IR BLOCKING LENS HOLDER

• US 20180176429A1
• Filed: 12/21/2016
• Published: 06/21/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH, Robert Bosch LLC (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Avalos, Hiram, Manushi, Ligor, Ryskamp, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 10,270,950 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/1612 Infrared [IR] radiation, e.g. by infrared lasers
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/1635 at least passing through one of the parts to be joined, i.e. laser transmission welding
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/112 Single lapped joints
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/114 Single butt joints
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/131 Single flanged joints, i.e. one of the parts to be joined being rigid and flanged in the joint area
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/5344 said single elements being substantially annular, i.e. of finite length, e.g. joining flanges to tube ends B29C66/5346 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/54 Joining several hollow-preforms, e.g. half-shells, to form hollow articles, e.g. for making balls, containers; Joining several hollow-preforms, e.g. half-cylinders, to form tubular articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2995/0027 for light outside the visible spectrum
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/3481 Housings or casings incorporating or embedding electric or electronic elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0025 for optical correction, e.g. distorsion, aberration
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/02 for lenses supports for magnifying lenses G02B25/002
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/55 Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof

Abstract

A lens holder including a first portion made of a first plastic material capable of being laser welded to an imager assembly. The lens holder further includes a second portion made of a second plastic material capable of blocking infrared radiation. The first portion and the second portion are coupled together in nested relation.

Claims

1. A lens holder comprising:

a first portion made of a first plastic material capable of being laser welded to a camera assembly; and

a second portion made of a second plastic material capable of blocking infrared radiation,

wherein the first portion and the second portion are coupled together in nested relation with the second portion being at least partly inside the first portion.

2. The lens holder of claim 1, wherein the first plastic material is optically transmissive of the infrared wavelength.

3. The lens holder of claim 1, wherein the second plastic material includes carbon black material.

4. The lens holder of claim 1, wherein the first portion further includes a flange.

5. The lens holder of claim 4, wherein the flange is laser welded to a housing of the camera assembly.

6. The lens holder of claim 1, wherein the first portion includes at least one boss and the second portion includes at least one through hole, and wherein the at least one boss is received in the at least one through hole.

7. The lens holder of claim 6, wherein at least one fastener is received in a hole of the at least one boss.

8. The lens holder of claim 7, wherein the at least one fastener couples the lens holder to a circuit board of the camera assembly.

9. The lens holder of claim 1, wherein the first portion further includes a first cylindrical body having a shoulder and the second portion includes a second cylindrical body.

10. The lens holder of claim 9, wherein the second cylindrical body is received in the first cylindrical body in nested relation.

11. The lens holder of claim 10, wherein a distal end of the second cylindrical body abuts and is supported on the shoulder of the first cylindrical body, and wherein a radially inner surface of the shoulder is flush with a radially inner surface of the second cylindrical body.

12. The lens holder of claim 9, wherein a bottom portion of the first cylindrical body is laser welded to a lens assembly of the camera assembly.

13. The lens holder of claim 1, wherein the second portion includes at least one pin that abuts a circuit board of the camera assembly when the lens holder is coupled to the circuit board, and wherein the at least one pin is configured to align the lens holder with the circuit board during assembly.

14. The lens holder of claim 1, wherein the lens holder is coupled to a circuit board of the camera assembly using an adhesive.

15. The lens holder of claim 1, wherein the first portion and the second portion are chemically bonded together during a molding process.

16. A method of producing a lens holder, the method comprising;

molding a first portion from a first plastic material capable of being laser welded to a camera assembly;

molding a second portion from a second plastic material capable of blocking infrared radiation; and

coupling the first portion and the second portion together in nested relation with the second portion being at least partly inside the first portion.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the first portion and the second portion are molded together within the same injection molding machine.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the first plastic material is optically transmissive of the infrared wavelength and the second plastic material includes carbon black material to block infrared radiation.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the second portion is molded first and the first portion is overmolded onto the second portion.

17. (canceled)

21. A lens holder comprising:

a first portion made of a first plastic material capable of being laser welded to a camera assembly; and

a second portion made of a second plastic material capable of blocking infrared radiation,

wherein the first portion and the second portion are coupled together in nested relation; and

wherein the first portion includes at least one boss and the second portion includes at least one through hole, and wherein the at least one boss is received in the at least one through hole.

22. The lens holder of claim 21, wherein at least one fastener is received in a hole of the at least one boss.

23. The lens holder of claim 22, wherein the at least one fastener couples the lens holder to a circuit board of the camera assembly.