Method and apparatus for punch and place inserts for manufacture of oxygen sensor
AssigneeDelphi Technologies, Inc.
InventorsJames P. Vargo, Robert Gregory Kechner, Raymond Leo Bloink
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Abstract
Disclosed herein is an apparatus and process for punching and placing inserts of electrolyte and other material into a substrate layer for a gas sensor. The insert can be the solid electrolyte, porous electrolyte or protective layer of a gas sensor. The substrate material is typically alumina. The apparatus punches a hole in the alumina substrate, and then, in one step, punches an insert of a second material, such as a solid electrolyte, into the previously formed hole, thereby forming a composite layer/insert.
Claims19
A method of placing inserts into a substrate for a gas sensor, comprising:
- punching a hole in a first layer;
- positioning a die over said first layer;
- positioning a second layer over said die opposite to said first layer;
- punching an insert out of said second layer;
- and,
- moving said insert through said die into said hole.
A method of making a gas sensor, comprising:
- a) punching a hole in a substrate layer;
- b) positioning a die over said substrate layer;
- c) positioning a first insert layer over said die opposite to said substrate layer, wherein said first insert layer comprises an electrolyte;
- d) punching a first insert out of said first insert layer;
- e) moving said first insert through said die and into said hole to form a first composite layer;
- f) disposing a first electrode in physical contact with a first side of said first insert and disposing a first electrical lead in electrical communication with said first electrode;
- g) disposing a second electrode in physical contact with a second side of said first insert and disposing a second electrical lead in electrical communication with said second electrode to form an assembly;
- and
- h) laminating said first composite layer and said support layers to form the sensor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.