With Protective Element Patents (Class 204/428)
  • Patent number: 11268426
    Abstract: A sensor assembly for use within a flow conduit includes a sensor shield port extending between inner and outer ends of the sensor shield port through a wall of the flow conduit. The sensor shield port includes a port body defining a bore and extending between inner and outer surfaces of the port body. The sensor shield port further includes an outer port wall extending from the outer surface of the port body towards the outer end of the sensor shield port and an inner port wall extending from the inner surface of the port body. The sensor shield port includes one or more tabs extending from the inner port wall towards the inner end of the sensor shield port. The sensor assembly further includes an exhaust sensor inserted and removably coupled within the bore of the sensor shield port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Frederic G. Kuhn, Lawrence R. Borucki, Jr.
  • Patent number: 10746690
    Abstract: A gas sensor element includes: an electrolyte body; a target gas chamber; a reference gas chamber; a first electrode coming into contact with the electrolyte in the target gas chamber; a second electrode coming into contact with the electrolyte body in the reference gas chamber so as to hold the electrolyte body between the first electrode and the second electrode; a diffusion layer arranged to come into contact with the electrolyte body and configured to deliver the target gas to the target gas chamber; and a shielding layer arranged to come into contact with the diffusion layer so as to arrange the diffusion layer between the electrolyte body and the shielding layer. At least one of the electrolyte body and the shielding layer is provided with a concave section depressed from an interface side with the diffusion layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masashi Kawai
  • Patent number: 10520463
    Abstract: An insulating separator of a gas sensor is formed to be dividable into a forward separator having a terminal disposition hole, and a rear separator having four terminal disposition holes. The insulating separator has a ventilation path formed between the forward separator and the rear separator. As a result, moisture and the like which enter the insulating separator from a forward side of the forward separator through the terminal disposition hole can be discharged outward of the insulating separator through the ventilation path. As a result, corrosion of metal terminals caused by entry of moisture can be reduced, whereby transmission of a sensor signal and application of current or voltage through the metal terminals can be appropriately implemented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., LTD.
    Inventors: Takehiro Oba, Shogo Nagata, Shunya Mihara
  • Patent number: 10502704
    Abstract: A gas sensor includes a sensor element having a detecting portion; an insulator supporting the sensor element inserted therethrough; a housing supporting the insulator; an inner cover covering the detecting portion; and an outer cover covering the inner cover. An inner flange portion of the inner cover and the outer flange portion of the outer cover are supported between the insulator and the housing. An end face of the inner flange portion is positioned towards outer side R1 with respect to the radial direction R than the position of an end face of the outer flange portion. A corner portion between the end face and a surface in the outer flange portion protrudes into a surface of the inner flange portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasutaka Kamiya, Yoshihide Segawa, Hirokazu Yamada
  • Patent number: 10433732
    Abstract: An optoacoustic imaging system includes a hand-held imaging probe having a light emitting portion and an array of ultrasonic transducers. The probe includes an acoustic lens having an optically reflective material that operates to avoid image artifacts associated with light interactions with the acoustic lens. The optically reflective material may be a thin, highly optically reflective metallic layer. The acoustic lens may be formed from a material such as silicone rubber filled with titanium dioxide or barium sulfate that allows it to reflect and scatter light from illumination components with substantially no absorption of such light, and yet be optically opaque. The probe may include a housing that provides hypo-echoic encapsulation of the probe. An assembly of the array of ultrasonic transducers may include a hypo-echoic material. The probe may include optical windows, each comprising one or more anti-reflection coated plates with acoustic impedance matching that of tissues to be imaged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: SENO MEDICAL INSTRUMENTS, INC.
    Inventors: Alexander A. Oraevsky, Sergey A. Ermilov, Andre Conjusteau, Peter Brecht, Vyacheslav Nadvoretskiy, Richard Su, Donald G. Herzog, Bryan Clingman, Jason Zalev
  • Patent number: 10429367
    Abstract: The multi-parametric environmental diagnostics and monitoring sensor node (10) provides monitoring and diagnostics of a variety of different ambient environmental factors and is powered by multiple sources of renewable energy. The multi-parametric environmental diagnostics and monitoring sensor node (10) includes a base (38) and a plurality of environmental condition sensors (36a, 36b, 36c, 36d, 36e, 36f) mounted thereon. A controller (47) is also mounted on the base (38), the plurality of environmental condition sensors (36a, 36b, 36c, 36d, 36e, 36f) being in communication therewith. An external photovoltaic cell (18) is mounted to the base and an internal photovoltaic cell (34) is mounted in an opposed orientation on a cover (32). The external photovoltaic cell (18) and the internal photovoltaic cell (34) charge a power storage module (52), which powers the plurality of environmental condition sensors (36a, 36b, 36c, 36d, 36e, 36f) and the controller (47).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignees: Qatar University, University of Brescia
    Inventors: Damiano Crescini, Farid Touati, Paolo Crescini, Claudio Legena, Alessio Galli, Adel Ben Mnaouer
  • Patent number: 10392999
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for a particulate matter sensor positioned downstream of a diesel particulate filter in an exhaust system. In one example, a particulate matter sensor may include a cylindrical assembly with a circular plate and a plurality of dividers located therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Xiaogang Zhang
  • Patent number: 10365243
    Abstract: A gas sensor is provided with a sensor element having a detecting portion; an insulator supporting the sensor element in a state where the detecting portion is protruded therefrom, the sensor element being inserted through the insulator; a housing supporting the insulator; an inner cover covering the detecting portion; and an outer cover covering the inner cover. An inner flange portion of the inner cover and an outer flange portion of the outer cover are supported between the insulator and the housing. A protrusion is formed on a corner portion facing the insulator, the protrusion contacting with the insulator. An end face of the outer flange portion is positioned radially closer to an outer side with respect to a radial direction, than a position of an end face of the inner flange portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasutaka Kamiya, Yoshihide Segawa, Hirokazu Yamada
  • Patent number: 10359393
    Abstract: A gas sensor includes a housing, an insulator, an inner cover, and an outer cover. An inner peripheral hole of the housing includes a rear end side hole and a front end side hole portion and a rear end side hole portion. A step portion which is formed in a slant shape is provided at a boundary between the front end side hole portion and the rear end side hole portion. The inner cover has a large-diameter portion which faces the step portion. The insulator has a flange which holds the large-diameter portion between itself and the step portion. A burr is formed on the surface of the large-diameter portion. The burr faces the surface of the step portion. This avoids inclination of the cover relative to the inner peripheral hole of the housing and obviates the risk of damage to or breakage of a device body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masatake Nakamura
  • Patent number: 10261045
    Abstract: A sensor structural body, which is formed by stacking a sensor element and a heater, has a sensor protruding portion that protrudes distalward from a holder. The sensor element includes a solid electrolyte body, a measured-gas space, a reference-gas space, a pump cell, a monitor cell and a sensor cell. A heat-generating portion of the heater is entirely arranged in the sensor protruding portion. The length L (in mm) of a formation region of the heat-generating portion and the length H (in mm) of the sensor protruding portion in a longitudinal direction, in which the sensor protruding portion protrudes from the holder, are set to be in a range that is enclosed by first to fourth reference lines X1, X2, X3 and X4 on a two-dimensional coordinate plane whose horizontal and vertical axes respectively indicate the lengths L and H. The first to the fourth reference lines X1-X4 respectively represent the relationships of H=L, H=20, H=?4.24L+42.71 and H=?4.24L+68.6.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuusuke Kawamoto, Yuusuke Toudou
  • Patent number: 10088445
    Abstract: A gas sensor includes a sensor device, a device-side insulator porcelain, an atmospheric side insulator porcelain, a housing, a seal disposed between the housing and the device-side insulator porcelain, and an atmospheric side cover. The atmospheric side cover includes a large-diameter portion, a small-diameter portion, and a shoulder portion formed therebetween. The shoulder portion presses a base end surface of the atmospheric side insulator porcelain to a front end side through a biasing member to place the atmospheric side insulator porcelain in contact with the device-side insulator porcelain. The shoulder portion is defined by a contact portion placed in contact with the biasing member and a detached portion separate from the biasing member to form a communication path which communicates between an outer space and an outside path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masatake Nakamura
  • Patent number: 9851334
    Abstract: A gas sensor assembling method includes a step for placing an element dummy such that it has a longitudinal direction in a vertical direction, wherein the cross-sectional shape of the dummy is similar to the cross-sectional shape of a sensor element, a step for fitting a through hole in an annularly-mounted member to the dummy from above vertically, wherein the through hole included in the annularly-mounted member corresponds to the cross-sectional shape of the sensor element, a step for fitting a tubular member to an outer periphery of the annularly-mounted member from above vertically, an step for placing the sensor element in contact with an upper end portion of the dummy on a single straight line, and an step for descending the dummy downwardly vertically for descending the sensor element and fitting the through hole in the annularly-mounted member to the sensor element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Kenji Isaka, Hiroyuki Tanaka, Kenji Kato
  • Patent number: 9753020
    Abstract: A gas sensor element has a protection layer smaller in heat capacity than a conventional protection layer formed by a dipping process. A gas sensor includes the gas sensor element. The gas sensor element is manufactured by a method of manufacturing. The gas sensor element includes at least one space formed between a protection layer and an element body. The space is positioned over at least one of four vertexes of a forward end of the element body at a location at which the thickness of the protection layer is likely to become small. Therefore, it is possible to restrain breakage of the vertexes of the forward end of the element body which could otherwise result from thermal shock stemming from adhesion of water. The protection layer of the gas sensor element can be reduced in thickness and thus in heat capacity as compared with a conventional protection layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toru Iwano, Masaki Onkawa, Tatsuhiko Muraoka, Shun Sakuma, Shigehiro Ohtsuka, Masaki Mizutani
  • Patent number: 9733207
    Abstract: A protector includes an inside protector having an inside peripheral wall and a front end wall in a front end side thereof and a tubular outside protector which surrounds the inside protector. In an outside peripheral wall of the outside protector, a plurality of outside introducing ports through which an external part of the outside protector communicates with a gas separating chamber are formed at equal intervals along a circumferential direction. The outside introducing ports are formed at positions nearer to the front end side than positions where inside introducing ports of the inside protector are formed. The outside introducing ports extend in the circumferential direction of the outside peripheral wall and formed in shapes of lateral holes in which opening lengths in the circumferential direction are larger than opening lengths in the direction perpendicular to the circumferential direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tomoki Fujii, Takaya Yoshikawa
  • Patent number: 9618492
    Abstract: A sensor for determining at least one property of a measuring gas in a measuring gas space is provided. The sensor has a housing which includes a housing opening. At least one connection cable is led from the housing through the housing opening. The sensor further includes at least one sealing body, in particular a grommet, the sealing body at least partially enclosing the connection cable. The sealing body has at least one first section and at least one second section, the first section having a higher deformability than the second section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Bernd Rattay, Jens Schneider, Guido Soyez, Arno Clauss
  • Patent number: 9581565
    Abstract: Disclosed is a gas sensor having a metal shell, a holder placed in the metal shell and a sensor element inserted through an axial insertion hole of the holder. The holder has a recessed portion recessed toward the rear from a front end face of the holder. The sensor element has, at a front end part thereof, a detection portion covered with a porous protection layer such that a rear end of the porous protection layer is situated within the recessed portion of the holder and is located at the rear side with respect to the front end face of the holder while maintaining a space between an inner circumferential surface of the recessed portion and an outer circumferential surface of the porous protection layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Makoto Kume, Nobuhiro Inoue, Daisuke Tahira, Shingo Ito, Yuichi Yamada
  • Patent number: 9513252
    Abstract: In a gas sensor (100), a base end portion (175b) of a second outer wall (175) of an outer protector (171) is connected airtightly to a forward end portion (164c) of a first inner wall (164) of an inner protector (161), and relations of A?B<C<D and (0.6×B)?A are satisfied, wherein A represents the total opening area of a second outer hole (176) of the outer protector (171), B represents the total opening area of a second inner hole (166) of the inner protector (161), C represents the total opening area of a first inner hole (167), and D represents the total opening area of a first outer hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tomohisa Fujita, Nobuhiro Inoue, Makoto Kume
  • Patent number: 9482637
    Abstract: A sensor including: a detection element; terminal members; and a separator, wherein at least one specific first electrode terminal portion and an other first electrode terminal portion are formed on a first main surface of the detection element, wherein a second electrode terminal portion formed on a second main surface of the detection element is disposed so as to be offset from the specific first electrode terminal portion and to overlap with the other first electrode terminal portion in the axial direction, and in a thickness direction, a distance between the detection element and a specific first frame body portion brought into electrical connection with the specific first electrode terminal portion is larger than a distance between the detection element and the other first frame body portion brought into electrical connection with the other first electrode portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takehiro Oba, Yuichi Yamada, Shingo Ito, Shogo Nagata
  • Patent number: 9435669
    Abstract: A gas sensor includes a sensor housing and a sensing element located within the sensor housing. The sensing element defines an axis. The sensing element has a distal end extending from the sensor housing. The gas sensor further includes a sensor protection element coupled to the sensor housing and at least partially surrounding the distal end of the sensing element. The sensor protection element includes a tube having a conical portion, and a gas inlet located on the tube, the gas inlet spaced from the axis. The gas inlet is shaped to direct gas into the tube to induce a vortex gas flow within the conical portion of the tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: David Boyd, Craig Magera
  • Patent number: 9423368
    Abstract: Among first and second swaged sections, the second swaged section begins to be swaged prior to the first swaged section. Hence, a strong force can be prevented from acting on a rubber plug in a free state at a time and the first swaged section can begin to be swaged in such a state that a portion of the rubber plug that corresponds to the second swaged section is aligned as compared to the case where the first and second swaged sections begin to be simultaneously swaged. This prevents the position of the rubber plug from being significantly varied during swaging and also prevents the rubber plug from protruding from an outer tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Miyoshi Makino, Takehiro Koganei, Nobukazu Ikoma
  • Patent number: 9385463
    Abstract: A contact fitting has a supporting portion capable of contacting a surface of a sensor element, and a conducting portion protruding in the same direction as the supporting portion and capable of contacting an electrode on the sensor element. Before the contact fitting is attached to the sensor element, a protrusion height of the conducting portion is 90% to 110% of a protrusion height of the supporting portion, and the protrusion heights and are relatively close to each other. The supporting portion and the conducting portion are elastically deformable and are curved in shape. The supporting portion and the conducting portion are arranged along a longitudinal direction of the contact fitting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuhito Sakakibara, Koichi Masuda, Kenji Isaka
  • Patent number: 9228987
    Abstract: A protector has a two-stage structure that includes a large-diameter portion and a small-diameter portion. The large-diameter portion includes a cylindrical first peripheral wall and a first front end wall. The small-diameter portion includes a cylindrical second peripheral wall connected to the first front end wall and a second front end wall connected to a front end portion of the second peripheral wall. Opening portions are not formed in the first and second peripheral walls. First opening portions, which are opened toward only first recessed portions and an inner surface of the first peripheral wall, are formed at the first front end wall. A second recessed portion and second opening portions, which are formed in the second recessed portion and are opened toward an inner surface of the second peripheral wall, are formed in the second front end wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuji Shimazaki, Yasuhiro Fujita, Takayoshi Atsumi
  • Patent number: 9181858
    Abstract: A turbocharger for use in an internal combustion engine has at least one turbocharger housing, at least one compressor situated inside the turbocharger housing, and at least one turbine situated inside the turbocharger housing. In addition, the turbocharger has at least one sensor device for detecting at least a portion of a gas component of an exhaust gas of the internal combustion engine. The sensor device is at least partially integrated into the turbocharger housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Stefan Muenz, Juergen Ganser, Klaus Winkler, Christopher Holzknecht, Christoph Peters, Lothar Diehl, Sascha Klett, Johannes Misselwitz
  • Patent number: 9140585
    Abstract: A gas sensor suppresses the deterioration of gas tightness caused by failure of a sealing material. The gas sensor includes: a housing; a sensor element arranged inside the housing; a sealing material filling a gap between the sensor element and the housing; an insulation member arranged on a proximal end side of the sealing material; and an annular metal ring arranged on a proximal end side of the insulation member. The sealing material, the insulation member and the metal ring are fixed under pressure by caulking from a proximal end side to a distal. A proximal-end facing surface of an inner peripheral portion of the metal ring is spaced apart from the caulking portion in an opposing region where an inner end of the caulking portion and the metal ring face each other in an opposed manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Fujita, Takayoshi Atsumi
  • Patent number: 9012232
    Abstract: An auto-calibration system for diagnostic test strips is described for presenting data individually carried on each test strip readable by a diagnostic meter. The carried data may include an embedded code relating to data particular to that individual strip. The data is presented so at to be read by a meter associated with the diagnostic test strip in order to avoid manually inputting the information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Nipro Diagnostics, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary T. Neel, Brent E. Modzelewski, Allan Javier Caban, Adam Mark Will, Carlos Oti
  • Patent number: 9003866
    Abstract: A gas sensor including a detecting element; and a protector having a tube portion surrounding the detecting portion, and a bottom portion the protector having a first opening disposed at the tube portion and a second opening at the bottom portion. The bottom portion includes first and second bottom wall portions, the second bottom wall portion protrudes toward the leading end side, and at least a part of the inner face thereof is located at the leading end side with respect to the outer face of the first bottom wall portion. The second opening is provided on a side opposite the inner space of the tube portion in a communication passage formed by the inner face of the second bottom wall portion, and an opening area of the second opening is larger than an area of the largest imaginary circle that can be placed inside the first opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masao Tsuzuki, Takaya Yoshikawa
  • Patent number: 8945343
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for selectively etching an encapsulant forming a package of resinous material around an electronic device includes an electronic device package mountable on the etch head; a conductive electrode in electrical contact with package leads of the electronic device package to apply a first voltage to the package leads of the electronic device; a first pump configured to pump a first quantity of the etchant solution from the source into the etch head where the etchant solution is electrically biased to a second voltage different from the first voltage. An etch cavity is formed on an exterior surface of the electronic device package. When the etchant solution has etched through an exterior surface of the electronic device package, the conductive bond wires of the electronic device is prevented from being etched by the applied first voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Nisene Technology Group
    Inventor: Alan M. Wagner
  • Patent number: 8906214
    Abstract: A sensor element that may include a contamination-resistant coating on at least a portion thereof. The coating may include gamma alumina and a high temperature binder such as magnesium titanate. A sensor element that may include a contamination-resistant coating on at least a portion thereof. The coating may include gamma alumina, a high temperature binder such as magnesium titanate, and boehmite alumina. A method of making a contamination-resistant sensor element that may include mixing gamma alumina and a high temperature binder such as magnesium titanate to form a mixture, applying the mixture to at least a portion of a sensor element, and temperature treating the mixture to form a contamination-resistant coating on the sensor element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Jens Stefan Schneider, James Richard Waldrop, Velma Viane Massey, Donald Stanley Frost, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8900432
    Abstract: A sensor element, which may be used as Lambda probe and/or inside a Lambda probe, for example, is provided for determining at least one physical property of a gas mixture in at least one gas chamber. The sensor element has at least one first electrode, at least one second electrode and at least one solid state electrolyte, which connects the at least one first electrode and the at least one second electrode. The at least one first electrode and the at least one second electrode are situated inside the sensor element. The at least one second electrode is connected to at least one reference gas chamber via at least one discharge air channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Goetz Reinhardt, Henrico Runge, Holger Reinshagen, Lothar Diehl
  • Patent number: 8857241
    Abstract: A protector (100) of a gas sensor (1) includes an inner protector (120) and an outer protector (110). The inner protector accommodates a gas sensor element (10) and has a tubular side wall (122) having inner gas introduction holes (130), and a bottom wall (124). The outer protector has a tubular side wall (112) having outer gas introduction holes (115), a frustum-like taper wall (117) tapering frontward and an outer gas discharge hole (170) formed inside a front end edge (117s) of the taper wall. When SL represents an area defined by the front end edge of the taper wall, the area S of the opening of the outer gas discharge hole satisfies the relational expression ½×SL?S?SL. A cover portion (127) and a bottom wall (124) are partially away from each other along the axial direction, thereby forming side openings (162).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takashi Nakashima
  • Patent number: 8795492
    Abstract: A gas sensor element includes a solid electrolyte body having oxygen ion conductivity, a pair of measurement and reference electrodes respectively provided on an opposite pair of first and second surfaces of the solid electrolyte body, a porous diffusion-resistant layer through which a measurement gas is introduced to the measurement electrode, and a protective layer. The protective layer is provided to cover, at least, an outer surface of the porous diffusion-resistant layer through which the measurement gas flows into the diffusion-resistant layer. The protective layer is hydrophilic at room temperature and water-repellent at high temperatures at which the solid electrolyte body can be activated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Makoto Ito, Fuminori Nakashima
  • Patent number: 8771488
    Abstract: A gas sensor (100) includes an oxygen pump cell (135) and an oxygen-concentration detection cell (150) laminated together with a spacer (145) interposed therebetween. The spacer (145) has a gas detection chamber (145c) which faces electrodes (137, 152) of the cells (135, 150). The oxygen-concentration detection cell (150) produces an output voltage corresponding to the concentration of oxygen in the gas detection chamber (145c). The oxygen pump cell (135) pumps oxygen into and out of the measurement chamber (145c) such that the output voltage of the oxygen-concentration detection cell (150) becomes equal to a predetermined target voltage. A leakage portion mainly formed of zirconia is disposed between which electrically connects the oxygen-concentration detection cell (150) and the oxygen pump cell (135).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsuya Ito, Satoshi Teramoto, Kentaro Mori
  • Patent number: 8747635
    Abstract: A gas sensor is provided with a multilayer body of solid electrolyte layers, a measurement electrode, a reference electrode, a reference gas introduction layer, a detection unit and a heater. The reference electrode and the measurement electrode are formed directly on the same first solid electrolyte layer. Thus, heat from the heater is transferred from a third substrate layer to the first solid electrolyte layer, and also to the reference electrode and the measurement electrode through the same first solid electrolyte layer. The reference electrode is covered with a reference gas introduction layer, formed of a porous body. The transference of heat from the heater to the reference electrode through the reference gas introduction layer is smaller than the transference of heat from the heater to the reference electrode through the first solid electrolyte layer on which the reference electrode is formed directly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Mika Murakami, Naoya Saito, Tomoya Seimori
  • Patent number: 8747634
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seiji Oya, Shin Yoshida, Yuko Yamada
  • Patent number: 8721857
    Abstract: A gas sensor element includes a main body and a protective layer. The main body has four plane portions and four corner portions each of which is formed between one adjacent pair of the plane portions. The four corner portions include a pair of first corner portions that are formed on a porous diffusion-resistant layer side in a lamination direction of the main body and a pair of second corner portions that are formed on a heater layer side in the lamination direction. The protective layer is comprised of an inner protective layer that covers at least the first corner portions of the main body and an outer protective layer that covers the entire outer periphery of the main body and the inner protective layer. The protective layer has a larger average thickness at the first corner portions than at the plane portions of the main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Atsushi Murai, Hiroyuki Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 8721855
    Abstract: A crimp contact, a gas sensor including the crimp contact for outputting a signal from a sensing portion of a sensor element to an external device, and a method for manufacturing the crimp contact. The crimp contact includes a barrel portion crimped so as to fix a plurality of lead core wires (16) of an electrical lead connected to the external device. A hold portion constituting the barrel portion is formed such that the lead core wires 16 of the electrical lead are disposed in an U-shaped hold portion 77 so as to be crimped between an anvil 120 and a crimper 121. An outer surface of the U-shaped hold portion 77 has a plating layer 85 thereon to thereby constantly secure slidability between a sliding face of the crimper 121 and the outer surface of the U-shaped hold portion 77.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Hisaharu Nishio, Masahiro Asai, Makoto Hishiki
  • Patent number: 8721856
    Abstract: A gas sensor control system for a gas sensor having a first, a second, and a third cell. The second cell produces a second cell electric current indicating the concentration of oxygen in gas in which the amount of oxygen has already been controlled by the first cell. The third cell produces a third cell electric current indicating the concentration of a preselected component of the gas in which the amount of oxygen has already been controlled by the first cell. A second cell circuit converts the second cell electric current into a voltage as a second cell current-measured value. A current adjuster produces a flow of an adjustment current as a function of the second cell current-measured value so that a third cell circuit converts the third cell electric current minus the adjustment current into a voltage as representing the concentration of the preselected component of the gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignees: Denso Corporation, Nippon Soken, Inc.
    Inventors: Satoshi Hada, Takayuki Ishikawa, Katsuhide Akimoto
  • Patent number: 8715474
    Abstract: A gas sensor element has a first cell, a second cell, and a solid electrolyte layer having proton conductivity commonly used by the first cell and the second cell. The first cell has a first cathode and a first anode exposed to the target detection gas containing hydrogen atoms. The second cell has a second anode, a second cathode, and a shield layer with which the second anode is covered. A voltage is supplied to the first and second cells. A gas concentration of the target detection gas is calculated on the basis of a difference between a current of the first cell and a current of the second cell because the current in the first cell is a sum of proton conductivity current and an electron conductivity current. The current in the second cell is an electron conductive current only.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Keigo Mizutani, Takehiro Watarai, Norikazu Kajiyama
  • Patent number: 8679312
    Abstract: A gas sensor system including a gas sensor; a current control unit; a constant control unit; and a temperature acquisition unit. The gas sensor includes a measurement chamber, a pump cell and an electromotive force cell. The current control unit performs feedback control on current flowing through the pump cell in response to the voltage of the electromotive force cell and in accordance with a control constant which characterizes the feedback control. Further, the constant control unit changes the control constant of the feedback control in accordance with a value (for example, a resistance value of the electromotive force cell) corresponding to the temperature of the gas sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshinori Inoue, Norikazu Ieda
  • Patent number: 8671740
    Abstract: The sensor element, which can detect the concentration of a specified gas, is held with a housing with a front end thereof exposed. A protective cover includes an inner cover and an outer cover, and secured to the housing. A ratio ?1/?2 is set to a range from 0.6 to 0.9, where ?1 represents an outer diameter of a portion where an inner gas aperture is formed in the inner cover, and ?2 represents an inner diameter of a portion where an outer gas aperture is formed in the outer cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takayuki Sekiya, Kei Kosaka, Shodai Hirata
  • Patent number: 8673128
    Abstract: A gas sensor element includes an insulating ceramic base, a solid electrolyte body, and a heating element. The solid electrolyte body is disposed in an opening of the insulating ceramic base and has a measuring electrode affixed to one of major surfaces thereof and a reference electrode affixed to the other major surface. The measuring electrode is exposed to gas to be measured. The reference electrode is exposed to a reference gas. The heating element works to activate the solid electrolyte body and is mounted on one of opposed surfaces of the insulating ceramic base on the same side as the major surface of the solid electrolyte body on which the reference electrode is disposed. Specifically, the insulating ceramic base is located between the solid electrolyte body and the heating element, thereby ensuring a desired degree of electric insulation between the heating element and the reference electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Masami Saitou, Namitsugu Fujii, Norikazu Kajiyama
  • Patent number: 8632667
    Abstract: A deterioration signal generation device for an oxygen sensor having a power supply different than a power supply connected to an external device, including a connection unit for electrically connecting the ground lines of the respective power supplies; a first acquisition unit for electrically connecting to a first output line at a reference potential side and to a second output line at a sensor potential side of the oxygen sensor, to obtain first and second potentials, respectively; an operation unit that calculates a first differential value between the first and second potentials; a processing unit that performs an operation on the first differential value; a second acquisition unit that acquires a third potential of a first input line at a reference potential side of the external device; and an output unit that generates the deterioration signal by superposing the second differential value on the third potential.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Seiji Maeda
  • Patent number: 8623187
    Abstract: A gas sensor including a sensor element constituted by an oxygen-ion conductive solid electrolyte as a main component and detecting a predetermined gas component in a measurement gas includes: an external communication part having an opening opened to the outside, and introducing the measurement gas from the outside under a predetermined diffusion resistance; an internal space communicating with the external communication part; a first electrode formed on a surface of the internal space; a second electrode formed in a space different from the internal space; and a pumping cell operable to pump out oxygen existing in the internal space when a predetermined voltage is applied between the first electrode and the second electrode. The thickness of the external communication part is 50% or more and 100% or less of the thickness of the internal space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Sumiko Horisaka, Hiroki Fujita, Mika Murakami, Takashi Ito
  • Patent number: 8623188
    Abstract: A gas sensor including a plate-shaped laminate disposed in a housing and fixed thereto via an element passage member and formed by laminating a gas sensor element and a heating element. The gas sensor element includes a plate-shaped solid electrolyte member, and a pair of detection electrodes formed on front and back surfaces thereof and constituting, in cooperation with the solid electrolyte member, a detection section for detecting the concentration of a specific gas. Insulating substrates mainly composed of alumina are provided on opposite sides of the laminate in the laminating direction. Coating layers mainly composed of a first material higher in toughness than alumina are formed on at least portions of outer surfaces of the insulating substrates in the laminating direction, the portions facing the element passage member. The coating layers are not formed on surfaces of the laminate parallel to the laminating direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ai Igarashi, Noboru Furuta
  • Publication number: 20130306475
    Abstract: In a gas sensor, a gas sensor element includes a solid electrolyte body that has a bottomed tubular shape and a pair of reference and measurement electrodes that are respectively provided on the inner and outer surfaces of the solid electrolyte body. A cover is arranged to cover a distal end portion of the gas sensor element. The cover has at least one through-hole that is positioned on a distal side of the distal end portion of the gas sensor element in a longitudinal direction the gas sensor. The measurement electrode is positioned, on the outer surface of the solid electrolyte body, outside of an overlapping area that overlaps with the at least one through-hole of the cover in the longitudinal direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2013
    Publication date: November 21, 2013
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasufumi Suzuki, Tooru Katafuchi
  • Patent number: 8513961
    Abstract: A defect detection method for a sensor in which a fixing member provides a seal between a sensor element and tubular metallic members, the method being capable of detecting breakage of a conductor caused by breakage of the element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomohisa Fujita, Takeshi Kawai, Satoshi Teramoto, Shigeki Mori
  • Patent number: 8465636
    Abstract: An ammonium gas sensor is provided. The ammonium gas sensor includes: a solid electrolyte layer having oxygen ion conductivity; a detection electrode formed on one surface of the solid electrolyte layer; a reference electrode that is a counter electrode of the detection electrode; a selective reaction layer covering the detection electrode; and a protection layer covering the selective reaction layer and made from a porous material; wherein the detection electrode includes a noble metal as a main component; the selective reaction layer includes oxide represented by AxMyOz as a main component, where A is one or more kind(s) of metal, M is vanadium, tungsten, or molybdenum and x, y, z are atomic ratios; and the protection layer includes the oxide that is in an amount smaller than a content of the oxide included in the selective reaction layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Sugaya, Shiro Kakimoto, Hiroyuki Nishiyama, Wataru Matsutani
  • Patent number: 8449743
    Abstract: A gas sensor, that represses a manufacturing cost, obtains high responsiveness and can effectively reduce adhesion of water to a sensor element and intrusion of water into the sensor element, is provided. In the gas sensor that has the sensor element mainly containing a solid electrolyte with oxygen ion conductivity and a protective cover arranged to surround the sensor element and detects a predetermined gas component in a measurement gas, the protective cover includes an inner protective cover that is formed into a bottomed cylindrical shape, has a plurality of inner gas distributing holes formed in two rows on its side surface in a longitudinal direction of the sensor element and surrounds one front end of the sensor element, and an outer protective cover that is formed into a bottomed cylindrical shape, has a plurality of outer gas distributing holes on its side surface and surrounds the inner protective cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takayuki Sekiya, Kei Kosaka
  • Patent number: 8419915
    Abstract: A gas sensor including a detection element having a stacked structure configured to detect a specified gas component contained in a gas to be detected. The detection element includes: a sensing portion including one or more solid electrolyte layers containing a first material as a main component and having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface; a first portion stacked on the first surface and including one or more first base layers containing a second material as a main component different from the first material; and a second portion stacked on the second surface and including one or more second base layers containing the second material. A total thickness of the one or more second base layers in a stacking direction is not less than 80% but not more than 120% of a total thickness of the one or more first base layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuo Furuta, Shigeki Mori
  • Patent number: 8413483
    Abstract: A gas sensor comprises a gas sensing element, a housing for the gas sensing element, and an element cover secured to an axial end of the housing and composed of an inner cover covering part of the gas sensing element and an outer cover disposed outside the inner cover. The outer cover comprise an approximately cylindrical side wall body, a bottom body integral with the side wall body, and a guide having first and second ends, the first end being secured to the side wall body and the second end being separated from the side wall body and located to provide a side opening between the second end and the side wall body. The side opening introduces a gas thereinto. A discharge opening is formed through the bottom body. The second end is recessed inward in the outer cover and is closer to the bottom body than the first end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Kohei Yamada