Temperature sensor

• US 20070110124A1
• Filed: 06/22/2004
• Published: 05/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TDK Corporation
• Original Assignee: TDK Corporation
• Inventors: Wakabayashi, Yutaka, Sasaki, Kaoru, Shiraki, Satoru
• Granted Patent: US 7,410,294 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 374/208
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 1/08 Protective devices, e.g. casings
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 1/14 Supports; Fastening devices; Arrangements for mounting thermometers in particular locations

Abstract

A temperature sensor with a reduced number of components is provided.

In the temperature sensor (10) in accordance with the present invention, a cap part (44A) of a sensor cover (44) covers an opening (14) of a holder (12) as a whole, whereby water droplets and the like are prevented from entering between the holder (12) and a filler resin part (42). A neck part (44B) of the sensor cover (44) keeps a harness pair (34A, 34B) from breaking by bending in excess. Both of the cap part (44A) and neck part (44B) are a part of the sensor cover (44) and are integrated together. The number of components in the temperature sensor (10) employing such a sensor cover (44) is smaller than that in a temperature sensor (50) in which a cap and a lead drawing member are separate from each other.

Claims

1. A temperature sensor comprising:

a bottomed tubular holder having an opening;

a temperature detecting device, contained in a bottom part of the holder, having a lead pair connected thereto so as to be introduced from the opening side;

a filler resin part filling the holder so as to seal the temperature detecting device and extending to the opening; and

a sensor cover integrated with a cap part covering the whole opening and a neck part extending to the outside of the cap part along an outer peripheral face of the lead pair drawn out of the cap part.

2. A temperature sensor according to claim 1, further comprising a guide part, projecting from an edge of the opening in the holder, for guiding leads constituting the lead pair;

wherein the sensor cover covers the guide part.

3. A temperature sensor according to claim 2, wherein the guide part has a T-shaped form including a part extending in a direction perpendicular to an extending direction of the holder and a part extending parallel to the extending direction of the holder.

4. A temperature sensor according to claim 1, wherein an edge of the opening of the holder is formed with a substantially annular hook part projecting to the outside of the holder;

and

wherein the hook part engages at least a part of the sensor cover.

5. A temperature sensor according to claim 1, wherein the sensor cover is formed by hot melt molding.

6. A temperature sensor according to claim 1, further comprising a sensing part to be dipped into a fluid in a case to be subjected to temperature measurement;

wherein the sensing part contains the temperature detecting device having the lead pair connected thereto, the temperature detecting device being covered only with a device protecting part made of a resin.

7. A temperature sensor according to claim 6, wherein the device protecting part has a laminate structure constituted by different kinds of resins.

8. A temperature sensor according to claim 6, wherein the device protecting part has a laminate structure constituted by the same kind of resins.

9. A temperature sensor according to claim 6, wherein the holder is constituted by a resin;

and

wherein the device protecting part is constituted by the holder and the filler resin part filling the holder.

10. A temperature sensor according to claim 6, wherein the device protecting part contains a polyphenylene sulfide resin as a constituent material.