Vehicular Camera Lens Barrel Welding for Precise PCB Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle imaging systems face challenges in efficiently securing the lens relative to the imager due to high assembly costs and complex manufacturing tolerances, particularly with adhesive-based active focus and alignment methods that require UV and secondary curing, increasing tolerance stacks.
Innovation Solution
A vehicular camera system uses laser welding to secure the lens barrel to the lens holder and imager PCB, allowing for precise focus and alignment adjustments in multiple degrees of freedom without the need for adhesives or secondary curing, utilizing structural elements like tabs or wings within slots for lens adjustment and laser welding to set the lens position.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If adhesive-based active focus and alignment methods are used, then lens positioning flexibility is improved, but assembly cost and manufacturing complexity increase due to UV and secondary curing requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the adhesive and curing processes from the assembly system, replacing them with a mechanical tab-and-slot welding system. This eliminates the need for UV and secondary curing steps while maintaining lens positioning capability through the movable tab within the slot during adjustment, followed by welding to fix the position.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the chemical adhesive-based mechanical system with a thermal welding-based mechanical system. The tab inserted in the slot provides mechanical adjustment capability during assembly, and subsequent welding provides permanent mechanical fixation, eliminating the need for chemical adhesives and curing processes.
2Ease of operation
If adhesive-based active focus and alignment methods are used, then lens positioning flexibility is improved, but assembly time increases due to multiple curing steps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the time-consuming UV and secondary curing steps from the assembly process. The lens positioning flexibility is maintained during assembly through the movable tab in slot mechanism, and the final fixation is achieved rapidly through welding instead of prolonged curing steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary lens positioning and focus adjustment through the movable tab mechanism before final welding. This allows all necessary adjustments to be made in advance, and the final welding step simply secures the pre-adjusted position, eliminating the need for post-curing adjustments.
3Ease of operation
If adhesive-based active focus and alignment methods are used, then lens positioning flexibility is improved, but manufacturing precision decreases due to increased tolerance stacks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the adhesive-based mechanical system with a welding-based mechanical system. The tab-and-slot mechanism provides precise mechanical guidance during adjustment, and the welding process creates a rigid, precise connection that eliminates the tolerance accumulation inherent in multi-step adhesive curing processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a dynamic adjustment mechanism where the tab can move within the slot during the adjustment phase, allowing precise optical alignment. After adjustment, the tab is welded to the holder, transitioning from a dynamic adjustable state to a fixed precise state, thereby achieving both positioning flexibility and manufacturing precision.
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 reduces assembly costs, decreases cycle time, and enhances precision by eliminating the use of expensive adhesives and curing processes, while maintaining optical alignment and focus, thus improving the efficiency and reliability of vehicle imaging systems.
Implementation Method 1
A vehicular camera system uses laser welding to secure the lens barrel to the lens holder and imager PCB
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicular camera includes a lens barrel accommodating a lens and having at least two radial protrusions protruding radially outward at or near an inner end of the lens barrel. A lens holder includes a passageway for receiving the inner end of the lens barrel and has at least two slots extending longitudinally from a board end of the lens holder. The lens barrel is received in the lens holder and the board end of the lens holder is attached at an imager printed circuit board with the imager facing the lens. The radial protrusions are movable within the slots while the lens barrel is adjusted relative to the imager to align the lens at the imager. After the lens is aligned relative to the imager, the radial protrusions within the slots are welded to the lens holder to secure the lens barrel relative to the imager printed circuit board.