An imaging device having a movable unit and a control unit connected together by a flexible board

Abstract

An imaging device having a movable unit and a control unit connected together by flexible plates, which makes the load applied to the movable unit almost uniform when the movable unit is displaced. The movable unit controlled by the control unit can move at least in a predetermined direction. The first flexible plate has a first connecting portion connected to the movable unit, a first wiring portion extending from the first connecting portion in a first direction different from the optical axis direction, and a second connecting portion disposed at an end of the first wiring portion and connected to the control unit. The second flexible plate has a third connecting portion connected to the movable unit, a second wiring portion extending from the third connecting portion in a second direction different from the optical axis direction, and a fourth connecting portion disposed at an end of the second wiring portion and connected to the control unit.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of the invention patent application with the application number 201910972932.5, the application date of October 14, 2019, and the invention title of "Imaging device having a movable unit and a control unit connected together by a flexible board". Technical Field

[0002] The present invention relates to an imaging device in which a control unit and a movable unit capable of being displaced are connected together by a flexible board. Background Art

[0003] Conventionally, electronic equipment such as an imaging device as follows is known, in which a movable unit supported by a fixed unit (support unit) in a displaceable manner and a control unit are connected together by a flexible board. For example, in an imaging device having a function of optically correcting blurring of a subject, the movable unit supporting the imaging device is displaced in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis with respect to the fixed unit to correct blurring of the subject.

[0004] The movable unit is equipped with a circuit board on which an imaging device is mounted, and electrical connection parts such as connectors are also mounted on the circuit board. The fixed unit such as a housing holding the movable unit is equipped with a control unit that drives and controls the movable unit, and electrical connection parts such as connectors are also mounted on the control board. The connector in the movable unit and the connector in the fixed unit are electrically connected together by a flexible board. By utilizing the flexibility of the flexible board, the fixed unit and the movable unit are electrically connected together, and the movable unit is controlled by the control unit (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-192749).

[0005] A part of the wiring on the flexible board can be deformed in response to the displacement of the movable unit. However, the reaction force generated by the deformation of the wiring serves as a load for driving the movable unit. Depending on the layout of the flexible board, the reaction force generated by the deformation of the wiring may become unbalanced, making the control during driving the movable unit complicated. For example, when the movable unit is displaced in a specific direction and a reaction force is generated in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the movable unit is displaced, control in the direction perpendicular to the displacement direction is also required.

[0006] In recent years, with the improvement of the pixel resolution of moving images and the improvement of functions such as high-speed continuous shooting in imaging devices, the power consumption of the imaging device and the number of connected signals have been increasing. For this reason, the width of the flexible board has increased, and the load caused by the flexible board has also increased, making the above problems more serious.

[0007] It should be noted that in order to reduce the load, it is possible to consider increasing the length of the flexible portion of the flexible board to reduce the amount of deformation per unit length, thereby reducing the reaction force generated by the deformation. However, this is not sufficient to balance the load, and it also increases the space for accommodating the flexible board, resulting in an increase in the size of the imaging device. Summary of the Invention

[0008] The present invention makes the load applied to the movable unit almost uniform when the movable unit is displaced.

[0009] Accordingly, the present invention provides an imaging device including: an imaging device configured to convert an optical image of a subject into an electrical signal; a movable unit configured to hold the imaging device and capable of being displaced in a direction different from the optical axis direction of the imaging optical system; a control unit including a circuit to which a captured image signal output from the imaging device is transmitted; a first flexible board configured to electrically connect the movable unit and the control unit to each other; and a second flexible board configured to electrically connect the movable unit and the control unit to each other, wherein the first flexible board includes a first connection portion connected to the movable unit, a first wiring portion extending from the first connection portion in a first direction different from the optical axis direction, and a second connection portion disposed at an end of the first wiring portion and connected to the control unit, and the second flexible board includes a third connection portion connected to the movable unit, a second wiring portion extending from the third connection portion in a second direction different from the optical axis direction and opposite to the first direction, and a fourth connection portion disposed at an end of the second wiring portion and connected to the control unit.

[0010] According to the present invention, when the movable unit is displaced, the load applied to the movable unit is almost uniform.

[0011] Other features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments (with reference to the drawings). Brief Description of the Drawings

[0012] Figure 1A and Figure 1B is a perspective view of an electronic device.

[0013] Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of main components of the imaging device as viewed from the rear (photographer side).

[0014] Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of an image blur correction unit.

[0015] Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of an image blur correction unit.

[0016] Figure 5It is a front view showing the configuration of the third flexible board.

[0017] Figure 6 It is a rear view of the movable unit to which the first flexible board and the second flexible board are fixed.

[0018] Figure 7 It is a view of the state in which the movable unit is mounted on the control board as observed from the rear.

[0019] Figure 8 It is a view of the state in which the movable unit is mounted on the control board as observed from the rear.

[0020] Figure 9 It is a perspective view of the image blur correction unit.

[0021] Figure 10 It is a front view showing the wiring pattern deployed inside the control board.

[0022] Figure 11 It is a rear view of the movable unit to which the first flexible board and the second flexible board are fixed.

[0023] Figure 12 It is a perspective view of the image blur correction unit.

[0024] Figure 13 It is a rear view of the movable unit to which the first flexible board and the second flexible board are fixed.

[0025] Figure 14 It is a perspective view of the image blur correction unit.

[0026] Figure 15 It is a side view of the image blur correction unit.

[0027] Figure 16 It is a perspective view of the image blur correction unit in the comparative example. Detailed Description of the Invention

[0028] Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0029] Figure 1A and Figure 1B It is a perspective view of an electronic device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The imaging device 10 is shown as an electronic device to which the present invention is applied. The up-down direction, the front and rear, and the left and right directions as observed from a reference photographer (user) are defined as the directions of the imaging device 10. Therefore, Figure 1A It is a perspective view of the imaging device 10 as observed from the front (subject side), Figure 1BThis is a perspective view of the imaging device 10 as viewed from the rear (the side of the photographer). The imaging device 10 is covered by an exterior 10c, which is a housing composed of multiple components. An installation portion 10a is provided on the front side of the imaging device 10. A replaceable lens (imaging optical system), not shown, can be installed on the installation portion 10a. A wireless antenna 10b is built into the left end portion of the upper part of the imaging device 10. The axis passing through the center of the installation portion 10a substantially corresponds to the photographing optical axis P.

[0030] Figure 2 This is an exploded perspective view of the main components of the imaging device 10 as viewed from the rear (the side of the photographer). The exterior 10c etc. are not shown in Figure 2 In Figure 2 and the subsequent drawings, for easier understanding, the constituent elements necessary for explaining the present invention are shown, and the constituent elements not necessary for explaining the present invention are omitted as much as possible.

[0031] The imaging device 10 includes a control board 100 (control unit), an image blur correction unit 200, a shutter unit 300, and a base member 400. The image blur correction unit 200 and the shutter unit 300 are fixed to the base member 400. The base member 400 and the control board 100 are fixed to the exterior 10c. The image blur correction unit 200 is held by the base member 400, and the shutter unit 300 is mounted and fixed to the base member 400. That is, the image blur correction unit 200 is supported by three screws 600a, 600b, and 600c and three coil springs 500a, 500b, and 500c in a manner capable of shifting in the direction of the optical axis P ( Figure 1A ) with respect to the base member 400. By adjusting the screwing amounts of the screws 600a, 600b, and 600c, the operator can adjust the inclination of the light incident surface of the imaging device 230 ( Figure 3 ) with respect to the base member 400. After the adjustment is completed, the screws 600a, 600b, and 600c are adhesively fixed to the fixing unit 200b (support unit) of the image blur correction unit 200 to prevent loosening.

[0032] Connectors 102, 103, and 104 and a control IC 101 for controlling the imaging signal are mounted on the control board 100. In addition, various types of electronic components such as chip resistors, ceramic capacitors, inductors, and transistors (not shown) are mounted on the control board 100. A first flexible board 270a and a second flexible board 270b, which are flexible printed circuit boards extending from the image blur correction unit 200, are connected to the connectors 102 and 103. Therefore, the control board 100 and the image blur correction unit 200 are electrically connected together. The connector 104 electrically connects a flexible printed circuit board (not shown) extending from the shutter unit 300 to the shutter unit 300.

[0033] Figure 3 and Figure 4 are exploded perspective views of an image blur correction unit 200. The image blur correction unit 200 has a movable unit 200a and a fixed unit 200b. The movable unit 200a includes an imaging device 230. The fixed unit 200b is fixed to a base member 400. The movable unit 200a is supported by the fixed unit 200b so as to be displaceable in a plane direction perpendicular to the optical axis P. The displacement of the movable unit 200a in the plane direction perpendicular to the optical axis P realizes the function of optically correcting image blur.

[0034] The fixed unit 200b mainly includes a front yoke 210, a substrate 250, and a rear yoke 260. The movable unit 200a mainly includes a sensor holder 220 and a third flexible board 240. A first flexible board 270a and a second flexible board 270b connect the movable unit 200a and a control board 100 together. The third flexible board 240 connects the sensor holder 220 and the control board 100 together. The first flexible board 270a, the second flexible board 270b, and the third flexible board 240 are all flexible printed circuit boards having flexibility.

[0035] The imaging device 230 is mounted on an imaging device board 231. The imaging device 230 converts an optical image of a subject into an electrical signal. The imaging device 230 and the imaging device board 231 are adhesively fixed to the sensor holder 220. In the sensor holder 220, a low-pass filter 221 is disposed on the front side of the imaging device 230. The low-pass filter 221 prevents the incidence of infrared rays and also prevents the occurrence of, for example, color moiré fringes. Three openings 223a, 223b, and 223c are formed in the sensor holder 220. The third flexible board 240 is provided with three coils 241a, 241b, and 241c ( Figure 3 ). The third flexible board 240 is bonded to the sensor holder 220 from the rear side and adhesively fixed to the sensor holder 220 such that the coils 241a, 241b, and 241c are fitted into the openings 223a, 223b, and 223c.

[0036] Three ball seats 222a, 222b, and 222c are formed in the sensor holder 220 ( Figure 3 ). In the front yoke 210, ball seats 213a, 213b, and 213c are formed at positions opposite to the ball seats 222a, 222b, and 222c ( Figure 4 ). The sensor holder 220 and the front yoke 210 sandwich spheres 215a, 215b, and 215c between opposing ball seats, where the imaging device 230 and the imaging device board 231 are adhesively fixed to the sensor holder 220. Thus, the spheres 215a, 215b, and 215c are supported.

[0037] Magnets (not shown) are adhesively fixed to the front yoke 210 at positions opposite to the sensor holder 220, and sheets made of ferromagnetic materials (such as iron, etc.) (not shown) are attached to the sensor holder 220 at positions opposite to the magnets. When the front yoke 210 and the sensor holder 220 approach each other until the distance therebetween reaches a predetermined distance, the sensor holder 220 is magnetically attracted to the front yoke 210 and held by the front yoke 210, such that the sensor holder 220 can be displaced in a plane direction perpendicular to the optical axis P by the spheres 215a, 215b, and 215c.

[0038] Magnets 212a, 212b, and 212c are attached to the front yoke 210 at positions opposite to the coils 241a, 241b, and 241c ( Figure 4 ). The supports 211a, 211b, and 211c are mounted on the substrate 250 in an upright manner. One end of each of the supports 211a, 211b, and 211c is press-fitted into the substrate 250. The front yoke 210 and the substrate 250 are joined together in such a manner that they sandwich the sensor holder 220.

[0039] When viewed from the direction of the optical axis P, the openings 251a, 251b, and 251c are formed at different positions in the substrate 250, and the magnets 261a, 261b, and 261c are fitted into the openings 251a, 251b, and 251c. When viewed from the direction of the optical axis P, the magnets 261a, 261b, and 261c are formed at positions substantially the same as those of the corresponding coils 241a, 241b, and 241c, and have substantially the same shape as the corresponding coils 241a, 241b, and 241c. In addition, the magnets 261a, 261b, and 261c are placed at positions such that the centers of the magnets 261a, 261b, and 261c match the centers of the corresponding coils 241a, 241b, and 241c.

[0040] The operator mounts the rear yoke 260 on the substrate 250 from the rear such that the magnets 261a, 261b, and 261c are fitted into the openings 251a, 251b, and 251c. Both the rear yoke 260 and the substrate 250 are made of ferromagnetic materials. The operator can magnetically attract the rear yoke 260 and the substrate 250 to each other only by aligning the rear yoke 260 with the substrate 250 to which the magnets 261a, 261b, and 261c are attached and bringing them into contact with each other. Therefore, the operator can join the two components together without using any additional adhesive material.

[0041] An opening 252 is also formed in the substrate 250. When the sensor holder 220 is sandwiched between the front yoke 210 and the substrate 250, the imaging device board 231 itself exposes rearward from the opening 252. The connectors 232a and 232b are mounted on the imaging device board 231( Figure 4 ). The connector 271a is mounted on the first flexible board 270a, and the connector 271b is mounted on the second flexible board 270b( Figure 3 ). The operator combines the first flexible board 270a and the second flexible board 270b into the imaging device board 231 from the rear side through the opening 252, so that the connector 232a and the connector 271a cooperate with each other, and also the connector 232b and the connector 271b cooperate with each other. The connectors 232a and 232b and the connectors 271a and 271b have the same relationship as that between a plug connector and a socket connector having mating shapes with each other.

[0042] Both the first flexible board 270a and the second flexible board 270b have a long plate shape, and the connectors 271a and 271b are mounted on one end of the corresponding first flexible board 270a and second flexible board 270b. The connectors 273 and 274 are mounted on the other ends of the first flexible board 270a and the second flexible board 270b in their wiring direction (length direction). The connector 273 and the connector 102( Figure 2 ) mounted on the control board 100 have the same relationship as that between a plug connector and a socket connector having mating shapes with each other. Similarly, the connector 274 and the connector 103( Figure 2 ) mounted on the control board 100 have the same relationship as that between a plug connector and a socket connector having mating shapes with each other.

[0043] Figure 5 is a front view of the third flexible board 240. As described above, the coils 241a, 241b, and 241c are adhesively fixed to the third flexible board 240. The pads 243a, 243b, 243c, 243d, 243e, and 243f for electrically connecting to the coil windings are formed on the third flexible board 240. The operator solders the starting point and the ending point of the winding of the coil 241a to the pads 243a and 243b. Similarly, the operator solders the starting point and the ending point of the winding of the coil 241b to the pads 243c and 243d, and also solders the starting point and the ending point of the winding of the coil 241c to the pads 243e and 243f. Due to the soldering, each coil is electrically connected to the third flexible board 240.

[0044] On the third flexible board 240, Hall effect devices 242a, 242b, and 242c are installed within the windings of coils 241a, 241b, and 241c. The third flexible board 240 has a connector terminal portion 244. Wiring patterns from the pads and the Hall effect devices are deployed within the third flexible board 240 and are connected to the connector terminal portion (not shown). The connector terminal portion 244 is electrically connected to a connector mounted on the control board 100.

[0045] Coils 241a, 241b, and 241c are thus placed in a magnetic field environment formed by magnets 212a, 212b, and 212c placed on the front yoke 210 and magnets 261a, 261b, and 261c placed on the rear yoke 260. By passing current through these coils, a Lorentz force is generated in each coil, and the Lorentz force serves as a thrust force to displace the sensor holder 220 in the plane direction perpendicular to the optical axis P. Hall effect devices 242a, 242b, and 242c installed inside coils 241a, 241b, and 241c detect changes in the magnetic force caused by the movement of the sensor holder 220 relative to magnets 212a, 212b, and 212c. Based on the detection results, the displacement amount of the movable unit 200a relative to the fixed unit 200b in the plane direction perpendicular to the optical axis P is detected.

[0046] Now, a detailed description of the configurations of the first flexible board 270a and the second flexible board 270b will be given. For convenience, according to the above definition of directions, coil 241c is located at the lower left of the imaging device 230, while coil 241a is located at the upper right of the imaging device 230. On the control board 100 ( Figure 2 ), connectors 102 and 104 are mounted at the lower part, and connector 103 is mounted at the upper part. Connectors 102, 103, and 104 are mounted on the back of the control board 100. Connectors 232a and 232b are mounted on the back of the imaging device board 231.

[0047] To correct image blurring in the pitch direction, which is the rotational direction around the left - right axis, the movable unit 200a performs a translational movement in the up - down direction. To correct image blurring in the yaw direction, which is the rotational direction around the up - down axis, the movable unit 200a performs a translational movement in the left - right direction (predetermined direction). To correct image blurring in the roll direction, which is the rotational direction around the front - back axis, the movable unit 200a rotates around an axis parallel to the front - back direction.

[0048] Now, a description of the configurations of the first flexible board 270a and the second flexible board 270b will be given with reference to Figures 6 to 9 Figure. Figure 6 is a rear view of the movable unit 200a to which the first flexible board 270a and the second flexible board 270b are fixed.Figure 7 and Figure 8 is a view of the state in which the movable unit 200a is mounted on the control board 100 as observed from the rear. In particular, Figure 7 shows a state in which the connectors 273 and 274 on the first flexible plate 270a and the second flexible plate 270b are not connected to the connectors 102 and 103 on the control board 100, Figure 8 shows a state in which the connectors 273 and 274 are connected to the connectors 102 and 103. Figure 9 is a perspective view of the image blur correction unit 200.

[0049] The connection of the connectors 271a and 271b ( Figure 3 ) to the connectors 232a and 232b ( Figure 4 ) electrically connects the first flexible plate 270a and the second flexible plate 270b to the imaging device board 231, and also fixes the connectors 271a and 271b to the movable unit 200a.

[0050] Both the first flexible plate 270a and the second flexible plate 270b are roughly divided into three regions, that is, two rigid bodies (connection portions) and a flexible portion (wiring portion) that connects the rigid bodies together. By attaching an insulating reinforcing material such as glass epoxy resin to the flexible portion (wiring portion) with a thermosetting adhesive, the rigid bodies (connection portions) are rigidified, and connectors are mounted on the surface of the flexible portion (wiring portion).

[0051] As Figure 6 shown, the first flexible plate 270a sequentially has a first connection portion 275a, a first wiring portion 276, and a second connection portion 278 starting from one closest to the connector 271a ( Figure 3 ) in the wiring direction (length direction). The first wiring portion 276 extends from the first connection portion 275a in the downward direction (first direction). The connector 271a is placed in the first connection portion 275a, and the connector 271b is placed in the second connection portion 278.

[0052] The second flexible plate 270b sequentially has a third connection portion 275b, a second wiring portion 277, and a fourth connection portion 279 starting from one closest to the connector 271b ( Figure 3 ) in the wiring direction (length direction). The second wiring portion 277 extends from the third connection portion 275b in the upward direction (second direction) opposite to the downward direction (first direction). The connector 271b is placed in the third connection portion 275b, and the connector 274 is placed in the fourth connection portion 279.

[0053] The first connecting portion 275a, the third connecting portion 275b, the second connecting portion 278, and the fourth connecting portion 279 are rigidified by attaching an insulating reinforcing material such as glass epoxy resin to the flexible portion (wiring portion) with a thermosetting adhesive. The board-to-board connectors (connectors 271a, 271b, 273, and 274) are mounted on the surface opposite to the surface of the above connecting portions to which the reinforcing material is attached.

[0054] As Figure 6 shown, in the wiring direction of the first flexible board 270a, the first wiring portion 276 is disposed in the region between the first connecting portion 275a and the second connecting portion 278. The first wiring portion 276 is flexible and electrically connects the connectors 271a and 273 together. In the wiring direction of the second flexible board 270b, the second wiring portion 277 is disposed in the region between the third connecting portion 275b and the fourth connecting portion 279. The second wiring portion 277 is flexible and electrically connects the connectors 271b and 274 together.

[0055] As Figure 8 shown, a first notch 107a is formed on the lower side (the edge in the first direction) of the control board 100. A second notch 107b is formed on the upper side (the edge in the second direction) of the control board 100. The first wiring portion 276 of the first flexible board 270a is wired through the first notch 107a, and the second wiring portion 277 of the second flexible board 270b is wired through the second notch 107b. That is, the first wiring portion 276 extends downward from the first connecting portion 275a, then bends backward to pass through the first notch 107a and extends upward. Then the connector 273 is mated with the connector 102. On the other hand, the second wiring portion 277 extends upward from the third connecting portion 275b, then bends backward to pass through the second notch 107b and extends downward. Then the connector 274 is mated with the connector 103.

[0056] The second wiring portion 277 and the first wiring portion 276 are configured to be wired in such a manner as to surround a part of the upper and lower portions of the control board 100. The second wiring portion 277 and the first wiring portion 276 are wired along two routes, that is, the upper route and the lower route in the pitching direction of the image blur vibration (i.e., the translation direction of the movable unit 200a). By wiring the second wiring portion 277 and the first wiring portion 276 in these directions, when the movable unit 200a moves to the right and when the movable unit 200a moves to the left, the load caused by the deformation of the first flexible board 270a and the second flexible board 270b can be made substantially uniform. Now, an explanation will be given by comparison with a comparative example ( Figure 16 ).

[0057] Figure 16 is a perspective view of the image blur correction unit 800 in the comparative example. Compared with the image blur correction unit 200 (Figure 9 ) In contrast, the image blur correction unit 800 has a flexible printed circuit board 870 that replaces the first flexible printed circuit board 270a and the second flexible printed circuit board 270b, and has an imaging device board 831 that replaces the imaging device board 231. The flexible printed circuit board 870 corresponds to the combination of the first flexible printed circuit board 270a and the second flexible printed circuit board 270b. The flexible printed circuit board 870 has a connection portion 875, a wiring portion 876, and a connection portion 878. A connector to be connected to the imaging device board 831 (corresponding to the connectors 232a and 232b) is mounted on the connection portion 875, and a connector to be connected to the control board 100 (corresponding to the connectors 102 and 103) is mounted on the connection portion 878. In the image blur correction unit 200( Figure 9 ), the first wiring portion 276 and the second wiring portion 277 extend upward and downward in opposite directions. On the other hand, in the comparative example, the wiring portion 876 of the flexible printed circuit board 870 extends downward only in one direction from the connector connected to the imaging device board 831.

[0058] Now, a description will be given of the load caused by the deformation of the flexible printed circuit board and how to control the movable unit 200a. Assume that the movable unit 200a moves to the left. In the present embodiment, when the movable unit 200a moves to the left, rightward forces Fxa and Fxb are respectively generated as reaction forces generated by the first flexible printed circuit board 270a and the second flexible printed circuit board 270b. In the vertical direction, a downward force Fya is generated as the reaction force of the flexible printed circuit board 270a, and an upward force Fyb is generated as the reaction force of the flexible printed circuit board 270b.

[0059] However, the first flexible printed circuit board 270a and the second flexible printed circuit board 270b are respectively wired along two routes in the vertical direction. Therefore, the magnitudes of the forces Fya and Fyb are substantially equal. Therefore, it is possible to balance the load in the vertical direction. Therefore, the load on the first flexible printed circuit board 270a and the second flexible printed circuit board 270b is generated substantially only in the rightward direction, and the magnitude of this load is the sum of the forces Fxa and Fxb. The load in the vertical direction is approximately zero. Therefore, the movable unit 200a can be easily controlled because the movable unit 200a only needs to be driven and controlled in the left-right direction.

[0060] On the other hand, in the comparative example( Figure 16)In [the situation], when the movable unit 200a moves leftward, a rightward force Fx is generated as a reaction force generated by the flexible plate 870. A force Fy is generated in the downward direction. Since the wiring portion 876 is wired only in one direction, the resultant force of the forces Fx and Fy acts on the movable unit 200a. Therefore, it is necessary to drive and control the movement of the movable unit 200a not only in the left - right direction but also in the up - down direction. Thus, the control of the movement of the movable unit 200a is complex. Specifically, it is necessary to generate an upward thrust Ry for canceling out the reaction force of the flexible plate 870 by passing a current through the coil 241c of the movable unit 200a to generate a Lorentz force in the coil 241c.

[0061] The movable unit 200a is subjected to the force Fx of the flexible plate 870 at a lower position away from the optical axis P. Therefore, a torque about an axis parallel to the optical axis P acts on the movable unit 200a. Thus, it is necessary to prevent the movable unit 200a from rotating by making the Lorentz forces generated in the coils 241a and 241b different so as to control the magnitudes of the thrusts Rxa and Rxb. In this regard, the control of the movement of the movable unit 200a may also become complex.

[0062] In addition, according to the comparative example, the magnets and coils required to control the movable unit 200 with high precision will increase, resulting in an increase in the size of the imaging device 10 and an increase in the power consumption required for control. In the present embodiment, the first flexible plate 270a and the second flexible plate 270b are wired along two opposite routes, which helps to reduce the size of the imaging device 10 and the power consumption.

[0063] As Figure 6 shown, assume that in the wiring direction of the first flexible plate 270a, the length from the boundary between the first wiring portion 276 and the first connection portion 275a to the boundary between the first wiring portion 276 and the second connection portion 278 is the length L1 of the first wiring portion 276. Assume that in the wiring direction of the second flexible plate 270b, the length from the boundary between the second wiring portion 277 and the third connection portion 275b to the boundary between the second wiring portion 277 and the fourth connection portion 279 is the length L2 of the second wiring portion 277. In the up - down direction, the length from the optical axis P to the boundary between the first connection portion 275 and the first wiring portion 276 is represented by L3, and the length from the optical axis P to the boundary between the third connection portion 275b and the second wiring portion 277 is represented by L4. In the left - right direction, the width of the first wiring portion 276 is represented by W1, and the width of the second wiring portion 277 is represented by W2.

[0064] To make the load generated by the deformation of the first flexible plate 270a and the second flexible plate 270b more uniform, it is preferable that the length L1 and the length L2 are substantially equal, and the length L3 and the length L4 are substantially equal. It is also preferable that the width W1 and the width W2 are substantially equal. Preferably, at least the first wiring portion 276 of the first flexible plate 270a and the second wiring portion 277 of the second flexible plate 270b have substantially the same length and width. This makes the load caused by the deformation of the first flexible plate 270a and the second flexible plate 270b more uniform, and further contributes to the size reduction and power consumption reduction of the imaging device 10.

[0065] Figure 8 is a view of the initial state in which the movable unit 200a has not been displaced. In this initial state, for the interval in the left-right direction between the first wiring portion 276 and the first notch 107a, the left interval is represented by X1, and the right interval is represented by X2. That is, the notch width of the first notch 107a in the left-right direction is represented by the following expression: the width of the first wiring portion 276 + X1 + X2. On the other hand, the interval between the position of the first notch 107a in the depth direction and the lowermost end of the bending inner surface of the first wiring portion 276 is represented by Y1. The interval between the lowermost end position of the outermost dimension of the control board 100 and the lowermost end position of the first notch 107a is represented by Y2.

[0066] The intervals X1, X2, and Y1 are set such that even when the movable unit 200a is displaced to the maximum possible extent relative to the fixed unit 200b, the first wiring portion 276 does not contact the right edge, the left edge, and the upper edge of the first notch 107a. The interval Y2 is set such that even when the movable unit 200a is displaced to the maximum possible extent relative to the fixed unit 200b, the first wiring portion 276 does not protrude from the first notch 107a and thus fits within the outermost dimension of the control board 100.

[0067] First, in order to correct image blurring in the yaw direction, the movable unit 200a performs a translational movement in the left-right direction. The interval X1 is set to a value larger than the maximum amount of the translational movement of the movable unit 200a to the left from the state where the center of the movable unit 200a corresponds to the optical axis P (initial state). The interval X2 is set to a value larger than the maximum amount of the translational movement of the movable unit 200a to the right from the initial state. In order to correct image blurring in the pitch direction, the movable unit 200a performs a translational movement in the up-down direction. The interval Y1 is set to a value larger than the maximum amount of the translational movement of the movable unit 200a upward from the initial state. The interval Y2 is set to a value larger than the maximum amount of the translational movement of the movable unit 200a downward from the initial state.

[0068] The positional relationship between the second notch 107b and the second wiring portion 277 is determined in the same manner as the positional relationship between the first notch 107a and the first wiring portion 276. Therefore, even when the movable unit 200a is displaced relative to the fixed unit 200b to the maximum possible extent, the second wiring portion 277 does not contact the right edge, left edge, and upper edge of the second notch 107b. In addition, even when the movable unit 200a is displaced relative to the fixed unit 200b to the maximum possible extent, the second wiring portion 277 does not protrude from the second notch 107b and thus fits within the outermost dimensions of the control board 100.

[0069] Next, with reference to Figures 6 to 10 , a description of the wiring pattern developed inside the imaging device 10 will be given. Figure 10 is a front view showing the wiring pattern developed inside the control board 100.

[0070] On the first flexible board 270a, high-speed transmission wirings are formed to electrically connect the connector 271a ( Figure 3 ) to the connector 273 ( Figure 6 ) via the first wiring portion 276. The high-speed transmission wirings are a pair of two signal lines using a transmission method such as LVDS (Low Voltage Differential Signaling). The imaging device 10 uses this high-speed transmission wiring to transmit an imaging signal between the imaging device 230 and the control board 100 to support high-speed transmission of the imaging signal. On the first flexible board 270a, a ground wiring, wirings required for the imaging device 230, etc., as well as the high-speed transmission wirings are mounted.

[0071] On the second flexible board 270b, a power supply wiring is formed to electrically connect the connector 271b ( Figure 3 ) to the connector 274 ( Figure 6 ) via the second wiring portion 277. On the second flexible board 270b, a ground wiring, wirings required for the imaging device 230, etc., as well as the high-speed transmission wirings are mounted. In the present embodiment, differential transmission wirings are employed as the high-speed transmission wirings mounted in the first wiring portion 276. Similar to the connectors 271a and 271b, the connectors 273 and 274 are configured to have two rows of signal terminals parallel to each other.

[0072] The first flexible board 270a and the second flexible board 270b have a multi-layer structure, and in the present embodiment, they have a two-layer structure. The connectors 273 and 274 are mounted on the surfaces of the first flexible board 270a and the second flexible board 270b that are opposite to the surfaces on which the connectors 271a and 271b are mounted. The high-speed transmission wiring extends from the signal terminal row of the connector 271a and is electrically connected to one of the two parallel signal terminal rows of the connector 273 located at the rear side when viewed from the connector 271a. Specifically, the high-speed transmission wiring passes through the rear side of the surface on which the connector 273 is mounted, and then is electrically connected to the transmission path wired on the surface on which the connector 273 is mounted via a through hole, and is connected to the signal terminal in the terminal row located at the rear side when viewed from the connector 271a.

[0073] As Figure 10 shown, a control IC 101 having a rectangular package shape is mounted above the right of the connector 102 mounted on the control board 100. A plurality of signal terminals are formed on the control IC 101, and these signal terminals are joined to the control board 100 by soldering and electrically connected to the control board 100. The control IC 101 is a circuit to which the imaging signal output from the imaging device 230 is transmitted. Three pairs of differential transmission wirings are mounted as a part of the high-speed transmission wiring 105 that is electrically connected from the connector 102 to the signal terminals of the control IC 101. The high-speed transmission wiring 105 is electrically connected to the high-speed transmission wiring inside the first flexible board 270a via the connectors 273 and 102. The high-speed transmission wiring 105 forms the same differential transmission path as the high-speed transmission wiring mounted on the first flexible board 270a. Various signal wirings, ground wirings, and the high-speed transmission wiring 105 are mounted on the control board 100, but they are omitted in Figure 10 the figure.

[0074] Generally, when transmitting a plurality of electrical signals that require synchronization on a high-speed transmission path, equidistant wiring of wires having equal lengths for transmitting the plurality of electrical signals is preferred so that the difference in delay time caused by the wiring is small enough. It is also preferred that the signal lines are designed to be as short as possible so as not to be affected by noise or the like. In order to shorten the path from the image blur correction unit 200 to the control IC 101 mounted on the control board 100, it is preferred that the connector 102 and the control IC 101 of the control board 100 are arranged as close to each other as possible. The control IC 101 can be placed on the right or left side of the connector 102 of the control board 100, which can further reduce the wiring length of the high-speed transmission wiring.

[0075] In addition, on a high-speed transmission path, electromagnetic field noise may be generated from high-speed transmission wiring. Since the high-speed transmission wiring is installed on the first flexible board 270a, the electromagnetic field noise is mainly generated from the connector 271a installed on the first connection portion 275a and the connector 273 installed on the second connection portion 278. When the electromagnetic field noise is generated, the electromagnetic field noise can propagate into the imaging device 10, thereby affecting the wireless antenna 10b ([ Figure 1A Figure 1A and Figure 1B ) incorporated in the imaging device 10 and reducing the wireless performance.

[0076] As described above, the wireless antenna 10b is placed at the upper left end of the imaging device 10 and close to the exterior 10c. In the present embodiment, the first flexible board 270a is placed on one side (right side) away from the position where the wireless antenna 10b is placed, and more electromagnetic field noise is generated on the first flexible board 270a than on the second flexible board 270b. That is, the position where the connector 102 is placed is away from the wireless antenna 10b. In addition, for the first flexible board 270a, the first wiring portion 276 extends to the lower side of the control board 100 and also bends backward so that the connector 273 can be connected to the connector 102. This reduces the influence on the wireless antenna 10b.

[0077] It should be noted that when it is difficult to compare the positions of the first flexible board 270a and the second flexible board 270b in consideration of the distance from the wireless antenna 10b, their center-of-gravity positions can be compared with each other. Alternatively, when considering the distance from the wireless antenna 10b assuming that much more electromagnetic field noise is generated on the first flexible board 270a than on the second flexible board 270b, at least one of the following conditions can be adopted as a condition to be satisfied in the assembled state. The conditions include the condition that "the connector 273 is farther away from the wireless antenna 10b than the connector 274" and the condition that "the connector 271a is farther away from the wireless antenna 10b than the connector 271b". These conditions also include the condition that "compared with the second flexible board 270b, the first flexible board 270a is arranged through a side of the control board 100 that is farther away from the wireless antenna 10b than other sides of the control board 100".

[0078] The control board 100 has a multi-layer structure. As the control board 100, for example, a stacked board formed by stacking build-up layers on both sides of a plurality of core layers, or any-layer board in which all the stacked layers can have a connection structure using interlayer vias. The high-speed transmission wiring 105 is configured such that the wiring extends from the signal terminal row of the connector 102 on the surface layer of the control board 100 and is directly connected to a part of the signal terminal of the control IC 101. In order to stack a plurality of conductive layers while making the board thickness of the control board 100 relatively small, the gap between adjacent conductive layers is narrowed. In the case of adopting the above structure, if a high-speed transmission path is wired in a specific layer, ground planes are formed only in the regions that overlap the high-speed transmission path when projected onto a plane on both sides of the conductive layer adjacent to that layer. Optionally, by taking measures such as removing all or part of the conductive layer by etching, the impedance of the high-speed transmission path can be appropriately controlled.

[0079] Such measures occupy a certain area of the conductive layer, thus restricting board wiring. Since the control IC 101 is an IC that controls the imaging signal, and a plurality of signal lines and power lines are connected to the signal terminals of the control IC 101, in many cases, the wiring density in the region overlapping the control IC 101 is very high. By mounting the high-speed transmission wiring 105 on the surface layer of the control board 100, only one conductive layer (the inner layer) needs to take measures to keep the impedance of the high-speed transmission path constant, which increases the flexibility of board wiring.

[0080] According to the present embodiment, the first wiring portion 276 of the first flexible board 270a extends from the first connection portion 275a in the downward direction (the first direction) perpendicular to the imaging optical axis P. On the other hand, the second wiring portion 277 of the first flexible board 270a extends from the third connection portion 275b in the upward direction (the second direction) perpendicular to the imaging optical axis P and opposite to the downward direction (the first direction). That is, the first wiring portion 276 and the second wiring portion 277 extend in opposite directions in the up-and-down direction, so that when the movable unit 200a is displaced, the load on the movable unit 200a can be almost uniform.

[0081] As a result, the control of the movement of the movable unit 200a does not become complicated, and the power consumption is reduced. In addition, since it is not necessary to design the first flexible board 270a and the second flexible board 270b such that the amount of deformation per unit length is too small, the size of the imaging device 10 is reduced.

[0082] The first wiring portion 276 and the second wiring portion 277 pass through a first notch 107a and a second notch 107b formed in the lower side and the upper side of the control board 100, respectively. Even when the movable unit 200a is displaced to the maximum possible extent, the first wiring portion 276 and the second wiring portion 277 do not contact the first notch 107a and the second notch 107b, thereby preventing an accidental load from being applied to the movable unit 200a when the movable unit 200a is displaced.

[0083] In addition, even when the movable unit 200a is displaced to the maximum possible extent, the first wiring portion 276 and the second wiring portion 277 fit within the outermost dimensions of the control board 100 without protruding from the first notch 107a and the second notch 107b. Accordingly, the control board 100 and the exterior 10c can be designed to leave only a small gap therebetween, and this contributes to reducing the size of the imaging device 10.

[0084] In addition, since the first flexible board 270a that generates more electromagnetic field noise is placed farther from the wireless antenna 10b than the second flexible board 270b, a reduction in wireless performance is prevented.

[0085] It should be noted that, in order to make the magnitudes of the reaction forces generated by the first flexible board 270a and the second flexible board 270b substantially equal, the reaction forces can be determined from the perspective of the bending strength including the thickness of the first wiring portion 276 and the second wiring portion 277 and their length and width. For example, the thickness of the wiring paths in the first flexible board 270a and the second flexible board 270b can be designed separately, and for the first flexible board 270a, under the condition that its cross-sectional area is fixed, its thickness can be increased while its width is decreased. This makes the load on the second flexible board 270b equal to the load on the first flexible board 270a. As a result, the width of the second flexible board 270b can be changed without changing the maximum rated current of the second flexible board 270b.

[0086] It should be noted that although the connector 103 is placed in the upper left of the connector 102 ( Figure 2 ), the connector 103 can be placed in the upper right of the connector 102. Although the connector 102 is placed in the lower part of the control board 100 to be away from the wireless antenna 10b, depending on the position of the wireless antenna 10b, the connector 102 can be arranged to be away from the wireless antenna 10b in the vertical or horizontal direction. Accordingly, the positions of the connectors 102 and 103 can be modified in various ways.

[0087] It should be noted that it is not necessary to construct the first flexible board 270a, the second flexible board 270b, and the third flexible board 240 as separate units, and they can be constructed as an integral unit.

[0088] It should be noted that although in Figure 10 , the signal terminals are arranged at regular intervals and are substantially parallel to one side of the package of the control IC 101, the signal terminals in the package do not have to be arranged as Figure 10 shown. The signal terminals only have to be arranged so that connection to the surface wiring of the control board 100 can be achieved, and the signal terminals can be arranged irregularly. In addition, the plug connector and the socket connector do not have to be used as the components for connecting the boards together. Connector terminal portions can be formed on the first flexible board 270a and the second flexible board 270b in place of the connectors 273 and 274, and connectors compatible with the connector terminal portions can be mounted on the control board 100. It should be noted that although the connectors 232a and 232b ( Figure 4 ) and the connectors 271a and 272b ( Figure 3 ) are not plural, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, a plurality of connectors can be mounted on each of the first flexible board 270a and the second flexible board 270b, a plurality of connectors can be mounted on the imaging device board 231, and corresponding connectors among the mounted connectors can be connected together.

[0089] It should be noted that from the perspective of making the load on the movable unit 200a uniform, the image blur correction unit 200 can be rotated by 90 degrees so that the first wiring portion 276 and the second wiring portion 277 extend in opposite directions in the left-right direction.

[0090] Except for the configurations of the first flexible board and the second flexible board and the configuration of the rear yoke, the second embodiment of the present invention is the same as the first embodiment. The second embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 11 and Figure 12 . Components that are the same as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their detailed descriptions are omitted.

[0091] Figure 11 is a rear view of the movable unit 200a to which the first flexible board and the second flexible board are fixed. Figure 12 is a perspective view of the image blur correction unit 700. The image blur correction unit 700 corresponding to the image blur correction unit 200 has a first flexible board 770a and a second flexible board 770b corresponding to the first flexible board 270a and the second flexible board 270b, respectively. The image blur correction unit 700 has a rear yoke 265 corresponding to the rear yoke 260. The rear yoke 265 has a flat shape, and when viewed from the direction of the optical axis P, the outer shape of the rear yoke 265 is a square U shape.

[0092] The first flexible board 770a extends in the wiring direction (length direction) from the closest to the connector 271a ( Figure 3) sequentially has a first connection portion 775a, a wiring portion 776, a wiring portion 780, and a second connection portion 782 starting from one closest to the connector 271a. The connector 271a is placed at the first connection portion 775a, and the connector 273 is placed at the second connection portion 782. Compared with the first flexible printed circuit board 270a, the first connection portion 775a corresponds to the first connection portion 275a, the wiring portion 776 and the wiring portion 780 correspond to the first wiring portion 276, and the second connection portion 782 corresponds to the second connection portion 278.

[0093] The second flexible printed circuit board 770b sequentially has a third connection portion 775b, a wiring portion 777, a wiring portion 781, and a fourth connection portion 783 starting from one closest to the connector 271b in the wiring direction (length direction). Figure 3 ) The third connection portion 775b corresponds to the third connection portion 275b, the wiring portion 777 and the wiring portion 781 correspond to the second wiring portion 277, and the fourth connection portion 783 corresponds to the fourth connection portion 279.

[0094] The wiring portion 776 of the first flexible printed circuit board 770a extends from the first connection portion 775a in the upward direction perpendicular to the photographing optical axis P. The wiring portion 777 of the second flexible printed circuit board 770b extends from the third connection portion 775b in the downward direction perpendicular to the photographing optical axis P and opposite to the upward direction.

[0095] On the first flexible printed circuit board 770a, a wiring path is formed to electrically connect the connector 271a mounted on the first connection portion 775a to the connector 273 mounted on the second connection portion 782 via the wiring portion 776 and the wiring portion 780. On the second flexible printed circuit board 770b, a wiring path is formed to electrically connect the connector 271b mounted on the third connection portion 775b to the connector 274 mounted on the fourth connection portion 783 via the wiring portion 777 and the wiring portion 781.

[0096] The first fixing portion 778 is formed at the center in the wiring direction of the first flexible plate 770a of the wiring portion between the first connecting portion 775a and the second connecting portion 782. That is, the first fixing portion 778 is provided between the wiring portion 776 and the wiring portion 780 and fixed to the rear yoke 265. On the other hand, the second fixing portion 779 is formed at the center in the wiring direction of the second flexible plate 770b of the wiring portion between the third connecting portion 775b and the fourth connecting portion 783. That is, the second fixing portion 779 is provided between the wiring portion 777 and the wiring portion 781 and fixed to the rear yoke 265. Holes for alignment with the rear yoke 265 are formed in the first fixing portion 778 and the second fixing portion 779. The operator aligns the first fixing portion 778 and the second fixing portion 779 with the corresponding holes of the rear yoke 265 using a jig or the like, and then fixes the first fixing portion 778 and the second fixing portion 779 to the rear yoke 265. Since the first fixing portion 778 and the second fixing portion 779 are fixed to the rear yoke 265, the positions of the first fixing portion 778 and the second fixing portion 779 and the regions of the first fixing portion 778 on the second connecting portion 782 side and the regions of the second fixing portion 779 on the fourth connecting portion 783 side do not shift.

[0097] The wiring portion 776 warps by a predetermined amount, and in this state, the first fixing portion 778 is fixed to the rear yoke 265 to maintain the warping of the wiring portion 776. Similarly, the wiring portion 777 warps by a predetermined amount, and in this state, the second fixing portion 779 is fixed to the rear yoke 265 to maintain the warping of the wiring portion 777. The warping amounts of the wiring portions 776 and 777 are determined such that when the movable unit 200a is displaced to the position farthest from the optical axis P, the wiring portions 776 and 777 can maintain the predetermined warping amount without being stretched.

[0098] In the left - right direction, the distance between the wiring portions 776 and 777 is equal to or greater than the maximum amount of the translational movement of the movable unit 200a in the left - right direction. This prevents the wiring portions 776 and 777 from interfering with each other and affecting the load when correcting image blurring.

[0099] As described above, the wiring portions 776 and 777 are wired along two routes, that is, the upper route and the lower route in the translational direction (opposite directions) of the movable unit 200a. Therefore, as in the first embodiment, when the movable unit 200a moves to the right and when the movable unit 200a moves to the left, the loads caused by the deformation of the first flexible plate 770a and the second flexible plate 770b can be almost equal. Moreover, when the movable unit 200a moves upward and when the movable unit 200a moves downward, the loads caused by the deformation of the first flexible plate 770a and the second flexible plate 770b can be almost equal.

[0100] The length from the boundary between the first connecting portion 775a and the wiring portion 776 to the first fixing portion 778 is represented by L5. The length from the boundary between the third connecting portion 775b and the wiring portion 777 to the second fixing portion 779 is represented by L6. The length from the optical axis P to the boundary between the first connecting portion 775a and the wiring portion 776 is represented by L7, and the length from the optical axis P to the boundary between the third connecting portion 775b and the wiring portion 777 is represented by L8. The widths of the wiring portion 776 and the wiring portion 777 in the left-right direction are represented by W3 and W4, respectively.

[0101] In order to make the loads generated by the deformation of the first flexible plate 770a and the second flexible plate 770b more equal, it is preferable that the length L5 and the length L6 are substantially equal, and the length L7 and the length L8 are substantially equal. It is also preferable that the width W3 and the width W4 are substantially equal. Preferably, at least the wiring portion 776 and the wiring portion 777 have substantially the same length and width. This makes the loads caused by the deformation of the first flexible plate 770a and the second flexible plate 770b closer to being equal, and further contributes to the reduction of the size and power consumption of the imaging device 10.

[0102] According to the present embodiment, the wiring portion 776 and the wiring portion 777 extend in opposite directions in the up-down direction. Therefore, from the perspective of making the loads applied to the movable unit 200a almost equal when the movable unit 200a is displaced, the same effect as in the first embodiment is obtained.

[0103] In addition, mainly the wiring portion 776 and the wiring portion 777 warp, while the regions on the second connecting portion 782 side of the fixing portion 778 and the fourth connecting portion 783 side of the fixing portion 779 hardly warp. Therefore, considering the maximum displacement of the movable unit 200a, it is not necessary to form a margin on the notches 107a and 107b of the control board 100. This increases the board area of the control board 100, and is also beneficial to making the lengths of the high-speed transmission paths inside the first flexible plate 770a equal, and forming the wiring portion 780 in an appropriate shape. Therefore, while ensuring the high transmission quality of the high-speed transmission path, the flexibility of the layout and wiring of the control board 100 is increased.

[0104] It should be noted that the first fixing portion 778 and the second fixing portion 779 may not be directly fixed to the rear yoke, but may be fixed to the rear yoke 265 via a separate holding member or the like. In this case, the holding member may have a cylindrical positioning portion that fits into the holes formed in the first fixing portion 778 and the second fixing portion 779.

[0105] It should be noted that in the wiring sections 776 and 777, slits or the like may be formed in a direction parallel to the wiring path, for example, in order to reduce the load caused by deformation. This is advantageous for controlling the image blur correction unit 700 with high precision.

[0106] The third embodiment of the present invention is the same as the second embodiment except for the configuration of the first flexible board and the second flexible board. Figure 13 , Figure 14 and Figure 15 The present embodiment is described. The same constituent elements as those of the imaging apparatus 10 according to the second embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof is omitted. It should be noted that Figure 13 , Figure 14 and Figure 15 Some reference numerals are omitted.

[0107] Figure 13 2 is a rear view of the movable unit 200 a to which the first flexible board and the second flexible board are fixed. Figure 14 is a stereogram of the image blur correction unit. Figure 15 Observed from the left Figure 14 Stereoscopic image of the image blur correction unit in .

[0108] The image blur correction unit 900 corresponds to the image blur correction unit 700. Figure 13 As shown, the image blur correction unit 900 has a first flexible plate 970a and a second flexible plate 970b corresponding to the first flexible plate 770a and the second flexible plate 770b, respectively. Compared with the first flexible plate 770a, the wiring portion 976 and the first connection portion 975a of the first flexible plate 970a correspond to the wiring portion 776 and the first connection portion 775a, respectively. Compared with the second flexible plate 770b, the wiring portion 977 and the third connection portion 975b of the second flexible plate 970b correspond to the wiring portion 777 and the third connection portion 775b, respectively.

[0109] The connector 271a is placed in the first connection portion 975a, and the connector 271b is placed in the third connection portion 975b. There may be a case where the first connection portion 975a of the first flexible board 970a and the third connection portion 975b of the second flexible board 970b are enlarged due to wiring routing and overlap each other when viewed from the rear (in the direction of the optical axis). When the first connection portion 975a and the third connection portion 975b overlap each other, as described below, the positions at which they are placed should be offset in a direction parallel to the photographing optical axis P.

[0110] In the present embodiment, both the first connecting portion 975a and the third connecting portion 975b can be placed by, for example, making the height (thickness) of the connector 271a greater than the height (thickness) of the connector 271b. Therefore, in the optical axis direction, the third connecting portion 975b is farther from the control board 100 (closer to the movable unit 200a) than the first connecting portion 975a. On the other hand, as Figure 15 shown, there may sometimes be an obstacle 990 placed between the control board 100 and the image blur correction unit 200. For the sake of simplicity of explanation, Figure 14 the obstacle 990 is omitted in

[0111] The wiring portion 977 of the second flexible printed circuit board 970b has a bent portion 977R and extends toward the control board 100 passing between the third connecting portion 975b and the obstacle 990. The wiring portion 976 of the first flexible printed circuit board 970a has a bent portion 976R and extends toward the control board 100 passing between the first connecting portion 975a and the obstacle 990. Here, the distance between the third connecting portion 975b and the obstacle 990 is longer than the distance between the first connecting portion 975a and the obstacle 990. The radius of curvature of the bent portion 977R of the wiring portion 977 is greater than the radius of curvature of the bent portion 976R of the wiring portion 976.

[0112] Here, it is preferable that the first flexible printed circuit board 970a and the second flexible printed circuit board 970b have substantially the same thickness, but there may be a case where the second flexible printed circuit board 970b is designed to be thicker for power wiring. In the present embodiment, it is assumed that the second flexible printed circuit board 970b is thicker than the first flexible printed circuit board 970a.

[0113] When the obstacle 990 and the image blur correction unit 200 are close to each other, there is a possibility that when the movable unit 200a moves, the first flexible printed circuit board 970a and the second flexible printed circuit board 970b may move while contacting the obstacle 990. In addition, since the second flexible printed circuit board 970b, which is thicker than the first flexible printed circuit board 970a, is less likely to deform, the loads applied to the first flexible printed circuit board 970a and the second flexible printed circuit board 970b tend to be unequal.

[0114] However, the distance in the optical axis direction from the third connecting portion 975b to the obstacle 990 is longer than the distance in the optical axis direction from the first connecting portion 975a to the obstacle 990. Therefore, a bent portion 977R with a radius of curvature larger than the radius of curvature of the bent portion 976R can be designed. As a result, the reaction forces generated by the deformation of the respective wiring portions 976 and 977 can be made almost equal.

[0115] According to the present embodiment, from the perspective of making the loads applied to the first flexible plate 970a and the second flexible plate 970b almost equal when the movable unit 200a is displaced, the same effects as in the first and second embodiments are obtained.

[0116] In addition, since the first connection portion 975a and the third connection portion 975b overlap each other, even if the first connection portion 975a and the third connection portion 975b are designed to have large areas, sufficient mounting space can be ensured in the direction perpendicular to the optical axis direction.

[0117] In addition, since the third connection portion 975b is farther from the control board 100 than the first connection portion 975a, the radius of curvature of the bending portion 977R is greater than the radius of curvature of the bending portion 976R. Therefore, even when the second flexible plate 970b is thicker than the first flexible plate 970a, the reaction forces generated by the deformation of the respective wiring portions 976 and 977 can be made almost equal.

[0118] It should be noted that in the present embodiment, by making the connectors 271a and 271b have different heights (thicknesses), the first connection portion 975a and the third connection portion 975b are positioned at different positions in the optical axis direction. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the connectors 232a and 232b mounted on the imaging device board 231 may have different heights (thicknesses). Alternatively, the connectors 271a and 271b may have different heights (thicknesses), and the connectors 232a and 232b may also have different heights (thicknesses).

[0119] It should be noted that from the perspective of achieving load balance, it is preferable that the connection portion of the thicker one of the first flexible plate 970a and the second flexible plate 970b is arranged farther from the control board 100. Therefore, with respect to the placement position of the connection portion and the thickness of the flexible plate, the relationship may be opposite to the relationship shown in the present embodiment.

[0120] It should be noted that the arrangement position of the connection portion and the thickness of the flexible plate in the present embodiment can also be applied to the first embodiment.

[0121] It should be noted that the present invention can be applied not only to imaging devices such as cameras, but also to various electronic devices in which a movable unit supported movably and a control board are connected together via a flexible plate. In addition, when the present invention is applied to a camera, the camera may be an integrated lens type.

[0122] Other embodiments

[0123] Although the present invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. The scope of the claims should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications, equivalent structures and functions. Some of the above-described embodiments may be used in appropriate combination.

[0124] This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2018-195149, filed on October 16, 2018, and Japanese Patent Application No. 2019-117500, filed on June 25, 2019, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Claims

1. An imaging device, comprising: A wireless antenna; An imaging device configured to convert an optical image of a subject into an electrical signal; A movable unit configured to hold the imaging device and capable of shifting in a direction different from the optical axis direction of the imaging optical system; A control unit including a circuit to which an imaging signal output from the imaging device is transmitted; A first flexible printed circuit board configured to electrically connect the movable unit and the control unit to each other; And A second flexible printed circuit board configured to electrically connect the movable unit and the control unit to each other, Characterized in that the first flexible printed circuit board includes a first connection portion connected to the movable unit, a first wiring portion extending from the first connection portion in a first direction different from the optical axis direction, and a second connection portion disposed at an end of the first wiring portion and connected to the control unit, The second flexible printed circuit board includes a third connection portion connected to the movable unit, a second wiring portion extending from the third connection portion in a second direction different from the optical axis direction and opposite to the first direction, and a fourth connection portion disposed at an end of the second wiring portion and connected to the control unit, and The second connection portion is farther from the mounting position of the wireless antenna than the fourth connection portion, In the first flexible printed circuit board and the second flexible printed circuit board, only the first flexible printed circuit board includes differential transmission wiring, while the second flexible printed circuit board includes power supply wiring.

2. The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein The first direction is a direction in which the second connection portion approaches the mounting position of the wireless antenna, and the second direction is a direction in which the fourth connection portion is away from the mounting position of the wireless antenna.

3. The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein The control unit includes a first notch formed at an edge of the control unit in the first direction and a second notch formed at an edge of the control unit in the second direction, The first wiring portion of the first flexible printed circuit board is wired through the first notch, The second wiring portion of the second flexible printed circuit board is wired through the second notch, When the movable unit is shifted to the maximum possible extent, the first wiring portion of the first flexible printed circuit board does not contact the first notch, and the second wiring portion of the second flexible printed circuit board does not contact the second notch, and When the movable unit is shifted to the maximum possible extent, both the first wiring portion of the first flexible printed circuit board and the second wiring portion of the second flexible printed circuit board are fitted within the outermost dimensions of the control unit.

4. The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein, The central position in the wiring direction of the first wiring portion of the first flexible printed circuit board and the central position in the wiring direction of the second wiring portion of the second flexible printed circuit board are respectively fixed to a support unit that supports the movable unit or are respectively fixed to members fixed to the support unit.

5. The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein, The first wiring portion of the first flexible printed circuit board and the second wiring portion of the second flexible printed circuit board have substantially the same length and width.

6. The imaging device according to claim 4, wherein, The region of the first flexible plate from the first connection portion to the central position of the first flexible plate in the wiring direction has substantially the same length and width as the region of the second flexible plate from the third connection portion to the central position of the second flexible plate in the wiring direction.

7. The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein, When viewed from a direction parallel to the optical axis, the first connection portion and the third connection portion partially overlap each other.

8. The imaging device according to claim 7, wherein in a direction parallel to the optical axis, the third connection portion is farther from the control unit than the first connection portion, and the second flexible plate is thicker than the first flexible plate.

9. The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein, The control unit has a function of optically correcting blurring of the subject by shifting the movable unit in a direction different from the optical axis.

Images