Apparatus for measuring pressure by using diaphragm and method of pressure measurement by using diaphragm

• US 7,784,352 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2008
• Issued: 08/31/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science
• Original Assignee: Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science
• Inventors: Hong, Seung Soo, Kim, Jin Tae, Shin, Yong Hyeon
• Primary Examiner(s): Allen; Andre J
• Application Number:
  US12/345,054
• Publication Number:
  US 20090260448A1
• Time in Patent Office: 610 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 73/718
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 9/0072 using variations in capacitance

Abstract

The present invention relates to a capacitance type pressure measurement apparatus by using a diaphragm, and more specifically to an apparatus for measuring pressure by using a diaphragm capable of measuring pressure of atmospheric pressure or less as well as pressure of atmospheric pressure or more without having a getter pump by fixedly mounting a pressure variable container on a sensor housing having a diaphragm mounted therein.

Claims

1. An apparatus for measuring pressure by using a diaphragm comprising:

a diaphragm sensor including a sensor housing formed with a first opening and a second opening, a diaphragm mounted between the first opening and the second opening to spatially isolate the first opening and the second opening from each other and provided with a conducive part, an electrode substrate formed with a through hole to form a channel between the second opening and the diaphragm and mounted between the second opening and the diaphragm, and an electrode attached to the electrode substrate to face the diaphragm; and

a pressure variable container formed with a third opening and a fourth opening and on which the sensor housing is fixed to communicate the second opening with the third opening.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a gate valve opening and closing the fourth opening;

a gas inlet pipe provided with a gas flux control valve for controlling gas amount flowed in the pressure variable container and connected to the pressure variable container; and

a container pressure measuring gauge for measuring pressure inside the pressure variable container when the pressure variable container is closed by the gate valve.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the diaphragm is mounted to be spaced by a predetermined distance from the first opening so that it can convexedly be bent toward the first opening without contacting the first opening.

4. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the sensor housing is formed with a flange part to be closely fixed to the pressure variable container.

5. A method of pressure measurement by using the apparatus for measuring pressure as claimed in claim 2 comprising the steps of:

closing the fourth opening by an operation of the gate valve;

flowing gas in the pressure variable container through the gas inlet pipe;

controlling pressure inside the pressure variable container to be constant pressure by using the gas flux control valve; and

,

positioning the first opening in a pressure measurement space higher than pressure inside the pressure variable container controlled in the pressure control step.