Magnetostrictive pressure sensor with an integrated sensing and sealing part

• US 20090107247A1
• Filed: 10/24/2007
• Published: 04/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc. (BorgWarner Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc. (BorgWarner Incorporated)
• Inventors: Thrush, Christopher M., Taye, Elias, Schroeder, Thaddeus
• Application Number:
  US11/977,252
• Publication Number:
  US 20090107247A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/779
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 9/007 using variations in inductance

Abstract

In one embodiment a sensor assembly has a magnetostrictive (MR) element in a sensor housing. The MR element has a sensing part engaged with a wire coil and a frusto-conical sealing part juxtaposed with a fluid the pressure of which is to be sensed.

Claims

1. A sensor assembly, comprising:

a magnetostrictive (MS) element in a sensor housing, the MS element having a sensing part engaged with a wire coil and a frusto-conical sealing part juxtaposed with a fluid the pressure of which is to be sensed.

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the sealing part and sensing part are unitary with each other.

3. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the sealing part defines an end, the fluid is in a fluid chamber, and no structure is interposed between the fluid chamber and the end of the sealing part.

4. The assembly of claim 1, comprising a sensor housing holding the MS element, wherein the sealing part defines an end separated from the fluid by a bridge defined by the sensor housing.

5. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the MS element further comprises:

a threaded part, the sensing part being between the threaded part and the sealing part

6. The assembly of claim 5, wherein the MS element is made from a unitary piece of MS material.

7. The assembly of claim 5, wherein the sensing part defines an outer periphery, the coil being wound around the periphery.

8. The assembly of claim 5, wherein the sensing part defines an outer periphery and a through hole, the coil being wound through the through hole.

9. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the sensing part defines an outer diameter and the sealing part defines a base having the same diameter as the sensing part.

10. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the sealing part defines a base having a diameter and the sensing part defines an outer diameter different than the diameter of the base.

11. A sensor assembly, comprising:

a unitary magnetostrictive (MS) element having a sensing part engaged with a wire coil and a tapered sealing part juxtaposable with a source of stress, the wire coil carrying a signal generated in the sensing part representative of stress in the sensing part caused by the source of stress.

12. The assembly of claim 11, wherein the sealing part defines an end, the MS element being positioned with the end closing an opening in a fluid chamber holding fluid.

13. The assembly of claim 11, comprising a sensor housing holding the MS element, wherein the sealing part defines an end separated from a fluid chamber by a bridge defined by the sensor housing.

14. The assembly of claim 11, wherein the MS element further comprises:

a threaded part, the sensing part being between the threaded part and the sealing part

15. The assembly of claim 14, wherein the MS element is made from a unitary piece of MS material.

16. The assembly of claim 14, wherein the sensing part defines an outer periphery, the coil being wound around the periphery.

17. The assembly of claim 14, wherein the sensing part defines an outer periphery and a through hole, the coil being wound through the through hole.

18. The assembly of claim 11, wherein the sensing part defines an outer diameter and the sealing part defines a base having the same diameter as the sensing part.

19. The assembly of claim 11, wherein the sealing part defines a base having a diameter and the sensing part defines an outer diameter different than the diameter of the base.

20. A sensor for outputting a signal representative of stress caused by a source of stress, comprising:

magnetostrictive (MS) means including a non-tapered sensing part and a tapered sealing part; and

signal means configured for carrying a signal representative of stress of the sensing part of the MS means.