WO2008015750A1

WO2008015750A1 - Insulating tube, temperature sensor assembly, and thermometer

Info

Publication number: WO2008015750A1
Application number: PCT/JP2006/315400
Authority: WO
Inventors: Shinji Kitamori
Original assignee: Fenwal Controls Of Japan, Ltd.
Priority date: 2006-08-03
Filing date: 2006-08-03
Publication date: 2008-02-07

Abstract

An insulating tube is provided with a plurality of insulating element tubes arranged in combination. The insulating element tube is equipped with a passage for inserting a temperature sensor wire. In the insulating tube, the scheduled arranging position of the sensitive portion of the temperature sensor in each of the plurality of insulating element tubes corresponds to the temperature measuring position, and the adjoining faces of adjoining insulating element tubes are brought into surface-contact with each other. A temperature sensor assembly comprises the insulating tube, the wires of the temperature sensor inserted into the insertion passages of respective insulating element tubes, and a temperature sensor coupled with each wire and having the sensitive portions arranged at the scheduled arranging positions of sensitive portion of respective insulating element tubes. A thermometer has the temperature sensor assembly inserted into a protective tube.

Description

Specification

Insulating tube, temperature sensor assembly, and thermometer

Technical field

The present invention relates to an insulating tube, a temperature sensor assembly including the insulating tube, and a thermometer, and more specifically, an insulating tube for a temperature sensor for measuring the temperature of a substance to be measured accurately, quickly, and uniformly, The present invention relates to a temperature sensor assembly including the same and a thermometer.

Background art

[0002] Sensitive parts of temperature sensors in thermometers such as thermocouples that measure ambient temperature are often covered with a protective tube. One or more temperature sensors covered with a protective tube and made ready for use are called thermometers.) When measuring the temperature in a high-temperature heating furnace, a protective tube or protective member is essential to protect the sensitive part of the temperature sensor from the surrounding atmosphere. On the other hand, when multiple points of temperature measurement are required, a temperature sensor assembly that combines multiple temperature sensors is combined into a single protective tube from the viewpoints of workability of thermometer installation and suppression of the influence on the substance to be measured. It is common to use a thermometer for multipoint measurement inserted in In a thermometer having such a temperature sensor assembly in a protective tube, it is not easy to place a plurality of temperature sensors in the protective tube with accurate positions.

[0003] Figs. 12 and 13 show a thermometer with a protective tube that has been used conventionally. FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a conventional thermometer. In addition, FIG. 12 shows the state in which about 2Z3 on the tip side of the protective tube is cut away so that the internal structure can be understood. FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of the FF ′ cross section near the base of the thermometer in FIG. This thermometer 1 has a structure in which a temperature sensor assembly 12 having four temperature sensors is covered with a protective tube 9. In each of the four temperature sensors, a pair of thermocouple wires 10 are inserted into two insertion paths 7 in each of the circular or elliptical insulating tubes 3 ′, 4 ′, 5 ′, 6 ′. Yes, at the tips of the insulating tubes 3 ′, 4 ′, 5 ′ and 6 ′, the thermocouple element 10 is coupled to form a temperature sensor sensitive portion 8 respectively. In this temperature sensor assembly 12, as shown in FIG. 13, each temperature sensor is inserted into the protective tube separately, and the insulating tubes 3, 4 ', 5', 6, are in contact with each other. Or line contact Although there is force, there is no surface contact. In such a state, if the base of the temperature sensor is fixed in the protective tube, the position in the length direction of the thermometer is specified, but at the tip where the temperature sensor is sensitive, the thermometer is located. The position in the circumferential direction of is likely to fluctuate. In particular, when the insulating tubes 3 ', 4', 5 ', 6' are thin and long, it is difficult for the sensitive part of the temperature sensor to suppress the fluctuation of the position of the thermometer in the circumferential direction. Therefore, it is considered that these temperature sensors are bundled with a heat-resistant wire or the like to suppress the fluctuation of the sensitive part of the temperature sensor, but the adjacent temperature sensors are in line contact with each other, and in some cases point contact. Therefore, it was not possible to suppress the fluctuations sufficiently. If the position of the sensitive part of the temperature sensor is not specified, the temperature at the measurement target position cannot be measured accurately. In addition, measurement objects with temperature changes are subject to variations in the ability to follow temperature changes, and temperature changes cannot be measured accurately.

[0004] As described above, when a plurality of temperature sensors are inserted into the protective tube and the temperature sensors are disposed at a plurality of different positions in the length direction of the thermometer, a method for improving the workability of the temperature sensor insertion and the accuracy A method of installing a temperature sensor at a predetermined position has been studied. However, recently, as in a diffusion furnace used in semiconductor manufacturing, temperature control in each region is becoming more and more demanding, and temperature difference due to the difference in position on the cross section in the protection tube of the thermometer is also a problem. There is. In particular, even when there is a large difference in measured temperature depending on the direction of the thermometer, such as the vicinity of the heating surface of the electric furnace, the temperature around the thermometer protruding into the furnace space and the state of the change are accurately reproduced. It is required to measure with good quality. However, conventional thermometers with protective tubes may not be able to meet these requirements.

Disclosure of the invention

Problems to be solved by the invention

[0005] In the thermometer having a plurality of temperature sensors that should solve the above-mentioned problems, the protection of the temperature sensor in the protective tube is achieved by simply arranging the temperature sensor in the longitudinal direction in the protective tube. It is an object to provide an insulating tube, a temperature sensor assembly, and a thermometer that can accurately and reproducibly measure the temperature of a measurement object by specifying the arrangement on the cross section in the tube. Means for solving the problem

As means for solving the above problems,

Claim 1

Insulating tube in which a plurality of insulating pipes with insertion paths for inserting the temperature sensor wires are combined, and the temperature sensor's sensitive part is placed in each of the plurality of insulating pipes. Corresponding to the position, and the adjacent surfaces of adjacent insulating tubes are in surface contact with each other,

Claim 2

The insulating pipe according to claim 1, wherein adjacent surfaces of the plurality of insulating pipes are in surface contact with each other by forming an uneven surface,

Claim 3

The insulating tube according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the shape of a cross section perpendicular to the axial direction of the insulating tube is a fan shape,

Claim 4

The insulating tube according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a position where the sensitive portion of the temperature sensor is to be disposed is present on a distal end surface or a peripheral side surface of the insulating tube.

Claim 5

P is an insulating tube according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the insulating pipes in contact with each other are fixed to each other,

Claim 6

The insulating tube according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the insertion path provided in the insulating tube is equidistant from the central axis of the insulating tube in a cross section orthogonal to the axial direction of the insulating tube. The

Claim 7

The force according to any one of claims 1 to 6, the element wire of the temperature sensor inserted in the insertion path of each insulation element tube, and each insulation element tube, A temperature sensor assembly having a temperature sensor in which the sensitive part of the temperature sensor is arranged at a position where the sensitive part is planned to be installed, Claim 8

Claim 7: When the thermometer is assembled by inserting the insulating tube into the protective tube, the portion exposed from the protective tube is attached with a mark indicating the position of the specific insulating tube on the circumference of the insulating tube. A temperature sensor assembly according to claim 1,

Claim 9

A thermometer in which the temperature sensor assembly according to claim 7 or 8 is inserted in a protective tube.

The invention's effect

[0007] The insulating pipe according to the present invention is formed by combining and integrating a plurality of insulating pipes so that adjacent insulating pipes are in surface contact with each other. Therefore, the insulating pipes forming the insulating pipes It's not possible to make a difference. Therefore, in the case of an insulating tube formed by assembling a plurality of insulating pipes, the planned location of the sensitive portion in each insulating pipe does not deviate from the predetermined temperature measurement position.

Protecting a temperature vessel assembly having such an insulating tube and a temperature sensor disposed so as to position the sensitive portion at a position where the sensitive portion of each insulating tube in the insulating tube is to be disposed The thermometer according to the present invention, which is disposed in the protective tube, specifies the position of the sensitive part of the temperature sensor in the protective tube not only in the length direction of the protective tube but also in the circumferential direction in the cross section of the protective tube, and performs accurate temperature measurement. It is possible. The sensitive part of the temperature sensor can be arranged at an equal distance from the side wall of the protective tube and close to the wall surface of the protective tube, so that accurate and quick temperature measurement is possible even if the protective tube is thick. In addition, the sensitive part of the specific temperature sensor can be arranged in a desired circumferential direction on the cross section of the protective tube, and the temperature can be measured in a specific circumferential direction in the cross section of the protective tube. In addition, the insulating tube also serves as a guide when the temperature sensor assembly is inserted into the protective tube, facilitating installation by inserting the temperature sensor assembly into the protective tube. In addition, when some temperature sensors in the temperature sensor assembly are damaged, only the temperature sensor can be easily replaced. If a mark is attached to the exposed portion of the insulating tube from the protective tube, the location of the temperature sensor in the protective tube can be confirmed by this mark.

Brief Description of Drawings [0009] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a thermometer according to the present invention. In order to understand the internal structure, about 3/4 of the tip of the protective tube is cut off.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA ′ in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line Β_Β ′ in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the C_C ′ cross section in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the D_D ′ cross section in FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 断面 _Ε ′ in FIG.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory view illustrating the shape and arrangement of another form of the four-insulator pipe in the thermometer of the present invention.

[Fig. 8] Fig. 8 is an explanatory view illustrating the shape and arrangement of the three-element type insulating tube in the thermometer of the present invention.

[Fig. 9] Fig. 9 is an explanatory view illustrating the shape and arrangement of the five-element type insulator tube in the thermometer of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory view exemplifying the shape and arrangement of an insulator tube of another form of five types in the thermometer of the present invention.

[FIG. 11] FIG. 11 is an explanatory view showing an insulating tube which is another form of the thermometer of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a conventional thermometer. In order to understand the internal structure, about 2/3 of the tip side of the protective tube is cut off.

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the base of the thermometer in FIG.

Explanation of symbols

[0010] 1: Thermometer

2, 3, 4, 4, 5, 6 ': Insulation tube

3, 4, 5, 6: Insulation tube

7: Insertion path

8: Sensing part of temperature sensor

9: Protection tube

10: Thermocouple wire 11: Sign

12: Temperature sensor assembly

13: Core

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The insulating tube of the present invention is a rigid member such as a rod-shaped member installed in a protective tube in order to ensure the insulation of the temperature sensor, for example, a thermistor, a thermocouple, etc. In general, it is formed by combining a plurality of insulating pipes for insulating two wires included in one temperature sensor. In this insulating tube, the side surfaces of adjacent insulating tubes among the combined insulating tubes are in surface contact with each other, and the relative positions of the insulating tubes are fixed. This insulation tube is made up of the temperature sensor with the temperature sensor element in contact with each other, with the temperature sensor elements in contact with each other, or between the element wires and the protection tube. In order to prevent temperature measurement from becoming unstable, the strands of the temperature sensor are housed in the intrusion. Therefore, normally, each insulation element tube has one temperature sensor, so that one insulation element tube has two insertion paths for inserting the wires of the temperature sensor one by one. . One temperature sensor according to the present invention includes an element wire inserted into two insertion paths formed in one or a plurality of insulating element tubes and one sensitive portion coupled to the tips of the two element wires. And formed. In this case, if there is only one insertion path formed in one insulating element tube, a combination of the strand inserted into the insertion path of the two insulating element pipes and one sensitive part is combined. It can also be one temperature sensor. In addition, if four insertion paths are formed in one insulating element tube, then four insertion paths inserted in the four insertion paths formed in one insulating element pipe Two wires can be used for the temperature sensor. When the insulating tube is structured as described above, the position where the sensitive portion of the temperature sensor is arranged is not limited to the position in the length direction in the protective tube, but also in the circumferential direction. Can also be easily identified.

A specific embodiment example of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a thermometer 1 of the present invention. The front end side of the protective tube 9 is cut out so that the internal structure is divided. The insulating tube 2 of the present invention is a protective tube 9 It is in the inside. In this embodiment, the insulating tube 2 is arranged in combination so that four insulating tubes 3, 4, 5, 6 are bundled. These insulating element tubes 3, 4, 5, and 6 have different axial lengths. Insulating element tube 3, insulating element tube 5, and insulating element tube 6 are in this order. It is getting shorter. By bundling the insulating pipes 3, 4, 5 and 6 having different axial lengths in this way, the respective end surfaces of the insulating pipes 3, 4, 5, and 6 are set to the positions where the sensitive parts are to be arranged. This thermometer 1 can measure four temperatures in the length direction. The cross-sectional shape of each of the insulating pipes 3, 4, 5, 6 is a fan shape, and adjacent insulating pipes are in contact with each other by surface contact. For this reason, in the vicinity of the base of the insulating tube 2 where the four insulating tubes 3, 4, 5, 6 are combined, a cylindrical shape is formed as shown in FIG. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the AA ′ cross section near the root of thermometer 1 in FIG. The insulating tube 1 is accommodated in the protective tube 9 so as to have the same virtual center axis as the protective tube 9, and the four adjacent insulating tubes 3, 4, 5, 6 are in surface contact with each other. . As the thermometer 1, each of the insulation element tubes 3, 4, 5, and 6 has two temperature sensor element insertion paths 7, and a thermocouple element 10 is inserted into the insertion path 7. ing. This embodiment is a thermometer 1 including a temperature sensor assembly 12 formed by four temperature sensors.

As described above, the cross-sectional shape of each of the insulating element tubes 3, 4, 5, and 6 has a fan shape, and the adjacent insulating element tubes 3, 4, 5, and 6 each have a surface corresponding to a fan-shaped straight line as an axis. It is a preferred embodiment of the present invention that the planes are in surface contact with each other in the direction, and the cross-sectional shape at the root portion of the insulating tube 2 is circular. Further, if the cross-sectional shapes of the respective insulating pipes 3, 4, 5 and 6 are the same, the insulating pipe 2 has rotational symmetry in the vicinity of the root portion, which is a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Each of the insulating pipes 3, 4, 5, and 6 has a fan shape, and it is not necessary to have a shape in which the adjacent surfaces are in surface contact with each other in a combined state. Is preferable. For example, the cross-sectional shape of each insulating tube 3, 4, 5, 6 may be a triangle or a quadrangle. If the insulating tube of the present invention is formed of insulating tubes having the same right-angled triangle or square cross-sectional shape, the cross-sectional shape of the insulating tube in the portion where the four insulating tubes are bundled is square, It is also a rotationally symmetric body. Insulating tube of the present invention is composed of six insulating tubes having equilateral triangular cross-sections of the same size. The cross-sectional shape of the insulating tube in the portion where the six insulating tubes are combined is a hexagon, which is also a rotationally symmetric body.

[0014] The insulating tube 2 shown in FIG. 11 has four insulating tubes 3, 4, 5, 6 having the same cross section perpendicular to the imaginary axis. Each of the insulating pipes 3 to 6 is a long shaft body having a predetermined length along the axial direction, similarly to the insulating pipe shown in FIG. The length of each insulation tube 3-6 in the axial direction is determined by installing thermometer 1 with this insulation tube 2 inserted into protective tube 9, and installing thermometer 1 in a device that requires temperature measurement, such as a diffusion furnace. In this case, it is designed so that the temperature sensor sensitive part 8 is located at the temperature measurement point in the diffusion furnace. In a normal case, when the temperature measurement points are four points, the lengths in the axial direction of the four insulating tubes 3 to 6 are different from each other.

[0015] As shown in FIG. 11, the cross section perpendicular to the axial direction of each of the insulating pipes 3 to 6 forms a fan shape. Here, the sector shape refers to a plane in which one insulating tube 2 formed by assembling four insulating tubes 3 to 6 forms a substantially cylindrical body and shares the virtual axis of the substantially cylindrical body. The adjacent surface 15 of each of the insulating element tubes 3 to 6 is formed in the shape, and the adjacent surface 15 and the adjacent surface orthogonal to each other in each of the insulating element tubes 3 to 6 spread in the radial direction of the central axis of the substantially cylindrical body. It is based on the fact that it has the same structure as that of the sector tube shown in FIGS.

[0016] One of the four insulating element tubes 3 to 6 having the same shape will be described as a representative example. The insulating element tube 3 extends along the axial direction and is adjacent to one adjacent surface 15 thereof. From the adjacent surface 15 of the insulating tube 4 that extends along the axial direction and extends to the other adjacent surface 15. It has a fitting recess 18 into which a protruding fitting projection 17 can be fitted. In other words, each of the insulating element pipes 3 to 6 includes a fitting convex portion 17 on one adjacent surface 15 and a fitting concave portion 18 on the other adjacent surface 15. The insulating tube 2 is formed by integrally joining the four insulating tubes 3 to 6 by fitting the fitting protrusion 17 of one insulating tube 3 into the fitting recess 18 of the adjacent insulating tube 6. Is formed.

In the insulating pipes 3 to 6 shown in FIG. 11, the fitting convex portion 17 rises from the adjacent surface 15 to the adjacent surface 15 at an angle slightly smaller than a right angle 17 A 17A and the rising surfaces 17A, 17A And a projecting end surface 17B. As shown in FIG. 11, the fitting convex portion 17 having such a shape has an inverted trapezoidal shape rising from the adjacent surface 15 in a cross section orthogonal to the axial direction. The fitting recess 18 in each of the insulating pipes 3 to 6 has a hollow shape in which the fitting protrusion 17 can be fitted.

[0018] In addition, each of the insulating element tubes 3 to 6 is provided with two insertion paths 7 and 7. The insertion path 7 has a diameter capable of inserting a thermocouple element wire, and in this example, the insertion path 7 is a hole penetrating from one end to the other end of the insulating element tube 3 (4 to 6). ing. Therefore, while the sensitive part of the temperature sensor is arranged at one end of the insulating element tube 3 (4 to 6), the two strands drawn from the sensitive part of the temperature sensor are housed in the insertion path 7 and insulated. The rear end of the element wire is drawn out from the other end of the element tube 3 (4 to 6) so that it can be connected to a predetermined circuit or the like.

[0019] The positions of the insertion paths 7 and 7 formed in each of the insulating pipes 3 to 6 are cross sections orthogonal to the axial direction of the insulating pipe 2 obtained by assembling the four insulating pipes 3 to 6 together. The insertion paths 7 and 7 are positioned on a virtual circle having a predetermined radius centered on the virtual axis, and eight insertion paths 7 are arranged at equal intervals on the virtual circle. Can be determined. However, in this example, each of the insulating pipes 3 to 6 has been described as having the same shape and form, but the insertion path 7, 7 is required as necessary for the design of the facility where the thermometer is installed. The opening position of 7 may be different from the opening positions of insertion paths 7 and 7 in other insulating pipes.

[0020] Using the four insulating tubes 3 to 6 having the above configuration, the thermometer 1 can be assembled in the following manner.

[0021] The end of the fitting convex portion 17 of the insulating element tube 4 that is in contact with the opening of the fitting concave portion 18 that opens to one end face of one insulating element tube 3 is applied to the inside of the fitting concave portion 18 with a force ^. , P Insert the fitting convex part 17 of the insulating tube 4 in contact. When the fitting convex part 17 of the insulating pipe 4 adjacent to the fitting concave part 18 of one insulating pipe 3 has been fitted, the insulating surface 4 adjacent to the adjacent surface 15 of the insulating pipe 3 and the insulating pipe 3 The adjacent concave portion 18 and the fitting convex portion 17 are brought into a fitted state, and the inner surface of the fitting concave portion 18 and the outer surface of the fitting convex portion 17 are in surface contact with each other. As a result, the insulating pipes 3 to 6 are integrated to form the insulating pipe 2. [0022] Using the insulating element tubes 3 to 6 shown in FIG. 11, in the same manner as the thermometer 1 shown in FIGS. 1 to 10, the temperature sensor is arranged on the insulating element tube, and the temperature sensor is arranged. A temperature sensor assembly can be formed by assembling and integrating four insulating tubes that are installed, and a thermometer can be assembled by installing this temperature sensor assembly inside a protective tube. You can.

[0023] In the example shown in Fig. 11, the fitting convex portions and the fitting concave portions of the four insulating pipes have the same shape, but the fitting convex portions and the fitting concave portions of the four insulating pipes are respectively the same. As long as four insulating tubes can be assembled together, they do not have to have the same shape and structure.

[0024] In general, the insulating tube is made of ceramics such as porcelain or alumina and has rigidity. Since the adjacent side surfaces of the insulating tube formed of such a rigid material are in surface contact with each other, the insulating tube of the present invention can be used when the insulating tube is being inserted into the protective tube. The insulation tube itself has a rigid structure that does not cause twisting, buckling or bending. When the insulating tubes are combined as described above to form a rigid structure, the position of the insulating tube tip can be fixed. The position of the sensitive part of the temperature sensor arranged at the tip of the insulating tube can be specified not only in the length direction of the thermometer but also in the circumferential direction. It is more preferable that the contact surfaces of the insulating pipes that are adjacent to each other are not in contact with each other but are in contact with each other. For example, a fastening means that binds and fixes around the insulating tube, which is an aggregate of insulating tubes, for example, a heat-resistant metal wire such as a platinum wire, so that the insulating tubes do not move within the protective tube. desirable. In the case of a relatively low temperature thermometer, the insulating tubes may be fixed to each other with an organic adhesive or glass. In this way, it is preferable for the insertion of the temperature sensor assembly into the protective tube and for the precise and rapid measurement at the time of temperature measurement.

[0025] When the purpose is to facilitate positioning when assembling the thermometer by inserting the insulating tube into the protective tube, as shown in FIG. It is preferable to attach a mark 11 indicating the position of a specific insulating pipe, for example, the insulating pipe 5 on the circumference of the insulating pipe 2 to a portion where the force of the protective pipe 9 is also exposed. For example, the indicator 11 has a small protrusion on the outer periphery of the insulating tube as shown in FIG. It is convenient to be able to identify the external force of the thermometer from the circumferential insertion position. Figure

In Fig. 1, the indicator 11 is the force attached to the circumference of the insulation tube 2. The indicator 11 shows the temperature at which the strand 10 of the thermocouple comes out if the direction of the circumference of each temperature sensor can be identified. It may be attached to the bottom of the meter. In addition, the sign 11 is not a small protrusion, but can be any mark as long as its position can be identified. For example, the signs 11 may include depressions, line markings, color signs, character signs, and the like. In this way, if the indicator 11 is attached at a position where the circumferential direction of the insulating tube 2 can be specified, the temperature measurement direction of each temperature sensor 3, 4, 5, 6 can be easily determined. It is convenient to install a thermometer in a heating furnace. Although the installation position of the label 1 1 is sometimes may be on the protective tube 9, thermometer fixed to such as a furnace, when replacing only the temperature sensor assembly _{1 2} in coercive Mamorukan _9, insulating It is preferred that tube 2 is labeled 11.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view seen from the front end side in the BB ′ cross section in FIG. However, it is shown that there is also a protection tube. In FIG. 3, the shortest insulating tube 6 is shown in the drawing with its tip end on the BB ′ section. A pair of strands 10 coming out from the strand insertion path 7 is coupled to the sensitive portion 8 at the tip of the insulating strand 6. As described above, when the insulating tube 2 has a rigid structure, the sensitive portion 8 of the temperature sensor arranged at the tip of the insulating tube 6 is circumferentially arranged in the longitudinal direction in the protective tube 9 as well. The relative position is also specified in the direction. For example, the sensitive portion 8 of the temperature sensor disposed at the tip of the insulating tube 6 is located at a position corresponding to the length of the insulating tube 6 in the protective tube 9 in FIG. 1 and FIG. Identified to the left side of 3. Since the position of the tip of the insulating tube 6 is specified in the protective tube 9, the sensitive portion 8 of the temperature sensor arranged at the tip of the insulating tube 6 is a distance from the wall surface of the protective tube 9. Is also identified. If the distance from the wall surface of the protective tube 9 is specified, the temperature measurement accuracy and reproducibility of the sensitive part 8 of this temperature sensor, especially the response accuracy of the temperature measurement, will vary during temperature measurement using this temperature sensor. Disappears.

As in FIG. 3, FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the C_C ′ cross section in FIG. 1 as viewed from the front end side, and FIG. 5 is a cross section of the DD ′ cross section in FIG. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the EE ′ cross section in FIG. 1 as viewed from the tip side. Each represents a state with a protective tube. Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the state where only the protective tube is cut. In Figure 4 Shows the sensitive part 8 of the temperature sensor arranged in the insulating tubes 5, 6 and in FIG. 5, the sensitive part 8 of the temperature sensor arranged in the insulating tubes 4, 5, 6 appears. In FIG. 6, the temperature sensor sensitive portions 8 arranged in all the insulating tubes 3, 4, 5, and 6 appear. The temperature sensor sensitive part 8 corresponding to each of the insulating pipes 3, 4, and 5 is specified in the length direction and the circumferential direction in the protective pipe. In this embodiment, since the insertion path 7 of the thermocouple element formed in the insulating element tube is equidistant from the virtual central axis of the insulating tube 2, the sensitive part of each temperature sensor 8 is equidistant from the central axis of the insulating tube 2, and therefore is equidistant from the wall surface of the protective tube 9. In this way, making the insertion path 7 of the thermocouple wire formed in the insulating tube equal distance from the central axis of the insulating tube 2 means that the sensitive parts 8 of all temperature sensors are connected to the wall surface of the protective tube 9. This is a preferable method for reducing variations in the temperature measurement accuracy of the sensitive portion 8 of each temperature sensor, particularly the response speed of the temperature measurement.

[0028] In addition to the above, the insulating tube of the present invention has many preferred embodiments. Examples are shown in Figs. 7 to 10 show sectional views of the thermometer 1 of the present invention. This cross section is a cross section along the line EE ′ in FIG. 1, and the description of the thermocouple is omitted. The thermometer 1 shown in Fig. 7 has four temperature sensors like the thermometer 1 shown in Figs. Insulator tubes 3, 4, 5, and 6 also have a substantially fan-shaped cross section. The central axis of the insertion path 7 provided in each insulating element tube 3, 4, 5, 6 is all equidistant from the central axis of the insulating pipe. However, the insulation tube 3, 4, 5, 6 is rounded at the corners of the force sector, which is substantially a sector. Usually, the insulator tubes 3, 4, 5, and 6 are made of ceramics, and in reality, it is easier to manufacture if the fan-shaped corners are rounded. In addition, the fan-shaped corners are rounded, so there is no inconvenience in assembling, handling, or using the thermometer. Rather, it is convenient because it prevents the corners from coming into contact with each other and being damaged when handling the insulating tube or assembling the insulating tube.

[0029] A thermometer 1 shown in FIG. 8 includes three temperature sensors. The other points are the preferred embodiments of the present invention as in the thermometer shown in FIG. The thermometer 1 shown in Fig. 9 has five temperature sensors. The other points are the embodiments of the present invention that are suitable as the thermometer shown in FIG. In this way, the required number of temperature sensors Accordingly, if the insulating tube 3 is formed by changing the fan-shaped opening angle, the thermometer of the present invention can include any number of temperature sensors as long as there are two or more. However, in reality, it is preferable to have two to ten temperature sensors due to restrictions such as the thickness of the protective tube. Further, the insulating tube for each temperature sensor forming the temperature sensor assembly may have a different cross-sectional shape, but the same cross-sectional shape is preferable.

[0030] A thermometer 1 shown in FIG. 10 includes five temperature sensors, and is an embodiment of the present invention that is suitable as the thermometer 1 shown in FIG. The difference between this thermometer and thermometer 1 shown in Fig. 9 is that the cross-sectional shape of each insulator tube 3 is further deformed from a fan shape, and the center portion has a large defect. That is, the core body 13 is arranged. Unlike the insulating tube 3, the core body 13 is not required to have insulation, and thus has a high degree of freedom in terms of material. Therefore, if the core body 13 is formed of a material having high rigidity, and a plurality of insulating pipes 3 are arranged around the core body 13 to form the insulating pipe 2, the insulating pipe 2 having particularly high rigidity is formed. In this case, the cross-sectional shape of the core 13 is circular, but may be any shape as long as it is easy to place a polygon or other insulating pipe 3 around it. It should be noted that it is preferable that the core 13 and the insulating tube 3 that are preferably in surface contact with each other have a shape that allows the core 13 and the insulating tube 3 to be in surface contact with each other.

[0031] In the thermometer of the present invention, the gap between the insulating tube 2 and the protective tube 9 can be appropriately determined according to the necessity of design without any particular limitation. Theoretically, it is preferable that the insulating tube 2 is as close to the wall surface of the protective tube 9 as possible because the temperature measurement response is good. As a result, the heat sensitive part 8 at the tip of the temperature sensor approaches the wall surface in the protective tube 9 and the temperature of the measurement object can be measured quickly and accurately. In particular, it is important to be able to measure quickly in the case of a measurement object with a large temperature change. However, if the gap between the insulating tube 2 and the protective tube 9 is too small, it may not be possible to insert the insulating tube 2 into the protective tube 9, which is not preferable. If the gap between the insulating tube 2 and the protective tube 9 is too small, the insulating tube 2 may come into contact with the protective tube 9 and damage the inner wall of the protective tube 9. Thermometers used in heat-treating furnaces that exceed 1000 ° C use platinum-platinum rhodium as the sensitive part of the sensor and silicon carbide with high heat resistance as the protective tube. In this case, it is known that silicon is produced from silicon carbide at a high temperature range to degrade platinum. To prevent this, the inner wall of the silicon carbide protective tube is covered with a silicon dioxide coating, It prevents the release of silicon from the element. However, when the insulating tube 2 contacts the inner wall of the protective tube 9 and damages the silicon dioxide film, silicon carbide is exposed. In order to prevent this, the gap between the insulating tube 2 and the protective tube 9 is preferably in the above range. Furthermore, it is desirable that the corners such as the tip of the insulating tube 2 be curved by chamfering or the like.

[0032] The temperature of the present invention can be obtained by inserting each temperature sensor into the protective tube in such a way that the insulating tube forms an insulating tube in the protective tube, and the adjacent members are combined in surface contact with each other. Total. As a preferred method, all temperature sensors are bundled together in advance and fixed to form an insulating tube, and a temperature sensor assembly is inserted into a protective tube. In addition, it is preferable that the outer peripheral portion or the lid portion of the base portion of the insulating tube of the present invention is attached with a mark for identifying the position in the circumferential direction for confirming the temperature sensor arrangement state and inserted into the force protection tube. That's right.

[0033] The size of the insulating tube of the present invention is determined by the use of the thermometer. In general, the length of the insulating tube is several tens of centimeters to several meters, and the thickness of the cross section is several mm to 20 mm. However, the insulating tube in the present invention is not limited to this. The material for the protective tube, insulating tube, etc. should be selected according to the operating temperature. When the temperature exceeds 800 ° C, heat-resistant ceramics such as alumina, silica, silicon carbide, and silicon nitride are suitable. Insulator pipes are made of ceramics as a material with rigidity and insulation. Usually, a magnetic tube may be used, but when the operating temperature exceeds 900 ° C., heat-resistant ceramics such as alumina, silica, silicon carbide, and silicon nitride are suitable. The temperature measuring member of the temperature sensor is preferably a thermocouple, but may be a resistance thermometer such as a thermistor. The thermocouples are: platinum rhodium alloy-platinum rhodium alloy (B), platinum mouthed zinc alloy-platinum (R, S), chromel-alumel (K), chromel-constantan (E), iron-constantan ti), copper- Constantan (T), etc. (English character symbol in Katsuko is ί and IS symbol).

[0034] Although one aspect of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above aspect. The temperature sensor according to the present invention can appropriately use a device comprising a thermistor and a thermocouple. The thermometer according to the present invention is used for temperature measurement at a temperature measurement position in, for example, an apparatus requiring temperature measurement, such as a diffusion furnace. The insulating tube according to the present invention functions as a base or guide for disposing the temperature sensor in the protective tube. In addition to exerting the function, it also has the function of providing the sensitive part in the temperature sensor with the planned location of the sensitive part. By having these functions, when the thermometer according to the present invention is installed in a department that requires temperature measurement, such as a diffusion furnace, the sensitive part of the temperature sensor can be positioned in a part that requires temperature measurement in the diffusion furnace. it can.

[0035] FIGS. 1 to 11: In the example shown in FIG. 11, an insulating tube is formed by assembling a plurality of insulating tubes having different central axis lengths so as to be in surface contact with each other. Although the sensitive part of the temperature sensor is arranged on the tip of the element tube, each insulating part is not limited as long as the sensitive part in the temperature sensor can be arranged at the position where the sensitive part is planned to be arranged. The axial lengths of the raw tubes may be different or the same. When the axial lengths of the insulating pipes forming the insulating pipe are all the same, the plurality of insulating pipes are arranged such that one end and the other end of the plurality of insulating pipes are aligned and in surface contact with each other. When the insulating tube is formed by integrating the two, the sensitive portion is scheduled to be disposed on the peripheral surface of the insulating tube, and the sensitive portion of the temperature sensor is disposed at the sensitive portion. .

[0036] In the insulating element tube forming the insulating tube according to the present invention, it is important that adjacent insulating element tubes are in surface contact with each other. This surface contact is such that when a plurality of insulating pipes are assembled to form an insulating pipe, the plurality of insulating pipes forming the insulating pipe do not shift and do not cause backlash. For example, in FIG. 11, there is a gap between the projecting end surface 17B of the fitting convex portion 17 projectingly formed on the insulating tube 3 and the bottom surface of the fitting concave portion 18 formed recessed in the adjacent insulating tube 6. Even if formed, if the insulating element tubes 3 to 6 are assembled together and the insulating element tubes 3 to 6 are not rattled and misaligned, the object of the present invention is achieved. Can do.

Industrial applicability

[0037] A thermometer equipped with an insulating tube according to the present invention is a high temperature and high accuracy temperature control furnace such as a diffusion furnace for semiconductor manufacturing. This is particularly useful as a thermometer for quickly monitoring the reaction temperature at a specific position.

Claims

The scope of the claims

[1] An insulating tube in which a plurality of insulating pipes each having an insertion path for inserting a temperature sensor element wire are combined and arranged in each of the plurality of insulating pipes. Corresponds to the temperature measurement position, and adjacent surfaces of adjacent insulating tubes are in surface contact with each other.

[2] The insulating pipe according to claim 1, wherein adjacent surfaces of the plurality of insulating pipes are in surface contact with each other by forming an uneven surface.

[3] The insulating tube according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the shape of a cross section perpendicular to the axial direction of the insulating tube is a fan shape.

[4] The insulating tube according to any one of [1] to [3] above, wherein the temperature sensor is provided with a position where the sensitive portion is planned to be located on a distal end surface or a peripheral side surface of the insulating tube.

[5] The insulating pipe according to any one of claims: to 4, wherein the insulating pipes in contact with P are fixed to each other.

6. The force according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the insertion path provided in the insulating pipe is equidistant from the central axis of the insulating pipe in a cross section orthogonal to the axial direction of the insulating pipe. Insulation tube.

[7] Claim: It is coupled to the insulation pipe according to any one of! To 6, the element wire of the temperature sensor inserted into the insertion path of each insulation element pipe, and each element wire, A temperature sensor assembly comprising a temperature sensor in which a sensitive portion of the temperature sensor is arranged at a position where the sensitive portion of each insulating pipe is to be arranged.

[8] When the insulation tube was inserted into the protective tube and the thermometer was assembled, the part exposed from the protective tube was marked with a sign indicating the position of the specific insulating tube on the circumference of the insulating tube. The temperature sensor assembly according to claim 7.

[9] A thermometer in which the temperature sensor assembly according to claim 7 or 8 is inserted in a protective tube.