TW201602533A - Temperature sensor - Google Patents

Abstract

The objective of the present invention is to provide a cheap temperature sensor that can also be manufactured without variation. The temperature sensor of the present invention has a sensing element 10, a supporting element 30 to secure and to support the sensing element, multiple optical fibers illuminating light to the sensing element and conducting the inflecting light from the sensing element, and multiple sleeves 90 receiving the optical fibers. The supporting element is a board and has notches formed on at least one of the edges of the non-supporting surface 30b and the sides. The non-supporting surface is opposite to the surface for securing the sensing element. The non-supporting surface of the supporting element is exposed outside and the supporting element is mounted securely in the front end of the sleeve. The front end of the sleeve engages the notches.

Description

Temperature sensor

The present invention relates to a temperature sensor, and more particularly to an optical temperature sensor using an optical fiber.

There are a wide variety of temperature sensors, and a suitable temperature sensor can be selected according to the purpose or place of use. For example, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, an optical temperature sensor may be used in applications where it is not desired to apply a current to a measurement site.

The temperature sensor disclosed in Patent Document 1 is a temperature sensor that measures the temperature of a living body, and adopts an optical configuration in order not to apply an electric shock to a living body. Moreover, in order to be used in vivo as a medical sensor, the temperature sensor combines two polymers suitable for measuring the temperature in the vicinity of normal temperature to constitute a converter.

[Patent Document]

[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 6-213732

However, based on the characteristics of the polymer, the temperature sensor disclosed in Patent Document 1 cannot measure a temperature of 100 ° C or higher. As a use for measuring the temperature of 100 ° C or more, for example, there is a material processing apparatus using plasma and temperature measurement of a processing object. In the processing of materials using plasma, if a temperature sensor with current is used, the state of the plasma is unstable, so an optical temperature sensor is required to measure the temperature.

As an optical temperature sensor for measuring high temperature, a temperature sensor using a semiconductor as a converter described in the prior art of Patent Document 1 and a temperature sensor using a color change of a liquid crystal; A temperature sensor that changes the intensity of the light body. However, regardless of the method, it is necessary to inexpensively manufacture the characteristics of each temperature sensor without deviation, and thus it is required to further improve productivity more than the existing optical temperature sensor.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a temperature sensor which can be manufactured at low cost without variation in characteristics.

The temperature sensor of the present invention has a configuration in which the temperature sensor is provided with a sensing member, a supporting member that fixedly supports the sensing member, irradiates light to the sensing member, and conducts from the sensing An optical fiber that reflects light of the member and a cylindrical sleeve that houses the optical fiber, wherein the support member is a plate-shaped member, and at least one of a peripheral portion and a side surface of the unsupported surface of the support member is formed with a notch portion The non-supporting surface is a surface opposite to a surface on which the sensing member is fixedly fixed, and the supporting member is fixed to the front end of the sleeve in such a manner that the non-supporting surface is exposed to the outside, the sleeve The front end is engaged with the notch portion.

Here, the sensing component in the temperature sensor refers to a component having a substance whose specific physical property changes with a change in temperature, and the temperature is measured by measuring the physical property to be converted into a temperature.

In a preferred embodiment, the support member is made of metal and the sleeve is made of super engineering plastic. Super engineering plastics are plastics with a heat resistance of 150 ° C or higher, a strength of 49 MPa or more, and a bending elastic modulus of 2.4 GPa or more. The specific substance names of super engineering plastics that can be mentioned are polyfluorene (PSF), polyarylate (PAR), polyetherimine (PEI), polyimine (PI), polyetheretherketone (PEEK), Polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), polyether oxime (PES), polyamidamine (PAI), liquid crystal polymer (LCP), fluorocarbon polymer, and the like. The support member is preferably made of aluminum, and the sleeve is preferably made of polyphenylene sulfide.

In a preferred embodiment, a cut portion for connecting the inner space of the sleeve to the outside is formed at the front end of the sleeve.

In the temperature sensor of the present invention, at least one of a peripheral portion and a side surface of the support member that fixes the support sensing member is formed with a notch portion, and the front end of the sleeve is engaged with the notch portion, whereby The support member can be easily and firmly fixed to the sleeve, and the temperature sensor can be manufactured at low cost.

Before explaining the embodiments of the present invention, the course of the present invention will be described below.

A temperature sensor using a semiconductor as a transducer, a temperature sensor using a color change of a liquid crystal, a principle of utilizing a photoluminescence (fluorescence, phosphorescence) of a solid, or a lifetime change with temperature In the case of a temperature sensor or the like, in order to avoid deterioration or change in temperature characteristics of a sensing member for converting a temperature change into a change in other physical properties, and in order to prevent the sensing member from being damaged, the sensing member itself is subjected to Protection. For example, sensing components and fibers are placed in a confined space to measure changes in physical properties. At this time, the general structure is that the sensing member is fixed to the supporting member, the optical fiber is inserted into the sleeve, and the supporting member is fixed to the front end of the sleeve. Furthermore, the sensing component is configured to be located in the interior space of the sleeve and facing the optical fiber.

For example, it may be a structure in which the sensing member 10 is fixed to one side (mounting surface 39a) of the disk-shaped supporting member 39 by the adhesive 20 as shown in FIG. 10, and as shown in FIG. The support member 39 is fixed to the front end of the sleeve 90 by the adhesive 22. Since the temperature sensor is required to be miniaturized, the diameter of the support member 39 is about 3 mm. In this case, the temperature measuring surface 39b of the support member 39 (the surface on the opposite side to the mounting surface 39a) is in contact with the measuring object or placed in the measuring object space, and is thermally conducted to the supporting member 39 to make the temperature of the supporting member 39 The measurement is the same as the measurement object, and then the heat is conducted to the adhesive 20, and the heat is also conducted to the sensing member 10. The temperature of the adhesive 20 and the sensing member 10 sequentially becomes the same temperature as the measurement object, thereby measuring the temperature.

The structure shown in Fig. 11 is bonded to the fixing sleeve 90 and the supporting member 39 by the adhesive 22, however, since only a part of the side surface of the supporting member 39 and a small portion of the circumference of the mounting surface 39a are used for bonding, the bonding area is small. Therefore, it is difficult to always firmly bond. Also, since the face for bonding is small, it is necessary to uniformly apply an appropriate amount of the adhesive 22 to the inner circumference of the sleeve 90 at the front end of the sleeve 90 having a diameter of 3 mm without overflowing, and it is necessary to support the member 39. This is not very obliquely embedded in the front end of the sleeve 90, however this work is very difficult. Therefore, for each temperature sensor, the fixing strength between the sleeve 90 and the support member 39, the degree of overflow of the adhesive 22, and the inclination of the support member 39 are different, thereby causing each temperature sense The detector is biased in sensor characteristics such as response characteristics to temperature changes.

Further, the operation of inserting and bonding the small-sized member, that is, the support member 39 having a diameter of less than 3 mm, to the front end of the sleeve 90 without any inclination is laborious and time consuming, and the manufacturing cost is also increased.

In order to solve the above problems, the inventors of the present invention conducted various studies to complete the present invention. Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail based on the drawings. In the following description, in order to simplify the description, members having substantially the same functions are denoted by the same reference numerals.

(First embodiment)

As shown in FIG. 1 , the temperature sensor according to the first embodiment includes a member in which the sensing member 10 is fixed to the support surface 30 a of the support member 30 by the adhesive 20 , as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 . The component is embedded and fixed to the front end of the cylindrical sleeve 90. The non-support surface 30b of the support member 30 opposite to the support surface 30a of the support sensing member 10 is exposed from the sleeve 90 to the outside. A plurality of optical fibers 80 covered by the covering body 87 are inserted into the sleeve 90.

The sensing member 10 of the present embodiment, that is, a semiconductor (for example, GaAs, GaP, Si, or the like) whose optical absorption end and light transmission spectrum change due to temperature change can be used as follows; the fluorescence wavelength is due to temperature. An offset semiconductor (for example, a heterostructure GaAs crystal surrounded by a closed layer of AlxGa1-xAs); a phosphor whose lifetime is changed by temperature. The sensing component 10 is a plate-like component in which one side (first face 12) faces the optical fiber 80.

The temperature sensor of the present embodiment is configured such that light is irradiated from one optical fiber 80 to the sensing member 10, and light is reflected on the second surface opposite to the first surface 12 of the sensing member 10 and enters another optical fiber 80. .

The support member 30 of the present embodiment is a disk-shaped member, and the peripheral portion of the unsupported surface 30b is obliquely cut away so as to be chamfered toward the side surface 30c to form the notch portion 30d. The notch portion 30d is formed by cutting both the peripheral edge of the unsupported surface 30b and the side surface 30c, and the notch portion 30d may have a tapered shape in which the tip end is tapered toward the non-retaining surface 30b.

As shown in FIG. 2, in the present embodiment, the support member 30 to which the sensing member 10 is fixedly supported is placed on the step portion 90a of the front end of the sleeve 90 made of super engineering plastic, and then the step front is heated. The portion 90b bends the step end portion 90b and is in close contact with the notch portion 30d, whereby the front end of the sleeve 90 is fastened to the notch portion 30d. Since the method of fixing the support member 30 by deforming the front end of the sleeve 90 by heat is employed, it is possible to reliably fix it in a short time, and it is possible to reduce the fixed strength or fixed position of each temperature sensor, and the unsupported surface 30b. Deviation in terms of inclination and the like. Thereby, the processing cost can be reduced, and the variation in the intensity and temperature characteristics between each temperature sensor can be reduced.

In the present embodiment, it is preferable that the support member 30 and the sleeve 90 have high mechanical strength and heat resistance, and the heat transfer coefficient of the support member 30 is high, and the heat transfer coefficient of the sleeve 90 is low. Further, it is preferable that the difference in linear expansion coefficient between the support member 30 and the sleeve 90 is small. For example, copper or aluminum is preferably used as the support member 30 from the viewpoint of cost. From the viewpoint of melting point and cost, polyether oxime (PES), polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), polyetheretherketone (PEEK) or the like is preferably used as the sleeve 90. In particular, if pure aluminum is used as the material of the support member 30 and PPS is used as the material of the sleeve 90, the linear expansion coefficients of the two are almost equal (pure aluminum is 25 × 10 -6 / ° C, PPS is 26 ×) 10-6/°C), so it is not desirable to buckle because of temperature changes, which is ideal.

(Second embodiment)

The main parts of the temperature sensor according to the second embodiment are shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 . In the present embodiment, only the shape of the notch portion 31d of the support member 31 is different from that of the first embodiment, and the materials, structures, shapes, and the like are the same as those of the first embodiment.

The notch portion 31d of the present embodiment is formed such that the peripheral portion of the non-supporting surface 31b of the support member 31 is cut perpendicularly to the non-supporting surface 31b, and is inclined toward the side surface 31c of the non-retaining surface 31b. Cutting. In addition to the effect of the first embodiment, the area of the non-support surface 31b can be increased as compared with the first embodiment. Therefore, the contact area with the temperature measurement target can be increased, and the temperature responsiveness can be improved. effect.

(Third embodiment)

The main parts of the temperature sensor according to the third embodiment are shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. In the present embodiment, only the shape of the notch portion 32d of the support member 32 is different from that of the first embodiment, and the materials, structures, shapes, and the like are the same as those of the first embodiment.

The notch portion 32d of the present embodiment is formed in a stepped shape in which the peripheral portion of the non-supporting surface 32b of the support member 32 is cut perpendicularly to the non-supporting surface 32b, and is parallel to the non-supporting surface 32b. The side surface 32c of the holding surface 32b is cut in the direction. In addition to the effect of the first embodiment, the area of the non-support surface 32b can be increased as compared with the first embodiment. Therefore, the contact area with the temperature measurement target can be increased, and the temperature responsiveness can be improved. effect.

(Fourth embodiment)

The main parts of the temperature sensor according to the fourth embodiment are shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. In the present embodiment, only the shape of the notch portion 33d of the support member 33 is different from that of the first embodiment, and the materials, structures, shapes, and the like are the same as those of the first embodiment.

The notch portion 33d of the present embodiment is a recess (groove) provided around the side surface 33c at the center of the support surface 33a and the non-support surface 33b on the side surface 33c of the support member 33. In addition to the effect of the first embodiment, the area of the non-support surface 33b can be increased as compared with the first embodiment. Therefore, the contact area with the temperature measurement target can be increased, and the temperature responsiveness can be improved. effect.

(Fifth Embodiment)

A front end portion of the temperature sensor according to the fifth embodiment is shown in FIG. The present embodiment differs from the first embodiment only in that the notch portion 92 is formed at the tip end of the sleeve 90, and the materials, structures, shapes, and the like are the same as those of the first embodiment.

In the present embodiment, two incisions 92 are formed, and the incision portion 92 is a front end portion of the sleeve 90 and a part of the engaging portion 91 that is engaged with the notch portion 30d of the support member 30 is cut away. Forming. The cut portion 92 is formed before the sleeve 90 is engaged with the notch portion 30d of the support member 30. Thereby, when the support member 30 is pinched by a tweezers or the like and placed on the tip end of the sleeve 90, the tweezers or the like is placed in the notch portion 92, and the placing operation can be performed quickly and accurately. The inner space of the sleeve 90 and the outside are communicated by the notch portion 92, so that dew condensation in the sleeve 90 can be suppressed. In addition to this, the present embodiment can also exhibit the effects of the first embodiment. Further, although not shown in the drawings, in order to reliably conduct heat conducted from the temperature measuring surface 30b to the sensing member 10, the contact area between the supporting member 30 and the sleeve 90 is preferably smaller. The width of the incision portion 92 may be increased within a range in which the strength can be secured, or the position at which the incision portion 92 is provided may be increased to 3 or 4.

(Other embodiments)

The above embodiments are examples of the invention, and the invention is not limited to the examples, and the examples may be combined with or substituted for conventional techniques, known techniques, or the like. Modifications that are readily apparent to those skilled in the art are also encompassed by the present invention.

The shape of the sensing member may be a shape such as a polygon other than a quadrangle, a circle, or the like. The shape of the support member may be a shape other than a circle such as a polygon or an ellipse. The cross section of the sleeve may also be polygonal or elliptical in accordance with the shape of the support member.

In the above embodiment, there are a plurality of optical fibers including an optical fiber for conducting light that illuminates the sensing member, and an optical fiber for conducting light returned from the sensing member, but may also have a plurality of cores. A multi-core fiber. In addition, it is also possible to use a structure in which one optical fiber is used for both conducting and receiving light.

[Industrial Availability]

As described above, the temperature sensor according to the present invention is useful as an optical temperature sensor that can be manufactured inexpensively without variation and that does not use electricity.

10‧‧‧Sensing parts
30‧‧‧Support parts
30b‧‧‧Support surface
30c‧‧‧ side
30d‧‧‧Gap section
31‧‧‧Support parts
31b‧‧‧Unsupported surface
31c‧‧‧ side
31d‧‧‧Gap section
32‧‧‧Support parts
32b‧‧‧Unsupported surface
32c‧‧‧ side
32d‧‧‧Gap section
33‧‧‧Support parts
33b‧‧‧Unsupported surface
33c‧‧‧ side
33d‧‧‧Gap section
80‧‧‧ fiber optic
90‧‧‧ sleeve
92‧‧‧cutting department

Fig. 1(a) is a plan view schematically showing a main part of a temperature sensor according to the first embodiment, and Fig. 1(b) is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along line A-A. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a front end portion of a temperature sensor according to the first embodiment. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a temperature sensor according to the first embodiment. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a main part of a temperature sensor according to a second embodiment. Fig. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a front end portion of a temperature sensor according to a second embodiment. Fig. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a main part of a temperature sensor according to a third embodiment. Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing the front end portion of the temperature sensor according to the third embodiment. Fig. 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a main part of a temperature sensor according to a fourth embodiment. Fig. 9 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a front end portion of a temperature sensor according to a fourth embodiment. Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing the main part of the temperature sensor according to the comparative embodiment. Fig. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing the front end portion of the temperature sensor according to the comparative embodiment. Fig. 12 is a schematic plan view showing a front end portion of a temperature sensor according to a fifth embodiment.

10‧‧‧Sensing parts

20‧‧‧Binder

30‧‧‧Support parts

30b‧‧‧Unsupported surface

30d‧‧‧Gap section

90‧‧‧ sleeve

90a‧‧ ̄ step

90b‧‧ ‧ step front end

Claims (4)

A temperature sensor having a sensing component, a support member that fixedly supports the sensing component, an optical fiber that illuminates the sensing component and transmits reflected light from the sensing component, and a cylindrical sleeve accommodating the optical fiber; the support member is a plate-shaped member, and at least one of a peripheral portion and a side surface of the unsupported surface of the support member is formed with a notch portion, the unsupported surface and the fixed support a surface opposite to the surface of the sensing member; the support member is fixed to the front end of the sleeve such that the non-support surface is exposed to the outside; the front end of the sleeve is engaged with the notch portion . A temperature sensor according to claim 1, wherein: said support member is made of metal; said sleeve is made of super engineering plastic. The temperature sensor of claim 2, wherein: the support member is made of aluminum; and the sleeve is made of polyphenylene sulfide. The temperature sensor according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: the front end of the sleeve is formed with a cut portion that allows the inner space of the sleeve to communicate with the outside.