Semiconductor Terminal Stoppers for Rated Current Identification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Identifying the rated current of semiconductor devices after mounting on a substrate is difficult due to similar outer shapes and requires removal from the substrate for visual inspection, leading to reduced production efficiency.
Innovation Solution
The semiconductor device incorporates stoppers on control and main terminals to prevent over-insertion and identify rated current by varying the number of stoppers for each current rating, allowing visual inspection without removing the device from the substrate.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the outer shapes of semiconductor devices are made the same to simplify manufacturing, then manufacturing complexity is reduced, but the ability to identify rated current visually is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the terminal structure into segments by adding stoppers at different positions and quantities for different rated currents. This segmentation allows visual identification of rated current while maintaining the same overall device shape, resolving the contradiction between simplified manufacturing and visual identification.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by making specific parts (stoppers on terminals) different for different rated currents while keeping the overall device shape uniform. This allows visual identification at specific locations without changing the global device structure, thus maintaining manufacturing simplicity while enabling identification.
2Loss of information
If the model name is printed on the package surface for identification, then identification capability is improved, but the ability to identify after mounting is worsened due to contact with substrate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the identification function from the package surface (which becomes inaccessible after mounting) and relocates it to the terminals that remain accessible. The stoppers on terminals serve as external identification markers that can be viewed even when the device is mounted, solving the problem of identification after mounting.
3Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If stoppers are added to identify rated current, then identification capability is improved, but device complexity is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the stoppers serve multiple functions: they prevent over-insertion of terminals into the substrate and simultaneously provide visual identification of rated current. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate identification features, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameters of existing stoppers (number, position, length) to encode different rated current information. By varying these parameters rather than adding entirely new components, the identification capability is improved while minimizing the increase in device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A semiconductor device includes a package, a control terminal group including at least three control terminals inputting a control signal to a semiconductor element and projecting from a side surface of a first side out of the first side and a second side opposite to the first side of the package, and a main terminal group including at least three main terminals energizing the semiconductor element with a main current and projecting from a side surface of the second side. Middle portions of the two respective terminals of the control terminal group and the main terminal group are provided with stoppers for preventing over-insertion into the substrate. A middle portion of at least one terminal of at least any one of the terminal groups of the control terminal group and the main terminal group is provided with stoppers for identifying a rated current of the semiconductor device.