Tiltable Vehicle Camera Motherboard Section

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing camera devices for vehicles face challenges in reducing the size of on-board systems while maintaining the optical axis parallel to the vehicle's longitudinal axis, which requires complex and costly assembly of inclined printed circuit boards connected by flexible electrical sheets.

Innovation Solution

A camera device design featuring a rectangular motherboard with a tiltable secondary section, allowing adjustment of the camera module's optical axis angle through a pivot axis, facilitated by a recess and slots, enabling easier assembly and alignment with the main section.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If the printed circuit board carrying out image processing is arranged in an inclined manner to adjust the optical axis angle, then the optical axis alignment with vehicle longitudinal axis is improved, but the assembly complexity and cost increase due to flexible electrical sheet connections

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoptical axis alignmentVSAvoidassembly complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The motherboard is divided into a main section and a secondary section that can be tilted independently relative to each other around a pivot axis. This segmentation allows the optical axis alignment to be adjusted without requiring flexible electrical sheets, as the electrical connections are maintained through the rigid pivot connection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The inclination angle of the secondary section relative to the main section is varied to adjust the optical axis alignment. By changing this geometric parameter, the system achieves proper alignment with the vehicle longitudinal axis while maintaining a simple rigid assembly structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Manufacturing precision

If the printed circuit board is arranged in an inclined manner to maintain optical axis parallelism, then the optical axis alignment is improved, but the system size increases making integration difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoptical axis parallelismVSAvoidsystem size
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

By segmenting the motherboard into tiltable sections connected by a pivot axis, the system achieves optical axis parallelism through compact angular adjustment rather than extending the overall system structure, thus maintaining small size while ensuring proper alignment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Manufacturing precision

If a flexible electrical sheet is used to connect inclined printed circuit boards, then the optical axis adjustment is achieved, but the assembly cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoptical axis angle adjustmentVSAvoidassembly cost
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The rigid segmented structure with pivot axis connection eliminates the need for expensive flexible electrical sheets, achieving optical axis angle adjustment through mechanical tilting while maintaining cost-effective rigid circuit board assembly.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The invention replaces expensive flexible electrical sheet components with a simpler, more cost-effective rigid pivot connection mechanism that achieves the same functional result of optical axis adjustment without requiring costly flexible connectivity solutions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Data Source

PatentEP3328059B1Camera device of a motor vehicle and method of assembly
Publication Date: 2020.03.18 APTIV TECHNOLOGIES LTD
  • EP3328059B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3328059B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3328059B1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

A camera device (12) comprises a generally rectangular motherboard (24), a daughterboard (26) comprising a camera module (16) whose optical axis (AO) is perpendicular to the principal plane of the daughterboard (26); the motherboard (24) having a rigid main section (32) comprising electronic image processing components (36); the motherboard (24) having a secondary section (34) formed from the material of the main section (32); the secondary section (34) is partially surrounded by a recess; the secondary section (34) has a straight boundary delimiting the junction between the main section (32) and the secondary section (34), the straight boundary defining a pivot axis of the secondary section (34); the daughterboard (26) is mounted perpendicularly on the secondary section (34);so that the secondary section (34) is tiltable relative to the surface of the main section (32) along the pivot axis in order to adjust the tilt angle (a) between the optical axis (AO) of the camera module (16) and the main section (32).