Fixture for electrical sensing apparatus

Claim 2

A unitary fixture for an electrical sensing apparatus which includes a coil, a core, and a magnet for creating a magnetic flux to sense the presence of an object of a conductive material, and a pair of elongated flexible terminal leads for connection to end wires from the coil, the unitary fixture being elongated and having a bobbin portion at one end thereof and a housing portion at the other end and formed integral with the bobbin portion, said bobbin portion including a coil-receiving central portion and a pair of generally parallel end discs at either end of the central portion defining a coil-receiving channel within which the coil is wound, the end wires from the coil extending through openings in the one end disc closest to the center of the fixture for connection to the terminal leads, said housing portion having grooves for receiving said terminal leads and positioning the terminal leads for connection to the end wires, said central portion of the bobbin encasing said core in an axial disposition within the coil, said magnet being elongated and said housing portion having a central cavity for receiving and positioning said magnet coaxially of said coil and core.

Claim 3

A unitary fixture for an electrical sensing apparatus which includes a coil, a core and a magnet for creating a magnetic flux to sense the presence of an object of a conductive material, a pair of terminal leads for connection to end wires of the coil, the unitary fixture being elongated and having a bobbiN portion at one end thereof and a housing portion at the other end and formed integral with the bobbin portion, said bobbin portion including a coil-receiving central portion and a pair of generally parallel end discs at either end of the central portion defining a coil-receiving channel within which the coil is wound, the coil end wires extending through openings in the one end disc closest to the center of the fixture for connection to the terminal leads, said central portion of the bobbin encasing said core in an axial disposition within the coil, said magnet being elongated and said housing portion having a central cavity for receiving and positioning said magnet coaxially of said coil and core, and an elongated encapsulating casing for said sensing apparatus extending lengthwise of said sensing apparatus at least over said bobbin portion and said housing portion and wherein said housing portion has cross-sectional dimensions substantially coextensive with said end discs whereby the thickness of said encapsulating casing is substantially uniform along said elongated fixture to avoid any thin or weakened portions in the casing.

Claim 4

A unitary fixture for an electrical sensing apparatus which includes a coil, a core and a magnet for creating a magnetic flux to sense the presence of an object of a conductive material, a pair of terminal leads for connection to end wires of the coil, the unitary fixture being elongated and having a bobbiN portion at one end thereof and a housing portion at the other end and formed integral with the bobbin portion, said bobbin portion including a coil-receiving central portion and a pair of generally parallel end discs at either end of the central portion defining a coil-receiving channel within which the coil is wound, the coil end wires extending through openings in the one end disc closest to the center of the fixture for connection to the terminal leads, said central portion of the bobbin encasing said core in an axial disposition within the coil, said magnet being elongated and said housing portion having a central cavity for receiving and positioning said magnet coaxially of said coil and core, and an elongated encapsulating casing for said sensing apparatus extending lengthwise of said sensing apparatus at least over said bobbin portion and said housing portion and wherein said housing portion has cross-sectional dimensions substantially coextensive with said end discs whereby the thickness of said encapsulating casing is substantially uniform along said elongated fixture to avoid any thin or weakened portions in the casing.

Claim 5

A unitary fixture for an electrical sensing apparatus which includes a coil, a core and a magnet for creating a magnetic flux to sense the presence of an object of a conductive material, a pair of terminal leads for connection to end wires from the coil, the unitary fixture being elongated and having a bobbin portion at one end thereof and a housing portion at the other end and formed integral with the bobbin portion, said bobbin portion including a coil-receiving central portion and a pair of generally parallel end discs at either end of the central portion defining a coil-receiving channel within which the coil is wound, the coil having end wires extending through openings in the one end disc closest to the center of the fixture for connection to the terminal leads, said central portion of the bobbin encasing said core in an axial disposition within the coil, said magnet being elongated and said housing portion having a central cavity for receiving and positioning said magnet coaxially of said coil and core, said housing portion having elongated axially extending recesses on the exterior thereof overlying said magnet for receiving said terminal leads and positioning the terminal leads for connection to said end wires, said openings in said one end disc being angularly spaced from said recesses to facilitate connecting the terminal leads to said end wires.

Claim 6

A unitary fixture for an electrical sensing apparatus which includes a coil, a core and a magnet for creating a magnetic flux to sense the presence of an object of a conductive material, a pair of terminal leads for connection to end wires from the coil, the unitary fixture being elongated and having a bobbin portion at one end thereof and a housing portion at the other end and formed integral with the bobbin portion, said bobbin portion including a coil-receiving central portion and a pair of generally parallel end discs at either end of the central portion defining a coil-receiving channel within which the coil is wound, the coil having end wires extending through openings in the one end disc closest to the center of the fixture for connection to the terminal leads, said central portion of the bobbin encasing said core in an axial disposition within the coil, said magnet being elongated and said housing portion having a central cavity for receiving and positioning said magnet coaxially of said coil and core, said housing portion having elongated axially extending recesses on the exterior thereof overlying said magnet for receiving said terminal leads and positioning the terminal leads for connection to said end wires, said openings in said one end disc being angularly spaced from said recesses to facilitate connecting the terminal leads to said end wires.

Claim 7

The electrical sensing apparatus of claim 1 including an encapsulating casing for said sensing apparatus and wherein said grooves on said housing portion are formed by elongated axially extending recesses on the exterior of the housing portion overlying said magnet, said encapsulating casing holding the terminal leads in the grooves. 5 The electrical sensing apparatus of claim 2 wherein said terminal leads extend through the encapsulating casing and are rigidly held thereby.

Claim 8

The electrical sensing apparatus of claim 4 wherein said grooves extend entirely through the thickness of said housing portion, and including elongated axially extending recesses on the exterior of said magnet beneath said grooves for receiving and positioning the terminal leads.

Claim 9

The electrical sensing apparatus of claim 3 including a bridge portion between said one end disc and said housing portion, said bridge portion having a smaller cross-sectional dimension than said housing portion to provide a space therebetween for manipulating and connecting the winding end wires to the terminal leads.

Claim 10

A unitary fixture for an electrical sensing apparatus which includes a coil and core-magnet structure for creating a magnetic flux to sense the presence of an object of a conductive material, and a pair of terminal leads for connection to end wires from the coil, said fixture comprising: a bobbin portion having a coil-receiving central portion, said central portion encasing a core portion of saId core-magnet structure and holding the core portion axially within the coil, and a housing portion formed integral with the bobbin portion and encasing a magnet portion of said core-magnet structure and holding the magnet portion coaxially with the coil at one end of the bobbin, said housing portion having grooves for receiving said terminal leads and positioning the terminal leads for connection to end wires from said coil.

Claim 11

A unitary fixture for an electrical sensing apparatus which includes a coil and core-magnet structure for creating a magnetic flux to sense the presence of an object of a conductive material, and a pair of terminal leads for connection to end wires from the coil, said fixture comprising: a bobbin portion having a coil-receiving central portion, said central portion encasing a core portion of saId core-magnet structure and holding the core portion axially within the coil, and a housing portion formed integral with the bobbin portion and encasing a magnet portion of said core-magnet structure and holding the magnet portion coaxially with the coil at one end of the bobbin, said housing portion having grooves for receiving said terminal leads and positioning the terminal leads for connection to end wires from said coil.

Claim 12

The electrical sensing apparatus of claim 8 including an encapsulating casing for said sensing apparatus and wherein said grooves on said housing portion are formed by elongated axially extending recesses on the exterior of the housing portion overlying the magnet portion of said coil-magnet structure, said encapsulating casing holding the flexible terminal leads in the grooves.

Claim 13

The electrical sensing apparatus of claim 9 wherein said grooves extend entirely through the thickness of said housing portion, and including elongated axially extending recesses on the exterior of said magnet portion beneath said grooves for receiving and positioning the terminal leads.