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US 12,665,406 B2Granted
Temperature sensing tape having a temperature sensor element with multiple crystallization points
AssigneeLittelfuse, Inc.
InventorsSergio Fuentes Godinez, Marco Doms, Oluwaseun K. Oyewole, Aalok Bhatt, Francois Perraud, Martin Pineda
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Abstract
A temperature sensing tape is provided and can include an insulating support structure and at least one temperature sensing element disposed on the insulating support structure wherein the at least one temperature sensing element can be formed from a single polymer mixture that includes two or more polymers, and wherein each of the two or more polymers can have a respective, different crystallinity point.
Claims20
A temperature sensing tape comprising:
- an insulating support structure;
- and
- at least one temperature sensing element disposed on the insulating support structure, wherein the at least one temperature sensing element comprises a single continuous sensing element formed from a single polymer mixture that includes two or more polymers, wherein the single polymer mixture is formed by dissolving and intermixing the two or more polymers into a homogeneous polymer matrix in which the two or more polymers are distributed within the same sensing element, and wherein each of the two or more polymers has a respective, different crystallinity point, and wherein the at least one temperature sensing element is configured to exhibit multiple discrete increases in electrical resistance within the same sensing element at respective threshold temperatures corresponding to crystallization of the respective polymers.
A thermal protection system comprising:
- a protected element;
- and
- a temperature sensing tape thermally coupled to the protected element, wherein the temperature sensing tape includes an insulating support structure and at least one temperature sensing element disposed on the insulating support structure, wherein the at least one temperature sensing element is a single continuous sensing element formed from a single polymer mixture that includes two or more polymers, the single polymer mixture being formed by dissolving and intermixing the two or more polymers into a homogeneous polymer matrix forming the sensing element, and wherein each of the two or more polymers has a respective, different crystallinity point such that the sensing element exhibits multiple resistance transitions corresponding to crystallization of the respective polymers.
A method comprising:
- providing a polymer matrix material that includes two or more polymers, each of the two or more polymers having a respective, different crystallinity point;
- dissolving the polymer matrix material in a solvent to form a single polymer mixture in which the two or more polymers are intermixed to form a homogeneous polymer matrix;
- adding a conductive filler to the single polymer mixture to form a copolymer ink;
- and
- applying the copolymer ink to an insulating support structure where placement of a single continuous temperature sensing element is desired,
- wherein the temperature sensing element formed by the applied copolymer ink is configured to exhibit multiple discrete increases in electrical resistance within the same sensing element at respective threshold temperatures corresponding to crystallization of the respective polymer.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.