Pressure sensor

• US 6,668,657 B2
• Filed: 08/03/2001
• Issued: 12/30/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mannesmann VDO AG (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Mannesmann VDO AG (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Acht, Joachim, Schmidt, Norbert
• Primary Examiner(s): Yan, Ren
• Assistant Examiner(s): FERGUSON SAMRETH, MARISSA LIANA
• Application Number:
  US09/922,454
• Publication Number:
  US 20020020222A1
• Time in Patent Office: 879 Days
• Field of Search: 737/15, 737/16, 737/19, 737/22, 737/29, 737/44, 737/35, 600/490, 600/485, 600/573, 600/488, 116/34
• US Class Current: 73/715
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 19/0084 to the outside of the housing other details about the housing see G01L19/14
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 19/142 Multiple part housings
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 9/007 using variations in inductance
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 9/14 involving the displacement of magnets, e.g. electromagnets

Abstract

A pressure sensor for a motor vehicle includes a sensor housing and a base. A pressure bore through the base leads to a pressure space delimited on one side by the base and on the opposite side by a diaphragm connected sealingly to the base. An actuating element is carried on a side of the diaphragm facing away from the pressure space. The actuating element actuates a sensor element in the sensor housing via a non-contact actuation. For protection against leakage due to a break in the diaphragm, a sealing cap surrounds the diaphragm and the actuating element and is sealingly connected to the base.

Claims

1. A pressure sensor for a motor vehicle, comprising:

a sensor housing having a sensor element;

a base arranged on said sensor housing and having a bore therethrough;

a diaphragm connected to said base with a sealed connection, wherein a pressure space in operative connection with said bore is defined by said base and said diaphragm;

an actuating element arranged on a side of said diaphragm facing away from said pressure space for non-contact actuation of said sensor element; and

a sealing cap surrounding the side of said diaphragm facing away from said pressure space and said actuator and connected to said base with a sealed connection, said sealing cap being arranged between said the side of said diaphragm facing away from said pressure space and said sensor housing.

2. The pressure sensor of claim 1, wherein said sealing cap comprises a hat-shaped design comprising a flange facing said diaphragm with a clearance therebetween for limiting a maximum flexion of said diaphragm and a middle region comprising a cylinder arranged over said actuating element, said flange being sealed to said base.

3. The pressure sensor of claim 1, wherein said actuating element is a magnet, said sensor element is a Hall effect device and said sealing cap comprises a nonmagnetic material.

4. The pressure sensor of claim 1, wherein said base, said diaphragm, and said scaling cap are made from a high-grade steel.

5. The pressure sensor of claim 1, wherein said sealed connection between said sealing cap and said base and said sealed connection between said diaphragm and said base each comprise a welded connection.