US 12,022,176 B2
Vehicular exterior camera with lens attached to imager circuit board
Rene Dreiocker, Rochester Hills, MI (US); Jonathan D. Conger, Berkley, MI (US); Jose Luis Zamudio Cabral, Rochester Hills, MI (US); and Steven V. Byrne, Goodrich, MI (US)
Assigned to Magna Electronics Inc., Auburn Hills, MI (US)
Filed by Magna Electronics Inc., Auburn Hills, MI (US)
Filed on May 4, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/661,923.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/201,602, filed on May 6, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0360691 A1, Nov. 10, 2022
Int. Cl. H04N 23/54 (2023.01); B60R 11/04 (2006.01); G03B 17/08 (2021.01); H04N 23/51 (2023.01); H04N 23/52 (2023.01); H04N 23/55 (2023.01); H04N 23/57 (2023.01)
CPC H04N 23/54 (2023.01) [B60R 11/04 (2013.01); H04N 23/51 (2023.01); H04N 23/52 (2023.01); H04N 23/55 (2023.01); H04N 23/57 (2023.01); G03B 17/08 (2013.01)] 22 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A vehicular exterior camera, the vehicular exterior camera comprising:
a camera housing comprising a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion and the second portion are joined together to form an internal cavity of the vehicular exterior camera;
an imager printed circuit board (imager PCB), wherein the imager PCB comprises a first side and a second side opposite the first side and separated from the first side by a thickness of the imager PCB, and wherein an imager is disposed at the first side of the imager PCB;
a lens barrel accommodating a lens and having an inner end;
wherein the first portion of the camera housing comprises a passageway for receiving the lens barrel;
wherein the first portion of the camera housing attaches to the second portion of the camera housing and the first portion of the camera housing is not attached to the imager PCB;
wherein the lens barrel is received through the passageway of the first portion of the camera housing, and wherein the inner end of the lens barrel is adhesively bonded to the first side of the imager PCB via an adhesive, and wherein the adhesive is disposed between the inner end of the lens barrel and the first side of the imager and circumscribes the imager at the first side of the imager PCB to enclose an area between the imager PCB and the lens, whereby the imager is disposed within the enclosed area between the imager PCB and the lens; and
wherein cured adhesive circumscribing the imager forms a barrier to ingress of contaminants into the enclosed area between the imager PCB and the lens.