Vehicular camera and lens assembly

A vehicular camera including:

• a lens including a lens barrel for holding optical components therein;
• a lens holder, wherein the lens barrel is connected to the lens holder by adhesive model AD VE 43812;
• and
• an imager including an image sensor positioned for receiving video input from the lens.

A vehicular camera comprising:

• a first camera housing having an integrated barrel portion for holding optical components;
• wherein said optical components are mounted in the barrel portion so as to form a lens;
• a retainer cap mounted to the barrel portion for containing and vertically positioning the optical components in the barrel portion;
• imaging circuitry including an image sensor positioned for receiving optical images from the lens;
• and
• a second camera housing, connected to the first camera housing so as to encase the imaging circuitry;
• wherein the first camera housing is bonded to the second camera housing by a cured adhesive, wherein the adhesive is initially curable in an initial curing process that comprises exposure to UV light, and wherein the initially-cured adhesive is further curable to a further cured strength in a secondary curing process;
• wherein the adhesive is initially cured via the initial curing process after the lens is brought into focus with the image sensor and is optically center-aligned therewith;
• wherein the initially-cured adhesive, as cured via the initial curing process, is sufficiently strong to initially hold the first camera housing relative to the second camera housing with the lens optically center-aligned with the image sensor;
• wherein, after the initial curing process, the camera is moved to the secondary curing process;
• wherein, when further cured via the secondary curing process, the further-cured adhesive is sufficiently strong to hold the first camera housing relative to the second camera housing for use of the camera in a vehicle;
• wherein the adhesive comprises an epoxy-amine adhesive;
• and
• wherein the camera is configured to transmit to at least one other vehicular device signals relating to the images received by the imaging circuitry.

A vehicular camera, comprising

• a lens including a lens barrel holding optical components therein;
• an imager for receiving images from the lens;
• and
• a housing encasing the imager and a portion of the lens barrel;
• wherein the lens barrel includes a feature for guiding and seating a periphery of the lens barrel onto the surface of the imager;
• means for securing the lens barrel to the housing;
• means for ensuring focus between the lens and imager;
• wherein the lens barrel is bonded to the housing by a cured adhesive, wherein the adhesive is initially curable in an initial curing process that comprises exposure to UV light, and wherein the initially-cured adhesive is further curable to a further cured strength in a secondary curing process;
• wherein the adhesive is initially cured via the initial curing process after the lens is brought into focus with the imager and is optically center-aligned therewith;
• wherein the initially-cured adhesive, as cured via the initial curing process, is sufficiently strong to initially hold the lens barrel relative to the housing with the lens optically center-aligned with the imager;
• wherein, after the initial curing process, the camera is moved to the secondary curing process;
• wherein, when further cured via the secondary curing process, the further-cured adhesive is sufficiently strong to hold the lens barrel relative to the housing for use of the camera in a vehicle;
• and
• wherein the adhesive comprises an epoxy-amine adhesive.

A vehicular camera, comprising

• a lens including a lens barrel holding optical components therein;
• an imager for receiving images from the lens;
• a printed circuit board (PCB) for mounting the imager;
• a lens holder for mounting the lens barrel, the lens holder including a feature for guiding the lens barrel transversely relative to the imager;
• set screws for mounting the PCB to the lens holder;
• and
• means in combination with the set screws to hold the axial position of the PCB and imager relative to the lens;
• wherein the lens barrel is bonded to the lens holder by a cured adhesive, wherein the adhesive is initially curable in an initial curing process that comprises exposure to UV light, and wherein the initially-cured adhesive is further curable to a further cured strength in a secondary curing process;
• wherein the adhesive is initially cured via the initial curing process after the lens is brought into focus with the imager and is optically center-aligned therewith;
• wherein the initially-cured adhesive, as cured via the initial curing process, is sufficiently strong to initially hold the lens barrel relative to the lens holder with the lens optically center-aligned with the imager;
• wherein, after the initial curing process, the camera is moved to the secondary curing process;
• wherein, when further cured via the secondary curing process, the further-cured adhesive is sufficiently strong to hold the lens barrel relative to the lens holder for use of the camera in a vehicle;
• and
• wherein the adhesive comprises an epoxy-amine adhesive.

A vehicular camera, comprising

• a first camera housing having an integrated barrel portion for holding optical components;
• optical components mounted in the barrel portion so as to form a lens;
• an imager for receiving images from the lens;
• a printed circuit board (PCB) for mounting the imager;
• and
• a second camera housing to which the PCB is mounted, the first and second camera housings in combination encasing the imager and PCB;
• wherein the first camera housing is bonded to the second camera housing by a cured adhesive, wherein the adhesive is initially curable in an initial curing process that comprises exposure to UV light, and wherein the initially-cured adhesive is further curable to a further cured strength in a secondary curing process;
• wherein the adhesive is initially cured via the initial curing process after the lens is brought into focus with the image sensor and is optically center-aligned therewith;
• wherein the initially-cured adhesive, as cured via the initial curing process, is sufficiently strong to initially hold the first camera housing relative to the second camera housing with the lens optically center-aligned with the image sensor;
• wherein, after the initial curing process, the camera is moved to the secondary curing process;
• wherein, when further cured via the secondary curing process, the further-cured adhesive is sufficiently strong to hold the first camera housing relative to the second camera housing for use of the camera in a vehicle;
• and
• wherein the adhesive comprises an epoxy-amine adhesive.

A vehicular camera, comprising:

• a camera housing having an integrated barrel portion for holding optical components;
• optical components mounted in the barrel portion so as to form a lens;
• an imager for receiving images from the lens;
• a printed circuit board (PCB) for mounting the imager;
• and
• wherein the PCB is bonded to the camera housing by a cured adhesive, wherein the adhesive is initially curable in an initial curing process that comprises exposure to UV light, and wherein the initially-cured adhesive is further curable to a further cured strength in a secondary curing process;
• wherein the adhesive is initially cured via the initial curing process after the lens is brought into focus with the imager and is optically center-aligned therewith;
• wherein the initially-cured adhesive, as cured via the initial curing process, is sufficiently strong to initially hold the PCB relative to the camera housing with the lens optically center-aligned with the imager;
• wherein, after the initial curing process, the camera is moved to the secondary curing process;
• wherein, when further cured via the secondary curing process, the further-cured adhesive is sufficiently strong to hold the PCB relative to the camera housing for use of the camera in a vehicle;
• and
• wherein the adhesive comprises an epoxy-amine adhesive.

A vehicular camera, comprising:

• a lens including a lens barrel holding optical components therein;
• an imager for receiving images from the lens;
• and
• a printed circuit board (PCB) for mounting the imager;
• wherein the lens barrel is directly bonded to the imager by a transparent adhesive fixing the lens barrel to at least one of the imager and the PCB, the adhesive being cured only after the position of lens barrel relative to the imager is set to bring the lens in focus and optically center-aligned with the imager;
• wherein the adhesive is initially curable in an initial curing process that comprises exposure to UV light, and wherein the initially-cured adhesive is further curable to a further cured strength in a secondary curing process;
• wherein the adhesive is initially cured via the initial curing process after the lens is brought into focus with the imager and is optically center-aligned therewith;
• wherein the initially-cured adhesive, as cured via the initial curing process, is sufficiently strong to initially hold the lens barrel relative to the at least one of the imager and the PCB with the lens optically center-aligned with the imager;
• wherein, after the initial curing process, the camera is moved to the secondary curing process;
• wherein, when further cured via the secondary curing process, the further-cured adhesive is sufficiently strong to hold the lens barrel relative to the at least one of the imager and the PCB for use of the camera in a vehicle;
• and
• wherein the adhesive comprises an epoxy-amine adhesive.

A vehicular camera system comprising:

• a lens;
• an imager receiving images provided by the lens;
• a display receiving video from the imager;
• wherein the lens resolution is selected to meet but not substantially exceed a resolution determined from the size of the display, a distance between an observer and the display, a selected point on a contrast sensitivity function, and the size of the imager sensing surface;
• wherein the lens includes a lens barrel holding optical components therein;
• a lens holder, wherein the lens barrel is bonded to the lens holder by a cured adhesive, wherein the adhesive is initially curable in an initial curing process that comprises exposure to UV light, and wherein the initially-cured adhesive is further curable to a further cured strength in a secondary curing process;
• wherein the adhesive is initially cured via the initial curing process after the lens is brought into focus with the imager and is optically center-aligned therewith;
• wherein the initially-cured adhesive, as cured via the initial curing process, is sufficiently strong to initially hold the lens barrel relative to the lens holder with the lens optically center-aligned with the imager;
• wherein, after the initial curing process, the camera is moved to the secondary curing process;
• wherein, when further cured via the secondary curing process, the further-cured adhesive is sufficiently strong to hold the lens barrel relative to the lens holder for use of the camera in a vehicle;
• and
• wherein the adhesive comprises an epoxy-amine adhesive.

A vehicular camera system comprising:

• a lens;
• an imager receiving images provided by the lens;
• a display receiving video from the imager;
• wherein the lens omits achromatic lenses and employs digital chromatic correction based on a predetermined chromatic aberration measurement;
• wherein the lens includes a lens barrel holding optical components therein;
• a lens holder, wherein the lens barrel is bonded to the lens holder by a cured adhesive, wherein the adhesive is initially curable in an initial curing process that comprises exposure to UV light, and wherein the initially-cured adhesive is further curable to a further cured strength in a secondary curing process;
• wherein the adhesive is initially cured via the initial curing process after the lens is brought into focus with the imager and is optically center-aligned therewith;
• wherein the initially-cured adhesive, as cured via the initial curing process, is sufficiently strong to initially hold the lens barrel relative to the lens holder with the lens optically center-aligned with the imager;
• wherein, after the initial curing process, the camera is moved to the secondary curing process;
• wherein, when further cured via the secondary curing process, the further-cured adhesive is sufficiently strong to hold the lens barrel relative to the lens holder for use of the camera in a vehicle;
• and
• wherein the adhesive comprises an epoxy-amine adhesive.