Temperature Sensor Metal Housing for Fast Thermal Response
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing temperature sensors in power control units and engines have poor thermal conductivity due to resin-based sensor bodies, leading to slow sensing, and complex assembly with multiple components that increase costs and limit layout flexibility.
Innovation Solution
A temperature sensor with a metal housing portion that projects into a resin pipe section, integrating a connector and housing portion with a sealing O-ring, allowing for high thermal conductivity and reduced component count, enabling high-speed sensing and flexible layout design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the sensor body is made of resin, then the sensor can be easily manufactured, but the thermal conductivity is poor resulting in slow sensing
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor is divided into two distinct parts: a resin sensor body (easy to manufacture) and a separate metal housing portion (high thermal conductivity). The metal housing portion is embedded in the resin body, creating a segmented structure that combines the advantages of both materials without requiring the entire sensor body to be made of metal.
2Reliability
If the sensor mount is integrally formed with the nut member, then the temperature sensor can be securely attached, but the number of components increases resulting in higher material costs and complicated assembly
Solution Approach 1:
The connector portion and housing portion are merged into a single integrally formed component that is embedded in the pipe section. This eliminates the need for separate sensor mounts and nut members, reducing the number of components while maintaining secure attachment through the embedded structure with attachment surfaces.
3Reliability
If the sensor mount is attached to the through hole, then the temperature sensor can be firmly fixed, but the space for attaching the mount must be secured limiting the layout
Solution Approach 1:
The connector portion and housing portion are nested within the pipe section through an embedding structure. The attachment surfaces are formed directly on the embedded components, eliminating the need for external sensor mounts. This nested arrangement allows flexible layout design as the sensor can be positioned anywhere along the pipe section without requiring additional external mounting space.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The metal housing ensures rapid thermal conduction to the sensing element, reducing assembly complexity and costs while providing high airtightness and accurate sensing, with a simplified structure that allows for flexible placement.
Implementation Method 1
the housing portion made of a metal is excellent in thermal conductivity and thus conducts a fluid temperature rapidly to the temperature sensing element
Implementation Method 2
The temperature sensor according to the present invention further includes a sealing portion disposed at a boundary between the connector portion and the housing portion. In the temperature sensor according to the present invention, the sealing portion is an O-ring and is embedded in the side wall portion.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are a temperature sensor that performs high-speed sensing, whose cost is low, and whose layout is freely designed, the temperature sensor eliminating the need for complicated operations, and a method for manufacturing the temperature sensor. In a temperature sensor 1, terminal portions 9 of a connector portion 7 are exposed to an outside of a pipe section 2, a connector-side embedded portion 8 of the connector portion 7 is embedded in an embedding portion 4 of a side wall portion 3, an exposed portion 12 of a housing portion 11 is disposed in the pipe section 2, and an embedded base 13 of the housing portion 11 is embedded in the embedding portion 4. The housing portion 11 is made of a metal.