Heat dissipation structure
The heat dissipation structure for wearable cameras addresses the issue of heat transmission to the wearer by using a heat transfer member to direct heat away from the body-facing portion of the camera housing, ensuring effective and safe heat management.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- JP2023171473
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2023-10-02
- Publication Date
- 2025-04-14
AI Technical Summary
Conventional head-mounted camera devices do not effectively manage heat dissipation, risking the direct transmission of heat from the camera body to the wearer, particularly since the camera body is often attached to metal temples using magnets.
A heat dissipation structure for wearable cameras that includes a heat transfer member thermally connected to heat-generating components inside the camera. This structure directs heat away from the wearer by transmitting it to a spaced portion of the camera housing, which is separate from the body-facing portion.
The proposed heat dissipation structure effectively prevents heat from being transmitted to the wearer, reducing the risk of discomfort or injury and ensuring efficient heat dissipation from the camera body.
Smart Images

Figure 2025062413000001_ABST
Abstract
Description
[Technical field]
[0001] The present invention relates to a heat dissipation structure. [Background technology]
[0002] Head-mounted camera devices that are worn on the head of a user are known. Such camera devices are wearable cameras that include a camera body having a photographing lens and a control unit that controls the photographing operation of the camera body. The camera body and the control unit are separate components and may be connected to each other by wire so as to be able to communicate with each other.
[0003] As an example of this type of camera device, a camera body that is attached to the temple of glasses is disclosed in Patent Document 1. In the camera device of Patent Document 1, a magnet is built into the camera body, and the camera body is attached to the temple of glasses by utilizing the magnetic force. In this camera device, the camera body is fixed by magnetic force at multiple points along the temple of glasses. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]
[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2018-060139 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]
[0005] When the camera body is operated, the circuit board inside the camera body generates heat. In the camera device disclosed in Patent Document 1, the camera body is close to the side of the wearer's head, and is attached to an iron temple via a magnet. Therefore, there is a risk that the heat generated inside the camera body will be directly transmitted to the wearer. However, the description in Patent Document 1 does not recognize this risk, and does not disclose or suggest a method for dealing with the heat of the camera body.
[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a structure that dissipates heat generated from a camera body at a location away from the wearer. [Means for solving the problem]
[0007] The heat dissipation structure of the present disclosure is a heat dissipation structure for a wearable camera, comprising a heat transfer member thermally connected to a heat-generating member inside the wearable camera, the housing of the wearable camera comprising a proximal portion facing the human body in close proximity and a remote portion farther from the human body than the proximal portion, the heat transfer member being thermally connected to the remote portion to transfer heat from the heat-generating member. Examples of head-worn equipment include glasses, helmets, goggles, head-mounted displays, and glasses-type mounting frames that are worn on the head of a user.
[0008] The wearable camera may be a camera attached to a head-worn device, the proximal portion being a side portion of the wearable camera facing the side of a person's head, and the distal portion may include at least one of the upper and lower surfaces of the wearable camera.
[0009] The heat transfer member may not be thermally connected to the adjacent portion. Effect of the Invention
[0010] The heat dissipation structure of the present disclosure can prevent parts of the housing close to the human body from becoming too hot by transferring heat from inside the wearable camera to parts of the housing of the wearable camera that are away from the human body. [Brief description of the drawings]
[0011] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the overall configuration of a camera device according to an embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which the camera body of the embodiment is attached to glasses. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which the camera body of the embodiment is attached to glasses. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram of the camera device according to the embodiment. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the camera body and mount components according to the embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the mounting component according to the embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a cross-sectional direction of the camera body of the embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the camera body according to the embodiment, viewed obliquely from below. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a cross section of the camera body of the embodiment from diagonally above. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0012] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the following embodiments, a camera device according to the present disclosure will be described using an example in which the camera body is attached to glasses to function as a wearable camera. The glasses are an example of a head-worn device as a predetermined attachment target.
[0013] In this specification, the side of the camera body and mounting parts where the lens for shooting is directed (the front side in the shooting direction) is referred to as the "front," and the side opposite the side where the lens is directed is referred to as the "rear." In addition, the left side of the camera body and mounting parts in the left-right direction when facing forward in the posture when used as a wearable camera attached to glasses is referred to as the "left," and the right side is referred to as the "right," and in the same posture, the upper side in the up-down direction is referred to as the "upper," and the lower side is referred to as the "lower."
[0014] (Embodiment) The camera device CA of this embodiment is a device that can be used for remote presence of on-site work, such as construction work, facility construction, infrastructure maintenance work, etc., and factory inspections, etc. The use of the camera device CA of this example as a wearable camera is not limited to remote presence of on-site work, and it can be used for various purposes as long as it is used for photographing while wearing the glasses GL.
[0015] -Overall configuration of the camera device- As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the camera device CA includes a camera body 1, a mount component 3, a control unit 5, and a first cable .
[0016] The camera body 1 is a component that takes pictures. The camera body 1 may be treated as a wearable camera, and the mount component 3, the control unit 5, the first cable 7, etc. may be accessories or control members of the wearable camera. The camera body 1 has a lens 11 for taking pictures on the front side. The lens 11 is an ultra-wide-angle lens. The ultra-wide-angle lens here has an angle of view of about 120° to 180°. The angle of view of the lens 11 in this example is 180°. When such a lens 11 is used, the shooting range is in the direction of a solid angle of 2π steradians. When the shooting range of the camera body 1 does not need to be a solid angle of 2π steradians, the lens 11 may have an angle of view of less than 180°.
[0017] The camera body 1 has a housing 10 that houses components such as an image sensor 12. A lens housing section 10a that opens to the outside is provided on the front part of the housing 10. A lens holder (not shown) is housed within the opening of the lens housing section 10a. A lens 11 is held by the lens holder and positioned within the opening, and is provided so as to protrude from the opening to the outside of the housing 10.
[0018] The camera body 1 can be attached to the temple TE of the glasses GL using the mount part 3 so that the lens 11 faces forward of the wearer (hereinafter also referred to as the user) DU of the glasses GL. The temple TE is an element that constitutes the side part of the glasses GL. Note that, although an example of a mode in which the camera body 1 is attached to the left temple (temple) TE of the glasses GL is shown in Figs. 2 and 3, it is also possible to attach the camera body 1 to the right temple TE of the glasses GL by changing the attachment direction of the mount part 3 or by replacing the mount part 3.
[0019] The control unit 5 is a component that controls the operation of the camera body 1. As shown in Fig. 4, the control unit 5 has components such as a board including a control unit 60 housed in a control unit housing. A status lamp 51 that indicates the operating state of the camera device CA is provided on the front side of the control unit housing. The control unit 5 is connected to the camera body 1 by a wire. A first cable 7 is used to connect the control unit 5 and the camera body 1.
[0020] The control unit 5 supplies power to the camera body 1 via a first cable 7 and is communicatively connected thereto. The first cable 7 is connected to the lower part of the camera body 1 in a state in which the camera body 1 is attached to the glasses GL via the mount part 3. The first cable 7 is held by a cable holder 47 provided on the mount part 3 on the rear side of the camera body 1. The first cable 7 is a thin coaxial cable.
[0021] The information terminal 100 is further connected to the control unit 5 by wire. A second cable 8 is used to connect the control unit 5 and the information terminal 100. The second cable 8 is a USB Type-C cable. A dedicated application (hereinafter referred to as a dedicated app) for controlling the operation of the camera device CA is installed in the information terminal 100.
[0022] Furthermore, the information terminal 100 has a wireless LAN function such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark) and a communication function based on a mobile communication standard such as LTE (registered trademark). By using this communication function, the information terminal 100 can access the Internet.
[0023] An example of the information terminal 100 is a multi-function mobile phone called a smartphone. The information terminal 100 may be any other mobile device such as a tablet terminal, so long as it is portable.
[0024] The control unit 5 is further connected to a mobile battery 200 by a wire. A third cable 9 is used to connect the control unit 5 and the mobile battery 200. The third cable 9 is a USB Type-C cable. The mobile battery 200 is a power source for supplying power from the control unit 5 to the camera body 1. The mobile battery 200 can also be used as a power source for charging the built-in battery of the information terminal 100 via the control unit 5.
[0025] 4, the camera body 1 includes a first power supply circuit 13, an image sensor 12, a temperature sensor 14, an acceleration sensor 15, a gyro sensor 16, a microphone 18, and a first connector 19. These components are housed inside a housing 10.
[0026] First power supply circuit 13 receives power supplied to camera body 1 via first cable 7, and converts the power into a voltage suitable for each component built into camera body 1 and supplies it to each component. Image sensor 12, temperature sensor 14, acceleration sensor 15, gyro sensor 16, and microphone 18 function by receiving power supplied from first power supply circuit 13.
[0027] The imaging element 12 is provided on the rear side of the lens 11. The imaging element 12 converts the light collected by the lens 11 into an electrical signal by photoelectric conversion, and generates an image signal. Examples of the imaging element 12 include a CMOS image sensor and a CCD image sensor. The image signal generated by the imaging element 12 is output to the first connector 19 and transmitted to the control unit 5 via the first cable 7.
[0028] The temperature sensor 14 is a sensor that detects the internal temperature of the camera body 1. Examples of the internal temperature of the camera body 1 include the temperature of the internal space of the housing 10 and the temperature of the image sensor 12. The temperature sensor 14 is used to perform control to ensure the operation of the image sensor 12. A detection signal indicating the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 14 is output to the first connector 19.
[0029] The acceleration sensor 15 is a sensor that detects acceleration on three axes. The acceleration sensor 15 detects the direction of gravitational acceleration acting on the camera body 1. The gyro sensor 16 is a sensor that detects angular velocity on three axes. The gyro sensor 16 detects angular velocity when the orientation of the camera body 1 changes. A detection signal indicating the acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor 15 and a detection signal indicating the angular velocity detected by the gyro sensor 16 are output to a first connector 19.
[0030] The microphone 18 is a component that detects and collects sounds around the camera body 1. The microphone 18 converts sound vibrations into an electrical signal to generate a sound signal. A MEMS microphone or an electret condenser microphone (ECM) is used as the microphone 18. A sound signal indicating the sound detected by the microphone 18 is output to a first connector 19.
[0031] The first connector 19 is a component to which the first cable 7 is connected. A coaxial thin-wire connector is used for the first connector 19. The first connector 19 transmits the image signal output from the imaging element 12, the detection signals output from the temperature sensor 14, the acceleration sensor 15, and the gyro sensor 16, and the sound signal output from the microphone 18 to the control unit 5 via the first cable 7.
[0032] The control unit 5 includes, in addition to the status lamp 51, a first USB port 52, a first protection circuit 53, a second power supply circuit 54, a second USB port 55, a second protection circuit 56, a PD controller 63, a first memory 57, a second memory 58, a second connector 59, and a control unit 60.
[0033] The first USB port 52 is a cable insertion port for connecting the mobile battery 200. The third cable 9 is inserted into the first USB port 52, and the mobile battery 200 is connected via the third cable 9. A USB Type-C port is used as the first USB port 52.
[0034] The first USB port 52 is connected to a power line (VBUS) via a first protection circuit 53 and a diode 61. The power line is connected to a second power circuit 54. The first protection circuit 53 is a circuit that performs overvoltage protection also known as OVP. The second power circuit 54 converts the power supplied via the power line into a voltage suitable for each component built into the control unit 5 and supplies it, and also converts it into a voltage suitable for operating the camera body 1 and outputs it to the first cable 7.
[0035] The second USB port 55 is a cable insertion port for connecting the information terminal 100. A second cable 8 is inserted into the second USB port 55, and the information terminal 100 is connected via the second cable 8. A USB Type-C port is used as the second USB port 55.
[0036] The second USB port 55 is connected to a power line connected to the second power circuit 54 via a second protection circuit 56 and a switch 62. The second protection circuit 56 is a circuit that performs overvoltage protection also called OVP. The second USB port 55 is also connected to the control unit 60. The transfer modes of the second USB port 55 support USB 2.0 HS (Hi Speed) and USB 3.0 SS (Super Speed).
[0037] A signal line for charging called a CC line is mounted on the second USB port 55. The CC line of the second USB port 55 is connected to the control unit 60 via a PD controller 63. The PD controller 63 controls the supply of power conforming to the USB PD standard from the control unit 60 to the information terminal 100 connected to the second USB port 55.
[0038] The status lamp 51 is composed of an LED capable of emitting light of multiple colors, such as a two-color LED or a three-color LED. The status lamp 51 is connected to the control unit 60. The lighting pattern of the status lamp 51 is switched by the control unit 60 according to the operating state of the camera device CA, such as during shooting, a sleep state (standby state), an abnormal state, etc.
[0039] The first memory 57 is a volatile memory that temporarily stores moving image data with audio. For example, a DRAM is used for the first memory 57. The second memory 58 is a non-volatile memory that records moving image data with audio. For example, a NAND type flash memory is used for the second memory 58.
[0040] The second connector 59 is a component to which the first cable 7 is connected. A coaxial thin-wire connector is used for the second connector 59. The second connector 59 receives the image signal, each detection signal, and sound signal transmitted from the camera body 1 via the first cable 7, and outputs them to the control unit 60.
[0041] The control unit 60 functions as a signal processing unit that processes image signals and sound signals. The control unit 60 temporarily stores in the first memory 57 the image data indicated by the image signal and the sound data indicated by the sound signal input via the second connector 59. The control unit 60 then adds the sound data to the image data stored in the first memory 57 to generate audio-accompanied video data, which is continuously recorded in the second memory 58 and sequentially transmitted to the information terminal 100 via the second USB port 55.
[0042] Before storing image data in first memory 57, or when generating audio-accompanying video data, control unit 60 performs distortion correction on the image data based on internal parameters of camera body 1 to convert the image into an image free of distortion caused by lens aberration, etc. Control unit 60 further performs a cut-out process to cut out a predetermined range from the distortion-corrected image data.
[0043] In this cropping process, the tilt of the cropped range of image data and the cropping position are corrected based on the rotational movement and translational movement around the optical axis of lens 11 of camera body 1. This type of correction is also called electronic gimbaling, and cancels the displacement of the captured image caused by dynamic changes in the attitude and shaking of camera body 1. The rotational movement and translational movement of camera body 1 are obtained from the detection signals from acceleration sensor 15 and gyro sensor 16.
[0044] The control unit 60 also switches the image output mode between a first mode and a second mode. The first mode is a mode in which the control unit 60 outputs image data having a narrower angle of view than the second mode. The image data output in the first mode corresponds to shooting data having an angle of view of, for example, about 60° to 90°. The second mode is a mode in which the control unit 60 outputs image data of the entire shooting range of the camera body 1. The image data output in the second mode corresponds to shooting data having an angle of view of, for example, about 120° to 180°.
[0045] The above-mentioned cropping process does not have to be performed when the image output mode is the second mode. In the second mode, tilt correction and shake correction by the electronic gimbal are not performed. In addition, when the camera device CA is used as a wearable camera by attaching the camera body 1 to the temple TE of the glasses GL, it is assumed that the image output mode is basically set to the first mode in order to enable tilt correction and shake correction by the electronic gimbal.
[0046] When the photographing range is darkened by, for example, covering the front side of the lens 11 of the camera body 1 with a hand, the control unit 60 detects the darkening and switches the image output mode. The control unit 60 may have a function of recognizing sound data. In this case, the control unit 60 may be configured to recognize a voice uttered by the user DU and switch the image output mode when the recognized voice is a predetermined word. In addition, the user DU may be able to switch the image output mode by setting the output mode using a dedicated application.
[0047] The control unit 60 also controls thermal shutdown. The imaging element 12 has a predetermined guaranteed operating temperature. Therefore, when the temperature indicated by the detection signal from the temperature sensor 14 exceeds a predetermined temperature, the control unit 60 performs processing to interrupt image capture so that the imaging element 12 does not exceed the guaranteed operating temperature. The control unit 60 is realized using an ASIC or the like.
[0048] In camera device CA, when mobile battery 200 is connected to control unit 5, camera body 1 and control unit 5 are started up. Then, image capture by camera body 1 is automatically performed, and audio-accompanied video data according to the image output mode in control unit 60 is transmitted to information terminal 100. Audio-accompanied video data received by information terminal 100 is transferred to a remote information device via the Internet by a function of a dedicated application.
[0049] A person in charge at a remote location can view the situation at the work site in real time by accessing the information device to which the audio-accompanied video data has been transferred. Also, if the audio-accompanied video data is uploaded to a cloud server when it is transferred from the information terminal 100, the person in charge at the remote location and the user DU can check the audio-accompanied video data after the fact.
[0050] -Detailed configuration of the camera body and mounting parts- The camera body 1 has an attachment portion 20 on its rear surface to which the mount part 3 is attached. The mount part 3 is detachably attached to the camera body 1. The mount part 3 has a portion that overlaps with the rear surface of the camera body 1 when attached to the camera body 1. And, with the mount part 3 removed, the rear surface of the camera body 1 can be used as a mounting surface 21 that can be placed on any flat surface.
[0051] The configuration of the main parts related to attachment and detachment of the mount component 3 to the camera body 1 and the intended use of the camera body 1 will be described below.
[0052] <Camera body> 5, the housing 10 forming the outer surface of the camera body 1 has a roughly cube-like shape. The top and bottom surfaces of the housing 10 are slightly curved so as to protrude upward and downward. Both side surfaces in the left and right directions of the housing 10 are formed as flat surfaces.
[0053] The housing 10 is formed by combining a plurality of components. Specifically, the housing 10 is formed by a front case 22, a rear case 23, and a back cover 24. Each of these components is a resin molded product.
[0054] The front case 22 and the rear case 23 are joined in the front-rear direction so that their internal spaces are connected to each other, forming a main body of the housing 10. The front case 22 is located forward of the rear case 23. A lens housing section 10a is provided in the front part of the front case 22, and holds the lens 11 (see FIGS. 2 and 3). Protruding pieces 25 protruding rearward are provided on each edge on both the left and right sides of the rear part of the rear case 23 so as to extend in the vertical direction.
[0055] The back cover 24 is fitted between a pair of protruding pieces 25. Then, the back cover 24 is screwed at multiple points to the rear part of the rear case 23. The majority of the rear surface of the back cover 24 is formed as a flat surface that faces directly behind the camera body 1. As a result, the rear surface of the camera body 1 forms a mounting surface 21 that can be placed on any flat surface.
[0056] A notch 26 extending in the up-down direction is formed in the center of the back cover 24 in the left-right direction. The notch 26 is open in the front-rear direction and downward. A retaining piece 27 that protrudes inward like an eave toward the inside of the notch 26 is provided in the rear part of the inner peripheral surface of the notch 26. As a result, the opening width of the notch 26 in the up-down and left-right directions is narrower on the rear side than on the front side (rear case 23 side).
[0057] A fitting recess 28 that is recessed forward and extends in the left-right direction is formed in a portion of the rear surface of the rear case 23 that corresponds to the open end of the notch 26. A lower side wall portion of the fitting recess 28 constitutes a lock piece 29. The portion of the back cover 24 where the notch 26 is formed and the rear surface of the rear case 23 constitute the attachment portion 20 to which the mount component 3 is attached. In this manner, the attachment portion 20 is provided on the rear surface of the camera body 1 in an aspect that is recessed toward the front side relative to the rear surface portion that can be used as the mounting surface 21.
[0058] The camera body 1 in this example is waterproof. Gaps communicating with the internal space of the camera body 1, for example, the gap between the front case 22 and the lens 11, the gap between the front case 22 and the rear case 23, and the gap between the rear case 23 and the back cover 24, are sealed using a sealing member.
[0059] <Mounting parts> The mount part 3 is configured to cover the back and right side of the camera body 1 when attached to the camera body 1. The mount part 3 in this example is for attaching the camera body 1 to the left temple TE of the glasses GL. The mount part 3 has a hook part 3a that can be hooked from above onto the temple TE of the glasses GL.
[0060] 6, the mounting part 3 is formed by combining a plurality of components. Specifically, the mounting part 3 is formed by a base member 31, a slide member 37, a hook member 43, and an adjustment plate 44. Each of these components is a resin molded product.
[0061] The base member 31 is formed in an L-shape when viewed from above. The base member 31 has a rear cover portion 32 and a side plate portion 34. The rear cover portion 32 is a portion that overlaps with the rear surface of the camera body 1, and covers the rear surface of the camera body 1 when the mount part 3 is attached to the camera body 1. The side plate portion 34 is a portion that overlaps with the right side surface of the camera body 1, and covers the rear portion of the right side surface of the camera body 1 when the mount part 3 is attached to the camera body 1. The right edge portion of the rear cover portion 32 and the rear edge portion of the side plate portion 34 are integrally formed to form a corner portion of the base member 31.
[0062] The outer peripheral edge portion on the front surface of the rear cover portion 32 constitutes a wall-like portion that protrudes forward. As a result, the front surface of the rear cover portion 32 is formed in a concave shape that is shallowly recessed rearward. A fixed base portion 33 that protrudes forward is provided on the inside of the concave shape on the front surface of the rear cover portion 32. The fixed base portion 33 is formed in a rectangular shape with its long side aligned in the up-down direction. The fixed base portion 33 is a portion to which the slide member 37 is attached.
[0063] An attachment opening 35 is formed in the center of the side plate portion 34. The attachment opening 35 is used to attach a support member (not shown). The support member abuts against the head HE of the user DU to prevent the mount part 3 from rotating around the temple TE as a central axis. Attachment holes 36 are formed in the front and rear portions of the attachment opening 35 in the side plate portion 34. The pair of attachment holes 36 are used to attach an adjustment plate 44. A slide member 37 and an adjustment plate 44 are attached to the right side of the side plate portion 34.
[0064] The slide member 37 has an insertion portion 38 and a lever portion 39. The insertion portion 38 is a portion that is inserted into the attachment portion 20 of the camera body 1. The portion of the insertion portion 38 that is inserted into the space in front of the retaining piece 27 is formed wider than the portion that is inserted into the space surrounded by the retaining piece 27. With the insertion portion 38 inserted into the attachment portion 20, the retaining piece 27 prevents the slide member 37 from slipping out rearward.
[0065] The lever portion 39 is provided integrally on the lower side of the fitting portion 38. The lever portion 39 has an operation portion 40 that is operated by the user DU. The operation portion 40 is connected to the fitting portion 38 via a plate-shaped portion 41. The plate-shaped portion 41 is formed so that its plate surface faces the front-rear direction. The plate-shaped portion 41 has flexibility that allows it to bend rearward. An engagement protrusion 42 is provided on the end of the front surface of the plate-shaped portion 41 on the operation portion 40 side.
[0066] The fitting protrusion 42 is made up of a plurality of ribs spaced apart from one another in the left-right direction. When the fitting portion 38 is fitted into the mounting portion 20, the fitting protrusion 42 fits into the fitting recess 28 and faces the lock piece 29. In this state, the lock piece 29 restricts the sliding member 37 from sliding downward. The sliding member 37 is fixed to the fixing platform portion 33 of the base member 31 from the front side by a fastener 71.
[0067] The hook member 43 constitutes the hook portion 3a of the mounting component 3. The hook member 43 is U-shaped in side view, with both end portions bent at right angles in the same direction (to the left in this example). A plurality of recesses are provided on the back side of the hook member 43. Both end portions of the hook member 43 are fixed to the upper portions of the side plate portions 34 of the base member 31 using fasteners 72.
[0068] The adjustment plate 44 is a member that adjusts the size of the gap through which the temple TE is inserted on the back side of the hook member 43. An opening is formed in the center of the adjustment plate 44. A pair of bending pieces 45 are provided in a mountain shape on the right side surface of the adjustment plate 44 so as to straddle the opening in the vertical direction. Each bending piece 45 has both flexibility and elasticity, and plays a role of supporting the temple TE of the glasses GL from below.
[0069] A pair of protrusions 46 are provided on the left side surface of the adjustment plate 44. Each protrusion 46 is formed in a cross shape when viewed from the protruding direction. The adjustment plate 44 is attached by inserting the pair of protrusions 46 into the attachment holes 36 formed in the side plate portion 34 of the base member 31. As the adjustment plate 44, adjustment plates 44 of a plurality of sizes with different thicknesses are prepared. The user DU can use an adjustment plate 44 of a thickness suitable for hooking and holding the hook portion 3a of the mount part 3 according to the width of the temple TE of the glasses GL worn by the user DU.
[0070] As shown in FIG. 5, the mount part 3 is attached to the camera body 1 by fitting the fitting part 38 of the slide member 37 from the release side (lower side) of the mounting part 20 of the camera body 1 and sliding it upward. At this time, as the slide member 37 slides, the fitting protrusion 42 of the lever part 39 hits the lock piece 29, but the plate-shaped part 41 bends backward and overcomes the lock piece 29. Thereafter, the plate-shaped part 41 of the lever part 39 elastically returns to its original state, so that the fitting protrusion 42 fits into the fitting recess 28. As a result, the mount part 3 is locked so that it cannot slide downward due to the interference between the fitting protrusion 42 and the lock piece 29. In addition, the mount part 3 can be removed from the camera body 1 by pulling the operation part 40 of the lever part 39 backward to release the locked state caused by the interference between the fitting protrusion 42 and the lock piece 29, and then sliding it downward in this state.
[0071] The rear cover part 32 of the mount component 3 is provided with a cable holding part 47 that holds the first cable 7. The cable holding part 47 is composed of a first clamping piece 48a and a second clamping piece 48b. The first clamping piece 48a and the second clamping piece 48b are both convex parts that protrude rearward and extend in the vertical direction. The first clamping piece 48a is located toward the right side of the rear cover part 32 and is relatively short in the vertical direction. On the other hand, the second clamping piece 48b is located to the left of the first clamping piece 48a of the rear cover part 32 (the center in the horizontal direction) and is longer than the first clamping piece 48a in the vertical direction.
[0072] The first clamping piece 48a and the second clamping piece 48b are provided with a gap between them in the left-right direction. A holding groove 49 extending in the up-down direction is formed between the first clamping piece 48a and the second clamping piece 48b. The width of the holding groove 49 is designed to a dimension that allows the first cable 7 to be fitted therein. The holding groove 49 is formed in a shape that is bent toward the side plate portion 34 (the right side in this example) at each end on both the top and bottom sides. The upper end of the holding groove 49 opens toward the upper right side. The lower end of the holding groove 49 opens toward the lower right side.
[0073] The first cable 7 is fitted into the holding groove 49, whereby it is sandwiched and held between the first clamping piece 48a and the second clamping piece 48b. When the first cable 7 is held by the cable holding part 47, the first cable 7 is bent so as to move toward the glasses GL (i.e., the head HE side of the user DU) in accordance with the shape of the holding groove 49. This makes it possible to adjust the center of gravity of the camera body 1 with the mount parts 3 attached to the temple TE of the glasses GL to the head HE side of the user DU. This is advantageous in stabilizing the attachment state of the camera body 1 to the glasses GL.
[0074] The first cable 7 held by the cable holding portion 47 is drawn out from the bottom to the top of the rear surface of the mount part 3. The first cable 7 drawn out in this manner can be easily hung around the ear of the user DU (see FIG. 1). However, the first cable 7 may get caught on the hand of the user DU or something else during on-site work and be pulled unexpectedly. If the external force generated when the first cable 7 is pulled is directly applied to the camera body 1, the shooting direction of the camera body 1 may be unintentionally changed, or the camera body 1 may come off from the head HE of the user DU together with the glasses GL.
[0075] This problem can be addressed by having the first cable 7 held by the cable holding part 47 with some slack from the connection part of the camera body 1. In other words, if the first cable 7 is held by the cable holding part 47 with some slack from the connection part of the camera body 1, the first cable 7 will come off the cable holding part 47 when it is unexpectedly pulled, and the slack given to the first cable 7 will mitigate the external force when the first cable 7 is pulled, and the external force can be prevented from directly reaching the camera body 1.
[0076] <Heat transfer and dissipation structure inside the camera body> In this embodiment, the camera body 1 is attached to the glasses GL to function as a wearable camera. The internal structure of the camera body 1 is shown in cross-sectional views in Figures 8 and 9, which are cross-sections along the line XX shown in Figure 7 (a cut surface along a plane including the top and bottom and the front and back in Figure 2 and other figures). The housing 10 of the camera body 1 includes the front case 22 and the rear case 23 as described above, and each side surface is formed flat to form a surface adjacent to the hook portion 3a that faces each other. In other words, when the camera body 1 is attached to the glasses GL by the hook portion 3a, these side surfaces become adjacent parts of the housing 10 of the camera body 1 that face the head of the user DU in close proximity to each other.
[0077] On the other hand, the upper surface of the front case 22 (front case upper surface 22a) and the upper surface of the rear case 23 (rear case upper surface 23a) are slightly curved surfaces that protrude upward in a convex manner. Also, the lower surface of the front case 22 (front case lower surface 22b) and the lower surface of the rear case 23 (rear case lower surface 23b) are slightly curved surfaces that protrude downward in a convex manner. When the camera body 1 is attached to the glasses GL by the hook portion 3a, the upper surfaces 22a, 23a and the lower surfaces 22b, 23b of the housing 10 of the camera body 1 become distant portions that are farther from the head of the user DU than the close portion.
[0078] As shown in Figs. 8 and 9, a thermally conductive substrate 91 having heat-generating electronic components mounted thereon is placed inside the camera body 1. The substrate 91 on which the electronic components are mounted is a heat-generating component. A first heat transfer member 92 and a second heat transfer member 94 are placed on the substrate 91, which are thermally connected by contact with the substrate 91 to receive heat and transport the heat. The first heat transfer member 92 and the second heat transfer member 94 are made of a material with high thermal conductivity. In this embodiment, the first heat transfer member 92 and the second heat transfer member 94 are made of copper foil.
[0079] The first heat transfer member 92 placed on the upper side receives heat by contacting and thermally connecting widely with the substrate 91, and further receives heat by contacting and thermally connecting widely with the rear case top surface 23a of the housing 10. The rear case top surface 23a that receives heat from the first heat transfer member 92 releases the heat to the outside from its outer surface. The surface of the first heat transfer member 92 that contacts the substrate 91 and spreads up, down, left and right extends to the inner surface of the rear case top surface 23a, and then contacts the inner surface of the rear case top surface 23a and bends along the inner surface. The first heat transfer member 92 does not contact and thermally connect to the side surface (adjacent portion) of the housing 10.
[0080] Because of such a heat transfer and heat dissipation structure, the heat of the substrate 91 is preferentially released from the outer surface of the rear case upper surface 23a via the first heat transfer member 92, and heat dissipation from the adjacent portion of the housing 10 of the camera body 1 is very small. In other words, most of the heat generated inside the camera body 1 is transferred to the rear case upper surface 23a thermally connected by the first heat transfer member 92, and dissipated to the outside from a portion separated from the human body (the head of the user DU). Therefore, the risk of the user DU feeling high heat or being burned is significantly reduced. In addition, the heat generated inside the camera body 1 is efficiently released to the outside. Note that part of the heat of the substrate 91 is also released to the outside from the rear case lower surface 23b as described below.
[0081] The second heat transfer member 94 placed on the lower side also fulfills the same function as the first heat transfer member 92. The second heat transfer member 94 has a surface that is in contact and thermally connected to the substrate 91 and spreads out in all directions, extending to the inner surface of the rear case lower surface 23b, from which it is in contact and thermally connected to the inner surface of the rear case lower surface 23b and is bent so as to follow the inner surface, and the rear case lower surface 23b that receives heat from the second heat transfer member 94 releases the heat from its outer surface to the outside.
[0082] The second heat transfer member 94 is also in contact with and thermally connected to the third heat transfer member 93, which is in contact with and thermally connected to the inner surface of the rear case lower surface 23b and the first cable 7. With this structure, the heat of the board 91 is transferred to the rear case lower surface 23b and the first cable 7 through the second heat transfer member 94 and the third heat transfer member 93, and is released to the outside from both the rear case lower surface 23b and the first cable 7. Note that the second heat transfer member 94 and the third heat transfer member 93 are not in contact with or thermally connected to the side surface (adjacent portion) of the housing 10.
[0083] That is, similarly to the upper side, heat generated inside the camera body 1 is transferred to the rear case lower surface 23b thermally connected by the second heat transfer member 94 and the third heat transfer member 93, and is dissipated to the outside from a portion separated from the human body (the head of the user DU), and is also dissipated to the outside from the first cable 7. This reduces the possibility that the user DU will feel high heat. Furthermore, since heat is dissipated from the first cable 7, the heat generated inside the camera body 1 is efficiently dissipated to the outside. As shown in FIG. 1, the first cable 7 is in contact with the ear of the user DU, but the heat dissipation ends between the camera body 1 and the ear, so the user DU does not feel heat at the ear.
[0084] The heat dissipation structure described above is a structure for dissipating heat to the outside from the board 91 placed on the rear side of the camera body 1 as a heat-generating component, but a similar structure can also be used for a structure for dissipating heat to the outside from a board on which a CMOS is mounted and located in front of the camera body 1. In this case, it is preferable to dissipate heat to the outside from the front case upper surface 22a and the front case lower surface 22b so as to shorten the heat transfer path within the camera body 1. Note that a member with high heat conductivity such as Sarcon (registered trademark) may be interposed for the thermal connection between the heat-generating electronic component and the board, and between the board and the heat transfer member.
[0085] (Other embodiments) The above-mentioned embodiments are merely examples of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to these examples, and these examples may be combined with well-known, commonly used, or publicly known technologies, or may be partially replaced. In addition, modified inventions that can be easily conceived by a person skilled in the art are also included in the present invention.
[0086] In the above embodiment, the mounting part 3 is attached to the rear surface of the camera body 1, but this is not limiting. For example, the mounting part 3 may be attached to the right side surface of the camera body 1. In this case, the attachment part 20 is provided on the right side surface of the camera body 1. Also, the slide member 37 is attached to the left side of the side plate part 34 of the mounting part so that it can be fitted into the attachment part 20. As long as the mounting part 3 can be detachably attached to the camera body 1, any configuration can be adopted for the camera body 1 and the mounting part 3, including the attachment part 20 and the fitting part 38.
[0087] In the above embodiment, the first cable 7 is passed through the cable holding part 47 provided on the mount part 3 on the rear side of the camera body 1 in the vertical direction so as to be held close to the head HE of the user DU, but this is not limited to the above. Any configuration can be adopted as the cable holding part 47 as long as it can hold the first cable 7. It is preferable that the cable holding part 47 is configured so that the first cable 7 can be easily pulled out backwards when pulled.
[0088] In the above embodiment, the image output mode switching operation by the control unit 60 is exemplified by darkening the shooting range of the camera body 1, performing voice recognition, setting by a dedicated application, etc., but is not limited thereto. For example, when the camera body 1 has a built-in touch sensor, the switching operation may be performed by the user DU double tapping a detection point of the touch sensor of the camera body 1. In addition, the control unit 5 may be provided with a switch for switching the image output mode, and the image output mode may be switched by operating the switch.
[0089] In the above embodiment, the first cable 7 is connected to the bottom of the camera body 1 in a state where the camera body 1 is attached to the glasses GL via the mount part 3, but this is not limited to the above. The first cable 7 may be connected to a part other than the bottom of the camera body, such as a side part or a back part of the camera body 1.
[0090] In the above embodiment, the camera body 1 and the control unit 5 are connected by wire using the first cable 7, but this is not limited to the above. The camera body 1 and the control unit 5 may be connected to each other so as to be able to communicate wirelessly.
[0091] In the above embodiment, the photographing lens 11 is an ultra-wide-angle lens, but the present invention is not limited to this. The lens 11 may be a wide-angle lens or a standard lens.
[0092] In the above embodiment, the camera device CA of the present disclosure has been described with reference to an example in which the camera body 1 is attached to glasses GL, but this is not limiting. Glasses GL are merely one example of an object to which the camera body 1 is attached, and the object to which the camera body 1 is attached may be a head-mounted device attached to the user's head other than glasses, such as a helmet, goggles, a head-mounted display, or a glasses-type mounting frame. In addition, the camera body 1 can also be attached to any other object, such as other wearable items such as the user DU's clothing, a selfie stick, a tripod, a car, or a robot arm. The mount part 3 can be replaced with one corresponding to the object to which it is attached, and may have various configurations such as a clip type.
[0093] In the above embodiment, the first, second, and third heat transfer members are made of copper foil, but are not limited to this. For example, they may be foils or thin plates made of other metals such as aluminum foil, or thin plates made of inorganic or organic materials with high thermal conductivity.
[0094] Note that the descriptions "first," "second," etc., mentioned above are merely used to distinguish the words to which they are attached, and do not limit the number or order of the words. Also, the description "~" in the numerical ranges mentioned above means a range that includes the numerical values before and after it. In other words, if X and Y are substituted for numerical values, then the description "X~Y" indicates a range of "greater than or equal to X and less than or equal to Y." [Explanation of symbols]
[0095] CA Camera Equipment GL Glasses (wearable, head-mounted) 1 Camera body 10. Chassis 22a Top of front case (separated part) 22b Underside of front case (separation part) 23a Rear case top surface (separation part) 23b Rear case bottom (separation part) 91 Substrate (heat generating component) 92 First heat transfer member 93 Third heat transfer member 94 Second heat transfer member
Claims
1. A heat dissipation structure for a wearable camera, A heat transfer member thermally connected to a heat generating member inside the wearable camera, a housing of the wearable camera includes a proximity portion that is close to and faces a human body, and a remote portion that is farther away from the human body than the proximity portion; The heat transfer member is thermally connected to the spaced apart portion to transfer heat from the heat generating member.
2. The wearable camera is a camera attached to a head-worn device, the proximal portion is a side portion of the wearable camera facing a side of the person's head, The heat dissipation structure according to claim 1 , wherein the spaced apart portion includes at least one of an upper surface and a lower surface of the wearable camera.
3. The heat dissipation structure according to claim 1 , wherein the heat transfer member is not thermally connected to the adjacent portion.
Citation Information
Patent Citations
Camera device
JP2018060139A