JP6688238B2 - Imaging device, housing, and moving body - Google Patents

Description

  The present disclosure relates to an imaging device, a housing, and a moving body.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, improvement in heat dissipation performance has been desired in an image pickup apparatus including a housing that houses a heating element. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an imaging device including a heat transfer member between an inner peripheral wall surface of a housing member that houses an electronic circuit unit and an outer peripheral surface of the electronic circuit unit.

JP, 2011-259101, A

  By efficiently conducting the heat conducted from the heating element to the casing to the air around the casing, the heat dissipation performance of the imaging device can be improved.

  The present disclosure relates to an imaging device, a housing, and a moving body with improved heat dissipation performance.

  An imaging device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is an imaging device mounted on a moving body, and includes an imaging optical system, an imaging element, a processor, and a housing. The image pickup device picks up a subject image formed through the image pickup optical system. The processor controls the operation of the image sensor. The housing houses the image pickup optical system, the image pickup element, and the processor. The housing has a turbulator on the outer surface. The position of the turbulator is located in front of at least one of the image sensor and the processor in the front-rear direction of the moving body in a state where the imaging device is mounted on the moving body.

  The housing according to the embodiment of the present disclosure is the housing of the imaging device. The housing houses the image pickup optical system, the image pickup device, the processor, and the housing. The image pickup device picks up a subject image formed through the image pickup optical system. The processor controls the operation of the image sensor. The housing has a turbulator on the outer surface. The position of the turbulator is located in front of at least one of the image sensor and the processor in the front-rear direction of the moving body in a state where the imaging device is mounted on the moving body.

  A moving body according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is equipped with an imaging device including an imaging optical system, an imaging element, a processor, and a housing. The image pickup device picks up a subject image formed through the image pickup optical system. The processor controls the operation of the image sensor. The housing houses the image pickup optical system, the image pickup element, and the processor. The housing has a turbulator on the outer surface. The position of the turbulator is located in front of at least one of the image sensor and the processor in the front-rear direction of the moving body in a state where the imaging device is mounted on the moving body.

  According to the imaging device, the housing, and the moving body according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the heat dissipation performance of the imaging device is improved.

It is the figure which looked at the mobile body provided with the imaging device concerning one embodiment of the present invention from the side. It is the figure which looked at the example of composition of the imaging device mounted so that the optical axis might face the front of a mobile from the side. It is the figure which looked at the 1st example of composition of the imaging device mounted so that an optical axis might face the back of a mobile from the side. It is the figure which looked at the example of composition of the imaging device mounted so that the optical axis might face the lower part of a mobile from the side. It is the figure which looked at the 2nd example of composition of the imaging device mounted so that an optical axis might face the back of a mobile from the side.

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

  A moving body 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIG. 1. The “moving body” in the present disclosure may include, for example, a vehicle, a ship, an aircraft, and the like. The vehicle may include, for example, an automobile, an industrial vehicle, a rail vehicle, a living vehicle, and a fixed-wing aircraft traveling on a runway. Vehicles may include, for example, passenger cars, trucks, buses, motorcycles, trolleybuses, and the like. Industrial vehicles may include, for example, industrial vehicles for agriculture and construction. Industrial vehicles may include, for example, forklifts and golf carts and the like. Industrial vehicles for agriculture may include, for example, tractors, tillers, transplanters, binders, combines, lawn mowers and the like. Industrial vehicles for construction may include, for example, bulldozers, scrapers, excavators, mobile cranes, dump trucks, road rollers, and the like. Vehicles may include those that are manually driven. The classification of vehicles is not limited to the example described above. For example, an automobile may include an industrial vehicle that can travel on a road. The same vehicle may be included in multiple classifications. Vessels may include, for example, marine jets, boats, tankers, and the like. Aircraft may include, for example, fixed-wing aircraft, rotary-wing aircraft, and the like.

  The moving body 10 includes one or more imaging devices 20. The imaging device 20 has an imaging optical system, an imaging element, a control unit, and a housing.

  The imaging optical system forms a subject image. For example, the imaging optics may include a diaphragm and one or more lenses.

  The image sensor has a plurality of pixels arranged two-dimensionally. The image pickup device may include, for example, a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) image pickup device and a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) image pickup device. The image pickup device can pick up a subject image formed by the image pickup optical system and generate a picked-up image.

  The control unit includes one or more processors. The “processor” in the present disclosure may include a dedicated processor specialized for a specific process, and a general-purpose processor that executes a specific function by reading a specific program. The dedicated processor may include a DSP (Digital Signal Processor) and an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC). The processor may include a programmable logic device (PLD). The PLD may include an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array). The control unit may be one of a SoC (System-on-a-Chip) in which one or more processors cooperate, and a SiP (System In a Package). The control unit controls the operation of the entire imaging device 20. For example, the control unit controls the operation of the image sensor.

  The housing houses the image pickup optical system, the image pickup device, and the control unit. The housing may be formed using any material. For example, the housing is formed by resin molding using a resin material.

  The components included in the imaging device 20 are not limited to those described above. For example, the imaging device 20 may further include a communication interface for outputting the generated captured image to an external device. The external device may include, for example, an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) provided in the moving body 10 and a display device.

  For example, the moving body 10 may include one imaging device 20a, two imaging devices 20b, and two imaging devices 20c.

  The imaging device 20a is used as, for example, a front camera that images a subject in front of the moving body 10. The imaging device 20a may be located in front of the moving body 10. The imaging device 20a may be mounted on the moving body 10 such that the optical axis of the imaging optical system faces the front of the moving body 10. The imaging device 20a can image a subject in front of the moving body 10.

  The two imaging devices 20b are used, for example, as electronic mirror cameras that image a subject behind the moving body 10. The one imaging device 20b may be located on the left side of the moving body 10, for example. The one imaging device 20b may be mounted on the moving body 10 such that the optical axis of the imaging optical system faces the rear of the moving body 10. The one imaging device 20b is capable of imaging the subject on the left rear side of the moving body 10. The other imaging device 20b may be located on the right side of the moving body 10, for example. The other imaging device 20b may be mounted on the moving body 10 such that the optical axis of the imaging optical system faces the rear of the moving body 10. The other imaging device 20b can image a subject on the right rear side of the moving body 10.

  The two imaging devices 20c are used as, for example, side cameras that image a subject on the side of the moving body 10. The one imaging device 20c may be located on the left side of the moving body 10, for example. The one imaging device 20c may be mounted on the moving body 10 so that the optical axis of the imaging optical system faces the lower side of the moving body 10. The one imaging device 20c can image a subject on the left side of the moving body 10. The other imaging device 20c may be located on the right side of the moving body 10, for example. The other imaging device 20c may be mounted on the moving body 10 such that the optical axis of the imaging optical system faces downward of the moving body 10. The other imaging device 20c can image a subject on the right side of the moving body 10.

  The imaging device 20 is exposed and mounted in the external space of the moving body 10. When the moving body 10 travels forward, for example, the air around the imaging device 20 mounted on the moving body 10 relatively flows from the front side to the rear side of the moving body 10. The imaging device 20 is cooled by the flow of air around the imaging device 20.

  Generally, if the boundary layer of air flowing around the object separates from the surface of the object, the air cooling efficiency may decrease. On the other hand, one or more turbulators for boundary layer control are formed in the housing of the imaging device 20 according to the embodiment. The shape and number of turbulators may be arbitrarily determined. The turbulator may have, for example, a shape protruding or a shape depressed from the outer surface of the housing. Turbulators can create a turbulent boundary layer in the air flowing around the housing. Specifically, the boundary layer downstream of the turbulator can be the turbulent boundary layer. Generally, a turbulent boundary layer is less likely to separate from the surface of an object than a laminar boundary layer. Therefore, due to the configuration in which the turbulator is formed in the casing of the image pickup device 20, the boundary layer of the air flowing around the image pickup device 20 is less likely to be separated from the surface of the casing. Therefore, the air cooling efficiency of the imaging device 20 is improved.

  The position of the turbulator in the housing may be different depending on the arrangement of the imaging device 20 in the moving body 10. Hereinafter, the position of the turbulator in each of the imaging devices 20a, 20b, and 20c will be specifically described with reference to FIGS. 2 to 4.

  The position of the turbulator 25 in the imaging device 20a will be described with reference to FIG. The imaging device 20a includes an imaging optical system 21, an imaging element 22, a control unit 23, and a housing 24. The housing 24 may include a first case 24a and a second case 24b joined in the direction of the optical axis OX of the imaging optical system 21.

  The housing 24 has one or more turbulators 25 provided on the exterior surface. The turbulator 25 is provided at a reference position Pa in front of at least one of the image sensor 22 and the control unit 23 in the front-rear direction of the moving body 10 in a state where the image pickup device 20a is mounted on the moving body 10. With such a configuration, the probability that the boundary layer of the air flowing around the housing 24 will be separated upstream of the image pickup device 22 and the control unit 23 that generate a relatively large amount of heat is reduced. Therefore, the air cooling efficiency of the imaging device 20a is further improved.

  The turbulator 25 may be located on the imaging optical system 21 side with respect to at least one of the imaging device 22 and the control unit 23 in the direction along the optical axis OX of the imaging optical system 21.

  The housing 24 may have a taper shape in which the diameter decreases as it moves away from the vicinity of the reference position Pa in the front-rear direction of the moving body 10 toward the front and the rear. If the turbulator 25 is not provided, the boundary layer of the air flowing around the housing 24 is relatively easy to separate in the portion of the housing 24 that reduces in diameter in the front-rear direction of the moving body 10. . On the other hand, the turbulator 25 of the imaging device 20a according to the embodiment is located in the vicinity of or in front of the portion of the housing 24 whose diameter decreases toward the rear. For this reason, the probability that the boundary layer of the air flowing around the housing 24 will peel off at the portion of the housing 24 where the diameter decreases toward the rear is reduced. Therefore, the air cooling efficiency of the imaging device 20a is further improved.

  In the example shown in FIG. 2, the first case 24a of the housing 24 has a portion whose diameter decreases toward the front in the front-rear direction of the moving body 10. The second case 24b of the housing 24 has a portion whose diameter decreases toward the rear in the front-rear direction of the moving body 10. The first case 24a and the second case 24b may be joined at the reference position Pa. The turbulator 25 may be provided in the first case 24a or the second case 24b. The turbulator 25 may be provided across the first case 24a and the second case 24b.

  The position of the turbulator 25 in the imaging device 20b will be described with reference to FIG. The turbulator 25 is a reference position in front of at least one of the image pickup device 22 and the control unit 23 in the front-rear direction of the moving body 10 in the state where the image pickup apparatus 20b is mounted on the moving body 10 as in the above-described image pickup apparatus 20a. It is provided in Pb. With such a configuration, the probability that the boundary layer of the air flowing around the housing 24 will be separated upstream of the image pickup device 22 and the control unit 23 that generate a relatively large amount of heat is reduced. Therefore, the air cooling efficiency of the imaging device 20b is further improved.

  The turbulator 25 may be located on the opposite side of the imaging optical system 21 with respect to at least one of the imaging device 22 and the control unit 23 in the direction along the optical axis OX of the imaging optical system 21.

  The position of the turbulator 25 in the imaging device 20c will be described with reference to FIG. The turbulator 25 is a reference position in front of at least one of the image pickup device 22 and the control unit 23 in the front-rear direction of the moving body 10 in the state where the image pickup apparatus 20c is mounted on the moving body 10 as in the above-described image pickup apparatus 20a. It is provided at Pc. With such a configuration, the probability that the boundary layer of the air flowing around the housing 24 will be separated upstream of the image pickup device 22 and the control unit 23 that generate a relatively large amount of heat is reduced. Therefore, the air cooling efficiency of the imaging device 20c is further improved.

  The turbulator 25 may be located near at least one of the image pickup device 22 and the control unit 23 in the direction along the optical axis OX of the image pickup optical system 21. According to such a configuration, at a position of at least one of the image pickup device 22 and the control unit 23 in the direction along the optical axis OX of the image pickup optical system 21, there is a possibility that the boundary layer of the air flowing around the housing 24 is separated. descend. Therefore, the air cooling efficiency of the imaging device 20c is further improved.

  As described above, the moving body 10 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure includes one or more imaging devices 20. The housing 24 of the imaging device 20 has a turbulator 25 provided on the exterior surface. According to such a configuration, the probability that the boundary layer of the air flowing around the housing 24 is separated is reduced. Therefore, the air cooling efficiency of the imaging device 20 is improved.

  The reference positions Pa, Pb, and Pc where the turbulators 25 are provided are located in front of at least one of the image sensor 22 and the control unit 23 in the front-rear direction of the moving body 10 with the imaging device 20 mounted on the moving body 10. To position. With such a configuration, the probability that the boundary layer of the air flowing around the housing 24 will be separated upstream of the image pickup device 22 and the control unit 23 that generate a relatively large amount of heat is reduced. Therefore, the air cooling efficiency of the imaging device 20 is further improved.

  Although the present invention has been described based on the drawings and the embodiments, it should be noted that those skilled in the art can easily make various variations 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 functions included in each means and each step can be rearranged so as not to logically contradict each other, and a plurality of means and steps can be combined or divided into one. .

  In the above-described embodiment, the configuration has been described in which the housing 24 of the imaging device 20a has a tapered shape in which the diameter decreases as it goes away from the vicinity of the reference position Pa where the turbulator 25 is provided, toward the front and the rear. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, the housing 240 of the imaging device 200b mounted on the moving body 10 such that the optical axis OX of the imaging optical system 21 faces the rear of the moving body 10 has the same tapered shape as the imaging device 20a. May have. Specifically, the housing 240 has a tapered shape in which the diameter is reduced as it moves away from the vicinity of the reference position Pb in the front-rear direction of the moving body 10 toward the front and the rear. The reference position Pb is located in front of at least one of the image sensor 22 and the control unit 23 in the front-rear direction of the moving body 10 in a state where the imaging device 20 is mounted on the moving body 10. The first case 240a of the housing 240 has a portion whose diameter decreases toward the rear in the front-rear direction of the moving body 10. The second case 240b of the housing 240 has a portion whose diameter decreases toward the front in the front-rear direction of the moving body 10. The first case 240a and the second case 240b may be joined at the reference position Pb. The turbulator 25 may be provided in the first case 240a or the second case 240b. The turbulator 25 may be provided across the first case 240a and the second case 240b.

  The housing 24 according to the above-described embodiment is not limited to the imaging device 20 and can be adopted in various devices that house a heating element and are mounted on the moving body 10.

10 moving bodies 20, 20a, 20b, 20c, 200b imaging device 21 imaging optical system 22 imaging element 23 control unit 24, 240 housing 24a, 240a first case 24b, 240b second case 25 turbulator

Claims (8)

An imaging device mounted on a moving body,
Imaging optics,
An image pickup device for picking up a subject image formed through the image pickup optical system;
A processor for controlling the operation of the image sensor,
A housing that houses the imaging optical system, the imaging element, and the processor;
Equipped with
The housing has a turbulator on the outer surface,
The position of the turbulator is an imaging device that is located in front of at least one of the imaging element and the processor in a front-rear direction of the moving body when the imaging device is mounted on the moving body. The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein
The housing has a tapered shape in which the imaging device is mounted on the moving body, and the diameter is reduced as the distance from the vicinity of the position of the turbulator to the front and the rear is increased in the front-back direction of the moving body. apparatus. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
The housing includes a first case and a second case joined to each other near the position of the turbulator,
The said turbulator is an imaging device which is located in the said 1st case or the said 2nd case, or is located over the said 1st case and the said 2nd case. The imaging device according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The turbulator is located on the imaging optical system side with respect to at least one of the imaging device and the processor in a direction along the optical axis of the imaging optical system,
The imaging device is mounted on the moving body so that an optical axis of the imaging optical system faces the front of the moving body. The imaging device according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The turbulator is located on the opposite side of the imaging optical system with respect to at least one of the imaging device and the processor in a direction along the optical axis of the imaging optical system,
The image pickup apparatus is mounted on the moving body such that an optical axis of the image pickup optical system faces rearward of the moving body. The imaging device according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The turbulator is located near at least one of the image sensor and the processor in a direction along the optical axis of the imaging optical system,
The image pickup apparatus is mounted on the moving body such that an optical axis of the image pickup optical system faces downward of the moving body. A housing of an image pickup apparatus which houses an image pickup optical system, an image pickup element which picks up a subject image formed through the image pickup optical system, and a processor which controls the operation of the image pickup element, and which is mounted on a moving body. And
Has a turbulator on the exterior,
The turbulator is located in the housing in a state in which the imaging device is mounted on the moving body, and is located in front of at least one of the image pickup device and the processor in a front-back direction of the moving body. An image pickup optical system, an image pickup element for picking up a subject image formed via the image pickup optical system, a processor for controlling the operation of the image pickup element, the image pickup optical system, the image pickup element, and the processor A mobile body on which an imaging device having a housing is mounted,
The housing has a turbulator on the outer surface,
The position of the turbulator is a moving body located in front of at least one of the image pickup device and the processor in the front-rear direction of the moving body in a state where the image pickup apparatus is mounted on the moving body.

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