Device and method for cooling a planar inductor

• US 6,222,733 B1
• Filed: 11/23/1999
• Issued: 04/24/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Melcher AG (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: Melcher AG (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: Gammenthaler, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Picard, Leo P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DATSKOVSKIY, MICHAIL V
• Application Number:
  US09/424,435
• Time in Patent Office: 518 Days
• Field of Search: 361/704, 361/705, 361/706, 361/683, 361/690-694, 361/710-721, 361/740, 361/750, 361/752, 361/758, 361/763, 174/52.3, 174/52.4, 174/16.3, 174/52.1, 174/252, 165/80.3, 165/80.6, 165/185, 165/80.1, 165/80.2, 296/02.R, 298/52, 298/40, 296/021, 298/29, 228/176, 228/123.1, 257/726, 257/718-719, 257/727, 363/131, 336/200, 336/205, 336/246, 336/83, 336/212, 336/232, 336/96
• US Class Current: 361/705
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/22 Cooling by heat conduction through solid or powdered fillings

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for cooling a planar inductance coil, in particular a planar transformer, on a plate-shaped support having a plurality of conducting layers, wherein at least one conducting layer of the support, in co-operation with a core element designed to guide a magnetic flux, provides the planar inductance coil, wherein on its first side towards a surface of the support the core element is connected to said side by means of a heat-conducting adhesive and on a second planar outside surface it is preferably substantially over the entire surface glued to a cooling element having a planar contact surface.

Claims

1. A device for cooling (a) a planar inductance coil located on a plate-shaped support (10) having a plurality of conducting layers, wherein at least one conducting layer of the support represents the planar inductance coil, and (b) a core element (12, 16) designed to guide magnetic flux, characterized in that said core element includes a first side and a second planar outside surface;

on said first side, which is towards a surface of the support (10), the core element is connected to said support by means of a conducting adhesive (44), and said core element is glued on said second planar outside surface over substantially its entire second planar outside surface area to a cooling element (22) having a planar contact surface, thereby providing a thermal connection between said planar inductance coil, said coil and said cooling element, wherein said cooling element serves as a heat bridge for cooling both said core element and said planar inductance coil and for fixing the multi-layer structure assembly.

2. A device as set forth in claim 1 characterized in that the cooling element is provided for additionally cooling a power semiconductor or the like heat-generating electronic component, which is disposed on the support (10).

3. A device as set forth in claim 2 characterised in that in a contact region (50) with the power semiconductor (42) the cooling element has a projection or a suitably profiled portion.

4. A device as set forth in claim 1 characterized in that provided on the plate-shaped support is a plurality of planar inductance coils which are preferably arranged at regular spacings and which each have a respective core element, a common cooling element being glued to the core elements.

5. A device as set forth in claim 1 characterized in that the cooling element is of a plate-shaped configuration and is adapted to extend substantially parallel to the support (10).

6. A device as set forth in claim 5 characterised in that the cooling element extends substantially over an entire surface of the plate-shaped support (10).

7. A device as set forth in claim 1 characterized in that gluing between the core element and the support and/or gluing between the core element and the cooling element is effected with an adhesive in a thickness of between 100 and 200 micrometers.

8. A device as set forth in claim 1 characterized in that gluing between the core element and the support and/or between the core element and the cooling element is effected by means of a double-sided, thermally conducting adhesive foil.

9. A device for cooling (a) a planar inductance coil located on a plate-shaped support (10) having a plurality of conducting layers, wherein at least one conducting layer of the support represents the planar inductance coil, and (b) a core element (12, 16) designed to guide magnetic flux, characterized in that said core element includes a first side and a second planar outside surface;

on said first side, which is towards a surface of the support (10), the core element is connected to said support by means of a heat-conductive conducting adhesive (44), and said core element is glued on said second planar outside surface over substantially its entire second planar outside surface area to a cooling element (22) having a planar contact surface, thereby providing a thermal connection between said planar inductance coil, said coil and said cooling element, wherein said cooling element, serving as a heat bridge and for fixing the multi-layer structure assembly, is provided for additionally cooling a power semiconductor or the like heat-generating electronic component which is disposed on the support (10) and, wherein in a contact region (50) the cooling element has a projection or a suitably profile portion.