Omnidirectional camera

• US 9,071,767 B2
• Filed: 03/22/2012
• Issued: 06/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Topcon
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Topcon
• Inventors: Sasagawa, Jun, Yamada, Hirokazu
• Primary Examiner(s): Kelley, Christopher S
• Assistant Examiner(s): VOLENTINE, REBECCA A
• Application Number:
  US13/426,659
• Publication Number:
  US 20120242785A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,195 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 11/04 Hoods or caps for eliminating unwanted light from lenses, viewfinders or focusing aids
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/00 Details of cameras or camera bodies; Accessories therefor lens hoods or caps G03B11/04
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/55 with provision for heating or cooling, e.g. in aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 37/04 with cameras or projectors providing touching or overlapping fields of view
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/45 for generating image signals from two or more image sensors being of different type or operating in different modes, e.g. with a CMOS sensor for moving images in combination with a charge-coupled device [CCD] for still images
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/55 Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/698 for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/90 Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

An omnidirectional camera comprises a camera mounting frame 5 of a cylindrical hollow body, two or more first mount blocks 8 which hold a first lens unit 9 in a horizontal posture and are installed to the camera mounting frame from a horizontal direction, and first circuit boards provided on inner end surfaces of the first mount blocks, and in the omnidirectional camera, the camera mounting frame and the first mount blocks are made of materials with good heat transfer properties, the first circuit board has a ground layer formed on an abutting surface with respect to the first mount block and a first image pickup element arranged on an optical axis of the first lens unit, and the heat generated from the first image pickup element is radiated from the first mount block and the camera mounting frame through the ground layer.

Claims

1. An omnidirectional camera, comprising a camera mounting frame of a cylindrical hollow body, two or more first mount blocks which hold a first lens unit in a horizontal posture and are installed to said camera mounting frame from a horizontal direction, and first circuit boards provided on inner end surfaces of said first mount blocks,

wherein said camera mounting frame and said first mount blocks are made of a metal material,

wherein said first circuit board has a ground layer formed on a surface abutting said first mount block, such that the ground layer is in contact with the inner end surface of the first mount block, and said first circuit board has a first image pickup element disposed on said surface and arranged on an optical axis of said first lens unit, and

wherein the heat generated from said first image pickup element is radiated from said first mount block and said camera mounting frame through said ground layer.

2. The omnidirectional camera according to claim 1, further comprising a second mount block which holds a second lens unit in a vertical posture and is installed so as to cover an upper end of said camera mounting frame, and a second circuit board provided on an inner end surface of said second mount block,

wherein said second mount block is made of a metal material,

wherein said second circuit board has a ground layer formed on a surface abutting said second mount block, such that the ground layer is in contact with the inner end surface of the second mount block, and said second circuit board has a second image pickup element disposed on said surface and arranged on an optical axis of said second lens unit, and

wherein the heat from said second image pickup element is radiated from said second mount block and said camera mounting frame through said ground layer.

3. The omnidirectional camera according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a bottom case made of a metal material is provided at a lower end of said camera mounting frame, an image processing integrated circuit is accommodated in said bottom case, said image processing integrated circuit is in contact with said bottom case through a heat transfer member, and the heat from said image processing integrated circuit is radiated from said bottom case through said heat transfer member.

4. The omnidirectional camera according to claim 3, wherein a heat transfer portion is integrally provided to protrude from said bottom case, and said heat transfer member is provided between said heat transfer portion and said image processing integrated circuit.

5. The omnidirectional camera according to claim 3, wherein said first lens unit and said second lens unit have a liquid-tight structure, said first mount blocks, said second mount block, and said bottom case are liquid-tightly installed to said camera mounting frame, and said first mount blocks, said second mount block, and said bottom case constitute a liquid-tight structure.

6. The omnidirectional camera according to claim 2, wherein radiation fins are formed on at least one of said camera mounting frame and said second mount block.

7. The omnidirectional camera according to claim 5, wherein said liquid-tight structure is accommodated in a heat shield cover with ventilation.

8. The omnidirectional camera according to claim 7, wherein a heat insulating portion is provided between said heat shield cover and said camera mounting frame, and said heat shield cover and said camera mounting frame are thermally insulated from each other.