The design and structure of a fluidic concentration metering device with a full dynamic range utilizing micro-machined thermal time-of-flight sensing elements is exhibited in this disclosure. With an additional identical sensing chip but packaged at the different locations in the measurement fluidic chamber with a closed conduit, the device can simultaneously measure the fluidic concentration and the fluidic flowrate. With a temperature thermistor integrated on the same micro-machined thermal sensing chip, the disclosed device will be able to provide the key processing parameters for the fluidic applications.

A sensor element with a thin-film structure is made of platinum or a platinum alloy. The structure being applied to a ceramic substrate, in particular an Al.sub.2O.sub.3 substrate and being covered by a glass-ceramic coating. The glass-ceramic coating has an outer surface with surface profiling. A sensor module, a measuring assembly, and an exhaust-gas re-circulation system include the sensor element.

Disclosed herein are embodiments of a sensor assembly, methods of manufacturing the same, and methods of using the same. In one embodiment, a sensor assembly comprises a substrate comprising an outer region, an inner region, and a middle region positioned between the outer region and the inner region, the substrate further comprising electrical contact pads on at least the inner region. The sensor assembly further comprises a housing coupled to the substrate at the outer region or at the middle region to form a hermetic seal. The sensor assembly further comprises a sensor device coupled to the substrate, via the electrical contact pads, at the inner region. In certain embodiments, the sensor assembly further comprises a conformal coating deposited on at least a portion of the sensor assembly.

A novel thermopile having high sensitivity and reliability at the time of measuring a flow rate of gas in a thermopile sensor is provided. A thermopile sensor includes a thermopile in which pairings of PolySi and a metal film are connected in series on an insulating film, the metal film is connected so as to overlap on the PolySi in each pair, the metal film crosses a gap between the PolySi and the PolySi in a connection portion between pairings, and a gap between the PolySis in a portion where the metal film crosses is wider than a gap between the PolySis in the remaining portion.

A carbonated water dispenser comprises a carbonator with a water inlet and a carbonated water outlet. A backflow preventer module is fluidically coupled to the water inlet and comprises a check valve and a thermal mass flow meter. The thermal mass flow meter is configured to communicate a first signal based on a measured amount of heat transferred from a heater to a temperature sensor by a flow of a fluid through the backflow preventer module. A shut-off valve is fluidically coupled between the carbonated water outlet and a nozzle. The shut-off valve is configured to allow or prevent fluid flow from the carbonated water outlet to the nozzle base on a control signal. A controller is configured to detect a backflow condition based on the first signal and generate the control signal to configure the shut-off valve to prevent dispensing carbonated water upon detection of the backflow condition.

To provide an airflow amount measuring device capable of accurately measuring a flow amount of air without occurrence of warpage in a thin film portion when an airflow measuring element is mounted on a lead frame to form a resin-sealed package in which the airflow amount measuring element and the lead frame are sealed. A chip package includes a lead frame, an element mounted on the lead frame and having a detection portion, and a structure for sealing the lead frame and the element such that at least the detection portion is exposed. Then, the curvature radius ρ of the exposed portion of the element exposed from the sealing resin member is 2.13 or less.

A sensor package is disclosed. The sensor package can include a housing that at least partially defines a flow channel. The sensor package can also include an electrically conductive spacer that is disposed on a surface of the housing in the flow channel. The sensor package can further include a sensor die that is disposed in and exposed to the flow channel. The sensor die electrically attached to the spacer such that the sensor die is elevated relative to the surface of the housing.

A thermoresistive micro sensor device includes a semiconductor chip; a through hole, which runs through the semiconductor chip from an upper side to a lower side; electrically conductive structures, wherein the middle section of each of the electrically conductive structures spans over the through hole at the upper side of the semiconductor chip; an electrically insulating arrangement for electrically insulating the electrically conductive structures and the semiconductor chip from each other, wherein the through hole runs through the electrically insulating arrangement; and a contact arrangement including contacts, wherein each of the contacts is electrically connected to one of the first end sections or one of the second end sections, so that electrical energy is fed to at least one of the electrically conductive structures to heat the respective electrically conductive structure, and so that an electrical resistance of one of the electrically conductive structures is measured at the contact arrangement.

A package-type flow sensor includes a flow sensor chip having a sensor part configured to detect a flow of fluid, a package including a flat board part, forming an accommodating chamber configured to accommodate the flow sensor chip, and a connection terminal, provided on an outer surface of the board part, and connected to an external board. Further, in this package-type flow sensor, the board part is provided with a first vent hole communicating to inside and outside of the accommodating chamber, the package is provided with a second vent hole communicating to the inside and the outside of the accommodating chamber, at a position different from the board part, and the flow sensor chip is disposed on a flow passage of the fluid formed by the first vent hole and the second vent hole.

A sensor package is disclosed. The sensor package can include a housing that at least partially defines a flow channel. The sensor package can also include an electrically conductive spacer that is disposed on a surface of the housing in the flow channel. The sensor package can further include a sensor die that is disposed in and exposed to the flow channel. The sensor die electrically attached to the spacer such that the sensor die is elevated relative to the surface of the housing.