Imager Plate Bridge Elastic Adjustment for Dust Sealing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing techniques for assembling optical systems in digital cameras face challenges such as potential gaps due to deformation during assembly, complex and expensive structures, and difficulty in accurately controlling the attachment angle of CCDs using adjust screws.

Innovation Solution

The proposed solution involves an imaging device with a stackable plate member and holding member, connected by elastically deformable bridge portions, allowing for precise adjustment of the imager's angle relative to the optical axis and using a resilient member to prevent dust entry with a simple structure.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If a simple packing structure is used to prevent dust entry, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but gaps may occur due to deformation during assembly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing costVSAvoiddust prevention reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The plate member is divided into a first portion and a second portion connected by a bridge portion. This segmentation allows the bridge portion to deform elastically during assembly to accommodate dimensional variations, preventing gaps while maintaining a simple overall structure that is cost-effective to manufacture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The bridge portion is designed with elastic deformability, changing its physical state from rigid to flexible. This parameter change allows it to absorb dimensional variations during assembly through elastic deformation, ensuring continuous dust prevention without requiring complex rigid structures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Adaptability or versatility

If three adjust screws are used to control CCD attachment angle, then angle adjustment capability is provided, but the adjustment process becomes difficult to control accurately

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveangle adjustment capabilityVSAvoidattachment angle control precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The adjustment function is extracted from multiple screws and concentrated into a single adjusting screw. This simplifies the control interface, making it easier to intuitively understand and precisely control the attachment angle of the imager without the complexity of coordinating multiple screws.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of using multiple screws to independently adjust different parameters, the invention inverts the approach by using one screw to control the overall attachment angle through the elastic deformation of the bridge portion, achieving precise control with a single degree of freedom.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Stability of the object's composition

If multiple screws are used to fix the plate member, then positioning stability is improved, but the adjustment process requires trial and error

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepositioning stabilityVSAvoidadjustment ease
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The bridge portion is pre-designed with elastic deformability, preparing it in advance to accommodate adjustment needs. This preliminary design eliminates the need for trial and error during assembly, as the structure itself is prepared to flexibly adapt to the required positioning through controlled elastic deformation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

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 approach ensures stable and accurate adjustment of the imager's angle, effectively preventing dust entry and maintaining a secure seal with a simplified and cost-effective design.

Implementation Method 1

the at least one bridge portion being elastically deformed may adjust a relative position of the second portion to the holding member

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElastic deformation: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP2312828B1Imaging device
Publication Date: 2013.05.29 PANASONIC HOLDINGS CORP
  • EP2312828B1 patent drawingFigure 1(a)~1(c)
  • EP2312828B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP2312828B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

To produce a subject's image on an imager as accurately as possible, a technique that is effectively applicable to the process of assembling an optical system is provided. An imaging device includes: an imager; a plate member, to which the imager is attached; and a holding member configured to hold the plate member. The plate member has a first portion, through which at least one fixing hole has been cut, and a second portion, to which the imager is attached and through which at least one adjusting hole has been cut. The plate member is held by the holding member using a number of fastening members to be introduced through the at least one fixing hole and the at least one adjusting hole. When the first portion is fixed on the holding member, the fastening member that is introduced through the at least one adjusting hole adjusts the relative position of the second portion to the holding member.