G01L9/0022

UNIVERSAL BLAST SENSOR

A wearable universal blast sensor includes an underwater pressure sensing transducer and at least one blast parameter sensing transducer to measure a blast parameter from the blast other than pressure, an analog-to-digital converter having an analog input and a digital output, the analog input coupled to the pressure sensing transducer and a digital output, a rolling memory buffer coupled to the digital output of the analog-to-digital converter, at least one controller coupled to the rolling memory buffer and configured to store a time sequence of digital pressure signals from the digital output of the analog-to-digital converter, write into a blast event memory data from the rolling memory buffer including data corresponding to the blast event if one of the digital pressure signals exceeds a set first threshold, generate a first blast magnitude indicator signal if any of the digital pressure signals exceeds a second set threshold.

Flexible piezoelectric devices for gastrointestinal motility sensing

Improvements in ingestible electronics with the capacity to sense physiologic and pathophysiologic states have transformed the standard of care for patients. Yet despite advances in device development, significant risks associated with solid, non-flexible gastrointestinal transiting systems remain. Here, we disclose an ingestible, flexible piezoelectric device that senses mechanical deformation within the gastric cavity. We demonstrate the capabilities of the sensor in both in vitro and ex vivo simulated gastric models, quantified its key behaviors in the GI tract by using computational modeling, and validated its functionality in awake and ambulating swine. Our piezoelectric devices can safely sense mechanical variations and harvest mechanical energy inside the gastrointestinal tract for diagnosing and treating motility disorders and for monitoring ingestion in bariatric applications.

Resonant pressure sensor with imporved linearity

A resonant pressure sensor with improved linearity includes a substrate including a substrate-fixed portion fixed to a housing-fixed portion and a substrate-separated portion separated from the housing-fixed portion in a first direction; a first resonator disposed in the substrate-separated portion to detect a change of a resonance frequency based on a strain caused by static pressure applied by a pressure-receiving fluid interposed in a gap between the housing-fixed portion and the substrate; a first electrode extending along a second direction to output an excitation signal to the first resonator; a second electrode that extends along the second direction and from which the first resonator outputs a signal having the resonance frequency; and a processor that measures the static pressure based on the detected change.

Thickness-shear mode resonators
11598684 · 2023-03-07 · ·

A pressure sensor that resonates in the thickness-shear mode (TSM) includes a center resonator structure, a first electrode positioned on a first side of the center resonator structure, and a first electrode flag. The first electrode flag forms a first electrically conductive path from the first electrode toward an outer portion of the center resonator structure. The first electrode flag extends at least partially over the first side of the center resonator structure. The first electrode flag also includes one or more first tab metals migrated thereinto from opposing sides of the first electrode flag.

RESONATOR AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE RESONATOR, AND STRAIN SENSOR AND SENSOR ARRAY INCLUDING THE RESONATOR

Provided are a resonator, a method of manufacturing the resonator, and a strain sensor and a sensor array including the resonator. The resonator is provided to extend in a lengthwise direction from a support. The resonator includes a single crystal material and is provided to extend in a crystal orientation that satisfies at least one from among a Young's modulus and a Poisson's ratio, from among crystal orientations of the single crystal material.

METHOD FOR OPERATING AN ULTRASONIC FLUID METER FOR PRESSURE DETERMINATION USING A PIEZOCERAMIC ULTRASONIC TRANSDUCER, AND ULTRASONIC FLUID METER
20230147194 · 2023-05-11 ·

A method for operating an ultrasonic fluid meter, preferably an ultrasonic water meter, in a fluid distribution network, includes using an ultrasonic transducer to generate an ultrasonic signal which passes through a measurement path, and determining a flow volume by using evaluation electronics on the basis of a transit time and/or a transit time difference of the ultrasonic signal. A hydraulic force change acting on the ultrasonic transducer through the fluid generates a voltage signal waveform on the ultrasonic transducer and the voltage signal waveform is tapped by the evaluation electronics. An ultrasonic fluid meter, preferably ultrasonic water meter, is also provided.

PIEZOELECTRIC TRANSDUCER
20170370962 · 2017-12-28 ·

A piezoelectric transducer for measuring a force includes a base element; a pre-loading element; at least one effective main seismic mass aggregation of pre-loaded parts capable of producing the force when being accelerated; a main piezoelectric ceramic element including a first piezoelectric ceramic; at least one compensation seismic mass aggregation of pre-loaded parts capable of producing a compensation force when being accelerated; a compensation piezoelectric ceramic element including a second piezoelectric ceramic. The first piezoelectric ceramic has a thermal sensitivity shift smaller than the second piezoelectric ceramic. The main piezoelectric ceramic element is oriented with respect to the force to be measured and the compensation piezoelectric ceramic element is oriented with respect to the compensation force such that the main electric charge and the compensation electric charge are opposite in polarity.

Micromachined Bulk Acoustic Wave Resonator Pressure Sensor

A pressure sensor includes a piezoelectric substrate having a generally planar structure and an anchor location fixing the piezoelectric substrate at the periphery of the planar structure of the piezoelectric substrate. The planar structure of the piezoelectric substrate has a first region having a first characteristic thickness adjacent to the anchor location, and a second region have a second characteristic thickness at a middle region of the substrate. The second characteristic thickness is less than the first characteristic thickness such that the planar structure in the second region is displaced relative to the neutral axis of the planar structure such that while undergoing bending the second region has either mostly compressive or mostly tensile stress.

PRESSURE TRANSDUCER AND METHOD FOR FABRICATING THE SAME

A pressure transducer comprises a housing including a body section and at least one end cap at one end of the body section, which are made of piezoelectric crystal, and a piezoelectric resonator in the housing. The body section and the end cap are bonded by an atomic diffusion bonding method.

RESONANT PRESSURE SENSOR WITH IMPROVED LINEARITY

A resonant pressure sensor with improved linearity includes: a substrate including a substrate-separated portion separated from a housing-fixed portion; a first resonator that: is disposed in the substrate-separated portion; and detects a change of a first resonance frequency based on a strain in the substrate caused by static pressure applied by a pressure-receiving fluid; a second resonator that: is disposed in the substrate; detects a change of a second resonance frequency based on the strain in the substrate; and has a pressure sensitivity of the second resonance frequency; and a processor that: measures the static pressure based on the detected change of the first resonance frequency; and corrects the static pressure according to internal temperature of the pressure sensor based on a difference between the second resonance frequency and the first resonance frequency.