Gas sensor

Abstract

A gas sensor is provided which has a rapid heating property and which can detect A/F ratio with high accuracy and can detect specifically a stoichiometric environment with high accuracy. The gas sensor has a limiting current type gas sensor element. The gas sensor element has a cup-shaped solid electrolyte, a reference electrode formed on an inside surface of the solid electrolyte, a measuring electrode formed on an outside surface of the solid electrolyte and a heater. The heater is disposed inside the solid electrolyte so that a tip end thereof contacts the inside surface of the solid electrolyte. The gas sensor outputs the limiting current value depending on an oxygen concentration in exhaust gases by applying a predetermined voltage between the reference electrode and the measuring electrode. The measuring electrode, which a length thereof in a direction is 0.5 mm to 3.0 mm, is housed in a range 0.5 mm to 7.5 mm from a tip end of the solid electrolyte in the direction.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.