Sensor pre-load and weld fixture apparatus and method

A weld fixture apparatus, comprising:

• a fixture base upon which a SAW sensor package having a sensor base and a sensor cover is located a load bar associated with a spring, wherein said load bar is located perpendicular to and receives said spring, thereby providing a specific weight to said fixture base in order to assist in maintaining said sensor cover and said sensor base parallel to one another upon said fixture base;
• and
• a plurality of guideposts Integrated with said load bar in order to assist in maintaining said sensor cover and said sensor base parallel to one another upon fixture base;
• an adjustable load foot located above said fixture base, wherein said adjustable load foot applies a pre-determined load with a specific weight to said sensor base in order to maintain said sensor cover and said sensor base securely in place as said sensor base and said sensor cover are welded to one another in order to configure said SAW sensor package.

A weld fixture method, comprising the steps of:

• providing a fixture base upon which a sensor package having a sensor base and a sensor cover is located;
• associating a load bar with a spring, wherein said load bar provides a specific weight to said fixture base in order to assist in maintaining said sensor cover and said sensor base parallel to one another upon said fixture base, wherein said sensor package comprises a SAW sensor;
• and
• locating an adjustable load foot above said fixture base, wherein said adjustable load foot applies a pre-determined load with a specific weight to said sensor base in order to maintain said sensor cover and said sensor base securely in place as said sensor base and said sensor cover are welded to one another in order to configure said sensor package;
• tack welding said sensor cover to said sensor base in order to seal said sensor package utilizing low laser power, wherein said sensor cover and said sensor base are located perpendicular to a laser beam generated by said low power laser;
• thereafter stitch welding said sensor cover to said sensor base;
• and
• thereafter welding said sensor cover to said sensor base utilizing a high power laser.

A weld fixture method, comprising the steps of:

• providing a fixture base upon which a sensor package having a sensor base and a sensor cover is located;
• associating a load bar with a spring, wherein said load bar receives said spring and is perpendicular to said spring and provides a specific weight to said fixture base in order to assist In maintaining said sensor cover and said sensor base parallel to one another upon said fixture base;
• and
• locating an adjustable load foot above said fixture base, wherein said adjustable load foot applies a pre-determined load with a specific weight to said sensor base in order to maintain said sensor cover and said sensor base securely in place as said sensor base and said sensor cover are welded to one another In order to configure said sensor package.