Magna Electronics Inc.

Stefan Sauer

Marc Sigle

Nazar F Bally

Jens Steigerwald

Achim Newiger

Steven V Byrne

Rene Dreiocker

Yuesheng Lu

Hartmut Winter

Jonathan David Conger

A vehicular camera assembly includes an imager and a camera housing formed by a rear housing portion joined with a front housing portion. A first printed circuit board is disposed at the front housing portion, with a first electrical connector disposed at a rear side of the first printed circuit board. A second printed circuit board has a second electrical connector disposed at a front side of the second printed circuit board. Board-to-board electrical connection of the second printed circuit board to the first printed circuit board is made via electrical connection of the first electrical connector and the second electrical connector. A connector portion of the rear housing portion is configured for connecting to a vehicle wiring connector. The connector portion of the rear housing portion includes a multi-pin connector having a plurality of solid terminal pins.

Vehicular camera assembly with electrical connectors

A vehicular camera assembly includes a camera housing having a front housing portion and a rear housing portion that joins the front housing portion. A first printed circuit board (PCB) is disposed at the front housing portion, with an imager disposed at a front side of the first PCB and a first electrical connector disposed at a rear side of the first PCB. A second PCB has a second electrical connector disposed at a front side of the second PCB. Board-to-board electrical connection of circuitry of the second printed circuit board to circuitry of the first printed circuit board is made via electrical connection of the first and second electrical connectors. The connector portion of the rear housing portion includes a multi-pin connector comprising a plurality of solid terminal pins. A connector portion of the rear housing portion is configured for connecting to a vehicle wiring connector.

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.

Vehicular camera with lens heater with connectors

A vehicular camera assembly includes a camera housing and first and second PCBs disposed in the camera housing. Circuitry of the first PCB is in board-to-board electrically-conductive connection with circuitry of the second PCB. The circuitry of the first PCB includes an imager and the second PCB includes a circuit board connector. An electrical connector is disposed at a second portion of the camera housing. A first end of the electrical connector electrically-conductively connects with the circuit board connector when the second portion of the camera housing is being joined with a first portion of the camera housing. Individual pin-receiving sockets of the circuit board connector are configured to accommodate tolerances when respective individual pins of the first end of the electrical connector are being inserted into the respective individual pin-receiving sockets when the second portion is being joined with the first portion of the camera housing.

Vehicular camera having tolerance accommodating electric ally-conductive connection

A vehicular camera assembly includes a camera housing having a front housing portion and a rear housing portion. The front housing portion accommodates a lens. A first printed circuit board (PCB) is disposed at the front housing portion, with an imager disposed at a front side of the first PCB and a first electrical connector disposed at a rear side of the first PCB. A second PCB has a second electrical connector disposed at a front side. Circuitry of the second PCB is electrically connected to circuitry of the first PCB via electrical connection of the first and second electrical connectors. A plurality of terminal pins has a first end interior the camera housing and a second end at a connector portion of the rear housing portion. The connector portion is configured for connecting to a vehicle wiring connector when the vehicular camera assembly is installed at a vehicle.

A vehicular camera includes a camera housing having front and rear camera housing portions. An imager is disposed at a printed circuit board. A lens assembly is disposed at the front camera housing portion and accommodates at least one lens. The front camera housing portion is formed of a material having a first Coefficient of Thermal Expansion (CTE). At least two attachment elements are disposed at the front camera housing portion and are formed of a material having a second CTE that is less than the first CTE of the front camera housing portion and that is less than 10 ppm/&#xb0; C. The printed circuit board is mounted at the attachment elements via fasteners threadedly engaging respective ones of the at least two attachment elements. The front camera housing portion and the attachment elements cooperate to decrease temperature-induced movement of the printed circuit board relative to the at least one lens.

Vehicular camera with controlled camera focus

A vehicular camera assembly includes a housing, a PCB disposed in the housing, a circuit board connector at the PCB, and a coaxial connector having a core connector element and a shield connector element that at least partially circumscribes the core connector element. The PCB includes circuitry associated with an imager of the vehicular camera assembly. The circuit board connector includes a first connector element and a second connector element. The housing includes a vehicle connector portion configured for connecting to a connector end of a vehicle cable. When a first end of the coaxial connector is electrically connected to the circuit board connector, the core connector element of the coaxial connector electrically connects to the first connector element of the circuit board connector and the shield connector element of the coaxial connector electrically connects to the second connector element of the circuit board connector.

Vehicular camera having coaxial connector

A camera for a vehicular vision system includes a camera housing having a front camera housing portion and a rear camera housing portion. An imager is disposed at a first side of a printed circuit board. A lens assembly is supported at the front camera housing portion and optically aligned with the imager. At least one attachment element is disposed at the front or rear camera housing portion and has a material having a low CTE that is less than a CTE of the front camera housing portion. The low CTE of the material of the attachment element is less than 10 ppm/&#xb0; C. The printed circuit board is mounted at the attachment element. The attachment element functions to accommodate temperature-induced movement of the printed circuit board relative to the at least one lens.

A method of assembling a camera assembly for a vehicle vision system includes providing a housing having a front housing portion and a rear housing portion that includes a connector portion configured for connecting to a vehicle wiring connector. An imager circuit board includes an imager is disposed at the front housing portion such that the imager is aligned with the lens of the front housing portion. A connector circuit board is disposed at the rear housing portion and electrically connected to a coaxial connector structure at the connector portion. The rear housing portion is mated with the front housing portion and circuitry of the connector circuit board is electrically connected to circuitry of the imager circuit board via at least one spring-loaded connector that electrically connects at the imager circuit board and at the connector circuit board.

Method of assembling vehicular camera with tolerance compensating connector

A method of assembling a camera assembly for a vehicular vision system includes providing a first housing portion, providing a printed circuit board (PCB), the PCB including circuitry, providing a mating connector at the PCB, disposing the PCB within the first housing portion, providing a second housing portion including a connector portion configured for connecting to a vehicle wiring, and disposing a coaxial connector at the connector portion of the second housing portion. The coaxial connector includes (i) a core connector element and (ii) a shield connector element that circumscribes the core connector element and that is spaced therefrom. Mating the second housing portion with the first housing portion, and electrically connecting a first end of the coaxial connector to the mating connector disposed at the PCB. The coaxial connector includes a second end for electrically connecting to the vehicle wiring when the camera assembly is installed at the vehicle.

Method of assembling vehicular camera having coaxial connector

A camera assembly for a vehicle vision system includes a housing having a lens module and a housing portion that includes a connector portion configured for connecting to a vehicle wiring. An imager circuit board includes an imager at a first side. The imager circuit board is disposed in the housing such that the imager is aligned with the lens of the lens module. A connector circuit board is disposed in the housing and spaced from the imager circuit board. Circuitry of the connector circuit board is electrically connected to circuitry of the imager circuit board via a plurality of spring-loaded connectors that electrically connect at the second side of the imager circuit board and at a first side of the connector circuit board. A connector structure of the connector portion is electrically connected to circuitry of the connector circuit board at the second side of the connector circuit board.

Vehicle camera with tolerance compensating connector

A camera assembly for a vehicle vision system includes a housing having a first housing portion and a second housing portion, with a circuit element disposed within the first housing portion. The second housing portion has a connector portion configured for connecting to a vehicle wiring when the camera assembly is installed at a vehicle. A coaxial connector is disposed at the connector portion of the second housing portion. The coaxial connector includes a plurality of electrical coaxial connector elements. Each of the electrical coaxial connector elements has (i) a first end that is configured for electrically connecting to circuitry of the circuit element within the first housing portion and (ii) a second end that is configured for electrically connecting to the vehicle wiring.

Vehicle camera housing with tolerance compensating connector

A method for assembling a vehicle vision system camera module includes providing rear and front housing portions, each having a respective mating surface and perimeter flange at least partially around the mating surface, with the perimeter flange having a securing surface opposite the first mating surface. With the mating surfaces at one another, a securing element is disposed along the perimeter flanges of the front and rear housing portions. First and second tabs of the securing element are bent to overlap and engage the respective securing surfaces of the respective perimeter flanges. The securing element is crimped at the perimeter flanges to urge the mating surfaces against one another to secure the rear housing portion relative to the front housing portion.

Camera module for vehicle vision system

A camera assembly or module for a vehicle vision system includes a housing having a connector portion for connecting to a vehicle wiring. A circuit element is disposed within the housing and a plurality of electrical connector elements is disposed at the connector portion of the housing. Each of the electrical connector elements has a first end configured for electrically connecting to circuitry of the circuit element and a second end configured for electrically connecting to the vehicle wiring. The electrical connector elements self-adjust so that the first ends engage the circuitry and make electrical connection therewith during assembly of the camera assembly. Adjustment of the electrical connectors may include at least one of (i) extending toward an extended state, (ii) retracting toward a retracted state, and (iii) flexing toward a flexed state.

A camera module for use in a vision system for a vehicle includes a housing portion, a lens holding portion and a securing element. The housing portion at least partially houses circuitry of the camera module and includes a first mating surface and a first perimeter flange around the first mating surface. The lens holding portion at least partially houses a lens assembly of the camera module and includes a second mating surface and a second perimeter flange around the second mating surface. The securing element is disposed along the first and second perimeter flanges and overlaps opposite surfaces of the first and second perimeter flanges to secure the housing portion relative to the lens holding portion.

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Waldaschaff, Germany

Stefan Sauer