# US 12,192,608 B2 · Vehicular camera assembly process > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,192,608 B2 - Document ID: US12192608B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/543,030 - Filed: 2023-12-18 - Published: 2024-04-11 - Granted: 2025-01-07 - Earliest claimed: 2020-10-28 - Assignees: Magna Electronics Inc. - Applicants: Magna Electronics Inc. - Inventors: Yuesheng Lu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12192608B2 ## CPC - G02B 7/025: {using glue} - H04N 23/55: Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof - G02B 7/02: for lenses {(supports for magnifying lenses G02B25/002)} - G02B 27/62: Optical apparatus specially adapted for adjusting optical elements during the assembly of optical systems - G03B 17/08: Waterproof bodies or housings - G03B 30/00: Camera modules comprising integrated lens units and imaging units, specially adapted for being embedded in other devices, e.g. mobile phones or vehicles - H04N 23/51: Housings - H04N 23/54: Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils - B60W 30/0956: {the prediction being responsive to traffic or environmental parameters} - B60W 40/02: related to ambient conditions - B60W 2420/403: Image sensing, e.g. optical camera - B60W 2552/00: Input parameters relating to infrastructure - B60W 2554/4029: Pedestrians - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - G03B: APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS OR FOR PROJECTING OR VIEWING THEM; APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS EMPLOYING ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR (optical parts of such apparatus G02B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; apparatus for processing exposed photographic materials G03D) - B60W: CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT ## Abstract A vehicular camera includes a lens barrel accommodating a lens, a lens holder having a passageway therethrough, and an imager printed circuit board (imager PCB) having an imager. The imager PCB is attached at the lens holder. An attaching portion of the lens barrel is positioned at least partially in the passageway of the lens holder with a gap between the attaching portion and the lens holder that at least partially circumscribes the attaching portion. With the attaching portion positioned at least partially in the passageway, a filler material is disposed at least partially within the gap. With the lens aligned relative to the imager, the filler material is heated via non-contact brazing to melt and flow into the gap. The melted filler material hardens upon cooling to secure the lens barrel relative to the lens holder and the imager PCB. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vehicular camera configured to be disposed at a vehicle, the vehicular camera comprising: a lens barrel accommodating a lens; a lens holder having a passageway therethrough; 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, and wherein the imager PCB is attached at the lens holder; wherein the imager comprises an imaging array having at least one million photosensor elements or pixels arranged in rows and columns; wherein an attaching portion of the lens barrel is positioned at least partially in the passageway of the lens holder with a gap between a longitudinally extending side wall of the attaching portion and a longitudinally extending side wall of the lens holder that at least partially circumscribes the attaching portion of the lens barrel; wherein the longitudinally extending side wall of the attaching portion of the lens barrel extends parallel to a longitudinal axis of the lens barrel, and wherein the longitudinally extending side wall of the lens holder extends parallel to a longitudinal axis of the passageway; wherein, with the attaching portion positioned at least partially in the passageway, a filler material is disposed at least partially within the gap and at least partially at the longitudinally extending side wall of the attaching portion and at least partially at the longitudinally extending side wall of the lens holder; wherein the filler material has a melting point that is lower than respective melting points of the lens holder and of the lens barrel; wherein, with the filler material disposed at least partially within the gap, the attaching portion is movable within the passageway while the lens barrel is adjusted relative to the imager to align the lens relative to the imager; and wherein, with the lens aligned relative to the imager, the filler material is heated via non-contact brazing to melt and flow into the gap and at least partially along the longitudinally extending side wall of the attaching portion and at least partially along the longitudinally extending side wall of the lens holder, and wherein the melted filler material hardens upon cooling to secure the lens barrel relative to the lens holder and the imager PCB. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vehicular camera of claim 1, wherein the non-contact brazing utilizes heating of the filler material via a laser. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The vehicular camera of claim 1, wherein the non-contact brazing utilizes induction heating of the filler material. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The vehicular camera of claim 1, wherein the attaching portion of the lens barrel comprises a plastic injection molded element. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The vehicular camera of claim 1, wherein the attaching portion of the lens barrel comprises a metal element. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The vehicular camera of claim 1, wherein the lens holder comprises a plastic injection molded element. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The vehicular camera of claim 1, wherein the lens holder comprises a metal element. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The vehicular camera of claim 1, comprising an electrical connector portion configured to electrically connect to a wire harness of a vehicle equipped with the vehicular camera. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The vehicular camera of claim 1, wherein the filler material comprises a thermoplastic material. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The vehicular camera of claim 1, wherein, with the hardened filler material securing the lens barrel relative to the lens holder, a sealant material is disposed to seal the gap between the attaching portion and the lens holder. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The vehicular camera of claim 10, wherein the sealant material comprises an epoxy. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The vehicular camera of claim 10, wherein the sealant material is disposed over the hardened filler material and within a channel bounded by a first rib at the attaching portion of the lens barrel and a second rib at the lens holder. ### Claim 13 A vehicular camera configured to be disposed at a vehicle, the vehicular camera comprising: a lens barrel accommodating a lens; a lens holder having a passageway therethrough; 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, and wherein the imager PCB is attached at the lens holder; wherein the imager comprises an imaging array having at least one million photosensor elements or pixels arranged in rows and columns; an electrical connector portion configured to electrically connect to a wire harness of a vehicle equipped with the vehicular camera; wherein an attaching portion of the lens barrel is positioned at least partially in the passageway of the lens holder with a gap between a longitudinally extending side wall of the attaching portion and a longitudinally extending side wall of the lens holder that at least partially circumscribes the attaching portion of the lens barrel; wherein the longitudinally extending side wall of the attaching portion of the lens barrel extends parallel to a longitudinal axis of the lens barrel, and wherein the longitudinally extending side wall of the lens holder extends parallel to a longitudinal axis of the passageway; wherein, with the attaching portion positioned at least partially in the passageway, a filler material is disposed at least partially within the gap and at least partially at the longitudinally extending side wall of the attaching portion and at least partially at the longitudinally extending side wall of the lens holder; wherein the filler material has a melting point that is lower than respective melting points of the lens holder and of the lens barrel; wherein, with the filler material disposed at least partially within the gap, the attaching portion is movable within the passageway while the lens barrel is adjusted relative to the imager to align the lens relative to the imager; wherein, with the lens aligned relative to the imager, the filler material is heated via non-contact induction brazing to melt and flow into the gap and at least partially along the longitudinally extending side wall of the attaching portion and at least partially along the longitudinally extending side wall of the lens holder, and wherein the melted filler material hardens upon cooling to secure the lens barrel relative to the lens holder and the imager PCB; and wherein, with the hardened filler material securing the lens barrel relative to the lens holder, a sealant material is disposed to seal the gap between the attaching portion and the lens holder. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The vehicular camera of claim 13, wherein the attaching portion of the lens barrel comprises a plastic injection molded element. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The vehicular camera of claim 13, wherein the attaching portion of the lens barrel comprises a metal element. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The vehicular camera of claim 13, wherein the lens holder comprises a plastic injection molded element. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The vehicular camera of claim 13, wherein the lens holder comprises a metal element. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The vehicular camera of claim 13, wherein the filler material comprises a thermoplastic material. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) The vehicular camera of claim 13, wherein the sealant material comprises an epoxy. ### Claim 20 (depends on 13) The vehicular camera of claim 13, wherein the sealant material is disposed over the hardened filler material and within a channel bounded by a first rib at the attaching portion of the lens barrel and a second rib at the lens holder. ### Claim 21 A vehicular camera configured to be disposed at a vehicle, the vehicular camera comprising: a lens barrel accommodating a lens; a lens holder having a passageway therethrough; 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, and wherein the imager PCB is attached at the lens holder; wherein the imager comprises an imaging array having at least one million photosensor elements or pixels arranged in rows and columns; an electrical connector portion configured to electrically connect to a wire harness of a vehicle equipped with the vehicular camera; wherein an attaching portion of the lens barrel is positioned at least partially in the passageway of the lens holder with a gap between a longitudinally extending side wall of the attaching portion and a longitudinally extending side wall of the lens holder that at least partially circumscribes the attaching portion of the lens barrel; wherein the longitudinally extending side wall of the attaching portion of the lens barrel extends parallel to a longitudinal axis of the lens barrel, and wherein the longitudinally extending side wall of the lens holder extends parallel to a longitudinal axis of the passageway; wherein, with the attaching portion positioned at least partially in the passageway, a filler material is disposed at least partially within the gap and at least partially at the longitudinally extending side wall of the attaching portion and at least partially at the longitudinally extending side wall of the lens holder; wherein the filler material has a melting point that is lower than respective melting points of the lens holder and of the lens barrel; wherein, with the filler material disposed at least partially within the gap, the attaching portion is movable within the passageway while the lens barrel is adjusted relative to the imager to align the lens relative to the imager; wherein, with the lens aligned relative to the imager, the filler material is heated via non-contact laser brazing to melt and flow into the gap and at least partially along the longitudinally extending side wall of the attaching portion and at least partially along the longitudinally extending side wall of the lens holder, and wherein the melted filler material hardens upon cooling to secure the lens barrel relative to the lens holder and the imager PCB; and wherein, with the hardened filler material securing the lens barrel relative to the lens holder, a sealant material is disposed to seal the gap between the attaching portion and the lens holder. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The vehicular camera of claim 21, wherein the attaching portion of the lens barrel comprises a plastic injection molded element. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) The vehicular camera of claim 21, wherein the attaching portion of the lens barrel comprises a metal element. ### Claim 24 (depends on 21) The vehicular camera of claim 21, wherein the lens holder comprises a plastic injection molded element. ### Claim 25 (depends on 21) The vehicular camera of claim 21, wherein the lens holder comprises a metal element. ### Claim 26 (depends on 21) The vehicular camera of claim 21, wherein the filler material comprises a thermoplastic material. ### Claim 27 (depends on 21) The vehicular camera of claim 21, wherein the sealant material comprises an epoxy. ### Claim 28 (depends on 21) The vehicular camera of claim 21, wherein the sealant material is disposed over the hardened filler material and within a channel bounded by a first rib at the attaching portion of the lens barrel and a second rib at the lens holder.