Miniature pressure/force sensor with integrated leads

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11243127-B2
Application number	US-201715424282-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 3, 2017
Priority date	Feb 3, 2016
Publication date	Feb 8, 2022
Grant date	Feb 8, 2022

Abstract

A pressure/force sensor comprises a diaphragm structure including a sensing element and a lead structure extending from the diaphragm structure and including first and second traces electrically coupled to the sensing element. The diaphragm structure and the lead structure include a circuit assembly comprising a common insulating layer and a common conductor layer on the insulating layer. The conductor layer includes at least a portion of the sensing element and at least the first trace.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A strain gauge sensor, comprising:
a spring metal base layer having a first side and a second side, the second side is opposite the first side, the spring metal base layer including a springboard portion and a lead structure extending from the springboard portion;
a first insulating layer on the first side of the base layer over the springboard portion and the lead portion;
a second insulating layer on the second side of the base layer opposite the first insulating layer and over the springboard portion and the lead portion;
a first conductor layer on the first insulating layer including:
a first strain gauge circuit on the springboard portion; and
first traces extending from the first strain gauge circuit on the lead structure; and

a second conductor layer on the second insulating layer opposite the first conductor layer and including:
a second strain gauge circuit on the springboard portion; and
second traces extending from the second strain gauge circuit on the lead structure.

2. The strain gauge sensor of claim 1 wherein the first and second strain gauge circuits are serpentine and mirror images of each other.

3. The strain gauge sensor of claim 1 wherein the springboard portion extends in a first direction and the lead portion extends in an opposing direction of the springboard portion.

Assignees

• Hutchinson Technology

Inventors

• Davis Michael W
• Ladwig Peter F
• Lang Matthew S
• Myers Dean E
• Olsen Clark T
• Riemer Douglas P

Classifications

• G01L1/2268 Primary

  Arrangements for correcting or for compensating unwanted effects · CPC title

• G01L1/146

  for measuring force distributions, e.g. using force arrays (G01L1/148 takes precedence) · CPC title