JP7492437B2 - Pressure Sensor Device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a pressure sensor device, and in particular to a pressure sensor device with an integrated temperature sensor that has a temperature sensor and a pressure sensor.

A semiconductor pressure sensor with an integrated temperature sensor for detecting the pressure and temperature in the intake pipe of an internal combustion engine is disclosed in JP 2018-155670 A (Patent Document 1).

In the pressure sensor of Patent Document 1, the joint between the output terminal of the temperature sensor and the lead wire of the temperature sensor is premolded with resin, and this premolded part is overmolded with the resin that constitutes the case to cover it. The part of the lead wire other than the joint is coated with a coating material to prevent corrosion.

The pressure sensor of Patent Document 1 is configured so that the tip surface of the premolded resin portion, where the lead wires of the temperature sensor are exposed, is included in the same plane as the tip surface of the case (the surface on which the guard portion is provided) on the opening side of the pressure introduction hole (see Figure 1). Alternatively, the tip surface of the premolded resin portion is configured so that it is completely covered by the overmolded resin portion (see paragraph 0032 and Figure 4).

JP 2018-155670 A

In a configuration in which the tip surface of the premolded resin part is completely covered by the overmolded resin part as in FIG. 4 of Patent Document 1, a force that tries to bend the lead wire (hereinafter, bending force) may act on the lead wire due to the resin pressure when the resin flows into the tip surface of the premolded resin part during molding of the overmolded resin part. Alternatively, in a configuration in which the tip surface of the premolded resin part is included in the same plane as the tip surface of the case as in FIG. 1 of Patent Document 1, the premolded resin part may be displaced due to the resin pressure when the overmolded resin part is molded, and a gap may occur between the molding die for the overmolded resin part and the tip surface of the premolded resin part. When this gap occurs, a bending force may act on the lead wire due to the resin pressure of the resin flowing into this gap. To avoid this, if the force pressing the premolded resin part with the die is increased, the premolded resin part may be deformed and a bending force may act on the lead wire.

When bending forces are applied to the lead wire, cracks can occur in the coating material of the lead wire. These cracks in the coating material can cause the lead wire to corrode.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above, and aims to provide a pressure sensor device that can suppress bending forces from acting on the lead wires and ensure corrosion resistance.

In order to solve the above problems, the pressure sensor device according to the present invention comprises a lead wire connected to a temperature detection element, a terminal joined to the lead wire, a premolded resin part that seals the joint between the lead wire and the terminal, and an overmolded resin part that covers the premolded resin part and houses a pressure sensor, the premolded resin part having a coating part that is covered by the overmolded resin part and an exposed part that is exposed from the overmolded resin part, and the exposed part has a dimension in a direction intersecting the lead wire that is larger than that of the coating part.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a pressure sensor device capable of suppressing the application of bending force to the lead wires and ensuring corrosion resistance.
Problems, configurations and effects other than those described above will become apparent from the following description of the embodiments.

FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the pressure sensor device according to the embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a part in which the lead wire and the temperature sensor terminal shown in FIG. 1 are joined together. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a premolded product obtained by premolding the part shown in FIG. 2 . FIG. 4 is a side view of the premolded product shown in FIG. 3 as viewed from the −Z axis direction. FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a V portion shown in FIG. 4 . FIG. 4 is a plan view of the premolded product shown in FIG. 3 as viewed from the +Y-axis direction. FIG. 4 is a front view of the premolded product shown in FIG. 3 as viewed from the +X-axis direction. 4 is a perspective view showing the positional relationship between the premolded part shown in FIG. 3 and a pressure sensor terminal. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the premolded product shown in FIG. 3 viewed from a different direction. FIG. 4 is a plan view of the premolded product shown in FIG. 3 as viewed from the −Y axis direction. FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of a main portion of the premolded product shown in FIG. 7 . FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a main portion of the premolded product shown in FIG. 4 . FIG. 11 is an enlarged view of a main portion of the premolded product shown in FIG. 10 .

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that components with the same reference numerals in each embodiment have the same functions in each embodiment unless otherwise specified, and their description will be omitted. In addition, in the necessary drawings, orthogonal coordinate axes consisting of the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis are shown to clearly explain the position of each part.

In this embodiment, the axis along the extension direction of the output terminal 11 exposed in the connector part 12 of the case 10 described later is the Z axis. In the Z axis, the direction toward the opening 12a of the connector part 12 is the +Z axis direction, and the direction toward the pressure sensor 21 is the -Z axis direction. In this embodiment, the axis perpendicular to the Z axis and along the extension direction of the pressure introduction hole 18 is the Y axis. In the Y axis, the direction toward the pressure sensor 21 is the +Y axis direction, and the direction toward the opening 18a of the pressure introduction hole 18 is the -Y axis direction. In this embodiment, the axis perpendicular to each of the Y axis and the Z axis is the X axis. In the X axis, the direction toward the pressure sensor terminal 11a described later is the +X axis direction, and the direction toward the temperature sensor terminal 11b is the -X axis direction (see FIG. 8). The orthogonal coordinate axes in this embodiment are so-called left-handed systems.

In addition, in this embodiment, when we say "orthogonal" or "parallel," it includes a state that is completely "orthogonal" or "parallel," as well as a state that is deviated from a completely "orthogonal" or "parallel" state by an error, and a state that is intentionally deviated from a "orthogonal" or "parallel" state within the range in which the effect of this embodiment can be obtained.

[Basic configuration of pressure sensor device]
The basic configuration of a pressure sensor device 100 will be described with reference to FIGS.

Figure 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the pressure sensor device 100 of this embodiment. Figure 2 is a perspective view of a part in which the lead wire 42 and the temperature sensor terminal 11b shown in Figure 1 are joined. Figure 3 is a perspective view of a premolded product 50 obtained by premolding the part shown in Figure 2. Figure 4 is a side view of the premolded product 50 shown in Figure 3 as viewed from the -Z axis direction. Figure 5 is an enlarged view of the V portion shown in Figure 4. Figure 6 is a plan view of the premolded product 50 shown in Figure 3 as viewed from the +Y axis direction. Figure 7 is a front view of the premolded product 50 shown in Figure 3 as viewed from the +X axis direction. Figure 8 is a perspective view showing the positional relationship between the premolded product 50 and the pressure sensor terminal 11a shown in Figure 3.

The pressure sensor device 100 is a sensor device that detects the pressure and temperature in the intake pipe of an internal combustion engine. The pressure sensor device 100 is roughly divided into a case 10, an output terminal 11, a pressure sensor (also called a pressure sensor cell) 21, and a temperature sensor 44.

The pressure sensor device 100 of this embodiment is generally manufactured as follows. That is, after the lead wire 42 of the temperature sensor 44 and the temperature sensor terminal 11b of the output terminal 11 are joined, the part to which the lead wire 42 and the temperature sensor terminal 11b are joined is premolded by a method such as insert molding to form the premolded resin part 24. In this embodiment, the premolded resin part 24 and the temperature sensor 44 and the temperature sensor terminal 11b premolded by the premolded resin part 24 are also referred to as the "premolded product 50". Then, the premolded product 50 and the pressure sensor terminal 11a of the output terminal 11 are overmolded by a method such as insert molding to form the overmolded resin part 46. The overmolded resin part 46 constitutes the case 10. The case 10 covers the premolded resin part 24, houses the pressure sensor 21, and fixes the output terminal 11. After the pressure sensor 21 is housed in the case 10, the pressure sensor 21 and a part of the output terminal 11 inside the case 10 are sealed with adhesive 16. The pressure sensor device 100 of this embodiment is manufactured in this manner.

The components of the pressure sensor device 100 are described below. In the following, when it is better to describe the case 10 from the perspective of a resin molded product formed by overmolding, the case 10 will be described as the overmolded resin part 46.

As shown in FIG. 1, the case 10 is a resin case that houses the pressure sensor 21 and the temperature sensor 44. The case 10 (overmolded resin part 46) is molded using PPS (polyphenylene sulfide) resin, PBT (polybutylene terephthalate) resin, epoxy resin, or the like. The resin used to mold the case 10 is preferably a resin that has good adhesion to the adhesive 16 that bonds the pressure sensor 21 to the case 10 and has a linear expansion coefficient close to that of the adhesive 16. The adhesive 16 may be, for example, an epoxy resin. The resin used to mold the case 10 may be the same as the resin used for the resin package of the pressure sensor 21. In this case, the thermal stress acting from the case 10 to the pressure sensor 21 due to the difference in linear expansion coefficient during temperature change is reduced, so that it is possible to prevent the pressure sensor 21 from being distorted and adversely affecting the output of the pressure sensor 21.

The case 10 has a main body 13 that houses the pressure sensor 21, a connector 12 connected to the main body 13, a port 17 that introduces the gas to be detected into the main body 13, and a guard 20 that protects the temperature detection element 40.

The main body 13 is formed in a cylindrical shape that extends along the axis A and has both ends open. The main body 13 has a pressure sensor chamber 14 that houses and supports the pressure sensor 21, and a pressure detection chamber 15 that communicates with the pressure sensor chamber 14 along the axis A and into which the gas to be detected is introduced. The pressure detection chamber 15 communicates with the pressure introduction hole 18 of the port portion 17.

The connector portion 12 is formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape that extends in a direction from the pressure sensor 21 housed in the pressure sensor chamber 14 of the main body portion 13 toward the output terminal 11. The connector portion 12 has a bottom formed at one end thereof and connected to the pressure sensor chamber 14, and an opening 12a formed at the other end thereof. The connector portion 12 fixes the output terminal 11 at its bottom, and exposes the output terminal 11 to the outside at the opening 12a.

The port portion 17 is formed in a cylindrical shape extending from the pressure detection chamber 15 of the main body portion 13 along the axis A in the opposite direction to the pressure sensor chamber 14. A pressure introduction hole 18 is formed inside the port portion 17 to introduce the gas to be detected into the pressure detection chamber 15. One end of the pressure introduction hole 18 communicates with the pressure detection chamber 15, its central axis extends along the axis A, and an opening 18a is formed at the other end that communicates with the outside. An O-ring 19 is provided on the outer periphery of the port portion 17. The O-ring 19 keeps the intake pipe airtight when the pressure sensor device 100 is inserted into the intake pipe of an internal combustion engine.

The guard portion 20 has a plurality of thin pillar portions 20a extending from the periphery of the opening 18a of the pressure introduction hole 18 along the axis A in the opposite direction to the pressure detection chamber 15, and an annular portion 20b connecting the tips of the plurality of pillar portions 20a. The guard portion 20 can reduce collisions with the temperature detection element 40 when foreign matter flows into the intake pipe of the internal combustion engine, and can protect the temperature detection element 40 from external forces such as dropping when handling the pressure sensor device 100. The pillar portions 20a are formed thin enough to be removable from the mold when the case 10 is molded and not to impede the inflow and outflow of the gas to be detected flowing through the intake pipe. The annular portion 20b ensures the strength of the pillar portions 20a by connecting the tips of the plurality of pillar portions 20a.

The output terminal 11 is a terminal connected to an external device of the pressure sensor device 100. The output terminal 11 outputs a signal of the pressure or temperature detected by the pressure sensor 21 or the temperature sensor 44 to the external device. The output terminal 11 is made of tin-plated brass material, tin-plated phosphor bronze material, stainless steel material, or the like. The output terminal 11 includes a pressure sensor terminal 11a joined to the lead frame 21a of the pressure sensor 21 and a temperature sensor terminal 11b joined to the lead wire 42 of the temperature sensor 44.

The pressure sensor terminal 11a is fixed to the connector portion 12 of the case 10 by insert molding or the like. As shown in FIG. 8, the pressure sensor terminal 11a is formed in a long, thin plate shape. One end of the pressure sensor terminal 11a is exposed at the opening 12a of the connector portion 12, and the other end is joined by welding or the like to the lead frame 21a of the pressure sensor 21 in the pressure sensor chamber 14.

The temperature sensor terminal 11b is fixed to the connector portion 12 of the case 10 by insert molding or the like as part of the premolded product 50. As shown in FIG. 2, the temperature sensor terminal 11b is formed in a long, thin, roughly L-shaped plate shape. The temperature sensor terminal 11b has a bent portion 11b1 that bends along the XY plane. One end of the temperature sensor terminal 11b is exposed to the outside from the opening 12a of the connector portion 12, its middle portion is disposed in the pressure sensor chamber 14, and the other end is joined to the lead wire 42 of the temperature sensor 44 by welding or the like.

As shown in FIG. 8, the pressure sensor terminal 11a is composed of three terminals, one for power supply, one for output, and one for GND. The temperature sensor terminal 11b is composed of two terminals, one for output and one for GND, which are connected to the lead wire 42. The GND terminal of the temperature sensor terminal 11b is also used as the GND terminal of the pressure sensor terminal 11a. This allows the total number of terminals, the pressure sensor terminal 11a and the temperature sensor terminal 11b, to be reduced, and the output terminal 11 can be composed of a total of four terminals.

The joint 23 between the pressure sensor terminal 11a and the lead frame 21a, and the middle part of the temperature sensor terminal 11b are disposed in the pressure sensor chamber 14 as shown in FIG. 1, and are sealed with adhesive 16. This allows the adhesive 16 to protect the joint 23 between the pressure sensor terminal 11a and the lead frame 21a from water and corrosive substances, and also improve the bonding strength of the joint 23.

The pressure sensor 21 is constructed using a sensor chip or the like that detects the deformation of a diaphragm, which elastically deforms due to the pressure of the gas to be detected, using a pressure-sensitive element such as a strain gauge, and converts the deformation into an electrical signal. The peripheral and outer periphery of the bottom surface of the pressure sensor 21 are fixed to the pressure sensor chamber 14 by adhesive 16. With this structure, the gas to be detected introduced from the pressure introduction hole 18 is introduced into the pressure detection chamber 15 and applied to the pressure sensor 21 without diffusing into the case 10. In particular, since the peripheral and outer periphery of the bottom surface of the pressure sensor 21 are fixed to the pressure sensor chamber 14 by adhesive 16 over the entire circumference, the gas to be detected introduced from the pressure introduction hole 18 is applied to the pressure sensor 21 without leaking into the case 10. In addition, the adhesive 16 is filled in the pressure sensor chamber 14 up to the top of the pressure sensor 21. As a result, the adhesive 16 plays the role of a lid for the case 10, airtightly covering the pressure sensor 21, and preventing the gas to be detected from leaking outside the case 10.

The temperature sensor 44 has a temperature detection element 40 composed of a thermistor or the like, and a lead wire 42 connected to the temperature detection element 40. As shown in FIG. 2, the lead wire 42 is joined to the temperature sensor terminal 11b of the output terminal 11. The method of joining the lead wire 42 and the temperature sensor terminal 11b is a method that ensures electrical continuity between them, such as solder joining, laser welding, or resistance welding.

The lead wire 42 is made of, for example, nickel wire or CP wire with electroless nickel plating (chemical nickel plating). The lead wire 42 made of nickel wire has a lower thermal conductivity than ordinary copper wire, and is therefore advantageous for temperature detection in an environment affected by the wall temperature, such as an automobile engine room. The lead wire 42 made of electroless nickel plating (chemical nickel plating) can lower the melting point, and is expected to be easier to join to the temperature sensor terminal 11b. The lead wire 42 made of stainless steel is expected to improve heat dissipation efficiency.

As shown in FIG. 2, the lead wire 42 is coated with a coating material 45 to prevent corrosion. In particular, from the viewpoint of adhesion to the premolded resin portion 24, the coating material 45 is preferably a resin material such as an epoxy resin. Epoxy resins are preferred because they have excellent heat resistance, chemical resistance, and acid resistance. Epoxy resins are preferred because they can also act as a buffer to match the material properties and linear expansion coefficient during premolding, prevent resin cracking due to thermal history, and improve corrosion resistance. The coating material 45 is applied to the portions of the lead wire 42 other than the joint 41.

The end of the coating material 45, i.e., the boundary between the portion of the lead wire 42 coated with the coating material 45 and the portion not coated with the coating material 45, is covered by the pre-molded resin portion 24 as shown in FIG. 4. This prevents the lead wire 42 from being directly exposed to the gas to be detected, thereby improving the corrosion resistance of the temperature sensor 44.

As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, it is preferable that about half of the lead wire 42 in the longitudinal direction (direction along the Y axis) is covered by the premolded resin part 24. This is because the resonance frequency in the vibration of the temperature sensor 44 can be increased by substantially shortening the length from the fixed end of the lead wire 42, which is the boundary with the premolded resin part 24, to the free end of the lead wire 42. As a result, the vibration resistance of the temperature sensor 44 can be improved. In addition, it is preferable that the lead wire 42 is exposed to a certain extent from the premolded resin part 24 and the case 10 in order to release the heat transmitted from the case 10 to the temperature detection element 40 via the lead wire 42 from the lead wire 42. The lead wire 42 can fully exert this heat dissipation function if about half of it is exposed from the premolded resin part 24. In this embodiment, about half of the lead wire 42 in the longitudinal direction is covered by the premolded resin part 24, so that the temperature sensor 44 can achieve both vibration resistance and heat dissipation.

If the lead wire 42 is covered by the premolded resin portion 24 up to 2/3 of its longitudinal length, further improvement in vibration resistance can be expected. In addition, the exposed length of the lead wire 42 from the premolded resin portion 24 can be shortened by positioning the temperature sensor 44 close to the pressure introduction hole 18. Alternatively, the exposed length of the lead wire 42 from the premolded resin portion 24 can be shortened by increasing the amount of resin in the premolded resin portion 24.

The lead wire 42 is formed in a substantially U-shape. The lead wire 42 extends from the joint 41 with the temperature sensor terminal 11b at the base end in a direction away from the temperature sensor terminal 11b and protrudes from the premolded resin part 24. The lead wire 42 protruding from the lead wire 42 passes through the temperature detection element 40, then turns back, extends in a direction approaching the temperature sensor terminal 11b, and enters the premolded resin part 24. The lead wire 42 that enters the premolded resin part 24 extends in a direction approaching the temperature sensor terminal 11b and is joined to the temperature sensor terminal 11b at the joint 41. In other words, the lead wire 42 has an outer lead part 43 that protrudes from the premolded resin part 24 in the opposite direction to the temperature sensor terminal 11b (output terminal 11). The outer lead portion 43 has a pair of linear portions 43a, 43b extending parallel to each other, and a bent portion 43c connecting one of the pair of linear portions 43a, 43b to the other. The outer lead portion 43 is formed so that the pair of linear portions 43a, 43b extend parallel to each other, and the bent portion 43c is included in a plane P including one and the other of the pair of linear portions 43a, 43b. The outer lead portion 43 is arranged such that the plane P including one and the other of the pair of linear portions 43a, 43b extends along the axis A corresponding to the central axis of the pressure introducing hole 18 and is arranged along the XY plane (see FIG. 1). As shown in FIG. 3, the temperature detection element 40 is connected to one of the pair of linear portions 43a, 43b of the outer lead portion 43.

The premolded resin portion 24 seals the joint 41 between the lead wire 42 and the temperature sensor terminal 11b. The premolded resin portion 24 is made of PPS-based resin, PBT-based resin, or epoxy-based resin, similar to the overmolded resin portion 46 that constitutes the case 10. It is preferable that the resin that constitutes the premolded resin portion 24 is the same as that of the overmolded resin portion 46, taking into account the thermal stress that occurs due to differences in linear expansion coefficients when the temperature changes.

3 and 4, the premolded resin part 24 is formed in a flat plate shape that extends following the lead wire 42 and the temperature sensor terminal 11b. The premolded resin part 24 has a bent portion 24d that bends according to the bent portion 11b1 of the temperature sensor terminal 11b. The premolded resin part 24 has a tip surface 24a, which is the end surface on the side closer to the temperature detection element 40, a base end surface 24b, which is the end surface on the side closer to the temperature sensor terminal 11b, and a side surface 24c that is continuous with the tip surface 24a and the base end surface 24b. The tip surface 24a of the premolded resin part 24 is perpendicular to the pair of linear portions 43a, 43b of the outer lead part 43 and faces the temperature detection element 40. The base end surface 24b of the premolded resin part 24 is perpendicular to the temperature sensor terminal 11b. The side surface 24c of the premolded resin part 24 is formed to extend along the axis A, which corresponds to the central axis of the pressure introduction hole 18 (see FIG. 1). Of the side surfaces 24c of the premolded resin part 24, the side surface closest to the pressure introduction hole 18 is disposed along the XY plane.

The premolded resin part 24 has a coated part 25 covered by the overmolded resin part 46 and an exposed part 26 exposed from the overmolded resin part 46. Furthermore, the premolded resin part 24 has a flange part 27 provided between the coated part 25 and the exposed part 26 and protruding in a direction intersecting the lead wire 42.

The directions intersecting the lead wire 42 include a first direction intersecting the lead wire 42 and a second direction intersecting both the lead wire 42 and the first direction. In this embodiment, the first direction is a direction perpendicular to the lead wire 42 and along the Z-axis. The first direction is a normal direction to the plane P. In this embodiment, the second direction is a direction perpendicular to both the lead wire 42 and the first direction and along the X-axis. The second direction is a direction from one of the pair of linear portions 43a, 43b to the other.

The covering portion 25 is a portion of the premolded resin portion 24 that is closer to the temperature sensor terminal 11b than the flange portion 27. The exposed portion 26 is a portion of the premolded resin portion 24 that is closer to the temperature detection element 40 than the flange portion 27. The exposed portion 26 is exposed from the overmolded resin portion 46 over the entire circumference in the direction of winding around the lead wire 42. The detailed configurations of the exposed portion 26 and the flange portion 27 will be described later.

The covering portion 25 has recesses 29a to 29f. The recesses 29a to 29f are depressions formed by the mold pressing the temperature sensor terminal 11b or the lead wire 42 to prevent the temperature sensor terminal 11b or the lead wire 42 from shifting (moving) when the premolded resin portion 24 is molded. That is, the recesses 29a to 29f are formed at positions where the mold presses the temperature sensor terminal 11b or the lead wire 42 when the premolded resin portion 24 is molded. In the recesses 29a to 29f, the temperature sensor terminal 11b or the lead wire 42 may be exposed from the premolded resin portion 24, but can be sealed by the overmolded resin portion 46. Furthermore, the lead wire 42 is protected by the coating material 45. Therefore, the corrosion resistance of the temperature sensor 44 and the temperature sensor terminal 11b can be ensured.

The covering portion 25 has ridges 28a and 28b. The ridges 28a and 28b protrude from the surface of the covering portion 25 in a direction intersecting the lead wire 42 and extend in a direction going around the temperature sensor terminal 11b or the lead wire 42. The ridges 28a and 28b protrude toward the overmolded resin portion 46. The ridges 28a and 28b extend around the entire circumference in the direction going around the temperature sensor terminal 11b or the lead wire 42. By having the ridges 28a and 28b, the pressure sensor device 100 can improve the adhesion of the interface between the premolded resin portion 24 and the overmolded resin portion 46 during molding of the overmolded resin portion 46, and can reliably prevent the intrusion of water, corrosive gas, or the like into the interface.

As shown in FIG. 5, the protrusions 28a and 28b have a tapered shape in which the thickness decreases from the surface of the covering portion 25 toward the direction intersecting the lead wire 42. The protrusions 28a and 28b have a so-called pointed shape, and the heat capacity of the tip is smaller than that of the base end. As a result, when the overmolded resin portion 46 is molded, the tip of the protrusions 28a and 28b melts first, and the tip is more firmly attached to the overmolded resin portion 46. Therefore, the pressure sensor device 100 can further improve the adhesion at the interface between the premolded resin portion 24 and the overmolded resin portion 46, and can more reliably prevent water or corrosive gas from penetrating the interface.

The protrusions 28a and 28b are arranged adjacent to the recesses 29a and 29b. In this embodiment, the protrusions 28a and 28b are arranged to surround the recesses 29a and 29b. If the adhesion at the interface between the premolded resin part 24 and the overmolded resin part 46 is weak, water or corrosive gas may penetrate the interface and corrode the temperature sensor terminal 11b or the lead wire 42 exposed from the premolded resin part 24 in the recesses 29a to 29f. In this embodiment, the protrusions 28a and 28b are arranged adjacent to the recesses 29a and 29b. As a result, in the pressure sensor device 100, when the overmolded resin part 46 is molded, the adhesion with the overmolded resin part 46 can be improved in the vicinity of the recesses 29a and 29b, and the protrusions 28a and 28b can melt and fill the recesses 29a and 29b. Therefore, the pressure sensor device 100 can more reliably prevent corrosion of the temperature sensor terminal 11b or the lead wire 42. Note that protrusions such as protrusions 28a and 28b may be arranged to surround not only recesses 29a and 29b, but also recesses 29c to 29f. It is preferable that protrusions such as protrusions 28a and 28b are arranged to extend as far as possible along the flow direction of the resin so that the resin can spread throughout the mold when the overmolded resin part 46 is molded.

The premolded resin part 24 can improve the corrosion resistance of the temperature sensor 44 by completely covering and sealing the joint 41. However, the premolded resin part 24 may cover only a part of the joint 41. In this case, the overmolded resin part 46 may seal the part of the joint 41 exposed from the premolded resin part 24. This makes it possible to more reliably position (hold) the temperature sensor terminal 11b and the lead wire 42 when molding the premolded resin part 24.

The overmolded resin part 46 covers the covering part 25 of the premolded resin part 24. As shown in FIG. 1, the overmolded resin part 46 has an inclined part 46a between the covering part 25 and the pressure introduction hole 18. The inclined part 46a has a shape that inclines toward the covering part 25 as it moves from the side closer to the pressure detection chamber 15 of the pressure introduction hole 18 to the side closer to the opening 18a (in the -Y axis direction). The inclined part 46a is molded by a mold that molds the overmolded resin part 46. This mold is a mold that molds the pressure introduction hole 18. The mold that molds the overmolded resin part 46 has an inclination corresponding to the inclined part 46a, so that the resin easily flows between the pressure introduction hole 18 and the covering part 25 when the overmolded resin part 46 is molded. As a result, in the pressure sensor device 100, the resin reliably spreads throughout the mold when the overmolded resin part 46 is molded, and the overmolded resin part 46 can reliably cover the covering part 25.

[Detailed configuration of pre-molded resin part]
The detailed configurations of the covering portion 25, the exposed portion 26, and the flange portion 27 of the premolded resin portion 24 will be described with reference to FIGS.

Figure 9 is a perspective view of the premolded product 50 shown in Figure 3, viewed from a different direction. Figure 10 is a plan view of the premolded product 50 shown in Figure 3, viewed from the -Y axis direction. Figure 11 is an enlarged view of a main portion of the premolded product 50 shown in Figure 7. Figure 12 is an enlarged view of a main portion of the premolded product 50 shown in Figure 4. Figure 13 is an enlarged view of a main portion of the premolded product 50 shown in Figure 10.

As shown in Figures 8 to 10, the exposed portion 26 of the premolded resin portion 24 has a tip surface 24a, a pair of first side surfaces 26a, 26b, and a pair of second side surfaces 26c, 26d. As shown in Figures 8 and 9, the covered portion 25 of the premolded resin portion 24 has a pair of first side surfaces 25a, 25b, and a pair of second side surfaces 25c, 25d.

The tip surface 24a of the exposed portion 26 is the same as the tip surface 24a described above, which is the end surface of the premolded resin portion 24 that is closer to the temperature detection element 40. The tip surface 24a crosses the outer lead portion 43 of the lead wire 42 and faces the temperature detection element 40.

The pair of first side surfaces 26a, 26b of the exposed portion 26 are side surfaces corresponding to the exposed portion 26 among the above-mentioned side surfaces 24c of the premolded resin portion 24, and are side surfaces along the plane P. One of the first side surfaces 26a of the exposed portion 26 is the first side surface on the side (inner side) closer to the pressure introduction hole 18. The other of the first side surfaces 26b of the exposed portion 26 is the first side surface on the side (outer side) farther from the pressure introduction hole 18. In this embodiment, the pair of first side surfaces 26a, 26b of the exposed portion 26 are parallel to each other and arranged along the XY plane. The pair of second side surfaces 26c, 26d of the exposed portion 26 are side surfaces corresponding to the exposed portion 26 among the above-mentioned side surfaces 24c of the premolded resin portion 24, and are side surfaces along a plane intersecting (orthogonal) the plane P. One of the second side surfaces 26c of the exposed portion 26 is the second side surface on the side closer to one of the linear portions 43a to which the temperature detection element 40 is connected. The other second side surface 26d of the exposed portion 26 is the second side surface closer to the other linear portion 43b to which the temperature detection element 40 is not connected. In this embodiment, the pair of second side surfaces 26c, 26d of the exposed portion 26 are parallel to each other and are disposed along the YZ plane.

The pair of first side surfaces 25a, 25b of the covering portion 25 are side surfaces corresponding to the covering portion 25 among the above-mentioned side surfaces 24c of the premolded resin portion 24, and are side surfaces along the plane P. One of the first side surfaces 25a of the covering portion 25 is the first side surface on the side (inner side) closer to the pressure introduction hole 18. The other of the first side surfaces 25b of the covering portion 25 is the first side surface on the side (outer side) farther from the pressure introduction hole 18. In this embodiment, the pair of first side surfaces 25a, 25b of the covering portion 25 are parallel to each other and arranged along the XY plane. The pair of second side surfaces 25c, 25d of the covering portion 25 are side surfaces corresponding to the covering portion 25 among the above-mentioned side surfaces 24c of the premolded resin portion 24, and are side surfaces along a plane intersecting (orthogonal) the plane P. One of the second side surfaces 25c of the covering portion 25 is the second side surface on the side closer to one of the linear portions 43a to which the temperature detection element 40 is connected. The other second side surface 25d of the covering portion 25 is the second side surface closer to the other linear portion 43b to which the temperature detection element 40 is not connected. In this embodiment, the pair of second side surfaces 25c, 25d of the covering portion 25 are parallel to each other and are arranged along the YZ plane.

The exposed portion 26 protrudes outward from the coated portion 25 in a direction intersecting the lead wire 42. In other words, the exposed portion 26 has a larger dimension in a direction intersecting the lead wire 42 than the coated portion 25.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 11, the exposed portion 26 protrudes outward in the first direction (direction along the Z-axis) more than the covered portion 25. That is, the dimension T26 of the exposed portion 26 that protrudes most outward in the first direction (outermost portion) is greater than the outermost dimension T25 of the covered portion 25 in the first direction. The outermost dimension T26 of the exposed portion 26 in the first direction is greater than the outermost dimension T44 of the temperature sensor 44 in the first direction.

The outermost dimension T26 of the exposed portion 26 in the first direction corresponds to the length from the part (outermost part) of one first side surface 26a that protrudes most outward in the first direction to the outermost part of the other first side surface 26b in the first direction. The outermost dimension T26 of the exposed portion 26 in the first direction corresponds to the sum of the length Δ26a from the outermost part of one first side surface 26a in the first direction to the plane P and the length Δ26b from the outermost part of the other first side surface 26b in the first direction to the plane P. The outermost dimension T25 of the covering portion 25 in the first direction corresponds to the length from the outermost part of one first side surface 25a in the first direction to the outermost part of the other first side surface 25b in the first direction. The outermost dimension T25 of the covering portion 25 in the first direction corresponds to the sum of the length Δ25a from the outermost part of one first side surface 25a in the first direction to the plane P and the length Δ25b from the outermost part of the other first side surface 25b in the first direction to the plane P.

In this embodiment, the above-mentioned length Δ26a and the above-mentioned length Δ26b in the exposed portion 26 are different lengths. Specifically, the above-mentioned length Δ26a in the exposed portion 26 is smaller than the above-mentioned length Δ26b. That is, the tip surface 24a of the premolded resin portion 24 (exposed portion 26) has an asymmetric shape with respect to the plane P (see FIG. 10). Furthermore, in this embodiment, the above-mentioned length Δ25a and the above-mentioned length Δ25b in the covered portion 25 are different lengths. Specifically, the above-mentioned length Δ25a in the covered portion 25 is smaller than the above-mentioned length Δ25b.

As shown in FIG. 12, the exposed portion 26 protrudes outward from the covered portion 25 in the second direction (the direction along the X-axis). That is, the outermost dimension W26 of the exposed portion 26 in the second direction is larger than the outermost dimension W25 of the covered portion 25 in the second direction. The outermost dimension W26 of the exposed portion 26 in the second direction is larger than the outermost dimension W44 of the temperature sensor 44 in the second direction.

The outermost dimension W26 of the exposed portion 26 in the second direction corresponds to the length from the outermost part in the second direction of one second side surface 26c to the outermost part in the second direction of the other second side surface 26d. The outermost dimension W25 of the covered portion 25 in the second direction corresponds to the length from the outermost part in the second direction of one second side surface 25c to the outermost part in the second direction of the other second side surface 25d.

The exposed portion 26 of the premolded resin portion 24 is the portion exposed from the overmolded resin portion 46, and is the portion that is pressed by a mold when the overmolded resin portion 46 is molded. In the pressure sensor device 100 of this embodiment, as described above, the dimensions T26, W26 of the exposed portion 26 of the premolded resin portion 24 in the direction intersecting the lead wires 42 are larger than the dimensions T25, W25 of the covered portion 25. In other words, the exposed portion 26 protrudes outward beyond the covered portion 25 in the direction intersecting the lead wires 42.

With this configuration, in the pressure sensor device 100 of this embodiment, when the overmolded resin portion 46 is molded, the mold can press the first side 26a, 26b and the second side 26c, 26d of the exposed portion 26 that protrudes outward from the covering portion 25. As a result, in the pressure sensor device 100 of this embodiment, when the overmolded resin portion 46 is molded, the mold can reliably position the premolded product 50 without unnecessary interference with the premolded product 50. Moreover, the premolded product 50 can be reliably restrained without increasing the force pressing the premolded resin portion 24 by the mold. Since the positional deviation of the premolded resin portion 24 during molding of the overmolded resin portion 46 can be suppressed, it is possible to suppress the bending force acting on the lead wire 42 due to the resin pressure of the resin flowing into the gap between the tip surface 24a of the premolded resin portion 24 and the mold. Therefore, in the pressure sensor device 100 of this embodiment, the bending force acting on the lead wire 42 can be suppressed, and corrosion resistance can be ensured.

In particular, in the pressure sensor device 100 of this embodiment, as described above, the exposed portion 26 is exposed from the overmolded resin portion 46 over the entire circumference in the direction around the lead wire 42. This makes it possible to further prevent resin from flowing into the gap between the tip surface 24a of the premolded resin portion 24 and the mold when molding the overmolded resin portion 46. Therefore, in the pressure sensor device 100 of this embodiment, bending force is further prevented from acting on the lead wire 42, and corrosion resistance can be more reliably ensured.

In addition, in the pressure sensor device 100 of this embodiment, as described above, the length Δ26a from one first side surface 26a of the exposed portion 26 to the plane P and the length Δ26b from the other first side surface 26b of the exposed portion 26 to the plane P have different lengths. That is, the tip surface 24a of the premolded resin portion 24 has an asymmetric shape with respect to the plane P. If the tip surface 24a of the premolded resin portion 24 has an asymmetric shape with respect to the plane P, the force with which the mold presses the tip surface 24a during molding of the overmolded resin portion 46 may become uneven, and a bending force may act on the lead wire 42. In the pressure sensor device 100 of this embodiment, the mold can press the first side surfaces 26a, 26b and the second side surfaces 26c, 26d of the exposed portion 26 during molding of the overmolded resin portion 46, so that the force with which the mold presses the tip surface 24a can be dispersed. As a result, the pressure sensor device 100 of this embodiment can be overmolded without any bending force acting on the lead wire 42, even if the tip surface 24a of the premolded resin part 24 has an asymmetric shape with respect to the plane P, ensuring corrosion resistance.

In addition, in the pressure sensor device 100 of this embodiment, as described above, the length Δ25a from one first side surface 25a of the covering portion 25 to the plane P is smaller than the length Δ25b from the other first side surface 25b of the covering portion 25 to the plane P. This is because, in the joint portion 41, the lead wire 42 is arranged on the side closer to the pressure introduction hole 18 (inside) and the temperature sensor terminal 11b is arranged on the side farther from the pressure introduction hole 18 (outside). In other words, when the lead wire 42 is arranged on the side closer to the pressure introduction hole 18 (inside) and the temperature sensor terminal 11b is arranged on the side farther from the pressure introduction hole 18 (outside), the length Δ25a from one first side surface 25a of the covering portion 25 to the plane P can be made smaller than the length Δ25b from the other first side surface 25b of the covering portion 25 to the plane P. As a result, in the pressure sensor device 100 of this embodiment, the thickness (dimension T25) of the covering portion 25 of the premolded resin portion 24 in the first direction can be made appropriate without being excessively large, and the shape and amount of resin of the premolded resin portion 24 can be optimized.

Also, as shown in FIG. 13, in the exposed portion 26 of the premolded resin portion 24, one first side surface 26a has both ends 26a1, 26a2 in the second direction (direction along the X-axis) and an intermediate portion 26a3 located between both ends 26a1, 26a2. The intermediate portion 26a3 of one first side surface 26a may protrude outward beyond both ends 26a1, 26a2. Similarly, the intermediate portion 26b3 of the other first side surface 26b may protrude outward beyond both ends 26b1, 26b2.

Furthermore, in the exposed portion 26 of the premolded resin portion 24, one second side surface 26c has both end portions 26c1, 26c2 in the first direction (direction along the Z-axis) and an intermediate portion 26c3 located between both end portions 26c1, 26c2. In one second side surface 26c, the intermediate portion 26c3 may protrude outward beyond both end portions 26c1, 26c2. Similarly, in the other second side surface 26d, the intermediate portion 26d3 may protrude outward beyond both end portions 26d1, 26d2.

A pair of first contact surfaces 60a, 60b are formed on the tip surface 24a of the exposed portion 26, which are spaced apart in the first direction via the outer lead portion 43 and come into contact with the mold when the overmolded resin portion 46 is molded. A pair of second contact surfaces 60c, 60d are formed on the tip surface 24a of the exposed portion 26, which are spaced apart in the second direction via the outer lead portion 43 and come into contact with the mold when the overmolded resin portion 46 is molded. One of the first contact surfaces 60a is formed near the corner formed by the intermediate portion 26a3 of the first side surface 26a and the tip surface 24a. The other first contact surface 60b is formed near the corner formed by the intermediate portion 26b3 of the first side surface 26b and the tip surface 24a. One of the second contact surfaces 60c is formed near the corner formed by the intermediate portion 26c3 of the second side surface 26c and the tip surface 24a. The other second contact surface 60d is formed near the corner formed by the middle portion 26d3 of the second side surface 26d and the tip surface 24a. These first contact surfaces 60a, 60b and second contact surfaces 60c, 60d are formed on the tip surface 24a of the exposed portion 26, avoiding the outer lead portion 43 and the temperature detection element 40.

With this configuration, in the pressure sensor device 100 of this embodiment, when the overmolded resin portion 46 is molded, the mold can press the portions 26a1 to 26a3 of the first side surface 26a of the exposed portion 26, the portions 26b1 to 26b3 of the first side surface 26b, the portions 26c1 to 26c3 of the second side surface 26c, and the portions 26d1 to 26d3 of the second side surface 26d. At the same time, when the overmolded resin portion 46 is molded, the mold can press the first contact surfaces 60a, 60b and the second contact surfaces 60c, 60d at the tip surface 24a of the exposed portion 26. As a result, in the pressure sensor device 100 of this embodiment, when the overmolded resin portion 46 is molded, the premolded product 50 can be positioned more reliably and the premolded product 50 can be restrained more reliably. Therefore, in the pressure sensor device 100 of this embodiment, the bending force acting on the lead wire 42 can be further suppressed, and corrosion resistance can be more reliably ensured.

Furthermore, the flange portion 27 of the premolded resin portion 24 may be formed in a semicircular plate shape that protrudes along the first direction and the second direction (XZ plane) as shown in Figures 8 to 10. The flange portion 27 has a tip surface 27a, a base end surface 27b, a side peripheral surface 27c, and a side flat surface 27d.

The tip surface 27a of the flange portion 27 is the end surface of the flange portion 27 that is closer to the temperature detection element 40. The base end surface 27b of the flange portion 27 is the end surface of the flange portion 27 that is closer to the temperature sensor terminal 11b. The peripheral side surface 27c of the flange portion 27 is the side surface of the flange portion 27 that is farther from the pressure introduction hole 18, and is formed in a semicircular arc shape. The flat side surface 27d of the flange portion 27 is the side surface of the flange portion 27 that is closer to the pressure introduction hole 18, and is formed in a rectangular flat surface. The flat side surface 27d of the flange portion 27 is the side surface that is along the plane P.

As shown in FIG. 11, the side surface 27c of the flange portion 27 protrudes outward from the exposed portion 26 and the covering portion 25 in the first direction (the +Z-axis direction) away from the pressure introduction hole 18. That is, the length Δ27 from the side surface 27c to the plane P in the first direction of the flange portion 27 is greater than the length Δ26b from the outermost part in the first direction of one of the first side surfaces 26b of the exposed portion 26 to the plane P. The length Δ27 from the side surface 27c to the plane P in the first direction of the flange portion 27 is greater than the length Δ25b from the outermost part in the first direction of one of the first side surfaces 25b of the covering portion 25 to the plane P.

As shown in FIG. 12, the side surface 27c of the flange portion 27 protrudes outward in the second direction (the direction along the X-axis) beyond the exposed portion 26 and the covered portion 25. That is, the dimension W27 of the side surface 27c of the flange portion 27 in the second direction is greater than the dimension W26 of the outermost portion of the exposed portion 26 in the second direction. The dimension W27 of the side surface 27c of the flange portion 27 in the second direction is greater than the dimension W25 of the outermost portion of the covered portion 25 in the second direction.

As shown in FIG. 1, the flange portion 27 of the premolded resin portion 24 may have a base end surface 27b and a side peripheral surface 27c covered by the overmolded resin portion 46, and a tip surface 27a and a side flat surface 27d exposed from the overmolded resin portion 46.

With this configuration, in the pressure sensor device 100 of this embodiment, when the overmolded resin portion 46 is molded, the mold can press the tip surface 27a and the side surface 27d of the flange portion 27. Moreover, since the side peripheral surface 27c of the flange portion 27 protrudes outward beyond the exposed portion 26 as described above, the resin can be prevented from flowing toward the exposed portion 26. This can further suppress the bending force acting on the lead wire 42 due to the resin pressure of the resin flowing into the gap between the tip surface 24a and the mold. Therefore, in the pressure sensor device 100 of this embodiment, the bending force acting on the lead wire 42 can be further suppressed, and corrosion resistance can be more reliably ensured.

[others]
The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications are included. For example, the above-described embodiments have been described in detail to clearly explain the present invention, and are not necessarily limited to those having all of the configurations described. In addition, it is possible to replace a part of the configuration of a certain embodiment with the configuration of another embodiment, and it is also possible to add the configuration of another embodiment to the configuration of a certain embodiment. In addition, it is possible to add, delete, or replace a part of the configuration of each embodiment with another configuration.

Furthermore, the above-mentioned configurations, functions, processing units, processing means, etc. may be realized in part or in whole by hardware, for example by designing them in an integrated circuit. Furthermore, the above-mentioned configurations, functions, etc. may be realized by software, in which a processor interprets and executes a program that realizes each function. Information on the programs, tapes, files, etc. that realize each function can be stored in a memory, a recording device such as a hard disk or SSD (solid state drive), or a recording medium such as an IC card, SD card, or DVD.

In addition, the control lines and information lines shown are those considered necessary for the explanation, and not all control lines and information lines on the product are necessarily shown. In reality, it can be assumed that almost all components are interconnected.

11b...Temperature sensor terminal (terminal), 21...Pressure sensor, 24...Premolded resin part, 24a...Tip surface, 25...Coated part, 26...Exposed part, 26a, 26b...First side surface, 27...Flange part, 28a, 28b...Protrusion part, 29a to 29f...Recess, 40...Temperature detection element, 41...Joint part, 42...Lead wire, 43...Outer lead part, 43a, 43b...Linear part, 43c...Bent part, 44...Temperature sensor, 45...Coating material, 46...Overmolded resin part, 50...Premolded part, 60a, 60b...First contact surface, 60c, 60d...Second contact surface, 100...Pressure sensor device

Claims (7)

A pressure sensor device with an integrated temperature sensor for detecting the pressure and temperature of a gas to be detected in an intake pipe of an internal combustion engine,
A lead wire connected to a temperature detection element of the temperature sensor ;
a terminal for external output joined to the lead wire;
a pre-molded resin portion that seals a joint between the lead wire and the terminal;
an overmolded resin portion that constitutes a case for accommodating the pressure sensor and the temperature sensor and covers the premolded resin portion;
Equipped with
the lead wire has an outer lead portion that protrudes from the premolded resin portion toward an opposite side to the terminal and is not sealed by the premolded resin portion;
the temperature detection element is connected to the outer lead portion and is inserted into the intake pipe together with the outer lead portion;
the overmolded resin portion has a main body portion that houses the pressure sensor, a connector portion that fixes the terminals and connects the terminals to an external device, a port portion that introduces the gas to be detected into the pressure sensor, and a guard portion that extends from the port portion toward the opposite side to the terminals and the pressure sensor and is inserted into the intake pipe to protect the outer lead portion and the temperature detection element, and the main body portion, the connector portion, the port portion and the guard portion are integrally formed,
the pre-molded resin portion has a covering portion that is covered by the over-molded resin portion, an exposed portion that is exposed from the over-molded resin portion, and a flange portion that is provided between the covering portion and the exposed portion and that protrudes in a direction intersecting the lead wires,
the covering portion is a portion of the premolded resin portion that is closer to the terminal than the flange portion,
The exposed portion is a portion of the premolded resin portion that is closer to the temperature detection element than the flange portion, and has a dimension larger than that of the covering portion in a first direction intersecting the lead wire and a dimension larger than that of the covering portion in a second direction intersecting both the lead wire and the first direction.
A pressure sensor device comprising: the exposed portion has a tip surface that intersects with the outer lead portion and faces the temperature detection element ,
The pressure sensor device according to claim 1, characterized in that the tip surface is formed with a pair of first contact surfaces spaced apart via the outer lead portion in the first direction and contacting a mold when molding the overmolded resin portion, and a pair of second contact surfaces spaced apart via the outer lead portion in the second direction and contacting the mold when molding the overmolded resin portion. the outer lead portion has a pair of linear portions extending parallel to each other and a bent portion connecting one of the pair of linear portions to the other,
the temperature detection element is connected to one of the pair of linear portions,
the exposed portion has a pair of side surfaces along a plane including one and the other of the pair of linear portions,
The pressure sensor device according to claim 1 , wherein a length from one of the pair of side surfaces to the plane is different from a length from the other of the pair of side surfaces to the plane. 2. The pressure sensor device according to claim 1, characterized in that the covering portion has a recess formed at a position where a mold presses the terminal or the lead wire when molding the premolded resin portion, and a protrusion portion protruding from a surface of the covering portion in the direction intersecting the lead wire, extending in a direction circumnavigating the terminal or the lead wire, and arranged adjacent to the recess. The pressure sensor device according to claim 4 , wherein the protrusion has a tapered shape in which the thickness of the protrusion decreases from the surface of the covering portion toward the direction intersecting the lead wires. The pressure sensor device according to claim 1 , wherein the exposed portion is exposed from the overmolded resin portion over an entire circumference in a direction in which the lead wire goes around. 2. The pressure sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the lead wires are coated with a coating material made of an epoxy resin.