INFRARED IMAGING PROBE

• US 20100163730A1
• Filed: 12/24/2009
• Published: 07/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fluke Corporation (Fortive Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Fluke Corporation (Fortive Corp.)
• Inventors: Schmidt, Matthew F., McManus, Thomas J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,442,019 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/334
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 2005/0077 Imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0066 for hot spots detection
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0096 for measuring wires, electrical contacts or electronic systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/02 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/025 Interfacing a pyrometer to an external device or network; User interface
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0265 Handheld, portable ear thermometers G01J5/049
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/046 Materials; Selection of thermal materials
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/047 Mobile mounting; Scanning arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/08 Optical arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0821 Optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/10 using electric radiation detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/48 Thermography; Techniques using wholly visual means
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14649 Infrared imagers

Abstract

An infrared imaging probe that includes an elongated wand and an electrically isolating connection between the imaging components, located at the distal end of the wand, and the image processing components, located at the proximal end of the wand.

Claims

1. An infrared imaging probe comprising:

a elongate wand having a proximal end and a distal end;

a front-end assembly coupled to the distal end of the wand, the assembly comprising a lens, a focal plane array, and distal circuitry, the lens being configured to receive image information in the form of infrared energy and direct the infrared energy onto the focal plane array, the distal circuitry being adapted to process signals from the focal plane array and produce an output signal; and

processing circuitry connected to and electrically isolated from the distal circuitry, the processing circuitry providing an output connection connectable to one or more output/control devices, the processing circuitry being adapted to receive and process the output signal for transmission to the one or more output/control devices via the output connection.

2. The infrared imaging probe of claim 1, wherein the distal circuitry comprises one or more of a bias generator, a pre-amplifier, and an integrator.

3. The infrared imaging probe of claim 2, wherein the distal circuitry further comprises an A/D converter.

4. The infrared imaging probe of claim 1, wherein the front-end assembly further comprises one or more sensors.

5. The infrared imaging probe of claim 4, wherein the one or more sensors a temperature sensor.

6. The infrared imaging probe of claim 1, wherein the wand comprises a non-conductive material.

7. The infrared imaging probe of claim 6, wherein the non-conductive material is carbon fiber.

8. The infrared imaging probe of claim 1, wherein the distal circuitry and processing circuitry are connected and electrically isolated by an optical connection.

9. The infrared imaging probe of claim 1, wherein the distal circuitry and processing circuitry are connected and electrically isolated by a wireless connection.

10. The infrared imaging probe of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry comprises a field-programmable gate array/complex programmable logic device controller.

11. The infrared imaging probe of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is coupled to the proximal end of the wand.

12. The infrared imaging probe of claim 1, wherein the output connection comprises a USB connection.

13. The infrared imaging probe of claim 1, wherein the output connection comprises a wireless connection.

14. The infrared imaging probe of claim 1, wherein the one or more output/control devices comprise one or more of a digital multimeter, a personal computer, a personal digital assistant, a display device, and a cellular phone.

15. The infrared imaging probe of claim 1, wherein the focal plane array comprises a microbolometer array.

16. The infrared imaging probe of claim 15, wherein the microbolometer array includes a 50 by 50 grid of microbolometers.

17. The infrared imaging probe of claim 1, wherein the lens comprises one or more of a standard field of view lens, a narrow field of view lens, and a wide-angle lens.

18. The infrared imaging probe of claim 1, wherein the front-end assembly further comprises a visible light camera.

19. An infrared imaging system comprising:

a wand having a proximal end and a distal end, the wand including a front-end assembly coupled to the distal end, the front-end assembly configured to receive image information in the form of infrared energy and process the image information to produce an output signal;

one or more output devices; and

an electrically isolating connector connecting the front-end assembly to the one or more output devices.

20. The infrared imaging system of claim 19, wherein the wand further includes processing circuitry connected to and electrically isolated from the front-end assembly, the circuitry adapted to process the output signal for output to the one or more output devices.

21. A method of thermally imaging components within an enclosed cabinet, comprising:

providing (i) an infrared imaging system comprising a wand having a front-end assembly sized to fit through an access opening within a panel of the cabinet and coupled to a distal end of the wand, the front-end assembly including a lens, a focal plane array, and distal circuitry, the wand further including processing circuitry connected to and electrically isolated from the front-end assembly, and (ii) one or more output devices connected to the infrared imaging system;

inserting the distal end of the wand through the access opening; and

maneuvering the distal end of the wand to provide the lens a view of the components.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the one or more output devices comprise one or more of a digital multimeter, a personal computer, a personal digital assistant, a display device, and a cellular phone.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the access opening is approximately 12 mm in diameter.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the processing circuitry is located proximate to a proximate end of the wand.

26. The infrared imaging probe of claim 24, wherein the image collecting assembly comprises a lens, and a focal plane array having an integrated digital output.

25. An infrared imaging probe comprising:

an elongate wand having a proximal end and a distal end;

an image collecting assembly coupled to the distal end of the wand, the assembly configured to receive image information in the form of infrared energy and process the image information to produce an output signal; and

processing circuitry connected to and electrically isolated from the image collecting assembly, the processing circuitry being adapted to process the output signal for output to one or more output devices.