Flow-rate sensor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11353349-B2
Application number	US-201917256908-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 20, 2019
Priority date	Jul 12, 2018
Publication date	Jun 7, 2022
Grant date	Jun 7, 2022

Abstract

A flow-rate sensor is provided with a lead frame, a semiconductor chip that is disposed on one surface of the lead frame, and in which a diaphragm including a void portion on the lead frame side is formed, a flow rate detecting unit that is formed on the one surface including the diaphragm of the semiconductor chip, and resin that includes a flow passage opening portion exposing at least a portion of the flow rate detecting unit formed on the diaphragm, and covers the lead frame and the semiconductor chip. A lower side resin portion of the resin covering another surface side of the lead frame, on an opposite side to the one surface side thereof, has a thinned portion that is thinner than a periphery thereof in a region facing a peripheral edge portion of the diaphragm.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A flow-rate sensor comprising:
a lead frame;
a semiconductor chip that is disposed on one surface of the lead frame, and in which a diaphragm including a void portion on the lead frame side is formed;
a flow rate detecting unit that is formed on the one surface including the diaphragm of the semiconductor chip; and
resin that includes a flow passage opening portion exposing at least a portion of the flow rate detecting unit formed on the diaphragm, and covers the lead frame and the semiconductor chip, wherein
a lower side resin portion of the resin covering another surface side, which is on an opposite side to the one surface side of the lead frame, has a thinned portion that is thinner than a periphery thereof in a region facing a peripheral edge portion of the diaphragm,
the thinned portion extends from a position facing an inside of the void portion provided below the diaphragm to a position facing an outside of the void portion, and
an opening is provided in a region of the thinned portion facing a center portion region of the diaphragm.

2. The flow-rate sensor according to claim 1 , wherein
an upper side resin portion of the resin that covers the one surface side of the lead frame includes a first raised portion that covers one side region of the semiconductor chip, and a second raised portion that is provided so as to be separated from the first raised portion with the flow passage opening portion sandwiched therebetween and covers an opposite side region on a side opposite to the one side region of the semiconductor chip, and the thinned portion has a shape in which a length along the flow passage opening portion extending in a direction in which a fluid to be detected flows is larger than a length in a direction orthogonal to the direction along the flow passage opening portion.

3. The flow-rate sensor according to claim 2 , wherein
the thinned portion has a polygonal shape having four or more vertices or sides, or an elliptical shape in a plan view.

4. The flow-rate sensor according to claim 2 , wherein
the thinned portion has a cross shape including a vertical portion extending in the direction along the flow passage opening portion and a horizontal portion extending in the direction orthogonal to the direction along the flow passage opening portion.

5. The flow-rate sensor according to claim 4 , wherein
the thinned portion is formed in a shape including a step portion connecting the vertical portion and the horizontal portion at an intersection between the vertical portion and the horizontal portion.

6. The flow-rate sensor according to claim 1 , wherein
an inner side surface and an outer side surface of the thinned portion are inclined surfaces that extend outward in a thickness direction of the resin.

7. The flow-rate sensor according to claim 1 , wherein
a linear expansion coefficient of the resin is smaller than a linear expansion coefficient of the lead frame.

Assignees

• Hitachi Automotive Systems Ltd
• Hitachi Astemo Ltd

Inventors

• Nakatsuchi Hiroki
• Onose Yasuo
• Yogo Takayuki
• Shimada Ryotaro

Classifications

• G01F1/692 Primary

  Thin-film arrangements · CPC title

• G01F1/684

  Structural arrangements; Mounting of elements, e.g. in relation to fluid flow · CPC title

• G01F1/38

  the pressure or differential pressure being measured by means of a movable element, e.g. diaphragm, piston, Bourdon tube or flexible capsule · CPC title