Patterned Magnetic Flux Structures and Applications

A vertical patterned magnetic flux inductor system, comprising:

• an inductor assembly comprising a magnetic inductor core that defines a core volume, wherein the core volume has a width from a left side to a right side of the core volume in an x direction, a length from a back side to a front side of the core volume in a y direction, and a depth from a top side to a bottom side of the core volume in a z direction, wherein the x, y, and z directions are mutually orthogonal, the x and the y directions correspond to a horizontal dimension, and the z direction corresponds to a vertical dimension;
• wherein the inductor core defines a longitudinal gap that passes through the core volume in the y direction;
• wherein the inductor core forms a three-dimensional flux path around the longitudinal gap whose projection onto the x-y plane forms a figure eight pattern with its two lobes oriented in the x direction;
• and
• further comprising first and second electrical conductors spaced apart in the x direction and passing through the core volume and through the longitudinal gap in respective y-z planes such that the inductor core causes inverse coupling between the conductors when electric current flows through the conductors in the same direction but causes positive coupling between the conductors when electric current flows through the conductors in opposite directions;
• wherein a longitudinal axis of the first electrical conductor slopes upward from the back side of the core volume to the front side of the core volume, and a longitudinal axis of the second electrical conductor slopes downward from the back side of the core volume to the front side of the core volume;
• and
• wherein a first terminal end of each of the electrical conductors is exposed at the top side of the core volume, a second terminal end of each of the electrical conductors is exposed at the bottom side of the core volume, and the assembly is configured to be mounted to an additional component disposed vertically below the assembly.