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US 6,919,521 B2Granted
Pressure sensor
AssigneeIP Development, LLC
InventorsBrian L. Miller, Dorothy H. J. Miller
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A pressure sensor integrated onto an electronic circuit substrate. The pressure sensor measures the effect of the ambient air pressure on a characteristic of the pressure sensor that can be translated into a variable pressure measurement. Another embodiment of the pressure sensor is a pressure switch having a set point that can be configured at, or after, the time of installation of the associated circuit substrate.
Claims37
A pressure sensor responsive to an ambient pressure, said pressure sensor comprising:
- a microwave resonant cavity defining a volume, said microwave resonant cavity including:
- an enclosure having an upper opening and a plurality of surfaces including a bottom surface and at least one side surface, one of said plurality of surfaces being formed from a circuit substrate;
- and
- a diaphragm covering said upper opening, said diaphragm forming a fluid-fight seal with said enclosure, said diaphragm responsive to the ambient pressure;
- and
- a sensing element in communication with said cavity, said sensing element having a property that varies with either of said volume and a deflection of said diaphragm, said property being readable by a measurement circuit.
3 more elements
A pressure sensor responsive to an ambient pressure, said pressure sensor comprising:
- a cavity defining a volume, said cavity including:
- an enclosure having an upper opening and a plurality of surfaces including a bottom surface and at least one side surface, one of said plurality of surfaces being formed from a circuit substrate;
- and
- a diaphragm covering said upper opening, said diaphragm forming a fluid-tight seal with said enclosure, said diaphragm responsive to the ambient pressure;
- and
- a sensing element in communication with said cavity, said sensing element having a property that varies with either of said volume and a deflection of said diaphragm, said property being readable by a measurement circuit, said sensing element being an oscillator operating in a frequency range selected from the group consisting of microwave frequencies, radio frequencies, and low frequencies, wherein said oscillator operates in said microwave frequency range, said pressure sensor further comprising a microwave resonator element disposed within said cavity, said microwave resonator element and said diaphragm being separated by a selected distance.
3 more elements
A pressure sensor responsive to an ambient pressure, said pressure sensor comprising:
- a cavity defining a volume, said cavity including:
- an enclosure having an upper opening and a plurality of surfaces including a bottom surface and at least one side surface, one of said plurality of surfaces being formed from a circuit substrate;
- and
- a diaphragm covering said upper opening, said diaphragm forming a fluid-tight seal with said enclosure, said diaphragm responsive to the ambient pressure;
- a dielectric filler substantially filling said volume;
- a plate disposed within said cavity, said plate cooperating with said diaphragm to form a variable capacitor, said capacitance varying as a distance between said diaphragm and said plate changes.
3 more elements
A pressure sensor responsive to an ambient pressure, said pressure sensor comprising:
- a cavity defining a volume, said cavity including:
- an enclosure having an upper opening and a plurality of surfaces including a bottom surface and at least one side surface, one of said plurality of surfaces being formed from a circuit substrate;
- and
- a diaphragm covering said upper opening, said diaphragm forming a fluid-tight seal with said enclosure, said diaphragm responsive to the ambient pressure;
- and
- a oscillator in communication with said cavity, said oscillator sensing variations in microwave frequencies resulting from changes in either said volume of said cavity and a deflection of said diaphragm;
- a microwave resonator element disposed within said cavity, said microwave resonator element being separated from said diaphragm by a selected distance;
- and
- a measurement circuit for reading variations said sensing element.
6 more elements
A pressure switch responsive to an ambient air pressure, said pressure switch comprising:
- an enclosure defining an internal volume and an upper opening, said enclosure having a plurality of surfaces including a bottom surface and at least one side surface, one of said plurality of surfaces being formed from a circuit substrate, said enclosure defining a through opening receiving said conductive member, said through opening having a diameter;
- a diaphragm covering said upper opening, said diaphragm forming a fluid-tight seal with said enclosure;
- and
- a conductive member cooperating with said diaphragm to signal when the ambient air pressure reaches a set point, said set point defined by a position of said conductive member relative to said diaphragm at a selected ambient air pressure, said conductive member being a substantially spherical member having a diameter, said set point being defined by said through opening diameter and said substantially spherical member diameter.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.