Device for electrochemically measuring the concentration of oxygen in combustion gases

Claim 1

A device for electro-chemically measuring the concentration of oxygen in combustion gases, particularly those of internal combustion engines, comprising a housing having a passage which is formed with two spaced open ends with an inner circumferential shoulder intermediate said ends; a tubular member of ion-conducting solid electrolyte material having a closed-ended first portion which projects from one of said open ends, and a second portion which extends through said passage and is formed with an outer circumferential flange one axial end face of which faces towards said one open end and is supported by said shoulder and another axial end face of which faces away from said one open end, the interior of said tubular member being in communication with the ambient atmosphere and the exterior of said first portion being adapted for exposure to a flow of combustion gases, and the materials of said housing and said tubular member having differential coefficients of thermal expansion and contraction; an electron-conductive inner electrode on an inner surface of said tubular member and being conductively connected with an outside terminal portion; an electron-conductive outer electrode on an outer surface of said tubular member and being conductively connected with said housing; and compensating means in said housing fixed with reference thereto and engaging said second portion of said tubular member, said compensating means being operative to compensate for said differential coefficients so as to prevent development of cracks or loosening of the seal between said housing and tubular member, said compensating means being an annular member surrounding said second portion and being of a material having a coefficient of thermal expansion and contraction which compensates for said difference, said annular member being confined between said flange of said tubular member and a radially inwardly extending rim of said housing which is located in the region of the other of said open ends; and a pair of rings of relatively soft material accommodated between said axial end faces and said shoulder and annular member, respectively.

Claim 2

A device for electro-chemically measuring the concentration of oxygen in combustion gases, particularly those of internal combustion engines, comprising a housing having a passage which is formed with two spaced open ends with an inner circumferential shoulder intermediate said ends; a tubular member of ion-conducting solid electrolyte material having a closed-ended first portion which projects from one of said open ends, and a second portion which extends through said passage and is formed with an outer circumferential flange one axial end face of which faces towards said one open end and is supported by said shoulder and another axial end face of which faces away from said one open end, the interior of said tubular member being in communication with the ambient atmosphere and the exterior of said first portion being adapted for exposure to a flow of combustion gases, and the materials of said housing and said tubular member having differential coefficients of thermal expansion and contraction; an electron-conductive inner electrode on an inner surface of said tubular member and being conductively connected with an outside terminal portion; an electron-conductive outer electrode on an outer surface of said tubular member and being conductively connected with said housing; and compensating means in said housing fixed with reference thereto and engaging said second portion of said tubular member, said compensating means being operative to compensate for said differential coefficients so as to prevent development of cracks or loosening of the seal between said housing and tubular member, said compensating means being an annular member surrounding said second portion and being of a material having a coefficient of thermal expansion and contraction which compensates for said difference, said annular member being confined between said flange of said tubular member and a radially inwardly extending rim of said housing which is located in the region of the other of said open ends; and a pair of rings of relatively soft material accommodated between said axial end faces and said shoulder and annular member, respectively.

Claim 3

A device for electro-chemically measuring the concentration of oxygen in combustion gases, particularly those of internal combustion engines, comprising a housing having a passage which is formed with two spaced open ends with an inner circumferential shoulder intermediate said ends; a tubular member of ion-conducting solid electrolyte material having a closed-ended first portion which projects from one of said open ends, and a second portion which extends through said passage and is formed with an outer circumferential flange one axial end face of which faces towards said one open end and is supported by said shoulder and another axial end face of which faces away from said one open end, the interior of said tubular member being in communication with the ambient atmosphere and the exterior of said first portion being adapted for exposure to a flow of combustion gases, and the materials of said housing and said tubular member having differential coefficients of thermal expansion and contraction; an electron-conductive inner electrode on an inner surface of said tubular member and being conductively connected with an outside terminal portion; an electron-conductive outer electrode on an outer surface of said tubular member and being conductively connected with said housing and compensating means in said housing fixed with reference thereto and engaging said second portion of said tubular member, said compensating means being operative to compensate for said differential coefficients so as to prevent development of cracks or loosening of the seal between said housing and said tubular member; compensating means in said housing fixed with reference thereto and engaging said second portion of said tubular member, said compensating means being an annular member surrounding said second portion and being of a material having a coefficient of thermal expansion and contraction which compensates for said difference, said annular member being confined between said flange of said tubular member and a radially inwardly extending rim of said housing which is located in the region of the other of said open ends; and a body of pulverulent material accommodated in and filling a space defined by said tubular member, housing and annular member, at substantially constant pressure despite the occurrence of differential thermal expansion or contraction due to said differential coefficients.

Claim 4

A device for electro-chemically measuring the concentration of oxygen in combustion gases, particularly those of internal combustion engines, comprising a housing having a passage which is formed with two spaced open ends with an inner circumferential shoulder intermediate said ends; a tubular member of ion-conducting solid electrolyte material having a closed-ended first portion which projects from one of said open ends, and a second portion which extends through said passage and is formed with an outer circumferential flange one axial end face of which faces towards said one open end and is supported by said shoulder and another axial end face of which faces away from said one open end, the interior of said tubular member being in communication with the ambient atmosphere and the exterior of said first portion being adapted for exposure to a flow of combustion gases, and the materials of said housing and said tubular member having differential coefficients of thermal expansion and contraction; an electron-conductive inner electrode on an inner surface of said tubular member and being conductively connected with an outside terminal portion; an electron-conductive outer electrode on an outer surface of said tubular member and being conductively connected with said housing and compensating means in said housing fixed with reference thereto and engaging said second portion of said tubular member, said compensating means being operative to compensate for said differential coefficients so as to prevent development of cracks or loosening of the seal between said housing and said tubular member; compensating means in said housing fixed with reference thereto and engaging said second portion of said tubular member, said compensating means being an annular member surrounding said second portion and being of a material having a coefficient of thermal expansion and contraction which compensates for said difference, said annular member being confined between said flange of said tubular member and a radially inwardly extending rim of said housing which is located in the region of the other of said open ends; and a body of pulverulent material accommodated in and filling a space defined by said tubular member, housing and annular member, at substantially constant pressure despite the occurrence of differential thermal expansion or contraction due to said differential coefficients.

Claim 9

A device for electro-chemically measuring the concentration of oxygen in combustion gases, particularly those of internal combustion engines, comprising a housing having a passage which is formed with two spaced open ends with an inner circumferential shoulder intermediate said ends; a tubular member of ion conducting solid electrolyte material having a closed-ended first portion which projects from one of said open ends, and a second portion which extends through said passage and is formed with an outer circumferential flange one axial end face of which faces towards said open end and is supported by said shoulder and another axial end face of which faces away from said one open end, the interior of said tubular member being in communication with the ambient atmosphere and the exterior of said first portion being adapted for exposure to flow of combustion gases, and the materials of said housing and said tubular member having differential coefficients of thermal expansion and contraction; an electron-conductive inner electrode on an inner surface of said tubular member and being conductively connected with an outside terminal portion; an electron-conductive outer electrode on an outer surface of said tubular member and being conductively connected with said housing; and compensating means comprising a spring element in said housing fixed with reference thereto and engaging said second portion of said tubular member, said compensating means being operative to compensate for said differential coefficients so as to prevent development of cracks or loosening of the seal between said housing and tubular member.

Claim 10

A device for electro-chemically measuring the concentration of oxygen in combustion gases, particularly those of internal combustion engines, comprising a housing having a passage which is formed with two spaced open ends with an inner circumferential shoulder intermediate said ends; a tubular member of ion conducting solid electrolyte material having a closed-ended first portion which projects from one of said open ends, and a second portion which extends through said passage and is formed with an outer circumferential flange one axial end face of which faces towards said open end and is supported by said shoulder and another axial end face of which faces away from said one open end, the interior of said tubular member being in communication with the ambient atmosphere and the exterior of said first portion being adapted for exposure to flow of combustion gases, and the materials of said housing and said tubular member having differential coefficients of thermal expansion and contraction; an electron-conductive inner electrode on an inner surface of said tubular member and being conductively connected with an outside terminal portion; an electron-conductive outer electrode on an outer surface of said tubular member and being conductively connected with said housing; and compensating means comprising a spring element in said housing fixed with reference thereto and engaging said second portion of said tubular member, said compensating means being operative to compensate for said differential coefficients so as to prevent development of cracks or loosening of the seal between said housing and tubular member.