EP0702229A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Oxygen sensor
Assignee: Niterra Co Ltd
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Filing: 1995-09-15
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2015-09-15
Abstract
Abstract In an oxygen sensor including a tubular metal shell, a tubular housing having an end attached to the metal shell and another end sealed by a seal member, a solid electrolyte tube attached to the metal shell and having on inner and outer surfaces thereof electrode layers and lead layers connected to the electrode layers, respectively, a pair of lead wires extending through the seal member between inside and outside of a housing assembly constituted by the metal shell and housing whilst being sealingly held by the seal member, and a pair of metallic leads disposed inside of the housing assembly for connection between the lead layers and the lead wires, the metallic leads having at one end thereof electrode connecting portions having a spring property, the electrode connecting portions being attached to the inner and outer surfaces of the solid electrolyte tube and held in contact with the lead layers under spring pressure, a stopper is interposed between the seal member and the open end of the solid electrolyte tube so as to obstruct axial movement of the electrode connecting portions of the metallic leads relative to the solid electrolyte tube when the lead wires are pulled outward of the housing assembly.
Inventors
- 👤 Keizo c/o NGK Spark Plug Co. Ltd. Furusaki
- 👤 Tatsuya c/o NGK Spark Plug Co. Ltd. Okumura
- 👤 Hideya c/o NGK Spark Plug Co. Ltd. Tanaka
- 👤 Yasuhiro c/o NGK Spark Plug Co. Ltd. Yamada
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 23:17
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01N; G01N27/00; G01N27/26; G01N27/403; G01N27/406; G01N27/407; G01N27/4078; G01N27/4062
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
173 words
An oxygen sensor comprising: an oxygen content detecting element made of solid electrolyte and in the form of a circular tube with one end closed; electrode layers provided to inner and outer peripheral surfaces of said oxygen content detecting element; a lead layer provided to said oxygen content detecting element and connected to one of said electrode layers; a metallic lead having at one end thereof an electrode connecting portion having a spring property, said electrode connecting portion being attached to said oxygen content detecting element and held in contact with said lead layer under spring pressure; said metallic lead being connected at another end thereof to a lead wire; a seal member sealingly holding said lead wire whilst allowing the same to extend outward thereof; and a stopper engaged with said electrode connecting portion of said metallic lead in such a manner as to prevent said electrode connecting portion from being separated from said lead layer when said lead wire is pulled outward to subject said metallic lead to a tensile force.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
34 words
An oxygen sensor according to claim 1, wherein said stopper is interposed between said oxygen content detecting element and said Seal member and has a hollow cylindrical portion surrounding said metallic lead radically thereof.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
An oxygen sensor according to claim 1, wherein said stopper is made of a ceramic material.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
176 words
An oxygen sensor comprising: an oxygen content detecting element made of solid electrolyte and in the form of a circular tube with one end closed; electrode layers provided to inner and outer surfaces of said oxygen content detecting element; lead layers provided to said inner and outer surfaces of said oxygen content detecting element and connected to said electrode layers, respectively; a pair of metallic leads having at one end thereof electrode connecting portions having a spring property, said electrode connecting portions being attached to said oxygen content detecting element and held in contact with said lead layers under spring pressure, respectively; said metallic leads being connected at another end thereof to lead wires; a seal member sealingly holding said lead wires whilst allowing the same to extend outward thereof; and a stopper engaged with said electrode connecting portions of said metallic leads in such a manner as to prevent said electrode connecting portions from being separated from said lead layers when said lead wires are pulled to subject said metallic leads to a tensile force.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
An oxygen sensor according to claim 4, wherein said stopper is interposed between said oxygen content detecting element and said seal member and has a hollow cylindrical portion surrounding said metallic leads radially thereof.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
An oxygen sensor according to claim 4, wherein said stopper is made of a ceramic material.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
255 words
An oxygen sensor comprising: a tubular metal shell; a tubular housing attached at one end thereof to said metal shell to constitute a housing assembly; a seal member attached to another end of said tubular housing for sealingly closing the same; a solid electrolyte tube with one open end, attached to said metal shell in such a manner that said open end is positioned inside of said housing assembly; electrode layers provided to inner and outer surfaces of said solid electrolyte tube; a lead layer provided to said solid electrolyte tube and connected to one of said electrode layers; a lead wire extending through said seal member between inside and outside of said housing whilst being sealingly held by said seal member, said lead wire having an inner end disposed inside of said housing assembly; a metallic lead disposed inside of said housing for connection between said lead layer and said inner end of said lead wire, said metallic lead having at one end thereof an electrode connecting portion having a spring property, said electrode connecting portion being attached to one of said inner and outer surfaces of said solid electrolyte tube and held in contact with said lead layer under spring pressure; and a stopper interposed between said seal member and said open end of said solid electrolyte tube and engaged with said electrode connecting portion so as to obstruct axial movement of said electrode connecting portion relative to said solid electrolyte tube when said lead wire is pulled outward of said housing assembly.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
40 words
An oxygen sensor according to claim 7, further comprising a separator interposed between said seal member and said stopper for insulating another end of said metallic lead relative to said housing assembly, said stopper being formed integral with said separator.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
40 words
An oxygen sensor according to claim 7, further comprising an separator interposed between said seal member and said stopper for insulating another end of said metallic lead relative to said housing assembly, said stopper being formed separately from said separator.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
69 words
An oxygen sensor according to claim 7, wherein said electrode connecting portion of said metallic lead has a part-circular cross section and has an axial end face flush with a face of said open end of said solid electrolyte tube, said stopper being hollow, cylindrical for allowing passage of said metallic lead therethrough and having an axial end abuttingly engaged with said open end of said solid electrolyte tube.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
67 words
An oxygen sensor according to claim 10, wherein said electrode connecting portion of said metallic lead is fitted on said open end of said solid electrolyte tube, said stopper having at said axial end a cross section including a four-cusped figure-like central opening for passage of said metallic lead, and a solid peripheral portion for abutting engagement with said axial end face of said electrode connecting portion.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
253 words
An oxygen sensor comprising: a tubular metal shell; a tubular housing attached at one end thereof to said metal shell to constitute a housing assembly; a seal member attached to another end of said tubular housing for sealingly closing the same; a solid electrolyte tube with one open end, attached to said metal shell in such a manner that said open end is positioned inside of said housing assembly, said solid electrolyte tube having on inner and outer surfaces thereof electrode layers and lead layers connected to said electrode layers, respectively; a pair of lead wires extending through said seal member between inside and outside of said housing whilst being sealingly held by said seal member, said lead wires having inner ends disposed inside of said housing assembly; a pair of metallic leads disposed inside of said housing assembly for connection between said lead layers and said inner ends of said lead wires, said metallic leads having at one end thereof electrode connecting portions having a spring property, said electrode connecting portions being attached to said inner and outer surfaces of said solid electrolyte tube and held in contact with said lead layers under spring pressure, respectively; and a stopper interposed between said seal member and said open end of said solid electrolyte tube and engaged with said electrode connecting portions of said metallic leads so as to obstruct axial movement of said electrode connecting portions relative to said solid electrolyte tube when said lead wires are pulled outward of said housing assembly.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
42 words
An oxygen sensor according to claim 12, further comprising a separator interposed between said seal member and said stopper for insulating another end of each of said metallic leads relative to said housing assembly, said stopper being formed integral with said separator.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
42 words
An oxygen sensor according to claim 12, further comprising a separator interposed between said sealing member and said stopper for insulating another end of each of said metallic leads relative to said housing assembly, said stopper being formed separately from said separator.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
69 words
An oxygen sensor according to claim 12, wherein each of said electrode connecting portions of said metallic leads has a part-circular cross section and has an axial end face flush with a face of said open end of said electrolyte tube, said stopper being hollow, cylindrical for allowing passage of said metallic leads therethrough and having an axial end abuttingly engaged with said open end of said electrode tube.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
89 words
An oxygen sensor according to 15, wherein said stopper has at said axial end a cross section including two circular openings for passage of said metallic leads, a radially inner solid portion for abutting engagement with said axial end face of one of said electrode connecting portions fitted in said open end of said solid electrolyte tube and a radially outer solid portion for abutting engagement with said axial end face of the other of said electrode connecting portions fitted on said open end of said solid electrolyte tube.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
157 words
An oxygen sensor according to claim 12, further comprising a heater accommodated in said housing assembly, and a pair of lead wires connected to said heater and extending between inside and outside of said housing through said stopper and said sealing member whilst being sealingly held by said seal member, said stopper having at said end a cross section including a four-cusped figure-like opening including a central opening section for disposition of said heater, a four-cusped figure section for disposition of said lead wires connected to said lead layers and said lead wires connected to said heater, a radially outer peripheral portion for abutting engagement with said axial end face of one of said electrode connecting portions fitted on said open end of said electrolyte tube, and four radially inwardly protruded portions for abutting engagement with said end face of the other of said electrode connecting portions fitted in said open end of said solid electrolyte tube.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
49 words
An oxygen sensor according to claim 17, wherein said stopper has a plurality of axial slits in such a manner as to allow said four cusped figure section opening radially outward so that said cross section of said stopper at said end thereof consists of four independent solid portions.
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