The invention relates to a camera for a motor vehicle with at least one first camera part and with at least one second camera part. The first camera part and the second camera part can be coupled by means of at least one screw connection. The camera comprises an electronic component, which generates heat in the operation. Further, the invention relates to a method.

Cameras for motor vehicles are already known from the prior art, which comprise an electronic component, which generates heat in the operation. This generated heat can result in impairment up to damage of the camera, in particular of the electronic component. In order to dissipate this heat, a thermal connection between the electronic component and an exterior housing of the camera exists in particular in the prior art. The generated heat can then be dissipated via the exterior housing.

For example, US 2014/0168507 A1 discloses a camera with heat dissipation. Hereto, the camera from the printed matter comprises cooling fins to increase a surface of a lens module of the camera such that heat dissipation can be performed via the increased surface.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a camera as well as a method, by means of which improved heat dissipation of the camera can be realized.

This object is solved by a camera as well as by a method according to the independent claims.

An aspect of the invention relates to a camera for a motor vehicle with at least one first camera part and with at least one second camera part. The first camera part and the second camera part can be coupled by means of at least one screw connection. The camera comprises an electronic component, which generates heat in the operation.

A deformable thermally conductive medium is introduced into the at least one screw connection such that the generated heat can be dissipated via the screw connection. By means of the deformable thermally conductive medium, heat exchange between the first camera part and the second camera part can be performed in improved manner. If the electronic component should be disposed at the first camera part, the heat from the first camera part can then for example in particular be advantageously released to the second camera part via the deformable thermally conductive medium. The heat can then in particular be released for example to an environment of the camera via the second camera part. Thus, improved heat dissipation of the generated heat is realized, which in turn results in improved and more reliable operation and less impairment in the operation of the camera, respectively.

In particular, the deformable thermally conductive medium is elastic at least upon introduction. For example, the deformable thermally conductive medium can be formed as a thermal paste or thermal adhesive.

According to an advantageous form of configuration, a first camera part can be a circuit board of the camera and a second camera part can be a housing part, in particular an exterior housing, of the camera. In particular, electronic components are disposed on the circuit board, which generate heat in the operation. In particular, the circuit board can be connected to an exterior housing of the camera. In particular, the circuit board is connected to the second camera part, in particular to the housing part, via at least one screw connection, in particular via two screw connections. In the operation of the electronic components on the circuit board, the generated heat can then be dissipated to the housing part, in particular the exterior housing, via the screw connection. Thereby, the generated heat of the electronic components of the camera can be reliably transferred to the housing part, which in turn can further dissipate the generated heat. Thereby, improved heat dissipation of the camera is realized. Thereby, the camera can be more reliably operated.

It has further proven advantageous if the circuit board and the housing part are screwed by means of at least one separate screw element. Thereby, reliable mechanical connection between the circuit board and the housing part can be realized. In particular, the screw element can be metallically formed such that heat dissipation from the circuit board to the housing part can be realized via the screw element. Thereby, the heat dissipation to the housing part can be additionally realized in improved manner via the screw element. It is further advantageous if the housing part comprises a threaded hole, in particular a blind hole, for screwing in the screw element, into which the deformable thermally conductive medium is introduced, and/or if the circuit board comprises a hole for passing through the screw element, into which the deformable thermally conductive medium is introduced. Thereby, it is allowed that both the deformable thermally conductive medium is introduced within the threaded hole and the deformable thermally conductive medium is introduced into the hole for passing through the screw element in the circuit board.

Thereby, improved heat dissipation both from the circuit board via the screw element and from the screw element to the housing part can be additionally or alternatively performed in both variants. Furthermore, in particular if the deformable thermally conductive medium is for example formed as a thermal adhesive, improved retention of the circuit board on the housing part can be additionally realized. Thereby, improved heat dissipation and thereby more reliable operation of the camera can be realized.

In a further advantageous form of configuration, the screw element can be disposed completely internally in a housing formed by the first housing part and a second housing part separate thereto. Thus, an interior can in particular be provided by the two housing parts, in which the screw element is completely internally disposed. In particular, the circuit board can also be completely internally disposed in this interior. Preferably, it is provided that the two housing parts are connected via at least two separate screw connections. In particular, the heat of respective housing parts can then be transferred via the two separate screw connections. The two housing parts then each have an exterior surface, via which the heat can be dissipated from the interior of the camera for example to an environment of the camera. Thereby, more thermal energy can be dissipated from the electronic component such that a more reliable operation of the camera is allowed.

It is further advantageous if a deformable thermally conductive medium is additionally attached between at least one junction separate from the screw connection, which is in particular formed without screws, between the circuit board and the housing part. The junction can in particular serve as a resting surface for the circuit board. The deformable thermally conductive medium can then be attached to this junction such that heat dissipation to the camera part can also be realized via the junction. In particular, an increased resting surface for the circuit board can be provided by the separate junction, in particular two separate junctions, such that the circuit board can be more reliably retained within the camera, and improved heat dissipation from the circuit board with the electronic components can be realized in improved manner at the same time. According to a further advantageous form of configuration, a first camera part can be a lens support for lenses of the camera and a second camera part can be a terminating cap separate thereto, which is fixed to the lens support by the screw connection. Thereby, it is allowed that heat transferred for example from the lens support to the terminating cap is transferred in improved manner since the deformable thermally conductive medium is in particular disposed in the screw connection. Thus, an improved thermal path can be realized between the lens support and the terminating cap such that improved heat dissipation of the camera for example to an environment of the camera can be realized. Thereby, more reliable operation of the camera is allowed. In the form of configuration of the elastically deformable thermally conductive medium as a thermal adhesive, the mechanical connection between the lens support and the terminating cap can additionally be reinforced.

In an advantageous form of configuration, an inner side of the terminating cap can comprise a thread, which is directly screwed to a thread on an outer side of the lens support, wherein the deformable thermally conductive medium is introduced between the threads. Thereby, reliable mechanical connection between the terminating cap and the lens support can be realized, into which the deformable thermally conductive medium is introduced, such that the terminating cap has a close fit on the lens support and improved heat dissipation between the terminating cap and the lens support is realized at the same time. In particular if the deformable thermally conductive medium is formed as a thermal adhesive, the mechanical connection between the terminating cap and the lens support can be further improved.

It is further advantageous if the lens support is disposed directly at the housing part.

Thereby, the heat can be advantageously released to the lens support. In particular, the heat can then in turn be passed from the lens support to the terminating cap such that improved heat dissipation from the housing part to the terminating cap via the lens support is realized. Thereby, the heat can be reliably dissipated from the camera such that more reliable operation of the camera is realized.

According to a further advantageous form of configuration, the lens support can comprise at least one cooling fin. In particular, the at least one cooling fin is formed radially circumferentially around a longitudinal axis of the lens support. Further, it can be provided that the terminating cap comprises at least one cooling fin, which is formed radially circumferentially around a longitudinal axis of the terminating cap. By means of the at least one cooling fin, in particular by means of a plurality of cooling fins, a surface of the lens support and/or the terminating cap can be increased such that the heat can be dissipated to for example an environment of the lens support and/or the terminating cap via the increased surface in improved manner. Thereby, improved heat dissipation from the camera is allowed such that the camera can be more reliably operated.

It has further proven advantageous if the elastically deformable thermally conductive medium is a thermal paste or a thermal adhesive. A thermal paste and/or a thermal adhesive are established thermally conductive media, which are suitable for heat dissipation. The thermal paste is in particular characterized by simplified processing, in particular by simplified introduction into the screw connection, since it can for example be introduced into the screw connection via an injection method before screwing together. The thermal adhesive in particular has the advantage that besides the screw connection, by means of which the mechanical connection between the first camera part and the second camera part can be established, the mechanical connection can also be additionally reinforced by means of the thermal adhesive. The thermal adhesive can also be very simply processed such that the assembly of the camera can be very simply effected by the employment of the thermal paste or the thermal adhesive and improved heat dissipation can be realized at the same time.

A further aspect of the invention relates to a method for assembling a camera for a motor vehicle with a first camera part and a second camera part. The first camera part and the second camera part are coupled to each other by means of at least one screw connection. The camera is provided with an electronic component, by means of which heat is generated in the operation. A thermally conductive medium elastically deformable at least upon introduction is introduced at screw connection elements of the screw connection before screwing. The screw connection elements are then screwed for establishing the screw connection such that the heat of the camera generated in the operation can be dissipated via the screw connection.

According to an advantageous form of configuration, a circuit board of the camera is provided as a first camera part and a housing part of the camera is provided as a second camera part. The elastically deformable thermally conductive medium is introduced into a hole of the circuit board and/or a threaded hole of the housing part and the circuit board and the first housing part are coupled to the screw connection by means of a separate screw element. Thereby, it is allowed that improved mechanical connection can be established between the circuit board and the first housing part and improved heat dissipation can also be realized besides the improved mechanical connection at the same time.

It has further proven advantageous if a lens support of the camera is provided as a first camera part and a terminating cap of a lens assembly of the camera is provided as a second camera part, wherein the elastically deformable thermally conductive medium is introduced between a lens support of the camera and a terminating cap of the camera. Thereby, it is allowed that heat can be transferred from the lens support to the terminating cap in improved manner such that more advantageous heat dissipation of the camera can be realized via the lens support and via the terminating cap.

It is also advantageous if the elastically deformable thermally conductive medium is introduced into two screw connections, wherein a circuit board of the camera is provided as a first camera part and a housing part of the camera is provided as a second camera part. The elastically deformable thermally conductive medium is introduced into a hole of the circuit board and/or a threaded hole of the housing part. The circuit board and the first housing part are coupled to a first screw connection of the camera by means of a separate screw element. A lens support of the camera is provided as a further first camera part and a terminating cap of the camera is provided as a further second camera part. The elastically deformable thermally conductive medium is introduced between the lens support and the terminating cap as the second screw connection.

Preferably, it can be provided that an elastically deformable thermally conductive medium is applied to at least one junction, which is formed without screw connection, between the circuit board of the camera and a housing part of the camera in addition to the elastically deformable thermally conductive medium in the screw connection.

A still further aspect of the invention relates to a camera for a motor vehicle with at least one first housing part of the camera, wherein at least one electronic component of the camera is disposed on a circuit board of the camera, which generates heat in the operation. The circuit board makes contact with at least one junction at the housing part. The housing part comprises at least one web, which protrudes from a bottom of the housing part into an interior of the housing part at least in certain areas. The web comprises a non-straight in particular C-shaped resting surface as a contact surface, on which the circuit board rests. It is provided that an elastically deformable thermally conductive medium is applied to the resting surface such that the generated heat can be dissipated via the junction. In particular, it can be provided that the C-shaped resting surface encompasses a receiving duct at least in certain areas, which is formed for receiving a screw element to connect the housing part to a still further housing part.

A still further aspect of the invention relates to a motor vehicle with a camera. The motor vehicle is in particular formed as a passenger car.

Advantageous forms of configuration of the camera are to be regarded as advantageous forms of configuration to the method and of the motor vehicle. Thereto, the camera and the motor vehicle comprise concrete features, which allow performing the method.

Further features of the invention are apparent from the claims, the figures and the description of figures. The features and feature combinations mentioned above in the description as well as the features and feature combinations mentioned below in the description of figures and/or shown in the figures alone are usable not only in the respectively specified combination, but also in other combinations or alone without departing from the scope of the invention. Thus, implementations are also to be considered as encompassed and disclosed by the invention, which are not explicitly shown in the figures and explained, but arise from and can be generated by separated feature combinations from the explained implementations. Implementations and feature combinations are also to be considered as disclosed, which thus do not have all of the features of an originally formulated independent claim. Moreover, implementations and feature combinations are to be considered as disclosed, in particular by the embodiments set out above, which extend beyond or deviate from the feature combinations set out in the relations of the claims.

Below, embodiments are explained based on schematic drawings. There show:

Fig. 1 a schematic top view to a motor vehicle with an embodiment of a camera;

Fig. 2 a schematic cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the camera;

Fig. 3 a schematic perspective view of an embodiment of the camera from Fig. 2; Fig. 4 a schematic sectional view of an embodiment of a lens support with a terminating cap of an embodiment of a camera; and

Fig. 5 a further schematic perspective view of an embodiment of the camera from

Fig. 2 and Fig. 3.

In the figures, identical or functionally identical elements are provided with the same reference characters.

Fig. 1 shows a motor vehicle 1 in a top view. In the present case, the motor vehicle 1 is formed as a passenger car. The motor vehicle 1 comprises a driver assistance system 2. The driver assistance system 2 in turn comprises a control device 3, which can for example be constituted by an electronic control unit of the motor vehicle 1 . Moreover, the driver assistance system 2 comprises at least one camera 4. In the present embodiment, the driver assistance system 2 comprises four cameras 4, which are disposed distributed on the motor vehicle 1 . Presently, one of the cameras 4 is disposed in a rear area 5, one of the cameras 4 is disposed in a front area 7 of the motor vehicle and the remaining two cameras are disposed in a respective lateral area 6, in particular in an area of the wing mirrors. Presently, the number and arrangement of the cameras 4 of the driver assistance system 2 are to be purely exemplarily understood. In addition or instead, at least one camera can also be provided, which is formed and disposed for capturing an interior or a passenger cabin of the motor vehicle 1 . The cameras 4 are in particular each installed such that they are mounted on an individual motor vehicle component. A motor vehicle component can for example be a bumper or an exterior mirror or a lateral trim. The motor vehicle component can for example also be a headliner or an interior trim or a cover of a steering wheel center or an interior mirror. The motor vehicle components are to be only exemplarily understood and other motor vehicle components can also be present.

Thereby, it is only expressed that a motor vehicle component can be very diversely formed with respect to positional arrangement and material configuration.

An environmental region 8 of the motor vehicle 1 can be captured by the cameras 4. The four cameras 4 are preferably formed identical in construction. In particular, an image sequence or video data can be provided by the cameras 4, which describe the environmental region 8. This video data can be transmitted from the cameras 4 to the control device 3. A display device of the motor vehicle 1 not illustrated here can be controlled by means of the control device 3 such that the video data of the cameras 4 can be displayed to the driver. The driver assistance system 2 thus serves for assisting the driver of the motor vehicle 1 in driving the motor vehicle 1 . For example, the driver assistance system 2 can be a so-called electronic rearview mirror or a parking assistance system or another system. It can also be formed in the interior for capturing a person, in particular a vehicle driver.

Moreover, an exterior part 9 of the motor vehicle 1 is shown in Fig. 1 . Here, the exterior part 9 is externally disposed at a roof 10 of the motor vehicle 1 . The exterior part 9 is finlike formed. A camera 4 is disposed in the exterior part 9. In particular, the camera 4 is disposed such that it is rearwards oriented with its capturing direction and thus can capture the area of the environment 8 behind the motor vehicle 1 .

Especially in such specific exterior parts with confined installation space conditions, a particularly compact construction of a camera, in particular a compact construction in width direction, is advantageous.

Fig. 2 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the camera 4. The camera 4 comprises a first camera part 10 and a second camera part 1 1 . In the present embodiment, a first camera part 10 is formed as a circuit board 12 and a second camera part 12 is formed as a housing part 13, in particular as an exterior housing, of the camera 4. Furthermore, a first camera part 10 is formed as a lens support 14 and a second camera part 1 1 is formed as a terminating cap 15.

The camera 4 comprises at least one electronic component 16, which generates heat in the operation. In the following embodiment, the electronic component 16 is disposed on the circuit board 12.

The camera 4 comprises a further housing part 17, which is presently coupled to the housing part 13, such that an interior 18 of the camera 4 is formed. In particular, the circuit board 12 is disposed in the interior 18. The circuit board 12 is coupled to the housing part 13 via a first screw connection 19. In the present embodiment, the circuit board 12 is coupled to the housing part 13 by means of two screw connections 19. Thereto, the first screw connection 19 in particular comprises a separate screw element 20, by means of which the circuit board 12 is screwed to the housing part 13. Thereto, the housing part 13 comprises a threaded hole 21 , which is in particular formed as a blind hole, and into which the screw element 20 can be screwed. An elastically deformable thermally conductive medium 22 is introduced into the threaded hole 21 . The circuit board 12 can further comprise a hole 23, which is formed for passing through the screw element 20, wherein the deformable thermally conductive medium 22 can also be introduced into the hole 23. Thereby, it is allowed that generated heat can be released from the electronic component 16 via the screw connection 19 to the housing part 13 and/or to the further housing part 17, whereby improved operation of the camera 4 can be realized.

In particular, the screw elements 20 are disposed completely internally in a housing 24, which is formed by the housing part 13 and the further housing part 17.

The lens support 14 is in particular formed for lenses of the camera 4. The terminating cap 15 is screwed to the lens support 14 via a further screw connection 25, which can in particular be a second screw connection 25. In particular, it is provided that an elastically deformable thermally conductive medium 22 is also introduced between the lens support 14 and the terminating cap 15 such that thermal energy can be dissipated from the electronic component 16 to an environment 26 of the camera 4.

It can be provided that the lens support 14 is disposed directly at the housing part 13. In the present example, the lens support 14 is coupled to the housing part 13 via a further elastically deformable thermally conductive medium 27. Thereby, thermal energy can be transferred from the housing part 13 to the lens support 14 in improved manner.

In particular, it can be provided that the lens support 14 comprises at least one cooling fin 28, by means of which a surface of the lens support 14 can be increased, such that increased thermal energy can be released for example to an environment 26 via the increased surface of the lens support 14.

Further, it is in particular provided that the elastically deformable thermally conductive medium 22 and in particular also the further elastically deformable thermally conductive medium 27 are a thermal paste or a thermal adhesive. In particular, processing in the assembly of the camera 4 can be simplified by the form of configuration as a thermal paste or as a thermal adhesive, since the thermal paste or the thermal adhesive can for example be injected into the screw connection 19, 25. Furthermore, the mechanical connection in the screw connection 19, 25 can be reinforced by means of the form of configuration as a thermal adhesive.

In the method of assembling the camera 4 for the motor vehicle 1 at the respective screw connection elements of the screw connection 19, 25, the thermally conductive medium 22 elastically deformable at least upon introduction is introduced before screwing and the screw connection elements are then screwed for establishing the screw connection 19, 25, such that the heat of the camera 4 generated in the operation can be dissipated via the screw connection 19, 25.

In particular, the elastically deformable thermally conductive medium 22 is introduced into the two screw connections 19, 25, wherein the elastically deformable thermally conductive medium 22 is introduced into the threaded hole 21 of the housing part 13 and/or into the hole 23 of the circuit board 12 of the first screw connection 19. The circuit board 12 and the first housing part 13 are coupled to each other by means of the separate screw element 20. The lens support 14 is provided with the terminating cap 15 as the second screw connection 25, wherein the elastically deformable thermally conductive medium 22 is introduced before establishing the screw connection.

Fig. 3 shows a schematic perspective view of an embodiment of the camera 4. The first screw connection 19 is established by means of the screw elements 20. The screw elements 20 are in particular disposed completely internally in the housing 24. The housing part 13 can comprise a receiving duct 29, presently two receiving ducts 29, by means of which the further housing part 17 can be disposed at the housing part 13 via separate screw connections. Thereto, a web 30 can be formed at the housing part 13, such that the receiving duct 29 can be formed.

Further, it is shown in Fig. 3 that a plurality of electronic components 16 can be disposed on the circuit board 12, which generate heat in the operation.

Fig. 4 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the lens support 14 of the camera 4. Presently, the lens support 14 comprises at least two cooling fins 28. The cooling fins 28 are formed radially circumferentially around a longitudinal axis L of the lens support 14. Further, the terminating cap 15 can also comprise a cooling fin 30, which is formed radially circumferentially around a longitudinal axis of the terminating cap 15.

Further, it is apparent from Fig. 4 that the elastically deformable thermally conductive medium 22 is introduced into the screw connection 25. Thereby, heat dissipation from the lens support 14 to the terminating cap 15 can in particular be effected. This thermal energy can be released to the environment 26 in improved manner via the cooling fins 28 and via the cooling fin 30, respectively. Further, it is apparent from Fig. 4 that improved mechanical connection between the lens support 14 and the terminating cap 15 can be realized by the formation of the deformable thermally conductive medium 22 as a thermal adhesive.

In particular, an inner side 36 of the terminating cap 15 comprises a thread 37, which is directly screwed to a thread 38 at an outer side 39 of the lens support 14, wherein the deformable thermally conductive medium 22 is introduced between the threads 37, 38.

Fig. 5 shows a further perspective view of the camera 4. In Fig. 5, the circuit board 12 is not illustrated. It can be provided that an elastically deformable thermally conductive medium 32 is additionally introduced between at least one junction 31 separate from the screw connection 19, 25, which is in particular without screw connection, between the circuit board 12 and the housing part 13. The web 30 in particular protrudes from a bottom 34 of the housing part 13. In particular, a junction 33 is formed at the web 30, which is formed as a resting surface 35 for the circuit board 12. This junction 33 in particular has a C-shape and encompasses the receiving duct 29. The elastically deformable thermally conductive medium 32 is in particular applied to the junction 33. The web 30 in particular protrudes into the interior 18 of the first housing part 13 at least in certain areas.