JP2022110837A - Image capturing device - Google Patents

Abstract

To prevent condensation from adhering to an inner side of a lens.SOLUTION: An image capturing device disclosed herein comprises a first heater and a second heater. The first heater is located near a lens. The second heater is located in a main body part having an image sensor for receiving light. A resin part located between the first heater and the second heater is entirely or partially metal-plated.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present disclosure relates to imaging devices.

Imaging devices such as in-vehicle cameras are sometimes equipped with heaters to prevent freezing. In some cases, the imaging device has a housing made of resin.

JP 2019-168509 A

However, resins absorb moisture. Then, when the heater heats up, the moisture absorbed by the resin is released, so that dew condensation adheres to the inside of the lens of the imaging device. In addition, since the imaging device captures image data using light that is incident through the lens on which dew condensation adheres, the imaging device captures unclear image data.

An object of the present disclosure is to prevent condensation from adhering to the inside of the lens.

An imaging device according to the present disclosure includes a first heating element and a second heating element. The first heating element is arranged near the lens. A second heating element is disposed in the main body having an image sensor for receiving light. All or part of the resin part between the first heating element and the second heating element is plated with metal.

According to the present disclosure, it is possible to prevent condensation from adhering to the inside of the lens.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an imaging device 1 according to the first embodiment.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings as appropriate. However, more detailed description than necessary may be omitted. It should be noted that the accompanying drawings and the following description are provided for a thorough understanding of the present disclosure by those skilled in the art and are not intended to limit the claimed subject matter.

(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an imaging device 1 according to the first embodiment. For example, the imaging device 1 is installed instead of a door mirror in a vehicle such as an automobile. The imaging device 1 images the surroundings of the vehicle. The image captured by the imaging device 1 is displayed on a display facing the driver's seat. As a result, the imaging device 1 informs the driver of the surroundings of the vehicle in place of the door mirrors.

The imaging device 1 includes a lens barrel 10 and a body section 20 . The lens barrel 10 has a lens barrel housing 111 made of a hygroscopic member such as resin. A barrel housing 111 of the barrel 10 supports a first lens 121 , a second lens 122 , a third lens 123 , a fourth lens 124 and a fifth lens 125 . As shown in FIG. 1 , the first lens 121 , the second lens 122 , the third lens 123 , the fourth lens 124 and the fifth lens 125 are arranged in order of incidence on the lens barrel 10 .

A first spacer 131 is arranged between the first lens 121 and the second lens 122 to secure a gap between the first lens 121 and the second lens 122 . Also, a second spacer 132 is arranged between the second lens 122 and the third lens 123 to secure a gap between the second lens 122 and the third lens 123 . Also, a third spacer 133 is arranged between the third lens 123 and the fourth lens 124 to secure a space between the third lens 123 and the fourth lens 124 . Further, a fourth spacer 134 is arranged between the fourth lens 124 and the fifth lens 125 to secure a space between the fourth lens 124 and the fifth lens 125 .

A first heater 141 and a second heater 142 are arranged between the first lens 121 and the second lens 122 . The first heater 141 is arranged above the lens barrel 10 between the first lens 121 and the second lens 122 . For example, the first heater 141 is a heating element that uses electric power to generate heat.

The second heater 142 is arranged below the lens barrel 10 between the first lens 121 and the second lens 122 . In other words, the second heater 142 is arranged at a position facing the first heater 141 . For example, the second heater 142 is a heating element that uses electric power to generate heat.

The first heater 141 and the second heater 142 are examples of a first heating element arranged near the first lens 121 . In other words, the first heater 141 and the second heater 142 are first heating elements arranged on the light incident side of the lens barrel 10 . The first heater 141 and the second heater 142 generate heat to remove raindrops and ice from the surface of the first lens 121 .

Note that the lens barrel 10 shown in FIG. 1 has two heaters, a first heater 141 and a second heater 142, as first heating elements. However, the lens barrel 10 is not limited to having two heaters, and may have one heater, or may have three or more heaters. Alternatively, the lens barrel 10 may have an annular heat wire arranged along the diameter of the lens barrel 10 as the first heating element.

Further, the lens barrel housing 111 has a covering portion 112 which is a metal thin film that covers the outer surface of the lens barrel 10 . That is, the coating portion 112 is applied to the outside of the lens barrel 10 that supports the first lens 121, the second lens 122, the third lens 123, the fourth lens 124, and the fifth lens 125. For example, the coating portion 112 is metal plating such as nickel plating or chrome plating. Here, the resin absorbs moisture. However, since the covering portion 112 covers the lens barrel housing 111 made of resin, it is possible to prevent the lens barrel housing 111 from absorbing moisture.

Moreover, the covering portion 112 shown in FIG. 1 covers the entire outer surface of the lens barrel housing 111 . However, if the amount of moisture to be absorbed is small, the covering portion 112 does not have to partially cover the outside of the lens barrel housing 111 .

Furthermore, the covering portion 112 shown in FIG. 1 is not formed inside the barrel housing 111 . However, when it is possible to prevent the coating portion 112 from being scraped off in the process of attaching the first lens 121, the second lens 122, the third lens 123, the fourth lens 124, and the fifth lens 125. may also be formed inside the lens barrel housing 111 .

The body portion 20 has an image sensor 222 that receives light incident from the lens barrel 10 . The main body 20 also includes a main housing 211 that houses an image sensor 222 and the like. The main housing 211 is made of metal, for example. Further, the main body portion 20 includes a first substrate 221 and a second substrate 231 inside the main body housing 211 . More specifically, the first board 221 and the second board 231 are fixed to the main housing 211 by first screws 241 and second screws 242 .

The first substrate 221 has an image sensor 222 that receives light incident from the lens barrel 10 . The image sensor 222 converts incident light through the first lens 121, the second lens 122, the third lens 123, the fourth lens 124, and the fifth lens 125 into electrical signals. Thereby, the image sensor 222 captures image data.

The second substrate 231 includes a power source section 232 and a connection section (not shown). For example, the power supply unit 232 is a power supply circuit that is arranged in the main unit 20 having the image sensor 222 that receives light and that supplies electric power supplied from the vehicle to each unit of the device. For example, the connection unit is an interface circuit that outputs image data captured by the image sensor 222 to the vehicle. A cable 233 is connected to the second substrate 231 for receiving power supply from the vehicle and for outputting image data to the vehicle.

Power supply unit 232 generates heat when electric power is supplied from the vehicle. That is, the power supply unit 232 is an example of a second heating element arranged in the main body unit 20 having the image sensor 222 that receives light. Note that the second heating element is not limited to the power supply unit 232, and may be the connection unit arranged on the second substrate 231, the image sensor 222 arranged on the first substrate 221, or the like. Other hardware may be used.

Here, the resin forming the lens barrel housing 111 has relatively low thermal conductivity. Therefore, the lens barrel housing 111 can transfer the heat generated by the first heater 141 and the second heater 142 to the middle of the lens barrel 10 and transfer the heat generated by the main body 20 to the middle of the lens barrel 10. Can not. That is, without the coating 112 , the lens barrel housing 111 cannot sufficiently raise the temperature between the third lens 123 and the fourth lens 124 , for example.

Therefore, the temperature in front of the lens barrel 10 where the first heater 141 and the second heater 142 are arranged and the main body 20 where the power supply unit 232 is arranged increases, but the temperature in the middle of the lens barrel 10 decreases. As a result, the humidity at which dew condensation adheres to lenses such as the third lens 123 located in the middle of the lens barrel 10 is lowered.

Furthermore, due to the heat generated by the first heater 141 and the second heater 142 and the heat generated by the first substrate 221 and the second substrate 231, the moisture absorbed by the resin of the lens barrel housing 111 and the main body 20 is removed from the lens barrel. 10 is released inside. As a result, the humidity inside the lens barrel 10 increases, so that the lenses in the middle of the lens barrel 10, such as the third lens 123, are more susceptible to condensation. When dew condensation adheres to the third lens 123 or the like, the imaging device 1 captures unclear image data.

In the imaging device 1 according to the first embodiment, metal plating is applied to all or part of the resin parts between the first heating element and the second heating element. That is, a lens barrel housing 111, which is a resin component, is covered with a covering portion 112, which is metal plating. The covering portion 112 has higher thermal conductivity than the resin forming the lens barrel housing 111 . Therefore, the covering portion 112 can transfer the heat generated by the first heater 141 and the second heater 142 arranged in front of the lens barrel 10 to the middle of the lens barrel 10 . Also, the covering portion 112 can transmit the heat generated in the body portion 20 to the intermediate portion of the lens barrel 10 . As a result, the humidity increases due to condensation on lenses such as the third lens 123 located in the middle of the lens barrel 10 .

Furthermore, since the covering portion 112 covers the lens barrel housing 111, it is possible to prevent the lens barrel housing 111 from absorbing moisture. Therefore, the heat generated by the first heater 141 and the second heater 142 and the heat generated by the first substrate 221 and the second substrate 231 reduce the amount of water released into the lens barrel 10 . Therefore, the covering portion 112 can suppress condensation from adhering to lenses such as the third lens 123 located in the middle of the barrel 10 . As a result, the imaging device 1 can reduce the possibility of capturing unclear image data.

As described above, the imaging device 1 according to the first embodiment includes the lens barrel 10 and the body section 20 . A first heating element and a second heating element are arranged in the lens barrel 10 and the main body 20, respectively. That is, the lens barrel 10 is provided with a first heater 141 and a second heater 142 . A first substrate 221 and a second substrate 231 are arranged on the body portion 20 . A lens barrel housing 111, which is a resin part between the first heat generating element and the second heat generating element, is covered with a covering portion 112, which is metal plating. The covering portion 112 transfers the heat of the first heat generating element and the second heat generating element to the middle of the lens barrel 10 . In addition, the covering portion 112 prevents the lens barrel housing 111 of the lens barrel 10 from absorbing moisture. Therefore, the imaging device 1 can suppress condensation from forming inside the lens.

(Modification 1)
Modification 1 of the first embodiment will be described.

1st Embodiment demonstrated that the main body housing|casing 211 of the main-body part 20 was formed with the metal. However, the body housing 211 may be made of resin, like the lens barrel housing 111 . In this case, the body housing 211 is covered with the covering portion 112 by plating, similarly to the barrel housing 111 . That is, the covering portion 112 is formed by metal-plating all or part of the lens barrel 10 and the body portion 20 . As a result, the covering portion 112 can prevent condensation from adhering to the lens. That is, the imaging device 1 can reduce the possibility of capturing unclear image data. Furthermore, the imaging device 1 is not limited to the lens barrel 10 and the main body 20, and other parts may be metal-plated as long as they are resin parts between the first heat generating element and the second heat generating element. good.

While several embodiments of the disclosure have been described, these embodiments have been presented by way of example and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, replacements, and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included in the scope and spirit of the invention, as well as the scope of the invention described in the claims and equivalents thereof.

1 imaging device 10 lens barrel 20 main body 111 lens barrel housing 112 coating 121 first lens 122 second lens 123 third lens 124 fourth lens 125 fifth lens 131 first spacer 132 second spacer 133 third spacer 134 Fourth spacer 141 First heater 142 Second heater 211 Main housing 221 First substrate 222 Image sensor 231 Second substrate 232 Power supply unit 233 Cable 241 First screw 242 Second screw

Claims (4)

a first heating element disposed near the lens;
a second heating element arranged in a main body having an image sensor that receives light;
with
All or part of the resin part between the first heating element and the second heating element is plated with metal,
An imaging device comprising: The first heating element is a heater arranged on the incident side of the light in the lens barrel supporting the lens,
The imaging device according to claim 1 . The second heating element is a power supply unit that is arranged in the main body unit and supplies power to each unit of the device,
The imaging device according to claim 1 or 2. The metal plating is applied to the outside of a barrel that supports the lens,
The imaging device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

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