Compact sensor module for a combination of pressure, humidity and/or temperature sensors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10670548-B2
Application number	US-201414786492-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 9, 2014
Priority date	Apr 22, 2013
Publication date	Jun 2, 2020
Grant date	Jun 2, 2020

Abstract

A sensor module has a first sensor element and a second sensor element. The first sensor element and the second sensor element are accommodated in a common housing of the sensor module. The sensor module includes a conductor structure that comprises an electrode structure and a separate connection structure. The connection structure is connected in an electrically conductive manner to the first sensor element and the electrode structure is allocated to the second sensor element.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A sensor module comprising:
a housing that comprises a first housing part, and a second housing part connected to the first housing part;
a first climate sensor located in the housing, wherein the first climate sensor is configured to detect a measurement of a first variable related to environmental sensing;
a second climate sensor located in the housing, wherein the second climate sensor is configured to detect a measurement of a second variable related to environmental sensing, wherein the second variable is different from the first variable;
a signal processor located in the housing, wherein the signal processor is configured to ascertain a derived variable from the first variable and the second variable; and
a conductor structure that comprises an electrode structure and an electrical connection structure that is separate from the electrode structure, wherein the electrical connection structure is electrically connected to the first climate sensor and the electrode structure is allocated to the second climate sensor,
wherein the first housing part and the second housing part define an internal chamber of the housing, wherein the internal chamber has a plurality of internal surfaces,
wherein internal surfaces in the first housing part are different from internal surfaces in the second housing part,
wherein the electrical connection structure and the electrode structure are arranged on different internal surfaces of the plurality of internal surfaces,
wherein the electrode structure is spaced apart from the electrical connection structure
wherein the electrode structure is disposed in the first housing part, and the electrical connection structure and the signal processor are disposed in the second housing part, and
wherein the conductor structure for the electrode structure and the electrical connection structure arranged at the first and second housing parts are formed by the same lithographic steps or in a common sputtering or deposition process.

2. The sensor module according to claim 1 , wherein the first climate sensor comprises a pressure sensor and the second climate sensor comprises a humidity sensor.

3. The sensor module according to claim 2 , wherein the signal processor configured to ascertain water vapor partial pressure or humidity partial pressure.

4. The sensor module according to claim 1 , wherein the electrode structure is part of the second climate sensor.

5. The sensor module according to claim 4 , wherein the electrode structure is provided with a coating, and wherein a measuring principle of the second climate sensor relates to an interaction of the electrode structure with the coating.

6. The sensor module according to claim 5 , wherein the electrode structure comprises interdigitated electrodes that are electrically separate from one another, and wherein the measuring principle of the second climate sensor is a capacitive measuring principle.

7. The sensor module according to claim 5 , wherein the measuring principle of the second climate sensor is a resistive measuring principle.

8. The sensor module according to claim 1 , wherein the first housing part or the second housing part comprises a ventilation aperture.

9. The sensor module according to claim 1 , wherein the first housing part and the second housing part each comprises a multi-layer ceramic assembly.

Assignees

• Epcos Ag

Inventors

• Ostrick Bernhard
• Balzer Peter

Classifications

• G01D11/245

  Housings for sensors · CPC title

• G01N27/225 Primary

  by using hygroscopic materials · CPC title

• G01N33/0032

  using two or more different physical functioning modes · CPC title