Contact cool / hot sensation measuring device

Abstract

To provide a new type measuring device capable of easily measuring contact cold feeling or contact warm feeling of an object.SOLUTION: The contact thermometer includes a contact element 2 to be brought into contact with an object 0 whose contact cool / hot feeling is to be measured, a temperature sensor 3 for detecting the current temperature of the contact element 2, and a temperature control mechanism 4 capable of controlling the temperature of the contact element 2 detected via the temperature sensor 3 to an arbitrary value by energization. And a control part 5 for measuring a current value supplied to the temperature control mechanism 4 at that time.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a contact cold / warm sensation measuring device that simulates the amount of heat transfer when a person's fingers or skin come into contact with an object. [Background technology]

[0002] The instantaneous sensation of "cold" on the skin when touching an object is called "cooling sensation," while the sensation of "not cold" or "warm" is called "warming sensation." These are collectively referred to as "cooling sensation on contact." Cooling sensation on contact is one element of comfort for textile products such as shirts, sportswear, underwear, and bedding, as well as fabrics, covering materials, and exterior materials used in furniture and fixtures.

[0003] The sensation of warmth and coolness on contact depends on the amount of heat transferred from the skin to an object at the moment the person touches it. When evaluating the sensation of warmth and coolness on contact, it is difficult to simulate it by computer, especially since fabrics are made by weaving or knitting twisted fibers and have a complex structure. Therefore, as a method for quantitatively evaluating the sensation of warmth and coolness on contact, the maximum value q of the initial heat flux (or initial heat flow rate) when the skin comes into contact with an object is used. max is known to be measured.

[0004] Specifically, a sample of a predetermined size is cut out from the object, and a heat source plate that has been preheated and stored in heat is brought into contact with the sample. At this time, the temperature of the heat source plate is set to a temperature that is higher than the temperature of the sample by a predetermined value ΔT (when measuring the coolness to the touch). Then, the time series of the temperature of the heat source plate absorbed by the sample, in other words, the heat transfer from the heat source plate to the sample, is measured, and an index value q is calculated based on this. max (W / cm 2 ) is calculated. Incidentally, the temperature difference ΔT between the heat source plate and the sample is 10°C in the Japanese Industrial Standards, but 15°C in the National Standards of the People's Republic of China. In other standards, it may be 20°C (see the prior art documents below).

[0005] In the above-mentioned conventional method, 1) The objects to measure the cold / warm sensation of contact are limited to thin, flat, sliced ​​samples such as fabrics or thin plates. 2) In preparation for the measurement, the heat source plate and the sample must be adjusted to the desired temperatures. That is, the heat source plate must be heated with a heater (for example, to 30°C), and the room temperature in the measurement room must be adjusted with an air conditioner (for example, to 20°C) or a high-performance thermo-hygrostat must be used. The sample temperature is easily affected by the room temperature and the air conditioner, and if ΔT deviates from the specified value (for example, 10°C), the q max There will be errors in the calculated value of 3) The heat source plate must be pressed against the sample with a specified pressing force, and the time required for the heat source plate to be separated from the heater and pressed against the sample must also be constant. This requires a lot of work and time.

[0006] Furthermore, it cannot be denied that the measurement results for the samples may deviate from the actual feeling of cold or warmth when touching the product when used by people. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 7030321 [Non-patent literature]

[0008] [Non-Patent Document 1] Toshio Kawabata, "Prototype of a Measuring Apparatus for Heat and Moisture Transfer Properties of Fabrics and Its Applications," Transactions of the Society of Textile Machinery, Vol. 39, 1984, pp. 38-49 [Non-patent document 2] "Method for evaluating the cold and warm contact sensation of textile products," Japanese Industrial Standards JIS L 1927:2020 [Non-patent document 3] "Textiles - Testing and Evaluation of Coolness to the Touch", National Standard of the People's Republic of China GB / T 35263-2017 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0009] An intended object of the present invention is to provide a new type of measuring device that can easily measure the coolness or warmth of a contact object. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] In the present invention, a device for measuring cool or warm contact sensations is constructed, which includes a contactor for contacting an object for measuring cool or warm contact sensations, a temperature sensor for detecting the current temperature of the contactor, a temperature control mechanism that can adjust the temperature of the contactor detected via the temperature sensor to any value by passing current through it, and a control unit that, immediately after the contactor is brought into contact with the object, controls the temperature of the contactor detected via the temperature sensor to a predetermined target value via the temperature control mechanism, and measures the value of the current passed through the temperature control mechanism at that time.

[0011] In this measuring device for measuring the coolness of contact of an object, the control unit controls the temperature of the contactor to the predetermined target value via the temperature control mechanism just before and just after the contactor is brought into contact with the object, and the target value is higher than the temperature assumed to be the current temperature of the object.

[0012] If there are multiple sets of contactors, temperature sensors, and temperature control mechanisms, and the current value passing through each set of temperature control mechanisms is measured when each set of contactors is brought into contact with an object, the measurement of the cold / warm sensation of contact can be carried out suitably even for objects whose outer surface shape is not necessarily flat.

[0013] The control unit measures the current value passed through the temperature control mechanism when the contactor is brought into contact with the object, and calculates a conventional index value Q of the contact cold / warm sensation based on the measured current value. max It would be even more preferable if the device has the function of estimating and outputting values ​​that can be converted into a standard (especially those that conform to known public standards such as the Japanese Industrial Standard JIS L 1927:2020 and the National Standard of the People's Republic of China GB / T 35263-2017).

[0014] The temperature control mechanism may use, for example, a Peltier element, which can arbitrarily cool or heat the contact by increasing or decreasing the amount of current flowing through it or by controlling the direction of the current flow. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] According to the present invention, a new type of measuring device can be realized that can easily measure the coolness or warmth of a contact of an object. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing a contact cold / warm sensation measuring device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing a contact, a temperature sensor, a temperature adjustment mechanism, and a control unit of the measuring device. [Figure 3] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the transition of the amount of current applied to the temperature adjustment mechanism, which is controlled and measured by the measurement device. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a graph showing the correlation between the time derivative I'max of the applied current value measured by the measuring device and the index value Qmax of the conventional cool / warm contact sensation. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the correlation between the applied current value Imax measured by the measuring device and the index value Qmax of the conventional contact cool / warm sensation (particularly with respect to the pressure with which the contacts are pressed against the measurement object). [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the correlation between the applied current value Imax measured by the measuring device and the index value Qmax of the conventional cool / warm contact sensation (particularly with respect to the ambient temperature of the object to be measured). DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The contact cold / warm sensation measuring device 1 of this embodiment can be used to measure and quantitatively evaluate the contact cold / warm sensation felt when a person's fingers or skin touches various materials, furniture, fixtures, and other products. Specific examples of materials that can be used as the measurement object 0 include cloth (fabric for textile products), leather (natural leather, synthetic leather, and artificial leather), thin resin materials, and the like. Specific examples of products that can be used as the measurement object 0 include furniture and fixtures (chairs, desks, bedding, interiors of vehicle cabins, walls of building structures, etc.).

[0018] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, this measuring device 1 is equipped with a contact 2 that is brought into contact with an object 0 whose contact cold / warm sensation is to be measured, a temperature sensor 3 for detecting the current temperature of the contact 2, a temperature control mechanism 4 that heats or cools the contact 2 to control the temperature of the contact 2 to a predetermined target value, a display device 11 that displays an index value of the measured contact cold / warm sensation, a control unit 5 that obtains the current temperature of the contact 2 via the temperature sensor 3, controls the temperature control mechanism 4, and causes the display device 11 to display the required information, and a battery 6 that supplies the power necessary to operate these devices.

[0019] The contact 2 is a thin plate with high thermal conductivity, such as a copper plate. The temperature sensor 3 is, for example, a thermistor, an RTD (Resistance Temperature Detector), a thermocouple, or a semiconductor temperature sensor. The temperature adjustment mechanism 4 is, for example, a Peltier element, which can adjust the temperature of the contact 2 to a desired value by manipulating the amount and direction of the current passed through it. The temperature sensor 3 may be built into the temperature adjustment mechanism 4. Furthermore, the temperature adjustment mechanism 4 may be integrated into the contact 2. The display device 11 is, for example, a known liquid crystal display.

[0020] The control unit 5 is a microcomputer system equipped with a processor, main memory, auxiliary storage devices (flash memory and ROM (Read Only Memory)), an input / output interface, etc. Programs to be executed by the processor are stored in the auxiliary storage devices, and when the programs are executed, they are read from the auxiliary storage devices into the main memory and decoded by the processor.

[0021] The control unit 5 and the temperature sensor 3 are connected via an amplifier (amplification circuit) and an A / D conversion circuit (not shown). The control unit 5 and the temperature adjustment mechanism 4 are connected via a D / A conversion circuit and an amplifier (not shown). The control unit 5 controls the magnitude and direction of the current applied to the Peltier element, which is the temperature adjustment mechanism 4, in order to maintain the current temperature of the contactor 2, detected via the temperature sensor 3, at a target value, for example, a predetermined value between 30°C and 40°C (which simulates human body temperature). In other words, feedback control is performed to adjust the current applied to the Peltier element 4 so as to constantly reduce the deviation between the actually measured temperature of the contactor 2 and the target value.

[0022] When it is desired to measure the coolness of contact of the object 0, the control unit 5 adjusts the temperature of the contactor 2 via the Peltier element 4 to a target value that is higher than the temperature of the object 0. When the contactor 2 is brought into contact with the object 0, heat is conducted from the contactor 2 to the object 0. When the contactor 2 is absorbed by the object 0, the temperature of the contactor 2 momentarily drops from the target value, and the amount of current applied to the Peltier element 4 is changed in order to return (warm) the temperature of the contactor 2 to the target value. The control unit 5 calculates the extreme value I of the relative change in the amount of current at this time. max , or the extreme value I' of the time derivative of the current (in other words, the amount of change in the current value per unit time) max is calculated and displayed on the display device 11 as the index value of the coolness to the touch of the object 0.

[0023] When it is desired to measure the contact warmth of the object 0, the temperature of the contactor 2 is adjusted to a target value that is lower than the temperature of the object 0. When the contactor 2 is brought into contact with the object 0, heat is conducted from the object 0 to the contactor 2. When the contactor 2 absorbs heat from the object 0, the temperature of the contactor 2 momentarily rises from the target value, and the amount of current applied to the Peltier element 4 is changed in order to return (cool) the temperature of the contactor 2 to the target value. Again, the control unit 5 determines the extreme value I of the relative change range of the instantaneous amount of current at this time. max , or the extreme value I' of the time derivative of the current maxis calculated and displayed on the display device 11 as an index value of the contact warmth of the object 0.

[0024] 3 illustrates the transition of the temperature of the contactor 2, the transition of the amount of current applied to the Peltier element 4, and the transition of the time differential value of the amount of current applied to the Peltier element 4 (in other words, the amount of change in the current value per unit time) from the period immediately before the contactor 2 of the measuring device 1 is brought into contact with the measurement object 0 to the period immediately after the contactor 2 is brought into contact with the measurement object 0. Time t0 is the moment when the contactor 2 is brought into contact with the measurement object 0. FIG. 3 is an example of measuring the coolness to the touch of the object 0, in which the temperature of the contactor 2, which was controlled to a target value until time t0, drops instantaneously after time t0, but later returns to the target value.

[0025] Index value I of the cool or warm feeling of the object max is the maximum variation in the amount of current applied to the Peltier element 4 before and after time t0 (based on the amount of current immediately before time t0). In other words, it is the difference (absolute value of the difference) between the amount of current applied to the Peltier element 4 immediately before time t0 and the extreme value of the amount of current applied to the Peltier element 4 immediately after time t0.

[0026] Index value I' of the cool or warm contact sensation of the object 0 max is the maximum change width of the time derivative of the amount of current applied to the Peltier element 4 over a period before and after time t0 (based on the time derivative of the amount of current immediately before time t0). In other words, it is the difference (absolute value of) between the time derivative of the amount of current applied to the Peltier element 4 immediately before time t0 (which will be close to 0 if the temperature of the contactor 2 is maintained at the target value) and the extreme value of the time derivative of the amount of current applied to the Peltier element 4 immediately after time t0.

[0027] FIG. 4 shows the index value I' of the coolness to the touch measured by the measuring device 1 for multiple types of measurement objects 0. max and the index value Q of the coolness to the touch measured according to the conventional method of the Japanese Industrial Standard JIS L 1927:2020. maxThe correlation coefficient between the two is 0.99, and the index value I' max is the index value Q max It can be seen that it functions satisfactorily as a substitute for

[0028] FIG. 5 shows the index value I of the coolness to the touch measured by the measuring device 1 for multiple types of measurement objects 0. max and the index value Q of the coolness to the touch measured according to the conventional method of the Japanese Industrial Standard JIS L 1927:2020. max In FIG. 5, the pressure with which the contact 2 of the measuring device 1 is pressed against the object 0 is different, indicated by the x mark, the circle mark, and the triangle mark. The index value I max and the index value Q max and the pressure force that presses the contact 2 against the object 0 is the index value I max It can be seen that the effect on the measurement results is small.

[0029] Figure 6 shows the index value I of the coolness to the touch measured by this measuring device 1 for several types of measurement objects 0. max and the index value Q of the coolness to the touch measured according to the conventional method of the Japanese Industrial Standard JIS L 1927:2020. max In FIG. 6, the x marks, the circle marks, and the triangle marks indicate different environmental temperatures (room temperatures where measurements are performed), in other words, different temperatures of the object 0 at the start of measurement (when the contact 2 of the measuring device 1 is pressed). If the environmental temperatures when measurements are performed are different, the index value I max The measurement results will also differ, but in any case, the index value I max and the index value Q max If the environmental temperature at the time of measurement is known, the control unit 5 can calculate the index value I maxIt can also be seen that the temperature can be appropriately corrected. The ambient temperature when the measurement is carried out can be estimated in the control unit 5 from the amount of current applied to the Peltier element 4, which is the temperature control mechanism, immediately before the contact 2 is pressed against the object 0. This is because the amount of current applied to the Peltier element 4 is feedback controlled based on the difference between the target temperature of the contact 2 and the ambient temperature around it. However, an air temperature sensor for detecting the ambient temperature may be attached to the measuring device 1, separate from the temperature sensor 3 of the contact 2, and the ambient temperature may be measured via this air temperature sensor.

[0030] The control unit 5 of the measuring device 1 calculates the index value I of the cold / warm contact sensation in a predetermined function formula. max or I' max Substituting, I max or I' max The index value Q max As shown in Figure 1, the converted Q max can be displayed on the display device 11.

[0031] The measuring device 1 is of a size and weight that can be carried by a person. The measuring device 1 is provided with a handle 12, which allows a person to hold it by hand to carry out a measurement operation.

[0032] As shown in Fig. 2, a single measuring device 1 may be provided with a plurality of sets of small-sized contacts 2, temperature sensors 3, and Peltier elements 4 arranged in parallel. This allows each set of contacts 2 to be individually brought into contact with the measurement object 0 (making it easier to fit them to the outer surface of the object 0), and the temperature of each set of Peltier elements 4 is individually feedback-controlled, and the applied current value I to each set of Peltier elements 4 is max or I' max Furthermore, the applied current value I max or I' max The average value, median value, maximum value, minimum value or mode of the above can be used as an index value of the contact cold / warm sensation of the measurement object 0.

[0033] Compared to conventional contact coolness measurement devices, this measurement device 1 can shorten the preparation time required before starting measurement. In particular, it eliminates the hassle of having to adjust the temperature of the object 0 to a certain initial value when starting measurement. There is no need to precisely adjust the room temperature in the room where the measurement is performed using an air conditioner or to use a high-performance constant temperature and humidity chamber.

[0034] Furthermore, in conventional contact cooling sensation measuring devices, the heater that heats the heat source plate before the start of measurement is relatively large, but the Peltier element 4 implemented as a temperature control mechanism in this measuring device 1 is light, thin, short, and small, allowing the measuring device 1 to be made small and lightweight, making it possible to create a portable, handy type.

[0035] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and the specific configuration of each part can be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0036] 0...Measurement object 1...Contact cold / warm sensation measuring device 11...Display device 2...Contact 3...Temperature sensor 4…Temperature control mechanism 5...Control unit

Claims

1. a contactor for contacting an object whose cool or warm touch sensation is to be measured; a temperature sensor for detecting a current temperature of the contact; a temperature control mechanism that controls the temperature of the contact detected by the temperature sensor to a desired value by energizing the contact; a control unit that controls the temperature of the contactor detected by the temperature sensor to a predetermined target value via the temperature adjustment mechanism immediately after the contactor is brought into contact with the object, and measures a current value that is passed through the temperature adjustment mechanism at that time; A device for measuring cool or warm contact sensation comprising:

2. The measuring device of claim 1, wherein the control unit controls the temperature of the contactor to the predetermined target value via the temperature control mechanism immediately before and immediately after bringing the contactor into contact with the object, and the target value is higher than the temperature assumed to be the current temperature of the object.

3. The measuring device according to claim 1, wherein there are a plurality of sets of the contact, the temperature sensor, and the temperature control mechanism, and the current value passing through each set of the temperature control mechanism when the contact of each set is brought into contact with the object is measured.

4. The control unit measures a current value that is passed through the temperature control mechanism when the contactor is brought into contact with the object, and calculates a conventional index value Q of the contact cold / warm sensation based on the measured current value. max 2. The measuring device according to claim 1, further comprising a function of estimating and outputting a value converted into

5. 2. The measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the temperature control mechanism uses a Peltier element.

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