# US 8,786,395 B2 · Method for making magnetic components with M-phase coupling, and related inductor structures > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,786,395 B2 - Document ID: US8786395B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/792,085 - Filed: 2013-03-10 - Published: 2013-08-29 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2002-12-13 - Assignees: Volterra Semiconductor Corporation - Applicants: Volterra Semiconductor Corporation - Inventors: Jieli Li; Charles R. Sullivan; Angel Gentchev - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8786395B2 ## CPC - H01F 27/006: {with special arrangement or spacing of turns of the winding(s), e.g. to produce desired self-resonance} - H01F 5/00: Coils (superconducting coils H01F6/06; fixed inductances of the signal type H01F17/00) - H01F 17/0006: {Printed inductances (printed coils for dynamo-electric machines H02K3/26; printed circuits H05K)} - H01F 17/06: with core substantially closed in itself, e.g. toroid - H01F 27/24: Magnetic cores - H01F 30/12: Two-phase, three-phase or polyphase transformers - H01F 3/10: Composite arrangements of magnetic circuits - H01F 2017/067: {Core with two or more holes to lead through conductor} - H01F: MAGNETS; INDUCTANCES; TRANSFORMERS; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR MAGNETIC PROPERTIES ## Abstract An M phase coupled inductor includes a magnetic core including a first end magnetic element, a second end magnetic element, and M legs disposed between and connecting the first and second end magnetic elements. M is an integer greater than one. The coupled inductor further includes M windings, where each winding has a substantially rectangular cross section. Each one of the M windings is at least partially wound about a respective leg. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A two-phase coupled inductor, comprising: a magnetic core having opposing first and second ends and forming a passageway having depth and height, the depth being greater than the height, the passageway extending through the magnetic core in the depthwise direction from the first end of the magnetic core to the second end of the magnetic core; and first and second windings wound at least partially around a common leg of the magnetic core and through the passageway in the depthwise direction; the second winding being separated from the first winding by a linear separation distance throughout the passageway, the separation distance being along an axis perpendicular to an axis of the height of the passageway and perpendicular to an axis of the depth of the passageway, the separation distance being greater than the height of the passageway; the common leg of the magnetic core forming an outer surface of the magnetic core, the outer surface separating, in the depthwise direction, the first end of the magnetic core from the second end of the magnetic core. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The two-phase coupled inductor of claim 1, the magnetic core forming only one loop around each of the first and second windings. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The two-phase coupled inductor of claim 2, the loop being a rectangular loop. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The two-phase coupled inductor of claim 1, each winding having two ends, each end forming a tab having rectangular cross section. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The two-phase coupled inductor of claim 4, at least one of the tabs being solderable to a printed circuit board. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The two-phase coupled inductor of claim 1, at least one of the tabs being folded underneath the magnetic core. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The two-phase coupled inductor of claim 1, at least one of the first winding and the second winding comprising a single-turn winding. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The two-phase coupled inductor of claim 1, the magnetic core having width, and a ratio of the separation distance to the width being at least about 0.2. ### Claim 9 (depends on 2) The two-phase coupled inductor of claim 2, the first and second windings extending through the magnetic core only via the passageway. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The two-phase coupled inductor of claim 1, the magnetic core forming only one closed loop, as seen when looking cross-sectionally in the depthwise direction. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The two-phase coupled inductor of the claim 1, the magnetic core having width along an axis perpendicular to the axis of the height of the passageway and perpendicular to the axis of the depth of the passageway, the magnetic core having an u-shape as seen when looking cross-sectionally in the widthwise direction along a portion of the magnetic core forming the passageway. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The two-phase coupled inductor of the claim 1, the magnetic core having width along an axis perpendicular to the axis of the height of the passageway and perpendicular to the axis of the depth of the passageway, each of the first and second windings having a c-shape as seen when looking cross-sectionally in the widthwise direction. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The two-phase coupled inductor of claim 1, each of the first and second windings wound around a respective center winding axis extending through the common leg. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The two-phase coupled inductor of claim 13, the magnetic core having width along an axis perpendicular to the axis of the height of the passageway and perpendicular to the axis of the depth of the passageway, each center winding axis extending through the common leg in the widthwise direction.