JP2007097074A - Cleaning apparatus for image pickup element - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a cleaning apparatus for surely removing any foreign matter stuck to the surface of an image pickup element without having any adverse influence on the surface of the image pickup element. <P>SOLUTION: A cleaning apparatus 10 includes a roller 12 having velocity and a support member 14. The cleaning tool 10 is used for cleaning a light receiving face 30S of a CCD 30 installed in a single-lens reflex camera 40. A pair of ear shafts 16 are installed on a side face 14S of the supporting member 14. While the ear shafts 16 are engaged with a guide groove 44 of the single-lens reflex camera 40, the roller 12 is rotated so that a roller side face 12S can be brought into contact with a CCD light receiving face 30S, and that any foreign matter on the CCD light receiving face 30S can be removed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a cleaning tool, and more particularly, to a cleaning tool that removes foreign matter adhering to an image pickup element or the like of a lens-interchangeable digital camera.

  In recent years, interchangeable lens digital cameras are becoming popular. In the interchangeable lens digital camera, foreign matter such as dust mixed by lens replacement may adhere to the surface of the built-in image sensor. An apparatus that removes foreign matter from the surface of the image sensor is known in order to prevent deterioration in image quality due to foreign matter adhering to the image sensor.

Among such devices, an adhesive planar member is brought into contact with the surface of the image sensor or the surface of an infrared cut filter or optical low-pass filter disposed in front of the image sensor with an appropriate contact pressure. There is known a method in which a foreign substance is attached to a member and removed from the surface of the image sensor (for example, Patent Document 1).
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2004-326095 (see paragraphs [0074] to [0085], FIGS. 9 to 11 etc.)

  When a flat member having adhesiveness is brought into contact with the surface of the image sensor or the light receiving surface of an optical filter disposed immediately before the image sensor and separated to remove foreign matter, the foreign matter attached to the adhesive member is removed from the image sensor. There is a risk that the light receiving surface or the like of the optical filter is rubbed and damaged, or due to deformation of the adhesive member, the foreign matter is peeled off from the adhesive member and finally remains on the surface of the image sensor, and the foreign matter cannot be removed. .

  An object of the present invention is to provide a cleaning tool that reliably removes foreign matter adhering to an imaging element surface or the like without adversely affecting the imaging element surface or the like.

  The cleaning tool of the present invention includes a roller formed of an elastic body having adhesiveness and a support member that rotatably supports the roller, and operates the support member to bring the roller into contact with the surface to be cleaned of the image sensor. The foreign matter on the surface to be cleaned is removed from the surface to be cleaned by adhering to the roller by rotating while rotating.

  The roller is preferably elastically deformable so that it can contact the end of the surface to be cleaned in a state where the entire region of the roller is on the surface to be cleaned.

  The image sensor is preferably provided, for example, in a digital camera, and the support member preferably includes an engagement portion for engaging the digital camera so that the roller can be rotated by operation of the support member. In this case, it is more preferable that the pair of engaging portions is arranged along the width direction of the roller.

  The length of the outer periphery of the roller is preferably equal to the length of the surface to be cleaned in the direction of rotating the roller. The width of the roller is preferably substantially equal to the length of the surface to be cleaned in the direction perpendicular to the direction in which the roller rotates.

  The digital camera of the present invention is a digital camera in which the above-described cleaning tool is used, and is characterized in that a guide part for engaging the engaging part of the cleaning tool is formed. The engaging portion is preferably a pair of protrusions protruding in directions opposite to each other in parallel to the central axis of the roller, and the guide portion is preferably a groove formed along a direction perpendicular to the surface to be cleaned.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the cleaning instrument which removes reliably the foreign material adhering to the image pick-up element surface etc., without having a bad influence on the image pick-up element surface etc. is realizable.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a cleaning tool in the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a front view showing the cleaning tool attached to the digital camera together with the digital camera.

  The cleaning device 10 is used to remove foreign matter such as dust adhering to the light-receiving surface of the image pickup device such as the CCD 30 shown in the figure, a low-pass filter, and a protection filter (not shown) and clean the image pickup device and the like. Is done. The cleaning tool 10 includes a rubber roller 12 having adhesiveness and a support member 14 that rotatably supports the roller 12.

  When the roller 12 rotates while being in contact with the light receiving surface 30S of the CCD 30 to be cleaned by holding and operating the support member 14, foreign matters such as dust adhering to the CCD light receiving surface 30S are removed from the side surface of the roller 12. It adheres to 12S. As described above, the cleaning tool 10 can remove foreign matters on the surface to be cleaned such as the CCD light receiving surface 30S. In addition, since the foreign material adhering to roller side surface 12S is removed from roller side surface 12S by a well-known method, roller 12 can be used repeatedly.

  A pair of ear shafts 16 (engaging portions) are provided on the side surface 14S of the support member 14. As will be described later, the ear shaft 16 is for engaging the support member 14 with a digital camera (not shown) provided with the CCD 30. The pair of ear shafts 16 is larger than the width 12W of the roller 12 so as to protrude in the opposite direction from the side surface 14S of the support member 14 along the width direction of the roller 12, that is, the direction parallel to the central axis of the roller 12. Arranged at long intervals.

  In the cleaning tool 10, when the roller 12 is rotated once or less than one rotation in order to remove the foreign matter quickly and efficiently, the roller side surface 12S contacts the entire area of the CCD light receiving surface 30S. It is preferable to do. This is because, when the roller 12 is rotated on the CCD light receiving surface 30S over one rotation or more, the foreign matter is further attached to the region where the foreign matter has been once attached on the roller side surface 12S. It is because it is not removed.

  Here, since the CCD 30 to be cleaned has a rectangular shape, the width 12W of the roller 12 is made equal to the length of the short side 30A of the outline of the CCD 30, and the length of the outer periphery of the roller 12, that is, The cleaning tool 10 is designed so that the length obtained by multiplying the diameter 12D of the roller 12 by the circumference ratio is equal to the length of the long side 30B of the outline of the CCD 30. For this reason, when the roller 12 rotates once so that the roller end surface 12A substantially contacts the long side 30B of the contour of the CCD 30, the roller side surface 12S can contact all the areas of the CCD light receiving surface 30S.

  Even when the diameter 12D of the roller 12 is longer and the outer circumference of the roller 12 is longer than the long side 30B of the outline of the CCD 30, the roller side surface 12S contacts the entire surface of the CCD light receiving surface 30S by a rotation less than one rotation. Could be possible. However, when the diameter 12D of the roller 12 is unnecessarily long, cleaning at the end of the CCD light receiving surface 30S becomes difficult as will be described later, and there is a possibility that foreign matter cannot be removed efficiently.

  Even when the width 12W of the roller 12 is equal to the long side 30B of the CCD 30 and the outer circumference of the roller 12 is equal to the short side 30B of the CCD 30, the entire surface of the CCD light receiving surface 30S can be obtained by rotating the roller 12 once. Although the roller 12 is brought into contact with the roller side surface 12S and efficient cleaning is possible, the width 12W of the roller 12 is longer than that of the present embodiment, so that the support member 14 needs to be enlarged.

  Further, as is clear from the above, even when the cleaning tool 10 targets a surface to be cleaned that is not rectangular, the length of the outer periphery of the roller 12 is the length of the surface to be cleaned in the direction in which the roller 12 rotates. The cleaning implement 10 is designed such that it is equal in length and the width of the roller 12 is equal to the length of the surface to be cleaned in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the roller 12 rotates. As a result, the entire surface to be cleaned can be efficiently cleaned by rotating the roller 12 once. The roller 12 may be designed such that the diameter 12D and the width 12W are longer as long as the roller 12 is within a range where cleaning is possible at the end of the CCD light receiving surface 30S.

  The CCD 30 is provided in the digital single-lens reflex camera 40 (see FIG. 2). A guide groove 44 for engaging the ear shaft 16 is formed in the vicinity of the lens mount 42 of the digital single-lens reflex camera 40. The guide groove 44 is attached to the lens mount 42 and extends along a direction parallel to the optical axis of a used photographing lens (not shown), that is, a direction perpendicular to the CCD light receiving surface 30S. The width 44W is slightly longer than and substantially equal to the width of the ear shaft 16.

  Therefore, by operating the support member 14 while engaging the pair of ear shafts 16 with the guide grooves 44, the roller 12 can always be rotated along a direction parallel to the long side 30B of the contour of the CCD 30. In the CCD light receiving surface 30S, a region where the roller side surface 12S does not contact is reliably prevented.

  The foreign matter to be removed is a relatively hard foreign matter because it is separated from the CCD light receiving surface 30S when attached to the roller side surface 12S and does not move in the direction along the CCD light receiving surface 30S while being in contact with the CCD light receiving surface 30S. However, the CCD light receiving surface 30S is prevented from being damaged.

  FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the roller in an elastically deformed state. FIG. 4 is a side sectional view showing the cleaning tool 10 in a state where it is used for cleaning the CCD light receiving surface 30S.

When the roller 12 is pressed against the CCD light receiving surface 30S via the support member 14, elastic deformation occurs. Therefore, in a state where all the regions of the roller 12 are on the CCD light receiving surface 30S, that is, at the end of the roller side surface 12S, the plane parallel to the CCD light receiving surface 30S through the central axis 12C of the roller 12 end 12E in contact with the S ₁ is in substantially in contact state short sides 30A to extension surface _{S 2} which is formed to extend in a direction perpendicular to the CCD light-receiving surface 30S of the CCD 30, the roller side 12S is the short side 30A near It is possible to contact the end of the CCD light receiving surface 30S (see FIGS. 3 and 4).

  Accordingly, when various members are arranged around the CCD 30 and a three-dimensional obstacle in cleaning the CCD light receiving surface 30S is large, if a roller having a too long diameter or a roller that cannot be elastically deformed is used, In the present embodiment, it is difficult to effectively remove foreign matter at the end of the cleaning surface. In the present embodiment, the roller 12 having appropriate elasticity is deformed without protruding outside the CCD 30, so that the CCD light receiving surface 30S is almost the same. All areas can be easily cleaned.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to reliably remove foreign matter attached to the entire area of the CCD light receiving surface 30S and the like by a simple operation of rotating the roller 12 having adhesiveness and appropriate elasticity once. it can. Further, since the removed foreign matter is prevented from coming into contact with the CCD light receiving surface 30S or the like again or rubbing against the CCD light receiving surface 30S or the like, the surface to be cleaned is not adversely affected.

  The shape, material, and the like of the cleaning tool 10 are not limited to this embodiment. For example, the material of the roller 12 is not limited to rubber as long as it has appropriate adhesiveness and elasticity. Moreover, although it is preferable that the support member 14 is provided with the ear shaft 16 so that the roller 12 rotates along a predetermined direction, it may not be provided. The cleaning tool 10 can be used for an image sensor of a digital single-lens reflex camera having an adaptable size and no guide groove 44 formed therein.

  The cleaning tool 10 may be provided in the digital single-lens reflex camera 40, and the object to be cleaned is not limited to the image pickup device such as the CCD 30, and may be, for example, an LPF, a protective glass, or the like.

It is a perspective view which shows the cleaning instrument in this embodiment. It is a front view which shows the cleaning instrument of the state attached to the digital camera with a digital camera. It is a perspective view which shows the roller of the state elastically deformed. It is a sectional side view which shows the cleaning instrument of the state currently used for cleaning of a CCD light-receiving surface.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Cleaning implement 12 Roller 14 Support member 16 Ear axis (engagement part)
30 CCD (imaging device)
30S CCD light receiving surface (surface to be cleaned)
40 Digital SLR camera (digital camera)
44 Guide groove (guide part)

Claims (8)

A roller formed of an elastic body having adhesiveness;
A support member for rotatably supporting the roller;
By operating the support member and rotating the roller in contact with the surface to be cleaned of the image sensor, the foreign matter on the surface to be cleaned is attached to the roller and removed from the surface to be cleaned. A cleaning device for an image sensor.   2. The roller according to claim 1, wherein the roller is elastically deformed so that the roller can contact an end portion of the surface to be cleaned in a state where the entire region of the roller is on the surface to be cleaned. Cleaning device for image sensor.   The image sensor is provided in a digital camera, and the support member includes an engaging portion for engaging with the digital camera so that the roller can be rotated by operation of the support member. The cleaning device for an image sensor according to claim 1.   The cleaning device for an image sensor according to claim 3, wherein the pair of engaging portions are arranged along a width direction of the roller.   2. The cleaning device for an image sensor according to claim 1, wherein a length of an outer periphery of the roller is substantially equal to a length of the surface to be cleaned in a direction in which the roller is rotated.   2. The imaging device cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein a width of the roller is substantially equal to a length of the surface to be cleaned in a direction perpendicular to a direction in which the roller is rotated.   4. A digital camera in which the cleaning tool according to claim 3 is used, wherein a guide part for engaging the engaging part is formed.   The engaging portion is a pair of protrusions protruding in directions opposite to each other in parallel to the central axis of the roller, and the guide portion is a groove formed along a direction perpendicular to the surface to be cleaned. The digital camera according to claim 7.

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