| Electronic transformer/inductor devices and methods for making same -> Monitor Keywords |
|
|
 
Electronic transformer/inductor devices and methods for making sameRelated Patent Categories: Metal Working, Method Of Mechanical Manufacture, Electrical Device Making, Electromagnet, Transformer Or InductorElectronic transformer/inductor devices and methods for making same description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070056159, Electronic transformer/inductor devices and methods for making same. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
PRIORITY CLAIM [0001] This application is a divisional application of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/659,797, Filed Sep. 11, 2003, entitled "Electronic Transformer/Inductor Devices and Methods for Making Same", which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/411,801 filed Sep. 16, 2002 entitled "Electronic Transformer/Inductor Devices and Methods for Making Same." FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates to inductive components and methods for manufacturing these components. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Inductive components are commonly fabricated using ferromagnetic cores and windings of insulated electrical wire. The ferromagnetic cores are typically toroidal cores, rod cores, or assemblies made of a lower E shaped ferromagnetic part and a ferromagnetic cap connecting the three legs of the E such as shown in FIG. 1. [0004] The toroid and rod cores are manually or automatically wound with the insulated copper wire to form a number of multiple turn windings for a transformer or a single winding for an inductor. The assembly is then typically encapsulated to protect the wires. The circuit connection is made by the solder termination of the wires as required by the application. This approach has high labor costs because of individual part handling. It has large variability in electronic parameters such as leakage inductance, distributed and interwinding capacitance, and common mode imbalance between windings because of the difficulty in exact placement of the copper wires. [0005] The E shaped and encompassing cap assembly of FIG. 1 is made into an inductive component by manually or automatically winding copper insulated wires around the legs of the E as required. Either gluing or clamping the cap in place and final encapsulation completes this subassembly. Similarly, the circuit connection is made by means of solder termination of the wires as required by the application. Not only does this device have the limitations of the toroid and rod core, as mentioned above, but also it generally is a much larger device. Because the cap is a separate device the magnetic paths have a resistance of non-ferromagnetic gaps between the E and the cap reducing the efficiency of the transformer. [0006] Power transformers constructed as shown in FIG. 1 have the further disadvantage that the heat resulting from the resistance losses in the windings is not easily dissipated because the E core and cap isolate these windings from a heat sink. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0007] The embodiments of the present invention provide inductors and transformers and methods of manufacturing these devices which offer advantages over the state-of-the-art. These inductors and transformers connected in accordance with this invention have a number of applications in the electronics, telecommunication and computer fields. In one embodiment described below, a rectangular slab of ferromagnetic material is encapsulated between printed circuitry. A plurality of through holes (vias) are drilled through or formed during manufacture of the slab from the top face of the slab to the bottom face of the slab, the number of holes corresponding to the number of desired turns of the windings. This embodiment utilizes Ampere's Law in a very novel manner to form a transformer, inductor, or the like within the circuit board rather than the use or assembly of discrete inductive devices to the circuit board. Thus, the windings are not insulated electric wires. Rather, the holes through the slab are made electrically conductive by through hole plating or the like and electrically connect with the printed circuits encapsulating the slab. This pattern of plated through holes and the printed circuitry form the inductor and transformer windings with the core of the inductors and transformers being the drilled or formed slab of ferromagnetic material. This embodiment provides substantial improvements, particularly in fabricating high frequency inductors and transformers. [0008] In another embodiment described below, the core of the inductors or transformers comprises cores formed by a multi-layer series of thin concentric ferromagnetic metal rings supported on a suitable substrate such as a flex circuit (FLEX) or printed circuit board (PCB). Through holes proximate these concentric ring cores provide electrical connection with printed circuitry to provide the inductor and transformer windings. This embodiment enables construction of high permeability inductors and transformers having minimal eddy current effects. Inductors and transformers so constructed have particular application for miniature low frequency power supplies. [0009] In another embodiment described below, a single conductor is formed within a via in a thin ferromagnetic slab to create a single turn inductor. Current passing through the conductor generates a circulating magnetic field in a portion of the slab proximate the via. [0010] In other embodiments described below, first and second conductors are formed within the same via of a ferromagnetic slab to create a cell core 1-to-1 turns-ratio transformer. By connecting the first and second conductors of multiple vias in series and parallel combinations, a transformer having the desired turns-ratio may be constructed. Additional windings may be added to the inductor or transformer by forming additional sensing conductors within additional vias in the ferromagnetic slab. Inductors and transformers so constructed have particular application for miniature power transformers with high secondary current. [0011] In addition to the advantages described above, the embodiments of the present invention have a number of additional advantages. These include: superior heat removal, outside connections that are more accessible to simplify electrical connection, shorter flux paths to increase magnetic performance, simpler fabrication, interconnections that are more integrated, smaller inductive devices, superior performance, and excellent manufacturing repeatability. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0012] Having thus summarized the general nature of the invention and its features and advantages, certain embodiments and modifications thereof will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the detailed description herein having reference to the figures that follow, of which: [0013] FIG. 1 is a conceptual illustration of a prior art ferromagnetic E core, with a matching ferromagnetic cap; [0014] FIG. 2A is a top view of a conventional toroidal transformer; [0015] FIG. 2B is a side view of a conventional transformer; [0016] FIG. 3 is a top view of a representation of a ferromagnetic slab having 25 vias extending through it; [0017] FIG. 4A is a top view of a representation of a "virtual" toroidal transformer; [0018] FIG. 4B is a side view of the virtual transformer of FIG. 4A; [0019] FIG. 5 shows a top view of other embodiments of a virtual transformer; Continue reading about Electronic transformer/inductor devices and methods for making same... Full patent description for Electronic transformer/inductor devices and methods for making same Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Electronic transformer/inductor devices and methods for making same patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Electronic transformer/inductor devices and methods for making same or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Method for manufacturing second-generation superconducting wire for transposition and superconducting coil manufactured using the same Next Patent Application: Method for fabricating a magnetic head Industry Class: Metal working ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Electronic transformer/inductor devices and methods for making same patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 0.17468 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Electronics: Semiconductor , Audio , Illumination , Connectors , Crypto , 174 |
 * Protect your Inventions * US Patent Office filing 
PATENT INFO |
|
