Abstract: In order to compensate for variation in output of sensor elements 10, there is provided a compensating resistor 220 that has a resistance value reflected by correction information. The resistor 220 is connected in parallel with a VS cell 245 through paired electrode leads 236 and 237 and paired electrode pads 232 and 233. The paired electrode leads 236 and 237 are placed at a position electrically isolated from solid electrolyte substrates 120 and 140.

Abstract: A temperature sensor includes a temperature sensitive element, a sheath portion, a surrounding portion, and a holding member. This temperature sensor has a void formed forward of a temperature sensitive body. When the void is projected in an axial direction of the surrounding portion from a forward end side of the surrounding portion, the void contains at least a forward end surface of the temperature sensitive body.

Abstract: In a temperature sensor, two seal members seal the open opposite ends of a cladding member (a forward end and a rear end), so that water absorption by an insulator of a sheath member can be restrained. The seal members are formed to have an insulation resistance equal to that of a conductor-fixing material. Therefore, even when the temperature sensor is used in a high-temperature environment, the insulation performance of the seal members does not become lower than the insulation performance of the conductor-fixing material, so that the formation of a leakage current path can be suppressed. According to the temperature sensor, the electrical property of a temperature sensitive element can be sensed accurately, and a reduction in the accuracy of temperature sensing can be restrained.

Abstract: A temperature sensitive element in a temperature sensor includes a covering member formed from alumina and aluminosilicate glass, and the volume ratio of the alumina to the aluminosilicate glass (the alumina/the aluminosilicate glass) in the covering member is 30 vol %/70 vol %. The aluminosilicate glass contained in the covering member is high heat-resistant glass having a softening point of 900° C. or higher. The covering member can hold output lines and pads and can restrain separation of the output lines from the pads and separation of the pads from a ceramic substrate even in an environment of higher temperature as compared with the case where the covering member is formed of the aluminosilicate glass only.

Abstract: A gas detection element of a gas sensor has a reference gas introduction passage formed therein and extending from an opening at a radially outer perimetric surface of an element rear-end portion to a detecting section of an element forward-end portion for introducing reference gas from the opening to the detecting section. The entirety of the reference gas introduction passage is provided on a forward side in an axial direction with respect to contact portions of electrode pads and through hole conductors which are formed on and in the element rear-end portion.

Abstract: In a temperature sensitive element, a covering member containing a glass as a main component and having a thermal expansion coefficient smaller than that of output lines is provided on pads to cover at least portions of output lines located on the pads. The pads are formed of a glass-based material which contains, as main components, a metal and a glass having a thermal expansion coefficient smaller than that of a ceramic substrate, and the thermal expansion coefficient of the pads is set to be smaller than that of the output lines. Accordingly, in the case where the temperature sensitive element is exposed to a temperature change between a high temperature and ordinary temperature, compressive stress can be applied to the output lines by the covering member and the pads. Thus, the fixing force between the output lines and the pads can be increased.

Abstract: A gas sensor element of an air/fuel ratio sensor has a structure in which at least a part of an end portion of a porous electrode is sandwiched between a porous member and a solid electrolyte member. Therefore, it is possible to restrain shrinkage of the porous electrode during manufacture of the gas sensor element, which shrinkage would otherwise occur at the time of heating in a debindering step or at the beginning of a firing step, whereby occurrence of green breakage in the solid electrolyte member is restrained. Thus, cracking due to green breakage is restrained from occurring in the solid electrolyte member produced through firing. Since the end portion of the porous electrode can receive oxygen through the porous member, blackening of the solid electrolyte member can be prevented.

Abstract: A gas sensor element (120) configured as a laminate of an oxygen pump cell (135) and an oxygen concentration detection cell (150) with a spacer (145) sandwiched therebetween. The spacer (145) has a gas detecting chamber (145c) formed therein and electrodes (138) and (152) of the cells (135) and (150), respectively, facing the chamber (145c). A leakage section (148) is faces the gas detecting chamber (145c) (measuring chamber).

Abstract: There is provided a gas sensor element for detecting the concentration of a specific gas component in gas under measurement, which includes a plate-shaped element body and a porous protection layer. The element body has, at one end portion thereof, a gas sensing portion formed with a solid electrolyte substrate and a pair of electrodes. The porous protection layer has a porous structure formed of ceramic particles and surrounds at least the circumference of the one end portion of the element body. In the present invention, the porous protection layer has an inner region, an intermediate region and an outer region laminated together in order of mention from the element body toward the outside. The intermediate region has a porosity lower than those of the inner and outer regions. There is also provided a gas sensor with such a gas sensor element.

Abstract: Disclosed is a sensor element for detecting a specific gas component in a gas under measurement. The sensor element is plate-shaped in a longitudinal direction thereof and has a detection portion located on a front end side of the sensor element and an air introduction portion adapted as a longitudinal hole extending in the longitudinal direction to a position of the detection portion so as to introduce air thereinto. The detection portion includes a measurement electrode exposed to the gas under measurement, a reference electrode arranged in the air introduction portion and a plate-shaped solid electrolyte member held in contact with the measurement electrode and the reference electrode. The air introduction portion has a cross section with an aspect ratio of 0.0082 to 0.0800 and an area of 0.015 to 0.147 mm2 when taken perpendicular to the longitudinal direction at a position of the reference electrode.

Abstract: A heater which realizes both reduction of power consumption and improvement of durability against thermal shock. The heater includes a ceramic substrate formed of a ceramic material containing alumina as a main component; and a heat-generating resistor provided on the ceramic substrate and having a heat-generating portion and a lead portion, the heat-generating resistor containing, as a main component, one or more metals selected from the group consisting of platinum (Pt), palladium (Pd), and rhodium (Rh), or an alloy of any of these, and a ceramic material which is the same as the ceramic material of the ceramic substrate. In the heater, the ratio of the resistance of the heat-generating portion to the sum of the resistances of the heat-generating portion and the lead portion is 76 to 95%, and the heat-generating portion has a thickness of 1 to 6 ?m.

Abstract: A cross-sectional shape of a gap of a gas sensor element has an end point A which is one of contact points at which the cross-sectional shape is in single-point contact with a virtual straight line parallel to a lamination direction, the one contact point being closest to one side of the laminated structure, an end point B which is one of the contact points closest to another side of the laminated structure, an end point C having the greatest separation from a straight line AB toward a solid electrolyte ceramic layer, and an end point D having the greatest separation from the straight line AB toward another ceramic layer. The distance H1 between the straight line AB and the end point C and the distance H2 between the straight line AB and the end point D satisfy 0.25?H1/H2<1.00 or 1.00<H1/H2?4.00.

Abstract: Provided are: an electrode for a gas sensor formed as a porous electrode so as to stably allow reduction in electrode resistance for excellent low-temperature activity; and a gas sensor. The electrode (108, 110) for the gas sensor is adapted for use on a surface of a solid electrolyte body (109), which is predominantly formed of zirconia, and contains particles (2) of a noble metal or an alloy thereof, first ceramic particles (4) of stabilized zirconia or partially stabilized zirconia and second ceramic particles (6) of one or more selected from the group consisting of Al2O3, MgO, La2O3, spinel, zircon, mullite and cordierite, wherein the second ceramic particles are contained in an amount smaller than that of the first ceramic particles.

Abstract: A gas sensor including a gas sensor element, and an inner member surrounding the gas sensor element. The gas sensor element has a detection element having therein a space to which a gas to be measured is introduced, and a heater laminated on the detection element. The detection element includes a first oxygen pumping cell for pumping oxygen into or out of the space, an oxygen concentration detection cell, a detection electrode and a reference electrode. In side faces of the detection element along a laminating direction, a region from a front end of the inner member to a part of the detection electrode along a longitudinal direction is covered with a glass coat having a glass transition point of over 700° C. Further the detection electrode is controlled at a temperature range from 600° C. or more to not more than the glass transition point of the glass coat.

Abstract: A gas sensor includes a gas sensor element. The gas sensor element includes a first detection chamber; a first oxygen pumping cell including a first solid electrolyte body and a pair of first electrodes; a second detection chamber; a second oxygen pumping cell including a second solid electrolyte body and a pair of second electrodes; and an oxygen-concentration sensing cell including a third solid electrolyte body and a pair of third electrodes. A sensing electrode of the third electrodes is disposed downstream beyond a first inner electrode of the first electrodes relative to a gas flow direction. A cross-sectional area of a space of the first detection chamber which faces the first inner electrode falls within a range from 0.03 mm2 to 0.22 mm2.

Abstract: There is provided a gas sensor element for detecting the concentration of a specific gas component in gas under measurement, which includes a plate-shaped element body and a porous protection layer. The element body has, at one end portion thereof, a gas sensing portion formed with a solid electrolyte substrate and a pair of electrodes. The porous protection layer has a porous structure formed of ceramic particles and surrounds at least the circumference of the one end portion of the element body. In the present invention, the porous protection layer has an inner region, an intermediate region and an outer region laminated together in order of mention from the element body toward the outside. The intermediate region has a porosity lower than those of the inner and outer regions. There is also provided a gas sensor with such a gas sensor element.

Abstract: A gas sensor controller 190 stops an operation of pumping in or out oxygen that is being performed by a first pump cell 111 in a state that the oxygen concentration (oxygen partial pressure) of a gas to be measured is equal to a status judgment reference value (20%). The gas sensor controller 190 calculates an oxygen pressure in a second measurement chamber 161 on the basis of a second pump current Ip2. If the oxygen pressure in the second measurement chamber 161 is equal to a deterioration judgment reference value, the gas sensor controller 190 judges that the second pump cell 113 is in a normal state. If the oxygen pressure in the second measurement chamber 161 is different from the deterioration judgment reference value, the gas sensor controller 190 judges that the second pump cell 113 is in a deteriorated state.

Abstract: A sensor element having a plate-like shape and extending in a longitudinal direction and having a chamfered portion at an edge between a main surface and a rear-end surface or between a main surface and a side surface of the sensor element. The sensor element includes a solid electrolyte layer, an insulating layer disposed on the solid electrolyte layer and constituting at least part of the main surface, and an electrode pad disposed away from the chamfered portion for connection to an outside circuit. Furthermore, the solid electrolyte layer and the insulating layer are exposed at the chamfered portion. Also disclosed are a gas sensor including the sensor element and a method of manufacturing the sensor element.

Abstract: [Objective] To provide a gas sensor having a solid electrolyte body in which an exposed portion thereof achieving a temperature lower than the temperature that burns off soot is covered with a glass coat so as to prevent deterioration in gas concentration detection performance of the gas sensor.

Abstract: In order to compensate for variation in output of sensor elements 10, there is provided a compensating resistor 220 that has a resistance value reflected by correction information. The resistor 220 is connected in parallel with a VS cell 245 through paired electrode leads 236 and 237 and paired electrode pads 232 and 233. The paired electrode leads 236 and 237 are placed at a position electrically isolated from solid electrolyte substrates 120 and 140.