Micro Pressure Sensor

Abstract

A micro pressure sensor includes a body having a compartmentalized chamber provided by membranes anchored between opposing walls of the body and carrying electrodes disposed on surfaces of the membranes. The body has a first pair of opposing walls and a second pair of opposing walls orthogonal to the first pair that define a chamber, a plurality of membranes having a correspond electrode layer over a surface, the plurality of membranes disposed in the chamber, anchored between the first pair of opposing walls of the body to provide plural compartments, a first set of ports coupled to a first set of the plural compartments, the first set of ports disposed in corresponding portions of a first one of the first pair of opposing walls of the body, with a second one of the first pair of opposing walls of the body being a solid portion of the body; and a second set of ports coupled to a second different set of the plural compartments, the second set of ports disposed in corresponding portions of the second one of the first pair of opposing walls of the body, with the first one of the first pair of walls of the body being a solid portion of the body.

1 - 19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . A method of manufacturing a micro pressure sensor, method comprising:
 patterning a first sheet of a flexible plastic material to produce a plurality of body elements from the first sheet of flexible plastic material, the plurality of body elements each having a port in a first wall of the plurality of body elements, with all remaining walls of the plurality of body elements being solid walls, and with the first wall and all remaining walls of the plurality of body elements defining a chamber; and   laminating a second sheet of a flexible plastic material carry a conductive electrode material to the first sheet to provide a composite laminated structure.   
     
     
         21 . The method of claim of  19  further comprising:
 patterning the conductive layer on the second sheet to provide regions of the conductive layer that provide an electrode on the second sheet. 
 
     
     
         22 . The method of claim  19  further comprising:
 dicing the composite laminated structure into individual dies comprising the body element; 
 stacking the individual dies to produce a stacked structure by alternating the ports to be on opposing sides of the stack; and 
 laminating the stacked structure to produce a component of the micro pressure sensor. 
 
     
     
         23 . The method of claim  19  further comprising:
 machining the conductive layer on the second sheet to affect the flexibility of the second sheet. 
 
     
     
         24 . The method of claim  19  wherein the first sheet is fed from a roll of flexible plastic material. 
     
     
         25 . The method of claim  19  further comprising:
 machining the conductive layer on the second sheet to produce a meandered, patterned conductor to affect the flexibility of the second sheet. 
 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 22  further comprising:
 providing a set of inlets coupled to a first set of the individual dies of the stacked structure, the set of inlets disposed in corresponding portions of a first one of the plurality of walls of the body elements, with remaining walls of the plurality of walls of the body elements being solid portions of the body elements; and 
 providing a set of outlets coupled to a second different set of the individual dies of the stacked structure, the set of outlets disposed in corresponding portions of another one of the plurality of walls of the body elements, with the first one of the plurality of walls of the body elements and remaining walls, excluding the another one of the walls of the plurality of walls of the body elements being solid portions of the body. 
 
     
     
         27 . The method of claim  19  further comprising:
 machining the conductive layer on the second sheet to produce a channel in the membrane material and a meandered, patterned conductor to affect the flexibility of the second sheet. 
 
     
     
         28 . The method of claim  19  further comprising:
 coupling the micro pressure sensor to a capacitance measurement circuit. 
 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 22  wherein stacking comprises at least three individual dies that are stacked to provide the stacked structure. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29  further comprising:
 stacking a pair of end caps over a first and a last of the individual dies that are stacked to provide the stacked structure. 
 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising:
 stacking the pair of end caps over the first and the last of the individual dies, with the pair of end caps carrying a conductive electrode material on a surface of each of the pair of end caps that is internally disposed in the stacked structure.