Pressure Sensor Waterproof Seal via Laser-Roughened Adhesive Interface
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Solution Overview
Problem
Pressure sensors made of stainless steel face challenges with low water resistance, allowing moisture intrusion at the boundary face between the pressure detection element and adhesives, leading to potential short circuits and corrosion of lead pins, compromising the waterproof property.
Innovation Solution
A pressure detection unit is designed with a stainless steel, aluminum, or nickel case, incorporating an insulating member and lead pins that penetrate through-holes, and an adhesive with a roughened annular surface formed by laser irradiation to enhance the waterproof seal around the lead pins, preventing moisture intrusion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If adhesive is applied directly to the smooth outside side surface of the stainless steel case, then the application process is simple, but the water resistance at the boundary face is low allowing moisture intrusion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a roughened surface treatment only to the specific adhesive application region on the case surface, rather than treating the entire surface. This localized roughening creates anchoring structures specifically where the adhesive contacts the case, improving water resistance at the boundary face without affecting other areas. The roughened annular surface portion provides enhanced adhesion and moisture barrier properties precisely where needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The roughened surface is formed on the case before the adhesive is applied. This preliminary surface preparation creates anchoring structures in advance that will interlock with the adhesive, preventing moisture intrusion from the outset. The roughening treatment is performed as a preparatory step that enhances the subsequent adhesive bonding and waterproofing effectiveness.
2Reliability
If roughened surface treatment is applied to improve water resistance, then the waterproof property is enhanced, but the surface treatment process becomes more complex compared to direct adhesive application
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical or chemical surface treatment methods with laser irradiation to create the roughened surface. The laser beam directly ablates or melts the material to form the desired rough texture, eliminating the need for mechanical grinding, blasting, or chemical etching processes. This substitution simplifies the overall manufacturing process while achieving the required surface morphology for enhanced waterproofing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent controls the laser irradiation parameters (such as power, speed, pulse duration, and scanning pattern) to directly achieve the desired roughened surface morphology. By adjusting these parameters, the surface can be optimized for adhesive bonding and moisture resistance without requiring additional processing steps. The laser parameters are tuned to create the specific annular roughened pattern needed for effective waterproofing.
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 significantly improves the waterproof property by ensuring moisture cannot reach the lead pins, even when exposed to liquids, through the enhanced adhesive seal created by the roughened surface, thus preventing malfunctions and corrosion.
Implementation Method 1
a roughened annular surface portion partitioning an external peripheral edge and an internal peripheral edge located on the outside side surface of the case in the adhesive is formed by using a laser irradiation at a region where the adhesive is joined on the outside side surface of the case
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a pressure detection unit in which a waterproof property can be improved. In a pressure sensor, a sealing-resin portion is joined to an outside side surface of an element main body made of stainless steel, aluminum, or nickel such that the sealing-resin portion surrounds a plurality of lead pins. In the pressure sensor, a roughened annular surface portion is provided at a region where the sealing-resin portion is joined on an upper end surface of the element main body so as to be disposed in a manner to partition an external peripheral edge and an internal peripheral edge arranged at the outside side surface of an element main body in the sealing-resin portion.


