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US 4,051,370 AGranted
Optical system for thermal imager
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
InventorVincent T. Bly
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An infrared chopper device for use with a starting thermal imaging system, uch as a pyroelectric vidicon, is provided which utilizes liquid crystal technology.
Claims7
A liquid crystal shutter-like device comprising:
- a cell filled with a neumatic liquid crystal having first and second transparent nonconductive broad flat walls;
- spaced a small distance apart and sealed at their edges by a narrow edge wall;
- a transparent common electrode covering the major portion of the inner surface of the first of said flat walls;
- a plurality of independent transparent electrodes each covering a separate portion of said second wall;
- a plurality of external terminals sealed through at least one of said walls, each terminal being completely insulated from the others and each contacting a different one of said electrodes.
2 more elements
A method of detecting a light image from a distant object comprising the steps of:
- projecting light received from said object onto the target of a pyroelectric vidicon tube;
- scanning said target with at least one beam of electrons;
- and
- periodically focussing and defocussing said light at individual portions of said target such that said portions are focussed for a storage period commencing prior to and including any readout period when they are being scanned by an electron beam and are defocussed for a given period between each of said storage periods.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.