Method And Apparatus For A Pressure Measuring Cell

• US 20120137785A1
• Filed: 06/13/2011
• Published: 06/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: VEGA Grieshaber KG (Grieshaber Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH)
• Original Assignee: VEGA Grieshaber KG (Grieshaber Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH)
• Inventors: Kopp, Thomas, Mellert, Martin, Fehrenbach, Josef, Deck, Thomas, Jacob, Jörn
• Granted Patent: US 8,800,378 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/753
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 9/0072 using variations in capacitance
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

The invention is for a method and apparatus for a pressure measuring cell for measuring a metered pressure, with a base body having at least one base body electrode and with a membrane body connected to the base body to form a sensor chamber, which has at least one membrane electrode and can be subjected to the pressure of a medium that is below the measurement pressure, wherein both the wall of the sensor chamber that is formed by the base body and the wall of the sensor chamber that is formed by the membrane body is covered with a protective layer; according to the invention, the protective layer is fashioned as a glass layer.

Claims

1. A pressure measuring cell for measuring a metered pressure, said pressure measuring cell comprising:

(a) a base body, said base body having at least one base body electrode;

(b) a membrane body connected to said base body to form a sensor chamber, said sensor chamber comprising at least one membrane electrode and which can be subjected to the pressure of a medium that is below the measurement pressure;

(c) a first wall of said sensor chamber; and

(d) a second wall that is formed by said membrane body; and

(i) wherein said first wall and said second wall are covered with a protective layer; and

(ii) wherein said protective layer is fashioned as a glass layer.

2. A pressure measuring cell according to claim 1, wherein the entire surface of said base body on which said at least one base body electrode is formed is covered with said glass layer.

3. A pressure measuring cell according to claim 1, wherein the entire surface of said membrane body, on which said membrane electrode is formed, is covered with said glass layer.

4. A pressure measuring cell according to claim 1, wherein said base body and said membrane body are joined together at the margin by means of a spacing holder produced as glass solder.

5. A pressure measuring cell according to claim 1, wherein said pressure measuring cell is fashioned as a relative pressure measuring cell, wherein said sensor chamber further comprises a vent opening by which a reference pressure can be applied to said sensor chamber.

6. A pressure measuring cell for measuring a metered pressure, said pressure measuring cell comprising:

(a) a base body, said base body further comprising;

(i) at least one base body electrode; and

(ii) a glass layer, said glass layer covering the entire surface of said base body;

(b) a membrane body connected to said base body to form a sensor chamber, said sensor chamber comprising at least one membrane electrode and which can be subjected to the pressure of a medium that is below the measurement pressure;

(c) a first wall located within the interior of said sensor chamber; and

(d) a second wall that is formed by said membrane body; and

(i) wherein said first wall and said second wall are covered with a protective layer; and

(ii) wherein said protective layer is fashioned as a glass layer.

7. A pressure measuring cell according to claim 6, wherein the entire surface of said membrane body, on which said membrane electrode is formed, is covered with said glass layer.

8. A pressure measuring cell according to claim 7, wherein said base body further comprises a vent opening, said vent opening extending from the surface of said base body away from said membrane body into said glass layer.

9. A pressure measuring cell according to claim 6, wherein said base body and said membrane body are joined together at the margin by means of a spacing holder produced as glass solder.

10. A pressure measuring cell according to claim 6, wherein said pressure measuring cell is fashioned as a relative pressure measuring cell, wherein said sensor chamber further comprises a vent opening by which a reference pressure can be applied to said sensor chamber.

11. A method of measuring a metered pressure involving a pressure measuring cell, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a base body, said base body further comprising;

(i) at least one base body electrode; and

(ii) a glass layer;

(b) providing a membrane body connected to said base body and forming a sensor chamber therewith;

said sensor chamber comprising at least one membrane electrode and which can be subjected to the pressure of a medium that is below the measurement pressure;

(c) providing a first wall located within the interior of said sensor chamber; and

(d) providing a second wall that is formed by said membrane body; and

(e) covering said first wall and said second wall with a protective layer;

wherein said protective layer is fashioned as a glass layer;

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of receiving an electronic signal from said at least one membrane electrode upon subjection to said pressure of said medium, thereby enabling an operative measuring of said metered pressure.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the entire surface of said base body on which said at least one base body electrode is formed is covered with said glass layer.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the entire surface of said membrane body, on which said membrane electrode is formed, is covered with said glass layer.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of joining together at a margin said base body and said membrane body by means of a spacing holder produced as glass solder.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of applying a reference pressure to said sensor chamber via a vent opening, and wherein said pressure measuring cell is fashioned as a relative pressure measuring cell.

17. A method of manufacturing, a metered pressure involving a pressure measuring cell, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a base body, said base body further comprising;

(i) at least one base body electrode; and

(ii) a glass layer, said glass layer covering the entire surface of said base body;

(b) providing a membrane body connected to said base body and forming a sensor chamber therewith;

said sensor chamber comprising at least one membrane electrode and which can be subjected to the pressure of a medium that is below the measurement pressure;

(c) providing a first wall located within the interior of said sensor chamber; and

(d) providing a second wall that is formed by said membrane body;

(e) covering said first wall and said second wall with a protective layer;

wherein said protective layer is fashioned as a glass layer; and

(f) covering said surface of said membrane body on which said membrane electrode is formed with said glass layer.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of receiving an electronic signal from said at least one membrane electrode upon subjection to said pressure of said medium, thereby enabling an operative measuring of said metered pressure.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of joining together at a margin said base body and said membrane body by means of a spacing holder produced as glass solder.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of applying a reference pressure to said sensor chamber via a vent opening, and wherein said pressure measuring cell is fashioned as a relative pressure measuring cell.