Force sensing apparatus

• US 6,044,711 A
• Filed: 01/10/1997
• Issued: 04/04/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: PSI-Tronix, Inc. (Omron Corporation)
• Original Assignee: PSI-Tronix, Inc. (Omron Corporation)
• Inventors: Bubel, William L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Harshad
• Assistant Examiner(s): CLARK, ROBIN C
• Application Number:
  US08/778,148
• Time in Patent Office: 1,180 Days
• Field of Search: 73/721, 73/727, 73/754, 73/862.632, 73/777
• US Class Current: 73/721
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 9/0052 of piezoresistive elements circuits therefor G01L9/06
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 9/0064 the element and the diaphragm being in intimate contact

Abstract

A sensing apparatus having a body member with a portion engageable with a work object having a medium to be sensed; and a system for registering at predetermined criterion, relative to the body member, during engagement of the portion of the body member with the work object, as an index of the medium. A method for manufacturing a resultant work piece having at least one projection thereon, the method including the steps of cutting a first work material to form the projection on a portion of the first work material, mounting the projection on a second work material and removing the remainder of the first work material from the projection to form the resultant work piece.

Claims

1. A force sensing apparatus comprising a deformable elongated body member having a portion engageable with a work object having a medium to be sensed and so constructed as to form a second portion mounted in spaced relation to said portion engageable with the work object;

and means for registering a predetermined criterion relative to said body member, during engagement of said portion of the body member with the work object, as an index of said medium.

2. The force sensing apparatus of claim 1 wherein said second portion of the body member in spaced from the portion engageable with the work object and is substantially isolated from registering said predetermined criterion so as to constitute a basis for said measuring.

3. The force sensing apparatus of claim 1 wherein said registering means includes an electrical circuit energizable to register said predetermined criterion.

4. The force sensing apparatus of claim 1 wherein said body member includes a silicon layer mounting said portion engageable with the work object and said registering means.

5. The force sensing apparatus of claim 1 wherein said body member includes silicon and glass laminae deformable for registering said predetermined criterion.

6. The force sensing apparatus of claim 5 wherein said glass lamina includes said portion engageable with the work object.

7. The force sensing apparatus of claim 6 wherein said silicon lamina mounts said registering means.

8. The force sensing apparatus of claim 7 wherein said registering means includes an electrical circuit energizable to register deformation of the body member while said portion of the body member is in engagement with the work object as an index of said medium.

9. The for sensing apparatus of claim 8 wherein said electrical circuit includes piezoresistive sensing elements.

10. A force sensing apparatus comprising a body member having a portion engageable with a work object having a medium to be sensed wherein said body member includes silicon and glass laminae deformable for registering said predetermined criterion and having a portion engageable with the work object and wherein said glass laminae is etched to form a pair of second portions mounted on the work object in spaced relation to said portion engageable with the work object for registering said predetermined criterion;

and means for registering a predetermined criterion relative to said body member, during engagement of said portion of the body member with the work object, as an index of said medium.

11. The force sensing apparatus of claim 10 wherein said medium is a pressurized fluid contained by a pressure responsive wall of the work object and said portion of the body member engageable with the work object is engageable with said pressure responsive wall of the work object.

12. A force sensing apparatus for detecting the force applied to a predetermined work surface of a work object, the force sensing apparatus comprising:

A. a deformable elongated body member having a silicon layer, a pair of spaced supports adapted to be mounted on said work object on opposite sides of said work surface and a pad between the supports of said pair of supports for engagement with said work surface; and

B. an electrical system, having piezoresistive sensing elements, energizable to register the position of said body member, caused by said work surface of the work object, so as to detect said force applied to the work surface.

13. The force sensing apparatus of claim 12 wherein said supports and pad are formed by a glass layer bonded to said silicon layer and which has been etched so as substantially to leave only the supports and pad of the glass layer on said silicon layer.

14. The for sensing apparatus of claim 13 wherein said glass layer is etched prior to mounting the glass layer on said silicon layer to form said supports and pad and is subsequently etched after mounting the glass layer on the silicon layer from a surface thereof opposite said supports and pad to remove substantially all of the glass layer except said supports and pad.

15. The force sensing apparatus of claim 14 wherein said glass layer is etched to form said supports and pad in such a manner as to form concave lateral surfaces for said supports and pad which, when mounted on the silicon layer, are resistant to fracture of said silicon layer.

16. The force sensing apparatus of claim 13 wherein said supports are individually adhesively mounted on the work object on opposite sides of said work surface and the pad is adhesively mounted on the work surface.

17. The force sensing apparatus of claim 12 wherein said electrical system includes said piezoresistive sensing elements operably interconnect with conductive traces forming a pair of electrical circuits mounted on said silicon layer.

18. The force sensing apparatus of claim 17 wherein said electrical circuits of the electrical system are operably connected to a Wheatstone bridge, are energizable to maintain a substantially continuous electrical excitation and are connected to a system operable to produce an analog output of the force applied against the work surface of the work object.

19. The re sensing apparatus of claim 18 wherein said piezoresistive sensing elements and said conductive traces are ion implanted on said silicon layer with a P type dopant and annealed to produce predetermined electrical properties.

20. The force sensing apparatus of claim 19 wherein said piezoresistive sensing elements and said conductive traces are operably connected to sintered aluminum contact pads which are operably connected to said Wheatstone bridge.

21. The force sensing apparatus of claim 20 wherein said silicon layer is constructed of N type silicon.

22. The force sensing apparatus of claim 21 wherein said work object is a pressure plug having a nondeformable housing bounding a chamber connected to a fluid under a pressure to be monitored and overlaid by a diaphragm deformable in response to said fluid pressure and in which said supports of the body member are mounted on the housing of the pressure plug and said pad of the body member is mounted on the diaphragm for movement therewith.