IMAGING UNIT, VEHICLE CONTROL UNIT AND HEAT TRANSFER METHOD FOR IMAGING UNIT

• US 20160277647A1
• Filed: 03/15/2016
• Published: 09/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Masashi Adachi
• Inventors: ADACHI, Masashi
• Granted Patent: US 10,412,274 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/02 Bodies
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/55 with provision for heating or cooling, e.g. in aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 35/00 Stereoscopic photography
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0231 using optical position detecting means position-fixing by using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves, e.g. optical position detecting means G01S5/16
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/58 Recognition of moving objects or obstacles, e.g. vehicles or pedestrians; Recognition of traffic objects, e.g. traffic signs, traffic lights or roads
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/239 using two 2D image sensors having a relative position equal to or related to the interocular distance H04N13/243 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20336 Heat pipes, e.g. wicks or capillary pumps
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20881 Liquid coolant with phase change

Abstract

An imaging unit includes two imaging devices, a substrate holder that holds a circuit substrate on which a component regarding operation of the two imaging devices is disposed, and a heat transfer device that transfers heat generated in the component to the substrate holder. One end of the heat transfer device is brought in contact with the component and other end of the heat transfer device is brought in contact with the substrate holder on a line having an equal distance from each of image pick-up devices of the two imaging devices.

Claims

1. An imaging unit comprising:

two imaging devices;

a substrate holder that holds a circuit substrate on which a component regarding operation of the two imaging devices is disposed; and

a heat transfer device that transfers heat generated in the component to the substrate holder,

wherein one end of the heat transfer device is brought in contact with the component and other end of the heat transfer device is brought in contact with the substrate holder on a line having an equal distance from each of image pick-up devices of the two imaging devices.

2. The imaging unit according to claim 1, wherein the other end of the heat transfer device is brought in contact with an end portion of the substrate holder remote from the imaging devices.

3. The imaging unit according to claim 1, wherein the heat transfer device is formed by a heat pipe.

4. The imaging unit according to claim 1, wherein an imaging device holder that holds the two imaging devices and the substrate holder each are formed by a metal member.

5. The imaging unit according to claim 1, wherein an imaging device holder that holds the two imaging devices and the substrate holder are connected by a connector, and the connector is positioned at a center portion of the imaging device holder.

6. The imaging unit according to claim 5, wherein a space corresponding to a height of the connector is provided between the imaging device holder and the substrate holder.

7. The imaging unit according to claim 5, wherein the connector has a width dimension set to be equal to half or less than half of that of the imaging device holder or the substrate holder.

8. A vehicle control unit comprising:

a unit which is mounted on a vehicle and calculates a distance to an object existing in a travelling direction of the vehicle,

wherein the unit is the imaging unit claimed in claim 1.

9. A heat transfer method for an imaging unit configured to transfer heat of a component regarding operation of an imaging unit having two imaging devices to the imaging unit,

the method comprising:

coming in contact one end of a heat transfer device that transfers the heat to a substrate holder that holds a circuit substrate on which the component is disposed with the component; and

coming in contact other end of the heat transfer device with an inner side of the substrate holder existing on a line having an equal distance from each of two image pick-up devices of the imaging unit to transfer the heat from the other end of the heat transfer device to the two image pick-up devices on the line of the equal distance.

10. An imaging unit comprising:

two imaging devices;

a substrate holder that holds a circuit substrate on which a component regarding operation of the two imaging devices is disposed; and

a heat transfer device that transfers heat generated in the component to the substrate holder,

wherein one end of the heat transfer device is brought in contact with the component and other end of the heat transfer device is brought in contact with the substrate holder on a line having an equal distance from each of image pick-up devices of the two imaging devices.