Method of forming camera module for vehicular vision system

• US 10,367,984 B2
• Filed: 11/26/2018
• Issued: 07/30/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Mleczko, Jamie A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hsu, Amy R
• Application Number:
  US16/199,553
• Publication Number:
  US 20190109968A1
• Time in Patent Office: 246 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2945/76498 Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2945/76859 Injection
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/1615 The materials being injected at different moulding stations
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/77 of velocity or pressure of moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2069/00 Use of PC, i.e. polycarbonates or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2077/00 Use of PA, i.e. polyamides, e.g. polyesteramides or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/3481 Housings or casings incorporating or embedding electric or electronic elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/181 associated with surface mounted components
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10121 Optical component, e.g. opto-electronic component
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0034 having an overmolded housing covering the PCB
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

A method of forming a camera module for a vehicular vision system includes providing a circuit board and providing a lens holder for holding a lens assembly. A lens holder and circuit board construction is placed in a first mold and datumed in the first mold by a portion of the lens holder. An inner molded construction is formed by molding an inner molding over the circuit board and a portion of the lens holder. The inner molded construction is placed in a second mold and datumed in the second mold by the portion of the lens holder. An outer molded construction is formed by molding an outer molding over the inner molding and over another portion of the lens holder. The outer molded construction may include a connector portion that is configured to connect to a connector end of a vehicular wire harness.

Claims

1. A method of forming a camera module for a vision system for a vehicle, said method comprising:

providing a circuit board, wherein the circuit board has an imager and associated circuitry disposed thereat;

providing a lens holder for holding a lens assembly, the lens assembly including a plurality of optical elements;

disposing an adhesive in an uncured state at one or both of the lens holder and the circuit board;

positioning the lens holder at the circuit board with the uncured adhesive disposed between and contacting the lens holder and the circuit board;

optically aligning the plurality of optical elements with the imager at the circuit board;

with the plurality of optical elements optically aligned with the imager at the circuit board, and with the adhesive between and contacting the lens holder and the circuit board, forming a lens holder and circuit board construction by curing the adhesive to an at least partially cured state to secure the lens holder relative to the circuit board;

with the adhesive cured to the at least partially cured state, placing the lens holder and circuit board construction in a first mold, wherein, when placing the lens holder and circuit board construction in the first mold, the lens holder and circuit board construction is datumed in the first mold by a portion of the lens holder;

forming an inner molded construction by molding, using a first polymeric resin, an inner molding over and around the circuit board and over a portion of the lens holder;

placing the inner molded construction in a second mold, wherein, when placing the inner molded construction in the second mold, the inner molded construction is datumed in the second mold by the portion of the lens holder; and

forming an outer molded construction by molding, using a second polymeric resin, an outer molding over the inner molding and over another portion of the lens holder to encase the inner molding.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the molding pressure in the first mold when molding the inner molding is lower than the molding pressure in the second mold when molding the second molding.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first mold and the second mold are the same mold, and wherein molding the inner molding comprises molding the inner molding in a first shot of a two-shot molding process, and wherein molding the outer molding comprises molding the outer molding in a second shot of the two-shot molding process.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein forming the inner molded construction comprises molding the first polymeric resin at a first molding pressure that is less than 500 psi.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein forming the outer molded construction comprises injection molding the second polymeric resin at a molding pressure that is greater than 5,000 psi.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first polymeric resin comprises a thermally conductive hot melt adhesive.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first polymeric resin comprises a polyamide.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein forming the inner molded construction comprises molding the first polymeric resin at a first molding temperature that is no more than 240 degrees Celsius.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the circuit board has the imager disposed at one side of the circuit board and wherein electrical connecting elements are disposed at an opposing side of the circuit board that is separated from the one side by a thickness of the circuit board.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein forming the outer molded construction comprises molding a connector portion that is configured to connect to a connector end of a vehicular wire harness to electrically connect the connector end of the vehicular wire harness to electrical connecting elements at the circuit board.

11. The method of claim 10, comprising providing, before forming the outer molded construction, a connector element at the inner molded construction that, when provided, is in electrical connection with the electrical connecting elements at the circuit board, wherein molding the connector portion comprises molding a connector portion that at least partially surrounds the connector element, and wherein, after forming the outer molded construction, the connector portion is configured to connect to the connector end of the vehicular wire harness to electrically connect the connector end of the vehicular wire harness to the connector element to establish electrical connection between the vehicular wire harness and the electrical connecting elements at the circuit board.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the electrical connecting elements at the circuit board comprise a plurality of electrically conductive pads electrically connected to circuitry at the circuit board, and wherein providing the connector element comprises providing a connector element having a plurality of electrically conductive terminals that electrically connect to the electrically conductive pads when the connector element is provided at the inner molded construction.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein providing the connector element comprises press fitting the connector element into a receiving structure of the inner molded construction to electrically connect the connector element to the electrically connecting elements at the circuit board.

14. The method of claim 10, comprising providing, before forming the outer molded construction, a coaxial connector element at the inner molded construction that, when provided, is in electrical connection with the electrical connecting elements at the circuit board, wherein molding the connector portion comprises molding a coaxial connector portion that at least partially surrounds the coaxial connector element, and wherein, after forming the outer molded construction, the coaxial connector portion is configured to connect to a coaxial connector end of the vehicular wire harness to electrically connect the coaxial connector end of the vehicular wire harness to the coaxial connector element to establish electrical connection between the vehicular wire harness and the electrical connecting elements at the circuit board.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein providing the coaxial connector element comprises press fitting the coaxial connector element into a receiving structure of the inner molded construction to electrically connect the coaxial connector element to the electrically connecting elements at the circuit board.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein providing the circuit board comprises providing a circuit board having circuitry that outputs a digital signal via the coaxial connector element utilizing low voltage differential signaling.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein forming the outer molded construction comprises injection molding the second polymeric resin over a tip feature of the lens holder, and wherein, when the second polymeric resin is heated and injection molded, the tip feature melts and bonds with the second polymeric resin to create a hermetic seal between the outer molding and the lens holder.

18. A method of forming a camera module for a vision system for a vehicle, said method comprising:

providing a circuit board, wherein the circuit board has an imager and associated circuitry disposed thereat;

providing a lens holder for holding a lens assembly, the lens assembly including a plurality of optical elements;

disposing an adhesive in an uncured state at one or both of the lens holder and the circuit board;

positioning the lens holder at the circuit board with the uncured adhesive disposed between and contacting the lens holder and the circuit board;

optically aligning the plurality of optical elements with the imager at the circuit board;

with the plurality of optical elements optically aligned with the imager at the circuit board, and with the adhesive between and contacting the lens holder and the circuit board, forming a lens holder and circuit board construction by curing the adhesive to an at least partially cured state to secure the lens holder relative to the circuit board;

with the adhesive cured to the at least partially cured state, placing the lens holder and circuit board construction in a first mold, wherein, when placing the lens holder and circuit board construction in the first mold, the lens holder and circuit board construction is datumed in the first mold by a portion of the lens holder;

forming an inner molded construction by molding, using a first polymeric resin, an inner molding over the circuit board and over a portion of the lens holder;

wherein molding the inner molding comprises molding the inner molding at a first molding pressure in the first mold;

wherein forming the inner molded construction comprises molding the first polymeric resin at a first molding temperature that is no more than 240 degrees Celsius;

placing the inner molded construction in a second mold, wherein, when placing the inner molded construction in the second mold, the inner molded construction is datumed in the second mold by the portion of the lens holder;

forming an outer molded construction by molding, using a second polymeric resin, an outer molding over the inner molding and over another portion of the lens holder to encase the inner molding;

wherein molding the outer molding comprises molding the outer molding at a second molding pressure in the second mold; and

wherein the first molding pressure is lower than the second molding pressure.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the first mold and the second mold are the same mold, and wherein molding the inner molding comprises molding the inner molding in a first shot of a two-shot molding process, and wherein molding the outer molding comprises molding the outer molding in a second shot of the two-shot molding process.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein forming the inner molded construction comprises molding the first polymeric resin at a first molding pressure that is less than 500 psi.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein forming the outer molded construction comprises injection molding the second polymeric resin at a molding pressure that is greater than 5,000 psi.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein the first polymeric resin comprises a thermally conductive hot melt adhesive.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein the first polymeric resin comprises a polyamide.

24. The method of claim 18, wherein forming the outer molded construction comprises molding a coaxial connector portion that is configured to connect to a coaxial connector end of a coaxial vehicular wire harness to electrically connect the coaxial connector end of the coaxial vehicular wire harness to electrical connecting elements at the circuit board.

25. A method of forming a camera module for a vision system for a vehicle, said method comprising:

providing a circuit board, wherein the circuit board has an imager and associated circuitry disposed thereat;

providing a lens holder for holding a lens assembly, the lens assembly including a plurality of optical elements;

disposing an adhesive in an uncured state at one or both of the lens holder and the circuit board;

positioning the lens holder at the circuit board with the uncured adhesive disposed between and contacting the lens holder and the circuit board;

optically aligning the plurality of optical elements with the imager at the circuit board;

with the plurality of optical elements optically aligned with the imager at the circuit board, and with the adhesive between and contacting the lens holder and the circuit board, forming a lens holder and circuit board construction by curing the adhesive to an at least partially cured state to secure the lens holder relative to the circuit board;

with the adhesive cured to the at least partially cured state, placing the lens holder and circuit board construction in a first mold, wherein, when placing the lens holder and circuit board construction in the first mold, the lens holder and circuit board construction is datumed in the first mold by a portion of the lens holder;

forming an inner molded construction by molding, using a first polymeric resin, an inner molding over the circuit board and over a portion of the lens holder;

wherein forming the inner molded construction comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of (i) molding the first polymeric resin at a first molding temperature that is no more than 240 degrees Celsius and (ii) molding the first polymeric resin at a first molding pressure that is less than 500 psi;

wherein forming the inner molded construction includes providing a coaxial connector element that is, when provided, in electrical connection with electrical connecting elements at the circuit board;

placing the inner molded construction in a second mold, wherein, when placing the inner molded construction in the second mold, the inner molded construction is datumed in the second mold by the portion of the lens holder;

forming an outer molded construction by molding, using a second polymeric resin, an outer molding over the inner molding and over another portion of the lens holder to encase the inner molding;

wherein forming the outer molded construction comprises molding a coaxial connector portion over at least part of the coaxial connector element; and

wherein the molded coaxial connector portion is configured to connect to a coaxial connector end of a coaxial vehicular wire harness to electrically connect the coaxial connector end of the coaxial vehicular wire harness to the coaxial connector element to establish electrical connection between the coaxial vehicular wire harness and the electrical connecting elements at the circuit board.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the molding pressure in the first mold when molding the inner molding is lower than the molding pressure in the second mold when molding the second molding.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the first mold and the second mold are the same mold, and wherein molding the inner molding comprises molding the inner molding in a first shot of a two-shot molding process, and wherein molding the outer molding comprises molding the outer molding in a second shot of the two-shot molding process.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein providing the coaxial connector element comprises press fitting the coaxial connector element into a receiving structure of the inner molded construction to electrically connect the coaxial connector element to the electrically connecting elements at the circuit board.

29. The method of claim 25, wherein forming the inner molded construction comprises molding the first polymeric resin at a first molding pressure that is less than 500 psi and at a first molding temperature that is no more than 240 degrees Celsius.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein forming the outer molded construction comprises injection molding the second polymeric resin at a molding pressure that is greater than 5,000 psi.

31. The method of claim 25, wherein the first polymeric resin comprises a thermally conductive hot melt adhesive.

32. The method of claim 25, wherein the first polymeric resin comprises a polyamide.