SENSOR DEVICE, IN PARTICULAR FOR USE IN A MOTOR VEHICLE

Abstract

The invention relates to a sensor device (10), in particular for use in a motor vehicle, comprising a housing (11) for receiving a sensor element (1), wherein the sensor element (1) has contact surfaces (21 to 23) that are electrically conductively connected with electrical plug connections (27) arranged in the housing (11), in the region of contacts (24 to 26), wherein the sensor element (1) is applied with force by a housing element (13), in particular formed as a housing cover, in the direction of the contacts (24 to 26) for the purposes of electrical contacting, and wherein a support in the form of a 3-point contact is formed between the sensor element (1) and the housing (11). According to the invention, the sensor element (1) has at least two measuring devices (5, 6), and the at least two measuring devices (5, 6) have three contact surfaces (21 to 23) that form the 3-point contact.

Claims

1. A sensor device comprising a housing accommodating a sensor element (1), wherein the sensor element (1) has contact areas (21 to 23) which are electrically conductively connected to electrical plug connections (27), which are arranged in the housing (11), in a region of abutment contacts (24 to 26), wherein the sensor element (1), in order to make electrical contact with the abutment contacts, is subjected by a housing element (13) to the action of force in the direction of the abutment contacts (24 to 26), and wherein a support in the form of a 3-point abutment is formed between the sensor element (1) and the housing (11), characterized in that the sensor element (1) has at least two measuring devices (5, 6), and in that the at least two measuring devices (5, 6) have three contact areas (21 to 23) which form the 3-point abutment.

2. The sensor device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the abutment contacts (24 to 26) are of substantially point- or cup-like design, and in that the size of the contact areas (21 to 23) is in each case larger than the an area of the abutment contact (24 to 26) which is associated with the contact area (21 to 23).

3. The sensor device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that sensor surfaces (7, 8) of the measuring devices (5, 6) are arranged on opposite end faces (2, 3) of the sensor element (1), and in that the contact areas (21 to 23) are located in a region of edge zones of one of the two end faces (2, 3).

4. The sensor device as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that a region of the two sensor surfaces (7, 8) is in each case surrounded by an elastic sealing element (52, 58), wherein the sealing element (52, 58) in each case has at least one passage opening (53, 60) which connects the sensor surface (7, 8) to an air guide channel (51, 55) which is formed in the housing (11).

5. The sensor device as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that the housing element (13) is configured to be connected to a housing main part (12) of the housing (11) by a latching connection (30), and in that a further sealing element (48) is arranged between the housing element (13) and the housing main part (12), which further sealing element seals off a connection between the housing element (13) and the housing main part (12).

6. The sensor device as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the force which acts in the direction of the abutment contacts (25 to 27) is generated on the contact areas (21 to 23) by the latching connection (30) and the sealing element (52), which faces the housing element (13), and also the further sealing element (48).

7. The sensor device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the housing (11) has first guide means (28) for guiding and correctly positioning the sensor element (1) in a direction of the 3-point abutment.

8. The sensor device as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that the housing (11) has second guide means (38) for guiding and correctly positioning the housing element (13).

9. The sensor device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the housing (11) has a fastening geometry (56) which is configured to connect a connecting element, to the housing (11).

10. The sensor device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the plug connections (27) are encapsulated in the housing (11) in the region of the abutment contacts (24 to 26) such that the abutment contacts (24 to 26) are left free.

11. The sensor device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing element (13) is a housing cover.

12. The sensor device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the abutment contacts (24 to 26) are of substantially point- or cup-like design and the contact areas (21 to 23) have a rectangular, planar shape, and in that the size of the contact areas (21 to 23) is in each case larger than an area of the abutment contact (24 to 26) which is associated with the contact area (21 to 23).

13. The sensor device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the housing (11) has a fastening geometry (56) which is configured to connect an air hose to the housing (11).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] Further advantages, features and details of the invention can be gathered from the following description of preferred exemplary embodiments and also with reference to the drawing.

[0015] In the drawing:

[0016] FIG. 1 shows a longitudinal section through a sensor device according to the invention which is provided as a pressure sensor device in a motor vehicle,

[0017] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a sensor element, which is used in the case of the sensor device according to FIG. 1, from below,

[0018] FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of a main body as is used as a constituent part of a housing of the sensor device according to FIG. 1, and

[0019] FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of a housing element, which is in the form of a cover, as a constituent part of the housing of the sensor device of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] Identical elements or elements with the same function are provided with the same reference numerals in the figures.

[0021] FIG. 1 shows a sensor device 10 according to the invention as is provided as a differential pressure sensor for use in a motor vehicle. However, the invention is not restricted to pressure sensors when used in motor vehicles, but rather can be transferred to any desired other sensor devices with corresponding adaptations or modifications.

[0022] The sensor device 10 has a housing 11 which substantially comprises a housing main part 12 and a housing cover 13. As can be identified, in particular, by looking at FIGS. 1 and 3 together, the housing 11 comprises an elongate plug connection region 14 which is joined by a receiving region 15, which is substantially round in plan view, for receiving a sensor element 1 which is shown in detail in FIG. 2. The sensor element 1, which is of substantially block-like design, has a sensor surface 7, 8 as a constituent part of a measuring device 5, 6 on each of its two opposite end faces 2, 3.

[0023] Three contact areas 21 to 23 for electrically actuating or making contact with the sensor element 1 are arranged in the region of one end face 2 of the sensor element 1. The contact areas 21 to 23 each have an at least approximately rectangular base area, wherein the two contact areas 21, 22 are located on opposite longitudinal sides of the sensor element 1, that is to say in the region of a respective edge zone, and the contact area 23 is located in the region of a narrow side of the sensor element 1 on that side of the sensor element 1 which is situated opposite the contact areas 21, 22. The measuring device 6, by way of its sensor surface 8, is located approximately in a central region of the sensor element 1, that is to say at a distance from the contact areas 21 to 23 which are arranged at the edges.

[0024] In the state in which the sensor element 1 is installed in the housing 11, the contact areas 21 to 23 of the sensor element 1 are electrically conductively connected to abutment contacts 24 to 26 which form the end regions of plug connections 27 which are arranged in the housing 11, wherein only a single plug connection 27 is shown in the figures in FIG. 1. During manufacture of the housing 11 or of the housing main part 12, the plug connections 27 are encapsulated in regions by the plastic material of the housing main part 12, wherein, however, the region of the abutment contacts 24 to 26 remains free of the material of the housing main part 12. The abutment contacts 24 to 26 which face the contact areas 21 to 23 are, in particular, of point-like or cup-like design, as can be identified with reference to FIGS. 1 and 3.

[0025] As can furthermore be identified in particular with reference to FIG. 3, the housing main part 12 furthermore has, in the receiving region 15, first guide means 28 in the form of, by way of example, six web-like guide ribs 29 which protrude from the base of the receiving region 15 and which are arranged so as to match the cross section or the shape of the sensor element 1 in such a way that the sensor element 1 can be joined or inserted into the receiving region 15 of the housing main part 12 only in one position which allows the abutment contacts 24 to 26 to make contact with the contact areas 21 to 23 in the position intended for this purpose.

[0026] The housing main part 12 is connected to the housing cover 13 by means of a latching connection 30. The latching connection 30 has, according to the illustration in FIG. 3, three latching lugs 31 to 33 which are arranged in a manner offset through 120° in relation to one another, and also three latching receptacles 34 to 36 which interact with the three latching lugs 31 to 33 on the housing cover 13. Furthermore, the housing 11 has second guide means 38 which, as can be identified with reference to FIG. 3, comprises, by way of example, two guide rails 39, 40 which are arranged in a manner offset in relation to one another and also two guide receptacles 41, 42 which are formed on the housing cover 13. Appropriate positioning of the guide rails 39, 40 and the guide receptacles 41, 42 ensures that the housing cover 13 can be mounted on the housing main part 12 only with a specific angular position in relation to one another.

[0027] Furthermore, the housing cover 13 has two wing-like fastening lugs 43, 44 which are arranged in a manner offset through 180° in relation to one another and have passage openings 45, 46 and by way of which the sensor device 10 can be screwed, for example, to a vehicle body part in the joined state.

[0028] A first sealing device in the form of an annular seal 49 is arranged between the housing main part 12 and the housing cover 13. The seal 49 serves to seal off the housing 11 from media entering the receiving region 15 from the surrounding area, in particular liquid. During mounting of the housing cover 13 onto the housing main part 12 by means of the latching connection 30, the seal 49 which is arranged in the housing cover 13 is operatively connected to a corresponding abutment area of the housing main part 12, so that the seal 49 is deformed in regions so as to form the sealing function.

[0029] In the region of the housing cover 13, it has a first air guide channel 51 which is operatively connected to the sensor surface 7 of the measuring device 5. In particular, the ambient pressure can be detected by means of the first air guide channel 51. In the state in which the housing cover 13 is mounted on the housing main part 12, a second sealing device 52 is arranged between the housing main part 12 and the housing cover 13, which second sealing device, according to the illustration in FIG. 4, is of at least approximately rectangular design and has a passage opening 53 in the region of the first air guide channel 51. When the housing cover 13 is mounted on the housing main part 12 by means of the latching connection 30, the housing cover 13 compresses the second sealing device 52 in such a way that it seals off the sensor surface 8 of the measuring device 6 in the direction of the first air guide channel 51.

[0030] Furthermore, the housing main part 12 has a second air guide channel 55 which, on that side which faces the sensor element 1, issues in the region of the sensor surface 7 of the measuring device 5. The second air guide channel 55 is operatively connected to another assembly of the motor vehicle, for example an element of the brake system, of the exhaust monitoring arrangement or the like. A connecting element, not illustrated, for example a hose, which can be connected to the housing 11 by means of a fastening geometry 56 which is formed on the outer circumference of the housing main part 12 serves for this purpose.

[0031] Furthermore, a third sealing device 58 which is designed in the form of a molded-on or an inserted seal 59 is arranged in the region of the housing main part 12. The seal 59 has a passage opening 60 which is arranged in alignment with the second air guide channel 55 and, when the sensor element 1 is mounted, allows a leakage-free connection in the direction of the second air guide channel 55 in the housing 11.

[0032] When the individual parts of the sensor device 10 are mounted, the sensor element 1 is first inserted into the receiving region 15 of the housing main part 12. The housing cover 13 is then operatively connected to the housing main part 12 by means of the latching connection 30. In this case, on account of the tolerance of the components, the latching connection 30 generates an axial supporting force, which acts in the direction of the sensor element 1 and electrically conductively connects the contact areas 21 to 23 of the sensor element 1 to the abutment areas 24 to 26 of the plug contacts 27, by means of the housing cover 13 and by means of the two sealing devices 48 and 52. At the same time, the third sealing device 58, which is associated with the second air guide channel 55, or the seal 59 is compressed by means of the sensor element 1, so that said third sealing device or seal can achieve its sealing effect.

[0033] The sensor device 10 described to this extent can be varied or modified in various ways without departing from the concept of the invention. For example, it can be provided that a pressure compensation element is arranged or formed in the housing cover 13. In this respect, reference is made, by way of example and without restriction, to DE 10 2013 208 537 A1 by the same applicant which, in this respect, is intended to be a constituent part of this application.