Airtight connector and method of manufacturing same

Abstract

[Problem] To provide an airtight connector that can be provided with fine circuit wiring without using masking, and a method for manufacturing the airtight connector. [Solution] An airtight connector in which the surface of a connector base part, which has a hole and is formed by injection molding a material such as a synthetic resin, has a skin section and a skinless section, and has an electroconductive section that is tightly attached to a roughened surface of the skinless section and is formed as an integrated member covering the hole.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an airtight connector that establishes electrical connection via a conductive terminal while maintaining airtightness, and a method for manufacturing the same. [Background technology]

[0002] Traditionally, small electronic components are sealed in a vacuum or with an inert gas to prevent corrosion of the internal circuitry due to humidity and malfunction due to changes in gas viscosity, as their performance is greatly affected by humidity and the viscosity of the gas. Also, airtight containers are used to operate electronic components in vacuum, pressure, liquid, and gas environments, and hermetic connectors that have airtight properties are used to introduce power without compromising the airtightness of the container and to extract internal sensor signals.

[0003] Conventional airtight connectors, as described in Patent Documents 1 and 2, include an insulating substrate such as a ceramic plate or a glass epoxy plate for isolating the internal atmosphere from the external atmosphere, or a metal plate, in which a through hole is provided, a metal pin for electrical connection is inserted into the through hole, and the gap is sealed and joined by glass sealing, silver brazing, soldering, etc. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2006-40766 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2013-89313 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The airtightness of airtight connectors for small electronic components is tested by ultra-fine leak tests at a level of 1×10-15 Pa·m3 / s (He) and fine leak tests at a level of 1×10-9 Pa·m3 / s (He). The airtight connectors of the above-mentioned conventional technology have problems in that good sealing cannot be guaranteed due to poor joints during manufacturing by brazing or soldering, and cracks caused by aging. In addition, instead of joining by brazing or soldering, there is a technology in which the gap between the insulating substrate and the metal pin is filled with glass and then heated to a high temperature to melt and join. However, it is necessary to join three materials with different linear expansion coefficients, namely the substrate, the metal pin, and the glass, and since there is an interface in the through hole direction, gaps are likely to occur between the substrate and the glass and between the glass and the metal pin, making it difficult to reliably prevent leaks, resulting in low product yields and causing an increase in the cost of this type of airtight connector.

[0006] In the electrical and electronics fields, thermoplastic synthetic resins that are excellent in corrosion resistance and insulation and suitable for injection molding are widely used for mounting substrates and component cases. In particular, liquid crystal polymer (LCP) resins have many advantages, such as excellent flowability during molding, high heat resistance, and excellent chemical resistance. However, liquid crystal polymer (LCP) resins have disadvantages such as anisotropy of molded products and low weld strength. In order to improve this, they are modified by filling with glass fibers, etc. In addition, they are reinforced with inorganic fillers such as glass beads and calcium pyrophosphate to improve elasticity and strength. In recent years, there is an increasing need to form circuit wiring for mounting small electronic components in airtight connectors. In addition, there is a demand for an airtight connector that can form dense circuit wiring without a masking process that causes an increase in manufacturing costs, and a manufacturing method thereof. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] (1) A first embodiment of the present invention provides an airtight connector for maintaining airtightness between a first space and a second space and electrically connecting a first conductor in the first space and a second conductor in the second space, the airtight connector having an insulator connector base having a hole communicating the first space with the second space and a partition portion dividing the two spaces by a portion other than the hole, the first surface of the connector base having a first skinned portion and a first skinless portion, and a first conductive portion, such as a plated portion, formed as an integral member that is in close contact with the roughened surface of the first skinless portion and covers the hole. With this configuration, the conductive part that closes the hole maintains airtightness between the first space and the second space and electrically connects the first conductor and the second conductor, thereby obtaining good conductivity and high airtightness. In addition, the conductive part can be formed as a circuit wiring and electronic components can be mounted thereon.

[0008] (2) A second embodiment of the airtight connector of the present invention is characterized in that, in the airtight connector of (1), a second surface of the connector base located on a surface other than the first surface, for example the opposite surface, has a second skinned portion and a second skinless portion, and has a second conductive portion formed to be in close contact with the roughened surface of the second skinless portion and electrically connected to the first conductive portion. With this configuration, it is possible to achieve high airtightness and form circuit wiring for mounting electronic components not only on the upper surface side of the connector base but also on the lower surface side, for example.

[0009] (3) A third embodiment of the airtight connector of the present invention is an airtight connector for maintaining airtightness between a first space and a second space and electrically connecting a first conductor in the first space and a second conductor in the second space, the airtight connector having an insulating connector base having a hole communicating the first space and the second space and a partition portion dividing the two spaces by a portion other than the hole, the connector base being an injection-molded product of a synthetic resin, the first surface of the connector base having a first skinned portion and a first skinless portion, the surface of the skinless portion having a recess, the conductive portion being formed to fit into the recess and formed as an integral member covering the hole. With this configuration, the conductive portion has high adhesion to the non-skin portion, resulting in high airtightness and high adhesion sufficient to withstand the mounting of electronic components.

[0010] (4) A manufacturing method for an airtight connector according to a first embodiment of the present invention is a manufacturing method for an airtight connector for maintaining airtightness between a first space and a second space and electrically connecting a first conductor in the first space and a second conductor in the second space, characterized in having a connector base formation process for forming a connector base having a hole communicating the first space and the second space and having a skin layer on its surface by injection molding of a synthetic resin, a hole closing process for closing the hole with a molded body, a first skin layer removal process for selectively removing the skin layer on a portion of the surface of the connector base to form a first skinless portion, a first conductive portion formation process for forming a first conductive portion on the first skinless portion and on the surface of the molded body, and a molded body removal process for removing the molded body. With this configuration, a conductive portion is formed in the non-skin portion without masking, and circuit wiring can be performed in the airtight connector by selectively forming a conductive portion.

[0011] (5) A manufacturing method for an airtight connector according to a second embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that, in addition to the manufacturing method of (4), it further includes a first roughening step of applying a roughening treatment to the first skinless portion, and the first conductive portion forming step forms a first conductive portion on the roughened first skinless portion and the surface of the molded body, and includes a second skin layer removal step of selectively removing the skin layer on a portion of the surface other than the surface from which the skin layer has been removed by the roughened first skin layer removal step, a second roughening step of applying a roughening treatment to the second skinless portion from which the skin layer has been removed by the second skin layer removal step, and a second conductive portion forming step of forming a second conductive portion electrically connected to the first conductive portion in the second skinless portion roughened by the second roughening step. By using this configuration, it is possible to achieve high airtightness in the airtight connector without masking, while forming circuit wiring for mounting electronic components not only on the upper surface side of the connector base, but also on the lower surface side, for example.

[0012] (6) A manufacturing method of an airtight connector according to a first embodiment of the present invention is a manufacturing method of an airtight connector for maintaining airtightness between a first space and a second space and electrically connecting a first conductor in the first space and a second conductor in the second space, characterized in that it includes a connector base formation step of forming a connector base by injection molding of a synthetic resin, the connector base having a hole communicating the first space and the second space and having a skin layer on its surface; a hole closing step of closing the hole with a molded body; a first skin layer removal step of selectively removing the skin layer on a part of the surface of the connector base by laser processing to form a first skinless portion; a roughening step of forming a recess on the surface of the skinless portion by chemical etching; a conductive portion formation step of forming a conductive portion on the surface of the skinless portion and the molded body by plating so that metal can enter the recess; and a molded body removal step of removing the molded body. By using this configuration, a plated portion can be formed on the core layer surface of the skinless portion from which the skin layer has been removed, without the need for masking, and circuit wiring for mounting electronic components on the surface of the connector base can be formed at low cost. Effect of the Invention

[0013] According to the present invention, it is possible to realize an airtight connector structure having dense circuit wiring without performing masking, which causes an increase in manufacturing costs. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of the configuration of an airtight connector to which the present invention is applied. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1A is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the configuration of an airtight connector according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. [Diagram 3] 3A is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a portion of the airtight connector of the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, FIG. 3B is a bottom view showing the schematic configuration, and FIG. 3C is a side view showing the schematic configuration. [Figure 4] 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing steps (A) to (E) of a method for producing the airtight connector having the configuration shown in FIG. [Diagram 5] 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing steps (F) to (I) of a method for producing the airtight connector having the configuration shown in FIG. [Figure 6] 10A to 10C are schematic cross-sectional views showing a method for manufacturing an airtight connector according to another embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0015] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of an airtight connector to which the present invention is applied. In FIG. 1, an insulating connector base 1 is molded with, for example, a polyester-based liquid crystal polymer (LCP), and has a partition wall 4 that divides a first space 2 and a second space 3. When molding the connector base 1, a suitable filler (filling agent) can be included to improve the properties of the liquid crystal polymer (LCP). Typically, one space is, for example, a vacuum, pressure, liquid, or gas environment, and the other space is, for example, an atmospheric atmosphere in which electronic components are stored. Note that electronic components may also be mounted in a space such as a vacuum, pressure, liquid, or gas environment.

[0016] Airtight connectors are used in many industrial fields, including aviation, space, defense, security, air conditioner compressors, gas sensors, flow sensors, medical sensors, etc. The outer shape of the connector base 1 has a shape such as a roughly cylindrical shape or a roughly rectangular parallelepiped shape depending on the application of the airtight connector. A hole 5 is provided in the partition portion 4, and a conductive plating portion 6 made of copper or the like is formed to a thickness of about 25 μm to cover the hole 5 and its surroundings. In this example, the plating portion 6 is formed so as to cover the hole 5 and its surroundings.

[0017] A pin 7 is brazed to one surface of the plated portion 6 covering the hole 5, and a pin 8 is brazed to the other surface. The pins 7 and 8 are members for electrical connection, with the surface of a base material such as pure copper, brass, or phosphorus bronze plated with gold or tin. The brazing is performed by soldering, silver brazing, or gold-tin (AuSn) bonding using high-frequency induction heating (IH). If the LCP material leaks, sealing portions 9 and 10 impregnated with epoxy resin, epoxy, or acrylic resin may be provided. In such an airtight connector, the plated portion 6 maintains airtightness and provides electrical connection. In particular, since the plated portion 6 is formed to cover the hole 5 and its periphery, the contact area between the partition portion 4 and the plated portion 6 is large, so that the plated portion 6 is less likely to peel off from the partition portion 4 when force is applied to the pins 7 and 8, and the breaking strength of the airtight connector is improved. The plated portion 6 is in close contact with the partition portion 4 and is an integral or single member with respect to the entire portion covering the hole 5. Even when a plated portion having an increased thickness is formed by overlapping electroless plating and electroplating, it still remains an integral or single member.

[0018] Next, an embodiment of the airtight connector according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 2. In FIG. 2(A), a cross-sectional structure similar to that shown in FIG. 1 is shown in a simplified form. In FIG. 2(A), the connector base 20 is an injection-molded product of synthetic resin, for example, LCP (liquid crystal polymer), and has a structure consisting of a skin layer 11 on the surface and a core layer 12 on the inside. In the injection molding process, a structure called a skin layer having a thickness of about 0.1 to 0.3 mm exists on the surface of the molded product where the liquid crystal polymer (LCP) resin comes into contact with the mold. It is believed that the formation of the skin layer is related to the mold temperature, the dwell pressure, and the resin temperature, and it is necessary to stabilize the formation of the skin layer in order to reduce the molding compression and increase the dimensional accuracy of the molded product. On the other hand, even if a circuit pattern is formed on this skin layer, destruction occurs in the skin layer portion, and the conductor portion peels off from the base. The actual thickness of the skin layer 11 varies depending on the injection conditions and is about 0.1 to 0.3 mm, but FIG. 2(A) shows it diagrammatically regardless of the actual ratio to the thickness of the core layer.

[0019] A plated portion 6 is formed on the upper surface of the connector base 20 in a portion where there is no skin layer 11. The portion of the surface of the connector base 20 where there is no plated portion 6 is a skinned portion 21 where this skin layer 11 is present, and below the portion where there is plated layer 6 is a skinless portion 22 where there is no skin layer and the core layer 12 is exposed. The surface of the core layer 12 in this skinless portion 22 is a rough surface with projections and recesses, which provides high adhesion to the plated portion 6 and reliably prevents leaks. In Figure 2(A), the rough surface with projections and recesses is indicated by a dashed line.

[0020] The plated portion 6 is in close contact with the roughened core layer 12 and is an integral or single member with respect to the entire portion covering the hole 5. It is to be noted that even when the plated portion is formed by overlapping electroless plating and electroplating to increase its thickness, it is an integral or single member. In the skinless portion 22 on the lower surface side of the connector base 20, the plated portion 26 is also in close contact with the roughened core layer 12 and is electrically connected to the plated portion 6. Since the plated portions 6, 26 are formed on the roughened core layer 12, the plating material penetrates into the unevenness, increasing the adhesive strength, and sufficient strength is obtained for mounting electronic components thereon. In the airtight connector according to this embodiment, the connector base 20 is covered with the skin layer 11 or the plated portions 6, 26, and therefore has the characteristic of having high gas barrier properties. In addition, the skinned portion 21 on which the plated portions 6, 26 are not formed has high mechanical strength because the skin layer remains.

[0021] Fig. 2(B) is an enlarged view of a portion 29 in Fig. 2(A). In Fig. 2(B), the core layer 12 contains a large number of additives 15 that are injection molded together with the liquid crystal polymer resin. Only one is shown in the figure. The surface of the core layer 12 in the skinless portion 22 has a number of recesses that are traces of the additives 15 eluted by, for example, chemical etching. The plated portion 6 is formed by filling these recesses with metal.

[0022] 3 is a schematic diagram of a connector base of an embodiment of the airtight connector according to the present invention. The connector base 30 is molded with an LDS material for manufacturing an injection molded circuit device (MID) by LDS (Laser Direct Structuring), and in this example, a liquid crystal polymer (LCP) resin is used. Note that, as the LDS material, thermoplastics such as acrylonitrile butadiene (ABS) resin, polycarbonate (PC) resin, PC / ABS resin, polycarbonate (PC) + polyethylene terephthalate (PET) resin, polyphthalamide (PPA) resin, polyamide / polyphthalamide (PA / PPA) resin, polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) resin, cycloolefin polymer (COP) resin, polyphenylene ether (PPE) resin, polyetherimide (PEI) resin, and polyether ether ketone (PEEK) resin, and thermosetting resins such as phenol and epoxy can also be used.

[0023] The material of the synthetic resin molded product other than the LDS molding material may be any of thermoplastic resin and thermosetting resin materials as long as it is a synthetic resin to which a metal thin film can be firmly attached, but considering that such molded products will later be subjected to harsh treatments such as soldering, it is desirable to use a material with high heat resistance and excellent mechanical strength, and from the viewpoint of mass production, a thermoplastic resin that can be injection molded is preferable. Examples of such materials include aromatic polyesters, polyamides, polyacetals, polycarbonates, polyarylene sulfides, polysulfones, polyphenylene oxides, polyimides, polyether ketones, polyarylates, and compositions thereof. In particular, liquid crystal polymers (e.g., liquid crystal polyesters, polyester amides) and polyarylene sulfides are particularly suitable from the viewpoints of high melting points, high strength, high rigidity, moldability, etc., but are not limited to these. In addition, in order to increase the adhesion of the metal thin film, an appropriate substance such as an easily etchable substance may be mixed into the material as necessary.

[0024] As shown in Fig. 3(A), on the upper surface of the connector base 30, similar to the connector base 20 in Fig. 2, a plated portion 6 is formed on the skinless portion 22, and the hole 5 is blocked by this plated portion 6. On the lower surface of the connector base 30, a skinned portion 21 and a skinless portion 22 are also formed, and a plated portion 36 is formed on the roughened surface of the core layer 12 of the skinless portion 22. This plated portion 36 is electrically connected to the plated portion 6. In addition, the plated portion 37 formed on this plated portion 36 is also electrically connected to the plated portion 36 and the plated portion 6. The plated portions 6, 36, and 37 form an integrated plated portion.

[0025] 3B shows the underside of connector base 30, where plated portion 37 forms a circuit pattern of plated portions 37A, 37B, and 37C. Plated portion 37A corresponds to the plated portion that covers hole 5 in FIG. 2, plated portion 37B forms circuit wiring electrically connected to plated portion 37A, and plated portion 37C forms circuit wiring electrically insulated from plated portion 37A. FIG. 3C shows the side of connector base 30, where plated portion 37D formed on the side is electrically connected to plated portion 37A via plated portion 37B. In this way, circuit wiring can be formed on the upper, lower, and side surfaces of connector base 30, and small electronic components can be mounted thereon.

[0026] Next, a method for manufacturing the airtight connector shown in Figures 2 and 3 will be described with reference to Figures 4 and 5. In step (A) in Figure 4, first, a synthetic resin such as LCP (liquid crystal polymer), PPA, PA, thermosetting resin, etc. is injection molded together with an additive to form a connector base 30 having a hole 5. As described above, the connector base 30 formed by injection molding a liquid crystal polymer (LCP) resin has a skin layer 11 on the outside and a core layer 12 on the inside.

[0027] The material of the connector base 30 is preferably an aromatic liquid crystal polymer, polysulfone, polyether polysulfone, polyarylsulfone, polyetherimide, polyester, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer resin, polyamide, modified polyphenylene oxide resin, norbornene resin, phenol resin, epoxy resin, polyphenylene sulfide resin (PPS) resin, polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) resin, etc. More preferably, it is a polyester liquid crystal polymer whose heat resistance and thermal expansion coefficient are close to those of metal over a wide temperature range, and which has elasticity equivalent to that of a metal film and excellent properties equivalent to those of a metal film in a thermal cycle test.

[0028] In order to improve the anisotropy and low weld strength of the molded product, or to improve elasticity and strength, the connector base 30 is injection molded with one or more fine powder additives selected from the group consisting of glass beads, glass balloons, glass powder, Group II elements of the periodic table and their oxides, sulfates, phosphates, silicates, carbonates, or aluminum, silicon, tin, lead, antimony, and bismuth elements and their oxides. The oxides of Group II elements of the periodic table are compounds such as magnesium oxide, calcium oxide, barium oxide, and zinc oxide. The phosphates are compounds such as magnesium phosphate, calcium phosphate, barium phosphate, zinc phosphate, magnesium pyrophosphate, and calcium pyrophosphate. The sulfates are compounds such as magnesium sulfate, calcium sulfate, and barium sulfate. The silicates are compounds such as magnesium silicate, calcium silicate, aluminum silicate, kaolin, talc, clay, diatomaceous earth, and wollastonite. The carbonates are compounds such as calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, barium carbonate, and zinc carbonate. In particular, phosphates are preferred. In addition to the above, one or more selected from the group consisting of amphoteric metal elements such as zinc, aluminum, silicon, tin, lead, antimony, bismuth, etc., or oxides of these elements are also preferred, and amphoteric metal elements such as zinc, aluminum, tin, lead, etc., and oxides of these elements are particularly preferred.

[0029] The particle size of these fine powder inorganic fillers or additives is in the range of 0.01 to 100 μm, preferably 0.1 to 30 μm, and more preferably 0.5 to 10 μm. In addition, an organic material such as butadiene may be used as an additive in injection molding. The total amount of additives may be, for example, about 25% by weight to about 55% by weight of the polymer composition. The particle size of these fine powder inorganic fillers is in the range of 0.01 to 100 μm, preferably 0.1 to 30 μm, and more preferably 0.5 to 10 μm.

[0030] In step (B), the inner lower side surface of hole 5 in connector base 30 is roughened by etching. Next, a molded body 40 is formed so as to close hole 5 using acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) resin, biodegradable resin, or the like.

[0031] Next, in step (C), the skin layer 11 in the portion corresponding to the hole and its periphery on the underside of the connector base 30 is removed by laser processing. The laser processing is a process in which the surface of the skin layer 11 is irradiated with laser light to remove the skin layer 11 in that portion, thereby selectively etching it. For example, the skin layer is removed with a line width of 0.126 mm and intervals of 0.126 mm with a laser output of 3.5 W, a frequency of 200 kHz, and an etching speed of 3 m / s. This forms the skinless portion 22. In the skinless portion 22, the core layer 12 is exposed. As a result, the skinned portion 21 and the skinless portion 22 are formed on the underside of the connector base 30.

[0032] The laser light irradiated to the skin layer 21 is a YAG laser, a carbon dioxide gas laser, or the like, and a preset circuit pattern is selectively irradiated by a laser marker having a scanning mechanism in the XY directions controlled by a computer. When it is necessary to form a circuit in a complex three-dimensional molded product, the laser light can be guided in a three-dimensional direction by an optical fiber, a prism, or the like, and a predetermined area can be accurately irradiated three-dimensionally by computer control. Alternatively, three-dimensional irradiation can be achieved by combining a laser marker having a scanning mechanism in the XY directions with a five-axis table that moves in the XYZ directions, rotates, and tilts in synchronization with the computer. This method also has the advantage that the creation and correction of patterns can be easily performed by simply changing the drawing program for the laser irradiation area.

[0033] In addition, since it is difficult to change the spot diameter within the same process or to irradiate laser light while varying the spot diameter, if you want to mix several different skin layer removal widths, you can do so by moving the Z axis to shift the laser focal position and irradiating with a larger laser spot diameter, or by irradiating the laser multiple times at a partially overlapping position. Lasers that can be used range from UV lasers to CO2 lasers, for example, UV lasers with a wavelength of 355 nm, green lasers with a wavelength of 532 nm, hybrid lasers with a wavelength of 1064 nm, YVO4 lasers, YAG lasers, fiber lasers with a wavelength of 1090 nm, and CO2 lasers with a wavelength of 10600 nm.

[0034] UV lasers have the advantage of high absorption rate and low thermal stress regardless of the material. Green lasers also have a short wavelength, so they have high energy and high absorption rate for materials. Depending on the object and purpose, you can use YVO4 lasers, which can perform high-quality and delicate processing with high peak power and short pulse lasers, fiber lasers, which are suitable for deep engraving by applying heat with long pulse lasers, and YAG lasers, which are inferior in quality but generate a large amount of heat, depending on the object and purpose. CO2 lasers are often used for marking paper, resin, glass, and ceramics, and have a wavelength that is absorbed by transparent objects, so they are also used for marking films. By realizing high output, they can also be used for gate cutting of molded products and cutting PET sheets.

[0035] In order to remove the skin layer 11 without damaging the core layer 12, these lasers are used under appropriate conditions such as laser power, scan speed, frequency, number of prints, and print position. For example, the amount of energy is 0.1 W / mm 2 ~1W / mm 2 The conditions are selected according to the wavelength of the laser. For example, for a YAG laser, it is 0.2W to 0.5W, and for a YVO4 laser, it is 1.5W to 4.5W. Processing accuracy can be improved by changing parameters such as the scan speed, frequency, and number of prints.

[0036] The surface of the connector base 30 is irradiated with a laser beam with an appropriately adjusted output and laser spot diameter, and the skin layer 11 in this portion is selectively removed. The spot diameter of the laser used here and the width of the skin layer 11 to be removed are particularly important, and if the width to be removed is too narrow, it is not preferable because it will cause a problem of short-circuiting of the conductive circuit portion by etching in the next process. Therefore, it is preferable that the width of the skin layer to be removed is as wide as possible without interfering with the circuit formation. When using a laser beam with a laser spot diameter of less than 50 μm, the energy density is high, so the skin layer is removed in a width wider than the spot diameter, but it is impossible to remove a sufficient width of the skin layer with one irradiation, and therefore the number of irradiations becomes too many, which increases the laser irradiation time, resulting in poor productivity and being uneconomical. In addition, there is a risk of the resin being deteriorated by the energy of the laser.

[0037] Conversely, when a laser beam having a laser spot diameter larger than 500 μm is used for irradiation, the energy density is low and therefore the energy required to remove the skin layer cannot be secured, resulting in a problem that the skin layer remains. From this viewpoint, the spot diameter of the laser beam used to remove the skin layer 11 is 50 to 500 μm, preferably 150 to 250 μm. Furthermore, when the width of the skin layer 11 to be removed is wider than 500 μm, the accuracy of the circuit is improved by using a method in which a laser beam having a smaller spot diameter is irradiated to the contour of the insulating portion, rather than irradiating a laser beam having a spot diameter of 500 μm multiple times.

[0038] From this viewpoint, the width of the skin layer to be removed is 100 to 500 μm, and preferably 150 to 250 μm. A width in this range is preferable because the conductive circuit is not short-circuited by electroplating, and the laser irradiation time is shortened, improving productivity. As described above, in this embodiment, by specifying the thickness of the skin layer 11 and the laser spot diameter, a circuit pattern with a width of 150 to 250 μm is formed without damaging the connector base 30 serving as the base, and the laser irradiation time can be shortened while preventing the conductive circuit from being short-circuited by electroplating, thereby improving productivity.

[0039] In step (D), chemical etching is used to improve plating appearance and adhesion. If the connector base 30 is injection molded without additives, the surface of the skinless portion 22 is roughened by chemical etching to form recesses. In addition, when the connector base 30 is formed of a liquid crystal polymer resin containing an additive, an acid etching solution such as hydrochloric acid (HCl) is applied to the exposed core layer 12 of the skinless portion 22 to dissolve and remove the additive near the exposed surface. It is preferable to treat with an acid solution such as 3% to 20% hydrochloric acid or hydrofluoric acid at a temperature of 25°C to 40°C. By removing a part of the additive contained in the exposed core layer of the skinless portion, the roughening effect of the surface of the skinless portion can be further enhanced. After etching, a plurality of micropores, i.e., recesses, are more clearly formed on the exposed surface of the core layer. This additive removal process may be a process of dissolving and removing the additive by using an acid, an alkali, or a solvent, ultrasonic washing, or dry etching.

[0040] Also, after degreasing the exposed surfaces of the skinless portion 22 of the connector base 30 and the molded body 40, they can be roughened using chromic acid or a potassium hydroxide (KOH) solution. Various etching methods can be used to roughen the surface. There are wet and dry etching methods, and an appropriate etching method can be used depending on the type of material used for the substrate. Dry methods can be performed, for example, by irradiating plasma or using gas.

[0041] The wet method can be carried out by using, for example, an aqueous solution of an alkali metal hydroxide such as NaOH or KOH, an aqueous solution of an alkali metal alcoholate such as alcoholic sodium or alcoholic potassium, or an organic solvent such as dimethylformamide, and applying these etching solutions to the surface of the substrate, or by contacting the substrate by immersing it in these solutions, etc. Among these, the method using an aqueous solution of NaOH, KOH, etc. is preferably carried out under conditions of a concentration of about 35 to 45 wt % and a temperature of about 70 to 95° C.

[0042] In addition, the method using an aqueous solution of an alkali metal alcoholate or an organic solvent such as dimethylformamide is suitable for roughening the surface after coating with a water-soluble or hydrolyzable polymer material. When an organic solvent is used, the substrate may only swell and not be roughened. In this case, an acid or alkali treatment may be performed after the treatment with the organic solvent.

[0043] In step (E), the exposed surface of the core layer 12 is immersed in an accelerator solution such as sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, sodium hydroxide, or ammonium, and then a plating catalyst such as Pd or Pt is applied to the exposed surface, followed by electroless plating or electroplating with copper, nickel, gold, or other metals. Alternatively, dry plating such as vapor deposition or sputtering may be performed.

[0044] Known plating catalysts can be used, and among them, those containing Pd or Pt are preferred, which are used as inorganic salts such as chlorides. The plating catalyst is applied by attaching the inorganic salt to the substrate and then precipitating the catalytic metal by accelerator treatment. The inorganic salt can be attached to the substrate by contacting the substrate with a solution of the inorganic salt, for example, by immersing the substrate in the solution of the inorganic salt or by applying the aqueous solution to the substrate.

[0045] The specific conditions vary depending on the material of the substrate, the material of the plating, the material of the plating catalyst, the method of applying the inorganic salt, etc., and cannot be determined in general terms. However, if palladium chloride is used as the plating catalyst salt and the immersion method is adopted, the following can be mentioned as an example.

[0046] Catalyst salt solution composition PdCl2·2H2O: 0.1~0.3g / dm3 SnCl2·2H2O: 10~20g / dm3 HCl: 150-250cm3 / dm3 Soaking conditions Temperature: 20~45℃ Time: 1-10 minutes

[0047] Next, the exposed surface of the connector base 30 and the exposed surface of the molded body 40 are electrolessly plated with copper (Cu). The electroless plating process forms a plated portion 36 on the roughened skinless portion 22. As shown in FIG. 2(B), this plated portion 36 is formed so as to penetrate into minute recesses on the surface of the roughened core layer 22 of the skinless portion 22. This allows the plated portion 36 to adhere to the connector base 30 with high strength, increasing the airtightness of the airtight connector and increasing the adhesive strength of small electronic components to the circuit wiring formed in the airtight connector. Furthermore, by electroplating with Cu, Au, etc., a thicker plated portion 36 can be obtained.

[0048] In this embodiment, the skin layer 11 is removed by laser processing to expose the core layer 12, resulting in the skinless layer 22 being metallized, while the skin layer 21, which leaves the skin layer 11, is not metallized. In this way, the etched areas are selectively plated, allowing selective metallization to be performed without the need for masking.

[0049] The plating method may be a known metallizing method (electroless plating method or electric plating method). Examples of plating metals include copper, nickel, gold, and various other metals. The plating process may be carried out in multiple steps. A preliminary plating process may also be provided after the catalyst application process. The preliminary plating may also be carried out by a known metallizing method, preferably an electroless plating method, and the plating metal may be the same as that used in the plating process described above.

[0050] By providing this preliminary plating step, the plating quality in the main plating step can be improved. A post-plating step can also be provided. The post-plating step can also be performed by a known metallizing method, preferably an electroless plating method, and the plating metal may be the same as or different from the metal in the main plating step. In this embodiment, after electroless plating, electroplating is performed to form a thick plated portion 36.

[0051] The skinned portion 21 is not plated, and there is no need to use a mask layer for patterning. By removing the skin layer 11 with the desired patterning in the laser processing in step (C), a plated portion 36 is formed only in the skinless portion 22, and a plated portion with a desired circuit pattern as shown in Figures 3(B) and (C) can be obtained.

[0052] In step (F) in FIG. 5, the molded body 40 is removed by an organic solvent or the like. The organic solvent is selected to dissolve the molded body 40 while not easily dissolving the material of the connector base 30. The molded body 40 can also be removed by laser processing. In step (G), the upper surface of the connector base 30 and the inner surface of the hole 5 are irradiated with laser light to selectively remove the skin layer 11. This laser processing is the same as that described for step (C). Next, in step (H), the surface of the core layer 12 of the skinless portion 22 is roughened. The roughening method is the same as that described for step (D).

[0053] Next, in step (I), the roughened skinless portion 22 on the upper surface side of the connector base 30 is plated to form plated portion 6. This plating can be performed by the same metallizing method as in step (E). Prior to this plating step, the oxide film on plated portion 36 formed in steps (E) and (F) is removed. In step (I), plated portion 37 is also formed on plated portion 36. Here, the plated portions on the lower part of the connector base 20 are referred to as plated portion 36 and plated portion 37 for convenience, but the result is an integrated plated portion whose thickness B is greater than the thickness C of plated portion 6, i.e., B>C.

[0054] Next, referring to FIG. 6, an airtight connector according to another embodiment of the present invention and a manufacturing method thereof will be described. FIG. 6 shows only different parts of the manufacturing process shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, and the other steps are the same as those in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5. After the hole 5 is blocked by the molded body 40 in step (B), in step (C') in FIG. 6, the skin layer 11 on the lower surface is removed by laser processing, and the lower surface of the molded body 40 is deeply removed by a length d. Here, d is, for example, 0.05 mm. Next, in step (D'), the exposed core layer 12 and the lower surface of the molded body 40 are roughened by chemical etching. In step (E'), a metallization process is performed to form a plated portion 36' on the no-skin layer 22 and the lower surface of the molded body 40.

[0055] Thereafter, similar to step (F), the molded body 40 is removed, and similar to step (G), the skin layer 11 on the upper surface of the connector base 30' is removed by laser processing, forming the upper surface of the connector base 30' into a skinned portion 21 and a skinless portion 22. Next, similar to step (H), the surface of the core layer 12 exposed in the skinless portion 22 is roughened by chemical etching. In step (I'), the roughened core layer 12 on the upper surface side of the connector base 30' is metallized to form a plated portion 6'. Also, on the lower surface side, a plated portion 37' is formed by overlapping the plated portion 36'. This allows the plated portions 6', 36', 37' to be formed at the lower part of the hole 5, which are raised upward by a length d. In this way, the shape of the plated layer to be formed can be changed. The conductive portion in the present invention is not limited to a plated portion, and a conductor may be formed by other processing methods. [Explanation of symbols]

[0056] 1 Connector base 2. The First Space 3. The Second Space 4 Bulkhead 5 holes 6, 6' Plated part 7-pin 8-pin 9 Sealing part 10 Sealing part 11 Skin Layer 12 Core Layer 15 Additives 20 Connector base 21 Skin section 22 Skinless section 26 Plating Department 29 part 30, 30' connector base 36, 36' Plated section 37, 37' plating section 37A, 37B, 37C, 37D Plated parts 40 Molded body

Claims

1. A hermetic connector for maintaining hermeticity between a first space and a second space and electrically connecting a first conductor in the first space and a second conductor in the second space, comprising: a connector base made of an insulator, the connector base having a hole that communicates the first space with the second space and a partition wall that divides the two spaces by a portion other than the hole; a first surface of the connector base having a first skinned portion and a first skinless portion; An airtight connector characterized by having a first conductive portion formed as an integral member that is in close contact with the roughened surface of the first skinless portion and that forms a plating film on the inner surface and opening of the hole to seal the hole.

2. a second surface of the connector base located on a different plane from the first surface, the second surface having a second skin portion and a second skinless portion; 2. The hermetic connector according to claim 1, further comprising a second conductive portion formed to be in close contact with the roughened surface of the second skinless portion and electrically connected to the first conductive portion.

3. A hermetic connector for maintaining hermeticity between a first space and a second space and electrically connecting a first conductor in the first space and a second conductor in the second space, comprising: a connector base made of an insulator, the connector base having a hole that communicates the first space with the second space and a partition wall that divides the two spaces by a portion other than the hole; The connector base is an injection-molded product of a synthetic resin, and a first surface of the connector base has a first skinned portion and a first skinless portion, and a surface of the skinless portion has a recess; The airtight connector is characterized in having a conductive portion formed as an integral member that fits into the recess and that seals the hole by forming a plating film on the inner surface and opening of the hole.

4. A method for manufacturing an airtight connector for maintaining airtightness between a first space and a second space and electrically connecting a first conductor in the first space and a second conductor in the second space, comprising: a connector base forming step of forming a connector base having a hole communicating the first space with the second space and having a skin layer on a surface thereof by injection molding of a synthetic resin; a hole closing step of closing the hole with a molded body; a first skin layer removing step of selectively removing a skin layer on a portion of a surface of the connector base to form a first skinless portion; a first conductive portion forming step of forming a plating film on the first skinless portion and the surface of the molded body on the inner surface and opening of the hole to form a first conductive portion that seals the hole; and removing the molded body.

5. The method includes a first roughening step of performing a roughening treatment on the first skin-free portion, and the first conductive portion forming step is a step of forming a first conductive portion on the roughened first skin-free portion and the surface of the molded body, and further includes a second skin layer removal step of selectively removing the skin layer on a part of a surface other than the surface from which the skin layer has been removed in the first skin layer removal step to form a second skin-free portion; a second roughening step of roughening the second skinless portion; A method for manufacturing an airtight connector as described in claim 4, characterized in that it further comprises a second conductive portion forming process for forming a second conductive portion electrically connected to the first conductive portion in the second skinless portion roughened by this second roughening process.

6. A method for manufacturing an airtight connector for maintaining airtightness between a first space and a second space and electrically connecting a first conductor in the first space and a second conductor in the second space, comprising: a connector base forming step of forming a connector base having a hole communicating the first space with the second space and having a skin layer on a surface thereof by injection molding of a synthetic resin; a hole closing step of closing the hole with a molded body; a first skin layer removal step of selectively removing a skin layer on a part of a surface of the connector base by laser processing to form a first skinless portion; a surface roughening step of selectively etching the first skinless portion by chemical etching to form recesses in the surface of the skinless portion; a conductive portion forming step of forming a plating film on the inner surface and the opening of the hole on the surface of the skinless portion and the molded body by plating so that metal enters the recessed portion, thereby forming a conductive portion that closes the hole; and removing the molded body.

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