MICRO-THERMOCOUPLE

• US 20120250726A1
• Filed: 12/07/2011
• Published: 10/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: TSI Technolocies, LLC
• Original Assignee: TSI Technolocies, LLC
• Inventors: Sorkine, Evgeni
• Application Number:
  US13/313,901
• Publication Number:
  US 20120250726A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 374/179
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 7/028 using microstructures, e.g. made of silicon
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing

Abstract

Improved, high-strength micro-thermocouples (10) are provided, which include first and second microwires (12, 14) each preferably in the form of an elongated metallic core (18, 22), with an outer glass coating (20, 24); at least one of the microwires (12, 14) is an amorphous microwire (12), and in preferred forms the other microwire is a crystalline microwire (14). The thermocouple junction (16) is formed by stripping the distal ends of the microwires (12, 14) to provide stripped ends (18a, 22a). The stripped crystalline microwire end (22a) is wrapped about the stripped amorphous microwire end (18a) to form a series of abutting convolutions (30). The micro-thermocouples (10) find particular utility in the fabrication and repair of carbon fiber composite materials, such as airplane components.

Claims

1. A micro-thermocouple comprising an elongated first microwire electrode and an elongated second microwire electrode with an electrical insulating barrier between the first and second electrodes throughout a portion of the length thereof, one of said electrodes formed of an amorphous metallic material, and an electrically conductive thermocouple junction, including a length of one of the electrodes wrapped about the other electrode.

2. The micro-thermocouple of claim 1, each of said microwire electrodes having a length of from about 2 cm -3 m, and being in side-by-side adjacency.

3. The micro-thermocouple of claim 1, each of said microwire electrodes comprising a core of metallic material with a sheath of insulating material around the core along portions of the lengths thereof.

4. The micro-thermocouple of claim 3, said core having a diameter of from about 15-50 microns, with said sheath having a thickness of from about 1-10 microns.

5. The micro-thermocouple of claim 4, said core diameter being from about 25-40 microns, with said sheath thickness being from about 2-8 microns.

6. The micro-thermocouple of claim 3, said microwire electrodes being interconnected along the lengths of said portions.

7. The micro-thermocouple of claim 6, said microwire electrodes being interconnected by an adhesive applied to said sheaths thereof.

8. The micro-thermocouple of claim 1, said second electrode being wrapped around said first electrode to form said thermocouple junction.

9. The micro-thermocouple of claim 8, said second electrode being wrapped to form a series of adjacent and abutting convolutions of said second electrode around said first electrode.

10. The micro-thermocouple of claim 8, said first electrode being said one electrode formed of amorphous metallic material.

11. The micro-thermocouple of claim 10, said second electrode being formed of a substantially crystalline metallic material.

12. The micro-thermocouple of claim 1, there being a thin layer of high conductivity metal applied to said thermocouple junction.

13. The micro-thermocouple of claim 12, said layer formed of copper, silver, or gold and having a thickness of from about 1-10 microns.

14. The micro-thermocouple of claim 1, there being a thin layer of insulating material applied to said thermocouple junction.

15. The micro-thermocouple of claim 14, said insulating material comprising epoxy or polyimide varnish.

16. The micro-thermocouple of claim 1, said thermocouple junction formed at juxtaposed ends of said first and second electrodes.

17. A method of producing a microwire thermocouple using elongated, first and second microwire electrodes having an electrical insulating barrier between the first and second electrodes along a portion of the length thereof, said method comprising the steps of:

forming an electrically conductive thermocouple junction by wrapping one of the electrodes about the other electrode,

one of said electrodes formed of an amorphous metallic material.

18. The method of claim 17, each of said microwire electrodes having a length of from about 2 cm -3 m, and being in side-by-side adjacency.

19. The method of claim 17, each of said microwire electrodes comprising a core of metallic material with a sheath of insulating material around the core along portions of the lengths thereof.

20. The method of claim 18, said core having a diameter of from about 15-50 microns, with said sheath having a thickness of from about 1-10 microns.

21. The method of claim 20, said core diameter being from about 25-40 microns, with said sheath thickness being from about 2-8 microns.

22. The method of claim 19, said microwire electrodes being interconnected along the lengths of said portions.

23. The method of claim 22, said microwire electrodes being interconnected by an adhesive applied to said sheaths thereof.

24. The method of claim 17, including the step of wrapping said second electrode about said first electrode to form said thermocouple junction.

25. The method of claim 24, including the step of wrapping said second electrode to form a series of adjacent and abutting convolutions of said second electrode around said first electrode.

26. The method of claim 24, said first electrode being said one electrode formed of amorphous metallic material.

27. The method of claim 26, said second electrode being formed of a substantially crystalline metallic material.

28. The method of claim 17, including the step of applying a thin layer of high conductivity metal to said thermocouple junction.

29. The method of claim 28, said layer formed of copper, silver, or gold and having a thickness of from about 1-10 microns.

30. The method of claim 17, including the step of applying a thin layer of insulating material applied to said thermocouple junction.

31. The method of claim 30, said insulating material comprising epoxy or polyimide varnish.

32. The method of claim 17, including the step of forming said thermocouple junction at juxtaposed ends of said first and second electrodes.