Capacitive pressure sensing with moving dielectric
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A pressure sensor, comprising:
- a frame surrounding a cavity;
a diaphragm supported on the frame and having an outer surface receiving pressure and having an inner surface facing the cavity;
a dielectric portion carried on the inner surface, the dielectric portion being movable relative to the frame by the pressure; and
capacitor plates fixed relative to the frame in the cavity near the movable dielectric portion, the capacitor plates sensing movement of the nearby dielectric portion and generating an electrical output representative of pressure.
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Abstract
A pressure sensor with a diaphragm that has a dielectric portion that moves in a cavity near capacitor plates that are fixed relative to a mounting frame. The diaphragm is supported on the frame and the frame surrounds the cavity. The diaphragm has an outer surface that receives pressure and has an inner surface facing the cavity. The capacitor plates, which are fixed, sense movement of the nearby dielectric portion and generate an electrical output representative of pressure. Creep of metallizations on a flexible diaphragm are avoided. Manufacture is simplified because metallization of the diaphragm is avoided.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A pressure sensor, comprising:
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a frame surrounding a cavity;
a diaphragm supported on the frame and having an outer surface receiving pressure and having an inner surface facing the cavity;
a dielectric portion carried on the inner surface, the dielectric portion being movable relative to the frame by the pressure; and
capacitor plates fixed relative to the frame in the cavity near the movable dielectric portion, the capacitor plates sensing movement of the nearby dielectric portion and generating an electrical output representative of pressure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A pressure sensor, comprising:
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a beam formed around a central channel and having a support surface in the central channel, the beam including a diaphragm having an outer diaphragm surface receiving pressure and having an inner diaphragm surface formed of dielectric and spaced away from the support surface in the central channel, the dielectric being movable relative to the support surface by the pressure; and
capacitor plates fixed on the support surface near the movable dielectric, the capacitor plates sensing movement of the nearby dielectric and providing an electrical output representing pressure. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A pressure sensor, comprising:
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a frame surrounding a cavity;
a diaphragm supported on the frame and having an outer surface receiving pressure and having an inner surface facing the cavity;
a dielectric portion carried on the inner surface, the dielectric portion being movable relative to the frame by the pressure; and
means for sensing movement of the dielectric portion including capacitor plates fixed relative to the frame in the cavity near the movable dielectric portion, the capacitor plates generating an electrical output representative of pressure.
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22. A pressure sensor, comprising:
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a beam formed around a central channel and having a support surface in the central channel, the beam including a diaphragm having an outer diaphragm surface receiving pressure and having an inner diaphragm surface formed of dielectric and spaced away from the support surface in the central channel, the dielectric being movable relative to the support surface by the pressure; and
means for sensing movement of the dielectric including capacitor plates fixed on the support surface near the movable dielectric, the capacitor plates providing an electrical output representing pressure.
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Specification