Camera module for providing operational convenience

• US 9,703,176 B2
• Filed: 01/20/2015
• Issued: 07/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Innotek Company Limited (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Innotek Company Limited (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Lee, Jin Ho, Park, Ji Hwan, Han, Sang Yeal, Lee, Min Woo, Jeong, Seung Man
• Primary Examiner(s): Hsu, Amy
• Application Number:
  US14/600,069
• Publication Number:
  US 20150205186A1
• Time in Patent Office: 903 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/004 outside the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0094 characterised by means for covering after user, e.g. boxes, shutters or the like
• 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 7/026 using retaining rings or springs G02B7/027 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/08 Waterproof bodies or 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 includes a lens holder, a base coupled to the lens holder and integrally formed with a cable by being molded with the cable, and a sealing member positioned at a coupled surface between the lens holder and the base. The lens holder includes a lens barrel including a first concave unit formed at a front surface with a hollow hole part to accommodate a first O-ring, and a second concave unit formed at a periphery to accommodate a second O-ring. A lens unit includes a front lens arranged at a front surface of a lens barrel and includes at least one lens arranged at the hollow hole part of the lens barrel, and a retainer including a recess groove configured to accommodate a third O-ring configured to fix the front lens by being formed at a periphery to be coupled at an inner surface to the periphery of the lens barrel.

Claims

1. A camera module, the camera module comprising:

a PCB (Printed Circuit Board) mounted with an image sensor;

a lens holder mounted with at least one lens by being coupled to the PCB using an adhesive member;

a base coupled to the lens holder and integrally formed by being molded with a cable; and

a conductive unit mounted at one end to a PCB side and at another end to the base to allow attachment and detachment by complementary coupling,

wherein the base includes a first molding unit coupled to the lens holder and a second molding unit connected at one end to a cable and connected at another end to the conductive unit.

2. The camera module of claim 1, wherein the adhesive member includes an epoxy curable by heat and UV (Ultraviolet), where the adhesive member is cured after completion of alignment of optical axis between the lens holder and the image sensor.

3. The camera module of claim 1, wherein the conductive unit includes a first terminal mounted on the PCB, and a second terminal fixed to the second molding unit of the base, wherein the first and second terminals are configured to be mutually coupleable.

4. The camera module of claim 3, wherein the first terminal is a pin header, and the second terminal is a terminal block.

5. The camera module of claim 1, wherein the conductive unit is arranged at an inner space of the base.

6. The camera module of claim 1, further comprising a sealing member at a coupling surface between the lens holder and the base.

7. The camera module of claim 6, wherein the sealing member takes a cross-sectional shape of any one of a round shape, a square shape, a polygonal shape, or a protrusive shape protruded from at least two surfaces of a polygonal shape.

8. The camera module of claim 1, wherein the lens holder and the base are screw-connected.

9. The camera module of claim 1, wherein the base includes a recess groove unit configured to accommodate the PCB thereinside.

10. A camera module, the camera module comprising:

a PCB (Printed Circuit Board) mounted with an image sensor;

a lens holder mounted with at least one lens by being coupled to the PCB using an adhesive member;

a base coupled to the lens holder and integrally formed by being molded with a cable;

a conductive unit mounted at one end to a PCB side and another end to the base to allow attachment and detachment by complementary coupling; and

a sealing member at a coupling surface between the lens holder and the base,

wherein the sealing member takes a cross-sectional shape of any one of a round shape, a square shape, a polygonal shape, or a protrusive shape protruded from at least two surfaces of a polygonal shape.

11. The camera module of claim 10, wherein the adhesive member includes an epoxy curable by heat and UV (Ultraviolet), where the adhesive member is cured after completion of alignment of optical axis between the lens holder and the image sensor.

12. The camera module of claim 10, wherein the base includes a first molding unit coupled to the lens holder, and a second molding unit connected at one end to a cable and connected at another end to the conductive unit, and

wherein the conductive unit includes a first terminal mounted on the PCB, and a second terminal fixed to the second molding unit of the base, wherein the first and second terminals are configured to be mutually coupleable.

13. The camera module of claim 12, wherein the first terminal is a pin header, and the second terminal is a terminal block.

14. The camera module of claim 10, wherein the conductive unit is arranged at an inner space of the base.

15. The camera module of claim 10, wherein the lens holder and the base are screw-connected.

16. The camera module of claim 10, wherein the base includes a recess groove unit configured to accommodate the PCB thereinside.