Patent · US Expired

Integrated thermal imaging system

US5091646A · kind A · utility

15Cited by
8References
99Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateMay 29, 1990
Grant dateFeb 25, 1992
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 29, 2010

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01J2005/283
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A totally integrated thermal imaging system has a dewar housing including imaging optics, a scanning mirror and a curved detector array. The imaging optics constitute a meniscus lens and a spherical focusing mirror. The scanning mirror scans the image, and the spherical mirror focuses the scanned image onto the detector array. The meniscus lens advantageously corrects aberrations. A detector support provides access for cryogenic cooling of the detector, and individual cold shielding of the detector elements is made possible by the telecentricity of the optics. Processing electronics, at least a portion of which may also be disposed on the detector support, process the detector signals to display an image. The integrated structure advantageously eliminates any need for separate scanner, imager, detector dewar and electronics modules.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.