A spiral inductor assembly and a control method thereof

Abstract

The application discloses a spiral inductor assembly and a control method thereof, and relates to the technical field of inductors. The spiral inductor assembly comprises an inductor coil, a fixing assembly and a driving and adjusting assembly. The inductor coil is in a conical spiral structure, has a top end and a bottom end, and is configured as an air-core inductor structure. The fixing assembly is used for fixing the bottom end of the inductor coil. The driving and adjusting assembly is connected with the top end of the inductor coil and is configured to drive the top end of the inductor coil to move along an axial direction so as to change the pitch of the inductor coil. Based on the technical scheme disclosed by the application, the requirement of dynamic change of inductance values of different circuits under various working conditions can be met, the applicability and flexibility of the inductor assembly are greatly improved, the magnetic hysteresis loss and the eddy current loss can be effectively reduced, the occurrence of magnetic saturation can be avoided, and the quality factor can be improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of inductor technology, and more specifically to a spiral inductor assembly and its control method. Background Technology

[0002] Inductors are key passive components in electronic circuits used for filtering, oscillation, delay, and impedance matching. In high-frequency, high-power applications such as RF power supplies, induction heating, and wireless power transmission, the performance requirements for inductors are extremely stringent, mainly reflected in high quality factor (Q value), low loss, high saturation current, and dynamic adjustability of inductance value.

[0003] In related technologies, to achieve variable inductance, a spiral inductor can be fixed on a frame while keeping the inductor pitch constant. The magnetic flux is changed by moving the position of the magnetic core, and the inductance is adjusted by changing the magnetic flux.

[0004] However, the above solutions suffer from problems such as hysteresis loss and eddy current loss, low quality factor and magnetic saturation in high frequency and high current application scenarios, which make it difficult to meet the relevant application requirements and urgently need to be improved. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the above-mentioned technical deficiencies and propose a spiral inductor assembly and its control method to solve the technical problems of large inductor losses, low quality factor and easy magnetic saturation in the prior art.

[0006] To achieve the above-mentioned technical objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: In a first aspect, the present invention provides a spiral inductor assembly, comprising: An inductor coil has a conical spiral structure and has a top and a bottom. A fixing component for fixing the bottom end of the inductor coil; and A drive adjustment assembly, connected to the top end of the inductor coil, is configured to drive the top end of the inductor coil to move axially to change the pitch of the inductor coil.

[0007] In some embodiments, the drive adjustment assembly includes a motor and a transmission mechanism, wherein the output end of the motor is connected to the top end of the inductor coil through the transmission mechanism to convert the rotational motion of the motor into linear displacement of the top end of the inductor coil.

[0008] In some embodiments, the motor is a stepper motor with a position encoder connected to an external control system, which is configured to monitor the number of rotations and position of the stepper motor in real time and feed it back to the control system.

[0009] In some embodiments, the transmission mechanism includes an adjustable bushing, which is fixedly mounted on the fixed assembly. Inside the adjustable bushing is a telescopic portion that can slide axially. One end of the telescopic portion is connected to the top end of the inductor coil, and the other end is connected to the output shaft of the motor. The telescopic portion is configured to telescopically move within the adjustable bushing as the output shaft of the motor rotates.

[0010] In some embodiments, the drive adjustment assembly further includes a coupling that connects the output shaft of the motor to the transmission mechanism; the coupling is made of high-strength, high-polymer insulating material and has multiple transverse slots perpendicular to its axial direction.

[0011] In some embodiments, the inductor coil is made of a high-conductivity metal material, which is any one of enameled copper wire, silver-plated copper wire, and copper tubing.

[0012] In some embodiments, the inductor has 3-20 turns, a wire diameter of 2-6 mm, and the radius of each turn of the inductor increases by 3-15 mm.

[0013] In some embodiments, the fixing component includes: A mounting base, made of high-strength insulating material and in a cross-shaped structure, is configured to fix and support the bottom of the inductor coil and to fix the leads of the input or output terminals of the spiral inductor; and A lower mounting plate is disposed at the bottom of the fixing base and is used to support the fixing base.

[0014] In some embodiments, the fixing assembly further includes an upper mounting plate and a plurality of support columns; the upper mounting plate is disposed on the top of the spiral inductor, and the two ends of the support columns are respectively connected to the upper mounting plate and the lower mounting plate, forming an overall support frame.

[0015] In a second aspect, the present invention also provides a control method for the spiral inductor assembly as described in the first aspect, comprising the following steps: Receive signals from external circuits; Analyze the signal and determine the target inductance value; Calculate the required pitch change of the inductor coil based on the target inductance value; Based on the pitch change, the top of the inductor coil is driven to move, changing the pitch of the inductor coil so that the actual inductance value reaches the target inductance value.

[0016] Compared with the prior art, the present invention provides a spiral inductor assembly and its control method, which sets the inductor coil into a conical spiral structure and fixes it on a fixed assembly. The top end of the inductor coil is connected to the drive adjustment assembly and the top end of the inductor coil is driven to move axially to change the pitch of the inductor coil, thereby achieving continuous and precise adjustment of the inductance value within a large range.

[0017] In this way, not only can the dynamic change of inductance value be met by different circuits under various working conditions, greatly improving the applicability and flexibility of the inductor component, but the use of an air-core inductor structure can also effectively reduce hysteresis loss and eddy current loss, avoid the occurrence of magnetic saturation, and help improve the quality factor. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the spiral inductor assembly in one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is an isometric view of an inductor coil in one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a top view of an inductor coil in one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional view of a spiral inductor assembly in one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating the control method of a spiral inductor assembly in one embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached drawings: 10, inductor coil; 11, top end; 12, bottom end; 20, fixing component; 21, upper mounting plate; 22, lower mounting plate; 23, fixing seat; 24, support column; 30, drive adjustment component; 31, motor; 32, transmission mechanism; 321, adjustable bushing; 322, telescopic part; 323, lead screw; 324, connecting plate; 33, coupling. Detailed Implementation

[0020] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the invention.

[0021] In related technologies, to achieve variable inductance, a spiral inductor can be fixed on a frame while keeping the inductor pitch constant. The magnetic flux is changed by moving the position of the magnetic core, and the inductance is adjusted by changing the magnetic flux.

[0022] However, the above solutions suffer from problems such as hysteresis loss and eddy current loss, low quality factor and magnetic saturation in high frequency and high current application scenarios, which make it difficult to meet the relevant application requirements and urgently need to be improved.

[0023] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this invention provides a spiral inductor assembly and its control method, which not only meets the dynamic change requirements of inductance values ​​under various operating conditions of different circuits, greatly improving the applicability and flexibility of the inductor assembly, but also effectively reduces hysteresis loss and eddy current loss, avoids magnetic saturation, and helps improve the quality factor.

[0024] Please see Figure 1 , Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a spiral inductor assembly in one embodiment of the present invention. The spiral inductor assembly includes an inductor coil 10, a fixing component 20, and a drive adjustment component 30. The inductor coil 10 is fixedly mounted on the fixing component 20, and the drive adjustment component 30 is connected to one end of the inductor coil 10.

[0025] In practical applications, the drive adjustment component 30 can drive the end of the inductor coil 10 connected to it to move, thereby changing the pitch of the inductor coil 10 and adjusting the inductance value.

[0026] In this embodiment, the inductor coil 10 can be configured as a conical spiral structure, which is fixedly mounted on the fixing component 20 and can extend in the vertical direction.

[0027] At this time, the inductor coil 10 can present a structure that is smaller at the top and larger at the bottom on the fixing component 20, that is, the radius of the upper part of the inductor coil 10 is smaller than the radius of its lower part, and the two ends of the inductor coil 10 can form a top end 11 and a bottom end 12.

[0028] In one embodiment, please refer to Figure 2-3 The inductor coil 10 can be made of a high conductivity metal material, which can be any one of enameled copper wire, silver-plated copper wire, and copper tubing.

[0029] In actual molding, the inductor coil 10 can be formed by using a winding process in conjunction with a conical skeleton with spiral grooves on the surface. After the inductor coil 10 is formed as a whole, the inductor coil 10 can be detached from the conical skeleton to obtain the required inductor coil 10.

[0030] Based on this, the specific parameters of the inductor coil 10 (such as the number of turns, wire diameter, and radius per turn) can be flexibly set as needed. The specific parameters can be designed in conjunction with the target inductance value range of the inductor coil 10. For example, in one embodiment, the number of turns of the inductor coil 10 can be 3-20 turns, its wire diameter can be 2-6mm, and the radius increment of the inductor coil 10 from top to bottom can be 3-15mm.

[0031] In one embodiment, please refer to Figure 1 The aforementioned fixing component 20 is mainly used to install the inductor coil 10 and the drive adjustment component 30, and it may include an upper mounting plate 21, a lower mounting plate 22, and a fixing base 23. The upper mounting plate 21 and the lower mounting plate 22 may be respectively disposed on the upper and lower sides of the inductor coil 10, and the two may be arranged in parallel.

[0032] Meanwhile, multiple support columns 24 can be provided between the upper mounting plate 21 and the lower mounting plate 22. For example, four evenly distributed support columns 24 can be provided between the upper mounting plate 21 and the lower mounting plate 22. The four support columns 24 can be distributed around the inductor coil 10, and the upper and lower ends of each support column 24 can be fixedly connected to the upper mounting plate 21 and the lower mounting plate 22 respectively, thereby forming an overall support frame.

[0033] At this time, the aforementioned fixing seat 23 can be fixedly installed on the upper surface of the lower mounting plate 22 and can be installed at the bottom of the inductor coil 10, so that the lower mounting plate 22 can support the inductor coil 10 through the fixing seat 23.

[0034] In one embodiment, the aforementioned mounting base 23 can be made of high-strength insulating material and can be configured in a cross shape. In this case, the mounting base 23 is horizontally fixed on the lower mounting plate 22, and the inductor coil 10 can be placed entirely on the cross-shaped mounting base 23 and fixedly connected to the mounting base 23.

[0035] Thus, the mounting base 23 can support and fix the inductor coil 10 to ensure its stability; at the same time, when the pitch of the inductor coil 10 changes, the bottom of the inductor coil 10 can remain stationary on the mounting base 23. In addition, in practical applications, this cross-shaped mounting base 23 can also be used to fix the leads at the input or output terminals of the inductor coil 10.

[0036] It should be noted that the upper mounting plate 21, lower mounting plate 22, fixing base 23 and each support column 24 mentioned above can all be made of high-strength insulating material. The specific material of the high-strength insulating material can be flexibly selected according to the needs. For example, it can be a special engineering plastic (such as polyether ether ketone PEEK, polyimide PI, polyphenylene sulfide PPS, etc.), a reinforced thermosetting plastic (such as epoxy glass fiber board and bulk molding compound, etc.), or a ceramic material (such as alumina ceramic and aluminum nitride ceramic, etc.).

[0037] Meanwhile, each component (upper mounting plate 21, lower mounting plate 22, fixing base 23 and each support column 24) can be made of the same material or different materials. The specific materials can be determined based on the stress conditions of each component and are not specifically limited.

[0038] Based on this, the aforementioned drive adjustment component 30 can be integrally mounted on the aforementioned fixed component 20. It is mainly used to drive the top end 11 of the inductor coil 10 to move up and down, so as to change the pitch of the inductor coil 10 and adjust the inductance value.

[0039] In one embodiment, please refer to Figure 1 The drive adjustment component 30 may include a motor 31 and a transmission mechanism 32. The output end of the motor 31 can be connected to the top end 11 of the inductor coil 10 through the transmission mechanism 32. Thus, when the motor 31 is working, the transmission mechanism 32 can convert the rotational motion of the motor 31 into the linear displacement of the top end 11 of the inductor coil 10.

[0040] Specifically, the motor 31 can be a stepper motor, and the output end of the stepper motor is connected to a coupling 33. The other end of the coupling 33 can be connected to the transmission mechanism 32, thereby realizing the transmission connection between the stepper motor and the transmission mechanism 32.

[0041] In one embodiment, the motor 31 may preferably be configured as a stepper motor with a position encoder, which may be an optical encoder or a Hall sensor, and can be used to monitor the number of rotations and position of the stepper motor in real time.

[0042] In practical applications, position encoders can be electrically connected to external control systems via wired or wireless means, enabling the position encoder to feed back position signals to the external control system to achieve closed-loop control.

[0043] Meanwhile, the stepper motor can be a 1.8° or 0.9° stepper motor. The smaller the step, the more precise the inductance value adjustment, which helps to improve the accuracy of inductance value adjustment.

[0044] Understandably, the aforementioned coupling 33 serves as a torque transmission component between the stepper motor and the inductor coil 10, and the choice of its material has a significant impact on the reliability and accuracy of the entire machine. If the material of the coupling 33 is too soft, the torque transmission efficiency will be low, and the inductance adjustment accuracy will be reduced; if the material is too hard, there will be excessive rigidity but insufficient toughness, and the coupling 33 will be prone to breakage due to torsional impact during the rapid rotation and sudden braking of the motor 31.

[0045] In one embodiment, taking into account the above factors, the main body of the coupling 33 can be made of a high-strength, high-molecular insulating material. The high-strength, high-molecular insulating material can be flexibly set as needed. For example, its material can be any one of modified polyimide, glass fiber reinforced polyether ether ketone, polyurethane, polyester elastomer, etc., and there is no specific limitation on this.

[0046] Furthermore, multiple transverse slots perpendicular to its axial direction can be provided on the coupling 33. This not only helps to improve torque transmission efficiency but also increases the toughness of the coupling 33 and its tolerance to different shafts.

[0047] In one embodiment, please refer to Figure 4 The aforementioned transmission mechanism 32 includes an adjustable bushing 321, which can be vertically mounted below the upper mounting plate 21, and its upper end can be fixedly connected to the bottom surface of the upper mounting plate 21. The adjustable bushing 321 can be configured as a hollow sleeve structure, with a telescopic part 322 inside. The telescopic part 322 and the adjustable bushing 321 can be slidably connected through a spline sliding pair, so that the telescopic part 322 can slide along the axial direction of the adjustable bushing 321.

[0048] Based on this, a connecting plate 324 can be fixedly installed at the lower end of the telescopic part 322. The connecting plate 324 can be fixedly connected to the top end 11 of the inductor coil 10, so that the telescopic part 322 can drive the top end 11 of the inductor coil 10 to move up and down along the axial direction of the adjustable bushing 321 through the connecting plate 324, so as to change the pitch of the inductor coil 10.

[0049] Meanwhile, a lead screw 323 can also be installed inside the telescopic part 322. The lead screw 323 is coaxially arranged with the telescopic part 322 and can be threadedly connected to the telescopic part 322. The upper end of the lead screw 323 can pass through the upper mounting plate 21 and be connected to the coupling 33 mentioned above.

[0050] Thus, when the motor 31 starts working, the motor 31 can drive the lead screw 323 to rotate through the coupling 33. The lead screw 323 can further drive the telescopic part 322 to slide inside the adjustable bushing 321. The telescopic part 322 can further drive the top end 11 of the inductor coil 10 to move along the axial direction of the adjustable bushing 321 through the connecting part, so as to change the pitch of the inductor coil 10.

[0051] It should be noted that in this embodiment, the inductor coil 10 is made of a high conductivity material, which can effectively reduce wire resistance loss. Furthermore, the inductor coil 10 can also adopt a hollow core structure, i.e., it does not contain a magnetic material core, thereby effectively reducing hysteresis loss and eddy current loss, and avoiding magnetic saturation.

[0052] Based on this, the inductor flux and inductance can be changed by adjusting the pitch of the inductor coil. The specific adjustment principle is as follows: When current flows through inductor 10, a magnetic field is generated around inductor 10. Since inductor 10 has a conical spiral structure, the magnetic field has certain components in both its axial and radial directions; thus, the pitch of inductor 10 can be adjusted by adjusting the position of the top 11 of inductor 10 up and down, and the change in the pitch of inductor 10 will change the distribution of the magnetic field and the magnitude of the magnetic flux.

[0053] At this point, according to the basic principle of inductance, the relationship between inductance, magnetic flux, and current is L=N. Φ / I (where L is the inductance, Φ is the magnetic flux, and I is the current). When the upper end of the inductor coil 10 moves upward, the inductor pitch increases, the coupling between the inductor coils 10 weakens, the magnetic flux decreases, and the inductance decreases accordingly. Conversely, when the upper end of the conical spiral inductor moves downward, the inductor pitch decreases, the coupling between the inductor coils 10 strengthens, the magnetic flux increases, and the inductance increases. Therefore, by precisely controlling the pitch of the inductor coil 10 using a stepper motor, the inductance value can be continuously and accurately adjusted.

[0054] It is understood that, based on the above description, the spiral inductor assembly in the embodiments of the present invention has at least the following beneficial effects: (1) Flexible and variable inductance value: Through the adjustable pitch, conical spiral structure of the inductor coil 10 and precise drive control, the inductance value can be continuously and accurately adjusted within a large range, meeting the needs of different circuits for dynamic changes in inductance value under various working conditions, and greatly improving the applicability and flexibility of the spiral inductor assembly.

[0055] (2) The structure is relatively simple and stable: Compared with the complex variable inductor structure in related technologies, the embodiment of the present invention, based on the conical spiral structure of the inductor coil 10, adjusts the pitch of the inductor coil 10 to achieve the variable inductance value function while maintaining a relatively simple structure and ensuring the stability and reliability of the inductor structure, so that it can operate normally in different working environments.

[0056] (3) Low loss: The inductor coil 10 is made of a conductive material with high conductivity, which effectively reduces the resistance loss of the wire. At the same time, the inductor coil 10 adopts an air-core inductor structure design, which effectively reduces hysteresis loss and eddy current loss and avoids the occurrence of magnetic saturation. During the inductance value adjustment process, the inductor magnetic flux and inductance value are changed by adjusting the inductor pitch, which will not introduce additional losses and ensure that the inductor can maintain high efficiency under different inductance values.

[0057] (4) Fast response speed: The stepper motor, in conjunction with the position encoding sensor and the closed-loop control system, can realize fast and accurate control of the inductor pitch, so that the inductor value can respond to changes in circuit requirements in a short time. It is suitable for application scenarios with high real-time requirements (such as fast-switching power management circuits and RF power matching devices).

[0058] Please see Figure 5 This invention also provides a control method for a spiral inductor assembly, which can be applied to the aforementioned spiral inductor assembly, comprising the following steps: Receive signals from external circuits; Analyze the signal and determine the target inductance value; Calculate the required pitch change of inductor coil 10 based on the target inductance value; Based on the pitch change, the top end 11 of the inductor coil 10 is driven to move, thereby changing the pitch of the inductor coil 10 and making the actual inductance value reach the target inductance value.

[0059] Specifically, the external control system can receive signals from the external circuit (such as voltage, current, and phase signals) according to the actual needs of the circuit. After analysis and processing, it can determine the target inductance value for adjustment. Once the target inductance value is determined, the control system can calculate the amount of pitch change required to achieve the target inductance value by combining the target inductance value with the principle of inductance.

[0060] Based on this pitch change, the control system can send a control command to the drive adjustment component 30 (such as a stepper motor). The drive adjustment component 30 then moves the top end 11 of the inductor coil 10 according to the control command, adjusts the position of the top end 11 of the inductor coil 10, and changes the pitch of the inductor coil 10, so that the actual inductance value of the inductor coil 10 changes to the target inductance value quickly and accurately, thereby achieving optimization and matching of circuit parameters.

[0061] The specific embodiments of the present invention described above do not constitute a limitation on the scope of protection of the present invention. Any other corresponding changes and modifications made in accordance with the technical concept of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A spiral inductor assembly, characterized in that, include: An inductor coil having a conical spiral structure, having a top end and a bottom end, and configured as an air-core inductor structure; A fixing component for fixing the bottom end of the inductor coil; as well as A drive adjustment assembly, connected to the top end of the inductor coil, is configured to drive the top end of the inductor coil to move axially to change the pitch of the inductor coil.

2. The spiral inductor assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The drive adjustment assembly includes a motor and a transmission mechanism. The output end of the motor is connected to the top end of the inductor coil through the transmission mechanism to convert the rotational motion of the motor into linear displacement of the top end of the inductor coil.

3. The spiral inductor assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that, The motor is a stepper motor with a position encoder. The position encoder is connected to an external control system and is configured to monitor the number of rotations and position of the stepper motor in real time and feed it back to the control system.

4. The spiral inductor assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that, The transmission mechanism includes an adjustable bushing, which is fixedly mounted on the fixed assembly. Inside the adjustable bushing is a telescopic part that can slide axially. One end of the telescopic part is connected to the top end of the inductor coil, and the other end is connected to the output shaft of the motor. The telescopic part is configured to telescopically move within the adjustable bushing as the output shaft of the motor rotates.

5. The spiral inductor assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that, The drive adjustment assembly also includes a coupling that connects the output shaft of the motor to the transmission mechanism. The coupling is made of high-strength, high-molecular insulating material and has multiple transverse slots perpendicular to its axial direction.

6. The spiral inductor assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inductor coil is made of a high-conductivity metal material, which is any one of enameled copper wire, silver-plated copper wire, and copper tubing.

7. The spiral inductor assembly according to claim 6, characterized in that, The inductor has 3-20 turns, a wire diameter of 2-6 mm, and the radius of each turn of the inductor increases by 3-15 mm.

8. The spiral inductor assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The fixing component includes: A mounting base, made of high-strength insulating material and in a cross-shaped structure, is configured to fix and support the bottom of the inductor coil and to fix the leads of the input or output terminals of the spiral inductor; and A lower mounting plate is disposed at the bottom of the fixing base and is used to support the fixing base.

9. The spiral inductor assembly according to claim 8, characterized in that, The fixing assembly also includes an upper mounting plate and multiple support columns; the upper mounting plate is disposed on the top of the spiral inductor, and the two ends of the support columns are respectively connected to the upper mounting plate and the lower mounting plate, forming an overall support frame.

10. A control method for a spiral inductor assembly as described in any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Receive signals from external circuits; Analyze the signal and determine the target inductance value; Calculate the required pitch change of the inductor coil based on the target inductance value; Based on the pitch change, the top of the inductor coil is driven to move, changing the pitch of the inductor coil so that the actual inductance value reaches the target inductance value.

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