SENSOR STRUCTURE IN PARTICULAR FOR A HARSH ENVIRONMENT IN A MOTOR VEHICLE

• US 20090038386A1
• Filed: 06/15/2006
• Published: 02/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Commissariat a L'Energie Atomique (AES Corporation), Peugeot Citroen Automobile SA (Stellantis NV)
• Original Assignee: Commissariat a L'Energie Atomique (AES Corporation)
• Inventors: Bavoux, Bernard, Pauly, Remy, Meneguz, Ida Elsa, Danel, Jean-Sebastien, Robert, Philippe, Pauly, Maxime
• Granted Patent: US 8,230,727 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/114.180
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 1/024 for remote indication
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 13/00 Thermometers specially adapted for specific purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 19/086 for remote indication
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 23/10 by pressure-sensitive members of the piezoelectric type
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 23/22 for detecting or indicating knocks in internal-combustion engines; Units comprising pressure-sensitive members combined with ignitors for firing internal-combustion engines

Abstract

A sensor structure is disclosed, notably for a harsh environment in a motor vehicle. The sensor includes a sensor body having, at one end, an element sensitive to the quantity to be measured in the harsh environment and, at another end, a circuit for connecting it, placed outside the harsh environment, physically separated from each other, connected by means for transmitting data without a connection, and between which means are provided that are permeable to data, for protecting the connecting circuit from the environment.

Claims

1. A sensor structure, for a harsh environment in a motor vehicle, comprising:

a sensor body having, at one end, an element sensitive to the quantity to be measured in the harsh environment and, at another end, a connecting circuit for connecting the sensor body, placed outside the harsh environment, the sensor body and the circuit being physically separated from each other, and are connected by means for transmitting data without a connection, and between which means are provided that are permeable to data, for protecting the connecting circuit from the environment, the means for transmitting data additionally including means for remotely supplying the sensitive element, incorporated into the connecting circuit.

2. The structure according to claim 1, wherein the means for transmitting data comprise means for transmitting/receiving data by a radioelectric route or by electromagnetic coupling.

3. The structure according to claim 1, wherein the sensitive element is a pressure-sensitive element.

4. The structure according to claim 1 wherein the sensitive element is a temperature-sensitive element.

5. The structure according to claim 1 wherein the sensitive element is an element sensitive to a gas.

6. The structure according to claim 1 wherein the sensitive element is an element sensitive to vibrations, accelerations or impacts.

7. The structure according to claim 1 wherein the sensitive element is sensitive to two or more quantities among temperature, pressure, gas, vibration, acceleration or impact.

8. The structure according to claim 1, wherein the sensitive element is made of a piezoelectric material.

9. The structure according to claim 1, wherein the sensitive element is based on aluminum nitride.

10. The structure according to claim 2, wherein the sensitive element is a pressure-sensitive element.

11. The structure according to claim 2, wherein the sensitive element is a temperature-sensitive element.

12. The structure according to claim 2, wherein the sensitive element is an element sensitive to a gas.

13. The structure according to claim 2, wherein the sensitive element is an element sensitive to vibrations, accelerations or impacts.

14. The structure according to claim 2, wherein the sensitive element is sensitive to two or more quantities among temperature, pressure, gas, vibration, acceleration or impact.

15. The structure according to claim 2, wherein the sensitive element is made of a piezoelectric material.

16. The structure according to claim 3, wherein the sensitive element is made of a piezoelectric material.

17. The structure according to claim 4, wherein the sensitive element is made of a piezoelectric material.

18. The structure according to claim 5, wherein the sensitive element is made of a piezoelectric material.

19. The structure according to claim 6, wherein the sensitive element is made of a piezoelectric material.

20. The structure according to claim 5, wherein the sensitive element is based on aluminum nitride.