20140312997 | Encapsulated Reed Relay - A method of manufacturing a surface-mount encapsulated reed relay comprises providing metal lead-frame having conductors for connecting the relay to a circuit and insert-moulding a plastics material plate to the lead-frame so that the conductors extend through the plate and are bonded thereto. Unwanted lead-frame parts are cut away on at least one side of the plate, leaving the conductors exposed for the connection thereto of a reed relay capsule and operating coil, whereafter a housing is fitted to the plate so as to embrace the reed relay capsule and operating coil. A soft elastomeric material is injected into a space defined by the plate and the housing to encapsulate the relay capsule and the operating coil, and then any remaining unwanted lead-frame parts are cut away such that the conductors are exposed on the other side of the plate, to allow those exposed conductors to be formed to lie in a common plane substantially parallel to or co-planar with a face of the encapsulated reed relay which face will in use lie against a circuit board. In an alternative method, two plates are insert-moulded to the lead-frame in a spaced-apart disposition, a U-shaped housing co-operating with the plates to form an enclosure for the relay capsule and coil. | 10-23-2014 |