Resistor structure and a voltage divider arrangement
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Solution Overview
Problem
High voltage resistor structures face challenges in maintaining reliability and safety due to excessive electric stresses, leading to dielectric failures such as partial discharge and electrical breakdown.
Innovation Solution
A resistor structure design featuring an insulating substrate with resistive traces partially or fully adjacent to insulator elements, where the insulator thickness is significantly greater than or equal to the resistive trace thickness, providing enhanced protection against mechanical and electrical stresses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the resistive trace is made thinner to reduce size, then the device size is reduced, but the electric field intensity increases leading to dielectric failures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from two-dimensional planar insulation to three-dimensional vertical insulation by adding insulator elements with height. The insulator element thickness in the vertical direction (perpendicular to substrate) is designed to be at least 30% of the resistive trace thickness, creating a volumetric insulation structure that provides enhanced electric field management without increasing the device footprint area.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a composite structure combining the resistive trace material with insulator element material in a vertically stacked arrangement. The insulator element is positioned adjacent to and partially overlapping the resistive trace, creating a composite system where the insulator's dielectric properties compensate for the reduced trace dimensions, maintaining reliability while enabling size reduction.
2Reliability
If the insulator element thickness is increased to improve reliability, then dielectric failure resistance is improved, but the device size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The insulator element is positioned locally adjacent to and overlapping only the resistive trace regions that require insulation, rather than providing uniform insulation across the entire device. The insulator thickness is specifically designed to be at least 30% of the resistive trace thickness at the overlap region, providing targeted reinforcement where electric field stresses are highest while minimizing overall device volume.
3Strength
If the resistive trace is made thicker to handle higher voltages, then voltage handling capability is improved, but the device size and power dissipation increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent addresses voltage handling by adding vertical dimension through insulator elements rather than increasing horizontal trace dimensions. The insulator element thickness in the vertical direction provides additional dielectric strength and electric field management, enabling the resistive trace to handle higher voltages without requiring increased trace thickness that would lead to higher power dissipation.
Data Source
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Figure 3(a)~3(d)
AI summary
The invention relates to a resistor structure comprising at least an electrically insulating substrate, at least one electrically conductive terminal directly or indirectly provided on the substrate, at least one resistive path comprising at least one resistive trace directly or indirectly provided on the substrate and directly or indirectly joined to the terminal, wherein a thickness of the resistive trace is the thickness of the resistive trace in the thickness direction facing away from the substrate, characterized in that at least one insulator element is applied directly or indirectly and at least partially on the substrate , wherein a thickness of the insulator element is the thickness of the insulator element in the thickness direction facing away from the substrate.