Multi-layer-multi-turn structure for tunable high efficiency inductors

• US 8,610,530 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2013
• Issued: 12/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nucurrent, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nucurrent, Inc.
• Inventors: Singh, Vinit, Frysz, Christine A., Babcock, Jacob
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TUYEN T
• Application Number:
  US13/797,437
• Publication Number:
  US 20130200969A1
• Time in Patent Office: 280 Days
• Field of Search: 336/65, 336/83, 336/200, 336/232, 336206-208
• US Class Current: 336/200
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0553 Paddle shaped electrodes, e.g. for laminotomy
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3605 Implantable neurostimulators for stimulating central or peripheral nerve system
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37229 Shape or location of the implanted or external antenna
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3756 Casings with electrodes thereon, e.g. leadless stimulators
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3787 from an external energy source
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 80/00 Products made by additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 17/00 Fixed inductances of the signal type coils in general H01F5/00; inductors without a potential-jump or surface barrier specially adapted for integrated circuits, details thereof and multistep manufacturing processes therefor H01L28/10
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 17/0006 Printed inductances printed coils for dynamo-electric machines H02K3/26; printed circuits H05K
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 17/0013 with stacked layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 2027/2809 on stacked layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/2804 Printed windings
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 29/02 with tappings on coil or winding; with provision for rearrangement or interconnection of windings
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/14 Inductive couplings for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 41/00 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing or assembling magnets, inductances or transformers; Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing materials characterised by their magnetic properties
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 41/04 for manufacturing coils coils for transformer or inductances H01F27/28
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 41/041 Printed circuit coils apparatus or processes for manufacturing printed circuits in general H05K3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 5/00 Coils superconducting coils H01F6/06; fixed inductances of the signal type H01F17/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 5/003 Printed circuit coils
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 7/06 Electromagnets; Actuators including electromagnets electric coils H01F5/00; devices for holding workpieces using electric force B23Q3/15; load-engaging elements for lifting articles electromagnetically B66C1/06; electromagnetic couplings F16D27/00; magnetic brakes F16D63/002; electromagnetically operated valves F16K11/24, F16K31/00; analysing materials by magnetic means G01N27/72, G01N27/80; electromagnets for winding mechanical clocks G04C1/02; electromagnetic relays H01H51/00; windings for salient poles of dynamo-electric machines H02K3/18; electromagnets for telegraphic communication H04L; for arc lamps H05B31/28
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/38 formed by a conductive layer on an insulating support patch antennas H01Q9/0407; microstrip dipole antennas H01Q9/065; microstrip slot antennas H01Q13/106; transmission line microstrip antennas H01Q13/206; manufacturing reflecting surfaces using insulating material for supporting the reflecting surface H01Q15/142
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 7/00 : Loop antennas with a substantially uniform current distribution around the loop and having a directional radiation pattern in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the loop
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/00 : Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing, assembling, maintaining, or repairing of line connectors or current collectors or for joining electric conductors of trolley lines B60M1/28
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/23 : The load being a medical device, a medical implant, or a life supporting device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/005 : Mechanical details of housing or structure aiming to accommodate the power transfer means, e.g. mechanical integration of coils, antennas or transducers into emitting or receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 : of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 13/00 : Arrangements for controlling transformers, reactors or choke coils, for the purpose of obtaining a desired output regulation systems using transformers, reactors or choke coils G05F; transformers H01F; feeding a network in conjunction with a generator or a converter H02J; control or regulation of converters H02M
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/01 : Frequency selective two-port networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/24 : Inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/45 : Transponders
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 : for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/77 : for interrogation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 : for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/06 : Control, e.g. of temperature, of power
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/1245 : with special coil arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/36 : Coil arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/362 : with flat coil conductors
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/165 : incorporating printed inductors
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0352 : Differences between the conductors of different layers of a multilayer
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 40/00 : Technologies aiming at improving the efficiency of home appliances, e.g. induction cooking or efficient technologies for refrigerators, freezers or dish washers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49005 : Acoustic transducer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4902 : Electromagnet, transformer or inductor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4908 : Acoustic transducer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 : Conductor or circuit manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49155 : Manufacturing circuit on or in base
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49195 : with end-to-end orienting

Abstract

A multi-layer, multi-turn structure for an inductor having a plurality of conductor layers separated by layers of insulator is described. The inductor further comprises a connector electrically connected between the conductor layers. The structure of the inductor may comprise a cavity therewithin. The structure of the inductor constructed such that electrical resistance is reduced therewithin, thus increasing the efficiency of the inductor. The inductor is particularly useful at operating within the radio frequency range and greater.

Claims

1. An inductor comprising:

a) a first conductor layer;

b) a second conductor layer spaced apart from the first conductor layer, the first conductor layer and the second conductor layer being electrically conductive;

c) an insulator layer positioned in the space between the first conductor layer and the second conductor layer;

d) at least one connector electrically connecting the first conductor layer and the second conductor layer;

e) wherein when an electrical current is propagated within at least the first conductor layer a magnetic flux is generated within the inductor;

f) wherein when a change in at least one of a frequency, a magnitude, or a waveform shape of the propagated electrical current occurs, an inductance is generated; and

g) wherein the inductor comprises a selectable inductor quality factor.

2. The inductor of claim 1 wherein an electromotive force is generated when at least one of the frequency, the magnitude, or the waveform shape of the electrical current is changed.

3. The inductor of claim 2 wherein a magnitude of the magnetic flux is proportional to the amount of change of at least one of the frequency, the magnitude, or the waveform shape of the electrical current.

4. The inductor of claim 1 wherein, an electrical resistance of at least one of the first conductor layer is reducible when a cross-sectional area of a conducting skin depth within at least the first conductor layer is increased.

5. The inductor of claim 1 wherein a thickness of the first conductor layer is about equal to a thickness of a skin depth of the first conductor layer at a given frequency.

6. The inductor of claim 1 wherein a thickness of the first conductor ranges from about 1.25 times to about 4 times a thickness of a skin depth of the first conductor layer at a given frequency.

7. The inductor of claim 1 wherein a thickness of the second conductor ranges from about 1.25 times to about 4 times a thickness of a skin depth of the second conductor layer at a given frequency.

8. The inductor of claim 1 wherein a first conductor layer thickness is about the same as a second conductor layer thickness.

9. The inductor of claim 1 wherein a first conductor layer thickness is different from a second conductor layer thickness.

10. The inductor of claim 1 wherein a thickness of a first skin depth of the first conductor layer is about the same as a thickness of a second skin depth of the second conductor layer.

11. The inductor of claim 1 wherein a thickness of a first skin depth of the first conductor layer is different than a thickness of a second skin depth of the second conductor layer.

12. The inductor of claim 1 wherein a thickness of the insulating layer is less than about 5 cm.

13. The inductor of claim 1 wherein the inductor quality factor is greater than about 5.

14. The inductor of claim 1 wherein the inductor quality factor is defined by the equation

15. The inductor of claim 1 wherein the frequency is at least 3 kHz.

16. The inductor of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first and second conductor layers is formed from a thermally conductive material.

17. The inductor of claim 1 wherein the connector comprises at least one of a via, a solder, a tab, a wire, a pin, a rivet, a filled mesh structure, a conductive polymer, a conductive composite, a conductive adhesive, a liquid metal, or a foamed metal.

18. The inductor of claim 1 wherein at least one connector electrically connects the first conductor layer and the second conductor layer in parallel.

19. The inductor of claim 1 wherein the first conductor layer and the second conductor layer form a structure in which the first and second conductor layers are positioned in about a parallel orientation, about perpendicular, or at an angular relationship with respect to each other.

20. The inductor of claim 1 comprising a third conductor layer and a fourth conductor layer electrically connected in parallel or series and are further connected electrically in series or parallel with the third and fourth conductor layers.

21. The inductor of claim 1 wherein the inductor is electrically connectable with an electrical circuit operating at about 100 kHz or greater.

22. The inductor of claim 21 wherein the electrical circuit is selected from the group consisting of a mixer circuit, an impedance matching circuit, an upconverting mixer circuit, a downconverting mixer circuit, a modulator, a demodulator, a synthesizing circuit, a PLL synthesizing circuit, an amplifying circuit, an electrical driver circuit, an electrical detecting circuit, an RF log detector, an RF RMS detector, an electrical transceiver, a power controller, and combinations thereof.

23. The inductor of claim 1 wherein the inductor is electrically connectable within an induction heating circuit.

24. The inductor of claim 1 wherein a control circuit is electrically connectable to the inductor.

25. The inductor of claim 1 wherein at least the first and second conductor layers has at least a partial revolution.

26. The inductor of claim 1 wherein the first conductor layer or the second conductor layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of copper, titanium, platinum, platinum and iridium alloys, tantalum, niobium, zirconium, hafnium, nitinol, cobalt-chromium-nickel alloys, stainless steel, gold, a gold alloy, palladium, carbon, silver, a noble metal, a conductive polymer, a conductive adhesive, a conductive composite, a liquid metal, a foamed metal, a conductive tape, a conductive ribbon, a conductive foil, a conductive leaf, a wire, a deposited metal, a biocompatible material, and combinations thereof.

27. The inductor of claim 1 wherein at least one insulator layer is formed from an electrically insulative material.

28. The inductor of claim 1 wherein the insulator layer comprises an electrically insulative material selected from the group consisting of air, polystyrene, silicon dioxide, a biocompatible ceramic, a conductive dielectric material, a non-conductive dielectric material, a piezoelectric material, a pyroelectric material, a ferrite material, and combinations thereof.

29. The inductor of claim 1 further comprising a first terminal electrically connected to the first conductor layer, a second terminal electrically connected to the second conductor layer, each of the terminals comprising opposing left and right terminal ends, a gap residing between the respective left and right terminal ends.

30. The inductor of claim 29 further comprising a first terminal via, having first and second terminal via ends, positioned between the first and second terminals, the first and second terminal via ends residing within the gaps of the first and second terminals.

31. The inductor of claim 1 wherein a switch is electrically connected between the first conductor layer and the second conductor layer.

32. The inductor of claim 31 wherein the switch comprises a metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor.

33. The inductor of claim 30 wherein a plurality of switches are electrically connected to the terminal vias.

34. The inductor of claim 1 wherein a first electrical resistance of the first conductor layer does not equal a second electrical resistance of the second conductor layer.

35. An inductor comprising:

a) a first inductor subassembly comprising;

i) a first conductive conductor layer;

ii) a second conductive conductor layer spaced apart from the first conductor layer, the first conductor layer and the second conductor layer being electrically conductive;

iii) a first insulator layer positioned in the space between the first conductor layer and the second conductor layers; and

iv) a first connector electrically connecting the first conductor layer and the second conductor layer in parallel, the first connector having a first connector electrical impedance; and

wherein the first inductor subassembly has a first selectable inductor quality factor;

b) a second inductor subassembly comprising;

i) a third conductor layer;

ii) a fourth conductor layer spaced apart from the third conductor layer, the third conductor layer and the fourth conductor layer being electrically conductive;

iii) a second insulator layer positioned in the space between the third conductor layer and the fourth conductor layers; and

iv) a second connector electrically connects the third conductor layer and the fourth conductor layer in parallel, the second connector having a second connector electrical impedance, wherein the first inductor subassembly is electrically connected in series to the second inductor subassembly;

c) wherein the second inductor subassembly has a second selectable inductor quality factor; and

d) wherein when an electrical current is propagated within at least the first conductor layer, a magnetic flux is generated within the inductor; and

e) wherein when a change in at least one of a frequency, a magnitude, or a waveform shape of the propagated electrical current, an inductance is generated.

36. The inductor of claim 35 wherein the first inductor subassembly and the second inductor subassembly are oriented such that the first and second inductor subassemblies are positioned about a parallel orientation, about perpendicular, or at an angular relationship with respect to each other.