Thermal imaging combination and method

A new use for standard thermal imaging cameras to enable the thermal profiling of heat generating elements within an enclosure encompassed by a cabinet, the cabinet having a first face, the heat generating elements disposed a fixed distance, within a range, from said first face, comprising the steps of:

• (a) selecting a lens assembly, said lens assembly of the fish-eye configuration, including
• (i) a housing;
• (ii) a series of infrared transmitting optical lenses mounted within said housing;
• said housing configured to have a co-axially aligned open front end and open rear end, said open front end being substantially smaller in relation to said open rear end;
• (b) selecting a standard thermal imaging camera,
• each of said lenses in said series of infrared transmitting optical lenses being compatible with the spectral transmissibility of said thermal imaging camera;
• (c) connecting said open rear end of said housing to said thermal imaging camera;
• and,
• (d) forming an access opening in and through the face of the cabinet, said access opening having a predetermined relationship to the heat generating elements, so that after step (c) is performed, an operator may then position said open front end of said housing immediately adjacent said access opening, thereby enabling said operator to view infrared radiation rays originating from the heat generating elements when the camera is energized.

In combination, an assembly for the thermal profiling of heat generating elements within an enclosure encompassed by a cabinet, the cabinet having a first face, the heat generating elements disposed a fixed distance, within a range, from said first face, infrared radiation rays emanating from the heat generating elements, the combination comprising:

• (a) a sub-assembly including
• (i) a nose piece;
• (ii) a lens assembly, including at least one infrared transmitting optical lens, mounted in fixed predetermined spatial relationship to said nose piece, said lens assembly having a first optical axis and including a ray front surface, said nosepiece having a second optical axis, said nose piece configured to have a co-axially aligned open front end and open rear end about said second optical axis, said open front end being substantially smaller in relation to said open rear end, said first optical axis coaxially aligned with said second optical axis,
• (b) an access opening formed through the face of the cabinet, said access opening disposed about a centerline axis, said access opening having a predetermined relationship to the heat generating elements, a portion of the infrared radiation rays passing through said access opening, the spatial relationship between said nose piece and said at least one infrared transmitting optical lens adapted to produce a wide-angle image output of the portion of the infrared radiation rays passing through said access opening incident at said ray front surface when said open front end is disposed immediately adjacent said access opening and said second optical axis is co-axially aligned with said centerline axis;
• and,
• (c) means co-axially aligned with said second optical axis and positioned in spatial relationship to said lens assembly and adapted to receive, process and image said wide-angle image output to produce a thermal profile image of said heat generating elements, when said open front end is disposed immediately adjacent said access opening and said second optical axis is co-axially aligned with said centerline axis.

A method to enable the thermal profiling of heat generating elements within an enclosure encompassed by a cabinet, the cabinet having a first face, the heat generating elements disposed a fixed distance, within a range, from said first face, infrared radiation rays emanating from the heat generating elements, comprising the steps of:

• (a) selecting a sub-assembly, said sub-assembly including,
• (i) a nosepiece;
• (ii) a lens assembly, including at least one infrared transmitting optical lens, mounted in fixed predetermined spatial relationship to said nose piece, said lens assembly having a first optical axis and including a ray front surface, said nosepiece having a second optical axis, said nose piece configured to have a co-axially aligned open front end and open rear end about said second optical axis, said open front end being substantially smaller in relation to said open rear end, said first optical axis coaxially aligned with said second optical axis,
• (b) forming an access opening in and through the face of the cabinet, said access opening disposed about a centerline axis, said access opening having a predetermined relationship to the heat generating elements, a portion of the infrared radiation rays passing through said access opening, the spatial relationship between said nose piece and said at least one infrared transmitting optical lens adapted to produce a wide-angle image output of the portion of the infrared radiation rays passing through said access opening incident at said ray front surface when said open front end is disposed immediately adjacent said access opening and said second optical axis is co-axially aligned with said centerline axis;
• and,
• (c) providing means co-axially aligned with said second optical axis and positioned in spatial relationship to said lens assembly and adapted to receive, process and image said wide-angle image output to produce a thermal profile image of said heat generating elements, when said open front end is disposed immediately adjacent said access opening and said second optical axis is co-axially aligned with said centerline axis.