JP2006270264A - Compound-eye photographic instrument - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To adjust rotational position of the image sensor, in a compound eye-photography instrument using a simple mechanism. <P>SOLUTION: A turnable board 17, having a front surface attached with an image sensor 12, is fixed to the fixing surface 16 at the rear end of a mirror cylinder 13. The turnable board 17 is arrange to turn about the optical axis P by means of a guide shaft 19 on the fixing surface 16 and a guide hole 20 in the turnable board 17. During adjustment, an adjusting instrument 26 is set turnably in the shaft hole 23 and inserted into an opening 22 provided in its cam face 28a above the turnable board 17. The rotational position of the image sensor 12 is adjusted, by rotating the adjusting instrument 26, thereby turning the turnable board 17. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a compound eye photographing apparatus.

  For example, there is known a compound eye photographing apparatus in which two sets of photographing optical systems are arranged at predetermined intervals to photograph two images having parallax. From such a compound eye photographing apparatus, depth direction, that is, distance information of a subject can be obtained, and can be used for image recognition in consideration of unevenness of the subject based on the depth information.

  In the compound eye photographing apparatus as described above, it is important to adjust the relationship between the photographing ranges photographed by the photographing optical systems so as to be predetermined. The adjustment of the photographing range includes adjustment of the rotation direction around the optical axis as well as the deviation of the photographing range in the vertical and horizontal directions, that is, the direction orthogonal to the optical axis of the photographing optical system. The rotation direction around the optical axis is adjusted by rotating an image sensor such as a CCD image sensor around the optical axis of the photographing lens with respect to the photographing lens constituting the photographing optical system. The adjustment of the attitude of the image sensor includes adjustment of rotation around two axes orthogonal to the lens optical axis and orthogonal to each other, that is, adjustment of inclination with respect to the lens optical axis (hereinafter referred to as image sensor inclination). The adjustment of the rotation around the optical axis (hereinafter referred to as the rotation of the image sensor) as described above is known, and the technique for adjusting the tilt of the image sensor is known from Patent Documents 1 and 2.

Further, an image sensor such as a CCD image sensor has a characteristic that heat is generated by the operation of the image sensor, and noise increases due to a temperature rise due to the heat generation. When the image sensor is operated at a high speed, such as when there are a large number of pixels to be read out within a predetermined time, the amount of heat generation becomes particularly problematic. A technique for improving the heat dissipation of such an image sensor is known from Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 3 described above.
JP 2002-77699 A JP-A-6-148488 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 6-233311

  The adjustment of the photographing range in the compound eye photographing apparatus is indispensable for correctly acquiring the distance information of the subject, and it is necessary to adjust the information in the up / down / left / right direction and the rotation direction as described above. Such adjustment of the shooting range can also be realized by correcting the image data of the image shot by the image sensor by image processing by digital processing. However, to correct the vertical / horizontal shift of the shooting range in image processing, it can be realized by a simple process of trimming an image of a slightly larger shooting range, but to correct the shift of the shooting range in the rotation direction. In addition to trimming, there is a problem that rotation processing is required and the processing becomes complicated. Therefore, there has been a demand for a mechanism that can adjust the rotation of the image sensor and easily adjust the shift in the rotation direction of the imaging range.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a compound eye photographing apparatus that can easily adjust the rotational position of an image sensor with a simple configuration.

  In order to achieve the above object, in the compound eye photographing apparatus of the present invention, at least one photographing optical system of the plurality of photographing optical systems includes a rotating plate to which an image sensor of the photographing lens is attached, and a mirror of the photographing lens. A mounting surface provided at the rear end of the cylinder, to which the rotating plate is assembled, and a guide means for guiding the rotating plate assembled to the mounting surface so as to rotate about the optical axis of the photographing lens; A contact surface provided on the rotating plate and contacting the cam surface of the cam member rotatably attached to the back surface of the lens barrel and rotating the rotating plate by rotation of the cam member; A rotation adjustment mechanism that adjusts the rotation position of the image sensor with the optical axis of the photographing lens as the rotation center is provided.

  It is also preferable to provide an elastic member in the rotation adjusting mechanism, hold the rotating plate against the mounting surface and hold it in an assembled state, and allow the rotating plate to rotate. Also, at the rear end of the lens barrel, an opening that allows the image sensor to rotate around the optical axis of the photographing lens while being inscribed is provided, for example, a circular opening. It is also preferable that the rotating plate is guided in the rotation direction about the optical axis of the photographing lens by rotating the outer edge of the package while inscribed in the inner surface of the opening.

  From the viewpoint of simplifying the adjustment, it is also preferable to provide a rotation adjustment mechanism only in one of the photographing optical systems. The rotating plate is made of metal having a heat dissipation effect, and heat from the image sensor is preferably dissipated through the rotating plate. It is also preferable to dispose heat to the image sensor from the housing by providing it on the rotating plate or connecting the rotating plate to a housing assembled to each photographing optical system via a connecting member.

  According to the present invention, an image sensor having an optical axis of a photographing lens as a rotation center is obtained by rotating a rotating plate on which an image sensor of a photographing lens is attached to at least one photographing optical system by rotation of a cam member. Since the rotation adjustment mechanism for adjusting the rotation position of the image sensor is provided, the rotation position of the image sensor can be easily adjusted with high accuracy by a simple mechanism.

  FIG. 1 shows the front side appearance of a compound eye photographing apparatus embodying the present invention. The apparatus main body 3 of the compound eye photographing apparatus 2 incorporates a pair of optical units 5 and 6 (see FIG. 2) between a front cover 4a and a rear cover 4b constituting the housing 4. Two openings 7 are formed at a predetermined interval in the horizontal (left and right) direction on the front surface of the front cover 3a. The lens 8 of the unit 6 is exposed.

  FIG. 2 shows the back side of the apparatus main body 3 with the rear cover 4b removed. On the inner surface of the front cover 4a, optical units 5 and 6 as a photographing optical system are respectively assembled, and the optical units 5 and 6 respectively photograph a subject image with parallax. .

  FIG. 3 shows the configuration of the optical unit 5. The optical unit 5 includes a photographing lens 10, a rotation adjusting mechanism 11, an image sensor 12, and the like. The photographing lens 10 includes a lens group including the lens 8 and a lens barrel 13 that holds the lens group. The lens 8 is fixed to the front end of the lens barrel 13. The lens configuration of the taking lens 10 may be any.

  The rotation adjustment mechanism 11 includes an attachment surface 16 provided at the rear end of the lens barrel, a rotation plate 17 that is rotatably attached to the attachment surface 16, and the like. The rotation adjustment mechanism 11 has a rotational position around the optical axis P of the image sensor 12. This is for adjusting adjustment (hereinafter referred to as rotation adjustment). An opening 18 is provided in the portion of the mounting surface 16 through which the optical axis P of the photographing lens 10 passes. An image sensor 12 that receives light from the photographing lens 10 is inserted into the opening 18. In order to enable rotation of the image sensor 12 around the optical axis P in the opening 18, that is, rotation of the image sensor 18 about the optical axis P as a central axis of rotation (direction of arrow A), the opening 18 The outer diameter of the sensor 10 is larger.

  On the mounting surface 16, four cylindrical guide shafts 19 are projected as guide members for rotating the rotating plate 17 around the optical axis P. The guide shafts 19 are provided so as to be on the circumference of a predetermined radius centered on the optical axis P, and in this example, are provided at intervals of 90 °. A screw hole 19 a is provided at the center of the guide shaft 19.

  The rotating plate 17 to which the image sensor 12 is attached has excellent thermal conductivity, such as aluminum or copper, in order to efficiently dissipate the heat from the image sensor 12, and efficiently dissipate the heat from the image sensor 12. It is made of materials that will be used. Thereby, the temperature rise of the image sensor 12 is prevented and the generation of noise is suppressed.

  The rotation plate 17 has the image sensor 12 attached to the front surface thereof, and the rotation position of the image sensor 12 about the optical axis P is adjusted by rotating the rotation plate 17. The rotating plate 17 is provided with four guide holes 20 into which guide shafts 19 are fitted. The guide holes 20 are provided at intervals of 90 °, have a width equal to or slightly larger than the outer diameter of the guide shaft 19, and have a long arc shape along the rotation direction of the rotation plate 17.

  By fitting the guide shafts 19 into the respective guide holes 20, the rotation plate 17 is assembled to be rotatable at an appropriate rotation angle around the optical axis P. When the rotation of the image sensor 12 is adjusted, the fixing screw 21 is screwed into the screw hole 19a of each guide shaft 19 and temporarily fixed so that the rotating plate 17 rotates with an appropriate force, and is fixed after the rotation adjustment. The screw 21 is tightened and fixed so that the rotating plate 17 does not rotate.

  An adjustment tool 26 (see FIG. 4) is inserted in the upper part of the rotation plate 17 during rotation adjustment, and an opening 22 for rotating the rotation plate 17 by the adjustment tool 26 is provided. A shaft hole 23 into which the shaft of the adjustment tool 26 is inserted is provided in the portion of the mounting surface 16 facing the opening 22.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the adjustment tool 26 used for the rotation adjustment includes a cam portion 28 and a grip 29. The cam portion 28 is an eccentric cam and includes a cam surface 28a and a shaft 28b. The grip 29 is for rotating the cam portion 28, has a cylindrical shape coaxial with the shaft 28a, and has a plurality of grooves on its peripheral surface for preventing slippage.

  When adjusting the rotation, the shaft 28b is inserted into the shaft hole 23 of the mounting surface 16 through the opening 22, and the adjustment tool 26 is rotatably mounted. As shown in FIG. 5, when the adjustment tool 26 is mounted, the inner surfaces 22a of the openings 22 facing in the direction substantially along the rotation direction of the rotation plate 17 abut against each other so as to sandwich the cam surface 28a. When the adjusting tool 26 is rotated by picking the grip 29 in this state, the inner surface 22a is pressed by the cam surface 28a, whereby the rotating plate 17 rotates about the optical axis P. The rotation position of the image sensor 12 is adjusted by the rotation of the rotation plate 17.

  As shown in FIG. 6, in the image sensor 12, a light receiving portion 12a is provided on the front surface of the package 12b. The image sensor 12 is mounted on the front surface of the rotating plate 17 in a state of being mounted on the flexible circuit board 31. The image sensor 12 is fixed to the rotating plate 17 with an adhesive, for example, together with the flexible circuit board 31 so that the center of the light receiving portion 12a coincides with the rotation center of the rotating plate 17, that is, the optical axis P. The rotating plate 17 may be used as a circuit board, and the image sensor 12 may be directly mounted on the rotating plate 17. Further, when the center of the light receiving unit 12a and the optical axis P do not coincide with each other, when the rotation position of the image sensor 12 is adjusted, the shooting range shifts in the vertical and horizontal directions along with the rotation of the shooting range. However, since such vertical and horizontal shifts can be easily corrected by image processing, the center of the light receiving portion 12a and the optical axis P do not necessarily have to coincide with each other.

  The image sensor 12 converts a subject image formed by the photographing lens 10 on the light receiving unit 12a into an electrical image signal, and performs a predetermined signal processing on the image signal via the flexible circuit board 31. (Not shown). As the image sensor 12, a CCD image sensor, a MOS image sensor, or the like can be used.

  Since the configuration of the optical unit 6 is the same as that of the optical unit 5, the description thereof will be omitted, and the same members are denoted by the same reference numerals in the following description.

  Next, the operation of the above configuration will be described. The rotational position of the image sensor 12 is adjusted in a state where the rear cover 4b is removed and the optical units 5 and 6 assembled to the front cover 4a are exposed. Moreover, the flexible circuit board 31 of each optical unit 5 and 6 is connected to an inspection apparatus. The inspection apparatus drives each image sensor 12 via the flexible circuit board 31 and, based on an image signal output via the flexible circuit board 31, captures a subject image captured by each image sensor 12. Display each on the monitor.

  The adjuster slightly loosens the fixing screws 21 of the optical units 5 and 6 to temporarily fix the rotating plate 17 so that the rotating plate 17 can rotate about the optical axis P. Next, while photographing a predetermined test chart with each of the optical units 5 and 6 and observing the test chart being photographed displayed on the monitor, for example, the shaft 28b of the adjustment tool 26 is inserted into the shaft hole 23 of the optical unit 5. And the rotational position of the image sensor 12 is adjusted by rotating the grip 29.

  When the grip 29 is rotated, the cam portion 28 rotates with the grip 29 and the cam surface 28 a presses one of the inner surfaces 22 a of the opening 22. Thereby, the image sensor 12 rotates around the optical axis P together with the rotating plate 17. When the grip 29 is rotated once, the rotation plate 17 reciprocates at a predetermined rotation angle and returns to the original position. If the rotation direction of the grip 29 is reversed, the rotation direction of the rotation plate 17 is also reversed. In this way, the rotation position of the image sensor 12 is adjusted so that the shift of the rotation direction around the optical axis P of the imaging range is eliminated by rotating the grip 29. After the adjustment is completed, each fixing screw 21 is firmly tightened to fix the rotating plate 17 so as not to rotate, and then the adjustment tool 26 is removed.

  After adjusting the optical unit 5, the other optical unit 6 is subsequently adjusted in the same procedure. After the adjustment of the optical units 5 and 6 is completed, the rear cover 4b is assembled.

  As described above, the rotational position of the image sensor 12 of the compound eye photographing apparatus is adjusted. However, since the adjustment tool 26 is inserted and only the rotational operation is performed, it can be easily adjusted. Further, the rotation adjustment mechanism 11 can be adjusted with high accuracy while having a simple configuration. Furthermore, in this example, the rotational position of the image sensor 12 of each optical unit 5, 6 can be adjusted independently, so that the desired rotation can be achieved simply by attaching the compound eye photographing device 2 that has been adjusted in advance to a predetermined position. It is possible to shoot each shooting range having a positional relationship.

  FIG. 7 shows an example of a compound eye photographing apparatus in which the rotational position of the image sensor of one optical unit is fixed. In addition, except being demonstrated below, it is the same as that of 1st embodiment, The same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the substantially same component, and the description is abbreviate | omitted.

  The compound eye photographing device 32 has the optical unit 5 assembled on one side and the optical unit 33 assembled on the other side. The optical unit 33 does not have a rotation adjusting mechanism, and a rotating plate 34 to which an image sensor is attached is fixed to the lens barrel 13. The other configuration of the optical unit 33 is the same as that of the optical unit 4.

  When the rotation adjustment of the compound eye photographing device 32 is performed, the rotation position of the image sensor of the optical unit 4 is adjusted based on the rotation position of the image sensor of the optical unit 32. In this way, the optical unit 32 can reduce the number of parts by the amount that there is no rotation adjustment mechanism. Further, since the rotation position is adjusted only for one optical unit, the adjustment work is facilitated. In addition, what is provided with a rotation adjustment mechanism as each optical unit is good, and it is good also as one side without adjustment.

  FIG. 8 shows an example in which a holding plate is used instead of a fixing screw for fixing the rotating plate. In addition, except being demonstrated below, it is the same as that of the said embodiment, The same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the substantially same member, and the description is abbreviate | omitted.

  The rotating plate 36 is assembled so as to be rotatable about the optical axis P by fitting guide shafts 37 provided on the mounting surface 16 into the respective guide holes 20. Each guide shaft 37 is not provided with a screw hole for screwing a fixing screw. The rotating plate 36 assembled to the mounting surface 16 is held by a pressing plate 38 as an elastic member. The presser plate 38 is formed by bending a metal plate having a spring property into a handle shape. In order to press the rotating plate 36 toward the mounting surface 16, the presser plate 38 is curved so that the central portion 38 a swells toward the mounting surface 16. The central portion 38 a and the mounting surface 16 Each end portion 38 b is fixed to the mounting surface 16 with a screw 39 so as to sandwich the rotating plate 36 therebetween. When the pressing plate 38 is attached, the rotating plate 17 is pressed against the mounting surface 16 at the central portion 38a, and it is difficult to rotate due to friction with the mounting surface 16.

  Adjustment of the rotational position of the image sensor 12 is performed using the adjusting tool 26 in the state where the presser plate 38 is fixed as described above, and the frictional force that receives the rotating plate 36 from the mounting surface 16. This is done by rotating against According to this, since the rotation plate 36 is made difficult to rotate by the presser plate 38, an operation for fixing the rotation plate 36 is not particularly necessary after the adjustment is completed. The rotating plate 36 does not rotate when the screw is strongly tightened for fixing. In order to prevent the rotating plate 36 from rotating due to a strong impact or the like, the rotating plate 36 and the mounting surface 16 may be fixed with an adhesive or the like.

  9 and 10 show examples in which the rotation of the rotating plate is guided by the opening provided on the mounting surface and the image sensor package. In addition, except being demonstrated below, it is the same as that of said embodiment, The same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the substantially same structural member, and the description is abbreviate | omitted.

  In this example, the attachment surface 16 is provided with an opening 41 for inserting the image sensor 12, and the opening 41 is circular. The image sensor 12 is provided with curved contact portions 12c at the four corners of the package 12b. Each contact portion 12c is a curved surface having the same radius as the opening 41, with the center of the light receiving portion 12a being the center of the curved surface. In this way, when the rotating plate 17 is assembled to the mounting surface 16, the image sensor 12 is fitted into the opening 41 with each contact portion 12 c contacting (inscribed) the inner surface of the opening 41. It is. As a result, the image sensor 12 and the rotating plate 36 are guided by the opening 41 and the package 12b of the image sensor 12 and are rotatable about the optical axis P.

  In this example, as in the embodiment shown in FIG. 8, the rotating plate is held by the presser plate, but may be fixed by screws as in the first embodiment. Further, the shape of the package is not limited to the above, but may be other shapes as long as the package is inscribed in the opening and can be rotated.

  FIG. 11 shows an example in which the heat dissipation effect of the image sensor is enhanced. The rotating plate 51 to which the image sensor is attached is made of a material having excellent thermal conductivity, such as aluminum or copper, and in order to enhance the heat dissipation effect, from the back side of the lens barrel 13 of the photographing lens 10 to the side surface. The surface area is increased by providing a bent portion 51a bent in an L shape so as to go around. Further, an auxiliary heat radiating plate 52 bent in a U-shape is attached to the back surface of the rotating plate 51 to further enhance the heat radiation effect. The auxiliary heat sink 52 is also made of a material having high thermal conductivity such as aluminum or copper. The bent portion 51a and the auxiliary heat dissipation plate 52 are provided with holes for enhancing the heat dissipation effect.

  FIG. 12 shows an example in which the heat dissipation effect is further enhanced by connecting the rotating plate to the front cover. The rotating plate 61 to which the image sensor is attached is provided with a bent portion 61a that is bent in an L shape so as to go around from the back surface of the lens barrel of the photographing lens. The bent portion 61a is connected to a mounting portion 65 provided integrally with the front cover 4a via a connecting plate 63. The connecting plate 63 prevents excessive stress from being generated on the rotating plate 61 and the front cover 4b due to a positional shift between the bent portion 61a and the mounting portion 65 generated when the rotating plate 61 is rotated. However, it is for transmitting heat from the rotating plate 61 to the front cover 4a, and is made of a material or a material having a high thermal conductivity using a shape or material that is easily deformed. In this example, as the connecting plate 63, a metal plate excellent in thermal conductivity is punched into an S shape so as to be easily deformed. In addition, as a raw material of the rotation board 61 and the connection board 63, if it is excellent in heat conductivity, it can utilize not only a metal, but the connection board 63 may be elastically deformed.

  The front cover 4 b is made of, for example, metal and radiates heat transmitted to the mounting portion 65 via the rotating plate 61 and the connecting plate 63. The front cover 4a is not limited to metal as long as the heat dissipation effect is high, and may be other materials, for example, a metal surface plated with plastic.

  With the configuration described above, the heat generated by the image sensor is transmitted to the front cover 4a via the rotating plate 61 and the connecting plate 63, and is radiated from the front cover 4a. By connecting the front cover 4a, the surface area is increased and the heat dissipation effect is enhanced. At the same time, the front cover 4a is exposed to the outside, so that a higher heat dissipation effect can be obtained. In addition, there exists an effect which improves the thermal radiation effect by connecting with not only the front cover 4a but the housing | casing 4. FIG.

  In each of the above embodiments, an example in which two optical units are provided has been described. However, a compound eye photographing apparatus in which three or more optical units are provided may be used.

It is a perspective view which shows the front side of the compound eye imaging device which implemented this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the back side of the compound eye imaging device in the state which removed the back cover. It is a disassembled perspective view which shows the structure of an optical unit. It is a perspective view which shows the adjustment tool for adjusting the rotation position of an image sensor. It is explanatory drawing which shows the relationship between the opening of a rotation board, and the cam surface of an adjustment tool. It is a perspective view which shows the attachment state to the rotation board of an image sensor. An example in which the optical axis of one optical unit is fixed is shown. The example which fixes a rotation board with a pressing board is shown. It is a perspective view which shows the opening provided in the attachment surface in the example guided with the package of an image sensor. It is a perspective view which shows the external appearance of the package of the image sensor in the example guided with the package of an image sensor. The example which raised the heat dissipation effect of the image sensor is shown. The example which connected the rotation board to the front cover and improved the heat dissipation effect of the image sensor is shown.

Explanation of symbols

2,32 Compound eye photographing device 5,6,33 Optical unit 10 Shooting lens 11 Rotation adjustment mechanism 12 Image sensor 13 Lens barrel 17, 36, 51, 61 Rotating plate 28 Cam portion 19, 37 Guide shaft 20 Guide hole

Claims (8)

In a compound eye photographing apparatus that includes a plurality of photographing optical systems having a photographing lens and an image sensor on which a subject image is formed on a light receiving unit by the photographing lens, and each photographing optical system is arranged at a predetermined interval.
At least one imaging optical system of the plurality of imaging optical systems is provided with a rotation plate to which an image sensor of the imaging lens is attached, and an attachment to which the rotation plate is assembled at a rear end of the lens barrel of the imaging lens. And a guide means for guiding the rotating plate assembled to the mounting surface so as to rotate about the optical axis of the photographic lens, and provided on the rotating plate and rotated to the back surface of the lens barrel A rotation position of the image sensor about the optical axis of the photographing lens having a contact surface that contacts the cam surface of a freely mounted cam member and rotates a rotating plate by the rotation of the cam member A compound eye photographing apparatus comprising a rotation adjusting mechanism for adjusting the angle.   The compound eye according to claim 1, wherein the rotation adjusting mechanism includes an elastic member that holds the rotating plate against the mounting surface and holds the rotating plate and allows the rotating plate to rotate. Shooting device.   The outer edge of the package of the image sensor is inscribed at a plurality of locations, and an opening is formed at the rear end of the lens barrel in which an inner surface that allows rotation of the image sensor around the optical axis of the photographing lens while being inscribed is formed, 3. The compound eye photographing according to claim 1, wherein the outer edge of the package rotates while inscribed in the inner surface of the opening to guide the rotating plate in a rotation direction with the optical axis of the photographing lens as a rotation center. apparatus.   The compound eye photographing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the opening is circular.   The compound eye photographing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a rotation adjusting mechanism is provided only in one of the photographing optical systems.   5. The compound eye according to claim 1, wherein the rotating plate is made of metal having a heat dissipation effect, and heat from the image sensor is radiated through the rotating plate. 6. Shooting device.   The compound eye photographing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein a heat radiating auxiliary member for radiating heat of the rotating plate is provided on the rotating plate. One end is connected to a housing assembled to each photographing optical system, the other end is connected to the rotating plate, and a connecting member having thermal conductivity that deforms according to the rotation of the rotating plate is provided. The compound eye photographing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein heat is radiated from the housing.

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