Abstract: A vehicular camera includes a metallic front housing member having a circuit board attachment portion, a lens barrel extending outward from the circuit board attachment portion and accommodating at least one lens, and a circuit board having an imager disposed at a first side and a circuit board connector disposed at a second side. With the circuit board attached at the circuit board attachment portion, the at least one lens is aligned with the imager and the lens barrel is retained relative to the metallic front housing member via cured UV curable adhesive. A metallic rear housing member is attached to the metallic front housing member and the circuit board is accommodated in a cavity formed by the attached metallic front and metallic rear housing members. An electrical connector is electrically connected to the circuit board connector and is configured for electrically connecting to an electrical cable of a vehicle.

Abstract: An imager assembly for a vehicular camera module includes an imager circuit board and a lens holder. An imager is disposed at the imager circuit board. The lens holder includes a lens holding portion that accommodates a lens. The lens holder includes a plurality of pins extending from an attaching portion and extending in a direction away from the lens holding portion of the lens holder. With the attaching portion of the lens holder at the imager circuit board, individual pins of the plurality of pins are received at least partially through respective apertures of the imager circuit board to locate the lens holder at the imager circuit board. With the pins received at least partially through the apertures of the imager circuit board, and with the lens aligned with the imager at the imager circuit board, the pins are fixedly attached at the imager circuit board.

Abstract: A camera sub-assembly for a vehicular camera includes a lens barrel having a cylinder accommodating a plurality of lens optics, and an annular flange extending radially outward from the cylinder. The cylinder is received in a receiving structure of a lens holder so that an annular attaching surface of the lens barrel is juxtaposed with an annular attaching surface of the receiving structure with a cured adhesive disposed between and contacting both of the annular attaching surfaces. The cured adhesive includes an adhesive material. With the lens optics aligned with respect to an imaging array of a printed circuit board attached at the lens holder, the adhesive material is cured to a partially-cured state via exposure of the adhesive material to ultraviolet light. With the joined lens barrel and lens holder construction at a further curing station, the adhesive material is further cured from the partially-cured state to a more-cured state.

Abstract: A method of testing a vehicular camera for a vehicular vision system includes providing a vehicular camera suitable for use on a vehicle, with the vehicular camera having a field of view. A collimator is provided that includes an optic and a target. The collimator is positioned in the field of view of the vehicular camera such that the camera images light that reflects off the target and passes through the optic. The target is angled or stepped relative to an image plane of the vehicular camera. Image data is captured with the vehicular camera, with the captured image data being representative of the angled or stepped target. The captured image data is processed, via an image processor, and a defocus of the vehicular camera is estimated based on processing by the processor of the captured image data of the angled or stepped target.

Abstract: A vehicular camera includes a housing having a front housing portion and a rear housing portion mated together to form a cavity within the housing. A circuit board is attached at the front housing portion and has at least one front electrical connector in electrical connection with an imager. The rear housing portion has at least one rear electrical connector. With the rear housing portion mated with the front housing portion, the rear electrical connector electrically connects with the front electrical connector. The rear housing portion has a connector portion that is configured to electrically connect the rear electrical connector to a vehicle wire harness. The front electrical connector and the rear electrical connector cooperate to allow for misalignment of the electrical connectors in a direction parallel to the rear side of the circuit board when the rear housing portion is mated with the front housing portion.

Abstract: A method of assembling a vehicular camera includes providing a metallic front housing member, a metallic rear housing member, a lens assembly and a circuit board. The front housing member has a lens receiving portion and a circuit board attachment portion. An imager is disposed on a first side of the circuit board and a connector is disposed on a second side of the circuit board. With the circuit board attached at the front housing member and with the lens assembly disposed at a lens receiving portion of the front housing member, images are focused at an imaging plane of the imager by adjusting the lens assembly relative to the imager. With the images focused at the imaging plane of the imager, the lens assembly is retained relative to the front housing member via an ultra-violet (UV) curable adhesive. The front housing member and the rear housing member are attached.

Abstract: A vehicular camera for a vehicular vision system includes a PCB having an imager disposed thereat, a lens barrel accommodating a lens, and a lens barrel support structure that protrudes from the PCB and at least partially circumscribes the imager. The lens barrel has an outer surface that extends between the ends of the lens barrel. The outer surface of the lens barrel is adhesively bonded to an inner surface of the lens barrel support structure via adhesive. The outer surface of the lens barrel radially opposes the inner surface of the lens barrel support structure where the adhesive is disposed. With the adhesive in its uncured state and contacting the opposed surfaces, the imager is optically aligned with the lens accommodated at the lens barrel. With the imager optically aligned with the lens, the adhesive is cured to adhesively attach the lens barrel at the lens barrel support structure.

Abstract: A method for assembling a vehicular camera module includes providing an imager circuit board and a lens holder. The lens holder includes a lens holding portion and an attaching portion, with the lens holding portion accommodating a lens. The attaching portion of the lens holder includes pins that, when the attaching portion is located at the imager circuit board, are received at least partially through apertures of the imager circuit board. With the pins received at least partially through the apertures, the lens holder is laterally adjusted relative to the imager circuit board and the pins are soldered at the imager circuit board so as to attach the lens holder at the imager circuit board to form an imager assembly. The imager assembly is attached at a camera housing, and a processing circuit board is accommodated at the camera housing and electrically connected to the imager circuit board.

Abstract: A vehicular camera includes a lens barrel, a lens holder and an imager PCB. The lens barrel accommodates a lens and has a threaded inner end. The lens holder has a threaded passageway for threadedly receiving the threaded inner end of the lens barrel. The lens barrel is threadedly attached to the lens holder with a biasing element applying a biasing force at the lens barrel to urge the lens barrel in a direction outward away from the lens holder. The imager PCB is attached to the lens holder with an imager of the imager PCB facing the lens, and the imager PCB is adjusted relative to the lens holder and lens barrel construction to optically align the lens at the imager. After the imager PCB is secured relative to the lens holder, the lens barrel is rotated to adjust focus of the lens at the imager.

Abstract: A method of providing a camera sub-assembly for a vehicular camera includes providing a lens barrel, a lens holder and a printed circuit board, and dispensing an adhesive in an uncured state at one or both of (i) an annular attaching surface at an outer end of a receiving structure of the lens holder and (ii) an annular attaching surface of an annular flange of the lens barrel. With the adhesive contacting both of the annular attaching surfaces, the lens optics are aligned with respect to the imaging array at the printed circuit board by utilizing a multi-axis positioning device. After aligning the lens optics with respect to the imaging array, the adhesive is cured to a first cure level and the lens barrel and the lens holder joined together by the adhesive are moved to a further curing station, where the adhesive is further cured to a second cure level.

Abstract: A method for assembling an imager assembly for a vehicular camera includes providing a lens barrel that accommodates a lens, providing a lens holder, and providing a PCB with an imager disposed thereat. A cylindrical portion of the lens barrel is disposed in a cylindrical passageway of the lens holder and the PCB is disposed at the lens holder. An adhesive is dispensed to hold the lens optically aligned with the imager. After the lens is optically aligned with the imager, the adhesive is initially cured to an initially-cured state in an initial curing process for an initial-cure time period. The adhesive is further cured to a further-cured state in a secondary curing process for a longer further-cure time period. As further cured, the further-cured adhesive maintains optical alignment of the lens with the imager for use of the imager assembly in a vehicular camera in a vehicle.

Abstract: A process for providing a vehicular camera and mounting the vehicular camera at a vehicle includes providing a vehicular camera having a camera-locking structure configured for engagement with a vehicle panel-locking structure at a vehicle panel of the vehicle at which the vehicular camera is to be mounted. The vehicular camera is mounted at the vehicle panel by inserting a portion of the vehicular camera through an aperture of the vehicle panel and inserting the camera-locking structure through corresponding portions of the aperture of the vehicle panel, and rotating the camera-locking structure to a locked position, whereby the camera-locking structure is engaged with the vehicle panel-locking structure. With the camera-locking structure engaged with the vehicle panel-locking structure, locking surfaces of the camera-locking structure engage respective locking surfaces of the vehicle panel-locking structure to limit axial movement of the vehicular camera relative to the vehicle panel.

Abstract: A method of providing a camera sub-assembly for a vehicular camera includes providing a lens barrel, a lens holder and a printed circuit board, and dispensing an adhesive in an uncured state at one or both of (i) an annular attaching surface at an outer end of a receiving structure of the lens holder and (ii) an annular attaching surface of an annular flange of the lens barrel. With the adhesive contacting both of the annular attaching surfaces, the lens optics are aligned with respect to the imaging array at the printed circuit board by utilizing a multi-axis positioning device. After aligning the lens optics with respect to the imaging array, the adhesive is cured to a first cure level and the lens barrel and the lens holder joined together by the adhesive are moved to a further curing station, where the adhesive is further cured to a second cure level.

Abstract: A vehicular camera configured to be disposed at a vehicle so as to have a field of view exterior of the vehicle includes a lens holder, an imager printed circuit board, a connector printed circuit board and a rear housing. The circuitry of the imager printed circuit board is electrically connected to the circuitry of the connector printed circuit board via a flexible electrical connector. The imager printed circuit board has an imager disposed at a side thereof and is attached to the lens holder with the imager side facing the lens. The imager printed circuit board and the connector printed circuit board are joined together via a pliable material. The rear housing is mated with the lens holder to encase the imager printed circuit board and the connector printed board.

Abstract: A vehicular camera includes a lens accommodated in a lens barrel, a lens holder that accommodates at least part of the lens holder, and a printed circuit board with an imager disposed thereat. The camera utilizes an adhesive to hold the lens optically aligned with the imager. After the lens is optically aligned with the imager, the adhesive is initially curable to an initially-cured state in an initial curing process for an initial-cure time period. The initially-cured adhesive is further curable to a further-cured state in a secondary curing process for a further-cure time period that is longer than the initial-cure time period. As further cured, the further-cured adhesive maintains optical alignment of the lens with the imager for use of the vehicular camera in a vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicular camera includes a lens accommodated in a lens barrel, a lens holder that accommodates at least part of the lens holder, and a printed circuit board with an imager disposed thereat. The camera utilizes an adhesive to hold the lens optically aligned with the imager. After the lens is optically aligned with the imager, the adhesive is initially curable to an initially-cured state in an initial curing process for an initial-cure time period. The initially-cured adhesive is further curable to a further-cured state in a secondary curing process for a further-cure time period that is longer than the initial-cure time period. As further cured, the further-cured adhesive maintains optical alignment of the lens with the imager for use of the vehicular camera in a vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicular camera includes a housing having a front housing and a rear housing, and a circuit board having an imaging element disposed at a first side and a first electrical connector disposed at a second side. The rear housing includes a second electrical connector that, with the rear housing mated with the front housing, electrically connects with the first electrical connector. The second electrical connector includes electrically conductive terminals that extend through the rear housing and that each have an inner end portion and an outer end portion that is physically and electrically contiguous with the inner end portion. The inner end portions of the electrically conductive terminals of the second electrical connector extend from an inner surface of the rear housing and the outer end portions of the electrically conductive terminals of the second electrical connector extend into a socket connection portion of the rear housing.

Abstract: A method of assembling a vehicular camera includes providing a printed circuit board and dispensing an adhesive in an uncured state at the printed circuit board. A front camera housing is mated with the circuit board, and the lens optics are aligned with respect to the imaging array at the circuit board by utilizing a multi-axis positioning device operable to translate the circuit board or lens assembly relative to the other along one or more orthogonal translational axes and manipulate the circuit board or lens assembly relative to the other about one or more orthogonal rotational axes. After aligning the lens optics with respect to the imaging array, the adhesive is cured to a first cure level and the joined lens assembly and the front camera housing are moved to a further curing station, where the adhesive is further cured to a second cure level.

Abstract: A method of testing a vehicular camera for a vehicular vision system includes providing a vehicular camera suitable for use on a vehicle, with the vehicular camera having a field of view. A collimator is provided that includes an optic and a target. The collimator is positioned in the field of view of the vehicular camera such that the camera images light that reflects off the target and passes through the optic. The target is angled or stepped relative to an image plane of the vehicular camera. Image data is captured with the vehicular camera, with the captured image data being representative of the angled or stepped target. The captured image data is processed, via an image processor, and a defocus of the vehicular camera is estimated based on processing by the processor of the captured image data of the angled or stepped target.

Abstract: A vehicular camera configured to be disposed at a vehicle so as to have a field of view exterior of the vehicle includes a lens holder, an imager printed circuit board, a connector printed circuit board and a rear housing. The imager printed circuit board has an imager disposed at a side thereof and is attached to the lens holder with the imager side facing the lens. The imager printed circuit board and the connector printed circuit board are joined together via a pliable material. The rear housing is mated with the lens holder to encase the imager printed circuit board and the connector printed board.