JP5683933B2 - Manufacturing method of temperature sensor - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a temperature sensor and a method for manufacturing the temperature sensor. In particular, the present invention relates to a temperature sensor suitable for measuring the body temperature of a subject and a method for manufacturing the temperature sensor.

  The thermometer has a substantially rod-like form since the age of the mercury thermometer. The body temperature of the human body is measured by sandwiching the tip of the thermometer under the armpit or the tongue and making the temperature of the tip of the thermometer substantially coincide with the body temperature of the human body after a certain period of time.

  The use method of such a thermometer is generally established, and even if the thermometer technology has evolved to an electronic thermometer using a thermistor thermometer, the use method of the thermometer itself does not change. For example, Patent Document 1 is a document describing how to use a conventional electronic thermometer.

JP 2006-214800 A

  A thermometer is generally used as one of grasping a medical condition of a subject when the subject's body temperature rises due to a disease or the like. Therefore, when the subject is ill, it is highly necessary to constantly monitor the progress or recovery of the medical condition, so the subject's body temperature may be measured several times a day. However, in this case, since the thermometer is measured by placing it under the armpit etc., it is troublesome to put the thermometer in and out of the armpit every time the subject's body temperature is measured, and maintaining the posture during the body temperature measurement is the patient who is the subject. There are various inconveniences in the use of a conventional thermometer, such as being painful. In particular, when the subject is an infant, it is often difficult to put a thermometer under the heel itself.

  By the way, the present inventor has been working on the development of an industrial ultra-small diameter coated thermocouple or the like that can continuously monitor the temperature of an object to be measured for many years. From this experience, it has been found that applying such an ultra-small-diameter coated thermocouple to the body temperature measurement of a subject can solve all the problems associated with the conventional method of using a thermometer.

  This invention is made | formed in view of such a situation, and it aims at providing the temperature sensor which can monitor a test subject's body temperature continuously in the state with which the test subject's skin was mounted | worn. Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for manufacturing such a temperature sensor.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a temperature measuring element whose electrical physical quantity changes in response to a change in temperature, and a lead wire covered with an insulating covering material and connected to the temperature measuring element. Including a thermocouple,
A sealing material made of the same material as the covering material, extending from an end of the covering material and covering the entire temperature measuring element;
A temperature sensor is provided.

  With this configuration, the temperature sensor of the present invention can continuously monitor the subject's body temperature while being worn on the subject's skin when the temperature sensor is used to measure the subject's body temperature. For this reason, by using the temperature sensor of the present invention, various inconveniences involved in the use of the conventional thermometer can be solved. In particular, when the subject is an infant, the temperature sensor of the present invention is extremely useful in measuring the body temperature of an infant because it is often difficult to put a thermometer under the heel itself.

  In the temperature sensor of the present invention, the covering material and the sealing material may be a fluororesin.

  With this configuration, the temperature sensor of the present invention can be configured to cover these metal portions with a sealing material made of fluororesin so that the thin metal portions at the tip of the thermocouple do not directly touch the subject's skin. Moreover, this temperature sensor can also be comprised so that the sealing material of a temperature sensor may fulfill | perform the function as a heat retention member of a temperature sensing element, As a result, a temperature sensor can measure a test subject's body temperature appropriately.

  The temperature sensor of the present invention may further include a bandage larger than the outer shape of the sealing material. And the said temperature sensor may be fixed to the said test subject so that the said sealing material may be covered with the said adhesive bandage, and the said sealing material may contact | adhere to a test subject's skin.

  With this configuration, a temperature sensor can be attached to the skin under the eyelid of the subject using an inexpensive and easily available adhesive bandage.

Further, the present invention is a thermocouple including a temperature measuring element whose electrical physical quantity changes according to a change in temperature, and a lead wire covered with an insulating coating material and connected to the temperature measuring element,
Using a heater block having a recess filled with a sealing material made of the same material as the covering material,
The temperature measuring element is inserted into the recess of the heater block, and then
By heating the heater block, the covering material and the sealing material are thermally welded,
A temperature sensor manufacturing method is provided in which the temperature measuring element on which the thermal welding has been performed is pulled out from the recess.

  Since the covering material and the sealing material are made of the same material by heating the heater block as described above, the outer covering material and the sealing material can be easily heat-welded, and thus the temperature sensor can be simplified. Can be manufactured.

  Moreover, in the manufacturing method of the temperature sensor of this invention, the material of the said coating | covering material and sealing material may be a fluororesin.

  Therefore, it is convenient because the covering material and the sealing material can be thermally welded by heating the fluororesin to an appropriate temperature.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the temperature sensor which can monitor a test subject's body temperature continuously in the state with which the test subject's skin was mounted | worn is obtained. Moreover, a manufacturing method of such a temperature sensor is also obtained.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration example of a temperature sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the temperature sensor of FIG. 2A shows a cross section of the AA portion of the temperature sensor of FIG. 1, and FIG. 2B shows a cross section of the BB portion of the temperature sensor of FIG. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a method for manufacturing a temperature sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a method of using the temperature sensor according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  Throughout the drawings, the same or corresponding components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and in the following specific description, redundant description of such components may be omitted.

In addition, the following specific description merely exemplifies the characteristics of the “temperature sensor” and “method for manufacturing the temperature sensor” of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the following embodiment.
(Embodiment)
[Configuration of temperature sensor]
First, a configuration example of the temperature sensor 100 will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration example of a temperature sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the temperature sensor shown in FIG. 2A shows a cross section of the AA portion of the temperature sensor 100 of FIG. 1, and FIG. 2B shows a cross section of the BB portion of the temperature sensor 100 of FIG. .

  In FIG. 1, in order to facilitate understanding of the configuration of the temperature sensor 100, the configuration of the temperature sensor 100 covered with the sealing material 14 is illustrated by a solid line for convenience.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the temperature sensor 100 includes a coated thermocouple 50.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 2A, the conducting wires 12A and 13A of the coated thermocouple 50 are respectively coated with insulating coating materials 12B and 13B made of a fluororesin, whereby a very small diameter (for example, a diameter of 0.1 mm) is obtained. A pair of thermocouple wires 12 and 13 of about 1 to 0.2 mm are formed.

  These thermocouple wires 12 and 13 are further covered with an outer covering material 11 made of the same material (fluororesin) as the insulating covering materials 12B and 13B. Thereby, the lead wire 16 having a very small diameter (for example, the short diameter is about 0.4 mm and the long diameter is about 0.5 to 0.6 mm) is formed.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the outer coating material 11 is peeled off from the tip of the lead wire 16, and the thermocouple wires 12 and 13 are exposed. Moreover, the insulation coating materials 12B and 13B are also stripped off from the tips of the thermocouple wires 12 and 13, respectively, and the pair of conducting wires 12A and 13A are exposed. And the electrical junction part of the conductors 12A and 13A from which the insulation coating materials 12B and 13B have been peeled off constitutes a temperature measuring contact 15A of the coated thermocouple 50.

  Thus, the temperature measuring element 15 of the coated thermocouple 50 is formed.

  Here, when a K-type thermocouple is used as the covering thermocouple 50, an alloy (chromel) mainly composed of nickel and chromium is used as the conductive wire 12A. Further, as the conductive wire 13A, an alloy (alumel) mainly composed of nickel is used. In this case, the temperature measuring contact 15A is formed by welding alumel and chromel.

  Further, when the temperature sensor 100 is used, the temperature measuring element 15 is disposed on the object to be measured, and the proximal end side of the lead wire 16 of the coated thermocouple 50 is connected to an appropriate controller (not shown). Since the electrical physical quantity (thermoelectromotive force) changes according to the temperature change, the temperature measuring element 15 is changed by a pair of conducting wires 12A and 13A of different types. The temperature of the object to be measured can be known.

  In the present embodiment, the temperature sensor 100 is intended to be used as a thermometer, and details of this specific method of use will be described later.

  1 and 2B, the temperature sensor 100 includes a sealing material 14 made of the same material (fluororesin) as the outer covering material 11 and the insulating sealing materials 12B and 13B. The sealing material 14 is thermally welded around the lead wire 16 from which the outer covering material 11 has not been peeled off (details of the thermal welding will be described later). The sealing material 14 extends from the end of the outer covering material 11 and covers the entire temperature measuring element 15. That is, the sealing material 14 is configured to seal the entire portion of the lead wire 16 from which the outer covering material 11 and the insulating covering materials 12B and 13B are peeled off, thereby covering the entire temperature measuring element 15. Has been.

Examples of the fluororesin include polytetrafluoroethylene, tetrafluoroethylene / perfluoroalkyl vinyl ether copolymer, tetrafluoroethylene / hexafluoropropylene copolymer, and the like. Here, Teflon (R) PTFE is available as a commercially available polytetrafluoroethylene. Further, as a commercially available tetrafluoroethylene / perfluoroalkyl vinyl ether copolymer, there is Teflon (R) PFA. Furthermore, as a commercially available tetrafluoroethylene / hexafluoropropylene copolymer, there is Teflon (R) FEP. These fluororesins have excellent chemical, thermal, mechanical and electrical properties.
[Method of manufacturing temperature sensor]
Next, a method for manufacturing the temperature sensor 100 will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a method for manufacturing a temperature sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the temperature sensor 100 of the present embodiment is manufactured from the same material (fluororesin) as the coated thermocouple 50 and the outer coating material 11 and the insulating coating materials 12B and 13B of the coated thermocouple 50. A metal (aluminum) heater block 20 having a recess 21 filled with a sealing material 14 </ b> A and a band heater 22 disposed around the heater block 20 are used.

  First, as shown in FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B, the temperature measuring element 15 is moved to the recess 21 so that the entire temperature measuring element 15 of the coated thermocouple 50 enters the recess 21 of the heater block 20. Insert into. At this time, as shown in FIG. 3B, the end portion of the outer covering material 11 of the covering thermocouple 50 also needs to be put in the recess 21.

  Next, in this state, the heater block 20 is heated to about 300 ° C. using the band heater 22. Then, since the outer covering material 11 and the sealing material 14A are made of the same material, the outer covering material 11 and the sealing material 14A can be easily heat-welded by heating the heater block 20.

Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 3C, the temperature sensor 100 is obtained by pulling out the temperature measuring element 15 of the coated thermocouple 50 subjected to the above-mentioned heat welding from the recess 21. Easy to manufacture.
[How to use the temperature sensor]
Next, a method for using the temperature sensor 100 will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a method of using the temperature sensor according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 4, when the temperature sensor 100 is used as a thermometer for a subject (for example, an infant 35), the temperature sensor 100 may further include a bandage 30 that is larger than the outer shape of the sealing material 14 of the temperature sensor 100. .

  Then, as shown in FIG. 4, using the bandage 30, the entire sealing material 14 of the temperature sensor 100 is completely covered with the gauze of the bandage 30, and the sealing material 14 is in close contact with the skin under the infant 35. As described above, the temperature sensor 100 can be fixed to the infant 35.

  At this time, the temperature sensor 100 is configured so that the thin metal portions (the conductive wires 12A, 13A and the temperature measuring contact 15A) of the coated thermocouple 50 shown in FIG. 1 do not directly touch the skin of the infant 35. Is covered with a sealing material 14 made of a fluororesin. The temperature sensor 100 is also configured such that the sealing material 14 of the temperature sensor 100 functions as a heat retaining member of the temperature measuring element 15, and as a result, the temperature sensor 14 uses the temperature measuring element 15. The body temperature of the infant 35 can be measured appropriately. Furthermore, since the diameter of the temperature sensor 100 is an ultra-small diameter of 1 mm or less, the temperature sensor 100 can be attached to the skin under the infant's heel using an inexpensive and easily available bandage 30.

  As described above, the temperature sensor 100 of the present embodiment is a sensor suitable for measuring the body temperature of the subject (particularly the infant 35).

  Thus, the temperature sensor 100 of the present embodiment can continuously and appropriately monitor the body temperature of the subject while the temperature sensor 100 is attached to the subject's skin. Therefore, by using the temperature sensor 100 of the present embodiment, it is possible to eliminate various inconveniences involved in the use of the conventional thermometer. In particular, when the subject is an infant, since it is often difficult to put a thermometer under the heel itself, the temperature sensor 100 of the present embodiment is extremely useful in measuring the body temperature of the infant.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the temperature sensor which can monitor a test subject's body temperature continuously in the state with which the test subject's skin was mounted | worn is obtained. Therefore, this invention can be utilized as a thermometer which can monitor a test subject's body temperature continuously, for example.

11 Outer coating material 12, 13 Thermocouple wire 12A, 13A Conductive wire 12B, 13B Insulation coating material 14 Sealing material 15 Temperature measuring element 15A Temperature measuring contact 16 Lead wire 20 Heater block 21 Recess 22 Band heater 30 Adhesive plaster 35 Subject (infant)
50 Coated thermocouple 100 Temperature sensor

Claims (2)

A thermocouple including a temperature measuring element whose electrical physical quantity changes in accordance with a change in temperature, and a lead wire covered with an insulating covering material and connected to the temperature measuring element;
Using a heater block having a recess filled with a sealing material made of the same material as the covering material,
The temperature measuring element is inserted into the recess of the heater block, and then
By heating the heater block, the covering material and the sealing material are thermally welded,
A method of manufacturing a temperature sensor, wherein the temperature measuring element covered with the sealant is obtained by pulling out the temperature measuring element subjected to the thermal welding from the recess. The temperature sensor manufacturing method according to claim 1 , wherein the material of the covering material and the sealing material is a fluororesin.

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