# US 11,079,265 B2 · Air mass flow meter > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,079,265 B2 - Document ID: US11079265B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/063,112 - Filed: 2016-12-07 - Published: 2018-12-27 - Granted: 2021-08-03 - Earliest claimed: 2015-12-16 - Assignees: Vitesco Technologies GmbH - Applicants: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GmbH - Inventors: Thomas Millies; Jörg Schindler; Stephen Setescak; Rainer Frauenholz - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11079265B2 ## CPC - G01F 1/6842: {with means for influencing the fluid flow} - G01F 1/684: Structural arrangements; Mounting of elements, e.g. in relation to fluid flow - G01F 1/6845: {Micromachined devices} - G01F 1/86: Indirect mass flowmeters, e.g. measuring volume flow and density, temperature or pressure - G01F 5/00: Measuring a proportion of the volume flow - G01F 15/18: Supports or connecting means for meters - G01F: MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME ## Abstract An air mass flowmeter with a housing having an air-guiding path in which an air mass sensor element is arranged on a sensor element carrier in the housing and is electrically connected to a circuit carrier by connection wires. The circuit carrier is also arranged in the housing the air mass sensor element is positioned accurately in the air-guiding path by a positioning element that engages into a positioning element receptacle formed in the sensor element carrier. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An air mass flowmeter comprising: an air mass sensor element; a housing having: an air-guiding path in which the air mass sensor element is arranged; and a tapered positioning element formed on the housing; a sensor element carrier arranged in the housing and on which the air mass sensor element is arranged; a circuit carrier arranged in the housing to which the an air mass sensor element is electrically connected to via connection wires; and a positioning element receptacle formed in the sensor element carrier and configured to directly engage with the tapered positioning element formed on the housing as a result of which the air mass sensor element is precisely positioned in the air-guiding path, wherein the positioning element receptacle is spaced inboard from an edge of the sensor element carrier. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The air mass flowmeter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the positioning element is formed integrally with the housing. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The air mass flowmeter as claimed in claim 2, wherein the positioning element receptacle is a bore in the sensor element carrier. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The air mass flowmeter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the positioning element receptacle is a bore in the sensor element carrier. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The air mass flowmeter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the positioning element has a cross section which is one of triangular, oval, square, and polygonal. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The air mass flowmeter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the positioning element is substantially conical. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The air mass flowmeter as claimed in claim 1, wherein a press fit is at least partially provided between the positioning element and the positioning element receptacle when the positioning element and the positioning element receptacle are in engagement. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The air mass flowmeter as claimed in claim 1, wherein a production tolerance of the sensor element carrier is smaller than a production tolerance of the circuit carrier. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The air mass flowmeter as claimed in claim 1, wherein circuit carrier and the sensor element carrier are directly connected to the housing. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The air mass flowmeter as claimed in claim 1, wherein engagement of the tapered positioning element and the positioning element receptacle position the sensor element carrier is in all translational directions. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The air mass flowmeter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the air-guiding path is arranged in the housing and comprises at least two parallel paths that are substantially perpendicular to an input of the air-guiding path. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The air mass flowmeter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the air-guiding path is substantially omega shaped. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The air mass flowmeter as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a mechanical connection between the circuit carrier and the sensor element carrier. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The air mass flowmeter as claimed in claim 1, wherein: the sensor element carrier is in direct contact with the housing; and the circuit carrier is in direct contact with the housing. ### Claim 15 An air mass flowmeter comprising: an air mass sensor element; a housing having: an air-guiding path in which the air mass sensor element is arranged; and a positioning element receptacle formed on the housing; a sensor element carrier arranged in the housing and on which the air mass sensor element is arranged; a circuit carrier arranged in the housing to which the an air mass sensor element is electrically connected to via connection wires; and a tapered positioning element formed on the sensor element carrier and configured to directly engage with the positioning element receptacle formed on the housing as a result of which the air mass sensor element is precisely positioned in the air-guiding path, wherein the tapered positioning element is spaced inboard from an edge of the sensor element carrier. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The air mass flowmeter as claimed in claim 15, wherein the positioning element is formed integrally with the sensor element carrier. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The air mass flowmeter as claimed in claim 16, wherein the positioning element receptacle is a bore in the housing. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The air mass flowmeter as claimed in claim 15, wherein the positioning element receptacle is a bore in the housing. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The air mass flowmeter as claimed in claim 15, wherein the positioning element has a cross section which is one of triangular, oval, square, and polygonal. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The air mass flowmeter as claimed in claim 15, wherein the positioning element is substantially conical. ### Claim 21 (depends on 15) The air mass flowmeter as claimed in claim 15, wherein a press fit is at least partially provided between the positioning element and the positioning element receptacle when the positioning element and the positioning element receptacle are in engagement.