Sensor mounting structure and sensor adaptor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11346691-B2
Application number	US-201815891371-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 8, 2018
Priority date	Jun 2, 2017
Publication date	May 31, 2022
Grant date	May 31, 2022

Abstract

The sensor adaptor includes a case body of which a front end is closed and a rear end is open, a cap body being engageable with the rear end of the case body, a seal member interposed between the case body and the cap body, and a fixing portion configured to fix the case body to the mounting portion. A part of the sensor is inserted into an accommodation space of the case body, and the remaining portion of the sensor is drawn out to the outside via an opening of the cap body. The seal member is disposed on a rear end side of the case body to surround the sensor. The seal member is brought into close contact with the case body and the sensor. Accordingly, a gap between the part of the sensor and the case body is sealed from an external space by the seal member.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A sensor mounting structure, configured to mount a sensor on a mounting portion, wherein the sensor comprises a detection part, a casing configured to accommodate the detection part therein, and an external connection part drawn out from a rear end of the casing toward an outside, the sensor mounting structure comprising:
a sensor adaptor configured to hold the sensor, wherein the sensor adaptor comprises a cylindrical case body having an accommodation space provided therein and of which a front end is closed and a rear end is open, a cap body configured to be engageable with the rear end of the case body and having an opening, a seal member interposed between the case body and the cap body, a fixing portion configured to fix the case body to the mounting portion by holding the case body, and a front side auxiliary member interposed between the case body and the seal member in a forward and rearward direction of the case body and configured to surround the sensor,
wherein a rear portion of the case body is disposed inside the cap body, a front portion of the case body is inserted through the fixing portion, a flange portion of the case body is disposed between the front portion and the rear portion, the flange portion is larger in outer diameter than the rear portion, and the front portion is smaller in outer diameter than the rear portion,
the front side auxiliary member is inserted through the flange portion,
a portion of the sensor near a front end is inserted into the accommodation space,
a portion of the sensor located closer to a rear end side than the portion near the front end is drawn to an outside of the accommodation space via the opening,
the seal member is disposed at a position on a rear end side of the case body and configured to surround the sensor, and
the seal member is compressed and deformed at least in the forward and rearward direction of the case body by engaging the cap body with the case body, and thus the seal member is in close contact with the case body and the sensor, the portion of the sensor near the front end is disposed in the accommodation space, and a gap formed between the portion of the sensor near the front end and the case body is sealed from a space outside the accommodation space by the seal member.

2. The sensor mounting structure according to claim 1 , wherein
a contact surface which is in contact with the seal member is provided on each of the front side auxiliary member and the cap body, and
the seal member is pressed and compressed by the contact surface of the front side auxiliary member and the contact surface of the cap body in the forward and rearward direction of the case body.

3. The sensor mounting structure according to claim 2 , wherein the front side auxiliary member has a shape capable of expanding and contracting by having a discontinuous portion in a part in a circumferential direction.

4. The sensor mounting structure according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor adaptor further comprises a rear side auxiliary member interposed between the seal member and the cap body in the forward and rearward direction of the case body and configured to surround the sensor,
a contact surface which is in contact with the seal member is provided on each of the front side auxiliary member and the rear side auxiliary member, and
the seal member is pressed and compressed by the contact surface of the front side auxiliary member and the contact surface of the rear side auxiliary member in the forward and rearward direction of the case body.

5. The sensor mounting structure according to claim 4 , wherein each of the front side auxiliary member and the rear side auxiliary member has a shape capable of expanding and contracting by having a discontinuous portion in a part in a circumferential direction.

6. The sensor mounting structure according to claim 1 , wherein the front side auxiliary member comprises a pressing portion configured to press the sensor forward, and
the sensor is sandwiched and held between the pressing portion and the case body in the forward and rearward direction of the case body.

7. The sensor mounting structure according to claim 6 , wherein a pressed surface facing a rear side is provided on a circumferential surface of the casing, and
the pressing portion is in contact with the pressed surface and a front surface of the sensor is in contact with a front end of the case body, the sensor is sandwiched and held between the pressing portion and the front end of the case body in the forward and rearward direction of the case body.

8. The sensor mounting structure according to claim 1 , wherein each of the casing and the case body has a substantially long cylindrical shape.

9. The sensor mounting structure according to claim 1 , wherein the engaging between the case body and the cap body is screwing.

10. The sensor mounting structure according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor is a proximity sensor.

11. A sensor adaptor which allows mounting of a sensor on a mounting portion by holding the sensor, comprising:
a cylindrical case body in which an accommodation space configured to allow insertion of a portion of the sensor near a front end is provided therein and of which a front end is closed and a rear end is open,
a cap body configured to be engageable with the rear end of the case body and having an opening configured to draw out a portion of the sensor located closer to a rear end side than the portion near the front end to an outside of the accommodation space, wherein a rear portion of the case body is disposed inside the cap body,
a fixing portion configured to fix the case body to the mounting portion by holding the case body, wherein a front portion of the case body is inserted through the fixing portion, a flange portion of the case body is disposed between the front portion and the rear portion, the flange portion is larger in outer diameter than the rear portion, and the front portion is smaller in outer diameter than the rear portion,
a seal member capable of being interposed between the case body and the cap body to surround the sensor at a position on a rear end side of the case body and being compressed and deformed at least in a forward and rearward direction of the case body by engaging the cap body with the case body, wherein the seal member is in close contact with the case body and the sensor, the portion of the sensor near the front end is disposed in the accommodation space, and a gap formed between the portion of the sensor near the front end and the case body is sealed from a space outside the accommodation space, and
a front side auxiliary member capable of being interposed between the case body and the seal member in the forward and rearward direction of the case body and configured to surround the sensor,
wherein the front side auxiliary member is inserted through the flange portion.

12. The sensor adaptor according to claim 11 ,
wherein a contact surface which is in contact with the seal member is provided on each of the front side auxiliary member and the cap body, and
the seal member is configured to be compressible by being pressed by the contact surface of the front side auxiliary member and the contact surface of the cap body in the forward and rearward direction of the case body.

13. The sensor adaptor according to claim 12 , wherein the front side auxiliary member has a shape capable of expanding and contracting by having a discontinuous portion in a part in a circumferential direction.

14. The sensor adaptor according to claim 11 , further comprising a rear side auxiliary member capable of being interposed betwee

Assignees

• Omron Tateisi Electronics Co

Inventors

• Ushiro Yuki
• Katsura Hiroto
• Iwai Makoto
• Tsuchida Hiroyuki
• Nakayama Yusuke

Classifications

• F16B9/056

  the intermediate member extending through the flat surface; the rod or tubular part extending through the flat surface · CPC title

• F16B9/02

  Detachable connections {(F16B9/05 – F16B9/09 take precedence)} · CPC title

• G01D11/245

  Housings for sensors · CPC title

• F16B2/06

  external, i.e. with contracting action (F16B2/14 - F16B2/18 take precedence) · CPC title

• F16B9/054

  the intermediate member being threaded · CPC title