| abstract |
A thermal energy receiver having an infrared detector array mounted in a detector-vacuum module and a refrigerator for cooling the detector to an operating temperature is disclosed. The detector-vacuum module includes a dewar having a cold finger supporting a detector array mount and an infrared detector array attached to the mount. The refrigerator includes a cold finger having at one end a heat transfer mechanism, a regeneratordisplacer having an annulus structure, and an off-axis drive mechanism interconnecting the regenerator-displacer and a compressor piston to a driver motor. The heat transfer mechanism provides greater efficiency in cooling the detector array, the annulus provides a cryogen passage from the compressor to the regenerator-displacer throughout reciprocation thereof to eliminate ''''dead-space'''' when the displacer is mounted in a closed cylinder, and the off-axis drive mechanism structure provides a large bearing structure which resists axial movement due to shock vibration. |