Hermetic Housing Seal Using Printed Circuit Board Flat Side
Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for creating hermetically sealed housings with electrical feed-ins are complex and not suitable for mass production due to the difficulty in molding insulating bodies without epoxy adherence and air bubble formation, which complicates the vacuum sealing process.
Innovation Solution
A hermetically sealed housing using a standard printed circuit board with sealing on its flat sides, employing techniques such as elastomers, metal-to-metal or metal-to-plastic seals, and a detachable seal to ensure a reliable and leak-tight connection, allowing for easier integration of electronic components and compact product design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If epoxy molding is used to create the insulating body with electrical feed-in, then hermetic sealing is achieved, but the manufacturing process becomes complex and difficult to automate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the sealing function from the complex epoxy molding process and assigns it to a dedicated sealing ring made of elastomeric material. This sealing ring is inserted into a groove in the housing, separating the sealing function from the electrical feed-in structure, thereby simplifying manufacturing while maintaining hermetic sealing reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the material parameter of the sealing component from epoxy resin to elastomeric material. This parameter change enables the sealing element to be produced through simpler extrusion or molding processes rather than complex epoxy casting, improving ease of manufacture while maintaining sealing effectiveness
2Reliability
If epoxy molding is used to create the insulating body, then electrical insulation is achieved, but air bubbles may form and compromise vacuum integrity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the permanent epoxy-insulated feed-in structure with a modular approach where the elastomeric sealing ring can be independently manufactured and installed. This allows for easier quality control and replacement if defects occur, reducing the risk of air bubble-related vacuum integrity issues
Solution Approach 2:
The elastomeric sealing ring acts as an intermediary between the housing and the electrical feed-in components. This separate sealing element provides a reliable barrier against air leakage without requiring the epoxy to be perfectly free of bubbles, as the sealing function is decoupled from the electrical insulation function
3Reliability
If custom molded insulating bodies are used for electrical feed-in, then hermetic sealing is achieved, but production time and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the electrical feed-in assembly into separate components: the electrical connector, the insulating structure, and the elastomeric sealing ring. This segmentation allows each component to be manufactured independently using optimized processes, with the sealing ring being particularly easy to produce in large quantities through extrusion or simple molding, thereby improving productivity for mass production
Solution Approach 2:
The elastomeric sealing ring serves as a universal sealing solution that can be applied to various housing and feed-in configurations. This multi-functional component maintains hermetic sealing across different applications without requiring custom molded insulating bodies for each specific case, enabling standardized mass production procedures
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a hermetically sealed housing with an electrical feed-in. A standard printed circuit board 120 seals against housing 100. The sealing is carried out on a flat side of printed circuit board 120. The printed circuit board contains electrically conducting tracks (130, 132, 134, 136) which make the electrical connection. By making the electrical connection so that at least part of it lies parallel with the surface of the printed circuit board, no gas can leak through the printed circuit board along the conductor. The inside of the hermetically sealed space 102 may be a gas-filled space, but may also be a vacuum space, for example.