Gas fill system in a pressure transmitter
First Claim
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1. A pressure transmitter, comprisinga permanently sealed pressure transmitter housing surrounding a cavity;
- a fill gas filling open spaces in the cavity, the gas being free of integrated circuit contaminants;
a sensor circuit including a pressure sensor and an integrated circuit disposed in the cavity and protected by the permanently sealed housing from contaminated atmospheres outside the pressure transmitter;
a gas fill port on the sealed housing that is permanently sealed, retaining the fill gas in the housing; and
a sealed electrical feedthrough including an electrical connector shell passing through the sealed housing and electrical contacts coupling to the integrated circuit such that the sensor circuit is electrically adjustable via the electrical contacts without opening the sealed housing.
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Abstract
A pressure transmitter with a hermetically sealed housing surrounding a cavity that is filled with a gas that is free of integrated circuit contaminants. A sensor circuit including an integrated circuit is placed in the cavity and a gas fill port on the housing is sealed. The sensor circuit is electrically adjustable from outside the pressure transmitter and the integrated circuit is protected from contaminated atmospheres outside the pressure transmitter.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A pressure transmitter, comprising
a permanently sealed pressure transmitter housing surrounding a cavity; -
a fill gas filling open spaces in the cavity, the gas being free of integrated circuit contaminants;
a sensor circuit including a pressure sensor and an integrated circuit disposed in the cavity and protected by the permanently sealed housing from contaminated atmospheres outside the pressure transmitter;
a gas fill port on the sealed housing that is permanently sealed, retaining the fill gas in the housing; and
a sealed electrical feedthrough including an electrical connector shell passing through the sealed housing and electrical contacts coupling to the integrated circuit such that the sensor circuit is electrically adjustable via the electrical contacts without opening the sealed housing. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A pressure transmitter, comprising:
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a permanently sealed pressure transmitter housing having an outer wall surrounding a cavity, the outer wall having a fluid pressure inlet and a connector shell passing therethrough;
the permanently sealed pressure transmitter housing including an isolator seal over the fluid pressure inlet and a feedthrough seal in the connector shell;
a sensor circuit including a pressure sensor coupled to the fluid pressure inlet and an integrated circuit disposed in the cavity and coupled to the pressure sensor, the sensor circuit further including electrical contacts coupled to the integrated circuit and sealed in the feedthrough seal, the electrical contacts being adapted to transmit a transmitter output and receive an electrical adjustment signal; and
a fill system including a fill port that is sealed in the permanently sealed pressure transmitter housing, and including a fill gas filling open spaces in the cavity, the fill gas being substantially free of integrated circuit contaminants and permanently sealed in the cavity. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
a quantity of desiccant material disposed in the cavity.
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20. The pressure transmitter of claim 6 wherein the permanently sealed pressure transmitter housing and the isolator seal are formed of metal and are hermetically sealed to one another by a metal-to-metal joint selected from the group of welded, brazed and soldered joints.
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21. The pressure transmitter of claim 6 wherein the connector shell is formed of metal and the feedthrough seal is formed of a ceramic, and the feedthrough seal is hermetically sealed to the connector shell by a ceramic-to-metal seal.
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22. A process of manufacturing a pressure transmitter, comprising:
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my providing a sensor circuit including a pressure sensor and electrical contacts coupled to an integrated circuit, the contacts being adapted to transmit a transmitter output and receive an electrical adjustment signal;
providing a permanently sealed pressure transmitter housing having an outer wall surrounding the integrated circuit, the outer wall having a fluid pressure inlet and a connector shell passing therethrough;
the housing including an isolator seal over the fluid pressure inlet and a feedthrough seal in the connector shell;
providing a fill port that is sealed in the permanently sealed pressure transmitter housing;
filling open spaces in the cavity with a fill gas that is substantially free of integrated circuit contaminants; and
permanently sealing the fill port to form a hermetically sealed, electrically adjustable transmitter.
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Specification