Differential pressure sensor device having channel in fluid communication with a vent hole
AssigneeTE Connectivity Solutions GmbH
InventorsIsmael Brunner, Thomas Arnold, Predrag Drljaca, Jean-Francois Le Néal, Jean-Luc Billod
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a differential pressure sensor device, comprising a substrate, another layer formed on a main surface of the substrate and a first cavity and a second cavity separated from each other by a membrane. The first cavity is in fluid communication with a channel that is in fluid communication with a vent hole through which air can enter from an environment of the sensor device. The channel extends within the other layer or the substrate in a plane that is substantially parallel to the main surface.
Claims15
A differential pressure sensor device comprising:
- a substrate comprising a bottom main surface disposed along a bottom portion the device;
- a layer formed above the substrate on a top main surface of the substrate opposite the bottom main surface;
- a first cavity and a second cavity separated from each other by a membrane that is disposed on a top surface of the layer;
- and
- a housing that is attached with the layer and extends upwardly away from layer and the top main surface of the substrate, wherein the membrane is disposed within the housing;
- wherein the first cavity is in fluid communication with a channel that is in fluid communication with a vent hole configured to be in fluid communication with a reference pressure medium external to the device, wherein the channel extends within the layer or the substrate in a plane that is substantially parallel to the main surface of the substrate.
A method of manufacturing a differential pressure sensor device comprising the steps of:
- forming a substrate, wherein the substrate includes a top main surface and a bottom main surface that is opposite the top main surface, and wherein the substrate bottom main surface extends along a bottom portion of the device;
- forming another layer on the substrate top main surface;
- forming a channel in the other layer or the substrate in a plane parallel to the main surface of the substrate such that the channel forms a vent hole in a minor surface of the other layer or the substrate that is orientated perpendicular to the main surface of the substrate;
- attaching a pressure sensing element comprising a membrane to a top surface of the other layer;
- forming a through passage through the other layer and connecting to the channel;
- and
- attaching a housing over the other layer and substrate top main surface such that the pressure sensing element is disposed within the housing, wherein the pressure sensing element comprises a membrane having a first surface and a second surface that is opposite the first surface.
A differential pressure sensor device comprising:
- a substrate;
- a layer formed on a main surface of the substrate;
- a first cavity and a second cavity separated from each other by a membrane;
- and
- an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) and/or a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) or another pressure sensing element, wherein the MEMS is configured to output electrical signals indicative of pressure variations sensed by the membrane to the ASIC and the ASIC is configured to process the electrical signals by amplification and/or analog-to-digital conversion and/or noise filtering;
- wherein the first cavity is in fluid communication with a channel that is in fluid communication with a vent hole wherein the channel extends within the layer or the substrate in a plane that is substantially parallel to the main surface of the substrate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.