IP Library Granted Patent US 12,339,155
Granted Patent B2
US 12,339,155 · App. 17/910,505 · Granted Jun 24, 2025

Sensor

Inventor: Akira Sasaki (Mie-ken, JP)
Assignee: Kuwana Metals, Ltd.
G01F23/72
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,339,155
App. No.
17/910,505
Granted
Jun 24, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A sensor comprises a protecting tube fixed to a through hole formed in a partition of a container, a detection part arranged inside the protecting tube, conducting wires connected with the detection part in the inside of the protecting tube, and a fixing member fixed to the partition, and the conducting wires are detachably fixed to the fixing member outside the protecting tube. In a preferred embodiment, the container is an airtight container, and the protecting tube is fixed to the partition indivisibly and integrally. Thereby, a sensor which comprises a detection part and conducting wires in the inside of a protecting tube fixed to a partition of a container and makes it possible to easily exchange a part of members at the time of malfunction and easily adjust a position of the detection part, etc., by a simple structure can be provided.

Claims (75)

1. A sensor comprising a protecting tube, a detection part, conducting wires and one fixing member, characterized in that:

said protecting tube is fixed to a through hole formed in a partition of a container,

an inner end that is one end of said protecting tube is located in the inside of said container, and an outer end that is the other end of said protecting tube opens toward the outside of said container,

said detection part is housed in the inside of said protecting tube,

one end of said conducting wires is connected to said detection part in the inside of said protecting tube, and the other end of said conducting wires protrudes toward the outside of said container from said outer end,

said fixing member is fixed to said partition, and fixes said conducting wires detachably in the outside of said protecting tube,

said conducting wires are prevented from moving in a longitudinal direction of said protecting tube in the inside of said protecting tube only by said fixing member and said detection part connected to said conducting wires is held at a predetermined position in the inside of said protecting tube, and

said detection part is configured to move from the predetermined position to a different position in the inside of said protecting tube in response to:

releasing only the fixation of said conducting wires to said fixing member,

adjusting a position of said conducting wires in the longitudinal direction of said protecting tube, and

detachably fixing said conducting wires to said fixing member, wherein the different position of the detection part is determined by said adjusted position of said conducting wires with respect to said fixing member.

2. The sensor according to claim 1 , characterized in that:

said fixing member comprises a main body fixed to said partition and a fixing piece which can be joined to said main body, and

said conducting wires are pinched and fixed between said main body and said fixing piece.

3. The sensor according to claim 2 , characterized in that:

one of said main body or said fixing piece comprises a fixing hole,

the other of said main body or said fixing piece comprises a convex part at a position corresponding to a position of said fixing hole, and

said conducting wires are pushed out toward said fixing hole with said convex part to be fixed, by joining said fixing piece to said main body.

4. A sensor comprising a protecting tube, a detection part, conducting wires and one fixing member, characterized in that:

said protecting tube is fixed to a through hole formed in a partition of a container,

an inner end that is one end of said protecting tube is located in the inside of said container, and an outer end that is the other end of said protecting tube opens toward the outside of said container,

said detection part is housed in the inside of said protecting tube,

said detection part is a detection part using one or more detection parts chosen from a group consisting of a thermistor, a resistance temperature detector, a thermocouple, a Hall element and a reed switch,

one end of said conducting wires is connected to said detection part in the inside of said protecting tube, and the other end of said conducting wires protrudes toward the outside of said container from said outer end,

said fixing member is fixed to said partition, and fixes said conducting wires detachably in the outside of said protecting tube,

said conducting wires are prevented from moving in a longitudinal direction of said protecting tube in the inside of said protecting tube only by said fixing member and said detection part connected to said conducting wires is held at a predetermined position in the inside of said protecting tube, and

said detection part is configured to move from the predetermined position to a different position in the inside of said protecting tube in response to:

releasing only the fixation of said conducting wires to said fixing member,

adjusting a position of said conducting wires in the longitudinal direction of said protecting tube, and

detachably fixing said conducting wires only to said fixing member.

5. The sensor according to claim 4 , characterized in that:

said fixing member comprises a main body fixed to said partition and a fixing piece which can be joined to said main body, and

said conducting wires are pinched and fixed between said main body and said fixing piece.

6. The sensor according to claim 5 , characterized in that:

one of said main body or said fixing piece comprises a fixing hole,

the other of said main body or said fixing piece comprises a convex part at a position corresponding to a position of said fixing hole, and

said conducting wires are pushed out toward said fixing hole with said convex part to be fixed, by joining said fixing piece to said main body.

7. The sensor according to claim 4 , characterized in that:

said container is a liquid storage tank,

said detection part is a detection part using a Hall element or a reed switch, and

said sensor further comprises a float which comprises a permanent magnet and can move in the longitudinal direction of said protecting tube.

8. A sensor comprising a protecting tube, a detection part, conducting wires and one fixing member, characterized in that:

said protecting tube is fixed to a through hole formed in a partition of a container,

an inner end that is one end of said protecting tube is located in the inside of said container, and an outer end that is the other end of said protecting tube opens toward the outside of said container,

said container is an airtight container,

said protecting tube is fixed indivisibly and integrally with said partition,

said inner end is closed,

said detection part is housed in the inside of said protecting tube,

one end of said conducting wires is connected to said detection part in the inside of said protecting tube, and the other end of said conducting wires protrudes toward the outside of said container from said outer end,

said fixing member is fixed to said partition, and fixes said conducting wires detachably in the outside of said protecting tube,

said conducting wires are prevented from moving in a longitudinal direction of said protecting tube in the inside of said protecting tube only by said fixing member and said detection part connected to said conducting wires is held at a predetermined position in the inside of said protecting tube, and

said detection part is configured to move from the predetermined position to a different position in the inside of said protecting tube in response to:

releasing only the fixation of said conducting wires to said fixing member,

adjusting a position of said conducting wires in the longitudinal direction of said protecting tube, and

detachably fixing said conducting wires only to said fixing member.

9. The sensor according to claim 8 , characterized in that:

said fixing member comprises a main body fixed to said partition and a fixing piece which can be joined to said main body, and

said conducting wires are pinched and fixed between said main body and said fixing piece.

10. The sensor according to claim 9 , characterized in that:

one of said main body or said fixing piece comprises a fixing hole,

the other of said main body or said fixing piece comprises a convex part at a position corresponding to a position of said fixing hole, and

said conducting wires are pushed out toward said fixing hole with said convex part to be fixed, by joining said fixing piece to said main body.

11. The sensor according to claim 8 , characterized in that:

said detection part is a detection part using one or more detection parts chosen from a group consisting of a thermistor, a resistance temperature detector, a thermocouple, a Hall element and a reed switch.

12. The sensor according to claim 11 , characterized in that:

said container is a liquid storage tank,

said detection part is a detection part using a Hall element or a reed switch, and

said sensor further comprises a float which comprises a permanent magnet and can move in the longitudinal direction of said protecting tube.

13. The sensor according to claim 8 , characterized in that:

said container is a liquid storage tank,

said detection part is a detection part using a Hall element or a reed switch, and

said sensor further comprises a float which comprises a permanent magnet and can move in the longitudinal direction of said protecting tube.

14. The sensor according to claim 8 , characterized in that:

said sensor further comprises a spacer which has a predetermined length, and

said spacer is disposed on said inner end side of said detection part in the inside of said protecting tube.

Assignments (4)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE EXECUTION DATE PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 69875 FRAME 383. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE CHANGE OF NAME. Recorded Feb 4, 2025
From: HITACHI METALS, LTD.
To: PROTERIAL, LTD.
Reel/Frame 070611/0881 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 16, 2025
From: PROTERIAL, LTD.
To: KUWANA METALS, LTD.
Reel/Frame 069900/0081 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Dec 3, 2024
From: HITACHI METALS, LTD.
To: PROTERIAL, LTD.
Reel/Frame 069875/0383 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 13, 2022
From: SASAKI, AKIRA
To: HITACHI METALS, LTD.
Reel/Frame 061074/0756 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2020-053575 · Mar 25, 2020 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230136617A1 · May 4, 2023
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