Method for encasing an electric unit and electrical structural element

• US 10,390,435 B2
• Filed: 02/18/2018
• Issued: 08/20/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co. OHG (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co. OHG (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Schillinger, Jakob, Huber, Dietmar, Raukopf, Svenja, Biebricher, Lothar
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Donghai D
• Application Number:
  US15/898,642
• Publication Number:
  US 20180177053A1
• Time in Patent Office: 548 Days
• Field of Search: 29827, 29832, 29841
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/203 Resistors used for electric measuring, e.g. decade resistors standards, resistors for comparators, series resistors, shunts resistors in general H01C; microwave or radiowave terminations H01P1/26; coupling devices H01R
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/0092 measuring current only all subgroups of G01R19/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/56 Encapsulations, e.g. encapsulation layers, coatings
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48265 the item being a discrete passive component
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/3107 the device being completely enclosed
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/49531 the additional leads being a wiring board
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/00 Arrangements for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies; Methods or apparatus related thereto
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/186 manufactured by mounting on or connecting to patterned circuits before or during embedding
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10022 Non-printed resistor
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/1316 Moulded encapsulation of mounted components
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/1327 Moulding over PCB locally or completely applying non-metallic protective coatings for encapsulating mounted components H05K3/284
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/0014 Shaping of the substrate, e.g. by moulding
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49146 with encapsulating, e.g., potting, etc.

Abstract

A method for encasing an electrical unit includes connecting the electrical unit to a leadframe and encasing the electrical unit with a first plastic material to form an inner molded body, so that a plurality of contacts of the electrical unit project from the inner molded body. The inner molded body is punched out of the lead frame. The method also includes connecting at least one first contact and one second contact to a shunt resistor. The inner molded body is encased with a second plastic material to form an outer molded body.

Claims

1. A method for encasing an electrical unit, comprising:

connecting the electrical unit to a leadframe;

encasing the electrical unit with a first plastic material for forming an inner molded body, so that a plurality of contacts of the electrical unit project from the inner molded body;

punching the inner molded body out of the leadframe;

connecting at least one first contact and one second contact to a shunt resistor; and

encasing the inner molded body and a portion of the shunt resistor with a second plastic material for forming an outer molded body.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the electrical unit used is at least one of a populated printed circuit board and an integrated electrical circuit.

3. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the first plastic material is a thermoset material.

4. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the second plastic material is a thermoplastic material.

5. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the contacts are connected to the shunt resistor by welding, hard-soldering, ultrasonic welding, laser welding, adhesive bonding, soft-soldering, sintering, and/or resistance welding.

6. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein connecting the contacts to the shunt resistor is executed after encasing with the first plastic material.

7. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein connecting the contacts to the shunt resistor is executed before encasing with the first plastic material.

8. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein, after encasing with the first plastic material at least one contact may project through the first plastic material.

9. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein, after encasing with the second plastic material at least one contact may project through the first plastic material.

10. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the inner molded body is connected to the leadframe with at least one anchored or inserted support web after encasing with the first plastic material.

11. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein at least one concave and/or convex contour is formed in the inner molded body.

12. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the first contact, the second contact, and/or a further contact each has at least one bead.

13. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the electrical unit defines at least one of hole for anchoring in the first plastic material.

14. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein, while encasing with the second plastic material, a plug is formed and/or insert parts are embedded.

15. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein, while encasing with the second plastic material, a rivet is molded for connection to an additional component.

16. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the shunt resistor has contact areas project beyond the outer molded body.

17. An electrical structural element formed by:

connecting an electrical unit to a leadframe;

encasing the electrical unit with a first plastic material for forming an inner molded body, so that a plurality of contacts of the electrical unit project from the inner molded body;

punching the inner molded body out of the leadframe;

connecting at least one first contact and one second contact to a shunt resistor; and

encasing the inner molded body and a portion of the shunt resistor with a second plastic material for forming the electrical structural element, wherein the shunt resistor has contact areas project beyond the outer molded body.