Electronic device and imaging device

Abstract

An electronic device 20 comprises a substrate 24, a base 32, a cooling part 44, and a support member 62. The substrate 24 is provided with a hole part 25. On the substrate 24, an imaging element 22 covering the hole part 25 is mounted on a mounting surface 26 on the upper side. In the substrate 24, the imaging element 22 is exposed through the hole part 25 on a non-mounting surface 27 on the lower side. The base 32 faces the non-mounting surface 27. The cooling part 44 is disposed between the imaging element 22 and the base 32, and can transfer heat from the imaging element 22 to the base 32. The support member 62 is provided on the base 32 and supports the substrate 24. The support member 62 has an attachment part 74 and an inclined part 82. The attachment part 74 comes into contact with the non-mounting surface 27 and the substrate 24 is attached thereto. The inclined part 82 exerts upward force on the attachment part 74.

Description

Electronic devices and imaging devices

[0001] The present disclosure relates to electronic devices and imaging devices.

[0002] The electronic control device disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes a circuit board, electronic components mounted on the circuit board, and a base thermally coupled to the electronic components. The base is provided with a first fan, a second fan, a plurality of first heat dissipation fins, a plurality of second heat dissipation fins, and a board fixing portion. The circuit board is fixed to the board fixing portion.

[0003] International Publication No. 2021-053907

[0004] In a configuration in which heat from electronic components mounted on a board is conducted to the base via a cooling section sandwiched between the board and the base, a mounting member may be provided at a position different from the position where the cooling section of the base is provided, and the board may be attached to the mounting member, as in Patent Document 1. In this structure, if the mounting member has a large dimensional error, the board may bend, creating a gap between the electronic component and the cooling section, which may reduce the cooling performance of the electronic component.

[0005] The object of the present disclosure is to prevent a decrease in the cooling performance of electronic components when the substrate is attached at a position different from the position of the cooling section in a configuration in which the cooling section is sandwiched between the substrate and the base.

[0006] An electronic device according to one aspect of the present disclosure has a substrate, a base, a cooling unit, and a support unit. The substrate has a hole formed therethrough in a first direction. An electronic component covering the hole is mounted on one surface of the substrate in the first direction. The electronic component is exposed through the hole on the other surface of the substrate in the first direction. The base faces the other surface in the first direction. The cooling unit is sandwiched between the electronic component and the base and is capable of transferring heat from the electronic component to the base. The support unit is provided on the base and supports the substrate. The support unit has an attachment unit and an elastic unit. The attachment unit contacts the surface on the other side in the first direction and has the substrate attached to it. The elastic unit applies a force to the attachment unit toward one side in the first direction.

[0007] An imaging device according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes an electronic device having an imaging element, an optical unit that guides light toward the imaging element, and a housing that accommodates the optical unit and the electronic device. The electronic device includes a substrate, a base, a cooling unit, and a support unit. The substrate has a hole that penetrates in a first direction. An electronic component that covers the hole is mounted on one surface of the substrate in the first direction. The electronic component is exposed through the hole on the other surface of the substrate in the first direction. The base faces the other surface in the first direction. The cooling unit is sandwiched between the electronic component and the base and is capable of transferring heat from the electronic component to the base. The support unit is provided on the base and supports the substrate. The support unit has an attachment unit and an elastic unit. The attachment unit contacts the surface on the other surface in the first direction and the substrate is attached to the attachment unit. The elastic unit applies a force to the attachment unit toward one side in the first direction.

[0008] According to the electronic device and imaging device disclosed herein, in a configuration in which a cooling unit is sandwiched between a substrate and a base, if the substrate is attached at a position different from the position of the cooling unit, it is possible to prevent a decrease in the cooling performance of the electronic components.

[0009] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the exterior of an imaging device according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view (cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in FIG. 1) showing the interior of the imaging device. FIG. 3 is a plan view of the board and base of the electronic device as seen from above. FIG. 4 is a plan view of the base. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view (cross-sectional view taken along line B-B in FIG. 3) showing the configuration of the electronic device. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the support member as seen diagonally from above. FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the support member as seen diagonally from below. FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which the support member elastically deforms. FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which the board is fastened to the support member fixed to the base with a first screw. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing that the support member elastically deforms after fastening the first screw shown in FIG. 9, thereby causing the board to become flat in the left-right direction. FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which the board is attached to the support member in an electronic device and an imaging device according to a modified example.

[0010] An embodiment and modified examples of the present disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. Note that in all drawings referred to in describing the embodiment and modified examples, the same or substantially identical configurations and elements will be designated by the same reference numerals. Furthermore, as a general rule, configurations and elements that have been described once will not be described repeatedly. In the following description, unless otherwise specified, terms such as "first" and "second" are used merely to distinguish components from one another and do not represent a specific order or sequence. Furthermore, the front-to-back, left-to-right, and up-to-down directions described below are merely set for the convenience of description.

[0011] 1 shows an imaging device 10 according to one embodiment. The use of the imaging device 10 is not particularly limited, but it can be installed as a surveillance camera or a monitoring camera in hospitals, nursing homes, factories, stores, etc.

[0012] As shown in FIG. 2, the imaging device 10 includes a housing 12 , an optical unit 14 , and an electronic device 20 .

[0013] <Housing> As shown in Fig. 1, the housing 12 is a hollow member in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped. The housing 12 includes an upper wall 12A, a lower wall 12B, a front wall 12C, a rear wall 12D, a left wall 12E, and a right wall 12F. In the following description, the direction in which the upper wall 12A and the lower wall 12B are aligned is referred to as the up-down direction. The up-down direction is an example of a first direction. The upper side is an example of one side of the first direction. The lower side is an example of the other side of the first direction.

[0014] The direction in which the front wall 12C and the rear wall 12D are aligned is the front-rear direction. The direction in which the left wall 12E and the right wall 12F are aligned is the left-right direction. The left-right direction is an example of a third direction that intersects with the up-down direction and the tilt direction Q (FIG. 5) described below. An opening 13 that penetrates the top wall 12A in the up-down direction is provided in the center of the top wall 12A. The housing 12 accommodates the optical unit 14 and the electronic device 20 (FIG. 2). An exhaust hole (not shown) is formed in the bottom of the housing 12.

[0015] <Optical Unit> As shown in Fig. 2, the optical unit 14 has a lens 16 and a holder (not shown) that supports the lens 16. The lens 16 collects light (subject light) that enters the lens 16 from a subject (not shown) through the opening 13. In other words, the optical unit 14 guides the light toward the image sensor 22 (described below). In Fig. 2, the optical axis K of the lens 16 and the central axis C of the image sensor 22 are indicated by dashed lines.

[0016] <Electronic Device> The electronic device 20 includes an imaging element 22, a substrate 24, a base 32, a cooling unit 44, and a support member 62. The electronic device 20 also includes a fan 56, a first screw 58, and a second screw 59. The electronic device 20 further includes a control unit that controls the operation of each part of the imaging device 10, and an image processing unit that performs various processes on the image signal output from the imaging element 22. The control unit and image processing unit are not shown in the drawings.

[0017] <<Image Capture Element>> The image capture element 22 is an image sensor such as a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) or a CCD (Charge Coupled Device). The image capture element 22 is an example of an electronic component. The image capture element 22 receives light incident through the opening 13, performs photoelectric conversion, and outputs an image signal. The image capture element 22 is formed in a plate shape having a predetermined thickness in the vertical direction. The image capture element 22 has a detection surface 22A ( FIG. 3 ). The central axis C of the image capture element 22 extends in the vertical direction. As an example, the central axis C overlaps with the optical axis K. The lower end surface of the image capture element 22 is referred to as a lower surface 22B. The image capture element 22 is mounted on a mounting surface 26 (described later) to cover a hole 25 of a substrate 24 (described later) from above.

[0018] <<Substrate>> As shown in FIG. 3 , the substrate 24 has a rectangular outer shape in which the left-right length is longer than the front-rear length when viewed from the top-bottom direction. The substrate 24 is a flat plate containing resin and has a predetermined thickness in the top-bottom direction. A hole 25 is provided in the center of the substrate 24. The hole 25 penetrates the substrate 24 in the top-bottom direction. The center of the hole 25 is located on the optical axis K. The outer shape of the hole 25 is rectangular when viewed from the top-bottom direction. In addition, one mounting hole 28 is formed at each of the left-right end portions of the substrate 24. The centers of the two mounting holes 28 and the center of the hole 25 are located on a straight line G extending in the left-right direction. Note that the centers of the two mounting holes and the center of the hole 25 may also be located on an intersection line that intersects with the straight line G when viewed from the top-bottom direction.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 2 , the substrate 24 has a mounting surface 26 and a non-mounting surface 27. The mounting surface 26 is an example of a surface on one side in the first direction. The mounting surface 26 is located on the upper side (upper end) of the substrate 24 in the vertical direction. The mounting surface 26 is a surface on which the imaging element 22 is mounted. The non-mounting surface 27 is an example of a surface on the other side in the first direction. The non-mounting surface 27 is located on the lower side (lower end) of the substrate 24 in the vertical direction. On the non-mounting surface 27, before the imaging element 22 comes into contact with the cooling section 44, a portion of the lower surface 22B of the imaging element 22 is exposed downward through the hole 25.

[0020] <<Base>> The base 32 faces the non-mounting surface 27 in the vertical direction. The base 32 has a bottom wall 33 and a peripheral wall 39. The bottom wall 33 is formed in a plate shape having a predetermined thickness in the vertical direction. The bottom wall 33 has an upper surface 33A and a lower surface 33B.

[0021] 4, the bottom wall 33 is provided with one recess 34 and two sets of holes 35 located on the left and right sides of the recess 34. The recess 34 is formed in a rectangular shape with the optical axis K as its center. The two sets of holes 35 are, for example, positioned in a point-symmetric relationship with the optical axis K as the center of symmetry. For this reason, only the left-side hole 35 will be described, and a description of the right-side hole 35 will be omitted.

[0022] The hole portion 35 opens upward. The hole portion 35 has, for example, positioning holes 36A and 36B, a fastening hole 37, and a receiving hole 38. A boss 72A ( FIG. 7 ), which will be described later, is inserted into the positioning hole 36A. A boss 72B ( ​​FIG. 7 ), which will be described later, is inserted into the positioning hole 36B. The positioning hole 36B is an elongated hole extending in the front-rear direction. This allows the position of the boss 72B to be adjusted in the front-rear direction. In other words, when a support member 62 ( FIG. 7 ), which will be described later, is fixed to the base 32, the position thereof in the front-rear direction can be adjusted. A second screw 59 ( FIG. 2 ), which will be described later, is fastened into the fastening hole 37.

[0023] The accommodation hole 38 is an example of an accommodation portion. The accommodation hole 38 is capable of accommodating the lower end portion of a post portion 76 ( FIG. 5 ), which will be described later, in the vertical direction. The accommodation hole 38 is an elongated hole extending in the left-right direction. The accommodation hole 38 is located on the left side of the fastening hole 37. The accommodation hole 38 has a bottom surface 41 and an inner peripheral surface 42 that stands upright upward from the outer periphery of the bottom surface 41. The inner peripheral surface 42 is capable of surface contact with the lower end portion of the post portion 76 in the vertical direction. Contact surfaces 42A and 42B are formed on parts of the inner peripheral surface 42 in the circumferential direction.

[0024] The contact surfaces 42A and 42B are formed as flat surfaces extending in the left-right and up-down directions, respectively. The contact surfaces 42A and 42B face each other with a gap in the front-to-rear direction. The contact surface 42A is located on the front side, and the contact surface 42B is located on the rear side. The contact surface 42A can come into surface contact with a notched surface 77 ( FIG. 7 ), which will be described later, in the front-to-rear direction. The contact surface 42B can come into surface contact with a notched surface 78 ( FIG. 7 ), which will be described later, in the front-to-rear direction.

[0025] 2 is sandwiched vertically between the image sensor 22 and the base 32. The cooling unit 44 is an example of a cooling unit that can conduct heat from the image sensor 22 to the base 32. The cooling unit 44 has a heat spreader 46 and a Peltier element 52.

[0026] The heat spreader 46 is an integral member including a first flat plate portion 47, a second flat plate portion 48, and a protruding portion 49. The heat spreader 46 is made of metal (e.g., aluminum). When viewed from above, the outer dimensions of the protruding portion 49 are largest, followed by the second flat plate portion 48 and the first flat plate portion 47.

[0027] The first flat plate portion 47 is formed in a rectangular shape with a left-right dimension greater than its front-to-rear dimension when viewed from the top-to-bottom direction. The first flat plate portion 47 has an upper surface 47A and a lower surface 47B. The second flat plate portion 48 protrudes upward from the upper surface 47A of the first flat plate portion 47. The second flat plate portion 48 is formed in a rectangular shape with a left-right dimension greater than its front-to-rear dimension when viewed from the top-to-bottom direction. Grease or gel (not shown) is provided between the upper surface 48A of the second flat plate portion 48 and the non-mounting surface 27 of the substrate 24.

[0028] The protrusion 49 protrudes upward from the center of the upper surface 48A. The protrusion 49 is formed in a rectangular shape when viewed from the top-bottom direction. The protrusion 49 has an upper surface 49A. The protrusion 49 is inserted into the hole 25. The upper surface 49A is in contact with the lower surface 22B of the imaging element 22. This allows heat generated by the imaging element 22 to be conducted from the protrusion 49 to the first flat plate portion 47 via the second flat plate portion 48.

[0029] The Peltier element 52 is formed in a flat plate shape with a predetermined thickness (height) in the vertical direction. The Peltier element 52 is in contact with the lower surface 47B of the heat spreader 46. The Peltier element 52 is inserted into the recess 34 of the base 32 and fixed to the base 32. The Peltier element 52 is driven by a drive element (not shown). The Peltier element 52 cools the image sensor 22 by conducting heat from the heat spreader 46 to the base 32.

[0030] <<Fan>> The fan 56 is attached to the underside 33B of the base 32 with screws (not shown). The fan 56 rotates when power is supplied from a power source (not shown). As the fan 56 rotates, it forcibly moves air present near the underside 33B downward. In other words, the fan 56 cools the base 32 as it rotates. The high-temperature air that flows downward due to the rotation of the fan 56 is released to the outside of the housing 12 through an exhaust hole (not shown) in the housing 12.

[0031] 5 , the first screw 58 is threaded vertically into a fastening hole 79 (described later) to attach (fasten) the board 24 to the support member 62. The first screw 58 is an example of a fastening member that fastens the board 24 to an attachment portion 74 and a column portion 76 (described later). The second screw 59 is threaded vertically into a fastening hole 37 to fix (fasten) a fastened portion 68 ( FIG. 6 ) of a fixing portion 66 (described later) to the base 32.

[0032] <<Support Member>> The support member 62 shown in FIG. 2 is an example of a support portion. The support member 62 is provided on the base 32 and supports the substrate 24. A plurality of support members 62 (one on each side) are provided on one side (left side) and the other side (right side) of the central axis C in the left-right direction. The two support members 62 are positioned symmetrically with respect to the central axis C (optical axis K). Therefore, in the following description, only the left support member 62 will be described, and a description of the right support member 62 will be omitted. Furthermore, the positional relationship of each part of the support member 62 will be described in terms of the position when the support member 62 is provided on the base 32.

[0033] 5, the support member 62 has an attachment portion 74 and an inclined portion 82. The support member 62 is further provided with a fixing portion 66. Specifically, the support member 62 is a member in which the fixing portion 66, the inclined portion 82, and the attachment portion 74 are integrally formed by connecting the fixing portion 66 and the attachment portion 74 with each other via the inclined portion 82. The support member 62 is made of resin with low thermal conductivity.

[0034] [Fixed Portion] The fixed portion 66 is fixed to the upper surface 33A of the base 32. The fixed portion 66 is formed in a plate shape having a predetermined thickness in the vertical direction. The right side surface of the fixed portion 66 faces the left side surface of the Peltier element 52 in the horizontal direction.

[0035] 6, the fixing portion 66 has a bottom surface 66A, which is the lower end surface, and a top surface 66B, which is the upper end surface. The fixing portion 66 is also a portion that is integrally formed with a rectangular portion 67 and a fastened portion 68. The dimension of the rectangular portion 67 in the front-to-rear direction is longer than the dimension in the left-to-right direction.

[0036] The fastened portion 68 is provided in the center of the rectangular portion 67 in the front-to-rear direction. The fastened portion 68 has a circular ring-shaped outer shape when viewed from the top-to-bottom direction. The right end face of the fastened portion 68 protrudes further to the right than the right end face of the rectangular portion 67. A bottom surface 68A, which is the lower end face of the fastened portion 68, is located at the same height as the bottom surface 66A. An upper surface 68B, which is the upper end face of the fastened portion 68, protrudes upward more than the upper surface 66B. A through hole 69 is formed in the center of the fastened portion 68 when viewed from the top-to-bottom direction. The through hole 69 passes through the fastened portion 68 in the top-to-bottom direction.

[0037] As shown in Figure 7, bosses 72A and 72B are provided on the bottom surface 66A. The bosses 72A and 72B are each disk-shaped portions having a central axis along the up-down direction. The bosses 72A and 72B each protrude downward from the bottom surface 66A. The boss 72A is located in front of the through-hole 69. The boss 72B is located in rear of the through-hole 69. The vertical height of the boss 72A and the vertical height of the boss 72B are aligned to the same height.

[0038] 5 , the mounting portion 74 is a portion of the support member 62 that comes into contact with the non-mounting surface 27 in the up-down direction and to which the board 24 is attached by the first screw 58. The mounting portion 74 is located outward (to the left) of the inclined portion 82 with respect to the central axis C.

[0039] As shown in Figure 6, the mounting portion 74 is formed in the shape of a rectangular plate having a predetermined thickness in the up-down direction. The dimension of the mounting portion 74 in the front-to-rear direction is longer than the dimension in the left-to-right direction. The mounting portion 74 has a bottom surface 74A, which is the lower end surface, and an upper surface 74B, which is the upper end surface. A pillar portion 76, which will be described later, is provided on the bottom surface 74A of the mounting portion 74. The mounting portion 74 and the pillar portion 76 are integrally configured.

[0040] As shown in FIG. 7 , the pillar portion 76 extends downward in the up-down direction from the center of the mounting portion 74 in the front-to-rear direction. The pillar portion 76 is formed in a cylindrical shape with a central axis along the up-down direction. The lower end surface of the pillar portion 76 is referred to as a lower surface 76A. Notched surfaces 77 and 78 are provided on the outer periphery of the lower end of the pillar portion 76. The notched surfaces 77 and 78 are flat surfaces (D-cut surfaces) that extend along the up-down direction and the left-right direction, respectively. The notched surface 77 is located on the front side, and the notched surface 78 is located on the rear side.

[0041] As shown in FIG. 5 , fastening holes 79 are formed in the mounting portion 74 and the pillar portion 76. The fastening holes 79 penetrate the mounting portion 74 in the vertical direction and extend to the bottom of the pillar portion 76. Here, when the board 24 is fastened to the mounting portion 74 and the pillar portion 76 with the first screws 58, a lower surface 76A, which is the lower end (other end) of the pillar portion 76, comes into contact with the bottom surface 41 of the accommodation hole 38. Furthermore, after the board 24 is fastened to the mounting portion 74 and the pillar portion 76 with the first screws 58, the lower surface 76A is spaced upward from the bottom surface 41. In other words, after the board 24 is fastened to the mounting portion 74 and the pillar portion 76, the pillar portion 76 receives an upward elastic force from an inclined portion 82 (described later) and moves upward from the bottom surface 41.

[0042] [Inclined portion] The inclined portion 82 is an example of an elastic portion, and extends along an inclined direction Q that intersects with the up-down direction when viewed from the left-right direction. The inclined direction Q is an example of a second direction. In FIG. 5 , the inclined direction Q is indicated by an arrow Q. The inclined portion 82 is a portion of the support member 62 that applies a force to the mounting portion 74 in an upward direction in the up-down direction. The inclined portion 82 connects the left end of the fixing portion 66 and the right end of the mounting portion 74.

[0043] 6 , the inclined portion 82 has plate portions 84, 86, and 88 divided by slits 83 and 85. The slits 83 and 85 extend along the inclined direction Q. When viewed from the top-bottom direction, the slits 83 and 85 are each formed into a rectangular shape whose left-right dimension is longer than its front-to-rear dimension. The slits 83 and 85 extend to the right side of the mounting portion 74 and the left side of the fixing portion 66, respectively.

[0044] The width W1 in the front-rear direction of the plate portion 84, the width W2 in the front-rear direction of the plate portion 86, and the width W3 in the front-rear direction of the plate portion 88 are assumed to be. The widths W1 and W3 are approximately equal. The width W2 is larger than the widths W1 and W2, respectively. The width W2 is also larger than the diameter of the column portion 76. The inclined portion 82 is divided into the plate portions 84, 86, and 88, and is therefore easily deformed in the left-right and up-down directions when an external force is applied. In other words, the inclined portion 82 is easily elastically deformed due to the formation of the slits 83 and 85.

[0045] In Figure 8, the solid lines and two-dot chain lines show how the posture (inclination) of the mounting portion 74 and the pillar portion 76 in the up-down direction changes as a result of the elastic deformation of the inclined portion 82. The solid lines represent the positions of the mounting portion 74 and the pillar portion 76 before elastic deformation. The two-dot chain lines represent the positions of the mounting portion 74 and the pillar portion 76 after elastic deformation. Note that Figure 8 shows, as an example of the state of elastic deformation of the inclined portion 82, a deformation state (tilted state) in which the upper end of the mounting portion 74 is closer to the fixed portion 66 in the left-right direction than the lower end of the mounting portion 74.

[0046] 9 shows a state in which the bottom surface 41 of the base 32 and the lower surface 76A of the support member 62 are in contact with each other, and the first screws 58 are threaded into the fastening holes 79 with a tool (not shown), thereby attaching the substrate 24 to the attachment portion 74. The upper surface 33A is used as the reference position for the vertical height, and the height position of the upper surface 49A of the protrusion 49 is designated as position P1. Position P1 is also the height position of the lower surface 22B of the imaging element 22. Furthermore, position P1 is also the vertical height position of the mounting surface 26 in an undeformed state. Here, the vertical height from the upper surface 33A to position P1 in an undeformed state of the substrate 24 is designated as h1.

[0047] On the other hand, the vertical height position of the mounting surface 26 when the lower surface 76A is brought into contact with the bottom surface 41 by pressing the substrate 24 against the attachment portion 74 is defined as position P2. In this state, the vertical height from the upper surface 33A to position P2 is defined as h2. Height h2 is set to be lower than height h1. In other words, when the substrate 24 is attached to the support member 62 with the support member 62 fixed to the base 32, the left and right ends of the substrate 24 are positioned lower than the center in the left and right direction. In other words, the substrate 24 is curved so that the center in the left and right direction is positioned higher than both ends.

[0048] [Operation of the embodiment] The operation of the electronic device 20 and the imaging device 10 according to the embodiment will be described.

[0049] 9 , in the process of assembling the electronic device 20, the cooling unit 44 is attached to the base 32. Specifically, the Peltier element 52 comes into contact with the base 32. The fixing portion 66 of the support member 62 is fixed (fastened) to the base 32 using the second screw 59. With the non-mounting surface 27 facing the base 32 in the vertical direction, the board 24 and the imaging element 22 are placed from above on the cooling unit 44 and the support member 62. As a result, the cooling unit 44 is sandwiched between the imaging element 22 and the base 32.

[0050] When the substrate 24 is attached to the attachment portion 74 using the first screw 58, the attachment portion 74 receives a downward pressing force from the substrate 24, causing the vertical position (position P2) of the left end of the mounting surface 26 to be lower than the vertical position (position P1) of the top surface 49A. In other words, the substrate 24 is warped so that both left and right ends are positioned lower than the center. As a result, a downward pressing force F1 acts on the cooling portion 44, which is in contact with the left and right center of the substrate 24. In other words, the pressing force F1 acts from the image sensor 22 to the top surface 49A of the protrusion 49. This increases the adhesion between the image sensor 22 and the cooling portion 44.

[0051] In the imaging device 10, an image is captured by the imaging element 22 while the imaging element 22 is cooled by the Peltier element 52 of the cooling unit 44. The Peltier element 52 cools the imaging element 22 by absorbing heat conducted from the imaging element 22 to the heat spreader 46 and dissipating the heat to the base 32. The fan 56 rotates to exhaust (dissipate) heat from the base 32 to the outside of the housing 12. This makes it possible to suppress a rise in temperature of the imaging element 22.

[0052] 10 schematically shows a state in which a pressing force F1 acts from the imaging element 22 on the cooling unit 44, and a state in which a force F2 (elastic force) acts from the support member 62 on the substrate 24. When the pressing force F1 acts from the imaging element 22 on the cooling unit 44, a pressing force (not shown) acts from both left and right ends of the substrate 24 toward the mounting portion 74. Here, the inclined portion 82 elastically deforms and applies a reaction force (elastic force and restoring force) toward the mounting portion 74 and the substrate 24.

[0053] That is, the inclined portions 82 apply an upward force F2 to the mounting portion 74 and the substrate 24. As a result, the downward pressing force at both left-right ends of the substrate 24 is canceled out by the force F2 received from the inclined portions 82. This makes it possible to prevent both left-right ends of the substrate 24 from deforming downward. Here, in the support member 62, the force F2 from the inclined portions 82 causes the lower surface 76A ( FIG. 9 ) to move upward away from the base 32, making it easier for the mounting portion 74 to move upward along with the substrate 24. This makes it possible to form the substrate 24 into a flat shape that is aligned with the left-right direction.

[0054] In this way, when the substrate 24 is attached to the base 32 using the support member 62, the adhesion between the image sensor 22 and the cooling unit 44 is increased, and downward deformation in the up-down direction at both left-right ends of the substrate 24 is suppressed. In other words, the substrate 24 has a flat shape that is aligned with the left-right direction. This makes it less likely for a gap to form between the image sensor 22 and the cooling unit 44, thereby suppressing a decrease in the cooling performance of the image sensor 22.

[0055] The functions of the electronic device 20 and the imaging device 10 will be summarized below with reference to Figures 1 to 10. Note that individual figure numbers will be omitted.

[0056] In the electronic device 20, the inclined portion 82 extends along an inclined direction Q that intersects with the up-down direction. Therefore, the mounting portion 74 can be displaced not only in the up-down direction but also in the left-right direction. Here, when both left-right end portions of the board 24 are attached to the two mounting portions 74, even if the board 24 is deformed (bent) so as to intersect with the left-right direction, the inclined portion 82 elastically deforms in the left-right and up-down directions, so that the orientation of the mounting portion 74 can be aligned with the orientation of the board 24. This ensures a sufficient contact area between the mounting portion 74 and the board 24 and also suppresses deformation of the board 24.

[0057] In other words, when the substrate 24 is attached to the mounting portion 74, it is possible to prevent the contact area between the image sensor 22 and the cooling portion 44 from becoming smaller, and it is also possible to prevent excessive load from being applied to the central portion of the substrate 24 in the left-right direction (the peripheral portion of the hole portion 25).

[0058] In the electronic device 20, the support member 62 is a separate member from the base 32. Therefore, the mounting position (height position) of the board 24 in the vertical direction can be changed by replacing the support member 62. In other words, when changing the mounting position of the board 24 in the vertical direction, there is no need to replace the base 32. This makes it easy to change the vertical height of the mounting portion 74 to match the vertical height of the cooling unit 44.

[0059] In the electronic device 20, the two support members 62 are positioned symmetrically with respect to the central axis C. As a result, the board 24 is supported by the two support members 62 at positions symmetrical with respect to the central axis C and with equal force, which makes it possible to prevent the board 24 from tilting in the left-right direction.

[0060] In the electronic device 20, the mounting portion 74 is positioned outward in the left-right direction from the inclined portion 82 with respect to the central axis C. This makes it easier to support both ends of the board 24 in the left-right direction, making it easier to suppress deformation that occurs at both ends of the board 24.

[0061] In the electronic device 20, the inclined portion 82 of the support member 62 is divided (compartmentalized) by slits 83 and 85, and has plate portions 84, 86, and 88. The plate portions 84, 86, and 88 are aligned in the front-to-rear direction, which intersects both the up-and-down direction and the inclined direction Q. Here, by changing the left-to-right width of the slits 83 and 85, the front-to-rear width of the plate portions 84, 86, and 88 changes, and therefore the elastic force acting on the board 24 from the inclined portion 82 via the attachment portion 74 can be adjusted.

[0062] In the electronic device 20, the slits 83 and 85 extend to the attachment portion 74 and the fixed portion 66, respectively. This allows the support member 62 as a whole to have a wider elastically deformable region, even if the elastically deformable region of the inclined portion 82 alone is small.

[0063] In the electronic device 20, when the board 24 is fastened to the mounting portion 74 and the column portion 76 with the first screw 58, the lower surface 76A of the column portion 76 comes into contact with the bottom surface 41 of the accommodation hole 38. This makes it easier to attach the board 24 because the board 24 is fastened to the mounting portion 74 and the column portion 76 while the column portion 76 is supported by the base 32. Furthermore, after the board 24 is fastened to the mounting portion 74 and the column portion 76, the force F2 from the inclined portion 82 moves the lower surface 76A away from the bottom surface 41, thereby preventing the elastic deformation of the inclined portion 82 from being limited by contact between the column portion 76 and the base 32.

[0064] In the electronic device 20, when the board 24 is fastened to the mounting portion 74 and the column portion 76 by the first screw 58, a rotational force is applied to the support member 62 as the first screw 58 rotates. Here, the notched surface 77 comes into surface contact with the contact surface 42A, or the notched surface 78 comes into surface contact with the contact surface 42B, thereby limiting the rotation of the support member 62 as the first screw 58 rotates. This makes it possible to suppress displacement of the support member 62 relative to the base 32 when the board 24 is attached to the mounting portion 74.

[0065] In the electronic device 20, the width W2 of the plate portion 86 is larger than the diameter of the column portion 76. Therefore, even if stress acts on the plate portion 86 as the first screw 58 rotates when the board 24 is fastened to the mounting portion 74 and the column portion 76 with the first screw 58, the wide plate portion 86 can resist the stress. Furthermore, even if the width W2 of the plate portion 86 is large, the width W1 of the plate portion 84 and the width W3 of the plate portion 88 are small, so the elasticity of the inclined portion 82 can be ensured.

[0066] In the imaging device 10, when the substrate 24 is attached to the base 32 using the support member 62, the adhesion between the imaging element 22 and the cooling unit 44 is increased, and vertical deformation at both left and right ends of the substrate 24 is suppressed. This prevents a gap from being created between the imaging element 22 and the cooling unit 44 due to deformation of the substrate 24, and prevents a deterioration in the cooling performance of the imaging element 22. Furthermore, in the imaging device 10, suppressing a deterioration in the cooling performance of the imaging element 22 reduces noise included in the image information obtained from the imaging element 22.

[0067] 11 shows an electronic device 90 as a modification of the electronic device 20 (FIG. 2). The electronic device 90 is provided in the imaging device 10 (FIG. 2) in place of the electronic device 20. Note that the same components as those of the electronic device 20 are denoted by the same reference numerals as those of the electronic device 20, and descriptions thereof will be omitted.

[0068] The electronic device 90 differs in that the base 32 ( FIG. 2 ) is replaced with a base 92. The configuration other than the base 92 is the same as that of the electronic device 20. The base 92 differs in that the fastening holes 37, the positioning holes 36A ( FIG. 4 ), and the positioning holes 36B ( FIG. 4 ) are positioned further outward than the accommodation hole 38 with respect to the central axis C. The configuration of the base 92 other than the fastening holes 37, the positioning holes 36A, and the positioning holes 36B is the same as that of the base 32.

[0069] In the electronic device 90, when the board 24 is viewed from above, the fixing portion 66 is located outside (exposed) the board 24. Therefore, even if it becomes necessary to adjust the fixing position of the fixing portion 66 when the board 24 is attached to the attachment portion 74, the fixing position of the fixing portion 66 can be readjusted. Also, the fixing portion 66 can be fixed to the base 32 after the attachment portion 74 is attached to the board 24.

[0070] [Other Modifications] An electronic device and an imaging device according to other modifications of the present disclosure will be described.

[0071] In the electronic device 20, the number of support members 62 is not limited to two, but may be three or more. In the support members 62 of the electronic device 20, the inclined portions 82 may be replaced with curved portions that are arc-shaped when viewed from the left and right. In the electronic device 20, instead of using the support members 62, an elastic portion extending diagonally upward and an attachment portion formed integrally with the elastic portion may be provided on the base 32, and the substrate 24 may be attached to the attachment portion. In other words, the electronic device may not have the fixing portion 66.

[0072] In the electronic device 20, the two support members 62 do not have to have shapes that are symmetrical with respect to the central axis C. Furthermore, the two support members 62 do not have to be aligned in the left-right direction, and may be provided on the base 32 with their positions shifted in the front-to-rear direction. The pillar portion 76 does not have to be provided on the support member 62. The pillar portion 76 does not have to be provided with the notched surface 77 and the notched surface 78.

[0073] The number of slits formed in the support member 62 is not limited to two, and may be one, or three or more. The slits 83 and 85 are not limited to those extending to the mounting portion 74 and the fixed portion 66, but may extend to the mounting portion 74 but not to the fixed portion 66, or may extend to the fixed portion 66 but not to the mounting portion 74. Alternatively, the slits 83 and 85 may be provided only in the inclined portion 82.

[0074] The metal base 32 and the resin support member 62 may be formed into an integrated member by two-color molding. In this configuration, the pillar portion 76 does not need to be provided.

[0075] Other electronic components may be mounted on the lower surface of the substrate 24. In other words, the lower surface of the substrate 24 is not limited to the non-mounting surface 27.

[0076] When the substrate 24 is fastened to the mounting portion 74 and the column portion 76 by the first screw 58 , the lower surface 76 A of the column portion 76 may come into contact with the bottom surface 41 .

[0077] The electronic device and imaging device disclosed herein may have the following configurations: (1) An electronic device comprising: a substrate having a hole penetrating in a first direction, an electronic component mounted on one surface in the first direction and covering the hole, and the electronic component exposed through the hole on the other surface in the first direction; a base facing the other surface in the first direction; a cooling unit sandwiched between the electronic component and the base and capable of conducting heat from the electronic component to the base; and a support unit provided on the base and supporting the substrate, the support unit comprising: an attachment unit in contact with the surface on the other side in the first direction and to which the substrate is attached; and an elastic unit that applies a force toward one side in the first direction to the attachment unit. (2) The electronic device described in (1), wherein the elastic unit is an inclined portion extending along a second direction intersecting the first direction. (3) The electronic device according to (2), wherein the support portion is provided with a fixing portion fixed to the base, and the support portion is integrally configured such that the fixing portion, the elastic portion, and the mounting portion are connected by the elastic portion. (4) The electronic device according to (2) or (3), wherein the inclined portion has a plurality of plate portions divided by at least one slit extending in the second direction. (5) The electronic device according to (4), wherein the slit extends to at least one of the mounting portion and the fixed portion. (6) The electronic device according to (3), wherein a central axis of the electronic component extends along the first direction, and a plurality of the support portions are provided on one side and the other side of the central axis in a third direction intersecting both the first direction and the second direction, and the plurality of support portions are positioned line-symmetrically with respect to the central axis. (7) The electronic device according to (6), wherein the attachment portion is positioned further outward than the inclined portion with respect to the central axis in the third direction.(8) The electronic device according to any one of (1) to (7), wherein the mounting portion is provided with a pillar portion extending from the mounting portion to the other side in the first direction, a fastening member is provided to fasten the board to the mounting portion and the pillar portion, the base is provided with a housing portion capable of housing an end portion on the other side in the first direction of the pillar portion, and when the board is fastened to the mounting portion and the pillar portion, the end portion on the other side in the first direction of the pillar portion is spaced apart from a bottom surface of the housing portion. (9) The electronic device according to (8), wherein an inner circumferential surface standing upright from the bottom surface of the housing portion is capable of surface contact with the end portion on the other side in the first direction of the pillar portion. (10) An imaging device having an electronic device having an imaging element, an optical unit that guides light toward the imaging element, and a housing that accommodates the optical unit and the electronic device, wherein the electronic device comprises: a substrate having a hole that penetrates in a first direction, an electronic component that covers the hole and is mounted on a surface on one side in the first direction, and the electronic component being exposed through the hole on a surface on the other side in the first direction; a base that faces the surface on the other side in the first direction; a cooling unit that is sandwiched between the electronic component and the base and is capable of conducting heat from the electronic component to the base; and a support unit that is provided on the base and supports the substrate, the support unit having an attachment unit that contacts the surface on the other side in the first direction and to which the substrate is attached, and an elastic unit that applies a force to the attachment unit toward one side in the first direction.

[0078] 10: imaging device, 12: housing, 12A: upper wall, 12B: lower wall, 12C: front wall, 12D: rear wall, 12E: left wall, 12F: right wall, 13: opening, 14: optical unit, 16: lens, 20: electronic device, 22: imaging element, 22A: detection surface, 22B: lower surface, 24: substrate, 25: hole, 26: mounting surface, 27: non-mounting surface, 28: mounting hole, 32: Base, 33: bottom wall, 33A: upper surface, 33B: lower surface, 34: recessed portion, 35: hole portion, 36A: positioning hole, 36B: positioning hole, 37: fastening hole, 38: accommodation hole, 39: peripheral wall, 41: bottom surface, 42: inner peripheral surface, 42A: contact surface, 42B: contact surface, 44: cooling portion, 46: heat spreader, 47: first flat plate portion, 47A: upper surface, 47B: lower surface, 48 : second flat plate portion, 48A: upper surface, 49: protrusion, 49A: upper surface, 52: Peltier element, 56: fan, 62: support member, 66: fixing portion, 66A: bottom surface, 66B: upper surface, 67: rectangular portion, 68: fastened portion, 68A: bottom surface, 68B: upper surface, 69: through hole, 72A: boss, 72B: boss, 74: mounting portion, 74A: bottom surface, 74B: upper surface, 76: Pillar portion, 76A: lower surface, 77: notched surface, 78: notched surface, 79: fastening hole, 82: inclined portion, 83: slit, 84: plate portion, 85: slit, 86: plate portion, 88: plate portion, 90: electronic device, 92: base, C: central axis, F1: pressing force, F2: force, G: straight line, K: optical axis, P1: position, P2: position, Q: inclination direction, W1: width, W2: width, W3: width

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising: a substrate having a hole that penetrates in a first direction, an electronic component that covers the hole and is mounted on one surface in the first direction, and the electronic component being exposed through the hole on the other surface in the first direction; a base that faces the other surface in the first direction; a cooling section that is sandwiched between the electronic component and the base and is capable of conducting heat from the electronic component to the base; and a support section that is provided on the base and supports the substrate, wherein the support section has: an attachment section that contacts the surface on the other surface in the first direction and to which the substrate is attached; and an elastic section that applies a force to the attachment section toward one side in the first direction.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the elastic portion is an inclined portion extending along a second direction intersecting the first direction.

3. The electronic device according to claim 2, wherein the support section is provided with a fixed section that is fixed to the base, and the support section is configured such that the fixed section, the elastic section, and the mounting section are integrally formed by the elastic section connecting the fixed section and the mounting section.

4. The electronic device according to claim 3, wherein the inclined portion has a plurality of plate portions divided by at least one slit extending in the second direction.

5. The electronic device according to claim 4, wherein the slit extends to at least one of the mounting portion and the fixing portion.

6. The electronic device according to claim 3, wherein the central axis of the electronic component extends along the first direction, and a plurality of the support parts are provided on one side and the other side of the central axis in a third direction that intersects both the first direction and the second direction, and the plurality of support parts are positioned symmetrically with respect to the central axis.

7. The electronic device according to claim 6, wherein the mounting portion is positioned further outward than the inclined portion with respect to the central axis in the third direction.

8. An electronic device as described in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the mounting portion is provided with a pillar portion extending from the mounting portion to the other side in the first direction, and a fastening member is provided to fasten the board to the mounting portion and the pillar portion, and the base is provided with a storage portion capable of accommodating the other end of the pillar portion in the first direction, and when the board is fastened to the mounting portion and the pillar portion, the other end of the pillar portion in the first direction is spaced apart from the bottom surface of the storage portion.

9. The electronic device according to claim 8, wherein an inner peripheral surface of the housing portion that stands upright from the bottom surface is capable of surface contact with the other end of the column portion in the first direction.

10. An imaging device having an electronic device with an imaging element, an optical unit that guides light toward the imaging element, and a housing that accommodates the optical unit and the electronic device, wherein the electronic device comprises: a substrate having a hole that penetrates in a first direction, an electronic component that covers the hole and is mounted on one surface in the first direction, and the electronic component being exposed through the hole on the other surface in the first direction; a base that faces the other surface in the first direction; a cooling unit that is sandwiched between the electronic component and the base and is capable of conducting heat from the electronic component to the base; and a support unit that is provided on the base and supports the substrate, the support unit having an attachment unit that contacts the surface on the other surface in the first direction and to which the substrate is attached, and an elastic unit that applies a force to the attachment unit toward one side in the first direction.

Images