Protective shroud for thermal imaging camera mounted to protective helmet

• US 7,095,025 B2
• Filed: 12/10/2003
• Issued: 08/22/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Morning Pride Manufacturing Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Morning Pride Manufacturing Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Reilly, John J., Lewis, Patricia, Grilliot, William L., Grilliot, Mary I.
• Primary Examiner(s): Porta, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Boosalis, Faye
• Application Number:
  US10/732,158
• Publication Number:
  US 20050127296A1
• Time in Patent Office: 986 Days
• Field of Search: 250/330, 250/333, 250/342, 250/353, 250/338.3, 359/350, 359/356, 2/66, D29/103
• US Class Current: 250/330
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/042 Optical devices night vision goggles G02B23/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/00 Cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors; Control thereof

Abstract

In a combination wherein a thermal imaging camera having a front lens is mounted to a protective helmet, such as a firefighter'"'"'s helmet, where the thermal imaging camera is not covered from above by any portion of the protective helmet, wherein a display is mounted below the front area of the brim, and wherein an arm connects the thermal imaging camera to the display, a shroud, which is aluminized so as to be heat-reflective, is adapted, when secured to the protective helmet, to cover the exposed top, side, and front surfaces of the thermal imaging camera, except for a front opening for the front lens and except for a bottom opening, through which the display and the arm connecting the thermal imaging camera to the display can pass when the shroud is being installed.

Claims

1. In a combination comprising a protective helmet and a thermal imaging camera, the protective helmet having a brim, the thermal imaging camera comprising a protective housing and being mounted to the protective helmet, above the brim, where the thermal imaging camera is not covered from above by any portion of the protective helmet, an improvement wherein the combination further comprises a protective shroud covering the exposed top, side, and front surfaces of the thermal imaging camera comprising the protective housing, except for a front opening for a front lens of the thermal imaging camera.

3. The improvement of claim 1 or 2, wherein the protective shroud is heat-reflective.

4. The improvement of claim 3, wherein the protective shroud is thermally insulative.

5. The improvement of claim 1 or 2, wherein the protective shroud is aluminized so as to be heat-reflective.

6. The improvement of claim 5, wherein the protective shroud is thermally insulative.

7. The improvement of claim 1 or 2, wherein the protective shroud is thermally insulative.

8. The improvement of claim 1 or 2, wherein the combination further comprises a display mounted below the thermal imaging camera and an arm connecting the thermal imaging camera to the display and wherein the shroud has a bottom opening, through which the display and the arm can pass when the protective shroud is being installed.

2. In a combination comprising a protective helmet and a thermal imaging camera, the protective helmet having a brim, the thermal imaging camera comprising a protective housing and being mounted to the protective helmet, above the brim, where the thermal imaging camera is not covered from above by any portion of the protective helmet, an improvement wherein the combination further comprises a protective shroud secured to the protective helmet, the protective shroud covering the exposed top, side, and front surfaces of the thermal imaging camera comprising the protective housing, except for a front opening for a front lens of the thermal imaging camera.

9. For a combination comprising a protective helmet and a thermal imaging camera having a front lens, the protective helmet having a brim, the thermal imaging camera comprising a protective housing being mounted to the protective helmet, above the brim, where the thermal imaging camera is not covered from above by any portion of the protective helmet, a protective shroud adapted to cover the exposed top, side, and front surfaces of the thermal imaging camera comprising the protective housing, except for a front opening for the front lens.

10. For a combination comprising a protective helmet and a thermal imaging camera having a front lens, the protective helmet having a brim, the thermal imaging camera comprising a protective housing and being mounted to the protective helmet, above the brim, where the thermal imaging camera is not covered from above by any portion of the protective helmet, a protective shroud adapted to be secured to the protective helmet and to cover the exposed top, side, and front surfaces of the thermal imaging camera comprising the protective housing, except for a front opening for the front lens.

11. The improvement of claim 9 or 10, wherein the protective shroud is heat-reflective.

12. The improvement of claim 11, wherein the protective shroud is thermally insulative.

13. The improvement of claim 9 or 10, wherein the protective shroud is aluminized so as to be heat-reflective.

14. The improvement of claim 13, wherein the protective shroud is thermally insulative.

15. The improvement of claim 9 or 10, wherein the protective shroud is thermally insulative.

16. The improvement of claim 9 or 10, wherein the shroud has a bottom opening, through which a display mounted below the thermal imaging camera and an arm connecting the thermal imaging camera to the display can pass when the protective shroud is being installed.