Intake air amount detecting device for an internal combustion engine

• US 4,074,566 A
• Filed: 10/26/1976
• Issued: 02/21/1978
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nippon Soken, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nippon Soken, Inc.
• Inventors: Hattori, Tadashi, Obayashi, Hideki, Kohama, Tokio, Nishida, Minoru
• Primary Examiner(s): Goldstein, Herbert
• Application Number:
  US05/735,885
• Time in Patent Office: 483 Days
• Field of Search: 73/204, 73/116, 123/32 EA
• US Class Current: 73/114.34
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/69 of resistive type
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/6983 adapted for burning-off deposits

Abstract

An intake air amount detecting device for an internal combustion engine has a temperature detector housing disposed in an intake pipe of the engine and defining first and second air passages in which first and second temperature detecting elements are disposed, respectively. An electric heater is disposed in the first air passage upstream of the first temperature detecting element. Sleeves of a resilient shock-absorbing material are interposed between the temperature detector housing and the electric heater and the first temperature detecting element and between the housing and the second temperature detecting element, respectively, whereby the heater and the temperature detecting elements are protected from shock, vibration and oscillation produced during operation of the engine and automobile on which the engine is mounted.

Claims

1. An intake air amount detecting device for an internal combustion engine, comprising:

a temperature detector housing including a housing member of a heat-insulating material disposed within an intake pipe of an internal combustion engine and defining first and second through-holes substantially parallel to the axis of said intake pipe;

first and second shock-absorbing sleeves of a shock-absorbing material having outer faces disposed in face-to-face contacting relationship with the inner surfaces of said first and second through-holes, respectively;

at least one electric heater supported by said shock-absorbing sleeve and including heat generating wire means disposed within said first shock-absorbing protective sleeve;

a first temperature detecting element supported and disposed within said first shock-absorbing protective sleeve downstream of said electric heater;

said first and second through-holes being substantially thermally insulated from each other; and

a second temperature detecting element supported by and disposed in said second shock-absorbing protective sleeve.

2. An intake air amount detecting device according to claim 1, in which said intake pipe has means provided at the upstream end of said intake pipe for collecting air into a collimated air flow.

3. An intake air amount detecting device for an internal combustion engine, comprising:

a temperature detector housing including a housing member of a heat-insulating material disposed within an intake pipe of an internal combustion engine and defining first and second through-holes substantially parallel to the axis of said intake pipe;

first and second shock-absorbing protective sleeves of a shock-absorbing material having outer faces disposed in face-to-face contacting relationship with the inner surfaces of said first and second through-holes, respectively;

an electric heater including a base of an electrically insulating material supported by and disposed within said first shock-absorbing protective sleeve and defining a first opening substantially co-axial with said first sleeve, said electric heater also including heat generating resistor wire means extending in a grid pattern across the cross-sectional area of said first opening;

a first temperature detecting element including a base of an electrically insulating material supported by and disposed within said first shock-absorbing protective sleeve downstream of said electric heater and defining a second opening disposed in substantially co-axial and fluid-flow communication with said first opening, said first temperature detecting element also including electrically resistive wire means extending in a grid pattern across the cross-sectional area of said second opening; and

a second temperature detecting element including a base of an electrically insulating material supported by and disposed within said second shock-absorbing protective sleeve and defining a third opening substantially co-axial with said second sleeve, said second temperature detecting element also including electrically resistive wire means extending in a grid pattern across the cross-sectional area of said third opening.

4. An intake air amount detecting device for an internal combustion engine, comprising:

a temperature detector housing including a housing member of a heat-insulating material disposed within an intake pipe of an internal combustion engine and defining first and second through-holes substantially co-axial to the axis of said intake pipe;

first and second shock-absorbing protective sleeves having outer faces disposed in face-to-face contacting relationship with the inner surfaces of said first and second through-holes, respectively, each sleeve being formed with a radially inwardly opened groove;

an electric heater including a base of an electrically insulating material disposed in the groove in said first shock-absorbing protective sleeve and supported thereby and defining a first opening substantially co-axial with said first sleeve, said electric heater also including heat generating resistor wire means extending in a grid pattern across the cross-sectional area of said first opening;

a first temperature detecting element including a base of an electrically insulating material disposed in the groove in said first shock-absorbing protective sleeve downstream of said electric heater and supported by said first sleeve and defining a second opening disposed in substantially co-axial and fluid-flow communication with said first opening, said first temperature detecting element also including electrically resistive wire means extending in a grid pattern across the cross-sectional area of said second opening; and

a second temperature detecting element including a base of an electrically insulating material disposed in the groove in said second shock-absorbing protective sleeve and supported thereby and defining a third opening substantially co-axial with said second sleeve, said second temperature detecting element also including electrically resistive wire means extending in a grid pattern across the cross-sectional area of said third opening.

5. An intake air amount detecting device according to claim 4, in which each of said first and second shock-absorbing protective sleeves is provided with flanges extending radially inwardly from the opposite ends thereof to define said groove therebetween.