Vehicular camera with lens heater with connectors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11801795-B2
Application number	US-202117447829-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 16, 2021
Priority date	Sep 18, 2020
Publication date	Oct 31, 2023
Grant date	Oct 31, 2023

Abstract

A vehicular camera includes a camera housing, a lens assembly having a lens, an imager printed circuit board (imager PCB), and a heating device. The imager PCB is disposed at the camera housing and the lens is aligned with an imager disposed at the imager PCB. The heating device is disposed at at least a portion of the lens assembly and includes an electrically connecting portion having electrical contacts at an end thereof, with the electrical contacts disposed at an inner surface of the camera housing. The heating device is electrically connected to circuitry of the vehicular camera via electrical connectors that electrically connect with the electrical contacts of the electrically connecting portion of the heating device at the camera housing as the vehicular camera is assembled.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A vehicular camera for a vehicular vision system, the vehicular camera comprising:
a camera housing;
a lens assembly comprising a lens having optic elements;
wherein the lens assembly is disposed at the camera housing;
an imager printed circuit board (imager PCB) disposed at the camera housing, wherein the imager PCB has a front side and a rear side separated by a thickness dimension of the imager PCB, and wherein an imager is disposed at the front side of the imager PCB, and wherein the lens is optically aligned with the imager;
a heating device disposed at at least a portion of the lens assembly, wherein the heating device includes an electrically connecting portion having electrical contacts at an end thereof, wherein the electrical contacts are disposed at an inner surface of the camera housing;
wherein the electrical contacts are spaced from the front side of the imager PCB;
wherein the heating device is electrically connected to circuitry of the vehicular camera via electrical connectors that electrically connect with the electrical contacts of the electrically connecting portion of the heating device at the camera housing as the vehicular camera is assembled;
wherein the camera housing includes a connector portion that is configured to electrically connect the vehicular camera to a wire harness connector of a vehicle when the vehicular camera is disposed at the vehicle to electrically connect the circuitry of the vehicular camera to a power source of the vehicle;
a connector printed circuit board (connector PCB) that is in board-to-board electrical connection with the imager PCB and that is electrically connected to the connector portion of the camera housing, wherein the connector PCB comprises a first side that faces the rear side of the imager PCB and a second side that faces the connector portion of the camera housing;
wherein the electrical connectors (i) extend between the first side of the connector PCB and the electrical contacts of the heating device and (ii) are spaced from and do not contact the imager PCB, and wherein the electrical connectors electrically connect the heating device with circuitry of the connector PCB; and
wherein, with the vehicular camera disposed at the vehicle and with the vehicular camera electrically connected to the wire harness connector of the vehicle, the heating device, when electrically operated, heats at least part of the lens that is adjacent to the portion of the lens assembly.

2. The vehicular camera of claim 1 , wherein the electrical connectors comprise spring-loaded electrical connectors.

3. The vehicular camera of claim 2 , wherein the spring-loaded electrical connectors are disposed at a location adjacent to where the imager PCB attaches at the camera housing, and wherein the electrical contacts of the heating device are disposed at a recessed region of the camera housing so as to be spaced from the imager PCB, and wherein the spring-loaded electrical connectors align with the recessed region and engage the electrical contacts.

4. The vehicular camera of claim 3 , wherein the spring-loaded electrical connectors and electrical contacts allow for relative lateral movement during focus and alignment of the lens relative to the imager.

5. The vehicular camera of claim 2 , wherein the spring-loaded electrical connectors extend from the connector PCB through a notch at a perimeter edge region of the imager PCB to engage the electrical contacts of the heating device at the camera housing.

6. The vehicular camera of claim 2 , wherein the spring-loaded electrical connectors extend from the connector PCB through a hole through the imager PCB to engage the electrical contacts of the heating device at the camera housing.

7. The vehicular camera of claim 1 , wherein the camera housing comprises a lens holder, and wherein the lens assembly is attached at the lens holder, and wherein electrical pads are disposed at a carrier element that is attached at an inner surface of the lens holder, and wherein the electrical connectors engage the electrical pads to electrically connect with the electrical contacts of the electrically connecting portion of the heating device at the camera housing as the vehicular camera is assembled.

8. The vehicular camera of claim 7 , wherein, with the carrier element attached at the inner surface of the lens holder, the electrical pads electrically connect with the electrical contacts of the electrically connecting portion of the heating device at the camera housing.

9. The vehicular camera of claim 8 , wherein the carrier element comprises a plastic element that snap attaches at the camera housing.

10. A vehicular camera for a vehicular vision system, the vehicular camera comprising:
a camera housing;
a lens assembly comprising a lens having optic elements;
wherein the lens assembly is disposed at the camera housing;
an imager printed circuit board (imager PCB) disposed at the camera housing, wherein the imager PCB has a front side and a rear side separated by a thickness dimension of the imager PCB, and wherein an imager is disposed at the front side of the imager PCB, and wherein the lens is optically aligned with the imager;
a heating device disposed at at least a portion of the lens assembly, wherein the heating device includes an electrically connecting portion having electrical contacts at an end thereof, wherein the electrical contacts are disposed at an inner surface of the camera housing;
wherein the electrical contacts are spaced from the front side of the imager PCB;
wherein the heating device is electrically connected to circuitry of the vehicular camera via spring-loaded electrical connectors that electrically connect with the electrical contacts of the electrically connecting portion of the heating device at the camera housing as the vehicular camera is assembled;
wherein electrical pads are disposed at a carrier element that is attached at an inner surface of the camera housing, and wherein, with the carrier element attached at the inner surface of the camera housing, the electrical pads electrically connect with the electrical contacts of the electrically connecting portion of the heating device at the camera housing;
wherein the spring-loaded electrical connectors engage the electrical pads to electrically connect with the electrical contacts of the electrically connecting portion of the heating device at the camera housing as the vehicular camera is assembled;
wherein the spring-loaded electrical connectors are disposed at a location adjacent to where the imager PCB attaches at the camera housing, and wherein the spring-loaded electrical connectors align with the electrical pads and engage the electrical pads;
wherein the camera housing includes a connector portion that is configured to electrically connect the vehicular camera to a wire harness connector of a vehicle when the vehicular camera is disposed at the vehicle to electrically connect the circuitry of the vehicular camera to a power source of the vehicle;
a connector printed circuit board (connector PCB) that is in board-to-board electrical connection with the imager PCB and that is electrically connected to the connector portion of the camera housing, wherein the connector PCB comprises a first side that faces the rear side of the imager PCB and a second side that faces the connector portion of the camera housing;
wherein the spring-loaded electrical connectors (i) extend between the first side of the connector PCB and the electrical pads and (ii) are spaced from and do not contact the imager PCB, and wherein the spring-loaded electrical connectors electrically connect the heating device with circuitry of the connector PCB; and

Assignees

• Magna Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Sauer Stefan
• Dreiocker Rene
• Byrne Steven V
• Conger Jonathan D

Classifications

• B60R11/04 Primary

  Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle · CPC title

• G02B7/028

  with means for compensating for changes in temperature or for controlling the temperature; thermal stabilisation · CPC title

• G03B17/55 Primary

  with provision for heating or cooling, e.g. in aircraft · CPC title

• H01R12/716

  Coupling device provided on the PCB · CPC title

• H04N23/51

  Housings · CPC title