Compound inductors for use in switching regulators

A soft switching buck regulator comprising:

• a first energy storage type inductor having a first winding on a first magnetic core;
• a second energy storage type inductor having a second magnetic core outside the first winding of the first inductor, and a second winding around the first winding of the first inductor and the second core, the first winding having fewer turns than the second winding;
• one end of the first winding and the corresponding end of the second winding connected to a common connection;
• an input terminal connected to the common connection through a first controllable switch means;
• a second controllable switch means connected between the input terminal and the other end of the first winding;
• an output terminal connected to the other end of the second winding;
• a common voltage line connected to the common connection through a first passive switch means;
• a second passive switch means connected between the common voltage line and the other end of the first winding, and
• a first capacitor connected between the input terminal and the common voltage line.

A soft switching boost regulator comprising:

• a first energy storage type inductor having a first winding on a first magnetic core;
• a second energy storage type inductor having a second magnetic core outside the first winding of the first inductor, and a second winding around the first winding of the first inductor and the second core, the first winding having fewer turns than the second winding;
• one end of the first winding and the corresponding end of the second winding connected to a common connection;
• an output terminal connected to the common connection through a first passive switch means;
• a second passive switch means connected between the output terminal and the other end of the first winding;
• an input terminal connected to the other end of the second winding;
• a common voltage line connected to the common connection through a first controllable switch means;
• a second controllable switch means connected between the common voltage line and the other end of the first winding, and
• a first capacitor connected between the output terminal and the common voltage line.

A two stage switching buck regulator output filter or boost regulator input filter comprising:

• a first energy storage type inductor having a first winding on a first magnetic core;
• a second energy storage type inductor having a second magnetic core outside the first winding of the first inductor and a second winding around the first winding of the first inductor and the second core, the first winding having substantially the same number of turns as the second winding;
• one end of the first winding and the corresponding end of the second winding connected to a common connection;
• a filter input terminal connected to the common connection;
• a common voltage line connected to the other end of the first winding through a first capacitor;
• a filter output terminal connected to the other end of the second winding, and
• a second capacitor connected between the filter output terminal and the common voltage line.

A two stage switching buck regulator input filter or boost regulator output filter comprising:

• a first energy storage type inductor having a first winding on a first magnetic core;
• a second energy storage type inductor having a second magnetic core outside the first winding of the first inductor, and a second winding around the first winding of the first inductor and the second core, the first winding having substantially the same number of turns as the second winding;
• one end of the first winding and the corresponding end of the second winding connected to a common connection;
• a filter input terminal connected to the common connection;
• a common voltage line connected to the other end of the first winding through a first capacitor;
• a filter output terminal connected to the other end of the second winding, and
• a second capacitor connected between the filter input terminal and the common voltage line.

A two stage switching buck regulator output filter or boost regulator input filter comprising:

• a first energy storage type inductor having a first winding on a first magnetic core;
• a second energy storage type inductor having a second magnetic core outside the first winding of the first inductor, and
• a second winding around the first winding of the first inductor and the second core, the first winding having at least one more turn than the second winding;
• one end of the first winding and the corresponding end of the second winding connected to a common connection;
• a filter input terminal connected to the common connection;
• a common voltage line connected to the other end of the first winding through a first capacitor;
• a filter output terminal connected to the other end of the second winding, and
• a second capacitor connected between the filter output terminal and the common voltage line.

A two stage switching buck regulator input filter or boost regulator output filter comprising:

• a first energy storage type inductor having a first winding on a first magnetic core;
• a second energy storage type inductor having a second magnetic core outside the first winding of the first inductor, and a second winding around the first winding of the first inductor and the second core, the first winding having at least one more turn than the second winding;
• one end of the first winding and the corresponding end of the second winding connected to a common connection;
• a filter input terminal connected to the common connection;
• a common voltage line connected to the other end of the first winding through a first capacitor;
• a filter output terminal connected to the other end of the second winding, and
• a second capacitor connected between the filter input terminal and the common voltage line.

A soft switching buck regulator comprising:

• a first energy storage type inductor having a first winding on a first magnetic core;
• a second energy storage type inductor having a second magnetic core outside the first winding of the first inductor, and
• a second winding around the first winding of the first inductor and the second core, the first winding having fewer turns than the second winding;
• a third energy storage type inductor having a third magnetic core outside the second winding of the second inductor, and a third winding around the second winding of the second inductor and the third core, the third winding having substantially the same number of turns as the second winding;
• one end of the first winding, and the corresponding ends of the second winding and the third winding connected to a common connection;
• an input terminal connected to the common connection through a first controllable switch means;
• a second controllable switch means connected between the input terminal and the other end of the first winding;
• a common voltage line connected to the other end of the second winding through a first capacitor;
• an output terminal connected to the other end of the third winding;
• a first passive switch means connected between the common connection and the common voltage line;
• a second passive switch means connected between the other end of the first winding and the common voltage line;
• a second capacitor connected between the output terminal and the common voltage line, and
• a third capacitor connected between the input terminal and the common voltage line.

A soft switching boost regulator comprising:

• a first energy storage type inductor having a first winding on a first magnetic core;
• a second energy storage type inductor having a second magnetic core outside the first winding of the first inductor, and a second winding around the first winding of the first inductor and the second core, the first winding having fewer turns than the second winding;
• a third energy storage type inductor having a third magnetic core outside the second winding of the second inductor, and a third winding around the second winding of the second inductor and the third core, the third winding having substantially the same number of turns as the second winding;
• one end of the first winding, and the corresponding ends of the second winding and the third winding connected to a common connection;
• an output terminal connected to the common connection through a first passive switch means;
• a second passive switch means connected between the output terminal and the other end of the first winding;
• a common voltage line connected to the other end of the second winding through a first capacitor;
• an input terminal connected to the other end of the third winding;
• a first controllable switch means connected between the common connection and the common voltage line;
• a second controllable switch means connected between the other end of the first winding and the common voltage line;
• a second capacitor connected between the output terminal and the common voltage line, and
• a third capacitor connected between the input terminal and the common voltage line.

A compound inductor assembly comprising:

• a first inductor having a first winding on a first magnetic core;
• a second inductor having a second magnetic core outside the first winding of the first inductor, and a second winding around the first winding of the first inductor and the second core;
• one end of the first winding and the corresponding end of the second winding connected to a common connection such that voltages induced in the first winding and the second winding from an alternating current flowing in the first winding have the same polarity;
• and
• said first and second magnetic cores each including at least one of a discrete air gap and a distributed gap material.