Temperature sensor and related remote temperature sensing method

• US 7,931,400 B2
• Filed: 03/01/2007
• Issued: 04/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Metglas, Inc. (Proterial Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Metglas, Inc. (Proterial Ltd.)
• Inventors: Azuma, Daichi, Hasegawa, Ryusuke
• Primary Examiner(s): Caputo; Lisa M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jagan; Mirellys
• Application Number:
  US11/712,444
• Publication Number:
  US 20080212644A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,517 Days
• Field of Search: 374/176, 374/177
• US Class Current: 374/176
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 7/38 the variations of temperature influencing the magnetic permeability

Abstract

A temperature sensor includes a plurality of rectangular shaped amorphous magnetic alloy strips connected magnetically, wherein at least one of the strips has a predetermined ferromagnetic Curie temperature, and another strip has a magnetic permeability well exceeding 2,000. The temperature sensor may be used in a related remote temperature sensing method wherein the sensor is interrogated by a magnetic field and the temperature sensor'"'"'s response signal is detected electromagnetically.

Claims

1. A temperature sensor, comprising:

a plurality of rectangular-shaped amorphous magnetic alloy strips connected in series magnetically, wherein at least one of the amorphous magnetic alloy strips has a predetermined ferromagnetic Curie temperature, and another amorphous magnetic alloy strip has a magnetic permeability well exceeding 2,000, wherein said temperature sensor is interrogatable by a magnetic field, and said temperature sensor'"'"'s response signal is detectable electromagnetically.

2. The temperature sensor of claim 1, wherein the magnetic permeability of the another strip is greater than 6000.

3. The temperature sensor of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the plurality of rectangular shaped amorphous magnetic alloy strips with the predetermined ferromagnetic Curie temperature has a composition defined essentially by the formula Fe_a M_b B_c Si_d C_e, wherein 61<

a<

81, 0<

b<

15, 2≦

c<

25, 0<

d<

10 and 0<

e≦

18 and a+b+c+d+e=100, numbers being in atom percent, up to 50% of Fe content being replaced by Ni and M being selected from Cr, Mo, Nb, Ti, and W.

4. The temperature sensor of claim 1, wherein the another strip of the plurality of rectangular shaped amorphous magnetic alloy strips has a magnetic permeability well exceeding 2,000, and a composition defined essentially by the formula Fe_aNi_bCo_cM_eB_fSi_gC_h wherein 3<

a<

80, 0<

b<

41, 0<

c<

72, 0<

e<

4, with M selected from Cr, Mo, and Mn, 1<

f<

20, 0<

g<

16 and 0<

h<

4, and a+b+c+e+f+g+h=100, numbers being in atom percent.

5. The temperature sensor of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one of the strips has the predetermined ferromagnetic Curie temperature and has a composition defined essentially by the formula Fe_a M_b B_c Si_d C_e, wherein 61<

a<

81, 0<

b<

15, 2≦

c<

25, 0<

d<

10 and 0<

e≦

18 and a+b+c+d+e=100, numbers being in atom percent, up to 50% of Fe content being replaced by Ni and M being selected from Cr, Mo, Nb, Ti, and W; and

the another strip has a magnetic permeability well exceeding 2,000 and has a composition defined essentially by the formula Fe_aNi_bCo_cM_eB_fSi_gC_h wherein 3<

a<

80, 0<

b<

41, 0<

c<

72, 0<

e<

4, with M selected from Cr, Mo, and Mn, 1<

f<

20, 0<

g<

16 and 0<

h<

4, and a+b+c+e+f+g+h=100, numbers being in atom percent.

6. The temperature sensor of claim 1, wherein:

each of the at least one of the strips and the another strip has a magnetic permeability well exceeding 2,000 and the compositions of the at least one of the strips and the another strip are defined essentially by the formula Fe_aNi_bCo_cM_eB_fSi_gC_h wherein 3<

a<

80, 0<

b<

41, 0<

c<

72, 0<

e<

4, with M selected from Cr, Mo, and Mn, 1<

f<

20, 0<

g<

16 and 0<

h<

4, and a+b+c+e+f+g+h=100, numbers being in atom percent.

7. The temperature sensor of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one of the strips with the predetermined ferromagnetic Curie temperature has a composition defined essentially by the formula Fe_a M_b B_c Si_d C_e, wherein 61<

a<

81, 0<

b<

15, 2≦

c<

25, 0<

d<

10 and 0<

e≦

18 and a+b+c+d+e=100, numbers being in atom percent, up to 50% of Fe content being replaced by Ni and M being selected from Cr, Mo, Nb, Ti, and W ; and

said strip is flanked by another two strips having at least a magnetic permeability well exceeding 2,000 and a same chemical composition defined essentially by the formula Fe_aNi_bCo_cM_eB_fSi_gC_h wherein 3<

a<

80, 0<

b<

41, 0<

c<

72, 0<

e<

4, with M selected from Cr, Mo, and Mn, 1<

f<

20, 0<

g<

16 and 0<

h<

4, and a+b+c+e+f+g+h=100, numbers being in atom percent.

8. The temperature sensor of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one strip has a magnetic permeability well exceeding 2,000 and a composition defined essentially by the formula Fe_aNi_bCo_cM_eB_fSi_gC_h wherein 3<

a<

80, 0<

b<

41, 0<

c<

72, 0<

e<

4, with M selected from Cr, Mo, and Mn, 1<

f<

20, 0<

g<

16 and 0<

h<

4, and a+b+c+e+f+g+h=100, numbers being in atom percent, and

the another strip is selected from a plurality of amorphous magnetic alloy strips with different chemical compositions comprising;

a composition with the predetermined ferromagnetic Curie temperature and having a composition defined essentially by the formula Fe_a M_b B _c Si_d C_e, wherein 61<

a<

81, 0<

b<

15, 2≦

c<

25, 0<

d<

10 and 0<

e≦

18 and a+b+c+d+e=100, numbers being in atom percent, up to 50% of Fe content being replaced by Ni and M being selected from Cr, Mo, Nb, Ti, and W, and

a composition having a magnetic permeability well exceeding 2,000, and having a composition defined essentially by the formula Fe_aNi_bCo_cM_eB_fSi_gC_h wherein 3<

a<

80, 0<

b<

41, 0<

c<

72, 0<

e<

4, with M selected from Cr, Mo, and Mn, 1<

f<

20, 0<

g<

16 and 0<

h<

4, and a+b+c+e+f+g+h=100, numbers being in atom percent.

9. The temperature sensor of claim 1, wherein said temperature sensor is interrogatable by an AC magnetic field.

10. A temperature sensor for a remote temperature sensing device, the temperature sensor comprising:

a plurality of rectangular-shaped amorphous magnetic alloy strips connected in series magnetically, wherein at least one of the amorphous magnetic alloy strips has a predetermined ferromagnetic Curie temperature, and another amorphous magnetic alloy strip has a magnetic permeability well exceeding 2,000; and

a response signal of the temperature sensor being detectable by the temperature sensing device having at least one coil emanating an interrogating magnetic field, and at least one coil detecting a response signal of the temperature sensor.

11. A method to provide remote temperature sensing, comprising:

utilizing a temperature sensor comprising a plurality of rectangular shaped amorphous magnetic alloy strips connected in series magnetically, at least one of the amorphous magnetic alloy strips has a predetermined ferromagnetic Curie temperature, and another amorphous magnetic alloy strip has a magnetic permeability well exceeding 2,000 to measure a temperature remotely; and

utilizing the temperature sensor in a remote temperature sensing device by interrogating the temperature sensor by a magnetic field, and detecting said temperature sensor'"'"'s response signal electromagnetically.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the magnetic permeability of the another strip is greater than 6000.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one of the plurality of rectangular shaped amorphous magnetic alloy strips with the predetermined ferromagnetic Curie temperature has a composition defined essentially by the formula Fe_a M_b B_c Si_d C_e, wherein 61<

a<

81, 0<

b<

15, 2≦

c<

25, 0<

d<

10 and 0<

e≦

18 and a+b+c+d+e=100, numbers being in atom percent, up to 50% of Fe content being replaced by Ni and M being selected from Cr, Mo, Nb, Ti, and W.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the another strip of the plurality of rectangular shaped amorphous magnetic alloy strips has a magnetic permeability well exceeding 2,000 and a composition defined essentially by the formula Fe_aNi_bCo_cM_eB_fSi_gC_h wherein 3<

a<

80, 0<

b<

41, 0<

c<

72, 0<

e<

4, with M selected from Cr, Mo, and Mn, 1<

f <

20, 0<

g<

16 and 0<

h<

4, and a+b+c+e+f+g+h=100, numbers being in atom percent.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein:

the at least one of the strips has the predetermined ferromagnetic Curie temperature and a composition defined essentially by the formula Fe_a M_b B_c Si_d C_e, wherein 61<

a<

81, 0<

b<

15, 2≦

c<

25, 0<

d<

10 and 0<

e≦

18 and a+b+c+d+e=100, numbers being in atom percent, up to 50% of Fe content being replaced by Ni and M being selected from Cr, Mo, Nb, Ti, and W; and

the another strip has a magnetic permeability well exceeding 2,000, and a composition defined essentially by the formula Fe_aNi_bCo_cM_eB_fSi_gC_h wherein 3<

a<

80, 0<

b<

41, 0<

c<

72, 0<

e<

4, with M selected from Cr, Mo, and Mn, 1<

f<

20, 0<

g<

16 and 0<

h<

4, and a+b+c+e+f+g+h=100, numbers being in atom percent.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the temperature sensor includes two amorphous magnetic alloy strips with two different compositions having a magnetic permeability well exceeding 2,000, and a composition defined essentially by the formula Fe_aNi_bCo_cM_eB_fSi_gC_h wherein 3<

a<

80, 0<

b<

41, 0<

c<

72, 0<

e<

4, with M selected from Cr, Mo, and Mn, 1<

f<

20, 0<

g<

16 and 0<

h<

4, and a+b+c+e+f+g+h=100, numbers being in atom percent.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein:

the at least one of the strips comprises an amorphous magnetic alloy strip with the predetermined ferromagnetic Curie temperature and a composition defined essentially by the formula Fe_a M_b B _c Si_d C_e, wherein 61<

a<

81, 0<

b<

15, 2≦

c<

25, 0<

d<

10 and 0<

e≦

18 and a+b+c+d+e=100, numbers being in atom percent, up to 50% of Fe content being replaced by Ni and M being selected from Cr, Mo, Nb, Ti, and W; and

the another strip has a magnetic permeability well exceeding 2,000 and a same chemical composition defined essentially by the formula Fe_aNi_bCo_cM_eB_fSi_gC_h wherein 3<

a<

80, 0<

b<

41, 0<

c<

72, 0<

e<

4, with M selected from Cr, Mo, and Mn, 1<

f<

20, 0<

g<

16 and 0<

h<

4, and a+b+c+e+f+g+h=100, numbers being in atom percent.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein:

the at least one strip comprises an amorphous magnetic alloy strip having a magnetic permeability well exceeding 2,000 and a composition defined essentially by the formula Fe_aNi_bCo_cM_eB_fSi_gC_h wherein 3<

a<

80, 0<

b<

41, 0<

c<

72, 0<

e<

4, with M selected from Cr, Mo, and Mn, 1<

f<

20, 0<

g<

16 and 0<

h<

4,and a+b+c+e+f+g+h=100, numbers being in atom percent; and

the another strip is one or more strips selected from a plurality of amorphous magnetic alloy strips with different chemical compositions selected from;

a composition having a predetermined ferromagnetic Curie temperature and a composition defined essentially by the formula Fe_a M_b B_c Si_d C_e, wherein 61<

a<

81, 0<

b<

15, 2≦

c<

25, 0<

d<

10 and 0<

e≦

18 and a+b+c+d+e=100, numbers being in atom percent, up to 50% of Fe content being replaced by Ni and M being selected from Cr, Mo, Nb, Ti, and W, and

a composition having a magnetic permeability well exceeding 2,000 and defined essentially by the formula Fe_aNi_bCo_cM_eB_fSi_gC_h wherein 3<

a<

80, 0<

b<

41, 0<

c<

72, 0<

e<

4, with M selected from Cr, Mo, and Mn, 1<

f<

20, 0<

g<

16 and 0<

h<

4, and a+b+c+e+f+g+h=100, numbers being in atom percent.

19. The method of claim 11, further comprising interrogating the temperature sensor with an AC magnetic field.

20. A method to remotely sense temperature, comprising:

utilizing a remote temperature sensing device having a temperature sensor, at least one coil emanating an interrogating magnetic field, and at least one coil detecting a response signal of the temperature sensor, wherein the temperature sensor comprises a plurality of rectangular-shaped amorphous magnetic alloy strips connected in series magnetically, and wherein at least one of the amorphous magnetic alloy strips has a predetermined ferromagnetic Curie temperature, and another amorphous magnetic alloy strip has a magnetic permeability well exceeding 2,000.