Two-Material Powder Injection Molding for Hermetic Feedthroughs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for forming feedthroughs in hermetically sealed housings often require sacrificial conductive components, leading to increased costs and waste, and may compromise the hermetic integrity of the housing.
Innovation Solution
A method using two-material powder injection molding (PIM) that forms insulative bodies and conductors within a mold, eliminating the need for sacrificial conductive components by injecting non-electrically conductive and electrically conductive PIM feedstocks to create feedthroughs, which are then sintered for hermetic sealing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If traditional methods using sacrificial conductive components are used to form feedthroughs, then the feedthrough structure can be formed, but manufacturing costs increase and waste is generated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the sacrificial conductive component from the manufacturing process. Instead of using a sacrificial component that must be removed, the invention directly forms the final conductor structure through two-material PIM, where conductive and non-conductive materials are injected in sequence to create the complete feedthrough structure without requiring removal of any sacrificial elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by forming the insulative body first, then injecting the conductive material into the core cavities created by removing the cores. This sequential preliminary formation of structures allows the final feedthrough to be created without requiring sacrificial components, as each material is placed in its final position before the other.
2Loss of substance
If traditional methods using sacrificial conductive components are used to form feedthroughs, then the feedthrough structure can be formed, but manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the sacrificial conductive component from the manufacturing process. Instead of using a sacrificial component that must be removed, the invention directly forms the final conductor structure through two-material PIM, where conductive and non-conductive materials are injected in sequence to create the complete feedthrough structure without requiring removal of any sacrificial elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the material parameters by using two different PIM feedstocks with distinct properties (conductive and non-conductive) that can be selectively injected. This allows the formation of complex feedthrough structures with precise control over material placement, eliminating the need for sacrificial components and reducing manufacturing costs.
3Reliability
If traditional methods are used to form feedthroughs, then the basic feedthrough function is achieved, but hermetic integrity of the housing may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses composite materials by combining conductive and non-conductive PIM feedstocks in a single manufacturing process. The insulative body and conductors are formed as an integrated composite structure through sequential injection, ensuring proper material interfaces and hermetic sealing without the complexity of assembling separate components or removing sacrificial elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the formation of the insulative body and conductors into a single integrated process. By injecting the conductive material into the core cavities created during the same molding cycle, the invention creates a unified feedthrough structure with hermetic seals formed as part of the integrated structure, eliminating the need for separate assembly steps that could compromise hermetic integrity.
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 reduces costs and waste by eliminating the need for sacrificial components and enhances the hermetic integrity of the housing by ensuring a tight seal between the insulative body and conductors, while allowing for flexible design and scalable production.
Implementation Method 1
sintering the insulative body and the conductors to form the feedthrough
Data Source
AI summary
Methods of forming a feedthrough using a mold that defines a cavity when closed and includes one or more cores configured to move in and out of the mold cavity. The methods include injecting non-electrically conductive powder injection molding (PIM) feedstock into the mold cavity to form an insulative body around a portion of each of the cores disposed in the mold cavity, removing each of the cores from the insulative body to form one or more core cavities in the insulative body, injecting electrically conductive PIM feedstock into the core cavities to form one or more conductors in the core cavities, respectively, and sintering the insulative body and the conductors to form the feedthrough.