Temperature measurement device, thermometer, temperature measurement method, and temperature attenuation measurement method

Inventors: Shigenao Maruyama (Aomori, JP); Yuya Iseki (Aomori, JP); Takuma Kogawa (Aomori, JP); Takashi Nonaka (Aomori, JP); Yasushi Hosokawa (Aomori, JP); Takahiro Okabe (Aomori, JP); Yutaro Tabata (Tokyo, JP); Tadashi Matsudate (Tokyo, JP); Toshinori Nakajima (Tokyo, JP); Masaya Higashi (Tokyo, JP); Manabu Orito (Tokyo, JP)

Assignees: SEMITEC Corporation; National Institute of Technology; HIROSAKI UNIVERSITY

G01K7/22 A61B5/01 G01K1/16 G01K7/42 G01K13/20 A61B5/444

View Patent ↗

Loading inventors, assignments & file history…

Monitor This Case

Get email alerts when status or documents change.

Order Certified Copies

Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.

Order via The Patent Place →

Pre-filled with this patent's details

Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 12663320
App. No.: 18/267,772
Granted: Jun 23, 2026
Kind: B2

External Links

USPTO Patent Center↗ Full Patent PDF↗

Abstract

A thermosensitive part sensing temperature; a temperature sensor for measurement provided in the unit and measuring temperature by contacting the unit with a body to be measured; a temperature detecting part detecting, from when the unit contacts the body, the time when the sensor senses a difference from an initial temperature of the sensor, and a measured temperature of the sensor at that time, and detecting, from when the difference is sensed, a time after a certain length of time and a measured temperature of the sensor at that time; an estimating part estimating, from the time when the difference is sensed and a time after a certain length of time, the time when the thermosensitive part contacts the body, and the measured temperature at that time; and a heat conduction analyzing part estimating the measured temperature based on output information from the temperature detecting part and the estimating part.

Claims (37)

1 . A temperature measurement device, comprising:

a thermosensitive part that is configured to sense temperature upon being brought into contact with a body to be measured;

a temperature sensor for measurement which is provided in the thermosensitive part and which is capable of measuring temperature before and after the thermosensitive part is brought into contact with the body to be measured;

a temperature detecting part for detecting, from when the thermosensitive part is brought into contact with the body to be measured, a time when the temperature sensor for measurement senses a difference from an initial temperature of the temperature sensor for measurement and a measured temperature of the temperature sensor for measurement at that time, and for detecting, from when the difference is sensed, a time after a certain length of time and a measured temperature of the temperature sensor for measurement at that time;

an estimating part for estimating, from the time when the difference is sensed and the time after the certain length of time and the measured temperatures at the times, a time when the thermosensitive part comes into contact with the body to be measured; and

a heat conduction analyzing part for estimating a measured temperature based on an output information from the temperature detecting part and the estimating part.

2 . The temperature measurement device according to claim 1 , comprising a heating part for heating the temperature sensor for measurement to at least the measured temperature estimated by the heat conduction analyzing part.

3 . The temperature measurement device according to claim 2 , comprising a temperature sensor for protective heating, which is arranged to be thermally exchangeable with the measurement sensor via a heat insulation layer and which is controlled to have a temperature equal to that of the temperature sensor for measurement.

4 . The temperature measurement device according to claim 2 , comprising the temperature sensor for measurement capable of measuring temperature, and controlled to apply a first heat pulse of constant power to the temperature sensor for measurement and to apply a second heat pulse of constant power, having a longer time width than the first heat pulse, to the temperature sensor for measurement.

5 . A thermometer using a temperature measurement device according to claim 2 .

6 . The temperature measurement device according to claim 1 , comprising a temperature sensor for protective heating, which is arranged to be thermally exchangeable with the measurement sensor via a heat insulation layer and which is controlled to have a temperature equal to that of the temperature sensor for measurement.

7 . The temperature measurement device according to claim 6 , wherein the temperature sensor for measurement and the temperature sensor for protective heating are thin film thermistors.

8 . The temperature measurement device according to claim 7 , wherein the temperature sensor for measurement and the temperature sensor for protective heating have a substrate, and a conductive layer and a thin film element layer formed on the substrate, wherein the substrate is formed to have a thickness of 200 μm or less.

9 . The temperature measurement device according to claim 7 , wherein the temperature sensor for measurement and the temperature sensor for protective heating have the same specifications and characteristics.

10 . The temperature measurement device according to claim 7 , wherein the heat insulation layer is an air layer, and is formed to have a thickness of 0.05 mm to 1 mm.

11 . A thermometer using a temperature measurement device according to claim 7 .

12 . The temperature measurement device according to claim 6 , wherein the temperature sensor for measurement and the temperature sensor for protective heating have a substrate, and a conductive layer and a thin film element layer formed on the substrate, wherein the substrate is formed to have a thickness of 200 μm or less.

13 . The temperature measurement device according to claim 6 , wherein the temperature sensor for measurement and the temperature sensor for protective heating have the same specifications and characteristics.

14 . The temperature measurement device according to claim 6 , wherein the heat insulation layer is an air layer, and is formed to have a thickness of 0.05 mm to 1 mm.

15 . A thermometer using a temperature measurement device according to claim 6 .

16 . The temperature measurement device according to claim 1 , comprising the temperature sensor for measurement capable of measuring temperature, and controlled to apply a first heat pulse of constant power to the temperature sensor for measurement and to apply a second heat pulse of constant power, having a longer time width than the first heat pulse, to the temperature sensor for measurement.

17 . A thermometer using a temperature measurement device according to claim 1 .

18 . A temperature measurement method, comprising:

a thermosensitive part that is configured to sense temperature upon being brought into contact with a body to be measured, and a temperature sensor for measurement which is provided in the thermosensitive part and which is capable of measuring temperature before and after the thermosensitive part is brought into contact with the body to be measured;

a first detection step for detecting, from when the thermosensitive part is brought into contact with the body to be measured, a time when the temperature sensor for measurement senses a difference from an initial temperature of the temperature sensor for measurement and a measured temperature of the temperature sensor for measurement at that time;

a second detection step for detecting, from the time when the difference is sensed, a time after a certain length of time and a measured temperature of the temperature sensor for measurement at that time;

a contact time estimation step for estimating, based on the time when the difference is sensed and the time after the certain length of time, and the measured temperatures at the times, a time when the thermosensitive part comes into contact with the body to be measured; and

a temperature estimation step for estimating, from the times and the measured temperatures detected in the first and second detection steps and the time estimated in the contact time estimation step, a temperature of the body to be measured by unsteady heat conduction analysis.

19 . A temperature measurement method comprising: a thermosensitive part that is configured to sense temperature upon being brought into contact with a body to be measured, and a temperature sensor for measurement which is provided in the thermosensitive part and which is capable of measuring temperature before and after the thermosensitive part is brought into contact with the body to be measured; and

estimating the temperature of the body to be measured by unsteady heat conduction analysis, then heating the temperature sensor for measurement to at least the temperature estimated, and measuring the temperature of the body to be measured, with the thermosensitive part and the body to be measured in a thermal equilibrium state.

20 . A temperature attenuation measurement method, comprising:

a temperature measurement method according to claim 19 ;

a step of bringing a thermosensitive part into contact with a body to be measured;

a step of applying a first heat pulse of constant power to a temperature sensor for measurement;

a step of detecting temperature attenuation characteristics of the temperature sensor for measurement for a certain length of time after the application of the first heat pulse is stopped;

a step of applying a second heat pulse of constant power, having a longer time width than the first heat pulse, to the temperature sensor for measurement; and

a step of detecting temperature attenuation characteristics of the temperature sensor for measurement for a certain length of time after the application of the second heat pulse is stopped.