Camera module

Abstract

The utility model discloses a camera module, comprising a lens comprising a lens barrel and a lens, the barrel wall of the lens barrel being provided with a lead groove; the chip assembly comprises a first circuit board, a photosensitive chip and an extension socket connector, the first circuit board comprises an upper surface facing the lens and a lower surface deviating from the upper surface, the photosensitive chip is installed in the middle of the upper surface and directly faces the lens, and the extension socket connector is installed on the lower surface; the upper shell is of a hollow structure with openings in the two ends, the upper shell is fixedly connected with the outer side wall of the lens cone, the bottom surface of the upper shell is arranged on the periphery of the upper surface through first glue, the multiple pieces of first glue are distributed at intervals, and an avoiding groove exists between every two adjacent pieces of first glue; the heating piece comprises a heating piece and a flexible circuit board, the heating piece is installed in the lens cone and close to the lens, one end of the flexible circuit board is connected with the heating piece, the other end of the flexible circuit board sequentially penetrates through the wire groove and the receding groove to be connected with the extension socket connector, and the assembling precision and efficiency of the lens with the heating piece and the upper shell are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of camera technology, specifically to a camera module. Background Technology

[0002] With the increasing automation and intelligence of automobiles, in-vehicle monitoring systems have become a standard feature in modern cars, and camera modules have become an indispensable component in these systems. Camera modules used in automobiles typically have defrosting and defogging functions, which are achieved primarily by adding heating elements inside the camera module to heat the lens.

[0003] However, because the heating element is mounted outside the lens and is a flexible structure, its position needs to be controlled during lens and housing assembly to prevent it from interfering with the alignment and assembly of the lens and housing. This significantly impacts the efficiency and precision of lens and housing assembly. Furthermore, the complex welding process for the electrical connections of the heating element further affects the cost and yield of the camera module. Utility Model Content

[0004] The purpose of this utility model is to at least solve one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. This utility model provides a camera module, including: a lens, including a lens barrel and a lens element housed within the lens barrel, wherein the barrel wall of the lens barrel has a wire groove; a chip assembly, including a first circuit board, a photosensitive chip, and a connector, wherein the first circuit board includes an upper surface facing the lens and a lower surface opposite to the upper surface, the photosensitive chip is mounted in the middle of the upper surface and facing the lens, and the connector is mounted on the lower surface; an upper housing, which is a hollow structure with openings at both ends, the upper housing is fixedly connected to the outer wall of the lens barrel, and the bottom surface of the upper housing is disposed around the upper surface by a first adhesive, wherein there are multiple first adhesives distributed at intervals, and there are clearance grooves between adjacent first adhesives; a heating element, including a heating element and a flexible circuit board, wherein the heating element is installed inside the lens barrel and close to the lens element, one end of the flexible circuit board is connected to the heating element, and the other end passes through the wire groove and the clearance groove in sequence and is connected to the connector.

[0005] Furthermore, the quantity of the first adhesive is four, and the four first adhesives are evenly distributed around the upper surface.

[0006] Furthermore, a bearing groove is provided at the upper end of the upper housing, and a flange ring is provided at the middle of the outer side wall of the lens barrel. The flange ring is disposed in the bearing groove and is fixedly connected to the upper housing by a second adhesive.

[0007] Furthermore, a guide ramp is provided at the top of the bearing groove, and the guide ramp is located on the side of the flange ring.

[0008] Furthermore, the distance between the upper end of the guide bevel and the flange ring is greater than the distance between the lower end of the guide bevel and the flange ring.

[0009] Furthermore, the lower end of the outer wall of the lens tube is provided with a cut surface, and the upper end of the corresponding upper housing is provided with a convex surface, the cut surface abutting against the convex surface.

[0010] Furthermore, the chip assembly also includes a second circuit board and a flexible circuit board, the second circuit board being located on one side of the lower surface of the first circuit board, and the first circuit board and the second circuit board being connected through the flexible circuit board.

[0011] Furthermore, the camera module also includes an external connector, which is connected to the second circuit board.

[0012] Furthermore, the camera module also includes a lower housing, which is connected to the upper housing to form a receiving cavity, and the chip assembly is located within the receiving cavity.

[0013] Furthermore, the upper housing and the lower housing are fixed by laser welding. Attached Figure Description

[0014] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly of the camera module of this utility model;

[0015] Figure 2 This is an assembly cross-sectional view of the camera module of this utility model;

[0016] Figure 3 for Figure 2 Enlarged view of point A in the image;

[0017] Figure 4 This is an exploded view of the camera module of this utility model;

[0018] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly of the lens, the first adhesive, and the chip assembly of this utility model. Detailed Implementation

[0019] The technical solutions of the present utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present utility model, and not all of them. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present utility model without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present utility model.

[0020] In the description of this utility model, it should be noted that the terms "upper," "lower," "inner," "outer," "top / bottom," etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this utility model and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this utility model. Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0021] In the description of this utility model, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installed," "equipped with," "sleeved / connected," "connected," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, "connection" can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; it can be a connection within two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model based on the specific circumstances.

[0022] For ease of understanding this application, as Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 4 As shown, in this application, the "upper direction" refers to the side of the camera module closest to the lens, i.e., the object-side end of the camera module; the "lower direction" refers to the side of the camera module closest to the external connector, i.e., the image-side end of the camera module. Furthermore, in the following text, "upper end" and "top" refer to the ends of a single structure closest to the object-side end, and "lower end" and "bottom" refer to the ends of a single structure closest to the image-side end. That is, the vertical directions in the figures and specifications can express the spatial relationship between the structures, or the positional relationship of the ends of a single structure.

[0023] The camera module provided in the embodiments of this application will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0024] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 4 As shown, the camera module includes a lens 1, a heating element 2, a chip assembly 3, an upper housing 4, a lower housing 5, and an external connector 6. The upper housing 4 and the lower housing 5 are connected to form a receiving cavity 9. The chip assembly 3 is disposed in the receiving cavity 9 and connected to the upper housing 4. The lens 1 is mounted on the upper housing 4 and located directly above the chip assembly 3. The heating element 2 is disposed in the lens 1 and extends downward to connect to the chip assembly 3. The external connector 6 is connected to the chip assembly 3 and protrudes from the lower housing 5 for electrically connecting the camera module to an external device.

[0025] Specifically, the lens 1 includes a lens barrel 11 and a lens 12 housed within the lens barrel 11, and the barrel wall of the lens barrel 11 is provided with a wire guide groove 111. Preferably, the wire guide groove 111 extends through the barrel wall of the lens barrel 11 along the optical axis of the lens 1, so that the upper end and the lower end of the lens barrel 11 are connected, ensuring better connection and communication between the heating element 2 and the chip assembly 3 located inside the lens barrel 11.

[0026] The chip assembly 3 includes a first circuit board 31, a photosensitive chip 32, and a connector 33. The first circuit board 31 includes an upper surface 311 facing the lens 1 and a lower surface 312 opposite to the upper surface 311. The photosensitive chip 32 is mounted in the middle of the upper surface 311 and faces the lens 1, and the connector 33 is mounted on the lower surface 312. That is, the first circuit board 31 provides electrical connection between the photosensitive chip 32 and the connector 33, ensuring that both can work normally.

[0027] The upper housing 4 is a hollow structure with openings at both ends, and a through hole (not shown in the figure) is provided in the middle. The upper housing 4 has a square shape. Specifically, the lens barrel 11 is located inside the through hole, and the upper housing 4 is fixedly connected to the outer wall of the lens barrel 11. The bottom surface of the upper housing 4 is attached to the periphery of the upper surface 311 of the first circuit board 31 by the first adhesive 7, covering the photosensitive chip 32 located in the middle of the upper surface 311. That is, the lens barrel 11 is mounted on the first circuit board 31 through the upper housing 4, which means that the lens 1 is mounted on the first circuit board 31 through the upper housing 4. Figure 2 , Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, there are multiple first adhesives 7, which are spaced apart, with clearance grooves 71 between adjacent first adhesives 7. It should be noted that the upper housing 4 is bonded to the upper surface 311 of the first circuit board 31 by multiple spaced first adhesives 7, ensuring a gap between the upper housing 4 and the upper surface 311 of the first circuit board 31, even with clearance grooves 71 between adjacent spaced first adhesives 7. By directly adhesive-fixing the upper housing 4 to the first circuit board 31 of the chip assembly 3, the lens 1 can be directly aligned and assembled with the photosensitive chip 32 of the chip assembly 3, ensuring the assembly accuracy of the lens 1 and the photosensitive chip 32, and ensuring the imaging quality of the camera module. Furthermore, the connection between the upper housing 4 and the first circuit board 31 by multiple spaced adhesives ensures a stable connection while retaining clearance grooves 71 for air escape, thus preventing excessive internal pressure from affecting the adhesive stability between the upper housing 4 and the first circuit board 31 during the heating and curing of the first adhesive 7.

[0028] like Figure 2 , Figure 4 and Figure 5As shown, the heating element 2 includes a heating element 21 and a flexible circuit board 22. The heating element 21 is installed inside the lens barrel 11 and close to the lens 12. One end of the flexible circuit board 22 is connected to the heating element 21, and the other end passes through the wire groove 111 and the clearance groove 71 to connect to the connector 33. The flexible circuit board 22, which is located inside the lens 1, is limited by the wire groove 111 of the lens barrel 11, ensuring that the alignment and assembly of the lens 1 and the upper housing 4 are not affected, thus improving the assembly efficiency and accuracy of the lens 1 and the upper housing 4. Since the outer wall of the lens barrel 11 is connected to the upper housing 4, and the bottom surface of the upper housing 4 is located on the upper surface 311 of the first circuit board 31, the clearance groove 71 is provided to ensure that the flexible circuit board 22 can extend out of the sealed space formed by the lens barrel 11 and the upper housing 4, and then connect to the connector 33 of the chip assembly 3 to realize the electrical connection to the heating element 21. The flexible circuit board 22 is connected to the power strip connector 33 by plugging in, which makes the electrical connection of the heating element 2 simple and stable, thereby further reducing the cost of the camera module and improving the yield of the camera module.

[0029] In one embodiment, considering that the first circuit board 31 has a square structure, the number of first adhesives 7 is four, and the four first adhesives 7 are evenly distributed around the upper surface 311. That is, the first adhesives 7 are placed around the first circuit board 31 to bond with the upper housing 4, ensuring a stable connection and uniform adhesion between the two.

[0030] In one embodiment, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, a bearing groove 41 is provided at the upper end of the upper housing 4, and a flange ring 112 is provided in the middle of the outer side wall of the lens barrel 11. The flange ring 112 is located in the bearing groove 41 and is fixedly connected to the upper housing 4 by a second adhesive 8. That is, the lens 1 and the upper housing 4 are fixed by adhesive, which reduces the complexity of the connection between the two and ensures the stability of the connection. By providing an annular flange ring 112 on the outer side wall of the lens barrel 11 and a bearing groove 41 at the upper end of the upper housing 4, the connection between the lens 1 and the upper housing 4 is simplified, facilitating the alignment and assembly of the two. It should be noted that the upper end of the upper housing 4 refers to the end of the upper housing 4 closest to the lens 1.

[0031] In one embodiment, such as Figure 3 As shown, a guide slope 411 is provided at the top of the bearing groove 41. The guide slope 411 is located on the side of the flange ring 112, which increases the contact area between the upper housing 4 and the second adhesive 8, and improves the connection stability between the upper housing 4 and the lens barrel 11. It should be noted that the top of the bearing groove 41 refers to the end of the bearing groove 41 near the side of the camera module.

[0032] Furthermore, the distance between the upper end of the guide slope 411 and the flange ring 112 is greater than the distance between the lower end of the guide slope 411 and the flange ring 112. That is, the gap formed by the guide slope 411 and the flange ring 112 is a trumpet-shaped structure with a large upper opening. The large upper opening makes it easier to add the second glue 8 between the flange ring 112 and the upper housing 4.

[0033] In one embodiment, such as Figure 4 As shown, the lower end of the outer wall of the lens barrel 11 is provided with a cut surface 113, and the upper end of the corresponding upper housing 4 is provided with a convex surface 42, with the cut surface 113 abutting against the convex surface 42. By providing the cut surface 113 and the convex surface 42, the connection between the lens barrel 11 and the upper housing 4 is simplified, thus preventing mistaken connection. Furthermore, since the flexible circuit board 22 on the lens 1 needs to be aligned and inserted with the connector 33 on the chip assembly 3, the cut surface 113 and the convex surface 42 can also serve to position the flexible circuit board 22 and the connector 33, ensuring that the flexible circuit board 22 and the connector 33 appear on the same side.

[0034] In one embodiment, such as Figure 2 and Figure 4 As shown, the chip assembly 3 also includes a second circuit board 34 and a flexible circuit board 35. The second circuit board 34 is located on one side of the lower surface 312 of the first circuit board 31, and the first circuit board 31 and the second circuit board 34 are connected by the flexible circuit board 35. The first circuit board 31 and the second circuit board 34 are connected by the flexible circuit board 35, which avoids the second circuit board 34 from affecting the alignment and assembly of the first circuit board 31 and the upper housing 4. That is, the flexible circuit board 35 can effectively alleviate the positional relationship between the first circuit board 31 and the second circuit board 34.

[0035] In one embodiment, the external connector 6 is connected to the second circuit board 34, enabling the chip assembly 3 to connect to external electronic devices via the external connector 6.

[0036] In one embodiment, the upper housing 4 and the lower housing 5 are fixed by laser welding to ensure a stable connection and meet the requirements of automated assembly production of the camera module. Alternatively, the upper housing 4 and the lower housing 5 can be fixed by screws, which is a low-cost and stable method.

[0037] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present utility model, but the protection scope of the present utility model is not limited thereto. Any equivalent substitutions or changes made by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in the present utility model based on the technical solution and its improved concept should be covered within the protection scope of the present utility model.

Claims

1. A camera module, characterized in that, include: The lens includes a lens barrel and a lens element housed within the lens barrel, wherein the lens barrel wall is provided with a wire groove; A chip assembly includes a first circuit board, a photosensitive chip, and a connector. The first circuit board includes an upper surface facing the lens and a lower surface opposite to the upper surface. The photosensitive chip is mounted in the middle of the upper surface and faces the lens. The connector is mounted on the lower surface. The upper housing is a hollow structure with openings at both ends. The upper housing is fixedly connected to the outer wall of the lens barrel. The bottom surface of the upper housing is provided around the upper surface by a first adhesive. There are multiple first adhesives that are spaced apart, and there are clearance grooves between adjacent first adhesives. The heating element includes a heating element and a flexible circuit board. The heating element is installed inside the lens barrel and close to the lens. One end of the flexible circuit board is connected to the heating element, and the other end passes through the wire groove and the clearance groove in sequence to connect to the connector.

2. The camera module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The number of the first adhesives is four, and the four first adhesives are evenly distributed around the upper surface.

3. The camera module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The upper end of the upper housing is provided with a bearing groove, and the middle of the outer side wall of the lens barrel is provided with a flange ring. The flange ring is disposed in the bearing groove and is fixedly connected to the upper housing by a second adhesive.

4. The camera module according to claim 3, characterized in that, The top of the bearing groove is provided with a guide slope, and the guide slope is located on the side of the flange ring.

5. The camera module according to claim 4, characterized in that, The distance between the upper end of the guide bevel and the flange ring is greater than the distance between the lower end of the guide bevel and the flange ring.

6. The camera module according to claim 5, characterized in that, The lower end of the outer wall of the lens tube is provided with a cut surface, and the upper end of the corresponding upper housing is provided with a convex surface, with the cut surface abutting against the convex surface.

7. The camera module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The chip assembly also includes a second circuit board and a flexible circuit board, the second circuit board being located on one side of the lower surface of the first circuit board, and the first circuit board and the second circuit board being connected through the flexible circuit board.

8. The camera module according to claim 7, characterized in that, The camera module also includes an external connector, which is connected to the second circuit board.

9. The camera module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The camera module also includes a lower housing, which is connected to the upper housing to form a receiving cavity, and the chip assembly is located in the receiving cavity.

10. The camera module according to claim 9, characterized in that, The upper housing and the lower housing are fixed by laser welding, or the upper housing and the lower housing are fixed by screw fastening.

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