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US 5,524,334 AGranted
Method of making an encapsulated high efficiency transformer and power supply
OwnerRobert P. Boeselinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A transformer or power supply apparatus as well as a method for making the same is provided. A coil assembly, including a bobbin (10 or 62), windings (30, 31), and terminals (27), retains core laminations (14) forming a transformer or power supply assembly. The assembly is placed within injection molding molds and a thermoplastic or thermosetting material is injection molded to partially or fully encapsulate the assembly, producing an improved transformer or power supply structure.
Claims18
A method of making a fully encapsulated transformer or power supply apparatus comprising the steps of:
- (a) forming a first and second winding of magnet wire on a unitary bobbin, said unitary bobbin having a plurality of terminal receiving slot means, a central bobbin aperture, a first flange, a second flange, and a third flange, and a plurality of extended tabs protruding from said first and third flanges;
- (b) assembling core lamination pieces into said bobbin, substantially completely filling said central bobbin aperture, forming an assembled transformer or power supply;
- (c) placing said assembled transformer or power supply between conformal injection molds, wherein said transformer or power supply is completely enclosed by said molds, said transformer or power supply and said molds forming encapsulant flow passages and a reception chamber for the arriving encapsulant;
- (d) compressing said assembled transformer or power supply within said conformal injection molds by applying force to said extended tabs;
- and
- (e) injecting a thermoplastic or thermosetting encapsulant material into said mold;
- wherein said windings and core laminations are compressed, with said windings mechanically and thermally joined to said core laminations, said encapsulant substantially covering and conforming to said bobbin and said core laminations.
4 more elements
A method of molding a fully encapsulate high efficiency power transformer or power supply apparatus comprising the steps of:
- (a) forming a first and second winding on a unitary bobbin, said unitary bobbin comprising:
- (i) first and second laterally spaced winding areas for receiving said first and second windings respectively, such that said first and second windings lie next to each other on said bobbin;
- (ii) a central tapered bobbin aperture for receiving core lamination pieces;
- (iii) a plurality of mold locating surfaces to accurately center said apparatus within an encapsulation mold;
- (iv) a plurality of terminal receiving slot means, and a first flange, a second flange, and a third flange;
- and
- (v) a plurality of extended tabs protruding from said first and third flanges for transmitting a compressive force to a core assembly from fully closing mold halves;
- (b) connecting said windings to a plurality of terminals disposed in said terminal receiving slot means;
- (c) assembling core lamination into said bobbin, thereby forming a transformer or power supply assembly by the steps of:
- (i) inserting I-core and E-core pieces into said tapered bobbin aperture until said core lamination deflect, wherein said core pieces and said bobbin together form a self supporting core structure;
- (ii) compacting said self supporting core structure;
- and
- (iii) inserting additional I-core and E-core pieces;
- (d) placing said assembly within conformal molds, said conformal molds contacting said extended tabs, thereby transmitting compressive force to said self supporting core structure from said conformal molds, said conformal molds substantially covering the entire assembly, wherein said bobbin and said molds combine to provide flow passages and a reception chamber for an arriving encapsulant;
- and
- (e) injecting a thermoplastic or thermosetting encapsulant material into said mold into conformity with said mold surfaces and said assembly, said encapsulant substantially covering and conforming to said bobbin and said core lamination, thereby encapsulating said assembly in said encapsulant material;
- wherein said encapsulant mechanically connects said bobbin and windings and core lamination into a rigid unitary structure wherein heat generated by resistive losses in said windings is thermally conducted to said core.
14 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.