In-vehicle cameras

Abstract

To provide an imaging module capable of facilitating the assembling of components.SOLUTION: A disclosed imaging module is an imaging module consisting of multiple components that have a first component with high light transmittance and a second component with low light transmittance, and have a joint between the first component and the second component.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an in-vehicle camera. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, the increasing pixel count of image sensors has made it possible to obtain high-quality images using imaging modules mounted on vehicles, etc. To achieve high-quality images, the assembly precision of the imaging module is also important. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] U.S. Patent No. 7,965,336 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 5129352 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The present disclosure provides an in-vehicle camera that allows easy assembly of components. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The vehicle-mounted camera according to the present disclosure includes a lens barrel in which a lens is disposed, a sensor board having a first surface on the lens barrel side and a second surface opposite to the first surface, an image sensor provided on the sensor board, a board-mounted connector disposed on the second surface of the sensor board, and a storage device accommodating at least the sensor board. And made of resin a case and a board-mounted connector configured to connect to an external cable; Made of resin a case connector disposed in a portion of the case, Made of resinThe case includes a third surface, a fourth surface opposite the third surface and facing at least a part of the first surface of the sensor board, and a first end surface, a second end surface, a third end surface, and a fourth end surface disposed between the third surface and the fourth surface, and is a base portion of the lens barrel. Made of resin a first member; a rectangular back surface portion that faces at least a part of the second surface of the sensor substrate, on which the case connector is arranged, and that has a first side, a second side, a third side, and a fourth side; Made of resin a first side wall portion extending toward the fourth surface of the first member; Made of resin a second side wall portion extending toward the fourth surface of the first member; and a second side wall portion extending from the third side of the rear surface portion. Made of resin a third side wall portion extending toward the fourth surface of the first member; Made of resin a fourth side wall portion extending toward the fourth surface of the first member; Made of resin a second member; Made of resin the first sidewall portion of the second member includes a first outer surface, a first inner surface, and a first end opposite the back surface; Made of resin the second sidewall portion of the second member includes a second outer surface, a second inner surface, and a second end opposite the back surface; Made of resin the third sidewall portion of the second member includes a third outer surface, a third inner surface, and a third end opposite the back surface; Made of resin The fourth sidewall portion of the second member includes a fourth outer surface, a fourth inner surface, and a fourth end opposite the back surface portion, and at least a portion of the sensor substrate includes: Made of resin The sensor substrate is disposed between the first inner surface of the first side wall portion of the second member and the third inner surface of the third side wall portion of the second member, and at least a portion of the sensor substrate is Made of resin disposed between the second inner surface of the second side wall portion and the fourth inner surface of the fourth side wall portion of the second member, Made of resin The fourth surface of the first member is Made of resin a first opposing portion opposing the first end portion of the first side wall portion of the second member; Made of resina second opposing portion opposing the second end portion of the second side wall portion of the second member; Made of resin a third opposing portion opposing the third end portion of the third side wall portion of the second member; Made of resin a fourth opposing portion opposing the fourth end portion of the fourth side wall portion of the second member, Made of resin The case is Made of resin the first end surface of the first member; Made of resin a first groove portion disposed across the first outer surface of the first sidewall portion of the second member; Made of resin the second end surface of the first member; Made of resin a second groove portion disposed across the second outer surface of the second sidewall portion of the second member; Made of resin the third end surface of the first member; Made of resin a third groove portion disposed across the third outer surface of the third side wall portion of the second member; Made of resin the fourth end surface of the first member; Made of resin and a fourth groove disposed across the fourth outer surface of the fourth side wall portion of the second member, wherein the first groove, the second groove, the third groove, and the fourth groove are disposed continuously, the first groove having a first side surface, a second side surface opposing the first side surface, and a first bottom, the second groove having a third side surface, a fourth side surface opposing the third side surface, and a second bottom, the third groove having a fifth side surface, a sixth side surface opposing the fifth side surface, and a third bottom, and the fourth groove having a seventh side surface, an eighth side surface opposing the seventh side surface, and a fourth bottom, Made of resin The case is disposed around the first groove, the second groove, the third groove, and the fourth groove. Made of resin a ring-shaped member; Made of resin the first member and the second member of the case are light-absorbing members made of resin that absorb laser light and generate heat, Made of resin the ring-shaped member is a light-transmitting member made of resin that transmits the laser light, It is a light-transmitting resin material.The ring-shaped member is welded by the laser beam around at least the first bottom of the first groove, at least the second bottom of the second groove, at least the third bottom of the third groove, and at least the fourth bottom of the fourth groove, and is disposed in the first groove. It is a light-transmitting resin material. A light absorbing member made of resin that absorbs the laser light and generates heat is disposed between the first portion of the ring-shaped member and the image sensor, and a light absorbing member disposed in the second groove portion It is a light-transmitting resin material. A light absorbing member made of resin that absorbs the laser light and generates heat is disposed between the second portion of the ring-shaped member and the image sensor, and a light absorbing member disposed in the third groove portion It is a light-transmitting resin material. A light absorbing member made of resin that absorbs the laser light and generates heat is disposed between the third portion of the ring-shaped member and the image sensor, and a light absorbing member disposed in the fourth groove portion It is a light-transmitting resin material. A light absorbing member made of resin that absorbs the laser light and generates heat is disposed between the fourth portion of the ring-shaped member and the image sensor. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] According to the vehicle-mounted camera according to the present disclosure, it is possible to easily assemble parts together. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of an imaging module according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing another example of the case shape of the imaging module according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a modified example of the method of assembling the imaging module according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of another configuration of the imaging module according to the embodiment (part 1). [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of another configuration of the imaging module according to the embodiment (part 2). [Figure 6]FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of another configuration of the imaging module according to the embodiment (part 3). [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of another configuration of the imaging module according to the embodiment (part 4). [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of another configuration of the imaging module according to the embodiment (part 5). [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is an exploded view of the configuration of the embodiment shown in FIG. 4 or 5. In FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is an exploded view of the configuration of the embodiment shown in FIG. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of an assembly procedure for various types of imaging modules according to an embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of an assembly procedure for various types of imaging modules according to an embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of an assembly procedure for various types of imaging modules according to an embodiment. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a diagram showing an example of an assembly procedure for various types of imaging modules according to an embodiment. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a diagram showing an example of an assembly procedure for various types of imaging modules according to an embodiment. [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is a diagram showing an example of the case where the lens barrel and the sensor substrate according to the embodiment are fixed together by laser welding. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] Hereinafter, an embodiment of an imaging module and an assembly method according to the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In recent years, in-vehicle cameras have been used for driving assistance, and the image quality of the imaging module directly affects the accuracy of the driving assistance, so the reliability test conditions have become increasingly strict. For this reason, the imaging module of this embodiment is suitable for in-vehicle cameras.

[0009] (Embodiment) In this embodiment, the imaging module refers to a module in which an imaging sensor is combined with optical components and the like.

[0010] The imaging sensor is an image sensor such as a CCD (Charge-Coupled Device) or a CMOS (Complementary MOS) having an imaging element.

[0011] An optical component is a component that constitutes part or all of an optical system. A lens barrel is an example of an optical component and is a support cylinder in which an optical lens is arranged. Some lens barrels also include an aperture, a shutter, or a zoom mechanism. A lens barrel may be configured to include some or all of these.

[0012] Note that, although the following description will show the configuration of an imaging module having a lens barrel, which is an optical component, an imaging sensor, and a connector for electrically wiring to the imaging sensor, the configuration of the imaging module is not limited to this. Components may be replaced or added.

[0013] The configuration of the imaging module and how to assemble the imaging module will be described below. Several examples will be shown below, but when the explanation of similar parts is repeated, the same reference numerals will be used in the figures and the explanation will be omitted as appropriate.

[0014] 1 shows an imaging module of this embodiment. A portion of the outer diameter structure is shown in cross section so that the configuration can be understood. Imaging module 1 is divided into lens barrel 10, an imaging sensor provided on sensor board 11, and connector 12.

[0015] The sensor substrate 11 and the lens barrel 10 are fixed to each other by applying adhesive 1000 to the sensor substrate 11 or the lens barrel 10 in advance, and after six-axis focusing adjustment, they are temporarily fixed by UV light irradiation, and then heat is applied for final hardening. The sensor substrate 11 and the lens barrel 10 may also be fixed to each other by other fixing means such as screws or solder.

[0016] With the sensor substrate 11 and lens barrel 10 fixed in place, the following parts are joined together. "Joining" here refers to joining parts by melting them together. For example, it means melting and welding resin parts. The part joined in this way is called the "joint."

[0017] The first part 101 and the second part 102 form a case that houses the lens barrel 10. The first part 101 is joined to the second part 102 that houses the lens barrel 10.

[0018] The third component 103 is a case for the connector 12. The third component 103 is joined to the second component 102. By joining the third component 103 to the second component 102, the board-mounted connector 11-1 of the sensor board 11 is electrically connected to the connector 12.

[0019] The imaging module 1 assembled in this manner is driven via electrical wiring 12-1 of connector 12, and forms an image incident from lens barrel 10 on the imaging element of sensor board 11, outputting the captured image via electrical wiring 12-1. Connector 12 is a connector such as a communication cable that connects to a control device.

[0020] In this configuration, the portions to be joined are a contact surface a1 between the first part 101 and the second part 102 and a contact surface a2 between the second part 102 and the third part 103.

[0021] Contact surfaces a1 and a2 are the opposing surfaces of the parts. Even if there are parts that are not strictly in contact, as long as they are capable of joining, they are considered to be contact surfaces and are called contact surfaces. The definition of contact surfaces is the same for other examples.

[0022] In this embodiment, the components are welded together by irradiating the contact surfaces with laser light without using any adhesive.

[0023] Specifically, the two opposing components are made of a light-transmitting member and a light-absorbing member. The light-transmitting member and the light-absorbing member each exhibit different light transmittances for the laser light used. The light-transmitting member is a member that exhibits high light transmittance for the laser light used. The light-absorbing member is a member that exhibits low light transmittance for that laser light.

[0024] The laser light is irradiated from the light-transmitting member side toward the light-absorbing member. Strictly speaking, it is irradiated from the surface side of the light-transmitting member, aiming at the contact surface between the light-transmitting member and the light-absorbing member. With this method, the irradiated laser light passes through the light-transmitting member and reaches the light-absorbing member, where it is absorbed by the light-absorbing member at the contact surface, generating heat. The generated heat melts the light-absorbing member at the contact surface, and the components are welded (bonded) at the contact surface.

[0025] Note that the laser light is just an example, and other irradiation means may be used as long as they are capable of welding the components together.

[0026] 1, a first component 101 is a light-transmitting component, a second component 102 is a light-absorbing component, and a third component 103 is a light-transmitting component.

[0027] The first component 101 and the second component 102 are joined by irradiating a laser beam from the surface of the first component 101 to a contact surface a1 with the second component 102.

[0028] In FIG. 1, the direction and range of laser light irradiation are indicated by arrows x1. The laser light is irradiated between the two arrows x1 that are lined up at the same location. Note that the irradiation position of the laser light may be slightly shifted as long as it is between the two arrows x1. If necessary, the irradiation position of the laser light may be shifted between the two arrows x1 to widen the irradiation width.

[0029] Note that, when viewed in plan from the light incident side, i.e., in the direction of the arrow x1 of the laser light, the contact surface a1 between the first component 101 and the second component 102 extends all the way around the circle of the lens barrel 10, since the outer shape of the lens barrel 10 is circular. Because the contact surface a1 is configured along the circular outer shape of the lens barrel 10, the components are joined by irradiating the entire contact surface with laser light. The cross-sectional view of Figure 1 shows only the left and right ends of the second component 102, which are located on one perimeter of the entire contact surface, and therefore two arrows x1 are shown for each.

[0030] The other second component 102 and the third component 103 are joined by irradiating a laser beam from the surface of the third component 103 toward a contact surface a2 with the second component 102. In Fig. 1, the direction of the laser beam irradiation is indicated by an arrow x2.

[0031] When the contact surface a2 between the second component 102 and the third component 103 is viewed from above from the connector 12 side, i.e., in the direction of the laser light arrow x2, the edge of the opening of the second component 102 goes all the way around the sensor board 11. Because the contact surface a2 is configured around the sensor board 11, the components are joined by irradiating the entire contact surface with laser light. In the cross-sectional view of Figure 1, only the left and right ends of the third component 103, which are located all the way around the entire contact surface, are shown, and therefore two arrows x2 are shown for each.

[0032] When joining parts, the laser light may be irradiated onto each contact surface by fixing the irradiation direction of the laser head and rotating the parts, or the laser head may be moved to irradiate the laser light onto each contact surface.

[0033] (Examples of laser light, light-transmitting material, and light-absorbing material) Here, an example of the relationship between the laser light, the light transmitting member, and the light absorbing member will be shown.

[0034] <Components> Resin material Materials suitable for laser welding include polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) resin and polyamide (PA) resin. The resin may contain a reinforcing agent such as a glass filler.

[0035] <Laser> A YAG (Yttrium Aluminum Garnet) laser or the like that emits near-infrared light of 1060 to 1070 nm can be used. Also, 949 nm (semiconductor laser) can be used.

[0036] <Resin transmittance> It is desirable to use resin (transmitting material) with a transmittance of 20% or more and absorbing material with an absorptivity of 90% or more for the above laser light. However, this may not be the case depending on the laser light irradiation conditions, etc. Furthermore, even if the material is transmissive, it is colored so that visible light wavelengths do not transmit, and the incidence of visible light into the vehicle-mounted camera is limited.

[0037] As described above, the combination of components shown in this embodiment allows the components to be melted and bonded by irradiating them with laser light. Furthermore, after the light-absorbing member is melted by irradiating them with laser light, the components can be pressed together to further enhance adhesion. Because the light-absorbing member is melted and bonded, the contact surfaces can be neatly bonded. This method makes assembly easy, and because no adhesive is used, reliability conditions can be maintained even in harsh operating environments, allowing the imaging module to be used safely for long periods of time.

[0038] (Deformation of the case shape of the imaging module 1) Fig. 2 shows an example of a cross section of the imaging module of this embodiment when the case shape is modified. The imaging module 1 in Fig. 2 is an example of a case in which the third component 103 has an outer shape wider than the diameter of the second component 102 when viewed from above from the connector 12 side.

[0039] In this case, assembly is performed using the same assembly method as in Figure 1, but because the third part 103 has an outer diameter wider than the diameter of the second part 102, there is the freedom to move the third part 103 up, down, left, and right before joining to fit the connector 12 into the board-mounted connector 11-1, making it easier to connect to the board-mounted connector 11-1.

[0040] (Variations in the assembly method of the imaging module 1) Fig. 3 shows a modified example of the method of assembling the imaging module 1. The imaging module 1 in Fig. 3 is configured in such a way that the assembly of the first component 201 and the second component 202, and the assembly of the second component 202 and the third component 203 are performed using the fourth component 204.

[0041] The first component 201, the second component 202, and the third component 203 are all made of a light-absorbing material, and the fourth component 204 is made of a light-transmitting material, and these components are joined together.

[0042] 3, the first part 201 and the second part 202 have cutouts b11 and b12, respectively. When the first part 201 and the second part 202 are combined together, the cutout b11 of the first part 201 and the cutout b12 of the second part 202 form a groove in which the fourth part 204-1 fits.

[0043] The groove formed by the notch b11 of the first component 201 and the notch b12 of the second component 202 goes all the way around the outer shape of the lens barrel 10. The fourth component 204-1 is fitted into the groove that follows the outer shape of the lens barrel 10.

[0044] The fourth part 204-1 may be a ring-shaped part that fits into the entire groove, or may be a divided part that is divided along the groove and filled in.

[0045] When the fourth part 204-1 is a ring-shaped part, assembly is performed by fitting the ring-shaped fourth part 204-1 into one of the notches (notch b11 or notch b12) of the first part 201 and the second part 202, and then joining the first part 201 and the second part 202.

[0046] Similarly, second part 202 and third part 203 also have cutouts b13 and b14 corresponding to fourth part 204-2. By joining second part 202 and third part 203, cutout b13 of second part 202 and cutout b14 of third part 203 form a groove in which fourth part 204-2 fits. The groove goes all the way around the outer shape of the opening of second part 202. Fourth part 204-2 is fitted into the groove along the outer shape of the opening.

[0047] The assembly method when the fourth part 204-2 is a ring-shaped part is similar: the ring-shaped fourth part 204-2 is fitted into the notch (notch b13 or notch b14) of one of the second part 202 and the third part 203, and then the second part 202 and the third part 203 are joined together.

[0048] Furthermore, the joining of first component 201 and second component 202, and the joining of second component 202 and third component 203 are performed by irradiating a laser beam onto a fourth component 204 (fourth component 204-1 and fourth component 204-2, respectively) provided on each component. The laser beam is irradiated in the directions indicated by arrows x3 and x4 in FIG. 3 . That is, to join first component 201 and second component 202, the entire surface of fourth component 204-1 is irradiated from the outer periphery of lens barrel 10, and to join second component 202 and third component 203, the entire surface of fourth component 204-2 is irradiated from the outer periphery of the opening of second component 202. By irradiating the laser beam in this manner, first component 201 and second component 202 are melted to weld the components together, and second component 202 and third component 203 are melted to weld the components together.

[0049] 4 to 8 are diagrams showing examples of other forms of imaging modules, in which lens barrel 10 is joined to connecting components of board-mounted connector 11-1 and connector 12.

[0050] 4, the base of lens barrel 10 is first component 301, and the connecting component between board-mounted connector 11-1 and connector 12 is second component 302. Imaging module 1 is configured by joining first component 301 and second component 302.

[0051] The sensor substrate 11 and the base of the lens barrel 10 are fixed to each other by applying adhesive 1000 to the sensor substrate 11 or the base of the lens barrel 10 in advance, and after six-axis focusing adjustment, they are temporarily fixed by UV light irradiation and then heat is applied for final hardening. The adhesive 1000 is applied to two or more locations on the sensor substrate 11 or the base of the lens barrel 10. In the case of a rectangular configuration, the adhesive 1000 is applied to two or more locations on two or more of the four corners. Therefore, the sensor substrate 11 and the base of the lens barrel 10 are fixed to each other at two or more locations. Note that the fixing method for the sensor substrate 11 and the base of the lens barrel 10 is not limited to using adhesive 1000, and other fixing methods such as screws or solder may also be used.

[0052] The base (first component 301) of lens barrel 10 is a component that is sized so that its edge comes into contact with the inner surface of second component 302 at the opening of second component 302.

[0053] The second component 302 is open on the side where the first component 301 is assembled (called the front side), and has an internal storage space for storing the sensor board 11, and the rear surface has a hole for connecting the board-mounted connector 11-1 of the sensor board 11 to the connector 12.

[0054] In this configuration, the portion to be joined is the contact surface a11 between the edge of first component 301 and the inner surface of the opening of second component 302. A light-absorbing material is used for first component 301, and a light-transmitting material is used for second component 302. Laser light is irradiated from the surface side of the light-transmitting material, aiming at the contact surface a11 between the light-transmitting material and the light-absorbing material.

[0055] The laser light is emitted in the direction of the arrow shown in Figure 4. The laser light emission method can be any of the methods described above. The contact surface a11 between the first component 301 and the second component 302 goes all the way around the lens barrel 10. Therefore, as described above, the laser light is emitted to the entire contact surface.

[0056] With this configuration, the imaging module 1 can be constructed by joining the first component 301 and the second component 302. The number of components is small, and assembly is easy.

[0057] 5, the base (first component 401) of lens barrel 10 is a component that is the same size as the outer periphery of second component 402 on the opening side of second component 402. The other parts are the same as those in FIG.

[0058] In this configuration, the portion to be joined is a contact surface a12 between the edge of first part 401 and the outer periphery of the opening of second part 402. A light-transmitting material is used for first part 401, and a light-absorbing material is used for second part 402.

[0059] The laser light is emitted in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 5. Since contact surface a12 between first part 401 and second part 402 goes around the periphery of lens barrel 10, the laser light is irradiated onto contact surface a12 around lens barrel 10.

[0060] The configuration shown in Fig. 6 is a configuration in which joining is performed using a third component. The shapes of first component 501 and second component 502 are similar to those of first component 301 and second component 302 shown in Fig. 4, respectively. Third component 503 covers the edge of contact surface a11 between first component 501 and second component 502 from the direction of laser light irradiation, and is positioned so as to come into contact with first component 501 and second component 502. Third component 503 is shaped to cover, for example, the base of lens barrel 10 from above, and has a hole exposing the cylindrical portion to the outside at a position corresponding to the cylindrical portion of the main body excluding the base of lens barrel 10.

[0061] In the configuration shown in FIG. 6, a first component 501 and a second component 502 are made of light-absorbing materials, and a third component 503 is made of a light-transmitting material.

[0062] A laser beam is irradiated in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 6. The laser beam is irradiated onto the third component 503 to melt the contact surface a10-1 with the first component 501 and the contact surface a10-2 with the second component 502, thereby welding the first component 501, the second component 502, and the third component 503 together.

[0063] The configuration shown in FIG. 7 is another configuration in which joining is performed using a third component. The first component 601 and the second component 602 correspond to the first component 401 and the second component 402 shown in FIG. 5, respectively, with notches that serve as grooves. The grooves are provided so as to include the contact surfaces a12 of the first component 601 and the second component 602. The configuration of the notches is the same as that shown in FIG. 3. The third component 603 and the groove correspond to the fourth component 204 and the groove shown in FIG. 3. In this configuration, a light-absorbing material is used for the first component 601 and the second component 602, and a light-transmitting material is used for the third component 603.

[0064] The laser beam is irradiated in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 7. The laser beam is irradiated onto the third component 603 in the same manner as the laser beam irradiation onto the fourth component 204 shown in Fig. 3, and the first component 601, the second component 602, and the third component 603 are welded together.

[0065] The configuration shown in Fig. 8 is a configuration in which a light-transmitting member is used throughout the entire lens barrel 10. The shapes of the first part 701 and the second part 702 are similar to the shapes of the first part 301 and the second part 302 shown in Fig. 4, respectively. The third part 703 is the lens barrel 10.

[0066] In this example, the sensor substrate 11 is fixed to the first component 701 by screws 1100, but it may also be fixed by other fixing means such as adhesive or solder.

[0067] 8, a light absorbing member is used for the first component 701, and a light transmitting member is used for the second component 702. Also, a light transmitting member is used for the third component 703.

[0068] The laser light is irradiated in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 8. In this configuration, joining is performed at two locations: contact surface a11 between first part 701 and second part 702, and contact surface a13 between first part 701 and third part 703.

[0069] The method of irradiating the contact surface a11 between the first component 701 and the second component 702 with laser light is the same as in Figure 4. For the contact surface a13 between the first component 701 and the third component 703, the edge of the base of the third component 703 is used to irradiate the laser light onto the contact surface a13 between the first component 701 and the third component 703. As shown in Figure 8, the laser light is irradiated from an oblique direction, aiming at the inner contact surface a13, but the irradiation direction can be determined appropriately. It is sufficient that the area where the first component 701 and the third component 703 are joined is irradiated.

[0070] 8, in order to join lens barrel 10, the gap between the edge of the base of lens barrel 10 and first part 701 is filled with sealant 2000 to waterproof the gap and prevent moisture and the like from entering. Note that sealing means other than sealant may also be used as long as it can seal the gap. Sealants and other materials that perform sealing are collectively referred to as sealing materials.

[0071] (Specific implementation of each form) An embodiment will be described with more specific examples using Figures 9 and 10. Figure 9 is an exploded configuration diagram when the configuration of Figure 4 or Figure 5 is applied. Figure 10 is an exploded configuration diagram when the configuration of Figure 6 is applied.

[0072] Fig. 9 will be described using the configuration of Fig. 4 as an example. In the example shown in Fig. 9, a base for first component 301 is configured in lens barrel 10. First component 301 uses a light-absorbing material, and second component 302 uses a light-transmitting material.

[0073] In the example shown in FIG. 9 , the sensor substrate 11 and the lens barrel 10 are first fixed at two or more locations with adhesive 1000. In this example, the adhesive 1000 is applied in advance to the sensor substrate 11 or the base of the lens barrel 10. After six-axis focusing adjustment, the adhesive is temporarily fixed by UV light irradiation, and then heat is applied for final hardening. The adhesive 1000 is applied to two or more of the four corners. In this example, a heat dissipation member 13 is further attached to the back side of the sensor substrate 11. Next, the first component 301 is placed so as to contact the inner surface of the opening of the second component 302, and a laser beam is irradiated onto the contact surface between the rectangular edge of the first component 301 and the inner surface of the opening of the second component 302. Note that a protrusion for holding the first component 301 for alignment may be provided on the inner surface of the second component 302.

[0074] In the example shown in FIG. 10 , the first and second components 501 and 502 are made of light-absorbing materials, and a third component 503 made of a light-transmitting material is placed. Laser light is then irradiated onto the third component 503. The assembly procedure begins by fixing the sensor substrate 11 and the lens barrel 10 together at two or more locations using adhesive 1000. In this example, adhesive 1000 is applied to the sensor substrate 11 or the base of the lens barrel 10 in advance. After six-axis focusing adjustment, the adhesive is temporarily fixed by UV light irradiation, and then finally cured by applying heat. The adhesive 1000 is applied to two or more of the four corners. In this example, a heat dissipation member 13 is also attached to the back side of the sensor substrate 11. The first component 501 is then placed so as to contact the inner surface of the opening of the second component 502, and the third component 503 is then placed. Laser light is irradiated onto the surface of the third component 503.

[0075] Note that a positioning projection may be provided on the inner surface of second component 502 so that the contact surface of first component 501 and the contact surface of second component 502 are at the same height.

[0076] The assembly procedure is not limited to this. For example, first component 501 and third component 503 may be welded together by irradiating them with laser light, and then welded third component 503 may be placed on second component 502 and irradiated with laser light.

[0077] 11 to 15 show various assembly procedures for the imaging module. Each arrow in FIG. 11 to 15 indicates the direction of laser light irradiation. As explained above, the laser light is irradiated from the light-transmitting member side, aiming at the contact surface between the light-transmitting member and the light-absorbing member. Therefore, although not specifically explained below, the following description will be given assuming that the member indicated by each arrow is the light-absorbing member, and the member located on the near side in the direction of the arrow is the light-transmitting member.

[0078] The imaging module 1 shown in FIG. 11 has a heat dissipation material 13 between two substrates 11, and the periphery of the substrates 11 is covered with a shield plate .

[0079] First, first component 801 and second component 802 are bonded together (step S1). Next, second component 802 and third component 803 are bonded together (step S2). After that, sensor substrate 11 provided with shield plate 14 is adhered to the lens barrel 10 side. Next, fourth component 804 and fifth component 805 are bonded together (step S3). Then, third component 803 and fourth component 804 are bonded together (step 4).

[0080] The configuration of imaging module 1 shown in FIG. 12 is assembled as follows. First, first component 811 and second component 812 are bonded together (step S11). Next, first component 811 and third component 813 are bonded together (step S12). After that, sensor substrate 11 provided with shield plate 14 is adhered to the lens barrel 10 side. Next, fourth component 814 and fifth component 815 are bonded together (step S13). Then, third component 813 and fourth component 814 are bonded together (step S14).

[0081] 13, imaging module 1 is assembled as follows. First, first component 821 and second component 822 are bonded together (step S21). After that, sensor substrate 11 provided with shield plate 14 is adhered to the lens barrel 10 side. Next, third component 823 and second component 822 are bonded together (step S22). Then, fourth component 824 and third component 823 are bonded together (step S23). Note that the order of steps S22 and S23 may be reversed.

[0082] 14, the imaging module 1 is assembled as follows. It is assumed that the sensor substrate 11 provided with the shield plate 14 on the lens barrel 10 side is adhered. First, the second component 832 and the third component 833 are joined together (step S31). Next, the board-mounted connector 11-1 and the connector 12 are connected, and the first component 831 and the second component 832 are joined together (step S32).

[0083] 15, the imaging module 1 is assembled as follows. It is assumed that the sensor substrate 11 provided with the shield plate 14 on the lens barrel 10 side is adhered. First, the second component 842 and the third component 843 are joined (step S41). Next, the board-mounted connector 11-1 and the connector 12 are connected, and the first component 841 and the second component 842 are joined (step S42).

[0084] In this way, although the assembly method differs depending on the configuration, assembly can be easily performed by irradiating laser light.

[0085] (Method of fixing the lens barrel 10 and the sensor board 11) Up to now, lens barrel 10 and sensor substrate 11 have been described as being fixed together using fixing means such as adhesive, screws, or solder, but they may also be fixed together by laser welding.

[0086] As shown in Figure 16, lens barrel 10 is positioned on sensor board 11 after six-axis focus adjustment, and laser heads 2-1, 2-2, and 2-3, positioned with their target positions shifted, are simultaneously irradiated with laser light from laser device main body 2, and the three targets are fixed by laser welding. As an example, Figure 16 shows laser heads 2-1, 2-2, and 2-3 simultaneously irradiating the edge of lens barrel 10 with laser light, aiming at positions 0°, 120°, and 240° out of a 360° circumference. By simultaneously irradiating laser light and welding three locations in this way, axial wobble between the sensor surface and the optical system is suppressed, preventing image blurring and other issues.

[0087] Although an example in which the laser light is irradiated toward three locations at intervals of 120° has been shown here, the number of locations to be irradiated is not limited to three. The number of locations to be irradiated may be increased to three or more as long as the intervals around the optical axis are uniform, such as at intervals of 30°.

[0088] By simultaneously welding from three directions in this way, it is possible to eliminate focus errors and maintain image quality for a long period of time. In particular, welding is ideal for improving reliability and eliminating focus errors. Lens adjustment requires adjustment and fixing in 1 μm increments, but simply fixing by irradiating a laser results in movement in 100 μm increments, making it unsuitable for lens fixing. In this embodiment, by irradiating a laser beam of the same intensity from three directions, such as those branching at 120°, it is possible to fix the lens in 1 μm increments.

[0089] Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included within the scope and spirit of the invention, as well as within the scope of the invention described in the claims and their equivalents. [Explanation of symbols]

[0090] 1...imaging module, 10...lens barrel, 11...sensor board, 12...connector, 101...first part (first member), 102...second part (second member), a1...contact surface (joint), a2...contact surface (joint).

Claims

1. a lens barrel in which a lens is disposed; a sensor substrate having a first surface on the lens barrel side and a second surface opposite to the first surface; an image sensor provided on the sensor substrate; a board-mounted connector disposed on the second surface of the sensor substrate; a resin case that accommodates at least the sensor substrate; a case connector configured to connect to an external cable, connected to the board-mounted connector, and disposed in a part of the resin case; The resin case is The third aspect, a fourth surface opposite the third surface and facing at least a portion of the first surface of the sensor substrate; a first member made of resin, which is a base portion of the lens barrel and includes a first end surface, a second end surface, a third end surface, and a fourth end surface, the first end surface being disposed between the third surface and the fourth surface; a rectangular back surface portion having a first side, a second side, a third side, and a fourth side, the back surface facing at least a portion of the second surface of the sensor board, the case connector being disposed thereon; a first sidewall portion extending from the first side of the rear surface portion toward the fourth surface of the first member made of resin; a second sidewall portion extending from the second side of the rear surface portion toward the fourth surface of the first member made of resin; a third sidewall portion extending from the third side of the rear surface portion toward the fourth surface of the first member made of resin; a fourth side wall portion extending from the fourth side of the rear surface portion toward the fourth surface of the first member made of resin; and a second member made of resin, the first side wall portion of the second member made of resin includes a first outer surface, a first inner surface, and a first end portion opposite the back surface portion; the second side wall portion of the second member made of resin includes a second outer surface, a second inner surface, and a second end portion opposite the back surface portion; the third side wall portion of the second member made of resin includes a third outer surface, a third inner surface, and a third end portion opposite the back surface portion; the fourth side wall portion of the second member made of resin includes a fourth outer surface, a fourth inner surface, and a fourth end portion opposite the back surface portion, at least a portion of the sensor substrate is disposed between the first inner surface of the first side wall portion of the second member made of resin and the third inner surface of the third side wall portion; at least a portion of the sensor substrate is disposed between the second inner surface of the second side wall portion of the second member made of resin and the fourth inner surface of the fourth side wall portion; The fourth surface of the first member made of resin is a first opposing portion opposing the first end portion of the first side wall portion of the second member made of resin; a second opposing portion opposing the second end portion of the second side wall portion of the second member made of resin; a third opposing portion opposing the third end portion of the third side wall portion of the second member made of resin; a fourth opposing portion opposing the fourth end portion of the fourth side wall portion of the second member made of resin, The resin case is a first groove portion disposed across the first end surface of the first member made of resin and the first outer surface of the first side wall portion of the second member made of resin; a second groove portion disposed across the second end surface of the first member made of resin and the second outer surface of the second side wall portion of the second member made of resin; a third groove portion disposed across the third end surface of the first member made of resin and the third outer surface of the third side wall portion of the second member made of resin; a fourth groove portion disposed across the fourth end surface of the first member made of resin and the fourth outer surface of the fourth side wall portion of the second member made of resin, the first groove portion, the second groove portion, the third groove portion, and the fourth groove portion are arranged consecutively, the first groove portion includes a first side surface portion, a second side surface portion opposite to the first side surface portion, and a first bottom portion; the second groove portion includes a third side surface portion, a fourth side surface portion opposing the third side surface portion, and a second bottom portion; the third groove portion includes a fifth side surface portion, a sixth side surface portion opposite to the fifth side surface portion, and a third bottom portion, the fourth groove portion includes a seventh side surface portion, an eighth side surface portion opposite the seventh side surface portion, and a fourth bottom portion, the resin case includes a ring-shaped resin member arranged around the first groove portion, the second groove portion, the third groove portion, and the fourth groove portion; the first member and the second member of the resin case are light-absorbing members made of resin that absorb laser light and generate heat, the ring-shaped resin member is a light-transmitting resin member that transmits the laser light, the ring-shaped member, which is a light-transmitting member made of resin, is welded by the laser beam around at least the first bottom of the first groove portion, at least the second bottom of the second groove portion, at least the third bottom of the third groove portion, and at least the fourth bottom of the fourth groove portion; a light-absorbing member made of resin that absorbs the laser light and generates heat is disposed between the first portion of the ring-shaped member, which is a light-transmitting member made of resin disposed in the first groove portion, and the image sensor; a light-absorbing member made of resin that absorbs the laser light and generates heat is disposed between the second portion of the ring-shaped member, which is a light-transmitting member made of resin disposed in the second groove portion, and the image sensor; a light-absorbing member made of resin that absorbs the laser light and generates heat is disposed between the third portion of the ring-shaped member, which is a light-transmitting member made of resin disposed in the third groove portion, and the image sensor; a light-absorbing member made of resin that absorbs the laser light and generates heat is disposed between the fourth portion of the ring-shaped member, which is a light-transmitting member made of resin disposed in the fourth groove portion, and the image sensor; In-car camera.

2. a sealant is provided between the lens barrel and the first member of the case; The vehicle-mounted camera according to claim 1 .

3. The first member of the resin case and the lens barrel are joined at equal intervals around the optical axis of the lens barrel.

3. The vehicle-mounted camera according to claim 1 or 2.

4. the sensor substrate and the lens barrel are fixed together by a fixing means; The number of locations fixed by the fixing means is two or more.

3. The vehicle-mounted camera according to claim 1 or 2.

5. The fixing means is at least one of adhesive, screws, and solder. The vehicle-mounted camera according to claim 4.

6. the transmittance of the light absorbing member with respect to the laser light is less than 10%, The transmittance of the light transmitting member with respect to the laser light is 20% or more. The vehicle-mounted camera according to claim 1 .

Images