A pressure scanner assembly having at least one replaceable sensor plate, wherein each of the replaceable sensor plates has at least one pressure sensor adapted to transmit a signal substantially indicative of a sensed pressure condition. A memory chip, which stores correction coefficients for each of the pressure sensor to compensate for thermal errors, may be installed on each of the replaceable sensor plates. The signals from the pressure sensors are multiplexed and may be outputted in analog or digital form. The pressure scanner assemblies described herein have sensor plates that can be interchanged with other sensor plates of the same or different pressure range without disrupting the electronic configuration of the pressure scanner assembly or having to recalibrate and/or update the memory chip installed thereon.
G01L 9/08 - Mesure de la pression permanente, ou quasi permanente d’un fluide ou d’un matériau solide fluent par des éléments électriques ou magnétiques sensibles à la pression; Transmission ou indication par des moyens électriques ou magnétiques du déplacement des éléments mécaniques sensibles à la pression, utilisés pour mesurer la pression permanente ou quasi permanente d’un fluide ou d’un matériau solide fluent en faisant usage de dispositifs piézo-électriques
G01L 19/04 - Moyens pour compenser les effets des variations de température
2.
PRESSURE TRANSDUCER EMPLOYING A MICRO-FILTER AND EMULATING AN INFINITE TUBE PRESSURE TRANSDUCER
It is an objective of the present invention to provide a pressure transducer assembly for measuring pressures in high temperature environments that employs an elongated tube which is terminated at one end by an acoustic micro-filter. The micro-filter has a plurality of apertures extending from one end to the other end, each aperture is of a small diameter as compared to the diameter of the transducer and the damper operates to absorb acoustic waves impinging on it with limited or no reflection. To improve the absorption of acoustic waves, the elongated tube may be tapered and/or mounted to a support block and further convoluted to reduce the overall size and mass of the device. A pressure transducer with a diaphragm flush may be mounted to the elongated tube and extend through to the inner wall of the tube. Hot gases propagate through the elongated tube and their corresponding pressures are measured by the transducer. The acoustic filter operates to absorb acoustic waves resultant from the hot gases, therefore enabling the pressure transducer to be mainly responsive to high frequency waves associated with the gas turbine operation.
A filter assembly for use with a static-dynamic piezoresistive pressure transducer that measures low amplitude, dynamic pressure perturbations superimposed on top of a high static pressure through the implementation of a low-pass mechanical filter assembly is disclosed. The filter assembly may comprise a dual lumen reference tube and a removable filter subassembly further comprising a porous metal filter and narrow diameter tube. The transducer, which may be capable of operating at ultra-high temperatures and in harsh environments, may comprise of a static piezoresistive pressure sensor, which measures the large pressures on the order of 200 psi and greater, and an ultrasensitive, dynamic piezoresistive pressure sensor which may capture small, high frequency pressure oscillations on the order of a few psi or less. The filter assembly may transmit static pressure to the back of the dynamic pressure sensor to cancel out the static pressure present at the front of the sensor while keeping dynamic pressure from reaching the back of the sensor. In this manner, the filter assembly enables the transducer to accurately read dynamic pressure in the presence of high static pressure without rupturing the thin diaphragm of the dynamic pressure sensor.
G01L 13/02 - Dispositifs ou appareils pour la mesure des différences entre plusieurs valeurs de la pression des fluides en utilisant des organes ou des pistons élastiquement déformables comme éléments sensibles
G01L 9/00 - Mesure de la pression permanente, ou quasi permanente d’un fluide ou d’un matériau solide fluent par des éléments électriques ou magnétiques sensibles à la pression; Transmission ou indication par des moyens électriques ou magnétiques du déplacement des éléments mécaniques sensibles à la pression, utilisés pour mesurer la pression permanente ou quasi permanente d’un fluide ou d’un matériau solide fluent
G01L 19/06 - Moyens pour empêcher la surcharge ou l'influence délétère du milieu à mesurer sur le dispositif de mesure ou vice versa
There is disclosed a transducer employing radiation hardened electronics. Essentially a sensor assembly is positioned in a front section of a housing where the sensor assembly is coupled to an electronic module via terminals which connect the sensor to the module. The electronic module assembly is surrounded by an internal tungsten housing which is formed from a first tungsten "U" shaped cross-sectional member coupled to a second tungsten "U" shaped cross-sectional enclosure. The two members are coupled together and totally surround the electronic assembly. The members as held together are positioned within the housing by outer shell members to form a complete housing assembly whereby the electronic assembly and its associated terminal pins are totally surrounded by the tungsten holder section and the tungsten enclosure section.
G21F 3/00 - Blindage caractérisé par sa forme physique, p.ex. granulés, ou forme du matériau
G01L 1/18 - Mesure des forces ou des contraintes, en général en utilisant des propriétés des matériaux piézo-résistants, c. à d. des matériaux dont la résistance ohmique varie suivant les modifications de la grandeur ou de la direction de la force appliquée au matériau
G21F 1/08 - Métaux; Alliages; Cermets, c. à d. mélanges frittés de céramiques et métaux
There is disclosed a high pressure sensing header which is relatively insensitive to mounting torque. The header generally includes an outer torque isolating shell which has a "C" shaped cross section with the cylindrical shell surrounding an inner "H" section header. The inner "H" section header has a thick diaphragm and is at least partially surrounded by the torque isolating shell. In this manner, when the header is installed, the installation force is absorbed by the outer shell and there is relatively no installation force or torque exhibited by the inner "H" section which will respond only to stress due to pressure.
G01L 9/00 - Mesure de la pression permanente, ou quasi permanente d’un fluide ou d’un matériau solide fluent par des éléments électriques ou magnétiques sensibles à la pression; Transmission ou indication par des moyens électriques ou magnétiques du déplacement des éléments mécaniques sensibles à la pression, utilisés pour mesurer la pression permanente ou quasi permanente d’un fluide ou d’un matériau solide fluent
There is disclosed an internally switched multiple range transducer. The transducer employs a plurality of individual pressure sensors or Wheatstone bridges fabricated from semiconductor materials and utilizing piezoresistors. Each sensor is designed to accommodate accurately a given pressure range, therefore, each sensor is selected to provide an output when an applied pressure is within its accommodated range. As soon as the pressure exceeds the range, then another sensor is employed to produce an output. Each of the sensors, or each separate transducer, is coupled to a switch or other device to enable the selection of one of the plurality of sensors to operate within its given pressure range when the applied pressure is in that range. In this manner one obtains pressure measurements with a high degree of accuracy across a relatively large pressure range.
G01L 9/00 - Mesure de la pression permanente, ou quasi permanente d’un fluide ou d’un matériau solide fluent par des éléments électriques ou magnétiques sensibles à la pression; Transmission ou indication par des moyens électriques ou magnétiques du déplacement des éléments mécaniques sensibles à la pression, utilisés pour mesurer la pression permanente ou quasi permanente d’un fluide ou d’un matériau solide fluent
G01L 9/06 - Mesure de la pression permanente, ou quasi permanente d’un fluide ou d’un matériau solide fluent par des éléments électriques ou magnétiques sensibles à la pression; Transmission ou indication par des moyens électriques ou magnétiques du déplacement des éléments mécaniques sensibles à la pression, utilisés pour mesurer la pression permanente ou quasi permanente d’un fluide ou d’un matériau solide fluent en faisant usage des variations de la résistance ohmique, p.ex. de potentiomètre de dispositifs piézo-résistants
G01L 15/00 - Dispositifs ou appareils pour la mesure simultanée de plusieurs valeurs de la pression des fluides
7.
METHOD FOR TEMPERATURE COMPENSATION OF A PIEZORESISTIVE GAGED METAL DIAPHRAGM
There is described a temperature compensation scheme for a pressure sensitive metal diaphragm transducer. The transducer employs a Wheatstone bridge fabricated from p-type piezoresistors. The Wheatstone bridge is glassed directly onto the metal diaphragm. As the temperature of operation increases, the diaphragm exhibits a temperature variation of the Modulus of Elasticity. The Modulus of the metal diaphragm decreases with increasing temperature. Because of this, the same pressure applied to the metal diaphragm causes it to deflect further, which in turns causes increased strain applied to the bridge. Because of this effect, the sensitivity of the transducer increases with increasing temperature. A resistor is now placed in series with the Wheatstone bridge. The resistor is in series with the biasing voltage and because the TCS of the diaphragm is of an opposite sign, the series resistor has an even higher TCR in series with the bridge. In this manner, the bridge voltage is made to decrease with increasing temperature. Due to the fact that the bridge voltage decreases with increasing temperature the change in voltage compensates for the change in the Modulus of the metal diaphragm and therefore provides an accurate output at all temperatures.
G01L 19/04 - Moyens pour compenser les effets des variations de température
G01L 9/06 - Mesure de la pression permanente, ou quasi permanente d’un fluide ou d’un matériau solide fluent par des éléments électriques ou magnétiques sensibles à la pression; Transmission ou indication par des moyens électriques ou magnétiques du déplacement des éléments mécaniques sensibles à la pression, utilisés pour mesurer la pression permanente ou quasi permanente d’un fluide ou d’un matériau solide fluent en faisant usage des variations de la résistance ohmique, p.ex. de potentiomètre de dispositifs piézo-résistants
H01C 10/10 - Résistances variables variables par pression ou force mécanique
8.
HIGH TEMPERATURE, HIGH BANDWIDTH PRESSURE ACQUISITION SYSTEM
A system for measuring a multiplicity of pressures as those experienced by a model in a wind tunnel is depicted. The system includes individual sensor devices which are connected to an Acquisition and Compensation electronics module. The individual sensor or transducer devices are semiconductor piezoresistive devices and are connected to the Acquisition and Compensation electronics module by means of a cables in a first embodiment. In an alternate embodiment the system uses connectors which connect each of the individual sensor devices to the Acquisition and Compensation electronics module via a mating connector located therein. The connectors may also include a memory which stores compensation coefficients associated with each of the various sensor devices. In this manner as described, the transducers which are small devices are connected via electrical lines or cables to the central Acquisition and Compensation electronics modules. This module houses electronics which digitally converts the data from the sensors and then compensates the data for temperature effects. The advantage of the system is that each individual sensor does not have any compensation and it can be made very small to operate at very high temperatures without any loss of accuracy. Thus, a large number of sensors can be utilized in a very small volume, even under extreme environmental conditions. It is noted that the Acquisition and Compensation electronics module can be located remotely in a safe environment outside of the wind tunnel and therefore respond extremely accurately to the pressure and temperatures subjected by the model in the wind tunnel.
G01L 15/00 - Dispositifs ou appareils pour la mesure simultanée de plusieurs valeurs de la pression des fluides
G01L 9/06 - Mesure de la pression permanente, ou quasi permanente d’un fluide ou d’un matériau solide fluent par des éléments électriques ou magnétiques sensibles à la pression; Transmission ou indication par des moyens électriques ou magnétiques du déplacement des éléments mécaniques sensibles à la pression, utilisés pour mesurer la pression permanente ou quasi permanente d’un fluide ou d’un matériau solide fluent en faisant usage des variations de la résistance ohmique, p.ex. de potentiomètre de dispositifs piézo-résistants
G01M 9/06 - Dispositions pour la mesure spécialement adaptées aux tests aérodynamiques
G01L 1/18 - Mesure des forces ou des contraintes, en général en utilisant des propriétés des matériaux piézo-résistants, c. à d. des matériaux dont la résistance ohmique varie suivant les modifications de la grandeur ou de la direction de la force appliquée au matériau
There is disclosed apparatus for measuring multiple pressures within different pressure ranges. The apparatus contains multiple pressure sensors which are positioned on a housing, where each pressure sensor is adapted to measure pressure within a different pressure range. The housing has an input port which is constructed to communicate with different output ports, where the output ports communicate with each different pressure sensor utilized in a different pressure range. The input port has a stepped or keyed aperture which is adapted to receive different pressure adapters to assure that, for example, only a high pressure will be applied to the high pressure sensor during high pressure measurements. By selecting another adapter, a mid-range pressure and a high pressure will be applied to the pressure sensors during the measurement of a mid-range pressure. By receiving a different adapter, a low pressure will be applied to all the pressure sensors during low pressure measurement. In this manner, one is assured that the pressure sensors are operated without damage to the diaphragms during all pressure measurements. It is of course noted that while three pressure ranges are indicated, there can be more than three or at least two pressure ranges can be accommodated within the common housing. As indicated, the common housing has an input port which consists of contiguous varying diameter sections to enable the selective insertion of various adapter members as indicated where each adapter member can only be inserted within the input port to a desired position, where at that position, the pressure applied to the input port will be directed to the proper sensor.
G01L 19/00 - MESURE DES FORCES, DES CONTRAINTES, DES COUPLES, DU TRAVAIL, DE LA PUISSANCE MÉCANIQUE, DU RENDEMENT MÉCANIQUE OU DE LA PRESSION DES FLUIDES - Détails ou accessoires des appareils pour la mesure de la pression permanente ou quasi permanente d'un milieu fluent dans la mesure où ces détails ou accessoires ne sont pas particuliers à des types particuliers de manomètres
10.
A COMBINED WET-WET DIFFERENTIAL AND GAGE TRANSDUCER EMPLOYING A COMMON HOUSING
A combined wet-wet differential transducer and a gage pressure transducer are located in the same housing. A semiconductor chip which is formed from a single substrate, has located thereon an absolute or gage sensor chip on one section and a delta or differential sensor chip on a second section. Each sensor chip has a Wheatstone bridge arrangement comprising piezoresistors and responsive to an applied pressure. The absolute or gage chip, as well as the differential or delta chip are placed in a header having a front section and a back section. Each section has an outer surface with a central section joining the front and back sections to form an H shaped header. The front section outer surface has a depression of a given area with a first flexible isolation diaphragm covering the depression. The back section outer surface has a second depression of a given area with a second flexible isolation diaphragm covering the second depression, where the first and second diaphragms are relatively of the same size and area. A channel positioned within the central area and extending and communicating with the first and second depressions. The header described above, has a first sensor chip indicative of an absolute or gage sensor and a second sensor chip indicative of a differential sensor. Both sensors, as indicated, receive a first pressure at a corresponding diaphragm surface. The housing which contains the above noted header has a tube which communicates with the bottom diaphragm side of the differential chip section. The top side of the both the differential chip section and the absolute chip section receives the same pressure via a pressure port in the header. The differential portion of the chip receives a pressure via a curved tube which is directed to the second isolation diaphragm and which pressure propagates from the diaphragm through the channel and therefore applies that pressure to the underside of the differential sensor section.
G01L 9/06 - Mesure de la pression permanente, ou quasi permanente d’un fluide ou d’un matériau solide fluent par des éléments électriques ou magnétiques sensibles à la pression; Transmission ou indication par des moyens électriques ou magnétiques du déplacement des éléments mécaniques sensibles à la pression, utilisés pour mesurer la pression permanente ou quasi permanente d’un fluide ou d’un matériau solide fluent en faisant usage des variations de la résistance ohmique, p.ex. de potentiomètre de dispositifs piézo-résistants
G01L 13/00 - Dispositifs ou appareils pour la mesure des différences entre plusieurs valeurs de la pression des fluides
Disclosed is a novel flexible transducer structure suitable for attaching to curved surface such as the leading edge of an aircraft wing. The structure comprises a thin flexible sheet of an insulating material with a leadless transducer secured to the sheet. The sheet is then placed over the curved surface and assumes the curvature of the surface. The transducer secured to the sheet provides an output of pressure according the pressure exerted on the sheet. The sheet basically is fabricated from a thin material such as Kapton and is flexible so as to assume the curvature of the surface with the transducer being exposed to pressure applied to the curved surface. The sensor in conjunction with the flexible sheet allows pressure to be measured without disturbing the air flow patterns of the measuring surfaces and because of its construction, is moisture resistant over a large variety of atmospheric conditions.
G01L 19/00 - MESURE DES FORCES, DES CONTRAINTES, DES COUPLES, DU TRAVAIL, DE LA PUISSANCE MÉCANIQUE, DU RENDEMENT MÉCANIQUE OU DE LA PRESSION DES FLUIDES - Détails ou accessoires des appareils pour la mesure de la pression permanente ou quasi permanente d'un milieu fluent dans la mesure où ces détails ou accessoires ne sont pas particuliers à des types particuliers de manomètres
G01M 9/06 - Dispositions pour la mesure spécialement adaptées aux tests aérodynamiques
G01L 9/06 - Mesure de la pression permanente, ou quasi permanente d’un fluide ou d’un matériau solide fluent par des éléments électriques ou magnétiques sensibles à la pression; Transmission ou indication par des moyens électriques ou magnétiques du déplacement des éléments mécaniques sensibles à la pression, utilisés pour mesurer la pression permanente ou quasi permanente d’un fluide ou d’un matériau solide fluent en faisant usage des variations de la résistance ohmique, p.ex. de potentiomètre de dispositifs piézo-résistants
A high temperature pressure sensing system which includes a SOI Wheatstone bridge including piezoresistors is disclosed. The bridge provides an output which is applied to an analog to digital converter also fabricated using SOI technology. The output of the analog to digital converter is applied to microprocessor, which microprocessor processes the data or output of the bridge to produce a digital output indicative of bridge value. The microprocessor also receives an output from another analog to digital converter indicative of the temperature of the bridge as monitored by a span resistor coupled to the bridge. The microprocessor has a separate memory coupled thereto which is also fabricated from SOI technology and which memory stores various data indicative of the microprocessor also enabling the microprocessor test and system test to be performed.
G01L 9/06 - Mesure de la pression permanente, ou quasi permanente d’un fluide ou d’un matériau solide fluent par des éléments électriques ou magnétiques sensibles à la pression; Transmission ou indication par des moyens électriques ou magnétiques du déplacement des éléments mécaniques sensibles à la pression, utilisés pour mesurer la pression permanente ou quasi permanente d’un fluide ou d’un matériau solide fluent en faisant usage des variations de la résistance ohmique, p.ex. de potentiomètre de dispositifs piézo-résistants
13.
IMPROVED MOUNTING APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR ACCURATELY POSITIONING AND ALIGNING A LEADLESS SEMICONDUCTOR CHIP ON AN ASSOCIATED HEADER
There is disclosed a method and apparatus for mounting a leadless semiconductor chip on a header. The semiconductor chip has contacts on a surface and the chip is of a specified geometric shape. The header has a contact surface for receiving the chip with the contact surface of the header containing header contact pins, which pins have to contact the contacts on the semiconductor chip. The header has a guide pin extending from the contact surface and there is a guide plate which has an aperture adapted to be placed over the guide pin, the guide plate further has a chip accommodating aperture of the same geometric shape as the chip. The guide plate, when placed over the guide pin enables the chip to be placed in the chip accommodating aperture so that the contacts of the header pin are properly and accurately aligned with respect to the contacts on the semiconductor chip.
H01L 27/20 - Dispositifs consistant en une pluralité de composants semi-conducteurs ou d'autres composants à l'état solide formés dans ou sur un substrat commun comprenant des composants magnétostrictifs
A pressure transducer, particularly adapted to measure the pressure in a tire and to enable the tire to be filled includes a first housing, having an internal hollow. Positioned in the hollow of the first housing is a second housing, also having an internal hollow. The second housing is supported within the first housing so that a passageway for airflow exists between the housings. The second housing has a pressure port for monitoring the pressure of a tire. The first housing has an inlet port for receiving a source of pressure. The inlet port contains a valve which is selectively operated. The valve, when operated, permits air to flow into the hollow of the first housing and to flow about the periphery of the second housing to enter the pressure port associated with the second housing. The pressure port may, as indicated, be associated with a tire and the second housing contains a pressure sensing device which monitors the pressure in the tire via the pressure port. In this manner, the pressure in the tire can be monitored while additional air can be added through the valve which air flows around the second housing to enter the tire or other device coupled to the pressure transducer.
G01L 9/08 - Mesure de la pression permanente, ou quasi permanente d’un fluide ou d’un matériau solide fluent par des éléments électriques ou magnétiques sensibles à la pression; Transmission ou indication par des moyens électriques ou magnétiques du déplacement des éléments mécaniques sensibles à la pression, utilisés pour mesurer la pression permanente ou quasi permanente d’un fluide ou d’un matériau solide fluent en faisant usage de dispositifs piézo-électriques
G01L 9/00 - Mesure de la pression permanente, ou quasi permanente d’un fluide ou d’un matériau solide fluent par des éléments électriques ou magnétiques sensibles à la pression; Transmission ou indication par des moyens électriques ou magnétiques du déplacement des éléments mécaniques sensibles à la pression, utilisés pour mesurer la pression permanente ou quasi permanente d’un fluide ou d’un matériau solide fluent
B60C 23/00 - Dispositifs pour mesurer, signaler, commander ou distribuer la pression ou la température des pneumatiques, spécialement adaptés pour être montés sur des véhicules; Agencement sur les véhicules des dispositifs de gonflage des pneumatiques, p.ex. des pompes ou des réservoirs; Aménagements pour refroidir les pneumatiques
brevets
