Imaging device attached to home appliances and its manufacturing method

Abstract

To suppress scratches on a camera lens.SOLUTION: An imaging apparatus attached to a consumer electronics product comprises: a camera lens; a lens mount arranged at a side periphery of the camera lens; an attachable / detachable lens cap that is attached to the lens mount and includes a bottom covering the camera lens; and a lens side base including a camera lens hole having a size through which the camera lens can pass even in a state where the lens cap is attached to the lens mount.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an imaging device that can be attached to a consumer electronics product and a method for manufacturing the same. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a structure in which a camera 23 has a lens 23a facing downward at its bottom, and is covered by a transparent camera cover 26 (0016, FIG. 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2003-42626 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Although the method of assembling camera 23 described in Patent Document 1 is not entirely clear, it is presumed that cover 26 is provided to cover entire camera 23 after assembling camera 23 itself is completed. No particular consideration has been given to the risk of damage caused by the work of attaching lens 23a to camera 23, etc. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, Camera lens and a lens mount disposed around a periphery of the camera lens; a removable lens cap attached to the lens mount and having a bottom portion covering the camera lens; a lens side base having a camera lens hole large enough to allow the camera lens to pass through even when the lens cap is attached to the lens mount; An imaging device that can be attached to home appliances. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0006] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the camera with the lens cap removed. [Diagram 2] FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the camera unit with a lens cap attached to a camera lens of the camera unit. [Figure 4] 13A to 13C are diagrams illustrating how a first protective member is attached to the lens side base. [Diagram 5] 13 is a view showing the first protective member, the second protective member, and the lens cap being removed. FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view of the camera unit. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0007] Hereinafter, a form for carrying out the present disclosure (referred to as an embodiment) will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description of one embodiment, other embodiments applicable to the one embodiment will also be described as appropriate. The present disclosure is not limited to the following one embodiment, and different embodiments can be combined with each other or modified as desired without significantly impairing the effects of the present disclosure. In addition, the same symbols will be used for the same members, and duplicate descriptions will be omitted. Furthermore, members having the same functions will be given the same names. The contents shown are merely schematic, and for convenience of illustration, changes may be made from the actual configuration within a range that does not significantly impair the effects of the present disclosure, and some members may be omitted or modified between drawings.

[0008] Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view of camera unit 100 of this embodiment, showing a state in which camera 1 and lens cap 3 have been removed from lens side base 4. Camera unit 100 is attached to the outer top surface of storage compartment 200 on the top level of a refrigerator, for example, as shown in Fig. 5, with camera 1 disposed forward of the front opening of the storage compartment (in the direction in which the refrigerator door opens).

[0009] The camera unit includes a camera 1 having a camera lens 2 and a base 50 (a substrate having a color sensor element 70), a lens cap 3, and a lens side base 4. The lens side base 4 is provided with a camera lens hole 5, a light source lens hole 6, and a light source lens 7. The lens side base 4 is provided with a camera lens hole 5 having a size that allows the camera lens 2 with the lens cap 3 attached to pass through. 5 The lens cap 3 is a cylindrical cap with a bottom that is attached to the camera lens 2, and has a bottom 31 and a side surface 32. The side opposite the bottom 31 across the side surface 32 is open. A light source (not shown) is disposed on the camera 1 side of the light source lens hole 6 (upper side in FIG. 1).

[0010] 2 is a side view of the camera 1. A lens mount 9 and a lens support portion 8 are provided around the periphery of the camera lens 2. 32 The inner surface of the lens cap 3 faces the side surface of the lens mount 9 and, for example, slides and fits loosely, and the lens cap 3 is attached to the camera lens 2. The opening side edge of the lens cap 3 abuts against the lens support part 8, which has a larger diameter than the lens mount 9, and the upward movement in Fig. 2 is restricted. To prevent the lens cap 3 from falling off, the lens cap 3 and the camera lens 2 may be fixed with tape or the like.

[0011] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the state in which the lens cap 3 is attached to the camera lens 2 of the camera unit 100. The hole dimensions of the camera lens hole 5 are set so that the lens cap 3 can pass through, and so that the base 50 of the camera 1 cannot pass through the lens side base 4. As shown in FIG. 6, the base 50 is placed on a rib 41 provided on the inside of the lens side base 4 and fixed by a fixing member 60 such as a screw. Therefore, when assembling the camera lens 2 by inserting it into the camera lens hole 5, the lens cap 3 is attached to the camera lens 2 in advance to protect it, and then the camera unit 100 can be attached to the lens side base 4 from above in FIG. 6. Specifically, the camera lens 2 and the lens cap 3 are inserted so as to pass through the camera lens hole 5. By attaching the lens cap 3 before the insertion operation into the camera lens hole 5, for example, damage to the camera lens 2 during the insertion operation can be suppressed.

[0012] 4 is a diagram illustrating the attachment of the first protective member 10 to the lens side base 4. The first protective member 10 is, for example, in the form of a sheet made of a light-transmitting material, and is structured so as not to cover at least one of the camera lens hole 5 or the light source lens hole 6. In other words, when the first protective member 10 is attached to the lens side base 4, it has a camera lens exposure hole 101 as a hole opened in an area corresponding to the camera lens hole 5, and a light source lens exposure hole 102 as a hole opened in an area corresponding to the light source lens hole 6.

[0013] After attaching the first protective member 10 to the lens side base 4, the manufacturer of the camera unit 100 performs an inspection process to check whether the light source lens 7 and the camera lens 2 are attached properly. At that time, if the camera lens hole 5 and the light source lens hole 6 are covered by the first protective member 10, it is considered that the risk of checking incorrectly increases. For this reason, holes 101 and 102 are positioned in one or, preferably, both of these areas.

[0014] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the state immediately after the camera unit 100 and a home appliance (e.g., a refrigerator) equipped with the camera unit 100 have been installed in a user's home, with the first protective member 10, the second protective member 11, and the lens cap 3 being removed.

[0015] The manufacturer of the camera unit 100 attaches the second protective member 11 to the camera unit 100 to prevent the camera unit 100 from being scratched during transportation from the shipment from the manufacturing factory to the user's home. The second protective member 11 is attached across the light source lens hole 6 and the lens cap 3. When the second protective member 11 is slowly peeled off by the fingers 300 of the user or the like, the lens cap 3 and the first protective member 10 are removed from the lens side base 4 together with the second protective member 11.

[0016] In this embodiment, a refrigerator is shown as an example of a home appliance, but there is no particular limitation as long as the home appliance can be equipped with the camera unit 100. For example, it may be a vacuum cleaner, an air conditioner, a cooking appliance, a washing machine, or the like. [Explanation of symbols]

[0017] 1 Camera 2. Camera Lens 3 Lens cap 4 Lens side base 5 Camera lens hole 6 Light source lens hole 7 Light source lens 8 Lens support 9 Lens mount 10 First protective member 101 Camera lens exposure hole 102 Light source lens exposure hole 11 Second protective member 100 Camera unit 200 Top storage compartment of refrigerator

Claims

1. Camera lens and a lens mount disposed around a periphery of the camera lens; a removable lens cap attached to the lens mount and having a bottom portion covering the camera lens; a lens side base having a camera lens hole large enough to allow the camera lens to pass through even when the lens cap is attached to the lens mount; An imaging device that can be attached to home appliances.

2. In claim 1, a lens support portion disposed on an opposite side of the lens side base with respect to the lens mount; An imaging device in which the lens support portion abuts against a periphery of the camera lens hole of the lens side base.

3. In claim 1, A light source; A light source lens; a light source lens hole disposed in the lens side base; An imaging device comprising a first protective member attached to the lens side base, the first protective member not covering at least one of the camera lens hole or the light source lens hole.

4. A method for manufacturing an imaging device according to claim 3, comprising the steps of: A manufacturing method including a step of checking whether at least one of the light source, the light source lens, and the camera lens is properly attached after attaching the first protective member to the lens side base.

5. In claim 3, An imaging device comprising a second protective member that covers at least one of the lens cap or the light source lens hole.

6. In claim 5, the lens cap is attached to the lens mount, and the first protective member is attached to the lens base, the second protective member is attached to the first protective member and the lens cap, When the second protective member is slowly peeled off, the lens cap and the first protective member are removed together with the second protective member.

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