Folded Heat Conductor for Image Sensor Motion and Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing heat conductive members in image pickup apparatuses are prone to damage when the movable unit moves in the optical axis direction due to increased load, which is not addressed by existing configurations designed for movement only in optical-axis orthogonal directions.
Innovation Solution
A heat conductive member with a folded portion comprising specific folds, such as mountain and valley portions, is used to dissipate heat efficiently while minimizing mechanical stress on the movable unit during movement in both optical axis and orthogonal directions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a heat conductive member is used to dissipate heat from the movable unit to the fixed unit, then heat dissipation efficiency is improved, but the heat conductive member may get damaged by the load received during movement in the optical axis direction
Solution Approach 1:
The heat conductive member is designed as a flexible thin film structure that can bend and deform to accommodate the movement of the movable unit in both optical-axis orthogonal directions and optical axis direction. This flexibility allows the heat conductive member to absorb mechanical stress and load during movement, preventing damage while maintaining continuous thermal contact between the movable and fixed units for effective heat dissipation.
2Temperature
If the heat conductive member path length is increased to improve heat dissipation, then heat dissipation efficiency is improved, but the load on the heat conductive member during movement increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heat conductive member is configured to extend not only in the optical-axis orthogonal direction but also in the optical axis direction, utilizing multiple spatial dimensions. This multi-dimensional arrangement allows the heat conductive member to achieve sufficient heat dissipation efficiency while distributing the mechanical load across different spatial orientations, reducing the stress concentration that would occur with a single-directional long path configuration.
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
The solution effectively reduces mechanical load on the movable unit, preventing damage to the heat conductive member and ensuring efficient heat dissipation without increasing the member's path length.
Implementation Method 1
a heat conductive member configured to dissipate heat in a first direction from the movable unit to the fixed unit
Data Source
AI summary
An image pickup apparatus includes a fixed unit, a movable unit movably held relative to the fixed unit and having an image sensor, and a heat conductive member configured to dissipate heat in a first direction from the movable unit to the fixed unit. The heat conductive member includes a folded portion that includes three folds arranged in order of a first mountain portion, a first valley portion, and a second mountain portion from a predetermined point to a first end in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, and three folds arranged in order of a third mountain portion, a second valley portion, and a fourth mountain portion from the predetermined point to a second end opposite to the first end.