Thermoplastic Frame for Electronic Component Encapsulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electronic components used in transmission oil pans face challenges with contamination from metal chips and plastic residues, air pockets, and inadequate electrical insulation due to complex sealing processes and duroplastic encapsulation methods.
Innovation Solution
The electronic component is encased in a frame made of a second plastic, which facilitates easier production by avoiding direct contact between tool halves and the stamped grid, reducing flash skins, and allowing for distributed ventilation, while being encased in a first plastic that ensures secure electrical insulation and prevents contamination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the printed circuit board is directly encapsulated with duroplastic resin, then electrical insulation is achieved, but complex sealing is required and air pockets are formed
Solution Approach 1:
A frame made of thermoplastic plastic is introduced as an intermediary component between the printed circuit board and the duroplastic encapsulation. This frame serves as a mediator that simplifies the sealing process by providing a ready-made sealing surface for the mold halves, eliminating the need for complex sealing arrangements while ensuring complete encapsulation and electrical insulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The encapsulation structure is segmented into two distinct parts: a thermoplastic frame that provides the sealing interface and a duroplastic material that provides the encapsulation. This segmentation allows each material to perform its optimal function - the thermoplastic frame handles sealing simplicity while the duroplastic provides robust electrical insulation and contamination protection.
2Reliability
If tool halves directly contact the stamped grid during encapsulation, then encapsulation is achieved, but flash skins are generated causing contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The thermoplastic frame acts as an intermediary between the tool halves and the stamped grid, preventing direct contact. The mold halves rest on the frame during encapsulation, which eliminates the generation of flash skins at the critical exit points of the stamped grid, thereby preventing plastic residue contamination.
3Reliability
If ventilation is concentrated at one location, then air escape is achieved, but air pockets remain in the encapsulated component
Solution Approach 1:
The ventilation system is distributed around the circumference of the frame in multiple locations rather than concentrated at a single point. This spatial distribution along the circular path of the frame allows air to escape from multiple zones simultaneously, preventing air pocket formation in different regions of the encapsulated component.
4Ease of manufacture
If a frame made of second plastic is introduced, then production is simplified and flash skins are reduced, but an additional component is added
Solution Approach 1:
The thermoplastic frame performs multiple functions simultaneously: it serves as a structural support for the printed circuit board, provides a sealing interface for the mold halves, prevents flash skin generation, and facilitates simplified ventilation. By consolidating these multiple functions into a single component, the overall device complexity does not significantly increase despite the additional element.
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 method ensures the electronic component operates effectively in harsh environments with guaranteed electrical insulation, prevents oil contamination, and simplifies the production process by minimizing plastic waste and air pockets, while maintaining secure electrical connections.
Implementation Method 1
The tool halves (17, 18) rest in such a way on the frame (4) made of thermoplastic that... the frame made of thermoplastic facilitates the production
Implementation Method 2
encased in a jacket made of a first plastic... encased by the first plastic
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
The invention relates to an electronic component (15) comprising electrically conductive contacts (2) and a printed circuit board (7) which is enclosed by a sleeve made of a first plastic, and to a method for producing said electronic component. Such electronic components are used in oil pans of a transmission. According to the invention, the electrically conductive contacts are surrounded by a frame (4) made of a second plastic. The first plastic is a duroplast, the second plastic is a thermoplast. The thermoplast is no barrier against transmission oil, it is used for shaping the duroplast, for prepositioning the electrically conductive contacts and for preventing mechanical reworking of the duroplast. No projections such as tabs or flash layers are created.