Abstract: A system compatible with an aperture of an asset, the apparatus for monitoring the contents of an asset, the system removable from the aperture including: a housing including a first connection interface on an exterior surface of the housing; a sensor contained within the housing; a lens contained within the housing; a power supply coupled to the sensor; an adaptor including a second connection interface configured to removably, lockably mate with the first connection interface, the adapter including a bottom end removably connectable with the aperture of the asset, wherein the aperture of the asset is substantially sealed upon insertion of the bottom end therein. A method of monitoring the contents of an asset comprising the steps of: installing an adaptor in an asset aperture; installing a sensor assembly into the adaptor; and fastening the sensor assembly to the adaptor to create a sensor apparatus.

Abstract: An oil filled pressure sensor is provided. The sensor includes a drift-stabilized pressure sensing element mounted to and electrically isolated from a header body, the pressure sensing element immersed in an oil filled cavity and temperature stabilized for sensing pressure in the cavity without substantial signal drift. A method of fabrication is provided.

Abstract: A pressure sensing element includes a sensing sub-element disposed on a diaphragm, the element including a shield disposed over the sub-element and configured to substantially eliminate influence of external charge on the sub-element during operation. A method of fabrication and a pressure sensor making use of the pressure sensing element are disclosed.

Abstract: An oil filled pressure sensor is provided. The sensor includes a drift-stabilized pressure sensing element mounted to and electrically isolated from a header body, the pressure sensing element immersed in an oil filled cavity and temperature stabilized for sensing pressure in the cavity without substantial signal drift. A method of fabrication is provided.

Abstract: A pressure sensing element includes a sensing sub-element disposed on a diaphragm, the element including a shield disposed over the sub-element and configured to substantially eliminate influence of external charge on the sub-element during operation. A method of fabrication and a pressure sensor making use of the pressure sensing element are disclosed.

Abstract: A pressure sensing element includes a sensing sub-element disposed on a diaphragm, the element including a shield disposed over the sub-element and configured to substantially eliminate influence of external charge on the sub-element during operation. A method of fabrication and a pressure sensor making use of the pressure sensing element are disclosed.

Abstract: A combined fluid pressure and temperature sensor device 10 has a variable capacitor (14) formed of a rigid substrate (14a) and flexible diaphragm (14b) attached thereto in sealed, spaced apart relation by an annular glass seal (34). The capacitor is received in a fluid passage chamber (12e) of a housing (12) having a fluid port (12b) for coupling to a fluid pressure source to be monitored. A connector (20) mounting transducer terminal pins is received in an open end of the housing with an electric circuit chamber (20d) formed between the connector and the variable capacitor which receives signal conditioning circuitry (26). A temperature responsive thermistor (32) is disposed, in one embodiment, on the exposed face of the diaphragm and is provided with electrical traces (32a, 32b) which go through apertures 14k, 14j) in the diaphragm into electrical contact with connection pads on the substrate within a glass enclosed window (34k, 34j).

Abstract: A fluid pressure sensor particularly useful for measuring pressure up to approximately 2000 psi has a hexport (12, 112, 212, 312) formed with a stop surface (26, 326) in a bottom wall (18) circumscribing a fluid pressure inlet (16). A pressure sensing module (22) is received on the stop surface and a distal end (40) of a wall (20, 120, 320) of the hexport is crimped to lock the pressure sensing module onto the stop surface with the stop surface limiting the amount of compression of an O-ring (30) disposed contiguous to and inboard of the stop surface. In one embodiment the crimp is placed directly on a metal ring (38) attached to a plastic connector (32) which in turn transfers the crimping force to the pressure sensing module. In other embodiments (FIGS. 2, 3) the crimp is placed directly in the pressure sensing module to form a subassembly.

Abstract: An acceleration sensor (10, 10', 10") in which a metal blade member (24) having a source plate portion (24a), attachment portion (24p) and integral resilient beams (24b) extending between the source plate portion and the attachment portion is attached to a pin (22) received in turn in a bore (18a) of a substrate (18). The metal blade member (24) is mounted on the substrate (18) so that the source plate portion is a selected distance from a detect plate (18b) mounted on the substrate. The sensor is disposed in a cylindrical housing (12, 12', 12") which can be directly mounted to a circuit board (50) through terminal pins (18g, 18h, 18i) or can be provided with a threaded fastener (12"d). In one embodiment first and second sensor modules are received in a housing (42) to sense acceleration forces in two perpendicular directions.

Abstract: A monolithic capacitive differential pressure transducer (68, 156, 170) is shown composed of ceramic material having first and second cavities formed adjacent to opposed face surfaces to form first and second flexible diaphragms (70, 72; 110, 140; 172, 174) and a motion transfer pin (74, 124/130, 202) attached to and extending between the diaphragms. Capacitor plates are disposed on opposed rigid platform members (76, 78; 100, 126; 184, 194). Component parts are first pressed from ceramic powder and assembled into a unit using one of several methods including a selected amount of pressure to press them together or using a combination of low pressure along with raising the temperature of the material to soften the binder in the ceramic material at surfaces of the parts which are to be joined together.

Abstract: An electrothermal sensor is shown having an electrically conductive substrate, an electrically insulating layer disposed on the substrate, a first thermistor disposed on a central region of the electrically insulating layer, a second thermistor disposed adjacent an edge of the electrically insulating layer, an electrical coupling device on the electrically insulating layer for coupling the first and second thermistors externally of the electrically insulating layer and a pair of electrical connecting devices coupled to the substrate and passing through the electrically insulating layer, the first thermistor being disposed between the pair of electrical connecting devices.

Abstract: A transducer arrangement comprising a magnetoresistive transducer including a magnetoresistive element responsive to magnetic flux passing therethrough in a predetermined direction to change its electrical resistance as a function of the intensity of the magnetic flux in the predetermined direction and a magnet to provide said magnetic flux. The transducer can include a permanent magnet having a planar surface with a magnetoresistive element offset from the axis of the magnet and optionally at an angle to the planar surface. The transducer can also include a concave surfaced magnet with the magnetoresistive element at an acute angle to the parallel flux lines emanating from the concave surface. As a further embodiment, the magnetoresistive element can be tilted on the magnet surface in two directions to provide a bias field and calibration.

Abstract: A torque sensing device has a torque transmitting member with ends which are relatively rotatable around a member axis in response to an applied torque. Lost motion components rotating with the member ends have portions compactly extending along the member axis to engage the other component to limit such rotation after a predetermined degree of relative rotation has occurred. Two ferromagnetic elements rotating with the respective lost motion components have portions which extend along the member axis into interleaved relation with corresponding portions of the other element to form spaced pairs of respective element portions at each of two sides of a plane which extends transversely across the member axis. The elements respond to relative rotation of the torque transmitting member ends to proportionally increase the spacing in the pairs of element portions at one side of the noted plane and to decrease the spacing in the pairs of element portions at an opposite side of the plane.

Abstract: An automotive transmission control is shown having pressure switches to sense the state of actuation of solenoid valves to provide logic signals to a microprocessor type of transmission control. The pressure switches, which sense the pressure of hydraulic fluid used to actuate the solenoid valves, use a dished shaped metallic diaphragm characterized in that the pressure-deflection curve of the center of the diaphragm has minimal hysteresis and reflects that the diaphragm is relatively stiff having a positive coefficient of pressure with increasing deflection up to and above a range of set point pressures within which the effective spring rate of the diaphragm changes with the diaphragm being relatively supple but having little or no negative coefficient of pressure.In a first embodiment a housing is shown in which a conductive lead pattern is molded in the housing with a plurality of switching stations.