An air purge apparatus and method is presented to protect an imaging system from contamination by particulate matter and other substances in the ambient environment. The apparatus is adapted to be placed adjacent to a viewing window, lens or optics of an imaging system and to provide a protective fl
An air purge apparatus and method is presented to protect an imaging system from contamination by particulate matter and other substances in the ambient environment. The apparatus is adapted to be placed adjacent to a viewing window, lens or optics of an imaging system and to provide a protective flow of air. The apparatus includes a curved surface to direct air from a first plenum toward an imaging path in front of the apparatus. The apparatus also includes one or more openings nearer the lens to direct air from a second plenum into the imaging path. The air from the first plenum entrains air from the second plenum and ambient air to create a fluid stream away from the viewing window, lens, or optics and may form a fluid barrier to reduce contamination of a volume of air in the imaging path of the imaging sensor.
대표청구항▼
1. A fluid purge apparatus, comprising: a collar, said collar substantially surrounding a protected volume to be purged, wherein the protected volume has an upstream opening and a downstream opening, and wherein a curved surface is positioned around a periphery of the downstream opening out of the p
1. A fluid purge apparatus, comprising: a collar, said collar substantially surrounding a protected volume to be purged, wherein the protected volume has an upstream opening and a downstream opening, and wherein a curved surface is positioned around a periphery of the downstream opening out of the protected volume and the curved surface is defined by a distally decreasing exterior diameter; at least one primary flow pathway formed in the collar and configured to provide a primary fluid stream adjacent the curved surface to encourage attached flow of the primary fluid stream over at least a portion of the curved surface; and at least one secondary flow pathway formed in the collar and configured to provide a secondary fluid stream into the protected volume upstream opening, wherein the secondary flow pathway provides the secondary fluid stream evenly distributed entering around the protected volume upstream opening, and the secondary flow pathway discharges the secondary fluid stream into the protected volume upstream from a location where the primary flow pathway discharges the primary fluid stream to the curved surface; whereby the primary flow pathway is positioned relative to the secondary flow pathway such that an entraining primary fluid stream entrains the secondary fluid stream downstream from the protected volume, wherein the entraining primary fluid stream downstream of the protected volume is a greater amount of flow than the secondary fluid stream. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the curved surface is configured to encourage the primary fluid stream to flow radially inward of the at least one primary flow pathway. 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the curved surface is configured to employ a Coanda effect to encourage the primary fluid stream to flow radially inward toward the protected volume. 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein one or both of the primary fluid stream and the secondary fluid stream include air that has been filtered and dried. 5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the protected volume is within a field of view of an imaging instrument. 6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the imaging instrument includes a thermal imager. 7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the imaging instrument includes a visible light camera. 8. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the field of view of the imaging instrument is greater than about 40 degrees. 9. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the imaging instrument includes a viewing window up to about 6 inches in diameter. 10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the primary flow pathway comprises a substantially continuous ring-shaped gap extending substantially around the collar in fluid connection with a first plenum. 11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the secondary flow pathway comprises a plurality of conduits in fluid connection with a second plenum, the plurality of conduits being radially arranged to provide the secondary fluid stream within a portion of the protected volume enclosed by the collar. 12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein a ratio of a primary volume flow rate of the primary fluid stream to a secondary volume flow rate of the secondary fluid stream is about 3:1. 13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the collar includes a case and a core disposed in the case, wherein the core is attached to the case, and wherein the core is disposed in the case so as to define a first plenum and a second plenum therebetween. 14. A method of purging air from a protected volume in an imaging path of an imaging sensor, comprising: receiving air from one or more air sources to discharge a primary airflow and a secondary airflow from a collar;discharging the secondary airflow into an upstream opening of the protected volume upstream of a location where the primary airflow discharges to a curved surface, wherein the secondary airflow is evenly distributed entering around the protected volume upstream opening, and wherein the protected volume is within a field of view of the imaging sensor; anddischarging the primary airflow near the curved surface such that the primary airflow is attached along at least a portion of the curved surface, wherein the curved surface is positioned around a periphery of a downstream opening out of the protected volume and the curved surface is defined by a distally decreasing exterior diameter;whereby an entraining primary airflow entrains at least a portion of the secondary airflow downstream from the protected volume such that a fluid stream flows within the protected volume in the imaging path in a downstream direction generally away from the imaging sensor, wherein the entraining primary airflow downstream of the protected volume is a greater amount of flow than the secondary airflow. 15. The method of claim 14, wherein a ratio of a primary volume flow rate of the primary airflow to a secondary volume flow rate of the secondary airflow is about 3:1. 16. The method of claim 14, wherein the primary airflow, the secondary airflow, and the fluid stream entrain ambient air to establish a fluid barrier that reduces a presence of ambient contaminants within the protected volume in the imaging path. 17. The method of claim 14, wherein the imaging sensor includes a viewing surface, and the primary airflow, the secondary airflow, and the fluid stream entrain ambient air to establish a fluid barrier that reduces contamination of the viewing surface. 18. The method of claim 14, wherein receiving air from one or more air sources includes receiving air from a first plurality of sources to establish the primary airflow and receiving air from a second plurality of sources to establish the secondary airflow. 19. The method of claim 14, wherein receiving air from one or more air sources comprises: receiving air from a single source; and separating the received air into a first plenum and a second plenum, wherein the received air in the first plenum is employed to establish the primary airflow and the received air in the second plenum is employed to establish the secondary airflow. 20. The method of claim 14, wherein discharging the secondary airflow into an upstream opening of the protected volume includes directing the secondary airflow with a velocity component in a downstream direction generally away from the imaging sensor. 21. The method of claim 14, wherein the primary airflow includes a substantially laminar airflow over at least a portion of the curved surface. 22. The method of claim 14, wherein discharging the primary airflow near the curved surface makes use of a Coanda effect to direct the primary airflow toward a point along an optical axis in the imaging path of the imaging sensor. 23. An apparatus for purging air from a protected volume in an imaging path of an imaging sensor, comprising: first means for receiving air from one or more air sources to discharge a primary airflow and a secondary airflow from a collar; second means for discharging the secondary airflow into an upstream opening of the protected volume upstream of a location where the primary airflow discharges to a curved surface, wherein the second means provides the secondary airflow evenly distributed entering around the protected volume upstream opening, and wherein the protected volume is within a field of view of the imaging sensor; and third means for discharging the primary airflow near the curved surface such that the primary airflow is attached along at least a portion of the curved surface and the primary airflow flows downstream from and nearby the secondary airflow, wherein the curved surface is positioned around a periphery of a downstream opening out of the protected volume and the curved surface is defined by a distally decreasing exterior diameter; whereby the second means and third means are configured such that an entraining primary airflow entrains at least a portion of the secondary airflow downstream from the protected volume such that a fluid stream flows within the protected volume in the imaging path in a downstream direction generally away from the imaging sensor, wherein the entraining primary airflow downstream of the protected volume is a greater amount of flow than the secondary airflow. 24. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising: the collar including the first means, the second means, and the third means; and fourth means for attaching the collar to the imaging sensor. 25. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the primary airflow includes a substantially laminar airflow over at least a portion of the curved surface.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (17)
Kalley, Eugene F.; Paris, Sam; Tam, Tommy C.; Donado, Amilio, Air purge system for optical sensor.
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Myhre Douglas C. (Eden Prairie MN) O\Brien Richard J. (Burnsville MN) Pui David Y. H. (Plymouth MN) Tsai Chuen-Jinn (St. Paul MN), Window purging system for a combustion instrument.
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