# US 10,481,122 B2 · Gas sensor element and gas sensor

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- Number: US 10,481,122 B2
- Document ID: US10481122B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/498,074
- Filed: 2017-04-26
- Published: 2017-11-02
- Granted: 2019-11-19
- Earliest claimed: 2016-04-27
- Assignees: Ngk Spark Plug Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: NGK Spark Plug Co., LTD.
- Inventors: Ai Igarashi; Kouji Toida; Shun Sakuma
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10481122B2

## CPC

- G01N 27/4077: {Means for protecting the electrolyte or the electrodes}
- G01N 27/4067: {Means for heating or controlling the temperature of the solid electrolyte}
- G01N 27/4071: {using sensor elements of laminated structure}
- G01N 27/4073: {Composition or fabrication of the solid electrolyte}
- G01N 27/4076: {Reference electrodes or reference mixtures}
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)

## Abstract

A gas sensor element comprises a solid electrolyte layer; a detection electrode provided on one surface of the solid electrolyte layer; a reference electrode provided on another surface of the solid electrolyte layer; a first layer provided on a side where the other surface of the solid electrolyte layer is present, and having a reference gas flow path; and a heater layer provided on a side opposite to a side where the solid electrolyte layer is provided. In the gas sensor element, an introduction flow path is formed as a flow path for guiding the reference gas from outer surfaces of the gas sensor element to the reference gas flow path. The introduction flow path has an opening provided at an outer surface that is perpendicular to a stacking direction of the gas sensor element and is provided on a side opposite to the heater layer.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A gas sensor element comprising:
a solid electrolyte layer;
a detection electrode provided on one surface of the solid electrolyte layer and exposed to a gas to be measured;
a reference electrode provided on another surface of the solid electrolyte layer and exposed to a reference gas;
a first layer provided on a side where the other surface of the solid electrolyte layer is present, and having a reference gas flow path that introduces the reference gas into the reference electrode; and
a heater layer provided on a side opposite to a side where the solid electrolyte layer is provided with respect to the first layer, the heater layer including a heating portion for heating the solid electrolyte layer, wherein
the solid electrolyte layer, the first layer and the heater layer are stacked,
an introduction flow path is formed in the gas sensor element as a flow path for guiding the reference gas from an outer surface of the gas sensor element to the reference gas flow path,
the introduction flow path has an opening provided at the outer surface that is perpendicular to a stacking direction of the gas sensor element and is provided on a side opposite to the side where the heater layer is provided with respect to the first layer, and
the introduction flow path extends in the stacking direction from the opening to the reference gas flow path.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The gas sensor element according to claim 1, wherein
a plurality of the openings are provided, and
the introduction flow path is composed of a plurality of divided flow paths extending in the stacking direction from the respective openings to the reference gas flow path.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The gas sensor element according to claim 2, wherein
the plurality of openings are provided at different positions with respect to a longitudinal direction of the gas sensor element.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The gas sensor element according to claim 1, wherein
DA<DB is satisfied, where DA is a distance from the outer surface, in which the opening is provided, to the reference gas flow path and DB is a distance from another outer surface of the gas sensor element to the reference gas flow path.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The gas sensor element according to claim 1, wherein
DA<DC is satisfied, where DA is a distance from the outer surface, in which the opening is provided, to the reference gas flow path and DC is a distance from an end portion of the gas sensor element on a side closer to the introduction flow path in a longitudinal direction to the reference gas flow path.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The gas sensor element according to claim 1, wherein,
the solid electrolyte layer includes: an insulating substrate formed from an insulating ceramic; and a solid electrolyte portion formed from a solid electrolyte and
the solid electrolyte portion is placed in a hole formed in the insulating substrate in a region that overlaps with the detection electrode and the reference electrode in the stacking direction.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

A gas sensor comprising the gas sensor element according to claim 1.