Electronic Component And Methods Relating To Same

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.

1 . An electronic component comprising:
 a tack core;   a wire wound about the tack core and having first and second ends either connected to or forming terminals for mounting the component to a circuit;   first and second terminals connected to the first and second ends of the wire and providing electrical contacts for connecting the component into a circuit; and   a body comprising a mixture of magnetic or non-magnetic material which is formed about at least a portion of the tack core and wire leaving at least a portion of the terminals exposed for mounting the component to the circuit.   
   
   
       2 . The electronic component of  claim 1  wherein the tack core is made of ferrite and has a flanged end with a central post extending therefrom about which the wire is wound. 
   
   
       3 . The electronic component of  claim 1  wherein the mixture of magnetic or non-magnetic material includes a resin and is compression molded into a solid structure encasing at least a portion of the core and wire. 
   
   
       4 . The electronic component of  claim 3  wherein the mixture includes 80-98% iron and ferrite powder by weight and 2-20% resin by weight. 
   
   
       5 . The electronic component of  claim 1  wherein the mixture of magnetic or non-magnetic material includes an epoxy and is potted and cured into a solid structure encasing at least a portion of the core and wire. 
   
   
       6 . The electronic component of  claim 5  wherein the mixture includes 70-90% iron and ferrite powder by weight and 10-30% epoxy by weight. 
   
   
       7 . The electronic component of  claim 1  wherein the wire is a round, insulated twenty-eight to forty-two gauge wire. 
   
   
       8 . The electronic component of  claim 1  wherein the wire is a flat insulated wire. 
   
   
       9 . The electronic component of  claim 8  wherein the wire is wound into a plurality of rows coaxially positioned about the core. 
   
   
       10 . The electronic component of  claim 1  wherein the terminals are connected directly to the core. 
   
   
       11 . The electronic component of  claim 1  wherein the core and mixture are both made of a non-ferrite powdered iron. 
   
   
       12 . The electronic component of  claim 1  wherein the core is made of ferrite and the mixture is made of a non-ferrite powdered iron. 
   
   
       13 . The electronic component of  claim 1  wherein the core and mixture are both made of iron and ferrite powder. 
   
   
       14 . The electronic component of  claim 1  wherein the mixture includes magnetic and non-magnetic material. 
   
   
       15 . An electronic component comprising:
 a ferrite tack core having a flanged end with a central post extending therefrom;   a conductive element wound around the central post of the ferrite tack core and having first and second ends connected to respective terminals located at least partially below the tack core; and   a compression molded outer body encasing at least a portion of the conductive element and core, the outer body comprising a mixture of carbonyl iron powder and resin wherein the carbonyl iron powder accounts for 10-98% of the mixture, by weight, and the resin accounts for 2-90% of the mixture, by weight.   
   
   
       16 . The electronic component of  claim 15  wherein the mixture comprising the compression molded body includes 80-98% carbonyl iron powder, by weight, and 2-20% resin, by weight. 
   
   
       17 . An electronic component comprising:
 a ferrite tack core having a flanged end with a central post extending therefrom;   a conductive element wound around the central post of the ferrite tack core and having first and second ends connected to respective terminals located at least partially below the tack core; and   a potted and cured outer body encasing at least a portion of the conductive element and core, the outer body comprising a mixture of carbonyl iron powder and epoxy wherein the carbonyl iron powder accounts for 10-90% of the mixture, by weight, and the epoxy accounts for 10-90% of the mixture, by weight.   
   
   
       18 . The inductive component of  claim 17  wherein the mixture comprising the potted and cured outer body includes 70-90% carbonyl iron powder, by weight, and 10-30% epoxy, by weight. 
   
   
       19 . A method of manufacturing an electronic component, comprising:
 providing a wire and a tack core having a flanged end and a centrally located post extending therefrom;   winding the wire about the post and connecting ends to terminals for mounting the component to a circuit; and   pouring a mixture of magnetic or non-magnetic material over at least a portion of the wire and tack core and hardening the mixture to form a solid component which can be placed on the circuit using conventional pick-and-place equipment.   
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein pouring and hardening the mixture comprises compression molding the component into a hardened body. 
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 19  wherein pouring and hardening the mixture comprises potting and curing the component into a hardened body. 
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 19  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 core. 
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 19  further comprising connecting terminals directly to the core of the component so that the component can be mounted to a pair of corresponding lands on the circuit. 
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23  wherein connecting the terminals comprises metalizing a surface of the core. 
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 23  wherein connecting the terminals comprises securing clips to the core. 
   
   
       26 . An electronic component comprising:
 a core having a plurality of terminals connected thereto for connecting the electronic component into a circuit;   a wire wound about the core and having first and second ends, each end being connected to at least one of the plurality of terminals; and   a body comprising a mixture of magnetic or non-magnetic material which is formed about at least a portion of the core and wire leaving at least a portion of the terminals exposed for mounting the component to the circuit.   
   
   
       27 . The electronic component of  claim 26  wherein the mixture includes magnetic and non-magnetic material. 
   
   
       28 . The electronic component of  claim 26  wherein the mixture includes 80-98% iron and ferrite powder by weight and 2-20% resin by weight and is compression molded to form a hardened outer body. 
   
   
       29 . The electronic component of  claim 26  wherein the mixture includes 70-90% iron and ferrite powder by weight and 10-30% epoxy by weight and is potted and cured to form a hardened outer body. 
   
   
       30 . The electronic component of  claim 26  wherein the core includes iron and ferrite powder. 
   
   
       31 . The electronic component of  claim 26  wherein the core is shaped as a rod, drum or torroid. 
   
   
       32 . An electronic component comprising:
 a core;   a wire wound about the core and having first and second ends, each end being connected to at least one of the plurality of terminals; and   a body comprising a mixture of ferrite and iron powder material which is formed about at least a portion of the core and wire leaving at least a portion of the terminals exposed for mounting the component to the circuit.   
   
   
       33 . The electronic component of  claim 32  wherein the mixture includes 80-98% iron and ferrite powder by weight and 2-20% resin by weight and is compression molded to form a hardened outer body. 
   
   
       34 . The electronic component of  claim 32  wherein the mixture includes 70-90% iron and ferrite powder by weight and 10-30% epoxy by weight and is potted and cured to form a hardened outer body. 
   
   
       35 . A method of manufacturing an electronic component, comprising:
 providing a wire having first and second ends, a core about which the wire may be wound, and at least one terminal for connecting to the wire;   winding the wire about 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 over at least a portion of the wire and hardening the mixture to form the electronic component.   
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 35  wherein the core has a flanged end and a post extending therefrom and the method further comprises:
 winding the wire about the post; and   dispersing the liquefied mixture over at least a portion of the wire and core, and hardening the mixture to form the electronic component.   
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 36  further comprising grinding the at least one terminal into a plurality of terminals to provide a multi-terminal electronic component. 
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 36  wherein dispersing the liquefied mixture comprises compressing the liquefied mixture over at least a portion of the wire, core and/or terminals. 
   
   
       39 . 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 terminals for connecting to respective ends of the wire;   winding the wire about the post and connecting the wire ends to the terminals; and   injection molding a mixture of magnetic or non-magnetic material over at least a portion of the wire and tack core and hardening the mixture to form a solid component which can be placed on a circuit using conventional pick-and-place equipment.