Driver Assist Camera PCB Strain Decoupling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Movement of the image sensor relative to the camera lens in vehicle driver assist systems can reduce image quality due to strain on the printed circuit board (PCB), affecting the accuracy of environmental monitoring and feedback provided to the driver.
Innovation Solution
A driver assist system design featuring a first printed circuit board with a rigid portion and a flexible portion connected to the housing, allowing the image sensor to maintain a stable position relative to the lens by decoupling it from strain-causing elements, such as connectors or thermal interface materials, thereby minimizing relative movement between the lens and image sensor.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the image sensor is mounted on a PCB connected to the housing, then the sensor can be securely positioned, but strain on the PCB causes movement relative to the lens, reducing image quality
Solution Approach 1:
The PCB is divided into a rigid portion and a flexible portion, with the image sensor mounted on the rigid portion. This segmentation allows the rigid portion to maintain stable sensor positioning while the flexible portion absorbs strain from connectors and thermal interface materials, preventing movement between the sensor and lens.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible portion is extracted as a separate functional element from the rigid PCB structure. This flexible portion is specifically designed to decouple the image sensor from strain-causing elements such as connectors and thermal interface materials, isolating the sensor from forces that would cause relative movement with the lens.
2Ease of manufacture
If connectors and thermal interface materials are attached to the PCB, then electrical and thermal connections are established, but these elements create strain that moves the image sensor relative to the lens
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible portion acts as an intermediary element between the rigid PCB (with mounted sensor) and the strain-causing elements (connectors and thermal interface materials). This intermediary absorbs and isolates the strain forces, allowing connectors and thermal interface materials to be attached for ease of manufacture while preventing them from causing misalignment between the image sensor and lens.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the PCB is made rigid for stable sensor mounting, then the sensor position is stable, but the PCB cannot accommodate strain from external connections
Solution Approach 1:
Different portions of the PCB have different mechanical properties: the rigid portion provides stable mounting for the image sensor, while the flexible portion provides strain absorption capability. This local differentiation of mechanical properties allows the PCB to simultaneously achieve stable sensor positioning and adaptability to external strain from connectors and thermal interface materials.
Data Source
AI summary
A driver assist system for a vehicle includes a housing and a lens having an axial end extending into the housing. A first printed circuit board (PCB) is connected to the housing. The first PCB has a rigid portion and a flexible portion. The rigid portion and the flexible portion extend along a common axis. An image sensor is mounted on the rigid portion of the PCB adjacent the axial end of the lens.