IP Library Granted Patent US 12,306,131
Granted Patent B2
US 12,306,131 · App. 17/283,185 · Granted May 20, 2025

Gas sensor

Inventors: Masana Okai (Nagoya, JP); Takehiro Oba (Nagoya, JP); Masaaki Ando (Nagoya, JP)
Assignee: NITERRA CO., LTD.
G01N27/4077G01N27/4062G01N27/4078G01N27/409
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,306,131
App. No.
17/283,185
Granted
May 20, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A gas sensor is configured to inhibit wear of a metal member contacting with a member containing ceramic. The gas sensor comprising: a first member containing ceramic; and a metal member contacting with the first member, wherein a hardness h1 of a contact part of the metal member contacting with the first member is greater than a hardness h2 of a reference part exhibiting a maximum thickness of the metal member.

Claims (16)

1. A gas sensor comprising:

a first member that is an electrode pad containing ceramic and a noble metal; and

a metal member that has a contact part contacting the first member and a reference part exhibiting a maximum thickness of the metal member, wherein

a hardness h1 of the contact part is greater than a hardness h2 of the reference part,

the metal member is a metal terminal electrically connected to the first member, and

the reference part has a flat shaped portion whose end is folded toward the contact part in a longitudinal direction of the metal member.

2. The gas sensor according to claim 1 , wherein

a thickness t1 of the contact part is smaller than a thickness t2 of the reference part.

3. The gas sensor according to claim 1 , wherein

the contact part is provided immediately adjacent to an end of the metal member.

4. The gas sensor according to claim 1 , wherein

the contact part is tapered.

5. The gas sensor according to claim 1 , wherein

the contact part is work-hardened such that the hardness h1 of the contact part becomes greater than the hardness h2 of the reference part.

6. The gas sensor according to claim 1 , wherein

the reference part is not subject to work hardening, or is subject to less work hardening than the contact part such that the hardness h1 of the contact part is greater than the hardness h2 of the reference part.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Sep 7, 2023
From: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
To: NITERRA CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 064842/0215 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 6, 2021
From: OKAI, MASANA; OBA, TAKEHIRO; ANDO, MASAAKI
To: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 055840/0299 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2019-078384 · Apr 17, 2019 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20210349051A1 · Nov 11, 2021
References Cited (17)
US 4857164A · Kodachi · 1989 [cited by examiner]
US 20010054552A1 · Matsuo · 2001 [cited by examiner]
US 20070128955A1 · Nishio · 2007 [cited by examiner]
US 20070202007A1 · Augstein et al. · 2007 [cited by applicant]
US 20090183988A1 · Imagawa · 2009 [cited by examiner]
US 20140147913A1 · Augstein et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20140190829A1 · Tabuchi et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20140302726A1 · Adachi · 2014 [cited by examiner]
CN 101124481A · 2008 [cited by applicant]
JP 1172471A · 1999 [cited by applicant]
JP 2007535660A · 2007 [cited by applicant]
JP 2009192523A · 2009 [cited by applicant]
JP 2012225737A · 2012 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2013065270A1 · 2013 [cited by applicant]
JP 2012-225737 machine translation (Year: 2012). [cited by examiner]
International Search Report mailed Jun. 16, 2020 for the corresponding PCT International Patent Application No. PCT/JP2020/011346. [cited by applicant]
Chinese Office Action dated Nov. 16, 2023 for the corresponding Chinese Patent Application No. 202080020057.1 (15 pages including English translation). [cited by applicant]