JP2012237949A - Imaging apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an imaging apparatus including pan-rotatable camera unit capable of maintaining electronic components within an appropriate temperature range without providing a fan or a heater to the apparatus, or without increasing the size of the apparatus.SOLUTION: An imaging apparatus includes: an external housing; a camera unit 4; a main unit 6 that supports the camera unit 4 in a pan-rotatable manner; an electronic board 7 fixed to the main unit 6; electronic components 8 mounted on the bottom face side of the electronic board 7; a space formed between the electronic components 8 and the bottom face; and a metal disc 9 provided in the space, and moves to a b-position where the electronic components 8 are thermally isolated from the external housing when the temperature of a dome camera 100 is equal to or lower than a predetermined temperature, and moves to an a-position where the electronic component 8 is brought into thermal contact with the external housing when the temperature of the dome camera 100 is higher than the predetermined temperature.

Description

  The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus, and more particularly to an imaging apparatus including a camera unit that can rotate in the pan direction.

  Conventionally, since surveillance cameras are installed in various environments, it has been necessary to cope with a wide range of environmental temperatures. However, when a conventional surveillance camera is installed in a low temperature environment (especially in an environment where the environmental temperature is −10 ° C. or lower), the temperature inside the surveillance camera may be excessively lowered.

  Here, such a conventional surveillance camera will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. FIG. 6 is an external perspective view of a surveillance camera having a dome. In FIG. 6, reference numeral 1001 denotes a transparent dome, which is formed in a hemispherical shape. Reference numeral 1002 denotes an upper case, and reference numeral 1003 denotes a lower case.

  Next, FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional surveillance camera. In FIG. 7, reference numeral 1004 denotes a camera unit provided inside a conventional surveillance camera, and images the outside from the inside of the dome 1001. Reference numeral 1005 denotes a support unit that supports the camera unit 1004 so as to be tiltable. Reference numeral 1006 denotes a main unit in which an electronic substrate 1007 is fixed.

  Two electronic components 1008 that are heat generators are mounted on the electronic substrate 1007. The lower case 1003 is provided with two protrusions 1009 made of a heat conductive sheet, and each of the two protrusions 1009 is provided so as to come into contact with the electronic component 1008.

  Thus, in the conventional surveillance camera, the heat of the electronic component 1008 is radiated to the outside of the surveillance camera through the contact portion where the protrusion 1009 and the electronic component 1008 are in contact, so that the environmental temperature is 0 ° C. to 50 ° C. If so, the temperature inside the surveillance camera could be kept at an appropriate temperature.

  However, when the conventional surveillance camera is installed in an extremely low temperature environment of −10 ° C. or lower, if the heat of the electronic component 1008 is radiated to the outside of the surveillance camera via the contact portion, the temperature inside the surveillance camera is increased. Sometimes dropped too much. As a result, the electronic component 1008 and the mechanical mechanism may not be able to operate normally.

  For this reason, in recent years, a surveillance camera having a dome and a video camera capable of panning and tilting rotation and equipped with a heater and a fan has been proposed (Patent Document 1).

JP 2009-135723 A

  However, adding equipment such as a heater and a fan like the surveillance camera of Patent Document 1 is disadvantageous in terms of power saving, downsizing, and cost of the apparatus.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above points. In other words, the imaging apparatus includes a camera unit that can rotate the pan, and the temperature of the electronic component can be maintained in an appropriate range without providing a fan or a heater in the apparatus and without increasing the size of the apparatus. An imaging apparatus is provided.

  In order to achieve the above object, an imaging apparatus of the present invention is provided with an exterior casing, a camera unit that captures an image of a subject and generates an imaging signal, and is provided inside the exterior casing. A pan base that is rotatably supported, an electronic substrate fixed to the pan base and fixed along the bottom surface of the exterior housing, and an electronic component mounted on the bottom surface side of the electronic substrate. An imaging apparatus comprising: a gap formed between the electronic component and a bottom surface of the exterior housing; and heat conduction means provided in the gap, wherein the temperature of the imaging apparatus is a predetermined temperature. In the case where the temperature is below, the electronic component is moved to a first position where the exterior casing is thermally separated, and when the temperature of the imaging device is not lower than the predetermined temperature, The outer casing is in thermal contact with And heat conducting means which moves to the second position, and having a.

  According to the present invention, there is provided an imaging device including a camera unit capable of pan rotation, and the temperature of the electronic component is set within an appropriate range without providing a fan or a heater in the device and without increasing the size of the device. An imaging device that can be maintained can be provided.

It is sectional drawing of the dome camera 100 in the thermal radiation mode which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing of the dome camera 100 in the thermal storage mode based on embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view for demonstrating rotation operation of the metal disk 9 based on embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the structure for switching between the thermal storage mode and heat dissipation mode based on embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the control processing for switching between the thermal storage mode and heat dissipation mode based on embodiment of this invention. It is an external appearance perspective view of the conventional surveillance camera. It is sectional drawing of the conventional surveillance camera.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a dome camera 100 as an image pickup apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. More specifically, FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the dome camera 100 in a heat dissipation mode to be described later.

  In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a transparent or translucent plastic dome, which is formed in a hemispherical shape. Reference numeral 2 denotes an upper case, which is an exterior part made of metal, more specifically, an aluminum alloy, for example, in order to improve impact resistance.

  Reference numeral 3 denotes a lower case having high thermal conductivity, which is an exterior part to which a metal disk 9 and the like to be described later are attached. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the upper case 2 and the lower case 3 constitute an exterior housing.

  Note that a lower surface 3a (outer surface) of the lower case 3 is provided with a mounting structure for an installation place (installation surface) such as a ceiling. Therefore, the lower surface 3a in the present embodiment is a surface facing the installation surface.

  A camera unit 4 is installed inside the dome camera 100. The camera unit 4 includes a lens (not shown), an image sensor (not shown), and the like, and images the outside (subject) from the inside of the dome 1 to generate an image signal. Reference numeral 5 denotes a support unit that supports (supports) the camera unit 4 so as to be capable of tilt rotation.

  Reference numeral 6 denotes a main unit (pan base) that supports (supports) the camera unit 4 via the support portion 5 so as to be able to perform pan rotation, and has a hollow cylindrical shape. An electronic substrate 7 is fixed inside the main unit 6 along the bottom surface 3b (inner surface) of the lower case 3. The electronic substrate 7 includes an electronic component 8 that is a heating element, and an electronic component. A chemical capacitor 17 having a height higher than 8 is mounted.

  The electronic component 8 in the present embodiment corresponds to the first electronic component, and the chemical capacitor 17 in the present embodiment corresponds to the second electronic component. Further, the bottom surface 3b in the present embodiment is a surface on the opposite side to the lower surface 3a.

  More specifically, the electronic component 8 and the chemical capacitor 17 are mounted on the lower surface 3 a side of the lower case 3 of the electronic substrate 7. (In other words, the electronic component 8 and the chemical capacitor 17 are mounted on the bottom surface 3b side (bottom surface side) of the lower case 3 of the electronic substrate 7.) It is higher than the gap provided between the metal disk 9 and the metal disk 9.

  In the present embodiment, the number of electronic components 8 mounted on the electronic substrate 7 is two, and the camera unit 4 is mounted at substantially opposite positions across the axis rotating in the pan direction. To do. In addition, it is assumed that one of the two electronic components 8 in the present embodiment is an imaging signal processing circuit that processes an imaging signal output from the camera unit 4.

  9 is a metal disk having a high thermal conductivity and a disk shape. The metal disk 9 is fixed by screws 10 so as to be able to slide and rotate around the axis of the screw 10 while always contacting the bottom surface 3b of the lower case 3. The metal disk 9 is electrically driven and rotated about the axis of the screw 10 by the motor 11 as a center of rotation, and a position (second position) or b position (first position) described later with reference to FIG. Can be stopped.

  Further, the metal disk 9 is provided with a protrusion 12 at a position corresponding to the electronic component 8 when the metal disk 9 is stopped at the position a. The protrusion 12 protrudes toward the electronic substrate 7. Two metal disks 9 are provided.

  More specifically, one of the protrusions 12 is provided at a position where one of the electronic components 8 can face each other and can contact each other with the metal disk 9 stopped at the position a. Similarly, the other of the protrusions 12 is provided at a position where the other of the electronic components 8 can face each other and can contact each other with the metal disk 9 stopped at the position a.

  Here, the heat of the electronic component 8 can be radiated to the outside of the dome camera 100 through the contact portion where the electronic component 8 and the protrusion 12 contact and the contact portion where the metal disk 9 and the lower case 3 contact. Therefore, the state in which the metal disk 9 is stopped at the position a will be referred to as a heat dissipation mode.

  Next, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the dome camera 100 in a heat storage mode described later according to the present embodiment.

  The metal disk 9 in FIG. 2 is driven by a motor 11 so as to rotate by a predetermined angle, and the two protrusions 12 on the metal disk 9 and the electronic component 8 that is a heating element are separated from each other, that is, In a non-contact state. Here, since the heat of the electronic component 8 cannot be sufficiently radiated to the outside of the dome camera 100 in a state where the electronic component 8 and the protrusion 12 are separated, this state is referred to as a heat storage mode.

  Next, FIG. 3 is a perspective view for explaining the rotation operation of the metal disk 9 according to the present embodiment. In FIG. 3, the electronic component 8 and the chemical capacitor 17 are shown transparently. First, as shown in FIG. 3, the bottom surface 3b of the lower case 3 has a circular shape. The metal disk 9 has a disk shape with a smaller radius than the bottom surface 3 b of the lower case 3 and the main unit 6.

  A gear (not shown) is formed on the outer periphery of the metal disk 9, and this gear meshes with an output gear connected to the motor 11. That is, the driving force of the motor 11 is transmitted to the metal disk 9 through the output gear and the gear formed on the metal disk 9, so that the metal disk 9 rotates around the axis of the screw 10.

  Further, the metal disk 9 is provided with a notch 16 for avoiding interference between the chemical capacitor 17 mounted on the electronic substrate 7 and the metal disk 9 when being rotated by the motor 11. Yes. In addition, the shape of the notch part 16 in this embodiment shall be formed in the circular arc shape substantially concentric with the rotating shaft center of the metal disk 9. FIG.

  When the position of the protrusion 12 of the metal disk 9 changes from the position a to the position b as a result of the control drive circuit 14 described later driving the motor 11, the heat storage mode is set, and the position of the protrusion 12 of the metal disk 9 is When the position is changed from the position b to the position a, the heat dissipation mode is set.

  Next, FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration for switching between the heat storage mode and the heat dissipation mode in accordance with the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 13.

  The motor 11 receives an instruction from a control drive circuit 14 described later and rotates the metal disk 9. In the present embodiment, a stepping motor is used as the motor 11, but the present invention is not limited to this.

  A temperature sensor 13 as temperature detecting means detects the temperature inside the dome camera 100. Specifically, the temperature of the lens included in the camera unit 4 is detected. The temperature of this lens has a high correlation with the external temperature of the dome camera 100, and is effective in detecting the temperature of the environment where the dome camera 100 is installed.

  The control drive circuit 14 serving as a position control means is composed of a CPU or the like, and controls the motor 11 according to the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 13.

  More specifically, when the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 13 is lower than a predetermined temperature (for example, −10 ° C. near the lower limit of the rated temperature range of the electronic component 8), the control drive circuit 14 The motor 11 is driven so that the protrusion 12 of the disk 9 is in the position b. On the other hand, when the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 13 is higher than the predetermined temperature, the control drive circuit 14 drives the motor 11 so that the position of the protrusion 12 of the metal disk 9 is in the position a.

  The memory 15 stores the mode information input from the control drive circuit 14. This mode information is information indicating either the heat storage mode or the heat dissipation mode.

  Next, a control process for switching between the heat storage mode and the heat dissipation mode according to the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 13 will be described with reference to FIG. This control process is executed by the control drive circuit 14.

  In step S <b> 101, the control drive circuit 14 acquires the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 13.

  In step S102, the control drive circuit 14 determines whether or not the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 13 is lower than a predetermined temperature (for example, −10 ° C.). If the control drive circuit 14 determines that the temperature acquired in step S101 is lower than the predetermined temperature, the process proceeds to step S103. On the other hand, if the control drive circuit 14 determines that the temperature acquired in step S101 is not lower than the predetermined temperature, the process proceeds to step S105.

  In step S103, the control drive circuit 14 reads the mode information from the memory 15, and determines whether or not the dome camera 100 is in the heat dissipation mode. Specifically, when the read mode information indicates the heat dissipation mode, the control drive circuit 14 determines that the dome camera 100 is in the heat dissipation mode, and the read mode information indicates the heat storage mode. Is determined not to be in the heat dissipation mode.

  If the control drive circuit 14 determines that the dome camera 100 is in the heat dissipation mode, the control drive circuit 14 proceeds to step S104. On the other hand, if the control drive circuit 14 determines that the dome camera 100 is not in the heat dissipation mode, the process returns to step S101.

  In step S104, the control drive circuit 14 switches the dome camera 100 to the heat storage mode. More specifically, the control drive circuit 14 drives the motor 11 to rotate the metal disk 9 by a predetermined angle so that the electronic component 8 and the protrusion 12 do not come into contact with each other. Further, the control drive circuit 14 inputs mode information indicating the heat storage mode to the memory 15 and stores it.

  In step S105, the control drive circuit 14 reads mode information from the memory 15, and determines whether or not the dome camera 100 is in the heat storage mode. Specifically, when the read mode information indicates the heat storage mode, the control drive circuit 14 determines that the dome camera 100 is in the heat storage mode, and the read mode information indicates the heat dissipation mode. It is determined that the dome camera 100 is not in the heat storage mode.

  If the control drive circuit 14 determines that the dome camera 100 is in the heat storage mode, the control drive circuit 14 proceeds to step S106. On the other hand, if the control drive circuit 14 determines that the dome camera 100 is not in the heat storage mode, the process returns to step S101.

  In step S106, the control drive circuit 14 switches the dome camera 100 to the heat storage mode. More specifically, the control drive circuit 14 drives the motor 11 to rotate the metal disk 9 by a predetermined angle in a direction opposite to that in step S104 so that the electronic component 8 and the protrusion 12 are in contact with each other. . Further, the control drive circuit 14 inputs mode information indicating the heat dissipation mode into the memory 15 and stores it.

  As described above, in the dome camera 100 of the present embodiment, the metal disk 9 can thermally separate the electronic component 8 and the lower case 3 when the temperature of the dome camera 100 is equal to or lower than a predetermined temperature. Move to position b so that you can. Thereby, it can prevent that the temperature of the mechanical mechanism of the electronic component 8 and the dome camera 100 falls too much, without providing a fan and a heater.

  In addition, when the temperature of the dome camera 100 is not equal to or lower than the predetermined temperature, the metal disk 9 moves to the position a so that the electronic component 8 and the lower case 3 can be brought into thermal contact. Thereby, the temperature of the electronic component 8 and the mechanical mechanism can be maintained in an appropriate range without providing a fan or a heater.

  In addition, an electronic substrate 7 is fixed inside the main unit 6 that supports the camera unit 4 so as to be able to rotate the pan. The metal disk 9 includes the electronic component 8 mounted on the electronic substrate 7 and the lower case 3. Is provided in a gap with the bottom surface 3b. Thereby, the space for mounting the gap, that is, the chemical capacitor 17 having a height on the bottom surface 3 b side of the lower case 3 of the electronic substrate 7 can also be used as a space for arranging the metal disk 9. As a result, since the internal space of the main unit 6 can be effectively used, the dome camera 100 is not enlarged.

  In the present embodiment, the metal disk 9 is used, but the present invention is not limited to this. As long as the material has high thermal conductivity, a disk made of another material may be used.

  In the present embodiment, the number of electronic components 8 is two, but is not limited to this. For example, the number of electronic components 8 mounted on the electronic substrate 7 may be three or more.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the number of protrusions provided on the metal disk 9 is two, but it is only necessary to correspond to the number of electronic components 8 and is not limited to this. For example, if the number of electronic components 8 is three, the number of protrusions may be three.

  In the present embodiment, the temperature sensor 13 detects the temperature of the lens included in the camera unit 4, but is not limited thereto. For example, the temperature sensor 13 may be configured to detect the temperature of the electronic component 8.

  In the present embodiment, the rotation operation of the metal disk 9 is controlled so that the heat storage mode and the heat dissipation mode are switched according to the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 13, but the present invention is not limited to this. . For example, it is also conceivable to use a bimetal instead of the metal disk 9.

  Specifically, a bimetal having high thermal conductivity is provided between the electronic component 8 and the bottom surface 3 b of the lower case 3 so as to come into contact with the bottom surface 3 b of the lower case 3. Further, the bimetal moves so that the electronic component 8 and the bottom surface 3b of the lower case 3 are thermally separated when the temperature of the dome camera 100 is equal to or lower than a predetermined temperature (for example, −10 ° C.). (Deform. In addition, when the temperature of the dome camera 100 is not lower than the predetermined temperature, the bimetal moves (deforms) so that the electronic component 8 and the bottom surface 3b of the lower case 3 are in thermal contact.

Although the present invention has been described in detail based on preferred embodiments thereof, the present invention is not limited to these specific embodiments, and various forms within the scope of the present invention are also included in the present invention. included. Moreover, you may combine suitably a part of embodiment mentioned above.

2 Upper case 3 Lower case 4 Camera unit 5 Support section 6 Main unit 7 Electronic board 8 Electronic component 9 Metal disc 100 Dome camera

Claims (10)

An exterior housing;
A camera unit that images a subject and generates an imaging signal;
A pan base provided in the exterior casing and supporting the camera unit so as to be rotatable in the pan direction;
An electronic substrate fixed to the pan base and fixed along the bottom surface of the exterior housing;
An electronic component mounted on the bottom side of the electronic substrate;
An imaging device comprising:
A gap formed between the electronic component and the bottom surface of the exterior housing;
When the temperature of the imaging device is not more than a predetermined temperature, the heat conduction means provided in the gap is moved to a first position for thermally separating the electronic component and the exterior casing. When the temperature of the imaging device is not equal to or lower than the predetermined temperature, heat conduction means that moves to a second position where the electronic component and the exterior housing are in thermal contact with each other,
An imaging device comprising:   2. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the heat conducting unit is in contact with the bottom surface, and is located at the first position or the second position by sliding and rotating with the bottom surface. . A capacitor having a height higher than that of the electronic component is mounted on the electronic board,
3. The heat conduction means is provided with a notch for preventing the heat conduction means from interfering with the capacitor when the heat conduction means is slidably rotated. The imaging device described in 1. The bottom surface has a circular shape,
The pan base has a hollow cylindrical shape,
The electronic substrate is fixed inside the pan base;
The imaging apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the heat conducting unit has a disk shape with a smaller radius than each of the bottom surface and the pan base.   The imaging apparatus according to claim 4, wherein an axis on which the heat conducting unit slides and rotates is a rotation center in the pan direction. The heat conducting means has a protrusion protruding toward the electronic substrate;
The protrusion is separated from the electronic component when the heat conducting means is located at the first position, and is in contact with the electronic component when the heat conducting means is located at the second position. The imaging device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein Temperature detecting means for detecting the temperature of the imaging device;
When the temperature detected by the temperature detecting means is not below a predetermined temperature, the heat conducting means is controlled to be positioned at the first position, and the temperature detected by the temperature detecting means is below a predetermined temperature. A position control means for controlling the heat conducting means to be located at the second position;
The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:   The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the electronic component is an imaging signal processing circuit that processes an imaging signal output from the camera unit. A dome attached to the exterior housing and formed in a hemispherical shape;
The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the camera unit is covered with the dome.   The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the heat conducting unit is a bimetal.

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