Thermal imaging camera device
AssigneeThermal Imaging Radar, LLC
InventorsDana Rees, David T. Kay
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An improved camera system includes an uncooled thermal imaging sensor, a rotary actuator, a rotary encoder, and a slip ring. The rotary actuator is physically coupled to the uncooled thermal imaging sensor and enables the sensor to rotate a full 360 degrees any number of times relative to the system's horizontal base. Through the use of the slip ring, the sensor and the sensor's wiring can rotate freely without impedance. Notably, the sensor's wiring can be disposed through a central through-hole running the length of the rotary actuator. Therefore, prior to reaching the slip ring, the sensor and its wiring rotate in unison with the rotary actuator. The encoder is structured to monitor the angular position of the sensor in order to accurately determine where the sensor is being aimed.
Claims11
A rotating camera system configured to rotate about a central axis to temporarily aim an optical axis of a camera sensor of the rotating camera system at directions spanning a 360-degree field of view laterally surrounding a base of the rotating camera system in order to generate one or more image(s) while the camera sensor's optical axis is temporarily aimed at each one of said directions, the rotating camera system comprising:
- an uncooled thermal imaging sensor configured to generate one or more thermal image(s) based on a direction of an optical axis of the uncooled thermal imaging sensor;
- an electrically powered rotary actuator comprising a rotating shaft that is physically coupled to the uncooled thermal imaging sensor and that enables the uncooled thermal imaging sensor to rotate with the rotating shaft 360 degrees relative to the base of the rotating camera system, wherein the rotating shaft of the electrically powered rotary actuator includes a hollowed central portion through which an electrical connection of the uncooled thermal imaging sensor passes through such that the electrical connection rotates with the uncooled thermal imaging sensor and the rotating shaft of the electrically powered rotary actuator;
- a rotary encoder configured to determine an angular position of the rotating shaft as the rotating shaft rotates the 360 degrees relative to the base, the angular position of the rotating shaft also corresponding to an angular position of the uncooled thermal imaging sensor's optical axis;
- and
- a slip ring affixed to the rotating shaft, wherein the electrical connection data and power of the uncooled thermal imaging sensor is coupled to a rotating part of the slip ring, and wherein a non-rotating electrical connection is electrically coupled to a non-rotating part of the slip ring, the non-rotating part of the slip ring being electrically coupled to the rotating part of the slip ring such that the electrical connection and the non-rotating electrical connection are continuously electrically coupled to one another as the rotating shaft rotates the 360 degrees relative to the base.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.