Plug-sensor assembly

Abstract

The invention relates to a plug-sensor assembly (1) for a tank valve (2) or a tank end plug of a gas tank, comprising: a plug (3) having a plug part (4) and a mounting plate (5) for mounting the plug-sensor assembly (1); the invention relates to a sensor (6), in particular a temperature sensor, comprising a sensor element (7) which is connected to a plug part (4) by means of a conductor rail (8) received in sections in a mounting plate (5), the conductor rail (8) extending within the mounting plate (5) parallel to the plate surface and outside the mounting plate (5) at an angle, in particular at a right angle, with respect to the plate surface of the mounting plate (5). The invention further relates to a housing (12) for a tank valve (2) or a tank end plug, and to a tank valve (2) and a tank end plug having a housing (12) according to the invention.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a plug-sensor assembly for a tank valve or a tank end plug of a gas storage tank. The present invention also relates to a housing for the tank valve or the tank end plug, the housing carrying the plug-sensor assembly according to the present invention, and to a tank valve and a tank end plug for a gas storage tank.

[0002] The gas tank can be a hydrogen tank or a natural gas tank. A preferred field of application of the present invention is mobile gas tanks for fuel cell vehicles and / or gas vehicles. Background Art

[0003] Tank valves for removing gas from and filling gas tanks are known. These tank valves integrate at least one controllable shut-off valve. This control is typically achieved via a magnet assembly connected to the tank valve. Furthermore, other valves and / or sensors, such as a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature within the gas tank, may also be integrated into the tank valve.

[0004] In order to integrate a sensor (especially a temperature sensor) into a tank valve, a hole is usually provided in the tank connecting pipe joint for receiving the sensor or sensing element and its electrical connector. Contacting the electrical connector is usually achieved by a plug assembly, which is received in another hole that extends at an angle (especially at a right angle) to the hole of the sensor and is connected to the hole of the sensor via an intersection area. In order to establish the contact, the electrical connector of the sensor must extend through the intersection area into the other hole so that the electrical connector can be connected to the plug assembly outside the housing. The plug assembly is then inserted into the hole and the electrical connector of the sensor is pushed back, which again has to pass through the intersection area. Since the intersection area of ​​the hole is difficult to round off, there is a risk of damage to the electrical connector of the sensor, which in turn can lead to malfunction of the sensor. In addition, since the electrical contact usually needs to be performed manually, it is time-consuming and costly. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present invention addresses the object of simplifying the integration of sensors, in particular temperature sensors, into tank valves or tank end plugs of gas tanks in order to save time and costs. Furthermore, process safety should be increased.

[0006] To achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a plug-sensor assembly having the features of claim 1 and a housing having the features of claim 4. Advantageous developments of the invention can be derived from the corresponding dependent claims. Furthermore, a tank valve and a tank end plug are provided.

[0007] A plug-sensor assembly for a tank valve or a tank end plug of a gas storage tank is proposed, comprising:

[0008] a plug having a plug part and a mounting plate for mounting the plug-sensor assembly;

[0009] - A sensor, in particular a temperature sensor, comprising a sensor element, which is connected to the plug part via a conductor track received in sections in the mounting plate, wherein the conductor track extends parallel to the plate surface within the mounting plate and extends at an angle (in particular a right angle) relative to the plate surface outside the mounting plate.

[0010] The proposed plug-sensor assembly forms a preassembled unit that can be easily integrated into a tank valve or tank end plug. Because the sensor is already connected to the plug part of the plug via conductor rails, complex electrical contacting of the sensor is unnecessary after installation. This saves time and costs. Furthermore, automated assembly is possible, making it suitable for large-scale production, for example.

[0011] When assembling the plug-sensor assembly, there is no need to guide the electrical connector through the hole intersection or deflect it, thereby minimizing the risk of damage to the electrical connector and correspondingly improving process safety during assembly.

[0012] When assembling the plug-sensor assembly, the sensor, including the exposed conductor rails, is preferably inserted into the housing opening of the tank valve or tank end plug until the mounting plate of the plug abuts against the housing. The mounting plate can then be fixed to the housing.

[0013] In one embodiment of the present invention, the mounting plate is provided with a flange that surrounds a conductor rail extending at an angle (particularly a right angle) to the plate surface of the mounting plate in the region where the conductor rail enters the mounting plate. The flange of the mounting plate supports the conductor rail so that no bending moments act on the conductor rail when inserted into the housing opening. Furthermore, the flange electrically insulates the conductor rail.

[0014] The flange of the preferred mounting plate is surrounded by a sealing element. When the plug-sensor assembly is assembled, this sealing element abuts against the housing of the tank valve or tank end plug, thereby sealing the housing hole outwardly.

[0015] It is further proposed that sections of the conductor rail located outside the mounting plate are electrically insulated from one another by at least one insulating member. The at least one insulating member maintains the conductor rails at intervals. Preferably, a plurality of insulating members are arranged spaced apart in the axial direction for electrically insulating the conductor rails. It is further proposed that at least one insulating member separates the conductor rails and surrounds them in sections. In this way, even after the conductor rails have been inserted into the housing opening, they can still be electrically insulated from the housing by the at least one insulating member.

[0016] Furthermore, a housing for a tank valve or tank end plug is provided, which includes a plug-sensor assembly according to the present invention. Here, a conductor track is received in sections in a through-hole in the housing, a mounting plate rests against the housing at one end of the through-hole, and a sensor protrudes from the housing at the other end of the through-hole. The tank valve or tank end plug can be connected to a gas tank in such a way that the sensor of the plug-sensor assembly protrudes into the gas tank, while the plug of the plug-sensor assembly is located outside the gas tank so that its plug components are accessible from the outside.

[0017] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the sensor's sensing element is surrounded by a sleeve. This sleeve protects the sensing element. Since the sensor can particularly be a temperature sensor, it is also proposed that the sleeve be filled with thermally conductive paste. This thermally conductive paste fills the space between the sensing element and the sleeve, thereby improving heat transfer.

[0018] Furthermore, it is proposed that the through-hole be formed with a shoulder at at least one end, against which a sealing element connected to the mounting plate and / or a sealing element connected to the sleeve rests. At least one shoulder forms a sealing surface that interacts with the corresponding sealing element, thereby sealing the through-hole toward the gas tank and / or toward the outside. Preferably, shoulders are provided at each end of the through-hole, against which sealing elements (e.g., O-rings) rest.

[0019] The mounting plate is preferably embedded flush in the housing. That is, a recess for receiving the mounting plate is formed in the housing. The orientation of the mounting plate can be predetermined by the recess, thereby further simplifying the assembly of the plug-sensor assembly.

[0020] Alternatively or additionally, it is proposed that the mounting plate is fastened to the housing, for example by plugging, snapping, snapping and / or screwing. The screw connection can be easily achieved by means of one or more screws that are screwed through the mounting plate into corresponding threaded holes in the housing.

[0021] The housing preferably has a contact surface for the plug component of the plug, which is arranged at an angle (particularly a right angle) to the surface of the housing against which the mounting plate rests. This allows the plug component to be oriented at an angle (particularly a right angle) to the longitudinal axis of the sensor, thereby maintaining a normal orientation of the plug component relative to the sensor. It is particularly advantageous to integrate the plug-sensor assembly into the housing of a tank valve that contains a magnet assembly for actuating the shutoff valve, as the position of the magnet assembly is typically predetermined and also requires electrical contact. Electrical contacting of the magnet assembly can be achieved using another plug component on the plug of the plug-sensor assembly.

[0022] Since tank valves are a preferred application area, a tank valve for gas tanks is also proposed, which has a housing according to the present invention. This tank valve is characterized by the integration of a plug-sensor assembly according to the present invention within the housing. The plug-sensor assembly can be easily and quickly installed in the housing, and this process can be automated. Since installation only requires a single installation direction, which aligns with the longitudinal axis of the sensor, the risk of damage to the electrical connector during installation is minimized.

[0023] Tank plugs are another area of ​​application. Therefore, a tank plug for a gas tank is also proposed, which includes a housing according to the invention. In this case, there is no magnet assembly that requires electrical contact, so the plug only needs to have a plug part. Furthermore, two-pole plugs can also be used. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] The preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0025] Figure 1 Side view of a plug-sensor assembly according to the invention for a tank valve,

[0026] Figure 2 In the area of ​​the sensor of the plug-sensor assembly Figure 1 The enlarged part,

[0027] Figure 3 A longitudinal section of the tank valve housing, and

[0028] Figure 4 With installed plug-sensor assembly Figure 3 Longitudinal section of the shell. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] from Figure 1 A preferred embodiment of the plug-sensor assembly 1 according to the invention can be seen, which can be easily integrated into the housing 12 of a tank valve 2 or a tank end plug of a gas tank.

[0030] The plug-sensor assembly 1 shown has a plug 3 and a sensor 6. The plug 3 comprises a first plug part 4.1 and a second plug part 4.2, which are oriented at a 90° angle to each other. The plug part 4.1 is connected to the sensor 6, and the plug part 4.2 forms an interface for connecting a magnet assembly (not shown). The plug 3 also comprises a mounting plate 5, which extends from the plug parts 4.1, 4.2 and receives a conductor rail 8 connected to the plug part 4.1. The conductor rail extends from the mounting plate 5 on one side of the mounting plate 5, in the area of ​​the flange 9, and is connected at its free end to the sensor element 7 of the sensor 6 via a cable 22 (see Figure 2Insulating members 11 are spaced apart from one another in the axial direction and separate and surround conductor tracks 8. The insulating members electrically insulate conductor tracks 8 from one another and, after sensor 6 is inserted into housing 12, also electrically insulate conductor tracks 8 from housing 12. Sensor element 7, cable 22, and conductor tracks 8 are all oriented in a longitudinal direction that is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of sensor element 7 and perpendicular to the surface of mounting plate 5.

[0031] from Figure 3 It can be seen that the housing 12 Figure 1 The plug-sensor assembly 1 shown in FIG can be integrated into the housing. The housing 12 has a through-hole 13, into which the sensor 6 can be inserted from the right side of the housing 12 in the figure. The other end of the through-hole 13 can be closed by a sleeve 14, which is axially supported at the shoulder 17 of the through-hole 13 by an annular sealing element 18, thereby sealing the through-hole 13. If the sensor 6 is now introduced into the through-hole 13 from the right, until the mounting plate 5 of the plug-sensor assembly 1 is in contact with the surface 20 of the housing 12 and the flange 9 fits into the through-hole 13, the sensor element 7 sinks into the sleeve 14. Since the sensor 6 can be a temperature sensor in particular, the sleeve 14 can be filled with thermal paste 15 in advance so that the sensor element 7 is surrounded by the thermal paste 15 in the sleeve 14.

[0032] The through hole 13 has another shoulder 16 at one end facing away from the sensor element 7, on which the annular sealing element 10 surrounding the flange 9 of the mounting plate 5 is axially supported. Thus, the through hole 13 is sealed and closed at both ends.

[0033] The surface 20 for the mounting plate 5 to rest against is recessed inward relative to the outside of the housing 12 so that the mounting plate 5 can be mounted flush in the housing 12. Figure 4 ) The mounting plate 5 and the entire plug-sensor assembly 1 can be fixed to the housing 12. A threaded hole 23 is formed in the housing 12 to receive the screw 21.

[0034] Especially from Figure 4 It can be seen (the figure shows the sensor assembly 1 with the plug Figure 3 During assembly, the plug parts 4.1, 4.2 of the plug 3 come into contact with the contact surface 19 of the housing 12, which is currently oriented at right angles to the surface 20 or the surface of the mounting plate 5. This maintains the conventional relative orientation of the plug part 4.1 and the sensor element 7, and during assembly, the electrical connections of the sensor element 7 do not have to be guided through the hole intersection.

Claims

1. A plug-sensor assembly (1) for a tank valve (2) or a tank end plug of a gas storage tank, comprising: - a plug (3) having a plug part (4) and a mounting plate (5) for mounting the plug-sensor assembly (1); a sensor (6), in particular a temperature sensor, comprising a sensor element (7) which is connected to the plug part (4) via a conductor track (8) received in sections in the mounting plate (5), wherein: The conductor tracks (8) extend inside the mounting plate (5) parallel to the plate surface and outside the mounting plate (5) at an angle, in particular a right angle, to the plate surface of the mounting plate (5).

2. The plug-sensor assembly according to claim 1, wherein: The mounting plate (5) is configured with a flange (9) which surrounds the conductor rail (8) extending at an angle, in particular at a right angle, to the plate surface of the mounting plate (5) in the region where the conductor rail (8) enters the mounting plate (5), wherein the flange (9) is preferably surrounded by a sealing element (10).

3. The plug-sensor assembly (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that Sections of the conductor rails (8) located outside the mounting plate (5) are electrically insulated from one another by at least one insulating element (11), wherein the insulating element (11) preferably separates the conductor rails (8) and surrounds them in sections.

4. A housing (12) for a tank valve or a tank end plug, said housing having a plug-sensor assembly (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: The conductor track (8) is received in sections in a through-hole (13) of the housing (12), the mounting plate (5) rests on the housing (12) at one end of the through-hole, and the sensor (6) protrudes from the housing (12) at the other end of the through-hole.

5. The housing (12) according to claim 4, characterized in that The sensor element (7) of the sensor (6) is surrounded by a sleeve (14), which is preferably filled with a thermally conductive paste (15).

6. The housing (12) according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that The through-hole (13) is formed with a shoulder (16, 17) at at least one end, and a sealing element (10) connected to the mounting plate (5) and / or a sealing element (18) connected to the sleeve (14) rests on the shoulder.

7. The housing (12) according to any one of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that The assembly plate (5) is flushly embedded in the housing (12) and / or fastened to the housing (12), for example, by plugging, snapping, buckling and / or screwing.

8. The housing (12) according to any one of claims 4 to 7, characterized in that The housing (12) has a contact surface (19) for a plug part (4) of a plug (3), which is arranged at an angle, in particular a right angle, to a surface (20) of the housing (12) against which the mounting plate (5) rests.

9. A tank valve (2) for a gas tank, comprising a housing (12) according to any one of claims 4 to 8.

10. A tank end plug for a gas storage tank, comprising a housing (12) according to any one of claims 4 to 8.

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