JPH0728964Y2 - Temperature sensor device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Object of the Invention] (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a temperature sensor device for detecting the temperature of engine cooling water flowing in a heater core of an air conditioner for an automobile, for example.

(Prior Art) In a vehicle air conditioner, a temperature sensor is used to detect the temperature of engine cooling water flowing into a heater core. This temperature sensor is, for example, just when the engine is just started and the engine cooling water is not warm, even when performing heating operation in the vehicle air conditioner device, a large amount of cold air that is not sufficiently heated in the heater core is not sent into the room. It is also used to enable quick engine warm-up.

More specifically, the mode switching lever for selecting the in-vehicle air conditioning state is set to, for example, a heater mode other than the vent mode and the defrost mode, and the outside air temperature detected by the outside air temperature sensor is, for example, 15 ° C. or less, and the temperature sensor detects When the temperature of the engine cooling water flowing into the detected heater core is, for example, 60 ° C or less, activate the start air volume control to prevent the fan from rotating at high speed even if the fan switch is set to the high speed rotation position. Alternatively, the start switch of the air conditioner may be controlled to be turned on for the first time when the temperature detected by the temperature sensor exceeds a certain value.

Conventionally, such a temperature sensor 5 is mounted in a temperature sensor device 3 attached to a measured object of a tank portion 2 of a heater core 1 used in an air conditioner for an automobile, as shown in FIG. The water temperature of the engine cooling water flowing in the tank portion 2 is detected.

The temperature sensor device 3 has a heat-sensitive cylindrical body 6 having a heat-sensitive plate portion 4, and the temperature sensor 5 is housed in a sensor housing hole 7 formed inside the heat-sensitive cylindrical body 6. This temperature sensor 5
In order to make the heat-sensitive tubular body 6 accommodating therein detachable from the tank portion 2, a holder 8 is arranged on the outer periphery of the heat-sensitive tubular body 6 and is detachably attached to an engagement protrusion 9 protruding from the tank portion 2. Has been.

Further, the bottom wall portion 10 of the holder 8 is arranged so that the heat-sensitive plate portion 4 formed on the top portion of the heat-sensitive tubular body 6 can be accurately brought into contact with the wall portion of the tank portion 2 to detect the temperature inside the tank portion as accurately as possible.
A spring 11 is interposed between the heat sensitive plate portion 4 and the heat sensitive plate portion 4, and the heat sensitive plate portion 4 is elastically contacted with the tank portion 2.

(Problems to be solved by the invention) However, in such a conventional temperature sensor device 3, there is a gap between the tank portion 2 and the holder 8 and between the heat-sensitive cylinder 6 and the holder 8, and the gap is provided through the gap. Ambient air may flow to the temperature sensor 5, and the temperature sensor may be affected by the temperature of the ambient air to sense the water temperature in the tank unit 2 lower than the actual temperature.

For this reason, for example, even if the water temperature rises at the beginning of engine startup, the temperature sensor may detect it as lower than the actual water temperature, and the start air volume control may remain activated, resulting in low speed and low air volume. Only the amount of air distribution can be obtained, and there is a risk that the heating performance of the vehicle interior will deteriorate.

As disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 60-56,240,
A temperature sensor device is known in which a gap is filled with a synthetic resin so that an air layer is not formed between the temperature sensor and a pipe through which engine cooling water flows. However, in such a temperature sensor device, workability at the time of mounting the temperature sensor is poor, and replacement of the temperature sensor once mounted is difficult. Moreover, there is a problem in that the heat insulation is not sufficient because it is simply filled with synthetic resin.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and it is easy to install and replace the temperature sensor, and is not affected by the surrounding temperature environment. An object of the present invention is to provide a temperature sensor device capable of accurately detecting the temperature of a heat-sensitive fluid inside a body to be measured.

[Structure of the Invention] (Means for Solving the Problem) In order to achieve such an object, the present invention is a heat-sensitive plate that is pressure-contacted to the outside of an object to be measured such as a tank or a pipe in which a heat-sensitive fluid flows. A heat-sensitive tubular body having a portion at the end, the temperature sensor being housed inside, and a tubular heat insulating material made of foamed resin that is attached to the outer periphery of the heat-sensitive tubular body and one end of the heat-sensitive plate portion abuts, It is attached to the outer periphery of this tubular heat insulating material, and has a bottom wall portion with which the other end of this tubular heat insulating material abuts, and is attached to the measured object, and the tubular heat insulating material is compressed in the axial direction. And a holder for press-contacting the heat-sensitive plate portion with the object to be measured.

(Operation) According to the temperature sensor device of the present invention as described above, since the tubular heat insulating material is interposed between the heat sensitive tubular body and the holder, and the tubular heat insulating material is made of foamed resin, The temperature sensor housed in is well insulated from the surrounding environment and can detect the temperature of the heat-sensitive fluid flowing in the body to be measured almost accurately. Therefore, based on this temperature sensor, for example, the starting air volume control of the automobile air conditioner is favorably performed.

Further, since the tubular heat insulating material also functions as a spring that has been used conventionally, the number of parts is not increased more than necessary, and the structure can be simplified and the manufacturing cost can be reduced. Further, since the mounting can be performed in the same manner as the conventional one, the workability of mounting the temperature sensor is excellent and the replacement is easy.

Embodiment An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

1 is a sectional view showing a state in which a temperature sensor device according to an embodiment of the present invention is attached to a tank portion of a heater core, and FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the temperature sensor device according to the embodiment. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of a control means using a temperature sensor, and the same members as those shown in FIG. 4 are designated by the same reference numerals.

The temperature sensor device 30 shown in FIG. 1 is, for example, a tank part which is a measured object in order to detect the temperature of the engine cooling water flowing in the tank part 2 of the heater core 1 installed in the air conditioner for automobiles. 2 is attached to the bottom wall. The heater core 1 has upper tank portions 12a, 12b and a lower tank portion 2, and a heat exchange pipe 13 formed in a core portion 15 is connected between the tank portions 12a, 12b, 2 and an inlet pipe 15 The engine cooling water flowing in from is discharged from the outlet pipe 16. An air flow passage 14 in which fins are interposed is formed in the gap between the heat exchange tubes 13 in the core portion 15.
The air passing through the air flow passage is heat-exchanged with the engine cooling water flowing through the heat exchange pipe 13 to heat the air, and the air is conditioned and distributed into the vehicle interior.

The temperature sensor device 30 according to the present embodiment has a heat sensitive tubular body 6. A disc-shaped heat-sensitive plate portion 4 is formed on the top of the heat-sensitive cylindrical body 6. A sensor housing hole 7 extending in the axial direction is formed at the lower end of the heat-sensitive tubular portion 6, and the temperature sensor 5 is housed therein. As shown in FIG. 2, a harness coupler 32 is connected to the temperature sensor 5 via a lead wire 31.
The harness coupler 32 is connected to a control device (not shown) for an automobile air conditioner. This control device also includes a starting air volume control means 33 and an automatic air conditioner control means 34 shown in FIG.

The temperature sensor 5 is not particularly limited, but a water temperature switch such as a thermistor is used. As shown in FIG. 3, if the temperature detected by the water temperature switch as the temperature sensor 5 is equal to or lower than the predetermined temperature, the engine cooling water is not sufficiently heated, and in that case, the starting air volume control means 33. To prevent the fan from rotating at a high speed even when the fan switch is set to the high speed rotation position, reduce the air volume passing through the core portion 15 of the heater core 1, and cool air is blown into the passenger compartment. I try not to. Further, if the temperature detected by the water temperature switch as the temperature sensor 5 is equal to or higher than the predetermined temperature, it is determined that the temperature of the engine cooling water flowing in the tank 2 is sufficiently heated. Ordinary automatic air conditioner that increases the air volume passing through the core portion 15 of the heater core 1.
34 operations are to be carried out.

In the present embodiment, such a temperature sensor 5 is housed in the sensor housing hole 7 of the temperature sensitive tubular body 6 as shown in FIGS. The temperature-sensitive tubular body 6 and the temperature-sensitive plate portion 4 are preferably made of a good heat conductive material in order to satisfactorily transfer the temperature of the tank portion 2. Then, on the outer periphery of the temperature sensitive tubular body 6, a tubular heat insulating material 35 having one end in contact with the back surface of the heat sensitive plate portion 4 is mounted. The tubular heat insulating material 35 is made of foamed resin having good heat insulating properties and elasticity.

The other end of the tubular heat insulating material 35 contacts the bottom wall portion 10 formed on the holder 8 arranged on the outer periphery of the tubular heat insulating material 35, and the bottom wall portion 10 and the heat sensitive plate portion 4 are In between, tubular insulation 35
Is compressed and held.

The holder 8 has a flange portion 8a at the upper end thereof, and an engaging groove portion 8b is formed at a predetermined position in the circumferential direction of the flange portion 8a. The engaging groove portion 8b projects from the tank portion 2 shown in FIG. The holder 8 is detachably attached to the tank portion 2 by engaging the protruding portion 9 which is provided.

According to the temperature sensor device 30 according to the present embodiment,
Since the tubular heat insulating material 35 is interposed between the heat sensitive tubular body 6 and the holder 8 and the tubular heat insulating material 35 is made of foamed resin, the temperature sensor 5 housed in the heat sensitive tubular body 6 is surrounded by The environment is well insulated, and the temperature of the engine cooling water flowing through the tank 2 can be detected almost accurately. Therefore, the start air volume control of the automobile air conditioner based on the temperature sensor is favorably performed.

Further, since the tubular heat insulating material 35 also functions as a spring that has been used conventionally, the number of parts is not increased more than necessary, and the structure can be simplified and the manufacturing cost can be reduced. Further, since the same mounting as the conventional one is possible, the workability of mounting the temperature sensor 5 is excellent and the replacement is easy.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, but can be variously modified within the scope of the present invention.

For example, the temperature sensor device according to the present invention may be mounted not only on the tank portion but also on the outer circumference of the pipe through which the engine cooling water flows, or outside the measured object in the portion through which other fluids flow. Alternatively, the temperature of the fluid inside the wall may be detected. Further, any controller may be connected to the temperature sensor in such a temperature sensor device.

[Effects of the Invention] As will be apparent from the following description, according to the present invention, it is easy to attach and replace the temperature sensor, and the temperature-sensitive fluid is not affected by the surrounding temperature environment. It is possible to accurately detect the temperature of the heat-sensitive fluid, and therefore, based on this temperature sensor, for example, the start air volume control of the automobile air conditioner is favorably performed,
It has excellent effects such as improved heating performance.

[Brief description of drawings]

1 is a sectional view showing a state in which a temperature sensor device according to an embodiment of the present invention is attached to a tank portion of a heater core, and FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the temperature sensor device according to the embodiment. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of control means using a temperature sensor, and FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a state in which a conventional temperature sensor device is attached to a tank portion of a heater core. 2 ... Tank part, 5 ... Temperature sensor, 4 ... Heat sensitive plate part,
6 ... Thermal cylinder, 8 ... Holder, 10 ... Bottom wall, 30 ...
… Temperature sensor device, 35… Cylindrical heat insulating material.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A tank (2) in which a heat-sensitive fluid flows.
Alternatively, a heat sensitive tubular body (6) having a temperature sensitive plate portion (4) press-contacted to the outside of an object to be measured such as a pipe and having a temperature sensor accommodated therein, and the heat sensitive tubular body (6). A cylindrical heat insulating material (35) made of foamed resin, which is attached to the outer periphery and one end of which abuts on the heat sensitive plate portion (4), and is attached to the outer periphery of the cylindrical heat insulating material (35), and further, this tubular heat insulating material Has a bottom wall portion (10) with which the other end of (35) abuts,
A holder (8) attached to the object to be measured, for compressing the tubular heat insulating material (35) in the axial direction to bring the heat sensitive plate portion (4) into pressure contact with the object to be measured. And temperature sensor device.