BATTERY-OPERATED THERMAL IMAGING DEVICE WITH SAFETY BATTERY COMPARTMENT

摘要

A thermal imaging device (10) includes a housing (130) defining a battery compartment, and carrying a door portion (166) closable over this battery compartment to provide environmental protection. The battery compartment door (166) includes a spring-loaded latching device (170) which will maintain the door (166) sealingly closed under normal use conditions of the device (10). However, in the event that a battery (124) received in the compartment should vent gasses sufficient to pressurize the compartment to a selected level, the latching device (170) will yield to allow a slight opening of the door (166) and a controlled venting of these gasses to ambient. Controlled venting of the battery gasses additionally occurs at a location of the device (10) remote from the user, and the battery compartment door (166) is itself interposed between the user and the venting battery (124).