High-stability thermometer structure and system using the thermometer structure

Abstract

A thermometer structure includes a circuit board, an infrared thermometer, a heat sink, and a metal block. The infrared thermometer is disposed on and electrically connected to the circuit board. The heat sink is disposed on the circuit board and shields the infrared thermometer. The metal block contacts at least one of the circuit board and the heat sink to stabilize the local temperature of the thermometer structure.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a thermometer structure, and more particularly to a thermometer structure that uses a metal block to stabilize the local temperature of the thermometer, wherein the metal block is not energized and its volume is preferably larger than that of an infrared thermometer. Background Technology

[0002] Generally, when measuring the temperature of an object, an infrared thermometer uses the local temperature within the thermometer (usually called Ta) as a reference value to estimate the object's temperature (usually called To). However, in some applications, when the object's temperature is high, the distance to the infrared thermometer is close, the mass is large, or the external ambient temperature changes significantly, the local temperature within the infrared thermometer can be affected and deviate. Therefore, the object's temperature fluctuates due to the instability of the reference value, thus reducing the measurement accuracy.

[0003] In view of this, the present invention provides an infrared thermometer structure that uses a metal block to stabilize the local temperature within the thermometer, thereby improving the accuracy of temperature measurement. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a thermometer structure in which an additional metal block is configured within a heat shield to stabilize the local temperature within the thermometer, wherein the metal block contacts a circuit board.

[0005] Another object of the present invention is to provide a thermometer structure with an additional thermally conductive metal path configured within a thermal shield, wherein the thermally conductive metal path contacts a circuit board or heat sink and is used to contact a metal block outside the thermal shield.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a thermometer structure comprising a circuit board, an infrared thermometer, a metal block, and a heat shield. The infrared thermometer is disposed on a first surface of the circuit board. The metal block is disposed on a second surface of the circuit board, wherein the volume of the metal block is larger than the volume of the infrared thermometer. The heat shield covers the circuit board, the infrared thermometer, and the metal block, and has a first window aligned with the infrared thermometer.

[0007] In addition, the present invention provides a thermometer structure comprising a circuit board, an infrared thermometer, a heat sink, a thermal shield, and a heat conduction path. The infrared thermometer is disposed on a first surface of the circuit board. The heat sink is disposed on the first surface of the circuit board and covers the infrared thermometer. The thermal shield covers the circuit board, the infrared thermometer, and the heat sink, and has a first window aligned with the infrared thermometer. The heat conduction path contacts at least one of the heat sink and the circuit board, and extends from inside the thermal shield to outside the thermal shield to form a heat conduction contact.

[0008] In addition, the present invention provides a system for measuring the temperature of an object, comprising a heat shield, a thermometer structure, and a metal block. The heat shield is integrated into the system and has a first window. The thermometer structure is disposed inside the heat shield and includes a circuit board, a thermopile sensor, and a heat sink. The thermopile sensor is disposed on a first surface of the circuit board and aligned with the first window. The heat sink is disposed on the first surface of the circuit board and covers the thermopile sensor, and has a second window aligned with the first window of the heat shield. The metal block connects at least one of the circuit board and the heat sink.

[0009] The infrared thermometer structure of this invention is particularly suitable for measuring objects with high temperature and large mass, which can cause changes in the ambient temperature.

[0010] To make the above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention more apparent, a detailed description will be provided below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Furthermore, in the description of the present invention, the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals, which will be stated herein as well. Attached Figure Description

[0011] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the thermometer structure according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

[0012] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the thermometer structure according to the second embodiment of the present invention;

[0013] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the thermometer structure according to the third embodiment of the present invention;

[0014] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the thermometer structure according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention;

[0015] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of a system using the thermometer structure of an embodiment of the present invention; and

[0016] Figure 6 This is a bottom view of the thermometer structure according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

[0017] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0018] 100 thermometer structure

[0019] 10 heat shield

[0020] 101 First Window

[0021] 102 Conductive Path

[0022] 11 Infrared Thermometer

[0023] 111 thermopile sensor

[0024] 113 Local Sensors

[0025] 13 filter holders

[0026] 131 filter

[0027] 15 heatsinks

[0028] 151 Second Window

[0029] 17 metal mass blocks

[0030] 19 circuit boards Detailed Implementation

[0031] The thermometer structure of this invention improves measurement accuracy by configuring an additional metal block to reduce the amplitude of the change in the reference temperature of the infrared thermometer with the ambient temperature.

[0032] Please refer to Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a thermometer structure 100 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The thermometer structure 100 includes a circuit board 19, an infrared thermometer 11, a filter holder 13, a filter 131, a heat sink 15, a metal block 17, and a heatsink 10. The heatsink 10 has a first window 101 and covers the circuit board 19, the infrared thermometer 11, the filter holder 13, the filter 131, the heat sink 15, and the metal block 17 to prevent the infrared thermometer 11 from receiving heat energy outside the first window 101. The heatsink 10 is made of, for example, plastic or rubber, but is not limited thereto.

[0033] Circuit board 19 is, for example, a printed circuit board (PCB) or a flexible substrate (FB).

[0034] Infrared thermometer 11 is disposed on the first surface of circuit board 19 (e.g. Figure 1The infrared thermometer 11 includes a thermopile sensor 111 and a local sensor 113 disposed on and electrically connected to a circuit board 19. The thermopile sensor 111 is located at the first window 101 of the thermal shield 10 and is used to receive infrared light IR from the outside through the first window 101 to detect temperature values.

[0035] The local sensor 113 is used to detect a reference temperature of the thermometer structure 100, which serves as a reference for calculating the temperature value detected by the thermopile sensor 111. The method of calculating the temperature value detected by the thermopile sensor 111 based on the reference temperature of the local sensor 113 is known and will not be described further here. The local sensor 113 may be selected from, for example, a resistance thermometer (RTD), a CMOS-based thermometer, a thermistor, an integrated bandgap voltage reference, or a thin film resistor, but is not limited thereto.

[0036] A filter holder 13 is disposed on the sensing surface of the infrared thermometer 11 to support the filter 131. The filter 131 is positioned opposite the first window 101 of the heat shield 10 to improve the light sensitivity of the infrared thermometer 11 and prevent dust from entering the infrared thermometer 11. The filter 131 can be a lens or a plane mirror, used to filter non-infrared electromagnetic waves. For example, when the thermometer structure of the present invention is applied to a system requiring temperature distribution, the filter 131 uses a lens; when the thermometer structure of the present invention is applied to a system requiring a single temperature value (e.g., forehead thermometer, coffee machine, etc.), the filter 131 uses a plane mirror.

[0037] Although Figure 1 The filter holder 13 is disposed on the surface of the infrared thermometer 11 (e.g., the chip surface), but the invention is not limited thereto. The filter holder 13 may also be disposed on the circuit board 19.

[0038] A heat sink 15 is disposed on the first surface of the circuit board 19, covering the infrared thermometer 11 and situated between the infrared thermometer 11 and the heat shield 10. The heat sink 15 has a second window 151 opposite to the first window 101 located on the heat shield 10.

[0039] In this invention, to prevent the overall temperature of the thermometer structure 100 from fluctuating with the external temperature, an additional metal block 17 is disposed on the second surface of the circuit board 19 (e.g., Figure 1The lower surface of the infrared thermometer 11 is enclosed within the heat shield 10, wherein the volume of the metal block 17 is preferably larger than the volume of the infrared thermometer 11. For example, the contact area between the metal block 17 and the second surface of the circuit board 19 is larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the infrared thermometer 11 and smaller than the area of ​​the circuit board 19. The contact area is, for example, rectangular, circular, trapezoidal, triangular or other shapes, and is not specifically limited.

[0040] As a result, the overall metal mass of the thermometer structure 100 is increased, making the overall temperature of the thermometer structure 100 less susceptible to changes in the external temperature.

[0041] Furthermore, since both the circuit board 19 and the infrared thermometer 11 are covered by a heat shield 10, the heat shield 10 preferably has a conductive path (e.g., 102) for electrically connecting the circuit board 19 to external components, such as a microcontroller and / or an external power supply (not shown), to transmit and receive signals and / or supply power to the circuit board 19 through the conductive path 102. In some embodiments, the microcontroller is disposed on the circuit board 19.

[0042] Furthermore, the heat shield 10 preferably also has a structure (e.g., screw holes or latches) for securing fasteners to fix the thermometer structure 100 in a predetermined position or device. In one embodiment, the thermometer structure 100 transmits a detection signal wirelessly.

[0043] In another embodiment, the metal block 17 may be disposed on a first surface of the circuit board 19, for example, around an adjacent heat sink 15. In another embodiment, the metal block 17 may be disposed on both the first and second surfaces of the circuit board 19. Although Figure 1 The metal block 17 is shown to be positioned opposite the infrared thermometer 11, but the invention is not limited thereto. In other embodiments, the metal block 17 may not be positioned opposite the infrared thermometer 11, as long as it is enclosed within the heat shield 10.

[0044] Please refer to Figure 2 As shown, it is a schematic diagram of the thermometer structure 200 of the second embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 In, with Figure 1 Identical components are indicated by the same designation.

[0045] The thermometer structure 200 also includes a circuit board 19, an infrared thermometer 11, a filter holder 13, a filter 131, a heat sink 15, and a heat shield 10, wherein the arrangement of these components is similar to... Figure 1 The same principle has already been explained above, so it will not be repeated here.

[0046] The difference between the second embodiment and the first embodiment is that, in the thermometer structure 200, the heat shield 10 does not have a metal block inside; instead, a heat conduction path 28 is configured to contact at least one of the heat sink 15 (e.g., shown as contact point a) and the circuit board 19 (e.g., shown as contact point b). The heat conduction path 28 extends from inside the heat shield 10 to outside the heat shield 10 to form a heat conduction contact 20 (e.g., Figure 2 The diagram shows two thermally conductive contacts (20), but there is no specific limit to their number.

[0047] In other words, the heat shield 10 covers the circuit board 19, infrared thermometer 11, filter holder 13, filter 131, heat sink 15, and heat conduction path 28. This heat conduction path 28 is, for example, at least one metal sheet or at least one metal wire, used to contact the metal block 27 outside the heat shield 10 via the heat conduction contact 20. The volume of the metal block 27 is not specifically limited, but is preferably larger than the volume of the infrared thermometer 11. In this way, the overall temperature of the thermometer structure 200 can also be stabilized.

[0048] When the heat conduction path 28 contacts the circuit board 19, the heat conduction path 28 contacts the first surface and side surface of the circuit board 19 (e.g., Figure 2 The heat conduction path 28 may have at least one of the left and right sides of the heat sink 15 and the second surface opposite to the first surface. For example, the heat conduction path 28 may have a metal plane attached to a portion of the surface of the circuit board 19 to increase the heat conduction effect. The heat conduction path 28 may also form surface contact or multi-point contact with the heat sink 15 and the circuit board 19 to increase the contact area. In this embodiment, the heat conduction path 28 is used to conduct heat energy and does not transmit any current or electrical signal, so the larger the cross-sectional area of ​​the heat conduction path 28, the better.

[0049] Furthermore, to improve heat conduction efficiency, in one embodiment, the area of ​​the thermal contact 20 is selected to be greater than or equal to the cross-sectional area of ​​the thermal conduction path 28 within the heat shield 10, so as to have a larger contact area with the metal block 27. In another embodiment, the thermal contact 20 is, for example, a metal plane or multiple metal points formed on the lower surface of the heat shield 10, but is not limited thereto. The length of the thermal conduction path 28 outside the heat shield 10 is not specifically limited.

[0050] For example, the heat conduction path 28 can be selectively configured on the four sides of the infrared thermometer 11, such as... Figure 6 As shown, an annular thermal conductive contact 20 is formed on the bottom surface of the thermal shield 10. The annular thermal conductive contact 20 is not limited to being continuous and its shape is not limited to being rectangular.

[0051] Similarly, the heat shield 10 can be configured with a locking structure (not shown) and a conductive path (not shown), etc.

[0052] Please refer to Figure 3 As shown, it is a schematic diagram of the thermometer structure 300 of the third embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 In, with Figure 1 Identical components are indicated by the same designation.

[0053] The thermometer structure 300 also includes a circuit board 19, an infrared thermometer (including a thermopile sensor 111 and a local sensor 113), a filter holder 13, a filter 131, and a heat sink 15, wherein the arrangement of these components is similar to... Figure 1 The same principle has already been explained above, so it will not be repeated here.

[0054] The difference between the third embodiment and the first embodiment is that the heat shield 30 is a component of a system for measuring the temperature of an object, and is made of, for example, plastic or rubber. See, for example, [reference needed]. Figure 5 As shown, when the system is an electric coffee machine, the heat shield 30 is positioned, for example, above the test object (e.g., a coffee pot) 90 and has a first window 101 facing the test object 90 placed on the support 51. The heat shield 30 is fixed and electrically connected to the system.

[0055] In the third embodiment, the circuit board 19, infrared thermometer, filter holder 13, filter 131, and heat sink 15 are disposed inside the heat shield 30. The thermometer structure 300 in this embodiment also includes a metal block 37 that directly contacts the second surface of the circuit board 19 (e.g., Figure 3 (the lower surface of the heat sink), wherein the volume of the metal block 37 is preferably larger than the volume of the heat sink 15.

[0056] More specifically, the difference between thermometer structure 300 and thermometer structure 100 lies only in that the heat shield 30 is a component or structure belonging to the system (e.g., the system has a dedicated space or connection location); the other parts are the same. Furthermore, in the third embodiment, the contact area between the metal block 37 and the circuit board 19 can be larger than the area of ​​the circuit board 19. There are no specific limitations on the way the metal block 37 and the circuit board 19 are joined.

[0057] Similarly, the heat shield 30 may include a conductive path for the infrared thermometer 11 to receive electrical energy or communicate. In the third embodiment, the thermometer structure 300 may also wirelessly output a detection signal.

[0058] Please refer to Figure 4 As shown, it is a schematic diagram of the thermometer structure 400 of the fourth embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 In, with Figure 1 Identical components are indicated by the same designation.

[0059] The thermometer structure 400 also includes a circuit board 19, an infrared thermometer (including a thermopile sensor 111 and a local sensor 113), a filter holder 13, a filter 131, and a heat sink 15, wherein the arrangement of these components is similar to... Figure 1The same principles have already been explained above, so they will not be repeated here. Circuit board 19, infrared thermometer, filter holder 13, filter 131, and heat sink 15 are disposed inside heat shield 40. Heat shield 40 is also a component of a system for measuring the temperature of the object under test.

[0060] The difference between thermometer structure 400 and thermometer structure 300 is that the metal block 47 is not directly attached to the second surface of circuit board 19, but is connected to at least one of circuit board 19 and heat sink 15 through a heat conduction path 48 (e.g., at least one metal sheet or at least one metal wire). The connection method is similar to that of thermometer structure 200 in the second embodiment, and therefore will not be described again here. The difference between the fourth embodiment and the second embodiment is only that the heat shield 40 is a component or structure belonging to the system (e.g., the system has a dedicated space or connection location), for example, referring to... Figure 5 .

[0061] Furthermore, in the fourth embodiment, the metal block 47 may be located inside or outside the heat shield 40, without any specific limitation.

[0062] For example, when the metal block 47 is located inside the heat shield 40, the internal space 401 between the circuit board 19 and the metal block 47 can be used to configure other accessories for the power supply or system.

[0063] For example, when the metal block 47 is located outside the heat shield 40, the metal block 47 is an additionally configured metal or a metal structure of the system (e.g., configured on the system at the factory). In this case, as described in the second embodiment, the heat conduction path 48 preferably forms a thermally conductive contact outside the heat shield 40 to facilitate contact with the metal block 47. As mentioned above, the thermally conductive contact can be configured with a larger area to increase the contact area with the metal block 47.

[0064] In this invention, the volumes of metal blocks 17, 27, 37, and 47 can be adjusted according to the usage environment. For example, when the volume of the object to be tested is large and the temperature is high, metal blocks 17, 27, 37, and 47 with larger volumes can be selected; conversely, when the volume of the object to be tested is small and the temperature is low, metal blocks 17, 27, 37, and 47 with smaller volumes can be selected.

[0065] It must be noted that although the present invention is described using a coffee machine as an example, the present invention is not limited thereto. The thermometer structures 300 and 400 of the present invention can be applied to other systems that can measure the temperature of a target object, and there are no specific limitations, such as intelligent kitchen appliance systems for monitoring the temperature inside a pot.

[0066] It should be noted that although the above embodiments show the local sensor 113 located inside the heat sink 15, the present invention is not limited thereto. In other embodiments, the local sensor 113 may be configured outside the heat sink 15 and electrically connected to the circuit board 19.

[0067] In some embodiments, the thermometer structure of the various embodiments of the present invention further includes a filter for filtering out spectra other than infrared light. The filter is, for example, coated on the surface of filter 131, disposed between the infrared thermometer 11 and filter 131, or disposed within the second window 151, and is not specifically limited thereto.

[0068] It is understood that the number of elements and size ratios in the various embodiments and drawings of the present invention are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0069] In summary, due to the small size of infrared temperature sensors, their internal local temperature is easily affected by the external ambient temperature, leading to fluctuations and reduced accuracy. Therefore, this invention proposes a thermometer structure configured with an additional metal block or heat conduction path (e.g., see reference). Figures 1 to 4 To reduce the fluctuation of the internal reference temperature with external temperature and stabilize the measured temperature, the metal block can be directly disposed inside the heat shield or disposed outside the heat shield and connected to the metal block through the heat conduction path. This increases the overall metal volume of the thermometer structure, making it less prone to temperature fluctuations.

[0070] While the present invention has been disclosed through the foregoing examples, it is not intended to limit the invention. Anyone skilled in the art to which this invention pertains can make various modifications and alterations without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of this invention shall be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A thermometer structure comprising: Circuit board; An infrared thermometer is disposed on a first surface of the circuit board; A metal block disposed on a second surface of the circuit board, wherein the volume of the metal block is larger than the volume of the infrared thermometer; and A heat shield is provided, which covers the circuit board, the infrared thermometer, and the metal block, and extends over the surfaces of the circuit board and the metal block. A first window is provided for aligning the infrared thermometer. The heat shield is used to prevent the infrared thermometer from receiving heat energy from outside the first window.

2. The thermometer structure according to claim 1 further includes a heat sink disposed on the first surface of the circuit board and between the infrared thermometer and the heat shield, and having a second window aligned with the first window of the heat shield.

3. The thermometer structure according to claim 1, wherein, The thermal shield also includes conductive paths for electrically connecting the circuit board to external components.

4. The thermometer structure according to claim 1, further comprising a filter pair located at the first window of the heat shield.

5. The thermometer structure according to claim 1, wherein, The infrared thermometer includes: A thermopile sensor, located at the first window of the thermal shield, is used to receive infrared light from the outside through the first window to detect temperature values; as well as A local sensor is used to detect a reference temperature of the thermometer structure as a reference for calculating the temperature value detected by the thermopile sensor.

6. The thermometer structure according to claim 1, wherein, The contact area between the metal block and the second surface of the circuit board is greater than the cross-sectional area of ​​the infrared thermometer but smaller than the area of ​​the circuit board.

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