Simplified transformer design for a switching power supply
First Claim
1. A transformer, comprising:
- a first winding made from a first conducting trace formed on a first multilayer printed circuit board;
a second winding made from a second conducting trace formed on a second multilayer printed circuit board, said winding magnetically coupled to said second winding;
a plurality of connection pads on said second multilayer printed circuit board;
a first connection tab connected to a first end of said first winding; and
a second connection tab connected to a second end of said first winding, said first connection tab and said second connection tab arranged for soldering to a corresponding connection pad of said plurality of connection pads on said second multilayer printed circuit board, said soldering attaching said first multilayer printed circuit board to said second multilayer printed circuit board.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A transformer has a primary winding made from a first conducting trace formed on a first multilayer printed circuit board, and a secondary winding made from a second conducting trace formed on a second multilayer printed circuit board. The primary winding is magnetically coupled to the secondary winding. The windings are etched as traces in copper layers of the PC boards as spirals. The spiral of one copper layer is connected to the spiral of a different copper layer by a via, or vias, formed through the insulating layer of the PC board. The vias are drilled, cleaned, and plated with conducting material, for example copper. By using multiple layers, and by connecting spiral windings of each layer to the windings of the next layer by use of vias, any number of turns can be built into a primary winding, or into a secondary winding.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A transformer, comprising:
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a first winding made from a first conducting trace formed on a first multilayer printed circuit board;
a second winding made from a second conducting trace formed on a second multilayer printed circuit board, said winding magnetically coupled to said second winding;
a plurality of connection pads on said second multilayer printed circuit board;
a first connection tab connected to a first end of said first winding; and
a second connection tab connected to a second end of said first winding, said first connection tab and said second connection tab arranged for soldering to a corresponding connection pad of said plurality of connection pads on said second multilayer printed circuit board, said soldering attaching said first multilayer printed circuit board to said second multilayer printed circuit board. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 12)
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7. A transformer, comprising:
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a primary winding made from a plurality of first spiral conducting traces formed in a first multilayer printed circuit board;
a secondary winding made from a plurality of second spiral conducting traces formed in a second multilayer printed circuit board, said primary winding magnetically coupled to said secondary winding, and said second multilayer printed circuit board is a mother board holding a plurality of electronic components, said first and second multilayer printed circuit boards are different sizes;
a plurality of connection pads on said second multilayer printed circuit board;
a first connection tab connected to a first end of said primary winding; and
a second connection tab connected to a second end of said primary winding, said first connection tab and said second connection tab arranged for soldering to a corresponding connection pad of said plurality of connection pads on said second multilayer printed circuit board, said soldering attaching said first multilayer printed circuit board to said second multilayer printed circuit board. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 13)
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14. A transformer, comprising:
- a primary winding made from a first conducting trace formed on a first multilayer printed circuit board, said primary winding is made from a first multiturn spiral conducting trace in a first layer of said first multilayer printed circuit board, and a second spiral trace in a second layer of said first multilayer printed circuit board, and an electrically conducting via electrically connecting said first spiral conducting trace to said second spiral conducting trace;
a secondary winding made from a second multiturn conducting trace formed on a second multilayer printed circuit board, said primary winding magnetically coupled to said secondary winding, said secondary winding made from a first spiral conducting trace in a first layer of said second multilayer printed circuit board, and a second spiral trace in a second layer of said second multilayer printed circuit board, and an electrically conducting via electrically connecting said first spiral conducting trace to said second spiral conducting trace, said first and second multilayer printed circuit boards being different sizes;
a plurality of connection pads on said second multilayer printed circuit board;
a first connection tab connected to a first end of said primary winding; and
a second connection tab connected to a second end of said primary winding, said first connection tab and said second connection tab arranged for soldering to a corresponding connection pad of said plurality of connection pads on said second multilayer printed circuit board, said soldering attaching said first multilayer printed circuit board to said second multilayer printed circuit board. - View Dependent Claims (15)
- a primary winding made from a first conducting trace formed on a first multilayer printed circuit board, said primary winding is made from a first multiturn spiral conducting trace in a first layer of said first multilayer printed circuit board, and a second spiral trace in a second layer of said first multilayer printed circuit board, and an electrically conducting via electrically connecting said first spiral conducting trace to said second spiral conducting trace;
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16. A method of making a transformer, comprising:
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forming a first winding from a first multiturn conducting trace on a first multilayer printed circuit board;
forming a second winding made from a second multiturn conducting trace on a second multilayer printed circuit board, said primary winding magnetically coupled to said secondary winding;
forming a plurality of connection pads on said second multilayer printed circuit board;
connecting a first connection tab to a first end of said first winding; and
connecting a second connection tab to a second end of said first winding, said first connection tab and said second connection tab arranged for soldering to a corresponding connection pad of said plurality of connection pads on said second multilayer printed circuit board, said soldering attaching said first multilayer printed circuit board to said second multilayer printed circuit board. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A transformer, comprising:
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a multilayer printed circuit board;
a primary winding made from a first conducting multiturn spiral trace formed on at least one first printed circuit board of said multilayer printed circuit board;
a secondary winding made from at least one second conducting multiturn spiral trace formed on a second printed circuit board of said multilayer printed circuit board, said primary winding magnetically coupled to said secondary winding;
a selected winding of said primary winding and said secondary winding having a first end and a second end;
a first principal connection tab connected to said first end of said selected winding, said first principal connection tab located parallel with a plurality of other connection tabs located in different layers of said multilayer printed circuit board, said first connection tab and said plurality of parallel connection tabs located in different layers of said multilayer printed circuit board having a semicircular shape to form a concave semi-cylindrical shape;
electrically conducting material deposited on said concave semi-cylindrical shape to form an electrical contact to each of said first connection tab and said plurality of connection tabs located in different layers of said multilayer printed circuit board; and
a plurality of additional principal connection tabs connected to selected locations in said selected winding, each connection tab of said plurality of principal connection tabs located parallel to a plurality of other connection tabs, each connection tab with its parallel connection tabs having a semi-cylindrical shape coated with conductive material to form an electrical contact for said selected location of said selected winding. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25)
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26. A transformer, comprising:
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a multilayer printed circuit board;
a primary winding made from a first conducting multiturn spiral trace formed on at least one first printed circuit board of said multilayer printed circuit board, said primary winding having a first end and a second end;
a secondary winding made from at least one second conducting multiturn spiral trace formed on a second printed circuit board of said multilayer printed circuit board, said primary winding magnetically coupled to said secondary winding;
a first principal connection tab connected to said first end of a selected winding of said primary and said secondary windings, said first principal connection tab located parallel with a plurality of other connection tabs located in different layers of said multilayer printed circuit board, said first connection tab and said plurality of parallel connection tabs located in different layers of said multilayer printed circuit board having a semi-circular shape to form a concave semi-cylindrical shape;
electrically conducting material deposited on said concave semi-cylindrical shape to form an electrical contact to each of said first connection tab and said plurality of connection tabs located in different layers of said multilayer printed circuit board; and
a plurality of additional principal connection tabs connected to selected locations in said selected winding, each connection tab of said plurality of principal connection tabs located parallel to a plurality of other connection tabs, each connection tab with its parallel connection tabs having a semi-cylindrical shape coated with conductive material to form an electrical contact for said selected location of said selected winding. - View Dependent Claims (27)
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28. A transformer, comprising:
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a primary winding made from a first conducting trace formed on a first multilayer printed circuit board;
a secondary winding made from a second conducting trace formed on a second multilayer printed circuit board, said primary winding magnetically coupled to said secondary winding, and said second multilayer printed circuit board is a mother board holding a plurality of electronic components and second multilayer printed circuit board contains at least one slot adapted to receive a portion of a ferromagnetic core used to form a low reluctance magnetic path coupling said primary and secondary windings;
a plurality of connection pads on said second multilayer printed circuit board;
a first connection tab connected to a first end of said primary winding; and
a second connection tab connected to a second end of said primary winding, said first connection tab and said second connection tab arranged for soldering to a corresponding connection pad of said plurality of connection pads on said second multilayer printed circuit board, said soldering attaching said first multilayer printed circuit board to said second multilayer printed circuit board.
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29. A transformer, comprising:
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a multilayer printed circuit board;
a primary winding made from a first conducting multiturn spiral trace formed on at least one first printed circuit board of said multilayer printed circuit board;
a secondary winding made from at least one second conducting multiturn spiral trace formed on a second printed circuit board of said multilayer printed circuit board, said primary winding magnetically coupled to said secondary winding;
a selected winding of said primary winding and said secondary winding having a first end and a second end; and
a first principal connection tab connected to said first end of said selected winding, said first principal connection tab located parallel with a plurality of other connection tabs located in different layers of said multilayer printed circuit board, said first connection tab and said plurality of parallel connection tabs located in different layers of said multilayer printed circuit board having a semicircular shape to form a concave semi-cylindrical shape. - View Dependent Claims (30)
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Specification