JP2005094731A - Camera device and method for manufacturing the camera device - Google Patents

Abstract

A camera device having a simplified structure while improving the accuracy of the camera device and a method for manufacturing the same are provided.
The camera device has an image sensor unit, which is connected to the casing via three attachment means. Three spacer bolts that can be screwed together are used as attachment means, and these spacer bolts are used for setting the focusing of the image sensor unit and performing tilt compensation. The image sensor unit is attached to the female screw of the spacer bolt by screwing. At the same time, the adjustment state of the spacer bolt is fixed by this screwing, and the spacer bolt is sealed to the casing.
[Selection] Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a camera device comprising at least one image sensor unit, at least one casing, three attachment means or at least three attachment means, for example a camera device provided in an automobile. The present invention further relates to a method for manufacturing the camera device, for example, a method for manufacturing the camera device according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

From German patent application DE 199 17 438 A1, a circuit device having a printed wiring board and an image recording device arranged thereon and a method for manufacturing this circuit device are known. Furthermore, according to this, a lens holder for housing and mounting an optical element has also been proposed. However, DE 199 17 438 A1 does not disclose a statement that suggests a camera device with a simplified structure while improving the accuracy of the camera device.
DE 199 17 438 A1

  An object of the present invention is to provide a camera device that overcomes the drawbacks of the prior art and has a simple structure while providing high accuracy to the camera device, and a method for manufacturing the camera device.

  According to the present invention, the problem is that the support area of the attachment means in the casing forms an adjustable support surface for supporting the image sensor unit, and the image sensor unit is attached in the support area of the attachment means. It is solved by doing.

  An advantage of the camera device described below having the above-described features, for example, a camera device provided in an automobile, is that a simple structure can be obtained while simultaneously maintaining high accuracy of the camera device. Such high accuracy of the camera apparatus is realized by mounting means that allows an image sensor unit including an imaging device to be assembled with feedback relative to the optical unit. Advantageously, the image sensor unit is displaced, followed by mounting and fixing in the adjusted state. An optical unit with inaccuracies in the casing and / or casing members and / or printed wiring boards, and / or inaccuracies in connections such as bonding and / or screwing, and / or tolerances, results in a chain of tolerances. Cause large tolerances as a whole. A possible goal to keep these tolerances small is to achieve a high degree of accuracy by putting a lot of effort into the construction and manufacturing of the components, which means that the tolerances are small, that is, pins and This is accomplished by utilizing a component such as a stopper edge. In general, such solutions are associated with increased costs due to high precision manufacturing. In the case of a camera device to be described later, the requirement for the component according to the specification dimension is small, that is, the requirement for the dimensional accuracy of the component to be used is small. This is because, according to the camera device described later, it becomes possible to compensate for known tolerances in terms of manufacturing technology. Compensating and adjusting known tolerances in terms of manufacturing technology is advantageous in terms of cost when manufacturing a large number of units such as mass production. Since the camera device described below is compact and robust and inexpensive, it is incorporated into a vehicle in a particularly advantageous manner in mass production. The camera device described below is suitable, for example, as a component for a rear vision system and / or a driver assistance system and / or a reverse travel system.

  It is advantageous if the casing has means for accommodating at least one optical unit, because the integration of the optical unit into the casing leads to a simple construction of the camera device. is there.

  The following configuration is particularly advantageous. That is, the image sensor unit has a support unit such as a printed wiring board and / or a plastic plate support unit, on which at least one image sensor is mounted, via which the support unit passes. The image sensor unit is configured to be attached to the support area of the attaching means. The reason why this is particularly advantageous is that such a configuration makes it possible to obtain a robust and compact structure while keeping the accuracy of the camera device high. This also provides the advantage of increased adjustment accuracy. This is because, for example, finer adjustment can be performed with a larger displacement than a configuration that is directly attached to an imaging device (image sensor). It is even more advantageous if the image sensor is arranged on a printed circuit board because this allows a short signal path and a short energy supply path for the electronic units connected downstream. is there. Advantageously, this contributes to a compact structure of the camera device.

  It is furthermore particularly advantageous that the attachment means is attached to the casing and / or that the attachment means bearing area is adjusted by adjusting the attachment means to the casing. The reason is that this allows a simple adjustment of the bearing area.

  It is advantageous that the attachment means is adjustably attached to the casing by screwing. This is because it provides a simple adjustment of the mounting means.

  Particularly advantageous is a mounting means which is constructed in the form of a hollow cylinder and is provided with external and internal threads or external and internal threads, for example a threadable spacer bolt with additional internal threads. This is because this leads to a particularly simple installation and adjustment of the image sensor unit. Furthermore, the weight of such attachment means is small, and the stability and strength are high.

  The attachment means is configured as follows. That is, the attachment of the attachment means to the casing is fixed by attaching the image sensor unit to the attachment means support area, and / or the attachment means is sealed to the casing. The advantage obtained by this is that the adjustment of the attachment means is also precisely fixed at the same time by such a simple and low-cost structure, and the casing is reliably protected from the intrusion of dust and moisture.

  It is advantageous if the image sensor unit is attached to the attachment means by means of an adhesive connection, in which case the attachment of the attachment means to the casing is fixed by means of an adhesive connection, since the attachment state adjusts the attachment means. This is because the image sensor unit can be attached easily and at low cost while being securely fixed.

  It is particularly advantageous that the adjustable range of the support area is such that focusing of the image supplied from the image sensor unit and / or tilt compensation adjustment of the image sensor unit is performed. . The reason is that two functions are performed simultaneously by the mounting means thus configured. And advantageously this leads to a low-cost camera device.

  The advantages described above for the camera device also apply to the method for manufacturing the camera device described below.

  Further advantages are indicated in the following description of the embodiments and the dependent claims with reference to the drawings.

  Next, the present invention will be described in detail based on examples with reference to the drawings.

  Hereinafter, for example, a camera device provided in an automobile and a manufacturing method thereof will be described. This camera device has an image sensor unit, which is connected to the casing via three attachment means. Screwable spacer bolts are used as attachment means, which are used for focusing adjustment of the image sensor unit and for performing tilt compensation. The image sensor unit is attached by screwing with a female screw of a spacer bolt. By this screwing, the adjustment state of the spacer bolt is simultaneously fixed, and the gap between the spacer bolt and the casing is made dense.

  The camera device envisaged for automotive integration must be extremely rigid while at the same time very accurate. In addition, there is another standard for making camera devices inexpensive. In the camera device, in addition to the indispensable lateral orientation of the photodiode array (imaging chip, image sensor chip) with respect to the lens (lens unit), the orientation of the imaging chip with respect to the lens of the lens unit in the vertical direction is also required. . The depth of focus range in which the photodiode array is provided is approximately 20 μm, where the depth of focus range depends on the focal length and / or the aperture. The optimal plane for the imaging chip is therefore the section or cross section of the depth of focus range. It is advantageous to perform this adjustment at a room temperature of 20 ° C. so that a displacement caused by material expansion in a temperature variation of −40 ° C. to + 85 ° C. does not leave the focal depth range. Furthermore, compensation adjustment of the optical axis separated from the normal of the imaging chip is also necessary. This compensation adjustment is referred to as tilt compensation Taumelausgleich.

  Orientation and / or adjustment relating to image focus and / or optical axis tilt (tilt compensation) is performed by feedback using an image sensor. Feedback is performed using images recorded and transmitted by the operation of the image sensor, which are evaluated by subsequent processing units and / or computers. This finishing step is performed at the end of the assembly line for camera device manufacture.

  Before that, the optical unit, that is, the lens is screwed into the lens housing portion of the casing through its lens barrel and then bonded. According to an advantageous embodiment of the camera device to be described later, it is only necessary to adjust the focus of the image and the tilt compensation of the optical unit with three screws, which are at least 2 based on the design structure. It has two functions. According to an advantageous embodiment, the casing is sealed by subsequent mounting of the printed wiring board and fixed in the optimum state required. This design structure of the camera device also fulfills two functions simultaneously.

  FIG. 1 shows a sectional view of a camera device comprising an image sensor unit, a casing 3 and spacer bolts 5 as attachment means, as a first drawing of a camera device according to an advantageous embodiment. This camera device is further constituted by an optical unit 1 and an imaging chip 2 (image sensor chip), and the imaging chip 2 is positioned according to the specification dimensions with respect to the optical unit 1 when the camera device is manufactured.

  According to an advantageous embodiment, the optical unit 1 is configured as a cylinder, which is screwed directly into the cylindrical opening 4 of the casing 3 by means of screws. Due to the screwing of the optical unit 1 into the casing 3, focusing is not performed in the preferred embodiment. According to an advantageous embodiment around the cylindrical opening, three spacer bolts 5 are arranged as an equilateral triangle as attachment means having male and female threads, and the cylinder is located at the center of the equilateral triangle. The center point of the opening is made to come. In order to accommodate the spacer bolt 5, the casing 3 is provided with a threaded portion for receiving the male screw of the spacer bolt 5 at a corresponding position. Further, the female screw of the spacer bolt 5 receives a screw 8 for mounting the printed wiring board 9 inside the casing 3.

  The image sensor unit includes a printed wiring board 9 and an imaging device 6, and the imaging device 6 itself includes an imaging chip 2 and a protective cover 7. Further, on the printed wiring board 9, an electronic device that performs a predetermined function and a socket for transmitting data such as images and energy are provided. The imaging device 6 has an imaging chip 2 provided with photosensitive silicon. On the imaging chip 2, a light-transmissive protective cover 7 is attached on a plane parallel to the imaging chip 2. According to an advantageous embodiment for the mounting of the image sensor unit, a screwable spacer bolt 5 with a receptacle is used for another possibility for the mounting, and in the advantageous embodiment a screw 8 is used. .

  First, the optical unit 1 is assembled without performing compensation adjustment. In an advantageous embodiment, the optical unit 1 is screwed into the cylindrical opening 4. As a variant of this advantageous embodiment, the optical unit 1 is inserted into a cylindrical opening and glued or pushed in. The spacer bolt 5 is then advantageously screwed into the casing 3. These spacer bolts 5 have the adjustment range required for the subsequent focusing and tilt compensation adjustment in the form of the screw length. Next, the image sensor unit is pressed toward the existing spacer bolt 5, and an adjustable support surface or mounting surface for supporting the image sensor unit by the support region or mounting region of the spacer bolt 5 inside the casing 3 is provided. Prepared. According to an advantageous embodiment, at least one guide pin 10 is further provided on the inner surface of the casing 3, which passes through the opening in the image sensor unit and is used to center the image sensor unit laterally. While lightly attaching the printed wiring board 9 of the image sensor unit toward the spacer bolt 5, the spacer bolt 5 is displaced by rotation from the front and / or outside of the casing 3, and the image supplied from the imaging chip 2 is focused. Adjusted to

  In a subsequent step, the image sensor unit 9 is tilted with respect to the optical axis 11 by individually twisting at least one spacer bolt 5 and thus tilt compensation is performed. The operation of pressing the image sensor unit against the spacer bolt 5 is performed using a pressing device in an advantageous embodiment. Further, in this case, the adjustment of the spacer bolt is automatically performed by the control device, and this control device adjusts the spacer bolt 5 depending on the signal of the imaging chip 2 by driving the motor. When the compensation adjustment is completed, the screw 8 passes through the opening of the printed wiring board 9 and is screwed into the female screw of the spacer bolt 5. As a result, the printed wiring board 9 and thus the image sensor unit are fixed. According to an advantageous embodiment, the spacer bolt 5 is specified by selecting the material in relation to the wall thickness, in which case the spacer bolt 5 is crushed in the region of the casing 3 when the screw 8 is screwed together. Then, the casing 3 is sealed, and in addition to or as an alternative, the mounting of the spacer bolt 5 in the casing 3 is fixed.

  According to another variant of this advantageous embodiment, the image sensor unit is connected by an adhesive bond with a threaded spacer bolt 5. This also fixes the adjustment state of the spacer bolt 5 in the casing 3. Both of these variants provide a reliable attachment against changes that occur later.

  FIG. 2 shows a top view of the camera device as a second drawing of the camera device according to an advantageous embodiment of the invention. FIG. 2 shows a casing 3 having a cylindrical opening 4 for accommodating an optical unit. The heads of the three spacer bolts 5 arranged concentrically around the cylindrical opening 4 so as to form an equilateral triangle are drawn.

  FIG. 3 shows a flow chart of a method of manufacturing a camera device according to an advantageous embodiment corresponding to the configuration depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2. In a first step 20, the optical unit is screwed into the cylindrical opening of the casing and connected, for example by adhesive bonding. Next, in the second step 21, the image sensor unit is pressed against the spacer bolt. In a subsequent third step 22, focusing is performed by adjusting the spacer bolts by evaluating the image signal of the imaging device. The role of the fourth step 23 is to adjust the oscillation compensation. At this time, the individual spacer bolts are adjusted so that the deviation of the imaging device normal from the optical axis becomes small. According to one variant of the method for manufacturing a camera device according to an advantageous embodiment, the third step 22 and the fourth step 23 are repeated until the focusing and the tilt compensation adjustment fall within a predetermined tolerance. In the final step 24, the adjustment state of the image sensor unit and the spacer bolt is fixed, and this is done by attaching the image sensor unit to the spacer bolt with a screw.

  The camera apparatus and the manufacturing method of the camera apparatus described so far are suitable for a CCD image sensor and / or a CMOS image sensor serving as an imaging device. Furthermore, according to yet another variant of the advantageous embodiment described above, four or more spacer bolts are used instead of three spacer bolts.

1 is a cross-sectional view of a camera apparatus according to an advantageous embodiment of the present invention; 1 is a plan view of a camera apparatus according to an advantageous embodiment of the present invention; 3 is a flowchart of a method of manufacturing a camera device according to an advantageous embodiment corresponding to the configuration depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Optical unit 2 Imaging chip 3 Casing 4 Cylindrical opening 5 Spacer bolt 6 Imaging device 7 Protective cover 8 Screw 9 Printed wiring board 10 Guide pin 11 Optical axis

Claims (10)

In a camera device comprising at least one image sensor unit, at least one casing and three attachment means or at least three attachment means,
The support area of the attachment means inside the casing forms an adjustable support surface for supporting the image sensor unit,
The image sensor unit is attached in a support area of the attachment means.
Camera device.   The camera apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the casing has means for accommodating at least one optical unit.   The image sensor unit has a support unit such as a printed wiring board support unit, and at least one image sensor is mounted on the support unit, and the image sensor unit is mounted on the support unit via the support unit. The camera device according to claim 1, wherein the camera device is attached to the support area.   4. A mounting area according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the attachment means is attached to the casing and / or the support area of the attachment means is adjusted by attaching the attachment means to the casing in an adjustable manner. Camera device.   5. The camera device according to claim 1, wherein the attachment means is attached to be adjustable by screw connection to the casing.   The attachment means is formed in a hollow cylindrical shape, and has a male screw for attaching the attachment means to the casing and a female screw for attaching the image sensor unit to the attachment means. The camera device according to claim 5.   The attachment of the attachment means to the casing is fixed and / or the attachment means is sealed to the casing by attaching an image sensor to a support area of the attachment means. The camera device according to item.   The camera device according to claim 1, wherein the image sensor unit is attached to the attachment unit by adhesive bonding, and the attachment of the attachment unit to the casing is fixed by the adhesive connection.   The adjustment range of the adjustable bearing surface is set so that focusing of an image supplied from the image sensor unit and / or tilt compensation adjustment of the image sensor unit can be performed. The camera device according to claim 1. In the manufacturing method of the camera device,
Attaching at least one image sensor unit to at least one casing by means of three attachment means or at least three attachment means;
An image supplied from the image sensor unit is adjusted by adjusting the attachment means relative to the casing and adjusting a support surface for the image sensor unit support formed by the attachment means support area inside the casing. Orienting said image sensor unit relative to at least one optical unit in a casing so that it is focused and / or tilt compensation adjustment of said image sensor unit is performed,
Manufacturing method of camera device.

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