Vehicle Temperature Sensor Casing With Folded Terminals and Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional temperature sensors for vehicle engines face issues with casing tightness and complexity, leading to imperfect seals and lengthy installation times due to complex production processes.
Innovation Solution
A temperature sensor design featuring a casing with a flange for holding terminals, where the flange is fixed via plastic deformation of support studs, and a fibre-containing material with a higher fibre content than the casing, ensuring improved mechanical strength and sealing, along with a method of folding terminals directly inside the casing during assembly to eliminate the need for over-moulding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional plastic injection moulding with ribs is used to seal the casing, then the sealing function is achieved, but the tightness is inadequate due to imperfect fusion of the ribs
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing function is extracted from the plastic injection moulding process and assigned to a separate elastomeric sealing element. This sealing element is inserted into a groove in the casing, allowing the rigid casing structure to be separated from the flexible sealing function, thereby achieving reliable tightness without the fusion defects inherent in multi-material injection moulding.
Solution Approach 2:
An elastomeric sealing element acts as an intermediary between the casing and the environment. This intermediate component provides the necessary sealing function through its material properties (elastomeric nature) rather than relying on the fusion quality of plastic ribs, thus resolving the contradiction between structural integrity and sealing quality.
2Adaptability or versatility
If complex production processes with multiple components are used, then the sensor functionality is complete, but the installation time becomes lengthy
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple functional components are merged into an integrated assembly. The casing, sealing element, terminal holding structure, and support studs are combined into a single integrated unit that maintains all necessary sensor functionalities. This consolidation reduces the number of separate installation steps and components, thereby reducing installation time while preserving complete sensor functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The casing is designed as a multi-functional component that simultaneously provides structural containment, sealing (through the integrated groove for the sealing element), terminal support (via integrated flanges), and mechanical fastening (through integrated support studs). This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate components, simplifying installation while maintaining complete sensor functionality.
3Strength
If fibre-containing material with high fibre content is used for the flange, then the mechanical strength is improved, but the material homogeneity becomes non-uniform
Solution Approach 1:
The flange is designed with local quality enhancement by concentrating high fibre content specifically in the terminal holding regions. This localized fibre reinforcement provides enhanced mechanical strength and terminal retention capability where needed, while other portions of the casing can maintain lower fibre content, thus managing material homogeneity while providing targeted strength improvements.
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 improved design enhances the sealing and mechanical robustness of the sensor, reducing installation time and complexity while maintaining measurement accuracy, and providing better thermal insulation for precise temperature readings.
Implementation Method 1
the flange is fixed to the casing via the plastic deformation of at least one support stud arranged in the casing
Implementation Method 2
the terminal being folded
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a temperature sensor (1) for an engine of a vehicle, comprising: a casing (1) containing a circuit board (14) and traversed by at least one pair (2) of wires (3) provided with terminals (8), the terminal (8) being made up of a portion (804) crimped onto a conductor (5) arranged in the casing (1), a connector (101) comprising at least one metal insert (10) ensuring the electrical connection with the circuit board (14), where the casing comprises at least one flange (9) for holding the terminals (8), the terminals (8) being folded.