MAGNETIC SENSOR COMPONENT AND ASSEMBLY

Abstract

A sensor comprises a housing; and a lead frame comprising at least three elongated leads having an exterior portion extending from the housing; and a magnetic sensor circuit disposed in the housing, and connected to the lead frame. The housing comprises two recesses arranged on two opposite sides of the housing for allowing the sensor to be mounted to a support. The lead frame may further comprise a plurality of tabs disposed between the elongated leads, for use as test pins. A component assembly comprising said sensor mounted on a support between deformable protrusions. A method of making said component assembly, comprising the step of positioning said component on the support between said protrusions, and deforming said protrusions such that they are at least partially disposed within the recesses.

Claims

1. A sensor comprising: a housing; a magnetic sensor circuit provided within the housing; and a lead frame that includes a body portion and a plurality of elongated leads, at least a portion of the body portion of the lead frame supporting the magnetic sensor circuit; wherein each of the elongated leads includes an interior portion and an exterior portion, the interior portion being located inside the housing and the exterior portion extending from the housing; wherein the elongated leads include a first lead and a second lead; wherein the first lead is integrally formed with the body portion of the lead frame; wherein the interior portion of the second lead includes a first portion, a second portion, and an intermediate portion situated electrically between the first portion of the second lead and the second portion of the second lead; wherein the sensor further comprises at least a first bond wire electrically connecting the second portion of the second lead and the magnetic sensor; wherein the sensor further comprises at least a first passive, discrete component situated inside the housing, the first passive, discrete component having a first terminal electrically connected to the intermediate portion of the second lead and a second terminal electrically connected to the first lead; and wherein the first portion of the second lead extends from the intermediate portion of the second lead to the exterior portion of the second lead.

2. The sensor according to claim 1, wherein the housing includes a plurality of recesses including at least a first recess on a first side of the housing and a second recess on a second side of the housing, the first side of the housing being opposite from the second side of the housing, and wherein the recesses are configured to allow the sensor to be mounted by heat-stacking.

3. The sensor according to claim 1, wherein the sensor further comprises a second passive, discrete component situated inside the housing, the second passive, discrete component having a first terminal electrically connected to the intermediate portion of the second lead and a second terminal electrically connected to the first lead.

4. The sensor according to claim 1, wherein the first passive, discrete component is a surface mount component.

5. The sensor according to claim 1, wherein the first passive, discrete component is a capacitor, a resistor, or a diode.

6. The sensor according to claim 1, wherein the first passive, discrete component is surface-mounted to the lead frame.

7. The sensor according to claim 1, wherein the second terminal of the first passive, discrete component is surface-mounted to part of the body portion of the lead frame.

8. The sensor according to claim 1, wherein the second terminal of the first passive, discrete component is surface-mounted to a portion of the first lead.

9. The sensor according to claim 1, wherein the lead frame defines in part an elongated cut-out, the elongated cut-out extending between a part of the body portion of the lead frame that supports the magnetic sensor and an elongated interconnection portion that is part of the first lead.

10. The sensor according to claim 9, wherein the interconnection portion of the first lead has a width of about 0.3 mm over a major portion of a length of the elongated cut-out.

11. The sensor according to claim 9, wherein the body portion of the lead frame has a length in a direction parallel to the elongated cutout, and the body portion of the lead frame has a width in a direction perpendicular to the elongated cut-out, the length of the body portion being larger than the width of the body portion.

12. The sensor according to claim 1, wherein the interior portion of the first lead includes a first portion and a second portion, the first portion extending from the exterior portion of the first lead, the first portion extending in a first direction, and the second portion of the first lead extending from the first portion in a second direction, the second direction being transverse to the first direction.

13. The sensor according to claim 12, wherein the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction.

14. The sensor of claim 1, wherein the lead frame further includes an island and the elongated leads further include a third lead, wherein the interior portion of the third lead includes a first portion proximal to the external portion of the third lead, and a second portion that is integral with the first portion, the second portion of the third lead being distal from the external portion of the third lead; wherein the second portion of the third lead is electrically connected to the first lead by at least a second passive, discrete component; wherein the island is electrically connected to the second portion of the third lead by at least a third passive, discrete component; and wherein the sensor further comprises a second bond wire electrically connecting the island and the magnetic sensor, wherein the second bond wire and the second passive, discrete component and the third passive, discrete component are situated in the housing.

15. The sensor according to claim 1, wherein a narrowest width of the exterior portion of the first lead is in a range of 0.5 mm to 0.7 mm.

16. A component assembly comprising: a support having a receiving zone and at least two deformable protrusions including a first protrusion and a second protrusion adjacent to the receiving zone; and the sensor according to claim 2, wherein the sensor is disposed on or over the support within the receiving zone between the first protrusion and the second protrusion such that the first recess is adjacent to the first protrusion and the second recess is adjacent to the second protrusion; and wherein the first protrusion is at least partially disposed within the first recess and the second protrusion is at least partially disposed within the second recess.

17. A method of producing a component assembly, the method comprising the steps of: a) providing a sensor according to claim 2; b) providing a support having a receiving zone and at least two deformable protrusions including a first protrusion and a second protrusion adjacent to the receiving zone; and c) disposing the sensor on or over the support within the receiving zone between the protrusions such that the first recess is adjacent to the first protrusion and the second recess is adjacent to the second protrusion; and d) deforming the protrusions such that the first protrusion is at least partially disposed within the first recess and the second protrusion is at least partially disposed within the second recess and the sensor is aligned and clamped to the support.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0094] The foregoing and other objects, aspects, features, and advantages of the present disclosure will become more apparent and better understood by referring to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0095] FIG. 1 to FIG. 10 are mainly intended to illustrate a sensor component having leads with holes.

[0096] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of illustrative embodiments of the present invention;

[0097] FIG. 2 is a top view of illustrative embodiments of the present invention corresponding to FIG. 1;

[0098] FIG. 3A is a top view, and FIG. 3B is a side view of illustrative embodiments of the present invention corresponding to FIG. 1;

[0099] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of illustrative embodiments of the present invention having a component with three leads, each lead comprising one alignment hole, disposed on a support with three corresponding positioning pins;

[0100] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of illustrative embodiments of the present invention having a component with one lead comprising two alignment holes and one lead with no alignment holes disposed on a support with two positioning pins disposed within the two alignment holes;

[0101] FIG. 6A is a perspective view according to illustrative embodiments of the present invention comprising a support with positioning pins and wires;

[0102] FIG. 6B is a schematic side view according to illustrative embodiments of the present invention comprising a support with positioning pins and electrically connecting wire cables;

[0103] FIG. 7 is a schematic side view according to illustrative embodiments of the present invention comprising positioning pins providing z-axis location;

[0104] FIG. 8 is a schematic side view according to illustrative embodiments of the present invention comprising bent positioning pins;

[0105] FIG. 9 is a schematic side view according to illustrative embodiments of the present invention comprising deformed positioning pins; and

[0106] FIG. 10 is a flow diagram of illustrative methods of the present invention.

[0107] FIG. 11 to FIG. 18 are mainly intended to illustrate a sensor component having a housing with recesses.

[0108] FIG. 11 is a variant of FIG. 2, and shows another exemplary component according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0109] FIG. 12 is a variant of FIG. 3A, and shows a top view of the component of FIG. 11 without the housing, for illustrative purposes.

[0110] FIG. 13 shows the component of FIG. 11 in top view.

[0111] FIG. 14 shows the component of FIG. 13 in front view.

[0112] FIG. 15 shows the component of FIG. 11 and an exemplary support comprising two protrusions for holding said component.

[0113] FIG. 16 shows a component assembly comprising the support and the component of FIG. 15, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0114] FIG. 17 shows the component of FIG. 11 and another exemplary support comprising two beam-shaped protrusions for holding said component.

[0115] FIG. 18 illustrates a method of producing a component assembly, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0116] The features and advantages of the present disclosure will become more apparent from the detailed description set forth below when taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which like reference characters identify corresponding elements throughout. In the drawings, like reference numbers generally indicate identical, functionally similar, and/or structurally similar elements. The figures are not necessarily drawn to scale.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0117] Electronics manufacturing processes typically pick-and-place electronic components, such as integrated circuits, onto a substrate such as a printed-circuit board or into a test fixture. However, such placement processes have a limited positional accuracy and the actual position of the integrated circuit on the printed circuit board or in the test fixture can vary somewhat. Embodiments of the present invention can provide improved positioning of electronic devices in low-cost structures that are easy to make and adapt to a wide variety of circumstances and that provide simple electrical connections to the electronic device.

[0118] The cost of electronic components is largely determined by its package, and the choice of package is often dictated by the number of external connections. There is often a tradeoff to be made between a large package with a large number of pins, with good testability but a higher cost of the component and requiring more space, versus a smaller package with a smaller number of pins, with reduced testability, but a lower cost, and requiring less space.

[0119] Referring to FIG. 1 in perspective view, FIG. 2 in a top view, and FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B as top and side views of a design drawing, in some embodiments of the present invention a component 10 comprises a housing 12, a circuit 18 disposed in the housing 12, one or more leads 14 each having an exterior portion 15 extending from the housing 12, and at least two alignment holes 16. Unless explicitly mentioned otherwise, the term component actually means a sensor or sensor chip.

[0120] More in particular, the component 10 shown in FIG. 1 comprises three elongated leads 14A, including a first elongated lead with a first alignment hole, and a second elongated lead comprising a second alignment hole, and a third elongated lead comprising a third alignment hole. The elongated leads are parallel.

[0121] The alignment holes 16 are disposed in the exterior portion 15 of the leads 14A and are configured to receive a positioning pin 24 (examples of which are shown in FIG. 4 to FIG. 9).

[0122] Circuit 18 can be an electronic circuit, for example an integrated circuit, disposed in the housing 12 and electrically connected with wire bonds to an interior portion of the leads 14 located inside the housing 12. Circuit 18 can be an analog circuit, a digital circuit, or a mixed signal circuit and can include both integrated and discrete components, for example including a discrete passive component 19 such as a resistor or a capacitor or a diode (shown in FIG. 2). Circuit 18 can be a sensor such as a magnetic sensor or position sensor. The response provided by such magnetic or position sensor can be very dependent on the precise location of the sensor, and the location of the circuit 18 is important to the proper or accurate functioning of the component 10. Moreover, fixing the position of the leads 14 provides improved positioning accuracy compared to prior-art techniques of locating the housing or package of an integrated circuit, for example for a molded package or housing.

[0123] Housing 12 can serve as a body of the component 10 that may have a cavity in which a semiconductor substrate and any discrete components are disposed and electrically connected. The semiconductor substrate may comprise an integrated circuit die formed in, on, or as a part of the semiconductor substrate. The elongated leads 14A may be electrically connected to the integrated circuit die and/or to the passive component(s) 19 via wire bonds 17. Housing 12 can be, for example, a ceramic or plastic package, as is known in the integrated circuit industry.

[0124] Leads 14 are typically also referred to as fingers or pins or connection pins and can serve as electrical connections to the circuit 18. Leads 14 can be electrically conductive and can comprise metal or a metal alloy, for example comprising copper, aluminum, tin, silver, gold or other metals and can be formed into a variety of shapes for example by stamping or die cutting or other metal-forming methods known in the art. Similarly, alignment holes 16 in leads 14 can be formed by stamping, die cutting, molding or other known methods. Leads 14 can be coated or layered. Leads 14 can have different lengths, shapes, and may be connected to different elements of the component 10, for example to different contact pads of circuit 18.

[0125] In some embodiments of the present invention, at least two of the leads 14 (e.g. a first and a second lead) are electrically connected leads 14A, electrically connected to the circuit 18, and an alignment hole 16 is disposed in each of the at least two leads 14A. In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 2 the component 10 has three elongated leads, and each of these three leads has an alignment hole, but that is not absolutely required. It suffices that two of the leads, preferably the two outer leads, have an alignment hole. The alignment hole in the middle lead me be omitted.

[0126] In some embodiments (see for example FIG. 4), one or more of the leads 14 are disconnected leads 14B that are not electrically connected to the circuit 18, but may also have an alignment hole 16.

[0127] In some embodiments, a lead 14 can comprise multiple alignment holes 16. For example, FIG. 5 illustrates an embodiment in which one connected lead 14A has two alignment holes 16, and another connected lead 14A has no alignment holes 16.

[0128] In other embodiments, a component 10 can have any combination of connected or disconnected leads 14A, 14B each with no alignment holes 16, one alignment hole 16, or two or more alignment holes 16.

[0129] The embodiment of FIG. 2 illustrates a component with three connected leads 14A each with one alignment hole 16.

[0130] In various embodiments of the present invention and referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the elongated leads 14 may have multiple portions with different widths. For example, a proximal portion 15a having a first width 46, and a distal portion 15c having a second width 42, and a central portion 15b having a third width 44. In preferred embodiments, the width 46 of the proximal portion is smaller than the width 42 of the distal portion, and the width 46 of the proximal portion is smaller than the width 44 of the central portion. This makes it possible to simultaneously obtain the following advantages: (i) to provide leads having distal portions 15c with a standard spacing (e.g. about 2.5 mm between their center lines); and (ii) to provide central portions 15b with alignment holes 16; and (iii) to provide tabs 14C (also referred to herein as second leads or test pins or simply as pins) for use as test pins; and (iv) without requiring a package with more elongated leads, and without having to use non-standard dimensions between the leads, as the latter may have a negative impact on the connectability of these leads using standard equipment.

[0131] According to some embodiments of the present invention, an exterior portion 15 of a lead 14 has an average width 40 and the width 44 of the central portion 15b of the lead 14 at the location of the alignment hole 16 is greater than the average width 40.

[0132] In some embodiments, the width 46 of the proximal portion 15a of the lead 14 adjacent to the housing 12 is less than the average width 40. By decreasing the first width 46 of the proximal portion, space can be provided for additional connections (i.e. the tabs 14C), and by increasing the width of the central portion 15b of the lead 14 at the location of the alignment hole 16, a robust mechanical structure can be provided.

[0133] The housing of the component 10 shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 also comprises two recesses 13, but these are not mandatory in the embodiments shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 10. In contrast, the embodiments of FIG. 11 to FIG. 18 are related to the recesses 13 but do not absolutely require leads with positioning holes 16.

[0134] As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the tabs (also referred to herein as test pins or pens or pins or short leads) 14C have a fourth width 48 smaller than each of the first width 46, the second width 42, and the third width 44. The short leads or tabs 14C do not have alignment holes 16. The short leads 14C may provide test connections for the component 10 without increasing the size of the component 10 or the spacing of the leads 14, in particular of the distal portions 15c thereof.

[0135] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 3, the package has only three elongated leads 14A and only two tabs 14C located between said leads, but the present invention is not limited hereto, and packages with only five elongated leads and four tabs located in between the leads are also envisioned.

[0136] Referring to FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, a component assembly 99 of the present invention can comprise a support 20. The support 20 can have a surface 22 with a receiving zone 30 in which one or more components 10 can be disposed, for example by pick-and-place equipment. One or more positioning pins 24 are disposed on and protrude from the support 20 in the receiving zone 30. A component 10 is disposed on or over the surface 22 of the support 20 within the receiving zone 30.

[0137] A positioning pin 24 can be disposed within only one alignment hole 16 of the component, or a positioning pin 24 can be disposed within each of at least two alignment holes 16 of the component, or a positioning pin 24 can be disposed within each alignment hole 16 of the component.

[0138] As shown in FIG. 4, the component 10 may have both connected leads 14A that are electrically connected to the circuit 18, and disconnected leads 14B that are not electrically connected to the circuit 18. (Connected leads 14A and disconnected leads 14B are collectively referred to herein as leads 14.) Both connected leads 14A and disconnected leads 14B may have an alignment hole 16 with a positioning pin 24 disposed in the alignment holes 16. A positioning pin 24 can be, but is not necessarily, electrically conductive and may be electrically connected to a lead 14.

[0139] Referring to FIG. 5, the component 10 can have connected leads 14A electrically connected to the circuit 18, some of which have more than one alignment hole 16 and some of which do not have any alignment holes 16. It is an advantage of this embodiment that the component 10 can be accurately positioned by means of only one elongated lead.

[0140] A support 20 can be planar (as shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5) or non-planar (not shown). A support 20 can have wires 60 integrated into the support 20 to form, for example, a printed circuit board or other wiring board or wires 60 can be provided separately from the support 20. A wire 60 can be electrically connected to each connected lead 14A. Referring to FIG. 6A, wires 60 can be directly connected, mechanically or electrically, to the positioning pins 24 or leads 14, or both. Referring to FIG. 6B, wires 60 can be provided independently of the support 20, for example as cables that are electrically connected to leads 14 directly (as shown) or indirectly (not shown). In some embodiments, the cable wires 60 can be directly connected to the positioning pins 24.

[0141] In various embodiments, the support 20 can comprise a resin or epoxy substrate, a multi-layer structure, for example planar structures, a cast, molded, or machined part or structure, for example comprising a polymer, metal, metal alloy, or ceramic. Likewise, the positioning pins 24 can be cast, molded, or machined, or formed by etching a part or structure. The positioning pins 24 may be electrically conductive or electrically insulating, and may comprise a polymer, metal, metal alloy, or ceramic. The positioning pins 24 may be rigid, flexible, compliant, or ductile. A positioning pin 24 may be electrically connected to each of, any one of, or none of the leads 14 and the wires 60.

[0142] According to embodiments of the present invention, the positioning pins 24 disposed in the alignment holes 16, for example by locating components 10 on the receiving zone 30 on or over the surface 22 of the support 20 with the positioning pins 24 disposed in the alignment holes 16 by pick-and-place equipment, serve to precisely locate the component 10 with respect to the support 20 in a simple and inexpensive way that can be applied to a broad variety of component assembly structures. By requiring at least two positioning pins 24 in respective alignment holes 16, the component 10 is spatially fixed in position with respect to the support 20 so that component 10 cannot rotate or move with respect to the support 20. By providing alignment holes 16 in the leads 14, additional alignment or mounting structures are rendered unnecessary, for example special housing 18 and support 20 structures, so that the components 10 can be smaller and take up less area of the support 20. Or stated in other words, for the particular package shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3, by providing alignment holes 16 in the three elongated leads 14, other structures (e.g. located at the corners of the lead frame) can be avoided, thus layout structures and existing mounting equipment can still be used.

[0143] Referring to FIG. 7, in an embodiment the location of the component 10 is controlled in the height direction or the z-axis (controlled with respect to the distance between the surface 22 of the support 20 and the component 10). The height of the component 10 with respect to the support 20 can be controlled with a positioning pin 24, for example by providing a variable diameter positioning pin 28 with a variable diameter that can accept an alignment hole 16 at only certain predefined z-axis locations or predefined heights above the support 20. The variable diameter may be continuous, as shown, or discontinuous, for example with stepped structures (not shown). In the case where circuit 18 is a sensor, e.g. a magnetic position sensor, the precise location of the sensor and any discrete passive components 19 can be important to the proper or accurate functioning of the sensor.

[0144] In some embodiments of the present invention, after the component 10 is disposed with positioning pins 24 in alignment holes 16, the positioning pin 24 can be deformed so that a portion of the positioning pin 24 is disposed over a portion of the electrically conductive exterior portion 15 of the lead 14 that is not the alignment hole 16 in the lead 14, e.g. adjacent the alignment hole. For example, as shown in FIG. 8, the positioning pin 24 is deformed by bending the positioning pin 24 so that a portion of the bent deformed positioning pin 26 is located over a non-alignment-hole portion of the lead 14, that is over a conductive portion of the lead 14, such as a metallic portion, and is not only over the alignment hole 16.

[0145] In the example of FIG. 9, the positioning pin 24 is deformed by flattening the positioning pin 24 so that a portion of the flattened deformed positioning pin 26 is located over a metal portion of the lead 14, adjacent the alignment-hole 16.

[0146] Positioning pins 24 may be mechanically deformed, e.g. plastically or permanently deformed (in contrast to elastically deformed), for example by striking the positioning pin 24 with a hammer on the side of the positioning pin 24 to bend it or on the top of the positioning pin 24 to flatten it. By deforming a positioning pin 24 within an alignment hole 16 of a lead 14, a component 10 is held in place and is not readily removed from the positioning pin 24 and support 20.

[0147] In other or additional embodiments of the present invention, the wire 60, positioning pin 24 and lead 14 may be soldered together with solder 50 to form an electrical connection electrically connecting the circuit 18 to the wires 60 and the positioning pin 24 through the lead 14, if the lead 14 is a connected, electrically conductive lead 14A and the positioning pin 24 is electrically conductive, so that the positioning pin 24 is electrically connected to the lead 14 in whose alignment hole 16 the positioning pin 24 is disposed.

[0148] Referring to the flow-chart of FIG. 10, a component assembly 99 of the present invention can be constructed by providing a component 10 as described above in step 100, for example using photolithographic methods to form a circuit 18, for example comprising an integrated circuit (IC) and optionally one or more discrete passive or active circuit elements, assembling the IC and circuit elements onto a substrate, for example a semiconductor, glass, or ceramic substrate, and interconnecting them with any combination of wire bond or photolithographic methods and tools to form an assembled circuit 18. Leads 14 are constructed using metal forming methods and integrated into a housing 12 into which the assembled circuit 18 is disposed and electrically connected to the interior portion of the leads 14 inside the housing 12 using, for example, wire bonding methods. The housing 12 is then enclosed and encapsulated as desired.

[0149] A support 20 with one or more protruding positioning pins 24 is provided in step 110, for example by molding or laminating layers of resin or casting, molding, or machining materials such as ceramics, metals, or metal alloys into a desired shape, the shape providing a surface 22 with positioning pins 24 protruding from a surface 22 of the support 20 within a pre-determined receiving zone 30 for locating a component 10. In some embodiments, positioning pins 24 are partly inserted in through-holes of a PCB, and optionally soldered at the bottom side.

[0150] In step 120, a component 10 is disposed on a support 20 such that the alignment holes 16 of the component 10 are aligned with the positioning pins 24 of the support, and the positioning pins 24 are inserted into the alignment holes 16 (or vice versa), for example using pick-and-place equipment from a tape-and-reel package.

[0151] Once the component 10 is properly disposed in the receiving zone 30 of the support 20, in optional step 130 the positioning pins 24 can be optionally deformed to firmly, rigidly, permanently or irreversibly hold the component 10 in position with respect to the support 20. Multiple positioning pins 24 may be bent in different directions or deformed to widen the position pins 24, thus preventing each lead 14 from escaping the corresponding positioning pin 24. The deformation may locate at least a portion of the positioning pin 24 over a metal portion of the lead 14, adjacent the alignment hole 16. The deformation can provide mechanical robustness to the component assembly 99 and prevent the differential movement of the component 10 and the support 20, for example as a result of vibration.

[0152] In optional step 140, the positioning pins 24 may optionally be soldered to the leads 14, for example to provide electrical connections between the lead 14 and the wire 60, and optionally the positioning pin 24. The solder 50 can also provide additional mechanical strength to the physical connection between the component 10 and the support 20.

[0153] In operation, power may be provided to a wire 60 and hence to a lead 14 and circuit 18. Signals from the circuit 18 are sent through another lead 14 and wire 60 to a controller (not shown in the figures).

[0154] FIG. 11 to FIG. 14 show another exemplary component 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The component of FIG. 11 to FIG. 14 can be seen as a variant of FIG. 2. The main differences being that the component of FIG. 11 to FIG. 14 does not necessarily comprise alignment holes, and that the elongated leads 14A do not necessarily contain three segments having three different widths, but may contain two segments having two different widths. Other features described above may also be applicable here. The main focus of the embodiments of FIG. 11 to FIG. 18 is related to the recesses 13, as will be discussed further.

[0155] The component 10 shown in FIG. 11 comprises a housing 12, and a lead frame, and a magnetic sensor circuit 18. The housing may comprise a thermoset plastic material. The lead frame comprises at least three elongated leads 14A having an exterior portion 15 extending from the housing 12. The magnetic sensor circuit 18 may comprise at least one Hall element, or a plurality of Hall elements, and is disposed in the housing, and is connected to the lead frame. The housing 12 comprises two recesses 13 arranged on opposite sides of the housing. The recesses may have a shape comprising a bottom portion substantially parallel to the lead frame. The recesses may have a frusto-conical wall portion or a cylindrical wall portion. The component 10 of FIG. 11 has three elongated leads 14A, but the invention is not limited thereto, and in alternative embodiments, the component 10 has five elongated leads 14A.

[0156] FIG. 12 shows a top view of the component of FIG. 11 without the housing, for illustrative purposes.

[0157] The component of FIG. 12 has three elongated leads 14A. The leads 14A of the component 10 shown in FIG. 12 do not have alignment holes 16, and therefore also do not require a central portion as described above.

[0158] The component 10 may comprise a plurality of tabs or test pins 14C located substantially halfway between proximal portions of the elongated leads 14A. These tabs or test pins 14C may have very small dimensions, for example have an external length of about 0.7 mm and an external width of about 0.3 mm, while allowing distal portions of the elongated leads to be spaced apart by about 2.5 mm from centerline to centerline. If the test pins are present (as shown in FIG. 12), the elongated leads 14A preferably have a proximal segment having a first width 46, and a distal segment having a second width 42 larger than the first width 46. If the test pins 14C are not present, the elongated leads 14A may have a constant width.

[0159] The recesses 13 of the housing 12 may overlap at least a portion 14D of the lead frame and/or of the elongated leads in an overlapping area 11. An inner portion of the elongated leads 14A may be broadened or widened to create such an overlap (see FIG. 12). Optionally, the lead frame portion containing the magnetic sensor circuit 18 contains the overlapping zones 11 (not shown).

[0160] FIG. 13 shows the component of FIG. 11 in top view, including the housing. The component 10 of FIG. 13 has only two recesses 13, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and alternative embodiments may comprise three recesses, namely the two recesses shown in FIG. 13 plus an additional recess at the right side of FIG. 13, opposite the side where the leads 14 extend from the housing.

[0161] FIG. 14 shows the component of FIG. 13 in front view. A bottom of the recesses 13 of the housing 12 may be located at a predefined distance d (see FIG. 14) above the lead frame (e.g. at least 0.5 mm). Thus, the lead frame is not exposed at this location, but is covered for example by a plastic molding material, even at the location of the recesses 13.

[0162] FIG. 15 shows the component of FIG. 11 and an exemplary support 20 comprising two protrusions 32 for holding said component 10. The support 20 may comprise or mainly comprise or consists of a plastic material. The protrusions 32 may have any suitable shape, e.g. substantially cylindrical. The support 20 has a receiving zone 30 between the two protrusions for accommodating the component 10. The distance between the protrusions 32 is preferably only marginally larger than an outer dimension of the housing 12. The protrusions 32 may be formed integrally with the rest of the support 20. The protrusions are made of a deformable material, e.g. thermoplastic or metal or a metal alloy.

[0163] FIG. 16 shows a component assembly 99 comprising the support 20 and the component 10 of FIG. 15. The protrusions 32 are deformed so as to align the component 10 and so as to clamp the component 10 on the support 20.

[0164] FIG. 17 shows the component of FIG. 11 and another exemplary support comprising two beam shaped protrusions 32 for holding said component 10.

[0165] The protrusions 32 are preferably deformed against an inclined wall of the component 10, and in such a manner that at least a portion of the protrusions enters the space defined by the recesses 13, for clamping the component 10. A component assembly (not shown) where the component is clamped in this manner, is also envisioned.

[0166] FIG. 18 illustrates a method 1800 of producing a component assembly 99, such as the one shown in FIG. 16. The method 1800 comprises the following steps: [0167] a) providing 1801 a component 10 with recesses 13, for example as shown in FIG. 11 to FIG. 17; [0168] b) providing a support 20 having a receiving zone 30 and at least two deformable protrusions 32, for example as shown in FIG. 15 and FIG. 17; [0169] c) disposing 1803 the component 10 on or over the support 20 within the receiving zone 30 between said protrusions 32 such that the recesses 13 of the component are located adjacent said protrusions 32 of the support 20; and [0170] d) deforming the protrusions 32 such that the protrusions are at least partially disposed within the recesses 13 (or stated in other words: such that at least a portion of the material of the protrusions has entered the recess), thereby aligning and clamping the component 10 on the support 20.

[0171] As is understood by those skilled in the art, the terms over, under, above, below, beneath, and on are relative terms and can be interchanged in reference to different orientations of the layers, elements, and substrates included in the present invention. For example, a first layer, element, or structure on a second layer, element, or structure in some embodiments means a first layer, element, or structure directly on and in contact with a second layer, element, or structure. In other embodiments, a first layer, element, or element on a second layer, element, or structure can include another layer there between. Additionally, on can mean on or in or in contact with or directly on.

[0172] Having described certain embodiments, it will now become apparent to one of skill in the art that other embodiments incorporating the concepts of the disclosure may be used. Therefore, the invention should not be limited to the described embodiments, but rather should be limited only by the spirit and scope of the following claims.

[0173] Throughout the description, where apparatus and systems are described as having, including, or comprising specific elements, or where processes and methods are described as having, including, or comprising specific steps, it is contemplated that, additionally, there are apparatus, and systems of the disclosed technology that consist essentially of, or consist of, the recited elements, and that there are processes and methods according to the disclosed technology that consist essentially of, or consist of, the recited processing steps.

[0174] It should be understood that the order of steps or order for performing certain action is immaterial so long as the disclosed technology remains operable. Moreover, two or more steps or actions in some circumstances can be conducted simultaneously. The invention has been described in detail with particular reference to certain embodiments thereof, but it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the invention.