Air pressure sensing system

• US 10,072,999 B2
• Filed: 08/11/2016
• Issued: 09/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Merry Electronics Suzhou Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Merry Electronics Suzhou Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Chen, Jen-Yi, Wang, Chun-Chieh, Chang, Chao-Sen, Chang, Yung-Shiang
• Primary Examiner(s): ALLEN, ANDRE J
• Application Number:
  US15/233,964
• Publication Number:
  US 20170343441A1
• Time in Patent Office: 761 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 13/025 using diaphragms
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 15/00 Devices or apparatus for measuring two or more fluid pressure values simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 19/0007 Fluidic connecting means
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 19/143 Two part housings
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 9/0054 integral with a semiconducting diaphragm
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 9/0073 using a semiconductive diaphragm

Abstract

An air pressure sensing system including a first sensing unit and a second sensing unit is provided. The first sensing unit includes a substrate, a diaphragm, and a supporting member. The substrate has a cavity connected with an exterior environment. The diaphragm is movably and deformably disposed at the substrate and suspended in the cavity. An electrostatic force is provided to the substrate and the diaphragm to move the diaphragm, such that a portion of the base, the supporting member and the diaphragm are contacted with each other and a closed space is formed therebetween in the cavity. The closed space and the exterior environment are divided by the diaphragm, and the diaphragm is deformed due to an air pressure difference between the closed space and the exterior environment. An air pressure sensing method is also provided.

Claims

1. An air pressure sensing system, comprising a first sensing unit and a second sensing unit, wherein the first sensing unit comprises:

a substrate, having a cavity connected with an exterior environment;

a diaphragm, movably and deformably disposed at the substrate and suspended in the cavity; and

a supporting member, disposed between the substrate and the diaphragm, wherein an electrostatic force is provided between the substrate and the diaphragm to drive the diaphragm, such that a portion of the substrate, the supporting member and the diaphragm are contacted with each other and a closed space is formed in the cavity, the exterior environment and the closed space are divided by the diaphragm, and the diaphragm is deformed due to an air pressure difference between the exterior environment and the closed space.

2. The air pressure sensing system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

an elastic member, connected between the substrate and the diaphragm, wherein the electrostatic force drives the diaphragm to move toward the substrate and deforms the elastic member, such that the cavity forms the closed space, and when the electrostatic force is removed, an elastic restoring force of the elastic member drives the diaphragm to return to its original position, and the cavity is connected with the exterior environment.

3. The air pressure sensing system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a control module, electrically connected to the first sensing unit and the second sensing unit, wherein when the closed space is not formed, a signal processing unit of the control module senses an air pressure of the exterior environment through the second sensing unit, and when the closed space is formed, the signal processing unit senses an air pressure variation of the exterior environment through deformation of the diaphragm.

4. The air pressure sensing system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a housing, wherein the first sensing unit, the second sensing unit and the control module are disposed in the housing, and the housing has an opening connected with the exterior environment and internal of the housing.

5. The air pressure sensing system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the substrate comprises:

a non-conductive region; and

a conductive region, overlapped on the non-conductive region, wherein a driving unit of the control module provides a bias to the conductive region and the diaphragm to produce the electrostatic force between the conductive region and the diaphragm.

6. The air pressure sensing system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the supporting member and the diaphragm are an integral structure, and the supporting member extends from the diaphragm toward the non-conductive region, the electrostatic force drives the diaphragm to move toward the conductive region, such that the supporting member contacts the non-conductive region to form the closed space.

7. The air pressure sensing system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the cavity comprises at least a first space and at least a second space, the first space and the second space are connected with each other through at least one gap of the substrate, when the supporting member does not contact the non-conductive region, the first space and the second space are connected with the exterior environment, and when the supporting member contacts the non-conductive region, the first space and the second space form the closed space.

8. The air pressure sensing system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the supporting member and the substrate are an integral structure, and the supporting member extends from the non-conductive region toward the diaphragm, and the electrostatic force drives the diaphragm to move toward the conductive region, such that the diaphragm contacts the supporting member to form the closed space.

9. The air pressure sensing system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the cavity comprises at least a third space, when the diaphragm does not contact the supporting member, the third space is connected with the exterior environment, and when the diaphragm contacts the supporting member, the third space forms the closed space.

10. The air pressure sensing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein a sensing accuracy of the first sensing unit is greater than a sensing accuracy of the second sensing unit, and a sensing range of the second sensing unit is greater than a sensing range of the first sensing unit.

11. An air pressure sensing system, comprising:

a control module, electrically connected to a first sensing unit and a second sensing unit, wherein a sensing accuracy of the first sensing unit is greater than a sensing accuracy of the second sensing unit, and a sensing range of the second sensing unit is greater than a sensing range of the first sensing unit,

wherein the control module activates the first sensing unit at a first timing and deactivates the first sensing unit at a second timing during an operation period of the second sensing unit.

12. The air pressure sensing system as claimed in claim 11, wherein during the operation period of the second sensing unit, the first sensing unit is continually activated and deactivated by the control module.

13. The air pressure sensing system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the first sensing unit comprises a substrate, a diaphragm, and a supporting member,

wherein the control module drives the diaphragm to move toward the substrate at the first timing, such that the supporting member contact between the diaphragm and the substrate to form a closed space.

14. The air pressure sensing system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the substrate comprises a non-conductive region and a conductive region, the conductive region is right aligned to the diaphragm, the supporting member and the diaphragm are an integral structure, the supporting member extends from the diaphragm toward the non-conductive region,

wherein the control module provides a bias to the conductive region and the diaphragm to produce an electrostatic force, so as to drive the diaphragm to move toward the conductive region, such that the supporting member contacts the non-conductive region to form the closed space.

15. The air pressure sensing system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the substrate comprises a non-conductive region and a conductive region, the conductive region is right aligned to the diaphragm, the supporting member and the substrate are an integral structure, the supporting member extends from the non-conductive region toward the diaphragm,

wherein the control module provides a bias to the conductive region and the diaphragm to produce an electrostatic force, so as to drive the diaphragm to move toward the conductive region, such that the diaphragm contacts the supporting member to form the closed space.