High heat in-situ camera systems and operation methods
View Patent ↗An imaging system for a high-heat cooking appliance, including a camera system including an optical sensor, a lens, and a set of light emitters; and a camera cooling mechanism thermally connected to the camera system.
1. A modular imaging system configured to be removably coupled to a cooking appliance defining a first internal cavity and a second internal cavity, the modular imaging system comprising:
an imaging assembly, the imaging assembly comprising:
an optical sensor defining a field of view directed toward an inferior surface defining the first internal cavity, wherein the optical sensor is configured to sample a set of images of a superior surface of a food item arranged in the first internal cavity;
a lens arranged inferior to the optical sensor;
a housing comprising a thermally conductive material and defining a housing cavity, wherein the housing is arranged in the second internal cavity, wherein the imaging assembly is arranged within the housing cavity, wherein the housing fluidly isolates the housing cavity from a portion of the second internal cavity, the portion located external to the housing cavity, and wherein the housing is operable in a set of configurations, the set of configurations comprising:
a coupled configuration, wherein the housing is coupled to the cooking appliance and arranged within the second internal cavity of the cooking appliance, wherein the housing is configured to locate the optical sensor at a center of a superior surface defining the first internal cavity; and
an uncoupled configuration, wherein the housing is arranged outside the cooking appliance.
2. The modular imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the lens comprises a fisheye lens.
3. The modular imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the housing further comprises a transparent shield arranged on an inferior broad surface of the housing, wherein the transparent shield is configured to be aligned over an aperture defined by the superior surface defining the first internal cavity during the coupled configuration.
4. The modular imaging system of claim 3 , wherein the transparent shield comprises an infrared coating arranged on an inferior broad surface of the transparent shield.
5. The modular imaging system of claim 3 , wherein in the coupled configuration, the housing cavity is fluidly coupled to an air inlet exposed to an ambient environment of the cooking appliance.
6. The modular imaging system of claim 5 , wherein the air inlet defines a flow path along a superior-inferior axis of the cooking appliance.
7. The modular imaging system of claim 5 , wherein in the coupled configuration, the housing cavity is further fluidly coupled to an air outlet, wherein a flow path of the air outlet is perpendicular to the flow path of the air inlet.
8. The modular imaging system of claim 7 , wherein the air outlet is arranged proximal to an exhaust fan arranged in the housing cavity.
9. The modular imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the second internal cavity is arranged superior to the first internal cavity.
10. The modular imaging system of claim 9 , wherein the housing cavity is thermally isolated from a remaining portion of the second cavity through a layer of foam.
11. The modular imaging system of claim 1 , wherein transitioning between the coupled and uncoupled configurations comprises translating the housing along a superior-inferior axis.
12. An imaging system for a cooking appliance defining a first internal cavity and a second internal cavity arranged superior to the first internal cavity, the imaging system comprising:
an imaging assembly, the imaging assembly comprising:
an optical sensor defining a field of view directed toward an inferior surface defining the first internal cavity, wherein the optical sensor is configured to sample a set of images of a superior surface of a food item arranged in the first internal cavity;
a lens arranged inferior to the optical sensor;
a cooling mechanism configured to cool the imaging assembly, the cooling mechanism comprising:
a housing comprising a thermally conductive material arranged in the second internal cavity, wherein the housing defines a housing cavity, the imaging assembly arranged in the housing cavity, wherein the housing cavity is coupled to an air inlet, and wherein the housing is configured to locate the optical sensor at a central point of a superior surface defining the internal cavity;
a transparent heat shield coupled to an inferior broad surface of the housing;
an exhaust fan arranged in the housing cavity; and
an air outlet arranged proximal to the exhaust fan, wherein the housing defines a flow path between the air inlet and the air outlet.
13. The imaging system of claim 12 , wherein the housing is configured to be removably coupled to the cooking appliance, and wherein the housing is operable in a set of configurations, the set of configurations comprising:
a coupled configuration, wherein the housing is arranged in the second internal cavity; and
an uncoupled configuration, wherein the housing is arranged outside the cooking appliance.
14. The imaging system of claim 12 , wherein the housing is hermetically sealed, such that the housing cavity is fluidly isolated from a portion of the second internal cavity external to the housing.
15. The imaging system of claim 12 , wherein a flow path defined by the cooling mechanism is fluidly isolated from a flow path of the cooking appliance defined by the internal cavity.
16. The imaging system of claim 12 , wherein the air inlet is fluidly coupled to an ambient environment of the cooking appliance, and wherein the air inlet is defined by a superior external surface of the cooking appliance.
17. The imaging system of claim 16 , wherein a central axis of an aperture of the air inlet is perpendicular to a central axis of an aperture of the air outlet.
18. The imaging system of claim 17 , wherein the aperture of the air inlet is defined by the superior external surface and wherein the aperture of the air outlet is defined by a posterior external surface of the cooking appliance.
19. The imaging system of claim 12 , wherein the lens comprises a fisheye lens.
20. The imaging system of claim 12 , wherein the transparent shield comprises an infrared coating arranged on an inferior broad surface of the transparent shield.