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US 6,550,339 B1Granted
Pressure sensor for detecting differential pressure between two spaces
AssigneeDenso Corporation
InventorsInao Toyoda, Yasutoshi Suzuki
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A pressure sensor has two sensor elements respectively disposed in different pressure spaces A and B. Each of the sensor elements has a semiconductor substrate having a pressure reference chamber therein, a diaphragm formed as a wall defining the pressure reference chamber, and gauges for converting deformation of the diaphragm into an electric signal. The two sensor elements overlap with each other at sides opposite to the respective diaphragms, and close a hole formed in a partition member partitioning the two pressure spaces A and B. A differential pressure between the pressure spaces A and B is detected as a relative pressure by a difference between outputs from the two sensor elements.
Claims17
A pressure sensor comprising:
- a partition member;
- first and second sensor elements, each comprising:
- a semiconductor substrate having a pressure reference chamber therein;
- a diaphragm formed as a wall defining the pressure reference chamber;
- and
- a conversion member for converting deformation of the diaphragm into an electric signal;
- and
- a signal processing element for processing the electric signal that is provided in one of the first and second sensor elements,
- wherein the signal processing element is a signal processing circuit;
- wherein the first and second sensor elements are respectively disposed in first and second pressure spaces, which are different from each other and separated from each other by the partition member to respectively have first and second pressures;
- wherein the partition member includes thereon a conductive member that electrically connects the first sensor element with the second sensor element;
- wherein a differential pressure between the first and second pressures is detected as a relative pressure by a difference between outputs from the first and second sensor elements.
9 more elements
A pressure sensor comprising:
- a partition member;
- first and second sensor elements, each comprising:
- a semiconductor substrate having a pressure reference chamber therein;
- a diaphragm formed as a wall defining the pressure reference chamber;
- and
- a conversion member for converting deformation of the diaphragm into an electric signal;
- and
- a signal processing element for processing the electric signal that is provided in one of the first and second sensor elements, wherein:
- the signal processing element is a signal processing circuit;
- the first and second sensor elements are respectively disposed in first and second pressure spaces, which are different from each other and separated from each other by the partition member to respectively have first and second pressures;
- the partition member includes thereon a conductive member that electrically connects the first sensor element with the second sensor element;
- a differential pressure between the first and second pressures is detected as a relative pressure by a difference between outputs from the first and second sensor elements;
- and
- the signal processing element includes a first signal processing element provided in the first sensor element and a second signal processing element having a constitution different from the first signal processing element and provided in the second sensor element.
11 more elements
A pressure sensor comprising:
- a partition member;
- first and second sensor elements, each comprising:
- a semiconductor substrate having a pressure reference chamber therein;
- a diaphragm formed as a wall defining the pressure reference chamber;
- and
- a conversion member for converting deformation of the diaphragm into an electric signal;
- and
- a signal processing element for processing the electric signal that is provided in one of the first and second sensor elements, wherein:
- the signal processing element is a signal processing circuit;
- the first and second sensor elements are respectively disposed in first and second pressure spaces, which are different from each other and separated from each other by the partition member to respectively have first and second pressures;
- the partition member includes thereon a conductive member that electrically connects the first sensor element with the second sensor element;
- a differential pressure between the first and second pressures is detected as a relative pressure by a difference between outputs from the first and second sensor elements;
- the partition member is composed of resin and has another conductive member to output a signal from one of the sensor elements;
- the another conductive member is insert-molded in the partition member;
- and
- the pressure sensor further comprises a protective member covering a joining portion between the partition member and the another conductive member.
13 more elements
A pressure sensor for detecting a differential pressure between first and second spaces, the pressure sensor comprising:
- a partition member partitioning first and second pressure spaces respectively having first and second pressures;
- a first sensor element having a first sensor main surface which has a diaphragm exposed to the first pressure space to be deformed in response to the first pressure, and a first sensor back surface which is bonded to a first surface of the partition member with an area smaller than an area of the first surface of the partition member;
- and
- a second sensor element having a second sensor main surface which has a diaphragm exposed to the second pressure space to be deformed in response to the second pressure,
- wherein the partition member includes a conductive member that electrically connects the first sensor element with the second sensor element.
2 more elements
A pressure sensor comprising:
- a partition member;
- first and second sensor elements, each comprising:
- a semiconductor substrate having a pressure reference chamber therein;
- a diaphragm formed as a wall defining the pressure reference chamber, and
- a conversion member for converting deformation of the diaphragm into an electric signal;
- and
- a signal processing element for processing the electric signal that is provided in one of the first and second sensor elements, wherein:
- the signal processing element is a signal processing circuit;
- the first and second sensor elements are respectively disposed in first and second pressure spaces, which are different from each other and separated from each other by the partition member to respectively have first and second pressures;
- the partition member includes thereon a conductive member that electrically connects the first sensor element with the second sensor element;
- a differential pressure between the first and second pressures is detected as a relative pressure by a difference between outputs from the first and second sensor elements;
- and
- the signal processing element includes one of a bipolar transistor element, a MOS transistor element, and a Bi-CMOS transistor element and is provided only in the first sensor element.
10 more elements
A pressure sensor comprising:
- a partition member;
- first and second sensor elements, each comprising:
- a semiconductor substrate having a pressure reference chamber therein;
- a diaphragm formed as a wall defining the pressure reference chamber;
- and
- a conversion member for converting deformation of the diaphragm into an electric signal;
- and
- a signal processing element for processing the electric signal that is provided in one of the first and second sensor elements, wherein:
- the signal processing element is a signal processing circuit;
- the fist and second sensor elements are respectively disposed in first and second pressure spaces, which are different from each other and separated from each other by the partition member to respectively have first and second pressures;
- the partition member includes thereon a conductive member that electrically connects the first sensor element with the second sensor element;
- a differential pressure between the first and second pressures is detected as a relative pressure by a difference between outputs from the first and second sensor elements;
- the signal processing element includes a first signal processing element provided in the first sensor element and a second signal processing element provided in the second sensor element;
- and
- each signal processing element includes one of a bipolar transistor element, a MOS transistor element, and a Bi-CMOS transistor element such that each signal processing element includes a different type of transistor element from each other.
12 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.