Calibrated assembly for IR thermometer apparatus
First Claim
1. An IR thermometer apparatus having a tip assembly, said tip assembly comprising:
- a tip section defined by a heat sink having a cavity, a fluid path defined within said tip section, and at least one hydraulic port;
an IR sensor disposed within said tip section and thermally coupled to said heat sink;
a shroud overlaying at least said tip section;
an electrical connector configured to provide electrical coupling to an electronic circuit disposed within said tip assembly, wherein a fluid having a fluid temperature is introduced into said fluid path via said at least one hydraulic port, and wherein said fluid causes said heat sink and said IR sensor to substantially reach one or more pre-determined temperatures by thermal conduction during calibration of said tip assembly and wherein said fluid is substantially removed after calibration;
a cover detection mechanism to detect attachment of a calibration cover, said calibration cover comprising a reflective surface over a window of said IR sensor; and
a heating element electrically configured to be heated to a predetermined temperature on detection of placement of said calibration cover on said tip assembly, and wherein the reflective surface over the window of the IR sensor reflects IR radiation from said heating element, said received IR radiation being used as a calibration check of said tip assembly.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A tip assembly for an IR thermometer apparatus includes a heat sink having a heat sink cavity and a tip section and a fluid path and at least one hydraulic port. The tip assembly also includes an IR sensor mechanically seated in the tip section and thermally coupled to the heat sink. The tip assembly also includes an electrical connector configured to provide an electrical connection to the tip assembly. A fluid having a fluid temperature is introduced into the fluid path via the hydraulic port. The fluid causes the heat sink and the IR sensor to substantially reach one or more pre-determined temperatures by thermal conduction during calibration of the tip assembly. Another tip assembly having an internal heat source is described. Another tip assembly having an internal heat pump is described. A method to calibrate a tip assembly is also described.
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Citations
37 Claims
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1. An IR thermometer apparatus having a tip assembly, said tip assembly comprising:
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a tip section defined by a heat sink having a cavity, a fluid path defined within said tip section, and at least one hydraulic port; an IR sensor disposed within said tip section and thermally coupled to said heat sink;
a shroud overlaying at least said tip section;an electrical connector configured to provide electrical coupling to an electronic circuit disposed within said tip assembly, wherein a fluid having a fluid temperature is introduced into said fluid path via said at least one hydraulic port, and wherein said fluid causes said heat sink and said IR sensor to substantially reach one or more pre-determined temperatures by thermal conduction during calibration of said tip assembly and wherein said fluid is substantially removed after calibration; a cover detection mechanism to detect attachment of a calibration cover, said calibration cover comprising a reflective surface over a window of said IR sensor; and a heating element electrically configured to be heated to a predetermined temperature on detection of placement of said calibration cover on said tip assembly, and wherein the reflective surface over the window of the IR sensor reflects IR radiation from said heating element, said received IR radiation being used as a calibration check of said tip assembly. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A tip assembly for an IR thermometer apparatus comprising:
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a tip section; a heat sink disposed in said tip section and having a heat sink cavity; a heating element thermally coupled to said heat sink; an IR sensor mechanically seated in said tip section of said tip assembly and thermally coupled to said heat sink; a shroud mechanically covering at least a portion of said tip section; a cover detection mechanism to detect attachment of a calibration cover, said calibration cover comprising a reflective surface over a window of said IR sensor; and an electrical connector configured to provide electrical coupling to an electronic circuit disposed within said tip assembly, wherein a temperature of said heat sink and said IR sensor is set to one or more pre-determined temperatures by heating caused by said heating element during calibration of said tip assembly, said heating element being electrically configured to be heated to a pre-determined temperature upon detection of placement of said calibration cover on said tip assembly, and wherein said reflective surface reflects IR radiation from said heating element and said received IR radiation is used as a calibration check of said tip assembly.
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32. A method to calibrate a tip assembly, said method comprising the steps of:
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providing a tip assembly to be calibrated, said tip assembly including an IR sensor, a heat sink thermally coupled to said IR sensor, and at least one fluid path disposed within said tip assembly; flowing a fluid at a pre-determined temperature though said at least one fluid path while said IR sensor is viewing a calibrated temperature target at a pre-determined target temperature to obtain a calibration data point; repeating said flowing step one or more times; calculating a set of calibration coefficients from two or more data points to calibrate said tip assembly; and storing said set of calibration coefficients on a recordable media wherein said tip assembly is liquid-tight and wherein during said flowing step(s), said tip assembly is submerged within a liquid bath. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35)
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36. A method to releasably attach a tip assembly to an apparatus, said method comprising the steps of:
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providing a tip assembly to be releasably attached to an apparatus, said tip assembly including an IR sensor, a heat sink thermally coupled to said IR sensor, and at least one fluid path disposed within said tip assembly; attaching said tip assembly to said apparatus; and releasing said tip assembly from said apparatus for a selected one of cleaning said tip assembly, replacing said tip assembly, and calibrating said tip assembly, wherein said calibrating step further comprises the step of attaching a calibration cover onto a tip section of said tip assembly, detecting the attachment of said calibration cover, said calibration cover including a reflective surface over a window of said IR sensor, and heating a heating element to a predetermined temperature upon detection of attaching of said calibration cover to said tip assembly such that the reflective surface of said calibration cover reflects IR radiation from said heating element, the IR radiation received being used as a calibration check of said tip assembly. - View Dependent Claims (37)
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Specification