Canon Patent: Camera Built-in Fan Stops When Removing Lens

A rather interesting Canon patent application, but we doubt it will go into production soon.

Canon patent application 2023157248 (Japan, published 10/26/2023) discusses technology and methods to implement a heat dissipation fan into an interchangeable lens camera. From the patent literature:

• An object of the present invention is to provide an imaging device that can ensure heat dissipation performance while preventing dust from entering the device when a lens is attached or detached.

[Background technology]

• [0002] In recent years, with the demand for smaller electronic devices, the smaller size and higher density of components mounted inside the devices has become noticeable.
• [0003] On the other hand, there is a growing demand for higher functionality in imaging devices, especially higher performance in video functions, and the amount of heat generated by the equipment is on the rise.
• [0004] When shooting a video in a high-temperature environment, the temperature inside the imaging device increases, which is likely to cause malfunctions and performance degradation of mounted components, and eventually cause failure of the imaging device.
• [0005] Furthermore, in recent years, in order to improve image quality, imaging devices that perform blur correction by moving an imaging element in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis direction have become popular.
• [0006] Even in an imaging device that performs such shake correction, heat generated in the image sensor affects image quality when driving the shake correction mechanism, during continuous shooting, or when shooting a video, so sufficient heat dissipation is required. is required.
• [0007] Therefore, when the amount of heat dissipated by natural heat dissipation is not sufficient for the amount of heat generated by the imaging device, a heat dissipation structure using forced air cooling using a fan is used.
• [0008] Furthermore, in an imaging device using an image sensor, an optical low-pass filter or an infrared cut filter is arranged on the subject side of the image sensor. It is known that when foreign matter such as dust that enters when a lens is replaced adheres to the filter surface, the attached portion becomes a black dot that appears in the photographed image, degrading the quality of the photographed image.
• [0009] Patent Document 1 proposes a technique for cooling an optical system and a heat generating element arranged in a closed space using a fan.
• [0011] However, in the conventional technology disclosed in Patent Document 1 mentioned above, although a cooling effect can be obtained by the fan, it is necessary to maintain a closed space.
• [0012] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and one embodiment of the present invention provides an imaging device that can ensure heat dissipation performance while preventing dust from entering the device when a lens is attached or detached. The purpose is to provide

[Means to solve the problem]

• [0013] An imaging device including an image sensor of the present invention includes a mount to which a lens can be attached and detached, a lens attachment/detachment detection means for detecting that the lens is attached to and detached from the mount, an image pickup element, and a cooling device for cooling the image pickup element. In the imaging device, the imaging device includes a heat dissipation fan that generates an air flow, and a control means that controls driving of the heat dissipation fan, wherein the control means detects whether the lens is attached to the mount by the lens attachment/detachment detection means while the heat dissipation fan is being driven. If it is detected that the heat dissipation fan is removed from the heat dissipation fan, the heat dissipation fan is stopped.
• [0014] Further, an imaging device including an image sensor of the present invention includes a mount to which a lens can be attached and detached, a lens attachment/detachment detection means for detecting that the lens is attached to and detached from the mount, an image pickup element, and a lens attachment/detachment detection means for detecting that the lens is attached to and detached from the mount. In the imaging device, the imaging device includes a heat dissipation fan that generates a cooling air flow, a control means that controls the drive of the heat dissipation fan, and a mechanical
  shutter that is disposed closer to the subject than the image sensor. If the lens attachment/detachment detection means detects that the lens is removed from the mount while the fan is being driven, the drive of the heat dissipation fan is not stopped when the mechanical shutter is closed.

【Effect of the invention】

• [0015] According to one embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to efficiently remove foreign matter such as dust attached to the imaging surface by the fan at a more effective timing.

More Canon patents are listed here.

[via asobinet]