Heated image sensor window
AssigneeBio-Rad Laboratories, Inc.
InventorsEVAN THRUSH, STEVE SWIHART, HARI JAYAMOHAN
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Abstract
An image sensor assembly having a sensor window positioned in front of an image sensor, having structure and/or characteristics to prevent the formation of condensation on the sensor window. Structure to prevent the formation of condensation includes thin films which can have anti-condensation, anti-reflective, electrically conductive, and/or thermally conductive properties. The sensor window can further have a textured surface to displace water so as to avoid condensation formation on the window surface. The sensor window, and in some embodiments a frame, can be maintained at an elevated temperature proximate to the image sensor during operation to prevent the formation of condensation.
Claims20
An image sensor assembly, comprising:
- a cooling structure;
- an image sensor, the image sensor being positioned along an optical path to view a sample region, the image sensor further being coupled to and cooled by the cooling structure;
- and
- a sensor window arranged between the image sensor and the sample region.
An image sensor assembly, comprising:
- a thermoelectric cooling element (TEC);
- an image sensor, the image sensor being positioned along an optical path to view a sample region, the image sensor further being coupled to and cooled by the TEC;
- and
- a heating frame arranged at a position encircling at least a portion of the optical path between the image sensor and the sample region, to form a region of space with heated air between the image sensor and the sample region.
An image sensor assembly, comprising:
- a cooling structure;
- an image sensor, the image sensor being positioned along an optical path to view a sample region, the image sensor further being coupled to and cooled by the cooling structure;
- and
- a concave sensor window arranged between the image sensor and the sample region, the concave surface of the concave sensor window facing the image sensor, with a cavity formed between the concave surface of the concave sensor window.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.