Patent Description:
In a device for detecting temperature and pressure, there is known that power is supplied to a temperature sensor and a pressure sensor by a secondary battery or a power generator. Further, from <CIT> battery re-charging systems basing on thin films are known. Further, from <CIT> light emitting devices usable in a wide temperature range are known. Further, from <CIT> logging patches for body temperatures are known.

An environment in which a sensor is installed may become high temperature or may deform. When a secondary battery for supplying electric power to a sensor is a button type battery, the button type battery is difficult to withstand a high-temperature environment and to be reduced in size, whereby it is difficult to use it in an environment in which deformation force is applied.

The present invention was made in view of this situation and it is an object of the present invention to provide a state detecting device which can be applied suitably even in a severe environment.

A state detecting device according to independent claim <NUM> is provided. The state detecting device comprises:.

The flexible substrate is attached to a flexible object which is to be measured or constitutes at least part of an inner surface of a space to be measured.

The flexible substrate may be attached to the object which is moveable.

A thermal conduction pattern is formed on at least part of a surface on an object-to-be-measured side of the flexible substrate.

The thermal conduction pattern may extend on a surface opposite to the object side of the flexible substrate and reach the vicinity of the sensor mounted on the surface opposite to the object side.

A thermal conduction pattern which is in contact with a thermal conductor incorporated into an object to be measured may be formed on the flexible substrate and be located or extend in the vicinity of the sensor on the sensor mounted surface of the flexible substrate.

The all-solid-state battery, the power generator and the sensor may be mounted to the flexible substrate by reflow soldering.

The sensor includes at least one selected from a temperature sensor, an acceleration sensor, a pressure sensor and a distortion sensor.

It is to be noted that any arbitrary combination of the above-described structural components as well as the expressions according to the present invention changed among a system and so forth are all effective as and encompassed by the present aspects.

According to the present invention, there can be provided a state detecting device which can be applied suitably even in a severe environment.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The same or equivalent constituent parts, members, etc., shown in the drawings are designated by the same reference numerals and will not be repeatedly described as appropriate. The embodiments are not intended to limit the invention but are mere exemplifications, and all features or combinations thereof described in the embodiments do not necessarily represent the intrinsic natures of the invention.

With reference to <FIG>, a state detecting device <NUM> according to a first embodiment will be described hereinunder. The state detecting device <NUM> comprises a flexible substrate <NUM>, a piezoelectric element <NUM> as a power generator, an all-solid-state battery <NUM> which is a secondary battery and an integrated circuit (IC) <NUM> including various sensors.

The flexible substrate <NUM> is a flexible printed circuit (FPC) board, and an unshown wiring pattern for electrically interconnecting the piezoelectric element <NUM>, the all-solid-state battery <NUM> and the integrated circuit <NUM> is formed on the flexible substrate <NUM>. The piezoelectric element <NUM>, the all-solid-state battery <NUM> and the integrated circuit <NUM> are mounted together to the top surface (one surface) of the flexible substrate <NUM> preferably by reflow soldering. The under surface (the other surface) of the flexible substrate <NUM> is a surface in contact with an object <NUM> to which the state detecting device <NUM> is to be attached. The under surface of the flexible substrate <NUM> may be adhesive. The piezoelectric element <NUM>, the all-solid-state battery <NUM> and the integrated circuit <NUM> may be arranged in one row on the top surface of the flexible substrate <NUM> in the mentioned order. Preferably, the piezoelectric element <NUM>, the all-solid-state battery <NUM> and the integrated circuit <NUM> have a height of not more than <NUM> from the top surface of the flexible substrate <NUM>.

The piezoelectric element <NUM> is, for example, a piezoelectric ceramic and generates power by the vibration of the object <NUM> to which the state detecting device <NUM> has been attached. The power generator may be a power generator which generates power by vibration like the piezoelectric element <NUM> or a temperature difference power generation element which is shaped like a thin chip and generates power by utilizing a temperature difference (http://www. com/thermogenerator. Power obtained by the generation of the piezoelectric element <NUM> is supplied as charging power to the all-solid-state battery or as operation power to the integrated circuit <NUM>. The all-solid-state battery <NUM> is a battery which contains a solid electrolyte and not an organic electrolytic solution and therefore has features that there is no risk caused by volatilization or leakage of the electrolytic solution, a temperature range that it can operate is wide and it can be reduced in size as compared with a button type battery. The all-solid-state battery <NUM> may be a film type (thin film type) battery though it is a chip type battery in the illustrated example.

As shown in <FIG>, the integrated circuit <NUM> includes a power source IC <NUM>, a communication module (communication means) <NUM>, a microcontroller <NUM> as a control section and various sensors <NUM>. Although the integrated circuit <NUM> is shown as a single chip part (IC chip) in <FIG>, it may be a combination of a plurality of chip parts. For example, the power source IC <NUM> may be a chip part separate from the communication module <NUM>, the microcontroller <NUM> and the various sensors <NUM>, blocks in <FIG> constituting the integrated circuit <NUM> may be separate chip parts, and the various sensors <NUM> may be separate chip parts for each sensor type.

The power source IC <NUM> constitutes the power source <NUM> of the state detecting device <NUM> together with the piezoelectric element <NUM> and the all-solid-state battery <NUM>. The power source IC <NUM> converts power supplied from the piezoelectric element <NUM> into charging power for the all-solid-state battery <NUM> and supplies it to the all-solid-state battery <NUM>. The all-solid-state battery <NUM> supplies operation power to the communication module <NUM>, the microcontroller <NUM> and the various sensors <NUM>. The communication module <NUM> communicates with the communication module <NUM> of a receiver <NUM> existent in an external space and transmits detection results from the various sensors <NUM> to the communication module <NUM>. The microcontroller <NUM> controls the communication module <NUM> and receives detection signals from the various sensors <NUM> to carry out required operations (such as signal processing). The various sensors <NUM> include at least one selected from a temperature sensor, an acceleration sensor, a pressure sensor and a distortion sensor. The receiver <NUM> is existent outside a space to be measured and includes the communication module <NUM> and a microcontroller <NUM> as a control section.

The object <NUM> has flexibility (softness) like rubber. The object <NUM> may be a moveable object. The moveable object is a concept including rotors. When the object <NUM> is a moveable object, the moving direction of the object <NUM> is shown by an arrow in <FIG>. The object <NUM> may be an object to be measured (measurement target) for temperature or distortion itself, may constitute at least part of an inner surface of a space to be measured (measurement target space) for, for example, temperature and pressure, or may be an object to be measured and constitute at least part of an inner surface of a space to be measured. The space in which the state detecting device <NUM> is to be installed may be a space which is partitioned (separated) from an external space by the object <NUM> or the object <NUM> and unshown another object, thereby making it impossible or difficult to carry out wired communication with the external space or power transmission to and reception from the external space.

According to this embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.

<FIG> is an enlarged sectional view of a state detecting device <NUM> according to a second embodiment of the present invention and the object <NUM> to which the state detecting device <NUM> has been attached. The state detecting device <NUM> differs from the state detecting device <NUM> shown in the first embodiment in that a thermal conduction pattern <NUM> is formed on the flexible substrate <NUM> but the same as the state detecting device <NUM> in other points. The thermal conduction pattern <NUM> includes a first part 11a which is formed on at least part of the under surface (surface on the object <NUM> side) of the flexible substrate <NUM>, a second part 11b which extends from the first part 11a and penetrates the flexible substrate <NUM> and a third part 11c which is formed on the top surface of the flexible substrate <NUM> and connected to the second part 11b and reaches the vicinity of the integrated circuit <NUM> (vicinity of the temperature sensor). According to this embodiment, in addition to the effect of the first embodiment, the temperature of the object <NUM> can be measured more precisely as the heat of the object <NUM> is transmitted to the first part 11a, the second part 11b and the third part 11c of the thermal conduction pattern <NUM> in the mentioned order and goes to the vicinity of the temperature sensor included in the integrated circuit <NUM>.

<FIG> is an enlarged sectional view of a state detecting device <NUM> according to a third embodiment of the present invention and the object <NUM> to which the state detecting device <NUM> has been attached. The state detecting device <NUM> differs from the state detecting device <NUM> shown in the first embodiment in that a thermal conduction pattern <NUM> in contact with a thermal conductor <NUM> incorporated (inserted) into the object <NUM> is formed on the flexible substrate <NUM> but the same as the state detecting device <NUM> in other points. The thermal conductor <NUM> is a part made of a metal having high thermal conductivity, for example, copper etc. Preferably, the thermal conductor <NUM> penetrates the flexible substrate <NUM> in the vicinity of the integrated circuit <NUM> (vicinity of the temperature sensor) and enters the inside of the object <NUM>.

The thermal conduction pattern <NUM> is formed on the top surface (surface opposite to the object side) of the flexible substrate <NUM>, is located or extends in the vicinity of the integrated circuit <NUM> and is sandwiched between the head part of the screw-like thermal conductor <NUM> and the top surface of the flexible substrate <NUM>. The thermal conductor <NUM> may be a screw which is screwed to an unshown nut embedded in the object <NUM> (for example, integrally molded with the object <NUM>), thereby contributing to the attachment of the flexible substrate <NUM> to the object <NUM>. According to this embodiment, in addition to the effect of the first embodiment, the temperature of the object <NUM> can be measured more precisely as the heat of the object <NUM> is transmitted to the thermal conductor <NUM> and the thermal conduction pattern <NUM> in the mentioned order and goes to the vicinity of the temperature sensor included in the integrated circuit <NUM>.

<FIG> is an enlarged perspective view of a state detecting device <NUM> according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention and the object <NUM> to which the state detecting device <NUM> has been attached. The state detecting device <NUM> differs from the state detecting device <NUM> shown in the first embodiment in that a thermal conduction pattern <NUM> in contact with a thermal conductor <NUM> embedded (buried) in the object <NUM> by integral molding for example is formed on the flexible substrate <NUM> but the same as the state detecting device <NUM> in other points. The thermal conductor <NUM> is a part made of a metal having high heat conductivity, for example, copper etc. Preferably, the thermal conductor <NUM> is partially exposed to the surface on the flexible substrate <NUM> side of the object <NUM> in the vicinity of the integrated circuit <NUM> (vicinity of the temperature sensor).

The thermal conduction pattern <NUM> includes a first part 13a which is formed on at least part of the under surface (surface on the object <NUM> side) of the flexible substrate <NUM> to be in contact with the thermal conductor <NUM>, a second part 13b which extends from the first part 13a and penetrates the flexible substrate <NUM>, and a third part 13c which is formed on the top surface of the flexible substrate <NUM> and connected to the second part 13b and reaches the vicinity of the integrated circuit <NUM> (vicinity of the temperature sensor). According to this embodiment, in addition to the effect of the first embodiment, the temperature of the object <NUM> can be measured more precisely as the heat of the object <NUM> is transmitted to the thermal conductor <NUM> and the first part 13a, second part 13b and third part 13c of the thermal conduction pattern <NUM> in the mentioned order and goes to the vicinity of the temperature sensor included in the integrated circuit <NUM>.

Claim 1:
A state detecting system comprising:
a state detecting device (<NUM>) including
a chargeable all-solid-state battery (<NUM>);
a power generator (<NUM>) which is adapted to supply charging power to the all-solid-state battery (<NUM>), and
a sensor (<NUM>) which is adapted to operate with electric power supplied from the all-solid-state battery (<NUM>); and
a flexible object-to-be-measured (<NUM>) to which the state detecting device (<NUM>) is attached;
characterized in that the state detecting device (<NUM>) further comprises:
a flexible substrate (<NUM>) on which all of the all-solid-state battery (<NUM>), the power generator (<NUM>) and the sensor (<NUM>) are mounted; wherein
the power generator (<NUM>) is a piezoelectric element which is separate from the all-solid-state battery (<NUM>),
a thermal conduction pattern (<NUM>) formed on at least part of a surface on the side of the flexible substrate (<NUM>) where the object-to-be-measured (<NUM>) is located,
the sensor (<NUM>) includes a temperature sensor and at least one selected from an acceleration sensor, a pressure sensor and a distortion sensor,
the flexible substrate (<NUM>) is attached to the object-to-be-measured (<NUM>) or constitutes at least part of an inner surface of a space to be measured, and
the piezoelectric element is adapted to generate power by the vibration of the object-to-be-measured (<NUM>).