JP2001218102A - Tilt adjustment device for imaging element - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a tilt adjustment device that can adjust the tilt of an imaging element with a simple operation with high accuracy. SOLUTION: The tilt adjustment device is provided with an element fitting plate 3 to which an imaging element 2 is fitted and in which projections 26 are formed on the face opposite to a lens case 1, an energizing fitting member that elastically energizes and fits the element fitting plate 3 to the lens case 1, and adjustment members 20 that are turnably placed between the element fitting plate 3 and the lens case 1 and provided with a spiral cam face 25 on which the projections 26 of the element fitting plate 3 is abutted for its relative movement. When the adjustment members 20 is turned, the adjustment members 20 are relatively moved while the projections 26 of the element mount plate 3 are elastically abutted on the spiral cam face 25, the element fitting plate 3 is moved to be nearer to or away from the lens case 1 depending on the tilt of the spiral cam face 25, so that the element fitting plate 3 is tiled with respect to an optical axis 9 of the lens case 1 to tilt the imaging element 2, then the tilt of the imaging element 2 can be adjusted with high accuracy with a simple operation having only to turn the adjustment members 20.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a device for adjusting the inclination of an image pickup device used in an image pickup device such as a digital still camera.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, in an image pickup apparatus such as a digital still camera using an image pickup device such as a CCD, the number of pixels of the image pickup device tends to increase and the size thereof tends to decrease. In such an imaging device,
As the number of pixels of the imaging device increases and the size of the imaging device also decreases, the depth of focus of the lens on the imaging surface of the imaging device decreases, and the perpendicularity of the imaging surface of the imaging device to the optical axis of the lens ( Unless the accuracy of the tilt is improved, there is a problem that the image is blurred at the peripheral portion of the image even if the image is focused at the central portion.

In order to solve such a problem, in a conventional image pickup apparatus, the inclination of the image pickup element with respect to the optical axis of the lens can be adjusted. FIG. 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part of the imaging device showing one example. This imaging device
A lens housing 1 is provided. The lens housing 1 has a cylindrical shape in which a lens (not shown) is mounted, and an image pickup device 2 such as a CCD is mounted on an image side end (right end in the figure). The element mounting plate 3 is mounted with a plurality of screws 4.

In this case, the image pickup device 2 is provided with an optical low-pass filter 5 on the light incident surface on the lens housing 1 side, and the opposite back surface (the right side surface in the figure) is adhered to the element mounting plate 3. In this state, the connection terminals 6 provided on the side surfaces of the image sensor 2 project to the rear surface side (the right side in the figure) through the terminal insertion holes 7 of the element mounting plate 3. The element mounting plate 3 is made of a metal plate, and allows the image pickup device 2 to be inserted into a concave portion 8 provided at the image side end of the lens housing 1, and the center of the image pickup device 2 is set to the optical axis of the lens housing 1. 9 and attached to the image-side end of the lens housing 1 with the screws 4 via a plurality of washer members 10 for adjusting the inclination.

When a plurality of screws 4 are screwed into respective screw holes 12 provided at the image side end of the lens housing 1 through screw insertion holes 11 provided at a plurality of locations of the element mounting plate 3, the element mounting Washer members 10 for adjusting the inclination are arranged between the plate 3 and the image side end of the lens housing 1, and are screwed into the screw holes 12 of the lens housing 1 through the washer members 10 for adjusting the inclination. Thus, the element mounting plate 3 is mounted on the image side end of the lens housing 1. The washer member 10 for adjusting the inclination is prepared by combining a plurality of washers or washers having different thicknesses in advance, and inclining the element mounting plate 3 with respect to the optical axis 9 of the lens housing 1 at the thickness. Thereby, the inclination of the image sensor 2 is adjusted.

[0006]

In such an image pickup apparatus, however, the amount of adjustment is determined by the unit of thickness of the washer member 10 or the difference between the different thicknesses of the prepared washers. Have difficulty.
That is, since the washer member 10 is made of a metal material in terms of cost, its minimum thickness is at most about 30 μm, whereas the amount of tilt adjustment required for the image sensor 2 is less than half that. It is. For this reason,
As the number of pixels increases, the amount of tilt adjustment becomes finer,
It becomes difficult to accurately adjust the tilt of the image sensor 2. Further, in this imaging apparatus, when the element mounting plate 3 is mounted with the plurality of screws 4, the element mounting plate 3 is tightened to the lens housing 1 by each screw 4. The lens housing 1 may be deformed by twisting or the like, which also changes the tilt of the image sensor 2, which causes a problem that the tilt cannot be accurately set.

Further, in this imaging apparatus, the element mounting plate 3
When a plurality of screws 4 are used, a plurality of washer members 10 having different thicknesses are provided between the lens housing 1 and the element mounting plate 3.
Are arranged corresponding to the respective screw holes 12, and in this state, the respective screws 4 have to be mounted respectively. Therefore, there is a problem that the mounting operation is troublesome. In particular, even when the thickness of any one of the washer members 10 corresponding to the plurality of screws 4 is changed, one washer member 10 can be replaced unless all the screws 4 are removed. Since it is not possible, the tilt adjustment work is extremely complicated and troublesome.

An object of the present invention is to make it possible to accurately adjust the inclination of an image sensor by a simple operation.

[0009]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image pickup device inclination adjusting apparatus for adjusting an inclination of an image pickup device with respect to an optical axis of a lens housing, wherein the image pickup device is mounted, and An element mounting member provided with a protrusion on a surface facing the body, and a bias mounting member for elastically biasing the element mounting member to the lens housing and mounting the element mounting member on the lens housing.
A helical cam that is rotatably disposed between the element mounting member and the lens housing, and moves relatively when the protrusion of the element mounting member abuts on a surface facing the element mounting member. And an adjusting member provided with a surface.

According to the present invention, the element mounting member is elastically urged and attached to the lens housing by the urging mounting member, whereby the adjusting member disposed between the element mounting member and the lens housing. When the adjusting member is rotated in this state, the protrusion of the element mounting member relatively moves while the protrusion of the element mounting member is in contact with the spiral cam surface. Since the element mounting member moves in a direction approaching and separating from the lens housing in accordance with the inclination of the spiral cam surface, the element mounting member tilts with respect to the optical axis of the lens housing, and accordingly, Since the image pickup device is also inclined with respect to the optical axis of the lens housing, the inclination of the image pickup device can be adjusted with high accuracy by a simple operation just by rotating the adjustment member.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image pickup device inclination adjusting apparatus for adjusting the inclination of the image pickup device with respect to the optical axis of the lens housing, wherein the image pickup device is attached.
An element mounting member provided with a screw hole at a predetermined position, an urging mounting member for elastically urging the element mounting member to the lens housing, and screwing into the screw hole of the element mounting member. An adjusting member provided with an abutting portion for abutting the lens housing on the screw portion to be mounted.

According to the present invention, the element mounting member is elastically urged and attached to the lens housing by the urging mounting member, whereby the contact portion of the adjusting member is elastically pressed against the lens housing. In this state, when the adjusting member in which the screw portion is screwed into the screw hole of the element mounting member is rotated, the screw portion relatively moves while rotating in the screw hole of the element mounting member according to the amount of rotation, Since the element mounting member is moved in a direction to approach and separate from the lens housing, the element mounting member is tilted with respect to the optical axis of the lens housing, and accordingly, the imaging device also moves with respect to the optical axis of the lens housing. Since it is inclined, the inclination of the image sensor can be adjusted with high accuracy by a simple operation just by rotating the adjustment member.

In this case, as described in claim 3, if the adjusting member is provided at a plurality of positions, the tilt of the image pickup device in the left, right, front and rear directions is finely adjusted by rotating the adjusting members at the plurality of positions. Thus, the tilt of the image sensor can be adjusted with high accuracy.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS [First Embodiment] A first embodiment of a device for adjusting the inclination of an image sensor according to the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. The same parts as those in the conventional example shown in FIG. 1 is an enlarged sectional view of the tilt adjusting device, FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view showing another part of the tilt adjusting device, and FIG. 3 is a rear view of FIG. The tilt adjusting device includes an urging mounting member 15 for urging the element mounting plate 3 on which the image sensor 2 is mounted to the image side end of the lens housing 1 and an adjusting member for adjusting the tilt of the image sensor 2. 20 and the other structure is the same as that of the conventional example.

As shown in FIG. 2, the urging attachment member 15
The lens housing 1 includes a screw 16 and a disc spring 17, and the screw 16 is inserted through a screw insertion hole 11 provided in the element mounting plate 3.
When screwing into the screw hole 12 provided at the image-side end of the screw, a disc spring 17 is disposed between the head 16a of the screw 16 and the element mounting plate 3, and the screw portion of the screw 16 is passed through the disc spring 17. 16
By screwing b into the screw hole 12 of the lens housing 1,
The element mounting plate 3 is moved to the lens housing 1 by the spring force of the disc spring 17.
It is configured to be mounted in a state of being elastically biased with respect to. As shown in FIG. 3, the urging attachment members 20 are respectively provided at two locations on the left and right sides of the image-side end surface of the element attachment plate 3 and the lens housing 1. As shown in FIG. 2, the image-side end surface of the lens housing 1 where the urging mounting member 20 is provided has a structure slightly protruding toward the element mounting plate 3 (right side in FIG. 2).

As shown in FIG. 1, the adjusting member 20 has a disk portion 21 disposed between the image-side end surface of the lens housing 1 and the element mounting plate 3, and one surface of the disk portion 21 (the same as in FIG. 1). The shaft part 22 provided on the left side in the figure) and the rotation operation part 23 provided on the other surface (the right side in the figure) of the disk part 21,
These have a structure formed integrally. The adjusting member 20 is in a state in which the disk portion 21 is rotatably sandwiched between the image-side end surface of the lens housing 1 and the element mounting plate 3 by the spring force of the disc spring 17 of the urging mounting member 15. The shaft portion 22 is provided in the shaft hole 18 provided in the image-side end surface of the lens housing 1.
Is rotatably inserted into the device mounting plate 3.
Is rotatably inserted into an operation insertion hole 19 provided in the device mounting plate 3 and protrudes to the rear side (the right side in the figure) of the element mounting plate 3.

In this case, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, one surface of the disk portion 21, that is, the surface facing the element mounting plate 3 (the right side surface in FIG. 1) is provided with the optical axis 9 of the lens housing 1. The cam surface 25 is formed in a spiral shape and is inclined in the direction of. The surface of the element mounting plate 3 facing the cam surface 25 (the left side surface in FIG. 1) is in contact with the cam surface 25. , Cam surface 25
The projection 26 is provided which relatively moves along the axis. As shown in FIG. 1, the rotation operation portion 23 projects from the operation insertion hole 19 of the element mounting plate 3 to the back surface side of the element mounting plate 3, and an engagement groove 27 is provided on the protruded end surface. The disk portion 21 is configured to rotate by engaging and turning a tool such as a flathead screwdriver into the mating groove 27. Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the adjusting members 20 are provided at three places on the image-side end face of the element mounting plate 3 and the lens housing 1 at both lower sides and an upper middle. The image-side end surface of the lens housing 1 where the adjusting member 20 is provided has a slightly concave structure as shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 3, each connection terminal 6 of the image sensor 2 attached to the element mounting plate 3 is provided on the back surface (the right side surface in FIG. 1) of the element mounting plate 3. A wiring board 28 joined by solder through the terminal insertion holes 7 is arranged. The wiring board 28 is a flexible board made of a film or the like. An operation hole 29 that is inserted and exposed on the back side is provided. In this case, a large number of wirings (not shown) are routed around the wiring board 28 while avoiding the operation holes 29.

In such a tilt adjusting device, the element mounting plate 3 is attached to the lens housing 1 in a state of being elastically urged by the spring force of the disc spring 17 of the urging attachment member 15. The projection 26 of the element mounting plate 3 is elastically pressed against the cam surface 25 of the disk portion 21 of the adjustment member 20 disposed between the mounting plate 3 and the lens housing 1. In this state, when the rotation operation section 23 of the adjustment member 20 is rotated by a tool such as a screwdriver, the disc portion 21 of the adjustment member 20
2, the projection 26 of the element mounting plate 3 relatively moves while being elastically in contact with the spiral cam surface 25, and the element is moved in accordance with the inclination of the spiral cam surface 25. The mounting plate 3 moves in a direction approaching and separating from the lens housing 1. Thereby, the element mounting plate 3 is connected to the optical axis 9 of the lens housing 1.
And the imaging device 2 is also tilted with respect to the lens housing 1.
The inclination of the image sensor 2 can be adjusted with high accuracy by a simple operation just by rotating the adjustment member 20.

In this case, the adjustment member 20 is
1. Lens housing 1 on cam surface 25 provided on one surface
Of the optical axis 9, that is, the inclination of the helical cam surface 25 can be accurately manufactured in advance as designed, so that the element mounting plate 3 is slightly displaced in accordance with the amount of rotation of the adjustment member 20. The amount of displacement to be performed can be easily set, whereby the tilt of the image sensor 2 can be finely adjusted, and highly accurate adjustment can be performed. In particular, since the adjustment members 20 are provided at three places on the image-side end face of the element mounting plate 3 and the lens housing 1 at the lower sides and the middle of the upper part, the rotation amounts of the three adjustment members 20 are respectively reduced. By adjusting,
It is possible to finely adjust the inclination of the image pickup device 2 in the left, right, front and rear directions, and thereby it is possible to accurately adjust the tilt of the image pickup device 2.

In this tilt adjusting device, the element mounting plate 3 is mounted on the lens housing 1 in a state of being elastically urged by the spring force of the disc spring 17 of the urging mounting member 15, so that the conventional device is conventionally used. As in the example, the element mounting plate 3 and the lens housing 1 are not deformed by twisting or the like due to the tightening force of the screw 4, and thus, highly accurate adjustment can be performed. Further, in this tilt adjusting device, it is not necessary to remove the image pickup device 2 from the lens housing 1 together with the element mounting plate 3 each time adjustment is performed, as in the conventional example, and the device mounting plate 3 is mounted on the lens housing 1. Thus, the tilt of the image sensor 2 can be adjusted by a simple operation just by rotating the adjustment member 20, so that the tilt of the image sensor 2 is adjusted while watching the monitor so that the peripheral portion of the image is properly focused. Can be adjusted, and the efficiency of the adjustment operation can be greatly improved.

[Second Embodiment] Next, referring to FIG.
A second embodiment of the image sensor inclination adjusting device according to the present invention will be described. In this case, the same parts as those of the first embodiment shown in FIGS. This tilt adjustment device has an adjustment member 30 for adjusting the tilt of the image sensor 2 different from that of the first embodiment, and has the same structure as that of the first embodiment except for this. That is, the adjusting member 3
0 indicates that the outer peripheral surface of the disk portion 31 rotatably disposed between the image side end of the lens housing 1 and the element mounting plate 3 projects outwardly of the lens housing 1 and the element mounting plate 3. As a result, the disk portion 31 is formed to have a large diameter, and an operation groove 32 for preventing slippage is formed on the outer peripheral surface thereof by knurling or the like.

Also in this case, on one surface (the left side surface in FIG. 6) of the disk portion 31, a shaft portion 22 rotatably inserted into the shaft hole 18 of the lens housing 1 is provided. Also, the disk part 31
On the other surface (the right side surface in FIG. 6), a spiral cam surface 25 is formed in which the projection 26 provided on the element mounting plate 3 moves while being elastically abutted by the urging mounting member 15. ing. Note that, similarly to the first embodiment, the adjustment members 30 are also provided at three places on the image-side end surface of the element mounting plate 3 and the lens housing 1, ie, on both lower sides and the upper middle.

In such a tilt adjusting device, the adjusting member 3
The outer peripheral surface of the circular disk portion 31 protrudes outwardly of the lens housing 1 and the element mounting plate 3, and an operation groove 32 for preventing slippage is formed in the protruded outer peripheral surface. As described above, the adjusting member 30 can be easily rotated by operating the outer peripheral surface of the disk portion 31 with a finger or the like without using a tool such as a driver. Therefore, the element mounting plate 3 can be moved toward and away from the lens housing 1 in accordance with the inclination of the helical cam surface 25 with a simple operation just by rotating the adjusting member 30. As in the first embodiment, the element mounting plate 3 can be tilted with respect to the optical axis 9 of the lens housing 1, and accordingly, the imaging device 2 also moves to the lens housing 1.
Of the image sensor 2 can be adjusted with high accuracy.

Further, in this imaging device, unlike the first embodiment, it is not necessary to provide the operation mounting hole 19 into which the rotary operation part 23 is inserted in the element mounting plate 3, so that the rigidity of the element mounting plate 3 is ensured. In addition, since it is not necessary to provide the operation hole 29 for exposing the rotation operation unit 23 in the wiring board 28 as in the first embodiment, the wiring of the wiring board 28 can be easily routed, and the mechanical Reliability and electrical connection reliability can be improved.

In the second embodiment, the adjusting member 3
A non-slip operation groove 32 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the 0 disk portion 31 by knurling or the like, and the disk portion 31 is rotated by a finger or the like, but is not limited thereto.
The disk portion 31 may be configured by a gear, and the gear may be meshed with a drive gear that is rotated by a motor, and the adjustment member 30 may be rotated by rotation of the motor. In this way, by controlling the rotation of the motor, the tilt adjustment of the image sensor 2 can be automated, and the tilt of the image sensor 2 can be adjusted more efficiently.

[Third Embodiment] Next, referring to FIG.
A third embodiment of the tilt adjusting device for an image sensor according to the present invention will be described. Also in this case, the same parts as those of the first embodiment shown in FIGS.
This tilt adjusting device has an adjustment member 35 for adjusting the tilt of the image sensor 2 different from that of the first embodiment, and has the same structure as that of the first embodiment except for this. That is, the adjusting member 35 has a screw portion 37 that is screwed into a screw hole 36 provided in the element mounting plate 3, and one end (the left end in FIG. 7) of the screw portion 37 is provided with the lens housing 1. A contact portion 38 is provided in contact with the image-side end portion, and an engagement groove 27 is provided at the other end portion (right end portion in the figure) of which a tool 39 such as a driver is engaged.

In this case, the contact portion 38 is formed on the disk-shaped head, but may be formed in a tapered shape to have a point contact with the lens housing 1. Also, the element mounting plate 3
Are urged toward the lens housing 1 by the urging attachment member 15. As a result, the contact portion 38 of the adjustment member 35 elastically contacts the image-side end of the lens housing 1. In addition, this adjusting member 35 is also similar to the first embodiment.
It is provided at each of three places on the image-side end face of the element mounting plate 3 and the lens housing 1 at both lower sides and an upper middle.

In such a tilt adjusting device, the element mounting plate 3 is elastically urged and attached to the lens housing 1 by the urging attachment member 15, whereby the contact portion 38 of the adjusting member 35 is attached to the lens housing 1. It is elastically pressed against the body 1.
In this state, a tool 39 such as a screwdriver is engaged with the engagement groove 27 of the adjusting member 35 and turned, whereby the adjusting member 35 is rotated.
Is rotated, the screw portion 37 relatively moves while rotating in the screw hole 36 of the element mounting plate 3 according to the rotation amount, and moves the element mounting plate 3 toward and away from the lens housing 1. Move. As a result, the element mounting plate 3 is tilted with respect to the optical axis 9 of the lens housing 1, and accordingly, the imaging element 2 is also tilted with respect to the optical axis 9 of the lens housing 1, as in the first embodiment. The inclination of the image sensor 2 can be adjusted with high accuracy by a simple operation just by rotating the adjustment member 35.

In the first to third embodiments and the modifications thereof, the urging mounting member 15 is replaced with the screw 16 and the disc spring 17.
However, it is not always necessary to use the disc spring 17, but may be, for example, a spring member such as a spring washer or a coil spring, and may be disposed between the head 16a of the screw 16 and the element mounting plate 3. An elastic member such as rubber or an elastic protrusion may be used as long as it elastically urges the element mounting plate 3 toward the lens housing 1.

[0031]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the element mounting member is elastically urged to be attached to the lens housing by the urging mounting member, whereby the element mounting member is provided. The projection of the element mounting member is elastically pressed against the cam surface of the adjustment member arranged between the lens housing and the lens housing. When the adjustment member is rotated in this state, the projection of the element mounting member has a spiral shape. The element mounting member moves relatively in a state of contact with the cam surface, and moves in a direction in which the element mounting member approaches and separates from the lens housing according to the inclination of the spiral cam surface. Since the image sensor tilts with respect to the optical axis of the body and the image sensor also tilts with respect to the optical axis of the lens housing, it is possible to accurately adjust the tilt of the image sensor with a simple operation just by rotating the adjusting member. it can.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the element mounting member is elastically urged and attached to the lens housing by the urging mounting member, whereby the contact portion of the adjusting member is brought into contact with the lens housing. When the adjustment member is screwed into the screw hole of the element mounting member and rotated in this state, the screw portion rotates in the screw hole of the element mounting member according to the amount of rotation. The element mounting member is moved relative to the lens housing while moving the element mounting member toward and away from the lens housing. Since the tilt is made with respect to the optical axis of the body, the tilt of the image sensor can be adjusted with high accuracy by a simple operation just by rotating the adjusting member. In this case, if the adjustment members are provided at a plurality of positions, the inclination of the image sensor can be finely adjusted by rotating each of the adjustment members at the plurality of positions, thereby tilting the image sensor. It can be adjusted with high accuracy.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an enlarged sectional view showing a first embodiment of a tilt adjusting device for an image sensor according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view illustrating a mounting portion of a bias mounting member in the tilt adjustment device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a back view of FIG. 1 viewed from the right side.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of the adjustment member of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view of a main part showing a second embodiment of the tilt adjusting device for an image sensor of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged sectional view showing a third embodiment of the tilt adjusting device for an image sensor according to the present invention.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a conventional tilt adjusting device for an image sensor.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 lens housing 2 imaging element 3 element mounting plate 9 optical axis 15 urging mounting member 20, 30, 35 adjusting member 21, 31 disk portion 25 cam surface 26 protrusion 36 screw hole 37 screw portion 38 contact portion

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A device for adjusting the inclination of an image sensor with respect to an optical axis of a lens housing, wherein the image sensor is attached and a projection is provided on a surface facing the lens housing. A mounting member, a biasing mounting member for elastically biasing the element mounting member to the lens housing, and a rotatably disposed between the element mounting member and the lens housing; An adjusting member provided with a helical cam surface on which a protrusion of the element mounting member abuts on a surface facing the mounting member and relatively moves. . 2. An apparatus for adjusting the inclination of an image sensor with respect to the optical axis of a lens housing, wherein the image sensor is mounted and a screw hole is provided at a predetermined position. An urging attachment member that elastically urges the element attachment member to the lens housing, and a contact portion that abuts the lens housing is provided on a screw portion of the element attachment member that is screwed into the screw hole. And a tilt adjusting device for an image sensor. 3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the adjusting member is provided at a plurality of positions.