Sensor assembly and valve device

Abstract

This application provides a sensor assembly, including a housing, a circuit board unit, a base, and a temperature sensing element. The sensor assembly has an inner cavity and a channel. The base is at least partially housed in the inner cavity and includes a first wall portion having a first surface and a second surface. The circuit board unit is located on the side of the first surface. The temperature sensing element includes a temperature-sensing portion and a conductive portion. The channel and the temperature-sensing portion are located on the side of the second surface. The base also includes a receiving portion and an insulating portion. At least a portion of the conductive portion and at least a portion of the insulating portion are both housed in the receiving portion. The insulating portion is located between the peripheral wall of the base forming the receiving portion and the conductive portion. The at least a portion of the conductive portion housed in the receiving portion and the peripheral wall of the base forming the receiving portion are respectively sealed to the insulating portion. The conductive portion is electrically connected to the temperature-sensing portion and the circuit board unit. The sensor assembly provided by this application has good sealing performance.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of sensor technology, and more particularly to a sensor assembly and valve device. Background Technology

[0002] like Figure 1 As shown, the sensor assembly 100 includes a base 140, electronic circuitry 120, and a temperature sensor element 170. The sensor assembly 100 isolates the temperature sensor 170 and the wire 160 from the fluid through a closed, liquid-tight channel. The wire 160 extends within an elongated tubular element 165 and passes laterally through a hole in the base to connect to the circuit board 120.

[0003] In related technologies, the temperature sensor element is positioned relatively low, allowing it to be closer to the fluid. The electronic circuitry, however, needs to be isolated from the fluid, necessitating a higher placement. Correspondingly, the base and tubular element are assembled and sealed together, causing the lower-positioned temperature sensor wires to extend upwards and connect to the higher-positioned electronic circuitry. This results in a relatively long distance between the temperature sensor's sensing element and the electronic circuitry. These technologies require a high level of sealing between the tubular element and the base, but achieving a sufficiently good seal is challenging. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides a sensor assembly with good sealing performance, and a valve device including the sensor assembly.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, a first aspect of this application provides a sensor assembly comprising a housing, a circuit board unit, a base, and a temperature sensing element; the sensor assembly has an inner cavity and a channel;

[0006] The base is at least partially housed within the cavity. The base includes a first wall portion having a first surface and a second surface, the first surface and the second surface being located on different sides of the thickness direction of the first wall portion. The temperature sensing element includes a temperature sensing portion and a conductive portion. The circuit board unit is located on the side where the first surface is located, and the temperature sensing portion and the channel are both located on the side where the second surface is located.

[0007] The base further includes a receiving portion and an insulating portion; at least a portion of the conductive portion and at least a portion of the insulating portion are received in the receiving portion; the base has a peripheral wall forming the receiving portion, and the insulating portion is located between the peripheral wall and the conductive portion; at least a portion of the conductive portion received in the receiving portion and the peripheral wall are respectively sealed to the insulating portion; the conductive portion is electrically connected to the temperature sensing portion and the circuit board unit.

[0008] A second aspect of this application also provides a valve device, including the sensor assembly described above. The valve device further includes a valve body, the sensor assembly being fixedly mounted on the valve body. The valve body includes a flow channel, and the temperature sensing element is used to directly or indirectly detect the temperature of the fluid in the flow channel.

[0009] The sensor assembly provided in this application has a circuit board unit and a temperature sensing part located on different sides of the thickness direction of the first wall of the base; at least a portion of the conductive part housed in the receiving part and the peripheral wall of the base are respectively sealed and connected to the insulating part; thus, fluid is not easily allowed to pass between the conductive part and the peripheral wall of the base, which is conducive to making the circuit board unit less likely to come into contact with fluid, so that the sensor assembly as a whole has better sealing performance. Attached Figure Description

[0010] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a temperature and pressure sensor assembly in related technologies;

[0011] Figure 2 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the sensor assembly of this application;

[0012] Figure 3 This is an exploded structural diagram of the sensor assembly of this application;

[0013] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the base structure of this application;

[0014] Figure 5 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the base structure of this application;

[0015] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the connection structure between the base and the temperature sensing element in this application;

[0016] Figure 7 for Figure 6 An exploded view of the structure shown;

[0017] Figure 8 This is a cross-sectional structural diagram of the sensor assembly of this application;

[0018] Figure 9 This is a cross-sectional view of the sensor assembly of this application from another angle;

[0019] Figure 10 for Figure 9 Enlarged schematic diagram of part of the structure;

[0020] Figure 11 This is an exploded view of the base and the cover of this application;

[0021] Figure 12 This is an exploded view of the second shell, pressure sensing element, sealing gasket, and base of this application;

[0022] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the casing of this application;

[0023] Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram of the valve device of this application;

[0024] Figure 15 for Figure 14 A cross-sectional view at one angle;

[0025] Figure 16 for Figure 14 A cross-sectional view from another angle;

[0026] Figure 17 This is a partial structural breakdown diagram of the valve device. Detailed Implementation

[0027] The exemplary embodiments of this application will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. If several embodiments exist, features in these embodiments may be combined with each other without conflict. When the description refers to the drawings, unless otherwise stated, the same numbers in different drawings represent the same or similar elements. The descriptions in the following exemplary embodiments do not represent all embodiments consistent with this application; rather, they are merely examples of apparatuses, products, and / or methods consistent with some aspects of this application as set forth in the claims.

[0028] The terminology used in this application is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application. The singular forms “a,” “the,” or “the” used in the description and claims of this application are also intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0029] It should be understood that the terms "first," "second," and similar words used in the specification and claims of this application do not indicate any order, quantity, or importance, but are merely used to distinguish features. Similarly, the terms "an" or "a" and similar words do not indicate a quantity limitation, but rather indicate the presence of at least one. Unless otherwise stated, the terms "front," "back," "left," "right," "upper," "lower," and similar words appearing in this application are for ease of explanation only and are not limited to a specific location or spatial orientation. The terms "comprising" or "including" and similar words are an open-ended expression, meaning that the element preceding "comprising" or "including" covers the element following "comprising" or "including" and its equivalents, which does not exclude that the element preceding "comprising" or "including" may also include other elements. If "several" appears in this application, it means two or more.

[0030] Please refer to Figures 2 to 17 This application provides a sensor assembly 100, which can be integrated with various valve components, such as being installed separately on a valve body to form a valve device, or integrated with electronic expansion valves, thermostatic expansion valves, solenoid valves, etc., to form a valve device. The sensor assembly 100 can be used to detect the temperature parameters of the refrigerant, and in some embodiments, it can also detect the pressure parameters of the refrigerant. Of course, it can also be used to detect the pressure and temperature parameters of other fluids.

[0031] The sensor assembly 100 in this embodiment includes a housing 1, a circuit board unit 2, a base 3, and a temperature sensing element 4. The sensor assembly 100 has an inner cavity 110 and a channel 112. In some embodiments, the channel 112 is located in the housing 1, and the housing 1 can form an inner cavity 110 with a certain housing capacity. The channel 112 has openings on both sides in the axial direction, which facilitates the temperature sensing element 4 to come into contact with the fluid more likely to do so.

[0032] Specifically, such as Figure 3 The exploded structural diagram of the sensor assembly 100 shown is shown. The sensor assembly 100 may also include a pressure sensing element 5, a sealing gasket 6, a protective cover 7, and other structures, which will be described in detail in the following embodiments.

[0033] The base 3 of the sensor assembly 100 is at least partially housed within the cavity 110, as referenced. Figure 4 , Figure 5 As shown, the base 3 includes a first wall portion 31, which has a first surface 311 and a second surface 312, which are located on different sides of the thickness direction of the first wall portion 31.

[0034] The temperature sensing element 4 includes a temperature-sensing part 40 and a conductive part 41. The temperature-sensing part 40 can directly or indirectly contact the fluid, and it can sense the temperature signal of its surrounding environment. The circuit board unit 2 is located on the side where the first surface 311 is located, and the channel 112 and the temperature-sensing part 40 are both located on the side where the second surface 312 is located. In some embodiments, the temperature-sensing part 40 is at least partially located in the channel 112, such as the entire temperature-sensing part 40 being located in the channel 112, or a portion of the temperature-sensing part 40 being located in the channel 112 and another portion being located on the side of the housing 1 closer to the inner cavity 110. Alternatively, at least a portion of the temperature-sensing part 40 is located on the side of the housing 1 away from the inner cavity 110, so that at least a portion of the temperature-sensing part 40 can be exposed in the channel 112, thereby allowing the temperature-sensing part 40 to be closer to the fluid and improving the accuracy of fluid temperature sensing.

[0035] The base 3 also includes a receiving portion 32 and an insulating portion 33. In some embodiments, the receiving portion 32 may be a through-hole structure extending through the base 3 along its height direction, thus providing a certain receiving space. The base 3 has a peripheral wall 321 forming the receiving portion 32, and at least a portion of the conductive portion 41 and at least a portion of the insulating portion 33 are received in the receiving portion 32. The insulating portion 33 is located between the peripheral wall 321 forming the receiving portion 32 and the conductive portion 41. The insulating portion 33 can isolate the conductive portion 41 and the peripheral wall 321 forming the receiving portion 32 within the receiving portion 32. The at least portion of the conductive portion 41 and the peripheral wall 321 received in the receiving portion 32 are respectively sealed to the insulating portion 33. In this sealed connection, the insulating portion 33 and the base 3 are not integrally formed before assembly; the insulating portion 33 and the base 3 are independent components. After assembly, a sealed connection is formed between the insulating portion 33 and the peripheral wall 321 of the base 3.

[0036] In related technologies, such as automotive air conditioning applications, sensor components can be used to detect the temperature and / or pressure of the refrigerant in the automotive air conditioning system. Because automotive air conditioning systems operate at high pressures, with refrigerant pressures typically reaching 500 Ps i, ensuring the airtightness of the sensor component's internal space under such high pressures is crucial. Special attention must be paid to ensuring that circuit components avoid contact with the fluid as much as possible.

[0037] The insulating part 33 and the base 3 can be made of different materials. In one embodiment of this application, at least a portion of the conductive part 41, the insulating part 33, and the base 3 housed in the receiving part 32 are sintered and fixed into an integral structure. This application achieves sintering and fixing of the conductive part 41 of the temperature sensing element 4, the base 3, and the insulating part 33 at the receiving part 32, thereby making it more difficult for fluid to reach the circuit board unit 2 through the base 3. The sensor assembly 100 of this application has better sealing performance. In practical applications, the material blank of the insulating part 33 can be filled between the peripheral wall 321 of the receiving part 32 and the conductive part 41 of the base 3. The blank is transformed into a dense body through a sintering process. After molding, the solid particles of the blank are bonded to each other, the grains grow, the voids (pores) and grain boundaries gradually decrease, the total volume shrinks, but the density increases, and finally it becomes a dense sintered body. In actual processing, the preforms of the initially assembled base, conductive part, and insulating part can be heated to above the melting point of the insulating part and held at this temperature for a certain period of time. This allows the polymer molecules to gradually transform from a crystalline form to an amorphous form, thereby causing the dispersed structural particles to fuse together into a continuous whole through mutual melting and diffusion. The base 3, insulating part 33, and conductive part 41 ultimately form an integrated structure. This integrated structure helps protect the components on one side of the first surface 311 of the base 3 from direct contact with the fluid, thus making them more corrosion-resistant. Furthermore, the sintering process helps increase the connection strength and stability between the base 3, conductive part 41, and insulating part 33, which in turn helps increase the accuracy of the temperature sensing element 4 in detecting temperature signals.

[0038] In some embodiments, both the base 3 and the conductive part 41 are made of metal. Metals can typically withstand the high temperatures of the sintering process. For example, the base 3 may be made of aluminum, aluminum alloy, or stainless steel, and the conductive part 41 may be made of aluminum, iron, steel, copper, or other alloys. The insulating part 33 may be made of glass or ceramic.

[0039] In other embodiments provided in this application, the insulating portion 33 can serve as an adhesive material. At least a portion of the conductive portion 41 housed in the receiving portion 32 is bonded and fixed to the base 3 via the insulating portion 33. The at least a portion of the conductive portion 41 and the peripheral wall 321 are respectively sealed and fitted with the insulating portion 33. The insulating portion 33 can be a high-strength epoxy-based two-component structural adhesive or a one-component sealing structural adhesive. Selecting a suitable adhesive as the insulating portion 33 ensures that the conductive portion 41 and the base 3 form an adhesive and sealed relationship through the insulating portion 33, and fluid is less likely to flow from the second surface 312 side of the base 3 to the first surface 311 side. This facilitates a relatively good sealing effect.

[0040] Of course, the insulating part 33 and the base 3 can also be made of the same material, and at least a portion of the conductive part 41, the insulating part 33, and the base 3 housed in the receiving part 32 are sintered and fixed into a single structure. After the sintering process, the insulating part 33 and the base 3 are tightly connected and integrated into a single unit.

[0041] In some embodiments, the temperature sensing element 40 of the temperature sensing element 4 is exposed to the fluid environment to sense the fluid temperature, thereby allowing the temperature sensing element 40 to directly contact the fluid. In practice, the temperature sensing element 40 can be a packaged thermistor with an outer layer of resin-based composite material, which has a certain degree of corrosion resistance. Therefore, the temperature sensing element 61 can directly contact the fluid, thereby shortening the response time of temperature detection and improving the sensitivity of temperature signal detection. In other embodiments, the temperature sensing element 61 of the temperature sensing element 6 can also cooperate with other components to form an insert or be surrounded by other structures to indirectly sense the fluid temperature.

[0042] refer to Figure 5 , Figure 6 , Figure 7 As shown, the conductive part 41 includes a metal connector 43 and a pin 42 that extends integrally from the self-sensing part 40. The metal connector 43 includes a first part 431, a second part 432 and a third part 433. The third part 433 is connected between the first part 431 and the second part 432. The third part 433 is housed in the receiving part 32. That is, the third part 433 is sintered and fixed to the peripheral wall of the receiving part 32 with the base 3 through the insulating part 33 to form an integral structure.

[0043] At least a portion of the first part 431 and at least a portion of the second part 432 are exposed on the base 3. At least a portion of the first part 431 is soldered to the circuit board unit 2, and at least a portion of the second part 432 is soldered to the pin 42. In some embodiments, the second part 432 and the pin 42 are coated with an anti-corrosion coating, so that the second part 432 and the pin 42 exposed outside the base 5 are not easily corroded by fluids, which helps to improve the product's lifespan and the accuracy of temperature signal detection.

[0044] In order to simultaneously measure the pressure and temperature of the fluid, in some embodiments, the sensor assembly 100 further includes a pressure sensing element 5, as shown in the reference. Figure 3 , Figure 8 , Figure 9 and Figure 12 The pressure sensing element 5 is located on the side where the first surface 311 is located, and the pressure sensing element 5 is located between the first wall portion 31 and the circuit board unit 2.

[0045] Specifically, the base 3 also includes a second wall portion 34, which extends from the outer periphery of the first wall portion 31 in a direction away from the first surface 311. The second wall portion 34 and the first wall portion 31 can be arranged perpendicular to each other. The second wall portion 34 is arranged around the periphery of the pressure sensing element 5. The first wall portion 31 and the second wall portion 34 form a receiving space capable of accommodating the pressure sensing element 5, thereby facilitating the assembly of the pressure sensing element 5.

[0046] The first wall portion 31 is provided with a first channel 313. The first channel 313 extends from the first surface 311 to the second surface 312. At least a portion of the surface of the pressure sensing element 5 facing the first wall portion 31 forms a pressure sensing area 51 for contact with fluid. The fluid can directly contact the pressure sensing area 51, so that the pressure sensing element 5 can sense the pressure signal of the fluid through the pressure sensing area 51. The first channel 313 is at least partially opposite to the pressure sensing area 51, so that the fluid acts directly and quickly on the pressure sensing area 51 under the guidance of the first channel 313. The pressure sensing element 5 is electrically connected to the circuit board unit 2. In this way, the pressure signal sensed by the pressure sensing element 5 can be transmitted to the circuit board unit 2 for processing. The pressure sensing element 5 can be fixed in the receiving space formed by the base 3 by means of circumferential sealing or bottom sealing.

[0047] Several pressure connection pins 50 extend from the surface of the pressure sensing element 5 toward the circuit board unit 2, and the pressure connection pins 50 are welded and fixed to the circuit board unit 2 by spot welding process.

[0048] The circuit board unit 2 processes the pressure signal sensed by the pressure sensing element 5 and the temperature signal sensed by the temperature sensing element 4 according to a certain logic algorithm, converting the collected temperature and pressure signals into corresponding voltage values. In some embodiments, the circuit board unit 2 may also include a conditioning chip, which performs noise reduction, signal amplification, and signal compensation on the pressure or temperature signals to improve signal quality.

[0049] In some embodiments, the temperature sensing part 40 of the temperature sensing element 4 can be located directly below the pressure sensing element 5, which is beneficial for achieving a compact and miniaturized product structure.

[0050] refer to Figure 5 As shown, in some embodiments, the length direction of the metal connector 43 coincides with the thickness direction of the first wall portion 31. The first portion 431 protrudes from the top surface of the second wall portion 34 away from the first wall portion 31. The second portion 432 protrudes from the second surface 312 of the first wall portion 31. In this way, the size of the metal connector 43 can be miniaturized, which is beneficial to a more compact overall structure of the sensor assembly 100.

[0051] Because the base 3 has a first channel 313, fluid can reach the first surface 311 side of the first wall portion 31 through the first channel 313. To ensure the sealing between the pressure sensing element 5 and the base 3, the sensor assembly 100 also includes a sealing gasket 6, which is located between the surface of the pressure sensing element 5 facing the first wall portion 31 and the first surface 311 of the first wall portion 31. The sealing gasket 6 is pressed between the pressure sensing element 5 and the base 3. The area of ​​the surface of the pressure sensing element 5 facing the first wall portion 31 corresponding to the area enclosed by the sealing gasket 6 overlaps at least partially with the pressure sensing area 51.

[0052] refer to Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, in some embodiments of this application, the base 5 is provided with a first boss 315 and a second boss 316. The first boss 315 is closer to the central axis of the first channel 313 than the second boss 316. The first boss 315 and the second boss 316 are spaced apart by a certain distance, and both the first boss 315 and the second boss 316 are annular bosses, with the second boss 316 located on the outer ring and the first boss 315 located on the inner ring. A recessed area is formed between the first boss 315 and the second boss 316, and the sealing gasket 6 can be installed in this recessed area. This facilitates the positioning of the sealing gasket 6 by the structure of the base 5, and prevents the sealing gasket 6 from deforming and shifting under the action of high-temperature refrigerant, thereby improving the sealing effect of the sealing gasket 6.

[0053] In some implementations, reference Figure 8 and Figure 9 Two cross-sectional schematic diagrams from different perspectives show that the outer shell 1 includes a first shell 10 and a second shell 20, which together form an inner cavity 110.

[0054] The first shell 10 has a bottom wall 101 and a side wall 102, with a channel 112 disposed on the bottom wall 101. The first shell 10 also has a stepped portion 103, which protrudes from the bottom wall 101 toward the second surface 312 of the first wall portion 31. The second surface 312 contacts the top surface of the stepped portion 103, creating a gap between the bottom wall 101 and the second surface 312 of the first wall portion 31. The second portion 432 of the metal connector 43 protrudes from the second surface 312 of the base 3 and is housed within this gap. The pin 42 is welded to the second portion 432 at this gap, making it less susceptible to compression by other components and thus ensuring high reliability.

[0055] In some implementations, such as Figure 10 The diagram shows an enlarged cross-sectional view of the sensor assembly 100. The inner side of the housing sidewall 102 and the outer peripheral side of the second wall portion 34 are circumferentially welded together to achieve a sealing fit between the housing sidewall 102 and the second wall portion 34. Specific welding locations can be determined from the diagram. Figure 10At position A, the gap between the inner side of the shell sidewall 102 and the outer peripheral side of the second wall portion 34 is tightly fitted during the welding process, thereby achieving the welding and fixing of the shell sidewall 102 and the second wall portion 34, and facilitating the miniaturization of the overall structure. Laser welding or other welding methods can be used. In other embodiments, a sealing ring can also be used for sealing. For example, a sealing ring can be provided between the shell bottom wall 101 and the second surface 312 of the base 3, and this sealing ring is pressed between the shell bottom wall 101 and the second surface 312 of the base 3 to achieve the sealing function.

[0056] In some implementations, reference Figure 11 The base 3 has two arc-shaped walls 35, which are spaced apart from each other and facing each other. Both arc-shaped walls 35 are located on the side where the second surface 312 of the first wall portion 31 is located. The axis of the first channel 313 is located between the two arc-shaped walls 35. The axis of the first channel 313 can be referenced. Figure 11 The dashed line indicates that at least part of pin 42 is located between the two curved walls 35.

[0057] The sensor assembly 100 also includes a cover 7 having a second channel 71 and a cylindrical wall 72 located around the second channel 71. The cover 7 is located on the side where the second surface 312 is located. The cylindrical wall 72 of the cover 7 has several notches or holes that penetrate the cylindrical wall 72.

[0058] The arc-shaped wall 35 is at least partially located in the second channel 71. The axial length of the cover 7 can be greater than the length of the arc-shaped wall 35. The inner side of the cylinder wall 72 and the outer periphery of the arc-shaped wall 35 each have a groove 721 and a lug 351, respectively. Figure 11 In the design, a groove 721 is located on the inner side of the cylindrical wall 72 of the cover 7, and a lug 351 is located on the outer periphery of the arc-shaped wall 35. Alternatively, the arrangement can be reversed. The lug 351 is at least partially accommodated within the groove 721. The groove 721 and the lug 351 can form a snap-fit ​​structure, and their engagement fixes the cover 7 to the outer periphery of the arc-shaped wall 35. When the sensor assembly 100 is used in an air conditioning heat pump system, the refrigerant can enter the second channel 71 through a notch or hole in the cylindrical wall 72 of the cover 7. The second channel 71 is connected to the first channel 313, allowing the refrigerant to eventually approach the pressure sensing element 5 and ultimately act on the pressure sensing area 51 of the pressure sensing element 5 through both the second channel 71 and the first channel 313.

[0059] In some embodiments, the temperature sensing part 40 of the temperature sensing element 4 is at least partially located in the second channel 71 of the cover 7. The cover 7 can protect and position the temperature sensing element 4, reducing the impact force of the fluid on the temperature sensing element 4, thereby playing a certain protective role and contributing to the stability of the entire product. In other embodiments of this application, the temperature sensing part 40 of the temperature sensing element 4 is fully extended out of the cover 7 and exposed, so that the temperature sensing element 4 can sense the temperature more promptly and fully. Of course, the temperature sensing part 40 of the temperature sensing element 4 can also be located close to the first wall 31, so that the temperature sensing part 40 is not in the second channel 71 or extends out of the second channel 71 away from the second wall 31. The fluid will eventually come into contact with the temperature sensing part 40 through the second channel 71 and other structures, and this application does not impose too many restrictions on this.

[0060] The housing 1 of the sensor assembly 100 also includes a second housing 20, with the circuit board unit 2 located at least partially between the second housing 20 and the pressure sensing element 5.

[0061] refer to Figure 10 The first shell 10 also has a first extension 111, which extends from the shell sidewall 102 toward the axis of the channel 112, that is, the first extension 111 is bent inward relative to the shell sidewall 102. The second shell 20 has a main body 201 and a second extension 211, which is located on the outer periphery of the main body 201. The second extension 211 and the second wall portion 34 of the base 3 are jointly clamped and positioned between the first extension 111 and the top surface of the stepped portion 103.

[0062] In some embodiments, the second wall portion 34 of the base 3 is further provided with a plurality of third protrusions 317, which are located on the top surface of the second wall portion 34 away from the first wall portion 31. The corresponding second shell 20 may be provided with a plurality of grooves 221 that mate with the third protrusions 317. The grooves 221 may be located in the second extension portion 211, with the openings of the grooves 221 facing the direction of the third protrusions 317. The third protrusions 317 may be at least partially received in the corresponding grooves 221. This facilitates foolproofing and ensures pre-positioning between the base 3 and the second shell 20, ensuring that the second wall portion 34 of the base 3 and the second extension portion 211 of the second shell 20 are aligned longitudinally. The shapes of the plurality of third protrusions 317 may be identical or different.

[0063] The first shell 10 can be made of metal. The purpose of using metal is to facilitate the processing of the flange to form the first extension 111, reducing the molding difficulty. The second shell 20 can be made of plastic. This helps to reduce costs and lighten the weight of the sensor assembly 100.

[0064] The specific assembly and forming process between the second shell 20, the base 3, and the first shell 10 is as follows: The first extension 111 initially extends longitudinally in the same vertical position as the shell sidewall 102. After the second extension 211 of the second shell 20 and the second wall portion 34 of the base 3 are at least partially aligned and joined longitudinally, they are inserted into the cylindrical space enclosed by the shell sidewall 102. Then, using tooling, the vertical first extension 111 is pressed inwards to form a transverse flange. Therefore, the second extension 211 and the second wall portion 34 of the base 3 are jointly clamped and positioned between the first extension 111 and the stepped portion 103, thus ensuring that the second shell 20 can be stably installed relative to the first shell 10 without falling off.

[0065] refer to Figure 14 As shown, the embodiments of this application also provide a valve device 300, which includes the sensor assembly 100 in the above embodiments. The valve device 300 also includes a valve body 8. The sensor assembly 100 is fixedly installed in the valve body 8. The valve body 8 includes a flow channel 81. The temperature sensing element 4 is used to directly or indirectly detect the temperature of the fluid in the flow channel 81.

[0066] exist Figure 15 and Figure 16 In the schematic cross-sectional structure, a sealing element 93 is provided between the outer casing 1 and the valve body 8. The valve body 8 has a mounting cavity 94, and the sensor assembly 100 is at least partially housed within the mounting cavity 94 of the valve body 8. The sealing element 93 can be pressed between the wall of the valve body 8 forming the mounting cavity 94 and the bottom wall 101 of the outer casing 1. By sealing the space between the outer casing 1 and the valve body 8 with the sealing element 93, the flow channel 81 provided in the valve body 8 forms a liquid-tight channel that allows fluid to flow axially along the flow channel 81. The temperature sensing part 40 of the temperature sensing element 4 can extend partially or completely into the flow channel 81, so that the fluid can directly contact the temperature sensing part 40, and the temperature sensing part 40 can sense the fluid temperature. Through the sealing gasket 6 between the pressure sensing element 5 and the base 3, the area formed by the sensor assembly 100 for detecting fluid pressure is also a closed chamber that allows fluid to flow axially along the first channel 313.

[0067] Since the circuit board unit 2 is protected within the second housing 20, in order to transmit temperature and voltage values ​​to the outside, the sensor assembly 100 in this embodiment further includes a plurality of metal connecting springs embedded in the second housing 20. The metal connecting springs have an outer end exposed to the outside of the second housing 20 and an inner end exposed to the inside of the second housing 20. Accordingly, the inner end is connected to the circuit board unit 2, and the outer end is connected to the external main circuit board 91. The metal connecting springs are embedded in the second housing 20 by an injection molding process.

[0068] Valve assembly 300 also includes a clamping nut 92, such as Figures 15 to 17As shown, the outer casing 1 also has an outwardly protruding structure that extends integrally with the bottom wall 101 of the casing. This outwardly protruding structure at least partially engages with the clamping nut 92. The clamping nut 92 is annular and is located on the outer periphery of the side wall 102 of the casing. The outer periphery of the clamping nut 92 is threadedly connected to the valve body 8 to fix the sensor device 100 and the valve body 8 together.

[0069] The valve device 300 provided in this embodiment may further include a fluid control assembly 301, which is fixed to the valve body 8. The fluid control assembly 301 may be an electronic expansion valve used for refrigerant flow control in an automotive air conditioning system to throttle the refrigerant. The fluid control assembly 301 includes structures such as coil assemblies, which will not be described in detail here. The sensor assembly 100, as a temperature and pressure sensor, can be used to detect the pressure and temperature of the refrigerant passing through the fluid control assembly 301. Of course, the fluid control assembly 301 may also be other control valves or thermal management system components, enabling corresponding control of the refrigerant within the thermal management system components.

[0070] The above embodiments are only used to illustrate this application and are not intended to limit the technical solutions described in this application. The understanding of this specification should be based on those skilled in the art. For example, the directional descriptions such as "front", "back", "left", "right", "up", and "down" are important. Although this specification has described this application in detail with reference to the above embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that they can still make modifications or equivalent substitutions to this application. All technical solutions and improvements that do not depart from the spirit and scope of this application should be covered within the scope of the claims of this application.

Claims

1. A sensor assembly (100) characterized by: It includes a housing (1), a circuit board unit (2), a base (3), and a temperature sensing element (4); the sensor assembly (100) has an inner cavity (110) and a channel (112); The base (3) is at least partially housed in the inner cavity (110). The base (3) includes a first wall portion (31), which has a first surface (311) and a second surface (312). The first surface (311) and the second surface (312) are located on different sides of the thickness direction of the first wall portion (31). The temperature sensing element (4) includes a temperature sensing portion (40) and a conductive portion (41). The circuit board unit (2) is located on the side where the first surface (311) is located, and the channel (112) and the temperature sensing portion (40) are both located on the side where the second surface (312) is located. The base (3) further includes a receiving portion (32) and an insulating portion (33); at least a portion of the conductive portion (41) and at least a portion of the insulating portion (33) are received in the receiving portion (32); the base (3) has a peripheral wall (321) forming the receiving portion (32); the insulating portion (33) is located between the peripheral wall (321) and the conductive portion (41); at least a portion of the conductive portion (41) received in the receiving portion (32) and the peripheral wall (321) are respectively sealed to the insulating portion (33); the conductive portion (41) is electrically connected to the temperature sensing portion (40) and the circuit board unit (2); The base (3) is provided with two arc-shaped walls (35), which are spaced apart from each other and facing each other. Both arc-shaped walls (35) are located on the side of the second surface (312) of the first wall portion (31). The first wall portion (31) is provided with a first channel (313), and the axis of the first channel (313) is located between the two arc-shaped walls (35). The conductive part (41) includes a metal connector (43) and a pin (42) integrally extended from the temperature sensing part (40). At least a portion of the pin (42) is located between the two arc-shaped walls (35). The sensor assembly (100) further includes a cover (7), which has a second channel (71) and a cylindrical wall (72) located around the second channel (71); the cover (7) is located on the side where the second surface (312) is located; the cylindrical wall (72) of the cover (7) is provided with a plurality of notches or a plurality of holes penetrating the cylindrical wall (72); The arc-shaped wall (35) is at least partially located in the second channel (71). One of the inner side of the cylindrical wall (72) and the outer peripheral side of the arc-shaped wall is provided with a groove (721), and the other is provided with a lug (351). The lug (351) is at least partially received in the groove (721). The groove (721) and the lug (351) cooperate to fix the cover (7) to the outer peripheral side of the arc-shaped wall (35).

2. The sensor assembly (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that: The insulating part (33) and the base (3) are made of different materials; wherein, at least a portion of the conductive part (41) housed in the receiving part (32), the insulating part (33) and the base (3) are sintered and fixed into an integral structure; or, the insulating part (33) serves as an adhesive material, and at least a portion of the conductive part (41) housed in the receiving part (32) is bonded and fixed to the base (3) through the insulating part (33).

3. The sensor assembly (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that The temperature sensing part (40) is at least partially located in the channel (112) or the temperature sensing part (40) is at least partially located on the side of the outer shell (1) away from the inner cavity (110); The sensor assembly (100) further includes a pressure sensing element (5); the pressure sensing element (5) is located on the side where the first surface (311) is located, and the pressure sensing element (5) is located between the first wall portion (31) and the circuit board unit (2); The first channel (313) extends from the first surface (311) to the second surface (312); the pressure sensing element (5) forms a pressure sensing area (51) for contact with fluid in at least a portion of the surface facing the first wall (31); the first channel (313) is opposite to at least a portion of the pressure sensing area (51); the pressure sensing element (5) is electrically connected to the circuit board unit (2).

4. The sensor assembly (100) according to claim 3, characterized in that The metal connector (43) includes a first part (431), a second part (432) and a third part (433), the third part (433) being connected between the first part (431) and the second part (432), the third part (433) being housed in the receiving portion (32), the first part (431) and the second part (432) being exposed on the base (3); at least a portion of the first part (431) is welded to the circuit board unit (2), and at least a portion of the second part (432) is welded to the pin (42).

5. The sensor assembly (100) according to claim 4, characterized in that, The base (3) includes a second wall portion (34) that extends from the first wall portion (31) in a direction away from the first surface (311); the second wall portion (34) is disposed around the periphery of the pressure sensing element (5); The sensor assembly (100) further includes a sealing gasket (6) located between the side of the pressure sensing element (5) facing the first wall portion (31) and the first surface (311) of the first wall portion (31); the sealing gasket (6) is pressed between the pressure sensing element (5) and the base (3).

6. The sensor assembly (100) according to claim 5, characterized in that, The length direction of the metal connector (43) coincides with the thickness direction of the first wall portion (31); the first portion (431) is exposed on the top surface of the second wall portion (34) away from the first wall portion (31); the second portion (432) is exposed on the second surface (312) of the first wall portion (31).

7. The sensor assembly (100) according to claim 5, characterized in that The outer shell (1) includes a first shell (10), the first shell (10) having a bottom wall (101) and a side wall (102), and the channel (112) is disposed on the bottom wall (101). The first shell (10) is further provided with a stepped portion (103), the stepped portion (103) protruding from the bottom wall (101) of the shell toward the second surface (312) of the first wall portion (31); the second surface (312) contacts the top surface of the stepped portion (103), so that there is a gap between the bottom wall (101) of the shell and the second surface (312) of the first wall portion (31); the second portion (432) is at least partially located in the gap; The inner side of the shell sidewall (102) is circumferentially welded to the outer peripheral side of the second wall portion (34) so ​​that the shell sidewall (102) and the second wall portion (34) are sealed together.

8. The sensor assembly (100) according to claim 7, characterized in that, The housing (1) further includes a second housing (20), and the circuit board unit (2) is at least partially located between the second housing (20) and the pressure sensing element (5); The first shell (10) also has a first extension (111) which extends from the shell sidewall (102) toward the axis of the channel (112). The second shell (20) has a main body (201) and a second extension (211) which is located on the outer periphery of the main body (201). The second extension (211) and the second wall (34) of the base (3) are jointly clamped and positioned between the first extension (111) and the top surface of the step (103).

9. A valve device (300) characterised in that: Including the sensor assembly (100) as described in any one of claims 1 to 8, the valve device (300) further includes a valve body (8), the sensor assembly (100) is fixedly mounted on the valve body (8), the valve body (8) includes a flow channel (81), and the temperature sensing element (4) is used to directly or indirectly detect the temperature of the fluid in the flow channel (81).

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