POWER INDUCTOR AND METHOD FOR IMPLEMENTING SHUNTING MEASUREMENT THROUGH INDUCTOR WINDING

• US 20150219695A1
• Filed: 08/07/2013
• Published: 08/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eaton Intelligent Power Limited (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Original Assignee: Eaton Corp. (Wisconsin) (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Inventors: Zheng, David, Liu, Denis, Li, Caustic
• Granted Patent: US 9,638,727 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/0092 measuring current only all subgroups of G01R19/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/24 Magnetic cores
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/28 Coils; Windings; Conductive connections
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/29 Terminals; Tapping arrangements for signal inductances
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/38 Auxiliary core members; Auxiliary coils or windings
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/402 Association of measuring or protective means

Abstract

Disclosed is a power inductor. The inductor comprises a magnetic core and multiple lines. The multiple lines have a first terminal and a second terminal, are parallel with each other, and wind the magnetic core to form a winding. The lines at the first terminal depart from the magnetic core at the same position, and the lines at the second terminal depart from the magnetic core at the same position. At least one line at the first terminal forms a first interface end, the other lines at the first terminal, which are not utilized to form the first interface end, form a second interface end, and the lines at the second terminal together form a third interface end. By measuring the current flowing through the first interface end using a current sensor with a small measuring range, the current flowing through the power inductor can be estimated based on ratio.

Claims

1. A power inductor, comprising:

a magnetic core; and

multiple lines, each having a first terminal and a second terminal, the multiple lines being parallel with each other and wound around the magnetic core to form a winding, the lines proximate the first terminals departing from the magnetic core at a first position, and the lines proximate the second terminals departing from the magnetic core at a second position,

wherein at least one of the lines at the first terminals forms a first interface end, other of the lines at the first terminals form a second interface end, and the lines at the second terminal together form a third interface end.

2. The power inductor of claim 1, wherein the number of the lines at the first interface end is less than or equal to the number of the lines at the second interface end.

3. The power inductor of claim 2, further comprising

a current sensor configured to sense a current flowing through the first interface end.

4. The power inductor of claim 1,

wherein the magnetic core comprises a first sub magnetic core and a second sub magnetic core;

wherein the winding comprises a first sub winding and a second sub winding on the first sub magnetic core and the second sub magnetic core, respectively; and

wherein the lines of the first sub winding and the lines of the second sub winding are conductively connected.

5. The power inductor of claim 1, further comprising an upper base and a lower base, wherein the magnetic core, the multiple lines and the winding are located in a space defined by the upper base and the lower base.

6. The power inductor of claim 5, wherein the upper base and the lower base are made of insulating materials.

7. The power inductor of claim 1, further comprising

insulators positioned between the magnetic core and the multiple lines.

8. The power inductor according to claim 1, wherein the multiple lines comprise flat wires.

9. The power inductor of claim 8, wherein flat planes of the flat wires are perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the magnetic core.

11. A system comprising the power inductor of claim 1 wherein the first interface end and the second interface end are coupled in common and further comprising a current sensor configured to measure a current flowing through the first interface end.

10. (canceled)

12. A system comprising:

inductor comprising a winding comprising a plurality of conductors, the conductors each having a first end and a second end, wherein the a first connection point of the winding comprises at least one first end of a first subset of the conductors, wherein a second connection point of the winding comprises at least one first end of a second subset of the conductors and wherein a third connection point of the winding comprises the second ends of the conductors;

a device coupled in common to the first and second connection points; and

a current sensor configured to sense a current in the second subset of conductors.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the inductor comprises a magnetic core and wherein the conductors are wound on the magnetic core.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the magnetic core comprises first and second magnetic cores and wherein the winding comprises a first sub winding and a second sub winding on the first core and the second core, respectively.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the device comprises a load and wherein the third connection point is connected to a power source.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the power source comprises an inverter.

17. A method comprising:

providing an inductor comprising a winding comprising a plurality of conductors, the conductors each having a first end and a second end, wherein the a first connection point of the winding comprises at least one first end of a first subset of the conductors, wherein a second connection point of the winding comprises at least one first end of a second subset of the conductors and wherein a third connection point of the winding comprises the second ends of the conductors;

coupling the first and second connection points together;

sensing a current in the second subset of conductors; and

determining a current through the first and second subsets of conductors from the sensed current through the second subset of conductors.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein coupling the first and second connection points together comprises coupling the first and second connection points in common to a load and wherein the method further comprise coupling the third connection point to a power source.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the power source comprises an inverter.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the inductor comprises a magnetic core and wherein the conductors are wound on the magnetic core.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the magnetic core comprises first and second magnetic cores and wherein the winding comprises a first sub winding and a second sub winding on the first core and the second core, respectively.