Patent Publication Number: US-2021172810-A1

Title: Temperature Sensor Assembly

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of the filing date under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d) of Indian Patent Application No. 201941049895, filed on Dec. 4, 2019. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a sensor assembly and, more particularly, to a temperature sensor assembly. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Temperature sensors are used in a variety of fields, for example in the automotive field. Often, temperature pins, also referred to as temperature lances, are used to measure a temperature at a defined location. The temperature pin can, for example, be a part of an electric engine and positioned at the hottest point in the engine where a measurement of the temperature is possible. A problem associated with current temperature sensors is that the contacting of temperature pins that have different shapes, for example due to the production process or because different engine models are used, is difficult. 
     SUMMARY 
     A temperature sensor assembly including a carrier part having a receptacle for a temperature pin, a sensor element for measuring a temperature, and a pushing element pushing the sensor element into the receptacle. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying Figures, of which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a temperature sensor assembly according to an embodiment; 
         FIG. 2  is a sectional side view of the temperature sensor assembly of  FIG. 1  mounted to an engine; 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view of the temperature sensor assembly of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the temperature sensor assembly of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a temperature sensor assembly according to another embodiment; 
         FIG. 6  is a sectional perspective view of the temperature sensor assembly of  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a sectional side view of a temperature sensor assembly according to another embodiment; and 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the temperature sensor assembly of  FIG. 7 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT(S) 
     The invention will now be described in greater detail and in an exemplary manner using advantageous embodiments and with reference to the drawings. The described embodiments are only possible configurations in which, however, the individual features as described herein can be provided independently of one another or can be omitted. 
     A temperature sensor assembly  100  according to an embodiment is shown in  FIGS. 1-4 . The temperature sensor assembly  100 , for example, is used in the automotive field. The temperature sensor assembly  100  comprises a carrier part  10  with a receptacle  20  for a temperature pin  50 . The temperature pin  50  can, for example, be located on an engine housing of a car. A temperature measured at the temperature pin  50  can relate to a temperature of critical parts of the engine. 
     In order to sense the temperature at the temperature pin  50 , the temperature sensor assembly  100  further comprises a sensor element  30 , shown in  FIG. 2 . The sensor element  30  can, for example, comprise temperature-dependent resistors or other temperature-dependent electrical components. 
     The temperature pins  50  are usually shaped differently due to manufacturing tolerances. For example, they can be welded and the welding can result in different dimensions or shapes. In order to always contact the temperature pin  50  correctly, the temperature sensor assembly  100  further comprises a pushing element  40 , shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , for pushing the sensor element  30  into the receptacle  20  and thus onto the temperature pin  50 . 
     The pushing element  40  is adapted to push the sensor element  30  into the receptacle  20  at a side  25  of the receptacle  20  and thus onto a side of the temperature pin  50 , as shown in FIG.  2 . The pushing element  40  pushes the sensor element  30  along a transverse direction T that is transverse, in particular perpendicular to an insertion direction I of the receptacle  20 , along which the temperature pin  50  is inserted into the receptacle  20 . The sensor element  30  and/or the pushing element  40  can form a side of the receptacle  20 . The pushing element  40  allows the contacting of differently shaped temperature pins  50 . It is adapted to push the sensor element  30  onto differently shaped temperature pins  50 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the pushing element  40  of the depicted embodiment is a single element, namely a spring element  41 . The spring element  41  is, in the shown embodiment, a leaf spring  42  having three curves  44  with alternating curvature directions and two end sections  47  that are held in slits  18  of the carrier part  10 . Alternating curvature direction can mean that, for example, a curve going to the right is located between two curves going to the left. The pushing element  40  is made from a metal strip, for example by cutting, bending and/or coining. 
     The pushing element  40  contacts the sensor element  30  at the central curve  44 . In  FIG. 2 , the sensor element  30  is shown twice. Once, namely in the fully visible version, the undeflected position of the sensor element  30  shown. The deflected configuration of the sensor element  30  is shown in a further version in broken lines. 
     The temperature sensor assembly  100 , as shown in  FIG. 2 , includes a recess  15  for at least partially accommodating the pushing element  40 . This recess  15  is open towards the receptacle  20  and/or in communication with the receptacle  20  so that the sensor element  30  can be pushed onto the temperature pin  50 . The recess  15  is slot-shaped to allow an easy movement of the sensor element  30  and the pushing element  40 . Stretching recesses  85  on the carrier part  10 , shown in  FIG. 4 , allow an expansion of the receptacle  20  when the temperature pin  50  is inserted. The recess  15  can serve to protect the pushing element  40 . 
     The temperature sensor assembly  100 , as shown in  FIG. 2 , comprises a connection section  60  with at least one terminal  65  for connection to a processing module. In such a processing module, the signals from the temperature sensor assembly can be further processed. To allow an easy mounting, the receptacle  20  is located at a first side  11  of the temperature sensor assembly  100  and the connection section  60  is located at a second side  12  of the temperature sensor assembly  100  opposite the first side  11 . The definition of the two sides  11 ,  12  can be relative to an insertion direction I of the receptacle  20  and/or the pin  50 . One side can be located behind the other along the insertion direction I. The processing module can, for example, be an engine control unit (ECU) of a car. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the connection section  60  is located in a housing part  70  that is detachable from the carrier part  10 . It can be attached and detached repeatedly. In other versions, the housing part  70  and/or the connection section  60  could be integral with the carrier part  10 . 
     At least one terminal  65  in the connection section  60  is connected to the sensor element  30 . Such a connection can be either direct or indirect via an intermediate element such as a wire or cable  68 . 
     The carrier part  10  and the housing part  70  are adapted to be attached to each other, as shown in  FIGS. 1-3 . They can comprise locking members, fixing members or attachment members  75 . For example, a latching mechanism can allow a latching connection between the two. 
     The carrier part  10  comprises a housing part receptacle  17  for at least partially receiving the housing part  70 , as shown in the embodiment of  FIG. 6 . The housing part  70  is adapted to be fixed to an external element, in particular an element of an automobile. It comprises a fixing member  77 , shown in  FIGS. 1-4 , for example in the form of at least one threaded hole  78 . 
     The temperature sensor assembly  100 , as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , comprises sealing elements  91 ,  92 . The sealing elements  91 ,  92  include first sealing elements  91  for sealing together with further elements, for example a part of an automobile, and cable sealings  92  or terminal sealing for sealing between a cable or terminal and a part of the temperature sensor assembly  100 , for example the housing part  70 . 
     In  FIGS. 5 and 6 , a second embodiment of the temperature sensor assembly  100  is shown. It differs in particular from the first embodiment in the length of the housing part  70  in which the connection section  60  is located. In the second embodiment, the housing  70 ,  70 B is longer than the housing  70 ,  70 A in the first embodiment along the insertion direction. With such a longer housing part  70 , the temperature sensor assembly  100  can be used for a different kind of engine and/or car. 
     Each of the two embodiments can be seen as a set  200  for a temperature sensor assembly  100 , shown in  FIGS. 1-6 , comprising a carrier part  10  with a receptacle  20  for a temperature pin  50 , a sensor element  30  for measuring the temperature, a pushing element  40  for pushing the sensor element  30  into the receptacle  20  and a housing part  70  that is detachable from the carrier part  10  and that comprises a connection section  60  with at least one terminal  65  for connection to a processing module. 
     The set  100 , in an embodiment, further comprises at least one cable  68  for connecting the sensor element  30  to the terminal  65 , as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 6 . The cable  68  can be pre-mounted to the sensor element  30 , but not to the terminal  65 , so that the same cable  68  can be used for producing different temperature sensor assemblies  100 . Depending on the length of the housing part  70 , the cable  68  can be cut to an appropriate length and a terminal  65  can then be added to the cable  68 . 
     A set  200  can in particular comprise at least two different housing elements  70 ,  70 A,  70 B, differing for example in dimensions, in particular lengths, or the kind and number of fixing members  77 . With such a set  200  the user can create an appropriate temperature sensor assembly  100  for different types of cars. 
     In order to improve the temperature measurement, thermal compound, also known as heat paste or thermal paste, can be present in the receptacle  20 . The thermal compound can in particular fill the area between and around the temperature pin  50  and the sensor element  30 . The thermal compound can be premounted in the receptacle  20  before the temperature pin is inserted or be applied later. 
       FIGS. 7 and 8  show a further embodiment of a temperature sensor assembly  100 . The sensor element  30  is again pushed into the receptacle by a pushing element  40 . The pushing element  40  comprises a spring element  41  that is attached to an insulation element  48 . The spring element  41  can be made from a metal and the insulation element  48  can be made from a material that is thermally and electrically insulating, for example plastic or resin. The sensor element  30  can at least be partially embedded in the insulation element  48 .