Lightweight Flexible Temperature Sensor for Wire-Free Fluorescence Reading
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current temperature monitoring technologies for temperature-sensitive shipments, such as those used in biologistics, are expensive, inaccurate, and prone to damage, with limited applicability and requiring physical interaction for reading, making them unsuitable for high-value and time-sensitive products.
Innovation Solution
A lightweight, flexible temperature sensor kit utilizing phosphor thermometry with thin film tags that provide instantaneous remote temperature readings, capable of detecting temperatures from -200 to 300°C, and can be reused by attaching and detaching from packages, using phosphor-doped sensor films that emit fluorescence upon illumination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If heavy data loggers and thermocouples with connecting wires are used, then temperature measurement capability is provided, but weight increases and reliability decreases due to damage and breaking
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a thin-film temperature sensor that eliminates heavy data loggers and wired thermocouples. The sensor uses a flexible thin-film structure with phosphor-based temperature indication that can be directly applied to packages without connecting wires or heavy components, thereby improving reliability by removing failure-prone electrical connections while maintaining temperature measurement capability.
2Measurement precision
If resistive temperature detectors with thin films and connecting wires are used, then temperature measurement is achieved, but device complexity increases and reliability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the complex electrical connection system (connecting leads, wires, and data logging equipment) from the temperature measurement solution. By using a self-contained phosphor-based thin-film sensor that provides temperature indication through optical means rather than electrical signals, the invention eliminates the need for complex wiring and external power sources, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining measurement capability.
3Ease of manufacture
If temperature labels are used, then cost is reduced, but measurement precision deteriorates due to inaccurate readings and significant delay time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the fundamental parameter used for temperature indication from passive color-change labels to an active phosphor-based system. The phosphor material exhibits temperature-dependent luminescence characteristics that can be optically measured with high precision. This parameter change enables accurate temperature readings without the significant delay times and inaccuracies of traditional labels, while maintaining cost-effectiveness through the use of inexpensive phosphor materials and simple optical detection.
4Ease of manufacture
If infrared thermometry is used, then cost is reduced compared to RTDs, but adaptability deteriorates due to limited applicability to certain surfaces and material types
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal temperature sensing solution that can be applied to any surface or material type. The thin-film sensor can be directly adhered to diverse surfaces including metals, plastics, and other materials, providing temperature measurement capability across all material types. This universal applicability is achieved through the flexible thin-film construction that can conform to various surface geometries and material properties, eliminating the surface and material limitations of infrared thermometry while maintaining cost-effectiveness.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The sensor kit offers high sensitivity and accuracy, achieving precision within ±0.2°C for biologistics temperatures, is cost-effective, and can be used across various industries with wireless communication and customizable designs.
Implementation Method 1
The sensor film can be illuminated to cause it to emit light. The emitted light can be used to determine temperature.
Implementation Method 2
the sensor readout kit detects the fluorescence emitted in response to illumination of the thin film tape
Implementation Method 3
the present invention utilizes phosphor thermometry
Implementation Method 4
Embodiments of the present invention utilize the temperature-dependent luminescence of phosphor-containing substances to determine the temperature
Data Source
AI summary
A thin sensor film that is capable of indicating temperature and an associated sensor readout kit that illuminates the sensor film and detects the return fluorescence for analysis to determine temperature. The sensor film may be detached and reattached in order to be reused. The initial design achieves high sensitivity and accuracy in the range of interest to biologistics and can potentially address temperatures ranging from −200 to 300° C. A variation allows for the use of optical fibers for measurements of surfaces inside enclosures.