JP2009100374A - Image sensor cooling unit, photographing lens unit, and electronic apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image sensor cooling unit capable of efficiently cooling off a heat sources such as an image sensor, and being miniaturized without complicated assembling. <P>SOLUTION: An image sensor cooling unit 30 includes an image sensor 21 fixed to and supported by an image sensor support plate 22, heat pipes 31 and 32 having heat dissipation function, and a thermoelectric conversion element 63 with both faces used as conductive heat transfer faces on which a first heat-conducting sheet 41 and a second heat-conducting sheet 42 are bonded. The thermoelectric conversion element 63 is pinched and supported while the first heat-conducting sheet 41 is bonded on a surface opposite to the imaging surface of the image sensor 21 and the second heat-conducting sheet 42 is bonded on a surface of the image sensor side of the heat pipes 31 and 32. In addition, thermal insulation materials 44 and 45 are interposed between the heat pipes 31 and 32 and the image sensor support plates 22. Moreover, a circulatory fluid passage is arranged. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an imaging element cooling unit, or a photographing lens unit and an electronic apparatus that incorporate an imaging element cooling unit.

  In a conventional electronic device, for example, when an image sensor and a control circuit (CPU) are provided in an image sensor integrated lens-interchangeable camera or camera head, in addition to providing dust resistance, heat is also radiated to the camera head and the like. It is necessary to provide a structure. However, if an electronic component such as an image sensor or a control circuit (CPU) has a dustproof structure, it is difficult to dissipate heat generated by the image sensor or the control circuit (CPU) to the outside. If this heat countermeasure is neglected, the temperature of the image pickup device and the CPU rises, the noise level rises, and the image quality is deteriorated. As a countermeasure against this heat, for example, Patent Document 1 proposes a thermoelectric conversion element composed of a Seebeck effect element.

  In the imaging apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1, a Seebeck effect element (thermoelectric conversion element) is heated by a CPU that generates heat by driving the apparatus, and a propeller fan is driven by a thermoelectromotive force generated in the Seebeck effect element. Etc. are to be cooled.

Non-Patent Document 1 describes the structure of a heat pipe to which a wick (capillary phenomenon generating means) used for cooling a mold or a personal computer is applied. FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view of the heat pipe. The heat pipe 501 has an outer periphery covered with a copper pipe 502, one part being a heat absorbing part 501a and the other part being a heat radiating part 501b. Inside, a wick portion 503 having a capillary action structure and a steam passage 505 are arranged inside the wick portion 503. The heat absorption part 501a side of the steam passage 505 becomes the vaporization part 504, and the heat radiation part 501b side of the steam passage 505 becomes the condensation part 504.
JP 2006-337531 A Heat pipe catalog (Japan Mold Industry Co., Ltd.)

  However, Patent Document 1 only describes that the Seebeck effect element is disposed in a state of being close to the CPU, and for efficiently cooling the heat from the image sensor generated by high-speed driving. The specific arrangement is not shown.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances. For example, in an electronic apparatus such as a portable or stationary imaging unit, a heat source such as an imaging element is efficiently cooled, and the assembly is not complicated and the size is reduced. It is an object of the present invention to provide an imaging element cooling unit capable of performing imaging, a photographing lens unit and an electronic apparatus to which the imaging element cooling unit is applied.

  The imaging element cooling unit according to claim 1 of the present invention includes an imaging element fixedly supported by an imaging element support plate, a heat radiation member having a heat radiation function, a first heat conductive sheet material, and a second heat conduction. A sheet material, and a thermoelectric conversion element to which the first heat conductive sheet material and the second heat conductive sheet material are respectively bonded to both surfaces to be a heat conductive surface. The thermoelectric conversion element is sandwiched and supported in a state where the first thermal conductive sheet material is bonded to the imaging surface side, and the second thermal conductive sheet is bonded to the imaging element side of the heat radiating member. A heat insulating member is interposed between the heat radiating member and the imaging element support plate, and a circulating fluid flow path is disposed.

  The imaging element cooling unit according to claim 2 of the present invention is the imaging element cooling unit according to claim 1, wherein the circulating fluid flow path is composed of a heat pipe with a wick having a heat absorbing portion and a heat radiating portion, The heat conductive sheet is joined to the heat absorbing part of the heat pipe and the heat radiating part of the heat pipe is joined to the heat insulating member.

  The imaging element cooling unit according to claim 3 of the present invention is the imaging element cooling unit according to claim 1, wherein the circulating fluid flow path includes a water-cooled heat pipe and a piezoelectric pump.

  An imaging element cooling unit according to a fourth aspect of the present invention is the imaging element cooling unit according to the first aspect, further comprising a focus driving actuator and a lens mount for driving a desired lens group provided in the photographing lens. It comprises.

  A photographing lens unit according to a fifth aspect of the present invention includes the imaging element cooling unit according to any one of the first to third aspects, and a lens barrel portion on which the photographing lens is mounted.

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic device according to any one of the first to third aspects, a body control control circuit for controlling the imaging device cooling unit and the dustproof mechanism, and a device. A photographic lens that can be attached to and detached from the main body.

  An electronic device according to a seventh aspect of the present invention is detachable from the imaging device cooling unit according to any of the first to third embodiments, a body control control circuit for controlling the imaging device cooling unit, and the device body. A photographic lens.

  According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic apparatus according to the first aspect, wherein the imaging element cooling unit according to the first aspect, a body control control circuit for controlling the imaging element cooling unit, and the imaging element are incident from a photographing lens. An image sensor shift drive mechanism that moves in a two-dimensional direction perpendicular to the optical axis of the light beam, and the image sensor support plate and the heat dissipation member are arranged on a moving member of the image sensor shift drive mechanism. Has been.

  An electronic apparatus according to claim 9 of the present invention is an electronic apparatus having a live view function, wherein the imaging element cooling unit according to claim 1 and a body control control circuit for controlling the imaging element cooling unit are provided. A temperature sensor disposed in the vicinity of the image sensor, and the body control control circuit stops the live view operation when the temperature detected by the temperature sensor is equal to or higher than a predetermined value, and the exhaust fan Alternatively, the piezoelectric pump is driven.

  Advantageous Effects of Invention According to the present invention, an image sensor cooling unit that efficiently cools heat from an image sensor generated by high-speed driving, and that is not complicated in assembly and can be downsized, and the image sensor cool unit are applied. A photographing lens unit and an electronic device can be provided.

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

  FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view including an optical axis of a main part of a single-lens reflex digital camera (hereinafter referred to as a camera) as an electronic apparatus to which the imaging element cooling unit according to the first embodiment of the present invention is applied. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view around the image sensor unit built in the digital camera. FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the image sensor unit. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a structure of a thermoelectric conversion element arranged in the imaging element unit. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the camera showing the arrangement of the built-in exhaust fan and intake / exhaust ports. FIG. 6 is a block diagram of the electric control system of the camera.

  The optical axis of the photographing lens of the camera described below is indicated by “O” in each figure. In the following description, the subject side of the optical axis is referred to as the front side, and the imaging surface side is referred to as the rear side (back side).

  The camera (camera body) 1 of the present embodiment is a single-lens reflex digital camera to which the interchangeable lens barrel 15 can be attached and detached. The finder mode (subject image observation mode) is an optical finder mode by an optical finder device and a live by a liquid crystal monitor. The camera can select a view mode.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a camera (camera body) 1 has a camera exterior cover 2 that accommodates the following components, and a camera structure that is fixedly supported by the camera exterior cover 2 and has a central opening 4a along the optical axis. The body 4, the body mount 3 to which the interchangeable lens barrel 15 is attached and detached, and the main mirror 5 as a constituent member disposed along the optical axis behind the central opening 4 a of the camera structure 4. And a focal plane type shutter 6 and a cooling type imaging device unit 8 to which a heat pipe is applied, and is fixedly supported on the upper side of the camera structure 4 and a focusing screen as a member constituting an optical viewfinder device. 9, a pentaprism 10, and an eyepiece 11. Further, a liquid crystal monitor 12 as an electronic viewfinder (liquid crystal display device), an exhaust fan 65 (FIG. 5), and a dustproof mechanism described later are driven inside a monitor display window 13 on the back side of the camera exterior cover 2. A body control microcomputer (hereinafter referred to as Bμcom) 61 which is a body control control circuit for controlling the piezoelectric element 26 and each function provided in the camera body and controlling a lens control microcomputer 76 which will be described later. And an electric control unit (FIG. 6).

  The interchangeable lens barrel 15 incorporates a photographing lens 14 and an electric control unit (FIG. 6) including a lens control microcomputer (hereinafter referred to as Lμcom) 76.

  The body mount 3 is fixed in a state where it is applied to the front surface of the camera structure 4. The main mirror 5 is rotationally driven to an oblique position that reflects the subject light flux toward the upper focusing screen and a retreat position that retreats from the subject optical path of the optical axis O. The shutter 6 is disposed at a position behind the main mirror 5 on the optical axis O and at an oblique position.

  The camera structure 4 is a frame that supports the image sensor unit 8, the finder device, etc. in addition to the body mount 3. The camera structure 4 can be reduced in weight and cost, and carbon as a material having high thermal conductivity. A polycarbonate resin or a PPS (polyphenylene sulfide) resin mixed with a filler such as fiber is used. The camera structure 4 is coupled to an image sensor support plate 22 described later, and has a function of storing heat around the image sensor 21 by the built-in latent heat storage body 4b. By providing the latent heat storage body 4b, a space for separately arranging the heat sink is not required.

  The latent heat storage body 4b is thermally coupled to the camera structure 4 by insert molding. An uneven reinforcing rib 4c is provided on the wall surface of the latent heat storage body 4b. The strength of the camera structure 4 in a state in which the latent heat exchanger 4b is liquefied is secured by the reinforcing rib 4c.

  The organic heat storage material that constitutes the latent heat exchanger 4b is formed of paraffin or baraffin filled with a highly heat conductive carbon fiber and gel material, and the core material such as paraffin or inorganic hydrated salt is contained in a container. Consists of coated livestock microcapsules. The heat storage black capsule is capable of melting by phase change at a temperature lower than the use limit temperature of the image sensor 21, for example, 50 ° C. to 60 ° C.

  In a normal photographing state, heat generated from the image sensor 21 rises upward, which will be described later, and is released to the outside from the exhaust port 2b (FIG. 5) of the camera exterior cover 2. Therefore, although the vicinity of the reinforcing rib 4c located on the right side of the pentaprism 10 of the camera structure 4 rises, heat can be stored by the latent heat storage body 4b, so that the ambient temperature of the image sensor 21 is prevented from significantly increasing. When the synthetic resin camera structure 4 by insert molding is used, the accuracy of the distance (flange back) from the entire end surface of the body mount 3 to the imaging surface of the image sensor is ensured with high accuracy.

  2 and 3, the image sensor unit 8 is disposed in the dust-proof mechanism portion disposed on the front side of the image sensor 21 described later and the rear position of the shutter 6, and is in direct contact with the camera structure 4. And an image sensor cooling unit 30 supported by an image sensor support plate 22 supported by the image sensor.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the dustproof mechanism includes a base 23 fixed to the camera structure 4, a protective glass 24 supported by the base 23 via a support member 27 made of an elastic body, and a rubber frame 23a. And the optical filter 25 supported in a state of being pressed by a pressing plate on the back surface side of the base 23. The dust-proof mechanism prevents dust from entering the imaging surface side surface of the imaging device 21 surrounded by the protective glass 24 and the base 23. Further, when the protective glass 24 is driven to vibrate by the piezoelectric element 26, dust adhering to the protective glass 24 is removed. Although not shown in FIG. 6, the Bμcom 61 drives the piezoelectric element 26 having an electrode attached to the periphery of the dustproof filter 24 via the piezoelectric element drive circuit, and the dustproof filter 24 is driven by the vibration. It is set as the structure which can remove the dust adhering to the surface of this.

  The imaging element cooling unit 30 includes an imaging element support plate 22, an imaging element 21 whose non-imaging surface (back surface) side is bonded and fixed to the imaging element support plate 22 via an extremely thin insulating sheet 28, and the non-imaging element 21. A connection flexible printed circuit board (hereinafter referred to as a connection FPC) 35 that is attached and connected to the imaging surface side and connected to the imaging circuit board 36 via a connector 39, and a heat conduction sheet on the back side of the insulating sheet 28. A thermoelectric conversion element 63 disposed in close contact, a cooling unit described later disposed on the rear surface of the thermoelectric conversion element 63 supported by the imaging element support plate 22, a temperature sensor 62 mounted on the imaging circuit board 36, Further, the imaging circuit board 36 is arranged behind the imaging element support plate 22.

  On the imaging circuit board 36, a camera body side control unit Bμcom 61 composed of a CPU, an interface circuit component, an image processing circuit component, and the like are mounted.

  The image pickup device support plate 22 is formed of an aluminum plate or a stainless steel plate, holds the image pickup device 21 and also has a heat dissipation function of the image pickup device, and is fixedly attached to the back surface portion of the camera structure 4. The imaging element support plate 22 has an opening 22a that faces the insulating sheet 28 on the imaging element 21 side.

  Note that the imaging element support plate 22 is a material having a high thermal conductivity that is the same material as the camera structure 4, and a polycarbonate or a PPS resin mixed with a filler such as carbon fiber may be applied. As the PPS resin, a molded product of polyphenylene sulfide resin filled with spherical graphite and amorphous (glass) fibers or carbon fibers is applied.

  The insulating sheet 28 is a sheet having a predetermined dimension and a very thin thickness, and is provided with an adhesive application hole.

  The connection FPC 35 has an opening at a portion facing the insulating sheet 28, and both ends are connected to the connection connector portion 39 of the imaging circuit board 36.

  The image pickup device 21 is a bare chip type (non-package) image pickup device, and has an insulating sheet 28 on the non-image pickup surface side (the back surface side of the image pickup surface which is a photoelectric conversion surface) of the image pickup device 21 connected to the connection FPC 35. Is adhered and fixed to the front side of the image sensor support plate 22.

  Note that the image sensor support plate 22 is accurately positioned with respect to the camera structure 4 in a direction orthogonal to the optical axis, and is from the front end surface of the body mount 3 fixed to the front side of the camera structure 4. The accuracy of the distance (flange back) to the imaging surface of the imaging device 21 on the imaging device support plate 22 is ensured by taking into account that the imaging device 21 is a bare chip.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the thermoelectric conversion element 63 is formed of a ceramic heat conversion module formed by joining a Bi2Te3 N-type semiconductor 63a and a P-type semiconductor 63b whose operating temperature range is low. Electrodes 63c and 63d are arranged, and heat conductive sheets 63e and 63f are joined to the electrodes. The thickness of the thermoelectric conversion element 63 is about 3 mm. One insulating sheet 63e side is disposed on the high temperature side, and the other insulating sheet 63f side is disposed on the low temperature side. Thermal conductive sheets 41 and 42 that are heat radiating members are attached to both surfaces of the thermoelectric conversion element 63 on the imaging element 21 side and the cooling part side. The thermoelectric conversion element 63 brings the heat conductive sheet 41 into close contact with the insulating sheet 28 side. Here, the heat conductive sheet material 41 (63e in FIG. 4) is interposed between the insulating sheet 28 and the thermoelectric conversion element 63. However, when the insulating sheet 28 is not bonded to the back side of the image pickup element 21, it is directly selected. It is also possible to join the heat conductive sheet material 28.

  As the heat conductive sheets 41 and 42, for example, a silicon rubber sheet, which is an elastically deformable heat conductive sheet material, a polyamide resin sheet containing metal fibers, a graphite sheet, or the like is applicable.

  In the camera 1, if the temperature rises while the image sensor 21 is operating during a shooting operation, and a temperature difference occurs between the electrodes 41 c and 41 d of the thermoelectric conversion element 63, a thermoelectromotive force is generated due to the Seebeck effect. Power is output from 41c. Under the control of Bμcom 61, the exhaust fan 65 is driven by the electric power from the thermoelectric conversion element 63, the camera exterior cover 2 is exhausted, and the internal control elements including the image sensor 21 are cooled. Details of this control operation will be described later using a flowchart.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the cooling unit is a unit that is supported on the image sensor support plate 22 with heat insulating members 44 and 45 interposed therebetween, and forms a circulating fluid flow path including an evaporation unit and a condensation unit. It consists of heat pipes 31 and 32 and heat transfer plates 33 and 34 arranged in close contact with the front and rear surfaces of the heat pipes 31 and 32. The heat pipes 31 and 32 include a plurality of pairs, and are arranged to face each other with a gap across the opening 22a on the rear side of the imaging element support plate 22.

  The heat pipes 31 and 32 are members having the same cross-sectional shape, and the heat pipe of FIG. 14 described in Non-Patent Document 1 is applicable. The heat pipe 31 is formed in a container 31a made of a copper pipe material having a rod-like and circular cross section, a wick 31b having a capillary action structure arranged along the pipe material, and the wick. It consists of a steam passage part. The container 31a is hermetically sealed, and pure water, methanol, ammonia water, a known latent heat storage body, or a reversible thermochromic pigment that can start and store color at a high temperature (for example, 59 ° C.) in the wick 31b. A working fluid which is a working fluid such as a dispersion liquid of a microcapsule enclosing the fluid is enclosed. The steam passage portion includes an evaporation portion 31c on one end side (a heat pipe facing side) and a condensing portion 31d on the other end side. In addition, the thing whose heat pipe outer diameter (outer diameter of the container 31a) is 1-2 mm is applied.

  Similarly to the heat pipe 31, the heat pipe 32 also has a steam passage portion including a container 32 a, a wick 32 b, an evaporation portion 32 c on one end side, and a condensation portion 32 d on the other end side. The heat transfer plates 33 and 34 are made of a metal material such as an aluminum material or a stainless steel material, or a pair of high thermal conductivity materials made of a filled PPS resin.

  In the central part of the heat transfer plates 33 and 34, heat radiation fins 34 a are formed in the opening 33 a and the heat transfer plate 34. The heat that is trapped inside the heat transfer plate 33 is discharged through the opening 33a.

  The heat pipes 31 and 32 are housed on the back side of the image sensor support plate 22, and the condenser 31 d side and the 32 d side to which the heat transfer plate 34 having the heat radiation fins 34 a of the heat pipe is joined directly to the image sensor support plate 22. The heat insulating members 44 and 45 are bonded and fixed. Then, on the side of the opening 22a in which the silicon gel agent 46 of the image pickup element support plate 22 of the heat pipes 31 and 32 is embedded, the evaporation parts 31c and 32c are the ends on the side where the heat pipes face each other. Bonded with UV curable adhesive with good thermal conductivity or high thermal conductive synthetic resin sheet and adhesive with the front and rear surfaces in the optical axis direction sandwiched by the recesses of the heat transfer plates 33 and 34 along the plane orthogonal to the optical axis Is done.

  In the imaging element cooling unit 30 having the above-described configuration, when the imaging element 21 is heated by the drive current by the imaging operation, the heat of the imaging element 21 is transmitted to the insulating sheet 28 and the thermoelectric conversion element 63, and further, the heat transfer plate 33 is absorbed. The heat of the heat transfer plate 33 is transmitted to the evaporation portions 31 c and 32 c of the steam passage portions of the heat pipes 31 and 32. The working fluid conveyed by the wicks 31b and 32b in the evaporation units 31c and 32c is heated to become steam. The steam is transported to the condensing portions 31d and 32d of the heat transfer plate 34 having heat insulating members 44 and 45 and heat radiating fins supported by the recess 22b of the image sensor support plate 22. Then, the heat of the steam that has reached the condensing parts 31d and 32d is cooled by the air flow from the outside where the surface of the radiation fin 34a flows through the gap and is liquefied by the condensing parts 31d and 32d. The liquefied hydraulic fluid is transported again to the evaporation units 31c and 32c through the wick 31b, and the heat absorption and release cycle is repeated. The heat of the image sensor 21 is absorbed by such a heat absorbing / dissipating action, and the temperature rise is suppressed.

  A temperature sensor 62 is attached in the vicinity of the back side of the image sensor 21 of the image sensor cooling unit 30 in the vicinity of the image sensor 21. When the temperature sensor 62 detects that the vicinity of the image sensor 21 has reached a predetermined temperature, the operation of the exhaust fan 65 is started by the thermoelectromotive force output from the thermoelectric conversion element 63.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the exterior cover 2 of the camera 1 is provided with intake holes 2 a and 2 b on the back surface portion and the bottom surface portion. Further, an exhaust hole 2c is provided in the side surface opposite to the camera grip 2d. An exhaust fan 65 is disposed inside the exhaust hole 2c. Note that a breathable sponge-like filter member is disposed in close contact with the inner surface of the exterior cover 2 inside the intake holes 2a and 2b and the exhaust hole 2c. By providing these filter members, dust and the like are prevented from entering the camera 1 from the intake holes 2a and 2b and the exhaust hole 2c. The intake holes 2a and 2b are arranged in the vicinity of the image pickup circuit board 36 and the liquid crystal monitor 12, and when the exhaust fan 65 is driven, air sucked from the intake holes 2a and 2b is picked up. Then, it is discharged to the outside through the exhaust hole 2c arranged on the side in the vicinity thereof.

  The exterior cover 2 includes a shutter body 53 and an exposure correction button 54 on the upper surface of the grip portion 2d, and further includes a mode dial 55 and a control dial 56 including a power switch. A liquid crystal monitor 12 is provided on the back side. The liquid crystal monitor 12 is a TFT type monitor that displays various setting / adjustment contents in addition to the photographed image, and is a large rectangular display panel that occupies about half of the area on the back side. Further, a playback button, an erase button, a menu button information display button, and the like are provided on the left side of the liquid crystal monitor 12 when viewed from the back side. Further, an optical viewfinder eyepiece 57 that an operator looks into at the time of photographing and a hot shoe 58 for attaching an external flash are provided on the upper side of the liquid crystal monitor 12 on the back side.

  The electric control system of the camera 1 of this embodiment will be described with reference to the block configuration diagram of FIG. An interchangeable lens barrel 15 as one of accessory devices can be attached to the camera (camera body) 1 of the present embodiment.

  The interchangeable lens barrel 15 is detachable through a lens mount (not shown) provided on the front surface of the camera 1. The lens barrel 15 is controlled by a lens control microcomputer 76 (hereinafter referred to as “Lμcom”). On the other hand, the camera 1 (camera body) 1 is controlled by a body control microcomputer 61 (hereinafter referred to as Bμcom). These Lμcom 76 and Bucom 61 are communicably connected via a communication connector 75 in a state where the lens barrel 15 is attached to the camera (camera body) 1. In the above connection state, Lμcom 76 cooperates with Bucom 61 as a subordinate.

  The interchangeable lens barrel 15 includes a lens driving circuit 77 for driving the photographing lens 14 forward and backward in addition to the Lμcom 76 as control elements, an aperture driving circuit for driving the aperture opening / closing, an imaging lens driving motor, and an aperture driving motor. With.

  The camera (camera body) 1 includes, in addition to Bμcom 61 as a control element, a subject luminance detection photometry circuit 66 as a control element controlled by Bμcom 61, an AF circuit 67 for detecting subject distance and obtaining focus data, A mirror drive circuit 68 for driving the main mirror 5, a shutter control circuit 69 for driving and controlling the shutter 6, an image sensor 21, an image sensor control circuit 71, and a liquid crystal display device 73 (liquid crystal monitor 12). A liquid crystal display device control circuit 72, an image data recording memory 74, an image sensor control circuit 71, a liquid crystal display device control circuit 72, an image processing controller 70 for controlling the memory 74, and a temperature in the vicinity of the image sensor. The temperature sensor 62 to detect, the thermoelectric conversion element 63, and the DC / DC converter 6 that boosts the output voltage of the thermoelectric conversion element 63 4, an exhaust fan 65 driven by a drive circuit 65 a controlled by Bμcom 61 by the output voltage of the DC / DC converter 64, and an operation switch group 80 including a finder mode setting switch. Note that the imaging element control circuit 71 and the liquid crystal display device control circuit 72 are mounted on the above-described imaging circuit board 36, and have an AFEIC or the like serving as a heating element.

  Processing of the photographing operation including the exhaust fan operation in the camera 1 mounted with the lens barrel having the above-described configuration will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  When the power switch is turned on in the camera 1, the main process of FIG. 7 is started under the control of the Bμcom 61 and the control operation is started. First, in step S100, the system (each control element) is initialized, and various controls relating to photographing are started.

  In step S101, it is checked whether the finder mode setting switch (SW) of the operation switch group 80 has been operated, and it is determined whether a finder mode switching operation has been performed. If there is a finder mode switching operation, the process proceeds to step S102, and if there is no switching operation, the process jumps to step S107.

  In step S102, the set finder mode is confirmed. If it is the optical finder mode, the process proceeds to step S103, and if it is the live view mode, the process proceeds to step S105.

  In step S103, the viewfinder mode is set to the live view mode, the imaging device 21 is driven to convert the subject image into an electrical imaging signal, and an image based on the imaging signal is displayed on the liquid crystal display device 73 (liquid crystal monitor 12). In step S104, the main mirror 5 is moved to the up position, and the process returns to step S101.

  On the other hand, in step S105, the finder mode is set to the optical finder mode, the live view mode operation is stopped, and in step S106, the main mirror 5 is moved to the down position to return to the optical finder observation state and return to step S101.

  If it is confirmed in step S101 that there has been no finder mode switching operation and the process jumps to step S107, whether or not the detected temperature T of the temperature sensor 62 disposed in the vicinity of the image sensor 21 has exceeded the first set temperature T2. Determine. The set temperature T2 is set to 60 to 70 ° C., for example. If the detected temperature T exceeds the set temperature T2, the process proceeds to step S108, and if not, the process proceeds to step S114.

  In step S108, it is checked whether the currently set finder mode is the live view mode. If it is not the live view mode, the process jumps to step S112 as it is, but if it is the live view mode, the process proceeds to step S109. move on.

  In step S109, the finder mode is switched to the optical finder mode. In step S110, the main mirror 5 is moved to the down position to enable optical finder observation, the live view mode operation is stopped, and the process proceeds to step S111.

  In step S111, driving of the exhaust fan 65 by the thermoelectromotive force of the thermoelectric conversion element 63 is started. The heated air around the image sensor support plate 22 is exhausted from the exhaust hole 2c by the exhaust fan 65, and the image sensor 21 and the AFEIC element, which are heating elements, are forcibly cooled. Furthermore, when the exhaust fan is driven, if the power output from the DC-DC converter 64 is insufficient, it is preferable to supplementarily supply the secondary battery. Further, depending on the situation, the Bμcom 61 drives the exhaust fan 64 using power from a battery (not shown) when the temperature of the image sensor drops below a predetermined temperature, for example, Force the ambient temperature down.

  Thereafter, in step S112, it is determined whether or not the detected temperature T of the temperature sensor 62 has dropped below the second set temperature T1. As shown in FIG. 8 showing the change in the detected temperature, this set temperature T1 is set to a temperature lower than the first set temperature T2 by a predetermined temperature difference ΔT. It prevents the on / off operation from becoming unstable.

  When it is confirmed in step S112 that the detected temperature T is lower than the set temperature T1, the process proceeds to step S113, the exhaust fan 65 is stopped, the process returns to step S101, and the finder mode switching operation is performed again. Check.

  If it is confirmed in step S107 that the detected temperature T has not exceeded the set temperature T2, and the process proceeds to step S114, it is determined whether the release switch has been operated. If it has been operated, the process proceeds to step S115, where AE Alternatively, an AF shooting preparation operation is executed, and the process proceeds to step S116, where the shooting operation is executed. Then, it returns to step S101. If the release switch is not operated, the process proceeds to step S117.

  In step S117, whether the power switch is on or off is checked. If the power switch is on, the process returns to step S101. If the power switch is off, the system is stopped in step S118, and this routine is terminated.

  According to the camera of the first embodiment described above, a thermoelectric conversion element is arranged in the vicinity of a heat generating part such as an image pickup element, and the exhaust fan is driven using the thermoelectromotive force of the thermoelectric conversion element, thereby Thus, a heat generating part such as an image sensor can be efficiently cooled, and a camera that can be miniaturized without being complicated is provided.

Next, an image sensor cooling unit according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 9 is a vertical cross-sectional view including the optical axis of the imaging unit that constitutes the imaging element cooling unit of the present embodiment. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the heat dissipating unit that constitutes the image sensor cooling unit and is connected to the image capturing unit.

  The imaging element cooling unit of the present embodiment is an imaging element cooling unit applicable to a single-lens reflex digital camera having a camera shake correction function, in which a lens barrel (not shown) of an interchangeable photographic lens can be attached and detached. Part 160 and heat radiating part 190. The imaging unit 160 is supported by a camera structure (not shown) so as to be movable on a plane orthogonal to the optical axis, and a camera shake driving mechanism unit (for example, a view of Japanese Patent Application No. 2006-222709 by the present applicant). 3 and 4) is driven on the plane in response to the camera shake state. The heat radiating part 190 is fixedly supported with respect to the camera structure.

  The imaging unit 160 of the imaging element cooling unit of the present embodiment includes a moving frame 164 that is a movable member that is supported so as to be movable on the orthogonal plane with respect to the camera structure that is a fixed member, as shown in FIG. Based on an instruction from the body control microcomputer, an image sensor shift mechanism for moving the moving frame 164, a drive circuit (not shown) for driving the image sensor shift mechanism, and an image fixed to the rear surface of the moving frame 164 An element support plate 166, a substrate pressing plate 171 fixed to the moving frame 164 via the image pickup element support plate 166, and an image pickup element 162 bonded and fixed to the front side of the image pickup element support plate 166 via an insulating sheet 167. An image sensor 162, an interface IC element 172 including a timing generator for driving the image sensor, a temperature sensor 173, and the like are mounted. , A connection FPC (flexible printed circuit board) 168 having a central opening held by the substrate pressing plate 171, and a protection supported by the moving frame 164 via a protective glass supporting pressing plate 165 on the imaging surface side of the image sensor 162. Glass 163, thermoelectric conversion element 151 mounted on the side opposite to the image pickup surface of image pickup element 162 via insulating sheet 167, heat transfer plate 175 fixed to the back side of image pickup element support plate 166 and substrate pressing plate 171 176, a plurality of (for example, five) rod-shaped heat pipes (evaporating portions) 174 forming a circulating fluid flow path sandwiched between the heat transfer plates 175 and 176, and the back side of the heat transfer plate 176. A heat sink (177), a bellows connection pipe 183 connected to the steam delivery side S1 of the heat pipe (evaporating section) 174, and a flexible synthetic resin pipe 18 connected to the connection pipe 2 and a bellows connecting pipe 185 connected to the hydraulic fluid inflow side S2 to the heat pipe (evaporating section) 174 and a flexible synthetic resin pipe 184 connected to the connecting pipe.

  The moving frame 164 is a member made of PPS (polyphenylene sulfide) resin filled with spherical graphite and amorphous (glass) fibers or carbon fibers. The substrate pressing plate 171 is made of a thin aluminum plate or a stainless steel plate. The connection FPC 168 is held by the substrate pressing plate 171 in a shake preventing state.

  The imaging element support plate 166 is made of a metal plate or an ABS resin or a polycarbonate resin material mixed with a filler having high thermal conductivity (for example, carbon fiber) or ceramic, and has an opening at the center.

  The thermoelectric conversion element 151 is the same element as the thermoelectric conversion element 63 of FIG. 4 applied to the first embodiment, and is provided on both sides of the thermoelectric conversion element 151 on the image pickup element 162 side and the heat pipe (evaporating part) 174 side. Thermal conductive sheets 152 and 153 which are heat radiating members are attached. The thermoelectric conversion element 151 has the heat conduction sheet 152 in close contact with the insulating sheet 167, and the heat conduction sheet 153 is disposed on the imaging element support plate 166 in a state where a clearance C 2 for heat radiation is provided with respect to the heat pipe (evaporation unit) 174. Arranged in the opening 166a. The gap C2 is not always necessary, and the heat conductive sheet 153 may be disposed in a close contact state. The thermoelectromotive force from the thermoelectric conversion element 151 is supplied to a piezoelectric element 188 of the heat radiating unit 190 described later, and drives the piezoelectric pump 187.

  As the heat conductive sheets 152 and 153, for example, a silicon rubber sheet, which is an elastically deformable heat conductive sheet material, a polyamide resin sheet containing metal fibers, a graphite sheet, or the like is applicable.

  The heat pipe (evaporation part) 174 is formed only by the evaporation part of the heat pipe 31 applied in the first embodiment, and may be a flat shape other than the rod shape. One of the plurality of steam delivery sides of the heat pipe (evaporating section) 174 is combined into a single pipe and connected to the bellows connection pipe 183. Further, the bellows connection pipe 183 is connected to the flexible synthetic resin pipe 182 for the gas-phase fluid flow path on the steam delivery side S1. Further, the flexible synthetic resin pipe 184 for the liquid phase fluid flow path on the hydraulic fluid inflow side S2 passes through the bellows connection pipe 185 and is divided into a plurality of pipes, and is connected to the hydraulic fluid inflow side of the heat pipe (evaporating section) 174. Connected. The flexible synthetic resin pipes 182 and 184 have a size of a width of 15 mm and a height of 3 mm slightly narrower than the connection FPC 168 when the heat pipe 174 has a diameter of 2 mm, and are held in an integrated state with the connection FPC 168. A cable is configured and connected to the heat radiating unit 190 side.

  The heat transfer plates 175 and 176 holding the heat pipe 174 are made of aluminum oxide (Al2 O3), ABS resin or polycarbonate resin material mixed with high thermal conductivity filler (for example, carbon fiber) or ceramic, or It consists of polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) resin filled with spherical graphite and amorphous (glass) fiber or carbon fiber. The heat transfer plates 175 and 176 are provided with a groove portion having a shape matching the outer diameter of the heat pipe formed along the Y direction. The heat pipe is sandwiched between the groove portions and joined with an adhesive having high thermal conductivity in a surface contact state. Further, the heat transfer plate 175 side is joined to the back surface portion of the substrate pressing plate 171 with an adhesive having high thermal conductivity. In addition, in the case of aluminum oxide, the heat transfer plates 175 and 176 are applied with black alumite treatment, and in the case of other materials, the surface is provided with small irregularities and has a highly radioactive surface. .

  Note that the PPS resin is excellent in heat conduction, and when this PPS resin is applied to the image sensor support plate 166, it can be pressure-bonded to the heat pipe 174, and an adhesive intervenes between the PPS resin and the heat pipe. Decrease in heat conduction due to can be prevented.

  The heat radiating plate 177 is made of an ABS material or a polycarbonate resin material mixed with an aluminum material, a filler having high thermal conductivity (for example, carbon fiber) or ceramic, and is disposed in close contact with the back side of the heat transfer plate 176. The A heat medium chamber surrounded by two metal plates 178 and 179 is provided at the center of the heat radiating plate 177. Silicon grease 181 is injected into the heat medium chamber, and heat transfer fins 178a and 179a are arranged. The heat radiating plate 177 is joined to the heat transfer plate 176 with a double-sided adhesive having high thermal conductivity. The silicon grease 181 can be replaced with a foam material made of a resin containing graphite and carbon fibers.

  The imaging element support plate 166, the substrate pressing plate 171, the heat transfer plates 175, 176, and the heat dissipation plate 177 are fastened and integrated by screws 180.

  The connection FPC 168 is formed by being bent into a U shape. The connection FPC 168 is laminated on the flexible synthetic resin pipes 182 and 184, led to the heat radiating unit 190 side as an integrated flexible resin cable, and connected to the main printed circuit board disposed on the printed circuit board support base 193. The

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 10, the heat radiating part 190 of the image sensor cooling unit of the present embodiment includes a printed circuit board support base 193 fixedly supported by a camera structure (not shown) of the camera body, and a printed circuit board support base. A printed circuit board 189 on which a control circuit (CPU) and a TG (timing generator) IC fixed on 193 are mounted, a piezoelectric pump driving IC chip 191 mounted on the printed circuit board 189, and the printed circuit board 189 are insulated. A heat transfer block 186 mounted via the sheet 192, a piezoelectric element 188 attached to the heat transfer block 186, to which the output voltage of the thermoelectric conversion element 151 is applied, and a piezoelectric pump 187 driven by the piezoelectric element 188; have.

  The heat transfer block body 186 is made of, for example, a metal such as a porous metal material, heat transfer fins 186 a are arranged outside, and the heat transfer block body 186 is further improved in order to improve heat dissipation of the heat transfer block body 186. And the printed circuit board support base 193 are connected by a metal foil 186d. The heat transfer block 186 is provided with a heat pipe (condensing portion) 186b that forms a circulating fluid flow path on the steam inflow side S1, and a hydraulic fluid delivery portion 186c on the hydraulic fluid delivery side S2.

  The piezoelectric pump 187 is disposed in the heat transfer block body 186 in order to keep the flow rate at which the working fluid circulates at a predetermined speed and to reduce heat stagnation in the flexible synthetic resin tube. A check valve is provided between the piezoelectric pump 187 and the heat pipe (condensing part) 186b of the heat transfer block body 186, and between the piezoelectric pump 187 and the hydraulic fluid delivery part 186c of the heat transfer block body 186. It is arranged.

  A heat pipe (condensing unit) 186 b of the heat transfer block 186 is connected to the flexible synthetic resin tube 182 on the vapor delivery side S 1 of the imaging unit 160. The hydraulic fluid delivery unit 186c of the heat transfer block 186 is connected to the flexible synthetic resin tube 184 on the hydraulic fluid inflow side S2 of the imaging unit 160.

  In the imaging element cooling unit including the imaging unit 160 and the heat radiating unit 190 according to the present embodiment having the above-described configuration, the heat generated during the imaging operation of the imaging unit 160 in the imaging unit 160 during the imaging operation causes the thermoelectric conversion element 151 to be generated. Then, the heat is transferred from the heat transfer plate 175 to the heat pipe (evaporating section) 174, and the working liquid is evaporated by the heat, and transformed into steam. A part of the heat is released to the outside from the heat radiating plate 177 through the heat transfer plate 176. Further, the thermoelectric conversion element 151 generates power by the heat transmitted from the imaging element 162, and the thermoelectromotive force is supplied as driving power for the piezoelectric pump 187.

  The steam generated in the heat pipe (evaporating part) 174 is sent out from the heat pipe (evaporating part) 174, passes through the flexible synthetic resin pipe 182, and the heat pipe (condensing part) of the heat transfer block body 186 of the heat radiating part 190. ) Reach 186b. There it is cooled, condensed and returned to the working fluid. The hydraulic fluid is sent to the piezoelectric pump 187 side. The piezoelectric pump 187 is driven by the electric power supplied from the thermoelectric conversion element 151, and forcibly sends the hydraulic fluid from the heat pipe (condensing unit) 186b to the hydraulic fluid delivery unit 186c. Then, the hydraulic fluid is returned to the heat pipe (evaporating unit) 174 of the imaging unit 160 again through the flexible synthetic resin tube 184, and the cycle of absorbing and releasing heat is repeated. The image pickup element 162 is cooled by this heat absorbing / dissipating operation.

  The piezoelectric pump 187 is driven by a drive circuit based on an instruction from the body control microcomputer. The configuration of the drive control unit is obtained by replacing the exhaust fan 65 shown in FIG. 6 with the piezoelectric pump. . Furthermore, the drive control of the piezoelectric pump 187 can be performed by replacing the exhaust fan in steps S111 and S113 with a piezoelectric pump in the flowchart of FIG.

  According to the imaging element cooling unit including the imaging unit 160 and the heat radiating unit 190 of the present embodiment described above, the heat radiating unit 190 that is fixedly supported with respect to the movable imaging unit 160 having the imaging element that serves as a heat generating unit is separated. By arranging them independently, efficient and sufficient cooling becomes possible. Further, a thermoelectric conversion element 151 is disposed on the back side of the image sensor 162, and the piezoelectric pump 187 is driven by the thermoelectromotive force of the thermoelectric conversion element 151 due to the heat of the image sensor 162, thereby forcibly causing the working fluid of the heat pipe 174 to flow. By circulating, the imaging unit 160 described above can be cooled while the power consumption of the camera built-in battery is low.

  Further, when the substrate pressing plate 171 moves along the XY plane together with the moving frame 164 in the imaging unit 160 when the camera shake correction operation is performed, it is a tube member that connects the imaging unit 160 and the heat radiating unit 190, and is a bellows connection pipe 183. , 185 so that the flexible synthetic resin pipes 182 and 185 are flexibly deformed so that the movement of the moving frame 164 and the substrate pressing plate 171 is not hindered. For example, when the substrate pressing plate 171 is driven by a driving motor such as a vibration type motor or an electromagnetic motor, the unstable position of the image sensor at the desired position due to the influence of the reaction force of the rod-shaped or flat plate type micro heat pipe An increase in the load on the drive motor can be avoided.

  In addition, when the driving source for camera shake correction is an electromagnetic drive motor and a moving coil type actuator is used, the power drive signal line can be placed overlapping the bellows connection pipes 183 and 185. . Furthermore, when the drive signal line is divided into two power drive lines for the X and Y axes, a rod-shaped or flat micro heat pipe can also be separated to prevent overload on the drive motor. It becomes possible.

  Although not shown, in a camera structure made of synthetic resin, a printed circuit board such as a strobe circuit, a captured image processing circuit, and a power supply control circuit, or a liquid crystal display unit and an operation unit substrate and an imaging element support plate A metal plate (stainless steel, aluminum, etc.) with an uneven metal plate, or a metal cover (stainless steel, aluminum, etc.) that is exposed to the outside, a front cover, a rear cover, and a ground that is electrically connected to the exterior body. A part of the heat transfer block with fins (the surface where the rod-shaped and flat plate heat pipe (condensing part) is in contact) is directly brought into contact with the terminal, etc. by caulking, elastic clips, small screws, etc. It is also possible to adopt a structure that is fixed. Furthermore, it is also possible to join the rod-shaped and flat plate-type heat pipes to the metallic outer cover, and to the partition plate made of a metal material that covers the liquid crystal display unit and the operation unit substrate with a double-sided tape having high thermal conductivity. When these structures are adopted, the temperature rise of the device body due to the heat generated by the image sensor and circuit components can be suppressed extremely efficiently.

Next, a photographic lens unit including the imaging element cooling unit according to the third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view along the optical axis of the photographic lens unit of the present embodiment.

  A photographic lens unit 201 of this embodiment is a photographic lens unit built in an electronic device such as a digital camera, and includes a lens barrel 202 and an image sensor cooling unit 203 as shown in FIG. The camera has a camera shake prevention function for moving the image sensor in response to camera shake, and the image sensor is cooled by a built-in heat pipe.

  The lens barrel 202 is fixed to the camera body and the like, supports each component directly or indirectly, is arranged on the back side of the following third group lens frame 207, and has a base plate 204 having an opening 204a. And a first group lens frame 205 that holds the first group lens 205a, a second group lens frame 206 that holds the second group lens 206a, and a third group as components arranged along the lens optical axis. A third group lens frame 207 that holds the lens 207a, a smooth / focus drive actuator 208, an image sensor cooling unit 203, and a camera shake detection sensor (not shown) are provided.

  The first group lens frame 205 is fixedly supported with respect to the ground plane. The second group lens frame 206 is driven forward and backward along the lens optical axis by the zoom drive unit 208a of the smooth / focus drive actuator 208 during zooming. The third lens group frame 207 is driven back and forth along the lens optical axis by the focus drive unit 208b of the smooth / focus drive actuator 208 during zooming.

  The smooth / focus drive actuator 208 includes a zoom drive unit 208a formed of a motor unit and a focus drive unit 208b formed of an electromagnetic coil unit.

  The imaging element cooling unit 203 is a cooling type imaging element cooling unit attached to the back side of the ground plane 204, and includes an imaging imaging cooling unit support 211 that is a fixed frame member, an imaging element cooling unit printed circuit board 212, An image sensor support plate 215 supported movably along a plane orthogonal to the lens optical axis, an image sensor 213 made of CCD or CMOS fixedly supported on the image sensor support plate 215, and an image sensor 213 A connection flexible printed circuit board (hereinafter referred to as a connection FPC) 231 to be mounted, a thermoelectric conversion element 241 disposed in close contact with the insulating sheet 214 on the side opposite to the imaging surface (lower surface side) of the imaging element 213, and imaging An endothermic heat pipe which is fixedly supported on the element support plate 215 side and forms a circulating fluid flow path (hereinafter referred to as an endothermic heat pipe). 16, a heat dissipation heat pipe (hereinafter referred to as a heat dissipation heat pipe) 217 that is fixedly supported on the imaging element cooling unit support 211 side and forms a circulating fluid flow path, a heat absorption heat pipe 216, and a heat dissipation heat pipe 217 A bellows-type connecting pipe 218 that is an expansion and contraction connecting pipe, a support plate support mechanism unit (image sensor shift mechanism) that supports the image sensor support plate 215 so as to be movable along the plane orthogonal to the optical axis, and an image sensor support plate And a support plate electromagnetic drive unit for driving 215 along the plane orthogonal to the optical axis. The block diagram of FIG. 6 is also applicable to this embodiment, but a drive circuit for driving the support plate electromagnetic drive is not shown based on an instruction from the body control microcomputer.

  The imaging element cooling unit support 211 is a ring-shaped member and is made of a highly heat conductive metal or synthetic resin, such as stainless steel, aluminum, or synthetic resin containing fibers such as PPS (polyphenylene sulfide) resin or PC. (Polycarbonate) Made of resin. And it has the attachment hole 211a in which the thermal radiation heat pipe 217 is inserted and bonded, and is attached to the back side of the main plate 204.

  The inner surface of the ring of the imaging element cooling unit support 211 is a sheet containing a latent heat storage agent, and a synthetic resin in which spherical graphite is filled with glass fibers or carbon fibers, such as PPS (polyphenylene sulfide) resin, A heat storage sheet 238 made of PC (polycarbonate) resin is bonded with an adhesive. For example, the latent heat storage agent can be melted and solidified by changing the phase at 60 ° C. to 80 ° C., which is lower than the use limit temperature of the image sensor. Paraffin and wax can be applied as long as they are organic. It is. By joining the heat storage sheet 238 to the inner peripheral surface of the imaging element cooling unit support 211, the temperature rise near the imaging element can be temporarily suppressed. Therefore, the frequency of detection of abnormal temperature rise of the image sensor by the CPU is reduced, and user convenience is improved.

  When the imaging element cooling unit support 211 is a synthetic resin in which glass fiber or carbon fiber is filled in spherical graphite, for example, PPS resin or PC resin, the latent heat storage is performed inside the imaging element cooling unit support 211. A sheet 239 containing an agent (shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 11) may be embedded therein by insert molding.

  The imaging element cooling unit printed circuit board 212 is fixed to the lower surface of the imaging element cooling unit support 211 with a screw 229 in a posture along the plane orthogonal to the optical axis. An imaging element support plate 215 is supported on the upper surface side of the printed circuit board 212 via the support plate support mechanism. An AFE (Analog Front End Circuit) IC (hereinafter referred to as an AFE) IC that includes a CPU 221 and a TG (timing generator) circuit on the back side of the printed circuit board 212 and includes a holding and gain control circuit for the image signal output from the image sensor. , AFEIC) 222 and the like are mounted.

  Note that the heat of the CPU 221 and the AFEIC 222 is transmitted to the imaging element cooling unit support 211 via the printed circuit board 212, so that the temperature rise of the CPU and the like is suppressed.

  The imaging element 213 has a protective glass 213a fixed to the upper surface side, which is the imaging surface side, and an insulating sheet 214 bonded to the lower surface side, which is the non-imaging surface side, and is mounted on the connection FPC 231 in an image sensor supporting plate. The upper surface of 215 is fixedly supported.

  The image sensor support plate 215 is formed of an aluminum plate or a stainless steel plate, and has an opening 215a facing the insulating sheet 214 on the image sensor 213 side, an open recess 215b disposed below the opening, and an endothermic heat pipe. A heat pipe fixing recess 215c to which both ends of 216 are attached, and positioning holes 215d and 215e for determining the position of the image sensor 213 with respect to the optical axis of the photographing lens.

  The open recess 215 b is a recess opened to the outside of the image sensor cooling unit 203, and prevents the heat from the image sensor 213 from staying inside the image sensor support plate 215. The heat pipe fixing recess 215c is a groove that is slightly wider than the heat pipe and is slightly deeper than the heat pipe, and the cross-section thereof is semicircular, U-shaped, polygonal, rectangular, elliptical Etc.

  Note that a PC (polycarbonate) resin or a PPS (polyphenylene sulfide) resin, which is a material having high thermal conductivity and mixed with a filler such as carbon fiber, may be applied as the material of the imaging element support plate 215. For the PPS resin, a resin molded product filled with spherical graphite and amorphous (glass) fibers or carbon fibers is applied. When this PPS resin is applied to the imaging element support plate 215, it can be crimped and bonded to a heat absorbing heat pipe 216, which will be described later, and a decrease in heat conduction due to the presence of adhesive between the PPS resin and the heat pipe can be prevented.

  The thermoelectric conversion element 241 is an element similar to the thermoelectric conversion element 63 of FIG. 4 applied to the first embodiment, and is a heat conductive sheet that is a heat radiating member on both sides of the imaging element 213 side and the endothermic heat pipe 216 side. 242 and 243 are attached. The thermoelectric conversion element 241 is disposed in the opening 215a of the imaging element support plate 215 in a state where the heat conductive sheet 242 is closely attached to the insulating sheet 214 and the heat conductive sheet 243 is bonded to the heat absorbing heat pipe 216.

  As the heat conductive sheets 242, 243, for example, a silicon rubber sheet, which is an elastically deformable heat conductive sheet material, a polyamide resin sheet containing metal fibers, or a graphite sheet can be applied.

  Electricity is generated by the thermoelectric conversion element 241 due to heat generated during the operation of the image sensor 213, and an exhaust fan (not shown) or operation is performed by the thermoelectromotive force as in the case of the first or second embodiment. A piezoelectric pump for circulating liquid can be driven.

  The endothermic heat pipe 216 is composed of four heat pipes, and the endothermic part of the heat pipe (FIG. 14) described in Non-Patent Document 1 is applicable, and is made of a copper pipe material having a rod shape and a circular cross section. A container portion, a wick portion having a capillary action structure arranged along the pipe material, and a steam passage portion having a vaporization portion formed inside the wick. Dispersion of microcapsules containing pure water, methanol, ammonia water, or a known latent heat storage material or a reversible thermochromic pigment capable of starting and storing color at a high temperature (for example, 59 ° C.) in the wick The working fluid which is the working fluid is enclosed. The outer surface of the container part is a fine uneven surface (pear ground) by sand processing or the like, and is further coated with black to have a high emissivity surface. In addition, the thing whose heat pipe outer diameter (outer diameter of a container) is 1-2 mm is applied. The wick portion is composed of a fine mesh portion in which fine wires are knitted into a mesh shape, a mesh, or the like.

  The heat dissipating heat pipe 217 is composed of one heat pipe, and is disposed along the pipe member and a container portion made of a copper pipe material having a rod-like and circular cross section like the endothermic heat pipe 216. It consists of a wick part having a capillary structure through which the liquid passes and a vapor passage part having a condensing part formed inside the wick. The heat radiating heat pipe 217 is inserted into a heat pipe mounting hole 211a provided in the imaging element cooling unit support 211, and is fixed by adhesion.

  The heat absorption heat pipe 216 and the heat radiation heat pipe 217 are connected to each other via a bellows type connection pipe 218.

  The bellows type connecting pipe 218 is a connecting pipe having stretchability and flexibility, and the heat dissipation heat pipe 217 side of the bellows type connecting pipe 218 is supported by the imaging element cooling unit support 211 and supports the heat dissipation heat pipe 217. It is fixedly supported via a tool 217a. When the endothermic heat pipe 216 moves along with the imaging element support plate 215 along the plane orthogonal to the optical axis with respect to the imaging element cooling unit support 211, the bellows type connecting pipe 218 is elastically deformed, and a large force is applied to the endothermic heat pipe 216. Further, it is possible to maintain a state in which the load resistance of the image pickup element support plate electromagnetic drive unit is small. The connecting portion of the bellows type connecting pipe 218 is located on the side opposite to the arrangement position of the U-shaped bent portion of the connecting FPC 231.

  The support plate support mechanism (imaging element shift mechanism) is arranged in a state of being sandwiched between a lower surface portion of the image sensor support plate 215 and an upper surface portion of the image sensor cooling unit printed board 212 via a sliding plate. It comprises at least four steel bearing balls 223 and a retainer member 224 that holds the bearing balls 223. The image sensor support plate 215 is supported by the printed circuit board 212 through the bearing balls 223 so as to be movable along the XY plane.

  Magnetic pressing force (magnetic attraction force) acts on the four bearing balls 223 between at least a pair of permanent magnets on the image sensor support plate 215 and the magnetic material on the printed circuit board side. When this pressing force acts, the bearing ball 223 is pressed against the image sensor support plate 215 and the printed board 212. As a result, the imaging element support plate 215 and the printed board 212 are pressed through the bearing balls 223, and the rattling is removed.

  The support plate electromagnetic drive unit includes an X direction drive unit and a Y direction drive unit of a two-dimensional orthogonal coordinate system on an optical axis orthogonal plane, and the X and Y direction drive units are mounted on the upper surface of the printed circuit board 212, respectively. The X and Y drive print coils 225 and 228 are fixed to the lower surface of the image sensor support plate 215, and the two are coupled with opposite polarities magnetized in the thickness direction while facing the print coils 225 and 228. It consists of permanent magnets 227 and 230. The printed coils 225 and 228 are provided with XY position detecting Hall elements 226 and 229 at the center portions thereof. Further, a magnetic material is attached to the upper surfaces of the printed coils 225 and 228.

  The permanent magnet 227 is polarized and magnetized so that the N pole and the S pole are aligned in the extending direction (X direction) of the printed circuit board. The permanent magnet 230 is polarized and magnetized so that the N pole and the S pole are aligned in a direction (Y direction) orthogonal to the extending direction of the printed circuit board. The Y-axis drive blind coil 228 has a horizontally long rectangle, and is arranged so that its long side faces each magnetic pole of the permanent magnet 227. Similarly, the X-axis driving print coil 225 has a horizontally long rectangle, and is arranged so that its long side faces each magnetic pole of the permanent magnet 230.

  Further, a connection FPC 231 for transmitting an output signal from the image sensor 213 to the printed circuit board side is connected between the image sensor support plate 215 and the printed circuit board 212.

  A CPU (not shown) that controls the position of the image sensor support plate 215 that supports the image sensor 213 is mounted on the printed circuit board 212 and moves in the X-axis direction, which is the horizontal direction of the image sensor support plate 215, and performs image capturing. The movement of the element support plate 215 in the Y-axis direction, which is the vertical direction, is controlled. The CPU controls the position of the image sensor support plate 215 to a desired position based on an angular velocity input from a camera shake detection sensor (not shown). When the vertical X and Y axis drive blind coils 225 and 228 are energized in the magnetic fluxes of the opposite pole bonded permanent magnets 227 and 230 disposed on the image sensor support plate 215, the position of the image sensor support plate 215 is moved. Position detection is performed by the detection hall elements 226 and 229. When the energization of the X and Y axis drive print coils 225 and 228 is cut off, the image sensor support plate 215 returns to the initial position due to the magnetic balance between the permanent magnets 227 and 230 and the magnetic material. Thus, when the photographic lens unit 201 vibrates, the image pickup device 213 on the movable image pickup device support plate 215 moves in a two-dimensional direction, and the image shake on the image pickup surface of the image pickup device 213 can be corrected.

  In the photographing lens unit 201 having the above-described configuration, the image sensor 213 during the photographing operation is heated by the operating current and the operating temperature rises, but the heat of the image sensor 213 is applied to the image sensor support plate 215 below the image sensor. It is absorbed by radiation and heat transfer to the fixed endothermic heat pipe 216 side. The hydraulic fluid in the endothermic heat pipe 216 evaporates due to the heat, and the vapor flows into the heat radiating heat pipe 217 side through the vapor passage. The heat of the steam is dissipated to the imaging element cooling unit support 211 to which the heat dissipating heat pipe 217 is fixed, and is condensed into the working fluid. The hydraulic fluid passes through the wick part and is returned again to the endothermic heat pipe 216 side, and an endothermic operation is performed. This heat absorption and heat dissipation are repeated, and the temperature rise of the image sensor 213 is suppressed.

  Further, as in the case of the first embodiment, when a predetermined temperature rise is detected by a temperature sensor arranged in the vicinity of the image sensor 213, an exhaust fan (not shown) is generated by the thermoelectromotive force of the thermoelectric conversion element 241. Is driven, the heated air inside is exhausted from an exhaust hole (not shown) of the camera body, and the temperature rise of the image sensor 213 and the CPU 221 can be suppressed. Further, forcible circulation may be performed on the working fluid of the heat pipe by a piezoelectric pump as in the case of driving the exhaust fan. The photographing process including the drive control of the exhaust fan or the piezoelectric pump is substantially the same as the process shown in the flowchart of FIG.

  On the other hand, when camera shake is detected by the camera shake detection sensor during the photographing operation of the photographing lens unit 201, the image sensor support plate 215 supported by the support plate support mechanism portion by the support plate electromagnetic drive unit is along the XY plane. It is driven according to the amount of camera shake. Even in this driving state, the endothermic heat pipe 216 does not receive a large force due to the elastic deformation of the bellows-type connecting pipe 218, and at the same time, the imaging element support plate 215 is driven in a state in which the increase in resistance is small by the support plate electromagnetic drive unit. Is done.

  According to the imaging element cooling unit 203 incorporated in the photographic lens unit 201 of the present embodiment, the configuration is simple, and the temperature rise of the imaging element 213 is increased by providing the heat absorption and heat dissipation heat pipes 216 and 217 described above. At the same time, it is possible to suppress an increase in the load on the electromagnetic drive unit that drives the image sensor support plate 215 during the camera shake correction operation. Further, the connecting portion of the bellows type connecting pipe 218 is located on the side opposite to the position where the U-shaped bent portion of the connection FPC 231 is arranged, and assembling work is easy.

  In the above-described embodiment, the support means in which a magnetic attraction force is applied between the imaging element support plate 215 and the printed board 212 while the bearing ball 223 with a retainer is sandwiched is applied. Instead of the support means, the magnetic material on the printed circuit board is not used, a bearing is formed on the image sensor supporting plate side, a guide shaft is provided on the printed circuit board side, and further, between the image sensor supporting plate and the printed circuit board. Metal bearing support means configured to dispose an intermediate member movable in one axial direction and to move the imaging element support plate in a direction orthogonal to the moving direction of the intermediate member may be applied.

  In this embodiment, a set of permanent magnets 227 and 230 is applied. However, four permanent magnets and four driving print coils on the printed circuit board facing each other are arranged so that each permanent magnet is located diagonally. It is also possible to employ an electromagnetic drive unit in which a magnetic piece is arranged on the back surface position of each drive print coil on the extension lines facing the X-axis and Y-axis drive blind coils. Or it is also possible to arrange | position so that a magnetic piece may be enclosed by the print coil for X-axis or a Y-axis drive.

  In the present embodiment, the drive print coil and the permanent magnet are arranged on the printed circuit board so that the drive magnet and the permanent magnet straddle the N pole and the S pole, and the permanent magnet is arranged on the image sensor support plate side. The magnetic material may be disposed on the imaging element support side, and the permanent magnet may be disposed on the printed board side.

  Permanent magnets may be arranged on the printed circuit board side. When arranged in this manner, a moving coil type driving mechanism is formed, so that drive lines and servo signal lines for driving the image sensor in a two-dimensional direction are formed on the FPC board, the number of lead wires is reduced, and the movable image sensor It is possible to prevent the movement of the wiring and to simplify the routing of the wiring during assembly.

  In the above-described embodiment, the image sensor cooling unit 203 has a camera shake prevention function to which the movable image sensor support plate 215 is applied. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the image sensor support plate is fixedly supported. By applying the above-described bellows-type connecting pipe 218 for connection of heat absorption and heat dissipation to the element cooling unit, an imaging element cooling unit that can be easily assembled and repaired can be provided.

Next, a lens mount with a built-in image sensor cooling unit, which is a fourth embodiment of the present invention and can be attached to and detached from a single-lens reflex digital camera body without an image pickup unit, will be described with reference to FIG.
FIG. 12 is a longitudinal sectional view including the optical axis of a lens mount that incorporates the image sensor cooling unit of the present embodiment.

  The lens mount 358 with built-in image sensor cooling unit of the present embodiment is for driving the image sensor cooling unit 341 on the front side of the lens mount 358 and the focus lens of the interchangeable lens barrel as shown in FIG. An actuator is incorporated, and the interchangeable lens barrel (not shown) is mounted on the front side thereof. A connection terminal board 359 is attached on the lens mount surface 358a at the rear end.

  The imaging element cooling unit 341 includes an imaging element support plate 353 fixed and supported in a concave portion of a metal lens mount 358, a ceramic package 344 fixed to the imaging element support plate 353 and having a central opening, and a low emissivity. A bare chip type imaging device fixed in a ceramic package 344 via an insulating sheet 345 and positioned at a predetermined position on the optical axis, a terminal plate connected to the imaging device via a bonding wire, and the terminal plate Connected to the image sensor support plate 353, a protective printed glass 343 secured to the front surface of the ceramic package 344 and sealing the front side of the image sensor, and insulated on the back side of the image sensor It consists of a thermoelectric conversion element 361 disposed in close contact with the sheet 345 and a cooling unit 350. The connection printed circuit board 346 can also be configured by an FPC (flexible printed circuit board).

  The thermoelectric conversion element 361 is the same as the thermoelectric conversion element 63 shown in FIG. 4, and heat conductive sheets 362 and 363 that are heat radiating members are attached to both the imaging element side and the heat pipe 349 side. The heat pipe 349 is arranged with a predetermined gap or in a close contact state.

  The cooling unit 350 is supported by the imaging element support plate 353 via the heat insulating member 354, and is bonded and fixed to the back surface side thereof with a high thermal conductive adhesive, and a plurality of pairs of rod-like heat pipes 349 forming a circulating fluid flow path. The heat transfer plate 351 sandwiches the heat pipe 349 and the press plate 352 that presses the back side of the heat pipe 349.

  The imaging element support plate 353 is a metal material or a material having high thermal conductivity, and is filled with a polycarbonate, a spherical graphite, an amorphous (glass) fiber, or a carbon fiber mixed with a filler such as carbon fiber. It consists of a sulfide (PPS) resin material.

  As the heat pipe 349, a plurality of pairs of heat pipes similar to the heat pipe of FIG.

  In the imaging unit built-in lens mount 358 of the present embodiment having the above-described configuration, when the imaging element of the package 344 is in a driving state with the mount mounted on the camera, the heat of the imaging element is transferred to the thermoelectric conversion element 361. Then, it is received by the heat transfer plate, transmitted to the evaporation portion of the heat pipe 349, and the working fluid in the heat pipe 349 is evaporated. The steam moves to the condensing part of the heat pipe 349, is cooled by the image sensor support plate 353, is transformed again into a working fluid, and is returned to the evaporation part through the wick part. By repeating this endothermic cycle, the heat of the image sensor is absorbed and the temperature rise is suppressed.

  The thermoelectric conversion element 361 generates electricity by the heat of the imaging element, and the electromotive force can be used as driving power for the piezoelectric pump (not shown) for circulating the hydraulic fluid.

  According to the lens mount with built-in image pickup unit 358 of the present embodiment described above, the heat absorbed by the image pickup element support plate 353 from the heat pipe 349 is quickly transferred to the metal lens mount 358 having a large heat capacity. Therefore, the temperature rise of the image sensor can be efficiently suppressed. In addition, the lens mount with a built-in image pickup unit can be made compact without increasing its size.

Next, a mirror / image sensor unit including an image sensor cooling unit according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view (a cross-sectional view in the horizontal direction) of the mirror / image sensor unit of the present embodiment.

  The mirror / imaging device unit 400 of this embodiment is a unit that is applied to a single-lens reflex camera and is supported by a frame body of a camera body (not shown), and a body mount 422 to which an interchangeable lens can be attached, A front frame 420 to which a body mount is attached, a mirror box 401, a rotatable reflection mirror 402 housed in the mirror box, an image sensor 460, and a water-cooled heat pipe 454 forming a circulating fluid flow path , A thermoelectric conversion element 451 composed of a Seebeck element, a piezoelectric pump 455, and a rear frame 440 fixed to the back surface of the side frame.

  The front frame 420 has a central opening, a body mount 422 is fixed to the front surface thereof, the mirror box 401 is fixed to the center of the rear surface, and the rear surface is supported by the side frames 430L and 430R of the frame body. The

  The rear frame 440 is made of a stainless steel plate or an aluminum plate, and is disposed across the rear end portion of the mirror box 401, and is fixed to the side frames 430L and 430R with the columns 438c and 438a interposed therebetween. The support columns 438a and 438c serve as heat insulating members in order to block heat transfer from the rear frame 440 to the side frames 430L and 430R from heat generated by the image sensor 460. Further, the rear frame 440 is provided with heat radiating fins 440a for improving the heat radiating effect.

  The rear frame 440 is screwed to the side frames 430L and 430R using a predetermined insertion hole among a number of insertion holes formed in the rear frame 440.

  As described above, the front frame 420, the side frames 430L and R, and the rear frame 440 are sequentially fixed, and these three members are integrated to form a hollow box-shaped frame body that matches the outer shape of the camera. Composed.

  Since the right side frame 430R is formed thinner than the left side frame 430L, a column 438a using a heat insulating member extends backward from the back surface of the side frame 430R so as to compensate for the lack of thickness. A screw is screwed into a screw hole at the tip of the support column 438c erected on the support column 438a and the side frame 430L, and the rear frame 440 is fixed. The long support column 438b extending in parallel with the support column 438a is used to insert the electric board 470 behind the rear frame 440 into the flange formed at the tip of the side frame 430L and fix it to the side frame 430R.

  The mirror box 401 is formed in a box shape having a central opening, and is attached to the front frame 420 at the front flange portion. A rotatable reflecting mirror 402 is disposed inside the central opening, and a screen (not shown) is disposed above the opening. In addition, the image sensor 460 is fixed to the rear portion via the image sensor support plate 480.

  Further, a thermoelectric conversion element 451 is disposed between the back surface of the image sensor 460 and the front surface of the rear frame 440 in a close contact state via heat conductive sheets 452 and 453 made of a silicon rubber sheet or the like. Then, a silicon gel agent 456 is interposed between the side wall of the thermoelectric conversion element 451 and the side protrusion 440 b facing the rear frame 440. This silicon gel agent 456 is for preventing the thermoelectric conversion element 451 from being damaged by an impact such as when the camera body is accidentally dropped.

  The thermoelectric conversion element 451 is the same as the thermoelectric conversion element 63 shown in FIG. 4, and heat conductive sheets 452 and 453 that are heat radiating members are attached to both surfaces of the imaging element side and the rear frame 440 side. It is arranged in close contact with the rear frame 440.

  The image sensor support plate 480 is attached to the mirror box 401 by screwing a screw inserted through the insertion hole into a screw hole on the back surface of the mirror box 401.

  Positioning pins as stoppers are formed on the back surface of the mirror box 401 and are inserted through the insertion holes of the image sensor support plate 480 and the rear frame 440. The positioning pin is inserted into the positioning hole of the rear frame 440 leaving a sufficient gap, and is in a so-called skimming state, and the mirror box 401 is not directly fixed to the rear frame 440. The positioning pin and the positioning hole of the rear frame 440 are fitted to each other in the diameter dimension error of the positioning pin of the mirror box 401, the position dimension error of the mirror box 401, the hole diameter dimension error of the positioning hole of the rear frame 440, and the rear frame 440. Even in consideration of the positional dimensional error of the positioning hole, the clearance is set so that there is a gap between the positioning pin and the positioning hole. And if the said frame main body deform | transforms largely, this one-side clearance will be clogged and it can prevent a deformation | transformation any more and will prevent a large deformation | transformation.

  The image sensor 460 is disposed in the rear opening of the mirror box 401, is adhered and fixed to the front surface of the image sensor support plate 480, and is disposed so as to be surrounded by the frame body. The imaging element 460 has a plurality of pairs of leads (connection terminals) 462 extending in the optical axis direction above and below the imaging element 460. The lead (terminal) 462 of the image sensor 460 is inserted through the long hole (escape hole) of the image sensor support plate 480, the circular relief hole of the rear frame 440, and the long hole (escape hole) of the electric board 470 in a loose fit state. Further, the image pickup device 460 and the electric board 470 are electrically connected by a pair of flexible printed boards 490 by being inserted into the flexible printed board 490 on the electric board 470. Note that each of the pair of flexible printed boards 490 has a plurality of insertion holes having conductive patterns around the leads 462 of the image sensor 460, and is electrically connected to the conductive patterns so as to be electrically connected to the electric board 470. A plurality of connection patterns are connected to the upper connection pattern.

  On the upper surface of the rear frame 440, there are provided a piezoelectric pump 455 and a water-cooled heat pipe 454 that is connected to the piezoelectric pump and winds the outer peripheral portion of the image sensor mounting position of the mirror box 401 twice. The piezoelectric pump 455 is driven by the thermoelectromotive force generated by the thermoelectric conversion element 451, the fluid in the water-cooled heat pipe 454 is circulated by the piezoelectric pump, and the imaging element 460 is cooled (water cooling method). The imaging element 460 is cooled by cooling the rear frame 440 by this water cooling method. At the same time, a temperature difference between the image sensor 460 and the rear frame 440 is generated, and the conversion efficiency of the thermoelectromotive force of the thermoelectric conversion element 451 is increased.

  According to the mirror / image sensor unit 400 of the present embodiment, the heat of the image sensor 460 is converted into electric power by the thermoelectric conversion element 451, and the electric power is used as drive power for the piezoelectric pump 455 for fluid circulation of the water-cooled heat pipe 454. By doing so, the image sensor 460 can be effectively cooled without consuming the power of the camera side battery.

  An imaging unit having an imaging element in a mirror box of a digital single-lens reflex camera is disclosed in FIG. 3 of JP-A-2006-81008. When the imaging element cooling unit is applied to FIG. That is, in order to arrange a thermoelectric conversion element (for example, Seebeck element) between the back surface of the image sensor and the electric substrate, a heat conductive sheet is bonded on the electric substrate, and the thermoelectric conversion element is bonded on the heat conductive sheet. To do. Here, in order to eliminate heat accumulation in the heat conductive sheet, a metal sheet of aluminum or a stainless steel plate material is laminated and interposed between the electric substrate and the heat conductive sheet. A silicon gel agent is provided between the metal sheet and the opening of the image sensor support plate. In this way, it is possible to prevent the thermoelectric conversion element from being damaged by an impact such as when the camera body is accidentally dropped. In addition, the lead wire of the image pickup element is passed through the long hole opening of the electric board in a loose fit state, and the electric board is disposed on the back side of the image pickup element support plate made of aluminum or stainless steel plate material. The screw inserted into the screw insertion hole is screwed into the screw hole of the front frame.

As described above, the electric board is fixed to the front frame with at least the mirror unit, the shutter unit, the dustproof unit, the image sensor, and the image sensor support plate interposed therebetween. With this attached. The electric substrate is against the image pickup device support plate, and the dust proof unit support is a member receiving portion (spacer) of a heat insulating member (for example, a foam material or glass wool bonded with an adhesive) provided on the support stand or the image pickup device support plate. Are supported in a state with a predetermined interval. Further, the imaging surface of the image sensor is positioned on the flange back L, which is a predetermined distance along the optical axis direction from the mount surface of the body mount. Then, by interposing a heat insulating member between the image sensor and the image sensor support plate, expansion and contraction due to the material of the support base (for example, PPS synthetic resin filled with carbon fiber) can be suppressed.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention at the stage of implementation. Further, the above embodiments include inventions at various stages, and various inventions can be extracted by appropriately combining a plurality of disclosed constituent elements.

  The image sensor cooling unit according to the present invention can be used as an image sensor cooling unit that efficiently cools the image sensor, does not require assembly, and can be downsized.

1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view including an optical axis of a main part of a single-lens reflex digital camera as an electronic apparatus to which an imaging element cooling unit according to a first embodiment of the present invention is applied. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view around an image sensor unit built in the camera of FIG. 1. It is an expanded sectional view of the image sensor unit of FIG. It is a schematic diagram which shows the structure of the thermoelectric conversion element distribute | arranged to the image pick-up element unit of FIG. It is a perspective view of the camera of FIG. It is a block block diagram of the electric control system of the camera of FIG. It is a flowchart of the imaging | photography process in the camera of FIG. It is a diagram which shows the change of the detected temperature of the temperature sensor in the camera of FIG. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view containing the optical axis of the imaging part which comprises the imaging cooling unit of 2nd embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing of the thermal radiation part which comprises the image pick-up element cooling unit of FIG. It is sectional drawing along the optical axis of the imaging lens unit of 3rd embodiment of this invention. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view containing the optical axis of the lens mount which incorporates the image pick-up element cooling unit of 4th embodiment of this invention. It is a cross-sectional view (cross-sectional view of a horizontal direction) of the mirror unit of the fifth embodiment of the present invention. It is sectional drawing of the heat pipe described in the nonpatent literature 1.

Explanation of symbols

21, 162, 213, 460
... Image sensor 22,166,215,353,480
... Image sensor support plate 28, 167, 214, 345
... Insulation sheet (first heat conduction sheet)
31, 32, 174, 216, 349
... Heat pipes 41, 63e ... Heat conduction sheet (first heat conduction sheet)
42, 63f ... heat conduction sheet (second heat conduction sheet)
62, 173 ... temperature sensors 63, 151, 241, 361, 451
... thermoelectric conversion element 164 ... moving frame (moving member)
344 Ceramic package (imaging device)
454 ... Water-cooled heat pipe

Claims (9)

An image sensor supported by being fixed to an image sensor support plate;
A heat dissipating member having a heat dissipating function;
A first heat conductive sheet material;
A second heat conductive sheet material;
Thermoelectric conversion elements in which the first heat conductive sheet material and the second heat conductive sheet material are joined to both surfaces to be heat conductive surfaces,
And the thermoelectric conversion in a state where the first heat conductive sheet material is bonded to the anti-imaging surface side of the image sensor and the second heat conductive sheet is bonded to the image sensor side of the heat radiating member. An image sensor cooling unit, wherein an element is sandwiched and supported, and further, a heat insulating member is interposed between the heat radiating member and the image sensor support plate, and a circulation fluid channel is disposed.   The circulating fluid flow path includes a heat pipe with a wick having a heat absorbing portion and a heat radiating portion, and the second heat conductive sheet is joined to the heat absorbing portion of the heat pipe and the heat radiating portion of the heat pipe is attached to the heat insulating member. The imaging element cooling unit according to claim 1, wherein the imaging element cooling unit is joined.   The imaging element cooling unit according to claim 1, wherein the circulating fluid passage includes a water-cooled heat pipe and a piezoelectric pump.   The imaging element cooling unit according to claim 1, further comprising a focus drive actuator and a lens mount for driving a desired lens group provided in the photographing lens. The imaging element cooling unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
A lens barrel to which the taking lens is attached;
A photographic lens unit comprising: The imaging element cooling unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
A control circuit for body control for controlling the imaging element cooling unit and the dustproof mechanism;
A photographic lens that can be attached to and detached from the main unit,
An electronic device comprising: The imaging element cooling unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
A body control circuit for controlling the imaging element cooling unit;
A photographic lens that can be removed from the main unit,
An electronic device comprising: The image sensor cooling unit according to claim 1,
A body control circuit for controlling the imaging element cooling unit;
An image sensor shift drive mechanism for moving the image sensor in a two-dimensional direction perpendicular to the optical axis of the incident light beam from the photographing lens;
The electronic device is characterized in that the imaging element support plate and the heat dissipation member are arranged on a moving member of the imaging element shift drive mechanism. An electronic device having a live view function,
The image sensor cooling unit according to claim 1,
A body control circuit for controlling the imaging element cooling unit;
A temperature sensor disposed in the vicinity of the image sensor;
And the body control control circuit stops the live view operation and drives the exhaust fan or the piezoelectric pump when the temperature detected by the temperature sensor is equal to or higher than a predetermined value. Electronics.

Images