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Abstract

A thermoelectric cold junction compensator connector module, for use with a thermoelectric device such as a thermistor, thermocouple, or resistance-temperature device, has within a housing a cold junction compensator circuit which has means for linearization of voltage output of the circuit relative to input to the circuit. Preferably the circuit also includes potentiometer means for adjustment of at least one parameter of the circuit, and means for adjustment of its voltage output to correspond to degrees Centigrade and degrees Fahrenheit. In a preferred form there are included within the housing a pair of input terminals shielded by ferrite material against stray electromagnetic induction signals, a printed circuit board which comprises a cold junction compensation circuit, a signal linearization circuit, a converter/amplifier circuit, and a circuit for selectively providing a degree Centigrade and degree Fahrenheit output, a battery power supply, and a battery status indicator with means for bringing it into and out of operation, a plurality of potentiometers for preliminary setting up of the circuits, an on-off switching means for the powered circuits, and output terminal means for connection to, for example, a voltmeter or a voltage recording device. The compact body may have a base portion on which the circuits and other items are mounted, and one or more removable cover portions securable on the base portion. Further, a thermocouple voltage-to-analog connector is in the form of a compact hand-held module which contains all the components and power supplies for converting an input of thermocouple output voltage to a linear and cold-junction-compensated analog output. A particularly advantageous feature is that an on-board analog-to-digital converter only calculates and provides the linearity correction, necessary for the specific thermocouple at a specific temperature, in the form of a pulse width modulation signal output, so that about 95% of the analog output is derived from the output of a thermocouple amplifier and temperature sensor, and only 5% of the remaining signal is derived from the on-board micro-processor.

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First Claim