Monocular thermal imager

By improving the eyepiece diopter adjustment mechanism and battery component design of the monocular thermal imager, the problems of complex assembly of the diopter adjustment mechanism and battery compartment sealing were solved, achieving the goals of operational comfort and miniaturization, and improving the waterproof performance and power supply stability of the equipment.

CN224163255UActive Publication Date: 2026-04-24CHENGDU JINGPIN NIGHT VISION OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO LTD
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Patent Information

Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Utility models(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
CHENGDU JINGPIN NIGHT VISION OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO LTD
Filing Date
2025-06-19
Publication Date
2026-04-24

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

The existing monocular thermal imager has a high manufacturing cost and complicated assembly of the eyepiece diopter adjustment mechanism, which is prone to causing the eyepiece to rotate, affecting the comfort and concealment of operation; the battery compartment has poor sealing performance, which can easily lead to the entry of dust and liquid, affecting the normal operation of the battery, and the miniaturization of the whole device is difficult.

Method used

The eyepiece diopter adjustment mechanism includes an eyepiece mounting flange, a focusing barrel, a diopter adjustment ring, an adjustment ring retainer, and an eyecup. The lens rotation is restricted by a sliding fit and a guide groove and guide pin structure, and multiple sealing rings are set. The battery assembly uses a rechargeable 18650 battery, and a sealing gasket is set between the battery compartment and the battery compartment circuit board to achieve multiple seals.

Benefits of technology

It simplifies eyepiece diopter adjustment, improves operational comfort and waterproof rating, prevents goggles from falling off, reduces battery component size, ensures power supply stability and device waterproof performance, and is suitable for miniaturized design.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

The utility model belongs to the technical field of optical instruments, and discloses a monocular thermal imager. Comprising a machine shell, an infrared machine core assembly and a battery assembly are installed in the machine shell, an objective lens and an eyepiece are installed at the front end and the rear end of the machine shell respectively, a display screen assembly is arranged between the eyepiece and the infrared machine core assembly, and the eyepiece is provided with an eyepiece diopter adjusting mechanism. A cylinder assembly and a sliding sleeve-guide nail structure are adopted to realize accurate rotation-free diopter adjustment; the battery assembly is arranged for supplying power, the battery bin is adopted as the negative electrode, and compared with a traditional nested battery bin scheme, the size of the battery assembly is reduced, and the battery is more suitable for design of miniaturized products. And the waterproof design is carried out between the battery compartment circuit board and the battery compartment, so that the equipment is waterproof when the battery compartment cover is not mounted, and the damage to internal devices is effectively prevented.
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model belongs to the field of optical instrument technology and relates to a multifunctional monocular thermal imager. Background Technology

[0002] In numerous fields such as security monitoring, industrial inspection, and medical diagnosis, monocular thermal imagers are widely used because they can generate thermal images by detecting the infrared radiation emitted by objects, thereby enabling the observation and analysis of targets. With the continuous development of technology and the increasing demands of users, higher requirements are being placed on the performance, ease of operation, structural stability, and functionality of monocular thermal imagers.

[0003] (1) As the core component for direct observation, the eyepiece often relies on multi-stage gears or cam transmission for its diopter adjustment mechanism. This not only results in high processing costs and complicated assembly, but also easily causes the eyepiece to rotate during adjustment, affecting operational comfort and concealment.

[0004] (2) In terms of battery component design, the sealing performance of the battery compartment of traditional monocular thermal imagers is not ideal. If the sealing measures between the battery cover and the battery compartment, and between the battery compartment circuit board and the battery compartment are not perfect, dust and liquid can easily enter the battery compartment, which will have an adverse effect on the normal operation of the battery and may even cause safety problems such as short circuits. In addition, the traditional monocular thermal imager uses a nested battery compartment structure, which makes it difficult to miniaturize the whole machine due to the redundancy of the compartment size. Utility Model Content

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a monocular thermal imager to solve at least one of the aforementioned technical problems.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted by this utility model is as follows:

[0007] A monocular thermal imager includes a housing, an infrared core assembly and a battery assembly installed inside the housing, an objective lens and an eyepiece respectively installed at the front and rear ends of the housing, and a display screen assembly disposed between the eyepiece and the infrared core assembly.

[0008] Wherein: the eyepiece is provided with an eyepiece diopter adjustment mechanism, which includes an eyepiece mounting flange, a focusing lens barrel, a diopter adjustment ring, an adjustment ring retainer, an eyecup, and a guide pin. The eyepiece diopter adjustment mechanism is mounted on the housing via the eyepiece mounting flange.

[0009] The eyepiece mounting flange is fitted onto the outer peripheral surface of one end of the focusing lens barrel, and the two are in a sliding fit; the eyecup is connected to the other end of the focusing lens barrel;

[0010] A radial threaded hole is provided through the circumferential surface of the eyepiece mounting flange, and a guide groove is provided along its axial direction on the circumferential surface of the focusing lens barrel; the guide pin is installed in the radial threaded hole of the eyepiece mounting flange, and the end of the guide pin extends out of the radial threaded hole and slides in cooperation with the guide groove of the focusing lens barrel.

[0011] The outer circumferential surface of the eyepiece mounting flange is provided with an external thread, and the inner circumferential surface of the diopter adjustment ring is provided with an internal thread. The diopter adjustment ring is sleeved on the outer circumference of the integral structure composed of the eyepiece mounting flange and the focusing lens tube, and the internal thread of the diopter adjustment ring is threadedly connected to the external thread of the eyepiece mounting flange.

[0012] The inner circumferential surface of the diopter adjustment ring is provided with a limiting inner convex ring along the circumferential direction, and the outer circumferential surface of the focusing lens barrel is provided with a limiting outer convex ring along the circumferential direction. The adjustment ring retainer is detachably and fixedly sleeved on the outer circumferential surface of the focusing lens barrel. An annular limiting groove is formed between the adjustment ring retainer, the limiting outer convex ring, and the outer circumferential surface of the focusing lens barrel to accommodate the limiting inner convex ring and limit the limiting inner convex ring.

[0013] Furthermore, the adjusting ring is fitted onto the outer circumferential surface of the focusing lens barrel and fixed by a locking screw.

[0014] Furthermore, the eye mask is connected to the focusing lens barrel via an adjustment ring retainer. An inner convex ring is provided circumferentially on the inner circumferential surface of the mounting end of the eye mask, and a limiting groove for accommodating the inner convex ring is provided on the adjustment ring retainer.

[0015] Furthermore, sealing rings are provided on the contact surfaces of the eyepiece mounting flange and the focusing lens barrel, and on the contact surfaces of the adjusting ring retainer and the diopter adjusting ring.

[0016] Furthermore, the battery assembly includes a battery, a battery compartment for housing the battery, battery covers and a battery compartment circuit board respectively disposed at both ends of the battery compartment.

[0017] Furthermore, a battery compartment sealing ring is provided between the battery cover and the battery compartment, and a battery compartment sealing gasket is provided between the battery compartment circuit board and the battery compartment; the housing is also provided with a Type-C port for charging the battery or powering the product.

[0018] Furthermore, the infrared sensor assembly is installed in the lower part of the housing, and the battery assembly is installed in the upper part of the housing; the housing is also equipped with a WiFi component and a button component.

[0019] More preferably, each component is sealed to the housing using sealing rings or silicone compression to ensure its waterproof performance. A shock-absorbing pad is installed between the battery and the battery compartment to ensure stable power supply to the monocular thermal imager during operation, preventing power outages.

[0020] Furthermore, a mechanical interface is installed on the bottom outer wall of the housing, and the mechanical interface is connected to an external component.

[0021] Furthermore, the mechanical interface is a dovetail joint.

[0022] Furthermore, the external components include an impact-resistant bracket and a Picatinny rail that are sequentially connected to the mechanical interface.

[0023] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of this utility model are as follows:

[0024] The components of the eyepiece diopter adjustment mechanism of this invention are all cylindrical parts, which are simple to manufacture, easy to ensure machining accuracy, and easy to assemble. The lens movement adjustment is achieved by using a sliding sleeve structure and a guide structure with guide grooves and guide pins, limiting the radial rotation of the focusing barrel and solving the problem of the eyecup rotating with the diopter adjustment ring. The adjustment ring retainer is connected to the eyecup slot, improving the reliability of the eyepiece and effectively preventing the eyecup from easily falling off during use. Multiple sealing rings are used to achieve multiple seals on the eyepiece, improving its waterproof rating and also increasing the damping feel when adjusting diopter.

[0025] This invention uses a battery assembly to power the product. The battery can be a single, universal rechargeable 18650 battery, and it adopts a non-polarity design, meaning that the product can operate normally without distinguishing between positive and negative terminals. The product also features charging and external power supply functions, allowing charging of the internal battery and power supply to the product via a Type-C port.

[0026] This utility model's battery module structure uses a battery compartment as the negative electrode, which reduces the size of the battery module compared to the traditional nested battery compartment design, making it more suitable for miniaturized product designs. Furthermore, a waterproof design is incorporated between the battery compartment circuit board and the battery compartment itself, ensuring the device remains waterproof even without the battery compartment cover installed, effectively preventing damage to internal components. Attached Figure Description

[0027] The accompanying drawings are provided to further illustrate the present invention and form part of the specification. They are used together with the embodiments of the present invention to explain the present invention, but do not constitute a limitation thereof. In the drawings:

[0028] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a monocular thermal imager.

[0029] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the exploded structure of a monocular thermal imager.

[0030] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the eyepiece diopter adjustment mechanism.

[0031] Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the eyepiece diopter adjustment mechanism.

[0032] Figure 5 This is an exploded view of the eyepiece diopter adjustment mechanism.

[0033] Figure 6 This is a cross-sectional structural diagram of the battery module.

[0034] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the exploded structure of the battery assembly.

[0035] Figure 8 Schematic diagram of the assembly structure of a monocular thermal imager Figure 1 .

[0036] Figure 9 Schematic diagram of the assembly structure of a monocular thermal imager Figure 2 .

[0037] in:

[0038] 1—Casing;

[0039] 2—Objective lens, 21—Objective lens cap;

[0040] 3—Eyepiece, 31—Eyepiece mounting flange, 32—Radial threaded hole, 33—Focusing lens barrel, 34—Guide pin, 35—Guide groove, 36—Diopter adjustment ring, 37—Adjustment ring retainer, 38—Eyeclip, 39—Stop screw;

[0041] 4—Battery assembly, 41—Battery cover strap, 42—Battery cover, 43—Battery, 44—Battery compartment, 45—Battery compartment sealing gasket, 46—Battery compartment circuit board, 47—Pan head screw;

[0042] 5—Infrared sensor assembly; 6—Display assembly; 7—Mechanical interface; 8—Button assembly; 9—Type-C port; 10—WiFi assembly; 11—Impact-resistant bracket; 12—Picatinny rail. Detailed Implementation

[0043] To facilitate understanding of this utility model, the following description will be more comprehensive and detailed in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and preferred embodiments. However, the scope of protection of this utility model is not limited to the following specific embodiments.

[0044] Unless otherwise defined, all technical terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by those skilled in the art. The technical terms used herein are for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this invention.

[0045] Example 1

[0046] See Figure 1 and 2 This embodiment provides a monocular thermal imager, including a housing 1. An infrared camera module 5 and a battery module 4 are respectively installed in the lower and upper parts of the housing 1. An objective lens 2 and an eyepiece 3 are respectively installed in the front and rear ends of the housing 1. A display screen assembly 6 is disposed between the eyepiece 3 and the infrared camera module 5. An objective lens cover 21 is provided at the objective lens 2. A Type-C port 9, a WiFi component 10, and a button assembly 8 are also provided on the outer surface of the housing 1.

[0047] See Figures 3-5 The eyepiece 1 is equipped with an eyepiece diopter adjustment mechanism, which includes an eyepiece mounting flange 31, a focusing lens tube 33, a diopter adjustment ring 36, an adjustment ring retainer 37, an eyecup 38, and a guide pin 34. The eyepiece diopter adjustment mechanism is mounted on the housing 1 via the eyepiece mounting flange 31.

[0048] In this embodiment, the eyepiece mounting flange 31 is fitted onto the outer peripheral surface of one end of the focusing lens barrel 33, and the two are in a sliding fit; the eyecup 38 is connected to the other end of the focusing lens barrel 33.

[0049] In this embodiment, two radial threaded holes 32 are provided through the circumferential surface of the eyepiece mounting flange 31. The two radial threaded holes 32 are evenly distributed circumferentially on the circumferential surface. Two guide grooves 35 are provided on the circumferential surface of the focusing lens barrel 33, which are symmetrically distributed axially. Guide pins 34 are installed in the radial threaded holes 32 of the eyepiece mounting flange 31, and the ends of the guide pins 34 extend out of the radial threaded holes 32 and slide in engagement with the guide grooves 35 of the focusing lens barrel 33. In the assembled state, the eyepiece mounting flange 31 achieves a sliding fit by engaging with the two radial threaded holes 32, the two guide pins 34, and the corresponding two guide grooves 35.

[0050] In this embodiment, the outer circumferential surface of the eyepiece mounting flange 31 is provided with an external thread, and the inner circumferential surface of the diopter adjustment ring 36 is provided with an internal thread. The diopter adjustment ring 36 is sleeved on the outer circumference of the integral structure composed of the eyepiece mounting flange 31 and the focusing lens barrel 33, and the internal thread of the diopter adjustment ring 36 is threadedly connected to the external thread of the eyepiece mounting flange 31.

[0051] In this embodiment, a limiting inner convex ring is provided on the inner circumferential surface of the diopter adjustment ring 36, and a limiting outer convex ring is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the focusing lens barrel 33. The adjustment ring retainer 37 is detachably and fixedly sleeved on the outer circumferential surface of the focusing lens barrel 33. An annular limiting groove is formed between the adjustment ring retainer 37, the limiting outer convex ring, and the outer circumferential surface of the focusing lens barrel 33 to accommodate the limiting inner convex ring and limit the limiting inner convex ring.

[0052] In this embodiment, the adjusting ring retainer 37 is detachably and fixedly fitted as follows: the adjusting ring retainer 37 is fitted onto the outer circumferential surface of the focusing lens barrel 33 and fixed by the locking screw 39. In the assembled state, the adjusting ring retainer 37 is moved to its end until it contacts the limiting inner protruding ring of the diopter adjustment ring 36, until the annular limiting groove just accommodates the limiting inner protruding ring, thereby axially limiting the diopter adjustment ring 36.

[0053] In this embodiment, the eyecup 38 includes an eyecup mounting ring 110 and an eyecup. One end of the eyecup mounting ring 110 is threadedly connected to the focusing lens barrel 33, and the other end is used to mount the eyecup. Specifically, the outer circumferential surface of the mounting end of the eyecup mounting ring 110 is provided with an external thread, and the inner circumferential surface of the mounting end of the focusing lens barrel 33 is provided with an internal thread. The two are connected by threaded engagement.

[0054] In this embodiment, the eye mask 38 is connected to the focusing lens barrel 33 via an adjustment ring retainer 37. An inner convex mounting ring is provided circumferentially on the inner circumferential surface of the mounting end of the eye mask 38, and a limiting groove for accommodating the inner convex mounting ring is provided on the adjustment ring retainer 37.

[0055] In this embodiment, a sealing ring is provided on the contact surface between the eyepiece mounting flange 31 and the focusing lens barrel 33. A sealing ring is also provided on the contact surface between the adjusting ring retainer 37 and the diopter adjusting ring 36. In the assembled state, this structure ensures waterproofing while increasing the damping feel when adjusting the diopter.

[0056] Working principle:

[0057] During diopter adjustment, the diopter adjustment ring 36 rotates spirally. The annular limiting groove axially limits the diopter adjustment ring 36 through the limiting inner convex ring. The eyepiece mounting flange 31 is installed and fixed on the specific application device. The focusing lens tube 33 does not rotate due to the guiding action of the guide pin 34 and the guide groove 35. This causes the focusing lens tube 33 in the eyepiece mounting flange 31 to move back and forth without rotating. The eyecup does not rotate radially during the back and forth movement of the focusing lens tube 33.

[0058] In this embodiment, the battery assembly 4 is connected to the housing 1 using a detachable structure.

[0059] like Figure 6 and 7The diagram shows the specific structure of the battery assembly 4 in this embodiment. The battery assembly 4 includes a battery 43, a battery compartment 44 for accommodating the battery 43, a battery cover 42 and a battery compartment circuit board 46 respectively disposed at both ends of the battery compartment 44. A battery cover strap 41 is provided at the end of the battery cover 42 to prevent the battery cover 42 from falling off when replacing the battery. A battery compartment sealing ring is provided between the battery cover 42 and the battery compartment 44. The battery compartment circuit board 46 is fixed to the end of the battery compartment 44 by pan head screws 47. A battery compartment sealing gasket 45 is provided between the battery compartment circuit board 46 and the battery compartment 44.

[0060] In this embodiment, battery 43 can be a single universal rechargeable 18650 battery, and it adopts a non-polarity design, meaning that the product can work normally without distinguishing between positive and negative terminals. This product also has charging and external power supply functions, allowing charging of the internal battery and power supply to the product via Type-C port 9.

[0061] In a specific embodiment, each component is sealed to the housing 1 via a sealing ring or silicone compression to ensure its waterproof performance. A shock-absorbing pad is installed between the battery and the battery compartment to ensure stable power supply to the monocular thermal imager during operation, preventing power outages.

[0062] In this embodiment, the button assembly 8 is located on the top outer wall of the housing 1 for easy control.

[0063] In this embodiment, the infrared focal plane detector, as a key component of the infrared core assembly 6, converts the infrared signal collected by the objective lens 7 into an electrical signal via a photoelectric conversion circuit within the detector. This electrical signal is then output to the image processing chip on the image processing board. After non-uniform correction and linear mapping, the image processing chip outputs digital video, which is then connected to an OLED display screen via a video transmission cable. The human eye observes the infrared video image through the eyepiece. The focus can be manually adjusted according to different operating distances.

[0064] like Figure 8 and 9 The diagram shows the assembly structure of the monocular thermal imager in this embodiment, including the monocular thermal imager, the monocular thermal imager impact-resistant bracket 11, and the Picatinny rail 12. The monocular thermal imager is the one described in this embodiment, and the monocular thermal imager impact-resistant bracket 11 and Picatinny rail 12 fix it to the attachment on which the monocular thermal imager is to be used.

[0065] The monocular thermal imager of this embodiment can be used in various scenarios, including handheld, helmet-mounted, and thermal aiming, reducing the load under outdoor conditions.

[0066] Specifically, the outer shell can be made of magnesium alloy, keeping the product weight under 250g, thus meeting the lightweight design requirements of handheld and helmet-type products.

[0067] Specifically, the product's basic visual magnification is designed to be 1×, meeting the requirements for visual magnification in helmet-type products and ensuring comfort for the human eye when wearing it. The product software is designed with electronic zoom functionality to meet the telescopic requirements of handheld and thermal imaging products.

[0068] Specifically, the product's mechanical interface is a dovetail joint, which meets the requirements of thermal aiming products for optical axis consistency and ensures shooting accuracy.

[0069] The above are merely preferred embodiments of this utility model and are not intended to limit the scope of this utility model. Various modifications and variations can be made to this utility model by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, or improvements made within the spirit and principles of this utility model should be included within the scope of this utility model.

Claims

1. A monocular thermal imager, characterized in that, The device includes a housing, an infrared camera module assembly and a battery assembly installed inside the housing, an objective lens and an eyepiece respectively installed at the front and rear ends of the housing, and a display screen assembly disposed between the eyepiece and the infrared camera module assembly; Wherein: the eyepiece is provided with an eyepiece diopter adjustment mechanism, which includes an eyepiece mounting flange, a focusing lens barrel, a diopter adjustment ring, an adjustment ring retainer, an eyecup, and a guide pin. The eyepiece diopter adjustment mechanism is mounted on the housing via the eyepiece mounting flange. The eyepiece mounting flange is fitted onto the outer peripheral surface of one end of the focusing lens barrel, and the two are in a sliding fit; the eyecup is connected to the other end of the focusing lens barrel; A radial threaded hole is provided through the circumferential surface of the eyepiece mounting flange, and a guide groove is provided along its axial direction on the circumferential surface of the focusing lens barrel; the guide pin is installed in the radial threaded hole of the eyepiece mounting flange, and the end of the guide pin extends out of the radial threaded hole and slides in cooperation with the guide groove of the focusing lens barrel. The outer circumferential surface of the eyepiece mounting flange is provided with an external thread, and the inner circumferential surface of the diopter adjustment ring is provided with an internal thread. The diopter adjustment ring is sleeved on the outer circumference of the integral structure composed of the eyepiece mounting flange and the focusing lens tube, and the internal thread of the diopter adjustment ring is threadedly connected to the external thread of the eyepiece mounting flange. The inner circumferential surface of the diopter adjustment ring is provided with a limiting inner convex ring along the circumferential direction, and the outer circumferential surface of the focusing lens barrel is provided with a limiting outer convex ring along the circumferential direction. The adjustment ring retainer is detachably and fixedly sleeved on the outer circumferential surface of the focusing lens barrel. An annular limiting groove is formed between the adjustment ring retainer, the limiting outer convex ring, and the outer circumferential surface of the focusing lens barrel to accommodate the limiting inner convex ring and limit the limiting inner convex ring.

2. The monocular thermal imager as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The adjustment ring is fitted onto the outer circumferential surface of the focusing lens barrel and is fixed by a locking screw.

3. The monocular thermal imager as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The eye mask is connected to the focusing lens barrel via an adjustment ring retainer. An inner convex ring is provided circumferentially on the inner circumferential surface of the mounting end of the eye mask, and a limiting groove is provided on the adjustment ring retainer to accommodate the inner convex ring.

4. The monocular thermal imager as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Sealing rings are provided on the contact surfaces of the eyepiece mounting flange and the focusing lens barrel, and on the contact surfaces of the adjusting ring retainer and the diopter adjusting ring.

5. The monocular thermal imager as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The battery assembly includes a battery, a battery compartment for housing the battery, battery covers and a battery compartment circuit board respectively disposed at both ends of the battery compartment.

6. A monocular thermal imager according to claim 5, characterized in that, A battery compartment sealing ring is provided between the battery cover and the battery compartment, and a battery compartment sealing gasket is provided between the battery compartment circuit board and the battery compartment; the housing is also provided with a Type-C port for charging the battery or powering the product.

7. A monocular thermal imager according to claim 1, characterized in that, The infrared sensor assembly is installed in the lower part of the housing, and the battery assembly is installed in the upper part of the housing; The casing is also equipped with WiFi components and button components.

8. A monocular thermal imager according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bottom outer wall of the housing is equipped with a mechanical interface, which is connected to external components.

9. A monocular thermal imager according to claim 8, characterized in that, The mechanical interface is a dovetail joint.

10. A monocular thermal imager according to claim 8, characterized in that, The external components include an impact-resistant bracket and a Picatinny rail, which are sequentially connected to the mechanical interface.