Measurement device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10444175-B2
Application number	US-201615086902-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 31, 2016
Priority date	Apr 3, 2015
Publication date	Oct 15, 2019
Grant date	Oct 15, 2019

Abstract

A measurement device includes a bypass housing placed at a position in the intake duct that introduces an intake air to an internal combustion engine and defining a passage through which a part of the intake air flowing through an interior of the intake duct passes, a flowing amount sensor measuring a flowing amount of the intake air passing through the interior of the bypass housing, a humidity detection element measuring a humidity of the intake air passing through a position in the vicinity of the bypass housing, and a heat discharge portion being directly in contact with the intake air and being thermally bonded to the humidity detection element.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A measurement device comprising:
a housing configured to be placed at a position in an intake duct that introduces an intake air to an internal combustion engine of a vehicle, the housing defining a passage through which a part of the intake air flowing through an interior of the intake duct passes;
a humidity detection element configured to measure a humidity of the intake air passing through a position in the vicinity of the housing;
a heat discharge portion thermally bonded to the humidity detection element; and
an electrical connection portion configured to be disposed between the heat discharge portion and a connector, wherein
the heat discharge portion is separated from the electrical connection portion, and
the humidity detection element and the heat discharge portion are integrally molded together, the heat discharge portion being exposed to the interior of the intake duct.

2. The measurement device according to claim 1 , wherein
the humidity detection element is placed at a position in the vicinity of the housing,
the heat discharge portion is a heat discharge plate that is also a support plate supporting a circuit substrate to which the humidity detection element is mounted, and
the heat discharge plate has a heat discharge capability higher than that of a resin.

3. The measurement device according to claim 2 , wherein
the humidity detection element and the heat discharge portion are integrally molded together with a molded resin portion that retains at least a part of the humidity detection element and the heat discharge plate.

4. The measurement device according to claim 3 , wherein
the heat discharge plate includes a protrusion portion that protrudes to an exterior of the molded resin portion and enlarges a surface where the heat discharge plate is in contact with the intake air.

5. The measurement device according to claim 2 , wherein
the heat discharge plate includes a hollow portion that is placed between a position in the vicinity of a wall surface of the intake duct and a position that the heat discharge plate is thermally bonded to the humidity detection element, and
the hollow portion is a notch portion or an opening portion that blocks a heat transmission.

6. The measurement device according to claim 3 , wherein
the molded resin portion includes a contraction portion that is placed at a position of the molded resin portion closer to a wall surface of the intake duct than the humidity detection element, and
the contraction portion has a dimension of at least one of a thickness or a width which is smaller than that of other parts of the molded resin portion.

7. The measurement device according to claim 2 , wherein
the circuit substrate and an electrical connection portion, which is made of a metal and is placed at a position in the vicinity of a wall surface of the intake duct, are electrically connected with each other through a signal wire of a heat resistor that blocks a heat transmission.

8. The measurement device according to claim 3 , wherein
the molded resin portion includes a window portion that directly introduces the intake air to a part of the humidity detection element, the measurement device further comprising:
a metal plate arranged to cover at least a part of a periphery of the window portion in the molded resin portion.

9. The measurement device according to claim 2 , wherein
the heat discharge plate includes a width extension portion that is placed at a position where the heat discharge plate is thermally bonded to the humidity detection element, and
the width extension portion has a width larger than that of other parts of the heat discharge plate.

10. The measurement device according to claim 2 , wherein
the heat discharge plate includes a heat discharge fin that is placed at a position to be directly in contact with the intake air so as to enlarge a surface where the heat discharge plate is in contact with the intake air.

11. The measurement device according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a plurality of via holes is placed at a position of the circuit substrate where the humidity detection element is mounted, the via holes penetrating the circuit substrate, and the via holes being filled with a metal.

12. The measurement device according to claim 2 , wherein
the heat discharge plate is tilted relative to a flowing direction of the intake air passing through the interior of the intake duct.

13. The measurement device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a flowing amount sensor configured to measure a flowing amount of the intake air passing through the interior of the housing.

14. The measurement device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an electrical connection portion configured to transmit a heat from the intake duct to the heat discharge portion.

15. The measurement device according to claim 1 , wherein
the heat discharge portion is configured to transmit a heat received from the intake duct to the intake air.

16. The measurement device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a cover portion is configured to be fastened to the intake duct.

17. The measurement device according to claim 16 , wherein
the cover portion includes the connector for connecting an ECU.

18. The measurement device according to claim 17 , wherein
the electrical connection portion is a lead pin, and
the electrical connection portion has a part exposed to an interior of the connector located at the cover portion.

19. The measurement device according to claim 1 , wherein
the electrical connection portion is located at a position in the vicinity of a wall surface of the intake duct.

20. The measurement device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a molded resin portion that retains the humidity detection element, wherein
the molded resin portion includes a contraction portion that is placed at a position of the molded resin portion closer to the connector than the humidity detection element is.

21. The measurement device according to claim 20 , wherein
the contraction portion has a dimension of a width which is smaller than that of other parts of the molded resin portion.

22. The measurement device according to claim 20 , wherein
the contraction portion has a dimension of a thickness which is smaller than that of other parts of the molded resin portion.

23. The measurement device according to claim 1 , wherein
the heat discharge portion includes a hollow portion that is placed at a position between the humidity detection element and the connector, and
the hollow portion is a notch portion or an opening portion.

24. The measurement device according to claim 1 , wherein
at least a part of the electrical connection portion and the heat discharge portion is covered by resin.

25. The measurement device of claim 1 , wherein
a dividing portion between the heat discharge portion and the electrical connection portion is located further inward of an inner wall of the intake duct.

26. The measurement device of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of a surface of the humidity detection element is exposed from a molded resin portion that retains a part of the humidity detection element and the heat discharge plate.

Assignees

• Denso Corp

Inventors

• Itakura Keisuke
• Kaifu Teruaki

Classifications

• G01F5/00 Primary

  Measuring a proportion of the volume flow · CPC title

• G01F1/6845

  Micromachined devices · CPC title

• G01F1/00

  Measuring the volume flow or mass flow of fluid or fluent solid material wherein the fluid passes through a meter in a continuous flow (measuring a proportion of the volume flow G01F5/00) · CPC title

• G01N27/121 Primary

  for determining moisture content, e.g. humidity, of the fluid (moisture content of the tested material G01N27/048) · CPC title