Adjustable Voltage Divider Terminals for Precise Resistance Tuning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional high voltage thick film resistors used in voltage dividers lack the capability for in situ resistance measurements, leading to an open-loop manufacturing process without feedback or fine-tuning options, resulting in high costs, complexity, and low accuracy due to the reliance on laser ablation for resistance ratio adjustment.
Innovation Solution
An adjustable terminal system is applied to a substrate with an electrically resistive path, allowing for displacement and tightness adjustments to modify resistance values, eliminating the need for laser ablation by using additive manufacturing to apply resistive pastes in serpentine or surface patterns, and incorporating terminals for precise resistance tuning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If laser ablation is used to fine-tune resistance values, then manufacturing precision is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-defining multiple discrete resistance value options during the screen printing design phase. Instead of requiring post-manufacturing adjustment via laser ablation, the correct resistance value is built into the resistor structure before manufacturing completes. This eliminates the need for complex laser ablation equipment and processes while achieving precise resistance ratios.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the resistance adjustment function from the manufacturing process by incorporating selectable resistance values directly into the resistor design. Rather than using laser ablation to remove material and adjust resistance after fabrication, the solution takes out the adjustment need entirely by providing pre-configured resistance options through different screen printing patterns.
2Manufacturing precision
If laser ablation is used to adjust resistance values, then manufacturing precision is improved, but manufacturing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by determining and setting the final resistance value during the screen printing design phase rather than requiring post-fabrication adjustment. Multiple discrete resistance options are built into the resistor structure before manufacturing begins, eliminating time-consuming laser ablation steps and enabling higher manufacturing throughput while maintaining precision.
3Ease of manufacture
If mechanical ablation is used to adjust resistance values, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but manufacturing precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-configuring accurate resistance values through screen printing design patterns before manufacturing. This eliminates the need for any ablation process (both laser and mechanical), achieving both cost reduction and high precision simultaneously by building the correct resistance into the resistor during the printing phase rather than requiring post-processing adjustment.
4Manufacturing precision
If traditional screen printing and laser ablation are used, then resistance ratio precision is improved, but ease of manufacture deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by incorporating resistance ratio precision directly into the screen printing design phase through carefully calculated paste patterns. This eliminates the need for subsequent laser ablation steps, maintaining high precision while dramatically simplifying the manufacturing process. The solution integrates the precision requirement into the initial printing process rather than requiring complex multi-step manufacturing.
Data Source
AI summary
Electrically resistive devices, such as voltage dividers, and methods of making the same are disclosed. An illustrative voltage divider may include a substrate having an axis, an electrically resistive path applied to the substrate, and at least one terminal positioned around the substrate and in contact with the electrically resistive path. The electrically resistive path may include a primary resistor and a secondary resistor, with the primary resistor having a higher electrical resistance than the secondary resistor. An adjustable displacement of the at least one terminal along the axis of the substrate may allow adjustment of at least one electrical resistance associated with the at least one terminal. An adjustable tightness of the at least one terminal around the substrate may allow adjustment of the at least one electrical resistance associated with the at least one terminal.