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:
Nov. 07, 2000
Filed:
Apr. 21, 1997
Robert J Herring, Maynard, MA (US);
Andrew C Neilson, Groton, MA (US);
Daniel L Manitakos, Peabody, MA (US);
Charles L Confer, Bolton, MA (US);
Kevin J Haded, Chelmsford, MA (US);
Uri Bin-Nun, Keene, NH (US);
Inframetrics Inc., North Billerica, MA (US);
Abstract
An infrared video camera system comprises an uncooled infrared sensor mounted and a thermally conductive thin walled radiation shield for shielding radiation from reaching an active surface of the uncooled infrared sensor. A TEC maintains the sensor active surface and the radiation shield at a substantially constant temperature. The uncooled infrared sensor and radiation shield are further housed in a hollow thermally conductive vacuum cover which is vacuum sealed with a base assembly and includes a vacuum sealed infrared transparent window in an aperture at a top end of the vacuum cover for allowing infrared radiation to reach the active surface and for forming a vacuum chamber enclosing the infrared sensor and radiation shield. A relay optical cell mounted to a camera body comprises at least one optical element for relaying an image formed at its entrance onto the active surface. An imaging optical assembly is interchangeably mounted to the relay optical cell and comprises at least one optical element for imaging an infrared scene to be imaged onto the entrance aperture of the relay cell. A plurality of different field of view imaging optical assemblies are interchangeably mounted without substantially changing the field of view of the sensor active surface.