JP2018087768A - Thermal flow velocity/flow volume sensor, and thermal flow velocity/flow volume sensor with directivity error correction device therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a non-directional thermal flow velocity/flow volume sensor with a correction device for correcting a directivity error in detection sensitivity of, especially, a flow velocity detection part to a flow direction of a fluid.SOLUTION: A flow velocity detection part 4 is constituted by: forming a support part 3 for atmospheric temperature measurement part which supports at least a pair of atmospheric temperature measurement parts 5 symmetrically about a support part 2 for flow velocity detection part which supports a flow velocity detection part 4, and also arranging an atmospheric temperature measuring element 8 not downwind from the flow velocity detection part 4 at the same time; arranging and mounting, on both surfaces of a mounting place of the flow velocity detection part 4, heater elements 7 and temperature measuring elements 6 opposite each other; and thermally connecting at least two temperature measuring elements 6a, 6b and at least two heater elements 7a, 7b through a substrate part 1a where the flow velocity detection part 4 is mounted. A correction device which corrects a directivity error consists of a quantization device, a storage device, a computing device, and an output device.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a thermal flow rate / flow rate sensor for measuring a flow rate and a flow rate of a fluid and a correction device for the directivity error, and more particularly, a heater element that generates heat by a supply current and a temperature from the heater element that changes according to the flow rate. Non-directional thermal flow rate / flow rate sensor equipped with a directional error correction device so that the detection sensitivity of the flow rate detector having a temperature measuring element for detecting the sensitivity does not depend on the flow direction of the fluid In addition, the present invention relates to a thermal flow rate / flow rate sensor provided with a directivity error correction device.

  Generally, a thermal flow rate / flow rate sensor uses the fact that when a heater element such as a heating wire is placed in a fluid, the amount of heat taken away from the object by the fluid changes depending on the flow rate of the fluid. The flow rate of the fluid is calculated from the measurement result. In general, the thermal flow rate / flow rate sensor compensates for the effect of temperature change on the output (heat quantity) from the flow rate detection unit when the temperature of the fluid to be detected is changed. The device is provided.

Here, the operation principle of a general thermal flow rate / flow rate sensor will be described.
First, when a heating element having a constant heat source is present in the fluid, a physical phenomenon is used in which the heat of the heating element moves to the fluid according to the flow velocity. This physical phenomenon is generally known as the King equation, as shown in the following equation (1).

Q = (a + bu) (T−Ta) Formula (1)
Here, Q is the amount of heat generated by the heating element, u is the flow velocity, T is the temperature of the heating element, Ta is the temperature of the surrounding fluid, and a and b are constants, which depend on the material and structure of the heating element.

  From the above equation (1), in order to measure the flow velocity, when the calorific value Q is constant, the temperature of the heating element temperature T and the temperature Ta of the surrounding fluid must be measured. When the heat generation amount Q is indefinite, the heat generation amount Q, the heating element temperature T, and the temperature Ta of the surrounding fluid must be measured and obtained. In addition, since a and b are values depending on the material and structure of the heating element, if the material and structure are the same, a and b are values that are determined in principle.

  Accordingly, the inventor has disclosed a method for manufacturing a thermal flow rate / flow rate sensor and a thermal flow rate / flow rate sensor, and a flow rate detection unit that measures the temperature of the heat from the heat generation unit (heater element) for detecting the flow rate. By using a single plate-shaped substrate as the substrate, a general-purpose substrate manufacturing apparatus is used, and electronic components to be mounted on the flow velocity detection unit are also mounted on a general-purpose surface using a general-purpose automatic mounting machine. The first purpose is to form a flow velocity detection unit by mounting components, and furthermore, by providing a space between the flow velocity detection unit and the air temperature measurement unit, the temperature from the heat generation unit of the flow velocity detection unit is increased. The second purpose is to reduce the heat conduction to the measurement unit, and the flow rate detection unit is further provided with a space around the temperature measurement unit to further reduce the heat conduction from the heat generation unit of the flow rate detection unit. To heat from The third purpose is to reduce the influence on the temperature measurement unit, and the provision of a guard part that protects the flow rate detection part that protrudes from the substrate provides a thermal flow rate due to external impact. -Regarding the thermal type flow velocity / flow rate sensor whose fourth purpose is to prevent damage to the flow rate sensor and to prevent burns due to erroneous contact of the flow rate detection unit, the conventional example 1 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2015-068659: Patent Document 1) is first described. I applied.

  The inventor previously applied in the above-mentioned conventional example 1 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2015-068659: Patent Document 1) aims to reduce the conduction of heat from the flow velocity detection unit 40 that affects the temperature measurement unit 44. As shown in FIG. 8, on both sides of one end of the plate-like substrate 41, an elongated flow velocity detection portion support portion 42 and a temperature measurement portion support portion integrally extending from the substrate main portion 41b, respectively. The parts 43 are formed to be separated from each other. A substrate portion 41a for mounting the flow velocity detection unit 40 supported by the flow velocity detection unit support portion 42 is formed at the distal end portion of the flow velocity detection portion support portion 42, and the distal end of the temperature measurement portion support portion 43 is formed. The board portion 41c on which the temperature measuring unit 44 supported by the temperature measuring unit support unit 43 is mounted is formed using NCM or the like.

  A circuit pattern (not shown) for a flow velocity detection unit (not shown) and a circuit pattern for temperature measurement (not shown) are respectively provided on the surfaces of the substrate portion 41a on which the flow velocity detection unit 40 is mounted and the substrate portion 41c on which the temperature measurement unit 44 is mounted. ) Is formed. A temperature measuring element 3 that is a general-purpose surface-mounting component and a heater element 4 that is a general-purpose surface-mounting component are each mounted by soldering on a surface-mounted portion of the substrate portion 41a to constitute a flow velocity detection unit 40. A temperature measuring element 45, which is a general-purpose surface-mounted component, is mounted by soldering on the surface mounting portion of the portion 41c to constitute the temperature measuring unit 44.

  Accordingly, the flow velocity detection unit 40 has a structure that is integrally supported by the substrate main portion 41b by the flow velocity detection portion support portion 42, and the air temperature measurement portion 44 has the substrate main portion 41b by the air temperature measurement portion support portion 43. It is a structure that is supported in a single piece. Further, the temperature measuring element 49 and the heater element 50 are mounted on the surface of the substrate portion 41a, and the elements 3 and 4 are arranged adjacent to each other and mounted so that they are thermally connected directly. It has become.

  Furthermore, a space 46 is provided around each of the flow velocity detection unit 40 and the air temperature measurement unit 44, and a space 47 is also provided between the flow velocity detection unit 40 and the air temperature measurement unit 44. And it has the structure which provided the plate-shaped board | substrate principal part. Reference numeral 48 denotes an attachment hole for attaching the thermal flow rate / flow rate sensor to another device.

  Since it is comprised in this way, the heat conduction from the flow velocity detection part 40 to the board | substrate main part 41c can be reduced. Furthermore, the heat conduction can be further reduced by forming the support portion 42 for the flow velocity detection portion to be thin. A space 47 is formed between the flow velocity detection unit 40 and the air temperature measurement unit 44, and a space 46 is also formed around the flow velocity detection unit 40 and the air temperature measurement unit 44. The main part of the substrate is provided. In addition, by forming the temperature measurement unit support 43 of the temperature measurement unit 44 to be thin, the heat conduction to the temperature measurement unit 44 can be further reduced, and the heat from the flow velocity detection unit 40 is measured by the temperature measurement. The influence on the part 44 can be reduced as much as possible.

  Thus, the thermal flow rate / flow rate sensor (conventional example 1) previously filed by the inventor has directivity in detection sensitivity of the flow rate / flow rate with respect to the flow direction of the fluid. Therefore, when the flow direction (flow direction) is determined as in the case of fluid flowing inside pipes, ducts, etc., this effect can be obtained even with a thermal flow velocity / flow rate sensor with directivity in detection sensitivity. It was.

  However, in a space where the flow direction of fluid (in this case, air) is not controlled, such as in living spaces, natural environments, plant and animal growth environments, etc., the air flow direction is not a constant direction. It is difficult to assume the direction in advance. When measuring the flow velocity in such a space, a sensor in which the difference in detection sensitivity (directivity error) due to the difference in flow direction is reduced without limiting the flow direction is generally referred to as a non-directional sensor.

  This omnidirectional sensor has also existed in the past, and the detection sensing part is formed in a spherical or cylindrical shape. The technique of making the detection sensation part spherical is already common, and it has been found that the directivity in the horizontal direction with respect to the probe (detection part) is almost omnidirectional.

  On the other hand, in order to improve the measurement accuracy of the thermal flow rate / flow rate sensor, the inventor first introduced a thermal flow rate / flow rate sensor that can obtain non-directional detection sensitivity that is not related to the direction of fluid flow. Conventional Example 2 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2015-210196: Patent Document 2) was filed.

  As shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B, the conventional example 2 of the above-described conventional example 2 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2015-210196: Patent Document 2) previously filed by the inventor is a thermal flow velocity. In the flow rate sensor 51, a plate-like shape may be used as the substrate portion 41a of the flow rate detection unit including the heat generation unit (heater element 50) for detecting the flow rate and the temperature measuring element 49 for measuring the temperature of heat from the heat generation unit. As the electronic component to be mounted on the flow velocity detection unit 40 using a polygonal substrate having a plurality of surfaces, a general-purpose surface mounting component is used. Further, in the case of a plate-shaped substrate, the heater element 50 is disposed on the substrate portion. In the case of a polygonal substrate having a plurality of surfaces mounted on both the front surface and the back surface of 41a, the heater element 50 is mounted on each surface, and the detection sensitivity of the flow velocity detector 40 is omnidirectional. So that the directivity is improved There.

  More specifically, in FIGS. 9 (a) and 9 (b), on both sides of one end of the plate-like substrate 41, a support for an elongated flow velocity detecting portion integrally extending from the substrate main portion 41b, respectively. The part 42 and the temperature measurement part support part 43 are formed to be separated from each other. A substrate portion 41a on which the flow velocity detector 40 supported by the flow velocity detector support portion 42 is mounted is formed at the tip of the flow velocity detector support portion 42. A substrate portion 41 c on which the temperature measuring unit 44 supported by the temperature measuring unit support 43 is mounted is formed at the tip of the temperature measuring unit support 43.

  A circuit pattern (not shown) for the flow velocity detection unit and a circuit pattern for temperature measurement (not shown) are respectively provided on the surfaces of the substrate portion 41a on which the flow velocity detection unit 40 is mounted and the substrate portion 41c on which the temperature measurement unit 44 is mounted. ) Is formed. Heater elements 50 and 50, which are general-purpose surface-mounted components, are arranged to face each other and mounted on the front and back mounting portions of the substrate portion 41a, and further, the heater elements mounted on the mounting portion of the substrate portion 41a. A general-purpose temperature measuring element 49 is mounted adjacent to 50 by soldering to constitute a flow velocity detection unit 44. A temperature measuring element 43, which is a general-purpose surface-mounted component, is mounted by soldering on the surface mounting portion of the substrate portion 41c to constitute the temperature measuring unit 44.

  Accordingly, the flow velocity detection unit 40 has a structure integrally formed and supported on the substrate main portion 41b by the flow velocity detection portion support portion 42, and the air temperature measurement portion 44 is formed by the air temperature measurement portion support portion 43. The structure is integrally formed and supported by 41b. Further, the temperature measuring element 49 and the heater element 50 are mounted on the surface of the substrate portion 41a, and the temperature measuring element 49 and the heater element 50 are disposed adjacent to each other and mounted so as to be directly connected thermally. It has a structured.

  Further, a space 46 is provided around the flow velocity detection unit 40 and the air temperature measurement unit 44, and a space 47 is also provided between the flow velocity detection unit 40 and the air temperature measurement unit 44. Yes. As described above, the plate-like substrate 41 includes the substrate portion 41a for the flow velocity detection unit 40 and the substrate portion 41c for the air temperature measurement unit 44, respectively, a flow velocity detection unit support unit 42 and an air temperature measurement unit support unit 43. In this manner, the main part 41b is integrally connected to the main part 41b. The substrate main portion 41b is formed with an attachment hole 48 for attaching the thermal flow rate / flow rate sensor 51 to another device and a signal extraction pad 52. A structure in which the substrate portion for the flow velocity detection unit and the substrate portion for the temperature measurement unit are integrally connected to the main part of the substrate via the flow velocity detection unit support unit and the temperature measurement unit support unit, respectively. The flow velocity detection unit and the air temperature measurement unit are formed on the same substrate.

  Since it is formed in such a structure, the heater elements 50 and 50 mounted on the front surface and the back surface of the substrate portion 41a are heated by the supply current from the internal power supply wiring (not shown) of the substrate portion 41a. Yes. When the thermal flow rate / flow rate sensor 51 is disposed in the fluid, the heat of the heater element 50 changes according to the flow rate of the fluid, and this heat is measured via the substrate at the mounting portion of the substrate portion 41a. Direct thermal conduction to 49. The temperature of the conducted heat is measured by the temperature measuring element 49, and the flow velocity and flow rate are calculated from the measured value based on the operating principle of the thermal flow velocity / flow rate sensor described above.

  Further, in the thermal flow rate / flow rate sensor 51, since the heater elements 50, 50 are mounted on both surfaces of the substrate portion 41a, the fluid on the upstream side and the downstream side of each heater element 50, 50 based on the difference in the fluid flow direction. Since the difference in the amount of heat released to can be reduced, the directivity can be improved so that the detection sensitivity of the detection sensitivity of the flow velocity detector 40 becomes non-directional. Accordingly, measurement errors of the thermal flow rate / flow rate sensor can be eliminated.

  Further, since the two heater elements 50 are disposed to face each other with the substrate portion 41a interposed therebetween, the temperature of the temperature measuring element 49 can be recovered more quickly even when the temperature of the temperature measuring element 49 is lowered. Therefore, the responsiveness as a thermal flow rate / flow rate sensor is improved.

Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2015-068659 (conventional example 1) Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2015-210196 (Conventional Example 2)

  Generally, when there is an object present in the fluid, turbulent flow such as vortex is generated in the downstream direction of the object. On the other hand, when this object has a certain area or more with respect to the flow direction of the fluid, a portion where the flow velocity is reduced, that is, a stagnation portion is generated on the downstream side. It flows on the surface of the object at a flow rate different from the original flow rate. Therefore, there is a difference between the amount of heat released from the upstream direction of the object and the amount of heat released from the downstream direction. Therefore, since the heat radiation amount is different between the case where the heat generating portion (heater element) of the heat source is on the upstream side and the case where it is on the downstream side, directivity occurs in the detection sensitivity detected by the flow velocity detection unit. Such directivity of detection sensitivity causes a measurement error when measuring the flow velocity / flow rate by the thermal flow velocity / flow rate sensor. In addition, when a temperature measuring element for measuring the object temperature for measuring the heat outflow to the fluid is provided separately from the heater element, this temperature measuring element also functions as a heat dissipation part and directly detects the object temperature. Therefore, the effect of the difference in the heat radiation appears more strongly.

  Since the flow direction of a fluid flowing in a pipe or duct is fixed, the thermal flow velocity / flow rate sensor having directivity shown in the conventional example 1 is sufficiently practical. However, in the case of a space where the flow direction and flow rate of fluid are not controlled, such as living space, natural environment, plant and animal growth environment, the flow rate is not constant, and the flow direction is It is difficult to predict. When measuring the wind speed (flow velocity) in such a space, the thermal type flow velocity / flow rate sensor shown in Conventional Example 1 having directivity in detection sensitivity has a problem that a measurement error due to a difference in detection sensitivity occurs.

  In addition, although the thermal flow rate / flow rate sensor of Conventional Example 1 shown in FIG. 8 is also included, in general, in the case of a wind speed / flow rate sensor having a structure in which a heater element and a temperature measuring element are arranged on a plate-like substrate surface, The flow velocity / flow rate detector is supported by a thin support member. Therefore, the detection sensitivity with respect to the influence which it has on the flow direction of the fluid by using a plate-shaped board | substrate and the flow velocity from the direction where the supporting member is arrange | positioned falls. That is, there is a problem that the detection sensitivity differs between the installation surface of the heater element and the other surfaces. Thus, the detection sensitivity varies depending on the direction in which the fluid flows. That is, directivity occurs in detection sensitivity. In such a thermal type flow velocity / flow rate sensor having directivity, there is a problem that a measurement error occurs due to a difference in detection sensitivity of the flow velocity / flow rate associated with the flowing direction of the fluid.

  However, in the conventional example 2 shown in FIG. 9, electronic components such as the heater element 50 and the temperature measuring element 49 must be mounted on the end face of the substrate, which is difficult with the current electronic component mounting technology. . Therefore, there is a problem in that an automatic assembly machine (automatic mounting machine) for electronic parts that is widely used cannot be used and cannot be automated. For this reason, there is only a method of manually assembling or newly creating an automatic assembly machine as a custom-made product, and using this automatically, which causes a large cost increase.

  Further, the air temperature measurement unit 44 is disposed downstream of the flow velocity detection unit 40, and the air temperature measurement unit 44 is a substrate portion of the flow velocity detection unit 40 under the condition of a slight wind speed of 1 m / s or less. It will be influenced by the heat from the heater element 50 mounted on 41a, and the error of the temperature measurement value becomes large. As a result, there is a problem that an error in the measured value of the flow velocity becomes large.

  As described above, the prior art has many of these problems. Therefore, in the present invention, a single plate-shaped substrate is used as the substrate for the thermal flow rate / flow rate sensor, and the two heat generation units (heater elements) of the flow rate detection unit and the temperature of heat from the two heater elements are used. Two temperature measuring elements that measure the flow rate are mounted on both surfaces (front and back) of a plate-shaped substrate (substrate portion) so as to face each other, and two flow velocity detectors with the same directivity are mounted. In addition, the temperature measurement unit is formed symmetrically (two) with the flow rate detection unit as the center so that the two temperature measurement elements of the temperature measurement unit do not become the leeward side of the flow rate detection unit at the same time. It is a first object of the present invention to provide a thermal type flow velocity / flow rate sensor that solves the problem of errors in the temperature measurement value under the condition of the above-mentioned slight wind speed (slow flow velocity).

  Furthermore, the present invention uses a single plate-shaped substrate as a substrate for the thermal flow rate / flow rate sensor, and the two heat generation units (heater elements) of the flow rate detection unit and the temperature of heat from the two heater elements. Two temperature measuring elements that measure the temperature are mounted on both sides (front and back) of a plate-shaped substrate (substrate part) so as to face each other, forming two flow velocity detectors with the same directivity Then, by combining the measurement values (temperature information) obtained from the two temperature measuring elements of the flow velocity detection unit, the measurement value (temperature information) with the directivity removed is obtained, and the temperature measurement of at least one temperature measurement unit A second object of the present invention is to provide a thermal flow rate / flow rate sensor in which directivity error is reduced based on temperature information from a device.

  Furthermore, the present invention provides two measurement values (temperature information) obtained from two temperature measuring elements of the flow velocity detection unit, and two measurement values (temperature information) obtained from two temperature measurement elements of the temperature measurement unit. Provided is a thermal flow rate / flow rate sensor equipped with a correction device that obtains a correction value for directivity error from directivity error information captured from external data and automatically corrects the directivity error based on the correction value. This is the third purpose.

  Further, the present invention provides two measurement values (temperature information) obtained from two temperature measuring elements of the flow velocity detection unit, and one measurement value (temperature information) obtained from one temperature measurement element of the temperature measurement unit. Provided is a thermal flow rate / flow rate sensor equipped with a correction device that obtains a correction value for directivity error from directivity error information captured from external data and automatically corrects the directivity error based on the correction value. This is the fourth purpose.

  The invention according to claim 1 is a flow rate detector having a heater element that generates heat by a supply current and a temperature measuring element that detects the temperature of heat from the heater element that changes according to the flow rate, and an air temperature that measures the air temperature. From the air temperature measurement unit having the measurement element, the plate-like substrate of the thermal flow rate / flow rate sensor, the substrate main part which is the main part of the substrate, the substrate part on which the flow rate detection unit is mounted, and the main part of the substrate An elongated flow rate detection unit support unit that integrally extends and supports the flow rate detection unit, an elongated shape temperature measurement unit support unit that integrally extends from the substrate main unit and supports the temperature measurement unit, and a substrate main unit In the thermal flow rate / flow rate sensor that measures the flow rate and flow rate of the fluid consisting of the circuit unit formed (arranged) in the unit, it is a general-purpose surface mount component on both sides of the mounting part of the board part on which the flow rate detection unit is mounted Connect the heater element and temperature sensor. A circuit is provided that is mounted so as to be opposed to each other, and is configured to thermally connect at least two temperature measuring elements and at least two heater elements via a substrate portion on which the flow speed detecting unit is mounted, Quantization having an AD conversion function for converting temperature information a and b from two temperature measuring elements a and b arranged opposite to each other and temperature information from an air temperature measuring element into digital signals, respectively. Apparatus, storage device for storing directivity error information with respect to the fluid flow direction, and two temperature information a and b converted into digital signals, respectively, and the direction of fluid flow corresponding to the temperature measuring elements a and b of the flow velocity detector From the function of calculating the angle information, the function of calculating the flow velocity value of the fluid from the two temperature information a, b and the at least one temperature information, the azimuth angle information of the flow, the flow velocity value, and the directivity error information, Flow velocity value An arithmetic unit having a function of correcting the error information output, a thermal type flow rate Flow rate sensor with a correction device consisting of an output device for outputting the flow rate value from the arithmetic unit.

  The invention according to claim 2 is a flow rate detector having a heater element that generates heat by a supply current and a temperature measuring element that detects the temperature of heat from the heater element that changes in accordance with the flow rate, and an air temperature that measures the air temperature. Air temperature measurement unit with measurement elements, plate-like substrate of thermal flow rate / flow rate sensor, substrate main part which is the main part of this substrate, substrate part on which flow velocity detection unit is mounted, and main part of substrate And a slender flow rate detection unit support unit that supports the flow rate detection unit, a slender shape temperature measurement unit support unit that integrally extends from the substrate main unit and supports the temperature measurement unit, and a substrate main unit. In a thermal flow rate / flow rate sensor that measures the flow rate and flow rate of a fluid comprising a circuit unit formed (arranged), at least a pair of temperature measurements symmetrically about the flow rate detection unit support unit that supports the flow rate detection unit Temperature measurement unit To form a support portion, two air temperature measuring element is a thermal type flow rate-flow sensor disposed so as not to leeward of the flow velocity detector simultaneously.

  According to a third aspect of the invention, in the invention of the second aspect, a heater element and a temperature measuring element, which are general-purpose surface-mounted components, are respectively attached to both sides of the mounting portion of the substrate portion on which the flow velocity detection unit is mounted. A flow rate detection unit is configured by mounting two temperature measuring elements and two heater elements thermally through a substrate portion on which the flow rate detection unit is mounted in a face-to-face arrangement.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a flow rate detector having a heater element that generates heat by a supply current and a temperature measuring element that detects a temperature of heat from the heater element that changes in accordance with the flow rate, and an air temperature that measures an air temperature. A temperature measuring unit having a measuring element, a substrate main part which is a main part of the plate substrate of the thermal flow rate / flow rate sensor, a substrate part on which the flow rate detecting unit is mounted, and a main part extending from the substrate main part, Formed (arranged) on the main part of the substrate, the elongated flow rate detection part support part that supports the detection part, the elongated air temperature measurement part support part that extends integrally from the main part of the board and supports the temperature measurement part In the thermal flow rate / flow rate sensor for measuring the flow rate and flow rate of the fluid composed of the connected circuit unit, the temperature that supports at least a pair of temperature measurement units symmetrically about the flow rate detection unit support unit that supports the flow rate detection unit Form the support for the measurement part At the same time, the temperature measuring element is arranged so as not to be on the leeward side of the flow velocity detection unit, and the circuit unit has temperature information a and b and temperature measurement from two temperature measuring elements a and b arranged opposite to each other. Quantization device having an AD conversion function for converting temperature information from the element into a digital signal, a storage device for storing directivity error information with respect to the fluid flow direction, and two temperatures respectively converted into digital signals From the information a and b, from the function of calculating the azimuth angle information of the fluid flow hitting the temperature measuring elements a and b of the flow velocity detector, the two temperature information a and b, and at least one temperature information (c or d) An arithmetic unit having a function of calculating a flow velocity value of the fluid, a function of correcting detection error information of the flow velocity value from the flow azimuth information, the flow velocity value, and the directivity error information, and the flow velocity from the arithmetic device value It is a thermal flow velocity / flow rate sensor provided with a correction device comprising an output device that outputs.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the invention of the fourth aspect, a heater element and a temperature measuring element, which are general-purpose surface-mounted components, are respectively attached to both sides of the mounting portion of the board portion on which the flow velocity detection unit is mounted. A flow rate detection unit is configured by mounting two temperature measuring elements and two heater elements thermally through a substrate portion on which the flow rate detection unit is mounted in a face-to-face arrangement.

  Since the invention according to claim 1 is configured as described above, by combining the measured values from the two temperature measuring elements of the flow velocity detector, the directivity error is reduced, and the directivity is further corrected by the correction device. Error is eliminated, and an almost omnidirectional thermal flow rate / flow rate sensor is obtained. Also, this sensor can be manufactured at low cost. For this reason, it can be installed at an installation location that has not been realized in the past in terms of price, and the application field is widened.

  Since the invention which concerns on Claim 2 was comprised as mentioned above, the directivity error which generate | occur | produces in the specific azimuth | direction angle which becomes a leeward by synthesize | combining the temperature measurement value of two elements for temperature measurement of an air temperature measurement part is carried out. It can be reduced.

  Since the invention according to claim 3 is configured as described above, the same effect as that of claim 2 is obtained. Furthermore, since the flow velocity detection unit having the same directivity characteristic is obtained, the directivity error can be canceled by combining the two measurement values. In addition, since two air temperature measurement values can be combined, the directivity error can be greatly improved further than the thermal flow rate / flow rate sensor of claim 2.

  Since the invention according to claim 4 is configured as described above, the same effects as those of claims 1 to 3 are obtained. Furthermore, there is no directivity error, and an almost omnidirectional thermal flow rate / flow rate sensor can be obtained.

  Since the invention according to claim 5 is configured as described above, the same effect as that of claim 3 is obtained.

1A and 1B are schematic views showing a first embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 1A is a front view and FIG. 1B is an enlarged perspective view of a main part of FIG. FIG. 2 (a) schematically shows measured values (temperature information) actually measured using a flow velocity detector having the shape shown in FIGS. 1 (a) and 1 (b). It is a directional characteristic figure which shows the measurement result converted into. FIG. 2B is a diagram in which the directivity error is displayed as a WS line on the directivity characteristic diagram shown in FIG. It is a front view which shows the 2nd Example of this invention. FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment of the present invention, and is a directivity characteristic diagram showing measurement results of measured values actually measured using a flow velocity detection unit and an air temperature measurement unit having the shape shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a main part of a correction device in the case where the flow velocity detection unit and the air temperature measurement unit having the shapes illustrated in FIG. 3 are used, illustrating first and second embodiments of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a directional characteristic diagram showing a measurement value result of a measurement value (temperature information) actually measured using a flow velocity detection unit having the shape shown in FIG. 1 with a flow velocity as a parameter. 1 is a block diagram of a main part of a correction apparatus according to first and second embodiments of the present invention. FIG. It is a principal part perspective view of the thermal type flow velocity and flow sensor which shows the prior art example 1. FIG. The prior art example 2 is shown, (a) is a principal part front view of a thermal type flow velocity and flow sensor, (b) is a principal part enlarged view of (a).

  A flow rate detection unit having a heater element that generates heat by a supply current and a temperature measurement element that detects the temperature of heat from the heater element that changes according to the flow rate, and an air temperature measurement unit that includes an air temperature measurement element that measures the temperature. And a main part of the plate that is the plate of the thermal flow rate / flow rate sensor, a substrate part on which the flow rate detection unit is mounted, and an elongated shape that integrally extends from the main part of the board and supports the flow rate detection part. The flow rate detection part support part, the elongated temperature measurement part support part integrally extending from the main part of the substrate and supporting the temperature measurement part, and the circuit part formed (arranged) on the main part of the substrate In the thermal flow rate / flow rate sensor for measuring the flow rate and the flow rate, a temperature measurement unit support unit that symmetrically supports at least a pair of temperature measurement units is formed symmetrically about the flow rate detection unit support unit that supports the flow rate detection unit. Along with temperature measurement Arrange the heater so that it does not become the leeward side of the flow velocity detector at the same time, and place the heater element and the temperature sensor, which are general surface mount components, on both sides of the mounting part of the board part where the flow velocity detector is mounted. A flow rate detection unit is configured by arranging and mounting, and thermally connecting at least two temperature measuring elements and at least two heater elements via a substrate portion on which the flow rate detection unit is mounted.

  Furthermore, the correction device that corrects the directivity error includes, in the circuit unit, temperature information a and b from two temperature measuring elements a and b that are arranged opposite to each other and temperature information from an air temperature measuring element, A quantizer having an AD conversion function for converting each into a digital signal, a storage device for storing directivity error information with respect to the fluid flow direction, and two temperature information a and b respectively converted into digital signals, a flow velocity detector A function of calculating the azimuth angle information of the flow of the fluid hitting the temperature measuring elements a and b, a function of calculating the flow velocity value of the fluid from the two temperature information a and b and at least one temperature information, and the direction of the flow An arithmetic device having a function of correcting detection error information of the flow velocity value from the angle information, the flow velocity value, and the directivity error information, and an output device that outputs the flow velocity value from the arithmetic device.

  A first embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 5, 6, and 7. FIG. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a thermal type flow velocity / flow rate sensor showing a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 (a) is a front view, and FIG. 1 (b) is an enlarged perspective view of a main part of FIG. 1 (a). FIG. FIG. 2A is a directional characteristic diagram schematically showing measurement results (temperature information) measured using the flow velocity detector 4 having the shape shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B. 2 (b) is a directional characteristic diagram in which the directivity error is displayed with the WS line in FIG. 2 (a).

  FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a main part of the correction device when the flow velocity detection unit 4 (4a, 4b) and the air temperature measurement unit 5 (5a, 5b) having the shape shown in FIG. 3 to be described later are used. FIG. 6 shows measured values measured using the flow velocity detection unit 4 (4a, 4b) and one air temperature measurement unit 8 (8a) having the shapes shown in FIGS. 1 (a) and 1 (b) with the flow velocity as a parameter. FIG. 7 is a flow chart of the correction device 16 showing a directional characteristic diagram showing the result of (temperature information). The circuit pattern formed on the substrate 1 is not described.

  In the first embodiment, in the thermal flow rate / flow rate sensor 15, the heater element 7 (7a, 7b), which is a heat generating part for detecting the flow rate, and the temperature measuring element 6 (6a, 6a, 6), which measures the temperature of heat from the heat generating part. The substrate portion 1a on which the flow velocity detection unit 4 (4a, 4b) composed of 6b) is mounted uses a single substrate 1 having a plate shape. As the electronic components mounted on the flow velocity detection unit 4 (4a, 4b), general-purpose surface mounting components are used. Furthermore, the heater element 7 (7a, 7b) and the temperature measuring element 6 (6a, 6b) are both mounted on both the front and back surfaces of the substrate portion 1a. In this way, the flow velocity detectors are formed on both surfaces of the substrate portion 1a, and if the measurement results from the two temperature measuring elements 6 (6a, 6b) are combined, the detection of the flow velocity detector 4 (4a, 4b). The sensitivity error is reduced, and the directivity can be improved. In the first embodiment, the heater elements 7 (7a, 7b) and the temperature measuring elements 6 (6a, 6b) use general-purpose surface-mount components, but are not limited thereto. The heater element and the temperature measuring element can obtain the same effect without using general-purpose surface-mounted components.

  1 (a) and 1 (b), on both sides of one end of the plate-like substrate 1 of the thermal flow rate / flow rate sensor 15 according to the present invention, an elongated shape integrally extending from the substrate main portion 1b, respectively. The flow velocity detecting portion support portion 2 and the temperature measuring portion support portion 3 are formed apart from each other. A substrate portion 1a for mounting the flow velocity detection unit 4 (4a, 4b) supported by the flow velocity detection unit support 2 is formed at the tip of the flow velocity detection unit support unit 2. Similarly, a substrate portion 1c for mounting the temperature measuring unit 5 supported by the temperature measuring unit support 3 is formed at the tip of the temperature measuring unit support 3.

  The plate-like substrate 1 is not limited to this embodiment, and glass epoxy FR-4, which is generally widely sold as a printed board, is used in all embodiments described later. Alternatively, a substrate material formed of a member having low thermal conductivity such as a ceramic substrate or a silicon substrate may be used.

  A circuit pattern (not shown) for a flow velocity detection unit, a circuit pattern for temperature measurement (not shown), a circuit pattern for a correction device (to be described later), and an arithmetic unit are respectively provided on the substrate main portion 1b of the substrate 1. A circuit unit 11 including a microcomputer, an information output device for supplying power and extracting signals, and the like is formed. Heater elements 7 (7a, 7b), which are general-purpose surface-mounted components, are respectively disposed facing each other at the mounting locations on the front and back surfaces of the substrate portion 1a, and further mounted on the mounting location of the substrate portion 1a. A general-purpose temperature measuring element 6 (6a, 6b) is mounted adjacent to each heater element 7 (7a, 7b) by soldering or the like to form two flow velocity detection units 4 (4a, 4b). Yes. One temperature measuring element 8 (8a), which is a general-purpose surface-mounted component, is mounted on the surface mounting portion of the substrate portion 1c by soldering or the like to constitute the temperature measuring unit 5.

  Accordingly, the flow velocity detection unit 4 is supported by the flow velocity detection unit support unit 2 formed integrally with the substrate main portion 1b, and the air temperature measurement unit 5 is formed integrally with the substrate main portion 1b. It is the structure supported by the support part 3 for the temperature measurement part made. The two temperature measuring elements 6 (6a, 6b) and the two heater elements 7 (7a, 7b) are mounted on both surfaces of the substrate portion 1a, and the temperature measuring elements 6 (6a, 6b) and the heater elements are mounted. 7 (7a, 7b) have a structure in which they are thermally connected directly by being arranged and mounted adjacent to each other.

  Further, a space 9 is provided around each of the flow velocity detection unit 4 and the air temperature measurement unit 5, and a space 10 is also provided between the flow velocity detection unit 4 and the air temperature measurement unit 5. Yes. As described above, the plate-shaped substrate 1 includes the substrate portion 1a for the flow velocity detection unit 4 and the substrate portion 1c for the temperature measurement unit 5 which are the flow velocity detection unit support 2 and the temperature measurement unit support 3 respectively. The structure is integrally connected to the substrate main portion 1b via the.

  An attachment hole for attaching the thermal flow rate / flow rate sensor 15 to another apparatus and a signal output output terminal pad 12 are formed in the substrate main portion 1b of the substrate 1. In this embodiment, the substrate portion 1a for the flow velocity detection unit and the substrate portion 1c for the temperature measurement unit are respectively connected to the main substrate portion 1b via the flow velocity detection unit support unit 2 and the temperature measurement unit support unit 3. The flow velocity detection unit 4 and the air temperature measurement unit 5 are formed on the same substrate, but the present invention is not limited to this. The same effect can be obtained even if the flow rate detection unit and the temperature measurement unit are separated.

  The present invention also includes a correction device 16 that automatically corrects the directivity error. Hereinafter, this will be described with reference to FIGS. As shown in FIG. 5, the correction device 16 for correcting the directivity error of the thermal flow velocity / flow rate sensor includes a quantization device (AD converter) 17, a calculation device (CPU) 18, a storage device (nonvolatile memory) 19, and information. The output device 20 is configured.

  The quantizing device (AD converter) 17 includes temperature information a and b from the two temperature measuring elements 6a and 6b of the flow velocity detecting unit 4 (4a and 4b) and temperature information from the temperature measuring element 8 of the air temperature measuring unit 5. It has an AD conversion function for converting c into digital signals. The recording device 19 is a non-volatile memory that measures the directivity error of the thermal flow velocity / flow rate sensor in advance using a wind tunnel or the like, and stores the data as external data to be taken into the arithmetic device 18. This external data is used for correcting the detection error of the flow velocity value as directivity error information with respect to the fluid flow azimuth.

In the case of Example 1, the directivity error is as shown in the WS series indicated by the WS line (solid line) as shown in FIG. 2B, which will be described later, and the arrangement axis (0 °) of the temperature measuring elements 6a and 6b. -180 °), a directivity error occurs in the vicinity of 90 ° laterally.
On the other hand, if the calculation is performed according to the correction flow shown in FIG. 7, this directivity error can be corrected and a good omnidirectional thermal flow velocity / flow rate sensor can be realized. The information output device 20 outputs a flow velocity value, a flow rate value, and the like from the arithmetic device 18.

  The arithmetic unit 18 calculates the flow velocity detector 4 (4a, 4a, 4b) from the two temperature measuring elements 6a of the flow velocity detector 4 (4a, 4b) converted into digital signals, the temperature information a of the temperature detector 6b, and the temperature information b. 4b) a function of calculating the azimuth angle information of the flow of the fluid that hits the temperature measuring element 6a and the temperature measuring element 6b, and two temperature information a and temperature information b from the temperature measuring element 6a and the temperature measuring element 6b. A function of calculating the flow velocity value of the fluid from the air temperature information 8 (8c), and a function of correcting the detection error information of the flow velocity value from the flow azimuth information, the flow velocity value, and the directivity error information with respect to the flow azimuth. have. In addition, the part shown with a dotted line in FIG. 5 has shown the case of the sensor of the shape used in Example 2 mentioned later (when two temperature measurement elements 8 are formed).

Since it is configured in this way, the measured values (temperature information a, b) from the two temperature measuring elements 6a and 6b change according to the azimuth (flow direction) of the fluid flow direction, From the measured values (temperature information a, temperature information b) of the two temperature measuring elements 6 (6a, 6b), the azimuth angle of the fluid hitting the thermal flow velocity / flow rate sensor 15 can be estimated.
In addition, when there are two measured values (temperature information a and temperature information b) from the temperature measuring element 6 (6a, 6b), the fluid flow direction (flow direction) is limited to two directions. It can not be identified. However, at least three temperature measuring elements are required to determine the flow direction (flow direction) of the fluid. Since this matter is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 2014-259615 filed earlier by the inventor, the description thereof will be omitted.

  However, an object of the present invention is not to measure the flow direction (flow direction) of the fluid but to improve the measurement accuracy of the flow velocity measurement value by reducing the directivity error. Therefore, it is sufficient if the flow direction of the fluid can be specified up to two directions by the two temperature measuring elements 6a and 6b of the flow velocity detector 4 (4a, 4b). In the directivity error, the positional relationship between the two temperature measuring elements 6 (6a, 6b) is symmetrical with respect to a line connecting 0 ° and 180 °, as shown in FIG. . For this reason, it can be determined at which angle the fluid hits the temperature measuring element 6a and the temperature measuring element 6b (azimuth angle) with respect to the line connecting the two temperature measuring elements 6a and 6b. Therefore, even if the azimuth angle can be estimated only up to two azimuths, there is no problem as long as it has a symmetrical relationship.

  At the present time, due to the advancement of semiconductor technology, the quantizer 17, the arithmetic unit 18, the storage device (nonvolatile memory) 19 and the semiconductor component of the information output device 20 shown in FIG. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the size and cost.

  FIG. 6 shows the measurement result when the thermal flow rate / flow rate sensor 15 having the structure shown in FIGS. 1 (a) and 1 (b) is used, and the flow rate of the fluid is used as a parameter. The temperature measuring element 6a of the flow velocity detection unit 4a is positioned in the direction of −90 °. The numerical value on the circumference indicates the deviation from the average value of the whole circumference measurement values. The measurement results shown in FIG. 6 are measured using a sensor having a shape different from the data shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, and therefore the numerical values and the flow azimuth angles of the fluid are different. In addition, the plot data indicates not the flow velocity value but the numerical value obtained from the temperature difference with the air temperature.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the reaction to the flow azimuth angle of the airflow (fluid) maintains a constant shape regardless of the flow velocity range. In addition, the measurement result has a substantially vertically symmetrical shape with the axis connecting the temperature measuring element 6a and the temperature measuring element 6b (in this case, the line connecting -90 ° and 90 °) as the center line. Thereby, there is no problem in the detection of the azimuth, and the airflow (from the temperature information a−temperature information b) between the temperature information a of the temperature measuring element 6a and the temperature information b from the temperature measuring element 6b (ie, temperature information a−temperature information b). It turns out that the azimuth angle of the fluid flow direction can be calculated.

  Next, the operation of the thermal flow rate / flow rate sensor 15 including the correction device 16 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 (a), 1 (b), 5, 6, and 7. FIG. First, heater elements 7 (7a) mounted on both surfaces (front and back surfaces) of the substrate portion 1a of the plate-like substrate 1 by a supply current from a circuit pattern (not shown) of the internal power supply wiring of the substrate portion 1a. 7b) is heated. When the thermal type flow rate / flow rate sensor 15 is arranged in the fluid, the heat (temperature) of the heater element 7 (7a, 7b) changes according to the flow rate of the fluid, and this temperature information is obtained from the mounting of the substrate portion 1a. Thermally conducted directly to the two temperature measuring elements 6 (6a, 6b) through the substrate of the location, the flow velocity value and the flow rate value are obtained based on the operating principle of the above-described thermal flow velocity / flow rate sensor. In this state, the directivity error is large.

  Therefore, the first embodiment includes a correction device 16 that automatically corrects the directivity error, and this will be described below. 5 and 7, the measured values (step A) measured by the two temperature measuring elements 6a and 6b of the flow velocity detector 4 (4a and 4b) are respectively converted by the quantizing device 17 shown in FIG. AD conversion is performed to obtain temperature information a and temperature information b of the digital signal (step B). Further, the temperature measurement value (step C) measured by the temperature measuring element 8a is similarly converted into a digital signal by the quantizing device 17 and becomes temperature information c (step D).

  Next, the temperature information a and temperature information b of the two temperature measuring elements 6 (6a and 6b) and the temperature information c of the temperature measuring element 8a are input to the arithmetic unit (CPU) 18. In this arithmetic unit 18, flow azimuth information is calculated from the two temperature information a and temperature information b from the two temperature measuring elements 6 (6a, 6b) (step E). Further, the directivity error of the flow velocity value is corrected from the two temperature information a, temperature information b, and temperature information c of the temperature measuring element 8a (step F).

  Next, the detection error of the flow velocity value is corrected from the directivity error information (step H) for the flow azimuth angle captured as external data from the storage device 19 storing the flow azimuth angle information, the flow velocity value, and the external data. (Step G), a flow velocity value with less directivity characteristic error is output from the information output device 20 (Step I).

  FIG. 2A is a directional characteristic diagram schematically showing measurement results (temperature information a, temperature information b) actually measured using the flow velocity detector 4 having the shape shown in the first embodiment. The solid line a corresponds to the measured value (temperature information a) by the temperature measuring element 6a, and the dotted line b corresponds to the measured value (temperature information b) by the temperature measuring element 6b. FIG. 2B is a diagram showing a case where the directivity error is displayed with a WS line in FIG. 2A. In FIG. 2B, the solid line WS is a solid line a (temperature measuring element) in FIG. 6a (the measured value (temperature information a)) and the dotted line b (the measured value (temperature information b) by the temperature measuring element 6b)) are combined. In this case, the combining method of the two temperature measuring elements 6a and 6b The maximum measured value is selected.

  As apparent from FIG. 2A, the wind (fluid flow direction) blown from the front of the temperature measuring element 6a is 0 °, and the wind (fluid) blown from the front of the temperature measuring element 6b is 180 °. Assuming that the reference flow velocity is 1, the detection value of each surface (temperature measuring element 6a, temperature measuring element 6b) has a detection error up to about 20% on each surface. This detection error is obtained by combining the measured values (temperature information a, temperature information b) of the two temperature measuring elements 6a and 6b, that is, the directivity error indicated by the WS line in FIG. By doing so, it can be greatly improved.

  Further, as is apparent from FIG. 2B, even if the measurement values (temperature information a and temperature information b) of the two temperature measuring elements 6a and 6b as shown by the WS line are synthesized, the measurement is performed. A directivity error occurs in the vicinity of 90 ° lateral to the arrangement axis (0 ° -180 °) of the temperature element 6a and the temperature measuring element 6b. Since this directivity error can be corrected by the correction device 16, a non-directional thermal flow velocity / flow rate sensor can be obtained.

  Since it is configured in this way, in the thermal flow rate / flow rate sensor 15, the heater element 7 (7a, 7b) is mounted on both sides of the substrate portion 1a, and the temperature measuring element 6 (6a, 6b) is also mounted on both sides. Therefore, the difference in the amount of heat released to the fluid on the upstream side and the downstream side of each heater element 7 (7a, 7b) based on the difference in the fluid flow direction can be reduced. The directivity error can be reduced, and the directivity can be improved. In addition, since the directivity error can be automatically corrected by the correction device 16, a thermal flow velocity / flow rate sensor that is almost omnidirectional can be obtained as shown in FIG.

  Further, the heater element 7 (7a, 7b) and the temperature measuring element 6 (6a, 6b) have a structure in which the heater element 7 (7a, 6b) is thermally connected directly via the board portion 1a at the mounting location, so that the responsiveness is good. Since the flow rate detection unit 4 is obtained and the flow rate detection unit 4 with little individual difference is obtained, adjustment as a thermal flow rate / flow rate sensor is not required, and the cost is reduced.

  Further, the substrate portion 1a on which the flow velocity detection unit 4 is mounted, the substrate portion 1c on which the air temperature measurement unit 5 is mounted, the flow velocity detection portion support portion 2, the air temperature measurement support portion 3 and the substrate main portion 1b are all integrated. It is the structure formed in. Therefore, as described above, the substrate 1 and the substrate material of the flow velocity detection unit support 2 are made of a member having low thermal conductivity (FR-4 substrate: thermal conductivity is 0.45 W / m / K). Yes. In addition, the heat flow from the flow rate detection unit 4 to the substrate main portion 1b can be suppressed by forming the flow rate detection unit support 2 to be elongated.

  In addition, since the two temperature measuring elements 6 (6a, 6b) and the two heater elements 7 (7a, 7b) are disposed to face each other with the substrate portion 1a interposed therebetween, the temperature of the temperature measuring element 6 has decreased. Even in this case, since the temperature of the temperature measuring element 6 can be recovered more quickly, the responsiveness as a thermal flow rate / flow rate sensor is improved.

  A second embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. FIG. 3 is a front view of a thermal type flow velocity / flow rate sensor showing a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. In the thermal type flow velocity / flow rate sensor 25 having the shape shown in FIG. 3, the measured values (8a, 8b) measured using the temperature measuring element 8 (8a, 8b) are shown. It is a directivity characteristic figure which shows the measurement result of the temperature information c and the temperature information d). The same parts as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same names and the same numbers, and the description thereof is omitted. Further, the circuit pattern formed on the substrate 21 is not described.

  As shown in FIG. 3, a flow velocity detection unit 4 extending integrally from the substrate main portion 21b is supported at the center of one end of the plate-shaped substrate 21 (substrate main portion 21b) of the thermal flow velocity / flow rate sensor 25. The flow velocity detecting portion support portion 22 is formed, and one end measuring portion of the substrate 21 (substrate main portion 21b) has a pair (two) of elongated shapes symmetrically about the flow velocity detection portion support portion 22. Temperature measurement part support parts 23 (23a, 23b) are formed so as to extend integrally from the main board part 21b. A substrate portion 21a for mounting the two flow velocity detectors 4 (4a, 4b) supported by the flow velocity detector support portion 22 is formed on both surfaces (front surface and back surface) of the tip portion of the flow velocity detector support portion 22. Has been. Similarly, two temperature measuring parts 5 (5a, 5b) supported by the two temperature measuring part support parts 23 (23a, 23b) are mounted on the tip of the temperature measuring part support part 23, respectively. A substrate portion 21c and a substrate portion 21d are formed.

  The circuit portion 11 is formed in the substrate main portion 21b of the substrate 21 as described in the first embodiment. Heater elements 7 (7a, 7b), which are general-purpose surface-mounted components, are arranged to be opposed to each other at the mounting locations on the front surface and the back surface of the substrate portion 21a, and further mounted at the mounting location of the substrate portion 21a. Two general-purpose temperature measuring elements 6 (6a, 6b) are mounted by soldering or the like adjacent to the two heater elements 7 (7a, 7b), and the two flow velocity detectors 4 (equal to detection sensitivity) ( 4a, 4b). Two temperature measuring elements 8 (8a, 8b), which are general-purpose surface-mounted components, are mounted on the surface mounting locations of the substrate portions 21c, 21d by soldering or the like, respectively, and the temperature measuring unit 5 (5a, 5b). Is configured.

Therefore, the two flow velocity detectors 4 have a structure that is integrally formed and supported on both surfaces of one end central portion of the substrate main portion 21b by the flow velocity detector support portion 22, and the two air temperature measuring portions 5 (5a, 5a, 5b) is a pair (two) symmetrically formed on the both sides of one end of the substrate main portion 21b by the two temperature measuring portion support portions 23 (23a, 23b) with the flow velocity detection portion support portion 22 as the center. The temperature measuring unit support 23 (23a, 23b) is supported.
By forming the two temperature measuring units 5 (5a, 5b) having such a structure, the two temperature measuring elements 8a, 8b are arranged so as not to be on the leeward side of the flow velocity detecting unit 4 at the same time. By arranging in this way, the influence of heat by the heater elements 7 (7a, 7b) of the flow velocity detection unit 4 can be reduced.

  Further, as described in the first embodiment, the two temperature measuring elements 6 (6a, 6b) and the two heater elements 7 (7a, 7b) of the two flow velocity detectors 4 (4a, 4b) Are mounted on both surfaces (front and back) of the sensor, and the temperature measuring element 6 (6a, 6b) and the heater element 7 (7a, 7b) are arranged adjacent to each other and mounted so that they are directly connected thermally. It has a structured.

  Further, a space 9 is provided around each of the two flow velocity detection units 4 (4a, 4b) and the two air temperature measurement units 5 (5a, 5b), and the flow velocity detection units 4 and 2 are provided. Spaces 10a and 10b are also provided between the two temperature measuring units 5 (5a and 5b). As described above, the plate-shaped substrate 21 includes two substrate portions 21 a for the flow velocity detection unit 4 and two substrate portions 21 c for the air temperature measurement unit 5, the flow velocity detection unit support unit 22 and the two air temperatures, respectively. It has a structure integrally connected to the substrate main part 21b through the measurement part support part 23 (23a, 23b). Further, as in the case of the first embodiment, the substrate main portion 21b is formed with an attachment hole for attaching the thermal flow rate / flow rate sensor 15 to another device and an output terminal pad 12 for taking out a signal.

  In the second embodiment, the substrate portion 21a for the flow velocity detection unit and the substrate portions 21c and 21d for the temperature measurement unit are respectively provided with a flow velocity detection unit support unit 22 and two temperature measurement unit support units 23 (23a). , 23b), and is integrally connected to the substrate main portion 21b. As described above, the two flow velocity detection units 4 and the two temperature measurement units 5 (5a, 5b) are formed on the same substrate, but the present invention is not limited to this. The same effect can be obtained even if the flow rate detection unit and the temperature measurement unit are separated.

  The thermal flow velocity / flow rate sensor 25 having the shape shown in FIG. 3 includes a correction device 26 that automatically corrects the directivity error, as in the first embodiment. Since the two temperature measuring elements 8a and 8b are provided, the temperature information c and the temperature information d from the two temperature measuring elements 8a and 8b are respectively sent to the quantizing device 17 as shown by the dotted lines in FIG. Will be input. In addition, as shown by the dotted line in FIG. 7, the two air temperature information c and the air temperature information d are added and processed, and the flow velocity value is calculated (step E). Since the operation method is the same as the method described in the first embodiment, the description thereof is omitted.

  FIG. 4 schematically shows measured values (temperature information c, temperature information d) actually measured using the temperature measuring element 8 (8a, 8b) in the thermal flow velocity / flow rate sensor 25 having the shape shown in FIG. In the figure, the solid line a corresponds to the measured value (temperature information c) by the temperature measuring element 8a, and the dotted line b represents the measured value (temperature information d) by the temperature measuring element 8b. It corresponds.

  Here, in FIG. 4, the angle at which the air temperature measuring element 8 a of the air temperature measuring unit 5 a becomes the leeward side of the flow velocity detecting unit 4 is 90 °, and the air temperature measuring element 8 b is the leeward side of the flow velocity detecting unit 4. Assuming that the angle to become 180 ° and the reference temperature to be 25 ° C., the measured value (temperature information c) of the air temperature measuring element 8a is within a specific angle range (70 ° to 110 °) that becomes the leeward temperature 28 A large detection error with the maximum value in ° C is generated. Similarly, the measured value (temperature information d) of the temperature measuring element 8b is in a specific angle range (250 ° to 290 °) ° that is leeward, and a large detection error with the temperature 28 ° C. being the maximum value occurs.

  Since the detection errors of these temperature measurement elements 8 (8a, 8b) are directly connected to the measurement errors of the flow velocity, two temperature measurements are performed in order to improve the detection errors of the temperature measurement elements 8 (8a, 8b). The measured values (temperature information c and temperature information d) of the element 8a for temperature and the element 8b for temperature measurement are synthesized. The synthesis method in this case is to select the minimum value from the measured values (temperature information c and temperature information d) of the two temperature measuring elements 8a and 8b. Can be greatly improved.

  Since it is configured in this way, the same effects as those of the first embodiment can be obtained. Further, since two temperature measuring units 5 are arranged, the temperature measurement value is obtained by synthesizing two temperature information c and temperature information d obtained from the temperature measuring element 8a and the temperature measuring element 8b, respectively. Since the measured value (flow velocity value) from which the above error is removed can be calculated, the directivity error of the thermal flow velocity / flow rate sensor 25 can be reduced. Further, since the two temperature measuring elements 8a and 8b are arranged so as not to be on the leeward side of the flow velocity detecting unit 4 at the same time, the flow velocity detecting unit 4 to the temperature measuring element 8a and the temperature measuring element 8b is arranged. The influence of heat from the heater element 7 (7a, 7b) can be minimized.

  In the second embodiment, the thermal flow rate / flow rate sensor 25 having two flow rate detection units and two air temperature measurement units is used. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The shape may be a shape in which one flow velocity detection unit and two air temperature measurement units are formed. In this case, the directivity error of the thermal flow velocity / flow rate sensor can be sufficiently improved.

  As an application field, it can be widely used in human living environments such as air-conditioning management such as air-conditioning and energy management field. It can be placed in each room in the building and used as part of the comfort sensor. There are PMV (predicted average thermal sensation), ET (effective temperature), OT (working temperature), etc. as comfort evaluation indexes of human living environment, all of which are calculated using the value of wind speed. Temperature sensors and humidity sensors are becoming popular in general households. In particular, since a thermal flow velocity / flow rate sensor with improved cost, durability and ease of manufacture can be obtained, there is a possibility of introduction into a living environment that has not been introduced in the past. Similarly, it can be expected to be applied to the monitoring of human living environment and surrounding environment, such as inspection of ventilation function in buildings, inspection and monitoring of labor environment standards, and inspection and monitoring of smoke distribution based on the Health Promotion Law.

  In the industrial field, it can be applied to inspection of wind speed and air volume in a clean air environment. In clean rooms and chambers that can only have a clean air environment inside the box-shaped structure, attention must be paid to mixing and mixing of contaminated air, and it is widely used even in fields where wind speed and air volume could not be monitored in the past. It can be used.

  Moreover, in the field of agriculture, especially in the field of horticulture, it has been found that applying a breeze of 0.3 to 0.7 m / s to a plant body or plant community is effective in promoting photosynthesis and preventing disease. Therefore, utilization for plant production management, such as monitoring of clean air environment and management of wind in cultivation facilities such as greenhouses, is expected. In this way, it can be used even in places where sensor installation could not be expected in the past.

  In medical institutions such as hospitals, it is known that the surrounding environment of a patient affects the recovery of treatment for the patient, and temperature and humidity have been actively managed from the past. In addition, patients who have undergone surgery, immediately after surgery, or patients who have undergone modulation of the bioregulatory function, need to pay more attention to environmental management than patients in other conditions because the body temperature regulation function is reduced. is there. Furthermore, the post-operative course of a surgical patient is particularly required to minimize environmental stress on the patient during and after surgery. However, the air velocity, which is one of the evaluation factors of comfort, has not been actively used until now. In Japan's medical environment where the number of beds is decreasing, early discharge due to short-term recovery of patients will benefit patients who are burdened with medical institutions and are forced to wait for hospitalization. Therefore, introduction into the medical field can be expected.

15, 25 Thermal flow velocity / flow rate sensor 1, 21 Substrate 1a, 21a Substrate portion for flow velocity detection portion 1b, 21b Plate-shaped substrate main portion 21c, 21d Substrate portion for temperature measurement 2, 22 Support for flow velocity detection portion Part 3, 23, 3a, 23b Temperature measurement part support part 4 (4a, 4b) Flow velocity detection part 5 (5a, 5b) Temperature measurement part 6 (6a, 6b) Temperature measurement element 7 (7a, 7b) Heater element 8 (8a, 8b) Air temperature measurement element 11 Circuit unit 16 Correction device 17 Quantization device (AD converter)
18 Arithmetic device 19 Storage device (nonvolatile memory)
20 Information output device a, b Temperature information c, d Air temperature information

Claims (5)

A flow rate detector having a heater element that generates heat by a supply current and a temperature measuring element that detects a temperature of heat from the heater element that changes according to the flow rate;
An air temperature measuring unit having an air temperature measuring element for measuring the air temperature;
A plate-like substrate of a thermal flow rate / flow rate sensor, a substrate main portion which is a main portion of the substrate, a substrate portion on which the flow velocity detection unit is mounted,
An elongated flow velocity detection portion support portion that integrally extends from the substrate main portion and supports the flow velocity detection portion;
An elongated temperature measurement unit support unit that extends integrally from the main part of the substrate and supports the temperature measurement unit, and
A circuit part formed (arranged) on the main part of the substrate;
In a thermal flow rate / flow rate sensor that measures the flow rate and flow rate of a fluid consisting of
The heater element and the temperature measuring element, which are general-purpose surface-mounted components, are mounted on both surfaces of the mounting portion of the substrate portion on which the flow velocity detection section is mounted, and are mounted to face each other, and the flow velocity detection section is mounted. Constituting a flow rate detection unit formed by thermally connecting at least two temperature measuring elements and at least two heater elements via a substrate portion;
The circuit unit has an AD conversion function for converting the temperature information a and b from the two temperature measuring elements a and b disposed opposite to each other and the temperature information from the temperature measuring element into digital signals, respectively. A quantizer having
A storage device for storing directional error information with respect to a fluid flow direction;
A function of calculating azimuth angle information of the flow of the fluid that hits the temperature measuring elements a and b of the flow velocity detection unit from the two temperature information a and b converted into digital signals,
A function of calculating a flow velocity value of the fluid from the two pieces of temperature information a and b and at least one piece of the air temperature information;
An arithmetic unit having a function of correcting detection error information of the flow velocity value from the azimuth angle information of the flow, the flow velocity value, and the directivity error information;
A thermal flow rate / flow rate sensor provided with a correction device, comprising a correction device comprising an output device for outputting a flow velocity value from the arithmetic device. A flow rate detector having a heater element that generates heat by a supply current and a temperature measuring element that detects a temperature of heat from the heater element that changes according to the flow rate;
An air temperature measuring unit having an air temperature measuring element for measuring the air temperature;
A plate-like substrate of a thermal flow rate / flow rate sensor, a substrate main portion which is a main portion of the substrate, a substrate portion on which the flow velocity detection unit is mounted,
An elongated flow velocity detection portion support portion that integrally extends from the substrate main portion and supports the flow velocity detection portion;
An elongated temperature measurement unit support unit that extends integrally from the main part of the substrate and supports the temperature measurement unit, and
A circuit part formed (arranged) on the main part of the substrate;
In a thermal flow rate / flow rate sensor that measures the flow rate and flow rate of a fluid consisting of
Centering on a flow velocity detection portion support portion that supports the flow velocity detection portion, an air temperature measurement portion support portion that symmetrically supports at least a pair of the air temperature measurement portions is formed, and two temperature measurement elements are simultaneously A thermal flow rate / flow rate sensor that is placed so as not to be leeward of the flow rate detector. The heater element and the temperature measuring element, which are general-purpose surface-mounted components, are mounted on both surfaces of the mounting portion of the substrate portion on which the flow velocity detection section is mounted, and are mounted to face each other, and the flow velocity detection section is mounted. The thermal flow rate / flow rate sensor according to claim 2, wherein a flow rate detection unit is formed by thermally connecting the two temperature measuring elements and the two heater elements via a substrate portion. A flow rate detector having a heater element that generates heat by a supply current and a temperature measuring element that detects a temperature of heat from the heater element that changes according to the flow rate;
An air temperature measuring unit having an air temperature measuring element for measuring the air temperature;
The main part of the board, which is the main part of the plate substrate of the thermal flow rate / flow rate sensor,
A substrate portion on which the flow velocity detector is mounted;
An elongated flow velocity detection portion support portion that integrally extends from the substrate main portion and supports the flow velocity detection portion;
An elongated temperature measurement unit support unit that extends integrally from the main part of the substrate and supports the temperature measurement unit, and
A circuit part formed (arranged) in the main part of the substrate;
In a thermal flow rate / flow rate sensor that measures the flow rate and flow rate of a fluid consisting of
Centering on a flow rate detection unit support unit that supports the flow rate detection unit, an air temperature measurement unit support unit that symmetrically supports at least a pair of the air temperature measurement units is formed, and the air temperature measurement element simultaneously detects the flow rate. Placed so that it is not on the leeward side of the
The circuit unit has an AD conversion function for converting the temperature information a and b from the two temperature measuring elements a and b disposed opposite to each other and the temperature information from the temperature measuring element into digital signals, respectively. A quantizer having
A storage device for storing directional error information with respect to a fluid flow direction;
A function of calculating azimuth angle information of the flow of the fluid that hits the temperature measuring elements a and b of the flow velocity detection unit from the two temperature information a and b converted into digital signals,
A function for calculating a fluid flow velocity value from the two pieces of temperature information a and b and at least one piece of the air temperature information (c or d);
An arithmetic device having a function of correcting detection error information of the flow velocity value from the azimuth angle information of the flow, the flow velocity value, and the directivity error information;
A thermal flow rate / flow rate sensor provided with a correction device, comprising a correction device comprising an output device for outputting a flow velocity value from the arithmetic device. The heater element and the temperature measuring element, which are general-purpose surface-mounted components, are mounted on both surfaces of the mounting portion of the substrate portion on which the flow velocity detection section is mounted, and are mounted to face each other, and the flow velocity detection section is mounted. The correction apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a flow velocity detection unit configured to thermally connect at least two of the temperature measuring elements and at least two of the heater elements through a substrate portion. Thermal flow rate / flow rate sensor.

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