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US 4,965,415 AGranted
Microengineered diaphragm pressure switch
AssigneeThorn EMI plc
InventorsDonald C. Young, Philim B. Daniels
Life of this patent
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AssigneeThorn EMI plc
InventorsDonald C. Young, Philim B. Daniels
Estimating the term…
A microengineered pressure actuated switch includes a domed diaphragm having a snap-action response between defined states (d.sub.1, d.sub.5) of the diaphragm. This response is to an applied pressure differential across the diaphragm. The diaphragm is supported on a substrate of semiconductor material. In a method of making such a switch, a layer of inorganic material is provided on one side of a substrate of semiconductor material. Semiconductor material is removed from the substrate such that a defined region of the layer is not in contact with the semiconductor material, this defined region forming the diaphragm. The layer of inorganic material is so stressed that after semiconductor material is removed, the layer assumes a domed configuration and incorporates a pre-bias in the direction of doming.
A micro-engineered fluid pressure actuated switch including a domed diaphragm undergoing a snap-action response, wherein a first electrical contact is provided on a backing member of said switch and a second electrical contact is provided on said diaphragm so as to cooperate with the first electrical contact, said snap action response being to an applied fluid pressure differential across said diaphragm and thereby causes said contacts to make or break, and wherein said diaphragm is supported on a substrate of semiconductor material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.