Flow sensing device and electronics apparatus

• US 20040050155A1
• Filed: 07/16/2003
• Published: 03/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Astemo Ltd. (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi Car Engineering Company Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.), Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Abe, Hiroyuki, Yogo, Takayuki, Igarashi, Shinya, Watanabe, Izumi, Okazaki, Isao
• Granted Patent: US 6,997,051 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/204.22
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/684 Structural arrangements; Mounting of elements, e.g. in relation to fluid flow
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 15/006 characterised by the use of a particular material, e.g. anti-corrosive material G01F15/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 15/14 Casings, e.g. of special material

Abstract

A structure is disclosed in which a conductive material having corrosiveness equal to or higher than that of the materials constituting electronics circuitry is disposed on halfway of the diffusion path of corrosive gases between an entrance place thereof and the electronics circuitry, whereby the conductive material traps the corrosive gases.

Claims

1. A flow sensing device, comprising:

a flow sensing element for sensing a flow of a gas;

electronics circuitry for processing a signal from said flow sensing element;

a case for protecting said electronics circuitry provided inside said case; and

trapping means for trapping corrosive compositions entering from the outside of said case into the inside thereof,

wherein said flow sensing device is installed in an intake air passage of an engine by inserting said flow sensing element into said intake air passage of the engine.

2. The flow sensing device according to claim 1, wherein said case is formed by bonding a metal component and plastic components together by a silicone adhesive, and wherein said corrosive compositions entered from the outside of said case into the inside thereof via said silicone adhesive, are trapped by said trapping means.

3. The flow sensing device according to claim 1, wherein said trapping means has corrosiveness by said entering gas, equal to or larger than that of the wiring lines of said electronics circuitry.

4. The flow sensing device according to claim 1, wherein said trapping means comprises silver, copper, a silver alloy containing at least 83% of silver, or a copper alloy containing at least 83% of copper.

5. The flow sensing device according to claim 1, wherein said electronics circuitry and said trapping means are provided on the same board.

6. The flow sensing device according to claim 1, wherein said corrosive compositions comprise sulfur or compounds thereof.

7. The flow sensing device according to claim 2, wherein said trapping means is disposed between said silicone adhesive and said electronics circuitry.

8. The flow sensing device according to claim 1, further comprising a gel covering said electronics circuitry, wherein said trapping means is mixed into said gel.

9. The flow sensing device according to claim 1, wherein said trapping means is electrically connected to the ground potential of said electronics circuitry.

10. A flow sensing device, comprising:

a flow sensing element for sensing a flow of a gas;

electronics circuitry for processing a signal from said flow sensing element; and

a case for protecting said electronics circuitry provided inside said case,

wherein said flow sensing device is installed in an intake air passage of an engine by inserting said flow sensing element into said intake air passage of the engine; and

wherein silver, copper, a silver alloy containing at least 83% of silver, or a copper alloy containing at least 83% of copper each of which hardly affects the function of said electronics circuitry even if it becomes corroded, is disposed inside said case in an exposed state.

11. The flow sensing device according to claim 10, further comprising a board having said electronics circuitry mounted thereon, wherein said silver, copper, a silver alloy containing at least 83% of silver, or a copper alloy containing at least 83% of copper, is provided on said board.

12. An electronics apparatus, comprising:

electronics circuitry;

a case for protecting said electronics circuitry provided inside said case; and

trapping means for trapping corrosive compositions entering from the outside of said case into the inside thereof,

wherein said electronics apparatus is installed in an engine room.

13. The electronics apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said trapping means has corrosiveness by said entering gas, equal to or larger than that of the wiring lines of said electronics circuitry.

14. The electronics apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said trapping means comprises silver, copper, a silver alloy containing at least 83% of silver, or a copper alloy containing at least 83% of copper.

15. The electronics apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said electronics circuitry and said trapping means are provided on the same board.

16. The electronics apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said corrosive compositions comprise sulfur or compounds thereof.

17. The electronics apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said case is formed by bonding a plurality of components together by an adhesive, and wherein said trapping means is disposed between said silicone adhesive and said electronics circuitry.

18. The electronics apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising a gel covering said electronics circuitry, inside said case, wherein said trapping means is mixed into said gel.

19. The electronics apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said trapping means is electrically connected to the ground potential of said electronics circuitry.

20. The electronics apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said electronics apparatus comprises any one of a flow sensing device for sensing a flow of an intake gas in said engine, a pressure sensor for sensing a pressure of the intake gas in said engine, an air-fuel ratio sensor for sensing an air-fuel ratio of exhaust gases from said engine, and an electronic throttle device for controlling the flow of the intake gas in said engine.