System Including a Seamless Lens Cover and Related Methods

摘要

A seamless lens cover, and methods of forming such a seamless lens cover. The cap structure that covers a camera of a rotating panoramic camera system includes a seamless lens cover through which images are obtained by the camera. The cap structure may be injection molded at an initial lens cover thickness, and then a portion of the as molded initial lens cover thickness may be removed (e.g., by machining away) to achieve the final desired thickness. By such a method, the lens cover may be injection molded at thicknesses suitable for injection molding (e.g., about 0.06 to about 0.1 inch), after which most of the thickness may be machined away, to provide a seamless lens cover having a thickness of less than about 0.015 inch, exhibiting at least 60% transmittance to the thermal spectrum, no lensing characteristics, and no curvature effect.

主权项

1. A method for forming a cap structure that covers a camera of a camera system, the cap structure including a seamless lens cover for the camera, the method comprising the steps of:
providing the cap structure, the cap structure including at least a generally cylindrical sidewall that serves as the lens cover, the lens cover being seamless, and provided at an initial sidewall thickness that is greater than a final desired cover thickness; and removing a portion of the initial sidewall thickness of the lens cover to achieve the final desired cover thickness.