JP7612300B2 - Resin-sealed electrical components - Google Patents

Description

This invention relates to a resin-sealed electrical component that has an extension that extends across the side wall of the case and outside the case.

In resin-sealed electrical components that have an extension, such as an external connection terminal, that extends across the side wall of the case to the outside of the case, resin leakage along the extension can be a problem during manufacturing. Specifically, when the extension is positioned close to the inside of the case, capillary action causes resin to creep up between the extension and the inside of the case, and the creeping resin leaks out of the case along the underside of the extension.

Patent Document 1 discloses that the part of the side wall of the case that faces the external connection terminal is made to protrude higher than the other parts, thereby preventing the resin from creeping up to between the upper surface of this protrusion and the lower surface of the external connection terminal. Patent Document 2 discloses that the inner side of the upper end of the case that faces the external connection terminal is notched to widen the gap between the external connection terminal and the inner surface of the case, thereby preventing the resin from creeping up. Patent Document 3 discloses that the upper end of the case is made into a double wall to form a resin pool that opens upward, and the resin that has crawled up is made to flow into the resin pool, thereby preventing leakage to the outside of the case. Patent Document 4 discloses that when the external connection terminal is pulled out from a through hole provided under the resin surface, a ring-shaped seal member (sealing member) made of rubber is interposed between the through hole and the external connection terminal to close the gap between them.

JP 2008-85273 A JP 2003-100547 A JP 2010-129573 A JP 2016-058688 A

However, in Patent Document 1, depending on the surface tension of the resin, the wettability of the case and the external connection terminal, and other conditions, the height of the protrusion may not be sufficient. If the resin rises up to between the upper surface of the protrusion and the lower surface of the external connection terminal, resin leakage cannot be prevented. In Patent Document 2, the case must be manufactured with high precision so that a predetermined gap is formed between the external connection terminal and the inner surface of the case, which is time-consuming. In Patent Document 3, the case must also be manufactured with high precision to provide a resin pool with a predetermined gap, which is time-consuming. Patent Document 4 is effective when the external connection terminal is extended from below the resin surface, but when the external connection terminal is drawn out from an opening on the upper side of the case outside the resin surface, it is an excessive method, and the assembly is also complicated, so it cannot be said to be an appropriate method.

The present invention aims to provide a resin-sealed electrical component that is easy to manufacture and assemble and can prevent resin leakage.

The resin-sealed electrical component 1 of the present invention comprises an electronic component 4, a case 2 having an opening 23 at the top and housing the electronic component 4, resin 8 filled into the case 2, a plate-like body 5 having an extension portion 62 (72) whose one end is embedded in the resin 8 and whose other end extends across the side wall portion 22 of the case 2 to the outside of the case 2, and an elastic member 3 that prevents the resin from leaking out of the case 2 along the underside of the extension portion 62 (72), and the elastic member 3 has an abutment portion 32 that abuts against the underside of the extension portion 62 (72) by housing the plate-like body 5 from above into the case 2.

In the above resin-sealed electrical component, it is preferable that the elastic member 3 has a main body portion 31 that is attached to the case 2, and that the abutment portion 32 is thinner than the main body portion 31.

It is also preferable that the abutment portion 32 is bent so as to have a spring property that causes it to rebound toward the underside of the extension portion 62 (72).

Furthermore, it is preferable that a concave-convex fitting portion 9 is formed between the elastic member 3 and the case 2, which fits together when the elastic member 3 is attached from above.

It is also preferable that one elastic member 3 abuts against the undersides of multiple extension portions 62 (72).

In the resin-sealed electrical component of the present invention, the abutment portion of the elastic member abuts against the underside of the extension portion, so that leakage of resin along the underside of the extension portion to the outside of the case can be suppressed. In addition, because resin leakage is suppressed by the elastic member, which is a separate member from the case, there is no need to manufacture the case with high precision in order to suppress resin leakage. In addition, assembly is also easy, since the underside of the extension portion abuts against the abutment portion simply by placing the plate-shaped body in the case from above.

When the elastic member has a main body that is attached to the case and the abutment portion is thinner than the main body, the abutment portion is more likely to bend, and even if the extension portion shifts in the vertical direction due to manufacturing errors, etc., the abutment state between the underside of the extension portion and the abutment portion can be maintained.

If the contact portion is bent so that it has a spring property that rebounds toward the underside of the extension portion, the contact portion is more likely to bend, and even if the extension portion shifts in the vertical direction due to manufacturing errors, etc., the contact state between the underside of the extension portion and the contact portion can be maintained.

When a concave-convex fitting portion is formed between the elastic member and the case, which fits when the elastic member is attached from above, the elastic member can be easily attached to the case.

When one elastic member abuts against the undersides of multiple extensions, there is no need to attach an elastic member to each extension, making assembly simple.

1 is an exploded perspective view showing a resin-sealed electrical component according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a resin-sealed electrical component. FIG. 4 is a side view of a main portion of the mounting portion and the elastic member. 11A and 11B are cross-sectional views showing modified examples of the elastic member. FIG. 2 is an end view of a main portion of the resin-sealed electrical component.

Next, one embodiment of the resin-sealed electrical component 1 of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the resin-sealed electrical component 1 of the present invention comprises a case 2, an elastic member 3 attached to the case 2, an electronic component 4 housed within the case 2, a plate-like body 5 housed within the case 2, and resin 8 filled within the case 2. Each of the above components will be described below, but the concept of "upper and lower" refers to the time of manufacture, or more specifically, the time of resin filling, and does not necessarily dictate the upper and lower during use.

[case]
1, the case 2 has a bottom surface 21 that is generally rectangular in plan view, and side wall portions 22 that rise upward from each of the four sides of the bottom surface 21. An opening 23 is provided at the top of the case 2, and electronic components 4 and plate-like bodies 5 are housed in the case 2 from above through this opening 23. Of the four side wall portions 22, two side wall portions 22 located on the long sides of the bottom surface 21 are provided with attachment portions 24 for attaching the elastic member 3.

The attachment portion 24 is formed by cutting out an upper portion of the side wall portion 22 in a generally U-shape and extending a protrusion 26 from the inner peripheral surface of the cutout 25 (bottom portion 25a and a pair of side portions 25b) that can be inserted into a recess 33 provided in the elastic member 3.

The convex portion 26 is located outside the inner surface of the side wall portion 22 in a plan view. This is to ensure that when the elastic member 3 is attached to the attachment portion 24, the inner surface of the side wall portion 22 and the inner surface of the main body portion 31 of the elastic member 3 described later are located on the same plane (flush). The protruding portion 27 for positioning the convex portion 26 outside the side wall portion 22 may extend laterally beyond the convex portion 26 so as to support the entire lower surface of the main body portion 31 of the elastic member 3 from below, as shown in FIG. 5. In addition, the convex portion 26 is continuous in a roughly U-shape in a side view. The protruding length of the convex portion 26 is uniform at the bottom portion 25a of the cutout 25 and is different at the side portion 25b of the cutout 25, as shown in FIG. 3. Specifically, the protruding length of the convex portion 26 provided on the side portion 25b becomes shorter as it goes up. However, near the top end, there is a protruding portion 26a that protrudes to a length similar to the original length, and the overall shape is roughly hook-shaped when viewed from the side.

The case 2 in the above configuration is made of a non-conductive material such as synthetic resin. However, it may also be made of a conductive material such as metal.

[Elastic member]
The elastic member 3 includes a main body portion 31 and a contact portion 32 extending upward from the upper surface of the main body portion 31 .

The shape and size (height in the vertical direction, width in the horizontal direction) of the main body 31 when viewed from the side are approximately the same as the shape and size of the cutout of the case. As shown in FIG. 3, the main body 31 has a recess 33 that fits with the protrusion 26 on the surface facing the inner circumferential surface of the cutout 25 of the case 2, specifically, on the lower surface 31a and both end surfaces 31b in the longitudinal direction. This recess 33 also continues in a roughly U-shape when viewed from the side, like the protrusion 26. Therefore, the concave-convex fitting portion 9 (see FIG. 5) formed by fitting the recess 33 of the elastic member 3 to the protrusion 26 continues in a roughly U-shape when viewed from the side. The groove depth of the recess 33 is uniform on the lower surface. On the end surface, the groove depth becomes shorter toward the top, but the groove depth near the upper end is approximately the same as the original depth, and a step 33a is formed. This step 33a is engaged with the lower surface of the protrusion 26a of the protrusion 26.

The upper surface of the main body 31 is set so that it is at the same level as or higher than the resin surface, for example, the upper end surface of the side wall 22, when the convex portion 26 of the case 2 is engaged with the concave portion 33 of the main body 31. Therefore, the notch 25 provided in the side wall 22 is blocked by the main body 31 as shown in Figures 2 and 5. In other words, the main body 31 of the elastic member 3 functions as part of the side wall 22, preventing the outflow of the resin 8 from the notch 25. In addition, because a labyrinth is formed by the engagement of the concave and convex portions, resin leakage from the engagement portion 9 is unlikely to occur.

The abutment portion 32 protrudes upward from the upper surface of the main body portion 31. The shape of the upper end of the abutment portion 32 is the same shape (flat) as the lower surface of the extension portion 62, 72 so that it can be in close contact with the lower surface of the extension portion 62, 72 without any gaps. In addition to being flat, it may have the same shape. This abutment portion 32 is made thinner than the main body portion 31. There is no particular limit to the thickness, as long as it can continue to abut against the lower surface of the extension portion 62, 72 with a repulsive force that tries to return to its original shape while deforming when the extension portion 62, 72 of the plate-like body 5 described later abuts against it from above. The length of the abutment portion 32 protruding upward is long enough to naturally abut against the plate-like body 5 when it is housed in the case 2 from above. The length (horizontal width) of the abutment portion 32 is made larger than the width of the extension portions 62, 72, for example as shown in FIG. 1, so that the abutment portion 32 protrudes from the side edges of the extension portions 62, 72 when assembled. It is also preferable to provide one extension portion 62, 72 to abut against one abutment portion 32, in other words, to provide a cut-off 32a for each extension portion 62, 72. This allows the abutment portion 32 to be reliably abutted against the underside of the extension portions 62, 72 even if the heights of the extension portions 62, 72 are different.

The elastic member 3 in the above configuration is made of, for example, synthetic rubber. However, various elastic materials that have elasticity in themselves, such as silicone resin and natural rubber, can be used. In addition, the entire elastic member 3 does not need to be made of the same material. For example, the main body 31 may be made of synthetic resin and the contact portion 32 may be made of synthetic rubber. In short, it is sufficient that the contact portion 32 has elasticity. Furthermore, even if the material itself does not have elasticity, the contact portion 32 can be made to have elasticity in shape, specifically, to have a spring property that rebounds toward the lower surface of the extension portion 62, 72, for example, bent into an approximately L-shape as shown in FIG. 4A, bent into an approximately C-shape as shown in FIG. 4B, or bent at an angle as a whole by bending the base as shown in FIG. 4C. The bending direction may be inward or outward with respect to the case. In this case, the material of the contact portion 32 is not limited to soft materials such as synthetic rubber and silicone resin, but may be hard materials such as synthetic resin and metal.

[Electronic Components]
The electronic component 4 is a capacitor element (film capacitor) formed by winding a metallized film in which metal is vapor-deposited on an insulating film, for example, and as shown in FIG. 1, electrode portions 4a, 4b formed by spraying metal on both axial end surfaces are formed. When viewed from the axial direction, the capacitor element 4 is shaped like a bale, specifically, R (radius) is provided at the four corners, and a side surface consisting of a flat portion 4c and a curved portion 4d is formed between the electrode portions 4a, 4b (peripheral surface). The electrode portions 4a, 4b are oriented in the vertical direction, and a plurality of the electrode portions 4a, 4b (five in the figure) are arranged in parallel so that the flat portions 4c face each other. The capacitor element 4 is not limited to a film capacitor, and various capacitor elements such as a ceramic capacitor may be used. The electronic component is not limited to a capacitor, and various electronic components such as a resistor and a coil may be used. Various shapes such as a cylindrical shape and a rectangular column shape may be adopted. The number of pieces may also be changed as appropriate.

[Plate-shaped body]
The plate-like body 5 is, for example, a pair of positive and negative electrode plates 6 and 7 connected to the electrodes 4 a and 4 b of the electronic component 4 .

The first electrode plate (e.g., the positive electrode side) 6 has a substrate portion 61 that overlaps the upper surface of the electronic component 4, and an extension portion 62 that extends from the outer edge of the substrate portion 61.

The substrate portion 61 is generally rectangular in plan view and has a tongue-shaped connection portion 61a for connecting to the upper electrode portion 4a of the electronic component 4.

The extension portion 62 has a rising portion 62a that rises upward from the substrate portion 61, and a horizontal portion 62b that extends laterally from the upper end of the rising portion 62a. The rising portion 62a is along the inner surface of the side wall portion 22 of the case 2 and the main body portion 31 of the elastic member 3, and faces closely opposite each other. The extension portions 62 extend from each of the two long sides of the substrate portion 61, which is substantially rectangular. Specifically, one extends from one long side and three extend from the other long side, and function as external connection terminals for connection to an external device (not shown).

The second electrode plate (e.g., the negative electrode side) 7 has a substrate portion 71 that overlaps the underside of the electronic component 4, and an extension portion 72 that extends from the outer edge of the substrate portion 71.

The substrate portion 71 is generally rectangular in plan view and has a tongue-shaped connection portion 71a for connecting to the lower electrode portion 4b of the electronic component 4.

The extension 72 includes a rising portion 72a rising upward from the substrate 71 and a horizontal portion 72b extending laterally from the upper end of the rising portion 72a. The rising portion 72a is aligned along the inner surface of the side wall 22 of the case 2 and the main body 31 of the elastic member 3, and is closely opposed to each other. The extensions 72 extend from the two long sides of the substrate 71, which is substantially rectangular. Specifically, one extends from one long side, and three extend from the other long side, and function as external connection terminals for connection to an external device (not shown). The rising portions 72a of the three extensions extending from the other long side are integrated up to the vicinity of the upper end of the electronic component 4. However, they may be separated into three from the beginning. In addition, the extension position is shifted laterally from the extension 72 of the first electrode plate 6, and the horizontal portions 62b and 72b do not overlap each other in a plan view.

The plate-shaped body 5 in the above configuration is formed by cutting a conductive metal plate such as aluminum or copper into a predetermined shape and bending it appropriately. Note that the plate-shaped body 5 is not limited to an electrode plate, and may be a heat sink for dissipating heat from the electronic component 4 to the outside of the case 2, or an insulating plate for ensuring insulation from the electrode plate and external devices. In this case, the material should be suitable for the purpose of its installation, such as a thermally conductive material or an insulating material.

[resin]
The resin 8 filled in the case 2 is, for example, an epoxy resin. However, it is not limited to this, and various known resins such as urethane resin can be used. It is preferable to use a resin with excellent moisture resistance or high thermal conductivity. Furthermore, changing the resin thickness (the distance from the resin surface to the electronic components) depending on the type and characteristics of the resin used is something that should naturally be taken into consideration in the design.

[Production method]
Next, the assembly of the resin-sealed electrical component 1 will be described. First, the elastic member 3 is attached to the case 2. Specifically, the elastic member 3 is pressed down from above so that the convex portion 26 of the attachment portion 24 of the case 2 is inserted into the concave portion 33 of the elastic member 3. As a result, the cutout 25 of the case 2 is blocked by the main body portion 31 of the elastic member 3. In addition, a concave-convex fitting portion 9 that fits together by attaching the elastic member 3 from above is formed between the case 2 and the elastic member 3. The abutment portion 32 protrudes above the side wall portion 22 of the case 2.

Next, the substrate portion 61 of the first electrode plate 6 is connected to the upper electrode portion 4a of the capacitor element 4, and the substrate portion 71 of the second electrode plate 7 is connected to the lower electrode portion 4b of the capacitor element 4 to form a capacitor module that integrates the capacitor element 4, the first electrode plate 6, and the second electrode plate 7. At this time, the extension portion 62 of the first electrode plate 6 and the extension portion 72 of the second electrode plate 7 are both attached so that they are positioned upward.

Then, the capacitor module is housed in the case 2 from above. At this time, the extending portions 62, 72 are housed with the extending portions 62, 72 facing up so that the horizontal portions 62b, 72b of the extending portions 62, 72 extend out of the case 2 across the upper ends of the side wall portions 22 of the case 2. The capacitor element 4 is then lowered to a predetermined position, and the upper ends of the abutting portions 32 are brought into contact with the lower surfaces of the horizontal portions 62b, 72b of the extending portions 62, 72. The case 2 is then filled with resin 8 to seal the capacitor element 4, completing the manufacture of the resin-sealed electrical component 1.

As shown in FIG. 5, one end (part of the rising portion) of the extension portion 62, 72 after the resin filling is embedded in the resin 8. The other end rises along the side wall portion 22 of the case 2, protrudes from the resin 8, and extends to the outside of the case 2 across the side wall portion 22 of the case 2. As shown in the figure, the rising portions 62a, 72a and the inner surface of the side wall portion 22 of the case 2 (specifically, the inner surface of the main body portion 31 of the elastic member 3 that functions as part of the side wall portion 22) are close to each other, so that the resin 8 may creep up between them due to capillary action. However, even if the resin 8 creeps up, the abutment portion 32 abuts against the lower surface of the horizontal portions 62b, 72b that are continuous with the rising portions 62a, 72a without any gaps, so that the resin 8 is blocked by the abutment portion 32 and does not leak out of the case 2 along the lower surface of the horizontal portions 62b, 72b. In addition, to bring the abutment portion 32 into contact with the underside of the extensions 62, 72, it is only necessary to accommodate the plate-shaped body 5 in the case 2 from above, and no special operation such as passing an annular seal member through the extensions 62, 72 is required. Furthermore, even if the vertical positions of the extensions 62, 72 are slightly misaligned due to manufacturing or assembly errors, the abutment state is maintained by the elastic deformation of the abutment portion 32, making manufacturing and assembly easy.

In addition, one elastic member 3 abuts against the undersides of multiple extensions 62, 72, i.e., one elastic member 3 is long enough to accommodate the undersides of multiple extensions 62, 72, so installation of the elastic member 3 is easier than when an elastic member 3 is provided for each extension 62, 72.

Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the present invention. For example, in the above embodiment, the elastic member 3 is attached to the notch 25, but the elastic member 3 may be attached to the side wall portion 22 that does not have the notch 25. As a method of attachment, for example, a recess is provided in the lower part of the elastic member 3, and the upper part of the side wall portion 22 is inserted into the recess, but various methods can be adopted as long as the elastic member 3 can be fixed to the case 2. In addition, in the above embodiment, the convex portion 26 is provided on the case 2 and the concave portion 33 is provided on the elastic member 3, but a concave portion may be provided on the case and a convex portion on the elastic member. Even in this case, a concave-convex fitting portion 9 is formed between the two. In addition, it is not necessarily necessary to have a continuous convex portion and a continuous concave portion fitting, and it may be a fitting between one or more convex portions and holes. In addition, it is not limited to a concave-convex fitting, but it may be an engagement by a step or abutment between flat surfaces. When fixing, an adhesive or the like may be used appropriately. Additionally, the length of the elastic member 3 and the number of abutting extensions 62, 72 can be changed as appropriate. The horizontal portions 62b, 72b of the extensions 62, 72 may extend laterally or may be bent downward at the tip. Additionally, the electrode plate includes the substrate portions 61, 71, but does not necessarily need to include the substrate portions 61, 71. In particular, if a heat sink or insulating plate is used as the plate-shaped body 5, it does not necessarily need to be in contact with the electronic component.

1 Resin-sealed electrical component 2 Case 21 Bottom surface portion 22 Side wall portion 23 Opening 24 Mounting portion 25 Notch 25a Bottom portion 25b Side portion 26 Convex portion 26a Protruding portion 27 Overhanging portion 3 Elastic member 31 Main body portion 31a Lower surface 31b End surface 33 Concave portion 33a Step 32 Contact portion 32a Edge separation 4 Electronic component (capacitor element)
4a Upper electrode portion 4b Lower electrode portion 4c Flat portion 4d Curved surface portion 5 Plate-like body 6 First electrode plate 61 Substrate portion 61a Connection portion 62 Extension portion 62a Rising portion 62b Horizontal portion 7 Second electrode plate 71 Substrate portion 71a Connection portion 72 Extension portion 72a Rising portion 72b Horizontal portion 8 Resin 9 Concave-convex fitting portion

Claims (5)

Electronic components,
a case having an opening at an upper portion thereof and configured to accommodate electronic components;
A resin filled in the case;
a plate-like body having one end embedded in the resin and the other end extending beyond the side wall of the case;
an elastic member that suppresses leakage of resin out of the case along the lower surface of the extension portion;
the elastic member includes a contact portion that protrudes above the side wall of the case and contacts the lower surface of the extension portion when the plate-like body is accommodated in the case from above,
A resin-sealed electrical component in which the contact portion is made of an elastic material that itself has elasticity . Electronic components,
a case having an opening at an upper portion thereof and configured to accommodate electronic components;
A resin filled in the case;
a plate-like body having one end embedded in the resin and the other end extending beyond the side wall of the case;
an elastic member that suppresses leakage of resin out of the case along the lower surface of the extension portion;
the elastic member includes a contact portion that contacts the lower surface of the extension portion by housing the plate-like body in the case from above,
A resin-sealed electrical component in which the contact portion is bent so as to have a spring property that causes the contact portion to rebound toward the lower surface of the extension portion . 3. The resin-sealed electrical component according to claim 1, wherein the elastic member has a main body portion attached to the case, and the contact portion is thinner than the main body portion. A resin-sealed electrical component according to any one of claims 1 to 3, in which a concave-convex fitting portion is formed between the elastic member and the case, which fits together when the elastic member is attached from above. A resin-sealed electrical component according to any one of claims 1 to 4, in which one elastic member abuts against the undersides of multiple extensions.

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