Ford Motor Company Limited

Charles M Wells

Jerry L Springer

Wells L Green

Stanley R Merchant

William F Horn

Michael J Esper

An improved oxygen sensor of the type adapted for installation in the exhaust conduit of an internal combustion engine. The improved sensor uses a metal oxide element to sense the partial pressure of oxygen in the exhaust gases to which the sensor is exposed. The sensor has a steel body and a ceramic member which extends into the exhaust gases to permit the exhaust gases to produce variations in an electrical characteristic of one of the sensor components. The improved sensor has a perforated protection tube that has a radially extending flange. The flange is located between the steel body and the ceramic member, which forms a seal preventing exhaust gases from inside the engine's exhaust conduit from leaking beyond the sensor to the atmosphere.

Exhaust gas sensor seal and protection tube arrangement

An improved exhaust gas oxygen sensor of the type adapted for installation in the exhaust conduit of an internal combustion engine. The improved sensor preferably uses a titania metal oxide ceramic element to sense the partial pressure of oxygen in the exhaust gases to which the sensor is exposed. The sensor has a steel body, a ceramic insulator which is used to support the titania sensing element and its wires which pass through the insulator bodies and as terminal pins inserted into enlarged passages in the insulator for connection to the titania sensing element wires. The terminal pins are of an improved design wherein a cement material in the enlarged passage of the insulator is made to flow into a groove in each of the terminal pins and into another space between the exterior of the terminal pin and the interior of the insulator passage. The cement material causes the bond to form between the terminal pin and the insulator and prevent leakage of exhaust gases from the exhaust conduit to flow through the sensor to the ceramic environment. Seepage of the cement material in a location to the terminal pin and its exterior contact point with the insulator also is prevented.

Terminal pin arrangement for an exhaust gas sensor

An improved exhaust gas oxygen sensor of the type adapted for installation in an exhaust conduit of an internal combustion engine. The improved sensor is of the type employing a titania oxygen sensing element responsive to the partial pressure of oxygen in the exhaust gas. A ceramic insulator supports the titania oxygen sensing element and is of improved design. Prior designs have contributed to cold-working of the electrode lead wires connected to the titania oxygen sensing element. The improved insulator design has a pedestal located adjacent the passages in the insulator through which the lead wires pass for the purpose of minimizing cold-working of the lead wires. This aids in preventing fracture of the wires during their use in a feedback fuel control system employing the oxygen sensor.

Ceramic insulator for an exhaust gas oxygen sensor

A stoichiometric air/fuel ratio exhaust gas sensor construction particularly useful with variable resistance partial pressure of oxygen responsive sensor material is disclosed. A generally cylindrical mounting body, formed of corrosion resistant material, is arranged for receipt within the exhaust system of an internal combustion engine and is provided with a two-part ceramic insert member for support of a wafer of variable resistance sensor material. The ceramic insert member is comprised of a first portion having a slotted tip for receipt and support of the wafer of partial pressure of oxygen responsive ceramic sensor material. The ceramic insert member is arranged to position the wafer within a perforated shield member at a remote free end of the cylindrical housing body. The wafer includes a pair of extending high temperature resistant electrical conductors which are received within bores provided therefor in the ceramic insert member. The extending leads are electrically connected, proximate to the interface of the two-part ceramic insert member, to a pair of relatively flexible, electrically low resistance, high temperature resistant extending lead wires which are received within the second portion of the ceramic insert member.

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Livonia, MI, United States of America

Charles M Wells