Camera for vehicle vision system with replaceable lens

• US 10,678,018 B2
• Filed: 10/19/2018
• Issued: 06/09/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Byrne, Steven V., Lu, Yuesheng
• Primary Examiner(s): Habib, Irfan
• Application Number:
  US16/165,253
• Publication Number:
  US 20190121051A1
• Time in Patent Office: 599 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/00 Optical viewing arrangements; Real-time viewing arrangements for drivers or passengers using optical image capturing systems, e.g. cameras or video systems specially adapted for use in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/105 using multiple cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/30 characterised by the type of image processing
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/607 from a bird's eye viewpoint
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8066 for monitoring rearward traffic
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0006 with means to keep optical surfaces clean, e.g. by preventing or removing dirt, stains, contamination, condensation G02B1/18 takes precedence; cleaning in general B08B
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/021 for more than one lens
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/022 lens and mount having complementary engagement means, e.g. screw/thread
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/025 using glue
• 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

Abstract

A camera module for a vehicular vision system includes a camera housing having a rear camera housing portion, a front camera housing portion, and a lens barrel at the front camera housing portion. A lens assembly includes a plurality of optical elements arranged along an optical path for focusing images at an imager. The optical elements include barrel-mounted optical elements disposed in the lens barrel and an outermost optical element disposed at a removable cover element. The imager is optically aligned with an optical axis of the lens assembly. The cover element is removably attached at the lens barrel such that, when attached, the outermost optical element is at an appropriate location relative to the barrel-mounted optical elements for focusing of images at the imager. The cover element seals against the lens barrel when the cover element is attached and seated at the lens barrel.

Claims

1. A camera module for a vehicular vision system, said camera module comprising:

a camera housing comprising a rear camera housing portion and a front camera housing portion;

a lens barrel disposed at and extending from said front camera housing portion;

an imager disposed at an imager circuit board accommodated by said camera housing;

a lens assembly comprising a plurality of optical elements for focusing images at said imager;

wherein said plurality of optical elements comprises (i) barrel-mounted optical elements and (ii) an outermost optical element;

wherein said barrel-mounted optical elements are disposed in said lens barrel;

wherein said outermost optical element is disposed at a removable cover element;

wherein said cover element is removably attached at an outer end of said lens barrel distal from said front camera housing portion;

wherein said cover element includes a sealing ring that seals said cover element at said lens barrel when said cover element is attached and seated at said outer end of said lens barrel;

wherein, with said cover element attached and seated at said outer end of said lens barrel, said outermost optical element is at an appropriate location relative to said barrel-mounted optical elements for focusing of images at said imager by said plurality of optical elements;

wherein, with said cover element attached and seated at said outer end of said lens barrel, said imager is optically aligned with an optical axis of said lens assembly; and

wherein circuitry of said camera module is electrically connected to said imager and is electrically connected to electrical connecting elements that are configured to electrically connect to a wire harness of a vehicle when said camera module is disposed at the vehicle.

2. The camera module of claim 1, wherein said camera module is configured to be disposed at an exterior portion of the vehicle so as to have a field of view exterior of the vehicle.

3. The camera module of claim 1, wherein said cover element is threadedly attached at said outer end of said lens barrel.

4. The camera module of claim 3, wherein said cover element contacts a hard stop when being threaded onto threads at said outer end of said lens barrel to set said outermost optical element at the appropriate location relative to said barrel-mounted optical elements for focusing by said plurality of optical elements of images at said imager.

5. The camera module of claim 1, wherein said cover element contacts a hard stop when being attached at said outer end of said lens barrel to set said outermost optical element at the appropriate location relative to said barrel-mounted optical elements for focusing by said plurality of optical elements of images at said imager.

6. The camera module of claim 1, wherein said imager circuit board is adjustably positioned at said front camera housing portion and is adjusted to be optically aligned with said lens assembly and then secured relative to said front camera housing portion.

7. The camera module of claim 6, wherein said imager circuit board is secured relative to said front camera housing portion via at least one fastener.

8. The camera module of claim 6, wherein said imager circuit board is secured relative to said front camera housing portion via adhesive.

9. The camera module of claim 1, wherein said barrel-mounted optical elements are fixedly attached in said lens barrel.

10. The camera module of claim 9, wherein said barrel-mounted optical elements are adhesively attached to an inner surface of said lens barrel.

11. A camera module for a vehicular vision system, said camera module comprising:

a camera housing comprising a rear camera housing portion and a front camera housing portion;

a lens barrel disposed at and extending from said front camera housing portion;

an imager disposed at an imager circuit board accommodated by said camera housing;

a lens assembly comprising a plurality of optical elements for focusing images at said imager;

wherein said plurality of optical elements comprises (i) barrel-mounted optical elements and (ii) an outermost optical element;

wherein said barrel-mounted optical elements are disposed in said lens barrel;

wherein said outermost optical element is disposed at a removable cover element;

wherein said cover element is removably attached at an outer end of said lens barrel distal from said front camera housing portion;

wherein said cover element is threadedly attached at said outer end of said lens barrel;

wherein said cover element includes a sealing ring that seals said cover element at said lens barrel when said cover element is attached and seated at said outer end of said lens barrel;

wherein, with said cover element attached and seated at said outer end of said lens barrel, said outermost optical element is at an appropriate location relative to said barrel-mounted optical elements for focusing of images at said imager by said plurality of optical elements;

wherein, with said cover element attached and seated at said outer end of said lens barrel, said imager is optically aligned with an optical axis of said lens assembly;

wherein circuitry of said camera module is electrically connected to said imager and is electrically connected to electrical connecting elements that are configured to electrically connect to a wire harness of a vehicle when said camera module is disposed at the vehicle; and

wherein said camera module is configured to be disposed at an exterior portion of the vehicle so as to have a field of view exterior of the vehicle.

12. The camera module of claim 11, wherein said cover element contacts a hard stop when being threaded onto threads at said outer end of said lens barrel to set said outermost optical element at the appropriate location relative to said barrel-mounted optical elements for focusing by said plurality of optical elements of images at said imager.

13. The camera module of claim 11, wherein said imager circuit board is adjustably positioned at said front camera housing portion and is adjusted to be optically aligned with said lens assembly and then secured relative to said front camera housing portion.

14. The camera module of claim 11, wherein said barrel-mounted optical elements are fixedly attached in said lens barrel.

15. The camera module of claim 14, wherein said barrel-mounted optical elements are adhesively attached to an inner surface of said lens barrel.

16. A camera module for a vehicular vision system, said camera module comprising:

a camera housing comprising a rear camera housing portion and a front camera housing portion;

a lens barrel disposed at and extending from said front camera housing portion;

an imager disposed at an imager circuit board accommodated by said camera housing;

a lens assembly comprising a plurality of optical elements for focusing images at said imager;

wherein said plurality of optical elements comprises (i) barrel-mounted optical elements and (ii) an outermost optical element;

wherein said barrel-mounted optical elements are disposed in said lens barrel;

wherein said outermost optical element is disposed at a removable cover element;

wherein said cover element is removably attached at an outer end of said lens barrel distal from said front camera housing portion;

wherein said cover element contacts a hard stop when being attached at said outer end of said lens barrel to set said outermost optical element at the appropriate location relative to said barrel-mounted optical elements for focusing by said plurality of optical elements of images at said imager;

wherein said cover element includes a sealing ring that seals said cover element at said lens barrel when said cover element is attached at said outer end of said lens barrel and seated against said hard stop;

wherein, with said cover element attached at said outer end of said lens barrel and seated against said hard stop, said outermost optical element is at an appropriate location relative to said barrel-mounted optical elements for focusing of images at said imager by said plurality of optical elements;

wherein, with said cover element attached at said outer end of said lens barrel and seated against said hard stop, said imager is optically aligned with an optical axis of said lens assembly;

wherein circuitry of said camera module is electrically connected to said imager and is electrically connected to electrical connecting elements that are configured to electrically connect to a wire harness of a vehicle when said camera module is disposed at the vehicle; and

wherein said camera module is configured to be disposed at an exterior portion of the vehicle so as to have a field of view exterior of the vehicle.

17. The camera module of claim 16, wherein said imager circuit board is adjustably positioned at said front camera housing portion and is adjusted to be optically aligned with said lens assembly and then secured relative to said front camera housing portion.

18. The camera module of claim 17, wherein said imager circuit board is secured relative to said front camera housing portion via at least one fastener.

19. The camera module of claim 17, wherein said imager circuit board is secured relative to said front camera housing portion via adhesive.

20. The camera module of claim 16, wherein said barrel-mounted optical elements are adhesively attached to an inner surface of said lens barrel.