Patent ID: 6994468

Claim:
A heat flux comparator having two input faces that are approximately plane and approximately parallel to each other, each able to receive a heat flux, and comprising, between the two input faces: a thermoelectric circuit having a defined longitudinal direction, comprising at least one approximately plane strip of a first metallic material possessing a defined thermal conductivity and a defined thermoelectric power, having at least two faces, partially covered on one of its faces with first separate metal pads made of a second metallic material possessing a thermal conductivity greater than that of the first metallic material and a thermoelectric power different from that of the first metallic material; two first layers of a first insulating material, which layers are placed on either side of the thermoelectric circuit in a direction orthogonal to the plane of the strip of first metallic material, this first insulating material possessing a thermal conductivity less than those of said first and second metallic materials; second and third pads placed on respective faces of said two first layers of first insulating material, which faces are directed away from the thermoelectric circuit and are placed relative to the first pads in order to form, with the latter, cells each comprising a first, a second and a third associated pad, said second and third associated pads of the same cell being placed approximately plumb, in said orthogonal direction, with two different longitudinal ends of said first pad of this cell, wherein said second and third associated pads are made of the same material and have approximately a same thickness along said orthogonal direction and wherein said two first layers of first insulating material have a same thickness along said orthogonal direction.