Camera housing optical sealing method and device
AssigneeCohu GmbH
InventorWalter Jamison Wind
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A new and improved device and method for hermetically sealing a lens window to a camera housing, which permits removal of the window from a pressurized housing without danger to the technician due to rapid or explosive decompression. The device comprises a unique combination of an O-ring seal and a square or rectangular cross-section face seal ring with two snap-rings in such a manner that removal of the first snap-ring causes controlled decompression of the housing, while the lens window is retained by the second snap-ring.
Claims9
An improved camera container sealing device of the type in which the container is closed by a removable end plate, wherein the improvement comprises:
- a seal retainer disposed within said container in close proximity to the inner surface of said container and end plate;
- a substantially rectangular cross-section seal disposed between said end plate and said seal retainer;
- a snap-ring groove disposed in the wall of said container;
- and
- at least two snap-rings fitted within said groove to retain said end plate.
An improved device for sealing a removable end plate to a camera container having a shoulder and an enlarged end opening for accepting said end plate, comprising:
- a seal adapted to fit within said enlarged end and seat on said shoulder and disposed between said shoulder and said end plate;
- a groove disposed in the wall of said container and located in proximity to the outer surface of said end plate;
- and
- at least two snap-rings fitted within said groove for retaining said end plate against said seal.
A method for sealing a camera container, which comprises the steps of:
- installing a first seal into said container;
- compressing the first seal with an end plate;
- inserting a first end plate retaining ring;
- and
- inserting a second end plate retaining ring.
A method for opening a pressurized camera container having a removable end plate, which comprises the steps of:
- removing a first end plate retaining ring;
- unseating a seal between the container and end plate to permit internal pressure to escape;
- removing a second end plate retaining ring;
- and
- removing the end plate from the container.
A method for hermetically sealing and opening a container having a removable end plate, which comprises the steps of:
- mounting a first seal on a seal retainer;
- sliding the seal retainer into the container;
- installing a second seal in the container against the seal retainer;
- compressing the second seal with the end plate;
- inserting a first end plate retaining ring;
- and
- inserting a second end plate retaining ring.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.