Abstract:
This invention provides a magnetic assembly which can be used in communication circuit, inverter circuit of electronic equipment. The magnetic assembly is mainly composed of a first substrate, a second substrate and a magnetic element. The first substrate and the second substrate are formed as a pair and spaced with an interval. The magnetic element is assembled between the first substrate and the second substrate and is electrically connected with the first substrate and the second substrate. This invention can effectively minimize the manufacturing cost and the volume of the magnetic element through reducing the overall volume of the substrate.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a magnetic assembly, more particularly to a magnetic assembly having a first substrate and a second substrate formed as a pair and having a magnetic element provided between the two substrates. 
         [0003]    2. Brief Description of Prior Arts 
         [0004]    The interior of electronic device and equipment for communication and transmission is formed by a plurality of active components and passive components. The passive components mentioned here are, for example, magnetic components, resistors and so on. The magnetic component, such as transformer, inductor, has the property of generating a magnetic field upon the introduction of electric current. As electronic equipments are in pursuit of miniaturization nowadays, the miniaturization of the magnetic components is imperative too. Further, in order that the magnetic components can be easily fixed on the circuit board, the magnetic components are packaged as similar to the configuration of integrated chips. Referring to U.S. Pat. No. 6,937,454 B2 entitled “Integrated device providing overcurrent and overvoltage protection and common-mode filtering to data bus interface”, a magnetic component (called electronic component herein) having its overall volume effectively reduced is disclosed. Referring to  FIG. 1 , the conventional magnetic component  10  is formed by a substrate  101  and a magnetic component  102 . The magnetic component  102  is electrically connected on the substrate  101 . Apart from the places with electrical connection, the unused block B of the substrate  101  occupies a certain proportion of its overall area. Therefore, when taking the manufacturing cost into serious consideration, the block B should be discarded to reduce raw material required for manufacturing the substrate  101  so as to avoid wasting the raw material for production. Referring to  FIG. 2 , the magnetic assembly  10  is usually fixed on a circuit board  11  by surface mount technology (SMT) process, so that the magnetic assembly  10  can be precisely connected to an electrical connection portion  111  of the circuit board  11 . However, the solder liquid used in the SMT process is often unable to enter smoothly in between the substrate  101  and the electrical connection portion  111 , so that the magnetic assembly  10  is unable to be attached to the circuit board  11  firmly. Therefore, the structure of conventional magnetic assembly  10  still has room to be improved further. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    In view of the above problems, the main object of this invention is to provide a magnetic assembly which can facilitate the reduction of the area of substrate so as to shrink the dimension of product, and which is easy to be loaded for printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) by SMT process. 
         [0006]    In order to achieve above objects, the magnetic assembly of the present invention is mainly composed of a first substrate and a second substrate formed as a pair and a magnetic component, in which the first substrate and the second substrate are spaced with an interval. The magnetic component is assembled between the first substrate and the second substrate. After the magnetic component is assembled, an enclosure is further assembled over the first substrate and the second substrate to completely overlay the magnetic component, so as to form a magnetic assembly. Further, one side edge of each of the first substrate and the second substrate form one or a plurality of guide groove(s) with breach(es), and each guide groove is filled with conductive metal therein so that a first electrode formed on one plane of each of the two substrates is electrically connected with the conductive metal. Further, when the magnetic assembly is loaded for PCBA by SMT process, as the conductive metal is exposed externally on the side edge of each substrate, the solder liquid can be attached effectively and rapidly among the first substrate, the second substrate and a circuit board by solder wicking principle, so that the magnetic assembly can be disposed firmly on the circuit board so as to accomplish the electrical connection between the magnetic assembly and the circuit board. Therefore, this invention can effectively reduce the manufacturing cost and the volume of the substrate through shrinking the overall dimension of the substrate. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    The present invention will be better understood by the detailed description of a preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanied drawings, in which: 
           [0008]      FIG. 1  is a conventional electrical assembly. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a schematic view showing the electrical connection of the conventional electrical assembly. 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view showing the appearance of the present invention. 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is a schematic view (I) showing the composition of the present invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is a schematic view showing the composition (II) of the present invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  is a flow chart diagram view showing the implementation of the present invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  is a schematic view showing the implementation (I) of the present invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 8  is a schematic view showing the implementation (II) of the present invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 9  is a schematic view showing the implementation (III) of the present invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 10  is a schematic view showing the implementation (IV) of the present invention. 
           [0018]      FIG. 11  is a schematic view showing the implementation (V) of the present invention. 
           [0019]      FIG. 12  is a schematic view showing the implementation (VI) of the present invention. 
           [0020]      FIG. 13  is a schematic view showing the implementation (VII) of the present invention. 
           [0021]      FIG. 14  is a schematic view showing the implementation (VIII) of the present invention. 
           [0022]      FIG. 15  is another embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0023]      FIG. 16  is a schematic view showing the implementation of another embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0024]      FIG. 17  is a still another embodiment (II) of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0025]    The technical contents, objects and effects of the present invention will become more apparent by the detailed description of some preferred embodiments in conjunction with the accompanied drawings. 
         [0026]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , the magnetic assembly  20  of the present invention is mainly composed of a first substrate  201  and a second substrate  202  formed as a pair and a magnetic component  203 . The first substrate  201  and the second substrate  202  are elongate substrates of the same structure, while the magnetic component  203  is disposed between the two substrates ( 201 ,  202 ) and is electrically connected to both substrates ( 201 ,  202 ). An enclosure  205  is covered over the two substrates ( 201 ,  202 ) so as to overlay the magnetic component  203 . The side edge of each of the two substrates ( 201 ,  202 ) is exposed externally so as to facilitate attachment to a circuit board through reflowing process. 
         [0027]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , in packaging the magnetic assembly  20 , a first electrode  204  is assembled on one plane (i.e., either the top face or the bottom face) of each of the two substrates ( 201 ,  202 ). Further, the magnetic component  203  is provided between the first substrate  201  and the second substrate  202 . The magnetic component  203  is wrapped with a conductive winding  2031 , and the end of the conductive winding  2031  forms more than one electrical connection terminals  2032  which respectively complete electrical connection with the first electrodes  204 . In this figure, the magnetic component  203  is exemplified to be wrapped with a single conductive winding  2031  only, but it is not limited to this case. It is specially stated here that the magnetic component  203  can also be wrapped with a plurality of conductive windings  2031 . Furthermore, when the magnetic assembly  20  is connected to a circuit board to form electrical connection, the magnetic assembly  20  can transfer electricity to the magnetic component  203  through the first electrodes  204 . The number of first electrodes  204  can be changed according to the quantities of the electrical connection terminals  2032  of the conductive windings  2031  (larger than or equal to the quantities of the electrical connection terminals). Principally, one conductive winding  2031  pairs up with one first electrode  204  in implementation, but it is not limited to this case. The magnetic assembly  20  of the present invention can also has a plurality of magnetic components  203 , and the number of first electrodes  204  can be changed according to the quantities of the magnetic components  203 . 
         [0028]    Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the side edge of anyone of the substrates (the first substrate  201  or the second substrate  202 ) is breached to form one or a plurality of guide groove(s)  206 , and conductive metal(s)  2061  is filled in each of the guide grooves  206  in such a manner that the conductive metals  2061  are exposed externally to the side edge of each of the substrates (the first substrate  201 , the second substrate  202 ). The first electrodes  204  are disposed above the substrate (the first substrate  201 , the second substrate  202 ) and are electrically connected with the conductive metals  2061 . 
         [0029]    Referring to  FIG. 6  and  FIGS. 7 to 11 , the packaging steps of the present invention is set forth below: 
         [0000]    (1) Step  21 : set the first substrate and the second substrate in a jig
       Referring to  FIG. 7 , the first substrate  201  and the second substrate  202  are disposed on a first fixed die  301  of a jig  30 , and the two substrates (the first substrate  201 , the second substrate  202 ) are spaced with a suitable interval. The first fixing die  301  is formed with a plurality of paste injection portion  3011  through which the insulation paste can be injected in between the first substrate  201  and the second substrate  202 ;
 
(2) Step  22 : perform electrical connection of the magnetic component to the first substrate and the second substrate
   Referring to  FIG. 8 , the magnetic component  203  is firstly disposed between the first substrate  201  and the second substrate  202 , then the electrical connection terminals  2032  of the conductive winding  2031  of the magnetic component  203  are attached to the first electrodes  204  so as to accomplish electrical connection between the magnetic component  203  and the first electrodes  204 .
 
(3) Step  23 : overlay the enclosure over the first substrate  201  and the second substrate  202 
   Referring to  FIG. 9 , both sides of the enclosure  205  are respectively fixed on the first substrate  201  and the second substrate  202  by a second fixing die  302  of the jig  30  in such a manner that the enclosure  205  is completely overlay the magnetic component  203 ;
 
(4) Step  24 : overturn the preformed magnetic assembly
   Referring to  FIG. 10 , the first fixing die  301  and the second fixing die  302  are overturned horizontally. After overturning is finished, the enclosure  205  and the two substrates ( 201 ,  202 ) interchange their position;
 
(5) Step  25 : inject insulation paste layer between the first substrate  201  and the second substrate  202 
   Referring to  FIG. 11 , bringing forward from above step, the jig  30  injects an insulation paste layer G between the first substrate  201  and the second substrate  202  through each of the paste injection portions  3011  of the first fixing die  301 , so that the magnetic component  203  is overcoated by the insulation paste layer G and is firmly fixed on the first substrate  201  and the second substrate  202 .       
 
         [0035]    Referring to  FIG. 12 , when the magnetic assembly  20  is loaded for PCBA by SMT process, the conductive metals  2061  on the side portion of each of the two substrate ( 201 ,  202 ) are respectively aligned with the electrical connection portions  401 . Referring to  FIG. 13 , after the above steps are finished, a solder liquid T is used to bond the joints of the conductive metals  2061  and the electrical connection portions  401 . Also referring to  FIG. 14 , when the solder liquid T is attached to the joints of the conductive metals  2061  and the electrical connection portions  401 , solder wicking phenomenon produced in soldering liquid T enables electrical connection between the conductive metals  2061  and the electrical connection portions  401 . Further, the magnetic assembly  20  can also be soldered firmly on the circuit board  40  through the attachment of the soldering liquid T. Furthermore, as more contact areas are formed between the conductive metals  2061  and the electrical connection portions  401 , better conductivity is produced between the conductive metals  2061  and the electrical connection portions  401 . 
         [0036]    Referring to  FIG. 15 , besides one plane of each of the guide grooves  206  of the magnetic assembly  20  is electrically connected with the first electrode  204 ; the other plane opposite to the one plane can also be electrically connected with a second electrode  207  which is electrically connected with the first electrode  204 . Referring to  FIG. 16 , in PCBA operation, the solder liquid T can come into contact not only with the grooves  206  but also with the second electrodes  207 , so that the magnetic assembly  20  can be adhered more firmly on the circuit board  40 . Furthermore, the contact areas are also expanded to increase conductive areas so that conductivity between the magnetic assembly  20  and the circuit board  40  can be effectively enhanced. 
         [0037]    Referring to  FIG. 17 , in addition to the above aspect, the magnetic component  203  can also be assembled in vertical manner. In this case, the enclosure  205  having a height corresponding to the vertical height of the magnetic component  203  can be selected so that the enclosure  205  can fully overlay the magnetic component  203 . In this manner, the magnetic assembly  20  can miniaturize its overall area such that it can be disposed in narrow circuit environment. Therefore, this embodiment of the present invention can increase diversification of circuit design and shrink overall dimension of the circuit after implementation. 
         [0038]    Summing up above, the present invention can save raw material for manufacturing and its structure can cope with market demand to reach miniaturization. Further, during the PCBA of SMT operation of the magnetic assembly, the conductive metals filled in the guide grooves of breach type can provide bigger attachment area for solder liquid. Not only the magnetic assembly can be fixed firmly on the circuit board but also the conductivity of the magnetic assembly can be further increased. Accordingly, the present invention implemented in this manner can achieve the object of providing a magnetic assembly which can save substrate area so as to reduce product dimension and has the effect of easy loading for PCBA by SMT process. 
         [0039]    While the present invention has been described by preferred embodiments in conjunction with accompanying drawings, it should be understood the embodiments and the drawings are merely for descriptive and illustrative purpose, not intended for restriction of the scope of the present invention. Equivalent variations and modifications conducted by persons skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention should be considered to be still within the scope of the present invention.