Power inductor with variable width air gap

A power inductor comprising:

• a housing;
• a magnetic core disposed in the housing and including a first segment and a second segment spaced apart from each other to define a gap, the first and second segments being supported in the housing such that the first and second segments are movable relative to each other to increase and decrease the size of the gap;
• and
• a passive actuator disposed in the housing and configured to move the second segment relative to the first segment to increase and decrease the size of the gap, the passive actuator including a shape-memory alloy configured to expand as temperature of the inductor increases to urge the first and second segments apart to increase the gap and to contract as the temperature decreases so that the first and second segments move towards each other to decrease the gap;
• and
• a damper disposed between the housing and one of the first and second segments, wherein the damper is configured to compress when the passive actuator expands to allow the gap to increase in size and to rebound when the passive actuator contracts to decrease the size of the gap.