IP Library Granted Patent US 7,189,363
Granted Patent B2
US 7,189,363 · App. 10/443,736 · Granted Mar 13, 2007

Gas detector

Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,189,363
App. No.
10/443,736
Granted
Mar 13, 2007
Kind
B2
Abstract

Of a gas detector 100, a chamber 105 formed between a center cover 150 and a cover 160 is a part of an air flow channel AF. A first shielding plate 165 is provided in the chamber 105. Water droplets that have entered the chamber from a chamber entrance 103 with air hit and adhere to an entrance-opposed surface 165 E of the first shielding plate 165. The water thus adhering to the surface is pushed by the air flowing along the entrance-opposed surface 165 E and by gravity, to thereby advance downward. The water then drips downward and is accumulated on a bottom wall surface 105 WD which serves as an upper surface of a bottom wall section 161 WD. The water is pushed by the flow of air, to thereby advance toward a chamber exit 104. The water is then drained downward from the chamber exit 104.

Claims (21)

1. A gas detector comprising:

a case having an interior wall surface constituting a flow channel therein, through which air flows; and

a gas sensor which is disposed in the case and detects a change in the concentration of specific gas in the air flowing through the flow channel, wherein

when the gas detector is disposed in a setup state, the case includes

a chamber wall surface which constitutes a chamber occupying at least a portion of the flow channel belonging to the interior wall surface; and which includes a bottom wall surface for constituting a bottom surface of the chamber, a chamber entrance that is situated on a side of the chamber and opens toward an upstream portion of the flow channel, a chamber exit that is situated on a side of the chamber, opens toward a downstream portion of the flow channel, has a lower open edge remaining flush with or situated lower than the entrance of the chamber, and has a portion of the bottom wall surface taken as a portion of the open edge, and an air vent that is provided toward the exit of the chamber when viewed from the entrance of the chamber and at a position higher than the bottom wall surface and guides air to the gas sensor; and

an entrance-side shielding member which is situated between the chamber entrance and the air vent, both belonging to the chamber; which shields the air vent when viewed from the entrance of the chamber; and which constitutes a first lower gap between the lowermost portion of the entrance-side shielding member and the bottom wall surface and circulates at least a portion of the air that has flowed into the chamber, and wherein

the bottom wall surface constitutes a horizontal plane or assumes a plate-like shape which becomes lower as the bottom wall surface approaches the exit of the chamber.

2. The gas detector according to claim 1 , wherein

the wall surface of the chamber includes an upper wall surface constituting an upper surface of the plate-like chamber; and

the entrance-side shielding member constitutes a first upper gap, through which at least a portion of the air having flowed into the chamber circulates, between the highest portion of the entrance-side shielding member and the upper wall surface.

3. The gas detector according to claim 1 , wherein

a surface of the entrance-side shielding member opposing the entrance of the chamber has a geometry that a lower portion of the surface becomes distant from the entrance of the chamber.

4. The gas detector according to claim 1 , further comprising:

an exit-side shielding member which is situated between the air vent of the chamber and the exit of the chamber; which shields the air vent when viewed from the exit of the chamber; and which constitutes a second lower gap between the lowermost section of the exit-side shielding member and the bottom wall surface and through which at least the air having flowed into the chamber circulates.

5. The gas detector according to claim 1 , wherein

a surface of the exit-side shielding member opposing the exit of the chamber has a geometry that a lower portion becomes distant from the exit of the chamber.

6. The gas detector according to claim 1 , wherein

the chamber formed from the wall constitutes a plate-like chamber whose dimension in a direction orthogonal to a direction in which the entrance of the chamber is connected to the exit of the chamber, with respect to a horizontal direction, is smaller than a distance between the entrance of the chamber and the exit of the same and smaller than a vertical dimension of the chamber; and

the air vent is formed in a side wall surface of the wall surface of the chamber in a direction in which the entrance of the chamber is connected to the exit of the same.

7. The gas detector according to claim 1 , wherein

at least either the gas-sensor-side air vent or the opposite-side air vent of the air vents is coated with a filtering material which enables circulation of air but prevents circulation of water droplets.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 23, 2003
From: OSAWA, NORIMASA; HIRAI, KAZUTO; KOYAMA, YUICHI
To: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 014109/0575 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP P.2002-151054 · May 24, 2002 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20030235516A1 · Dec 25, 2003