JP2015175816A - sensor terminal equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide sensor terminal equipment capable of generating power necessary for driving.SOLUTION: Sensor terminal equipment includes: a sensor part; a transmission part; and a power supply part. The sensor part is configured to detect information based on an environment. The transmission part is configured to transmit a detection result by the sensor part. The power supply part includes a thermoelectric module and a photovoltaic module, and supplies power generated by the thermoelectric module and the photovoltaic module to the sensor part and the transmission part.

Description

  The present invention relates to a sensor terminal device capable of providing information based on the environment.

  It has a sensor that can detect information based on the environment of the installation location (for example, temperature, humidity, etc., hereinafter also simply referred to as “environment information”), and the environment information detected by the sensor can be wirelessly transmitted. A sensor terminal device configured as described above is known. Environment information wirelessly transmitted from the sensor terminal device is received by a mobile terminal device such as a smart phone, for example.

  By installing the sensor terminal device in more places, more environmental information can be obtained. For example, it is possible to simultaneously grasp environmental information at a plurality of locations by means of sensor terminal devices installed at a plurality of locations in the city. In addition, the sensor terminal device installed in a place where it is difficult for a person to enter can easily acquire environmental information at the place without entering the place.

  However, since a general sensor terminal device is driven by a battery, the sensor terminal device requires periodic battery replacement. Therefore, if the sensor terminal device is installed in more places, labor for replacing the battery of the sensor terminal device increases. Patent Document 1 discloses a sensor terminal device that has a solar battery and does not require labor for battery replacement.

JP 2008-215913 A

  In recent years, sensor terminal devices have been required to provide a wide variety of environmental information, and the need to mount various sensors has increased. That is, it is preferable that the sensor terminal device can be mounted with not only a sensor with low power consumption, such as a temperature sensor and a humidity sensor, but also a sensor with higher power consumption. However, in a solar cell, there may be a case where sufficient power is not obtained for normally driving a sensor with large power consumption in a place where sufficient light irradiation is not possible.

  In view of the circumstances as described above, an object of the present invention is to provide a sensor terminal device capable of generating electric power necessary for driving.

In order to achieve the above object, a sensor terminal device according to an aspect of the present invention includes a sensor unit, a transmission unit, and a power supply unit.
The sensor unit is configured to be able to detect information based on the environment.
The said transmission part is comprised so that transmission of the detection result by the said sensor part is possible.
The power supply unit includes a thermoelectric module and a photovoltaic module, and supplies electric power generated by the thermoelectric module and the photovoltaic module to the sensor unit and the transmission unit.
In this configuration, the power generated by the power supply unit hybridized by the thermoelectric module and the photovoltaic module is used to drive the sensor terminal device. That is, in the power supply unit, larger electric power can be obtained than the configuration of only the thermoelectric module or the configuration of only the photovoltaic module. Therefore, this sensor terminal device can generate electric power necessary for driving.

The power supply unit may further include a heat dissipation unit disposed between the thermoelectric module and the photovoltaic module.
The thermoelectric module may include a first substrate to which heat from a heat source is transmitted and a second substrate to which the heat dissipation unit is connected.
In this configuration, by installing the sensor terminal device so that the heat dissipating part faces the outside, the heat dissipating part can release the heat of the first substrate of the thermoelectric module to the outside air, and the photovoltaic module is exposed to light from the outside. Power generation is possible. Therefore, the power generation by the thermoelectric module and the photovoltaic module is favorably performed.

The heat radiating portion may include a heat diffusing portion having a facing surface facing the photovoltaic module, and a plurality of fins extending from the facing surface through the photovoltaic module.
In this configuration, the photovoltaic module is provided between the plurality of fins in the heat dissipation portion. That is, a photovoltaic module is provided in the empty space of a heat radiating part. Therefore, the amount of electric power that can be generated by the sensor terminal device can be increased without increasing the size of the sensor terminal device.

The heat radiating part may have a heat diffusing part and a plurality of fins.
The heat diffusion unit may include a first surface facing the photovoltaic module and a second surface extending from the first surface.
The plurality of fins may extend from the second surface.
In this configuration, the plurality of fins are provided on a second surface different from the first surface on which the photovoltaic module is provided. That is, the photovoltaic module and the plurality of fins are provided in different areas. Therefore, as a photovoltaic module, not a special shape but a general flat plate can be used. For this reason, the manufacturing cost of a sensor terminal device is reduced.

The second surface may intersect the first surface.
In this configuration, in the sensor terminal device formed in a polyhedral shape, a plurality of fins are provided on a second surface different from the first surface on which the photovoltaic module is provided. Therefore, a large installation space for the photovoltaic module and the plurality of fins can be secured.

  A sensor terminal device capable of generating electric power necessary for driving can be provided. In particular, in the sensor terminal device according to the present invention, electric power necessary for driving can be obtained even in a place where light irradiation is insufficient or where heat generation is insufficient.

It is a perspective view of the sensor terminal device concerning a 1st embodiment of the present invention. It is a top view of the sensor terminal device shown in FIG. It is sectional drawing along the AA 'line of FIG. 1 of the sensor terminal device shown in FIG. It is a block diagram which shows schematic structure of the sensor terminal device shown in FIG. It is a perspective view of the sensor terminal device which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing along the BB 'line of FIG. 5 of the sensor terminal device shown in FIG. It is a perspective view of the sensor terminal device concerning a 3rd embodiment of the present invention. It is sectional drawing along CC 'line of FIG. 7 of the sensor terminal device shown in FIG. It is a block diagram which shows schematic structure of the sensor terminal device shown in FIG. It is sectional drawing of the sensor terminal device which concerns on the 4th Embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows schematic structure of the sensor terminal device shown in FIG.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
In the drawing, an X axis, a Y axis, and a Z axis that are orthogonal to each other are shown as appropriate. The X axis, the Y axis, and the Z axis are common in each embodiment.

[First Embodiment]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a sensor terminal device 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a top view of the sensor terminal device 1. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the sensor terminal device 1 taken along line AA ′ of FIG. FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of the sensor terminal device 1.

(1) Configuration of Sensor Terminal Device 1 As shown in FIG. 1, the sensor terminal device 1 includes a rectangular parallelepiped body portion having sides parallel to the X axis, the Y axis, and the Z axis, and the body portion. And a plurality of fins 12b extending upward in the Z-axis direction.
Hereinafter, the configuration of the sensor terminal device 1 will be described mainly with reference to FIG.

(overall structure)
The sensor terminal device 1 includes a power supply substrate 15, a control unit 16, a sensor unit 17, a transmission unit 18, a thermoelectric module 10, and a photovoltaic module 11.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the power supply substrate 15, the thermoelectric module 10, and the photovoltaic module 11 are included in a power supply unit U that supplies power to the control unit 16, the sensor unit 17, and the transmission unit 18. The control unit 16 controls the power supply board 15, the sensor unit 17, and the transmission unit 18.

  The sensor terminal device 1 further includes a heat radiating portion 12, a heat collecting plate 13 a, a spacer block 13 b, a heat insulating plate 14, and a side wall portion 19. The heat radiating unit 12, the heat collecting plate 13 a, and the side wall unit 19 constitute an external appearance of the sensor terminal device 1, and a space S that houses the thermoelectric module 10, the power supply board 15, the control unit 16, the sensor unit 17, and the transmission unit 18. Form.

(Heat dissipation part 12)
The heat dissipation part 12 is configured as a general heat sink. The heat radiating portion 12 includes a rectangular flat plate-shaped heat diffusion plate 12a extending along the XY plane, and a plurality of fins 12b extending upward from the heat diffusion plate 12a in the Z-axis direction. The fins 12b have a hexagonal cross section and are regularly arranged on the upper surface of the heat diffusion plate 12a in the Z-axis direction.

  The heat dissipating part 12 is formed of a metal material having high thermal conductivity. For example, aluminum, copper, or stainless steel can be used as a material for forming the heat radiation portion 12. In this embodiment, the heat radiation part 12 is formed with aluminum, and the black alumite process is given to the surface. By making the surface of the heat radiating portion 12 black, the amount of heat radiation of the heat radiating portion 12 is increased, so that the heat radiating performance of the heat radiating portion 12 is improved.

  The lower surface in the Z-axis direction of the heat diffusing plate 12 a of the heat radiating unit 12 is connected to the thermoelectric module 10. The heat diffusion plate 12a may be joined to the thermoelectric module 10 by solder, brazing material, or the like, or may be connected via a heat conductive paste, liquid metal, or the like.

  The heat radiating unit 12 is configured to absorb the heat of the thermoelectric module 10 from the lower surface in the Z-axis direction of the heat diffusing plate 12a and release it from the surface of the fin 12b to the outside air. In the heat radiating part 12, since the surface of the fin 12b is complicated, the surface which can discharge | release heat to outside air can be ensured widely.

  In addition, the configuration of the heat radiating unit 12 (for example, the shape and arrangement of the fins 12b) can be appropriately determined according to the required heat radiating performance. For example, the cross-sectional shape of the fin is not limited to a hexagon, but may be a rectangle, a circle, or a polygon other than a hexagon (for example, an octagon).

(Heat collecting plate 13a, spacer block 13b)
The heat collecting plate 13a is formed in a rectangular flat plate shape parallel to the XY plane. The spacer block 13b is disposed on the upper surface in the Z-axis direction of the heat collecting plate 13a, and sandwiches the thermoelectric module 10 between the lower surface of the heat diffusion plate 12a and the Z-axis direction. Both the heat collecting plate 13a and the spacer block 13b are formed of a material having high thermal conductivity such as copper or aluminum.

  The upper surface in the Z-axis direction of the heat collecting plate 13a and the lower surface in the Z-axis direction of the spacer block 13b may be joined by solder, brazing material, or the like, or may be connected via a heat conductive paste or liquid metal. . Further, the Z-axis direction upper surface of the spacer block 13b and the thermoelectric module 10 may be joined by solder, brazing material, or the like, or may be connected via a heat conductive paste or liquid metal.

  The sensor terminal device 1 is disposed with the lower surface in the Z-axis direction of the heat collecting plate 13a facing the heat source. Thereby, the heat collecting plate 13a can absorb the heat from the heat source from the lower surface in the Z-axis direction. The heat collecting plate 13a is provided on the entire lower surface of the sensor terminal device 1 in the Z-axis direction so as to absorb as much heat as possible from the heat source.

  The sensor terminal device 1 according to the present embodiment is configured assuming a heat source having a relatively low temperature. Examples of such a heat source include a waste heat unit such as an electronic device, a pipe through which hot water flows, and the like. The lower surface of the heat collecting plate 13a in the Z-axis direction may be directly connected to the heat source or may be disposed away from the heat source depending on the nature of the heat source.

  The heat collecting plate 13a transmits heat from the heat source absorbed from the lower surface in the Z-axis direction to the spacer block 13b. The spacer block 13 b transmits the heat transmitted from the heat collecting plate 13 a to the thermoelectric module 10. Thereby, in the sensor terminal device 1, the heat from the heat source is transmitted to the thermoelectric module 10 satisfactorily.

  As described above, the spacer block 13 b is configured as a spacer for filling a portion between the heat collecting plate 13 a and the thermoelectric module 10. That is, the thickness of the spacer block 13b in the Z-axis direction is determined by the thickness of the thermoelectric module 10 in the Z-axis direction and the height of the heat diffusion plate 12a with respect to the heat collecting plate 13a in the Z-axis direction.

  Further, since the spacer block 13b is formed in a block shape having a relatively large volume, the heat capacity is increased, so that the temperature change is less likely to occur. For this reason, even when a temperature change occurs in the heat collecting plate 13a, a temperature change hardly occurs in the spacer block 13b, so that the amount of heat transferred from the spacer block 13b to the thermoelectric module 10 does not easily change.

  In addition, the heat collecting plate 13a does not have to be flat and may be any heat collecting portion that can absorb heat from the heat source satisfactorily. For example, the lower surface of the heat collecting plate 13a in the Z-axis direction may be configured to be able to be in close contact with the heat source according to the shape of the heat source. Specifically, when the heat source is a hot water pipe, the heat collecting plate 13a may be formed in a shape that can be in close contact with the cylindrical surface of the pipe.

  Further, the configuration of the spacer block 13b can be determined as appropriate according to the required heat transfer performance, heat storage performance, and the like. The spacer block 13b may be formed integrally with the heat collecting plate 13a.

(Insulation plate 14)
The heat insulating plate 14 is disposed on the upper surface of the heat collecting plate 13a in the Z-axis direction, and holds the power supply substrate 15, the control unit 16, the sensor unit 17, and the transmission unit 18. That is, the heat insulating plate 14 separates the power supply board 15, the control unit 16, the sensor unit 17, the transmission unit 18, and the heat collecting plate 13 a.

  The heat insulating plate 14 is formed of a heat insulating material, and makes it difficult for the heat of the heat collecting plate 13 a to be transmitted to the power supply substrate 15, the control unit 16, the sensor unit 17, and the transmission unit 18. Thereby, the power supply board 15, the control part 16, the sensor part 17, and the transmission part 18 become difficult to receive the influence of the heat from a heat source. Examples of the heat insulating material forming the heat insulating plate 14 include fiber materials such as glass wool and foam materials such as urethane foam.

(Sidewall 19)
The side wall portion 19 is disposed between the heat diffusion plate 12a and the heat collection plate 13a, and surrounds the space S between the heat diffusion plate 12a and the heat collection plate 13a from four directions in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction. The side wall portion 19 is made of a material having a low thermal conductivity in order to prevent heat transfer between the heat diffusion plate 12a and the heat collecting plate 13a. As a material for forming the side wall portion 19, for example, various resin materials and various ceramic materials can be employed.

(Sensor part 17)
The sensor unit 17 includes an environment monitor sensor, and is configured to be able to detect information related to the environment where the sensor terminal device 1 is installed. Examples of sensors that can be mounted on the sensor unit 17 include a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, an illuminance sensor, a human sensor, an atmospheric pressure sensor, a gas sensor, a GPS (Global Positioning System) sensor, an acceleration sensor, a gyro sensor, and a geomagnetic sensor. . The number of sensors mounted on the sensor unit 17 may be one or plural.

(Transmitter 18)
The transmission unit 18 is configured to be able to wirelessly transmit the detection result by the sensor unit 17 to an external device. The external device is not particularly limited as long as it is a device compatible with wireless communication. Examples of such external devices include mobile terminal devices such as smart phones and tablet devices, and PCs (Personal Computers).

  For example, the transmission unit 18 can employ a communication method such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth (registered trademark), or ZigBee (registered trademark). Further, the transmission unit 18 can adopt an infrared communication method such as IrDA or IrSimple.

(Thermoelectric module 10)
The thermoelectric module 10 is a rectangular flat plate parallel to the XY plane, and includes a first substrate (high temperature side substrate) 10a on the lower side in the Z-axis direction, a second substrate (low temperature side substrate) 10b on the upper side in the Z-axis direction, It has the some thermoelectric element 10c arrange | positioned between the 1st board | substrate 10a and the 2nd board | substrate 10b.

  The first substrate 10a is formed in a rectangular flat plate shape parallel to the XY plane. The lower surface in the Z-axis direction of the first substrate 10a is connected to the upper surface in the Z-axis direction of the heat collecting plate 13a. Electrodes arranged in a predetermined pattern are provided on the upper surface in the Z-axis direction of the first substrate 10a.

  The second substrate 10b is formed in a rectangular flat plate shape parallel to the XY plane. Electrodes arranged in a predetermined pattern are provided on the lower surface in the Z-axis direction of the second substrate 10b. The upper surface in the Z-axis direction of the second substrate 10 b is connected to the lower surface in the Z-axis direction of the heat diffusion plate 12 a of the heat radiating unit 12.

  The two substrates 10a and 10b may be ceramic substrates or resin substrates. However, since the power generation efficiency of the thermoelectric module 10 is improved as the thermal conductivity of the substrates 10a and 10b is higher, the substrates 10a and 10b are preferably formed of a material having high thermal conductivity. In the present embodiment, the two substrates 10a and 10b are both made of aluminum nitride.

  The plurality of thermoelectric elements 10c include a plurality of pairs of P-type thermoelectric elements and N-type thermoelectric elements, and are sandwiched in the Z-axis direction by the Z-axis direction upper surface of the first substrate 10a and the Z-axis direction lower surface of the second substrate 10b. Yes.

  Each thermoelectric element 10c is formed of a thermoelectric material. The type of thermoelectric material forming each thermoelectric element 10c can be appropriately determined according to the temperature of the heat source where the sensor terminal device 1 is installed. In the present embodiment, since a heat source that is several to several tens of degrees Celsius higher than the temperature of the outside air is assumed, a bismuth and tellurium compound that provides good thermoelectric properties near room temperature is used as a material for forming each thermoelectric element 10c. Adopted. In addition, as the thermoelectric material, for example, an iron / silicide compound, a skutterudite compound, a half-Heusler compound, a lead / tellurium compound, a silicon / germanium compound, a thermoelectric oxide, or the like can be used.

  The thermoelectric elements 10c are alternately arranged so that P-type thermoelectric elements and N-type thermoelectric elements are alternately arranged in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction. In addition, the P-type thermoelectric element and the N-type thermoelectric element that form a pair adjacent to each other are connected by the electrode of the first substrate 10a or the electrode of the second substrate 10b. With this configuration, in the thermoelectric module 10, all the P-type thermoelectric elements and the N-type thermoelectric elements are alternately connected in series via the electrodes of the first substrate 10a and the second substrate 10b.

  Each thermoelectric element 10c generates electric power according to the temperature difference between the first substrate 10a and the second substrate 10b. In the thermoelectric module 10, since all the thermoelectric elements 10c are connected in series, a total power generation output that is the sum of the power generation outputs of the thermoelectric elements 10c is obtained.

  In addition, the configuration of the thermoelectric module 10 (for example, the logarithm of the thermoelectric element 10c and the sizes of the substrates 10a and 10b) can be changed as appropriate. For example, the thermoelectric module 10 may be a skeleton type in which the first substrate 10a and the second substrate 10b are divided. The thermoelectric module 10 may be a multilayer type in which a plurality of layers of thermoelectric elements 10c are provided.

(Photovoltaic module 11)
The photovoltaic module 11 is configured as a rectangular flat plate solar cell parallel to the XY plane. The photovoltaic module 11 has a light receiving surface facing upward in the Z-axis direction, and is configured to generate power by light incident on the light receiving surface. The light incident on the light receiving surface may be sunlight or illumination light.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the photovoltaic module 11 is provided in an empty space where the fins 12b are not arranged on the upper surface in the Z-axis direction of the heat diffusion plate 12a. That is, the photovoltaic module 11 is formed with openings 11a corresponding to the fins 12b, and the fins 12b are inserted through the openings 11a. In other words, the fin 12b penetrates the photovoltaic module 11 upward in the Z-axis direction.

  Thus, in the sensor terminal device 1, the photovoltaic module 11 is arrange | positioned using the empty space of the thermal diffusion plate 12a effectively. Therefore, the photovoltaic module 11 can be provided in the sensor terminal device 1 without enlarging the sensor terminal device 1.

  The type of the photovoltaic module 11 is not particularly limited as long as the opening 11a can be patterned. For example, as the photovoltaic module 11, a dye-sensitized solar cell or an amorphous silicon solar cell can be employed. Other configurations of the photovoltaic module 11 can be determined as appropriate.

(Power supply board 15)
The power supply board 15 is provided to appropriately supply the power generated by the thermoelectric module 10 and the photovoltaic module 11 to the control unit 16, the sensor unit 17, and the transmission unit 18. The power supply substrate 15 includes a booster circuit 15a, a power storage device 15b, and a regulator 15c. Note that the power supply board 15 may be provided with other configurations as necessary.

  The power supply board 15 is connected to the thermoelectric module 10 and the photovoltaic module 11, and is configured to sequentially store the electric power generated by the thermoelectric module 10 and the photovoltaic module 11 in the electricity storage device 15b. More specifically, the electric power generated by the thermoelectric module 10 and the photovoltaic module 11 is boosted by the booster circuit 15a and then stored in the power storage device 15b.

  The power supply board 15 supplies power stored in the power storage device 15b to the control unit 16, the sensor unit 17, and the transmission unit 18. More specifically, the electric power stored in the power storage device 15b is converted into a constant voltage by the regulator 15c and supplied to the control unit 16, the sensor unit 17, and the transmission unit 18.

  The power supply board 15 can supply the power stored in the power storage device 15b to the control unit 16, the sensor unit 17, and the transmission unit 18 even when the thermoelectric module 10 and the photovoltaic module 11 are not generating power. It is. That is, the sensor terminal device 1 can be driven even when the thermoelectric module 10 and the photovoltaic module 11 are not generating power.

  In addition, the power storage device 15b can output larger than the power generation outputs of the thermoelectric module 10 and the photovoltaic module 11 via the regulator 15c. Therefore, the sensor terminal device 1 can also drive the sensor unit 17 that consumes more power than the power generation outputs of the thermoelectric module 10 and the photovoltaic module 11.

  The power storage device 15b is not particularly limited, and for example, various capacitors and various secondary batteries can be employed.

(Control unit 16)
The control unit 16 controls the power supply board 15, the sensor unit 17, and the transmission unit 18. The control unit 16 is configured as, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), an MPU (Micro-Processing Unit), or a PLD (Programmable Logic Device).

  For example, the control unit 16 controls the sensor unit 17 and the transmission unit 18 so that the sensor unit 17 detects environment information at predetermined time intervals, and the transmission unit 18 transmits the detection result of the sensor unit 17. The control part 16 can suppress power consumption by lengthening the time interval which drives the sensor part 17 and the transmission part 18, when the electrical storage amount of the electrical storage device 15b is small.

(2) Operation of the sensor terminal device 1 The sensor terminal device 1 has a heat source and is installed in a place that is irradiated with light from the outside such as sunlight or illumination light. The sensor terminal device 1 may be installed outdoors or indoors. The sensor terminal device 1 is disposed with the lower surface in the Z-axis direction of the heat collecting plate 13a facing the heat source and the fins 12b facing the light irradiation direction. As a result, the light receiving surface of the photovoltaic module 11 is irradiated with light.

  Heat from the heat source absorbed by the heat collecting plate 13 a is transmitted to the spacer block 13 b and supplied to the first substrate 10 a of the thermoelectric module 10. Thereby, the temperature of the first substrate 10a rises to a temperature higher than the outside air.

  On the other hand, since the thermal conductivity of the thermoelectric element 10c is very low, the heat supplied to the first substrate 10a is not easily transmitted to the second substrate 10b. Further, the second substrate 10b is always radiated by the heat radiating part 12 whose surface of the fin 12b is always in contact with the outside air. Therefore, the second substrate 10b is kept at a temperature lower than that of the first substrate 10a even if a part of the heat supplied to the first substrate 10a is transmitted.

  As described above, a temperature difference is generated between the first substrate 10a that rises in temperature and the second substrate 10b that hardly rises in temperature. The thermoelectric module 10 generates electric power according to the temperature difference between the first substrate 10a and the second substrate 10b. For example, if the temperature difference between the first substrate 10a and the second substrate 10b is 4 degrees or more, sufficient power generation output by the thermoelectric module 10 can be obtained. The electric power generated by the thermoelectric module 10 is boosted by the booster circuit 15a and stored in the power storage device 15b.

  The photovoltaic module 11 receives the light irradiation from above in the Z-axis direction and generates electric power according to the energy of the light. The electric power generated by the photovoltaic module 11 is boosted by the booster circuit 15a and stored in the power storage device 15b.

  The regulator 15c supplies the electric power stored in the power storage device 15b to the control unit 16, the sensor unit 17, and the transmission unit 18 with a constant voltage. The voltage of the electric power supplied from the regulator 15c is determined by the specifications of the control unit 16, the sensor unit 17, and the transmission unit 18, and can be set to, for example, 3.3V.

  The control unit 16, the sensor unit 17, and the transmission unit 18 can be driven by receiving power supplied from the power supply substrate 15. The sensor unit 17 and the transmission unit 18 are driven under the control of the control unit 16. That is, the sensor unit 17 detects environmental information at predetermined time intervals, and the transmission unit 18 transmits detection results from the sensor unit 17.

  Thus, since the sensor terminal device 1 can be driven without using a battery, it does not require time and effort for battery replacement.

  Moreover, since the power supply unit U of the sensor terminal device 1 is hybridized by the thermoelectric module 10 and the photovoltaic module 11, the power generation output is larger than the configuration having only the thermoelectric module 10 or the configuration having only the photovoltaic module 11. Is obtained.

  Therefore, in the sensor terminal device 1, it is also possible to drive the sensor unit 17 on which a sensor with high power consumption or various types of sensors is mounted. As a sensor with high power consumption, for example, a digital sensor whose sensor output is a digital output, such as a GPS sensor, an acceleration sensor, and a gas sensor, can be cited.

  Further, in the sensor terminal device 1, since a large power generation output is obtained by the thermoelectric module 10 and the photovoltaic module 11, even when the fin 12b is reduced in height by reducing the height in the Z-axis direction, The necessary power can be secured.

  Further, the sensor terminal device 1 uses two types of power generation: thermoelectric power generation by the thermoelectric module 10 and photovoltaic power generation by the photovoltaic module 11 in order to obtain electric power necessary for driving. For this reason, when the amount of heat released from the heat source is small, electric power can be secured by photovoltaic power generation. Conversely, when the amount of light irradiation is small, electric power can be secured by thermoelectric power generation.

(3) Modification The sensor terminal device 1 is not limited to the above-described configuration as long as it can be driven using the power generated by the thermoelectric module 10 and the photovoltaic module 11.

  For example, the power supply board 15 may have a configuration including any one or two of the booster circuit 15a, the power storage device 15b, and the regulator 15c. In addition, the sensor terminal device 1 does not include the power supply board 15 as long as the control unit 16, the sensor unit 17, and the transmission unit 18 can be driven by the power generation outputs of the thermoelectric module 10 and the photovoltaic module 11. Also good.

  The layout of each component in the sensor terminal device 1 can be changed as appropriate. For example, the power supply board 15, the control unit 16, the sensor unit 17, and the transmission unit 18 may be arranged at any position on the upper surface of the heat collecting plate 13a in the Z-axis direction. Furthermore, these components may be disposed on the lower surface in the Z-axis direction of the heat diffusion plate 12 a or the inner wall surface of the side wall portion 19. In this case, the heat insulating plate 14 is unnecessary.

  Furthermore, the power supply board 15, the control unit 16, the sensor unit 17, and the transmission unit 18 are not limited to being in the space S, and may be disposed outside the space S. For example, the sensor unit 17 and the transmission unit 18 may be disposed on the outer surface of the side wall unit 19. Thereby, it becomes easy for the sensor unit 17 to detect external environmental information, and the transmission unit 18 may be able to wirelessly transmit the detection result by the sensor unit 17 better.

  Further, two or more of the power supply board 15, the control unit 16, the sensor unit 17, and the transmission unit 18 may be configured integrally. Furthermore, in the power supply board 15, the control part 16, the sensor part 17, and the transmission part 18, each may be divided | segmented into plurality and each part may be provided in the position away. For example, the sensor unit 17 may be provided at a different position for each sensor.

  The thermoelectric module 10 may be disposed as long as the first substrate 10a is thermally connected to the heat collecting plate 13a and the second substrate 10b is thermally connected to the heat diffusion plate 12a. For example, the thermoelectric module 10 and the spacer block 13b may be disposed at any position between the upper surface in the Z-axis direction of the heat collecting plate 13a and the lower surface in the Z-axis direction of the heat diffusion plate 12a.

  The spacer block 13b may be provided not between the thermoelectric module 10 and the heat collecting plate 13a but between the thermoelectric module 10 and the heat diffusion plate 12a. The spacer block 13b may be provided both between the thermoelectric module 10 and the heat collecting plate 13a and between the thermoelectric module 10 and the heat diffusion plate 12a. Further, when the thermoelectric module 10 can be directly connected to the heat collecting plate 13a and the heat diffusing plate 12a, the spacer block 13b is unnecessary.

  The photovoltaic module 11 may be provided not only in the heat radiating part 12 but also in the side wall part 19. Thereby, compared with the case where the photovoltaic module 11 is provided only in the thermal radiation part 12, a big electric power generation output comes to be obtained.

[Second Embodiment]
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the sensor terminal device 2 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the sensor terminal device 2 taken along line BB ′ of FIG.

  The sensor terminal device 2 according to the present embodiment is configured in the same manner as the sensor terminal device 1 according to the first embodiment, except for the configuration described below. In the drawing, among the configurations of the sensor terminal device 2, configurations similar to the sensor terminal device 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals as the sensor terminal device 1. The description of the configuration common to the sensor terminal device 1 in the sensor terminal device 2 is omitted as appropriate.

  The sensor terminal device 2 includes a housing 29 that covers the upper side of the heat collecting plate 13a in the Z-axis direction. The housing part 29 is formed in a box shape having an open bottom surface in the Z-axis direction in a hollow rectangular parallelepiped, and is covered from above the heat collecting plate 13a in the Z-axis direction. A space S that accommodates the thermoelectric module 10, the power supply substrate 15, the control unit 16, the sensor unit 17, and the transmission unit 18 is formed by the housing unit 29 and the heat collecting plate 13 a.

  The housing | casing part 29 is formed in the rectangular flat plate shape parallel to XY plane, and has the upper wall part 29a facing the heat collecting plate 13a. The lower surface in the Z-axis direction of the upper wall portion 29 a is connected to the second substrate 10 b of the thermoelectric module 10. Moreover, the housing | casing part 29 has the side wall part 29b extended in the Z-axis direction downward from four sides of the upper wall part 29a. The side wall portion 29b extends to a position close to the heat collecting plate 13a.

  The heat insulating plate 24 that holds the sensor unit 17, the transmission unit 18, the power supply board 15, and the control unit 16 on the upper surface in the Z-axis direction of the heat collecting plate 13a is extended to between the side wall portion 29b and the heat collecting plate 13a. . That is, the heat insulating plate 24 separates the heat collecting plate 13a and the side wall portion 29b at the peripheral edge of the heat collecting plate 13a. This makes it difficult for heat to be transmitted between the heat collecting plate 13a and the side wall 29b.

  The photovoltaic module 21 is provided on the upper surface (first surface) in the Z-axis direction, which is the outer surface of the upper wall portion 29a of the housing portion 29 that faces away from the space S side. In addition, on the four outer surfaces (second surfaces) opposite to the space S side in the side wall portion 29 b of the housing portion 29, the heat radiating portions 22 are respectively provided. In each heat radiating portion 22, a plurality of fins 22b extend from a heat diffusion plate 22a connected to the outer surface of the side wall portion 29b.

  The housing | casing part 29 is formed with materials with high thermal conductivity, such as copper and aluminum. In the sensor terminal device 2, the housing portion 29 functions as one heat diffusion portion together with the heat diffusion plate 22 a of the heat dissipation portion 22. That is, the housing | casing part 29 cooperates with the thermal diffusion plate 22a of the thermal radiation part 22, and transfers the heat | fever absorbed from the thermoelectric module 10 to the fin 22b.

  In more detail, the housing | casing part 29 absorbs the heat | fever of the 2nd board | substrate 10b of the thermoelectric module 10 from the Z-axis direction lower surface of the upper wall part 29a. The housing part 29 transmits the heat absorbed from the upper wall part 29a from the side wall part 29b to the heat diffusion plate 22a. And the thermal radiation part 22 discharge | releases the heat | fever transmitted to the thermal diffusion plate 22a to external air from the fin 22b.

  Thus, also in the sensor terminal device 2, since the second substrate 10b of the thermoelectric module 10 is dissipated by the casing 29 and the heat radiating unit 22, there is a temperature difference between the first substrate 10a and the second substrate 10b. Occur. Therefore, also in the sensor terminal device 2, the thermoelectric module 10 can generate electric power.

  In the sensor terminal device 2, the lower surface in the Z-axis direction of the heat collecting plate 13 a is arranged toward the heat source, so that the upper side in the Z-axis direction of the sensor terminal device 2 is widely opened on the side opposite to the heat source, and light irradiation is performed. Easy to receive. In the sensor terminal device 2, the photovoltaic module 21 is provided over the entire region of the upper surface of the upper wall portion 29a in the Z-axis direction. That is, the sensor terminal device 2 has a configuration in which the photovoltaic module 21 is easily irradiated with light. For this reason, in the sensor terminal device 2, a large power generation output by the photovoltaic module 21 is obtained.

  Moreover, in the sensor terminal device 2, the photovoltaic module 21 is provided in the upper wall part 29a, and the thermal radiation part 22 is provided in the side wall part 29b. That is, a region where the photovoltaic module 21 is provided is distinguished from a region where the heat radiating unit 22 is provided. For this reason, it is not necessary for the photovoltaic module 21 to be provided with openings corresponding to the fins 22b of the heat dissipation unit 22.

  Therefore, as the photovoltaic module 21, a general plate-shaped general-purpose product or the like can be used instead of a custom-made product having a special shape. For this reason, the manufacturing cost of the sensor terminal device 2 is reduced. Moreover, in the photovoltaic module 21 in which no opening is provided, the power generation output increases because the light receiving surface that receives the light irradiation is large.

  Furthermore, the sensor terminal device 2 is configured as a rectangular parallelepiped having six outer surfaces, and the photovoltaic module 21 and the heat radiating portion 22 are provided on different outer surfaces. Specifically, the photovoltaic module 21 is provided on the outer surface (upper surface in the Z-axis direction) of the upper wall portion 29a, and the heat radiating portion 22 is provided on the outer surface of the side wall portion 29b.

  In the sensor terminal device 2, since the photovoltaic module 21 and the heat radiating portion 22 are provided on different outer surfaces, for example, the photovoltaic module 21 and the radiating portion 22 are both on the outer surface (upper surface in the Z-axis direction) of the upper wall portion 29a. Compared with the case where it is provided, the installation space for the photovoltaic module 21 and the heat radiation part 22 can be secured widely. For this reason, in the sensor terminal device 2, a large power generation output by the photovoltaic module 21 is obtained, and an excellent heat dissipation performance in the heat dissipation unit 22 is obtained.

  The photovoltaic module 21 is preferably provided on a surface that is easily irradiated with light. For this reason, depending on the installation location of the sensor terminal device 2, it may be desirable that the photovoltaic module 21 is provided not on the upper wall portion 29a but on the side wall portion 29b. In this case, the photovoltaic module 21 may be provided on at least one outer surface of the side wall portion 29b, and the heat radiating portion 22 may be provided on the remaining outer surfaces of the upper wall portion 29a and the side wall portion 29b.

  Moreover, the housing | casing part 29 is not limited to a rectangular parallelepiped, It can be comprised as all polyhedrons. When the casing 29 is configured as a polyhedron other than a rectangular parallelepiped, for example, the photovoltaic module 21 is provided on the outer surface that is most susceptible to light irradiation, and the heat radiating unit 22 is provided on the outer surface other than the outer surface. Good.

  Furthermore, the housing | casing part 29 may have the outer surface formed by a series of curved surfaces, such as a dome shape. In this case, for example, the photovoltaic module 21 is provided in the upper region (first surface) in the Z-axis direction that is easily irradiated with light, and the heat radiating portion is disposed in the region (second surface) extending outward from the region. 22 may be provided.

[Third Embodiment]
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a sensor terminal device 100 according to the third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the sensor terminal device 100 taken along the line CC ′ of FIG. FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of the sensor terminal device 100.

(1) Configuration of Sensor Terminal Device 100 As shown in FIG. 7, the sensor terminal device 100 includes a rectangular parallelepiped body portion having sides parallel to the X axis, the Y axis, and the Z axis, and the body portion. And a plurality of fins 112b extending downward in the Z-axis direction.
Hereinafter, the configuration of the sensor terminal device 100 will be described mainly with reference to FIG.

(overall structure)
The sensor terminal device 100 includes a power supply board 115, a control unit 116, a sensor unit 117, a transmission unit 118, and a thermoelectric module 110.

  As shown in FIG. 9, the power supply board 115 and the thermoelectric module 110 are included in a power supply unit U for supplying power to the control unit 116, the sensor unit 117, and the transmission unit 118. The control unit 116 controls the power supply board 115, the sensor unit 117, and the transmission unit 118.

  The sensor terminal device 100 further includes a heat radiating unit 112, a block unit 113, a housing unit 119, and a condenser lens 114. The heat dissipating unit 112 and the housing unit 119 form the appearance of the sensor terminal device 100, and form a space S that accommodates the thermoelectric module 110, the power supply board 115, the control unit 116, the sensor unit 117, and the transmission unit 118.

(Heat dissipation part 112)
The heat radiation part 112 is configured as a general heat sink. The heat radiating portion 112 includes a rectangular flat plate-shaped heat diffusion plate 112a extending along the XY plane, and a plurality of fins 112b extending downward from the heat diffusion plate 112a in the Z-axis direction. The fins 112b have a hexagonal cross section, and are regularly arranged on the lower surface in the Z-axis direction of the heat diffusion plate 112a.

  The heat radiating part 112 is made of a metal material having high thermal conductivity. As a material for forming the heat radiation part 112, for example, aluminum, copper, or stainless steel can be adopted. In the present embodiment, the heat radiating portion 112 is made of aluminum, and the surface thereof is subjected to black alumite treatment. By making the surface of the heat radiating portion 112 black, the amount of heat radiation of the heat radiating portion 112 is increased, so that the heat radiation performance of the heat radiating portion 112 is improved.

  The upper surface in the Z-axis direction of the heat diffusion plate 112 a of the heat radiating unit 112 is connected to the thermoelectric module 110. The thermal diffusion plate 112a may be joined to the thermoelectric module 110 by solder, brazing material, or the like, or may be connected via a thermal conductive paste, liquid metal, or the like.

  The heat dissipating unit 112 is configured to absorb the heat of the thermoelectric module 110 from the lower surface in the Z-axis direction of the heat diffusion plate 112a and release the heat from the surface of the fin 112b to the outside air. In the heat radiating part 112, since the surface of the fin 112b is complicated, it is possible to secure a wide surface that can release heat to the outside air.

  In addition, the configuration of the heat dissipating unit 112 (for example, the shape and arrangement of the fins 112b) can be appropriately determined according to the required heat dissipating performance. For example, the cross-sectional shape of the fin is not limited to a hexagon, but may be a rectangle, a circle, or a polygon other than a hexagon (for example, an octagon).

(Block part 113)
The block portion 113 is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped block shape having sides parallel to the X axis, the Y axis, and the Z axis. The lower surface of the block portion 113 in the Z-axis direction is slightly larger than the thermoelectric module 110 and is connected to the upper surface of the thermoelectric module 110 in the Z-axis direction. That is, the block unit 113 sandwiches the thermoelectric module 110 between the heat diffusion plate 112a.

  The block portion 113 is disposed in the central region of the upper surface in the Z-axis direction of the heat diffusion plate 112a. The upper surface in the Z-axis direction of the block unit 113 is configured as a photothermal conversion unit 113a that receives light irradiation and converts light into heat. The block unit 113 supplies the heat generated by the photothermal conversion unit 113 a to the thermoelectric module 110 from the lower surface in the Z-axis direction of the block unit 113.

  The block 113 is made of a metal material with high thermal conductivity such as aluminum, copper, or stainless steel. Moreover, the photothermal conversion part 113a of the block part 113 is colored in black which is easier to absorb light. In the present embodiment, the block portion 113 is made of aluminum, and the photothermal conversion portion 113a is subjected to black alumite treatment.

  Since the block portion 113 is formed in a block shape having a relatively large volume, the heat capacity is increased, so that a temperature change is less likely to occur. For this reason, since the temperature of the block part 113 does not change easily even when the intensity of light applied to the photothermal conversion part 113a of the block part 113 changes, the amount of heat transferred from the block part 113 to the thermoelectric module 110 is reduced. Hard to change.

  In addition, the block unit 113 only needs to have a lower surface in the Z-axis direction that can be connected to the thermoelectric module 110 and an upward surface in the Z-axis direction that can be irradiated with light. The shape can be changed according to the heat storage performance. For example, the block portion 113 may be formed in a truncated pyramid shape having a large upper surface in the Z-axis direction and a small lower surface in the Z-axis direction.

(Case 119)
The housing part 119 is formed in a box shape in which a lower surface in the Z-axis direction is opened in a hollow rectangular parallelepiped, and is covered from above the Z-axis direction of the heat diffusion plate 112a. The housing part 119 has an upper wall part 119a that faces the heat diffusion plate 112a, and a side wall part 119b that connects the heat diffusion plate 112a and the upper wall part 119a. A space S that accommodates the thermoelectric module 110, the power supply board 115, the control unit 116, the sensor unit 117, and the transmission unit 118 is formed by the casing unit 119 and the heat diffusion plate 112a.

(Condensing lens 114)
The condenser lens 114 is fitted into the center portion of the upper wall portion 119a of the housing portion 119, and is held by the heat diffusion plate 112a via the housing portion 119. That is, the condensing lens 114 is disposed above the photothermal conversion unit 113a of the block unit 113 in the Z-axis direction. The condensing lens 114 is configured as a general convex lens, and its optical axis o is oriented in a direction parallel to the Z axis.

  The sensor terminal device 100 is installed in a place where the upper surface of the upper wall portion 119a in the Z-axis direction can be irradiated with light from the outside such as sunlight or illumination light. Therefore, in the sensor terminal device 100, light from the outside passes through the condenser lens 114 and enters the space S.

  The condensing lens 114 is formed to have a larger area than the photothermal conversion unit 113a of the block unit 113, and is configured such that light transmitted downward in the Z-axis direction is condensed on the photothermal conversion unit 113a of the block unit 113. ing. Therefore, the light incident on the upper surface in the Z-axis direction of the block portion 113 has a higher luminous flux density than external light, that is, the light energy per unit area is higher.

  That is, in the sensor terminal device 100, the light energy of the light incident on the large-diameter condenser lens 114 is condensed by the condenser lens 114 and transmitted to the upper surface in the Z-axis direction of the block unit 113. As described above, the sensor terminal device 100 is configured such that large light energy is applied to the photothermal conversion unit 113a of the block unit 113.

(Sensor unit 117)
The sensor unit 117 includes an environment monitoring sensor, and is configured to be able to detect information regarding the environment of the place where the sensor terminal device 100 is installed. Examples of sensors that can be mounted on the sensor unit 117 include a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, an illuminance sensor, a human sensor, an atmospheric pressure sensor, a gas sensor, a GPS (Global Positioning System) sensor, an acceleration sensor, a gyro sensor, and a geomagnetic sensor. . The number of sensors mounted on the sensor unit 117 may be one or plural.

(Transmitter 118)
The transmission unit 118 is configured to be able to wirelessly transmit the detection result by the sensor unit 117 to an external device. The external device is not particularly limited as long as it is a device compatible with wireless communication. Examples of such external devices include mobile terminal devices such as smart phones and tablet devices, and PCs (Personal Computers).

  The transmission unit 118 can employ a communication method such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth (registered trademark), or ZigBee (registered trademark). Further, the transmission unit 118 can adopt an infrared communication method such as IrDA or IrSimple.

(Thermoelectric module 110)
The thermoelectric module 110 is a rectangular flat plate parallel to the XY plane, and includes a first substrate (high temperature side substrate) 110a on the upper side in the Z-axis direction, a second substrate (low temperature side substrate) 110b on the lower side in the Z axis direction, It has the some thermoelectric element 110c arrange | positioned between the 1st board | substrate 110a and the 2nd board | substrate 110b.

  The first substrate 110a is formed in a rectangular flat plate shape parallel to the XY plane. The upper surface in the Z-axis direction of the first substrate 110 a is connected to the lower surface in the Z-axis direction of the block portion 113. Electrodes arranged in a predetermined pattern are provided on the lower surface in the Z-axis direction of the first substrate 110a.

  The second substrate 110b is formed in a rectangular flat plate shape parallel to the XY plane. Electrodes arranged in a predetermined pattern are provided on the upper surface in the Z-axis direction of the second substrate 110b. The lower surface in the Z-axis direction of the second substrate 110b is connected to the upper surface in the Z-axis direction of the heat diffusion plate 112a of the heat radiating portion 112.

  The two substrates 110a and 110b may be ceramic substrates or resin substrates. However, since the power generation efficiency of the thermoelectric module 110 improves as the thermal conductivity of the substrates 110a and 110b increases, the substrates 110a and 110b are preferably formed of a material with high thermal conductivity. In the present embodiment, the two substrates 110a and 110b are both made of aluminum nitride.

  The plurality of thermoelectric elements 110c include a plurality of pairs of P-type thermoelectric elements and N-type thermoelectric elements, and are sandwiched in the Z-axis direction by the Z-axis direction lower surface of the first substrate 110a and the Z-axis direction upper surface of the second substrate 110b. Yes.

  Each thermoelectric element 110c is formed of a thermoelectric material. The type of thermoelectric material forming each thermoelectric element 110c can be appropriately determined according to the temperature of the heat source where the sensor terminal device 100 is installed. In the present embodiment, since a heat source that is several to several tens of degrees Celsius higher than the temperature of the outside air is assumed, a bismuth and tellurium compound that provides good thermoelectric properties near room temperature is used as a material for forming each thermoelectric element 110c. Adopted. In addition, as the thermoelectric material, for example, an iron / silicide compound, a skutterudite compound, a half-Heusler compound, a lead / tellurium compound, a silicon / germanium compound, a thermoelectric oxide, or the like can be used.

  The thermoelectric elements 110c are alternately arranged so that P-type thermoelectric elements and N-type thermoelectric elements are alternately arranged in both the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction. In addition, the P-type thermoelectric element and the N-type thermoelectric element that form a pair adjacent to each other are connected by the electrode of the first substrate 110a or the electrode of the second substrate 110b. With this configuration, in the thermoelectric module 110, all the P-type thermoelectric elements and the N-type thermoelectric elements are alternately connected in series via the electrodes of the first substrate 110a and the electrodes of the second substrate 110b.

  Each thermoelectric element 110c generates electric power according to the temperature difference between the first substrate 110a and the second substrate 110b. In the thermoelectric module 110, since all the thermoelectric elements 110c are connected in series, a total power generation output that is the sum of the power generation outputs of the thermoelectric elements 110c is obtained.

  In addition, the configuration of the thermoelectric module 110 (for example, the logarithm of the thermoelectric element 110c and the sizes of the substrates 110a and 110b) can be changed as appropriate. For example, the thermoelectric module 110 may be a skeleton type in which the first substrate 110a and the second substrate 110b are divided.

(Power supply board 115)
The power supply board 115 is provided to appropriately supply the power generated by the thermoelectric module 110 to the control unit 116, the sensor unit 117, and the transmission unit 118. The power supply substrate 115 includes a booster circuit 115a, a power storage device 115b, and a regulator 115c. Note that the power supply substrate 115 may be provided with a configuration other than these as necessary.

  The power supply board 115 is connected to the thermoelectric module 110 and configured to sequentially store the electric power generated by the thermoelectric module 110 in the power storage device 115b. More specifically, the power generated by the thermoelectric module 110 is boosted by the booster circuit 115a and then stored in the power storage device 115b.

  Further, the power supply board 115 supplies power stored in the power storage device 115b to the control unit 116, the sensor unit 117, and the transmission unit 118. More specifically, the electric power stored in the power storage device 115b is converted into a constant voltage by the regulator 115c and supplied to the control unit 116, the sensor unit 117, and the transmission unit 118.

  The power supply board 115 can supply the power stored in the power storage device 115b to the control unit 116, the sensor unit 117, and the transmission unit 118 even when the thermoelectric module 110 is not generating power. That is, the sensor terminal device 100 can be driven even when the thermoelectric module 10 is not generating power.

  Further, the power storage device 115b can output larger than the power generation output of the thermoelectric module 110 via the regulator 115c. Therefore, the sensor terminal device 100 can drive the sensor unit 117 that consumes more power than the power generation output of the thermoelectric module 110.

  The power storage device 115b is not particularly limited, and for example, various capacitors and various secondary batteries can be employed.

(Control part 116)
The control unit 116 controls the power supply board 115, the sensor unit 117, and the transmission unit 118. The control unit 116 is configured as, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), an MPU (Micro-Processing Unit), or a PLD (Programmable Logic Device).

  For example, the control unit 116 controls the sensor unit 117 and the transmission unit 118 so that the sensor unit 117 detects environmental information at predetermined time intervals and the transmission unit 118 transmits the detection result of the sensor unit 117. The control unit 116 can suppress power consumption by increasing the time interval for driving the sensor unit 117 and the transmission unit 118 when the power storage amount of the power storage device 115b is small.

(2) Operation of Sensor Terminal Device 100 The sensor terminal device 100 is installed in a place that is irradiated with light from the outside such as sunlight or illumination light. The sensor terminal device 100 may be installed outdoors or indoors. The sensor terminal device 100 is arranged with the condensing lens 114 facing the light irradiation direction. As a result, the light passes through the condenser lens 114.

  The photothermal conversion unit 113 a of the block unit 113 generates heat upon receiving the light transmitted through the condenser lens 114. The heat generated by the photothermal conversion unit 113a is supplied from the lower surface in the Z-axis direction of the block unit 113 to the first substrate 110a of the thermoelectric module 110. As a result, the temperature of the first substrate 110a rises to a temperature higher than the outside air.

  On the other hand, since the thermal conductivity of the thermoelectric element 110c is very low, the heat supplied to the first substrate 110a is not easily transmitted to the second substrate 110b. Further, the second substrate 110b is always radiated by the heat radiating part 112 whose surface of the fin 112b is always in contact with the outside air. Therefore, the second substrate 110b is kept at a temperature lower than that of the first substrate 110a even when a part of the heat supplied to the first substrate 110a is transmitted.

  As described above, a temperature difference is generated between the first substrate 110a that rises in temperature and the second substrate 110b that hardly rises in temperature. The thermoelectric module 110 generates electric power according to the temperature difference between the first substrate 110a and the second substrate 110b. For example, if the temperature difference between the first substrate 110a and the second substrate 110b is 4 degrees or more, sufficient power generation output by the thermoelectric module 110 can be obtained. The electric power generated by the thermoelectric module 110 is stored in the power storage device 115b via the booster circuit 115a.

  The regulator 115c supplies the power stored in the power storage device 115b to the control unit 116, the sensor unit 117, and the transmission unit 118 with a constant voltage. The voltage of the power supplied from the regulator 115c is determined by the specifications of the control unit 116, the sensor unit 117, and the transmission unit 118, and can be set to, for example, 3.3V.

  The control unit 116, the sensor unit 117, and the transmission unit 118 can be driven by receiving power from the power supply substrate 115. The sensor unit 117 and the transmission unit 118 are driven under the control of the control unit 116. That is, the sensor unit 117 detects environmental information at predetermined time intervals, and the transmission unit 118 transmits detection results from the sensor unit 117.

  Thus, since the sensor terminal device 100 can be driven without using a battery, it does not require time and effort for battery replacement.

  Moreover, in the sensor terminal device 100, the photothermal conversion part 113a converts light energy into heat energy, and the thermoelectric module 110 converts heat energy into electrical energy. That is, in the sensor terminal device 100, electric power is generated by two-stage energy conversion of “light to heat” and “heat to electricity”.

  In the sensor terminal device 100, light from the outside is collected by the condenser lens 114. In the light after condensing, the energy per unit area becomes higher than the light before condensing (external light). Therefore, in the sensor terminal device 100, the photothermal conversion unit 113a is irradiated with high energy light. In the photothermal conversion unit 113a, the amount of generated heat increases as the energy of the irradiated light increases.

  Therefore, in the sensor terminal device 100, since the amount of heat generated by the photothermal conversion unit 113a and supplied to the thermoelectric module 110 is large, a large power generation output is obtained by the thermoelectric module 110. Thus, in the sensor terminal device 100, it is possible to generate electric power necessary for driving.

  Furthermore, in the sensor terminal device 100, since the thermoelectric module 110 can provide a large power generation output, even when the height of the fin 112b in the Z-axis direction is lowered to reduce the size, the power necessary for driving can be obtained. Can be secured.

(3) Modification The sensor terminal device 100 may be configured to be driven using the power generated by the thermoelectric module 110, and is not limited to the above configuration.

  For example, the power supply substrate 115 may have a configuration including any one or two of the booster circuit 115a, the power storage device 115b, and the regulator 115c. The sensor terminal device 100 may not include the power supply board 115 as long as the control unit 116, the sensor unit 117, and the transmission unit 118 can be driven by the power generation output of the thermoelectric module 110.

  The layout of each component in the sensor terminal device 100 can be changed as appropriate. For example, the power supply substrate 115, the control unit 116, the sensor unit 117, and the transmission unit 118 may be disposed at any position on the upper surface of the heat diffusion plate 112a in the Z-axis direction. Further, these components may be disposed on the inner surface of the housing portion 119.

  Furthermore, the power supply board 115, the control unit 116, the sensor unit 117, and the transmission unit 118 are not limited to be in the space S, and may be disposed outside the space S. For example, the sensor unit 117 and the transmission unit 118 may be disposed on the outer surface of the side wall unit 119. Thereby, the sensor unit 117 can easily detect external environment information, and the transmission unit 118 may be able to wirelessly transmit the detection result by the sensor unit 117 better.

  In addition, two or more of the power supply board 115, the control unit 116, the sensor unit 117, and the transmission unit 118 may be integrally configured. Furthermore, each of the power supply board 115, the control unit 116, the sensor unit 117, and the transmission unit 118 may be divided into a plurality of parts, and each part may be provided at a separated position. For example, the sensor unit 117 may be provided at a different position for each sensor.

  The thermoelectric module 110 may be disposed as long as the second substrate 110b is thermally connected to the heat diffusion plate 112a. For example, the thermoelectric module 110 may be disposed at any position on the upper surface of the heat diffusion plate 112a in the Z-axis direction. In this case, it is possible to change the position of the condenser lens 114 corresponding to the position of the block 113 on the thermoelectric module 110.

  The sensor terminal device 100 may not include the block unit 113. In this case, the sensor terminal device 100 is configured, for example, as a photothermal conversion unit in which the upper surface in the Z-axis direction of the first substrate 110a of the thermoelectric module 110 is colored black, and the light transmitted through the condenser lens 114 is directly applied to the thermoelectric module 110. It is configured to be incident.

  Further, the block portion 113 may be provided between the thermoelectric module 110 and the heat diffusion plate 112a. In this case, the block 113 may be provided on both the upper surface in the Z-axis direction and the lower surface in the Z-axis direction of the thermoelectric module 110, or may be provided only on the lower surface in the Z-axis direction of the thermoelectric module 110.

  Further, the condensing lens 114 is not limited to the above configuration as long as light transmitted downward in the Z-axis direction is incident on the photothermal conversion unit 113a of the block unit 113. For example, when the photothermal conversion unit 113a is outside the region below the Z-axis direction of the condensing lens 114, a condensing lens that is decentered so that light from the outside enters the photothermal conversion unit 113a can be used. Good.

  Furthermore, the configuration for condensing light from the outside onto the photothermal conversion unit 113a of the block unit 113 is not limited to the condensing lens 114, and may be a condensing mirror.

[Fourth Embodiment]
FIG. 10 is a sectional view of a sensor terminal device 200 according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of the sensor terminal device 200.

  The sensor terminal device 200 according to the present embodiment is configured in the same manner as the sensor terminal device 100 according to the third embodiment, except for the configuration described below. Of the configuration of the sensor terminal device 200, the same reference numerals as those of the sensor terminal device 100 are given to the same configurations as the sensor terminal device 100. The description of the configuration common to the sensor terminal device 100 in the sensor terminal device 200 is omitted as appropriate.

  The sensor terminal device 200 includes a photovoltaic module 211. The photovoltaic module 211 is provided on the upper surface in the Z-axis direction of the block portion 113b. The photovoltaic module 211 has a function as a power generation unit that generates power from light incident from the condenser lens 114 and a function as a photothermal conversion unit that converts light incident from the condenser lens 114 into heat.

  The function as the photothermal conversion unit of the photovoltaic module 211 in the sensor terminal device 200 is the same as the photothermal conversion unit 113a of the sensor terminal device 100 according to the third embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 11, the photovoltaic module 211 is included in the power supply unit U for supplying power to the control unit 116, the sensor unit 117, and the transmission unit 118 together with the power supply substrate 115 and the thermoelectric module 110.

  The photovoltaic module 211 is configured as a rectangular flat plate solar cell parallel to the XY plane. The photovoltaic module 211 is configured to generate electricity using light incident from above in the Z-axis direction. The light incident on the photovoltaic module 211 may be sunlight or illumination light.

  The type of the photovoltaic module 211 is not particularly limited. For example, as the photovoltaic module 211, a dye-sensitized solar cell, an amorphous silicon solar cell, a single crystal silicon solar cell, a polycrystalline silicon solar cell, or a microcrystalline silicon solar cell can be employed. Other configurations of the photovoltaic module 211 can be determined as appropriate.

  The photovoltaic module 211 receives the light transmitted through the condenser lens 114 and generates electric power according to the energy of the light. The electric power generated by the photovoltaic module 211 is stored in the power storage device 115b via the booster circuit 115a.

  The booster circuit 115a supplies the electric power generated by the thermoelectric module 110 and the photovoltaic module 211 and stored in the power storage device 115b to the control unit 116, the sensor unit 117, and the transmission unit 118 at a constant voltage. Thereby, the sensor terminal device 200 can be driven.

  Thus, since the sensor terminal device 200 can be driven without using a battery, it does not require time and effort for battery replacement.

  Since the power supply unit U of the sensor terminal device 200 is hybridized by the thermoelectric module 110 and the photovoltaic module 211, the power generation output is larger than the configuration having only the thermoelectric module 110 or the configuration having only the photovoltaic module 211. Is obtained.

  Therefore, in the sensor terminal device 200, it is possible to drive the sensor unit 117 on which a sensor with high power consumption or various types of sensors is mounted. As a sensor with high power consumption, for example, a digital sensor whose sensor output is a digital output, such as a GPS sensor, an acceleration sensor, and a gas sensor, can be cited.

  In general thermoelectric power generation, electric power is generated using heat from a heat source, but the thermoelectric module 110 in the sensor terminal device 200 can generate electric power using light emitted to the photovoltaic module 211. . That is, the sensor terminal device 200 can be installed in a place where there is no heat source. Therefore, the sensor terminal device 200 can be installed in a wide variety of places because there are few restrictions on the place of installation.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the photovoltaic module 211 is provided only in the casing 119, but the photovoltaic module 211 is also provided on the outer surface of the casing 119 in addition to the casing 119. It may be. Thereby, compared with the case where the photovoltaic module 211 is provided only in the housing | casing part 119, a big electric power generation output comes to be obtained.

[Other Embodiments]
The embodiment of the present invention has been described above, but the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and it is needless to say that various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention.

  For example, the sensor device may include a functional configuration other than the power supply circuit, the control unit, the sensor unit, and the transmission unit. As such a functional configuration, for example, a receiving unit capable of receiving a signal transmitted from an external device such as a smart phone can be cited. In the sensor device including the reception unit, for example, the control content of the power supply circuit, the sensor unit, and the transmission unit by the control unit can be changed according to the operation content of the external device by the user.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Sensor terminal device 10 ... Thermoelectric module 10a ... 1st board | substrate 10b ... 2nd board | substrate 10c ... Thermoelectric element 11 ... Photoelectric power generation module 12 ... Radiation part 12a ... Thermal diffusion plate 12b ... Fin 13a ... Heat collecting plate 13b ... Spacer block 14 ... heat insulation board 15 ... power supply board 16 ... control part 17 ... sensor part 18 ... transmission part 19 ... side wall part

Claims (5)

A sensor unit configured to detect information based on the environment;
A transmission unit configured to be able to transmit a detection result by the sensor unit;
A sensor terminal device comprising: a thermoelectric module and a photovoltaic module; and a power supply unit that supplies the thermoelectric module and the power generated by the photovoltaic module to the sensor unit and the transmitting unit. The sensor terminal device according to claim 1,
The power supply unit further includes a heat dissipation unit disposed between the thermoelectric module and the photovoltaic module,
The thermoelectric module includes a first substrate to which heat from a heat source is transmitted and a second substrate to which the heat radiating unit is connected. The sensor terminal device according to claim 2,
The heat radiating section includes a heat diffusing section having a facing surface facing the photovoltaic module, and a plurality of fins extending from the facing surface through the photovoltaic module. The sensor terminal device according to claim 2,
The heat dissipation part is
A thermal diffusion unit including a first surface facing the photovoltaic module and a second surface extending from the first surface;
A sensor terminal device comprising: a plurality of fins extending from the second surface. The sensor terminal device according to claim 4,
The second surface intersects the first surface. Sensor terminal device.

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