Sensor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11415437-B2
Application number	US-201715725778-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 5, 2017
Priority date	Oct 7, 2016
Publication date	Aug 16, 2022
Grant date	Aug 16, 2022

Abstract

A sensor for operating in an environment subjected to corrosive gases or liquids under pressure, including a housing inside which are installed: a sensing portion, at least one wire electrically connected to the sensing portion, and a seal for sealing the connection between the sensing portion and the at least one wire, with at least one through-hole receiving a portion of the at least one wire. The sensor further including a compressor installed inside the housing, movable with respect to the housing and adapted to contact the seal in order to compress. The seal is made from a single material that is softer than the material constituting the housing. Upon displacement of the compressor, the seal is deformed until the creation of a compression force exerted by the seal onto the portion of the at least one wire, prevents any passage of corrosive gases or liquids between the seal therebetween.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A sensor for operating in an environment subjected to corrosive gases or liquids under pressure, the sensor comprising:
a housing comprising a mating flat surface, the housing having installed:
a sensing portion,
at least one wire electrically connected to the sensing portion, and
a compressible seal for sealing the connection between the sensing portion and the at least one wire, with at least one through-hole receiving a portion of the least one wire, the compressible seal being located in a portion of the housing defined by an inner housing surface, the portion of the housing being configured to hold the compressible seal such that the seal has a maximum outer diameter, wherein the compressible seal is monobloc and made from a single material which is softer than the material constituting the housing,

the sensor further providing a compressor installed at least partly inside the housing, movable with respect to the housing and adapted to contact the compressible seal in order to compress it, the compressor comprising an anti-rotation means that includes at least one flat surface cooperating with the mating flat surface,
an upper plate positioned in the housing and adjacently abutting a side of the compressible seal opposite from the sensing portion, the upper plate being formed of rigid material and defining at least one plate through-hole adapted to allow the at least one wire therethrough, the upper plate configured to move within the housing along the central axis during compression of the compressible seal, when viewed in cross-section, an upper plate surface which faces toward the sensing portion and contacts the compressible seal has a concave configuration which is symmetrically located about the central axis,
wherein a portion of the upper plate defines an upper plate diameter that is greater than the maximum outer diameter of the compressible seal, and
wherein upon displacement of the compressor, the compressible seal is deformed until the creation of compression forces exerted by the compressible seal onto: (1) the portion of the at least one wire, (2) the inner housing surface, and (3) the at least one plate through-hole prevents any passage of corrosive gases or liquids between the compressible seal and the at least one wire.

2. The sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the upper plate is configured to prevent twisting of the compressible seal along a longitudinal axis of the housing, the compressible seal prevents any passage of corrosive gases or liquids between the compressible seal and the housing.

3. The sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the compressor further provides a nut, the upper plate compressing the compressible seal upon tightening of the nut, except for threads of the nut a lower end of the nut entirely contacts an upper surface of the upper plate.

4. The sensor according to claim 3 , wherein the upper plate includes the anti-rotation means preventing any rotation of the upper plate upon rotation of the nut.

5. The sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the compressible seal bears against a lower plate installed inside the housing and opposite the compressor with respect to the compressible seal, the lower plate diameter which is less than the upper plate diameter.

6. The sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the compressible seal is made of PTFE or FEP and the at least one wire comprises an outer insulator made of FEP or PTFE.

7. The sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises two wires and the compressible seal comprises two through-holes, each through-hole receiving one wire, the upper plate having a concave surface which abuts the side of the compressible seal opposite from the sensing portion, the sensor further comprising a lower plate having a concave shape which contacts a second side of the compressible seal opposite from the upper plate to such that the upper and lower plates sandwich the compressible seal therebetween.

8. The sensor according to claim 1 , wherein potting material is dispensed inside the housing to further improve the sealing of the electrical connection between the wire and the sensing portion of the sensor.

9. The sensor according to claim 1 , wherein anti-rotation means prevents twisting of the compressible seal along a central axis of the sensor to avoid twisting of and damage to the at least one wire or the sensing portion.

10. The sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises a blocking means against which bears a lower plate installed inside the housing.

11. The sensor according to claim 10 , wherein the lower plate is opposite the compressor with respect to the compressible seal.

12. The sensor according to claim 10 , wherein the blocking means prevents axial movement of the lower plate a direction parallel to a central axis of the sensor.

13. A sensor for measuring a position, a displacement, a speed, a rotational speed, an acceleration, a temperature, a pressure, a vibration, the presence or not of an element or a substance in an electrical motor or a magnetic bearing, the sensor comprising:
a housing comprising a mating flat surface, the housing having installed:
a sensing portion,
at least one wire electrically connected to the sensing portion, and
a compressible seal for sealing the connection between the sensing portion and the at last one wire, with at least one through-hole receiving a portion of the at least one wire, the compressible seal being located in a portion of the housing defined by an inner housing surface, the portion of the housing being configured to hold the compressible seal such that the seal has a maximum outer diameter, wherein the compressible seal is monobloc and made from a single material which is softer than the material constituting the housing,

the sensor further providing a compressor installed at least partly inside the housing, movable with respect to the housing and adapted to contact the compressible seal in order to compress it, the compressor comprising an upper plate positioned in the housing and adjacently abutting a side of the compressible seal opposite from the sensing portion, the upper plate being formed of rigid material and defining at least one plate through-hole adapted to allow the at least one wire therethrough, the upper plate configured to move within the housing along the central axis during compression of the compressible seal, when viewed in cross-section, an upper plate surface which faces toward the sensing portion and contacts the compressible seal has a concave configuration which is symmetrically located about the central axis,
wherein a portion of the upper plate defines an upper plate diameter that is greater than the maximum outer diameter of the compressible seal,
the compressor comprising an anti-rotation means that includes at least one flat surface cooperating with the mating flat surface,
wherein the compressible seal is monobloc and made from a single material which is softer than the material constituting the housing, wherein a surface of the compressible seal facing away from the sensing portion is in contact with at least one of the portion of the housing, the upper plate, and the at least one wire and is not in contact with the rest of the sensor, and
wherein upon displacement of the compressor, the compressible seal is deformed until the creation of compression forces exerted by the compressible seal onto: (1) the portion of the at least one wire, (2) the inner housing surface, and (3) the at least one plate through hole prevents any passage of corrosive gases or liquids between the compressible seal and the at least one wire.

14.

Assignees

• Skf Magnetic Mechatronics

Inventors

• Hay Stephane
• Bercher Fabien
• Boulier Alain
• Comoret Emilien

Classifications

• G01D11/245 Primary

  Housings for sensors · CPC title

• G01D11/26

  Windows; Cover glasses; Sealings therefor · CPC title