Texas Instruments Corporation

Tyco Electronics Corporation

Vishwa N Shukla

Stanley J Lukasiewicz

Francois A Padovani

Allan J Siuzdak

Bernard M Kulwicki

Curtis G Knaub

Robert P Bishop

Jeffery Walter Mason

Wayne Stewart Alden, Iii

Peter G Berg

Robert Daniel Hilty

Peter David Wapenski

Lawrence E Cooper

Edward Joseph Pupkiewicz

Thomas C Conlan

Michael L Kirkman

Paul L Hainey

George J Chou

Shiraz Sameja

Joseph Anthony Kiszka

Chuan Yue

Edward MacPherson

Hans B Sturm

Robert E Luminello, Jr

An electrical interconnect device includes a substrate having opposite outer surfaces and an array of conductive elastomeric columns held by the substrate. Each of the columns have opposite ends that extend beyond respective ones of the outer surfaces of the substrate. Conductive contact caps are disposed over the opposite ends of each said column. An electrical path is defined from one of the contact caps, through the conductive elastomeric column, to another of the contact caps. Optionally, the contact caps may be sized and shaped substantially similarly as the ends of the elastomeric columns. The contact caps may be adhered to the ends of the columns, or alternatively, the contact caps may be adhered to the substrate.

Electrical interconnect device utilizing contact caps

A connector assembly includes a first elastomeric connector having a plurality of alternating elastomeric conductors and elastomer insulators. The first elastomeric connector has first and second contact interfaces spaced apart from one another and extending generally perpendicular to the conductors and insulators. The connector assembly also includes a second elastomeric connector having a plurality of alternating elastomeric conductors and elastomer insulators. The second elastomeric connector has first and second contact interfaces spaced apart from one another and extending generally perpendicular to the conductors and insulators. A holder includes a body extending between first and second opposing surfaces, and the body defines a first recess housing the first elastomeric connector and a second recess housing the second elastomeric connector.

Elastomeric connector and retention member for holding the same

A connector assembly having a supporting boot and a connector that is retained with the boot and a method for producing the connector assembly. The boot serves as a retention member that includes a through opening sized to receive the connector. The boot includes first and second opposing surfaces. In a preferred embodiment, the opening at the second surface of the boot is sized for an interference fit with the connector. The opening adjacent the first surface of the boot is larger than the opening at the second body surface. The differential sizes of the though hole openings at respective ends of the through-hole provides a flow channel between the connector and the boot. Wells are provided in the first surface of the boot for a binding agent. A liquid binding agent that is injected into the wells flows through the flow channel and securely fixes the connector within the boot.

Elastomeric connector assembly and method for producing the assembly

A capacitive fluid pressure transducer is shown formed of a monolithic ceramic body (10) having a cavity located between a diaphragm portion (12) and a base portion (14). Opposed capacitor plates (22, 24) are disposed on opposed surfaces of the diaphragm portion and the base portion. The capacitor plates (22, 24) are formed of palladium oxide/silver having a ratio selected to create a fluid pressure level in the cavity as a result of oxygen evolution incident to the reduction of palladium oxide during the sintering cycle to offset the tendency of the diaphragm to bow inwardly due to shrinkage mismatch of the metal and ceramic materials.

Method for making a fluid pressure transducer

A monolithic capacitive pressure transducer is shown composed of ceramic material having a closed cavity formed near a surface thereof and having capacitor plates formed on two opposed surfaces defining the cavity. Vias are formed extending from the capacitor plates to permit electrical connection therewith. The transducer is made by separately forming under pressure a diaphragm and a base having a recess in the top surface using ceramic powder coated with an organic binder. A metal layer is deposited on the two pieces and the pieces are then joined together to form a single unit. A spacer may be inserted in the recess to ensure that a predetermined gap is maintained between the two parts during the joining operation. The parts are then debinderized by heating in air to a first temperature level to allow the binder organics, as well as the spacer organics if a spacer is employed, to be vaporized and/or decomposed and removed through the open pores of the diaphragm and base. The unit is then brought up to a sintering temperature in a reducing atmosphere to change it into a monolithic body and to convert the metallized layer into a conductive layer bonded to the ceramic.

Method of making a pressure transducer apparatus

A monolithic capacitive pressure transducer (12) is shown composed of ceramic material having a first closed cavity (12) separated from a surface thereof by a flexible wall member and a second closed cavity (16) defined by rigid wall members. Capacitor plates (32, 36; 40, 44) are formed on two opposed surfaces defining each cavity. Vias (33, 37; 41, 45) are formed extending from the capacitor plates to permit electrical connection therewith. The transducer is made by separately forming under pressure a diaphragm (20) and first and second base portions (22, 30) having recesses (24) in the top and bottom surfaces using ceramic powder coated with an organic binder. A metal layer is deposited on the pieces which are then joined together to form a single unit. A spacer (26) may be inserted in the recesses to ensure that a predetermined gap is maintained in each cavity during the joining operation. The parts are then debinderized by heating to a first temperature level to allow the binder organics, as well as the spacer organics if a spacer is employed, to be vaporized and/or decomposed and removed through the open pores of the diaphragm and base. The unit is then brought up to a sintering temperature to change it into a monolithic body and to convert the metallized layer into a conductive layer bonded to the ceramic.

Pressure transducer apparatus with monolithic body of ceramic material

An array of raised lands disposed in columns and rows formed of ceramic material, particularly barium strontium titanate, is formed by making a die of resist material having a negative image pattern of the array on a ceramic substrate and then forming a slurry having a high solid content of the ceramic material, filling the pattern with the slurry and firing the filled die to produce a sintered array of pixels. In a modified embodiment a pressing pad 18 of deformable ceramic tape is formed and pressed into the die after the die has been filled with slurry 16 in order to compact the material and wipe the ceramic material from the sidewalls 12. In another embodiment a ceramic tape of the type used for the pressing pad is pressed into the die and after a short time removed from the die with the pixel array formed in the tape which is then fired to sinter the array. In a modification of this embodiment that portion of the tape extending out of the die beyond the sidewalls 12 can be removed and the die then fired to form a pixel array which is confined essentially to vertical shrinkage upon firing.

Process for forming ceramic pixel array and pixel array formed thereby

A body comprising a ceramic electrical resistance material of positive temperature coefficient of resistivity adapted to display a sharp increase in resistivity when heated to a selected temperature has passages extending through the body between opposite ends of the body for passing fluid through the passages in heat-exchange relationship to the body and has means electrically contacting spaced-apart portions of the body for directing electrical current through the body to self-heat the body. The body is made with an improved structure in an improved manner and is particularly adapted for use as a self-regulated fluid heater within a small or irregularly-shaped conduit or the like.

Heat-exchanger

A cylinder pressure transmitter has means mounting piezoelectric means to provide an electrical signal corresponding to the pressure of a cylinder of an internal combustion engine and has electronic means on the mounting means to amplify the signal for transmission to computer control means for regulating engine operation to improve performance. The electronic means are mounted on an insulating substrate which is secured to a rigid support in a housing. Guide means and locating means provided on the housing and on the mounting means cooperate in mounting the housing on the mounting means and contact means on the piezoelectric and electronic means fit together in an improved manner to provide reliable interconnection between the electronic and piezoelectric means and to retain that interconnection even when subjected to engine vibrations.

Piezoelectric cylinder pressure transmitter

A cylinder pressure transmitter has means mounting piezoelectric means to provide an electrical signal corresponding to the pressure of a cylinder of an internal combustion engine and has electronic means on the mounting means to amplify the signal for transmission to computer control means for regulating engine operation to improve performance. The electronic means are mounted on an insulating substrate which is secured to a rigid support in a housing. Contact means, guide means, and locating means provided on the housing and on the mounting means cooperate to mount the housing on the mounting means to provide reliable interconnection between the electronic and piezoelectric means and to retain the interconnection even when subjected to engine vibrations.

Electrical connections for a piezoelectric pressure transmitter for an

A fuel supply system having means for furnishing a mixture of air and alcohol or gasohol fuels to an automotive engine has a self-regulating, ceramic, electrical resistance heater for enhancing fuel evaporation during cold engine starting and incorporates a heater of improved structure to maintain stable heating properties in the alcohol-based system over a long service life. The heater has thin, all-metal contacts of electroless, deposited nickel formed directly on a ceramic material of positive temperature coefficient of resistivity in ohmic contact relation to the ceramic material and has a thin, substantially pore-free outer coating of electrolytically deposited nickel covering and shielding the ohmic contacts from the effects of an alcohol vapor atmosphere, whereby the ohmic contacts retain their contacting properties during thermal cycling in engagement with the oxygen-rich ceramic material and in the alcohol atmosphere so that the fuel supply system maintains uniform fuel evaporation properties over a long service life.

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North Attleboro, MA, United States of America

Vishwa N Shukla