US 12,328,491 B1
Vehicular camera and lens assembly
Matthew C. Sesti, Williamston, MI (US); Robert A. Devota, Durand, MI (US); Yuesheng Lu, Farmington Hills, MI (US); Steven V. Byrne, Goodrich, MI (US); and Joel S. Gibson, Linden, MI (US)
Assigned to MAGNA ELECTRONICS INC., Auburn Hills, MI (US)
Filed by MAGNA ELECTRONICS INC., Auburn Hills, MI (US)
Filed on Sep. 26, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/935,187.
Application 17/935,187 is a continuation of application No. 17/248,780, filed on Feb. 8, 2021, granted, now 11,457,134.
Application 17/248,780 is a continuation of application No. 16/946,764, filed on Jul. 6, 2020, granted, now 10,917,548, issued on Feb. 9, 2021.
Application 16/946,764 is a continuation of application No. 16/025,062, filed on Jul. 2, 2018, granted, now 10,708,476, issued on Jul. 7, 2020.
Application 16/025,062 is a continuation of application No. 15/056,011, filed on Feb. 29, 2016, granted, now 10,015,377, issued on Jul. 3, 2018.
Application 15/056,011 is a continuation of application No. 14/353,808, granted, now 9,277,104, issued on Mar. 1, 2016, previously published as PCT/US2012/061548, filed on Oct. 24, 2012.
Application 14/353,808 is a continuation in part of application No. 14/033,964, filed on Sep. 23, 2013, granted, now 9,338,334, issued on May 10, 2016.
Application 14/033,964 is a continuation of application No. 13/260,400, granted, now 8,542,451, issued on Sep. 24, 2013, previously published as PCT/US2010/028621, filed on Mar. 25, 2010.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/550,664, filed on Oct. 24, 2011.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/232,544, filed on Aug. 10, 2009.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/163,240, filed on Mar. 25, 2009.
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G02B 7/00 (2021.01); B60R 11/04 (2006.01); G02B 7/02 (2021.01); G02B 7/04 (2021.01); G02B 13/00 (2006.01); G02B 27/00 (2006.01); G02B 27/62 (2006.01); H04N 23/51 (2023.01); H04N 23/54 (2023.01); H04N 23/55 (2023.01); H04N 23/57 (2023.01); H04N 23/63 (2023.01); H10F 39/00 (2025.01)
CPC H04N 23/55 (2023.01) [B60R 11/04 (2013.01); G02B 7/003 (2013.01); G02B 7/02 (2013.01); G02B 7/025 (2013.01); G02B 7/04 (2013.01); G02B 13/001 (2013.01); G02B 27/0025 (2013.01); G02B 27/62 (2013.01); H04N 23/51 (2023.01); H04N 23/54 (2023.01); H04N 23/57 (2023.01); H04N 23/63 (2023.01); H10F 39/804 (2025.01); H10F 39/806 (2025.01); H01L 2924/0002 (2013.01); Y10T 29/49002 (2015.01)] 137 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A vehicular camera assembly, said vehicular camera assembly comprising:
a camera housing comprising a front housing portion and a back housing portion;
said front housing portion comprising (i) a plurality of optical elements, (ii) a CMOS imager having an outer side and an inner side that is separated from the outer side by a thickness dimension of said CMOS imager, said CMOS imager comprising an imaging array at the outer side of said CMOS imager, and (iii) an imager printed circuit board, said imager printed circuit board having a first side and a second side that is separated from the first side by a thickness dimension of said imager printed circuit board;
wherein said imager printed circuit board comprises electronic circuitry at least on the first side of said imager printed circuit board, and wherein the electronic circuitry of said imager printed circuit board comprises said CMOS imager, and wherein the inner side of said CMOS imager is at the first side of said imager printed circuit board;
wherein the plurality of optical elements comprises at least one glass lens element and at least one plastic lens element;
wherein the plurality of optical elements is held in position relative to said CMOS imager by an adhesive;
wherein optical elements of the plurality of optical elements are accommodated in a lens barrel, and wherein the lens barrel comprises (i) a cylinder having a length and a circular cross section, the cylinder commencing at a first end and terminating at a second end, the cylinder accommodating optical elements of the plurality of optical elements and (ii) an annular flange integral with and extending radially outward from the cylinder at a location between the first end and the second end of the cylinder of the lens barrel, the annular flange having an annular attaching surface at a side of the annular flange that is spaced from and faces toward the first end of the cylinder;
wherein, with the plurality of optical elements held in position relative to said CMOS imager by the adhesive, the imaging array at the outer side of said CMOS imager is devoid of the adhesive;
wherein the adhesive is formed by curing an adhesive material that is curable via exposure of the adhesive material to ultraviolet (UV) light;
wherein the adhesive maintains the position of the plurality of optical elements with respect to said CMOS imager during use of the vehicular camera assembly on a vehicle equipped with the vehicular camera assembly; and
wherein said back housing portion is joined at said front housing portion.