Sensor element, thermometer as well as method for determining a temperature

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9995639-B2
Application number	US-201314651295-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 6, 2013
Priority date	Dec 18, 2012
Publication date	Jun 12, 2018
Grant date	Jun 12, 2018

Abstract

A sensor element, comprising first and second measuring paths, wherein the first measuring path extends via a first segment of a first material and the second measuring path at least partially extends via this first segment of the first material, wherein the second measuring path extends additionally via a second segment, which is composed of a second material different from the first material.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A sensor element, comprising:
a first measuring path; and
a second measuring path, wherein:
said first measuring path extends via a first segment of a first material, and said second measuring path at least partially extends via said first segment of the first material; and
said second measuring path extends additionally via a second segment, which is composed of a second material different from said first material,
said material of said second segment experiences a phase transformation at a predetermined temperature, and
said second material transfers by the phase transformation from a state, in which said second material is electrically an insulator, into an electrically conductive state.

2. The sensor element as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:
said first material is platinum, respectively a platinum containing material.

3. The sensor element as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:
said second material is a transition metal.

4. The sensor element as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:
said first and second measuring paths extend on the same substrate.

5. The sensor element as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:
said first segment and said second segment are thin film or thick film layers.

6. The sensor element as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:
said first and second segments adjoin one another.

7. The sensor element as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:
because of the phase transformation of said second material, said second material transfers from a state with a first electrical conductivity into a state with a second electrical conductivity.

8. The sensor element as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:
said first measuring path is formed by a first resistor tap; and
said second measuring path by a second resistor tap.

9. The sensor element as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:
a third measuring path is provided, which extends at least partially via said first and/or said second measuring path, respectively said first and/or said second segment; and
said third measuring path extends additionally via at least a third segment; which is composed of a third material, which differs from said first and/or said second material.

10. The sensor element as claimed in claim 9 , wherein:
said third segment differs as regards doping of the third material, its thickness and/or its width as compared with said second segment.

11. The sensor element as claimed in claim 9 , wherein:
said segments are arranged next to one another bordering one another in a plane.

12. The sensor element as claimed in claim 9 , wherein:
said segments are arranged on top of one another bordering one another.

13. The sensor element as claimed in claim 1 wherein:
said second material is a material containing vanadium or a vanadium oxide.

14. A thermometer, comprising:
a sensor element, comprising: a first measuring path; and a second measuring path, wherein: said first measuring path extends via a first segment of a first material, and said second measuring path at least partially extends via said first segment of the first material; and said second measuring path extends additionally via a second segment, which is composed of a second material different from said first material, wherein:
said material of said second segment experiences a phase transformation at a predetermined temperature; and
said second material transfers by the phase transformation from a state, in which said second material is electrically an insulator, into an electrically conductive state.

15. A method for determining a temperature, comprising:
a first measuring path, which extends via a first segment, composed of a first material;
a second measuring path, which extends at least partially via the first segment, said second measuring path extends additionally via a second segment, composed of a second material, which differs from the first material;
tapping a first measurement signal via said first measuring path; and
tapping a second measurement signal via said second measuring path, wherein:
said material of said second segment experiences a phase transformation at a predetermined temperature; and
said second material transfers by the phase transformation from a state, in which said second material is electrically an insulator, into an electrically conductive state.

16. The use of a method for determining a temperature comprising:
providing a first measuring path, which extends via a first segment, composed of a first material; providing a second measuring path which extends at least partially via the first segment, said second measuring path extends additionally via a second segment, composed of a second material, which differs from the first material;
tapping a first measurement signal via said first measuring path; and
tapping a second measurement signal via said second measurement path, wherein:
said material of said second segment experiences a phase transformation at a predetermined temperature; and
said second material transfers by the phase transformation from a state, in which said second material is electrically an insulator, into an electrically conductive state,
the use comprising:
validation, calibration, adjusting and/or certification of a thermometer.

17. A sensor element, including:
a measuring path, which is composed of at least two segments bordering one another, which segments are of different materials, wherein:
at least one of said segments has a phase transformation temperature in a range relevant for validation, adjusting, calibrating and/or certification of the sensor element;
the material of one of said at least two segments experiences said phase transformation at a predetermined temperature; and
the material of the other of said two segments transfers said transformation from a state, in which said material of the other of said two segments is electrically an insulator, into an electrically conductive state.

18. The sensor element as claimed in claim 17 , wherein:
said at least a first segment and also said at least a second segment experience a phase transition in the range relevant for the validation, adjusting, calibrating and/or certification of the sensor element.

19. The sensor element as claimed in claim 18 , wherein:
said segments differ as regards their properties having different materials, and different strength and/or width, respectively thickness.

20. The sensor element as claimed in claim 17 , wherein:
said measuring path has a first measuring path, which serves for determining temperature based on a temperature dependent resistance element and a second measuring path, which is composed of at least two segments bordering one another, which segments are of different materials; and
at least one of the segments has a phase transformation temperature in a range relevant for validation, adjusting, calibrating and/or certification of the first measuring path, i.e. of the temperature dependent resistance element.

Assignees

• Endress Hauser Wetzer G Bh Co Kg
• Endress Hauser Wetzer Gmbh Co Kg

Inventors

• Seefeld Peter

Classifications

• G01K15/005

  Calibration · CPC title

• G01K7/18 Primary

  the element being a linear resistance, e.g. platinum resistance thermometer (G01K7/26 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01K15/007

  Testing · CPC title

• G01K15/002

  Calibrated temperature sources, temperature standards therefor (arrangements with respect to the cold junction of thermo-electric elements G01K7/12) · CPC title