Thermal mounting plate for heated pressure transducer

• US 7,124,640 B1
• Filed: 07/13/2005
• Issued: 10/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MKS Instruments Incorporated
• Original Assignee: MKS Instruments Incorporated
• Inventors: Miller, Craig E., Poulin, James M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lefkowitz, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): JENKINS, JERMAINE L
• Application Number:
  US11/180,370
• Time in Patent Office: 468 Days
• Field of Search: 73700-756
• US Class Current: 73/708
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 19/04 Means for compensating for effects of changes of temperature , i.e. other than electric compensation
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 19/0654 against moisture or humidity
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 19/148 Details about the circuit board integration, e.g. integrated with the diaphragm surface or encapsulation
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 9/0072 using variations in capacitance

Abstract

A transducer assembly including a sensor housing, a heater shell located in the sensor housing, a heater operatively coupled to the heater shell, a sensor received in the heater shell, and an electronics assembly positioned within the sensor housing, outside of the heater shell, and adapted to receive signals from the sensor. The assembly also includes a mounting plate positioned within the sensor housing, outside of the heater shell. The mounting plate has arms extending therefrom and at least one attachment point where the electronics assembly is secured to the mounting plate. The arms are secured to the sensor housing, and the mounting plate includes apertures adjacent to the arms for impeding thermal conduction between the arms and the attachment point.

Claims

1. A transducer assembly comprising:

a sensor housing;

a heater shell located in the sensor housing;

a heater operatively coupled to the heater shell;

a sensor received in the heater shell;

an electronics assembly positioned within the sensor housing, outside of the heater shell, and adapted to receive signals from the sensor; and

a mounting plate positioned within the sensor housing, outside of the heater shell, the mounting plate having arms extending therefrom and at least one attachment point where the electronics assembly is secured to the mounting plate, wherein the arms are secured to the sensor housing and the mounting plate includes apertures adjacent to the arms for impeding thermal conduction between the arms and the attachment point.

2. A transducer assembly according to claim 1, wherein the sensor housing includes a side wall, and screws secure the arms of the mounting plate to the side wall of the sensor housing.

3. A transducer assembly according to claim 2, wherein the mounting plate includes three arms.

4. A transducer assembly according to claim 1, wherein the apertures of the mounting plate are circular.

5. A transducer assembly according to claim 1, wherein the apertures of the mounting plate are elongated.

6. A transducer assembly according to claim 1, wherein thermally insulating spacers are provided between the electronics assembly and the mounting plate.

7. A transducer assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a thermal insulating blanket surrounding the heater and the heater shell, and wherein the electronics assembly and the mounting plate are located outside of the thermal insulating blanket.

8. A transducer assembly according to claim 1, wherein the electronics assembly comprises a sensor electronics assembly having components electrically connected to the sensor through at least one wire, for receiving signals from the sensor.

9. A transducer assembly according to claim 8, further comprising an electronics housing secured to the sensor housing and containing a heater electronics assembly including components coupled to the heaters of the heater shell for controlling the heaters.

10. A transducer assembly according to claim 9, further comprising an input-output electronics assembly positioned within the electronics housing and electrically connected to the heater electronics assembly and the sensor electronics assembly, and wherein the input-output electronics assembly includes a connector port extending out of the electronics housing.

11. A transducer assembly according to claim 10, wherein the electronics housing is secured to the sensor housing with a joiner having a wall positioned between the electronics housing and the sensor housing.

12. A transducer assembly according to claim 11, further comprising a layer of thermal insulation positioned between the wall of the joiner and the heater electronics assembly.

13. A transducer assembly according to claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a capacitive pressure sensor and the assembly further includes a tube connected to the pressure sensor and extending out of the heater shell and the sensor housing for connection to a source of fluid.

14. A transducer assembly according to claim 1, wherein the arms extend radially outwardly from the mounting plate and are bent so that each arm includes a first portion before the bend and a second portion after the bend.

15. A transducer assembly according to claim 14, wherein each arm is bent at a right angle.

16. A transducer assembly according to claim 14, wherein the second portions of the arms each include a threaded hole, and the arms are secured to side walls of the sensor housing with screws extending through holes in the side wall and threadedly received in the threaded holes of the arms.

17. A transducer assembly according to claim 1, wherein the apertures of the mounting plate are circular and are arranged in two offset rows in front of each arm.

18. A transducer assembly according to claim 1, wherein the apertures are elongated, arranged in concentric circles around a center of the mounting plate, and are offset in successive circles.

19. A transducer assembly according to claim 1, wherein the mounting plate is circular.

20. A transducer assembly according to claim 1, wherein the mounting plate is made of stainless steel.