Imaging device

Abstract

To provide an imaging apparatus that satisfies heat dissipation performance while suppressing the size increase of the apparatus.SOLUTION: In an imaging apparatus 100, a duct 110 has an air vent 132 formed on an upper face side on a rear face of exterior members 21-25, and extends from a rear face side toward a front face side in an optical axis direction, passes through an area between the control circuit substrate 12 and the display panel from the upper face side toward the bottom face side, and is connected to an air vent 133 formed on the bottom face side of the exterior members, a heat dissipation fan 131 is arranged in the duct 110 arranged on the bottom face side of the control circuit substrate 12.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an imaging device having a heat dissipation structure for heat generated from a heat source. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, with the demand for miniaturization of electronic devices, there has been a remarkable trend toward miniaturization and high density of mounted components inside the devices.

[0003] On the other hand, there is an ever-increasing demand for more sophisticated functions in image capture devices, particularly for higher performance video functions, and the amount of heat generated by the devices is on the rise.

[0004] When shooting video in a high-temperature environment, the temperature rise inside the imaging device can cause malfunctions and performance degradation of mounted components, and ultimately cause failure of the imaging device.

[0005] Furthermore, in recent years, imaging devices that perform blur correction by moving an imaging element in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis direction to improve image quality have become widespread.

[0006] Even in such image capture devices that perform shake correction, sufficient heat dissipation is required because heat generated in the image capture element when the shake correction mechanism is operating, when continuous shooting is performed, or when video is captured affects image quality.

[0007] Therefore, when the amount of heat dissipated by natural radiation is insufficient for the amount of heat generated by the imaging device, a heat dissipation structure that uses forced air cooling using a fan is used.

[0008] Patent Document 1 discloses a device that uses a fan disposed on the bottom surface of the camera to exhaust air in a gap between a heat sink for an imaging element and an opposing heat sink for a circuit board to the outside.

[0009] Moreover, Patent Document 2 discloses a device in which an L-shaped heat sink / duct having a blower fan is disposed between an imaging element and a main board. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0010] [Patent Document 1] JP 2017-228876 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2015-204422 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0011] However, the device disclosed in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1 has a problem in that external dust and dirt can easily get into the device because the external air is directly taken into the device.

[0012] Furthermore, in the device disclosed in Patent Document 2, a fan is disposed in a part of the heat sink / duct, which causes a problem of an increase in size of the device.

[0013] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of one embodiment of the present invention is to provide an imaging device that satisfies heat dissipation performance while suppressing an increase in size of the device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0014] An imaging device according to one embodiment of the present invention includes an exterior member, a control circuit for controlling the imaging device, a display panel arranged on the rear side of the exterior member, and a heat dissipation fan arranged on the bottom side of the exterior member, in which a control circuit board on which the control circuit is mounted and the display panel are arranged in this order from the front side to the rear side in the optical axis direction, a duct having an air vent formed on the upper side of the rear side of the exterior member extends from the rear side to the front side in the optical axis direction, passes through a region between the control circuit board and the display panel from the top side to the bottom side, and is connected to the air vent formed on the bottom side of the exterior member, and the heat dissipation fan is arranged inside the duct arranged on the bottom side of the control circuit board. an imaging element board on which the imaging element is mounted, the duct extends from the rear side to the front side in the optical axis direction, passes through a region between a heat dissipation fan arranged on a bottom surface of the duct and the imaging element board and the control circuit board, and is connected to a vent hole formed on the bottom surface of the exterior member. It is characterized by the fact that Effect of the Invention

[0015] According to one embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to satisfy heat dissipation performance while suppressing an increase in the size of the device. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a digital camera 100 according to a first embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a digital camera 100 according to a first embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a duct 110 according to a first embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 4] 1 is a cross-sectional view of the internal structure of a duct 110 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 5] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a duct 110 and a heat source according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a modified example of the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] Schematic diagram of the internal structure of a duct 110 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] Block diagram of the present invention DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0017] Exemplary embodiments of the technology of the present disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

[0018] However, the dimensions, materials, shapes and relative arrangement of the components described below are to be modified as appropriate depending on the configuration and various conditions of the device to which the invention is applied.

[0019] Therefore, it is not intended that the scope of the present invention be limited to the following description.

[0020] For configurations and steps that are not particularly illustrated or described, techniques well known or publicly known in the art may be applied. Furthermore, duplicated explanations may be omitted.

[0021] It is noted that in the drawings, the same reference numbers are used between the drawings to indicate identical or functionally similar elements.

[0022] (Block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a digital camera 400 according to the present invention) FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a digital camera 400 according to the present invention.

[0023] The shutter 410 is a focal plane shutter that can freely control the exposure time of an image capture unit 411, which will be described later. This control is performed by a system control unit 420, which will be described later.

[0024] The imaging unit 411 is an imaging device that has an imaging surface on which an object image (optical image) that has passed through the lens 501 is formed, and outputs an electrical signal (analog signal) corresponding to the optical image on the imaging surface by photoelectric conversion.

[0025] The imaging unit 411 may be a CCD (Charge Couple Device) or a CMOS (Complementary MOS) sensor.

[0026] The A / D converter 412 is a signal conversion means used for converting an analog signal output from the imaging unit 411 into a digital signal.

[0027] The image processing unit 413 is an image calculation means that performs resizing processing such as predetermined pixel interpolation and reduction and color conversion processing on the digital signal from the A / D converter 412 or the digital signal from the memory control unit 422 described later, to generate image data.

[0028] Based on the calculation results obtained by the image processing unit 413, the system control unit 420 controls the aperture position and the lens position.

[0029] The image processing unit 413 further performs calculation processing using the image data, and performs TTL type AWB (auto white balance) processing based on the obtained calculation results.

[0030] The system control unit 420 is a control unit that is made up of at least one processor or circuit, and controls the entire digital camera 400 .

[0031] Each process of the present invention is realized by executing a program recorded in a non-volatile memory 423, which will be described later.

[0032] The memory 421 is a storage means for temporarily recording the digital signals obtained by the imaging unit 411 and converted by the A / D converter 412 and the image data generated by the image processing unit 413 .

[0033] The memory 421 has a storage capacity sufficient to store a predetermined number of still images and a predetermined period of moving images and audio.

[0034] The memory control unit 422 is a memory control means that controls transmission and reception of data controlled by the system control unit 420 to and from the A / D converter 412 , the image processing unit 413 , and the memory 421 .

[0035] The digital signal output from the A / D converter 412 is written directly into the memory 421 via the image processing unit 413 and the memory control unit 422 , or via the memory control unit 422 only.

[0036] The non-volatile memory 423 is an electrically erasable and recordable read-only storage means, and stores constants, programs, etc. for the operation of the system control unit 420.

[0037] The system memory 424 is a readable and writable storage means for storing constants and variables for the operation of the system control unit 420, programs read from the non-volatile memory 423, and the like.

[0038] The system timer 425 is a timing unit that measures the time until an auto power off function that turns off various display members (to be described later) is executed, and the exposure time.

[0039] The auto power off function has the function of turning off various display members, which will be described later, to prevent battery consumption when it is determined that the photographer is not operating the digital camera 400.

[0040] The power supply unit 430 is composed of a primary battery such as an alkaline battery or a lithium battery, a secondary battery such as a NiCd battery, a NiMH battery, or a Li battery, an AC adapter, or the like.

[0041] The power supply control unit 431 is made up of a circuit for detecting the power supply unit 430 that serves as the power supply for driving the digital camera 400, a DC-DC converter, a switch circuit for switching the power supply destination, and the like.

[0042] Then, the power supply unit 430 detects whether a battery is attached, the type of battery, and the remaining battery power.

[0043] Furthermore, the power supply control unit 431 controls the DC-DC converter based on the detection result and instructions from the system control unit 420, and supplies the required voltage to the supply destination at the required timing.

[0044] The communication terminal 440 is provided on the digital camera 400 and is electrically connected to a lens communication terminal 506, which will be described later.

[0045] By electrically connecting the communication terminal 440, the system control unit 420 that controls the entire digital camera 400 becomes capable of communicating with the lens 500 described below.

[0046] The recording medium I / F 441 is an interface with a recording medium 600, which will be described later.

[0047] The orientation detection unit 442 detects the orientation of the digital camera 400 with respect to the direction of gravity.

[0048] Based on the orientation detected by the orientation detection unit 442, orientation information can be output indicating whether the image captured by the imaging unit 411 was captured with the digital camera held horizontally or vertically.

[0049] The system control unit 420 can add the orientation information output by the orientation detection unit 442 to the image data.

[0050] The attitude detection unit 442 may be an acceleration sensor, a gyro sensor, or the like.

[0051] If an acceleration sensor and a gyro sensor are used as the attitude detection unit 442, it is also possible to detect the movement of the digital camera 400 (panning, tilting, lifting, whether it is stationary, etc.).

[0052] Eyepiece 443 is the portion where the photographer's eye (object) 700 approaches (comes into contact with) digital camera 400 .

[0053] The eyepiece detection unit 444 is an approach or eyepiece detection sensor that detects the approach (approach) and separation (away) of the eye 700 to the eyepiece unit 443.

[0054] Eyepiece detection unit 444 detects whether eye 700 is placed in proximity to eyepiece unit 443 based on the presence or absence of light reception by a light receiving unit (not shown) of an infrared proximity sensor.

[0055] After detecting eye contact, system control unit 420 determines that the eye is in contact state until it detects eye removal.

[0056] After detecting eye separation, system control unit 420 maintains the eye non-contact state until it detects eye contact.

[0057] The infrared proximity sensor is just an example, and other sensors may be used for eye proximity detection unit 444 as long as they can detect the approach of an eye or an object that can be regarded as an eye.

[0058] The above-mentioned memory 421 also serves as a memory for displaying images (video memory).

[0059] The digital signals and image data written in the memory 421 are displayed on the rear display unit 450 and the EVF 451 via the memory control unit 422 .

[0060] The rear display unit 450 performs display in response to a signal from the memory control unit 422 .

[0061] The EVF 451 performs display according to a signal from the memory control unit 422 when the eye-approach detection unit 444 detects the eye-approach.

[0062] An analog signal generated by the imaging unit 411 is A / D converted by an A / D converter 412, and the digital signal recorded in a memory 421 is sequentially transferred to a rear display unit 450 or an EVF 451 for display.

[0063] This allows real-time live view shooting display.

[0064] The system control unit 420 switches the rear display unit 450 and the EVF 451 between display (display state) / non-display (non-display state) depending on the state detected by the eyepiece detection unit 444 described above.

[0065] When the eyepiece is not in contact with the camera, the image is displayed on the rear display unit 450 and the EVF 451 is not displayed.

[0066] During eye contact, the image is displayed on the EVF 451, and the rear display unit 450 is not displayed.

[0067] The operation unit 460 is a variety of operation members serving as an input unit for receiving operations from the user.

[0068] The operation unit 460 includes various operation members (a mode changeover switch 461, a shutter button 462, a first shutter switch 463, a second shutter switch 464, a touch panel 465, and a power switch 466) which will be described later.

[0069] Moreover, the operation unit 460 is an operation means for inputting various operational instructions to the system control unit 420 .

[0070] A mode changeover switch 461 switches the operation mode of the system control unit 420 between a still image shooting mode, a moving image shooting mode, and the like.

[0071] The still image shooting mode includes an auto shooting mode, an auto scene determination mode, and a manual shooting mode.

[0072] Further, shooting modes included in the still image shooting mode include an aperture priority mode (Av mode), a shutter speed priority mode (Tv mode), and a program AE mode (P mode).

[0073] Similarly, the video shooting mode may include a plurality of shooting modes.

[0074] The shutter button 462 is a button that allows the photographer to give instructions for preparation for shooting and instructions for shooting.

[0075] A first shutter switch 463 is turned on when a shutter button 462 provided on the digital camera 400 is pressed halfway (instruction to prepare for shooting) during operation, and generates a first shutter switch signal SW1.

[0076] The first shutter switch signal SW1 starts photographing preparation operations such as AF (autofocus) processing, AE (auto exposure) processing, and AWB (auto white balance) processing.

[0077] The second shutter switch 464 is turned on when the operation of the shutter button 462 is completed, that is, when the shutter button 462 is fully pressed (a photographing instruction is issued), and generates a second shutter switch signal SW2.

[0078] In the system control unit 420, a signal conversion process is performed in the A / D converter 412 and the image processing unit 413 after reading out an analog signal from the imaging unit 411 in response to a second shutter switch signal SW2.

[0079] Furthermore, the system control unit 420 starts the photographing processing operation up to writing the image data temporarily recorded in the memory 421 to a recording medium 600, which will be described later.

[0080] The touch panel 465 is a device that detects a touch or drag operation by the photographer.

[0081] Here, it is integrated with the rear display unit 450, and operations can be performed by touching the display unit of the rear display unit 450 with a finger.

[0082] The power switch 466 is a switch for switching the power supply ON / OFF. The power supply control unit 431 controls the power supply from the power supply unit 430 by the switching operation of the power switch 466.

[0083] The fan 470 is disposed within a duct which will be described later in the embodiments of the present invention.

[0084] This fan 470 is controlled by the system control unit 420, and expels heat from a heat source inside the digital camera 400 to the outside by using an air current.

[0085] The lens unit 500 is an interchangeable lens that can be attached to and detached from the digital camera 400 .

[0086] Lens 501 is a lens group for generating an optical image (subject image) from subject light reflected by the subject, and is composed of multiple lenses, but in this figure, for simplicity, only one lens is shown.

[0087] The lens communication terminal 506 is a communication terminal through which the lens unit 500 communicates with the digital camera 400 .

[0088] As described above, the lens unit 500 is capable of communicating with the system control unit 420 that controls the entire digital camera 400 by electrically connecting the lens communication terminal 506 and the communication terminal 440 .

[0089] This enables the system control unit 420 to communicate with the lens system control circuit 505 and the aperture drive circuit 504 to control the position of the aperture 503 and the focus state of a real image obtained by displacing the lens 501 .

[0090] The recording medium 600 is detachable from the digital camera 400, and is a recording medium such as a memory card for recording captured images.

[0091] For example, there are SD cards, FLASH (registered trademark) memories, hard disks, and the like.

[0092] [Embodiment 1] FIG. 1(a) is a front perspective view of a digital camera 100, and FIG. 1(b) is a rear perspective view of the digital camera 100. As shown in FIG.

[0093] (Rear perspective view of digital camera 100) Numeral 21 denotes a rear cover, on which are attached various operation members for operating the digital camera 100. Note that since these operation members and display members are not related to the present invention, a description thereof will be omitted.

[0094] Reference numeral 21a denotes a display unit storage section 21a for storing a rear display unit 31, which will be described later.

[0095] Reference numeral 21b denotes a cover for a recording medium, which is a cover for protecting an opening of an IF for a recording medium that stores a memory card for recording captured images.

[0096] Reference numeral 21c denotes an air vent formed in the rear cover 21 for intake and exhaust of a duct, which will be described later.

[0097] Reference numeral 22 denotes a front base, and reference numeral 22a denotes a grip portion 22a shaped to be easily gripped by the user's right hand when holding the digital camera 100, and which is formed integrally with the front base 22.

[0098] 22d is a tripod mount.

[0099] Reference numeral 23 denotes a top cover, on which various operating members for operating the digital camera 100 are attached.

[0100] The operation members and display members are not related to the present invention and therefore will not be described here. The top cover 23 is also provided with a shoulder display unit 33, which is made of, for example, a liquid crystal panel, for checking various settings.

[0101] Reference numeral 24 denotes a bottom cover, to which a battery cover 24a for attaching and detaching a battery is attached.

[0102] Reference numeral 25 denotes a side cover in which an air vent 25b is formed for intake and exhaust from a duct, which will be described later.

[0103] Reference numeral 25a denotes a terminal cover, which is a cover for protecting an external communication terminal 12c, which will be described later.

[0104] Reference numeral 26 denotes a mount to which an interchangeable lens (not shown) is attached.

[0105] The axis passing through the center of the mount 26 is the imaging optical axis 0.

[0106] Reference numeral 26a denotes a lens communication terminal, which performs electrical communication with the interchangeable lens.

[0107] Reference numeral 31 denotes a rear display unit formed of, for example, a liquid crystal panel, and a rear LCD unit 31a capable of detecting touch operations on the display surface makes it possible to display and set a preview image of the imaging element and various setting states.

[0108] The rear display unit 31 is a so-called variable angle monitor that is rotatably attached to the digital camera 100 and is stored in a display storage unit 21 a provided in the rear cover 21 .

[0109] Reference numeral 32 denotes a finder through which the user places his or her eye, and 32a denotes a finder display section that displays an image output from the imaging element section 11, which will be described later, and is a so-called electronic viewfinder.

[0110] (An exploded perspective view of the main parts of the internal structure of the digital camera 100) FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the main parts for explaining the internal structure of the digital camera 100. As shown in FIG.

[0111] As shown in FIG. 2, the exterior of the digital camera 100 is formed by the rear cover 21, the front base 22, the top cover 23, the bottom cover 24, and the side cover 25 described above.

[0112] Inside the digital camera 100, an image sensor section 11, a main board 12, a duct section 110, a shutter 13, and a viewfinder 32 are arranged.

[0113] The image sensor unit 11 is an image pickup device having an image pickup surface on which an object image (optical image) that has passed through the interchangeable lens (not shown) is formed.

[0114] The imaging element section 11 is composed of a movable unit 11b including a CMOS 11a, and a fixed unit 11c. The CMOS 11a outputs an electrical signal (analog signal) according to an optical image on the imaging surface by photoelectric conversion.

[0115] The movable unit 11b is a unit that moves together with the CMOS 11a, and is provided with a magnet or coil (not shown) that generates a driving force.

[0116] The fixed unit 11c is a fixed portion that fixes the imaging element section 11 to the front base 22, and is provided with a magnet or a coil (not shown) that generates a driving force.

[0117] A control IC group 12a for controlling imaging signals, a recording medium IF 12b for storing an external recording medium, and an external communication terminal 12c for connecting a connection cable to an external device (not shown) are mounted on the main board 12. The external communication terminal 12c is covered with a terminal cover 25a.

[0118] In addition to the above, various electronic components such as ICs, chip resistors, chip capacitors, inductors, transistors, interface connectors, etc. are also mounted (not shown), but their description will be omitted.

[0119] The duct 110 draws air from outside the digital camera 100 to the vicinity of heat sources such as the image sensor unit 11 and the control IC group 12a.

[0120] Further, a centrifugal fan 131 is built in the duct 110 to generate an air flow inside the duct 110 .

[0121] The image pickup element section 11 and the control IC group 12a are components of the digital lamella 100 that consume a large amount of power and generate a large amount of heat, and thus experience a rapid temperature rise.

[0122] In addition to the heat generated by the digital camera itself, the temperature also rises due to radiant heat from surrounding components. As a result, the shooting time of the digital camera 100 is limited by the guaranteed operating temperature of each component.

[0123] In order to maintain the longest possible shooting time, it becomes necessary to take measures to cool the image pickup element unit 11 and the control IC group 12a, which are heat sources, so as to prevent their temperatures from exceeding the guaranteed operating temperature.

[0124] Therefore, in this embodiment, a duct 110 is placed on the back surface of the main board 12 as shown in FIG. 2, and the imaging element section 11 and the control IC group 12a are cooled by being brought into thermal contact with the duct 110 by a heat dissipation mechanism 120 described later.

[0125] (Duct internal structure) Fig. 3(a) is a front perspective view of the duct 110, and Fig. 3(b) is a rear perspective view of the duct 110. Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the internal structure of the duct 110, taken along the line AA in Fig. 3(b).

[0126] The shape of the duct 110 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.

[0127] The duct 110 is composed of a first duct portion 111, a second duct portion 112 and a third duct portion 113.

[0128] The first duct portion 111 is substantially parallel to the photographing optical axis 0 and is provided below the viewfinder 32 of the display structure housing portion 21a.

[0129] By arranging the first duct portion 111 near the viewfinder 32, the contact area between the second duct portion 112 (described later) and the control IC group 12a can be made large, which is advantageous from the viewpoint of heat dissipation.

[0130] The second duct portion 112 is connected to the first duct portion 111, and is formed so as to be approximately perpendicular to the imaging optical axis 0 and located on the rear side of the imaging element portion 11 and the control IC group 12a mounted on the main board 12.

[0131] The second duct portion 112 is divided into a second front duct portion 112a which forms a surface facing the control IC group 12a mounted on the main board 12, and a second rear duct portion 112b which forms the opposite side.

[0132] The second duct recess 112c is a recessed shape formed in the second duct 112, and is provided on the surface facing the main board 12 so as not to overlap with the projection surface of the control IC group 12a.

[0133] This concave shape locally reduces the cross-sectional area of ​​second duct 112, so that the air current passing through second duct 112 flows mostly around third heat conductive member 123, which will be described later.

[0134] This allows efficient heat dissipation from the control IC group 12a.

[0135] Since second duct 112 is present in a portion other than the projection surface of the heat source, heat diffusion within digital camera 100 can be performed efficiently.

[0136] Therefore, it is preferable to arrange a part of the duct 110, such as the second duct recess 112c, in the area other than the projection surface.

[0137] It should be noted that, by utilizing the space created by this recess shape, a connector section and an FPC for connecting the imaging section 11 and the main board 12 are disposed on the second duct recess 112c side of the main board 12.

[0138] The third duct portion 113 is connected to the second duct portion 112 .

[0139] The imaging element 11 and the control IC group 12 a mounted on the main board 12 are disposed substantially parallel to the photographing optical axis 0 and below the two heat sources.

[0140] The third duct portion 113 is provided with a bottom duct cover 113a, which is fixed to the third duct portion 113 via an elastic member (not shown).

[0141] The tripod seat mounting portion 113c is provided by cutting out a part of the third duct portion 113. The tripod seat 22d arranged in the tripod seat mounting portion 113c is fastened to a member with high rigidity.

[0142] In this embodiment, it is fastened to a front base 22 made of a magnesium alloy.

[0143] As a result, even if digital camera 100 is subjected to a strong external force while attached to the tripod mount, deformation of the entire camera can be suppressed by fastening it to a highly rigid member.

[0144] In other words, by suppressing deformation around the imaging section, the effect of the strong force on the captured image can be reduced.

[0145] Furthermore, suppressing deformation of the entire digital camera 100 also has the effect of suppressing deformation of the duct 110, thereby preventing a decrease in heat transfer efficiency.

[0146] The first duct portion 111 is provided with an air intake port 133 .

[0147] An elastic member (not shown) is provided between the intake port 133 and the ventilation port 21c provided in the rear cover 21, thereby forming a sealed structure between the intake port 133 and the ventilation port 21c.

[0148] The third duct portion 113 is provided with an exhaust port 132 .

[0149] An elastic member (not shown) is provided between the exhaust port 132 and the ventilation port 25b provided in the side cover 25, thereby forming a sealed structure between the exhaust port 132 and the ventilation port 25b.

[0150] By adopting the above-mentioned sealed structure, a single sealed space is formed between the ventilation opening 21c and the ventilation opening 25b.

[0151] Therefore, an air flow path is formed, and water droplets, sand, and the like from the outside can be prevented from entering the digital camera 100 .

[0152] In order to reduce pressure loss in the flow path inside duct 110, it is preferable that first duct portion 111, second duct portion 112, and third duct portion 113 have flow path cross-sectional areas as equal as possible.

[0153] Even if the cross-sectional area does change, each duct portion is configured so that the change in cross-sectional area is minimized.

[0154] The first duct portion 111, the second duct portion 112, and the third duct portion 113 may be configured by fastening separate parts, or may be configured as an integrated part using a 3D printer or the like.

[0155] In addition, the connections between the duct parts may be configured by fastening, or the duct parts may be integrally molded using a 3D printer or the like.

[0156] When fixing by fastening, it is desirable to maintain the airtightness of duct 110 by sandwiching an elastic member (not shown) therebetween.

[0157] The fastening method may be any method that can form an enclosed space, and may be any method such as screws, adhesives, or crimping that can achieve the intended purpose.

[0158] The first duct portion 111, the second duct portion 112 and the third duct portion 113 are preferably made of a material having high thermal conductivity in order to efficiently transfer heat from the heat source.

[0159] However, since the second rear duct portion 112b has a relatively small contribution to thermal diffusion from the heat source, a material having a lower thermal conductivity than the second front duct portion 112a may be used.

[0160] Moreover, a material with a low specific gravity is preferable from the viewpoint of reducing the weight of the digital camera 100. Furthermore, if the main material of the duct 110 is a metal, it can be used as a ground housing of the digital camera 100, which is advantageous from the viewpoint of noise resistance.

[0161] In this embodiment, the first duct portion 111, the second front duct portion 112a and the third duct portion 113 are made of aluminum, and the second rear duct portion 112b is made of polycarbonate.

[0162] In addition, by integrating the second rear duct portion 112b with the rear cover 21, the thickness of the device in the rear direction can be reduced.

[0163] A first fin portion 114a having a plurality of convex shapes is provided on the surface of the second front duct portion 112a opposite to the main board 12.

[0164] This increases the surface area of ​​the second duct portion 112, and increases the heat exchange area with the air inside the duct, thereby improving the cooling efficiency.

[0165] On the photographing optical axis 0 side of the third duct portion, a second fin portion 114b having a plurality of convex shapes is provided on the surface opposite to the imaging element portion 11.

[0166] This increases the surface area of ​​the third duct portion 113, and increases the heat exchange area with the air inside the duct, thereby improving the cooling efficiency.

[0167] Centrifugal fan 131 is a blowing means for creating an air flow within duct 110, and is fixed to third duct portion 113 together with bottom duct cover 113a by fixing portion 113b.

[0168] When centrifugal fan 131 is driven, air outside digital camera 100 flows into duct 110 from intake port 133 via ventilation port 21c.

[0169] The air that has flowed in passes through first fin portion 114 a in second duct portion 112 , and then passes through second fin portion 114 b in third duct portion 113 .

[0170] When the incoming air passes through first fin portion 114a and second fin portion 114b that have been heated by the heat source, the fins are cooled and the heat source is cooled.

[0171] After passing through the fins, the air is sucked into centrifugal fan 131, passes through exhaust port 132, and is exhausted to the outside of digital camera 100 through ventilation port 25b.

[0172] In this embodiment, the air flows in such a manner that the air is drawn in through the vent 21c and discharged through the vent 25b, as described above.

[0173] This is because the exhaust port 132 is located away from the user's face, etc.

[0174] Therefore, if the desired cooling effect can be achieved, the air may be taken in through the vent 25b and discharged through the vent 21c by changing the arrangement of the duct 110 and the centrifugal fan 131. Details will be described later as a modified example.

[0175] In addition, in this embodiment, a centrifugal fan is used as the air blowing means, but this is not limited thereto, and for example, an axial flow fan or the like may be used as long as the intended purpose can be achieved.

[0176] (Thermal connection diagram between duct 110 and heat source) Fig. 5 is a thermal connection diagram between the duct 110 and a heat source. Fig. 5(a) shows a cross section taken along line BB in Fig. 3(b), and is an exploded perspective view of the duct 110 and the imaging element unit 11.

[0177] FIG. 5(b) shows a cross section taken along the line CC in FIG. 3(b), and is an exploded perspective view of the duct 110 and the control IC group 12a mounted on the main board 12. FIG.

[0178] As described above, the image pickup section 11 is made up of the movable unit 11b including the CMOS 11a, and the fixed unit 11c.

[0179] 5(a), the fixed unit 11c partially extends toward the third duct portion 113. Heat stored in the fixed unit 11c passes through this extension and is transferred to the duct 110 through a heat transfer member described below.

[0180] The heat dissipation mechanism 120 is a heat transfer member that thermally connects a plurality of heat sources and the duct 110 .

[0181] The first heat transfer member 121 is a member for improving the thermal diffusion of the movable unit 11b, and has one end connected to the movable unit 11b and the other end connected to the extension portion of the fixed unit 11c.

[0182] The first heat transfer member 121 is made of a sheet-like member, such as a graphite sheet, that has excellent heat transfer properties and is flexibly deformable, and the connection portion with the movable unit 11b can follow the movement of the movable unit 11b.

[0183] The heat stored in the movable unit 11b is transferred by the first heat transfer member 121 to the duct 110 via a second heat transfer member 122 which will be described later.

[0184] The second heat transfer member 122 is a heat conductive rubber for thermally connecting the third duct portion 113 to the fixing unit 11c and the first heat transfer member 121.

[0185] The heat generated in the imaging element section 11 is transferred to the duct 110 by the second heat transfer member 122 .

[0186] The second heat transfer member 122 abuts against the third duct portion 113, and the above-mentioned second fin portion 114b is provided on the rear side of the abutting surface.

[0187] Therefore, the heat from the imaging element section 11 is efficiently exchanged due to the increased surface area of ​​the second fin section 114b, and as a result, high cooling performance can be achieved.

[0188] The third heat transfer member 123 is a heat conductive rubber for thermally connecting the control IC group 12a mounted on the main board 12 and the second duct portion 112.

[0189] The heat transfer member 123 transfers the heat generated by the control IC group 12a mounted on the main board 12 to the duct 110.

[0190] The third heat transfer member 123 abuts against the second duct portion 112, and the above-mentioned first fin portion 114a is provided on the rear side of the abutting surface.

[0191] Therefore, the heat from the control IC group 12a is efficiently exchanged with the air in the duct 110 by the first fin portion 114a, and as a result, high cooling performance can be achieved.

[0192] It is preferable that the second heat transfer member 122 has a thickness substantially equal to or greater than that of the third heat transfer member 123 .

[0193] This is because the direction in which second heat transfer member 122 and third duct portion 113 come into contact with each other is subject to greater variation due to individual differences and assembly, and this variation can be absorbed by the elasticity of the heat transfer member.

[0194] In this embodiment, the thermally conductive material is described as a graphite sheet or thermally conductive rubber, but the material is not limited to these, and may be, for example, a metal foil or a heat pipe, as long as it has a higher thermal conductivity than materials such as resin and satisfies other mechanical and electrical performance requirements.

[0195] FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the digital camera 100. As shown in FIG.

[0196] (Comparison of heat dissipation data)

[0197] [Table 1]

[0198] Table 1 compares the digital camera of the first embodiment with a digital camera of the first embodiment (for comparison) that does not have the built-in centrifugal fan 131 and duct 110.

[0199] Table 1 compares the maximum temperatures reached when recording and shooting at 8K30P in a 23° environment.

[0200] 8K30P means video capture at 8K at 30 frames per second.

[0201] In the first embodiment, the centrifugal fan 131 is operated at a wind speed of 12 L / min. Liters per minute (L / min) is a unit of volumetric flow rate.

[0202] As shown in Table 1, by incorporating the centrifugal fan 131 and the duct 110, the maximum temperature reached is reduced from 111.5 degrees to 58.6 degrees for the imaging element section 11 and from 95.6 degrees to 89.9 degrees for the main board 12.

[0203] This shows that the temperature rise of the heat source is suppressed.

[0204] Furthermore, if the temperature limit at which a digital camera will stop functioning is set to 95 degrees or lower, the configuration of embodiment 1 makes it possible to achieve unlimited 8K30P shooting in an environment of 23°C.

[0205] The present embodiment will now be briefly described with reference to FIG.

[0206] The imaging device of this embodiment has exterior members 21-25, a control circuit 12a that controls the imaging device, a display panel 31 arranged on the back side of the exterior members, and a heat dissipation fan 131 arranged on the bottom side 24 (bottom cover) of the exterior members.

[0207] A control circuit board 12 on which a control circuit 12a for controlling the imaging device is mounted, and a display panel 31 are arranged in this order from the front side to the rear side in the optical axis direction.

[0208] The duct 110, in which the ventilation opening 132 is formed on the upper surface side of the rear surface 21 of the exterior member, extends from the rear surface side to the front surface side in the optical axis direction.

[0209] The duct 110 passes from the top side to the bottom side, passing through the area between the control circuit board 12 and the display panel 31, and is connected to a vent 133 formed on the bottom side of the exterior member.

[0210] The heat dissipation fan 131 is disposed within a duct disposed on the bottom surface side 24 of the control circuit board.

[0211] The image sensor includes an image sensor substrate 11 on which an image sensor is mounted.

[0212] The duct 110 runs from the rear side to the front side in the optical axis direction, passing through the area between the heat dissipation fan 131 arranged on the bottom surface of the duct and the image sensor board 11 and the control circuit board 12, and is connected to an air vent 133 formed on the bottom side 24 of the exterior member.

[0213] The imaging device 100 includes a connection terminal section 12c for electrically connecting to an external device, and the intake vent 132 is disposed outside the area of ​​the connection terminal section.

[0214] The imaging device has a fixing portion 22d for fixing the imaging device to a tripod, and an exhaust vent 133 is disposed outside the area of ​​the connection terminal portion.

[0215] The imaging element substrate 11 is moved in a direction different from the optical axis for image blur correction by the movable mechanisms 11b and 11c. The movable mechanisms 11b and 11c configure a voice coil motor (VCM) made up of a coil and a magnet.

[0216] The imaging element substrate 11 is driven based on the vibration detection result of an angular velocity detection sensor (gyro) (not shown).

[0217] In order to correct image blur on the imaging surface of the imaging element caused by hand shake by the user, the imaging element substrate is moved in the yaw direction, pitch direction, and roll direction around the optical axis of the imaging optical system.

[0218] The camera is provided with an electronic viewfinder 32 disposed on the upper surface side 23 (top cover) of the exterior member.

[0219] When viewed from the rear side of the imaging device, the duct vent 132 formed on the upper surface side of the rear surface 21 (rear cover) of the exterior member is located in the area between the electronic viewfinder 32 and the display panel.

[0220] The rotation axis of the heat dissipation fan 131 is perpendicular to the optical axis.

[0221] The ventilation hole 133 formed on the bottom surface side 24 of the exterior member is formed on the front surface 22 or the side surface 25 of the exterior member.

[0222] In order to conduct heat from the imaging element substrate 11 to the duct 110, a first heat conducting member 121 is provided on the imaging element substrate.

[0223] In order to conduct heat from the first heat conducting member 121 to the duct 110, a second heat conducting member 122 is formed between the first heat conducting member and the duct.

[0224] A third heat conducting member 123 is provided on the control circuit board 12 to conduct heat from the control circuit board 12 to the duct 110 .

[0225] The thickness of second heat conducting member 122 is the same as or greater than the thickness of third heat conducting member 123.

[0226] The first heat conductive member 121 on which the imaging element substrate 11 is formed has higher thermal conductivity than the third heat conductive member 123 on which the control circuit substrate 12 is formed.

[0227] [Variations] In the first embodiment, the duct 110 in the digital camera 100 is configured to take in air from the display structure housing section 21a and exhaust air from the ventilation opening 25b.

[0228] However, the invention according to the present disclosure is not limited to this. Modifications of the first embodiment will be described below.

[0229] 6 shows a configuration in which the intake and exhaust directions inside the duct 110 are reversed. Fig. 6(a) is a front perspective view of the digital camera 101, and Fig. 6(b) is an exploded perspective view of the duct 110.

[0230] The ventilation hole 23 a is formed in a part of the top cover 23 and is disposed in the vicinity of the viewfinder 32 .

[0231] The first duct portion 111 is disposed so as to pass along both sides of the viewfinder 32, and is connected to the second duct portion 112 below.

[0232] As shown in FIG. 6(b), the centrifugal fan 131 is disposed in substantially the same position as in the first embodiment, but with a different intake and exhaust direction.

[0233] As a result, the air flow direction in the duct 110 is reversed compared to the first embodiment.

[0234] The air intake 133 is disposed in the third duct portion 113 , and air outside the digital camera 100 flows in through the air vent 25 b provided in the side cover 25 .

[0235] The exhaust port 132 is disposed in the first duct portion 111 , and air is exhausted to the outside of the digital camera 100 through the ventilation port 23 a provided in the top cover 23 .

[0236] In this modified example, air is taken in from the side and exhausted from the top, so that cooling performance can be ensured without causing discomfort even if the user's face is behind digital camera 100.

[0237] In this modified example, the thermal connection with the heat source and the duct shapes other than those described above are the same as those in the first embodiment, so the description will be omitted. [Industrial Applicability]

[0238] The technology disclosed herein is applicable to electronic devices and imaging systems. [Explanation of symbols]

[0239] 11. Image sensor section 11a CMOS 12 Main Board 12a Control IC group 21c, 22b, 25b Vents 100 Digital Camera 110 Duct 114 Finn 120 Heat dissipation mechanism 131 Centrifugal Fan 132 Exhaust port 133 Air Intake 121~123 Thermal conductive materials

Claims

1. An imaging device having an imaging element, the imaging device includes an exterior member, a control circuit for controlling the imaging device, a display panel disposed on a rear surface side of the exterior member, and a heat dissipation fan disposed on a bottom surface side of the exterior member; a control circuit board on which the control circuit is mounted and the display panel are arranged in this order from the front side to the rear side in the optical axis direction; a duct having an air vent formed on an upper surface side of the rear surface of the exterior member extends from the rear surface side to the front surface side in the optical axis direction, passes through a region between the control circuit board and the display panel from the top surface side to the bottom surface side, and is connected to the air vent formed on the bottom surface side of the exterior member; the heat dissipation fan is disposed in a duct disposed on the bottom side of the control circuit board, an imaging element substrate on which the imaging element is mounted, the duct runs from the rear side to the front side in the optical axis direction, passes through a region between a heat dissipation fan arranged on a bottom surface of the duct and the image sensor board and the control circuit board, and is connected to an air vent formed on the bottom surface of the exterior member.

2. The imaging device according to claim 1 , further comprising a connection terminal portion for electrically connecting an external device, and the ventilation hole is disposed outside an area of ​​the connection terminal portion.

3. The imaging device according to claim 2 , wherein the imaging device has a fixing portion for fixing the imaging device to a tripod, and the ventilation hole is disposed outside an area of ​​the connection terminal portion.

4. The imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein the imaging element substrate moves in a direction different from an optical axis for image blur correction.

5. an electronic viewfinder disposed on an upper surface side of the exterior member; 5. The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein, when viewed from the rear side of the imaging device, a duct vent formed on the upper surface side of the rear surface of the exterior member is located in an area between the electronic viewfinder and the display panel.

6. 6. The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein a rotation axis of the heat dissipation fan is perpendicular to an optical axis, and an air vent formed on a bottom surface side of the exterior member is formed on a front surface or a side surface of the exterior member.

7. a first heat conducting member formed on the imaging element board for conducting heat of the imaging element board to the duct, a second heat conducting member formed between the first heat conducting member and the duct for conducting heat of the first heat conducting member to the duct, and a third heat conducting member formed on the control circuit board for conducting heat of the control circuit board to the duct, 7. The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein a thickness of the second thermal conductive member is equal to or greater than a thickness of the third thermal conductive member.

8. 8. The imaging device according to claim 7, wherein the first heat conductive member on which the imaging element substrate is formed has a higher thermal conductivity than a third heat conductive member on which the control circuit substrate is formed.

Images