Conductive member and method for manufacturing the same

Abstract

The present invention is to produce a conductive member in which two metal plates sandwiching an insulating film are covered with resin with high efficiency. The present invention is a method for manufacturing a conductive member 100 in which an insulating film 10 is interposed between two metal plates 30, 40, comprising: a primary molding step of producing an intermediate product 60 in which the insulating film 10 is covered with a first cured resin 20 of insulating property with the insulating film 10 at least partially exposed; and a secondary molding step of covering the sandwiched portions 32, 42 of the insulating film in the two metal plates 30, 40 with a second resin 50 of insulating property with at least a part of the exposed portion of the insulating film 10 of the intermediate product 60 interposed between the two metal plates 30, 40.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a conductive component and its manufacturing method, wherein the conductive component involves inserting an insulating film between two conductive metal plates, such as a busbar. Background Technology

[0002] Historically, conductive components called busbars have been used in power conversion devices, such as inverters and converters in electric vehicles, for wiring along paths through which high currents flow. A busbar is a rigid wiring component formed from conductive metal plates such as copper, aluminum, or other alloys into a desired shape. Busbars offer advantages such as low resistance due to their large cross-sectional area and reduced current loss because they can be in surface contact with each other.

[0003] Furthermore, a laminated conductive component is known in which an insulating layer is inserted between two busbars. That is, generally, if current is generated in a busbar, a magnetic field is generated around it. If a large current flows, such as in the busbars of an electric vehicle, the current loss caused by the magnetic field becomes significant, leading to a deterioration in energy consumption (electricity costs) and a shortened driving range. Consequently, to extend the driving range of electric vehicles, larger batteries are required. As a strategy to suppress such current loss caused by the magnetic field, as mentioned above, a laminated structure in which an insulating layer is sandwiched between two overlapping busbars has been proposed. In this way, the magnetic field can be canceled out by generating currents in opposite directions in the two laminated busbars. At this time, by minimizing the gap between the two busbars, i.e., the thickness of the insulating layer, inductance can be minimized, and current loss can be suppressed.

[0004] Such busbar laminated structures are disclosed, for example, in Patent Document 1, a busbar module and its manufacturing method are disclosed, in which two busbars are used as inserts and an insulating resin is sealed between these busbars. Also, Patent Document 2 discloses a molded body in which an insulating film (spacer polymer portion) is inserted between two busbars.

[0005] Existing technical documents

[0006] Patent documents

[0007] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2012-235625

[0008] Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2007-038490 Summary of the Invention

[0009] The problem that the invention aims to solve

[0010] However, in the case of sealing the insulating resin between two busbars as in Patent Document 1, if the gap between the busbars is narrow (e.g., less than 0.5 mm), it becomes difficult to allow the molten resin to flow into this gap. Therefore, in the technology of Patent Document 1, it is necessary to ensure beforehand that the gap between the busbars is large enough to reliably allow the molten resin to flow in. To achieve busbars with ultra-low inductance, it is required that the gap between the busbars be infinitely narrowed, but for the reasons mentioned above, this is difficult to achieve in the sealing insulating resin technology of Patent Document 1.

[0011] On the other hand, in the case of sandwiching an insulating film between the busbars, as in Patent Document 2, the thickness of the insulating film is reduced, thus narrowing the gap between the busbars compared to the case of sealing the busbars with insulating resin, as in Patent Document 1. However, if two busbars are energized, leakage may occur, directly leading to malfunctions of electronic components or fires. Therefore, in the technology of Patent Document 2, it is required that the insulating film be arranged in a manner that protrudes from between the busbars, and the remaining portion is formed by this insulating film to ensure the insulation state of each busbar.

[0012] However, in cases where a very thin insulating film is inserted between busbars and then injection molded (insert molding), the remaining portion of this insulating film (the part protruding from the busbar) is washed away by the molten resin during the injection molding process, resulting in unstable shape and causing deviations in the quality of the final product. Furthermore, if the insulating film is very thin, it is difficult to maintain its taut stretch between the busbars during injection molding. For example, if wrinkles or shrinkage occur between the busbars on the insulating film, the gaps between the busbars will become uneven, adversely affecting the quality of the final product. Moreover, if the insulating film is very thin, it is also difficult to accurately position two busbars on both sides of the film.

[0013] Therefore, the main objective of this invention is to efficiently produce conductive components in which two busbars (metal plates) holding an insulating film are resin-coated. Furthermore, the objective of this invention is to achieve conductive components with ultra-low inductance performance by establishing an efficient production method for a conductive component in which an extremely thin insulating film is inserted between two busbars.

[0014] Technical solutions to the problem

[0015] As a result of in-depth examination of solutions to the problems of the prior art, the inventors of this invention arrived at the following insight: after reinforcing a portion of the insulating film with cured insulating resin, busbars are disposed on both sides of the insulating film and covered with insulating resin, thereby enabling efficient production of conductive components even when using extremely thin insulating films. The inventors then realized that the problems of the prior art could be solved based on the above insight, and thus completed this invention. Specifically, this invention has the following steps or configuration.

[0016] The first aspect of the present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a conductive component 100. The conductive component 100 is a structure in which an insulating film 10 is inserted between two metal plates 30 and 40. The manufacturing method of the present invention includes a primary molding process and a secondary molding process.

[0017] In a single molding process, an intermediate product 60 is formed by covering the insulating film 10 with the insulating film 10 at least partially exposed. Specifically, it is preferable to reinforce the insulating film 10 with the insulating cured first resin 20 in a way that allows the insulating film 10 to maintain a stretched state. More specifically, since metal plates 30 and 40 are disposed on both sides of the insulating film 10 in this invention, the insulating film 10 is divided into a predetermined portion of the metal plates 30 and 40 and a remaining portion when viewed from above. Preferably, most (90% or more) of this remaining portion is covered by the cured first resin 20. The single molding process can cover a portion of the insulating film 10 with the first resin 20 by an injection molding process, or by mounting a pre-molded part made of the first resin 20 onto the insulating film 10 (assembly process).

[0018] In the secondary molding process, with part or all of the exposed portion of the insulating film 10 of the intermediate product 60 sandwiched between two metal plates 30 and 40, the clamping portions 32 and 42 of the insulating film 10 in the two metal plates 30 and 40 are covered by an insulating second resin 50. At this time, the terminal portions 31 and 41 of each metal plate 30 and 40 need to remain exposed without being covered by the second resin 50. Furthermore, the second resin 50 may be the same as or different from the first resin 20. For example, in the case where the first resin 20 is installed onto the insulating film 10 by injection molding, the secondary molding process is performed after the first resin 20 has cured. Therefore, even if the second resin 50 and the first resin 20 are the same, an interface will still exist between the second resin 50 and the first resin 20. The secondary molding process, like the primary molding process, can be achieved by using the second resin 50 to cover the clamping portions 32 and 42 of the insulating film 10 in each metal plate 30 and 40 through the injection molding process, or by installing pre-molded parts made of the second resin 50 to the intermediate product 60 (assembly process) to cover the clamping portions 32 and 42 of the insulating film 10 in each metal plate 30 and 40 with the second resin 50.

[0019] As described above, in this invention, after the remaining portion of the insulating film 10 is covered (reinforced) with the first resin 20 in the first molding process, the clamping portions 32 and 42 of the insulating film 10 in the metal plates 30 and 40 are covered with the second resin 50 in the second molding process. Therefore, even if the second molding process is an injection molding process, the shape of the remaining portion of the insulating film 10 during injection molding can be controlled because the remaining portion of the insulating film 10 is reinforced with the first resin 20. Furthermore, during the second molding process (injection molding), it becomes easier to maintain the state of the insulating film 10 stretched taut between the metal plates 30 and 40, and it is easier to make the gap between the metal plates 30 and 40 uniform. Moreover, since the metal plates 30 and 40 can be positioned opposite the exposed portions of the insulating film 10 not covered by the first resin 20, the two metal plates 30 and 40 can be precisely positioned on both sides of the insulating film 10. Therefore, according to the present invention, deviations in the quality of the final conductive component 100 can be suppressed, and its production efficiency can be improved. Furthermore, according to the present invention, even if the insulating film 10 is extremely thin, it can still be correctly disposed between the metal plates 30 and 40 while maintaining a uniform thickness. Therefore, according to the present invention, the gap between the metal plates 30 and 40 can be infinitely reduced, enabling the conductive component 100 with ultra-low inductance performance. Moreover, the gap between the metal plates 30 and 40 is preferably 0.5 mm or less, more preferably 0.1 mm or less.

[0020] In this invention, the one-time molding process is preferably a process in which the first resin 20 covers all or part of the periphery of the insulating film 10. When the insulating film 10 is sandwiched between two metal plates 30 and 40, although an excess portion will form at the periphery of the insulating film 10, the aforementioned problem can be solved by covering this periphery with the first resin 20 beforehand.

[0021] In this invention, the one-step molding process is preferably an injection molding process. Specifically, in the one-step molding process, an insulating film 10 is disposed in a first mold 200 having a cavity corresponding to the covering portion of the first resin 20, and after the molten first resin 20 is injected into the cavity, the first resin 20 is cured. This allows for the efficient manufacture of an intermediate product 60 reinforced with the first resin 20 and composed of the insulating film 10.

[0022] In this invention, when the primary molding process is an injection molding process, it is preferable to inject molten first resin 200 into the cavity of the first mold 200 while a portion of the insulating film 10 to be inserted into the cavity of the first mold 200 is fixed by the first mold 200. For example, small holes 11 are formed in advance at the periphery of the insulating film 10, and pins 221 corresponding to these small holes 11 are pre-installed in the cavity of the first mold 200. Then, when the insulating film 10 is placed into the first mold 200, the periphery of the insulating film 10 can be fixed to the first mold 200 by inserting the pins 221 of the first mold 200 into the small holes 11 of the insulating film 10. In this way, the periphery of the insulating film 10 can be more reliably covered by the first resin 20.

[0023] In this invention, the one-time molding process can also be an assembly process. Specifically, the one-time molding process can also be the process of mounting a part made of cured first resin 20 onto an insulating film 10. The assembly process is suitable, for example, for small-batch production of intermediate products 60.

[0024] In this invention, the secondary molding process is preferably an injection molding process. Specifically, in the secondary molding process, clamping portions 32 and 42 of the insulating film 10 from two metal plates 30 and 40 are arranged in a second mold 300 having a cavity corresponding to the covering portion of the second resin 50, and the second resin 50 is cured after being injected into the cavity. Generally, in this secondary molding process (injection molding), the remaining portion of the insulating film 10 that is not clamped by the two metal plates 30 and 40 is washed away by the molten resin, thus its shape becomes unstable. On the other hand, in this invention, as mentioned above, since the remaining portion of the insulating film 10 is reinforced by the first resin 20, the shape of the remaining portion can be stabilized.

[0025] In this invention, during the secondary molding process (injection molding), it is preferable to use a second mold 300 to inject molten second resin 50 into the cavity of the second mold 300 while pressing the clamping portions 32, 42 of the insulating film 10 in the two metal plates 30, 40 from one or both sides toward the insulating film 10. This makes it easier to maintain a uniform thickness of the insulating film 10 sandwiched between the two metal plates 30, 40 (i.e., the gap between the metal plates 30, 40).

[0026] In this invention, the secondary molding process can also be an assembly process. Specifically, the secondary molding process is the process of attaching the cured second resin 50 to the clamping portions 32, 42 of the insulating film 10 in the two metal plates 30, 40. Such an assembly process is suitable for situations such as small-batch production of conductive components 100. Furthermore, the following examples illustrate a combination of primary molding and secondary molding processes.

[0027] (1) Primary molding process: injection molding; Secondary molding process: injection molding

[0028] (2) Primary molding process: injection molding; Secondary molding process: assembly

[0029] (3) Primary molding process: assembly; Secondary molding process: injection molding

[0030] (4) First molding process: assembly; Second molding process: assembly.

[0031] The second aspect of the present invention relates to a conductive member 100. Specifically, the conductive member 100 of the second aspect of the present invention can be manufactured by the manufacturing method of the first aspect described above or by other methods. The conductive member 100 of the present invention comprises: an insulating film 10; a first resin layer 20, which is partially deposited on both sides or one side of the insulating film 10; two metal plates 30, 40, which, after the first resin layer 20 is cured, are configured to at least partially sandwich the exposed portion of the insulating film 10 in which the first resin layer 20 is not deposited; and a second resin layer 50, which covers the clamping portions 32, 42 of the insulating film 10 in the two metal plates 30, 40. Furthermore, the terminal portions 31, 41 of each metal plate 30, 40 are exposed and not covered by the second resin layer 50. Also, the first resin layer 20 and the second resin layer 50 may be made of the same resin material or different resin materials. However, even if the first resin layer 20 and the second resin layer 50 are made of the same resin material, an interface still exists between the two layers.

[0032] The effects of the invention

[0033] According to the present invention, production efficiency can be improved when manufacturing conductive components in which two busbars (metal plates) holding an insulating film are resin-coated. Furthermore, according to the present invention, since conductive components in which an extremely thin insulating film is inserted between two busbars can be produced efficiently, conductive components with ultra-low inductance can be achieved. Attached Figure Description

[0034] [ Figure 1 ] Figure 1 This is an exploded perspective view schematically showing the constituent elements of a conductive member according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0035] [ Figure 2 ] Figure 2 It is Figure 1 A three-dimensional view of the conductive components shown.

[0036] [ Figure 3 ] Figure 3 It is a schematic representation Figure 2 A sectional view of section III-III.

[0037] [ Figure 4 ] Figure 4 This is a schematic example of a molding process performed by injection molding.

[0038] [ Figure 5 ] Figure 5 This is an example schematically illustrating a secondary molding process performed by injection molding.

[0039] [ Figure 6 ] Figure 6 This is an example schematically illustrating a secondary molding process performed by injection molding.

[0040] [ Figure 7 ] Figure 7 This is a top view of a diagram showing an intermediate product obtained through a single molding process.

[0041] [ Figure 8 ] Figure 8 It is a cross-sectional view of a diagram showing an intermediate product obtained through a single molding process.

[0042] [ Figure 9 ] Figure 9 This is another example schematically representing the combination of an intermediate product obtained through a single molding process and two manifolds.

[0043] [ Figure 10 ] Figure 10 These are mainly examples that schematically represent the shape of the busbar.

[0044] [ Figure 11 ] Figure 11This is a diagram used to illustrate the concept of the configuration of the metal plate of the insulating film, including the predetermined portion and other remaining portions. Detailed Implementation

[0045] Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The invention is not limited to the embodiments described below, but includes modifications that will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art.

[0046] Reference Figures 1 to 3 The conductive member 100 of one embodiment of the present invention will be described. Figure 1 It is a conceptual breakdown representing the constituent elements of the conductive component 100. Figure 2 Indicates will Figure 1 The completed conductive component 100, composed of the various constituent elements shown, is shown. Furthermore, a cross-sectional view of the completed conductive component 100 is also shown. Figure 2 (III-III) shown in Figure 3 .

[0047] like Figure 1 As shown, the conductive member 100 basically includes: a first metal plate 30; a second metal plate 40; and an insulating film 10, which is inserted between these metal plates 30 and 40. Each metal plate 30 and 40 can be used as a busbar for handling large currents, for example. The insulating film 10 is an element used to maintain the insulating state of each metal plate 30 and 40. By insulating each metal plate 30 and 40 with the insulating film 10, currents in opposite directions can flow through the two metal plates 30 and 40, for example. In this way, since opposing magnetic fields are generated around each metal plate 30 and 40, their respective magnetic fields can be canceled out. This reduces the loss of current flowing through each metal plate 30 and 40. In particular, by making the thickness of the insulating film 10 extremely thin and narrowing the gap between the metal plates 30 and 40, an ultra-low inductance conductive member 100 can be achieved.

[0048] As for the metal plates 30 and 40, general busbars can be used. For example, the metal plates 30 and 40 can be formed by appropriately cutting or bending a plate-shaped metal with conductivity, such as copper, aluminum, or other alloys. Each metal plate 30 and 40 has two terminal portions 31 and 41, respectively, and electricity input to one terminal portion 31 and 41 flows to the other terminal portion 31 and 41. Figure 1In the illustrated embodiment, each metal plate 30, 40 is formed into a rectangular plate that is bent at two points into a U-shape. Each metal plate 30, 40 has a flat portion extending in the horizontal direction, and two side portions rising vertically from both ends of this flat portion. The flat portion of each metal plate 30, 40 is in direct contact with the insulating film 10, serving as the clamping portion 32, 42 for holding the insulating film 10, and the two side portions function as terminal portions 31, 41, respectively.

[0049] As the insulating film 10, a general insulating film can be used. For example, a plastic film can be used as the insulating film 10. Examples of plastic materials include polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polystyrene (PS), acrylic resin (AC), polycarbonate (PC), polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), fluoropolymer (PTFE), polyetheretherketone (PEEK), polyethersulfone (PES), polyphosphate (PPE), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), polyamide (PA), and liquid crystal polymer (LCP). According to the present invention, an insulating film 10 with extremely thin thickness can be processed. From the viewpoint of reducing inductance, the thickness of the insulating film 10 is preferably 0.5 mm or less, particularly preferably 0.1 mm or less, and more preferably 0.05 mm or less. Furthermore, in the example shown in the drawings, the insulating film 10 is formed in a rectangular shape, but the shape of the insulating film 10 is not limited thereto and can be appropriately set to a shape corresponding to the application of the conductive member 100.

[0050] like Figure 1 and Figure 3 As shown, the conductive member 100 of the present invention further includes a first resin layer 20 as an element for reinforcing the insulating film 10. Furthermore, in Figure 1 In the exploded view shown, for ease of understanding of the arrangement of the first resin layer 20 in this embodiment, the first resin layer 20 is depicted as a layer (20a, 20b) divided into a front side and a back side of the insulating film 10. However, in the case where the first resin layer 20 is formed by injection molding as described later, there is no substantial boundary between the first resin layers 20 (20a, 20b) existing on the front side and the back side of the insulating film 10, and the two layers are formed integrally.

[0051] In this embodiment, the first resin layer 20 is formed to cover the periphery of the insulating film 10 from both the front and back sides. Specifically, in this embodiment, the insulating film 10 is formed into a quadrilateral shape, and the first resin layer 20 completely covers all four sides of this insulating film 10. On the other hand, the first resin layer 20 does not cover the predetermined placement positions of the first metal plate 30 and the second metal plate 40 in the insulating film 10. Therefore, in this embodiment, the first resin layer 20 forms a frame shape by covering the four sides of the insulating film 10 from both the front and back sides, and the metal plates 30 and 40 are placed within this frame. That is, the first resin layer 20 does not intervene between the insulating film 10 and the metal plates 30 and 40, and the metal plates 30 and 40 are always in direct contact with the insulating film 10. Because the purpose of this invention is to minimize the gap between the metal plates 30 and 40 by using a thin insulating film 10, if the first resin layer 20 is inserted between the metal plates 30 and 40 and the insulating film 10, the gap between the metal plates 30 and 40 will become larger, and the above-mentioned purpose cannot be achieved. Therefore, in other words, the first resin layer 20 covers the remaining portion of the insulating film 10 that does not contact any of the metal plates 30 and 40 (the portion protruding from each metal plate 30 and 40). The first resin layer 20 preferably covers most of such remaining portion of the insulating film 10 from one or both sides, specifically 80% or more, 90% or more, or 95% or more.

[0052] In this embodiment, the first resin layer 20 is installed on the insulating film 10 by injection molding. Therefore, a resin material that changes from a liquid phase to a solid phase is used as the first resin layer 20. The first resin layer 20 can be, for example, either a thermoplastic resin or a thermosetting resin, but a thermoplastic resin is preferred for ease of injection molding. Examples of thermoplastic resins are PBT (polybutylene terephthalate), PPS (polyphenylene sulfide), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), nylon, polypropylene, polyethylene, and ABS resin. Examples of thermosetting resins are phenolic resin, epoxy resin, melamine-formaldehyde resin, polyester, and diallyl phthalate. However, the choice of thermoplastic and thermosetting resins is not limited to those listed herein, and other known resins may be used.

[0053] like Figure 1As shown, in this embodiment, a plurality of small holes 11, 21, and 22 are formed in the insulating film 10 and the first resin layer 20, respectively. These small holes 11, 21, and 22 are formed in order to fix the remaining portion of the insulating film 10 in the mold when the first resin layer 20 is installed to the remaining portion of the insulating film 10 by injection molding. In this embodiment, small holes 11 are formed on all four sides of the insulating film 10, but small holes 11 may also be formed only on a pair of opposing long sides, or only on a pair of short sides. Furthermore, the first resin layer 20 has: a first small hole 21, which is provided at a position overlapping with the small holes 11 of the insulating film 10; and a second small hole 22, which is provided at a position not overlapping with the small holes 11 of the insulating film 10. The first small hole 21 of the first resin layer 20 is formed by inserting a pin of the small hole 11 of the insulating film 10 into the mold in a single molding process. On the other hand, the second small hole 22 of the first resin layer 20 is formed by another pin, which does not insert into the small hole 11 of the insulating film 10 in the mold during a one-time molding process, but clamps the insulating film 10 to press the film.

[0054] In this specification, the component on which the first resin layer 20 for reinforcing the insulating film 10 has been installed is referred to as the "intermediate product". The intermediate product 60 can be obtained by a primary molding process described later. In a secondary molding process described later, this intermediate product 60 will be integrated with the first metal plate 30 and the second metal plate 40.

[0055] As from Figures 1 to 3 As shown, the conductive member 100 of the present invention further includes a second resin layer 50 as an element for bonding the first metal plate 30 and the second metal plate 40 to the intermediate product 60 composed of the insulating film 10 and the first resin layer 20. Furthermore, in Figure 1 In the exploded view shown, similar to the first resin layer 20, the second resin layer 50 of this embodiment is depicted as a layer (50a, 50b) divided into a front side and a back side of the insulating film 10 for easy understanding of the arrangement. However, in the case where the second resin layer 50 is formed by injection molding as described later, there is no substantial boundary between the second resin layers 50 (50a, 50b) existing on the front side and the back side of the insulating film 10, and the two layers are formed integrally.

[0056] like Figure 2 and Figure 3As shown, the second resin layer 50 integrally bonds the intermediate product 60 and the two metal plates 30 and 40, which are sandwiched together by covering the clamping portions 32 and 42 of the intermediate product 60 and the two metal plates 30 and 40, into which the insulating film 10 is inserted. However, the terminal portions 31 and 41 of each metal plate 30 and 40 are not covered by the second resin layer 50, but protrude to the outside by forming a first hole 51 in the second resin layer 50. Therefore, the insulation state of the two metal plates 30 and 40 can be maintained, and electricity can be passed through each metal plate 30 and 40 independently. Furthermore, a second hole 52 is formed in the second resin layer 50 extending to the clamping portions 32 and 42 (horizontal portions) of each metal plate 30 and 40. This second hole 52 is formed in the secondary molding process (injection molding process) described later to facilitate the pressing of each metal plate 30 and 40 through the mold. In addition, this second hole 52 also has the effect of dissipating heat generated when electricity is passed through each metal plate 30 and 40 to the outside.

[0057] In this embodiment, the second resin layer 50 is formed by injection molding. Therefore, as the second resin layer 50, similar to the first resin layer 20, a thermoplastic resin or a thermosetting resin can be used. The second resin layer 50 can be formed using the same resin material as the first resin layer 20, or it can be formed using a different resin material. In either case, since there is an interface between the first resin layer 20 and the second resin layer 50, the two layers 20 and 50 can be identified by analyzing the finally obtained conductive member 100.

[0058] Next, refer to from Figures 4 to 6 The manufacturing method of the conductive member 100 of this embodiment will be described. Figure 4 This indicates a primary molding process used to obtain an intermediate product 60 that has passed through the first resin layer 20 and reinforced the insulating film 10. Figure 5 and Figure 6 This refers to a secondary molding process used to integrally bond the intermediate product 60 and the two metal plates 30 and 40 through a second resin layer 50. In particular, in this embodiment, both the primary molding process and the secondary molding process are performed by injection molding.

[0059] like Figure 4 As shown in (a), in a single molding process, firstly, an insulating film 10 and a first mold 200 are prepared. The insulating film 10 is the aforementioned article, with small holes 11 formed in the remaining portion. The first mold 200 includes an upper mold 210 and a lower mold 220. Figure 4As shown in (b), the insulating film 10 is sandwiched between the upper mold 210 and the lower mold 220 of the first mold 200, but recesses are formed on the inner sides of the upper mold 210 and the lower mold 220 corresponding to the remaining portion of the insulating film 10. Outside of these recesses, the insulating film 10 is directly in contact with the upper mold 210 and the lower mold 220 and sandwiched between them. Then, when these upper molds 210 and the lower mold 220 are fitted together, cavities 230 (holes) are defined by these recesses. The shape of this cavity 230 corresponds to the shape of the aforementioned first resin layer 20. Furthermore, a gate 211 connected to this cavity 230 is provided on the upper mold 210. The gate 211 can be provided in one place for each cavity 230, but multiple gates can also be provided for each cavity 230.

[0060] In addition, such as Figure 4 As shown in (a) and (b), the remaining portion of the insulating film 10 has small holes 11 formed therein. Then, within the cavity 230 of the first mold 200, a pin 221 is provided for inserting into the small holes 11 of the insulating film 10. Figure 4 In the example shown, a pin 221 is provided in the lower mold 220, but it is also possible to provide a pin in the upper mold 210 instead. Within the cavity 230 of the first mold 200, the remaining portion of the insulating film 10 becomes a free end that is not fixed anywhere, but by providing a pin 221 through a small hole 11 into which the remaining portion is inserted, the movement of the remaining portion of the insulating film 10 can be restricted. Furthermore, since tension is maintained on the insulating film 10 by inserting the pin 221 through the small hole 11 of the insulating film 10, the accuracy of this one-step molding process can be improved.

[0061] Next, as Figure 4 As shown in (c), molten resin 20' for forming the first resin layer 20 is injected into the cavity 230 through the gate 211 of the first mold 200. Furthermore, a thermoplastic resin is generally used as the molten resin 20'. In this case, the molten resin 20' injected into the cavity 230 becomes a high-temperature state. Then, the molten resin 20' is cured within the cavity 230. When using a thermoplastic resin as the molten resin 20', the resin can be cooled within the cavity 230. Alternatively, when using a thermosetting resin as the molten resin 20', the resin can be heated within the mold. By curing the molten resin 20', the first resin layer 20 covering the remaining portion of the insulating film 10 is formed. Thus, as... Figure 4 As shown in (d), an intermediate product 60 is obtained, with the periphery of the insulating film 10 reinforced by the first resin layer 20. Furthermore, a first small hole 21 corresponding to the shape of the pin 221 of the first mold 200 is formed in the first resin layer 20. This first small hole 21 of the first resin layer 20 communicates with the small holes 11 of the insulating film 10, and these small holes 11, 21 penetrate the intermediate product 60 in the thickness direction.

[0062] Next, in the secondary molding process, such as Figure 5 As shown in (a), firstly, an intermediate product 60, a first metal plate 30, a second metal plate 40, and a second mold 300, obtained in a single molding process, are prepared. The two metal plates 30 and 40 are the aforementioned articles, having clamping portions 32 and 42 that directly contact the insulating film 10, and terminal portions 31 and 41 provided at both ends thereof. The second mold 300 includes an upper mold 310 and a lower mold 320. (As shown in the image...) Figure 5 As shown in (b), the intermediate product 60 and the clamping portions 32, 42 of the two metal plates 30, 40 are accommodated between the upper mold 310 and the lower mold 320 of the second mold 300. Recesses for forming cavities 330 to accommodate these constituent articles are formed on the inner sides of the upper mold 310 and the lower mold 320, respectively. That is, when the upper mold 310 and the lower mold 320 are fitted together, the cavity 330 (hole) is defined by these recesses. The shape of the cavity 330 of this second mold 300 corresponds to the shape of the aforementioned second resin layer 50. Furthermore, a hole 311 is formed in the upper mold 310 for inserting the terminal portion 31 of the first metal plate 30, and similarly, a hole 321 is formed in the lower mold 320 for inserting the terminal portion 41 of the second metal plate 40. Also, a gate 313 connected to this cavity 330 is provided in the upper mold 310. A gate 313 can be set only once for a cavity 330, but multiple gates can also be set for a cavity 330.

[0063] Also, such as Figure 5 As shown in (b), within the second mold 300, the exposed portion of the insulating film 10 not covered by the first resin layer 20 is clamped by the clamping portions 32, 42 of each metal plate 30, 40. On the other hand, the remaining portion of the insulating film 10 not fixed between each metal plate 30, 40 is mostly covered by the first resin layer 20. Therefore, by pre-installing the first resin layer 20 on the insulating film 10, before performing the secondary molding process, since only the exposed portion of the insulating film 10 needs to be matched with the metal plates 30, 40, the alignment of the insulating film 10 and each metal plate 30, 40 becomes easier, further contributing to improved precision.

[0064] Also, such as Figure 5As shown, the second mold 300 has multiple protrusions 312 and 322 formed on the inner surfaces (surfaces on the cavity 330 side) of the upper mold 310 and lower mold 320. These protrusions 312 and 322 are positioned to abut against the clamping portions 32 and 42 of the two metal plates 30 and 40 into which the insulating film 10 is clamped when the upper mold 310 and lower mold 320 are engaged. Therefore, when the second mold 300 is closed, the clamping portions 32 and 42 of the two metal plates 30 and 40 are pushed toward the insulating film 10 through these protrusions 312 and 322. Injection molding is performed while the clamping portions 32 and 42 of the two metal plates 30 and 40 are pressed toward the insulating film 10, thereby suppressing wrinkles and shrinkage in the insulating film 10 during this injection molding process. Furthermore, in the completed conductive component 100, holes corresponding to the protrusions 312 and 322 of the second mold 300 are formed in the second resin layer 50, and the heat generated in the two metal plates 30 and 40 can be dissipated to the outside through these holes.

[0065] Next, as Figure 6 As shown in (c), molten resin 50' for forming the second resin layer 50 is injected into the cavity 330 through the gate 313 of the second mold 300. Furthermore, the molten resin 50' used for the second resin layer 50, like the molten resin 20' used for the first resin layer 20, is a thermoplastic resin or a thermosetting resin. The molten resin 50' then solidifies within the cavity 330 of the second mold 300. Thus, as... Figure 6 As shown in (d), a conductive member 100 is obtained in which the entire insulating film 10, the entire first resin layer 20, and the clamping portions 32, 42 of the two metal plates 30, 40 are sealed within the second resin layer 50. Furthermore, in this conductive member 100, the terminal portions 31, 41 of the two metal plates 30, 40 are exposed to the outside through the first hole portion 51 of the second resin layer 50. Figure 6 The structure of the conductive member 100 shown in (d) is basically the same as Figure 3 The same as shown.

[0066] Next, refer to Figure 7 and Figure 8 The various patterns of the intermediate product 60 obtained through a one-step molding process will be explained. First, in Figure 7 In the pattern shown in (a), similar to the aforementioned embodiment, all four sides of the rectangular insulating film 10 are reinforced by the first resin layer 20. Furthermore, in this pattern, the small holes 11 and 21 for fixing pins are only provided on a pair of long sides of the insulating film 10 and the first resin layer 20. Figure 7 In the pattern shown in (b), three sides of the rectangular insulating film 10 are reinforced by the first resin layer 20. In this way, it is not necessary to cover the entire circumference of the insulating film 10 with the first resin layer 20, but the uncovered edge can still be partially left.

[0067] exist Figure 7 (c) and Figure 7 In the pattern described in (d), only the two opposing sides (a pair of long sides) of the insulating film 10 are reinforced by the first resin layer 20, and a covering portion of the first resin layer 20 is further provided on the surface of the insulating film 10 in a manner that connects the first resin layers 20 on these two sides. Figure 7 In (c), the first resin layer 20 forms an H-shape in top view. Figure 7 In (d), the first resin layer 20 forms a Z-shape when viewed from above. Furthermore, in such a pattern, the metal plates 30, 40 are arranged in such a way that they do not overlap with the covered portion of the first resin layer 20 on the surface of the transverse insulating film 10.

[0068] exist Figure 7 In the pattern shown in (e), only the two opposing sides (a pair of long sides) of the insulating film 10 are reinforced by the first resin layer 20, while the other two sides (a pair of short sides) remain exposed. Even with such a pattern, wrinkles and shrinkage in the insulating film 10 inside the mold during a single molding process can still be prevented by forming small holes 11 and 21 for fixing pins in the insulating film 10 and the first resin layer 20.

[0069] exist Figure 7 In the pattern shown in (f), only the two adjacent sides (long and short sides) of the insulating film 10 are reinforced by the first resin layer 20, while the other two sides (long and short sides) remain exposed. In this pattern, the first resin layer 20 appears L-shaped in top view. Although this pattern is not ideal because the corner portion of the insulating film 10 not covered by the first resin layer 20 (the upper right corner in the figure) becomes unstable, it is possible to achieve such a pattern by carefully arranging the metal plates 30, 40 on the insulating film 10.

[0070] In addition, Figure 7 In the pattern shown, although the insulating film 10 is expected to be rectangular, the shape of the insulating film 10 is not limited to a rectangle. It can be in various shapes such as triangle, pentagon, other polygons, circle, ellipse, etc., depending on the application.

[0071] exist Figure 8 In the middle, it represents the cross-section of intermediate product 60. Furthermore, in... Figure 8 In the diagram, the predetermined configuration locations of the first metal plate 30 and the second metal plate 40 are indicated by dashed lines. Figure 8 In the pattern shown in (a), similar to the aforementioned embodiment, the edge (remaining portion) of the insulating film 10 is covered by the first resin layer 20 from both the front and back sides. Such a pattern is suitable, for example, when the first metal plate 30 disposed on the front side of the insulating film 10 and the second metal plate 40 disposed on its back side are the same size.

[0072] exist Figure 8 In the pattern shown in (b), the remaining portion of the insulating film 10 is covered only from the front (one side) side by the first resin layer 20, while the back (other side) side is not covered by the first resin layer 20, leaving the entire back exposed. Such a pattern is suitable, for example, when the size of the second metal plate 40 disposed on the back side is larger than the size of the first metal plate 30 disposed on the front side of the insulating film 10.

[0073] exist Figure 8 In the pattern shown in (c), for one side of the remaining portion of the insulating film 10, the first resin layer 20 is only covered from the front (one side) side, and the back (other side) side is exposed without any covering portion of the first resin layer 20. On the other hand, for the other side of the remaining portion of the insulating film 10, the first resin layer 20 is only covered from the back (other side) side, and the front (one side) side is exposed without any covering portion of the first resin layer 20. In this way, the surface covered by the first resin layer 20 can be different for each side of the insulating film 10. Such a pattern is suitable for situations, for example, where the first metal plate 30 disposed on the front side of the insulating film 10 and the second metal plate 40 disposed on its back side do not completely overlap but are partially offset.

[0074] Next, refer to Figure 9 and Figure 10 For conductive component 100, for use with... Figures 1 to 6 Different variations of the illustrated implementation will be described. First, in Figure 9 In the example shown, a first resin layer 20 is formed on the remaining portion of a pair of long sides of the rectangular insulating film 10, covering both the front and back surfaces. The cross-sectional shape of the first resin layer 20 disposed on this pair of long sides is shown in [the diagram]. Figure 8 The cross-section is the same as that of (a). On the other hand, in the remaining portion of a pair of short sides of the insulating film 10, a first resin layer 20 is formed such that it covers only the front side of one short side, and a first resin layer 20 is formed such that it covers only the back side of the other short side (not shown in the figure). The cross-sectional shape of the first resin layer 20 provided on this pair of short sides and Figure 8 The cross section shown in (c) is the same.

[0075] Also, in Figure 9In the example shown, the two metal plates 30 and 40 are rectangular plates without any bending or bending. The first metal plate 30 is positioned on the front side of the insulating film 10 without overlapping the first resin layer 20. The first metal plate 30 extends from the short side of the insulating film 10 where the first resin layer 20 is not located; this extended portion becomes the terminal portion 31, and the portion overlapping with the insulating film 10 becomes the clamping portion 32. Similarly, the second metal plate 40 is positioned on the back side of the insulating film 10 without overlapping the first resin layer 20. The second metal plate 40 extends from the short side of the insulating film 10 where the first resin layer 20 is not located; this extended portion becomes the terminal portion 41, and the portion overlapping with the insulating film 10 becomes the clamping portion 42. Therefore, the first metal plate 30 and the second metal plate 40 are positioned on the front and back sides of the insulating film 10, respectively, with a partially offset arrangement.

[0076] exist Figure 9 In (b), it is shown that the insulating film 10, which is reinforced by the first resin layer 20, and the two metal plates 30 and 40 are integrally bonded together by the second resin layer 50. Furthermore, in Figure 9 In (b), the second resin layer 50 is made transparent. In this way, a relatively flat conductive member 100 can also be obtained.

[0077] exist Figure 10 The diagram illustrates various variations of the conductive component 100, particularly the two metal plates 30 and 40. The shape of the conductive component 100 (metal plates 30 and 40) is not limited to... Figure 10 The shape shown, while Figure 10 In the middle, three changes are indicated that are more widely applicable. Furthermore, Figure 10 (a2), (b2), and (c2) are respectively for Figure 10 The conductive member 100 shown in (a1), (b1) and (c1) represents the cross-sectional shape of XX.

[0078] exist Figure 10 In the conductive component 100 shown in (a1) and (a2), the two metal plates 30 and 40 are used in a rectangular article in plan view. Furthermore, the clamping portions 32 and 42 of the two metal plates 30 and 40, into which the insulating film 10 is sandwiched, are bent at right angles at two points and are machined into a crank shape in cross-section. Moreover, by bending the ends of the two metal plates 30 and 40, two terminal portions 31 and 41 are formed in each metal plate 30 and 40.

[0079] Furthermore, even in Figure 10In the conductive component 100 shown in (b1) and (b2), the two metal plates 30 and 40 are used in a rectangular article in plan view. Furthermore, the clamping portions 32 and 42 of the two metal plates 30 and 40, into which the insulating film 10 is sandwiched, are bent at a right angle at one point and are machined into an L-shape in cross-section. Further, by bending the ends of the two metal plates 30 and 40, two terminal portions 31 and 41 are formed in each metal plate 30 and 40.

[0080] Also, in Figure 10 In the conductive member 100 shown in (c1) and (c2), the two metal plates 30 and 40 are cut or punched in a manner that forms an octagon with a bent portion in plan view. Furthermore, in this conductive member 100, the clamping portions 32 and 42 of the two metal plates 30 and 40, in which the insulating film 10 is sandwiched, are bent at an obtuse angle even in cross-section. Moreover, by bending the ends of the two metal plates 30 and 40, two terminal portions 31 and 41 are formed in each metal plate 30 and 40.

[0081] In this way, the shape of the conductive component 100, especially the shape of the metal plates 30 and 40, can be appropriately processed into the most suitable shape according to the application of the conductive component 100.

[0082] Next, refer to Figure 11 This involves the insulating film 10, and clarifies the meaning of the terms "pre-determined configuration location" and "remaining parts" for the two metal plates 30 and 40. In the anticipated... Figure 11 In the arrangement of the insulating film 10 and the two metal plates 30 and 40 shown in (a), the area within the insulating film 10 indicated by the bold dashed line is the predetermined arrangement portion 12, and the remaining portion is the residual portion 13. That is, the predetermined arrangement portion 12 is the portion of the insulating film 10 that contacts both or one of the two metal plates 30 and 40. This predetermined arrangement portion 12 includes: a two-sided contact portion 12a, which contacts both of the two metal plates 30 and 40; and a one-sided contact portion 12b, which contacts only one of the two metal plates 30 and 40. Figure 11 As shown in (a), when the positions of the two metal plates 30 and 40 are staggered, a one-sided contact portion 12b is formed within the predetermined placement portion 12. Furthermore, although not shown in the figure, when the positions of the two metal plates 30 and 40 are not staggered, the predetermined placement portion 12 only becomes a two-sided contact portion 12a. On the other hand, the remaining portion 13 is the part of the insulating film 10 other than the predetermined placement portion 12. That is, the remaining portion 13 is a portion that does not contact either of the two metal plates 30 and 40. Such a remaining portion 13 is mainly formed at the periphery of the insulating film 10.

[0083] Then, in such Figure 11 In the case of (b) top view of the insulating film 10, it is preferable that the first resin layer 20 covers most of the remaining portion 13 of the insulating film 10 from both sides or one side. Specifically, more than 80%, particularly more than 90%, of the remaining portion 13 can be covered by the first resin layer 20 from both sides or one side. On the other hand, it is not possible to form the first resin layer 20 at the two-sided contact portion 12a in the predetermined placement portion 12 of the insulating film 10. However, it is possible to cover the side opposite to the side in contact with the metal plates 30, 40 with the first resin layer 20 at the one-sided contact portion 12b in the predetermined placement portion 12 of the insulating film 10 (see reference). Figure 8 (a)). In this invention, even for this single-sided contact portion 12b, it is preferable to cover most of it (80% or 90% or more) from the side opposite to the side that is in contact with the metal plates 30, 40 beforehand by the first resin layer 20.

[0084] The above description, regarding the preferred embodiment of the present invention, mainly exemplifies the case where the first resin layer 20 and the second resin layer 50 are formed by injection molding, respectively. However, for the first resin layer 20 and the second resin layer 50, pre-cured resin parts can also be fabricated in advance, and these parts can be ultimately combined with the insulating film 10 and the two metal plates 30 and 40. In this case, for example... Figure 1 As shown, the first resin layer 20 and the second resin layer 50 are manufactured as different components from the insulating film 10 and the two metal plates 30 and 40, respectively. Then, the conductive component 100 can be manufactured by assembling all these components.

[0085] In this specification, in order to illustrate the content of the present invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings. Figure 1 The embodiments of the present invention will be described below. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, but includes modifications and improvements that are obvious to those skilled in the art based on the matters described in this specification.

[0086] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0087] 10: Insulating film

[0088] 11: Small hole

[0089] 12: Pre-selected configuration parts

[0090] 12a: Two-sided contact area

[0091] 12b: Single-sided contact part

[0092] 13: Remaining parts

[0093] 20: First resin layer (first resin)

[0094] 21: First small hole

[0095] 22: Second small hole

[0096] 30: First metal plate

[0097] 31: Terminal section

[0098] 32: Clamping part

[0099] 40: Second metal plate

[0100] 41: Terminal section

[0101] 42: Clamping part

[0102] 50: Second resin layer (second resin)

[0103] 51: First hole

[0104] 52: Second hole

[0105] 60: Intermediate products

[0106] 100: Conductive component

[0107] 200: First mold

[0108] 210: Upper mold

[0109] 211: Gate

[0110] 220: Lower mold

[0111] 221: Sales

[0112] 230: Cavity

[0113] 300: Second mold

[0114] 310: Upper mold

[0115] 311: Hole

[0116] 312: convex part

[0117] 313: Gate

[0118] 320: Lower mold

[0119] 321: Hole

[0120] 322: convex part

[0121] 330: Cavity

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing an electrically conductive member in which an insulating film is interposed between two metal plates, characterized by, Include: A one-step molding process, which produces an intermediate product in which the insulating film is at least partially exposed, and the insulating film is covered by an insulating, cured first resin; as well as In the secondary molding process, at least a portion of the exposed portion of the insulating film of the intermediate product is sandwiched between the two metal plates without the intervention of the first resin, and the clamping portion of the insulating film in the two metal plates is covered by an insulating second resin.

2. The manufacturing method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The one-time molding process is the following process: covering all or part of the periphery of the insulating film with the first resin.

3. The manufacturing method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The one-time molding process is as follows: the insulating film is disposed in a first mold having a cavity corresponding to the covering portion of the first resin, and the first resin is cured after molten first resin is injected into the cavity.

4. The manufacturing method according to claim 3, characterized in that, In the one-time molding process, while a portion of the insulating film to be inserted into the cavity of the first mold is fixed by the first mold, molten first resin is injected into the cavity.

5. The manufacturing method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The one-time molding process is the following process: installing the cured first resin onto the insulating film.

6. The manufacturing method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The secondary molding process is as follows: the clamping part of the two metal plates is arranged in a second mold having a cavity corresponding to the covering part of the second resin, and the second resin is cured after the molten second resin is injected into the cavity.

7. The manufacturing method according to claim 6, characterized in that, In the secondary molding process, the clamping portion of the two metal plates is pushed toward the insulating film from one or both sides using the second mold, while molten second resin is injected into the cavity of the second mold.

8. The manufacturing method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The secondary molding process is as follows: the cured second resin is installed in the clamping part of the insulating film between the two metal plates.

9. A conductive component, characterized in that, have: Insulating film; The first resin layer is partially deposited on both sides or one side of the insulating film; Two metal plates, after the first resin layer has cured, are configured to at least partially sandwich the exposed portion of the insulating film without the first resin layer being deposited, in a manner in which the first resin layer does not intervene. as well as A second resin layer covers the clamping portion of the insulating film in the two metal plates.

Images