Accessory

Abstract

To suitably achieve both a configuration capable of supplying power to an imaging apparatus and cooling of the imaging apparatus.SOLUTION: A heat dissipation module 3 attachable to an imaging apparatus includes a cooling fan 70, an air inlet 310 for taking air into the cooling fan 70, and an air outlet 334 for sending out air discharged from the cooling fan 70. The cooling fan 70 is disposed between the first battery chamber 3261 and the second battery chamber 3262.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] External power supply devices (hereinafter referred to as battery grips) that are attached to imaging devices and enable the device's operating time to be extended and for vertical position operation (operation when the photographer takes a vertically long image) have been known. Patent Document 1 discloses a battery grip that has an internal space for storing multiple batteries and an operating member for vertical position operation, and that employs a configuration (hereinafter referred to as magazine configuration) in which the multiple batteries are stored in a single housing and the housing is inserted and removed from the internal space for battery replacement. The operating time of the imaging device can be extended by supplying power to the imaging device from these multiple batteries. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-24829 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In recent years, with the rise in video resolution to 4K and 8K, the rise in frame rates to 120P and 240P, and support for high dynamic range, the data rates of video handled by imaging devices have become enormous. As a result, the power consumption required for processing and recording this data has increased, and the reduction in available shooting time due to heat generation by imaging devices has become an issue. One possible means for cooling the imaging device is to provide a cooling device such as a fan in the battery grip as described in Patent Document 1, but this method has various issues.

[0005] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an accessory that can suitably supply power to an imaging device while also cooling the imaging device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] Therefore, one form of the present invention is an accessory that can be attached to an imaging device, comprising a fan, an air intake for drawing air into the fan, an air outlet for sending out air exhausted from the fan, a first battery chamber, and a second battery chamber, wherein the first battery chamber and the second battery chamber are arranged on a plane perpendicular to the attachment / detachment direction of the accessory, the fan is arranged between the first battery chamber and the second battery chamber, and the air outlet is arranged on a surface of the accessory that has an attachment portion that allows the accessory to be attached to the underside of the imaging device. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to preferably achieve both a configuration that allows power to be supplied to an imaging device and cooling of the imaging device. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] An external perspective view of the camera system 1 [Figure 2] A perspective view of the bottom of the camera body 2 [Figure 3] An exploded perspective view of the camera body 2 [Figure 4] An exploded perspective view of the rear cover and side cover of the camera body 2. [Figure 5] Top perspective view of the heat dissipation module 3 [Figure 6] Rear perspective view of the heat dissipation module 3 [Figure 7] An exploded perspective view of the heat dissipation module 3 [Figure 8] Cross-sectional view of camera system 1 [Figure 9] Top view of the main body 37 [Figure 10] An external perspective view of the battery 246 [Figure 11] 1 is a rear perspective view of the heat dissipation module 3 with the battery 246 inserted therein; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0010] The configuration of a camera system 1 according to this embodiment will be described below with reference to Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the exterior of the camera system 1 according to this embodiment. Fig. 1(a) is a front perspective view of the camera system 1, and Fig. 1(b) is a rear perspective view of the camera system 1.

[0011] The camera system 1 of this embodiment is composed of a camera body 2, a heat dissipation module 3, and an interchangeable lens barrel (not shown). The camera body 2 is an example of an imaging device. The camera body 2 of this embodiment is exemplified as a mirrorless digital camera to which an interchangeable lens barrel can be attached, but it may also be a digital video camera or a camera in which the camera body 2 and lens barrel are integrated.

[0012] The heat dissipation module 3 is an accessory that can be attached to the camera body 2 to dissipate heat from the camera body 2. When the heat dissipation module 3 is attached to the camera body 2, the outside air taken in by the heat dissipation module 3 is discharged to the air intake of the camera body 2. This allows the camera body 2 to take in outside air even if it does not have a cooling fan for taking in outside air. As the air discharged from the heat dissipation module 3 and taken in through the air intake of the camera body 2 passes through a camera duct provided inside the camera, it absorbs heat from a heat-generating component thermally connected to the camera duct. The air that has absorbed the heat is discharged from the exhaust port of the camera body 2, thereby dissipating heat from the camera body 2. In this way, a cooling system for cooling the camera body 2 can be realized by combining the camera body 2 and the heat dissipation module 3.

[0013] <Camera body configuration> The configuration of the camera body 2 will be described below with reference to Figures 1(a) and 1(b). Unless otherwise specified below, in the camera body 2, the subject side in the optical axis direction will be referred to as the front side, the surface opposite the front side will be referred to as the rear side, the left side when viewing the camera body 2 from the rear side will be referred to as the left side, and the right side will be referred to as the right side. Additionally, the upper side will be referred to as the top side, and the lower side will be referred to as the bottom side (the bottom side will also be referred to as the bottom side). Additionally, although many operating members and the like are shown in the figures, descriptions of some of the operating members will be omitted.

[0014] 1(a), the camera body 2 is provided with a mount 210 at the center of the front side to which an interchangeable lens barrel (not shown) can be attached or detached. Inside the mount 210, a communication terminal 211 is provided, which enables the camera body 2 to communicate with the lens barrel.

[0015] The top surface of the camera body 2 is provided with a shutter button 230 , a main electronic dial 231 , a video button 232 , a still image / video switch 233 , a power switch 234 , a top display 235 , an accessory shoe 236 and an audio input section 237 .

[0016] The shutter button 230 is a button for issuing shooting instructions. The main electronic dial 231 is a button for changing various setting values, etc. The video button 232 is a button for issuing instructions to start and stop video shooting (recording). The still image / video changeover switch 233 is a button for switching between still image shooting mode and video shooting mode. The power switch 234 is a button for switching the power of the camera body 2 on and off. The top display unit 235 is a button for displaying various setting values ​​of the camera body 2.

[0017] The accessory shoe 236 is a member for attaching and detaching an external device such as a video microphone to the camera body 2. The audio input unit 237 acquires audio input to the camera body 2 during shooting.

[0018] The left side of the camera body 2 is provided with a connector (not shown) for connecting the camera body 2 to an external device such as a video microphone, a connector cover 260 for protecting the connector, and an exhaust port 261. The exhaust port 261 is an outlet for discharging air from a camera duct provided inside the rear side of the camera body 2 to the outside air.

[0019] The right side of the camera body 2 is provided with a grip section 25 that enables the photographer to hold the camera body 2. Grip section 25 is shaped to be easily held with the photographer's right hand from the front side to the back side, and is provided with front rubber 250 on the front side and back rubber 251 on the back side to prevent the hand from slipping.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 1(b), the camera body 2 is provided with a rear display unit 220 in the center of the rear side for displaying captured images and various information.

[0021] On the top side of the camera body 2, there is provided a finder 221 of the eyepiece section which is made up of an electronic viewfinder.

[0022] The right side of the camera body 2 is provided with various operation members such as a sub electronic dial 222 and a rear electronic dial 223 which, like the main electronic dial 231, are used to change various setting values, a SET button 224 which is used to confirm selected items, and a multi-controller 225. The multi-controller 225 can be used to indicate directions by tilting the key top in addition to pressing the key top, and is mainly used to move a selection frame and to move and select in various setting menus.

[0023] On the right side of the camera body 2, there is provided a card slot cover 252 for protecting a card slot for storing a recording card, and this is placed on the grip part 25 that is held by the photographer.

[0024] <Heat dissipation module configuration> The configuration of the heat dissipation module 3 of this embodiment will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1(a) and 1(b).

[0025] 1(a), the heat dissipation module 3 has an air intake 310 at the center of the front side. The air intake 310 is an entrance through which outside air is taken into a cooling fan disposed inside the heat dissipation module 3.

[0026] At the center of the top surface of the heat dissipation module 3, a dial 311 is provided as an operating member for rotating a male screw member (not shown) that connects the camera body 2 and the heat dissipation module 3.

[0027] On the left side of the heat dissipation module 3, a connector cover 360 is provided to protect the connector for connecting the camera body 2 to an external device via the heat dissipation module 3.

[0028] 1(b), the heat dissipation module 3 has a battery cover 320 that straddles the left and right sides on the rear side. The battery cover 320 has a battery cover knob 321 in the center and a battery cover shaft 322 on the central upper side. The battery cover 320 can be opened and closed by lifting and rotating the battery cover knob 321, and can be opened by the biasing force of a spring with the battery cover shaft 322 as the rotation axis.

[0029] The left side of the battery cover shaft 322 is provided with a connector lamp 323 and a cooling fan lamp 324, and the right side is provided with a power lamp 325. The connector lamp 323 lights up depending on the connection status with an external device connected via a connector 339. The cooling fan lamp 324 lights up when the cooling fan 70 is rotating and goes out when the cooling fan 70 is not rotating, allowing the photographer to know the rotation status of the cooling fan 70. The power lamp 325 includes a first power lamp 3251 and a second power lamp 3252, and each power lamp lights up depending on the charge status of the batteries stored in the first battery chamber provided on the left side of the heat dissipation module 3 and the second battery chamber provided on the right side.

[0030] The underside of the heat dissipation module 3 is provided with a female screw member 340 for fixing the camera system 1 to a tripod or the like, and a video boss hole 341 that engages with a video boss provided on a video camera tripod to prevent rotational misalignment of the camera system 1.

[0031] <Configuration of the bottom side of the camera body> The configuration of the underside of the camera body 2 according to this embodiment will be described below with reference to Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the underside of the camera body 2 of this embodiment. Fig. 2(a) is a perspective view of the underside of the camera body 2 with the camera battery cover 242 attached. Fig. 2(b) is a perspective view of the underside of the camera body 2 with the camera battery cover 242 removed.

[0032] 2(a) and 2(b), the camera body 2 is provided on its underside with a camera female screw member 240, a positioning hole 241, a camera battery cover 242, a receptacle connector 243, a camera battery chamber 244, and a camera battery lock lever 245. The camera female screw member 240 is used to secure the camera body 2 to a tripod or the like when used alone, and in this embodiment is used to connect the camera body 2 to the heat dissipation module 3. The positioning hole 241 engages with a positioning pin 331 of the heat dissipation module 3 to align the relative positions of the camera body 2 and the heat dissipation module 3. The camera battery cover 242 is attached when the camera body 2 is used alone, but is removed when the heat dissipation module 3 is attached.

[0033] 2(b), when camera battery cover 242 is removed, receptacle connector 243, camera battery chamber 244, battery 246, and camera battery lock lever 245 are exposed on the underside of camera body 2. Receptacle connector 243 is compatible with various accessories including heat dissipation module 3 that is detachable from camera body 2, and exchanges electrical signals with the various accessories. Camera battery chamber 244 stores battery 246, and camera battery lock lever 245 holds battery 246 in place to prevent battery 246 from falling out even when camera battery cover 242 is not closed.

[0034] <Internal structure of the camera body> The internal configuration of the camera body 2 according to this embodiment will be described below with reference to Figures 3 and 4. Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of the camera body 2 with some exterior members removed, and Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of the rear cover and side cover of the camera body 2.

[0035] As shown in Figure 3, camera body 2 is provided with a main board 226 inside on the rear side. Many components are mounted on main board 226, such as ICs 227 and 228 that perform image processing, a card slot 229 that stores a recording card, power circuit components (not shown) that supply power to various parts, and various connectors (not shown). For simplicity, some of the components and harnesses mounted on the board are not shown. ICs 227 and 228 are elements that are the main heat source on main board 226, and when shooting video at high resolution or a high frame rate, they consume a lot of power to perform image processing, etc., resulting in a large amount of heat generation.

[0036] As shown in FIG. 4, camera body 2 has camera duct 27 inside the rear side. Camera duct 27 is composed of rear cover 22 with ventilation hole 247 in the center of the bottom side, side cover 26 with exhaust hole 261, heat dissipation plate 270 made of aluminum or other materials with good thermal conductivity, rear seal member 271 made of poron or double-sided tape, and exhaust hole seal member 262. Ventilation hole 247 is an inlet through which air sent from heat dissipation module 3 is taken into camera duct 27. Exhaust hole 261 is an outlet through which air taken into camera duct 27 from ventilation hole 247 is discharged to the outside air. Camera duct 27 is formed by joining heat dissipation plate 270 to rear cover 22 via rear seal member 271 and joining side cover 26 to rear cover 22 via exhaust hole seal member 262, and is an air flow path connecting ventilation hole 247 to exhaust hole 261. A heat transfer member 280 such as a heat conduction sheet is attached to the heat dissipation metal plate 270. In this embodiment, the heat transfer member 280 is attached using a buffer member 281, double-sided tape, or the like so as to come into contact with the ICs 227 and 228, which are the main heat sources, and transfers heat generated by the ICs 227 and 228 to the heat dissipation metal plate 270.

[0037] 3 and 4, IC227 and IC228 are arranged facing the camera duct 27 on the rear side. Heat generated in IC227 and IC228 is transferred to the heat dissipation metal plate 270 via the heat transfer member 280, and is dissipated by the air taken in from the ventilation hole 247.

[0038] <Configuration of the top side of the heat dissipation module> The configuration of the upper surface side of the heat dissipation module 3 according to this embodiment will be described below with reference to Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the upper surface of the heat dissipation module 3.

[0039] 5, the heat dissipation module 3 is provided on its top surface with a male screw member 330, a positioning pin 331, a tower portion 332, a plug connector 333, and an air outlet 334. The male screw member 330 is an attachment portion that rotates in conjunction with the operation of the dial 311 and screws into the camera female screw member 240, thereby connecting the camera body 2 and the heat dissipation module 3. The positioning pin 331 engages with a positioning hole 241 in the camera body 2, thereby adjusting the relative positions of the camera body 2 and the heat dissipation module 3. The tower portion 332 is provided at its tip with a tower portion terminal 3321, which is a contact point similar to the battery terminal provided on the battery 246. When attaching the heat dissipation module 3 to the camera body 2, the tower portion 332 is inserted into the camera battery chamber 244 with the camera battery cover 242 removed. At this time, the tower portion terminal 3321 is connected to a battery contact (not shown) provided in the camera battery chamber 244, and power is supplied from the battery stored in the heat dissipation module 3 to the camera body 2. When attaching the heat dissipation module 3 to the camera body 2, the plug connector 333 is connected to the receptacle connector 243 with the camera battery cover 242 removed. At this time, the camera body 2 and the heat dissipation module 3 are electrically connected, and various electrical signals are exchanged, such as for connection to external devices via the connector 339 and for acquiring the rotation status of the cooling fan 70. The air outlet 334 is provided in the center of the top surface of the heat dissipation module 3, and is connected to the air vent 247 provided in the center of the bottom surface of the camera body 2, thereby serving as an outlet for sending air exhausted from the cooling fan 70 into the air vent 247.

[0040] <Configuration of the top side of the heat dissipation module> The configuration of the rear side of the heat dissipation module 3 according to this embodiment will be described below with reference to Fig. 6. Fig. 6 is a rear perspective view of the heat dissipation module 3.

[0041] As shown in FIG. 6, the heat dissipation module 3 includes a battery compartment 326 and a battery lock lever 327 inside the housing. The battery compartment 326 includes a first battery compartment 3261 and a second battery compartment 3262, each capable of housing a battery. The battery stored in the battery compartment 326 supplies power to at least the cooling fan 70 disposed inside the heat dissipation module 3. The battery stored in the battery compartment 326 also supplies power to the camera body 2, enabling the camera body 2 to be driven with the heat dissipation module 3 attached. Storing two batteries enables extended shooting even under shooting conditions requiring high power consumption. For user convenience, the battery stored in the battery compartment 326 is preferably the battery 246 used to drive the camera body 2. In this embodiment, the battery compartment 326 can house two batteries 246. In this embodiment, the first battery compartment 3261 can house a DC coupler (not shown), which allows for extended shooting by the camera body 2 by supplying power directly from a household power source. At this time, by opening the cable cover 328, the cable connecting the household power source and the DC coupler can be pulled out from the first battery chamber 3261 to the outside, even when the battery cover 320 is closed. The first battery chamber 3261 and the second battery chamber 3262 are arranged on a plane perpendicular to the direction in which the heat dissipation module 3 is attached and detached (the up-and-down direction in this embodiment), and in this embodiment, they are arranged at both left and right ends of the housing with a gap between them. The battery lock lever 327 includes a first battery lock lever 3271 and a second battery lock lever 3272 for the first battery chamber 3261 and the second battery chamber 3262, respectively. The battery lock lever 327 is a locking member that holds the battery 246 in place to prevent the battery 246 from falling out, even when the battery cover 320 is not closed. The first battery lock lever 3271 and the second battery lock lever 3272 are respectively positioned inside the first battery chamber 3261 and the second battery chamber 3262 located at both left and right ends. This allows the battery chamber 326 to be positioned so that it extends to both left and right ends of the heat dissipation module 3, and a large space can be provided between the battery chambers 326 to accommodate the cooling fan 70.

[0042] <Internal configuration of the camera system> Hereinafter, the internal configuration of the camera system 1 including the internal configuration of the heat dissipation module 3 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0043] Fig. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the heat dissipation module 3, and Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along the optical axis perpendicular to the left-right direction of the camera system 1. For simplicity, some mounted components on the board, harnesses, fastening members, etc. are not shown.

[0044] 7, the heat dissipation module 3 is composed of a front cover 31 on the front side, a rear cover 32 on the rear side, an upper cover 33 on the upper side, and a main body 37 as an internal structure. The front cover 31 includes an air intake 310, an air intake seal member 312, a dial base 313, etc. The rear cover 32 includes the battery cover 320 and a cable cover 328. The upper cover 33 includes a tower 332 including a tower terminal 3321, a plug connector 333, a plug connector board 382 including the plug connector 333, an air outlet 334, a first air outlet seal member 335, a connector cover 360, etc. The main body 37 includes a main body case 370, a main body cover 371, a main body cover seal member 372, a second air outlet seal member 373, a cooling fan 70, and a cooling fan cover 700. The main body 37 also includes a dial 311, a male screw member 330, a positioning pin 331, a top plate 336, a connector 339, an accessory board 380, and a battery contact 391. The main body case 370 includes the aforementioned battery chamber 326 at both left and right ends, and a cooling fan storage section 374 in the center that has an opening on the top side. The cooling fan storage section 374 can store a cooling fan 70 with a cooling fan cover 700 attached.

[0045] The cooling fan 70 is disposed on the same plane as the first battery chamber 3261 and the second battery chamber 3262, which are disposed at both left and right ends with a gap between them. This allows the cooling fan 70 to be disposed in the space remaining between the two battery chambers in the direction (left and right direction in this embodiment) perpendicular to the attachment / detachment direction (up and down direction in this embodiment), thereby preventing the heat dissipation module 3 from becoming larger in the attachment / detachment direction. Furthermore, by disposing the cooling fan 70 in the center of the heat dissipation module 3, the position of the cooling fan 70 in the left and right direction can be aligned with the ventilation opening 247 provided in the center of the underside of the camera body 2. This allows the air flow path (formed by a duct in this embodiment) from the cooling fan 70 to the air outlet 334 to be formed without bending in the left and right direction, thereby preventing a decrease in airflow due to flow path loss. Furthermore, the cooling fan 70 includes a cooling fan inlet 701 and a cooling fan outlet 702, and the cooling fan outlet 702 is disposed at an angle so that it faces the air outlet 334 ( FIG. 8 ). This allows the airflow path from the cooling fan 70 to the air outlet 334 to be formed with a small bending angle, thereby suppressing a decrease in airflow due to airflow loss. Note that, in this embodiment, the cooling fan 70 is a centrifugal fan that takes in air through the cooling fan inlet 701 provided in the direction of the rotation axis of the blades and discharges it through the cooling fan outlet 702 provided in the radial direction of the rotation of the blades, but this is not limited to this. An axial flow fan that takes in and discharges air in the direction of the rotation axis of the blades may also be used. Also, in this embodiment, the cooling fan 70 is disposed at an angle so that the cooling fan outlet 702 faces the air outlet 334, but this is not a requirement of the present invention, and the cooling fan 70 may be disposed horizontally (front-to-back) or vertically (up-and-down).

[0046] The cooling fan cover 700 is made of an elastic material such as silicone rubber, and is attached to cover the cooling fan 70. The cooling fan cover 700 prevents vibrations of the cooling fan 70 from being transmitted to the structural members of the heat dissipation module 3.

[0047] The accessory board 380 is formed so as to straddle the cooling fan 70 disposed in the center of the heat dissipation module 3. Many components are mounted on the board, including a control unit 381 such as a CPU that communicates with the camera body 2 and controls the cooling fan 70, and power supply circuit components (not shown) that supply power to each component. For simplicity, some of the components and harnesses mounted on the board are not shown. The accessory board 380 is electrically connected to a tower section terminal 3321 provided at the tip of the tower section 332, a plug connector 333 provided on the board of the plug connector board 382, ​​a connector 339 provided on the left side of the heat dissipation module 3, and a battery contact 391 provided on the upper surface of the battery chamber 326 via harnesses, connectors, etc.

[0048] The control means 381 is connected to the plug connector 333 via the accessory board 380 and the plug connector board 382, ​​and when the heat dissipation module 3 is attached to the camera body 2, it is connected to the camera body 2 via the receptacle connector 243. This allows the camera body 2 to perform various communications with the heat dissipation module 3, such as obtaining the rotation state of the cooling fan 70. In this embodiment, the control means 381 is disposed on the accessory board 380 of the heat dissipation module 3, but it may also be disposed on the main board 226 of the camera body 2.

[0049] The connector 339 is a connector for connecting to external devices, such as a LAN connector for FTP transfers or remote shooting over a wired LAN, or a USB connector for charging or powering from an external power source. In this embodiment, a LAN connector is illustrated. Here, the connector 339 mounted on the heat dissipation module 3 is preferably a connector that is not mounted on the camera body 2 or a connector that would increase the size of the camera body 2 if mounted. Mounting these connectors on the heat dissipation module 3 allows the functionality of the camera body 2 to be expanded without increasing the size of the camera body 2. The connector 339 is connected to the plug connector 333 via the accessory board 380 and the plug connector board 382. When the heat dissipation module 3 is attached to the camera body 2, the connector 339 is connected to the camera body 2 via the receptacle connector 243. This allows the camera body 2 to be connected to external devices via the heat dissipation module 3.

[0050] The battery contact 391 is a contact part that connects with the battery 246 inserted in the battery chamber 326, and is disposed adjacent to the battery chamber 326 and the accessory board 380. This allows the battery contact 391 and the accessory board 380 to be integrated together, or the harness for connection to be shortened, thereby preventing the heat dissipation module 3 from becoming larger. The battery contact 391 is connected to the battery 246 inserted in the battery chamber 326. The battery contact 391 is connected to the tower terminal 3321 via the accessory board 380, and when the heat dissipation module 3 is attached to the camera body 2, the battery contact 391 is connected to the camera body 2 via a battery contact (not shown) provided in the camera battery chamber 244. This allows the camera body 2 to be powered by the battery 246 inserted in the battery chamber 326.

[0051] The front cover unit 31 is coupled to the main body case 370 via an air intake port seal member 312. The main body cover 371 is coupled to the main body case 370 via a main body cover seal member 372, and the top cover unit 33 is coupled to the main body case 370 and the main body cover 371 via a second air outlet seal member 373. This forms an air flow path that communicates from the air intake port 310 to the air outlet 334, and in this embodiment, the cooling fan 70 is disposed within this flow path. A first air outlet seal member 335 is provided around the air outlet 334 to prevent air leakage between the air outlet 334 and the air vent 247 of the camera body 2. This forms an air flow path that communicates from the air intake port 310 of the heat dissipation module 3 to the air outlet 261 of the camera body 2 when the heat dissipation module 3 is attached to the camera body 2. By joining each component that forms the air flow path without any gaps via these sealing members, it is possible to prevent air leakage from inside the air flow path to the inside of the camera body 2 and the inside of the heat dissipation module 3, as well as leakage of foreign matter such as water and dust.

[0052] 8, when cooling fan 70 is rotated, outside air is taken in from intake port 310 into cooling fan intake port 701 of cooling fan 70. The air taken in by cooling fan 70 is then discharged from cooling fan exhaust port 702 as the blades rotate. The air discharged from cooling fan 70 flows along the internal wall of heat dissipation module 3 toward the upper surface and is discharged from air outlet 334. The air discharged from air outlet 334 is taken into camera duct 27 through ventilation port 247 of camera body 2 and is discharged from exhaust port 261 of camera body 2. At this time, the air passing through camera duct 27 comes into contact with heat dissipation plate 270, thereby dissipating heat from heat dissipation plate 270, and then dissipates heat from ICs 227 and 228 via heat transfer member 280.

[0053] Furthermore, battery lock lever 327 is positioned using the bent portion of the air flow path from cooling fan exhaust port 702 to air outlet 334, and is positioned so as to overlap in the vertical direction with the air flow path near air outlet 334. This eliminates the need to increase the size of the housing to accommodate battery lock lever 327.

[0054] <Configuration of the main body of the heat dissipation module> The configuration of the main body 37 according to this embodiment will be described below with reference to Figures 7 and 9. Figure 9 is a top view of the main body 37, with the accessory board 380 and control means 381 shown transparently for the purposes of the following description.

[0055] 9, connector 339 is disposed in a position that does not overlap battery contact piece 391 when viewed from above. Also, accessory board 380 is formed in an area that does not overlap connector 339 when viewed from above. By disposing battery contact piece 391 and accessory board 380 in positions that overlap connector 339 in a direction perpendicular to the attachment / detachment direction (the up-and-down direction in this embodiment), it is possible to prevent heat dissipation module 3 from becoming larger in size in the attachment / detachment direction.

[0056] <Configuration of battery-related heat dissipation module> 10 and 11, the configuration of the battery 246 and the insertion and removal of the battery 246 into the heat dissipation module 3 according to this embodiment will be described below. Fig. 10 is an external perspective view of the battery 246, and Fig. 11 is a rear perspective view of the heat dissipation module 3 in a state where the battery 246 is being inserted.

[0057] 10, battery 246 has battery terminal 2461 for supplying power on its side. When battery 246 is inserted into camera battery chamber 244 of camera body 2, battery terminal 2461 and battery contacts (not shown) provided in camera battery chamber 244 are connected, thereby supplying power to camera body 2. Furthermore, when battery 246 is inserted into battery chamber 326 of heat dissipation module 3 with heat dissipation module 3 attached to camera body 2, battery terminal 2461 and battery contacts 391 provided in battery chamber 326 are connected. At this time, battery 246 supplies power to camera body 2 via tower portion terminal 3321 of tower portion 332, and also supplies power to cooling fan 70 arranged inside heat dissipation module 3.

[0058] 11, with battery cover 320 open, battery 246 is inserted into battery chamber 326 from the rear side toward the front side so that its longitudinal direction is parallel to the optical axis. Battery 246 is inserted into battery chamber 326 so that battery terminal 2461 faces upward, aligning with battery contact piece 391 provided on the upper surface of battery chamber 326. When battery 246 is inserted into battery chamber 326, it is locked by battery lock lever 327, and is stored without falling out even when battery cover 320 is not closed.

[0059] <Effects of the configuration of this embodiment> As described above, according to the above-described embodiment, it is possible to provide a heat dissipation module that is detachable from an imaging device, extends the operating time of the imaging device using multiple batteries, and improves heat dissipation performance using a cooling fan, without increasing the size of the housing. By providing two battery compartments, the operating time of the imaging device can be extended compared to the imaging device alone, even under shooting conditions with high power consumption, without reducing the available shooting time. Furthermore, because the cooling fan is located between the two battery compartments on a plane perpendicular to the direction in which the heat dissipation module is attached and detached, it is possible to prevent the housing from becoming larger in size in the direction in which the heat dissipation module is attached and detached.

[0060] <Other embodiments> Although the preferred embodiments to which the present invention is applied have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the gist of the present invention.

[0061] For example, in the above embodiment, the means by which the heat dissipation module 3 sends air to the camera body 2 is a cooling fan, but this may be replaced with a different configuration from the cooling fan, such as a piezoelectric element.

[0062] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, an example was described in which the air flow path of the heat dissipation module of the camera body 2 was formed by a duct, but this is not limiting as long as an air flow path is formed. [Explanation of symbols]

[0063] 1 camera system 2. Camera body 3. Heat Dissipation Module 70 Cooling fan 310 Air intake 3261 First Battery Compartment 3262 Second Battery Compartment 334 Ventilation vent

Claims

1. An accessory that can be attached to an imaging device, With fans, an air intake for drawing air into the fan; an air outlet for sending out air exhausted from the fan; a first battery compartment; a second battery compartment; the first battery chamber and the second battery chamber are arranged on a plane perpendicular to a direction in which the accessory is attached or detached; the fan is disposed between the first battery compartment and the second battery compartment; The accessory is characterized in that the air outlet is arranged on a surface of the accessory that has a mounting portion that allows the accessory to be mounted on a lower surface of the imaging device.

2. a duct connecting the intake port and the blower port; The accessory of claim 1 , wherein the cooling fan is disposed inside the duct.

3. a first latching member for preventing the battery housed in the first battery chamber from falling out; a second latching member for preventing the battery housed in the second battery chamber from falling out, 2. The accessory according to claim 1, wherein the first and second locking members are disposed on the inside of the first and second battery chambers, respectively.

4. The accessory according to claim 3 , wherein the first and second locking members are arranged so as to at least partially overlap with the duct in the direction of attachment and detachment of the heat dissipation module.

5. a first contact piece connected to a battery housed in the first battery compartment; a second contact piece connected to a battery housed in the second battery compartment; 2. The accessory according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first contact piece or the second contact piece is disposed adjacent to the substrate.

6. the imaging device has a connector for connecting to an external device via the accessory, 6. The accessory according to claim 5, wherein the connector is disposed at a position not overlapping with the first contact piece and the second contact piece in the attachment / detachment direction of the accessory.

7. a substrate having a control means for controlling the driving of the fan; The accessory according to claim 6 , wherein the substrate is disposed so as to straddle the fan.

8. 2. The accessory according to claim 1, wherein a battery housed in at least one of the first battery compartment and the second battery compartment supplies power to at least one of the imaging device and the fan.

9. A cooling system comprising the imaging device and the accessory of claim 1, the imaging device has an air vent, an exhaust port, and a duct connecting the air vent and the exhaust port; A cooling system characterized in that the duct is thermally connected to a heat-generating portion of the imaging device, and the air outlet of the accessory sends air to the air vent of the imaging device.

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