Abstract: A calibrated isothermal assembly for a thermocouple thermometer is provided to obviate a calibration step after manufacture of the instrument. A compact isothermal block is fabricated on a specialized printed circuit board which includes a thick metal plate to establish sufficient thermal mass and good heat conductivity. A temperature sensor is mounted at the thermocouple reference junction on the printed circuit board to track the reference junction temperature. The calibrated isothermal assembly also includes a current source for the temperature sensor, and a memory device containing stored calibration data specific to the temperature sensor.

Abstract: A cover assembly for restraining an object in an enclosure has a cover frame defining an opening at an open end of the enclosure, a cover to cover the opening, a restraining mechanism securing the cover to the cover frame to restrict movement of the cover relative to the cover frame when the cover is in a closed position and thereby restrain the object in the enclosure, and a latch to secure the cover to the cover frame to also restrict movement of the cover relative to the cover frame when the cover is in a closed position. A method for restraining the object in the enclosure includes securing the cover to the cover frame to cover the opening, securing the cover to the cover frame to restrict movement of the cover relative to the cover frame, and unsecuring the cover from the cover frame with a force having a first component force which unsecures the cover from the cover frame and a second component force which moves the cover relative to the cover frame.

Abstract: A compact isothermal connector for a thermocouple temperature measurement system has electrical contacts with thermal mass sufficiently larger than the thermal mass of the corresponding contacts of a corresponding thermocouple connector to provide for improved settling times and measurement accuracy. The contacts are thermally coupled to a multi-layer printed circuit board containing layers of embedded thermally conducting material to achieve sufficient thermal coupling between the contacts. The contacts have sufficient thermal mass to achieve a desired settling time. A temperature sensor is thermally coupled to the printed circuit board and to each electrical contact to sense the temperature of the isothermal connector and provide the temperature information to a temperature measuring instrument to correct for measurement errors from the connector junction voltage.