WO2018061564A1

WO2018061564A1 - Imaging device

Info

Publication number: WO2018061564A1
Application number: PCT/JP2017/030624
Authority: WO
Inventors: 朋之藤原; 学遠崎; 貴昭中道; 一生木下; 健人空中; 千明的場
Original assignee: シャープ株式会社
Priority date: 2016-09-30
Filing date: 2017-08-25
Publication date: 2018-04-05

Abstract

An imaging device (1) comprising: a sensor mounting substrate (12) to which an imaging element (11) that generates an imaging signal is mounted; an external input/output terminal mounting substrate (17) to which an external input/output terminal (16) is mounted; and a mold part (7) in which a space that is formed between a front case (5) and a rear case (6) to house the sensor mounting substrate (12) and the external input/output terminal mounting substrate (17) is sealed with a resin.

Description

Imaging device

The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus.

Conventionally, an imaging optical system having an optical element such as an imaging lens, an imaging element for acquiring a subject image formed by the imaging optical system, and a subject image based on an electric signal output from the imaging element An imaging device including an electronic circuit unit that generates corresponding digital image data is known. In addition, such an imaging apparatus includes an imaging apparatus in which each unit is housed in a casing, and the casing is provided with a connection cord for transmitting acquired image data from the electronic circuit unit. Is also known.

Among such imaging devices, in particular, a camera module used as an in-vehicle camera or a surveillance camera is used with the lens exposed, and thus at least waterproof is required. Further, such a camera module is subject to vibration and / or shock during use. For this reason, it is required to have weather resistance and impact resistance from the viewpoint of preventing damage to components such as lenses.

In addition, due to the recent demand for design for passenger car bodies, there is a need for miniaturization of in-vehicle cameras.

On the other hand, an endoscopic camera using an imaging device in the medical field may be exposed to high humidity in the human body, and particularly in the case of a stomach camera, it may be exposed to strong acid in the stomach. Therefore, it is important for the endoscope camera to have airtightness and chemical resistance. Similarly, it is important that an endoscope camera for industrial use has airtightness and chemical resistance when used in an environment exposed to high humidity and various chemicals.

In Patent Literature 1, the inside of the housing of the imaging device is airtight, or the housing is filled with a sealing material that is cured by ultraviolet rays such as an inert gas or a photocurable resin. An imaging apparatus capable of improving reliability and downsizing is disclosed.

When the imaging device having a sealed structure is downsized, the heat dissipation efficiency is deteriorated, and as a result, the performance of the semiconductor element is deteriorated due to heat and the reliability of the solder joint portion is sometimes lowered. Patent Document 2 discloses a solid-state imaging device and a method for manufacturing the solid-state imaging device that can facilitate efficient heat dissipation and optical axis adjustment.

Japanese Patent Publication “Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 63-313970 (published on December 22, 1988)” Japanese Patent Publication “JP 2012-49450 A (published Mar. 08, 2012)”

However, the above-described prior art has room for further improvement in terms of impact resistance and weather resistance.

For example, let us consider a case where the inside is airtight or an inside is filled with an inert gas as in the imaging device disclosed in Patent Document 1. In this case, the internal gas pressure may increase due to the heat generation of the internal components and the temperature increase in the surrounding environment, causing the housing to crack, and / or the internal components being damaged due to excessive pressure. There is.

Moreover, since the front-end | tip main body is formed with the filler, the endoscope front-end | tip part disclosed by patent document 1 can be aligned before filling with respect to the optical axis center of the objective lens system. Since the filler is filled at a high pressure, the initial alignment may be shifted.

Patent Document 2 discloses using a ceramic substrate as a wiring substrate of a solid-state imaging device. However, the ceramic substrate is a fired product (so-called “Seto”), and further, since holes such as through holes are formed in various parts of the substrate, it is weak against impact and is not suitable for applications requiring impact resistance.

Further, in the solid-state imaging device disclosed in Patent Document 2, since there is a heat dissipation mechanism wiring board and a mold part at the opening end of the case, when the temperature of the imaging apparatus rises, each part of the case, the wiring board, and the molding part Stress is caused by the difference in thermal expansion. In particular, since the opening is on one side with the bottom surface of the imaging apparatus, the camera may be deformed. For example, it is the same as the case where the opening portion of the paper cup is easily deformed when pressed with a finger.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and an object thereof is to realize an imaging apparatus having impact resistance and weather resistance.

In order to solve the above problems, an imaging apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a lens, a first substrate on which an imaging element that generates an imaging signal from light incident through the lens is mounted, and the imaging A second substrate on which an external input / output terminal for inputting / outputting signals to / from the outside is mounted; a first case storing the lens; a second case combined with the first case; the first substrate; A space formed between the first case and the second case so as to store two substrates is provided with a resin sealing portion sealed with resin.

According to one aspect of the present invention, an imaging device according to an embodiment of the present invention has an effect of having impact resistance and weather resistance.

(A) is a top view which shows schematic structure of the imaging device which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention, (b) is a side view which shows schematic structure of the said imaging device, (c) is (a). It is AA arrow sectional drawing. It is a perspective view which shows the external appearance structure which looked at the part containing the front case of the said imaging device from one direction. It is a perspective view which shows the external appearance structure which looked at the part containing the front case of the said imaging device from the other direction. It is a perspective view which shows the external appearance structure which looked at the part containing the rear case of the said imaging device from one direction. It is a perspective view which shows the external appearance structure which looked at the part containing the rear case of the said imaging device from the other direction. It is a perspective view which shows the external appearance structure before mold resin sealing of the said imaging device. (A) And (b) is sectional drawing which shows the filling process of the mold resin of the said imaging device. It is a perspective view of a schematic configuration after molding resin sealing of the imaging device. It is a perspective view which shows the assembly of the imaging device containing a metal sheath based on 2nd Embodiment of this invention. (A) is a perspective view which shows the external appearance structure of the said metal sheath provided with a board | substrate insertion port, (b) is a perspective view which shows the external appearance structure of the said metal sheath in the state which opened the door. (A)-(c) is a perspective view which shows the external appearance structure of the said metal sheath which has a different resin escape hole. (A) And (b) is a perspective view which permeate | transmits and shows the inside of the said metal sheath provided with a fin. (A) And (b) is a perspective view which shows the shape of the fin from which the said metal sheath differs. It is an external view which shows schematic structure of a metal sheath provided with the fin formed from the said metal sheath. It is a perspective view which shows the assembly of the imaging device containing the said metal sheath provided with a fin outside. It is an external view which shows schematic structure of the metal sheath which equips the exterior with the fin formed from the said metal sheath. It is a flow process figure showing a manufacturing process of an imaging device concerning a 3rd embodiment of the present invention. (A) is a figure which shows the active alignment method used at the process of the alignment in the flowchart of FIG. 17, (b) is a figure which shows the position adjustment of the lens by an active alignment method. (A) And (b) is an external view which shows schematic structure of the lens unit of the imaging device which concerns on 3rd Embodiment of this invention.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail.

In the following, for convenience, the lens 2a side is assumed to be the front, and the external input / output terminal 16 side is assumed to be the rear.

[First Embodiment]
Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

(1: Overview of imaging device 1)
(1-1: Appearance structure)
1A is a top view illustrating a schematic configuration of the imaging apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1B is a side view illustrating the schematic configuration of the imaging apparatus 1, and FIG. FIG. 3A is a sectional view taken along line AA in FIG.

As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the imaging device 1 includes a front case 5 (first case), a rear case 6 (second case), and a mold portion 7 (resin sealing portion). And. From the front, the front case 5, the mold part 7, and the rear case 6 are arranged in this order, and the mold part 7 is sandwiched between the front case 5 and the rear case 6.

In the front case 5, the lens unit 2 including the lens 2a is stored. Further, the rear case 6 has an external connection cable 10 for transferring image data output from an external input / output terminal mounting board 17 (second board), which will be described later, to the outside and supplying power to the internal electronic components. It is attached. The external connection cable 10 has an outer peripheral surface protected by a cable protection member 8 on one end side attached to the rear case 6 and includes a connector 9 on the other end side.

(1-2: Internal structure)
As shown in FIGS. 1B and 1C, in the front case 5, a sensor mounting board 12 (first board) on which the lens unit 2, the lid glass 3, and the imaging element 11 are mounted is provided. Stored. The sensor mounting board 12 is disposed at the end of the front case 5 on the mold part 7 side (rear side). The image sensor 11 is mounted on the mounting surface (front surface) of the sensor mounting substrate 12, and the light receiving surface faces the front side. The imaging element 11 is not particularly limited, and may be a CMOS sensor, a CCD sensor, and an element that receives infrared rays other than visible light, ultraviolet rays, and X-rays.

The lid glass 3 is disposed on the light receiving surface of the image sensor 11. The lid glass 3 has both a function of protecting the CMOS sensor and a function of an IR (infrared light) cut filter. The lid glass 3 may have a function of an AR (antireflection) coat filter and / or a band pass filter in addition to the IR cut filter.

The lens unit 2 is disposed on the front surface of the lid glass 3. The lens unit 2 includes a single lens 2a and a resin lens holder 2b that holds the lens 2a around the lens 2a. The lens unit 2 may include a plurality of lenses 2a instead of a single lens 2a. 1 and FIG. 7 to be described later show a configuration in which the imaging apparatus 1 is a fixed focus method, in other words, a configuration in which the lens unit 2 is fixed. However, the imaging apparatus 1 is not limited to the fixed focus method, and may be an auto focus method. In the autofocus imaging device 1, the lens unit 2 may include an AF (Autofocus) mechanism, a zoom mechanism, a camera shake correction mechanism, and the like in the front case 5.

In the rear case 6, an external input / output terminal mounting board 17 is stored.

The external input / output terminal mounting substrate 17 is arranged at the end of the rear case 6 on the mold part 7 side (front side). An image processing IC 13, a capacitor and a passive element 15 such as a resistor are mounted on one mounting surface of the external input / output terminal mounting substrate 17 (on the mold portion 7 side). On the other mounting surface of the external input / output terminal mounting substrate 17, a communication IC 14, an external input / output terminal 16, a power source and other ICs (not shown) are mounted. The external input / output terminal mounting substrate 17 is mounted with at least an external input / output terminal 16 for performing input / output with respect to the outside, and other ICs and / or elements may be mounted on the sensor mounting substrate 12.

The external input / output terminal mounting board 17 is formed separately from the sensor mounting board 12. However, the external input / output terminal mounting substrate 17 may be formed integrally with the sensor mounting substrate 12. As a case where they are integrally formed, the sensor mounting board 12 and the external input / output terminal mounting board 17 may be integrated with a hard material (for example, epoxy resin) so as to be housed in a case. Further, as a case where they are integrally formed, the sensor mounting board 12 and the external input / output terminal mounting board 17 may be formed as a board generally referred to as a rigid-flex board, and may be folded and incorporated. . Here, the rigid flexible substrate is a substrate having a structure in which a flexible substrate is sandwiched between hard material substrates (in other words, sandwiched), and has flexibility at an exposed portion of the flexible substrate. As described above, by integrating the sensor mounting board 12 and the external input / output terminal mounting board 17, the space for storing the sensor mounting board 12 and the external input / output terminal mounting board 17 becomes smaller. For this reason, the size of the imaging device 1 can be reduced. In addition, the number of parts can be reduced, thereby providing a low-cost camera.

The mold part 7 stores a relay wiring 19 that relays an electrical signal and a power supply between the sensor mounting board 12 and the external input / output terminal mounting board 17. The relay wiring 19 is composed of a flexible substrate, but may be a ribbon cable or a plurality of single wires.

(1-3: Information transmission)
In the imaging device 1, when light incident on the lens 2 a passes through the lid glass 3 and reaches the light receiving surface of the imaging device 11, the imaging device 11 outputs an electrical signal (imaging signal) corresponding to the amount of light received by each cell. Generate and output. This electrical signal is transmitted from the sensor mounting board 12 to the external input / output terminal mounting board 17 via the relay wiring 19.

In the external input / output terminal mounting substrate 17, the electrical signal is subjected to predetermined processing by the mounted image processing IC 13, and then is externally connected as image data from the external input / output terminal 16 via the external connection cable 10. Is transmitted to. The image processing IC 13 can convert the electrical signal from the image sensor 11 into a format corresponding to the processing in the external device. As a result, the amount of data to be communicated can be reduced.

The image format conversion by the image processing IC 13 will be described in detail. The image format of the electrical signal output from the image sensor 11 is the image format of the RAW image when, for example, a CMOS sensor is used. The RAW image is an image format in which the output of pixels such as RGB such as CMOS is output as it is after A / D conversion. However, the RAW image cannot be used as it is in an external device such as an in-vehicle monitor (liquid crystal display). Therefore, after converting (developing) a RAW image into a predetermined format, the external device needs to display an image on the external device based on the converted image data.

Also, since the RAW image is an uncompressed image, the transfer amount of image data becomes enormous as the number of pixels of the image sensor 11 increases, and therefore, a high transfer speed is required. The RAW image is a still image. On the other hand, continuous image data is transferred to an external device at a frequency (frame rate) of about 30 frames per second, and continuous images are displayed at the frame rate based on the image data transferred in the external device. Thereby, it is possible to display a still image as a moving image like an animation. Therefore, a higher transfer speed is required when the external device reproduces a moving image based on the image data obtained by the image sensor 11. These problems are solved when the image processing IC 13 includes image format conversion hardware. Specifically, the image processing IC 13 converts the image format of the RAW image output from the image sensor 11 into an image format that can be processed by an arbitrary external device, and converts the image data having the converted image format. Output. Thus, the external device can use the output image data without converting the image format, and has an advantage that a high transfer rate is unnecessary.

The image format converted by the image processing IC 13 is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include M-Jpeg (Motion-Jpeg). M-Jpeg is a format for continuous output after converting the format to Jpeg, which is a still image compression format. M-Jpeg is a format with a relatively low data compression rate but high image quality and a small amount of compression processing. When an external device uses an application that reproduces the transferred image data by storing it in a memory or the like, an image format compressed at a higher compression rate is required. As a method of compressing image data at a higher compression rate, for example, a compression method standardized by ITU-T (H.261, H.262, H.263), a compression method standardized by MPEG (MPEG -1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4), or other compression methods such as DivX.

The image data processed in the image processing IC 13 is transferred according to a data transfer procedure (protocol) between the imaging device 1 and the external device defined in the communication IC 14 when transferred to the external device. The transfer protocol used is not particularly limited, but for example, those similar to PCT / IP (Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol) used in the Internet, those similar to USB (Universal Serial Bus), and other standardized A standard protocol or other custom protocol may be used.

Further, it may be possible to manage the imaging apparatus 1 from the outside via the above-described protocol. The management of the imaging device 1 includes (i) allocation, setting and change of addresses and ID codes necessary for the protocol to the imaging device 1, (ii) transfer start and transfer stop of image data, (iii) image For example, format change and transfer rate change, (iii) camera gain change, (iv) transmission / reception of various parameters, power ON / OFF and reset.

(2: Case)
(2-1: Front case 5)
FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an external configuration of a part including the front case 5 of the imaging apparatus 1 as viewed from one direction. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an external configuration of a part including the front case 5 of the imaging apparatus 1 as seen from another direction.

As shown in FIG. 2, the front case 5 includes a lens unit storage portion 20, a pedestal portion 22, and a front joint frame portion 23.

The pedestal portion 22 is a hexahedron portion having a predetermined thickness, and has two faces that form a square. The lens unit housing portion 20 is disposed on one surface, and the front joining frame portion 23 is disposed on the other surface. Further, the interior of the pedestal portion 22 has a hollow portion that penetrates so as to be connected to a lens unit insertion hole 21 of the lens unit housing portion 20 described later.

The lens unit storage portion 20 is formed in a cylindrical shape, and has a lens unit insertion hole 21 for storing the lens unit 2 therein. The end of the lens unit insertion hole 21 is opened so that the light incident part of the lens unit 2 is exposed.

The shape of the lens unit storage portion 20 is not limited to a cylindrical shape as long as the lens unit 2 can be stored, and the outer shape may be a cylindrical shape having a prism shape, a conical shape, a truncated pyramid, or the like.

Further, the size of the lens unit insertion hole 21 is not particularly limited as long as the lens unit 2 can be stored.

The thickness from the outer wall of the lens unit housing portion 20 to the lens unit insertion hole 21 is not particularly limited as long as it has the effects of impact resistance and weather resistance.

The lens unit 2 is inserted and stored in the lens unit insertion hole 21. The connection structure between the lens unit insertion hole 21 and the lens unit 2 is not particularly limited, and may be simply fitted, may be engaged by screwing, or may be engaged by a combination of these methods. Further, it is preferable that the lens unit insertion hole 21 and the lens unit 2 have a sufficient margin for optical alignment.

When the lens unit 2 is simply fitted into the lens unit insertion hole 21, the inner peripheral surface of the lens unit housing portion 20 that forms the lens unit insertion hole 21 may be a curved surface without unevenness, or the lens unit. You may provide the groove | channel so that 2 may be meshed.

When the lens unit insertion hole 21 and the lens unit 2 are engaged with each other, the inner peripheral surface of the lens unit housing portion 20 is engaged with the male screw formed on the outer peripheral surface of the lens unit 2 so as to be engaged. An internal thread is provided. The height and number of threads of the male screw are not particularly limited.

The shape of the pedestal portion 22 is not particularly limited, and may be a hexahedron as shown in FIG. 3, a rectangular parallelepiped, a cylinder, a prism, a pyramid, or the like. Further, the thickness of the pedestal portion 22 is not particularly limited.

The front joint frame part 23 is a part joined to the rear case 6 and is formed to extend rearward from the square surface of the pedestal part 22. Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the front joint frame portion 23 includes a sensor mounting board contact portion 25 for placing the sensor mounting board 12 in contact with the inside thereof. Further, the front joining frame portion 23 forms a resin filling port 33 (see FIG. 6) together with a rear notch 31 (see FIGS. 4 and 5) provided in the rear case 6 described later. Are formed at two positions at opposite positions.

In order to arrange the sensor mounting substrate 12 inside the front bonding frame portion 23, the sensor mounting substrate 12 needs to be inserted, but as shown in FIG. 3, the bottom surface of the front bonding frame portion 23 is opened. In such a case, the sensor mounting board 12 can be inserted from the opening.

The shape of the front joint frame portion 23 is not particularly limited as long as it can be joined to the rear joint frame portion 30 by fitting and the sensor mounting substrate 12 can be stored.

The front case 5 may be molded from resin or may be molded from metal.

As the resin (first resin) forming the front case 5, a thermoplastic resin, a thermosetting resin, a high heat resistant resin, a highly durable resin, or the like can be used.

Examples of the thermoplastic resin include polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC), polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), ABS resin, methacrylic resin (PMMA), nylon 66, polyacetal ( POM), polycarbonate (PC), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), and the like.

Examples of the thermosetting resin include phenol resin, urea resin, melamine resin, unsaturated polyester, epoxy resin, silicone resin, polyurethane resin and the like.

Examples of the high heat resistance resin and high durability resin include polysulfone (PSU), polyethersulfone (PES), polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), polyarylate (PAR), polyamideimide (PAI), polyetherimide (PEI), and polyether. Examples include ether ketone (PEEK), polyimide (PI), liquid crystal polymer (LC), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), and the like.

Note that, as in the imaging device disclosed in Patent Document 1, consider a case where the inside is filled with a sealing material that is cured by ultraviolet rays, such as a photocurable resin. In this case, since the wavelength of ultraviolet rays is actually short, the filled sealing material is sufficient in the part of the sealing material filled in the inside of the part far from the ultraviolet irradiation part and / or in the part behind the part. There is a risk that it will not cure. Therefore, it is preferable not to use a photocurable resin as the resin forming the front case 5.

Also, the lens unit housing part 20, the pedestal part 22, and the front joining frame part 23 may be molded from the same first resin, or may be molded from different first resins. Moreover, the lens unit storage part 20, the base part 22, and the front part joining frame part 23 may each be shape | molded from the same metal, or may each be shape | molded from a different metal.

(2-2: Rear case 6)
FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an external configuration of a portion including the rear case 6 of the imaging device 1 as viewed from one direction. FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing an external configuration of a portion including the rear case 6 of the imaging device 1 as seen from another direction.

As shown in FIG. 4, the rear case 6 includes a case main portion 26 and a rear joint frame portion 30.

As shown in FIG. 4, the case main part 26 is a hexahedron part, and the inside is formed in a cavity. A cable insertion hole 28 for inserting the cable protective material 8 of the external connection cable 10 is formed in the rear end surface of the rear case 6 so as to penetrate therethrough. Further, the rear case 6 includes a cable protection material anchoring protrusion 29 inside.

An O-ring mounting groove 27 is formed on the inner peripheral surface near the opening of the cable insertion hole 28. An O-ring for preventing water and / or other chemicals from entering the rear case 6 from the gap between the cable protection member 8 and the cable insertion hole 28 is attached to the O-ring attachment groove 27.

The cable-protecting-material anchoring protrusions 29 are extended portions extending rearward from the inner peripheral surface of the rear case 6 forming the cable insertion holes 28, and protruding portions bent vertically from the end portions of the extended portions toward the center of the cable insertion holes 28. have.

The cable protection material 8 is restricted from being inserted deeper than the end of the cable protection material 8 in contact with the cable protection material mooring protrusion 29.

The width of the cable protection material anchoring protrusion 29 along the inner peripheral direction of the cable insertion hole 28 is not particularly limited as long as it has a strength capable of anchoring the cable protection material 8. For example, the cable protection material anchoring protrusion 29 may be formed from the entire inner periphery of the cable insertion hole 28, or the cable protection material anchoring protrusion may be formed from a part of the inner periphery of the cable insertion hole 28 as shown in FIG. 29 may be formed. When the cable protection material anchoring protrusion 29 is formed from a part of the inner periphery of the cable insertion hole 28, the cable protection material anchoring protrusion 29 may be one as shown in FIG. Two or more cables may be provided on the inner periphery of the cable insertion hole 28.

As shown in FIG. 5, the rear joint frame portion 30 is a portion joined to the front case 5 and is formed to extend rearward from the rear end surface of the case main portion 26. Further, the rear joining frame part 30 forms a space for arranging the external input / output terminal mounting substrate 17 on the inner side. In addition, the rear joining frame part 30 forms a resin filling port 33 (see FIG. 6) together with the front notch 24 (see FIGS. 2 and 3) provided in the front case 5 described above. Are formed at two positions at opposite positions.

The shape of the rear joint frame portion 30 is not particularly limited as long as it can be joined to the front joint frame portion 23 by fitting and the external input / output terminal mounting substrate 17 can be stored.

As shown in FIG. 5, the external input / output terminal mounting board contact portion for placing the external input / output terminal mounting board 17 in contact with the inner side of the rear joint frame portion 30 on the rear end surface of the case main portion 26. 32 is formed.

The shape of the case main portion 26 is not particularly limited, and may be a hexahedron as shown in FIG. 4, a cube, a rectangular parallelepiped, a truncated pyramid, a cylinder, a prism, or the like.

The rear case 6 may be molded from the first resin similarly to the front case 5, or may be molded from metal.

The front case 5 and the rear case 6 may be formed from the same material or may be formed from different materials.

Further, the case main part 26 and the rear joining frame part 30 may be molded from the same resin or metal, respectively, or may be molded from different resins or metals.

(2-3: Temporary joining of front case 5 and rear case 6)
FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing an external configuration of the imaging device 1 before sealing with a mold resin.

As shown in FIG. 6, before the front case 5 and the rear case 6 are filled with resin, the front joint frame portion 23 and the rear joint frame portion 30 are temporarily joined by fitting or the like. Prior to the bonding, the internal substrate 18 such as the sensor mounting substrate 12 and the external input / output terminal mounting substrate 17 is disposed inside the front bonding frame portion 23 and the rear bonding frame portion 30. Further, a part of the relay wiring 19 connecting the sensor mounting board 12 and the external input / output terminal mounting board 17 is arranged outside the front joint frame portion 23 and the rear joint frame portion 30.

Further, a portion where the front notch 24 of the front joint frame portion 23 and the rear notch 31 of the rear joint frame portion 30 overlap is formed as a resin filling port 33. The external connection cable 10 is connected to the external input / output terminal 16 of the external input / output terminal mounting substrate 17 and extends from the cable insertion hole 28 of the rear case 6 while being covered with the cable protective material 8. .

(1-2: Molding method of mold part 7)
The mold part 7 of the imaging device 1 according to the first embodiment is formed by the following method.

7A is a cross-sectional view of the imaging device 1 before filling the mold resin, and FIG. 7B is a cross-sectional view of the imaging device 1 in which the mold resin is filled. It is a figure after filling of a figure.

(I) As shown in FIG. 7 (a), the front case 5 and the rear case 6 in the temporary joined state shown in FIG. At this time, the tip of the resin filling nozzle 35 is directed to the resin filling port 33.

(Ii) The resin is filled into the insides of the joining portions of the front joining frame portion 23 and the rear joining frame portion 30 from the resin filling nozzle 35. At this time, the resin is filled between the sensor mounting board 12 and the external input / output terminal mounting board 17.

As a result of the above (ii), as shown in FIG. 7B, the distance between the sensor mounting board 12 and the external input / output terminal mounting board 17 is expanded by the resin. The sensor mounting board 12 pressed to the lens unit 2 side by the resin is pressed against the sensor mounting board contact portion 25. Further, the external input / output terminal mounting substrate 17 pushed by the resin toward the external connection cable 10 is pressed against the external input / output terminal mounting substrate contact portion 32.

The resin overflowing from the inside of the front joint frame portion 23 and the rear joint frame portion 30 is used for molding the outer walls of the front joint frame portion 23 and the rear joint frame portion 30.

(Iii) When the resin is cured, the space for storing the sensor mounting substrate 12 and the external input / output terminal mounting substrate 17 is sealed, and the mold portion 7 is formed.

Examples of the resin (second resin) forming the mold part 7 include resins such as epoxy for sealing electronic parts, polyamide, polyolefin, and reactive urethane. Further, the second resin is preferably a soft resin as compared with the first resin used for the front case 5 and the rear case 6.

The imaging device 1 after mold sealing is shown in FIG.

(Effect of 1st Embodiment)
As described above, the front case 5 that houses the optical member such as the sensor mounting substrate 12 on which the lens unit 2, the lid glass 3, and the imaging element 11 are mounted is made of the first resin or metal. The rear case 6 for storing the external input / output terminal mounting substrate 17, the external input / output terminal 16, and the external connection cable 10 is also made of the first resin or metal. The first resin is a thermoplastic resin, a thermosetting resin, a high heat resistance resin, or a high durability resin. As a result of the above configuration, the front case 5 and the rear case 6 have an effect of ensuring assembly accuracy (including attachment to a car or the like). Further, the periphery of the internal substrate 18 such as the sensor mounting substrate 12 and the external input / output terminal mounting substrate 17 is made of a second resin that is softer than the first resin constituting the front case 5 and the rear case 6. It is preferable.

With the above configuration, the impact resistance, vibration resistance, and waterproofing can be improved, and the lens unit 2 can be mounted with high accuracy (active alignment). There is an effect that can be adjusted to obtain.

Furthermore, with the above configuration, a mechanism such as screw fastening and / or snapping is unnecessary. Thereby, when the housing of the image pickup apparatus 1 is assembled, the number of parts and man-hours can be reduced, and the camera can be prevented from being damaged due to the loosening of the screw and the disengagement of the snap.

Therefore, according to the imaging apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, the imaging apparatus 1 is inexpensive and small, and at the same time has high impact resistance, vibration resistance, waterproofness, and chemical resistance, and can obtain a higher-definition image. Can provide.

[Second Embodiment]
Hereinafter, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

In addition, in this embodiment, about the component which has a function equivalent to the component in the above-mentioned 1st Embodiment, the same code | symbol is attached and the description is abbreviate | omitted.

As shown in FIG. 9, the present embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the internal substrate 18 such as the sensor mounting substrate 12 and the external input / output terminal mounting substrate 17 is made of a metal sheath 36 (substrate housing body). It is stored in the inside of the front case 5 and the rear case 6 in a state of being covered with.

(1: Metal sheath 36)
FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing the assembly of the imaging device 1 including the metal sheath 36 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10A is a perspective view showing an external configuration of the metal sheath 36 having a board insertion opening, and FIG. 10B is a perspective view showing an external configuration of the metal sheath 36 with the door 42 opened. is there.

In the present embodiment, a metal sheath 36 is used as shown in FIG. 10 in order to resin seal the lower surface of the sensor mounting substrate 12 on which the image sensor 11 is mounted (the surface on which the image sensor 11 is not mounted). Specifically, the metal sheath 36 is attached to the upper surface (the surface on which the image sensor 11 is mounted) of the sensor mounting substrate 12 inside the imaging apparatus 1 and the lower surface (the external input / output terminal 16 is attached) of the external input / output terminal mounting substrate 17. Cover the surface).

As described above, the filling resin (second resin) used to mold the mold part 7 is an epoxy for electronic component sealing, polyamide, or the like. However, although the thermal conductivity of these resins is larger than 0.0257 to 0.0316 (W / m · K) of air as shown in Table 1, it is not sufficient from the viewpoint of heat dissipation. .

In this case, by connecting the metal sheath 36 to the GND, there is an effect of preventing EMI (Electro-Magnetic Interference) and unnecessary deformation of the mold part 7 of the imaging apparatus 1.

The material of the metal sheath 36 is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include iron, copper, silver, aluminum, and stainless steel. Among these, aluminum is preferable from the viewpoint of weight reduction and ease of processing, and stainless steel is preferable from the viewpoint of impact resistance and corrosion resistance, and may be appropriately selected depending on the application of the imaging device 1.

The metal sheath 36 has a resin filling hole 37 and a resin escape hole 38.

The metal sheath 36 may be provided with a first opening 36a at an end portion on the front case 5 side and a second opening 36b at an end portion on the rear case 6 side. It may be covered with. Regarding the insertion of the internal substrate 18, as shown in FIG. 9, both ends of the metal sheath 36 can insert the internal substrate 18 from the first opening 36 a and the second opening 36 b. On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 10A and 10B, the end of the metal sheath 36 on the front case 5 side is covered with the top surface 39, and the end of the metal sheath 36 on the rear case 6 side is covered. Is covered with the bottom surface 41, and a cable insertion hole 43 through which the external connection cable 10 is passed is provided on the bottom surface 41. In this case, an openable / closable door 42 for inserting the internal substrate 18 may be provided on the opposite side of the resin filling hole 37. When the internal substrate 18 is inserted, the door 42 is released as shown in FIG. 10B, and after the internal substrate 18 is inserted, the door 42 is closed as shown in FIG. Thereafter, the metal sheath 36 is stored inside the front case 5 and the rear case 6.

The filling resin for forming the mold portion 7 is supplied from a resin filling nozzle 35 (see FIG. 7B) inserted into a resin filling hole 37 provided in the metal sheath 36, and the sensor mounting board inside the metal sheath 36. 12 and the external input / output terminal mounting substrate 17.

The resin escape hole 38 is a hole for letting excess filled resin escape to the outside at the time of filling, and one or a plurality of resin escape holes may be provided. Next, the resin escape hole 38 will be described in detail.

(1-1: Resin escape hole 38)
FIGS. 11A to 11C are perspective views showing the external configuration of the metal sheath 36 having different resin escape holes 38. FIG.

The shapes of the resin filling hole 37 and the resin escape hole 38 are not particularly limited, and may be circular as shown in FIG. 11A, rectangular as shown in FIG. 11B, or a combination thereof. May be.

When a plurality of resin escape holes 38 are provided, the arrangement of the resin filling holes 37 and the resin escape holes 38 is not particularly limited, and is arranged like a mesh (lattice) as shown in FIG. May be. When the shape of the resin filling hole 37 and the resin escape hole 38 is circular, the arrangement of the resin filling hole 37 and the resin escape hole 38 is relatively easy as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 11B, when the resin filling hole 37 and the resin escape hole 38 are rectangular, when the filling resin passes through the resin filling hole 37 and the resin escape hole 38, stress is applied to the vertex of the rectangle. It may take such a case. However, as shown in FIG. 11C, by arranging the resin filling holes 37 and the resin escape holes 38 like a mesh (lattice), there is a possibility that the maximum number of resin escape holes 38 can be arranged.

(1-2: Metal piece (fin 44))
As shown in FIGS. 12 to 16, the metal sheath 36 may include metal pieces (fins 44) for heat dissipation.

12 (a) and 12 (b) are perspective views showing the inside of the metal sheath 36 including the fins 44. FIGS. 13A and 13B are perspective views showing the shapes of fins 44 having different metal sheaths 36. FIG. 14 is an external view showing a schematic configuration of the metal sheath 36 including the fins 44 formed from the metal sheath 36. FIG. 15 is a perspective view showing the assembly of the imaging device 1 including the metal sheath 36 including the fins 44 on the outside. FIG. 16 is an external view showing a schematic configuration of the metal sheath 36 provided with fins 44 formed from the metal sheath 36 on the outside.

The temperature of the image sensor 11 (sensor chip) rises to about 80 ° C. during the operation (at the time of moving image acquisition) of the image sensor 11 such as a CMOS image sensor built in the image pickup apparatus 1. If no special measures are taken to cool the image sensor 11 due to heat radiation or the like, the image sensor 11 may reach 100 ° C. or more, which causes image abnormality and failure of the image pickup apparatus 1.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 12, fins 44 are attached to the inner side (inner substrate 18 side) of the metal sheath 36, and the imaging device 11, the power supply IC, the image processing IC 13, and the communication IC 14 mounted on the inner substrate 18. Extend the fins 44 to the vicinity. As a result, the heat generated by each IC can be conducted to the vicinity of the outside of the imaging device 1, and as a result, a heat dissipation effect is achieved.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing a schematic view of the metal sheath 36 having the rectangular fins 44. FIG. 13B is a perspective view showing a schematic view of the metal sheath 36 in which the sensor mounting substrate 12 and the external input / output terminal mounting substrate 17 are housed in the metal sheath 36 having the rectangular fins 44.

The fins 44 can be arranged on the side surface 40 other than the side surface 40 provided with the relay wiring 19 (not shown) for connecting the sensor mounting substrate 12 and the external input / output terminal mounting substrate 17.

The cross-sectional shape of the fin 44 is not particularly limited, and may be rectangular as shown in FIG. 12 or circular as shown in FIG. In view of filling the metal sheath 36 with the filling resin, the cross-sectional shape of the fins 44 is preferably circular as shown in FIG. If the cross-sectional shape of the fins 44 is circular, when filling the filling resin, the filling resin can efficiently wrap around the portion behind the fins 44 when viewed from the resin filling nozzle 35. In other words, if the cross-sectional shape of the fin 44 is circular, the filling resin can be efficiently filled. Furthermore, considering the pressure when filling the filling resin, the taper (tapered) shape as shown in FIG. 13B is more preferable than the cylindrical shape as shown in FIG. This is preferable because it is advantageous in terms of strength.

The number of fins 44 is not particularly limited, and as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, two fins 44 may be provided on each of the two side surfaces 40, for a total of four. In addition, four per side 40 may be provided on two side 40 in total, or more than eight may be provided.

The fin 44 may be made by attaching the metal sheath 36 and a separate fin 44 to the metal sheath 36 as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, or from a part of the metal sheath 36 as shown in FIG. 14. It may be formed. As shown in FIG. 14, when the resin escape hole 38 is formed, the fin 44 can be produced by bending a portion of the metal piece that has been cut out without leaving a portion of the metal sheath 36. is there. In FIG. 14, the plate-like fins 44 are formed by bending inward the metal pieces when forming the rectangular resin escape holes 38, but the bent fins 44 are further rounded to obtain a cylindrical shape. The three-dimensional fin 44 may be formed. As shown in FIG. 14, the formation of the fin 44 by bending a part of the metal sheath 36 is compared to the case where the fin 44 is attached as a separate member inside the metal sheath 36 as shown in FIGS. There is an advantage that the cost and labor can be greatly reduced.

As shown in FIG. 15, the fins 44 may also be formed outside the metal sheath 36. Forming the fins 44 outside the metal sheath 36 has an advantage that heat can be more actively conducted to the housing surface of the imaging device 1. When the fins 44 are formed outside the metal sheath 36, grooves (fin notches 45) are formed in the front case 5 and the rear case 6 that are molded with resin so that the fins 44 can be fitted or projected. May be.

Also in the case where the fins 44 are formed outside the metal sheath 36, the fins 44 can be formed from a part of the metal sheath 36 as in FIG. As shown in FIG. 16, when the resin escape hole 38 is formed, the fin 44 can be formed outside by bending a metal piece cut out from the metal sheath 36 to the outside of the metal sheath 36. is there. As shown in FIG. 16, the formation of the fins 44 from a part of the metal sheath 36 to the outside of the metal sheath 36 is less costly than the case where the fins 44 are attached to the outside of the metal sheath 36 as shown in FIG. There is an advantage that the labor can be greatly reduced.

(2: Modification 1)
Modification 1 of this embodiment will be described.

The above-described configuration uses a filling resin such as epoxy for sealing electronic parts, polyamide, polyolefin, and reactive urethane to mold the mold part 7. However, as shown in Table 1, although the thermal conductivity of these filled resins is higher than that of air, it cannot be said that it is sufficient from the viewpoint of heat dissipation. Therefore, there is a method as shown in Table 2 as a method for improving the thermal conductivity of the above-described filling resin in order to dissipate heat from the image sensor 11. In this method, a powder of a metal compound (or ceramic material) that does not exhibit thermal conductivity and has thermal conductivity is added as filler (particles) to the filling resin.

In addition to the materials shown in Table 2, compounds and burned products of these materials, and compounds and mixtures of these materials with other molecules may be used as fillers.

(3: Modification 2)
A second modification of the present embodiment will be described.

The cooling of the image sensor 11 according to the first modification described above is by actively dissipating the heat generated in the image sensor 11 to the outside of the image pickup apparatus 1. However, depending on the use environment of the imaging apparatus 1, it may not be preferable to dissipate heat to the outside. For example, when the imaging apparatus 1 is used in the medical field, it is not desirable to release heat to the outside, that is, to dissipate heat to the patient's body. Therefore, as a method for actively cooling the image pickup device 11 and the image pickup apparatus 1 in this case, a method for actively cooling the inside can be mentioned. Specifically, imaging is performed without dissipating heat generated in the imaging device 11 to the outside of the imaging device 1 by a method such as disposing the Peltier device on the imaging device 11 and / or a chip such as each IC. The element 11 can be cooled.

As the cooling method of the image sensor 11 and the imaging device 1, the first modification or the second modification may be used alone, or the first modification and the second modification may be used in combination.

(4: Effects of the second embodiment)
As described above, the imaging apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment has the following configurations individually or in combination.
(A) A metal sheath 36 that covers the internal substrate 18 such as the sensor mounting substrate 12 and the external input / output terminal mounting substrate 17 inside the imaging device 1.
(B) As a resin for molding the mold part 7, as shown in Table 2, a material that does not exhibit conductivity and has thermal conductivity, a compound of the material and a fired product, and a material and other molecules A filling resin in which a powder of the compound and the mixture is added as a filler.
(C) Peltier device arranged on the imaging device 11 and / or a chip such as each IC.

By having the configurations (a) to (c) singly or in combination, the heat generated in the imaging device 1 can be efficiently radiated and / or cooled.

Further, when the configuration (a) is provided, the metal sheath 36 is grounded by connecting the metal sheath 36 to the GND. As a result, there is an effect that it is possible to realize the imaging apparatus 1 that does not emit electromagnetic noise generated inside and is not affected by external electromagnetic noise.

[Third Embodiment]
A third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 17 is a flowchart showing the manufacturing process of the imaging device 1 according to the third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 18 is a diagram schematically illustrating an active alignment method of the lens unit 2 of the imaging device 1 according to the third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 19 is an external view schematically showing a schematic configuration of the lens unit 2 of the imaging apparatus 1 according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

In this embodiment, an example of a method for manufacturing the imaging device 1 according to the first embodiment and the second embodiment described above will be described.

(1. Process flow)
With reference to FIG. 17, a schematic process flow in the manufacturing method for manufacturing the imaging device 1 according to the present embodiment will be described.

The process flow according to the present embodiment includes the following processes.

S1: A process of mounting components on the internal substrate 18. In S <b> 1, the image sensor 11 mounted on the sensor mounting substrate 12 may be a CMOS image sensor, or may receive a CCD and other infrared light, ultraviolet light, and X-rays. The mounting method may be a method of connecting the sensor and the substrate with a wire (wire bonding) or TSV (Through Silicon Via). Moreover, after opening an opening (counterbore) beforehand in the location corresponding to the light-receiving surface of the image pick-up element 11 of the sensor mounting board | substrate 12, you may perform flip chip mounting from the back surface. Each IC and other components are similarly mounted on the external input / output terminal mounting substrate 17.

S2: A step of performing wiring between the internal substrate 18 (the sensor mounting substrate 12 and the external input / output terminal mounting substrate 17), connecting the relay wiring 19, and connecting the external connection cable 10.

S3: A step of setting the internal substrate 18 produced in S2 in the metal sheath 36. When the metal sheath 36 is connected to the GND, the GND terminal and the metal sheath 36 may be separately connected by a wire. In the above case, the sensor mounting board 12 and the external input / output terminal mounting board 17 and the metal sheath 36 may be in contact with each other by the GND wiring pattern on the board and soldered. A GND terminal may be provided on the sensor mounting board 12 and the external input / output terminal mounting board 17. When the imaging device 1 does not include the metal sheath 36, this step is omitted.

S4: A step of storing the internal substrate 18 or the metal sheath 36 in the front case 5 and the rear case 6 (storage step).

S5: The front case 5 and the rear case 6 in which the internal substrate 18 or the metal sheath 36 stored in S4 is set are set in the mold 34, and then between the sensor mounting substrate 12 and the external input / output terminal mounting substrate 17 The step of filling the resin so that the distance is increased (resin filling step (see FIG. 7)).

S6: A step of positioning the optical axis (positioning step) after the lens unit 2 is inserted and the lens unit 2 is temporarily fixed with UV or the like (fixing step, temporary fixing step).

Here, the lens unit 2 is a product in which one or a plurality of lenses are previously incorporated in the lens holder 2b (lens barrel). The lens 2a may be made of glass or plastic. Further, the alignment of the optical axis of the lens unit 2 may be performed by a human hand. From the viewpoint of obtaining an optically more accurate image, an active alignment method described later is automatically performed using a robot arm. Are preferably aligned.

The lens unit 2 is inserted into the lens unit insertion hole 21 and temporarily fixed before being aligned. An adhesive is used for temporary fixing, and the adhesive is generally cured with ultraviolet rays (UV) in a short time of about several seconds. Moreover, as an adhesive agent used for temporary fixing, the combined use type | mold hardened | cured with an ultraviolet-ray and a heat | fever may be used, and an ultraviolet curing type may be used. When an ultraviolet curable type is used for temporary fixing, an adhesive that is cured by heat may be used for the main fixing. In this case, the temporary fixing adhesive may be partially applied to the bonding location, and the main fixing adhesive may be applied to the entire bonding location. As described above, the temporary fixing and the main fixing may be performed by different fixing methods using different adhesives.

The standard condition for curing the adhesive with ultraviolet rays is to irradiate at least 200 mW (200 mW / cm ² x second) at 1 cm ² and 1 second, but is not limited thereto.

S7: A step of permanently fixing (completely fixing) the lens unit 2 in a constant temperature bath or the like (main fixing step). As described in S <b> 6, a heat-curing adhesive may be used for the permanent fixing of the lens unit 2. The conditions for curing the adhesive by heat are typically 80 ° C. and 60 minutes, but are not limited thereto. As a method for curing the adhesive by heat, it can be left in a thermostat at 80 ° C. for 60 minutes, but is not limited thereto.

S8: Process for performing a shipping inspection. Here, it is inspected whether or not the imaging function of the imaging apparatus 1 is realized. Specifically, imaging functions such as current consumption during use and current consumption during standby, such as circuit conduction in the internal electrical substrate, and camera performance such as resolution, focal length, and contrast are inspected. As a result of these inspections, the imaging device 1 that has been confirmed to have achieved a desired imaging function is shipped, and the imaging device 1 in which a defect is found is subjected to analysis and repair of the corresponding part. In FIG. 17, assuming that a camera performance defect is found in the imaging apparatus 1, the process returns to the step S <b> 6 again.

(2. Active alignment method)
The optical axis alignment of the lens unit 2 of the present embodiment is preferably performed by an active alignment method. This step may be performed automatically using a robot arm. The alignment of the optical axis of the lens unit 2 refers to the alignment between the optical center of the image sensor 11 and the center of the lens. Between the lens unit insertion hole 21 of the front case 5 and the lens unit 2, there is a spatial margin enough to adjust the position.

As shown in FIG. 18A, the active alignment method is a method as described below. In this method, when the lens unit 2 is assembled, the image sensor 11 such as a CMOS sensor in the image pickup apparatus 1 is activated. Next, after the CMOS sensor is activated, the robot arm is operated by the robot arm controller 47 while viewing the test chart (captured image) 48 displayed on the image determination device 46, and the optical axis is adjusted. Realize the final image without blurring. One-sided blur refers to a state where part of the image is out of focus as a result of the lens unit 2 being tilted with respect to the optical axis.

Therefore, the active alignment method is intended to improve the uniformity of the screen and to obtain higher quality camera performance.

More specifically, normally, the resolution of each part of the image and the contrast of the chart image are obtained from the test pattern of the test chart 48 while displaying the contents of the test chart 48. Next, the lens 2a is operated by the robot arm so that the resolution of each part is uniformly maximized and the contrast is maximized, and the lens unit 2 is moved, so that the optimum lens 2a is moved. Hold in the position. The lens unit 2 is moved in the direction of the arrow as shown in FIGS. 18 (a) and 18 (b). After the position of the lens unit 2 is determined, temporary fixing is performed with an adhesive applied in advance.

Normally, an adhesive that cures by ultraviolet light is used for temporary fixing, and an adhesive that cures by heat is used for subsequent permanent fixing. The same adhesive may be used for temporary fixing and permanent fixing. In that case, it is also possible to use an adhesive that is once cured by ultraviolet light and further exerts a strong adhesive force by raising the temperature. Further, different adhesives may be used for temporary fixing and permanent fixing. In that case, it is also possible to use a method in which an adhesive curable by heat is further applied (such as top coating) after temporary fixing using an adhesive curable by ultraviolet light. As an adhesive that can be used for temporary fixing and permanent fixing, the following adhesive may be used in addition to the adhesive that is cured by ultraviolet light and / or heat as described above. Such adhesives include adhesives that cure by volatilization of the organic solvent contained in the adhesive, or by absorbing ambient moisture, ie, adhesives that cure naturally without the need for special operations. Agents.

The active alignment method may be performed using ultraviolet rays, infrared rays, or X-rays other than visible light, and may be performed using a light source having a uniform phase and wavelength, such as a laser beam, and a point light source.

In the active alignment method, in order for the robot arm to operate the lens unit 2, a plurality of cuts 49 are provided on the top surface of the lens unit 2A shown in FIG. A plurality of notches 50 are provided on the top surface of the lens unit 2B shown in FIG. The robot arm sandwiches the notches 49 or the notches 50 to align the lens unit 2.

In FIG. 19 (a), there are three notches 49, but there may be two or more places where the robot arm can be sandwiched, and the notches 50 in FIG. Similar to the notch 49, the number may be two or more. Further, the cut 49 and the notch 50 may be used in combination.

(3. Effects of the third embodiment)
As described above, after assembling the main body of the imaging apparatus 1, the lens unit 2 (optical member) is assembled, and at the same time, the optical axis alignment of the lens unit 2 (optical member) is performed. As a result, there is an effect that the imaging apparatus 1 that can obtain an optically high-accuracy image can be realized.

[Summary]
The imaging apparatus 1 according to the first aspect of the present invention includes a lens 2a, a first substrate (sensor mounting substrate 12) on which an imaging element 11 that generates an imaging signal from light incident through the lens 2a is mounted, and the above A second substrate (external input / output terminal mounting substrate 17) on which an external input / output terminal 16 for inputting / outputting an imaging signal to / from the outside is mounted; a first case (front case 5) storing the lens 2a; A space formed between the first case and the second case so that the second case (rear case 6) combined with the first case and the first substrate and the second substrate are stored is a resin. The resin sealing part (mold part 7) sealed by is provided.

According to said structure, since the 1st board | substrate and the 2nd board | substrate are sealed with the resin sealing part, the space of 1st case and 2nd case is made airtight, or the said space is filled with gas. Compared with the conventional imaging apparatus which does, there is no possibility that the gas pressure in space rises. As a result, it has excellent impact resistance, vibration resistance, waterproofness, and chemical resistance, and it is possible to attach the lens unit 2 with high precision (active alignment). The resulting adjustment is possible.

In addition, according to the above configuration, since a mechanism such as screw fastening and / or snap fastening is not required for joining the first case and the second case, the number of parts and man-hours can be reduced, and the screw can be used. The camera can be prevented from being damaged due to the loosening of the lens and the snap engagement.

In the imaging device 1 according to aspect 2 of the present invention, in the aspect 1, the first substrate and the second substrate may be provided integrally.

According to the above configuration, since the space in which the first substrate and the second substrate are stored is reduced, the size of the imaging device 1 can be reduced. In addition, the number of parts can be reduced, thereby providing a low-cost camera.

In the imaging device 1 according to aspect 3 of the present invention, in the

aspect

1 or 2, the first case and the second case are formed of a first resin, and the resin sealing portion is a second softer than the first resin. It may be formed of resin.

According to the above configuration, when the imaging device 1 receives vibration and impact, the internal substrate 18 (the sensor mounting substrate 12 and the external input / output terminal mounting substrate 17), and the elements and ICs arranged on the internal substrate 18 are used. It is possible to alleviate the impact of the impact on the

The imaging device 1 according to the aspect 4 of the present invention is the imaging apparatus 1 according to the

aspect

1, 2, or 3, wherein the metal substrate storage body (metal sheath) is stored in the space in a state where the first substrate and the second substrate are stored. 36) may further be provided.

According to the above configuration, the heat generated by the first substrate and the second substrate can be efficiently radiated through the substrate housing.

In the imaging device 1 according to aspect 5 of the present invention, in the aspect 4, the substrate housing body may be grounded.

According to the above configuration, the electromagnetic noise generated inside the substrate housing is not released to the outside, and can be prevented from being affected by the electromagnetic noise from the outside.

In the imaging device 1 according to Aspect 6 of the present invention, in the Aspect 3, the second resin is a resin having higher thermal conductivity than air, and particles having thermal conductivity may be added thereto.

According to the above configuration, the heat generated in the imaging device 1 can be efficiently radiated.

The manufacturing method of the imaging device 1 according to the aspect 7 of the present invention includes a lens 2a and a first substrate (sensor mounting substrate 12) on which an imaging element 11 that generates an imaging signal from light incident through the lens 2a is mounted. And a second substrate (external input / output terminal mounting substrate 17) on which an external input / output terminal 16 for inputting / outputting the imaging signal to / from the outside is mounted. In the space formed between the first case (front case 5) storing the lens 2a and the second case (rear case 6) combined with the first case, the first substrate and the A storage step of storing the second substrate and a resin filling step of filling the space with resin are included.

According to the above method, by filling the space formed between the first case and the second case with resin, the first substrate and the second substrate stored in the space are sealed with resin. Therefore, there is no possibility that the gas pressure in the space will increase as compared with the conventional imaging device in which the space between the first case and the second case is made airtight or the space is filled with gas. As a result, it has excellent impact resistance, vibration resistance, waterproofness, and chemical resistance, and it is possible to attach the lens unit 2 with high precision (active alignment). The resulting adjustment is possible.

Further, according to the above method, a mechanism such as screw fastening and / or snap fastening is not required for joining the first case and the second case. The camera can be prevented from being damaged due to the loosening of the lens and the snap engagement.

In the manufacturing method of the imaging device 1 according to the aspect 8 of the present invention, the resin may be filled between the first substrate and the second substrate in the resin filling step in the aspect 7.

According to the above method, the resin filled between the first substrate and the second substrate pushes the first substrate and the second substrate, so that the first substrate and the second substrate are respectively brought to predetermined positions. Can be moved.

FIG. 7B shows that as a result of the above method, the first substrate and the second substrate move in the direction in which the distance between the first substrate and the second substrate increases.

The manufacturing method of the imaging device 1 according to aspect 9 of the present invention is the above-described

aspect

7 or 8, in which the alignment step of aligning the position of the lens 2a and the imaging element 11 and the position of the lens 2a are fixed. And a fixing step.

According to the above method, the imaging device 1 that can obtain an optically high-accuracy image can be realized.

In the manufacturing method of the imaging device 1 according to aspect 10 of the present invention, in the above aspect 9, in the alignment step, the alignment between the lens 2a and the imaging element 11 may be performed by an active alignment method.

According to the above method, the lens and the image sensor 11 can be aligned with high accuracy.

In the manufacturing method of the imaging device 1 according to aspect 11 of the present invention, in the

aspect

9 or 10, the fixing step includes temporarily fixing the lens 2a, and completely fixing the lens 2a after the temporary fixing step. And a main fixing step of fixing to the main body.

For example, in fixing the lens 2a using an adhesive, there is a large difference in curing time depending on the adhesive. For this reason, it is not efficient to fix the lens 2a at once using an adhesive that requires a long time for curing. On the other hand, according to the above method, if the lens 2a is temporarily fixed using an adhesive that cures in a short time in the temporary fixing step, an adhesive that requires a long time for curing is used in the main fixing step. Even if the lens 2a is fixed, the fixing time can be shortened.

In the manufacturing method of the imaging device 1 according to the aspect 12 of the present invention, the temporary fixing step and the fixing method in the main fixing step may be different from each other in the above aspect 11.

According to the above method, for example, the adhesive to be used can be made different between the temporary fixing step and the main fixing step.

In the

aspect

11 or 12, the method for manufacturing the imaging device 1 according to aspect 13 of the present invention is an adhesive that hardens in a shorter time than the adhesive used for fixing the lens 2a in the temporary fixing step in the temporary fixing step. The lens 2a may be fixed using an agent.

According to the above method, for example, in the temporary fixing step, the lens 2a is fixed in a short time using an ultraviolet curable adhesive, and in the main fixing step, the thermosetting adhesive that takes a relatively long time to cure is obtained. Can be used to fix the lens.

[Additional Notes]
In the first embodiment, the second embodiment, etc., the numbers “1” or “2” are numbers given for convenience in listing the embodiments, and the preference of the embodiments or the embodiments. It does not represent the superiority or inferiority of the effect obtained from

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications are possible within the scope shown in the claims, and embodiments obtained by appropriately combining technical means disclosed in different embodiments. Is also included in the technical scope of the present invention. Furthermore, a new technical feature can be formed by combining the technical means disclosed in each embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Imaging device 2a Lens 5 Front case (1st case)
6 Rear case (second case)
7 Mold part (resin sealing part)
11 Image sensor 12 Sensor mounting substrate (first substrate)
16 External input / output terminal 17 External input / output terminal mounting board (second board)
36 Metal sheath (substrate housing)
44 Fin

Claims

A lens,
A first substrate on which an imaging device that generates an imaging signal from light incident through the lens is mounted;
A second board on which an external input / output terminal for inputting / outputting the imaging signal to / from the outside is mounted;
A first case storing the lens;
A second case combined with the first case;
A space formed between the first case and the second case so as to store the first substrate and the second substrate is provided with a resin sealing portion sealed with resin. An imaging device that is characterized.
2. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first substrate and the second substrate are integrally provided.
The first case and the second case are formed of a first resin,
The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the resin sealing portion is formed of a second resin that is softer than the first resin.
The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, 2 or 3, further comprising a metal substrate storage body stored in the space in a state where the first substrate and the second substrate are stored.
The imaging apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the substrate housing is grounded.
4. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the second resin is a resin having higher thermal conductivity than air, and particles having thermal conductivity are added.
A first substrate on which an imaging element that generates an imaging signal from light incident through the lens is mounted, and a second substrate on which an external input / output terminal that inputs and outputs the imaging signal to the outside is mounted An imaging device manufacturing method for manufacturing an imaging device comprising:
A storing step of storing the first substrate and the second substrate in a space formed between a first case storing the lens and a second case combined with the first case;
And a resin filling step of filling the space with a resin.
8. The method of manufacturing an imaging apparatus according to claim 7, wherein, in the resin filling step, a resin is filled between the first substrate and the second substrate.
An alignment step of aligning the position of the lens and the imaging device;
The method according to claim 7, further comprising a fixing step of fixing the lens at a combined position.
10. The method of manufacturing an imaging apparatus according to claim 9, wherein in the positioning step, the lens and the imaging device are aligned by an active alignment method.
11. The fixing step includes a temporary fixing step of temporarily fixing the lens and a main fixing step of completely fixing the lens after the temporary fixing step. Manufacturing method of the imaging apparatus.
The method for manufacturing an imaging device according to claim 11, wherein the fixing method of the temporary fixing step and the main fixing step are different from each other.
13. The lens according to claim 11, wherein, in the temporary fixing step, the lens is fixed using an adhesive that cures in a shorter time than an adhesive used for fixing the lens in the main fixing step. Manufacturing method of imaging apparatus.