Explosively welded cooled infrared camera
AssigneeRaytheon Company
InventorsStephen Marinsek, Thomas Peter Sprafke
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A cooled infrared camera includes a window housing comprising a plate having an opening, a window positioned in the opening of the plate, a first sidewall having a first end connected to the plate, a first flange connected to a second end of the first sidewall such that the first sidewall is between the plate and the first flange, a first explosively welded joint between the plate and the first sidewall, and a second explosively welded joint between the first sidewall and the first flange. A header is connected to the first flange of the window housing, and a warm end is connected to the header. The cooled infrared camera further includes a hermetically sealed chamber within the window housing and the header.
Claims24
A cooled infrared camera comprising:
- a window housing comprising:
- a plate having an opening;
- a window positioned in the opening of the plate;
- a first sidewall having a first end connected to the plate;
- a first flange connected to a second end of the first sidewall such that the first sidewall is between the plate and the first flange;
- a first explosively welded joint between the plate and the first sidewall;
- and
- a second explosively welded joint between the first sidewall and the first flange;
- a header connected to the first flange of the window housing;
- a warm end connected to the header;
- a hermetically sealed chamber within the window housing and the header;
- a coldfinger extending through the header and into the window housing;
- a platform connected to the cold finger;
- and
- an infrared sensor assembly positioned on the platform.
A cooled infrared camera comprising:
- a window housing having an opening and a window positioned in the opening;
- a header connected to the window housing, the header comprising:
- a first flange connected to the window housing;
- a first sidewall having a first end connected to the first flange;
- a second flange connected to a second end of the first sidewall such that the first sidewall is between the first flange and the second flange;
- a first explosively welded joint between the first flange and the first sidewall;
- and
- a second explosively welded joint between the first sidewall and the second flange;
- a warm end connected to the second flange of the header;
- a hermetically sealed chamber within the window housing and the header;
- a coldfinger extending through the header and into the window housing;
- a platform connected to the cold finger;
- and
- an infrared sensor assembly positioned on the platform.
A method for forming a cooled infrared camera, the method comprising:
- forming a header, which comprises:
- explosively welding a first flange to a first end of a first sidewall;
- and
- explosively welding a second flange to a second end of the first sidewall;
- explosively welding a base connected to a coldfinger to the second flange of the header;
- joining the base and the second flange of the header to a warm end;
- joining a platform to the coldfinger;
- positioning an infrared sensor assembly on the platform;
- connecting a coldshield having an optical filter to the platform over the infrared sensor assembly;
- forming a window housing, which comprises:
- soldering a window to a plate at an opening of the plate;
- explosively welding the plate to a first end of a second sidewall;
- and
- explosively welding a third flange to a second end of the second sidewall;
- and
- welding the third flange of the window housing to the first flange of the header to form a hermetically sealed chamber within the window housing and the header.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.