Capacitive pressure transducer with an integrally formed front housing and flexible diaphragm
First Claim
1. A simplified capacitive pressure transducer comprising:
- a front housing including a conductive surface and a flexible diaphragm, a portion of the conductive surface comprising the flexible diaphragm;
a rear housing fitted to said front housing forming a transducer chamber;
a semiconductor circuit for providing an output signal variable in accordance with changes in input capacitance, said circuit being secured within said transducer chamber;
an insulating substrate including a reference capacitor electrode, a variable capacitor electrode and a plurality of vias, the insulating substrate being mechanically coupled to said front housing such that the conductive surface and the reference capacitor electrode form a reference capacitor and the conductive surface and the variable capacitor electrode form a variable capacitor, the reference capacitor electrode and the variable capacitor electrode being electrically connected to said semiconductor circuit through the vias; and
said front housing being formed as a single homogenous high pressure metal fitting housing with a constant diameter bore extending through said front housing to form the flexible diaphragm, the bore having a diameter less than 0.25 inches;
said semiconductor circuit including signal processing circuitry and an isolating capacitor which electrically connects the conductive surface of the front housing to the signal processing circuitry.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A simplified capacitive pressure transducer includes a conductive surface, a portion of which is a surface of a flexible diaphragm in direct contact with a pressure to be measured, and an insulating substrate defining a plurality of capacitor electrodes sized to accommodate the measurement of pressures within a particular pressure range. The pressure transducer includes a front housing and a rear housing which are fitted together to provide a transducer chamber within which a hybrid circuit is secured. The insulating substrate includes a reference capacitor electrode, a variable capacitor electrode and vias. The insulating substrate is mechanically coupled to the front housing such that the conductive surface of the front housing and the reference capacitor electrode form a reference capacitor, and the conductive surface and the variable capacitor electrode form a variable capacitor. The reference capacitor electrode and the variable capacitor electrode are electrically connected to the hybrid circuit through the vias.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A simplified capacitive pressure transducer comprising:
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a front housing including a conductive surface and a flexible diaphragm, a portion of the conductive surface comprising the flexible diaphragm; a rear housing fitted to said front housing forming a transducer chamber; a semiconductor circuit for providing an output signal variable in accordance with changes in input capacitance, said circuit being secured within said transducer chamber; an insulating substrate including a reference capacitor electrode, a variable capacitor electrode and a plurality of vias, the insulating substrate being mechanically coupled to said front housing such that the conductive surface and the reference capacitor electrode form a reference capacitor and the conductive surface and the variable capacitor electrode form a variable capacitor, the reference capacitor electrode and the variable capacitor electrode being electrically connected to said semiconductor circuit through the vias; and said front housing being formed as a single homogenous high pressure metal fitting housing with a constant diameter bore extending through said front housing to form the flexible diaphragm, the bore having a diameter less than 0.25 inches; said semiconductor circuit including signal processing circuitry and an isolating capacitor which electrically connects the conductive surface of the front housing to the signal processing circuitry. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A simplified capacitive pressure transducer comprising:
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a front housing including a conductive surface and a flexible diaphragm, a portion of the conductive surface comprising the flexible diaphragm; and an insulating substrate including a reference capacitor electrode and a variable capacitor electrode, the insulating substrate being mechanically coupled to said front housing such that the conductive surface and the reference capacitor electrode form a reference capacitor and the conductive surface and the variable capacitor electrode form a variable capacitor; said front housing including the flexible diaphragm, said front housing being formed as a single homogenous high pressure metal fitting housing with a constant diameter bore extending through said front housing to form the flexible diaphragm. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A simplified capacitive pressure transducer comprising:
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a housing including a conductive surface and a flexible diaphragm, a portion of the conductive surface comprising the flexible diaphragm; and an insulating substrate including a plurality of capacitor electrodes, the plurality of capacitor electrodes and the conductive surface forming a plurality of capacitors; said front housing being formed as a single homogenous high pressure metal fitting housing with a constant diameter bore extending through said front housing to form the flexible diaphragm, the bore having a diameter less than 0.25 inches.
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Specification