INDUCTOR ELEMENT AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME

• US 20080084265A1
• Filed: 09/12/2007
• Published: 04/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NGK Insulators Limited
• Original Assignee: NGK Insulators Limited
• Inventors: Yamaguchi, Yoshinori, KITAMURA, Kazumasa
• Granted Patent: US 7,701,319 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 336/221
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 17/0013 with stacked layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 17/04 with magnetic core
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 2017/002 Details of via holes for interconnecting the layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 2017/048 with encapsulating core, e.g. made of resin and magnetic powder
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 41/0233 Manufacturing of magnetic circuits made from sheets magnetic cores made from sheets H01F27/245; soft magnetic alloys in the form of sheets H01F1/16
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 41/043 by thick film techniques
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 41/046 structurally combined with ferromagnetic material

Abstract

An inductor element comprises: a ceramic base member; and a coil composed of a conductor having a shape complementary to the ceramic base member. In the inductor element, a prescribed plural number of steps are formed on at least an inner wall surface of the ceramic base member facing to the coil in one direction.

Claims

1. An inductor element, comprising:

a ceramic base member; and

a coil composed of a conductor having a shape complementary to the ceramic base member,

wherein a prescribed plural number of steps are formed on at least an inner wall surface of the ceramic base member facing to the coil in one direction.

2. The inductor element according to claim 1, wherein a cutout is formed beneath of each of the steps in the same direction as a depth direction of each of the steps.

3. The inductor element according to claim 2, wherein the cutout has a dimension that is ⅕

to 1/200 of the maximum width of the ceramic base member in the same direction as a depth direction of the cutout.

4. The inductor element according to claim 2, wherein the cutout has a dimension of 2 to 20 μ

m.

5. The inductor element according to claim 3, wherein the cutout has a dimension of 2 to 20 μ

m.

6. The inductor element according to claim 1, wherein the inductor element has a square spiral shape.

7. The inductor element according to claim 1, wherein a ratio of a length of each of the prescribed plural number of steps in another direction different from the one direction in which the prescribed plural number of steps is formed to a length of each of the prescribed plural number of steps in the one direction is 0.4 to 1.0.

8. The inductor element according to claim 6, wherein a ratio of a length of each of the prescribed plural number of steps in another direction different from the one direction in which the prescribed plural number of steps is formed to a length of each of the prescribed plural number of steps in the one direction is 0.4 to 1.0.

9. The inductor element according to claim 1, wherein the ceramic base member is a magnetic ceramic base member composed of a magnetic member.

10. A method of manufacturing an inductor element, comprising:

preparing a prescribed plural number of ceramic green sheets;

punching out a hole of a predetermined shape in each of the ceramic green sheets;

laminating the prescribed plural number of ceramic green sheets each having the hole to form a green laminate;

firing the green laminate to form a ceramic base member that serves as a form including a cavity that is defined as a coil shape by the holes;

filling a conductive material into the cavity of the ceramic base member that serves as a form;

firing the ceramic base member; and

integrally forming a coil in the cavity.

12. The method of manufacturing an inductor element according to claim 10, wherein the ceramic green sheet is a magnetic ceramic green sheet composed of a magnetic ceramic material.

11. A method of manufacturing an inductor element, comprising:

preparing a prescribed plural number of ceramic green sheets;

punching out a hole of a predetermined shape in each of the ceramic green sheets;

filling the hole with a conductive material;

laminating the prescribed plural number of ceramic green sheets each having the hole filled with the conductive material to form a green laminate; and

firing the green laminate to form a ceramic base member where a coil is integrally formed in a cavity of a coil shape defined by the holes.

13. The method of manufacturing an inductor element according to claim 11, wherein the ceramic green sheet is a magnetic ceramic green sheet composed of a magnetic ceramic material.