Mark J Levine

US Patent:

53179234, Jun 7, 1994

Filed:

Nov 5, 1992

Appl. No.:

7/972118

Inventors:

Herman W. Erichsen - Holliston MA
Louis J. Panagotopulos - Walpole MA
Mark Levine - Plainview NY
William T. Holmes - Jackson NJ

Assignee:

General Automotive Specialty, Co., Inc. - North Brunswick NJ

International Classification:

G01L 708
G01L 906

US Classification:

73727

Abstract:

The invention improves upon the diaphragm/beam-type transducers and method of manufacturing same described in U. S. Pat. No. 4,368,575. The new transducers and method of manufacture utilize strips or slivers of silicon or germanium which are larger than the individual strips used in the apparatus and method described in U. S. Pat. No. 4,368,575 by an amount sufficient to permit (a) the formation of two gages on each strip and (b) the forming of bonding pads on each gage. The bonding pads are formed on the gage strip before the strip is bonded to the beam, so that formation of the bonding pads and bonding of the strip to the beam can be handled automatically. The strips are mounted to one side of the midpoint of the beams, so that when a diaphragm/beam is deflected by application of a fluid pressure, one of the two gages will undergo a tension strain while the other gage will undergo a compression strain. Because both gages form part of the same silicon or germanium strip, they tend to be virtually identical in physical and electrical properties, thereby simplifying calibration of the resulting transducers.

US Patent:

51740141, Dec 29, 1992

Filed:

Dec 3, 1991

Appl. No.:

7/802011

Inventors:

Herman W. Erichsen - Holliston MA
Louis J. Panagotopulos - Walpole MA
Mark Levine - Plainview NY
William T. Holmes - Jackson NJ

Assignee:

Data Instruments, Inc. - Acton MA

International Classification:

H01C 1700

US Classification:

296211

Abstract:

The invention improves upon the diaphragm/beam-type transducers and method of manufacturing same described in U. S. Pat. No. 4,368,575. The new transducers and method of manufacture utilize strips or slivers of silicon or germanium which are larger than the individual strips used in the apparatus and method described in U. S. Pat. No. 4,368,575 by an amount sufficient to permit (a) the formation of two gages on each strip and (b) the forming of bonding pads on each gage. The bonding pads are formed on the gage strip before the strip is bonded to the beam, so that formation of the bonding pads and bonding of the strip to the beam can be handled automatically. The strips are mounted to one side of the midpoint of the beams, so that when a diaphragm/beam is deflected by application of a fluid pressure, one of the two gages will undergo a tension strain while the other gage will undergo a compression strain. Because both gages form part of the same silicon or germanium strip, they tend to be virtually identical in physical and electrical properties, thereby simplifying calibration of the resulting transducers.