Abstract:
A laminated chip component including: alternately laminated conductive patterns ( 13,43,63 ) and insulating sheets ( 11,41,61 ); through-holes ( 12,42,62 ) which are provided in the insulating sheets and connect top layer conductive patterns to bottom layer conductive patterns; auxiliary conductive patterns ( 15,45,65 ) which are provided on the top faces of the conductive patterns at positions facing the through-holes provided in adjacent insulating sheets; and conductors ( 14,64 ) which are provided in the through-holes. The auxiliary conductive patterns can be substituted by conductor sections ( 16,66 ) which are provided in the insulating sheets at the positions facing the through-holes provided in adjacent insulating sheets. And, a method for manufacturing a laminated chip component is also disclosed.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates to a laminated chip component comprising alternately laminated conductive patterns and insulating sheets, the conductive patterns between the insulating sheets being connected by conductors in through-holes, and a method for manufacturing the laminated chip component.  
           [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art  
           [0004]    An inductance element such as that shown in FIG. 7 is a conventional laminated chip component of this type. The inductance element of FIG. 7 comprises conductive patterns  73   a ,  73   b ,  73   c  and  73   d  which are printed on the top faces of insulating sheets  71   a ,  71   b ,  71   c  and  71   d . The insulating sheets  71   a ,  71   b ,  71   c  and  71   d  are laminated sequentially and covered with protective insulating sheet  71   e . As shown in FIG. 8, the upper layer and lower layer conductive patterns  73   a ,  73   b ,  73   c  and  73   d  are connected together by conductors  74  which are provided in through-holes  72 . These conductive patterns form a spiral coil pattern. The conductive patterns  73   a  and  73   d  are extracted at the end faces of the laminated body, and connect to terminals which are provided at the end faces of the laminated body.  
           [0005]    Another conventional laminated chip component comprises a circuit formed by laminating together passive elements such as coils, capacitors, and the like. FIGS. 9 and 10 show a filter which is formed by laminating two coils and capacitors. An insulating sheet  91   a  having a conductive pattern for capacitor  95   a  printed thereon is laminated with an insulating sheet  91   b  having conductive patterns for capacitor  95   b  and  95   c  printed thereon, thereby forming two capacitors. Insulating sheets  91   c ,  91   d  and  91   e  having two conductive patterns for half-turn coil printed thereon and a protective insulating sheet  91   f  are laminated sequentially on the laminated body which contains the capacitors. The conductive patterns for coil  93   a ,  93   b  and  93   c  are connected by a conductor  94  provided in a through-hole  92 . The conductive patterns for coil  93   d ,  93   e  and  93   f  are connected by a conductor  94  provided in a through-hole  92 . The conductive patterns for coil form two coils inside the laminated body.  
           [0006]    The conductive pattern for coil  93   a  and the conductive pattern for capacitor  95   b  are connected by a conductor  94  provided in a through-hole  92 . The conductive pattern for coil  93   d  and the conductive pattern for capacitor  95   c  are connected by a conductor provided in a through-hole  92 .  
           [0007]    The conductive pattern for coil  93   c  and the conductive pattern for coil  93   f  are extracted at two sides of the laminated body, and connect to terminals. The conductive pattern for capacitor  95   a  is extracted at the sides where the conductive patterns for coil are not extracted, and connects to terminals.  
           [0008]    In conventional laminated chip components such as that shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the firing shrinkage rate of the conductive patterns is greater than the firing shrinkage rate of the insulating sheets. Consequently, the connection in the through-holes is sometimes broken, as shown by numeral  80  in FIG. 8.  
           [0009]    In conventional laminated chip components such as that shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, different materials are generally used for the conductive patterns for coil and the conductive patterns for capacitor. As a result, the two types of conductive patterns have different firing shrinkage rates and different reactivity. Consequently, in conventional laminated chip components such as that shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, not only is the firing shrinkage rate of the conductive patterns greater than the firing shrinkage rate of the insulating sheets, but in addition, the two types of conductive patterns have different firing shrinkage rates and different reactivity. As a consequence, the connection in the through-holes is liable to break, especially between a coil and a capacitor as shown by numeral  100  in FIG. 10.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0010]    It is an object of the present invention to provide a laminated chip component in which broken connections in through-holes of insulating sheets can be prevented.  
           [0011]    In order to achieve the abovementioned object, this invention is featured by a laminated chip component including: alternately laminated conductive patterns and insulating sheets; through-holes which are provided in the insulating sheets; auxiliary conductive patterns which are provided on the top faces of positions which facing the through-holes provided in adjacent insulating sheets of the conductive patterns; and conductors which are provided in the through-holes, and connect upper layer conductive patterns to the auxiliary conductive pattern on lower layer conductive patterns.  
           [0012]    This invention is also featured by a laminated chip component including: alternately laminated conductive patterns and insulating sheets; through-holes which are provided in the insulating sheets; conductor sections which are provided in the insulating sheets at positions facing the through-holes provided in adjacent insulating sheets; and conductors which are provided in the conductor sections and the through-holes and connect upper layer conductive patterns to lower layer conduction patterns.  
           [0013]    This invention is further featured by a laminated chip component including: alternately laminated conductive patterns and insulating sheets; through-holes which are provided in the insulating sheets; said conductive pattern comprising a first conductive pattern and a second conductive pattern of different materials; auxiliary conductive pattern of the same material as said second conductive pattern, provided on the top faces at the connection section which connect to said second conductive pattern of said first conductive pattern; and a conductor of the same material as said second conductive pattern, provided in a through-hole which runs between said first conductive pattern and said second conductive pattern.  
           [0014]    This invention is still further featured by a laminated chip component including; alternately laminated conductive patterns and insulating sheets; through-holes which are provided in the insulating sheets; said conductive pattern comprising a first conductive pattern and a second conductive pattern of different materials; the insulating sheet on which said first conductive pattern is provided comprising a conductor section for providing a conductor of the same material as said second a conductive pattern, the conductor section being provided at position which corresponding to the connection between said first and second conductive patterns in said insulating sheet; and conductors comprising the same material as said second conductive pattern, the conductors being provided in a through-hole which runs between said first conductive pattern and said second conductive pattern.  
           [0015]    This invention is still further featured by a method for manufacturing a laminated chip component comprising alternately laminated conductive patterns and insulating sheets, through-holes which are provided in said insulating sheets, the method comprising the steps of: printing conductive patterns on said insulating sheets; printing auxiliary conductive patterns on the top faces of said conductive patterns at positions facing said through-holes of adjacent insulating sheets; and connecting an upper layer conductive pattern to said auxiliary conductive pattern on a lower layer conductive pattern by means of conductors which are provided in the through-holes in said insulating sheets.  
           [0016]    This invention is still further featured by a method for manufacturing a laminated chip component comprising alternately laminated conductive patterns and insulating sheets, through-holes which are provided in said insulating sheets, the method comprising the steps of: printing a first conductive pattern on an insulating sheet; printing an auxiliary conductive pattern comprising the same material as the second conductive pattern on the top face at the connection section which connects to said second conductive pattern of said first conductive pattern; and connecting the auxiliary conductive pattern on the first conductive pattern to the second conductive pattern by means of a conductor comprising the same material as the second conductive pattern, the conductor being provided in a through-hole in the laminated insulating sheets.  
           [0017]    This invention is still further featured by a method for manufacturing a laminated chip component comprising alternately laminated conductive patterns and insulating sheets, through-holes which are provided in said insulating sheets, the method comprising the steps of: providing conductor sections in the insulating sheets at positions facing the through-hole in adjacent insulating sheets; printing conductive patterns on said insulating sheets and providing conductors in said conductor sections; and connecting said upper layer conductive pattern to said auxiliary conductive pattern on said bottom layer conductive pattern by means of conductors which are provided in the through-holes of said insulating sheets. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0018]    [0018]FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a first embodiment of the laminated chip component of this invention;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 1;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIGS. 3A and 3B are diagrams showing a manufacturing sequence in the first embodiment of the laminated chip component of this invention;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of the laminated chip component of this invention;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIGS. 5A, 5B and  5 C are diagrams showing a manufacturing sequence in the second embodiment of the laminated chip component of this invention;  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a third embodiment of the laminated chip component of this invention;  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of a conventional laminated chip component;  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 7;  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of another conventional laminated chip component; and  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 9. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0028]    The laminated chip component of the present invention comprises first and second conductive patterns of different materials. The first conductive pattern is formed on multiple first insulating sheets. The multiple first insulating sheets are laminated to obtain a laminated body containing a first element. The second conductive pattern is formed on multiple second insulating sheets. The multiple second insulating sheets are laminated to obtain a laminated body containing a second element. The laminated body containing the second element is provided on top of the laminated body containing the first element.  
         [0029]    An auxiliary conductive pattern comprises the same material as the second conductive pattern, and is formed on the top face of the connection between the first conductive pattern and the second conductive pattern in the laminated body containing the first element. Conductors comprising the same material as the second conductive patterns are provided in through-holes in the insulating sheets and connect the first and second conductive patterns. The conductors comprising the same material as the second conductive pattern are clasped on either side by the second conductive pattern and the auxiliary conductive pattern comprising the same material as second conductive pattern.  
         [0030]    Preferred embodiments of the laminated chip component of this invention will be explained with reference to FIGS.  1  to  6 .  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a first embodiment of the laminated chip component of this invention, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the same.  
         [0032]    In FIGS. 1 and 2, reference numerals  11   a ,  11   b ,  11   c ,  11   d ,  11   e  and  11   f  represent insulating sheets, reference numeral  12  represents a through-hole, reference numerals  13   a ,  13   b ,  13   c ,  13   d ,  13   e  and  13   f  represent conductive patterns for coil, and reference numerals  15   a ,  15   b  and  15   c  represent conductive patterns for capacitor.  
         [0033]    The insulating sheets  11   a ,  11   b ,  11   c ,  11   d ,  11   e  and  11   f  comprise a ceramic material such as a dielectric or a magnetic substance.  
         [0034]    A conductive pattern for capacitor  15   a  is formed on the top face of the insulating sheet  11   a . Conductive patterns for capacitor  15   b  and  15   c  are formed on the top face of the insulating sheet  11   b . A conductive pattern for capacitors  15   a ,  15   b  and  15   c  each comprises an electrically conductive material, such as an alloy of silver and palladium, copper, nickel and the like. Auxiliary conductive patterns  16  are formed on the top face of the connection section which connects to the coil of the conductive patterns/for capacitors  15   b  and  15   c . The auxiliary conductive patterns  16  are approximately the some side or larger than the through-holes  12  in the insulating sheet  11   c . The electrically conductive material used to form the auxiliary conductive patterns  16  is the same as that used for the conductive patterns for coil explained later. A capacitor is formed between the conductive patterns for capacitor  15   a  and  15   b  which are provided on opposite sides of the insulating sheet  11   b . A capacitor is also formed between the conductive patterns for capacitor  15   a  and  15   c  which are provided on opposite sides of the insulating sheet  11   b.    
         [0035]    Two conductive patterns for half-turn coil are formed on the top faces of each of the insulating sheets  11   c ,  11   d  and  11   e . The conductive patterns for half-turn coil  13   a ,  13   b ,  13   c ,  13   d ,  13   e  and  13   f  each comprise an electrically conductive material such as silver or copper. The electrically conductive material comprising the conductive patterns for coil  13   a ,  13   b ,  13   c ,  13   d ,  13   e  and  13   f  is different from the electrically conductive material comprising the conductive patterns for capacitor. The conductive patterns for coil  13   a ,  13   b  and  13   c  are connected by conductors  14  which are provided in the through-holes  12 , thereby forming a coil. Similarly, the conductive patterns for coil  13   d ,  13   e  and  13   f  are connected by conductors  14  which are provided in the through-holes  12 , thereby forming a coil.  
         [0036]    The conductive pattern for coil  13   a  which comprises this coil is connected to the auxiliary conductive pattern  16  on the conductive pattern for capacitor  15   b  by the conductor  14  provided in the through-hole  12  in the insulating sheet  11   c . The conductive pattern for coil  13   d  which comprises this coil is connected to the auxiliary conductive pattern  16  on the conductive pattern for capacitor  15   c  by the conductor  14  provided in the through-hole  12  in the insulating sheet  10   c . The material of the conductors  14  which connect the conductive patterns is the same as that used for the conductive patterns for coil.  
         [0037]    The conductive pattern for coil  13   c  and the conductive pattern for coil  13   f  are extracted at both ends of the laminated body and connected to terminals. The conductive pattern for capacitor  15   a  is extracted at the sides of the laminated body where the conductive patterns for coil are not extracted, and is connected to terminals. The insulating sheet  11   f  protects the conductive patterns for coil  13   c  and  13   f  which are formed on the insulating sheet  11   e.    
         [0038]    The above laminated chip component is manufactured in the following way. Firstly, the conductive patterns for capacitor  15   b  and  15   c  are printed on the top face of the insulating sheet  11   b . The auxiliary conductive patterns  16  are printed on the top face of the connection section which connect to the coil of the conductive patterns for capacitor  15   b  and  15   c . As shown in FIG. 3A, the insulating sheet  11   b  is laminated on the top of the insulating sheet  11   a  which the conductive pattern for capacitor is printed on. Alternatively, this process may be performed in the following sequence. After the insulating sheet  11   b  has been laminated on the top of the insulating sheet  11   a  which the conductive pattern for capacitor is printed on, the conductive patterns for capacitor  15   b  and  15   c  are printed on the top face of the insulating sheet  11   b . Subsequently, the auxiliary conductive patterns  16  are printed on the top face of the connection section which connects to the coil of the conductive patterns for capacitor  15   b  and  15   c.    
         [0039]    As shown in FIG. 3B, the insulating sheet  11   c  is laminated on the top of the insulating sheet  11   b . The conductive patterns for coil  13   a  and  13   d  are connected to the auxiliary conductive patterns  16  on the conductive patterns for capacitor  15   b  and  15   c  by conductors which comprise the same material as the conductive patterns for coil provided in the through-holes  12  of the insulating sheet  11   c . The conductive patterns for coil  13   a  and  13   d  may be printed beforehand on the top face of the insulating sheet  11   c  prior to laminating the insulating sheet  11   c  onto the insulating sheet  11   b . Alternatively, they may be printed on the top face of the insulating sheet  11   c  after the insulating sheet  11   c  has been laminated onto the insulating sheet  11   b.    
         [0040]    The insulating sheets lid and  11   e  are sequentially laminated on the insulating sheet  11   c , thereby forming the coil.  
         [0041]    [0041]FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of the laminated chip component of this invention.  
         [0042]    A conductive pattern for capacitor  45   a  is formed on the top face of an insulating sheet  41   a . Conductive patterns for capacitor  45   b  and  45   c  are formed on the top face of an insulating sheet  41   b . A conductive pattern for capacitor  45   a ,  45   b  and  45   c  comprises an electrically conductive material, such as an alloy of silver and palladium, copper, nickel and the like. Conductor sections are formed by providing cavities at a position which corresponding to the connection between the conductive pattern for capacitor  45   b ,  45   c  and the conductive patterns for coil (explained later) in insulating sheet  41   b . The conductor sections are formed approximately the same size or larger than through-holes  42  in the insulating sheet  41   c , and are provided conductors which comprise the same material as the conductive pattern for coil (explained later), at the positions which will connect with the conductive pattern for coil.  
         [0043]    A capacitor is formed between the conductive patterns for capacitor  45   a  and  45   b  which are provided on the opposite sides of the insulating sheet  41   b . A capacitor is also formed between the conductive patterns for capacitor  45   a  and  45   c  which are provided on the opposite sides of the insulating sheet  41   b.    
         [0044]    Two conductive patterns for half-turn coil  43  are formed on the top faces of each of the insulating sheets  41   c ,  41   d  and  41   e . Each of the conductive patterns for half-turn coil  43  comprises an electrically conductive material such as silver or copper. The upper layer conductive pattern for coil and the lower layer conductive pattern for coil are connected by conductors  44  provided in through-holes, thereby forming two coils within the laminated body. The electrically conductive material comprising the conductive patterns for coil  43  is different from the electrically conductive material comprising the conductive patterns for capacitor.  
         [0045]    The conductive patterns for coil which comprise this coil are connected to the conductive pattern for capacitor which comprises this capacitor by the conductor  44  provided in the through-hole of the insulating sheet  41   c  and the conductor  46  provided in the conductor section of the insulating sheet  41   b . The material of the conductors  44  and  46  is the same as that used for the conductive patterns for coil. An insulating sheet  41   f  protects the conductive pattern coil formed on the insulating sheet  41   e.    
         [0046]    In the laminated chip component configured in the manner described above, conductor sections comprise cavities provided in the conductive patterns for capacitor on the insulating sheet  41   b  at the connections with the conductive patterns for coil, and conductors comprising the same material as the conductive patterns for coil are provided in the conductor sections. Therefore, more stocks of electrically conductive material can be used to connect the conductive patterns for coil and the conductive patterns for capacitor than in the first embodiment.  
         [0047]    The above laminated chip component is manufactured in the following way. As shown in FIG. 5A, conductor sections  47  for providing conductors comprising the same material as the conductive pattern for coil are formed by providing cavities at positions corresponding to the connection between the conductive pattern for capacitor and the conductive pattern for coil in the insulating sheet  41   b.    
         [0048]    As shown in FIG. 5B, the conductive patterns for capacitor  45   b  and  45   c  are printed on the top face of the insulating sheet  41   b . Conductors  46  comprise the same material as the conductive pattern for coil, and are provided in the conductor sections  47 . The insulating sheet  41   b  is laminated on top of the insulating sheet  41   a  which the conductive pattern for capacitor is printed on. Alternatively, these processes may be performed in the following sequence. After the insulating sheet  41   b  has been laminated on top of the insulating sheet  41   a , the conductive patterns for capacitor  45   b  and  45   c  are printed on the top face of the insulating sheet  41   b , and the conductor  46  comprising the same material as the conductive pattern for coil is provided in the conductor section.  
         [0049]    Moreover, as shown in FIG. 5C, the insulating sheet  41   c  is laminated on the insulating sheet  41   b , and the conductive pattern for coil  43  is connected to the conductive patterns for capacitor  45   b  and  45   c  by the conductor which comprises the same material as the conductive pattern for coil and is provided in the through-hole in the insulating sheet  41   c . The coil is formed by sequentially laminating the insulating sheets  41   d  and  41   e  on the insulating sheet  41   c  FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a third embodiment of the laminated chip component of this invention.  
         [0050]    Conductive patterns for capacitor  65  comprise an electrically conductive material, such as an alloy of silver and palladium, copper, nickel and the like, and are provided on the top faces of insulating sheet  61   a  and  61   b . A conductor section is formed by providing a through-hole at the position which corresponding to the connection between the conductive pattern for capacitor and the conductive pattern for coil in the insulating sheet  61   b . The conductor section is formed approximately the same size or larger than a through-hole  62  in the insulating sheet  61   c , and is provided with a conductor comprising the same material as the conductive pattern for coil (explained later).  
         [0051]    Conductive patterns  63  for half-turn coil comprise a conductive material such as silver or copper. Two conductive patterns  63  for half-turn coil are provided on the top face of each of insulating sheets  61   c ,  61   d  and  61   e . Conductors  64  are provided in through-holes, and connect the upper layer conductive pattern for coil to the lower layer conductive pattern for coil. These conductive patterns for coil form two coils in the laminated body. The conductive material of the conductive patterns for coil is a different material to that of the conductive pattern for capacitor.  
         [0052]    The conductive patterns for coil which form this coil are connected to the conductive pattern for capacitor which forms this capacitor by the conductor  64  provided in the through-hole of the insulating sheet  61   c  and the conductor  66  provided in the conductor section of the insulating sheet  61   b . The conductors  64  and  66  comprise the same material as the conductive patterns for coil.  
         [0053]    The laminated chip component of this invention configured as above, a conductor section comprising a through-hole is provided at the connection of the conductive pattern for capacitor of the insulating sheet  61   b  to the conductive pattern for coil, and a conductor comprising the same material as the conductive pattern for coil is provided in the through-hole. Therefore, the conductive material for connecting the conductive pattern for coil to the conductive pattern for capacitor can be stocked more fully than in any of the preceding embodiments.  
         [0054]    The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. For example, the auxiliary conductive pattern may be provided on the top face facing the through-holes of the conductive pattern for coil. The auxiliary conductive pattern which faces the through-hole of the conductive pattern can be one of many types of shape such as circular, square, many-sided, etc. Moreover, a laminated body containing a capacitor may be laminated on a laminated body containing a coil. Alternatively, laminated bodies containing capacitors may be laminated on both sides of a laminated body containing a coil.  
         [0055]    In the second and third embodiments, an additional auxiliary conductor pattern comprising the same material as the conductive pattern for coil may be formed on the top faces of the conductors which are provided in the conductor sections and the conductive patterns for capacitor.  
         [0056]    The above description of the embodiments referred to a circuit comprising coils and capacitors laminated together, but the laminated chip component of this invention may be applied in an inductance element.  
         [0057]    As described above, according to the laminated chip component of this invention, auxiliary conductive patterns which are provided on the top faces of the conductive patterns at positions facing the through-holes of adjacent insulating sheets. Therefore, an electrically conductive material can be supplied from the auxiliary conductive patterns provided on the top faces of the conductive patterns to the conductors in the through-holes, even when the conductive pattern and the conductors provided in the through-holes shrink more than the insulating sheets. As a consequence, breaks in the connections in the through-holes of the insulating sheets can be prevented in the laminated chip component of this invention even when the firing shrinkage rate of the conductive patterns is greater than that of the insulating sheets.  
         [0058]    Further, according to the laminated chip component of this invention, an auxiliary conductive pattern comprises the same material as the second conductive pattern, and is provided on the top face of the connection section which connect to the second conductive pattern of the first conductive pattern. Therefore, an electrically conductive material can be supplied from the auxiliary conductive pattern, which comprises the same material as the second conductive pattern and is provided on the top face of the first conductive pattern, to the conductors comprising the same material as the second conductive pattern which are provided in the through-holes. As a consequence, breaks in the connections in the through-holes of the insulating sheets can be prevented in the laminated chip component of this invention even in the case where the firing shrinkage rate of the conductive patterns is greater than that of the insulating sheets, and the case where the firing shrinkage rates and reactivity of the two types of conductive pattern are different.