Product having plurality of components fixed to each other by adhesive

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9802386-B2
Application number	US-201514672381-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 30, 2015
Priority date	Mar 31, 2014
Publication date	Oct 31, 2017
Grant date	Oct 31, 2017

Abstract

A product includes a first component, a second component and an adhesive. The adhesive fills an interior space that is surrounded by the first component and the second component. The second component comprising an inlet that communicates between an exterior space of the second component and the interior space so as to enable the adhesive to be injected into the interior space. The inlet comprising a tapered portion that narrows from the exterior space towards the interior space.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A product comprising:
a first component;
a second component, the first component and the second component being provided so as to surround an interior space; and
an adhesive that fills the interior space that is surrounded by the first component and the second component,
the second component housing the first component,
the interior space being surrounded by an outer peripheral surface of the first component and an inner peripheral surface of the second component,
the second component comprising an inlet that communicates between an exterior space of the second component and the interior space so as to enable the adhesive to be injected into the interior space,
the inlet comprising a tapered portion that narrows from the exterior space towards the interior space and a nozzle receiving portion in which an adhesive injection nozzle is inserted, the adhesive injection nozzle injecting the adhesive into the interior space from the inlet,
the nozzle receiving portion being located closer to the interior space as compared with the tapered portion,
the adhesive, which spreads from the interior space via the nozzle receiving portion up to the tapered portion, being cured by irradiation of a laser light that is irradiated onto the adhesive from the inlet, a diameter of the laser light being larger than a diameter of the nozzle receiving portion and smaller than a maximum diameter of the tapered portion,
the cured adhesive, which fills the tapered portion, being formed into an inverted conical shape,
the first component and the second component being fixed to each other by the cured adhesive.

2. The product according to claim 1 , further comprising
an air outlet that is formed, separately from the inlet, in the first component or the second component, and communicates between the exterior space and the interior space.

3. The product according to claim 2 , wherein
the air outlet communicates to a position within the interior space that is the farthest from the inlet.

4. The product according to claim 3 , wherein
the interior space is a ring-shaped space.

5. The product according to claim 4 , wherein
the nozzle receiving portion having the same shape as an outer shape of an adhesive injection nozzle that injects the adhesive from the inlet into the interior space.

6. The product according to claim 4 , wherein
the nozzle receiving portion has a diameter that does not change from the exterior space towards the interior space.

7. The product according to claim 1 , wherein
the interior space is a ring-shaped space.

8. The product according to claim 1 , wherein
the nozzle receiving portion has the same shape as an outer shape of an adhesive injection nozzle that injects the adhesive from the inlet into the interior space.

9. The product according to claim 1 , wherein
the nozzle receiving portion has a diameter that does not change from the exterior space towards the interior space.

10. The product according to claim 1 , wherein:
the product is a camera module configuring an imaging apparatus, the camera module comprising a barrel, in which an optical system for capturing images is disposed, and a holder that houses the barrel;
the first component is one of the barrel and the holder; and
the second component is the other of the barrel and the holder.

11. The product according to claim 1 , wherein:
the first component is a barrel that is formed into a cylindrical shape;
the second component is a tube that is formed into a cylindrical shape; and
the barrel is housed in the tube.

12. A method for producing a product by assembling a plurality of components, comprising:
providing, as the plurality of components, a first component and a second component, the second component having an inlet that communicates between an exterior space of the second component and an interior space surrounded by an outer peripheral surface of the first component and an inner peripheral surface of the second component, the inlet comprising a tapered portion that narrows from the exterior space towards the interior space and a nozzle receiving portion in which an adhesive injection nozzle is inserted, the adhesive injection nozzle injecting an adhesive into the interior space from the inlet, the nozzle receiving portion being located closer to the interior space as compared with the tapered portion;
injecting an adhesive from the inlet via the tapered portion into the interior space so as to fill the interior space with the adhesive;
irradiating a laser light onto the adhesive from the inlet and curing the adhesive spreading from the interior space via the nozzle receiving portion up to the tapered portion by irradiation of a laser light, a diameter of the laser light being larger than a diameter of the nozzle receiving portion and smaller than a maximum diameter of the tapered portion, the cured adhesive filling the tapered portion and being formed into an inverted conical shape; and
fixing the first component and the second component by the cured adhesive.

13. An imaging apparatus comprising:
a housing; and
a camera module that is mounted in the housing,
the camera module comprising:
a barrel, in which an optical system for capturing images is disposed;
a holder that houses the barrel; and
an adhesive that fills an interior space that is surrounded by an outer peripheral surface of the barrel and an inner peripheral surface of the holder,

the holder comprising an inlet that communicates between an exterior space of the holder and the interior space so as to enable the adhesive to be injected into the interior space,
the inlet comprising a tapered portion that narrows from the exterior space towards the interior space and a nozzle receiving portion in which an adhesive injection nozzle is inserted, the adhesive injection nozzle injecting the adhesive into the interior space from the inlet,
the nozzle receiving portion being located closer to the interior space as compared with the tapered portion,
the adhesive, which spreads from the interior space via the nozzle receiving portion up to the tapered portion, being cured by irradiation of a laser light that is irradiated onto the adhesive from the inlet, a diameter of the laser light being larger than a diameter of the nozzle receiving portion and smaller than a maximum diameter of the tapered portion,
the cured adhesive, which fills the tapered portion, being formed into an inverted conical shape,
the barrel and the holder being fixed to each other by the adhesive.

Assignees

• Denso Corp

Inventors

• Takama Daisuke
• Koga Kenji

Classifications

• H04N23/51

  Housings · CPC title

• H04N23/57 Primary

  Mechanical or electrical details of cameras or camera modules specially adapted for being embedded in other devices · CPC title

• B29C66/5344

  said single elements being substantially annular, i.e. of finite length, e.g. joining flanges to tube ends (B29C66/5346 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B29C66/114

  Single butt joints · CPC title

• B29C66/5346

  said single elements being substantially flat · CPC title