Oxygen concentration sensor for an internal combustion engine

Patent · Thu Sep 29 04:00:00 EDT 1988

OSTI ID:6422693

Nakajima, T; Okada, Y; Mieno, T; Cono, N

This patent describes an oxygen concentration sensor, comprising: an oxygen ion conductive solid electrolyte member forming a gas diffusion restricted region into which a measuring gas is introduced; a pair of electrodes sandwiching the solid electrolyte member; pump current supply means applying a pump voltage to the pair of electrodes through a current detection element to generate a pump current; and a heater element connected to the solid electrolyte member for heating the solid electrolyte member for heating the solid electrolyte member when a heater current is supplied from a heater current source; wherein the oxygen concentration sensor detects an oxygen concentration in the measuring gas in terms of a current value of the pump current supplied through the current detection element and controls oxygen concentration in the gas diffusion restricted region by conducting oxygen ions through the solid electrolyte member in accordance to the flow of the pump current; and wherein the current detection element is connected to the electrode of the pair of electrodes facing the gas diffusion restricted region for insuring that the current value is representative of the pump current and possible leakage current from the heater current.

• Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo
• Patent Number(s): US 4787966
• OSTI ID: 6422693
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS
330100* -- Internal Combustion Engines
DIFFUSION
ELECTRODES
ELECTROLYTES
ELEMENTS
ENGINES
ENRICHMENT
FUEL SYSTEMS
GASEOUS DIFFUSION
HEAT ENGINES
HEATERS
INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
METERING
METERS
NONMETALS
OXYGEN
OXYGEN ENRICHMENT
PUMPS
SOLID ELECTROLYTES