Method and apparatus for probe sensor assembly

A sensor probe assembly for a motor vehicle comprising:

• a housing having a central bore and a first end open to the central bore, said housing configured for installation in a substrate, said housing having a second end opposite said first end, said second end aligned with an object to be sensed;
• a first elastomeric media seal circumferentially disposed around said housing to form a hermetic seal between said substrate and said housing,
• a sensor subassembly within the bore of said housing having a sensor element proximate to said second cad of said housing with a sensing area and a second opposing side extending from said bore for connection with patterned electrical leads in electrical communication with the sensing area, the sensing area in electromagnetic communication with the object to be sensed;
• a second elastomeric media seal circumferentially disposed around said sensor subassembly to form a hermetic seal between said sensor subassembly and said housing;
• a bracket assembly mechanically fixable to said substrate at a first end and in operable connected to said sensor subassembly at a second end, said bracket configured to fix said sensor element towards said object;
• and
• a means for snap-fit assembly of said sensor subassembly, wherein said sensor subassembly includes:
• a holder assembly having two sensor terminals extending therefrom, said sensor terminals in electrical communication with said sensor element configured for electromagnetic sensing, said holder assembly configured for disposing said sensor element therewith;
• and
• a harness assembly having a connector at one end for connection with another device and a harness head at an opposite end in electrical communication with said connector, said harness head having two harness terminals extending therefrom configured for electrical communication with corresponding said two sensor terminals.

A method of assembling a senior package, the method comprising:

• configuring a harness head having a pair of harness terminals extending therefrom for operable electrical communication with a sensing element;
• configuring a holder assembly to maintain said sensing element in a lower portion of said holder assembly and maintain a pair of senior terminals extending from an upper portion of said holder assembly, said pair of sensor terminals in electrical communication with said sensing element;
• configuring said harness head and said holder assembly with a corresponding means for snap-fit assembly to each other;
• connecting said pair of harness terminals with said pair of sensor terminals;
• configuring a sensor housing to seal said sensing element and said connected terminals from an outside environment;
• inserting a resultant subassembly having said harness head assembled with said holder assembly into said senior housing;
• and
• connecting said harness head with said sensor housing to fix said subassembly relative to said sensor housing.