EP-4739005-A1 - SENSING DEVICE

Abstract

A sensing device is disclosed. The sensing device comprising a printed circuit board (PCB), a conductive port coupled to the PCB via a conductive adhesive and defining an orifice filled with a protective gel. Further, the sensing device comprises a sensing element disposed on the PCB within the conductive port and encased by the protective gel, and a conductive member disposed at least over the protective gel. The conductive member is configured to discharge static charges accumulated over the protective gel to the PCB via at least the conductive adhesive.

Inventors

• HEGDE, Santosh Nagapati
• JAIN, Rajani Niranjan
• S, Vijayakumar
• HM, Manjunatha
• MORAN, MICHAEL
• MAUT, Sandeep Laxman
• HINTZ, FRED
• FURLONG, Gregory
• SORENSO, Richard

Assignees

• Honeywell International Inc.

Dates

Publication Date

20260506

Application Date

20250929

Claims (15)

1. A sensing device comprising: a printed circuit board (PCB); a conductive port coupled to the PCB via a conductive adhesive and defining an orifice, wherein the orifice is filled with a protective gel; a sensing element disposed on the PCB within the conductive port and encased by the protective gel; and a conductive member disposed at least over the protective gel, wherein the conductive member is configured to discharge static charges accumulated over the protective gel to the PCB via at least the conductive adhesive.
2. The sensing device of claim 1, wherein the conductive member comprises at least a conductive gel disposed in the orifice over the protective gel.
3. The sensing device of claim 2, wherein the conductive gel corresponds to a nickel-graphite silicone gel.
4. The sensing device of claim 1, wherein the conductive member comprises at least a metallic Kapton film disposed over the protective gel and either partially or fully encapsulating the conductive port.
5. The sensing device of claim 4, wherein the metallic Kapton film defines a first side having a non-metallic surface and a second side having a metallic surface; and wherein the non-metallic surface is in contact with the protective gel and the metallic surface is in contact with the conductive port to discharge the static charges from the metallic Kapton film, the conductive port, and the conductive adhesive to the PCB.
6. The sensing device of claim 4, wherein the metallic Kapton film further comprises at least one Kapton tab inserted within a plated through hole (PTH) defined in the PCB such that the static charges discharge directly from the metallic Kapton film to the PCB.
7. The sensing device of claim 1, wherein the conductive member comprises at least a conductive membrane disposed over the protective gel and encapsulating the conductive port coupled with the PCB such that the static charges directly discharge from the conductive membrane to the PCB.
8. A sensing device comprising: a printed circuit board (PCB); a port coupled to the PCB via an adhesive and defining an orifice, wherein the orifice is filled with a protective gel; a sensing element disposed on the PCB within the port and encased by the protective gel; and a conductive membrane disposed over the protective gel and the port to fully encapsulate the port; wherein the conductive membrane discharges static charges accumulated over the protective gel to the PCB.
9. The sensing device of claim 8, further comprising a conductive gel disposed in the orifice over the protective gel.
10. A method comprising: coupling, via a conductive adhesive, a conductive port to a printed circuit board (PCB), wherein the conductive port defines an orifice filled with a protective gel; disposing a sensing element on the PCB within the conductive port and encased by the protective gel; and disposing a conductive member at least over the protective gel, wherein the conductive member is configured to discharge static charges accumulated over the protective gel to the PCB via at least the conductive adhesive.
11. The method of claim 10, further comprising disposing at least a metallic Kapton film over the protective gel and either partially or fully encapsulating the conductive port.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein the metallic Kapton film defines a first side having a non-metallic surface and a second side having a metallic surface; and wherein the non-metallic surface is in contact with the protective gel and the metallic surface is in contact with the conductive port to discharge the static charges from the metallic Kapton film, the conductive port, and the conductive adhesive to the PCB.
13. The method of claim 11 further comprising inserting at least one Kapton tab of the metallic Kapton film within a plated through hole (PTH) defined in the PCB such that the static charges discharge directly from the metallic Kapton film to the PCB.
14. The method of claim 10, wherein the protective gel corresponds to at least one of silicone gel, and the conductive port corresponds to at least one of a metal port or a conductive plastic port.
15. The method of claim 10 further comprising disposing at least a conductive membrane of the conductive member over the protective gel and encapsulating the conductive port coupled with the PCB such that the static charges directly discharge from the conductive membrane to the PCB.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to and the benefit of Indian Application No. 202411083186, filed October 30, 2024, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. TECHNOLOGICAL FIELD Example embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to a sensing device, and more particularly, to a sensing device and a method thereof for discharging static charges. BACKGROUND In various industrial applications, sensors are essential devices that detect and respond to various physical, chemical, or environmental changes, converting these changes into measurable signals. The sensors are widely used in applications ranging from industrial automation and healthcare to consumer electronics and environmental monitoring. Despite their versatility, sensors can be vulnerable to electrostatic discharge (ESD), a sudden flow of electricity between two charged objects caused by contact, movement, or an electrical short circuit. ESD often causes sensors to malfunction, leading to inaccurate readings or delayed responses. Additionally, gel-coupled sensors have viscous material that carries a static charge. The static charges in both the media and coupling materials can adversely affect the performance of these sensors and thus make them less reliable in certain applications. The inventors identified numerous deficiencies and problems in existing technologies and processes, which are the subjects of embodiments described herein. Through applied effort, ingenuity, and innovation, many of these deficiencies and problems have been solved by developing solutions that are included in embodiments of the present disclosure, many examples of which are described in detail herein. BRIEF SUMMARY The following presents a summary of some example embodiments to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the present disclosure. This summary is not an extensive overview and is intended to neither identify key or critical elements nor delineate the scope of such elements. It will also be appreciated that the scope of the disclosure encompasses many potential embodiments in addition to those here summarized, some of which will be further described in the detailed description that is presented later. In an example embodiment, a sensing device is disclosed. The sensing device comprises a printed circuit board (PCB), a conductive port coupled to the PCB via a conductive adhesive and defining an orifice. Further, the orifice is filled with a protective gel, a sensing element disposed on the PCB within the conductive port and encased by the protective gel, and a conductive member disposed at least over the protective gel, the conductive member is configured to discharge static charges accumulated over the protective gel to the PCB via at least the conductive adhesive. In some embodiments, the conductive member comprises at least a conductive gel disposed in the orifice over the protective gel. In some embodiments, the conductive gel corresponds to a nickel-graphite silicone gel. In some embodiments, the conductive member comprises at least a conductive membrane disposed over the protective gel and either partially or fully encapsulating the conductive port. In some embodiments, the conductive membrane comprises a conductive polyimide film. In some embodiments, the conductive polyimide film comprises a carbon-impregnated polyimide film. In some embodiments, the conductive membrane comprises at least a polyimide film disposed over the protective gel and either partially or fully encapsulating the conductive port. In some embodiments, the polyimide film defines a first side having a non-metallic surface and a second side having a metallic surface, and the non-metallic surface is in contact with the protective gel and the metallic surface is in contact with the conductive port to discharge the static charges from the polyimide film, the conductive port, and the conductive adhesive to the PCB. In some embodiments, the conductive membrane further comprises at least one conductive polyimide tab inserted within a plated through hole (PTH) defined in the PCB such that the static charges discharge directly from the conductive polyimide film to the PCB. In some embodiments, the conductive membrane comprises a main body and a tab extending from an edge of the main body. The tab comprise a proximal portion adjacent the edge of the many body and a distal portion extending from and narrower than the proximal portion. The distal portion of the tab is inserted within a plated through hole (PTH) defined in the PCB such that the static charges discharge directly from the conductive membrane to the PCB. In some embodiments, the protective gel corresponds to at least one of silicone gel. In some embodiments, the conductive port corresponds to at least one of a metal port or a conductive plastic port. In some embodiments, the conductive member comprises at least a conductive membrane is disposed over the protective