Lens module and vehicle-mounted camera

Abstract

The utility model relates to a lens module and a vehicle-mounted camera. The lens module comprises an upper shell assembly, the upper shell assembly comprises an upper shell body and a lens, the upper shell body is a plastic material part, the upper shell body comprises a lens barrel part and a cover plate part integrally connected to the lens barrel part, and the lens is fixedly arranged in the lens barrel part; and the lower shell is riveted with the upper shell. The upper shell of the lens module is a plastic material part, the weight and the cost of the upper shell can be reduced, an upper shell and a lens barrel in a traditional camera scheme are made into an integrated upper shell assembly, the assembly structure between the lens barrel and the upper shell is reduced, the number of parts is reduced, good consistency of all the parts can be guaranteed, and the lens module is convenient to use. And the assembly process of the lens module can be reduced. According to the lens module, the riveting technology is utilized, the connecting structure between the upper shell assembly and the lower shell is optimized, the space used for containing the circuit board in the lower shell is increased, and miniaturization of the lens module can be better achieved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of vehicle-mounted cameras, in particular to a lens module and a vehicle-mounted camera. Background Art

[0002] With increasing demands for safer driving and the advancement of intelligent driving technology, in-vehicle cameras are becoming an increasingly essential component of vehicles. This growing demand for intelligent driving is driving a simultaneous increase in the number of in-vehicle camera modules, with requirements for these modules becoming increasingly demanding, such as miniaturization, low cost, easier assembly, and lighter weight.

[0003] Currently, automotive cameras typically consist of a lens, an upper housing, and a lower housing. The lens is fixed to the upper housing via a fastening ring, and the upper and lower housings are connected via screws. This requires numerous assembly steps. Furthermore, the lens and upper housing are typically made of metal, which results in a heavy camera and a high cost. Utility Model Content

[0004] Based on this, it is necessary to provide a lens module and a vehicle-mounted camera to address the problems of the existing vehicle-mounted camera module having many assembly steps and the vehicle-mounted camera being heavy and costly.

[0005] A lens module, comprising:

[0006] An upper housing assembly, comprising an upper shell and a lens, wherein the upper shell is made of plastic material and comprises a lens barrel portion and a cover portion integrally connected to the lens barrel portion, and the lens is fixedly disposed in the lens barrel portion; and

[0007] A lower shell is riveted to the upper shell.

[0008] In one embodiment, the lower shell includes a shell portion and a plurality of rivet ribs extending from an upper surface of the shell portion toward the upper shell portion, wherein the rivet ribs are riveted to the cover portion and cause the cover portion to abut against the shell portion.

[0009] In one embodiment, the upper shell further includes a supporting portion integrally connected to the cover portion, wherein the supporting portion is inserted into the shell portion and abuts against an inner wall of the shell portion.

[0010] In one embodiment, the rivet ribs are respectively provided at the four corners of the shell portion, and the four corners of the cover portion are respectively provided with avoidance chamfers, and the avoidance chamfers are used to avoid the rivet ribs.

[0011] In one embodiment, the rivet ribs are respectively arranged on the four sides of the shell portion, and the four sides of the cover portion are respectively provided with avoidance grooves, and the avoidance grooves correspond one-to-one to the rivet ribs for allowing the rivet ribs to pass through.

[0012] In one embodiment, the rivet ribs are respectively arranged on a pair of opposite sides of the shell part, and avoidance grooves are respectively opened on a pair of opposite sides of the cover part. The avoidance grooves correspond one-to-one to the rivet ribs and are used to allow the rivet ribs to pass through.

[0013] A vehicle-mounted camera, comprising:

[0014] A lens module as described in any one of the above; and

[0015] The photosensitive component is fixed in the lens module.

[0016] In one embodiment, the photosensitive component includes a circuit board and a photosensitive chip electrically connected to the circuit board, the photosensitive chip is arranged on the upper surface of the circuit board, the circuit board is fixed to the barrel portion of the lens module, and the photosensitive chip is wrapped in the barrel portion of the lens module.

[0017] In one embodiment, the vehicle-mounted camera further includes an adhesive layer, which is arranged between the lens barrel portion of the lens module and the circuit board, so that the circuit board is adhered to the lens barrel portion of the lens module.

[0018] In one embodiment, the lower shell of the lens module is provided with a connector via, the vehicle-mounted camera further includes a connector, the photosensitive component further includes an adapter electrically connected to the circuit board, the adapter is arranged on the lower surface of the circuit board, the connector is fixed to the lower shell of the lens module, and is electrically connected to the adapter through the connector via.

[0019] The lens module's upper housing is made of plastic, reducing its weight and cost. By integrating the upper housing and lens barrel into a single, integrated upper housing assembly, the assembly structure between the lens barrel and upper housing is reduced, minimizing the number of components. This not only ensures better consistency between components but also streamlines the lens module assembly process. Riveting is also utilized to optimize the connection between the upper housing assembly and the lower housing, increasing the space within the lower housing for the circuit board, further miniaturizing the lens module. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] Figure 1 An exploded diagram of a vehicle-mounted camera module provided in accordance with one embodiment of the present application;

[0021] Figure 2 Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a first example of a lens module of a vehicle camera module according to the above embodiments of the present application;

[0022] Figure 3 Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of a second example of a lens module of a vehicle camera module according to the above embodiments of the present application;

[0023] Figure 4 Fig. 3 shows a perspective view of a third example of a lens module of a vehicle camera module according to the above embodiments of the present application;

[0024] Figure 5 Fig. 4 shows a schematic view of a press riveting process of a lens module of a vehicle camera module according to the above embodiments of the present application;

[0025] Figure 6 Fig. 5 shows a schematic view of a roll riveting process of a lens module of a vehicle camera module according to the above embodiments of the present application.

[0026] Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a first example of a lens module of a vehicle camera module according to the above embodiments of the present application; DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] In order to make the above-mentioned purpose, features and advantages of the present application more apparent and understandable, the specific embodiments of the present application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, a large number of specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present application. However, the present application can be implemented in many different ways other than those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar improvements without departing from the spirit of the present application, so the present application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0028] In the description of the present application, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "transverse", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential" and the like indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, and are only for the purpose of facilitating the description of the present application and simplifying the description, and therefore cannot be understood as indicating or implying that the devices or elements referred to must have a particular orientation, be constructed and operated in a particular orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as limiting the present application.

[0029] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of the technical features being referred to. Thus, a feature specified as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one such feature. In the description of this utility model, "plurality" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise specifically defined.

[0030] In this utility model, unless otherwise specified or limited, the terms "installed," "connected," "connect," "fixed," etc. should be understood in a broad sense. For example, they can refer to fixed connection, detachable connection, or integration; mechanical connection, electrical connection; direct connection, or indirect connection through an intermediate medium; internal communication between two components, or interaction between two components, unless otherwise specified. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of the above terms in this utility model based on specific circumstances.

[0031] In the present invention, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, when a first feature is "above" or "below" a second feature, it may mean that the first and second features are in direct contact, or the first and second features are in indirect contact through an intermediary. Furthermore, when a first feature is "above," "above," or "above" a second feature, it may mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is at a higher level than the second feature. When a first feature is "below," "below," or "below" a second feature, it may mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is at a lower level than the second feature.

[0032] It should be noted that when an element is referred to as being "fixed to" or "disposed on" another element, it may be directly on the other element or there may be an intermediate element. When an element is considered to be "connected to" another element, it may be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intermediate element. The terms "vertical," "horizontal," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," and similar expressions used herein are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only implementation methods.

[0033] Based on the problems of existing vehicle-mounted camera modules with multiple assembly steps, heavy weight, and high cost, the present application provides a lens module and a vehicle-mounted camera. The lens module of the present application can reduce the weight and cost of components, which is conducive to the miniaturization and low cost of vehicle-mounted cameras.

[0034] For details, please refer to Figure 1The lens module of the present application may include an upper housing assembly 10 and a lower housing 20. The upper housing assembly 10 may include an upper housing 11 and a lens 12. The upper housing 11 is made of plastic, which can reduce the weight and cost of the upper housing 11. The upper housing 11 may include a lens barrel portion 111 and a cover portion 112. The cover portion 112 is integrally connected to the lens barrel portion 111, and the lens 12 is fixedly mounted within the lens barrel portion 111. By integrating the upper housing and lens barrel of a traditional camera solution into an integrated upper housing assembly 10, the lens module reduces the assembly structure between the lens barrel and the upper housing, and the number of parts. This not only ensures good consistency between the various components, but also simplifies the lens module assembly process. The lower housing 20 is riveted to the cover portion 112, thereby securely connecting the upper housing assembly 10 and the lower housing 20. The riveting process optimizes the connection structure between the upper housing assembly 10 and the lower housing 20, increases the space within the lower housing 20 for accommodating the circuit board 31, and further achieves miniaturization of the lens module.

[0035] More specifically, if Figure 1 As shown, in some embodiments, the lower shell 20 of the present application includes a shell portion 21 and a plurality of rivet ribs 22. The plurality of rivet ribs 22 extend from the upper surface of the shell portion 21 toward the upper shell 11. The rivet ribs 22 are riveted to the cover portion 112, so that the cover portion 112 abuts against the shell portion 21. In other words, by riveting the rivet ribs 22, the rivet ribs 22 are deformed and riveted to the cover portion 112, thereby fixing the upper shell 11 and the lower shell 20 together.

[0036] Furthermore, if Figure 1 As shown, in some embodiments, the upper shell 11 of the present application further includes a supporting portion 113, which is connected to the cover portion 112. The supporting portion 113 is inserted into the shell portion 21 and abuts against the inner wall of the shell portion 21. In this way, the supporting portion 113 cooperates with the shell portion 21 to preliminarily fix the upper shell body so that the rivet rib 22 can be subsequently riveted.

[0037] Optionally, the rivet ribs 22 may be provided at multiple locations of the shell portion 21 so as to provide a stable riveted structure at multiple locations.

[0038] Alternatively, as Figure 2As shown in the first example of the present application, the rivet ribs 22 of the lower shell 20 of the present application are respectively provided at the four corners of the shell portion 21, and the four corners of the cover portion 112 are respectively provided with avoidance chamfers 1121. The avoidance chamfers 1121 are used to avoid the rivet ribs 22. When the cover portion 112 is covered on the shell portion 21, the avoidance chamfers 1121 can avoid the rivet ribs 22, so that the cover portion 112 and the shell portion 21 fit more tightly, which is conducive to the miniaturization of the lens module. By providing the rivet ribs 22 at the four corners of the shell portion 21 and cooperating with the four avoidance chamfers 1121 of the cover portion 112, the cover portion 112 can be riveted and fixed from the four corners of the cover portion 112, making the connection structure between the cover portion 112 and the shell portion 21 more secure.

[0039] Alternatively, as Figure 3 As shown in the second example of the present application, the rivet ribs 22 of the lower shell 20 of the present application are respectively provided on the four sides of the shell portion 21, and the four sides of the cover portion 112 are respectively provided with avoidance grooves 1122. The avoidance grooves 1122 are used to allow the rivet ribs 22 to pass through. The avoidance grooves 1122 correspond one-to-one with the rivet ribs 22. When the cover portion 112 is covered on the shell portion 21, the avoidance grooves 1122 can allow the rivet ribs 22 to pass through, thereby making the cover portion 112 and the shell portion 21 fit more tightly, which is more conducive to the miniaturization of the lens module. By providing the rivet ribs 22 on the four sides of the shell portion 21 and cooperating with the avoidance grooves 1122 on the four sides of the cover portion 112, the cover portion 112 can be fixed by riveting from the four sides of the cover portion 112, making the connection structure between the cover portion 112 and the shell portion 21 more secure.

[0040] Alternatively, as Figure 3 As shown, in one embodiment, the position of the rivet ribs 22 on each side of the shell portion 21 is offset to the left or to the right, and the position of the rivet ribs 22 on each side of the shell portion 21 is symmetrical around the central axis of the shell portion 21. The position of the avoidance grooves 1122 on each side of the cover portion 112 is offset to the left or to the right, and the position of the avoidance grooves 1122 on each side of the cover portion 112 is symmetrical around the central axis of the cover portion 112. This arrangement can make the riveted structure between the cover portion 112 and the shell portion 21 more evenly distributed, making the connection structure between the cover portion 112 and the shell portion 21 more secure.

[0041] Alternatively, as Figure 4As shown, in the third example of the present application, in some embodiments, the rivet ribs 22 are respectively provided on a pair of opposite sides of the housing portion 21, and a pair of opposite sides of the cover portion 112 are respectively provided with an escape groove 1122, the escape groove 1122 corresponding to the rivet rib 22 one-to-one, and the escape groove 1122 is used to allow the rivet rib 22 to pass through. When the cover portion 112 is covered on the housing portion 21, the escape groove 1122 can allow the rivet rib 22 to pass through, thereby making the cover portion 112 and the housing portion 21 fit more tightly, which is more conducive to the miniaturization of the lens module. By providing the rivet rib 22 on one of the opposite sides of the housing portion 21 and cooperating with the escape groove 1122 opened on one of the opposite sides of the cover portion 112, the cover portion 112 can be fixed by riveting from all four sides of the cover portion 112, making the connection structure between the cover portion 112 and the housing portion 21 more secure.

[0042] Preferably, if Figure 4 As shown, in one embodiment, two rivet ribs 22 are provided on each of the opposite sides of the housing portion 21, and the two rivet ribs 22 are spaced apart. Two rivet grooves are provided on each of the opposite sides of the cover portion 112. By providing two rivet ribs 22 on each of the opposite sides of the cover portion 112 and the housing portion 21, the number of rivet positions on each opposite side is increased, making the connection structure between the cover portion 112 and the housing portion 21 more secure.

[0043] Optionally, in some embodiments, the lower shell 20 of the present application can be made of a metal material with good ductility, including but not limited to aluminum material. Aluminum material has good ductility, which facilitates the formation of riveted ribs 22 that are easily deformed by riveting.

[0044] It is worth noting that Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, the rivet rib 22 can be riveted by press riveting or rolling riveting. If press riveting is used, the rivet rib 22 can be pressed downward by the rivet head 61, causing the rivet rib 22 to deform and tightly contact the cover portion 112. If rolling riveting is used, the roller 62 can be rolled inward from both sides to deform the rivet rib and tightly contact the cover portion 112.

[0045] Furthermore, if Figure 1 As shown, the present application also provides a vehicle-mounted camera, which may include any of the lens modules and photosensitive components 30 described above, wherein the photosensitive component 30 is fixed to the upper shell component 10 of the lens module. The vehicle-mounted camera utilizes the integrated upper shell component 10 of the lens module and the riveted fixing structure of the upper shell component 10 and the lower shell 20. While meeting the reliability of the vehicle-mounted camera, the number of parts and the assembly process are reduced, which not only reduces the cost but also facilitates assembly, and can achieve miniaturization and low cost of the vehicle-mounted camera.

[0046] Alternatively, as Figure 1 As shown, in some embodiments, the photosensitive component 30 includes a circuit board 31 and a photosensitive chip 32 electrically connected to the circuit board 31. The photosensitive chip 32 is disposed on the upper surface of the circuit board 31. The circuit board 31 is fixed to the lens barrel 111 of the lens module, and the photosensitive chip 32 is enclosed by the lens barrel 111 of the lens module. External light can be focused onto the photosensitive chip 32 through the lens 12 installed in the lens barrel 111, allowing the photosensitive chip 32 to monitor and record external information.

[0047] Preferably, if Figure 1 As shown, in some embodiments, the vehicle-mounted camera further includes an adhesive layer 40, which is disposed between the lens barrel portion 111 of the lens module and the circuit board 31, so as to adhere the circuit board 31 to the lens barrel portion 111 of the lens module. In this way, the circuit board 31 can be directly adhered to the lens barrel portion 111 through the adhesive layer, eliminating some structures for fixing the circuit board 31, which is conducive to miniaturization of the vehicle-mounted camera.

[0048] Preferably, if Figure 1 As shown, in some embodiments, the lower housing 20 of the lens module is provided with a connector via 23, the vehicle-mounted camera further includes a connector 50, and the photosensitive component 30 further includes an adapter 33 electrically connected to the circuit board 31. The adapter 33 is provided on the lower surface of the circuit board 31. The connector 50 can be fixed to the lower housing 20 of the lens module by screwing or other means, and is electrically connected to the adapter 33 through the connector via 23. By providing the adapter 33 on the lower surface of the circuit board 31, the space on the upper and lower surfaces of the circuit board 31 can be fully utilized, which is conducive to the miniaturization of the circuit board 31. The connector 50 is used to connect to the vehicle control system and can output the image information recorded by the photosensitive chip 32 to the vehicle control system, thereby realizing intelligent driving.

[0049] The technical features of the above-mentioned embodiments can be combined arbitrarily. In order to make the description concise, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above-mentioned embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0050] The above-described embodiments merely represent several implementations of the present invention. While the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the utility model patent. It should be noted that a person skilled in the art would be able to make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of the present invention, and these modifications and improvements fall within the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present utility model patent shall be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A lens module, characterized in that: include: An upper housing assembly, comprising an upper shell and a lens, wherein the upper shell is made of plastic material and comprises a lens barrel portion and a cover portion integrally connected to the lens barrel portion, and the lens is fixedly disposed in the lens barrel portion; and A lower shell is riveted to the upper shell.

2. The lens module according to claim 1, wherein: The lower shell includes a shell portion and a plurality of rivet ribs extending from an upper surface of the shell portion toward the upper shell portion. The rivet ribs are riveted to the cover portion to make the cover portion abut against the shell portion.

3. The lens module according to claim 2, wherein: The upper shell further includes a supporting portion integrally connected to the cover portion, wherein the supporting portion is inserted into the shell portion and abuts against an inner wall of the shell portion.

4. The lens module according to claim 2, wherein: The rivet ribs are respectively arranged at the four corners of the shell part, and the four corners of the cover part are respectively provided with avoidance chamfers, and the avoidance chamfers are used to avoid the rivet ribs.

5. The lens module according to claim 2, wherein: The rivet ribs are respectively arranged on the four sides of the shell part, and the four sides of the cover part are respectively provided with avoidance grooves, and the avoidance grooves correspond to the rivet ribs one by one and are used to allow the rivet ribs to pass through.

6. The lens module according to claim 2, wherein: The rivet ribs are respectively arranged on a pair of opposite sides of the shell part, and avoidance grooves are respectively opened on a pair of opposite sides of the cover part. The avoidance grooves correspond to the rivet ribs one by one and are used to allow the rivet ribs to pass through.

7. A vehicle-mounted camera, characterized in that: include: The lens module according to any one of claims 1 to 6; as well as The photosensitive component is fixed in the lens module.

8. The vehicle-mounted camera according to claim 7, characterized in that: The photosensitive component includes a circuit board and a photosensitive chip electrically connected to the circuit board. The photosensitive chip is arranged on the upper surface of the circuit board. The circuit board is fixed to the barrel part of the lens module, and the photosensitive chip is wrapped in the barrel part of the lens module.

9. The vehicle-mounted camera according to claim 8, characterized in that: The vehicle-mounted camera further includes an adhesive layer, which is arranged between the lens barrel portion of the lens module and the circuit board, so that the circuit board is adhered to the lens barrel portion of the lens module.

10. The vehicle-mounted camera according to claim 8, characterized in that: The lower shell of the lens module is provided with a connector via, the vehicle-mounted camera further includes a connector, the photosensitive component further includes an adapter electrically connected to the circuit board, the adapter is arranged on the lower surface of the circuit board, the connector is fixed to the lower shell of the lens module, and is electrically connected to the adapter through the connector via.

Images