Method for manufacture of selectively coated carrier plate

A method for manufacturing miniature transformers comprising the steps of:

• forming a plurality of side-by-side rows of openings in a single large insulative carrier plate assembly;
• separating the single carrier plate assembly along straight lines through the respective rows to form the plurality of carrier plates, the surfaces formed by the separations comprising the protrusions whereby each carrier plate has a pair of flat mounting faces and a plurality of edge faces between the mounting faces, the edge faces of each plate including a plurality of spaced-apart, coplanar first protrusions projecting from remaining portions of the edge faces and a plurality of spaced-apart flat, coplanar second protrusions projecting from remaining portions of the edge faces on the opposite side of the carrier plates from the first plurality of protrusions;
• selectively coating portions of one of the mounting faces of each plate with a plurality of mutually isolated first conductive layer areas in regions adjacent the first protrusions, the first conductive layer areas extending to respective first protrusions;
• selectively coating portions of the other mounting face of each plate with a plurality of mutually isolated second conductive layer areas in regions adjacent the first protrusions, the second conductive layer areas extending to respective first protrusions;
• selectively coating portions of one of the mounting faces of each plate with a plurality of mutually isolated third conductive layer areas in regions adjacent the second protrusions, the third conductive layer areas extending to respective second protrusions;
• selectively coating portions of the other mounting face of each plate with a plurality of mutually isolated fourth conductive layer areas in regions adjacent the second protrusions, the fourth conductive layer areas extending to respective second protrusions;
• stacking the plates mounting face-to-mounting-face so respective protrusions of adjacent plates adjoin;
• applying a conductive layer to the end faces of the adjoining protrusions of the stacked plates to the exclusion of remaining portions of the edge faces intermediate the protrusions so as to interconnect electrically respective first and second conductive layer areas associated with each protrusion and so as to interconnect electrically respective third and fourth conductive layer areas associated with each protrusion;
• mounting a transformer having at least first, second, third, and fourth leads on the one mounting face;
• electrically connecting the first and second leads, respectively, to individual first conductive layers;
• electrically connecting the third and fourth leads, respectively, to individual third conductive layers;
• and
• encapsulating the transformer and the one mounting face in an insulative material.

A method for selectively coating with an electrical conductor a plurality of insulative carrier plates, each having a pair of flat mounting faces and a plurality of edge faces between the mounting faces, the edge faces including a plurality of spaced-apart, flat coplanar protrusions projecting from remaining portions of the edge faces, the method comprising the steps of:

• forming a plurality of parallel side-by-side rows of openings in a single large insulative carrier plate assembly to define the plurality of carrier plates;
• coating one of the mounting faces of each plate with a plurality of mutually isolated first conductive layers, the first conductive layers extending to respective protrusions;
• coating the other mounting face of each plate with a plurality of mutually isolated second conductive layers, the second conductive layers extending to respective protrusions;
• separating the single carrier plate assembly along straight lines through the respective rows to form the plurality of carrier plates, the surfaces formed by the separations comprising the protrusions;
• stacking the plates mounting face-to-mounting face so respective protrusions of adjacent plates adjoin;
• and
• applying a conductive layer to the end faces of the adjoining protrusions of the stacked plates to the exclusion of remaining portions of the edge faces, so as to interconnect electrically respective first and second conductive layers.