US 12,035,027 B2
Vehicular camera and lens assembly
Yuesheng Lu, Farmington Hills, MI (US); Steven V. Byrne, Goodrich, MI (US); Matthew C. Sesti, Williamston, MI (US); Joel S. Gibson, Linden, MI (US); and Robert A. Devota, Durand, MI (US)
Assigned to MAGNA ELECTRONICS INC., Auburn Hills, MI (US)
Filed by MAGNA ELECTRONICS INC., Auburn Hills, MI (US)
Filed on Oct. 11, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/450,503.
Application 17/450,503 is a continuation of application No. 16/390,081, filed on Apr. 22, 2019, granted, now 11,146,713.
Application 16/390,081 is a continuation of application No. 15/149,337, filed on May 9, 2016, granted, now 10,270,949, issued on Apr. 23, 2019.
Application 15/149,337 is a continuation 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 61/232,544, filed on Aug. 10, 2009.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/163,240, filed on Mar. 25, 2009.
Prior Publication US 2022/0030145 A1, Jan. 27, 2022
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); H01L 27/146 (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)
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); H01L 27/14618 (2013.01); H01L 27/14625 (2013.01); H04N 23/51 (2023.01); H04N 23/54 (2023.01); H04N 23/57 (2023.01); H04N 23/63 (2023.01); H01L 2924/0002 (2013.01); Y10T 29/49002 (2015.01)] 22 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A vehicular camera assembly, said vehicular camera assembly comprising:
a camera housing comprising a front housing portion and a rear housing portion;
said front housing portion comprising (i) a lens, (ii) an imager and (iii) an imager printed circuit board;
wherein said imager comprises a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor;
wherein said lens comprises a plurality of optical elements;
wherein said imager printed circuit board has a first side and a second side opposite the first side, and wherein the second side of said imager printed circuit board is separated from said first side of said imager printed circuit board 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 imager;
wherein said imager comprises an outer surface and an inner surface, and wherein the inner surface of said imager is mounted at the first side of said imager printed circuit board;
wherein said lens is held in position relative to said imager by an adhesive;
wherein the adhesive comprises a UV-curable adhesive;
wherein, with said lens held in position relative to said imager by the adhesive, the outer surface of said imager is devoid of the adhesive and an air gap exists between said lens and the outer surface of said imager;
wherein, with the adhesive disposed in an uncured state on said imager printed circuit board laterally outboard of said imager, and with said lens positioned relative to said imager, the adhesive is cured from its uncured state to an at least partially-cured state by exposure to UV light;
wherein the plurality of optical elements of said lens comprises a frontmost optical element, and wherein, with said lens held in position relative to said imager by the adhesive, said frontmost optical element is distanced further from said imager than any other optical element of the plurality of optical elements of said lens, and wherein any other optical element of the plurality of optical elements of said lens is disposed between said frontmost optical element and said imager;
wherein said frontmost optical element comprises a glass lens element;
wherein the plurality of optical elements of said lens comprises at least one plastic lens element;
wherein said vehicular camera assembly comprises a vehicular rearview camera assembly that, when attached at a vehicle equipped with said vehicular camera assembly, generates video images that assist a driver of the equipped vehicle when backing up the equipped vehicle;
wherein said rear housing portion is joined at said front housing portion;
wherein said vehicular camera assembly comprises circuitry operable to process video images captured by said imager when said vehicular camera assembly is disposed at the equipped vehicle;
wherein said rear housing portion of said camera housing comprises a connector portion configured for electrically connecting said vehicular camera assembly to electrical wiring of the equipped vehicle;
wherein said connector portion of said rear housing portion comprises a plurality of individual electrically conductive pins;
wherein each individual electrically conductive pin of said plurality of individual electrically conductive pins has a first end that terminates interior of said camera housing and a second end that terminates exterior of said camera housing; and
wherein the second end that terminates exterior of said camera housing is accessible from exterior said camera housing.