Importance

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Abstract

A radically simple, reliable, inherently accurate, intrinsically wide-pressure-range adaptable, low to ultra-high pressure capable capacitive transducer is made from a reference capacitor and a variable capacitor, one electrode of each of which is formed of a flat conductive layer on a circular insulating plate. The reference capacitor electrode is a peripheral annulus surrounding the central disk constituting the variable capacitor electrode. The insulating plate is rigidly held slightly spaced apart from a flat, flexible metal diaphragm which provides the opposing electrode for each capacitor. The diaphragm is an integral part of a pressure fitting which includes a fluid pressure input coupling and a pressure chamber adjacent to the diaphragm. Changes in the fluid pressure cause deflections of the diaphragm which alter the capacitance of the variable capacitor formed by the metal diaphragm as one electrode and the conductively coated disk as the other electrode, which is the variable-capacitor electrode on the central disk of the rigid insulating plate. The changes in capacitance can be detected by standard electronic circuits and calibrated to provide a measure of the changes in the fluid pressure.

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First Claim