Temperature Sensor Housing for Reduced Thermocouple Measurement Error
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing temperature sensors with thermocouples are complex to manufacture, expensive, and suffer from measurement inaccuracies due to temperature differences between the free ends of the thermocouple and the reference temperature on the circuit board, exacerbated by partition walls and insulation effects.
Innovation Solution
The sensor design integrates the printed circuit board, transmission elements, and stranded wires of the thermocouple into a common housing cavity, using SMD connectors and metallic terminals to minimize temperature differences and improve measurement accuracy, while providing strain relief and protection against mechanical damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the thermocouple free ends are connected to the circuit board via transmission elements and partition walls, then the circuit board is protected from mechanical damage and environmental factors, but temperature differences arise between the thermocouple free ends and the reference temperature on the circuit board, reducing measurement accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the thermocouple free ends and reference temperature sensor from the protected cavity environment and places them in direct contact with the measured medium through opening 53. This allows both the thermocouple free ends and reference temperature sensor to experience the same temperature conditions, eliminating measurement errors caused by temperature differences while the circuit board remains protected inside the housing.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If partition walls and insulation elements are used to protect the circuit board, then mechanical protection and environmental sealing are improved, but temperature uniformity between different parts of the sensor is reduced, leading to measurement errors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates an opening (opening 53) in the housing that allows the thermocouple free ends and reference temperature sensor to be extracted from the protected cavity and placed directly in the measured environment. This extraction eliminates the insulating effect of partition walls for these critical components while the rest of the circuit board remains protected by the housing.
3Ease of manufacture
If the thermocouple free ends are positioned far from the reference temperature sensor on the circuit board, then the circuit board layout is simplified, but the temperature difference between measurement points increases, reducing measurement accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts both the thermocouple free ends and reference temperature sensor from the circuit board cavity and positions them together in direct contact with the measured medium through opening 53. This ensures both measurement points are at the same location and experience identical temperature conditions, eliminating temperature gradient errors while allowing flexible circuit board layout inside the protected cavity.
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
This design enhances measurement accuracy by reducing temperature deviations and mechanical stress on the circuit board, resulting in a more precise and cost-effective temperature sensor.
Implementation Method 1
The so-called thermoelectric effect is used here: If two electrically conductive measuring wires made of different metallic materials are connected to one another and if this connection point and the free ends of the measuring wires are exposed to different temperatures, a thermal voltage is generated between the free ends
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a temperature sensor (10) having a housing (50) which surrounds a printed circuit board (20), the printed circuit board (20) carrying an integrated circuit (21), a thermocouple (12) comprising a first measuring wire (14) and a second measuring wire (16), the first measuring wire (14) and the second measuring wire (16) being connected to one another with their respective first ends at a first connection point (18), wherein an electrically conductive stranded wire (15, 17) is formed on the measuring wires (14, 16) at the respective second ends, wherein transmission elements (22, 23) for transmitting a measuring voltage (Um) or a measuring current (Im) from the strands (15, 17) to the circuit board (20) are arranged in the housing (50), and wherein the transmission elements (22, 23) consist of a different material than the strands (15, 17) of the measuring wires (14, 16). It is provided that the housing (50) has a cavity (51) in which the ASIC (21) and the connection points (19) with which the strands (15, 17) are electrically conductively connected to the transmission elements (22, 23) are arranged. The invention further relates to a method of manufacturing such a temperature sensor (10).