Fuel property sensor

• US 8,159,232 B2
• Filed: 03/24/2010
• Issued: 04/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Nakamura, Hiroshi, Uchida, Akikazu, Shikanai, Daisuke
• Primary Examiner(s): Dole, Timothy J
• Application Number:
  US12/730,436
• Publication Number:
  US 20100244857A1
• Time in Patent Office: 755 Days
• Field of Search: 324/663, 324684-686, 324/690, 324/698, 73/530.1, 73/530.5
• US Class Current: 324/663
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/226 Construction of measuring vessels; Electrodes therefor

Abstract

In a fuel property sensor, a pair of first and second electrodes is arranged in a fuel chamber to measure an electric capacitance, thereby detecting a mixing ratio of alcohol to gasoline in a fuel of the fuel chamber. An outer wall surface of the first electrode is exposed in the fuel, and a sensing portion contacts an inner wall surface of the first electrode to detect a temperature of the fluid via the first electrode. One end portion of a lead is connected to the sensing portion and the other end portion thereof is connected to a plate portion attached to a housing. Furthermore, an elastic deformation portion is provided as a part of the lead to be elastically deformed, and to cause the sensing portion to be biased in a direction on which the sensing portion contacts the inner wall surface of the first electrode.

Claims

1. A fuel property sensor comprising:

a housing defining a liquid fluid chamber in which a liquid fluid passes;

a pair of first and second electrodes arranged in the liquid fluid chamber, the first electrode being located such that an outer wall surface of the first electrode is exposed in the liquid fluid passing in the liquid fluid chamber;

a sensing portion contacting an inner wall surface of the first electrode opposite to the outer wall surface, to detect a temperature of the liquid fluid via the first electrode;

a support portion adapted as a lead of the sensing portion to support the sensing portion, the support portion having one end portion connected to the sensing portion and the other end portion connected to a plate portion attached to the housing;

an elastic deformation portion provided as a part of the support portion, wherein the elastic deformation portion is configured to be elastically deformed and to cause the sensing portion to be biased in a direction on which the sensing portion contacts the inner wall surface of the first electrode; and

a holder fixed to the plate portion, and disposed to be engaged with the inner wall surface of the first electrode, wherein the holder has a receiving portion in which the elastic deformation portion is held to be electrically insulated from the first electrode.

2. A fuel property sensor according to claim 1, wherein a part of the support portion is bent to have a bent portion, and the elastic deformation portion is configured by the bent portion.

3. A fuel property sensor according to claim 1, wherein

the holder has therein a plurality of communication passages communicating with the receiving portion, at an end side connected to the plate portion, and

the support portion has a plurality of support parts which are respectively received in the communication passages.

4. A fuel property sensor according to claim 1, wherein the sensing portion is located outside of the holder.

5. A fuel property sensor according to claim 1, wherein the elastic deformation portion is located to be not in contact with the inner wall surface of the first electrode.

6. A fuel property sensor according to claim 1, wherein the first electrode has a cylindrical shape having a bottom.

7. A fuel property sensor according to claim 1, wherein the second electrode is located opposite to the first electrode.

8. A fuel property sensor according to claim 1, wherein the second electrode has an approximately cylindrical shape, and the first electrode is disposed inside of the second electrode.