VARIABLE INDUCTOR

• US 20080122568A1
• Filed: 08/14/2007
• Published: 05/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yuejun Yan, Yuepeng Yan
• Original Assignee: Yuejun Yan, Yuepeng Yan
• Inventors: YAN, Yuepeng, YAN, Yuejun
• Granted Patent: US 8,102,232 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 336/200
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 17/0006 Printed inductances printed coils for dynamo-electric machines H02K3/26; printed circuits H05K
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 2021/125 Printed variable inductor with taps, e.g. for VCO
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 21/04 by relative movement of turns or parts of windings

Abstract

Provided herein is a variable inductor, comprising a substrate having a surface layer and an inner layer, a plurality of fixed inductors disposed on the substrate, a signal microstrip line serially connecting the fixed inductors to form a serial fixed inductor, a conductive sheet, a signal input terminal, and a signal output terminal, wherein one end of the serial fixed inductor is connected to the signal input terminal, the other end of the serial fixed inductor is connected to the signal output terminal, and the conductive sheet is for controlling the fixed inductors. The variable inductor of this invention is useful in applications where a given number of inductance values are required, so as to efficiently adjust and obtain the required inductance values.

Claims

1. A variable inductor, comprising

a substrate having a surface layer and an inner layer;

a plurality of fixed inductors disposed on said substrate;

a signal microstrip line connecting the fixed inductors to one another in series forming a serial fixed inductor;

a conductive sheet;

a signal input terminal; and

a signal output terminal;

wherein

one end of said serial fixed inductor is connected to the signal input terminal, and the other end said of said serial fixed inductor is connected to the signal output terminal; and

the conductive sheet controls the fixed inductors.

2. The variable inductor of claim 1, further comprising an insulator for moving the conductive sheet.

3. The variable inductor of claim 2, wherein one side of the conductive sheet is contacted with one end of the insulator, and the other side of the conductive sheet is contacted with the surface layer of the substrate.

4. The variable inductor of claim 3, wherein

said insulator is a printed circuit board for supporting the conductive sheet;

and

a positioning groove is disposed at an outer edge of the insulator.

5. The variable inductor of claim 1, wherein

said fixed inductor is a microstrip line inductor or a discrete inductor;

if said fixed inductor is a microstrip line inductor, said fixed inductor is located on the surface layer or the inner layer of the substrate;

if said fixed inductor is located on the inner layer of the substrate and short-circuiting of the fixed inductor is controlled by the conductive sheet, both ends of the fixed inductor are connected to the surface layer of the substrate; and

if said fixed inductor is a discrete inductor, said fixed inductor is located on the surface layer of the substrate.

6. The variable inductor of claim 1, wherein

said conductive sheet is a switch located on the surface layer or the inner layer of the substrate;

said fixed inductors are located on the same layer or on a different layer of the substrate from where the switch is located; and

if the fixed inductors are located on a different layer of the substrate from where the switch is located, both ends of each of the fixed inductors are connected to the layer on which the switch is located.

7. A variable inductor, comprising

a substrate having a surface layer and an inner layer;

a plurality of fixed inductors disposed on said substrate;

at least one conductive sheet connected in parallel with the fixed inductors to form a parallel fixed inductor;

a signal input terminal; and

a signal output terminal;

wherein

one end of the parallel fixed inductor is connected to the signal input terminal, and the other end of the parallel fixed inductor is connected to the signal output terminal; and

the conductive sheet is used for controlling the fixed inductors.

8. The variable inductor of claim 7, wherein the conductive sheet is a switch.

9. The variable inductor of claim 7, wherein one set of ends of the fixed inductors are joined together, and the other set of ends are joined together via the conductive sheet or the switch.

10. The variable inductor of claim 7, wherein a set of ends are joined together via the conductive sheet or the switch, and the other set of ends are joined together via the conductive sheet or the switch, to form a parallel fixed inductor.

11. The variable inductor of claim 7, further comprising an insulator for moving the conductive sheet.

12. The variable inductor of claim 11, wherein one side of the conductive sheet is contacted with one end of the insulator, and the other end of the conductive sheet is contacted with the surface layer of the substrate.

13. The variable inductor of claim 12, wherein

said insulator is a printed circuit board for supporting the conductive sheet;

and

a positioning groove is disposed at an outer edge of said insulator.

14. The variable inductor of claim 7, wherein

said fixed inductor is a microstrip line inductor or a discrete inductor;

if the fixed inductor is a microstrip line inductor, the fixed inductor is located on the surface layer or the inner layer of the substrate;

if the fixed inductor is located on the inner layer of the substrate and short circuit of the fixed inductor is controlled by the conductive sheet, both ends of the fixed inductor are connected to the surface layer of the substrate; and

if the fixed inductor is a discrete inductor, the fixed inductor is located on the surface layer of the substrate.

15. The variable inductor of claim 7, wherein

the conductive sheet is a switch located on the surface layer or the inner layer of the substrate;

said fixed inductors are located on the same layer or on a different layer of the substrate from where the switch is located; and

if the fixed inductors are located on a different layer of the substrate from where the switch is located, both ends of each of the fixed inductors are connected to the layer on which the switch is located.

16. The variable inductor of claim 7, wherein

the signal input terminal is connected to the signal output terminal via the conductive sheet, and

the switch or the conductive sheet is disposed between the signal input terminal and the signal output terminal.

17. A variable inductor, comprising

a substrate having a surface layer and an inner layer;

a fixed inductor disposed on said substrate; and

at least one conductive sheet connected in parallel with the fixed inductor to form a parallel fixed inductor;

a signal input terminal; and

a signal output terminal.

18. The variable inductor of claim 17, further comprising an insulator for moving the conductive sheet.

19. The variable inductor of claim 18, wherein

the conductive sheet is a switch;

one side of the conductive sheet is contacted with one end of the insulator, and the other side of the conductive sheet is contacted with the surface layer of the substrate;

the fixed inductor is a microstrip line inductor or a discrete inductor;

if the fixed inductor is a microstrip line inductor, the fixed inductor is located on the surface layer or the inner layer of the substrate;

if the fixed inductor is located on the inner layer of the substrate and short-circuiting of the fixed inductor is controlled by the conductive sheet, both ends of the fixed inductor are connected to the surface layer of the substrate; and

if the fixed inductor is a discrete inductor the fixed inductor is located on the surface layer of the substrate

20. The variable inductor of claim 17, wherein

the conductive sheet is a switch located on the surface layer or the inner layer of the substrate;

said fixed inductor is located on the same layer or on a different layer of the substrate from where the switch is located; and

if the fixed inductor is located on a different layer of the substrate from where the switch is located, both ends of each of the fixed inductor are connected to the layer on which the switch is located.