Vehicular camera with electrically conductive elements at the rear camera housing portion and at the electrical connector

A vehicular camera assembly, the vehicular camera assembly comprising:

• a front housing portion accommodating a lens;
• a circuit board having a first side and a second side separated by a thickness of the circuit board, wherein circuitry is disposed at the second side of the circuit board and electrically connected with an imager disposed at the first side of the circuit board, and wherein the first side of the circuit board faces toward the lens, and wherein the circuitry comprises a circuit board connecting element at the second side of the circuit board, and wherein the imager disposed at the first side of the circuit board is optically aligned with the lens;
• a rear housing portion configured to be joined with the front housing portion, wherein the rear housing portion comprises a rear attachment portion that has an aperture therethrough;
• wherein the rear housing portion comprises a first electrically conductive element that protrudes through the aperture at the rear attachment portion and extends outward of an outer side of the rear attachment portion;
• an electrical connector for electrically connecting a wire harness of a vehicle to the circuit board connecting element of the circuit board when the vehicular camera assembly is disposed at the vehicle;
• wherein the electrical connector comprises (i) a connector portion configured for connecting to a connector portion of the wire harness of the vehicle, (ii) an attaching portion for attaching at the rear attachment portion of the rear housing portion, (iii) a connecting element having (a) a first connecting end disposed at the connector portion for electrically connecting to the wire harness of the vehicle and (b) a second connecting end extending from the attaching portion for electrically connecting to the circuit board connecting element at the second side of the circuit board, and (iv) a second electrically conductive element disposed at the attaching portion and electrically conductively connected to the connecting element of the electrical connector;
• wherein the connecting element of the electrical connector comprises a coaxial connecting element;
• wherein, when the front housing portion is joined with the rear housing portion, the circuit board connecting element of the circuit board is aligned with the aperture of the attachment portion;
• wherein, with the electrical connector attached at the outer side of the rear attachment portion of the rear housing portion, the second connecting end of the connecting element protrudes through the aperture to electrically connect to the circuit board connecting element at the second side of the circuit board;
• and
• wherein, as the attaching portion of the electrical connector is attached at the outer side of the rear attachment portion of the rear housing portion, the first electrically conductive element of the rear housing portion engages the second electrically conductive element of the electrical connector and flexes, and wherein, with the attaching portion of the electrical connector attached at the outer side of the rear attachment portion of the rear housing portion, the first electrically conductive element is biased toward engagement with the second electrically conductive element of the electrical connector to establish and maintain electrically conductive connection between the first electrically conductive element of the rear housing portion and the second electrically conductive element of the electrical connector.

A vehicular camera assembly, the vehicular camera assembly comprising:

• a front housing portion accommodating a lens;
• a circuit board having a first side and a second side separated by a thickness of the circuit board, wherein circuitry is disposed at the second side of the circuit board and electrically connected with an imager disposed at the first side of the circuit board, and wherein the first side of the circuit board faces toward the lens, and wherein the circuitry comprises a circuit board connecting element at the second side of the circuit board, and wherein the imager disposed at the first side of the circuit board is optically aligned with the lens;
• a rear housing portion configured to be joined with the front housing portion, wherein the rear housing portion comprises a rear attachment portion that has an aperture therethrough;
• wherein the rear housing portion comprises a first electrically conductive element that protrudes through the aperture at the rear attachment portion and extends outward of an outer side of the rear attachment portion;
• an electrical connector for electrically connecting a wire harness of a vehicle to the circuit board connecting element of the circuit board when the vehicular camera assembly is disposed at the vehicle;
• wherein the electrical connector comprises (i) a connector portion configured for connecting to a connector portion of the wire harness of the vehicle, (ii) an attaching portion for attaching at the rear attachment portion of the rear housing portion, (iii) a connecting element having (a) a first connecting end disposed at the connector portion for electrically connecting to the wire harness of the vehicle and (b) a second connecting end extending from the attaching portion for electrically connecting to the circuit board connecting element at the second side of the circuit board, and (iv) a second electrically conductive element disposed at the attaching portion and electrically conductively connected to the connecting element of the electrical connector;
• wherein the connecting element of the electrical connector comprises a plurality of shielded electrically conductive wires;
• wherein, when the front housing portion is joined with the rear housing portion, the circuit board connecting element of the circuit board is aligned with the aperture of the attachment portion;
• wherein, with the electrical connector attached at the outer side of the rear attachment portion of the rear housing portion, the second connecting end of the connecting element protrudes through the aperture to electrically connect to the circuit board connecting element at the second side of the circuit board;
• and
• wherein, as the attaching portion of the electrical connector is attached at the outer side of the rear attachment portion of the rear housing portion, the first electrically conductive element of the rear housing portion engages the second electrically conductive element of the electrical connector and flexes, and wherein, with the attaching portion of the electrical connector attached at the outer side of the rear attachment portion of the rear housing portion, the first electrically conductive element is biased toward engagement with the second electrically conductive element of the electrical connector to establish and maintain electrically conductive connection between the first electrically conductive element of the rear housing portion and the second electrically conductive element of the electrical connector.