structure of the rear housing;

wherein the first printed circuit board has first circuitry disposed at the first surface of the first printed circuit board, and wherein the first circuitry electrically connects to the electrical contacts at the first structure when the first printed circuit board is disposed at and contacts the first structure of the rear housing;

receiving a second printed circuit board at the open end of the rear housing and disposing the second printed circuit board at the second structure of the rear housing;

wherein the second printed circuit board has a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, the second surface of the second printed circuit board contacting the second structure of the rear housing when the second printed circuit board is disposed at the second structure of the rear housing;

wherein the second printed circuit board has second circuitry disposed thereat, and wherein the second circuitry includes an imager disposed at the first surface of the second printed circuit board, and wherein the imager comprises an imaging array having a plurality of photosensing elements;

wherein the second circuitry of the second printed circuit board is in electrical connection with the electrical contacts at the second structure when the second printed circuit board is disposed at and contacts the second structure of the rear housing;

wherein the electrical connector at the rear housing electrically connects to circuitry of at least one of the first and second printed circuit boards when the first and second printed circuit boards are disposed at the respective first and second structure of the rear housing; and

mating the front housing with the rear housing to house the first and second printed circuit boards.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the MID-established electrically connecting elements are applied by MID technology along an inner surface of the interior portion of the rear housing between the first structure and the second structure.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the first printed circuit board is spaced from the second printed circuit board along a longitudinal axis of the rear housing.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the interior portion of the rear housing comprises a cylindrical portion between the second structure and the open end of the rear housing.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the first structure comprises a first annular surface that provides a support surface at which the first printed circuit board is disposed, and wherein the second structure comprises a second annular surface that provides a support surface at which the second printed circuit board is disposed, and wherein an inner diameter of the second annular surface is greater than an outer diameter of the first annular surface.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the lens assembly is partially received in the cylindrical portion of the rear housing when the front housing is mated with the rear housing.

27. The method of claim 21, wherein the front housing has electrically connecting elements established via MID technology, and wherein mating the rear housing when the front and rear housings comprises electrically connecting the MID-established electrically connecting elements of the front housing to MID-established electrically connecting elements established at the interior portion of the rear housing between the second structure and the open end of the rear housing.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the MID-established electrically connecting elements of the front housing electrically connect to one of (i) electrically conductive traces that generate heat when powered so as to defrost or defog at least one optic of the lens assembly and (ii) an actuator for adjusting the lens assembly.