Springless athermal lens design with flexured spacer

An athermal camera system comprising:

• a mounting structure comprising:
• a focal circuit card;
• and
• a springless athermal lens assembly comprising:
• an inner housing comprising:
• a barrel housing;
• and
• a base physically coupled to the barrel housing, the base configured to securably couple to the mounting structure;
• an inner barrel comprising:
• a lens cell assembly;
• and
• an inner barrel body, the inner barrel body having an inner barrel micro wedge slot;
• an outer barrel comprising an outer barrel body having an outer barrel micro wedge slot, the outer barrel configured to securably couple to the inner housing;
• a spacer comprising a spacer body, the spacer body having an inner barrel micro wedge, an outer barrel micro wedge, and a retainer slot, wherein the spacer is configured to be physically coupled to the inner barrel through engagement of the inner barrel micro wedge and the inner barrel micro wedge slot, and wherein the spacer is configured to be physically coupled to the outer barrel through the engagement of the outer barrel micro wedge and the outer barrel micro wedge slot;
• and
• a retainer ring, wherein the retainer ring is configured to engage with the retainer slot and provide a radial force to an edge of the spacer.

A method of making an athermal lens assembly, the method comprising:

• connecting a spacer comprising an inner barrel micro wedge, an outer barrel micro wedge, and a retainer ring slot to an outer barrel comprising an outer barrel micro wedge slot to form an intermediate assembly;
• connecting the intermediate assembly to an inner barrel comprising a lens cell assembly and an inner barrel micro wedge slot;
• and
• securing a retainer ring to the retainer ring slot of the spacer, wherein the retainer ring provides a radial force to the edge of the spacer.