Sensors and sensor-equipped working devices

Abstract

A sensor and a work apparatus having the sensor are proposed. An anchoring recess is configured in an implement assembly of the work apparatus, in which the sensor can be releasably clamped. The sensor has a clamping unit accommodation space limited by an integral boundary wall section composed of plastic in its sensor housing, in which a clamping unit is arranged. The clamping unit has a clamping member arranged in a housing bore and a clamping screw penetrating a housing recess of the sensor housing. The clamping screw is configured as a neck screw and is screwed into the clamping member with an outer thread section of a threaded rod. A neck section of the threaded rod, which is free of threads, penetrates an inner thread configured in the housing recess, which is configured complementarily to the outer thread of the outer thread section.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a sensor having a sensor housing surrounding a contactless sensor device. Within the sensor housing is a clamping unit receiving space defined by a one-piece plastic boundary wall section of the sensor housing. A clamping unit is arranged within this space, having a housing through-hole penetrating the sensor housing in the transverse direction of the sensor and extending to two opposing lateral housing exterior surfaces of the sensor housing, and a housing recess extending in the sensor height direction, extending on one side to the upper housing exterior surface of the sensor housing and on the other side into the housing through-hole. The device includes a clamping member that is movable along the height direction of the sensor and has a clamping unit arranged in the housing perforation. The clamping member extends outward beyond the two lateral outer surfaces of the housing with clamping sections. The clamping thread of the clamping unit extends along the height direction of the sensor in the housing recess. The clamping thread extends into the housing perforation with a threaded rod and is screwed into the internal thread of the threaded hole of the clamping member with the external thread of the external thread section of the threaded rod. The clamping thread can rotate at the threaded head accessible from the upper side of the sensor. Thus, the clamping member, which is non-torsional supported with respect to the sensor housing, can move relative to the sensor housing along the height direction of the sensor.

[0002] The present invention also relates to a working device having a working tool having a tool assembly that functions as a sensor carrier, the tool assembly having at least one anchoring groove in which at least one sensor is clamped and fixed. Background Technology

[0003] The type of sensor and operating device mentioned above is known from DE 10 2010 045 667 A1. The sensor here is configured as a position sensor, operable by means of a sensor actuating element in its vicinity to output a sensor signal that allows inference of the position of the sensor actuating element. The sensor has a sensor housing that defines a clamping unit receiving space by a one-piece boundary wall section made of plastic. A clamping unit is arranged in this space, by means of which the sensor can be clamped and fixed in an anchoring groove having a stepped cross-section, for example, that is formed by a sensor carrier consisting of a housing of a linear drive device. The clamping unit includes a clamping thread that extends into a housing recess in the clamping unit receiving space and into a housing through-hole in the clamping unit receiving space by means of a threaded rod. A clamping member movable along the sensor height direction is placed in this space, the clamping member laterally protruding beyond the sensor housing by two clamping sections. The external threaded section of the clamping threaded component is screwed into the threaded hole of the clamping member, causing the clamping threaded component to twist. This twist causes the clamping member, including its two clamping sections, to move inward along the sensor height direction. Thus, the sensor, placed in the anchoring groove, can be clamped and fixed to the associated sensor carrier. However, under improper operation, the clamping threaded component may unscrew from the clamping member and become lost.

[0004] Similar problems exist in sensors known from WO 2007 / 115619 A1.

[0005] A similarly constructed sensor is known from DE 10 2012 006 267 A1. There, unintentional loss of the clamping thread is prevented by means of a retaining ring, which is placed on the threaded rod after the clamping thread is inserted into the sensor housing. This operation is particularly cumbersome and time-consuming in sensors with very small structures.

[0006] As is known from DE 41 31 779 A1, a non-removable neck threaded component is used for threaded fastening of the cover plate of the instrument. This neck threaded component is screwed through a threaded sleeve, which is anchored as a separate element in the borehole of the cover plate. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The objective of this invention is to provide measures that enable simple operation of a sensor that can be manufactured at low cost for reliable fixation in an anchoring groove.

[0008] To address this task, in the type of sensor mentioned at the beginning, at least one length segment of the housing recess of the clamping unit receiving space is configured as an internally threaded segment. This internally threaded segment has an internal thread complementary to the external thread of the externally threaded segment of the threaded rod. This internal thread is formed into the plastic of the boundary tab of the integral boundary wall segment of the sensor housing, which extends across the housing perforation and is penetrated by the housing recess. The clamping thread is configured as a neck thread, the threaded rod having a threadless neck segment constructed between the externally threaded segment and the thread head, penetrating the internally threaded segment of the housing recess. This neck segment is longer than the internally threaded segment and its outer diameter is smaller than the inner diameter of the internally threaded segment.

[0009] This task is also accomplished using a working device of the type mentioned at the beginning, whose sensors are constructed in the sense described above.

[0010] The sensor according to the invention is suitable for clamping in an anchoring groove having a stepped cross-section, particularly in any sensor carrier. Such an anchoring groove has a groove neck opposing the bottom of the groove along the groove height direction and a wider anchoring section connected at the groove neck along the groove height direction by two steps opposing each other in the groove transverse direction. The anchoring section is arranged deeper in the anchoring groove than the groove neck, wherein each of the two steps defines a support surface facing the bottom of the groove. The sensor can be inserted into the anchoring groove in the use position such that the clamping section, protruding beyond the lateral outer surface of the sensor housing, is positioned in the anchoring section and faces one of the two support surfaces of the anchoring groove. By twisting the clamping thread at the threaded head accessible from the upper side of the sensor, the clamping member can be displaced relative to the sensor housing in a direction toward the upper side of the sensor, thereby clamping the clamping section to the support surface and clamping the sensor housing to the bottom of the anchoring groove, thus clamping the sensor in the anchor. Here, a specially sized clamping threaded component, acting as the neck threaded part, penetrates the recessed internal threaded section of the housing within the clamping unit's accommodating space with its unthreaded neck section. This prevents the clamping threaded component from falling off and being lost, even if it is accidentally unscrewed too far from the clamping member when the sensor is released. This loss prevention is achieved at an extremely low cost because the recessed internal threaded section of the housing (which the clamping threaded component must penetrate with its external threaded section when inserted into the sensor housing) is an integrated component of the sensor housing, called the boundary wall section, which is a one-piece plastic wall section constructed as a boundary tab. This one-piece wall section externally restricts the clamping unit's accommodating space. Therefore, it is unnecessary to include a spare part defining the internal threaded section in the sensor housing, and the sensor can be manufactured at low cost for individual components and assemblies. Correspondingly, it is also possible to provide a working device equipped with this sensor at a low cost.

[0011] Advantageous improvements of the invention are derived from the dependent claims.

[0012] The type of sensor is, in principle, arbitrary. The sensor can be designed, for example, as a pressure sensor or a position sensor. In a particularly advantageous design, the sensor is a position sensor, its sensor arrangement configured for a non-contact response to a nearby movable sensor actuating element. A suitable working device equipped with such a position sensor includes a working implement with a first implement assembly acting as a sensor carrier and a second implement assembly movable therewith, the second implement assembly being equipped with the sensor actuating element. These two implement assemblies are movable relative to each other, and the sensor is capable of non-contact detection of at least one relative position between the two implement assemblies. The working implement is particularly a fluid-operated drive, preferably a pneumatic linear drive.

[0013] In one feasible design of the sensor, the internal thread of the internal threaded section is pre-fabricated before the first screwing into the clamping threaded member. For example, the internal thread, combined with the injection molding of the sensor housing, is directly formed into the boundary tab using a correspondingly designed injection molding tool. The one-piece boundary wall section, implemented using plastic, offers an alternative, particularly advantageous possibility: the internal thread is cut by the clamping threaded member itself upon its first screwing into the boundary tab of the one-piece boundary wall section. For this purpose, the clamping threaded member has the capability to tap the thread. In particular, the external thread is sufficiently sharp to automatically cut the nut thread upon screwing into the recessed, yet unthreaded, internal threaded section of the housing. Such a design is preferred in the sensor according to the invention because it achieves a further reduction in the tooling costs necessary for manufacturing.

[0014] The internal thread section itself is preferably relatively short, and particularly significantly shorter than the external thread section that clamps the threaded part. Preferably, the pitch of the internal thread in the internal thread section has an angular extension of less than 360° and, for example, is within the range of only 270°.

[0015] The sensor housing preferably has a unibody plastic structure that surrounds an internal space in which the sensor device is housed. The sensor device has electrical and / or electronic components, which are preferably mounted on a circuit board also belonging to the sensor device and interconnected by means of conductive lines. The electronic components of the sensor device preferably include one or more magnetic field sensors, such as Hall effect sensors. A boundary wall section surrounding the clamping unit receiving space is an integrated component of the housing body, allowing it to be directly formed during the preferred injection molding process of the housing body.

[0016] The internal space of the sensor housing is filled in a suitable manner by a casting, provided that it is not occupied by components of the sensor and, in particular, the sensor device, which consists of a casting material injected in a liquid state and subsequently hardened, such as molten adhesive.

[0017] In particular, polyethylene, polypropylene, or fiber-reinforced plastics are selected as the plastics for the boundary wall sections, and therefore, plastics with an integral shell body are preferred.

[0018] On the lower side of the sensor, opposite to the upper side, the internal space of the housing, surrounded by the sensor housing, is suitably provided with an opening, which is sealed shut by an introduced casting. This opening is particularly slit-shaped and preferably extends along the longitudinal direction of the sensor, which points orthogonally to the transverse direction of the sensor and the sensor height direction perpendicular to it.

[0019] Advantageously, the internally threaded section of the housing recess in the clamping unit receiving space constitutes a direct transition from the housing recess to the end section of the housing through-hole, wherein a head-receiving section extending from the housing recess to the upper outer surface of the housing connects above the internally threaded section. This head-receiving section is larger in diameter and longer than the internally threaded section, and is configured to receive the head of the threaded member for clamping the threaded member. Preferably, the head-receiving section has a length such that the head of the threaded member can be fully recessed and received therein.

[0020] The clamping member, adjustable along the sensor height direction within the housing perforation of the clamping unit housing, occupies a terminal position below the maximum descent of the sensor housing. This terminal position is pre-defined, in particular, by the clamping member being directly or indirectly supported at the bottom of the boundary of the integral boundary wall section. In this lower terminal position, the clamping threaded member can be screwed into the threaded hole of the clamping member with its external threaded section. The dimensions of the clamping threaded member, the clamping member, and the boundary wall section are suitably matched such that the clamping threaded member occupies an inactive position in the terminal position below the maximum descent of the clamping member, in which the external threaded section of the clamping threaded member is not threadedly engaged with either the internal thread of the clamping member or the internal thread of the internal threaded section of the housing recess. This inactive position is particularly the intermediate position when the clamping threaded member is inserted into the sensor housing before being screwed into the clamping member.

[0021] Preferably, the clamping member has a stop recess on its lower side opposite to the clamping thread, and a stop protrusion of the integrally constructed boundary wall section is inserted into the stop recess along the sensor height direction, thereby preventing the clamping member from laterally dislodging from the housing perforation. Even when the clamping thread occupies the aforementioned inactive position and is not yet in thread engagement with the clamping member, the clamping member remains in the housing perforation. This also has the particular advantage that if the clamping thread is unintentionally completely unscrewed from the clamping member when the sensor is released, the clamping member will not fall out of the clamping unit receiving space.

[0022] The protection against detachment can be optimized by the following method: the threaded hole of the clamping member has an unthreaded upper end section in the region above the boundary-facing tab of the clamping member, and the clamping threaded member can be axially inserted into this end section without thread engagement.

[0023] In a preferred design, the clamping member has a U-shaped cross-section, wherein it has two clamping member legs connected to each other by a connecting tab with a threaded hole, each clamping member leg forming a clamping section at its end. The two clamping member legs and the connecting tab together constrain a groove-shaped clamping member recess, wherein the clamping member is positioned such that the recess opening of the clamping member recess opposite to the boundary tab is opposite to the boundary tab and points downward along the sensor height direction. Preferably, the aforementioned stop recess is directly formed by the clamping member recess.

[0024] In a suitable manner, the threaded hole fully penetrates the clamping member along the height direction of the sensor. This is possible for the clamping threaded part, whose threaded shank passes through the threaded hole of the clamping member for the purpose of clamping the sensor in the anchoring groove, and whose end face facing away from the head of the threaded part is directly or indirectly supported at the bottom of the boundary of the integral boundary wall section of the sensor housing, opposite the boundary tab.

[0025] The aforementioned support can be achieved through direct contact between the front end face of the threaded rod and the bottom of the integral boundary wall section. However, it is advantageous to have a metal support plate abutting against the bottom of the boundary between the clamping member and the boundary. The clamping threaded member is supported on this support plate by the front end face of the threaded rod, which is positioned opposite to the head of the threaded member, and the support plate itself is supported at the bottom of the boundary. Thus, even when the clamping threaded member is tightened violently, damage to the plastic material of the sensor housing can be prevented.

[0026] If the clamping member has a clamping member recess on its lower side corresponding to the above description, then it is advantageous that the support plate is sized such that it is at least partially inserted into the clamping member recess at any height position occupied by the clamping member relative to the sensor housing. Thus, even when the support plate is not currently loaded by the clamping thread, it is easily prevented from laterally detaching from the housing perforation. Attached Figure Description

[0027] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Wherein: Figure 1 According to from Figure 2 The longitudinal sectional view of cutting plane II shows a cross-section of a preferred embodiment of the working device according to the invention, wherein, in a corresponding longitudinal sectional view, a sensor of preferred structure according to the invention is illustrated, which, when in the use position, can be releasably clamped in the anchoring groove of the working tool of the working device. Figure 2 According to from Figure 1 The cross section of section line II-II shows the cross section from Figure 1 The device, wherein the clamping member of the sensor is shown in the clamping position, Figure 3 It shows the corresponding Figure 2 The diagram shows a cross-section where the sensor, inserted into the anchoring groove, is not yet clamped and the clamping member is in the loose position. Figure 4 The perspective view shows the composition of Figures 1 to 3 A single illustration of an obvious sensor. Figure 5 According to from Figure 4 The cutting plane VV, which coincides with the cutting plane II, shows a longitudinal sectional view of the sensor from perspective. Figures 6 to 8 When manufacturing the sensor, if a clamping threaded component for manipulating the clamping member is inserted into the sensor housing, and each component corresponds to a clamping threaded component for manipulating the clamping member, then... Figure 2 and Figure 3 The cross-sectional diagram illustrates the different assembly stages. Detailed Implementation

[0028] Depend on Figures 1 to 3 The obviously visible working device 1 includes a working tool 3, shown only partially in the longitudinal sectional view, which has two first and second tool assemblies 4, 5 that are movable relative to each other. The second tool assembly 5 is exemplary capable of performing a linear relative movement 7 with respect to the first tool assembly 4, indicated by the double arrows.

[0029] An anchoring groove 17 is constructed in the first device assembly 4, in which a sensor 2 (preferably also a component of the working device 1) occupies a usage position. Therefore, the first device assembly 4 represents a sensor carrier 4a. The sensor 2 includes a sensor device 35 with a sensor element 16, which can be activated non-contactly by a sensor manipulation element 6 approaching it and, upon activation, generates an electrical sensor signal that can be output via cable 28 to a connected external electronic control device (not further depicted).

[0030] The working device 3 is exemplarily a linear drive device that can be operated by fluid force, wherein the first device assembly 4 is constituted by the housing of the linear drive device, and the second device assembly 5 is constituted by a drive piston that is reciprocating within the internal space 8 of the first device assembly 4 by controlled fluid loading to implement relative motion 7. The working device 3 is, for example, a working cylinder that can be operated pneumatically or hydraulically.

[0031] The sensor device 16 can be operated without contact via the sensor actuation element 6. Preferably, the sensor device 16 is magnetic field sensitive, and the sensor actuation element 6 is constructed as a permanent magnet device whose magnetic field can activate the sensor device 16. The sensor device 16 is preferably one or more magnetic field sensors, especially one or more Hall sensors. Alternatively, the sensor device 16 can also consist of, for example, at least one so-called reed switch.

[0032] In the described apparatus, sensor 2 is a position sensor 2a, configured to detect at least one position of sensor actuation element 6 and a correspondingly equipped second device assembly 5. In embodiments not described, sensor 2 is a position sensor configured to detect the spatial orientation of the device assembly 4 equipped with the position sensor. The second device assembly 5 can be omitted in this case.

[0033] The anchoring groove 17 enters the outer surface 18 of the first appliance assembly 4 and has a linear extension, particularly along the longitudinal direction 17a of the groove indicated by the dotted line. Furthermore, the anchoring groove 17 has a groove height direction 17b orthogonal to the longitudinal direction 17a, which extends between the slit-like groove opening 22 at the outer surface 18 and the groove bottom 27 defining the deepest point of the anchoring groove 17. Along the groove height direction 17b toward the groove bottom 27, first the groove neck 23 and then the wider anchoring section 25 about the groove neck 23 connect to the slit-like groove opening 22. In this way, the anchoring groove 17 is obtained with a stepped cross-section toward the bottom 27 of the groove, having two steps 26 opposite each other in the transition region between the groove neck 23 and the anchoring section 25 along the groove transverse direction 17c perpendicular to the groove height direction 17b, wherein each step 26 defines a support surface 29 facing the bottom 27 of the groove along the groove height direction 17b, the support surface extending in a noodle shape along the groove longitudinal direction 17a.

[0034] The bottom 27 of the groove is suitably part of the concave, rounded interface 30 of the anchoring section 25, wherein, however, there is the possibility that the anchoring section 25 may have a rectangular cross-section, for example.

[0035] Sensor 2 has an elongated sensor housing 36 that extends along the longitudinal direction 2a of the sensor, which is the axial direction of the sensor longitudinal axis 2a (as shown in the reference numerals). Sensor 2 also has a vertical sensor axis 2b perpendicular to the sensor longitudinal axis 2a, which defines the sensor height direction 2b, and a horizontal sensor axis 2c perpendicular not only to the sensor longitudinal axis 2a but also to the sensor vertical axis 2b, which defines the sensor lateral direction 2c.

[0036] If sensor 2 occupies the position where it is placed in the anchoring groove 17, then the longitudinal axis 2a of the sensor extends along the longitudinal direction 17a of the groove and the vertical axis 2b of the sensor extends along the height direction 17b of the groove.

[0037] The sensor housing 36 has two lateral housing outer surfaces 11 that are opposite to each other and back to each other along the sensor's lateral direction 2c. In the use position of the sensor 2, these outer surfaces face one of the two steps 26 of the groove cross-section of the anchoring groove 17. The sensor 2 has a height in a suitable manner along the sensor's height direction 2b such that the sensor is completely contained within the anchoring groove 17 in the use position and does not protrude beyond the outer surface 18 of the first device assembly 4 at the slit-like groove opening 22.

[0038] The sensor housing 36 has a one-piece housing body 12 made of plastic. This housing body 12 surrounds a cavity referred to as the housing interior space 13. A sensor device 35 is disposed within the housing interior space 13. The volume of the sensor device 35 is smaller than the volume of the housing interior space 13, wherein the existing intermediate space is... Figure 1 and Figure 5 The sensor device 35 is filled with a casting 14, which is not shown for better clarity, thereby fixing the sensor device 35 in position with respect to the housing body 12 immovably. The casting 14 is a casting material, such as molten glue, that is injected in a flowable state and subsequently hardens.

[0039] Sensor 2 has an upper sensor side 32 oriented along the sensor height direction 2b and a lower sensor side 33 oriented in the opposite direction. In the position of use of sensor 2, the lower sensor side 33 faces the bottom 27 of the anchoring groove 17 and the upper sensor side 32 is located in the area of ​​the slit-like groove opening 22.

[0040] At the lower side 33 of the sensor, the housing body 12 has a suitable slit-shaped opening, referred to below as a longitudinal slit 24, extending along the longitudinal direction 2a of the sensor, which opens into the internal space 13 of the housing. Through this longitudinal slit 24, the sensor device 35 can be inserted into the internal space 13 of the housing during the manufacture of the sensor 2. The longitudinal slit 24 is closed by a casting 14, which constitutes another component of the sensor housing 36.

[0041] Preferably, the sensor device 35 includes a circuit board 37, such as a printed circuit board. A sensor device 16 is disposed on this circuit board 37, which is in suitable contact with each other via conductor lines 38 of the circuit board 37 and with an electrical conductor 28a of a cable 28 extending into the internal space 13 of the housing, for example. Exemplarily, the sensor device 16 comprises a plurality of magnetic field sensors, particularly configured as Hall effect sensors.

[0042] The housing body 12 has an integral body wall 42 that extends around the housing interior space 13 and defines two lateral housing exterior surfaces 11. The body wall 42 further defines an upper housing exterior surface 43 pointing upward along the sensor height direction 2b and, in a suitable manner, defines a lower housing exterior surface 44 disposed opposite to this, located at the lower side 33 of the sensor, which extends on both sides of an optional longitudinal slit 24.

[0043] The integral body wall 42, generally speaking, is surrounded by an integral component called the boundary wall section 45, which encloses a cavity open to the outside of the sensor 2. This cavity is referred to as the clamping unit receiving space 41 for its intended use. The clamping unit receiving space 41 is suitably separated from the housing interior space 13 by the boundary wall section 45.

[0044] A multi-piece clamping unit 46 is arranged in the clamping unit receiving space 41. The clamping unit includes at least one clamping member 47 and a clamping threaded member 48, and in the preferred embodiment described, the clamping unit also has a support plate 49. All three components 47, 48, and 49 mentioned above are made of metal, especially steel, and preferably stainless steel.

[0045] The clamping unit receiving space 41 consists of two receiving space sections that transition into each other. The first receiving space section is formed by a housing perforation 52, and the second receiving space section is formed by a housing recess 53.

[0046] The housing perforation 52 penetrates the sensor housing 36 along the transverse direction 2c and exits through a lateral perforation opening 54 to one of the two lateral outer surfaces 11 of the housing body 12. Preferably, the housing perforation 52 is arranged according to... Figure 1 The sensor 2 is observed in a longitudinal sectional view to have a cross-section that is at least substantially rectangular.

[0047] A housing recess 53 extends above the housing perforation 52 along the sensor height direction 2b. This housing recess enters the housing perforation 52 from above via a transition opening 55 facing the lower side 33 of the sensor, and exits to the upper outer surface 43 of the housing via an upper recess opening 56. (According to...) Figure 2 and Figure 3 When viewed in cross-section of sensor 2, transition opening 55 is preferably centered between two lateral perforation openings 54 and extends into housing perforation 52.

[0048] Similarly, when viewed in the aforementioned cross-section, the clamping unit receiving space 41 has a preferred T-shaped cross-sectional shape. This cross-sectional shape is also present in a suitable manner when viewed in the longitudinal sectional view of the sensor 2, which is determined by… Figure 1 and Figure 5 It is obvious.

[0049] A clamping member 47 is placed in a housing perforation 52, wherein the clamping member has a length such that it extends beyond the two lateral perforation openings 54. Each protruding end segment of the clamping member 47 constitutes a clamping segment 57 that protrudes outward beyond the associated lateral housing outer surface 11.

[0050] The housing recess 53 has a circular cross-section in a suitable manner, perpendicular to the sensor height direction 2b.

[0051] Such as especially able to be by Figure 1 , Figure 4 and Figure 5 As is clearly understood, the housing notch 53 penetrates a tab-shaped component of the boundary wall section 45, referred to as the boundary tab 58. The boundary tab 58 spans the housing perforation 52 above the bottom 62 of the boundary at a spacing measured along the sensor height direction 2b. It is an integral component of the boundary wall section 45, which restricts the housing perforation 52 on its lower side opposite to the housing notch 53. The housing notch 53 penetrates the boundary tab 58.

[0052] The clamping member 47 has a suitable U-shaped cross-section with two clamping member legs 63 spaced apart from each other along the sensor lateral direction 2c. These clamping member legs are integrally connected to each other via a connecting tab 64 at their end sections above the upward-facing outer surface 43 of the housing. The end section 65 of the clamping leg 63 opposite to the connecting tab 64 has a rib-shaped protrusion extending outward along the sensor lateral direction 2c, which forms an associated clamping section 57.

[0053] The connecting tab 64 and the two clamping member legs 63 together constrain the clamping member recess 66, which has a recessed opening 67 pointing downward along the sensor height direction 2b. The clamping member recess 66 is groove-shaped and extends along the sensor longitudinal direction 2a, wherein the clamping member recess is open at two end sides oriented along the sensor longitudinal direction 2a.

[0054] The bottom of the boundary 62 has a bottom protrusion 68 in the central region that projects upward toward the housing recess 53. The bottom protrusion 68 is inserted from below into the clamping member recess 66, thereby preventing the clamping member 47 from laterally dislodging from the housing perforation 52 through a shape-locking contact with the bottom protrusion 68. In this respect, the clamping member recess 66 also defines a stop recess 71, and the bottom protrusion 68 represents a stop protrusion 72.

[0055] The previously mentioned optional support plate 49 is arranged between the connecting tab 64 and the bottom protrusion 68. Therefore, the support plate is located in the clamping member recess 66, so that the support plate cannot be dislodged from the clamping unit receiving space 41.

[0056] A threaded hole 73 extending along the sensor height direction 2b is formed in the clamping member 47. The threaded hole has an internal thread 74. Preferably, the clamping member 47 is completely penetrated by the threaded hole 73.

[0057] In the described embodiment, a threaded hole 73 is formed in the connecting tab 64. Thus, the threaded hole extends downward into the clamping member recess 66 on one hand and opens towards the outer surface 75 of the connecting tab facing the housing recess 53 on the other.

[0058] The internal thread 74 does not extend fully to the outer surface 75 of the upper connecting piece in a suitable manner, but ends at a distance therefrom, so that the threaded hole 73 has an unthreaded upper end section 76 through which the threaded hole extends to the outer surface 75 of the upper connecting piece. This unthreaded upper end section 76 has a larger inner diameter than the area of ​​the internal thread 74.

[0059] The length segment of the housing recess 53 that penetrates the boundary tab 58 is constructed as an internally threaded segment 77, which has an internal thread 78. The internally threaded segment 77 extends only beyond a portion of the length of the housing recess 53, but can also occupy the entire recess length of the housing recess 53, corresponding to an embodiment not described.

[0060] The internal thread section 77 is an integral component of the boundary tab 58, which is made of plastic. Correspondingly, the internal thread 78 is directly formed into the plastic of the boundary tab 58, which itself is integrally transitioned into another component of the boundary wall section 45.

[0061] Advantageously, the internally threaded section 77 of the housing recess 53 forms a direct transition from the housing recess 53 to the lower end section in the housing through-hole 52, as is the case in the illustrated embodiment. The transition opening 55 here directly manifests as the lower end of the internally threaded section 77. Compared to the total length of the housing recess 53, the internally threaded section 77, however, has a smaller length, for example, only 15% to 30% of the total length of the threaded recess 53.

[0062] In a suitable manner, the unthreaded length section of the housing recess 53 connects above to the internally threaded section 77, which, due to its function, is referred to hereinafter as the head receiving section 81 and has an inner diameter greater than that of the internally threaded section 77. This head receiving section 81 is also suitable to be longer than the internally threaded section 77.

[0063] The clamping unit 46 further comprises the aforementioned clamping threaded member 48, which has a threaded head 82 and a threaded rod 83 protruding from the threaded head 82. The threaded head 82 is provided with an operating section 84 into which torque can be introduced by means of an operating tool to induce a rotational movement 85 of the clamping threaded member 48 in one of two possible rotational directions, as indicated by the double arrows. Exemplarily, the operating section 84 is formed by a shaped axial recess accessible at the end side of the threaded head 82, such as being shaped as an internal hexagon.

[0064] The special feature of the clamping threaded member 48 lies in its construction as a neck threaded member. Its threaded shank 83 has an externally threaded section 87 that overflows from the end face 86 facing forward of the threaded shank 83. This externally threaded section is spaced apart from the threaded member head 82. Between the neck section 87 and the threaded member head 82 extends an unthreaded neck section 88 of the threaded shank 83. The outer diameter of the neck section 88 is smaller than the outer diameter of the externally threaded section 87.

[0065] The external thread section 87 has an external thread 91, which is complementary to the internal thread 74 of the threaded hole 73 of the clamping member 47. Therefore, the clamping threaded member 48 can be screwed into the internal thread 74 of the threaded hole 73 using its external thread section 87.

[0066] The internal thread 78 of the internal thread section 77 of the housing recess 53 is also constructed in a complementary manner to the external thread 91 of the external thread section 87. In this respect, the diameters and pitches of these complementary threads also match.

[0067] With sensor 2 in the ready-to-operate state, the clamping threaded member 48 is pre-positioned into the housing recess 53 with its threaded shank 83, such that the clamping threaded member, with its threaded shank 83, extends into the housing through hole 52 and is screwed into the internal thread 74 of the threaded hole 73 of the clamping member 47 with its external thread section 87. This screwed-in state is... Figure 2 and Figure 3 The two different operating states are shown in the middle, which are different from each other in terms of the existing screw-in depth of the clamping member 47.

[0068] In an embodiment not described, the internal thread 78 of the internal thread section 77 is pre-formed before the first insertion of the clamping threaded member 48. This internal thread can be formed, for example, during the injection molding of the housing body 12.

[0069] In a different, preferred embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings, the internal thread 78 is generated directly through the external thread section 87 of the clamping thread member 48 upon first screwing in. For this purpose, the clamping thread member 48 possesses the ability to tap a thread, a capability that can also be described as the ability to cut a thread. The clamping thread member 48 enables the desired internal thread 78 to be constructed, i.e., tapped or cut, by its thread geometry within a correspondingly pre-made unthreaded core hole. During the manufacture of the housing body 12 made of plastic, the internal thread section 77 is manufactured, to a certain extent, as an unthreaded core hole with the desired core hole diameter, and the internal thread 78 is persistently tapped or cut upon subsequent first screwing in of the clamping thread member 48.

[0070] In the ready-to-operate assembled state of the clamping threaded part 48, the threaded rod 83 extends through the internally threaded section 77 with its unthreaded neck section 88. This can be clearly seen from... Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3 It is identified that the unthreaded neck section 88 is longer than the aforementioned internally threaded section 77, and the outer diameter of the cylindrical neck section 88 is smaller than the inner diameter of the internally threaded section 77. In this way, the clamping threaded member 48 has a certain degree of freedom of movement not only in the axial direction but also in the radial direction with respect to the housing body 12.

[0071] The height dimensions of the clamping member 47 and the housing through-hole 52 along the sensor height direction 2b are matched such that the clamping member 47 can move linearly relative to the sensor housing 36 along the sensor height direction 2b. This linear clamping member movement 92, which can be performed by the clamping member 47, is illustrated in the accompanying drawings by double arrows.

[0072] Furthermore, the clamping member 47 and the housing perforation 52 are fitted together in such a way that the clamping member 47 cannot be twisted about the sensor's vertical axis 2b. The width of the housing recess 53, measured along the sensor's longitudinal direction 2a, is fitted with the corresponding measured width of the clamping member 47, which is supported at the sensor housing 36 by the boundary wall section 45, preventing it from twisting. As an additional or alternative solution, torsion stop can also be achieved through the combined action of the clamping member 47 and the bottom protrusion 68.

[0073] If the clamping threaded member 48 is subjected to rotational movement 85 by the loading of the threaded member head 82 and is simultaneously engaged with the threaded hole 73 of the clamping member 47, then the clamping member 47, which is supported at the sensor housing 36 without torsion about the rotation axis of the clamping threaded member 48, performs axial clamping member movement 92, which depends on the direction of rotation being oriented either toward the boundary tab 58 or toward the bottom of the boundary 62.

[0074] The sensor 2 is sized to fit the cross-section of the anchoring groove 17 such that the two clamping sections 57 can occupy the position in the anchoring section 25 in the use position of the sensor 2 and are respectively opposite one of the two support surfaces 29 along the groove height direction 17b.

[0075] In order to place the sensor 2 into the anchoring groove 17, the clamping member 47 can be positioned by the corresponding torsion of the clamping thread 48. Figure 3In the obviously lowered, released position, there is a vertical gap between the paired, opposing clamping sections 57 and the support surface 29. The sensor 2 can then be easily pushed axially from the end side into the anchoring groove 17 until the desired position is reached. For example, the release position of the clamping member 47 is defined in such a way that the clamping member 47 is in the lowered terminal position at its maximum extent, which is predetermined in advance that the clamping member 47 is supported or abutted against the bottom boundary 62, particularly in the region of its clamping section 57.

[0076] In order to clamp the sensor 2, which is positioned in the use position, the clamping threaded member 48 can be twisted such that the external threaded section 87 is screwed into the threaded hole 73, wherein the twist-stopping clamping member 47 is displaced upward until the clamping member enters into contact with the support surface 29 of the anchoring groove 17 with its two clamping sections 57.

[0077] During this process, the clamping threaded part 48 is simultaneously pressed against the support plate 49 by its front end face 86, which in turn presses itself against the bottom boundary 62, thereby pressing the sensor 2 against the bottom 27 of the anchoring groove 17 by its lower outer housing surface 44. Thus, the sensor is finally clamped and securely fixed between the two support surfaces 29 on one side and the bottom 27 of the groove on the other side.

[0078] To loosen the clamping, the clamping thread 48 is twisted in the opposite direction, so that the clamping member 47 descends from the clamping position against the support surface 29 to the loosened position that has been raised.

[0079] If the support plate 49 were not present, the clamping threaded member 48 could be directly supported at the bottom 62 of the boundary, and particularly at the bottom protrusion 68. However, since the housing body 12 is made of plastic, this could lead to undesirable material deformation. Therefore, it is advantageous to have the illustrated support plate 49, and the clamping threaded member 48 can be supported on the support plate 49 by its front end face 86, which in turn is supported at the bottom 62 of the boundary.

[0080] The support plate 49 is preferably selected in such a way that it can be at least partially inserted into the clamping member recess 66 at any height position occupied by the clamping member 47 with respect to the sensor housing 36 and thereby always prevents it from falling out laterally from the housing perforation 52.

[0081] The clamping unit receiving space 41 and the clamping unit 46 are suitably matched so that the clamping threaded member 48 can occupy the space provided by the clamping unit receiving space 41. Figure 8The obviously ineffective position is in which the external threaded section 87 of the threaded rod 83 is neither threadedly engaged with the internal thread 78 of the housing through-hole 52 nor with the internal thread 74 of the threaded hole 73 of the clamping member 47. Preferably, however, the threaded rod 83 is inserted into the optional unthreaded upper end section 76 of the threaded hole 73 in this ineffective position, thereby preventing the clamping member 47 from undesirably dislodging from the housing through-hole 52 even without threaded engagement.

[0082] The head receiving section 81 of the housing recess 53 has a larger diameter than the threaded head 82 and is suitably long enough that the threaded head 82 of the clamping threaded member 48 can be received therein along its full length. In particular, the geometric fit is such that the threaded head 82 is fully recessed and placed in the head receiving section 81 not only in the clamping position of the clamping member 47 but also in every released position.

[0083] Figures 6 to 8 The diagram illustrates some sequential assembly stages that occur during the assembly of the described sensor 2. Figure 6 Except for the final assembly of clamping unit 46, sensor 2 is completed. Figure 6 The following state is shown, in which the clamping member 47 and optional support plate 49 have been inserted into the housing through-hole 52, and the clamping threaded member 48 is still disassembled. It can be identified that the internal threaded section 77 does not yet have an internal thread 78. The clamping threaded member 48 is now pre-inserted into the housing recess 53 with the external threaded section 87, as indicated by arrow 93, until the clamping threaded member engages with the internal threaded section 77, representing a narrow position. Immediately thereafter, the clamping threaded member 48 is twisted in a screwing-in manner, as indicated by arrow 94. This results in the external threaded section 87 simultaneously engaging or cutting the internal thread 77 axially through it, as indicated by arrow 95.

[0084] Figure 8 The previously mentioned assembly stage is shown, in which the externally threaded section 87 has passed through the internally threaded section 77 and is now placed in the housing through-hole 52 between the internally threaded section 77 and the internal thread 74 of the threaded hole 73 without any thread engagement. The clamping threaded member 48 here has a certain axial clearance in a suitable manner, which is indicated by the double arrow 96. As already mentioned, the clamping member 47 will not dislodge from the housing through-hole 52 in this state because the threaded rod 83 is inserted into the unthreaded upper end section 76 of the threaded hole 73.

[0085] Preferably, the geometric relationship is chosen in such a way that the clamping thread 48 is formed by... Figure 8In the obviously inactive position, with the clamping member 47 simultaneously occupying the lower end position, the clamping threaded member 48 cannot move upward to disengage from the engagement with the unthreaded upper end section 76 of the clamping member 47, and the external threaded section 87 is not screwed back into the internal threaded section 77 of the housing recess 53. The internal threaded section 77 thus functions as a movement stop cooperating with the external threaded section 87. This ensures that the clamping threaded member 48 is not lost, and consequently, the clamping member 47 and the optional support plate 49 are also not lost. Even if the clamping threaded member 48 is unintentionally completely screwed out of the threaded hole 73 of the clamping member 47 when the sensor 2 is released, the clamping member 47 will not detach laterally from the housing recess 53.

Claims

1. A sensor having a sensor housing (36) surrounding a contactlessly operable sensor device (35), wherein a clamping unit receiving space (41) is constructed in the sensor housing, the clamping unit receiving space being limited by an integral boundary wall section (45) of the sensor housing (36) made of plastic, wherein a clamping unit (46) is arranged in the clamping unit receiving space, the clamping unit having a housing through-hole (52) penetrating the sensor housing (36) in the transverse direction (2c) of the sensor and extending to two opposing lateral housing outer surfaces (11) of the sensor housing (36), and a housing recess (53) extending in the height direction (2b) of the sensor, extending on one hand to the upper housing outer surface (43) of the sensor housing (36) at the upper side (32) of the sensor and on the other hand extending from above into the housing through-hole (52), wherein, A clamping member (47) of the clamping unit (46) movable along the sensor height direction (2b) is arranged in the housing perforation (52). The clamping member protrudes outward beyond the two lateral outer surfaces (11) of the housing by clamping sections (57). In the housing recess (53), the clamping thread (48) of the clamping unit (46) extends along the sensor height direction (2b) and the clamping thread extends into the housing perforation by a threaded rod (83). (52) The external thread (91) of the external thread section (87) of the threaded rod (83) is screwed into the internal thread (74) of the threaded hole (73) of the clamping member (47), wherein the clamping threaded member (48) is rotatable at the threaded head (82) accessible from the upper side (32) of the sensor, thereby the clamping member (47), which is non-torsional supported about the sensor housing (36), is rotatable relative to the sensor along the height direction (2b) of the sensor. The sensor housing (36) moves, characterized in that at least one length segment of the housing recess (53) of the clamping unit receiving space (41) is constructed as an internally threaded segment (77), which has an internally threaded section (78) that complements the external thread (91) of the externally threaded section (87) of the threaded rod (83), the internal thread being formed into the plastic of the boundary tab (58) of the integral boundary wall segment (45) of the sensor housing (36), the boundary tab extending beyond The housing is perforated (52) and penetrated by the housing notch (53), wherein the clamping threaded member (48) is configured as a neck threaded member, the threaded shank (83) having a threadless neck section (88) constructed between the external threaded section (87) and the threaded member head (82) that penetrates the internal threaded section (77) of the housing notch (53), the neck section being longer than the internal threaded section (77) and having an outer diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the internal threaded section (77).

2. The sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sensor is configured to be clamped in an anchoring groove (17) with a stepped cross-section on a sensor carrier (4a). The anchoring groove has a groove neck (23) opposite to the bottom (27) of the groove along the groove height direction (17b) and a wider anchoring section (25) connected to the groove neck (23) along the groove height direction (17b) by two steps (26) opposite to each other along the groove transverse direction (17c). Each step (26) defines a support surface (29) facing the bottom (27) of the groove. One of the two clamping sections (57) of the clamping member (47) can be releasably clamped to the support surface in order to clamp the sensor (2) placed in the anchoring groove (17).

3. The sensor according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The sensor is configured as a position sensor (2a), and its sensor device (35) is configured to respond to a nearby movable sensor manipulation element (6) without contact.

4. The sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that, The clamping threaded part (48) has the ability to tap into threads, wherein the internal thread (78) of the internal thread section (77) of the housing recess (53) is formed by the external thread section (87) of the clamping threaded part when the clamping threaded part (48) is screwed in for the first time.

5. The sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that, The boundary wall section (45) is part of the integral plastic housing body (12) of the sensor housing (36), which surrounds the internal space (13) in which the sensor device (35) is housed.

6. The sensor according to claim 5, characterized in that, The internal space (13) of the housing is filled with a casting (14) consisting of hardened casting material surrounding the sensor device (35).

7. The sensor according to claim 6, characterized in that, The internal space (13) of the housing has a slit-shaped opening (24) at the lower side (33) of the sensor, which is opposite to the upper side (32) of the sensor. This opening is restricted by the housing body (12) and sealed by the casting (14).

8. The sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that, The internal threaded section (77) of the housing recess (53) forms an end section of the housing recess (53) that directly transitions into the housing perforation (52), wherein the head receiving section (81) of the housing recess (53) extending to the upper outer surface (43) of the housing connects above the internal threaded section (77), the head receiving section being larger and longer in diameter than the internal threaded section (77), and the head receiving section being configured to accommodate the threaded head (82) of the clamping thread (48) in a suitable manner by fully recessing it.

9. The sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that, The clamping member (47) is able to occupy the terminal position in the housing perforation (52) of the clamping unit receiving space (41) with respect to the maximum downward position of the sensor housing (36), wherein the clamping thread (48) is able to occupy a non-operating position in which the external thread section (87) of the threaded rod (83) is arranged between the internal thread (74) of the clamping member (47) and the internal thread (78) of the internal thread section (77) of the housing recess (53) without thread engagement.

10. The sensor according to claim 9, characterized in that, The clamping threaded member (48) is inserted axially into the unthreaded upper end section (76) of the threaded hole (73) of the clamping member (47) facing the boundary piece (58) in its non-operating position.

11. The sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that, The clamping member (47) has a stop recess (71) on its underside away from the clamping thread (48), and a stop protrusion (72) of the integral boundary wall section (45) is inserted into the stop recess along the sensor height direction (2b) to prevent the clamping member (47) from falling laterally out of the housing perforation (52).

12. The sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that, The clamping member (47) has a U-shaped cross-section, wherein the clamping member has two clamping member legs (63) connected to each other by a connecting piece (64) having the threaded hole (73), the clamping member legs respectively forming a clamping section (57) at the end side, and wherein the clamping member (47) is positioned in the housing through hole (52) such that the recess opening (67) of the groove-shaped clamping member recess (66) defined by the two clamping member legs (63) and the connecting piece (64) faces away from the boundary piece (58) and points downward along the sensor height direction (2b).

13. The sensor according to claim 12, characterized in that, The clamping member (47) has a stop recess (71) on its lower side away from the clamping thread (48), and a stop protrusion (72) of the integral boundary wall section (45) is inserted into the stop recess along the sensor height direction (2b) to prevent the clamping member (47) from falling laterally out of the housing perforation (52), wherein the stop recess (71) is formed by the clamping member recess (66).

14. The sensor according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that, The clamping member (47) penetrates the threaded hole (73) completely along the height direction (2b) of the sensor.

15. The sensor according to claim 14, characterized in that, A metal support plate (49) is arranged between the bottom (62) of the boundary wall section (45) of the clamping member (47) and the sensor housing (36), which restricts the housing perforation (52) at the lower side opposite to the boundary tab (58), and the clamping threaded member (48) can be supported on the support plate by the front end face (86) of the threaded rod (83) which is opposite to the head (82) of the threaded member.

16. The sensor according to claim 15, characterized in that, The support plate (49) is at least partially inserted into the recess (66) of the clamping member in any height position that the clamping member (47) may occupy with respect to the sensor housing (36), thereby preventing it from falling laterally out of the housing perforation (52).

17. A working device having a working tool (3) comprising a tool assembly (4) functioning as a sensor carrier (4a), the tool assembly having at least one anchoring groove (17) in which at least one sensor (2) is clamped and fixed, characterized in that, The sensor (2) is constructed according to any one of claims 1 to 16.

18. The working device according to claim 17, characterized in that, The working device (3) has another device assembly (5) equipped with a sensor manipulation element (6) configured for non-contact manipulation of the sensor (2), wherein the two device assemblies (4, 5) and therefore the sensor manipulation element (6) and the sensor (2) are capable of moving relative to each other.

19. The working device according to claim 17 or 18, characterized in that, The working tool (3) is a fluid-manipulated drive device.

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