Abstract: To provide an easily manufactured and easily connected heater element for a tubular ion-conductive body (26) forming a sensing element (24) of the oxygen sensor, the heater element (35) comprises a plate-like substrate (36) of insulating material, e.g. ceramic, which, at its inner end is wider than at the end fitting into the inside of the tubular ion-conductive body, the conductors leading to the heater being formed as conductive tracks spaced apart from each other by a greater distance at the inner end, adjacent connection zones (37/3), than close to the heater zone (37/1), the plate-like substrate, at the inner portion, being essentially trapezoidal and terminating in an end edge (36') which forms the wider side of the trapezoid.

Abstract: The connection conductor leading from the connection end of a sensor element towards the end of the sensor remote from the gas to be measured is a metallic connection part (17) that is rigid against torsion and passes through the aperture (16) of the closure shell (14) where it is sealed by a bead-like element (41) having a tubular extension (48), beyond which the connection conductor has an axial internal connection surface for a cable (19). A sleeve (51) of yielding material (51) covers the adjoining ends of the cable and of the connecting conductor and an overlay shell (52) compresses the sleeve to make a tight seal, both around the cable and against the tubular end of the bead (41). The overlay shell snaps on to the tubular extension of the bead by interlocking annular sawtooth ridges.

Abstract: A rod-like electrical heating element is incorporated in the interior of a tubular solid electrolyte sensor connecting zones of the heating element are disposed on the end face thereof remote from the sensing end. Electrical connecting parts are pressed against the connecting zones of the heating element by means of a spring element. These electrical connecting parts are in electrical contact with the connecting cable of the gas sensor via conductor wires, leads or other connecting means.

Abstract: A gas measurement probe has a casing (11) equipped with a closure shell (17) on its end away from the gas to be measured. At the other end of the casing, within its longitudinal bore, a sensor element (24) is held fast and tight in the casing. A rod-shaped part carrying a heater element fits within the sensor element and extends out of it at its end away from the gas to be measured to an extremity near which contact areas are provided on its periphery. On these contact areas, resilient connection wires lie under mechanical bias. These wires, between the loops bearing against the contact surface and their ends are bent in Z or sinuous shape so as to secure them against pulling, twisting and shaking forces. These connection elements and also another conductor running in the probe cooperate with an indexing feature of the rod-shaped element, such as a suitable groove to secure the rod-shaped component against twisting.

Abstract: To manufacture a vibration-resistant, shock-resistant electrical connection on a ceramic substrate (11) having an electrically conductive layer (12) applied to a surface (13, 19) thereof, a groove or channel-like depression (16, 20) is formed in the surface, preferably also including a through-bore (18), into which a conductor (17) is placed. The space between the conductor and the groove, the through-bore, if provided, and an extending groove at the other surface (19) of the substrate is filled with a sinterable mass (21), preferably a cermet, containing a metal which is compatible with the metal of the conductor wire (17), both for example containing platinum. As a starting material, the plate with the grooves therein is extrusion-pressed, pre-sintered at a low temperature to give it form stability, then the electrode (12) is applied, then the electrical conductor (17) and the cermet is applied and then the entire sub-assembly is fired to sintering temperature, e.g. about 1500.degree. C.

Abstract: To prevent signal degradation of a sensing element, which may be a potentiometric or a polarographic sensor, having a reference electrode exposed to ambient air, the reference electrode (22) is placed within a chamber (21) which has included therein granules (39) of a material inert with respect to oxygen and having a surface hardness at least as hard as the reference electrode (22) so that, upon subjection of the sensor, when coupled to the exhaust system of an internal combustion engine, to vibrations, shocks and jolts, the granules will move in the chamber, rub against the electrode, and hence keep the electrode surface activated and free from contamination which may have penetrated with ambient air.

Abstract: To improve operation and output voltage, particularly at 400.degree. C. and less, an oxygen sensor, especially adapted to determine oxygen content of automotive exhaust gases, is constructed by utilizing two electrodes applied on a body of stabilized zirconium dioxide, for example a closed tube, by making an electrode exposed to the exhaust gases in form of a mixture of finely dispersed ceramic material and a platinum-rhodium alloy, the ceramic material being present at about 40% (by volume) and 60% (by volume) platinum-rhodium alloy of 50-94% platinum and 50-6% rhodium (by weight). The second electrode, exposed to a reference gas comprises an alloy of palladium and another noble metal in a ratio of about 19-90% (by weight) Pd and 81-10% (by weight) noble metal. This electrode may also contain up to 40% (by volume) finely dispersed ceramic material. The electrode exposed to the exhaust gases is covered with a porous coating.

Abstract: To heat the glow plug for an internal combustion engine, a spiral band or ribbon is wound in an essentially co-planar spiral about a central bolt secured to the bottom of the glow plug, the outer terminal of the spiral being connected to a lead-in with highly positive temperature coefficient of resistance to provide for self-limiting current flow upon heating of the glow plug. All free spaces in the glow plug are filled with a highly heat-conductive insulating material, for example magnesium oxide.

Abstract: To prevent ingress of moisture, water, dirt, or other contamination into the interior of an exhaust gas sensor having an opening to provide for communication with ambient air to establish an oxygen reference level, a cover cap, preferably of metal, but which may be of plastic if extreme heat resistance is not required, is placed over the sensor, the cover cap being formed with a labyrinth which provides for communication between ambient air and the interior of the sensor, the labyrinth preferably being formed as a groove, especially a spiral groove, in the interior of the cap and having access to outside ambient air, the cap preferably being secured by means other than friction, such as a spot weld, an engagement catch or the like to the sensor housing.

Abstract: To provide protection to the sensitive solid ion conductive electrolyte, a metal sleeve is placed to surround the electrolyte, with clearance, and formed with openings having an increasing cross-sectional area starting from the housing or socket towards the bottom of the solid electrolyte tube to provide an approximately even temperature gradient upon exposure of the element to exhaust gases, the sleeve being additionally so formed that deflection surfaces or vanes are formed internally thereof, for example by punching the openings through the sleeve as elongated slots leaving deflecting vanes, to deflect gases passing through the openings from direct impingement on the solid electrolyte tube to protect the solid electrolyte tube against impact and contamination.

Abstract: A housing of the device has a passage formed with two spaced open ends and with an inner circumferential shoulder. A tubular member of ion-conducting solid electrolyte material has a first closed-ended portion projecting from one of the open ends, and a second portion extending through the passage and being formed with an outer circumferential flange an axial end face of which faces the one open end and is supported by the shoulder. The interior of the tubular member is in communication with the ambient atmosphere, and an electron-conductive inner electrode is provided on an inner surface of the tubular member and conductively connected with an outside terminal portion. An electron-conductive outer electrode is provided on an outer surface of the tubular member and conductively connected with the housing.

Abstract: To provide for insulation between the conductors of a solid electrolyte ion-conductive oxygen measuring tube and a steel housing thereof, for introduction into the exhaust system of an automotive vehicle, the housing is formed with a shoulder against which a ceramic ring is seated, the tube passing through the ring, and likewise being formed with a shoulder seating against the ring. The outer conductor along the tube extends beyond the ring. A resilient electrically conductive mass such as graphite is packed around the tube, and spaced from the inner walls of the housing by a resilient mass of an insulating powder, such as talcum. The tube is held in position by a second insulating ring, the aperture of which is lined with a metallic sleeve contacting the electrically conductive powder and providing a contact connection to a terminal located in an end insulator secured to the housing; the interior of the tube is likewise connected to another terminal located in the insulator.

Abstract: A housing of the device has a passage formed with two spaced open ends and with an inner circumferential shoulder. A tubular member of ion-conducting solid electrolyte material has a first closed-ended portion projecting from one of the open ends, and a second portion extending through the passage and being formed with an outer circumferential flange an axial end face of which faces the one open end and is supported by the shoulder. The interior of the tubular member is in communication with the ambient atmosphere, and an electron-conductive inner electrode is provided on an inner surface of the tubular member and conductively connected with an outside terminal portion. An electron-conductive outer electrode is provided on an outer surface of the tubular member and conductively connected with the housing.

Abstract: To provide for mechanical isolation between the connection to the interior of a solid electrolyte material, such as zirconium dioxide, used in an oxygen ion concentration cell, for example to sense the composition of exhaust gases from an internal combustion engines, an electrical connection element which may be a metal cap, a cup-shaped element, or a resilient electrically conductive mass such as granular material, graphite, copper powder, or the like, is conductively arranged with respect to at least one of the conductor strips or paths connected to the solid electrolyte body, and an axially extending spiral compression spring is interposed between an electrical contact terminal and the connection element to provide for resilient, yielding connection between the terminal and the conductive paths, and avoid placing of stresses on the solid electrolyte body during manufacture thereof.