ESD Protection Gold Layer on Circuit Board Open Areas
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current mechatronic control units face challenges in providing effective electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection while maintaining cost-effectiveness and functionality, especially in environments where copper components react with transmission oil, leading to potential equipment failure.
Innovation Solution
The electronic unit incorporates an ESD protection arrangement with a gold layer or conductive covering on open areas of the circuit board not covered by the casing element, ensuring protection against ESD and preventing copper layer deterioration, and features a single multilayer circuit board design with a casing element that encloses components and provides stability and flexibility during assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If open areas on the circuit board are left uncovered to support the circuit board during the coating process, then the circuit board can be properly supported and coated, but the exposed copper surface becomes vulnerable to ESD damage and corrosion from transmission oil
Solution Approach 1:
A gold layer is applied in advance to the copper surfaces in open areas before the coating process. This preliminary protective layer ensures that when the circuit board is later exposed to ESD or transmission oil, the copper is already protected, eliminating the vulnerability created by the open areas needed for coating support.
Solution Approach 2:
The gold layer acts as an intermediary between the copper surface and the harmful external environment (ESD and transmission oil). This intermediate protective layer prevents direct contact between the copper and harmful factors, allowing the open areas to remain exposed for manufacturing purposes while the copper stays protected.
2Ease of manufacture
If copper layers are used on the circuit board for electrical functions, then cost-effective electrical conduction is achieved, but the copper reacts with transmission oil causing corrosion and equipment failure
Solution Approach 1:
The circuit board structure combines copper and gold layers in a composite configuration. The copper layer provides cost-effective electrical conduction, while the gold layer provides corrosion resistance against transmission oil. This composite material approach allows both cost-effectiveness and reliability to coexist.
Solution Approach 2:
The gold layer is applied locally only to the copper surfaces in open areas that are exposed to the external environment, rather than covering the entire circuit board. This localized application provides corrosion protection exactly where needed (at the open areas vulnerable to transmission oil) while maintaining cost-effectiveness by limiting the use of expensive gold material.
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
The solution effectively shields against ESD up to 15 kV, prevents equipment failure, and reduces material costs by integrating sensors and components directly on the circuit board, while maintaining stability and flexibility in production.
Implementation Method 1
The ESD protection arrangement is designed in such a way that open areas on the circuit board, which are not covered by the casing element, are covered with a gold layer directly mounted on a copper surface of the circuit board
Implementation Method 2
In vehicle transmissions, the use of copper layers is usually objectionable, because copper forms undesirable reactions with the transmission oil, corroding the copper. The gold layer, which completely covers the copper layer, protects the copper layer or copper track from the transmission oil and thus prevents a deterioration or dissolution of the copper layer
Implementation Method 3
the ESD protection arrangement is designed in such a way that open areas on the circuit board, which are not covered by the casing element, are covered with a conductive covering arranged on the casing element
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure relates to an electronic unit with a circuit board having at least one component arranged on a main surface of the circuit board and a casing element, which incorporates the at least one component, as well as with an ESD protection arrangement for the circuit board. According to the disclosure, open areas on the circuit board, which are not covered by the casing element, are covered with a gold layer directly mounted on a copper surface of the circuit board.