Environmental shroud

Abstract

The invention provides an environmental shroud (190, 290, 390) and a camera assembly (10, 20, 30) including the shroud. The environmental shroud (190, 290, 390) absorbs and dissipates heat energy that is not reflected and heat energy that is generated by the contents of the camera housing so that the camera housing temperature does not exceed the maximum rated temperature. In one embodiment, the camera assembly includes a camera housing (130) having a mounting cap (140) attached to sidewalls (126) to which is attached an optical surface (135), the camera housing enclosing a camera system; and an environmental shroud (190) attached to the camera housing. The shroud has a lower section (100) having sidewalls (126A) that descend to a drip edge (108), and at least one vent (105) in a top portion; and an upper section (120), at least the lower section having means that reflects or deflects radiant heat energy and means to remove unreflected or undeflected heat from the camera housing (130) through said vent (105), the upper section (120) covering the vent (105) and having a lower edge (125) situated below the vent and over the sidewalls (126A) to provide a tortuous path which prevents the penetration of water into the camera housing (130).

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.