Flow sensor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10508941-B2
Application number	US-201615390756-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 27, 2016
Priority date	Dec 28, 2015
Publication date	Dec 17, 2019
Grant date	Dec 17, 2019

Abstract

The invention relates to a flow sensor ( 1 ), comprising: a semiconductor module ( 2 ) on which a temperature sensing means ( 13 a , 13 b ) and a heat source ( 12 ) are arranged, a flow channel ( 6 ) for guiding the fluid medium in a flow direction (D), and a wall (W) delimiting the flow channel, wherein said heat source ( 12 ) and said temperature sensing means ( 13 a , 13 b ) are configured such that they are in thermal contact with said wall (W). According to the invention, said wall (W) comprises a glass member ( 4 ) and a metal member ( 3 a ), wherein the glass member ( 4 ) is connected to the metal member ( 3 a ).

First claim

We claim:

1. A flow sensor, comprising:
a semiconductor module on which a temperature sensing means and a heat source are arranged,
a flow channel for guiding the fluid medium in a flow direction, and
a wall delimiting the flow channel, wherein said heat source and said temperature sensing means are configured such that they are in thermal contact with said wall,
wherein
said wall comprises a glass member and a metal member, wherein the glass member is connected to the metal member such that said flow channel is formed, wherein the glass member is arranged between the semiconductor module and the metal member, and wherein the metal member comprises two neighbouring through holes each extending from a first side of the metal member to a second side of the metal member, wherein one of said through holes forms an inlet and the other one forms an outlet of said flow channel.

2. The flow sensor of claim 1 , wherein the metal member is made of a metal or at least comprises a metal, wherein particularly said metal is titanium or a steel.

3. The flow sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the glass member is connected to the metal member at a defined junction, wherein said junction extends circumferentially on the first side of the metal member around said two through holes.

4. The flow sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the glass member comprises a first side facing said semiconductor module and a second side facing the first side of the metal member, wherein the second side of the glass member is connected to the first side of the metal member such that a recess formed in the second side of the glass member or in the first side of the metal member is fluidly connected to said through holes, so that said flow channel extends from one through hole via said recess to the other through hole.

5. The flow sensor according to claim 4 , wherein the semiconductor module comprises a first side facing away from the glass member and a second side facing the first side of the glass member, wherein the semiconductor module comprises a recess in its first side which comprises a bottom that forms a part of said second side of the semiconductor module.

6. The flow sensor of claim 5 , wherein said heat source and said temperature sensing means are at least partially arranged on said bottom on the second side of the semiconductor module so that the heat source and said temperature sensing means are in thermal contact with the glass member.

7. The flow sensor according to claim 5 , wherein said bottom is arranged above the flow channel, such that the bottom faces a region of the first side of the metal member, which region is arranged between the two through holes of the metal member.

8. The flow sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor module is connected to the metal member by means of an adhesive.

9. The flow sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the flow sensor comprises a housing, wherein said metal member forms at least a part of said housing.

10. The flow sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor module comprises electrical contacts on its second side, which electrical contacts are each connected to a flexible conductor via a solder junction.

11. The flow sensor according to claims 8 , wherein solder junctions and at least a section of a flexible conductor are embedded between the semiconductor module and the metal member in said adhesive.

12. The flow sensor according to claims 10 , wherein said solder junctions and at least a section of said flexible conductor are embedded between the semiconductor module and the metal member in said adhesive.

13. The flow sensor according to claims 1 , wherein the flow sensor comprises a transmitter for transmitting data measured by the flow sensor to a remote receiver.

14. A flow sensor, comprising:
a semiconductor module on which a temperature sensing means and a heat source are arranged,
a flow channel for guiding the fluid medium in a flow direction, and
a wall delimiting the flow channel, wherein said heat source and said temperature sensing means are configured such that they are in thermal contact with said wall,
wherein said wall comprises a glass member and a metal member, wherein the glass member is connected to the metal member,
wherein the metal member comprises two neighbouring through holes each extending from a first side of the metal member to a second side of the metal member, wherein one of said through holes forms an inlet and the other one forms an outlet of said flow channel,
wherein the glass member comprises a first side facing said semiconductor module and a second side facing the first side of the metal member, wherein the second side of the glass member is connected to the first side of the metal member such that a recess formed in the second side of the glass member or in the first side of the metal member is fluidly connected to said through holes, so that said flow channel extends from one through hole via said recess to the other through hole, and
wherein the semiconductor module comprises a first side facing away from the glass member and a second side facing the first side of the glass member, wherein the semiconductor module comprises a recess in its first side which comprises a bottom that forms a part of said second side of the semiconductor module.

Assignees

• Sensirion Ag

Inventors

• Kostner Stefan
• Kiefer Thomas
• Mahler Lukas

Classifications

• G01F1/696

  Circuits therefor, e.g. constant-current flow meters · CPC title

• G01F1/6888 Primary

  Thermoelectric elements, e.g. thermocouples, thermopiles · CPC title

• G01P5/10 Primary

  by measuring thermal variables · CPC title

• G01F1/6845

  Micromachined devices · CPC title

• G01F1/6842

  with means for influencing the fluid flow · CPC title