US3753196A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Transducers employing integral protective coatings and supports
Assignee: Kulite Semiconductor Products Inc
•
Filing: 1971-10-05
•
Granted: 1973-08-14
•
Expires: 1991-10-05
Abstract
Abstract There is disclosed a force transducer fabricated from silicon and having the appearance of an annular disk. Disposed on one surface of said disk are one or more piezoresistive elements which respond to a force applied to a diaphragm portion of said disk which is surrounded by the wall formed by the annular ring. The disk is mounted in a housing with the piezoresistive elements facing away from the applied force surface; this surface of the diaphragm and ring has formed thereon a thin layer of silicon dioxide which serves to protect the disk against deleterious agents present in the force transmitting environment while further serving to eliminate an undesirable bimetallic effect.
Inventors
- 👤 A Kurtz
- 👤 C Cravel
- 👤 J Mallon
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 22:27
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01L; G01L9/00; G01L9/0041; G01L9/0051; G01L9/0052; G01L9/0055; H; H10; H10D; H10D48/00; H10D48/50
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
227 words
A transducer assembly for measuring the intensity of a force applied thereto comprising: a. an annular cup-like member fabricated from silicon and having an open top end and a closed bottom end, and having a central opening defining an active area for deflecting in response to an applied force, said central opening being surrounded by the sidewall portions of said annular cup-like member, b. a piezoresistive element located on the surface of said closed bottom end furthest removed from said opening and within said active area for varying its resistance in response to said applied force, c. a layer of silicon dioxide relatively thin as compared to the thickness of said member within said active area, said layer covering all exposed surfaces within said central opening including said active area and said side wall surfaces, d. at least one metallic contact located on the same surface as said piezoresistive element and positioned directly beneath the thickest portion of said annular member as defined by said sidewall and as that portion not within said active area, e. means coupling said metallic contact to said piezoresistive element, and f. means for mounting said disk with said layer of silicon dioxide facing the direction of said force whereby said piezoresistive element is separated from the force transmitting environment by said thickness of said disk and said layer of silicon dioxide.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
227 words
A transducer assembly for measuring the intensity of a force applied thereto comprising: a. an annular cup-like member fabricated from silicon and having an open top end and a closed bottom end, and having a central opening defining an active area for deflecting in response to an applied force, said central opening being surrounded by the sidewall portions of said annular cup-like member, b. a piezoresistive element located on the surface of said closed bottom end furthest removed from said opening and within said active area for varying its resistance in response to said applied force, c. a layer of silicon dioxide relatively thin as compared to the thickness of said member within said active area, said layer covering all exposed surfaces within said central opening including said active area and said side wall surfaces, d. at least one metallic contact located on the same surface as said piezoresistive element and positioned directly beneath the thickest portion of said annular member as defined by said sidewall and as that portion not within said active area, e. means coupling said metallic contact to said piezoresistive element, and f. means for mounting said disk with said layer of silicon dioxide facing the direction of said force whereby said piezoresistive element is separated from the force transmitting environment by said thickness of said disk and said layer of silicon dioxide.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
67 words
The transducer assembly according to claim 1 wherein said means for mounting said disk comprises, a. a hollow tubular member having an opening slightly smaller than the dimensions of said disk but larger than the dimensions of said active area, and b. means for securing said disk about its periphery to said tubular member with said piezoresistive element positioned within the internal hollow of said tubular member.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
The transducer assembly according to claim 1 wherein said piezoresistive member is diffused into the surface of said annular silicon disk.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
137 words
A transducer for measuring thE intensity of a force applied thereto comprising, a. a relatively thin diaphram of silicon, b. at least one piezoresistive element diffused on one surface thereof for varying resistance in accordance with the intensity of a force applied to said diaphragm, c. a thin layer of silicon dioxide covering said surface containing said piezoresistive elements, d. a second thin layer of silicon dioxide covering the opposite surface of said diaphram to form a ''''sandwich like'''' structure to thereby reduce any warping of said diaphragm due to the bimetallic effect, and e. an annular ring of polycrystalline silicon secured to said opposite surface to form a support for said sandwich structure, the central aperture of said ring defining the area of said diaphragm which will deflect upon application of a force to said transducer.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
137 words
A transducer for measuring thE intensity of a force applied thereto comprising, a. a relatively thin diaphram of silicon, b. at least one piezoresistive element diffused on one surface thereof for varying resistance in accordance with the intensity of a force applied to said diaphragm, c. a thin layer of silicon dioxide covering said surface containing said piezoresistive elements, d. a second thin layer of silicon dioxide covering the opposite surface of said diaphram to form a ''''sandwich like'''' structure to thereby reduce any warping of said diaphragm due to the bimetallic effect, and e. an annular ring of polycrystalline silicon secured to said opposite surface to form a support for said sandwich structure, the central aperture of said ring defining the area of said diaphragm which will deflect upon application of a force to said transducer.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
198 words
A transducer of the type for monitoring the intensity of a transmitted force, comprising: a. a thin diaphragm of silicon having a top and a bottom surface, b. an annular ring having a central aperture of a dimension less than the widest dimension of said diaphragm, c. means coupling said ring to said diaphragm at said bottom surface thereof to form a cup like assembly, with the area of said diaphragm surrounded by said ring forming an active area capable of deflecting upon receipt of a force, d. at least one piezoresistive element located on said top surface of said diaphragm and within the central opening defined by said ring to change resistance in accordance with the intensity of said force, e. a thin layer of silicon dioxide covering the exposed surface of said annular ring and said bottom surface of said diaphragm to protect said silicon diaphragm from deleterious factors present in said force transmitting environment, and f. means coupled to a portion of said annular ring farthest removed from said bottom surface of said diaphragm to position the same for response to said force with said layer of silicon dioxide facing the direction of said force.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
198 words
A transducer of the type for monitoring the intensity of a transmitted force, comprising: a. a thin diaphragm of silicon having a top and a bottom surface, b. an annular ring having a central aperture of a dimension less than the widest dimension of said diaphragm, c. means coupling said ring to said diaphragm at said bottom surface thereof to form a cup like assembly, with the area of said diaphragm surrounded by said ring forming an active area capable of deflecting upon receipt of a force, d. at least one piezoresistive element located on said top surface of said diaphragm and within the central opening defined by said ring to change resistance in accordance with the intensity of said force, e. a thin layer of silicon dioxide covering the exposed surface of said annular ring and said bottom surface of said diaphragm to protect said silicon diaphragm from deleterious factors present in said force transmitting environment, and f. means coupled to a portion of said annular ring farthest removed from said bottom surface of said diaphragm to position the same for response to said force with said layer of silicon dioxide facing the direction of said force.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
181 words
A transducer of the type for monitoring the intensity of a transmitted force, comprising: a. a cylindrical cup-like member fabricated from an integral piece of silicon having a closed end and an opened end, said closed end having a top surface and a bottom surface, said bottom surface being surrounded by the sidewall of said cup-like member, whereby said bottom surface and said sidewall of said member form an annular ring about said closed end to thereby form a central aperture at said opened end, b. at least one force responsive element located on the top surface of said closed end and capable of providing a variable resistance in accordance with the intensity of said force, c. a layer of silicon dioxide covering the top and inside surfaces of said sidewalls and said bottom surface of said closed end, and d. means coupled to the top surface of said sidewalls nearest said opened end for mounting said transducer in a position to respond to said force to be monitored with said layer of silicon dioxide facing the direction of said force.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
181 words
A transducer of the type for monitoring the intensity of a transmitted force, comprising: a. a cylindrical cup-like member fabricated from an integral piece of silicon having a closed end and an opened end, said closed end having a top surface and a bottom surface, said bottom surface being surrounded by the sidewall of said cup-like member, whereby said bottom surface and said sidewall of said member form an annular ring about said closed end to thereby form a central aperture at said opened end, b. at least one force responsive element located on the top surface of said closed end and capable of providing a variable resistance in accordance with the intensity of said force, c. a layer of silicon dioxide covering the top and inside surfaces of said sidewalls and said bottom surface of said closed end, and d. means coupled to the top surface of said sidewalls nearest said opened end for mounting said transducer in a position to respond to said force to be monitored with said layer of silicon dioxide facing the direction of said force.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
201 words
A transducer assembly of the type for monitoring the intensity of a transmitted force, comprising: a. an annular cup-like member fabricated from an integral piece of silicon having a central aperture, said cup-like member having a bottom closed end and a top opened end, said bottom closed end having a first surface of a dimension equal to the largest dimension of said member and a second inner surface equal to the dimensions of said central aperture, said inner surface defining a force deflection area, said inner surface being surrounded by the sidewall of said cup-like member, b. a piezoresistive element located on the first surface of said bottom and within said force deflection area and responsive to deflection of said area to provide a variable resistance according to the intensity of said force, c. a thin layer of silicon dioxide covering all the inner surfaces of said annular cup-Like member and said sidewall as surrounding said central aperture to protect said silicon from caustic factors present in said force transmitting environment, and d. means coupled to the surface of said cup-like member furthest removed from said bottom closed end for mounting said transducer with said silicon dioxide layer facing said force.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
201 words
A transducer assembly of the type for monitoring the intensity of a transmitted force, comprising: a. an annular cup-like member fabricated from an integral piece of silicon having a central aperture, said cup-like member having a bottom closed end and a top opened end, said bottom closed end having a first surface of a dimension equal to the largest dimension of said member and a second inner surface equal to the dimensions of said central aperture, said inner surface defining a force deflection area, said inner surface being surrounded by the sidewall of said cup-like member, b. a piezoresistive element located on the first surface of said bottom and within said force deflection area and responsive to deflection of said area to provide a variable resistance according to the intensity of said force, c. a thin layer of silicon dioxide covering all the inner surfaces of said annular cup-Like member and said sidewall as surrounding said central aperture to protect said silicon from caustic factors present in said force transmitting environment, and d. means coupled to the surface of said cup-like member furthest removed from said bottom closed end for mounting said transducer with said silicon dioxide layer facing said force.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3662312A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-08-13 | 1977-02-12 | 1977-08-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-08-13 | 1981-02-12 | 1981-08-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-08-13 | 1985-02-12 | 1985-08-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |