US Government As Represented by the Secretary of the Army

Richard A Wright

John M Hall

Stuart B Horn

Howard L Dunmire

John J Curry

Philip Perconti

Bill A Blecha

Mark S Asher

Brian J Kowalewski

Andrew J Dotson

Robert C Guckian

Howard T Graves

Joseph J Wiedmann

Thomas E Smith

Raemon N Samuels

Steve H Nguyen

Samuel B McDowell

Thomas Coty

A multiple field of view dual band optical device with integrated calibration source is disclosed. Such an optical device is modular, and has a rotating electro-mechanical 'tumbler' which houses two orthogonal Galilean afocal optical assemblies as well as at least one uniform temperature source. This modular device is intended to be inserted in front of a camera system which already has an imager optical assembly mated to a detector focal plane array. The disclosed modular device thus serves the purpose of providing to an existing dual-band camera imager up to four new optical fields of view as well as an integral calibration source, all of which can be electro-mechanically selected for viewing by a host camera imager.

Multiple field of view dual band optics with integrated calibration source

FLIR kits are provided comprising optical and related components which can be commonly used for both navigational and targeting scenarios. Such components include a common detector interface, imaging optics, scanner, interlacer, filter wheel, and thermal reference sources with integrated chopper/rotator assembly, all of which when assembled form a stand-alone imaging sensor when combined with a common associated electronics subassembly. The kits are integrated into standard navigational and targeting platforms of the type found on the AH-64 Apache and RAH-66 Comanche attack helicopters.

All purpose FLIR kit for aircraft

An optical system is provided for a FLIR mounted in a cylindrical turret ch has five folding mirrors, two doubling as scanning mirrors, numerous lenses with aspherical surfaces and different refractive indices, and a rotatable head mirror. Some of the lenses and mirrors being mounted on remote controlled electrically powered focusing or scanning means.

Second generation FLIR NV-81

An improved modular FLIR system is provided that fits in the same space elopes that were provided for the Army's GEN I FLIR's. The resolution is more than doubled by using a narrow two dimensional array of Hg-Cd-Te detectors with pn junctions as a time-delay-integration line sensor, improved optics and analog-digital conversion with image enhancement.

Second generation FLIR common modules

The disclosure is a dual controlled linear resonance cryogenic cooler and comprised of a remote cold finger and a compressor, both driven by linear motors. A motor control means is used with the linear motors to drive both motors with a phase delay of the cold finger motor from that of the compressor motor such that the compressor linear motor alternately drives a piston to produce alternating pressure waves in a light cooling gas in working relation with a regenerator-displacer in the remote cold finger and the cold finger linear motor has a delayed phase relationship with the compressor linear motor. The use of linear motors which are slightly out of phase with each other selectively provides flat top and bottom dead center with constant linear increases and decreases therebetween for the compressor piston to follow and to eliminate the normal side forces of the piston that cause excessive wear.

Linear resonance cryogenic cooler

A means for producing an optimized cooler expander waveform for a closed le cryogenic cooler. The cooler displacer is driven by magnetic and spring biasing means through four repeated phases of each cycle to produce four portions of the optimized cooler waveform in which each portion takes up about 25% of the total cycle. The portions are comprised of a constant velocity in opposite direction and dwell times with smoothed corner transitions between each portion. Control means for controlling the displacer movement to produce the specific waveform may be provided by a function generator applying the desired waveform into a displacer control drive circuit which has as a second input a sensory signal of the actual position of the displacer. The actual position and the desired position are continuously compared while the drive circuit drives two opposing solenoids during the constant velocity phases of the displacer movement with two spring biasing means holding the displacer during the dwell times at the end of each stroke.

Means for producing an optimized cooler expander waveform

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Alexandria, VA, United States of America

Richard A Wright