Radiation pyrometer

• US 6,357,909 B1
• Filed: 05/06/1999
• Issued: 03/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Citizen Watch Co Limited (Citizen Electronics Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Citizen Watch Co Limited (Citizen Electronics Company Limited)
• Inventors: Watanabe, Minoru
• Primary Examiner(s): Gutierrez, Diego
• Assistant Examiner(s): DEJESUS, LYDIA M
• Application Number:
  US09/297,852
• Time in Patent Office: 1,048 Days
• Field of Search: 374/120, 374/121, 374/208, 374/209, 374/129, 374/133, 374/131, 600/549, 250/252.1 A, 250/338.1
• US Class Current: 374/131
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/02 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/025 Interfacing a pyrometer to an external device or network; User interface
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/028 using a charging unit or battery
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/04 Casings
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/048 Protective parts
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/049 Casings for tympanic thermometers
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/064 Ambient temperature sensor; Housing temperature sensor; Constructional details thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/08 Optical arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0818 Waveguides
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0875 Windows; Arrangements for fastening thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/70 Passive compensation of pyrometer measurements, e.g. using ambient temperature sensing or sensing of temperature within housing

Abstract

A radiation thermometer that avoids deterioration of measurement accuracy or loss of hygiene due to a dirty front end of a probe portion of the radiation thermometer, lowers running costs which are created if a probe cover is used, and reduces the labor of procuring the probe cover. To this end, the front end of the probe portion of the radiation thermometer has a waterproof structure so that the front end of the probe portion can be wiped with alcohol or the like.

Claims

1. A radiation thermometer, comprising:

a window member which can transmit an infrared ray from a measurement target;

an infrared ray sensor for detecting said infrared ray;

light-guiding means for guiding said infrared ray which is transmitted through said window member from the measurement target to said infrared ray sensor;

a temperature-sensitive sensor arranged near said infrared ray sensor for measuring a temperature of said infrared ray sensor;

case means which covers at least said light-guiding means, said infrared ray sensor and said temperature-sensitive sensor and which comprises a probe portion which is inserted into an opening of a living being;

wherein said probe portion is provided with an opening portion only at an infrared ray introducing side of said light-guiding means and a holding member for holding said window member at said opening portion of the probe portion characterized in that a first water proofing means is arranged between said holding member and said probe portion, a second water proofing means is arranged between said holding member and said light-guiding means and said first and second water proofing means are both arranged at said opening portion of said probe portion.

2. The radiation thermometer of claim 1, wherein said holding member and said probe portion are arranged not to make contact with one another.

3. The radiation thermometer of claim 1, wherein the first and second water proofing means comprise a first packing and a second packing respectively.

4. The radiation thermometer of claim 3, wherein said holding member comprises a pressuring portion which presses and holds said window member towards said light-guiding means, and said window member is firmly held by said pressuring portion and said second packing.

5. The radiation thermometer of claim 3, wherein said light-guiding means is formed by a light-guiding tube, and said holding member comprises a monolithically integrated engagement portion which fits with an outer surface of said light-guiding tube.

6. The radiation thermometer of claim 5, wherein said light-guiding tube comprises a stepped portion for attaching said second packing to a front end portion of said light-guiding tube.

7. The radiation thermometer of claim 6, wherein said holding member comprises an abutting portion for abutting against said stepped portion for the purpose of positioning, said window member is firmly held between said holding member and said second packing with said abutting portion abutting said stepped portion, and a gap is provided between said window member and said front end portion of said light-guiding tube.

8. The radiation thermometer of claim 6, wherein said second packing protrudes beyond said front end portion of said light-guiding tube, and said window member is firmly held between said holding member and said second packing.

9. The radiation thermometer of claim 3, wherein said holding member comprises a concave portion for positioning said first or said second packing.

10. The radiation thermometer of claim 1, further comprising a temperature difference information detecting means for detecting temperature difference information regarding said infrared ray sensor and said light-guiding means, wherein said temperature calculating means calculates a temperature of said measurement target based on signals from said infrared ray sensor and said temperature-sensitive sensor and said temperature difference information received from said temperature difference information detecting means.

11. The radiation thermometer of claim 10, wherein

said temperature-sensitive sensor comprises a first temperate-sensitive sensor for measuring a temperature of said infrared ray sensor and an area around the infrared sensor and the radiation thermometer further comprises a second temperature-sensitive sensor for measuring a temperature of said light-guiding means, and

wherein said temperature difference information detecting means comprises said first and second temperature-sensitive sensors.

12. The radiation thermometer of claim 10, wherein said temperature difference information detecting means is formed by:

a reference cavity whose temperature condition is approximately the same as a temperature condition of said light-guiding means and which is closed whereby infrared rays from outside do not enter; and

a reference infrared ray sensor for detecting an infrared ray from said reference cavity.

13. The radiation thermometer of claim 1, wherein said window member is formed by an optical crystal material.

14. The radiation thermometer of claim 13, wherein said optical crystal material is selected from the group consisting of calcium fluoride, silicon, antireflection silicon, or barium fluoride.

15. The radiation thermometer of any one of claim 1, wherein a heat insulation cavity is disposed between said probe portion and said light-guiding means.

16. The radiation thermometer of claim 1, wherein said light-guiding means, said infrared ray sensor and said temperature-sensitive sensor are linked to each other by a metal housing.

17. A radiation thermometer, comprising:

a window member which can transmit an infrared ray from a measurement target;

an infrared ray sensor for detecting said infrared ray;

light-guiding means for guiding said infrared ray which is transmitted through said window member from the measurement target to said infrared ray sensor;

a temperature-sensitive sensor arranged near said infrared ray sensor for measuring a temperature of said infrared sensor;

case means which covers at least said light-guiding means, said infrared ray sensor and said temperature-sensitive sensor and which comprises a probe portion which is inserted into an opening of a living being;

the probe portion being provided with an opening portion only at an infrared ray introducing side of said light-guiding means;

a holding member for holding said window member at said opening portion of the probe portion;

a heat insulation cavity formed between said probe portion and said light guiding means;

a first water proofing member provided between said holding member and said probe portion to prevent water from going into the inside of said probe portion including said heat insulation cavity through said opening portion of the said probe portion; and

,

a second water proofing member between said holding member and said light-guiding means.