A sensor for detecting the pressure of a fluid has a sensor body having at least one first body part and one second body part. The first body part and the second body part are joined together in such a way that a first face of the first body part faces a first face of the second body part, at a distance therefrom.

The pressure sensor has a circuit arrangement, which includes at least one first electrical circuit that extends at least in part in an area corresponding to a membrane portion and is configured for detecting an elastic flexure or deformation thereof.

The first electrical circuit is associated to the first face of one of the first body part and the second body part, and the first face of the other one of the first body part and the second body part forms or has associated thereto at least one circuit element, prearranged for interacting with the first electrical circuit when an elastic flexure or deformation of the membrane portion is of a degree at least equal to a substantially predetermined limit, to generate thereby information or a warning representative of at least one from among an excessive pressure of the fluid, an incorrect pressure measurement, and an anomalous state of the device.

Various embodiments are directed to a pressure sensor and method of using the same. A pressure sensor may comprise a substrate having a substrate thickness extending between a first substrate surface and a second substrate surface, wherein the first substrate surface and the second substrate surface define opposing ends of the substrate thickness; a first pressure sensing assembly attached to the first substrate surface and configured to detect a first pressure force associated with a first fluid volume, wherein a portion of the first substrate surface adjacent the first pressure sensing assembly is fluidly isolated from the first volume of fluid; and a second pressure sensing assembly attached to the second substrate surface and configured to detect a second pressure force associated with a second volume of fluid, wherein a portion of the second substrate surface adjacent the second pressure sensing assembly is fluidly isolated from the second fluid volume.

Measurement with satisfactory sensitivity in a low-pressure range, and accurate measurement in a wider pressure range, are realized by a pressure sensor that includes a diaphragm layer and a pressure receiving region formed on the diaphragm layer. The pressure sensor includes a first piezostrictive element, a second piezostrictive element, a third piezostrictive element, and a fourth piezostrictive element. In addition, the pressure sensor includes a first magnetostrictive element, a second magnetostrictive element, a third magnetostrictive element, and a fourth magnetostrictive element. A switching function unit outputs a pressure value calculated by a second calculation function unit until a pressure value calculated by a first calculation function unit exceeds a set threshold value, and outputs the pressure value calculated by the first calculation function unit when the pressure value calculated by the first calculation function unit exceeds the threshold value.

Semiconductor MEMS pressure sensors that can produce a linear and large output signal when subject to a small pressure, without an increase to the front to back span error. One example can experience large deflections without causing catastrophic damage to the membrane. The pressure sensor can include a silicon layer having opposing surfaces, an etched pattern in of the surfaces of the silicon layer, and an etched cavity on the opposite surface of the silicon layer to form a membrane. The etched patterned can include a series of concentric stiffening ribs, an inverted boss, large depression areas next to the membrane edge and/or the boss, and piezoresistive strain concentrators. The ribs and depressions can be formed onto the silicon membrane by anisotropic or isotropic etch techniques. Piezoresistive devices can be diffused into the membrane in the regions near the strain concentrators to form a Wheatstone bridge or other measurement structure.

A sensor apparatus includes at least one substrate layer of an elastically deformable material, the substrate layer extending longitudinally between spaced apart ends thereof. A conductive layer is attached to and extends longitudinally between the spaced apart ends of the at least one substrate layer. The conductive layer includes an electrically conductive material adapted to form a strain gauge having an electrical resistance that varies based on deformation of the conductive layer in at least one direction.

A micro pressure sensor includes a sense die mounted on a substrate, a ring structure encircling the sense die, and a silicone material is overmolded to an exterior of the ring structure to form a seal with the ring structure and fills an interior of the ring structure. The ring structure has one or more legs at bottom side, which are snap fitted to the substrate through mating holes such that the ring structure encircles the sense die; and a top surface of the silicone material receives the external pressure and transmits the external pressure to the sense surface of the sense die to generate an output signal on the sense die, wherein a processor converts the output signal into a pressure reading. The pressure-transmitting media transmits a received external pressure to the sense surface of the sense die to generate an output signal from the sense die, wherein a processor converts the output signal into a pressure reading.

A pressure sensor includes a housing, an isolator positioned at a first end of the housing, and a first cavity formed between the first end of the housing and the isolator. The pressure sensor further includes a second cavity formed in the housing and a channel with a first end fluidly connected to the first cavity and a second end fluidly coupled to the second cavity. A pressure sensor chip is positioned in the second cavity and includes a first diaphragm positioned at a top side of the pressure sensor chip laterally outwards from the second end of the channel to prevent a fluid from jetting onto the first diaphragm.

A pressure sensor includes a Wheatstone bridge circuit including a first resistor, a second resistor, a third resistor, and a fourth resistor having matching output characteristics. The pressure sensor further includes a first trim resistor in series with the Wheatstone bridge circuit, wherein the first trim resistor has output characteristics matching the output characteristics of the first resistor, the second resistor, the third resistor, and the fourth resistor of the Wheatstone bridge. The pressure sensor additionally includes a second trim resistor in parallel or a parallel loop with the Wheatstone bridge circuit, wherein the second trim resistor has output characteristics matching the output characteristics of the first resistor, the second resistor, the third resistor, and the fourth resistor of the Wheatstone bridge.

Methods of manufacturing a pressure sensor from an SOI wafer are provided. In preferred embodiments, the methods comprise forming a cavity in a SOI wafer by removing a first portion of a bottom silicon layer on the bottom side of the SOI wafer to a depth of an insulator layer; depositing a layer of a second material over the cavity; removing both the silicon layer and the insulator layer from a top side of the SOI wafer in a first plurality of areas above the cavity to form a diaphragm from the layer of a second material, wherein at least one support structure that spans the diaphragm is formed from material above the cavity that was not removed; and forming at least one piezoresistor in the SOI wafer over an intersection of the support structure and SOI wafer at an outside edge of the diaphragm.

A sensor apparatus includes at least one substrate layer of an elastically deformable material, the substrate layer extending longitudinally between spaced apart ends thereof. A conductive layer is attached to and extends longitudinally between the spaced apart ends of the at least one substrate layer. The conductive layer includes an electrically conductive material adapted to form a strain gauge having an electrical resistance that varies based on deformation of the conductive layer in at least one direction.