FLUORESCENT TEMPERATURE SENSOR
To use a simple structure to provide a fluorescent temperature sensor with increased accuracy through increasing the fluorescent light intensity of the fluorescent materials. A fluorescent temperature sensor for producing a temperature signal from a fluorescent light of a fluorescent material that is optically stimulated is provided with an LED for projecting light onto the fluorescent material, a photodiode for receiving the fluorescent light that is emitted by the fluorescent material, and a signal processing circuit for generating the temperature signal from the output of the photodiode. Optical fibers for the projected light, for conveying the light from the LED to the fluorescent material, and optical fibers for the received light, for conveying the light from the fluorescent material to the photodiode, are separated and independent from each other on one end side thereof, facing the respective elements, and on the other end side, which faces the fluorescent material, are bundled so as to be mixed together.
1 . A fluorescent temperature sensor for producing a temperature signal from fluorescent light of a fluorescent material that has been optically stimulated, comprising:
a light projecting element projecting light at the fluorescent material;
a plurality of light conveying media for the projected light, conveying, to the fluorescent material, light that is emitted by the light projecting element, disposed so that one end face thereof faces the light projecting element and disposed so that the other end thereof faces the fluorescent material;
a light receiving element receiving the fluorescent light that is emitted by the fluorescent material;
a plurality of light conveying media for the received light, conveying, to the light receiving element, light that is emitted by the first material, disposed so that one end face thereof faces the light receiving element and disposed so that the other end thereof faces the fluorescent material; and
a signal processing circuit generating a temperature signal from the output of the light receiving element; wherein
the light conveying media for the projected light and the light conveying media for the received light are mutually separated and independent at one end side thereof to face the light projecting element and the light receiving element, and are bundled together to be mixed together at the other end thereof to face the fluorescent material.
2 . The fluorescent temperature sensor as set forth in claim 1 , wherein:
the plurality of light conveying media for the projected light is made from a plurality of optical fibers for the projected light, and at least a portion of the plurality of optical fibers for the projected light is disposed so that the cores of the optical fibers are within the range of the directional characteristics of the light projecting element; and
the plurality of light conveying media for the received light is made from a plurality of optical fibers for the received light, and is disposed so that the light receiving element is positioned within the range of the aperture angle of at least a portion of the optical fibers of this plurality of optical fibers for the received light.