An electronic component comprising a magnetic circuit and a plurality of electrical conductors

Abstract

An electronic component comprising: - a magnetic circuit, and - a plurality of electrical conductors, each electrical conductor being distinct from the others and arranged around a portion of the magnetic circuit dedicated to said conductor, the magnetic circuit comprising a single-piece wall in which several magnetic fields circulate, each of these magnetic fields being respectively associated with at least one electrical conductor of the component. Abbreviated figure: Fig 1

Description

Title of the invention: Electronic component comprising a magnetic circuit, and a plurality of electrical conductors

[0001] The present invention relates to an electronic component comprising a magnetic circuit and a plurality of electrical conductors.

[0002] The electronic component belongs for example to an electrical circuit on board a hybrid or electric propulsion vehicle. It may be an automobile. This component is for example integrated into a static converter of this electrical circuit, this converter being for example an inverter / rectifier allowing the charging of an electrical energy storage unit of the vehicle or the power supply of the electric propulsion machine of the vehicle. Alternatively, the electronic component can be integrated into a DC / DC voltage converter of the electrical circuit on board the vehicle.

[0003] It is known to produce several inductances or several electrical transformers, for example, by producing the magnetic circuit in the form of discrete elements, each of these elements being dedicated to a transformer or an inductance. The production of several inductances or transformers then proves to be expensive, bulky and can also require numerous assembly steps when producing the electrical circuit using these inductances or transformers.

[0004] To overcome some of these drawbacks, it is known from application WO2019 / 233880 to produce several inductances in series using an electrically conductive strip arranged inside a magnetic circuit, certain parts of which are common to the inductances. However, this solution is limited to producing several inductances in series.

[0005] There is a need to address the aforementioned drawbacks.

[0006] The invention aims to meet this need and achieves this, according to one of its aspects, using an electronic component comprising:

[0007] - a magnetic circuit, and

[0008] - a plurality of electrical conductors, each electrical conductor being distinct from each other, and being arranged around a portion of the magnetic circuit dedicated to said conductor,

[0009] the magnetic circuit comprising a single-piece wall in which several magnetic fields circulate, each of these magnetic fields being respectively associated with at least one electrical conductor of the component.

[0010] The presence of the single-block wall makes it possible to share part of the magnetic circuit since this wall is crossed by several magnetic fields, each field being associated with one or two conductors of the component. This wall is for example common to all the magnetic fields associated with the conductors of the component. From one magnetic field to another, the field lines can circulate in different areas of the wall.

[0011] For the purposes of this application:

[0012] - a portion of the magnetic circuit is dedicated to an electrical conductor means that there is only this electrical conductor which is arranged around this portion of the magnetic circuit, and

[0013] - each electrical conductor is distinct, means that each electrical conductor has a clean input and a clean output in the component, unlike what is disclosed in application WO2019 / 233880 in which the same strip defines several inductances in series, the input of an electrical conductor which is here a portion of the strip then being merged with the output of another electrical conductor.

[0014] Each electrical conductor may define a single turn around the dedicated portion of the magnetic circuit. Alternatively, each conductor defines several turns around this portion, for example between one and fifty turns.

[0015] Each electrical conductor is for example a wire or alternatively an electrically conductive track of an electronic card.

[0016] The magnetic circuit may comprise a plurality of bars distinct from one another, each bar allowing a looping of a magnetic field circulating in the wall. Each bar may connect two portions of the magnetic circuit, an electrical conductor being respectively arranged around one of these portions. In such a case, each magnetic field is associated with two electrical conductors.

[0017] Alternatively, and as will be seen later, at least one bar, in particular each bar, can connect a portion of the magnetic circuit around which an electrical conductor is arranged and a portion of the magnetic circuit without an electrical conductor arranged around it. In such a case, the magnetic field circulating in this bar is associated with only one electrical conductor.

[0018] All the bars can be arranged parallel to each other. All the bars can be identical.

[0019] Each bar can extend opposite an area of ​​the wall.

[0020] According to a first example of implementation, each portion of the magnetic circuit around which an electrical conductor can be arranged is produced in a single piece with the wall and each of said portions defines a protrusion relative to this wall. Each bar can then connect two protrusions.

[0021] Alternatively, according to a second exemplary implementation, each portion of the magnetic circuit around which an electrical conductor can be arranged can be made in a single piece with a bar and define a protrusion in relation to this bar. Each bar is thus associated with two protrusions.

[0022] According to yet another example of implementation, there are portions of the magnetic circuit around which electrical conductors can be arranged which are made in a single piece with the wall and each defining a protrusion with respect to this wall, and portions of the magnetic circuit around which electrical conductors can be arranged which are made in a single piece with a bar and each defining a protrusion with respect to this bar.

[0023] All the protrusions thus defined may have a respective electrical conductor disposed around them. Alternatively, there may be one or more protrusions without an electrical conductor disposed around them.

[0024] The wall, or each bar, may have the shape of a plate, or a section of plate, or the protrusion may extend transversely, in particular perpendicularly, relative to the plane relative to which the plate, or the section of plate, extends.

[0025] According to one or other of the above implementation examples, each protrusion can form a stud extending from one of the wall and the bar, in particular in the direction of the other of the bar and the wall.

[0026] All the studs in one piece with the wall can extend towards the bars. All the studs in one piece with the bars can extend towards the wall. When the studs are in one piece with the bars, each bar thus completed can have a C shape, each branch of the C being defined by a stud.

[0027] The pads may comprise a first series of pads disposed on a first side of the wall or the plurality of bars, and a second series of pads disposed on a second side of the wall or the plurality of bars, the first side being opposite the second side.

[0028] The component defines for example between four and ten pads, for example six pads, and these pads can be distributed homogeneously or not between the two aforementioned series.

[0029] All or part of the pads may have the same shape, for example having a rectangular, circular or elliptical section, when observed in its direction of extension.

[0030] The first series of pads may be aligned along a first axis and the second series of pads may be aligned along a second axis, the first axis being in particular parallel to the second axis. The pitch of the first series, or distance between two consecutive pads of this first series, may or may not be constant. The pitch of the second series, defined in a similar manner, may or may not be constant. When each series has a constant pitch, this pitch may or may not have the same value from one series of pads to another.

[0031] The ratio between the pitch of a series and the distance along the axis of said series over which each pad extends may be greater than one or less than one.

[0032] When the first axis is parallel to the second axis and when the pads are made in a single piece with the wall, the wall may comprise, between two consecutive pads of the same series, a cavity open towards the outside, so as to move the edge of the wall defined by this cavity away from the axis of the series of pads. This cavity may define a cutout in the edge of the wall. These cavities may make it possible to promote decoupling between the electrical transformers or inductances associated with two consecutive bars, as will be seen later.

[0033] Each plot of the first series can be aligned with a plot of the second series, perpendicular to the first axis and to the second axis, and the ratio between:

[0034] - the dimension of the wall, perpendicular to these two axes, between a first and a second plot, and

[0035] -a dimension of the wall, perpendicular to these two axes, elsewhere than between a first and a second plot,

[0036] may be greater than one or less than 1

[0037] In such a case where each plot of the first series is aligned with a plot of the second series, perpendicular to the first axis and to the second axis, the ratio between:

[0038] - the minimum dimension of the wall perpendicular to the two axes elsewhere that between a first and a second plot, and

[0039] - the step of the plot series

[0040] can be greater than 0.1, which improves the mechanical robustness of the wall.

[0041] Each bar may be partially or entirely arranged opposite an area of ​​the wall extending perpendicularly to the two aforementioned axes and connecting a pad of the first series of pads to a pad of the second series of pads. The bar is for example entirely superimposable on this area of ​​the wall.

[0042] Alternatively, still when the first axis is parallel to the second axis, the pads of the first series can be arranged in a staggered pattern relative to the pads of the second series, a first pad not being aligned with a second pad perpendicular to these two axes.

[0043] In all of the above, a first electrical conductor may be arranged around a portion of the magnetic circuit, and a path taken by the magnetic field associated with this first conductor may be defined by:

[0044] - said portion of the magnetic circuit,

[0045] - the wall,

[0046] - another portion of the magnetic circuit around which is notably arranged a second driver, and

[0047] - the bar connecting these said portions.

[0048] The path taken by the magnetic field associated with the first conductor may be devoid of an air gap. In such a case, a second electrical conductor may or may not be disposed around the other portion of the magnetic circuit. When a second electrical conductor is so disposed, the magnetic circuit, the first conductor, and the second conductor may define an electrical transformer.

[0049] The component may define a plurality of electrical transformers, each electrical transformer being defined by:

[0050] - the magnetic circuit,

[0051] - a first electrical conductor arranged around a portion of the circuit ma genetic, this portion forming in particular a first plot, and

[0052] - a second electrical conductor arranged around another portion of the circuit magnetic, this other portion forming in particular a second pad,

[0053] said portions, in particular the first stud and the second stud, being associated with the same bar.

[0054] The invention makes it possible to produce several electrical transformers, for example three electrical transformers, with a single-piece part of the magnetic circuit, namely the wall, which is common to these electrical transformers, and as many bars as there are electrical transformers.

[0055] When no second electrical conductor is disposed around the other portion of the magnetic circuit, the first electrical conductor and the magnetic circuit define an inductance.

[0056] As a variant of what has been described previously, the path taken by the magnetic field associated with the first conductor may comprise an air gap, and the magnetic circuit and the first conductor may define an inductance. This air gap may be located for example:

[0057] - between the portion around which the first conductor is arranged and the wall, or

[0058] - between the portion around which this first conductor is arranged and the bar.

[0059] According to this variant, the path taken by the magnetic field associated with this first conductor can be defined by:

[0060] - said portion of the magnetic circuit,

[0061] -the wall,

[0062] - another portion of the magnetic circuit around which may or may not be arranged a second driver, and

[0063] - the bar connecting these said portions.

[0064] The invention can then make it possible to produce several inductances with a part of the magnetic circuit, namely the wall, which is common to these inductances. These inductances can be power inductances, having for example a value between 100 nH and 10 mH. These inductances can for example be used for EMC filtering, for example common mode current filtering or differential mode current filtering.

[0065] In a variant the electronic component can define:

[0066] - one or more electrical transformers, each transformer corresponding to a bar connecting two portions around which an electrical conductor is respectively arranged, these two portions being furthermore connected in a single block or not by the wall of the circuit, without an air gap interposed in the path of the magnetic field, and

[0067] - one or more inductances, one inductance corresponding to a bar connecting two portions, only one of which has an electrical conductor arranged around it, these two portions being furthermore connected in a single block or not by the wall of the circuit, with an air gap interposed in the path of the magnetic field.

[0068] The invention also relates, according to another of its aspects, to a converter, in particular a direct / direct voltage converter, in particular a 12V / 48V converter, or an inverter / rectifier for the electrical power supply of an electric propulsion machine, or an inverter / rectifier for a charging circuit of an electrical energy storage unit, comprising a component as defined above.

[0069] The converter may comprise an electronic card into which the electrical conductors are integrated, the magnetic circuit extending on either side of the electronic card. The electronic card is for example a printed circuit card and each electrical conductor is for example a track of this printed circuit card.

[0070] The wall is for example arranged above, respectively below, the electronic card while the bars are arranged below, respectively above, the electronic card.

[0071] The converter may comprise electronic switches that may define one or more switching arms. Each electronic switch may be controllable. Each controllable switch may be a transistor using gallium nitride (GaN) or silicon carbide (SiC) or silicon.

[0072] The invention may be better understood by reading the following description of non-limiting examples of implementations thereof and by examining the attached drawing in which:

[0073] - [Fig.l] schematically represents in perspective an electronic component according to a first example of implementation of the invention,

[0074] - [Fig.2] is a top view of the wall of the electronic component of [Fig.l], and

[0075] - [Fig.3] represents in a similar manner to [Fig.l] an electronic component according to a second example of implementation of the invention.

[0076] [Fig. 1] shows an electronic component 1 according to an exemplary implementation of the invention. This component 1 can be integrated into an electrical circuit on board a hybrid or electric propulsion vehicle. This component 1 is for example integrated into a static converter of this electrical circuit, this converter being for example an inverter / rectifier allowing the charging of an electrical energy storage unit of the vehicle or the power supply of the electric propulsion machine of the vehicle. Alternatively, the electronic component can be integrated into a DC / DC voltage converter of the electrical circuit on board the vehicle, in particular a 12V / 48V DC / DC voltage converter or a DC / DC voltage converter between a voltage of 12 V and a voltage greater than 300 V.

[0077] In the first example of implementation which will now be described with reference to figures 1 and 2, the electronic component 1 allows the production of three electrical transformers, but the invention is neither limited to a precise number of electrical transformers, nor to the production of electrical transformers alone, as will be seen later.

[0078] The component comprises a magnetic circuit 4 as well as a plurality of electrical conductors 6. The electrical conductors 6 may be electrical wires or other. The component 1 comprises for example an electronic card such as a printed circuit card not shown, and the electrical conductors 6 may then be electrically conductive tracks of this electronic card.

[0079] The magnetic circuit 4 here contains several constituents, namely in the example considered: a wall 2 from which a plurality of protrusions 3 extends in a single piece, and a plurality of bars 5. The bars 5 are here identical and arranged parallel to each other. Each protrusion 3 here forms a pad relative to the wall 2 from which the protrusion extends. A bar 5 comes, by each of its ends, opposite the free end of a pad 3.

[0080] The wall 2 is here in one piece, in the form of a plate from which the studs 3 arise, all of which face towards the bars 5.

[0081] Still in the case where the component 1 comprises an electronic card, the magnetic circuit 4 can extend on either side of this electronic card. The wall 2 is for example arranged under the card while the bars 5 are arranged above the card. Holes in the card can allow the pads 3 to pass through.

[0082] It can be seen in the example of [Fig.l] that the pads 3 are distributed into two series of pads, each series being arranged on one side of the wall 2. Each pad 3 here extends substantially perpendicularly from the wall 2.

[0083] Still in the example considered, each series of plots 3 is aligned along an axis, the first series of plots 3 being aligned along an axis (XI) and the second series of plots 3 being aligned along an axis (X2). In the example considered, the axes (XI) and (X2) are parallel.

[0084] In the example considered, the pads 3 are all identical, whether they belong to the first series of pads or to the second series of pads. Each of these pads 3 may have, when observed in its direction of extension, a rectangular section, but other shapes are possible, such as a circular or elliptical shape for example.

[0085] Still in the example considered, the distance B along which a pad 3 extends along the axis (XI) or (X2) of the series of pads to which it belongs is constant over all the pads, and the pitch A between two consecutive pads of the same series is here constant over the entire series considered, this constant value being the same from one series to another in this example.

[0086] In the example of figures 1 and 2, the ratio between these distances B / A can be greater or less than 1.

[0087] It is also noted in the example of [Fig.2] that the plots 3 belonging to a series of plots can be aligned with the plots 3 belonging to the other series of plots. In other words, all or part of the straight lines perpendicular to the axes (XI) and (X2) intersecting a plot 3 of one of the series then also intersects a plot 3 of the other series.

[0088] Still in the example of figures 1 and 2, it can be seen that the wall 2 has, perpendicular to the axes (XI) and (X2) a dimension which varies when moving along said axes.

[0089] Thus, the wall 2 has in the example considered an alternation of wide portions 10 and narrow portions 12. The wide portions 10 connect in the example described two pads belonging respectively to the first series of pads 3 and to the second series of pads 3, while the narrow portions 12 occupy the space between two consecutive pads.

[0090] The difference in dimension, perpendicular to the axes (XI) and (X2), between the narrow portions 12 and the wide portions 10 is in the example considered obtained via cavities 8, open towards the outside and arranged in the edge of the wall 2. These cavities 8 make it possible to move this edge of the wall away from the axis of the series of studs closest to this edge. In the example considered, the edges of each cavity 8 delimiting a transition between a wide part 10 and a narrow part 12 are rectilinear and perpendicular to the axes (XI) and (X2), so that the length along the axes (XI) and (X2) along which a cavity 8 extends is equal to the pitch A of the series of studs 3. Still in the example considered, the cavities 8 formed in the edge of the wall 2 closest to the first series of studs occupy the same positions as the cavities 8 formed in the edge of the wall 2 closest to the second series of studs, these cavities 8 being in particular superimposable.

[0091] In all of the above, the various components of the magnetic circuit 4 are for example made of ferrite or magnetic powder.

[0092] In the example of Figures 1 and 2, the component 1 defines several electrical transformers. An electrical conductor 6 is thus associated with each pad 3, being arranged around this pad 3 so as to form a number of turns which can be between one and fifty. Still in this example, the bars 5 and the wall 2 are assembled without an air gap, so that, for a given electrical conductor 6, the magnetic field induced by the flow of electric current in this conductor 6 around a pad 3 circulates in a closed circuit defined by: the pad 3, the wall 2, the pad 3 of the other series associated with the same bar 5, and this bar 5.

[0093] Thus, the electrical winding 6 arranged around the pad 3 of the first series of pads can define a primary winding of an electrical transformer and the electrical winding 6 arranged around the pad 3 of the second series of pads connected by a bar 5 to the pad 3 around which the primary winding is arranged can define a secondary winding of an electrical transformer. The magnetic field induced by the flow of electric current in the primary winding can then circulate in the wall 2, induce electric current in the secondary winding, and loop back via the bar 5.

[0094] When, as in the example of Figures 1 and 2, each bar 5 connects pads 3 around which an electrical conductor 6 is arranged, each bar 5 is integrated into an electrical transformer. It can be seen in Figures 1 and 2 that the wall 2 belongs to all these electrical transformers, that is to say that this wall is traversed by each magnetic field associated with an electrical transformer. Thus, in the example considered, each wide portion 10 is taken by the magnetic field of an electrical transformer and these wide portions 10 all belong to the same single-piece part, namely the wall 2. The presence of the cavities 8 in the wall 2, and therefore of the narrow portions 12 in this wall 2, makes it possible to promote decoupling between these electrical transformers, avoiding the exchange of magnetic field between two consecutive transformers of the electronic component 1.

[0095] The invention is not limited to the example which has just been described.

[0096] Thus, according to [Fig. 3], which describes a second example of implementation, the pads 3 are still defined by protrusions, but these are protrusions extending from the bars 5 and not from the wall 2. Each bar 5 has at its two ends a protrusion made in a single piece with it and this protrusion defines a pad 3. Each bar 5 is thus completed by two pads, so as to have a C shape while the wall 2 is here devoid of a pad, having for example a plate or block shape.

[0097] Similar to what has been described with reference to the example of implementation of the Figures 1 and 2, the magnetic circuit 4 formed by the pads 3, the bars 5 and the wall 2 has no air gap. This absence of air gap is for example guaranteed by the use of fixing by magnetic glue or by clamping clips.

[0098] In another example of implementation, not shown, all or part of the pads 3 is not used to produce an electrical transformer, but to produce inductances. For this purpose, for example, an air gap is provided in the path traveled by the magnetic field associated with an electrical conductor 6 arranged around a pad 3 and each bar is only associated with a pad 3 around which an electrical conductor 6 is arranged, the other pad 3 associated with this bar 5 being devoid of electrical conductor 6 around it.

[0099] It is also possible, in another variant not described, that certain bars 5 of the magnetic circuit belong to a transformer while other bars belong to an inductance.

[0100] The invention is not limited to the examples which have just been described.

Claims

Claims

1. Electronic component (1) comprising: - a magnetic circuit (4), and - a plurality of electrical conductors (6), each electrical conductor (6) being distinct from one another, and being arranged around a portion (3) of the magnetic circuit (4) dedicated to said conductor (6), the magnetic circuit (4) comprising a single-piece wall (2) in which several magnetic fields circulate, each of these magnetic fields being respectively associated with at least one electrical conductor (6) of the component, the magnetic circuit (4) comprising a plurality of bars (5) distinct from one another, each bar (5) allowing a looping of a magnetic field circulating in the wall (2).

2. Component according to claim 1, each portion (3) of the magnetic circuit being produced in a single piece with the wall (2) and each of said portions (3) defining a protrusion relative to this wall (2).

3. Component according to claim 1, each portion (3) of the magnetic circuit being produced in a single piece with a bar (5) and defining a protrusion relative to this bar (5).

4. Component according to claim 2 or 3, each protrusion forming a stud (3) extending from one of the wall (2) and the bar (5), in particular in the direction of the other of the bar (5) and the wall (2).

5. Component according to claim 4, the pads (3) comprising a first series of pads arranged on a first side of the wall (2) or of the plurality of bars (5), and a second series of pads arranged on a second side of the wall (2) or of the plurality of bars (5), the first side being opposite the second side.

6. Component according to claim 5, the first series of pads (3) being aligned according to a first axis (XI) and the second series of pads (3) being aligned along a second axis (X2), the first axis (XI) being in particular parallel to the second axis (X2).

7. Component according to claim 6, the first axis (XI) being parallel to the second axis (X2), and the wall (2) comprising between two consecutive studs (3) of the same series a cavity (8) open towards the outside, so as to move the edge of the wall defined by this cavity away from the axis of the series of studs.

8. Component according to any one of the preceding claims, a first conductor (6) being arranged around a portion (3) of the magnetic circuit (4), and a path taken by the magnetic field associated with this first conductor (6) being defined by: - ​​said portion (3) of the magnetic circuit, - the wall (2), - another portion (3) of the magnetic circuit (4) around which a second conductor is in particular arranged, and - the bar (5) connecting these said portions (3).

9. Component according to claim 8, the path taken by the magnetic field associated with the first conductor (6) being devoid of an air gap, a second electrical conductor (6) being arranged around the other portion (3) of the magnetic circuit, and the magnetic circuit (4), the first conductor (6) and the second conductor (6) defining an electrical transformer.

10. Component according to claims 5 and 9, defining a plurality of electrical transformers, each electrical transformer being defined by: - ​​the magnetic circuit (4), - a first electrical conductor (6) arranged around a pad (3) of the first series of pads, and - a second electrical conductor (6) arranged around a pad (3) of the second series of pads, the first pad and the second pad being associated with the same bar (5).

11. A component according to claim 8, the path taken by the field magnetic associated with the first conductor (6) comprising an air gap, and the magnetic circuit (4) and the first conductor (6) defining an inductance.

12. Converter, being in particular a DC / DC voltage converter such as a 12V / 48V converter, or an inverter / rectifier for the electrical power supply of an electric propulsion machine, or an inverter / rectifier for a charging circuit of an electrical energy storage unit, the converter comprising a component according to any one of the preceding claims.

13. Converter according to claim 12, comprising an electronic card into which the electrical conductors (6) are integrated, the magnetic circuit (4) extending on either side of the electronic card.

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