The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 21, 1997
Filed:
Jul. 28, 1995
Richard L Anderton, West Jordan, UT (US);
Steven E Curtis, Salt Lake City, UT (US);
OEC Medical Systems, Inc., Salt Lake City, UT (US);
Abstract
Apparatus for cooling charge-coupled device (CCD) imaging systems. The apparatus comprises a thermoelectric cooler thermally coupled to the imaging system for transferring heat away from and cooling the imaging system portion of the imaging system. The thermoelectric cooler has a cold side and an opposing hot side, with the cold side thermally coupled to the imaging sensor to enable the transfer of heat from the sensor in response to a supply of power. A power supply is coupled to the cooler for supplying required power. The hot side of the cooler is thermally coupled to a heat pipe, which is composed of a heat-conducting material having a hollow portion containing a wicking material and a working fluid. A heat sink is thermally coupled to the heat pipe enabling heat dissipation. The working fluid cyclically evaporates into vapor and condenses into liquid to effect the heat transfer from the heat pipe to the heat sink.