Cooling equipment

Abstract

The present invention provides a cooling device. The cooling device is configured to cool a camera device and includes: a fan unit configured to blow air; and an exhaust unit configured to blow air from the fan unit to the outer surface of the camera device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to a cooling device. Background Technology

[0002] Some conventional cooling devices use cooling fans to deliver air into the interior of the camera equipment to cool its internal components. Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2023-127217 discloses a cooling device that includes cooling fans arranged at an angle to efficiently supply cooling air into the interior of electronic devices.

[0003] However, the cooling device disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2023-127217 cannot suppress the temperature rise of the outer surface of the camera device in harsh camera environments (such as under high temperature conditions or under the scorching sun). Summary of the Invention

[0004] A cooling device according to one aspect of this disclosure can be configured to cool a camera device and may include: a fan unit configured to blow air; and an exhaust unit configured to blow air from the fan unit to the outer surface of the camera device.

[0005] The features of this disclosure will become apparent from the following description of embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following description of the embodiments is given by way of example. Attached Figure Description

[0006] Figure 1A and Figure 1B This is a perspective view of the appearance of the camera system according to various embodiments.

[0007] Figure 2A and Figure 2B This is a lower perspective view of the camera device according to various embodiments.

[0008] Figure 3 This is an exploded perspective view of the camera device according to various embodiments.

[0009] Figure 4 This is an exploded perspective view of the rear cover and side cover of the camera device according to various embodiments.

[0010] Figure 5 This is a top perspective view of the cooling device according to the first embodiment.

[0011] Figure 6 This is an exploded perspective view of the cooling device according to the first embodiment.

[0012] Figure 7 This is a cross-sectional view of the camera system according to the first embodiment.

[0013] Figure 8This is a top perspective view of the cooling device according to the second embodiment.

[0014] Figure 9 This is an exploded perspective view of the cooling device according to the second embodiment.

[0015] Figure 10 This is a cross-sectional view of the camera system according to the second embodiment.

[0016] Figure 11 This is a top perspective view of the cooling device according to the third embodiment.

[0017] Figure 12 This is an exploded perspective view of the cooling device according to the third embodiment.

[0018] Figure 13 This is a cross-sectional view of the camera system according to the third embodiment. Detailed Implementation

[0019] Embodiments according to this disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0020] Now refer to Figure 1A and Figure 1B A description of the structure of a camera system 1 according to various embodiments is given. Figure 1A and Figure 1B This is a three-dimensional view of the appearance of camera system 1. Figure 1A A front perspective view of camera system 1 is shown, and Figure 1B A rear perspective view of the camera system 1 is shown. In various embodiments, the camera system 1 includes a camera device (camera body) 2, a cooling device 3, and a lens device (interchangeable lens) not shown. Figure 1A and Figure 1B The structure of the camera device 2 shown is merely an example of a camera device according to various embodiments. In various embodiments, the camera device 2 is a mirrorless digital camera, but it can also be a digital video camera or a camera device integrating the camera device 2 and a lens device.

[0021] The camera device 2 includes a mounting bracket 210 to which a lens device can be detachably attached. A communication terminal 211 for communication between the camera device 2 and the lens device is disposed inside the mounting bracket 210. In the following description, unless otherwise stated, the side of the camera device 2 where the mounting bracket 210 for attaching the lens device is located will be referred to as the front side, and the opposite side will be referred to as the rear side. The direction along the optical axis of the lens device will be referred to as the optical axis direction. When viewing the camera device 2 from the rear, the left side will be referred to as the left side, the right side as the right side, the upper side as the top, and the lower side as the bottom. Figure 1A and Figure 1BVarious operating components are shown, but those that are not relevant to the embodiments are not described.

[0022] The camera device 2 has a shutter button 230 for issuing recording instructions, a main electronic dial 231 for changing various settings, and a motion picture recording button 232 for starting and stopping the recording of moving images. Also located on the camera device 2 are a still / moving image switch 233 for switching between still image recording mode and moving image recording mode; a power switch 234 for turning the power supply on and off; and an upper display unit 235 for indicating various settings of the camera device 2. Additionally, the camera device 2 has an accessory shoe 236 for attaching and detaching external devices such as a video microphone, and an audio input unit 237 for acquiring audio input to the camera device 2 during recording.

[0023] On the left side of the camera device 2 are a connector (not shown) for connecting an external device such as a video microphone, a connector cover 260 for protecting the connector, and an exhaust port 261. The exhaust port 261 is an outlet for venting air from inside the camera conduit 27 (described later) to the outside.

[0024] On the right side of the camera device 2, a grip 25 is provided for the user to hold the camera device 2. The grip 25 is shaped to allow the user to easily hold the grip from the front to the back with their right hand, and includes a front rubber 250 on the front side and a rear rubber 251 on the rear side to prevent the hand from slipping.

[0025] The rear display unit 220, used to display captured images and various information, is located at the center of the rear of the camera device 2. The viewfinder 221, configured as an electronic viewfinder, is located on top of the camera device 2.

[0026] On the right side of the camera device 2, there are: a secondary electronic dial 222 and a rear electronic dial 223 for changing various setting values ​​similar to the main electronic dial 231; a setting button 224 for confirming the selection; and various operating components, including a multi-controller 225. The multi-controller 225 not only allows the key top to be pressed, but also allows the key top to be tilted in various directions, and is mainly used for moving the selection box or for navigating and selecting items in various setting menus. A card slot cover 252 is also provided on the right side, which is arranged in the grip area of ​​the grip part 25.

[0027] Next, the structure of the cooling device 3 will be described. An air inlet 310 is located at the center of the front side of the cooling device 3. The air inlet 310 is an entrance for drawing outside air into the interior of the cooling device 3. A dial 311, serving as an operating member for fixing the camera device 2 and the cooling device 3 together, is located at the center of the top of the cooling device 3. A battery cover (battery shield) 320 is located on the rear side of the cooling device 3, and a battery cover knob 321 is located at the center of the battery cover 320. The battery cover 320 can be opened and closed by pulling upwards and rotating the battery cover knob 321, and the battery cover 320 is opened by the force of a spring inside the battery cover, with the battery cover shaft 322 serving as a rotation axis.

[0028] Next, we will refer to Figure 2A and Figure 2B The following describes the structure of camera device 2. Figure 2A and Figure 2B This is a 3D view of the lower part of camera device 2. Figure 2A The image shows the state with the camera battery cover 242 attached, and Figure 2B The image shows the state of the camera battery cover 242 being removed.

[0029] The camera device 2 is provided with a base cover 200, a camera internal thread component (tripod screw) 240, a positioning hole 241, a camera battery cover 242, a socket connector 243, a camera battery compartment 244, a camera battery locking lever 245 and a vent 247 on its underside.

[0030] The bottom cover 200 is an external component forming the lower surface (i.e., the outer surface (bottom surface) of the camera device 2). The internal threaded member 240 is used to secure the camera device 2 to a tripod or similar device when the camera is used alone. In this embodiment, the internal threaded member 240 is used to secure the camera device 2 and the cooling device 3 together. Positioning holes 241 are arranged on the left and right sides of the internal threaded member 240 and engage with the positioning pins 331 (described later) of the cooling device 3 to align the relative positions of the camera device 2 and the cooling device 3.

[0031] The camera battery cover 242 is attached when the camera device 2 is used alone, but is removed when the cooling device 3 is attached. When the camera battery cover 242 is removed, the receptacle connector 243, the camera battery compartment 244, the battery 246, and the camera battery locking lever 245 are exposed. The receptacle connector 243 corresponds to and exchanges electrical signals with various accessories, including the cooling device 3, that can be attached to and detached from the camera device 2. The camera battery compartment 244 houses the battery 246, and the camera battery locking lever 245 prevents the battery 246 from falling out by holding it in place. Although the cooling device 3 is attached to and detachable from the camera device 2 in this embodiment, the cooling device 3 can be integrated with the camera device 2.

[0032] Vent 247 is an inlet for drawing air from the cooling device 3 into the camera duct 27, which will be described later.

[0033] Next, refer to Figure 3 and Figure 4 Describe the internal structure of camera device 2. Figure 3 It is an exploded perspective view showing a portion of the external components of the camera device 2 being removed. Figure 4 This is an exploded perspective view of the rear cover and side cover of camera device 2.

[0034] like Figure 3 As shown, the main substrate 226 is disposed inside the rear side of the imaging device 2. ICs 227 and 228 for image processing, a card slot 229 for accommodating a recording card, a power supply circuit assembly (not shown) for supplying power to various units, and various connectors (not shown) are mounted on the main substrate 226. For simplicity, in Figure 3 Some mounting components and wiring harnesses on the board are omitted. ICs 227 and 228 are the main heat source components on the main substrate 226, and ICs 227 and 228 generate more heat because they consume a lot of power for image processing during high-resolution or high-frame-rate animation recording.

[0035] like Figure 4 As shown, the camera conduit 27 is located inside the rear side of the imaging device 2. The camera conduit 27 includes a rear cover 22, a side cover 26, a heat dissipation metal plate 270, a rear sealing member 271 such as Poron or double-sided tape, and an exhaust port sealing member 262. The rear cover 22 has a vent 247 in its lower central portion, the side cover 26 has an exhaust port 261, and the heat dissipation metal plate 270 is made of aluminum or other materials with good thermal conductivity.

[0036] As described above, vent 247 is an inlet for drawing air from the cooling device 3 into the camera duct 27. Exhaust vent 261 is an outlet for discharging air drawn from the vent 247 into the camera duct 27 to the outside.

[0037] The camera conduit 27 is formed by securing a heat dissipation metal plate 270 to a rear cover 22 via a rear sealing member 271 and a side cover 26 to a rear cover 22 via an exhaust port sealing member 262, thereby forming an air passage (airflow path) connecting the vent 247 to the exhaust port 261. A heat transfer member 280, such as a thermal interface sheet, is attached to the heat dissipation metal plate 270. In this embodiment, the heat transfer member 280 is attached using a cushioning member 281 or double-sided tape to contact the ICs 227 and 228, which are the main heat sources, and to transfer the heat generated by the ICs 227 and 228 to the heat dissipation metal plate 270. The camera conduit 27, including the heat dissipation metal plate 270, serves as a heat exchange unit that acts as an air passage for air introduced from the vent 247.

[0038] The embodiments of this disclosure will now be described in detail. First Embodiment

[0039] First, the structure of the cooling device 3 in the first embodiment will be described. (Refer to...) Figure 5 The external structure of cooling device 3 will be described. Figure 5 This is a three-dimensional view of the upper part of cooling device 3.

[0040] The cooling device 3 is equipped with an external threaded component (attachment component) 330, a locating pin 331, a tower portion 332, a plug connector 333, and a blower outlet (discharge unit) 334. The external threaded component 330 and... Figure 6 The dial 311 shown rotates in association with the operation of the camera and screws into the camera's internal threaded component 240, thereby attaching (connecting, fixing) the cooling device 3 to the camera device 2. The locating pin 331 engages with the locating hole 241 of the camera device 2 to align the relative positions of the camera device 2 and the cooling device 3.

[0041] The tower portion 332 includes a tower terminal 3321 at its front end. When the cooling device 3 is attached to the camera device 2, the tower portion 332 is inserted into the camera battery compartment 244 with the camera battery cover 242 removed. At this time, the tower terminal 3321 connects to the battery contacts provided in the camera battery compartment 244 and supplies power to the camera device 2 from the battery stored in the cooling device 3. When the cooling device 3 is attached to the camera device 2, the plug connector 333 connects to the socket connector 243 with the camera battery cover 242 removed. At this time, the camera device 2 and the cooling device 3 are electrically connected and exchange various electrical signals.

[0042] An air outlet 334 is disposed on the top of the cooling device 3 and connected to a vent 247 disposed on the bottom of the camera device 2. The air outlet 334 serves as an outlet for supplying air exhausted from the cooling fan 70, which will be described later, into the vent 247.

[0043] Next, refer to Figure 6 Describe the internal structure of cooling device 3. Figure 6 This is an exploded perspective view of cooling device 3. For simplicity, Figure 6 Some mounting components, wiring harnesses, and fastening components on the substrate are omitted.

[0044] The cooling device 3 includes a front cover 31 on the front side, a rear cover 32 on the rear side, an upper cover 33 on the upper side, and a main body 37 as the main body of the internal structure. The front cover 31 includes an air inlet 310. The rear cover 32 includes a battery cover 320. The upper cover 33 includes a tower 332 with a tower terminal 3321, a plug connector base plate 382 with a plug connector 333, an air outlet 334, and an air outlet sealing member 335. The main body 37 includes a cooling fan 70, an air inlet side duct 3101, a dial 311, an external thread member 330, a top plate 336, a positioning pin 331 fixed to the top plate, an accessory base plate 380, and a battery armature 391.

[0045] The cooling fan 70 is a fan unit that draws in air through the air inlet 310 and the air inlet-side duct 3101 and discharges (blows) the air toward the air outlet 334. The cooling fan 70 is positioned at the center in the left-right direction of the cooling device 3 so that its left-right position can be aligned with the air vent 247 located at the center of the lower side of the camera device 2. Therefore, the airflow path from the cooling fan 70 to the air outlet 334 can be formed without bending it in the left-right direction, thereby suppressing the reduction of airflow due to flow path loss.

[0046] An air outlet sealing member 335 is provided around the air outlet 334 to prevent air leakage between the air outlet 334 and the air vent 247 of the camera device 2. Therefore, when the cooling device 3 is attached to the camera device 2, an air flow path is formed from the air inlet 310 of the cooling device 3 to the exhaust port 261 of the camera device 2.

[0047] The accessory substrate 380 is equipped with a control unit 381, such as a CPU, for communicating with the camera device 2 and for controlling the cooling fan 70, as well as a power supply circuit unit and other components for supplying power to various parts. The accessory substrate 380 is electrically connected via wiring harnesses and connectors to the tower terminal 3321 located at the front end of the tower section 332, the plug connector 333 on the plug connector substrate 382, ​​and the battery contact 391 located on the upper side of the battery compartment 326.

[0048] The control unit 381 is connected to the plug connector 333 via the accessory substrate 380 and the plug connector substrate 382. The cooling device 3, attached to the camera device 2, is connected to the camera device 2 via the socket connector 243. Therefore, the camera device 2 can communicate with the cooling device 3 in various ways, such as obtaining the rotation status of the cooling fan 70. In this embodiment, the control unit 381 is arranged on the accessory substrate 380 of the cooling device 3, but it can alternatively be arranged on another substrate, such as the main substrate 226 of the camera device 2.

[0049] Battery connector 391 is connected to battery 246 inserted into main body 37. Battery connector 391 is connected to tower terminal 3321 via accessory substrate 380. Cooling device 3 attached to camera device 2 is connected to camera device 2 via battery connector provided in camera battery compartment 244. Therefore, camera device 2 can be driven by receiving power supplied from battery 246 inserted into battery compartment 326.

[0050] The front cover 31 is fixed to the main body 37, and the upper cover 33 is fixed to the main body 37. Thus, an airflow path is formed from the air inlet 310 to the air outlet 334, and in this embodiment, the cooling fan 70 is arranged in the airflow path.

[0051] Next, we will refer to Figure 7 The internal structure of the camera system 1 according to this embodiment is described. Figure 7 It is along Figure 1A The image shows a cross-sectional view taken at section A, which is orthogonal to the left-right direction of the camera system 1. When the cooling fan 70 is rotated (driven), external air is drawn into the cooling fan inlet 701 from the inlet 310 through the inlet-side pipe 3101. Then, the cooling fan 70 exhausts (blown) the externally drawn air through the cooling fan outlet 702 by the rotation of its blades.

[0052] Air outlet 334 discharges air released from cooling fan outlet 702. Camera duct 27 draws in air discharged from air outlet 334 through vent 247 of camera device 2 and discharges air from outlet 261 of camera device 2.

[0053] like Figure 7As shown, in this embodiment, when viewed from above the cooling device 3, the opening of the air outlet 334 is significantly wider in the region (range) between the cooling fan exhaust port 702 and the vent 247 in the optical axis direction. Using this structure, the air outlet 334 discharges air by guiding air released from the cooling fan exhaust port 702 along the inner wall of the cooling device 3 and the bottom cover portion 200 of the camera device 2. That is, the air outlet 334 blows air from the cooling fan 70 towards the bottom cover portion 200 (outer surface) of the camera device 2. More specifically, the air outlet 334 blows air from the cooling fan 70 towards the outer surface of the camera device 2 and then introduces that air into the interior of the camera device 2.

[0054] At this time, the bottom cover 200 of the camera device 2 is cooled because it comes into contact with the air exhausted from the cooling fan exhaust port 702 (the bottom cover 200 has a surface in contact with the air). The heat dissipation metal plate 270 is cooled by contact with the air passing through the camera duct 27, thereby dissipating heat from ICs 227 and 228 via the heat transfer member 280.

[0055] Therefore, a single cooling fan 70 can be used to efficiently cool both the internal components and the external components (outer surfaces) of the camera device 2 simultaneously. Consequently, even in harsh camera environments such as high temperatures or under direct sunlight, the operating time of the camera device 2 can be extended compared to a standalone camera device 2 without reducing the recording time.

[0056] In this embodiment, the cooling fan 70 is a centrifugal fan (centrifugal fan unit) that draws in air from a cooling fan inlet 701 located in the direction of the blade rotation axis and exhausts air from a cooling fan outlet 702 located in the direction of the blade rotation diameter. However, this embodiment is not limited to this example, and the cooling fan 70 may also be an axial fan (axial flow fan unit) that draws in and exhausts air in the direction of the blade rotation axis. In this embodiment, the cooling fan 70 is arranged such that the cooling fan outlet 702, which exhausts the drawn-in air, is aligned with the optical axis direction; however, alternatively, the cooling fan 70 may be arranged in a vertical direction or an oblique direction perpendicular to the optical axis direction. Second Embodiment

[0057] Next, the structure of the cooling device 3 (3a) according to the second embodiment of this disclosure will be described. Descriptions common to those in the first embodiment will be omitted.

[0058] First, refer to Figure 8 Describe the external structure of the cooling device 3 (3a). Figure 8This is a top perspective view of the cooling device 3 (3a). Unlike the first embodiment, a discharge unit is provided on the top of the cooling device 3, which has two air outlets (discharge ports): a first air outlet (first discharge port) 3341 and a second air outlet (second discharge port) 3342. The cooling fan 70 branches the air towards the first air outlet 3341 and the second air outlet 3342 and blows the air towards the underside of the camera device 2. The first air outlet 3341 is used to introduce air into the interior of the camera device 2. The second air outlet 3342 is used to blow air towards the outer surface of the camera device 2. Details will be described later.

[0059] An air inlet 310 is provided on the rear side of the cooling device 3. In the first embodiment, the air inlet 310 is provided in the front cover portion 31 of the cooling device 3, but in this embodiment, the air inlet 310 is provided in the rear cover portion 32. In addition, in this embodiment, the cooling fan air inlet 701 is provided in the rear cover portion 32, but alternatively, as in the first embodiment, the cooling fan air inlet 701 may be provided in the front cover portion 31.

[0060] Next, refer to Figure 9 Describe the internal structure of the cooling device 3 (3a). Figure 9 This is an exploded perspective view of cooling device 3 (3a). For simplicity, Figure 9 Some mounting components, wiring harnesses, and fastening components on the substrate are omitted.

[0061] The rear cover 32 includes a battery cover 320 and an air inlet side pipe 3102. The upper cover 33 includes a first air outlet 3341, a second air outlet 3342, and an air outlet sealing member 3351.

[0062] The cooling fan 70 draws in air passing through the air inlet 310 and the air inlet-side duct 3102, and exhausts it through the partition 3353 formed by the upper cover 33 (see Figure 10 The air is separated into the first air outlet 3341 and the second air outlet 3342. The separator 3353 is a branch that divides the air from the cooling fan 70 into air directed toward the first air outlet 3341 and air directed toward the second air outlet 3342.

[0063] The cooling fan 70 is positioned at the center of the cooling device 3 (3a) in the left-right direction so that its left-right position is aligned with the vent 247 located at the center of the lower side of the camera device 2. Therefore, the airflow path from the cooling fan 70 to the first air outlet 3341 can be formed without bending it in the left-right direction, thereby suppressing the reduction in airflow due to flow path loss.

[0064] An air outlet sealing member 3351 is disposed around the first air outlet 3341 and the second air outlet 3342. Around the first air outlet 3341, the air outlet sealing member 3351 is formed over the entire circumference to prevent air leakage between the first air outlet 3341 and the vent 247 of the imaging device 2. On the other hand, the air outlet sealing member 3351 around the second air outlet 3342 opens on the front side of the imaging device 2. The opening of the air outlet sealing member 3351 discharges air discharged from the second air outlet 3342.

[0065] Next, we will refer to Figure 10 The internal structure of the camera system 1 (1a) according to this embodiment is described. Figure 10 It is along Figure 1A A cross-sectional view taken from section A in a direction orthogonal to the left and right directions of camera system 1 (1a).

[0066] When the cooling fan 70 rotates, outside air is drawn in from the air inlet 310 through the air inlet side pipe 3101 and enters the cooling fan inlet 701 of the cooling fan 70. Then, the cooling fan 70 exhausts the drawn-in air from the cooling fan outlet 702 by the rotation of its blades.

[0067] The partition 3353 formed by the upper cover 33 branches the air discharged from the cooling fan exhaust port 702 into air directed toward the first exhaust port 3341 and air directed toward the second exhaust port 3342, and then discharges the air. The camera duct 27 draws in the air discharged from the first exhaust port 3341 through the vent 247 of the imaging device 2 and discharges the air from the exhaust port 261 of the imaging device 2. The second exhaust port 3342 is opened such that its front side is larger than the bottom cover 200 of the imaging device 2. That is, the first exhaust port 3341 is configured such that the entire opening is covered by the imaging device 2, while the second exhaust port 3342 is configured such that a portion of the opening is exposed from the imaging device 2.

[0068] With this structure, the second air outlet 3342 allows air to travel along the inner wall of the cooling device 3 and the bottom cover 200 of the camera device 2, and then discharges the air through the front opening formed by the camera device 2 and the cooling device 3 (3a). In other words, the front opening of the air outlet sealing member 3351 serves as an air outlet.

[0069] At this time, the bottom cover 200 of the camera device 2 is cooled by contact with the air discharged from the cooling fan exhaust port 702 (the bottom cover 200 has a surface in contact with the air). The heat dissipation metal plate 270 is cooled by contact with the air passing through the camera duct 27, and dissipates heat from ICs 227 and 228 via the heat transfer member 280.

[0070] Therefore, both the internal components and external components (outer surfaces) of the camera device 2 can be efficiently cooled simultaneously by a single cooling fan 70. Consequently, even in harsh camera environments such as high temperatures or under direct sunlight, the operating time of the camera device 2 can be extended compared to a standalone camera device 2 without reducing the recording time.

[0071] In this embodiment, the cooling fan 70 is a centrifugal fan that draws in air from a cooling fan inlet 701 located in the direction of the blade's rotation axis and exhausts air from a cooling fan outlet 702 located in the direction of the blade's rotation diameter. However, this embodiment is not limited to this example. The cooling fan 70 can also be an axial flow fan that draws in and exhausts air along the rotation axis of the blade. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the cooling fan 70 is arranged such that the cooling fan outlet 702 is aligned with the optical axis direction to exhaust the drawn-in air along the optical axis direction. However, alternatively, the cooling fan 70 can be arranged in a vertical direction (vertical direction) or an oblique direction perpendicular to the optical axis direction.

[0072] In this embodiment, the cooling device 3 (3a) includes a cooling fan 70 and two air outlets as exhaust units, namely a first air outlet 3341 and a second air outlet 3342. However, this embodiment is not limited to this example. This also applies to cooling devices with multiple cooling fans and multiple air outlets, wherein the number of multiple cooling fans is less than the number of multiple air outlets. Third Embodiment

[0073] Next, the structure of the cooling device 3(3b) according to the third embodiment of this disclosure will be described. Descriptions common to the embodiments in the first and second embodiments will be omitted.

[0074] First, refer to Figure 11 Describe the external structure of the cooling device 3 (3b). Figure 11 This is a top perspective view of the cooling device 3 (3b). A first air outlet (first exhaust port) 3341 and a second air outlet (second exhaust port) 3342 are provided on the top side of the cooling device 3 (3b). Details of the first air outlet 3341 and the second air outlet 3342 will be described later.

[0075] Next, refer to Figure 12 Describe the internal structure of cooling device 3 (3b). Figure 12 This is an exploded perspective view of cooling device 3 (3b). For simplicity, some components, wiring harnesses, and fastening members mounted on the substrate have been omitted.

[0076] The cooling device 3 (3b) includes a front cover 31 on the front side, a rear cover 32 on the rear side, an upper cover 33 on the upper side, and a main body 37 as an internal structure. The rear cover 32 includes a battery cover 320, a first air inlet 308, and a first air inlet side pipe 3081. The upper cover 33 includes a first air outlet 3341, a second air outlet 3342, and an air outlet sealing member 3351. The main body 37 includes a first cooling fan 80, a second cooling fan 90, a dial 311, an external thread member 330, a top plate 336, a positioning pin 331 fixed to the top plate, an accessory base plate 380, a battery connector 391, and a second air inlet side pipe 3091. The front cover 31 includes a second air inlet 309.

[0077] The first cooling fan (first fan) 80 draws in air passing through the first air inlet 308 and the first air inlet side pipe 3081, and discharges the air toward the first air outlet 3341. The second cooling fan (second fan) 90 draws in air passing through the second air inlet 309 and the second air inlet side pipe 3091, and discharges the air toward the second air outlet 3342.

[0078] The first cooling fan 80 is positioned at the center of the cooling device 3 (3b) in the left-right direction so that its left-right position can be aligned with the vent 247 located at the center of the bottom of the camera device 2. Therefore, the airflow path from the first cooling fan 80 to the vent 334 can be formed without bending in the left-right direction, thereby suppressing the reduction of airflow due to flow path loss.

[0079] The second cooling fan 90 is arranged such that the first cooling fan inlet 801 and the second cooling fan inlet 901 face opposite directions in the front-rear direction. As a result, the second air inlet 309 can be arranged on the front cover 31, and the cooling device 3 (3b) can be miniaturized in the left-right direction.

[0080] An air outlet sealing member 3351 is disposed around the first air outlet 3341 and the second air outlet 3342. Around the first air outlet 3341, the air outlet sealing member 3351 is formed over the entire circumference to prevent air leakage between the air outlet and the vent 247 of the imaging device 2. On the other hand, the air outlet sealing member 3351 around the second air outlet 3342 opens on the front side of the imaging device 2. The opening of the air outlet sealing member 3351 discharges air discharged from the second air outlet 3342.

[0081] Next, we will refer to Figure 13 Describe the internal structure of camera system 1 (1b). Figure 13 It is along Figure 1A A cross-sectional view taken from section A in a direction orthogonal to the left and right directions of camera system 1 (1b).

[0082] When the first cooling fan 80 rotates, outside air is drawn in from the first air inlet 308 through the first air inlet side pipe 3081 and enters the first cooling fan inlet 801 of the first cooling fan 80. Then, the first cooling fan 80 discharges the drawn-in air from the first cooling fan outlet 802 by the rotation of its blades. The first air outlet 3341 discharges the air discharged from the first cooling fan outlet 802. The camera pipe 27 draws in the air discharged from the first air outlet 3341 through the vent 247 of the imaging device 2 and discharges the air from the exhaust port 261 of the imaging device 2.

[0083] When the second cooling fan 90 rotates, outside air is drawn in from the second air inlet 309 through the second air inlet side pipe 3091 and enters the second cooling fan 90's second cooling fan inlet 901. Then, the second cooling fan 90, through the rotation of its blades, discharges the drawn-in air from the second cooling fan outlet 902. The second air outlet 3342 discharges the air discharged from the second cooling fan outlet 902. The second air outlet 3342 is opened such that its front side becomes larger than the bottom cover portion 200 of the camera device 2. That is, the first air outlet 3341 is configured such that the entire opening is covered by the camera device 2, while the second air outlet 3342 is configured such that a portion of the opening is exposed from the camera device 2.

[0084] With this structure, the second air outlet 3342 allows air to travel along the inner wall of the cooling device 3 and the bottom cover 200 of the camera device 2, and then discharges the air through the front opening formed by the camera device 2 and the cooling device 3 (3b). In other words, the front opening of the aforementioned air outlet sealing member 3351 serves as an air outlet.

[0085] At this time, the bottom cover 200 of the camera device 2 is cooled by contact with the air discharged from the second cooling fan outlet 902 (the bottom cover 200 has a surface in contact with the air), thereby dissipating heat from the bottom cover 200. The heat dissipation metal plate 270 is cooled by contact with the air passing through the camera duct 27, and dissipates heat from ICs 227 and 228 via the heat transfer member 280.

[0086] Therefore, both the internal components and the external components (outer surface) of the camera device 2 can be cooled, and even in harsh camera environments such as high-temperature environments or under the scorching sun, the available camera time will not be reduced, and the driving time of the camera device 2 can be extended compared to the camera device 2 alone.

[0087] Independent fan control can be achieved by separately configuring a first cooling fan 80 for cooling the interior of the camera device 2 and a second cooling fan 90 for cooling the external components of the camera device 2. For example, in environments with low external temperatures (such as in winter), only the first cooling fan 80 can be operated; or only the first cooling fan 80 can be operated immediately after recording begins, and the second cooling fan 90 can be operated when the external surface temperature of the camera device 2 reaches the desired temperature during recording. Therefore, the operating noise generated during the rotation of the first cooling fan 80 and the second cooling fan 90 can be reduced, while long-term operation with reduced power consumption can be achieved.

[0088] In this embodiment, each of the first cooling fan 80 and the second cooling fan 90 is a centrifugal fan. That is, air is drawn in through the first cooling fan inlet 801 and the second cooling fan inlet 901, which are located in the direction of the blade's rotation axis, and discharged through the first cooling fan outlet 802 and the second cooling fan outlet 902, which are located in the direction of the blade's rotation diameter. At this time, the first cooling fan outlet 802 and the second cooling fan outlet 902 can be configured to face the attachment direction of the cooling device 3 (3b). Figure 13 (The upper side of the middle). Therefore, the housing size can be reduced in the optical axis direction.

[0089] However, this embodiment is not limited to this example, and each of the cooling fans in the first cooling fan 80 and the second cooling fan 90 can be an axial flow fan that performs both intake and exhaust in the direction of the blade rotation axis. In this case, the first cooling fan 80 and the second cooling fan 90 can be configured to overlap each other in the projection plane in the attachment direction of the cooling device 3 (3b). Therefore, the housing size can be reduced in the optical axis direction.

[0090] Alternatively, a combination of a centrifugal fan and an axial fan can be used for the first cooling fan 80 and the second cooling fan 90. That is, one of the first cooling fan 80 and the second cooling fan 90 can be a centrifugal fan, while the other can be an axial fan. In this embodiment, the first cooling fan 80 and the second cooling fan 90 are configured such that the rotation axis of the blades is aligned with the optical axis direction so as to exhaust the drawn-in air along the optical axis direction. However, instead, the fans can be arranged in a vertical direction (up-down direction) or an oblique direction perpendicular to the optical axis direction.

[0091] Various embodiments may provide a cooling device that can effectively cool the outer surface of the camera device.

[0092] While this disclosure has been described with reference to embodiments, it should be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. The scope of the appended claims should be given the broadest interpretation to cover all such modifications and equivalent structures and functions.

Claims

1. A cooling device configured to cool a camera device, the cooling device comprising: A fan unit configured to blow air; as well as An exhaust unit is configured to blow air from the fan unit toward the outer surface of the camera device.

2. The cooling device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The emission unit blows air toward the outer surface of the camera device and then sends the air into the interior of the camera device.

3. The cooling device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The emission unit includes a first emission port for delivering air into the interior of the camera device and a second emission port for blowing air toward the outer surface of the camera device.

4. The cooling device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The first discharge port is configured such that the opening is completely covered by the camera device. The second discharge port is configured such that a portion of the opening is exposed from the camera device.

5. The cooling device according to claim 3, further comprising a branch that branches the air from the fan unit into air directed toward the first exhaust port and air directed toward the second exhaust port.

6. The cooling device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The fan unit includes multiple fans. The emission unit includes multiple emission ports, and The number of the plurality of fans is less than the number of the plurality of exhaust ports.

7. The cooling device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The fan unit includes a first fan that blows air toward a first exhaust port and a second fan that blows air toward a second exhaust port.

8. The cooling device according to claim 7, characterized in that, The air inlets of the first fan and the second fan are configured to face opposite directions.

9. The cooling device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The fan unit is an axial flow fan unit.

10. The cooling device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The fan unit is a centrifugal fan unit.

11. The cooling device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that, The cooling device can be attached to the camera device and can be detached from the camera device.

12. The cooling device according to claim 11, characterized in that, The outer surface of the camera device is the surface that contacts the cooling device.

13. The cooling device according to claim 11, characterized in that, The outer surface of the camera device is the bottom surface of the camera device.

14. The cooling device of claim 11, further comprising an attachment member for attaching the cooling device to the tripod screw of the camera device.

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