Gasket having a fiber-optic pressure sensor assembly

• US 20050044959A1
• Filed: 08/29/2003
• Published: 03/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dana Automotive Systems Group, LLC (Dana, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dana Corporation (Dana, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gause, Charles B., Rice, Trevor, Boyd, Clark D., Vicari, Larry
• Granted Patent: US 6,945,117 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/729.100
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 23/16 by photoelectric means
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 9/0039 using photoelectric means

Abstract

A sensor assembly includes a stainless steel tubular housing. Within the housing is a polyetheretherketone tube and a sensor. An optical fiber joins the sensor to a transmission cable and is fixedly positioned within the tube. A first end of the housing includes a pressure transmission device or bellows and the second end of the housing is crimped about the tube to fixedly position the tube and the sensor within the housing. The sensor assembly is positioned within a channel of a gasket to obtain pressure data from a combustion chamber. This abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.

Claims

1. A sensor assembly comprising:

a housing having a first end and a second end;

a tube positioned within said housing;

a sensor positioned within said housing;

wherein said first end of said housing includes a pressure transmission device and said second end of said housing is sealed about said tube to fixedly position said tube and said sensor within said housing.

2. A sensor assembly, as in claim 1, wherein said pressure transmission device is an elastic bellows joined to said first end of said housing.

3. A sensor assembly, as in claim 2, wherein said bellows is substantially nickel.

4. A sensor assembly, as in claim 1, wherein said sensor is a fiber optic pressure sensor and an optical fiber of said sensor is fixedly positioned within said tube.

5. A sensor assembly, as in claim 4, wherein said fiber optic pressure sensor is an extrinsic fabry-perot interferometer.

6. A sensor assembly, as in claim 1, wherein said housing is a stainless steel tube.

7. A sensor assembly, as in claim 1, further including a fluid within said housing for suspending said sensor within said housing.

8. A sensor assembly, as in claim 1, wherein said second end of said housing is crimped around said tube to fixedly position said tube within said housing.

9. A sensor assembly, as in claim 8 wherein said crimped second end of said housing deforms said tube to fixedly position said sensor within said tube

10. A sensor assembly, as in claim 1, wherein said second end of said housing is soldered about said tube to fixedly position said tube within said housing.

11. A sensor assembly, as in claim 1, wherein said second end of said housing is sealed with an adhesive around said tube to fixedly position said tube within said housing.

12. A sensor assembly, as in claim 1, wherein said tube is thermoplastic.

13. A sensor assembly, as in claim 12, wherein said thermoplastic tube is substantially polyetheretherketone.

14. A sensor assembly, as in claim 1, further including a transmission cable attached to said sensor within said tube and for transmitting data from said sensor to a processing device, said transmission cable exiting said housing at said second end.

15. A gasket comprising:

at least first layer and a second layer mated to each other wherein at least one of said layers includes a channel formed on a mating surface of said layer;

a sensor assembly received in said channel to collect data;

wherein said sensor assembly includes a sensor positioned within a tube and said tube positioned within a housing, said housing having a first end of a pressure transmission device and a second end sealed about said tube.

16. A gasket, as in claim 16, wherein said gasket is a cylinder head gasket and said sensor assembly collects pressure data from a combustion chamber.

17. A gasket, as in claim 16, wherein said at least first layer and second layer each include cooperating channels for receiving said sensor assembly.

18. A gasket, as in claim 16, wherein said gasket includes an opening and said pressure transmission device of said sensor assembly is positioned at a periphery of said opening.

19. A gasket, as in claim 16, wherein said tube is a thermoplastic tube of polyetheretherketone and said housing is a stainless steel tube housing.

20. A gasket, as in claim 16, wherein said sensor assembly further includes a fluid within said housing for suspending said sensor within said housing.

21. A gasket, as in claim 16, wherein said second end sealed about said tube fixedly positions said tube within said housing and impacts said tube to fixedly position said sensor within said tube.