Sensor arrangement for use with one item, preferably with a media guide.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a sensor arrangement for use with an article, preferably with a media guide, and to an article, preferably a media guide, with such a sensor arrangement.

[0002] Hoses and pipes are commonly used to transport and guide media, especially fluids; these can also be collectively referred to as media systems. Hoses are generally considered flexible, while pipes are more rigid. Fluids include not only liquids but also gases and pasty substances.

[0003] Several hoses can be connected to each other using hose couplings, which are permanently attached to the open end of each hose. Hoses can also be connected to equipment via these couplings, which themselves have a corresponding coupling. These hose couplings can be quick-connect couplings, allowing for fast and easy connection and disconnection. Such hose couplings can be made of metal or plastic, particularly as injection-molded parts. This also applies to pipes.

[0004] For many applications, it can be useful or even necessary to measure the temperature of the flowing medium using a sensor. One known method is to insert a temperature sensor, typically in the form of an NTC thermistor (negative temperature coefficient thermistor), into the opening of a quick-release coupling or connector, such as a T-piece. The sensor element or transmitter of the NTC thermistor protrudes through the opening of the quick-release coupling into the medium and thus has direct contact with it. This facilitates the temperature transfer from the medium to the transmitter, thereby reducing the response time of the NTC thermistor.

[0005] A disadvantage here is that the through-hole through the quick-release coupling, which accommodates the NTC thermistor's signal transmitter, must be sealed to prevent leakage once the transmitter is installed. Accordingly, measures must be taken to ensure a tight seal at the transmitter connection. These measures can involve higher costs for additional components and the risk of residual leaks.

[0006] Another disadvantage is that replacing the transmitter, for example in the event of a defect, can be very labor-intensive. Because the removed transmitter leaves an open passage into the quick-release coupling, the medium must be drained from the system before replacing the transmitter.

[0007] Alternatively, it is known to provide a recess in the quick-release coupling, which is positioned orthogonally to the flow of the medium. In other words, there is no through-opening for the NTC thermistor's sensor, thus avoiding the disadvantages described above. Instead, the NTC thermistor's sensor is located in the recess of the quick-release coupling and, surrounded by the coupling material, protrudes into the medium.

[0008] In this design, a cavity between the surface of the sensor and the inner wall of the recess is filled with a silicone-based thermal interface material to improve heat transfer from the medium through the recess material and via the thermal interface material to the sensor. In this configuration, the heat from the medium thus penetrates the recess material and the thermal interface material, reaching the sensor of the NTC thermistor.

[0009] The disadvantage here is that the high heat capacity of the material of the trough, including its filling with the thermal conductivity, still leads to a relatively high inaccuracy in the temperature measurement and causes a comparatively long response time.

[0010] A further disadvantage is that the NTC thermistor and its transmitter are difficult to remove from the recess, requiring tools to be used by pulling on the electrical contacts of the NTC thermistor's connector. This process is very impractical and also causes the liquid thermal interface material to leak from the recess. Furthermore, the electrical contacts can be torn off the NTC thermistor's connector, rendering the NTC thermistor unusable.

[0011] Similarly, other sensors, such as pressure sensors, can be used to detect the pressure of the medium.

[0012] In any case, standardized or commonly used pressure or temperature sensors, or other sensors, can be used for this purpose. The sensors can be integrated into the media guide, the media coupling, or the media connection piece, as described previously.

[0013] Such media lines, including media couplings, can be used for a wide variety of media, as mentioned earlier. For example, these can be coolant lines such as CO2 lines for cooling or...

[0014] These can be air conditioning systems. For example, they can be used in electrically powered vehicles. In vehicles, they can also be media channels for coolant, oil, fuel, AdBlue, hydrogen, or other liquids. In any case, depending on the application and the medium, the media channels can be made of plastic, rubber, or metal, especially aluminum.

[0015] Document US 5,152,611 discloses a heat-shrinkable article coated with a temperature indicator.

[0016] Comparable sensory measurements can also be applied to any other articles. Such articles can be any products, components, assemblies, machines, and other devices.

[0017] An object of the present invention is to provide a sensor arrangement for an article, preferably for a media guide, of the type described above, so that the application of sensor elements to articles, preferably to media guides, can be improved. This should be as simple, cost-effective, flexible, intuitive to use, space-saving, and / or durable as possible. Preferably, the sensor arrangement should be usable for as many different articles as possible, or even all possible articles. At the very least, an alternative to known sensor arrangements for articles or media guides should be created. According to the invention, this object is achieved by a sensor arrangement and by an article with the features of the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments are described in the dependent claims.

[0018] Thus, the present invention relates to a sensor arrangement for use with an article, preferably with a media guide, with a planar support element, with an adhesive which is arranged and designed on one side of the planar support element to be brought to bond by heating, with at least one sensor element which is arranged on the other side of the planar support element facing away from the adhesive, and with at least one heating element which is arranged to be electrically energized and thereby cause the adhesive to bond by heating.

[0019] In other words, the sensor arrangement according to the invention is planar and, in addition to at least one sensor element for detecting at least one physical quantity such as temperature, pressure, or the like, also includes an adhesive that can be made to bond by heating. The adhesive can be arranged locally in the area of ​​the at least one sensor element or section by section up to the entire surface. The corresponding heating element can be activated or operated, for example by supplying it with an electric current, to generate sufficient heat to cause the adhesive to bond. The temperature required to cause the adhesive to bond is preferably significantly higher than the usual room or ambient temperature, so that the bonding can be selectively achieved by heating. The heating element can be implemented as a printed circuit board or as a simple heating coil.

[0020] According to the invention, the adhesive can be selectively brought to bonding by appropriate heating when the sensor arrangement or its planar support element is applied as desired to an article or media guide where the corresponding physical quantity is to be sensed. Such an article can be, in addition to a media guide as described above, any other article on which the sensor arrangement according to the invention can be applied and used.

[0021] According to one aspect of the invention, the planar support element is designed to extend longitudinally. This can enable or facilitate the arrangement and / or sensory detection in the longitudinal direction as a preferred direction. The sensor arrangement can be applied accordingly to the article or to the media guide. Such a design can also save installation space, since the required installation space perpendicular to the longitudinal direction can be kept to a minimum.

[0022] According to another aspect of the invention, the heating element is designed as a heating wire. A heating wire, or simply a wire, is understood to be a structure with at least a substantially circular cross-section. This can simplify implementation, since wires, especially those made of electrically conductive materials such as copper, can be manufactured and used easily and inexpensively.

[0023] According to a further aspect of the invention, the heating wire is arranged at least partially, preferably substantially, and particularly preferably completely, at the edge of the flat support element. This can enable heating and bonding at least at the edge, and, due to heat conduction through the material of the flat support element, can also enable heating of the adhesive over its entire surface.

[0024] According to a further aspect of the invention, the planar support element is designed as a flexible printed circuit board. This can enable the corresponding implementation and use of its properties and advantages.

[0025] According to another aspect of the invention, the heating element is designed as a heating conductor. This can enable or simplify the implementation of the heating element in a flexible printed circuit board.

[0026] According to a further aspect of the invention, the heating conductor is arranged at least partially, preferably substantially, and particularly preferably completely, at the edge of the flexible printed circuit board. This can enable the implementation of the corresponding properties and advantages of a heating element as a heating conductor, as previously described. In particular, this can promote edge bonding, which can be advantageous for a secure, and especially durable, attachment of the sensor element to the article.

[0027] According to another aspect of the invention, a sensor element is a temperature sensor. This can enable the implementation and use of the properties and advantages of the sensor arrangement according to the invention in a temperature sensor.

[0028] According to another aspect of the invention, a sensor element is a pressure sensor. This can enable the implementation and use of the properties and advantages of the sensor arrangement according to the invention in a temperature sensor.

[0029] The present invention also relates to an article with at least one sensor arrangement as described above. This allows the properties and advantages of a sensor arrangement according to the invention to be implemented and utilized in an article.

[0030] According to one aspect of the invention, the article is a media guide, wherein the media guide has a media wall which encloses a flow opening, and wherein the sensor arrangement is arranged facing away from the flow opening and is adhered to the media wall by means of the adhesive of the sensor arrangement. This allows the properties and advantages of a sensor arrangement according to the invention to be implemented and utilized in a media guide as described above.

[0031] According to a further aspect of the invention, the article also includes a cover element that encloses the sensor assembly. This provides protection for the sensor assembly against external influences such as damage, contamination, contact, and the like. The cover element can be positioned around the sensor assembly, for example, on the outside of the media wall, and in particular, bonded there.

[0032] An exemplary embodiment and further advantages of the invention are explained below in connection with the following figures. These show: Fig. 1 a schematic sectional view of an article according to the invention in the form of a media guide with a sensor arrangement according to the invention; and Fig. 2 a top view of the sensor arrangement according to the invention.

[0033] The above figures are described in cylindrical coordinates with a longitudinal axis X, a radial direction R perpendicular to the longitudinal axis X, and a circumferential direction U rotating around the longitudinal axis X. The longitudinal axis X, the radial direction R, and the circumferential direction U can also be collectively referred to as spatial directions X, R, U or as cylindrical spatial directions X, R, U.

[0034] Fig. 1Figure 1 shows a schematic sectional view of an article 1 according to the invention in the form of a media guide 1 with a sensor arrangement 2 according to the invention. The media guide 1 can be a pipe 1. The media guide 1 or the pipe 1 has a media wall 10 or a pipe wall 10, which encloses a flow opening 11 in the circumferential direction U.

[0035] The sensor arrangement 2 according to the invention, as shown in the Figure 2The device, also shown in isolation and in a top view, has a planar support element 20 in the form of a flexible printed circuit board 20 with an elongated extent, which extends in the plane of the outer surface of the media wall 10, i.e., planarly in the longitudinal direction X and in the circumferential direction U. The lower surface of the planar support element 20 facing the media wall 10 is completely or fully provided with an adhesive 21 or an adhesive element 21, which can be activated or made to bond by heating. This is relevant for the application or application of the sensor arrangement 2 according to the invention. Figure 1 This has already taken place, so that the sensor arrangement 2 according to the invention is applied and held or fixed on the outer surface of the media wall 10 of the media guide 1 by means of the adhesive 21.

[0036] On the upper surface of the planar support element 20, which is arranged radially opposite the adhesive 21, a heating element 22 in the form of a heating conductor 22, which could also be implemented as a heating wire 22, is applied along its edge. The heating element 22 forms a U-shaped loop with open ends, which extends along three sides or edges of the surface of the planar support element 20 and is open at the fourth side or edge. At this open end, the heating element 22 can be electrically connected and supplied with a heating current I HEAT by an external or additional heating current generator (represented by a circuit symbol) to cause the adhesive to bond.

[0037] The upper surface of the planar support element 20 further comprises several sensor elements 23, at least one of which is a temperature sensor 23, a pressure sensor 23, or the like. The sensor elements 23 can each be contacted at their edges via sensor wires 24 or sensor conductors 24 in order to be connected to and operated or evaluated by an evaluation unit (not shown).

[0038] The sensor arrangement 2 according to the invention, which is glued to the outer surface of the media wall 10, is covered and protected on the outside by a cover element 3 in the form of a film glued to the edge. Reference symbol list (part of the description)

[0039] I HEAT heating current Radial direction, circumferential direction, longitudinal axis 1 article; media routing; pipe 10 media wall; pipe wall 11 flow opening 2 Sensor arrangement 20 Flat carrier element; flexible circuit board 21 Adhesive; adhesive element 22 Heating element; heating wire; heating conductor 23 Sensor elements; temperature sensor; pressure sensor 24 Sensor wires; sensor conductor 3 Cover element

Claims

1. A sensor arrangement (2) for use with an article (1), preferably with a media guide (1), having a planar support element (20), an adhesive (21) which is arranged and formed on one side of the planar support element (20), and at least one sensor element (23) which is arranged on the other side of the planar support element (20) facing away from the adhesive (21), characterized in that the adhesive is made to bond by heating, and the sensor arrangement has at least one heating element which is arranged to be electrically energized and thereby to cause the adhesive to bond by heating.

2. The sensor arrangement (2) according to claim 1, wherein the planar support element (20) is designed to extend elongately.

3. The sensor arrangement (2) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the heating element (22) is designed as a heating wire (22).

4. The sensor arrangement (2) according to claim 3, wherein the heating wire (22) is arranged at least in sections, preferably substantially, particularly preferably completely, at the edge of the planar support element (20).

5. The sensor arrangement (2) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the planar support element (20) is designed as a flexible printed circuit board (20).

6. The sensor arrangement (2) according to claim 5, wherein the heating element (22) is designed as a heating conductor (22).

7. The sensor arrangement (2) according to claim 6, wherein the heating conductor (22) is arranged at least in sections, preferably substantially, particularly preferably completely, at the edge of the flexible circuit board (20).

8. The sensor arrangement (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a sensor element (23) is a temperature sensor (23).

9. The sensor arrangement (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a sensor element (23) is a pressure sensor (23).

10. An article (1) having at least one sensor arrangement (2) according to any one of the preceding claims.

11. The article (1) according to claim 10, wherein the article (1) is a media guide (1), wherein the media guide (1) has a media wall (10) which encloses a flow opening (11), and wherein the sensor arrangement (2) is arranged facing away from the flow opening (11) by means of the adhesive (21) of the sensor arrangement (2) adhering to the media wall (10).

12. The article (1) according to claim 10 or 11, further having a cover element (25) which encloses the sensor arrangement (2).