Appeal No. 1996-2893
Application 08/370,153
appeal before us.
The disclosed invention pertains to an apparatus for obtaining thermographic images
of surfaces within a combustion chamber in an internal combustion engine during its
operating state. The apparatus uses the conventional spark plug hole for fitting an image
sensing assembly to obtain a picture of the temperature distribution on various surfaces
within the combustion chamber. Claims 1, 6, 11 and 19 are the independent claims.
Claims 2-5, 7-10, 12-18 and 20-24 respectively depend from these independent claims.
Claim 1 is the broadest claim.
Representative claim 1 is reproduced as follows:
1. A thermal imaging system for use in an internal combustion engine having a
cylinder with a head and a hole extending through said head into said cylinder, said
thermal imaging system comprising:
a lens;
a spark plug having a housing, said spark plug being inserted in said hole in said
cylinder head;
an optical housing extending through said spark plug housing, said optical housing
having an internal passageway with a distal portion for supporting said lens to
provide a field of view within said cylinder and project an image of said field of view
through said internal passageway; and
camera means for receiving and recording said image provided by said optical
housing.
The examiner relies on the following references:
A complete list is as follows:
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