Polymer encapsulated micro-thermocouple

• US 20030209264A1
• Filed: 03/17/2003
• Published: 11/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Measurement Specialties Incorporated (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Original Assignee: RTD Company
• Inventors: Bernier, Pete, Richetto, Audeen
• Granted Patent: US 7,361,830 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 136/224
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 7/02 using thermoelectric elements, e.g. thermocouples

Abstract

A thermocouple produced by removing insulation from a distal end of each of at least first and second thermocouple conductors, forming a thermocouple junction at the distal ends of the at least first and second thermocouple conductors, placing the thermocouple junction into the heat shrinkable polymer material by sliding a second end of the tube of heat shrinkable polymer material over the thermocouple junction and sealing the thermocouple junction by heating and melting the polymer material.

Claims

1. A thermocouple produced by the method comprising:

removing insulation from a distal end of each of at least first and second thermocouple conductors;

forming a thermocouple junction at the distal ends of the at least first and second thermocouple conductors;

placing the thermocouple junction into a heat shrinkable polymer material by sliding an end of a tube of heat shrinkable polymer material over the thermocouple junction; and

sealing the thermocouple junction by heating and melting the polymer material.

2. The thermocouple of claim 1, wherein the sealing the thermocouple junction provides a reproducible confined shape having a height less than about 0.008 inches and a width less than about 0.010 inches.

3. The thermocouple of claim 2, wherein a height of the confined shape falls within a range of about 0.003 to 0.010 inches.

4. The thermocouple of claim 2, wherein a width of the confined shape falls within a range of about 0.005 to 0.0110 inches.

5. The thermocouple of claim 1, wherein a length of the thermocouple junction and the polymer seal falls within a range of about 0.05 to 0.5 inches.

6. The thermocouple of claim 1, wherein the placing the thermocouple junction into the heat shrinkable polymer material further comprises:

melting a second end of the tube to form the second end into a sealed dome shape.

7. The thermocouple of claim 1, wherein forming the thermocouple junction comprises soldering the distal ends of the thermocouple conductors.

8. The thermocouple of claim 1, wherein forming the thermocouple junction comprises welding the distal ends of the thermocouple conductors.

9. The thermocouple of claim 1, wherein the thermocouple conductors are conductors of types selected from a set of A.S.T.M. types T, J, K, E, S, R, and B.

10. The thermocouple of claim 1, wherein the polymer material is polyethylene terephthalate (PET).

11. The thermocouple of claim 1, wherein the polymer material is fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP).

12. The thermocouple of claim 1, wherein the thermocouple is adapted and sized to fit into a catheter.

13. The thermocouple of claim 1, wherein the thermocouple junction further comprises a fuse such that the fuse causes the device to lose the properties of a thermocouple when an electrical rating is exceeded across the thermocouple junction.

14. The thermocouple of claim 1, wherein the device further comprises a fuse placed between a proximal end of at least one of the thermocouple conductors and the thermocouple junction, such that exceeding an electrical rating of the fuse breaks an electrical connection between the proximal end of the conductor and the thermocouple junction.

15. A thermocouple comprising:

a thermocouple junction formed by soldering distal ends of first and second thermocouple conductors, wherein a length of the junction falls within the range of about 0.03 inches to 0.07 inches; and

heat shrinkable polymer material melted to seal and electrically insulate the thermocouple junction within a reproducible confined shape, wherein electrical insulation to the junction is greater than 100 Megaohms when measured at 50 DC Volts, wherein a height of the confined shape falls within a range of about 0.003 to 0.010 inches, and wherein a width of the confined shape falls within a range of about 0.005 to 0.0110 inches.

16. The thermocouple of claim 15, wherein a length of the thermocouple junction together with the polymer material falls within a range of about 0.05 to 0.5 inches.