Segmented Gas Sensor Terminal for Heat Resistance and Connection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional gas sensors face difficulties in simultaneously achieving sufficient heat resistance and maintaining electrical connections between metal terminals and sensor elements or signal wires, especially in high-temperature applications.
Innovation Solution
The gas sensor employs a metal terminal composed of a forward terminal member with superior heat resistance and a rear terminal member with higher yield strength, allowing for effective contact with the sensor element and signal wire, respectively, using materials with different characteristics to ensure reliable connections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the metal terminal is formed of a single material, then the structure is simple, but it cannot simultaneously achieve sufficient heat resistance and maintain electrical connection in high-temperature applications
Solution Approach 1:
The metal terminal is divided into two separate members: a first metal terminal member (male connector) and a second metal terminal member (female connector). This segmentation allows each member to be optimized for different functions - the first member provides heat resistance for high-temperature environments, while the second member provides elastic deformation capability for maintaining electrical connection, thereby resolving the contradiction between structural simplicity and connection reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses composite material construction by combining two different metal materials with distinct properties. The first metal terminal member is made of a material with high heat resistance, while the second member is made of a material with high elastic deformation capability. This composite approach enables the metal terminal assembly to simultaneously achieve both heat resistance and reliable electrical connection maintenance.
2Temperature
If the forward end portion of the metal terminal is made heat-resistant, then it can withstand high temperature, but it may lack sufficient elastic deformation region to maintain good electrical connection with the electrode terminal portion
Solution Approach 1:
Different parts of the metal terminal are assigned different material qualities based on their functional requirements. The first metal terminal member (forward end) is made of heat-resistant material to withstand high temperatures, while the second metal terminal member (rear end) is made of material with high elastic deformation capability for maintaining electrical connection. This local differentiation of material properties resolves the contradiction between heat resistance and elastic deformation capability.
3Strength
If the metal terminal uses a material with large elastic deformation region, then it maintains good electrical connection with the sensor element, but it lacks sufficient heat resistance for high-temperature applications
Solution Approach 1:
The metal terminal is segmented into two members with different material properties. The first member handles the heat resistance requirement for high-temperature operation, while the second member handles the elastic deformation requirement for electrical connection maintenance. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function without compromise.
4Strength
If the rear end portion of the metal terminal is made deformable, then it maintains electrical connection with the signal wire, but it lacks the undeformable characteristic needed to maintain stable electrical connection
Solution Approach 1:
The metal terminal is divided into two members where the first member (forward end) provides stability and heat resistance, while the second member (rear end) provides elastic deformation capability for signal wire connection. This segmentation resolves the contradiction between deformability for connection and stability for reliable electrical contact.
Data Source
AI summary
A metal terminal of a gas sensor includes a forward terminal member and a rear terminal member. The forward terminal member is made of a material superior in heat resistance to and greater in “0.2% yield strength” than a material of the rear terminal member. The forward terminal member has heat resistance suitable for a portion which comes into contact with a high-temperature detection element and is larger in an elastic deformation region than the rear terminal member, thereby providing good contact with the detection element and thus facilitating maintenance of electrical contact with the detection element. The rear terminal member is unlikely to have springback at a signal-wire connection portion to be connected to a lead wire, thereby facilitating maintenance of electrical connection with the lead wire.