JP2009282068A - Lens assembly and imaging apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a lens assembly having structure enabling a user to confirm that an O-ring is correctly arranged at an O-ring arrangement part upon assembly, and having structure capable of preventing positional deviation of the O-ring after the assembly, and to provide an imaging apparatus equipped with the lens assembly. <P>SOLUTION: Recessed grooves 142A and 143A are provided so that the O-ring 15 arranged at the O-ring arrangement part 141 of a lens 14A arranged nearest to an object side can be visually confirmed from the outside after the assembly. A spacer 16 erected at the rear of the O-ring 15 and a periphery part of an imaging-side surface of the first lens 14A is attached and fixed by pouring an adhesive from the recessed grooves 142A and 143A. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a lens assembly including a plurality of lenses and a hollow portion, and a lens frame in which the plurality of lenses are inserted into the hollow portion, and an imaging apparatus including the lens assembly. .

  Recently, cameras have been deployed in automobiles. Many of such cameras use the fact that navigation systems are widespread and display screens are provided in the driver's seat, and display the state of a place where the driver is blind spot on the display screen.

  In such a vehicle-mounted camera, a strict waterproof performance is required because the lens located closest to the object side is exposed on the surface of the vehicle body. For this reason, in the lens assembly mounted on the vehicle-mounted camera, an O-ring is inserted between the outer peripheral surface of the lens located closest to the object side and the inner peripheral surface of the lens frame to In many cases, intrusion is prevented (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Here, when the O-ring is inserted into the lens frame as in Patent Document 1, for example, an image is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the first lens arranged on the most object side among the plurality of lenses. An O-ring arrangement part is formed on the side part, which is smaller in diameter than the objective part, and the O-ring is sandwiched between the O-ring arrangement part and the inner wall of the hollow part of the lens frame. Is inserted into the lens frame. For this reason, when the operator inserts the first lens together with the O-ring into the lens frame, the O-ring on the O-ring arrangement portion is inserted with a slight deviation from the O-ring arrangement portion. Things happen. If this happens, the desired waterproof performance cannot be obtained.
JP 2002-90603 A

  By the way, in an automobile, a car wash may be performed by a car wash machine. At this time, water is applied to the lens exposed on the surface of the vehicle body with a considerable pressure. For this reason, in some cases, the position of the O-ring after being correctly assembled due to the pressure may deviate from the O-ring arrangement portion, and the desired waterproof performance may not be obtained.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above circumstances, the present invention prevents a lens assembly having a structure capable of confirming that an O-ring is correctly placed in an O-ring placement portion during assembly, and prevents the O-ring from being displaced after assembly. It is an object of the present invention to provide a lens assembly having a structure capable of achieving the above and an imaging device including the lens assembly.

The first lens assembly of the present invention that achieves the above object comprises a plurality of lenses,
A lens frame having an objective-side opening and an imaging-side opening and formed with a hollow portion in which the plurality of lenses are inserted with the optical axes aligned,
Of the plurality of lenses, the first lens arranged closest to the object side is formed on the imaging side part of the outer peripheral surface of the first lens with a smaller diameter than the object side part. It has an O-ring arrangement part, and the O-ring arrangement part is arranged in a state where the O-ring is sandwiched between the O-ring arrangement part and the inner wall of the lens frame hollow part, It has a concave groove penetrating the objective-side surface of the first lens and the O-ring arrangement portion in the objective-side portion of the outer peripheral surface of the first lens.

  According to the first lens assembly of the present invention, it is possible to visually recognize the mounting state of the O-ring arranged in the O-ring arrangement portion through the concave groove from the outside. For this reason, the operator who is assembling the lens assembly can check the state of the O-ring arranged in the O-ring arrangement portion regardless of whether it is being assembled or not.

  Here, it is preferable that a portion of the O-ring viewed from the concave groove is bonded to the first lens with an adhesive.

  That is, when the operator inserts the O-ring into the lens frame together with the first lens, the operator confirms from the groove that the O-ring is correctly arranged in the O-ring arrangement portion. After that, the O-ring can be bonded and fixed to the O-ring arrangement portion by pouring an adhesive from the groove. For this reason, the lens assembly in which the O-ring is correctly arranged can be reliably assembled.

The second lens assembly of the present invention that achieves the above object is
Multiple lenses,
A lens frame having an objective-side opening and an imaging-side opening and formed with a hollow portion in which the plurality of lenses are inserted with the optical axes aligned,
Of the plurality of lenses, the first lens arranged closest to the object side is formed on the imaging side part of the outer peripheral surface of the first lens with a smaller diameter than the object side part. It has an O-ring arrangement part, and the O-ring arrangement part is arranged in a state where the O-ring is sandwiched between the O-ring arrangement part and the inner wall of the lens frame hollow part,
The first lens is provided with a spacer that is in contact with a peripheral portion of the image forming side surface of the first lens and has a spread to stand on the image forming side of the O-ring arranged in the O-ring arrangement portion.

  According to the second lens assembly of the present invention, when the lens assembly is mounted on an automobile and water pressure is applied to the lens assembly when the automobile is passing through the car wash, the spacer serves as a press plate. By acting to prevent the movement of the O-ring, positional deviation of the O-ring is prevented.

  For this reason, when this lens assembly is mounted in an automobile, a suitable waterproof performance can be obtained forever.

  Here, it is preferable that the spacer is bonded to a peripheral edge portion of the imaging side surface of the first lens.

The imaging device of the present invention that achieves the above object is
A lens assembly and an image sensor are provided.

  According to the imaging device, an imaging device that exhibits excellent waterproof performance is realized.

  As described above, it is possible to prevent the lens assembly having a structure capable of confirming that the O-ring is correctly arranged in the O-ring arrangement portion at the time of assembly and the positional deviation of the assembled O-ring. A lens assembly having a structure and an imaging apparatus including the lens assembly are realized.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described.

  First, in order to make the configuration of the present invention easier to understand, the configuration of the present invention will be described while showing the difference from the conventional configuration after describing the conventional configuration.

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view for explaining a configuration of a conventional lens assembly 1, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a cut surface of the lens assembly 1 of FIG.

  1 and 2, a hollow portion 100 having four lenses 11 to 14 and an objective-side opening and an imaging-side opening and into which the four lenses 11 to 14 are inserted with their optical axes aligned is formed. A lens assembly 1 with a lens frame 10 is shown.

  In FIG. 1, the outer peripheral edges of the lenses 11 to 14 are brought into contact with each other so that the optical axes are aligned in the lens frame 10 and the diameter of the lens 11 is increased toward the objective side. 14 to 14 and an example in which an O-ring 15 is arranged on the outer periphery of the lens 14 arranged on the most object side is shown.

  The lens 14 shown in FIG. 1 is provided with an O-ring arrangement portion 141 formed on the imaging side portion of the outer peripheral surface of the lens so as to have a smaller diameter than the objective side portion. In the portion 141, the O-ring 15 is arranged in a state of being sandwiched between the O-ring arrangement portion 141 and the inner wall of the hollow portion 100 of the lens frame 10.

  With the configuration as shown in FIG. 1, the O-ring 15 is mounted between the O-ring arrangement portion 141 on the lens outer peripheral surface of the lens 14 positioned closest to the object side and the inner peripheral surface of the hollow portion 100 of the lens frame 10. Thus, more excellent waterproof performance and dustproof performance can be obtained. The material of the O-ring 15 used in this example is ethylene / propylene rubber, silicon rubber or the like.

  Here, in the present embodiment, in order to achieve the above-mentioned problem, the lens 14 arranged on the most object side is provided with the concave grooves 142A and 143A, and the O-ring 15 is mounted from the outside when assembling. The configuration will be described.

  FIG. 3 is a view of a lens assembly 1A according to an embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the lens 14A side closest to the objective side. FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the lens assembly 1A of FIG. It is the perspective view which looked at the cut surface from diagonally upward side. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the cut surface of FIG.

  FIG. 3A shows the configuration of the lens 14 arranged on the most object side among a plurality of lenses included in the conventional lens assembly 1, and FIG. 3B shows the lens of this embodiment. A configuration of a lens 14A arranged on the most object side among a plurality of lenses included in the assembly 1A is shown. The lens 14A shown in FIG. 3B constitutes an example of the first lens referred to in the present invention.

  The first lens 14A shown in FIG. 3B is provided with concave grooves 142A and 143A in the objective side portion of the outer peripheral surface of the first lens 14A in addition to the configuration of FIG. ing. As shown in FIG. 4, these concave grooves 142 </ b> A and 143 </ b> A are concave grooves penetrating the objective-side surface of the first lens 14 </ b> A and the O-ring arrangement portion 141.

  When the concave grooves 142A and 143A are provided in this manner, the O-ring 15 is placed between the O-ring arrangement portion 141 and the inner wall of the hollow portion 100 of the lens frame 10 so as to assemble the lens assembly 1A shown in FIGS. After being inserted into the lens frame 10 in a state of being sandwiched between the two, it is possible to confirm whether or not the O-ring is correctly mounted by visually checking the mounting state of the O-ring 15 from the outside through the concave grooves 142A and 143A. If the O-ring is in a deviated state, the first lens 14 and the O-ring 15 can be once removed from the lens frame 10, and the O-ring 15 can be correctly attached and mounted again. Even after this remounting, the mounting state of the O-ring 15 can be visually confirmed through the concave grooves 142A and 143A to confirm whether the O-ring 15 is correctly mounted. When the operator recognizes that the wearer has correctly attached, the adhesive is poured from the concave grooves 142A and 143A, and the O-ring 15 is bonded and fixed to the first lens 14A and the inner wall of the hollow portion 100 of the lens frame 10. To do. At this time, the concave grooves 142A and 143A are filled with an adhesive and waterproofed. After the adhesive fixing, the front end of the lens frame is bent by heat caulking to hold the lens 14 and the assembly is completed.

  For this reason, the O-ring 15 is not attached to the lens frame 10 in a state of being displaced from the predetermined O-ring arrangement portion 141 when the lens assembly 1A is assembled.

  The lens frame 10 is formed of a black resin material in order to avoid internal reflection. Alternatively, the inner surface of the lens frame 10 may be processed to black. Also, the O-ring 15 is preferably black in order to avoid the influence of internal reflection. If there is no concave groove in the first lens 14, the lens frame 10 may be used when the O-ring 15 is viewed through the first lens 14 from the outside (object side) of the first lens 14. If both the inner surface and the O-ring 15 are formed in black, it is very difficult to determine whether the O-ring 15 is correctly mounted. Further, since the O-ring 15 is mounted on the outer peripheral portion of the first lens 14, it is difficult to visually recognize the O-ring 15 from the outside of the first lens 14.

  Next, the function of the spacer 16 provided to prevent the positional deviation of the O-ring 15 will be described in consideration that the lens assembly 1A shown in FIGS.

  As described above, when the lens assembly 1A shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 is mounted on an automobile, it may pass through the car wash machine, and therefore, a gap between the lens frame 10 and the lens 14 in which considerable water pressure is caulked. Sometimes added to the O-ring 15. For this reason, there is a risk that the O-ring 15 that has been correctly arranged in the O-ring arrangement portion 141 at the time of assembly will be displaced due to the water pressure.

  Therefore, the lens assembly 1 shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 is in contact with the peripheral edge of the imaging side surface of the first lens 14A and stands on the imaging side of the O-ring 15 arranged in the O-ring arrangement part 141. A spacer 16 having a spread to be provided is provided. The process for incorporating the spacer 16 is as follows. After the lenses 11 to 13 are mounted on the lens frame 10, the spacer 16 is mounted on the lens frame 10. Thereafter, the first lens 14 with the O-ring 15 attached is attached to the lens frame.

  The spacer 16 is attached to the periphery of the imaging side surface of the first lens 14 after the O-ring 15 is attached to the first lens 14A, and is incorporated in the lens frame 10 together with the first lens 14A. But you can.

  For this reason, while the lens assembly 1A is mounted on an automobile and the automobile is passing through the car wash, water pressure is applied from the first lens 14A side (the side in which the eye in FIG. 5 is illustrated) to the O-ring 15. When this is added, the spacer 16 acts as a presser plate, and the O-ring 15 is prevented from being displaced.

  As a result, the O-ring 15 will not be displaced even if the automobile on which the lens assembly 1A shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 is mounted passes through the car wash machine, and this lens assembly 1A is mounted on the automobile. When it is done, the waterproof performance at the beginning of assembly is maintained as it is.

  Finally, an example in which the lens assembly 1A is applied to a camera mounted on an automobile will be described.

  FIG. 6 is a view showing the camera unit 2 provided with the lens assembly 1A shown in FIGS.

  FIG. 6 shows a view in which the camera unit 2 is cut along the optical axis and the cut surface is viewed obliquely from above.

  A camera unit 2 shown in FIG. 6 includes the lens assembly 1A shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a camera body frame 20, and an image sensor 21. The image sensor 21 is mounted on a substrate 210 and is mounted on the camera body frame. 20 is bonded and fixed. Screw portions are respectively formed on the outer peripheral surface of the lens frame 10 and the inner peripheral surface of the camera body frame 20 of the lens assembly 1A shown in FIGS.

  When the camera unit 2 is assembled, the lens assembly 1A shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 is first inserted into the camera body frame 20 while being screwed, and then the lens assembly 1A is bonded and fixed to the camera body frame 20. At this time, by applying an adhesive to the outer peripheral edge of the lens frame 10 and the front end portion of the camera body frame 20, waterproofing is performed so that water does not enter the camera unit from the front end side. Further, a substrate 210 on which an image pickup device 21 such as a CCD solid-state image pickup device is mounted is bonded and fixed to the camera body frame 20. The lens assembly 1A shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 can be incorporated into the camera unit 2 by such a simple procedure.

  When the lens assembly 1A can be deployed in the camera unit 2 after confirming that the O-ring 15 is correctly disposed in the O-ring arrangement portion 141 during assembly in this way, the lens assembly is obtained. The desired waterproof performance can be exhibited at any time by the camera unit 2 incorporating 1A. In addition, even if water pressure is applied to the O-ring 15 due to a car wash or the like after the camera unit 2 is installed in an automobile, the spacer 16 prevents the O-ring 15 from being displaced and prevents a decrease in waterproof performance. By doing so, excellent waterproof performance is always exhibited.

It is a perspective view explaining the structure of the conventional lens assembly 1. FIG. It is sectional drawing which shows the cut surface of the lens assembly 1 of FIG. It is the figure which looked at 1A of lens assemblies used as one Embodiment of this invention from the lens 14A side most arrange | positioned at the objective side. It is the perspective view which cut | disconnected the lens assembly 1A of FIG. 3 in the center, and looked at the cut surface from diagonally upward. It is sectional drawing which shows the cut surface of FIG. It is a figure which shows the camera unit 2 provided with 1 A of lens assemblies shown in FIG. 4, FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 1A Lens assembly 10 Lens frame 100 Lens frame inner wall 11-14 14A Lens 141 O-ring arrangement | positioning part 142A 143A Concave groove 15 O-ring 16 Spacer 2 Camera unit 20 Camera main body frame 21 Imaging element

Claims (5)

Multiple lenses,
A lens frame having an objective side opening and an imaging side opening and having a hollow portion in which the plurality of lenses are inserted with the optical axes aligned, and
The first lens arranged closest to the object side among the plurality of lenses is formed in the image forming side portion of the first lens outer peripheral surface with a smaller diameter than the object side portion. An O-ring arrangement portion, wherein the O-ring arrangement portion is arranged in a state where the O-ring is sandwiched between the O-ring arrangement portion and the inner wall of the lens frame hollow portion; A lens set comprising a concave groove penetrating the objective side surface of the first lens and the O-ring arrangement portion in a portion on the objective side of the outer peripheral surface of the first lens. Solid.   The lens assembly according to claim 1, wherein a portion of the O-ring viewed from the concave groove is bonded to the first lens with an adhesive. Multiple lenses,
A lens frame having an objective side opening and an imaging side opening and having a hollow portion in which the plurality of lenses are inserted with the optical axes aligned, and
The first lens arranged closest to the object side among the plurality of lenses is formed in the image forming side portion of the first lens outer peripheral surface with a smaller diameter than the object side portion. An O-ring arrangement portion, wherein the O-ring arrangement portion is arranged in a state where the O-ring is sandwiched between the O-ring arrangement portion and the inner wall of the lens frame hollow portion;
A lens assembly comprising: a spacer that is in contact with a peripheral portion of the imaging side surface of the first lens and has a spread that stands on the imaging side of the O-ring disposed in the O-ring arrangement portion. .   4. The lens assembly according to claim 3, wherein the spacer is bonded to a peripheral edge portion of the imaging side surface of the first lens.   An imaging apparatus comprising: the lens assembly according to claim 1; and an imaging element.

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