Thermoanalytical sensor

• US 7,588,367 B2
• Filed: 10/23/2007
• Issued: 09/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mettler Toledo GmbH
• Original Assignee: Mettler-Toledo AG (Mettler-Toledo International Inc.)
• Inventors: Huetter, Thomas, Zumbach, Melchior
• Primary Examiner(s): VERBITSKY, GAIL KAPLAN
• Application Number:
  US11/976,332
• Publication Number:
  US 20080080586A1
• Time in Patent Office: 693 Days
• Field of Search: 374 10- 12, 374 29- 40, 374/179, 374/185, 374/135, 374/137, 374 43- 44, 374/100, 374/163, 374/208, 73/240.4, 73/290.1, 73/232, 73/232.5, 73/234, 73/250.3, 73/250.1, 73/75, 436/147, 422/51
• US Class Current: 374/31
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 17/006 Microcalorimeters, e.g. using silicon microstructures
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 7/028 using microstructures, e.g. made of silicon
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 25/4866 by using a differential method

Abstract

Thermoanalytical sensor for calorimetric measurements which cooperates with a temperature control device and comprises at least one measurement position formed on the sensor, a heat flow path established between the temperature control device and the at least one measurement position, and at least one temperature-measuring element, characterized in that the sensor has a plurality of layers which are formed substantially by ceramic elements that have been solidly bonded to each other by undergoing a sintering process together and which in their green state can be provided with a structure, wherein at least a part of the ceramic elements are structured.

Claims

1. A thermoanalytical sensor for calorimetric measurements comprising:

at least one measurement position formed on the sensor for establishing, when used with a temperature control device, heat flow paths between the measurement position and the temperature control device, said heat flow paths propagating in three-dimensions through said sensor; and

at least one thermocouple arrangement that is formed along a plurality of said heat flow paths for generating a thermoelectric signal, wherein the at least one thermocouple arrangement comprises at least one temperature-measuring element,

wherein;

the sensor is comprised of a plurality of layers which are formed substantially by jointly-sintered ceramic elements that have been solidly bonded to each other by undergoing a single joint sintering process,

at least a part of the ceramic elements have been structured in their green state prior to sintering, and

the thermocouple arrangement measures heat flow propagation in said three-dimensions.

2. The thermoanalytical sensor according to claim 1, wherein the temperature-measuring element comprises at least one measurement chain which is comprised of at least two thermocouples and is part of the at least one thermocouple arrangement.

3. The thermoanalytical sensor according to claim 2, wherein the at least one thermocouple arrangement comprises at least one thermocouple formed within or on a layer.

4. The thermoanalytical sensor according to claim 2, comprising at least two thermocouples which are formed within and/or on one layer.

5. The thermoanalytical sensor according to claim 2, wherein said at least two thermocouples are formed within and/or on different layers.

6. The thermoanalytical sensor according to claim 1, wherein the temperature-measuring element comprises at least one electrical resistor.

7. The thermoanalytical sensor according to claim 1, comprising at least one electrical heating resistor formed in the sensor.

8. The thermoanalytical sensor according to claim 1, wherein at least one conduit for fluids is formed in the sensor.

9. The thermoanalytical sensor according to claim 1, wherein said thermoanalytical sensor comprises at least one sensor portion with a thermal conductivity that differs from the thermal conductivity of unstructured ceramic elements.

10. The thermoanalytical sensor according to claim 9, wherein said sensor portion with a given thermal conductivity comprises at least one hollowed-out space and/or at least one back-filled hollow space.

11. The thermoanalytical sensor according to claim 1, wherein the ceramic elements comprise aluminum oxide.

12. The thermoanalytical sensor according to claim 1, wherein the ceramic elements comprise one or more of the following:

at least one hollow space and/or

at least one filled hollow space.

13. The thermoanalytical sensor according to claim 1, wherein one or more of the following elements are formed within and/or on the sensor:

a temperature-measuring element, an electrical resistor, a thermocouple, a measurement chain, a thermocouple arrangement, a conduit for fluids, an electrical heating resistor and a sensor portion with a thermal conductivity which deviates from the thermal conductivity of the ceramic material.

14. The thermoanalytical sensor according to claim 1, wherein at least one thermocouple in the at least one thermocouple arrangement is disposed on a surface area of the sensor.

15. The thermoanalytical sensor according to claim 1, wherein the at least one temperature-measuring element and/or the at least one thermocouple arrangement are provided with contact terminals and connected to a controller unit.

16. The thermoanalytical sensor according to claim 1, in combination with a temperature control device.