Imaging device

Abstract

The objective is to provide an imaging device that is miniaturized, allows for the placement of components that provide vibration damping for the imaging unit, and enables rapid cooling of the image sensor. [Solution] The imaging device 1 comprises an image sensor unit 7 having an image sensor substrate 102, a first drive mechanism 130X for driving the image sensor unit 7 in the X-axis direction, a second drive mechanism 130Y for driving the image sensor unit 7 in the Y-axis direction, a control circuit board 11 for controlling the operation of each drive mechanism, a cooling duct through which air passes to cool the image sensor unit 7 and the control circuit board 11, and a cooling fan 7160 forcibly passing air through the cooling duct. The cooling duct has a first flow path 7131 located between the image sensor substrate 102 and the control circuit board 11, a second flow path 7151 located between the control circuit board 11 and the cooling fan 7160, and a third flow path 7181 connecting the first flow path 7131 and the second flow path 7151.

Description

Technical Field

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

Background Art

[0002] In recent imaging devices, higher image quality such as higher resolution and higher frame rate of recorded images has been progressing. Such imaging devices tend to increase the signal processing load and power consumption during image recording, and as a result, electronic components such as the imaging unit and the data recording unit generate significant heat. Since the performance of the electronic components in the imaging device may deteriorate under high temperatures, it is necessary to cool the electronic components. The imaging device described in Patent Document 1 has an imaging element and a heat radiating component, and is configured to cool the imaging element by forcibly air-cooling the heat radiating component. The imaging device described in Patent Document 2 is configured to attach a cooling device outside the main body of the imaging device in order to forcibly air-cool the imaging element. In addition, there is a known imaging device that has an anti-vibration function that detects vibrations transmitted from the outside and cancels the vibrations based on the detection result. With this anti-vibration function, high-quality images can be recorded.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in the imaging device described in Patent Document 1, since the area where the heat radiating component is cooled is a limited area of a part of the housing, it may be difficult to sufficiently cool the imaging element. In addition, in the imaging device described in Patent Document 2, there is a risk of increasing the size due to the attachment of the cooling device.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems. The object of the present invention is to provide an imaging device that can be miniaturized, has a part that can provide vibration damping function for the imaging unit, and can rapidly cool the image sensor. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] To achieve the above objective, the imaging apparatus of the present invention comprises: an image sensor unit having an imaging substrate on which an image sensor is mounted; a first drive mechanism for driving the image sensor unit in a first direction perpendicular to the optical axis of the image sensor; a second drive mechanism for driving the image sensor unit in a second direction perpendicular to the optical axis and different from the first direction; a control circuit board for controlling the operation of at least the first drive mechanism and the second drive mechanism; a cooling duct through which air passes to cool at least one of the image sensor unit and the control circuit board; and a fan forcibly passing the air through the cooling duct, wherein the cooling duct has a first flow path located between the imaging substrate and the control circuit board; a second flow path located between the control circuit board and the fan; and a third flow path connecting the first flow path and the second flow path. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to arrange a part that can provide vibration damping function to the imaging unit while miniaturizing the device, and the image sensor can be cooled rapidly. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1A] This is a perspective view of the imaging device from the front. [Figure 1B] This is a perspective view of the imaging device from the rear. [Figure 2A] This is a rearward perspective view of the internal components of the imaging device. [Figure 2B] This is a perspective view of the internal components of the imaging device, seen from the front. [Figure 3A]It is an exploded perspective view of the internal components of the imaging device seen from the rear. [Figure 3B] It is an exploded perspective view of the internal components of the imaging device seen from the front. [Figure 4A] It is a bottom view of the imaging device. [Figure 4B] It is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A in FIG. 4A. [Figure 5A] It is a rear cross-sectional view of the imaging device. [Figure 5B] It is a cross-sectional view taken along the line B-B in FIG. 5A. [Figure 5C] It is a cross-sectional view taken along the line C-C in FIG. 5A. [Figure 5D] It is a cross-sectional view taken along the line C-C in FIG. 5A. [Figure 6A] It is a perspective view of the imaging unit seen from the rear. [Figure 6B] It is a perspective view of the imaging unit seen from the front. [Figure 7A] It is an exploded perspective view of the imaging unit seen from the rear. [Figure 7B] It is an exploded perspective view of the imaging unit seen from the front. [Figure 8A] It is a diagram showing the positional relationship between the imaging unit seen from the rear and the first duct. [Figure 8B] It is a cross-sectional view taken along the line D-D in FIG. 8A. [Figure 8C] It is a cross-sectional view taken along the line E-E in FIG. 8A. [Figure 9A] It is a rear exploded perspective view for explaining the first heat transfer example of the image sensor unit. [Figure 9B] It is a front exploded perspective view for explaining the first heat transfer example of the image sensor unit. [Figure 10] It is a cross-sectional view for explaining the first heat transfer example of the image sensor unit. [Figure 11A] It is a front view of the thermally conductive flexible member used for heat transfer. [Figure 11B] It is a perspective view showing the extended state (deformed state) of the thermally conductive flexible member shown in FIG. 11A. [Figure 12A]It is a rear exploded perspective view showing the positional relationship among the imaging element substrate, the thermally conductive flexible member, and the first duct. [Figure 12B] It is a front exploded perspective view showing the positional relationship among the imaging element substrate, the thermally conductive flexible member, and the first duct. [Figure 13] It is a perspective view showing the positional relationship among the imaging element substrate, the thermally conductive flexible member, and the electrical connection member. [Figure 14] It is a perspective view of the heat dissipation sheet used for heat transfer. [Figure 15] It is an exploded perspective view for explaining heat transfer from the imaging element unit to the first duct. [Figure 16] It is a perspective view showing the internal structure from the imaging element unit to the control board. [Figure 17] It is a perspective view with the control board in Fig. 16 not shown. [Figure 18A] It is a perspective view of the state where the heat dissipation sheet and the flexible wiring board are connected. [Figure 18B] It is a perspective view of the state where the heat dissipation sheet and the flexible wiring board are connected. [Figure 19A] It is a view showing the heat dissipation sheet. [Figure 19B] It is a view showing the heat dissipation sheet. [Figure 19C] It is a view showing the heat dissipation sheet. [Figure 19D] It is a view showing the heat dissipation sheet. [Figure 19E] It is a view showing the heat dissipation sheet. [Figure 19F] It is a view showing the heat dissipation sheet. [Figure 20A] It is a vertical sectional view of the state shown in Fig. 16. [Figure 20B] It is a horizontal sectional view of the state shown in Fig. 16. [Figure 21] It is a perspective view showing the imaging element unit and the imaging unit cooling structure. [Figure 22] It is an exploded perspective view showing the imaging element unit and the imaging unit cooling structure. [Figure 23] It is a perspective view showing the heat dissipation member. [Figure 24] Figure 23 is an enlarged perspective view of the heat dissipation component shown. [Figure 25] This is a diagram showing the image sensor unit as viewed from the first duct side. [Figure 26] This is a perspective view showing the heat dissipation fins. [Figure 27] This diagram shows the positional relationship between the first duct and the heat dissipation fins. [Figure 28] Figure 27 is a cross-sectional view of the FF. [Figure 29A] This is a perspective view of the imaging device from the front. [Figure 29B] This is a perspective view of the imaging device from the rear. [Figure 30A] This is an exploded perspective view of the internal components of the imaging device, seen from the rear. [Figure 30B] This is an exploded perspective view of the internal components of the imaging device, seen from the front. [Figure 31A] This is a bottom view of the imaging device. [Figure 31B] Figure 31A is a cross-sectional view of LL. [Figure 32A] This is a rear view of the imaging device. [Figure 32B] Figure 32A is a cross-sectional view of MM. [Figure 32C] Figure 32A is a cross-sectional view of NN. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] The embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. However, the configurations described in the following embodiments are merely illustrative, and the scope of the present invention is not limited by the configurations described in each embodiment. For example, each part constituting the present invention can be replaced with any configuration that can perform a similar function. In addition, any additional components may be added. Furthermore, any two or more configurations (features) from each embodiment can be combined.

[0010] <<First Embodiment>> The first embodiment will be described below with reference to Figures 1 to 15.

[0011] <Description of components of the imaging device> The configuration of the imaging device 1 will now be described. Figure 1A is a perspective view of the imaging device from the front. Figure 1B is a perspective view of the imaging device from the rear. For the sake of simplicity in the following explanation, the XYZ coordinate system is defined below. The Z-axis direction is the optical axis direction of the imaging device 1, and the direction of the subject being photographed is considered positive. On a plane perpendicular to the Z-axis direction, the width direction of the imaging device 1 is the X-axis direction, and the rightward direction from the subject side toward the imaging device 1 is considered positive. Also, on a plane perpendicular to the Z-axis direction, the vertical direction of the imaging device 1 is the Y-axis direction, and the direction toward the sky is considered positive. As shown in Figures 1A and 1B, the imaging device 1 has an imaging device body 2 and a lens barrel 3. The lens barrel 3 is detachably attached to the imaging device body 2 on the subject side (+Z direction), i.e., the front. The lens barrel 3 houses and arranges at least one lens (not shown), which is replaced as appropriate according to the shooting situation. The imaging device body 2 has a housing 21, inside which a control circuit board 11, an image sensor 101, and the like (described later) are housed and arranged. The control circuit board 11 controls the entire imaging device 1. The image sensor 101 converts light incident through the lens barrel 3 into an electrical signal. The housing 21 has a thickness that changes along the Z-axis direction, and has a first part 211 that is thicker and a second part 212 that is thinner. When the user takes a picture using the imaging device 1, they can grip the second part 212 side. In addition, a finger rest 213 is formed protruding from the front of the second part 212, where the user can place their fingers when gripping the second part 212.

[0012] As shown in Figure 1B, a first air intake port 5 is opened on the bottom side (-Y direction) of the second part 212 for drawing in outside air through the operation of a cooling fan (fan) 13, which will be described later. The number of first air intake ports 5 is 3 in the configuration shown in Figure 1B, but is not limited to this. A second air intake port 6 is opened on the left side (-X direction) of the first part 211 for drawing in outside air, similar to the first air intake port 5. The number of second air intake ports 6 is 6 in the configuration shown in Figure 1B, but is not limited to this. Both the first air intake port 5 and the second air intake port 6 are positioned to prevent them from being covered by the user's hand when holding the housing 21 during shooting. As shown in Figure 1A, a first exhaust port 4 is opened on the right side (+X direction) of the first part 211 for discharging the air drawn in from the first air intake port 5 and the second air intake port 6 to the outside. The number of first exhaust ports 4 is six in the configuration shown in Figure 1A, but is not limited to this. The first exhaust ports 4 are positioned so that they are not covered by the user's hand when the user is holding the housing 21 during shooting.

[0013] <Overview of internal components of the imaging device> The internal components of the imaging device 1 are outlined below. Figure 2A is a rear-view perspective of the internal components of the imaging device. Figure 2B is a front-view perspective of the internal components of the imaging device. Figure 3A is an exploded perspective view of the rear-view internal components of the imaging device. Figure 3B is an exploded perspective view of the front-view internal components of the imaging device. As shown in Figures 2A, 2B, 3A, and 3B, the internal components of the imaging device 1 (imaging device body 2) include an image sensor unit 7, a vibration isolation fixing unit 8, and a front side plate 9. In addition, other internal components include a first duct (unit cooling duct) 10, a control circuit board 11, a second duct (board cooling duct) 12, a cooling fan 13, an exhaust port connector 14, a duct connector 15, and a first intake port connector 16.

[0014] As shown in Figures 3A and 3B, the front side plate 9, image sensor unit 7, vibration isolation unit 8, first duct 10, control circuit board 11, second duct 12, and cooling fan 13 are arranged sequentially from the positive side to the negative side along the Z-axis direction (optical axis direction). These internal components can be divided into an imaging unit 100 and a main unit 200. The imaging unit 100 consists of the image sensor unit 7, vibration isolation unit 8, front side plate 9, and first duct 10. The first air intake connection part 16 also constitutes part of the imaging unit 100. The vibration isolation unit 8 functions as a support member that movably supports the image sensor unit 7 between itself and the front side plate 9. The direction of movement of the image sensor unit 7 is the X-axis direction (first direction) which is perpendicular to the Z-axis direction, and the Y-axis direction (second direction) which is perpendicular to the Z-axis and different from the X-axis direction. This movement provides vibration isolation to the image sensor 101 (image sensor unit 7), preventing camera shake during imaging. The first duct 10 is positioned opposite the image sensor unit 7, allowing for heat exchange between the duct and the image sensor unit 7. This enables cooling of the image sensor 101. The first duct 10 is fixed to the vibration isolation fixing unit 8. This allows the first duct 10 to stably exchange heat with the image sensor unit 7. The main unit 200 consists of a control circuit board 11, a second duct 12, and a cooling fan 13. The exhaust port connection part 14 also constitutes part of the main unit 200. The second duct 12 is positioned opposite the control circuit board 11 on the side of the control circuit board 11 that is opposite the image sensor unit 7, allowing for heat exchange between the duct and the control circuit board 11. This enables cooling of the control circuit board 11.

[0015] The first duct 10 is a flat, box-shaped structure and has a first duct intake section (suction port) 10a opening on the negative side in the X-axis direction and a first duct exhaust section (discharge port) 10b opening on the positive side in the Y-axis direction. The first duct intake section 10a is connected to the aforementioned first intake port 5 via a cylindrical first intake port connecting section 16. As a result, air is drawn into the first duct intake section 10a. This air then passes through the first duct 10 and is discharged from the first duct exhaust section 10b. The second duct 12 is also a flat, box-shaped structure and has a second duct intake section 12a opening on the negative side in the X-axis direction and a second duct intake section 12b opening on the positive side in the Y-axis direction. The second duct intake section 12a is connected to the aforementioned second intake port 6. As a result, air is drawn into the second duct intake section 12a. The second duct intake section 12b is connected to the first duct exhaust section 10b of the first duct 10 via a duct connector 15. This allows air discharged from the first duct exhaust section 10b to be drawn into the second duct intake section 12b. The second duct 12 also has an opening 12c that opens on the negative side in the Z-axis direction. A cooling fan 13 is connected to the opening 12c. The cooling fan 13 is a centrifugal fan and can discharge air drawn in from the front side of the centrifugal fan in the centrifugal (side) direction. A cylindrical exhaust port connector 14 is connected to the exhaust side of the cooling fan 13. When the cooling fan 13 is in operation, air can be drawn into the first intake port 5 and the second intake port 6. The air drawn in from the first intake port 5 is forced to pass through the first duct 10 and the second duct 12 in sequence. Furthermore, the air drawn in from the second intake port 6 is forced to pass through the second duct 12. All of this air is then discharged from the first exhaust port 4. This airflow promotes heat exchange (heat dissipation) between the first duct 10 and the image sensor unit 7, and promotes heat exchange (heat dissipation) between the second duct 12 and the control circuit board 11. This allows the image sensor 101 and the control circuit board 11 to be cooled rapidly. The constituent materials of the first duct 10 and the second duct 12 are not particularly limited, but it is preferable to use materials with relatively high thermal conductivity, such as aluminum.

[0016] <Explanation of the heat dissipation structure of the imaging device> The heat dissipation structure of the imaging device 1 will now be described. Figure 4A is a bottom view of the imaging device. Figure 4B is a cross-sectional view of AA in Figure 4A. Figure 5A is a rear cross-sectional view of the imaging device. Figure 5B is a cross-sectional view of BB in Figure 5A. Figures 5C and 5D are cross-sectional views of CC in Figure 5A, respectively.

[0017] In the image sensor unit 7, the image sensor 101 generates heat, for example, when power is supplied during imaging. This heat generated by the image sensor 101 is transferred to the first duct 10, which has high thermal conductivity. As a result, the first duct 10 becomes hot. Details of the heat transfer from the image sensor 101 to the first duct 10 will be described later. Also, due to the operation of the cooling fan 13, the air GS passes through the first air intake port 5 and the first air intake port connector 16 in order, as shown in Figure 4B. The air GS then flows into the first duct 10, which is connected to the first air intake port connector 16, and passes through the first duct 10. As a result, the air GS exchanges heat with the hot first duct 10, that is, it takes heat from the first duct 10 and becomes hot. After passing through the first duct 10, the hot air GS flows into the second duct 12 via the duct connector 15, as shown in Figure 5B, and passes through the second duct 12. Subsequently, the air GS is drawn into the cooling fan 13. Then, as shown in Figure 5C, the air GS passes through the exhaust port connection 14 and is discharged to the outside from the first exhaust port 4. This forced air cooling mechanism allows the heat from the image sensor 101, which is the main heat source of the imaging device body 2, to be quickly dissipated to the outside of the imaging device 1.

[0018] Furthermore, the control circuit board 11 also generates heat, for example, when power is supplied during imaging. The heat generated in this control circuit board 11 is transferred to the second duct 12, which has high thermal conductivity. As a result, the second duct 12 becomes hot. When the cooling fan 13 is activated, the air GS passes through the second intake port 6, as shown in Figure 5D. The air GS then flows into the second duct 12, which is connected to the second intake port 6, and passes through the second duct 12. In this way, the air GS exchanges heat with the hot second duct 12. After passing through the second duct 12, the hot air GS is taken in by the cooling fan 13. After that, the air GS passes through the exhaust port connection 14 and is discharged to the outside from the first exhaust port 4. With this forced air cooling mechanism, the heat from the control circuit board 11, which is the main heat source of the imaging device body 2, similar to the image sensor 101, can be quickly dissipated to the outside of the imaging device 1.

[0019] <Explanation of the vibration isolation structure of the imaging unit> The vibration isolation structure of the imaging unit 100 will now be described. Figure 6A is a perspective view of the imaging unit from the rear. Figure 6B is a perspective view of the imaging unit from the front. Figure 7A is an exploded perspective view of the imaging unit from the rear. Figure 7B is an exploded perspective view of the imaging unit from the front. As shown in Figures 6A, 6B, 7A, and 7B, the imaging unit 100 has an image sensor unit 7, a vibration isolation fixing unit 8, a front side sheet metal 9, and a first duct 10. As shown in Figures 7A and 7B, the image sensor unit 7 consists of an image sensor 101, an image sensor substrate 102, an imaging unit drive flex 103, a first coil 104X, two second coils 104Y, and an image sensor holding member (element holding member) 105. The vibration isolation fixing unit 8 consists of a rear side fixing plate 120, a first permanent magnet 121X, two second permanent magnets 121Y, a first rear side sheet metal 122X, and a second rear side sheet metal 122Y.

[0020] The image sensor 101 is mounted on the image sensor substrate 102. In this embodiment, the image sensor 101 has a rectangular shape that is longer in the X direction when viewed from the Z-axis direction, but it is not limited to this, and may be a rectangle that is longer in the Y direction, a square, or any other shape, or a shape other than a rectangle. The first duct 10 is positioned on the side of the image sensor substrate 102 opposite to the side on which the image sensor 101 is mounted. The image sensor substrate 102 is fixed to the frame-shaped image sensor holding member 105 with, for example, an adhesive. This maintains the state in which the image sensor substrate 102 is held by the image sensor holding member 105. The imaging unit drive flex 103 is connected to the image sensor substrate 102 in a communicative manner. This imaging unit drive flex 103 is fixed to the image sensor holding member 105 with, for example, double-sided tape or screws. The first coil 104X and each second coil 104Y are fixed to the imaging unit drive flex 103 and are also electrically connected to the imaging unit drive flex 103. The first coil 104X is positioned inside the opening 105X of the image sensor holding member 105, and each second coil 104Y is positioned inside the opening 105Y of the image sensor holding member 105. The image sensor unit 7 is held between the vibration isolation fixing unit 8 and the front side sheet metal 9, and a plurality of ball members 110 are interposed between the vibration isolation fixing unit 8 and the rear side fixing plate 120. By rolling the ball members 110, the image sensor unit 7 can move smoothly in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction.

[0021] The first permanent magnet 121X of the vibration isolation fixing unit 8 is held inside the opening 120X of the rear fixing plate 120, and each second permanent magnet 121Y is held inside the opening 120Y of the rear fixing plate 120. In addition, the first permanent magnet 121X is covered from the negative Z-axis side by the first rear sheet metal 122X, and each second permanent magnet 121Y is covered collectively from the negative Z-axis side by the second rear sheet metal 122Y. The first rear sheet metal 122X and the second rear sheet metal 122Y are fixed to the rear fixing plate 120 with screws. The first duct 10 is also fixed to the rear fixing plate 120 with screws. The first coil 104X and the first permanent magnet 121X are positioned opposite each other in the Z-axis direction between the front sheet metal 9 and the first rear sheet metal 122X. The first coil 104X and the first permanent magnet 121X constitute a first drive mechanism 130X that drives the image sensor unit 7 in the X-axis direction using a voice coil motor (VCM) system (see Figures 6A and 6B). In the first drive mechanism 130X, when the first coil 104X is energized, a force is generated that drives the image sensor unit 7 in the X-axis direction (Yaw direction). This allows the position of the image sensor unit 7 in the X-axis direction to be controlled. The second coil 104Y and the second permanent magnet 121Y are arranged opposite each other in the Z-axis direction between the front side sheet metal 9 and the second rear side sheet metal 122Y. Two sets of the second coil 104Y and the second permanent magnet 121Y are arranged to constitute a second drive mechanism 130Y that drives the image sensor unit 7 in the Y-axis direction using a voice coil motor (VCM) system. In the second drive mechanism 130Y, when the second coil 104Y is energized, the direction of the current flowing through each set generates a force that drives the image sensor unit 7 in the Y-axis direction (Pitch direction) and a force that drives it in the rotational direction (Roll direction) around the Z-axis. This allows the position of the image sensor unit 7 in the Y-axis direction and around the Z-axis to be controlled. With this configuration, when an external force is applied to the imaging device 1, the amount of blur caused by the external force can be detected and the image sensor unit 7 can be driven to counteract that amount of blur. This allows the blur of the captured image caused by camera shake in the imaging device 1 to be corrected. The operation of the first drive mechanism 130X and the second drive mechanism 130Y is controlled by the control circuit board 11.

[0022] <Positional relationship between the imaging unit and the first duct> The positional relationship between the imaging unit 100 and the first duct 10 will be explained. Figure 8A is a diagram showing the positional relationship between the imaging unit and the first duct as viewed from the rear. Figure 8B is a cross-sectional view of Figure 8A at DD. Figure 8C is a cross-sectional view of Figure 8A at EE.

[0023] As shown in Figure 8A, the first drive mechanism 130X is positioned along the Y-axis, and the second drive mechanism 130Y is positioned along the X-axis. As a result, the first drive mechanism 130X and the second drive mechanism 130Y are positioned on two adjacent sides of the rectangular image sensor 101, namely the left (+X) short side 101a and the lower (-Y) long side 101b, respectively. Also, as mentioned above, the first duct 10 has a first duct intake section 10a, which is the air inlet, and a first duct exhaust section 10b, which is the air outlet. The first duct intake section 10a and the first duct exhaust section 10b are positioned on the remaining two adjacent sides of the rectangular image sensor 101, different from the short side 101a and long side 101b, namely the right short side 101c and the upper long side 101d, respectively. Accordingly, in this embodiment, the first drive mechanism 130X and the first duct intake section 10a are arranged via the optical axis OA of the image sensor 101, and the second drive mechanism 130Y and the first duct exhaust section 10b are arranged via the optical axis OA. In this manner, when viewed from the Z-axis direction, the first drive mechanism 130X, the second drive mechanism 130Y, the first duct intake section 10a, and the first duct exhaust section 10b are in a non-overlapping positional relationship around the image sensor 101. Due to this positional relationship, the first duct 10, when viewed, for example from the rear direction, does not projectually overlap with the first drive mechanism 130X and the second drive mechanism 130Y, but is arranged to projectually overlap with the image sensor substrate 102. This allows the space behind the image sensor unit 7 to be effectively utilized as the space for the first duct 10, enabling miniaturization of the imaging device 1 and rapid cooling of the image sensor 101 by the first duct 10. Furthermore, a first drive mechanism 130X and a second drive mechanism 130Y, which can provide vibration damping for the image sensor substrate 102, are arranged around the image sensor substrate 102, contributing to the miniaturization of the imaging device 1. In addition, the first drive mechanism 130X, the second drive mechanism 130Y, and the first duct 10 may have different thicknesses along the Z-axis, but it is preferable that they be the same. When their thicknesses are the same, it contributes to miniaturization (thinning) of the imaging device 1.Furthermore, when viewed from the Z-axis direction, the duct connection section 15 is positioned so as not to overlap with the image sensor substrate 102 (image sensor unit 7). This allows a portion of the area around the image sensor substrate 102 when viewed from the Z-axis direction to be effectively utilized as the space for the duct connection section 15, contributing to the miniaturization of the imaging device 1. Depending on the configuration of the first duct 10, the first drive mechanism 130X and the first duct exhaust section 10b can be arranged via the optical axis OA, and the second drive mechanism 130Y and the first duct intake section 10a can be arranged via the optical axis OA.

[0024] As shown in Figure 8B, the first duct 10 has a first duct cooling section 10c facing the image sensor substrate 102, and heat is transferred from the image sensor substrate 102 via the first duct cooling section 10c. A first gap ΔX1 is formed between the first duct 10 and the image sensor holding member 105 of the image sensor unit 7 in the driving direction of the image sensor unit 7 by the first drive mechanism 130X, i.e., in the X-axis direction. The first gap ΔX1 is ensured to be larger than the driving distance of the image sensor unit 7 by the first drive mechanism 130X, i.e., the amount of movement in the X-axis direction. As a result, when the image sensor unit 7 moves in the X-axis direction, interference between the image sensor unit 7 and the first duct 10 can be prevented regardless of the amount of movement. Furthermore, the first drive mechanism 130X has a configuration comprising a first permanent magnet 121X, a first rear side sheet metal 122X, and a first coil 104X. To prevent the above interference, it is preferable that the height in the Z-axis direction of the first duct 10 and the first rear side sheet metal 122X are the same.

[0025] As shown in Figure 8C, a second gap ΔY1 is formed between the first duct 10 and the image sensor holding member 105 of the image sensor unit 7 in the direction of drive of the image sensor unit 7 by the second drive mechanism 130Y, i.e., in the Y-axis direction. The second gap ΔY1 is ensured to be larger than the drive distance of the image sensor unit 7 by the second drive mechanism 130Y, i.e., the amount of movement in the Y-axis direction. This prevents interference between the image sensor unit 7 and the first duct 10 when the image sensor unit 7 moves in the Y-axis direction, regardless of the amount of movement. The second drive mechanism 130Y has a configuration that includes a second permanent magnet 121Y, a second back-side sheet metal 122Y, and a second coil 104Y, and to prevent the above interference, it is preferable that the heights in the Z-axis direction of the first duct 10 and the second back-side sheet metal 122Y are the same.

[0026] <First example of heat transfer in an image sensor unit> A first example of heat transfer in the image sensor unit 7 will be described. Figure 9A is a rear exploded perspective view illustrating the first example of heat transfer in the image sensor unit. Figure 9B is a front exploded perspective view illustrating the first example of heat transfer in the image sensor unit. Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the first example of heat transfer in the image sensor unit. Note that Figure 10 is a diagram in which the relevant area is extracted from the BB cross-sectional view in Figure 5A.

[0027] As shown in Figures 9A and 9B, the image sensor unit 7 has an electrical connection member (electrical connection part) 300 and a reinforcing plate (reinforcing part) 301. The electrical connection member 300 has a first connection connector 302 connected to the image sensor board connector 342 of the image sensor substrate 102 and a second connection connector 303 connected to the control circuit board connector 343 of the control circuit board 11. As a result, the image sensor substrate 102 is electrically connected to the control circuit board 11 via the electrical connection member 300 and is therefore controlled by the control circuit board 11. In this embodiment, the electrical connection member 300 is a flexible printed circuit board. As a result, the electrical connection member 300 can be arranged in a U-shape, that is, it can be routed. The electrical connection member 300 arranged in this manner can be prevented from hindering the driving of the image sensor unit 7. Although the electrical connection member 300 is arranged in a U-shape, it is not limited to this, and may be arranged in a different shape, such as an S-shape. Furthermore, the first connector 302 and the second connector 303 are board-to-board connectors (BtoB connectors). This allows for quick connection work. The reinforcing plate 301 is a plate-shaped member that reinforces the electrical connection member 300. The first connector 302 is positioned on the reinforcing plate 301. This makes it easy to connect the first connector 302 to the image sensor board connector 342 of the image sensor board 102.

[0028] As shown in Figure 10, the image sensor unit 7 has a heat conductive sheet 310 and a heat conductive member 330. The heat conductive sheet 310 is flexible. This allows the heat conductive sheet 310 to be curved in a U-shape, similar to the electrical connection member 300, and placed alongside the electrical connection member 300, that is, overlapping the electrical connection member 300. The heat conductive sheet 310 is a long sheet member made of, for example, a graphite sheet with relatively high thermal conductivity. As shown in Figures 9A and 9B, the heat conductive sheet 310 has a first heat transfer surface 311 on one end and a second heat transfer surface 312 on the other end. The first heat transfer surface 311 faces the image sensor unit 7 and receives heat from the image sensor substrate 102. The second heat transfer surface 312 faces the second duct 12 and receives heat from the image sensor substrate 102. As shown in Figure 9A, a heat conductive member 330 is placed near the image sensor substrate connector 342. Heat from the image sensor substrate 102 is transferred to the first heat transfer surface 311 via the heat conductive member 330.

[0029] As shown in Figure 10, the first connection connector 302 of the heat conductive sheet 310 and the heat conductive member 330 are positioned so that they each fit within the projection area of ​​the reinforcing plate 301. That is, when viewed from the Z-axis direction, at least a portion of the heat conductive sheet 310 and the heat conductive member 330 overlap with the reinforcing plate 301. The heat conductive sheet 310 and the heat conductive member 330 are in contact with each other. This allows the space near the first connection connector 302 within the projection of the reinforcing plate 301 to be used as a heat transfer area, enabling efficient heat dissipation from the image sensor substrate 102. The heat conductive member 330 is made of an elastic rubber material and is positioned in a compressed state between the image sensor substrate 102 and the reinforcing plate 301. The reaction force (restoring force) generated by the compressed heat conductive member 330 is smaller than the connection force that maintains the connection between the image sensor substrate connector 342 of the image sensor substrate 102 and the first connection connector 302 of the electrical connection member 300. This prevents stress from occurring in a direction that would cause the connection between the image sensor substrate connector 342 and the first connection connector 302 to be released.

[0030] <Second example of heat transfer in the image sensor unit> A second heat transfer example of the image sensor unit 7 will be described. The second heat transfer example is a heat transfer example from the image sensor substrate 102 to the first duct 10. Figure 11A is a front view of the thermally conductive flexible member used for heat transfer. Figure 11B is a perspective view showing the extended state (deformed state) of the thermally conductive flexible member shown in Figure 11A. Figure 12A is a rear exploded perspective view showing the positional relationship between the image sensor substrate, the thermally conductive flexible member and the first duct. Figure 12B is a front exploded perspective view showing the positional relationship between the image sensor substrate, the thermally conductive flexible member and the first duct. Figure 13 is a perspective view showing the positional relationship between the image sensor substrate, the thermally conductive flexible member and the electrical connection member.

[0031] The thermally conductive flexible member (flexible thermal conductive member) 2001 shown in Figure 11A is composed of a sheet material such as a graphite sheet with relatively high thermal conductivity, and is connected to the image sensor unit 7 and the first duct 10. This allows the thermally conductive flexible member 2001 to transfer heat from the image sensor unit 7 to the first duct 10. The thermally conductive flexible member 2001 has a spiral shape. This allows the thermally conductive flexible member 2001 to expand and contract in the Z-axis direction (see Figure 11B). Furthermore, this spiral-shaped thermally conductive flexible member 2001 has a central part (central part 2002 enclosed by a dashed line in Figure 11A) and an outer periphery located on the outer edge of the central part 2002 (outer periphery part 2003 enclosed by a dashed line in Figure 11A). The central part 2002 is displaceable relative to the outer periphery part 2003 in any of the X-axis, Y-axis, or Z-axis directions.

[0032] As shown in Figures 12A and 12B, the thermally conductive flexible member 2001 is positioned between the image sensor substrate 102 and the first duct 10. The outer periphery 2003 of the thermally conductive flexible member 2001 is connected to the surface of the image sensor substrate 102 where the image sensor substrate connector 342 is located, and the central portion 2002 is connected to the front surface (duct heat transfer surface 2004) of the first duct 10. This allows sufficient heat transfer from the image sensor substrate 102 to the first duct 10. Furthermore, the thermally conductive flexible member 2001 can expand and contract in the direction of movement of the image sensor substrate 102 when it is driven, while preventing it from hindering the movement of the image sensor substrate 102. In this embodiment, the outer periphery 2003 is connected to the image sensor unit 7 and the central portion 2002 is connected to the first duct 10, but the embodiment is not limited to this configuration. For example, the central portion 2002 may be connected to the image sensor unit 7, and the outer peripheral portion 2003 may be connected to the first duct 10. Alternatively, the thermally conductive flexible member 2001 may be connected to a location other than the image sensor substrate 102 of the image sensor unit 7.

[0033] As mentioned above, the thermally conductive flexible member 2001 has a spiral shape. This allows the electrical connection member 300 to pass between the central portion 2002 and the outer peripheral portion 2003 in the planar direction of the thermally conductive flexible member 2001, as shown in Figure 13. This configuration contributes to the thinning of the imaging device 1.

[0034] <Third example of heat transfer in an image sensor unit> A third example of heat transfer in the image sensor unit 7 will be described. The third example of heat transfer is from the image sensor substrate 102 to the first duct 10. Figure 14 is a perspective view of the heat dissipation sheet used for heat transfer. Figure 15 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the heat transfer from the image sensor unit to the first duct.

[0035] The heat dissipation sheet (flexible heat conduction member) 4000 shown in Figure 14 is a long, flexible sheet member made of, for example, a graphite sheet with relatively high thermal conductivity, and is connected to the image sensor unit 7 and the first duct 10. As a result, the heat dissipation sheet 4000 can transfer heat from the image sensor unit 7 to the first duct 10. The heat dissipation sheet 4000 has a first bellows section 4001 located at one end 4003, a second bellows section 4002 located at the other end 4004, and a connecting section 4005 that connects the first bellows section 4001 and the second bellows section 4002. The first bellows section 4001 has a bellows-like shape with repeated mountain and valley folds and is expandable and contractible in the X-axis direction (see Figure 15). The second bellows section 4002 has a bellows-like structure with repeated mountain and valley folds, and is expandable and contract in a direction perpendicular to (different from) the expansion and contraction direction of the first bellows section 4001, i.e., in the Y-axis direction (see Figure 15). Furthermore, the connecting section 4005, which is the part between the first bellows section 4001 and the second bellows section 4002, has lower elasticity than the first bellows section 4001 and the second bellows section 4002 (in this embodiment, it has no elasticity). As a result, the first bellows section 4001 and the second bellows section 4002 can expand and contract preferentially within the heat dissipation sheet 4000. Note that in this embodiment, the expansion and contraction directions of the first bellows section 4001 and the second bellows section 4002 are perpendicular to each other, but are not limited to perpendicular as long as they are in different directions.

[0036] As shown in Figure 15, the heat dissipation sheet 4000 is positioned between the image sensor unit 7 and the first duct 10. One end 4003 (first bellows section 4001) of the heat dissipation sheet 4000 is connected to the image sensor substrate 102 of the image sensor unit 7, and the other end 4004 (second bellows section 4002) is connected to the first duct 10. This allows sufficient heat transfer from the image sensor substrate 102 to the first duct 10. Furthermore, when the image sensor substrate 102 is driven, the first bellows section 4001 and the second bellows section 4002 of the heat dissipation sheet 4000 can independently expand and contract in the direction of the drive. This prevents the heat dissipation sheet 4000 from hindering the movement of the image sensor substrate 102, and ensures that the vibration damping function for the image sensor unit 7 is fully realized. In this embodiment, the first bellows section 4001 is connected to the image sensor unit 7 and the second bellows section 4002 is connected to the first duct 10, but the embodiment is not limited to this. For example, the second bellows section 4002 may be connected to the image sensor unit 7 and the first bellows section 4001 may be connected to the first duct 10.

[0037] <<Second Embodiment>> The second embodiment will be described below with reference to Figures 16 to 20, focusing on the differences from the previously described embodiment, and similar matters will be omitted. Figure 16 is a perspective view showing the internal configuration from the image sensor unit to the control board. Figure 17 is a perspective view with the control board from Figure 16 hidden. Figures 18A and 18B are perspective views showing the heat dissipation sheet and the flexible wiring board connected, respectively. Figures 19A to 19F show the heat dissipation sheet, respectively. Figure 20A is a vertical cross-sectional view of the state shown in Figure 16. Figure 20B is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the state shown in Figure 16.

[0038] The image sensor substrate 3000 shown in Figure 16 is driven by a vibration isolation mechanism 3002 for vibration isolation during imaging, similar to the first embodiment. As shown in Figures 20A and 20B, the image sensor substrate 3000 has an image sensor 3001 mounted on it, and a first heat dissipation duct 3005 is located on the side opposite to the mounting surface. The first heat dissipation duct 3005 has a first heat dissipation duct body 3003 and a plate-shaped first heat dissipation duct cover 3004, and when these are assembled, a flow path for air to pass through is formed inside. The first heat dissipation duct 3005 has a first heat dissipation duct intake port 3006 through which air is drawn in, and a first heat dissipation duct exhaust port 3007 through which air is discharged. A control board 3008 is located on the first heat dissipation duct body 3003 side of the first heat dissipation duct 3005.

[0039] The control board 3008 and the image sensor board 3000 are electrically connected via a flexible wiring material 3009. The flexible wiring material 3009 has an image sensor board connection portion 3010 connected to the image sensor board 3000, a control board connection portion 3011 connected to the control board 3008, and a connecting portion 3012 that connects the image sensor board connection portion 3010 and the control board connection portion 3011. The connecting portion 3012 is flexible and arranged in a U-shape. This allows the connecting portion 3012 to deform and follow the direction of drive when the image sensor board 102 is driven by the vibration isolation mechanism 3002, while preventing it from hindering the movement of the image sensor board 3000. Furthermore, the length of the connecting portion 3012 is sufficiently long to follow the amount of drive of the image sensor board 3000.

[0040] <Heat dissipation structure of imaging device> The heat dissipation structure of the imaging device 1 will now be described. On the opposite side of the control board 3008 from the first heat dissipation duct 3005, although not shown in this embodiment, the second duct 12 and cooling fan 13 described in the first embodiment are arranged. The intake port 3006 of the first heat dissipation duct is connected to the first intake port 5, and the exhaust port 3007 of the first heat dissipation duct is connected to the second duct intake section 12b of the second duct 12. When the cooling fan 13 is operated, air is drawn in from the intake port 3006 of the first heat dissipation duct. This air flows as shown by the arrows in Figure 17, passing sequentially through the exhaust port 3007 of the first heat dissipation duct and the second duct 12, and is exhausted from the first exhaust port 4. This airflow allows the heat transferred to the first heat dissipation duct 3005 to be forcibly released.

[0041] <Structure of the heat dissipation sheet> The structure of the heat dissipation sheet will now be described. As shown in Figure 20B, a heat dissipation sheet (thermal conductive sheet) 3013 is provided on the side of the image sensor substrate 3000 opposite to the side on which the image sensor 3001 is mounted. The heat dissipation sheet 3013 is connected to the image sensor substrate 3000 and the first heat dissipation duct 3005 via the image sensor substrate connection portion 3010 of the flexible wiring material 3009, and is a single sheet material that dissipates (transfers heat) from the image sensor substrate 3000 to the first heat dissipation duct 3005 when the imaging device 1 is in operation.

[0042] As shown in Figure 19A, the unfolded heat dissipation sheet 3013 has a flexible wiring material fixing part 3014, a plurality of independent strip-shaped arms (strip-shaped parts) 3015, and an intermediate part 3016 that connects the flexible wiring material fixing part 3014 and each arm 3015. The flexible wiring material fixing part 3014 is fixed to the image sensor substrate connection part 3010 of the flexible wiring material 3009. As shown in Figures 19B to 19F, the heat dissipation sheet 3013 is bundled and overlapped by overlapping the arms 3015 and folding the intermediate part 3016. Note that the portion of the heat dissipation sheet 3013 on the first heat dissipation duct 3005 side is composed of overlapping parts, but is not limited to this, and for example, the entire sheet may be composed of overlapping parts. The widths of the tips of each arm 3015 are different from each other. As a result, the non-contact surface 3018 of the first heat dissipation duct (see Figure 19B), which does not make surface contact with the first heat dissipation duct 3005, has only two of its four arm surfaces exposed. On the other hand, the contact surface 3019 of the first heat dissipation duct (see Figure 19C), which makes surface contact with the first heat dissipation duct 3005, has the surface of the tip 3017 of each of the four arm portions 3015 exposed. In this embodiment, the heat dissipation sheet 3013 is composed of a single sheet material, but it is not limited to this, and may be made of multiple sheets layered together, for example.

[0043] As shown in Figures 18A and 18B, the heat dissipation sheet 3013 is fixed to the image sensor substrate connection portion 3010 of the flexible wiring material 3009 at the flexible wiring material fixing portion 3014. This allows the heat dissipation sheet 3013 to absorb the heat from the flexible wiring material 3009. The heat dissipation sheet 3013 is separated from the flexible wiring material 3009 from the middle portion 3016 onwards and folded as shown in Figures 19D and 19F. Within this folded area, each arm portion 3015 of the heat dissipation sheet 3013 is curved in a U-shape. This allows the first heat dissipation duct contact surface 3019 of the tip portion 3017 to contact the first heat dissipation duct 3005, as shown in Figure 17. As mentioned above, the heat transferred from the image sensor substrate 3000 to the flexible wiring material fixing part 3014 is transferred to each arm part 3015 and then dissipated from the tip part 3017 to the first heat dissipation duct 3005. The amount of heat transferred through the heat dissipation sheet 3013 is approximately proportional to the cross-sectional area of ​​the heat dissipation sheet 3013, so an amount of heat transfer in multiples of the number of arms 3015 can be obtained. Furthermore, at the tip part 3017, the first heat dissipation duct contact surface 3019, where the surface of each arm part 3015 is exposed, contacts the first heat dissipation duct 3005 to dissipate heat, thus increasing the contact heat transfer effect from the heat dissipation sheet 3013.

[0044] <<Third Embodiment>> The third embodiment will be described below with reference to Figures 21 to 28, focusing on the differences from the previously described embodiment, and similar matters will be omitted from the explanation.

[0045] <Overview of internal components of the imaging device> Figure 21 is a perspective view showing the image sensor unit and the cooling structure of the imaging unit. Figure 22 is an exploded perspective view showing the image sensor unit and the cooling structure of the imaging unit. As shown in Figure 22, on the back side (negative Z-axis side) of the image sensor unit 6020, heat dissipation grease 6040, heat dissipation fins 6030, heat dissipation member 5777, and the first duct 6010 are arranged in order from the image sensor unit 6020 side. The first duct 6010 is a duct for cooling the image sensor substrate 6021 of the image sensor unit 6020 and has an intake port 6500 and an exhaust port 6510. Air (outside air) is drawn in from the intake port 6500 and discharged from the exhaust port 6510 by the operation of a cooling fan 13 (not shown) (see Figure 21). The air then joins the second duct 12 and is discharged to the outside of the imaging device 1. The heat dissipation fins 6030, together with the thermal grease 6040, constitute a heat dissipation section 5000 that releases heat from the image sensor substrate 102. The heat dissipation fins 6030 are fixed to the image sensor substrate 6021 via the thermal grease 6040. The heat dissipation fins 6030 are cooled by the air passing through the first duct 6010. This allows the heat absorbed by the heat dissipation fins 6030 from the image sensor unit 6020 to be released.

[0046] The first duct 6010 has a first duct base 6011 and a first duct cover 6012, which are assembled to form a passage through which air passes. A fin insertion hole 6013 is formed through the first duct base 6011. The heat dissipation fin 6030 is inserted into the first duct 6010 through this fin insertion hole 6013. The heat dissipation member 5777 is a ring-shaped hollow member that connects the heat dissipation fin 6030 (heat dissipation part 5000) and the first duct 6010, and also communicates with the first duct 6010 through the fin insertion hole 6013. The heat dissipation member 5777 is bellows-shaped and expandable and contractible in the Z-axis direction. The heat dissipation member 5777 is compressed between the heat dissipation fin 6030 and the first duct 6010.

[0047] <Explanation of the structure of the heat dissipation component> Figure 23 is a perspective view showing the heat dissipation member. Figure 24 is an enlarged perspective view of the heat dissipation member shown in Figure 23. Figure 25 is a view of the image sensor unit from the first duct side. As shown in Figures 23 and 24, the heat dissipation member 5777 is a ring-shaped (cylindrical) member, and its wall portion 5001 has a bellows-like shape with repeated mountain and valley folds. By having a bellows-like shape, the heat dissipation member 5777 can expand and contract in accordance with the movement of the image sensor unit 6020. As a result, the heat dissipation member 5777 can ensure airtightness with the first duct 6010 regardless of the amount of movement of the image sensor unit 6020. Here, the reaction force generated in the heat dissipation member 5777 in conjunction with the movement of the image sensor unit 6020 will be explained with reference to Figure 25. The arrows in Figure 25 indicate the reaction force. The image sensor unit 6020 can be driven in the up, down, left, and right directions by the vibration-damping structure described above. Because the heat dissipation member 5777 is ring-shaped, if the amount of drive of the image sensor unit 6020 is the same in all directions (up, down, left, and right), the reaction force will also be the same regardless of the drive direction of the image sensor unit 6020. Furthermore, the reaction force is the same as when the image sensor unit 6020 is rotated around the central axis of the heat dissipation member 5777 which is parallel to the Z-axis direction. This prevents the reaction force of the heat dissipation member 5777 from changing each time the drive direction of the image sensor unit 6020 is changed, and the drive of the image sensor unit 6020 is well controlled. The heat dissipation member 5777 is made of a material with relatively high thermal conductivity. This makes it possible to transfer heat from the heat dissipation fins 6030 to the first duct 6010 via the heat dissipation member 5777. In addition, because the heat dissipation member 5777 is bellows-shaped, a large surface area can be secured in contact with the air flowing through the fin insertion holes 6013. This makes it possible to cool the image sensor unit 6020 efficiently.

[0048] <Structure of heat dissipation fins> Figure 26 is a perspective view showing the heat dissipation fins. Figure 27 is a diagram showing the positional relationship between the first duct and the heat dissipation fins. Figure 28 is a cross-sectional view of the FF in Figure 27. As shown in Figure 26, the heat dissipation fins 6030 have a mounting portion 6032 that is attached in contact with the object to be dissipated, and a projection portion 6034 that protrudes from the mounting portion 6032 toward the first duct 6010. The projection portion 6034 has a plurality of fins 3061 and a base portion 6033 that supports each fin 3061. In the projection portion 6034, each fin 3061 is arranged inside the first duct 6010, and the base portion 6033 is arranged outside the first duct 6010.

[0049] The mounting portion 6032 is a disc-shaped part. The base portion 6033 is a cylindrical part that is concentrically positioned with the mounting portion 6032. As shown in Figure 27, the fin insertion hole 6013 is a circular hole larger than the diameter of the base portion 6033, and a gap α is provided between it and the outer circumference of the base portion 6033. As a result, each fin 3061 (protruding portion 6034) maintains a non-contact state with the first duct 6010 regardless of the driving state of the image sensor unit 7. This prevents each fin 3061 from obstructing the driving of the image sensor unit 7.

[0050] As mentioned above, the base portion 6033 is positioned outside the first duct 6010. This prevents air resistance caused by the base portion 6033 inside the first duct 6010, as shown in Figure 28. In addition, each fin 3061 is positioned inside the first duct 6010. This allows air to come into contact with each fin 3061 inside the first duct 6010, and thus the heat that reaches each fin 3061 can be quickly discharged. This allows for efficient cooling of the image sensor unit 6020. As shown in Figure 28, in the portion of the first duct 6010 where the heat dissipation member 5777 is connected, the cross-sectional area SA of the air passage is increased compared to before and after that point. This cancels out the air resistance caused by each fin 3061 and contributes to the smooth passage of air. Also, as shown in Figure 27, two rib shapes 6015 are provided on the inside of the first duct base 6011. The distance β between the two rib shapes 6015 is equal to the diameter of the fin insertion hole 6013. This allows air to be guided to each fin 3061 of the heat dissipation fin 6030, enabling efficient cooling of the image sensor unit 6020.

[0051] <<Fourth Embodiment>> The fourth embodiment will be described below with reference to Figures 29A to 32C, focusing on the differences from the previously described embodiment, and omitting explanations of similar matters.

[0052] <Components of an imaging device> Figure 29A is a perspective view of the imaging device from the front. Figure 29B is a perspective view of the imaging device from the rear. As shown in Figures 29A and 29B, the imaging device 7000 has an imaging device body 7010 and a lens barrel 7020. As shown in Figure 29A, a plurality of exhaust ports 7030 are provided on the right side (+X direction) of the imaging device body 7010 when viewed from the subject side. Each exhaust port 7030 is for discharging air to the outside of the imaging device body 7010 by the operation of a cooling fan 7160, which will be described later. As shown in Figure 29B, a plurality of first intake ports 7040 are provided on the bottom side (-Y direction) of the imaging device body 7010. Each first intake port 7040 is for drawing air into the inside of the imaging device body 7010 by the operation of a cooling fan 7160.

[0053] <Overview of the internal components of the imaging device 7000> The internal components of the imaging device 7000 are outlined below. Figure 30A is an exploded perspective view of the internal components of the imaging device viewed from the rear. Figure 30B is an exploded perspective view of the internal components of the imaging device viewed from the front. As shown in Figures 30A and 30B, the internal components of the imaging device 7000 include the image sensor unit 7100, the first duct 7130, the control circuit board 7140, the second duct 7150, the cooling fan 7160, the exhaust port connector 7170, and the duct connector 7180.

[0054] Similar to the first embodiment, vibration isolation is provided to the image sensor unit 7100. The first duct 7130 is positioned between the image sensor unit 7100 and the control circuit board 7140 and is a cooling duct capable of cooling both the image sensor unit 7100 and the control circuit board 7140. In this way, the image sensor unit 7100 and the control circuit board 7140 can be cooled together with a single first duct 7130, which simplifies the internal configuration of the imaging device 7000. This makes it possible to miniaturize the imaging device 7000. The first duct 7130 has a first flow path 7131 located between the image sensor board 102 and the control circuit board 11. The first duct intake section 7130a of the first flow path 7131 is connected to the first intake port 7040 mentioned above. The first duct exhaust section 7130b of the first flow path 7131 is connected to the duct connection section 7180. The second duct 7150 has a second flow path 7151 located between the control circuit board 11 and the cooling fan 7160. The duct connector 7180 has a third flow path 7181 that connects the first flow path 7131 and the second flow path 7151. These first flow path 7131, second flow path 7151, and third flow path 7181 form a closed space from the first intake port 7040 to the exhaust port 7030. The cooling fan 7160 is a centrifugal fan. When the cooling fan 7160 operates, air is drawn in from the first intake port 7040, and this air is discharged from the exhaust port 7030 after passing through the first flow path 7131, the second flow path 7151, and the third flow path 7181 in that order. Also, when viewed from the Z-axis direction, the duct connector 7180 (third flow path 7181) is positioned so as not to overlap with the image sensor board 102 and the control circuit board 11. This allows a portion of the area surrounding the image sensor unit 7100, when viewed from the Z-axis direction, to be effectively utilized as space for the duct connection section 7180, contributing to the miniaturization of the imaging device 7000.

[0055] <Heat dissipation structure of imaging device> The heat dissipation structure of the imaging device 7000 will now be described. Figure 31A is a bottom view of the imaging device. Figure 31B is a cross-sectional view of Figure 31A at LL. Figure 32A is a rear view of the imaging device. Figure 32B is a cross-sectional view of Figure 32A at MM. Figure 32C is a cross-sectional view of Figure 32A at NN.

[0056] The heat generated in the image sensor substrate 7101 of the image sensor unit 7100 is transferred to the first duct 7130. The heat transfer from the image sensor substrate 7101 to the first duct 7130 is the same as in the first embodiment. In addition, the heat generated in the control circuit board 7140 is transferred to the first duct 7130 and the second duct 7150 as described above. The outside air taken in by the cooling fan 7160 enters the inside of the imaging device 7000 through the first air intake port 7040, as shown in Figure 31B, and then passes through the first duct 7130. As the air passes through the first duct 7130, heat exchange occurs between the image sensor substrate 7101 and the control circuit board 7140 and the first duct 7130. The air, which has become hot after heat exchange, passes through the duct connection part 7180 and the second duct 7150 in order, as shown in Figure 32B, and is taken in by the cooling fan 7160. Subsequently, as shown in Figure 32C, the air is discharged to the outside through the exhaust port 7030 via the exhaust port connection 7170.

[0057] In the heat dissipation structure of this embodiment, the first intake port 7040 and the first duct intake section 7130a are provided with a wide opening in the X-axis direction along the control circuit board 7140. The first duct 7130 has a first flow path that runs straight in the Y-axis direction from the first duct intake section 7130a to the first duct exhaust section 7130b. Furthermore, the first duct 7130 has a shape that has a wide heat transfer range on the Z-axis projection of the control circuit board 7140. With this configuration, the control circuit board 7140 can be efficiently heat-dissipated. The first duct 7130 is also positioned opposite the image sensor board 7101 of the image sensor unit 7100. This allows the image sensor unit 7100 to be efficiently heat-dissipated as well. As described above, in this embodiment, the first duct 7130 can efficiently heat-dissipate the control circuit board 7140 and the image sensor unit 7100 in a limited space.

[0058] Each embodiment disclosed includes the following configuration: (Configuration 1) An image sensor unit having an imaging substrate on which an image sensor is mounted, A first drive mechanism that drives the image sensor unit in a first direction perpendicular to the optical axis of the image sensor, A second drive mechanism that drives the image sensor unit in a second direction perpendicular to the optical axis and different from the first direction, A control circuit board that controls the operation of at least the first drive mechanism and the second drive mechanism, A cooling duct through which air passes to cool at least one of the image sensor unit and the control circuit board, The cooling duct is equipped with a fan that forcibly passes the air through it, The imaging apparatus is characterized in that the cooling duct has a first flow path located between the imaging substrate and the control circuit board, a second flow path located between the control circuit board and the fan, and a third flow path connecting the first flow path and the second flow path. (Configuration 2) The image sensor unit, the control circuit board, and the fan are arranged in order along the optical axis direction. The imaging apparatus according to configuration 1, characterized in that, when viewed from the optical axis direction, the third channel is positioned so as not to overlap with the imaging substrate and the control circuit substrate. (Configuration 3) The imaging apparatus according to Configuration 1 or 2, characterized in that the cooling duct is capable of cooling both the image sensor unit and the control circuit board.

[0059] Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of its gist. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0060] 1. Imaging device 10. First duct (duct for unit cooling) 10a First duct intake (suction port) 10b First duct exhaust section (outlet) 12. Second duct (duct for cooling circuit boards) 12a Second duct intake 12b Second duct intake 15. Duct connection section (connecting duct) 101 Image sensor 102 Image sensor substrate

Claims

1. An image sensor unit having an image substrate on which an image sensor is mounted, A first drive mechanism that drives the image sensor unit in a first direction perpendicular to the optical axis of the image sensor, A second drive mechanism that drives the image sensor unit in a second direction perpendicular to the optical axis and different from the first direction, A control circuit board that controls the operation of at least the first drive mechanism and the second drive mechanism, A cooling duct through which air passes to cool at least one of the image sensor unit and the control circuit board, The cooling duct is equipped with a fan that forcibly passes the air through it, The imaging apparatus is characterized in that the cooling duct has a first flow path located between the imaging substrate and the control circuit board, a second flow path located between the control circuit board and the fan, and a third flow path connecting the first flow path and the second flow path.

2. The image sensor unit, the control circuit board, and the fan are arranged in order along the optical axis. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, when viewed from the optical axis direction, the third channel is positioned so as not to overlap with the imaging substrate and the control circuit substrate.

3. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the cooling duct is capable of cooling both the image sensor unit and the control circuit board.

Images