Abstract: The invention is directed to a thermopile sensor and in particular to a radiation thermometer or a motion detector with a thermopile sensor. The thermopile sensor includes a thermopile supported in a housing. The thermal capacity of the cold and hot junctions of the thermopile including its supporting structure and the thermal conductivity of the supporting structure are mutually coordinated such that a change in the housing's temperature produces a change of equal magnitude in the cold and hot junctions' temperature, that is, no temperature gradients occur within the thermopile.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a method of evaluating the signal of an infrared thermometer for measuring human body temperature, in which the infrared thermometer includes a probe adapted to receive thereon a probe cover or protective film sufficiently transparent to infrared radiation, and in which on a measuring operation performed with the probe cover or protective film in “installed” condition the signal is evaluated, so that a measuring operation is performed also when the probe cover or protective film is not installed, with an appropriate allowance being made for the consequently more intensive infrared radiation by different signal evaluation.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a process for manufacturing a protective cap which is adapted to be fitted to an ear canal temperature measurement probe of an infrared radiation thermometer and to be introduced into a body cavity. The protective cap (1) is formed of a base body (3) of plastic material having its one end open and its opposite end closed by a window film (7) transparent to infrared radiation. In a first step of the process, at least one hole (5) is made in a sheet-, film-, web- or plate-shaped base body material intended to form the base body (3). In a second step of the process, the perforated base body material (6) is covered at least in the area of the hole (5) with a window film (7) fabricated from a plastic material transparent to infrared radiation and joined to the base body material (6) in an immovable manner.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a probe tip (10) for a radiation thermometer in which the infrared radiation to be measured is directed through a waveguide device (12) to a radiation sensor (14) that converts the incident radiation into an electrical output signal from which the target temperature is determined by means of a downstream electronic measurement circuitry. To reduce temperature gradients in the sensor (14), the invention provides for the sensor housing (16) to be thermally coupled to the waveguide device (12) via a thermal coupling arrangement (24, 28, 30), such that the waveguide device is in direct thermal contact with the side of the sensor housing (16) close to the radiation and the opposite side thereof via the thermal coupling arrangement (24, 28, 30). Preferably, the thermal coupling arrangement (24, 28, 30) which is made of a material conducting heat well has substantially its entire surface area in abutting engagement with the corresponding sides of the sensor housing (16).

Abstract: The invention is directed to a method of computing the radiation temperature of a body from the signals of a radiation and an ambient temperature sensor, and further to a radiation thermometer, in particular a clinical radiation thermometer. In the method of the present invention, computation of the temperature is not using the Stefan Boltzmann law, but rather, a polynomial is used, preferably a third-degree polynomial, which is adjusted to the radiation-optical properties of the thermometer in the relevant wavelength range. The reciprocal value of the sensitivity of the radiation sensor is preferably represented as a polynomial as well. In this manner, the computation of a fourth root or divisions which are otherwise customary are avoided, enabling the necessary computations to be also performed, for example, by a 4-bit microprocessor with great speed.

Abstract: A method of calibrating a radiation thermometer including a radiation sensor and an ambient temperature sensor, the method including the steps of using a first radiation standard having a known temperature T.sub.S (1) and with the ambient temperature sensor at a first ambient temperature T.sub.U (1), using the radiation thermometer to read the temperature of the first radiation standard and while doing so, measuring a first output signal U(1) of the radiation sensor; using a second radiation standard having a known temperature T.sub.S (2) and with the ambient temperature sensor again at the first ambient temperature T.sub.U (1), using the radiation thermometer to read the temperature of the second radiation standard and while doing so, measuring a second output signal U(2) of the radiation sensor; and calibrating the radiation sensor and the ambient temperature sensor by using the values obtained for U(1) and U(2) and without using a value for T.sub.