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EP-4276527-B1 - SENSOR MODULE

EP4276527B1EP 4276527 B1EP4276527 B1EP 4276527B1EP-4276527-B1

Inventors

  • TANAKA, HARUKI

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20211214

Claims (11)

  1. A sensor module, comprising: a sensor element (24); a first case (11) that includes an opening end (114) including a first welded region (40) and accommodates therein the sensor element (24); a second case (12) that includes a joining surface (123) including a second welded region (50), the second welded region (50) being welded to the first welded region (40) to form a welded portion (W); and a groove (70) that is formed in at least one of the first welded region (40) or the second welded region (50), wherein the groove (70) includes a plurality of first grooves (71) in parallel over the entire circumference of the first welded region (40) or the second welded region (50).
  2. The sensor module according to claim 1, wherein the groove (70) is formed continuously over the entire circumference of the first welded region (40) or the second welded region (50).
  3. The sensor module according to claim 1, wherein the number of the plurality of first grooves (71) is three or more, and the plurality of first grooves (71) is formed more densely toward an outer side of the first welded region (40) or the second welded region (50).
  4. The sensor module according to claim 1 or 3, wherein among the plurality of first grooves (71), a first groove (71) located on an outermost side of the joining surface (123) has a cross-sectional area larger than a cross-sectional area of a first groove (71) located on an innermost side of the joining surface (123).
  5. The sensor module according to claim 1 or 3, wherein among the plurality of first grooves (71), a first groove (71) located on an outermost side of the joining surface (123) has a width or depth larger than a width or depth of a first groove (71) located on an innermost side of the joining surface (123).
  6. The sensor module according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the groove (70) further includes a plurality of second grooves (72) extending in a direction intersecting with the plurality of first grooves (71).
  7. The sensor module according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the opening end (114) further includes a stepped surface (116) that is formed outside of the first welded region (40) in parallel to the first welded region (40), the joining surface (123) further includes a parallel surface (124) that is formed outside of the second welded region (50) in parallel to the second welded region (50), and the stepped surface (116) and the parallel surface (124) face each other via a gap.
  8. The sensor module according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the first case (11) is made of a resin material that absorbs laser light of the predetermined wavelength, and the second case (12) is made of a resin material that transmits the laser light of the predetermined wavelength.
  9. The sensor module according to claim 8, wherein the groove (70) is filled with the resin material melted from the first case (11) or the second case (12).
  10. The sensor module according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the sensor element (24) is an imaging device.
  11. The sensor module according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the first case (11) and the second case (12) are joined to each other using laser welding.

Description

Technical Field The present technology relates to a sensor module mounted on, for example, a vehicle. Background Art For example, an electronic component or an optical component, such as a rear-view camera unit for automobile, which is placed outside of a vehicle (outdoors), is accommodated in a waterproof and dustproof case. As such a case, there is known a case in which a front case and a rear case are joined to each other using welding by irradiation of laser light as disclosed in, for example, Patent Literature 1. In the case having such a structure, the melted resin generated by the irradiation of laser light protrudes to the outer peripheral side of the jointed region of the front case and the rear case, so-called resin burrs are generated, and the appearance of the product is liable to be deteriorated. In order to solve such a problem, for example, Patent Literature 2 describes a technique in which, in a welding method of applying laser light onto joining surfaces of an absorbent resin material that absorbs laser light and a transmissive resin material that transmits the laser light and of welding both the resin materials, grooves capable of accommodating the melted resin are formed on both sides of a scanning locus of the laser light onto the joining surface of the transmissive resin material. Further, Patent Literature 3 describes that a stepped structure for fitting a bottomed cylindrical case main body and a cover member is provided to the joining surfaces of the case main body and the cover member, to form a welded portion on the inner side of the case main body relative to that stepped structure. Citation List Patent Literature Patent Literature 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2018-173431Patent Literature 2: Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2010-221572Patent Literature 3: Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2019-155694 Disclosure of Invention CN 210 142 251 U discloses a camera module. The camera module comprises a first casing and a second casing, wherein the first and second casings are laser-welded to each other. The second casing includes a ring-shaped mounting portion which is provided with a receiving groove. A laser transmitting surface is provided in the receiving groove. The first casing comprises an annular cover portion provided with an insertion end inserted into the receiving groove. A laser absorption surface is provided on the outer side of the insertion end to cooperate with the laser transmission surface. The insertion end is fixed by laser welding after being inserted into the receiving groove. Technical Problem However, the structure described in Patent Literature 1 needs a space for providing the grooves on both sides of a welded region that is a scanning region of laser light, and the joining surfaces of both resin materials increase by the region in which the grooves are formed, which becomes an obstacle to miniaturization of the product. Further, in the structure described in Patent Literature 2, since a space for providing the stepped structure on the outer peripheral side of the welded portion irradiated with laser light is required, it is an obstacle to the miniaturization of the product as described above. Further, in the structures of Patent Literatures 1 and 2, it is necessary to precisely adjust a laser irradiation position with respect to a component, and there is a problem that it is easily affected by variations in component dimensions. In this regard, it is desired to reduce the appearance defect, to improve the workability (productivity) by eliminating the necessity to remove a protruding portion and precisely adjust the laser irradiation position, and to reduce the size of the product. In view of the circumstances described above, it is an object of the present technology to provide a sensor module that makes it possible to suppress generation of resin burrs and improve workability. Solution to Problem In order to achieve the object described above, a sensor module according to the claimed invention is defined in the appended claims. In the sensor module, the melted portions of the first case and the second case can be caused to escape to the groove. Thus, it is possible to suppress protrusion of the melted portions of the first case and the second case to the outside and reduce an appearance defect. The groove is formed over an entire circumference of the first welded region or the second welded region. The groove may be formed continuously over the entire circumference of the first welded region or the second welded region. The groove includes a plurality of first grooves formed in parallel over the entire circumference of the first welded region or the second welded region. The number of the plurality of first grooves may be three or more. The plurality of first grooves may be formed more densely toward an outer side of the first welded region or the second welded region. Among the plurality of first grooves, a first groove loca