Scan mirror remote temperature sensing system and method

Abstract

A remote temperature sensing system (10) for a scanning mirror (7). The system (10) includes a sensor which detects heat radiated by the mirror and provides a signal in response thereto. In the illustrative implementation, the system (10) includes a thermistor mounted within a housing. The housing is contoured to maximize the receipt of thermal energy thereby. A mounting assembly maintains the thermistor a predetermined nonzero distance from the scanning mirror (7). The invention includes a shroud (12) mounted on the mirror (7) for shielding the thermistor and a support tube connected to the thermistor housing on a first end and to a base on the second end thereof. The support tube is adapted to remain stationary within the shroud as the scanning mirror and the shroud rotate due to the scanning of the mirror. Wires are connected to the thermistor on a first end thereof and are wrapped around the support tube. The wires include a length of electrically conductive material having a resistivity which has a low sensitivity to temperature variations. The sensor output is processed in a conventional manner to provide an output indicative of the temperature of the mirror.