direct conduction from the metal oxygen sensor housing to the intake manifold or other mounting location is decreased by introducing a gap ( e . g ., an air gap ) and a smaller mass of material in contact with the intake manifold . the heat flow from the housing to the mounting area is by convection and by conduction through a smaller cross section . this reduces the amount of heat transferred to the intake manifold and to the o - ring as shown in the thermal model of fig1 compared to the thermal model of fig9 representing a conventional arrangement . in the various constructions disclosed herein , the mounting surface of the o - ring is displaced from the sensor housing . the temperature rise of the mounting surface is reduced due the gap between the sensor housing and the mounting surface . if the sensor uses an elastomeric o - ring for mounting and sealing , the o - ring is protected from melting or taking a permanent set from the heat . the o - ring heat shield can have several constructions , some of which are described and illustrated herein . fig1 and 2 illustrate an o - ring heat shield member attached to the sensor at the flange and at the protection tube . fig3 and 4 illustrate an integrated flange and o - ring heat shield in which an o - ring heat shield member similar to fig1 and 2 further includes an integrated flange . fig5 and 6 illustrate an integrated o - ring heat shield and protection tube in which an o - ring heat shield member similar to fig1 and 2 further includes an integrated outer protection tube . fig7 and 8 illustrate an integrated flange and o - ring heat shield and protection tube in which an o - ring heat shield member similar to fig1 and 2 further includes an integrated flange similar to fig3 and 4 , and an integrated outer protection tube similar to fig5 and 6 . in all cases the device may be made in one piece or as an assembly of pieces from similar or dissimilar materials . fig1 and 2 illustrate a gas sensor 100 according to a first construction . the gas sensor 100 is particularly adapted for use in a low temperature ( non - exhaust ) environment such as an intake manifold 20 , for example , of an internal combustion engine . the intake manifold 20 may be non - metallic , and constructed of plastic or resin , for example . in addition , the gas sensor 100 can be used in another portion of an intake system of an internal combustion engine . for example , the gas sensor 100 can be used in a charge air cooler pipe , upstream of a throttle valve and intake manifold and downstream of an intercooler which receives compressed intake gas from a turbocharger . the charge air cooler pipe may also be non - metallic ( e . g ., plastic or resin ). the gas sensor 100 includes a sensor subassembly ( or “ short sensor assembly ”) 102 that includes a gas sensing element 104 positioned within a sensor sub - housing or body 106 and defining an axis x . the body 106 can be metallic . ceramic bushings 108 and a soft ceramic seal packing 110 can be used to position the gas sensing element 104 within the body 106 . outside the body 106 , an insertion portion 112 and a transverse flange portion 114 are provided . the insertion portion 112 receives an o - ring 116 , and is configured to be received within a bore 117 in the intake manifold 20 in sealing relationship . the insertion portion 112 and the o - ring 116 allow the sensor 100 to simply “ plug into ” the bore 117 in the intake manifold 20 ( e . g ., simple axial insertion into a non - threaded bore ). the flange portion 114 can include one or more apertures 118 to receive fasteners ( not shown ) for securing the sensor 100 to the intake manifold 20 or other structure . a gasket may also be provided between the flange portion 114 and the intake manifold 20 . one or more protection tubes 120 at a first end or sensing end a of the gas sensor 100 cover a sensing end of the sensing element 104 , while allowing fluid communication with passing gases . the first end of the sensing element 104 extends from the body 106 and , except for the protection tube ( s ) 120 , is otherwise exposed to ambient gas . when energized , the sensor subassembly 102 enables a gas sensing function of the gas sensor 100 ( e . g ., an oxygen sensor , such as a pumped - reference wide - band oxygen sensor ). at a second end b of the gas sensor 100 opposite the sensing end a , a connector housing ( not shown ) may be provided to cover the remote or interior end of the sensing element 104 and provide a plug housing or plug connector portion and electrical terminals or connectors for connection with an external plug member at the remote end b of the gas sensor 100 . alternately , a conventional wire harness can be coupled to the sensing element 104 at the second end b . it will be noted that the insertion portion 112 is provided by a wall 113 of considerably less thickness than that of the body 106 , and furthermore , the wall 113 forming the insertion portion 112 is spaced radially away from the outside of the body 106 to introduce a gap ( e . g ., an air gap ) therebetween . in some constructions , the gap defines a space that is in fluid communication with neither one of a process gas ( i . e ., gas to be sampled by the sensor 100 ) nor a reference gas chamber . the wall 113 can be an o - ring heat shield , which is provided to limit the amount of heat transferred from the sensing element 104 to the o - ring 116 during operation of the gas sensor 100 . by constructing the gas sensor 100 to limit the heat transfer to the o - ring 116 ( and to the insertion portion 112 ), the materials of the o - ring 116 and the surrounding structure ( e . g ., intake manifold 20 ) do not have to be specially modified to accommodate high temperature . for example , the o - ring 116 can be constructed of a common synthetic rubber ( e . g ., fluoropolymer elastomer such as viton ®), rather than a vastly more expensive perfluoroelastomer o - ring . in some constructions , the wall 113 has a material thickness between about 0 . 010 inch and about 0 . 030 inch . in some constructions , the gap between the body 106 and the insertion portion is between about 0 . 040 inch and about 0 . 250 inch , measured radially at the axial position of the o - ring 116 . the insertion portion 112 can be stamped metal ( e . g ., steel ) in some constructions . the insertion portion 112 may be secured and / or sealed with one or both of the body 106 and the flange portion 114 ( e . g ., by crimping , laser welding , adhesive bonding , etc .) at its respective ends , but is not in heat conductive relationship with the body 106 at any point between the ends of the insertion portion 112 . in other words , the insertion portion 112 has an axial length l 1 , between the ends of which , space is maintained between the inside of the wall 113 and any portion of the body 106 , the ceramic bushings 108 , the seal packing 110 , and the sensing element 104 . the length l 1 is defined as a portion corresponding to and overlapping with the bore 117 of the manifold 20 in cross - section . the length l 1 of the insertion portion can be at least twice an axial height or length l 2 of the o - ring 116 , which is positioned somewhere within the length l 1 . fig9 and 10 are thermal models comparing an o - ring 116 mounted on the body 106 to the o - ring 116 mounted on the insertion portion 112 , spaced from the body 106 by the gap . although the space between the outside of the body 106 and the inside of the wall 113 may be a closed or sealed space as described above , it may also be a vented space in some constructions . in some constructions , the wall 113 is sealed at a first axial end ( e . g ., by a circumferentially securing to the transverse flange 114 by laser welding or another means ) and unsealed at the opposite second end . although it may or may not be touching the body 106 at the second end , the second end may be completely free from connection to the body 106 . in some constructions , one or more venting apertures are provided in the wall 113 . fig3 and 4 illustrate a gas sensor 200 according to a second construction . the gas sensor 200 is particularly adapted for use in a low temperature ( non - exhaust ) environment . features of the gas sensor 200 that are similar to the gas sensor 100 are not described in detail again , and similar reference numbers are used , incremented by 100 . the gas sensor 200 is identical to the gas sensor 100 of fig1 and 2 , except that the wall 213 of the insertion portion 212 is integrally formed as a single piece with the transverse flange portion 214 . for example , the wall 213 of the insertion portion 212 and the transverse flange portion 214 can be stamped as a single contiguous piece . the flange portion 214 can have a wall thickness substantially equal to that of the wall 213 . this may be significantly thinner than the thickness of the flange portion 114 of fig1 and 2 , although the flange portion 114 may be provided with a thinner wall thickness in other constructions . fig5 and 6 illustrate a gas sensor 300 according to a third construction . the gas sensor 300 is particularly adapted for use in a low temperature ( non - exhaust ) environment . features of the gas sensor 300 that are similar to the gas sensors 100 , 200 are not described in detail again , and similar reference numbers are used , incremented by 100 . the gas sensor 300 is identical to the gas sensor 100 of fig1 and 2 , except that the wall 313 of the insertion portion 312 is integrally formed as a single piece with a protection tube 320 . for example , the wall 313 of the insertion portion 312 and an outer protection tube 320 of a pair of protection tubes 320 can be formed ( e . g ., stamped ) as a single contiguous piece . the protection tube 320 can have a wall thickness substantially equal to that of the wall 313 . fig7 and 8 illustrate a gas sensor 400 according to a fourth construction . the gas sensor 400 is particularly adapted for use in a low temperature ( non - exhaust ) environment . features of the gas sensor 400 that are similar to the gas sensor 100 , 200 , 300 are not described in detail again , and similar reference numbers are used , incremented by 100 . the gas sensor 400 is identical to the gas sensor 100 of fig1 and 2 , except that the wall 413 of the insertion portion 412 is integrally formed as a single piece with the transverse flange portion 414 as in the gas sensor 200 of fig3 and 4 , and is integrally formed as a single piece with a protection tube 420 as in the gas sensor 300 of fig5 and 6 . for example , the wall 413 of the insertion portion 412 , the transverse flange portion 414 , and the protection tube 420 ( e . g ., an outer protection tube ) can be stamped as a single contiguous piece . the flange portion 414 and the protection tube 420 can each have a wall thickness substantially equal to that of the wall 413 . various features and advantages of the invention are set forth in the claims .