In situ pressure monitoring of infrared imaging assemblies
AssigneeRaytheon Company
InventorsPaul Thomas Fini, Craig R. Adams
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An infrared imaging assembly may include a vacuum dewar assembly and an infrared sensor chip assembly (SCA) housed within the vacuum dewar assembly. The infrared imaging assembly may also include a sensor housed within the vacuum dewar assembly. The sensor may be configured to measure a pressure level within the vacuum dewar assembly. The infrared imaging assembly may further include a cooler configured to provide a cryogenic SCA temperature within the vacuum dewar assembly.
Claims20
An infrared imaging assembly comprising:
- a vacuum dewar assembly;
- an infrared sensor chip assembly (SCA) housed within the vacuum dewar assembly;
- a sensor housed within the vacuum dewar assembly and configured to measure a pressure level within the vacuum dewar assembly;
- and
- a cooler configured to provide a cryogenic SCA temperature within the vacuum dewar assembly.
A vacuum dewar assembly for an infrared imaging assembly, the vacuum dewar assembly comprising:
- an infrared sensor chip assembly (SCA) housed within the vacuum dewar assembly;
- and
- a sensor housed within the vacuum dewar assembly and configured to measure a pressure level within the vacuum dewar assembly.
A method comprising:
- measuring, via a sensor housed within a vacuum dewar assembly of an infrared imaging assembly, a pressure level within the vacuum dewar assembly;
- determining whether the pressure level within the vacuum dewar assembly exceeds a predetermined pressure limit;
- and
- in response to a determination that the pressure level within the vacuum dewar assembly exceeds the predetermined pressure limit, initiating an action.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.