Texas Instruments Corporation

Sensata Technologies, Inc.

June Park

David L Corkum

Keith W Kawate

Cory Bousquet

Cory Z Bousquet

A small form factor Microfused Silicon Strain gage (MSG) sensor incorporates an offset spring and feed-in features. A pressure sensor includes a spring having first and second coiled sections offset by a coiled center section in a middle that is used to make offset contact between two electrical contact pads.

Small form factor pressure sensor

A first embodiment of a condition responsive capacitive transducer, such as an accelerometer (1), is shown in which an electrically conductive sensor element (14) is sandwiched between upper (10) and lower (12) electrically insulative planar substrates and mounted in sealed, spaced apart relation by patterns (16) of adhesive containing spacing elements. A second embodiment (100) includes a signal conditioning capacitor having plate portions (114r, 120b and 114s, 120c) on either side of a condition responsive capacitor to minimize errors caused by translational movement of the sensor element (114) relative to the substrates (110, 112). Circuit conditioning electronics (124) is shown mounted directly on one of the substrates (110) and the sensor is mountable directly on a circuit board. A third embodiment (200) shows differential capacitors (224, 226, 228, 230, 232, 234) for minimizing errors due to misalignment of the movable element (114) with respect to the fixed supports (210, 212). Another embodiment provides a material system for use in condition responsive capacitive transducers having refractory metal for a sensing element and glass material for a supporting substrate.

Condition responsive sensor having a signal conditioning capacitor

A condition responsive capacitive transducer, such as an accelerometer, is shown using a material system having refractory metal for the sensing element and glass material for a supporting substrate. The refractory metal is preferably tungsten, tantalum or molybdenum, and is coated with a glass seal enhancing material, such as titanium or nickel.

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Providence, RI, United States of America

June Park