WO2000066988A1 - Radiation thermometer and temperature measuring method with this thermometer - Google Patents

Abstract

A radiation thermometer and temperature measuring method using the thermometer capable of measuring the temperature of a measured object with no contact by detecting infrared ray emitted from the measured object with a sensor, the radiation thermometer comprising a synchronous means which performs the synchronous processing of the actual temperatures of the sensor and the output temperatures of an element in order to measure the temperatures of the measured object in short time and accurately, whereby the synchronous processing of the actual temperatures of the sensor and the output temperatures of the element are performed, and the temperature measurement processing of the measured object is withheld until the actual temperatures of the sensor are synchronous with the output temperatures of the element.

Description

 Specification

Radiation thermometer and method of measuring temperature of radiation thermometer

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a radiation thermometer and a method of measuring a temperature of the radiation thermometer, and more particularly, to a radiation thermometer that detects infrared rays emitted from a measurement target with a sensor and non-contactly measures the temperature of the measurement target. The present invention relates to a method for measuring the temperature of a radiation thermometer.

BACKGROUND ART Conventionally, a radiation thermometer has been used to detect infrared radiation radiated from a measurement target and measure the temperature of the measurement target in a non-contact manner. For example, in recent years, infrared radiation radiated from the eardrum and surrounding tissues has become more pronounced in recent years than contact-type thermometers such as the sublingual thermometer that measures the temperature in the oral cavity and the axillary thermometer that measures the temperature in the axilla for hygiene reasons. There is an increasing demand for non-contact ear thermometers that measure body temperature by detecting body temperature.

 Ear-type thermometers are also attracting attention because the eardrum is located deep in the human body and is less susceptible to the effects of external temperature, so it can measure body temperature more accurately than other parts of the human body, such as the oral cavity and the axilla This is one of the reasons.

 Hereinafter, a conventional radiation thermometer and a method of measuring the temperature of the radiation thermometer will be described using an ear thermometer as an example.

In general, an ear thermometer has a thermopile sensor that detects infrared rays radiated from the eardrum to be measured, and a thermistor that measures the temperature of the thermopile sensor. Thermopile sensors use integrated circuit technology to deposit thermocouples and use a large number of thermocouples connected in series to control the temperature difference between the hot junction (measuring junction) and the cold junction (reference junction). It is a sensor that takes out a relative output. When two ends of two different metals or semiconductors are joined together and the junctions are kept at different temperatures, a current flows in the circuit, and when the circuit is opened and the current is set to 0, a thermoelectromotive force is generated (Seebeck effect). However, a thermocouple is a device that uses thermoelectromotive force to measure temperature, and consists of a set of two different metals or semiconductors.

 On the other hand, the thermometer is a temperature measuring element that utilizes the fact that the resistance of the semiconductor has a large negative or positive temperature coefficient, and contacts the thermopile sensor to measure the temperature of the thermopile sensor.

 Conventionally, an ear thermometer having such a thermopile sensor and a thermometer measures the temperature of the eardrum as follows.

 Infrared light radiated from the eardrum is absorbed by a heat absorber having a large heat absorption rate provided near the thermopile junction of the thermopile sensor, and the temperature of the heat absorber corresponds to infrared energy radiated from the eardrum. Changes up to temperature. Then, the temperature of the heat absorber and that of the hot junction become equal due to heat conduction. The thermoelectromotive force corresponding to the temperature difference between the cold junction and the hot junction at this time is extracted as the voltage output of the thermopile sensor. Therefore, the temperature difference between the cold junction and the hot junction (hereinafter referred to as the sensor output temperature) is determined from the voltage output of the thermopile sensor.

 On the other hand, the temperature of the cold junction of the thermopile sensor is determined by the temperature of the thermopile sensor in contact with the thermopile sensor.

 Therefore, the temperature of the eardrum to be measured is obtained by adding the sensor output temperature and the temperature of the cold junction of the thermopile sensor.

 That is, in the conventional ear thermometer, the sensor output temperature obtained by converting the voltage output of the thermopile sensor that detects infrared rays from the eardrum into the temperature, and the temperature detected by the temperature sensor attached to the thermopile sensor (hereinafter, referred to as The temperature of the tympanic membrane was measured by adding

However, conventional radiation thermometers represented by ear thermometers and methods for measuring the temperature of radiation thermometers have the following problems. The first problem is that the difference in thermal response speed between the thermopile sensor and that of the thermopile is significantly different, which may cause measurement errors.

 The thermopile sensor and the thermocouple have a specific constant called a thermal time constant as a characteristic of the response to heat, and the thermal time constant and the thermopile sensor and the thermocouple have a constant. Can be compared with each other.

 Normally, the thermal time constant of the thermometer used in the ear thermometer is about 100 times the thermal time constant of the thermopile sensor. This indicates that the response to heat is much slower in the summer than in the thermopile sensor. As described above, in the conventional ear-type thermometer, the sensor output temperature, which is the temperature difference between the hot junction and the cold junction of the thermopile sensor, and the element detected by the thermometer attached to the thermopile sensor, The output temperature was added to the output temperature, but the output temperature of this element is obtained by detecting the temperature output by the thermometer when measuring the temperature as the temperature of the cold junction of the thermopile sensor at that time. Therefore, for example, if the temperature is measured when the temperature of the cold junction of the thermopile sensor suddenly changes, the heat conduction delay from the cold junction of the thermopile sensor to the heat sink and the temperature of the thermomister itself A large delay in thermal response speed occurs due to the magnitude of the thermal time constant of the sensor, and a difference in thermal response speed causes a delay in heat conduction in a short time.The element output temperature decreases in the cold junction of the thermopile sensor. Actual temperature (below , Not to be representative of that.) And the actual temperature, as a result, measurement error has occurred. This means that if the temperature at the cold junction of the thermopile sensor detected by the thermocouple is incorrect, the inaccuracy is directly included as a measurement error in the temperature measurement result. You.

 Here, when the temperature of the eardrum is measured by an ear thermometer, the following conditions can be cited as a situation in which the temperature of the cold junction of the thermopile sensor changes rapidly.

For example, an ear thermometer placed in a room at room temperature of 20 ° C for a long time is brought to a room at room temperature of 10 ° C to measure the temperature of the eardrum. In an ear thermometer that has been placed in a room at room temperature of 20 ° C for a long time, the cold junction of the thermopile sensor is kept at 20 ° C, the same as room temperature. If this ear thermometer is brought to a room with a room temperature of 10 ° C, the larger the temperature change, the longer the heat conduction will be delayed in the summer. Cannot follow the temperature change of the joint. Therefore, in this case The element output temperature indicated by the temperature difference is indicated as a temperature higher than 1 CTC, which is the actual temperature of the cold junction of the thermopile sensor. As a result, for example, when the temperature of the eardrum to be measured is 37 ° C, the temperature of the eardrum measured in the above-described situation is the sum of the sensor output temperature and the element output temperature. Displayed higher than ° C.

 The following are examples of situations where the temperature of the cold junction of the thermopile sensor rapidly changes even if the room temperature does not change.

 For example, this is the case where the temperature of the eardrum is measured by an ear thermometer placed in a room at room temperature of 10 ° C for a long time. In an ear thermometer placed in a room at room temperature of 10 ° C for a long time, the temperature of the cold junction of the thermopile sensor and the temperature of the thermopile sensor are kept at 10 ° C, which is the same as the room temperature. Here, when a probe incorporating a thermopile sensor of an ear thermometer is inserted into the ear canal for measurement, the cold junction of the thermopile sensor, which has a fast thermal response speed due to radiant temperature and heat conduction from the ear canal, is connected to the ear canal. Although the temperature starts to rise to near the same temperature, the heat conduction delay occurs in the thermometer, so the thermometer cannot follow the temperature change of the cold junction of the thermopile sensor. Therefore, in this case, the element output temperature indicated by the temperature difference is indicated as a temperature lower than the actual temperature of the cold junction of the thermopile sensor. As a result, for example, if the temperature of the eardrum to be measured is 37 ° C., the temperature of the eardrum measured in the above-described situation is displayed to be lower than 37 ° C.

 As described above, the first problem with the conventional ear thermometer is that a measurement error occurs due to a marked difference in the thermal response speed between the thermopile sensor and the thermistor. Was.

 The second problem is that a measurement error occurs due to the temperature characteristics of the thermopile sensor itself. That is, as described above, the thermopile sensor is a sensor that takes out the relative output with respect to the temperature difference between the hot junction (temperature measuring junction) and the cold junction (reference junction). The larger the temperature difference of the cold junction, in other words, the larger the output, the more the correlation between the output and the temperature becomes non-linear, so that a so-called temperature drift occurs, so that a measurement error may occur.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems in the prior art and provides a radiation thermometer and a radiation thermometer temperature measurement method capable of measuring the temperature of an object to be measured in a short time with high accuracy. Intended to provide

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a method for measuring the temperature of a radiation thermometer according to the first invention, which is provided to solve the above problems. The actual temperature of the sensor and the element temperature in the radiation thermometer that measures the temperature of the object to be measured are calculated by adding the element output temperature of the temperature measuring element that detects the temperature of the sensor itself. This is a method of measuring the temperature of a radiation thermometer, which performs synchronization processing with the output temperature and suspends the temperature measurement processing of the measurement target until the actual temperature of the sensor and the element output temperature are synchronized.

 With such a temperature measurement method, the temperature measurement process can be performed only in a situation where the temperature measurement element can follow the temperature change of the sensor, so that the thermal response speed between the sensor and the temperature measurement element can be reduced. Measurement errors due to significantly different differences can be reduced.

 Here, the synchronization process is to reduce the error between the actual temperature of the sensor (actual temperature) and the output temperature of the element detected by the temperature measuring element as much as possible. This is a process for approximating the output temperature change rate. In this way, by approximating the rate of change of the actual temperature of the sensor and the rate of change of the element output temperature, the heat transfer delay error of the temperature measuring element due to the difference in thermal response speed between the sensor and the temperature measuring element is reduced. Therefore, the element output temperature accurately represents the actual temperature of the sensor. As a result, measurement errors can be reduced.

 Further, a method for measuring the temperature of a radiation thermometer according to the second invention of the present application, which is provided to solve the above-described problem, is a method of measuring the temperature of the radiation thermometer according to the first invention of the present application, wherein the synchronization process includes The process is characterized by approximating the rate of change of the actual temperature and the rate of change of the element output temperature.

By adopting such a temperature measuring method, it is possible to reduce as much as possible an error between the actual temperature of the sensor and the element output temperature detected by the temperature measuring element. Therefore, the measurement error Can be reduced.

 Further, the method for measuring the temperature of the radiation thermometer according to the third invention of the present application, which is provided to solve the above-described problem, is a method of measuring the temperature of the radiation thermometer according to the first invention of the present application, wherein the synchronizing process includes the element output. The rate of change of the temperature is stored, and if the rate of change does not correspond to the rate of change within a predetermined allowable range, the sensor is heated or cooled to change the rate of change of the actual temperature of the sensor and the element. The process is characterized by approximating the output temperature change rate.

 Since the characteristics of the sensor and the temperature measuring element can be known in advance, if you look at the change in the rate of change of the element output temperature, how much heat conduction delay of the temperature measuring element occurs, and how much the element output temperature is the actual temperature of the sensor Is accurately represented. Therefore, by adopting such a temperature measuring method, a measurement error can be suppressed within an allowable range.

 Further, the method for measuring the temperature of the radiation thermometer according to the fourth invention of the present application, which is provided to solve the above problem, is a method for measuring the temperature of the radiation thermometer according to the first to third inventions of the present application. A reference temperature is set within the temperature range, and the sensor is heated or cooled to the reference temperature before the temperature measurement processing.

 By adopting such a temperature measuring method, the voltage output of the sensor can be reduced at the time of temperature measurement. Therefore, as the output increases, the correlation between the sensor output and the temperature becomes less linear. Drift can be reduced. Therefore, measurement errors caused by the temperature characteristics of the sensor itself can be reduced. Further, a method for measuring the temperature of a radiation thermometer according to the fifth invention of the present application, which is provided to solve the above problem, is a method for measuring the temperature of a radiation thermometer according to the fourth invention of the present application, wherein the reference temperature is close to the body temperature. It is characterized by temperature.

 By adopting such a temperature measurement method, for example, when the radiation thermometer is an ear thermometer, the body temperature can be accurately measured in a short time.

Further, a method for measuring the temperature of a radiation thermometer according to a sixth aspect of the present invention, which is provided to solve the above-described problems, includes: a sensor output temperature obtained by converting a voltage output of a sensor for detecting infrared rays from a measurement target into a temperature; By adding the element output temperature of the temperature measuring element that detects the temperature of the sensor itself, the reference temperature is set within the measurement temperature range in the temperature measurement method of the radiation thermometer that measures the temperature of the measurement target. , High temperature range or A temperature threshold is set in the low temperature region, and the sensor is heated or cooled to the reference temperature before the temperature measurement process.After that, the element output temperature is changed at a rate of change within the threshold and within a preset allowable range. A certain amount of heat is applied to the sensor that has reached the reference temperature, or a certain amount of heat is absorbed from the sensor that has reached the reference temperature, and the element output temperature is changing at a rate within a preset allowable range. In some cases, the temperature of the measurement target is measured. When the element output temperature does not change at a rate of change within a preset allowable range, the temperature measurement of the measurement target is suspended, and the temperature of the radiation thermometer is characterized. It is a measurement method.

 By adopting such a temperature measurement method, the so-called temperature drift can be reduced by heating or cooling the sensor to the reference temperature before the temperature measurement processing, and the element output temperature can be reduced in advance. Since the temperature measurement process can be performed only when the change rate is within the set allowable range, the measurement error caused by the temperature characteristics of the thermopile sensor itself and the heat between the sensor and the temperature measuring element The measurement error caused by the remarkably different response speed can be reduced together.

 Further, a method for measuring the temperature of a radiation thermometer according to the seventh invention of the present application, which is provided to solve the above problem, is a method of measuring a temperature of the radiation thermometer according to the sixth invention of the present application, wherein the reference temperature is close to the body temperature. It is characterized by temperature.

 By adopting such a temperature measurement method, for example, when the radiation thermometer is an ear thermometer, the body temperature can be accurately measured in a short time.

 Further, the method for measuring the temperature of the radiation thermometer according to the eighth invention of the present application, which is provided to solve the above problem, is characterized in that the method for measuring the temperature of the radiation thermometer according to the sixth or seventh invention of the present application comprises: When measurement processing is suspended, the element output temperature is set in advance by changing the amount of constant heat applied to the sensor that has reached the reference temperature or the amount of constant heat absorbed from the sensor that has reached the reference temperature. It is characterized by changing at a rate of change within the allowable range.

 By adopting such a temperature measurement method, the element output temperature can be accurately changed at a rate of change within a preset allowable range, so that a measurement error can be further reduced.

Further, a radiation thermometer according to a ninth invention of the present application provided to solve the above problems The temperature measuring method of the present invention is the temperature measuring method of the radiation thermometer according to the first to eighth inventions of the present application, wherein the rate of change of the element output temperature at the start of the temperature measurement processing and the preset element output temperature It is characterized in that it compares the rate of change with the rate of change, ranks the accuracy of the temperature measurement results based on the comparison result, and displays the accuracy rank.

 By adopting such a temperature measurement method, the user can visually recognize the accuracy of the measurement result.

 Further, a method for measuring a temperature of a radiation thermometer according to the tenth invention of the present application, which is provided to solve the above-described problem, comprises: The measurement process is a process of heating or cooling the sensor until the sensor outputs a preset value.The sensor output temperature at the start of the temperature measurement process is calculated based on the time required for the heating or cooling. It is characterized by.

Normally, when converting the voltage output of a sensor that detects infrared rays from the object to be measured to the temperature to determine the sensor output temperature, it is necessary to amplify the sensor output using an amplifier because the sensor voltage output is very small. was there. However, when the voltage output of the sensor is amplified, noise may be detected, and this noise may cause a measurement error. Furthermore, an A / D converter is used to convert the sensor voltage output from analog to digital.However, the processing capacity is limited by the number of bits of the A / D converter, and the resolution is necessarily limited. However, there was a limit to the measurement accuracy of the sensor. However, according to the temperature measuring method of the radiation thermometer according to the tenth aspect of the present invention, since the sensor output temperature is obtained through time, it is not necessary to amplify the voltage output of the sensor. In addition, the time resolution is not limited to the range of several bits to several tens of bits as in A / D converters, but the number of clocks can be generated up to several hundred megahertz, providing high-precision temperature resolution . Furthermore, for example, the temperature of the sensor when the sensor is heated and the voltage output of the sensor becomes 0, which is performed in the temperature measurement of a conventional radiation thermometer, is detected by a temperature measuring element, and the output of the element is measured. In the temperature measurement method in which the temperature is displayed as the temperature of the object to be measured, when the output is 0, the sensor often changes in an unstable manner, so that the heat conduction delay of the temperature measuring element occurs, and The output temperature did not represent the actual temperature of the sensor, and as a result, a measurement error occurred.However, if the sensor output temperature is obtained through time, the sensor and the temperature measuring element are synchronized. Measurement Since the element output temperature at the start of the constant operation may be calculated as the actual temperature of the sensor, the measurement error can be reduced. In addition, since it is not necessary to maintain the voltage output of the sensor at 0, the sensor can be rapidly heated or cooled in the temperature measurement process. As a result, the temperature can be measured at a high speed as a whole.

 Further, the method for measuring the temperature of the radiation thermometer according to the eleventh invention of the present application, which is provided to solve the above-mentioned problem, comprises: The measurement process is a process of heating or cooling the sensor until the voltage output of the sensor becomes 0, and the correlation between the time required for heating or cooling and the time-temperature previously stored in the storage means in the radiation thermometer. It is characterized in that the sensor output temperature at the start of the measurement process calculated by comparing the table with the element output temperature at the start of the measurement process is added.

 By adopting such a temperature measurement method, a high-precision temperature resolution can be obtained through time, the sensor output temperature can be obtained in a short time, and a measurement error can be reduced.

 Further, the method for measuring the temperature of the radiation thermometer according to the invention of the present application provided in order to solve the above-mentioned problems is characterized in that, in the method for measuring the temperature of the radiation thermometer according to the invention of the claims 1 to 9, The measurement process is a process of heating or cooling the sensor until the voltage output of the sensor reverses from a positive value to a negative value or from a negative value to a positive value.The time required for this heating or cooling, and the Add the sensor output temperature at the start of the measurement process calculated by comparing the time-temperature correlation table stored in the storage means with the element output temperature at the start of the measurement process. It is characterized by.

 By adopting such a temperature measurement method, a high-precision temperature resolution can be obtained through time, the sensor output temperature can be obtained in a short time, and a measurement error can be reduced.

 Further, the method for measuring the temperature of the radiation thermometer according to the thirteenth invention of the present application, which is provided to solve the above problems, is similar to the method for measuring the temperature of the radiation thermometer according to the third to the present invention of the present invention. The sensor is heated by a heater attached to the electrode of the sensor.

With such a temperature measurement method, the heat of the heater is reduced to the internal elements of the sensor. Conducts efficiently in time, at high speed.

 Further, the method for measuring the temperature of the radiation thermometer according to the fourteenth invention of the present application, which is provided to solve the above problems, is similar to the method of measuring the temperature of the radiation thermometer according to the third to the second invention of the present application. The sensor is heated or cooled by a Peltier element attached to the sensor.

 By adopting such a temperature measurement method, the sensor can be heated or cooled efficiently in a short time and at a high speed.

 Further, the method for measuring the temperature of the radiation thermometer according to the fifteenth invention of the present application, which is provided to solve the above problems, is a method of measuring the temperature of the radiation thermometer according to the fifteenth invention of the present application, wherein the Peltier element is used. By changing the direction of the flowing current, the contact surface of the Peltier element with the sensor becomes a heating surface or a cooling surface.

 With such a temperature measurement method, the sensor can be heated and cooled by one Peltier element. In addition, switching between heating and cooling can be easily performed. Further, a method for measuring a temperature of a radiation thermometer according to a sixteenth invention of the present application provided to solve the above-described problems includes a sensor output temperature obtained by converting a voltage output of a sensor for detecting infrared rays from a measurement target into a temperature. By adding the element output temperature of the temperature measuring element that detects the temperature of the sensor itself, in the temperature measurement method of the radiation thermometer that measures the temperature of the measurement target, until the sensor outputs a preset value A method for measuring the temperature of a radiation thermometer, comprising heating or cooling a sensor and calculating a sensor output temperature at the start of a temperature measurement process based on a time required for the heating or cooling.

 By adopting such a temperature measuring method, it is possible to reduce a measurement error caused by amplifying the voltage output of the sensor. In addition, the time resolution is not limited to the range of several bits to several tens of bits as in A / D converters, but the number of clocks can be generated up to several hundred megahertz, providing high-precision temperature resolution . Furthermore, temperature measurement can be performed at high speed as a whole.

Further, the method for measuring the temperature of the radiation thermometer according to the seventeenth invention of the present application, which is provided to solve the above problem, is a method of measuring the temperature of the radiation thermometer according to the sixteenth invention of the present application. Heat or cool the sensor until the output becomes 0, and correlate the time required for this heating or cooling with the time and temperature previously stored in the storage device in the radiation thermometer. Three

It is characterized in that the sensor output temperature at the start of the measurement process calculated by comparing the relationship table with the sensor output temperature at the start of the measurement process is added.

 By adopting such a temperature measurement method, a high-precision temperature resolution can be obtained through time, the sensor output temperature can be obtained in a short time, and a measurement error can be reduced.

 Further, the method for measuring the temperature of the radiation thermometer according to the eighteenth invention of the present application, which is provided to solve the above-mentioned problem, is a method of measuring the temperature of the radiation thermometer according to the sixteenth invention of the present application. The sensor was heated or cooled until the output changed from a positive value to a negative value or from a negative value to a positive value, and the time required for this heating or cooling and the storage device in the radiation thermometer were stored in advance. It is characterized in that the sensor output temperature at the start of the measurement process and the element output temperature at the start of the measurement process, which are calculated by comparing the time-temperature correlation table, are added.

 By adopting such a temperature measurement method, a high-precision temperature resolution can be obtained through time, the sensor output temperature can be obtained in a short time, and a measurement error can be reduced.

 Further, the method for measuring the temperature of the radiation thermometer according to the nineteenth invention of the present application, which is provided to solve the above-mentioned problems, is similar to the method for measuring the temperature of the radiation thermometer according to the first to the eighteenth invention of the present application. The sensor is a thermopile sensor, and the temperature measuring element is a thermopile.

 A thermopile sensor can be used as an example of the sensor, and a thermistor can be used as an example of the temperature measuring element.

 Further, the method for measuring the temperature of the radiation thermometer according to the 20th invention of the present application, which is provided to solve the above-mentioned problems, is similar to the method for measuring the temperature of the radiation thermometer according to the 1st to 18th inventions of the present application. The sensor is a thermopile sensor, the temperature measuring element is a thermometer, and the temperature of the sensor is the temperature of the cold junction of the thermopile sensor.

 By using the temperature of the sensor as the temperature of the cold junction of the thermopile sensor, the temperature of the sensor can be detected more accurately.

In addition, the radiation temperature according to the twenty-first aspect of the present invention provided to solve the above-mentioned problems The method for measuring the temperature of a radiation thermometer according to the invention of the eleventh or the eleventh or the seventeenth or the eighteenth aspect of the present invention comprises the thermopile sensor, If the temperature of the sensor is the temperature of the cold junction of the thermopile sensor and the temperature of the cold junction in the thermopile sensor is lower than the temperature of the hot junction, the cold junction is heated. When the temperature of the cold junction is higher than the temperature of the hot junction, the hot junction is heated.

 For example, when measuring a temperature within a certain range (32 ° C to 42 ° C), such as body temperature, the temperature of the cold junction of the thermopile is set to the central temperature (37 ° C) within this range. After performing the temperature measurement process, the temperature measurement processing time is reduced by half compared to the conventionally proposed process of heating only the cold junction and setting the voltage output of the thermopile to 0. And the accuracy can be improved. That is, conventionally, when performing a process for setting the voltage output of the thermopile to 0, if the temperature of the cold junction is higher than the temperature of the measurement target, the voltage output of the thermopile cannot be set to 0. Before the temperature measurement process, the temperature of the cold junction had to be the lowest temperature of the measurement target (32 ° C for body temperature). Therefore, compared to the method of the present application (for example, a method of heating from 37 ° C.), it may take longer time.

 Further, the method for measuring the temperature of the radiation thermometer according to the invention of the present application provided in order to solve the above-mentioned problems is described in the invention of the application 11 or the application 12 or the application 17 or the application 18. In the method for measuring the temperature of the radiation thermometer according to the above, the sensor is a thermopile sensor, the temperature measuring element is a thermopile sensor, the sensor temperature is the temperature of the cold junction of the thermopile sensor, When the temperature of the cold junction is lower than the temperature of the hot junction, the cold junction is heated, and when the temperature of the cold junction is higher than the temperature of the hot junction, the cold junction is cooled. And

 With this temperature measurement method, the heating or cooling location can be limited to the cold junction in the thermopile sensor. Therefore, the sensor can be heated or cooled more efficiently, the temperature measurement processing time can be reduced by half, and the accuracy can be improved. can do.

Further, the method for measuring the temperature of the radiation thermometer according to the twenty-third invention of the present application, which is provided to solve the above problem, is the same as the method for measuring temperature of the radiation thermometer according to the twenty-first invention of the present application. Thus, the cold junction is heated by a heater attached to the cold junction electrode of the thermopile sensor, and the hot junction is heated by a heater attached to the hot junction electrode.

 With this temperature measuring method, the heat of the heater is efficiently conducted to the thermopile sensor.

 Further, a method for measuring a temperature of a radiation thermometer according to a twenty-fourth invention of the present application, which is provided to solve the above-described problem, is a method for measuring a temperature of a radiation thermometer according to the twenty-second invention of the present application. The cold junction is heated or cooled by a Peltier element attached to the electrode of the cold junction.

 By adopting such a temperature measuring method, the heat conduction between the Peltier element and the thermopile sensor is improved.

 Further, the method for measuring the temperature of the radiation thermometer according to the twenty-fifth invention of the present application, which is provided to solve the above problem, is a method for measuring the temperature of the radiation thermometer according to the twenty-fourth invention of the present application, wherein By changing the direction of the flowing current, the contact surface between the cold junction of the thermopile sensor of the Peltier element and the electrode becomes a heating surface or a cooling surface.

 With such a temperature measurement method, the thermopile sensor can be heated and cooled by one Peltier element. In addition, switching between heating and cooling can be easily performed.

 In addition, the method for measuring the temperature of the radiation thermometer according to the twenty-sixth invention of the present application, which is provided to solve the above-described problem, is a method of measuring the temperature of the radiation thermometer according to the twenty-first to twenty-fifth inventions of the present application. The temperature of the cold junction and the temperature of the hot junction are discriminated by a comparator provided in the radiation thermometer.

 By adopting such a temperature measurement method, it is possible to easily and inexpensively and easily determine the temperature of the cold junction and the temperature of the hot junction without using an A / D converter.

The radiation thermometer according to the twenty-seventh aspect of the present invention, which is provided to solve the above-described problems, includes a sensor output temperature obtained by converting a voltage output of a sensor for detecting infrared rays from a measurement target into a temperature, and a sensor itself. In a radiation thermometer having arithmetic means for adding the element output temperature of a temperature measuring element for detecting the temperature of the element, the same as the actual temperature of the sensor This is a radiation thermometer characterized by having a synchronization means for performing a periodic process.

 With this configuration, the temperature measurement process can be performed only in a situation where the temperature measuring element can follow the temperature change of the sensor, and the difference in the thermal response speed between the sensor and the temperature measuring element can be reduced. Can reduce measurement errors due to significant differences o

 A radiation thermometer according to a twenty-eighth invention of the present application provided to solve the above-mentioned problem is the radiation thermometer according to the twenty-seventh invention of the present application, wherein the synchronization means stores a rate of change of the element output temperature. And a heating means and / or a cooling means for heating or cooling the sensor when the change rate does not correspond to a change rate within a preset allowable range.

 Since the characteristics of the sensor and the temperature measuring element can be known in advance, if you look at the change in the rate of change of the element output temperature, how much heat conduction delay of the temperature measuring element occurs, and how much the element output temperature is the actual temperature of the sensor Is accurately represented. Therefore, by adopting such a temperature measuring method, a measurement error can be suppressed within an allowable range.

 The radiation thermometer according to the twentieth invention of the present application, which is provided to solve the above-described problem, is the radiation thermometer according to the twenty-seventh or twenty-eighth invention of the present application, which is set within a measurement temperature range. A heating means and / or a cooling means for heating or cooling the sensor to the reference temperature. _

 With this configuration, the voltage output of the sensor can be reduced at the time of temperature measurement. Therefore, as the output increases, the correlation between the sensor output and the temperature becomes less linear. Drift can be reduced. Therefore, measurement errors caused by the temperature characteristics of the sensor itself can be reduced.

 A radiation thermometer according to a thirtieth invention of the present application provided to solve the above-mentioned problem is characterized in that, in the radiation thermometer according to the twenty-ninth invention of the present application, the reference temperature is a temperature near the body temperature. And

 By adopting such a temperature measurement method, for example, when the radiation thermometer is an ear thermometer, the body temperature can be accurately measured in a short time.

In addition, the radiation thermometer according to the invention of the thirty-first aspect of the present invention provided to solve the above-described problem is a sensor that converts a voltage output of a sensor that detects infrared rays from a measurement target into a temperature. In a radiation thermometer that has arithmetic means for adding the output temperature of the sensor and the output temperature of the temperature measuring element that detects the temperature of the sensor itself, heating that heats or cools the sensor to a reference temperature that is set within the measurement temperature range Means and / or cooling means, and a reference temperature at which the element output temperature changes within a temperature threshold set in a high or low temperature range based on the reference temperature and at a rate of change within a preset allowable range. It has heating means to apply a certain amount of heat to the sensor that has reached the temperature, or cooling means to absorb a certain amount of heat from the sensor that has reached the reference temperature, and the element output temperature changes at a rate of change within a preset allowable range. If the device output temperature does not fluctuate at the rate of change within the preset allowable range, the temperature measurement process of the measurement target is suspended when A radiation thermometer to be.

 With such a configuration, the so-called temperature drift can be reduced by heating or cooling the sensor to the reference temperature before the temperature measurement processing, and the element output temperature is set in advance. Since the temperature measurement process can be performed only when the rate of change is within the allowable range, the measurement error due to the temperature characteristics of the thermopile sensor itself and the thermal response speed between the sensor and the temperature measuring element In addition, measurement errors due to the significant difference between the two can be reduced together.

 Further, the radiation thermometer according to the 32nd invention of the present application provided to solve the above problem is characterized in that, in the radiation thermometer according to the 31st invention of the present application, the reference temperature is a temperature near body temperature. And

 By adopting such a temperature measurement method, for example, when the radiation thermometer is an ear thermometer, the body temperature can be accurately measured in a short time.

 Further, the radiation thermometer according to the third invention of the present application provided to solve the above-mentioned problem is a radiation thermometer according to the 31st or 32nd invention of the present application, in which the temperature measurement processing is suspended. In this case, there is provided a variable calorie means for changing the amount of constant heat added to the sensor reaching the reference temperature or the amount of constant heat absorbed from the sensor reaching the reference temperature.

With this configuration, the element output temperature can be accurately changed at a rate of change within a preset allowable range, so that the measurement error can be further reduced. In addition, the radiation thermometer according to the invention of the thirty-fourth invention provided to solve the above-described problem is the radiation thermometer according to the twenty-seventh to thirty-third inventions of the present application, which is used when the temperature measurement process is started. Storage means for storing the rate of change of the element output temperature; comparing the rate of change of the element output temperature stored by the storage means with the rate of change of the preset element output temperature; Display means for classifying the accuracy of the temperature measurement results based on the accuracy rank, and displaying the accuracy rank.

 By adopting such a temperature measurement method, the user can visually recognize the accuracy of the measurement result.

 Further, the radiation thermometer according to the thirty-fifth invention of the present application, which is provided to solve the above-described problems, is a radiation thermometer according to the twenty-seventh to thirty-fourth inventions, which performs a temperature measurement process. Heating means and / or cooling means for heating or cooling the sensor until the sensor outputs a preset value, and calculating the sensor output temperature at the start of the temperature measurement process based on the time required for the heating or cooling. This configuration is characterized by having arithmetic means. With such a configuration, a measurement error caused by amplifying the voltage output of the sensor can be reduced. In addition, the time resolution is not limited to the range of several bits to tens of bits as in the case of A / D converters, and the number of clocks can be generated up to several hundred megahertz, so that high-precision temperature resolution can be obtained. . Furthermore, for example, the temperature of the sensor when the sensor is heated and the voltage output of the sensor becomes 0, which has been measured in the temperature measurement of a conventional radiation thermometer, is detected by a temperature measuring element. In the temperature measurement method in which the temperature is displayed as the temperature of the object to be measured, when the voltage output is 0, the sensor often fluctuates in an unstable manner, which causes a delay in the heat conduction of the temperature measuring element. However, the element output temperature does not represent the actual temperature of the sensor, and as a result, a measurement error has occurred.However, if the sensor output temperature is obtained through time, the sensor and the temperature measurement element are synchronized. Since the element output temperature at the start of the measurement may be calculated as the actual temperature of the sensor, the measurement error can be reduced. In addition, since it is not necessary to maintain the voltage output of the sensor at 0, the sensor can be heated or cooled rapidly in the temperature measurement process. As a result, the temperature can be measured at a high speed as a whole.

Further, the radiation temperature according to the invention of the thirty-sixth invention provided to solve the above problems In the radiation thermometer according to the twenty-seventh to thirty-fourth inventions of the present application, the time-temperature correlation table previously stored in the storage means in the radiation thermometer and the temperature measurement process are performed. A heating means and / or a cooling means for heating or cooling the sensor until the voltage output of the sensor becomes 0, and comparing the time required for heating or cooling with the time-temperature correlation table. Calculation means for adding the calculated sensor output temperature at the start of the measurement process and the element output temperature at the start of the measurement process. Accurate temperature resolution can be obtained, and the sensor output temperature can be determined in a short time, and measurement errors can be reduced. In addition, the radiation thermometer according to the thirty-seventh invention of the present application, which is provided to solve the above-described problem, is a radiation thermometer according to the twenty-seventh to thirty-fourth inventions of the present application. Heat or cool the sensor until the voltage output of the sensor reverses from a positive value to a negative value or from a negative value to a positive value when performing temperature measurement processing with the time-temperature correlation table stored in the storage means. A heating means and / or a cooling means, and the sensor output temperature at the start of the measurement process calculated by comparing the time required for heating or cooling with the time-temperature correlation table; and It is characterized by having arithmetic means for adding the element output temperature at the start of processing.

 With this configuration, a high-precision temperature resolution can be obtained through time, the sensor output temperature can be obtained in a short time, and a measurement error can be reduced. Further, the radiation thermometer according to the thirty-eighth invention of the present application provided to solve the above problems is a radiation thermometer according to the twenty-ninth to thirty-seventh inventions, wherein the heating means is an electrode of a sensor. Characterized in that the heater is attached to the heater.

 By adopting such a temperature measuring method, the heat of the heater is efficiently transmitted to the element inside the sensor in a short time, at high speed.

 The radiation thermometer according to the thirty-ninth invention of the present application, which is provided to solve the above problems, is a radiation thermometer according to the twenty-ninth to thirty-seventh inventions, wherein the heating and / or cooling means is And a Peltier element attached to the sensor. By adopting such a temperature measurement method, the sensor can be heated or cooled efficiently in a short time and at a high speed.

Further, the radiation temperature according to the 40th invention of the present application provided to solve the above problems The radiation thermometer according to the thirty-ninth invention of the present application, further comprising a polarity inversion means for changing a direction of a current flowing through the Peltier element in order to make a contact surface of the Peltier element with the sensor a heating surface or a cooling surface. It is characterized by the following.

 With this configuration, the sensor can be heated and cooled by one Peltier element. In addition, switching between heating and cooling can be easily performed.

 The radiation thermometer according to the forty-first aspect of the present invention, which is provided to solve the above-described problems, includes a sensor output temperature obtained by converting a voltage output of a sensor for detecting infrared rays from an object to be measured into a temperature, and a sensor itself. In a radiation thermometer that has arithmetic means for adding the element output temperature of the temperature measuring element that detects the temperature of the sensor, when the temperature measurement process is performed, the sensor is heated or cooled until the sensor outputs a preset value A radiation thermometer comprising: heating means and / or cooling means; and arithmetic means for calculating a sensor output temperature at the start of temperature measurement processing based on the time required for the heating or cooling.

 With this configuration, a measurement error caused by amplifying the voltage output of the sensor can be reduced. In addition, the time resolution is not limited to the range of several bits to tens of bits as in the case of A / D converters, and the number of clocks can be generated up to several hundred megahertz, so that high-precision temperature resolution can be obtained. . Furthermore, temperature measurement can be performed at a high speed as a whole.

 Further, the radiation thermometer according to the invention of the present invention provided in order to solve the above-mentioned problem is the radiation thermometer according to the invention of the invention, wherein the radiation thermometer is stored in advance in a storage means in the radiation thermometer. And a heating and / or cooling means for heating or cooling the sensor until the voltage output of the sensor becomes 0 when performing the temperature measurement process. The sensor output temperature at the start of the measurement process calculated by comparing the time with the time-temperature correlation table previously stored in the storage means in the radiation thermometer, and the sensor output temperature at the start of the measurement process. It is characterized by having arithmetic means for adding the element output temperature.

With this configuration, a high-precision temperature resolution can be obtained through time, the sensor output temperature can be obtained in a short time, and a measurement error can be reduced. Further, the radiation thermometer according to the invention of the present invention provided to solve the above-mentioned problem is the radiation thermometer according to the invention of the invention, wherein the storage thermometer in the radiation thermometer is provided in advance. Heating that heats or cools the sensor until the voltage output of the sensor changes from a positive value to a negative value or from a negative value to a positive value when performing the temperature measurement process. Means and / or cooling means, and the sensor output temperature at the start of the measurement process calculated by comparing the time required for heating or cooling with the time-temperature correlation table, and the measurement process It has a calculating means for adding the element output temperature at the start.

 With this configuration, a high-precision temperature resolution can be obtained through time, the sensor output temperature can be obtained in a short time, and a measurement error can be reduced. Further, a radiation thermometer according to a fourth invention of the present application provided to solve the above-mentioned problem is a radiation thermometer according to the 27th to 43rd inventions of the present application, wherein the sensor is a thermopile sensor. The temperature measuring element is a thermistor.

 A thermopile sensor can be used as an example of the sensor, and a thermometer can be used as an example of the temperature measuring element.

 Further, the radiation thermometer according to the invention of the 45th application provided to solve the above-mentioned problem is a radiation thermometer according to the 27th to 43rd inventions of the present application, wherein the sensor is a thermopile sensor, It is characterized in that the temperature measuring element is in the temperature range and the temperature of the sensor is the temperature of the cold junction of the thermopile sensor.

 By using the temperature of the sensor as the temperature of the cold junction of the thermopile sensor, the temperature of the sensor can be detected more accurately.

 Further, the radiation thermometer according to the invention of the 46th application provided to solve the above-mentioned problem is a radiation thermometer according to the 36th or 42nd invention of the present application, wherein the sensor is a thermopile sensor, When the temperature measuring element is thermistor and the temperature measurement process is performed, the heating means for heating the thermopile sensor until the output of the thermopile sensor becomes 0, the electrode at the cold junction and / or the hot junction of the thermopile sensor It is characterized by being the night attached to the night.

For example, when measuring a temperature within a certain range (32 ° C to 42V) such as body temperature, the temperature of the cold junction of the thermopile is set to the central temperature (37 ° C) within this range ffl. The temperature measurement processing time is reduced by half, compared to the conventionally proposed heating control of only the cold junction to reduce the thermopile voltage output to 0 by performing the temperature measurement processing. And the accuracy can be improved. That is, conventionally, when performing a process for setting the voltage output of the thermopile to 0, if the temperature of the cold junction is higher than the temperature of the measurement target, the voltage output of the thermopile cannot be set to 0. Before the temperature measurement process, the temperature of the cold junction had to be the lowest temperature of the measurement target (32 ° C for body temperature). Therefore, compared to the method of the present application (for example, a method of heating from 37 ° C.), it may take longer time.

 The radiation thermometer according to the 47th invention of the present application provided to solve the above-mentioned problem is a radiation thermometer according to the 37th or 43rd invention of the present application, wherein the sensor is a thermopile sensor. The temperature measuring element is a thermistor, and a heating means for heating the thermopile sensor until the voltage output of the thermopile sensor is inverted from a positive value to a negative value or from a negative value to a positive value when performing a temperature measurement process. Is a heater attached to the electrode of the cold junction and / or the hot junction of the thermopile sensor.

 With this configuration, the sensor can be efficiently heated, the time required for the temperature measurement processing can be reduced by half, and the accuracy can be improved.

 The radiation thermometer according to the forty-eighth invention provided to solve the above problem is the radiation thermometer according to the thirty-sixth or forty-second invention, wherein the sensor is a thermopile sensor. When the temperature measuring element is a thermometer and the temperature measurement process is performed, the heating means and / or the cooling means for heating or cooling the thermopile sensor until the voltage output of the thermopile sensor becomes 0, and the cooling means of the thermopile sensor are used. It is a Peltier element attached to the electrode at the junction.

 With this configuration, heat conduction between the Peltier element and the thermopile sensor is improved.

The radiation thermometer according to the 49th invention of the present application, which is provided to solve the above problem, is a radiation thermometer according to the 37th or 43rd invention of the present application, wherein the sensor is a thermopile sensor. The thermopile sensor heats up or cools down during the temperature measurement process until the voltage output of the thermopile sensor reverses from a positive value to a negative value, or from a negative value to a positive value. The heating means and / or the cooling means is a Peltier element attached to an electrode at a cold junction of the thermopile sensor. With this configuration, the heat conduction between the Peltier element and the thermopile sensor is improved.

 Further, the radiation thermometer according to the fiftieth invention of the present application, which is provided to solve the above-mentioned problem, is a radiation thermometer according to the invention of the eighth or the ninth invention, wherein In order to make the contact surface a heating surface or a cooling surface, a polarity reversing means for changing a direction of a current flowing through the Peltier element is provided.

 With this configuration, the thermopile sensor can be heated and cooled by one Peltier element. Also, it is easy to switch between heating and cooling.

 The radiation thermometer according to the fifty-first invention of the present application, which is provided to solve the above-described problems, is provided in the radiation thermometer according to the 46th to 50th inventions. It is characterized in that the comparator determines whether the temperature of the cold junction and the temperature of the hot junction are high or low.

 By adopting such a temperature measurement method, it is possible to easily and inexpensively and easily determine the temperature of the cold junction and the temperature of the hot junction without using an A / D converter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side view showing an ear thermometer according to one embodiment of the present invention.

 FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing an infrared detector of the ear thermometer according to one embodiment of the present invention.

 FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing one process of a method for measuring the temperature of the ear thermometer according to the present embodiment.

 FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing one process of a temperature measuring method of the ear thermometer according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a graph showing an example of a change over time of the element output temperature outputted in the case of measuring the body temperature by the temperature measurement method of the ear thermometer according to the present embodiment. Explanation of reference numerals

 1 ear thermometer

 2 Body case

 3 Probe

 4 Infrared detector

 5 Body temperature measurement circuit

 6 LCD display

 7 Power switch

 8 Measurement switch

 9 holes

 1 0 Thermopile sensor

 1 1 Insulation block

 1 2 Cold junction terminal

 1 3 Evening

 1 4 Thermal junction terminal

 1 5 heater

 1 6 Heater

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, an embodiment of a radiation thermometer and a radiation thermometer temperature measuring method according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings, taking an ear thermometer as an example.

FIG. 1 is a side view showing an ear thermometer according to one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing an infrared detector of the ear thermometer according to one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, an ear thermometer 1 according to the present invention is attached to a main body case 2, a main body case 2, and a probe 3 inserted into an ear canal at the time of measuring body temperature, and housed in the probe 3. Infrared detector 4 and body temperature measurement circuit housed in body case 2 And 5.

 The main body case 2 is an L-shaped hollow case, and a user measures the body temperature by holding the main body case 2 in his hand. The main body case 2 is provided with a liquid crystal display 6 so that a user can visually recognize information such as a body temperature as a measurement result and an accuracy rank described later. The main body case 2 is also provided with a power switch 7 and a measurement switch 8 pressed by a user when starting a temperature measurement.

 The probe 3 inserted into the ear canal can be used safely by the user because the probe 3 is formed so as to become thinner toward the tip so as not to be inserted deeply into the ear canal. A hole 9 (shown in FIG. 2) is provided at the tip of the probe 3 so that infrared light from the eardrum can be taken in. The holes 9 are desirably covered with an infrared transmitting film or the like for hygiene reasons.

 As shown in FIG. 2, the infrared detecting section 4 housed in the probe 3 is composed of a thermopile sensor 10 for detecting infrared rays from the eardrum and an adiabatic block 11. . A cold junction terminal 12 which is a cold junction side electrode of the thermopile sensor 10 is provided with a thermistor 13 which is a temperature measuring element, and an output signal of the thermomistor 13 is shown in FIG. To the indicated body temperature measurement circuit section 5. The temperature of the cold junction of the thermopile sensor 10 is detected as the element output temperature by the temperature error 13. In addition, the output signal of the thermopile sensor 10 is output from the hot junction terminal 14 which is a hot junction side electrode of the thermopile sensor 10 and the cold junction terminal 12 to the body temperature measurement circuit 5 shown in FIG. Sent to The hot junction terminal 14 and the cold junction terminal 12 are wound with heaters 15 and 16, respectively, as shown in Fig. 2, and the heaters 15 and 16 are connected to the body temperature measurement circuit 5 And heats the hot junction terminal 14 and the cold junction terminal 12 respectively.

 On the other hand, the heat insulating block 11 is made of a frustoconical heat insulating member. The heat insulating block 11 has a hot junction terminal 14 of the thermopile sensor 10, a cold junction terminal 12, and a heat sink 15. , 16 has a cylindrical hollow portion into which the hot junction terminal 14, the cold junction terminal 12, and the heaters 15, 16 are inserted and fixed in this hollow portion .

As described above, since the insulation block 11 is made of a heat insulating member, the heater 15 When each of the hot junction terminal 14 and the cold junction terminal 12 is heated in step 16, the heating can be locally and efficiently performed.

 The body temperature measurement circuit section 5 housed in the main body case 2 has an L-shaped curved flexible board 17 as shown in FIG. 1, and this flexible board 17 includes an ear thermometer 1. And a control circuit such as a memory comparator and a voltage comparator that is electrically connected to the thermopile sensor 10.

 Next, a method of measuring the temperature of the ear thermometer according to the present embodiment having the above-described configuration will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 to 5. FIG.

 FIGS. 3 and 4 are flow charts showing a method of measuring the temperature of the ear thermometer according to the present embodiment. FIG. 5 shows the temperature measured by the temperature measuring method of the ear thermometer according to the present embodiment. 6 is a graph showing an example of a change over time of an element output temperature output in the case of measurement when the temperature is measured.

 The method of measuring the temperature of the ear thermometer according to the present embodiment is broadly divided from when the user presses the power switch 6 of the ear thermometer to when the measured body temperature is displayed on the liquid crystal display 6. It has two processes, a body temperature measurement preparation process and a body temperature measurement process. The body temperature measurement process is performed after the body temperature measurement preparation process. Hereinafter, description will be made in order. The body temperature measurement environment is room temperature of about 20 ° C.

 First, the body temperature measurement preparation process will be described.

When the user presses the power switch 6 of the ear thermometer 1 to measure the body temperature, the heater 16 is turned on by the thermocouple sensor 10 according to the command signal from the micro computer of the measurement circuit section 5. The heat treatment for heating the cold-joined portion of the first heat treatment is started. By the heating by the heater 16, the cold junction of the thermopile sensor 10 is heated to a preset reference temperature of 37 ° C. near the body temperature. Since the actual temperature of the cold junction is recognized as needed based on the element output temperature output from the semiconductor device 13, heating is actually performed until the element output temperature reaches the reference temperature of 37 ° C. It is desirable that this heat treatment be performed rapidly as shown in Fig. 5 in order to shorten the measurement time.However, if the cold junction undergoes a rapid temperature change, the heat conduction delay will occur in the thermistor 13. Therefore, as shown in Fig. 5, as the device output temperature approaches the reference temperature of 37 ° C, the rate of change of the device output temperature becomes zero. It is desirable to control the heating so that it approaches. For example, several set values are set at a temperature lower than the reference temperature of 37 ° C, and as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 3, the element output temperature is read and every time the element output temperature reaches the set value. Feedback control may be performed so as to reduce the amount of heating.

 In this way, by heating the cold junction of the thermopile sensor 10 to a temperature near the body temperature to be measured, it is possible to reduce the measurement error due to the temperature drift of the thermopile sensor 10. Is possible.

 In this embodiment, since the measurement environment was set to a room temperature of about 20 ° C., the cold junction of the thermopile sensor 10 was heated to a reference temperature of 37 ° C. by the heater 16. A Peltier that can be cooled instead of the heater 16 so that the cold junction of the thermopile sensor 10 can be maintained at the reference temperature of 37 ° C even when the measurement environment is higher than the reference temperature of 37 ° C. An element may be used. If a temperature control module using a Peltier element is wound around, for example, the cold junction terminal 12 of the thermopile sensor 10, the contact surface of the Peltier element with the cold junction terminal 12 depends on the direction of current flow. Or it can be a cooling surface. Therefore, this method can be used even when the measurement environment is higher than the reference temperature of 37 ° C.

 When the element output temperature reaches the reference temperature of 37 ° C (point A) by the above heat treatment, then, as shown in Fig. 5, within the threshold set at a temperature lower than the reference temperature of 37 ° C. In addition, in order to change the element output temperature at a rate of change within a preset allowable range, a synchronous process of preheating the cold junction of the thermopile sensor 10 with a constant heating amount over time by the heater 16 is performed. Do. In Fig. 5, the output temperature of the element changes at a constant negative rate of change. The reading of the element output temperature is also performed during the preheating.

 Here, since the characteristics of the thermopile sensor 10 and the thermistor 13 can be known in advance, the transition of the rate of change of the element output temperature shows how much the heat transfer delay of the It can be seen whether the element output temperature accurately represents the actual temperature of the cold junction of the thermopile sensor 10. Therefore, the optimum allowable range of the change rate of the element output temperature and the threshold value are set so that the thermal response speed of the thermocouple sensor 10 follows the thermal response speed of the cold junction of the thermopile sensor 10.

By performing the synchronization process in this manner, the thermopile sensor 10 and the thermostat Since the delay in heat conduction of the temperature measuring element due to the difference in thermal response speed in 13 can be reduced, the element output temperature accurately represents the actual temperature of the thermopile sensor 10. If the rate of change of the element output temperature during the synchronization process is significantly different from the rate of change within the allowable range due to a change in the measurement environment, the magnitude of the fixed heating amount is changed to change the rate of change within the allowable range. It is desirable that

 The synchronization process is performed in this way. When the device output temperature reaches the threshold (point B), the power is automatically turned off, or the device output temperature reaches the reference temperature of 37 ° C again. The heating amount is changed and the cold junction of the thermopile sensor 10 is heated by the heater 16 and the synchronization process is performed again.

 In this embodiment, since the measurement environment was set to a room temperature of about 20 ° C., when performing the synchronous processing, the cold junction of the thermopile sensor 10 was preheated with a constant heating amount over time by the heater 16. However, for example, a Peltier element that can be cooled may be used instead of the heater 16 so that the synchronization process can be performed even when the measurement environment is higher than the reference temperature of 37 ° C. If a temperature control module using a Peltier element is wound around the cold junction terminal 12 of the thermopile sensor 10, for example, the contact surface of the Peltier element with the cold junction terminal 12 depends on the direction of current flow. Or it can be a cooling surface. Therefore, this configuration can be used even when the measurement environment is higher than the reference temperature of 37 ° C.

 The above is the body temperature measurement preparation processing.

 Next, the body temperature measurement processing will be described.

 The body temperature measurement process is a process permitted only during the synchronization process. That is, when the user presses the measurement switch 8 during the synchronization process, the microcomputer recognizes the change rate of the element output temperature at that time (point C), and the change rate is within the allowable range. If there is, the body temperature measurement process is started. However, if the rate of change is not within the allowable range, the body temperature measurement process is rejected, and an error message is displayed on the liquid crystal display 6.

 When the body temperature measurement process is permitted, the microcomputer first stores the element output temperature at that time as shown in the flowchart of FIG. Next, a thermopile sensor 10 is electrically connected to the thermopile sensor 10 by a comparator.

26 Of the cold junction and the temperature of the hot junction are compared. That is, if the voltage output of the comparator is a positive value, the temperature of the hot junction is higher than that of the cold junction, and if the voltage output of the comparator is negative, the temperature of the hot junction is lower than the cold junction. It can be determined that it is small. Furthermore, if the voltage output during the comparison is 0, the temperature of the cold junction and the temperature of the hot junction are equal. When the voltage output of the comparator is a positive value, the cold junction is rapidly heated by the heater 15. If the voltage output of the comparator is a negative value, the thermal junction is rapidly heated by the heater 16. When the voltage output of the comparator is 0, this heating is not performed. In FIG. 5, since the temperature of the cold junction is lower than the temperature of the hot junction, which is body temperature, the cold junction is heated and the voltage output of the comparator at point D is zero.

 In this way, by heating the cold junction or the hot junction, the voltage output of the comparator is inverted from a positive value to a negative value or from a negative value to a positive value. Then, the time required from the start of the heating of the cold junction or the hot junction to the inversion of the voltage output of the comparator is stored in the microcomputer.

 On the other hand, the microcomputer stores a time-temperature correlation table for the thermopile sensor 10 created based on an experiment conducted in advance. Then, the sensor output temperature is determined by comparing the time required from the start of the heating to the inversion of the voltage output of the comparator with the data of the time-temperature correlation table relating to the thermopile sensor 10. I do. If the voltage output of the comparator is 0 at the start of the temperature measurement process, the sensor output temperature, which is the relative temperature between the cold junction and the hot junction of the thermopile sensor 10, is 0 ° C.

 The sensor output temperature determined as described above and the element output temperature at the start of the temperature measurement process stored in the microcomputer are added, and the added temperature is displayed on the liquid crystal display 6 as the eardrum temperature. Digitally displayed. Here, since the rate of change of the element output temperature at the start of the temperature measurement process is recognized by the microcomputer, the measurement accuracy is ranked based on the rate of change of the element output temperature, and the accuracy rank is displayed on a liquid crystal display. It may be displayed in the container 6.

 The above is the body temperature measurement processing.

Note that, in this embodiment, when the voltage output of the comparator is a positive value, 15 rapidly heats the cold junction, and if the voltage output of the comparator is negative, the heater 16 rapidly heats the hot junction. Alternatively, a Peltier element capable of heating and cooling may be used. If a temperature control module using a Peltier element is wound around, for example, the cold junction terminal 12 of the thermopile sensor 10, the contact surface of the Peltier element with the cold junction terminal 12 depends on the direction of current flow. It can be a heating surface or a cooling surface. Therefore, when the voltage output of the comparator is a positive value, the cold junction is rapidly heated by the Peltier element, and when the voltage output of the comparator is a negative value, the cold junction is rapidly heated by the Peltier element. Can be cooled.

Claims

The scope of the claims The temperature of the measurement target is calculated by adding the sensor output temperature, which is the voltage output of the sensor that detects infrared rays from the measurement target, converted to the temperature, and the element output temperature of the temperature measurement element that detects the temperature of the sensor itself. In the method of measuring the temperature of the radiation thermometer that measures the temperature, the actual temperature of the sensor is synchronized with the output temperature of the element, and the temperature measurement processing of the measurement target is held until the actual temperature of the sensor and the output temperature of the element are synchronized A method for measuring the temperature of a radiation thermometer.  2. The method for measuring a temperature of a radiation thermometer according to claim 1, wherein the synchronization process is a process for approximating a rate of change of the actual temperature of the sensor and a rate of change of the element output temperature.  The synchronization process stores the rate of change of the element output temperature, and if the rate of change does not correspond to a rate of change within a preset allowable range, heats or cools the sensor, thereby detecting the actual temperature of the sensor. 2. The method for measuring a temperature of a radiation thermometer according to claim 1, wherein the process is a process of approximating a rate of change and a rate of change of an element output temperature.  4. The method for measuring the temperature of a radiation thermometer according to claim 1, wherein a reference temperature is provided within a measurement temperature range, and the sensor is heated or cooled to the reference temperature before the temperature measurement process.  5. The temperature measuring method for a radiation thermometer according to claim 4, wherein the reference temperature is a temperature near a body temperature. By adding the sensor output temperature obtained by converting the voltage output of the sensor that detects infrared rays from the measurement object into temperature and the element output temperature of the temperature measurement element that detects the temperature of the sensor itself, In the temperature measurement method of a radiation thermometer that measures temperature, a reference temperature is set within the measurement temperature range, a temperature threshold is set in the high or low temperature area based on the reference temperature, and the sensor is set to the reference temperature before the temperature measurement processing. Heating or cooling until the sensor output temperature reaches the reference temperature that changes the element output temperature within the threshold value and at a rate of change within a preset allowable range. In addition, or when a constant amount of heat is absorbed from the sensor that has reached the reference temperature and the element output temperature is changing at a rate of change within a preset allowable range, the temperature measurement processing of the measurement target is performed, and the element output temperature is set in advance. A method of measuring the temperature of a radiation thermometer, which suspends the temperature measurement processing of a measurement target when the rate of change does not change within a set allowable range.  The method for measuring a temperature of a radiation thermometer according to claim 6, wherein the reference temperature is a temperature near the body temperature.  If the temperature measurement process is suspended, the element output temperature can be adjusted in advance by changing the amount of constant heat applied to the sensor that has reached the reference temperature or the amount of constant heat absorbed by the sensor that has reached the reference temperature. 8. The temperature measurement method for a radiation thermometer according to claim 6, wherein the temperature is changed at a rate of change within a set allowable range.  The rate of change of the element output temperature at the start of the temperature measurement process is compared with a preset rate of change of the element output temperature, and the accuracy of the temperature measurement result is ranked based on the comparison result. 9. The method for measuring a temperature of a radiation thermometer according to claim 1, wherein the temperature is displayed. The temperature measurement process heats or cools the sensor until the sensor outputs a preset value, and calculates the sensor output temperature at the start of the temperature measurement process based on the time required for this heating or cooling. The method for measuring a temperature of a radiation thermometer according to claim 1, wherein the temperature is measured. The temperature measurement process is a process of heating or cooling the sensor until the voltage output of the sensor becomes 0. The time required for this heating or cooling and the time previously stored in the storage means in the radiation thermometer minus one temperature 10. The sensor output temperature at the start of the measurement process calculated by comparing the correlation table with the sensor output temperature at the start of the measurement process and the element output temperature at the start of the measurement process are added. The method for measuring the temperature of the radiation thermometer described in. The temperature measurement process heats or cools the sensor until the voltage output of the sensor changes from a positive value to a negative value or from a negative value to a positive value. The time required for this heating or cooling, and the radiation thermometer in advance Time stored in the storage means inside The sensor output temperature at the start of the measurement process calculated by comparing the temperature correlation table with the sensor output temperature at the start of the measurement process is added. 9. The temperature measurement method of the radiation thermometer according to 9.  13. The method for measuring a temperature of a radiation thermometer according to claim 3, wherein the sensor is heated by a heater attached to an electrode of the sensor.  The method for measuring the temperature of a radiation thermometer according to any one of claims 3 to 12, wherein the sensor is heated or cooled by a Peltier element attached to the sensor. The method for measuring a temperature of a radiation thermometer according to claim 14, wherein the contact surface of the Peltier element with the sensor is a heating surface or a cooling surface.  The temperature of the measurement target is calculated by adding the sensor output temperature, which is the voltage output of the sensor that detects infrared rays from the measurement target, converted to the temperature, and the element output temperature of the temperature measurement element that detects the temperature of the sensor itself. In the method of measuring the temperature of a radiation thermometer that measures the temperature, the sensor is heated or cooled until the sensor outputs a preset value, and the sensor output temperature at the start of the temperature measurement process based on the time required for this heating or cooling Calculating the temperature of the radiation thermometer. Until the voltage output of the sensor becomes 0-The sensor is heated or cooled, and the time required for heating or cooling is compared with the time-temperature correlation table previously stored in the storage device in the radiation thermometer. 17. The temperature measurement of the radiation thermometer according to claim 16, wherein the sensor output temperature at the start of the measurement process calculated by the calculation is added to the element output temperature at the start of the measurement process. Method.  The sensor was heated or cooled until the voltage output of the sensor changed from a positive value to a negative value or from a negative value to a positive value, and the time required for this heating or cooling and the storage device in the radiation thermometer were stored in advance. 17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the sensor output temperature at the start of the measurement process calculated by comparing the time-temperature correlation table and the element output temperature at the start of the measurement process are added. Temperature measurement method of radiation thermometer described in. The temperature measurement method for a radiation thermometer according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is a thermopile sensor, and the temperature measurement element is a thermometer. 18. The sensor according to any one of claims 1 to 18, wherein the sensor is a thermopile sensor, the temperature measuring element is a thermopile, and the temperature of the sensor is a temperature of a cold junction of the thermopile sensor. Temperature measurement method of radiation thermometer.  The sensor is a thermopile sensor, the temperature measuring element is the temperature of the thermopile sensor, the temperature of the sensor is the temperature of the cold junction of the thermopile sensor, and the temperature of the cold junction in the thermopile sensor is the temperature of the hot junction. 11.The method according to claim 11, wherein when the temperature is lower than the temperature of the cold junction, the cold junction is heated, and when the temperature of the cold junction is higher than the temperature of the hot junction, the hot junction is heated. The method for measuring a temperature of a radiation thermometer according to claim 12 or claim 17 or claim 18.  The sensor is a thermopile sensor, the temperature measuring element is a temperature sensor, the sensor temperature is the cold junction temperature of the thermopile sensor, and the cold junction temperature in the thermopile sensor is hot junction. Wherein the cold junction is heated when the temperature of the cold junction is lower than the temperature of the hot junction, and the cold junction is cooled when the temperature of the cold junction is higher than the temperature of the hot junction. The method for measuring a temperature of a radiation thermometer according to claim 12 or claim 17 or claim 18.  3. The cold junction is heated by a heater attached to the electrode of the cold junction of the thermopile sensor, and the hot junction is heated by a heater attached to the electrode of the hot junction. The method for measuring the temperature of the radiation thermometer according to 1. 23. The temperature measurement method for a radiation thermometer according to claim 22, wherein the cold junction is heated or cooled by a Peltier element attached to an electrode of the cold junction of the thermopile sensor.  25. The method according to claim 24, wherein by changing the direction of the current flowing through the Peltier element, the contact surface of the Peltier element with the electrode of the cold junction of the thermopile sensor becomes a heating surface or a cooling surface. Temperature measurement method of radiation thermometer.  The temperature of the radiation thermometer according to any one of claims 21 to 25, wherein the temperature of the cold junction and the temperature of the hot junction are determined by a comparator provided in the radiation thermometer. Measuring method. The sensor output temperature, which converts the voltage output of the sensor that detects infrared rays from the measurement target into temperature, and the element output temperature of the temperature measuring element that detects the temperature of the sensor itself, A radiation thermometer having a calculating means for adding the temperature of the sensor and a synchronizing means for synchronizing the actual temperature of the sensor and the output temperature of the element.  A synchronization means for storing a change rate of the element output temperature; a heating means for heating or cooling the sensor when the change rate does not correspond to a change rate within a preset allowable range; and / or 28. The radiation thermometer according to claim 27, further comprising cooling means.  29. The radiation thermometer according to claim 27, further comprising a heating means and / or a cooling means for heating or cooling the sensor to a reference temperature set within a measurement temperature range.  30. The radiation thermometer according to claim 29, wherein the reference temperature is a temperature near body temperature.  In a radiation thermometer having arithmetic means for adding a sensor output temperature obtained by converting a voltage output of a sensor for detecting infrared rays from a measurement target into a temperature and an element output temperature of a temperature measuring element for detecting a temperature of the sensor itself, Heating and / or cooling means for heating or cooling the sensor up to the reference temperature provided within the measurement temperature range, and within the temperature threshold provided in the high or low temperature range based on the reference temperature, and within the preset allowable range Heating means for applying a constant amount of heat to the sensor that has reached the reference temperature, or cooling means for absorbing a constant amount of heat from the sensor that has reached the reference temperature, so that the element output temperature is changed. When the rate of change is within the preset allowable range, the temperature of the object to be measured is measured, and the element output temperature is estimated at the rate of change within the preset allowable range. A radiation thermometer characterized by suspending the temperature measurement process of the measurement object when not moved.  32. The radiation thermometer according to claim 31, wherein the reference temperature is a temperature near body temperature. When the temperature measurement process is suspended, the apparatus has a calorie variable means for changing the amount of constant heat applied to the sensor reaching the reference temperature or the amount of constant heat absorbed from the sensor reaching the reference temperature. Claim 31 or The radiation thermometer according to claim 32.  Storage means for storing the rate of change of the element output temperature at the start of the temperature measurement process, and comparison of the rate of change of the element output temperature stored by the storage means with the rate of change of the preset element output temperature And a display means for displaying the accuracy rank of the temperature measurement result based on the comparison result, and displaying the accuracy rank. Total.  When performing the temperature measurement process, a heating unit and / or a cooling unit that heats or cools the sensor until the sensor outputs a preset value; and a temperature measurement process based on the time required for the heating or cooling. The radiation according to any one of claims 27 to 34, further comprising calculating means for calculating a sensor output temperature. ; Says ¾ ·  A time-temperature correlation table previously stored in the storage means in the radiation thermometer, and a heating means and / or cooling means for heating or cooling the sensor until the voltage output of the sensor becomes 0 when performing the temperature measurement process. A sensor output temperature at the start of the measurement process calculated by comparing the time required for heating or cooling with the time-temperature correlation table, and an element at the start of the measurement process. 33. The radiation thermometer according to claim 27, further comprising a calculating means for adding the output temperature and the output temperature.  A time-temperature correlation table previously stored in the storage means in the radiation thermometer, and a sensor until the voltage output of the sensor is inverted from a positive value to a negative value or from a negative value to a positive value when performing temperature measurement processing. A heating means and / or a cooling means for heating or cooling the heating and / or cooling means, and the time required for the heating or cooling and the time-temperature correlation table at the start of the measurement process calculated by comparing the time-temperature correlation table. The radiation thermometer according to any one of claims 27 to 34, further comprising arithmetic means for adding the sensor output temperature and the element output temperature at the start of the measurement process.  39. The radiation thermometer according to claim 29, wherein the heating means is a heater attached to an electrode of the sensor. 38. The radiation thermometer according to claim 29, wherein the heating and / or cooling means is a Peltier element attached to the sensor. The radiation thermometer according to claim 39, further comprising polarity reversing means for changing a direction of a current flowing through the Peltier element in order to make a contact surface of the Peltier element with the sensor a heating surface or a cooling surface.  In a radiation thermometer having arithmetic means for adding a sensor output temperature obtained by converting a voltage output of a sensor for detecting infrared rays from a measurement target into a temperature and an element output temperature of a temperature measuring element for detecting a temperature of the sensor itself, When performing temperature measurement processing, heating means and / or cooling means for heating or cooling the sensor until the sensor outputs a preset value, and a sensor at the start of the temperature measurement processing based on the time required for the heating or cooling. A radiation thermometer comprising a calculating means for calculating an output temperature.  Time-temperature correlation table previously stored in the storage means in the radiation thermometer, and heating means and Z or cooling for heating or cooling the sensor until the voltage output of the sensor becomes 0 when performing temperature measurement processing Means to start the measurement process calculated by comparing the time required for heating or cooling with the time-temperature correlation table stored in advance in the storage means in the radiation thermometer. 42. The radiation thermometer according to claim 41, further comprising a calculating means for adding the sensor output temperature at the time of measurement and the element output temperature at the start of the measurement process.  The time-temperature correlation table previously stored in the storage means in the radiation thermometer, and the voltage output of the sensor is inverted from a positive value to a negative value or from a negative value to a positive value when performing the temperature measurement process. A heating means and / or a cooling means for heating or cooling the sensor until the start of the measurement process calculated by comparing the time required for the heating or cooling with the time-temperature correlation table. 42. The radiation thermometer according to claim 41, further comprising a calculating means for adding the sensor output temperature at the time of measurement and the element output temperature at the start of the measurement process.  The radiation thermometer according to any one of claims 27 to 43, wherein the sensor is a thermopile sensor, and the temperature measuring element is a thermometer. The sensor according to any one of claims 27 to 43, wherein the sensor is a thermopile sensor, the temperature measuring element is a thermopile, and the temperature of the sensor is a temperature of a cold junction of the thermopile sensor. Radiation thermometer as described. When the sensor is a thermopile sensor, the temperature measuring element is a thermometer, and when performing temperature measurement processing, the heating means for heating the thermopile sensor until the voltage output of the thermopile sensor becomes zero is used. 43. The radiation thermometer according to claim 36, wherein the radiation thermometer is a heater attached to an electrode at a cold junction and / or a hot junction of a mopile sensor.  The sensor is a thermopile sensor, the temperature measuring element is a thermistor, and when performing temperature measurement processing, the voltage output of the thermopile sensor is inverted from a positive value to a negative value or from a negative value to a positive value. The heating means for heating the thermopile sensor until the heating is performed is a heater attached to the electrode at the cold junction and / or the hot junction of the thermopile sensor, according to claim 37 or claim 43. Radiation thermometer.  The sensor is a thermopile sensor, the temperature measuring element is a thermometer, and when performing temperature measurement processing, heating means for heating or cooling the thermopile sensor until the voltage output of the thermopile sensor becomes 0 and / or 43. The radiation thermometer according to claim 36, wherein the cooling means is a Peltier element attached to an electrode at a cold junction of the thermopile sensor.  The sensor is a thermopile sensor, the temperature measuring element is thermistor, and the voltage output of the thermopile sensor is inverted from a positive value to a negative value or from a negative value to a positive value when performing temperature measurement processing. The heating means and / or the cooling means for heating or cooling the thermopile sensor up to the thermopile sensor is a Peltier element attached to the electrode at the cold junction of the thermopile sensor. Radiation thermometer.  Claim 48 or Claim 49, characterized by having polarity reversing means for changing the direction of the current flowing through the Peltier element in order to make the contact surface of the Peltier element with the sensor a heating surface or a cooling surface. Radiation thermometer.  The radiation thermometer according to any one of claims 46 to 50, wherein the temperature of the cold junction and the temperature of the hot junction are determined by a comparator provided in the radiation thermometer.