Thermally conductive element for cooling an air gap inductor, air gap inductor including same and method of cooling an air gap inductor
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An inductor including:
- a magnetic core comprising at least one magnetic core element, said magnetic core having a first portion spaced from and facing a second portion;
at least one winding supported by said magnetic core; and
a thermally conductive element having a thermal conductivity greater than about 100 w/mK in thermal contact with said first and second portions, said electrically conductive element defining a plurality of paths from said first portion to said second portion, said paths being filled with an electrically insulative material.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An inductor including a magnetic core (30) including at least one magnetic core element (32), the magnetic core (30) having a first portion (38) spaced from and facing a second portion (42), at least one winding (36) supported by the magnetic core (30), and a thermally conductive element (10) having a thermal conductivity greater than about 100 w/mK in thermal contact with the first and second portions (38, 42), the electrically conductive element (10) defining a plurality of paths (26) from the first portion (38) to the second portion (42), the paths (26) being filled with an electrically insulative material (28). A method of cooling an inductor with a heat transfer device (10) is also disclosed.
57 Citations
18 Claims
-
1. An inductor including:
-
a magnetic core comprising at least one magnetic core element, said magnetic core having a first portion spaced from and facing a second portion;
at least one winding supported by said magnetic core; and
a thermally conductive element having a thermal conductivity greater than about 100 w/mK in thermal contact with said first and second portions, said electrically conductive element defining a plurality of paths from said first portion to said second portion, said paths being filled with an electrically insulative material. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. A method of cooling an inductor having at least one magnetic element and at least one gap between a first portion of the at least one magnetic element and a second portion of the at least one magnetic element, comprising the steps of:
-
providing an thermally conductive element having a first side and a second side and a plurality of pathways from the first side to the second side;
filling the plurality of pathways with a thermally conductive, electrically insulative material;
inserting the element into the gap with the first side in thermal contact with the first portion and the second side in thermal contact with the second side; and
placing the thermally conductive element in thermal contact with a heatsink, whereby heat generated in the at least one magnetic element is carried from the first and second portions to the heatsink by the thermally conductive element. - View Dependent Claims (16)
-
-
17. A heat transfer device for cooling an inductor having first and second portions separated by an air gap comprising:
-
a metal sheet having first and second parallel ends and a plurality of folds extending between said first and second ends, ends; and
an electrically insulative resin filling spaces between adjacent ones of said plurality of folds;
whereby said heat transfer device is mountable in the air gap with said first end in contact with said first portion and said second end in contact with said second portion for carrying heat away from said first and second ends to a heatsink. - View Dependent Claims (18)
-
Specification