An NTC temperature sensor for automotive LED lighting

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of temperature sensor technology and discloses an NTC temperature sensor for automotive LED lighting assemblies. The sensor includes an LED light panel with a heat sink mounted on its outer side. A temperature sensor assembly is mounted on the heat sink via a mounting slot on its outer side. The temperature sensor assembly includes a connector connected to the LED lighting assembly control unit, and a temperature probe body coaxially and fixedly connected to the outer side of the connector, fitting against the inner wall of the mounting slot. This NTC temperature sensor for automotive LED lighting assemblies effectively solves the problem in existing technologies where, with clips or screws used for clamping, continuous wide-frequency vibrations during vehicle operation and intense thermal cycling within the headlight can easily lead to loosening of the mechanical connection structure. Once a gap forms between the sensor and the heat sink, the contact thermal resistance increases sharply, resulting in delayed temperature measurement and lower-than-expected readings.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of temperature sensor technology, and more specifically to an NTC temperature sensor for automotive LED lighting systems. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of the automotive industry, LED light assemblies have been widely used in automotive lighting due to their advantages such as low energy consumption, high luminous efficiency, and long lifespan. As the core light-emitting component of automotive LED light assemblies, the LED light panel continuously generates a large amount of heat during operation. To solve the heat dissipation problem of the LED light panel, a heat sink is usually installed on the outside of the LED light panel to achieve rapid heat dissipation and ensure the normal operation of the LED light panel. At the same time, to monitor the operating temperature of the LED light panel in real time and prevent damage to the light assembly due to overheating, a temperature sensor needs to be installed on the LED light assembly.

[0003] Currently, NTC (Negative Temperature Coefficient) thermistors used in the industry to monitor the temperature of LED light clusters are mainly installed in two ways: one is integrated installation, where the surface-mount sensor is directly soldered onto the aluminum substrate supporting the LED; the other is separate installation, where the sensor is fixed to the heat sink that is thermally connected to the LED light panel via a mechanical structure. For methods using clips or screws for tightening, the continuous wide-frequency vibrations generated during vehicle operation and the intense hot and cold cycles inside the headlight can easily lead to loosening of the mechanical connection structure (such as clip fatigue fracture or screw preload decay). Once a gap appears between the sensor and the heat sink, the contact thermal resistance will increase sharply, resulting in temperature measurement lag and lower readings. In severe cases, the sensor may even completely detach from thermal contact, only able to measure ambient temperature, thus causing the LED thermal protection function to fail and creating a safety hazard. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the aforementioned shortcomings of existing technologies, this invention provides an NTC temperature sensor for automotive LED lighting systems. This sensor effectively solves the problems in existing technologies where the use of clips or screws for clamping can lead to loosening of the mechanical connection structure due to continuous wide-frequency vibrations during vehicle operation and intense thermal cycling inside the headlight. Once a gap forms between the sensor and the radiator, the contact thermal resistance increases dramatically, resulting in delayed temperature measurement and lower readings.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: This invention provides an NTC temperature sensor for automotive LED lighting, comprising: LED light panel, the outer side of which is equipped with a heat sink, and the heat sink is equipped with a temperature sensor assembly through a mounting slot provided on its outer side; The temperature sensor assembly includes a connector that connects to the LED lamp control unit, and a temperature probe body that fits against the inner wall of the mounting groove is coaxially fixed to the outside of the connector. The heat sink has a guide groove on its outside, and there are two guide grooves that are centrally symmetrically distributed along the center plane of the mounting groove. The connector is equipped with a bracket on its outer side, and a connector for quickly locking the bracket is installed inside the bracket. The outer circumferential surface of the connector is equipped with an inner seal that seals against the inner wall of the mounting groove.

[0006] Furthermore, the guide groove is fixedly connected to a protrusion, which is arc-shaped, and the radiator is provided with a locking groove that communicates with the guide groove.

[0007] Furthermore, the connector includes a locking block that fits against the inner wall of the locking groove, and the top of the locking block has a movable hole, and an elastic frame is fixedly connected to the side of the locking block near the locking groove.

[0008] Furthermore, a pin is fixedly connected inside the bracket, which fits against the inner wall of the movable hole, and a slot is opened inside the pin. A guide rod that passes through the movable hole is fixedly connected inside the locking block, and one end of the guide rod is connected to the elastic frame. The central axis of the guide rod coincides with the central axis of the slot. The guide rod is connected to the inner wall of the slot through a return spring set on its outer side.

[0009] Furthermore, the inner sealing component includes an annular groove formed on the outer circumference of the connector, and an annular block is slidably connected in the annular groove. The annular groove and the annular block are respectively provided with conical surfaces on the side near the temperature sensing probe body, and a sealing ring is fitted on the conical surface of the annular groove.

[0010] Furthermore, the annular block is connected to the inner wall of the annular groove by a compression spring disposed on its top, and the compression spring is provided in a plurality of them and distributed in a circumferential array along the central axis of the annular block.

[0011] Furthermore, the top of the radiator is provided with a movable slot, and there are two movable slots that are centrally symmetrically distributed along the center plane of the mounting slot. The radiator is also provided with a through hole, which is used to connect the mounting slot and the movable slot.

[0012] Furthermore, the movable slot is slidably connected to a movable block via an elastic element disposed inside it, and the outer side of the movable block is designed with a slope, the top of the movable block is designed with an arc surface, and the through hole is slidably connected to an inner support block via an elastic element disposed inside it, and the inner support block is designed with an arc surface on the side near the movable block.

[0013] Furthermore, the outer side of the bracket is provided with an inclined surface that fits into the arc surface of the movable block.

[0014] The technical solution provided by this invention has the following advantages compared with the prior art: This invention includes connectors and an inner sealing component. After the temperature sensor assembly is placed into the mounting groove, turning the bracket causes the locking block to slide along the guide groove and engage with the locking groove of the radiator. The plane of the locking block aligns with the plane of the locking groove, achieving circumferential positioning and axial fixation of the bracket and the radiator. Furthermore, the two sets of connectors are symmetrically distributed along the center plane of the mounting groove, forming a uniform double locking force. This effectively resists continuous wide-frequency vibrations during vehicle operation and the tendency for structural loosening caused by intense thermal cycling inside the headlight. The two guide grooves on the radiator are symmetrically distributed along the center plane of the mounting groove. During assembly, simply aligning the connectors of the temperature sensor assembly with the guide grooves one-to-one guides the assembly to be precisely placed into the preset mounting position. Subsequently, simply rotating the bracket in the preset direction is sufficient to lock the locking block, greatly simplifying the assembly process and improving assembly efficiency. At the same time, the rotation of the bracket drives the inner support block to compress the annular block. The conical surface of the annular block matches the conical surface of the annular groove, generating continuous and uniform compression on the fitted sealing ring. This causes the sealing ring to elastically deform and completely fill all gaps between the connector and the inner wall of the mounting groove. The fully compressed sealing ring forms a continuous sealing barrier between the connector and the inner wall of the mounting groove, completely blocking the passage of external dust and moisture into the mounting groove. This prevents dust and moisture from adhering to the surface of the temperature probe body or entering the sensor assembly, thus preventing the temperature sensing effect from being affected. Attached Figure Description

[0015] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are merely some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without any creative effort.

[0016] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional separation structure according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional discrete structure of the temperature sensor assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional view of the guide groove according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a three-dimensional separation structure diagram of the connector according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the locking block according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 7This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the bracket according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional separation structure of the inner seal in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 9 This is a cross-sectional view of the movable groove and through hole in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 10 This is an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 9 A magnified structural diagram of part A in the middle.

[0017] The labels in the diagram represent: 1. LED light panel; 2. Heat sink; 21. Mounting slot; 22. Guide slot; 23. Protrusion; 24. Locking slot; 25. Movable slot; 26. Through hole; 27. Movable block; 28. Inner support block; 3. Temperature sensor assembly; 31. Connector; 32. Temperature probe body; 33. Bracket; 34. Connector; 341. Locking block; 342. Movable hole; 343. Elastic frame; 344. Pin; 345. Slot; 346. Guide rod; 347. Return spring; 35. Inner seal; 351. Annular groove; 352. Annular block; 353. Sealing ring; 354. Compression spring. Detailed Implementation

[0018] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of the present invention. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0019] The present invention will be further described below with reference to embodiments.

[0020] Example: Please see Figures 1-10 This invention provides a technical solution: an NTC temperature sensor for automotive LED lighting, comprising: LED light board 1, with a heat sink 2 mounted on the outside of the LED light board 1, and a temperature sensor assembly 3 mounted on the heat sink 2 via a mounting groove 21 on its outside. The temperature sensor assembly 3 includes a connector 31 connected to the LED lamp control unit, and a temperature probe body 32 coaxially fixed to the outside of the connector 31 and in contact with the inner wall of the mounting groove 21. A guide groove 22 is provided on the outside of the heat sink 2, and there are two guide grooves 22 that are centrally symmetrically distributed along the central surface of the mounting groove 21. The temperature probe body 32 is coaxially fixed to the outside of the connector 31 and directly in contact with the inner wall of the mounting groove 21. The heat on the heat sink 2 can be directly conducted to the temperature probe body 32 through the inner wall of the mounting groove 21, which greatly shortens the heat conduction path and reduces the heat loss during the heat conduction process, so that the sensor can capture the temperature change of the LED lamp board 1 through the heat sink 2 in real time. The connector 31 is equipped with a bracket 33 on its outer side, and the bracket 33 is equipped with a connector 34 for quick locking of the bracket 33. The outer circumferential surface of the connector 31 is equipped with an inner sealing member 35 that seals against the inner wall of the mounting groove 21.

[0021] The guide groove 22 has a fixed connection to a protrusion 23, which is arc-shaped. The heat sink 2 has a locking groove 24 that communicates with the guide groove 22.

[0022] The connector 34 includes a locking block 341 that fits against the inner wall of the locking groove 24, and the top of the locking block 341 is provided with a movable hole 342. An elastic frame 343 is fixedly connected to the side of the locking block 341 near the locking groove 24.

[0023] A pin 344 is fixedly connected inside the bracket 33 and fits against the inner wall of the movable hole 342. The pin 344 has a slot 345 inside. A guide rod 346 that passes through the movable hole 342 is fixedly connected inside the locking block 341. One end of the guide rod 346 is connected to the elastic frame 343. The central axis of the guide rod 346 coincides with the central axis of the slot 345. The guide rod 346 is connected to the inner wall of the slot 345 through a return spring 347 set on its outer side.

[0024] The inner sealing component 35 includes an annular groove 351 formed on the outer circumference of the connector 31, and an annular block 352 is slidably connected in the annular groove 351. The annular groove 351 and the annular block 352 are respectively provided with a conical surface on the side near the temperature probe body 32. A sealing ring 353 is fitted on the conical surface of the annular groove 351. The sealing ring 353 needs to meet the requirements of high temperature resistance to avoid excessive temperature inside the lamp assembly, which would damage the sealing ring 353 and affect its sealing performance. It can be any type of fluororubber, nitrile rubber, etc.

[0025] The annular block 352 is connected to the inner wall of the annular groove 351 by a compression spring 354 set on its top. Multiple compression springs 354 are provided and distributed in a circumferential array along the central axis of the annular block 352.

[0026] The top of the radiator 2 is provided with a movable slot 25, and there are two movable slots 25 which are centrally symmetrically distributed along the center plane of the mounting slot 21. The radiator 2 is also provided with a through hole 26, which is used to connect the mounting slot 21 and the movable slot 25. The through hole 26 and the mounting slot 21 are interconnected and are vertically distributed.

[0027] The movable groove 25 is slidably connected to the movable block 27 via an elastic element disposed inside it. The outer side of the movable block 27 is designed with a bevel, and the top of the movable block 27 is designed with an arc. The through hole 26 is slidably connected to the inner support block 28 via an elastic element disposed inside it. The inner support block 28 is designed with an arc on the side near the movable block 27. The inner support block 28 is designed with a decreasing thickness on the side near the annular block 352. The thickness of the inner support block 28 is the smallest on the side near the annular block 352, which makes it easy for the inner support block 28 to be smoothly inserted into the gap between the annular block 352 and the inner wall of the annular groove 351. The inner support block 28 is gradually fed as the bracket 33 rotates, and the squeezing force on the annular block 352 increases slowly, so that the squeezing force on the sealing ring 353 is uniform and gradual.

[0028] The outer side of the bracket 33 has an inclined surface that fits into the arc surface of the movable block 27.

[0029] The working principle and advantages of the NTC temperature sensor used in this automotive LED light assembly: Currently, NTC thermistors used for temperature monitoring of LED lamp groups in the industry are mainly divided into two types of installation: integrated and discrete. Integrated installation involves directly welding the surface-mount sensor to the aluminum substrate that carries the LED, while discrete installation involves fixing the sensor to the heat sink 2 that forms a thermal connection with the LED lamp board 1 through a mechanical structure.

[0030] Among them, the separate installation usually uses clips or screws to fix it. Under the continuous wide-frequency vibration generated by vehicle driving and the severe hot and cold cycle inside the headlight, the mechanical connection structure is prone to loosening, which is manifested as fatigue fracture of the clips and attenuation of screw preload. Once a gap is generated between the sensor and the radiator 2, the contact thermal resistance between the two will increase sharply, resulting in problems such as temperature measurement lag and low value.

[0031] In this invention, when the operator assembles the device, the temperature sensor assembly 3 is first placed into the preset assembly position along the mounting groove 21 of the radiator 2, so that the connector 34 mounted on the bracket 33 corresponds to and engages with the guide groove 22 of the radiator 2. In this initial assembly state, the movable hole 342 of the locking block 341 in the connector 34 and the pin 344 on the bracket 33 are in clearance fit. The return spring 347 sleeved on the outer circumferential surface of the guide rod 346 releases the initial elastic force, so that the inner wall of one side of the movable hole 342 is in contact with the outer circumferential surface of the pin 344, and the outer circumferential surface of the locking block 341 is in close contact with the inner wall of the guide groove 22. The gap reserved between the inner wall of the guide groove 22 and the outer wall of the locking block 341 can effectively prevent the locking block 341 from generating continuous hard friction with the guide groove 22 during the sliding process of the guide groove 22, reduce the wear and tear of the parts, maintain the surface accuracy of both, and extend the overall service life of the locking block 341.

[0032] After the temperature sensor assembly 3 is placed in place, the bracket 33 is screwed in the preset rotation direction. The bracket 33 rotates around its own central axis and simultaneously drives the locking block 341 to slide circumferentially along the guide groove 22. When the locking block 341 slides to the matching position of the arc protrusion 23, the continued screwing of the bracket 33 will gradually increase the contact and compression between the locking block 341 and the arc protrusion 23. The arc protrusion 23 applies radial compression force to the locking block 341. At this time, the inner wall of the guide groove 22 forms a limiting interference on the circumferential sliding of the locking block 341, thereby forcing the elastic frame 343 connected to the locking block 341 to undergo elastic deformation, while the inner wall of the movable hole 342 and the pin 344 still maintain the original fit.

[0033] When the locking block 341 is screwed to the mating position opposite the locking groove 24 along with the bracket 33, the circumferential limiting interference of the inner wall of the guide groove 22 on the locking block 341 is released. The radial extrusion force applied by the arc-shaped protrusion 23 directly drives the locking block 341 to slide axially along the central axis of the guide rod 346 until the locking block 341 is completely inserted into the locking groove 24. After the locking block 341 is inserted into the locking groove 24, the elastic frame 343 elastically rebounds to return to its initial shape, and the return spring 347 connected to the guide rod 346 undergoes elastic deformation under axial tension. The return spring 347 is an axially tensile elastic structure, with its two ends fixed to the inner wall of the slot 345 and the outer circumferential surface of the guide rod 346, which is beneficial for the subsequent reset of the locking block 341.

[0034] After the locking block 341 is inserted into the locking groove 24, the plane position of the elastic bracket 343 and the plane position in the locking groove 24 fit together, realizing the circumferential and axial double locking and positioning between the bracket 33 and the heat sink 2. The two sets of connecting parts 34, which are centrally symmetrically distributed along the center plane of the mounting groove 21, synchronously form a uniformly distributed locking force, making the assembly and positioning of the temperature sensor assembly 3 and the heat sink 2 more stable, and effectively resisting the tendency of structural loosening caused by vibration and thermal cycling.

[0035] After the temperature sensor assembly 3 is placed into the mounting slot 21, the bracket 33 is turned to drive the locking block 341 to slide along the guide slot 22 and snap into the locking slot 24 of the radiator 2. The plane of the locking block 341 fits against the plane of the locking slot 24, realizing the circumferential limitation and axial fixation of the bracket 33 and the radiator 2. The two sets of connecting parts 34 are symmetrically distributed along the center plane of the mounting slot 21, forming a uniform double locking force, which can effectively resist the continuous wide-frequency vibration of the vehicle and the tendency of the structure to loosen due to the severe hot and cold cycles inside the headlight. The two guide slots 22 on the radiator 2 are symmetrically distributed along the center plane of the mounting slot 21. During assembly, it is only necessary to match the connecting parts 34 of the temperature sensor assembly 3 with the guide slots 22 one by one to guide the assembly to be accurately placed into the preset assembly position. Afterwards, it is only necessary to turn the bracket 33 along the preset direction to complete the snap-locking of the locking block 341. No screws, wrenches or other tools are needed throughout the process, which greatly simplifies the assembly process and improves the assembly efficiency.

[0036] Meanwhile, in the initial stage of the rotation of the bracket 33, the inner support block 28 and the movable block 27 in the through hole 26 maintain their initial positions under the elastic force of their own matching elastic elements, preferably springs. At this time, the end of the inner support block 28 near the temperature probe body 32 is not in contact with the annular block 352 on the connector 31. The top of the movable block 27 extends out of the movable groove 25, and the compression spring 354 between the annular block 352 and the annular groove 351 is not subjected to any external force. The conical surface of the annular block 352 and the conical surface of the annular groove 351 maintain the maximum distance, and the sealing ring 353 fitted on the conical surface of the annular groove 351 is in a natural, undeformed state. As the bracket 33 continues to rotate, the inclined surface on the outer side of the bracket 33 comes into contact with the arc surface on the top of the movable block 27 and generates contact compressive stress, forcing the movable block 27 to slide along the movable groove 25. Because the inclined surface of the movable block 27 and the arc surface of the inner support block 28 are in a close fit, the sliding force of the movable block 27 will be synchronously transmitted to the inner support block 28, driving the inner support block 28 to slide along the through hole 26 towards the annular block 352.

[0037] As the inner support block 28 gradually extends into the gap between the annular block 352 and the inner wall of the annular groove 351, it exerts a stable axial compressive force on the annular block 352 as the inner support block 28 continues to feed, forcing the annular block 352 to slide coaxially along the central axis of the annular groove 351. During this process, the conical surface of the annular block 352 will exert a continuous and uniform compressive force on the sealing ring 353, forcing the sealing ring 353 to undergo elastic deformation. At the same time, the sliding of the annular block 352 will stretch the compression spring 354 between it and the inner wall of the annular groove 351.

[0038] When the inner support block 28 slides to its limit position, the sealing ring 353 is fully compressed and undergoes elastic deformation, completely filling all gaps between the connector 31 and the inner wall of the mounting groove 21. This achieves a sealed fit between the connector 31 and the mounting groove 21, completely eliminating the gap between them. This prevents external dust and moisture from entering the mounting groove 21 and affecting the temperature sensing effect of the sensor. It also ensures close thermal contact between the temperature probe body 32 and the heat sink 2, ensuring the accuracy and real-time performance of temperature monitoring.

[0039] The bracket 33 rotates to drive the inner support block 28 to compress the annular block 352. The conical surface of the annular block 352 matches the conical surface of the annular groove 351, continuously and uniformly compressing the sleeved sealing ring 353. This causes the sealing ring 353 to undergo elastic deformation and completely fill all gaps between the connector 31 and the inner wall of the mounting groove 21. The fully compressed sealing ring 353 forms a continuous sealing barrier between the connector 31 and the inner wall of the mounting groove 21, completely blocking the passage of external dust and moisture into the mounting groove 21. This prevents dust and moisture from adhering to the surface of the temperature probe body 32 or entering the sensor assembly, thus preventing the temperature sensing effect from being affected. At the same time, it protects the connector 31, temperature probe, and other precision components from corrosion, improving the sensor's adaptability in the complex automotive environment.

[0040] After the sealing ring 353 of the inner seal 35 is progressively compressed by the conical surface of the annular block 352, it will undergo uniform elastic radial expansion, completely filling all the gaps between the connector 31 and the mounting groove 21 of the heat sink 2, forming a bidirectional elastic compression: on the one hand, it is pressed tightly against the conical surface of the annular groove 351 of the connector 31, and on the other hand, it is tightly pressed against the metal inner wall of the mounting groove 21 of the heat sink 2. The compression force brought about by this elastic deformation will form a continuous and uniform normal pressure in the circumferential direction between the sealing ring 353 and the inner wall of the mounting groove 21. Compared with the state of "gap fit without compression force" in the traditional structure, this normal pressure is greatly improved; and the continuous feeding of the inner support block 28 keeps the sealing ring 353 in an interference compression state, and the normal pressure can continue to act stably, providing the core force source basis for static friction.

[0041] The sealing ring 353 is preferably made of elastic rubber such as silicone rubber or fluororubber. The coefficient of friction between this type of material and the metal inner wall of the heat sink 2 (the heat sink 2 of the LED lamp group is mostly aluminum alloy), the hard plastic of the connector 31, and the metal surface is much greater than the coefficient of friction between metals or between hard plastics and metals in direct contact. With the normal pressure greatly increased, the increase in the coefficient of friction will further amplify the maximum value of static friction, thus increasing the frictional resistance between the temperature sensor assembly 3 and the mounting groove 21 by a factor of two.

[0042] The vibrations from vehicle movement can cause the temperature sensor assembly 3 to slip circumferentially and move axially relative to the mounting groove 21, thus loosening it. The sealing ring 353 of the inner seal 35 is an annular structure. When squeezed, it forms a full circumferential contact with the mounting groove 21. The resulting static friction can form continuous frictional resistance in both the circumferential and axial directions, which can completely counteract the multi-directional relative movement tendency of the temperature sensor assembly. This frictional resistance is not a local effect, but is evenly distributed across the entire contact surface, thus avoiding local loosening caused by local friction failure.

[0043] When the temperature sensor assembly 3 needs to be disassembled or maintained, the bracket 33 is rotated in the reverse direction in the preset direction. The locking block 341 and the elastic frame 343, which were originally in the locking groove 24, will be squeezed by the inner wall of the locking groove 24, causing the elastic frame 343 to undergo elastic deformation again. As the bracket 33 continues to rotate in the reverse direction, the degree of compression between the arc protrusion 23 and the locking block 341 gradually decreases. With the help of the reset spring 347, the locking block 341 will gradually return to its initial position until the locking block 341 is dislodged from the locking groove 24 and slides in the reverse circumferential direction along the guide groove 22. After the locking block 341 returns to the initial position of the guide groove 22, the elastic frame 343 rebounds and returns to its initial shape, and the reset spring 347 is released from tension and returns to its natural extended state.

[0044] Simultaneously, the reverse rotation of the bracket 33 completely releases the squeezing force between its inclined surface and the arc surface of the movable block 27. Under the elastic rebound force of its own matching elastic element, the movable block 27 and the inner support block 28 slide along the original path to the initial position, and the contact thrust between the inner support block 28 and the annular block 352 disappears. Under the elastic rebound force of the compression spring 354, the annular block 352 slides along the annular groove 351 to the initial position, and the squeezing force on the sealing ring 353 is released. The sealing ring 353 elastically rebounds and returns to its original shape. The temperature sensor assembly 3 can then be removed from the mounting groove 21 as a whole.

[0045] The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and are not intended to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features. Such modifications or substitutions will not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the protection scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. An NTC temperature sensor for automotive LED lighting assembly, characterized in that, include: LED light panel (1), the outer side of which is equipped with heat sink (2), and the heat sink (2) is equipped with temperature sensor assembly (3) through mounting groove (21) provided on its outer side. The temperature sensor assembly (3) includes a connector (31) connected to the LED lamp control unit, and a temperature probe body (32) that fits against the inner wall of the mounting groove (21) is coaxially fixedly connected to the outside of the connector (31). The heat sink (2) has a guide groove (22) on its outside, and there are two guide grooves (22) that are centrally symmetrically distributed along the center plane of the mounting groove (21). The connector (31) is equipped with a bracket (33) on its outer side, and the bracket (33) is equipped with a connector (34) for quickly locking the bracket (33). The outer circumferential surface of the connector (31) is equipped with an inner sealing member (35) that seals against the inner wall of the mounting groove (21).

2. The NTC temperature sensor for automotive LED lighting assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that: The guide groove (22) has a protrusion (23) fixedly connected inside, and the protrusion (23) is arc-shaped. The radiator (2) has a locking groove (24) that communicates with the guide groove (22).

3. The NTC temperature sensor for automotive LED lighting assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that: The connector (34) includes a locking block (341) that fits against the inner wall of the locking groove (24), and the top of the locking block (341) is provided with a movable hole (342). An elastic frame (343) is fixedly connected to the side of the locking block (341) near the locking groove (24).

4. The NTC temperature sensor for automotive LED lighting assembly according to claim 3, characterized in that: The bracket (33) is fixedly connected to a pin (344) that fits against the inner wall of the movable hole (342), and the pin (344) has a slot (345) inside. The locking block (341) is fixedly connected to a guide rod (346) that passes through the movable hole (342), and one end of the guide rod (346) is connected to the elastic frame (343). The central axis of the guide rod (346) coincides with the central axis of the slot (345). The guide rod (346) is connected to the inner wall of the slot (345) through a return spring (347) set on its outer side.

5. The NTC temperature sensor for automotive LED lighting assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that: The inner sealing component (35) includes an annular groove (351) formed on the outer circumference of the connector (31), and an annular block (352) is slidably connected in the annular groove (351). The annular groove (351) and the annular block (352) are respectively provided with conical surfaces on the side near the temperature probe body (32), and a sealing ring (353) is fitted on the conical surface of the annular groove (351).

6. The NTC temperature sensor for automotive LED lighting assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that: The annular block (352) is connected to the inner wall of the annular groove (351) by a compression spring (354) set on its top. The compression spring (354) is provided in multiples and is distributed in a circular array along the central axis of the annular block (352).

7. The NTC temperature sensor for automotive LED lighting assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that: The top of the radiator (2) is provided with a movable slot (25), and there are two movable slots (25) that are centrally symmetrically distributed along the center plane of the mounting slot (21). The radiator (2) is also provided with a through hole (26), which is used to connect the mounting slot (21) and the movable slot (25).

8. The NTC temperature sensor for automotive LED lighting assembly according to claim 7, characterized in that: The movable slot (25) is slidably connected to a movable block (27) by an elastic element disposed inside it, and the outer side of the movable block (27) is designed with a slope, the top of the movable block (27) is designed with an arc surface, and the through hole (26) is slidably connected to an inner support block (28) by an elastic element disposed inside it, and the inner support block (28) is designed with an arc surface on the side close to the movable block (27).

9. The NTC temperature sensor for automotive LED lighting assembly according to claim 8, characterized in that: The outer side of the bracket (33) has an inclined surface that fits against the arc surface of the movable block (27).

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