System and method for producing an aperture on an optical element of an infrared optical system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9684153-B2
Application number	US-201414244553-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 3, 2014
Priority date	Apr 3, 2014
Publication date	Jun 20, 2017
Grant date	Jun 20, 2017

Abstract

A system and method for producing an optical aperture for an optical element of an infrared optical system includes placing the optical element in a printer and applying ink in an image of the optical aperture to a curved surface of the optical element.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for producing an infrared optical system consisting of an infrared sensor, an optical element having a curved surface, and a single ink layer, the method comprising:
placing the optical element in a printer; and
applying ink in a single layer to at least a portion of the curved surface of the optical element to form an optical aperture for the infrared optical system directly on the optical element,
wherein the curved surface of the optical element with the optical aperture is an external surface of the infrared optical system.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the ink extends into a recessed portion defined by the curved surface.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising mating the optical element with the infrared sensor.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the curved surface is configured to receive light and transmit the light along a path toward the infrared sensor.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ink is a two part epoxy ink opaque to infrared radiation.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the optical element is a lens and the aperture is printed directly onto the lens.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the lens is loaded in the printer robotically and load, print, and unload steps are automated.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein applying ink further comprises:
creating an etched image of the optical aperture in a print cliché;
inking the print cliché; and
pad printing the optical aperture from the cliché to the optical element.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the optical element has an opening diameter of about 10 millimeters or less, wherein the optical aperture has a diameter of between about 10 and about 90 percent of an opening diameter of the optical element.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the optical aperture has a diameter of between about 60 percent and about 80 percent of the opening diameter of the optical element.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the optical element is the sole optic element in the optical path of the infrared optical system.

12. A method for producing an infrared optical system consisting of an infrared sensor, an optical element, and a single ink layer, the method comprising:
placing the optical element in a printer; and
applying ink in a single layer to at least a portion of the light-receiving surface of the optical element to form an optical aperture of the infrared optical system directly on the optical element,
wherein the light-receiving surface of the optical element with the optical aperture is an external surface of the infrared optical system.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising mating the optical element with the infrared sensor, the light-receiving surface comprising a curved portion, wherein at least a portion of the ink extends into the curved portion.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the ink is a two part epoxy ink opaque to infrared radiation.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the optical element is the sole optic element in the optical path of the infrared optical system.

16. A method for producing an optical aperture for an infrared optical system consisting of an infrared sensor, an optical element, and a single ink layer, the method comprising:
creating an aperture pattern defining the optical aperture;
instantiating the pattern in at least one of a paint mask, a silkscreen mask or a programmed pattern in a printer;
applying a single layer of at least one of a paintable or printable opaque material to an optical element in the aperture pattern; and
mating the optical element with an infrared sensor with the aperture pattern disposed on a light-receiving end of the optical element,
wherein the light-receiving end of the optical element is an external surface of the infrared optical system.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the optical system is a portion of an infrared camera and the paintable or printable material is opaque to infrared radiation.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the light-receiving end of the optical element is curved, wherein at least a portion of the printed pattern extends into the curved portion.

19. The method of claim 16 , further comprising providing an anti-reflective coating over the light-receiving end of the optical element before applying the paintable or printable opaque material.

20. The method of claim 16 , wherein the optical element is the sole optic element in the optical path of the infrared optical system.

Assignees

• Seek Thermal Inc

Inventors

• Finegold Joseph G
• Dayton Scott

Classifications

• G03B9/02

  Diaphragms · CPC title

• G02B13/14 Primary

  for use with infrared or ultraviolet radiation ({G02B13/008, } G02B13/16 take precedence) · CPC title

• B41M1/30

  on organic plastics, horn or similar materials {(recording sheets having a coating to improve ink, dye or pigment receptivity B41M5/50; marking or recording on plastic by irradiation with electromagnetic beams, e.g. laser, B41M5/267)} · CPC title

• B41M1/34

  on glass or ceramic surfaces {(ink-jet printing on glass or ceramic surfaces B41M5/00)} · CPC title

• G02B5/005

  Diaphragms (for cameras G03B9/02) · CPC title