Magnetic device and power converter employing the same

• US 9,099,232 B2
• Filed: 07/16/2012
• Issued: 08/04/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Power Systems Technologies Company Limited (Flex, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Power Systems Technologies Company Limited (Flex, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Chandrasekaran, Sriram
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Emily P
• Application Number:
  US13/550,383
• Publication Number:
  US 20140016367A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,114 Days
• Field of Search: 323/334, 323/335, 323/338, 323/328, 323/340, 336/145, 336/150, 336/170, 336/182, 336/183, 336/212, 336/221, 336/222, 363/21.12
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/38 Auxiliary core members; Auxiliary coils or windings
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 3/10 Composite arrangements of magnetic circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0064 Magnetic structures combining different functions, e.g. storage, filtering or transformation
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0085 Partially controlled bridges
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/4225 using a non-isolated boost converter
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/155 using semiconductor devices only
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/1582 Buck-boost converters H02M3/1584 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/1586 switched with a phase shift, i.e. interleaved
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/33573 Full-bridge at primary side of an isolation transformer
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/33576 having at least one active switching element at the secondary side of an isolation transformer
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/10 Technologies improving the efficiency by using switched-mode power supplies [SMPS], i.e. efficient power electronics conversion e.g. power factor correction or reduction of losses in power supplies or efficient standby modes

Abstract

A magnetic device and power converter employing the same. In one embodiment, the magnetic device includes a first L-core segment including a first leg and a second leg extending therefrom, and an opposing second L-core segment including a first leg and a second leg extending therefrom. The magnetic device also includes a winding formed around at least one of the first leg and the second leg of the first L-core segment or the second L-core segment.

Claims

1. A magnetic device, comprising:

a first L-core segment including a first leg and a second leg extending therefrom;

an opposing second L-core segment including a first leg and a second leg extending therefrom;

a winding formed around at least one of said first leg and said second leg of said first L-core segment; and

another winding formed around at least one of said first leg and said second leg of said first L-core segment and non-interleaved with said winding.

2. The magnetic device as recited in claim 1 wherein said second leg of said first L-core segment is substantially perpendicular to said first leg of said first L-core segment, and said second leg of said second L-core segment is substantially perpendicular to said first leg of said second L-core segment.

3. The magnetic device as recited in claim 1 wherein a length of said first leg of said first L-core segment is elongated with respect to a length of said second leg of said first L-core segment, and a length of said first leg of said second L-core segment is elongated with respect to a length of said second leg of said second L-core segment.

4. The magnetic device as recited in claim 1 wherein a thickness of said first leg and said second leg of said first L-core segment is substantially equal and a thickness of said first leg and said second leg of said second L-core segment is substantially equal.

5. The magnetic device as recited in claim 1 wherein said winding is a primary winding formed around said first leg of said first L-core segment and said another winding is a secondary winding formed around one of said first leg and said second leg of said first L-core segment.

6. The magnetic device as recited in claim 1 wherein said winding is a first primary winding formed around said first leg of said first L-core segment in series with a second primary winding formed around said first leg of said second L-core segment.

7. The magnetic device as recited in claim 1 wherein a first primary winding is formed around said first leg of said first L-core segment in parallel with a second primary winding formed around said first leg of said second L-core segment.

8. The magnetic device as recited in claim 1 wherein said another winding is a first secondary winding formed around said first leg of said first L-core segment in parallel with a second secondary winding formed around said first leg of said second L-core segment.

9. The magnetic device as recited in claim 1 wherein said winding is a first primary winding formed around said first leg of said first L-core segment and said another winding is a first secondary winding formed over said first primary winding around said first leg of said first L-core segment.

10. The magnetic device as recited in claim 9 wherein a second primary winding is formed around said first leg of said second L-core segment and a second secondary winding is formed over said second primary winding around said first leg of said second L-core segment.

11. The magnetic device as recited in claim 10 wherein said first and second secondary windings are stamped and formed sheets of metal.

12. A power converter, comprising:

a main switch coupled to an input of said power converter;

a magnetic device coupled to said main switch, comprising;

a first L-core segment including a first leg and a second leg extending therefrom,

an opposing second L-core segment including a first leg and a second leg extending therefrom,

a winding formed around at least one of said first leg and said second leg of said first L-core segment, and

another winding formed around at least one of said first leg and said second leg of said first L-core segment and non-interleaved with said winding;

an auxiliary switch coupled to said magnetic device; and

an output filter capacitor coupled to said auxiliary switch and an output of said power converter.

13. The power converter as recited in claim 12 wherein said second leg of said first L-core segment is substantially perpendicular to said first leg of said first L-core segment, and said second leg of said second L-core segment is substantially perpendicular to said first leg of said second L-core segment.

14. The power converter as recited in claim 12 wherein a length of said first leg of said first L-core segment is elongated with respect to a length of said second leg of said first L-core segment, and a length of said first leg of said second L-core segment is elongated with respect to a length of said second leg of said second L-core segment.

15. The power converter as recited in claim 12 wherein a thickness of said first leg and said second leg of said first L-core segment is substantially equal and a thickness of said first leg and said second leg of said second L-core segment is substantially equal.

16. The power converter as recited in claim 12 wherein said winding is a primary winding formed around said first leg of said first L-core segment and said another winding is a secondary winding formed around one of said first leg and said second leg of said first L-core segment.

17. The power converter as recited in claim 12 wherein said winding is a first primary winding formed around said first leg of said first L-core segment in series with a second primary winding formed around said first leg of said second L-core segment.

18. The power converter as recited in claim 12 wherein said magnetic device comprises a first primary winding formed around said first leg of said first L-core segment in parallel with a second primary winding formed around said first leg of said second L-core segment.

19. The power converter as recited in claim 12 wherein said another winding is a first secondary winding formed around said first leg of said first L-core segment in parallel with a second secondary winding formed around said first leg of said second L-core segment.

20. The power converter as recited in claim 12 wherein said winding is a first primary winding formed around said first leg of said first L-core segment and said another winding is a first secondary winding formed over said first primary winding around said first leg of said first L-core segment, wherein said first secondary winding is a stamped and formed sheet of metal.