SENSOR AND SENSOR ASSEMBLY

Abstract

A sensor for a fluid duct in a fluid housing has a sensor housing, which has an insert part which complements a receiving part of the fluid housing, and a sealing element, which is arranged on a sealing section of the insert part and is configured to seal off an intermediate space between the sealing section and the receiving part when the insert part is inserted in an insertion direction into the receiving part in a final assembly position. The insert part has a securing section with a latching groove which is configured for a spring-elastic securing element to be able to engage into the latching groove in the final assembly position in order to fasten the sensor to the fluid housing. A sensor assembly having a sensor of this kind is also provided.

Claims

1. Sensor for a fluid duct in a fluid housing, in particular for lubrication and cooling in hydraulic systems for motor vehicles, having a sensor housing, which has an insert part which complements a receiving part of the fluid housing, and a sealing element, which is arranged on a sealing section of the insert part and is configured to seal off an intermediate space between the sealing section and the receiving part when the insert part is inserted in an insertion direction into the receiving part in a final assembly position, wherein the insert part has a securing section with a latching groove which is configured for a spring-elastic securing element to be able to engage into the latching groove in the final assembly position in order to fasten the sensor to the fluid housing.

2. Sensor according to claim 1, wherein the sealing element is arranged between the latching groove and a fluid-side end of the insert part in the insertion direction.

3. Sensor according to claim 1, wherein the securing section has a maximum outside diameter which is larger than the maximum outside diameter of the sealing section, in particular by at least 25%.

4. Sensor according to claim 1, wherein the latching groove is arranged at a first distance from a fluid-side end of the insert part and the sealing element is arranged at a second distance from the fluid-side end of the insert part, wherein the ratio of the first distance to the second distance is greater than 3, in particular greater than 5.

5. Sensor according to claim 1, wherein the sensor housing has a structure which forms a rotation-prevention means with a complementary structure of the fluid housing in the final assembly position.

6. Sensor according to claim 5, wherein the structure of the sensor housing has a contact area extending in one plane, wherein the plane extends in the insertion direction and in a direction perpendicular to the insertion direction.

7. Sensor according to claim 1, wherein the sensor has a sensor head, which is arranged at a fluid-side end of the insert part or projects beyond the fluid-side end in the insertion direction.

8. Sensor assembly having a sensor according to claim 1, a fluid housing, which has a fluid duct and a receiving part designed to complement the insert part, and a spring-elastic securing element, which engages into the latching groove in the final assembly position.

9. Sensor assembly according to claim 8, wherein the sensor assembly is designed in such a way that the spring-elastic securing element is adjusted to a tensioned state when the insert part is inserted in the insertion direction into the receiving part, and snaps into the latching groove when the final assembly position is reached.

10. Sensor assembly according to claim 8, wherein the spring-elastic securing element has a grip using which the securing element can be adjusted, in particular without tools, to a state in which the insert part can be pulled out of the receiving part counter to the insertion direction without being destroyed.

11. Sensor assembly according to claim 8, wherein the spring-elastic securing element is a spring clip or retaining clip.

12. Sensor according to claim 2, wherein the securing section has a maximum outside diameter which is larger than the maximum outside diameter of the sealing section, in particular by at least 25%.

13. Sensor according to claim 2, wherein the latching groove is arranged at a first distance from a fluid-side end of the insert part and the sealing element is arranged at a second distance from the fluid-side end of the insert part, wherein the ratio of the first distance to the second distance is greater than 3, in particular greater than 5.

14. Sensor according to claim 2, wherein the sensor housing has a structure which forms a rotation-prevention means with a complementary structure of the fluid housing in the final assembly position.

15. Sensor according to claim 2, wherein the sensor has a sensor head, which is arranged at a fluid-side end of the insert part or projects beyond the fluid-side end in the insertion direction.

16. Sensor assembly having a sensor according to claim 2, a fluid housing, which has a fluid duct and a receiving part designed to complement the insert part, and a spring-elastic securing element, which engages into the latching groove in the final assembly position.

17. Sensor assembly according to claim 9, wherein the spring-elastic securing element has a grip using which the securing element can be adjusted, in particular without tools, to a state in which the insert part can be pulled out of the receiving part counter to the insertion direction without being destroyed.

18. Sensor assembly according to claim 9, wherein the spring-elastic securing element is a spring clip or retaining clip.

19. Sensor according to claim 3, wherein the latching groove is arranged at a first distance from a fluid-side end of the insert part and the sealing element is arranged at a second distance from the fluid-side end of the insert part, wherein the ratio of the first distance to the second distance is greater than 3, in particular greater than 5.

20. Sensor according to claim 3, wherein the sensor housing has a structure which forms a rotation-prevention means with a complementary structure of the fluid housing in the final assembly position.

Description

[0019] Further advantages and features will become apparent from the following description and from the appended drawings, in which:

[0020] FIG. 1 shows a schematic sectional view of a sensor assembly according to the prior art,

[0021] FIG. 2 shows a perspective illustration of a sensor assembly according to the invention having a sensor according to the invention and a fluid housing in a final assembly position,

[0022] FIG. 3 shows a perspective illustration of the sensor from FIG. 2,

[0023] FIG. 4 shows a perspective illustration of the fluid housing from FIG. 2,

[0024] FIG. 5 shows a side view of the sensor assembly from FIG. 2, and

[0025] FIG. 6 shows a sectional view of the sensor assembly from FIG. 2.

[0026] FIG. 2 shows a sensor assembly 10 having a sensor 12, a fluid housing 14 and a spring-elastic securing element 16 (also see FIG. 5), called securing element 16 for short in the text which follows, in a final assembly position, i.e. in the assembled state.

[0027] The sensor 12 has a sensor housing 18 with an insert part 20 (see FIG. 3), a sealing element 22 and a sensor head 24.

[0028] The insert part 20 has a sealing section 26 with a groove 28 (see FIG. 6), which runs in an encircling manner in the circumferential direction and in which the sealing element 22 is arranged and in this way is fastened to the insert part 20 with a form fit, and also has a securing section 30 with a latching groove 32 into which the securing element 16 engages in the final assembly position, as is explained below.

[0029] The sealing element 22 is an O-ring here.

[0030] The latching groove 32 can be designed to be entirely encircling in the circumferential direction or encircling only in sections in the circumferential direction, as long as the securing element 16 can engage into the latching groove 32 in the final assembly position in order to secure or to fasten the sensor 12 to the sensor housing 18.

[0031] The sealing section 26 has a maximum outside diameter d which is smaller than a maximum outside diameter D of the securing section 30.

[0032] In the present embodiment, the maximum outside diameter D is 30% larger than the maximum outside diameter d.

[0033] In an alternative embodiment, the maximum outside diameter D is at least 25% larger than the maximum outside diameter d.

[0034] The latching groove 32 is arranged at a first distance A from a fluid-side end 34 of the insert part 20, while the encircling groove 28 or the sealing element 22 is arranged at a second distance a from the fluid-side end 34 of the insert part 20.

[0035] The ratio of the first distance A to the second distance a is 4.0 here.

[0036] In an alternative embodiment, the ratio of the first distance A to the second distance a is greater than 3.0, in particular greater than 5.0.

[0037] The sensor head 24 comprises a pickup 36 which is designed to determine a property of the fluid, for example the temperature.

[0038] In the illustrated embodiment, the sensor head 24 extends beyond the fluid-side end 34 of the insert part 20 in the vertical direction Z and into a fluid duct 38 of the fluid housing 14. The fluid duct 38 establishes the connection to a fluid duct which runs at an angle (e.g. 90°) to the fluid duct 38, so that the sensor head 24 lies in the media flow.

[0039] In an alternative embodiment, the sensor head 24 is arranged, in particular directly, at the fluid-side end 34 of the insert part 20.

[0040] In this context, the fluid housing 14 has a receiving part 40 with a receptacle 41 for the insert part 20, the fluid duct 38 issuing into this receptacle.

[0041] At this point, it should be noted that the fluid housing 14 is illustrated in the figures in a form which is limited to what is essential.

[0042] In principle, the fluid housing 14 can be designed in any desired manner and in particular extend further in the vertical direction Z in which the fluid duct 38 also runs.

[0043] In addition or as an alternative, the fluid housing 14 can be part of a system housing, in particular in a hydraulic clutch actuation and/or brake system for motor vehicles.

[0044] Here, the fluid housing 14 is designed in such a way that the sensor 12 can be coupled to the fluid housing 14 by way of the sensor 12 being inserted into the receiving part 40 in the vertical direction Z, with the fluid-side end 34 leading, in a final assembly position in which the securing element 16 is latched into the latching groove 32.

[0045] The insertion direction corresponds to the vertical direction Z here.

[0046] In this context, the receiving part 40 is designed to complement the insert part so that the insert part 20 is received in the receiving part 40 with a form fit in the final assembly position.

[0047] Furthermore, an intermediate space 42 or gap between the sealing section 26 and the receiving part 40 is sealed off in a fluid-tight manner in the final assembly position.

[0048] Here, the sealing element 22 is arranged between the latching groove 32 and the fluid-side end 34 in the vertical direction Z.

[0049] In order to ensure a defined orientation of the sensor 12 in relation to the fluid housing 14, the sensor assembly 10 has a rotation-prevention means 44 which is formed by a structure 46 (see FIG. 3) of the sensor housing 18 with a contact area 48 and a complementary structure 50 (see FIG. 4) of the fluid housing 14 with a second contact area 52.

[0050] The first contact area 48 and the second contact area 52 each extend in a Y-Z plane and bear flat against one another in the final assembly position.

[0051] The fluid housing 14 further has a retaining geometry 54 in which the securing element 16 is received and fastened to the fluid housing 14, so that the final assembly position, in which the securing element 16 engages into the latching groove 32, is well defined.

[0052] In the present embodiment, the securing element 16 is a spring clip with a bow-shaped grip 56. The securing element 16 is metallic.

[0053] In principle, the securing element 16 can be any desired spring-elastic securing element, for example a retaining clip.

[0054] Here, the securing element 16 can be adjusted between a first position (see FIGS. 2, 4, 5 and 6), in which the securing element 16 projects into the receptacle 41 in such a way that the securing element 16 engages into the latching groove 32 in the final assembly position, and a second position, in which the securing element 16 does not project into the receptacle 41 in such a way that the securing element 16 engages into the latching groove 32 in the final assembly position. Therefore, the securing element 16, in the second position, does not impede the sensor 12 from being pulled out counter to the insertion direction Z.

[0055] In order to adjust the securing element 16 from the first position to the second position, the securing element 16 is adjusted in relation to the fluid housing 14 in the direction X, for example by way of the grip 56 being pulled in the direction X.

[0056] Here, the fluid housing 14 has a guide geometry 58 against which the securing element 16 bears by means of two guide projections 61, 62 when the securing element 16 is adjusted from the first position to the second position.

[0057] Here, the guide geometry 58 is designed with mirror-image symmetry with respect to an X-Z plane and is arranged between the two guide projections 61, 62 in the Y direction.

[0058] In this context, the guide geometry 58 has a spreading section 64 with two surfaces 68 which run obliquely to the X direction and at which the guide projections 61, 62 are spread, so that the distance between them in the Y direction increases.

[0059] Furthermore, the guide geometry 58 has two stops 68 against which the guide projections 61, 62 can bear in the second position and which prevent the securing element 16 from being able to be pulled away from the fluid housing 14 in the X direction.

[0060] Therefore, the securing element 16 is captively fastened to the fluid housing 14.

[0061] In order to couple the sensor 12 to the fluid housing 14, the insert part 20 is inserted into the receiving part 40, with the fluid-side end 34 leading, in the insertion direction Z, while the securing element 16 is located in the first position.

[0062] In the receptacle 41, the securing element 16 is spread by the insert part 20 and therefore adjusted to a tensioned state, before the securing element 16 finally snaps into the latching groove 32 in the final assembly position, as a result of which the sensor 12 is reliably fastened to the fluid housing 14.

[0063] In order to release the sensor 12 from the fluid housing 14, the securing element 16 is adjusted to the second position, as a result of which the securing element 16 no longer engages into the latching groove 32 and the sensor can be pulled out of the receiving part 40 counter to the insertion direction Z.

[0064] In this way, a sensor 12 and a sensor assembly 10 are provided, it being possible for the sensor assembly to be assembled and disassembled with little effort.

[0065] Furthermore, the sensor 12 and the sensor assembly 10 are of particularly compact construction.