Lens unit, camera module, imaging system, and mobile body

Abstract

To provide a lens unit, a camera module, an imaging system, and a mobile body including a heater that can be easily assembled (positioned and installed) to a lens unit without exposing a power supply unit to the outside of a lens tube.SOLUTION: A lens unit in the present invention includes a heater 30 for heating a first lens 13. The heater 30 includes a heating unit 32 that generates heat by power supply, and a power supply unit 34 that supplies power to the heating unit 32. The heating unit 32 includes a protrusion part 32a with an electrode. A lens tube 12 includes a protrusion part housing part 45 for housing the protrusion part 32a of the heating unit 32. The power supply unit 34 is exposed in the protrusion part housing part 45 of the lens tube 12 so that an electrode 34a corresponding to an end part thereof can be electrically connected to an electrode of the protrusion part 32a of the heating unit 32.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

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

Background Art

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

[0003] The lens unit (camera module) having the above configuration can be used not only in in-vehicle cameras but also in various optical devices. In particular, when exposed to the external environment in cold regions, freezing of the lens surface or snow accumulation on the lens can be assumed, so generally, it is provided with a snow melting function or the like. Specifically, such a lens unit, for example, as schematically shown in (a) of FIG. 11, a heater 130 is inserted between a surface 101a facing the image side of the first lens 101 and a surface 102a facing the object side of the second lens 102 adjacent to the first lens 101 in order to warm the first lens 101 that is located on the most object side among the lens group L (only two lenses on the object side of the lens group L are shown in (a) of FIG. 11 for simplification) housed and held in the lens barrel 120 and exposed from the lens barrel 120 (exposed to the external environment).

[0004] The heater 130 incorporated in the lens barrel 120 in this way is widely used as the most effective heating means that can efficiently transfer the generated heat to the surface of the first lens 101.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2013-231993 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] Incidentally, power is supplied to the heater 130 via electrical wiring, generally through a flexible printed circuit board (FPC). Therefore, the heater 130 is composed of a heating section 130a, which is an annular heater body interposed between the lenses 101 and 102, and a power supply section 130b, which is an FPC extending laterally from the heating section 130a, as shown in Figure 11(b). Power is supplied through the power supply section 130b, causing the heating section 130a to heat up and transfer heat to the lens 101. The power supply section 130b is generally led out to the outside of the lens barrel 120 through an outlet hole 120a provided on the side of the lens barrel 120 and electrically connected to the power supply side.

[0007] However, this arrangement, in which the power supply unit 130b is led out to the outside and extends over a long distance, presents several problems. Specifically, the power supply unit 130b that is led out to the outside is not only an obstacle, but there are also problems with the water resistance of the power supply unit 130b that is exposed to the outside. In addition, the FPC that constitutes the power supply unit 130b generally has problems in terms of environmental resistance and mechanical strength, such as having weak tensile strength. Furthermore, when assembling the lens unit, it is necessary to place the heating unit 130a on the surface 102a of the second lens 102 that faces the object side and align it, while drawing the power supply unit 130b out to the outside through the pull-out hole 120a from the inside of the lens barrel 120, which is a complicated operation (installing the heater 130 is troublesome).

[0008] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a lens unit, camera module, imaging system, and mobile body equipped with a heater that can be easily incorporated into a lens unit (positioning and installation of the heater) without exposing the power supply unit to the outside of the lens barrel. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] To solve the aforementioned problems, the present invention provides a lens unit comprising a lens group in which a plurality of lenses are arranged along the optical axis of the lenses, a lens barrel that houses the lens group, and a heater for transferring the generated heat to the lens located closest to the object in the lens group, The aforementioned heater is A heating element is interposed between the first lens located closest to the object in the aforementioned lens group and the second lens adjacent to the first lens on the image side, and which generates heat when power is supplied. A power supply unit that supplies power to the heating unit and extends inside the lens barrel with at least a portion of it embedded in the lens barrel, It has, The heating section has a protruding portion that extends outward from a predetermined position along its outer circumference, and an electrode provided on the protruding portion. The lens barrel has a projection housing portion for housing the projection of the heating portion which is positioned to be interposed between the first and second lenses. The power supply unit has an electrode at one end that is exposed in the protruding portion housing of the lens barrel so that it can be electrically connected to the electrode provided on the protruding portion of the heating unit. It is characterized by the following:

[0010] As described above, according to the present invention, a protrusion with an electrode is provided on the outer circumference of the heating section, and a protrusion housing section is provided in the lens barrel to accommodate this protrusion at the interlens insertion position between the heating section and the lens section. Furthermore, the electrodes of the power supply section are exposed in the protrusion housing section so as to be electrically connected to the electrodes of the protrusion of the heating section. Therefore, when assembling (installing) the heater to the lens unit, it is not necessary to perform the troublesome task of visually checking the location of the electrodes on the heating section side and aligning these electrodes with the electrodes on the power supply section side. Simply positioning the heating section at the interlens insertion position between the lens section so that the protrusion of the heating section is housed in the protrusion housing section of the lens barrel, for example, by placing the heating section on the object-side surface of the second lens, allows for easy electrical connection between the heating section and the power supply section. Consequently, the assembly (installation) of the heater to the lens unit can be performed very easily.

[0011] Furthermore, according to the present invention, the power supply unit that supplies power to the heating unit extends inside the lens barrel, at least partially embedded in the lens barrel, and is not exposed to the outside of the lens barrel. This not only ensures the water resistance of the power supply unit but also protects it from external environmental factors and external forces.

[0012] In the above configuration, the shape of the heating element is not particularly limited; it can be any shape, such as circular or annular, as long as it can efficiently and effectively heat the first lens. Similarly, the shape and number of protrusions provided on the heating element are not particularly limited. For example, if only one protrusion is provided, both a positive and negative electrode may be provided on that protrusion; if two protrusions are provided, a positive electrode may be provided on one protrusion and a negative electrode on the other. Furthermore, a PTC (positive temperature coefficient) heater can also be used as the heating element.

[0013] Furthermore, in the above configuration, the power supply section may be formed from a metal plate, electrical wiring such as lead wires, or wiring made of FPC (Flexible Printed Circuits). In this case, the electrical resistance of the power supply section must be lower than that of the heating section to prevent overheating. As for the method of embedding the power supply section in the lens barrel, for example, an insert molding method or an outsert molding method can be used. The power supply section may be completely embedded in the lens barrel along its entire length, or it may be embedded in the lens barrel only along a part of its length, or it may be partially embedded in the lens barrel. The point is that the power supply section should be extended inside the lens barrel so that it is not exposed outside the lens barrel. In this case, for example, the power supply section may be placed in a groove formed along the inner surface of the lens barrel. The other end of the power supply section may receive power by being electrically connected, for example, by soldering to a sensor board on which an image sensor that converts light collected through the lens group of the lens unit into an electrical signal is mounted, or by being electrically connected to a further power supply line of the camera housing. Furthermore, when electrically connecting the power supply unit and the heating unit, a conductive adhesive may be used, and as such, ACP (anisotropic conductive adhesive) may be used. ACP has the advantage of simplifying the manufacturing process because it conducts electricity only in the pressed area when the positive and negative electrodes are in close proximity.

[0014] Furthermore, in the above configuration, the projection housing portion provided in the lens barrel to accommodate the projection of the heating element can be provided in any form in the lens barrel, as long as it can accommodate the projection when the heating element is positioned in the interlens insertion position (a position where it is interposed between the first and second lenses, that is, a position where it has been interposed between the first lens and the second lens, or a position where, as a result of the first lens being stacked on top of the second lens, it will be interposed between the first lens and the second lens). Note that in this interlens insertion position, the heating element may be supported by the object-side surface of the second lens, by a part of the lens barrel including the projection housing portion, or a combination of these.

[0015] Furthermore, in the above configuration, the projection housing portion may be defined by a groove or projection formed on the lens barrel to position the projection portion circumferentially relative to the lens barrel. Such a groove or projection allows for precise positioning of the heating portion (projection portion) in the circumferential direction, enabling precise alignment of the electrodes of the heating portion and the power supply portion within the projection housing portion. Therefore, a good electrical connection between the heating portion and the power supply portion can be efficiently and reliably achieved. In addition, such a groove or projection may be used to precisely position the projection portion of the heating portion by contacting it, or by at least partially fitting it with a predetermined amount of play, and also acts as a guide to lead the projection portion into the projection housing portion. The space within the projection housing portion that forms the predetermined amount of play allows excess adhesive to escape in the circumferential and / or radial directions when the electrodes are electrically connected. In connection with this, it is preferable that the groove or projection further forms an adhesive dam to restrict the outflow of conductive adhesive from the projection housing portion. In other words, it is preferable that the groove or projection serves both a positioning guide function to guide and position the protruding part of the heating section, and an adhesive overflow prevention function to prevent the adhesive from spilling out of the protruding part housing (overflow).

[0016] Furthermore, the present invention also provides a camera module having the aforementioned lens unit, an imaging system having the camera module, and a mobile body equipped with the imaging system. The same effects as those of the aforementioned lens unit can be obtained with such a camera module, imaging system, and mobile body. The term "mobile body" refers to all objects that can be moved, such as vehicles. [Effects of the Invention]

[0017] According to the present invention, since the power supply part of the heater extends inside the lens barrel, there is no need to expose the power supply part outside the lens barrel. Further, a protruding part with an electrode is provided on the outer periphery of the heating part of the heater, and a protruding part accommodating part for accommodating the protruding part at the lens intermediate insertion position of the heating part is provided on the lens barrel, and in the protruding part accommodating part, the electrode of the power supply part is exposed so as to be electrically connected to the electrode of the protruding part of the heating part. Therefore, it is extremely easy to incorporate the heater into the lens unit (positioning and installation of the heater).

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0018] [Figure 1] It is a schematic cross-sectional view of a camera module having a lens unit with a heater according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] It is a schematic cross-sectional view of a camera module having a lens unit with a heater according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] It is a schematic cross-sectional view of a camera module having a lens unit with a heater according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] An example in which the protruding part accommodating part is defined by a groove formed in the lens barrel so as to position the protruding part of the heating part in the circumferential direction with respect to the lens barrel is shown. (a) is a plan view of the lens barrel viewed in the optical axis direction from the object side, (b) is a partial cross-sectional view along the A-A line of (a), (c) is a partial cross-sectional view along the B-B line of (a), and (d) is a partial cross-sectional view along the C-C line of (a). [Figure 5] Another example in which the protruding part accommodating part is defined by a protrusion formed in the lens barrel so as to position the protruding part of the heating part in the circumferential direction with respect to the lens barrel is shown. (a) is a plan view of the lens barrel viewed in the optical axis direction from the object side, (b) is a partial cross-sectional view along the D-D line of (a), (c) is a partial cross-sectional view along the E-E line of (a), (d) is a partial cross-sectional view along the F-F line of (a), and (e) is a partial cross-sectional view along the G-G line of (a). [Figure 6] It is a plan view of the lens unit in which the heating part of the heater is incorporated into the lens barrel, viewed in the optical axis direction from the object side. [Figure 7] It is a plan view showing an example of the wiring pattern of the heating part of the heater. [Figure 8] (a) is a top perspective view showing an example in which a metal plate constituting a power supply unit is integrally molded and embedded in a lens barrel by insert molding, and (b) is a half cross-sectional perspective view thereof. [Figure 9] It is a schematic diagram of a vehicle as a moving body on which an imaging system (in-vehicle system) including a camera module according to an embodiment of the present invention is mounted. [Figure 10] It is a block diagram showing the configuration of an imaging device constituting the imaging system of FIG. 9. [Figure 11] (a) is a partial schematic cross-sectional view of a conventional lens unit with a heater, and (b) is a plan view showing an example of a conventional heater.

Embodiments for Carrying out the Invention

[0019] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. This embodiment contributes to "9. Build the infrastructure for industry and technological innovation" of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) proposed by the United Nations. The lens unit of this embodiment described below is particularly for a camera module such as an in-vehicle camera. For example, it is fixedly installed on the outer surface side of an automobile, and the wiring is drawn into the automobile and connected to a display or other devices. In addition, hatching is omitted for a plurality of lenses in FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 6, and 11.

[0020] Figure 1 shows a camera module 80 having a lens unit 11 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, the lens unit 11 comprises a cylindrical lens barrel 12, five lenses arranged in a stepped inner housing space S of the lens barrel 12, for example, a first lens 13, a second lens 14, a third lens 15, a fourth lens 16, and a fifth lens 17, and an aperture member (not shown). The aperture member is either an "aperture diaphragm" that limits the amount of transmitted light and determines the F-number, which is an indicator of brightness, or a "light-shielding diaphragm" that blocks light rays that cause ghosting or light rays that cause aberrations. An in-vehicle camera equipped with such a lens unit 11 comprises the lens unit 11, a sensor substrate 305 having an image sensor 304, and an installation member (not shown) for installing the substrate 305 in a vehicle such as an automobile. In this embodiment, the first lens 13 that can be exposed to the outside is a glass lens, and the other second to fifth lenses 14, 15, 16, and 17 inside are all resin lenses made of resin (plastic), but this is not limited to this. Also, the lens barrel 12 that houses these lenses 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17 is made of resin in this embodiment, but it may also be made of metal. Furthermore, the shape of the lens barrel and lenses, the number of lenses, etc. can be arbitrarily set according to the application, etc.

[0021] Multiple lenses 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17 fixed and supported by the lens barrel 12 are arranged with their optical axes aligned, and each lens 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17 are lined up along a single optical axis O to form a group of lenses L used for imaging. Of these, the two fourth and fifth lenses 16 and 17 located closest to the image (at the innermost part of the inner housing space S) may be cemented lenses, for example. In addition, the surfaces of these lenses 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17 may be coated with an anti-reflective coating, a hydrophilic coating, a water-repellent coating, etc., as needed.

[0022] The end of the lens barrel 12 on the object side (the upper end in Figure 1) is provided with a crimped portion 23 formed by thermally crimping the end radially inward. This crimped portion 23 fixes the first lens 13, which is located closest to the object in the lens group L, to the end of the lens barrel 12 on the object side.

[0023] Furthermore, an inner flange portion 24 is provided at the image-side end (lower end in Figure 1) of the lens barrel 12, having an opening smaller in diameter than the fifth lens 17. The multiple lenses 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 that constitute the lens group L and the aperture member are held in place within the lens barrel 12 by this inner flange portion 24 and the crimping portion 23.

[0024] The outer circumferential surface of the first lens 13, which is located closest to the object, is provided with a reduced diameter section on the image-side portion of the lens 13. An O-ring 26, acting as a sealing member, is provided on this reduced diameter section, sealing the space between the outer circumferential surface of the lens 13 and the inner circumferential surface of the lens barrel 12 at the object-side end of the lens barrel 12. This prevents fine particles such as water and dust from entering the lens barrel 12 from the object-side end of the lens unit 11. The sealing member interposed between the first lens 13 and the lens barrel 12 is not limited to an O-ring; any annular body capable of sealing the space between the first lens 13 and the lens barrel 12 is acceptable. An outer flange portion 25, used when installing the lens barrel 12 in a vehicle-mounted camera, is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the lens barrel 12 in a flange-like manner.

[0025] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a heater 30 is provided inside the lens barrel 12 to transfer the generated heat to the first lens 13, which is located closest to the object in the lens group L. The heater 30 has a heating unit 32 that generates heat when power is supplied, and a power supply unit 34 that supplies power to the heating unit 32 and extends inside the lens barrel 12 while being embedded in the lens barrel 12. The heating unit 32 is annular in shape as shown in Figures 6 and 7, substantially corresponding to the shape of the image-side surface 13a of the first lens 13, in order to warm the first lens 13 whose object-side surface is exposed from the lens barrel 12 and exposed to the external environment, and is interposed between the image-side surface 13a of the first lens 13 and the object-side surface 14a of the second lens 14, which is adjacent to the first lens 13 on the image side. For example, the heating unit 32 can be a PTC (positive temperature coefficient) heater.

[0026] As clearly shown in Figures 6 and 7, the annular heating section 32 has a wiring pattern (conductive pattern) 39 made up of concentric loops arranged radially, and a pair of protrusions 32a, 32a that project radially outward from predetermined positions along its circumference (outer circumference). These protrusions 32a, 32a are arranged radially opposite each other at an angular distance of 180° along the circumferential direction, with an electrode (e.g., a positive electrode) 32b provided at one end of the wiring pattern 39 located on one protrusion 32a, and an electrode (e.g., a negative electrode) 32b provided at the other end of the wiring pattern 39 located on the other protrusion 32a.

[0027] In this embodiment, the lens barrel 12 also has a projection housing portion 45 for accommodating a pair of projections 32a, 32a of the heating unit 32, which is positioned to be interposed between the first and second lenses 13, 14. In this embodiment, the projection housing portion 45 is provided at two locations on an annular stepped portion 12a formed on the inner circumferential surface of the lens barrel 12, specifically at two portions of the annular stepped portion 12a that are radially opposite to each other and spaced 180° apart along the circumferential direction, corresponding to the positions of the projections 32a, 32a, when the heating unit 32 is placed on the object-side surface 14a of the second lens 14, as shown in Figures 1 and 6.

[0028] In this case, the projection housing portion 45 may be defined, for example, by a groove 40 formed in the annular stepped portion 12a of the lens barrel 12 to position the projections 32a, 32a circumferentially relative to the lens barrel 12, as shown in Figures 4 and 6. The groove 40 extends radially and circumferentially to form at least a space for receiving the projections 32a, and may be precisely positioned by contacting the projections 32a of the heating portion 32 with it, or by at least partially fitting the projections 32a with it with a predetermined amount of play, as shown in Figure 6, and also acts as a guide to guide the projections 32a into the projection housing portion 45.

[0029] Alternatively, the projection housing portion 45 may be defined, for example, by a pair of protrusions 43, 43 formed on the annular stepped portion 12a of the lens barrel 12 to position the projections 32a, 32a circumferentially relative to the lens barrel 12, as shown in Figure 5. These protrusions 43, 43 extend radially and circumferentially to form at least a space between them to receive the projections 32a, and may be precisely positioned by contacting the projections 32a of the heating portion 32 with these protrusions, or by at least partially fitting the projections 32a with a predetermined amount of play, and also act as guides to lead the projections 32a into the projection housing portion 45.

[0030] Furthermore, as clearly shown in Figure 1, the power supply unit 34 for supplying power to the heating unit 32 is provided on both sides of the lens barrel 12 so as to supply power to the electrodes 32b, 32b of the two protrusions 32a, 32a of the heating unit 32, which are housed in each protrusion housing 45, and extends from each protrusion housing 45 to the image-side end 12c of the lens barrel 12, completely embedded in the lens barrel 12 along its entire length. In this embodiment, the power supply unit 34 is formed of a conductive material, such as a metal plate, but it may also be formed of electrical wiring, such as lead wires, or it may consist of wiring made of FPC (Flexible Printed Circuits). In any case, the electrical resistance of the power supply unit 34 must be lower than that of the heating unit 32 so that the power supply unit 34 does not generate heat.

[0031] If the power supply unit 34 is composed of wiring or the like, for example, as shown in Figure 1, the power supply unit 34 may be inserted through through holes 12b, 12b drilled in the side wall of the lens barrel 12. In this case, the through holes 12b, 12b extend substantially parallel to the optical axis O and open in each of the protruding part housings 45, 45 and at the image side end 12c, respectively.

[0032] On the other hand, if the power supply unit 34 is made of a metal plate as in this embodiment, the power supply unit 34 may be integrally molded with the lens barrel 12 by, for example, insert molding. An example of a power supply unit 34 provided on the lens barrel 12 by such integral molding is shown in Figure 8 (the example in Figure 8 corresponds to the embodiment in Figure 3 which will be described later, and the power supply unit 34 does not extend to the image-side end 12c of the lens barrel 12).

[0033] In any case, the power supply unit 34 is exposed within the protruding part housing 45 of the lens barrel 12 (for example, with one end of the power supply unit 34 bent) so that the electrode 34a at one end of the power supply unit 34 can be electrically connected to the electrode 32b provided on the protruding part 32a of the heating unit 32. On the other hand, the electrode 34b at the other end of the power supply unit 34 is exposed at the image-side end 12c of the lens barrel 12 (for example, with the other end of the power supply unit 34 bent), and in this embodiment, it receives power by being electrically connected to a sensor substrate 305 on which a package sensor (image sensor) 304, which converts light collected through the filter 100 via the lens group L into an electrical signal, is mounted using a conductive adhesive 36 or soldering. Note that in this embodiment, the electrical connection between the electrode 34a of the power supply unit 34 and the electrode 32b provided on the protruding part 32a of the heating unit 32 is made via a conductive adhesive 36, and such a conductive adhesive 36 can be, for example, ACP (anisotropic conductive adhesive). However, the electrical connection between electrodes 34a and 32b may be made by direct contact between electrodes 34a and 32b without using the conductive adhesive 36. In this case, for example, electrodes 34a and 32b may be brought into direct contact by the pressing force associated with the heat crimping by the crimping portion 23 described above.

[0034] Furthermore, in the electrical connection of electrodes 32b and 34a within the protrusion housing 45 via such conductive adhesive 36, as shown in Figure 6, the aforementioned groove 40 or projection 43 defining the protrusion housing 45 can restrict the outflow of conductive adhesive 36 from the protrusion housing 45. In this case, the fitting with a predetermined degree of play between the groove 40 or projection 43 and the protrusion 32a of the heating unit 32 can form a gap within the protrusion housing 45 that allows excess adhesive 36 to escape in the circumferential and / or radial directions when the electrodes 32b and 34a are electrically connected. That is, in this embodiment, the groove 40 or projection 43 serves both as a positioning guide function that guides and positions the protrusion 32a of the heating unit 32 into the protrusion housing 45, and as an adhesive overflow prevention function that prevents the adhesive 36 from overflowing from the protrusion housing 45.

[0035] As described above, according to this embodiment, a protrusion 32a with an electrode 32b is provided on the outer circumference of the heating unit 32, and a protrusion housing 45 that accommodates this protrusion 32a at the interlens insertion position of the heating unit 32 is provided on the lens barrel 12, and in the protrusion housing 45 the electrode 34a of the power supply unit 34 is exposed so that it can be electrically connected to the electrode 32b of the protrusion 32a of the heating unit 32 via a conductive adhesive 36, so when assembling (installing) the heater 30 to the lens unit 11, it is not necessary to determine which part of the heating unit 32 the electrode 32b on the heating unit 32 is located on. Without having to perform the troublesome task of visually confirming the electrodes themselves and aligning these electrodes 32b with the electrodes 34a on the power supply unit 34 side, the heating unit 32 can be easily electrically connected to the power supply unit 34 simply by positioning the heating unit 32 in the inter-lens insertion position so that the protruding portion 32a of the heating unit 32 is housed within the protruding portion housing portion 45 of the lens barrel 12 (in this embodiment, simply by placing the heating unit 32 on the object-side surface 14a of the second lens 14). Therefore, the assembly (installation) of the heater 30 to the lens unit 11 can be performed very easily.

[0036] Furthermore, according to the present invention, the power supply unit 34 that supplies power to the heating unit 32 is embedded in the lens barrel 12 and extends inside the lens barrel 12, and the power supply unit 34 is not exposed to the outside of the lens barrel 12. This not only ensures the water resistance of the power supply unit 34, but also protects the power supply unit 34 from the external environment and external forces.

[0037] Figure 2 shows a camera module 80A having a lens unit 11A with a heater 30 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, in this embodiment, the electrical connection configuration of the electrode 34b at the other end of the power supply unit 34 to the sensor substrate 305 differs from that of the first embodiment. That is, in this embodiment, the electrode 34b at the other end of one power supply unit 34 (right side in the figure) is electrically connected to the sensor substrate 305 at its surface 305a, while the electrode 34b at the other end of the power supply unit 34 (left side in the figure) is electrically connected to the sensor substrate 305 at its back surface 305b by passing through a through hole 305c in the sensor substrate 305. The other configurations are the same as in the first embodiment, and therefore, the same effects and advantages as in the first embodiment can be obtained.

[0038] Figure 3 shows a camera module 80B having a lens unit 11B with a heater 30 according to a third embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, the camera module 80B of this embodiment includes a camera housing 302 that holds the lens unit 11B, and this camera housing 302 has a female screw 302a that screws into the male screw 12d of the lens unit 11B (lens barrel 12). A sensor board 305 on which a package sensor (image sensor) 304 is mounted is provided inside the camera housing 302. The package sensor 304 is equipped with a CCD or CMOS, etc., and converts the light that is focused and reaches through the lens unit 11B into an electrical signal. The converted electrical signal is converted into analog data or digital data, which are components of image data captured by the camera (the same applies to the previously described embodiment).

[0039] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the electrode 34b at the other end of the power supply unit 34 is exposed on the image-side end face of the outer flange portion 25 of the lens barrel 12, which is located on the object side of the male screw 12d. This electrode 34b is electrically connected to the exposed object-side electrode 90a of the conductive portion 90 embedded in the camera housing 302 by conductive adhesive 36 or soldering. The exposed image-side electrode 90b of the conductive portion 90 is electrically connected to the power supply line 92 of the sensor substrate 305 by conductive adhesive 36 or soldering.

[0040] Furthermore, the other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment, and therefore, the same effects and advantages as those of the first embodiment can be obtained.

[0041] Figure 9 schematically shows a vehicle 240 as a mobile body on which an in-vehicle system (imaging system) is mounted, which includes an imaging device 250, including the camera module 80 of Figure 1 (or camera modules 80A and 80B of Figures 2 and 3). As shown in the figure, the imaging device 250 can be mounted on the vehicle 240, and Figure 9 is an example of an arrangement illustrating the mounting position of the imaging device 250 on the vehicle 240. The imaging device 250 mounted on the vehicle 240 can also be called an in-vehicle camera, and can be installed in various locations on the vehicle 240. For example, the first imaging device 250a may be placed on or near the front bumper as a camera to monitor the area in front of the vehicle 240 while it is in motion. The second imaging device 250b, which also monitors the area in front, may be placed near the rearview mirror inside the vehicle 240. The third imaging device 250c may be placed on the dashboard or inside the instrument panel, etc., as a camera to monitor the driver's driving conditions. The fourth imaging device 250d may be installed at the rear of the vehicle 240 for use as a rear monitor. Imaging devices 250a and 250b can be called front cameras. The third imaging device 250c can be called an in-camera. The fourth imaging device 250d can be called a rear camera. The imaging device 250 is not limited to these, and includes imaging devices installed in various positions, such as a left side camera that images the left rear side and a right side camera that images the right rear side.

[0042] The image signal of the image captured by the imaging device 250 can be output to an information processing device 242 and / or a display device 243, etc., within the vehicle 240. These information processing devices 242 and 243 together with the imaging device 250 constitute an in-vehicle system. The information processing device 242 within the vehicle 240 includes a device that processes the image signal acquired by the imaging device 250, recognizes the image, and assists the driver in driving. The information processing device 242 also includes, but is not limited to, a navigation device, a collision damage mitigation braking device, a vehicle-to-vehicle distance control device, and a lane departure warning device. The display device 243 displays the image processed and output by the information processing device 242, but can also receive the image signal directly from the imaging device 250. The display device 243 may employ, but is not limited to, a liquid crystal display (LCD), an organic electro-luminescence (OLED) display, or an inorganic EL display. The display device 243 can display to the driver an image signal output from the imaging device 250, which captures images from a position that is difficult for the driver to see, such as a rear camera.

[0043] Figure 10 shows the configuration of the imaging device that constitutes the in-vehicle system shown in Figure 9. As shown in the figure, the imaging device 250 according to one embodiment comprises a control unit 252, a storage unit 254, and the camera module 80 shown in Figure 1 (or the camera modules 80A and 80B shown in Figures 2 and 3).

[0044] The control unit 252 controls the camera module 80 and processes the electrical signals output from the image sensor 304 of the camera module 80. This control unit 252 may be configured as a processor, for example. The control unit 252 may also include one or more processors. The processors may include general-purpose processors that load a specific program and execute a specific function, and dedicated processors specialized for specific processing. Dedicated processors may include application-specific integrated circuits (ICs). Application-specific integrated circuits are also called ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits). The processors may also include programmable logic devices. Programmable logic devices are also called PLDs (Programmable Logic Devices). PLDs may include field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). The control unit 252 may be either a system-on-a-chip (SoC) or a system-in-a-package (SiP) in which one or more processors cooperate.

[0045] The storage unit 254 stores various information or parameters related to the operation of the imaging device 250. The storage unit 254 may be composed of, for example, a semiconductor memory. The storage unit 254 may function as a work memory for the control unit 252. The storage unit 254 may store captured images. The storage unit 254 may store various parameters, etc., for the control unit 252 to perform detection processing based on the captured images. The storage unit 254 may be included in the control unit 252.

[0046] As mentioned above, the camera module 80 captures the subject image formed via the lens unit 11 with the image sensor 304 and outputs the captured image. The image captured by the camera module 80 is also called the captured image.

[0047] The image sensor 304 may be composed of, for example, a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) image sensor or a CCD (Charge Coupled Device). The image sensor 304 has an imaging surface in which multiple pixels are arranged. Each pixel outputs a signal that is specified by current or voltage according to the amount of incident light. The signal output by each pixel is also called imaging data.

[0048] The imaging data may be read out by the camera module 80 for all pixels and taken into the control unit 252 as an image. The image obtained by reading out all pixels is also called the maximum image. The imaging data may be read out by the camera module 80 for some pixels and taken into the image. In other words, the imaging data may be read out from pixels within a predetermined acquisition range. The imaging data read out from pixels within a predetermined acquisition range may be taken into the image. The predetermined acquisition range may be set by the control unit 252. The camera module 80 may obtain the predetermined acquisition range from the control unit 252. The image sensor 304 may capture an image within a predetermined acquisition range from the subject image formed via the lens unit 11.

[0049] Although the present invention has been described above in relation to specific embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and can be implemented in various ways without departing from its spirit. For example, in the present invention, the shapes of lenses, lens barrels, etc., and the heater formation configuration are not limited to the embodiments described above. Furthermore, within the scope without departing from the spirit of the present invention, some or all of the embodiments described above may be combined, or some of the components of one of the embodiments described above may be omitted. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0050] 11, 11A, 11B Lens Unit 12 Telescope Tubes 13. The first lens 14. The second lens 30 Heater 32 Heating section 32a Protrusion 32b electrode 34 Power supply section 34a electrode 36 Conductive adhesive 40 grooves 43 Protrusion 45 Protruding part housing 80, 80A, 80B Camera Modules 240 vehicles (mobile) L lens group O optical axis

Claims

1. A lens unit comprising a lens group consisting of multiple lenses arranged along the optical axis of the lens, a lens barrel housing the lens group, and a heater for transferring the generated heat to the lens of the lens group located closest to the object, The aforementioned heater is A heating element is interposed between the first lens located closest to the object in the aforementioned lens group and the second lens adjacent to the first lens on the image side, and which generates heat when power is supplied. A power supply unit that supplies power to the heating unit and extends inside the lens barrel with at least a portion of it embedded in the lens barrel, It has, The heating section has a protruding portion that extends outward from a predetermined position along its outer circumference, and an electrode provided on the protruding portion. The lens barrel has a projection housing portion for housing the projection of the heating portion which is positioned to be interposed between the first and second lenses. The power supply unit has an electrode at one end that is exposed in the protruding portion housing of the lens barrel so that it can be electrically connected to the electrode provided on the protruding portion of the heating unit. The aforementioned projection housing portion is defined by a projection formed on the lens barrel so as to position the projection in the circumferential direction relative to the lens barrel. A lens unit characterized by the following features.

2. The lens unit according to claim 1, wherein the electrode at one end of the power supply unit is electrically connected to the electrode provided on the protrusion of the heating unit via a conductive adhesive, and the protrusion restricts the outflow of the conductive adhesive from the protrusion housing.

3. A camera module comprising a lens unit according to claim 1 or 2, and an image sensor that converts light collected through the lens group of the lens unit into an electrical signal.

4. An imaging device having a camera module as described in claim 3, and a control unit that controls the camera module and processes electrical signals output from the image sensor of the camera module, A processing device for processing image signals acquired by the imaging device, A display device that displays an image processed and output by the aforementioned processing device, An imaging system characterized by having the following features.

5. A mobile body equipped with the imaging system described in claim 4, and characterized in that it outputs information to the occupants using the display device.

Images