Low cost ceramic core and method of manufacture

Abstract

The application discloses a low-cost ceramic core and a manufacturing method, and relates to the technical field of ceramic cores. The ceramic core comprises a ceramic base and an elastic diaphragm covering the front side of the ceramic base. The back surface of the ceramic base is provided with a back load area for mounting a back load circuit. The front side of the ceramic base is provided with a silk screen pit. The elastic diaphragm is sintered with a silk screen circuit on one side facing the silk screen pit. The silk screen circuit comprises a pressure sensing circuit and an integrated electronic element. The side of the ceramic base facing the elastic diaphragm is also sintered with a corresponding circuit. The elastic diaphragm and the silk screen circuit covering area of the ceramic base constitute a pressure sensing area. The ceramic core is formed by sintering the glass paste coated pieces. The ceramic core has few structural components and high integration, which significantly improves the process consistency, vibration resistance and long-term reliability of the structure and circuit, and reduces the manufacturing cost. Meanwhile, the ceramic core is suitable for large-scale integrated production and various pressure measurement scenes. The application solves the problems of the existing ceramic core preparation process and integration.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of ceramic core technology, and in particular to a low-cost ceramic core and its manufacturing method. Background Technology

[0002] Ceramic pressure sensor cores are widely used in automotive, industrial control, hydraulic, and chemical process monitoring fields due to their advantages such as corrosion resistance, high insulation, and good temperature stability. To achieve the integration of the sensitive diaphragm, electrodes, signal extraction structure, and packaging interface, various technical approaches have proposed different ceramic core structures and fabrication methods. However, as sensors develop towards miniaturization, integration, and low cost, existing ceramic core solutions still have significant limitations.

[0003] Existing modular ceramic pressure sensor cores are mechanically assembled from multiple components such as a fixing block with strain gauges, a housing, and a pusher block, and electrically connected to a circuit board via pins with special fixing structures. This type of structure has a large number of components, complex assembly steps, and an increased number of mechanical connection interfaces, which can easily lead to stress superposition and sealing risks. Furthermore, the reliance on through-hole welding and separate modular packaging limits production cycle time, increases costs, and makes it difficult to guarantee product consistency and long-term reliability.

[0004] Existing piezoresistive ceramic pressure sensors employ an external sensing chip solution, requiring the placement of thick-film resistors, circuit pads, and multiple adjustment resistors on a ceramic elastic diaphragm before sintering and integrating them with a ceramic base and glass layer. These ceramic bases are typically cubic blocks with mounting holes and positioning grooves, which not only result in large sizes and high processing precision requirements, leading to increased manufacturing costs, but also increase the difficulty of assembling the sensing chip with the substrate, hindering lightweight, thin, and high-density array applications.

[0005] Existing ceramic cores utilize a glass slurry layer to press-fit and sinter a ceramic strain gauge with circuitry onto a ceramic substrate with through-holes, then insert special solder pins into the through-holes to complete electrical lead-out. Although the packaging reliability is high, its discrete, stacked structure makes it difficult to achieve mass production and continuous integration processes. Furthermore, the through-holes and solder pins occupy a significant amount of space, hindering further reduction in the overall core size and limiting the development of miniature pressure sensors.

[0006] As a result, ceramic cores generally suffer from problems such as complex structure, large number of parts, high processing precision requirements, many assembly steps, difficulty in size reduction, and difficulty in achieving integrated production, leading to high manufacturing costs and hindering product miniaturization and consistency control.

[0007] In summary, the existing technology has at least the following technical problems:

[0008] Existing ceramic cores face technical challenges in balancing low cost and high consistency, miniaturization and integration of the cores are difficult, and the manufacturing process cannot meet the requirements for large-scale integrated manufacturing. Summary of the Invention

[0009] The purpose of this invention is to provide a low-cost ceramic core and method to solve the technical problems of existing ceramic cores, such as difficulty in balancing low cost and high consistency, high difficulty in miniaturization and integration of the core, and difficulty in meeting the requirements of large-scale integrated manufacturing.

[0010] The preferred technical solutions among the many technical solutions provided by this invention can produce a variety of technical effects, which are described in detail below.

[0011] To address the aforementioned technical problems, the present invention provides the following technical solution:

[0012] This invention provides a low-cost ceramic core, comprising a ceramic base, a back-load area for mounting a back-load circuit on the back side of the ceramic base, a screen-printed recess on the front side of the ceramic base, and an elastic diaphragm covering the screen-printed recess and disposed on the front side of the ceramic base; a screen-printed circuit is sintered on the surface of the elastic diaphragm facing the screen-printed recess, the screen-printed circuit including a pressure-sensing circuit and integrated electronic components, and a circuit corresponding to the screen-printed circuit is also screen-printed and sintered on the surface of the ceramic base facing the elastic diaphragm; wherein, the area covered by the screen-printed circuit of the elastic diaphragm and the ceramic base constitutes a pressure-sensing area, and by sintering the screen-printed circuit on the elastic diaphragm and the circuit corresponding to the screen-printed circuit on the ceramic base, and then covering the space between the elastic diaphragm and the ceramic base with a paste, the elastic diaphragm and the ceramic base are fused together to form an integrated miniaturized ceramic core, thereby integrating the pressure-sensing circuit, the electronic components, and the assembled back-load circuit in the ceramic core.

[0013] In one embodiment, the outer diameter of the ceramic core is 10–15 mm.

[0014] In one embodiment, the back load area on the back side of the ceramic substrate is a recessed structure, and the back load area accommodates the back load circuit for mounting signal conditioning, temperature compensation, or amplification circuitry.

[0015] In one embodiment, the back-load circuitry includes at least one of analog compensation, bridge correction, temperature detection, or signal processing circuitry.

[0016] In one embodiment, the recessed structure of the screen-printed pit is used to accommodate the pressure-sensing circuit and the electronic components integrated on the elastic diaphragm, so that the built-in screen-printed circuit after the ceramic core is integrally miniaturized and sintered has a uniform forming thickness, and reduces the stress concentration on the elastic diaphragm.

[0017] In one embodiment, the pressure sensing circuit includes either a capacitive or a resistive sensing circuit to adapt to various pressure measurement environments.

[0018] In one embodiment, the electronic component includes a capacitive or resistive element to cooperate with the capacitive or resistive pressure sensing circuit for adapting to various pressure measurement environments.

[0019] In one embodiment, the structure of the back-load circuit varies depending on whether the pressure sensing circuit and the electronic components are configured as capacitive or resistive circuits.

[0020] In one embodiment, the covering slurry is a glass slurry, and the ceramic substrate and the elastic diaphragm are sintered together by the glass slurry, forming a reliable sealing and heat-resistant interface between the ceramic substrate and the elastic diaphragm.

[0021] In one embodiment, the pressure sensing circuit and the electronic components, as well as the recessed structure through the screen-printed pits, are integrated on the screen-printed circuit to reduce the external connecting wires and mechanical fittings attached to the ceramic core, thereby giving the circuits and components in the ceramic core higher vibration resistance and long-term reliability.

[0022] A method for manufacturing a low-cost ceramic core is also provided, comprising the following steps: S1, panelizing: multiple ceramic bases are arranged in an orthogonal matrix panel to form a base panel; simultaneously, multiple elastic diaphragms corresponding to the positions of the ceramic bases are arranged in an orthogonal matrix panel to form a diaphragm panel.

[0023] S2, Screen Printing and Sintering: Screen print and sinter the screen-printed circuits on the elastic diaphragm of the diaphragm panel and the corresponding circuits on the ceramic base of the base panel.

[0024] S3. Coating: Coating a glass paste between the elastic diaphragm and the ceramic base with the screen-printed circuit side of the elastic diaphragm of the diaphragm panel facing the screen-printed recess side of the ceramic base of the base panel.

[0025] S4. Merge the core panel: Merge the diaphragm panel and the base panel to form the core panel;

[0026] S5, Sintered Core Panel: The core panel is sintered into shape;

[0027] S6. Laser cutting: The core panel after sintering is laser-cut to separate the core panel into multiple independent, miniaturized ceramic cores.

[0028] In one embodiment, the base panel and the diaphragm panel adopt an orthogonal matrix panel structure of 5×5 panels, and the base panel and the diaphragm panel are sintered together to form 25 ceramic cores.

[0029] In one method, the laser cutting is performed along a preset orthogonal straight line cutting seam, so that the outer diameter of the ceramic core is controlled within ±0.05mm.

[0030] In one embodiment, the elastic diaphragm of the diaphragm panel and the ceramic base of the base panel are printed using a thick-film screen printing process; the sintering temperature after screen printing is controlled at 700-900℃ to ensure the compactness of the screen-printed circuit.

[0031] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows:

[0032] (1) Achieve an integrated miniaturized structure for the ceramic core, improving consistency and reducing costs.

[0033] By pre-sintering pressure sensing circuits and electronic components on an elastic diaphragm and sintering the corresponding circuits on a ceramic substrate, and then sintering the two together with glass slurry, the structure avoids the cost increases and difficulty in ensuring process consistency caused by a large number of mechanical parts, assemblies, and welded parts in traditional ceramic cores. In addition, the integrated sintering structure and process can realize ultra-miniaturized, low-tolerance, and highly consistent ceramic cores, reducing material consumption and manufacturing costs from the source.

[0034] (2) High integration is achieved through screen printing recesses and double-layer circuit layout, improving the accuracy and stability of pressure detection.

[0035] The screen-printed recesses are used to accommodate the pressure sensing circuit and electronic components, ensuring uniform thickness and accurate positioning after sintering, and significantly reducing stress concentration on the surface of the elastic diaphragm. At the same time, the ceramic base and the elastic diaphragm are screen-printed with corresponding circuits, forming a compact integrated layout of the pressure sensing area in three dimensions, which improves signal coupling stability, temperature drift suppression capability, and pressure detection linearity, thereby improving pressure detection performance and long-term reliability.

[0036] (3) The sintering interface of glass slurry improves sealing performance, thermal stability and long service life.

[0037] During the sintering process, the glass slurry forms a stable sealing interface, which enables the ceramic substrate and the elastic diaphragm to have high airtightness, high temperature thermal cycling resistance, and high mechanical strength. This effectively avoids problems such as leakage, material aging, and uneven assembly that exist in traditional sealing methods, such as applying glue, and ensures the reliability of the product for long-term use.

[0038] (4) The reserved structure in the back load area of ​​the ceramic base enhances the system's expandability and enables high-level circuit integration.

[0039] The ceramic base has a back load area on the back, and modules such as signal conditioning, temperature compensation, and amplification circuits can be installed as needed, giving the ceramic core itself a high degree of secondary integration. This eliminates the need for an additional external PCB, reduces the size of the terminal package, and supports the development of modular and customized pressure sensors, thereby significantly improving the space utilization and integration of the overall system.

[0040] (5) Suitable for large-scale integrated manufacturing, improving yield and reducing cost fluctuations

[0041] The structure and manufacturing logic of the ceramic core are based on double-sided screen printing, matching recess design, and integrated sheet sintering, which allows the manufacturing process to be fully integrated into a standardized thick film screen printing production line. Combined with highly automated processes such as panel sintering and automated loading and unloading, the ceramic core with this structure and process has good process adaptability, such as large-scale mass production, stable yield, wide process window, and reduced unit cost. This fundamentally solves the problems of dispersed processes, many assembly steps, and difficulty in large-scale and stable mass production in existing technologies. Attached Figure Description

[0042] To more clearly illustrate the technical solution of the present invention, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0043] Figure 1 This is a cross-sectional structural diagram of the ceramic core of the present invention;

[0044] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the front side of the ceramic base of the present invention;

[0045] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the elastic diaphragm of the present invention using a capacitive sensing circuit and electronic components;

[0046] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the elastic diaphragm of the present invention using a resistive sensing circuit and electronic components;

[0047] Figure 5This is a cross-sectional view of the recessed structure of the back-load area of ​​the ceramic core of the present invention.

[0048] Figure 6 This is a physical diagram of the back-load circuit of the ceramic base of the present invention;

[0049] Figure 7 This is an isometric structural diagram of the core panel of the present invention;

[0050] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the steps in the manufacturing method of the low-cost ceramic core of the present invention.

[0051] The reference numerals in the attached figures are as follows:

[0052] 1. Ceramic base; 11. Back load area; 111. Back load circuit; 12. Silkscreen recess;

[0053] 2. Elastic diaphragm; 21. Screen-printed circuit; 211. Pressure sensing circuit; 212. Electronic components;

[0054] 3. Glass slurry;

[0055] 4. Ceramic core;

[0056] 5. Base panels;

[0057] 6. Diaphragm panel assembly;

[0058] 7. Core panel assembly. Detailed Implementation

[0059] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0060] This invention discloses a low-cost ceramic core and its manufacturing method, relating to the field of ceramic core technology. The ceramic core includes a ceramic base and an elastic diaphragm covering its front side. A back-load area for mounting a back-load circuit is provided on the back side of the ceramic base. A screen-printed recess is provided on the front side of the ceramic base. A screen-printed circuit is sintered on the side of the elastic diaphragm facing the screen-printed recess. The screen-printed circuit includes a pressure-sensing circuit and integrated electronic components. A corresponding circuit is also sintered on the side of the ceramic base facing the elastic diaphragm. The area covered by the screen-printed circuit of the elastic diaphragm and the ceramic base constitutes a pressure-sensing area, and the ceramic core is formed by sintering a coated glass paste. The ceramic core has fewer structural components and higher integration, significantly improving the consistency of the structure and circuitry, vibration resistance, and long-term reliability, while reducing manufacturing costs. It is also suitable for large-scale integrated production and various pressure measurement scenarios. This effectively solves the technical problems of existing ceramic cores, such as difficulty in balancing low cost and high consistency, high miniaturization and integration difficulty, and difficulty in meeting the requirements of large-scale integrated manufacturing processes.

[0061] The first implementation of a low-cost ceramic core, for example Figures 1 to 4 and Figure 6 As shown, the device includes a ceramic base 1, a back-mount area 11 for mounting a back-mount circuit 111 on the back side of the ceramic base 1; a screen-printed recess 12 on the front side of the ceramic base 1; and an elastic diaphragm 2 covering the screen-printed recess 12 and located on the front side of the ceramic base 1. A screen-printed circuit 21 is sintered on the surface of the elastic diaphragm 2 facing the screen-printed recess 12. The screen-printed circuit 21 includes a pressure-sensing circuit 211 and integrated electronic components 212. Corresponding screen-printed circuits are also screen-printed and sintered on the surface of the ceramic base 1 facing the elastic diaphragm 2. The circuit of circuit 21; wherein, the area covered by the screen-printed circuit 21 of the elastic diaphragm 2 and the ceramic base 1 constitutes the pressure sensing area, and by sintering the screen-printed circuit 21 on the elastic diaphragm 2 and the corresponding screen-printed circuit 21 on the ceramic base 1, and then covering the space between the elastic diaphragm 2 and the ceramic base 1 with paste, the elastic diaphragm 2 and the ceramic base 1 are fused together to form an integrated miniaturized ceramic core 4, so that the ceramic core 4 integrates the pressure sensing circuit 211, electronic components 212 and the back load circuit 111 after assembly and installation.

[0062] Specifically, addressing the common technical problems of existing ceramic cores 4, such as difficulty in balancing low cost and high consistency, insufficient structural miniaturization and integration, and inability of manufacturing processes to meet the requirements of large-scale integrated manufacturing, this invention achieves several technical benefits by sintering screen-printed circuits 21 on the ceramic substrate 1 and the elastic diaphragm 2 respectively, and using the interface of screen-printed pits 12 and glass paste 3. This results in: achieving an integrated miniaturized structure for the ceramic core 4, improving consistency and reducing costs; avoiding the cost increases and difficulty in ensuring process consistency caused by a large number of mechanical parts, assemblies, and welded parts in traditional ceramic cores 4; and achieving an ultra-miniaturized, low-tolerance, and highly consistent ceramic core 4 through the integrated sintering structure and process.

[0063] High integration is achieved through the screen-printed recesses 12 and the double-layer circuit layout, improving the accuracy and stability of pressure detection. The screen-printed recesses 12 are used to accommodate the pressure sensing circuit 211 and electronic components 212, ensuring uniform thickness and accurate positioning after sintering, and significantly reducing stress concentration on the surface of the elastic diaphragm 2. At the same time, the ceramic base 1 and the elastic diaphragm 2 are screen-printed with corresponding circuits, forming a compact integrated layout of the pressure sensing area in three dimensions, which improves signal coupling stability, temperature drift suppression capability, and pressure detection linearity, thereby improving pressure detection performance and long-term reliability.

[0064] The sintering interface of glass slurry 3 improves sealing performance, thermal stability and long service life; during the sintering process, glass slurry 3 forms a stable sealing interface, which enables the ceramic base 1 and the elastic diaphragm 2 to have high airtightness, high temperature thermal cycling resistance and high mechanical strength, effectively avoiding the problems of leakage, material aging and uneven assembly that exist in traditional sealing methods such as glue application, and ensuring the reliability of the product for long-term use.

[0065] The back load area 11 of the ceramic base 1 has a reserved structure to enhance the system's expandability and achieve high circuit-level integration. The back load area 11 is set on the back of the ceramic base 1, and modules such as signal conditioning, temperature compensation, and amplification circuits can be installed as needed, so that the ceramic core 4 itself has a high degree of secondary integration function. As a result, no additional external PCB is required, the terminal package size is reduced, and modular and customized pressure sensor development is supported, thereby significantly improving the space utilization and integration of the overall system.

[0066] Suitable for large-scale integrated manufacturing, improving yield and reducing cost fluctuations; the structure and preparation logic of ceramic core 4 are based on double-sided screen printing, matching pit design, and integrated sheet sintering, which allows the manufacturing process to be fully integrated into the production line of standardized thick film screen printing process, and combined with highly automated processes such as panel sintering and automated loading and unloading; thus, ceramic core 4 under this structure and process has good process adaptability with large-scale mass production, stable yield, wide process window, and reduced unit cost, fundamentally solving the problems of dispersed processes, many assembly steps, and difficulty in large-scale stable mass production in existing technologies.

[0067] In summary, this low-cost ceramic core technology solution simultaneously addresses five core challenges: low cost, high consistency, miniaturization, high integration, and scalable mass production. It represents a comprehensive breakthrough in existing ceramic pressure sensor technology.

[0068] As one alternative implementation method:

[0069] Regarding the external dimensions of the ceramic core 4, the outer diameter of the ceramic core 4 is 10-15 mm.

[0070] When applying the ceramic core 4, a miniaturized size with an outer diameter of 10-15mm is selected, which makes the entire pressure sensing area more concentrated in structure and reduces the additional stress path corresponding to the actual pressure area of ​​the elastic diaphragm 2.

[0071] Furthermore, the outer diameter of the ceramic core 4 is preferably 12.5 mm, which ensures both measurement sensitivity and accuracy, and is also widely applicable to various measurement environments.

[0072] By further optimizing the outer diameter to 12.5mm, an optimal balance can be achieved between ensuring the mechanical strength of the elastic diaphragm 2, the pressure sensing area, and the response sensitivity of the capacitive / resistive sensing structure. This miniaturized size, together with the three-dimensional layout of the recessed back support area 11 and the screen printing recess 12 of the ceramic base 1, allows the ceramic core 4 to transmit pressure signals through a shorter signal path, improving signal integrity and anti-interference capabilities. At the same time, it significantly reduces the overall volume, meets the integration requirements of miniaturized devices, and solves the problem of the traditional ceramic core 4 being large and difficult to integrate.

[0073] In practical use, the outer diameter of the ceramic core can be parametrically adjusted within the range of 10 to 15 mm according to the terminal equipment installation interface, pressure range requirements, or packaging shell size to achieve adaptability.

[0074] Regarding the structure of the back side of the ceramic base 1 described above, this embodiment is, for example... Figure 5 As shown, the back load area 11 on the back side of the ceramic base 1 has a recessed structure. The back load area 11 accommodates the back load circuit 111, which is used to install signal conditioning, temperature compensation or amplification circuits.

[0075] When applied, the back load area 11 of the ceramic base 1 is designed as a recessed structure, so that the back load circuit 111 can be directly embedded inside the ceramic base 1 and kept in a compact arrangement with the pressure sensing structure of the ceramic core 4, thereby reducing the space occupied by the external circuit board.

[0076] The recessed structure of the back load area 11 is designed to match the mechanical strength and thermal expansion coefficient of the ceramic base 1 and form a synergistic effect, so that the back load circuit 111 can achieve higher stability in thermal cycling and vibration environment in sync with the ceramic core 4. At the same time, it shortens the transmission path of the pressure sensing signal from the pressure sensing circuit 211 to the signal conditioning circuit, effectively reducing noise and signal attenuation, and solving the problems of traditional ceramic core 4 requiring external PCB, large system size and poor reliability.

[0077] The back mounting area 11 can also be expanded into a stepped groove, an annular groove, or a structure with a fixing post, depending on the application, so as to be compatible with the embedded installation of signal conditioning chips, calibration circuits, or temperature compensation modules of different specifications.

[0078] Regarding the structure of the front side of the ceramic base 1 described above, this embodiment is, for example... Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the recessed structure of the screen printing pit 12 is used to accommodate the pressure sensing circuit 211 and electronic components 212 integrated on the elastic diaphragm 2, so that the built-in screen printing circuit 21 after the ceramic core 4 is miniaturized and sintered has a uniform forming thickness, and reduces the stress concentration on the elastic diaphragm 2.

[0079] In application, the screen-printed recesses 12 are used to accurately position the pressure sensing circuit 211 and electronic components 212, so that the screen-printed circuit can be embedded in the recessed space, thereby ensuring that the overall thickness between the elastic diaphragm 2 and the ceramic base 1 remains uniform after the elastic diaphragm 2 is sintered.

[0080] The presence of the screen-printed recess 12 eliminates the local thickness abrupt change caused by circuit stacking, reduces the stress concentration of the diaphragm bending, and improves the consistency of pressure response. At the same time, the synergistic effect of the screen-printed recess 12 and the high-temperature sintering interface of the elastic diaphragm 2 can improve the circuit's tolerance to thermal shock and pressure cycling, and solve the problem of stress point failure caused by local circuit stacking in the traditional ceramic core 4.

[0081] The depth and width of the screen printing recess 12 need to be optimized according to the thickness of the screen printing circuit 21, the electrode form or the volume of the electronic component 212. For example, the shape of the recess can be circular, rectangular or ring-shaped to adapt to different pressure sensing structure layouts.

[0082] Regarding the grout used for sealing and bonding between the ceramic base 1 and the elastic diaphragm 2, this embodiment is, for example... Figure 1 As shown, the covering slurry is glass slurry 3, and the ceramic base 1 and the elastic diaphragm 2 are sintered together through glass slurry 3, forming a reliable sealing and heat-resistant interface between the ceramic base 1 and the elastic diaphragm 2.

[0083] When applied, the glass slurry 3 is laid between the ceramic substrate 1 and the elastic diaphragm 2. It can melt during the sintering process and form a stable sealing layer, so that the two are combined into a glass interface that is airtight, heat-resistant and has mechanical strength.

[0084] After high-temperature sintering, the glass interface forms a continuous glass phase structure, which has high compatibility with ceramics and effectively avoids failures such as cracking and delamination caused by thermal cycling. Furthermore, the glass paste 3 works synergistically with the screen-printed circuit 21 and the pit structure to keep the pressure sensing area structurally intact under pressure, thus solving the problems of air leakage and aging failure when the traditional ceramic core 4 is sealed with resin or mechanically bonded.

[0085] The formulation of glass slurry 3 can be selected as a low-temperature, medium-temperature, or high-temperature glass system according to the sintering temperature and process equipment, and an appropriate amount of filler can be added to improve the thermal expansion matching between the glass interface and the elastic film 2 of the ceramic and the ceramic base 1.

[0086] Regarding the structural cooperation between the screen-printed circuit 21 of the aforementioned elastic diaphragm 2 and the screen-printed recess 12 of the ceramic substrate 1, this embodiment is, for example... Figure 3 and Figure 4As shown, the pressure sensing circuit 211 and electronic components 212 are integrated on the silkscreen circuit 21, and the recessed structure of the silkscreen pit 12 reduces the external connection lines and mechanical components attached to the ceramic core 4, so that the circuits and components in the ceramic core 4 have higher vibration resistance and long-term reliability.

[0087] In application, the pressure sensing circuit 211 and electronic components 212 are directly integrated into the elastic diaphragm 2 by screen printing, and the screen printing recesses 12 provide containment and positioning, so that the entire circuit is built into the ceramic core 4 without the need for external soldering wires or independent packaging substrates. The integrated structure significantly shortens the circuit connection path, reduces mechanical connection points, and improves shock resistance and long-term operational stability.

[0088] Furthermore, the screen-printed recesses 12 work together with the glass sintering interface, making the stress distribution more uniform when the component is subjected to external impacts, effectively solving the problem of failure caused by fatigue fracture of external solder wires and loose connectors in traditional ceramic cores 4.

[0089] The technical solution of the pressure sensing circuit 211 of the present invention is built into the ceramic core 4, which can further integrate a temperature sensor, a bridge balancing resistor or a calibration EEPROM to form a multifunctional miniature pressure sensing unit.

[0090] A second implementation of a low-cost ceramic core, for example Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the difference between this embodiment and the first embodiment is that the pressure sensing circuit 211 includes a capacitive sensing circuit or a resistive sensing circuit to adapt to various pressure measurement environments.

[0091] When applying the technology, a capacitive or resistive pressure sensing circuit 211 is used, allowing the appropriate detection method to be selected according to different usage environments.

[0092] Among them, the capacitive structure performs well in low power consumption and high stability applications, while the resistive structure has the characteristics of fast response speed and good linearity in high sensitivity applications. Both can work together with the screen printing pit 12, the glass paste 3 interface and the integrated sintering structure to improve the reliability of the ceramic core 4 and expand the application range of the ceramic core 4 products, solving the problem that the traditional ceramic core 4 only supports a single type of pressure sensing structure, which limits its application.

[0093] The resistive pressure sensing circuit 211 here is a piezoresistive pressure sensing circuit 211.

[0094] The pressure sensing circuit 211 can also be expanded into a capacitive-piezoresistive hybrid structure for high-redundancy dual-channel output in special measurement scenarios.

[0095] A third implementation of low-cost ceramic cores, for example Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the difference between this embodiment and the second embodiment is that the electronic component 212 includes a capacitive component or a resistive component to cooperate with the capacitive pressure sensing circuit 211 or the resistive pressure sensing circuit 211 to adapt to various pressure measurement environments.

[0096] When applied, the electronic component 212 is a capacitive or resistive electronic component that matches the pressure sensing circuit 211, which can form a synergistic pressure sensing-conditioning circuit combination to improve the overall response performance of the system. This component, together with the silkscreened recess 12 and the integrated sintered structure, achieves embedded packaging, further improving anti-interference ability and temperature stability, and solving the problem that discrete components in the traditional ceramic core 4 cannot be accurately attached to the pressure sensing structure.

[0097] The resistive electronic component 212 here is a piezoresistive electronic component 212.

[0098] The electronic component 212 used can also be replaced with a temperature compensation resistor, a filter capacitor or a zero-point adjustment component according to environmental requirements.

[0099] A fourth implementation of low-cost ceramic cores, for example Figure 1 or Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, the difference between this embodiment and the third embodiment is that the structure of the back load circuit 111 is set as a capacitive circuit or a resistive circuit, depending on the pressure sensing circuit 211 and the electronic component 212.

[0100] When applied, the back-mounted circuit 111 selects the corresponding capacitive or resistive combination according to the type of pressure sensing circuit 211 and electronic component 212, so that the overall electrical link is consistent with the pressure sensing mechanism, and the linearity and stability of the output signal are improved.

[0101] In addition, the back-mounted area 11 and its recessed structure provide good support, so that the back-mounted circuit 111 can maintain a reliable connection with the circuit of the ceramic core 4 after packaging, solving the problem that the back circuit of the traditional ceramic core 4 cannot be flexibly expanded.

[0102] The back-mount circuit 111 can also be further integrated with an ADC, amplifier, or digital interface to form a digital pressure output core.

[0103] The fifth implementation of low-cost ceramic cores, for example Figure 6 As shown, the difference between this embodiment and the first embodiment is that the back load circuit 111 includes at least one of analog compensation, bridge correction, temperature detection, or signal processing circuits.

[0104] When applied, the back-load circuit 111 may include analog compensation, bridge correction, temperature detection, or signal processing modules, which can work directly with the circuit of the pressure sensing area to correct temperature drift and zero-point offset in real time, thereby improving the stability and accuracy of the pressure output.

[0105] The integrated assembly structure helps to shorten the signal transmission path, making the compensation more accurate and solving the problems of large size, high delay and high interference of traditional ceramic cores due to the external compensation plate.

[0106] The back-mount circuit 111 can also be equipped with an MCU, a software self-calibration program, or an EEPROM to store calibration parameters, thereby realizing an intelligent ceramic core 4.

[0107] Based on the above embodiments of low-cost ceramic cores, a method for manufacturing low-cost ceramic cores is provided, for example, to manufacture low-cost ceramic cores. Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, the steps are implemented sequentially from S1 to S6. S1: Panel arrangement: Multiple ceramic bases 1 are arranged in an orthogonal matrix panel to form a base panel 5; at the same time, multiple elastic diaphragms 2 corresponding to the positions of the ceramic bases 1 are arranged in an orthogonal matrix panel to form a diaphragm panel 6.

[0108] S2, screen printing and sintering: screen printing and sintering the screen-printed circuit 21 on the elastic diaphragm 2 of the diaphragm panel 6 and the circuit corresponding to the screen-printed circuit 21 on the ceramic base 1 of the base panel 5 respectively.

[0109] S3. Coating: The side of the screen-printed circuit 21 of the elastic diaphragm 2 of the diaphragm panel 6 faces the side of the screen-printed pit 12 of the ceramic base 1 of the base panel 5, and a glass paste 3 is coated between the elastic diaphragm 2 and the ceramic base 1.

[0110] S4. Merge core panel 7: Merge the diaphragm panel 6 and the base panel 5 to form core panel 7;

[0111] S5, Sintered core panel 7: The core panel 7 is sintered into shape;

[0112] S6. Laser cutting: The core panel 7 after sintering is laser cut to separate the core panel 7 into multiple independent, integrated, miniaturized ceramic cores 4.

[0113] Specifically, regarding the panel structure of steps S1 and S4, the orthogonal matrix panel structure adopted by the base panel 5 and the diaphragm panel 6 is a 5×5 panel. After the base panel 5 and the diaphragm panel 6 are sintered together, 25 ceramic cores 4 are formed.

[0114] Regarding the control of the screen printing and sintering process in step S2, the screen printing process used for the elastic diaphragm 2 of the diaphragm panel 6 and the ceramic base 1 of the base panel 5 is thick film screen printing; the sintering temperature after screen printing is controlled at 700-900℃ to ensure the compactness of the screen-printed circuit.

[0115] Regarding the laser cutting process control in step S6, the laser cutting is performed according to the preset orthogonal straight line cutting seam, so that the outer diameter accuracy of the ceramic core 4 is controlled within ±0.05mm.

[0116] In application, in step S1, multiple ceramic substrates 1 and multiple elastic diaphragms 2 are arranged in an orthogonal matrix, enabling batch and standardized processing of subsequent screen printing, sintering, lamination, and cutting processes. This orthogonal array arrangement not only facilitates fixture positioning and automated feeding but also creates a one-to-one standardized workstation for the ceramic substrates 1 and elastic diaphragms 2 in space, which is beneficial for precise stacking position control of the screen-printed circuit 21.

[0117] By using a modular layout, the shrinkage rate of ceramic materials during sintering is more uniform, thereby improving dimensional consistency and reducing the risk of warping. Moreover, this step effectively solves the problems of low efficiency, poor consistency, and large manual clamping errors caused by single-piece processing in traditional processes.

[0118] In step S2, thick film screen printing and sintering are performed on the diaphragm panel 6 and the base panel 5 respectively, so that the screen printing network of the pressure sensing circuit 211 and the electronic component 212 and the circuit on the corresponding ceramic base 1 can be pre-formed on different substrates.

[0119] By combining this double-sided screen printing method with the screen printing recess 12 structure, the circuits on the elastic diaphragm 2 and ceramic substrate 1 can achieve high-density layout before final lamination. Furthermore, the thick-film screen printing process features high paste utilization, controllable film thickness, and high positional accuracy. By controlling the sintering temperature at 700–900℃, electrodes, wires, or resistive materials can be fully densified, improving the circuit's conductivity, thermal cycling resistance, and long-term stability. This step completely solves the problems of dispersed attachment, easy detachment, and poor reliability of the pressure sensing circuit 211 in traditional ceramic cores 4.

[0120] In step S3, the screen-printed circuit 21 face of the sintered elastic diaphragm 2 is aligned with the screen-printed pit 12 of the ceramic substrate 1, and glass paste 3 is coated between the two. During the subsequent sintering process, the glass paste 3 melts and fills the gaps, thereby forming a stable bonding interface with high airtightness, high temperature resistance and mechanical impact resistance between the ceramic substrate 1 and the elastic diaphragm 2.

[0121] The glass slurry 3 serves as an intermediary layer and has a similar coefficient of thermal expansion to the ceramic materials on both sides, which can prevent interface cracking caused by thermal cycling. The glass layer, together with the screen-printed circuit 21 and the screen-printed pit 12, makes the pressure sensing area more structurally robust, further improving the stability and fatigue resistance of the measurement output, and solving the problems of rapid aging and poor temperature resistance of traditional resin-based sealing materials.

[0122] In step S4, by aligning and joining the diaphragm panel 6 with the base panel 5, multiple ceramic core units 4 are assembled and positioned in a single operation. The joined panels maintain precise alignment between the silkscreen circuits 21, reducing zero-point offset and inconsistency caused by misalignment of the pressure-sensing structure. Simultaneously, the multi-unit joined structure exhibits a more consistent temperature distribution in the sintering furnace, contributing to improved overall structural flatness and mechanical properties, thus solving the problems of difficult alignment and low yield in the traditional discrete ceramic core 4 joining process.

[0123] In step S5, the assembled core panel 7 is sintered as a whole, so that the glass slurry 3 melts and firmly bonds the ceramic base 1 and the elastic diaphragm 2; during the sintering process, the ceramic structure is densified at the same time, so that the pressure sensing area, the circuit area and the back load area 11 form a stable integrated whole.

[0124] Integral sintering not only improves the structural rigidity of the ceramic core 4, but also enhances its overall temperature stability and mechanical strength, giving the final ceramic core 4 pressure resistance, corrosion resistance, and fatigue resistance. This step effectively solves the problems of poor sealing, poor durability, and short product life caused by traditional mechanical bonding and gluing assembly of ceramic cores 4.

[0125] In step S6, the sintered integral core panel 7 is subjected to preset orthogonal linear laser cutting, so that each ceramic core 4 unit is separated along a precise path.

[0126] Furthermore, laser cutting has the characteristics of a small heat-affected zone and neat edges, which can ensure that the outer diameter accuracy of the ceramic core 4 is within ±0.05mm, and ensure that the geometric relationship between the elastic diaphragm 2 and the ceramic base 1 remains at the design value.

[0127] This step, together with the aforementioned panel arrangement, screen printing alignment, and glass interface, works in conjunction to make the final ceramic core 4 product significantly superior to traditional manual or mechanical cutting processes in terms of dimensional consistency, sealing reliability, and pressure measurement performance, thus solving the problem of performance fluctuations caused by cutting errors in existing ceramic core 4.

[0128] Through the streamlined manufacturing process of steps S1 to S6, the ceramic substrate 1, circuit, elastic diaphragm 2, glass interface and back-mounted circuit 111 form a highly integrated and consistent manufacturing system, realizing miniaturization, high consistency, high reliability, low cost and large-scale mass production, and completely solving the process defects of decentralized, manual, multi-interface and multi-stage production in the existing ceramic core 4 production.

[0129] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described.

Claims

1. A low-cost ceramic core, characterized in that, The device includes a ceramic base with a back-mount area for mounting a back-mount circuit on its back side; a screen-printed recess on the front side of the ceramic base; and an elastic diaphragm covering the screen-printed recess and located on the front side of the ceramic base. A screen-printed circuit, including a pressure-sensing circuit and integrated electronic components, is sintered on the surface of the elastic diaphragm facing the screen-printed recess. The ceramic base also has a corresponding circuit screen-printed and sintered on its surface facing the elastic diaphragm. The area covered by the screen-printed circuit on the elastic diaphragm and the ceramic base constitutes a pressure-sensing area. The device integrates the pressure-sensing circuit, the electronic components, and the assembled back-mount circuit within the ceramic core by sintering the screen-printed circuit on the elastic diaphragm and the corresponding circuit on the ceramic base. A paste is then applied between the elastic diaphragm and the ceramic base to form a miniaturized ceramic core. The back load area on the back side of the ceramic base has a recessed structure, and the back load area accommodates the back load circuit for mounting signal conditioning, temperature compensation or amplification circuits. The back load circuit includes at least one of analog compensation, bridge correction, temperature detection, or signal processing circuitry. The recessed structure of the screen printing pit is used to accommodate the pressure sensing circuit and the electronic components integrated on the elastic diaphragm, so that the built-in screen printing circuit after the ceramic core is integrally miniaturized and sintered has a uniform forming thickness and reduces the stress concentration on the elastic diaphragm. The covering slurry is a glass slurry, and the ceramic substrate and the elastic diaphragm are sintered together through the glass slurry, forming a reliable sealing and heat-resistant interface between the ceramic substrate and the elastic diaphragm; The pressure sensing circuit and electronic components are integrated on the screen-printed circuit, as well as the recessed structure through the screen-printed pits, to reduce the external connecting lines and mechanical fittings attached to the ceramic core, thereby giving the circuits and components in the ceramic core higher vibration resistance and long-term reliability.

2. The low-cost ceramic core according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outer diameter of the ceramic core is 10-15 mm.

3. The low-cost ceramic core according to claim 1, characterized in that, The pressure sensing circuit includes either a capacitive or a resistive sensing circuit to adapt to various pressure measurement environments.

4. The low-cost ceramic core according to claim 3, characterized in that, The electronic components include capacitive or resistive components, which work in conjunction with the capacitive or resistive pressure sensing circuit to adapt to various pressure measurement environments.

5. The low-cost ceramic core according to claim 4, characterized in that, The structure of the back-mounted circuit varies depending on whether the pressure sensing circuit and the electronic components are configured as capacitive or resistive circuits.

6. A method for manufacturing a low-cost ceramic core, used to manufacture the low-cost ceramic core according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The process includes the following steps: S1, Panelization: Multiple ceramic bases are arranged in an orthogonal matrix panel to form a base panel; simultaneously, multiple elastic diaphragms corresponding to the positions of the ceramic bases are arranged in an orthogonal matrix panel to form a diaphragm panel; S2, Screen Printing and Sintering: Screen printing and sintering the screen-printed circuits on the elastic diaphragms of the diaphragm panel and the corresponding circuits on the ceramic bases of the base panel; S3, Coating: Coating the elastic diaphragms of the diaphragm panel with the coating material. The screen-printed circuit side of the diaphragm faces the screen-printed recess side of the ceramic base of the base panel. A glass paste is applied between the elastic diaphragm and the ceramic base. S4, Merging core panels: The diaphragm panel and the base panel are merged to form a core panel. S5, Sintering core panel: The core panel is sintered. S6, Laser cutting: The sintered core panel is laser-cut to separate the core panel into multiple independent, miniaturized ceramic cores.

7. The manufacturing method according to claim 6, characterized in that, The base panel and the diaphragm panel adopt an orthogonal matrix panel structure of 5×5 panels. After the base panel and the diaphragm panel are sintered together, they form 25 ceramic cores.

8. The manufacturing method according to claim 7, characterized in that, The laser cutting is performed according to a preset orthogonal straight line cutting seam, so that the outer diameter of the ceramic core is controlled within ±0.05mm.

9. The manufacturing method according to claim 6, characterized in that, The elastic diaphragm of the diaphragm panel and the ceramic base of the base panel are printed using a thick-film screen printing process; the sintering temperature after screen printing is controlled at 700-900℃ to ensure the compactness of the screen-printed circuit.

Images