Pressure sensor assembly

Claim 1

A pressure sensor assembly comprising: a pressure sensing element comprising at least one electrical component and an associated movable member joined to a base with an internal cavity effectively positioned therebetween, pressure applied external to said sensing element and coupled thereto altering the effective spacing between said movable member and said base and also resulting in varying at least one electrical characteristic of said component in accordance with said externally applied pressure; housing means for substantially surrounding and providing mechanical protection to said pressure sensing element, said housing means including an inlet opening therein for coupling said externally applied pressure therethrough to said sensing element for measurement thereby; an incompressible medium totally filling an external sealed cavity within said housing means separate from and external to said pressure sensing element and said internal cavity, said medium in said external cavity in contact with and directly adjacent to said movable member of said pressure sensing element; and a thin diaphragm, in addition to said movable member, having at least peripheral edges thereof fixed with respect to said housing means and said pressure sensing element base, a surface of said diaphragm in contact with said incompressible medium in said external cavity, said diaphragm forming a boundary of said external cavity and forming a compliant barrier between said incompressible medium and said externally applied pressure to be sensed by said pressure sensing element, wherein the housing means comprises at least a tubular portion having one open end fixed to a metallized substrate having conductor paths on a top surface thereof electrically connected to said pressure sensing element, said pressure sensing element mounted on said substrate and within said tubular portion.