Eaton Corporation

Christopher C Hoinsky

John Albert Kovacich

Donald G Williams

Peter D Van Vessem

Robert A Schiesser

Ricardo A Rago

A pressure transducer for measuring high differential pressure media in a harsh environment where a diaphragm assembly is mounted to an intermediate support number which is mounted to a main support member where the high pressure media impinges on the diaphragm to create a force opposing that provided by the diaphragm support structure thereby loading the diaphragm in compression. The strain sensitive piezoresistive elements are protected and sealed from the low pressure media by a passivation layer and electrical signal leads are attached to bonding pads formed on the diaphragm assembly which are sealed to the intermediate support member by a sealing cap.

Diaphragm mounting system for a pressure transducer

A pressure transducer (50) of the type utilizing a diaphragm (8) with strain sensitive elements (14) formed in the diaphragm surface where the strain sensitive elements (14) are connected to an electronics assembly (4) to produce an electrical output in response to deflection of the diaphragm (8). A diaphragm assembly (26) is bonded to an intermediate support member (28) which is in turn bonded to a main support member (32) which is joined to a support collar (42) and hermetically sealed thereto with a sealing glass (40) where each element (2, 28, 32, 42) has a substantially matched coefficient of thermal expansion so as to reduce any induced thermal stresses and resultant measurement errors where the sealing glass (40) and the support collar (42) have a greater coefficient to produce a compressive type seal at high temperature. A pressure fitting (58) is joined to the external fluid pressure to be measured where the fluid is conducted to the diaphragm (8) through a plurality of passageways (30, 34, 56) in the support elements (28, 32, 44). A main housing (48) encloses the pressure sensing assembly (2) and support members (28, 32, 42) thereby providing protection from the environment.

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Huntington, CT, United States of America

Christopher C Hoinsky