Apparatus and method for facilitating transmission of a wireless signal from embedded sensors

• US 9,599,637 B2
• Filed: 03/10/2015
• Issued: 03/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rtx Corporation
• Original Assignee: United Technologies Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Mantese, Joseph V., Soldner, Nicholas Charles, Klecka, Michael A., Viens, Daniel V.
• Primary Examiner(s): LACTAOEN, BILLY JAMES M
• Application Number:
  US14/643,734
• Publication Number:
  US 20150285837A1
• Time in Patent Office: 742 Days
• Field of Search: 324/612
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 24/04 Impact or kinetic deposition of particles
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 4/08 containing only metal elements C23C4/073 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 11/245 Housings for sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 21/00 Measuring or testing not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/04 Housings; Supporting members; Arrangements of terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/18 Screening arrangements against electric or magnetic fields, e.g. against earth's field
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 3/00 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for the manufacture or maintenance of measuring instruments , e.g. of probe tips
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49016 Antenna or wave energy "plumbing" making

Abstract

An embedded sensor apparatus for enabling wireless signal transmission while protecting an embedded sensor is disclosed. In various embodiments, an embedded sensor apparatus may comprise a substrate with a cavity, a wireless sensor embedded in the cavity of the substrate, a protective cover coupled to the wireless sensor, and a ferrite layer covering the protective cover. Further, the embedded sensor apparatus may comprise an electromagnetic reflector coupled between the wireless sensor and the substrate. In addition, the ferrite layer may be a ferrite plug, a deposited ferrite layer, or a combination thereof. Furthermore, in various embodiments, covering the protective cover with the ferrite layer may comprise depositing the ferrite layer on the protective cover using a cold spray process. In another embodiment, covering the protective cover with the ferrite layer may comprise depositing the ferrite layer on the protective cover using a thermal spray process.

Claims

1. An embedded sensor apparatus comprising:

a substrate with a cavity;

a wireless sensor embedded in the cavity of the substrate;

a protective cover coupled to the wireless sensor; and

a ferrite layer covering the protective cover, wherein the ferrite layer comprises a ferrite material selected based in part on an operating frequency of the wireless sensor.

2. The embedded sensor apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an electromagnetic reflector coupled between the wireless sensor and the substrate.

3. The embedded sensor apparatus of claim 1, wherein the ferrite layer is a ferrite plug.

4. The embedded sensor apparatus of claim 1, wherein the ferrite layer is a deposited ferrite layer.

5. The embedded sensor apparatus of claim 1, wherein the ferrite layer comprises a ferrite plug and a deposited ferrite layer.

6. The embedded sensor apparatus of claim 1, wherein the ferrite layer comprises a mixture of a ferrite powder and a metal powder.

7. The embedded sensor apparatus of claim 6, wherein a material of the ferrite powder is selected based in part on the operating frequency of the wireless sensor.

8. The embedded sensor apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cavity of the substrate is shaped to generate directional tuning of the wireless sensor.

9. The embedded sensor apparatus of claim 8, wherein the cavity of the substrate is “

E”

-shaped.

10. The embedded sensor apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wireless sensor is a radio frequency (RF) sensor.

11. The embedded sensor apparatus of claim 1, wherein the embedded sensor apparatus is a moving component.

12. A method of facilitating transmission of a wireless signal from an embedded wireless sensor, the method comprising:

embedding the wireless sensor in a cavity of a substrate;

coupling a protective cover to the wireless sensor; and

covering the protective cover with a ferrite layer, wherein the ferrite layer comprises a ferrite material selected based in part on an operating frequency of the wireless sensor.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the covering the protective cover with the ferrite layer comprises depositing the ferrite layer on the protective using a cold spray process.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the covering the protective cover with the ferrite layer comprises depositing the ferrite layer on the protective cover using a thermal spray process.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the thermal spray process comprises a twin wire arc process applying arcing and locally melting a mixture of ferrite powder and metal powder.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the thermal spray process comprises a high velocity oxy-fuel coating spraying (HVOF) process comprising:

melting a mixture of ferrite powder and metal powder using combustion to from a molten mixture, and blowing the molten mixture onto the substrate.

13. The method of dam 12, further comprising coupling an electromagnetic reflector between the wireless sensor and the substrate.

14. The method of dam 12, wherein the covering the protective cover with the ferrite layer comprises inserting a ferrite plug.

17. The method of dam 16, wherein the thermal spray process comprises a plasma spray process applying arcing and heat, and locally melting a mixture of ferrite powder and metal powder.