JP5917315B2 - Cameras used in industrial equipment - Google Patents

Description

  The technology disclosed herein relates to a camera used for industrial equipment, and particularly to a technology for improving the heat dissipation efficiency. The cameras here include both a still camera that captures still images and a video camera that captures moving images.

  Various industrial devices such as a mounting machine for mounting electronic components on a circuit board have one or a plurality of cameras in order to perform a required inspection. When this type of camera generates heat and becomes high temperature, a problem such as degradation of image quality occurs, which also affects the inspection result. Therefore, a heat radiator (also referred to as a heat sink) is attached to the housing of the camera to prevent the temperature of the camera from rising.

  Patent Document 1 discloses a radiator having a radiation fin. In a radiator having a radiation fin, air convection occurs along the radiation fin. Here, when the heat dissipating fins extend in the vertical direction, smooth air convection is generated, and high heat dissipation characteristics can be obtained. On the other hand, if the heat radiating fins extend in the horizontal direction, air convection along the heat radiating fins does not occur, so that the heat radiating characteristics are significantly deteriorated. However, the direction of the radiation fins is determined by the posture when the device is actually installed. That is, if the radiating fins extend in the vertical direction when the device is installed horizontally, the radiating fins extend in the horizontal direction when the device is installed in the vertical direction. Therefore, in Patent Document 1, a heat dissipating fin extending obliquely with respect to the device is proposed.

Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 62-68298

  Cameras used in industrial equipment are required to capture images with high accuracy. Therefore, in order to eliminate the influence of temperature changes, improvement of heat dissipation characteristics is particularly emphasized. However, the technique of Patent Document 1 is intended for audio equipment and personal computers, and is not considered for application to cameras. Therefore, the present specification provides a technique for realizing excellent heat dissipation characteristics in a camera used for industrial equipment.

  The present technology is embodied in a camera used for industrial equipment. This camera has a housing in which a lens is disposed on the front surface thereof, and a first heat radiation fin disposed on at least one of the left and right side surfaces of the casing. The first radiating fin extends in a direction that forms an angle with respect to the optical axis of the lens. According to this configuration, even when the camera is installed in various postures, it is possible to avoid the radiating fins formed on the side surfaces of the housing from being horizontal. Here, when the camera is installed with the optical axis of the lens inclined, it is preferable to install the camera upside down as necessary, and to invert the captured image.

  It is preferable that the first radiating fin described above extends obliquely upward from the rear surface side of the housing toward the front surface side. According to such a configuration, when the camera is installed with the shooting direction horizontal, the convection of air generated along the radiation fins flows from the rear to the front of the housing, and heat is preferentially dissipated at the rear of the housing. It can be carried out. In the above-described camera, it is preferable that an electronic circuit such as a solid-state imaging device is disposed at the rear portion of the housing because of the lens disposed on the front surface of the housing. In this case, since these electronic circuits serve as heat generation sources, the rear part of the housing is likely to become high temperature, and the increase in temperature has a great influence on the solid-state imaging device and the like. In this respect, if the above-described configuration is employed, heat can be preferentially radiated at the rear part of the housing, and the temperature rise of the camera can be effectively suppressed.

  The first radiating fin described above preferably forms an angle of 30 degrees to 60 degrees with respect to the optical axis. According to this angle range, the camera can be installed so that the radiating fin forms an angle of 30 degrees or more with respect to the horizontal direction regardless of the shooting direction of the camera.

  It is preferable that the camera described above further includes a second heat radiation fin disposed on the upper surface of the housing. In this case, it is preferable that the second radiating fin extends in parallel to the optical axis of the lens. According to this configuration, the camera can be installed while avoiding that the heat dissipating fins provided on the upper surface of the housing are horizontal regardless of the shooting direction of the camera.

The perspective view of the camera 10 of an Example. The right view of the camera 10 of an Example. The left view of the camera 10 of an Example. A state in which the camera 10 is installed with the shooting direction horizontal is shown. A state in which the camera 10 is installed with the shooting direction set vertically upward is shown. A state in which the camera 10 is installed with the shooting direction set vertically downward is shown. A state in which the camera 10 is installed with the shooting direction obliquely upward is shown. When the shooting direction is set obliquely downward, the camera 10 is installed upside down. When the shooting direction is set to be obliquely downward, the camera 10 is installed without turning upside down.

  In one embodiment of the present technology, heat radiation fins may be provided on both the left and right side surfaces of the camera casing. However, the radiation fins can be provided only on one of the left and right side surfaces. Moreover, the said radiation fin can also be provided in the whole side surface, and can also be provided only in the partial range of a side surface.

  In one embodiment of the present technology, the heat radiating fins may be provided not only on the side surface of the housing of the camera but also on other surfaces of the housing such as the front surface, the rear surface, the upper surface, and the lower surface.

  In one embodiment of the present technology, it is preferable that the heat radiation fin formed on the side surface of the camera casing forms an angle of 45 degrees with respect to the optical axis of the lens. According to this configuration, the camera can be installed so that the radiating fin forms an angle of 45 degrees or more with respect to the horizontal direction regardless of the shooting direction of the camera.

  With reference to drawings, the camera 10 which is an Example is demonstrated. The camera 10 of the present embodiment is used for performing various inspections in industrial equipment such as a mounting machine for mounting electronic components on a circuit board. For example, in a mounting machine, the electronic component sucked by the suction nozzle is photographed by the camera 10 to inspect whether or not the electronic component is correctly held by the suction nozzle. Or the circuit board after mounting an electronic component is image | photographed, and it is test | inspected whether the electronic component is correctly mounted on the circuit board.

  As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, the camera 10 includes a housing 30. The housing 30 has a generally rectangular parallelepiped shape, and has a front surface 30a, a rear surface 30b, a right side surface 30c, a left side surface 30d, an upper surface 30e, and a lower surface 30f. The front surface 30a and the rear surface 30b, the right side surface 30c and the left side surface 30d, and the right side surface 30c and the left side surface 30d are parallel to each other. The casing 30 is an example, but is formed of a metal material. A bracket 38 for fixing the camera 10 to an industrial device is provided on the lower surface 30f of the housing 30.

  The lens 20 is disposed on the front surface 30 a of the housing 30. The optical axis A of the lens 20 is substantially perpendicular to the front surface 30a and the rear surface 30b, and is substantially parallel to the right side surface 30c, the left side surface 30d, the upper surface 30e, and the lower surface 30f. Although not shown, a solid-state imaging device and a control board are provided inside the housing 30. The solid-state imaging device is a photoelectric conversion device that converts an image formed by the lens 20 into an electrical signal. The solid-state imaging device is disposed at the rear of the housing 30 with a certain distance from the lens 20. For example, a CCD or a CMOS image sensor can be employed as the solid-state imaging device.

  A plurality of heat radiation fins 40 are provided on the right side surface 30 c and the left side surface 30 d of the housing 30. The plurality of radiating fins 40 are erected substantially perpendicular to the side surfaces 30c and 30d of the housing 30 and are arranged in parallel along the side surfaces 30c and 30d of the housing 30 at equal intervals. As shown in FIG. 2, the radiating fin 40 formed on the right side surface 30 c extends in a direction that forms an angle θ with respect to the optical axis A of the lens 20. In the present embodiment, as an example, the angle θ is set to 45 degrees. As shown in FIG. 3, the heat radiating fin 40 formed on the left side surface 30 d also extends in a direction that forms the same angle θ (that is, 45 degrees) with respect to the optical axis A of the lens 20. In the right side surface 30c and the left side surface 30d, the angle θ formed by the heat radiation fin 40 with respect to the optical axis A may be different from each other.

  A plurality of heat radiation fins 42 are also provided on the upper surface 30 e of the housing 30. The plurality of radiating fins 42 are erected substantially perpendicular to the upper surface 30 e of the housing 30, and are arranged in parallel at equal intervals along the upper surface 30 e of the housing 30. The radiation fins 42 formed on the upper surface 30 e extend in parallel to the optical axis A of the lens 20. Note that the heat radiation fins 42 are not necessarily provided on the upper surface 30 e of the housing 30. Alternatively, instead of the upper surface 30e or in addition to the upper surface 30e, heat radiation fins may be provided on the front surface 30a, the rear surface 30b, and the lower surface 30f of the housing 30.

  The radiation fins 40 and 42 described above can be formed of a material having high thermal conductivity such as a metal material. Although the radiation fins 40 and 42 of the present embodiment are an example, they are made of aluminum. Moreover, the cross-sectional shape of the radiation fins 40 and 42 may be rectangular or trapezoidal.

  With the above-described configuration, the camera 10 of the present embodiment can efficiently radiate heat with the radiation fins 40 and 42 regardless of the shooting direction. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, when the camera 10 is installed with the shooting direction horizontal, the radiating fins 40 formed on the left and right side surfaces 30c and 30d are not horizontal but are inclined with respect to the horizontal direction. It will be. Specifically, the radiation fin 40 forms an angle of 45 degrees with respect to the horizontal direction. When the radiating fins 40 are inclined with respect to the horizontal direction, air convection occurs so as to pass between the radiating fins 40 (see arrow F in the figure). Thereby, the heat generated by the camera 10 can be efficiently radiated.

  As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, even when the camera 10 is installed with the shooting direction vertically upward or vertically downward, the radiating fins 40 formed on the left and right side surfaces 30 c and 30 d are not horizontal, but horizontal. It will be inclined with respect to the direction. Specifically, the radiation fin 40 forms an angle of 45 degrees with respect to the horizontal direction. Even in this case, air convection is generated so as to pass between the radiation fins 40 (see arrow F in the figure), and the heat generated by the camera 10 can be efficiently radiated.

  As shown in FIG. 7, even when the camera 10 is installed with the shooting direction obliquely upward, the radiating fins 40 formed on the left and right side surfaces 30 c and 30 d are not horizontal but are inclined with respect to the horizontal direction. It will be. In this case, the angle formed by the radiating fin 40 with respect to the horizontal direction exceeds 45 degrees. Therefore, air convection occurs so as to pass through between the radiation fins 40 (see arrow F in the figure), and the heat generated by the camera 10 can be efficiently radiated.

  FIG. 8 shows a state where the camera 10 is installed with the shooting direction obliquely downward. In this case, it is preferable to install the camera 10 with the camera 10 upside down. Thereby, the radiation fins 40 formed on the left and right side surfaces 30c, 30d are not horizontal but are inclined with respect to the horizontal direction. Also in this case, the angle formed by the radiating fin 40 with respect to the horizontal direction exceeds 45 degrees. Therefore, air convection occurs so as to pass through between the radiation fins 40 (see arrow F in the figure), and the heat generated by the camera 10 can be efficiently radiated. Since the camera 10 is arranged upside down, the captured image is also upside down. Therefore, the captured image may be reversed as necessary.

  In contrast to FIG. 8, FIG. 9 shows a state in which the camera 10 is installed with the shooting direction obliquely downward without turning the camera 10 upside down. In this case, the heat radiating fins 40 formed on the left and right side surfaces 30c and 30d are either horizontal or slightly inclined with respect to the horizontal direction. Specifically, the angle formed by the radiating fin 40 with respect to the horizontal direction is less than 45 degrees. In such a state, it becomes difficult for air convection to occur along the radiation fins 40, and heat generated in the camera 10 cannot be efficiently radiated.

  As described above, the camera 10 according to the present embodiment can efficiently radiate heat by the radiation fins 40 and 42 regardless of the shooting direction. Here, in the camera 10 of the present embodiment, the radiating fins 40 formed on the left and right side surfaces 30 c and 30 d form an angle of 45 degrees with respect to the optical axis A of the lens 20. In this case, the camera 10 can be installed so that the radiating fin 40 forms an angle of 45 degrees or more with respect to the horizontal direction in any shooting direction. Therefore, the angle θ formed by the heat radiation fin 40 with respect to the optical axis A of the lens 20 is not necessarily limited to 45 degrees, but is preferably in the range of 30 degrees to 60 degrees. In this case, the camera 10 can be installed so that the radiating fin 40 forms an angle of 30 degrees or more with respect to the horizontal direction in any shooting direction.

  Reference is now made again to FIG. In the present embodiment, the radiation fins 40 formed on the left and right side surfaces 30c, 30d extend obliquely upward from the rear surface 30b side of the housing 30 toward the front surface 30a side. According to such a configuration, when the camera 10 is installed with the shooting direction horizontal, air convection F generated along the radiation fins 40 flows from the rear to the front of the housing 30, and the rear portion of the housing 30 is moved. Heat can be preferentially dissipated. As described above, an electronic circuit such as a solid-state imaging device is disposed at the rear of the housing 30 because the lens 20 is disposed on the front surface 30a of the housing 30. Since these electronic circuits serve as heat generation sources, the rear part of the housing 30 tends to become high temperature, and the increase in temperature has a great influence on the solid-state imaging device and the like. Therefore, by adopting the above-described configuration and preferentially dissipating the rear part of the housing 30, the temperature increase of the camera 10 can be effectively suppressed.

  However, the radiation fins 40 formed on the left and right side surfaces 30c and 30d are not limited to the above, and may be inclined obliquely downward from the rear surface 30b side of the housing 30 toward the front surface 30a side. In this case, unlike the above description, when the camera 10 is installed with the shooting direction obliquely upward (see FIG. 7), it is preferable to turn the camera 10 upside down. On the other hand, when the camera 10 is installed with the shooting direction obliquely downward (see FIG. 8), it is not necessary to turn the camera 10 upside down.

  Specific examples of the present invention have been described in detail above, but these are merely examples and do not limit the scope of the claims. The technology described in the claims includes various modifications and changes of the specific examples illustrated above.

  The technical elements described in this specification or the drawings exhibit technical usefulness alone or in various combinations, and are not limited to the combinations described in the claims at the time of filing. In addition, the technology illustrated in the present specification or the drawings achieves a plurality of objects at the same time, and has technical utility by achieving one of the objects.

10: camera 20: lens 30: housing 30a: front surface 30b of housing 30: rear surface 30c of housing 30: right side surface 30d of housing 30: left side surface 30e of housing 30: upper surface 30f of housing 30: lower surface 38 of housing 30: bracket 40: Radiation fins provided on the left and right side surfaces 42: Radiation fins provided on the upper surface

Claims (3)

A camera used in industrial equipment,
A housing with a lens in front of it,
A solid-state imaging device that is disposed at the rear of the housing and converts an image formed by the lens into an electrical signal;
Having first radiating fins disposed on at least one of the left and right side surfaces of the housing;
The first heat dissipating fin extends in a direction that forms an angle with respect to the optical axis of the lens, and extends obliquely upward from the rear surface side to the front surface side of the housing . The camera according to claim 1, wherein the first radiation fin forms an angle of 30 degrees to 60 degrees with respect to the optical axis. A second heat dissipating fin disposed on the upper surface of the housing;
The second heat radiation fins, camera according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that extending in parallel to the optical axis.

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