The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 16, 1999
Filed:
Aug. 19, 1997
Parris S Wellman, Somerville, MA (US);
Jae S Son, El Segundo, CA (US);
Robert D Howe, Cambridge, MA (US);
Pressure Profile Systems, Somerville, MA (US);
Abstract
An improved fluid pressure sensor/sensor array is shown to provide high resolution, sensitivity which can be easily controlled based on anticipated or detected pressure range, and reliable pressure measurements with easy installation and low fabrication cost. A fluid pressure sensor is provided having a substantially incompressible mounting structure with a cavity formed therein. An elastic membrane is attached to said mounting structure and across said cavity, separating the cavity from the fluid to be measured. At least one non-contact transducer is attached to the mounting structure in the cavity to detect deflection at a selected plurality of regions on the membrane. The sensitivity and pressure range of the sensor can be chosen by preselecting the elasticity of the membrane, stretching the membrane across the cavity under a preselected tension, maintaining a predetermined reference pressure in the cavity, and/or actively controlling the membrane tension. For a pressure sensor array, there are at least two fluid pressure sensors, where at least one sensor is of the type described herein. A sensor array can also be formed by multiple cavities within a single mounting structure.