Sensor

Abstract

The utility model discloses a sensor, the sensor extends along a first direction and is provided with a detection end and a wiring end in the first direction, the sensor comprises a sensor housing, a PCB circuit board and an annular sealing gasket, the sensor housing is provided with a first cavity with an opening, and the opening faces the wiring end; the PCB is arranged in the first cavity through the opening, and electronic components on the PCB are located on the side face, facing the wiring end, of the PCB. And the sealing gasket can elastically deform and is sleeved on the peripheral surface of the PCB, so that the PCB is in interference fit with the sensor shell. According to the sensor provided by the utility model, a seal is formed between the PCB and the sensor shell through the sealing gasket, so that a medium can be prevented from leaking to electronic components of the PCB; and meanwhile, the sealing gasket can play a role in protecting the PCB, so that the phenomenon that the PCB is damaged due to contact with the sensor shell in the assembly process is prevented, the PCB is prevented from being damaged, and the yield of products in the production process is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of medium detection, in particular to a sensor. Background Art

[0002] Existing sensors such as temperature and pressure sensors usually include a sensor housing, a circuit board, a temperature sensing module and / or a pressure sensing module arranged in the sensor housing. In order to prevent the medium detected by the sensor from leaking to the circuit board, a seal is usually provided on the side of the circuit board facing the sensing module. Common sealing methods include laser welding sealing or using an O-ring to form a sealing ring seal. Although laser welding has good sealing performance, it is not conducive to production due to its high cost; a sealing ring seal has the risk of leakage. Utility Model Content

[0003] The content of the utility model introduces a series of simplified concepts, which will be further described in detail in the detailed implementation section. The content of the utility model does not mean to attempt to define the key features and essential technical features of the technical solution claimed for protection, nor does it mean to attempt to determine the scope of protection of the technical solution claimed for protection.

[0004] In order to at least partially solve the above problems, the utility model provides a sensor, which extends along a first direction and has a detection end and a connection end in the first direction, and the sensor comprises:

[0005] A sensor housing, wherein the sensor housing is provided with a first cavity with an opening, wherein the opening faces the wiring terminal;

[0006] A PCB circuit board, the PCB circuit board is arranged in the first cavity through the opening, and the electronic components on the PCB circuit board are located on the side of the PCB circuit board facing the wiring terminal; and

[0007] An annular sealing gasket is elastically deformable and sleeved on the outer peripheral surface of the PCB circuit board to achieve an interference fit between the PCB circuit board and the sensor housing.

[0008] Optionally, the sensor also includes a temperature sensing module and an elastically deformable sealing ring, the sensor housing is provided with a second cavity for installing the temperature sensing module, the second cavity penetrates the sensor housing along a first direction and is connected to the first cavity, the sealing ring is clamped between the side of the PCB circuit board facing the detection end and the sensor housing, and the second cavity extends from the interior of the sealing ring.

[0009] Optionally, the first cavity has a supporting surface for limiting the PCB circuit board, the second cavity passes through the supporting surface, the supporting surface is provided with an inner groove, and the sealing ring is limited in the inner groove.

[0010] Optionally, the sensor also includes a connector, and the end of the connector in the first direction is provided with an end groove, the PCB circuit board includes a first circuit board part and a second circuit board part, the outer peripheral surface of the first circuit board part is provided with the sealing gasket, and the second circuit board part is located in the end groove and a gap is provided between the outer peripheral surface of the second circuit board part and the side wall of the end groove.

[0011] Optionally, the end groove is provided with a step surface, the end surface of the connector in the first direction abuts against the sealing gasket, and the step surface abuts against the surface of the PCB circuit board facing the terminal.

[0012] Optionally, the sensor further comprises a connector housing, a portion of the connector housing extends into the first cavity through the opening in a riveted manner, and a sealant is provided between the connector housing and the sensor housing.

[0013] Optionally, the thickness T of the PCB circuit board is ≥2 mm; or the PCB circuit board is a ceramic PCB circuit board.

[0014] Optionally, the sensor further includes a pressure sensing module, and the pressure sensing module is disposed on a side of the PCB circuit board facing the detection end.

[0015] Optionally, the sensor further comprises a temperature sensing module disposed in the sensor housing, and a medium channel is formed between the temperature sensing module and the sensor housing so that the medium flows to the pressure sensing module.

[0016] Optionally, the sensor also includes a connector and a temperature sensing module, and the PCB circuit board is provided with a first electrical connection part facing the connector and a second electrical connection part facing the temperature sensing module, the first electrical connection part contacts with a pin of the connector, and the second electrical connection part contacts with a pin of the temperature sensing module.

[0017] According to the sensor of the utility model, a seal is formed between the PCB circuit board and the sensor housing by the sealing gasket, which can prevent the medium from leaking to the electronic components of the PCB circuit board. At the same time, the sealing gasket can also protect the PCB circuit board, preventing the PCB circuit board from being damaged by contact with the sensor housing during the assembly process, avoiding damage to the PCB circuit board, and improving the yield rate in the product production process. In addition, the PCB circuit board replaces the flexible circuit board. Since the PCB circuit board has a higher hardness than the flexible circuit board, it is not easy to be damaged during the assembly process, which greatly improves the yield rate in the product production process. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] The following drawings of the present invention are used as a part of the present invention for understanding the present invention. The drawings show the implementation of the present invention and its description, and are used to explain the principle of the present invention.

[0019] In the attached figure:

[0020] Figure 1 A perspective view of a sensor according to the present invention;

[0021] Figure 2 for Figure 1 An exploded perspective view of the sensor shown in FIG.

[0022] Figure 3 for Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of the sensor shown in ;

[0023] Figure 4 for Figure 3 A cross-sectional view of the sensor housing shown in ;

[0024] Figure 5 for Figure 3 A three-dimensional diagram of the temperature sensing module shown in FIG.

[0025] Figure 6 for Figure 3 A three-dimensional exploded view of the temperature sensing module shown in FIG.

[0026] Description of reference numerals:

[0027] 1 sensor 2 detection end

[0028] 3 terminals 4 connectors

[0029] 41 connector housing 42 connector pin

[0030] 43 end groove 44 step surface

[0031] 5 sensor housing 51 opening

[0032] 52 first cavity 53 second cavity

[0033] 54 support surface 55 inner groove

[0034] 56 housing body 57 housing mounting portion

[0035] 6PCB circuit board 61 first circuit board part

[0036] 62 second circuit board portion 63 first electrical connection portion

[0037] 64 second electrical connection portion 7 temperature sensing module

[0038] 71 protective cover shell 72 NTC sensing element

[0039] 73NTC pin 74 protective cover base

[0040] 8 first sealing ring 9 sealing gasket

[0041] 10 medium channel 11 second sealing ring DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0042] In the following description, a large number of specific details are given to provide a more thorough understanding of the utility model. However, it is obvious to those skilled in the art that the utility model can be implemented without one or more of these details. In other examples, in order to avoid confusion with the utility model, some technical features known in the art are not described.

[0043] In order to thoroughly understand the present invention, a detailed description will be provided in the following description. Obviously, the implementation of the present invention is not limited to the specific details familiar to those skilled in the art. The preferred embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below, but in addition to these detailed descriptions, the present invention may also have other embodiments.

[0044] It should be noted that the terms used herein are only for describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit exemplary embodiments according to the utility model. As used herein, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the singular form is also intended to include the plural form. In addition, it should also be understood that when the terms "comprise" and / or "include" are used in this specification, it indicates the presence of the features, wholes, steps, operations, elements and / or components, but does not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, wholes, steps, operations, elements, components and / or combinations thereof.

[0045] Ordinal numbers such as "first" and "second" cited in the present invention are merely identifiers and do not have any other meanings, such as a specific order, etc. Moreover, for example, the term "first component" itself does not imply the existence of the "second component", and the term "second component" itself does not imply the existence of the "first component".

[0046] It should be noted that the terms "upper", "lower", "front", "back", "left", "right", "inside", "outside" and similar expressions used in this document are for illustrative purposes only and are not limiting.

[0047] Now, exemplary embodiments according to the present utility model will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, these exemplary embodiments can be implemented in a variety of different forms and should not be interpreted as being limited to the embodiments described herein. It should be understood that these embodiments are provided to make the disclosure of the present utility model thorough and complete, and to fully convey the concepts of these exemplary embodiments to those of ordinary skill in the art.

[0048] like Figures 1 to 3 As shown, the utility model provides a sensor 1, which may be provided with a temperature sensing module 7 and / or a pressure sensing module (not shown) inside to detect the temperature and / or pressure of the medium. The illustrated embodiment schematically shows that the interior of the sensor 1 is provided with a temperature sensing module 7 and / or a pressure sensing module at the same time, forming a temperature-pressure integrated sensor. It can detect both temperature and pressure, which greatly saves the material of the sensor 1, making the price of the temperature-pressure integrated sensor lower than that of separately provided temperature sensors and pressure sensors. The temperature-pressure integrated sensor greatly facilitates the use of customers and is widely used in various fields. The sensor 1 in this article can be used in mechanical equipment such as automobiles to achieve multiple measurements with one device, saving the cost of the sensor 1 and facilitating the choice of customers.

[0049] The structure of the sensor 1 is described below by taking the illustrated embodiment as an example.

[0050] The sensor 1 extends along the first direction D1 and has a detection terminal 2 and a terminal 3 in the first direction D1, wherein the detection terminal 2 can contact the medium, and the terminal 3 is used for electrical connection, such as for pressure / temperature output, grounding, and connecting to a power supply. The sensor 1 mainly includes a connector 4, a sensor housing 5, a PCB circuit board 6, a temperature sensing module 7, and a pressure sensing module. The connector 4 constitutes the terminal 3 of the sensor 1 and is connected to the sensor housing 5. The PCB circuit board 6, the temperature sensing module 7, and the pressure sensing module are arranged inside the sensor housing 5, wherein the end of the temperature sensing module 7 extends from the sensor housing 5 so as to extend into the medium. The end of the temperature sensing module 7 constitutes the detection terminal 2 of the sensor 1.

[0051] The sensor housing 5 may be a metal component. Specifically, the sensor housing 5 is provided with a first cavity 52 with an opening 51 and a second cavity 53, the opening 51 of the first cavity 52 faces the terminal 3, and the PCB circuit board 6 and the pressure sensing module are arranged in the first cavity 52 via the opening 51. The second cavity 53 penetrates the sensor housing 5 along the first direction D1 and communicates with the first cavity 52, and the temperature sensing module 7 is arranged in the second cavity 53. That is, the first cavity 52 is used to install the PCB circuit board 6 and the pressure sensing module, and the second cavity 53 is used to install the temperature sensing module 7.

[0052] The connector 4 is connected and matched with the sensor housing 5, for example, by riveting. The connector 4 includes a connector housing 41 and a connector pin 42. The connector pin 42 penetrates the connector housing 41 in the first direction D1 and is electrically connected to the PCB circuit board 6. A portion of the connector housing 41 extends into the first cavity 52 through the opening 51 by riveting, thereby realizing the riveting connection between the connector 4 and the sensor housing 5. At the same time, a sealant may be provided between the connector housing 41 and the sensor housing 5. After riveting, a sealant is applied around the riveting position. This arrangement prevents external water vapor from passing through the gap between the connector 4 and the sensor housing 5 into the sensor 1, thereby affecting the performance of the electrical components inside the sensor 1.

[0053] Alternatively, if Figure 4 As shown, the size of the first cavity 52 in the second direction D2 perpendicular to the first direction D1 is larger than the size of the second cavity 53 in the second direction D2. The size of the first cavity 52 in the first direction D1 is smaller than the size of the second cavity 53 in the first direction D1. Correspondingly, the size of the PCB circuit board 6 in the second direction D2 is larger than the size of the temperature sensing module 7 in the second direction D2. The thickness of the PCB circuit board 6 is smaller than the length of the temperature sensing module 7 in the first direction D1.

[0054] For example, return to Figure 2 , the sensor 1 can be a structure with a central axis, wherein the outer contour of the PCB circuit board 6 is cylindrical, so that the shape of the first cavity 52 is cylindrical; the outer contour of the temperature sensing module 7 is roughly cylindrical, so that the shape of the second cavity 53 is also cylindrical. Thus, the first direction D1 is axial, the second direction D2 is radial, and the inner diameter of the first cavity 52 is smaller than the inner diameter of the second cavity 53. Of course, the shapes of the various components and corresponding structures of the sensor 1 are not limited to cylindrical, and can be any suitable shape.

[0055] The electronic components are located on the first side of the PCB circuit board 6 facing the terminal 3. It should be noted that the accompanying drawings only schematically show the approximate shape of the PCB circuit board 6, and do not show the electronic components. In order to prevent the medium from leaking to the location of the electronic components of the PCB circuit board 6, a seal is also provided inside the sensor housing 5. Specifically, the sensor 1 includes an elastically deformable first sealing ring 8, and the first sealing ring 8 is clamped between the second side of the PCB circuit board 6 facing the detection end 2 and the sensor housing 5. The second cavity 53 extends from the inside of the first sealing ring 8. In other words, the first sealing ring 8 is sleeved on the radial outside of the second cavity 53. A seal is formed between the PCB circuit board 6 and the sensor housing 5 by the first sealing ring 8, which can prevent the medium from leaking to the electronic components of the PCB circuit board 6, and play the role of the first seal.

[0056] The first sealing ring 8 is squeezed between the PCB circuit board 6 and the sensor housing 5 to ensure the reliability of the seal. Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the first cavity 52 has a support surface 54 for limiting the PCB circuit board 6, and the second cavity 53 passes through the support surface 54. The support surface 54 is provided with an inner groove 55 with a notch facing the PCB circuit board 6. The first sealing ring 8 can be limited in the inner groove 55, and a part of it protrudes from the inner groove 55 so as to abut against the PCB circuit board 6. The first sealing ring 8 can be kept in the inner groove 55 without moving, thereby ensuring the reliability of the seal.

[0057] The sensor 1 also includes an annular sealing gasket 9, which is an elastically deformable component. The sealing gasket 9 is sleeved on the outer peripheral surface of the PCB circuit board 6, so that the sealing gasket 9 can be clamped between the outer peripheral surface and the inner peripheral surface of the first cavity 52, so that the PCB circuit board 6 and the sensor housing 5 have an interference fit. The sealing gasket 9 forms a seal between the PCB circuit board 6 and the sensor housing 5, which can prevent the medium from leaking to the electronic components of the PCB circuit board 6, and plays the role of a second seal. Therefore, the sensor 1 of this article adopts two sealing methods to prevent the medium from leaking, which greatly ensures the sealing performance of the product, reduces the risk of medium leakage, and improves the safety and service life of the product.

[0058] At the same time, the sealing gasket 9 can also protect the PCB circuit board 6, preventing the PCB circuit board 6 from being damaged by contact with the sensor housing 5 during the assembly process, thereby avoiding damage to the PCB circuit board 6 and improving the yield rate during the product production process. In addition, the PCB circuit board 6 replaces the flexible circuit board 6. Since the hardness of the PCB circuit board 6 is higher than that of the flexible circuit board 6, it is not easy to be damaged during the assembly process, which greatly improves the yield rate during the product production process.

[0059] The thickness T of the PCB circuit board 6 is ≥ 2 mm, for example, the thickness T can be 2 mm, 2.5 mm, 3 mm, 3.5 mm, 4 mm, etc. The PCB circuit board 6 is a ceramic PCB circuit board 6, such as a ceramic circuit board, an alumina ceramic circuit board, an aluminum nitride ceramic circuit board, etc. The cross-sectional shape of the sealing gasket 9 can be any suitable shape such as a rectangle.

[0060] The end of the connector 4 in the first direction D1 is provided with an end groove 43, which is recessed from the end surface of the connector housing 41, and its notch faces the PCB circuit board 6. The PCB circuit board 6 may include a first circuit board portion 61 and a second circuit board portion 62. The outer peripheral surface of the first circuit board portion 61 is sleeved with a sealing gasket 9, and the second circuit board portion 62 is located in the end groove 43 and a gap is provided between its outer peripheral surface and the side wall of the end groove 43. Further, the PCB circuit board 6 is divided into two parts in the thickness direction or the first direction D1, the part sleeved by the sealing gasket 9 is the first circuit board portion 61, and the part not sleeved by the sealing gasket 9 is the second circuit board portion 62. The outer peripheral surface of the second circuit board portion 62 does not contact the connector housing 41, which can avoid damage to the PCB circuit board 6.

[0061] The connector 4 can abut against the surface of the PCB circuit board 6 facing the terminal 3 to squeeze the PCB circuit board 6 toward the detection terminal 2, so that the first sealing ring 8 is squeezed, which ensures the reliability of the seal. In this article, the connector housing 41 squeezes the PCB circuit board 6. Specifically, the end groove 43 is provided with a step surface 44 facing the PCB circuit board 6, and the end surface of the connector 4, specifically the connector housing 41 in the first direction D1, abuts against the sealing gasket 9 to limit the movement of the sealing gasket 9. The step surface 44 abuts against the surface of the PCB circuit board 6 facing the terminal 3 to squeeze the PCB circuit board 6.

[0062] The pressure sensing module is disposed on the second side of the PCB circuit board 6 facing the detection end 2. Optionally, the pressure sensing module is a MEMS chip. A medium channel 10 is formed between the temperature sensing module 7 and the sensor housing 5 (see Figure 2 and Figure 5 ) so that the medium can flow to the pressure sensing module.

[0063] Figure 5 and Figure 6The temperature sensing module is shown, which includes a protective cover shell 71, an NTC sensing element 72, an NTC pin 73 and a protective cover base 74. The NTC sensing element 72 is connected to the NTC pin 73 and both are located in the protective cover shell 71. The end of the NTC pin 73 is fixed to the protective cover base 74 and penetrates the protective cover base 74. The protective cover shell 71 and the protective cover base 74 constitute a protective cover for protecting the NTC sensing element 72 and the NTC pin 73, avoiding damage to the NTC component during the assembly or transportation of the product, and reducing the loss cost of the product during the assembly and transportation process.

[0064] The NTC sensing element 72 may be, for example, an NTC thermistor. The end of the NTC sensing element 72 may leak out of the protective cover housing 71, directly contact the medium and sense the temperature of the medium. In this way, it is possible to quickly respond to the medium temperature, thereby improving the response characteristics and monitoring accuracy of the product. Optionally, the outer peripheral surfaces of the protective cover housing 71 and the protective cover base 74 are provided with a notch, and the notch passes through the temperature sensing module in the first direction D1 to form a medium channel 10.

[0065] Return to see Figure 2 , the PCB circuit board 6 is provided with a first electrical connection part 63 facing the connector 4 and a second electrical connection part 64 facing the temperature sensing module 7, the first electrical connection part 63 contacts the connector pin 42, and the second electrical connection part 64 contacts the NTC pin 73 of the temperature sensing module 7. The first electrical connection part 63 and the second electrical connection part 64 can be metal springs, which contact the end faces of the pins, and the pins are configured to have a wider end face to ensure that the pins can contact the metal springs. The PCB circuit board 6 is electrically connected to the connector pins 42 and the NTC pins 73 in a contact manner, omitting the plug-in link in the production of products and greatly improving production efficiency.

[0066] The sensor housing 5 includes a housing body 56 and a housing mounting portion 57 with external threads, wherein the size of the housing mounting portion 57 in the second direction D2 is smaller than the size of the housing body 56 in the second direction D2. An elastically deformable second sealing ring 11 is provided between the housing mounting portion 57 and the housing body 56. Optionally, the first sealing ring 8 and the second sealing ring 11 in this article may be O-rings.

[0067] The assembly process of sensor 1 is as follows:

[0068] First, assemble the various components of the temperature sensing module 7 and install them in the second cavity 53 of the sensor housing 5. Optionally, a foolproof structure is provided inside the sensor housing 5 to prevent the temperature sensing module 7 from being installed upside down during the assembly process with the sensor housing 5, resulting in the NTC pin 73 not being able to effectively contact the PCB circuit board 6, and the product having no temperature feedback.

[0069] Then, the pressure sensing module is mounted on the second side of the PCB circuit board 6, which is opposite to the first side of the electronic components. Then, the first sealing ring 8 is installed in the inner groove 55 of the sensor housing 5, and then the sealing gasket 9 is sleeved on the outer peripheral surface of the PCB circuit board 6. Then, the PCB circuit board 6 with the pressure sensing module and the sealing gasket 9 is installed in the first cavity 52 of the sensor housing 5.

[0070] Finally, the connector 4 is installed into the sensor housing 5, and after being pressed toward the PCB circuit board 6 for a certain displacement, the sensor housing 5 and the connector 4 are riveted together, and sealant is applied around the riveted position.

[0071] Unless otherwise defined, the technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as those generally understood by those skilled in the art of the present invention. The terms used herein are only for describing specific implementation purposes and are not intended to limit the present invention. The features described herein in one embodiment may be applied to another embodiment alone or in combination with other features, unless the feature is not applicable or otherwise specified in the other embodiment.

[0072] The present invention has been described through the above-mentioned embodiments, but it should be understood that the above-mentioned embodiments are only for the purpose of example and explanation, and the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments. According to the teachings of the present invention, more variations and modifications can be made, and these variations and modifications all fall within the scope of protection required by the present invention.

Claims

1. A sensor, characterized in that: The sensor extends along a first direction and has a detection end and a connection end in the first direction, and the sensor comprises: A sensor housing, wherein the sensor housing is provided with a first cavity with an opening, wherein the opening faces the wiring terminal; A PCB circuit board, the PCB circuit board is arranged in the first cavity through the opening, and the electronic components on the PCB circuit board are located on the side of the PCB circuit board facing the wiring terminal; and An annular sealing gasket is elastically deformable and sleeved on the outer peripheral surface of the PCB circuit board to achieve an interference fit between the PCB circuit board and the sensor housing.

2. The sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that The sensor also includes a temperature sensing module and an elastically deformable sealing ring. The sensor housing is provided with a second cavity for installing the temperature sensing module. The second cavity penetrates the sensor housing along a first direction and is connected to the first cavity. The sealing ring is clamped between the side of the PCB circuit board facing the detection end and the sensor housing, and the second cavity extends from the inside of the sealing ring.

3. The sensor according to claim 2, characterized in that The first cavity has a supporting surface for limiting the PCB circuit board, the second cavity passes through the supporting surface, the supporting surface is provided with an inner groove, and the sealing ring is limited in the inner groove.

4. The sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that The sensor also includes a connector, which has an end groove at its end in the first direction. The PCB circuit board includes a first circuit board part and a second circuit board part. The sealing gasket is sleeved on the outer peripheral surface of the first circuit board part. The second circuit board part is located in the end groove and a gap is provided between its outer peripheral surface and the side wall of the end groove.

5. The sensor according to claim 4, characterized in that The end groove is provided with a step surface, the end surface of the connector in the first direction abuts against the sealing pad, and the step surface abuts against the surface of the PCB circuit board facing the connection terminal.

6. The sensor according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that The sensor further comprises a connector housing, a portion of which extends into the first cavity through the opening in a riveted manner, and a sealant is provided between the connector housing and the sensor housing.

7. The sensor according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that The thickness T of the PCB circuit board is ≥2 mm; or the PCB circuit board is a ceramic PCB circuit board.

8. The sensor according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that The sensor further comprises a pressure sensing module, and the pressure sensing module is arranged on a side of the PCB circuit board facing the detection end.

9. The sensor according to claim 8, characterized in that The sensor further comprises a temperature sensing module disposed in the sensor housing, and a medium channel is formed between the temperature sensing module and the sensor housing so that the medium flows to the pressure sensing module.

10. The sensor according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that The sensor also includes a connector and a temperature sensing module. The PCB circuit board is provided with a first electrical connection part facing the connector and a second electrical connection part facing the temperature sensing module. The first electrical connection part contacts with the pin of the connector, and the second electrical connection part contacts with the pin of the temperature sensing module.

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