Continuous Extrusion Process for Manufacturing a Z-directed Component for a Printed Circuit Board

• US 20130104394A1
• Filed: 10/28/2011
• Published: 05/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lexmark International Incorporated (Ninestar Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lexmark International Incorporated (Ninestar Corporation)
• Inventors: Hardin, Keith Bryan, Kratzer, Zachary Charles Nathan, Zhang, Qing
• Granted Patent: US 8,943,684 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 29/832
• CPC Class Codes: B28B 11/16 for extrusion or for materials supplied in long webs
• CPC Class Codes: B28B 3/20 wherein the material is extruded extrusion moulding of plastics B29C48/00
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/0022 combined with cutting
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/022 characterised by the choice of material
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/131 Curved articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2995/0005 Conductive
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2995/0007 Insulating
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/3425 Printed circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 4/33 Thin- or thick-film capacitors thin- or thick-film circuits H01L27/00; capacitors without a potential-jump or surface barrier specially adapted for integrated circuits, details thereof, multistep manufacturing processes therefor H01L28/40
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 4/35 Feed-through capacitors or anti-noise capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0221 Coaxially shielded signal lines comprising a continuous shielding layer partially or wholly surrounding the signal lines
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0231 Capacitors or dielectric substances
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0251 related to vias or transitions between vias and transmission lines
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0298 Multilayer circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/184 Components including terminals inserted in holes through the printed circuit board and connected to printed contacts on the walls of the holes or at the edges thereof or protruding over or into the holes
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10015 Non-printed capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10053 Switch
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10984 Component carrying a connection agent, e.g. solder, adhesive soldering leadless components having an array of bottom contacts H05K3/3436; BGA components H05K2201/10734
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/30 Assembling printed circuits with electric components, e.g. with resistor
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/306 Lead-in-hole components, e.g. affixing or retention before soldering, spacing means H05K3/32 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/4046 : using auxiliary conductive elements, e.g. metallic spheres, eyelets, pieces of wire
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4913 : Assembling to base an electrical component, e.g., capacitor, etc.
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49135 : and shaping, e.g., cutting or bending, etc.

Abstract

A method for manufacturing a Z-directed component for insertion into a mounting hole in a printed circuit board according to one example embodiment includes simultaneously extruding a plurality of materials according to the structure of the Z-directed component to form an extruded object and forming the Z-directed component from the extruded object. In one embodiment, the extruded object is divided into individual Z-directed components. In one embodiment, the timing of extrusion between predetermined sections of one of the materials is varied in order to stagger the sections in the extruded object.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a Z-directed component for insertion into a mounting hole in a printed circuit board, comprising:

simultaneously extruding a plurality of materials according to the structure of the Z-directed component to form an extruded object; and

forming the Z-directed component from the extruded object.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising extruding the plurality of materials in a lengthwise direction of the Z-directed component.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the plurality of materials extend lengthwise through substantially the entire extruded object.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising forcing the plurality of materials through a chamber of an extrusion die to form the extruded object, a portion of the chamber including a barrier that separates different materials from each other and defines the structure of the Z-directed component.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein a diameter of the chamber and a thickness of the barrier narrow in a downstream direction of extrusion.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising separating a segment from the extruded object and forming the Z-directed component from the separated segment.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising curing the separated segment of the extruded object to form the Z-directed component.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of extruded materials is a conductive material that forms a conductive channel in the Z-directed component.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising applying a conductive trace to one of a top surface and a bottom surface of the Z-directed component that connects with the conductive channel to provide an interconnection between the conductive channel and a trace on the printed circuit board.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the extruded conductive material extends to a side surface of the Z-directed component to provide an interconnection between the conductive channel and a trace on the printed circuit board.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising applying a layer of insulator on one of a top surface and a bottom surface of the Z-directed component to protect a portion of the extruded conductive material that is exposed at the respective top or bottom surface of the Z-directed component.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising twisting the extruded object as it advances to cause the conductive channel to spiral in the Z-directed component.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising compressing the Z-directed component with a plug that includes a recess formed in an end thereof having a tapered rim around a periphery of the recess to form a corresponding taper in one of a top surface and a bottom surface of the Z-directed component.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

inserting the Z-directed component into the mounting hole in the printed circuit board; and

applying an adhesive to a surface of the printed circuit board external to the mounting hole, the adhesive contacting a surface of the Z-directed component when the Z-directed component is inserted into the mounting hole to prevent rotational and translational movement of the Z-directed component relative to the printed circuit board after insertion.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising forming a strip of conductive material along a side surface of the formed Z-directed component that connects to one of a top surface and a bottom surface of the Z-directed component to form a conductive bridge between the respective top or bottom surface of the Z-directed component and a trace on the printed circuit board.

16. A method for manufacturing a Z-directed component for insertion into a mounting hole in a printed circuit board, comprising:

simultaneously extruding a plurality of materials according to the structure of the Z-directed component to form an extruded object;

varying the timing of extrusion between predetermined sections of one of the materials to stagger the sections in the extruded object; and

forming the Z-directed component from the extruded object.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein a first set of the staggered sections extends to a top surface of the Z-directed component and is spaced from a bottom surface thereof and a second set of the staggered sections is spaced from the top surface of the Z-directed component and extends to the bottom surface thereof.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising dispensing the material making up the staggered sections from a plurality of slats in the path of extrusion and imposing a predetermined delay between a first set of the slats and a second set of the slats to vary the timing of extrusion of said material.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the delay is imposed by varying (1) the position of the first set of slats relative to the second set of slats, (2) the length of a material path feeding the first set of slats relative to the length of a material path feeding the second set of slats, (3) the timing of material flow to the first set of slats relative to the second set of slats, or (4) a combination thereof.

20. A method for manufacturing a plurality of Z-directed components each for insertion into a respective mounting hole in a printed circuit board, comprising:

continuously extruding a plurality of materials in a lengthwise direction according to the structure of the Z-directed component to form an extruded object;

dividing the extruded object into individual Z-directed components; and

curing each Z-directed component.