Microphone Bump Connection Eliminates Bonding Wires
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional microphone designs fail to achieve sufficient size reduction due to the space required for bonding wires connecting substrate and converter electrodes, limiting the miniaturization of portable equipment.
Innovation Solution
A microphone structure featuring a substrate with a tone hole, a converter mounted on the substrate, and a shield cap that covers the converter's top and side surfaces, with a bump connecting the electrodes, allowing for a thinner design without compromising sound collection performance, and incorporating a resin member for enhanced impact resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If bonding wires are used to connect substrate electrode and converter electrode, then electrical connection is achieved, but the required space for drawing bonding wires prevents sufficient size reduction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the bonding wire connection method from the microphone structure. Instead of using bonding wires to connect the substrate electrode and converter electrode, the invention uses direct contact between the converter electrode and substrate electrode through the shield cap opening, thereby removing the space-consuming bonding wire drawing path and achieving microphone size reduction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the connection approach from a lateral/dimensional connection (bonding wires drawn across the surface) to a vertical/connection through the shield cap opening. The converter electrode extends downward to contact the substrate electrode directly below, utilizing the vertical dimension to eliminate the need for lateral bonding wire routing space.
2Volume of moving object
If the space in front of the diaphragm is reduced to downsize the microphone, then microphone size decreases, but sound collecting performance may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the internal space into two distinct functional regions: a front space for sound collection (in front of the diaphragm) and a back space for electrode connection and shielding (behind the diaphragm). The back space is configured to extend upward from the diaphragm bottom, allowing the converter electrode to contact the substrate electrode while the shield cap covers this back space. This segmentation enables the front space to be minimized for size reduction while the back space accommodates the electrical connection and shielding functions, thereby maintaining sound collecting performance despite reduced overall size.
3Strength
If the shield cap covers the back space to protect the converter, then impact resistance improves, but the structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple functions into the shield cap component: (1) electrical shielding by covering the back space containing the converter electrode and substrate electrode connection, (2) mechanical protection against impact, and (3) structural support for the converter assembly. The shield cap is integrally formed and directly contacts the converter body, eliminating the need for separate shielding structures and simplifying the overall design while providing comprehensive protection.
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 design enables a smaller, lighter microphone with improved impact resistance, suitable for portable equipment, while maintaining sound collecting performance across a wide frequency band.
Implementation Method 1
a bump connects the substrate electrode and the converter electrode to each other
Implementation Method 2
a converter for converting sound pressure into an electrical signal
Data Source
AI summary
A microphone includes: a substrate including a tone hole and having a top surface on which a substrate electrode is provided; a converter provided on the top surface of the substrate and including a main body having a back space, a diaphragm provided at the bottom of the back space of the main body, and a converter electrode provided on a region of a bottom surface of the main body facing the substrate electrode; and a bump connecting the substrate electrode and the converter electrode to each other. The diaphragm vibrates in response to sound entering from the tone hole. The converter converts sound into a signal.