Air flow meter

Abstract

This air flow rate meter comprises a housing having an auxiliary passage and a circuit chamber, and a flow rate detection sensor. The flow rate detection sensor has a diaphragm in which a flow rate detection unit is formed on a main surface, a recessed section formed on the reverse-surface side of the diaphragm, and a package part having a first package section and a second package section, the first package section being positioned in the auxiliary passage, and the second package section being positioned in the circuit chamber. An airflow passage linked to the recessed section is formed in the interior of the package part. The recessed section communicates with the auxiliary passage via a plurality of ventilation pathways that communicate with the auxiliary passage via the airflow passage.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an air flow meter. [Background technology]

[0002] A thermal air flow meter is known as one type of air flow meter that measures air flow. A thermal air flow meter is a device that measures air flow by transferring heat between the air being measured. Thermal air flow meters are used to measure the flow rate of air sucked into internal combustion engines of automobiles, etc.

[0003] In recent years, a thermal air flow meter has been attracting attention, which has a diaphragm formed on a semiconductor chip by micromachining technology, a resistor provided on this diaphragm, and a package in which the semiconductor chip is sealed with resin (for example, Patent Document 1).

[0004] In the thermal air flow meter described in Patent Document 1, a resistor is formed on the main surface of the diaphragm, and a recess (gap) is formed on the back surface of the diaphragm located opposite the main surface. In such a configuration, if a difference occurs between the pressure on the main surface side and the pressure on the back surface side of the diaphragm, this pressure difference may cause the diaphragm to deform, resulting in a decrease in the measurement accuracy of the air flow rate.

[0005] For this reason, in the thermal air flow meter described in Patent Document 1, an air vent passage that connects to the recess on the back side of the diaphragm is formed in the package, and the air vent passage is connected to the sub-passage in which the diaphragm is disposed. Also, in the thermal air flow meter described in Patent Document 1, a slit is formed in the ventilation path from the air vent passage to the sub-passage to prevent foreign matter such as dust, pollutants, and water that have entered the sub-passage from the main passage from entering the circuit chamber. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] JP 2014-71032 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] However, after extensive research, the inventors of the present invention found that the diaphragm may be deformed under certain conditions even when the thermal air flow meter configuration described in Patent Document 1 is adopted. Specifically, it was found that when a high flow rate region is reached where a predetermined amount or more of air flows through the bypass passage, the bypass passage becomes negative pressure, generating a pressure difference between the space in the bypass passage and the space in the circuit chamber, which may cause the diaphragm to deform.

[0008] An object of the present invention is to provide an air flow meter that can effectively suppress deformation of a diaphragm and improve the accuracy of measuring an air flow rate. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In order to solve the above problems, for example, the configurations described in the claims are adopted. The present application includes multiple means for solving the above-mentioned problems, and one of them is an air flow meter comprising: a housing having a secondary passage through which air to be measured flows and a circuit chamber partitioned from the secondary passage; a diaphragm having a flow detection portion formed on its main surface for detecting the flow rate of air flowing through the secondary passage; a recess formed on the rear surface of the diaphragm; and a flow detection sensor having a package portion having a first package portion arranged in a state exposing the diaphragm and a second package portion integral with the first package portion, the first package portion being arranged in the secondary passage and the second package portion being arranged in the circuit chamber. The flow rate detection sensor further includes a circuit board on which the flow rate detection sensor is mounted. A ventilation passage connected to the recess is formed inside the package, and the recess communicates with the secondary passage via a plurality of ventilation paths including at least a first ventilation path communicating with the secondary passage via the ventilation path and a second ventilation path communicating with the secondary passage via the ventilation path through a path different from the first ventilation path. one end of the ventilation passage is connected to the recess and the other end of the ventilation passage is connected to a branching portion where the first ventilation path and the second ventilation path are branched off, the branching portion being formed by a through hole, the first ventilation path includes a ventilation portion at a position away from the second package portion for ventilating the sub-passage and the circuit chamber, and the second ventilation path includes a ventilation gap formed between the package portion and the circuit board. Effect of the Invention

[0010] According to the present invention, it is possible to effectively suppress deformation of the diaphragm and improve the measurement accuracy of the air flow rate. Problems, configurations and effects other than those described above will become apparent from the following description of the embodiments. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of an internal combustion engine control system including an air flow meter according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a front view of the air flow meter according to the embodiment. [Diagram 3] 3 is a diagram showing the air flow meter shown in FIG. 2 with the cover removed. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the air flow meter shown in FIG. 3 with a protective layer and a sealing layer made transparent. [Diagram 5] 2 is a cross-sectional view showing an arrangement state of a flow rate detection sensor in the air flow meter according to the embodiment. FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the flow rate detection sensor as viewed from the top side. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the flow rate detection sensor as viewed from the bottom side. [Figure 10] FIG. 9 is a perspective view including a cross section taken along the line AA in FIG. 8. [Figure 11] FIG. 9 is a perspective view including a cross section taken at position BB in FIG. 8. [Figure 12] FIG. 2 is a view of the lead frame as seen from the top side. [Figure 13] FIG. 9 is an enlarged view of part C in FIG. 8. [Figure 14] FIG. 11 is an enlarged view of part D in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0012] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In this specification and the drawings, elements having substantially the same functions or configurations are denoted by the same reference numerals, and duplicated explanations will be omitted.

[0013] (Configuration of Internal Combustion Engine Control System) FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of an internal combustion engine control system including an air flow meter according to this embodiment. In an internal combustion engine control system 1 shown in Fig. 1, air 2 is guided to a combustion chamber of the engine cylinder 11 through an air cleaner 21, a main passage 22, a throttle body 23, and an intake manifold 24 based on the operation of an internal combustion engine 10 having an engine cylinder 11 and an engine piston 12. The main passage 22 is formed by an intake body. An air flow meter 20 is disposed midway through the main passage 22. The air flow meter 20 is a device that measures the flow rate of the air 2 flowing through the main passage 22. In this embodiment, a case in which the air flow meter 20 is a thermal air flow meter will be described as an example.

[0014] The fuel injection valve 14 injects a predetermined amount of fuel based on the air flow rate measured by the air flow meter 20. As a result, the fuel and air are mixed together and introduced into the combustion chamber via the intake valve 15. The mixture of fuel and air introduced into the combustion chamber is combusted explosively by spark ignition from the spark plug 13, generating mechanical energy. The combusted gas is introduced into the exhaust pipe via the exhaust valve 16 and is discharged from the exhaust pipe as exhaust gas 3 to the outside of the vehicle.

[0015] The flow rate of air introduced into the combustion chamber is controlled by a throttle valve 25. The opening of the throttle valve 25 changes in accordance with the operation of an accelerator pedal (not shown). A throttle angle sensor 26 measures the opening of the throttle valve 25. The rotation angle sensor 17 is a sensor for measuring the positions and states of the engine piston 12, the intake valve 15, and the exhaust valve 16, and for measuring the rotation speed of the internal combustion engine 10. The oxygen sensor 28 is a sensor for measuring the mixture ratio state of the fuel amount and the air amount from the state of the exhaust gas 3.

[0016] The control device 4 controls the amount of fuel injected by the fuel injection valve 14 and the ignition timing by the spark plug 13 based on the measurement results of the air flow meter 20 and the rotation angle sensor 17. In addition, the control device 4 controls the amount of air bypassing the throttle valve 25 by the idle air control valve 27 when the internal combustion engine 10 is in an idle operating state.

[0017] (Air flow meter configuration) Fig. 2 is a front view of the air flow meter according to this embodiment. In this embodiment, the up-down and left-right directions of the air flow meter 20 are defined assuming that the air flow meter 20 is attached to the main passage 22 in the orientation shown in Fig. 2 and that the air 2 flows through the main passage 22 in the direction of the arrow.

[0018] 2, air flow meter 20 includes a housing 30, a cover 31 attached to housing 30, and a flow rate detection sensor 32 (see FIG. 3) accommodated in a space formed by housing 30 and cover 31. A case 29 of air flow meter 20 is formed by housing 30 and cover 31. Housing 30 includes a housing main body 35 having a rectangular shape when viewed from the front, a flange portion 36 formed on the upper end side of housing main body 35, and a connector portion 37 protruding from flange portion 36.

[0019] The cover 31 is attached to a housing main body 35 of the housing 30. The housing 30 and the cover 31 form a case 29 which has one air inlet 38 and three air outlets 39a, 39b. The flange portion 36 is a portion for fixing the air flow meter 20 to the intake body which forms the main passage 22. The connector portion 37 is a portion for electrically connecting the air flow meter 20 to the control device 4.

[0020] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the air flow meter 20 shown in FIG. 2 with the cover 31 removed. As shown in Fig. 3, the housing body 35 is formed with a sub-passage 40 through which the air to be measured flows, and a circuit chamber 41 partitioned from the sub-passage 40. The sub-passage 40 is a passage that connects the above-mentioned one air inlet 38 and the two air outlets 39a, 39b. The sub-passage 40 has a first sub-passage 40a and a second sub-passage 40b. The first sub-passage 40a and the second sub-passage 40b branch off midway through the sub-passage 40.

[0021] On the other hand, the air outlet 39a opens at the end of the first sub-passage 40a, and the air outlet 39b opens at the end of the second sub-passage 40b. The second sub-passage 40b is bent in a U-shape. By forming the sub-passage 40 inside the housing 29 in this way, a part of the air 2 flowing through the main passage 22 shown in FIG. 1 is introduced into the sub-passage 40 from the air inlet 38. The air introduced from the air inlet 38 flows along the sub-passage 40, and this air flow is divided into the first sub-passage 40a and the second sub-passage 40b midway through the sub-passage 40. The air flowing along the first sub-passage 40a is introduced into the main passage 22 from the air outlet 39a, and the air flowing along the second sub-passage 40b is introduced into the main passage 22 from the air outlet 39b.

[0022] A plurality of grooves 42a-42g are formed in the housing body 35. The grooves 42a-42g are formed so as to surround the sub-passage 40 and the circuit chamber 41. Meanwhile, a plurality of protrusions (not shown) are formed in the cover 31 corresponding to the grooves 42a-42g. The grooves 42a-42g and the protrusions are fitted together when the cover 31 is attached to the housing body 35. Then, this fitted portion is sealed in an airtight state by a sealant such as silicone resin.

[0023] The circuit chamber 41 is formed adjacent to the second sub-passage 40b. A circuit board 43 is attached to the circuit chamber 41. A part 43a of the circuit board 43 is disposed so as to protrude from the circuit chamber 41 into the second sub-passage 40b. The flow rate detection sensor 32 and two pressure sensors 44, 45 are mounted on the circuit board 43. The flow rate detection sensor 32 and each of the pressure sensors 44, 45 are each formed of a semiconductor package. A protective layer 46 is formed on the circuit board 43, and a sealing layer 47 is formed on the semiconductor package constituting the flow rate detection sensor 32. FIG. 4 is a view of the air flow meter 20 shown in FIG. 3 with the protective layer 46 and the sealing layer 47 made transparent. As can be seen from FIG. 4, the flow rate detection sensor 32 has a plurality of lead terminals 50. The pressure sensor 44 has a plurality of lead terminals 48, and the pressure sensor 45 also has a plurality of lead terminals 49. The flow rate detection sensor 32 and each of the pressure sensors 44 and 45 are configured using an SOP (Small Outline Package), which is one form of semiconductor package.

[0024] Moreover, the flow rate detection sensor 32 and each of the pressure sensors 44, 45 are both mounted on the circuit board 43 by soldering. Specifically, the multiple lead terminals 50 of the flow rate detection sensor 32 are soldered to multiple electrode portions (not shown) formed on the circuit board 43 in correspondence with the mounting position of the flow rate detection sensor 32. Similarly, the multiple lead terminals 48 of the pressure sensor 44 are soldered to multiple electrode portions (not shown) formed on the circuit board 43, and the multiple lead terminals 49 of the pressure sensor 45 are soldered to multiple electrode portions (not shown) formed on the circuit board 43.

[0025] The protective layer 46 is a layer for protecting the lead terminal 48 of the pressure sensor 44, the lead terminal 49 of the pressure sensor 45, and the lead terminal 50 of the flow rate detection sensor 32. The protective layer 46 is formed of, for example, a silicone resin. The sealing layer 47 is a layer for filling and sealing a gap formed between the semiconductor package and the cover 31 when the cover 31 is attached to the housing main body 35 as shown in FIG. 5. The sealing layer 47 is formed of, for example, a silicone resin. Note that FIG. 5 shows a structure in which the protruding portion 31c of the cover 31 is fitted into the recessed groove 42c of the housing main body 35 and this fitting portion is sealed with a sealant 34 such as a silicone resin, but a similar sealing structure is also applied to a fitting portion between a groove and a protruding portion (not shown).

[0026] (Flow rate detection sensor configuration) Next, a detailed description will be given of the configuration of the flow rate detection sensor 32. In addition, in describing the configuration of the flow rate detection sensor 32, the side facing the cover 31 is the upper side of the flow rate detection sensor 32, and the side facing the circuit board 43 is the lower side of the flow rate detection sensor 32 in FIG.

[0027] Fig. 6 is a top view of the flow rate detection sensor 32, and Fig. 7 is a bottom view of the flow rate detection sensor 32. Fig. 8 is a see-through view of the flow rate detection sensor 32 from the top side, and Fig. 9 is a see-through view of the flow rate detection sensor 32 from the bottom side. Fig. 10 is a see-through view including a cross section at position AA in Fig. 8, and Fig. 11 is a see-through view including a cross section at position BB in Fig. 8.

[0028] 6 to 11, the flow rate detection sensor 32 includes a lead frame 51, a plate 52 attached to the lead frame 51, a flow rate detection element 53 mounted on the lower surface of the plate 52, an LSI element 54 mounted on the lower surface of the plate 52 together with the flow rate detection element 53, a resin sheet 55 attached to the upper surface of the lead frame 51, and a package section 56 for resin-sealing the lead frame 51 and the LSI element 54. The flow rate detection element 53 and the LSI element 54 are semiconductor chips based on a semiconductor substrate such as silicon. LSI is an abbreviation for Large Scale Integration.

[0029] FIG. 12 is a view of the lead frame 51 as seen from the top side. As shown in FIG. 12, the lead frame 51 has a plate-shaped portion 60 in addition to the multiple lead terminals 50 described above. Each lead terminal 50 is bent into a gull-wing shape. The lower surface of the plate-shaped portion 60 is attached to the upper surface of the plate 52 described above. The plate 52 is a member for relieving stress caused by a difference in linear expansion coefficient between the lead frame 51 and the flow detection element 53 and the LSI element 54. A through hole 52a (see FIG. 10) is formed in the plate 52. The through hole 52a communicates with the through hole 63 of the lead frame 51 and the recess 68 of the flow detection element 53. Communication is a term that means spatial connection. The plate 52 may be provided as necessary. Of the multiple lead terminals 50, some of the lead terminals 50 are connected to the plate-shaped portion 60, and the other lead terminals 50 are electrically connected to the LSI element 54 via a bonding wire 65. In addition, the flow detection element 53 and the LSI element 54 are electrically connected via a bonding wire 66 (see FIG. 10). The bonding wires 65 and 66 are formed of, for example, gold wires.

[0030] Two grooves 61 are formed on the upper surface of the plate-shaped portion 60. Four punch holes 62 and two through holes 63, 64 are formed in the plate-shaped portion 60. The two grooves 61 correspond to ventilation passages connected to the recessed portion 68 and are formed parallel to each other. The two grooves 61 are formed elongated along the longitudinal direction of the plate-shaped portion 60 (the left-right direction in FIG. 12). One end of each groove 61 in the longitudinal direction is bent in an arc shape to be connected to the through hole 63, and the other end of each groove 61 in the longitudinal direction is bent in an arc shape to be connected to the through hole 64. The through holes 63, 64 are both formed in a circular shape. The size of the through hole 64 is preferably set to a diameter of 0.3 mm or less so that foreign matter does not enter the groove 61 through the through hole 64. The shape of the through holes 63, 64 is not limited to a circular shape, and may be any shape, such as a polygonal shape.

[0031] As shown in FIG. 10 and FIG. 11, the flow rate detection element 53 has a diaphragm 67. The diaphragm 67 is formed by leaving a thin portion of a semiconductor substrate that is the base of the flow rate detection element 53. In this embodiment, the lower surface of the diaphragm 67 corresponds to the main surface of the diaphragm 67, and the upper surface of the diaphragm 67 corresponds to the back surface of the diaphragm 67. A flow rate detection portion (not shown) is formed on the lower surface of the diaphragm 67. The flow rate detection portion is a portion that detects the flow rate of air flowing through the second sub-passage 40b of the sub-passage 40. The flow rate detection portion is composed of, for example, a heating resistor and a pair of temperature measuring resistors. A recess 68 is formed on the upper surface side of the diaphragm 67. The recess 68 forms a recessed space. The recess 68 opens on the opposite side to the diaphragm 67 with an area larger than that of the diaphragm 67.

[0032] The flow rate detection element 53 is fixed to the plate 52 with an adhesive (not shown), and the LSI element 54 is also fixed to the plate 52 with an adhesive (not shown). The LSI element 54 controls the amount of heat generated by the resistor in the flow rate detection portion of the flow rate detection element 53, and outputs a signal indicating the air flow rate detected by the flow rate detection portion to the outside via the lead terminal 50.

[0033] The resin sheet 55 is attached to the upper surface of the lead frame 51. The resin sheet 55 is a rectangular sheet that is long in the longitudinal direction of the flow rate detection sensor 32, and is made of, for example, a polyimide tape. The resin sheet 55 is attached to the lead frame 51 so as to cover the grooves 61 and through holes 63 of the lead frame 51. The resin sheet 55 has a circular through hole 70 (see FIGS. 8 and 10) formed therein.

[0034] FIG. 13 is an enlarged view of part C in FIG. 13, the through hole 70 of the resin sheet 55 opens to a size larger than the through hole 64 of the lead frame 51. The through hole 64 and the through hole 70 are arranged concentrically.

[0035] The package portion 56 is obtained by forming a thermosetting resin into a predetermined shape by molding, for example. As shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the package portion 56 has a first package portion 56a and a second package portion 56b that is integral with the first package portion 56a. The first package portion 56a mainly seals the flow detection element 53 side with resin, and the second package portion 56b mainly seals the LSI element 54 side with resin. In the air flow meter 20, the first package portion 56a is disposed in the second sub-passage 40b of the sub-passage 40, and the second package portion 56b is disposed in the circuit chamber 41 (see Figs. 3 and 5).

[0036] The first package portion 56a is formed to be wider than the second package portion 56b. The above-mentioned multiple lead terminals 50 are arranged on two sides of the second package portion 56b. A first opening 71 is formed on the upper surface of the first package portion 56a, and a second opening 72 is formed on the upper surface of the second package portion 56b. The first opening 71 is formed to be circular in plan view, and the second opening 72 is also formed to be circular in plan view. The first opening 71 is formed to be trapezoidal in cross section so that the diameter gradually increases toward the upper surface of the first package portion 56a, and the second opening 72 is formed to be trapezoidal in cross section so that the diameter gradually increases toward the lower surface of the second package portion 56b. As shown in FIG. 13, the second opening 72 is opened with a dimension larger than the through hole 70 of the resin sheet 55. The second opening 72 is arranged concentrically with the through hole 64 and the through hole 70. A bank portion 73 (see FIGS. 5 and 6) is formed on the upper surface of the package portion 56. The bank portion 73 is formed in the vicinity of the boundary between the first package portion 56a and the second package portion 56b. The above-mentioned sealing layer 47 (FIG. 3) is disposed closer to the second package portion 56b than the bank portion 73.

[0037] On the other hand, a ventilation section 74 is formed on the lower surface side of the package section 56 as shown in Figs. 10 and 11. The ventilation section 74 is a portion for passing air flowing through the second sub-passage 40b of the sub-passage 40. The ventilation section 74 is formed in a concave shape by reducing the wall thickness of the first package section 56a except for a protrusion 75 provided on the lower surface of the first package section 56a. The lower surface of the diaphragm 67 is arranged in a state exposed to the concave space of the ventilation section 74. That is, in the first package section 56a, the diaphragm 67 is arranged in a state exposed to the concave space of the ventilation section 74. In addition, a third opening 76 is formed on the lower surface of the second package section 56b. The third opening 76 is formed in a trapezoidal cross section so that the diameter gradually increases toward the lower surface of the second package section 56b. In addition, the third opening 76 is arranged concentrically with the through hole 64 of the lead frame 51 as shown in Fig. 9.

[0038] FIG. 14 is an enlarged view of part D in FIG. As shown in FIG. 14, the end portion 50a of the lead terminal 50 is disposed so as to protrude downward by a small amount Δt from the lower surface of the package portion 56. The end portion 50a of the lead terminal 50 is a portion soldered to an electrode portion of the circuit board 43. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5, when the flow rate detection sensor 32 is mounted on the circuit board 43, the package portion 56 is slightly raised from the circuit board 43. Therefore, a minute gap 77 corresponding to the above-mentioned protrusion amount Δt is formed between the circuit board 43 and the package portion 56. This gap 77 is a ventilation gap that communicates the third opening 76 and the second sub-passage 40b. In the circuit chamber 41, the periphery of the second package portion 56b is sealed by the protective layer 46 and the sealing layer 47, and the gap 77 is formed within this sealed area. The dimension of the gap 77 in the thickness direction of the package portion 56 should be set to a dimension that can prevent foreign matter flowing with the air through the sub-passage 40 from entering the third opening 76 through the gap 77. Examples of foreign matter include water and dust.

[0039] In the flow rate detection sensor 32 having the above-mentioned configuration, two grooves 61 are formed as ventilation passages inside the package section 56. One end of the groove 61 is connected to the recess 68 via the through hole 52a of the plate 52. That is, one end of the groove 61 communicates with the recess 68 via the through hole 52a. On the other hand, the other end of the groove 61 is connected to the through hole 64 as a branching section. That is, the other end of the groove 61 communicates with the through hole 64. The branching section is a portion where the first ventilation path 81 and the second ventilation path 82 shown in FIG. 3 branch off, and this branching section is constituted by the through hole 64. The through hole 64 opens to both the second opening 72 and the third opening 76 as shown in FIG. 8 and FIG. 9. The second opening 72 forms a part of the first ventilation path 81, and the third opening 76 forms a part of the second ventilation path 82.

[0040] The first ventilation path 81 and the second ventilation path 82 are formed with two grooves 61 formed in the lead frame 51 as ventilation paths. The first ventilation path 81 and the second ventilation path 82 are branched into one and the other from a through hole 64 formed in the lead frame 51 as a branching part. That is, the first ventilation path 81 and the second ventilation path 82 are different paths from each other. Specifically, the first ventilation path 81 communicates from the through hole 64 through the second opening 72 to the circuit chamber 41, and further communicates from the circuit chamber 41 through the ventilation part 80 (see FIGS. 3 and 4) to the second sub-passage 40b. The pressure sensors 44 and 45 are disposed in the middle of the first ventilation path 81. On the other hand, the second ventilation path 82 communicates from the through hole 64 through the third opening 76 to the gap 77, and communicates with the second sub-passage 40b through the gap 77.

[0041] (Ventilation section) The ventilation section 80 is a section that ventilates the second sub-passage 40b and the circuit chamber 41 at a position away from the second package section 56b. As shown in FIG. 3, the ventilation section 80 is formed so as to communicate the second sub-passage 40b and the circuit chamber 41 at the bent portion (turned-back portion) of the second sub-passage 40b. The ventilation section 80 is configured by an introduction passage including a plurality of ventilation sections 80a. The introduction passage is preferably configured similarly to the "pressure introduction passage" described in JP 2021-67510 A. However, the introduction passage may have a configuration different from the "pressure introduction passage" described in the above-mentioned published patent publication.

[0042] As described above, the air flow meter 20 according to this embodiment has an air passage formed by two grooves 61 inside the package portion 56, and is provided with a first ventilation path 81 and a second ventilation path 82 that communicate with the sub-passage 40 (second sub-passage 40b) via this air passage. The first ventilation path 81 and the second ventilation path 82 are formed as follows.

[0043] The first ventilation path 81 is formed to pass through a through hole 52a formed in the plate 52, a groove 61 having one end connected to the through hole 52a, a through hole 64 connected to the other end of the groove 61, a second opening 72 exposing the through hole 64, the circuit chamber 41, and a ventilation section 80 connecting the circuit chamber 41 to the second sub-passage 40b.

[0044] The second ventilation path 82 is formed through a through hole 52a formed in the plate 52, a groove 61 having one end connected to the through hole 52a, a through hole 64 connected to the other end of the groove 61, a third opening 76 exposing the through hole 64, and a gap 77 communicating with the third opening 76.

[0045] As a result, the recess 68 on the back surface side of the diaphragm 67 is in communication with the sub-passage 40 (second sub-passage 40b) via the two ventilation paths 81, 82 that use the groove 61 as a ventilation path. Therefore, according to the air flow meter 20 of this embodiment, the ventilation performance (ventilation efficiency) between the recess 68 and the secondary passage 40 can be improved compared to the case where only one ventilation path is formed connecting the recess 68 and the secondary passage 40 as described in the above Patent Document 1. Therefore, even if a predetermined amount of air flows through the secondary passage 40 and the secondary passage 40 becomes negative pressure, the pressure in the space in the recess 68 can be quickly brought close to the pressure in the space in the secondary passage 40. As a result, the pressure in the space is maintained uniform on the main surface side and the back surface side of the diaphragm 67, and deformation of the diaphragm 67 can be effectively suppressed. Therefore, the characteristic fluctuation of the flow rate detection sensor 32 caused by the deformation of the diaphragm 67 can be suppressed, and the measurement accuracy of the air flow rate can be improved. Moreover, in the technology described in the above Patent Document 1, the structure of the pressure introduction passage is devised to prevent foreign matter from entering the circuit chamber 41 from the secondary passage 40 (the second secondary passage 40b). For this reason, for example, if the cross-sectional area of ​​the inlet of the ventilation introduction passage is increased in order to improve the ventilation performance between the recess 68 and the secondary passage 40, foreign matter will easily enter the circuit chamber 41 from the secondary passage 40. In this regard, in the air flow meter 20 according to this embodiment, the recess 68 and the secondary passage 40 are connected by two ventilation paths 81, 82, so that the ventilation performance can be improved without increasing the cross-sectional area of ​​the inlet in the ventilation section 80. Therefore, the intrusion of foreign matter from the secondary passage 40 into the circuit chamber 41 can be suppressed.

[0046] In this embodiment, one end of the groove 61 forming the ventilation passage is connected to the recess 68, and the other end of the groove 61 is connected to the through hole 64 as a branching portion. This allows the first ventilation path 81 and the second ventilation path 82 to branch off at a position close to the recess 68 while preventing foreign matter from entering the recess 68 by the groove 61. Therefore, even if a pressure fluctuation occurs in the space in the sub-passage 40, the pressure in the space in the recess 68 can be quickly changed in response to the pressure fluctuation. This makes it possible to more effectively suppress deformation of the diaphragm 67.

[0047] In addition, in this embodiment, by configuring the branching portion by the through hole 64, the circuit chamber 41 in which the second package portion 56b is arranged and the third opening 76 provided in the second package portion 56b are in a state of communication through the through hole 64. Therefore, compared with the case in which the first ventilation path 81 and the second ventilation path 82 are branched by a non-through hole (not shown), the air resistance of the entire ventilation path can be reduced. Also, the space in the circuit chamber 41 and the space in the third opening 76 can be maintained at an equal pressure. Therefore, the pressure difference between the recess 68 and the sub-passage 40 can be effectively suppressed by the interaction between the first ventilation path 81 and the second ventilation path 82.

[0048] In addition, in this embodiment, by providing the first ventilation path 81 and the second ventilation path 82, the ventilation performance between the secondary passage 40 and the circuit chamber 41 is improved, and therefore, by arranging the pressure sensors 44, 45 midway along the first ventilation path 81, the accuracy and responsiveness of the pressure sensors 44, 45 can be improved.

[0049] In this embodiment, the first ventilation path 81 includes a ventilation section 80 that ventilates the sub-passage 40 and the circuit chamber 41 at a position away from the second package section 56b, and the second ventilation path 82 includes a ventilation gap 77 formed between the package section 56 and the circuit board 43. As a result, the length of the second ventilation path 82 is shorter than the length of the first ventilation path 81. Therefore, by forming the second ventilation path 82 in addition to the first ventilation path 81, the pressure in the recess 68 can be made to quickly follow the pressure fluctuation on the main surface side of the diaphragm 67. Also, the ventilation gap 77 is formed wide in the depth direction of FIG. 5, and the second ventilation path 82 communicates with the second sub-passage 40b and the third opening 76 through this gap 77. Therefore, the second sub-passage 40b and the third opening 76 can be maintained at an equal pressure.

[0050] <Modifications, etc.> The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, but includes various modified examples. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the contents of the present invention are described in detail to make it easier to understand, but the present invention is not necessarily limited to having all the configurations described in the above-described embodiment. Also, it is possible to replace a part of the configuration of one embodiment with the configuration of another embodiment. It is also possible to add the configuration of another embodiment to the configuration of one embodiment. Also, it is possible to delete a part of the configuration of each embodiment, add another configuration, or replace it with another configuration.

[0051] For example, in the above embodiment, the air flow meter 20 has two ventilation paths 81 and 82, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the air flow meter 20 may have three or more ventilation paths. Also, one of the multiple ventilation paths may be formed, for example, by forming a ventilation groove in the sealing layer 47 and passing through this groove.

[0052] In the above embodiment, the ventilation passage is formed by two grooves 61, but the number of grooves 61 may be one, or three or more. [Explanation of symbols]

[0053] 20...air flow meter, 32...flow rate detection sensor, 40...sub-passage, 41...circuit chamber, 29...housing, 43...circuit board, 44, 45...pressure sensor, 56...packaging part, 56a...first packaging part, 56b...second packaging part, 61...groove (ventilation passage), 64...through hole (branching part), 67...diaphragm, 68...recess, 77...gap, 80...ventilation part, 81...first ventilation path, 82...second ventilation path

Claims

1. a housing having a sub-passage through which air to be measured flows and a circuit chamber partitioned from the sub-passage; a flow rate detection sensor comprising: a diaphragm having a flow rate detection portion formed on a main surface thereof for detecting a flow rate of air flowing through the secondary passage, a recess formed on a rear surface side of the diaphragm, a first package portion arranged in a state in which the diaphragm is exposed, and a second package portion integral with the first package portion, the first package portion being arranged in the secondary passage and the second package portion being arranged in the circuit chamber; An air flow meter comprising: The flow rate detection sensor further includes a circuit board on which the flow rate detection sensor is mounted. A ventilation passage is formed inside the package portion, the ventilation passage being connected to the recess portion. the recess communicates with the sub-passage via a plurality of ventilation paths including at least a first ventilation path communicating with the sub-passage via the ventilation passage and a second ventilation path communicating with the sub-passage via the ventilation passage through a path different from the first ventilation path, One end of the ventilation passage is connected to the recess, and the other end of the ventilation passage is connected to a branching portion where the first ventilation path and the second ventilation path branch off, The branch portion is constituted by a through hole, the first ventilation path includes a ventilation section that is located away from the second package section and that ventilates between the sub-passage and the circuit chamber, The second ventilation path includes a ventilation gap formed between the package portion and the circuit board. Air flow meter.

2. The length of the second ventilation path is shorter than the length of the first ventilation path.

2. The air flow meter according to claim 1.

3. A pressure sensor is disposed in the first ventilation path.

3. An air flow meter according to claim 1 or 2.

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