Gas sensor
First Claim
1. A current collector and a seal combination for an electrochemical sensor comprising:
- a housing, a relatively flat reference, sensing, and counter electrodes within the housing, the relatively flat reference, sensing and counter electrodes are stacked vertically and centered about a common vertical axis and in contact with a liquid electrolyte;
a plurality of connection apertures arranged in a horizontal row extending along a wall of the housing directly adjacent corresponding edges of the reference, sensing and counter electrodes,the current collector and seal combination further comprising;
a plurality of relatively straight, flexible, metal current collectors, each of the plurality of current collectors extending through a respective connection aperture of the plurality of connection apertures to the vertically stacked reference, sensing and counter electrodes with an end of each current collector trapped against and in direct contact with the reference, sensing and counter electrodes;
a compliant seal of a thermoplastic elastomeric material over-molded directly onto each of the flexible metal current collectors, the compliant seal is inserted into one of the connection apertures, the current collector extending through the compliant seal;
the compliant seal being in contact with the current collector substantially throughout its length along the current collector; and
an arrangement being such that compressive stress induced in the compliant seal by reaction from the connection aperture urges the compliant seal into distributed sealing contact with the current collector substantially through a length of the compliant seal.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A current collector wire (1) is over-moulded with a seal (2) made from a thermoplastic elastomer (Santoprene 64) having a (64) Shore A hardness rating. In a three electrode carbon monoxide sensor three current collector wire (1a, 1b, 1c) and seal (2a, 2b, 2c) combinations are inserted into the body (3) through receiving apertures (12a, 12b, 12c) in a side wall of the body, so that the current collectors protrude through connection apertures (12a, 12b and 12c). The outside diameters of the seals and the bores of the apertures are dimensioned to provide an interference fit of the one in the other. The seals are pressed home into receiving apertures in the body (3) to provide compression of the seals against both current collectors and the aperture bores resultant from the interference. Gold-plated phosphor bronze clips (8) are attached which locate on and are retained by barbs on the housing, thereby trapping the current collector wires and providing electrical contact to external circuitry.
19 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A current collector and a seal combination for an electrochemical sensor comprising:
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a housing, a relatively flat reference, sensing, and counter electrodes within the housing, the relatively flat reference, sensing and counter electrodes are stacked vertically and centered about a common vertical axis and in contact with a liquid electrolyte; a plurality of connection apertures arranged in a horizontal row extending along a wall of the housing directly adjacent corresponding edges of the reference, sensing and counter electrodes, the current collector and seal combination further comprising; a plurality of relatively straight, flexible, metal current collectors, each of the plurality of current collectors extending through a respective connection aperture of the plurality of connection apertures to the vertically stacked reference, sensing and counter electrodes with an end of each current collector trapped against and in direct contact with the reference, sensing and counter electrodes; a compliant seal of a thermoplastic elastomeric material over-molded directly onto each of the flexible metal current collectors, the compliant seal is inserted into one of the connection apertures, the current collector extending through the compliant seal; the compliant seal being in contact with the current collector substantially throughout its length along the current collector; and an arrangement being such that compressive stress induced in the compliant seal by reaction from the connection aperture urges the compliant seal into distributed sealing contact with the current collector substantially through a length of the compliant seal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification