Gas Sensor Terminal Support Structure for Vibration Resistance
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Solution Overview
Problem
The issue with existing gas sensors is that the metal terminals on the rear end side of the connector are prone to breakage due to vibrations during usage, as the intervals between the connector and the metal terminals become great, leading to swaying and potential breakage.
Innovation Solution
A gas sensor design that includes a protrusion on the grommet fitted into the separator, which contacts with the metal terminal to inhibit vibration and prevent breakage, using a taper surface that expands perpendicular to the sensor element's main surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the rear end side of the connector has an expanding diameter to inhibit metal terminals from interfering with the inner surface, then the metal terminals are prevented from contacting the connector inner surface, but the intervals between the connector and metal terminals become great, causing the metal terminals to sway due to vibration and be likely to break
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a grommet as an intermediary component between the connector and metal terminals. The grommet includes a protrusion that fits into the separator and contacts the metal terminal, serving as a mediator that provides support without direct connector-terminal contact. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining the expanding diameter for interference prevention while adding intermediate support to prevent swaying and breakage
Solution Approach 2:
The support function is segmented from the connector structure itself and assigned to a separate grommet component. The grommet is divided into a protrusion portion that contacts the metal terminal and a main body that fits into the separator. This segmentation allows the connector to maintain its expanding diameter shape while the grommet provides localized support where needed, preventing both interference and breakage
Data Source
AI summary
A gas sensor 10 including: a sensor element 20 extending in an axial-line O direction and having an electrode pad 21a, 21b at a main surface 20m1, 20m2; a metal terminal 71 extending in the axial-line direction; a separator 50 having a storage portion 50h in which the rear end side of the sensor element and the metal terminal are stored; and a grommet 47 located on a rear end side relative to the separator, wherein the storage portion has a taper surface 50s whose diameter expands toward a direction perpendicular to the main surface as approaching a rearward-facing surface of the separator, the grommet has a protrusion 47p on a front end side, and a front end of the protrusion is fitted into a rear end side relative to a front end of the taper surface, along the axial-line direction, and the metal terminal contacts with the protrusion.