Plated Coil Electrode Structure for Thin Inductor Contact Reliability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing inductor technologies face challenges in maintaining high performance and reliability while reducing thickness, particularly due to contact defects between the coil and external electrodes, which can lead to increased contact resistance and reduced volume.
Innovation Solution
The coil electronic component features a body with a magnetic metal material, a coil, and plating electrodes formed on the body's surfaces, with specific configurations to prevent contact defects and increase the component's volume, including insulating layers and surface steps to enhance reliability and inductance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If the thickness of the inductor is reduced to meet device thinness requirements, then the device thinness is improved, but the volume of the body is reduced leading to decreased inductance and increased contact resistance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extends plating electrodes from the first surface to the second surface of the body, utilizing the thickness dimension to create longer contact paths. This dimensional extension allows the electrodes to traverse through the reduced-thickness body, maintaining adequate contact length and reducing contact resistance even when the overall inductor thickness is reduced.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the plating electrodes with the coil structure by forming the electrodes to extend from the first surface through the body to the second surface, where they connect with the coil lead parts. This merging creates integrated contact paths that maximize the use of available space within the reduced-thickness body, maintaining inductance while achieving thinness.
2Length of moving object
If the thickness of the inductor is reduced, then the device thinness is improved, but contact defects between coil and external electrodes increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies plating treatment to the body surfaces before forming the final electrode structure. This preliminary plating action creates a preparatory conductive layer that facilitates subsequent electrode formation and ensures reliable contact between the coil lead parts and external electrodes, preventing contact defects in thin-profile inductors.
Solution Approach 2:
The plating electrodes serve as intermediary elements between the coil lead parts and the external connections. By extending these intermediary electrodes through the body from first surface to second surface, the patent ensures continuous conductive paths that bridge the coil and external electrodes, eliminating contact defects even in reduced-thickness designs.
3Manufacturing precision
If plating electrodes are extended to increase contact length, then contact resistance is reduced, but the complexity of the manufacturing process increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functions into the plating electrode structure: it serves as both the external electrode and the internal contact path simultaneously. By forming a single continuous plating structure that extends from the first surface through the body to the second surface, the patent eliminates the need for separate internal and external electrode structures, simplifying the manufacturing process while maintaining low contact resistance.
Data Source
AI summary
A coil electrode component includes a body including magnetic metal material, a coil disposed in the body and having first and second lead parts respectively outwardly exposed through first and second surfaces of the body. A first plating electrode is formed on the first surface of the body and a further surface of the body connected to and extended from the first surface of the body, and connected to the first lead part. A second plating electrode is formed on the second surface of the body and a further surface of the body connected to and extended from the second surface of the body, and connected to the second lead part.