Temperature measuring device and temperature measuring method

• US 7,354,195 B2
• Filed: 03/20/2003
• Issued: 04/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: FEC, Inc. (Michigan), Kazuhito Sakano, Zixsys Incorporated
• Original Assignee: FEC, Inc. (Michigan), Kazuhito Sakano, Zixsys Incorporated
• Inventors: Sakano, Motoya
• Primary Examiner(s): Verbitsky; Gail
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jagan; Mirellys
• Application Number:
  US10/507,721
• Publication Number:
  US 20050141591A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,846 Days
• Field of Search: 374/208, 374/170, 374/183, 340/870.17
• US Class Current: 374/208
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 1/024 for remote indication
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 15/00 Testing or calibrating of thermometers
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 2215/00 Details concerning sensor power supply

Abstract

A temperature measuring device and a temperature measuring method are provided which are capable of obtaining precise measured temperature values with respect even to old persons, sucklings or infants, which device may be formed into a disposable type according to need, which method may be carried out using such a disposable type device according to need, and which enable precise temperature measurement in real time. An on-subject temperature measuring device 1, which is attached to a subject when a temperature of the subject is measured, receives a radio wave from a reader 2 as an external device and is thereby electrically powered. Using the electric power, temperature measurement is performed in the on-subject temperature measuring device 1. The results of the measurement are transmitted through radio waves to the reader 2 in the form of a temperature of the subject and ID data. The reader 2 is so constructed as to be connectable to a personal computer (not shown), and data processing by the personal computer is performed according to need.

Claims

1. A temperature measuring device comprising:

a flexible sheet having its one surface endowed with stickiness for application to a surface of a subject, said flexible sheet being provided with an opening; and

a temperature data detecting means for detecting a temperature of the inside of the opening,

wherein a detecting part of the temperature data detecting means is so disposed as to be exposed to the inside of the opening with nothing but an air layer between the surface of the subject and an opposing surface of the detecting part.

2. The temperature measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the temperature data detecting means employs a means for converting a temperature value into a frequency, and wherein the temperature data detecting means is accommodated in a space defined by a predetermined thickness of the flexible sheet.

3. The temperature measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the temperature data detecting means employs a means for converting a temperature value into a period, and wherein the temperature data detecting means is accommodated in a space defined by a predetermined thickness of the flexible sheet.

4. The temperature measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the temperature data detecting means is provided with a built-in A/D converter for A-to-D converting a resistance value or voltage value in the form of an analog physical value, into which a temperature value has been converted, into a digital physical value.

5. The temperature measuring device according to claim 1, wherein one side of the space formed in the opening is defined by the temperature data detecting means, and the other side of the space is defined by a surface of a subject, and a sealed layer is thereby formed between the subject and the temperature data detecting means.

6. The temperature measuring device according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of the openings are provided.

7. The temperature measuring device according to claim 1, wherein temperature data detected by the temperature data detecting means is temperature data on a human body.

8. The temperature measuring device according to claim 1, wherein said detecting part is arranged in said opening so as to be set apart from a subject being measured via an air layer when the temperature measuring device is attached to the subject.

9. The temperature measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the detecting part comprises a chip thermistor which is directly exposed to the inside of the opening.

10. The temperature measuring device according to claim 1, which is capable of measuring the temperature of the subject under the condition where nothing but an air layer is present between the surface of the subject and an opposing surface of the detecting part.

11. The temperature measuring device according to claim 1, wherein a film-form control substrate with a system LSI chip mounted thereon is attached to an upper surface of the flexible sheet, and the temperature data detecting means is attached to an underside surface of the film-form control substrate in such a manner that the temperature data detecting means is exposed to an air layer in the opening formed in the flexible sheet.

12. The temperature measuring device according to claim 11, wherein the adhesive-applied sheet is attached to the flexible sheet to which the film-form control substrate is attached, and a space in the opening is thereby sealed, and wherein an open-pore polytetrafluoroethylene is used for the adhesive-applied sheet and/or the film-form control substrate and/or the flexible sheet to which the film-form control substrate is applied.

13. The temperature measuring device according to claim 11, wherein an adhesive-applied sheet is attached to the flexible sheet to which the film-form control substrate is attached, and a space in the opening is thereby sealed.

14. The temperature measuring device according to claim 13, wherein an air hole is formed at a predetermined position in the adhesive-applied sheet.

15. The temperature measuring device according to claim 13, wherein punched holes are formed in the adhesive-applied sheet.

16. The temperature measuring device according to claim 1, comprising an electromagnetic wave transmitting and receiving means which cooperates with the temperature data detecting means.

17. The temperature measuring device according to claim 16, wherein the electromagnetic wave transmitting and receiving means has an inductively coupled means for receiving electromagnetic waves from an external device.

18. The temperature measuring device according to claim 17, wherein the inductively coupled means receives an electromotive force from the external device through radio waves to supply electric power to the temperature data detecting means.

19. The temperature measuring device according to claim 18, wherein temperature data is radio-transmitted from the temperature data detecting means via an antenna coil of the inductively coupled means to the external device.

20. The temperature measuring device according to claim 19, wherein the temperature data and an ID code are combined into a unit and radio-transmitted from the temperature data detecting means via the antenna coil to the external device.

21. A temperature measuring method comprising:

providing a flexible sheet with an opening;

attaching the flexible sheet to a surface of a subject to thereby form an air layer sealed by the opening; and

measuring a temperature of the air layer by means of a temperature data detecting means,

wherein a detecting part of the temperature data detecting means is so disposed as to be exposed to the inside of the opening with nothing but an air layer between the surface of the subject and an opposing surface of the detecting part.

22. The temperature measuring method according to claim 21, wherein temperature data detected by the temperature data detecting means is stored in a memory provided on the flexible sheet, and the temperature data stored in the memory is read out after removal of the flexible sheet from the subject.

23. The temperature measuring method according to claim 21, wherein the subject is a human body.

24. The temperature measuring method according to claim 21, wherein the detecting part comprises a chip thermistor which is directly exposed to the inside of the opening.

25. The temperature measuring method according to claim 21, which is capable of measuring the temperature of the subject under the condition where nothing but an air layer is present between the surface of the subject and an opposing surface of the detecting part.