Measurement Specialties, Incorporated

Te Connectivity Solutions Gmbh

Ya-Mei Chen

James Hoffman

A body of a sensor includes a wafer having a cavity and a membrane deflectable into the cavity under an applied force. The membrane has a first section and a second section. The first section of the membrane is more deflectable than the second section in a first range of the applied force and the second section is more deflectable than the first section in a second range of the applied force that is different than the first range.

Membrane of a sensor with multiple deflectable sections for different ranges of a sensed force or pressure

A sensor assembly includes a sensor and an overload stop disposed on a surface of the sensor. The sensor has a resilient central region and an outer region surrounding the central region. The overload stop includes a center stop disposed on the central region and a peripheral stop disposed on the outer region.

Sensor assembly having an overload stop

The sensor assembly comprises a sensor die comprising first and second members. The first member accommodates an actuation element on a second surface of the first member and in contact with a diaphragm that is integral with the first member. The second member is bonded to a first surface of the first member opposite the second surface, and sensing elements are positioned adjacent the diaphragm along the first surface and interposed between the first and second members. The second member also includes a recessed section that forms a cavity adjacent the diaphragm to accommodate and/or limit diaphragm deflection. An internal electrical connection is made between first and second member electrical contacts disposed along the interface between the first and second members to avoid external wires. The second member further includes external electrical terminals to facilitate an electrical surface connection with the sensor assembly without the need for external wires.

Sensor assemblies with integrated electrical connections and diaphragm overload protection

Sensor devices comprise a sensor die having a first membrane between a first outside surface and a buried cavity, and a second membrane between the buried cavity and a recessed section of the sensor die forming a backside cavity, wherein the first and second membranes oriented vertically adjacent one another. The sensor die comprises first and second members that are attached together, the buried cavity is formed between the members, and the first member comprises the first diaphragm and the second member comprises the second diaphragm. The membranes are configured to enable sensing over different ranges. Electrical sensing elements are in the sensor die for measuring movement of each of the first and second sensing membranes over the different ranges. Electrical contacts connected with sensing elements are exposed along a sensor die surface for providing an output signal for monitoring by an external device.

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Fremont, CA, United States of America

Ya-Mei Chen