Inductor Coil Terminal Structure for Stress-Free Surface Welding

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing inductor components face challenges in connecting coils to electrode terminals without deformation or residual stress, especially when thick coils are connected to thin terminals, leading to instability and size issues due to wrapping and swelling.

Innovation Solution

The inductor component design includes a coil with pin members that are surface-contacted and welded to a connection surface portion of the electrode terminal, eliminating the need for wrapping, which prevents deformation and residual stress, allowing for thicker coils and thinner terminals with improved stability and reduced size.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the wire is wrapped around the electrode terminal to connect the coil, then the coil can be connected to the terminal, but the electrode terminal deforms and residual stress remains in the wrapped wire

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconnection stabilityVSAvoidelectrode terminal deformation

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of wrapping the wire around the electrode terminal, the patent inverts the connection approach by having the electrode terminal penetrate through the coil winding. The terminal's tip portion passes through the inner peripheral surface of the coil, and the coil is then wound around the terminal body portion, reversing the traditional wrapping direction and eliminating deformation issues.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The electrode terminal is divided into distinct functional portions: a tip portion that penetrates through the coil's inner peripheral surface, a body portion that the coil wraps around, and a protruding portion that extends outward. This segmentation allows each portion to serve its specific function without interfering with others, preventing deformation while maintaining connection stability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Power

If a thick wire is used for the coil to pass large electric current, then the electrical current capacity increases, but the electrode terminal is easily deformed when connecting to a thin terminal

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveelectrical current capacityVSAvoidelectrode terminal strength

Core Design Contradiction:

PowerVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The inverted connection method allows thick coil wires to be connected without wrapping around thin terminals. The terminal penetrates through the coil structure, and the coil wraps around the terminal body, distributing mechanical stress away from the thin terminal sections while maintaining electrical current capacity through the thick coil wire.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The connection is moved from a two-dimensional wrapping surface to a three-dimensional spatial arrangement where the terminal penetrates through the coil's inner peripheral surface. This dimensional change allows the thick coil wire to connect to the thin terminal without direct surface wrapping stress, enabling both high current capacity and terminal strength.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Reliability

If the wire is wrapped around the electrode terminal, then connection is achieved, but swelling of the wire due to bending occurs and gaps are formed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconnection stabilityVSAvoidwire swelling and gap formation

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

By inverting the connection method, the coil is wrapped around the terminal body portion rather than the terminal tip. This reversal reduces bending radius and minimizes wire swelling, preventing gap formation between the coil and terminal while maintaining stable electrical connection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

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 design enables stable connection of thick coils to thin electrode terminals without wrapping, reducing the likelihood of gaps and enhancing electrical current capacity while maintaining structural integrity and compact size.

Implementation Method 1

The coil includes a plurality of pin members including a first linear pin member. A connection surface that is a part of an outer peripheral surface of the first linear pin member is in surface-contact with a first main surface of the connection surface portion

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectWelding: Welding

Data Source

PatentUS11875930B2Inductor component and method of manufacturing inductor component

Publication Date: 2024.01.16 MURATA MFG CO LTD

AI summary

An inductor component includes a case; an annular core accommodated in the case; a coil wound around the core; and an electrode terminal attached to the case and connected to the coil. The electrode terminal includes a mounting surface portion that is disposed along an end surface of the core and that is to be mounted on a mount substrate, and a connection surface portion that is perpendicularly connected to the mounting surface portion and that is disposed along an outer peripheral surface of the core. The coil includes a plurality of pin members including a first linear pin member. A connection surface that is a part of an outer peripheral surface of the first linear pin member is in surface-contact with a first main surface of the connection surface portion in a state in which the connection surface is positioned parallel to the first main surface.