US 8,739,642 B2Granted

Sensor assembly

AssigneeChrysler Group LLC

InventorsJacob K. Horn, Timothy P. Mrosewske

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Abstract

A sensor assembly includes a sensor and a sensor housing that supports the sensor and that operably engages a connector. The sensor housing includes a first retainer and a second retainer. The first retainer includes a tapered surface that tapers relative to the longitudinal axis, and the tapered surface abuts against the aperture surface of the connector to guide the sensor housing as the sensor housing moves substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis into the aperture. The sensor housing is engageable with the connector to receive the connector between the first retainer and the second retainer and to limit relative movement of the sensor housing and the connector in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis. The second retainer abuts against the aperture surface of the connector to limit relative rotation of the sensor housing and the connector about the longitudinal axis.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A sensor assembly for detecting a characteristic of a substance in a pipe, the pipe including a pipe connector with an inlet surface and defining an aperture that provides access into the pipe, the sensor assembly comprising:

a sensor that detects the characteristic of the substance in the pipe;
and
a sensor housing that is fixed for movement with the sensor and that engages the pipe connector to support the sensor at least partially in the pipe, the sensor housing defining a longitudinal axis and including a first retainer having a tapered surface that tapers relative to the longitudinal axis and a second surface extending substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and a second retainer having at least one channel formed by a first wall extending circumferentially about the longitudinal axis and opposing the second surface of the first retainer and a second wall extending from the first wall and substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis, the tapered surface abutting against the inlet surface of the pipe connector to guide the sensor housing as the sensor housing moves substantially parallel to and rotates about the longitudinal axis within the aperture, the sensor housing engageable with the pipe connector to abuttingly retain the pipe connector between the second surface of the first retainer and the first wall of the second retainer to limit movement of the sensor housing in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis, the second retainer abutting against the inlet surface of the pipe connector to limit rotation of the sensor housing about the longitudinal axis.

A sensor assembly for detecting a characteristic of a substance in a pipe, the sensor assembly comprising:

a pipe connector that is fixed to the pipe and includes an inlet surface having a flange and an aperture providing access into the pipe;
a sensor that detects the characteristic of the substance in the pipe;
and
a sensor housing that is fixed for movement with the sensor and that removably engages the pipe connector to support the sensor at least partially in the pipe, the sensor housing defining a longitudinal axis and including a first retainer having a tapered surface that tapers relative to the longitudinal axis and a second surface extending substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and a second retainer having at least one channel formed by a first wall extending circumferentially about the longitudinal axis and opposing the second surface of the first retainer and a second wall extending from the first wall and substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis, the channel receiving the flange of the pipe connector therein when the sensor housing is rotated relative to and within the pipe connector and providing a rotational stop when the flange of the pipe connector engages the second wall.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.