Integrated Sensor Encapsulation for Leak-Safe Temperature Measurement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing measuring devices for media lines and units in vehicles are complex to manufacture and often fail to ensure a sealed integration, leading to potential leakage and inefficient temperature measurement due to the combination of materials with different thermal expansion coefficients.
Innovation Solution
A measuring device with a sensor element encased in a form-fitting, thermally conductive, and electrically insulating material, integrated into the housing of a connecting device using a material connection that provides a compact design and ensures sealing, using thermally conductive materials like PA66 WA-2 HT or PA12 for effective heat transfer and mechanical strength.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a measuring device with sensor element is integrated into the housing using prior art methods, then temperature measurement can be achieved, but the manufacturing process becomes complex and sealing reliability is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor element, thermally conductive material, and sealing structure are merged into a single integrated measuring device unit. The sensor element is encased in thermally conductive material that is directly integrated into the housing material, eliminating the need for separate sealing components and complex assembly steps while ensuring both temperature measurement accuracy and reliable sealing.
Solution Approach 2:
The measuring device utilizes composite material construction where the sensor element is encased in thermally conductive material (such as thermally conductive plastic or metal) that provides both thermal coupling for accurate temperature measurement and structural integration with the housing. This composite approach simplifies manufacturing while maintaining measurement precision.
2Adaptability or versatility
If different materials with different thermal expansion coefficients are combined in the measuring device, then functional requirements are met, but sealing reliability deteriorates due to leakage paths
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the material parameters by using thermally conductive materials with thermal expansion coefficients matched to the housing material. The thermally conductive plastic or metal used for encasing the sensor element is selected to have compatible thermal expansion characteristics with the housing, preventing leakage paths while maintaining functional adaptability for temperature measurement.
Solution Approach 2:
The measuring device employs homogeneous material properties at the interface between the sensor encasing material and the housing. By using thermally conductive plastic or metal that is compatible with the housing material in terms of thermal expansion, the invention creates a homogeneous connection that prevents sealing failures while maintaining the necessary thermal conductivity for accurate temperature measurement.
3Measurement precision
If the sensor element is encased in thermally conductive material, then temperature measurement accuracy improves, but the number of individual parts increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor element and its encasing thermally conductive material are merged into a single pre-assembled measuring device unit that is integrated into the housing as one component. This merging eliminates the need for separate sealing elements, mounting brackets, and other individual parts, reducing the total part count while maintaining accurate temperature measurement through the thermally conductive encasing.
4Ease of manufacture
If the measuring device is integrated as an inlay during injection molding, then manufacturing is simplified, but tight sealing cannot be guaranteed
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the material parameters by using thermally conductive plastics or metals with melting points and flow characteristics that enable complete integration during injection molding. The thermally conductive material is formulated to fully melt and bond with the housing material during the molding process, creating a tight seal that guarantees reliable sealing while maintaining the manufacturing simplicity of inlay integration.
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 solution enables reliable temperature measurement with minimal temperature offset and fast response times, while preventing medium leakage through a cohesive material connection, maintaining mechanical strength and reducing the number of individual parts required.
Implementation Method 1
The thermally conductive material, in particular the thermally conductive plastic material, enables fast response times and correspondingly low temperature offsets between the temperature of the medium and the temperature at the sensor element
Implementation Method 2
the sensor element is positively encased with a thermally conductive, electrically insulating material and has at least one externally projecting element to support melting during the material-jointed integration of the measuring device into the material of a housing of a connecting device
Data Source
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AI summary
In a measuring device (2) for measuring at least one characteristic parameter of a medium, comprising a sensor element (23), the sensor element (23) is positively encased with a thermally conductive, electrically insulating material and has at least one externally projecting element (29) to support melting during the material-jointed integration of the measuring device (2) into the material (17) of a housing (10) of a connection device (1), wherein the externally projecting element (29) provides a positive connection in addition to the material-joined connection if the melting is not complete.