Sensor assembly

• US 8,739,642 B2
• Filed: 11/16/2010
• Issued: 06/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: FCA US LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Original Assignee: Chrysler Group LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Inventors: Horn, Jacob K., Mrosewske, Timothy P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Hezron E
• Assistant Examiner(s): FAYYAZ, NASHMIYA SAQIB
• Application Number:
  US12/947,243
• Publication Number:
  US 20120118086A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,295 Days
• Field of Search: 738/665
• US Class Current: 73/866.5
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 11/245 Housings for sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 21/00 Measuring or testing not otherwise provided for

Abstract

A sensor assembly includes a sensor and a sensor housing that supports the sensor and that operably engages a connector. The sensor housing includes a first retainer and a second retainer. The first retainer includes a tapered surface that tapers relative to the longitudinal axis, and the tapered surface abuts against the aperture surface of the connector to guide the sensor housing as the sensor housing moves substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis into the aperture. The sensor housing is engageable with the connector to receive the connector between the first retainer and the second retainer and to limit relative movement of the sensor housing and the connector in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis. The second retainer abuts against the aperture surface of the connector to limit relative rotation of the sensor housing and the connector about the longitudinal axis.

Claims

1. A sensor assembly for detecting a characteristic of a substance in a pipe, the pipe including a pipe connector with an inlet surface and defining an aperture that provides access into the pipe, the sensor assembly comprising:

a sensor that detects the characteristic of the substance in the pipe; and

a sensor housing that is fixed for movement with the sensor and that engages the pipe connector to support the sensor at least partially in the pipe, the sensor housing defining a longitudinal axis and including a first retainer having a tapered surface that tapers relative to the longitudinal axis and a second surface extending substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and a second retainer having at least one channel formed by a first wall extending circumferentially about the longitudinal axis and opposing the second surface of the first retainer and a second wall extending from the first wall and substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis, the tapered surface abutting against the inlet surface of the pipe connector to guide the sensor housing as the sensor housing moves substantially parallel to and rotates about the longitudinal axis within the aperture, the sensor housing engageable with the pipe connector to abuttingly retain the pipe connector between the second surface of the first retainer and the first wall of the second retainer to limit movement of the sensor housing in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis, the second retainer abutting against the inlet surface of the pipe connector to limit rotation of the sensor housing about the longitudinal axis.

2. The sensor assembly of claim 1, wherein the first retainer is generally annular and continuously extends about the longitudinal axis.

3. The sensor assembly of claim 1, wherein the second surface abuts an inner surface of the pipe connector to retain the pipe connector between the second surface and the second retainer to limit movement of the sensor housing in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis.

4. The sensor assembly of claim 1, wherein the sensor housing includes a main body, and wherein the first retainer and the second retainer are each integrally coupled to the main body so as to be monolithic.

5. The sensor assembly of claim 1, further comprising the pipe connector.

6. The sensor assembly of claim 5, wherein the pipe connector is resiliently flexible, the aperture having a width that is resiliently variable to allow passage of the first retainer.

7. The sensor assembly of claim 5, wherein the inlet surface defines a recess that receives the second retainer.

8. The sensor assembly of claim 5, wherein the sensor housing further includes a projection that extends transversely away from the longitudinal axis, the pipe connector including an indicator, the projection orientatable relative to the indicator to indicate a predetermined rotational orientation of the sensor housing about the longitudinal axis relative to the pipe connector.

9. The sensor assembly of claim 1, wherein the sensor housing further comprises a sealing member that seals against the inlet surface.

10. The sensor assembly of claim 1, wherein the sensor is a temperature sensor that detects a temperature of the substance inside the pipe.

11. A sensor assembly for detecting a characteristic of a substance in a pipe, the sensor assembly comprising:

a pipe connector that is fixed to the pipe and includes an inlet surface having a flange and an aperture providing access into the pipe;

a sensor that detects the characteristic of the substance in the pipe; and

a sensor housing that is fixed for movement with the sensor and that removably engages the pipe connector to support the sensor at least partially in the pipe, the sensor housing defining a longitudinal axis and including a first retainer having a tapered surface that tapers relative to the longitudinal axis and a second surface extending substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and a second retainer having at least one channel formed by a first wall extending circumferentially about the longitudinal axis and opposing the second surface of the first retainer and a second wall extending from the first wall and substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis, the channel receiving the flange of the pipe connector therein when the sensor housing is rotated relative to and within the pipe connector and providing a rotational stop when the flange of the pipe connector engages the second wall.

12. The sensor assembly of claim 11, wherein the sensor housing further includes a projection that extends radially away from the longitudinal axis, and wherein the inlet surface of the pipe connector includes a ramp with a back surface and wherein the projection abuts against the back surface to limit rotation of the sensor housing about the longitudinal axis.

13. The sensor assembly of claim 12, wherein the pipe connector includes an indicator, the projection operable to be positioned relative to the indicator to indicate a predetermined rotational orientation of the sensor housing about the longitudinal axis relative to the pipe connector.

14. The sensor assembly of claim 11, wherein the first retainer is generally annular and continuously extends about the longitudinal axis.

15. The sensor assembly of claim 11, wherein the sensor housing includes a main body, and wherein the first retainer and the second retainer are each integrally coupled to the main body so as to be monolithic.

16. The sensor assembly of claim 11, wherein the sensor housing further comprises a sealing member that seals against the inlet surface of the pipe connector.

17. The sensor assembly of claim 11, wherein the second retainer includes a disc that extends continuously about the longitudinal axis, the channel being defined by the first wall, the second wall, and the disc.

18. The sensor assembly of claim 11, wherein the sensor is a temperature sensor that detects a temperature of the substance inside the pipe.