IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,781,935
Granted Patent B2
US 11,781,935 · App. 17/721,842 · Granted Oct 10, 2023

Housing unit

Inventor: Hiroyuki Hayashi (Kanagawa Prefecture, JP)
Assignee: Mitutoyo Corporation
G01M3/16G01B21/22
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,781,935
App. No.
17/721,842
Granted
Oct 10, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

There is provided a housing unit having an immersion detection function, as a housing of an electronic device requiring waterproofing. A housing unit includes a casing liquid-tightly defining an internal housing space and housing an internal device in the housing space, and an immersion detector that detects whether liquid leak into the housing space of the casing. The casing includes a sealing means for waterproofing a joint, an entryway, or an opening. The immersion detector includes an electrolyte salt and a continuity detector that detects a change in conductivity when the liquid comes into contact with the electrolyte salt. The electrolyte salt is arranged inside the casing and further inside the casing than the sealing means.

Claims (35)

1. A housing unit comprising:

a casing liquid-tightly defining an interior housing space and housing an internal device in the housing space; and

an immersion detector configured to detect whether liquid leak into the housing space of the casing, wherein

the casing includes a sealing means for waterproofing a joint, an entryway, or an opening,

the immersion detector includes:

an electrolyte salt; and

a continuity detector configured to detect a change in conductivity when the liquid comes into contact with the electrolyte salt, and

the electrolyte salt is arranged inside the casing and further inside the casing than the sealing means.

2. The housing unit according to claim 1 , wherein

a recess or a porous body is provided inside the casing and further inside the casing than the sealing means, and

the electrolyte salt is provided in the recess or the porous body.

3. The housing unit according to claim 2 , wherein

the recess or the porous body is constituted by a plurality of sub-sections separated from each other,

the electrolyte salt is provided in each of the plurality of sub-sections, and

the continuity detector is configured to detect conductivity of each of the plurality of sub-sections.

4. The housing unit according to claim 2 , wherein

a plurality of rows of the recesses or a plurality of rows of the porous bodies are arranged in a direction from a side closer to the sealing means toward an inside of the casing.

5. The housing unit according to claim 3 , wherein

a plurality of rows of the recesses or a plurality of rows of the porous bodies are arranged in a direction from a side closer to the sealing means toward an inside of the casing, and

a gap between each adjacent two sub-sections of the plurality of sub-sections in a row close to the sealing means and a gap between each adjacent two sub-sections of the plurality of sub-sections in a row away from the sealing means are not positioned linearly.

6. The housing unit according to claim 1 , wherein

the continuity detector is configured to perform a continuity detecting operation at fixed intervals or before the internal device operates.

7. An electronic device comprising

the housing unit according to claim 1 ; and

an internal device housed inside the housing unit.

8. The electronic device according to claim 7 , wherein

the internal device is a sensor module,

the electronic device is a sensor device configured to detect physical displacement of an object to be measured,

the electronic device is incorporated in a drive unit of a machine tool, and

the continuity detector is configured to perform a continuity detecting operation in accordance with an ejection timing of cutting fluid.

9. A control method of the electronic device according to claim 7 , the control method comprising:

performing, by the continuity detector, a continuity detecting operation in accordance with an ejection timing of cutting fluid, wherein

the internal device is a sensor module,

the electronic device is a sensor device configured to detect physical displacement of an object to be measured, and

the electronic device is incorporated in a drive unit of a machine tool.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 15, 2022
From: HAYASHI, HIROYUKI
To: MITUTOYO CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 059614/0418 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2021-071421 · Apr 20, 2021 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220334018A1 · Oct 20, 2022
Cited By (3)
US 1,115,569 US 1,115,570 US 1,119,637