US 11,940,336 B2
Driven-shield capacitive pressure sensor
Evan Pilant, Longmont, CO (US); Dale Schoonover, Louisville, CO (US); Jakob Oreskovich, Boulder, CO (US); Brittany McGrogan, Denver, CO (US); Eric Schneider, Thornton, CO (US); Bradley Smith, Westminster, CO (US); and William VanHoose, Aurora, CO (US)
Assigned to Sporian Microsystems, Inc., Lafayette, CO (US)
Filed by SPORIAN MICROSYSTEMS, INC., Lafayette, CO (US)
Filed on Mar. 26, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/213,522.
Prior Publication US 2022/0307924 A1, Sep. 29, 2022
Int. Cl. G01L 1/14 (2006.01)
CPC G01L 1/14 (2013.01) 3 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. Capacitive pressure transducer apparatus for transducing pressures to electric signals, comprising:
two electrodes positioned adjacent to each other with a gap between them, at least one of the two electrodes being movable toward and away from the other of the electrodes in response to pressure changes;
a spacer positioned between portions of the two electrodes to maintain the gap between the two electrodes, the spacer comprising an electrically conductive shield layer sandwiched between a first electrically insulative layer and a second electrically insulative layer;
a sensor voltage connected to one of the two electrodes;
a shield voltage connected to the electrically conductive shield layer, wherein the shield voltage is essentially equal in magnitude to the sensor voltage at all points in time; and
an electrically conductive shield box covering, but not in electrical connection with, the two electrodes, wherein the shield voltage is connected, to the electrically conductive shield box.