Liquid state detecting element and liquid state detecting sensor

• US 7,064,560 B2
• Filed: 01/05/2005
• Issued: 06/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NGK Spark PLUG Company Limited
• Original Assignee: NGK Spark PLUG Company Limited
• Inventors: Hayashi, Shinichi, Kondo, Masaru, Yamamoto, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Deb, Anjan
• Assistant Examiner(s): NATALINI, JEFF WILLIAM
• Application Number:
  US11/029,021
• Publication Number:
  US 20050150292A1
• Time in Patent Office: 531 Days
• Field of Search: 733/04.C, 733/04.R, 324/663
• US Class Current: 324/663
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/268 mounting arrangements of probes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/226 Construction of measuring vessels; Electrodes therefor

Abstract

A liquid state detecting element comprising: a film portion made of a flexible insulating material and extending in a longitudinal direction; and a pair of detecting electrodes juxtaposed to each other on a layer of said film portion and extending in said longitudinal direction, in which said detecting electrodes are for being immersed at least partially in a liquid to be measured, so that a state of said measured liquid is detected on a basis of an electrostatic capacity between said pair of detecting electrodes, wherein: said liquid state detecting element further comprises reinforcing portions made of a conductive material and disposed on said layer of said film portion on an outer side of said detecting electrodes; and said reinforcing portions include: a grounding terminal for being connected with a ground line; and a pair of parallel reinforcing portions extending in said longitudinal direction along side edges of said film portion so as to sandwich said pair of detecting electrodes.

Claims

1. A liquid state detecting element comprising:

a film portion made of a flexible insulating material and extending in a longitudinal direction; and

a pair of detecting electrodes juxtaposed to each other on a layer of said film portion and extending in said longitudinal direction,

in which said detecting electrodes are for being immersed at least partially in a liquid to be measured, so that a state of said liquid is detected on a basis of an electrostatic capacity between said pair of detecting electrodes,

wherein;

said liquid state detecting element further comprises reinforcing portions made of a conductive material and disposed on said layer of said film portion on an outer side of said detecting electrodes; and

said reinforcing portions include;

a grounding terminal for being connected with a ground line; and

a pair of parallel reinforcing portions extending in said longitudinal direction along side edges of said film portion so as to sandwich said pair of detecting electrodes.

2. The liquid state detecting element as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said parallel reinforcing portions has a width size in a width direction perpendicular to said longitudinal direction larger than a width size of each of said detecting electrodes.

3. The liquid state detecting element as claimed in claim 1, wherein said reinforcing portions include a connecting reinforcing portion for connecting individual end portions of said pair of parallel reinforcing portions.

4. The liquid state detecting element as claimed in claim 1, wherein said detecting electrodes and said reinforcing portions are made of the same material.

5. The liquid state detecting element as claimed in claim 1, wherein said liquid state detecting element further comprises a pair of reference electrodes juxtaposed to each other on said layer of said film portion and disposed at a position different in said longitudinal direction from a position of said pair of detecting electrodes;

and

said pair of parallel reinforcing portions are disposed to sandwich said pair of reference electrodes.

6. A liquid state detecting sensor comprising:

a liquid state detecting element including;

a film portion made of a flexible insulating material and extending in a longitudinal direction;

a pair of detecting electrodes juxtaposed to each other on a layer of said film portion and extending in said longitudinal direction; and

reinforcing portions made of a conductive material and disposed on said layer of said film portion on an outer side than said detecting electrodes; and

a supporting member for supporting said liquid state detecting element,

in which, by immersing at least a portion of said liquid state detecting element in a liquid to be measured, said detecting electrodes are immersed at least partially in the measured liquid, so that a state of said measured liquid is detected on a basis of an electrostatic capacity between said pair of detecting electrodes, wherein;

said supporting member includes supporting portions for supporting a surface and a back face of said film portion, said reinforcing portions include a pair of parallel reinforcing portions extending in said longitudinal direction, and said liquid state detecting element is supported by arranging said pair of parallel reinforcing portions, at least partially overlapped by said supporting portions.

7. The liquid state detecting sensor as claimed in claim 6, wherein:

said supporting member includes erected pins; and

said liquid state detecting element includes through holes extending through said film portion, and said liquid state detecting element is positioned on said supporting member by inserting said pins into said through holes.

8. The liquid state detecting sensor as claimed in claim 6, wherein:

said reinforcing portions include;

a grounding terminal portion to be connected with a ground line; and

a pair of parallel reinforcing portions extending in said longitudinal direction along side edges of said film portion so as to sandwich said pair of detecting electrodes.

9. The liquid state detecting sensor as claimed in claim 6, wherein each of said parallel reinforcing portions has a width size in a width direction perpendicular to said longitudinal direction larger than a width size of each of said detecting electrodes.

10. The liquid state detecting sensor as claimed in claim 6, wherein said reinforcing portions include a connecting reinforcing portion for connecting individual end portions of said pair of parallel reinforcing portions.

11. The liquid state detecting sensor as claimed in claim 6, wherein said detecting electrodes and said reinforcing portions are made of the same material.

12. The liquid state detecting sensor as claimed in claim 6, wherein said liquid state detecting sensor further comprises a pair of reference electrodes juxtaposed to each other on said layer of said film portion and disposed at a position different in said longitudinal direction from a position of said pair of detecting electrodes;

and

said pair of parallel reinforcing portions are disposed to sandwich said pair of reference electrodes.