Imaging apparatus

Abstract

To provide an imaging apparatus that has no heat radiation member which is thermally connected to an imaging sensor via a thermal conductive sheet inside a case, capable of releasing the heat from the image pickup device to the outside of the housing.SOLUTION: An imaging apparatus 10 includes: a housing 12 that includes at least a partially metallic part 24 and the outer surface formed at least in part by the metallic part 24; a lens mount 14 formed on the front face 12a of the housing 12; an imaging sensor that is placed behind the lens mount 14 in the housing 12; a thermal conductive sheet 66 for transferring the heat of the imaging sensor to the metal part 24 of the housing 12; and an elastic material 68 that presses the thermal conductive sheet 66 toward the inner surface of the metal portion 24 of the housing 12 and maintains contact with the thermal conductive sheet 66 and the inner surface.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

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

[0002] For example, Patent Document 1 describes an imaging device that includes an imaging board holder that holds an imaging board (a board on which an imaging sensor is mounted), a duct unit through which air blown by a cooling fan flows, and a heat conductive sheet that is partly attached to the imaging board holder and the other part is in contact with the duct unit. An elastic member biases the other part of the heat conductive sheet toward the duct unit, thereby maintaining contact between the heat conductive sheet and the duct unit. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2023-077022 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in the case of the imaging device described in Patent Document 1, the heat dissipation member that dissipates heat from the imaging sensor to the outside is a duct unit through which air flows, and is disposed inside the housing of the imaging device. However, depending on the type of imaging device, such a duct unit may not exist, or the duct unit may not have a flat portion large enough to be in surface contact with the thermally conductive sheet. In other words, there may be no heat dissipation member inside the housing of the imaging device that can be thermally connected to the imaging sensor element via the thermally conductive sheet.

[0005] In view of the above, an object of the present disclosure is to dissipate heat from an image sensor to the outside of a housing in an image capture device in which a heat dissipation member that is thermally connectable to the image sensor via a thermally conductive sheet is not present inside the housing. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, according to one aspect of the present disclosure, an enclosure including at least a portion of a metal part and having an outer surface defined at least in part by said metal part; a lens mount provided on a front surface of the housing; an image sensor provided within the housing and positioned behind the lens mount; a thermally conductive sheet that transfers heat from the image sensor to the metal portion of the housing; and a resilient member that urges the thermally conductive sheet toward an inner surface of the metal portion of the housing and maintains contact between the thermally conductive sheet and the inner surface. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the present disclosure, in an imaging device in which a heat dissipation member that is thermally connectable to an image sensor via a thermally conductive sheet is not present inside the housing, heat from the image sensor can be dissipated outside the housing. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a front and top perspective view of an imaging device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; [Diagram 2] 1 is a rear and bottom perspective view of an imaging device; [Diagram 3] Exploded perspective view of an imaging device [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of an imaging module in an imaging device; [Diagram 5] A rear perspective view of the imaging module [Figure 6] An exploded front perspective view of an imaging module [Figure 7] Exploded rear perspective view of the imaging module [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a thermal connection between a main base and a housing of an imaging module; [Figure 9] Cross-sectional view taken along line AA in Figure 8. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Hereinafter, the embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the drawings as appropriate. However, more detailed explanation than necessary may be omitted. For example, detailed explanation of already well-known matters or duplicate explanation of substantially the same configuration may be omitted. This is to avoid the following explanation becoming unnecessarily redundant and to facilitate understanding by those skilled in the art.

[0010] The inventor(s) provide the accompanying drawings and the following description so that those skilled in the art can fully understand the present disclosure, and do not intend for them to limit the subject matter described in the claims.

[0011] Hereinafter, an imaging device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0012] FIG. 1 is a schematic front and top perspective view of an imaging device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the imaging device. The XYZ orthogonal coordinate system shown in the figure is for facilitating understanding of the embodiment of the present disclosure, and does not limit the embodiment of the present disclosure. The X-axis direction is the front-rear direction of the imaging device, the Y-axis direction is the left-right direction, and the Z-axis direction is the height direction. In this specification, the side of the imaging device where a subject exists is defined as the "front side". Furthermore, the "left side" and the "right side" are the "left side" and the "right side" when the imaging device is viewed from the front of the imaging device.

[0013] As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the imaging device 10 according to the present embodiment has a housing 12 whose outer surface is a design surface, and a lens mount 14 provided on a front surface 12a of the housing 12 to which a lens (not shown) is detachably attached. A grip portion to be held by a user's right hand is provided on a left end portion 12b of the housing 12. A screw hole 16 to which a tripod or the like is attached is provided on a bottom surface 12c of the housing 12. A shutter button 18 is provided on a top surface 12d of the housing 12. A monitor 20 and an electronic viewfinder 21 are provided on a rear surface 12e of the housing 12. That is, in the case of the present embodiment, the imaging device 10 has a design similar to that of a so-called single-lens reflex camera.

[0014] In this embodiment, the housing 12 is made up of a plurality of members.

[0015] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the imaging device.

[0016] 3, the housing 12 of the imaging device 10 is composed of a front casing 22 including a front surface 12a, a bottom casing 24 including a bottom surface 12c, a top casing 26 including a top surface 12d, and a rear casing 28 including a rear surface 12e. For repair of the imaging device 10, the front casing 22, the bottom casing 24, the top casing 26, and the rear casing 28 are separable from one another. In the case of this embodiment, at least the bottom casing 24 is made of a metal material having high thermal conductivity, such as an aluminum alloy.

[0017] As shown in FIG. 3, in the present embodiment, a lens mount module 30 and an imaging module 40 are disposed within a housing 12 of the imaging device 10.

[0018] The lens mount module 30 includes the lens mount 14 and a shutter (not shown), and is attached to the inner surface of the front casing 22. The front casing 22 is formed with a through hole 22a through which the lens mount 14 passes.

[0019] The imaging module 40 is attached to the rear surface of the lens mount module 30 and includes an imaging sensor.

[0020] Fig. 4 is a front perspective view of the imaging module, Fig. 5 is a rear perspective view of the imaging module, Fig. 6 is a front exploded perspective view of the imaging module, and Fig. 7 is a rear exploded perspective view of the imaging module.

[0021] 4 to 7, the imaging module 40 includes an imaging sensor 42. The imaging sensor 42 is a device that receives image light transmitted through a lens (not shown) attached to the lens mount 14 on a light receiving surface 42a and converts the received image light into an electrical signal. In the present embodiment, the imaging sensor 42 is mounted on a substrate 44.

[0022] When the imaging module 40 is provided in the housing 12, the imaging sensor 42 is disposed behind the lens mount 14. As a result, the light receiving surface 42a of the imaging sensor 42 is disposed on the optical axis C of a lens (not shown) attached to the lens mount 14.

[0023] In the present embodiment, the imaging device 10 is configured to be able to perform image stabilization. That is, the imaging module 40 is configured to be able to displace the imaging sensor 42 in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis C so that image blurring does not occur due to vibration of the hand of the user holding the imaging device 10.

[0024] Specifically, the imaging module 40 includes a substrate holder 46 that holds a substrate 44 on which an imaging sensor 42 is mounted, and a main base 48 that supports the substrate holder 46 movably in the left-right direction (Y-axis direction) and the height direction (Z-axis direction). The main base 48 includes a front frame 50 and a rear frame 52. The substrate holder 46, the front frame 50, and the rear frame 52 are made of a metal material having high thermal conductivity, such as an aluminum alloy. The imaging module 40 is fixed to the lens mount module 30 via the front frame 50.

[0025] The front frame 50 and the rear frame 52 are fixed to each other and support the substrate holder 46 such that the substrate holder 46 is displaced between them. A plurality of coils 55 and a plurality of magnets 56 for displacing the substrate holder 46 are provided on the substrate holder 46, the front frame 50, and the rear frame 52. The coil 55 on the substrate holder 46 is disposed between the magnet 56 on the front frame 50 and the magnet 56 on the rear frame 52. When a current flows through the coil 55, the coil 55 is displaced in a magnetic field formed between the magnets 56. As a result, the substrate holder 46 is displaced, and the imaging sensor 42 supported by the substrate holder 46 via the substrate 44 is displaced.

[0026] In the present embodiment, the substrate holder 46 is provided with a filter unit 60 including a protection glass 58 and a plurality of optical filters such as infrared cut glass, so as to be positioned in front of the image sensor 42 .

[0027] In this embodiment, the image sensor 42 is thermally connected to the substrate holder 46. Specifically, as shown in Fig. 6, the rear surface of the image sensor 42 contacts a protrusion 46a that is provided on the substrate holder 46 and protrudes forward. Heat generated by the image sensor 42 is transferred to the substrate holder 46 via this protrusion 46a. A through hole 44a that passes through the protrusion 46a is formed in the substrate 44.

[0028] In this embodiment, the substrate 44 is also thermally connected to the substrate holder 46. The substrate 44 is attached to the substrate holder 46 via a plurality of thermally conductive sheets 62 that are adhesive on both sides. Heat from the substrate 44 is transferred to the substrate holder 46 via the thermally conductive sheets 62.

[0029] In the present embodiment, the substrate holder 46 is thermally connected to the rear frame 52 of the main base 48. As shown in FIG. 7, a thin thermally conductive sheet 64 having thermal conductivity and flexibility is attached to the rear surface of the substrate holder 46. The thermally conductive sheet 64 is, for example, a graphite sheet. As shown in FIG. 5, a tip 64a of the thermally conductive sheet 64 passes through a through hole 52a formed in the rear frame 52 and is attached to the rear surface 52b of the rear frame 52. The flexible thermally conductive sheet 64 thermally connects the substrate holder 46 to the rear frame 52 of the main base 48 while displaceably supporting the substrate holder 46 on the main base 48.

[0030] As described above, heat from the image sensor 42 (and the substrate 44) is transferred to the rear frame 52 of the main base 48. The heat from the rear frame 52 is transferred to the housing 12 and dissipated from the housing 12 to the outside.

[0031] Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing the thermal connection between the main base and the housing of the imaging module, and Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in Fig. 8.

[0032] 8 and 9, the rear frame 52 of the main base 48 in the imaging module 40 is thermally connected to the inner surface 24a opposite to the bottom surface 12c of the housing 12 via a thermally conductive sheet 66. In the case of the present embodiment, the inner surface 24a of the bottom casing 24 in the housing 12 and the rear surface 52b of the rear frame 52 are thermally connected by the thermally conductive sheet 66.

[0033] The thermally conductive sheet 66 is a thin sheet having thermal conductivity and flexibility, such as a graphite sheet. The thermally conductive sheet 66 includes a main body portion 66a attached to the rear surface 52b of the rear frame 52 and a tongue portion 66b extending from the main body portion 66a. A tip portion 66c of the tongue portion 66b is in contact with the inner surface 24a of the bottom casing 24.

[0034] While the main body 66a of the thermally conductive sheet 66 is fixed to the rear surface 52b of the rear frame 52, the tip 66c is not fixed to the inner surface 24a of the bottom casing 24. Therefore, the bottom casing 24 can be repeatedly attached to and detached from the front casing 22 and the rear casing 28 without damaging the thermally conductive sheet 66. In other words, the tip 66c of the thermally conductive sheet 66 is in contact with the inner surface 24a of the bottom casing 24 so as to be separable therefrom.

[0035] In order to repeatedly come into contact with the inner surface 24a of the detachable bottom casing 24 at a constant contact pressure, a tip portion 66c of the thermally conductive sheet 66 is biased by an elastic member 68, as shown in Fig. 9. The elastic member 68 is an elastically deformable member, such as a sponge, rubber, or a leaf spring.

[0036] Specifically, when the bottom casing 24 is attached to the front casing 22 and the rear casing 28, the elastic member 68 continues to urge the tip portion 66c of the thermally conductive sheet 66 toward the inner surface 24a of the bottom casing 24. This maintains contact between the tip portion 66c of the thermally conductive sheet 66 and the inner surface 24a of the bottom casing 24, i.e., maintains thermal connection therebetween.

[0037] 9, a rigid member 70 that functions as a retainer member that receives the elastic member 68 is provided inside the housing 12. In the present embodiment, the rigid member 70 is a member that improves the rigidity of the housing 12, particularly the rigidity of the bottom casing 24. The rigid member 70 is also formed with a screw hole 16 to which a tripod or the like shown in FIG.

[0038] Specifically, as shown in FIG. 9, the rigid member 70 is provided in the housing 12 so as to face the inner surface 24a of the bottom casing 24 with a gap therebetween. The tip 66c of the heat conductive sheet 66 is disposed between the inner surface 24a of the bottom casing 24 and the rigid member 70. The elastic member 68 is disposed between the tip 66c and the rigid member 70. When the bottom casing 24 is attached to the front casing 22 and the rear casing 28, the elastic member 68 is sandwiched between the bottom casing 24 and the rigid member 70 and compressed and deformed. As a result, the tip 66c of the heat conductive sheet 66 is maintained in contact with the inner surface 24a of the bottom casing 24. The elastic member 68 is attached to the rigid member 70 via a double-sided tape (not shown). The tip 66c of the heat conductive sheet 66 is attached to the elastic member 68 via a double-sided tape (not shown).

[0039] In the present embodiment, the thermally conductive sheet 66 passes through a through hole 70a formed in the rigid member 70. Specifically, the tongue portion 66b of the thermally conductive sheet 66 passes through the through hole 70a, and the tongue portion 66b that has passed is bent. As a result, the tip portion 66c of the thermally conductive sheet 66 is disposed between the inner surface 24a of the bottom casing 24 and the rigid member 70 so as to follow the rigid member 70. By passing the thermally conductive sheet 66 through the through hole 70a, the rear frame 52 of the imaging module 40 and the bottom casing 24 can be thermally connected over the shortest distance.

[0040] According to such thermal connections and the corresponding structure, heat generated from the image sensor 42 during shooting is transferred directly to the board holder 46, and also transferred to the board holder 46 via the board 44. The heat from the board holder 46 is transferred mainly via the thermally conductive sheet 64 to the rear frame 52 of the main base 48. The heat from the rear frame 52 is transferred to the bottom casing 24 via the thermally conductive sheet 66. Then, the heat from the bottom casing 24 is released to the outside via the outer surface of the bottom casing 24, i.e., the bottom surface 12c of the housing 12. As a result, the image sensor 42 is cooled.

[0041] In this embodiment, heat is dissipated through the bottom surface 12c of the housing 12 of the imaging device 10 among the multiple outer surfaces. In this embodiment, the front surface 12a of the housing 12 may be touched by the left hand of the user holding the lens attached to the lens mount 14. A grip portion is located at the left end portion 12b of the housing 12, which is held by the right hand of the user. Furthermore, the rear surface 12e of the housing 12 is close to the face of the user looking into the electronic viewfinder 21. Furthermore, the top surface 12d of the housing 12 is not suitable for heat dissipation because it has multiple buttons such as the shutter button 18 that the user touches. For these reasons, the bottom surface 12c of the housing 12, which is less likely to be approached or touched by parts of the user's body than other parts, is used for heat dissipation.

[0042] According to the present embodiment as described above, in an imaging device in which a heat dissipation member that is thermally connectable to the image sensor via a thermally conductive sheet is not present within the housing, heat from the image sensor can be dissipated to the outside of the housing.

[0043] Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, the embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to these.

[0044] For example, in the case of the above-described embodiment, the imaging device 10 has an image stabilization function, i.e., the imaging sensor 42 is capable of being displaced in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis C. However, the embodiment of the present disclosure is not limited to this. The imaging device according to the embodiment of the present disclosure may be an imaging device that does not have an image stabilization function, i.e., an imaging device having a structure in which the imaging sensor does not displace.

[0045] In the above embodiment, the housing 12 of the imaging device 10 is composed of four members, namely, the front casing 22, the bottom casing 24, the top casing 26, and the rear casing 28. However, the embodiment of the present disclosure is not limited to this. The housing of the imaging device may have any shape as long as it at least partially includes a metal portion and the metal portion constitutes at least a part of the outer surface of the housing.

[0046] Furthermore, in the case of the above-described embodiment, heat generated from the image sensor disposed in the housing 12 of the imaging device 10 is ultimately released to the outside from the bottom surface 12c of the housing 12. However, this is because the imaging device 10 has a design similar to that of a so-called single-lens reflex camera. For example, in the case of an imaging device having a design different from that of a single-lens reflex camera, the part of the housing that releases heat from the image sensor to the outside is not limited to the bottom surface.

[0047] That is, an imaging device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, in a broad sense, comprises a housing having an outer surface that at least partially includes a metal portion and is at least partially constituted by the metal portion, a lens mount provided on the front side of the housing, an imaging sensor provided within the housing and positioned behind the lens mount, a thermally conductive sheet that transfers heat from the imaging sensor to the metal portion of the housing, and an elastic member that urges the thermally conductive sheet toward the inner surface of the metal portion of the housing, maintaining contact between the thermally conductive sheet and the inner surface.

[0048] As described above, the above-mentioned embodiment has been described as an example of the technology in the present disclosure. For this purpose, drawings and detailed description are provided. Therefore, among the components described in the drawings and detailed description, not only components essential for solving the problem but also components that are not essential for solving the problem in order to illustrate the above-mentioned technology may be included. Therefore, the fact that these non-essential components are described in the drawings or detailed description should not be used to immediately determine that these non-essential components are essential.

[0049] Furthermore, since the above-described embodiments are intended to illustrate the technology in the present disclosure, various modifications, substitutions, additions, omissions, and the like can be made within the scope of the claims or their equivalents. [Industrial Applicability]

[0050] The present disclosure is applicable to an imaging device in which at least a portion of the housing is made of a metal material. [Explanation of symbols]

[0051] 10. Imaging device 12. Cabinet 14 Lens mount 24 Metal parts (bottom casing) 66 Thermal Conductive Sheet 68 Elastic Members

Claims

1. an enclosure including at least a portion of a metal part and having an outer surface defined at least in part by said metal part; a lens mount provided on a front surface of the housing; an image sensor provided within the housing and positioned behind the lens mount; a thermally conductive sheet that transfers heat from the image sensor to the metal portion of the housing; an elastic member that urges the thermally conductive sheet toward an inner surface of the metal portion of the housing and maintains contact between the thermally conductive sheet and the inner surface.

2. The imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein the metal portion forms at least a portion of a bottom surface of the housing.

3. the housing includes a removable bottom casing including the bottom surface of the housing; The imaging device according to claim 2 , wherein the metal portion is the bottom casing.

4. a retainer member provided within the housing to face the inner surface with a gap therebetween and to receive the elastic member; the thermally conductive sheet has a leading end that extends between the inner surface and the retainer member; The imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein the elastic member is disposed between the retainer member and the leading end of the thermally conductive sheet.

5. the retainer member has a through hole through which the thermally conductive sheet passes; The imaging device according to claim 4 , wherein the portion of the thermally conductive sheet that passes through the through hole is folded so that the tip portion is disposed between the inner surface and the retainer member.

6. A substrate on which the image sensor is mounted; a substrate holder for holding the substrate; a main base that displaceably holds the substrate holder; The imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein a portion of the thermally conductive sheet is attached to the main base.

Images