Coil Component Terminal Locking via Body Recesses

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional coil components for automotive applications face reliability issues due to vibrations causing metal fatigue and disconnection of terminals, as the bent portions and solder boundaries act as fulcrums leading to pendulum-like vibrations and stress concentration.

Innovation Solution

The coil component design features a square pole-shaped body with recesses on the bottom surface to lock corner parts of the terminals, preventing spring-back and ensuring constant contact with the body, thus eliminating terminal deflection and improving reliability by integrating lead wires within housing grooves and using electric welding for secure coupling.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If terminals are bent from side surfaces toward bottom surface for surface mounting, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to metal fatigue and disconnection

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of mountingVSAvoidterminal connection reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The terminal is divided into multiple segments: a fixed portion embedded in the body, a bent portion forming corner parts, and a mounting portion. This segmentation allows the terminal to be locked at multiple points, preventing pendulum-like vibrations and metal fatigue while maintaining ease of surface mounting.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The terminal is pre-formed with corner parts at the bent portion before mounting. These corner parts are then locked into recesses formed in advance on the bottom surface of the body, ensuring the terminal is secured against vibrations before the component is put into service.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Ease of manufacture

If bent portions of terminals act as fulcrums during soldering, then manufacturing process is simplified, but reliability deteriorates due to stress concentration and pendulum vibrations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesoldering process simplicityVSAvoidterminal durability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The harmful fulcrum effect is eliminated by extracting the bending action from the soldering process. Instead of bending terminals during or after soldering (which creates stress concentration), the terminals are pre-bent with corner parts that are then locked into recesses, removing the fulcrum mechanism that causes pendulum vibrations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The bending of the terminal is converted from a harmful action (creating fulcrums) into a beneficial locking mechanism. The corner parts formed by bending are intentionally designed to fit into recesses, transforming the potential source of vibration into a secure locking feature that prevents disconnection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Reliability

If terminals are securely fixed to prevent vibration, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional locking structures

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveterminal anti-vibration performanceVSAvoidterminal locking structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The locking function is merged with the terminal structure itself. The corner parts are integral to the terminal, formed by bending the terminal material, rather than being separate components. The recesses are formed directly in the body, combining the locking mechanism with the existing structures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The terminal structure serves its own locking function through its corner parts, eliminating the need for separate locking components. The recesses in the body provide the locking interface, and the corner parts automatically engage with them during assembly, making the system self-securing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This configuration enhances the reliability of the coil component by preventing terminal disconnection and maintaining contact with the body even under automotive vibrations, ensuring improved durability and connectivity.

Implementation Method 1

The pair of the corner parts of the first terminal are bent along the inner walls of the first and second recesses, respectively, so as to be locked on the bottom surface of the body

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElastic deformation: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

using electric welding for secure coupling

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectric welding: Welding

Data Source

PatentUS9076586B2Coil component

Publication Date: 2015.07.07 PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO LTD

AI summary

A coil component includes a coil element, a body having a square pole shape which accommodates the coil component therein, and a pair of terminals. The first ends of the terminals are respectively fixed to the side surfaces, opposite to each other, of the body. The terminals are bent from the side surfaces toward the bottom surface of the body. The second end of each of the terminals includes corner parts at the both side portions thereof. The bottom surface of the body is provided with recesses at locations not overlapping with the coil component, viewed from the bottom surface. The recesses are recessed from the bottom surface of the body and penetrating to one of the side surfaces. The corner parts of the terminals are locked on the bottom surface of the body, by being bent along inner walls of the recesses.