CLIMATE CONTROLLED SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM

• US 20090207249A1
• Filed: 02/13/2009
• Published: 08/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Videolarm, Inc. (Moog Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Videolarm, Inc. (Moog Incorporated)
• Inventors: Harden, Chris W., Pagano, Raymond V., Jia, Cheng, Erel, Bulent, Pfaffenberger, James L.
• Application Number:
  US12/371,312
• Publication Number:
  US 20090207249A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/143
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19619 Details of casing

Abstract

A climate controlled surveillance system that includes a housing for enclosing a surveillance device. The system includes a Peltier device and a liquid coolant. The Peltier device extracts heat from the housing, which is then transferred to the liquid coolant by conduction and/or convection.

Claims

1. A climate controlled surveillance system comprising:

a housing for enclosing at least one surveillance device; and

a heat extraction system for removing heat from the housing, the heat extraction system including a Peltier device and a liquid coolant;

wherein heat is extracted from the housing by the Peltier device and transferred to the liquid coolant.

2. The climate controlled surveillance system of claim 1, wherein the surveillance system further comprises a liquid pump for circulating the liquid coolant through the heat extraction system.

3. The climate controlled surveillance system of claim 2, wherein the liquid coolant is circulated through a heat exchanger to eject heat into an environment external to the surveillance system.

4. The climate controlled surveillance system of claim 3, wherein the heat exchanger is a fan assisted radiator.

5. The climate controlled surveillance system of claim 1, wherein a heat sink is coupled to the Peltier device to aid the Peltier device in extracting heat from the housing.

6. The climate controlled surveillance system of claim 5, wherein a cooling fan is coupled to the heat sink for circulating cool air within the housing.

7. The climate controlled surveillance system of claim 1, wherein the at least one surveillance device is selected from the group consisting of a video camera, a still camera, illuminator, and/or a listening device.

8. The climate controlled surveillance system of claim 1, further comprising a liquid collection pan to collect leaking liquid coolant or condensation.

9. The climate controlled surveillance system of claim 1, wherein the heat extraction system is selectively operable.

10. The climate controlled surveillance system of claim 9, wherein the heat extraction system is automatically operated by a thermostat to regulate an ambient air temperature within the housing.

11. A cooling apparatus for a surveillance system comprising:

a Peltier driven heat pump;

a heat exchanger;

a liquid reservoir; and

at least one liquid pump for pumping a liquid coolant through one or more tubes, the tubes in connection with the heat pump, heat exchanger, and liquid reservoir.

12. The cooling apparatus of claim 11, wherein the heat pump comprises at least one fan, a heat sink, a Peltier device, and a liquid cooling block.

13. The cooling apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a rigid frame.

14. The cooling apparatus of claim 13, wherein the rigid frame includes an upper frame member and a lower frame member that encapsulates a frame body.

15. The cooling apparatus of claim 14, wherein the upper frame member, lower frame member and frame body are formed from rubber, aluminum, steel, metal alloys, polymers, and/or wood.

16. The cooling apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a water collection pan.

17. The cooling apparatus of claim 11 wherein the heat exchanger is a fan assisted radiator.

18. A surveillance system having a housing and at least one surveillance device at least partially contained therein, wherein the improvement comprises:

a cooling system for removing heat from the housing, the cooling system including a Peltier device in communication with a liquid coolant and at least one fan, the at least one fan substantially contained within the housing for circulating air therein.

19. The improvement of claim 18, wherein the cooling system further comprises a liquid pump for circulating the liquid coolant within the surveillance device.

20. The improvement of claim 19, wherein the cooling system further comprises a heat exchanger in communication with the liquid coolant for dissipating heat to the environment.