Radiation detector with high thermal stability
AssigneeExergen Corporation
InventorFrancesco Pompei
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In a tympanic temperature detector a thermopile is suspended in a rigid structure of high thermal conductivity having a window. That structure is positioned at the rear end of a high thermal conductivity duct through which the tympanic membrane is viewed. The duct is cantilevered within a shield to which it is coupled to a high thermal conductivity joint. Thermal paths to the thermopile and window are tuned to minimize response of the thermopile to thermal perturbations at the tip of the duct.
Claims35
A radiation detector comprising:
- an infrared radiation sensing device for receiving radiation from an external target;
- a thermally conductive duct thermally coupled to the sensing device, the duct passing radiation from the external target to the sensing device;
- and
- a thermally conductive shield surrounding but spaced from the duct and sensing device, the shield being thermally coupled to the duct at a location between the sensing device and an end of the duct directed toward the target.
A temperature detector comprising:
- an extension shaped to be inserted into an ear;
- an elongated thermally conductive duct within the extension;
- a thermopile for receiving radiation from an external target through the conductive duct, the thermopile being suspended across an opening in a structure of high thermal conductivity material, the structure having a transparent window mounted in thermal contact therewith and the structure being supported by and in thermal contact with the conductive duct at an end opposite to the target;
- a temperature detector mounted to the rear of the high conductivity structure to provide a thermopile reference temperature;
- a thermally conductive shield surrounding and spaced from the duct and structure, the shield supporting the duct at a location between the structure and target, the structure being surrounded by an air space and cantilevered on the duct from the shield, the duct being supported by the shield through a high thermal conductivity joint;
- and
- an insulator surrounding the shield.
A method of measuring temperature comprising:
- providing a radiation detector having an extension;
- the detector having means to activate a radiation peak detector and a radiation signal indicator;
- inserting the extension into an ear while monitoring the radiation signal indicator and directing the extension toward a peak source of radiation.
A radiation detector comprising:
- an infrared radiation sensing device for receiving radiation from an external target, the sensing device comprises an active area influenced by radiation from an external target and a reference area,
- a thermally conductive duct thermally coupled to the sensing device, the duct passing radiation from the external target to the sensing device;
- and
- thermally conductive material positioned in the thermal path from a distal end of the duct, which is directed toward the target, to the sensing device, the conductance of the material being tuned to the detector to control the relative conductance of the respective thermal paths to the active area and reference area to minimize the response of the sensing device to thermal perturbations from the distal end of the duct.
A method of tuning a radiation detector comprising a thermally conductive duct and a sensing device at an end of the duct, the method comprising:
- providing thermally conductive material between the duct and sensing device;
- inducing a thermal perturbation in the duct near an end opposite to the sensing device while monitoring the electrical output of the sensing device;
- and
- modifying the conductance of the thermally conductive material to minimize the response of the sensing device to the thermal perturbation.
A radiation detector comprising:
- a header of high thermal conductivity material;
- an infrared radiation sensing device mounted to and thermally coupled to the header;
- a high thermal conductivity can surrounding the infrared radiation sensing device, the can being sealed to the header by high thermal conductivity epoxy;
- and
- a window closing the can.
A radiation detector comprising:
- a header of high thermal conductivity material;
- a stack of high conductivity rings mounted to the header;
- an infrared radiation sensing device mounted to and thermally coupled to the header through the rings;
- a high thermal conductivity can surrounding the infrared radiation sensing device, the can being sealed to the header;
- and
- a window closing the can mounted to the high conductivity rings.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.