Coupled Inductor With Improved Leakage Inductance Control
AssigneeVolterra Semiconductor Corporation
InventorAlexandr Ikriannikov
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Abstract
An M-winding coupled inductor includes a first end magnetic element, a second end magnetic element, M connecting magnetic elements, and M windings. M is an integer greater than one. Each connecting magnetic element is disposed between and connects the first and second end magnetic elements. Each winding is wound at least partially around a respective one of the M connecting magnetic elements. The coupled inductor further includes at least one top magnetic element adjacent to and extending at least partially over at least two of the M connecting magnetic elements to provide a magnetic flux path between the first and second end magnetic elements. The inductor may be included in an M-phase power supply, and the power supply may at least partially power a computer processor.
Claims25
An M-winding coupled inductor, M being an integer greater than one, the coupled inductor comprising:
- a first end magnetic element;
- a second end magnetic element;
- M connecting magnetic elements, each connecting magnetic element disposed between and connecting the first and second end magnetic elements;
- M windings, each winding wound at least partially around a respective one of the M connecting magnetic elements;
- and
- at least one top magnetic element adjacent to and extending at least partially over at least two of the M connecting magnetic elements to provide a path for magnetic flux between the first and second end magnetic elements.
An M-phase power supply, M being an integer greater than one, the power supply comprising:
- a coupled inductor including:
- a first end magnetic element,
- a second end magnetic element,
- M connecting magnetic elements, each connecting magnetic element disposed between and connecting the first and second end magnetic elements,
- M windings, each winding wound at least partially around a respective one of the M connecting magnetic elements, each winding having a respective first end, a respective second end, each first end electrically coupled to a common first node, and
- at least one top magnetic element adjacent to and extending at least partially over at least two of the M connecting magnetic elements to provide a path for magnetic flux between the first and second end magnetic elements;
- and
- M switching circuits, each switching circuit electrically coupled to the second
- end of a respective winding and configured to switch the second end
- between at least two different voltages.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.