Surface-Mount Inductor with Embedded Metal Terminals
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for manufacturing surface-mount inductors using metal terminals are costly due to the need for expensive conductive pastes, result in large inductor sizes, and suffer from terminal detachment issues during soldering, and lack visual confirmation of terminal connections.
Innovation Solution
A surface-mount inductor design featuring a coil with exposed lead ends embedded in a premolded body of magnetic powder and thermosetting resin, with deformable metal terminals arranged on the outer surface, allowing for visual confirmation of connections and eliminating adhesive-related detachment issues through thermopressing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If metal terminals are mounted after the completion of the coil, then the inductor can be assembled, but the inductor size becomes large and varies with terminal thickness
Solution Approach 1:
The metal terminals are preliminarily folded into a predetermined shape and positioned before the coil is embedded in the magnetic resin. This preliminary arrangement allows the terminals to be integrated into the final inductor structure without adding to the overall size, as they are accommodated within the coil assembly rather than being mounted externally after completion.
Solution Approach 2:
The metal terminals are nested within the coil structure during the embedding process. The terminals are positioned such that they are incorporated into the magnetic resin encapsulation along with the coil, creating a compact integrated structure where the terminals do not protrude externally, thus maintaining a consistent and compact inductor size.
2Reliability
If metal terminals are soldered onto the molded coil, then electrical connection is achieved, but terminals fall off due to adhesive deterioration
Solution Approach 1:
Solder or welding is used as an intermediary material or process to create a strong metallurgical bond between the metal terminals and the lead ends of the coil. This intermediary connection method provides superior mechanical and electrical strength compared to adhesive bonding alone, ensuring that the terminals remain firmly attached during subsequent soldering operations and assembly processes.
3Volume of moving object
If the connecting portion is embedded in the molded coil, then the structure is compact, but visual confirmation of connection is not possible
Solution Approach 1:
The metal terminals are asymmetrically folded and positioned such that while the connecting portion is embedded within the magnetic resin for compactness, the terminal ends extend outward from the coil structure. This asymmetric configuration allows the connection area to remain hidden inside the molded coil for size reduction, while the terminal portions remain accessible and visible for visual inspection and external electrical connections.
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 approach eliminates the need for adhesives, prevents terminal detachment, and maintains a compact inductor size by embedding metal terminals within the resin, ensuring reliable connections and reduced size variability.
Implementation Method 1
a premolded body formed by thermopressing into a form a mixture of magnetic powder and thermosetting resin
Data Source
AI summary
A surface-mount inductor including: a coil formed by winding insulated wire and bringing out lead ends therefrom; and a plurality of premolded bodies for accommodating the coil inside, thereby thermopressing to form, wherein a pair of metal terminals is embedded laterally on the outer surface of the surface-mount inductor, and the lead ends of the coil are brought out from the bottom surface of the surface-mount inductor and laterally laid on the outer surface of the metal terminals, as well as a method for manufacturing the same.