JP2006251228A - Compound eye photographing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily adjust the optical axis of a photographing optical system constituting a compound eye photographing apparatus. <P>SOLUTION: A pair of optical units 4 and 5 are assembled in the compound eye photographing apparatus 2. The optical unit 4 has a two-group, two-lens configuration of a first lens 6 and a second lens 15. A optical axis adjusting mechanism 12 is composed of a first movable plate 21 which is attached to a lens-barrel 10 so as to be freely moved in a horizontal direction and a second movable plate 22 which is attached to the first movable plate 21 so as to be freely moved in a vertical direction. The second lens 15 is attached to the second movable plate 22 and moved up and down and right and left, so that the optical axis of the optical unit 4 is directed to up and down and right and left direction. The optical unit 5 has the same configuration as that of the optical unit 4. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

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 considering unevenness of the subject based on the depth information.

In the compound eye photographing apparatus as described above, it is necessary to accurately adjust the optical axes of the plurality of photographing optical systems. In the in-vehicle distance detection device described in Patent Document 1, two video cameras each consisting of a lens and a photographing element (image sensor) are connected by a holding member, and one video camera is fixed while the other video camera is fixed. The other video camera is loosened and adjusted so that its optical axis is parallel to the optical axis of one video camera, and then the screw is tightened to fix.
JP-A-5-157557

  By the way, there is a problem that fine adjustment is difficult in the method of adjusting the optical axis by moving the video camera itself as described above. There is also a problem that the apparatus becomes large in order to adjust the orientation of the video camera itself.

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 optical axis of two optical systems with high accuracy with a simple configuration.

  In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, at least one of the plurality of photographing optical systems holds a part of the plurality of lenses and is orthogonal to the optical axis thereof. An optical axis adjustment mechanism that is attached to the lens barrel of the photographing lens so as to be movable in the direction and adjusts the direction of the optical axis of the photographing optical system by moving in the direction orthogonal to the optical axis of the part of the lenses. Is.

  The optical axis adjusting mechanism is attached to the lens barrel and is movable in a first direction orthogonal to the optical axis of some lenses, and is attached to the first moving member. It is preferable to include a second moving member that is movable in a second direction orthogonal to the optical axis of the first lens and orthogonal to the first direction and holds the part of the lenses.

  The optical axis adjusting mechanism is attached to the lens barrel and formed on the first cam member rotated from the outside and the first moving member so as to sandwich the cam surface of the second cam member from the first direction. A first abutting surface that abuts and moves the first moving member in a first direction by rotation of the first cam member; a second cam member attached to the first moving member and rotated from the outside; , Formed on the second moving member, abutting so as to sandwich the cam surface of the second cam member from the second direction, and moving the second moving member in the second direction by rotation of the second cam member It is preferable to provide a second contact surface.

  According to the present invention, a part of the plurality of photographing lenses constituting the at least one photographing optical system among the plurality of photographing optical systems can be moved in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis, Since the direction of the optical axis of the photographic optical system is adjusted by moving the lens in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis, the optical axis of each photographic optical system can be easily adjusted with high accuracy using a simple mechanism. can do.

  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 includes a pair of optical units 4 and 5 (see FIG. 2) between the front cover 3a and the rear cover 3b. Two openings 6 are formed in the front surface of the front cover 3a at a predetermined interval in the horizontal (left-right) direction, and the first lens 8 of the optical unit 4 is provided from one opening 6 to the other opening. 6, the first lens 8 of the optical unit 5 is exposed.

  FIG. 2 shows the back side of the apparatus main body 3 with the rear cover 3b removed. Optical units 4 and 5 are assembled on the inner surface of the front cover 3a, and the optical units 4 and 5 each shoot, thereby shooting a subject image with parallax.

  FIG. 3 shows the configuration of the optical unit 4 as a photographing optical system. The optical unit 4 includes a lens barrel 10, a photographing lens 11, an optical axis adjustment mechanism 12, an image sensor 13, and the like. The photographing lens 10 has a two-group / two-lens configuration, and includes the first lens 6 and the second lens 15 described above. The first lens 6 is fixed to the front end of the lens barrel 10. The second lens 15 is held by the optical axis adjusting mechanism 12 and assembled to the rear end of the lens barrel 10. By moving the second lens 15 in the X direction (vertical direction) and the Y direction (horizontal direction) orthogonal to the optical axis by the optical axis adjusting mechanism 12, the optical axis P of the entire optical unit 4 is moved in the vertical direction. , Shake horizontally, so-called tilt and pan to adjust the optical axis.

  Note that the photographing lens 11 is not limited to a two-group two-lens configuration, and various lens configurations including a plurality of lenses can be employed. In this example, the second lens 15 is moved. However, it is only necessary to move some of the plurality of lenses that have an adjustment effect, and a plurality of lenses may be moved. Furthermore, a correction lens for adjusting the optical axis may be separately provided and moved.

  A mounting surface 16 is formed at the rear end of the lens barrel, and the optical axis adjusting mechanism 12 is assembled thereto. The optical axis adjusting mechanism 12 includes a first moving plate 21, a second moving plate 22, a first cam 23, a second cam 24, and the like. The first moving plate 21 has a plate size smaller than the mounting surface 16, and the first moving plate 21 is provided with a pair of guide holes 21 a elongated in the horizontal direction. The first moving plate 21 is mounted so as to be movable in the vertical direction by inserting screws 25 through the pair of guide holes 21a and screwing the screws 25 into the screw holes of the mounting surface 16, respectively. Further, an opening 27 is formed in the first moving plate 21, and the first cam 23 is disposed in the opening 27.

  The second moving plate 22 is provided with a pair of guide holes 22a elongated in the vertical direction, screws 28 are inserted through them, and these screws 28 are screwed into the screw holes of the first moving plate 21, It is attached to the first moving plate 21 so as to be movable in the horizontal direction. An opening 29 is formed in the second moving plate 22, and a second cam 24 is disposed in the opening 29. The second lens 15 is held on the second moving plate 22, and the second lens 15 moves together with the second moving plate 22.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the first cam 23 is an eccentric cam and is attached to the attachment surface 16 by a shaft 31 and can be rotated by engaging a driver with a groove provided on the head thereof. . The opening 27 provided in the first moving plate 21 contacts the cam surface 23a of the first cam 23 so that the inner surface 27a opposed to the Y direction is sandwiched from the Y direction. When the first cam 23 is rotated, the inner surface 27a is pressed by the cam surface 23a, whereby the first moving plate 27 moves in the Y direction, that is, in the horizontal direction, and when the first cam 23 rotates once, the first movement is performed. The plate 221 reciprocates.

  Similar to the first cam, the second cam 24 is an eccentric cam as shown in FIG. The second cam 24 is rotatably attached to the first moving plate 21 and can be rotated by engaging a driver with a groove provided in the head thereof. The opening 29 provided in the second moving plate 22 contacts the cam surface 24a of the second cam 24 so that the inner surface 28a facing the X direction is sandwiched from the X direction. Accordingly, when the second cam 24 is rotated, the second moving plate 22 is moved in the X direction, that is, in the vertical direction, and when the first cam 24 is rotated once, the second moving plate 22 is reciprocated.

  By configuring the optical axis adjusting mechanism 12 described above, the first lens 23 can be moved in the horizontal direction by moving the first and second moving plates 21 by rotating the first cam 23, and By the rotation of the second cam 19, the second moving plate 22 can be moved to move the second lens 14 in the vertical direction. The movement of the second lens 14 adjusts the optical axis direction of the optical unit 4.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the mounting surface 16 and the first moving plate 21 are provided with openings 33 and 34, and light transmitted through the first lens 6 through these openings 33 and 34 reaches the second lens 15. Incident. The sizes of the openings 33 and 34 are determined in consideration of the movable range of the second lens 15.

  A base member 35 is attached to the rear end of the lens barrel 10 so as to cover the optical axis adjusting mechanism 11. The base member 35 has a plate-like donut shape, and a sensor substrate 36 is attached to the center portion thereof. The image sensor 13 is mounted on the sensor substrate 36, and the image sensor 13 is disposed behind the second lens 15. The image sensor 13 converts a subject image formed by the first lens 6 and the second lens 15 into an electrical signal and performs predetermined signal processing via a flexible circuit board 37 (not shown). Send to As the image sensor 33, a CCD image sensor, a MOS image sensor, or the like can be used.

  The base member 35 is provided with adjustment holes 35a and 35b at positions facing the cams 23 and 24, respectively. By inserting a driver into each of the holes 35a and 35b and rotating the first cam 23 and the second cam 24, the optical axis of the optical unit 4 can be adjusted after the image sensor 13 is assembled. After completion of the optical axis adjustment, the position of the second lens 15 is fixed by, for example, dropping an adhesive into each of the holes 19 to each of the cams 23 and 24, and then the holes 35a. 35b is closed with a lid.

  Since the configuration of the optical unit 5 is the same as that of the optical unit 4, the description thereof is omitted, and in the following description, the same members are denoted by the same reference numerals.

  Next, the operation of the above configuration will be described. After assembling each of the optical units 4 and 5 on the back inner surface of the front cover 3a, it is sent to the adjustment process. In the adjustment process, the flexible circuit boards 37 of the optical units 4 and 5 are connected to the inspection apparatus. The inspection apparatus drives each image sensor 13 through the flexible circuit board 37 and, based on the imaging signal output through the flexible circuit board 37, captures the subject image captured by each image sensor 13. Display each on the monitor.

  While the adjuster observes a predetermined test chart photographed by each of the optical units 4 and 5 on the monitor, first, for example, the optical axis of the optical unit 4, for example, the mounting position, mounting posture, or use of the compound eye photographing device 2 Adjustment is made in a predetermined direction based on the distance of the subject at the time.

  In this adjustment, when the optical axis of the optical unit 4 is swung in the left-right direction, a driver is inserted into the adjustment hole 35 b at the rear end of the optical unit 4 to rotate the first cam 23. When the first cam 23 is rotated, the first moving plate 21 slides in the horizontal direction according to the rotation amount and the rotation direction. Since the second moving plate 22 is attached to the first moving plate 21, as a result, the second lens 15 moves in the horizontal direction, and the optical axis P of the optical unit 4 is swung left and right.

  On the other hand, when the optical axis of the optical unit 4 is swung in the vertical direction, a driver is inserted into the hole 35b at the rear end of the optical unit 4 and the second cam 24 is rotated. When the second cam 24 is rotated, the second moving plate 22 moves in the vertical direction, and accordingly, the second lens 15 moves in the vertical direction, and as a result, the optical axis P of the optical unit 4 is shaken in the vertical direction. .

  After adjusting the optical unit 4 as described above, the other optical unit 5 is adjusted in the same manner. The adjustment can be made so that the optical axes P of the optical units 4 and 5 are parallel, or can be adjusted so that the optical axes P intersect each other at a predetermined distance.

  After the optical axis adjustment of each optical unit 4 and 5 is completed, for example, an adhesive or the like is dropped from the adjustment holes 35a and 35b to fix the first cam 23 and the second cam 24, respectively. As a result, the movable plates 21 and 22 do not move, and the position of the second lens 15 is fixed. Thereafter, the adjustment holes 35a and 35b are closed by the lid, and the rear cover 3b is assembled to complete the compound eye photographing apparatus 2.

  As described above, the optical axis of the compound eye photographing apparatus is adjusted. However, the optical axis can be easily adjusted only by rotating each cam. Further, the optical axis adjustment mechanism 12 can have a simple configuration and can be adjusted with high accuracy.

  FIG. 6 shows an example of a compound eye photographing apparatus in which one optical axis is fixed. In addition, except being demonstrated below, it is the same as the said embodiment, The same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the substantially same structural member, and the description is abbreviate | omitted.

  In the compound eye photographing apparatus 50, the optical unit 4 is assembled to one of the pair of optical units, and the optical unit 51 is assembled to the other. The optical unit 51 does not have an optical axis adjustment mechanism, and the position of the second lens is fixed with respect to the lens barrel. Other configurations are the same as those of the optical unit 4.

  When performing the optical axis adjustment of the compound eye photographing device 50, only the optical axis adjustment of the optical unit 4 is performed based on the optical axis of the optical unit 51. In this way, the optical unit 51 can reduce the number of parts by the amount that there is no optical axis adjustment mechanism. Further, since the optical axis adjustment is performed only on one of the optical units, the adjustment work becomes easy. In addition, as each optical unit, what is provided with an optical axis adjustment mechanism is used, and one side is good also as no adjustment. Further, the number of optical units of the compound eye photographing apparatus may be three or more.

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 explanatory drawing which shows the movement of the 1st movement board by rotation of a 1st cam. It is explanatory drawing which shows the movement of the 2nd movement board by rotation of a 2nd cam. An example in which the optical axis of one optical unit is fixed is shown.

Explanation of symbols

2,50 Compound eye photographing device 4,5,51 Optical unit 10 Lens barrel 11 Shooting lens 12 Optical axis adjusting mechanism 13 Image sensor 21, 22 Moving plate 23, 23 Cam

Claims (3)

Compound eye photography comprising a plurality of photographing optical systems each having a photographing lens composed of a plurality of lenses and an image sensor on which a subject image is formed on a light receiving surface by the photographing lenses, and the photographing optical systems are arranged at predetermined intervals. In the device
At least one photographing optical system of the plurality of photographing optical systems holds a part of the plurality of lenses and is movable in a direction orthogonal to the optical axis of the photographing lens barrel. A compound eye photographing apparatus comprising: an optical axis adjusting mechanism which is attached and adjusts the direction of the optical axis of the photographing optical system by moving the partial lens in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis.   The optical axis adjustment mechanism is attached to the lens barrel, and is attached to the first moving member, the first moving member being movable in a first direction orthogonal to the optical axis of the part of the lenses, And a second moving member that is movable in a second direction perpendicular to the optical axis of the lens in the first part and perpendicular to the first direction, and holds the partial lens. Item 2. A compound eye photographing apparatus according to Item 1. The optical axis adjusting mechanism is formed on the first cam member attached to the lens barrel and rotated from the outside and the first moving member, and sandwiches the cam surface of the second cam member from the first direction. A first abutting surface that moves the first moving member in a first direction by rotation of the first cam member, and a second cam member attached to the first moving member and rotated from the outside Formed on the second moving member, abuts against the cam surface of the second cam member from the second direction, and moves the second moving member in the second direction by the rotation of the second cam member. The compound eye photographing apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a second abutting surface.

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