Oil-Free Pressure Sensor with Resilient Membrane Limbs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional pressure sensor arrangements for process instrumentation are complex, require precise welding, are not vacuum-tight, and unsuitable for hygienic applications due to oil filling and limited temperature range, with inadequate compensation for static pressure in differential measurements.
Innovation Solution
A pressure sensor arrangement with a resiliently mounted membrane using two rotationally symmetrical limbs parallel to the membrane plane, eliminating the need for oil filling and complex welding, and incorporating expansion absorbers and mechanical stop elements for robust and accurate pressure measurement, allowing bidirectional signal generation and compensation for temperature and static pressure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional pressure sensor arrangements use oil filling and complex welding, then overload protection is achieved, but device complexity and manufacturing precision requirements increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the oil filling and complex welding components from the conventional pressure sensor design. The measuring cell is designed to operate without oil, eliminating the need for oil-filled chambers and associated sealing mechanisms, thereby reducing structural complexity while maintaining measurement functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The pressure sensor is divided into functionally independent components: a simple measuring cell for pressure detection, a separate electronic unit for signal processing, and distinct electrical contact paths. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently, reducing overall device complexity
2Ease of manufacture
If conventional pressure sensor arrangements use multiple welding steps, then assembly is achieved, but manufacturing precision and time requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs electrical contacts and connections that can be easily replaced or reconfigured without requiring precision welding. The design allows for simpler joining methods that are less demanding on manufacturing precision while maintaining electrical connectivity and sealing
3Stress or pressure
If conventional pressure sensor arrangements use glass leadthroughs for electrical contacts, then high pressure resistance is achieved, but device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates glass leadthroughs from the design. Electrical contacts are guided through simpler pathways that do not require high-pressure resistant glass components, reducing device complexity while maintaining pressure resistance through alternative sealing mechanisms
4Temperature
If conventional pressure sensor arrangements are designed for limited temperature ranges, then material compatibility is maintained, but adaptability to different environments decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the pressure sensor with universal components that can operate across a broad temperature range. The measuring cell and electronic unit are configured to handle various temperature conditions, making the device adaptable to different environmental conditions without requiring specialized components for each temperature range
5Reliability
If conventional pressure sensor arrangements use oil filling, then sensor separation from process medium is achieved, but hygienic applicability and vacuum tightness are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes oil filling from the measuring cell, eliminating the contamination risk associated with oil leakage into the process medium. The sensor is designed to operate directly in contact with or near the process medium without requiring oil as a protective barrier, ensuring hygienic applicability and vacuum tightness
Data Source
AI summary
A pressure sensor assembly that includes a tube, wherein a membrane to which the pressure to be measured is applied is arranged in the cross-section of the tube, where the membrane has a high flexural rigidity in its central region and is mounted in an elastic manner in the axial direction in the edge region in the tube, two limbs are used to elastically mount the membrane, the mutually facing sides of the two limbs being provided with elongation sensors for detecting an axial movement of the membrane, the movement depending on the pressure to be measured, and where the sensors advantageously do not contact the process medium and a pressure-tight feedthrough for electric signals is not required such that the pressure sensor assembly has a particularly simple structural design and can be used advantageously in measurement converters for process instrumentation.