METHOD OF MANUFACTURING AN ELECTRONIC COMPONENT

• US 20110005064A1
• Filed: 09/17/2010
• Published: 01/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Coilcraft Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Coilcraft Incorporated
• Inventors: Lestarge, Lawrence B., Hess, Scott D., Klesyk, Andrzej
• Granted Patent: US 9,318,251 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 29/605
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 2017/046 helical coil made of flat wire, e.g. with smaller extension of wire cross section in the direction of the longitudinal axis
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/027 specially adapted for combination of signal type inductors or transformers with electronic circuits, e.g. mounting on printed circuit boards
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/04 Leading of conductors or axles through casings, e.g. for tap-changing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/24 Magnetic cores
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/255 made from particles H01F27/26 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/2823 Wires H01F27/2866 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/29 Terminals; Tapping arrangements for signal inductances
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/292 Surface mounted devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/32 Insulating of coils, windings, or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 3/12 Magnetic shunt paths
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 41/10 Connecting leads to windings making electric connections in general H01R43/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49071 by winding or coiling

Abstract

An electronic component including a core having a wire wound around a portion of the core with first and second ends being connected to terminals for mounting the component to corresponding lands in a circuit. The component having an outer body made of a mixture of magnetic and/or non-magnetic material and a binder which can either be potted and cured or compression molded. The mixture encasing at least a portion of the core and wire and leaving at least a portion of the terminals exposed for mounting the component to the circuit using conventional pick-and-place equipment. Further, methods of manufacturing such components and customizing same are disclosed.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing an electronic component, comprising:

providing a wire having first and second ends and a pre-formed core;

winding the wire about at least a portion of the pre-formed core and connecting the first and second wire ends to at least one terminal for mounting the component to a circuit; and

using a wet press process to pour a mixture of magnetic or non-magnetic material over at least a portion of the wire and pre-formed core, and hardening the mixture without exposing the wire and pre-formed core to the damaging forces of a dry press process to form a solid component with a generally planar top surface with which the component can be picked and placed on the circuit using conventional pick-and-place equipment.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein pouring and hardening the mixture comprises compression molding the component into a hardened body without exposing the component to the damaging forces of a dry press process.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein pouring and hardening the mixture comprises potting and curing the component into a hardened body without exposing the component to the damaging forces of a dry press process.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the wire is a flat, insulated wire and winding comprises winding the flat wire around the core into a plurality of rows coaxially configured about the pre-formed core.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising connecting the at least one terminal directly to the core of the component so that the component can be mounted to a pair of corresponding lands on the circuit without requiring additional steps for attaching the at least one terminal to the component or insulating the hardened body so that the at least one terminal can be connected thereto.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein connecting the at least one terminal comprises metalizing a surface of the core.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein connecting the at least one terminal comprises securing clips to the core.

8. A method of manufacturing an electronic component, comprising:

providing a wire having first and second ends, a core having first and second ends with a portion extending therebetween about which the wire may be wound, and at least one terminal for connecting to the wire;

winding the wire about the portion extending between the first and second ends of the core and connecting the wire to the at least one terminal;

liquefying a powdered mixture of magnetic or non-magnetic materials to create a liquefied mixture; and

dispersing the liquefied mixture via a wet press process over at least a portion of the wire and core and hardening the mixture to form the electronic component without exposing the component to the damaging forces of a dry press process.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein dispersing the liquefied mixture comprises compressing the liquefied mixture over at least a portion of the wire, core and/or at least one terminal without exposing the component to the damaging forces of a dry press process.

10. A method of manufacturing an electronic component, comprising:

providing a wire having first and second ends, a tack core having a flanged end and a centrally located post extending therefrom about which the wire may be wound, and at least one terminal to which the first and second wire ends are connected;

winding the wire about the post and connecting the wire ends to the at least one terminal; and

injection molding a wet mixture of magnetic or non-magnetic material over at least a portion of the wire and/or tack core and hardening the mixture to form a solid component which can be placed on a circuit using conventional pick-and-place equipment.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein providing the tack core further comprises sintering a green body to form the tack core prior to injection molding the wet mixture of magnetic or non-magnetic material over the at least a portion of the wire and/or tack core.