MID Contact Surface for Pressure Measurement Cell
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pressure measurement cell connection units require additional metal contact components and additional connecting materials, leading to increased manufacturing complexity and noble metal costs, as well as potential short circuits due to conductive contamination.
Innovation Solution
The use of a MID contact surface with a galvanized metal layer applied during the same process as conductor tracks and adhesive bumps on a plastic injection-molded circuit carrier, which eliminates the need for separate metal contact components and allows for better shaping and separation of contact surfaces, reducing the risk of short circuits and wear.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If additional metal contact components and connecting materials are used, then reliable electrical contact is achieved, but manufacturing complexity and noble metal costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the contact component function directly into the circuit carrier by creating a contact opening that exposes the conductor track, eliminating the need for separate metal contact components. The circuit carrier itself becomes the contact element, reducing part count and manufacturing complexity while maintaining reliable electrical contact.
Solution Approach 2:
The circuit carrier is designed to serve multiple functions: it provides structural support, carries conductor tracks for electrical connections, and creates contact openings that expose these tracks for direct contacting. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for dedicated metal contact components, reducing both complexity and noble metal usage.
2Ease of operation
If additional metal contact components are used, then direct contacting is achieved, but noble metal costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The contact function is merged into the circuit carrier structure itself through the contact opening design. The conductor track exposed through the opening serves as the contact element, eliminating the need for additional metal contact components and reducing noble metal consumption to only what is necessary for the conductor track and bonding bump.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a cost-effective approach by making the circuit carrier itself the contact element rather than using expensive separate metal contact components. The contact opening design allows direct access to the conductor track, reducing noble metal usage to the minimum required for functional electrical contact.
3Reliability
If conductive adhesive bonding is used for contacting, then electrical connections are established, but risk of short circuits from conductive contamination increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the conductor track from the insulated circuit carrier material by creating a contact opening that exposes the bare conductor track. This exposed track can be directly contacted without requiring conductive adhesives, eliminating the source of conductive contamination that could cause short circuits while maintaining stable electrical connections.
4Ease of manufacture
If galvanizable plastic is used for the circuit carrier, then manufacturing flexibility and shaping possibilities improve, but contact surface quality may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The circuit carrier is pre-coated with a galvanic metal layer during the injection molding process, before the contact opening is created. This preliminary galvanic coating ensures a high-quality, conductive surface is established on the plastic carrier, which then allows for precise contact surfaces to be exposed through subsequent contact opening formation, combining manufacturing flexibility with contact surface quality.
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 solution minimizes manufacturing complexity and noble metal usage, provides weight savings, and enables almost wear-free electrical and mechanical connections with reduced risk of short circuits, allowing for a separable and durable connection to a controller.
Implementation Method 1
the conductor tracks and the conductive adhesive bonding bumps being produced as a metallic surface coating on the galvanized plastic in a galvanic process
Implementation Method 2
the galvanizable plastic of the contact carrier has a predetermined resilient behavior and the first contact means is formed by a metal layer having predetermined dimensions, which can be applied onto the galvanizable plastic of the contact carrier in a galvanic process. Under the effect of the predetermined contact force, the resilient behavior of the galvanizable plastic and the dimensions of the metal layer form a microdepression for guiding the second contact means
Data Source
AI summary
An arrangement for the direct contacting of contact mechanism has a first contact mechanism arranged on a contact carrier and a second contact mechanism. The second contact mechanism acts with a predetermined contact force on the first contact mechanism. The contact carrier includes a plastic injection premolding of galvanizable plastic and a nongalvanizable plastic. The galvanizable plastic has a predetermined resilient behavior and the first contact mechanism is formed by a metal layer having predetermined dimensions. The first contact mechanism can be applied onto the galvanizable plastic in a galvanic process. The resilient behavior of the galvanizable plastic and the dimensions of the metal layer form, under the predetermined contact force, a microdepression configured to guide the second contact mechanism in the first contact mechanism. A corresponding connection device for a pressure measurement cell includes such a direct contacting arrangement.