Multi-layer and user-configurable micro-printed circuit board

• US 20020070834A1
• Filed: 12/11/2000
• Published: 06/13/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pulse Electronics Incorporated (Yageo Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Pulse Engineering Incorporated (Yageo Corporation)
• Inventors: Dadafshar, Majid
• Granted Patent: US 6,628,531 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 336/200
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 17/0013 with stacked layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/2804 Printed windings
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/029 having a programmable lay-out, i.e. adapted for choosing between a few possibilities
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/141 One or more single auxiliary printed circuits mounted on a main printed circuit, e.g. modules, adapters H05K1/142 and H05K1/147 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/165 incorporating printed inductors
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/086 for inductive purposes, e.g. printed inductor with ferrite core
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09063 Holes or slots in insulating substrate not used for electrical connections
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10196 Variable component, e.g. variable resistor
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10303 Pin-in-hole mounted pins
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/171 Tuning, e.g. by trimming of printed components or high frequency circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/222 Completing of printed circuits by adding non-printed jumper connections printed jumper connections H05K3/4685
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/4611 by laminating two or more circuit boards H05K3/4652 takes precedence

Abstract

A multi-layer micro-printed circuit board (PCB) is disclosed, which defines a magnetic component, such as a transformer, using planar technology. Instead of using the traditional twelve-layer PCB incorporating both a primary and a secondary winding, this invention stacks multiple PCBs, each having four or six layers and each including a single winding (either the primary or the secondary). The PCBs are stacked in an offset arrangement such that the pins penetrating the PCB or PCBs including the primary winding or windings do not penetrate the PCB or PCBs including the secondary winding or windings. Additionally, this offset arrangement prevents the pins penetrating the secondary PCBs from penetrating the primary PCBs in the same manner. This offset configuration thereby avoids significant flashover problems associated with current planar components. Moreover, the invention describes an arrangement whereby a jumper or other connection can be used to connect the windings in a series or in a parallel configuration allowing the user to configure the component according to user-required parameters.

Claims

1. An electrical device comprising:

a plurality of printed circuit boards configured into a multi-layer configuration;

at least a first printed circuit board of said plurality of printed circuit boards comprising a primary winding of a transformer;

at least a second printed circuit board of said plurality of printed circuit boards comprising a secondary winding of the transformer; and

a plurality of connector pins configured to electrically connect the primary winding and the secondary winding to a main circuit board.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein each pin of the plurality of connector pins penetrates only the at least one first printed circuit board or the at least one second printed circuit board.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the at least one first printed circuit board and the at least one second printed circuit board are electrically separated from each other.

4. The device of claim 1, further comprising a connector configured to connect the winding on at least two of the plurality of printed circuit boards in either a parallel or a series electrical configuration.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of printed circuit boards comprises a multi-layer board.

6. The device of claim 1, further comprising a main circuit board, wherein the connector pins connect the windings on the plurality of printed circuit boards to the main circuit board.

7. An electrical device comprising:

a plurality of core members;

a plurality of printed circuit boards configured to be stackable in a multilayer configuration between the core members;

at least a first printed circuit board of the plurality of printed circuit boards comprising a primary winding of a transformer;

at least a second printed circuit board of the plurality of printed circuit boards comprising a secondary winding of the transformer;

a connection member configured to selectably connect the winding on at least two of the plurality of printed circuit boards in either a parallel or a series electrical configuration; and

a plurality of connector pins configured to electrically connect the windings on the plurality of printed circuit boards to a main circuit board.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein each pin of the plurality of connector pins penetrates only the at least one first printed circuit board or the at least one second printed circuit board.

9. The device of claim 7, wherein each of the plurality of printed circuit boards comprises four to six layers.

10. The device of claim 7, wherein the at least one first printed circuit board and the at least one second printed circuit board are electrically separated from each other.

11. The device of claim 7, wherein said device is configured to function as a transformer.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising connecting windings on at least two of the plurality of printed circuit boards in either a parallel or a series electrical configuration.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the printed circuit boards contain four to six layers.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein stacking the plurality of the printed circuit boards places the primary winding and the secondary winding so as to be electrically separated from each other.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein connecting the plurality of the printed circuit boards comprises configuring the electrical device to function as a transformer.

12. A method of manufacturing an electrical device, the method comprising:

printing at least one coil on each of a plurality of printed circuit boards;

configuring electrical connections on the plurality of printed circuit boards to include the at least one coil on each printed circuit board so as to define a primary winding and a secondary winding;

stacking the plurality of printed circuit boards in a stacked arrangement; and

connecting the primary winding on the printed circuit boards and the secondary winding on the printed circuit boards to a main circuit board with connector pins in such a manner that the connector pins connecting the primary winding only penetrate printed circuit boards containing said primary winding and connector pins connecting the secondary winding only penetrate printed circuit boards containing said secondary winding.

17. An electrical device comprising:

a plurality of core members;

a plurality of printed circuit boards, positioned between the plurality of core members, with each printed circuit board having a plurality of layers, wherein the plurality of printed circuit boards are stackable into a multi-layer configuration;

at least one coil defined on each of the plurality of layers of the plurality of printed circuit boards;

at least a first printed circuit board of the plurality of printed circuit boards comprising a primary winding of a transformer;

at least a second printed circuit board of the plurality of printed circuit boards comprising a secondary winding of a transformer;

a connection member configured to connect the windings on at least two of the plurality of printed circuit boards in either a parallel or a series electrical configuration; and

a plurality of connector pins configured to electrically connect the plurality of printed circuit boards to the main circuit board, wherein each pin of the plurality of connector pins penetrates only the at least first printed circuit board of the plurality of printed circuit boards comprising the primary winding or the at least second printed circuit board of the plurality of printed circuit boards comprising the secondary winding.

18. An electrical device comprising:

a plurality of printed circuit boards, each printed circuit board having a plurality of layers, wherein the plurality of printed circuit boards are stackable into a multi-layer configuration;

at least one coil defined on each of the plurality of layers of the plurality of printed circuit boards;

means for configuring electrical connections on the plurality of printed circuit boards to include the at least one coil on each printed circuit board so as to define a primary winding and a secondary winding;

means for connecting the primary winding on the printed circuit boards and the secondary winding on the printed circuit boards to a main circuit board with connector pins in such a manner that the connector pins connecting the primary winding only penetrate printed circuit boards containing said primary winding and connector pins connecting the secondary winding only penetrate printed circuit boards containing said secondary winding; and

means for connecting the winding on at least two of the plurality of printed circuit boards in either a parallel or a series electrical configuration.