Methods, systems, and apparatuses are provided for detecting and determining conditions of and conditions within a fluid conduit.

In some embodiments, a sensor is provided. The sensor includes a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) substrate disposed over an integrated chip (IC), where the IC defines a lower portion of a first cavity and a lower portion of a second cavity, and where the first cavity has a first operating pressure different than an operating pressure of the second cavity. A cap substrate is disposed over the MEMS substrate, where a first pair of sidewalls of the cap substrate partially define an upper portion of the first cavity, and a second pair of sidewalls of the cap substrate partially define an upper portion of the second cavity. A sensor area comprising a movable portion of the MEMS substrate and a dummy area comprising a fixed portion of the MEMS substrate are both disposed in the first cavity. A pressure enhancement structure is disposed in the dummy area.

A pressure sensor device includes a base including joint portions to join to a mounting substrate, and an oscillator to oscillate with respect to the base. The oscillator includes a capacitor including a membrane that is deformable in accordance with an ambient pressure difference as a sensor electrode and a facing electrode spaced apart from the membrane. The membrane does not overlap the base in plan view in a direction orthogonal or substantially orthogonal to the membrane.

In micromechanical pressure sensor device and a corresponding production method, the micromechanical pressure sensor device is provided with a first diaphragm; an adjacent first cavity; a first deformation detection device situated in and/or on the first diaphragm for detecting a deformation of the first diaphragm as a consequence of an applied external pressure change and as a consequence of an internal mechanical deformation of the pressure sensor device; a second diaphragm; an adjacent second cavity; and a second deformation detection device situated in and/or on the second diaphragm for detecting a deformation of the second diaphragm as a consequence of the internal mechanical deformation of the pressure sensor device, where the second diaphragm is developed in such a way that it is not deformable as a consequence of the external pressure change.

In an embodiment, a pressure sensor system includes a pressure sensor element with a flexible plate, wherein the pressure sensor element is a piezoresistive sensor element and a support element on which the pressure sensor element is arranged, wherein a flow channel configured to supply a medium to the flexible plate runs in the support element, wherein the flow channel has at least one sub-section, a longitudinal direction of which running perpendicularly below the flexible plate, and wherein a channel cross section of the at least one sub-section of the flow channel is at no point within the sub-section of the flow channel smaller than an area of the flexible plate.

A sensor membrane structure is provided. The sensor membrane structure includes a substrate, a first insulating layer, and a device layer. The substrate has a first surface and a second surface that is opposite to the first surface. A cavity is formed on the first surface, an opening is formed on the second surface, and the cavity communicates with the opening. The cavity and the opening penetrate the substrate in a direction that is perpendicular to the first surface. The first insulating layer is disposed on the first surface of the substrate. The device layer is disposed on the first insulating layer. The first insulating layer is disposed for protecting the sensor membrane structure from overetched and remain stable during the etching process, increasing the yield of the sensor membrane structure.

A device for measuring pressure includes a curved microbeam having opposing ends, a length extending between the pair of opposing ends, and a plurality of resonant frequencies, an actuating electrode extending along the length of the curved microbeam and spaced from the curved microbeam, an AC power source in communication with one of the opposing ends and the actuating electrode to deliver an AC signal at a first symmetric resonant frequency and a second symmetric resonant frequency selected from the plurality of resonant frequencies to the curved microbeam, a DC power source in communication with the opposing ends to pass an electrothermal voltage along a length of the curved microbeam, and a frequency monitoring device to monitor changes in the first symmetric resonant frequency and the second symmetric resonant frequency caused by an ambient pressure surrounding the curved microbeam.

The present invention relates to microfluidic or millifluidic chips (1) comprising at least one pressure sensing unit (4) able to measure a fluid flow pressure. The present invention also relates to a method for a direct and contact-free measuring of a local pressure of a fluid circulating in a microfluidic circuit, using a microfluidic or millifluidic chips (1) according to the invention.

A multifunctional sensor has the a process connection housing with a process-side opening, pressure measurement cell with a measurement membrane arranged in the process connection housing, which closes the opening in the process connection housing and which has strain measurement resistors on its side facing away from the process, where a magnet assembly is arranged in the process connection housing, the magnetic field of which is concentrated on a central region of the measurement membrane and penetrates through this into the process, electrodes lying diametrically opposite one another are formed outside the central region on the side of the measurement membrane facing the process, and where the process connection housing contains electronic measuring equipment which is formed to interact with the strain measurement resistors and the electrodes for pressure measurement and magnetic-inductive flow measurement.

A pressure sensing device comprises a first diaphragm which is deformable and a second diaphragm which is non-deformable. One of the diaphragms comprises a pressure sensitive material arranged on its surface. The other diaphragm comprises a detection electrode arranged its surface. The first diaphragm forms part of a force transmission device comprising a cavity having a force transmission fluid therein. The force transmission device is configured to receive an external force and transmit the external force to the first diaphragm, such that the first and second diaphragms are mutually deformed in response to the external force.