Internal combustion engine exhaust gas oxygen sensor and catalyzer combination

US4132615A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Robert Bosch GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Ernst Linder · Mühlacker, DE
• Leo Steinke · Waiblingen, DE
• Franz Rieger · Aalen, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 6, 1976
• Grant date: Jan 2, 1979
• Expiry date: Dec 6, 1996

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01N31/10
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

To avoid temperature shock and mechanical damage to oxygen sensors with ion conductive solid electrolytes exposed to the exhaust gases of internal combustion engines, a catalyst, for example in the form of aluminum oxide pellets having a catalyzing surface layer, is located to surround the oxygen sensor, or just in advance of the oxygen sensor in a bypass pipe, branching off from the exhaust gas pipe of the engine to take samples of the exhaust gases so that the sensor and catalyst form an assembly, or sensing combination. The catalyzing layer may be platinum, or a platinum metal, or an alloy of platinum with aluminum, cobalt, nickel, or chromium, or may be mineral wool, or wool of glass, or asbestos fibers having their surface coated with any of the foregoing catalysts.