Integrated electronic device for monitoring pressure within a solid structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9778117-B2
Application number	US-201414780819-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 27, 2014
Priority date	Mar 29, 2013
Publication date	Oct 3, 2017
Grant date	Oct 3, 2017

Abstract

The integrated electronic device detects the pressure related to a force applied in a predetermined direction within a solid structure. The device includes an integrated element that is substantially orthogonal to the direction of application of the force. First and second conductive elements are configured to face an operating surface. A measure module includes first and second measurement terminals which are electrically connected to the first and second conductive elements, respectively. A detecting element is arranged in the predetermined direction such that the operating surface is sandwiched between the first and second conductive elements and this detecting element. An insulating layer galvanically insulates the first and second conductive elements. A layer of dielectric material is sandwiched between the detecting element and the insulating layer, and is elastically deformable following the application of the force to change an electromagnetic coupling between the detecting element and the first and second conductive elements.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An integrated electronic device comprising:
an integrated element having an operating surface substantially orthogonal to a direction of application of an external force;
first and second conductive elements within the integrated element and configured to face the operating surface;
a measuring module within the integrated element and comprising first and second measurement terminals which are electrically coupled to the first and second conductive elements, respectively;
a detecting element arranged in the direction such that the operating surface is sandwiched between the first and second conductive elements and the detecting element, wherein the detecting element is configured to move in the direction of the external force in response to the application of the external force; and
a dielectric layer sandwiched between the detecting element and the first and second conductive elements, wherein the detecting element is capacitively coupled to the first and second conductive elements through the dielectric layer, and wherein the dielectric layer is elastically deformable in response to the application of the external force in the direction to change an electromagnetic coupling between the detecting element and the first and second conductive elements, wherein the integrated electronic device is configured to detect the external force applied in the direction.

2. The integrated electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second conductive elements comprise metal elements.

3. The integrated electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second conductive elements comprise interdigitated metal plates.

4. The integrated electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the detecting element comprises a single-piece conductive element.

5. The integrated electronic device according to claim 4 , wherein the single-piece conductive element comprises a corrosion-resistant material.

6. The integrated electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the detecting element comprises a conductive element at least partially distributed within the dielectric layer.

7. The integrated electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the dielectric layer includes at least a part of the detecting element.

8. The integrated electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the dielectric layer comprises a material having a Young's modulus lower than 20 GPa.

9. The integrated electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the dielectric layer comprises a polymer or elastomer.

10. The integrated electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the detecting element comprises a plurality of metal microparticles distributed within the dielectric layer.

11. The integrated electronic device according to claim 1 , further comprising an electromagnetic appliance adjacent the detecting element and configured to transmit and receive electromagnetic signals and energy between the measuring module and an external system.

12. The integrated electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the first conductive element and the detecting element define plates of a first capacitor, and the second conductive element and the detecting element define plates of a second capacitor, the first and second capacitors being connected in series to each other.

13. The integrated electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the measuring module is configured to generate a voltage at a chosen frequency.

14. The integrated electronic device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an insulating layer coating at least the operating surface and disposed between the dielectric layer and the first and second conductive elements.

15. The integrated electronic device according to claim 14 , further comprising a support layer configured to support the electromagnetic appliance, and arranged in the direction such that the dielectric layer is sandwiched between the insulating layer and the support layer.

16. The integrated electronic device according to claim 15 , wherein the support layer comprises a through-cavity therein and positioned relative to the direction and the detecting element.

17. The integrated electronic device according to claim 14 , further comprising a support layer configured to support an electromagnetic appliance and comprising an elastically deformable dielectric material, and also supporting the detecting element at least partially adjacent the insulating layer at the operating surface of the integrated element.

18. The integrated electronic device according to claim 17 , wherein the support layer includes a first dielectric support layer sandwiched between the detecting element and the insulating layer, and having a dielectric constant greater than a dielectric constant of the dielectric layer.

19. The integrated electronic device according to claim 14 , further comprising a package layer coating portions of the device which are not coated by the insulating layer.

20. A pressure monitoring system to monitor a plurality of points within a solid structure, and comprising:
an internal monitoring unit within the solid structure; and
a control and data collection unit external of the solid structure;
the internal monitoring unit comprising
a support structure passing through the points to be monitored within the solid structure, and

a plurality of monitoring modules each being fixed to the support structure in a respective position to detect pressure, and each comprising an electronic device to detect the pressure related to a force applied in a direction within the solid structure, and including
an integrated element having an operating surface substantially orthogonal to the direction of application of the force,
first and second conductive elements within the integrated element and configured to face the operating surface,
a measuring module within the integrated element and comprising first and second measurement terminals which are electrically coupled to the first and second conductive elements, respectively,
a detecting element arranged in the direction such that the operating surface is sandwiched between the first and second conductive elements and the detecting element,
an insulating layer coating at least the operating surface to insulate the first and second conductive elements from the detecting element,
a dielectric layer sandwiched between the detecting element and the insulating layer, and being elastically deformable in response to the application of the force in the direction to change an electromagnetic coupling between the detecting element and the first and second conductive elements, and
an electromagnetic appliance configured to transmit and receive electromagnetic signals and energy from the measuring module, and including a first antenna configured for wireless communication;
the control and data collection unit comprising
a second antenna;
a processing unit configured to collect, store and process data, and to wirelessly receive data from the plurality of monitoring modules via the first and second antennas, and
a power supply configured to supply power to the control and data collection unit, and supply remote power to the internal monitoring unit via the second antenna.

21. The pressure monitoring system according to claim 20 , wherein, in the electronic device, the first conductive element and the detecting element define plates of a first capacitor, and the second conductive element and the detecting element define plate

Assignees

• St Microelectronics Srl

Inventors

• Pagani Alberto

Classifications

• G01L1/26

  Auxiliary measures taken, or devices used, in connection with the measurement of force, e.g. for preventing influence of transverse components of force, for preventing overload · CPC title

• G01L1/142 Primary

  using capacitors · CPC title

• G01L25/00 Primary

  Testing or calibrating of apparatus for measuring force, torque, work, mechanical power, or mechanical efficiency · CPC title

• G01L1/148

  using semiconductive material, e.g. silicon · CPC title

• G01L1/144

  with associated circuitry (G01L1/146 and G01L1/148 take precedence) · CPC title