Camera Thermal Conducting Protrusion for Heat Dissipation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Digital camera surveillance systems face issues with heat dissipation from image sensors, leading to unwanted saturation and noise in images due to thermal energy absorption, which can cause loss of focus and blurry images due to thermal expansion and deformation of camera components.
Innovation Solution
A camera design featuring a thermally conducting protrusion bridging the gap between the sensor holder and lens mount, allowing relative motion along the optical axis while maintaining contact, enabling efficient heat transfer from the image sensor to the lens mount without displacing the lens, thus reducing thermal stresses and strains.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If heat is conducted through parts of the camera to dissipate thermal energy, then heat dissipation is improved, but thermal expansion and deformation occur causing lens displacement and loss of focus
Solution Approach 1:
The camera structure is divided into separate functional zones: a first region for heat dissipation (lens mount and housing) and a second region for precise image capture (sensor holder with image sensor). The gap between these regions prevents thermal expansion in the heat dissipation zone from affecting the precision zone, while the thermally conductive protrusion enables heat transfer without mechanical coupling.
Solution Approach 2:
A thermally conductive protrusion is introduced as an intermediary element between the image sensor and lens mount. This protrusion conducts heat away from the sensor while being positioned such that thermal expansion of the lens mount does not transmit forces to the sensor holder, thus maintaining focus accuracy while achieving heat dissipation.
2Stability of the object's composition
If additional movement suppressing members are added to prevent thermal expansion displacement, then lens position stability is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The function of preventing thermal displacement is extracted from the mechanical coupling between lens mount and sensor holder. By introducing a gap and using the thermally conductive protrusion positioned away from the optical axis, the patent eliminates the need for additional movement suppressing members while maintaining positional stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The lens mount and housing structure serve multiple functions: they provide mechanical support for the lens, dissipate heat through their thermal conductivity, and their gap design inherently prevents thermal expansion from affecting the sensor. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate movement suppressing components.
3Loss of energy
If the lens mount is made of thermally conductive material for heat dissipation, then heat transfer efficiency is improved, but thermal expansion causes deformation and stress in the camera structure
Solution Approach 1:
The camera structure is segmented into a heat dissipation path (lens mount, housing, thermally conductive protrusion) and a precision measurement path (sensor holder, image sensor). The gap between these segments allows the thermally conductive lens mount to expand and deform without transmitting stress to the sensor holder, maintaining structural integrity while achieving efficient heat transfer.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design effectively dissipates heat from the image sensor, reducing the risk of image degradation and lens displacement, while being cost-effective and easy to manufacture, with the thermally conducting protrusion ensuring even heat distribution and minimizing the impact of thermal expansion on camera components.
Implementation Method 1
the sensor holder is provided with a thermally conducting protrusion bridging the gap and being in contact with the lens mount at an interface allowing relative motion between the lens mount and the thermally conducting protrusion along the optical axis while maintaining contact
Implementation Method 2
allowing both the thermally conducting protrusion and the lens mount to expand thermally while avoiding making contact with the sensor holder which otherwise would cause the lens mount to push the lens array away from the image sensor
Data Source
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AI summary
The disclosure relates to a camera comprising: a sensor holder (100), an image sensor (150) mounted on the sensor holder (100), a mount holder (350), and a lens mount (300) being adapted to receive a lens array (600) and being mounted to the mount holder (350), wherein the sensor holder (100) is attached to the mount holder (350), wherein a gap (500) having an extension along an optical axis of the camera is formed between the sensor holder (100) and the lens mount (300), and wherein the sensor holder (100) is provided with a thermally conducting protrusion (200) bridging the gap (500) and being in contact with the lens mount (300) at an interface (250) allowing relative motion between the lens mount (300) and the thermally conducting protrusion (200) along the optical axis (10) while maintaining contact between the lens mount (300) and the thermally conducting protrusion (200).