JP3386607B2 - Air-cooled housing for camera head - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an air-cooled housing for accommodating a camera head such as an ordinary image pickup device or an infrared ray image pickup device installed under special conditions for air cooling.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an ordinary imaging device or an infrared thermal imaging device is used for monitoring in a high temperature environment at the top of a blast furnace in a steelmaking plant or in a dusty place such as a garbage collection site in an incinerator of garbage. Etc. camera heads are installed.
In this case, especially in a high temperature environment, an infrared camera is used for monitoring, but this camera head needs to be cooled. As one of the cooling methods, there is a method in which the camera head is housed in an air-cooled housing and air is supplied to the inside for air cooling.

As shown in FIG. 3, an air exhaust port 4 for exhausting internal air through a fan 3 is provided on the front surface of an air-cooled housing 2 in which a camera head 1 is housed. The field-enlarging lens portion 5 of the camera head 1 further projects from the front surface. The lens surface 5a of the field-of-view magnifying lens portion 5 of the camera head 1 is covered with silicon or sapphire having a high infrared transmittance.

Further, in order to supply air for cooling the camera head 1 housed in the air-cooled housing 2, an air supply port 6 is provided on the rear surface of the air-cooled housing 2.
Has been established.

With this structure, the air supplied from the air supply port 6 cools the camera head 1 housed in the air-cooled housing 2 and then the air exhaust port 4
Is exhausted to the outside through the fan 3. And
The infrared rays emitted from the object pass through the infrared ray transmitting member such as silicon or sapphire that covers the lens surface 5a and enter the camera head 1.

[0006]

Since the above-mentioned conventional camera head 1 has such a structure, it is used in a furnace top of a blast furnace and a refuse incinerator where a large amount of dust is caused by the introduction of raw materials such as coke and limestone. In a dusty place, dust adheres to the lens surface 5a to deteriorate the infrared transmittance, which causes a measurement error.

Further, the lens surface 5a has good heat conductivity because it transmits infrared rays. Therefore, the lens surface 5a
The substance itself is heated by the ambient temperature and becomes high temperature. Therefore, the camera head 1 housed inside has a blast furnace,
In addition to infrared rays from an object such as a refuse incinerator, infrared rays from the lens surface 5a itself are incident, which causes a problem that a measurement error occurs.

[0008]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, an outer wall is formed in a heat insulating structure and a space for accommodating a camera head is formed on the front surface by projecting a field expansion lens portion of the camera head to the outside. Air cooling housing, an air supply source for supplying air into the air cooling housing, a first air supply port provided on the back surface of the air cooling housing, an air exhaust port provided on the front surface of the air cooling housing, and a front surface of the air cooling housing. In addition, the air-cooled housing of the camera head is configured by a blowing duct that extends in communication with the space and has a blowing port that opens facing the lens surface of the camera head to remove dust adhering to the lens surface. In addition, the lens surface is also cooled.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, a partition wall is provided which is separated from at least one inner surface of the air-cooling housing to isolate the camera head housing portion, and an air flow path surrounded by the inner surface of the air-cooling housing and the partition wall. The inner side surface surrounding the air passage and the partition wall are connected to the blowing duct, and the second air supply port communicating with the air passage is provided on the rear surface of the air-cooled housing to remove dust on the lens surface. It is something that is done.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, the first and second control valves are provided between the air supply source and the first and second air supply ports, respectively, and the pressure of the exhaust air at the blowing port and the pressure of the cooling air are set. And are adjusted independently.

[0011]

According to the first aspect of the invention, the air supplied into the air-cooled housing 2 is exhausted from the air exhaust port 4 to the outside of the air-cooled housing 2 after cooling the camera head 1 as shown by an arrow A. As shown by the arrow B, two air passages are formed which pass through the blowing duct 12 and blow out from the blowing port 11 toward the lens surface 5a. Therefore, the camera head 1 is air-cooled by the air passing through the air passage indicated by the arrow A, and the dust attached to the lens surface 5a is blown off by the exhaust air from the blowing port 11 passing through the air passage indicated by the arrow B. Be done.

In the second and third aspects of the invention, air is supplied from the air supply source 14 to the space 10 and the air passage 21 in the main body 7 of the air-cooled housing 2. At this time, the control valves 19 and 23 are adjusted so as to have appropriate supply pressures.

The air supplied into the air-cooled housing 2 is
After the camera head 1 is cooled, the air is exhausted from the air exhaust port 4 to the outside of the air-cooled housing 1. On the other hand, the air passing through the air passage 21 is blown from the blowing duct 12 toward the lens surface 5a through the blowing port 11, and the dust adhering to the lens surface 5a is blown off.

[0014]

Embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a schematic view including a partial cross-sectional view of the air-cooled housing 2. The same parts as those in the conventional example are designated by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted. In FIG. 1, the air-cooled housing 2 is composed of a rectangular main body 7 in which the camera head 1 is housed, a lid 8 for detachably opening and closing a rear opening of the main body 7, and a blowing duct 12. .

The outer wall of the main body 7 is formed into a heat insulating structure by interposing a heat insulating material 9 between the outer case 7a and the inner case 7b. Inside the body 7 of the air-cooled housing 2, there is formed a space 10 for housing the camera head 1 of the infrared thermal imaging device, and a lid 8 having an opening on the back side and having the same heat insulating structure as the body 7. The structure is opened and closed by.

From the front surface of the main body 7 of the air-cooled housing 2,
The field of view magnifying lens portion 5 is projected to the outside, and in the case of this embodiment, around the field of view magnifying lens portion 5,
Air exhaust ports 4 are provided at two locations, and fans 3 are attached to the air exhaust ports 4.

Further, on the front surface of the upper end portion of the main body 7 of the air-cooled housing 2, a blowing duct 12 communicating with the space 10 and having a blowing opening 11 facing the lens surface 5a of the field expanding lens portion 5 is provided. Has been extended.

The blowing duct 12 is extended from the front surface of the upper end portion of the main body 7 while maintaining airtightness, and
Any shape may be used as long as the inner diameter decreases in the a direction, and the shape of the blowing port 11 of the blowing duct 12 is such that air can be sufficiently blown to the lens surface 5a. , Any shape such as square, rectangle or circle may be used. Also, the blowing duct 12
May be integrally formed on the front surface of the main body 7 of the air-cooled housing 2, or may be detachably formed.

A mounting plate 13 for fixing the camera head 1 is provided on the inner surface of the lid 8 facing the main body 7 so as to project toward the front of the main body 7. An air supply port 6 for supplying air from the air supply source is provided so as to surround the outer surface of the air supply port 1.
An air coupler 15 for introducing air from 4 is fixed.

Here, from the spray port 11 to the lens surface 5a
If the pressure of the air blown onto the lens is too high, the lens surface 5
Silicon or the like covering a may be peeled off. Since the air supply pressure is also related to the sizes of the air exhaust port 4 and the blowing port 11 of the blowing duct 12 which are provided in the main body 7, the air feeding pressure takes these conditions into consideration. It is determined.

Reference numeral 16 denotes a signal cable 17 of the camera head 1.
The signal cable 17 has a cable drawing hole through which
Is pulled out through the packing 18,
Leakage of air from the space 10 in the air-cooled housing 2 is prevented. 19 is the first for adjusting the air supply pressure
It is a control valve.

Next, the operation will be described. After the camera head 1 is fixed to the mounting table 13 attached to the lid body 8, the camera head 1 is inserted into the main body 7 through the rear opening of the air-cooled housing 2.
When inserted inside, the rear opening of the air-cooled housing 2 is closed by the lid 8.

Then, when the air hose (not shown) connected to the air supply source 14 is connected to the air coupler 15 fixed to the outside of the air supply port 6, the inside of the main body 7 of the air-cooled housing 2 is connected. Air is supplied from the air supply source 14. At this time, the control valve 19 adjusts the supply pressure appropriately.

The air supplied into the air-cooled housing 2 is
As shown by arrow A, while cooling the camera head 1, the air is exhausted from the air exhaust port 4 to the outside of the air-cooled housing 2 through the fan 3, and as shown by arrow B, passes through the spray duct 12 and the spray port. Two air passages that blow out from 11 toward the lens surface 5a are formed.

Therefore, the camera head 1 is air-cooled by the air passing through the air passage indicated by the arrow A. On the other hand, the dust adhering to the lens surface 5a is blown off by the exhaust air passing through the air passage indicated by the arrow B and passing from the blowing duct 12 to the blowing port 11.

[0026]

Second Embodiment of the Invention A second embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a schematic view including a partial cross-sectional view of the air-cooled housing 2. The same parts as those of the conventional example and the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.

In FIG. 2, a partition wall 20 is formed so as to separate the housing portion of the camera head 1 from the inner surface of at least one surface of the air-cooled housing 2 in which the camera head 1 is housed. Therefore, an air passage 21 is formed which is surrounded by the inner surface of the air-cooled housing 2 and the partition wall 20.

The inner surface of the empty housing 2 surrounding the air passage 21 and the partition wall 20 are connected to the blowing duct 12, and the rear surface of the air-cooled housing 2, that is, the lid body 8,
A second air supply port 22 that communicates with the air passage 21 is provided. Therefore, the air passage 21 passes through the blowing duct 12 and communicates with the blowing port 11.

Reference numeral 23 is a second control valve for adjusting the pressure of the air passing through the air passage 21.
It is for adjusting so that when the gas is exhausted from No. 1, the pressure applied to the lens surface 5a is such that the silicon or the like stuck to the lens surface 5a is not peeled off. 24 is the second air supply port 22
It is an air coupler to be attached to.

Next, the operation will be described. After the camera head 1 is housed and fixed in the air-cooled housing 2, the first air coupler 15 and the second air coupler 15 fixed to the outside of the first air supply port 6 and the second air supply port 22 are fixed.
When an air hose (not shown) is connected to each air coupler 24, air is supplied from the air supply source 14 to the space 10 and the air passage 21 of the main body 7 of the air-cooled housing 2. At this time, the control valves 19 and 23 are independently adjusted so that the air has an appropriate supply pressure.

The air supplied into the air-cooled housing 2 is
After the camera head 1 is cooled, as shown by an arrow C, the air is exhausted from the air exhaust port 4 to the outside of the air-cooled housing 2.
On the other hand, as indicated by the arrow D, the air passing through the air passage 21 is blown from the blowing duct 12 through the blowing port 11 to the lens surface 5
It is blown toward a.

Therefore, the camera head 1 is air-cooled by the air shown by the arrow C. On the other hand, the dust adhering to the lens surface 5a passes through the air passage 21 shown by the arrow D and is blown off by the exhaust air from the blowing port 11.

[0033]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, an air-cooled housing having an outer wall formed into a heat insulating structure and having a space for accommodating the camera head therein by projecting a field-enlarging lens portion of the camera head to the outside, An air supply source for supplying air into the air-cooled housing, a first air supply port provided on the rear surface of the air-cooled housing, an air exhaust port provided on the front surface of the air-cooled housing, and a space communicated with the front surface of the air-cooled housing. The air-cooled housing of the camera head is composed of a blow duct that has a blow opening that faces the lens surface of the camera head and opens, so dust that adheres to the lens surface is blown off by the exhaust air from the blow outlet. You can Therefore, unlike the conventional case, there is no fluctuation in the infrared transmittance due to the adhesion of dust to the lens surface, and no measurement error occurs. Moreover, since the blowing duct is simply attached to the front of the air-cooled housing, there is no need for maintenance and inspection, no special equipment is required, no extra power is consumed, and the cost is very high. It is cheap.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, a partition wall is provided which is separated from the inner surface of at least one surface of the air-cooled housing to isolate the camera head housing portion, and an air passage surrounded by the inner surface of the air-cooled housing and the partition wall. Since the inner side surface surrounding the air passage and the partition wall are connected to the blowing duct, and the second air supply port communicating with the air passage is provided on the rear surface of the air-cooled housing, Similarly to the above, dust adhering to the lens surface can be blown off by the exhaust air from the outlet. In addition, since the partition wall is simply provided in the first invention, there is no need for maintenance and inspection, and no extra power is consumed, as in the above.
The cost is also very low.

In a third aspect of the invention, the first and second control valves are provided between the air supply source and the first and second air supply ports, respectively, and the pressure of the exhaust air at the blowing port and the pressure of the cooling air are set. Since and are independently adjusted, the pressure of the exhaust air from the outlet and the supply pressure of the cooling air in the air-cooled housing can be independently adjusted.
Easy adjustment of air supply pressure.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram including a partial cross-sectional view showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram including a partial sectional view showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a main part showing a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 camera head 2 air-cooled housing 4 Air exhaust port 5 Field of view magnifying lens 5a lens surface 6 1st Eire supply port 10 spaces 11 Blow mouth 12 blowing duct 14 Air supply source 19 First control valve 20 partition walls 21 Wind path 22 Second air supply port 23 Second control valve

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. An air-cooled housing having an outer wall formed in a heat insulating structure and having a space for accommodating the camera head therein by projecting a field-enlarging lens portion of the camera head to the outside, and an inside of the air-cooled housing. An air supply source for supplying air, a first air supply port provided on the back surface of the air-cooling housing, an air exhaust port provided on the front surface of the air-cooling housing, and a front surface of the air-cooling housing in communication with the space. An air-cooled housing for a camera head, which is provided with a blowing duct having a blowing port that is opened to face the lens surface of the camera head. 2. An air flow path surrounded by the inner wall of the air-cooling housing and the partition wall by providing a partition wall that separates from at least one inner surface of the air-cooling housing to isolate a camera head housing portion. A second air supply port that communicates with the air passage is provided on the back surface of the air-cooled housing by connecting the inner side surface surrounding the air passage and the partition wall to the blowing duct. An air-cooled housing for a camera head according to claim 1, characterized in that 3. An air-cooled housing for a camera head according to claim 2, wherein first and second control valves are provided between the air supply source and the first and second air supply ports, respectively. .