JP2018132747A - Imaging apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an imaging apparatus which facilitates positional adjustment of a lens to shorten assembly time.SOLUTION: Adopted is an imaging apparatus including: a lens frame holding a lens; a holder for holding the lens frame; an urging part held by the holder and for urging the lens frame to the holder with respect to a direction approximately vertical to an optical axis; and an adjustment part for adjusting a position of the urging part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

  One embodiment of the present invention relates to an imaging device or the like.

  An imaging apparatus such as a camera has means for fixing the lens to the lens holding member (holder) in order to prevent the lens from being displaced with respect to the lens holding member (holder). As this fixing means, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration in which a lens is fixed by pressing a screw against a lens barrel.

JP 2014-186212 A

  However, in the conventional configuration described in Patent Document 1, since the screw has some margin, the relative position in the optical axis direction between the imaging element fixed to the lens holding member and the lens is set in the screwed state. It was difficult to adjust the position of the lens in the direction orthogonal to the optical axis with a screw while adjusting while changing. For this reason, there is a problem that it takes time to adjust the position of the lens, and the assembling time of the imaging device becomes long.

  The present invention employs the following means in order to solve the above-described problems. In the following description, in order to facilitate understanding of the invention, reference numerals and the like in the drawings are appended in parentheses, but each component of the present invention is not limited to these appendices. It should be construed broadly to the extent that contractors can technically understand.

One means of the present invention is to
A lens frame (1) for holding the lens;
A holder (3) for holding the lens frame;
A biasing portion (2) that is held by the holder and biases the lens frame against the holder in a direction substantially perpendicular to the optical axis;
An adjustment unit (4a-4c) for adjusting the position of the urging unit,
An imaging device.

  In the imaging apparatus having the above-described configuration, the lens held by the lens frame is urged in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis by the urging unit and the adjustment unit, so the position of the lens on a plane orthogonal to the optical axis is fixed. It is possible to adjust the position of the lens in the optical axis direction with respect to the holder. This makes it easier to adjust the position of the lens than before and shortens the assembly time of the imaging device. As a result, the manufacturing cost of the imaging device can be reduced.

In the imaging apparatus, preferably,
The urging portion is a leaf spring (2).

  According to the imaging apparatus having the above-described configuration, the leaf spring is thinner than other urging portions such as a coil spring, so that the size in the direction perpendicular to the optical axis can be made relatively small. As a result, the imaging device can be configured to be relatively small.

In the imaging apparatus, preferably,
The said adjustment part is a screw (4a-4c).

  According to the imaging apparatus having the above-described configuration, it is possible to assemble the imaging apparatus in a relatively short time as compared with the case where the urging portion is fixed with an adhesive or the like. Further, since the position of the urging portion can be changed by the screwing amount, adjustment of the urging force by the urging portion can be performed relatively easily.

In the imaging apparatus, preferably,
An imaging unit for imaging by receiving light;
And a substrate for holding the imaging unit.

The external appearance perspective view of an imaging device. The exploded perspective view of an imaging device. The top view which looked at the imaging device from the optical axis direction front side. Sectional drawing of the imaging device in the position of AA of FIG. The top view which looked at the imaging device from the direction orthogonal to an optical axis. Sectional drawing of the imaging device in the position of BB of FIG.

  One of the features of the imaging device according to each embodiment of the present invention is that the lens frame is urged against the holder in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis by a plate spring and an adjusting screw.

An embodiment according to the present invention will be specifically described according to the following configuration with reference to the drawings. However, the embodiment described below is merely an example of the present invention and does not limit the technical scope of the present invention. In addition, in each drawing, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the same component and the description may be abbreviate | omitted.
1. Embodiment 2. FIG. Supplementary matter

<1. Embodiment>
First, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of the imaging apparatus according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the imaging apparatus. FIG. 3 is a plan view of the imaging apparatus as viewed from the front in the optical axis direction. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. FIG. 5 is a plan view of the imaging apparatus viewed from a direction orthogonal to the optical axis. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the imaging apparatus at the position BB in FIG.

  In this specification, the center position of the lens and the center position of the light incident on the image sensor is referred to as an “optical axis”. An imaging target located on the opposite side of the imaging element from the lens is referred to as a “subject”. The direction in which the subject is located with respect to the lens may be referred to as “front in the optical axis direction” or “subject side”. The direction in which the image sensor is located with respect to the lens may be referred to as “backward in the optical axis direction” or “image sensor side”.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the imaging apparatus according to the present embodiment includes a lens frame 1, a leaf spring 2, a holder 3, adjustment screws 4 a to 4 c, and a substrate 5.

<Lens frame 1>
The lens frame 1 holds one or more lenses including the lens 1a and other optical members. The lens frame 1 is a cylindrical member that extends in the optical axis direction.

  Each lens including the lens 1a is an optical member that is formed of a transparent material such as glass or plastic, and transmits the light from the front in the optical axis direction while refracting the light from the front in the optical axis direction. The optical member includes a lens. In addition to the lens, the optical member held by the lens frame 1 includes a spacer, a caliber plate, an optical filter (all not shown), and the like. The spacer is a disk-shaped member having an appropriate thickness in the optical axis direction, and adjusts the position of each lens in the optical axis direction. The spacer has an opening at the center including the optical axis. The aperture plate determines the outermost position of the light passing therethrough. The optical filter suppresses or blocks light having a predetermined wavelength. The optical filter includes, for example, an infrared cut filter that suppresses passing infrared rays. The number of these optical members can be arbitrarily changed.

  The lens frame 1 has a thread formed at a radially outer position (position C in FIG. 4) and is fitted to the thread of the holder 3. That is, the lens frame 1 and the holder 3 are screwed together. By rotating the lens frame 1 with respect to the holder 3, the screwing amount changes, and the position of the lens frame 1 with respect to the holder 3 in the optical axis direction changes.

<Holder 3>
The holder 3 holds the lens frame 1 and the leaf spring 2. The holder 3 is attached to the substrate 5 with screws (not shown). The holder 3 has a lens frame holding part 3d and a leaf spring holding part 3e as through holes penetrating in the optical axis direction. In the direction orthogonal to the optical axis, the lens frame holding part 3d has a circular cross section, and the leaf spring holding part 3e has an oval cross section. The lens frame 1 and the leaf spring 2 are held by the lens frame holding portion 3d and the leaf spring holding portion 3e, respectively. The lens frame 1 and the leaf spring 2 are inserted from the front in the optical axis direction. As shown in FIG. 4, a screw thread is formed on the inner side (position C) of the lens frame holding portion 3 d and is fitted to the screw thread of the lens frame 1. The holder 3 further has screw holes 3 a to 3 c extending from the leaf spring holding portion 3 e toward the upper portion of the holder 3. The screw holes 3a to 3c have threads on the inside.

  The leaf spring holding portion 3e of the holder 3 is not necessarily required to penetrate in the optical axis direction, and may be a groove-like portion having a bottom extending in the optical axis direction from the front or the rear in the optical axis direction.

<Leaf spring 2>
The leaf spring 2 is held by the leaf spring holding portion 3 e of the holder 3. The leaf spring 2 is disposed on the upper side of the lens frame holding portion 3d and is pushed downward by the adjusting screws 4a to 4c. The leaf spring 2 is in contact with the lens frame 1 and biases the lens frame 1 downward. That is, the lens frame 1 is urged against the holder 3 by the leaf spring 2. By being urged by the leaf spring 2, the lens frame 1 does not rattle against the holder 3, and is stably held. The leaf spring 2 is an example of the “biasing portion” in the present invention.

  Instead of the leaf spring 2, another urging member such as a ring spring or an elastic body may be used. However, it is more preferable to use a leaf spring because the imaging device can be configured to be thin and small. Further, the position of the leaf spring 2 is not limited to the position of the present embodiment, and may be arranged at another position where the lens frame 1 can be biased with respect to the holder 3 in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis. Good.

<Adjustment screws 4a to 4c>
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 to 6, the adjusting screws 4 a to 4 c are inserted into the screw holes 3 a to 3 c, respectively. The adjusting screws 4 a to 4 c are in contact with the leaf spring 2. The adjusting screws 4a to 4c have a screw thread on the outer side in the radial direction of the shaft, and are screwed into the screw holes 3a to 3c. The position of the leaf spring 2 can be adjusted by adjusting the screwing amounts of the adjusting screws 4a to 4c into the screw holes 3a to 3c. That is, the urging force that the leaf spring 2 applies to the lens frame 1 changes according to the screwing amount of the adjusting screws 4a to 4c into the screw holes 3a to 3c. The adjustment screws 4a to 4c are examples of the “adjustment unit” in the present invention.

  Note that the number of adjusting screws 4a to 4c is not necessarily three, and can be changed to an arbitrary number of 1 or more. However, the position of the leaf spring 2 can be particularly easily adjusted by using three adjustment screws 4a to 4c. Further, instead of the adjusting screws 4a to 4c, other position adjusting members may be used. However, it is preferable to use a screw as the position adjusting member because a curing time is not required as compared with the case where an adhesive is used, so that the time required for manufacturing can be shortened. In addition, compared with other complicated configurations, the screw is preferable in that it has a relatively simple and inexpensive configuration.

<Substrate 5>
The substrate 5 mounts the image sensor a and other electronic components. The image pickup device 5a is a photoelectric conversion device that receives light transmitted through a lens or the like held by the lens frame 1, converts the light into an electric signal, and outputs the electric signal, and is, for example, a C-MOS sensor or a CCD. The substrate 5 is connected to the holder 3 in a fixed state. The imaging element 5a is an example of the “imaging unit” in the present invention, and may be replaced with another imaging unit.

  In the assembling process of the imaging apparatus, after assembling the members excluding the adjusting screws 4a to 4c, the adjusting screws 4a to 4c are inserted into the screw holes 3a to 3c. The adjustment screws 4a to 4c are screwed into the screw holes 3a to 3c by an appropriate amount, whereby the leaf spring 2 biases the lens frame 1 against the holder 3 with an appropriate amount of force. In this state, the lens frame 1 is rotated to adjust the position of the lens with respect to the image sensor 5a. At this time, since the lens frame 1 is urged by the holder 3 with an appropriate amount of force, the position of the optical axis of the lens is stabilized and does not shift.

  As described above, by providing the plate spring 2 and the adjusting screws 4a to 4c, the lens held by the lens frame 1 is urged in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis. Therefore, it is possible to adjust the position of the lens with respect to the holder 3 while fixing the position of the lens on a plane orthogonal to the optical axis. This makes it easier to adjust the position of the lens than before and shortens the assembly time of the imaging device. As a result, the manufacturing cost of the imaging device can be reduced. In addition, since the set screw is not directly pressed against the lens frame for the lens position adjustment, the screw hole of the screw is not crushed during the lens position adjustment, and repair is possible.

<2. Supplementary items>
The specific description of the embodiment of the present invention has been given above. In the above description, the description is merely an embodiment, and the scope of the present invention is not limited to this embodiment, but is broadly interpreted to the extent that a person skilled in the art can grasp.

  The present invention is suitably used as an imaging apparatus that facilitates adjustment of the optical axis and focus.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Lens frame 1a ... Lens 2 ... Plate spring 3 ... Holder 3a-3c ... Screw hole 3d ... Lens frame holding part 3e ... Plate spring holding part 4a-4c ... Adjustment screw 5 ... Board | substrate 5a ... Imaging element

Claims (4)

A lens frame for holding the lens;
A holder for holding the lens frame;
A biasing portion that is held by the holder and biases the lens frame toward the holder with respect to a direction substantially perpendicular to the optical axis;
An adjustment unit for adjusting the position of the urging unit,
Imaging device. The biasing portion is a leaf spring;
The imaging device according to claim 1 or 2. The adjusting portion is a screw;
The imaging device according to claim 1 or 2. An imaging unit for imaging by receiving light;
A substrate that holds the imaging unit,
The imaging device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

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