Strain gauge pressure sensor
AssigneeSensata Technologies, Inc.
InventorNeil S. Petrarca
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A pressure transducer assembly that includes a pressure-responsive diaphragm to which a sensing element is mounted and an electronic package that includes wire-bonding pads adapted be electrically connected to the sensing element by wire bonding equipment. The diaphragm and wire bonding pads are supported within the transducer so that they lie in proximity to each other and in non-intersecting planes.
Claims20
A pressure sensor assembly comprising:
- a pressure port having a base and a neck extending upwardly from the base, the neck including a sidewall;
- a fluid passageway formed through the base and into the neck, the base being connectable to a fluid pressure environment;
- a diaphragm disposed along the side wall of the neck, the diaphragm having an outer face and an inner face, the inner face exposed to the fluid passageway the sidewall of the neck having a flat outer surface that defines the outer face of the diaphragm, the inner surface of the neck machined to define a circular flat inner surface that parallels the outer face and defines the diaphragm;
- a sensing element responsive to diaphragm movement mounted on the outer surface of the diaphragm;
- an electronics package mounted adjacent the neck and including wire bonding pads to facilitate wire connection between the electronics package and the sensing element;
- the wire bonding pads and the diaphragm being disposed in planar alignment.
In a pressure transducer having a pressure port with a base and a neck extending upwardly from the base, a fluid passageway extending through the base and the neck, a diaphragm disposed on a sidewall of the neck and having an outer and inner faces, the inner face being in communication with the fluid passageway, an electronic package having wire bonding pads, and at least one strain gauge mounted to the outer face of the diaphragm, the improvement comprising:
- the diaphragm being disposed along a side of the neck, the sidewall of the neck having a flat outer surface that defines the outer face of the diaphragm, an inner surface of the neck machined to define a circular flat inner surface that parallels the outer face and defines the diaphragm;
- the diaphragm and the wire bonding pads being supported and disposed in planar alignment.
A method for making a pressure transducer comprising:
- providing a pressure port having a base, a neck extending upwardly of the base and a fluid passageway extending through the base and into the neck;
- forming the neck to define a diaphragm along the side of the neck and lying along a plane extending lengthwise of the pressure port, the sidewall of the neck having a flat outer surface that defines an outer face of the diaphragm, an inner surface of the neck machined to define a circular flat inner surface that parallels the outer face and defines the diaphragm;
- mounting a sensor element on the outer surface of the diaphragm;
- providing an electronics package having wire bonding pads to facilitate wire connection between the electronics package and the sensing element;
- supporting the package with the pads lying in planar alignment with the plane of the diaphragm;
- and
- using a wire bonding machine, attaching wires between points on the strain gauge and the wire bonding pads.
A pressure sensor assembly comprising:
- a pressure port having a base and a neck extending upwardly from the base, the neck including a sidewall and an access hole;
- a fluid passageway formed through the base and into the neck, the base being connectable to a fluid pressure environment;
- a diaphragm disposed along the side wall of the neck, the diaphragm haying an outer face and an inner face, the inner face exposed to the fluid passageway the sidewall of the neck having a flat outer surface that defines the outer face of the diaphragm, the inner surface of the neck machined to define a flat inner surface that parallels the outer face of the diaphragm;
- a sensing element responsive to diaphragm movement mounted on the outer surface of the diaphragm;
- an electronics package ,mounted adjacent the neck and including wire bonding pads to facilitate wire connection between the electronics package and the sensing element;
- wire bonding pads and the diaphragm being disposed in planar alignment the machining resulting from an access hole and plug for transverse access to the flat inner surface resulting in a discontinuity in the sidewall from the access hole.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.