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US 8,984,950 B2Granted
Separation mode capacitors for sensors
AssigneeRosemount Aerospace Inc.
InventorDavid P. Potasek
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A capacitor for use in sensors includes opposed first and second capacitor plates, wherein the second capacitor plate is mounted to the first capacitor plate by a flexible attachment. The flexible attachment is configured and adapted so that flexure of the attachment causes a change in the spacing between the first and second capacitor plates to cause a change in the capacitance thereacross.
Claims11
A capacitor for use in sensors comprising:
- opposed first and second capacitor plates, wherein the second capacitor plate is flexibly mounted relative to the first capacitor plate by a flexible attachment configured and adapted so that flexure of the attachment causes a change in spacing between the first and second capacitor plates to cause a change in capacitance thereacross;
- a first substrate including the first capacitor plate and defining a flexible diaphragm;
- and
- a second substrate including the second capacitor plate, wherein the flexible attachment includes a pedestal mounting the second substrate to the diaphragm of the first substrate so deflection of the diaphragm causes a change in the spacing of the first and second capacitor plates for a change in capacitance indicative of forces acting on the diaphragm, wherein the first and second capacitor plates define an effective area therebetween in which the capacitor plates are configured to be displaced relative to one another when pressure acts on the diaphragm, wherein the effective area is larger in area than the diaphragm.
1 more element
A MEMS pressure sensor comprising:
- a first substrate including a pressure sensitive diaphragm and defining a first capacitor plate;
- and
- a second substrate mounted to the first substrate and defining a second capacitor plate opposed to the first capacitor plate to form a capacitor, the capacitance of which is variable depending on pressure acting on the diaphragm changing spacing between the first and second capacitor plates, wherein the first and second capacitor plates define an effective area therebetween in which the capacitor plates are configured to be displaced relative to one another when pressure acts on the diaphragm, wherein the effective area is larger in area than the diaphragm.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.