Vehicular camera with adhesively bonded construction
First Claim
1. A vehicular camera, said vehicular camera comprising:
- a lens comprising a plurality of optical elements, wherein the lens is accommodated in a lens barrel, and wherein the lens barrel comprises a cylindrical portion;
a lens holder comprising a cylindrical passageway that accommodates at least a portion of the cylindrical portion of the lens barrel;
a printed circuit board;
an imager disposed at the printed circuit board;
a flexible electrical ribbon cable with one end electrically connecting at the printed circuit board and with another distal end electrically terminating at an electrical connector of the flexible electrical ribbon cable;
wherein said vehicular camera utilizes an adhesive to hold the lens optically aligned with the imager;
wherein the adhesive is initially curable in an initial radiation curing process for an initial-cure time period of less than 10 seconds, and wherein the initially-cured adhesive is further curable to a further-cured strength in a secondary curing process;
wherein the adhesive is initially cured via the initial radiation curing process after the lens is optically aligned with the imager;
wherein the initially-cured adhesive, as cured via the initial radiation curing process, holds the lens optically aligned with the imager;
wherein, as further cured via the secondary curing process for a further-cure time period that is longer than the initial-cure time period, the further-cured adhesive maintains optical alignment of the lens with the imager for use of said vehicular camera in a vehicle;
wherein the adhesive, in its uncured state, comprises a one-part, filled adhesive; and
wherein the further-cured adhesive maintains at least 70% strength of bond after being exposed for 1000 hours to a temperature of 85 degrees Celsius and a humidity of 85% RH.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicular camera includes a lens accommodated in a lens barrel, a lens holder that accommodates at least part of the lens holder, and a printed circuit board with an imager disposed thereat. After the lens is optically aligned with the imager, the adhesive is initially curable to an initially-cured state in an initial curing process for an initial-cure time period. The initially-cured adhesive is further curable to a further-cured state in a secondary curing process for a further-cure time period that is longer than the initial-cure time period. As further cured, the further-cured adhesive maintains optical alignment of the lens with the imager for use of the vehicular camera in a vehicle. The further-cured adhesive maintains at least 70% strength of bond after being exposed for 1000 hours to a temperature of 85 degrees Celsius and a humidity of 85% RH.
146 Citations
76 Claims
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1. A vehicular camera, said vehicular camera comprising:
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a lens comprising a plurality of optical elements, wherein the lens is accommodated in a lens barrel, and wherein the lens barrel comprises a cylindrical portion; a lens holder comprising a cylindrical passageway that accommodates at least a portion of the cylindrical portion of the lens barrel; a printed circuit board; an imager disposed at the printed circuit board; a flexible electrical ribbon cable with one end electrically connecting at the printed circuit board and with another distal end electrically terminating at an electrical connector of the flexible electrical ribbon cable; wherein said vehicular camera utilizes an adhesive to hold the lens optically aligned with the imager; wherein the adhesive is initially curable in an initial radiation curing process for an initial-cure time period of less than 10 seconds, and wherein the initially-cured adhesive is further curable to a further-cured strength in a secondary curing process; wherein the adhesive is initially cured via the initial radiation curing process after the lens is optically aligned with the imager; wherein the initially-cured adhesive, as cured via the initial radiation curing process, holds the lens optically aligned with the imager; wherein, as further cured via the secondary curing process for a further-cure time period that is longer than the initial-cure time period, the further-cured adhesive maintains optical alignment of the lens with the imager for use of said vehicular camera in a vehicle; wherein the adhesive, in its uncured state, comprises a one-part, filled adhesive; and wherein the further-cured adhesive maintains at least 70% strength of bond after being exposed for 1000 hours to a temperature of 85 degrees Celsius and a humidity of 85% RH. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A vehicular camera, said vehicular camera comprising:
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a lens comprising a plurality of optical elements, wherein the lens is accommodated in a lens barrel, and wherein the lens barrel comprises a cylindrical portion; a lens holder comprising a cylindrical passageway that accommodates at least a portion of the cylindrical portion of the lens barrel; a printed circuit board; a CMOS imager disposed at the printed circuit board; a flexible electrical ribbon cable with one end electrically connecting at the printed circuit board and with another distal end electrically terminating at an electrical connector of the flexible electrical ribbon cable; wherein said vehicular camera utilizes an adhesive to hold the lens optically aligned with the CMOS imager; wherein the adhesive is initially curable in an initial radiation curing process for an initial-cure time period of less than 10 seconds, and wherein the initially-cured adhesive is further curable to a further-cured strength in a secondary curing process; wherein the adhesive is initially cured via the initial radiation curing process after the lens is optically aligned with the CMOS imager; wherein the initially-cured adhesive, as cured via the initial radiation curing process, holds the lens optically aligned with the CMOS imager; wherein, as further cured via the secondary curing process for a further-cure time period that is longer than the initial-cure time period, the further-cured adhesive maintains optical alignment of the lens with the CMOS imager for use of said vehicular camera in a vehicle; wherein the adhesive, in its uncured state, comprises a one-part, filled adhesive; wherein the further-cured adhesive maintains at least 70% strength of bond after being exposed for 1000 hours to a temperature of 85 degrees Celsius and a humidity of 85% RH; and wherein said vehicular camera, when installed and used in the vehicle, captures image data for use by an automatic high-beam control of the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55)
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56. A vehicular camera, said vehicular camera comprising:
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a lens comprising a plurality of optical elements, wherein the lens is accommodated in a lens barrel, and wherein the lens barrel comprises a cylindrical portion; a lens holder comprising a cylindrical passageway that accommodates at least a portion of the cylindrical portion of the lens barrel; a printed circuit board; a CMOS imager disposed at the printed circuit board; a flexible electrical ribbon cable with one end electrically connecting at the printed circuit board and with another distal end electrically terminating at an electrical connector of the flexible electrical ribbon cable; wherein said vehicular camera utilizes an adhesive to hold the lens optically aligned with the CMOS imager; wherein the adhesive is initially curable in an initial radiation curing process for an initial-cure time period of less than 10 seconds, and wherein the initially-cured adhesive is further curable to a further-cured strength in a secondary curing process; wherein the adhesive is initially cured via the initial radiation curing process after the lens is optically aligned with the CMOS imager; wherein the initially-cured adhesive, as cured via the initial radiation curing process, holds the lens optically aligned with the CMOS imager; wherein, as further cured via the secondary curing process for a further-cure time period that is longer than the initial-cure time period, the further-cured adhesive maintains optical alignment of the lens with the CMOS imager for use of said vehicular camera in a vehicle; wherein the adhesive, in its uncured state, comprises a one-part, filled adhesive; wherein the further-cured adhesive maintains at least 70% strength of bond after being exposed for 1000 hours to a temperature of 85 degrees Celsius and a humidity of 85% RH; and wherein said vehicular camera, when installed and used in the vehicle, captures image data for use by a rear vision system of the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76)
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Specification