JP7395319B2 - Cleaning equipment and cleaning method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a cleaning device and a cleaning method.

Dust may adhere to the detection surface of a detection element that detects light, electromagnetic waves, etc., causing false detection. For example, in a digital camera having an image sensor in which photoelectric converters, which are light receiving elements, are lined up, deterioration in image quality of images is prevented by periodically cleaning the imaging surface of the image sensor. However, if the user cleans the imaging surface by themselves, there is a risk of accidentally damaging it, so it is common for the user to take it to a service shop operated by the manufacturer or the like and ask a specialized worker to do it. However, even among dedicated workers, there are variations in the accuracy of cleaning work due to differences in skill level. Therefore, an apparatus for cleaning the imaging surface of an imaging device has been proposed. Patent Document 1 discloses an optical component cleaning tool that is connected to an imaging device, presses a cleaning member against an imaging surface, and automatically performs a wiping operation.

However, in the automatic cleaning device disclosed in Patent Document 1, when the cleaning member enters the inside of the camera to perform cleaning, measures must be taken to prevent the cleaning member from destroying or staining the inside of the camera. Therefore, in order to prevent damage caused by the cleaning member, conventional methods have been used to create a moving path for the cleaning member and areas where the cleaning member can enter so that the cleaning member can perform the cleaning operation with a sufficient distance from the internal structure of the camera. Measures were taken to specify in advance.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2009-135759

However, in recent years, cameras have been released that have a so-called sensor shift type camera shake correction function in which the imaging surface moves vertically and horizontally in the normal direction to the optical axis to correct vibrations. When cleaning a camera having this sensor shift type image stabilization function, the position of the imaging surface to be cleaned may vary because the imaging surface is movable. When cleaning a camera with a sensor shift type image stabilization function, if the movement path of the cleaning member is determined in advance as in the past, the position of the imaging surface will not be uniquely determined with respect to the cleaning member. The area near the edge of the image pickup surface cannot be cleaned, and there is a risk that some residue may be left unwiped.

Furthermore, even if the camera shake correction function is used to maintain the imaging surface at a constant position, the holding force of the imaging surface is overcome by the sliding force of the cleaning member, causing the imaging surface to shift, resulting in unwiped residue. There is a fear. Furthermore, since the size and position of the imaging surface area differ depending on the type of camera, it is extremely troublesome to specify in advance the movement path of the cleaning member and the area into which the cleaning member can enter for each camera. It takes a lot of effort.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a cleaning device that can cope with changes in the position and size of a detection surface to be cleaned.

In order to solve the above problems, a cleaning device of the present invention includes a cleaning section that cleans a detection element having a detection surface, and a control section that controls the cleaning section. The cleaning section includes a light emitting section that irradiates the tip with light, the light emitting section has a plurality of light sources, and the control section uses the measured first position information of the cleaning section and the detection surface. controlling the position of the cleaning unit based on second position information of the cleaning unit based on a captured image of the light emitted from the light emitting unit , and identifying light from the plurality of light sources in the captured image; It is possible .

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a cleaning device that can respond to changes in the position and size of the detection surface to be cleaned.

It is a figure showing an example of a cleaning device. It is a figure showing an example of a cleaning device. It is a figure explaining a 2nd cleaning part. It is a figure explaining the composition of a cleaning device and a camera. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of a camera. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an imaging unit including an imaging element. It is a flow chart explaining contact cleaning processing. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating cleaning of an image sensor by a second cleaning section. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating cleaning of an image sensor by a second cleaning section.

FIGS. 1 and 2 are diagrams showing an example of a cleaning device 100 according to the present embodiment. The cleaning device 100 is a device that automatically cleans the detection surface of a detection element that detects light, electromagnetic waves, and the like. In the present embodiment, an example of the cleaning device 100 will be described as a cleaning device that cleans the imaging surface of an image sensor configured with a CMOS sensor or the like included in an imaging device such as a digital camera. Further, the image sensor 22 of the camera 200, which is an imaging device, will be described as an example of the object to be cleaned.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the appearance of the cleaning device 100. The cleaning device 100 includes a main body 1, a fixing section 2 for fixing the device to be cleaned, and a display section 7 for displaying various information. The main body 1 is composed of, for example, a metal chassis. Note that the display unit 7 may be configured as a separate body that can communicate with the cleaning device 100.

2(A) and FIG. 2(B) are diagrams showing the internal configuration of the cleaning device 100. The cleaning device 100 includes a movable base 6, a control unit 10, an air filter 11, an inlet 12, a pressure gauge 13, and a power source 14 inside the main body 1. Furthermore, the movable base 6 includes a confirmation section 3, a first cleaning section 4, and a second cleaning section 5. The movable pedestal 6 translates and rotates in three dimensions, making it possible to freely change the position of each part.

The fixing part 2 is arranged on the exterior surface of the main body 1 and fixes the device to be cleaned. The fixing part 2 is made of, for example, a ring-shaped metal member. In this embodiment, the fixing part 2 has a structure in which a camera mount for attaching and detaching an interchangeable lens of the camera 200 to be cleaned can be attached and fixed. Note that details of the camera 200 will be described later. The fixed part 2 further includes an electrical connection terminal, and is capable of communicating with the camera 200 attached thereto. In this embodiment, attachment of the camera is detected using a connection terminal on a so-called camera mount of the camera 200 to be attached. That is, it is detected that the camera 200 is attached to the cleaning device 100 in response to the connection terminal of the fixed part 2 being electrically connected to the connection terminal of the camera mount.

Furthermore, the fixed part 2 is provided with lighting for ensuring a sufficient amount of light when monitoring the state of cleaning by the cleaning device 100. The lighting is, for example, ring-shaped lighting. When the first cleaning section 4 and the second cleaning section 5 clean the imaging element 22, the illumination of the fixed part 2 irradiates the imaging element 22, which is the object of cleaning, with light. Furthermore, since the appropriate shape of the fixing part 2 differs depending on the type of equipment to be cleaned to which it is attached, the fixing part 2 may be configured to be removable from the main body 1 and replaced depending on the equipment to which it is expected to be connected. Alternatively, the number may be provided as many as the types of devices that are expected to be connected.

The confirmation unit 3 is equipped with an illumination device and irradiates the entire surface of the object to be cleaned with illumination light according to instructions from the control unit 10 . In this embodiment, an LED is mounted on the tip of the confirmation unit 3, and is illuminated when acquiring an image for confirming the surface dirt state of the image sensor 22 of the camera 200 fixed to the fixation unit 2. Note that in this embodiment, an image of the sensor surface is acquired using the imaging function of the image sensor 22, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the confirmation unit 3 has a sensor such as an image sensor and is the object of cleaning. Information that allows confirmation of the surface condition of the image sensor 22 may be acquired.

The first cleaning unit 4 is a cleaning tool that performs non-contact cleaning on the surface of the image sensor 22. In this embodiment, by injecting air from the tip (injection port) of a cylindrical member, dust attached to the surface of the image sensor 22 in the vicinity is blown away by wind pressure. Note that the specific configuration of the first cleaning section 4 is not particularly limited as long as it is a non-contact type cleaning device. The second cleaning unit 5 is a cleaning tool that performs contact cleaning on the surface of the image sensor 22. Details of the second cleaning section 5 will be described later using FIG. 9.

The second cleaning part 5 is directed towards the fixing part 2 . By moving the movable base 6 up and down, the second cleaning section 5 can pass through the center of the ring of the fixed section 2 and approach the image sensor 22 in the open state of the camera 200 connected to the fixed section 2. . Similarly, since the movable base 6 of the confirmation section 3 and the first cleaning section 4 is rotatable, the front surface of each section can be directed toward the fixed section 2. Further, since the movable base 6 is movable up and down, the confirmation section 3 and the first cleaning section 4 can approach the image pickup device 22 of the camera 200 connected to the fixed section 2 in an open state.

The control unit 10 is configured by a computer including a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The control section 10 controls the entire cleaning apparatus 100, processes information from each section, and gives instructions to each section. The air filter 11 is a filter that reduces dust, oil, and the like contained in the air supplied to the first cleaning section 4 . The suction port 12 is an air suction port used by the first cleaning section 4. Air used in the first cleaning section 4 is injected into the cleaning device 100 from an external pump or the like through an inlet 12, and is passed through an air filter 11 to reduce dust and oil present in the air. is supplied to the cleaning section 4 of.

The pressure gauge 13 measures and displays the pressure of the injected air. The user can check the pressure indicated by the pressure gauge 13 and adjust it to an appropriate pressure at any time. Note that the control unit 10 may adjust the air pressure at any time based on the measurement results of the pressure gauge 13. The power supply 14 supplies power to the entire cleaning device 100. Further, the power supply 14 may have a function of supplying power to an external device via an interface (in the present embodiment, for example, an electrical connection terminal of the fixed part 2, etc.).

Next, details of the second cleaning section 5 will be explained using FIG. 3. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the second cleaning section 5. As shown in FIG. FIG. 3(A) is an enlarged view of the tip portion of the second cleaning section 5 shown in FIG. 2(A). The second cleaning unit 5 is a cleaning tool that performs contact cleaning on the surface of the image sensor 22. A core material 61 is attached to the tip of the second cleaning section 5, and a wiping member, which is a removing member that comes in contact with and removes dust etc. attached to the surface of the image sensor 22, is attached to the tip of the core material 61. A tool 62 is attached. Further, optical fibers 66 serving as a light source are attached to the left and right sides of the core material 61 as light emitting units that irradiate light, and irradiate light from the back surface of the wiping tool 62 to the front surface of the image sensor 22 .

As the wiping tool 62, for example, ultrafine fiber cloth, paper, tape, or the like is used. During cleaning, the wiping tool 62 comes into contact with the image sensor 22 and directly traces the surface to remove dust. The wiping tool 62 is of a roll-up type, and is configured so that the second cleaning section 5 contacts and moves to perform wiping cleaning, and a new wiping tool comes into contact with the cleaning surface. Further, the wiping tool 62 is configured so that it can be cleaned by soaking the wiping tool in a solvent for removing oil stains, if necessary.

Optical fibers 66 are attached to the left and right sides of the core material 61. In FIG. 3A, an optical fiber 66a and an optical fiber 66b are attached to the left side toward the tip of the wiping tool 62, and an optical fiber 66c and an optical fiber 66d are attached to the right side. An illumination light irradiation section (not shown), specifically a light made of an LED, is connected to the base of the optical fiber 66, and the light guided from the LED of the illumination light irradiation section reaches the tip of the optical fiber 66. It emits light and irradiates the wiping tool 62 from the back side of the cleaning surface. In addition, in this embodiment, the optical fiber 66 is used as a light emitting part, but in addition, for example, an LED or an incandescent light bulb may be directly attached to the wiping tool 62. Further, a method may be used in which a luminescent material or a self-luminous material is applied to emit light, and an appropriate method may be selected as the method for the light emitting portion.

The wiping tool 62 is made of a material that transmits at least a portion of the light emitted from the optical fiber 66. Therefore, the camera control unit 21 and the control unit 10 can detect the position of the wiping tool 62 in the imaging area of the image sensor 22 based on the image of the irradiation light detected by the image sensor 22. When the position is detected from the image of the image sensor 22, the location of the wiping tool 62 can be directly determined without considering the type of camera 200 attached to the cleaning device 100 or manufacturing variations. Furthermore, by detecting the position from the image of the image sensor 22, cleaning can be performed without sharing information about the position and area of the image sensor 22 between the camera 200 and the cleaning device 100.

FIG. 3(B) is a diagram showing an image captured by the image sensor 22 being cleaned by the second cleaning unit 5. The second cleaning unit 5 cleans the image sensor 22 using a wiping tool 62, and at this time, irradiation light is irradiated from the optical fiber 66. The captured image 65 is a part of an image captured by the image sensor 22 while being cleaned by the second cleaning section 5 and being irradiated with the irradiation light 63 from the optical fiber 66 . The captured image 65 reflects the irradiated light 63 from the optical fiber 66 that has passed through the wiping tool 62 . Note that the captured image 65 may be an image acquired periodically or a video acquired in live view mode.

Irradiation light 63a to irradiation light 63d correspond to the light from optical fiber 66a to optical fiber 66d, respectively. The control unit 10 can confirm and measure the position of the contact portion 64 between the wiping tool 62 and the surface of the image sensor 22 based on the image information of the irradiation light 63 in the captured image 65. In FIG. 3B, the wiping tool 62a corresponds to the wiping tool 62 calculated based on the image information of the irradiated light 63.

An example of a method for measuring the position of the contact portion 64 is a method of calculating the center of gravity position of each light emitting portion of the irradiation light 63 and regarding a certain area having the calculated center of gravity position as the center position as the contact portion 64. It will be done.

At this time, it is desirable that the position and contact pressure of each member of the second cleaning section 5 can be adjusted, such as the position of the optical fiber 66, the contact pressure between the wiping tool 62 and the image sensor 22, and the irradiation light. It is desirable that the light emitting amount of the light emitting device 63 and the exposure of the captured image 65 be adjustable. Furthermore, if the irradiation light 63 is monochromatic, the irradiation lights 63a to 63d from different optical fibers 66 will be mixed in color, which will complicate the calculation method of the center of gravity position and the light emitting area. Therefore, the emission colors of the irradiation lights 63a to 63d may be made to be different colors so that they can be distinguished from each other in the captured image. Further, for example, the irradiation light 63a and the irradiation light 63b may be changed to different colors, and the irradiation light 63b and the irradiation light 63d may be changed to different colors. On the other hand, if the image sensor 22 is a monochromatic sensor, or if the contact portion 64 can be sufficiently measured and calculated even if the irradiated light 63 is monochromatic, it is naturally possible to make the irradiated light 63 emit the same color. It is.

FIG. 3C is a diagram showing an image captured by the image sensor 22 being cleaned by the second cleaning unit 5 when the irradiation light 63 is monochromatic. When the irradiation light 63 is composed of a single color, the irradiation light 63 is recognized as one integrated irradiation light 63 in the captured image 65 regardless of the number of optical fibers 66. Even in the case of monochromatic light, the contact portion 64 is calculated based on the captured image 65 obtained by capturing the irradiation light 63. In FIG. 3C, the wiping tool 62b corresponds to the wiping tool 62 calculated based on the image information of the irradiated light 63.

In the captured image 65 captured by the image sensor 22, the position of the contact portion 64 is measured by checking the irradiation light 63. Therefore, the area around the second cleaning unit 5 when cleaning the image sensor 22 must be shielded from light to the extent that it can be seen as a brighter image than the area that is not irradiated with the irradiation light 63. Specifically, in order to create a light-shielded state, for example, the outer periphery of the main body 1 may be surrounded by a wall to create a simple dark room state. Another method is to make the intensity of the irradiated light 63 sufficiently stronger than the external light conditions during cleaning.

Next, the main electrical configurations of the cleaning device 100 and camera 200 according to this embodiment will be explained using FIG. 4. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of the cleaning device 100 and the camera 200. The cleaning device 100 includes a fixed part 2, a confirmation part 3, a first cleaning part 4, a second cleaning part 5, a movable base 6, a display part 7, an input part 8, a measurement part 9, a control part 10, a power supply 14, It includes a power SW 15, a memory 16, and a communication section 17.

The cleaning device 100 operates with power supplied from a power source 14, and a power switch 15 switches the cleaning device 100 on and off. The display unit 7 displays various information in response to instructions from the control unit 10, such as various information about the cleaning device 100 and the camera 200, operating states, settings by user operations, and guidance for user operations. Information about the camera 200 stored in the memory 16 or acquired via the communication unit 17 or other communication path is input to the input unit 8 in order to perform an appropriate operation according to the camera 200 attached. Ru. Further, various kinds of instruction information based on user operations are also input to the input unit 8.

The measurement unit 9 measures the position (coordinates, distance to the image sensor 22, etc.) and size of the image sensor 22 of the connected camera 200, and the positions of the first cleaning unit 4 and the second cleaning unit 5 during cleaning. Measure. The measurement unit 9 is configured by, for example, a camera equipped with an image sensor and a lens, or a laser rangefinder. Furthermore, the measuring unit 9 determines whether or not the first cleaning unit 4 and the second cleaning unit 5 can approach the object to be cleaned without any obstacles blocking their path when cleaning. For example, when the object to be cleaned is the camera 200 as in the present embodiment, the measurement section 9 detects that the light shielding members such as the mirror 25 and the shutter unit 26, which will be described later, are retracted from the optical path and the first cleaning section 4 and the second cleaning section 4 are cleaned. It is determined whether the cleaning unit 5 can approach the vicinity of the image sensor 22 or not.

The control unit 10 controls the operation of the cleaning device 100, processes information from each unit, and issues instructions to each unit. Further, the control unit 10 detects that the camera mount 23 of the camera 200 is attached to the fixed part 2 and that the connection terminal provided on the fixed part 2 and the connection terminal provided on the camera mount 23 are electrically connected. In this way, connection of the camera 200 is detected. The memory 16 stores various programs for controlling the cleaning device 100 as well as information about devices such as the camera 200 to be cleaned.

The communication unit 17 communicates with a camera 200 having an image sensor 22 that is to be cleaned. In this embodiment, it is assumed that the communication section 17 is also included in the telecommunication terminal provided on the fixed section 2. When the camera 200 is connected to the fixed part 2, the camera communication part 24 provided inside the camera mount 23 and the communication part 17 are electrically connected, thereby starting communication between the cleaning device 100 and the camera 200. .

In this embodiment, an example in which the communication section 17 is provided in the fixed section 2 has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the connection terminal may be configured to be electrically connected to the camera communication unit 24 on the camera 200 side via a connection cable as a connection terminal compatible with the USB standard. In this case, when the cleaning device 100 and the camera 200 are both powered on and the connection cable is connected to each terminal of the communication section 17 and the camera communication section 24, power is supplied and communication is established. Further, as a communication method between the cleaning device 100 and the camera 200, known communication such as wired LAN, HDMI (registered trademark), wireless LAN (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth (registered trademark), BLE (Bluetooth (registered trademark) Low Energy)) is used. The method is also applicable.

The camera 200 detachably connected to the cleaning device 100 includes a camera control section 21, a camera mount 23, a camera communication section 24, a mirror 25, a shutter unit 26, and an imaging unit 50. Further, the imaging unit 50 includes an imaging element 22. The camera control unit 21 is configured by a computer including a CPU. The camera control section 21 controls the entire camera 200, processes information from each section, and gives instructions to each section.

The camera mount 23 is a mount for attaching a detachable lens device to the camera 200, and can be fixed by being connected to the fixing part 2 of the cleaning device 100. The camera communication unit 24 is communicably connected to the communication unit 17 of the cleaning device 100 and performs communication between the cleaning device 100 and the camera 200. Note that the camera communication unit 24 may be included in a telecommunication terminal provided on the camera mount 23.

At this time, the control unit 10 of the cleaning device 100 can control the camera 200 by communicating with the camera control unit 21 via the communication unit 17 and camera communication unit 24. Specifically, the control unit 10 of the cleaning device 100 can, for example, determine the camera model, control the imaging operation of moving the mirror 25 and the shutter unit 26, and adjust the position of the image sensor 22 by the imaging unit 50. In addition, the cleaning device 100 can receive still images or moving images captured by the image sensor 22 of the camera 200 via the communication unit 17, and can acquire so-called live view images, including during the cleaning operation of the cleaning device 100. It is also possible to do so.

The mirror 25 is, for example, a main mirror formed of a half mirror with a part that is semi-transparent. The mirror 25 is movable between a first position where it guides the light flux from the imaging optical system toward the finder optical system and a second position where it retreats from the optical path so as to guide the light flux toward the image sensor 22. It is. Note that the camera 200 may be configured to include, in addition to the main mirror, a sub-mirror that guides light to an element for focus detection and photometry.

The shutter unit 26 is, for example, a focal plane shutter. During photographing standby, the front shutter curtain is at the light shielding position and the rear shutter curtain is at the exposure position. During photographing, the front curtain of the shutter passes through an imaging light beam during an exposure run in which it moves from a light-shielding position to an exposure position, and the imaging element 22 photoelectrically converts the formed subject image to perform imaging. Then, after the set exposure time has elapsed, the shutter trailing curtain performs a light-shielding run in which it moves from the exposure position to the light-shielding position, and imaging of one image data is completed.

Note that in this embodiment, the camera 200 to be cleaned is a digital single-lens reflex camera having a mirror 25, but is not limited to this. For example, the present invention can be applied to a so-called mirrorless single-lens camera that does not have an optical finder or mirror 25.

Here, with reference to FIG. 5, a detailed description will be given of the camera 200 having the image sensor 22, which is a detection element to be cleaned. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of the camera 200. The image sensor 22 has a detection surface equipped with a photoelectric conversion unit such as a photodiode that receives light. A light beam from a subject is usually formed on the image sensor 22 with a photographic lens (not shown) attached thereto. The light beam received by the image sensor 22 is converted into an electrical signal, and the camera 200 acquires image data. At the time of cleaning, the image sensor 22 is placed at a position where the first cleaning section 4 and the second cleaning section 5 of the cleaning device 100 can approach through an opening provided in the camera mount 23. The image sensor 22 has a structure in which a cover glass, an IR cut filter, an LPF, etc. are stacked on top of a photodiode in the thickness direction, and the cleaning device 100 cleans the outermost surface thereof.

In this embodiment, an example in which a CMOS sensor is used as the image sensor 22 will be described, but the present invention is also applicable to various other image sensors such as a CCD type and a CID type. Furthermore, not only the light receiving element but also any type of detection element can be cleaned by the cleaning device 100 as long as it has a function of detecting on the surface of the element, such as a detection element that detects electromagnetic waves such as X-rays. .

In this embodiment, the camera 200 is a digital single-lens reflex camera with interchangeable lenses. The camera communication unit 24 is provided on the camera mount 23 and communicates with external equipment while being electrically connected. When the external device is a lens device, the camera control unit 21 controls the lens and exchanges various information about the lens and the camera 200. In this embodiment, the fixed part 2 of the cleaning device 100 is connected to the camera mount 23.

The mirror 25 is located closer to the subject than the image sensor 22 on the optical axis. When the mirror 25 is in the first position (mirror down position), it reflects or separates the light directed toward the image sensor 22 onto a sensor (not shown) other than the image sensor 22, an optical viewfinder, or the like. When cleaning the image sensor 22, the mirror 25 serves as an intrusion route for the first cleaning section 4 and the second cleaning section 5 so as not to come into contact with the first cleaning section 4 and the second cleaning section 5. It is necessary to move it away from the optical axis.

In this embodiment, the camera 200 utilizes a mechanism for retracting the mirror 25 from the optical axis when the image sensor 22 is exposed, so that the mirror 25 is moved to such an extent that members from the cleaning device 100 can approach the image sensor 22 even during cleaning. is removed from the optical axis. In FIG. 5, the mirror 25 is retracted from the optical axis, and the image sensor 22 is shown in a state where it can be exposed, that is, the first cleaning section 4 and the second cleaning section 5 can approach the image sensor 22. .

The shutter unit 26, which is a light shielding member, is located closer to the subject than the image sensor 22. Therefore, in order to allow the members from the cleaning device 100 to approach the image sensor 22 during cleaning, the opening 261 provided in the shutter unit 26 is shielded by running a light shielding member such as a shutter curtain, as in the case of exposure. unlock. That is, during cleaning, the mirror 25 and shutter unit 26 are brought into the same state as the state in which the image sensor 22 can be exposed. Note that after the exposure is completed, the shutter curtain covers the opening 261 and blocks light from reaching the image sensor 22.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating the imaging unit 50 including the imaging element 22 mounted inside the camera 200. FIG. 6(A) is a diagram illustrating the configuration of the imaging unit 50 that holds the imaging element 22. The imaging unit 50 in this embodiment is a so-called sensor-type image blur correction unit that can optically correct image blur by swinging the image sensor 22 inside the camera 200.

In addition to the image sensor 22, the imaging unit 50 includes an image sensor holder 51, a holder holding frame 52, a magnet 53, an electromagnet 54, and an electromagnet holding frame 55. An image sensor holder 51 on which the image sensor 22 is mounted is fixed to the holder holding frame 52 . Further, a magnet 53 necessary for rocking is attached to the holder holding frame 52. The electromagnet holding frame 55 is configured to sandwich the holder holding frame 52 from the front and back. Further, the electromagnet holding frame 55 holds an electromagnet 54, and the electromagnet 54 is attached at a position substantially opposite to the magnet 53.

When the camera 200 enters the photographing state, the imaging unit 50 enters the energization holding state and energizes the electromagnet 54. At this time, the holder holding frame 52 is in a floating state due to repulsion or attraction due to the magnetic force with the magnet 53, and the center of the imaging area 221, which is the screen area for outputting image data, of the imaging element 22 is aligned with the light of the photographing lens. Operates in line with the axis. When shaking occurs due to camera shake by the photographer or other factors, the camera 200 adjusts the energization of the electromagnet 54 and swings the holder holding frame 52 to suppress image blurring of the captured image due to the shaking. let

FIGS. 6(B) and 6(C) are diagrams illustrating the position of the imaging unit 50 in each state of the camera 200. 6(B) and FIG. 6(C) are diagrams of the imaging unit 50 viewed from the subject side (cleaning device 100 side). FIG. 6(B) is a diagram showing the state of the imaging unit 50 when the camera 200 is in the shooting state. When the camera 200 enters the photographing state, the imaging unit 50 enters the energized state and operates so that the center of the imaging region 221 coincides with the optical axis. At this time, the entire area of the imaging area 221 is inside the opening 261 of the shutter unit 26 in the open state, and is in a state where it can receive the light flux necessary for photographing.

On the other hand, FIG. 6C is a diagram showing the state of the imaging unit 50 when the energization holding state is released. When the energization holding state is released, the holder holding frame 52 and the image sensor 22 held by the holder holding frame 52 are in a state of falling vertically downward due to the influence of gravity. Therefore, part or all of the imaging area 221 on the image sensor 22 is blocked by the opening 261 of the shutter unit 26 which is in the open state. The part of the imaging area 221 that is obstructed varies depending on the posture, situation, and model of the camera.

Therefore, if the energization holding state of the imaging unit 50 is released when performing contact-type cleaning like the second cleaning section 5, part or all of the imaging area 221 to be cleaned will be exposed to the opening 261. Since it is obstructed, the wiping tool 62 cannot come into contact with it and cannot perform sufficient cleaning. Therefore, the portion of the imaging area 221 that is being cleaned by at least the second cleaning unit 5 needs to be controlled to be located inside the opening area of the opening 261. If the opening area of the opening 261 is sufficiently wider than the imaging area 221 and the imaging area 221 can be cleaned at once without dividing it into areas, the center of the imaging area 221 and the opening center of the opening 261 may be aligned to make cleaning easier. It is desirable to maintain the positions in a substantially coincident state.

Below, the operation of the second cleaning section 5 among the various operation sequences of the cleaning device 100 will be explained using FIGS. 7 to 9. FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a contact cleaning process in which the second cleaning unit 5 performs contact cleaning on the surface of the detection element. The control unit 10 appropriately instructs each unit to operate in this flow or operate in the entire cleaning sequence performed by the cleaning device 100. Furthermore, at the stage when the contact cleaning process starts, the camera 200 has already been fixed to the cleaning device 100 by the camera mount 23 and the fixing part 2, and communication with the camera 200 has been established via the camera communication part 24 and the communication part of the fixing part 2. The situation is as follows.

First, in step S<b>100 , the control unit 10 inserts the part (tip) of the second cleaning unit 5 used for cleaning into the camera 200 and brings it close to the image sensor 22 . Specifically, the control unit 10 controls the movable base 6 to direct the second cleaning unit 5 toward the fixed unit 2, move it so as to pass the fixed unit 2 and the camera mount 23, and move the second cleaning unit 5 toward the fixed unit 2. The cleaning section 5 of No. 2 is brought closer to the image sensor 22. In addition, when using a solvent to remove oil stains etc. during wiping cleaning, the movable base 6 is controlled and the tip of the second cleaning part 5 is placed in a container containing the solvent provided at another rotational position. After soaking, turn it towards the fixing part 2.

In step S101, the control unit 10 cleans the image sensor 22 by bringing the tip of the second cleaning unit 5 into contact with the image sensor 22 and wiping the surface of the image sensor 22 with the wiping tool 62 attached to the tip. conduct. After the second cleaning unit 5 finishes cleaning the image sensor 22, in step S102, the control unit 10 retreats the second cleaning unit 5 from the vicinity of the image sensor 22, and ends the contact cleaning process.

Here, the details of cleaning by the second cleaning section 5 will be explained using FIGS. 8 and 9. FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating cleaning of the image sensor 22 by the second cleaning section 5 in step S102. The second cleaning unit 5 wipes and cleans the surface of the image sensor 22 by sequentially scanning in the cleaning direction 44 over the imaging area 221 . At this time, in order to prevent wiping from being left unwiped, the second cleaning unit 5 moves in the cleaning direction while partially overlapping the cleaning area of one scan, as shown by the first movement trajectory 40 and the second movement trajectory 41. 44 and clean it.

In addition, if the area that can be cleaned by the cleaning device 100 at one time cannot cover the entire imaging area 221, multiple cleaning areas that can be cleaned by the cleaning device 100 at one time are set and each cleaning area is cleaned sequentially. conduct. At this time, adjacent cleaning areas are set so that some of them overlap to prevent wiping from being left unwiped. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, the first cleaning area 42 and the second cleaning area 43 are overlapped to prevent wiping from being left unwiped. At this time, the cleaning device 100 cleans all areas of the imaging region 221 by moving the cleaning area to be cleaned from the first cleaning area 42 to the second cleaning area 43. Note that in order to prevent unwiped areas and to drive dust out of the imaging area 221, it is desirable that the cleaning direction in each cleaning area be the same.

FIG. 9A is a diagram illustrating cleaning of the image sensor 22 by the second cleaning unit 5. FIG. 9(A) is a diagram illustrating how the second cleaning unit 5 cleans the image sensor 22, viewed diagonally from the front. The second cleaning unit 5 cleans by moving while contacting the image sensor 22. In FIG. 9(A), the second cleaning unit 5 has moved by a tool movement amount 67. The control unit 10 of the cleaning device 100 measures the tool position coordinates 70 indicating where the second cleaning unit 5 is located as first position information, and determines the tool movement amount based on the first position information. Calculate 67. The control unit 10 measures the on-tool position coordinates 70, which is the first position information, using the measurement unit 9, for example.

FIG. 9(B) is a diagram showing a captured image 65 acquired by the image sensor 22 when the second cleaning unit 5 cleans the image sensor 22. The captured image 65 is an image obtained by the image sensor 22 of the irradiation light 63 that has passed through the wiping tool 62 of the moving second cleaning section 5 . In FIG. 9B, the second cleaning unit 5 has moved by a moving amount 68 from the position of the wiping tool 62c to the position of the wiping tool 62d. The control unit 10 of the cleaning device 100 uses the captured image 65 to measure the image position coordinates 71 as second position information, and determines the movement amount 68 on the image based on the image position coordinates 71. Further, the image position coordinates 71, which is the second position information, serves as a reference for calculating the position of the wiping tool 62 and the position of the contact portion 64 on the screen. The image position coordinates 71 are, for example, the center of gravity of each light emitting part of the irradiation light 63.

The movement of the image position coordinates 71 in FIG. 9(B) corresponds to the movement of the tool position coordinates 70 in FIG. 9(A). That is, the amount of movement 68 in FIG. 9(B) corresponds to the amount of tool movement 67 in FIG. 9(A). If the image sensor 22 is in a stationary state, converting the movement amount 68 on the image into the movement amount of the second cleaning section 5 on the tool matches the tool movement amount 67 of the second cleaning section 5.

However, in reality, the image sensor 22 in the energized state is in a floating state, so the position of the image sensor 22 may shift due to frictional effects caused by contact between the image sensor 22 and the wiping tool 62 or errors in the posture holding mechanism. be. If the position of the image sensor 22 shifts, the value obtained by converting the movement amount 68 on the image into the tool movement amount (tool movement conversion value) may not match the tool movement amount 67. If the tool movement conversion value of the movement amount 68 and the tool movement amount 67 do not match, the second cleaning unit 5 is caused to scan the first movement trajectory 40 and the second movement trajectory 41 in an overlapping manner. Also, there may be some unwiped residue due to misalignment of the image sensor 22.

Therefore, in order to prevent any residue from being wiped, the control section 10 of the cleaning device 100 compares the respective values of the tool movement amount 67 and the on-image movement amount 68, and controls the second cleaning section 5 according to the comparison result. and the positional relationship of the image sensor 22. For example, the relationship between the tool movement conversion value based on the movement amount 68 on the image and the tool movement amount 67 is constantly monitored, and when a deviation occurs in the relationship, the imaging unit 50 can correct the deviation of the image sensor 22. One example is a method of weakening the contact pressure of the wiping tool 62 to a certain degree. In addition, the relationship between the tool movement conversion value based on the movement amount 68 on the image and the tool movement amount 67 is constantly monitored, and when a deviation occurs in the relationship, the image sensor 22 is driven by the imaging unit 50. The deviation may be corrected.

As another example, the second cleaning unit 5 may be driven in accordance with the deviation that has occurred to correct the deviation of the image sensor 22. Specifically, from the relationship between the tool movement conversion value based on the movement amount 68 on the image and the tool movement amount 67, the deviation amount 69a of the normal component in the advancing direction of the second cleaning section 5 and the deviation amount 69b in the advancing direction are calculated. Detect and correct each. This is a particularly effective method when the position of the image sensor 22 cannot be easily readjusted even if the contact pressure between the second cleaning section 5 and the image sensor 22 is weakened or the contact is separated.

At this time, depending on the direction of the shift amount 69a, the positions of the first movement trajectory 40 and the second movement trajectory 41 may be reversed, resulting in a so-called double-wiping state. Therefore, the amount of deviation 69a is adjusted so that the amount of overlap between the first movement trajectory 40 and the second movement trajectory 41 eliminates any unwiped portion due to the deviation amount 69a. On the other hand, regarding the deviation amount 69b, when the movement amount 68 on the image becomes smaller than the tool movement amount 67, the second cleaning section 5 is moved by the deviation amount 69b from the originally planned tool movement amount 67. Move a lot.

Further, regarding the displacement amount 69b, which is the displacement amount of the second cleaning section 5 in the advancing direction, it is possible to prevent the cleaning portion from being left unwiped by controlling using the irradiation light 63. That is, if it can be determined using the captured image 65 obtained by capturing the irradiation light 63 that the end of the imaging area 221 has been cleaned, it can be determined that there is no unwiped residue due to the shift amount 69b in the advancing direction.

FIG. 9C is a diagram showing a part of the captured image 65 acquired by the image sensor 22 when the second cleaning unit 5 cleans the image sensor 22. In FIG. 9C, the second cleaning unit 5 is located near the screen edge 65a of the image sensor 22. In FIG. The screen edge 65a is the edge of the imaging area 221 in the advancing direction of the second cleaning unit 5, and coincides with the edge of the imaging area 221. When the wiping tool 62 of the second cleaning section 5 is located at the end of the imaging area 221 of the image sensor 22, a part of the irradiated light 63 of the wiping tool 62 is reflected on the screen end 65a on the captured image 65. At this time, the irradiation light 63a and the irradiation light 63c located in front of the moving direction of the wiping tool 62 are located outside the imaging area 221, so they are not reflected in the captured image 65, and the captured image 65 includes the irradiation light 63b and the irradiation light 63d. Only the image is reflected in the image.

That is, by monitoring the state of the irradiation light 63 within the captured image 65, the control unit 10 ensures that the contact portion 64 of the wiping tool 62 reaches the screen edge 65a regardless of whether or not the image sensor 22 is displaced. It is possible to judge whether cleaning has been completed. Therefore, irrespective of the amount of deviation 69b, cleaning is performed by directly determining whether the second cleaning unit 5 has cleaned up to the end of the imaging area 221 from the information of the captured image 65, thereby preventing any unwiped residue. I can do it. Furthermore, with this method, it is not necessary to exchange information about the imaging area 221 between the camera 200 and the cleaning device 100 in advance, and cleaning can be performed appropriately. When it is determined that the screen edge 65a, that is, the edge of the imaging area 221 has been cleaned, the camera moves to the next movement locus and performs scanning for cleaning.

By performing the above procedure, the cleaning device 100 identifies the positional relationship between the second cleaning section 5 and the image sensor 22 based on the captured image 65 captured during cleaning of the light emitted by the second cleaning section 5. However, if a deviation occurs in the positional relationship, the deviation can be corrected. Therefore, even if the size of the imaging area of the imaging element 22 is unknown, the position of the imaging area 221 is uncertain, or the imaging area 221 moves during cleaning, the cleaning device 100 can remove dirt and dust from the surface of the imaging element 22. and dirt can be properly removed.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, when performing contact-type cleaning, it is possible to provide a cleaning device that can respond to differences in size and changes in position of the image sensor to be cleaned. .

(Other examples)
The present invention provides a system or device with a program that implements one or more of the functions of the embodiments described above via a network or a storage medium, and one or more processors in the computer of the system or device reads and executes the program. This can also be achieved by processing. It can also be realized by a circuit (for example, ASIC) that realizes one or more functions.

Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and various modifications and changes can be made within the scope of the gist thereof.

5 Second cleaning section 10 Control section 22 Imaging device 50 Imaging unit 62 Wiping tool 63 Irradiation light 66 Optical fiber 100 Cleaning device 200 Camera

Claims (11)

a cleaning unit that cleans a detection element having a detection surface;
A control unit that controls the cleaning unit,
The cleaning section includes a light emitting section that irradiates the tip with light,
The light emitting section has a plurality of light sources,
The control unit is based on the measured first position information of the cleaning unit and second position information of the cleaning unit based on a captured image of light from the light emitting unit irradiating the detection surface. controlling the position of the cleaning unit;
A cleaning device characterized in that light from the plurality of light sources can be identified in the captured image . a cleaning unit that cleans a detection element having a detection surface;
A control unit that controls the cleaning unit,
The cleaning section includes a light emitting section that irradiates the tip with light,
The control unit is based on the measured first position information of the cleaning unit and second position information of the cleaning unit based on a captured image of light from the light emitting unit irradiating the detection surface. controlling the position of the cleaning unit;
The control unit compares a value obtained by converting the first position information into position information on an image with the second position information, and controls the position of the cleaning unit according to the comparison result. cleaning equipment. a cleaning unit that cleans a detection element having a detection surface;
A control unit that controls the cleaning unit,
The cleaning section includes a light emitting section that irradiates the tip with light,
The control unit is based on the measured first position information of the cleaning unit and second position information of the cleaning unit based on a captured image of light from the light emitting unit irradiating the detection surface. controlling the position of the cleaning unit;
The cleaning device is characterized in that the control unit causes the cleaning unit to repeatedly scan in a certain direction on the detection surface so that areas to be cleaned in one scan overlap. The cleaning device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the cleaning section includes a removal member that performs cleaning by contacting the detection surface. The light emitting unit irradiates light from the back side of the removal member,
The cleaning device according to claim 4 , wherein the removal member transmits at least a portion of the light. The light emitting section has a plurality of light sources,
The cleaning device according to any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein light from the plurality of light sources can be identified in the captured image. The cleaning device according to claim 3 , wherein the control unit determines whether the cleaning unit has reached an end in the scanning direction based on the captured image. The detection element is an imaging element,
The cleaning device according to any one of claims 1 to 7 , wherein the captured image is an image captured by the detection element. A cleaning method in which a detection element having a detection surface is cleaned by a cleaning section included in a cleaning device, the method comprising:
irradiating the detection surface with a light emitting unit provided at the tip of the cleaning unit;
acquiring a captured image by capturing light from the light emitting unit that illuminates the detection surface;
controlling the position of the cleaning unit or the position of the detection element based on the measured first position information of the cleaning unit and second position information of the cleaning unit based on the captured image;
a step of cleaning the detection surface by bringing a removal member included in the cleaning unit into contact with the detection surface ;
The light emitting section has a plurality of light sources,
A cleaning method characterized in that light from the plurality of light sources can be identified in the captured image . A cleaning method in which a detection element having a detection surface is cleaned by a cleaning section included in a cleaning device, the method comprising:
irradiating the detection surface with a light emitting unit provided at the tip of the cleaning unit;
acquiring a captured image by capturing light from the light emitting unit that illuminates the detection surface;
controlling the position of the cleaning unit or the position of the detection element based on the measured first position information of the cleaning unit and second position information of the cleaning unit based on the captured image;
a step of cleaning the detection surface by bringing a removal member included in the cleaning unit into contact with the detection surface;
In the step of controlling the position of the cleaning unit or the position of the detection element, a value obtained by converting the first position information into position information on the image is compared with the second position information, and depending on the comparison result, A cleaning method comprising controlling the position of the cleaning section or the position of the detection element. A cleaning method in which a detection element having a detection surface is cleaned by a cleaning section included in a cleaning device, the cleaning method comprising:
irradiating the detection surface with a light emitting unit provided at the tip of the cleaning unit;
acquiring a captured image by capturing light from the light emitting unit that illuminates the detection surface;
controlling the position of the cleaning unit or the position of the detection element based on the measured first position information of the cleaning unit and second position information of the cleaning unit based on the captured image;
cleaning the detection surface by bringing a removal member included in the cleaning unit into contact with the detection surface;
The cleaning method is characterized in that, in the cleaning step, the cleaning section is repeatedly scanned in a fixed direction on the detection surface so that areas to be cleaned in one scan overlap.

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