JPH03262923A - Environment sensor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce the size and weight of the sensor and to detect atmospheric temperature, humidity, an air stream and radiation at the same time by forming an atmospheric temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, an air stream sensor, and a radiation sensor integrally with a silicon semiconductor chip by thin film formation. CONSTITUTION:On the silicon semiconductor chip 1, the atmospheric pressure sensor 3, humidity sensor 4, air stream sensor 5, and radiation sensor 6 are formed across an insulating film 2 by thin film formation. The sensor 3 is formed of a thin film type electric resistance body and detects electric resistance corresponding to variation in atmospheric temperature to detect the atmospheric temperature. Further, the sensor 4 detects humidity by utilizing variation in the electrostatic capacity of a capacitor composed of an electrode 7 and a humidity sensing material 8 by humidity absorption. Further, the sensor 5 detects variation in the heat conductivity of the atmosphere by the air stream as temperature variation to detect the air stream. Further, the sensor 6 detects the resistance variation corresponding to the temperature variation by the heat input of radiant heat to detect the radiant heat.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to an environment sensor used in an environment adjustment device such as an air conditioner, a humidifier, or an air purifier that adjusts a human living environment.

(Prior art and its problems) Conventionally, a temperature sensor and a humidity sensor are attached to a remote controller for an air conditioner to 1111m+, which detects the air temperature of the living environment and adjusts the air temperature in response to these changes. It was controlling the harmonizer.

In recent years, in order to improve the comfort of living environments, it has become desirable to detect not only the temperature and humidity of living environments, but also air currents and radiant heat, and to control air conditioners in response to these changes.

However, existing airflow sensors and radiation sensors have large size and power consumption, so when these airflow sensors and radiation sensors are attached to a remote controller, not only does the remote controller become large, but the batteries built into the remote controller The problem was that it could not drive these.

(Means for solving the problem) The present invention is as above! This invention was invented in order to solve problem I, and its gist is to provide an environment in which a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, an airflow sensor, and a radiation sensor are integrally formed on a silicon semiconductor chip by thin film formation. It's in the sensor.

(Function) Since the environmental sensor of the present invention has the above-mentioned configuration, it is small, lightweight, and has low power consumption.
Radiation can be detected simultaneously and individually.

(Embodiment) An embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, where FIG. 1 is a perspective view and FIG. 2 is a partial sectional view taken along line nn in FIG. 1.

An air temperature sensor 3, a humidity sensor 4, an airflow sensor 5, and a radiation sensor 6 are integrally formed on a silicon semiconductor chip l having a size of 5 to 61111 squares with an insulating film 2 interposed therebetween by thin film formation.

The temperature sensor 3 consists of a thin film-like electrical resistor, and detects this electrical resistance by utilizing the fact that the electrical resistance of the current flowing through the electrical resistor changes in response to changes in the surrounding temperature. It is designed to detect temperature.

The humidity sensor 4 consists of a thin-film electrode 7 made of the same material as the electrical resistor and a thin-film moisture-sensitive material 8. Humidity is detected by detecting this electrostatic capacitance.

The airflow sensor 5 includes a temperature correction section 9 for correcting temperature changes.
and an airflow section 10, the change in the heat transfer coefficient of the atmosphere caused by the airflow is interpreted as a temperature change, and the airflow is finally detected by detecting the resistance change of a thin film-like electric resistor.

The radiation sensor 6 is made up of a concrete material 11 for increasing the absorption rate of radiant heat and a thin film-like electric resistor 12 for detecting heat. It is designed to detect.

The insulating film 2 electrically insulates the thin film resistors and thermally insulates the airflow sensor 5 and the radiation sensor 6.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 2, the silicon semiconductor chip 1 behind the airflow sensor 5 and the radiation sensor 6 is removed by microfabrication technology such as etching to form a void 13, thereby increasing the thermal resistance of the airflow sensor 5. It is possible to detect airflow with a small amount of power consumption, and
The temperature of the radiation sensor 6 can be increased with a small amount of radiant energy.

(Effects of the Invention) The environmental sensor of the present invention has a temperature sensor, humidity sensor, airflow sensor, and radiation sensor integrally formed on a silicon semiconductor chip by thin film formation, so that temperature, humidity, airflow, and radiation can be detected simultaneously and individually. At the same time, it is small, lightweight, and consumes less power, so it can be easily incorporated into a remote controller of an environment control device, and in this case, it becomes possible to easily obtain a comfortable environment.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing one embodiment of the present invention.
It is a partial sectional view along the nn line of a figure.

Claims (1)

[Claims] An environmental sensor characterized by integrally forming a temperature sensor, humidity sensor, airflow sensor, and radiation sensor on a silicon semiconductor chip by forming a thin film.