Stereo Camera Thermal Expansion Matching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Stereo camera systems face precision challenges due to small changes in geometry affecting calibration, which is critical for accurate three-dimensional information acquisition in applications like industrial automation and face recognition.
Innovation Solution
A camera system design featuring a rigid chassis with support members that maintain the imaging chip's position and orientation, using materials with matched coefficients of thermal expansion to minimize calibration shifts, and incorporating registration features for precise alignment and thermal conductivity to prevent movement and maintain thermal equilibrium.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If imaging chips are mounted directly to the chassis without rigid support members, then device complexity is reduced, but manufacturing precision and measurement precision deteriorate due to geometric changes affecting calibration
Solution Approach 1:
A rigid support member is introduced as an intermediary component between the chassis and the imaging chip. This support member includes registration features that engage with corresponding features on the chassis, providing a precise and stable mounting interface. The support member acts as a mediator that transfers the rigid chassis structure to the imaging chip, ensuring accurate position and orientation while maintaining geometric stability.
2Ease of manufacture
If support members with different thermal expansion coefficients are used, then ease of manufacture is improved, but measurement precision deteriorates due to calibration shifts from thermal expansion differences
Solution Approach 1:
The thermal expansion coefficient is treated as a critical parameter that must be matched between the support member and chassis materials. By selecting materials with substantially equal coefficients of thermal expansion, the patent ensures that both components expand and contract at the same rate under temperature changes, preventing relative displacement and calibration shifts. This parameter matching maintains measurement precision across varying thermal conditions.
3Ease of operation
If imaging chips are allowed to move relative to the chassis, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to calibration drift and positioning errors
Solution Approach 1:
The support member is pre-configured with registration features that are precisely positioned relative to the chassis during manufacturing. These features engage to fix the imaging chip in its correct position and orientation before operation begins. The preliminary establishment of this rigid connection ensures that the imaging chip remains stable during operation, maintaining calibration accuracy and positioning reliability without requiring post-manufacturing adjustment.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enhances precision by stabilizing the imaging chips relative to the chassis, reducing calibration errors and maintaining accurate object positioning, orientation, and shape determination in three-dimensional imaging applications.
Implementation Method 1
the support member and the chassis have coefficients of thermal expansion that are substantially equal
Data Source
AI summary
A camera system has a chassis carrying one or more cameras. Each camera has support member mounted to the chassis and an imaging chip mounted to the support member. An optical system for imaging onto the imaging chip may also be mounted to the chassis. The chassis and support members may have coefficients of thermal expansion that are substantially matched. In some embodiments the support members are located between the imaging chips and one or more circuit boards to which the imaging chips are electrically connected. In some embodiments the imaging chips are located over apertures or other channels through the chassis and light is incident on the imaging chips by way of the channels. The relative locations of the imaging chips can be maintained constant to preserve calibration for stereo imaging.