Electronic devices
The electronic device design with a divided metal frame and insulated islands addresses the issue of short-circuiting by the outer peripheral electrode, improving structural integrity and reducing electrical failures.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- LINTEC CORP
- Filing Date
- 2024-12-27
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-09
AI Technical Summary
The outer peripheral electrode in conventional electronic devices is prone to short-circuiting with lead wires due to its extensive coverage, posing a risk of electrical failure.
The electronic device incorporates a substrate with electronic elements, protruding electrodes, and a metal frame surrounding these elements, divided by cuts into multiple islands, which are insulated from each other to prevent short circuits and enhance structural integrity.
This configuration reduces the likelihood of short circuits and strengthens the device, particularly around lead wire connections, thereby enhancing the device's reliability and durability.
Smart Images
Figure 2026115521000001_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present invention relates to an electronic device.
Background Art
[0002] Conventionally, an electronic device having a plurality of electronic elements and an electrode connecting the electronic elements and a lead wire extending from the outside is known.
[0003] For example, in Patent Document 1, an outer peripheral electrode is provided so as to surround a plurality of electronic elements.
Prior Art Documents
Patent Documents
[0004]
Patent Document 1
Summary of the Invention
Problems to be Solved by the Invention
[0005] However, since the outer peripheral electrode is formed over almost the entire circumference of the outer periphery in the above-described technique, there is a problem that it is likely to be short-circuited with a lead wire or the like extending from the outside.
Means for Solving the Problems
[0006] [[ID=,45]] To solve this problem, for example, the electronic device of the present invention has the following configuration. That is, a substrate, electronic elements provided on the substrate, a protruding electrode provided on the substrate and electrically connected to the electronic elements, a metal frame provided on the substrate and surrounding at least a part of the electronic elements and the protruding electrode, and including a plurality of islands divided by cuts, and comprising.
Effects of the Invention
[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an electronic device that is less prone to short circuits. [Brief explanation of the drawing]
[0008] [Figure 1A] A plan view of the lower device of the electronic device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 1B] A plan view of the upper device of the electronic device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] A diagram illustrating the manufacturing process of an electronic device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] Plan view of the electronic device according to the second embodiment. [Figure 4] Plan view of the electronic device according to the third embodiment. [Figure 5] A plan view of the electronic device according to the fourth embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]
[0009] The following embodiments are not intended to limit the invention as defined in the claims, and not all combinations of features described in the embodiments are essential to the invention. Two or more of the features described in the embodiments may be combined in any way.
[0010] (First Embodiment) Figure 1A is a plan view of the lower device of the electronic device according to the first embodiment. Figure 1B is a plan view of the upper device of the electronic device according to the first embodiment. Both Figures 1A and 1B are top views. The plan view of the lower device refers to a view looking down at the device from the interface side of the separated thermoelectric element 12, after separating the upper substrate 41 from the device at the interface between the wiring 42 and the thermoelectric element 12. The arrows labeled XY in Figures 1A and 1B may represent the X direction and the Y direction. The X direction may intersect (in this case be perpendicular to) the Y direction. In the following description, the +X side may be the right side of the lower substrate 11 in Figure 1A. The +X side region may be the right side region of the lower substrate 11 in Figure 1A. The -X side may be the left side of the lower substrate 11 in Figure 1A. The -X side region may be the left side region of the lower substrate 11 in Figure 1A. The +Y side may be the upper side of the lower substrate 11 in Figure 1A. The +Y side region may be the upper region of the lower substrate 11 in Figure 1A. The -Y side may be the lower side of the lower substrate 11 in Figure 1A. The -Y side region may be the lower region of the lower substrate 11 in Figure 1A. For example, the origin may be the center of the lower substrate 11.
[0011] As shown in Figures 1A and 1B, the electronic device 100 may include a lower device 10 and an upper device 40.
[0012] As shown in Figure 1A, the lower device 10 may include a lower substrate 11, a plurality of thermoelectric elements 12, lower wiring 13, a pair of protruding electrodes 14, and a metal frame 15.
[0013] The lower substrate 11 is not particularly limited. The lower substrate 11 may be, for example, a heat-resistant plastic substrate such as polyimide, a bakelite substrate, a paper epoxy substrate, a glass epoxy substrate, a glass composite substrate, a ceramic substrate, or a Teflon® substrate. The lower substrate 11 may be, for example, a quadrilateral with sides parallel to the X and Y directions in a plan view.
[0014] The thermoelectric element 12 may be a Peltier element and is an example of an electronic element. When an electric current flows through the thermoelectric element 12, it may absorb heat on one side and generate heat on the other side. A plurality of thermoelectric elements 12 may be arranged and provided along two directions on the lower substrate 11. That is, the plurality of thermoelectric elements 12 may be arranged in a matrix. The arrangement of the plurality of thermoelectric elements 12 may be changed as appropriate. For example, the plurality of thermoelectric elements 12 may be arranged linearly or may be arranged in a matrix with gaps. The thermoelectric element 12 may have a pair of electrodes (wiring) on the top and bottom.
[0015] The lower wiring 13 may be provided on the lower substrate 11. The lower wiring 13 may be made of a conductive material such as copper. The lower wiring 13 may be patterned and provided so as to straddle two adjacent thermoelectric elements 12. Specifically, the lower wiring 13 may electrically connect a part of the lower electrodes of two thermoelectric elements 12 adjacent in the Y direction. Also, the lower wiring 13 may electrically connect the thermoelectric element 12 at the -Y side end in the column of thermoelectric elements 12 arranged in the Y direction and the thermoelectric element 12 at the -Y side end in the column of adjacent thermoelectric elements 12.
[0016] The protruding electrode 14 may be provided on the lower substrate 11. The protruding electrode 14 may be made of a conductive material such as copper. The protruding electrode 14 may be formed of the same material in the same layer as the lower wiring 13 on the lower substrate 11. The protruding electrode 14 may be patterned. Each of the pair of protruding electrodes 14 may be electrically connected to any one of the plurality of thermoelectric elements 12. For example, one protruding electrode 14 may be connected to the thermoelectric element 12 at one end among the plurality of thermoelectric elements 12 connected in series, and the other protruding electrode 14 may be connected to the thermoelectric element 12 at the other end. Each of the protruding electrodes 14 may be electrically connected to a lead wire 20 extending to the outside. The lead wire 20 may be connected to an external device such as a power source. Thereby, the protruding electrode 14 may supply the power supplied from the power source to the thermoelectric element 12 via the lead wire 20.
[0017] The metal frame 15 may be provided on the lower substrate 11. The metal frame 15 may be made of a conductive material such as copper. The metal frame 15 may be formed of the same material in the same layer as the lower wiring 13 and the protruding electrode 14 on the lower substrate 11. The metal frame 15 may be provided on the outer periphery of the lower substrate 11 so as to surround the outer peripheries of the plurality of thermoelectric elements 12, the lower wiring 13, and the protruding electrode 14. The metal frame 15 may be formed separately from the plurality of thermoelectric elements 12, the lower wiring 13, and the protruding electrode 14. Thereby, the metal frame 15 may be insulated from the plurality of thermoelectric elements 12, the lower wiring 13, and the protruding electrode 14.
[0018] The metal frame 15 may be patterned. Specifically, a bent cut 16 may be formed in the metal frame 15. Thereby, the metal frame 15 may have a plurality of islands 17 divided by the cut 16.
[0019] Here, the number of islands 17 in the -Y side region (an example of the first region) on the lower substrate 11 close to the lead wire 20 is larger than the number of islands 17 in the +Y side region (an example of the second region) far from the lead wire 20. Thereby, short - circuit can be more suppressed in the region where the lead wire 20 extends. On the other hand, in the +Y side region where the lead wire 20 does not exist and short - circuit is unlikely to occur, there may be no cut and the island 17 may be large. Thereby, in the +Y side region, the continuous metal frame 15 improves the strength.
[0020] The cut 16 may expose the lower substrate 11. Thereby, the cut 16 may insulate the plurality of islands 17 from each other. The cut 16 includes cuts 16a and 16b extending in a plurality of directions. The cuts 16a and 16b are examples of the first cut and the second cut.
[0021] The cut 16a may be a cut between X-directions. The direction in which the cut 16a extends may intersect (in this case, orthogonal) with the direction in which the cut 16b extends. For example, the cut 16a may extend in the Y direction, which is the direction that intersects with the nearest edge of the lower substrate 11 (the -Y side edge). Here, the cut 16a does not have to extend in a straight line from the -Y side to the +Y side across the entire width of the metal frame 15 in the Y direction. In other words, the cut 16a may be cut in the middle in the Y direction. As a result, even if a crack originating from the edge closest to the cut 16a (in this case, the -Y side edge) extends along the cut 16a, the crack may collide with the island 17 of the metal frame 15 along the way. As a result, the metal frame 15 can suppress the extension of the crack.
[0022] The cut 16b may be a cut between Y-directions. The cut 16b may extend in the X-direction intersecting the direction in which the lead wire 20 extends. The cut 16b closest to the -Y side may be longer than the cut 16a and may extend over almost the entire length of the metal frame 15 in the X-direction. This allows the cut 16b to divide the metal frame 15 into multiple islands 17 in the Y-direction where the lead wire 20 extends, thereby suppressing short circuits. Also, in the Y-direction, the positions of both ends of the cut 16b in the X-direction may differ from the position of the central cut 16b. In other words, the cut 16b may be cut in the middle. This allows the metal frame 15 to suppress the extension of cracks originating from the +X and -X sides of the lower substrate 11.
[0023] As shown in Figure 1B, the upper device 40 may have an upper substrate 41 and upper wiring 42. The upper device 40 may be mounted on the lower device 10 with the side of the upper wiring 42 facing the lower device 10.
[0024] The upper substrate 41 is not particularly limited, but may be the same substrate as the lower substrate 11.
[0025] The upper wiring 42 may be formed on the lower surface of the upper substrate 41. The upper wiring 42 may be made of a conductive material. The upper wiring 42 may be patterned and provided to span two adjacent thermoelectric elements 12. The upper wiring 42 may electrically connect the upper electrodes of a portion of two adjacent thermoelectric elements 12 in the Y direction. The upper wiring 42 may electrically connect the thermoelectric element 12 at the +Y end of a row of thermoelectric elements 12 arranged in the Y direction to the thermoelectric element 12 at the +Y end of an adjacent row of thermoelectric elements 12.
[0026] Here, the lower wiring 13 and the upper wiring 42 may electrically connect the thermoelectric elements 12 alternately. This allows the lower wiring 13 and the upper wiring 42 to connect all of the multiple thermoelectric elements 12 in series. The method of connecting the multiple thermoelectric elements 12 by the lower wiring 13 and the upper wiring 42 may be changed as appropriate. For example, the lower wiring 13 and the upper wiring 42 may connect some or all of the multiple thermoelectric elements 12 in parallel.
[0027] Next, the manufacturing method of the lower device 10 will be described. Figure 2 is a diagram illustrating the manufacturing process of the lower device 10 according to the first embodiment.
[0028] In the manufacturing process of the lower device 10, first, as shown in Figure 2(a), a metal layer 30 may be formed over the entire surface of the lower substrate 11. Note that in Figure 2(a), a portion of the lower substrate 11 may be exposed for illustrative purposes.
[0029] Next, a patterned resist film 32 may be formed on the metal layer 30, as shown in the hatched area in Figure 2(b). There are no particular limitations on the method for forming the resist film 32, but as an example, a photoetching technique using a photomask may be applied. The pattern of the resist film 32 may be in the shape of the lower wiring 13, the protruding electrode 14, and the metal frame 15.
[0030] Next, as shown in Figure 2(c), the metal layer 30 exposed from the resist film 32 may be removed. For example, the metal layer 30 may be removed by techniques such as dry etching or wet etching. As a result, the metal layer 30 takes the shape of the lower wiring 13, the protruding electrode 14, and the metal frame 15.
[0031] After this, the thermoelectric element 12 is installed, and the lower device 10 shown in Figure 1A is completed.
[0032] As described above, in the first embodiment, the lower device 10 may have a metal frame 15 formed on the outer circumference of the lower substrate 11, which is divided into a plurality of islands 17 by cuts 16. This improves the strength of the lower device 10 with the metal frame 15, and the cuts 16 in the metal frame 15 suppress short circuits with the lead wires 20.
[0033] In the lower device 10, the cut 16 is bent, which prevents cracks extending from the outer periphery of the lower substrate 11 from extending inward. In particular, since the cut 16a is cut midway, it prevents cracks extending from the -Y side from extending further inward.
[0034] In the lower device 10, the gap 16 is hardly formed in areas where the lead wires 20 do not extend. This allows the metal frame 15 to be made stronger in areas where there is little risk of short circuits.
[0035] (Second Embodiment) Next, a second embodiment with a different metal frame shape will be described. Figure 3 is a plan view of the lower device 10A of the second embodiment. In the second embodiment, the description will focus on the configurations that differ from the first embodiment, and similar configurations will be omitted or simplified in their description.
[0036] As shown in Figure 3, the lower device 10A may have a metal frame 15A. The metal frame 15A may have multiple cuts 16, including cuts 16a and 16b. This may divide the metal frame 15A into multiple islands 17.
[0037] The slit 16b may extend in the X direction. In the second embodiment, two slits 16b extending almost the entire width in the X direction may be formed. As a result, in the second embodiment, there are, for example, three rows of islands 17 arranged in the X direction.
[0038] In the second embodiment, the same configuration as in the first embodiment can be achieved.
[0039] Furthermore, in the second embodiment, since the metal frame 15 is divided and subdivided into more parts, short circuits can be further suppressed.
[0040] (Third embodiment) Next, a third embodiment with a different metal frame shape will be described. Figure 4 is a plan view of the lower device 10B of the third embodiment. In the third embodiment, the description will focus on configurations that differ from those of the embodiments described above, and similar configurations will be omitted or simplified in their description.
[0041] As shown in Figure 4, the lower device 10B may have a metal frame 15B. The metal frame 15B may have multiple cuts 16, including cuts 16a and 16b. This may divide the metal frame 15B into multiple islands 17.
[0042] In the third embodiment, the cut 16b extending in the X direction may be cut at several points by islands 17. In other words, multiple cuts 16b may be arranged on the same straight line. Some of the islands 17 may be formed in a stepped shape. As a result, the islands 17 can further suppress the extension of cracks originating from the X-side edge of the lower substrate 11. In other words, the third embodiment can suppress the extension of cracks originating from both the X and Y directions.
[0043] In the third embodiment, the same effects as those of the embodiments described above can be achieved.
[0044] (Fourth Embodiment) Next, a fourth embodiment with a different metal frame shape will be described. Figure 5 is a plan view of the lower device 10C of the fourth embodiment. In the fourth embodiment, the description will focus on configurations that differ from those of the embodiments described above, and similar configurations will be omitted or simplified in their description.
[0045] As shown in Figure 5, the lower device 10C may have a metal frame 15C. The metal frame 15C may have a number of cuts 16a, which are cuts 16 formed therein. This may divide the metal frame 15C into a number of islands 17.
[0046] The multiple slits 16a may extend in the Y direction along the lead wire 20. One of the multiple slits 16a may be formed near the -Y side edge, perpendicular to that edge, and extending almost the entire length of the island 17 in the Y direction. As a result, the metal frame 15C near the -Y side edge may be divided into two islands 17. This allows the island 17 to suppress short circuits of the lead wire 20.
[0047] (Other forms of modification) The shapes and number of the metal frame, cuts, and islands described above are examples and may be modified as appropriate. For example, the metal frame may surround at least a portion of the outer periphery of the thermoelectric element, electrodes, and wiring.
[0048] For example, the cut may consist only of a cut 16a extending in the Y direction. The cut may not be parallel to the edge, but intersect with the edge, i.e., it may be inclined with respect to the edge. The cut may not be straight, but curved.
[0049] The shape and number of islands may be changed as appropriate. For example, the number of islands may be two or more, or three or more. Regardless of the number of islands, it is preferable that the number of islands in the direction in which the lead wire extends is greater than the number of islands in the direction in which the lead wire does not extend. Furthermore, it is desirable that the slit 16 be formed around the protruding electrode 14 from the viewpoint of short-circuiting due to contact with the lead wire 20.
[0050] The invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the gist of the invention. [Explanation of Symbols]
[0051] 10, 10A, 10B, 10C... Electronic devices 11...Lower board 12. Thermoelectric elements 14...Protruding electrode 15, 15A, 15B, 15C... Metal frame 16, 16a, 16b... gaps 17...Island
Claims
1. circuit board and An electronic element provided on the substrate, A protruding electrode provided on the substrate and electrically connected to the electronic element, A metal frame provided on the substrate, surrounding at least a portion of the electronic element and the protruding electrode, and including a plurality of islands divided by a cut, An electronic device characterized by comprising the following features.
2. The protruding electrode is connected to an externally extending lead wire. At least a portion of the cut in the metal frame extends along the lead wire The electronic device according to feature 1.
3. The metal frame has a first cut and a second cut that extends in a direction intersecting the first cut. The electronic device according to feature 1.
4. The cut in the aforementioned metal frame is bent. The electronic device according to feature 1.
5. The protruding electrode is connected to an externally extending lead wire. The aforementioned metal frame is divided into three or more islands, The number of first regions of the aforementioned multiple islands is greater than the number of second regions which are further from the lead wire than the first regions. The electronic device according to feature 1.
6. The protruding electrode and the metal frame are formed of the same material on the same layer of the substrate. The electronic device according to feature 1.
7. The aforementioned electronic element is a thermoelectric element. The electronic device according to feature 1.