Thin-Film Temperature Sensor With Matched Heating and Pre-Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing temperature measurement devices, such as those using glass-filled NTC thermistors, have limited temperature responsiveness and require a relationship between the surface temperature of the measurement target and ambient temperature, making rapid and precise temperature measurement challenging, especially in environments where the ambient temperature is higher than the surface temperature.
Innovation Solution
A temperature measurement device utilizing thin film thermosensitive elements with a heat insulating layer and a Peltier element for temperature control, allowing the thermosensitive element to maintain a temperature lower than the measurement target, ensuring rapid and precise temperature measurement by equalizing the temperature of the protective heating element with the measurement element.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If glass-filled NTC thermistors are used as temperature measurement sensors, then the device structure is simple and reliable, but the temperature responsiveness is slow due to large heat capacity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the temperature measurement sensor by using thin film thermosensitive elements instead of bulk glass-filled NTC thermistors. The thin film structure reduces heat capacity and increases surface area to volume ratio, enabling rapid temperature response while maintaining measurement reliability through controlled film deposition and material selection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs thin film thermosensitive elements as the temperature measurement sensor, utilizing the thin film structure to achieve rapid thermal response. The thin film configuration minimizes thermal mass while maintaining structural integrity and measurement accuracy, directly addressing the slow response issue of conventional bulk sensors.
2Ease of operation
If the temperature measurement sensor is maintained at ambient temperature, then the device operation is simple, but heat transfer occurs between the sensor and the measurement target when ambient temperature is higher than surface temperature
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-cooling the temperature measurement sensor to a temperature lower than the measurement target surface temperature before measurement begins. This preliminary temperature adjustment prevents heat transfer from the target to the sensor during measurement, eliminating measurement errors that would occur in high ambient temperature environments.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary anti-action by proactively cooling the sensor below the expected target temperature to counteract potential heat transfer from the measurement target. This preemptive temperature control prevents measurement distortion before it can occur, ensuring accuracy in environments where ambient temperature exceeds surface temperature.
3Measurement precision
If a protective heat source sensor is heated to the same temperature as the temperature measurement sensor, then heat transfer is prevented, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the protective heating function from a separate protective heat source sensor and integrates it into the temperature measurement sensor itself. By combining the temperature sensing and protective heating functions in a single thin film element, the patent eliminates the need for separate protective sensors while maintaining measurement accuracy and preventing heat transfer issues.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the temperature measurement and protective heating functions into a single thin film thermosensitive element. This integration reduces device complexity by eliminating separate protective sensors and their associated control systems, while the element can still be heated to match target temperature for protective purposes and functions as the temperature measurement sensor.
4Speed
If thin film thermosensitive elements are used to achieve rapid temperature response, then temperature responsiveness improves, but the ability to maintain temperature lower than measurement target becomes challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a heat insulating layer as an intermediary between the thin film thermosensitive element and the protective heating element. This heat insulating layer allows the measurement sensor to be rapidly cooled by the cooling element while preventing heat transfer from the protective heating element, enabling the sensor to maintain temperatures below the measurement target for accurate measurement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the sensor structure into distinct functional layers: a thin film thermosensitive element for rapid temperature response, a heat insulating layer for thermal isolation, and a protective heating element for temperature matching. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently, enabling rapid cooling of the sensor while maintaining the ability to heat the protective element separately.
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
Enables precise and accurate temperature measurement with rapid response, suitable for both living bodies and industrial applications, by maintaining the thermosensitive element at a lower temperature than the measurement target, reducing heat transfer and enhancing sensitivity and thermal responsiveness.
Implementation Method 1
a thin film thermosensitive element for measurement, able to measure a temperature by bringing the thermosensitive part into contact with a measurement target
Implementation Method 2
a thin film thermosensitive element for protective heating, disposed, with of a heat insulating layer being interposed, to be able to exchange heat with the thin film thermosensitive element for measurement
Implementation Method 3
a temperature control element, able to set the thin film thermosensitive element for measurement to a temperature state at a temperature that is a certain degree lower than a temperature of the measurement target
Implementation Method 4
the temperature of the thin film thermosensitive element for measurement and the temperature of the thin film thermosensitive element for protective heating are equal
Data Source
AI summary
A temperature measurement device (10) comprises: a thermosensitive unit (41) that senses temperature; a thin film thermosensitive element (1) for measurement capable of measuring the temperature by bringing the thermosensitive unit (41) into contact with a subject; a thin film thermosensitive element (2) for protective heating disposed to enable heat exchange with the thin film thermosensitive element (1) via an insulating layer (S1), and controlled so that the temperature thereof is equal to the temperature of the thin film thermosensitive element (1); a temperature control element (3) capable of causing the thin film thermosensitive element (1) to be in a temperature state in which the temperature thereof is a certain degree lower than the temperature of the subject; and a control processing unit (5) controlling the thin film thermosensitive element (1), the thin film thermosensitive element (2), and the temperature control element (3).