Canon Patent Application: Canon EF to RF "sensor cooling" adapter

This is a novel patent.  One of the problems with a sealed camera is providing enough cooling for video.  In this patent application, Canon looks at cooling the sensor from the other side from the lens mount.

I am intrigued by this because it has applications for more than just video - for instance, astrophotography.  The cooler the sensor, the less noise.

Cooling apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention, a lens barrel having an imaging optical system, and detachably attached to an imaging apparatus and an electronic component and an image pickup element, surrounding the optical axis of the imaging optical system A cooling device having a hollow shape, heat transfer means for transmitting heat generated from the electronic component or the image sensor to the cooling device, an inner peripheral portion formed so as to surround the optical axis, and the cooling device An outer peripheral part that is an exterior and is formed so as to surround the optical axis; and a hollow part that is formed between the inner peripheral part and the outer peripheral part and serves as a gas flow path. Is provided with an intake port for allowing gas to flow into the hollow portion, and an exhaust port for discharging gas from the hollow portion, and the hollow portion includes gas from the intake port to the exhaust port. Fan that gives driving force to flow into Characterized in that it is arranged.

Now the interesting thing is that Canon is proposing this in two different methods of application, including simply having an adapter sit in between for instance an EF lens and an RF camera body (see above diagram).

Now the camera has to be made capable of this adapter, for instance in the above mentioned diagram, there is conductive material to take heat from the sensor to the attached adapter.

FIG. 9 is a central sectional view of the camera system 1000 when the cooling unit 100 is detachably attached to the imaging device 1. The cooling unit 100 is configured to be detachably attached to the imaging device 1 via the mount portion 1c. When the cooling unit 100 is attached to the imaging device 1, the heat transfer contact 107, which is a contact point for transferring heat generated by the electronic components inside the imaging device 1, and the heat transferred to the heat transfer contact 107. 

Japan Patent Application 2019-186871