Camera modules, in-vehicle systems, and mobile devices

Abstract

The present invention provides a camera module, an in-vehicle system, and a mobile device that can prevent water droplets from accumulating on parts of the housing that are exposed to the outside and vibrate together with the vibrating body. [Solution] The camera module 300 of the present invention comprises a cylindrical first housing 23 that forms an internal housing space for receiving a lens barrel, and a vibration mechanism provided inside the first housing 23 that has an internal vibrator. The first housing 23 has external vibrators 23b, 23b', and 23c that are coupled to the internal vibrator and receive vibrations from the internal vibrator. These external vibrators are provided with relief portions (grooves) 80 that allow water droplets flowing over the external vibrator to escape to the shoulder portions 23b and 23b', preventing them from remaining on the circumferential surface 23d of the neck portion 23c of the external vibrator.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a camera module, an in-vehicle system, and a moving body equipped with the in-vehicle system, which constitute an in-vehicle camera mounted on a vehicle such as an automobile.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, in-vehicle cameras have been mounted on automobiles to support parking or prevent collisions through image recognition, and attempts have been made to apply them to autonomous driving. In addition, such a camera module, such as an in-vehicle camera, generally includes a lens unit having a lens group in which a plurality of lenses are arranged along an optical axis, a lens barrel (barrel) that houses and holds the lens group, and an aperture member disposed between at least one pair of lenses in the lens group (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] In addition, such a lens unit may be attached to a mounting bracket provided in a gap such as a front grille of a vehicle (automobile), and in some cases, the lens located closest to the object side may be exposed to the outside. In such a case, foreign substances such as water droplets, muddy water, ice and snow, and frost are likely to adhere to the surface (lens surface) of the lens, and when they adhere, it is necessary to remove the foreign substances in order to ensure a clear observation field by the lens unit.

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

[0005] Specifically, as shown in Figure 7, such a vibrating device 102 is installed in a camera that has an imaging optical system 105 with a built-in lens 106 and an image sensor located on the top of the camera body 103, and comprises a dome-shaped transparent cover 111, a cylindrical vibrating body 112 to which the cover 111 is fixed, and a piezoelectric element 113 fixed to the vibrating body 112 that vibrates the cover 111 via the vibrating body 112. The vibrating body 112 has a cylindrical portion 114 having a first end 114a located on the cover 111 side and a second end 114b located on the opposite side of the cover 111; a tubular first connecting portion 115 connected to the first end 114a of the cylindrical portion 114 and made of a cylinder with a larger inner diameter than the cylindrical portion 114; a first ring-shaped portion 116 interposed between the first connecting portion 115 and the cover 111 and having a smaller inner diameter than the first connecting portion 115; a second connecting portion 117 connected to the second end 114b of the cylindrical portion 114 and made of a cylinder with a smaller outer diameter than the cylindrical portion 114; and a second ring-shaped portion 118 interposed between the second connecting portion 117 and the piezoelectric element 113 and having a larger outer diameter than the second connecting portion 117. Furthermore, all components of this small camera module, including the camera body 103 and the vibration device 102, are housed within the housing 130.

[0006] In such a vibrating device 102, the piezoelectric element 113 is driven to cause ultrasonic vibration of the cover 111 via the vibrating body 112, thereby more effectively moving and atomizing the droplets, or removing foreign matter adhering to the surface of the cover 111. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2013-231993 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 6977784 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0008] By the way, in the case of a vibrating device in which optical elements such as lenses and covers vibrated by the vibrating body 112 are held so as to be directly pressed by a holding portion at the object-side end of the housing 130 that is exposed to the outside together with the optical elements, and such a holding portion is also vibrated together with the vibrating body 112, for example, as shown in Figure 8, if such a vibrating holding portion 250 consists of a shoulder portion 200 formed by a radially extending plane 200a and a neck portion 210 formed by a circumferential surface 210a extending in the optical axis direction so as to protrude from the shoulder portion 200 in the optical axis direction and holds the optical element (lens or lens cover) 111, then water droplets 150 adhering to the holding portion 250 (or flowing from the optical element 111) may remain on the circumferential surface 210a of the neck portion 210 and not flow down, remaining there.

[0009] Thus, if water droplets remain on the circumferential surface 210a of the neck portion 210 of the vibrating holding portion 250, the overall vibration performance of the holding portion 250 will decrease, and the original purpose of removing foreign matter from the optical element 111 by vibration will not be achieved. Furthermore, the retention of such water droplets 150 is more likely to occur as the length of the neck portion 210 protruding in the optical axis direction increases and the area of ​​the circumferential surface 210a increases.

[0010] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a camera module, an in-vehicle system, and a mobile device that can prevent water droplets from accumulating on parts of the housing that are exposed to the outside and vibrate together with the vibrating body. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] To solve the above problems, the present invention provides a camera module comprising: a lens group in which a plurality of lenses are arranged along the optical axis of the lenses; a lens barrel that houses and holds the lenses of the lens group except for the first lens located closest to the object; and an image sensor that converts the light collected through the lens group into an electrical signal. A cylindrical first housing having an internal housing space for receiving the aforementioned lens barrel, A vibration mechanism provided within the first housing includes a vibration source that vibrates ultrasonically, and an internal vibrator connected to the vibration source and the first lens, which transmits the ultrasonic vibrations of the vibration source to the first lens. Equipped with, The first housing has an external vibrator that is coupled to the internal vibrator and receives vibrations from the internal vibrator, The external vibrator has a shoulder portion formed by at least a plane extending in the radial direction, and a neck portion formed by a circumferential surface extending in the optical axis direction so as to protrude from the plane of the shoulder portion in the optical axis direction, and which directly or indirectly holds the first lens. The external vibrator is characterized by being provided with a drainage section that allows water droplets flowing over the external vibrator to escape to the shoulder section, preventing them from remaining on the circumferential surface of the neck section.

[0012] According to the above configuration of the present invention, a release portion is provided on the external vibrator that releases water droplets flowing over the external vibrator to the shoulder portion so that they do not remain on the circumferential surface of the neck portion. As a result, water droplets do not remain on the circumferential surface of the neck portion of the vibrating external vibrator, and therefore, the desired vibration performance of the external vibrator can be ensured. In the above configuration, "water droplets" include not only droplets consisting only of water, but also foreign matter contained in the water droplets (which mixes with the water droplets as they flow down).

[0013] Furthermore, in the above configuration of the present invention, the relief portion may be a groove that extends continuously across the circumferential surface of the neck portion and the shoulder portion. Alternatively, the relief portion may be realized by forming the object-side end of the circumferential surface of the neck portion extending from the side of the first lens into a curved surface with a cross-sectional arc shape having a predetermined radius of curvature. Moreover, the relief portion may consist of a water-repellent coating provided on the circumferential surface of the neck portion. Furthermore, in the above configuration, the neck portion of the external vibrator may hold the first lens either directly by itself or indirectly between itself and the first lens via a resin member.

[0014] The present invention also provides an in-vehicle system having the aforementioned camera module, and a moving body equipped with the in-vehicle system. Such an in-vehicle system and moving body can also obtain the same operational effects as the aforementioned camera module. Note that the "moving body" refers to all objects that can move, and examples thereof include vehicles and the like.

Effects of the Invention

[0015] According to the camera module of the present invention, due to the presence of the escape portion, it is possible to prevent water droplets from remaining on the portion of the first housing (the circumferential surface of the neck of the external vibrating body) that is exposed to the outside and vibrates together with the vibrating body.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0016] [Figure 1] It is a schematic cross-sectional view of a camera module having a lens unit with the basic structure of the present invention. [Figure 2] It is a perspective view of the camera module of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] It is a perspective view of a camera module according to a first embodiment of the present invention, which has an escape portion in an external vibrating body. [Figure 4] It is a side view of a camera module according to a second embodiment of the present invention, which has an escape portion in an external vibrating body. [Figure 5] It is a schematic view of a vehicle as a moving body equipped with an imaging system (in-vehicle system) including a camera module according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] It is a block diagram showing the configuration of an imaging device constituting the imaging system of FIG. 5 [Figure 7] It is a schematic cross-sectional view of a conventional camera module. [Figure 8] An example of a camera module in which the object-side portion of the housing vibrates together with the vibrating body is shown, where (a) is a side view of the camera module and (b) is a perspective view of the camera module.

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0017] The embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. These embodiments contribute to "9. Build resilient infrastructure, including local and transboundary infrastructure, to support economic development and human well-being, with a focus on affordable and equitable access for all," which is one of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

[0018] Figure 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a camera module equipped with a lens unit having the basic structure of the present invention, and Figure 2 is a perspective view of this camera module. The lens units described below are specifically for camera modules such as in-vehicle cameras. For example, they are fixedly installed on the exterior surface of a vehicle, with wiring routed into the vehicle and connected to displays and other devices.

[0019] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the camera module 300 includes a lens unit 20. This lens unit 20 comprises a cylindrical lens barrel 22, for example, made of resin (it may, of course, be made of metal), and a rectangular tubular first housing 23 in which the lens barrel 22 is housed. That is, the first housing 23 has an internal housing space for receiving the lens barrel 22.

[0020] Furthermore, the image-side (lower side in Figure 1) ends of the lens barrel 22 and the first housing 23 are supported by a rectangular tubular resin second housing 24 (which may, of course, be made of metal). The second housing 24 is shorter than the first housing 23 in the optical axis direction, but its outer and inner diameters are longer than those of the first housing 23. The optical axis is indicated by O, and the direction perpendicular to this optical axis O is the radial direction.

[0021] The first housing 23 is positioned radially outward from the lens barrel 22, and the second housing 24 is positioned on the image side (lower side in Figure 1) than the first housing 23. The lens barrel 22, the first housing 23, and the second housing 24 are arranged coaxially. A rectangular plate-shaped inner flange portion 24a is formed at the upper end of the second housing 24. A protrusion 24b is formed at the radial center of this inner flange portion 24a, projecting toward the object side (upward in Figure 1), and a through hole 24c is formed at the radial center of this protrusion 24b. The inner flange portion 24a forms a partition wall portion that separates the inner space S1 of the first housing 23 from the inner space S2 of the second housing 24.

[0022] Furthermore, a stepped portion 24d is formed on the upper surface of the inner flange portion 24a, and the lower end of the first housing 23 is fitted into this stepped portion 24d. This positions the first housing 23 relative to the second housing 24 in the radial and optical axis directions.

[0023] Furthermore, the lens unit 20 includes a plurality (for example, six) of lenses 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, and 36 arranged in order from the object side. Lens 31 is the first lens 31 located closest to the object, and this first lens 31 is held in the first housing 23 by a lens holding part 50, which will be described later. The five lenses 32, 33, 34, 35, and 36, which are positioned closer to the image than the first lens 31, are located (housed and held) within the lens barrel 22.

[0024] Furthermore, a cylindrical projection 27 is formed at the lower end of the lens barrel 22, projecting toward the image side (downward in Figure 1). This projection 27 is inserted into and connected to the through hole 24c provided in the second housing 24. As a result, the lens barrel 22 and the second housing 24 are positioned coaxially with each other and coaxially with the optical axis O.

[0025] Furthermore, the first lens 31, which is located closest to the object, is a glass lens, and lenses 32-36 are resin lenses, but this is not limited to them (for example, lens 31 may also be a resin lens). Furthermore, the surfaces of lenses 31-36 may be coated with an anti-reflective coating, a hydrophilic coating, a water-repellent coating, or the like, as needed.

[0026] Multiple lenses 31-36, fixed and supported by the first housing 23 and lens barrel 22, are arranged so that their optical axes align, and the lenses 31-36 are lined up along a single optical axis O to form a lens group L used for imaging. In other words, the lens barrel 22 houses and holds the lenses 32-36 of the lens group L, excluding the first lens 31 which is located closest to the object, and holds the first lens 31 and the second lens 32 adjacent to it on the image side at its end closest to the object.

[0027] Furthermore, in this configuration, the first housing 23 is positioned radially outward from the lens barrel 22. The first housing 23 is made of a metal such as SUS or aluminum, and comprises a rectangular cylindrical housing body 23a, a rectangular plate-shaped top plate portion 23b integrally formed with the housing body 23a at the upper end of the housing body 23a, and a locking portion 23c integrally formed with the top plate portion 23b at the inner edge of the top plate portion 23b. The thickness of the top plate 23b (thickness in the optical axis direction) is thinner than the thickness of the housing body 23a (thickness in the radial direction).

[0028] The locking portion 23c comprises a substantially cylindrical projection 23d formed projecting from the inner circumferential edge of the top plate portion 23b toward the object side (upward in Figure 1), and a pressing portion 23e bent radially inward from the upper end of the projection 23d. An inclined surface 23f, which is inclined with respect to the optical axis O, is formed along the circumferential direction on the inner surface of the radially inward end of the pressing portion 23e. The first lens 31 is then fixed in place by pressing (holding) its surface edge with the inclined surface 23f. In other words, with the lens group L assembled and housed within the first housing 23 and lens barrel 22, the inclined surface 23f of the pressing portion 23e presses the first lens 31, which is located closest to the object in the lens group L, and fixes it to the object-side end of the first housing 23 in the direction of the optical axis.

[0029] Furthermore, an inner flange portion 26 is provided at the image-side end (lower end in Figure 1) of the lens barrel 22, having an opening smaller in diameter than the sixth lens 36. The multiple lenses 31 to 36 constituting the lens group L are held and fixed in the optical axis direction within the first housing 23 and the lens barrel 22 by this inner flange portion 26 and the inclined surface 23f of the retaining portion 23e. Furthermore, a filter 99, such as an infrared cut filter, is provided on the lower surface of the inner flange portion 26.

[0030] Furthermore, this structure includes a ring-shaped lens holder 50 for holding the first lens 31. The lens holder 50 is manufactured by forming a thin ring shape from a metal such as SUS by turning. The lens holder 50 has a cylindrical first inner surface 50a and an annular surface 50b perpendicular to the inner surface 50a on its inner circumference side, and the first inner surface 50a and the annular surface 50b are formed in an L-shape in cross-section. The first inner surface 50a is arranged coaxially with the optical axis O, and the annular surface 50b is arranged perpendicular to the optical axis O. Furthermore, the lens holder 50 has a second inner circumferential surface 50c that is perpendicular to the annular surface 50b and coaxial with the optical axis O. This second inner circumferential surface 50c is positioned closer to the image (lower side in Figure 1) than the second inner circumferential surface 50a, and has a smaller inner diameter than the first inner circumferential surface 50a.

[0031] Furthermore, the inner diameter of the second inner surface 50c of the ring-shaped lens holder 50 is larger than the outer diameter of the lens barrel 22, so that the upper end of the lens barrel 22 is positioned inside the second inner surface 50c of the lens holder 50. Furthermore, the lens holder portion 50 is joined to the first housing 23 in a fitted state. That is, the outer peripheral surface 50d and the upper surface 50e of the lens holder portion 50 are in contact with the inner circumference of the retaining portion 23e of the first housing 23 with virtually no gap on the radially outer side of the inclined surface 23f, and in this way the lens holder portion 50 is fitted to the retaining portion 23e of the first housing 23 from the inside. In this way the lens holder portion 50 is joined to the first housing 23 having the retaining portion 23e in a fitted state. The lens holder 50, which is joined to the first housing 23 in a fitted state, has its axis aligned with the optical axis O and is positioned in the direction of the optical axis.

[0032] Furthermore, the lens holder 50 holds the first lens 31. Specifically, the first inner surface 50a of the lens holder 50 is in close contact with the outer surface of the first lens 31, thereby positioning the first lens 31 radially and aligning it coaxially with the optical axis O. In addition, the annular surface 50b of the lens holder 50 is in close contact with the flat bottom surface 31e of the first lens 31 facing the image side, thereby positioning the first lens 31 in the direction of the optical axis. Furthermore, the lenses 32-36, which are positioned closer to the image than the first lens 31, are held by the lens barrel 22 so that their optical axes align. Since the lens barrel 22 is provided coaxially with the second housing 24 and aligned with the optical axis O, the first lens 31 and the lenses 32-36, which are positioned closer to the image than the first lens 31, are positioned coaxially or with an eccentricity of less than a predetermined amount.

[0033] Furthermore, this structure is provided with a vibration mechanism 60 that vibrates the first lens 31. The vibration mechanism 60 comprises a transducer 61 as a vibration source that vibrates ultrasonically, and a vibrating body 62 that transmits the ultrasonic vibrations of the transducer 61 to the first lens 31. This vibration mechanism 60 is positioned radially inward from the first housing 23 and radially outward from the lens barrel 22. In other words, the first housing 23 houses the lens group L and the vibration mechanism internally. The vibrator 61 is formed in the shape of an annular plate and is provided inside the housing body 23a of the first housing 23. The vibrator 61 is formed, for example, by a piezoelectric element.

[0034] The vibrating body 62 is formed from, for example, metal (such as SUS), and comprises a donut-shaped mounting portion 62a as one end connected to the transducer 61, a roughly cylindrical body portion 62b extending from the mounting portion 62a toward the object side (upward side in Figure 1), with a bulge and constriction due to the continuously changing outer and inner diameters in the axial direction (optical axis direction), and an S-shaped cross-section, and a ring-shaped joint portion 62c formed at the upper end of the body portion 62b. The transducer 61 is attached and fixed to the lower surface of the mounting portion 62a, and the upper surface of the joint portion 62c is bonded to the lower surface (image-facing surface) of the lens holder portion 50 with adhesive. In this way, the vibrating body 62 is positioned to surround the lens barrel 22 from the outside so as not to come into contact with the lens barrel 22, and is connected to the transducer 61 and the first lens 31 (via the lens holder portion 50) to transmit the ultrasonic vibrations of the transducer 61 to the first lens 31.

[0035] In this type of vibration mechanism 60, the vibrator 61 vibrates ultrasonically at a predetermined frequency, causing the vibrating body 62 to vibrate ultrasonically. When the vibrating body 62 vibrates, since the vibrating body 62 is joined to the lens holder 50, the first lens 31 vibrates ultrasonically at the same frequency via the lens holder 50, thereby removing foreign matter such as water droplets, mud, ice, snow, and frost from the lens surface of the first lens 31.

[0036] The lens holder 50 is fitted into the retaining portion 23e of the first housing 23. However, the thickness of the top plate portion 23b that forms the retaining portion 23e is thinner than the thickness of the housing body 23a, and the top plate portion 23b (retaining portion 23e) functions as a damper, so that vibrations from the lens holder 50 are less likely to be transmitted to the housing body 23a. As a result, vibrations are less likely to be transmitted to the second housing 24 fitted into the housing body 23a, and consequently, vibrations are less likely to be transmitted to the lens barrel 22 fitted into the second housing 24, and consequently, vibrations are less likely to be transmitted to the lenses 32-36, thereby suppressing the deterioration of optical performance caused by displacement of the lenses 32-36 due to vibration. On the other hand, as mentioned above, the vibrating body 62 and the first housing 23 are fitted together (via the lens holding portion 50), and the vibrating body 62 is pressed down by the first housing 23 together with the first lens 31. As a result, the vibrating body 62 acts as an internal vibrating body, and the top plate portion (which functions as a leaf spring) 23b and the locking portion 23c (protruding portion 23d and pressing portion 23e) of the first housing 23 act as external vibrating bodies, allowing the first lens 31 to be effectively ultrasonically vibrated without any loss of vibration.

[0037] Furthermore, in this structure, the lens barrel 22 and the lenses 32-36 held in the lens barrel 22, which are arranged radially inward of the vibrating body 62, together with the package sensor (image sensor) 304 provided inside the second housing 24, constitute an imaging optical system. The lens unit 20 is composed of the first housing 23, the first lens 31 held in the first housing 23, the lens barrel 22, the lenses 32-36 held in the lens barrel 22, the lens holder 50, the vibration mechanism 60, etc. The camera module 300 is composed of this lens unit 20 and the second housing 24 which is fitted into the first housing 23 of the lens unit 20.

[0038] The package sensor 304 is positioned inside the second housing 24, facing the filter 99, and is located in a position to receive the image of an object formed by the lens unit 20. The package sensor 304 is equipped with a CCD or CMOS sensor, and converts the light that is focused and reaches it through the lens unit 20 (lens group L) into an electrical signal. The converted electrical signal is then converted into analog data or digital data, which are components of the image data captured by the camera.

[0039] Furthermore, the second housing 24 is equipped with a drive circuit board 305 inside. The drive circuit board 305 is a board having a drive circuit that drives the piezoelectric element 61 of the vibration mechanism 60 by applying a voltage of a predetermined frequency (applying a drive signal). This drive circuit board 305 and the vibrator (piezoelectric element) 61 are connected by wiring 306 formed by FPC or the like and passed through wiring holes 24f formed in the inner flange portion 24a of the second housing 24. In this way, the second housing 24 is coupled to the image side of the first housing 23 by forming a recess 24g that receives the board 305 on which the package sensor 304 is mounted so that the package sensor 304 faces the lens group L. In this structure, a third housing (not shown) that surrounds the imaging module, including the substrate 305, from the outside may be further fitted into the second housing 24 to constitute the camera module 300.

[0040] Incidentally, as mentioned above, in this structure, the thin-walled side of the first housing 23 is coupled to the internal vibrator 62 and forms an external vibrator that receives vibrations from the internal vibrator 62. In this case, the top plate portion 23b, which is a radially extending plane, forms the shoulder portion of the external vibrator, and the locking portion 23c forms the neck portion of the external vibrator by protruding from the shoulder portion in the optical axis direction by a protruding portion 23d, which is a circumferential surface extending in the optical axis direction, and holding the first lens 31 by a pressing portion 23e.

[0041] Furthermore, in this configuration in which the top plate portion 23b and the locking portion 23c (protruding portion 23d and pressing portion 23e) vibrate together with the vibrating body (internal vibrating body) 62 as external vibrating bodies, if the glass first lens 31 vibrated by the vibrating body 62 is held so as to be directly pressed by the object-side end of the metal first housing 23, that is, by the pressing portion 23e of the first housing 23, then depending on the material and shape of the optical element to be vibrated, that is, for example, if the length L (see Figure 1) in the optical axis direction of the aforementioned neck portion (locking portion 23c (protruding portion 23d and pressing portion 23e)) of the external vibrating body including the first lens 31 becomes longer (for example, 4 mm or more), the stress acting on the first lens 31 during vibration increases, making the first lens 31 more prone to cracking. Therefore, as shown in Figure 3, in the camera module 300A according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the first lens 31 is held by a resin annular guide member (resin guide) 70 interposed between the first lens 31 and the external vibrator retaining portion 23e, which receives vibrations from the internal vibrator 62. In this embodiment shown in Figure 3, in addition to the locking portion 23c and the top plate portion 23b, a thin side plate portion 23b' extending from the top plate portion 23b toward the image side in the optical axis direction also forms an external vibrator.

[0042] Furthermore, if the length L in the optical axis direction of the neck portion of the external vibrator, including the first lens 31, increases (for example, to 4 mm or more), the area of ​​the protruding portion 23d, which is the circumferential surface of the neck portion of the external vibrator, inevitably increases. As a result, water droplets adhering to the external vibrator (or flowing from the first lens 31) may remain on the surface of the protruding portion 23d instead of flowing down, and may remain there.

[0043] Therefore, in the camera module 300A according to this embodiment shown in Figure 3, when the length L in the optical axis direction of the neck portion (locking portion 23c) of the external vibrator including the first lens 31 is set to, for example, 4 mm or more (of course, it may be less than 4 mm), a relief portion is provided on the external vibrator to allow water droplets flowing over the external vibrator to escape to the shoulder portion (top plate portion 23b and side plate portion 23b') so that they do not remain on the protruding portion 23d, which is the circumferential surface of the neck portion. Specifically, in this embodiment, this relief portion is formed by a groove 80 that extends continuously from the protruding portion 23d, which is the circumferential surface of the neck portion, to the top plate portion 23b and side plate portion 23b', which are the shoulder portion. In this case, for example, the object-side end 80a of the groove 80 is located near the object-side edge of the protruding portion 23d, and the image-side end 80b is located near the image-side edge of the side plate portion 23b'. Furthermore, the width of the groove 80 is set to, for example, 0.8 to 1.0 mm.

[0044] Furthermore, in the camera module 300B according to the second embodiment shown in Figure 4, the relief portion is formed by creating a curved surface 85 with a predetermined radius of curvature at the object-side end of the circumferential surface (protruding portion 23d) of the neck portion extending from the side of the first lens 31. Specifically, in this embodiment, the transition portion from the protruding portion 23d to the retaining portion 23e is formed as such a curved surface 85. In this case, the radius of curvature of the curved surface 85 is set to, for example, 1 to 2 mm when the length L in the optical axis direction of the neck portion (locking portion 23c) of the external vibrator including the first lens 31 is 4 mm or more. By providing such a curved surface 85, the length (area) in the optical axis direction of the protruding portion 23d can be kept smaller compared to when the curved portion 85 is not provided, so that water droplets do not remain on the surface of the protruding portion 23d. Note that, from the viewpoint of keeping the length (area) in the optical axis direction of the protruding portion 23d small, the curved surface 85 can also be replaced with a tapered surface.

[0045] Furthermore, the relief portion is not limited to the groove 80 or curved surface 85 described above, but may also consist of, for example, a water-repellent coating provided on the circumferential surface (protruding portion 23d) of the neck. In this case, fluorine can be used as the material for the water-repellent coating.

[0046] Figure 5 schematically shows a vehicle 240 as a mobile body on which an in-vehicle system (imaging system) comprising an imaging device 250 including the camera module 300 of Figure 1 is mounted. As shown in the figure, the imaging device 250 can be mounted on the vehicle 240, and Figure 5 is an example of an arrangement illustrating the mounting position of the imaging device 250 on the vehicle 240. The imaging device 250 mounted on the vehicle 240 can also be called an in-vehicle camera and can be installed in various locations on the vehicle 240. For example, the first imaging device 250a may be placed on or near the front bumper as a camera that monitors the area in front of the vehicle 240 while it is in motion. The second imaging device 250b, which also monitors the area in front, may be placed near the rearview mirror inside the vehicle 240. The third imaging device 250c may be placed on the dashboard or inside the instrument panel, etc., as a camera that monitors the driver's driving conditions. The fourth imaging device 250d may be installed at the rear of the vehicle 240 for use as a rear monitor. Imaging devices 250a and 250b can be called front cameras. The third imaging device 250c can be called an in-camera. The fourth imaging device 250d can be called a rear camera. The imaging device 250 is not limited to these, and includes imaging devices installed in various positions, such as a left side camera that images the left rear side and a right side camera that images the right rear side.

[0047] The image signal of the image captured by the imaging device 250 can be output to an information processing device (control unit) 242 and / or a display device (output device) 243, etc., within the vehicle 240. These information processing devices 242 and 243 together with the imaging device 250 constitute an in-vehicle system. The information processing device 242 within the vehicle 240 includes a device that processes the image signal (captured image) acquired by the imaging device 250, recognizes the image (recognizes objects in the captured image), and assists the driver in driving. The information processing device 242 is also configured to output recognition information of objects in the captured image to the display device 243, and includes, but is not limited to, a navigation device, a collision damage mitigation braking device, a vehicle-to-vehicle distance control device, and a lane departure warning device. The display device 243 displays the image processed and output by the information processing device 242, but can also receive the image signal directly from the imaging device 250. Furthermore, the display device 243 may employ, but is not limited to, a liquid crystal display (LCD), an organic electro-luminescence (EL) display, or an inorganic EL display. The display device 243 can display image signals output from an imaging device 250, such as a rear camera, which captures images from positions that are difficult for the driver to see (it can output information to the occupants).

[0048] Figure 6 shows the configuration of the imaging device that constitutes the in-vehicle system shown in Figure 5. As shown in the figure, the imaging device 250 according to one embodiment comprises a control unit 252, a storage unit 254, and the camera module 300 shown in Figure 1.

[0049] The control unit 252 controls the camera module 300 and processes the electrical signals output from the image sensor (package sensor) 304 of the camera module 300. This control unit 252 may be configured as a processor, for example. The control unit 252 may also include one or more processors. The processors may include general-purpose processors that load a specific program and execute a specific function, and dedicated processors specialized for specific processing. Dedicated processors may include application-specific integrated circuits (ICs). Application-specific integrated circuits are also called ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits). The processors may also include programmable logic devices. Programmable logic devices are also called PLDs (Programmable Logic Devices). PLDs may include field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). The control unit 252 may be either a system-on-a-chip (SoC) or a system-in-a-package (SiP) in which one or more processors cooperate. Furthermore, the control unit 252 may have the same functions as the information processing device 242 described above. For example, it may process the captured image output from the image sensor 304 to recognize objects in the captured image.

[0050] The storage unit 254 stores various information or parameters related to the operation of the imaging device 250. The storage unit 254 may be composed of, for example, a semiconductor memory. The storage unit 254 may function as a work memory for the control unit 252. The storage unit 254 may store captured images. The storage unit 254 may store various parameters, etc., for the control unit 252 to perform detection processing based on the captured images. The storage unit 254 may be included in the control unit 252.

[0051] As mentioned above, the camera module 300 captures the subject image formed via the lens unit 20 with the image sensor 304 and outputs the captured image. The image captured by the camera module 300 is also called the captured image.

[0052] The image sensor 304 may be composed of, for example, a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) image sensor or a CCD (Charge Coupled Device). The image sensor 304 has an imaging surface in which multiple pixels are arranged. Each pixel outputs a signal that is specified by current or voltage according to the amount of incident light. The signal output by each pixel is also called imaging data.

[0053] The image data may be read out by the camera module 300 for all pixels and taken into the control unit 252 as an image. The image data read out for all pixels is also called the maximum image. The image data may be read out by the camera module 300 for some pixels and taken into the image. In other words, the image data may be read out from pixels within a predetermined acquisition range. The image data read out from pixels within a predetermined acquisition range may be taken into the image. The predetermined acquisition range may be set by the control unit 252. The camera module 300 may obtain the predetermined acquisition range from the control unit 252. The image sensor 304 may capture an image within a predetermined acquisition range from the subject image formed via the lens unit 20.

[0054] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be implemented with various modifications without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, in the present invention, the shapes, dimensions, etc., of lenses, housings, lens barrels, vibrators, grooves, curved surfaces, etc., are not limited to the embodiments described above. Furthermore, without departing from the spirit of the present invention, some or all of the embodiments described above may be combined, or some components of one of the embodiments described above may be omitted. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0055] 20 Lens Units 22 Telescope Tubes 23. First cabinet 23b Top panel (external vibrator) 23b' Side plate (external vibrator) 23c Locking part (external vibrator) 23d Projection (external vibrator) 23e Pressing part (external vibrator) 24 Second cabinet 31. First lens 60 Vibration mechanism 61 Vibrator (vibration source) 62. Vibrating Body (Internal Vibrating Body) 80 grooves (relief section) 85. Curved surface (relief section) 240 vehicles (mobile) 243 Display device (output device) 252 Control Unit 300 Camera Modules 304 Image sensor 305 Drive circuit board L lens group

Claims

1. A camera module comprising a lens group in which multiple lenses are arranged along the optical axis of the lens, a lens barrel that houses and holds the lenses of the lens group except for the first lens located closest to the object, and an image sensor that converts the light collected through the lens group into an electrical signal, A cylindrical first housing having an internal housing space for receiving the aforementioned lens barrel, A vibration mechanism provided within the first housing includes a vibration source that vibrates ultrasonically, and an internal vibrator connected to the vibration source and the first lens, which transmits the ultrasonic vibrations of the vibration source to the first lens. Equipped with, The first housing has an external vibrator that is coupled to the internal vibrator and receives vibrations from the internal vibrator, The external vibrator has a shoulder portion formed by at least a plane extending in the radial direction, and a neck portion formed by a circumferential surface extending in the optical axis direction so as to protrude from the plane of the shoulder portion in the optical axis direction, and which directly or indirectly holds the first lens. The camera module is characterized in that the external vibrator is provided with a drainage section that allows water droplets flowing over the external vibrator to escape to the shoulder section, preventing them from remaining on the circumferential surface of the neck section.

2. The camera module according to claim 1, characterized in that the relief portion is a groove that extends continuously across the circumferential surface of the neck portion and the shoulder portion.

3. The camera module according to claim 1, characterized in that the relief portion is formed by creating a curved surface with a predetermined radius of curvature at the object-side end of the circumferential surface of the neck portion extending from the side of the first lens, with a cross-sectional arc shape.

4. The camera module according to claim 1, characterized in that the relief portion consists of a water-repellent coating provided on the circumferential surface of the neck portion.

5. An in-vehicle system installed in a vehicle, A camera module according to any one of claims 1 to 4, A control unit that processes the captured image output from the image sensor of the camera module and recognizes an object in the captured image, An in-vehicle system characterized by having [a certain feature].

6. A mobile body equipped with the in-vehicle system described in claim 5 and an output device that outputs information to the occupants, The mobile body is characterized in that the control unit is configured to output recognition information of the object to the output device.

Images