Continuous, non-metallic, media sensors for corrosive environments
US6250153A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 24, 1998 |
| Grant date | Jun 26, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 24, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01L21/67248
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Sensors for use in sensing the level and temperature of a corrosive medium contained in a container. The sensors have particular use in the semiconductor manufacturing industry, however the sensors also have applications in the biotech, pharmaceutical, plating, chemical, petroleum, etc. industries. The sensors comprise first and second elongate, conductive sensor members, each of which has a longitudinal axis and is dimensioned to extend into the medium. The first and second sensor members each include a core that is made from a non-metallic, electrically resistive material having a plurality of non-metallic conductive fibers embedded therein. Each core has opposite ends and the fibers are oriented parallel to the longitudinal axis of the first and second sensor members and extend continuously substantially between the ends of the cores. Media level can be sensed by comparing the capacitance of the sensor members, which changes as the level of the media changes. By interconnecting the ends of the cores with a conductive member, a sensor is formed that can be used to sense the temperature of the media.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.