Pressure Sensor on Ceramic Pressure Connections

Abstract

A pressure sensor is disclosed. In an embodiment a pressure sensor includes a housing having a housing wall, a sensor element arranged in the housing, a ceramic substrate configured to serve as a support for the sensor element and an electrical connection thereof and a first heating element arranged in an interior of the housing or in the housing wall.

Claims

1-18. (canceled)

19. A pressure sensor comprising: a housing comprising a housing wall; a sensor element arranged in the housing; a ceramic substrate configured to serve as a support for the sensor element and an electrical connection thereof; and a first heating element arranged in an interior of the housing or in the housing wall.

20. The pressure sensor according to claim 19, wherein the first heating element is arranged in a position on or in a position in the ceramic substrate.

21. The pressure sensor according to claim 19, wherein the first heating element is arranged in the interior of the housing.

22. The pressure sensor according to claim 19, further comprising a small glass/ceramic tube configured to supply a medium, wherein the small tube is mounted on a lower side of the sensor element.

23. The pressure sensor according to claim 19, wherein the sensor element is connected to the ceramic substrate so that different media lie in contact with an upper side and a lower side of the sensor element in each case.

24. The pressure sensor according to claim 19, wherein the first heating element is arranged in or on a small glass/ceramic tube which is located on a lower side of the sensor element.

25. The pressure sensor according to claim 19, further comprising a gel filling having a gel delimitation as a protection of a membrane on an upper side of the sensor element, wherein the first heating element is arranged on the gel delimitation.

26. The pressure sensor according to claim 19, wherein the first heating element comprises an electrically conductive plastic.

27. The pressure sensor according to claim 19, wherein the first heating element comprises a resistance element having a positive temperature coefficient.

28. The pressure sensor according to claim 19, wherein the first heating element is integrated into parts of the housing wall and is suitable for producing microwave radiation.

29. The pressure sensor according to claim 19, wherein the first heating element is equipped with a power supply which is separated from the pressure sensor.

30. The pressure sensor according to claim 19, wherein the sensor element is a MEMS component.

31. The pressure sensor according to claim 19, further comprising a second heating element arranged at a different location from the first heating element.

32. The pressure sensor according to claim 19, wherein the pressure sensor is configured to measure a pressure when starting an engine in a motor vehicle from cold, wherein the first heating element is configured to warm the pressure sensor up to a fixed operating temperature, at which a first pressure measurement is effected.

33. The pressure sensor according to claim 19, wherein the first heating element is configured to warm up to a temperature between 20 C. and 160 C.

34. A method comprising: using the pressure sensor according to claim 19 in a motor vehicle.

35. A method for operating the pressure sensor according to claim 19, the method comprising: switching on the first heating element, while commissioning the pressure sensor, in order to heat up the pressure sensor until a fixed operating temperature is attained.

36. The method according to claim 35, further comprising switching off the first heating element when the operating temperature is attained.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] The invention and its component parts are explained in greater detail below with reference to a selection of exemplary embodiments and the accompanying schematic figures.

[0026] FIG. 1 shows a schematic sectional view of a pressure sensor DS having different positions for one or more heating elements and their relative relationship to other component parts of the pressure sensor; and

[0027] FIG. 2 shows a schematic sectional view of a sensor element.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

[0028] The sectional view shown in FIG. 1 shows the schematic construction of a pressure sensor. Said sensor has a housing GH comprising a housing wall GW, a ceramic substrate KS located inside the housing, a sensor element SE embedded in the ceramic substrate, a small glass/ceramic tube GR on the lower side of the sensor element and a gel filling GF in a gel delimitation GB on the upper side of the sensor element.

[0029] In addition, multiple different variants for the possible positioning of one or more heating elements H, in particular at the positions A to G, are drawn in. The drawn-in exemplary mounting locations of the heating element are as follows: the heating element can be arranged in or on the ceramic substrate (positions A and B);

[0030] in the housing, e.g. internally on the housing wall (position C);

[0031] inside the housing wall (position D);

[0032] in or on the small glass/ceramic tube (positions E and F); or

[0033] on the gel delimitation (position G).

[0034] All the representations of the positions of the heating element are purely schematic and are not to scale with respect to one another or to the size of the respectively represented components.

[0035] FIG. 2 shows an enlarged sectional view of the sensor element SE. Here, a membrane of the sensor element MS can be seen, which forms the upper side OS of the sensor element in this case. Opposite the upper side, a lower side US of the sensor element is arranged, in which a media passage MG to the membrane of the sensor element MS is located.

[0036] The form of the sensor element is only represented by way of example in FIGS. 1 and 2. Other forms or materials can also be used to construct a sensor element.