Lens unit and imaging device

Abstract

To provide a lens unit that can maintain the strength of a lens barrel while passing a conductive member through a lens unit.SOLUTION: A lens unit (11) includes: a plurality of lenses (L1 to L6); a lens barrel (20) for storing the lenses (L1 to L6); a heater (30) arranged in a non-optical effective region of the first len (L1) located closest to an object of the lenses (L1 to L6); and a conductive member (40) connected to the heater (30). The lens unit further has a notch (50) for passing the conductive member (40) through at least one lens, which is the second lens (L2), of the lenses (L1 to L6).SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a lens unit and an imaging device. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, lens units have increasingly been used in vehicles such as cars and drones to capture images of the surrounding environment, etc. Lens units used in such vehicles may be exposed to the external environment depending on their use, and sudden temperature changes can cause condensation on the lens closest to the object (object-side lens).In addition, when used in cold environments, it is expected that ice and snow will accumulate on the surface of the object-side lens.

[0003] In such cases, there is a concern that water droplets, ice, and snow may appear in images or videos captured by a lens unit exposed to the external environment, making it impossible to capture images or videos with the desired accuracy.

[0004] In response to this, Patent Document 1 discloses a technology for forming a through hole or housing groove in the lens barrel that extends in the longitudinal direction of the lens barrel in order to guide electrical wiring connected to electrical functional components that are located closer to the object than the flange to the electrical functional components within the lens unit. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-071659 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, in the technology described in Patent Document 1, the through-holes or housing grooves are formed extending in the longitudinal direction of the lens barrel, which reduces the strength of the lens barrel. Maintaining strength while forming through-holes or housing grooves in the lens barrel poses the problem of making the lens barrel larger because it is necessary to thicken the lens barrel in the radial direction. Furthermore, because the inner diameter of such a lens barrel is easily deformed, applying force when, for example, press-fitting a lens into the lens barrel reduces the concentricity of the lens barrel and the lens.

[0007] An object of one aspect of the present invention is to provide a lens unit that can maintain the strength of the lens barrel while allowing a conductive member to pass through the lens unit. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to solve the above problem, a lens unit according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a plurality of lenses, a lens barrel in which the plurality of lenses are housed, an electrical functional component arranged along the outer periphery of a first lens of the plurality of lenses that is arranged closest to the object, and a conductive member connected to the electrical functional component, and at least one of the plurality of lenses is provided with a cutout portion for passing the conductive member through.

[0009] In order to solve the above problem, an imaging device according to one aspect of the present invention includes the above lens unit and an imaging element that converts an optical image formed by the lens unit into an electrical signal. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide a lens unit that can maintain the strength of the lens barrel while passing a conductive member through the lens unit. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] 1 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of an imaging device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2]1A and 1B are perspective views of a lens provided with a cutout portion according to a first embodiment of the present invention, where FIG. 1A is a perspective view of the lens showing one mode of the shape of the cutout portion, and FIG. 1B is a perspective view of the lens showing another mode of the shape of the cutout portion. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of an imaging device according to a first modification of the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of an imaging device according to a second modification of the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of an imaging device according to a third modification of the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of an imaging device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of an imaging device according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of an imaging device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] [Embodiment 1] The following describes an embodiment of the lens unit 11 and imaging device 1 according to the present invention. However, the lens unit 11 and imaging device 1 described below are one aspect of the lens unit and imaging device according to the present invention, and the lens unit and imaging device according to the present invention are not limited to the following aspects.

[0013] (imaging device 1, lens unit 11) First, an imaging device 1 and a lens unit 11 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the imaging device 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0014] 1, the imaging device 1 includes a lens unit 11 and an imaging element IMG. The lens unit 11 also includes a plurality of lenses (first lens L1 to sixth lens L6), a lens barrel 20 that houses the plurality of lenses, a heater 30, and a conductive member 40.

[0015] (1st lens L1 to 6th lens L6) Lens unit 11 includes a plurality of lenses, and in this embodiment includes six lenses, in order from the object side: a first lens L1 (first lens) having negative refractive power, a second lens L2 having positive refractive power, a third lens L3 having positive refractive power, a fourth lens L4 having positive refractive power, a fifth lens L5 having negative refractive power, and a sixth lens L6 having positive refractive power. Note that the lens configuration is not limited to this and may be any configuration.

[0016] 1, the present embodiment will be described taking as an example a case where the lens unit 11 is a fixed focal length lens in which the first lens L1 to the sixth lens L6 are each fixed, but is not limited to this. For example, a zoom lens that changes magnification by moving at least one of the first lens L1 to the sixth lens L6 along the optical axis direction may be configured, and the specific operation thereof is not particularly limited.

[0017] It is also possible to adopt a configuration in which at least one of the first lens L1 to sixth lens L6 is moved along the optical axis direction to achieve focusing, or a configuration in which vibration is reduced by moving the lens in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis direction.

[0018] Furthermore, the lens unit 11 according to this embodiment preferably has an angle of view of 70° or more and 200° or less. This is because lenses used on moving objects, such as in-vehicle lenses and drone lenses, require wide-angle lenses to capture a wide range. The lower limit of the angle of view is more preferably 75°, and even more preferably 80°. The upper limit of the angle of view is more preferably 190°, and even more preferably 180°.

[0019] On the other hand, with such wide-angle lenses, it is difficult to take measures against condensation by placing a transparent parallel plate on the object side of the lens located closest to the object. This is because with wide-angle lenses, even the lens barrel portion where the transparent parallel plate is located would be captured in the image. In contrast, lens unit 11 according to this embodiment can take measures against condensation by providing a notch 50 in at least one of the first lens L1 to the sixth lens L6, as described below.

[0020] (lens barrel 20, flange 203) The lens barrel 20 includes a main lens barrel 201 and a retaining ring 202. The main lens barrel 201 houses and holds the first lens L1 to sixth lens L6, and in this embodiment, the first lens L1 is press-fitted from the object side of the main lens barrel 201, and the second lens L2 to sixth lens L6 are press-fitted from the image side of the main lens barrel 201. The retaining ring 202 secures the lenses housed in the main lens barrel 201 from the object side, and in this embodiment, the retaining ring 202 is screwed and fixed to the main lens barrel 201 from the object side, thereby securing the first lens L1 from the object side toward the arrangement surface of the main lens barrel 201.

[0021] The lens barrel 20 also includes a flange 203 for assembling the lens unit 11 to another external member (not shown). The flange 203 is provided on the side of the main lens barrel 201 so as to protrude in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis. The lens unit 11 can be positioned by abutting a mounting surface 204, which is the image side of the flange 203, against a corresponding surface of another external member. The lens unit 11 can also be positioned by having another external member grip the flange 203.

[0022] An opening 25 is formed in the main barrel 201 of the barrel 20. In this embodiment, the opening 25 is formed on a side surface of the main barrel 201 near the flange 203, specifically adjacent to the flange 203 (more specifically, the mounting surface 204 of the flange 203). The openings 25 are used to pass the conductive members 40 described below, and may be provided in the same number as the conductive members 40, or may be provided as one large opening 25 through which multiple conductive members 40 pass. The shape of the opening 25 is not particularly limited, and is preferably a circle, including an oval, from the perspective of ease of processing, but may also be a polygonal shape such as a rectangle.

[0023] Furthermore, the position where opening 25 is formed is not limited to a position adjacent to flange 203, as long as it is formed near flange 203. For example, the condition for providing opening 25 near flange 203 preferably satisfies the following formula:

[0024] D1 / D2≦0.5 (1) where D1 is the distance from the mounting surface 204 of the flange 203 to the opening 25 D2: distance from the end face of the lens barrel 20 closest to the image side to the opening 25

[0025] If the upper limit of formula (1) is exceeded, the position of opening 25 will be too far from flange 203, and the routing distance of conductive member 40 within barrel 20 will be long, resulting in poor assembly. In contrast, by forming opening 25 near flange 203 so as to satisfy formula (1), the routing distance of conductive member 40 within barrel 20 can be shortened, improving assembly. The upper limit of formula (1) is preferably 0.4, more preferably 0.3, and even more preferably 0.25. The lower limit of formula (1) is preferably 0 (i.e., opening 25 is formed adjacent to flange 203), but from the viewpoint of maintaining the strength of flange 203, it is also preferable that it be 0.05, and 0.1 is more preferable.

[0026] (Heater 30) In this embodiment, a heater 30 is disposed in the non-optically effective area of ​​the first lens L1 as an electrical functional component. The heater 30 serves to transfer generated heat to the first lens L1, which is disposed closest to the object side of the lens unit 11.

[0027] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1 , the heater 30 is disposed along the periphery of the non-optically effective area of ​​the image-side surface of the first lens L1 and is fixed so as to be held between the first lens L1 and the second lens L2. In this case, it is preferable that the coefficient of friction of the image-side surface of the heater 30 is greater than the coefficient of friction of the object-side surface. By reducing the coefficient of friction of the surface where the heater 30 and the first lens L1 contact each other and increasing the coefficient of friction of the surface where the heater 30 and the second lens L2 contact each other, it is possible to prevent the heater 30 from rotating together with the first lens L1 when the first lens L1 is held down with the screw-type retaining ring 202. This prevents the electrical wiring (conductive member 40) from being disconnected or the contacts from being damaged during assembly.

[0028] The arrangement of the heater 30 is not particularly limited. For example, it may be arranged along the outer peripheral surface parallel to the optical axis of the first lens L1, or it may be arranged along the outer peripheral surface in the non-optically effective area on the object side of the first lens L1 and be biased against the first lens L1 by a press ring 202. Note that "arranged along the outer peripheral surface" does not necessarily mean that the outer diameter of the heater 30 is the same as the outer diameter of the first lens L1; in consideration of assembly, the outer diameter of the heater 30 may be smaller than the outer diameter of the first lens L1. Examples of the heater 30 include a PTC (Positive Temperature Coefficient) heater.

[0029] In the present embodiment, the heater 30 is disposed along the periphery of the non-optically effective area of ​​the first lens L1, but this is not limiting and the heater 30 may be disposed in any manner within the non-optically effective area of ​​the first lens L1. For example, a heater 30 having an elongated rectangular shape may be disposed within the non-optically effective area of ​​the first lens L1. Furthermore, the position of the heater 30 is not limited to the non-optically effective area on the image side of the first lens L1. For example, the heater 30 may be disposed within the non-optically effective area of ​​a side surface (a surface parallel to the optical axis) of the first lens L1, or within the non-optically effective area on the object side.

[0030] (Conductive member 40) Power is supplied to the heater 30 via a conductive member 40. For example, a lead wire coated with an insulator can be used as the conductive member 40. As shown in FIG. 1, the conductive member 40 passes through an opening 25 formed in the side surface of the main barrel 201, connects the heater 30 to a power supply source (not shown) provided outside the lens unit 11, and supplies voltage, current, etc. to the heater 30. Furthermore, although the present embodiment has been described taking the case where there is one conductive member 40 as an example, two or more conductive members 40 may also be used.

[0031] (Notch 50) At least one of the first lens L1 to sixth lens L6 arranged in the lens unit 11 has a notch 50 for passing the conductive member 40. In this embodiment, the second lens L2 has a notch 50 for connecting the conductive member 40 to the heater 30 arranged on the image side of the first lens L1. Note that the lenses on which the notch 50 is provided are not limited to this. For example, the third lens L3 may have a notch 50, or two or more lenses may have notches 50. From the viewpoint of reducing the diameter, it is preferable to provide the notch 50 at least in a lens adjacent to an electrical functional component such as the heater 30, and it is more preferable to provide the notch 50 in all lenses arranged between the electrical functional component and the flange 203 or the opening 25.

[0032] The shape of the cutout portion 50 will be described with reference to Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the shape of the cutout portion 50, in which (a) shows a cutout portion 50 having a planar shape, and (b) shows a cutout portion 51 having a concave shape.

[0033] The shape of the cutout 50 is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, a cutout 50 formed by cutting out the outer periphery of the second lens L2 in a plane substantially parallel to the optical axis, as shown in FIG. 2(a), or a concave cutout 51 formed by cutting out the outer periphery of the second lens L2 in the direction of the optical axis, as shown in FIG. 2(b). The term "substantially parallel planes" includes surfaces that are not strictly parallel due to manufacturing errors or conditions required for design or processing. The concave shape of the cutout 51 may be, for example, a U-shape, a polygonal shape such as a triangle or a rectangle, or a circular shape including an ellipse, when the second lens L2 is viewed from the optical axis direction.

[0034] Furthermore, it is preferable that the notch 50 satisfies the following formula on the object side as viewed from the optical axis direction of the lens on which the notch 50 is provided.

[0035] 0.01 <Ks / Ls≦0.30 ···(2) where Ks is the area of ​​the notch 50 on the object side of the lens on which the notch 50 is provided. Ls: the area of ​​the object side of the lens in which the notch 50 is provided, including the notch 50

[0036] If the upper limit of formula (2) is exceeded, it is difficult to suppress the effect of the cutout 50 on the optical performance of the lens in which the cutout 50 is provided. In contrast, by satisfying formula (2), it is possible to pass the conductive member 40 through the cutout 50 while suppressing the effect of the cutout 50 on the optical performance of the lens in which the cutout 50 is provided. The upper limit of formula (2) is preferably 0.25, and even more preferably 0.2. The lower limit of formula (2) is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of ensuring that the cutout 50 is large enough to pass the conductive member 40 through, the lower limit is preferably 0.03, more preferably 0.05, and even more preferably 0.1.

[0037] The lens in which the notch 50 is provided may be a plastic lens or a glass lens, and is not particularly limited, but a glass lens is more preferable. Compared to aluminum or plastic, which are commonly used materials for the lens barrel 20, glass has a higher Young's modulus and a lower Poisson's ratio. Therefore, even when the notch 50 is provided in the lens, the lens strength can be maintained. Furthermore, because glass lenses have a small coefficient of linear expansion due to temperature changes, changes in the size of the notch 50 due to temperature changes can be minimized, and damage to the conductive member 40 caused by temperature changes can be suppressed.

[0038] The lens unit 11 according to this embodiment has the above-described configuration, which allows the strength of the lens barrel 20 to be maintained while the conductive member 40 is passed through the lens unit 11. Furthermore, by providing the heater 30, the first lens L1 can be heated using power supplied from the conductive member 40. For example, when the lens unit 11 is used as an in-vehicle lens, the expected operating temperature range is -40°C to 105°C. In such an environment, the temperature difference between the internal temperature of the lens barrel 20 and the external temperature becomes large, and even if condensation forms on the first lens L1, the condensation can be eliminated by heating the first lens L1. Similarly, if ice or snow adheres to the first lens L1, the ice or snow can be removed.

[0039] (others) In this embodiment, an example has been described in which conductive member 40 is wired to the outside of lens barrel 20 through opening 25, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, an electrical contact made of a highly conductive material such as metal may be provided in opening 25, and conductive member 40 may be connected to the electrical contact. By electrically connecting heater 30 to the electrical contact provided in opening 25 inside lens barrel 20 using conductive member 40, it is possible to supply power to heater 30 from an external power source connected to lens unit 11 via the electrical contact.

[0040] This configuration makes it possible to prevent the conductive member 40 protruding outside the lens barrel 20 of the lens unit 11 from being damaged or broken when the lens unit 11 is assembled to other components.

[0041] <Variation 1> Next, a modification of the first embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of an image pickup device 1' according to a first modification of the first embodiment. As shown in Fig. 3, the image pickup device 1' according to the first modification has the same configuration as the lens unit 11 according to the first embodiment, except that the notch 50 is provided in the third lens L3' of the lens unit 11' instead of the second lens L2'.

[0042] The second lens L2' of the lens unit 11' is cemented with the third lens L3', and its outer diameter is smaller than that of the third lens L3'. Therefore, there is no need to provide a notch 50 in the second lens L2' to allow the conductive member 40 to pass through. On the other hand, because the third lens L3' is held as a cemented lens consisting of the second lens L2' and the third lens L3', its inner diameter is approximately equal to the inner diameter of the main barrel 201 or the inner diameter of the lens holding frame (not shown) that holds the cemented lens. Therefore, a notch 50 is provided in the third lens L3' to allow the conductive member 40 to pass through.

[0043] In this way, the lens on which the notch 50 is formed is not particularly limited, and it may be provided on a lens that is arranged at a necessary location within the lens barrel 20 for passing the conductive member 40 therethrough.

[0044] <Variation 2> Another variation of Embodiment 1 will now be described with reference to FIG. 4. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of an image pickup device 1'' according to Variation 2 of Embodiment 1. As shown in FIG. 4, the image pickup device 1'' according to Variation 2 has the same configuration as the lens unit 11 according to Embodiment 1, except that the heater 31 of the lens unit 11'' is disposed on the object side of the first lens L1', and the first lens L1' also has a notch 50.

[0045] The heater 31 according to the second modification is a transparent conductive film and is disposed so as to cover the object-side surface of the first lens L1'. This allows the first lens L1' to be heated from the object-side surface while protecting the object-side surface of the first lens L1'. Of course, the heater 31 does not have to cover the entire object-side surface of the first lens L1', and may be disposed along the periphery in the non-optically effective area. In this case, the heater 31 is simply biased and fixed to the first lens L1' by the press ring 202.

[0046] The transparent conductive film constituting the heater 31 may be, for example, an ITO (Indium Tin Oxide) film or an FTO (Fluorine Doped Tin Oxide) film.

[0047] In order to connect the conductive member 40 to the heater 31, the first lens L1' is provided with a notch 50 for passing the conductive member 40. This allows the conductive member 40 to be connected to the heater 31 arranged on the object side of the first lens L1' through the notch 50 of the first lens L1'.

[0048] <Variation 3> Another modification of the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 5. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of an image pickup device 1''' according to a third modification of the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 5, the image pickup device 1''' according to the third modification has the same configuration as the image pickup device 1'' according to the second modification of the first embodiment, except that in the lens unit 11''', an illumination device 32 is arranged on the object side of the first lens L1' instead of the heater 31.

[0049] As shown in Fig. 5, by arranging the illumination device 32 along the outer periphery of the object side surface of the first lens L1', it is possible to illuminate the subject to be photographed even in places with insufficient light, such as when used in a surgical microscope or a surgical robot, thereby enabling good photographing. For example, a ring illumination can be used as the illumination device 32. Furthermore, the electrical functional components are not limited to these, and may be, for example, a small illumination device other than a ring, a cooling element in an environment where the ambient temperature is higher than the temperature inside the lens unit 1''', or a variable driving element that drives the first lens L1 or a lens group including the first lens L1.

[0050] [Embodiment 2] Next, an imaging device 2 and a lens unit 12 according to another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 6. Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of an imaging device 2 according to embodiment 2 of the present invention. As shown in Fig. 6, the lens unit 12 of the imaging device 2 according to embodiment 2 has the same configuration as the imaging device 1 described in embodiment 1, except for the configuration of the lens barrel 21 and the configuration of the openings 26a and 26b.

[0051] 6, main barrel 202 of barrel 21 includes an inner main barrel 211a that holds first lens L1 through sixth lens L6, and an outer main barrel 211b that holds inner main barrel 211a. Outer main barrel 211b is secured to inner main barrel 211a by being threadedly engaged with the inner main barrel 211a from the image side, and retainer ring 202 is threadedly engaged with the inner main barrel 211a from the object side, and secured to inner main barrel 211a. By constructing the main barrel from two components, outer main barrel 221a and inner main barrel 211a in this way, the strength of the entire barrel 20 can be increased.

[0052] Furthermore, a flange 203 is provided on the outer main barrel 211b, and an opening 26a is formed in the inner main barrel 211a near the flange 203. An opening 26b is formed near the image-side end of the outer main barrel 211b. The conductive member 40 is connected to the heater 30, and is arranged so that it passes through the cutout 50 in the second lens L2, passes through the opening 26a, passes between the inner main barrel 211a and the outer main barrel 211b, and reaches the outside of the barrel 21 through the opening 26b.

[0053] In this way, by passing the conductive member 40 between the inner main lens barrel 211a and the outer main lens barrel 211b, it is possible to prevent other members from hitting the conductive member 40 and causing damage or breakage.

[0054] [Embodiment 3] Next, an imaging device 3 and lens unit 13 according to yet another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 7. Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of imaging device 3 according to embodiment 3 of the present invention. As shown in Fig. 7, lens unit 13 of imaging device 3 according to embodiment 3 has the same configuration as imaging device 1 described in embodiment 1, except for the configuration of lens barrel 22 and the configuration of openings 27a and 27b.

[0055] 7, the lens barrel 22 includes a main lens barrel 221 and a retaining ring 222, and the image side end of the retaining ring 222 is formed to abut against the outer periphery of a flange 223 of the main lens barrel 221. With this configuration, the flange 223 can be supported from the object side by the retaining ring 222, so that the flange 223 can maintain its strength even when force is applied to it from the image side.

[0056] An opening 27a is formed in the main barrel 221 on the image side of the threaded portion for screwing into the retaining ring 222, and an opening 27b is formed in the flange 223. A space is also formed in the area surrounded by the image-side end of the main barrel 221, the flange 223, and the retaining ring 222. The conductive member 40 is connected to the heater 30 and is arranged so that it passes through the notch 50 in the second lens L2, through the opening 27a, out of the space formed by the main barrel 221, the flange 223, and the retaining ring 222, and then through the opening 27b to reach the outside of the barrel 22.

[0057] In this way, by wiring the conductive member 40 through the opening 27a and the space formed by the main lens barrel 221, the flange 223, and the pressure ring 222, it is possible to prevent the conductive member 40 from coming into contact with other components and becoming damaged or broken.

[0058] [Embodiment 4] Next, an image pickup device 4 and a lens unit 14 according to yet another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 8. Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of an image pickup device 4 according to embodiment 4 of the present invention. As shown in Fig. 8, the lens unit 14 of the image pickup device 4 according to embodiment 4 has the same configuration as the image pickup device 1 described in embodiment 1, except for the configuration of the lens barrel 23, the configuration of the opening 28, and the fact that a notch 53 is formed in the third lens L3' in addition to the second lens L2.

[0059] In lens unit 14 of imaging device 4 shown in embodiment 4, main barrel 231 does not have a flange, as shown in Fig. 8. Also, opening 28 is formed on the image side surface, not on a side surface, of main barrel 231. Note that for simplicity, the image side surface of main barrel 231 is omitted in Fig. 8, but opening 28 may be of a similar size to openings 25 to 27b according to embodiments 1 to 3, and there are no particular restrictions on the position at which it is provided.

[0060] The third lens L3' has a notch 50. This allows the conductive member 40 to be connected to the heater 30 and to be arranged so that it passes through the notch 50 of the second lens L2 and the notch 50 of the third lens L3' and reaches the outside of the lens barrel 23 through the opening 28. In this way, by providing notches 50 in all lenses that are arranged closer to the image side than the heater 30 and that are held within the inner diameter of the main lens barrel 231, the conductive member 40 can be wired to the image side of the lens barrel 23.

[0061] In this case, a notch 61 is also formed in a spacer 60 that adjusts the distance between adjacent lenses (the second lens L2 and the third lens L3 in FIG. 8). This allows the conductive member 40 to pass through to the image side without forming a groove in the inner diameter of the main lens barrel 231.

[0062] [Additional Notes] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims. Embodiments obtained by appropriately combining the technical means disclosed in different embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0063] 1, 1', 1'', 1''', 2, 3, 4 Imaging device 11, 11', 11'', 11'', 12, 13, 14 lens units 20, 21, 22, 23 Telescope tube 201, 221, 231 Main barrel 211a Inner primary tube 211b Outer primary lens tube 202, 222, 232 Presser ring 203, 223 flange 204 Mounting surface 25, 26a, 26b, 27a, 27b, 28 opening 30, 31 Heater (electrical functional parts) 32 Lighting devices (electrical functional parts) 40 Conductive material 50, 51 Notch 60 spacer 61 Notch L1, L1' First lens L2, L2' Second lens L3, L3' Third lens L4 4th lens L5 Fifth lens L6 6th lens IMG image sensor

Claims

1. Multiple lenses and a lens barrel that houses the plurality of lenses; an electrical functional component disposed in a non-optically effective area of ​​a first lens disposed closest to the object among the plurality of lenses; a conductive member connected to the electrical functional component, the lens barrel includes a main lens barrel, a press ring that fixes the first lens from an object side, and a flange that protrudes in a direction perpendicular to an optical axis, an image side end of the presser ring is formed to abut against an outer periphery of the flange, an opening is formed in the main barrel on the image side of a threaded portion for threadably engaging with the press ring; the conductive member is disposed so as to pass through the opening, At least one of the plurality of lenses has a notch for passing the conductive member therethrough.

2. Multiple lenses and a lens barrel that houses the plurality of lenses; an electrical functional component disposed in a non-optically effective area of ​​a first lens disposed closest to the object among the plurality of lenses; a conductive member connected to the electrical functional component, At least one lens among the plurality of lenses is provided with a notch for passing the conductive member therethrough; The electrical functional component is disposed on the object side surface of the first lens. Lens unit.

3. The lens provided with the cutout portion is a glass lens.

3. The lens unit according to claim 1.

4. The shape of the notch is A concave shape extending from the outer periphery of the lens where the notch is provided toward the optical axis direction, or The outer periphery of the lens on which the notch is provided is a flat surface parallel to the optical axis. The lens unit according to claim 1 .

5. the electrical functional component is a heater that supplies heat to the first lens; The lens unit according to claim 1 .

6. The electrical functional component is disposed on the image side of the first lens, The coefficient of friction of the image-side surface is greater than the coefficient of friction of the object-side surface. The lens unit according to claim 1 .

7. the electrical functional component is a lighting device; The lens unit according to claim 1 .

8. An imaging device comprising: the lens unit according to claim 1; and an imaging element that converts an optical image formed by the lens unit into an electrical signal.

Images