Pressure and temperature sensor

• US 6,299,349 B1
• Filed: 05/14/1999
• Issued: 10/09/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kistler Holding AG
• Original Assignee: Steinel AG (Steinel Vertrieb Gmbh)
• Inventors: Nier, Ekkehart, Steinel, Heinrich Wolfgang
• Primary Examiner(s): Gutierrez, Diego
• Assistant Examiner(s): VERBITSKY, GAIL KAPLAN
• Application Number:
  US09/308,120
• Time in Patent Office: 879 Days
• Field of Search: 374/143, 374/139, 374/208, 374/135, 374/142, 374/179, 737/14, 737/53, 737/03, 737/08, 737/21, 737/45
• US Class Current: 374/143
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2945/76006 Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2945/7604 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2945/76257 cavity
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2945/76287 Moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2945/76381 Injection
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2945/76384 Holding, dwelling
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2945/76454 Electrical, e.g. thermocouples
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2945/76498 Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2945/76531 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2945/76735 cavity
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2945/76765 Moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/77 of velocity or pressure of moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/78 of temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 7/015 using microstructures, e.g. made of silicon
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 7/06 the thermoelectric materials being arranged one within the other with the junction at one end exposed to the object, e.g. sheathed type
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 19/0092 Pressure sensor associated with other sensors, e.g. for measuring acceleration or temperature G01L9/025, G01L9/045, G01L9/065, G01L9/085, G01L9/105, G01L9/125, G01L19/02, G01L19/04 take precedence; measuring two or more variable G01D21/02; temperature sensors with pressure compensation G01K1/26
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 23/10 by pressure-sensitive members of the piezoelectric type

Abstract

The invention pertains to a pressure and temperature sensor, in particular for determining a pressure and temperature condition in a cavity of an injection molding apparatus or the like having a pressure body which co-operates with a sensor housing and which in a mounted condition can be acted upon by a pressure in the cavity and which is intended for transmitting the pressure to a piezoelectrically acting sensor arrangement, wherein an electrical signal generated by the sensor arrangement as a reaction to the pressure is taken out of the sensor housing by means of an electrical contact device, wherein a thermoelectric detector element is fitted in the pressure body and an electrical temperature signal generated by the detector element is taken out by way of the electrical contact device.

Claims

1. A pressure and temperature sensor for detecting a pressure and temperature condition in a cavity, comprising a pressure body (16) which co-operates with a sensor housing (12) and which in a mounted condition can be acted upon by a pressure in the cavity and which is intended for transmitting the pressure to a piezoelectrically acting sensor arrangement (30, 32, 34), wherein an electrical signal produced by the sensor arrangement (30, 32, 34) as a reaction to the pressure is passed out of the sensor housing (12) by means of an electrical contact device (48, 50, 52, 54, 56, 58), characterized in that a thermoelectric detector element (40) is fitted in the pressure body (16) and an electrical temperature signal produced by the detector element (40) is passed out by way of the electrical contact device (48, 50, 52, 54, 56, 58);

said thermoelectric detector element (40) is located adjacent to said sensor arrangement (30, 32, 34) in said pressure body (16) such that the temperature can be measured at substantially the same location where pressure is measured.

2. A sensor as set forth in claim 1 characterised in that the pressure body is in the form of a substantially cylindrical pressure rod.

3. A sensor as set forth in claim 2 characterised in that the pressure rod is of an outside diameter of about 4 mm.

4. A sensor as set forth in claim 3 characterised in that the sensor arrangement has at least one piezoelectric crystal wafer which co-operates by way of a flat side with the pressure body (16).

5. A sensor as set forth in claim 4 characterised in that the thermoelectric detector element is in the form of an elongate casing thermoelectric element.

6. A sensor as set forth in claim 5 characterised in that the pressure body (16) includes a pressure-application surface (72);

one end of the thermoelectric detector element is exposed in said pressure-application surface (72) substantially flush therewith.

7. A sensor as set forth in claim 6 characterised in that the thermoelectric detector element has a capacitive screening which is operative in relation to the pressure body (16), the sensor arrangement (30, 32, 34) and the sensor housing (12).

8. A sensor as set forth in claim 7 characterised in that a feed line for the thermoelectric detector element is passed through an opening formed substantially centrally in the sensor arrangement.

9. A sensor as set forth in claim 8 characterised in that the electrical contact device is in the form of a plug with at least one coaxial contact sleeve at the side of the sensor housing which is opposite to the pressure body.

10. A sensor as set forth in claim 9 characterised in that electrical connections of the thermoelectric detector element are passed out ground-free and separatedly by way of the electrical contact device.

11. A sensor as set forth in claim 10 characterised in that said thermoelectric detector element includes two thermoelectric wires (62, 68);

said two thermoelectric wires (62, 68) of said thermoelectric detector element are passed out in the form of contact surfaces of a common contact sleeve of the contact device.

12. A pressure and temperature sensor for detecting a pressure and temperature condition in a cavity comprising a pressure body (16) which co-operates with a sensor housing (12) and which in a mounted condition can be acted upon by a pressure in the cavity and which is intended for transmitting the pressure to a piezoelectrically acting sensor arrangement (30, 32, 34), wherein an electrical signal produced by the sensor arrangement (30, 32, 34) as a reaction to the pressure is passed out of the sensor housing (12) by means of an electrical contact device (48, 50, 52, 54, 56, 58), and wherein a thermoelectric detector element (40) is fitted in the pressure body (16) and an electrical temperature signal produced by the detector element (40) is passed out by way of the electrical contact device (48, 50, 52, 54, 56, 58), characterised in that a transitional region comprising the sensor arrangement, between the pressure body (16) and a housing projection of the sensor housing, is enclosed by a sleeve (18);

means for connecting the pressure body (16) to the sensor housing in a pressure resilient manner.