Housing unit and camera unit

Abstract

A housing unit (3) according to the present invention is provided with a hollow housing (31) and a pivoting window (4) provided in an opening of the housing (31), the pivoting window (4) having: a window (41) having light transmissivity; a window frame (42) that supports the window (41) through the peripheral edge of the window (41); and a driven unit (54) provided on the outer periphery of the window frame (42), the housing unit (3) being provided with: a driving unit (5) that rotates the pivoted window (4) by driving the driven unit (54) to rotate the window frame (42); and an ejection unit (6) that ejects a fluid toward the outer surface of the window (41). If such a housing unit and a camera unit provided with the same are used, it is possible to sufficiently remove water spots, oil stains, and the like that adhere to a pivoted window in a use environment.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a housing unit mounted on a camera and a camera unit including the housing unit. Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, there has been a rotating window that is provided in front of a lens of a camera, can protect the lens from rain, snow, or contamination damage in the usage environment, and can ensure a field of view. The rotating window generally has a motor and a support arm that supports the motor provided at its central portion to rotate the window. Therefore, there has been a problem that the camera is blocked by these structures or dead spots are formed. Thus, there is known a rotating window having a structure in which bearings are arranged at an outer peripheral portion of the rotating window, and the rotating window is rotated at high speed via a gear of the fixed window and a gear of the rotating window (see Patent Document 1).

[0003] Prior Art Documents

[0004] Patent Documents

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-049415 Summary of the Invention

[0006] (I) Technical Problem to be Solved

[0007] However, in a machine tool library where coolant splashes, a library in a semiconductor wafer manufacturing process, an environment where a large amount of water, coolant, oil, etc. scatter such as in a food factory, if only rotated at high speed as in the above-described rotating window, it may not be possible to sufficiently remove the attached water, oil, etc. In this case, due to water splashes, oil stains, etc. attached to the rotating window mounted on the camera, there may be a problem that a desired image cannot be obtained through the camera.

[0008] The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and an object thereof is to provide a housing unit that can sufficiently remove water splashes, oil stains, etc. attached to a rotating window in a usage environment and a camera unit including the housing unit.

[0009] (II) Technical Solution

[0010] In order to achieve the above object, the housing unit of the present invention is characterized in that it includes a hollow housing and a rotating window provided at an opening of the housing. The rotating window has: a window having light transmissivity; a window frame that supports the window through a peripheral portion of the window; and a driven unit provided on an outer periphery of the window frame. The housing unit is provided with: a driving unit that drives the driven unit to rotate the window frame, thereby rotating the rotating window; and a jetting unit that jets a fluid toward an outer surface of the window (Invention 1). By not only rotating the rotating window but also jetting a fluid toward the outer surface of the window by the jetting unit, it is possible to sufficiently remove water splashes, oil stains, etc. attached to the rotating window.

[0011] In the above invention (Invention 1), it may further include a supply unit for supplying gas into the housing, and the ejection unit is configured to eject the gas supplied by the supply unit toward the outer surface of the window (Invention 2). By using the gas supplied from the supply unit, it is not necessary to separately supply gas to the ejection unit, and cost can be suppressed.

[0012] In the above invention (Invention 1), it may be that the ejection unit ejects the fluid toward the vicinity of the center of the outer surface of the rotating window (Invention 3). By ejecting the fluid to this position, it is possible to better remove water droplets and the like that remain near the center and have not been completely removed.

[0013] In the above invention (Invention 1), it may be that the driving unit is a motor and a motor-side gear provided on the rotating shaft of the motor, and the driven unit is a frame-side gear provided along the outer periphery of the window frame of the rotating window. The motor-side gear is rotated by the driving force of the motor, thereby rotating the frame-side gear (Invention 4).

[0014] In the above invention (Invention 1), it may be that the driving unit is a motor, a motor-side pulley provided on the rotating shaft of the motor, and a belt, and the driven unit is a frame-side pulley provided along the outer periphery of the window frame of the rotating window. The motor-side pulley and the belt are rotated by the driving force of the motor, thereby rotating the frame-side pulley (Invention 5).

[0015] In the above invention (Invention 1), it may be that the driving unit is a supply unit for supplying gas into the housing, and the driven unit is fins provided along the outer periphery of the window frame and opposed to the gas feeding direction. By configuring in this way, the rotating window can be rotated without using a motor.

[0016] In the above invention (Invention 1), it may further include a supply unit for supplying gas into the housing, and the window frame has a labyrinth structure at the engaging portion with the housing, and the gas discharged from the labyrinth structure is discharged in a direction opposite to the window (Invention 7). By having a labyrinth structure at the engaging portion, it is possible to prevent water and the like from entering the housing. In addition, by discharging the gas discharged from the labyrinth structure in a direction opposite to the window, it is possible to prevent water and oil scattered in the use environment from being rolled up and conveyed toward the window side.

[0017] In the above invention (Invention 1), a wiper may be provided on the rotating window (Invention 8).

[0018] In the above invention (Invention 1), a net portion covering the rotating window may be provided (Invention 9).

[0019] In the above invention (Invention 1), it is possible that the ejection unit is configured to eject the same liquid as the liquid contained in the air of the use environment (Invention 10). By ejecting the same liquid as the liquid contained in the air of the use environment, it is possible to better remove water droplets, oil droplets, etc. attached to the rotary window.

[0020] In the above invention (Invention 1), it is possible that the housing includes a wall portion provided along the outer periphery of the rotary window, a space formed by the wall portion and the rotary window is formed in front of the window, and a positive pressure forming unit is provided to make the space a positive pressure (Invention 11). By providing a positive pressure forming unit to make this space a positive pressure, it is possible to suppress the attachment of minute water droplets, oil droplets, etc. to the window.

[0021] In the above invention (Invention 11), the positive pressure forming unit may be the ejection unit (Invention 12). Since the positive pressure forming unit is the ejection unit, it is possible to use the positive pressure forming unit to suppress the attachment of minute water droplets, oil droplets, etc. to the window, and it is possible to better remove water droplets, oil droplets, etc. attached to the rotary window.

[0022] In the above invention (Invention 11), it is possible that a supply unit for supplying gas into the housing is further provided, the window frame has a labyrinth structure at the engaging portion with the housing, and the positive pressure forming unit is configured to discharge the gas discharged from the labyrinth structure into the space (Invention 13).

[0023] The camera unit of the present invention is characterized by including: a hollow housing; a rotary window provided at an opening of the housing; and a camera, the lens of which is disposed at the center inside the housing so as to face the rotary window. The rotary window has: a window having transparency; a window frame that supports the window through a peripheral portion of the window; and a driven unit provided on the outer periphery of the window frame. The camera unit is provided with: a driving unit that drives the driven unit to rotate the window frame, thereby rotating the rotary window; and an ejection unit that ejects a fluid toward an outer surface of the window (Invention 14). By not only rotating the rotary window but also ejecting a fluid from the ejection unit toward the outer surface of the window, it is possible to sufficiently remove water splashes, oil stains, etc. attached to the rotary window, and it is possible to keep the field of view of the camera clear.

[0024] In the above invention (Invention 14), the housing may cover only a part of the camera (Invention 15). By covering only a part of the camera, the whole can be made compact.

[0025] (III) Advantageous Effects

[0026] The housing unit of the present invention and the camera unit including the housing unit can sufficiently remove water splashes, oil stains, etc. attached to the rotary window in the use environment by having the rotary window and the ejection unit. Description of the Drawings

[0027] Figure 1 is a front view of the camera unit according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] Figure 2 is Figure 1 a cross-sectional view of the camera unit taken along line A-A of

[0029] Figure 3 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of the camera unit according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the camera unit according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the camera unit according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] Figure 6 is a view for explaining the fin portion in the camera unit according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of the camera unit according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of the camera unit according to a modified example of the fourth embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Embodiments

[0035] Hereinafter, embodiments of the camera unit of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In addition, in the present embodiment, when the same components are distinguished according to their positions, they are distinguished by letters respectively. Also, in Figure 2 the up, down, left, and right directions are shown for easy understanding of the description, but these up, down, left, and right directions do not mean the up, down, left, and right directions in the actual use state.

[0036] (First Embodiment)

[0037] Figures 1 - 3 The camera unit 1 of the present embodiment shown in Figure 2 has a camera 2 and a housing unit 3. The camera 2 has a camera body 21 and a lens unit 22 provided on the camera body 21. Regarding the camera body 21 and the lens unit 22, the lower end portion 24 of the lens unit 22 located Figure 2inside the upper protruding fitting portion 23 and is detachable. The camera body 21 is of a waterproof (and / or oil-proof) specification. Further, on the side of the lens unit 22 opposite to the lower end portion 24, the foremost lens element 25 among a plurality of lens elements (not shown) disposed in the lens barrel is fixed.

[0038] The housing unit 3 has a hollow substantially cylindrical housing 31, and the lens unit 22 is disposed inside the housing 31. Among the components forming the housing 31 Figure 2 at the lower end portion 32 of the lower opening, a bottom portion 33 for closing the opening is provided. The fitting portion 23 of the camera body 21 is fixed to the center of the bottom portion 33 in a state of being inserted inside the housing 31. Further, a supply unit 34 for supplying gas (air) to the outer peripheral portion of the camera body 21 in the bottom portion 33 into the housing 31 is provided. By supplying air into the housing 31 through the supply unit 34, the inside of the housing 31 becomes a positive pressure, and it is possible to suppress liquid from entering the housing 31 in the usage environment.

[0039] Among the components forming the housing 31 Figure 2 at the upper end portion 35 of the upper opening, a rotating window 4 is provided. The rotating window 4 includes a window 41 having transmissivity and a window frame 42 for holding the window 41. When viewed from the front, the window 41 is circular, and the window frame 42 is annular. The peripheral edge portion of the window 41 is fixed to the window frame 42, and the circumferential end portion 43 of the window frame 42 is engaged with the upper end portion 35 of the housing 31. The window 41 faces the lens element 25 of the lens unit 22, and the camera 2 can perform shooting through the window 41 without the field of view being blocked by a structure. The window frame 42 has a cylindrical extending portion 44 extending downward from the Figure 2 inside of the window 41. A bearing 45 is provided on the outer periphery of the extending portion 44, and the window frame 42 is fitted to the inner peripheral surface of the housing 31 via the bearing 45. When fitting the inner peripheral surface of the housing 31 and the window frame 42, in addition to the rolling bearing of the bearing 45, an air bearing, an oil-lubricated bearing, a magnetic bearing, etc. may also be used.

[0040] The camera unit 1 further includes a drive unit 5 for the rotating window 4. In the present embodiment, as the drive unit 5, there is a motor 51 and a motor-side gear 53 provided on the rotating shaft 52 of the motor 51. Further, a frame-side gear 54 (driven unit) is provided on the rotating window 4 that rotates by receiving this driving force, and the frame-side gear 54 is engaged with the motor-side gear 53 and is provided on the outer periphery of the extending portion 44 below the bearing 45. The rotation speed of the rotating window 4 based on the power of the motor 51 is, for example, 3000 rpm. Further, the wiring for controlling the motor 51 is omitted.

[0041] In the camera unit 1 configured as described above, when the drive motor 51 is driven, the rotation of the motor-side gear 53 is transmitted to the frame-side gear 54 through the rotation of the rotary shaft 52, and thus, the rotary window 4 rotates. When the rotary window 4 rotates, water droplets, oil droplets, dirt, etc. adhering to the outer surface of the window 41 are blown away, and the transparency of the outer surface of the window 41 can be maintained well. However, the following situation can also be considered: Since no centrifugal force can be obtained near the rotation center 46 of the window 41, water droplets, oil droplets, etc. exist in a mist state, etc., and depending on the usage environment, etc., the water droplets, oil droplets, and dirt adhering to the window 41 cannot be blown away by rotation, resulting in their remaining attached to the window 41. In addition, the vicinity of the center 46 includes not only the center of the window 41 but also its surroundings.

[0042] Therefore, in the present embodiment, a jetting unit 6 for jetting gas toward the outer surface of the window 41 is provided in the housing 31. In the present embodiment, the jetting unit 6 is configured to jet the air supplied by the supply unit 34 into the housing 31. Specifically, the jetting unit 6 includes a communication pipe 61 communicating with the inside of the housing 31 and a nozzle 62 provided on the communication pipe 61, and the front end portion 63 of the nozzle 62 is configured to face the vicinity of the center 46 of the window 41. In the present embodiment, the front end portion 63 of the nozzle 62 is formed to have an inner diameter smaller than that of the root portion of the nozzle 62, and air is supplied from the supply unit 34 into the housing 31 to make the inside of the housing 31 a positive pressure, so that air is jetted from the front end portion 63 of the nozzle 62 at a jetting speed capable of removing water droplets, etc. adhering to the window 41. In addition, the communication pipe 61 may be configured to have a compression unit that can violently jet air from the nozzle 62 by compressing and discharging air.

[0043] By having this jetting unit 6, in the camera unit 1 of the present embodiment, the air supplied to the inside of the housing 31 by the supply unit 34 passes through the communication pipe 61 and the nozzle 62 and is jetted from the jetting port of the front end portion 63 toward the vicinity of the center of the window 41, and the water droplets, oil droplets, and dirt adhering to the window 41 can be removed by the air. In particular, in the present embodiment, the shape and position of the front end portion 63 of the nozzle 62 are set such that the air released from the front end portion 63 contacts the vicinity of the rotation center 46 at the center of the window 41. The closer the window 41 is to the peripheral portion, the greater the centrifugal force, and the easier it is for water droplets and oil droplets to scatter, but the centrifugal force near the rotation center 46 at the center is small, and the state is such that water droplets and oil droplets are difficult to scatter. Therefore, by contacting the vicinity of the rotation center 46 with air, the water droplets, oil droplets, dirt, etc. adhering to the window 41 can be removed more efficiently by the air. In addition, in the present embodiment, the jetting unit 6 is configured to take out the air supplied to the inside of the housing 31 by the supply unit 34, so that the jetting unit 6 can be configured without newly adding other supply units.

[0044] In addition, the ejection based on the ejection unit 6 can be performed, for example, at regular intervals (pulses), or can be continuously ejected. In addition, the fluid in the present invention includes liquids and gases. In addition, in the present embodiment, the shape of the front end portion 63 is configured to be thinner than the root side of the nozzle 62, but is not limited thereto. For example, the front end portion 63 may have the same inner diameter as the nozzle 62, or may have a shape with an inner diameter larger than that of the nozzle 62. In addition, it may be configured to have a plurality of ejection ports by branching into a plurality of through the front end portion 63, or one front end portion 63 may have a plurality of ejection ports.

[0045] In addition, in the camera unit 1 of the present embodiment, air is supplied into the housing 31 by the supply unit 34, so that the inside of the housing 31 becomes a positive pressure, suppressing the intrusion of water or the like into the housing 31. However, in addition to this, as Figure 3 shown, the engaging portion 47 between the upper end portion 35 of the housing 31 and the circumferential end portion 43 of the window frame 42 is formed of a labyrinth structure. Specifically, the end portion of the upper end portion 35 branches into a plurality (two in the present embodiment), and the circumferential end portion 43 also has a plurality of branches (two in the present embodiment) formed along the branch, and a labyrinth structure is formed in the engaging portion 47 by their fitting. Therefore, it is possible to further suppress the entry of water, oil, etc. into the inside of the housing 31 without hindering the rotation of the rotary window 4.

[0046] As described above, since air is supplied into the housing 31, air is discharged from the labyrinth structure of the engaging portion 47. Here, the terminal portion 48 of the circumferential end portion 43 of the window frame 42 is configured to cover the upper end portion 35, so the air is directed Figure 2 downward in. The air discharged from the engaging portion 47 is less, but since it is located near the window 41, there is a concern that the water and oil scattered in the use environment may be rolled up by the discharge of the air and conveyed toward the window 41 side. However, since the terminal portion 48 is configured to cover the upper end portion 35 in this way, it is possible to discharge the air in the direction opposite to the window 41, and it is possible to suppress the water and oil scattered in the use environment from being rolled up and conveyed toward the window 41 side.

[0047] Also, in the camera unit 1 of the present embodiment, the housing unit 3 covers the entire lens member 22, but the camera body 21 with a waterproof specification is arranged outside the housing unit 3. In this way, by the housing unit 3 not covering the camera body 21 with a waterproof specification, the entire device can be made compact, so it can be used even in a narrow space. In addition, the replacement of the camera body 21 is easy, and the camera body 21 and the lens member 22 can be replaced according to the use. By replacing the lens with a different focal length, the field of view can be changed according to the use. In addition, the surface of the window 41 can be surface-treated with a material having waterproof / oil-proof properties or hydrophilic / lipophilic properties, or the window 41 itself can be made of such a material. In this case, even if the rotation speed of the rotating window 4 is low, the above effects can be obtained, so it is advantageous in terms of extending the life, noise, power consumption, etc. In addition, if an anti-charging coating or an anti-static coating is applied to the surface of the window 41, dust and powder can be prevented from adhering to the window 41.

[0048] In addition, the material forming the window 41 is not particularly limited as long as it is a transmissive material. However, if it is considered that the camera is likely to generate heat due to high pixel density and is used for monitoring and inspection in a place with a high ambient temperature, for example, heat-resistant glass, heat-ray absorbing glass, heat-ray reflecting glass, etc., which are glass materials suitable for use at high temperatures, are preferably used. By forming the window 41 from such a glass material, for example, when the camera unit 1 is used near a place with a high ambient temperature, heat can be prevented from invading from the window 41 to the inside of the housing unit 3, and the influence of heat on the lens member 22 and the like can be reduced. When the heat-ray absorbing glass is used for the window 41, the window 41 itself gets hot by absorbing heat. However, in the camera unit 1 of the present embodiment, the jet unit 6 is configured to jet air onto the window 41, so it also has a function of cooling the window 41.

[0049] In addition, if it is considered the use of the camera unit 1 in a place with a high ambient temperature and the heat generation of the camera itself, the material forming the housing 31 is preferably a metal, for example. By forming the housing 31 (bottom 33) from a metal, the housing 31 functions as a heat sink, and the heat of the camera body 21 can be released to the outside. In addition, according to the camera unit 1 of the present embodiment, by supplying air from the supply unit 34 to the inside of the housing 31, not only the heat of the window 41 but also the heat of the camera body 21 and the housing 31 is taken away by the air, and the camera body 21 can be effectively cooled. As a result, the temperature of the electronic components of the camera body 21 is maintained within the operating temperature range (guaranteed range), and failures caused by temperature rise can be suppressed. In addition, when the camera unit 1 is used in a place with a high ambient temperature, it is preferable to arrange the camera body 21 inside the housing unit 3.

[0050] (Second Embodiment)

[0051] Use Figure 4A description is given of another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the same reference numerals are used to denote the same components as those in the first embodiment. In addition, the description of the same components as those in the first embodiment is omitted.

[0052] In the first embodiment, the ejection unit 6 ejects by using the air supplied into the housing 31. However, in this embodiment, the ejection unit 7 is configured to eject the fluid supplied from the outside of the camera unit 10. That is, in this embodiment, the fluid ejected by the ejection unit can be selected according to a desire. For example, in the usage environment of the camera unit 10 of this embodiment, the coolant is in a state of flying into the air, and there is a high possibility that the coolant adheres to the window 41. Therefore, the ejection unit 7 is configured to be able to blow the same coolant as the coolant onto the window 41. Specifically, the ejection unit 7 includes an inflow pipe 72 into which the coolant flows in from a coolant supply unit (not shown), a nozzle 73 that ejects the coolant, and a support portion 71 that fixes the ejection unit. By configuring the camera unit 1 to eject the same liquid as the liquid contained in the air in the usage environment, the liquid adhering to the window 41 can be removed more efficiently. In addition, the coolant is supplied to the inflow pipe 72 at a constant pressure from the coolant supply unit, and the tip of the nozzle 73 is configured to have an inner diameter smaller than that of the root portion of the nozzle 73. Thus, the coolant is ejected at an ejection speed capable of removing water droplets and the like adhering to the window 41. Therefore, there is no need to particularly provide a liquid compression unit in the ejection unit 7, but a liquid compression unit for ejecting from the nozzle 73 may be provided in the inflow pipe 72, or such a liquid compression unit may be provided in the coolant supply unit (not shown).

[0053] In addition, in this embodiment, since the liquid contained in the air in the usage environment is the coolant, the ejection unit 7 is configured to supply the coolant. However, it is not limited thereto. If the liquid contained in the air in the usage environment is oil, it may be configured to supply and eject the same oil as the oil to the ejection unit. In addition, in this embodiment, it may be configured to supply air to the ejection unit 7 and eject air.

[0054] (Third Embodiment)

[0055] Use Figure 5 A description is given of another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the same reference numerals are used to denote the same components as those in the first embodiment. In addition, the description of the same components as those in the first embodiment is omitted.

[0056] In the first embodiment, the rotary window 4 is configured to be rotatable by the driving force of the motor of the driving unit 5. However, in the present embodiment, the driving unit 8 of the camera unit 11 is configured to rotate the rotary window 4 by the air supplied into the housing 31. Specifically, on the outer peripheral surface of the extended portion 44 of the window frame 42, instead of the frame-side gear 54, an annular fin portion 82 (driven unit) is fixed, and a plurality of fins 81 are provided on the outer periphery of the fin portion 82. The fins 81 are arranged on the fin portion 82 in a structure in which the fins 81 are radially and equally inclined with respect to the axis of the circular fin portion 82, or in a streamlined structure. In addition, the air supplied from the supply unit 34 contacts the fins 81 of the fin portion 82, and the fin portion 82 rotates, so that the rotary window 4 rotates together with the fin portion 82. With this configuration, in the present embodiment, it is not necessary to provide a motor, the manufacturing cost can be suppressed, and the space of the housing 31 can be saved.

[0057] (Fourth Embodiment)

[0058] Use Figure 7 Another embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the present embodiment, the same reference numerals are used for the same components as in the first embodiment. In addition, the description of the same components as in the first embodiment is omitted.

[0059] In the camera unit 12 of the present embodiment, a wall portion 91 is provided on the housing 31, and the wall portion 91 extends from the upper end portion 35 of the housing 31 toward the side opposite to the housing 31 (i.e., upward in Figure 7 ). The wall portion 91 has a circular shape in plan view and is formed at a position away from the window frame 42. Through the wall portion 91 and the rotary window 4 (window 41 and window frame 42), an upwardly open space 92 is formed above the rotary window 4. Figure 7 In addition, in the first embodiment, the terminal portion 48 is extended to cover the upper end portion 35 of the housing 31 to form the circumferential end portion 43 of the window frame 42. However, in the camera unit 12 of the present embodiment, the circumferential end portion 43 of the window frame 42 is configured not to cover the upper end portion 35, and the circumferential end portion 43 is substantially flush with the side surface of the upper end portion 35. Therefore, the air at the engaging portion 47 between the upper end portion 35 of the housing 31 and the circumferential end portion 43 of the window frame 42 is discharged to the side of the housing 31 and flows into the space 92.

[0060]

[0061] ​Moreover, in the present embodiment, a through-hole 93 is provided in the wall portion 91. The nozzle 62 of the ejection unit 6 is inserted into the through-hole 93, and the front end portion of the nozzle 62 is disposed in the space 92. The ejection unit 6 ejects air into the space 92 through the nozzle 62 penetrating the wall portion 91. By discharging air into the space 92 in this way, the space 92 is open but has a positive pressure. That is, in the present embodiment, the positive pressure forming unit is constituted by the ejection unit 6 and the blowing of air from the labyrinth structure.

[0062] In the present embodiment, a positive pressure space is formed in the space 92 in front of the window 41 of the rotary window 4 by these positive pressure forming units, whereby it is possible to suppress the adhesion of relatively minute water droplets, oil droplets, etc. to the window. Such relatively minute water droplets, oil droplets, etc. sometimes cannot be removed by the centrifugal force generated by the rotation of the rotary window 4, but by forming such a space 92, it is possible to remove large water droplets, oil droplets, and dirt by the centrifugal force generated by the rotation of the rotary window 4, and it is possible to suppress the adhesion of relatively minute water droplets, oil droplets, etc. to the window 41. Moreover, by the ejection of air from the ejection unit 6, even if water droplets, oil droplets, etc. adhere to the center of the window 41, they can be removed, and as a whole, the view from the window 41 can be ensured more clearly.

[0063] In addition, in the present embodiment, the ejection unit 6 is configured to be located outside the wall portion 91, and the front end portion 63 side of the nozzle 62 is disposed in the space 92 formed by the wall portion 91 via the through-hole 93 of the wall portion 91, but it is not limited thereto. For example, as in Figure 8 the camera unit 13 of the modified example shown, an ejection unit 9 may be provided inside the wall portion 91.

[0064] In the case of this modified example, the ejection unit 9 includes: a nozzle portion 94 provided so as to protrude from the upper end portion 35 of the housing 31; and a communication path 95 provided inside the housing 31 and communicating with the nozzle portion 94. Since the communication path 95 opens at the upper end portion 35 and the inner side surface of the housing 31, the air supplied into the housing 31 is ejected into the space 92 through the ejection unit 9 to make the space 92 have a positive pressure, and it is possible to remove water droplets etc. adhering to the outer surface of the window 41 and blown onto the rotary window 4. Therefore, in this modified example, the ejection unit 9 also uses the air supplied into the housing 31, so there is no need to separately provide an air supply unit. In addition, in the camera unit 13 of this other embodiment, compared with the case of the camera unit 12 shown in the fourth embodiment, the amount of air ejection is less, but as long as the space 92 can be made to have a positive pressure, the above effects can be obtained.

[0065] In addition, compared with the camera unit 11 shown in the third embodiment, it can also be configured as in this embodiment to form the wall portion 91 to suppress the adhesion of relatively minute water droplets, oil droplets, etc. to the window 41, and the field of view from the window 41 can be ensured more clearly as a whole. In addition, in the above-described fourth embodiment and its modification, the ejection units 6 and 9 and the blowing of air from the labyrinth structure function as the positive pressure forming unit, but it is not limited thereto, and either one of them may be provided alone.

[0066] As described above, the embodiments of the present invention have been described, but the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments. For example, in the first and third embodiments, the drive units 5 and 8 and the driven unit are illustrated, but as long as the rotary window 4 can be rotated without providing a rotary shaft at the center of the window 41 of the rotary window 4, it may be in any form. In addition, a wiper may be provided on the rotary window 4. By providing the wiper, water droplets and the like adhering to the window 41 can be efficiently removed. In this case, in order to suppress the deterioration of the wiper, the wiper may be configured to have a minute gap between the wiper and the outer surface so that the wiper does not contact the outer surface of the window 41, and it is preferable to remove water droplets larger than the gap when they adhere.

[0067] In addition, a net portion covering the rotary window 4 may be provided. By providing the net portion, the adhesion of powder particles and the like to the window can be suppressed. In this case, if the net portion is fixed to the window frame 42 of the rotary window 4, the net portion also rotates as the rotary window 4 rotates, so there is no problem in the field of view of the camera 2.

[0068] In addition, in the third embodiment, the rotary window 4 having the fin portion 82 is rotated by the air supplied to the housing 31, but when the camera unit is mounted on a vehicle such as a railway vehicle or an automobile, the rotary window may be rotated by the air flow generated by the traveling of the vehicle. In this case, since the air flow also contacts the outer surface of the window, it is not necessary to provide an ejection unit. That is, the traveling of the vehicle is the drive unit in the present invention and is also the ejection unit.

[0069] In addition, in the above-described embodiments, only one camera body 21 is provided, but it may be configured to include a plurality of camera bodies 21. In the above-described embodiments, only one ejection unit 6, 7, or 9 is provided, but it is not limited thereto, and a plurality of them may be provided.

[0070] In addition, in the above-described first, second, and fourth embodiments, as long as the rotary window 4 can be rotated, the structure of the drive unit and the like is not particularly limited. For example, as a power transmission unit for transmitting the rotation of the motor 51, a belt and a pulley may also be used. In this case, a motor-side pulley may be arranged on the rotation shaft of the motor 51, and a frame-side pulley may be arranged on the window frame 42, and they may be connected via the belt. Thereby, the rotation of the motor 51 can be transmitted as power to the window frame 42 via these pulleys, and the rotary window 4 can be rotated.

[0071] The embodiments and modifications described above are described for the purpose of easily understanding the present invention, and are not described for the purpose of limiting the present invention. Therefore, the gist of each element disclosed in the above embodiments and modifications includes all design changes and equivalents belonging to the technical scope of the present invention.

[0072] Explanation of reference numerals

[0073] 1, 10, 11, 12, 13 Camera unit

[0074] 2 Camera

[0075] 3 Housing unit

[0076] 4 Rotary window

[0077] 5, 8 Drive unit

[0078] 6, 7, 9 Jetting unit

[0079] 21 Camera body

[0080] 22 Lens component

[0081] 31 Housing

[0082] 32 Lower end portion

[0083] 33 Bottom

[0084] 34 Supply unit

[0085] 35 Upper end portion

[0086] 41 Window

[0087] 42 Window frame

[0088] 43 Circumferential end portion

[0089] 44 Extended portion

[0090] 45 Bearing

[0091] 46 Near the center

[0092] 47 Engaging portion

[0093] 48 Terminal part

[0094] 51 Motor

[0095] 52 Rotating shaft

[0096] 53 Motor side gear

[0097] 54 Frame side gear

[0098] 61 Connecting pipe

[0099] 62 Nozzle

[0100] 63 Front end part

Claims

1. An outer shell unit, characterized in that, it includes a hollow housing and a rotary window provided at an opening of the housing, the rotary window has: a window having light transmissibility; a window frame that supports the window through a peripheral portion of the window; and a driven unit provided on an outer periphery of the window frame, the outer shell unit is provided with: a driving unit that drives the driven unit to rotate the window frame, thereby rotating the rotary window; and a jetting unit that jets a fluid toward an outer surface of the window.

2. The outer shell unit according to claim 1, characterized in that, it further includes a supply unit that supplies gas into the housing, the jetting unit is configured to jet the gas supplied by the supply unit toward the outer surface of the window.

3. The outer shell unit according to claim 1, characterized in that, the jetting unit jets the fluid near a center of the outer surface of the rotary window.

4. The outer shell unit according to claim 1, characterized in that, the driving unit is a motor and a motor-side gear provided on a rotary shaft of the motor, and the driven unit is a frame-side gear provided throughout an outer periphery of the window frame of the rotary window, the motor-side gear is rotated by a driving force of the motor, thereby rotating the frame-side gear.

5. The outer shell unit according to claim 1, characterized in that, the driving unit is a motor, a motor-side pulley provided on a rotary shaft of the motor, and a belt, and the driven unit is a frame-side pulley provided throughout an outer periphery of the window frame of the rotary window, the motor-side pulley and the belt are rotated by a driving force of the motor, thereby rotating the frame-side pulley.

6. The outer shell unit according to claim 1, characterized in that, the driving unit is a supply unit that supplies gas into the housing, the driven unit is fins provided on an outer periphery of the window frame and opposed to a gas feeding direction.

7. The outer shell unit according to claim 1, characterized in that, it further includes a supply unit that supplies gas into the housing, the window frame has a labyrinth structure at a engaging portion with the housing, and the gas discharged from the labyrinth structure is discharged in a direction opposite to the window.

8. The outer shell unit according to claim 1, characterized in that, a wiper is provided on the rotary window.

9. The outer shell unit according to claim 1, characterized in that, a net portion covering the rotary window is provided.

10. The outer shell unit according to claim 1, characterized in that, the jetting unit is configured to jet a liquid same as a liquid contained in air of a use environment.

11. The outer shell unit according to claim 1, characterized in that, the housing includes a wall portion provided throughout an outer periphery of the rotary window, a space formed by the wall portion and the rotary window is formed in front of the window, and a positive pressure forming unit is provided to make the space have a positive pressure.

12. The outer shell unit according to claim 11, characterized in that, the positive pressure forming unit is the jetting unit.

13. The outer shell unit according to claim 11, characterized in that, it further includes a supply unit that supplies gas into the housing, The window frame has a labyrinth structure at the engaging portion with the housing. The positive pressure forming unit is configured to discharge the gas discharged from the labyrinth structure into the space.

14. A camera unit characterized in that it includes: a hollow housing; a rotating window provided at an opening of the housing; and a camera, the lens of which is disposed at a central portion within the housing so as to face the rotating window. The rotating window has: a window having transparency; a window frame that supports the window through a peripheral portion of the window; and a driven unit provided on an outer periphery of the window frame. The camera unit is provided with: a driving unit that drives the driven unit to rotate the window frame, thereby rotating the rotating window; and a jetting unit that jets a fluid toward an outer surface of the window.

15. The camera unit according to claim 14, characterized in that the housing only covers a part of the camera.

Images