Method of producing a multi-turn coil from folded flexible circuitry

• US 20080238600A1
• Filed: 03/28/2008
• Published: 10/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MyPAQ Holdings Ltd. (Transpacific IP Group Limited)
• Original Assignee: Flextronics America LLC (Flextronics International Limited)
• Inventors: Olson, Bruce D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,191,241 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 336/180
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 17/0006 Printed inductances printed coils for dynamo-electric machines H02K3/26; printed circuits H05K
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 2017/006 flexible printed inductors
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 2027/2861 Coil formed by folding a blank
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0393 Flexible materials H05K1/038 takes precedence; specific organic compositions are classified in H05K1/0313 and subgroups
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/165 incorporating printed inductors
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/055 Folded back on itself
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4902 Electromagnet, transformer or inductor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4906 Providing winding
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49071 by winding or coiling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49073 by assembling coil and core
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49128 Assembling formed circuit to base
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4913 Assembling to base an electrical component, e.g., capacitor, etc.
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49139 by inserting component lead or terminal into base aperture
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49155 Manufacturing circuit on or in base
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/5313 Means to assemble electrical device

Abstract

A multi-turn coil device comprising a flexible circuit board and a plurality of serially electrically coupled coils coupled to both sides of the flexible circuit board. The coils are formed such that when the circuit board is folded in an accordion manner, the coils are substantially aligned and have the same direction of current flow. The coils are serially coupled sequentially from front to back and back to front wherein the coupling of the coils is through a plated through hole in the flexible circuit board.

Claims

1. A multi-turn coil device comprising:

a. a flexible circuit board; and

b. a plurality of serially electrically coupled coils coupled to the flexible circuit board, each coil having a coil direction, and wherein the coils are positioned such that each coil substantially overlaps each of the other coils when the flexible circuit board is folded.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the coils are configured so that when the flexible circuit board is folded, each overlapping coil is in substantially the same direction.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the flexible circuit board has a first side and a second side and wherein one or more coils are coupled to the second side.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the serially electrically coupled coils on the first side are electrically coupled to the coils on the second side through an electrically conductive path through the flexible circuit board.

5. The device of claim 2, wherein the folding circuit board is a multilayer flexible circuit board.

6. The device of claim 2, further comprising an insulator configured to prevent the shorting of the coils when folded.

7. The device of claim 2, further comprising one or more alignment means.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the alignment means is a folding line.

9. The device of claim 2, wherein the flexible circuit board if folded according to an accordion fold, a fold over fold, a double fold, or a rolling fold, therein forming a multi-turn coil.

10. A method of manufacturing a multi-turn coil device comprising the steps of:

a. forming a flexible circuit board having a first side, and a second side; and

b. forming plurality of serially electrically coupled coils coupled to the flexible circuit board, each coil having a coil direction, wherein the coils are positioned such that each coil substantially overlaps each of the other coils when the flexible circuit board is folded.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the plurality of serially electrically coupled coils is formed such that when folded the coil direction is substantially the same, therein forming a multi-turn coil.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of forming an alignment structure.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the alignment structure is a folding line.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of forming one or more conductive paths from the first side to the second side, wherein one or more coils are coupled to the second side, and wherein at least one coil on the first side is electrically coupled to an opposing coil on the second side through the one or more conductive paths.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the one or more conductive paths are plated through holes.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step applying an insulation material configured to prevent shorting between coils when the flexible circuit board is folded.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the insulation material is an insulating membrane coupled to the first side and the second side.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of folding the flexible circuit board according to a pattern, therein forming a multi-turn coil.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the folding pattern is an accordion folding pattern, a fold over pattern, a double fold patter, or a rolling fold pattern.

16. The method of 11, wherein the coils are formed by printing with electrically conductive ink, chemical etching, or adhesively applied.