Manufacturing method for magnetic sensor and lead frame therefor

A manufacturing method of a magnetic sensor encapsulating at least one magnetic sensor chip having sensitivity to magnetism in at least one direction in a molded resin, comprising the steps of:

• providing a lead frame made of a thin metal plate, which comprises at least two stages, a frame having a plurality of leads arranged so as to encompass the stages, and a plurality of interconnecting members for interconnecting together the frame and the stages;
• inclining the stages relative to the frame upon plastic deformation of the interconnecting members;
• pressing the stages under pressure while fixing the frame in a prescribed position, thus elastically deforming the interconnecting members;
• bonding the magnetic sensor chip onto the stage while the stage and the frame are both placed substantially in a same plane;
• arranging wires so as to interconnect together the leads and the magnetic sensor chip;
• and
• releasing the stages from the pressure, thus restoring the interconnecting members from elastically deformed states thereof.

A manufacturing method of a magnetic sensor encapsulating at least one magnetic sensor chip sensitive to magnetism in at least one direction in a molded resin, comprising the steps of:

• preparing a lead frame made of a thin metal plate, which comprises at least two stages, a frame having a plurality of leads encompassing the stages, a plurality of interconnecting members for interconnecting the stages with the frame, and a plurality of pressing members projected from the leads towards the stages;
• bonding a magnetic sensor chip onto each of the stages, which are placed substantially in a same plane of the frame;
• wiring the magnetic sensor chip together with the leads;
• and
• subjecting the interconnecting members to elastic deformation while the stages and the pressing members are overlapped in positions in a thickness direction of the thin metal plate, so that the stages are respectively inclined at prescribed angles against the frame.

A lead frame made of a thin metal plate, comprising:

• at least two stages;
• a frame having a plurality of leads encompassing the stages;
• a plurality of interconnecting members for interconnecting the stages with the frame, wherein the interconnecting member has a distorted portion that is subjected to plastic deformation and/or elastic deformation;
• and
• a plurality of projecting elements that are projected upwardly or downwardly from the stages respectively.

A manufacturing method of a magnetic sensor, comprising the steps of:

• preparing a lead frame made of a thin metal plate, which comprises at least two stages, a frame having a plurality of leads, a plurality of interconnecting members for interconnecting the stages with the frame, and a plurality of projecting elements that are projected upwardly or downwardly from the stages respectively;
• bonding a magnetic sensor chip sensitive to magnetism in at least one direction therefrom onto each of the stages;
• wiring the leads with the magnetic sensor chip mounted on the stage;
• fixing the lead frame into a metal mold;
• pressing the projecting elements by the metal mold so as to incline the stages against the frame and to partially deform the interconnecting members;
• and
• injecting a resin material into the metal mold so as to encapsulate the magnetic sensor chip mounted on the stage of the lead frame in a resin.

A lead frame made of a thin metal plate, comprising:

• at least two stages;
• a frame having a plurality of leads arranged so as to encompass the stages;
• and
• a plurality of interconnecting members for interconnecting the stages with the frame, wherein the interconnecting members have bent portions that are arranged in proximity to the stages respectively and that can be bent upon plastic deformation and/or elastic deformation.

A lead frame made of a thin metal plate, comprising:

• at least two stages;
• a frame having a plurality of leads arranged so as to encompass the stages;
• a plurality of interconnecting members for interconnecting the stages with the frame;
• and
• at least one stage interconnecting member for mutually interconnecting the stages together, wherein the stage interconnecting member is shaped so as to allow plastic deformation.

A manufacturing method of a magnetic sensor equipped with at least one magnetic sensor chip sensitive to components of magnetism in a prescribed direction, comprising the steps of:

• preparing a lead frame made of a thin metal plate, which comprises at least two stages, a frame having a plurality of leads encompassing the stages, and a plurality of interconnecting members for interconnecting the stages with the frame;
• bonding the magnetic sensor chip onto each of the stages;
• wiring the magnetic sensor chip with the leads;
• and
• subjecting the interconnecting members to plastic deformation so as to incline the stages at prescribed angles against the frame.

A manufacturing method of a magnetic sensor equipped with at least one magnetic sensor chip sensitive to components of magnetism in a prescribed direction, comprising the steps of:

• preparing a lead frame made of a thin metal plate, which comprises at least two stages, a frame having a plurality of leads encompassing the stages, and a plurality of interconnecting members for interconnecting the stages with the frame;
• bonding the magnetic sensor chip onto each of the stages;
• wiring the magnetic sensor chip with the leads;
• and
• subjecting the interconnecting members and prescribed parts of the stages to plastic deformation so as to incline the stages at prescribed angles against the frame.

A manufacturing method of a magnetic sensor equipped with at least one magnetic sensor chip sensitive to components of magnetism in a prescribed direction, comprising the steps of:

• preparing a lead frame made of a thin metal plate, which comprises at least two stages, a frame having a plurality of leads encompassing the stages, a plurality of interconnecting members for interconnecting the stages with the frame, and at least one stage interconnecting member for mutually interconnecting the stages together;
• bonding the magnetic sensor chip onto each of the stages;
• wiring the magnetic sensor chip with the leads;
• and
• subjecting the stage interconnecting member to plastic deformation so as to incline the stages at prescribed angles against the frame.

A magnetic sensor comprising:

• a first magnetic sensor chip sensitive to components of magnetism in a first sensing direction;
• a second magnetic sensor chip sensitive to components of magnetism in a second sensing direction that crosses the first sensing direction;
• and
• a third magnetic sensor chip sensitive to components of magnetism in a third sensing direction that crosses a plane defined by the first and second sensing directions.

A magnetic sensor comprising:

• a first magnetic sensor chip sensitive to components of magnetism in two sensing directions defining a first plane;
• and
• a second magnetic sensor chip sensitive to components of magnetism in two sensing directions defining a second plane,
• wherein the first plane crosses the second plane.

A lead frame made of a thin metal plate, comprising:

• at least two stages;
• a frame having a plurality of leads arranged so as to encompass the stages;
• and
• a plurality of interconnecting members for interconnecting the stages and the frame together,
• wherein the interconnecting members are interconnected with both side ends of the stages and are arranged linearly symmetrical to a center axial line passing through centers of the stages, and wherein the interconnecting members have distorted portions that can be distorted upon plastic deformation and/or elastic deformation.

A manufacturing method of a magnetic sensor having at least one magnetic sensor chip sensitive to components of magnetism in a single direction, comprising the steps of:

• preparing a lead frame made of a thin metal plate, which comprises at least two stages, a frame having a plurality of leads arranged so as to encompass the stages, and a plurality of interconnecting members for interconnecting the stages with the frame;
• bonding a magnetic sensor chip onto each of the stages;
• wiring the magnetic sensor chip with the leads;
• inclining the stages using pins in a metal mold so as to partially deform the interconnecting members;
• and
• injecting a melted resin into the metal mold, thus molding the lead frame and the magnetic sensor chips in a resin.