Patent Description:
A camera apparatus that is mounted on a vehicle and used to perform visual recognition using a monitor apparatus placed near a cockpit has been provided in the past, in order to improve the convenience and the safety for the vehicle. This type of camera apparatus includes a substantially rectangular housing into which, for example, an imaging lens, an imaging device, and an external connector are incorporated, and the housing is built in or attached to, for example, a rear door, a sideview mirror, or a front spoiler of a vehicle body such that the imaging lens faces the outside. Such a camera apparatus makes it possible to capture an image of surroundings of a vehicle that are a blind spot as viewed from a driver, and thus to improve the safety and the convenience.

In this type of camera apparatus, there is a need to determine a position of an imaging device in a housing and to stably electrically connect an external connector and a board on which the imaging device is mounted, in order to acquire a high-quality image signal from the imaging device. For example, Patent Literature <NUM> discloses a camera apparatus that includes, in a housing, a shield case used to take electromagnetic-compatibility (EMC) measures, the shield case being connected to a ground pattern of a flexible printed circuit that connects an external connector and a board on which the imaging device is mounted.

NPL <NUM>: <NPL> discloses a thermal relief pad, thermal pad or simply thermal, that is a printed circuit board (PCB) pad connected to a copper pour using a thermal connection. It looks like a normal pad with copper "spokes" connecting it to the surrounding copper.

Recently, there is a need to further improve EMC measures adopted in a sensor module. With respect to the EMC measures, there is a need to stably connect a shield case to a ground line of an external connector. However, heat escapes to the shield case when the shield case is joined to a ground line using soldering, since the shield case is made of a metallic material. This may result in difficulty in successfully facilitating an operation and ensuring the reliability in stable connection.

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 facilitate an operation of soldering a shield case to a ground line, and to increase the reliability in connecting the shield case and the ground line.

A sensor module according to an embodiment of the present technology includes a housing, a sensor board, an external connector, a flexible printed circuit, and a metallic shield case.

The sensor board includes a sensor element and is arranged in the housing.

The external connector is provided to the housing.

The flexible printed circuit electrically connects the sensor board and the external connector, the flexible printed circuit including a signal line and a ground line.

The shield case includes a bottom portion and a peripheral surface portion, the bottom portion being arranged between the flexible printed circuit and the external connector, the peripheral surface portion covering around the sensor board.

The external connector includes a first connection pin that is connected to the signal line, a second connection pin that is connected to the ground line, and a third connection pin that is connected to the bottom portion of the shield case.

The bottom portion includes a first hole, a second hole, a third hole, and a thermal storage, the first hole being a hole through which the first connection pin passes, the second hole being a hole through which the second connection pin passes, the third hole being a hole through which the third connection pin passes, the thermal storage being provided around the third hole and covered with a solder material used to join the third connection pin to the bottom portion, wherein the thermal storage includes a plurality of slits or a concave portion or a heat transfer portion.

In the sensor module, the shield case and a ground of the external connector are easily soldered since the thermal storage is provided to the bottom portion of the shield case. This makes it possible to facilitate an operation and to increase the reliability in connection.

The flexible printed circuit may further include a base-material end that supports the signal line and the ground line and is arranged in the bottom portion. In this case, the base-material end includes an opening through which the third connection pin passes, the opening having a larger opening area than the third hole, and the thermal storage is provided to a region that faces the opening.

The thermal storage may include a plurality of slits annularly formed around the third hole.

The thermal storage may include a concave portion that is annularly formed around the third hole.

The thermal storage may include a heat transfer portion that is more highly thermally conductive than a metallic material of the bottom portion.

The third connection pin may be arranged offset from a center of the opening.

The opening may be formed into a circular shape or an elliptic shape.

The opening may include a plurality of openings respectively provided correspondingly to connection pins of the plurality of connection pins.

The sensor element may be a solid-state imaging device.

The sensor module may be attachable to a vehicle.

Embodiments according to the present technology will now be described below with reference to the drawings.

<FIG> is an exploded perspective view illustrating a configuration of a sensor module according to an embodiment of the present technology. A sensor module <NUM> of the present embodiment is configured as a camera module used by being mounted on a vehicle. First, an overall configuration of the sensor module <NUM> is described with reference to <FIG>.

The sensor module <NUM> can be attached to a vehicle. For example, the sensor module <NUM> is arranged outside of a vehicle body (an attachment target) (not illustrated), and captures an image of a region situated ahead of a vehicle, an image of a region situated behind the vehicle, or a region on a lateral side of the vehicle depending on an attachment position.

For example, the sensor module <NUM> attached to a front portion (for example, a radiator grill) of a vehicle body captures an image of an environment ahead of the vehicle. Further, the sensor module <NUM> attached to a rear portion (for example, above a license plate) of the vehicle body captures an image of an environment behind the vehicle. Furthermore, the sensor module <NUM> attached to a side portion of the vehicle (for example, an upper portion of a pillar (an A-pillar, a B-pillar, or a pillar (a C-pillar, a D-pillar) situated in a rearmost portion of the vehicle, or a sideview mirror) captures an image of an environment in a lateral direction of the vehicle.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the sensor module <NUM> of the present embodiment includes a housing <NUM>, a sensor board <NUM>, an external connector <NUM>, a flexible printed circuit <NUM>, and a shield case <NUM>.

The housing <NUM> is configured by a front case <NUM> and a rear case <NUM> being combined in a direction of an optical axis Z. Typically, the front case <NUM> and the rear case <NUM> are injection-molded bodies made of a synthetic resin material.

The front case <NUM> includes a front surface portion <NUM> that is formed substantially orthogonal to a front-rear direction (the direction of Z), and a lateral surface portion <NUM> that extends toward the rear case <NUM> from a peripheral edge of the front surface portion <NUM>. In the present embodiment, the front surface portion <NUM> is substantially rectangular as viewed from the direction of the optical axis Z. The front case <NUM> is hollow, and a space portion that accommodates therein, for example, the sensor board <NUM> is formed in a region surrounded by the front surface portion <NUM> and the lateral surface portion <NUM>.

A through-hole <NUM> is formed in a middle portion of the front surface portion <NUM> of the front case <NUM>, and a barrel member <NUM> is inserted into the through-hole <NUM> through a seal ring <NUM>. The barrel member <NUM> supports an imaging lens that has the optical axis Z, and is supported between the front case <NUM> and the sensor board <NUM> through, for example, a shield plate <NUM> and a cushion member <NUM>.

At an end of the lateral surface portion <NUM> that is situated on the side of the rear case <NUM>, the front case <NUM> includes an opening end <NUM> that is welded to the rear case <NUM>. The opening end <NUM> is formed to be substantially rectangular correspondingly to an outer shape of the front surface portion <NUM>. Note that the front surface portion <NUM> and the opening end <NUM> are not limited to being rectangular, and may be formed into another shape, such as a circular shape or a triangular shape.

The rear case <NUM> is formed into a generally rectangular plate shape that includes a bottom surface portion <NUM> that is formed substantially orthogonal to the front-rear direction, and a lateral surface portion <NUM> that extends toward the front case <NUM> from a peripheral edge of the bottom surface portion <NUM>. A space portion that accommodates therein, for example, the shield case <NUM> is formed in a region surrounded by the bottom surface portion <NUM> and the lateral surface portion <NUM>. A substantially rectangular step portion <NUM> is formed between the bottom surface portion <NUM> and an outer peripheral surface of the lateral surface portion <NUM>. The front case <NUM> and the rear case <NUM> are integrated with each other by the opening end <NUM> of the front case <NUM> being welded to the step portion <NUM>. A welding method is not particularly limited, and, for example, ultrasonic welding or laser welding method can be applied.

The sensor board <NUM> includes a front board <NUM> that faces the front surface portion <NUM> of the front case <NUM>, a rear board <NUM> that faces the bottom surface portion <NUM> of the rear case <NUM>, and a spacer <NUM> that is arranged between the front board <NUM> and the rear board <NUM>. The front board <NUM> and the rear board <NUM> are rigid double-sided circuit boards such as glass epoxy boards, and a facing distance between the boards is defined by the spacer <NUM>. The front board <NUM> and the rear board <NUM> are mechanically and electrically connected to each other through a board connector (a B-to-B connector) (not illustrated). The sensor board <NUM> is not limited to being formed of two boards that are the front board <NUM> and the rear board <NUM>, and may be formed of a single board.

A solid-state imaging device <NUM> is mounted on the front board <NUM> as a sensor element. The solid-state imaging device <NUM> is an image sensor such as a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor or a charge coupled device (CCD) image sensor. The front board <NUM> is joined to the barrel member <NUM>, and the solid-state imaging device <NUM> is arranged at a focal point of the barrel member <NUM>. Further, through the flexible printed circuit <NUM>, the rear board <NUM> is electrically connected to the external connector <NUM> provided to the bottom surface portion <NUM> of the rear case <NUM>.

The external connector <NUM> is provided to the rear case <NUM>. The external connector <NUM> is used to electrically connect the sensor board <NUM> and a vehicle body. Through the external connector <NUM>, power is supplied from the vehicle body to the sensor board <NUM>, and an image signal (an output signal of the solid-state imaging device <NUM>) is transmitted from the sensor board <NUM> to the vehicle body.

<FIG> is a schematic plan view illustrating an internal structure of a primary portion on the side of the rear case <NUM>, and <FIG> is a cross-sectional view along the line A-A of <FIG>.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the external connector <NUM> includes a signal terminal <NUM> that is provided to the bottom surface portion <NUM> of the rear case <NUM>, a cylindrical shield terminal <NUM> that is formed concentrically with the signal terminal <NUM>, and an insulating member <NUM> that is arranged between the signal terminal <NUM> and the shield terminal <NUM>. Each of the signal terminal <NUM> and the shield terminal <NUM> is made of a metallic material, and can be connected to a coaxial cable (not illustrated).

A cylindrical portion <NUM> that is concentric with the external connector <NUM> is provided to the bottom surface portion <NUM> of the rear case <NUM>. The cylindrical portion <NUM> is used to protect the signal terminal <NUM> and the shield terminal <NUM> from the outside, and is formed outside of the external connector <NUM> to be concentric with the external connector <NUM>.

The external connector <NUM> further includes a first connection pin <NUM>, a second connection pin <NUM>, and a third connection pin <NUM>. The first connection pin <NUM> passes through the bottom surface portion <NUM> of the rear case <NUM>, and is integrally formed at an end of the signal terminal <NUM>. The second connection pin <NUM> and the third connection pin <NUM> pass through the bottom surface portion <NUM> of the rear case <NUM>, and are integrally formed at an end of the shield terminal <NUM>.

A plurality of second connection pins <NUM> and a plurality of third connection pins <NUM> are formed, and, for example, two second connection pins <NUM> and two third connection pins <NUM> are formed, as illustrated in <FIG>. In the present embodiment, the second connection pin <NUM> and the third connection pin <NUM> are respectively arranged at apexes of a virtual rectangle centered on the first connection pin <NUM>. Here, the respective second connection pins <NUM> are arranged symmetrically with respect to the first connection pin <NUM> (arranged diagonal to each other). Likewise, the respective third connection pins <NUM> are arranged symmetrically with respect to the first connection pin <NUM> (arranged diagonal to each other).

The flexible printed circuit <NUM> electrically connects the sensor board <NUM> and the external connector <NUM>. The flexible printed circuit <NUM> is a circuit board obtained by routing a signal line and a ground line on a flexible base material such as polyimide. The signal line is wiring that carries an image signal coming from the sensor board <NUM>, and the ground line is wiring that is connected to a ground line of the sensor board <NUM>. When the sensor board <NUM> and the external connector <NUM> are connected to each other using the flexible printed circuit <NUM>, this makes it possible to absorb variations (tolerances) in a distance between the sensor board <NUM> and the external connector <NUM>, and thus to ensure the reliability in a stable electrical connection between them.

The flexible printed circuit <NUM> includes a first base-material end <NUM> that is connected to the sensor board <NUM> (the rear board <NUM>), and a second base-material end <NUM> that is connected to the external connector <NUM>. The first base-material end <NUM> is connected to the rear board <NUM> through, for example, the connector member <NUM>. The second base-material end <NUM> is connected to the external connector <NUM> using soldering.

<FIG> is a schematic plan view of the second base-material end <NUM> of the flexible printed circuit <NUM>. The second base-material end <NUM> supports the signal line <NUM> and the ground line <NUM>. The signal line <NUM> and the ground line <NUM> each include a land that is electrically connected to the external connector <NUM>.

For example, the signal line <NUM> includes a first land 401a that includes a through-hole and an annular conductor that is formed around the through-hole, where the first connection pin <NUM> passes through the through-hole. The first connection pin <NUM> is soldered to the first land 401a to be electrically connected to the signal line <NUM>.

Further, the ground line <NUM> includes a second land 402a that includes a through-hole and an annular conductor that is formed around the through-hole, where the second connection pin <NUM> passes through the through-hole. The land 402a is provided correspondingly to the number of second connection pins <NUM> and a position of the second connection pin <NUM>, and, in the present embodiment, the land 402a is provided at two positions. The second connection pin <NUM> is soldered to the second land 402a to be electrically connected to the ground line <NUM>.

The second base-material end <NUM> of the flexible printed circuit <NUM> further includes an opening <NUM> through which the third connection pin <NUM> of the external connector <NUM> passes. The opening <NUM> is provided correspondingly to the number of third connection pins <NUM> and a position of the third connection pin <NUM>, and, in the present embodiment, the third connection pin <NUM> is provided at two positions. The opening <NUM> has a larger opening area than the through-holes respectively included in the first and second lands 401a and 402a.

As will be described later, the opening <NUM> is a region in which a reservoir of a solder material used to join the third connection pin <NUM> to the shield case <NUM> is formed. A shape of the opening <NUM> is not particularly limited, but it is favorable that, in view of, for example, the wettability of a solder material, the opening <NUM> have a shape including no corners, such as an oval shape or an elliptic shape as illustrated in the figure, or a circular shape.

The shield case <NUM> is one of components used for EMC measures taken to protect the sensor board <NUM> from electromagnetic noise, and is a substantially rectangular box body of which an end situated on the side of the front case <NUM> is opened. The shield case <NUM> is typically made of a metallic material such as stainless steel or an aluminum alloy.

The shield case <NUM> is arranged in the space portion formed by the bottom surface portion <NUM> and the lateral surface portion <NUM> of the rear case <NUM>. The shield case <NUM> includes a bottom portion <NUM> that is arranged on the bottom surface portion <NUM> of the rear case <NUM>, and a peripheral surface portion <NUM> that covers around the sensor board <NUM>. The peripheral surface portion <NUM> extends toward the front case <NUM> from a peripheral edge of the bottom portion <NUM> to form the space portion accommodating therein the sensor board <NUM>. An end of the peripheral surface portion <NUM> is brought into elastic contact with a peripheral edge of the barrel member <NUM>.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the bottom portion <NUM> of the shield case <NUM> is arranged between the second base-material end <NUM> of the flexible printed circuit <NUM> and the external connector <NUM>. The bottom portion <NUM> is a substantially rectangular flat plate parallel to the bottom surface portion <NUM> of the rear case <NUM>.

<FIG> is a plan view illustrating the bottom portion <NUM> of the shield case <NUM>. The bottom portion <NUM> of the shield case <NUM> includes a plurality of holes through which the respective connection pins of the external connector <NUM> pass. In other words, the bottom portion <NUM> includes a first hole <NUM> through which the first connection pin <NUM> passes, a second hole <NUM> through which the second connection pin <NUM> passes, and a third hole <NUM> through which the third connection pin <NUM> passes. The second hole <NUM> and the third hole <NUM> are respectively provided correspondingly to the number of second connection pins <NUM> and a position of the second connection pin <NUM> and correspondingly to the number of third connection pins <NUM> and a position of the third connection pin <NUM>. In the present embodiment, the second hole <NUM> and the third hole <NUM> are each provided at two positions.

The bottom portion <NUM> of the shield case <NUM> is soldered to the third connection pin <NUM> of the external connector <NUM> to be electrically connected to the shield terminal <NUM> of the external connector <NUM>. For example, solder plating may be performed on the surface of the bottom portion <NUM>, in order to increase the wettability of a solder material.

The bottom portion <NUM> of the shield case <NUM> includes a thermal storage <NUM> that is provided around the third hole <NUM>. The thermal storage <NUM> is a region that is covered with a solder material used to join the third connection pin <NUM> to the bottom portion <NUM>. The thermal storage <NUM> is provided to a region that faces the opening <NUM> formed in the second base-material end portion <NUM> of the flexible printed circuit <NUM>. The opening <NUM> has a larger opening area than the third hole <NUM>, and the thermal storage <NUM> is provided to a region of the bottom portion <NUM> that is exposed to the outside at least through the opening <NUM>.

The thermal storage <NUM> includes a function of storing, in the opening <NUM>, heat necessary for soldering when the third connection pin <NUM> and the shield case <NUM> are joined to each other. This results in increasing the solderability of the third connection pin <NUM>. This makes it possible to facilitate an operation of soldering the shield case <NUM> and the external connector <NUM>, and to increase the reliability in connecting the shield case <NUM> and the external connector <NUM>.

In order to obtain such a function of the thermal storage <NUM>, the thermal storage <NUM> according to the present embodiment includes a plurality of slits <NUM> annularly formed around the third hole <NUM>. The plurality of slits <NUM> is annularly arranged to surround the region of the shield case <NUM> that is exposed from the opening <NUM> of the flexible printed circuit <NUM>. The diffusion of heat from the thermal storage <NUM> to the outside is suppressed by partitioning off the thermal storage <NUM> using the plurality of slits <NUM>, as described above.

A shape of each slit <NUM> is not particularly limited, and a linear slit and a curved slit may be included, as illustrated in <FIG>. The plurality of slits <NUM> is typically formed along an opening edge of the opening <NUM> to have a shape that corresponds to an opening shape of the opening <NUM>. The plurality of slits <NUM> may be provided further inward than the opening edge of the opening <NUM>, but the area of the thermal storage <NUM> can be made larger by providing the plurality of slits <NUM> further outward than the opening edge. A width of each slit <NUM> and arrangement spacing between the slits <NUM> are not particularly limited, and can be set discretionarily according to, for example, an amount of heat stored in the thermal storage <NUM> and strength of the bottom portion <NUM> of the shield case <NUM>.

A position of the third hole <NUM> in the opening <NUM> is also not particularly limited, and the third hole <NUM> may be situated at the center of the opening <NUM>, or may be situated offset from the center of the opening <NUM>. In the present embodiment, the third hole <NUM> is provided offset from the center of the opening <NUM>, as illustrated in <FIG>. Accordingly, a region used for a solder reservoir is easily ensured when the third connection pin <NUM> is soldered, and this makes it possible to further facilitate a soldering operation and to further increase the reliability in connection.

The bottom portion <NUM> of the shield case <NUM> further includes a positioning hole <NUM> used to position the bottom portion <NUM> relative to the bottom surface portion <NUM> of the rear case <NUM>. The positioning hole <NUM> is provided at a plurality of positions, and a protrusion <NUM> that is provided to the bottom surface portion <NUM> of the rear case <NUM> is fitted into the positioning hole <NUM>. A shape of the positioning hole <NUM> is not particularly limited. The positioning hole <NUM> is typically circular, but at least some of the positioning holes <NUM> may be oval or elliptic. This makes it possible to absorb an error in assembly that is caused due to, for example, a tolerance, and thus to facilitate assembly. Further, the protrusion <NUM> does not necessarily have to be provided at positions that correspond to all of the positioning holes <NUM>, and may be provided at positions that correspond to at least two positioning holes <NUM>.

Next, a method for producing the sensor module <NUM> having the configuration described above is described.

The method for producing the sensor module <NUM> according to the present embodiment includes accommodating the sensor board <NUM> in the front case <NUM>, accommodating the shield case <NUM> in the rear case <NUM>, connecting the sensor board <NUM> and the external connector <NUM> using the flexible printed circuit <NUM>, electrically connecting the shield case <NUM> and the shield terminal <NUM> of the external connector <NUM>, and welding the front case <NUM> and the rear case <NUM> to each other to form the housing <NUM>. Connecting the flexible printed circuit <NUM> and the shield case <NUM> to the external connector <NUM> is described below.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the second base-material end <NUM> of the flexible printed circuit <NUM> is arranged on the bottom portion <NUM> of the shield case <NUM> accommodated in the rear case <NUM>. The second base-material end <NUM> may be temporarily fixed to the bottom portion <NUM> of the shield case <NUM> using, for example, a double-sided tape.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the first connection pin <NUM> of the external connector <NUM> passes through the first hole <NUM> of the shield case <NUM> and the first land 401a of the flexible printed circuit <NUM>. The second connection pin <NUM> of the external connector <NUM> passes through the second hole <NUM> of the shield case <NUM> and the second land 402a of the flexible printed circuit <NUM>. Further, the third connection pin <NUM> of the external connector <NUM> passes through the third hole <NUM> of the shield case <NUM> and the opening <NUM> of the flexible printed circuit <NUM>.

Next, the first connection pin <NUM> and the first land 401a are joined to each other using soldering, the second connection pin <NUM> and the second land 402a are joined to each other using soldering, and the third connection pin <NUM> and the bottom portion <NUM> of the shield case <NUM> are joined to each other using soldering. In the present embodiment, laser soldering is adopted as the soldering. Without being limited thereto, soldering using a soldering iron may be adopted.

In the laser soldering, the first to third connection pins <NUM> to <NUM> are irradiated with laser light of a specified wavelength to be heated. Then, a wire rod of a solder material is brought into contact with each of the first to third connection pins <NUM> to <NUM> to be melted, and a fillet that covers around each of the first to third connection pins <NUM> to <NUM> is formed with the melted solder material. The first to third connection pins <NUM> to <NUM> are individually soldered, but may be simultaneously soldered.

For example, infrared laser light of a wavelength of from <NUM> to <NUM> can be used as the laser light of the specified wavelength. The laser light may be continuous light or pulsed light. The solder material may include flux. Upon melting of solder, the flux serves to remove, for example, an oxide that is formed on the surface of a joint target. This makes it possible to ensure an excellent solderability.

The present embodiment prevents heat generated by laser light being irradiated onto the third connection pin <NUM> from being widely diffused over the bottom portion <NUM> of the shield case <NUM> when the third connection pin <NUM> is soldered to the shield case <NUM>, since the thermal storage <NUM> including a plurality of slits <NUM> is provided around the third hole <NUM> through which the third connection pin <NUM> passes. This results in facilitating an operation of soldering the third connection pin <NUM>. Further, a melted solder material wets to spread over the entirety of the opening <NUM> since the opening being included in the flexible printed circuit <NUM> and through which the thermal storage <NUM> is exposed to the outside is formed into an elliptic shape or an oval shape. This makes it possible to stably form a solder joining portion with a desired joining strength.

Further, the present embodiment enables the shield case <NUM> to be stably connected to a ground potential since a plurality of third connection pins <NUM> electrically connecting the shield terminal <NUM> of the external connector <NUM> to the shield case <NUM> is provided. This makes it possible to obtain a desired shielding effect.

Furthermore, a heat distribution in the shield case <NUM> can be made uniform when the third connection pin <NUM> is soldered since the third connection pins <NUM> are provided symmetrically with respect to the first connection pin <NUM>. This makes it possible to reduce a thermal load that acts on the first connection pin <NUM> (the signal line).

In the embodiments described above, the thermal storage <NUM> including a specified heat storing function is formed by providing a plurality of slits <NUM> around the third hole <NUM> of the shield case <NUM>, but the thermal storage <NUM> is not limited thereto. The thermal storage <NUM> may be formed of a concave portion <NUM> that is annularly formed around the third hole <NUM>, for example, as illustrated in <FIG>. Since a thin portion is locally formed in the bottom portion of the shield case <NUM> by the concave portion <NUM>, it is possible to prevent heat from being diffused from an inner periphery to an outer periphery of the concave portion <NUM>.

Further, the thermal storage <NUM> may be formed by a heat transfer layer <NUM> that is locally provided around the third hole <NUM>, as illustrated in <FIG>. The heat transfer portion <NUM> is made of a material that is more highly thermally conductive than a metallic material of the bottom portion <NUM> of the shield case <NUM>. This makes it possible to obtain effects similar to the effects described above. The heat transfer layer <NUM> is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, a metallic sheet or a metal plating layer.

The technology according to the present disclosure can be applied to various products. For example, the technology according to the present disclosure may be provided as a sensor module that is mounted on one of the types of mobile bodies such as vehicle, electric vehicle, hybrid electric vehicle, motorcycle, bicycle, personal mobility, airplane, drone, ship, robot, construction machinery, and agricultural machinery (tractor).

Further, a camera module has been described as an example of the sensor module <NUM> in the embodiments described above. However, the present technology is not limited thereto. For example, the present technology can also be adopted for a sensor module that includes, as a sensor element, a ranging sensor such as light detection and ranging (LiDAR) or a time-of-flight (ToF) sensor.

Claim 1:
A sensor module (<NUM>), comprising:
a housing (<NUM>);
a sensor board (<NUM>) that includes a sensor element (<NUM>) and is arranged in the housing (<NUM>);
an external connector (<NUM>) that is provided to the housing (<NUM>);
a flexible printed circuit (<NUM>) that electrically connects the sensor board (<NUM>) and the external connector (<NUM>), the flexible printed circuit (<NUM>) including a signal line (<NUM>) and a ground line (<NUM>); and
a metallic shield case (<NUM>) that includes a bottom portion (<NUM>) and a peripheral surface portion (<NUM>), the bottom portion (<NUM>) being arranged between the flexible printed circuit (<NUM>) and the external connector (<NUM>), the peripheral surface portion (<NUM>) covering around the sensor board (<NUM>),
the external connector (<NUM>) including a first connection pin (<NUM>) that is connected to the signal line (<NUM>), a second connection pin (<NUM>) that is connected to the ground line (<NUM>), and a third connection pin (<NUM>) that is connected to the bottom portion (<NUM>) of the shield case (<NUM>),
the bottom portion (<NUM>) including a first hole (<NUM>), a second hole (<NUM>), a third hole (<NUM>), and a thermal storage (<NUM>), the first hole (<NUM>) being a hole through which the first connection pin (<NUM>) passes, the second hole (<NUM>) being a hole through which the second connection pin (<NUM>) passes, the third hole (<NUM>) being a hole through which the third connection pin (<NUM>) passes, the thermal storage (<NUM>) being provided around the third hole (<NUM>) and covered with a solder material used to join the third connection pin (<NUM>) to the bottom portion (<NUM>), wherein the thermal storage (<NUM>) includes a plurality of slits (<NUM>) or a concave portion (<NUM>) or a heat transfer portion (<NUM>).