Sensor device

• US 20070010138A1
• Filed: 07/06/2006
• Published: 01/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Ohnishi, Jun
• Granted Patent: US 7,258,576 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/736
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01006 Mounting of electrical components in vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01 Electrical circuits for triggering passive safety arrangements, e.g. airbags, safety belt tighteners, in case of vehicle accidents or impending vehicle accidents electrical circuits for transmission of signals between steering wheel and the vehicle itself B60R16/027; for electrically actuating belt retractor locking means B60R22/343
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 11/245 Housings for sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 1/023 for acceleration measuring devices

Abstract

A sensor device has a sensing portion, a connector terminal, and a case housing the sensing portion therein and forming a terminal fixing portion. The connector terminal has a fixed portion fixed in the terminal fixing portion of the case. The connector terminal is electrically connected to the sensing portion through a lead for allowing signal transmission between the sensing portion and an external device. A ratio of the volume of the fixed portion of the connector terminal to the volume of the fixing portion of the case is equal to or greater than a predetermined ratio.

Claims

1. A sensor device comprising:

a sensing portion;

a case housing the sensing portion therein, the case made of resin and forming a fixing portion; and

a connector terminal connected to the sensing portion through a lead for allowing signal transmission between the sensing portion and an external device, the connector terminal made of metal and having a fixed portion fixed in the fixing portion of the case, wherein a ratio of a volume of the fixed portion of the connector terminal to a volume of the fixing portion of the case is equal to or greater than a predetermined ratio.

2. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein

the connector terminal has a base wall, a first connecting portion and a second connecting portion,

the first connecting portion extends from an end of the base wall in a direction substantially perpendicular to the base wall and electrically connected to the sensing portion through the lead,

the second connecting portion extends from the base wall in a direction opposite to the first connecting portion to be electrically connected to the external device, and

the base wall is included in the fixed portion.

3. The sensor device according to claim 2, wherein the base wall has an area equal to or greater than a predetermined area with respect to a cross sectional area of the fixing portion of the case taken in a direction parallel to the base wall.

4. The sensor device according to claim 2, wherein

the case forms a housing portion in which the sensing portion is housed,

the fixed portion of the connector terminal is embedded in the fixing portion of the case such that a resin wall is defined between the housing portion and the base wall of the fixed portion of the connector terminal, wherein a volume of the resin wall is equal to or smaller than a predetermined volume.

5. The sensor device according to claim 4, wherein the resin wall has a thickness equal to or smaller than a predetermined thickness.

6. A sensor device comprising:

a case forming a cavity therein and having a fixing portion, the fixing portion having a wall that partly defines the cavity;

a sensing portion disposed in the cavity of the case; and

a connector terminal electrically connected to the sensing portion through a lead for allowing signal transmission between the sensing portion and an external device, wherein

the connector terminal has a fixed portion fixed in the fixing portion of the case,

the fixed portion of the connector terminal has a base wall embedded in the fixing portion of the case in a predetermined depth from the wall of the fixing portion, wherein the predetermined depth is equal to or smaller than one third of a dimension of the fixing portion of the case in a direction perpendicular to the wall of the fixing portion.

7. A sensor device comprising:

a sensing portion;

a case forming a housing portion in which the sensing portion is housed and a fixing portion; and

a connector terminal electrically connected to the sensing portion through a lead for allowing signal transmission between the sensing portion and an external device, wherein

the connector terminal has a fixed portion fixed to the fixing portion of the case, and

the fixed portion has a base wall fixed in the fixing portion of the case, and the base wall has an area equal to or greater than one third of a cross sectional area of the fixing portion of the case taken in a direction parallel to the base wall.