EP0157606A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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High temperature pressure transducers and systems for determining deflection of pressure transducer diaphragms
Assignee: INTERNATIONAL CONTROL AUTOMATION FINANCE SA
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Filing: 1985-03-29
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2005-03-29
Abstract
Abstract A high temperature pressure transduced and sensing apparatus to determine deflection of a diaphragm of the transducer are disclosed. The pressure transducer utilizes a fused silica diaphragm (12) which is illuminated at selected locations by a coherent laser source (52) via optical fibres (38, 46). The light reflected by the diaphragm (12) forms interference fringe patterns which are focused by gradient index rod lenses (36) on the ends of optical fibres (40, 48) for transmission to a fringe counting circuit (54). By digital techniques, the fringe count is converted into a determination of diaphragm deflection.
Inventors
- 👤 John W. Berthold Iii
- 👤 Larry B. Thompson
- 👤 Larry A. Jeffers
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 19:37
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01L; G01L9/00; G01L9/0041; G01L9/0076; G01L9/0077
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
66 words
A high temperature pressure transducer comprising a base member (14), a diaphragm member (12) connected to the base member (14), the base member (14) and the diaphragm member (12) being formed from a fused silica material, and a gap (18) located between the base member (14) and the diaphragm member (12) allowing deflection of the diaphragm member in response to variations in the pressure applied thereto.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
66 words
A high temperature pressure transducer comprising a base member (14), a diaphragm member (12) connected to the base member (14), the base member (14) and the diaphragm member (12) being formed from a fused silica material, and a gap (18) located between the base member (14) and the diaphragm member (12) allowing deflection of the diaphragm member in response to variations in the pressure applied thereto.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
A high temperature pressure transducer according to claim 1, wherein the base member (14) and the diaphragm member (12) are connected by means of an optical contact therebetween.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
A high temperature pressure transducer according to claim 1 or claim 2, including means (16, 24) for introducing a reference pressure in the gap (18).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
45 words
A high temperature pressure transducer according to claim 1, claim 2 or claim 3, wherein a portion of the diaphragm member (12) is offset from the base member (14) to form the gap (18) located between the base member (14) and the diaphragm member (12).
Claim 6
Independent Claim
141 words
A system for determining the deflection of a pressure transducer diaphragm (12), the system comprising a light source (52), means (38) for transmitting light produced by the light source (52) to the diaphragm (12) at a first location thereon, means (46) for transmitting light produced by the light source (52) to the diaphragm (12) at a second location thereon, the first and second locations being radially offset from one another, means (40) for intercepting light reflected from the first location on the diaphragm (12), means (48) for intercepting light reflected from the second location on the diaphragm (12), the light reflected from said first and second locations forming interference fringe patterns at their respective intercepting means (40, 48), and means (54) for counting the interference fringe patterns to produce a determination as to the deflection of the pressure transducer diaphragm (12).
Claim 7
Independent Claim
141 words
A system for determining the deflection of a pressure transducer diaphragm (12), the system comprising a light source (52), means (38) for transmitting light produced by the light source (52) to the diaphragm (12) at a first location thereon, means (46) for transmitting light produced by the light source (52) to the diaphragm (12) at a second location thereon, the first and second locations being radially offset from one another, means (40) for intercepting light reflected from the first location on the diaphragm (12), means (48) for intercepting light reflected from the second location on the diaphragm (12), the light reflected from said first and second locations forming interference fringe patterns at their respective intercepting means (40, 48), and means (54) for counting the interference fringe patterns to produce a determination as to the deflection of the pressure transducer diaphragm (12).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
52 words
A system according to claim 5, wherein the means (38) for transmitting light produced by the light source (52) to the first location on the diaphragm (12) and the means (46) for transmitting light produced by the light source (52) to the second location on the diaphragm (12) comprise optical fiber means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
A system according to claim 6, including means (42) for coupling the light source (52) to ends of the optical fiber means (38, 46).
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
47 words
A system according to claim 5, claim 6 or claim 7, wherein the means (40) for intercepting light reflected from the first location on the diaphragm (12) and the means (48) for intercepting light reflected from the second location on the diaphragm (12) comprise optical fiber means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
24 words
A system according to claim 8, including means (36) for focusing the interference fringe patterns on ends of the optical fiber means (40, 48).
Claim 12
Independent Claim
40 words
A system according to any one of claims 5 to 9, wherein the first location on the diaphragm (12) is at the approximate center thereof and the second location on the diaphragm (12) is offset from the approximate center thereof.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
21 words
A system according to any one of claims 5 to 10, wherein the light source (52) is a coherent laser source.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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