Integrated magnetics for a dc-dc converter with flexible output inductor
First Claim
1. An integrated magnetic assembly comprising:
- a unitary magnetic structure including a first leg, a second leg and a third leg that are all magnetically coupled and physically connected together;
a primary winding disposed on at least one leg of the unitary magnetic structure and magnetically coupled thereto;
a secondary winding disposed on at least one leg of the unitary magnetic structure and wherein the primary and secondary windings are magnetically coupled to one another via the unitary magnetic structure, the secondary winding including first and second output connections; and
an inductor winding disposed on at least one leg of the unitary magnetic structure, the inductor having a first connection electrically connected to the second connection of the secondary winding, the inductor having a second connection providing an inductor output.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An integrated magnetic assembly that allows the primary and secondary windings of a transformer and a separate inductor winding to be integrated on a unitary magnetic structure is disclosed. The unitary magnetic structure includes first, second, and third legs that are physically connected and magnetically coupled. The primary and secondary windings of the transformer can be formed on the third leg of the unitary magnetic structure. Alternatively, the primary and secondary windings can be split between the first and second legs. Thus, the primary winding includes first and second primary windings disposed on the first and second legs and the secondary winding includes first and second secondary windings disposed on the first and second legs. The inductor winding may also be formed either on the third leg or it may split into first and second inductor windings and disposed on the first and second legs. In addition, one or more legs may include an energy storage component such as an air gap. This integration of the primary and secondary windings and the inductor winding on the unitary magnetic structure advantageously decouples the inductor function from the transformer function and allows the more optimal design of both the inductor and the transformer. The unitary magnetic structure may be coupled to a full bridge, a half bridge, or a push pull voltage input source to form a DC-DC converter.
151 Citations
37 Claims
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1. An integrated magnetic assembly comprising:
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a unitary magnetic structure including a first leg, a second leg and a third leg that are all magnetically coupled and physically connected together;
a primary winding disposed on at least one leg of the unitary magnetic structure and magnetically coupled thereto;
a secondary winding disposed on at least one leg of the unitary magnetic structure and wherein the primary and secondary windings are magnetically coupled to one another via the unitary magnetic structure, the secondary winding including first and second output connections; and
an inductor winding disposed on at least one leg of the unitary magnetic structure, the inductor having a first connection electrically connected to the second connection of the secondary winding, the inductor having a second connection providing an inductor output. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A DC-DC converter comprising:
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an integrated magnetic assembly comprising;
a unitary magnetic structure including a first leg, a second leg and a third leg that are all magnetically coupled and physically connected together;
a primary winding including a first primary winding disposed on the first leg and a second primary winding disposed on the second leg, the first and second primary windings being electrically connected in series;
a secondary winding including a first secondary winding disposed on the first leg and a second secondary winding disposed on the second leg, wherein the first secondary winding is magnetically coupled to the first primary winding via the unitary magnetic structure and the second secondary winding is magnetically coupled to the second primary winding via the unitary magnetic structure, the first and second secondary windings each having first and second connections, wherein the second connection of the first secondary winding is electrically connected to the second connection of the second secondary winding;
an inductor winding disposed on at least one leg of the unitary magnetic structure, the inductor having a first connection electrically connected to the electrically connected second connections of the first and second secondary windings, the inductor having a second connection;
a first rectifier having an input and output, the input of the first rectifier being electrically connected to the first connection of the first secondary winding;
a second rectifier having an input and output, the input of the first rectifier being electrically connected to the first connection of the second secondary winding;
the outputs of the first and second rectifiers electrically connected together to form a first output terminal and the second connection of the inductor forming a second output terminal, where in a signal provided on the first output terminal and a signal provided on the second output terminal will have substantially opposite polarities; and
an input voltage source electrically connected across the primary winding. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A DC-DC converter comprising:
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an integrated magnetic assembly comprising;
a unitary magnetic structure including a first leg, a second leg and a third leg that are all magnetically coupled and physically connected together;
a primary winding including first and second primary windings disposed on the first and second legs respectively and third and fourth primary windings disposed on the first and second legs respectively, the first and second primary windings being electrically connected in series and the third and fourth primary windings being electrically connected in series;
a secondary winding including a first secondary winding disposed on the first leg and a second secondary winding disposed on the second leg, wherein the first secondary winding is magnetically coupled to the first and third primary windings via the unitary magnetic structure and the second secondary winding is magnetically coupled to the second and fourth primary winding via the unitary magnetic structure, the first and second secondary windings each having first and second connections, wherein the second connection of the first secondary winding is electrically connected to the second connection of the second secondary winding;
an inductor winding disposed on at least one leg of the unitary magnetic structure, the inductor having a first connection electrically connected to the electrically connected second connections of the first and second secondary windings, the inductor having a second connection;
a first rectifier having an input and output, the input of the first rectifier being electrically connected to the first connection of the first secondary winding;
a second rectifier having an input and output, the input of the first rectifier being electrically connected to the first connection of the second secondary winding;
the outputs of the first and second rectifiers electrically connected together to form a first output terminal and the second connection of the inductor forming a second output terminal, where in a signal provided on the first output terminal and a signal provided on the second output terminal will have substantially opposite polarities; and
a push-pull voltage source having first, second, and third, connections, wherein the first and third connections are electrically connected across the first and second primary windings and the second and first connections are electrically connected across the third and fourth primary windings. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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Specification