Imaging device

Abstract

To obtain an imaging device with which it is possible to easily perform cover part replacement work.SOLUTION: An imaging device 10 comprises a housing 12, a movable part 72, a cover part 92, and a magnetic part 96. An opening for exposing a lens is formed in an enclosure. The movable part 72 is located in the inside of the housing 12 and disposed so as to be reciprocally movable. The cover part 92 is located on the outside of the housing 12 and capable of covering the opening. The magnetic part 96 is provided to the movable part 72 and the cover part 92, and attracts the cover part 92 to the movable part 72 by action of magnetism M. The magnetic part 96 enables the cover part 92 to be separated from the movable part 72 when an external force is acted upon the cover part 92.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 10

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an imaging device. [Background technology]

[0002] The lens barrel disclosed in Patent Document 1 has an aperture (light blocking) unit. The aperture unit has a plurality of aperture blades. The plurality of aperture blades are driven by a drive motor. The aperture unit is also contained within an outer frame that constitutes the outer casing of the lens barrel. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2023-063436 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In an imaging device in which a cover unit capable of covering a lens is movably housed inside a housing, when replacing the cover unit, it is necessary to disassemble the housing and remove the cover unit, which can make the work of replacing the cover unit complicated.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide an imaging device in which the cover part can be easily replaced. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] An imaging device according to one embodiment has a housing, a movable part, a cover part, and a magnetic part. The housing has an opening for exposing a lens. The movable part is located inside the housing and is capable of moving back and forth. The cover part is located outside the housing and is capable of covering the opening. The magnetic part is provided on the movable part and the cover part, and attracts the cover part to the movable part by the action of a magnetic force. The magnetic part enables the cover part to be detached from the movable part when an external force is applied to the cover part. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, the replacement work of the cover portion can be easily performed. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is an external view of the imaging device in an open state according to the first embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is an external view of the imaging device in the closed state according to the first embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the imaging device in an open state. [Figure 4] 4 is a perspective view of the base member of the imaging device of FIG. 1 as viewed from below. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the movable portion of the imaging device of FIG. 1, seen from below. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the internal configuration of the imaging device in the open state. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the internal configuration of the imaging device in the closed state. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the imaging device taken along the line AA shown in FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the cover portion of the imaging device in FIG. 1 as viewed from below. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a region S1 in FIG. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is an external view of the imaging device in the open state according to the second embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is an external view of the imaging device in the closed state according to the second embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is an exploded perspective view of the imaging device in the open state. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the cover portion of the imaging device of FIG. 11 as viewed from below. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion of the imaging device of FIG. [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is a perspective view showing a state in which the cover portion and the stopper of the imaging device in FIG. 11 are in contact with each other. [Figure 17] FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view showing a modified example of the imaging device of the second embodiment. [Figure 18] FIG. 18 is a plan view showing the first closed state of the imaging device according to the third embodiment. [Figure 19] FIG. 19 is a plan view showing the second closed state of the imaging device of the third embodiment. [Figure 20] FIG. 20 is a plan view showing the third closed state of the imaging device of the third embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Each embodiment and each modified example of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. In addition, in all drawings referred to for describing each embodiment and each modified example, the same reference numerals are used for identical or substantially identical configurations and elements. In addition, as a rule, configurations and elements that have been described once will not be described repeatedly. In the following description, unless otherwise specified, terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish components from each other, and do not represent a specific order or sequence.

[0010] [Each configuration of the first embodiment] The use of the imaging device 10 is not particularly limited, but it is suitable for installation as a surveillance camera or a monitoring camera in hospitals, nursing homes, factories, stores, etc. The imaging device 10 is switchable between a state in which imaging is possible and a state in which imaging is not possible. More specifically, the imaging device 10 is switchable between a "closed state" in which light cannot enter the imaging optical system, and an "open state" in which light can enter the imaging optical system. Note that a state in which a light-transmitting member covers the imaging optical system is included in the "open state" because light can enter the imaging optical system.

[0011] When the imaging device 10 is switched to a state in which imaging is not possible (closed state), the person being photographed can recognize that the imaging device 10 has been switched to a state in which imaging is not possible. Furthermore, the imaging device 10 can switch between imaging in a normal mode and imaging in a night vision mode according to the brightness of the surrounding external environment. In the normal mode, imaging is performed using light that is incident on the imaging optical system when the external environment is bright. In the night vision mode, illumination light is emitted when the external environment is dark, and an image of a subject illuminated by the illumination light is captured.

[0012] <Overall composition> Fig. 1 shows the imaging device 10 in an open state. Fig. 2 shows the imaging device 10 in a closed state. That is, the imaging device 10 can be switched from an open state to a closed state and from a closed state to an open state.

[0013] 3, the imaging device 10 includes a housing 12, a connector 24, a camera module 30, an antenna 36, ​​an illumination unit 38, a control unit 40, a light meter 42, a drive mechanism unit 46, a movable unit 72, a cover unit 92, and a magnetic unit 96. The imaging device 10 includes a memory slot (not shown).

[0014] <<Housing>> The housing 12 is an example of an enclosure, and has an upper case 14 and a lower case 22. The upper case 14 has a rectangular or approximately rectangular ceiling plate 15 and side wall plates 16A, 16B, 16C, and 16D that connect to each side of the ceiling plate 15. The ceiling plate 15 and the side wall plates 16A, 16B, 16C, and 16D are integrally molded from synthetic resin. The ceiling plate 15 has a curved shape with its center portion positioned higher than both ends in the front-rear direction.

[0015] In the following description, the direction in which the upper case 14 of the housing 12 is located may be referred to as the upper direction, the direction in which the lower case 22 is located as the lower direction, the direction in which the side wall plate 16A is located as the front direction, and the direction in which the side wall plate 16B is located as the rear direction. Furthermore, the direction in which the side wall plate 16C is located may be referred to as the right direction, and the direction in which the side wall plate 16D is located as the left direction. The up-down direction, the left-right direction, and the front-rear direction are mutually perpendicular. The left-right direction is an example of a moving direction of the movable part 72, which will be described later. The up-down direction is an example of an optical axis direction of the lens 32, which will be described later. The front-rear direction is an example of an intersecting direction that intersects both the moving direction and the optical axis direction.

[0016] The ceiling plate 15 is provided with a circular first opening 17 that communicates with the inside and outside of the housing 12. In other words, the first opening 17 is a through hole provided in the ceiling plate 15. The first opening 17 is an example of an "opening provided in a housing". The first opening 17 exposes the lens 32 to the outside of the housing 12. Light (subject light) emitted from an object to be imaged (subject) (not shown) is taken into the housing 12 through the first opening 17 and enters an imaging optical system including the lens 32.

[0017] Moreover, the ceiling board 15 is provided with an illumination opening 18. Illumination light emitted from an illumination unit 38, which will be described later, passes through the illumination opening 18 to illuminate an object to be imaged (subject). As an example, the illumination opening 18 is provided at each of the four corners of the ceiling board 15, i.e., front, rear, left and right. The number of illumination openings 18 is not limited to four, and may be three or less or five or more, and is determined according to the number of illumination units 38 included in the imaging device 10. Furthermore, the ceiling board 15 is formed with a plurality of openings 19 for collecting sound. Sound around the imaging device 10 reaches a sound collecting unit (not shown) through the openings 19.

[0018] The lower case 22 is fixed to the upper case 14 to close the bottom (lower side) of the upper case 14. The lower case 22 is fixed to the upper case 14 by, for example, screw connection. The lower case 22 is provided with a position sensor 23 that detects the position of the movable part 72 in the left-right direction.

[0019] The position sensor 23 is located at the front side inside the housing 12 and below the movable part 72. The position sensor 23 has a rod-shaped contact part 23A extending in the up-down direction. The contact part 23A comes into contact with a part of the movable part 72 moving in the left-right direction, and thereby falls to the right or left. Specifically, when the movable part 72 moves from the closed position (right side) to the open position (left side), the contact part 23A comes into contact with the movable part 72 and falls to the left. At this time, the contact part 23A comes into contact with a first switch inside. Then, the position sensor 23 outputs a signal indicating that the movable part 72 is in the open position to the control part 40.

[0020] When the movable part 72 moves from the open position (left side) to the closed position (right side), the contact part 23A comes into contact with the movable part 72 and tilts to the right. At this time, the contact part 23A comes into contact with the second switch inside. Then, the position sensor 23 outputs a signal to the control unit 40 indicating that the movable part 72 is in the closed position.

[0021] <<Connector>> The imaging device 10 is equipped with a connector 24 to which a power cable, a communication cable, etc. can be connected. The connector 24 faces an opening provided in the left side wall plate of the lower case 22 or an opening provided in the lower surface of the lower case 22. The connector 24 is electrically connected to a board 28 on which a power supply unit 26 is provided.

[0022] <<Camera module>> The camera module 30 includes an imaging element 31, such as a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) or a charge coupled device (CCD), and a lens 32. The lens 32 is, for example, a convex lens, and has an optical axis L. The lens 32 has a shape with a predetermined curvature such that a central portion (near the position of the optical axis L) protrudes toward an imaging target (subject). The lens 32 is disposed above the imaging element 31, and is held by a lens holder 34.

[0023] Subject light incident on first opening 17 is collected by lens 32 onto the light receiving surface of image sensor 31. In other words, lens 32 is an optical member (imaging optical system) that forms an image of the object to be imaged on the light receiving surface of image sensor 31, or is at least a part of an optical member. Image sensor 31 converts the brightness of the image formed by lens 32 into an amount of electric charge, and outputs a signal (image signal) according to the amount of converted electric charge.

[0024] <<Antenna>> The imaging device 10 includes an antenna 36, ​​and can be interconnected with other devices via a wireless LAN (Local Area Network). For example, the imaging device 10 can wirelessly transmit a signal (image signal) output from the imaging element 31 to other devices such as a smartphone or tablet terminal. The imaging device 10 can also be remotely controlled by other devices such as a smartphone.

[0025] <<Lighting section>> The illumination unit 38 emits illumination light for illuminating an object to be imaged when an image is captured in a dark environment (i.e., when an image is captured in night vision mode). The illumination unit 38 has an illumination light source 39 and an illumination cover 41. The illumination light source 39 is, for example, an LED (Light Emitting Diode), and is controlled by a control unit 40 described later to emit light having a wavelength in the infrared range (infrared light, infrared light). Note that the illumination light source 39 is not limited to one that emits infrared light as illumination light, and may emit visible light other than infrared light as illumination light. The illumination light source 39 is provided on a main base unit 49 described later.

[0026] The lighting cover 41 is molded, for example, from a translucent resin, and is provided on the illumination light emission side (upper side) of the illumination light source 39. The lighting cover 41 has a surface that covers at least the upper side of the illumination light source 39. The surface of the lighting cover 41 is fitted into the illumination opening 18. The lighting cover 41 is attached so that the upper surface does not protrude above the upper surface of the ceiling board 15. The illumination light emitted from the illumination light source 39 is emitted to the outside of the imaging device 10.

[0027] As an example, the imaging device 10 has four illumination units 38. The four illumination units 38 are provided at the four corners of the imaging device 10, i.e., front, rear, left and right. The number of illumination units 38 included in the imaging device 10 is not limited to four. The imaging device 10 may have three or less illumination units 38, or may have five or more illumination units 38.

[0028] <<Luminometer>> The illuminometer 42 is, for example, a photoresistor or a photodiode, and receives light from the environment (external environment) surrounding the image capture device 10. The illuminometer 42 is provided on a base member 48, which will be described later. The illuminometer 42 receives light from the surrounding environment that has passed through the opening 19. The illuminometer 42 converts the brightness of the received light into an amount of charge, and outputs a signal (brightness signal) according to the amount of charge. That is, the illuminometer 42 functions as a detection unit that detects the brightness of the environment surrounding the image capture device 10.

[0029] <<Control Unit>> The control unit 40 is mounted on a board 44. The board 44 is provided on the front side inside the housing 12. The control unit 40 is configured with, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and a memory, and is electrically connected to the board on which the imaging element 31 is mounted. The control unit 40 is a processor that controls each part of the imaging device 10 by reading and executing a control program that is pre-recorded in a recording medium such as a flash memory. For example, the control unit 40 controls the power supply from the power supply unit 26 to the imaging element 31 and the actuator 62.

[0030] <<Drive mechanism>> The drive mechanism 46 has a base member 48 and an actuator 62. The drive mechanism 46 moves the movable part 72 in the left-right direction to open and close the first opening 17, thereby controlling the incidence of subject light on the lens 32. More specifically, the movable part 72 is moved to a closed position (first position) that closes the first opening 17, and an open position (second position) that opens the first opening 17. That is, the movable part 72 is moved in the left-right direction by the drive mechanism 46, for example, and is located at either a first position that restricts the subject light from being incident on the image sensor 31, or a second position that allows the subject light to be incident on the image sensor 31.

[0031] <<<Base material>>> The base member 48 is made of, for example, synthetic resin, and has a configuration in which a main base portion 49 and a sub-base portion 51 are integrally molded. The main base portion 49 is located above the lens 32. The main base portion 49 is formed in a plate shape having a predetermined thickness in the up-down direction. The main base portion 49 has a curved shape in which the central portion in the front-to-rear direction is located higher than both ends in accordance with the curvature of the lens 32. The sub-base portion 51 extends downward from the main base portion 49. The sub-base portion 51 is fastened to the lower case 22.

[0032] A second opening 52 is formed in the main base portion 49. The second opening 52 is a through hole formed in a circular shape centered on the position where the optical axis L of the lens 32 passes. Light emitted from an image pickup object (subject) and passing through the first opening 17 passes through the second opening 52 and enters the lens 32. The outer diameter of the second opening 52 is larger than the outer diameter of the lens 32 and smaller than the outer diameter of the first opening 17.

[0033] The main base portion 49 is provided with a movable portion 72, an actuator 62, an illumination portion 38, and an illuminometer 42. The movable portion 72, the illumination portion 38, and the illuminometer 42 are mounted on the upper side of the main base portion 49. In other words, the base member 48 functions as a support portion that supports the movable portion 72 from below. A pair of guide rails 54 is provided at both ends of the main base portion 49 in the front-rear direction. The pair of guide rails 54 each extend linearly in the left-right direction and are arranged parallel to each other. An abutment member 56A is provided at the left end of the guide rail 54. An abutment member 56B is provided at the right end of the main base portion 49.

[0034] Both of the contact members 56A and 56B have elasticity and are formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape. The right side surface of the contact member 56A and the left side surface of the contact member 56B are located at positions where they can come into contact with a part of the movable part 72. As a result, when the movable part 72 moves to the left or right, the movement of the movable part 72 is restricted by the contact with the contact member 56A or the contact member 56B.

[0035] <<<Actuator>>> 4 is a perspective view of the movable part 72, the base member 48, and the actuator 62 as viewed from below with the movable part 72 in the closed position. The actuator 62 is provided below the main base part 49.

[0036] The actuator 62 functions as a drive unit that moves the movable unit 72 in the left-right direction. The actuator 62 has a motor 64, a rotating shaft 66, and a gear 68 (Fig. 5). The motor 64 has, for example, a coil, a yoke, a magnet, etc., and rotates by power supplied from the power supply unit 26 (Fig. 3) under the control of the control unit 40 (Fig. 3). The direction of rotation of the motor 64 is reversed depending on the direction of the current supplied to the coil. For example, when a current in a certain direction flows through the coil, the motor 64 rotates clockwise. When a current in the opposite direction flows through the coil, the motor 64 rotates counterclockwise.

[0037] The rotating shaft 66 extends in the front-rear direction and engages with a gear 68 (FIG. 5). The rotating shaft 66 is rotationally driven by the rotation of the motor 64. The gear 68 rotates in response to the rotation of the rotating shaft 66. As described above, the direction of rotation of the motor 64 is reversed in response to the direction of the current supplied thereto. Therefore, the direction of rotation of the rotating shaft 66 and the gear 68 is also reversed in response to the direction of the current supplied to the motor 64. The gear 68 is engaged with a rack portion 82 (FIG. 5) formed on the movable portion 72.

[0038] <<Movable parts>> 3, the movable portion 72 is located inside the housing 12. Furthermore, the movable portion 72 is located below the ceiling plate 15 with a predetermined distance therebetween.

[0039] The movable part 72 shown in Fig. 5 is obtained by molding, for example, a synthetic resin or a metal material. The movable part 72 is supported by a base member 48 (Fig. 4). The movable part 72 is guided by a set of guide rails 54 (Fig. 4) so ​​that it can move (slide) back and forth in the left-right direction. Even if the movable part 72 moves in the left-right direction, the movable part 72 does not come into contact with the lens 32 (Fig. 3).

[0040] Specifically, the movable portion 72 has an upper plate portion 74 having a predetermined thickness in the up-down direction, and guided portions 78 provided at both ends of the upper plate portion 74 in the front-rear direction. The upper plate portion 74 is formed in a U-shape that opens to the left side when viewed from above. The upper plate portion 74 has a base portion 75 and a pair of extending portions 76. The base portion 75 extends in the front-rear direction. The left end portion of the base portion 75 is cut out in an arc shape that opens toward the left side. The pair of extending portions 76 extend linearly from the front end portion and the rear end portion of the base portion 75 to the left side along the left-right direction. The pair of extending portions 76 is formed with, for example, four recessed portions 77 (FIG. 10).

[0041] 10 is formed in a rectangular shape having long sides along the front-rear direction and short sides along the left-right direction when viewed from above. The four recesses 77 are open toward the upper side. The four recesses 77 are positioned at predetermined intervals in the front-rear direction and the left-right direction.

[0042] As shown in Fig. 5, the guided portion 78 has, for example, a front wall portion 79 provided on the front extending portion 76 and a rear wall portion 84 provided on the rear extending portion 76. The front wall portion 79 extends downward from the front end portion of the extending portion 76. Protrusions 81A, 81B protruding rearward are provided on both left and right ends of the front wall portion 79. The front guide rail 54 (Fig. 4) is sandwiched in the vertical direction between the front extending portion 76 and the protrusions 81A and 81B. As a result, the front guided portion 78 is guided by the guide rail 54.

[0043] A rack portion 82 is formed on the rear surface of the front wall portion 79. The rack portion 82 is a portion in which a plurality of teeth 83 protruding toward the rear side are arranged along the left-right direction. The plurality of teeth 83 engage with some of the teeth 68A of the gear 68. When the gear 68 is rotated by the motor 64 (FIG. 4), the movable portion 72 moves to one side or the other side in the left-right direction in accordance with the rotation direction of the gear 68. In this way, when the gear 68 is rotated in conjunction with the rotation of the motor 64, the rack portion 82 functions as a conversion portion that converts the rotational force into a linear movement force along the left-right direction.

[0044] The rear wall portion 84 extends downward from the rear end of the extending portion 76. Both left and right ends of the rear wall portion 84 are provided with protrusions 84A, 84B that protrude forward. The rear guide rail 54 (FIG. 4) is sandwiched in the vertical direction between the rear extending portion 76 and the protrusions 84A and 84B. As a result, the rear guided portion 78 is guided by the guide rail 54. In this way, the movable portion 72 is movable in the left and right direction between the base member 48 and the upper case 14 (FIG. 3).

[0045] 6 and 7, the movable part 72 can move back and forth between the center position in the left-right direction of the base member 48 and the right end position of the base member 48. When the movable part 72 is in the center position of the base member 48, the arc-shaped cutout portion of the movable part 72 is located around the lens 32. In other words, even when the movable part 72 is in the leftmost position within its movement range, the movable part 72 does not cover the lens 32. Also, when the movable part 72 is in the center position of the base member 48, the lens 32 is located inside the four recesses 77 (FIG. 10).

[0046] 3 detects that the movable part 72 is in the open position (rightmost position) when a signal is input from the first switch of the position sensor 23. Moreover, when a signal is input from the second switch of the position sensor 23, the control part 40 detects that the movable part 72 is in the closed position (leftmost position).

[0047] <<Cover part>> The cover portion 92 shown in Figs. 3, 8, and 9 includes, as an example, a PET (Poly Ethylene Terephthalate) film 93 cut into a rectangular shape. The cover portion 92 is formed in a rectangular plate shape having a predetermined thickness in the vertical direction. The cover portion 92 is located on the outer side (upper side) of the housing 12. The cover portion 92 has a size that allows it to cover the first opening 17 from above. The cover portion 92 and the movable portion 72 face each other in the optical axis direction (vertical direction) of the lens 32 with the cover portion 92 covering the lens 32.

[0048] The PET film 93 is an example of a restricting portion. The PET film 93 transmits light from the outside toward the lens 32, and restricts the intrusion of foreign matter G (FIG. 8) from the outside of the cover portion 92 to the inside of the housing 12. The foreign matter G includes dust, oil, water droplets, and the like.

[0049] The front and rear ends of the cover part 92 extend in the left-right direction. The right and left ends of the cover part 92 extend in the front-rear direction. The cover part 92 is attracted to the movable part 72 by receiving a magnetic force M from a magnetic part 96 described later, and moves in conjunction with the movement of the movable part 72 in the left-right direction.

[0050] The cover portion 92 is curved so that the center in the front-rear direction is located higher than both ends. The cover portion 92 has a certain degree of rigidity against external forces acting in the up-down direction. Therefore, the cover portion 92 maintains a curved state following the outer shape of the ceiling board 15 when attached to the upper case 14. The cover portion 92 is used, for example, for the purpose of dustproofing, oilproofing, and drip-proofing, and has a property of transmitting light. Therefore, in the imaging device 10, light reception (imaging) is possible with the lens 32 in both a state in which the cover portion 92 covers the lens 32 and a state in which the cover portion 92 does not cover (expose) the lens 32.

[0051] As a modified example, the cover portion 92 may be configured with two parts separated in the left-right direction. For example, the cover portion 92 may be configured with a transparent portion that transmits light and a light-shielding portion that absorbs, reflects, and diffuses light, and the movable portion 72 may be driven so that either the transparent portion or the light-shielding portion faces the lens 32.

[0052] <<Magnetic part>> As shown in Fig. 10, the magnetic part 96 has, for example, an inner magnetic part 98 located inside the housing 12 and an outer magnetic part 102 located outside the housing 12. Fig. 10 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the inner part of the area S1 surrounded by the dashed line in Fig. 8. The magnetic part 96 attracts the cover part 92 to the movable part 72 by the action of a magnetic force M generated between the inner magnetic part 98 and the outer magnetic part 102. The magnitude of the magnetic force M generated in the magnetic part 96 is set to a magnitude that allows the cover part 92 to be detached from the movable part 72 when an operator applies an external force to the cover part 92.

[0053] <<<Inner magnetic part>>> The inner magnetic portion 98 has a rectangular parallelepiped magnet 99. Four magnets 99 are provided, the same number as the number of recesses 77. Note that, in FIG. 10, one of the four magnets 99 is shown, and the remaining three magnets 99 are not shown. The bottom surface of the magnet 99 is bonded to the bottom surface of the recess 77. In other words, the inner magnetic portion 98 is fixed to the movable portion 72.

[0054] Specifically, the lower portion of the magnet 99 is housed in the recessed portion 77. The upper portion of the magnet 99 protrudes outward (upward) from the upper surface 72A of the movable portion 72. A retreat portion 15B, which is a recess for avoiding contact with the magnet 99, is formed in a part of the upper case 14. The four magnets 99 are located on one side (right side) and the other side (left side) in the left-right direction with respect to a central position C1 (FIG. 9) of the cover portion 92 in the moving direction (left-right direction) of the movable portion 72.

[0055] As shown in FIG. 6, a virtual line that passes through the center position C1 and extends in a direction perpendicular to the left-right direction (front-rear direction) is defined as a first reference line K1. A virtual line that extends along the left-right direction and perpendicular to the first reference line K1 is defined as a second reference line K2. Of the four magnets 99, the two magnets 99 on the front side and the two magnets 99 on the rear side are each positioned line-symmetrically with respect to the first reference line K1. Of the four magnets 99, the two magnets 99 on the right side and the two magnets 99 on the left side are each positioned line-symmetrically with respect to the second reference line K2. In this way, a pair of magnets 99 (two pairs in total) are positioned symmetrically with respect to the left-right direction and the front-rear direction.

[0056] <<<Outer magnetic part>>> As shown in FIG. 10, the outer magnetic portion 102 has a magnetic seal 103 and a PTFE (Poly Tetra Fluoro Ethylene) sheet 104.

[0057] The magnetic seal 103 is formed in a rectangular plate shape having a predetermined thickness in the vertical direction. The shape and size of the magnetic seal 103 are preset so that a magnetic force M acts to attract the magnetic seal 103 and the magnet 99. The magnetic poles of the magnet 99 and the magnetic seal 103 are not shown. A total of four magnetic seals 103 are provided so as to be aligned one-to-one with the magnets 99 via the housing 12. An adhesive layer (not shown) is formed on the upper and lower surfaces of the magnetic seal 103. The upper surface of the magnetic seal 103 is bonded to the lower surface of the cover portion 92. In other words, the outer magnetic portion 102 is provided on the cover portion 92.

[0058] The PTFE sheet 104 is an example of a low friction portion. The PTFE sheet 104 is provided between the cover portion 92 and the housing 12. The PTFE sheet 104 is formed in a rectangular plate shape having a predetermined thickness in the vertical direction. The shape and size of the PTFE sheet 104 are preset so as to cover the lower surface of the magnetic seal 103. A total of four PTFE sheets 104 are provided so as to be aligned one-to-one with the magnets 99. The upper surface of the PTFE sheet 104 is bonded to the lower surface of the magnetic seal 103. The lower surface of the PTFE sheet 104 is in contact with the upper surface 15A of the ceiling plate 15.

[0059] The first friction coefficient μ1 of the contact surface between the PTFE sheet 104 and the housing 12 (upper surface 15A) is lower than the second friction coefficient μ2 of the contact surface between the cover part 92 and the housing 12. Furthermore, the first friction coefficient μ1 is smaller than the third friction coefficient μ3 of the contact surface between the magnetic seal 103 and the upper surface 15A. In this manner, the materials constituting each part are selected in advance so that the frictional force generated between the magnetic seal 103 and the housing 12 is low. Note that the first friction coefficient μ1, the second friction coefficient μ2, and the third friction coefficient μ3 are not shown in the figures.

[0060] As shown in Fig. 9, four outer magnetic portions 102 are provided on the lower surface 92A of the cover portion 92. The four outer magnetic portions 102 are located on one side and the other side in the left-right direction with respect to a center position C1 of the cover portion 92 in the moving direction (left-right direction) of the movable portion 72 (Fig. 10). Of the four outer magnetic portions 102, two outer magnetic portions 102 on the front side and two outer magnetic portions 102 on the rear side are located line-symmetrically with respect to the first reference line K1. Of the four outer magnetic portions 102, two outer magnetic portions 102 on the right side and two outer magnetic portions 102 on the left side are located line-symmetrically with respect to the second reference line K2.

[0061] [Operation of the first embodiment] According to the imaging device 10 of the first embodiment described above, the following advantageous effects can be obtained. Note that the description of individual reference numbers will be omitted.

[0062] In the imaging device 10, the cover portion 92 is attracted to the movable portion 72 by the magnetic force of the magnetic portion 96. Therefore, when the movable portion 72 located inside the housing 12 moves in the left-right direction, the cover portion 92 located outside the housing 12 moves in the left-right direction following the movable portion 72. As a result, the first opening 17 is opened and closed by the cover portion 92, so that the lens 32 can be exposed and covered.

[0063] Here, when replacing the cover portion 92 to change the use of the imaging device 10, an operator applies an external force to the cover portion 92, which separates the cover portion 92 from the movable portion 72 and the magnetic portion 96. In this way, since the cover portion 92 is located outside the housing 12, it is possible to replace the cover portion 92 without disassembling the imaging device 10.

[0064] Furthermore, when a new cover part 92 is attached to the housing 12, the new cover part 92 is attached to the housing 12 by being attracted to the movable part 72 by the magnetic force M of the magnetic part 96. This allows the new cover part 92 to move in conjunction with the movable part 72.

[0065] As described above, in the imaging device 10, the cover part 92 can be attached and detached without disassembling the housing 12, and the cover part 92 can be moved in conjunction with the movable part 72, so that the replacement work of the cover part 92 can be easily performed.

[0066] In the imaging device 10, with the cover portion 92 covering the lens 32, the cover portion 92 and the movable portion 72 face each other in the optical axis direction (up-down direction) of the lens 32. Therefore, compared to a configuration in which the cover portion 92 and the movable portion 72 face each other in the front-rear direction, there is no cover portion 92 and the movable portion 72 in the front-rear direction, so that it is possible to prevent the imaging device 10 from becoming large in the front-rear direction.

[0067] In the imaging device 10, the cover portion 92 includes a PET film 93. As a result, the PET film 93 transmits light, and imaging can be performed even when the cover portion 92 covers the lens 32. Since the cover portion 92 covers the lens 32, foreign matter G such as dust comes into contact with the cover portion 92 and is restricted in movement, so that it is possible to restrict the intrusion of the foreign matter G into the housing 12 during imaging.

[0068] In the imaging device 10, a PTFE sheet 104 is provided between the cover portion 92 and the housing 12. As a result, compared to a configuration in which the cover portion 92 contacts the upper surface 15A, the frictional force acting between the cover portion 92 and the housing 12 is smaller, so that when the cover portion 92 is moved in the left-right direction in conjunction with the movement of the movable portion 72, the driving force (load) required for moving the cover portion 92 can be reduced.

[0069] [Configurations of the second embodiment] Fig. 11 shows the imaging device 110 of the second embodiment in an open state. Fig. 12 shows the imaging device 110 in a closed state. The imaging device 110 is switched from an open state to a closed state. The imaging device 110 is also switched from a closed state to an open state. Note that configurations and elements that are the same or substantially the same as those of the imaging device 10 of the first embodiment (Fig. 3) are given the same reference numerals and descriptions thereof are omitted.

[0070] <Overall composition> 13, the imaging device 110 has a housing 112, a stopper 116, a movable part 118, a cover part 126, and a magnetic part 136. The configuration other than the housing 112, the stopper 116, the movable part 118, the cover part 126, and the magnetic part 136 is similar to the configuration of the imaging device 10 (FIG. 3).

[0071] <<Housing>> The housing 112 has one groove 114 at each of the front and rear parts. The configuration other than the two grooves 114 is the same as that of the housing 12. The grooves 114 are provided at the boundary between the ceiling plate 115 and the side wall plate 16A and at the boundary between the ceiling plate 115 and the side wall plate 16B. The grooves 114 extend linearly in the left-right direction. The grooves 114 are recessed toward the inside of the housing 12. Both ends of the grooves 114 in the left-right direction are open. In this way, the housing 112 has two grooves 114 extending in the movement direction of the movable part 118.

[0072] <<Stopper>> A stopper 116 is provided in each of the two grooves 114. The stopper 116 is, for example, a rubber member, and is fitted into and adhered to a recess provided in a part of the groove 114. The stopper 116 is located to the left of the first opening 17. The stopper 116 comes into contact with a left end of the cover part 126, which will be described later, to stop the cover part 126 at a predetermined position.

[0073] <<Movable parts>> The movable part 118 is located inside the housing 112. Furthermore, the movable part 118 is located below the ceiling plate 115 with a predetermined distance therebetween. The movable part 118 is obtained by molding, for example, a synthetic resin or a metal material. The movable part 118 is supported by the base member 48. Furthermore, the movable part 118 is guided by a set of guide rails 54, so that it can move back and forth (slide) in the left-right direction.

[0074] The movable part 118 is driven by the actuator 62. The movable part 118 is disposed so as to avoid the first opening 17 and the lens 32. Therefore, even if the movable part 118 moves in the left-right direction, the movable part 118 and the lens 32 do not come into contact with each other. Specifically, the movable part 118 has an upper plate part 119 having a predetermined thickness in the up-down direction, and guided parts 124 extending downward from both ends of the upper plate part 119 in the front-rear direction.

[0075] The upper plate portion 119 has an L-shaped outer shape when viewed from above. The upper plate portion 119 has a base portion 121 and one extending portion 122. The base portion 121 extends in the front-rear direction at the right end portion of the upper plate portion 119. The left end portion of the base portion 121 is cut out in an arc shape that opens toward the left side. The one extending portion 122 extends linearly from the front end portion of the base portion 121 to the left side along the left-right direction. The base portion 121 has two recessed portions 77 (FIG. 15) formed with an interval therebetween in the front-rear direction. The extending portion 122 has two recessed portions 77 formed with an interval therebetween in the left-right direction. In other words, three recessed portions 77 are formed in the movable portion 118.

[0076] The guided portion 124 is provided at the front end of the extending portion 122 and the rear end of the base portion 121. The guided portion 124 sandwiches the front and rear guide rails 54 in the up-down direction. As a result, the guided portion 124 is guided in the left-right direction by the guide rails 54. A rack portion 82 (FIG. 5) is formed on the inner surface of the guided portion 124. When the gear 68 rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the motor 64, the rack portion 82 functions as a conversion portion that converts the rotational force into a linear movement force along the left-right direction.

[0077] The movable part 118 can move back and forth between the center position in the left-right direction of the base member 48 and the right end position of the base member 48. When the movable part 118 is in the center position of the base member 48, the arc-shaped cutout portion of the movable part 118 is located around the lens 32. In other words, even when the movable part 118 is in the leftmost position within its range of movement, the movable part 118 does not cover the lens 32. Furthermore, when the movable part 118 is in the center position of the base member 48, the lens 32 is located inside (toward the center) the three recessed parts 77 (FIG. 15).

[0078] The control unit 40 detects that the movable part 118 is in the open position (rightmost position) when a signal is input from the first switch of the position sensor 23. Also, the control unit 40 detects that the movable part 118 is in the closed position (leftmost position) when a signal is input from the second switch of the position sensor 23.

[0079] <<Cover part>> 14, cover portion 126 is made of magnetic iron sheet metal, for example. Cover portion 126 has upper plate portion 127 that covers ceiling plate 115 (FIG. 13), side wall portions 128 provided at both ends in the front-rear direction of upper plate portion 127, contact portion 132 provided on side wall portion 128, three magnet seals 103, and four protrusions 134. Note that "providing a magnetic portion on cover portion 126" is not limited to providing a magnetic magnet (magnetic seal 103) on cover portion 126. It also includes the case where cover portion 126 itself is made of a magnetic member.

[0080] <<<Upper plate>>> The upper plate portion 127 is curved to match the shape of the ceiling plate 115 (FIG. 13). Specifically, the upper plate portion 127 is curved so that the center portion in the front-rear direction is located higher than both end portions. Side wall portions 128 are provided at both end portions in the front-rear direction of the upper plate portion 127. The side wall portions 128 extend downward from both end portions in the front-rear direction of the upper plate portion 127.

[0081] <<<Contact part>>> 15 is a section having a mountain-shaped cross section that protrudes from the lower end of the side wall portion 128 toward the groove portion 114. The contact portion 132 comes into contact with the groove portion 114 in the front-rear direction. As a result, the contact portion 132 is guided into the groove portion 114, and the cover portion 126 is guided in the left-right direction (movement direction).

[0082] <<<Protrusion>>> The protrusion 134 is a portion that protrudes from the lower surface of the upper plate portion 127 toward the ceiling plate 115. The shape of the protrusion 134 is, for example, a hemispherical shape. The top of the protrusion 134 comes into contact with the housing 112 (ceiling plate 115) to form a space V between the cover portion 126 and the ceiling plate 115. The vertical size of the space V is larger than the vertical thickness of the magnetic seal 103. In other words, the protrusion 134 comes into contact with the housing 112, but the magnetic seal 103 does not come into contact with the housing 112.

[0083] The cover portion 126 is subjected to an attractive force (magnetic force M) of the magnetic portion 136 described later. In other words, the cover portion 126 is attracted to the movable portion 118 by the action of the magnetic force M. As a result, the cover portion 126 moves following the left-right movement of the movable portion 118. Note that the cover portion 126 has a property of not transmitting light. For this reason, in the imaging device 110, when the cover portion 126 covers the lens 32 (FIG. 13), light reception (imaging) by the lens 32 is impossible. When the cover portion 126 does not cover the lens 32 (exposed), light reception (imaging) by the lens 32 is possible.

[0084] <<Magnetic part>> As shown in FIG. 14, three magnetic portions 136 are provided on the cover portion 126.

[0085] 15, the magnetic part 136 has, for example, a magnet 99 located inside the housing 112 and a magnetic seal 103 located outside the housing 112. The magnetic part 136 attracts the cover part 126 to the movable part 118 by the action of a magnetic force M. The magnitude of the magnetic force M generated in the magnetic part 136 is set to a magnitude that allows the cover part 126 to be detached from the movable part 118 when an operator applies an external force to the cover part 126.

[0086] The three magnets 99 shown in Fig. 13 attract the cover part 126 to the movable part 118. The three magnets 99 are located on one side and the other side in the left-right direction with respect to a central position C2 (Fig. 14) of the cover part 126 in the moving direction (left-right direction) of the movable part 118. Of the three magnets 99, two magnets 99 located at the front end part of the movable part 118 are located line-symmetrically with respect to a first reference line K1 passing through the central position C2. The two magnets 99 lined up in the front-rear direction at the right end part of the movable part 118 are located line-symmetrically with respect to a second reference line K2 passing through the central position C2.

[0087] 14 are located on one side and the other side in the left-right direction with respect to a center position C2 of the cover part 126. Of the three magnets 99, the two magnet seals 103 located at the front end of the cover part 126 are located line-symmetrically with respect to a first reference line K1 passing through the center position C2. The two magnets 99 located at the right end of the movable part 118 are located line-symmetrically with respect to a second reference line K2 passing through the center position C2.

[0088] [Operation of the second embodiment] According to the imaging device 110 of the second embodiment described above, the following advantageous effects can be obtained.

[0089] 15, in imaging device 110, contact portion 132 comes into contact with groove portion 114, whereby cover portion 126 is attached to housing 112 so as to embrace housing 112. Cover portion 126 becomes movable in the left-right direction as contact portion 132 is guided by groove portion 114. Cover portion 126 is moved in the left-right direction in conjunction with the movement of movable portion 118.

[0090] Here, when replacing the cover part 126 with another cover part, the worker slides the cover part 126 to the right while holding the cover part 126. When the external force acting on the cover part 126 becomes greater than the attractive force of the magnetic force M, the cover part 126 shifts to the right from the position facing the movable part 118. Then, the cover part 126 is released from the right end part of the groove part 114 to the outside.

[0091] When attaching the other cover part to the housing 112, the contact part 132 of the other cover part is brought into contact with the groove part 114, and then the other cover part is slid to the left. This causes an attractive force due to the magnetic force M to act on the other cover part, and the other cover part and the movable part 118 can move together (move together).

[0092] In this way, in the imaging device 110, contact portion 132 and groove portion 114 come into contact with each other, so that it is possible to prevent cover portion 126 from coming off in the vertical direction from housing 112. Also, because the right end portion of groove portion 114 is open, cover portion 126 can be slid to the right and removed, allowing it to be replaced with another cover portion.

[0093] 16, in the imaging device 110, when the cover part 126 is moved leftward, the two stoppers 116 come into contact with the left front end and the left rear end of the cover part 126. This stops the cover part 126 at a predetermined position (for example, a position facing the lens 32). In this way, the stoppers 116 limit the cover part 126 from moving leftward more than necessary, so that even if the movable part 118 (FIG. 13) moves leftward with a large acceleration force, it is possible to prevent the cover part 126 from shifting in position leftward.

[0094] 15, in the imaging device 110, the protrusion 134 of the cover portion 126 comes into contact with the ceiling plate 115, forming a space V between the cover portion 126 and the housing 112. This forms a gap between the magnetic seal 103 and the ceiling plate 115. In other words, since the magnetic seal 103 and the ceiling plate 115 are no longer in direct contact with each other, it is possible to prevent the frictional force caused by the contact between the magnetic seal 103 and the ceiling plate 115 from acting as a load when the cover portion 126 moves.

[0095] The shape of the protrusion 134 is hemispherical. The top of the protrusion 134 is in contact with the ceiling plate 115. This makes the contact state between the cover part 126 and the housing 112 close to point contact, so that the load acting on the cover part 126 and the movable part 118 when the cover part 126 moves can be reduced.

[0096] 13, the three magnets 99 are located on one side (right side) and the other side (left side) of the center position C2 of the cover part 126 in the movement direction (left-right direction) of the movable part 118. This makes it possible to prevent the cover part 126 from shifting in position in a direction intersecting the left-right direction when the cover part 126 moves to a closed position facing the lens 32. Furthermore, of the three magnets 99, two magnets 99 aligned in the front-rear direction are located line-symmetrically with respect to the second reference line K2. This makes it possible to further prevent the cover part 126 from shifting in position in the front-rear direction.

[0097] Of the three magnets, the two front magnets 99 are positioned line-symmetrically with respect to the first reference line K1. Therefore, compared to a configuration in which the two front magnets 99 are not positioned line-symmetrically with respect to the first reference line K1, both ends in the left-right direction at the front of the cover portion 126 can be supported (held) with equal force.

[0098] [Modification of the second embodiment] Fig. 17 shows a cross section of an imaging device 140 which is a modified example of the imaging device 110 (Fig. 13) of the second embodiment. Note that the same components as those of the imaging device 110 are given the same reference numerals and will not be described. The imaging device 140 differs in that the cover portion 126 (Fig. 13) is replaced with a cover portion 142. The other components of the imaging device 140 are the same as those of the imaging device 110. Note that the protrusion portion 134 and the magnetic seal 103 (Fig. 15) are not shown in Fig. 17.

[0099] The imaging device 140 has a cover section 142. The cover section 142 is made of iron sheet metal. The cover section 142 has an upper plate section 127 that covers the ceiling board 115, side wall sections 144 provided at both ends of the upper plate section 127 in the front-rear direction, a contact section 132 provided on the side wall section 144, three magnet seals 103, and four protrusions 134 (FIG. 15).

[0100] The side wall portion 144 extends downward from both front-rear end portions of the upper plate portion 127. The side wall portion 144 is formed in a leaf spring shape and is capable of elastic deformation at least in the front-rear direction. In other words, the contact portion 132 is provided on the side wall portion 144 of the cover portion 142 that is capable of elastic deformation.

[0101] In the imaging device 140, when replacing the cover part 142 with another cover part, the contact part 132 is released from the groove part 114 by elastically deforming the front or rear side wall part 144 outward in the front-rear direction. This makes it easier to remove the cover part 142 than when the cover part 142 is slid in the left-right direction. When attaching another cover part, the other contact part 132 is brought into contact with the groove part 114 while elastically deforming the other side wall part 144 in a state where one contact part 132 in the front-rear direction is in contact with the groove part 114, so that the other cover part is attached to the housing 112. In this way, the cover part 142 can be replaced without sliding in the left-right direction.

[0102] [Configurations of the third embodiment] 18, 19, and 20 show an imaging device 150 of the third embodiment. Note that the same or substantially the same configurations and elements as those of the imaging device 10 (FIG. 3) are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof will be omitted.

[0103] <Overall composition> The imaging device 150 includes a housing 152 , a movable portion 154 , an actuator 162 , a cover portion 172 , and a magnetic portion 96 .

[0104] <<Housing>> The housing 152 is an example of a housing, and differs from the housing 12 (FIG. 3) only in its left-right length. The left-right length of the housing 152 is longer than the left-right length of the housing 12. The housing 152 has a ceiling panel 15 and a first opening 17.

[0105] <<Movable parts>> The movable part 154 has a first movable part 156 and a second movable part 158. The first movable part 156 is made of a U-shaped member that opens to the left. The second movable part 158 ​​is made of a U-shaped member that opens to the right. The first movable part 156 is located to the right of the second movable part 158.

[0106] <<Actuator>> The actuator 162 has a first linear slider 164 and a second linear slider 166. The first movable part 156 is attached to the first linear slider 164. That is, the first movable part 156 can move in the left-right direction by driving the first linear slider 164. The right end of the first movable part 156 is set as a reference part for determining the stop position of the first movable part 156 in the left-right direction. The first movable part 156 is provided so as to be movable and stoppable at three stop positions in the left-right direction. The three stop positions of the reference part of the first movable part 156 are, in order from the right side to the left side, a position P1, a position P2, and a position P3.

[0107] The second movable part 158 ​​is attached to the second linear slider 166. That is, the second movable part 158 ​​can move in the left-right direction by driving the second linear slider 166. The left end of the second movable part 158 ​​is set as a reference part for determining the stop position of the second movable part 158 ​​in the left-right direction. The second movable part 158 ​​is provided so as to be movable and stoppable at two stop positions in the left-right direction. The two stop positions of the reference part of the second movable part 158 ​​are positions P4 and P5, in order from the right side to the left side. The positions P1 to P5 are arranged in order from the right side to the left side. The intervals from the positions P1 to P5 are not equal, for example.

[0108] <<Cover part>> The cover portion 172 is an example of a limiting portion. The cover portion 172 has a first filter 174, a second filter 176, and a third filter 178. In other words, the cover portion 172 has the same number of filters as the number of stop positions (positions P1, P2, and P3) (three). The first filter 174 is painted black and blocks light.

[0109] The second filter 176 is configured similarly to the PET film 93 (FIG. 9). That is, the second filter 176 transmits light toward the lens 32 and restricts the intrusion of foreign matter G (FIG. 8) from the outside of the second filter 176 to the inside of the housing 152.

[0110] The third filter 178 is, for example, a bandpass filter that transmits light in a predetermined frequency band (for example, infrared light).

[0111] <<Magnetic part>> The magnetic portion 96 has, as an example, twelve outer magnetic portions 102 (FIG. 9). The first filter 174, the second filter 176, and the third filter 178 are each provided with four outer magnetic portions 102. The magnetic portion 96 also has, as an example, twelve inner magnetic portions 98 (FIG. 10). The first movable portion 156 is provided with eight inner magnetic portions 98. The second movable portion 158 is provided with four inner magnetic portions 98.

[0112] [Operation of the third embodiment] 18, in the imaging device 150, when the first movable part 156 is at a position P3, the first filter 174 covers the lens 32 to block light. This state is called a first closed state. The second movable part 158 ​​is at a position P5.

[0113] As shown in Fig. 19, when the first linear slider 164 is driven to move the first movable part 156 to position P2 and then stop, the second filter 176 covers the lens 32. This state is called a second closed state. The second filter 176 transmits light but restricts the intrusion of foreign matter G (Fig. 8) into the housing 152. Next, when the first linear slider 164 is driven to move the first movable part 156 to position P1 and then stop, the lens 32 is exposed (opened). Note that the open state of the lens 32 is not shown.

[0114] As shown in FIG. 20, when the second linear slider 166 is driven to move the second movable part 158 ​​from position P5 to position P4 and stop, the third filter 178 covers the lens 32. This state is called a third closed state. The third filter 178 restricts the intrusion of foreign matter G into the inside of the housing 152. Furthermore, the third filter 178 is a band-pass filter and transmits light of a predetermined frequency band. This makes it possible to suppress noise due to unnecessary light from appearing in the image, for example, when the imaging device 150 is used outdoors. After the third filter 178 is used, the second movable part 158 ​​is moved to position P5 and stopped, thereby exposing the lens 32.

[0115] In this way, in the imaging device 150, the first movable part 156 can move to three stop positions and can stop at the three stop positions, so that the same number of filters (first filter 174, second filter 176) as the number of stop positions can be opposed to the lens 32. This allows the imaging device 150 to be used for multiple purposes (for example, light shielding, oil protection, drip-proofing, and dust protection).

[0116] Furthermore, the imaging device 150 has the third filter 178 as a bandpass filter, so that it is possible to suppress the influence of specific light on the state of the video (image) during imaging. For example, it is possible to suppress the image from becoming reddish by cutting harmful light such as ultraviolet light, and to suppress infrared light for night vision from being reflected and captured on the subject. Also, it is possible to suppress blown-out highlights in the image by reducing the overall amount of light, such as with an ND (Neutral Density) filter.

[0117] [Modifications] The imaging device of the present invention is not limited to any of the above-mentioned first, second, or third embodiments (including modifications), and it goes without saying that various modifications are possible, such as combinations, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0118] The movable portion 72, 118, 154 and the cover portion 92, 126, 142, 172 are not limited to being opposed to each other in the optical axis direction of the lens 32, but may be opposed to each other in a direction intersecting the optical axis direction of the lens 32. The cover portion 92 does not need to include a limiting portion.

[0119] The movable part 154 is not limited to having three stop positions, but may have two stop positions, or may have four or more stop positions. The number of stop positions and the number of filters may be different. The filters do not have to include a band-pass filter.

[0120] The number of grooves 114 is not limited to two, but may be three or more. The stopper 116 provided in the groove 114 is not limited to one that is fixed to the groove 114, but may be one that is detachable from the groove 114.

[0121] In the case where cover portion 126 has high rigidity against an external force acting on cover portion 126, cover portion 126 does not need to have protrusion portion 134. The shape of protrusion portion 134 is not limited to a hemispherical shape, and may be another shape such as a truncated cone shape.

[0122] If the cover portion 126 is a member having magnetism that can be sufficiently attracted by the magnetic force M of the magnet 99, the cover portion 126 does not need to have the magnetic seal 103.

[0123] The magnets 99 may not be arranged symmetrically in the left-right or front-rear directions. For example, the three magnets 99 may be arranged in an equilateral triangle, with two magnets 99 located in the front and one magnet 99 located in the rear.

[0124] The low friction portion is not limited to the PTFE sheet 104, and may be, for example, a coating layer containing a fluororesin formed on the surface on the housing 12 side.

[0125] The present technology can be configured as follows. (1) A housing having an opening for exposing a lens; A movable part located inside the housing and movable back and forth; a cover portion located outside the housing and capable of covering the opening; a magnetic portion provided on the movable portion and the cover portion, the magnetic portion attracting the cover portion to the movable portion by the action of a magnetic force, the magnetic portion enabling the cover portion to be separated from the movable portion when an external force is applied to the cover portion; An imaging device having the above configuration. (2) The cover portion and the movable portion face each other in a direction of an optical axis of the lens with the cover portion covering the lens. The imaging device according to (1) above. (3) The cover portion transmits light toward the lens and includes a limiting portion that limits the intrusion of foreign matter from the outside of the cover portion to the inside of the housing. The imaging device according to (1) or (2). (4) The movable part is provided so as to be movable and stoppable at a plurality of stop positions, The restriction unit has a number of filters equal to the number of the stop positions. The imaging device according to (3) above. (5) At least one of the plurality of filters is a bandpass filter. The imaging device according to (4) above. (6) The housing is provided with a plurality of grooves extending along a moving direction of the movable part, The cover portion has contact portions that come into contact with the plurality of groove portions and is guided in the movement direction. The imaging device according to any one of (1) to (5). (7) The contact portion is provided at a portion of the cover portion that is capable of elastic deformation. The imaging device according to (6) above. (8) The plurality of grooves are provided with stoppers for stopping the cover at predetermined positions. The imaging device according to (6) or (7). (9) The cover portion has a protrusion portion that contacts the housing to form a space between the cover portion and the housing. The imaging device according to any one of (1) to (8). (10) The shape of the protrusion is a hemispherical shape. The imaging device according to (9) above. (11) the magnetic portion has a plurality of magnets that attract the cover portion to the movable portion, The plurality of magnets are located on one side and the other side of a center position of the cover part in the moving direction of the movable part. The imaging device according to any one of (1) to (10). (12) At least two magnets among the plurality of magnets are positioned line-symmetrically with respect to a first reference line that passes through the central position and extends in a direction perpendicular to the moving direction. The imaging device according to (11) above. (13) At least two magnets among the plurality of magnets are positioned line-symmetrically with respect to a second reference line that extends along the movement direction and is perpendicular to the first reference line. The imaging device according to (11) or (12). (14) a low-friction portion is provided between the cover portion and the housing, a first friction coefficient of a contact surface between the low friction portion and the housing is lower than a second friction coefficient of a contact surface between the cover portion and the housing; The imaging device according to any one of (1) to (13). [Explanation of symbols]

[0126] 10...imaging device, 12...housing, 14...upper case, 15...ceiling plate, 15A...upper surface, 15B...retraction section, 16A...side wall plate, 16B...side wall plate, 16C...side wall plate, 16D...side wall plate, 17...first opening, 18...lighting opening, 19...opening, 22...lower case, 23...position sensor, 23A...contact section, 24...connector, 26...power supply section, 28...board, 30...camera module, 31...imaging element, 32...lens, 34...lens holder, 36...antenna, 38...lighting section, 39...lighting light source, 40...control section, 41...lighting cover, 42 ...illuminometer, 44...substrate, 46...driving mechanism, 48...base member, 49...main base portion, 51...sub-base portion, 52...second opening, 54...guide rail, 56...contact member, 62...actuator, 64...motor, 66...rotating shaft, 68...gear, 68A...teeth, 72...movable portion, 72A...upper surface, 74...upper plate portion, 75...base portion, 76...extension portion, 77...recessed portion, 78...guided portion, 79...front wall portion, 81A...projection, 81B...projection, 82...rack portion, 83...teeth, 84...rear wall portion, 84A...projection, 84B...projection, 92...cover portion, 9 2A...underside, 93...PET film, 96...magnetic portion, 98...inner magnetic portion, 99...magnet, 102...outer magnetic portion, 103...magnetic seal, 104...PTFE sheet, 110...imaging device, 112...housing, 114...groove portion, 115...ceiling plate, 116...stopper, 118...movable portion, 119...upper plate portion, 121...base portion, 122...extension portion, 124...guide portion, 126...cover portion, 127...upper plate portion, 128...side wall portion, 132...contact portion, 134...projection portion, 136...magnetic portion, 140...imaging device, 142...cover portion , 144...side wall portion, 150...imaging device, 152...housing, 154...movable portion, 156...first movable portion, 158...second movable portion, 162...actuator, 164...first linear slider, 166...second linear slider, 172...cover portion, 174...first filter, 176...second filter, 178...third filter, C1...center position, C2...center position, G...foreign object, K1...first reference line, K2...second reference line, L...optical axis, M...magnetic force, P1...position, P2...position, P3...position, P4...position, P5...position, S1...area, V...space portion

Claims

1. A housing having an opening for exposing a lens; A movable part located inside the housing and movable back and forth; a cover portion located outside the housing and capable of covering the opening; a magnetic portion provided on the movable portion and the cover portion, the magnetic portion attracting the cover portion to the movable portion by the action of a magnetic force, the magnetic portion enabling the cover portion to be separated from the movable portion when an external force is applied to the cover portion; An imaging device having the above configuration.

2. The cover portion and the movable portion face each other in a direction of an optical axis of the lens with the cover portion covering the lens. The imaging device according to claim 1 .

3. The cover portion transmits light toward the lens and includes a limiting portion that limits intrusion of foreign matter from the outside of the cover portion to the inside of the housing. The imaging device according to claim 1 .

4. The movable part is provided so as to be movable and stoppable at a plurality of stop positions, The restriction unit has a number of filters equal to the number of the stop positions. The imaging device according to claim 3 .

5. At least one of the plurality of filters is a bandpass filter. The imaging device according to claim 4.

6. The housing is provided with a plurality of grooves extending along a moving direction of the movable part, The cover portion has contact portions that come into contact with the plurality of groove portions and is guided in the movement direction. The imaging device according to claim 1 .

7. The contact portion is provided at a portion of the cover portion that is capable of elastic deformation. The imaging device according to claim 6.

8. The plurality of grooves are provided with stoppers for stopping the cover at predetermined positions. The imaging device according to claim 6.

9. The cover portion has a protrusion portion that contacts the housing to form a space between the cover portion and the housing. The imaging device according to claim 1 .

10. The shape of the protrusion is a hemispherical shape. The imaging device according to claim 9.

11. the magnetic portion has a plurality of magnets that attract the cover portion to the movable portion, The plurality of magnets are located on one side and the other side of a center position of the cover part in the moving direction of the movable part. The imaging device according to claim 1 .

12. At least two magnets among the plurality of magnets are positioned line-symmetrically with respect to a first reference line that passes through the central position and extends in a direction perpendicular to the moving direction. The imaging device according to claim 11.

13. At least two magnets among the plurality of magnets are positioned line-symmetrically with respect to a second reference line that extends along the movement direction and is perpendicular to the first reference line. The imaging device according to claim 12.

14. a low-friction portion is provided between the cover portion and the housing, a first friction coefficient of a contact surface between the low friction portion and the housing is lower than a second friction coefficient of a contact surface between the cover portion and the housing; The imaging device according to claim 1 .

Images