Integrated Seal and Diaphragm for Pressure Sensor Media Interface
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pressure sensors face challenges in achieving high accuracy and repeatability when interfacing with harsh and corrosive media in demanding operational environments, often requiring improved sealing mechanisms to maintain media containment while accurately transmitting pressure signals.
Innovation Solution
A pressure sensor assembly featuring an integrated seal and diaphragm member, injection molded as a single piece from flexible materials like silicone, with a pressure transmitting mechanism such as a gel to ensure consistent pressure transmission to the pressure sense die, and retention features for easy assembly, which maintains contact with the gel even under deformation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a separate seal and diaphragm are used in existing pressure sensors, then assembly complexity increases and reliability decreases, but manufacturing flexibility is maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the seal and diaphragm into a single integrated member made of elastomeric material. This unified structure eliminates the need for separate components and their associated assembly steps, directly reducing assembly complexity while improving reliability by eliminating potential failure points at interfaces between separate parts.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated seal and diaphragm member performs multiple functions simultaneously: it seals the pressure sensor housing, transmits pressure from the media to the sensing element, and provides mechanical support. This multi-functionality reduces the total number of components needed while maintaining system reliability.
2Reliability
If the seal portion deforms to form a seal with the pressure port, then sealing effectiveness improves, but contact between the diaphragm and gel may be lost causing measurement errors
Solution Approach 1:
The integrated member is functionally segmented into a seal portion and a diaphragm portion, each optimized for its specific function. The seal portion can deform to achieve effective sealing with the pressure port, while the diaphragm portion maintains its structural integrity and contact with the gel, allowing both functions to operate independently without interference.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the integrated member have different mechanical properties optimized for their specific functions. The seal portion is designed to be more compliant for effective sealing, while the diaphragm portion maintains appropriate stiffness to ensure continuous contact with the gel during sealing operations, ensuring both sealing effectiveness and measurement precision.
3Measurement precision
If bubble formation occurs between the diaphragm and gel, then pressure transmission accuracy deteriorates, but manufacturing complexity increases to prevent it
Solution Approach 1:
The integrated seal and diaphragm member's continuous flexible structure automatically maintains contact with the gel through its own mechanical properties, eliminating the need for external bubble prevention mechanisms. The material's elasticity and continuous geometry ensure bubbles are excluded during assembly and operation, achieving high pressure transmission accuracy without adding device complexity.
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 solution enhances the accuracy and reliability of pressure sensing by maintaining contact between the diaphragm and gel, preventing bubble formation and ensuring consistent pressure transmission, even when the seal deforms, thus improving the overall performance in harsh environments.
Implementation Method 1
a pressure transmitting mechanism interposed between a diaphragm portion of the integrated seal and diaphragm member and the pressure sense die. The diaphragm portion may be configured to transmit at least some of the pressure applied to the diaphragm portion by the media either directly or indirectly (e.g. via a pressure transmitting mechanism) to the pressure sense die
Implementation Method 2
The diaphragm portion may be configured to transmit at least some of the pressure applied to the diaphragm portion by the media either directly or indirectly (e.g. via a pressure transmitting mechanism) to the pressure sense die
Data Source
AI summary
An integrated seal and diaphragm member for a pressure sensor assembly may include a diaphragm portion and a seal portion integral with the diaphragm portion. In some cases, the integrated seal and diaphragm member includes one or more retention features integral with the diaphragm portion and/or the seal portion. In some cases, the seal portion may be thicker than the diaphragm portion and may extend around the perimeter of the diaphragm portion. In some instances, the seal portion may be configured to deform to form a seal with a pressure port of an external component or device without causing the diaphragm portion to move toward the pressure port in any significant way.