Heated pressure transducer assembly
First Claim
1. A pressure transducer assembly comprising:
- (A) an external enclosure defining an interior cavity;
(B) a thermal shell, disposed within said interior cavity, for defining a sensor cavity;
(C) a pressure sensor, disposed within said sensor cavity, and including an input port for receiving a gas or vapor, for sensing the pressure of the gas or vapor at the input port as a function of a parameter value that varies according to the pressure of the gas or vapor at said input port;
(D) means for coupling a source of said gas or vapor to said input port;
(E) temperature control means for applying heat to and controlling the temperature of said thermal shell;
(F) a thermal insulator disposed between said external enclosure and said thermal shell, said thermal insulator including;
(i) a plurality of metalized high temperature films stacked one on top of another; and
(ii) a plurality of spacer layers, each of said spacer layers being disposed between adjacent ones of said metalized high temperature films.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The disclosed pressure transducer assembly includes an external enclosure, a thermal shell disposed within the external enclosure, and a pressure sensor disposed within the thermal shell. The pressure sensor senses the gas or vapor pressure present in a tube coupling the sensor to a source of pressurized gas or vapor. The assembly includes a device for heating the thermal shell, and thermal insulation is disposed between the thermal shell and the external enclosure. The thermal insulation includes a plurality of metalized high temperature films stacked one on top of another and a plurality of spacer layers, each of the spacer layers being disposed between adjacent ones of the metalized high temperature films.
39 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A pressure transducer assembly comprising:
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(A) an external enclosure defining an interior cavity; (B) a thermal shell, disposed within said interior cavity, for defining a sensor cavity; (C) a pressure sensor, disposed within said sensor cavity, and including an input port for receiving a gas or vapor, for sensing the pressure of the gas or vapor at the input port as a function of a parameter value that varies according to the pressure of the gas or vapor at said input port; (D) means for coupling a source of said gas or vapor to said input port; (E) temperature control means for applying heat to and controlling the temperature of said thermal shell; (F) a thermal insulator disposed between said external enclosure and said thermal shell, said thermal insulator including; (i) a plurality of metalized high temperature films stacked one on top of another; and (ii) a plurality of spacer layers, each of said spacer layers being disposed between adjacent ones of said metalized high temperature films. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A pressure transducer assembly comprising:
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(A) an external enclosure defining an interior cavity; (B) a thermal shell, disposed within said interior cavity, for defining a sensor cavity; (C) a pressure sensor, disposed within said sensor cavity, and including an input port for receiving a gas or vapor, for sensing the pressure of the gas or vapor at the input port as a function of a parameter value that varies according to the pressure of the gas or vapor at said input port; (D) means for coupling a source of said gas or vapor to said input port; (E) temperature control means for applying heat to and controlling the temperature of said thermal shell; (F) a thermal insulator disposed between said external enclosure and said thermal shell, said thermal insulator comprising aramid fibers.
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9. A pressure transducer assembly comprising:
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(A) an external enclosure defining an interior cavity; (B) a thermal shell, disposed within said interior cavity, for defining a sensor cavity; (C) a pressure sensor, disposed within said sensor cavity, and including an input port for receiving a gas or vapor, for sensing the pressure of the gas or vapor at the input port as a function of a parameter value that varies according to the pressure of the gas or vapor at said input port; (D) means for coupling a source of said gas or vapor to said input port; (E) temperature control means for applying heat to and controlling the temperature of said thermal shell; (F) a thermal insulator disposed between said external enclosure and said thermal shell, said thermal insulator comprising a plurality of crinkled metalized plastic sheets. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
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12. A pressure sensor comprising:
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(A) a diaphragm; (B) a flange defining a first principal face, a second principal face, and a bore extending through said flange from said first principal face to said second principal face, at least a portion of said bore being characterized by an inner perimeter; (C) a hollow tube extending from a first end to a second end, said first end being characterized by an outer perimeter substantially equal to said bore inner perimeter, said tube including a first thinned region proximal to said first end and characterized by an outer perimeter smaller than said bore inner perimeter; (D) means for affixing said tube to said flange, said first end being disposed inside said bore, said first thinned region extending through at least a portion of said bore, and said tube extending beyond said first principal face; and (E) means for affixing said diaphragm to said flange second principal face so that at least a portion of said diaphragm may be displaced in response to gas or vapor pressure in said hollow tube. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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15. A pressure transducer assembly, comprising:
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(A) a pressure sensor including; (i) a diaphragm; (ii) a flange defining a first principal face, a second principal face, and a bore extending through said flange from said first principal face to said second principal face, at least a portion of said bore being characterized by an inner perimeter; (iii) a hollow tube extending from a first end to a second end, said first end being characterized by an outer perimeter substantially equal to said bore inner perimeter, said tube including a first thinned region proximal to said first end and characterized by an outer perimeter smaller than said bore inner perimeter; (iv) means for affixing said tube to said flange, said first end being disposed inside said bore, said first thinned region extending through at least a portion of said bore, and said tube extending beyond said first principal face; and (v) means for affixing said diaphragm to said flange second principal face so that at least a portion of said diaphragm may be displaced in response to gas or vapor pressure in said hollow tube; and (B) an external enclosure defining an interior cavity within said external enclosure, said diaphragm and said flange and a portion of said tube being disposed in said interior cavity, said external enclosure defining a first aperture in said external enclosure, said hollow tube extending through said first aperture so that said second end of said hollow tube is disposed outside said interior cavity. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A pressure transducer assembly comprising:
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(A) an external enclosure defining an interior cavity within said external enclosure, said external enclosure further defining a first aperture in said external enclosure; (B) a thermal shell comprising copper and defining a sensor cavity within said thermal shell, said thermal shell further defining a second aperture in said thermal shell, said thermal shell being disposed within said interior cavity; (C) a pressure sensor, disposed within said sensor cavity, and including an input port for receiving a gas or vapor, for sensing the pressure of the gas or vapor at the input port as a function of a parameter value that varies according to the pressure of the gas or vapor at said input port; (D) a tube for defining a conduit for the vapor or gas to said input port of said sensor, said tube extending through said first and second apertures and having a first end coupled to the input port of the sensor and a second end positioned outside the external enclosure; (E) first temperature control means for applying heat to and controlling the temperature of said thermal shell; (F) a thermal insulator disposed between said external enclosure and said thermal shell; and (G) means for sensing said parameter value and generating therefrom a transducer output signal representative of said pressure at said input port. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification