Power stage packages of a multi-phase DC-DC converter under a coupled inductor

• US 10,333,407 B2
• Filed: 05/06/2015
• Issued: 06/25/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria Ag (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Original Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria Ag (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Inventors: Todorov, Emil, Tang, Benjamim, Tschirhart, Darryl
• Primary Examiner(s): Hinson, Ronald
• Application Number:
  US14/705,347
• Publication Number:
  US 20160330831A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,511 Days
• Field of Search: 336200
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/1584 with a plurality of power processing stages connected in parallel
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0262 Arrangements for regulating voltages or for using plural voltages
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/181 associated with surface mounted components

Abstract

A multi-phase DC-DC converter includes a substrate having opposing first and second sides, a plurality of power stage packages attached to the first side of the substrate, each power stage package including active semiconductor components operable to provide an output phase of the multi-phase DC-DC converter, and a coupled inductor attached to the first side of the substrate and at least partly covering two or more of the power stage packages. The coupled inductor includes separate windings wound on the same core. Each winding of the coupled inductor electrically connects an output of one of the power stage packages at least partly covered by the coupled inductor to a metal trace on the substrate such that the outputs of the power stage packages at least partly covered by the coupled inductor are electrically connected to the same metal trace on the substrate.

Claims

1. A multi-phase DC-DC converter, comprising:

a substrate having opposing first and second sides;

a plurality of power stage packages attached to the first side of the substrate, each power stage package comprising active semiconductor components operable to provide an output phase of the multi-phase DC-DC converter; and

a coupled inductor attached to the first side of the substrate and at least partly covering two or more of the power stage packages, the coupled inductor comprising separate windings wound on the same core,

wherein each winding of the coupled inductor electrically connects an output of one of the power stage packages at least partly covered by the coupled inductor to a metal trace on the substrate such that the outputs of the power stage packages at least partly covered by the coupled inductor are electrically connected to the same metal trace on the substrate,

wherein each power stage package at least partly covered by the coupled inductor along a first half of the coupled inductor has an orientation which is rotated 180 degrees from the orientation of each power stage package at least partly covered by the coupled inductor along a second half of the coupled inductor,

wherein a side of each power stage package at least partly covered by the coupled inductor which has input/output pins or terminals faces away from the same side of the adjacent power stage package.

2. The multi-phase DC-DC converter of claim 1, wherein the coupled inductor does not completely cover the power stage packages disposed under the coupled inductor such that one or more terminals of the power stage packages under the coupled inductor are uncovered by the coupled inductor.

3. The multi-phase DC-DC converter of claim 1, wherein the metal trace extends under the coupled inductor from a first edge face of the coupled inductor to a second edge face of the coupled inductor which is opposite the first edge face.

4. The multi-phase DC-DC converter of claim 1, wherein each winding of the coupled inductor has a pair of terminals, and wherein the power stage packages are disposed in gaps between the terminals.

5. The multi-phase DC-DC converter of claim 1, wherein each winding of the coupled inductor has a pair of terminals, wherein none of the terminals are disposed on a first half of the coupled inductor which faces the substrate, and wherein each power stage package at least partly covered by the coupled inductor is disposed under the first half of the coupled inductor.

6. The multi-phase DC-DC converter of claim 1, wherein two of the power stage packages are at least partly covered by the coupled inductor, wherein the coupled inductor comprises two separate windings wound on the same core, and wherein each of the two windings electrically connects the output of one of the two power stage packages to the same metal trace on the substrate.

7. The multi-phase DC-DC converter of claim 6, wherein a first one of the two power stage packages is at least partly covered by a different half of the coupled inductor than a second one of the two power stage packages.

8. The multi-phase DC-DC converter of claim 1, wherein at least two of the power stage packages are at least partly covered by the coupled inductor, wherein the coupled inductor comprises at least two separate windings wound on the same core, and wherein each of the at least two windings electrically connects the output of one of the at least two power stage packages to the same metal trace on the substrate.

9. The multi-phase DC-DC converter of claim 8, wherein three of the power stage packages are at least partly covered by the coupled inductor, wherein the coupled inductor comprises three separate windings wound on the same core, and wherein each of the three windings electrically connects the output of one of the three power stage packages to the same metal trace on the substrate.

10. The multi-phase DC-DC converter of claim 8, wherein four of the power stage packages are at least partly covered by the coupled inductor, wherein the coupled inductor comprises four separate windings wound on the same core, and wherein each of the four windings electrically connects the output of one of the four power stage packages to the same metal trace on the substrate.

11. The multi-phase DC-DC converter of claim 8, wherein five of the power stage packages are at least partly covered by the coupled inductor, wherein the coupled inductor comprises five separate windings wound on the same core, and wherein each of the five windings electrically connects the output of one of the five power stage packages to the same metal trace on the substrate.

12. The multi-phase DC-DC converter of claim 8, wherein six of the power stage packages are at least partly covered by the coupled inductor, wherein the coupled inductor comprises six separate windings wound on the same core, and wherein each of the six windings electrically connects the output of one of the six power stage packages to the same metal trace on the substrate.

13. The multi-phase DC-DC converter of claim 1, further comprising an additional coupled inductor attached to the first side of the substrate and comprising separate windings wound on the same core, wherein at least a first and a second one of the power stage packages are at least partly covered by the coupled inductor, and wherein at least a third and a fourth one of the power stage packages are at least partly covered by the additional coupled inductor.

14. The multi-phase DC-DC converter of claim 1, further comprising:

a first single inductor separate from the coupled inductor and attached to the first side of the substrate, the first single inductor at least partly covering one of the power stage packages.

15. The multi-phase DC-DC converter of claim 14, wherein the power stage package at least partly covered by the first single inductor is active during light load operation of the multi-phase DC-DC converter.

16. The multi-phase DC-DC converter of claim 14, wherein the first single inductor does not completely cover the power stage package disposed under the first single inductor such that one or more terminals of the power stage package under the first single inductor are uncovered by the first single inductor.

17. The multi-phase DC-DC converter of claim 14, wherein the first single inductor has a higher open circuit inductance than each separate winding of the coupled inductor.