Sensor attachment and motor vehicle

• US 8,707,808 B2
• Filed: 09/06/2007
• Issued: 04/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Original Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Inventors: Kovacic, Marko, Stumpf, Stephan
• Primary Examiner(s): Rogers, David A
• Application Number:
  US11/851,054
• Publication Number:
  US 20080053256A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,427 Days
• Field of Search: 734/31, 738/665, 165/11.1
• US Class Current: 73/866.5
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 11/245 Housings for sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 11/30 Supports specially adapted for an instrument; Supports specially adapted for a set of instruments

Abstract

A sensor attachment device is provided for attaching a sensor device in such a way that removal of the sensor device without damage is ruled out, whereby the sensor device has a pair of holding fingers and a pin. The sensor attachment device has a first and a second pin recess corresponding to the pin of the sensor device. The sensor attachment device has a first and a second pair of holding finger recesses corresponding to the pair of holding fingers of the sensor device, whereby the second pin recess is offset by an offset distance with respect to the first pin recess and whereby the second pair of holding finger recesses is offset by the offset distance with respect to the first pair of holding finger recesses.

Claims

1. A motor vehicle, comprising:

a heat exchanger;

a sensor device for detecting a heat exchanger related physical variable, the sensor device having a first pair of holding fingers and a first pin;

a sensor attachment device for attaching a sensor device such that removal of the first sensor device without damage is precluded or for attaching a second sensor device having a second pair of holding fingers and a second pin after removal of the damaged first sensor device, the sensor attachment device comprising;

a first and a second pin recess operatively configured in the sensor attachment device to correspond with the respective first and second pins of the first and second sensor devices; and

a first and a second pair of holding finger recesses operatively configured in the sensor attachment device to correspond to the respective first and second pairs of holding fingers of the first and second sensor devices;

wherein the second pin recess is offset by an offset distance with respect to the first pin recess, and the second pair of holding finger recesses are offset by the same offset distance with respect to the first pair of holding finger recesses and has one of the holding fingers between the first and second pin recess for accommodating a replacement sensor device in lieu of the first sensor device whose pin remains at least partially in the first pin recess upon removal of the first sensor device.

2. The motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the other of the holding fingers of the second pair arranged to engage a recess on an end face of the sensor attachment device.

3. The motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the sensor attachment device is integrated in the heat exchanger.

4. The motor vehicle according to claim 3, wherein each holding finger of the pair of holding fingers has a latching tab at a free end.

5. The motor vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the sensor device comprises a targeted break point between the pin of the sensor device and a body of the sensor device, whereby during removal of the sensor device the pin breaks-off and remains in the pin recess of the sensor attachment device that corresponds to the pin.

6. The motor vehicle according claim 3, further comprising an adhesive operatively configured to connect the sensor device to the sensor attachment device, the adhesive being located at least between the pin recess and the pin.

7. The motor vehicle according to claim 6, wherein the sensor device comprises a targeted break point between the pin of the sensor device and a body of the sensor device, whereby during removal of the sensor device the pin breaks-off and remains in the pin recess of the sensor attachment device that corresponds to the pin.

8. The motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the sensor attachment device is fixedly secured to the heat exchanger.

9. The motor vehicle according claim 8, further comprising an adhesive operatively configured to connect the sensor device to the sensor attachment device, the adhesive being located at least between the pin recess and the pin.

10. The motor vehicle according to claim 8, wherein each holding finger of the pair of holding fingers has a latching tab at a free end.

11. The motor vehicle according to claim 8, wherein the sensor device comprises a targeted break point between the pin of the sensor device and a body of the sensor device, whereby during removal of the sensor device the pin breaks-off and remains in the pin recess of the sensor attachment device that corresponds to the pin.

12. The motor vehicle according claim 1, further comprising an adhesive operatively configured to connect the sensor device to the sensor attachment device, the adhesive being located at least between the pin recess and the pin.

13. The motor vehicle according to claim 12, wherein each holding finger of the pair of holding fingers has a latching tab at a free end.

14. The motor vehicle according to claim 13, wherein the sensor device comprises a targeted break point between the pin of the sensor device and a body of the sensor device, whereby during removal of the sensor device the pin breaks-off and remains in the pin recess of the sensor attachment device that corresponds to the pin.

15. A sensor attachment device for attaching a first sensor device having a first pair of holding fingers and a first pin in such a way that removal of the first sensor device without damage is precluded or for attaching a second sensor device having a second pair of holding fingers and a second pin after removal of the damaged first sensor device, the sensor attachment device comprising:

a first and a second pin recess operatively configured in the sensor attachment device to correspond with the respective first and second pins of the first and second sensor devices; and

a first and a second pair of holding finger recesses operatively configured in the sensor attachment device to correspond to the respective first and second pairs of holding fingers of the first and second sensor devices;

wherein the second pin recess is offset by an offset distance with respect to the first pin recess, and the second pair of holding finger recesses is offset by the same offset distance with respect to the first pair of holding finger recesses and has one of the holding fingers between the first and second pin recesses for accommodating a replacement sensor device in lieu of the first sensor device whose pin remains at least partially in the first pin recess upon removal of the first sensor device.

16. The sensor attachment device according to claim 15, wherein the other of the holding fingers of the second pair arranged to engage a recess on an end face of the sensor attachment device.