JP2015068842A - Lens unit, imaging apparatus, lens and lens holder - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve adhesive force by securing an adhesion area.SOLUTION: A lens holder 15 has a housing part for defining a housing space 22 in which a lens 14 is housed, and in the housing part, an injection part 23 is formed which injects an adhesive for adhering the lens 14 housed in the housing space 22 and the housing part. In a state where the lens 14 is housed in the housing space 22, a ventilation port part is formed which is communicated with the lens 14 and the outside of the space closed by the housing part from the injection part 23.

Description

  The present invention relates to a lens unit and an imaging apparatus in which a lens is fixed using an adhesive, and a lens and a lens holder used in these.

  In order to form a subject image on the light receiving surface of the image sensor while suppressing aberration, the lens unit is provided with a plurality of optical elements such as a lens and a diaphragm. In order to exhibit the required optical performance, it is necessary to fix each optical element in a predetermined position at a predetermined position.

  Conventionally, an adhesive is used to fix a lens and a lens holder in manufacturing a lens unit. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a structure in which an adhesive is injected into a groove portion (injection portion) provided on the outer periphery of a lens unit to adhere to a lens holder.

JP 2006-39403 A

  However, when the adhesive is injected into the injection part, unnecessary air may be trapped in the injection part by the adhesive. When the adhesive is cured while unnecessary air is trapped, the adhesive area is reduced and the adhesive force is reduced. In recent years, as the lens unit is miniaturized, the diameter of the opening of the injection portion is also reduced, and there is a further demand for suppression of a decrease in adhesive force due to unnecessary air confinement.

  An object of the present invention made in view of such circumstances is to provide a lens unit, an imaging device, a lens, and a lens holder that secure an adhesive area and improve an adhesive force.

In order to solve the above problems, the lens unit according to the present invention is:
A lens,
A lens holder having a housing portion for defining a housing space for housing the lens, and an injection portion for injecting an adhesive for bonding the lens housed in the housing space to the lens. And
In the state where the lens is accommodated in the accommodation space, a vent hole portion that communicates from the injection portion to the outside of the space closed by the lens and the accommodation portion is formed.

In the lens unit according to the present invention,
The lens has a lens portion that functions as a lens, and a contact portion that is formed integrally with the lens portion and extends radially outward from the outer periphery of the lens portion,
It is preferable that a chamfered shape is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the contact portion, and the chamfered shape defines a part of the vent portion.

In the lens unit according to the present invention,
The lens holder is preferably formed with a ventilation groove portion that is continuous from the injection portion and is recessed from the inner surface of the housing portion, and the ventilation groove portion defines a part of the ventilation port portion.

In the lens unit according to the present invention,
The vent part preferably has an external communication part that communicates with the outside from the part of the vent part at a position away from the injection part in the circumferential direction.

In addition, an imaging apparatus according to the present invention includes:
A lens and a storage portion that defines a storage space for storing the lens, and an injection portion for injecting an adhesive for bonding the lens stored in the storage space and the storage portion is formed in the storage portion. A lens unit comprising:
An image sensor that captures a subject image formed by the lens unit;
In the state where the lens is accommodated in the accommodation space, a vent hole portion that communicates from the injection portion to the outside of the space closed by the lens and the accommodation portion is formed.

In the imaging device according to the present invention,
The lens has a lens portion that functions as a lens, and a contact portion that is formed integrally with the lens portion and extends radially outward from the outer periphery of the lens portion,
It is preferable that a chamfered shape is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the contact portion, and the chamfered shape defines a part of the vent portion.

In the imaging device according to the present invention,
The lens holder is preferably formed with a ventilation groove portion that is continuous from the injection portion and is recessed from the inner surface of the housing portion, and the ventilation groove portion defines a part of the ventilation port portion.

In the imaging device according to the present invention,
The vent part preferably has an external communication part that communicates with the outside from the part of the vent part at a position away from the injection part in the circumferential direction.

The lens according to the present invention is
A lens portion that functions as a lens, and a contact portion that is formed integrally with the lens portion and extends radially outward from the outer periphery of the lens portion;
A chamfered shape on the outer peripheral surface of the contact portion;
An external communication portion that is continuous from the chamfered shape toward the inside in the radial direction and that is recessed from the end surface of the contact portion is formed.

The lens holder according to the present invention is
A housing portion that defines a housing space for housing the lens;
An injection part for injecting an adhesive for bonding the lens and the accommodation part accommodated in the accommodation space;
A ventilation groove portion that is continuous from the injection portion and is recessed from the inner surface of the housing portion;
An external communication portion that is continuous from the ventilation groove portion and communicates with the outside of the space closed by the ventilation groove portion when the lens is accommodated in the accommodation space is formed.

  According to the lens unit, the imaging device, the lens, and the lens holder according to the present invention, the adhesive area is ensured and the adhesive force is improved.

1 is a cross-sectional view along an optical axis showing a schematic configuration of an imaging apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows the lens which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the lens holder which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating the mechanism which discharges | emits the unnecessary air confined with the adhesive agent. It is a figure which shows the lens which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the lens holder which concerns on the 3rd Embodiment of this invention.

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

(First embodiment)
First, the lens unit according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view along an optical axis showing a schematic configuration of an imaging apparatus having a lens unit according to the first embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the imaging device 10 includes a lens unit 11 and an imaging element 12. The lens unit 11 forms a subject image. The image sensor 12 captures a subject image formed through the lens unit 11.

  The lens unit 11 includes a lens barrel 13, a plurality of lenses including a lens 14, and a lens holder 15. The lens 14 is supported in the lens barrel 13 via the lens holder 15. The other lens is directly supported by the lens barrel 13 or is supported in the lens barrel 13 via another lens holder.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the lens 14 includes a lens portion 16 and a flange portion (contact portion) 17 that are integrally formed. For example, a spherical surface is formed on both surfaces of the lens unit 16 and functions as a lens. The flange portion 17 is an annular portion that extends radially outward along the outer periphery of the lens portion 16.

  At least one end surface of the annular shape of the flange portion 17 is a flat surface perpendicular to the optical axis of the lens portion 16 and is defined as a contact surface. In the present embodiment, the end surface on the image side is defined as the contact surface 18. The contact surface 18 can contact or be in surface contact with the inner surface of the housing portion in a state where the lens 14 is fitted into the housing portion of the lens holder 15 described later.

  A chamfered shape 19 is formed along a ridge line formed by the outer peripheral surface of the flange portion 17 and the contact surface 18. The chamfered shape 19 is, for example, a C surface or an R surface. The chamfered shape 19 reduces the occurrence of defects in the ridge line portion when the lens 14 is fitted into the housing portion of the lens holder 15, and forms a part of a vent portion described later.

  As shown in FIGS. 3B and 3C, the lens holder 15 has a side wall portion 20 and a bottom wall portion 21. The side wall portion 20 has a cylindrical shape, and a bottom wall portion 21 is integrally formed at one end (image side) of the cylindrical shape. The inner diameter of the side wall portion 20 is substantially equal to the outer diameter of the flange portion 17 of the lens 14, and can contact or be in surface contact with the outer peripheral surface of the flange portion 17. The bottom wall portion 21 is an annular portion in which a through hole 28 is formed around the central axis cx of the cylinder of the side wall portion 20, and the lens portion 16 of the lens 14 is located on the inner diameter side of the through hole 28. The inner surface of the bottom wall portion 21 is formed in a planar shape so as to be in surface contact with the contact surface 18 of the lens 14. Therefore, the side wall portion 20 and the bottom wall portion 21 function as a housing portion that defines a housing space 22 that houses the lens 14.

  An injection portion 23 and an external communication portion 24 are formed on the bottom wall portion 21.

  The injection portion 23 is, for example, a hole that penetrates from the outer surface to the inner surface of the bottom wall portion 21. However, the injection part 23 is covered with the side wall part 20 in a part on the outer side in the radial direction of the lens holder 15. In this embodiment, the two injection | pouring parts 23 are formed in the position which opposes on both sides of the cylindrical center axis | shaft cx of the side wall part 20, for example (refer FIG. 3 (a), (d)).

  The external communication part 24 is formed, for example, in the shape of a groove extending along the radial direction from the center hole of the bottom wall part 21 to the side wall part 20 on the inner surface of the bottom wall part 21 (FIGS. 3A and 3C). reference). Alternatively, the external communication portion 24 may be formed to penetrate the bottom wall portion 21 from the inner surface of the bottom wall portion 21 toward the image side on the radially outer side of the bottom wall portion 21, or the inner periphery of the side wall portion 20. It may be formed through the side wall portion 20 from the surface toward the radially outer side.

  Preferably, the external communication portion 24 is formed at a position away from the injection portion 23 along the circumferential direction of the bottom wall portion 21. For example, the external communication portion 24 is formed at a position that is an equal distance from two injection portions 23 adjacent in the circumferential direction (see FIG. 3A). In this way, it is possible to suppress leakage of the adhesive that has flowed from the injection part 23 into the vent part to the outside via the external communication part 24.

  When the lens 14 configured as described above is accommodated in the lens holder 15, the injection portion 23 and the external communication portion 24 are defined by the chamfered shape 19 of the lens 14, the inner surface of the side wall 20 of the lens holder 15, and the inner surface of the bottom wall 21. It communicates with the passage. Accordingly, the flange portion 17 having the chamfered shape 19 and the external communication portion 24 of the lens holder 15 form a vent hole portion that communicates from the injection portion 23 to the outside of the space closed by the lens 14 and the housing portion.

  Next, the adhesive injected from the injection part 23 and the vent part for discharging the air confined in the injection part 23 by the adhesive will be described. 4A is a cross-sectional view including the injection portion 23 along the optical axis ax of the lens 14 ′ not having the chamfered shape 19 and the lens holder 15 ′ having no external communication portion 24. An example having no part is shown. 4B is a front view of the lens holder 15, and FIG. 4C is a cross-sectional view including the lens 14 and the injection portion 23 along the optical axis ax of the lens holder 15, both of which are vent holes. The example (this embodiment) which has is shown.

  The adhesive injected from the injection part 23 flows into the injection part 23 and hardens, thereby fixing the lens 14 and the lens holder 15. Here, when there is no vent hole portion, as shown in FIG. 4A, the adhesive 25 is injected into the injection portion 23 from the image side in a state where the lens 14 ′ is fitted in the accommodation portion of the lens holder 15 ′. Then, due to unnecessary air confined in the injection portion 23, the area where the adhesive 25 is in close contact with the lens 14 and the inner surface of the injection portion 23 respectively decreases, and as a result, the adhesive force decreases (the lower portion in FIG. 4A). reference). Alternatively, the adhesive 25 may not be in close contact with the lens 14 due to trapped unnecessary air, and fixing by bonding may not be realized (see the upper part in FIG. 4A).

  On the other hand, according to the lens 14 and the lens holder 15 of the present embodiment, unnecessary air trapped in the injection portion 23 passes through the space (passage) 26 in which the chamfered shape 19 of the lens 14 and the inner surface of the housing portion are defined. Then, it is discharged to the outside through the external communication portion 24 (see the arrow in FIG. 4B). Specifically, the unnecessary air is an annular space located on the radially outer side of the portion where the contact surface 18 of the lens 14 and the bottom wall portion 21 of the lens holder 15 abut (the hatched portion in FIG. 4B). 26 and the external communication portion 24, and is discharged from the inner peripheral surface side of the bottom wall portion 21. For this reason, the adhesive 25 flows into the bottom part of the injection part 23, and an adhesion area is ensured (refer FIG.4 (c)).

  As described above, according to the lens unit of the first embodiment, since the vent portion discharges unnecessary air confined in the injection portion 23, it is possible to secure an adhesive area and improve the adhesive force. .

  Further, according to the lens unit of the first embodiment, the chamfered shape 19 is formed on the lens 14, and therefore, when the lens 14 is fitted into the lens holder 15, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of defects in the ridge line portion of the lens 14. is there.

  In addition, according to the lens unit of the first embodiment, since the vent portion is formed at a position away from the injection portion 23 in the circumferential direction, the external communication portion of the adhesive 25 that has flowed from the injection portion 23 into the vent portion. Leakage to the outside through 24 can be suppressed.

(Second Embodiment)
Next, a lens unit according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. Hereinafter, the same components as those of the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof is omitted. The lens unit 11 according to the second embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that an external communication portion 240 is formed on the lens 140.

  The lens 140 (see FIG. 5) has a lens portion 16 and a flange portion (contact portion) 170 that are integrally formed, as in the first embodiment. 5A is a side view of the lens 140, and FIG. 5B is a rear view of the lens 140 viewed from the image side. The lens unit 16 is the same as in the first embodiment. As in the first embodiment, the collar portion 170 is an annular portion extending radially outward along the outer periphery of the lens portion 16, and the image-side end surface is defined as the contact surface 18.

  A chamfered shape 19 and an external communication portion 240 are formed on the collar portion 170. The chamfered shape 19 is the same as that in the first embodiment.

  The external communication portion 240 is formed in a groove shape that is continuous from the chamfered shape 19 toward the radially inner side and is recessed from the contact surface 18. The external communication portion 240 is formed to the inside in the radial direction from the inner peripheral surface of the bottom wall portion 21 of the lens holder 15 in a state where the lens 140 is fitted in the housing portion.

  When the lens 140 configured as described above is inserted into, for example, a lens holder 15 ′ (see FIG. 4A) that does not have the external communication portion 24, the injection portion 23 and the external communication portion 240 are chamfered to the lens 14. 19. The lens holder 15 communicates with a passage defined by the inner surface of the side wall 20 and the inner surface of the bottom wall 21. Therefore, the lens 140 having the chamfered shape 19 and the external communication portion 240 forms a vent hole portion that communicates from the injection portion 23 to the outside of the space closed by the lens 140 and the accommodating portion.

  As described above, according to the lens unit of the second embodiment, since the lens 140 has the chamfered shape 19 and the external communication portion 240, the lens holder 15 is not provided with the external communication portion 24. A mouth portion can be formed to improve the adhesive strength. Therefore, it is possible to divert the lens holder 15 ′ that does not have the external communication portion 24.

(Third embodiment)
Next, a lens unit according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. Hereinafter, the same components as those of the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof is omitted. The lens unit 11 according to the third embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that a ventilation groove is formed in the lens holder 150.

  The lens holder 150 (see FIG. 6) has a side wall 20 and a bottom wall 210. The side wall part 20 is the same as that of the first embodiment.

  The bottom wall portion 210 is formed with the injection portion 23, the external communication portion 24, and the ventilation groove portion 27. The injection part 23 and the external communication part 24 are the same as those in the first embodiment.

  The ventilation groove portion 27 is formed in an annular groove shape radially outward on the inner surface of the bottom wall portion 21, and communicates the injection portion 23 and the external communication portion 24.

  When a lens 14 ′ (see FIG. 4A) having no chamfered shape 19 is inserted into the lens holder 150 having the above-described configuration, injection is performed by the lens holder 150 having the external communication portion 24 and the ventilation groove portion 27. A vent portion communicating from the portion 23 to the outside of the space closed by the lens 14 ′ and the accommodating portion is formed.

  As described above, according to the lens unit of the third embodiment, since the lens holder 150 includes the external communication portion 24 and the ventilation groove portion 27, even if the chamfered shape 19 cannot be provided on the lens 14, The adhesive strength can be improved by forming a portion. Therefore, the lens 14 ′ not having the chamfered shape 19 can be used.

  Although the present invention has been described based on the drawings and embodiments, it should be noted that those skilled in the art can easily make various changes and modifications based on the present disclosure. Therefore, it should be noted that these variations and modifications are included in the scope of the present invention.

  For example, the external communication parts 24 and 240 and the chamfered shape 19 or the ventilation groove part 27 may be provided in any of the lens 14 and the lens holder 15. For example, the vent portion may be configured by combining the lens 140 having the external communication portion 240 and the lens holder 150 having the vent groove portion 27.

  In the above-described embodiment, the example in which the lens holder 15 includes the two injection parts 23 has been described. However, an arbitrary number may be included.

  In the above-described embodiment, the flange portion (contact portion) 17 of the lens 14 is formed in an annular shape, but may have other shapes. For example, the contact portion 17 may be formed so as to protrude in a fan shape from the outer periphery of the lens portion 16.

  In the second embodiment, a positioning shape that defines the angular position of the lens 14 around the optical axis cx of the lens 14 when the lens 14 is fitted into the lens holder 15 may be provided.

  Moreover, in 3rd Embodiment, you may form the ventilation groove part 27 in arbitrary shapes, such as a some circular arc shape and a linear form other than annular | circular shape.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Image pick-up device 11 Lens unit 12 Image pick-up element 13 Lens tube 14, 14 ', 140 Lens 15, 15', 150 Lens holder 16 Lens part 17, 170 A collar part (contact part)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 18 Contact surface 19 Chamfering shape 20 Side wall part 21,210 Bottom wall part 22 Storage space 23 Injection | pouring part 24,240 External communication part 25 Adhesive 26 Space (passage)
27 Ventilation groove 28 Through hole

Claims (7)

A lens,
A lens holder having a housing portion for defining a housing space for housing the lens, and an injection portion for injecting an adhesive for bonding the lens housed in the housing space to the lens. And
In the state where the lens is accommodated in the accommodation space, a vent hole portion that communicates from the injection portion to the outside of the space closed by the lens and the accommodation portion is formed. The lens unit according to claim 1, wherein the lens includes a lens portion that functions as a lens, and a contact portion that is formed integrally with the lens portion and extends radially outward from the outer periphery of the lens portion. ,
A lens unit, wherein a chamfered shape is formed on an outer peripheral surface of the contact portion, and the chamfered shape defines a part of the vent portion.   3. The lens unit according to claim 1, wherein the lens holder includes a ventilation groove portion that is continuous from the injection portion and is recessed from an inner surface of the housing portion, and the ventilation groove portion is a part of the ventilation port portion. A lens unit.   4. The lens unit according to claim 2, wherein the vent part has an external communication part that communicates with the outside from the part of the vent part at a position away from the injection part in the circumferential direction. 5. A lens unit characterized by that. The lens unit according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
An image pickup apparatus comprising: an image pickup device that picks up a subject image formed by the lens unit. A lens portion that functions as a lens, and a contact portion that is formed integrally with the lens portion and extends radially outward from the outer periphery of the lens portion;
A chamfered shape along the outer peripheral surface of the contact portion;
An external communication portion that is continuous from the chamfered shape toward the inside in the radial direction and that is recessed from an end surface of the contact portion is formed. A housing portion that defines a housing space for housing the lens;
An injection part for injecting an adhesive for bonding the lens and the accommodation part accommodated in the accommodation space;
A ventilation groove portion that is continuous from the injection portion and is recessed from the inner surface of the housing portion;
A lens holder, wherein the lens holder includes an outer communication portion that is continuous from the ventilation groove portion and communicates with the outside of the space closed by the ventilation groove portion when the lens is accommodated in the accommodation space.

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