Temperature measuring probe, in particular for a household appliance

• US 8,398,303 B2
• Filed: 04/22/2008
• Issued: 03/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Miele & CIE KG
• Original Assignee: Miele & CIE KG
• Inventors: Kuhn, Jens
• Primary Examiner(s): VERBITSKY, GAIL KAPLAN
• Application Number:
  US12/107,190
• Publication Number:
  US 20080259995A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,792 Days
• Field of Search: 374/100, 374/120, 374/121, 374/141, 374/149, 374/208, 374117-119, 374/163, 374/152, 374/184, 340/870.17, 731/465, 73/18.2, 219/712, 219/713
• US Class Current: 374/163
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 1/024 for remote indication
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 1/026 arrangements for monitoring a plurality of temperatures, e.g. by multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 11/265 using surface acoustic wave [SAW]
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 2207/06 for preparation purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 7/32 using change of resonant frequency of a crystal

Abstract

A temperature measuring probe with a hollow outer shell including an electrically conductive section and an electrically insulating section. A temperature sensor including a resonator is disposed in the electrically conductive section and electrically conductively connected to the electrically conductive section. An antenna including a shortened monopole is disposed in the electrically insulating section. The temperature sensor and the antenna are electrically conductively connected to each other. A respective material and respective dimension of the electrically insulating section and the antenna are matched such that an effective resistance of the antenna is approximately equal to an effective resistance of the temperature sensor in an operating frequency range of the temperature sensor.

Claims

1. A temperature measuring probe comprising:

a hollow outer shell including an electrically conductive section and an electrically insulating section;

a temperature sensor disposed in the electrically conductive section and electrically conductively connected to the electrically conductive section, the temperature sensor including a resonator; and

an antenna disposed in the electrically insulating section, the antenna including a shortened monopole;

wherein the temperature sensor and the antenna are electrically conductively connected to each other, a top load capacitance being formed between a tip of the antenna and the electrically conductive section of the outer shell, the tip of the antenna and the electrically conductive section forming electrodes of the top load capacitance and the insulating section forming the dielectric of the top load capacitance, and

wherein a respective material and respective dimension of the electrically insulating section and the antenna are matched based at least in part on the top load capacitance such that an effective resistance of the antenna is approximately equal to an effective resistance of the temperature sensor in an operating frequency range of the temperature sensor so as to provide impedance matching.

2. The temperature measuring probe as recited in claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive section includes a metallic material, and the electrically insulating section includes a non-metallic material.

3. The temperature measuring probe as recited in claim 2, wherein the electrically insulating section includes a plastic handle.

4. The temperature measuring probe as recited in claim 3, wherein the electrically insulating section includes a cavity.

5. The temperature measuring probe as recited in claim 3, wherein the handle includes a core comprising a stiff plastic material and a coating comprising a flexible plastic material.

6. The temperature measuring probe as recited in claim 4, wherein the handle includes a core comprising a stiff plastic material and a coating comprising a flexible plastic material.

7. The temperature measuring probe as recited in claim 1 wherein the antenna includes a loading coil.

8. The temperature measuring probe as recited in claim 2 wherein the antenna includes a loading coil.

9. The temperature measuring probe as recited in claim 3 wherein the antenna includes a loading coil.

10. The temperature measuring probe as recited in claim 4 wherein the antenna includes a loading coil.

11. The temperature measuring probe as recited in claim 5 wherein the antenna includes a loading coil.

12. The temperature measuring probe as recited in claim 6 wherein the antenna includes a loading coil.

14. The temperature measuring probe as recited in claim 2, wherein an electrical connection between the temperature sensor and the antenna and the electrically conductive section of the outer shell includes a coaxial line, an inner conductor of the coaxial line connecting the temperature sensor to the antenna, and an outer conductor of the coaxial line connecting the temperature sensor to the electrically conductive section of the outer shell.

16. The temperature measuring probe as recited in claim 7, wherein an electrical connection between the temperature sensor and the antenna and the electrically conductive section of the outer shell includes a coaxial line, an inner conductor of the coaxial line connecting the temperature sensor to the antenna, and an outer conductor of the coaxial line connecting the temperature sensor to the electrically conductive section of the outer shell.

17. The temperature measuring probe as recited in claim 16, wherein the electrical connection between the outer conductor of the coaxial line and the electrically conductive section of the outer shell is disposed in an area of contact between the electrically conductive section and the electrically insulating section of the outer shell.

18. The temperature measuring probe as recited in claim 4 wherein the antenna is disposed in an area of the cavity of the electrically insulating section, the area of the cavity being evacuated or filled with inert gas.

19. The temperature measuring probe as recited in claim 6 wherein the antenna is disposed in an area of the cavity of the electrically insulating section, the area of the cavity being evacuated or filled with inert gas.

13. A temperature measuring probe comprising:

a hollow outer shell including an electrically conductive section and an electrically insulating section;

a temperature sensor disposed in the electrically conductive section and electrically conductively connected to the electrically conductive section, the temperature sensor including a resonator; and

an antenna disposed in the electrically insulating section, the antenna including a shortened monopole;

wherein the temperature sensor and the antenna are electrically conductively connected to each other, and wherein a respective material and respective dimension of the electrically insulating section and the antenna are matched such that an effective resistance of the antenna is approximately equal to an effective resistance of the temperature sensor in an operating frequency range of the temperature sensor,

wherein an electrical connection between the temperature sensor and the antenna and the electrically conductive section of the outer shell includes a coaxial line, an inner conductor of the coaxial line connecting the temperature sensor to the antenna, and an outer conductor of the coaxial line connecting the temperature sensor to the electrically conductive section of the outer shell.

15. The temperature measuring probe as recited in claim 13, wherein the electrical connection between the outer conductor of the coaxial line and the electrically conductive section of the outer shell is disposed in an area of contact between the electrically conductive section and the electrically insulating section of the outer shell.

20. A household appliance including a temperature measuring probe comprising:

a hollow outer shell including an electrically conductive section and an electrically insulating section;

a temperature sensor disposed in the electrically conductive section and electrically conductively connected to the electrically conductive section, the temperature sensor including a resonator; and

an antenna disposed in the electrically insulating section, the antenna including a shortened monopole;

wherein the temperature sensor and the antenna are electrically conductively connected to each other, a top load capacitance being formed between a tip of the antenna and the electrically conductive section of the outer shell, the tip of the antenna and the electrically conductive section forming electrodes of the top load capacitance and the insulating section forming the dielectric of the top load capacitance, and

wherein a respective material and respective dimension of the electrically insulating section and the antenna are matched based at least in part on the top load capacitance such that an effective resistance of the antenna is approximately equal to an effective resistance of the temperature sensor in an operating frequency range of the temperature sensor so as to provide impedance matching.