Curved Recess Marking Structure for Readable Electronic Components

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing electronic components with two-dimensional codes formed by dot and non-dot portions on a flat surface surface suffer from insufficient contrast in reflected light, leading to reading errors during identification.

Innovation Solution

The electronic component features a marking formed by a collection of dot-shaped recesses with curved inner surfaces and non-flat regions, ensuring that light is reflected in a direction different from the incident direction, enhancing contrast.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If a two-dimensional code is formed by dot and non-dot portions on a flat surface, then the marking can be read by detecting reflected light, but the contrast of reflected light is insufficient leading to reading errors

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereading accuracyVSAvoidreflected light contrast

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSIllumination intensity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies curvature by forming the bottom surface of each dot portion as a curved surface rather than a flat surface. This curved geometry causes incident light to reflect in directions different from the incident direction, creating sufficient contrast between dot and non-dot portions when detected by the sensor, thereby resolving the reading accuracy problem.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies local quality by making only the bottom surfaces of the dot portions curved while keeping other areas flat. This localized curvature is sufficient to differentiate the optical properties of dot regions from non-dot regions, achieving the required light contrast without modifying the entire surface.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Illumination intensity

If the bottom surface of dot portions is made flat, then the marking structure is simple to manufacture, but the reflected light intensity is uniform causing insufficient contrast

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereflected light contrastVSAvoidmarking formation complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Illumination intensityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies curvature by forming the bottom surface of each dot portion as a curved surface rather than a flat surface. This curved geometry causes incident light to reflect in directions different from the incident direction, creating sufficient contrast between dot and non-dot portions when detected by the sensor, thereby resolving the reading accuracy problem.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

3Ease of operation

If light is irradiated perpendicularly to read the marking, then the reading process is simple, but the flat bottom surface reflects light in the incident direction reducing detected contrast

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereading operation simplicityVSAvoiddetected light contrast

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies curvature by forming the bottom surface of each dot portion as a curved surface rather than a flat surface. This curved geometry causes incident light to reflect in directions different from the incident direction, creating sufficient contrast between dot and non-dot portions when detected by the sensor, thereby resolving the reading accuracy problem.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

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 significantly improves the contrast of reflected light, reducing reading errors and ensuring accurate identification of markings.

Implementation Method 1

when the surface of the semiconductor device is perpendicularly irradiated with light from the sensor in order to read the two-dimensional code, the flat surface of the bottom surface of the dot portion is orthogonal to the optical axis, with the result that substantially the whole of the irradiated light is reflected in the incident direction

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLight reflection: Reflection

Data Source

PatentUS12532407B2Electronic component

Publication Date: 2026.01.20 MURATA MFG CO LTD

AI summary

An electronic component is an electronic component including a first surface, wherein a marking formed by a collection of a plurality of dot-shaped recesses is formed in the first surface, an inner surface of each of the plurality of dot-shaped recesses is a curved surface, when viewed in a direction perpendicular to the first surface, an region internal to an outline of each of the plurality of dot-shaped recesses is entirely non-flat, the electric component comprises one or more second regions internal to an outline of the marking when viewed in the direction perpendicular to the first surface, each of the one or more second regions not belonging to any of the plurality of dot-shaped recesses, each of the one or more second regions being chamfered, each of the one or more second regions being non-flat, and each of the one or more second regions is convex.