Surface area deposition trap

• US 20030167852A1
• Filed: 03/11/2002
• Published: 09/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MKS Instruments Incorporated
• Original Assignee: MKS Instruments Incorporated
• Inventors: Traverso, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 7,252,011 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/756
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 19/0636 using particle filters

Abstract

The disclosed pressure transducer assembly includes a housing, a pressure sensor disposed within the housing, a coupling establishing a sealed pathway between the housing and an external source of gas or fluid, and a deposition trap disposed in the pathway. The deposition trap provides a plurality of channels, each of the channels being narrower than the pathway.

Claims

1. A pressure transducer assembly, comprising:

(A) a housing;

(B) a pressure sensor disposed in the housing;

(C) a coupling between the housing and an external source of gas or fluid, the coupling and housing establishing a sealed pathway between the external source and the pressure sensor;

(D) a deposition trap disposed in the pathway, the deposition trap defining a plurality of channels, each of the channels being narrower than the pathway.

2. An assembly according to claim 1, the deposition trap including a plurality of inner tubes, each of the inner tubes providing one of the channels.

3. An assembly according to claim 2, the deposition trap including an outer casing, each of the inner tubes being disposed within the outer casing.

4. An assembly according to claim 1, each of the channels being characterized by an aspect ratio, the aspect ratio of each channel being a ratio of a length of the channel to a width of the channel, the aspect ratio of each channel being greater than twenty.

5. An assembly according to claim 1, the housing defining an inlet tube, the coupling attaching to the inlet tube.

6. An assembly according to claim 5, at least part of the deposition trap being disposed in the inlet tube.

7. An assembly according to claim 5, at least part of the deposition trap being disposed outside the inlet tube.

8. An assembly according to claim 1, the pressure sensor including a flexible diaphragm.