Integrated circuit transformer

• US 5,126,714 A
• Filed: 12/20/1990
• Issued: 06/30/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Army (Government of the United States of America)
• Original Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Inventors: Johnson, Leopold J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kozma, Thomas J.
• Application Number:
  US07/633,550
• Time in Patent Office: 558 Days
• Field of Search: 336/83, 336/182, 336/183, 336/200, 336/232, 336/223, 336/225, 336/192, 336/212, 336/233, 336/215, 336/218
• US Class Current: 336/83
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 17/0006 Printed inductances printed coils for dynamo-electric machines H02K3/26; printed circuits H05K
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 19/04 Transformers or mutual inductances suitable for handling frequencies considerably beyond the audio range resonant circuits H03H

Abstract

An integrated circuit transformer (58) which is constructed in a laminar hion is disclosed. The present invention includes a bottom plate (10) with cores (14) protruding from its upper surface (13) and a top plate (16) with several feed through holes (18). Both plates (10, 16) are made from high permeability magnetic material. Interposed between the top and bottom plates (10, 16) are at least one primary (19) and at least one secondary (40). The primary (19) has feed through holes (22), vertically aligned with the feed through holes (18) in the top (16), holes (20) to allow the cores (14) to protrude through, and tabs (26, 28) for connecting to the input circuit. The primary (19) is made of a laminate clad with an electrical conductor. The circuit which conducts the current around the cores is fabricated by etching special patterns of insulative gaps (24) into the electrical conductor. The secondary (40) has holes (42) to allow the cores (14) to protrude through. It also is made of a laminate clad with an electrical conductor. And again, the circuit which conducts the current around the cores is fabricated by etching a special pattern of insulative gaps (44) into the electrical conductor. The output circuit is connected to the secondary at three connection points (48, 50, 52). These points are accessible through the feed through holes (18, 22) and access holes (49, 51). The primary (19) and secondary (40) may be fabricated as a sub-assembly by multiple layer printed circuit techniques. More than one primary (19) and secondary (40) may be utilized in the integrated transformer (58). The transformer may be embodied as either a current, a voltage or a power transformer.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

plate means (12) for providing support;

said plate means (12) having an upper surface (13);

said plate means (12) being made from a high permeability magnetic material;

core means (14) for providing a path for magnetic flux;

said core means (14) being integrally formed on said upper surface (13) of said plate means (12);

said core means (14) being made from said high permeability magnetic material;

top means (16) for completing said path for magnetic flux;

said top means (16) having a top feed through hole (18);

said top means being attached to said core means (14);

said top means (16) being made of said high permeability magnetic material;

primary means (19) for conducting an input current around said core means (14);

said primary means (19) having a primary feed through hole (22) vertically aligned with said top feed through hole (18);

said primary means (19) being made of a laminate clad with an electrical conductor;

said primary means (19) being interposed between said plate means (12) and said top means (16);

secondary means (40) for inductively coupling with said primary means (19);

said secondary means (40) being made of said laminate clad with said electrical conductor;

said secondary means (40) being interposed between said plate means (12) and said top means (16);

said secondary means conducting an output current around said core means (14); and

connection means (48, 50,

     52) for making electrical connection to said secondary means (40);

said connection means (48, 50,

     52) being accessible through said top feed through hole (18), and said primary feed through hole (22).

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which said electrical conductor is a metal.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2, in which said high permeability magnetic material is Ferrite.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which said high permeability magnetic material is Ferrite.

5. An apparatus comprising:

a plate (12);

said plate (12) having an upper surface (13);

said plate (12) being made from a high permeability magnetic material;

a core (14);

said core (14) being integrally formed on said upper surface (13) of said plate (12);

said core (14) being made from said high permeability magnetic material;

a top (16);

said top (16) having a top feed through hole (18);

said top (16) being attached to said core (14);

said top (16) being made of said high permeability magnetic material;

a primary (19);

said primary (19) having a primary feed through hole (22) vertically aligned with said top feed through hole (18);

said primary (19) having a primary core hole (20);

said primary (19) having a current input tab (26);

said primary (19) having a current output tab (28);

said primary (19) being made of a laminate clad with an electrical conductor;

said primary (19) being interposed between said plate (12) and said top (16);

said core (14) projecting through said primary core hole (20);

said primary having an insulative gap (24) in said electrical conductor;

a secondary (40);

said secondary (40) having a secondary core hole (42);

said secondary (40) being made of said laminate clad with said electrical conductor;

said secondary (40) being interposed between said plate (12) and said top (16);

said core (14) projecting through said secondary core hole (42);

said secondary having an insulative gap (44) in said electrical conductor; and

a set of connectors (48, 50,

     52);

said set of connectors being electrically connected to said secondary (40) said set of connectors (48, 50,

     52) being accessible through said top feed through hole (18), and said primary feed through hole (22).

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 5, in which said electrical conductor is a metal.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6, in which said high permeability magnetic material is Ferrite.

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 5, in which said high permeability magnetic material is Ferrite.

9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 5, in which said set of connectors (48,50,52) is a set of pins.

10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7, in which said set of connectors (48,50,52) is a set of pins.