Camera housing optical sealing method and device

• US 4,113,137 A
• Filed: 09/21/1977
• Issued: 09/12/1978
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/1977
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: COHU Incorporated
• Original Assignee: COHU Incorporated
• Inventors: Wind, Walter Jamison
• Primary Examiner(s): Price, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pollard, Steven M.
• Application Number:
  US05/835,242
• Time in Patent Office: 356 Days
• Field of Search: 220/319, 220/315, 220/378, 220/361, 220/3, 220/82 R, 220/82 A, 220/307, 220/308, 220/366, 277/188 R, 277/189, 285/DIG. 18, 285/DIG. 19
• US Class Current: 220/319
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/22 Underwater equipment for submarine periscopes G02B23/08; arrangements on floating structures of underwater viewing devices B63C11/49; arrangement of visual watch equipment on submarines B63G8/38
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/007 Pressure-resistant sight glasses
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/08 Waterproof bodies or housings
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 277/925 Snap fit feature for mounting or assembly of seal

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.

Claims

1. 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.

2. The container sealing device according to claim 1 further comprising a second seal of substantially circular cross-section disposed between said container and said retainer.

3. The sealing device according to claim 1 wherein said seal is substantially square.

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. The method according to claim 5 further comprising the steps of:

placing a second seal over a seal retainer; and

sliding the seal retainer into said container.

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. The method according to claim 8 including the steps of:

removing the second end plate retaining ring;

unseating the second seal to permit pressure stabilization between the environment and the container;

removing the first end plate retaining ring; and

removing the end plate from the container.