Probe for deep part temperature measurement and deep part thermometer

Abstract

A probe (1) for deep part temperature measurement, which is used when measuring the temperature of a deep part of a subject (19), comprises: contact temperature sensors (22, 24) which contact a subject surface (19a); non-contact temperature sensors (21, 23) which do not contact the subject surface (19a); and heat flow paths (115, 125) which transmit a heat flow from the subject to the non-contact temperature sensors. A heat insulation material (80) is disposed in (i) a region which is adjacent to the contact temperature sensors and excludes a region of the subject and a region of the heat flow paths, and / or (ii) a region which is adjacent to the non-contact temperature sensors and excludes the heat flow path formed between the contact temperature sensors and the non-contact temperature sensors. The probe further comprises a heat conduction member (90) that is configured so as to be in contact with a first region and a second region of the subject surface (19a) and that connects the two contact temperature sensors (21, 23). The present invention can increase the accuracy of the temperature measured by the temperature sensors, and can increase the estimation accuracy of a deep part temperature.

Description

Deep temperature measurement probe and deep thermometer

[0001] The present invention relates to a deep temperature measurement probe and a deep thermometer, and more particularly to a deep temperature measurement probe and a deep thermometer that measure the deep temperature (core temperature) of a living body (subject) such as a human body.

[0002] The dual heat flow method, a non-invasive method for measuring the temperature deep inside the human body, has been studied. The dual heat flow method measures the heat flow through two different heat paths and calculates the deep temperature TB by solving simultaneous equations related to the heat flow without using the unknown thermal resistance value of the skin (see, for example, Non-Patent Document 1).

[0003] Non-Patent Document 1, Patent Document 1, and Patent Document 2 disclose deep body temperature measurement probes that measure deep body temperatures TB using a dual heat flow method. The deep body temperature measurement probe using the dual heat flow method includes a pair of temperature sensors arranged opposite each other across a first heat flow path in a first region, and another pair of temperature sensors arranged opposite each other across a second heat flow path in a second region, the second heat flow path having a thermal resistance value different from that of the first heat flow path.

[0004] In each region, one of the paired temperature sensors (contact temperature sensor) is placed on the specimen side and measures the temperature of the specimen's surface, while the other temperature sensor (non-contact temperature sensor) is placed on the opposite side of the specimen and measures the temperature resulting from the heat flow emitted from the specimen surface passing through a specified heat flow path.

[0005] Kazunari Yanai, "Development of a Non-invasive Deep Body Thermometer and Its Verification in Basic Experiments," Master's Thesis, Graduate School of Information Science, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, NAIST Digital Library, 2014

[0006] International Publication No. 2019 / 167707 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-169551

[0007] Non-contact temperature sensors are typically exposed to external air, which can cause heat to be absorbed by the convective external air, or conversely, heat to be transferred from the hot external air to the non-contact temperature sensor, resulting in inaccurate measurement of the intended temperature. Furthermore, radiation between the sensor and external objects can cause the temperature detected by the non-contact temperature sensor to be lower or higher than the actual temperature. On the other hand, even contact temperature sensors can be affected by external air convection, as described above, because the side of the sensor that is not in contact with the subject is in contact with external air. In these cases, the above causes significant estimation errors when estimating deep body temperatures using the heat flow method.

[0008] In a typical dual heat flow method, the deep temperature TB is measured under the assumption that the thermal resistance Rs between the deep portion of the subject and the surface of the subject is the same in the first and second regions (see also Figure 11, described later). However, in reality, due to movement of the subject to which the probe is attached, the thickness of the skin, muscle, etc. between the deep portion of the subject and the surface of the subject may change, and the thermal resistance between the deep portion of the subject and the surface of the subject in the first region may no longer be the same as the thermal resistance between the deep portion of the subject and the surface of the subject in the second region. Another issue is that the degree of difference between these thermal resistance values ​​frequently fluctuates due to movement of the subject, etc.

[0009] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a deep body temperature measurement probe that can further improve the temperature measurement accuracy of each temperature sensor and, in turn, the accuracy of deep body temperature estimation compared to conventional methods, and also aims to provide a deep body thermometer equipped with such a deep body temperature measurement probe.

[0010] [1] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a deep temperature measurement probe for use in measuring the temperature of a deep portion of a subject. The deep temperature measurement probe includes a contact temperature sensor that is in contact with the surface of the subject, a non-contact temperature sensor that is not in contact with the surface of the subject, and a heat flow path that transfers heat from the subject to the non-contact temperature sensor. A thermal insulator is disposed in (i) a region surrounding the contact temperature sensor, excluding the region where the subject is present and the region where the heat flow path is present, and / or (ii) a region surrounding the non-contact temperature sensor, excluding the heat flow path formed between the contact temperature sensor and the non-contact temperature sensor.

[0011] [2] Another aspect of the present invention provides a deep temperature measurement probe for use in measuring the temperature of a deep area of ​​a subject. The deep temperature measurement probe includes a pair of temperature sensors arranged in a first region facing each other across a first heat flow path, and another pair of temperature sensors arranged in a second region facing each other across a second heat flow path that has a thermal resistance different from that of the first heat flow path. The deep temperature measurement probe further includes a thermal conductive member configured to be in contact with the first and second regions of the subject, and connecting the temperature sensor of the pair of temperature sensors arranged on the subject side to the temperature sensor of the other pair of temperature sensors arranged on the subject side.

[0012] [3] According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a deep body thermometer comprising the deep body temperature measuring probe described in [1] above, and a deep body temperature estimation unit that estimates the deep body temperature using the temperatures measured by the first contact temperature sensor, the first non-contact temperature sensor, and the second contact temperature sensor, and the second non-contact temperature sensor.

[0013] [4] Also provided is a deep thermometer comprising the deep temperature measurement probe described in [2] above, and a deep temperature estimation unit that estimates deep temperature using the temperatures measured by a pair of temperature sensors and another pair of temperature sensors.

[0014] According to the deep temperature measurement probe and deep thermometer of the present invention, the accuracy of temperature measurement by each temperature sensor can be further improved compared to conventional methods, and ultimately the accuracy of deep temperature estimation can be further improved.

[0015] 1 is a cross-sectional view shown to explain a deep temperature measuring probe 1 according to embodiment 1. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view shown to explain an example of a method for arranging a heat insulating material 80 according to embodiment 1. FIG. 3 is a view shown to explain a deep temperature measuring probe 2 according to embodiment 2. FIG. 4 is a view showing components of a deep temperature measuring probe 2 according to embodiment 2. FIG. 5 is a view shown to explain a deep temperature measuring probe 3 according to embodiment 3. FIG. 6 is a view shown to explain the effects of embodiment 3. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view shown to explain a deep temperature measuring probe 4 according to embodiment 4. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view shown to explain deep temperature measuring probes 5 and 6 according to embodiment 5. FIG. 9 is a view shown to explain a deep temperature measuring probe 7 according to embodiment 6. FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of a deep temperature thermometer 500 according to embodiment 7. FIG. 11 is a thermal equivalent circuit shown to explain an experimental system using a dual heat flow method. FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing an experimental system. FIG. 13 is a graph shown to explain a simulation example 1. FIG. 14 is a graph shown to explain a simulation example 2. FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view showing a deep temperature measuring probe 8 according to modified example 1. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a main part showing deep temperature measurement probes 9, 9' according to Modifications 2 and 3. FIG.

[0016] The deep temperature measurement probe and deep thermometer of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. For configurations and structures common to each drawing, the symbols in the previous drawing can be used, and therefore the symbols may be omitted in subsequent drawings. For symbols common to each drawing in this specification, the content already explained for the symbols can be used in the explanations of other drawings, and therefore the explanations in other drawings will be omitted. Note that in this specification, the deep temperature measurement probe may be simply referred to as the "probe." The temperature sensor may be simply referred to as the "sensor." Furthermore, the terms "upper" and "lower" may be used, with the side of the deep temperature measurement probe facing the subject 19 being the "lower side" and the opposite side being the "upper side."

[0017] [Embodiment 1] 1. Configuration of a deep temperature measuring probe 1 according to embodiment 1 FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view shown for explaining a deep temperature measuring probe 1 according to embodiment 1. As shown in FIG.

[0018] (1) Overview of the Deep Temperature Measurement Probe 1 As shown in Figure 1, the deep temperature measurement probe 1 is used to measure the temperature of a deep portion 19c of a subject 19, which is a deep portion of the subject, and measures the temperature of the deep portion 19c (deep temperature TB) of the subject by directly or indirectly contacting the back side of the probe with the surface 19a of the subject. In the figure, the symbol RS represents the thermal resistance value of the intermediate portion 19b of the subject, which cannot be measured directly. Typical examples of the subject 19 include living organisms such as humans and animals, but in this embodiment, the explanation will be given assuming a human.

[0019] The deep temperature measurement probe 1 includes temperature sensors 21 and 23 as "contact temperature sensors," temperature sensors 22 and 24 as "non-contact temperature sensors," heat flow paths 115 and 125, and a thermal insulator 80. The deep temperature measurement probe 1 is particularly suitable for deep temperature measurement using the dual heat flow method. However, the first embodiment can also be applied to measurements other than the dual heat flow method as long as the effects of the deep temperature measurement probe 1 are achieved.

[0020] (2) Temperature Sensors 21, 22, 23, 24 The temperature sensors 21, 22, 23, 24 measure the temperature at the contact point (node) and output a signal corresponding to the measured temperature, and can be configured using, for example, a discrete device such as a thermocouple, a platinum resistance thermometer, or a thermistor, or an integrated circuit (IC) device that outputs a digital output signal. The temperature sensors 21, 22, 23, 24 of this embodiment are configured as ICs, and may be realized in a so-called SON package (Small Outline Non-leaded package), as shown in FIG. 4 (details will be described in embodiment 2).

[0021] The "contact temperature sensor" refers to the temperature sensors 21 and 23, among the pair of temperature sensors in each region (first region 11 and second region 12), that are arranged on the subject 19 side and contact the subject surface 19a. Note that "contact" here typically refers to a case where the temperature sensor is in direct contact with the subject surface 19a, but in this specification, the term "contact" also refers to a case where some object is interposed between the temperature sensor and the subject surface 19a.

[0022] A "non-contact temperature sensor" is a temperature sensor that is located on the opposite side of the subject 19 among the paired temperature sensors in each region (first region 11, second region 12), and is a temperature sensor 22, 24 that does not contact the subject surface 19a.

[0023] The "first region 11" and the "second region 12" are regions in which a "first heat flow path 115" and a "second heat flow path 125" are respectively provided, which are intended to have a difference between their respective thermal resistance values ​​R1 and R2 (see also Figures 6(b) and 11, etc., described below) when measuring deep temperature using the dual heat flow method.

[0024] (3) Heat Flow Paths 115, 125 The heat flow paths 115, 125 are portions that transfer the heat flows 110a, 120a from the specimen 19 to the non-contact temperature sensors 22, 24. The heat flow paths 115, 125 may be composed only of a thermally insulating, solid heat-resistance member, but a structure that includes an air-filled cavity or a vacuum cavity in part or in whole is also considered to constitute the "heat flow paths 115, 125."

[0025] 1, the deep temperature measurement probe 1 has two heat flow paths. That is, in the first region 11, a "first heat flow path 115" is formed between the contact temperature sensor 21 or the subject surface 19a nearby it and the non-contact temperature sensor 22, and in the second region, a "second heat flow path 125" is formed between the contact temperature sensor 23 or the subject surface 19a nearby it and the non-contact temperature sensor 24 (see also Figures 6(b) and 11, etc., described later).

[0026] In the deep temperature measurement probe 1, the thermal resistance value exhibited by the first heat flow path 115 is set to be different from the thermal resistance value exhibited by the second heat flow path 125 to measure deep temperature using the dual heat flow method. For example, as shown in FIG. 1 , the first heat flow path 115 and the second heat flow path 125 may be configured using materials with different thermal conductivities, as in the deep temperature measurement probe described in Patent Document 1, while the first heat flow path 115 and the second heat flow path 125 may be configured using the same materials (with the same thermal conductivity), but the flow path length D1 and the flow path length D2 may be different from each other, as in the deep temperature measurement probes described in Non-Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2, etc., to achieve different overall thermal resistance values.

[0027] The deep temperature measurement probe 1 illustrated in Figure 1 can also be said to have, in the first region 11, a first contact temperature sensor 21 and a first non-contact temperature sensor 22 arranged opposite each other across a first heat flow path 115, and, in the second region 12, a second contact temperature sensor 23 and a second non-contact temperature sensor 24 arranged opposite each other across a second heat flow path 125 which has a thermal resistance value different from that of the first heat flow path 115.

[0028] (4) First Heat Flow Measurement System 110 and Second Heat Flow Measurement System 120 The first heat flow path 115 and the pair of temperature sensors 21, 22 configured in the first region 11 configure the "first heat flow measurement system 110." The second heat flow path 125 and the pair of temperature sensors 23, 24 configured in the second region 12 configure the "second heat flow measurement system 120."

[0029] (5) Heat Insulating Material 80 The deep temperature measurement probe 1 has the heat insulating material 80 disposed in a predetermined region. That is, the heat insulating material 80 is disposed in (i) the surrounding region adjacent to the contact temperature sensors 21, 23, excluding the region where the subject 19 is present and the region where the heat flow paths 115, 125 are present, and / or (ii) the surrounding region adjacent to the non-contact temperature sensors 22, 24, excluding the heat flow paths 115, 125 formed between the contact temperature sensors 21, 23 and the non-contact temperature sensors 22, 24. In other words, the heat insulating material 80 is disposed in the surrounding region adjacent to the contact temperature sensors 21, 23, excluding the region where the subject 19 and the heat flow paths 115, 125 are present (the region other than the region where the subject 19 and the heat flow paths 115, 125 are present). Furthermore, in the surrounding area adjacent to the non-contact temperature sensors 22 and 24, a heat insulating material 80 is disposed in the area other than the area where the heat flow paths 115 and 125 are present.

[0030] The heat insulating material 80 may be disposed in all or part of the above-mentioned multiple regions. "Disposed" can also be interpreted as a state in which the heat insulating material 80 is continuously / intermittently filled with a certain thickness in the relevant region as viewed from the temperature sensors 21 to 24. It is preferable that the heat insulating material 80 contacts the surfaces of the temperature sensors 21, 22, 23, and 24, but some gaps may be present as long as the effects of the first embodiment are achieved.

[0031] Any suitable insulating material can be used for the insulating material 80. The insulating material 80 preferably has a thermal conductivity substantially equal to that of air. The thermal conductivity of the insulating material 80 does not need to be strictly equal to that of air, and may be any suitable value within a reasonable range centered on the thermal conductivity of air, as long as it provides the effects of the first embodiment. Of course, the insulating material 80 may have a thermal conductivity significantly lower than that of air.

[0032] It is also preferable that the heat insulating material 80 is made of aerosol or aerogel supported on a support material. The support material may be a material that has been conventionally used as a heat insulating material, such as glass fiber or polyester. Aerosol or aerogel is a heat insulating material encapsulated in fine air particles, and aerosols or aerogels with various diameters are commercially available. These can be used as appropriate.

[0033] Furthermore, the heat insulating material 80 may be made of heat insulating paper. Heat insulating paper has a thermal conductivity approximately equal to that of air. For example, a sheet of heat insulating paper containing porous particles of silica gel containing foamed air (so-called silica aerogel) may be used.

[0034] 2. Effects of the deep temperature measurement probe 1 according to embodiment 1 (1) In the deep temperature measurement probe 1, (i) a heat insulating material 80 is disposed in a region adjacent to the contact temperature sensors 21, 23, excluding the region where the subject 19 is present and the region where the heat flow paths 115, 125 are present. In other words, when viewed from the contact temperature sensors 21, 23, heat can move between the direction of the subject 19 and the direction of the heat flow paths 115, 125, while heat movement to other directions is blocked by the heat insulating material 80 disposed therein.

[0035] Furthermore, in the deep temperature measurement probe 1, (ii) a heat insulating material 80 is disposed in the surrounding area adjacent to the non-contact temperature sensors 22, 24, excluding the heat flow paths 115, 125 formed between the contact temperature sensors 21, 23 and the non-contact temperature sensors 22, 24. In other words, when viewed from the non-contact temperature sensors 22, 24, heat can move toward the heat flow paths 115, 125 (heat flow paths between the contact temperature sensors and non-contact temperature sensors), but heat movement in other directions is blocked by the heat insulating material 80 disposed therein.

[0036] The heat insulating material 80 arranged in this manner blocks external air convection and radiation from external objects around the contact temperature sensors 21, 23 and non-contact temperature sensors 22, 24, minimizing their effects. The heat insulating material 80 arranged between adjacent non-contact temperature sensors 22, 24 also blocks heat transfer between the non-contact temperature sensors 22, 24, reducing mutual interference between the heat fluxes 110a, 120a reaching the respective non-contact temperature sensors 22, 24 and enhancing the independence of the respective heat fluxes 110a, 120a. Similarly, the heat insulating material 80 also blocks heat transfer between adjacent contact temperature sensors 21, 23, reducing mutual interference between the heat flows supplied from the subject surface 19a to the respective contact temperature sensors 21, 23, enhancing the independence of the respective heat flows.

[0037] Therefore, the deep temperature measurement probe 1 allows heat to flow in and out only in the directions required by the dual heat flow method for the contact temperature sensors 21, 23 and the non-contact temperature sensors 22, 24, thereby reducing the estimation error of the deep temperature TB using the theoretical formula of the dual heat flow method and enabling more accurate estimation of the deep temperature.

[0038] From the above, according to the deep temperature measurement probe of embodiment 1, the accuracy of temperature measurement by each temperature sensor can be further improved compared to conventional methods, and ultimately the accuracy of estimating deep temperature can be further improved.

[0039] (2) By using a material with a thermal conductivity substantially equal to that of air as the thermal insulator 80, the upper and side surfaces of the non-contact temperature sensors 22, 24 are effectively exposed to the outside air in terms of thermal conductivity, while the thermal insulator 80 can block the effects of convection and radiation from the outside air. This can alleviate the problems described above in the "Problems to be Solved by the Invention." The same effects can be achieved with the contact temperature sensors 21, 23.

[0040] (3) The heat insulating material 80 may be a material in which aerosol or aerogel is supported on a support material. For example, aerogel is composed of 90% or more of its volume of air, has a thermal conductivity of 0.012 to 0.014 [w / m K], which is very close to the thermal conductivity of air (0.026 [w / m K] at room temperature), and has a density of 1 cm. ３ It is very light, weighing 0.11 to 0.12 g per unit weight. Composite materials using this aerogel also have a thermal conductivity of 0.015 to 0.022 [w / m·K], which is essentially the same as air or exhibits significantly better thermal insulation. Its density is also very light, about 1 / 6 that of regular paper. It can be made into sheets of any thickness, and these sheets can be easily processed with scissors or other tools, resulting in high productivity. Materials traditionally used as thermal insulation, such as glass fiber and polyester, can be used as the carrier material.

[0041] For example, insulating paper in which hollow glass beads are interwoven with synthetic fibers, cellulose, or other fibers can be used as the insulating material 80. With this type of insulating paper, the air is fixed within the glass beads, so the thermal conductivity of the entire insulating paper can be made substantially equal to that of air, and since the air within the glass beads does not flow, the problem of heat flow, such as deviation from the theoretical formula of the dual heat flow method due to convection, can be suppressed.

[0042] (4) Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view illustrating an example of a method for arranging the thermal insulation material 80 of embodiment 1 using thermal insulation papers 80a-80f. By configuring the thermal insulation material 80 as a sheet of thermal insulation paper, processing and assembly are facilitated, as described above. For example, as shown in Figure 2, openings 82 can be easily provided in the thermal insulation papers 80a, 80b, 80e, and 80f arranged midway through the height of the temperature sensors 21-24. It is also easy to adjust the number of layers of thermal insulation papers 80a-80f to match the height of the temperature sensors 21-24. This facilitates the manufacture of the deep temperature measurement probe 1.

[0043] [Embodiment 2] Figure 3 is a diagram for explaining a deep temperature measuring probe 2 according to embodiment 2. Figure 3(a) is a cross-sectional view of the deep temperature measuring probe 2 showing the B-B cross section of Figure 3(b). Figure 3(b) is a plan view of the deep temperature measuring probe 2 as viewed along arrow A in Figure 3(a). Note that a heat insulating material 80 is indicated by a dashed line.

[0044] 1. Configuration of deep temperature measurement probe 2 according to embodiment 2 The deep temperature measurement probe 2 according to embodiment 2 basically has the same configuration as the deep temperature measurement probe 1 according to embodiment 1, but differs from the deep temperature measurement probe 1 according to embodiment 1 in that the heat flow paths 115, 125 are configured using a substrate 10 as a base member and that the heat flow path 115 is configured using a through hole 15.

[0045] As shown in Figure 3, the deep temperature measurement probe 2 according to the second embodiment includes a substrate 10. A first contact temperature sensor 21 and a first non-contact temperature sensor 22 are mounted in a first region 11 of the substrate 10 so as to face each other across the substrate 10. A second contact temperature sensor 23 and a second non-contact temperature sensor 24 are mounted in a second region 12 of the substrate 10 so as to face each other across the substrate. Furthermore, a through hole 15 is formed in the substrate 10 (the details of the through hole 15 will be described later).

[0046] (1) Substrate 10 The substrate 10 functions as a base on which the temperature sensors 21, 22, 23, and 24 are mounted. The substrate 10 has a front surface 10a and a back surface 10b, and is, for example, in the shape of a plate. The definitions of the front surface 10a and the back surface 10b are for convenience's sake; here, the surface facing the outside (outside air) is defined as the front surface 10a, and the surface that contacts the test object 19 is defined as the back surface 10b. A part (or all) of the substrate 10 forms a flow path (heat flow paths 115, 125) for heat flowing from the back surface 10b side to the front surface 10a side.

[0047] 4A and 4B are diagrams showing the components of the deep temperature measurement probe 2 according to embodiment 2. Fig. 4A is a plan view showing the substrate 10, showing the surface of the bare substrate without the temperature sensors 21, 22, 23, 24, and 25 mounted thereon.

[0048] As shown in FIG. 4A, the substrate 10 is a printed circuit board on which a wiring pattern 13 is formed. For example, a glass epoxy substrate can be used as the substrate 10. The substrate 10 of this embodiment is a so-called double-sided substrate having wiring patterns 13 on both the front surface 10a and the back surface 10b. The wiring pattern 13 (wiring pattern in a broad sense) includes terminals 13c, wiring patterns 13a in a narrow sense connecting the terminals 13c, and lands 13b in a narrow sense formed in the shape of pads. Note that in the figure, the intermediate connections of the wiring pattern 13a in a narrow sense are omitted.

[0049] (2) Specific Examples of Temperature Sensors 21, 22, 23, 24, and 25 Figure 4(b) is a bottom view showing the bottom of a SON package in which the temperature sensors 21 to 25 are implemented. Each of the temperature sensors 21 to 25 has a semiconductor chip (not shown) built in it that senses temperature and converts it into an electrical signal, and an external connection terminal 28 electrically connected to the semiconductor chip is exposed from the bottom. Each of the temperature sensors 21 to 25 also has a thermal pad 29 on its bottom surface to improve thermal coupling between the contact area to be measured (specifically, the node of the heat flow path) and the internal semiconductor chip.

[0050] (3) Mounting of Temperature Sensors 21-25 on the Board Returning to Figure 3, we will continue to explain the mounting of the temperature sensors on the board. The temperature sensors 21 and 22 are mounted in a pair in the first region 11 of the board 10, facing each other with the board 10 in between. The temperature sensor 21 is mounted on the back surface 10b of the board 10, and the temperature sensor 22 is mounted on the front surface 10a of the board 10. Similarly, the temperature sensors 23 and 24 are mounted in a pair in the second region 12 of the board 10, facing each other with the board 10 in between. The temperature sensor 23 is mounted on the back surface 10b of the board 10, and the temperature sensor 24 is mounted on the front surface 10a of the board 10.

[0051] In the figure, reference numeral 60 denotes an external connector for connection to the outside. Reference numeral 25 denotes a temperature sensor for measuring the outside air temperature. As will be described later, when experimentally determining the thermal resistance ratio K, the outside air temperature T5 measured by the temperature sensor 25 is used to correct the thermal resistance ratio K. The temperature sensor 25 is disposed adjacent to the regions that make up the first region 11 and the second region 12. By disposing the temperature sensor 25 in an adjacent region rather than as a separate module, it becomes possible to measure the outside air temperature with a single module, and overall, the deep thermometer 500 can be realized as a small, lightweight, and inexpensive device.

[0052] The external connection terminals 28 of the temperature sensors 21 to 25 are connected to the terminals 13c of the substrate 10 via solder 51, thereby establishing an electrical connection between each of the temperature sensors 21 to 25 and the substrate 10 and fixing each temperature sensor to the substrate 10.

[0053] The thermal pads 29 of the temperature sensors 23, 24 are connected to the lands 13b of the substrate 10 via solder 51 across the entire overlapping area. This improves thermal coupling with the lands 13b of the substrate 10 (nodes serving as connection points for the second heat flow path 125). The distance between the thermal pads 29 and the lands 13b is fixed by the solder 51, suppressing dynamic distance fluctuations (assuming there is only a gap without the solder 51). During soldering, the thickness of the solder 51 is controlled to fall within a predetermined range of variation, thereby maintaining a substantially constant distance between the thermal pads 29 and the lands 13b. This allows the distance between the pair of second-region temperature sensors 23, 24 to be maintained substantially constant, enabling the thermal resistance value R2 of the second heat flow path 125 to be maintained substantially constant with good reproducibility even during mass production.

[0054] Focusing on the second region 12, the second heat flow path 125 is formed by the substrate 10 itself and the "solder 51" interposed between the thermal pad 29 and the land 13b. Because the second heat flow path 125 is formed while making use of the substrate 10 itself, the probe can be constructed with a simple configuration without any special modifications or significant increase in the number of components, resulting in an economically advantageous probe. As a result, the second heat flow 120a flows from the back side to the front side of the deep temperature measurement probe 1 through the second heat flow path 125 (see symbol 120a schematically indicated by a thick arrow in Figure 3(a)).

[0055] (4) Configuration of the First Heat Flow Path 115 Focusing on the first region 11, a through-hole 15 is formed in the substrate 10, penetrating between the front surface 10a and the back surface 10b of the substrate 10 directly below the first contact temperature sensor 21 (T1). Reference numeral 15a denotes the inner wall of the through-hole 15. The through-hole 15 connects the first contact temperature sensor 21 (T1) and the first non-contact temperature sensor 22 (T3). Here, "connection" can mean both a spatial connection and a connection in terms of a thermal circuit.

[0056] In the deep temperature measuring probe 2 according to the second embodiment, an air layer 30 is disposed inside the through-hole 15 .

[0057] The first heat flow path 115 in the second embodiment is formed by the gap (air layer 30 in the first embodiment) of the through-hole 15. In other words, the air layer 30 arranged inside the through-hole 15 formed in the substrate 10 realizes a thermal resistor that forms the first heat flow path 115, and the first heat flow 110a flows from the back side to the front side of the deep temperature measurement probe 1 through the first heat flow path 115 (see symbol 110a schematically indicated by a thick arrow in Figure 3(a)).

[0058] When the temperature sensors 21, 22 are configured as semiconductor ICs, the through-holes 15 preferably overlap with at least 50% of the area of ​​the thermal pads 29 of the ICs (or the back surface of the bare chip in the modified example described below) in a plan view (see FIG. 3(b)).More preferably, the through-holes 15 overlap with the entire area of ​​the thermal pads 29.

[0059] (5) As a variation of the substrate 10 and the interior of the through-hole 15, the substrate 10 may be made of a glass substrate, and the interior of the through-hole 15 may be configured to be a vacuum or near-vacuum state.

[0060] (6) Incorporation of Prior Applications With regard to the features of the deep temperature measurement probe 2 according to embodiment 2 (excluding the insulating material 80), the contents of the prior applications (Patent Application No. 2022-105509, PCT / JP2023 / 17069) which describe the inventions of the inventors of the present application and others can be incorporated directly into the specification and drawings of the present application and incorporated as detailed explanations herein.

[0061] 2. Effects of the Deep Temperature Measurement Probe 2 of Embodiment 2 (1) The deep temperature measurement probe 2 of Embodiment 2 includes a substrate 10 on which temperature sensors 21, 22, 23, and 24 are mounted. The substrate also includes a through-hole 15 formed directly below the first non-contact temperature sensor 22, penetrating between the front surface 10a and the back surface 10b of the substrate. The first contact temperature sensor 21 and the first non-contact temperature sensor 22 are connected by the through-hole 15. In other words, the pair of temperature sensors 21, 22 in the first region 11 are connected by the through-hole 15 formed directly below the sensors. Therefore, for example, if the through-hole 15 is a hole-only structure and no special treatment is performed, only an air layer 30 is filled inside the through-hole 15, and the thermal resistance value R1 between the pair of temperature sensors 21 (T1) and 22 (T3) can be significantly increased.

[0062] In response to market demands for smaller and thinner probes, even if the substrate 10 becomes thinner and the thermal resistance value in the thickness direction of the substrate 10 becomes smaller overall, the above configuration makes it easy to provide a difference between the thermal resistance value R1 of the first heat flow path 115 (between the pair of temperature sensors 21, 22 in the first region 11) and the thermal resistance value R2 of the second heat flow path 125 (between the temperature sensors 23, 24 in the second region 12). Therefore, even if the substrate 10 constituting the probe becomes thinner, it becomes possible to measure the temperature of the deep part 19c of the subject (deep temperature TB) with high accuracy.

[0063] (2) The thermal conductivity of air is 0.0241 W / (mK) (at 0°C), while the thermal conductivity of the material constituting the substrate 10, such as polyimide (PI), is 0.28 to 0.34 W / (mK). In other words, the air layer 30 can have a thermal resistance value that is orders of magnitude larger than that of the material constituting the substrate 10. In other words, by forming the first heat flow path 115 with the air layer 30, the thermal resistance value R1 can be significantly increased. Therefore, with the deep temperature measurement probe 2 according to the second embodiment, despite its simple structure, it is easy to achieve a difference between the thermal resistance value R1 of the first heat flow path 115 and the thermal resistance value R2 of the second heat flow path 125.

[0064] (3) As a variation of the substrate 10 and the through-hole 15, the substrate 10 may be made of a glass substrate, and the inside of the through-hole 15 may be kept in a vacuum or near-vacuum state, as described above. Glass substrates have a lower thermal conductivity than polyimide, making it easier to maintain the independence of the first heat flow 110a and the second heat flow 120a. Furthermore, by keeping the inside of the through-hole 15, which forms the first heat flow path 115, in a vacuum or near-vacuum state, the thermal conductivity can be further reduced compared to when the through-hole 15 is filled with an air layer 30, and the thermal resistance R1 between the temperature sensors 21 and 22 in the first region 11 can be further increased.

[0065] The deep temperature measuring probe 2 according to the second embodiment has a configuration that is basically the same as the deep temperature measuring probe 1 according to the first embodiment, except that the heat flow paths 115, 125 are formed using the substrate 10 as a base member and that the heat flow path 115 is formed by a through hole 15. Therefore, the deep temperature measuring probe 2 similarly has the corresponding effects of the deep temperature measuring probe 1.

[0066] Although not shown, the probe may be covered with a case 65 except for the skin contact portion (particularly the underside of the heat conduction member 90). This makes it difficult for external environmental factors (temperature, sunlight, moisture) to be transmitted to the deep temperature measurement probe, which contributes to improving the measurement accuracy and reliability of the product (see FIG. 9 of the sixth embodiment described below).

[0067] [Embodiment 3] Figure 5 is a diagram for explaining a deep temperature measuring probe 3 according to embodiment 3. Figure 5(a) is a cross-sectional view of the deep temperature measuring probe 3, and Figure 5(b) is a bottom view of the deep temperature measuring probe 3 as viewed from below.

[0068] 1. Configuration of the deep temperature measurement probe 3 according to the third embodiment As shown in Fig. 5 , the deep temperature measurement probe 3 according to the third embodiment is a deep temperature measurement probe used to measure the temperature of a deep portion of a subject 19 (deep portion 19c of the subject), as in the previous embodiments, and includes a pair of temperature sensors 21, 22 arranged opposite each other across a first heat flow path 115 in the first region 11. In addition, the deep temperature measurement probe 3 according to the third embodiment includes another pair of temperature sensors 23, 24 arranged opposite each other across a second heat flow path 125 in the second region 12, the second heat flow path 125 having a thermal resistance value different from the thermal resistance value of the first heat flow path 115.

[0069] The deep temperature measuring probe 3 further includes a heat conducting member 90. The heat conducting member 90 is configured to come into contact with the first region 11 and the second region 12 of the subject 19. In other words, the surface (lower surface) of the heat conducting member 90 on the subject 19 side comes into contact with the subject surface 19a.

[0070] The heat conducting member 90 also connects the temperature sensor 21 of the pair of temperature sensors 21, 22, which is arranged on the subject 19 side, to the temperature sensor 23 of the other pair of temperature sensors 23, 24, which is arranged on the subject 19 side. In other words, the heat conducting member 90 is indirectly or directly connected to the temperature sensors 21, 23 on the subject 19 side of the pair of temperature sensors 21, 22 and the other pair of temperature sensors 23, 24. The heat conducting member 90 also bridges the temperature sensors 21, 23 on the subject 19 side. This connects the temperature sensors 21, 23 on the subject 19 side in terms of a heat flow path.

[0071] The term "connection" by the thermal conductive member 90 means connection from the viewpoint of a thermal circuit, but also includes the meaning of physical connection. In addition, either a direct connection (Embodiment 3 illustrated in FIG. 5 ) or an indirect connection via a thermally conductive adhesive such as a die bond agent containing Ag filler (see Embodiment 6 illustrated in FIG. 9 ) is acceptable.

[0072] The heat conducting member 90 may be made of any suitable material, such as copper, aluminum, alumina, or aluminum nitride. The heat conducting member 90 may be formed of a plate-shaped member made of, for example, a metal material. The length L, width W, and thickness Th of the plate-shaped heat conducting member 90 may be changed as appropriate (see FIG. 5 ). The plate-shaped member may be flat, or may have a curved surface that conforms to the shape of the object surface 19 a.

[0073] 2. Effects of the deep temperature measuring probe 3 according to the third embodiment Figure 6 is a diagram for explaining the effects of the third embodiment. Figure 6(a) is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a state when the thickness of the skin, muscle, etc. changes. The group of arrows drawn around U in the figure represents the density of heat flow near the first region 11, the group of arrows drawn around V represents the density of heat flow near the second region 12, and the group of arrows shown within the heat conduction member 90 represents the state in which heat is accommodated.

[0074] (1) Generally speaking, when the thickness of the tissue between the subject's deep part 19c and the subject's surface 19a increases, the thermal resistance therebetween also increases. When a heat flow originating from the subject's deep part 19c (deep temperature TB) passes through the tissue and reaches the subject's surface 19a, the temperature drop therebetween is large, so the temperature of the subject's surface 19a becomes relatively low (assuming the temperature of the outside world is lower than TB). Conversely, when the thickness of the tissue between the subject's deep part 19c and the subject's surface 19a decreases, the thermal resistance therebetween also decreases. When a heat flow originating from the subject's deep part 19c (deep temperature TB) passes through the tissue and reaches the subject's surface 19a, the temperature drop therebetween is small, so the temperature of the subject's surface 19a becomes relatively high.

[0075] 6(a), for example, suppose that the tissue in the first region 11 is compressed and its thickness is reduced, resulting in the first region 11 of the subject surface 19a tending to be hotter than the second region 12. Even in this case, the deep temperature measurement probe 3 is in contact with the first region 11 and the second region 12 of the subject 19 as described above, and is provided with the heat conducting member 90 that connects the temperature sensors 21 and 23. Therefore, even if the heat flow that enters the heat conducting member 90 via the second region 12 is relatively small (see V in the figure), the larger heat flow that enters the heat conducting member 90 via the first region 11 (see U in the figure) is accommodated within the heat conducting member 90, and can be transmitted from the upper surface to the temperature sensors 21 and 23 in an averaged state as the overall temperature distribution of the heat conducting member 90.

[0076] 6(b) is a thermal equivalent circuit diagram of the deep temperature measurement probe 3. ΔR in the diagram indicates the thermal resistivity of the portion corresponding to the heat conduction member 90. The heat flow Ic within the tissue in the first region 11 and the heat flow Id within the tissue in the second region 12 are mutually accommodated by the heat conduction member 90 (ΔR) connected at nodes N1 and N2, and are ultimately supplied to the temperature sensors 21 and 23. The thermal resistance value ΔR of the heat conduction member 90 can be changed by appropriately adjusting the thickness of the heat conduction member 90, the width of the member connecting the temperature sensors 21 and 23, and the like.

[0077] Therefore, even if the thickness of the skin, muscles, etc. between the deep part 19c of the subject and the surface 19a of the subject changes locally due to the subject's movement, etc., the thermal resistance values ​​up to the deep part 19c of the subject as seen from each of the temperature sensors 21 and 23 will ultimately be roughly the same, and the deep temperature can be calculated and measured more accurately using the dual heat flow method.

[0078] In other words, by providing the heat conducting member 90 between the contact temperature sensors 21, 23 and the subject's surface 19a, it is possible to average out the heat applied to the temperature sensors 21, 23 by the heat flow originating from the subject's deep region 19c. This makes it possible to suppress the influence of changes in the thickness of the skin, muscle, etc. between the subject's deep region 19c and the subject's surface 19a depending on how the probe is applied, and enables highly accurate calculation and measurement of deep temperature under measurement conditions closer to ideal in accordance with the theory of the dual heat flow method.

[0079] From the above, according to the deep temperature measurement probe of the present invention, the temperature measurement accuracy by each temperature sensor can be further improved compared to conventional methods, and ultimately the estimation accuracy of deep temperature can be further improved.

[0080] (2) The heat conducting member 90 may be a plate-shaped member made of a metal material. In this case, the plate-shaped member made of a metal material comes into contact with the object surface 19 a, so that the temperature difference on the object surface 19 a can be reduced and made uniform over a wider range.

[0081] 7 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a deep temperature measuring probe 4 according to embodiment 4. The deep temperature measuring probe 4 according to embodiment 4 basically has the same configuration as the deep temperature measuring probe 3 according to embodiment 3, but differs from the deep temperature measuring probe 3 according to embodiment 3 in that the heat flow paths 115, 125 are formed using a substrate 10 as a base member and that the heat flow path 115 is formed by a through hole 15.

[0082] The deep temperature measurement probe 4 of embodiment 4 has a configuration in which, with regard to the configuration of the heat flow paths 115, 125, the configuration of the deep temperature measurement probe 2 of embodiment 2 other than the insulating material 80 is applied as is to the deep temperature measurement probe 4 of embodiment 4.

[0083] As shown in Figure 7, the deep temperature measurement probe 4 further includes a substrate 10. A pair of temperature sensors 21, 22 are mounted in a first region 11 of the substrate so as to face each other across the substrate 10, and another pair of temperature sensors 23, 24 are mounted in a second region 12 of the substrate so as to face each other across the substrate 10. A through-hole 15 is formed in the substrate 10 directly below the pair of temperature sensors 21, 22, penetrating between the front surface 10a and the back surface 10b of the substrate 10, and the pair of temperature sensors 21, 22 are connected by the through-hole 15. The explanations and drawings mentioned in the second embodiment can be directly used as explanations and drawings for the heat flow paths 115, 125, the through-hole 15, etc. in the fourth embodiment.

[0084] As a variation of the substrate 10 and the interior of the through-hole 15, the substrate 10 may be made of a glass substrate, and the interior of the through-hole 15 may be configured to be a vacuum or near-vacuum state.

[0085] The deep temperature measuring probe 4 according to the fourth embodiment has a configuration that is basically the same as the deep temperature measuring probe 3 according to the third embodiment, except that the heat flow paths 115, 125 are formed using the substrate 10 as a base member and that the heat flow path 115 is formed by a through hole 15. Therefore, the deep temperature measuring probe 4 similarly has the corresponding effects of the deep temperature measuring probe 3.

[0086] Although not shown, the probe may be covered with a case 65 except for the skin contact portion (particularly the underside of the heat conduction member 90). This makes it difficult for external environmental factors (temperature, sunlight, moisture) to be transmitted to the deep temperature measurement probe, which contributes to improving the measurement accuracy and reliability of the product (see FIG. 9 of the sixth embodiment described below).

[0087] [Embodiment 5] Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing deep temperature measuring probes 5, 6 according to embodiment 5. Fig. 8(a) is a cross-sectional view of the deep temperature measuring probe 5, and Fig. 8(b) is a cross-sectional view of the deep temperature measuring probe 6.

[0088] The deep temperature measurement probes 5 and 6 of embodiment 5 basically have the same configuration as the deep temperature measurement probes 3 and 4 of embodiments 3 and 4, but differ from the deep temperature measurement probes 3 and 4 of embodiments 3 and 4 in that they further include an insulating material 80.

[0089] As shown in FIG. 8A, the deep temperature measurement probe 5 is the deep temperature measurement probe 3 according to embodiment 3 to which the heat insulating material 80 of embodiment 1 has been added. Also, as shown in FIG. 8B, the deep temperature measurement probe 6 is the deep temperature measurement probe 4 according to embodiment 4 to which the heat insulating material 80 of embodiment 2 has been added. That is, in addition to the configuration of the deep temperature measurement probes 3 and 4 described above, the deep temperature measurement probes 5 and 6 include (i) a heat insulating material 80 disposed in the surrounding area adjacent to the contact temperature sensors 21 and 23, excluding the area where the subject 19 is present and the area where the heat flow paths 115 and 125 are present. Also, (ii) a heat insulating material 80 is disposed in the surrounding area adjacent to the non-contact temperature sensors 22 and 24, excluding the heat flow paths 115 and 125 formed between the contact temperature sensors 21 and 23 and the non-contact temperature sensors 22 and 24.

[0090] The temperature sensor 21 of the pair of temperature sensors 21, 22 that is arranged on the subject 19 side and / or the temperature sensor 23 of another pair of temperature sensors 23, 24 that is arranged on the subject 19 side are defined as "contact temperature sensors." Furthermore, the temperature sensor 22 of the pair of temperature sensors 21, 22 that is arranged on the opposite side of the subject 19 side and / or the temperature sensor 24 of the other pair of temperature sensors 23, 24 that is arranged on the opposite side of the subject 19 side are defined as "non-contact temperature sensors." Furthermore, the first heat flow path 115 and / or the second heat flow path 125 are defined as "heat flow paths."

[0091] In this case, the heat insulating material 80 may have a thermal conductivity substantially equal to that of air, as in the second and third embodiments.

[0092] 8(a), by providing the heat conductive member 90, it is possible to directly achieve the effects of the deep temperature measuring probe 3 according to embodiment 3. Furthermore, by providing the heat insulating material 80, it is possible to directly achieve the effects of the deep temperature measuring probe 1 according to embodiment 1.

[0093] 8(b), by providing the heat conductive member 90, it is possible to directly achieve the effects of the deep temperature measuring probe 4 according to embodiment 4. Furthermore, by providing the heat insulating material 80, it is possible to directly achieve the effects of the deep temperature measuring probe 2 according to embodiment 2.

[0094] [Embodiment 6] Figure 9 is a diagram for explaining a deep temperature measuring probe 7 according to embodiment 6. Figure 9(a) is a cross-sectional view of the deep temperature measuring probe 7, and Figure 9(b) is a plan view of the deep temperature measuring probe 7 as viewed from above. Note that the heat insulating material 80 is indicated by a dashed line, and the case 65 is not shown.

[0095] The deep temperature measuring probe 7 according to the sixth embodiment is a further developed version of the deep temperature measuring probe 6 according to the fifth embodiment. The following description will focus on the differences from the deep temperature measuring probe 6.

[0096] (1) As shown in Fig. 9, an air layer 40 is disposed between the first region 11 and the second region 12 in the substrate 10 of the deep temperature measurement probe 7. The air layer 40 may be formed by forming a through hole penetrating between the front surface 10a and the back surface 10b of the substrate 10 as shown in the figure, and the air layer 40 may be formed by air disposed in the through hole.

[0097] With this configuration, the air layer 40, which can be considered a heat insulator, can block heat conduction between the first region 11 in which the first heat flow path 115 is arranged and the second region 12 in which the second heat flow path 125 is arranged. This reduces thermal interference between the first heat flow path 115 and the second heat flow path 125 and increases the independence of the two heat flow paths, making it possible to measure deep temperatures with even higher accuracy.

[0098] (2) Similarly, air layers 41, 42 are arranged on the substrate 10 of the deep temperature measurement probe 7 between the second region 12 and the temperature sensor 25 for measuring the outside air temperature, and between the first region 11 and the left end of the substrate 10 in the drawing. The air layers 41, 42 are formed by through holes that penetrate between the front surface 10a and the back surface 10b of the substrate 10, and may also be formed by elongated holes formed in a shape that fits most of the horizontal sides of the temperature sensors 22, 24, 25 as shown in the drawing.

[0099] By providing air layers 41 and 42 in addition to air layer 40, the heat flux between the pair of temperature sensors located on the front and back of substrate 10 is covered / surrounded by air layers with low thermal conductivity. Therefore, the heat flow cannot flow horizontally in a planar view, resulting in an ideal heat flux in the vertical direction only, further improving the accuracy of the deep temperature that can be measured. Furthermore, by forming a slot that covers / singles the area around the temperature sensor as much as possible (on all four sides if possible), the heat flux will be even more ideally in the vertical direction only, further improving the accuracy of the deep temperature that can be measured. Note that heat insulating paper 31, which has a thermal conductivity approximately equal to that of air, may be placed between air layers 40, 41, and 42.

[0100] The through holes for forming these air layers 40, 41, and 42 are configured as elongated holes in FIG. 9(b), but are not limited thereto and may be configured as a plurality of "circular (in plan view)" spot-like through holes arranged in parallel that penetrate the substrate 10. Furthermore, the air layer 40 may be configured by forming a cavity inside the substrate 10 in the thickness direction and disposing air in the cavity. The contents of the prior applications (Patent Application No. 2022-105509, PCT / JP2023 / 17069) that describe inventions by the inventors of the present application and others can be incorporated herein by reference.

[0101] (3) As shown in Fig. 9(a), the deep temperature measurement probe 7 is connected between the heat-conducting member 90 and the contact temperature sensors 21, 23 via a heat-conducting adhesive 55. Any heat-conducting adhesive may be used as the heat-conducting adhesive 55 as long as it has relatively high thermal conductivity and is effective as an adhesive. For example, a die-bonding agent containing Ag filler may be used.

[0102] If there were a gap (air, etc.) between the upper surface of the heat conduction member 90 and the lower surface of the contact temperature sensors 21, 23, a situation similar to poor contact would occur, preventing stable heat conduction between the heat conduction member 90 and the contact temperature sensors 21, 23. By connecting the heat conduction member 90 and the contact temperature sensors 21, 23 via heat conductive adhesive 55, the gap between the upper surface of the heat conduction member 90 and the lower surface of the contact temperature sensors 21, 23 can be filled without creating a gap. This makes it possible to prevent poor contact, stably transmit heat flow originating from the deep part 19c of the subject, and further improve measurement accuracy.

[0103] The deep temperature measuring probe 7 according to the sixth embodiment has a configuration basically similar to that of the deep temperature measuring probe 6 according to the fifth embodiment, except for the air layers 40, 41, 42 and the thermally conductive adhesive 55. Therefore, the deep temperature measuring probe 7 has the same effects as the deep temperature measuring probe 6.

[0104] 9, the probe may be covered with a case 65 except for the skin contact portion (particularly the underside of the heat conductive member 90). In this case, external environmental factors (temperature, sunlight, moisture, etc.) are less likely to be transmitted to the deep temperature measurement probe, which contributes to improving the measurement accuracy and reliability of the product.

[0105] Seventh Embodiment Next, a deep body thermometer 500 including the deep body temperature measurement probes 1 to 7 according to the first to sixth embodiments will be described below.

[0106] 1. Configuration of a deep body thermometer 500 according to embodiment 7 Fig. 10 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of a deep body thermometer 500 according to embodiment 7. Reference numeral 200 denotes a temperature measurement unit.

[0107] A deep body temperature meter 500 according to a seventh embodiment can be configured to include any one of the deep body temperature measurement probes 1 to 7 according to the first to sixth embodiments described above, and a deep body temperature estimation unit 210 that estimates a deep body temperature TB using temperatures measured by a pair of temperature sensors 21, 22 and another pair of temperature sensors 23, 24 (a first contact temperature sensor 21 and a first non-contact temperature sensor 22, and a second contact temperature sensor 23 and a second non-contact temperature sensor 24). The deep body temperature estimation unit 210 calculates the deep body temperature TB by a dual heat flow method (for example, by calculating Equation (10) described below) to provide an estimated value.

[0108] The deep temperature estimation unit 210 can be configured as either a dedicated circuit or a general-purpose circuit. As a general-purpose circuit, it can be realized, for example, by an information processing device (no reference numeral) as shown in Fig. 3. The information processing device that constitutes the deep temperature estimation unit 210 has a processor 211, a memory 212, an input / output interface 214, and a communication interface 215. These are connected to a bus BS.

[0109] The processor 211 operates based on programs stored in the storage unit (memory 212 and storage, not shown) and controls each component. The storage unit (unreferenced) also includes a non-volatile storage device (e.g., ROM), which stores a boot program executed by the processor 211 when the information processing device is started, as well as programs dependent on the hardware of the information processing device. The storage, not shown, is composed of auxiliary storage devices such as a solid-state drive (SDD) or a hard disk drive (HDD). The memory 212 appropriately stores data necessary for the processor 211 to execute various controls and processes. The processor 211 calculates and estimates the deep temperature TB by applying temperatures T1 to T4, etc., to equation (10), which will be described later. In this case, the deep temperature estimation unit 210 can also be considered a processor function that calculates and estimates the deep temperature TB.

[0110] The input / output interface 214 performs input / output from / to input / output devices (particularly, temperature sensors 21, 22, 23, 24, and 25 in this example). The communication interface 215 receives data from other electronic devices via a network or the like and sends the data to the processor 211, and also transmits data generated by the processor 211 to other electronic devices via a network or the like.

[0111] 2. Experimental System In equation (10) described below, which is used to estimate the deep temperature TB, it is necessary to identify and prepare the values ​​of the thermal resistance ratio K of the first heat flow measurement system 110 and the second heat flow measurement system 120. If the materials and physical properties of the first heat flow path 115 and the second heat flow path 125 are known, it is possible to theoretically determine the thermal resistance ratio K. However, the inventors have recently developed a method in which a thermal resistance ratio K that is in line with actual conditions is experimentally determined in advance using a separate experimental system, and then the thermal resistance ratio K is applied to equation (10), which will be described in detail below.

[0112] (1) Thermal Equivalent Circuit of Deep Temperature Measurement Probe 1 Figure 11 is a thermal equivalent circuit diagram illustrating an experimental system using the dual heat flow method. Here, an experiment is described using a configuration in which the insulating material 80 has been removed from the configuration of the deep temperature measurement probe 2 according to embodiment 2. In Figure 11, Ia represents the heat flow (value) through the first heat flow path 115, and Ib represents the heat flow (value) through the second heat flow path 125. Ic represents the heat flow (heat flow value) through the thermal resistance (thermal resistance value Rs) between the deep portion 19c of the subject and the surface 19a (skin) of the subject in the first heat flow measurement system 110, and Id represents the heat flow (heat flow value) through the thermal resistance (thermal resistance value Rs) between the deep portion 19c of the subject and the surface 19a (skin) of the subject in the second heat flow measurement system 120.

[0113] 11, the following equations are established for the first heat flow measurement system 110: Ia=(T1-T3) / R1 (1) Ic=(TB-T1) / Rs (2) Ia=Ic=(T1-T3) / R1=(TB-T1) / Rs (3) From equation (3), TB=T1+(T1-T3)×(Rs / R1) (4) Similarly, the following equations are established for the second heat flow measurement system 120: Ib=(T2-T4) / R2 (5) Id=(TB-T2) / Rs (6) Ib=Id=(T2-T4) / R2=(TB-T2) / Rs (7) From equation (7), TB=T2+(T2-T4)×(Rs / R2) (8)

[0114] Here, there is a method for determining the deep temperature TB by removing Rs using equations (4) and (8). However, there are many difficulties in determining R1 / R2 in this experimental system.

[0115] Therefore, the inventors decided to find the deep temperature TB using a different method. First, from the thermal equivalent circuit of FIG. 11, the thermal resistance ratio K between the first heat flow measurement system 110 and the second heat flow measurement system 120 is defined as follows: K = [(TB - T2) (T1 - T3)] / [(TB - T1) (T2 - T4)] (9) Then, equation (9) can be transformed into the following equation for finding the deep temperature TB: TB = T1 + (T1 - T2) (T1 - T3) / [K (T2 - T4) - (T1 - T3)] (10) Based on this idea, the inventors conducted preliminary experiments and determined the thermal resistance ratio K using the relationship in equation (9). Then, using the relationship in equation (10), the deep body temperature TB was calculated (estimated) based on the thermal resistance ratio K determined in the preliminary experiment and the temperatures (T1, T2, T3, T4) measured by the temperature sensors (15, 16, 17, 18). Experimental verification confirmed that an accurate deep body temperature could be obtained.

[0116] In other words, it was confirmed that the deep temperature estimation unit 210 can be configured to estimate the deep temperature TB by applying the thermal resistance ratio K, which is predetermined using the relationship K = [(TB - T2) (T1 - T3)] / [(TB - T1) (T2 - T4)], and the temperatures T1, T2, T3 and T4 measured by probing the subject 19, to the relationship TB = T1 + (T1 - T2) (T1 - T3) / [K (T2 - T4) - (T1 - T3)], where K is the thermal resistance ratio K of the first heat flow path 115 between the pair of temperature sensors 21, 22 and the second heat flow path 125 between the pair of temperature sensors 23, 24.

[0117] Here, the deep temperature is represented by TB, and the temperatures measured by the temperature sensors 21, 22, 23, and 24 are represented by T1, T2, T3, and T4, respectively.

[0118] It should be noted that although formula (2.6) in Non-Patent Document 1 is thought to correspond to formula (10) in this specification, when the inventors checked formula (2.6) in Non-Patent Document 1, there is a possibility that formula (2.6) in Non-Patent Document 1 contains an error.

[0119] (2) Configuration of Experimental System FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic diagram of an experimental system, which is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic diagram of an "experimental system" for experimentally determining the thermal resistance ratio K.

[0120] As shown in Figure 12, a water bath 130 with a large heat capacity is used instead of the deep part 19c of the subject, and it is placed in a thermo-humidistat (not shown). The temperature (ambient temperature) in the thermo-humidistat is set to a predetermined temperature between 10°C and 30°C. The water temperature (deep temperature TB) is maintained at a nearly constant temperature (approximately 37°C). Reference numeral 109 denotes a surrogate subject, whose surface 109a is made of a natural rubber sheet simulating living skin. Reference numeral 109b denotes a region corresponding to the middle part of the surrogate subject, and reference numeral 109c denotes a region corresponding to the deep part of the surrogate subject. Reference numeral 131a denotes a support rod supporting a temperature sensor 131 (such as a thermistor). A deep temperature measurement probe 2' (the deep temperature measurement probe 2 minus the insulating material 80) is placed on an aluminum tub 133, and the aluminum tub 133 is floated in the water in the water bath 130.

[0121] By using such an experimental system, it is possible to obtain (i) the actual deep water temperature (deep temperature TBr) in the water bath 130 by measuring the temperature with the temperature sensor 131. Furthermore, the temperatures sensed by the temperature sensors 21 to 24 of the deep temperature measurement probe 1 are measured by the temperature measurement unit 200 and output to the deep temperature estimation unit 210, and the deep temperature estimation unit 210 performs calculations based on these temperatures, thereby obtaining (ii) an estimated deep water temperature (deep temperature TBp).

[0122] (3) Determination of Thermal Resistance Ratio K Using Equation (9), the thermal resistance ratio K can be determined by conducting an experiment (preliminary experiment) as follows: (a) A preliminary experiment is conducted, in which the actual deep water temperature (deep temperature TBr) is measured, and temperatures T1 to T4 are measured using temperature sensors 21 to 24. The thermal resistance ratio K of the sample (in a state of thermal equilibrium in the experimental system shown in Figure 12) is calculated by applying the relationship in Equation (9). This process is repeated multiple times. (b) The average thermal resistance ratio K obtained from multiple experiments is calculated. (c) The measured water temperature (deep temperature TBr) is compared with the estimated deep temperature TBp (water temperature) calculated by applying the average thermal resistance ratio K and temperatures T1 to T4 to the relationship in Equation (10), and it is checked whether the difference (error) between the two has become smaller. If the error is large, the above steps (a) to (c) are repeated to determine the thermal resistance ratio K that reduces the error.

[0123] (4) Estimation of deep temperature TB The value of the thermal resistance ratio K determined as described above is stored in memory 212 (see FIG. 10). The temperature is measured using temperature sensors 21 to 24 and temperature measurement unit 200, and deep temperature estimation unit 210 calculates (estimates) deep temperature TB by performing the calculation of equation (10).

[0124] (5) Incorporation of Prior Application The contents of the prior application (Japanese Patent Application No. 2022-53593), which describes the inventions of the inventors of the present application and others (e.g., FIG. 4, paragraphs

[0038] to

[0046] , etc.), can be incorporated into this specification as is and incorporated as is as a method for experimentally determining the thermal resistance ratio K of the present invention. A detailed description of the experimental determination of the thermal resistance ratio K will be omitted hereafter in this specification.

[0125] 3. Effects of the Deep Thermometer 500 According to Embodiment 7 (1) The deep thermometer 500 according to Embodiment 7 includes any one of the deep temperature measurement probes 1 to 7 according to Embodiments 1 to 6, and a deep temperature estimation unit 210 that estimates the deep temperature TB using the temperatures measured by the pair of temperature sensors 21, 22 and another pair of temperature sensors 23, 24. Therefore, the deep thermometer 500 can also enjoy the same effects as those obtained by the deep temperature measurement probes 1 to 7, such as improved measurement accuracy and the achievement of both a thinner substrate 10 and improved measurement accuracy.

[0126] (2) The deep thermometer 500 of embodiment 7 is configured to estimate the deep temperature TB by applying the thermal resistance ratio K, which is determined in advance using the relationship expressed by the above equation (9) for calculating the thermal resistance ratio K, and the temperatures T1, T2, T3 and T4 measured by probing the subject 19, to the relationship expressed by the above equation (10).

[0127] In reality, it is thought that the influence of heat flux in a diffusion mode other than linear heat flux is also present, so the thermal resistance ratio K theoretically calculated based on the known thermal conductivity of the materials that make up each heat flow path may differ from the actual accurate thermal resistance ratio K. Therefore, by determining the thermal resistance ratio K in advance using the relationship expressed by the above equation (9) in a separate experimental system, it is possible to estimate the deep temperature TB based on a highly accurate thermal resistance ratio K that is close to that of an actual probe. This makes it possible to measure deep temperature with greater accuracy.

[0128] [Simulation Example] The inventors have confirmed the effects of providing the heat insulating material 80 and the heat conducting member 90 through simulations, which will be described below. 1. Simulation Example 1 Regarding the Heat Insulating Material 80 (1) Simulation Conditions The deep temperature measurement probe 2 according to the second embodiment was assumed as the sample. The external environment was set to an outside air temperature of 20°C, a deep temperature TB of 37°C, and the sample was placed in a thermo-hygrostat. Heat insulating material 80 was used as heat insulating paper having a thermal conductivity substantially equal to that of air. It was assumed that convection (wind) of outside air occurred at a predetermined wind speed in the thermo-hygrostat from the longitudinal direction of the sample (the direction in which the temperature sensors 22, 24, and 25 are aligned).

[0129] The simulation involved three levels: a first level in which there was no insulation material 80; a second level in which insulation material 80 was provided only on the front surface 10a side of the substrate 10; and a third level in which insulation material 80 was provided on both the front surface 10a side and the back surface 10b side of the substrate 10. The thermal resistance ratio K was determined by gradually changing the outside air speed between 0 and 10 m / s.

[0130] (2) Simulation Results and Discussion Figure 13 is a graph used to explain Simulation Example 1. The horizontal axis represents the wind speed of the convection current of the ambient air outside the deep temperature measurement probe, and the vertical axis represents the value of the thermal resistance ratio K in the dual heat flow method. Curve CV1 represents the results of the first level, curve CV2 represents the results of the second level, and curve CV3 represents the results of the third level. As shown in the graph of Figure 13, the more insulating material 80 was placed, the smaller the fluctuations in the thermal resistance ratio K became.

[0131] The fluctuation range of the thermal resistance ratio K was 0.242 in the first level where there was no insulating material 80, while it was 0.118 in the third level where insulating material 80 was provided on both the front surface 10a and the back surface 10b of the substrate 10. Considering that the smaller the fluctuation in the thermal resistance ratio K, the higher the accuracy of measuring deep body temperature, it was confirmed that by providing insulating material 80 on both surfaces of the substrate 10 (third level), accuracy was increased by approximately two times compared to when no insulating material 80 was provided at all (first level).

[0132] 2. Simulation Example 2 Regarding the Heat Conduction Member 90 (1) Simulation Conditions The deep temperature measurement probe 4 according to the fourth embodiment was used as a sample. The external environment was assumed to be an ambient air temperature of 20°C, a deep temperature TB of 37°C, and no ambient air convection. A rubber sheet was used as a substitute specimen for the tissue between the deep portion 19c of the subject and the surface 19a of the subject. Assuming that localized pressure on the subject 19 causes a difference in tissue thickness between the deep portion 19c of the subject and the surface 19a of the subject in the first region 11 and the second region 12, the thickness of the rubber sheet was varied between the first region 11 and the second region 12. The thermal resistance ratio K was sequentially measured while gradually varying the difference in thickness of the rubber sheet between the first region 11 and the second region 12 between 0 and 1 mm for cases where the heat conduction member 90 was not provided and where a heat conduction member 90 made of a copper plate with a thickness Th = 0.1 mm was provided.

[0133] (2) Simulation Results and Discussion Figure 14 is a graph shown to explain Simulation Example 2. The horizontal axis represents the thickness of the rubber, which is regarded as tissue between the deep part 19c of the subject and the surface 19a of the subject, and the vertical axis represents the value of the thermal resistance ratio K in the dual heat flow method. Figure 14(a) is a graph when the heat conduction member 90 is not provided, and Figure 14(b) is a graph when the heat conduction member 90 is provided.

[0134] When the heat conductive member 90 is not provided, it is confirmed that the thermal resistance ratio K fluctuates (decreases) with the rubber thickness difference being set to 0 as the reference, and the measurement accuracy deteriorates as the rubber thickness difference increases, as shown in Fig. 14(a). On the other hand, when the heat conductive member 90 is provided, it is confirmed that the thermal resistance ratio K remains almost constant with almost no fluctuation, and the measurement accuracy can be maintained, even if the rubber thickness difference increases, as shown in Fig. 14(b).

[0135] Although the present invention has been described based on the above embodiment, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment and can be embodied in various forms without departing from the spirit of the present invention, and for example, the following modifications are also possible.

[0136] (1) In the deep temperature measurement probes 2, 4, 6, and 7 and the deep thermometer 500 according to the second, fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh embodiments, a heat insulating paper 31 may be disposed inside the through hole 15 in the first region 11 (see FIG. 15).

[0137] When this insulating paper 31 is packed into the air layer 30 arranged in the through-hole 15, the overall thermal resistance value R1 of the internal space of the through-hole 15 becomes approximately the same as the thermal resistance value of the air. The insulating paper 31 may be appropriately formed into a three-dimensional shape by alternately folding it over to form a wavy shape, folding it into a repeating pattern of peaks and valleys, or rolling it randomly, and then packed into the internal space of the through-hole 15.

[0138] With this configuration, the heat insulating paper 31 can prevent the movement of air inside the through-hole 15, thereby suppressing convection inside the through-hole 15. Heat transfer by "convection" inside the first heat flow path 115 is suppressed, and direct heat transfer by "conduction" via the air layer 30 and the heat insulating paper 31 is the main method of transfer. This creates an even more ideal state for the thermal circuit, making it possible to measure deep temperatures with even higher accuracy.

[0139] (2) In the deep temperature measurement probes 2, 4, 6, 7 and deep thermometer 500 according to embodiments 2, 4, 5, 6, and 7, another through hole 17 may be formed directly below the temperature sensors 23 and 24, penetrating between the front surface 10a and the back surface 10b of the substrate 10, and metal 37 may be embedded in the another through hole 17, so that the pair of temperature sensors 23 and 24 are connected via the metal 37 (see Figure 15).

[0140] Copper, for example, can be used as the metal 37. The thermal conductivity of copper is 403 [W / (mK)] (at 0 [°C]), which is orders of magnitude greater than that of the materials constituting the substrate 10 and the like. From the perspective of thermal resistance, the metal 37 can have a thermal resistance value that is orders of magnitude smaller than that of the materials constituting the substrate 10 and the like. Therefore, the thermal resistance value R2 of the second heat flow path 125 formed by the metal 37 can be significantly reduced, and the difference from the thermal resistance value R1 of the first heat flow path 115 can be easily ensured.

[0141] 15 is a cross-sectional view showing a deep temperature measurement probe 8 according to Modification 1. The figure shows a modification based on the deep temperature measurement probe 7 according to Embodiment 6, but the configurations of the deep temperature measurement probes 2, 4, and 6 and the deep thermometer 500 can also similarly include insulating paper 31 disposed inside the through-hole 15, or another through-hole 17 can be provided in which metal 37 is embedded. The case 65 is not shown.

[0142] (3) In each embodiment, the temperature sensors 21 to 24 are described as being implemented using ICs in a SON package. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, as shown in FIG. 16(a), the temperature sensors 21 to 24 can be configured as ICs in a WL-CSP (Wafer Level Chip Size Package) (Variation 2). Also, as shown in FIG. 16(b), the temperature sensors 21 to 24 can be configured as bare chips directly mounted on the substrate 10 (Variation 3). Although not shown, the temperature sensors may be configured as temperature sensors other than ICs, such as thermocouples. Note that FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view of a main portion of the deep temperature measurement probes 9, 9' according to Variations 2 and 3.

[0143] 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 9'...Deep temperature measurement probe, 10...substrate, 10a...surface (of substrate), 10b...back surface (of substrate), 11...first region, 12...second region, 13, 13a...wiring pattern, 13b...land, 13c...terminal, 15, 17...through hole, 19...subject, 19a...subject surface, 19b...intermediate portion of subject, 19c...deep portion of subject, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25...temperature sensor, 28...external connection terminal, 29...thermal pad, 30, 40, 41, 42...air layer, 31...insulating paper, 37...metal, 51...solder, 55...thermally conductive adhesive, 60...external connector, 65...case, 80...insulating Thermal material, 80a, 80b, 80c, 80d, 80e, 80f...insulating paper, 82...opening (in insulating paper), 90...thermal conduction member, 109a...surface, 110...first heat flow measurement system, 110a...first heat flow / heat flux, 115...(first) heat flow path, 120...second heat flow measurement system, 120a...second heat flow / heat flux, 125...(second) heat flow path, 130...water bath, 131...temperature sensor, 133...aluminum tub, 200...temperature measurement unit, 210...core temperature estimation unit, 211...processor, 212...memory, 214...input / output interface, 215...communication interface, 223...contact temperature sensor, 500...core thermometer

Claims

1. A deep temperature measuring probe used to measure the deep body temperature of a subject, A contact temperature sensor, which is a temperature sensor that contacts the surface of the subject, A non-contact temperature sensor, which is a temperature sensor that does not come into contact with the surface of the subject, A heat channel is configured between the opposing contact temperature sensor and the non-contact temperature sensor to transmit heat flow from the specimen to the non-contact temperature sensor, The device comprises a heat insulating material, which is composed of a separate component from the heat channel and is positioned outside the heat channel. The thermal insulation material is arranged in the following locations: (i) in the surrounding area adjacent to the contact temperature sensor, excluding the area where the subject is located and the area where the heat channel is located, at a position in which it contacts the contact temperature sensor in a direction intersecting the direction of the heat flow; and / or (ii) in the surrounding area adjacent to the non-contact temperature sensor, excluding the heat channel, at a position in which it contacts the non-contact temperature sensor in a direction intersecting the direction of the heat flow. A probe for measuring deep body temperature, characterized by the following features.

2. In the deep temperature measurement probe according to claim 1, The aforementioned thermal insulation material is characterized by having substantially the same thermal conductivity as air, and is used as a probe for measuring deep body temperature.

3. In the deep temperature measurement probe according to claim 1 or 2, The aforementioned thermal insulation material is characterized in that an aerosol or aerogel is supported on a support material, and is used as a probe for measuring deep body temperature.

4. In the deep temperature measurement probe according to claim 1 or 2, The aforementioned insulation material is characterized by being composed of insulating paper, and is a probe for measuring deep body temperature.

5. In the deep temperature measurement probe according to claim 1 or 2, The probe used for measuring deep body temperature is In the first region, the first contact temperature sensor and the first non-contact temperature sensor are arranged opposite each other across the first heat channel. In the second region, the second contact temperature sensor and the second non-contact temperature sensor are positioned opposite each other across a second heat channel that exhibits a different thermal resistance value from that of the first heat channel. A probe for measuring deep body temperature, characterized by being such a thing.

6. In the deep temperature measurement probe according to claim 5, Equipped with a circuit board, In the first region of the substrate, the first contact temperature sensor and the first non-contact temperature sensor are mounted facing each other across the substrate. In the second region of the substrate, the second contact temperature sensor and the second non-contact temperature sensor are mounted facing each other across the substrate. The substrate has a through hole formed therein that penetrates between the front and back surfaces of the substrate directly beneath the first non-contact temperature sensor, and the first contact temperature sensor and the first non-contact temperature sensor are connected by the through hole. A probe for measuring deep body temperature, characterized by the following features.

7. In the deep temperature measurement probe according to claim 6, The probe for measuring deep temperature is characterized in that the substrate is made of a glass substrate and the inside of the through-hole is in a vacuum or near-vacuum state.

8. A probe for measuring deep body temperature according to claim 5, A deep temperature estimation unit that estimates the deep temperature using the temperatures measured by the first contact temperature sensor and the first non-contact temperature sensor, and the second contact temperature sensor and the second non-contact temperature sensor, A deep body thermometer equipped with a thermometer.

9. A probe for measuring deep body temperature used when measuring the deep body temperature of a subject, A contact temperature sensor, which is a temperature sensor that contacts the surface of the subject, A non-contact temperature sensor, which is a temperature sensor that does not come into contact with the surface of the subject, A heat channel that transmits heat flow from the subject to the non-contact temperature sensor, circuit board and Equipped with insulation, In the first region of the substrate, the first contact temperature sensor and the first non-contact temperature sensor are mounted facing each other across the first heat channel. In a second region of the substrate different from the first region, the second contact temperature sensor and the second non-contact temperature sensor are mounted facing each other across the second heat channel. The substrate has a through hole formed therein that penetrates between the front and back surfaces of the substrate directly beneath the first non-contact temperature sensor, and the first contact temperature sensor and the first non-contact temperature sensor are connected by this through hole. The thermal insulation material is arranged in (i) the surrounding area adjacent to the contact temperature sensor, excluding the area where the subject is located and the area where the heat channel is located, and / or (ii) the surrounding area adjacent to the non-contact temperature sensor, excluding the area where the heat channel is located, which is formed between the contact temperature sensor and the non-contact temperature sensor. A probe for measuring deep body temperature, characterized by the following features.

10. In the deep temperature measurement probe according to claim 9, The probe for measuring deep temperature is characterized in that the substrate is made of a glass substrate and the inside of the through-hole is in a vacuum or near-vacuum state.

11. A probe for measuring deep body temperature according to claim 9 or 10, A deep temperature estimation unit that estimates the deep temperature using the temperatures measured by the first contact temperature sensor and the first non-contact temperature sensor, and the second contact temperature sensor and the second non-contact temperature sensor, A deep body thermometer equipped with a thermometer.