Heat dissipation structure and InGaAs focal plane camera

Abstract

The application discloses a heat dissipation structure and an InGaAs focal plane camera, which comprises a framework with a containing cavity, a focal plane detector installed on the light incident side of the framework, a heat sink assembly placed in the containing cavity and in thermal contact with the heat dissipation surface of the focal plane detector, a circuit board assembly electrically connected with the focal plane detector, an active heat dissipation mechanism and a shell covering the framework, and the circuit board assembly is at least partially fixed on one side of the framework close to the heat sink assembly. The active heat dissipation mechanism is installed on the side of the heat sink assembly in the extending direction and is used for driving cooling air to flow through the heat sink assembly; the shell is provided with an air inlet and an air outlet which are communicated with the outside; the heat sink assembly directly and closely contacts the heat dissipation surface of the focal plane detector, receives and conducts the diffused heat; the active heat dissipation mechanism and the air inlet and the air outlet form a through air flow channel, the heat on the heat sink assembly is quickly taken away through forced convection, so that the working temperature of the focal plane detector is stabilized, and the detection sensitivity and the imaging stability of the focal plane detector are ensured.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of photoelectric detector technology, specifically relating to a heat dissipation structure and an InGaAs focal plane camera. Background Technology

[0002] InGaAs Geiger avalanche focal plane arrays (GM-APDs) possess single-photon detection capabilities and can be applied to near-infrared laser 3D imaging, active ranging, and other fields. Compared to ordinary photodiode arrays, they offer advantages such as an all-solid-state structure, high quantum detection efficiency, and high spatial and distance resolution. In practical applications, especially in small-signal detection scenarios where the target signal strength is similar to the background noise, thermoelectric cooling is required to keep the detector operating at a lower temperature to improve detection sensitivity. However, under thermoelectric cooling conditions, the hot end of the focal plane array's cooler generates a large amount of heat. If this heat cannot be dissipated in time, the hot end temperature will continue to rise, eventually causing the cold end chip's operating temperature to increase, severely affecting the detection and imaging performance.

[0003] Currently, existing thermoelectrically cooled InGaAs Geiger avalanche focal plane cameras suffer from significant drawbacks in terms of heat dissipation and structural design. Specifically, existing heat dissipation structures typically employ passive cooling methods, such as placing heat sinks or thermal pads on the outer casing, relying on natural convection and conduction for heat dissipation. However, due to the compact internal space of the camera and the obstruction of circuit board components, airflow is impeded, resulting in low heat dissipation efficiency. After prolonged operation, heat gradually accumulates inside the casing, further degrading heat dissipation performance and ultimately affecting the detector's sensitivity and imaging stability. In addition, the planar mounting method of its printed circuit board (PCB) and the arrangement of electrical connectors occupy excessive internal space. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the technical problems existing in the prior art, the present invention provides a heat dissipation structure and an InGaAs focal plane camera.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: A heat dissipation structure, comprising: The skeleton has internal cavities that can accommodate them. A focal plane detector is installed on the light incident side of the skeleton; A heat sink assembly is installed in the receiving cavity of the skeleton and is in thermal contact with the heat dissipation surface of the focal plane detector. A circuit board assembly electrically connected to the focal plane detector, at least a portion of the circuit board assembly being fixed to the side of the frame near the heat sink assembly; An active cooling mechanism, installed within the receiving cavity of the frame and located on one side of the heat sink assembly along its extending direction, the active cooling mechanism being used to drive cooling airflow through the heat sink assembly; and The outer shell covers the outside of the frame, and the outer shell is provided with an air inlet and an air outlet that communicate with the outside.

[0006] Furthermore, the heat sink assembly includes a heat sink base that abuts against the heat dissipation surface of the focal plane detector, a plurality of copper tubes connected to the heat sink base, and a plurality of fins connected to the copper tubes, wherein the plurality of fins are arranged at intervals along the length direction of the copper tubes.

[0007] Furthermore, the heat sink base is pressed onto the heat dissipation surface of the focal plane detector by a pressure plate, and the pressure plate is detachably connected to the frame.

[0008] Furthermore, the active cooling mechanism is a fan, with the fan's exhaust side facing the fins.

[0009] Furthermore, the air inlet is located on the side of the active heat dissipation mechanism away from the heat sink assembly, and the air outlet is located on the side of the heat sink assembly away from the active heat dissipation mechanism, so that the air inlet, the active heat dissipation mechanism, the heat sink assembly and the air outlet together form a straight-line heat dissipation air duct. Both the air inlet and the air outlet are equipped with a strength support structure. The strength support structure includes a support body located in the middle and multiple circumferentially distributed connecting ribs connecting the support body to the inner wall of the corresponding air outlet.

[0010] Furthermore, the skeleton has an interior groove for precisely accommodating the focal plane detector, the flatness of the groove being no less than 50 micrometers; the focal plane detector is fixed in the groove by at least one pair of bolts and pressure blocks.

[0011] Furthermore, the heat dissipation structure also includes a flange for connecting an external lens, the flange being detachably mounted on the light incident side of the frame and having a standard C-type optical interface.

[0012] Furthermore, the circuit board assembly includes a rigid-flex plate, which achieves a 90° bend through its own flexible area, and the rigid area after bending is fixed to a support beam provided on the side of the frame facing the circuit board assembly.

[0013] Furthermore, the focal plane detector is a thermoelectrically cooled InGaAs Geiger avalanche focal plane detector.

[0014] An InGaAs focal plane camera includes a lens assembly and a heat dissipation structure as described above, wherein the lens assembly is detachably connected to the frame.

[0015] In summary, the beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: 1. By driving cooling air through the heat sink assembly via an active heat dissipation mechanism, and forming a straight heat dissipation channel with the air inlet / outlet of the housing, forced convection heat dissipation is achieved, quickly removing the large amount of heat generated by the detector and preventing heat accumulation inside. Compared with existing passive heat dissipation methods, the heat dissipation efficiency is significantly improved, ensuring that the cold-end chip of the focal plane detector always operates at a lower temperature, thereby maintaining high detection sensitivity, low dark count rate, and imaging stability for a long time, especially suitable for detection scenarios with small signals and high background noise. 2. The circuit board assembly adopts a rigid-flex board, which achieves 90° bending through the flexible area, fixing the main circuit parts (lower circuit board and connector) to the frame support beam, making them stacked three-dimensionally above the heat sink assembly, avoiding the heat dissipation channel and heat sink area, and avoiding interference with airflow and heat exchange; at the same time, the active heat dissipation mechanism is arranged laterally on one side of the heat sink assembly, and the heat sink assembly itself adopts a copper tube + fin structure to increase the heat dissipation area. The compact layout within the housing provides ample space for components such as heat sinks and fans, while achieving efficient heat dissipation and electrical connections within a limited volume. This effectively solves the problems of traditional planar PCBs, which occupy a large space and obstruct heat dissipation paths. Thirdly, the camera includes a lens assembly and the aforementioned heat dissipation structure, which are detachably connected to the frame via a standard C-type optical interface flange, ensuring compatibility with various lens specifications on the market and enhancing versatility and adaptability. Attached Figure Description Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a heat dissipation structure provided by the present invention. Figure 1 .

[0016] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a heat dissipation structure provided by the present invention. Figure 2 .

[0017] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 Exploded view.

[0018] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the heat dissipation structure in this invention without the outer casing. Figure 1 .

[0019] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the heat dissipation structure in the invention without the outer casing. Figure 2 .

[0020] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an InGaAs focal plane camera provided by the present invention.

[0021] In the diagram, 100-frame, 110-support beam, 111-second panel, 120-groove, 130-pressure block connection hole, 200-focal plane detector, 300-heat sink assembly, 310-heat sink base, 311-pressure plate, 320-copper pipe, 330-fin, 400-circuit board assembly, 410-rigid-flexible bonding plate, 411-first rigid zone, 412-second rigid zone, 4120-through cavity, 413-flexible zone, 420-connector, 430-lower circuit board, 500-active cooling mechanism, 600-shell, 610-air inlet, 620-air outlet, 630-strength support structure, 631-support body, 632-connecting rib, 640-first panel, 700-flange, 710-optical interface, 800-lens assembly. Detailed Implementation

[0022] The invention will be further illustrated below with reference to specific figures.

[0023] Please see Figures 1-3 This invention provides a heat dissipation structure, including a frame 100 with an internal cavity, a focal plane detector 200 mounted on the light incident side of the frame 100, a heat sink assembly 300 mounted in the cavity of the frame 100 and in thermal contact with the heat dissipation surface of the focal plane detector 200, a circuit board assembly 400 electrically connected to the focal plane detector 200, an active heat dissipation mechanism 500, and a housing 600 covering the outside of the frame 100. At least a portion of the circuit board assembly 400 is fixed to the side of the frame 100 near the heat sink assembly 300. The active heat dissipation mechanism 500 is mounted in the cavity of the frame 100 and located on the side of the heat sink assembly 300 along its extension direction, and the active heat dissipation mechanism 500 is used to drive cooling air to flow through the heat sink assembly 300. The housing 600 is provided with an air inlet 610 and an air outlet 620 communicating with the outside. The heat sink assembly 300 is in close thermal contact with the heat dissipation surface of the focal plane detector 200, receiving a large amount of heat generated by the focal plane detector 200 and conducting and dissipating the heat through its own structure. The active heat dissipation mechanism 500 is installed on one side of the heat sink assembly 300 along its extension direction, forming a through airflow channel with the air inlet 610 and air outlet 620 of the housing 600. During operation, it can actively drive external cooling air to flow across the surface of the heat sink assembly 300, quickly removing the heat conducted on the heat sink assembly 300 through forced convection, thereby stabilizing the operating temperature of the focal plane detector 200 and ensuring detection sensitivity and imaging stability. In addition, fixing the circuit board assembly 400 to the side of the frame 100 near the heat sink assembly 300, combined with the lateral arrangement of the active heat dissipation mechanism 500 in the extension direction of the heat sink, avoids the excessive occupation of internal space by traditional planar PCBs and connectors 420, making the overall structure more compact and conducive to achieving efficient heat dissipation in a limited space.

[0024] Please refer to section 3. The skeleton 100 has an internal groove 120 for precisely accommodating the focal plane detector 200. The flatness of the groove 120 is no less than 50 micrometers. Achieving the required flatness reduces the gap between the groove 120 and the heat dissipation surface of the focal plane detector 200, preventing air gaps from hindering heat conduction. Good flatness ensures that the heat sink assembly 300 and the heat dissipation surface of the focal plane detector 200 are in contact without localized suspension or uneven stress, avoiding localized heat accumulation and ensuring uniform heat dissipation through the heat sink assembly 300. The focal plane detector 200 is fixed in the groove 120 by at least one pair of bolts and clamping blocks. Specifically, the skeleton 100 has relatively distributed clamping block connecting holes 130. The clamping blocks are fixed to the skeleton 100 by bolts, and the two clamping blocks are distributed on both sides of the focal plane detector 200, clamping and fixing the focal plane detector 200, thus achieving reliable mechanical fixation.

[0025] The focal plane detector 200 is a thermoelectrically cooled InGaAs Geiger avalanche focal plane detector. Firstly, the detector's advantages, such as single-photon detection and high resolution, directly enhance its detection capabilities, meeting the demands of high-precision, small-signal detection scenarios and solving the problems of insufficient sensitivity and resolution found in ordinary detectors. Secondly, the detector's thermoelectric cooling characteristics generate significant heat dissipation requirements. Through the heat sink component 300's heat conduction and diffusion, as well as active cooling for forced cooling, the temperature of the focal plane detector 200 can be stably controlled, preventing heat accumulation that could lead to increased cold-end chip temperature. This continuously ensures the detector's detection sensitivity and imaging stability, preventing temperature anomalies from affecting its core performance.

[0026] Please see Figure 4 The heat sink assembly 300 includes a heat sink base 310 that abuts against the heat dissipation surface of the focal plane detector 200, a plurality of copper tubes 320 connected to the heat sink base 310, and a plurality of fins 330 connected to the copper tubes 320. The fins 330 are arranged at intervals along the length of the copper tubes 320. The heat sink base 310 is in close thermal contact with the heat dissipation surface of the focal plane detector 200, and can quickly receive a large amount of heat generated by the focal plane detector 200, and then conduct the heat to the connected copper tubes 320. The copper tubes 320, as heat conduction carriers, can quickly transfer the concentrated heat to each fin 330, while the spaced fins 330 greatly increase the heat dissipation surface area of ​​the heat sink assembly 300, allowing the heat to spread quickly and evenly.

[0027] Please continue reading. Figure 4The heat sink base 310 is pressed against the heat dissipation surface of the focal plane detector 200 by a pressure plate 311. The pressure plate 311 can be detachably connected to the frame 100 by bolts or clips. The detachable connection of the pressure plate 311 to the frame 100 by bolts or clips not only facilitates the installation, disassembly and maintenance of the heat sink assembly 300, but also allows for flexible adjustment of the contact pressure between the heat sink base 310 and the heat dissipation surface of the focal plane detector 200 according to actual needs, ensuring tight contact while avoiding damage to the focal plane detector 200.

[0028] Please see Figure 5 The active cooling mechanism 500 is a fan, with the fan's exhaust side facing the fins 330. The fan, as the active cooling mechanism 500, is installed on one side of the heat sink assembly 300, with its exhaust side directly facing the fins 330. This allows the cooling airflow to be blown directly and concentrated onto the surface of the fins 330, avoiding heat dissipation efficiency loss caused by airflow dispersion, and quickly removing the heat diffused on the fins 330 through forced convection.

[0029] Please continue reading. Figure 3 and Figure 4The circuit board assembly 400 includes a rigid-flex plate 410, which is bent at 90° via its flexible region 413. The bent rigid region is fixed to a support beam 110 on the side of the frame 100 facing the circuit board assembly 400. The rigid region is defined as a first rigid region 411 and a second rigid region 412, with the flexible region 413 located between the first rigid region 411 and the second rigid region 412. After bending, the second rigid region 412 is located on one side of the focal plane detector 200 and is electrically connected to the focal plane detector 200. The second rigid region 412 has a through cavity 4120 for the heat sink assembly 300 to pass through. The circuit board assembly 400 also includes a connector 420 located at the lower end of the first rigid region 411 and a lower circuit board 430 located at the lower end of the connector 420. The lower circuit board 430 is fixed to the support beam 110 by bolts and is electrically connected to a fan and an external output interface. Firstly, the rigid-flex PCB 410 achieves a 90° bend through the flexible area 413, which can flexibly adapt to the compact and complex internal space layout of the heat dissipation structure. Compared with traditional planar PCB installation, it significantly saves internal space and avoids the messiness caused by wire connections, making the overall structure more regular. It also provides ample space for the installation of the heat sink component 300 and the fan, balancing space utilization and structural rationality. Secondly, the rigid area is divided into a first rigid area 411 and a second rigid area 412, with the flexible area 413 connecting them. After bending, the second rigid area 412 can precisely fit against one side of the focal plane detector 200 and achieve electrical connection, shortening the electrical connection distance, reducing signal transmission loss, and ensuring the stability and accuracy of the detector's electrical signal transmission. Firstly, the rigid-flex plate 410 combines the rigidity of the rigid area with the flexibility of the flexible area 413, facilitating installation, debugging, and subsequent maintenance. Combined with the detachable design of the pressure plate 311, this further enhances the ease of equipment maintenance. Secondly, the connector 420 at the lower end of the first rigid area 411 connects to the lower circuit board 430, which is fixed to the support beam 110 by bolts. This ensures the robustness of the circuit board assembly 400 and also enables electrical connection between the fan and the external output interface, forming a complete closed-loop circuit. This ensures the fan can stably receive control signals and operate normally continuously, while simultaneously enabling data transmission and signal output from the heat dissipation structure. Thirdly, the rigid-flex plate 410 combines the robustness of the rigid area with the flexibility of the flexible area 413, facilitating installation, debugging, and subsequent maintenance. The detachable design of the pressure plate 311 further improves the ease of equipment maintenance.

[0030] The outer shell 600 is bolted to the first panel 640, and the frame 100 is bolted to the second panel 111. The first panel 640 and the second panel 111 can work together with the outer shell 600 to surround the cavity, which can provide sealed protection for the internal components, reduce damage to the internal structure caused by external impacts and scratches, and improve the stability and service life of the equipment.

[0031] Please continue reading. Figure 3The air inlet 610 is located on the side of the active cooling mechanism 500 away from the heat sink assembly 300, and the air outlet 620 is located on the side of the heat sink assembly 300 away from the active cooling mechanism 500, so that the air inlet 610, the active cooling mechanism 500, the heat sink assembly 300, and the air outlet 620 together form a straight-line cooling air duct. In the straight-line cooling air duct, external cooling air smoothly enters from the air inlet 610, and after being driven by the fan, it is directly and concentratedly blown onto the surface of the fins 330, carrying away the heat on the fins 330. Then the hot airflow flows straight along the air duct to the air outlet 620 and is discharged from the outer casing 600, without airflow bypassing or stagnation. This precisely matches the heat dissipation requirements of the thermoelectrically cooled InGaAs Geiger avalanche focal plane detector 200, providing temperature protection for its stable operation.

[0032] Please continue reading. Figure 3 Both the air inlet 610 and the air outlet 620 are equipped with a strength support structure 630. The strength support structure 630 includes a central support body 631 and multiple circumferentially distributed connecting ribs 632 connecting the support body 631 to the corresponding inner wall of the air outlet. Firstly, it strengthens the structural strength of the air outlet. As the inlet and outlet of the air duct, the air inlet 610 and air outlet 620 generate continuous airflow impact during fan operation and may also be subject to external impacts during equipment transportation and installation. The central support body 631, together with the circumferentially distributed connecting ribs 632, provides uniform and stable support to the inner wall of the air outlet, preventing deformation, collapse, or damage due to a thin structure. This ensures the structural integrity of the heat dissipation air duct, guarantees the long-term stable and unobstructed flow of the straight heat dissipation air duct, and provides structural protection for the continuous and efficient operation of the heat dissipation system. The circumferentially distributed connecting ribs 632 are dispersed and do not obstruct the main flow area of ​​the air outlet, thus not increasing airflow resistance or affecting the intake rate of cooling air or the exhaust efficiency of hot air, balancing structural strength and airflow smoothness.

[0033] Please continue reading. Figure 5 The heat dissipation structure also includes a flange 700 for connecting an external lens. The flange 700 is preferably bolted to the light-incident side of the frame 100 and features a standard Type-C optical interface 710. As the connection carrier between the lens and the frame 100, the flange 700 achieves a reliable connection to the frame 100 via bolting, ensuring accurate positioning and secure fixation of the external lens after installation. Furthermore, the standard Type-C optical interface 710 possesses excellent versatility and compatibility, directly adapting to various standard Type-C lenses available on the market without requiring additional custom adapter components, significantly improving the camera's versatility.

[0034] Please see Figure 6An InGaAs focal plane array camera includes a lens assembly 800 and a heat dissipation structure as described above. The lens assembly 800 is detachably connected to a frame 100 via a flange 700. The flange 700 is fixedly connected to the frame 100 by bolts, which optimizes the camera's practicality, adaptability, and ease of maintenance. It ensures the robustness of the lens assembly 800 connection while also taking into account the flexibility of use, adapting to the needs of various application scenarios.

[0035] This heat dissipation structure and InGaAs focal plane camera: 1. The active heat dissipation mechanism 500 drives cooling air to flow through the heat sink assembly 300, forming a straight heat dissipation channel with the air inlet / outlet 620 of the housing 600. This achieves forced convection heat dissipation, quickly removing the large amount of heat generated by the detector and preventing heat accumulation inside. Compared with existing passive heat dissipation methods, the heat dissipation efficiency is significantly improved, ensuring that the cold-end chip of the focal plane detector 200 always operates at a low temperature, thereby maintaining high detection sensitivity, low dark count rate, and imaging stability for extended periods. This is especially suitable for detection scenarios with small signals and high background noise. II. The circuit board assembly 400 adopts a rigid-flex board 410, which achieves a 90° bend through the flexible area 413, fixing the main circuit parts (lower circuit board 430 and connector 420) to the support beam 110 of the frame 100, so that it is stacked three-dimensionally above the heat sink assembly 300, avoiding the heat dissipation channel and heat sink area, and avoiding interference with airflow and heat exchange. At the same time, the active heat dissipation mechanism 500 is arranged laterally on one side of the heat sink assembly 300, and the heat sink assembly 300 itself adopts a copper tube 320 + fin 330 structure to increase the heat dissipation area. The layout within the housing space is compact, which not only provides sufficient space for the heat sink assembly 300, fans and other components, but also achieves efficient heat dissipation and electrical connection within a limited volume, effectively solving the problems of large space occupation and obstruction of heat dissipation path of traditional planar PCBs. III. The camera includes a lens assembly 800 and the above-mentioned heat dissipation structure, which are detachably connected to the frame 100 through the flange 700 of the standard C-type optical interface 710, compatible with various specifications of lenses on the market, improving versatility and adaptability.

[0036] The above are merely embodiments of the present invention and do not limit the patent scope of the present invention. Any equivalent structures made using the contents of the present invention specification and drawings, whether directly or indirectly applied to other related technical fields, are similarly within the patent protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A heat dissipation structure, characterized in that, include: The skeleton has internal cavities that can accommodate them. A focal plane detector is installed on the light incident side of the skeleton; A heat sink assembly is installed in the receiving cavity of the skeleton and is in thermal contact with the heat dissipation surface of the focal plane detector. A circuit board assembly electrically connected to the focal plane detector, at least a portion of the circuit board assembly being fixed to the side of the frame near the heat sink assembly; An active cooling mechanism, installed within the receiving cavity of the frame and located on one side of the heat sink assembly along its extending direction, the active cooling mechanism being used to drive cooling airflow through the heat sink assembly; and The outer shell covers the outside of the frame, and the outer shell is provided with an air inlet and an air outlet that communicate with the outside.

2. The heat dissipation structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The heat sink assembly includes a heat sink base that abuts against the heat dissipation surface of the focal plane detector, a plurality of copper tubes connected to the heat sink base, and a plurality of fins connected to the copper tubes, wherein the plurality of fins are arranged at intervals along the length direction of the copper tubes.

3. The heat dissipation structure according to claim 2, characterized in that: The heat sink base is pressed onto the heat dissipation surface of the focal plane detector by a pressure plate, and the pressure plate is detachably connected to the frame.

4. The heat dissipation structure according to claim 2, characterized in that: The active cooling mechanism is a fan, with the fan's exhaust side facing the fins.

5. The heat dissipation structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The air inlet is located on the side of the active heat dissipation mechanism away from the heat sink assembly, and the air outlet is located on the side of the heat sink assembly away from the active heat dissipation mechanism, so that the air inlet, active heat dissipation mechanism, heat sink assembly and air outlet together form a straight-line heat dissipation air duct. Both the air inlet and the air outlet are equipped with a strength support structure. The strength support structure includes a support body located in the middle and multiple circumferentially distributed connecting ribs connecting the support body to the inner wall of the corresponding air outlet.

6. The heat dissipation structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The skeleton has an internal groove for precisely accommodating the focal plane detector, and the flatness of the groove is not less than 50 micrometers; the focal plane detector is fixed in the groove by at least one pair of bolts and pressure blocks.

7. The heat dissipation structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The heat dissipation structure also includes a flange for connecting an external lens, which is detachably mounted on the light incident side of the frame and has a standard C-type optical interface.

8. The heat dissipation structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The circuit board assembly includes a rigid-flex plate, which achieves a 90° bend through its own flexible area, and the rigid area after bending is fixed to a support beam provided on the side of the frame facing the circuit board assembly.

9. The heat dissipation structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The focal plane detector is a thermoelectrically cooled InGaAs Geiger avalanche focal plane detector.

10. An InGaAs focal plane camera, characterized in that: It includes a lens assembly and a heat dissipation structure as described in any one of claims 1-9, wherein the lens assembly is detachably connected to the frame.

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