Conical Inductor Waveform Pins for Optical Module Alignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conical inductors used in optical modules face issues with poor alignment and pseudo soldering due to thin pins and irregular shapes, which hinder effective soldering to printed circuit boards using surface mount technology.

Innovation Solution

The conical inductor design is modified with pins featuring waveform segments that are thicker and more aligned with the printed circuit board pads, ensuring accurate alignment and reducing pseudo soldering by incorporating holes in the housing for secure pin placement.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Volume of moving object

If a thin pin is used in the conical inductor, then the inductor can be compact and fit within the housing, but the alignment accuracy between the pin and the pad on the printed circuit board deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesize of conical inductorVSAvoidalignment accuracy between pin and pad
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of moving objectVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The pin structure is designed with non-uniform cross-sectional area along its length. The upper portion has a smaller diameter to fit within the housing, while the lower portion has a larger diameter to improve alignment accuracy with the pad during soldering. This local variation in geometry allows the pin to satisfy both compact size requirements and manufacturing precision requirements simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Device complexity

If a straight pin is used in the conical inductor, then the structure is simple, but pseudo soldering occurs because the pin cannot make reliable contact with the pad on the printed circuit board

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepin structureVSAvoidsoldering reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The pin is designed with a curved or inclined lower portion instead of a straight geometry. This curvature allows the pin to better conform to the pad surface and establish reliable contact during the soldering process, eliminating pseudo soldering issues while maintaining relatively simple manufacturing processes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Solution Approach 2:

The pin geometry is modified by changing parameters such as the angle of inclination or the curvature radius of the lower portion. These parameter adjustments enable the pin to achieve reliable soldering contact without significantly increasing structural complexity, resolving the contradiction between simplicity and reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Stability of the object's composition

If the pin is positioned at a fixed height above the printed circuit board, then the inductor structure is stable, but the pin cannot contact the pad and soldering tin, causing pseudo soldering

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinductor structure stabilityVSAvoidcontact precision with pad
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The lower portion of the pin is designed with a curved or inclined geometry that allows it to extend closer to the printed circuit board surface. This curvature enables the pin to make contact with the pad and soldering tin during the soldering process, achieving both structural stability and manufacturing precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Data Source

PatentEP3113197B1Conical inductor, printed circuit board and optical module
Publication Date: 2021.10.13 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP3113197B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP3113197B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5
  • EP3113197B1 patent drawingFigure 6A~8

AI summary

Embodiments of the present invention provide a conical inductor, a printed circuit board, and an optical module, and relate to the field of communications technologies. By changing a pin of the conical inductor, accuracy of alignment between the pin of the conical inductor and a pad of the printed circuit board is improved, and pseudo soldering of the conical inductor is also reduced. The conical inductor provided in the embodiments of the present invention includes: a housing, a conical coil located inside the housing, and two pins respectively connected to two ends of the conical coil, where one end of the first pin is connected to one end of the conical coil, the other end of the first pin is connected to a hole in the first side wall in a fastened manner, one end of the second pin is connected to the other end of the conical inductor, and the other end of the second pin is connected to a hole in the second side wall in a fastened manner; and each of the first pin and the second pin includes one segment of waveform segment fluctuating in a direction perpendicular to the top wall, where each trough of the waveform segment is connected to the printed circuit board in a fastened manner.