Differential pressure switch having an isolated hall effect sensor
First Claim
1. A differential pressure switch comprising:
- an enclosure including a peripheral wall and a one-piece non-perforate partition wall integrally attached to said peripheral wall around the entire perimeter of said partition wall, said enclosure including a sensor chamber located on a first side of said partition wall and a fluid cavity located on a second side of said partition wall, said partition wall sealing said sensor chamber in fluid-tight isolation from said fluid cavity;
a flexible diaphragm located within said fluid cavity, said diaphragm forming a low-pressure fluid chamber on a first side of said diaphragm and a high-pressure fluid chamber on a second side of said diaphragm, said diaphragm creating a fluid-tight seal between said low-pressure fluid chamber and said high-pressure fluid chamber, at least a portion of said diaphragm being movable in response to changes in the differential pressure between the pressure of a fluid in said low-pressure fluid chamber and the pressure of a fluid in said high-pressure fluid chamber;
a magnet located in said fluid cavity and coupled to said diaphragm in spaced relationship to said partition wall such that said magnet changes position with respect to said partition wall in response to movement of said diaphragm;
a sensor located in said sensor chamber such that said sensor and said magnet are located on opposite sides of said partition wall, said sensor adapted to sense the magnetic force generated by said magnet and thereby detect the distance between said magnet and said sensor;
whereby said sensor is adapted to indicate when said magnet is located a predetermined distance from said sensor such that a predetermined differential in pressure exists between the pressure of the fluid in the low-pressure fluid chamber and the pressure of the fluid in the high-pressure fluid chamber, and whereby said partition wall maintains said sensor in fluid-tight isolation from said low-pressure fluid chamber and said high-pressure fluid chamber.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A differential pressure switch comprising an enclosure including a peripheral wall and a solid one-piece non-perforate partition wall that is integrally attached to the peripheral wall around the entire perimeter of the partition wall. The enclosure includes a sensor chamber located on a first side of the partition wall and a fluid cavity located on a second side of the partition wall. The partition wall and the integrally attached peripheral wall seal the sensor chamber in fluid-tight leak-proof isolation from the fluid cavity. A flexible diaphragm is located within the fluid cavity and forms a low-pressure fluid chamber on one side and a high-pressure fluid chamber on a second side of the diaphragm. A magnet is located in the fluid cavity and is coupled to the diaphragm such that the magnet changes position in response to movement of the diaphragm. A Hall effect sensor is located in the sensor chamber. The sensor is adapted to sense the magnetic force generated by the magnet and thereby detect the distance between the magnet and the sensor. The sensor indicates when the magnet is located a predetermined distance from the sensor such that a predetermined differential in pressure exists between the pressure of the fluid in the low-pressure fluid chamber and the pressure of the fluid in the high-pressure fluid chamber.
62 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A differential pressure switch comprising:
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an enclosure including a peripheral wall and a one-piece non-perforate partition wall integrally attached to said peripheral wall around the entire perimeter of said partition wall, said enclosure including a sensor chamber located on a first side of said partition wall and a fluid cavity located on a second side of said partition wall, said partition wall sealing said sensor chamber in fluid-tight isolation from said fluid cavity; a flexible diaphragm located within said fluid cavity, said diaphragm forming a low-pressure fluid chamber on a first side of said diaphragm and a high-pressure fluid chamber on a second side of said diaphragm, said diaphragm creating a fluid-tight seal between said low-pressure fluid chamber and said high-pressure fluid chamber, at least a portion of said diaphragm being movable in response to changes in the differential pressure between the pressure of a fluid in said low-pressure fluid chamber and the pressure of a fluid in said high-pressure fluid chamber; a magnet located in said fluid cavity and coupled to said diaphragm in spaced relationship to said partition wall such that said magnet changes position with respect to said partition wall in response to movement of said diaphragm; a sensor located in said sensor chamber such that said sensor and said magnet are located on opposite sides of said partition wall, said sensor adapted to sense the magnetic force generated by said magnet and thereby detect the distance between said magnet and said sensor; whereby said sensor is adapted to indicate when said magnet is located a predetermined distance from said sensor such that a predetermined differential in pressure exists between the pressure of the fluid in the low-pressure fluid chamber and the pressure of the fluid in the high-pressure fluid chamber, and whereby said partition wall maintains said sensor in fluid-tight isolation from said low-pressure fluid chamber and said high-pressure fluid chamber. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification