PRESSURE SENSING APPARATUSES, SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20090301739A1
• Filed: 06/04/2008
• Published: 12/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Original Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Inventors: Rother, Andreas, Taggruber, Volker, Loehndorf, Markus
• Application Number:
  US12/132,632
• Publication Number:
  US 20090301739A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 169/43
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 13/62 with a single permanently pressurised container
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 13/76 Details or accessories
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 37/50 Testing or indicating devices for determining the state of readiness of the equipment

Abstract

In one embodiment, a device comprises a container having a dispensing portion, a contents under pressure within the container, and an integrated circuit (IC) sensor device comprising a pressure sensor in communication with the contents under pressure. In various embodiments, the device can further comprise a fire extinguisher, a diving tank, a diving cylinder, a scuba tank, and an oxygen tank. Other embodiments of the invention relate to methods of monitoring, pressure sensing systems, and sensor and sensing modules.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a container having a dispensing portion;

a contents under pressure within the container; and

an integrated circuit (IC) sensor device comprising a pressure sensor in communication with the contents under pressure.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the device comprises one of a fire extinguisher, a diving tank, a diving cylinder, a scuba tank, or an oxygen tank.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the IC sensor device is hermetically coupled to an external portion of the container, spaced apart from the dispensing portion.

4. The device of claim 2, wherein the IC sensor device further comprises wireless communications circuitry adapted to communicate information sensed by the pressure sensor.

5. The device of claim 3, wherein the IC sensor device further comprises at least one of an audible status indicator or a visual status indicator.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the IC sensor device is mounted inside the container.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the device further comprises a status indicator mounted external to the container, and wherein the status indicator comprises at least one of an audible status indicator and a visual status indicator.

8. A method of monitoring a fire extinguisher comprising:

coupling a micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) pressure sensor to a fire extinguisher;

monitoring a pressure within the fire extinguisher; and

transmitting information related to the pressure within the fire extinguisher to at least one of a location at the fire extinguisher or a location distant from the fire extinguisher.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of coupling further comprises mounting the MEMS pressure sensor internal to the fire extinguisher.

10. A pressure monitoring system comprising:

at least one fire extinguisher device comprising an integrated circuit (IC) sensor device, the IC sensor device comprising a power supply, a pressure sensor in communication with a contents of the fire extinguisher, and communications circuitry;

a receiver device comprising communications circuitry configured to receive communications from the communications circuitry of the IC sensor device.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the receiver device further comprises a notification system adapted to provide information related to a status of the at least one fire extinguisher determined from the communications received from the communications circuitry of the IC sensor device.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the IC sensor device is mounted internal to the at least one fire extinguisher.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one fire extinguisher further comprises an external notification module communicatively coupled with the IC sensor device and configured to provide information related to a pressure sensed by the pressure sensor.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the IC sensor device is hermetically coupled to an external portion of the at least one fire extinguisher.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the IC sensor device is spaced apart from a contents-dispensing portion of the at least one fire extinguisher.

16. A sensor module comprising:

a micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) pressure sensor;

a package comprising an aperture and a mounting device formed around the aperture, the aperture configured to expose the pressure sensor to the contents of a fire extinguisher and the mounting device configured to hermetically mount the package to an external portion of the fire extinguisher;

an indicator on an external portion of the package and configured to provide an indication related to a pressure of a contents of the fire extinguisher sensed by the pressure sensor; and

a power supply coupled to the indicator.

18. The sensor module of claim 16, further comprising wireless communication circuitry coupled to the control module.

19. The sensor module of claim 16, wherein the mounting device comprises a threaded portion.

20. The sensor module of claim 16, wherein the indicator comprises at least one of a visual indicator and an audible indicator.

21. The sensor module of claim 20, wherein the indicator comprises at least one of a light emitting diode (LED) or a liquid crystal display (LCD).

22. The sensor module of claim 16, further comprising at least one of a temperature sensor or an acceleration sensor.

17. The sensor module of claim 17, further comprising a control module communicatively coupled to the pressure sensor, the indicator and the power supply and configured to analyze conditions sensed by the pressure sensor.

23. A sensing module comprising:

a micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) pressure sensor;

communications circuitry adapted to transmit data related to an output of the pressure sensor;

a power supply coupled to the communication circuitry; and

a package housing the pressure sensor, the communications circuitry, and the power supply and configured for mounting inside a pressurized device.

24. The module of claim 23, further comprising control circuitry housed in the package and adapted to analyze the output of the pressure sensor.

25. The module of claim 23, wherein the pressurized device comprises one of a fire extinguisher, a diving tank, a diving cylinder, a scuba tank, or an oxygen tank.