IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,651,683
Granted Patent B2
US 12,651,683 · App. 18/523,992 · Granted Jun 9, 2026

Electronic component

Inventors: Kojiro Tokieda (Nagaokakyo, JP); Hideyuki Suzuki (Nagaokakyo, JP); Koichi Yamada (Nagaokakyo, JP); Miki Sasaki (Nagaokakyo, JP)
Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
H01C1/1413H01C1/1406H01C1/142H01C7/021H01C7/041H01C7/10H01G4/2325H01G4/30
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,651,683
App. No.
18/523,992
Granted
Jun 9, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

An electronic component includes a ceramic body, and an external electrode on the ceramic body, the external electrode includes a base layer continuously covering an end surface of the ceramic body and a portion of a side surface bordering the end surface, and a plating layer covering the base layer, the ceramic body includes a recess open on the side surface, an opening of the recess includes a pair of edges, one edge of the opening is located within a covered region on the side surface covered with the base layer, and the other edge of the opening is spaced away from the covered region.

Claims (40)

1 . An electronic component comprising:

a ceramic body; and

an external electrode on the ceramic body, wherein

the external electrode includes:

a base layer continuously covering an end surface of the ceramic body and a portion of a side surface bordering the end surface; and

a plating layer covering the base layer;

the ceramic body includes a recess open on the side surface, and an opening of the recess includes a pair of edges;

one edge of the pair of edges of the opening is located within a covered region on the side surface covered with the base layer; and

another edge of the pair of edges of the opening is separated from the covered region.

2 . The electronic component according to claim 1 , wherein

the one edge is located at a marginal portion of the covered region; and

an entire or substantially an entire portion of the recess is exposed from the base layer.

3 . The electronic component according to claim 1 , wherein

the one edge is located inside a marginal portion of the covered region; and

a portion of the recess is covered with the base layer, and a remainder of the recess is exposed from the base layer.

4 . The electronic component according to claim 1 , wherein

the plating layer includes an extending portion extending to the one edge of the opening of the recess beyond an edge of the base layer; and

the extending portion bulges outward into the recess so as not to be in contact with an inner surface of the recess.

5 . The electronic component according to claim 1 , wherein the plating layer includes an extending portion extending beyond an edge of the base layer and into the recess so that at least a portion of the extending portion is in contact with an inner surface of the recess.

6 . The electronic component according to claim 1 , wherein the recess has a depth of about 0.5 μm or more and about 5.0 μm or less.

7 . The electronic component according to claim 1 , wherein

the ceramic body includes a protective film covering a surface of the ceramic body;

the external electrode is provided on the protective film; and

the inner surface of the recess is exposed from the protective film.

8 . The electronic component according to claim 7 , wherein the protective film has a thickness of about 30 nm or more and about 500 nm or less.

9 . The electronic component according to claim 7 , wherein

the electronic component includes a pair of the external electrodes at both ends of the ceramic body;

the protective film includes an exposed surface exposed from the pair of external electrodes between the pair of external electrodes; and

the exposed surface includes a pair of smooth surface regions close to each of the pair of external electrodes, and a rough surface region between the pair of smooth surface regions and having surface roughness greater than surface roughness of the smooth surface region.

10 . The electronic component according to claim 9 , wherein a width of each of the smooth surface regions is about 20 μm or more and about 100 μm or less.

11 . The electronic component according to claim 7 , wherein the protective film has a thickness of about 70 nm or more and about 100 nm or less.

12 . The electronic component according to claim 1 , wherein the ceramic body has a laminate structure including a semiconductor ceramic layer and an internal electrode.

13 . The electronic component according to claim 12 , wherein the semiconductor ceramic layer includes manganese oxide as a main component.

14 . The electronic component according to claim 13 , wherein the semiconductor ceramic layer further includes at least one of nickel oxide, cobalt oxide, alumina, iron oxide, titanium oxide, zirconium oxide, copper oxide, or zinc oxide as a sub-component.

15 . The electronic component according to claim 12 , wherein the internal electrode includes at least one of Ag, Cu, or Ni.

16 . The electronic component according to claim 1 , wherein the electronic component is a thermistor.

17 . The electronic component according to claim 11 , wherein the thermistor is an NTC thermistor.

18 . The electronic component according to claim 1 , wherein the plating layer includes a first plating layer and a second plating layer covering the first plating layer.

19 . The electronic component according to claim 1 , wherein the recess has a depth of about 1.0 μm or more and about 2.5 μm or less.

20 . The electronic component according to claim 1 , wherein the ceramic body includes at least one of BaTiO 3 , CaTiO 3 , SrTiO 3 , CaZrO 3 , (BaSr)TiO 3 , Ba(ZrTi)O 3 , or (BiZn)Nb 2 O 7 .

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 30, 2023
From: TOKIEDA, KOJIRO; SUZUKI, HIDEYUKI; YAMADA, KOICHI; SASAKI, MIKI
To: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 065709/0539 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2021-099625 · Jun 15, 2021 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation PCTJP2022023651 · Jun 13, 2022
Related Publication 20240096524A1 · Mar 21, 2024
References Cited (16)
US 9779873B2 · Kim · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 20120229952A1 · Kim · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20130294010A1 · Lee et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20170040112A1 · Tanaka et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 20190098761A1 · Yoshida et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20210082623A1 · Kim et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
JP 2001044066 · 2001 [cited by examiner]
JP 2005197530A · 2005 [cited by applicant]
JP 2007067026A · 2007 [cited by applicant]
JP 2012191165A · 2012 [cited by applicant]
JP 2013236045A · 2013 [cited by applicant]
JP 2017037930A · 2017 [cited by applicant]
JP 2019067793A · 2019 [cited by applicant]
JP-2001044066 translation (Year: 2001). [cited by examiner]
International Search Report in PCT/JP2022/023651, mailed Sep. 6, 2022, 3 pages. [cited by applicant]
Written Opinion in PCT/JP2022/023651, mailed Sep. 6, 2022, 3 pages. [cited by applicant]