Device for measuring the temperature in the interior of a vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12013289-B2
Application number	US-201917274634-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 31, 2019
Priority date	Sep 11, 2018
Publication date	Jun 18, 2024
Grant date	Jun 18, 2024

Abstract

A device for measuring the temperature in the interior of a vehicle is provided. The device includes an interior temperature sensor arranged at and/or in a plug-in end of a plug-in housing. The interior temperature sensor projects beyond the plug-in end of the plug-in housing. The plug-in housing is biased away from a cover element for assuming a defined plug-in position of the plug-in housing when the plug-in end of the plug-in housing is plugged into a receiving space of the latter and the interior temperature sensor is arranged in the through-going opening of the cover element.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A device for measuring the temperature in the interior of a vehicle, comprising:
a plug-in housing for plugging into a receiving means on the rear side of a cover element adjacent to the interior,
wherein the receiving means comprises a receiving space and the cover element inside the receiving space comprises a through-going opening and the plug-in housing comprises a plug-in end for plugging into the receiving means,
a locking means for lockingly connecting the plug-in housing to the receiving means with the plug-in end of the plug-in end of the plug-in housing being plugged into the receiving space,
an interior temperature sensor arranged at and/or in the plug-in end of the plug-in housing,
wherein the interior temperature sensor projects beyond the plug-in end of the plug-in housing, and
a first biasing means for biasing the plug-in housing away from the cover element for assuming a defined plug-in position of the plug-in housing when the plug-in end of the plug-in housing is plugged into the receiving space when being locked with the receiving means and the interior temperature sensor is arranged in the through-going opening of the cover element,
wherein a circuit board is arranged in the plug-in housing and having a front end facing the plug-in end of the plug-in housing,
wherein the circuit board carries the interior temperature sensor at least partially projecting beyond the front end thereof and further components as well as conductor traces,
wherein the plug-in housing comprises at its plug-in end a through-going opening through which the interior temperature sensor extends and projects beyond the plug-in end of the plug-in housing, and
wherein the plug-in housing comprises at its rear end facing away from the plug-in end a closing element for receiving a plug for the electric connection and the closing element comprises a second biasing means for biasing the circuit board towards the plug-in end of the plug-in housing.

2. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the first biasing means is arranged at the receiving means and/or at the plug-in housing and comprises at least one spring element which, when abutting on the receiving means, exerts a pressing force on the plug-in housing for defining the plug-in depth of the plug-in end of the plug-in housing in the receiving space of the receiving means.

3. The device according to claim 2 , wherein the at least one spring element is configured as a helical pressure spring or as a yoke or leaf spring or as a spring tongue or as an elastically compressible element or as a reversibly elastically deformable element.

4. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the first biasing means comprises two spring elements arranged at the plug-in end of the plug-in housing on both sides of the interior temperature sensor for elastically abutting on the cover element on both sides of the through-going opening thereof.

5. The device according to claim 4 , wherein each spring element is configured as a spring clip which is bent and comprises a convex as well as a concave side, and in the case of elastic abutment of the cover element and locking of the plug-in housing with the receiving means the concave sides of the spring clips are arranged such that they face the cover element.

6. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the receiving means comprises a continuous or discontinuous collar projecting from the cover element, which, together with the cover element, defines the receiving space of the receiving means.

7. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the plug-in housing, the locking means, the receiving means and the first biasing means are made from a plastic material or comprise a plastic material.

8. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the interior temperature sensor is arranged in a sensor housing or embedded in the material of a sensor housing, and that the sensor housing at least partially projects beyond the plug-in end of the plug-in housing.

9. The device according to claim 8 , wherein the sensor housing comprises a front wall adjacent to the interior, wherein the interior temperature sensor is thermally coupled to the front wall of the sensor housing, and/or a radiation sensor is provided for receiving solar radiation for compensating for heating of the sensor housing sensed by the interior temperature sensor and caused by radiation to which the sensor housing is exposed, and/or in the plug-in housing a second temperature sensor is arranged for sensing parasitic heating of the plug-in housing and/or the sensor housing for compensating for the effect on the temperature sensing by the interior temperature sensor.

10. The device according to claim 9 , wherein the radiation sensor is arranged in the sensor housing.

11. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the closing element is a plug cage.

12. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the second biasing means of the closing element comprises at least one spring tongue for elastically abutting on the rear end of the circuit board.

13. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the locking means comprises at least one pair of cooperating locking surfaces extending at an angle to the plug-in direction, wherein the one locking surface is arranged at the plug-in housing and the other locking surface is arranged at the receiving means, and wherein the plug-in housing, after its locking surface, when being plugged into the receiving means, has been moved past the locking surface of the latter with a biasing force or a further biasing force being generated by the first biasing means, is adapted to be further advanced in the plug-in direction until it is blocked by the cover element and is adapted to be automatically moved back due to the biasing force of the first biasing means until the locking surface of the plug-in housing abuts on the locking surface of the receiving means.

14. The device according to claim 13 , wherein the locking surfaces of the locking means extend perpendicularly to the plug-in direction, and/or the locking surface is arranged at the plug-in end of the plug-in housing and the other locking surface is arranged at a collar at least also defining the receiving space of the receiving means and projecting from the cover element.

Assignees

• Behr Hella Thermocontrol Gmbh

Inventors

• Kleine-Hollenhorst Holger

Classifications

• G01K1/08

  Protective devices, e.g. casings · CPC title

• G01K2205/00

  Application of thermometers in motors, e.g. of a vehicle · CPC title

• G01K2201/02

  in vehicles · CPC title

• G01K1/14 Primary

  Supports; Fastening devices; Arrangements for mounting thermometers in particular locations · CPC title