Layered Ceramic Capacitor Terminal Structure for Peel-Resistant Encapsulation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Multilayer ceramic electronic components face issues with peeling at the interface between metal terminals and the exterior material, leading to potential vapor ingress and reduced reliability.

Innovation Solution

The design incorporates metal terminals with protruding portions having an undercut shape, enhancing the bonding interface with the exterior material by including multiple exposed surfaces with different metals, thereby preventing peeling and maintaining component reliability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If a plating film is provided on the metal terminal to enhance bonding property, then bonding strength is improved, but peeling occurs at the interface between metal terminal and exterior material due to smooth surface

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebonding strengthVSAvoidinterface reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention applies curvature to the metal terminal surface by forming protruding portions with rounded tips instead of flat surfaces. These protruding portions penetrate the exterior material and create mechanical interlocking, preventing peeling at the interface while maintaining bonding strength. The curved geometry of the protrusions increases surface area and creates anchor points that resist delamination.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention creates a porous or textured structure on the metal terminal surface through the protruding portions that extend into the exterior material. This textured interface allows the exterior material to mechanically interlock with the metal terminal, similar to how porous structures provide anchoring. The protruding portions create voids and irregularities that enhance adhesion and prevent peeling.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #31Porous materials

2Ease of manufacture

If a smooth plating film surface is used on metal terminal, then bonding material adhesion is improved, but peeling occurs allowing external vapor to enter interior

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebonding material applicationVSAvoidvapor ingress
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The protruding portions with curved surfaces create a textured interface that prevents vapor ingress by blocking pathways. The rounded tips and lateral surfaces of the protrusions create a tortuous path for vapor molecules, making it difficult for external vapor to reach the interior. This geometric barrier maintains manufacturing simplicity while preventing harmful vapor penetration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

3Ease of manufacture

If metal terminal surface is made smooth for bonding, then bonding process is simplified, but peeling resistance decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebonding process simplicityVSAvoidpeeling resistance
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The invention segments the metal terminal surface into multiple protruding portions rather than using a uniform smooth surface. Each protrusion acts as an independent anchoring element, and collectively they provide enhanced peeling resistance. This segmented structure can be manufactured through standard plating and forming processes, maintaining ease of manufacture while dramatically improving peel resistance through distributed mechanical interlocking.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP4611011A1Layered ceramic electronic component
Publication Date: 2025.09.03 MURATA MFG CO LTD
  • EP4611011A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4611011A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4611011A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Provided is a layered ceramic electronic component with which peeling at an interface between a metal terminal and an exterior material can be suppressed and a drop in reliability of the electronic component can be prevented. A layered ceramic capacitor 1 comprises: a layered ceramic capacitor body 2; metal terminals (100A, 100B) connecting to external electrodes (40A, 40B) via a bonding material 5; and an exterior material 3 covering the layered ceramic capacitor body 2 etc. The metal terminals (100A, 100B) have bonding surfaces (110A1, 110B1) that bond with the bonding material 5, and contact surfaces (CS1, CS2) that contact the exterior material 3. The contact surfaces (CS1, CS2) have outermost surface plating films (100Ab2, 100Bb2) on at least a portion thereof, and exposed surfaces (E1a, E1b, E1c, E2a, E2b, E2c) on which are formed a plurality of protrusions that are made of a metal differing from a metal forming the outermost surface plating films (100Ab2, 100Bb2), and that have an undercut shape