JP2002010120A - External i/o mechanism in image pickup apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To ensure appropriate input/output of data to/from an external apparatus while reducing the size of an image pickup apparatus, e.g. a digital still camera. SOLUTION: A wiring pattern 13 having one end part arranged on the upper face part of a base section facing the flange of a lens section 20 and the other end part formed on a wiring board is provided on a supporting member 10. A connector part 41 provided at the forward end of a connection cable 40 connected with an external apparatus is inserted between the flange of the lens section 20 and the base section of the supporting member 10 and the forward end part of a terminal pin directed outward from the connector part 41 is connected with one end part of the wiring pattern 13 thus inputting/ outputting data to/from the external apparatus.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention
The present invention relates to an external input / output mechanism for inputting / outputting data to / from an external device in an imaging device that generates image data corresponding to a captured image.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, with the spread of personal computers as information processing apparatuses to general households, digital still cameras for outputting or storing captured images as digital data have been widely used. It is becoming popular.

In a digital still camera, a resolution close to that of a silver halide photograph can be obtained by improving the performance of each part such as a CCD (charge-coupled device) camera as an image pickup device and improving image processing technology. In addition, since a captured image can be output to a personal computer as digital data and image processing can be easily performed by the personal computer, the usefulness of the imaging apparatus is extremely high.

[0004] Such a digital still camera is provided with an external input / output mechanism for inputting and outputting data to and from an external device such as a personal computer. As the external input / output mechanism, a digital still camera is inserted by inserting a plug provided at the end of a cable connected to an external device into an input / output terminal hole provided in a housing of the digital still camera. In general, data can be input and output between the device and an external device.

[0005]

[Problems to be solved by the invention] By the way, digital
Still cameras are being miniaturized as a whole to improve the convenience and ease of use of mobile phones.
In recent years, miniaturization to a card size close to the outer diameter of a memory card used as a recording medium has been studied.

As described above, as the size of the entire apparatus is reduced,
It is difficult to secure a space for providing an input / output terminal hole in the housing of the digital still camera, and it becomes difficult to apply the conventional external input / output mechanism as described above.

Accordingly, the present invention provides an image pickup apparatus such as a digital still camera without providing a special space.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an external input / output mechanism in an imaging device that can appropriately input and output data to and from an external device and that can cope with downsizing of the entire device.

[0008]

An external input / output mechanism in an image pickup apparatus according to the present invention has a support member mounted on a wiring board on which an image pickup device is mounted, and forms an image of a subject on the image pickup device. By supporting the lens unit to be supported by the support member, in an imaging apparatus in which the lens unit is disposed on the image pickup device, the imaging unit is configured to input and output data to and from an external device. Things.
The external input / output mechanism is provided with a wiring pattern on the support member, one end of which is arranged at a position facing the lens unit, and the other end of which is connected to a land formed on the wiring board. A terminal portion facing the outside from the connector portion is provided on the support member by sandwiching a connector portion provided at a tip of a cable connected to the external device between the lens portion and the support member. It is characterized in that it is connected to one end of the wiring pattern to input and output data to and from the external device.

According to this external input / output mechanism, the connector provided at the end of the cable connected to the external device is sandwiched between the lens portion of the imaging device and the support member,
The imaging device and the external device are connected to each other via a cable, and data input / output is performed. Here, the lens unit of the image pickup apparatus has a function of forming an image of a subject on the image pickup device, and the support member has a function of supporting the lens unit on the image pickup device. The external input / output mechanism according to the present invention effectively utilizes the lens unit and the support member having a unique function as described above, and does not provide a special space for the imaging device, and allows data to be exchanged with the external device. Input and output can be performed appropriately.

[0010] In the external input / output mechanism according to the present invention, the pressing portion for pressing the connector portion sandwiched between the lens portion and the support member toward the support member is provided between the lens portion and the support member. Preferably, a member is provided. As described above, if a pressing member is provided between the lens portion and the supporting member, the connector portion sandwiched between the lens portion and the supporting member is urged by the pressing member toward the supporting member. Also, the terminal portion facing the outside from the connector portion can be more reliably connected to one end of the wiring pattern provided on the support member.

In the external input / output mechanism according to the present invention, it is preferable that the connector is provided with a gripping claw for gripping the support member and regulating a position of the connector with respect to the support member. . As described above, if the connector portion is provided with the gripping claw that grips the support member and regulates the position of the connector portion with respect to the support member, the connector portion may fall off or be supported by the terminal portion facing the outside from the connector portion. It is possible to effectively suppress displacement of the wiring pattern provided on the member from one end of the wiring pattern.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described below with reference to the drawings.

The external input / output mechanism according to the present invention is a digital
FIG. 1 shows an application to a still camera. This figure 1
The digital still camera 1 shown in FIG. 1 is extremely small and has a size close to the outer diameter of a memory card used as a recording medium.

The digital still camera 1 has an outer casing 2 formed in a rectangular shape according to the shape of the memory card. A liquid crystal panel 3 as a display unit is attached to the exterior housing 2, and a captured image can be displayed on the liquid crystal panel 3. Further, a battery mounting portion for mounting a battery is provided inside the exterior housing 2, and the battery mounting portion can be closed by the lid 4. Further, a memory card insertion hole 5 is provided in the exterior housing 2, and a memory card as a recording medium is inserted into the exterior housing 2 from the memory card insertion hole 5, It is designed to be mounted on a memory card mounting section provided inside.

As shown in FIG. 2, a wiring board 6 on which a circuit pattern is formed is housed in the exterior housing 2. The wiring board 6 has a CC as an image pickup device.
A D imaging device 7 is mounted. The CCD imaging device 7
The incident light is photoelectrically converted and output as an electric signal. The digital still camera 1 forms an image of a subject on the CCD image pickup device 7 and processes an electric signal output from the CCD image pickup device 7 to convert digital image data corresponding to the image of the subject. It has been made capable of being generated.

The digital still camera 1 is
An image can be displayed on the liquid crystal panel 3 based on the generated image data, and the generated image data can be stored in a memory card or output to an external device. As the image pickup device, a device other than the CCD image pickup device 7 may be used. For example, instead of the CCD image pickup device 7, a CMOS imager is connected to the wiring board 6
May be implemented in

The wiring board 6 has a CCD image pickup device 7
The support member 10 is attached so as to surround. A lens unit 20 for forming an image of a subject on the CCD image pickup device 7 is attached to the distal end side of the support member 10. In the digital still camera 1, as described above, the distal end side of the support member 10 attached to the wiring board 6 so as to surround the CCD image sensor 7,
By attaching the lens unit 20, the lens unit 20
The light incident on the lens unit 20 is appropriately guided to the CCD image pickup device 7 by being positioned immediately above the D image pickup device 7.

The support member 10 is formed, for example, by injection molding a heat-resistant resin material. As shown in detail in FIG. 3, the support member 10 is formed into a rectangular box shape with an open bottom surface. And a cylindrical lens mounting portion 12 integrally formed with the base 11 so as to protrude upward from the upper surface portion 11a of the base 11.

The base 11 of the support member 10 has a wiring board 6
The wiring pattern 13 is formed from the upper surface portion 11a which is substantially parallel with respect to the one side surface portion 11b which is substantially perpendicular to the wiring board 6. This wiring pattern 13
Is a method in which a conductive material is directly patterned by a method such as electroless plating on the surface of a base 11 of a support member 10 formed by injection molding a resin material having heat resistance by a technique called MID (Molded Interconnect Device). It is formed so that one end is located at the upper surface 11a of the base 11 and the other end is located at the lower end of one side surface 11b of the base 11.

The support member 10 is formed by soldering the other end of the wiring pattern 13 formed on the base 11 to a land formed on the wiring board 6. It will be attached to the substrate 6.
At this time, the support member 10 is attached to the wiring board 6 such that the upper surface 11a of the base 11 and the lens attachment portion 12 are exposed outside the exterior housing 2. Therefore, one end of the wiring pattern 13 is exposed to the outside of the exterior housing 2. In order to more firmly attach the support member 10 to the wiring board 6, a pattern made of a conductive material was also formed on the lower end of the other side surface of the base 11, and this pattern was formed on the wiring board 6. You may make it solder to another land part.

The lens section 20 is provided inside the base section 11.
A low-pass filter 14 for extracting a specific spatial frequency component from light traveling toward the CCD image pickup device 7 through the CCD is mounted. The light transmitted through the lens unit 20 is transmitted through the low-pass filter 14 to extract only a specific spatial frequency component. Then, the light of the specific spatial frequency component enters the CCD image sensor 7.

A cylindrical lens mounting portion 12 formed to protrude upward from the upper surface portion 11a of the base portion 11,
A screw groove 12a for attaching the lens unit 20 is formed on the inner peripheral surface. A thread groove 12b for attaching an intermediate ring 30 to be described later is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the lens attachment portion 12.

The lens unit 20 includes a plurality of lenses 21, 22, and 2 for forming an image of a subject on the CCD image sensor 7.
3 and a lens holder 24 for holding the plurality of lenses 21, 22 and 23.
23 is integrated by being held by a lens holder 24 to form an imaging optical system.

The lens holder 24 of the lens portion 20 has a protrusion 25 inserted into the cylindrical lens mounting portion 12 of the support member 10, and one end of the protrusion 25 is integrated with the protrusion 25. And a disk-shaped flange 26 formed at the center. Then, the lens holder 24 is provided with the protrusion 2
5, a plurality of lenses 21, 22, 23 are held.

The projecting portion 25 of the lens holder 24 is formed in a cylindrical shape having an outer diameter substantially equal to the inner diameter of the lens mounting portion 12 of the support member 10.
A screw groove 25a corresponding to the screw groove 12a formed on the inner peripheral surface of the lens mounting portion 12 is formed. Lens unit 20
The screw groove 25a formed on the outer peripheral surface of the projecting portion 25 of the lens holder 24 is attached to the lens mounting portion 1 of the support member 10.
By screwing into the screw groove 12 a formed on the inner peripheral surface of the lens holder 2 and inserting the protruding part 25 of the lens holder 24 into the lens mounting part 12, the supporting member 10 is mounted on the distal end side. As a result, the lens unit 20 is located immediately above the CCD image sensor 7, and the light incident on the lens unit 20 is appropriately guided to the CCD image sensor 7 by the action of the plurality of lenses 21, 22, and 23, and Image is CCD
An image is formed on the image sensor 7.

When the lens unit 20 is attached to the distal end of the support member 10, the flange 26 of the lens holder 24 of the lens unit 20 and the upper surface 11a of the base 11 of the support member 10
Are opposed to each other. An intermediate ring 30 having a function of pressing and urging a connector portion 41 of the connection cable 40 described later toward the support member 10 is provided between these opposing surfaces.

The intermediate ring 30 is formed in a ring shape whose inner diameter is substantially equal to the outer diameter of the lens mounting portion 12 of the support member 10, and has an inner peripheral surface on which the lens mounting portion 1 is mounted.
A screw groove 30a is formed corresponding to the screw groove 12b formed on the outer peripheral surface of No. 2. On the outer peripheral surface of the intermediate ring 30, an operation portion 30b for rotating the intermediate ring 30 is formed at the lower end so as to protrude further to the outer peripheral side. This intermediate ring 30
The screw groove 30a formed on the inner peripheral surface is screwed into the screw groove 12b formed on the outer peripheral surface of the lens mounting portion 12, whereby the flange 26 of the lens holder 24 of the lens portion 20 is screwed.
And between the surface facing the upper surface 11a of the base 11 of the support member 10 and attached to the outer peripheral side of the lens attachment 12.

Here, the lens holder 24 of the lens unit 20
And the upper surface 1 of the base 11 of the support member 10
As shown in FIG. 2, the distance D between the facing surface 1a and the surface 1a is set to be larger than the height H of the intermediate ring 30. Then, the intermediate ring 30 is gripped and rotated by the operation portion 30b with the fingers, so that the intermediate member 30 moves along the outer peripheral surface of the lens mounting portion 12 from the flange 26 side of the lens holder 24 of the lens portion 20 to the support member 10. Upper surface 1 of base 11
It is configured to be able to move by a predetermined distance over the side 1a.

In the digital still camera 1 configured as described above, when data is input / output to / from an information processing apparatus such as a personal computer, or when data is output to a TV monitor, the data is output to the TV monitor. The digital
When an image captured by the still camera 1 is displayed, a connection cable 40 provided with a connector portion 41 at a distal end is used. The connection cable 40 has a base end connected to an external device such as a personal computer or a TV monitor, and a connector 41 provided at a tip end thereof.
It is sandwiched between the flange 26 of the lens holder 24 of the lens unit 20 and the upper surface 11 a of the base 11 of the support member 10.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the connector portion 41 provided at the distal end of the connection cable 40 has a terminal cover 42 formed of a resin material having a predetermined shape, and a base portion 11 of the support member 10. In this structure, a plurality of terminal pins 43 corresponding to the wiring pattern 13 formed on the substrate are mounted.

The terminal pin 43 has its base end side housed inside the terminal cover 42, and is connected to the wire 40 a of the connection cable 40 inside the terminal cover 42. The tip of the terminal pin 43 is connected to the lower surface 4 of the terminal cover 42.
2a, and is bent toward the lower surface 42a of the terminal cover 42.
From the outside.

At the tip end of the terminal cover 42, a support member 1
A pair of gripping claws 44 and 45 are provided for gripping the outer peripheral side of the 0 lens mounting portion 12. The pair of gripping claws 44 and 45 are formed by molding a resin material into a rod shape, and protrude from the distal end of the terminal cover 42.
It is formed integrally with the terminal cover 42. The distance between the pair of gripping claws 44 and 45 is substantially equal to the outer diameter of the lens mounting portion 12. When the connector portion 41 is sandwiched between the flange 26 of the lens holder 24 of the lens portion 20 and the upper surface 11 a of the base 11 of the support member 10, The outer peripheral side of the lens mounting portion 12 can be gripped.

A pair of locking projections 4 protruding toward the other gripping claw are provided at the distal ends of the pair of gripping claws 44 and 45, respectively.
4a and 45a are provided. And the connector part 4
1 is a flange 26 of the lens holder 24 of the lens unit 20.
When the support member 10 is sandwiched between opposing surfaces of the base portion 11 and the upper surface portion 11a of the support member 10, the locking projections 44a, 4
5 a is adapted to be engaged with a not-shown locking concave portion provided on the outer peripheral surface of the lens mounting portion 12. The connector portion 41 is configured such that the locking projections 44 a and 45 a provided at the distal ends of the gripping claws 44 and 45 are engaged with the locking concave portions provided on the outer peripheral surface of the lens mounting portion 12. The position of the terminal pin 43 exposed to the outside from the lower surface 42a of the terminal cover 42 is regulated with respect to the support member 10, and the distal end of the terminal pin 43 is positioned on one end of the wiring pattern 13 formed on the base 11 of the support member 10. , Is prevented from falling off.

The connector section 41 described above is connected to the flange 26 of the lens holder 24 of the lens section 20 and the support member 1.
In order to sandwich the intermediate ring 30 between the lens holder 24 and the lens holder 24, first, as shown in FIG.
To the flange 26 side. Then, the lower end of the intermediate ring 30 and the upper surface 11a of the base 11 of the support member 10
A space S enough to insert the gripping claws 44 and 45 of the connector portion 41 is secured between the two.

Next, as shown in FIG. 5B, the lower end of the intermediate ring 30 and the upper surface 11 of the base 11 of the support member 10 are formed.
a in the space S between the connector 4 and the gripper 4
Insert 4,45. Then, the locking projections 44 a, 45 a provided on the distal end portions of the gripping claws 44, 45 are engaged with the locking concave portions provided on the outer peripheral surface of the lens mounting portion 12. Thus, the tip of the terminal pin 43 exposed to the outside from the lower surface 42 a of the terminal cover 42 is positioned on one end of the wiring pattern 13 formed on the base 11 of the support member 10.

Next, as shown in FIG. 5C, the intermediate ring 30 is rotated to move the intermediate ring 30 toward the upper surface 11a of the base 11 of the support member 10. Then, the connector portion 41 is pressed and urged toward the upper surface portion 11a of the base portion 11 of the support member 10 by the intermediate ring 30. As a result, the distal end of the terminal pin 43 exposed to the outside from the lower surface 42a of the terminal cover 42 is pressed onto one end of the wiring pattern 13 formed on the base 11 of the support member 10, and both are securely connected. Will be connected.

By performing the above operation, the connector 41 provided at the distal end of the connection cable 40 connected to the external device is connected to the flange 26 of the lens holder 24 of the lens unit 20 and the base of the support member 10. 11 is pinched between the surface facing the upper surface 11a and the terminal pin 43 of the connector 41.
Is electrically connected to one end of a wiring pattern 13 formed on the base 11 of the support member 10, so that digital
Input / output of data in the still camera 1 is performed.

As described above, the digital still camera 1
If input and output of data in is performed, for example,
Since there is no need to provide a special mechanism, such as an input / output terminal hole for inserting a plug, which has been conventionally required for performing external input / output, the digital still camera 1 can be downsized. However, it is possible to input and output data appropriately. In addition, since the number of parts stores is reduced, manufacturing costs can be reduced.

Although the above has been a specific description of an example of the external input / output mechanism according to the present invention, the present invention is not limited to the above example, and the configuration of each unit may be changed according to the purpose or the like. You may make it change suitably. For example, in the above example, the intermediate ring 30 is screwed into the lens attachment portion 12 of the support member 10, and the intermediate ring 30 is rotated to rotate the intermediate ring 30 toward the upper surface 11 a of the base 11 of the support member 10. To move the connector portion 41 to the support member 1.
The base member 11 is pressed and urged toward the upper surface 11a side. However, as shown in FIG. 6, a spring member 50 is disposed between the flange 26 of the lens holder 24 and the intermediate ring 30. By the action of this spring member 50, the intermediate ring 30
May be urged toward the upper surface 11a side of the base 11 of the support member 10, and the connector portion 41 may be urged toward the upper surface 11a side of the base 11 of the support member 10.

The connector portion 41 may be pressed and urged toward the upper surface portion 11a of the base portion 11 of the support member 10 by the lens portion 20 or another member without providing the intermediate ring 30.

In the above, an example in which the external input / output mechanism according to the present invention is applied to a digital still camera has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to the above example. The present invention can be applied to any imaging device having an image capturing function, such as a video camera.

The external input / output mechanism according to the present invention is a mechanism for performing external input / output by using a member having a function different from the external input / output, such as the lens unit 20 and the support member 10. By effectively utilizing the device, external input / output can be appropriately performed without providing an input / output terminal hole or the like for inserting a plug, thereby realizing downsizing of an imaging device such as the digital still camera 1 or the like. Like that.

As an example of effectively using a member having a function different from that of the external input / output as a mechanism for performing the external input / output, for example, FIGS. 7 (a) and 7 (b)
As shown in FIG. 5, a wiring pattern 62 having one end connected to a land of the wiring board 60 is formed on a hinge 61 for rotatably supporting a component such as a liquid crystal panel with respect to the wiring board 60. When the hinge 61 is closed by rotating parts such as the like, the connector 64 provided at the distal end of the connection cable 63 is sandwiched in the hinge 61 and exposed from the connector 64 to the outside. Terminal section 65
Is connected to the other end of the wiring pattern 62 formed on the hinge portion 61.

Also in this example, a hinge portion 6 for rotatably supporting components such as a liquid crystal panel with respect to the exterior housing is provided.
By making effective use of 1, an input / output terminal hole or the like for inserting a plug becomes unnecessary, so that an imaging device such as the digital still camera 1 or the like can be downsized.

[0045]

According to the external input / output mechanism in the image pickup apparatus according to the present invention, a member having a function different from the external input / output such as a lens unit and a support member of the image pickup apparatus is used for the external input / output mechanism. Therefore, there is no need to provide the imaging device with a mechanism that has been conventionally required for performing external input / output, such as an input / output terminal hole for inserting a plug, for example. Therefore,
If this external input mechanism is applied, it is possible to reduce the size of the imaging device. In addition, if this external input mechanism is applied, the number of parts stores of the imaging device is reduced, so that the manufacturing cost of the imaging device can be reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which an external input / output mechanism according to the present invention is applied to a digital still camera.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing a main part of the digital still camera.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing a main part of the digital still camera.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a connector provided at a distal end of the connection cable.

5A and 5B are diagrams illustrating an operation of sandwiching the connector portion between a lens portion and a support member, wherein FIG. 5A secures a space for inserting the connector portion between an intermediate ring and a support member. (B) shows a state in which the connector portion is inserted into a space between the intermediate ring and the support member, and (c) presses and urges the connector portion toward the support member side by the intermediate ring. The state is shown.

FIG. 6 is a view showing another example in which the connector is pressed and urged toward the support member by the intermediate ring, and the connector is supported by the action of a spring member disposed between the lens and the intermediate ring. It is sectional drawing which shows the state which pressed and urged to the member side.

7A and 7B are diagrams showing an example in which a wiring pattern is formed on a hinge portion rotatably supporting a liquid crystal panel or the like and the hinge portion is effectively used for external input / output; FIG. (B) shows a state in which the hinge is closed and the connector is sandwiched in the hinge.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 digital still camera, 6 wiring board, 7
CCD imaging device, 10 support members, 11 base,
12 lens mounting part, 13 wiring pattern, 20
Lens part, 21, 22, 23 Lens, 24 Lens holder, 25 Projection, 30 Intermediate ring, 40
Connection cable, 41 connector part, 42 terminal cover, 43 terminal pin, 44, 45 gripping claw

Claims (3)

[Claims] A support member mounted on a wiring board on which the image pickup device is mounted, and a lens unit for forming an image of a subject on the image pickup device is supported by the support member, whereby the image pickup device is provided. In the imaging device in which the lens unit is provided above, an external input / output mechanism for inputting / outputting data to / from an external device, wherein one end of the support member has the one end A connector portion provided at a position facing the lens portion, a wiring pattern having the other end portion connected to a land portion formed on the wiring board, and a leading end portion of a cable connected to the external device; Is sandwiched between the lens portion and the support member, so that a terminal portion facing the outside from the connector portion is connected to one end of a wiring pattern provided on the support member. External input and output mechanism in the image pickup device and performing input and output of data to and from. 2. Between the lens portion and the support member,
2. The external input / output mechanism according to claim 1, further comprising a pressing member that presses and biases the connector portion sandwiched between them toward the support member. 3. An external device according to claim 1, wherein said connector portion is provided with a gripper for gripping said support member and for regulating a position of said connector portion with respect to said support member. I / O mechanism.