Liquid level sensor for automobile liquid storage tank

Abstract

The utility model discloses a liquid level sensor for an automobile liquid storage tank, which comprises a shell, a frame plate arranged in the shell, a sealing structure, a resistor element, a contact element, a switch element and a PCB (printed circuit board), and the resistor element and the switch element are welded on the PCB and are electrically connected and matched with the contact element through an integrated circuit on the PCB. The liquid level sensor solves the problems that a traditional liquid level sensor of the automobile liquid storage tank is long in production process route, poor in size precision, unstable in production process, low in product consistency and incapable of achieving automatic production.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of liquid level sensors for automobile liquid storage tanks, in particular to a liquid level sensor for automobile liquid storage tanks. Background Art

[0002] The automotive braking system is a core system that affects driving safety. Its fluid tank level sensor is a key component for the driver to determine whether there is sufficient brake fluid. It has extremely high requirements for quality stability, precision and production consistency.

[0003] Currently, the existing technology of automobile liquid storage tank level sensors mostly adopts a discrete component assembly mode. For example, a traditional automobile liquid storage tank level sensor includes a housing, a sealing structure for sealing the housing, two split frames arranged inside the housing, a resistor element, a switch element and a contact element, wherein the contact element includes multiple contacts and contact pieces, the contacts are independently installed on one frame, and the resistor element, the switch element and the contact piece are installed on the other frame, wherein the resistor element, the switch element and the contact piece are electrically connected to the contact piece, and the contact piece is electrically connected to the contact piece through a pin. The above technical solution has significant drawbacks: first, the process route is lengthy, and multiple manual steps are required from component welding and installation to contact welding, resulting in low production efficiency. At the same time, the frame in the existing technology requires multiple snap-fit structures to fix the resistor element, the switch element and the contact element, resulting in reduced production and assembly efficiency; second, the dimensional accuracy depends on manual operation, which is difficult to ensure consistency and prone to problems such as cold welding and misalignment; third, the production process is unstable and is greatly affected by human factors, making it impossible to achieve automated mass production, making it difficult to meet the high reliability and high consistency requirements of new energy vehicles for safety components. Utility Model Content

[0004] In view of the shortcomings of the existing technology, the utility model provides a liquid level sensor for an automobile liquid storage tank, which solves the problems of traditional automobile liquid storage tank liquid level sensors such as long production process route, poor dimensional accuracy, unstable production process, low product consistency and inability to achieve automated production.

[0005] To achieve the above-mentioned objectives, the present invention provides a liquid level sensor for an automobile liquid storage tank, comprising a housing, a frame built into the housing, a sealing structure, a resistor element, a contact element, and a switch element, wherein the contact element is arranged on the frame, and further comprising a PCB board, wherein the resistor element and the switch element are soldered to the PCB board and are electrically connected to the contact element via an integrated circuit on the PCB board.

[0006] The benefits of adopting the above technical solution are: in the above technology, by soldering the resistor elements and the switch elements to the PCB board and using the PCB integrated circuit to achieve electrical connection with the contact elements, the traditional assembly mode of discrete components is changed. Compared with the existing technology of separately installing the resistors, switch elements and contact elements, this technology simplifies the component welding and assembly process and shortens the process route; at the same time, the standardized production of PCB boards can accurately control the position of components, avoid dimensional deviations caused by manual assembly, and improve product consistency; in addition, the integrated structure lays the foundation for automated patch and welding processes, solves the bottleneck of traditional solutions that cannot be automated, and effectively improves production efficiency and quality stability; in the above technology, the contact elements and the frame plate are an integrated connection structure, thereby improving the connection strength and installation efficiency of the contact elements and the frame plate.

[0007] The present invention is further provided with: the contact element comprises two electrical contacts arranged on a frame plate, the starting ends of the electrical contacts are arranged to pass through the housing, and the tail ends of the electrical contacts are connected with square pins.

[0008] The benefits of adopting the above technical solution are: the contact element in the above technology adopts a structure with two electrical contacts and square pins at the end, the starting end of which passes through the shell to facilitate external electrical connection, and the square pins at the end cooperate with the PCB board to form precise positioning. Compared with the traditional design in which the contacts are installed independently and have no fixed positioning, this solution limits the offset and rotation of the contacts through the geometric shape of the square pins, ensuring that the electrical contacts and the PCB board are accurately positioned.

[0009] The present invention is further provided with: the PCB board is provided with conductive contacts for forming an integrated circuit, and the resistance element and the switch element are electrically connected and coordinated with the conductive contacts.

[0010] The benefits of adopting the above technical solution are: in the above technology, conductive contacts are provided on the PCB board and electrically connected to the resistor elements and switch elements, replacing the traditional method of complex connection between pins and contacts. This design utilizes the integrated circuit layout of the PCB conductive contacts, reducing the number of solder joints between discrete components and reducing the risk of poor contact due to too many solder joints; at the same time, the electrical connection between the conductive contacts and the components can be achieved through an automated patch process, avoiding errors caused by manual soldering and improving connection accuracy and consistency; in addition, the integrated conductive contact structure makes the circuit layout more compact, simplifies the electrical connection path inside the sensor, and optimizes the stability and reliability of the overall structure.

[0011] The utility model is further provided with: two electrical connection holes are provided on the conductive contact piece, the two electrical connection holes correspond to the two square pins one by one and are electrically connected, and the electrical connection holes are provided in a circular hole shape.

[0012] The benefits of adopting the above technical solution are: in the above technology, the circular electrical connection holes on the conductive contact piece are electrically connected to the square pins in a one-to-one correspondence, forming a "round hole and square pin" matching structure. This design uses the geometric adaptability of the square pins and the round holes to achieve precise positioning of the PCB board and the contact element. Compared with the traditional non-positioning structure or simple hole matching, it can effectively prevent the displacement of components during welding; at the same time, the tight fit formed after the square pins are inserted into the round holes can not only ensure the stability of the electrical connection, but also enhance the mechanical connection strength, and avoid loosening or falling off of the pins due to vibration; in addition, this structure facilitates the precise alignment of automated welding equipment, reduces manual operation errors, improves the quality of solder joints and the consistency of the production process, and solves the problems of low welding precision and unstable structure in traditional solutions.

[0013] The utility model is further configured that: the resistance element and the switch element are both integrated on the PCB board through a patch welding process.

[0014] The benefits of adopting the above technical solution are: in the above technology, the resistor elements and switch elements are integrated into the PCB board through the patch welding process, replacing the traditional manual welding or discrete installation method. The patch process can use automated equipment to achieve high-speed and precise component mounting, which significantly improves the position accuracy and batch consistency of component installation compared to manual operation; at the same time, the patch welding process has a high degree of process standardization, which can reduce problems such as cold soldering and uneven soldering caused by manual welding, and improve the reliability of circuit connections; in addition, the process greatly shortens the component assembly time, optimizes the production process, and enables sensor production to achieve automated assembly line operation, effectively solving the defects of long process routes and low production efficiency in traditional solutions.

[0015] The utility model is further configured as follows: the PCB board and the frame board are both configured in a flat shape.

[0016] The benefits of adopting the above technical solution are: the PCB board and the frame board in the above technology both adopt a flat design, which is adapted to the narrow installation space of the automobile fluid storage tank. Compared with traditional three-dimensional or complex-shaped structures, the overall volume of the sensor can be reduced and space utilization can be improved. At the same time, the flat structure facilitates compact layout in a limited space, making the components more integrated, and also simplifies the design of the internal cavity of the shell, reducing the difficulty of mold processing.

[0017] The utility model is further configured as follows: a baffle is provided on the frame plate, and both ends of the baffle are provided with ribs, the two ribs are arranged opposite to each other, and the inner walls of the two ribs are combined with the inner wall of the baffle to form a limiting groove for the end of the PCB board to be inserted, the outer peripheral wall of the end of the PCB board is arranged in contact with the inner peripheral wall of the limiting groove, and the PCB board and the frame plate are partially stacked.

[0018] The benefits of adopting the above technical solution are: in the above technology, the baffle and the retaining edge on the frame form a limiting groove for the end of the PCB board to be inserted and partially stacked with the frame board. This structure realizes the precise positioning of the PCB board and the frame board through mechanical limiting. Compared with the traditional method without fixed limiting or relying on glue adhesion, the limiting groove can ensure that the installation position of the PCB board on the frame board is fixed, avoiding shaking or displacement during welding or use; at the same time, the local stacking design enhances the mechanical connection strength between the two, and cooperates with the welding process to further improve the stability of the overall structure; in addition, the standardized design of the limiting groove makes it easier for automated equipment to accurately insert the PCB board into the frame board, reducing manual alignment steps, optimizing the assembly process, and solving the problems of low PCB board installation accuracy and easy loosening of the structure in the traditional solution.

[0019] The utility model is further provided with: the shell is provided with a cavity for accommodating the PCB board and the frame board along its length direction; a limiting structure for limiting the shaking or displacement of the PCB board is provided on the inner peripheral wall of the cavity; the limiting structure includes a plurality of limiting edges, and the plurality of limiting edges are grouped in pairs and are respectively provided on the upper and lower sides of the PCB board; each of the limiting edges is provided in contact with the PCB board; the cavity is connected to the end of the shell and is formed with a through hole for electrically connecting the contact element with the external electronic component; a snap ring is detachably provided on the shell and is located in the through hole; the sealing structure is provided in the through hole and cooperates with the snap ring to achieve limiting of the frame board.

[0020] The advantages of adopting the above technical solution are as follows: in the above technology, the limiting edge in the housing cavity restricts the shaking of the PCB board, and the retaining ring and the sealing structure cooperate to realize the frame plate limitation. This design improves the reliability of the sensor from both the mechanical structure and sealing performance aspects. That is, the limiting edge can prevent the PCB board from being displaced by vibration in the cavity, thereby avoiding component connection failure; and the cooperation between the retaining ring and the sealing structure not only ensures the sealing of the housing through hole, preventing brake fluid leakage or foreign matter intrusion, but also forms an axial limit for the frame plate, enhancing the stability of the overall structure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] Figure 1 It is a three-dimensional view of the utility model;

[0022] Figure 2 for Figure 1 Exploded 3D view of

[0023] Figure 3 This is a three-dimensional view of the coordination state of the frame board, PCB board and their linkage structure in the utility model;

[0024] Figure 4 for Figure 3 Three-dimensional view of the separation state;

[0025] Figure 5This is an axial three-dimensional view of the housing of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 6 It is a simple schematic diagram of a liquid level sensor in the prior art. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] The utility model provides a liquid level sensor for an automobile liquid storage tank, comprising a housing 1, a frame 2 built into the housing 1, a sealing structure 14, a resistor element 21, a contact element and a switch element 22, wherein the contact element is arranged on the frame 2, and further comprising a PCB board 3, wherein the resistor element 21 and the switch element 22 are soldered to the PCB board 3 and are electrically connected to the contact element via an integrated circuit on the PCB board 3, wherein the contact element comprises two electrical contacts 4 arranged on the frame 2, wherein the electrical contacts 4 are arranged with their initial ends extending out of the housing 1 and their final ends extending out of the housing 1. The ends are connected with square pins 41, and the PCB board 3 is provided with a conductive contact 31 for constituting an integrated circuit. The resistor element 21 and the switch element 22 are electrically connected to the conductive contact 31. The conductive contact 31 is provided with two electrical connection holes 311, and the two electrical connection holes 311 correspond to the two square pins 41 one by one and are electrically connected. The electrical connection holes 311 are arranged in a circular hole shape. The resistor element 21 and the switch element 22 are integrated on the PCB board 3 by the patch welding process. The PCB board 3 and the frame board 2 are both flat. The frame 2 is provided with a baffle 23, and both ends of the baffle 23 are provided with a rib 231. The two ribs 231 are arranged opposite to each other, and the inner walls of the two ribs 231 are combined with the inner wall of the baffle 23 to form a limiting groove 232 for inserting the end of the PCB board 3. The outer peripheral wall of the end of the PCB board 3 is in contact with the inner peripheral wall of the limiting groove 232. The PCB board 3 and the frame are partially stacked. The housing 1 is provided with a cavity 11 for accommodating the PCB board 3 and the frame 2 along its length. The inner peripheral wall of the cavity 11 is provided with a groove for limiting the shaking of the PCB board 3. The limiting structure can move or shift, and the limiting structure includes a plurality of limiting edges 12, and the plurality of limiting edges 12 are grouped in pairs and are respectively arranged on the upper and lower sides of the PCB board 3. Each of the limiting edges 12 is arranged in contact with the PCB board 3. The cavity 11 is connected to the end of the shell 1 to form a through hole 111 for the contact element to be electrically connected with the external electronic component. The shell 1 is detachably provided with a snap ring 13 and the snap ring 13 is arranged in the through hole 111. The sealing structure 14 is arranged in the through hole 111 and the sealing structure cooperates with the snap ring 13 to realize the limitation of the frame plate 2.

[0028] In the above technology, the resistance element is a plurality of resistors, and the switching element is a reed switch. This technology integrates the plurality of resistors and the reed switch on the PCB board through the patch welding process and electrically connects them with the conductive contact pieces. The patch process is an existing technology, so the integration steps will not be described in detail. Since the traditional liquid level sensor also contains a reed switch and a resistor, its structure and function will not be described in detail.

[0029] The above shows and describes the basic principles and main features of the present invention and the advantages of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should understand that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. The above embodiments and descriptions only illustrate the principles of the present invention. Without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, the present invention may have various changes and improvements, which shall fall within the scope of the present invention to be protected. The scope of protection claimed by the present invention is defined by the attached claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A liquid level sensor for an automobile liquid storage tank, comprising a housing, a frame plate built into the housing, a sealing structure, a resistor element, a contact element, and a switch element, wherein the contact element is disposed on the frame plate, and characterized in that: It also includes a PCB board, the resistance element and the switch element are welded on the PCB board and are electrically connected to the contact element through the integrated circuit on the PCB board.

2. The liquid level sensor for an automobile liquid storage tank according to claim 1, characterized in that: The contact element comprises two electrical contacts arranged on a frame plate, the starting ends of the electrical contacts are arranged through the housing, and the tail ends of the electrical contacts are connected with square pins.

3. The liquid level sensor for an automobile liquid storage tank according to claim 2, characterized in that: The PCB board is provided with conductive contacts for forming an integrated circuit, and the resistance element and the switch element are electrically connected and matched with the conductive contacts.

4. The liquid level sensor for an automobile liquid storage tank according to claim 3, characterized in that: The conductive contact sheet is provided with two electrical connection holes, the two electrical connection holes correspond to the two square pins one by one and are electrically connected, and the electrical connection holes are arranged in a circular hole shape.

5. The liquid level sensor for an automobile liquid storage tank according to claim 1, characterized in that: The resistance element and the switch element are integrated on the PCB board through the patch welding process.

6. The liquid level sensor for an automobile liquid storage tank according to claim 1, characterized in that: The PCB board and the frame board are both arranged in a flat shape.

7. The liquid level sensor for an automobile liquid storage tank according to claim 1, characterized in that: A baffle is provided on the frame plate, and both ends of the baffle are provided with ribs. The two ribs are arranged opposite to each other, and the inner walls of the two ribs are combined with the inner wall of the baffle to form a limiting groove for the end of the PCB board to be inserted. The outer peripheral wall of the end of the PCB board is arranged in contact with the inner peripheral wall of the limiting groove, and the PCB board and the frame plate are partially stacked.

8. The liquid level sensor for an automobile liquid storage tank according to claim 1, characterized in that: The shell is provided with a cavity along its length for accommodating the PCB board and the frame board. A limiting structure for limiting the shaking or displacement of the PCB board is provided on the inner peripheral wall of the cavity. The limiting structure includes a plurality of limiting edges, and the plurality of limiting edges are grouped in pairs and are respectively provided on the upper and lower sides of the PCB board. Each of the limiting edges is provided in contact with the PCB board. The cavity is connected to the end of the shell and is formed with a through hole for electrically connecting the contact element with the external electronic component. The shell is detachably provided with a snap ring and the snap ring is provided in the through hole. The sealing structure is provided in the through hole and the sealing structure cooperates with the snap ring to achieve the limitation of the frame board.

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