Patent ID: 8342002

Claim:
An inspection apparatus for a sensor element for use in a gas sensor, comprising: a plurality of chambers each of which is a substantially cylindrical member having an opening part opening to the outside at one end thereof and a bottomed end part at the other end thereof, one sensor element being inserted into each of said plurality of chambers; a gas supply element which supplies a predetermined inspection mixed gas to each of said plurality of chambers; a plurality of flow rate adjusting elements each provided so as to correspond to each of said plurality of chambers, each of said plurality of flow rate adjusting elements being operable to individually control a flow rate of said inspection mixed gas in each of said plurality of chambers; and a measuring element which is electrically connected to the sensor element inserted into each of said plurality of chambers, and performs a predetermined electrical measurement, wherein each of said plurality of chambers includes: an element insertion and extraction part into and from which said sensor element is inserted and extracted; a gas introduction part to which a supply port for said inspection mixed gas supplied from said gas supply element is connected; and a tapered part connected to each of said element insertion and extraction part and said gas introduction part, said element insertion and extraction part is a substantially tubular space continuous from said opening part opening to said tapered part, said gas introduction part is a substantially tubular space continuously extending from said tapered part to a bottom portion of said chamber, the inner diameter of said element insertion and extraction part is smaller than the inner diameter of said gas introduction part, a cross-section surface of said tapered part sectioned perpendicularly to a lengthwise direction of said chamber becomes larger from said element insertion and extraction part side toward said gas introduction part side.