Various embodiments include a capacitive pressure transducer for measuring the pressure of a medium adjacent to the transducer comprising: a measurement diaphragm including a first surface in contact with the medium and a second surface facing away from the medium; a measurement electrode integrated with the measurement diaphragm; a base body arranged opposite the second surface, the base body comprising a counter electrode forming a measurement capacitance with the measurement electrode; and an electrically insulating chamber bounded by the base body and the measurement diaphragm. The counter electrode is in contact with the electrically insulating chamber. At least one of the measurement electrode or the counter electrode comprises a meandering pattern layer in direct contact with the electrically insulating chamber.

Pressure sensors having ring-tensioned membranes are disclosed. A tensioning ring is bonded to a membrane in a manner that results in the tensioning ring applying a tensile force to the membrane, flattening the membrane and reducing or eliminating defects that may have occurred during production. The membrane is bonded to the sensor housing at a point outside the tensioning ring, preventing the process of bonding the membrane to the housing from introducing defects into the tensioned portion of the membrane. A dielectric may be introduced into the gap between the membrane and the counter electrode in a capacitive pressure sensor, resulting in an improved dynamic range.

A pressure sensor may measure gas or liquid pressure. A chamber may have an inlet that receives the gas or liquid. A flexible diaphragm may be within the chamber that has a surface exposed to the gas or liquid after it flows through the inlet. A pressure sensor system may sense changes in the flexible diaphragm caused by changes in the pressure of the gas or liquid. A pressure-insensitive sensor system may sense changes in the flexible diaphragm that are not caused by changes in the pressure of the gas or liquid. The pressure-insensitive sensor system may be insensitive to changes in the flexible diaphragm caused by changes in the pressure of the gas or liquid.

Heat resistant sensors equipped with any of a variety of transducers for measuring any of a variety of properties of fluids are constructed with components comprising materials that can withstand very high temperatures. Some embodiments of the sensors include a base comprising non-conductive ceramic material, and some embodiments of the transducers include conductive ceramic materials with resistivities that vary as a function of temperature. Some embodiments of the sensors also include electrical conductors comprising electrically conductive ceramic material or electrical conductors comprising an electrically conductive refractory metal on the base. Other embodiments of the transducers include a capacitor constructed of materials that can withstand very high temperatures.

The invention relates to a method for compensating measured values in capacitive pressure measuring cells using a measuring capacity and at least one reference capacity, comprising the following steps: determination of a pressure-induced capacitance change of the reference capacitance as a function of a pressure-induced capacitance change of the measuring capacitance, determination of a thermal shock-induced capacitance change of the reference capacitance as a function of a thermal shock-induced capacitance change of the measuring capacitance, measurement of the measuring capacitance and of the at least one reference capacitance, determination of the thermal shock-induced capacitance change of the measuring capacitance from a combination of the above dependencies, compensation of the measured measuring capacitance by the thermal shock induced capacitance change of the measuring capacitance, and determination and output of the pressure-induced capacitance change or a quantity derived therefrom.

The invention relates to various means for implementing a method for compensating measured values in capacitive pressure measuring cells using a measuring capacity and at least one reference capacity, comprising the following steps: determination of a pressure-induced capacitance change of the reference capacitance as a function of a pressure-induced capacitance change of the measuring capacitance, determination of a thermal shock-induced capacitance change of the reference capacitance as a function of a thermal shock-induced capacitance change of the measuring capacitance, measurement of the measuring capacitance and of the at least one reference capacitance, determination of the thermal shock-induced capacitance change of the measuring capacitance from a combination of the above dependencies, compensation of the measured measuring capacitance by the thermal shock induced capacitance change of the measuring capacitance, and determination and output of the pressure-induced capacitance change or a quantity derived therefrom.

The invention relates to various means for implementing a method for compensating measured values in capacitive pressure measuring cells using a measuring capacity and at least one reference capacity, comprising the following steps: determination of a pressure-induced capacitance change of the reference capacitance as a function of a pressure-induced capacitance change of the measuring capacitance, determination of a thermal shock-induced capacitance change of the reference capacitance as a function of a thermal shock-induced capacitance change of the measuring capacitance, measurement of the measuring capacitance and of the at least one reference capacitance, determination of the thermal shock-induced capacitance change of the measuring capacitance from a combination of the above dependencies, compensation of the measured measuring capacitance by the thermal shock induced capacitance change of the measuring capacitance, and determination and output of the pressure-induced capacitance change or a quantity derived therefrom.

A versatilely usable pressure sensor is described, which has a ceramic pressure measuring cell (5) clamped in the pressure sensor with interpositioning of a seal (1) outwardly sealing an interior of the pressure sensor and loadable via an opening (3) of the pressure sensor with a pressure (p) to be measured, and whose seal (1) comprises a film (21) of a thermoplastic material, especially polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), clamped (in an axial direction and extending perpendicularly to planes of the sealing surfaces (25, 27)) between a form-retaining, planar sealing surface (25) of the pressure measuring cell (5) and a form-retaining sealing surface (27, 27) of a counterbody (19, 19) outwardly surrounding the opening (3), characterized in that the film (21) includes a first film segment (23), which is clamped between the sealing surface (25) of the pressure measuring cell (5) and the sealing surface (27, 27) of the counterbody (19), and the film (21) includes a second film segment (29), which extends over a lateral surface (31) of the counterbody (19, 19) different from the sealing surface (27, 27), and which is connected with the counterbody (19, 19) on the lateral surface (31) via a connecting layer (33) of a material serving as bonding agent for the material of the film (21), especially perfluoroalkoxy-polymer (PFA), arranged on the lateral surface (31).

A sensor for detecting pressure, filling level, density, temperature, mass and/or flow rate, wherein at least one central sensor component is coupled to a further component by nanowires and wherein the sensor component is stiffened, fixed and/or electrically contacted this way.

An electrode pair that forms a pressure-sensitive capacitance Cx in the central portion of a diaphragm is called a first electrode pair (pressure-sensing electrode pair), and another electrode pair that forms a reference capacitance Cr in the circumferential portion of the diaphragm is called a second electrode pair (reference electrode pair). The ratio Cx/Cr of a change Cx in the pressure-sensitive capacitance Cx, which is obtained from the pressure-sensing electrode pair at the time of evacuation, to a change Cr in the reference capacitance Cr, which is obtained from the reference electrode pair at the time of evacuation, is calculated as an index for malfunction detection . Then, the index for malfunction detection thus calculated is compared with the reference value ref, which represents the index observed during normal operation, and whether deformation due to a cause other than pressure has been generated in the diaphragm is determined.