Manufacturing method of gas sensor and terminal installation jig used in the same
AssigneeDenso Corporation
InventorsYasuo Hattori, Kazuo Matsubara
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A manufacturing method of a gas sensor consisting of a sensor element on and in which an outer electrode terminal and an inner electrode terminal are press-fitted. The manufacturing method features the stability of installation of the outer and inner electrode terminal without causing any physical damage to the sensor element. Outer and inner terminal installation jigs are also provided.
Claims24
A manufacturing method of a gas sensor including (a) a hollow cylindrical sensor element of a given length having a first and a second end portion opposed to each other, (b) an outer electrode terminal installed on an outer terminal mount formed on an outer peripheral surface of the second end portion of the cylindrical sensor element, and (c) an inner electrode terminal installed on an inner terminal mount formed on an inner peripheral surface of the second end portion of the cylindrical sensor element, the manufacturing method comprising the steps of:
- preparing the outer electrode terminal made up of an elastically deformable annular holder and a lead extending from the annular holder, the annular holder having an inner diameter smaller than an outer diameter of the outer terminal mount of the cylindrical sensor element;
- preparing an outer terminal installation jig of a given length which has a first and a second end opposed to each other and a skirt with an outer wall tapering off to the second end, an outer diameter of the first end being greater than or equal to the outer diameter of the outer terminal mount of the sensor element;
- placing said outer terminal installation jig at the first end thereof on the second end portion of the sensor element;
- placing the annular holder of the outer electrode terminal on the skirt of the outer terminal installation jig;
- moving the annular holder toward the first end of the outer installation terminal jig along the tapered outer wall of the skirt to increase the inner diameter of the annular holder and placing the annular holder at the outer terminal mount of the sensor element;
- removing the outer terminal installation jig from the annular holder of the outer electrode terminal to establish tight engagement of the annular holder with the outer terminal mount of the sensor element;
- and
- installing the inner electrode terminal on the inner terminal mount.
A manufacturing method of a gas sensor including (a) a hollow cylindrical sensor element of a given length having a first and a second end portion opposed to each other and (b) an inner electrode terminal installed on an inner terminal mount formed on an inner peripheral surface of the second end portion of the cylindrical sensor element, the manufacturing method comprising the steps of:
- preparing the inner electrode terminal made up of an elastically deformable annular holder, a lead, and a protrusion, the annular holder having an outer diameter greater than an inner diameter of the inner terminal mount of the cylindrical sensor element and a first and a second end opposed to each other, the lead extending from the second end of the annular holder, the protrusion projecting from the second end of the annular holder outward;
- and
- inserting the annular holder of the inner electrode terminal at the first end thereof into the second end portion of the cylindrical sensor element until a given clearance is formed between the protrusion and an end surface of the second end portion of the cylindrical sensor element to install the inner electrode terminal on the inner terminal mount of the sensor element.
A manufacturing method of a gas sensor including (a) a hollow cylindrical sensor element of a given length having a first and a second end portion opposed to each other and (b) an outer electrode terminal installed on an outer terminal mount formed on an outer peripheral surface of the second end portion of the cylindrical sensor element, the manufacturing method comprising the steps of:
- preparing the outer electrode terminal made up of an elastically deformable annular holder having a first and a second end opposed to each other and a lead extending from the second end of the annular holder, the annular holder having an inner diameter smaller than an outer diameter of the outer terminal mount of the cylindrical sensor element;
- preparing an outer terminal installation jig of a given length which has a first and a second end opposed to each other and a skirt with an outer wall tapering off to the second end, an outer diameter of the first end being greater than or equal to the outer diameter of the outer terminal mount of the sensor element;
- placing said outer terminal installation jig at the first end thereof on the second end portion of the sensor element;
- placing the annular holder of the outer electrode terminal on the skirt of the outer terminal installation jig;
- placing press members in contact with a plurality of portions of the second end of the annular holder of the outer electrode terminal;
- thrusting the press members toward the first end of the outer installation terminal jig to move the annular holder of the outer electrode terminal along the tapered outer wall of the skirt to increase the inner diameter of the annular holder and placing the annular holder at the outer terminal mount of the sensor element;
- and
- removing the outer terminal installation jig from the annular holder of the outer electrode terminal to establish tight engagement of the annular holder with the outer terminal mount of the sensor element.
A manufacturing method of a gas sensor including (a) a hollow cylindrical sensor element of a given length having a first and a second end portion opposed to each other and (b) an inner electrode terminal installed on an inner terminal mount formed on an inner peripheral surface of the second end portion of the cylindrical sensor element, the manufacturing method comprising the steps of:
- preparing the inner electrode terminal made up of an elastically deformable annular holder and a lead, the annular holder having an outer diameter greater than an inner diameter of the inner terminal mount of the cylindrical sensor element and a first and a second end opposed to each other, the lead extending from the second end of the annular holder;
- preparing an inner terminal installation jig of a given length which has a first and a second end opposed to each other and a through hole tapering off to the first end, an inner diameter of an opening of the through hole formed in the first end being smaller than or equal to the inner diameter of the inner terminal mount of the sensor element;
- placing said inner terminal installation jig at the first end thereof on the second end portion of the sensor element;
- placing the annular holder of the inner electrode terminal in the through hole of the inner terminal installation jig;
- placing press members in contact with a plurality of portions of the second end of the annular holder of the inner electrode terminal;
- thrusting the press members toward the first end of the inner installation terminal jig to move the annular holder of the inner electrode terminal through the through hole to decrease the outer diameter of the annular holder and placing the annular holder at the inner terminal mount of the sensor element;
- and
- removing the inner terminal installation jig from the annular holder of the inner electrode terminal to establish tight engagement of the annular holder with the inner terminal mount of the sensor element.
A manufacturing method of a gas sensor including (a) a hollow cylindrical sensor element of a given length having a first and a second end portion opposed to each other, (b) an outer electrode terminal installed on an outer terminal mount formed on an outer peripheral surface of the second end portion of the cylindrical sensor element, and (c) an inner electrode terminal installed on an inner terminal mount formed on an inner peripheral surface of the second end portion of the cylindrical sensor element, the manufacturing method comprising the steps of:
- preparing the outer electrode terminal made up of an elastically deformable annular holder and a lead extending from the annular holder, the annular holder having an inner diameter smaller than an outer diameter of the outer terminal mount of the cylindrical sensor element;
- preparing an outer terminal installation jig of a given length which has a first and a second end opposed to each other and a skirt with an outer wall tapering off to the second end, an outer diameter of the first end being greater than or equal to the outer diameter of the outer terminal mount of the sensor element;
- placing said outer terminal installation jig at the first end thereof on the second end portion of the sensor element;
- placing the annular holder of the outer electrode terminal on the skirt of the outer terminal installation jig;
- placing press members in contact with a plurality of portions of the second end of the annular holder of the outer electrode terminal;
- thrusting the press members toward the first end of the outer installation terminal jig to move the annular holder of the outer electrode terminal along the tapered outer wall of the skirt to increase the inner diameter of the annular holder and placing the annular holder at the outer terminal mount of the sensor element;
- removing the outer terminal installation jig from the annular holder of the outer electrode terminal to establish tight engagement of the annular holder with the outer terminal mount of the sensor element;
- preparing the inner electrode terminal made up of an elastically deformable annular holder, a lead, and a protrusion, the annular holder having an outer diameter greater than an inner diameter of the inner terminal mount of the cylindrical sensor element and a first and a second end opposed to each other, the lead extending from the second end of the annular holder, the protrusion projecting from the second end of the annular holder outward;
- preparing an inner terminal installation jig of a given length which has a first and a second end opposed to each other and a through hole tapering off to the first end, an inner diameter of an opening of the through hole formed in the first end being smaller than or equal to the inner diameter of the inner terminal mount of the sensor element;
- after removing the outer terminal installation jig from the annular holder of the outer electrode terminal, placing said inner terminal installation jig at the first end thereof on the second end portion of the sensor element;
- placing the annular holder of the inner electrode terminal in the through hole of the inner terminal installation jig;
- placing press members in contact with a plurality of portions of the second end of the annular holder of the inner electrode terminal;
- thrusting the press members toward the first end of the inner installation terminal jig to move the annular holder of the inner electrode terminal through the through hole to decrease the outer diameter of the annular holder and placing the annular holder at the inner terminal mount of the sensor element;
- and
- removing the inner terminal installation jig from the annular holder of the inner electrode terminal to establish tight engagement of the annular holder with the inner terminal mount of the sensor element.
An outer terminal installation jig used to install an outer electrode terminal on an outer terminal mount formed on an outer peripheral surface of a cylindrical sensor element of a gas sensor, the outer electrode terminal having an annular holder whose inner diameter is smaller than an outer diameter of the outer terminal mount, comprising:
- a cylindrical member of a given length which has a first and a second end opposed to each other and a skirt, said skirt having an outer wall tapering off to the second end, an outer diameter of the first end being greater than or equal to the outer diameter of the outer terminal mount of the sensor element, an outer diameter of the second end being smaller than an inner diameter of the annular holder before installed on the cylindrical sensor element;
- and
- a recess formed in the first end of said cylindrical member, said recess being configured to establish engagement of said cylindrical member with an end of the cylindrical sensor element for installing the outer electrode terminal on the outer terminal mount of the cylindrical sensor element.
An inner terminal installation jig used to install an inner electrode terminal on an inner terminal mount formed on an inner peripheral surface of a hollow cylindrical sensor element of a gas sensor, the inner electrode terminal having an annular holder whose outer diameter is greater than an inner diameter of the inner terminal mount, comprising:
- a member of a given length which has a first and a second end opposed to each other and a through hole extending from the first to the second end, the through hole tapering off to the first end, an inner diameter of an opening of the through hole formed in the first end being smaller than or equal to the inner diameter of the inner terminal mount of the sensor element, an outer diameter of an opening of the through hole formed in the second end being greater than an outer diameter of the annular holder of the inner electrode terminal before installed in the cylindrical sensor element;
- and
- a recess formed in the first end of said member in communication with the through hole, said recess being configured to establish engagement of said member with an end of the cylindrical sensor element for installing the inner electrode terminal on the inner terminal mount of the cylindrical sensor element.
An outer terminal installation jig used to install an outer electrode terminal on an outer terminal mount formed on an outer peripheral surface of a cylindrical sensor element of a gas sensor, the outer electrode terminal having an annular holder whose inner diameter is smaller than an outer diameter of the outer terminal mount, comprising:
- a cylindrical member of a given length which has a first and a second end opposed to each other and a skirt, said skirt having an outer wall tapering off to the second end, an outer diameter of the first end being greater than or equal to the outer diameter of the outer terminal mount of the sensor element, an outer diameter of the second end being smaller than an inner diameter of the annular holder before installed on the cylindrical sensor element;
- and
- a central positioning pin which is disposed in the skirt in alignment with a longitudinal center line of said cylindrical member and partially projects from the fist end of said cylindrical member for insertion into the end of the sensor element to align said cylindrical member with the sensor element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.