Pressure Sensor Circuit for Excessive Flexure Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Pressure sensors with monolithic bodies and sealingly applied membrane elements can experience excessive flexure due to fluid pressure, leading to imprecise pressure detection without sensor failure, as the membrane may contact the lower face, causing errors in pressure measurement.
Innovation Solution
A pressure sensor design featuring a sensor body with two parts joined by a fixing material, where one part defines the membrane portion and the other supports a deformation-detection circuit, with a circuit element that interacts with the detection circuit upon excessive flexure to distinguish excessive pressure conditions, modifying the output signal to prevent measurement errors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the membrane portion is made thin and flexible to improve pressure detection sensitivity, then measurement precision is improved, but the membrane may contact the lower face under excessive pressure causing measurement errors
Solution Approach 1:
A circuit element is introduced as an intermediary between the membrane portion and the lower face. This circuit element interacts with the deformation-detection circuit to modify the output signal when the membrane contacts the lower face, preventing measurement errors while maintaining the thin, flexible membrane design for high sensitivity pressure detection
Solution Approach 2:
The deformation-detection circuit continuously monitors the membrane's deformation state and provides feedback through the circuit element. When excessive pressure causes the membrane to contact the lower face, the feedback mechanism modifies the output signal to indicate the excessive pressure condition, preventing inaccurate measurements
2Reliability
If mechanical compensation elements are added to prevent excessive bending of the membrane, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical compensation elements with an electrical/circuit-based solution. The circuit element and deformation-detection circuit provide protection against measurement errors through electrical signal modification rather than mechanical constraints, significantly reducing structural complexity while maintaining reliability
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 enables precise discrimination of excessive fluid pressure, preventing measurement errors by modifying the output signal when the membrane contacts the sensor body, thus ensuring accurate pressure detection within the nominal working range.
Implementation Method 1
detection of the pressure is obtained by exploiting the elastic flexure or deformability of the membrane portion, caused by the action of the fluid to be detected
Implementation Method 2
The degree of the flexure or deformation, which is representative of the pressure of the fluid, is measured electrically via suitable circuit means provided directly on the membrane portion, these means usually being of a piezoelectric type, or else of a piezoresistive type
Data Source
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AI summary
A sensor (1) for detecting the pressure of a fluid has a sensor body (2) that comprises at least one first body part (3) and one second body part (4), each having a first face and a second face opposite to one another. The first body part (3) and the second body part (4) are joined together in such a way that the first face of the first body part (3) faces the first face of the second body part (4), at a distance therefrom. At least one of the first body part (3) and the second body part (4) includes a membrane portion (7), subject to elastic flexure or deformation towards the other one of the first part body (3) and the second body part (4) as a result of the pressure of the fluid, the membrane portion (7) defining the first face of the first body part (3) or of the second body part (4). The pressure sensor (1) has a circuit arrangement (8, 10) supported by the sensor body (2), which comprises at least one first electrical circuit (10) that extends at least in part in an area corresponding to the membrane portion (7) and is configured for detecting an elastic flexure or deformation thereof through at least one respective detection component (R1, R2, R4). The first electrical circuit (10) is associated to the first face of one of the first body part (3) and the second body part (4), and the first face of the other one of the first body part (3) and the second body part (4) forms or has associated thereto at least one circuit element (20), prearranged for interacting with the first electrical circuit (10) when an elastic flexure or deformation of the membrane portion (7) is of a degree at least equal to a substantially predetermined limit, to generate thereby information or a warning representative of at least one from among an excessive pressure of the fluid, an incorrect pressure measurement, and an anomalous state of the device.