Adapter-Based Pressure Sensor Assembly for Larger Diaphragms
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Solution Overview
Problem
Pressure sensors with large diaphragms suffer from decreased performance in low pressure range applications due to limitations on maximum diaphragm size dictated by sensor thickness, which is necessary for reducing overall footprint.
Innovation Solution
A sensor assembly design incorporating an adapter with passageways that connects to a sensor housing, allowing for larger diaphragms while maintaining a smaller footprint, enabling improved pressure measurement sensitivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the diaphragm size is increased to improve low pressure measurement performance, then the pressure measurement sensitivity is improved, but the sensor thickness must be increased which increases the overall footprint
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an adapter component that extends the sensor assembly in a direction perpendicular to the diaphragm plane, separating the diaphragm size dimension from the sensor thickness dimension. This allows the diaphragm to be large for sensitivity while the sensor housing remains thin for small footprint, resolving the contradiction by operating in multiple spatial dimensions independently.
Solution Approach 2:
The adapter acts as an intermediary component between the sensor housing and the external environment. It provides the necessary passageways for fluid access while allowing the diaphragm to extend beyond the sensor housing boundaries, enabling large diaphragm area without increasing the sensor housing thickness.
2Length of stationary object
If the sensor thickness is decreased to reduce the overall footprint, then the compactness is improved, but the maximum diaphragm size is limited which decreases measurement performance
Solution Approach 1:
By introducing the adapter that extends perpendicular to the diaphragm plane, the patent decouples the relationship between diaphragm size and sensor thickness. The thin sensor housing maintains compactness while the adapter provides the structural means for a larger diaphragm to achieve the required measurement sensitivity.
3Measurement precision
If the diaphragm size is increased to improve low pressure measurement performance, then the pressure measurement sensitivity is improved, but the overall footprint of the sensor assembly is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The adapter extends the fluid access path in a direction perpendicular to the diaphragm plane, allowing the diaphragm to be large for sensitivity while the sensor housing footprint remains small. The adapter's vertical extension separates the footprint constraint from the diaphragm area requirement.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design permits the use of larger diaphragms for enhanced performance in low pressure applications by maintaining a relatively smaller assembly thickness, thus improving pressure measurement accuracy.
Implementation Method 1
When an external pressure is applied to the diaphragm, the diaphragm deflects, transferring the external pressure to the oil surrounding the die, which imparts the same external pressure to the die
Implementation Method 2
The die deflects in accordance with the external pressure to generate an electrical signal representative of the external pressure
Data Source
AI summary
A sensor assembly includes a sensor and an adapter connected to the sensor. The sensor includes a housing having a port and a cavity, a diaphragm disposed in the port and enclosing the cavity, and a sensing die disposed in the cavity. The diaphragm extends in a first plane. The adapter has a base section connected to the housing and an end section extending from the base section. The end section has a mating face that extends in a second plane perpendicular to the first plane. The mating face is attached to a manifold or a surface of a structure in which a pressure of a fluid medium is sensed by the sensor assembly. The adapter has an adapter passageway extending from the mating face through the base section of the adapter that connects the mating face to the port of the housing.