Electronic component

Abstract

This invention provides an electronic component capable of reducing frictional resistance between the component and the transport path during transport. The electronic component comprises: a main body having a first end face and a second end face opposite each other in the length direction, a first side face and a second side face opposite each other in the width direction, and a first main face and a second main face opposite each other in the thickness direction, and having a generally cuboid shape; a first external electrode disposed at one end of the main body in the length direction; and a second external electrode disposed at the other end of the main body in the length direction. The first and second external electrodes have: a first protrusion protruding in a direction orthogonal to the first main face; a second protrusion protruding in a direction orthogonal to the second main face; a third protrusion protruding in a direction orthogonal to the first side face; and a fourth protrusion protruding in a direction orthogonal to the second side face.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to electronic components. Background Technology

[0002] Electronic components, such as those in multilayer ceramic capacitors, have a pair of external electrodes disposed on the surface of the main body. As an example of such an electronic component, Patent Document 1 discloses an electronic component 100 in which a pair of external electrodes 120 electrically connected to the internal electrodes are disposed on the surface of a main body 110, which has multiple dielectric layers and multiple internal electrodes stacked on top of each other. Figure 11 In this electronic component 100, the main body 110 is roughly rectangular in shape, and the surfaces of the external electrodes 120 on each face of the main body 110 are flat, just like the surfaces of the main body 110.

[0003] Furthermore, in the electronic component 100 described in Patent Document 1, a protrusion is provided in a position on a part of the surface of the main body 110 where the external electrode 120 is not formed, but in Figure 11 Omitted in .

[0004] Prior art literature

[0005] Patent documents

[0006] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2020-120097

[0007] However, with conventional electronic components, when transported along the transport path, there are instances where the electronic components are not transported smoothly due to friction between the external electrodes and the transport path. That is, multiple electronic components are supplied to a supply position above an inclined transport path and slide down the transport path, thereby being transported to a discharge position below. In this case, there are instances where the electronic components become stuck on the transport path due to friction between the external electrodes and the transport path. Summary of the Invention

[0008] The problem the invention aims to solve

[0009] The present invention is intended to solve the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to provide an electronic component that can reduce the frictional resistance between the component and the transport path during transport.

[0010] Technical solutions for solving the problem

[0011] The electronic component of the present invention is characterized by comprising:

[0012] The main body has a first end face and a second end face that are opposite each other in the length direction, a first side face and a second side face that are opposite each other in the width direction, and a first main face and a second main face that are opposite each other in the thickness direction, and has a generally cuboid shape;

[0013] A first external electrode is disposed at one end of the main body portion along its length direction; and

[0014] The second external electrode is disposed at the other end of the main body in the length direction.

[0015] The first external electrode and the second external electrode each have: a first protrusion protruding in a direction orthogonal to the first main surface; a second protrusion protruding in a direction orthogonal to the second main surface; a third protrusion protruding in a direction orthogonal to the first side surface; and a fourth protrusion protruding in a direction orthogonal to the second side surface.

[0016] Invention Effects

[0017] According to the electronic component of the present invention, the first external electrode and the second external electrode each have a first protrusion protruding in a direction orthogonal to the first main surface, a second protrusion protruding in a direction orthogonal to the second main surface, a third protrusion protruding in a direction orthogonal to the first side surface, and a fourth protrusion protruding in a direction orthogonal to the second side surface. Therefore, when the electronic component is transported along the transport path, the contact area between the external electrodes and the transport path can be reduced. This reduces the frictional resistance between the electronic component and the transport path, thus enabling smooth transport along the transport path. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is a perspective view schematically showing the electronic components in the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 2 It is a schematic representation of what will Figure 1 The diagram shows a cross-sectional view of the electronic component when cut along line II-II.

[0020] Figure 3 It is a schematic representation of what will Figure 1 The diagram shows a cross-sectional view of the electronic component when cut along line III-III.

[0021] Figure 4 This is a top view of the electronic component in the first embodiment when viewed from the side of the first external electrode in the longitudinal direction.

[0022] Figure 5 It is shown schematically. Figure 3 A cross-sectional view of the structure of an electronic component whose shape differs only in the first protrusion among the four protrusions of the first external electrode shown.

[0023] Figure 6 This is a perspective view schematically showing the electronic components in the second embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 7 It is a schematic representation of what will Figure 6 The diagram shows a cross-sectional view of the electronic component when cut along line VII-VII.

[0025] Figure 8 It is a schematic representation of what will Figure 6 The diagram shows a cross-sectional view of the electronic component when cut along line VIII-VIII.

[0026] Figure 9 This is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a modified structural example of the electronic component in the second embodiment.

[0027] Figure 10 It is schematically shown in relation to Figure 3 The cross-sectional view shown is a cross-sectional view of the structure when the electronic component in the third embodiment is cut off at the same location.

[0028] Figure 11 This is a schematic perspective view of a conventional electronic component without protrusions on the external electrodes.

[0029] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0030] 10, 10A, 10B: Electronic components;

[0031] 11: Main body;

[0032] 12: Dielectric layer;

[0033] 13: First internal electrode;

[0034] 14: Second internal electrode;

[0035] 15a: The first end face of the main body;

[0036] 15b: The second end face of the main body;

[0037] 16a: The first main face of the main body;

[0038] 16b: The second main face of the main body;

[0039] 17a: The first side of the main body;

[0040] 17b: The second side of the main body;

[0041] 21a: First external electrode;

[0042] 21b: Second external electrode;

[0043] 31a, 31b: 1st convex part;

[0044] 32a, 32b: second convex part;

[0045] 33a, 33b: the third convex part;

[0046] 34a, 34b: the fourth convex part;

[0047] 40: Concave. Detailed Implementation

[0048] The following describes embodiments of the present invention, specifically illustrating its features. In each of these embodiments, a multilayer ceramic capacitor will be used as an example of an electronic component of the present invention.

[0049] <First Implementation>

[0050] Figure 1 This is a perspective view schematically showing the electronic component 10 in the first embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 It is a schematic representation of what will Figure 1 The cross-sectional view of the structure of the electronic component 10 when cut along line II-II. Figure 3 It is a schematic representation of what will Figure 1 The cross-sectional view of the structure of the electronic component 10 when cut along line III-III.

[0051] The electronic component 10 in the first embodiment includes a main body 11 and a first external electrode 21a and a second external electrode 21b disposed on the surface of the main body 11. For example... Figure 1 As shown, the first external electrode 21a and the second external electrode 21b are configured to face each other.

[0052] Here, the direction in which the first external electrode 21a and the second external electrode 21b face each other is defined as the length direction L of the electronic component 10, the direction in which the dielectric layer 12, the first internal electrode 13, and the second internal electrode 14 (described later) are stacked is defined as the thickness direction T, and the direction orthogonal to any one of the length direction L and the thickness direction T is defined as the width direction W. Any two of the length direction L, the thickness direction T, and the width direction W are mutually orthogonal.

[0053] In addition, in this embodiment, among the dimensions in the length direction L, width direction W, and thickness direction T of the electronic component 10, the dimension in the length direction L is the largest, but it may also be the structure with the largest dimension in the width direction W.

[0054] The main body 11 has a first end face 15a and a second end face 15b facing each other in the length direction L, a first main face 16a and a second main face 16b facing each other in the thickness direction T, and a first side face 17a and a second side face 17b facing each other in the width direction W. The main body 11 has a generally rectangular parallelepiped shape. In this embodiment, the corners and edges of the main body 11 are rounded, and the generally rectangular parallelepiped shape also includes the shape of rounded corners and edges of a rectangular parallelepiped. In addition, the corners are the parts where three faces of the main body 11 intersect, and the edges are the parts where two faces of the main body 11 intersect.

[0055] like Figure 2 as well as Figure 3 As shown, the main body 11 includes a plurality of first internal electrodes 13 and second internal electrodes 14 alternately stacked in the thickness direction T, and a dielectric layer 12 disposed between the first internal electrodes 13 and the second internal electrodes 14. That is, the main body 11 has a structure in which a plurality of first internal electrodes 13 and second internal electrodes 14 are alternately stacked in the thickness direction T with the dielectric layer 12 in between.

[0056] The dielectric layer 12 may contain, for example, a ceramic material with BaTiO3, CaTiO3, SrTiO3, SrZrO3, or CaZrO3 as the main components. Minor components such as Mn compounds, Fe compounds, Cr compounds, Co compounds, and Ni compounds, in smaller quantities than the main components, may also be added to these main components.

[0057] The first internal electrode 13 extends to the first end face 15a of the main body 11 and is electrically connected to the first external electrode 21a. In addition, the second internal electrode 14 extends to the second end face 15b of the main body 11 and is electrically connected to the second external electrode 21b.

[0058] In addition, the main body 11 may also have internal electrodes that are not exposed on the surface, in addition to the first internal electrode 13 and the second internal electrode 14.

[0059] The first internal electrode 13 includes a counter electrode portion and a lead-out electrode portion. The counter electrode portion is the portion opposite to the second internal electrode 14, and the lead-out electrode portion extends from the counter electrode portion to the first end face 15a of the main body portion 11. Similarly, the second internal electrode 14 includes a counter electrode portion and a lead-out electrode portion. The counter electrode portion is the portion opposite to the first internal electrode 13, and the lead-out electrode portion extends from the counter electrode portion to the second end face 15b of the main body portion 11.

[0060] The opposing electrode portion of the first internal electrode 13 and the opposing electrode portion of the second internal electrode 14 are positioned opposite each other across the dielectric layer 12, thereby forming a capacitor and thus functioning as a capacitor.

[0061] The first internal electrode 13 and the second internal electrode 14 contain, for example, metals such as Ni, Ag, Pd, Au, Cu, Ti, or Cr, or alloys with the aforementioned metals as the main component. The first internal electrode 13 and the second internal electrode 14 may also contain the same ceramic material as the dielectric ceramic contained in the dielectric layer 12, as a common material. The proportion of the common material in the first internal electrode 13 is, for example, 20% or less of the total volume of the first internal electrode 13. The proportion of the common material in the second internal electrode 14 is also the same.

[0062] Furthermore, the materials of all the multiple first internal electrodes 13 and second internal electrodes 14 do not need to be the same; some of them may be different. Alternatively, the materials of a single internal electrode 13 or 14 may be partially different.

[0063] The first external electrode 21a is provided at one end of the main body 11 along the length direction L. Specifically, the first external electrode 21a is provided on the entire first end face 15a of the main body 11, and is configured to extend from the first end face 15a to the first main face 16a, the second main face 16b, the first side face 17a, and the second side face 17b.

[0064] The second external electrode 21b is disposed at the other end of the main body 11 in the length direction L. In detail, the second external electrode 21b is disposed on the entire second end face 15b of the main body 11, and is configured to extend from the second end face 15b to the first main face 16a, the second main face 16b, the first side face 17a, and the second side face 17b.

[0065] The first external electrode 21a and the second external electrode 21b each have a first protrusion 31 protruding in a direction orthogonal to the first main surface 16a of the main body 11, a second protrusion 32 protruding in a direction orthogonal to the second main surface 16b, a third protrusion 33 protruding in a direction orthogonal to the first side surface 17a, and a fourth protrusion 34 protruding in a direction orthogonal to the second side surface 17b. Furthermore, in the following description, the first protrusion 31 to the fourth protrusion 34 are sometimes collectively referred to as protrusion 30.

[0066] Specifically, such as Figure 3As shown, the first external electrode 21a has a first protrusion 31a protruding in a direction orthogonal to the first main surface 16a of the main body 11, a second protrusion 32a protruding in a direction orthogonal to the second main surface 16b, a third protrusion 33a protruding in a direction orthogonal to the first side surface 17a, and a fourth protrusion 34a protruding in a direction orthogonal to the second side surface 17b. In this embodiment, the first protrusion 31a and the second protrusion 32a are located at the center in the width direction W of the first external electrode 21a. Furthermore, the third protrusion 33a and the fourth protrusion 34a are located at the center in the thickness direction T of the first external electrode 21a.

[0067] The second external electrode 21b has a first protrusion 31b protruding in a direction orthogonal to the first main surface 16a of the main body 11, a second protrusion 32b protruding in a direction orthogonal to the second main surface 16b, a third protrusion 33b protruding in a direction orthogonal to the first side surface 17a, and a fourth protrusion 34b protruding in a direction orthogonal to the second side surface 17b. In this embodiment, the first protrusion 31b and the second protrusion 32b are located at the center in the width direction W of the second external electrode 21b. Furthermore, the third protrusion 33b and the fourth protrusion 34b are located at the center in the thickness direction T of the second external electrode 21b.

[0068] like Figure 1 As shown, the protrusions 30 of the first external electrode 21a and the second external electrode 21b extend in the length direction L. That is, the shape of the first protrusion 31 is the same when the first external electrode 21a and the second external electrode 21b are cut at arbitrary positions with a plane parallel to the first end face 15a and the second end face 15b of the main body 11. The same applies to the second protrusion 32, the third protrusion 33, and the fourth protrusion 34.

[0069] In addition, although Figure 1 In the first external electrode 21a and a portion of the second external electrode 21b, the ridges appear to be right angles, but like the main body 11, they have rounded corners. Furthermore, although a portion of the protrusion 30 and a portion of the recess 40 (described later) appear to be right angles, they may also have rounded corners.

[0070] Here, in Figure 11 In the conventional electronic component 100 shown, the shape of the external electrode 120 corresponds to the shape of the main body 110, which is a generally rectangular parallelepiped. That is, the surface of the external electrode 120 is flat, just like the surface of the main body 110.

[0071] In contrast, in the electronic component 10 of this embodiment, such as Figure 4 As shown, the surface of the first external electrode 21a is not flat and has a portion that protrudes outward. Figure 4 This is a top view of the electronic component 10 viewed along the length direction L from the side of the first external electrode 21a. Figure 4 In the diagram, shading lines are applied to the first protrusion 31a, the second protrusion 32a, the third protrusion 33a, and the fourth protrusion 34a in the first external electrode 21a. Similarly, the surface of the second external electrode 21b is not flat and has outwardly protruding portions. That is, the first protrusions 31a to 34a of the first external electrode 21a and the first protrusions 31b to 34b of the second external electrode 21b represent portions that protrude outward relative to a plane or substantially plane surface.

[0072] Furthermore, in the electronic component 10 of this embodiment, since the first protrusion 31a to the fourth protrusion 34a are present on the first external electrode 21a, thus... Figure 3 As shown, a recess 40 is present in the first external electrode 21a. Specifically, recesses 40 are present on both sides of the first protrusion 31a to the fourth protrusion 34a. Similarly, since the first protrusion 31b to the fourth protrusion 34b are present in the second external electrode 21b, a recess 40 is present in the second external electrode 21b.

[0073] In this embodiment, such as Figure 3 As shown, in a cross-section where the first external electrode 21a is cut by a plane parallel to the first end face 15a and the second end face 15b, the surfaces of the first protrusion 31a, the second protrusion 32a, the third protrusion 33a, and the fourth protrusion 34a are all arc-shaped. That is, the surfaces of the first protrusion 31a, the second protrusion 32a, the third protrusion 33a, and the fourth protrusion 34a of the first external electrode 21a are not planar, but curved.

[0074] Similarly, in a cross-section where the second external electrode 21b is cut by a plane parallel to the first end face 15a and the second end face 15b, the surfaces of the first protrusion 31b, the second protrusion 32b, the third protrusion 33b, and the fourth protrusion 34b are arc-shaped. That is, the surfaces of the first protrusion 31b, the second protrusion 32b, the third protrusion 33b, and the fourth protrusion 34b of the second external electrode 21b are not planar, but curved.

[0075] In this embodiment, all the protrusions 30 of the first protrusion 31a to the fourth protrusion 34a of the first external electrode 21a and the first protrusion 31b to the fourth protrusion 34b of the second external electrode 21b have the same shape and size. However, it is not necessary for all the protrusions 30 to have the same shape and size; at least one of the shapes and sizes of all the protrusions 30 may be different. That is, in the electronic component 10 of the first embodiment, as long as at least one of the first protrusion 31, the second protrusion 32, the third protrusion 33, and the fourth protrusion 34 is arc-shaped in the cross-section when the first external electrode 21a and the second external electrode 21b are cut with a plane parallel to the first end face 15a and the second end face 15b respectively.

[0076] Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the structure of an electronic component 10 in which only the first protrusion 31a has a different shape among the four protrusions 31a to 34a of the first external electrode 21a. Figure 5 The cut-off position of the sectional view shown is... Figure 3 The cut-off points in the sectional views shown are the same. Figure 5 In the example shown, in the cross-section where the first external electrode 21a is cut by a plane parallel to the first end face 15a and the second end face 15b, the shape of the first protrusion 31a is approximately rectangular. In addition, "approximately rectangular" also includes a shape that is rectangular and at least some of the corners are rounded.

[0077] Since the shape of the first protrusion 31a is different from the shapes of the second protrusion 32a, the third protrusion 33a, and the fourth protrusion 34a, the side of the first protrusion 31a can be identified, that is, the side of the first main surface 16a of the main body 11, which is in the shape of a generally rectangular parallelepiped, can be identified. As a result, for example, the electronic component 10 can be mounted on the substrate with the second main surface 16b of the main body 11 facing the substrate and the first main surface 16a facing the side opposite to the substrate, so that the stacking direction of the first internal electrode 13 and the second internal electrode 14 can be aligned with the mounting direction.

[0078] Furthermore, not only the first protrusion 31a of the first external electrode 21a, but also the shape of the first protrusion 31b of the second external electrode 21b can be different from the shapes of the second protrusions 32b to the fourth protrusions 34b. Alternatively, all the protrusions 30 can have the same shape, but the sizes of the first protrusions 31a and 31b can be different from the sizes of the other protrusions 30. Furthermore, to ensure that the stacking direction of the first internal electrode 13 and the second internal electrode 14 is aligned with the mounting direction, at least one of the shape and size of the second protrusion 32 can be different from at least one of the shape and size of the other protrusions 30.

[0079] The first external electrode 21a and the second external electrode 21b, for example, have a base electrode layer and a plating layer disposed on the base electrode layer.

[0080] The base electrode layer may include at least one of the following layers: a sintered electrode layer, a resin electrode layer, and a thin-film electrode layer, as described later. To make the coefficients of linear expansion of the first external electrode 21a and the second external electrode 21b close to those of the dielectric layer 12, the base electrode layer may also contain a common material or glass made of the same or similar material as the material contained in the dielectric layer 12. When the base electrode layer contains a common material or glass, its proportion is preferably 30% to 70% by volume of the total external electrode.

[0081] The sintered electrode layer is a layer comprising glass and metal, and can be a single layer or multiple layers. Examples of sintered electrode layers include metals such as Cu, Ni, Ag, Pd, Ti, Cr, and Au, or alloys containing these metals. For example, the sintered electrode layer can be formed by sintering the main body into a paste tank containing a conductive paste comprising glass and metal.

[0082] The resin electrode layer can be formed, for example, into a layer containing conductive particles and a thermosetting resin. In the case of forming a resin electrode layer, it can also be formed directly on the main body without forming a sintered electrode layer. The resin electrode layer can be a single layer or multiple layers.

[0083] Thin film electrode layers, for example, are layers less than 1 μm thick with deposited metal particles, and can be formed by known thin film formation methods such as sputtering or vapor deposition.

[0084] The plating layer disposed on the base electrode layer may contain metals such as Cu, Ni, Ag, Pd, Ti, Cr, or Au, or alloys with these metals as the main components. The plating layer may be a single layer or multiple layers. However, it is preferable that the plating layer be a two-layer structure consisting of a Ni plating layer and a Sn plating layer. The Ni plating layer serves to prevent the base electrode layer from being eroded by solder when mounting the electronic component 10. Furthermore, the Sn plating layer serves to improve the wettability of the solder when mounting the electronic component 10.

[0085] In addition, the material of the protrusion 30 in the first external electrode 21a and the second external electrode 21b is the same as the material of the parts other than the protrusion 30, but they can also be different.

[0086] To illustrate the dimensions of electronic component 10, the dimension in the length direction L of electronic component 10 is, for example, 0.7 mm or more and 1.2 mm or less, and 1.0 mm as an example. The dimension in the width direction W of electronic component 10 is, for example, 0.4 mm or more and 0.6 mm or less, and 0.5 mm as an example. The dimension in the thickness direction T of electronic component 10 is, for example, 0.4 mm or more and 0.6 mm or less, and 0.5 mm as an example. That is, the dimension in the width direction W of electronic component 10 is the same as the dimension in the thickness direction T. However, the dimension in the width direction W of electronic component 10 and the dimension in the thickness direction T may also be different.

[0087] The length direction L of the first external electrode 21a and the second external electrode 21b in the main body 11 is, for example, 0.4 mm or more and 0.6 mm or less, and for example, 0.5 mm. The length direction L of the first external electrode 21a and the second external electrode 21b is, for example, 0.05 mm or more and 0.4 mm or less, and for example, 0.25 mm.

[0088] The thickness direction T of the dielectric layer 12 is, for example, 0.001 mm or more and 0.01 mm or less, and for example, 0.002 mm. The thickness direction T of the first internal electrode 13 and the second internal electrode 14 is, for example, 0.001 mm or more and 0.008 mm or less, and for example, 0.002 mm. The width direction W of the first internal electrode 13 and the second internal electrode 14 is, for example, 0.18 mm or more and 0.568 mm or less, and for example, 0.4 mm.

[0089] The thickness of the first external electrode 21a and the second external electrode 21b is, for example, 0.003 mm or more and 0.05 mm or less, and as an example, 0.01 mm. The maximum thickness T1 among the thicknesses of the first protrusion 31, the second protrusion 32, the third protrusion 33, and the fourth protrusion 34 of the first external electrode 21a and the second external electrode 21b (refer to...) Figure 4 For example, it is above 0.003mm and below 0.05mm, and as an example, it is 0.01mm.

[0090] As described above, the first external electrode 21a and the second external electrode 21b each have a first protrusion 31 protruding in a direction orthogonal to the first main surface 16a of the main body 11, a second protrusion 32 protruding in a direction orthogonal to the second main surface 16b, a third protrusion 33 protruding in a direction orthogonal to the first side surface 17a, and a fourth protrusion 34 protruding in a direction orthogonal to the second side surface 17b. Therefore, when the electronic component 10 is transported along the transport path, the protrusion 30 among the protrusions 31 to 34 that faces the transport path comes into contact with the transport path. Thus, compared to conventional structures where there are no protrusions on the external electrodes (see...),... Figure 11 Compared to the previous method, the contact area between the first external electrode 21a and the second external electrode 21b and the transport path is smaller, thus reducing the frictional resistance between them.

[0091] That is, according to the electronic component 10 in this embodiment, the frictional resistance during transport on the transport path is reduced, thus preventing the electronic component 10 from lingering on the transport path and enabling smooth transport. Therefore, the manufacturing time for transporting the electronic component 10 to the next process to manufacture electronic devices can be shortened.

[0092] Furthermore, the first external electrode 21a and the second external electrode 21b each have a protrusion 30 that protrudes in a direction orthogonal to the first main surface 16a, the second main surface 16b, the first side surface 17a, and the second side surface 17b of the main body 11. Therefore, regardless of which of the four surfaces of the main body 11, including the main surface and the side surface, is opposite to the conveying path, the contact area with the conveying path can be reduced, thereby reducing frictional resistance.

[0093] Here, the conventional electronic component 100, which has no protrusions on its external electrodes, is an example of this. Figure 11 In some electronic components, during transport along the conveying path, internal cracks and delamination can occur due to collisions between the electronic components, but such internal defects are difficult to detect. In contrast, in the electronic components 10 of this embodiment, when the electronic components 10 collide with each other, collisions are more likely to occur at the protrusions 30 of the first external electrode 21a and the second external electrode 21b, which protrude outwards. Therefore, defects such as cracks and breaks are easily found at the structurally fragile protrusions 30 of the external electrodes 21a and 21b, and these defects can be detected through visual inspection of the protrusions 30. This makes screening for defective products containing structural defects easier and further reduces the introduction of defective products into the electronic equipment.

[0094] Furthermore, in the electronic component 10 of this embodiment, the frictional resistance between it and the transport path is reduced, resulting in a faster transport speed and increased damage upon impact. However, as described above, defects generated upon impact are easily detected, thus achieving a balance between increasing the transport speed of the electronic component 10 and reducing the contamination of defective products.

[0095] Furthermore, in the electronic component 10 of this embodiment, since the first external electrode 21a and the second external electrode 21b have protrusions 30, the surface area of ​​the external electrodes 21a and 21b is larger than that of the conventional structure without protrusions 30. As a result, when the electronic component 10 is mounted to the substrate via solder, the contact area between the first external electrode 21a and the second external electrode 21b and the solder is increased, thus increasing the bonding strength and suppressing the peeling of the electronic component 10 from the substrate.

[0096] Furthermore, when the electronic component 10 of this embodiment, which is a multilayer ceramic capacitor, is mounted on the substrate, since the first external electrode 21a and the second external electrode 21b have protrusions 30, the distance between the main body 11 and the substrate increases accordingly. As a result, vibrations of the electronic component 10 are less likely to be transmitted to the substrate, thus suppressing the generation of noise such as humming. Furthermore, when the electronic component 10 mounted on the substrate flexes, the flexing originates from the protrusions, thus suppressing the generation of noise such as humming.

[0097] Here, by changing the dimensions of the first protrusion 31 and the second protrusion 32 in the width direction W and the third protrusion 33 and the fourth protrusion 34 in the thickness direction T, the levels of frictional resistance, surface cracks, mounting strength, deflection, and corner protection were confirmed. As mentioned above, frictional resistance is the frictional resistance between the electronic component 10 and the transport path when the electronic component 10 is transported on the transport path. Regarding surface cracks, it was confirmed whether surface cracks would occur due to collisions when multiple electronic components 10 are transported on the transport path. Mounting strength is the strength when the electronic component 10 is mounted on the substrate. Deflection indicates the extent of deflection of the electronic component 10 mounted on the substrate. Regarding corner protection, it was confirmed whether the corners of the electronic component 10 are shapes that are easily protected. The results of the confirmation are shown in Table 1.

[0098] [Table 1]

[0099]

[0100] In Table 1, Wa represents the dimension in the width direction W of the electronic component 10 excluding the protrusion 30, and Wb represents the dimension in the width direction W of the first protrusion 31 and the second protrusion 32 and the dimension in the thickness direction T of the third protrusion 33 and the fourth protrusion 34. Figure 4 Furthermore, in this embodiment, the dimension in the width direction W of the electronic component 10 is the same as the dimension in the thickness direction T. Additionally, the dimension Wb of the electronic component 10 is smaller than the dimension Wa. Regarding the evaluation of frictional resistance, surface cracks, mounting strength, deflection, and corner protection, relative to... Figure 11 The conventional electronic component 100 shown is categorized as follows: equal cases are marked as "-", slightly superior cases are marked as "Δ", superior cases are marked as "○", and very superior cases are marked as "◎". Here, the above-mentioned dimension Wb is modified in eight stages as follows (1) to (8) and evaluated.

[0101] (1) 0 < Wb < Wa / 8

[0102] (2)Wa / 8≤Wb<Wa / 4

[0103] (3)Wa / 4≤Wb<3Wa / 8

[0104] (4)3Wa / 8≤Wb<Wa / 2

[0105] (5)Wa / 2≤Wb<5Wa / 8

[0106] (6) 5Wa / 8 ≤ Wb < 3Wa / 4

[0107] (7) 3Wa / 4≤Wb<7Wa / 8

[0108] (8) 7Wa / 8≤Wb<Wa

[0109] As shown in Table 1, in the electronic component 10 of this embodiment, regardless of how the size Wb of the protrusion 30 is set, the frictional resistance becomes considerably smaller compared to conventional electronic components.

[0110] Regarding surface cracks, when the dimension Wb of the protrusion 30 is Wa / 8 or greater, it results in a superior outcome compared to conventional electronic components. If the dimension Wb of the protrusion is small, collisions to locations other than the protrusion 30 can easily cause internal cracks and delamination in the electronic component. To make it easier for surface cracks to form due to collisions, as shown in Table 1, the dimension Wb of the protrusion 30 is preferably Wa / 4 ≤ Wb < Wa, and more preferably 3Wa / 8 ≤ Wb < 3Wa / 4.

[0111] Furthermore, in the electronic component 10 of this embodiment, the mounting strength is improved compared to conventional electronic components, regardless of how the size Wb of the protrusion 30 is set. As shown in Table 1, to further improve the mounting strength, the size Wb of the protrusion 30 is preferably 3Wa / 8 ≤ Wb < 7Wa / 8.

[0112] Furthermore, in the electronic component 10 of this embodiment, regardless of how the size Wb of the protrusion 30 is set, the deflection is greater compared to conventional electronic components. Additionally, the magnitude of the deflection is determined by the size T1 of the protrusion 30 (refer to...). Figure 4 The larger the size T1, the greater the flexural deformation.

[0113] Furthermore, in the electronic component 10 of this embodiment, when the size Wb of the protrusion 30 is greater than Wa / 2, the protection effect on the corners of the external electrodes 21a and 21b is superior to that of conventional electronic components. That is, if the size Wb of the protrusion 30 is small, it becomes difficult to protect the corners of the external electrodes 21a and 21b, but if the size Wb of the protrusion 30 is large, it becomes easier to protect the corners of the protrusion 30 by means of its outward protrusion. As shown in Table 1, in order to further improve the effect of protecting the corners, the size Wb of the protrusion 30 is preferably 3Wa / 4≤Wb<Wa, and more preferably 7Wa / 8≤Wb<Wa.

[0114] (Manufacturing method)

[0115] Hereinafter, an example of a method for manufacturing the electronic component 10 described above will be explained.

[0116] First, prepare the ceramic green sheet and the conductive paste for the internal electrodes. Known ceramic green sheets and conductive pastes containing organic binders and organic solvents can be used for both.

[0117] Next, conductive paste for internal electrodes is printed onto the ceramic green sheet, thereby forming the internal electrode pattern. The printing of conductive paste for internal electrodes can be performed using methods such as screen printing and gravure printing.

[0118] Next, a given number of ceramic green sheets without internal electrode patterns are stacked, and ceramic green sheets with internal electrode patterns are stacked on top of them, and a given number of ceramic green sheets without internal electrode patterns are stacked on top of them to create a master laminate.

[0119] Next, the parent laminate was pressed in the stacking direction using methods such as rigid pressing and isostatic pressing. Then, it was cut to a given size using cutting methods such as pressure cutting, dicing, and laser cutting to obtain the ceramic body. Finally, rounded corners and edges of the ceramic body can be formed using methods such as tumble grinding.

[0120] Next, the ceramic body is fired, and the protrusions 31 to 34 are formed on the surface of the fired ceramic body using conductive paste for external electrodes. Known conductive pastes can be used for the external electrodes. For example, a dispenser can be used to form the protrusions.

[0121] Next, a conductive paste for external electrodes is applied to the two end faces, a portion of the two main faces, and a portion of the two side faces of the ceramic body. For example, the conductive paste for external electrodes is applied by an impregnation method.

[0122] Next, after the external electrodes are sintered onto the ceramic body with conductive paste, a plating layer is formed as needed.

[0123] The electronic component 10 can be manufactured through the above-described process. However, the manufacturing method of the electronic component 10 is not limited to the above-described method, and the electronic component 10 can also be manufactured by other manufacturing methods.

[0124] <Second Implementation Method>

[0125] Figure 6 This is a perspective view schematically showing the electronic component 10A in the second embodiment of the present invention. Figure 7 It is a schematic representation of what will Figure 6 The cross-sectional view of the structure of the electronic component 10A shown when cut along line VII-VII. Figure 8 It is a schematic representation of what will Figure 6 The cross-sectional view of the structure of the electronic component 10A shown when cut along line VIII-VIII.

[0126] The electronic component 10A in the second embodiment differs from the electronic component 10 in the first embodiment in the shape of the first protrusion 31a to the fourth protrusion 34a in the first external electrode 21a and the first protrusion 31b to the fourth protrusion 34b in the second external electrode 21b.

[0127] like Figure 8 As shown, in a cross-section where the first external electrode 21a is cut by a plane parallel to the first end face 15a and the second end face 15b, the shapes of the first protrusion 31a, the second protrusion 32a, the third protrusion 33a, and the fourth protrusion 34a are all approximately rectangular. "Approximately rectangular" further includes shapes such as... Figure 8 As shown, it is a rectangle in shape, and at least some of its corners are rounded.

[0128] Similarly, in a cross-section where the second external electrode 21b is cut off by a plane parallel to the first end face 15a and the second end face 15b, the shapes of the first protrusion 31b, the second protrusion 32b, the third protrusion 33b, and the fourth protrusion 34b are approximately rectangular.

[0129] In addition, such as Figure 8As shown, in the electronic component 10A of this embodiment, since the first external electrode 21a has a first protrusion 31a to a fourth protrusion 34a, a recess 40 is also present in the first external electrode 21a. More specifically, the ridge portions between the first protrusion 31a and the fourth protrusion 34a, the ridge portions between the fourth protrusion 34a and the second protrusion 32a, the ridge portions between the second protrusion 32a and the third protrusion 33a, and the ridge portions between the third protrusion 33a and the first protrusion 31a have recesses 40 that are recessed inward compared to the first protrusion 31a to the fourth protrusion 34a.

[0130] Similarly, since the second outer electrode 21b has the first protrusion 31b to the fourth protrusion 34b, the second outer electrode 21b also has a recess 40. More specifically, the ridge portion between the first protrusion 31b and the fourth protrusion 34b, the ridge portion between the fourth protrusion 34b and the second protrusion 32b, the ridge portion between the second protrusion 32b and the third protrusion 33b, and the ridge portion between the third protrusion 33b and the first protrusion 31b have recesses 40 that are recessed inward compared to the first protrusion 31b to the fourth protrusion 34b.

[0131] Furthermore, in the electronic component 10A of the second embodiment, the shape and size of all the protrusions 30 of the first protrusion 31a to the fourth protrusion 34a of the first external electrode 21a and the first protrusion 31b to the fourth protrusion 34b of the second external electrode 21b do not need to be exactly the same. That is, at least one of the shapes and sizes of all the protrusions 30 may be different. Therefore, in the electronic component 10A of the second embodiment, as long as at least one of the first protrusion 31, the second protrusion 32, the third protrusion 33, and the fourth protrusion 34 is approximately rectangular in the cross-section when the first external electrode 21a and the second external electrode 21b are cut with a plane parallel to the first end face 15a and the second end face 15b respectively.

[0132] The electronic component 10A in the second embodiment is similar to the electronic component 10 in the first embodiment in that the first external electrode 21a has a first protrusion 31a to a fourth protrusion 34a, and the second external electrode 21b has a first protrusion 31b to a fourth protrusion 34b, thus achieving the same effect as the electronic component 10 in the first embodiment.

[0133] Furthermore, the shapes of the first protrusion 31 to the fourth protrusion 34 are not limited to Figures 6-8 The shape shown. For example, as Figure 9 As shown, relative to Figure 8In the configuration shown, the straight rectangular portions of the first protrusion 31a to the fourth protrusion 34a of the first external electrode 21a can be longer, or the rectangular corners of the protrusion 30 can be more rounded. The shapes of the first protrusion 31b to the fourth protrusion 34b of the second external electrode 21b are the same.

[0134] Here, in such Figure 11 In conventional electronic components 100 where the external electrode 120 lacks a protrusion, the ridges and corners of the external electrode 120 are thinner than other parts, making the main body prone to exposure due to wear caused by impacts, etc. However, in the electronic component 10A of this embodiment, since the aforementioned ridges and corners have an inwardly recessed shape, the ridges and corners of the external electrodes 21a and 21b are less likely to collide with other electronic components, thus suppressing exposure of the main body 11 due to wear, etc. In particular, in this embodiment, as described above, the shape of the protrusion 30 in the cross-section is approximately rectangular, making it easier to protect the ridges and corners by the protrusion 30 compared to the electronic component 10 of the first embodiment where the surface of the protrusion 30 is arc-shaped. Therefore, in the electronic component 10A of this embodiment, wear on the ridges and corners of the external electrodes 21a and 21b can be suppressed compared to the electronic component 10 of the first embodiment.

[0135] Similar to the electronic component 10 in the first embodiment, the dimensions Wb in the width direction W of the first protrusion 31 and the second protrusion 32, and the dimensions Wb in the thickness direction T of the third protrusion 33 and the fourth protrusion 34, in the electronic component 10A of the second embodiment were also changed, and the levels of frictional resistance, surface cracks, mounting strength, deflection, and corner protection were confirmed. The confirmed results are shown in Table 2.

[0136] [Table 2]

[0137]

[0138] As shown in Table 2, the results are the same as those shown in Table 1, except for the magnitude of the frictional resistance. Therefore, only the magnitude of the frictional resistance will be explained here. In the electronic component 10A of the second embodiment, if the size Wb of the protrusion 30 increases, the contact area with the transport path increases, thus increasing the frictional resistance. Therefore, in order to reduce the frictional resistance, as shown in Table 2, the size Wb of the protrusion is preferably less than 7Wa / 8, more preferably less than 3Wa / 4, and even more preferably less than 5Wa / 8.

[0139] <Third Implementation Method>

[0140] Figure 10This is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating the structure of the electronic component 10B in the third embodiment of the present invention. Figure 10 The cut-off position of the sectional view shown is... Figure 3 The cut-off points in the sectional views shown are the same.

[0141] Similar to the electronic component 10 in the first embodiment, such as Figure 10 As shown, in the electronic component 10B of the third embodiment, in a cross-section where the first external electrode 21a is cut by a plane parallel to the first end face 15a and the second end face 15b, the surfaces of the first protrusion 31a, the second protrusion 32a, the third protrusion 33a, and the fourth protrusion 34a are also arc-shaped. Specifically, in a cross-section where the first external electrode 21a is cut by a plane parallel to the first end face 15a and the second end face 15b, the shapes of the first protrusion 31a, the second protrusion 32a, the third protrusion 33a, and the fourth protrusion 34a are approximately rectangular, and the surfaces on the opposite side of the main body 11 are arc-shaped.

[0142] Similarly, in a cross-section where the second external electrode 21b is cut by a plane parallel to the first end face 15a and the second end face 15b, the surfaces of the first protrusion 31b, the second protrusion 32b, the third protrusion 33b, and the fourth protrusion 34b are all arc-shaped. More specifically, in a cross-section where the second external electrode 21b is cut by a plane parallel to the first end face 15a and the second end face 15b, the shapes of the first protrusion 31b, the second protrusion 32b, the third protrusion 33b, and the fourth protrusion 34b are all approximately rectangular, and the surfaces on the opposite side of the main body 11 are arc-shaped.

[0143] In the electronic component 10B of this embodiment, since the first protrusion 31a to the fourth protrusion 34a are present on the first external electrode 21a, thus... Figure 10 As shown, a recess 40 is present in the first external electrode 21a. More specifically, in the ridge portion between the first protrusion 31a and the fourth protrusion 34a, in the ridge portion between the fourth protrusion 34a and the second protrusion 32a, in the ridge portion between the second protrusion 32a and the third protrusion 33a, and in the ridge portion between the third protrusion 33a and the first protrusion 31a, there is a recess 40 that is recessed inward compared to the first protrusion 31a to the fourth protrusion 34a.

[0144] Similarly, since the second outer electrode 21b has the first protrusion 31b to the fourth protrusion 34b, the second outer electrode 21b also has a recess 40. More specifically, the ridge portion between the first protrusion 31b and the fourth protrusion 34b, the ridge portion between the fourth protrusion 34b and the second protrusion 32b, the ridge portion between the second protrusion 32b and the third protrusion 33b, and the ridge portion between the third protrusion 33b and the first protrusion 31b have recesses 40 that are recessed inward compared to the first protrusion 31b to the fourth protrusion 34b.

[0145] Furthermore, in the electronic component 10B of the third embodiment, the shape and size of all the protrusions 30 of the first protrusion 31a to the fourth protrusion 34a of the first external electrode 21a and the first protrusion 31b to the fourth protrusion 34b of the second external electrode 21b do not need to be exactly the same. That is, at least one of the shapes and sizes of all the protrusions 30 may be different. Therefore, in the electronic component 10B of the third embodiment, as long as at least one of the first protrusion 31, the second protrusion 32, the third protrusion 33, and the fourth protrusion 34 is approximately rectangular in shape and the surface opposite to the main body 11 is arc-shaped in the cross-section when the first external electrode 21a and the second external electrode 21b are cut with a plane parallel to the first end face 15a and the second end face 15b respectively, it is sufficient.

[0146] The electronic component 10B in the third embodiment is similar to the electronic component 10 in the first embodiment, with the first external electrode 21a having a first protrusion 31a to a fourth protrusion 34a and the second external electrode 21b having a first protrusion 31b to a fourth protrusion 34b, thus achieving the same effect as the electronic component 10 in the first embodiment.

[0147] Furthermore, in the electronic component 10B of the third embodiment, compared with the electronic component 10A of the first embodiment, the protrusion 30 protrudes further outward, thus easily protecting the edges and corners through the protrusion 30. Therefore, in the electronic component 10B of this embodiment, compared with the electronic component 10 of the first embodiment, wear on the edges and corners of the external electrodes 21a and 21b can be suppressed.

[0148] This invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various applications and modifications can be made within the scope of this invention. For example, although a multilayer ceramic capacitor has been described as an example of an electronic component of this invention in the above embodiments, the electronic component is not limited to a multilayer ceramic capacitor. Any electronic component with a structure such as an EMI removal filter or a piezoelectric element having a first external electrode on one end of the main body and a second external electrode on the other end is acceptable. Furthermore, the structure of the main body is not limited to a structure in which multiple dielectric layers and internal electrodes are alternately stacked.

[0149] The shapes of the protrusions 30 of the first external electrode 21a and the second external electrode 21b are not limited to the shapes described in the above embodiments. For example, in the first embodiment, in a cross-section where the first external electrode 21a is cut by a plane parallel to the first end face 15a and the second end face 15b, the first protrusion 31a protruding in a direction orthogonal to the first main face 16a, the second protrusion 32a protruding in a direction orthogonal to the second main face 16b, the third protrusion 33a protruding in a direction orthogonal to the first side face 17a, and the fourth protrusion 34a protruding in a direction orthogonal to the second side face 17b are each shaped with one vertex, but they may also be shaped with multiple vertices. The shapes of the first protrusion 31b to the fourth protrusion 34b of the second external electrode 21b are also the same.

[0150] Although in the above embodiments, the first external electrode 21a and the second external electrode 21b are provided on the surface of the main body 11, other external electrodes may also be provided.

Claims

1. An electronic component, characterized in that, have: The main body has a first end face and a second end face that are opposite each other in the length direction, a first side face and a second side face that are opposite each other in the width direction, and a first main face and a second main face that are opposite each other in the thickness direction, and has a generally cuboid shape; A first external electrode is disposed at one end of the main body portion along its length direction; and The second external electrode is disposed at the other end of the main body in the length direction. The first external electrode and the second external electrode each have: The first protrusion protrudes in a direction orthogonal to the first main surface; The second protrusion protrudes in a direction orthogonal to the second main surface; The third protrusion protrudes in a direction orthogonal to the first side surface; as well as The fourth protrusion protrudes in a direction orthogonal to the second side surface. When the width dimension of the electronic component (excluding the first to fourth protrusions) and the thickness dimension of the electronic component (excluding the first to fourth protrusions) are set to Wa, and the width dimension of the first protrusion, the width dimension of the second protrusion, the thickness dimension of the third protrusion, and the thickness dimension of the fourth protrusion are set to Wb, the following equation (1) is satisfied. 3Wa / 8≤Wb<3Wa / 4・・・(1), In a cross-section where the first external electrode and the second external electrode are cut off by a plane parallel to the first end face and the second end face, at least one of the first protrusion, the second protrusion, the third protrusion and the fourth protrusion has a rectangular shape with one side becoming arc-shaped, and the surface opposite to the main body is arc-shaped.

2. The electronic component according to claim 1, characterized in that, In a cross-section where the first external electrode and the second external electrode are cut off by a plane parallel to the first end face and the second end face, the surface of at least one of the first protrusion, the second protrusion, the third protrusion and the fourth protrusion is arc-shaped.

3. The electronic component according to claim 1, characterized in that, In a cross-section where the first external electrode and the second external electrode are cut off by a plane parallel to the first end face and the second end face, at least one of the first protrusion, the second protrusion, the third protrusion and the fourth protrusion has a generally rectangular shape.

4. The electronic component according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The electronic component is a multilayer ceramic capacitor. The main body comprises: The first internal electrode and the second internal electrode are alternately stacked in the thickness direction; and A dielectric layer is disposed between the first internal electrode and the second internal electrode. The first internal electrode is led out to the first end face and electrically connected to the first external electrode. The second internal electrode is led out to the second end face and electrically connected to the second external electrode.

5. The electronic component according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, At least one of the first protrusion, the second protrusion, the third protrusion, and the fourth protrusion has a different shape and size.

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