Transmitter

• US 6,655,217 B1
• Filed: 08/14/2000
• Issued: 12/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Endress+Hauser GmbH+Co (ENDRESS)
• Original Assignee: Endress+Hauser GmbH+Co (ENDRESS)
• Inventors: Bernauer, Andreas, Brock, Hansjörg
• Primary Examiner(s): Lefkowitz, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thompson, Jewel
• Application Number:
  US09/639,415
• Time in Patent Office: 1,205 Days
• Field of Search: 737/18, 200/5, 341/22, 341/34, 128/680
• US Class Current: 73/718
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 11/245 Housings for sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 19/083 electrical
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 19/148 Details about the circuit board integration, e.g. integrated with the diaphragm surface or encapsulation
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2221/024 Transmission element
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2239/034 Environmental protection
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 35/24 Switches operated by change of fluid pressure, by fluid pressure waves, or by change of fluid flow wherein the change of pressure is caused by change of temperature H01H37/36

Abstract

A transmitter is provided whose operation is not impaired by ambient influences, having a measurement sensor (3), an electronic unit (11) arranged in a housing (1) on a printed circuit board (9), an operating element (15), which can be operated from outside the housing (1), and a transmitting arrangement (19), which transmits a force exerted on the operating element (15) to a switch connected to the electronic unit (11), the switch being a key of a membrane keyboard (23) arranged on the printed circuit board

Claims

1. A transmitter comprising:

an electronic unit arranged in a housing on a printed circuit board,

a measurement sensor coupled to the electronic unit, an operating element, which is capable of receiving a force and is operable from outside the housing, and

a transmitting arrangement, which transmits the force exerted on the operating element to a switch connected to the electronic unit, the switch being a key of a membrane keyboard arranged on the printed circuit board.

2. The transmitter as claimed in claim 1, in which the membrane keyboard is an integral part of the printed circuit board.

3. The transmitter as claimed in claim 1, in which the membrane keyboard

is arranged on an area of the printed circuit board,

on which at least two conductor tracks are exposed,

has a spacer membrane,

which covers the area and

which has perforations at the locations at which an electrical connection can be established between two conductor tracks, and

has a covering membrane,

which is arranged on the spacer membrane and

which has contact elements on inner areas which cover the perforations and face the printed circuit board.

4. The transmitter as claimed in claim 3, in which covering membrane, spacer membrane and printed circuit board form a key in the region of each perforation and a pressure exerted on the key causes the covering membrane to flex in such a way that the respective contact element effects an electrically conductive connection between the two conductor tracks.

5. The transmitter as claimed in claim 1, in which a surface of the printed circuit board including the electronic unit and the membrane keyboard is surface-treated, in particular coated, to provide protection against moisture.

6. The transmitter as claimed in claim 2, in which the membrane keyboard

is arranged on an area of the printed circuit board,

on which at least two conductor tracks are exposed,

has a spacer membrane,

which covers the area and

which has perforations at the locations at which an electrical connection can be established between two conductor tracks, and

has a covering membrane,

which is arranged on the spacer membrane and

which has contact elements on inner areas which cover the perforations and face the printed circuit board.

7. The transmitter as claimed in claim 6, in which covering membrane, spacer membrane and printed circuit board form a key in the region of each perforation and a pressure exerted on the key causes the covering membrane to flex in such a way that the respective contact element effects an electrically conductive connection between the two conductor tracks.