Test chamber with camera system

Abstract

In a test chamber, in particular a thermal vacuum chamber, for the controlled simulation of ambient conditions with regard to pressure and temperature of space, with at least one interior space, wherein the pressure and / or the temperature in this space is adjustable and wherein an object to be tested can be placed in the interior space, it is provided that a camera system is placed in the interior space, wherein the camera system has a camera arranged in a camera housing, wherein the camera system is vacuum-tight and low-temperature-resistant, wherein the camera housing has no cable feedthrough.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a test chamber, in particular a thermal vacuum chamber, for the controlled simulation of ambient conditions with regard to pressure and temperature of space according to claim 1, as well as a camera system for placement in such a test chamber according to claim 16.

[0002] Test chambers, in particular thermal vacuum chambers, for the controlled simulation of ambient conditions in terms of pressure and temperature of space are known, comprising at least one interior space, wherein the pressure and / or temperature therein is adjustable and wherein an object to be tested can be placed in the interior space. In order to take pictures of the test object during tests in test chambers, in particular thermal vacuum chambers, it is currently known to place cameras in front of a viewing window of the thermal vacuum chamber and to carry out the test recordings through the viewing window. Cameras are also sometimes placed in the thermal vacuum chamber, but for these cameras, cables are then laid into the chamber to supply the camera with power and to read out the camera data for both the energy supply and the data supply.

[0003] Common test chambers often have the problem of having feedthroughs for the cables. This, along with the camera itself, leads to unwanted heat ingress into the chamber, which makes it impossible to achieve low temperatures or distorts the test results. Furthermore, the feedthroughs are technically complex because they must be airtight.

[0004] The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a test chamber, in particular a thermal vacuum chamber, and a camera system in which the execution of the tests is improved and in particular there is no heat input into the test chamber.

[0005] The features of claims 1 and 16 serve to solve this problem.

[0006] The invention advantageously provides that a camera system is placed in the interior, wherein the camera system has a camera arranged in a camera housing, wherein the camera system is vacuum-tight and low-temperature-resistant, wherein the camera housing has no cable feedthrough.

[0007] Test chambers within the meaning of the present invention are specially constructed chambers or containers designed to test or treat materials, components or systems under controlled vacuum conditions and / or at different defined temperatures.

[0008] The test chamber preferably has thermal insulation. Thermal insulation ensures that the temperature within the chamber can be maintained at a defined value, regardless of ambient temperatures. This can be achieved, for example, by using special insulating materials and techniques that minimize heat exchange with the environment.

[0009] The vacuum in the chamber can be created by largely removing air or other gases to achieve a vacuum. This allows the examination of materials or components under controlled vacuum conditions, minimizing the influence of atmospheric pressure and gaseous contamination. The vacuum can be created and maintained using vacuum pumps.

[0010] The test chamber can preferably be a thermal vacuum chamber, in which both a desired pressure and a desired vacuum exist within the chamber. However, the test chamber can also be a vacuum chamber, in which only a desired vacuum exists. On the other hand, the test chamber can also be a temperature chamber, in which only a desired temperature exists.

[0011] The term "vacuum-tight" refers to the ability of the camera system to function under vacuum conditions without degradation or damage. A vacuum-tight camera system is capable of withstanding the varying pressure conditions and physical challenges associated with the absence of atmospheric pressure.

[0012] In a vacuum, the pressure is extremely low because most or all of the gas molecules have been removed. This can lead to various effects, such as the expansion or contraction of materials, the occurrence of leaks or failures of seals and electronic components, and even the evaporation of materials.

[0013] The vacuum-tight camera system was specifically designed to meet these challenges. It is constructed from materials and components that can withstand the demanding requirements of a vacuum. These include special seals, reinforced structures, materials with low outgassing (the release of gases from the material), and electronic components suitable for vacuum operation.

[0014] Vacuum resistance can be verified through specific tests and / or standards. Special tests and standards exist for testing components or materials intended for use in space, particularly with regard to their vacuum resistance. For the purposes of the present invention, vacuum resistance means that the camera system can withstand the corresponding tests. Examples of such tests or standards are ECSS-E-ST-10-03C and ECSS-Q-ST-70-02C.

[0015] The term "low-temperature resistant" also refers to the ability of the camera system to function under extremely cold temperatures without being compromised or damaged. Low-temperature resistant materials and components are capable of withstanding the physical and chemical challenges associated with very low temperatures. For the purposes of the present invention, the camera system should be able to withstand temperatures of -80°C and below, preferably -100°C and below, especially -150°C and below. The camera system should preferably withstand such low temperatures for at least 1 week at a time.

[0016] Low temperatures can have various effects on materials, such as stiffening, brittleness, or component failure due to changes in mechanical and thermal properties. The low-temperature camera system was specifically designed or selected to withstand these challenges.

[0017] Low-temperature resistance can be verified, for example, through specific tests and standards. Special tests and standards exist for testing components or materials intended for use in space, particularly with regard to their low-temperature resistance. For the purposes of the present invention, low-temperature resistance means that the camera system can withstand the corresponding tests. Examples of such tests or standards are ECSS-E-ST-10-03C and ECSS-Q-ST-70-02C.

[0018] The camera system is vacuum-resistant and low-temperature-resistant. The camera system comprises at least one camera housing and at least one camera located within the camera housing. Only the camera housing may be vacuum-resistant and low-temperature-resistant, while the camera may not be vacuum-resistant and low-temperature-resistant. Alternatively, both the camera housing and the camera located within it may be vacuum-resistant and low-temperature-resistant.

[0019] The present invention has the advantage that the camera housing has no cable feedthroughs, thus ensuring little or no heat transfer into the test chamber. Furthermore, no cable feedthroughs are required in the test chamber. This, in turn, means that there is no unwanted heat loss in the test chamber. A cable feedthrough is one or more openings for cables.

[0020] The camera housing may be thermally insulated so that the temperature input into the surrounding test chamber is low, preferably the temperature input into the test chamber is less than 5 watts.

[0021] The camera system may include a heating device for heating the camera.

[0022] This has the advantage of maintaining a desired temperature within the camera system, preventing the camera from being damaged due to low temperatures. In particular, the storage device, the energy storage device, can be protected. It also ensures that the camera lenses do not fog up or become contaminated by condensing materials.

[0023] Furthermore, only the camera housing can be designed to be vacuum-tight and low-temperature-resistant, whereas the camera and / or the heating device and / or the storage device and / or the energy storage device cannot be vacuum-tight and low-temperature-resistant.

[0024] The heating device can be arranged within the housing, with the heating element being part of the camera or arranged separately from it.

[0025] The camera system may comprise a storage device for storing the data recorded by the camera.

[0026] The data can be stored on the storage device with time information.

[0027] The camera system may comprise a data transmission device for wirelessly transmitting data.

[0028] The test chamber cannot have any cable entry points.

[0029] The camera system may include an energy storage device by means of which the camera and / or the heating device can be supplied with power. The energy storage device is preferably a rechargeable battery. A rechargeable battery may also be referred to as a battery or accumulator.

[0030] A battery is an electrochemical energy storage device that can chemically store electrical energy and release it when needed. It consists of one or more galvanic cells combined in a housing.

[0031] Because the entire camera system, including the energy storage device and memory, is housed within the camera housing, no cables are required to supply the camera with energy or through which the data can be transmitted.

[0032] The camera system may comprise at least one control device that controls the start and / or stop of the camera.

[0033] The control device can check the residual energy present in the energy storage device and put the camera system into a survival mode if the residual energy is below a certain value, wherein the certain value depends on the remaining test time of the respective test cycle.

[0034] The control device can control the camera using at least one stored program or the control device can be remotely controllable.

[0035] The data can be transmitted by means of the data transmission device with reduced resolution and at the same time can be stored on the storage device with time information.

[0036] The storage device can be an SD card.

[0037] At least one holding device for the camera system can be provided in the interior, wherein the holding device is preferably a tripod.

[0038] In a camera system for placement in a test chamber according to one of claims 1 to 15, with a camera arranged in a camera housing, it can be provided that the camera system is vacuum-tight and low-temperature-resistant and the camera housing has no cable feedthrough.

[0039] The camera housing may be thermally insulated so that the temperature input into the surrounding test chamber is low, preferably the temperature input into the test chamber is less than 5 watts.

[0040] The camera system may include a heating device for heating the camera.

[0041] The heating device may be arranged within the housing, whereby the heating element may be part of the camera or may be arranged separately therefrom.

[0042] A storage device may be provided for storing the data recorded by the camera.

[0043] An energy storage device may be provided by means of which the camera and / or the heating device can be supplied with power.

[0044] The energy storage device can be a battery.

[0045] A control device may be provided, wherein the control device can check the residual energy present in the energy storage device and can put the camera system into a survival mode if the residual energy is below a certain value, wherein the certain value depends on the remaining test time of the respective test cycle.

[0046] In the following, embodiments of the present invention are explained in more detail with reference to the drawings.

[0047] They show schematically: Fig. 1 a test chamber with camera system, Fig. 2 a camera system, and Fig. 3 shows an alternative camera system.

[0048] Fig. Figure 1 shows a test chamber 1 according to the invention. The test chamber is preferably a thermal vacuum chamber, in which both a desired pressure and a desired vacuum can be created in the chamber. The vacuum can preferably be created and maintained using vacuum pumps (not shown).

[0049] However, the test chamber 1 can alternatively be just a vacuum chamber or a temperature chamber.

[0050] Inside test chamber 1, ambient conditions in terms of pressure and temperature of space can be simulated.

[0051] The test chamber 1 preferably has an interior space 3, wherein the pressure and / or the temperature in this space is adjustable and wherein an object to be tested or a test object can be placed in the interior space 3.

[0052] Furthermore, a camera system 2 is placed in the interior 3, wherein the camera system 2 has a camera housing 4 and at least one camera 6 arranged in the camera housing 4. The camera system 2 is vacuum-tight and low-temperature-resistant. Furthermore, the camera housing 4 does not have a cable feedthrough.

[0053] The camera system 2 is further preferably arranged on a holding device 8, wherein the holding device is a tripod in the illustrated embodiment.

[0054] The Fig. 1 shown camera system 2 is in Fig. 2 is shown in more detail. In Fig. The camera system 2 can be seen in Figure 2. The camera 6 is arranged in the camera housing 4. The camera housing 4 is preferably thermally insulated so that the heat input into the surrounding test chamber 1 is low; preferably, the heat input into the test chamber 1 is less than 5 watts.

[0055] In Fig. 2 it can be seen that at least one heating element 10, a storage device 12 and an energy storage device 14 are provided separately from the camera 6.

[0056] The camera can be heated by means of the heating device 10. Thus, a temperature can prevail within the camera housing 4 that is significantly higher than the temperature in the interior 3 of the test chamber 1, and at which neither the camera 6 nor the heating device 10 and / or the storage device 12 and / or the energy storage device 14 are damaged.

[0057] It can also ensure that the camera lenses do not fog up. Furthermore, the camera system 2 has the storage device 12 for storing data recorded with the camera 6. The data on the storage device 12 can be stored with time information.

[0058] A data transmission device 15 may also be provided, by means of which the data can be transmitted wirelessly. However, the data transmission device 15 is purely optional and may also be absent.

[0059] If no data transmission device 15 is present, the data recorded by the camera are stored and read out after a test cycle when the camera system 2 is removed from the test chamber 1.

[0060] The present invention has the advantage that the test chamber 1 has no cable feedthroughs. The camera system 2 has very little or no heat input into the interior 3 of the test chamber 1.

[0061] The camera 6 and / or the heating device 10 can be supplied with power by means of the energy storage device 12. The energy storage device 12 is preferably a rechargeable battery.

[0062] In Fig.3 shows an alternative embodiment in which the heating device 10, the storage device 12, and the energy storage device 14 are part of the camera 6. Different combinations are also possible. For example, the storage device 12 and the energy storage device 14 can be part of the camera system 2, but the heating device 10 can be arranged separately from the camera 6. Other combinations are also conceivable.

[0063] The data transmission device 15 and / or the heating device 10 and / or the storage device 12 and / or the energy storage device 14 can thus be part of the camera 6 or arranged separately therefrom in the camera housing 4.

[0064] During a test cycle, in which an object or test piece is observed within the test chamber 1, the test object and camera system 2 are placed in the interior 3 of the test chamber 1, where a predefined vacuum and / or a predefined low temperature are set. These conditions are often adapted to the conditions in space in order to test test objects or items under space conditions. Such tests typically run for one to several weeks. The camera system and the test object thus remain in the interior 3 of the test chamber 1 during this time. The test chamber 1 is not opened during this time, as otherwise the defined conditions would be changed.

[0065] Furthermore, a control device 17 can be provided which can check the residual energy present in the energy storage device 14 and put the camera system 2 into a survival mode if the residual energy falls below a certain value, wherein the certain value depends on the remaining test time of the respective test cycle.

[0066] In survival mode, the temperature is simply maintained to prevent damage to the camera system, including the camera. However, in survival mode, no further recordings are made with the camera to save energy. The control device 17 can also control the camera's start and stop. The control device 17 can control the camera using at least one stored program, or the control device can be remotely controlled.

[0067] It can also be provided that the data are transmitted by means of the data transmission device 15 with a reduced resolution and are simultaneously stored on the storage device with time inputs with full resolution.

Claims

[1] Test chamber, in particular thermal vacuum chamber, for the controlled simulation of ambient conditions in terms of pressure and temperature of space, with - at least one interior space, wherein the pressure and / or the temperature in this space is adjustable and wherein an object to be tested can be placed in the interior space characterized by that a camera system is placed in the interior, wherein the camera system has a camera arranged in a camera housing, wherein the camera system is vacuum-tight and low-temperature-resistant, wherein the camera housing has no cable feedthrough. [2] Test chamber according to claim 1, characterized by that the camera housing is thermally insulated so that the temperature input into the surrounding test chamber is low, preferably the temperature input into the test chamber is less than 5 watts. [3] Test chamber according to claim 1 or 2, characterized bythat the camera system has a heating device for heating the camera. [4] Test chamber according to claim 3, characterized by that the heating device is arranged within the housing, wherein the heating element is part of the camera or arranged separately from it. [5] Test chamber according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized by that the camera system has a storage device for storing the data recorded by the camera. [6] Test chamber according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized by that the data can be stored on the storage device with time information. [7] Test chamber according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized by that the camera system has a data transmission device for wirelessly transmitting data. [8] Test chamber according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized by that the test chamber has no cable entry points. [9] Test chamber according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized bythat the camera system has an energy storage device by means of which the camera and / or the heating device can be supplied with power, wherein the energy storage device is preferably a battery. [10] Test chamber according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized by that the camera system has at least one control device which controls the start and / or stop of the camera. [11] Test chamber according to claim 10, characterized by that the control device checks the residual energy present in the energy storage device and puts the camera system into a survival mode if the residual energy is below a certain value, wherein the certain value depends on the remaining test time of the respective test cycle. [12] Test chamber according to claim 10 or 11, characterized by that the control device controls the camera using at least one stored program or that the control device is remotely controllable. [13] Test chamber according to one of claims 5 to 12, characterized by that data can be transmitted by means of the data transmission device with reduced resolution and can simultaneously be stored on the storage device with time information. [14] Test chamber according to one of claims 5 to 13, characterized by that the storage device is an SD card. [15] Test chamber according to one of claims 1 to 14, characterized by that at least one holding device for the camera system is provided in the interior, wherein the holding device is preferably a tripod. [16] Camera system for placement in a test chamber according to one of claims 1 to 15, with - a camera arranged in a camera housing, characterized by that the camera system is vacuum-tight and low-temperature-resistant and that the camera housing has no cable entry. [17] Camera system according to claim 16, characterized bythat the camera housing is thermally insulated so that the temperature input into the surrounding test chamber is low, preferably the temperature input into the test chamber is less than 5 watts. [18] Camera system according to claim 16 or 17, characterized by that the camera system has a heating device for heating the camera. [19] Camera system according to claim 18, characterized by that the heating device is arranged within the housing, wherein the heating element is part of the camera or arranged separately from it. [20] Camera system according to one of claims 16 to 19, characterized by that a storage device is provided for storing the data recorded by the camera. [21] Camera system according to one of claims 16 to 20, characterized by that an energy storage device is provided by means of which the camera and / or the heating device can be supplied with power. [22] Camera system according to claim 21, characterized by that the energy storage device is a battery. [23] Camera system according to one of claims 16 to 22, characterized by that a control device is provided, wherein the control device checks the residual energy present in the energy storage device and sets the camera system into a survival mode if the residual energy is below a certain value, wherein the certain value depends on the remaining test time of the respective test cycle.

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