Abstract: An active liquid applicator is provided which is designed to coat a surface of an electronic parts such as an oxygen sensor with an active liquid for forming an electrode. The liquid applicator includes a nozzle head and a nozzle tube. The nozzle tube has disposed therein a pearmable member which produces capillary attraction of an active liquid thereinto and feed it to the nozzle head, thereby enabling formation of a thin active film on the electronic part which has the thickness controllable with high accuracy.

Abstract: A gas sensor has a sensor element inserted in a cylindrical housing. A measured gas cover, provided at a distal end side of the housing, forms a measured gas environment at a distal end side of the sensor element. An atmospheric air cover, provided at a proximal end side of the housing, forms an atmospheric air environment at a proximal end side of the sensor element. A clearance between an inside surface of the housing and an outside surface of the sensor element is gastightly sealed with a sealing member including a plurality of powder filler layers to separate or isolate the measured gas environment from the atmospheric air environment.

Abstract: An improved structure of a gas sensor is provided which is designed to establish a desired degree of gas/liquid tight sealing between a sensor element and a housing. The gas sensor includes a powder seal fitted in a chamber defined between the sensor element and the housing. The dimensions of the powder seal and the chamber are selected to enhance gas/liquid tight properties of the powder seal.

Abstract: An active liquid applicator is provided which is designed to coat a surface of an electronic parts such as an oxygen sensor with an active liquid for forming an electrode. The liquid applicator includes a nozzle head and a nozzle tube. The nozzle tube has disposed therein a pearmable member which produces capillary attraction of an active liquid thereinto and feed it to the nozzle head, thereby enabling formation of a thin active film on the electronic part which has the thickness controllable with high accuracy.

Abstract: A second protective layer is a ceramic porous protective layer comprising coarse particles and fine particles structurally arranged in such a manner that interparticle cavities formed between the coarse particles are filled with the fine particles. At least either of the coarse particles and the fine particles contain at least one selected from the group consisting of &ggr;-Al2O3, &thgr;-Al2O3, &dgr;-Al2O3 and solid solution having the same crystal structure as those of &ggr;-Al2O3, &thgr;-Al2O3, &dgr;-Al2O3.

Abstract: A powder filler is stuffed in a filler space defined between a housing and a gas sensing element so as to airtightly seal a clearance between the housing and the gas sensing element. The powder filler contains grains whose diameter is in a range from 80 &mgr;m to 5,000 &mgr;m when measured before being stuffed into the filler space. A weight percentage of the grains having the diameter of 80 &mgr;m to 5,000 &mgr;m is equal to or larger than 80% with respect to an overall weight of the powder filler.

Abstract: A sensor element has a solid electrolyte body holding a reference gas side electrode and a measurement gas side electrode on surfaces thereof. The measurement gas side electrode is covered with a porous protective layer including a component as a lead getter, which reacts with lead contained in measurement gas. Accordingly, lead is removed from measurement gas by the protective layer not to be attached to the measurement gas side electrode. As a result, the sensor element can be used in measurement gas containing lead, without deteriorating responsibility and output thereof.

Abstract: A second protective layer is a ceramic porous protective layer comprising coarse particles and fine particles structurally arranged in such a manner that interparticle cavities formed between the coarse particles are filled with the fine particles. At least either of the coarse particles and the fine particles contain at least one selected from the group consisting of &ggr;-Al2O3, &thgr;-Al2O3, &dgr;-Al2O3 and solid solution having the same crystal structure as those of &ggr;-Al2O3, &thgr;-Al2O3, &dgr;-Al2O3.

Abstract: An oxygen concentration detecting device comprises a solid electrolyte body, inner and outer electrodes formed on the opposite sides of the solid electrolyte body, and a protective layer formed on the outer electrode and comprised of coarse particles and fine particles mutually bonded through an inorganic binder while substantially keeping the original forms of the both types of particles. A ratio of an average particle size, RB, of the coarse particles to an average particle size, RA, of the fine particles of 30:1 or above, and a content, WA, of the fine particles in the protective layer based on the total content, W, of the content, WA, of the fine particles and the content, WB, of the coarse particles on the weight basis is in the range of 15 to 80 %. A method for fabricating the detecting device having such a protective layer as set out above is also described.