Motor Vehicle Camera Assembly with Laser-Welded Spring Tabs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional camera assembly methods for motor vehicles often rely on adhesive bonds, which can be prone to unfavorable behavior due to temperature fluctuations, moisture, and aging, leading to potential defocusing and alignment issues.
Innovation Solution
A camera assembly method that uses a carrier element with spring-loaded tabs to align and secure the lens assembly to the camera housing without adhesive bonds, utilizing laser-welded joints for fixation and allowing for precise optical alignment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If adhesive bonds are used to fix the lens assembly to the printed circuit board, then the assembly process is simplified, but the reliability deteriorates due to temperature fluctuations, moisture, and aging causing defocusing and alignment issues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the chemical bonding mechanism (adhesive) with a mechanical bonding mechanism (laser-welded joints connecting carrier element to printed circuit board, and spring-loaded tabs connecting lens assembly to carrier element). This substitution eliminates the reliability issues associated with adhesive degradation while maintaining ease of assembly through the carrier element's integrated design.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces spring-loaded tabs that provide dynamic, elastic connection between the lens assembly and carrier element. These tabs can flex and compensate for thermal expansion and manufacturing tolerances, maintaining reliable optical alignment under varying temperature and humidity conditions while allowing for precise positioning during assembly.
2Device complexity
If adhesive bonds are used to fix the lens assembly, then the device complexity is reduced, but the manufacturing precision deteriorates due to alignment issues and defocusing over time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the connection structure into distinct functional components: a carrier element that mounts to the printed circuit board via laser-welded joints, and spring-loaded tabs that independently connect the lens assembly to the carrier element. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function while maintaining overall manufacturing precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the elastic properties of the spring-loaded tabs to accommodate parameter variations in thermal expansion and manufacturing tolerances. The spring mechanism dynamically adjusts to maintain precise optical alignment across different temperature and humidity conditions, compensating for parameter changes that would otherwise degrade alignment precision.
3Reliability
If spring-loaded tabs with laser-welded joints are used instead of adhesive bonds, then the reliability is improved, but the ease of manufacture deteriorates due to more complex assembly steps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple functions into the carrier element: it serves as both the mounting structure for the printed circuit board (via laser-welded joints) and the support structure for the spring-loaded tabs that hold the lens assembly. This consolidation reduces the total number of separate components and assembly steps, offsetting the increased complexity of the laser-welding process.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method enables easy and precise alignment of the image sensor with the lens assembly, compensates for tolerances, and provides a durable and robust connection, avoiding the drawbacks of adhesive bonds and maintaining consistent optical alignment over time.
Implementation Method 1
the carrier element has at least three spring-loaded tabs pointing in an axial direction towards the lens assembly
Implementation Method 2
The spring-loaded tabs are in each case fastened to the crowned contour of the lens assembly housing by a laser-welded joint
Data Source
AI summary
A camera for a motor vehicle. The camera includes a lens assembly having a lens assembly housing and at least one optical lens; a printed circuit board having an image sensor arranged on the printed circuit board, wherein the image sensor faces the lens assembly and is optically aligned with the latter; and a carrier element that is fastened to the printed circuit board. The carrier element is fastened to the printed circuit board on a side of the printed circuit board carrying the image sensor; wherein the carrier element has at least three spring-loaded tabs pointing in the axial direction towards the lens assembly; wherein the lens assembly housing has a crowned contour against which the spring-loaded tabs are configured to rest; and wherein the spring-loaded tabs are fastened to the crowned contour of the lens assembly housing in each case by means of a laser-welded joint.