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

A hitch load cell including a ball hitch with a spherical surface and a stem extending from the spherical surface along a longitudinal axis. The hitch load cell further includes a first resistor positioned on a first side of the stem, a second resistor positioned on a second side of the stem, a third resistor positioned on the first side, a fourth resistor positioned on the second side. The first resistor, the second resistor, the third resistor, and the fourth resistor are electrically coupled in a Wheatstone bridge configuration.

Disclosed are a pressure sensor for sensing pressure in a vertical direction, a strain sensor for sensing tension in a horizontal direction, and a method for manufacturing the sensors. The disclosed pressure sensor includes a plurality of pressure sensor units stacked in multiple layers, and at least one of a pressure elastic modulus and an amount of conductive particles per unit area of each of the plurality of pressure sensor units is different from each other.

Disclosed are a pressure sensor for sensing pressure in a vertical direction, a strain sensor for sensing tension in a horizontal direction, and a method for manufacturing the sensors. The disclosed pressure sensor includes a plurality of pressure sensor units stacked in multiple layers, and at least one of a pressure elastic modulus and an amount of conductive particles per unit area of each of the plurality of pressure sensor units is different from each other.

A pressure sensor includes a pre-formed diaphragm located at the distal end of a pressure sensor. The diaphragm has a convex surface on a first side of the diaphragm which is exposed to a fluid to be measured. A strain gauge is attached to a second surface on the opposite side of the diaphragm. The diaphragm may be deformed to have the convex curvature on the first surface, and heat treated.

A controller configured for detecting a disturbance using a comparison of outputs of at least two sensors and for determining a pressure from the outputs of the at least two sensors. A ratio of the measurement sensitivity and the disturbance sensitivity should be different for the at least two sensors. A method for monitoring disturbances of a sensor assembly includes comparing the outputs of the at least two sensors. The controller and related method provide, while requiring only two sensors, a redundant system that is also able to detect excessive disturbances on a sensor assembly.

A ceramic pressure sensor is described which is produced using an alternative production method and has a ceramic base body, a ceramic measuring membrane which is disposed on the base body and is to be charged with a pressure to be measured, and a pressure measuring chamber enclosed in the base body below the measuring membrane. A method to produce the pressure sensor by means of which, in particular, more complex shapes of the measuring membrane and/or the base body are producible with minimal pores wherein the base body and/or the measuring membrane have layers applied on each other in a 3-D printing method and produced by the selective laser melting of nanopowder layers.

A polymeric fluid sensor includes an inlet configured to receive fluid and an outlet. A polymeric tube is fluidically interposed between the inlet and the outlet and has a first sensing location with a first sidewall thickness and a second sensing location, spaced from the first sensing location, with a second sidewall thickness. A sleeve is disposed about the polymeric tube. The first sidewall thickness is less than the second sidewall thickness and a first sensing element is disposed at the first location and a second sensing element is disposed at the second location. In another example, the first and second sidewall thicknesses are the same and a fluid restriction is disposed within the polymeric tube between the first and second sensing locations.

A polymeric fluid sensor includes an inlet configured to receive fluid and an outlet. A polymeric tube is fluidically interposed between the inlet and the outlet and has a first sensing location with a first sidewall thickness and a second sensing location, spaced from the first sensing location, with a second sidewall thickness. A sleeve is disposed about the polymeric tube. The first sidewall thickness is less than the second sidewall thickness and a first sensing element is disposed at the first location and a second sensing element is disposed at the second location. In another example, the first and second sidewall thicknesses are the same and a fluid restriction is disposed within the polymeric tube between the first and second sensing locations.

Disclosed are an anisotropic mechanical expansion (anisotropic Poisson's ratio) substrate and a crack-based pressure sensor using the same. The substrate having an anisotropic Poisson's ratio includes a first layer having linear concave and convex patterns arranged in parallel to each other on a surface thereof; and a second layer having linear convex and concave patterns respectively engaged with the linear concave and convex patterns of the first layer on a surface thereof, wherein the first layer and the second layer are stacked with each other so that the linear convex and concave patterns of the second layer are respectively engaged with the linear concave and convex patterns of the first layer, wherein an elastic modulus of the first layer is different from an elastic modulus of the second layer.