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    sensores de gas

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
    7 views26 pages

    Sensor de Gas

    Uploaded by

    Jorge Andrade Benitez
    sensores de gas

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
    of 26
    2) United States Patent Kanao oy SENSOR AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THEREOF (75) Inventor: Kelji Kanao, Aichi-ken (1) (73) Assignoe:. DENSO CORPORATION, Katia (JP) (*) Notice: Suibjoct to any disclaimer, the term of this patent is extended of adjusted under 35 USC. 154(b) by 685 days. (21) Appl. Nos 12284298 (22) Filed: Oct, 20,2008, 6s) Prior Publication Data US 2000/0101508.A1 Apr. 23, 2009 G0) Forcign Application Priority Data (Oct. 18,2007 GP) 2007-271585 Sep. 2008 (JP) 2008-230168 GL Ince. Goin 2726 (2006.01) GOIN 27407 (2005.01), GOIN 27/406 (2006.01) (2) US.CL cre GOIN 27/807 (2013.01); GOIN 27/4062 (201301) (58) Fleld of Classification Search cre (GOIN 27/407; GOIN 27/4062 usp 208/421-4295 7931.05 ‘See application ile for complete search history. 66) References Cited US. PATENT DOCUMENTS 524650 a+ 911993 Wl eta Sis Hayakana oa aoe 'US009039879B2 US 9,039,879 B2 May 26, 2015 (10) Patent No. 4s) Date of Patent: 20010028522 A1* 102001 Kojima restos aon2014s2s0 AL* 102002 Wesel Talos PORPIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS ep ososo7 i195 2 unions "1908 @ 2004-503775 2 2004 @ dootoosiee = 32004 (OTHER PUBLICATIONS Iapanese Office Action date No 17,2009, sued corresponding Japanese Application No, 208-230168, with English ransaion, * cited by examiner Keith Hendricks Kourtney S$ Carlson (74) Attornes, Agent, or Firm — Nixon & Primary Examiner Assistant Examiner serhye PC on Ina gas sensor seasing a specific gas component coatsined in gas to hemeasured, oxygen ion conductive solid eleciolyteis ‘used in a sensing clement for sensing the spocifie gts com- ponent. A terminal unit is used, which comprises a pair of Jnsultors, each having an inner side surface, disposed to pinch and hold th bese end portion ofthe sensing element on the pair of electrode-mounted surfaces of the sensing ele ‘meat, The terminal unit comprises to pairs of metal termi tals and a spring member, The metal terminals eleetieally ccantaet elevizode pads of the sensing clement, pair by pai respoctvely and are disposed on the inner side saves ofthe insulators. The spring members press the pair of insulators at ‘one or more postions of elettade-mounted surfaces of the sensing element ina width direction so thatthe insulators are pressed to be oppose to each other ABSTRACT 10 Claims, 19 Drawing Sheets tae 2 U.S. Patent May 26, 2015 Sheet 1 of 19 US 9,039,879 B2 FIG. 1 7 (BASE END) Se-161 hS Lot IK q p 17 | 7 L 8 {i a, 323 324 PF 32 vest mT 3344 (TIP END) 154 153 ©@ os TH WD U.S. Patent May 26, 2015 Sheet 2 of 19 US 9,039,879 B2 FIG.2 \ zl 316 31 05 32 } 32 33 { i 33344 ; +21 ¥ 1-310 a —_——~ 322 1-32 322-4 a NS 333 TH U.S. Patent May 26, 2015 Sheet 3 of 19 US 9,039,879 B2 FIG. 3 7 22 aJ Gro 4 Ah23 23-p— 27 U.S. Patent May 26, 2015 Sheet 4 of 19 US 9,039,879 B2 FIG. 4 7. = Oe 314—_| | - fj | ~312 ii 316 l= 310 on 313 Ld FIG.5 311 = 314-4 I~} 314 310-77 p32 rom" U.S. Patent May 26, 2015 Sheet 5 of 19 US 9,039,879 B2 US 9,039,879 B2 Sheet 6 of 19 May 26, 2015 U.S, Patent FIG.7 U.S. Patent May 26, 2015 Sheet 7 of 19 US 9,039,879 B2 U.S. Patent May 26, 2015 Sheet 8 of 19 US 9,039,879 B2 FIG.9 323 321 U.S. Patent May 26, 2015 Sheet 9 of 19 US 9,039,879 B2 312 U.S. Patent May 26, 2015 Sheet 10 of 19 US 9,039,879 B2 RUGa U.S. Patent May 26, 2015 Sheet 11 of 19 US 9,039,879 B2 FIG.12 152 151 U.S. Patent May 26, 2015 Sheet 12 of 19 US 9,039,879 B2 _ L323 323 \ ( y 31 Jam x U.S. Patent May 26, 2015 Sheet 13 of 19 US 9,039,879 B2 FIG.14 41 32 316 31 32 310 35 pep \ \ FIG.15 41 32 316 31 41 | jy at I 41 32 316 31 41 310 U.S. Patent May 26, 2015 Sheet 14 of 19 US 9,039,879 B2 FIG.16 41 22 2 23 31 32 310 31 32 316 23 41 FIG.17 22 2 23 31 32 { \ | 310 31 32 316 23° 41 U.S. Patent May 26, 2015 Sheet 15 of 19 US 9,039,879 B2 FIG.18 333 333 332 33° 331 U.S. Patent May 26, 2015 Sheet 16 of 19 US 9,039,879 B2 FIG.19 32 33B 33A U.S. Patent May 26, 2015 Sheet 17 of 19 32 US 9,039,879 B2 U.S. Patent May 26, 2015 BN 34 Sheet 18 of 19 FIG. 21 331 33(33b) {I +— 332 33(33a) } 317 33 (33a) US 9,039,879 B2 U.S. Patent May 26, 2015 Sheet 19 of 19 US 9,039,879 B2 FIG. 22 PRIOR ART US 9,039,879 B2 1 GAS SENSOR AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THEREOF (CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED. "APPLICATION ‘The present application relates to and incorporates by rek= ‘erence lapanese Patent Applications No. 2007-271585 fled ‘on Oxt. 18, 2007 and No, 2008-230168 filed on Sep. 8, 2008, BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Technical Field ‘The present invention relates to a gas sensor used for detecting the concentration ofa specific gas (gas component) ‘contained in a gas to be measured and a method of manufac= turing the gas sensor, and in particular to the gas sensor provided with an oxygen ion conductive solid electrolyte member 2. Related Ae There has boon known a gs sensor for detecting the con ‘centration ofa specifi 2a (i.e. gas component) contained ia 1 gas to be measured, such as an exhaust gas from cars. This kind of gas sensors exemplified by EP patent appli ‘ation publication No, OS06897, A gas sensor disclosed by this publieation is provided with a cell having electrodes on both sides ofan oxyyen ion conductive solidelectolytemem- ber and an sensing element integrally having a heater ‘equipped with a heat generating device heating the eel. The scnsingelement has a base end portion on which there aretwo pairs of electmde pads elecrically connected to the heat ‘generating device and the electrodes, respectively. Practi- cally the sensing clement has two approximately parallel ‘lectrode-mounted surfaces, and, ofthe four electrode pas, ‘wo electrode pads are fixedly arranged at two given postions ‘ofeach eletrode-movnted surface, which re aligned inthe ‘width direction of each electtode-mounted surface. “The above configuration ofthe gas sensors exemplified in FIG. 22, in whieh there is provided a sensing element 92 having a base end portion 922 at which two electode- ‘mounted surfaces 923 are formed back to back. As shown, too metal pads 921 are secured on each electrade-mounted surface 928. The metal pads 921 come in contaet with metal lerminals 932 connected to external lead wires. A pair of base-sde insilators 991 has line side surfaces to be opposed to each other, on cach of which the to meal terminals 932 ‘are secured soasto touch the two metal pads 921 respectively: Thebase end portion 922 of the sensing element 92 i pinched (gripped) between the two paired base-side insulators 931.8 spring member 933, which is shaped into an approximately unui form, is placed o press the pared baseside insulators ‘931 so that eachor te insulators 931 is pressed inwaly. This pressing allows the two pairs of metal terminals 982 are oribly touched to the two paies of electrode pads 921 However, the use of the annular spring member 933 often results in uneven pressing force applied to the one pair of ‘loctrode pals 921 arranged in the width dieetion of each ‘eleciode-mounted surface 923, In sucha case, itis dificultto ive even contact pressure from the four metal terminals 932 to the four electrode pads 921 In particular, in eases whore both electrode-mounted sur- faces 923 ofthe sensing element 92 havea lower paralleism, the metal terminals have irogulartcs in their thicknesses, of the paired hase-sde insulators 99 are uneven in their shapes, is dificult to have even contact pressure ofthe electtode pads 921 tothe metal terminals 932, 2 Such iregulartiesin thecontoet pressure will cause regu Jarties in contact resistance between each electrode pol 921 and so each metal temninal 932. Thus, detection accuracy of cells inthe sensing element 92 may be reduced andioracti- ‘ation time ofthe cells may be delayed SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in consideration of | the foregoing dificulties and an object ofthe present inven- tion is fo provide a gas sensor that has the capability of ‘equalizing the contact pressure of the metal terminals to the electrode pads or lessening irregularities inthe contact pres- sure thereof, and a methodof manuficturing sch gas sensors nord to achieve the above object, the present invention provides as one aspect a gas sensor comprising:a sensing clement i) providing an axial direction in ane end of which a base end portion is provided aad providing a wid direction perpendicular tothe axial direction, i). cell eomposed of an ‘oxygen ion conductive solid electrolyte member, ii) pairof tlecimde-mounted surfaces formed to be back to back and theachotherin the width direction, and iv) heater cell, the cel being integrally assembled with the heater: an insulator through which the sensing element is inserted and held; a housing fixedly containing the insulator placed tobe inserted through the housing; two pairs of elee- {rode pads secured on the pair of electrode-mounted surlaces of the sensing elemeat in the base end portion so 8 to allows the electrode pads to provide electrical eonnetions for he ng the cel and for detecting concentration ofa specific gas to be measured, pairby pair, respectively wherein two ol the electrode pads are disposed on each elecrode-mounted sur- Tice separately at intervals inthe width ditecton: and ter inal unit comprising a pair of insulators, each having an inner side surface, disposed to pincls and hold the base end portion of the sensing element on the pair of elecirade- ‘mounted surfaces of the sensing element, fo pairs of metal ‘erminals electrically contacting the electrode pads, pairso by pir, respectively, and being disposed on the inner side su Tages of the insulators, anda spring member pressing the pair of insulators at one or more positions of the elecirde- ‘mounted surfaces of the sensing element in the width dinee- tion so thatthe insulators are presse to be opposed to excl other ‘As another aspect, the present invention provides a method ‘of manufaetinga gas sensor comprising:a sensing element 5) providing an axial direction in one end of whieh a base end portion is provided and providing a width decction perpen- icularto the axial direction, i) eell composed of an oxygen ‘on conductive solid electrolyte member, i) a pair of elee- {rode-mounted surfaces fonmed tobe back to back and paral- Jel with each other inthe width direction, and iv) 3 heater t0 heat the cell the cell being integrally assembled with the heater; an insulator through which the sensing clement is inserted and held; a housing fixedly containing the insulator placed to be inserted through the housing; and two pairs of electrode pads secured on the pair of electrode-mounted sur- aces of the sensing element in te hase end portion so as 0 allow the eletrode pads to provide electrical connections for hating the cell and for detecting a concentration ofa specific ss to be measured, pairby pair. respectively, wherein wo of the electrode pods are disposed on each electrode-mounted surface separately at intervals in the width digestion, the ‘manvfacturing method comprising steps of. preparing in ‘advance a terminal unit comprising a pair oF insulators, each faving an inner side surface, disposed to pinch and hold the base end portion ofthe sensing element on the pair of elee- US 9,039,879 B2 3 teode-mounted surfaces ofthe sea metal termi element, tv0 pales of ls electrivally contacting the electrode pads, pair by pair, respectively and being disposed on the inner side surfaces ofthe insulators, andl a spring member pressing the pair of insulators at one or more positions ofthe elecirode- ‘mounted surfaces of the sensing clement in the width dirce- tion so thatthe insulstors are pressed to be opposed to each ‘other, separating the pared insulators by applying 8 separa Ing free against a pressure fore ofthe spring member unt there is formed a pap between the two pairs of metal term nals, the gap being larger dhan a thickness between the elec- teode-mounted surfaces ofthe base end portion ofthe sensing ‘lesen; inserting the bse end portion f te sensing element Jno the yap: and releasing the separating force so that, with the two pairsaf metal terminals made i contact the electrode pa, the base end portion of the sensing element is fixedly ripped by the terminal unit BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS. In the accompanying drawings FIG. 1 isan axial sectional view ofa gas sensor according to a firstembodiment of the present invention, the axial sec- tional view being along an axial direction provided bythe gas FIG. 2s a sectional view ofa terminal nit employed by the gas sensor, which is taken along a TIL FIG. 1, where the terminal unit grips a sensing elemeat and the see- ‘ional view is perpendicular to the axial direction; FIG, 3 isa perspective view showing the sensing clement FIG. ie perspective view showing a base-side Insulator ‘employed by the gas sensor, TIG. 5 is plan view showing the base-sie insulator; FIG. 6 is a plan view showing the sensing element assembled with the base-sde insulator; FIG. 7 isa sectional view taken along an A-A lie in FIG. 2 FIG, 8 isa perspective view showing a pair of baseside insulators each assembled with metal terminals; IG. 9 is. perspective view showing the pair of base-side insalators each assembled with metal terminals and mutually ‘combined together, FIG. 10 isa perspective view of the terminal units FIG. 11 illustrates both the sensing element and the termi nal sounit, which s seen before mutually assembling thercof; FIG. 12 illustrates both the sensing element and the termi nal unit, which is seen after mutally assembling thereof FIG. 13 isa perspective view shoving a state where sepa rating jigs ret be arranged o both sides of the terminal nit inthe fist embodiment: FIG. 14 is a sectional view showing a state where the separating jigs are inserted into side-opend recesses of the terminal nit TIG. 18 is a sectional view showing a state where the separating jigs are expanded to expand the distance between the metal terminals ofthe terminal unit IG, 16s. sectional view shoving state where the base ‘end portion of the sensing element is inserted into the ‘expanded space between the metal terminals ofthe ternal FIG. 17 is a sectional view showing a state where the terminal unit fixedly grippes the base end portion of the sensing element TIG. IR is 8 perspective view showing spring member is ‘acconting to a modification ofthe fist embodiment 0 o 4 FIG, 19 isa perspective view showing a terminal unit and ‘spring member both of which are according w a second embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 20 sa perspective view showing a terminal unit and 4 spring member both of whieh are according to a third embodiment of te present invention; FIG. 24 isa perspective view showing a terminal unit and spring member both of which are aecording t0 a fourth ‘embodiment of the present ivention; and FIG. 22 isa sectional view shoving « base-sde insulator ripping a sensing element, which shows a conventional Stcture adopted by # conventional gas sensor DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS, (Fist Embodiment) Referring to FIGS, 1-18, 2 gas sensor and a method of ‘manufacturing the same according o first embodiment of the present invention will now be deseribed, 'FIG. 1 shows a gas sensor I according tothe first embod meat. The gas sensoris provided withasensing element 2and fn insulator 11 that holds the sensing clement 2 inserted therethrough, anda housing 12 that hold the insulator insu- Jating member) 11 inserted therethrovgh. The sensing ele- shown in detail) composed of an oxygen ion conductive solid electrolyte member having electrodes disposed on both sides ofthe electrolyte member, and a heater HT (not shown in etal) having a heating device that heats the eel. The cell CL. is integrally procaced with the heater. Accordingly, the sens- ing element 2 is able to sense a specie gas component eon- tained in gas to be measured, such as exis as, and outs nelecrie signal via signal electrodes to provide an external processor with the sensed results As shown in FIGS. 2 and 2, the sensing element 2 com- priest pairsof electrode pads 21 respectively, pairby pair, electrically connected to the heater HT and electrodes ofthe cell CL. The sensing clement 2 as a hase end portion 22 formed with two eloctrode-mounted surfaces 23 which are ‘ack to back an substantially parallel with each other, On the clectrde-mounted surfaces 23, the two pais of electrode pds 21 are securely mounted, OF those four electrode pads 21, two electrode pads 21 are mounted on each elevirode- ‘mounted surface 23 such that they are located in a width (lateral) direction WD of each eleetrode-mounted surface 23. ‘The wiih direetion WD i the lateral direetion i FIG. 2 As shown in FIGS, 2 and 12, the base end portion 22 of the sensing element 2 is prsped by a terminal unit 3. This termi ‘al nit 3 comprises signal pair of bases-sde insulators 31 and four (to pairs of) metal terminal 32. and four (two pairs ‘oD spring members 33. The single air of base-side insulators ‘31 are arranged to securely pinch (grip) the base end portion 22 of the sensing clement 2 between the pair of elecirode- ‘mounted surfaces 28. Every tWo ofthe four metal temninals 32 are secured om an inner side surface 310 ofeach base-ide insulator 31 at intervalsin the width direction WD so that each ‘metal terminal 32 comes in contact with each electrode pad 21, The spring members 38 are disposed to push the pair of ‘baseside insulators 31 so that the base-side insulators 31 become close to eae other. Of the spring members 33, every ‘so spring members are arranged at intervals in the width direction WD 80 a8 10 touch the outer side surface of each base-side insulator 31 ‘The spring members 33 are also illustrated in FIG. 9, in which the four spring members 33 are mutually united as 2 single device by a connecting member 34, Fach sping mem US 9,039,879 B2 5 ber 33 is blade spring, which comprises flat planar base part 331, a pair of sing parts 332 is each rising from an end Dfthebave part 331 and inva being bent, andoontaet pars $333 cach being formed atthe tip ofeach rising part 332 50 as to contact to base-side inslator 31, The connecting member ‘Miscomposed oftwa members both mutually connecting the ‘wo planar base parts 391 ofthe respective sping members 33 ‘oth ends ofeach planar base part 331, respectively. The to connecting members 34 ate mutually separated to fom sn opening 340 through which the sensing clement 2 is inserted. In FIGS. 9, 10,13 and 14, de terminal unit 3 comprises a plurality of side-oponed recesses 38 respectively opening in ‘different two directions which are parallel tothe electrode ‘movnted surfaces 23 and perpendicular to the axial direction AX ofthe sensing element 2 Theside-openes recesses 8 ae located between the paired base-sde insulators M1. “Assbown i FIGS. § and 6, each base-sde insulators 31 so ‘comprises fist positioning part 331, a second positioning part 312, ands third positioning par 313, which are protruded 2 trom its nner side surface 310, for positioning the hase end portion 22 ofthe sensing element 2. The first positioning part BI is for positioning the base end of the sensing clement 2, while the second and third positioning parts 312 and 313 are or both edges ofthe base end portion 22 inthe with diree- tion WD The fist to third positioning parts 311 to 313 are Jocated at positions ofthe base-sde insulator 31, which are not asymmetric to eachother in the width (lateral) direction wo. In addition, as shown in FIG. 8, the metal terminals see securely arranged on and along parts of the inner sce surface S310 of the base-side insulator 31, where the first 0 third Positioning parts S11 to 313 are not present at those parts of the inner side surface 30. “Assbown i FIGS. 4 and, each base-ide insulator 31 has atipend portionas wellasthe foregoing base end portion, and there are two eut portions 314 at each ofthe base and tip end portions. Fach tenminal plate 31 has two engaging portions $1 which engage with twooftheiscut potions 34, which are ithstated in FIG. 8 ‘Assbown in FIGS. 8and9, each base-sde insulator 31 has rear surface, on which thee ate formed two recesses 315. Heace the two base-side insulators 31. provide the four recesses 315 i total, so that the four contact parts 333 ofthe spring member members 33 canbe seated on the four recesses 315 for realizing tight contact thereto, Fach of the metal tenninals 32 comprises, a8 shown in FIGS. 2 and 8, a protruding contact part 322 that faces the ‘contact parts ofthe sensing element 2. As can be understood from FIGS. 8 to 12, each metal terminal 32 comprises lead ‘connecting portion 323 which is tobe electrically connected tw extemal lead wires 17. The lead connecting portions 323 ‘are located close to the base end side more than the base side insulator 31. The eleetrical connection between each lead ‘connecting postion 323 and each external lead wire 17 is, made by wrapping and caulking the extemal lead wine 17 ‘und in to the lead connecting portion 323, unter, each base-sie insulator 31 has, as shown in FIGS, 2 and 4-7, an insulative protrusion 316 that protrudes toward the sensing element 2. The contact herwoen each protruding ‘contact part 322 and each electrode pact 21 and the contact between each insulative protrasion 316 and the sensing ele- ‘ment 2 are shifted from eachother in the axial direction AX of the sensing element 2 as shown in FIG. 7. Hence, at the axial positions where the contacts are made between each protrd- {ng contact part 322 and each electrode pad 21 and cach insulative protrusion 316 and the sensing element 2, the 0 o 6 spring member 33 i able to pres the pair of base-side ins Iitore 31 so thatthe vo inslators 3 are pressed mutually inwardly in a thickness direction TH perpendicular to the ‘width direction WD. ‘The gas sensor I further comprises, as shown in FIG, 1, an inner element cover ISI and an outer element cover 152 ath ‘of which are secured on the tip end of the housing 12 0 as 10 ‘doubly coverthetipend portion ofthe sensing element 2. The ‘nner andl outer element cavers ISL and 1S2have aiholes 153 and 184, espectively, for inoducing a specific gas to be Setocted. "The housing 12 has also a bate end, on which a substan- tially cylindrical base-side cover 16 is bonded, which eon- ‘ins the terminal nit 3, as ilostated in FIG. 1. This base- side cover 16 asa base end portion closed by a rubber bush 61, through which the extemal lead wires 17 pass is airtight manner Tn manlacturing the ges sensor 1 according tothe present embodiment, the terminal unit 3 is frst assembled, as shown in FIGS. 8-10 Practically, as illustrated in PIG. 8, thetwo metal terminals 32 are attached to each ofthe pair of base-side insulators 31 Inthe next step shown in FIG. 9, the two base-side insta tors 3, to which the metal terminals have been attached, are combined to each other so as othe inner side surfaces M0 of both base-side insulators 31 are opposed to each other. In the next step shown in FIG. 10, the unified to spring members 33 are ft the pair of combined base-side insu tors 31 from the tp end portion thereof, so thatthe spring members 33 can hold the base-side insulators $1 therein Ja this held state, the contact pars 333 ofthe spring members 33 fre made to securely touch the recesses 315 of the base-side “insulators 31. In this way, the terminal nit 3 is assembled a the next step, as shown ia FIGS, 14 and 15, the pai of base-side insulators 3 ofthe terminal unit 3 issubjectod oan application ofa separating fore aginst the pressing force of the spring members 33. The separating foree is shown by amrows AL in FIG, 14. This separation using the separating orceisperformed until a spatial gap larger than the thickness between te paired electrode-mounted surfaces 23 at the base tend portion 22 ofthe sensing element 2 is produced between the to paies of metal terminals 32 Tea, as shown in FIG. 16, the base end portion 22 ofthe sensing element 2s inserted into the space produced between the Wo pairs of mal terminals 32 In the next step, the separating force which has been applied to the pair of base-side insulators 31 is released, so tat the pressing foree of the spring. members 33 becomes effective, as shown by arrows A2 in FIG. 17. Heace, withthe ‘wo pairs of metal terminals 32 made to touch te electrode pads 21 of the sensing clement 2 its base end portion 22 is held by the temninal unit 3 ina gripping manner. ‘Punter, s shown ia FIGS. 11 and 12, ia thestate where the sensing element 2s insertedand held through the insulator 11 Jbeld by the housing 11 the terminal unit 3 is attached to the base end portion 2 of the sensing element 2. In applying the separating force to the pair of baseside insulators 3, as shosen in FIGS. 13-17, a pair of separating jias 4 is inserted into each side-opened recess 35 of the ter ‘minal unit3, a8 so showin FIGS. 13-17. Thea, operating the separating jigs 4 makes it possible to separate the pair of base-side insulators. “That i, shown in FIGS, 19 and 14, the terminal unit 3s provided with the side-opened recesses 35, which are opens {rom the respective sides ofthe terminal unit 3 in the width ircetion. The sde-opencd recesses 38 are four in otal and ‘are two in each side ofthe terminal unit 3, In each side ofthe US 9,039,879 B2 7 terminal unit 3, each of the two side-opened recesses 38 is ormed between the pared base-ride insulators 31. Depend- Jing onthe axial positions of the side-opened recesses 38, the two pairs of separating jigs 4 each having inserting ends 41 ‘corresponding to such axial positions age prepare ‘As shown in FIG. 13, each pair of separating jigs 4, of ‘which inserting ends 41 are closed o each other, ssi front ‘ofeach side ofthe terminal unit3. Then, as shown in FIG. 14, the closed inserting ends 41 are inserted into each side- ‘opened recess 38 ofthe terminal unit 3 (refer to arows BI in FIG. 14), ‘Then, 2s shownin FIG. 18, each separating jy 4s operated to open its inserting ends from one the other. Hence, the basesside insulators 31, t© which the insering ends are attached forcibly, are separated from each other, so that the Space hetwoen the metal terminals 32 secured on the respec- tive insulators 31 is expanded, This expansion is made t0 mike the space larger than the base end portion 22 of the sensing element 2 ‘As showa in FIG. 16, into thespace between the base-side Insulators 31 which haveboen expanded, the baseend portion 22 ofthe sensing element 2 is then inserted ‘Then, each pair of separating jigs 4 are closed as shown in FIG. 17. Consequently, the base end portion 22 ofthe sensing

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