Vehicular camera assembly with lens heater

A method for manufacturing a vehicular camera assembly, the method comprising:

• adjusting an imager printed circuit board (imager PCB) and a lens barrel relative to one another to align an imager of the imager PCB with a lens accommodated by the lens barrel;
• wherein the lens barrel is disposed at a camera housing, and wherein the lens comprises a plurality of optical elements;
• wherein the imager PCB has a first side and a second side separated by a thickness of the imager PCB, and wherein the imager is disposed at the first side of the imager PCB;
• with the imager aligned with the lens accommodated by the lens barrel, securing the imager PCB relative to the lens barrel to maintain alignment of the imager with the lens accommodated by the lens barrel;
• wherein a heating device is disposed at the lens barrel, and wherein the heating device includes an electrically connecting portion having electrical contact pads;
• wherein electrical contacts are disposed at the first side of the imager PCB, and wherein, with the imager aligned with the lens and the imager PCB secured relative to the lens barrel, the electrical contact pads are spaced from the electrical contacts at the first side of the imager PCB;
• with the imager aligned with the lens and after the imager PCB is secured relative to the lens barrel, disposing an electrical bridge contact between the electrical contact pads and the electrical contacts at the first side of the imager PCB to electrically connect the heating device to circuitry of the vehicular camera assembly via the electrical bridge contact;
• and
• wherein the electrical bridge contact comprises spring-loaded electrical connectors, and wherein, with the electrical bridge contact disposed between the electrical contact pads and the first side of the imager PCB, the spring-loaded electrical connectors (i) engage the electrical contact pads and the electrical contacts at the first side of the imager PCB and (ii) apply a biasing force between the electrical contact pads and the electrical contacts.

A method for manufacturing a vehicular camera assembly, the method comprising:

• adjusting an imager printed circuit board (imager PCB) and a lens barrel relative to one another to align an imager of the imager PCB with a lens accommodated by the lens barrel;
• wherein the lens barrel is disposed at a camera housing, and wherein the lens comprises a plurality of optical elements;
• wherein the imager PCB has a first side and a second side separated by a thickness of the imager PCB, and wherein the imager is disposed at the first side of the imager PCB;
• with the imager aligned with the lens accommodated by the lens barrel, adhesively attaching a portion of the lens barrel at the first side of the imager PCB to secure the imager PCB relative to the lens barrel to maintain alignment of the imager with the lens accommodated by the lens barrel;
• wherein a heating device is disposed at the lens barrel, and wherein the heating device includes an electrically connecting portion having electrical contact pads;
• wherein electrical contacts are disposed at the first side of the imager PCB, and wherein, with the imager aligned with the lens and the imager PCB secured relative to the lens barrel, the electrical contact pads are spaced from the electrical contacts at the first side of the imager PCB;
• with the imager aligned with the lens and after curing of adhesive attaching the portion of the lens barrel at the first side of the imager PCB, disposing an electrical bridge contact between the electrical contact pads and the electrical contacts at the first side of the imager PCB to electrically connect the heating device to circuitry of the vehicular camera assembly via the electrical bridge contact;
• wherein the electrical bridge contact includes a clip portion that, with the electrical bridge contact disposed between the electrical contact pads and the first side of the imager PCB, attaches the electrical bridge contact at the imager PCB;
• wherein, with the electrical bridge contact disposed between the electrical contact pads and the first side of the imager PCB, the clip portion is disposed between an edge region of the imager PCB and an inner surface of the camera housing;
• and
• wherein the electrical bridge contact comprises spring-loaded electrical connectors, and wherein, with the electrical bridge contact disposed between the electrical contact pads and the first side of the imager PCB, the spring-loaded electrical connectors (i) engage the electrical contact pads and the electrical contacts at the first side of the imager PCB and (ii) apply a biasing force between the electrical contact pads and the electrical contacts.