Abstract: A camera module for a vehicular vision system includes a front camera housing having a housing portion and a cylindrical lens barrel extending from the housing portion and accommodating a lens. An imager printed circuit board is attached at the front camera housing portion. With the imager printed circuit board attached at the front camera housing, the imager is optically aligned with an optical axis of the lens. A rear camera housing portion is mated with the housing portion of the front camera housing so as to encase the imager printed circuit board in the camera module. The housing portion of the front camera housing includes mounting structure configured to mount the camera module at a vehicle. The lens barrel includes a material having a lower coefficient of thermal expansion as compared to the material of the front camera housing.

Abstract: A camera module for a vehicular vision system includes a lens barrel having a plurality of optical elements accommodated therein, a front camera housing portion that accommodates at least one printed circuit board therein, and a rear camera housing portion mated with the front camera housing. The imager is optically aligned with an optical axis of the optical elements. A heat transfer element is disposed between and in thermal conductive contact with a thermoelectric device and the printed circuit board. Circuitry of the camera module is electrically connected to the imager and the thermoelectric device and is electrically connected to electrical connecting elements that electrically connect to a wire harness of a vehicle when the camera module is disposed at the vehicle. The thermoelectric device is electrically powered to draw heat from the imager printed circuit board to the rear camera housing portion.

Abstract: A vehicular camera includes a front housing portion that accommodates a lens and an imager, a circuit board disposed at the front housing portion, a rear housing portion and a coaxial connecting element at the rear housing portion. The coaxial connecting element includes a first coaxial connector portion and a second coaxial connector portion. The first coaxial connector portion extends outward from the rear housing portion and the second coaxial connector portion extends inward from the rear housing portion. The circuit board has a coaxial connector established thereat. When the rear housing portion is mated with the front housing portion, the second coaxial connector portion electrically connects to the coaxial connector to electrically connect the coaxial connecting element with circuitry at the circuit board. The first coaxial connector portion is configured to connect to a coaxial cable of a vehicle when the vehicular camera is disposed at the vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicular camera for a vehicular vision system includes a housing having a front housing portion and a rear housing portion, with the front housing portion including a lens barrel for accommodating a lens. A heating device is disposed at an outermost lens element of the lens. The heating device includes a pair of electrically conductive elements that are routed along the lens barrel for electrical connection to circuitry at a printed circuit board. An outer end of each of the electrically conductive elements is disposed at and in contact with a heating element at and in contact with the inner surface of the outermost lens element. When powered, the heating element heats the outermost lens element to evaporate moisture or condensation thereat. The camera is configured to be disposed at an exterior portion of a vehicle so as to have a field of view exterior of the vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicular vision system includes a camera having a housing and a lens barrel including a lens. The camera is configured to be disposed at an exterior portion of a vehicle so as to have a field of view exterior of the vehicle. An image processor is operable to process frames of image data captured by the camera. A heating device is disposed at or near the lens and is activated to initially heat the lens responsive to determination, via processing by the image processor of a frame of captured image data, of a threshold degree of lens occlusion at the lens. The heating device is (i) deactivated responsive to determination that the determined lens occlusion is not water or moisture, or (ii) further powered to increase the heating function responsive to determination that the determined occlusion is water or moisture.

Abstract: A camera module for a vehicular vision system includes a lens barrel accommodating a lens, a front camera housing portion having an imager PCB disposed therein, and a rear camera housing portion mated with the front camera housing. The imager PCB is disposed at the front camera housing portion with the imager optically aligned with an optical axis of the optical elements of the lens barrel. A thermal element (i) is disposed between the imager PCB and the front camera housing portion and has a coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) element of 13 ppm/° C. or less and/or (ii) has its temperature controlled via a thermoelectric device of the camera module. With the camera module disposed at the vehicle, circuitry of the camera module is in electrical connection with a wire harness of the vehicle.

Abstract: A camera module for a vehicular vision system includes a lens barrel having a lens accommodated therein, a front camera housing portion that accommodates an imager printed circuit board therein, and a rear camera housing portion mated with a rear portion of said front camera housing so as to encase the imager printed circuit board in the camera module. The imager printed circuit board is disposed at the lens barrel and bonded thereat with the imager optically aligned with an optical axis of the optical elements. The front camera housing portion may include mounting structure for mounting at a vehicle. The camera module has a center of mass, and distance from the optical axis of the lens to the mounting structure may be the same as distance from the center of mass to the mounting structure.

Abstract: A method of assembling a vehicular camera includes providing a front camera housing including a lens and an imager, providing a rear camera housing, and a PCB. The rear camera housing includes a spring-loaded electrical connector and the PCB has first and second electrically conductive traces. The spring-loaded electrical includes inner and outer electrically conductive terminals that are movable relative to the base portion and are spring-biased towards an extended state and are compressible towards a compressed state. The rear camera housing is moved toward engagement with the front camera housing so that the terminals, in their extended state, engage the traces. The rear camera housing is attached at the front camera housing so that the terminals compress towards their compressed state. After the rear camera housing is attached at the front camera housing, the terminals are in spring-biased electrical connection with the traces at the PCB.

Abstract: A method of assembling a vehicular camera includes providing a front housing portion and a rear housing portion and attaching a circuit board at the front housing portion. A one-piece coaxial connecting element is provided at the rear housing portion. With the coaxial connecting element provided at the rear housing portion, a first coaxial cable connector extends outward from the outer side of the rear housing portion and a second coaxial cable connector extends inward from the inner side of the rear housing portion. As the rear housing portion is mated with the front housing portion, the second coaxial cable connector engages the third coaxial cable connector at the circuit board to electrically connect the coaxial connecting element with circuitry at the circuit board. The first coaxial cable connector is configured to connect to a coaxial cable of a vehicle when the vehicular camera is disposed at the vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicular camera is configured to be disposed at a vehicle so as to have a field of view exterior of the vehicle. The camera includes a lens holder having a lens barrel accommodating a lens, a circuit board, and an imager disposed at a first side of a circuit board substrate. The circuit board substrate has a CTE that is different from the CTE of the lens holder. The circuit board substrate is attached at support posts extending from the support structure, with the support posts configured to flex in a radial direction toward or away from the longitudinal axis of the lens barrel.

Abstract: A camera module for a vehicular vision system includes a lens barrel having a lens, a front camera housing portion configured to receive an imager PCB therein, and a rear camera housing portion mated with a rear portion of the front camera housing. The imager PCB is disposed at the lens barrel with the imager optically aligned with the lens. A thermal element is disposed between the front camera housing portion and the imager PCB. The thermal element (i) has a coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) element of 10 ppm/° C. or less or (ii) has its temperature controlled via a thermoelectric device of said camera module. Circuitry of the camera module is electrically connected to the imager PCB and is electrically connected to electrical connecting elements that are configured to electrically connect to a wire harness of the vehicle.

Abstract: A camera assembly for a vision system of a vehicle includes a front housing portion having a lens, a circuit board having an imager and circuitry having an electrical connecting element, and a rear housing portion having a rear attachment portion and a mounting portion configured to attach at a vehicle. When the front housing portion is joined with the rear housing portion, the electrical connecting element of the circuit board is aligned with an aperture of the attachment plate and a connecting end of an electrical connector protrudes through the aperture to electrically connect with the electrical connecting element of the circuit board. A structural element of the electrical connector is attached at the attachment plate of the bracket to seal the aperture and to maintain electrical connection of the connecting end of the electrical connector with the electrical connecting element of the circuit board.

Abstract: A vehicular camera includes a front camera housing accommodating a lens and an imager, a rear camera housing, and a PCB. The PCB has first and second contacts that include respective first and second electrically conductive pads. A spring-loaded electrical connector is disposed at the rear camera housing and includes first and second terminals for connecting to respective ones of the first and second contacts at the PCB. As the rear camera housing is moved into engagement with the front camera housing, the terminals engage the contacts and compress towards a compressed state and, after the rear camera housing is attached at the front camera housing, are in spring-biased electrical connection with the contacts at the PCB. The electrical connector includes a connector end that is opposite the terminals and that is configured to electrically connect to a coaxial connector of a coaxial cable of a vehicle.

Abstract: A method of assembling a vehicular camera module includes providing a metal front housing having (i) a front portion, (ii) a rear portion opposite the front portion and (iii) a plurality of side walls extending between the front portion and the rear portion. A printed circuit board is disposed in a cavity of the metal front housing, and a lens holder is attached at the front portion of the metal front housing so that the lens is optically aligned with an imager of the printed circuit board. A metal rear housing has a connector portion having a coaxial connecting element. With the metal rear housing joined with the rear portion of the metal front housing, an inner portion of the coaxial connecting element extends inward into the cavity of the metal front housing and an outer portion of the coaxial connecting element extends outward from the metal rear housing.

Abstract: A vehicular camera includes a front housing portion having a lens, a circuit board having circuitry established thereat, and a rear housing portion having a connector for electrically connecting to a connector end of a wire harness of the vehicle when the camera is disposed at the vehicle. The rear housing portion includes internal wall structure establishing internal surfaces of the rear housing portion. The connector of the rear housing portion includes a coaxial connector having a center conductor and an outer conductor. The center conductor and the outer conductor electrically connect to circuitry at the circuit board. An electrically conductive metallic shield element is disposed within the rear housing portion and corresponds with the internal wall surfaces of the rear housing portion.

Abstract: A camera assembly for a vehicular vision system includes a housing that accommodates a lens and a circuit board. An imager is disposed at the circuit board and optically aligned with the lens, and circuitry is disposed at the circuit board and electrically connected with the imager. The housing includes a rear housing portion that has an aperture therethrough, with the aperture aligned with an electrical connecting element of the circuit board. A bracket includes a mounting portion configured to attach at the vehicle and at the rear housing portion. With an electrical connector electrically connected to the electrical connecting element of the circuit board, the bracket is attached at the rear housing portion, and a structural element of the electrical connector is clamped between the bracket and the rear housing portion to maintain electrical connection of the electrical connector with the electrical connecting element of the circuit board.

Abstract: A vehicular vision system includes a camera disposed at a vehicle and having a field of view exterior of the vehicle. The camera comprises an imager that captures image data. The camera comprises first and second outputs that output a respective data stream. A display device receives a first data stream from the first output of the camera, and a machine vision electronic control unit (ECU) receives a second data stream from the second output of said camera. The machine vision ECU processes the second data stream for at least one driving assist feature of the vehicle. The display device receives the first data stream and displays video images at a display screen of the display device for viewing by an occupant of the vehicle.

Abstract: A method for assembling a camera for a vision system of a vehicle includes providing a printed circuit board having an imager disposed at a first side. The camera housing element includes an electrical connector having at least one electrically conductive pin. The lens is aligned and focused relative to the imager and the printed circuit board is affixed relative to the lens holder when the lens is aligned and focused relative to the imager. A header connector is positioned and attached at the printed circuit board after the printed circuit board is affixed relative to the lens holder. The camera housing element is mated with the lens holder, including electrically connecting the at least one electrically conductive pin to an electrically conductive socket of the header connector.

Abstract: A method of assembling a vehicular camera includes providing a front housing portion and a rear housing portion and attaching a circuit board at the front housing portion. A one-piece coaxial connecting element is provided at the rear housing portion. With the coaxial connecting element provided at the rear housing portion, a first coaxial cable connector extends outward from the outer side of the rear housing portion and a second coaxial cable connector extends inward from the inner side of the rear housing portion. As the rear housing portion is mated with the front housing portion, the second coaxial cable connector engages the third coaxial cable connector at the circuit board to electrically connect the coaxial connecting element with circuitry at the circuit board. The first coaxial cable connector is configured to connect to a coaxial cable of a vehicle when the vehicular camera is disposed at the vehicle.

Abstract: A camera for a vision system of a vehicle includes a front housing portion having a lens, a circuit board having circuitry established thereat, and a plastic rear housing portion having a connector for electrically connecting to a connector end of a wire harness of the vehicle when the camera is disposed at the vehicle. The front housing portion is mated with the rear housing portion with the circuit board disposed therein. The rear housing portion includes internal wall structure establishing internal surfaces of the rear housing portion. The connector of the rear housing portion includes a multi-pin connector having terminals for electrically connecting to circuitry at the circuit board. An electrically conductive metallic shield element is formed to be disposed within the rear housing portion and to correspond with the internal surfaces of the rear housing portion.