Pressure sensor

• US 8,931,348 B2
• Filed: 09/17/2009
• Issued: 01/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Kunert, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Caputo, Lisa
• Assistant Examiner(s): ROY, PUNAM P
• Application Number:
  US13/125,781
• Publication Number:
  US 20110265577A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,944 Days
• Field of Search: 737/15, 73/120.9, 737/14, 361/283.1
• US Class Current: 73/715
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0006 Lateral collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0136 responsive to actual contact with an obstacle , e.g. to vehicle deformation, bumper displacement or bumper velocity relative to the vehicle monitoring crash strength in combination with passenger seat detection B60R21/01558

Abstract

A pressure sensor is provided which is suitable as an airbag sensor of a vehicle. The pressure sensor includes a pressure chamber having a small opening and a large opening, a pressure sensor element having a pressure receiving surface, and a diaphragm. The diaphragm is designed to seal the large opening. The pressure sensor element is designed to seal the small opening at least using the pressure receiving surface.

Claims

1. A pressure sensor for use as an airbag sensor of a vehicle, comprising:

a pressure chamber having a small opening and a large opening, wherein the small opening and the large opening are connected by a tapered wall surface, wherein the wall surface is circumferentially peripheral to the small opening and the large opening;

a pressure sensor element having a pressure receiving surface, the pressure sensor element being for sealing the small opening at least using the pressure receiving surface;

a diaphragm for sealing the large opening; and

a pressure compensation element for producing a pressure compensation between the pressure chamber and an environment of the pressure sensor.

2. The pressure sensor according to claim 1, wherein the wall surface tapers in a direction of the small opening.

3. The pressure sensor according to claim 2, wherein the tapering wall surface has a curved design in the direction of the small opening.

4. The pressure sensor according to claim 2, wherein the diaphragm has a predefined arch at a maximum pressure to be detected, and wherein the tapering wall surface has a shape which is adapted to the predefined arch in the direction of the small opening, so that the diaphragm runs parallel to the tapering wall surface, at least in sections, at the maximum pressure to be detected.

5. The pressure sensor according to claim 2, wherein the pressure chamber has a cylindrical wall section which is situated between the small opening and the tapering wall surface.

6. The pressure sensor according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the small opening and the large opening has a rectangular cross section.

7. The pressure sensor according to claim 1, further comprising a cover for covering a side of the diaphragm diametrically opposed to the pressure chamber.

8. The pressure sensor according to claim 7, wherein the cover includes an opening having an adjacent pressure inlet channel, the pressure inlet channel completely spanning the opening of the cover.

9. A pressure sensor for use as an airbag sensor of a vehicle, comprising:

a pressure chamber having a small opening and a large opening;

a pressure sensor element having a pressure receiving surface, the pressure sensor element being for sealing the small opening at least using the pressure receiving surface;

a diaphragm for sealing the large opening; and

a pressure compensation element for producing a pressure compensation between the pressure chamber and an environment of the pressure sensor,

wherein the pressure chamber has a wall surface which tapers in a direction of the small opening, wherein the tapering wall surface has a straight design in the direction of the small opening.