Thermally efficient CCD camera housing

• US 7,278,268 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2003
• Issued: 10/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GE Healthcare Bio-Sciences Corporation (General Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Applied Precision LLC (General Electric Company)
• Inventors: Quarre, Steven C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tyler; Cheryl
• Assistant Examiner(s): EARLY, MICHAEL JACOBY
• Application Number:
  US10/728,197
• Publication Number:
  US 20040195676A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,406 Days
• Field of Search: 62 32- 37
• US Class Current: 62/3.2
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/024 Arrangements for cooling, heating, ventilating or temperature compensation for photovoltaic devices H01L31/052
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/33 Transforming infrared radiation cameras or camera modules for generating image signals from infrared radiation H04N23/20; circuitry of SSIS for transforming infrared radiation into image signals H04N25/20

Abstract

A system and method of cooling a CCD camera may employ a composite material housing design that allows the cold side of a TEC to be mounted relatively close to the CCD and the hot side of the TEC to be isolated from the housing cavity in which the CCD resides. An efficient heat transfer path may facilitate cooling the CCD to a predetermined or selected operating temperature and isolate the CCD from the heat loads generated by operation the TEC.

Claims

1. A method of cooling a charge-coupled device;

said method comprising;

coupling said charge-coupled device to a cold side of a thermoelectric cooling device;

coupling a hot side of said thermoelectric cooling device to a transfer plate;

mounting said transfer plate to a thermal barrier, said thermal barrier defining a cavity thermally isolated from said transfer plate, said cavity being adapted to house said charge-coupled device; and

coupling said transfer plate to a heat sink.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising interposing a spacer between said charge-coupled device and said cold side of said thermoelectric cooling device.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said interposing comprises selectively dimensioning said spacer to maximize a surface area of contact between said charge-coupled device and said cold side of said thermoelectric cooling device.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein said interposing comprises selectively dimensioning said spacer to position said hot side of said thermoelectric cooling device in a predetermined location relative to said charge-coupled device.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising selectively applying a conformal coating to at least one of said transfer plate, said thermal barrier, and an interface between said transfer plate and said thermal barrier.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said selectively applying comprises providing an environmentally tight moisture barrier with said conformal coating.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising cooling said hot side of said thermoelectric cooling device.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said cooling comprises transferring heat generated by said thermoelectric cooling device from said charge-coupled device.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said mounting comprises attaching said transfer plate to an epoxy laminate material.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein said mounting comprises isolating heat generated by said thermoelectric cooling device from said charge-coupled device.

11. An apparatus comprising:

a charge-coupled device mounted in a housing, said housing including a thermal barrier and a cavity for mounting said charge-coupled device;

a thermoelectric cooling device having a cold side and a hot side;

said cold side coupled to said charge-coupled device;

a heat sink; and

a transfer plate coupling said hot side of said thermoelectric cooling device to said heat sink in a heat transfer relationship;

said transfer plate mounted to said thermal barrier such that heat transfer between said thermoelectric cooling device and said housing is inhibited.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 further comprising a spacer interposed between said charge-coupled device and said cold side of said thermoelectric cooling device.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said spacer is selectively dimensioned to maximize a surface area of contact between said charge-coupled device and said cold side of said thermoelectric cooling device.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said spacer is selectively dimensioned to position said hot side of said thermoelectric cooling device in a predetermined location relative to said charge-coupled device.

15. The apparatus of claim 11 further comprising a conformal coating applied to at least one of said transfer plate, said thermal barrier, and an interface between said transfer plate and said thermal barrier.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said conformal coating provides an environmentally tight moisture barrier.

17. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said thermoelectric cooling device is a Peltier cooling device.

18. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said transfer plate is constructed of a heat-conducting metal.

19. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said thermal barrier is constructed of an epoxy laminate material.

20. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said spacer is constructed of a heat-conducting metal.

21. A method of cooling a charge-coupled device, said method comprising:

providing a cavity in a housing, said cavity adapted to house said charge-coupled device;

coupling said charge-coupled device to a cold side of a thermoelectric cooling device;

coupling a hot side of said thermoelectric cooling device to a transfer plate;

sealing said cavity, said sealing operable to provide a substantially environmentally-tight moisture barrier for said charged-coupled device; and

interposing a thermal barrier between said housing and said transfer plate wherein said interposing comprises isolating heat generated by said thermoelectric cooling device from said charged-coupled device.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising interposing a spacer between said charge-coupled device and said cold side of said thermoelectric cooling device.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein said interposing spacer between said charge-coupled device and said cold side of said thermoelectric cooling device comprises selectively dimensioning said spacer to maximize a surface area of contact between said charge-coupled device and said cold side of said thermoelectric cooling device.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein said interposing spacer between said charge-coupled device and said cold side of said thermoelectric cooling device comprises selectively dimensioning said spacer to position said hot side of said thermoelectric cooling device in a predetermined location relative to said charge-coupled device.

25. The method of claim 21 further comprising cooling said hot side of said thermoelectric cooling device.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein said cooling comprises transferring heat generated by said thermoelectric cooling device from said charge-coupled device.

27. The method of claim 21 wherein said sealing comprises applying a conformal coating.

28. The method of claim 21 wherein said sealing is operable to prevent moisture from penetrating said cavity.

29. The method of claim 21 wherein said thermal barrier is constructed of an epoxy laminate material.

30. An apparatus comprising:

a housing having a cavity defined therein, said cavity operative to mount a charge-coupled device;

a thermoelectric cooling device having a cold side and a hot side, said cold side coupled to said charge-coupled device;

a heat sink;

a transfer plate coupling said hot side of said thermoelectric cooling device to said heat sink in a heat transfer relationship; and

a conformal coating, said conformal coating operable to provide a substantially environmentally tight barrier for said charge-coupled device and to inhibit penetration of said cavity by moisture.

31. The apparatus of claim 30 further comprising a spacer interposed between said charge-coupled device and said cold side of said thermoelectric cooling device.

32. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein said spacer is selectively dimensioned to maximize a surface area of contact between said charge-coupled device and said cold side of said thermoelectric cooling device.

33. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein said spacer is selectively dimensioned to position said hot side of said thermoelectric cooling device in a predetermined location relative to said charge-coupled device.

34. The apparatus of claim 30 wherein said thermoelectric cooling device is a Peltier cooling device.

35. The apparatus of claim 30 wherein said transfer plate is constructed of a heat-conducting metal.

36. The apparatus of claim 30 further comprising a thermal barrier interposed between said housing and said transfer plate.

37. The apparatus of claim 36 wherein said thermal barrier is constructed of an epoxy laminate material.

38. The apparatus of claim 36 wherein said thermal barrier is interposed such that heat generated by said thermoelectric cooling device is substantially isolated from said charged-coupled device.