Vehicle camera with aluminum extruded body

• US 10,652,437 B2
• Filed: 05/18/2018
• Issued: 05/12/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Becker, Sonja M., Newiger, Achim
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Quan
• Application Number:
  US15/983,224
• Publication Number:
  US 20180338071A1
• Time in Patent Office: 725 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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 23/54 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

A method of assembling a camera for a vehicular vision system includes providing a camera housing and forming a post at an interior portion of the camera housing, and positioning a printed circuit board in the camera housing so that the post is received through a hole through the printed circuit board such that a protruding end of the post protrudes from the side of the printed circuit board opposite the imager. Circuitry disposed at one side of the printed circuit board includes an imager. The protruding end of the post is adapted to limit retraction of the post from the hole through the printed circuit board so as to secure the printed circuit board relative to the post and the camera housing. A lens is provided at the camera housing.

Claims

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

providing a metallic camera housing;

wherein providing the metallic camera housing comprises forming at least one housing post at an interior portion of the metallic camera housing, the at least one housing post having a protruding end;

providing a printed circuit board having circuitry disposed thereat, wherein the printed circuit board has a first side and a second side opposite the first side, wherein the circuitry includes an imager disposed at the first side of the printed circuit board;

positioning the printed circuit board in the metallic camera housing with the imager and the first side of the printed circuit board facing toward a lens holding end of the metallic camera housing;

wherein positioning the printed circuit board in the metallic camera housing comprises receiving the at least one housing post through a respective at least one hole through the printed circuit board such that the protruding end of the at least one housing post protrudes from the second side of the printed circuit board;

adapting the protruding end of the at least one housing post to limit retraction of the at least one housing post from the at least one hole through the printed circuit board and to secure the printed circuit board relative to the at least one housing post and the metallic camera housing and the lens;

wherein adapting the protruding end of the at least one housing post of the metallic camera housing comprises vibration welding;

providing a lens at the lens holding end of the metallic camera housing;

providing a rear cover element and attaching the rear cover element at a rear of the metallic camera housing;

wherein providing a rear cover element comprises forming a rear cover element with a cover post protruding rearward therefrom;

providing a connecting portion that receives connecting terminals therein and is configured to connect to a wire harness of a vehicle when the camera is mounted at the vehicle;

electrically connecting the connecting terminals to circuitry of the printed circuit board and attaching the connecting portion at the rear cover element; and

wherein attaching the connecting portion at the rear cover element comprises, after inserting the cover post of the rear cover element through a hole through a portion of the connecting portion, heat stamping a protruding end of the cover post to widen the protruding end of the cover post of the rear cover element to limit retraction of the cover post from the hole through the portion of the connecting portion to secure the connecting portion relative to the rear cover element and relative to the cover post of the rear cover element.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein adapting the protruding end of the at least one housing post comprises widening the protruding end of the at least one housing post.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein widening the protruding end of the at least one housing post comprises widening the protruding end such that the widened protruding end contacts the second side of the printed circuit board and clamps the printed circuit board between the widened protruding end and at least one interior portion of the metallic camera housing that engages the first side of the printed circuit board.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the lens comprises optically aligning the lens with the imager and retaining the lens relative to the imager when optically aligned therewith.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein providing a metallic camera housing comprises extruding an aluminum camera housing.

6. The method of claim 1, comprising providing a second printed circuit board having circuitry electrically connected to the connecting terminals, and wherein circuitry of the printed circuit board and circuitry of the second printed circuit board are electrically connected via at least one electrically connecting element.

7. A method of assembling a camera for a vision system for a vehicle, said method comprising:

providing a metallic camera housing;

wherein providing the metallic camera housing comprises forming two housing posts at an interior portion of the metallic camera housing, each of the housing posts protruding from a respective support surface and having a protruding end;

providing a printed circuit board having circuitry disposed thereat, wherein the printed circuit board has a first side and a second side opposite the first side, wherein the circuitry includes an imager disposed at the first side of the printed circuit board;

positioning the printed circuit board in the metallic camera housing with the imager and the first side of the printed circuit board facing toward a lens holding end of the metallic camera housing, wherein, with the printed circuit board positioned in the metallic camera housing, the first side of the printed circuit board engages the support surfaces;

wherein positioning the printed circuit board in the metallic camera housing comprises receiving the housing posts through respective holes through the printed circuit board such that the protruding ends of the housing posts protrude from the second side of the printed circuit board;

adapting the protruding ends of the housing posts to limit movement of the printed circuit board relative to the housing posts and to secure the printed circuit board relative to the housing posts and the metallic camera housing;

wherein adapting the protruding ends of housing posts of the metallic camera housing comprises vibration welding;

providing a rear cover element and attaching the rear cover element at a rear of the metallic camera housing; and

providing a lens at the lens holding end of the metallic camera housing;

wherein providing a rear cover element comprises forming a rear cover element with a cover post protruding rearward therefrom;

providing a connecting portion that receives connecting terminals therein and is configured to connect to a wire harness of a vehicle when the camera is mounted at the vehicle;

electrically connecting the connecting terminals to circuitry of the printed circuit board and attaching the connecting portion at the rear cover element; and

wherein attaching the connecting portion at the rear cover element comprises, after inserting the cover post of the rear cover element through a hole through a portion of the connecting portion, heat stamping a protruding end of the cover post to widen the protruding end of the cover post of the rear cover element to limit retraction of the cover post from the hole through the portion of the connecting portion to secure the connecting portion relative to the rear cover element and relative to the cover post of the rear cover element.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein adapting the protruding ends of the housing posts comprises widening the protruding ends of the housing posts.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein widening the protruding ends of the housing posts comprises widening the protruding ends such that the widened protruding ends contact the second side of the printed circuit board and clamp the printed circuit board between the widened protruding ends and the respective support surfaces of the metallic camera housing that engage the first side of the printed circuit board.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein providing the lens comprises optically aligning the lens with the imager and retaining the lens relative to the imager when optically aligned therewith.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein providing a metallic camera housing comprises extruding an aluminum camera housing.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein adapting the protruding ends of the housing posts comprises punching or vibration welding the protruding ends of the housing posts.

13. A method of assembling a camera for a vision system for a vehicle, said method comprising:

providing a metallic camera housing;

wherein providing the metallic camera housing comprises forming two housing posts at an interior portion of the metallic camera housing, each of the housing posts protruding from a respective support surface and having a protruding end;

providing a printed circuit board having circuitry disposed thereat, wherein the printed circuit board has a first side and a second side opposite the first side, wherein the circuitry includes an imager disposed at the first side of the printed circuit board;

positioning the printed circuit board in the metallic camera housing with the imager and the first side of the printed circuit board facing toward a lens holding end of the metallic camera housing, wherein, with the printed circuit board positioned in the metallic camera housing, the first side of the printed circuit board engages the support surfaces;

wherein positioning the printed circuit board in the metallic camera housing comprises receiving the housing posts through respective holes through the printed circuit board such that the protruding ends of the housing posts protrude from the second side of the printed circuit board;

adapting the protruding ends of the housing posts to limit movement of the printed circuit board relative to the housing posts and to secure the printed circuit board relative to the housing posts and the metallic camera housing;

wherein adapting the protruding ends of the housing posts comprises widening the protruding ends via vibration welding such that the widened protruding ends contact the second side of the printed circuit board and clamp the printed circuit board between the widened protruding ends and the respective support surfaces of the metallic camera housing that engage the first side of the printed circuit board;

providing a rear cover element and attaching the rear cover element at a rear of the metallic camera housing, wherein the rear cover element has a cover post protruding rearward therefrom;

attaching a connecting portion at the rear cover element, wherein the connecting portion is configured to connect to a wire harness of a vehicle when the camera is mounted at the vehicle;

wherein attaching the connecting portion at the rear cover element comprises, after receiving the cover post of the rear cover element through a hole through a portion of the connecting portion, heat stamping a protruding end of the cover post to widen the protruding end of the cover post to limit retraction of the cover post from the hole through the portion of the connecting portion to secure the connecting portion relative to the rear cover element and the cover post of the rear cover element; and

providing a lens at the lens holding end of the metallic camera housing.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the connecting portion, when attached at the rear cover element, receives connecting terminals therein, and wherein the connecting terminals are electrically connected to circuitry of the printed circuit board.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the rear cover element comprises a plastic rear cover element.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein providing a metallic camera housing comprises extruding an aluminum camera housing.