Pressure sensor package developed with reduced footprint
TE Connectivity (TE), has developed a minimal footprint SMI SO-10 pressure sensor package with vertical port, which is now in full production.
Inside the housing, a MEMS pressure sensor, based on TE’s silicon technology platform, and a signal-conditioning IC are combined to provide a fully pressure calibrated and temperature compensated output. Covering gauge pressure ranges from 2.5 to 30 PSI with a digital (I2C) or dual output (digital and amplified analogue) signal with ±1% FS accuracy the compact design enables smaller designs on the system level for a wide range of applications from medical to HVAC.
The pressure sensor housing is based on standard surface mount technology and features a JEDEC compliant SO-10 footprint for straight-forward PCB design and assembly. With less than half the body size compared to the standard JEDEC SO-16 package, the SO-10 package (9 mm width and 3.8 mm length) combines TE sensor technology with a minimal footprint. The unibody design aims to eliminate the opportunity for leaks. To ease integration further the SO-10 package offers media compatibility achieved through backside die pressurisation. The isolation of the electronics from the pressure media allows the sensor to be used in certain harsh media environments. The pressure sensor can be mounted directly on a standard printed circuit board. Insensitivity to the mounting orientation simplifies the assembly.
Mike Klitzke, product manager, SMI pressure sensors solutions at TE, said: “Real estate is a critical factor in many portable and handheld devices. Without compromising on performance, the SO-10 packaged pressure sensors contribute to a lightweight design. We see a miniaturisation trend in the industrial space demanding decreased equipment dimensions and more flexibility in the design. A similar trend can be observed in the medical space, where minimal sized components support small, portable devices which increase the quality of life allowing patients to move more freely. One great example for this is our customer 3B Medical, their newest generation of home care oxygen therapy devices benefits from three minimal footprint SMI solutions.”
Alex Lucio, CEO of 3B Medical, a manufacturer of respiratory devices, added: “SMI pressure sensors are known for their reliable and innovative solutions in the medical device space. Our portable oxygen concentrators provide respiratory support and enable movement without the need for bulky equipment. Minimal sized components like the TE parts make a difference for the compact design. Moreover, key factors for choosing the SMI pressure sensor solution were their quick response to samples and excellent customer service.
“We look to SMI pressure sensors in many of our products. Our goals for designing the Aer X portable oxygen concentrator were to reduce the size, weight and footprint, while at the same time, adding in advanced sensing of respiratory events. TE provided us with an advanced solution that met our strict cost requirements.”
The sensors can be used in ventilation devices, for patient monitoring and to test air quality.