Flexible Substrate Electronic Module for Compact DC-DC Converter
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electronic component modules with large coil dimensions face limitations in small electronic devices due to the required increase in multilayer substrate area, restricting mounting options and space utilization.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a substrate with a rigid first region and a flexible second region, allowing the coil to extend across both areas, reducing the module's height and enabling flexible mounting in small spaces by distributing components effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If a coil with large internal diameter and external diameter is incorporated, then the inductance and electrical performance are improved, but the substrate area must be increased which limits mounting options in small electronic devices
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate is divided into a rigid first region and a flexible second region. The coil element extends across both regions, allowing the coil to achieve large dimensions for sufficient inductance while the flexible region can be bent to reduce the overall footprint on the rigid region, thus maintaining smaller substrate area requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The solution transitions from a two-dimensional planar layout to a three-dimensional configuration by bending the flexible second region. This allows the coil to maintain its large circumference for high inductance while the bent configuration reduces the projected area on the substrate, enabling mounting in space-constrained devices.
2Power
If the substrate area is increased to accommodate large coil dimensions, then the coil performance is improved, but the mounting location options are restricted in compact devices
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate incorporates a flexible second region that can be dynamically bent or deformed after manufacturing. This dynamic flexibility allows the same substrate design to be adapted to different mounting locations and space configurations within electronic devices, enhancing versatility without compromising coil performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The substrate uses a flexible film structure in the second region that can be bent and conform to different mounting surfaces. This flexible film allows the coil to maintain its performance characteristics while enabling various mounting locations and orientations in compact electronic devices.
3Volume of moving object
If the coil element is confined to a small substrate area, then the device size is reduced, but the number of turns and height must be increased which complicates the structure
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the substrate into rigid and flexible regions, the coil can extend across both regions with sufficient turns for required inductance. The flexible region accommodates the extended coil path without increasing the rigid region's footprint, thus maintaining compact device size while avoiding excessive coil height or complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic component module includes a substrate, a coil element provided in or on the substrate, and an IC element connected to the coil element, in which external terminals are provided on the substrate, the substrate includes a first region and a second region different region from the first region when the substrate is viewed in plan view, the IC element is provided in the first region, the external terminals are provided at least in the first region, the coil element extends across the first region and the second region, and the first region is a rigid region and the second region is more flexible than the first region.