Abstrict A sensor carrier comprising a cover part for a flow meter, with
a sensor comprising connecting strands and a plug part covering
the sensor and the connecting strands and having connecting pins
which can be brought into contact with the connecting strands is
characterized in that, at least in the region of the connecting
strands, the space between the plug part and the cover part is covered
by an electrically insulating elastic substance to provide reliable
sealing.
Claims 1. A sensor carrier for a flow meter, the sensor carrier comprising:
a cover part for covering the flow meter; a sensor disposed in said
cover part; connecting strands communicating with said sensor, said
connecting strands disposed in said cover part; a plug part structured
and dimensioned to cover said sensor and said connecting strands;
connecting pins disposed in said plug part, said connecting pins
structured and dimensioned to connect to said connecting strands;
and an electrically insulating, elastic substance disposed between
said plug part and said cover part to cover a space defined between
said cover part and said plug part.
2. The sensor carrier of claim 1 wherein said elastic substance
is disposed in a region of said connecting stands.
3. The sensor carrier of claim 1 wherein said space between said
plug part and said cover part is completely filled by said electrically
insulating substance.
4. The sensor carrier of claim 1 wherein said electrically insulating
elastic substance is applied in a flowable or viscous form and subsequently
hardens.
5. The sensor carrier of claim 1 wherein said electrically insulating
elastic substance consists essentially of silicone.
6. A method for producing a sensor carrier for a flow meter, the
sensor carrier having a cover part for covering the flow meter,
a sensor disposed in the cover part, connecting strands disposed
in the cover part to communicate with the sensor, a plug part structured
and dimensioned to cover the sensor and the connecting strands,
connecting pins disposed in the plug part and structured and dimensioned
to connect to the connecting strands; and an electrically insulating,
elastic substance disposed between the plug part and the cover part
to cover a space defined between the cover part and said plug part,
the method comprising the steps of: a) disposed the electrically
insulating substance, in flowable or viscous form, onto the cover
part; b) positioning the plug part, bearing the connecting pins,
to cover the electrically insulating substance; and c) pressing
the plug part onto the cover part to connect with the cover part
and to produce electrical contract between connecting pins and respective
connecting strands.
7. The method of claim 6 wherein the cover part and plug part
are brought into positive contact.
8. The method of claim 6 wherein silicone in flowable or viscous
form is disposed as the electrically insulating substance in a region
of the cover part covering the plug part.
9. The method of claim 6 wherein silicone in flowable or viscous
form is disposed as the electrically insulating substance on a side
of the plug part facing the cover part.
Description [0001] This application claims Paris Convention priority of DE
20 2004 010 954.9 filed Jul. 13 2004 the complete disclosure of
which is hereby incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The invention concerns a sensor carrier comprising a cover
part for a flow meter, with a sensor having connecting strands and
with a plug part which covers the sensor and the connecting strands
and comprises connecting pins which can be brought into contact
with the connecting strands. The invention also concerns a method
for producing a sensor carrier for a flow meter.
[0003] A sensor carrier of this type is disclosed e.g. in DE 296
14 076 U1. It comprises a cover part for a flow meter which can
be connected to a lower part of the flow meter through bayonet closures.
The cover part bears a-sensor with connecting strands which are
in electrical contact with the connecting pins held in a plug part.
[0004] Disadvantageously, moisture may enter between the cover
part and the plug part and gain access to the region of the sensor
and the connecting strands joined thereto, producing a short-circuit
between the strands which can cause failure or which can impair
the function of the flow meter.
[0005] It is the object of the invention to completely eliminate
the danger of penetrating moisture and formation of short-circuits
between the connecting strands of the sensor.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The above-mentioned object is achieved in accordance with
the invention in a sensor carrier of the above-mentioned type in
that, at least in the region of the connecting strands, the space
between the plug part and the cover part is covered by an electrically
insulating elastic substance. To solve the inventive object, the
invention also proposes a method for disposing an electrically insulating
substance of flowable or viscous form on a cover part provided with
a sensor having connecting strands, and subsequent connection of
a plug part having connecting pins to the cover part in a manner
covering the electrically insulating substance and pressing against
the cover part, thereby producing an electric contact between each
connecting pin of the plug part and a respective connecting strand.
[0007] The electrically insulating elastic substance provided between
the relevant region of the cover part and the plug part covering
this area, produces reliable insulation and sealing, in particular,
of the connecting strands of the sensor, of the sensor itself and
of regions of the connecting pins within the plug part or the cover
part. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the space between
plug part and cover part is completely filled by the electrically
insulating elastic substance. In a further development of the invention,
the flowable or viscous electrically insulating elastic substance
is disposed and is hardened, the electrically insulating elastic
substance preferably being silicone. The invention also provides
that the cover part and plug part are brought into positive contact
and/or flowable or viscous silicone is applied as electrically insulating
substance on the region of the cover part covered by the plug part
or on the side of the plug part facing the cover part.
[0008] Further advantages and features of the invention can be
extracted from the claims and the following description which explains
in detail an embodiment of the invention with reference to the drawing.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0009] FIG. 1 shows an exploded view of the inventive sensor carrier
in the form of a cover part for a flow meter;
[0010] FIG. 2 shows a top view of the inventive sensor carrier
in the finished state; and
[0011] FIG. 3 shows a sectional view along the line III-III through
the sensor carrier of FIG. 2.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0012] The sensor carrier 1 shown in the figures is a cover part
for a flow meter as shown e.g. in DE 296 14 076 U1.
[0013] The inventive sensor carrier 1 has a cover part 2 which
can be connected to a lower part of the flow meter (not shown) via
bayonet closures (not shown in detail). The cover part 2 has a fluid
connection 3 in the present embodiment, a fluid extension. The
cover part also has a receiving area 4 for a sensor 5 from which
connecting strands 6 are guided to depressions formed in the cover
part 2. The connecting region 4 is surrounded by a groove 7. As
shown in the illustrated embodiment, a plug part 11 of the inventive
sensor carrier 1 which can be connected to the cover part 2 has
connecting pins 12 which come into electrically conducting contact
with the ends of the connecting strands 6 after connecting the plug
part 11 to the cover part 2 within the recesses 7.
[0014] The contact part 11 has a nose 13 which is designed for
engagement in the groove 7. The connected cover part 2 and plug
part 11 are held in abutment through noses 15 which engage in and
behind depressions 8 of the cover part 2.
[0015] To provide complete insulation and sealing against penetrating
moisture which could cause, in particular, short-circuits in the
region of the connecting strands 6 the space between the region
4 and the cover part 11 is sealed by an electrically insulating
elastic substance, which is shown cross-hatched in FIG. 3. This
substance is preferably silicone and is introduced in a flowable
or viscous form to subsequently harden after mounting the plug part
to the plug pins 7.
[0016] The insulating elastic substance 14 ensures safe protection
of the sensor 5 of the strands 6 and of the contact pins (the latter
inside of the sensor carrier) from penetrating moisture.
[0017] Subsequent to injection molding of the cover part 2 the
method for producing the inventive sensor carrier proposes positioning
of the sensor carrier 5 with its connecting strands 6 and introducing
the ends thereof into the depressions 7 of the cover part 2. The
flowable or viscous insulating substance 14 is subsequently disposed
in the region 4 of the cover part 2 in such a manner that the substance
covers both the sensor carrier 5 as well as the connecting strands
6. The plug part 11 with connecting pins 12 which have been introduced
with frictional engagement therein is subsequently mounted and locked
to the cover part 2 using the noses 15. The viscous insulating substance
is thereby distributed through pressure and completely fills the
space between cover part 2 and plug part 11 in the region 4 (see
FIG. 3). The insulating substance 14 subsequently hardens. The inventive
sensor carrier is then ready for use and can be connected to the
lower part (not shown) of the flow meter for operation.
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