Temperature transducer

• US 5,201,840 A
• Filed: 03/18/1992
• Issued: 04/13/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Firma Carl Freudenberg
• Original Assignee: Firma Carl Freudenberg
• Inventors: Sausner, Andreas, Mertens, Klaus
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BENNETT, GEORGE B
• Application Number:
  US07/854,043
• Time in Patent Office: 391 Days
• Field of Search: 374/135, 374/137, 374/144, 374/145, 374/146, 374/147, 374/148, 374/163, 374/208, 73/292, 123/41.15
• US Class Current: 374/145
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 11/14 Indicating devices; Other safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 11/16 concerning coolant temperature F01P11/20 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2025/08 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2025/33 Cylinder head temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2400/18 Packaging of the electronic circuit in a casing
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2400/22 Connectors or cables specially adapted for engine management applications
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 35/025 by determining temperatures inside the cylinder, e.g. combustion temperatures
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/3005 Details not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 1/14 Supports; Fastening devices; Arrangements for mounting thermometers in particular locations

Abstract

A temperature transducer for the cylinder head of a liquid-cooled internal combustion engine. It comprises a housing with a lead that forwards signals from a sensor sensing the temperature of the coolant. The housing accommodates not only a coolant-temperature sensor but at least one component-temperature sensor that rests against a component in the cylinder head and has a separate lead.

Claims

1. A liquid-cooled internal combustion engine having at least one cylinder member with an internal opening for the passage of a cooling liquid and a temperature transducer arranged in said cylinder member and comprising in combination:

a housing, a temperature sensor arranged in the housing for sensing the temperature of the engine coolant, a first lead connected to the coolant-temperature sensor and extending through a wall of the housing for presenting temperature-dependent signals, at least one component-temperature sensor arranged in the housing that rests against a component of the cylinder member and a second lead connected to the component-temperature sensor and extending through a wall of the housing for presenting temperature-dependent signals.

2. The internal combustion engine as defined in claim 1, wherein the first and second leads present signals to an electronic control system.

3. The internal combustion engine as defined in claim 1, wherein the housing has a front end and a rear end and is accommodated in a recess in the cylinder member, and wherein the component-temperature sensor is positioned at the front of the housing and the coolant-temperature sensor is positioned between the front and the rear.

4. The internal combustion engine as defined in claim 1, wherein the housing is essentially tubular.

5. The internal combustion engine as defined in claim 1, wherein the housing is sealed with respect to the cylinder member by at least one O-ring.

6. The internal combustion engine as defined in claim 1, wherein the component-temperature sensor rests against a wall of the cylinder member that demarcates the engine'"'"'s combustion chamber.

7. The internal combustion engine as defined in claim 1, wherein the component-temperature sensor is forced against a cylinder member wall by a spring.

8. The internal combustion engine as defined in claim 1, wherein the component-temperature sensor is forced against a cylinder member wall by a resilient element made of an elastomeric material that rests against and seals off the component-temperature sensor from the housing.

9. The internal combustion engine as defined in claim 1, wherein the coolant-temperature sensor is accommodated in a depression in the housing that is open to the flow of coolant.

10. The internal combustion engine as defined in claim 9, wherein the coolant-temperature sensor does not project out of the depression.

11. The internal combustion engine as defined in claim 1, wherein the coolant-temperature sensor is secured inside the housing by webs so as to be substantially completely surrounded by flowing engine coolant.

12. The internal combustion engine as defined in claim 1, wherein said cylinder member is a cylinder head.