JP2024151447A - Imaging device - Google Patents

Abstract

[Problem] To provide an imaging device having a stand that is compact and storable while ensuring strength and a heat diffusion structure. [Solution] In the imaging device of the present invention, the electronic circuit board 15 has a first region 15a where electrical components are arranged and a second region 15b where no electrical components are arranged, and the region where the stand section 7, the display section 200, and the recess 13a all overlap on the side where the recess 13a capable of storing the stand section of the electronic circuit board 15 is arranged overlaps with the second region 15b when viewed from the optical axis direction of the imaging section 2. [Selected Figure] Figure 7

Description

The present invention relates to miniaturizing an imaging device with a stand.

In recent years, there has been a demand for imaging devices such as digital cameras that come with stands to allow for easy stationary shooting.

If the imaging device is equipped with a rotatable stand, the imaging device body can be tilted, allowing tilted photography by tilting the optical axis upwards, or overhead photography by tilting the optical axis downwards.

For example, in Patent Document 1, a recess is provided in the main body of the imaging device for storing the stand.

The imaging device disclosed is configured so that the stand is stored in the imaging device body when not in use, and is rotated and removed from the imaging device body when the stand is in use.

JP 2015-4828 A

In the conventional technology disclosed in the above-mentioned patent document, the provision of a recess for storing the stand restricts the space required for providing an internal structure for strength and heat diffusion. If an internal structure for strength and heat diffusion is provided, the imaging device would end up becoming larger.

The object of the present invention is to provide an imaging device with a stand that is compact and storable while ensuring strength and a heat dissipation structure.

In order to achieve the above object, an imaging device of the present invention includes an imaging unit, a rotatable stand, a rotatable display unit, a housing unit having a recess capable of housing the stand, a heat dissipation metal plate that dissipates heat from the imaging unit, a structural metal plate that supports the housing unit, and an electronic circuit board, and in which the stand unit and the display unit can be stored in a stacked manner when viewed from the optical axis direction of the imaging unit,
the electronic circuit board has a first region in which an electrical component is disposed and a second region in which no electrical component is disposed;
The present invention is characterized in that on the side of the electronic circuit board where the recess is located, the area where the stand portion, the display portion, and the recess all overlap overlaps with the second area when viewed from the optical axis direction of the imaging portion.

The present invention provides an imaging device with a stand that is compact and storable while ensuring strength and a heat dissipation structure.

1 is a front perspective view and a rear perspective view of a digital camera according to the present invention; Block diagram of a digital camera according to the present invention FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a digital camera according to the present invention; FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a display unit according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the stand unit according to the present invention; 1 is a rear perspective view of a digital camera according to the present invention; A rear view and an enlarged cross-sectional view of a digital camera according to the present invention. FIG. 1 is a rear view of the main body electronic circuit board according to the present invention; A rear view of the heat transfer sheet metal unit and the structural sheet metal unit in the present invention.

The following describes in detail an embodiment of the present invention with reference to the drawings. Note that the same components are indicated by the same symbols in each drawing.

(First embodiment)
A digital camera 1, which is an image capturing apparatus of the present invention, will be described with reference to Figures 1 and 2. Figure 1(a) is a front perspective view of the digital camera 1. Figure 1(b) is a rear perspective view of the digital camera 1. Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the main functional configuration of the digital camera 1.

(Perspective view of digital camera 1)
As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, in the digital camera 1, the X direction, Y direction, and Z direction are defined as follows.

The left-right direction (width direction) of digital camera 1 is the X direction, the up-down direction (height direction) is the Y direction, and the front-back direction (thickness direction) is the Z direction.

A lens barrel unit 2 for capturing an image of a subject is located on the upper front side of the digital camera 1.

The lens barrel unit 2 is equipped with an image sensor 21 that photoelectrically converts an optical image of a subject formed through a plurality of photographic lenses 20 that constitute the photographic optical system to generate image data (see FIG. 2).

The front operation member 3, which instructs shooting, is located below the lens barrel unit 2.

It is positioned near the center of the front so that it is easy to operate when taking selfies, in which the photographer takes a picture of themselves as the subject.

The front operation member 3 functions as a shutter button when the digital camera 1 is in still image shooting mode, and as a video start/stop button when the digital camera 1 is in video shooting mode.

A speaker 4 is located near the center of the top surface of the digital camera 1 to play operation sounds and sounds from captured video, and microphones 5 are located on both the left and right ends to collect sounds from captured video.

External terminal connectors 6a to 6c are located on the upper side of the side of the digital camera 1.

The external terminal connectors 6a to 6c are composed of, for example, a USB terminal capable of data communication, charging, and power supply, an HDMI (registered trademark) terminal capable of outputting video data to the outside, and an external microphone connection terminal capable of inputting signals from an external microphone.

The rotatable stand unit 7 is located on the bottom, and shows the stand unit 7 in a stored state. The stand unit 7 can be rotated approximately 320° around a rotation axis Xa that is parallel to the X-axis.

This allows the digital camera 1 to be tilted up or down, making it possible to take pictures at various angles.

A movable display unit 200 is located on the upper back side of the digital camera 1, and shows the display unit 200 in the stored, i.e. closed, state.

The display unit 200 is provided with a display 210. The display 210 is capable of displaying various types of information, such as a live view image captured by the image sensor 21, a menu setting display, and a captured image display, and is composed of a device such as a liquid crystal panel (LCD) or an organic light-emitting diode (OLED).

The display 210 also has a built-in capacitive or pressure-sensitive touch panel, and has a touch operation function that allows the photographer to perform various operations by touching it with a finger or the like. The display unit 200 can be rotated approximately 180° around a rotation axis Xb that is parallel to the X-axis.

This allows the photographer to check the composition on the display unit 200 while taking a selfie with themselves as the subject.

The configuration of the display unit 200 will be described in detail later. Rear operation members 8a to 8f are provided on the lower rear side.

The rear operation members 8a to 8f include, for example, a power button for switching the power of the digital camera 1 on and off, a playback button for playing back recorded captured images, and a menu display button for switching between menus.

Other features include a cross button that can be used to select menus and images to play, a confirmation button to confirm selections, and custom buttons that can be set to perform various operations.

At the bottom is a card cover 9 that opens and closes when inserting or removing a semiconductor memory card 19 (see Figure 2).

As shown in FIG. 2, the lens barrel unit 2 is provided with a focus lens 20a made up of a group of lenses, a fixed lens 20b made up of a group of lenses, and the like. An aperture unit 22 for adjusting the aperture size is also provided.

The lens barrel unit 2 includes a lens drive mechanism 161 for adjusting the focus (focal length) and an aperture drive mechanism 162 for controlling the aperture value.

The image sensor 21 is made of a CMOS sensor or a CCD sensor that captures the light beam from the photographing lens 20 and performs photoelectric conversion, and has an electronic shutter function. A rectangular optical low-pass filter (not shown) made of a material such as quartz is placed in front of the image sensor 21.

The system control unit 300 includes a computing device such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) that controls the operation of each element of the digital camera 1.

The system control unit 300 executes the control program stored in the memory 164.

The electrical signal output from the image sensor 21 is input to the system control unit 300, processed, and then output to the display 210.

Information from the main body acceleration sensor 151 and the display acceleration sensor 221 is input to the system control unit 300. Details will be described later.

The power source 18 is a secondary battery consisting of a battery pack stored inside the digital camera 1.

The power supply circuit 163 converts the voltage of the power supply 18 into the voltage required by each element of the digital camera 1 and supplies power to each element. The semiconductor memory card 19 is detachable from the digital camera 1 and has the function of recording captured images.

(An exploded perspective view of the digital camera 1)
The configuration of a digital camera 1, which is an image pickup apparatus of the present invention, will be described with reference to FIG.

Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of the digital camera 1. The digital camera 1 is composed of a main body 100 including a lens barrel unit 2 and a display unit 200.

The exterior of the main body 100 is made up of a front cover unit 11, a top cover unit 12, a back cover unit 13, and a stand unit 7 equipped with a stand hinge 70 that generates torque when rotated.

The inside of the main body 100 is composed of a lens barrel unit 2, a base member unit 14, a main body electronic circuit board 15, a heat transfer sheet metal unit 16, and a structural sheet metal unit 17.

The base member unit 14 houses a power source 18 (a rechargeable battery pack) (not shown). The lens barrel unit 2 is held between the base member unit 14 and the structural sheet metal unit 17 via a rubber member (not shown).

(Exploded perspective view of the display unit 200)
The configuration of the display unit 200 of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the display unit 200.

The display 210 is composed of an LCD or OLED that displays a live view image captured by the image sensor 21 and processed by the system control unit 300, displays the settings of the main body unit 100, and displays the playback of captured images.

The display electronic circuit board 220 relays electrical signals and is electrically connected to the display 210, and is fixed to the back surface of the display 210 with double-sided tape (not shown).

The display 210 is fixed to the display surface cover 240 using double-sided tape 230 for fixing the display.

The hinge unit 250 allows the display unit 200 to be rotated and includes a flexible circuit board 251 for electrically connecting the main body electronic circuit board 15 and the display electronic circuit board 220.

The hinge unit 250 is attached to the display surface cover 240, covered with the display back cover 260 and the display hinge cover 270, and the display exterior screws 290a-f are tightened from the side to complete the display unit 200.

(Exploded perspective view of the stand unit 7)
The configuration of the stand unit 7 will be described with reference to Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the stand unit 7.

The stand unit 7 consists of a stand hinge 70, stand side covers 71 and 72, a stand middle cover 73, an elastic member 74, and double-sided tapes 75, 76, and 77 that adhesively secure each stand cover.

The stand side covers 71, 72 and the stand middle cover 73, which form the exterior of the digital camera 1, are parts molded from a resin material and are formed to cover the outer surface and end surface of the rotating plate 701 and protrude slightly from the inner surface of the rotating plate 701.

The pivot plate 701, which is the main component of the stand hinge 70, is manufactured by pressing sheet metal and has a roughly U-shape. It is the structural component that constitutes the pivoting portion of the stand unit 7.

In this embodiment, the exterior cover of the stand unit 7 is composed of three parts: stand side covers 71 and 72, and stand middle cover 73. However, taking into consideration ease of assembly and mold structure, the parts may be integrally molded.

Since the rotating plate 701 is manufactured by pressing metal, burrs are generated on one of the plate ends. By placing the burred surface of the rotating plate 701 on the outside, the burred surface is covered by the stand cover (71, 72, 73).

In addition, the stand cover (71, 72, 73) protrudes slightly from the inner surface of the rotating plate 701, making it difficult to touch the dripping surface.

In this way, the rotating plate 701, which is a pressed metal part, is positioned out of sight when the stand is stored, ensuring a thin design with high strength and rigidity.

Furthermore, when the user uses the stand unit 7, it is possible to use it without touching the end face of the rotating plate 701.

The stand side covers 71, 72 and the stand middle cover 73 are attached to the rotating plate 701 of the stand hinge 70 from the outside and are adhesively fixed in place with double-sided tape 75, 76, 77.

The stand side covers 71, 72 and the first beam 701a and second beam 701b of the pivot plate 701 are symmetrical about the Y axis.

Therefore, the relationship between the stand side cover 72 and the second beam 701b of the pivot plate 701 will be explained as a representative example. The stand side cover 72 has bosses 72a and 72b formed on the inside.

In addition, the second beam 701b of the rotating plate 701 has holes 701ba and 701bb corresponding to the bosses 72a and 72b, and half-punched portions 701bc and 701bd with a diameter slightly larger than that of the holes 701ba and 701bb, so that the inner surface of the second beam 701b is concave.

After the bosses 72a and 72b of the stand side cover 72 are inserted into the holes 701ba and 701bb of the rotating plate 701, respectively, the stand side cover 72 is firmly fixed by thermal caulking within the half-punched portions 701bc and 701bd from the inside of the rotating plate 701.

The stand intermediate cover 73 is fixed by clamping the elastic member 74 and tightening the screws from the outside.

The elastic member 74 protrudes from the exterior surface of the stand intermediate cover 73 and abuts against the rear surface of the display unit 200. In this embodiment, the stand intermediate cover 73 is fixed with screws, but it may also be fixed from the inside by thermal caulking, similar to the stand side covers 71 and 72.

In addition, the elastic member 74 is a separate part from the stand intermediate cover 73, but the stand intermediate cover 73 may be a two-color molded part to form an integrated part.

In this way, stand covers (71, 72, 73) are attached to the outside of the pivot plate 701, which forms the exterior of the digital camera 1 when the stand is stored.

This allows the exterior shape to be matched to the front cover unit 11 and rear cover unit 13, resulting in a good appearance and improved grip for the user.

In addition, the inside of the rotating plate 701 is not covered with a resin cover member, which helps prevent the camera 1 from becoming too large.

When the stand unit 7 is in a rotated state, the rotating plate 701 itself is visible, but the appearance can be improved by applying a decorative treatment such as painting or plating to the rotating plate 701.

(A rear perspective view of the digital camera 1)
The rotation operation of the display unit 200 and the stand unit 7 will be described with reference to Fig. 6. Fig. 6 is a rear perspective view of the digital camera 1. Fig. 6(a) shows a state in which the display unit 200 is opened 180° and the stand unit 7 is stored. Fig. 6(b) shows a state in which the display unit 200 is opened 180° and the stand unit 7 is also opened 180°. The stand unit 7 can be rotated and stored in the stand storage recess 13a provided in the rear cover unit 13.

(Internal structure of digital camera 1)
The internal structure of the digital camera 1 will be described with reference to FIGS.

In particular, we will explain the area near the stand storage recess 13a.

Figure 7(a) is a rear view of the digital camera 1.

Figure 7(b) is an enlarged view of the cross section A-A near the center of the digital camera 1 shown in Figure 7(a). Figure 8 is a rear view of the main body electronic circuit board 15.

The stand unit 7 is stored in the stand storage recess 13a provided in the rear cover unit 13.

The display unit 200 is stored on top of it. The main body electronic circuit board 15 is located inside the rear cover unit 13.

Between the stand storage recess 13a and the main body electronic circuit board 15, there is a heat transfer sheet metal unit 16 for diffusing heat generated inside and a structural sheet metal unit 17 for supporting the internal strength.

The structural sheet metal unit 17 has a cutout portion 17a.

The constriction portion 16a of the heat transfer sheet metal unit 16 is configured to enter the cutout portion 17a.

This allows the range of the narrowing portion 16a to be spaced apart from the main body electronic circuit board 15 and the heat transfer sheet metal unit 16, making it possible to place electrical components 15c on the main body electronic circuit board 15.

By not placing electrical components on the main body electronic circuit board 15 in the area where the heat transfer sheet metal unit 16 and the structural sheet metal unit 17 overlap, the distance between the main body electronic circuit board 15 and the heat transfer sheet metal unit 16 can be minimized.

This makes it possible to reduce the size of the digital camera 1 in the thickness direction. In other words, by providing the component placement area 15a and the non-component placement area 15b (see FIG. 8), it is possible to achieve miniaturization while still ensuring the component placement area.

The heat transfer sheet metal unit 16 is also made of a material that has better thermal conductivity than the structural sheet metal unit 17, such as copper or aluminum.

The structural sheet metal unit 17 is made of a material, such as stainless steel, that is stronger than the heat transfer sheet metal unit 16. This makes it possible to ensure the heat diffusion function and the strength of the internal structure inside the digital camera 1.

(Heat transfer sheet metal unit 16 and structural sheet metal unit 17 near the stand storage recess)
The heat transfer sheet metal unit 16 and the structural sheet metal unit 17 in the vicinity of the stand storage recess will be described with reference to FIG.

Figure 9 is a rear view of the heat transfer sheet metal unit 16 and the structural sheet metal unit 17. Figure 9(a) is a rear view of the heat transfer sheet metal unit 16.

Figure 9 (b) is a rear view of the structural sheet metal unit 17. The shaded area indicates the projected area of the stand storage recess.

The area of the stand storage recess projection area 16b of the heat transfer sheet metal is larger than the area of the stand storage recess projection area 17b of the structural sheet metal.

This makes it possible to strike a balance between miniaturization, efficiently dissipating more heat, and ensuring strength.

As a result, it is possible to provide an imaging device with a stand that is compact and storable while ensuring strength and a heat diffusion structure.

The features of this embodiment are listed below.

This will be explained using Figure 7b.

The imaging device has an imaging unit 2, a rotatable stand unit 7, a rotatable display unit 200, a housing unit 13 having a recess 13a in which the stand unit can be stored, and a heat dissipation metal plate 16 that dissipates heat from the imaging unit 2.

The imaging device also includes a structural metal plate 17 that supports the housing 13, and an electronic circuit board 15.

When viewed from the optical axis direction of the imaging unit 2, the stand unit 7 and the display unit 200 can be stored by stacking them together.

The electronic circuit board 15 also has a first region 15a where electrical components are arranged and a second region 15b where no electrical components are arranged.

Furthermore, on the side where the recess 13a capable of storing the stand of the electronic circuit board 15 is located, the area where the stand 7, the display unit 200, and the recess 13a all overlap is characterized by overlapping with the second area 15b when viewed from the optical axis direction of the imaging unit 2.

The next feature is that the structural metal sheet 17 is made of a material that is stronger than the heat dissipation metal sheet 16.

The next feature is that the heat dissipation metal sheet 16 is made of a material with a higher thermal conductivity than the structural metal sheet 17.

The next feature is that the heat dissipation sheet metal 16 penetrates in the thickness direction into the cutout portion 17a of the structural sheet metal 17 in the area that overlaps projectedly with the recess 13a in which the stand can be stored.

The next feature is that in the area that overlaps projected with the recess 13a in which the stand can be stored, the area of the heat dissipation sheet metal 16 is larger than the area of the structural sheet metal 17.

The next feature is that in the area that overlaps projected with the recess 13a in which the stand can be stored, the thickness of the heat dissipation sheet metal 16 is thinner than the thickness of the structural sheet metal 17.

The next feature is that in the area that overlaps with the recess 13a in which the stand can be stored, when viewed from the optical axis direction of the imaging unit 2, the cutout portion 17a of the structural sheet metal 17 overlaps with the first area 15a.

The next feature is that on the side of the electronic circuit board 15 where the recess 13a is located, the area where the stand section 7, the display section 200, the recess 13a, the heat dissipation sheet metal 16, and the structural sheet metal 17 all overlap overlaps with the second area 15b when viewed from the optical axis direction of the imaging section 2.

The following is a preferred embodiment of the present invention:

(Configuration 1)
An imaging device 1 including an imaging unit 2, a rotatable stand unit 7, a rotatable display unit 200, a housing unit 13 having a recess 13a capable of housing the stand unit, a heat dissipation metal plate 16 that dissipates heat from the imaging unit 2, a structural metal plate 17 that supports the housing unit 13, and an electronic circuit board 15, wherein the stand unit 7 and the display unit 200 can be housed in a stacked manner when viewed from the optical axis direction of the imaging unit 2,
The electronic circuit board 15 has a first region 15a in which electrical components are arranged and a second region 15b in which no electrical components are arranged,
An imaging device characterized in that, on the side of the electronic circuit board 15 where the recess 13a is arranged, the area where the stand section 7, the display section 200, and the recess 13a all overlap overlaps with the second area 15b when viewed from the optical axis direction of the imaging section 2.

(Configuration 2)
2. The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the structural metal plate 17 is made of a material having a higher strength than the heat dissipation metal plate 16.

(Configuration 3)
3. The imaging device according to configuration 1 or 2, wherein the heat dissipation metal plate 16 is made of a material having a higher thermal conductivity than the structural metal plate 17.

(Configuration 4)
4. The imaging device according to any one of configurations 1 to 3, wherein the heat dissipation metal sheet 16 extends in a thickness direction into a notch 17a of the structural metal sheet 17 in an area that overlaps with the recess 13a when projected.

(Configuration 5)
5. The imaging device according to any one of configurations 1 to 4, wherein an area of the heat dissipation metal plate 16 is larger than an area of the structural metal plate 17 in a region overlapping with the recess 13a when projected.

(Configuration 6)
5. The imaging device according to any one of configurations 1 to 4, wherein the thickness of the heat dissipation metal sheet 16 is thinner than the thickness of the structural metal sheet 17 in a region that overlaps with the recess 13a when projected.

(Configuration 7)
The imaging device described in any one of configurations 1 to 6, characterized in that in a region that overlaps with the recess 13a when projected, when viewed from the optical axis direction of the imaging unit 2, the cutout portion 17a of the structural sheet metal 17 overlaps with the first region 15a.

(Configuration 8)
An imaging device described in any one of configurations 1 to 7, characterized in that on the side of the electronic circuit board 15 where the recess 13a is arranged, the area where the stand section 7, the display section 200, the recess 13a, the heat dissipation sheet metal 16, and the structural sheet metal 17 all overlap overlaps with the second area 15b when viewed from the optical axis direction of the imaging section 2.

The above describes preferred embodiments of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to these embodiments and various modifications are possible within the scope of the gist of the invention.

For example, in this embodiment, the details are explained using a digital camera with a vertical layout, but the same effect can be obtained with a digital camera with a horizontal layout.

The details have been explained using a digital camera with a built-in lens, but the same effect can be achieved with a digital camera with an interchangeable lens.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Digital camera 7 Stand unit 13a Stand storage recess 15 Main body electronic circuit board 15a Component placement area 15b Non-component placement area 15c Components mounted on electronic circuit board 16 Heat transfer sheet metal unit 16a Squeezed portion of heat transfer sheet metal 16b Stand storage recess projection area of heat transfer sheet metal 17 Structural sheet metal unit 17a Cutout portion of structural sheet metal 17b Stand storage recess projection area of kozo sheet metal 70 Stand hinge

Claims (8)

An imaging device comprising an imaging unit, a rotatable stand, a rotatable display unit, a housing having a recess capable of housing the stand, a heat dissipation metal plate that dissipates heat from the imaging unit, a structural metal plate that supports the housing, and an electronic circuit board, wherein the stand and the display unit can be stored in a stacked manner when viewed from the direction of an optical axis of the imaging unit,
the electronic circuit board has a first region in which an electrical component is disposed and a second region in which no electrical component is disposed;
an imaging device characterized in that, on the side of the electronic circuit board where the recess is arranged, an area where the stand section, the display section, and the recess all overlap overlaps with the second area when viewed from the optical axis direction of the imaging section. The imaging device according to claim 1, characterized in that the structural metal plate is made of a material having a higher strength than the heat dissipation metal plate. The imaging device according to claim 2, characterized in that the heat dissipation metal plate is made of a material having a higher thermal conductivity than the structural metal plate. The imaging device according to claim 3, characterized in that the heat dissipation sheet metal penetrates in the thickness direction into the cutout portion of the structural sheet metal in the area that overlaps with the recess in projection. The imaging device according to claim 4, characterized in that in the region that overlaps with the recess in projection, the area of the heat dissipation sheet metal is larger than the area of the structural sheet metal. The imaging device according to claim 4, characterized in that in the area that overlaps with the recess in projection, the thickness of the heat dissipation metal sheet is thinner than the thickness of the structural metal sheet. The imaging device described in claim 4, characterized in that in a region that overlaps with the recess in projection, when viewed from the optical axis direction of the imaging unit, the cutout portion of the structural sheet metal overlaps with the first region. The imaging device according to claim 1, characterized in that the area where the stand section, the display section, the recess, the heat dissipation sheet metal, and the structural sheet metal all overlap on the side where the recess of the electronic circuit board is located overlaps with the second area when viewed from the optical axis direction of the imaging section.

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