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Coupled inductor arrays and associated methods

  • US 9,373,438 B1
  • Filed: 03/06/2014
  • Issued: 06/21/2016
  • Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2011
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A coupled inductor array having length, width, and height, the coupled inductor array comprising:

  • a monolithic magnetic core formed of a magnetic material having a distributed gap;

    a plurality of windings embedded in the monolithic magnetic core, each winding forming a respective winding loop of one or more turns around a respective winding axis, each winding axis extending in the height direction, each winding axis offset from each other winding axis in the widthwise direction; and

    one or more magnetic flux impeding structures embedded in the monolithic magnetic core, the one or more magnetic flux impeding structures having a magnetic permeability that is lower than a magnetic permeability of the magnetic material having the distributed gap, the one or more magnetic flux impeding structures being disposed outside of the winding loops, as seen when the coupled inductor array is viewed cross-sectionally in the height direction,the one or more magnetic flux impeding structures comprising at least one magnetic flux impeding structure disposed outside of each winding loop, in a common lengthwise by widthwise plane with the winding loop, the monolithic magnetic core overlapping with each of the one or more magnetic flux impeding structures, as seen when the coupled inductor array is viewed cross-sectionally in the height direction,areas of the monolithic magnetic core enclosed by the winding loops and non-overlapping with the winding loops being greater than areas of the monolithic magnetic core outside of the winding loops, as seen when the coupled inductor array is viewed cross-sectionally in the height direction.

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