Camera module, image capturing system, and mobile vehicle

Abstract

To provide a camera module which ensures coupling between housings using screws without sacrificing airtightness inside the housings maintained by sealing members while enabling miniaturization of a camera, and to provide an image capturing system and a mobile vehicle.SOLUTION: A camera module of the present invention is configured such that screws 80 that is screwed into a first housing 23 form a side of a second housing 24 to couple the first housing 23 and the second housing 24 together are used to fix a sealing member 70 provided between the second housing 24 and the third housing with respect to the second housing 24 at positions not interfering with an image capturing module 310.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a camera module such as an in-vehicle camera mounted on a vehicle such as an automobile, an imaging system, and a mobile object equipped with an imaging system. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, automobiles have been equipped with on-board cameras to support parking and prevent collisions through image recognition, and attempts have also been made to apply them to autonomous driving. In addition, camera modules such as such on-board cameras generally include a lens unit having a lens group consisting of multiple lenses arranged along an optical axis, a lens barrel that houses and holds this lens group, and an aperture member arranged between at least one of the lenses in the lens group (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] In addition, such lens units may be attached to a mounting portion such as the front grille of a vehicle (automobile), with the lens closest to the object exposed to the outside. In such cases, foreign matter such as water droplets, muddy water, ice, snow, and frost easily adheres to the surface of the lens. If this happens, it is necessary to remove the foreign matter to ensure a clear field of view for observation using the lens unit.

[0004] In recent years, foreign matter adhering to the surface of a lens (or lens cover) has been removed by vibrating (ultrasonic vibration) the lens (or lens cover) with a vibrating body. For example, in Patent Document 2, a vibrating device for removing foreign matter such as water droplets and dust adhering to a dome-shaped cover (lens cover) is provided in a camera equipped with a lens unit.

[0005] Specifically, as shown in FIG. 6, such a vibration device 102 is provided in a camera that has an imaging unit 105 with a lens 106 and a circuit including an imaging element built in at the top of the camera body 103, and is equipped with a dome-shaped transparent cover 111, a cylindrical vibrating body 112 to which the cover 111 is fixed, and a piezoelectric element 113 that is fixed to the vibrating body 112 and vibrates the cover 111 via the vibrating body 112. The vibrating body 112 has a cylindrical portion 114 having a first end 114a located on the cover 111 side and a second end 114b located on the opposite side from the cover 111, a cylindrical first connecting portion 115 connected to the first end 114a of the cylindrical portion 114 and consisting of a cylinder with an inner diameter larger than that of the cylindrical portion 114, a first ring-shaped portion 116 interposed between the first connecting portion 115 and the cover 111 and having an inner diameter smaller than that of the first connecting portion 115, a second connecting portion 117 connected to the second end 114b of the cylindrical portion 114 and consisting of a cylinder with an outer diameter smaller than that of the cylindrical portion 114, and a second ring-shaped portion 118 interposed between the second connecting portion 117 and the piezoelectric element 113 and having an outer diameter larger than that of the second connecting portion 117.

[0006] In such a vibration device 102, by driving the piezoelectric element 113 to ultrasonically vibrate the cover 111 via the vibrating body 112, the movement and atomization of droplets can be more effectively achieved, or foreign matter adhering to the surface of the cover 111 can be removed. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-231993 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 6977784 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] Incidentally, all of the components of such a compact camera module, including camera body 103 and vibration device 102, are housed within housing 130. In this case, housing 130 may be constructed by joining multiple housing parts together for reasons such as ease of assembly of the camera components. In particular, when housing 130 is constructed, for reasons of ease of assembly or design, from a cylindrical first housing that forms an internal storage space for accommodating vibrating device 102 and a lens unit including lens 106 and a lens barrel, a substantially thin-walled, dish-shaped second housing that forms a recess that primarily accommodates a board portion on which an imaging element of an image sensor module (imaging module) constituting imaging unit 105 is mounted, and a cylindrical third housing that forms an internal storage space for accommodating most of the image sensor module and part of an extension from the image sensor module, a problem may arise. This will be described below.

[0009] In the split housing structure described above, the housings must be fastened together with screws, and a seal must be inserted between the housings to maintain airtightness. In this case, the image sensor module, which occupies most of the interior space of the second and third housings, is generally positioned at the center of the second and third housings, and the seal is disposed on the outer periphery of the housings to ensure sufficient airtightness. Therefore, the screws for fastening the housings together are disposed on the outer periphery of the housings, close to the seal, between the image sensor module and the seal. It is particularly difficult to secure a suitable mounting location for the screw in the second housing, which is generally thin and dish-shaped and has limited installation space.

[0010] That is, as an example, as shown in Figures 7 and 8, when the image sensor module 155 occupies most of the inner space of the second housing 130B and the sealing member 140 is arranged on the outer periphery of the second housing 130B, screws 142 for fastening the first housing 130A and the second housing 130B together are arranged at four locations (four corners in the figures) on the outer periphery of the second housing 130B, close to the sealing member 140, between the image sensor module 155 and the sealing member 140. In this case, as described above, the inside of first housing 130A is densely packed with components including camera body 103 and vibration device 102, and assembly is also performed in order from first housing 130A to second housing 130B and third housing (not shown), so generally, screw 142 is screwed into first housing 130A from the second housing 130B side, and the head of screw 142 is positioned on the second housing 130B side. Note that rubber washer 144 is interposed between the head of screw 142 and second housing 130B, and sealing member 140 has an annular shape disposed in groove 150 formed around the entire periphery of second housing 130B along the inner outer periphery, and is positioned by groove 150.

[0011] Therefore, in a situation where the installation space for camera components is limited, and with the recent increasing demand for smaller cameras, it becomes necessary to position the screw 142 further outward to avoid interference between the screw 142 and the image sensor module 155. As a result, there is a concern that the head of the screw 142 may interfere with the seal member 140, adversely affecting the airtightness of the seal member 140.

[0012] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a camera module, an imaging system, and a mobile body that enable the camera to be miniaturized while ensuring that housings are fastened together with screws without compromising the airtightness inside the housing provided by the sealing member. [Means for solving the problem]

[0013] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a camera module including a lens group in which a plurality of lenses are arranged along the optical axes of the lenses, a lens barrel that houses and holds the lens group, and an image sensor that converts light collected through the lens group into an electrical signal, a cylindrical first housing that defines an accommodation space therein for receiving the lens barrel that accommodates and holds the lens group; a second housing coupled to an image side of the first housing and forming a recess for receiving a substrate on which the image sensor is mounted so that the image sensor faces the lens group; a cylindrical third housing coupled to the image side of the second housing and surrounding an imaging module including the substrate from the outside; a screw that is screwed into the first housing from the second housing side to fasten the first housing and the second housing together; a seal member interposed between the second housing and the third housing; Equipped with The sealing member is arranged around the entire inner outer peripheral edge of the second housing, and is fixed to the second housing by the screw at a position where the imaging module and the screw do not interfere with each other.

[0014] According to the above-described configuration of the present invention, the screws that are screwed into the first housing from the second housing side to fasten the first and second housings secure the seal member to the second housing at a position that does not interfere with the imaging module. Therefore, even in situations where the installation space for the second housing is limited due to the miniaturization of cameras, the fastening of the housings with the screws can be ensured without compromising the airtightness of the housings provided by the seal member. In other words, because the screws for fastening the housings are integrated with the seal member and also serve as fixing screws for the seal member, the conventional problem of the screw head adversely affecting the sealing properties of the seal member, which would otherwise be necessary to position the screws further outward to avoid interference between the screws and the imaging module, is avoided. Furthermore, because the seal member is fixed with screws, there is no need to form grooves in the second housing for accommodating and positioning the seal member, as in the conventional case.

[0015] In the above configuration of the present invention, the sealing member preferably has a plurality of screw engagement portions into which screws are engaged so as to enable the sealing member to be fixed and the first and second housings to be fastened together with the screws. In this case, it is more preferable that the screw engagement portion has an insertion hole for inserting the shank of a screw that penetrates the second housing and screws into the first housing, and a washer operating portion (a portion that acts as a washer) that is interposed between the head of the screw and the second housing. This allows the sealing member and the washer to be formed integrally, eliminating the need to assemble a separate washer used in screw fastening.

[0016] In the above-described configuration of the present invention, the screw engagement portion preferably forms a peripheral side wall that surrounds the entire periphery of the head of the screw. Alternatively, the screw engagement portion preferably forms a recess for embedding the head of the screw inside the sealing member. In this way, the head of the screw is covered by the sealing member, preventing the head of the screw from adversely affecting the sealing performance between the second housing and the third housing.

[0017] In the above-described configuration of the present invention, it is preferable that the first housing further includes a vibration mechanism having a vibrator for vibrating the first lens of the lens group that is positioned closest to the object. This makes it possible to remove foreign matter such as water droplets and dust adhering to the lens (or lens cover) by vibration, thereby ensuring a clear field of view at all times.

[0018] The present invention also provides an in-vehicle system having the above-mentioned camera module, and a mobile body equipped with the in-vehicle system. Such in-vehicle systems and mobile bodies can achieve the same effects as the above-mentioned camera module. Note that the term "mobile body" refers to any object that can move, such as a vehicle. [Effects of the Invention]

[0019] According to the camera module of the present invention, it is possible to reduce the size of the camera, while ensuring that the housings can be fastened together with screws without compromising the airtightness inside the housings provided by the sealing member. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0020] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a camera module according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 2(a) is a plan view of the second housing of the camera module of FIG. 1 as seen from the side of the third housing, and FIG. 2(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 2(a). [Figure 3] 3 is a schematic partial perspective view of a screw engagement portion in the second housing of FIG. 2. FIG. [Figure 4] 1 is a schematic diagram of a vehicle as a moving body on which an imaging system (on-board system) including a camera module according to an embodiment of the present invention is mounted. [Figure 5] 5 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an imaging device that constitutes the imaging system of FIG. 4. FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a conventional camera module. [Figure 7]FIG. 1(a) is a plan view of the second housing of another conventional camera module as viewed from the third housing side, and FIG. 1(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. [Figure 8] 8 is a schematic partial perspective view of a screw fastening portion and a sealing member in the second housing of FIG. 7. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. This embodiment contributes to the achievement of "9. Industry, innovation and infrastructure" of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) advocated by the United Nations, which states, "9.1 Develop quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure, including regional and transborder infrastructure, to support economic development and human well-being, with a focus on affordable and equitable access for all."

[0022] 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a camera module 300 according to one embodiment of the present invention. The camera module described below is particularly a camera module for an in-vehicle camera, and is, for example, fixedly installed on the exterior surface of a vehicle, with wiring drawn into the vehicle and connected to a display or other device.

[0023] As shown in FIG. 1, the camera module 300 of this embodiment is configured by accommodating various optical elements in a housing formed by joining together a plurality of housing parts. Specifically, camera module 300 includes, as optical elements, lens group L in which a plurality of lenses are arranged along the optical axes of the lenses, a cylindrical lens barrel 22 that houses and holds lens group L, and image sensor 304 that converts light collected through lens group L into an electrical signal. The housing is made up of a first housing 23 in the shape of a rectangular tube that forms an accommodation space inside to accommodate lens barrel 22 that houses and holds lens group L, a second housing 24 in the shape of a rectangular tube and approximately a thin dish that forms a recess 24g that houses a board 309 on which image sensor 304 is mounted so that image sensor 304 faces lens group L, and determines the position of image sensor 304 in the direction of the optical axis, and a third housing 25 in the shape of a rectangular tube that surrounds image sensor module 310 including board 309 from the outside, and an extension 310A extending from image sensor module 310 protrudes outward from third housing 25. The imaging module 310 is formed by combining, for example, the upper substrate 309 on which the imaging element 304 is mounted, with a lower substrate on which a circuit for performing image processing is mounted.

[0024] The image-side (lower side in FIG. 1) ends of lens barrel 22 and first housing 23 are supported by second housing 24. The length of second housing 24 in the optical axis direction is shorter than that of first housing 23. The optical axis is indicated by O, and the direction perpendicular to this optical axis O is the radial direction.

[0025] First housing 23 is disposed radially outward of lens barrel 22, and second housing 24 is disposed closer to the image side (lower side in FIG. 1) than first housing 23. Lens barrel 22, first housing 23, second housing 24, and third housing 25 are disposed coaxially. A rectangular plate-shaped inner flange portion 24a is formed at the upper end of the second housing 24, and a convex portion 24b that protrudes toward the object side (upward in Figure 1) is formed at the radial center of this inner flange portion 24a, and a through hole 24c is formed at the radial center of this convex portion 24b.

[0026] Furthermore, a step 24d is formed on the upper surface of the inner flange 24a, and the lower end of the first housing 23 is fitted into this step 24d, thereby positioning the first housing 23 relative to the second housing 24 in the radial direction and the optical axis direction.

[0027] Furthermore, the lens unit 20 including the lens group L and the lens barrel 22 includes a plurality of (for example, six) lenses 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, and 36 arranged in order from the object side. The lens 31 is a first lens 31 located closest to the object side, and this first lens 31 is provided in the first housing 23 and held by a lens holding portion 50, which will be described later. Five lenses 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 , and 36 arranged closer to the image side than the first lens 31 are provided inside the lens barrel 22 .

[0028] Furthermore, a cylindrical protrusion 27 that protrudes toward the image side (downward in FIG. 1) is formed at the lower end of lens barrel 22, and this protrusion 27 is inserted into and fitted into a through-hole 24c provided in second housing 24. As a result, lens barrel 22 and second housing 24 are arranged coaxially and coincident with optical axis O.

[0029] Furthermore, the first lens 31 located closest to the object side is a glass lens, and the lenses 32 to 36 are resin lenses, but this is not limiting (for example, the lens 31 may be a resin lens). Furthermore, the surfaces of the lenses 31 to 36 may be provided with an anti-reflection film, a hydrophilic film, a water-repellent film, or the like, as required.

[0030] The multiple lenses 31 to 36 fixed to and supported by the lens barrel 22 are arranged with their optical axes aligned, and the lenses 31 to 36 are lined up along a single optical axis O to form a group of lenses L used for imaging.

[0031] In this embodiment, the first housing 23 is disposed radially outward from the lens barrel 22. The first housing 23 is made of metal such as SUS and includes a rectangular cylindrical housing main body 23a, a top plate portion 23b in the shape of a rectangular plate that is short in the radial direction and formed integrally with the housing main body 23a at the upper end of the housing main body 23a, and a locking portion 23c that is formed integrally with the top plate portion 23b at the inner peripheral edge of the top plate portion 23b. The thickness of the top plate portion 23b (thickness in the optical axis direction) is thinner than the thickness of the housing main body 23a (thickness in the radial direction).

[0032] The locking portion 23c includes a generally cylindrical protruding portion 23d formed to protrude from the inner peripheral edge of the top plate portion 23b toward the object side (upper side in FIG. 1), and a pressing portion 23e bent radially inward from the upper end of the protruding portion 23d. An inclined surface 23f inclined with respect to the optical axis O is formed on the inner surface of the pressing portion 23e along the circumferential direction. Then, inclined surface 23f presses the surface edge of first lens 31, thereby fixing first lens 31. In other words, in a state in which lens group L is assembled and housed within first housing 23 and lens barrel 22, inclined surface 23f of pressing portion 23e presses first lens 31, which is located closest to the object side of lens group L, and fixes it to the object-side end of first housing 23 in the optical axis direction.

[0033] Furthermore, an inner flange portion 26 having an opening with a diameter smaller than that of sixth lens 36 is provided at the image side end (the lower end in FIG. 1) of lens barrel 22. A plurality of lenses 31-36 constituting lens group L within first housing 23 and lens barrel 22 are held and fixed in the optical axis direction by this inner flange portion 26 and inclined surface 23f of pressing portion 23e. Further, a filter 99 such as an infrared cut filter is provided on the lower surface of the inner flange portion 26 .

[0034] In this embodiment, a ring-shaped lens holding portion 50 that holds the first lens 31 is provided. The lens holder 50 is manufactured by turning a metal such as stainless steel into a thin ring shape. The lens holder 50 has, on its inner periphery, a cylindrical inner circumferential surface 50a and a toric surface 50b that is perpendicular to the inner circumferential surface 50a, with the inner circumferential surface 50a and the toric surface 50b being formed into an L-shaped cross section. The inner circumferential surface 50a is disposed coaxially with the optical axis O, and the toric surface 50b is disposed perpendicular to the optical axis O. In addition, the lens holding portion 50 has an inner surface 50c that is perpendicular to the annular surface 50b and is arranged coaxially with the optical axis O, and this inner surface 50c is arranged closer to the image (lower in Figure 1) than the inner surface 50a and has a smaller inner diameter dimension than the inner surface 50a.

[0035] In addition, the inner diameter dimension of the inner surface 50c of the ring-shaped lens holding portion 50 is larger than the outer diameter dimension of the lens barrel 22, so that the upper end of the lens barrel 22 is positioned inside the inner surface 50c of the lens holding portion 50. Furthermore, the lens holder 50 is joined to the first housing 23. That is, the outer peripheral surface 50d of the lens holder 50 abuts the inner periphery of the protrusion 23d of the first housing 23 with almost no gap, whereby the lens holder 50 fits into the locking portion 23c of the first housing 23. In this way, the lens holder 50 is joined to the first housing 23 having the locking portion 23c. The lens holder 50 joined to the first housing 23 has an axis that coincides with the optical axis O, and is positioned in the optical axis direction.

[0036] The lens holder 50 also holds the first lens 31. That is, the inner peripheral surface 50a of the lens holder 50 abuts tightly against the outer peripheral surface of the first lens 31, thereby positioning the first lens 31 in the radial direction and disposing it coaxially with the optical axis O. The annular surface 50b of the lens holder 50 abuts tightly against the flat bottom surface 31a of the first lens 31 facing the image side, thereby positioning the first lens 31 in the optical axis direction.

[0037] Furthermore, lenses 32 to 36, which are arranged closer to the image than the first lens 31, are held by the lens barrel 22 so that their optical axes are aligned, and the lens barrel 22 is arranged coaxially with the second housing 24 and aligned with the optical axis O, so that the first lens 31 and lenses 32 to 36, which are arranged closer to the image than the first lens 31, are arranged coaxially or with an eccentricity of less than a predetermined amount.

[0038] In this embodiment, a vibration mechanism 60 for vibrating the first lens 31 is provided. The vibration mechanism 60 includes a vibrator 61 that ultrasonically vibrates, and a vibrating body 62 that transmits the ultrasonic vibration of the vibrator 61 to the first lens 31. The vibration mechanism 60 is housed in the first housing 23, positioned radially inward from the first housing 23 and radially outward from the lens barrel 22. The vibrator 61 is formed in the shape of an annular plate, and is provided inside the housing main body 23a of the first housing 23. The vibrator 61 is formed of, for example, a piezoelectric element. The vibration mechanism 60 having the vibrator 61 is separated from the second housing 24 by a predetermined gap s to avoid resonance due to vibration (resonance and the resulting noise).

[0039] The vibrating body 62 includes a donut-shaped disk-shaped mounting portion 62a, and a main body portion 62b that extends from the mounting portion 62a toward the object side (upward in FIG. 1), has an outer diameter and an inner diameter that continuously change in the axial direction (optical axis direction), has a generally cylindrical shape with bulges and constrictions, and has an S-shaped cross section. The vibrator 61 is fixed to the lower surface of the mounting portion 62a, and the upper end side of the main body portion 62b is integrally formed with the lens holding portion 50 described above.

[0040] In such vibration mechanism 60, vibrator 61 ultrasonically vibrates at a predetermined frequency, causing vibrating body 62 to ultrasonically vibrate. When vibrating body 62 vibrates, first lens 31 ultrasonically vibrates at the same frequency via lens holding part 50, because vibrating body 62 is integrated with lens holding part 50, thereby removing foreign matter such as water droplets, muddy water, ice, snow, and frost from lens surface 31b of first lens 31.

[0041] The lens holding part 50 is fitted into the top panel part 23b (locking part 23c) of the first housing 23, but the thickness of the top panel part 23b is thinner than the thickness of the housing main body 23a, and the top panel part 23b functions as a damper, so that vibrations of the lens holding part 50 are not easily transmitted to the housing main body 23a. Therefore, vibrations are not easily transmitted to the second housing 24 fitted into the housing main body 23a, and as a result, vibrations are not easily transmitted to the lens barrel 22 fitted into the second housing 24, and therefore to the lenses 32 to 36, and deterioration of optical performance caused by displacement of the lenses 32 to 36 due to vibrations can be suppressed.

[0042] In addition, in this embodiment, the lens unit 20 is composed of the first housing 23, the first lens 31 held in the first housing 23, the lens barrel 22, the lenses 32 to 36 held in the lens barrel 22, the lens holding part 50, the vibration mechanism 60, etc. The camera module 300 of this embodiment is composed of this lens unit 20, a second housing 24 that fits into the first housing 23 of the lens unit 20, and a third housing 25 that fits into the second housing 24 and houses the imaging module.

[0043] The second housing 24 and the third housing 25 house therein an imaging module 310 including a board 309 on which an imaging element 304 (image sensor) is mounted. Specifically, the imaging module 310 occupies most of the inner space of the second and third housings 24, 25, and is disposed in the center of the inside of the third housing 25 with the board 309 on which the imaging element 304 (image sensor) is mounted being received and positioned in the recess 24g of the second housing 24.

[0044] Image sensor 304 as a package sensor is disposed inside second housing 24 facing filter 99, and is disposed in a position where it receives an image of an object formed by lens unit 20. Image sensor 304 is equipped with a CCD, CMOS, or the like, and converts light that is collected and reaches it through lens unit 20 into an electrical signal. The converted electrical signal is then converted into analog data or digital data, which are components of image data captured by the camera.

[0045] The third housing 25 also includes a drive circuit board 305 therein. The drive circuit board 305 is a board having a drive circuit that applies a voltage of a predetermined frequency to the piezoelectric element 61 of the vibration mechanism 60 to drive it. The drive circuit board 305 and the vibrator (piezoelectric element) 61 are connected by wiring 306 formed of an FPC or the like and passed through a wiring hole 24f formed in the inner flange portion 24a of the second housing 24.

[0046] As described above, with the substrate 309 on which the image sensor 304 is mounted received in the recess 24g, the second housing 24 has a seal member 70 interposed between it and the third housing 25 (at the joint between the second housing 24 and the third housing 25) to keep the internal spaces of the housings 24, 25 communicating with each other airtight, and is fastened to the first housing 23 with a screw 80, as clearly shown in Figures 2 and 3. In this case, the inside of the first housing 23 is densely packed with components including the lens unit 20 and the vibration mechanism 60, as described above, and assembly is also performed in order from the first housing 23 side to the second housing 24 and the third housing 25 side, so the screw 80 is screwed into the threaded portion 79 of the first housing 23 from the second housing 24 side, and the head 80a of the screw 80 is positioned on the second housing 24 side.

[0047] Furthermore, the seal member 70 forms a rectangular annular body that is disposed and fitted around the entire periphery along the inner outer peripheral edge of the second housing 24, and is fixed to the second housing 24 by the screws 80 at a position where the imaging module 310 and the screws 80 do not interfere with each other. To achieve this, in this embodiment, the seal member 70 is formed with a plurality of screw engagement portions 90 with which the screws 80 are engaged so as to enable the seal member 70 to be fixed by the screws 80 and to fasten the first and second housings 23, 24 together. In particular, in this embodiment, the screw engagement portions 90 are formed at the four corners (four vertices of the square) of the rectangular seal member 70 that fits into the rectangular (quadratic) second housing 24.

[0048] The screw engagement portion 90 has an insertion hole 76 for inserting a shaft portion 80b of the screw 80 that passes through a through-hole 89 in the second housing 24 and screws into the threaded portion 79 of the first housing 23, and a washer operating portion (portion that acts as a washer) 77 that is interposed between the head 80a of the screw 80 and the second housing 23 to seat the head 80a of the screw 80. The screw engagement portion 90 also has a peripheral side wall 72 that surrounds the head 80a of the screw 80 all around, thereby forming a recess 73 for embedding the head 80a of the screw 80 inside the seal member 70.

[0049] As described above, in this embodiment, the screw 80, which is screwed into the first housing 23 from the second housing 24 side to fasten the first housing 23 and the second housing 24, itself fixes the sealing member 70 to the second housing 24 at a position that does not interfere with the imaging module 310. Therefore, even in a situation where the installation space for the second housing 24 is limited due to the miniaturization of cameras, the fastening of the housings 23 and 24 to each other by the screw 80 can be ensured without compromising the airtightness inside the housings 24 and 25 provided by the sealing member 70.

[0050] FIG. 4 schematically illustrates a vehicle 240 as a moving object equipped with an in-vehicle system (imaging system) equipped with an imaging device 250 including the camera module 300 of FIG. 1. As illustrated, the imaging device 250 can be mounted on the vehicle 240, and FIG. 4 illustrates an example of an arrangement illustrating the mounting position of the imaging device 250 on the vehicle 240. The imaging device 250 mounted on the vehicle 240 can also be called an in-vehicle camera, and can be installed in various locations on the vehicle 240. For example, the first imaging device 250a may be disposed on or near the front bumper as a camera that monitors the front of the vehicle 240 while the vehicle 240 is traveling. The second imaging device 250b that monitors the front may be disposed near an inner rearview mirror inside the vehicle 240. The third imaging device 250c may be disposed on the dashboard or in the instrument panel as a camera that monitors the driver's driving status. The fourth imaging device 250d may be installed at the rear of the vehicle 240 to monitor the rear of the vehicle 240. The imaging devices 250a and 250b can be called front cameras. The third imaging device 250c can be called an in-camera. The fourth imaging device 250d can be called a rear camera. The imaging device 250 is not limited to these, and includes imaging devices installed in various positions, such as a left side camera that images the left rear side and a right side camera that images the right rear side.

[0051] An image signal of an image captured by the imaging device 250 may be output to an information processing device (control unit) 242 and / or a display device (output device) 243 in the vehicle 240. The information processing device 242 and the display device 243, together with the imaging device 250, constitute an in-vehicle system. The information processing device 242 in the vehicle 240 includes a device that processes the image signal (captured image) acquired by the imaging device 250 and recognizes the image (recognizes objects in the captured image) to assist the driver in driving. The information processing device 242 is configured to output recognition information of objects in the captured image to the display device 243, and examples of such devices include, but are not limited to, a navigation device, a collision damage mitigation braking device, a vehicle-to-vehicle distance control device, and a lane departure warning device. The display device 243 displays the image processed and output by the information processing device 242, but can also receive an image signal directly from the imaging device 250. Furthermore, display device 243 may employ, but is not limited to, a liquid crystal display (LCD), an organic electroluminescence (EL) display, or an inorganic EL display. Display device 243 can display to the driver (can output information to passengers) an image signal output from imaging device 250 that captures an image from a position that is difficult for the driver to view, such as a rear camera.

[0052] Fig. 5 shows the configuration of an imaging device that constitutes the in-vehicle system of Fig. 4. As shown in the figure, an imaging device 250 according to one embodiment includes a control unit 252, a storage unit 254, and the camera module 300 of Fig. 1 described above.

[0053] The control unit 252 controls the camera module 300 and processes the electrical signal output from the image sensor 304 of the camera module 300. The control unit 252 may be configured as, for example, a processor. The control unit 252 may also include one or more processors. The processor may include a general-purpose processor that loads a specific program to execute a specific function, and a dedicated processor specialized for a specific process. The dedicated processor may include an application-specific integrated circuit (IC). An application-specific IC is also called an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC). The processor may include a programmable logic device. A programmable logic device is also called a programmable logic device (PLD). The PLD may include a field-programmable gate array (FPGA). The control unit 252 may be either an SoC (system-on-a-chip) or a SiP (system in a package) in which one or more processors work together. In addition, the control unit 252 may have the same functions as the information processing device 242 described above, and may, for example, process the captured image output from the image sensor 304 and recognize the object in the captured image.

[0054] The storage unit 254 stores various information or parameters related to the operation of the imaging device 250. The storage unit 254 may be configured with, for example, a semiconductor memory or the like. The storage unit 254 may function as a work memory for the control unit 252. The storage unit 254 may store captured images. The storage unit 254 may store various parameters and the like for the control unit 252 to perform detection processing based on the captured images. The storage unit 254 may be included in the control unit 252.

[0055] As described above, the camera module 300 captures an image of a subject formed via the lens unit 20 with the image sensor 304 and outputs the captured image. The image captured by the camera module 300 is also referred to as a captured image.

[0056] The image sensor 304 may be configured, for example, as a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) image sensor or a CCD (Charge Coupled Device). The image sensor 304 has an imaging surface on which a plurality of pixels are arranged. Each pixel outputs a signal specified by a current or voltage according to the amount of incident light. The signal output by each pixel is also referred to as imaging data.

[0057] The imaging data may be read by the camera module 300 for all pixels and captured by the control unit 252 as a captured image. A captured image read by all pixels is also referred to as a maximum captured image. The imaging data may be read by the camera module 300 for some pixels and captured as a captured image. In other words, the imaging data may be read from pixels in a predetermined capture range. The imaging data read from pixels in the predetermined capture range may be captured as a captured image. The predetermined capture range may be set by the control unit 252. The camera module 300 may acquire the predetermined capture range from the control unit 252. The image sensor 304 may capture an image of a predetermined capture range from the subject image formed via the lens unit 20.

[0058] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and can be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, the shapes of the lens, housing, lens barrel, etc. are not limited to those of the above-described embodiments. Furthermore, some or all of the above-described embodiments may be combined, or part of the configuration of one of the above-described embodiments may be omitted, without departing from the spirit of the invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0059] 20 Lens unit 22 Telescope tube 23 First enclosure 24 Second enclosure 25 Third Enclosure 31 First Lens 60 Vibration mechanism 70 Sealing material 72 Peripheral wall 73 Recess 76 Insertion hole 77 Washer action part 80 screws 80a head 80b Shaft 90 Thread engagement part 300 Camera Module 304 Image sensor 310 Imaging Module L lens group

Claims

1. A camera module comprising: a lens group in which a plurality of lenses are arranged along the optical axes of the lenses; a lens barrel that houses and holds the lens group; and an image sensor that converts light collected through the lens group into an electrical signal, a cylindrical first housing that defines an accommodation space therein for receiving the lens barrel that accommodates and holds the lens group; a second housing coupled to an image side of the first housing and forming a recess for receiving a substrate on which the image sensor is mounted so that the image sensor faces the lens group; a cylindrical third housing coupled to the image side of the second housing and surrounding an imaging module including the substrate from the outside; a screw that is screwed into the first housing from the second housing side to fasten the first housing and the second housing together; a seal member interposed between the second housing and the third housing; Equipped with A camera module characterized in that the sealing member is arranged around the entire inner outer peripheral edge of the second housing, and is fixed to the second housing by the screws at a position where the imaging module and the screws do not interfere with each other.

2. 2. The camera module according to claim 1, wherein the sealing member forms a plurality of screw engagement portions into which the screws are engaged so as to enable the sealing member to be fixed by the screws and the first and second housings to be fastened together.

3. The camera module according to claim 2, characterized in that the screw engagement portion has an insertion hole for inserting a shaft portion of the screw that penetrates the second housing and screws into the first housing, and a washer operating portion that is interposed between the head of the screw and the second housing.

4. 4. The camera module according to claim 3, wherein the screw engagement portion forms a peripheral side wall that surrounds the entire periphery of the head of the screw.

5. 5. The camera module according to claim 4, wherein the screw engagement portion forms a recess for embedding the head of the screw inside the sealing member.

6. 2. The camera module according to claim 1, further comprising a vibration mechanism in the first housing, the vibration mechanism having a vibration body for vibrating a first lens positioned closest to the object among the lens group.

7. An in-vehicle system mounted on a vehicle, A camera module according to any one of claims 1 to 6; a control unit that processes a captured image output from the imaging element of the camera module and recognizes an object in the captured image; An in-vehicle system comprising:

8. A vehicle equipped with the in-vehicle system according to claim 7 and an output device that outputs information to a passenger, The control unit is configured to output recognition information of the object to the output device.

Images