Patent ID: 7500367

Claim:
A cooled cryostat device comprising: a cold finger; an infrared detector means secured to a terminus of said cold finger; an outer casing surrounding said cold finger; a stiffener means for stiffening said cold finger, said stiffener means interposed between said outer casing and said cold finger in the vicinity of said terminus, wherein said stiffener means comprises: first eyelets distributed around the periphery of a first ring, wherein said first ring is attachable by a first securing means to the inside of said outer casing; second eyelets distributed around the periphery of a second ring, wherein said second ring is attachable by a second securing means to the outside of said cold finger; said first eyelets and said second eyelets being mutually angularly offset; and a cable, passing freely through said first and second eyelets, said cable, once said cold finger has been placed in a balanced situation, being secured under tension, to provide radial support, as a closed loop to said first ring and said second ring.