Sense element assembly and method
AssigneeCustom Sensors & Technologies, Inc.
InventorsGary L. Casey, Marcos Nassar, Nhan Nguyen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Described herein is the sense element assembly for a capacitive pressure sensor and method for creating same that has increased sensitivity without additional size. The sense element assembly and method includes fabricating an off-centered elliptically shaped center electrode, at least one elliptical annular-like electrode around the center electrode, a ground electrode and a method for fusing the layers together to optimize sensitivity.
Claims13
A sensor element for a capacitive sensor comprising:
- a substrate assembly comprising:
- a substrate having a center,
- a first elliptically shaped electrode on the substrate having a first conductive terminal;
- a second substantially annular elliptically shaped electrode surrounding and not touching the first electrode, and the second electrode having a second conductive terminal;
- a diaphragm assembly comprising:
- a diaphragm,
- a ground electrode on the diaphragm having a ground conductive terminal;
- wherein the substrate assembly is sealed to the diaphragm assembly.
A method for fabricating a pressure sense element assembly for a capacitive pressure sensor, the method comprising the steps of:
- printing a first substantially elliptical electrode and a second substantially elliptical annular electrode onto a substrate,
- firing the electrodes,
- printing a first frit over the electrodes and substrate,
- drying the first frit;
- assembling a diaphragm by printing the common/ground electrode,
- firing the common/ground electrode,
- printing a second frit over the common/ground electrode and the diaphragm,
- drying the second frit;
- and
- firing the first or second frit;
- and
- fusing the diaphragm onto which the ground electrode has been fabricated to the substrate onto which the first and second elliptical electrodes have been fabricated to create the sensor assembly.
A sensor element for a capacitive sensor comprising:
- a substrate having a center, a first electrode off-center on the substrate having a first conductive terminal area;
- a second substantially annular electrode surrounding and not touching the first electrode, and the second electrode having a second conductive terminal area;
- a diaphragm,
- a ground electrode on the diaphragm having a ground conductive terminal;
- and
- one or more seals for sealing the substrate to the diaphragm.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.