Patent Grant
7121722
The present invention relates to a temperature sensor. The temperature sensor of the invention is used suitably for the case, in which a temperature sensing element is arranged in a fluid pipe to have a fluid (e.g., an exhaust gas) flow such as the inside of a catalytic converter or an exhaust pipe of an exhaust gas cleaning system of an automobile, thereby to detect the temperature of the fluid.
In the prior art, there has been known a temperature sensor, as called the “exhaust temperature sensor”, which is disposed in the exhaust pipe of the vehicle and used for detecting the temperature of the exhaust gas. Moreover, a known temperature sensor of this kind has a structure, in which a ceramic substrate having a metallic resist or made of a material of a platinum-group is mounted as a temperature sensing portion (as referred to JP-A-2002-168701).
A detailed construction of the temperature sensor is shown in
In this temperature sensor, the metallic resistor 82 outputs a resistance varying with the temperature of the exhaust gas, as an electric signal, which is extracted to the outside of the case 80 by the cores 92 of the MI cable 91. Thus, the temperature of the exhaust gas is measured by the temperature sensor so that the engine or the like of the vehicle is properly controlled according to the measured temperature.
In case the fluid pipe such as the exhaust pipe having the fluid flow has different diameters or in case the fluid temperature is detected at different positions in the fluid pipe, however, it is difficult to change a length (or a leg length) L1 from the leading end of the temperature sensor to the seal surface 80c for the fluid pipe. More specifically, in case the axial length L1 of that portion of the temperature sensor which is exposed to the inside of the fluid pipe has to be changed according to the demand of a user, it is necessary either to change the length of the ceramic substrate 81 while changing the length of the case 80 or to change the length of the MI cable 91. This may make it necessary to prepare cases 80 or ceramic substrates 81 of different lengths at all times. This preparation may not only cause troubles but also raise the manufacture cost. If the change is made to enlarge the length of the ceramic substrate 81, moreover, this ceramic substrate 81 has an axially slender shape and may lower its vibration-proofing properties.
The present invention has been conceived in view of the background of the prior art thus far described and has an object to provide a temperature sensor capable of easily changing the axial length (or the leg length) of its portion be exposed to a fluid pipe having a fluid flow, to lower its manufacture cost and to retain the vibration-proofing properties of a ceramic substrate.
According to the invention, there is provided a temperature sensor comprising:
a flange having a bore and mounted on a fluid pipe having a fluid flow, to prevent the fluid from leaking out;
an MI cable formed to have metallic cores insulated and retained on a metallic outer cylinder, and fixed in such a mode in the bore that its own leading end side protrudes from the leading end side of the flange and extends in the axial direction;
a metallic cap fixed on the leading end side outer circumference of the MI cable and having fluid communication ports for allowing the fluid to flow therein; and
a temperature sensing element including: a ceramic substrate housed in the cap; a sensing portion formed over the ceramic substrate and having electric characteristics varied with the temperature of the fluid; and a wiring portion for connecting the sensing portion and the metallic cores of the MI cable electrically.
In the temperature sensor of the invention, the cap is directly fixed on the leading end side outer circumference of the MI cable, which is fixed in such a mode in the bore as to protrude from the leading end side of the flange, and the temperature sensing element having the sensing portion on the ceramic substrate housed in the cap is electrically connected with the metallic cores of the MI cable. In case the axial length (or the leg length) of that portion of the temperature sensor, which is to be exposed to the inside of the fluid pipe having the fluid flow, has to be changed, therefore, it is sufficient to cut the MI cable (i.e., the outer cylinder of the MI cable) to a necessary length thereby to change the length of the MI cable protruding from the leading end side of the flange. In this temperature sensor, moreover, the axial length of the ceramic substrate need not be changed to cause no trouble in the vibration-proofing problem, which accompanies the change in the axial length of the ceramic substrate.
According to the temperature sensor of the invention, therefore, the change in the axial length (or the leg length) of that portion of the temperature sensor, which is to be exposed to the inside of the fluid pipe, can be easily made merely by adjusting the axial length of the MI cable, thereby to lower the manufacture cost. On the other hand, this temperature sensor is designed to need no change in the axial length of the ceramic substrate for the change in the leg length, so that the vibration-proofing properties of the ceramic substrate can also be retained when the temperature sensor is to be used. In this temperature sensor, moreover, the cap for arranging the temperature sensing element has the fluid communication port formed for allowing the fluid to flow into the cap. It is, therefore, possible to realize a highly precise temperature detection, which is excellent in the responsibility of the temperature sensing element (or the temperature sensing portion) to the change in the fluid temperature.
Here, the temperature sensing portion to construct the temperature sensing element is not especially limited, if its electric characteristics change depending on the temperature of the fluid (e.g., the exhaust gas). However, it is preferred from the viewpoint of the high temperature dependency of the electric resistance and from the chemical stability and the excellent heat resistance that the temperature sensing portion is made of a metallic resistor composed mainly of platinum. This metallic resistor composed mainly of platinum can be formed over the ceramic substrate by either a thick film method such as a screen printing method or a thin film method such as a sputtering or a vapor deposition. Considering the miniaturization of a pattern or the manufacturing dispersion of the pattern, it is preferred to form the metallic resistor in a thin film over the ceramic substrate.
In the temperature sensor of the invention, moreover, it is preferred that the ceramic substrate has a smaller width perpendicular to the axial direction thereof, as seen along the planar direction of the face to have the sensing portion, than the external diameter of the outer cylinder of the MI cable. As a result, the cap to be fixed on the leading end side outer circumference of the MI cable can be reduced in size (or in diameter) so that the temperature sensor itself can be small-sized. In the temperature sensor of the invention, moreover, the cap for housing the temperature sensing element can be diametrically reduced to improve the responsibility of the temperature detection.
In the temperature sensor of the invention, moreover, it is preferred that the ceramic substrate has a ratio W/L3 of the width W perpendicular to the axial direction thereof, as seen along the planar direction of the face to have the sensing portion, to the axial length L3 thereof is 0.2 to 4, and that both the length L3 and the width W are at most 10 mm. With the ratio W/L3 thus being 0.2 to 4, it is possible to make the vibration-proofing properties of the ceramic substrate stabler. With the length L3 and the width W being at most 10 mm, moreover, the heat capacity of the ceramic substrate can be reduced to improve the responsibility of the temperature detection. Here, it is preferred that the ceramic substrate has a smaller thickness of 5 mm or less than the values L3 and W.
In the temperature sensor of the invention, moreover, the ceramic substrate may be so housed in the cap that its own rear end is on the more rear side than the trailing end of a fluid communication port formed in the side wall of the cap, and a shielding portion for preventing the fluid from invading a region on the more rear side than the trailing end of the ceramic substrate may be disposed in the cap between the trailing end of the fluid communication port formed in the side wall of the cap and the leading end face of the outer cylinder of the MI cable.
Here in case the wiring portions of the temperature sensing portion and the metallic cores of the MI cable are connected in the cap, the conductive path including the metallic cores of the MI cable is exposed to the internal region (or space) between the trailing end face of the ceramic substrate composing the temperature sensing element and the leading end face of the outer cylinder of the MI cable. If the fluid communication port is formed in the cap housing the temperature sensing element is formed to improve the responsibility of the temperature sensing element, therefore, the exposed conductive path is directly exposed to the fluid introduced from the fluid communication port into the cap. On the other hand, the fluid such as the exhaust gas coming from the internal combustion engine may contain a foreign substance such as moisture or soot. As a result, the foreign substance may pass through the fluid communication port and stick to the exposed conductive path thereby to invite a trouble such as a short-circuiting in the conductive path.
According to the temperature sensor of the invention, on the contrary, the shielding portion is provided for shielding the invasion of the fluid from the trailing end of the ceramic substrate into the rear side region. As a result, the fluid is not exposed to the conductive path including the metallic cores of the MI cable positioned on the more rear side in the cap than the ceramic substrate, so that the foreign substance in the fluid can be prevented from sticking to the conductive path. Even in case the fluid communication port is formed in the cap, therefore, the short-circuiting trouble of the conductive path can be prevented to provide a temperature sensor, which is excellent in the electric reliability while improving the responsibility. Here, it is preferred that the shielding portion is made of an insulating heat-resisting material such as mainly of glass.
In the temperature sensor of the invention, moreover, it is preferred that a vibration-proofing portion for retaining at least the metallic cores of the MI cable is disposed in the space between the leading end face of the outer cylinder of the MI cable and the trailing end face of the ceramic substrate. By providing that vibration-proofing portion, the metallic cores of the MI cable can be stably held in the cap so that the metallic cores of the MI cable can be reliably prevented from being broken at the using time of the temperature sensor.
Embodiments 1 and 2 of the invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[Embodiment 1]
A temperature sensor 100 of Embodiment 1 is constructed, as shown in
More specifically, the flange 7 of SUS310S is fixed on the leading end side of a cylindrical housing 11 made of SUS304 and is mounted on a vehicular exhaust pipe to have an exhaust gas flow by a nut 10, which is to be turned on the outer circumference of the housing 11. This nut 10 has an external thread 10a and a hexagonal nut portion 10b, so that the flange 7 is mounted on the mounting portion of the exhaust pipe by fastening the external thread 10a on the internal thread of the mounting portion of the not-shown exhaust pipe. As a result, the temperature sensor 100 is fixed as a whole to the exhaust pipe. Moreover, the flange 7 is composed of: a sheath portion 7d having a bore 7a and extending in the axial direction; and a bulging portion 7c positioned on the leading end side of the sheath portion 7d and bulging radially outward. The bulging portion 7c is formed into an annular shape having such a tapered seal surface 7b on its leading end side as mates with a counter-tapered mounting face of the mounting portion of the not-shown exhaust pipe. When the nut 10 is mounted on the mounting portion of the exhaust pipe, the seal surface 7b comes into mating engagement with the mounting seat surface of the mounting portion to prevent the exhaust gas from leaking to the outside. On the other hand, the sheath portion 7d is inserted into the housing 11 and is fixed gas-tight in the housing 11 by a laser welding-all-around.
The MI cable 3 is fixed in the bore 7a of the flange 7 and extended from the leading end side and the trailing end side of the flange 7. Here, the MI cable 3 is formed in such a mode that a pair of cores (or metallic cores) 4 made of SUS310S are insulated and retained through insulating powder (i.e., SiO2 powder in this embodiment) in an outer cylinder 3a made of SUS310S. The bottomed cylindrical cap 1 made of SUS310S is fixed on the outer circumference of the leading end side of that MI cable 3 by a laser welding-all-around. The axial length from the leading end of the cap 1 to the leading end edge of the seal surface 7b of the flange 7 (that is, the axial length of such a portion of the temperature sensor 100 as to be exposed to the inside of the exhaust pipe) is set at L2 (mm).
Here, the MI cable 3 is fixed in the bore 7a of the flange 7 by laser welding-all-around it to the sheath portion 7d of the flange 7. In the cap 1, a plurality of fluid communication ports 1a are formed in a bottom wall 31 introducing a fluid to be measured into the cap 1, and a plurality of fluid communication ports 1b having a similar function are formed in a side wall 32. The temperature sensing element 20 is housed in the leading end portion of the cap 1.
The ceramic substrate 2 of alumina composing the temperature sensing element 20 is sized such that a width W perpendicular to the axial direction, as seen along the planar direction of the face to have the later-described metallic resistor 2a, is smaller than the external diameter W1 of the outer cylinder 3a of the MI cable 3 (that is, W=2 mm and W1=2.5 mm in this embodiment). The exterior view of the temperature sensing element 20 is shown in
On one face of the ceramic substrate 2, moreover, there is formed the metallic resistor 2a, which is made mainly of Pt having a resistance varying with the temperature of the exhaust gas. Here, this metallic resistor 2a is formed into a thin film having a predetermined pattern shape (e.g., a meandering pattern in this embodiment, although not shown) and is coated with a protective film (although not shown) of glass or the like. On that face of the ceramic substrate 2, there are formed two wiring layers 2c, which are connected with the metallic resistor 2a. Moreover, a pair of electric wires 2b are jointed one-by-one to the wiring layers 2c, and the connected portions (or the overlapping portions) between the wiring layers 2c and the electric wires 2b are coated with a protective film 2d made of glass or the like. As a result, the resistance of the metallic resistor 2a varying with the temperature is outputted as an electric signal to the electric wires 2b through the wiring layers 2c. In this embodiment, the electric wires 2b and the wiring layers 2c correspond to a wiring portion in the Claims, and the metallic resistor 2a correspond to a sensing portion.
As shown in
In the cap 1 and between the leading end face of the outer cylinder 3a of the MI cable 3 and the trailing end face 2e of the ceramic substrate 2, moreover, there are disposed a vibration-proofing portion 5 made of insulating cement and a shielding portion 6 made of crystallized glass (e.g., borosilicate glass) and positioned on the leading end side of the vibration-proofing portion 5 and on the more rear side than the trailing end 1c of that of the fluid communication ports 1b formed in the side wall 31 of the cap 1, which is positioned on the most trailing end side. Moreover, the vibration-proofing portion 5 stably holds the cores 4 of the MI cable 3 arranged in the cap 1 and the connected portions between the cores 4 of the MI cable 3 and the electric wires 2b of the temperature sensing element 20. Here in this embodiment, the cement forming a body portion 6a is composed of an aggregate made mainly of alumina and a glass component.
By forming the shielding portion 6 in the cap 1, moreover, the inside region of the cap 1 is defined across the shielding portion 6 into the front side and the rear side. Even in case the fluid communication ports 1a and 1b are formed in the cap 1, therefore, the exhaust gas introduced into the cap 1 is blocked by the shielding portion 6 from invading the region on the more rear side than the trailing end 2e of the ceramic substrate 2. As a result, a foreign substance such as a moisture content contained in the exhaust gas can be effectively prevented from sticking to the conductive paths, which are composed of the electric wires 2b and the cores 4 and positioned on the rear side of the ceramic substrate 2.
Moreover, the vibration-proofing portion 5 of cement and the shielding portion 6 of crystallized glass can be formed in the cap 1 in the following manner. First of all, the electric wires 2b of the temperature sensing element 20 and the cores 4a of the MI cable 3 are welded to each other. After this, the cap 1 having the fluid communication ports 1a and 1b formed in advance are so fixed by a laser welding-all-around to the outer cylinder 3a of the MI cable 3 as to cover the temperature sensing element 20. After this, a predetermined amount of unsolidified cement is poured into the fluid communication ports 1a formed in the bottom wall 31 of the cap 1, and is dried and solidified to form the vibration-proofing portion 5. Subsequently, a predetermined amount of glass powder is poured into the same fluid communication ports 1a and is subjected to a heat treatment to form the shielding portion 6.
As shown in
In the temperature sensor 100 of Embodiment 1 thus constructed, the cap 1 is directly fixed on the outer circumference of the leading end side of the MI cable 3, which is so fixed in the bore 7a of the flange 7 that it is protruded from the leading end side of the flange 7, and the temperature sensing element 20 having the metallic resistor 2a on the ceramic substrate 2 housed in that cap 1 is electrically connected with the cores 4 of the MI cable 3. In case the axial length (or the leg length) L2 of that portion of the temperature sensor 100, which is to be exposed to the inside of the fluid pipe (or the exhaust pipe) to have the fluid (or the exhaust gas) flow, is to be changed, therefore, the MI cable 3 (i.e., the outer cylinder 3a of the MI cable 3) may be cut to a necessary length thereby to change the its length protruded from the leading end side of the flange 7. In this temperature sensor 100, moreover, the axial length of the ceramic substrate 2 need not be changed to cause none of the vibration-proofing trouble, which might otherwise accompany the change in the axial length of the ceramic substrate 2.
In this temperature sensor 100, moreover, the ceramic substrate 2 is sized such that the width W perpendicular to the axial direction, as seen along the planar direction of the face to have the metallic resistor 2a, is smaller than the external diameter W1 of the outer cylinder 3a of the MI cable 3. Therefore, the cap 1 fixed on the outer circumference of the leading end side of the MI cable 3 can be reduced in size (i.e., in diameter) so that the temperature sensor 100 itself can be small-sized. In this temperature sensor 100, moreover, the cap 1 housing the temperature sensing element 20 can be diametrically reduced to improve the responsibility of the temperature detection.
In this temperature sensor 100, moreover, the ratio W/L3 of the width W of the ceramic substrate 2 in the temperature sensing element 20, as taken perpendicularly of the axial direction, to the length L3 in the axial direction is ⅔ (that is, W=2 mm and L3=3 mm in this embodiment), and the thickness of the ceramic substrate 2 set to a smaller value (e.g., 0.5 mm in this embodiment) than those of the aforementioned values L3 and W. By thus setting the aforementioned ratio W/L3 within a range of 0.2 to 4, the vibration-proofing properties of the ceramic substrate 2 can be made stabler. By setting the length L3 and the width W at 10 mm or less and the thickness of the ceramic substrate 2 smaller than the values L3 and W, moreover, the heat capacity of the ceramic substrate 2 can be reduced to improve the responsibility of the temperature detection.
According to the temperature sensor 100 of Embodiment 1, therefore, the axial length (or the leg length) L2 of that portion of the temperature sensor 100, which is to be exposed to the inside of the fluid pipe (or the exhaust pipe), can be easily changed by adjusting the axial length of the MI cable 3, so that the manufacture cost can be lowered. Moreover, this temperature sensor 100 is designed to need no change in the axial length of the ceramic substrate 2 for changing the leg length L2, so that the vibration-proofing properties of the ceramic substrate 2 can be retained when the temperature sensor 100 is used.
[Embodiment 2]
As shown in
The exterior view of the temperature sensing element 200 to be used in the temperature sensor 300 of Embodiment 2 is shown in
At the center of the ceramic substrate 22, moreover, there is formed the metallic resistor 22a, which is made mainly of Pt having a resistance varying with the temperature of the exhaust gas. On the ceramic substrate 2 and close to the two end portions, there are formed two film-shaped wiring portions 22b, which are connected with the metallic resistor 22a. Those two wiring portions 22b are individually jointed and connected with the paired cores 4 of the MI cable 3. As a result, the resistance of the metallic resistor 22a varying with the temperature is outputted as an electric signal to the cores 4 of the MI cable 3 through the wiring portions 22b. Here, the metallic resistor 22a and the connected portions between the wiring portions 22b and the cores 4 are coated with the (not-shown) protective film made of glass or the like. In Embodiment 2, the outer cylinder 3a of the MI cable 3 has an external diameter of 3.3 mm.
In the temperature sensor 300 of Embodiment 2, as shown in
Moreover, the temperature sensing element 200 is housed in that cap 400 having the double structure. More specifically, the temperature sensing element 200 is so housed in the cap 400 that the trailing end (or trailing end face) 22e of the ceramic substrate 22 constructing the temperature sensing element 200 is positioned on the more rear side than the trailing end 401c of that of the fluid communication ports 401b formed in the side wall 403 of the leading end side cap 401, which is positioned on the most trailing end side.
For the temperature sensor 300 of Embodiment 2, moreover, in the cap 400 and between the leading end face of the outer cylinder 3a of the MI cable 3 and the trailing end face 22e of the ceramic substrate 22, moreover, there are disposed the vibration-proofing portion 5 made of insulating cement and the shielding portion 6 made of crystallized glass and positioned on the leading end side of the vibration-proofing portion 5 and on the more rear side than the trailing end 401c of that of the fluid communication ports 401b formed in the side wall 403 of the leading end side cap 401, which is positioned on the most trailing end side. Moreover, the vibration-proofing portion 5 stably holds the cores 4 of the MI cable 3 arranged in the cap 400.
By forming the shielding portion 6 in the cap 400, moreover, the inside region of the cap 1 is defined across the shielding portion 6 into the front side and the rear side. Even in case the fluid communication ports 401a and 401b are formed in the cap 400 (i.e., the leading end side cap 401), therefore, the exhaust gas introduced into the cap 1 is blocked by the shielding portion 6 from invading the region on the more rear side than the trailing end 22e of the ceramic substrate 22. As a result, a foreign substance such as a moisture content contained in the exhaust gas can be effectively prevented from sticking through the fluid communication ports 401a and 401b to the conductive paths, which are composed of the cores 4 positioned on the rear side of the ceramic substrate 22.
In the temperature sensor 300 of Embodiment 2, moreover, the vibration-proofing portion 5 of cement and the shielding portion 6 of crystallized glass can be formed in the cap 400 in the following manner. First of all, the electric wires 22b of the temperature sensing element 200 and the cores 4a of the MI cable 3 are jointed to each other. These connected portions are coated with a protective film, and the trailing end side cap 402 is then fixed by laser welding-all-around it to the outer cylinder 3a of the MI cable 3. After this, a predetermined amount of unsolidified cement is poured from the leading end side opening of the trailing end side cap 402, and is dried and solidified to form the vibration-proofing portion 5. Subsequently, a predetermined amount of glass powder is poured from the same leading end side opening and is subjected to a heat treatment to form the shielding portion 6. The leading end side cap 401 having the fluid communication ports 401a and 401b formed in advance is so fixed on the trailing end side cap 402 by the laser welding-all-around method as to cover the temperature sensing element 200.
This temperature sensor 300 can also achieve actions and effects similar to those of Embodiment 1. By the temperature sensor 300 of Embodiment 2, too, the axial length (or the leg length) L2 of that portion of the temperature sensor 300, which is to be exposed to the inside of the fluid pipe (or the exhaust pipe), can be easily changed by adjusting the axial length of the MI cable 3, so that the manufacture cost can be lowered. Moreover, this temperature sensor 300 is designed to need no change in the axial length of the ceramic substrate 22 for changing the leg length L2, so that the vibration-proofing properties of the ceramic substrate 22 can be retained.
The invention has been described hereinbefore in connection with Embodiments 1 and 2. However, the invention should not be limited to those embodiments but could naturally be suitably modified without departing from the gist thereof. For example, the vibration-proofing portion 5 should not be limited to one made of cement but can be made of ceramic fibers (e.g., fibers composed mainly of alumina and SiO2).
In Embodiments 1 and 2, moreover, the vibration-proofing portion 5 may be omitted, and the shielding portion 6 may also be formed in such a mode that it fills up the whole region on the rear side of the trailing ends 2e and 22e of the ceramic substrates 2 and 22. On the other hand, the temperature sensors 100 and 300 of Embodiments 1 and 2 may be applied not only to the exhaust temperature sensor but also to temperature sensors for measuring the intake temperature of the engine and the temperatures of the air inside and outside of a room.
This application is based on Japanese Patent application JP 2003-127448, filed May 2, 2003, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference, the same as if set forth at length.
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