Magnetic shunt for toroidal magnetic assembly

Abstract

We provide toroidal magnetic assemblies that optimize performance while maintaining compactness. [Solution] The toroidal magnetic assembly 100 includes at least an electromagnetic core 102, a first winding 104A, a second winding 104B, and a magnetic shunt 106A. The first and second windings are attached to the electromagnetic core and separated by a space between the windings, and the magnetic shunt is located within the space. The first and second windings generate at least a magnetic field when current passes through them, and the magnetic shunt controls at least the magnetic flux associated with the magnetic field to improve electromagnetic performance.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present disclosure relates to electromagnetic components. More specifically, some embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a toroidal magnetic assembly integrated with a magnetic shunt element. BACKGROUND ART

[0002] Toroidal magnets (e.g., magnetic cores having a donut-like or toroidal structure) are commonly used in inductors, transformers, and other electromagnetic components due to their efficient magnetic field confinement and reduction of electromagnetic interference (EMI). However, existing designs often face the challenge of optimizing performance while maintaining compactness, especially in high-performance applications where space is limited. There is an ongoing demand for efficient electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) performance and / or improved noise filtering capability. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION MEANS FOR SOLVING THE PROBLEMS

[0003] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a toroidal magnetic assembly, which includes an electromagnetic core comprising a housing, a first winding at least partially enclosing the electromagnetic core, and a second winding at least partially enclosing the electromagnetic core, wherein the first winding and the second winding are separated by a portion of the housing, a first magnetic shunt disposed in the portion of the housing, wherein the first winding or the second winding is configured to at least generate a magnetic field when current passes through the first winding or the second winding, and the first magnetic shunt is configured to at least modify the magnetic flux associated with the magnetic field.

[0004] In some embodiments, the technology described herein relates to a toroidal magnetic assembly, where the distance of a portion of the housing is between 4.0 mm and 7.0 mm.

[0005] In some embodiments, the techniques described herein relate to a toroidal magnetic assembly, wherein the distance of a portion of the housing is determined based on a desired volume related to at least the electromagnetic core and a desired differential mode inductance related to the electromagnetic core.

[0006] In some embodiments, the technology described herein relates to a toroidal magnetic assembly, wherein a portion of the housing structurally forms a cavity, and a first magnetic shunt is sized to fit into the cavity.

[0007] In some embodiments, the techniques described herein relate to toroidal magnetic assemblies, wherein the first winding includes orthogonal plate windings or wire windings.

[0008] In some embodiments, the technology described herein relates to a toroidal magnetic assembly, wherein the first windings include U-shaped plate windings and I-shaped plate windings joined in a butt-welded arrangement.

[0009] In some embodiments, the technology described herein relates to a magnetic assembly, which includes an electromagnetic core including a housing; a first winding attached to the electromagnetic core; a second winding attached to the electromagnetic core, wherein the first and second windings are separated by the housing; and a first magnetic shunt disposed in the housing, wherein the first or second winding is configured to generate at least a magnetic field when current passes through the first or second winding, and the first magnetic shunt is configured to at least modify the magnetic flux associated with the magnetic field.

[0010] In some embodiments, the technology described herein relates to a magnetic assembly, wherein the first winding includes orthogonal plate windings.

[0011] In some embodiments, the technology described herein relates to a magnetic assembly, wherein the electromagnetic core comprises silicon steel, ferrite, or powdered iron.

[0012] In some embodiments, the technology described herein relates to a magnetic assembly, wherein the first winding includes copper, aluminum, or a composite material.

[0013] In some embodiments, the technology described herein relates to a magnetic assembly, and the distance related to the housing is between 4.0 mm and 7.0 mm.

[0014] In some embodiments, the technology described herein relates to a magnetic assembly, wherein the housing structurally forms at least one cavity, and a first magnetic shunt is sized to fit into the cavity.

[0015] In some embodiments, the technology described herein relates to a magnetic assembly, wherein the first magnetic shunt includes a magnetic shunt core and a shunt housing.

[0016] In some embodiments, the technology described herein relates to a magnetic assembly, wherein the first winding includes U-shaped plate windings and I-shaped plate windings joined in a butt-welded arrangement.

[0017] In some embodiments, the technology described herein relates to a magnetic assembly, wherein the first magnetic shunt structurally forms an E-shape or an I-shape.

[0018] In some embodiments, the techniques described herein relate to a process for assembling a magnetic assembly for power conversion, the process comprising: mounting one or more first windings to a first portion of the housing of an electromagnetic core; mounting one or more second windings to a second portion of the housing of the electromagnetic core; and arranging a first magnetic shunt in a third portion of the housing that separates the one or more first windings from the one or more second windings.

[0019] In some embodiments, the techniques described herein relate to a process in which a third portion of the housing structurally forms at least one cavity, and locating a first magnetic shunt in the third portion of the housing includes locating the first magnetic shunt in the cavity.

[0020] In some embodiments, the techniques described herein relate to a process in which arranging a first magnetic shunt in a cavity includes bonding the first magnetic shunt to a third portion of the housing.

[0021] In some embodiments, the techniques described herein relate to a process in which one or more first windings include a first winding comprising a U-shaped plate winding and an I-shaped plate winding, and mounting the one or more first windings to a first portion of a housing includes joining the U-shaped plate winding and the I-shaped plate winding in a butt weld arrangement.

[0022] In some embodiments, the technology described herein relates to a process in which the distance between a third portion of the housing separating one or more first windings and one or more second windings is between 4.0 mm and 7.0 mm.

[0023] Further details of exemplary toroidal magnets that may be used in conjunction with this disclosure can be found in International Patent Application No. PCT / US2023 / 033938, the entirety of each disclosure incorporated herein by reference. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0024] Embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which similar reference numerals refer to similar elements.

[0025] [Figure 1] The following are perspective views of exemplary toroidal magnetic assemblies according to several embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0026] [Figure 2] shows a perspective view of individual components of the exemplary toroidal magnetic assembly of FIG. 1, in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0027] [Figure 3] is an exploded view of an exemplary toroidal magnetic assembly, in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0028] [Figure 4A] is a perspective view photograph of an exemplary toroidal magnetic assembly, such as the exemplary toroidal magnetic assembly of FIG. 1, in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 4B] is a perspective view photograph of an exemplary toroidal magnetic assembly, such as the exemplary toroidal magnetic assembly of FIG. 1, in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0029] [Figure 5] shows an enlarged view of a portion of the exemplary toroidal magnetic assembly of FIG. 1, in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0030] [Figure 6A] shows an exploded view of an exemplary toroidal magnetic assembly, in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0031] [Figure 6B] shows a cross-sectional view representation of the exemplary toroidal magnetic assembly of FIG. 6A.

[0032] [Figure 7A] shows an exploded view of an exemplary toroidal magnetic assembly, in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0033] [Figure 7B] shows a cross-sectional view representation of the exemplary toroidal magnetic assembly of FIG. 7A.

[0034] [Figure 8]This is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary process for assembling a magnetic assembly according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0035] The following descriptions of specific embodiments present various descriptions of those specific embodiments. However, the novel ideas described herein may be embodied in many different ways, for example, as defined and covered by the claims. In this description, similar reference numerals may indicate identical or functionally similar elements. It will be understood that the elements shown in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. It will also be understood that a particular embodiment may include more elements and / or subsets of elements shown in the drawings than those shown. Furthermore, some embodiments may incorporate any suitable combination of features from two or more drawings. Any suitable principles and advantages of the embodiments disclosed herein may be implemented together with one another.

[0036] In general terms, one or more embodiments of the present disclosure relate to systems and methods for magnetic assemblies having improved electromagnetic performance (e.g., enhanced differential mode inductance) while maintaining compactness (e.g., without reducing and / or increasing the volume of the toroidal magnetic assembly). More specifically, some embodiments of the present disclosure disclose integrating a magnetic shunt into a toroidal magnetic assembly to enhance differential mode inductance while maintaining the compactness of the toroidal magnetic assembly. In some embodiments, a number of windings (e.g., orthogonal plate windings and / or wire windings) are arranged around an electromagnetic core, and the magnetic shunt is strategically positioned in the space between the number of windings. The toroidal magnetic assembly may be integrated into power converters, on-board chargers, and / or chokes used in electric vehicles or other electronic systems.

[0037] Advantageously, the use of an integrated magnetic shunt not only enhances the electromagnetic performance of the toroidal magnetic assembly (e.g., enhanced differential mode inductance, increased inductance value, and / or improved differential mode noise filtering), but also reduces the size of the toroidal magnetic assembly (e.g., reduces the need for independent inductors, thereby saving space and lowering costs). Additionally and / or optionally, the toroidal magnetic assembly may be assembled based on a manufacturing process that includes stack welding, in which a number of orthogonal plate windings are joined in a butt-welded arrangement. Advantageously, stack welding allows for the compact and efficient joining of a number of orthogonal plate windings (e.g., a reduction in the overall size of the toroidal magnetic assembly).

[0038] In the fields of power electronics and / or electromagnetic systems, toroidal magnetic assemblies (e.g., donut-shaped or torus-shaped magnetic cores) are commonly used for their efficient magnetic field confinement and reduction of electromagnetic interference (EMI). For example, toroidal magnetic assemblies may be incorporated into chokes used in electrical circuits to block or filter alternating current (AC) while allowing direct current (DC) to pass through, and / or to eliminate electromagnetic interference (EMI) and radio frequency interference (RFI) in power supplies and other electronic devices. Chokes may be integrated into power converters and on-board chargers for electric vehicles.

[0039] Existing toroidal magnetic assemblies and / or chokes often rely on standalone inductors to achieve desired electromagnetic performance (e.g., differential mode inductance), which can lead to increased costs and a larger footprint on the printed circuit board (PCB). Conventional solutions typically involve using busbars and / or magnetic components to form the inductor, with busbars arranged in various configurations to optimize performance. However, these configurations can result in increased volume and heat loss, potentially negatively impacting the overall efficiency of power converters and / or on-board chargers. Furthermore, reliance on standalone inductors to achieve desired inductance values ​​can exacerbate space constraints on the PCB, making it difficult to achieve the desired compactness and efficiency in modern electronic systems.

[0040] To address at least some of the above-mentioned problems, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, toroidal magnetic assemblies are disclosed that integrate a magnetic shunt in order to enhance electromagnetic performance (e.g., higher inductance values, lower electromagnetic losses, and / or higher differential mode inductance values) and / or to reduce the volume of the toroidal magnetic assembly. In some embodiments, the toroidal magnetic assembly may include an electromagnetic core (e.g., a component made of steel, ferrite, powdered iron, etc., for concentrating or inducing a magnetic field), a number of windings (e.g., orthogonal plate windings and / or wire windings made of a material such as copper), and a magnetic shunt. The number of windings may at least partially enclose the electromagnetic core to enhance magnetic coupling and / or reduce electromagnetic interference (e.g., by ensuring that magnetic field lines are efficiently contained within the electromagnetic core). The magnetic shunt (e.g., a component made of a ferromagnetic material) may be positioned between different windings (e.g., in the gap or space between two sets of orthogonal plate windings).

[0041] Magnetic shunts enhance the electromagnetic performance of toroidal magnetic assemblies (e.g., enhance differential mode inductance, increase inductance value, and / or improve differential mode noise filtering) and can advantageously reduce the size of the toroidal magnetic assembly (e.g., reduce the need for independent inductors, thereby saving space, enabling high-density mounting, and / or reducing costs). In some embodiments, toroidal magnetic assemblies may be manufactured using techniques including stack welding, where the plate windings are arranged in a butt-welded configuration (e.g., the U-shaped plate winding is on top and the I-shaped plate winding is on the bottom) rather than an edge-welded configuration (e.g., the U-shaped plate winding is on top and the I-shaped plate winding is on the bottom). By utilizing stack welding, the volume of the toroidal magnetic assembly can be advantageously reduced by 60% to 70% (e.g., compared to an edge-welded configuration). In addition, toroidal magnetic assemblies can exhibit higher inductance and lower electromagnetic losses per unit volume, thereby increasing efficiency per unit volume and enhancing the electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) capabilities of the toroidal magnetic assembly.

[0042] As used herein, stack welding can refer to a technique or method for joining multiple components or layers. For example, in the context of a toroidal magnetic assembly, stack welding can refer to a method of joining two orthogonal plate windings in a butt weld arrangement. A butt weld arrangement may include a plate winding positioned on top and the other plate winding positioned below, rather than placing the two plate windings side by side. In a butt weld arrangement, the edges of the plate windings may be welded to each other to form a cohesive structure (e.g., melting the edges of two plate windings to form a strong or seamless joint between the two plate windings). Butt weld arrangements allow the plate windings to be stacked vertically, enabling a more compact design and packaging of the toroidal magnetic assembly.

[0043] In some embodiments, the gap (or, as may be referred herein, the length or distance of the space) between two sets of orthogonal plate windings used to house the magnetic shunt may be in the range of 4.0 millimeters (mm), 4.5 mm, 5.0 mm, 5.5 mm, 6.0 mm, 6.5 mm, 7.0 mm, or approximately that value, at least that value, at least approximately that value, or any value between those values. In other embodiments, the gap may be less than 4.0 mm or greater than 7.0 mm. In some embodiments, the distance or gap between two sets of orthogonal plate windings may be determined based on a combination of electromagnetic properties (e.g., desired inductance and flux path), physical constraints, material properties, thermal considerations, and / or manufacturing tolerances. For example, the gap or space may be determined to optimize, trade off, or balance the electromagnetic properties and volume of the toroidal magnetic assembly (e.g., differential mode inductance and volume may decrease as the gap decreases, and differential mode inductance may increase as the gap increases, while volume may increase as the gap increases). Advantageously, by integrating the magnetic shunt into the space, the toroidal magnetic assembly may be able to exhibit superior electromagnetic performance (e.g., increased differential mode inductance) while maintaining space in a volume that enables cost-effective manufacturing.

[0044] In some embodiments, a toroidal magnetic assembly may be assembled or manufactured through a process comprising the following steps: First, an electromagnetic core is obtained and housed within a housing. Second, a number of orthogonal plate windings may be welded from a first side (e.g., the top side) of the electromagnetic core to the housing associated with the electromagnetic core (e.g., using stack welding to join U-shaped and I-shaped windings in a butt welding arrangement). Third, a magnetic shunt core may be placed within a cavity formed by the housing associated with the electromagnetic core and secured (e.g., using adhesive). The cavity may be located on a second side (e.g., the bottom side) of the electromagnetic core.

[0045] While various embodiments are described in accordance with exemplary combinations of embodiments and features, these examples and feature combinations are illustrative in nature and should not be construed as limiting. More specifically, embodiments of this application may be applicable to various types of electric vehicles, power converters, on-board chargers, power electronics systems, and various components of vehicles under different circumstances, such as when used in automobiles, ships, or any type of vehicle. Furthermore, specific architectures of toroidal magnetic assemblies or electromagnetic infrastructure for use in components of electric vehicles, residential energy systems, etc., are described, but such exemplary toroidal magnetic assemblies or electromagnetic infrastructure should not be construed as limiting. Accordingly, those skilled in the art will understand that embodiments of this application are not necessarily limited to any particular type of electric vehicle, power electronics system, magnetic assembly, or component of a vehicle.

[0046] Figure 1 shows a perspective view of an exemplary toroidal magnetic assembly 100 according to several embodiments of the present disclosure. The toroidal magnetic assembly 100 may be used in or integrated into at least a power converter, an on-board charger, and / or other components for an electric vehicle to filter electromagnetic interference (EMI) noise or to support other functions. As shown in Figure 1, the toroidal magnetic assembly 100 may include an electromagnetic core 102 and windings 104A, 104B, 104C, and 104D. The electromagnetic core 102 may include housings 102A and 102B. Although not readily observable in Figure 1, the toroidal magnetic assembly 100 also includes magnetic shunts 106A, 106B, and 106C sized to fit into a cavity formed by housing 102A (shown in Figure 2).

[0047] In some examples, the electromagnetic core 102 is made of exemplary materials such as silicon steel, ferrite, powdered iron, and / or other materials that can concentrate or induce a magnetic field. As shown in Figure 1, the electromagnetic core includes housings 102A and 102B which can provide mechanical support and protection. As stated above, housing 102A may form a cavity used to house magnetic shunts 106A, 106B, and 106C.

[0048] In some examples, windings 104A, 104B, 104C, and 104D may be made of materials such as copper, aluminum, composite materials, and / or other metals that can improve magnetic coupling or reduce electromagnetic interference. Windings 104A, 104B, 104C, and 104D are arranged around the electromagnetic core 102 and generate a magnetic field when current passes through windings 104A, 104B, 104C, and 104D. In some examples, each of windings 104A, 104B, 104C, and / or winding 104D may be or include orthogonal plate windings. Figure 1 shows that each of windings 104A, 104B, 104C, and 104D contains at least four windings, but it should be noted that the number of windings in each of windings 104A, 104B, 104C, and 104D may be more or less than four. As illustrated with reference to Figure 5, each of the windings 104A, 104B, 104C, and 104D may include U-shaped and I-shaped windings joined in a butt-welded arrangement to favorably reduce the size of the toroidal magnetic assembly 100.

[0049] In some examples, magnetic shunts 106A, 106B, and 106C are made of ferromagnetic material to modify the magnetic flux associated with the magnetic field generated by windings 104A, 104B, 104C, and 104D and / or electromagnetic core 102. As used herein, modifying a magnetic flux can mean influencing, altering, changing, guiding, or adjusting the magnetic flux without requiring external input or active intervention. For example, due to their presence and material properties, magnetic shunts 106A, 106B, and 106C may influence, alter, change, or otherwise modify the paths and distribution of magnetic field lines associated with the toroidal magnetic assembly 100. As stated above, although not readily visible in Figure 1, magnetic shunts 106A, 106B, and 106C are positioned or placed in the space between windings 104A, 104B, 104C, and 104D. Advantageously, integrating the magnetic shunts 106A, 106B, and 106C into the toroidal magnetic assembly 100 can increase the differential mode inductance, thereby improving noise filtering capability and reducing electromagnetic losses. Including the magnetic shunts 106A, 106B, and 106C also eliminates the need for separate inductors, resulting in reduced costs and more efficient use of space on the printed circuit board (PCB) for integrating the toroidal magnetic assembly 100.

[0050] Figure 2 shows perspective views of individual components of the exemplary toroidal magnetic assembly 100 of Figure 1 according to several embodiments of the present disclosure. As described above, the toroidal magnetic assembly 100 includes at least windings 104A, 104B, 104C, and 104D, magnetic shunts 106A, 106B, and 106C, and an electromagnetic core 102 including housings 102A and 102B. Each of windings 104A, 104B, 104C, and / or 104D may be or include orthogonal plate windings.

[0051] As shown in Figure 2, the housing 102A of the electromagnetic core 102 may form cavities 202, 204, and 206. In some examples, the magnetic shunt 106A may be sized to be positioned and fixed (e.g., using adhesive) within cavity 202, the magnetic shunt 106B may be sized to be positioned and fixed within cavity 204, and the magnetic shunt 106C may be sized to be positioned and fixed within cavity 206.

[0052] As described above, by placing the magnetic shunt 106A in the space between windings 104A and 104B (for example, the space including the cavity 202 formed by the housing 102A), the electromagnetic performance of the toroidal magnetic assembly 100 (e.g., differential mode inductance, inductance value, and / or differential mode noise filtering) can be advantageously enhanced. In addition, the size and / or cost of the toroidal magnetic assembly 100 can be reduced (e.g., by reducing the need for independent inductors, thereby saving space and reducing costs).

[0053] Figure 3 shows an exploded view of an exemplary toroidal magnetic assembly 300 according to several embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 3, the toroidal magnetic assembly 300 includes at least a magnetic shunt core 306, a magnetic shunt housing 308, an electromagnetic core 302, windings 304A and 304B. Windings 304A and 304B are separated by a space 320.

[0054] In some examples, the electromagnetic core 302 is made of a material such as silicon steel, ferrite, powdered iron, and / or other material that can concentrate or induce a magnetic field. The windings 304A and 304B may be made of a material such as copper, aluminum, composite material, and / or other metal that can improve magnetic coupling or reduce electromagnetic interference. The windings 304A and 304B are arranged to at least partially enclose the electromagnetic core 302 to generate a magnetic field when current passes through the windings 304A and 304B.

[0055] In some examples, the magnetic shunt core 306 is made of a ferromagnetic material to modify the magnetic flux associated with the magnetic field generated by the windings 304A and 304B and / or the electromagnetic core 302. The magnetic shunt core 306 can modify the magnetic flux within the toroidal magnetic assembly 300, thereby enhancing the differential mode inductance and improving the noise filtering capability.

[0056] In some examples, the magnetic shunt housing 308 may provide structural support and protection for the magnetic shunt core 306. The magnetic shunt housing 308 may ensure that the magnetic shunt core 306 is securely positioned within the toroidal magnetic assembly 300 in order to maintain the integrity and performance of the toroidal magnetic assembly 300. Although not shown in Figure 3, the magnetic shunt core 306 and the magnetic shunt housing 308 may be located in the space 320 separating windings 304A and 304B (for example, the space structurally formed by the electromagnetic core 302).

[0057] Figures 4A and 4B are perspective photographs of exemplary toroidal magnetic assemblies, such as the exemplary toroidal magnetic assembly 100 of Figure 1, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 4A may show a bottom view of the toroidal magnetic assembly 100, and Figure 4B may show a top view of the toroidal magnetic assembly 100.

[0058] As shown in Figure 4A, the toroidal magnetic assembly 100 includes windings 104A, 104B, 104C, and 104D arranged around an electromagnetic core 102, including a housing 102A. Magnetic shunts 106A, 106B, and 106C are positioned between the windings 104A, 104B, 104C, and 104D to at least modify the magnetic flux and enhance the differential mode inductance of the toroidal magnetic assembly 100. For example, due to their positioning and material properties, the magnetic shunts 106A, 106B, and 106C can alter, redirect, confine, induce, or concentrate magnetic field lines, thereby enhancing the electromagnetic performance of the assembly (e.g., higher differential mode inductance and better noise suppression). As another example, magnetic shunts 106A, 106B, and 106C can alter the distribution of magnetic flux, providing preferred and / or concentrated paths for magnetic field lines, which can result in increased inductance, improved noise filtering, and / or reduced electromagnetic interference. Housing 102A provides structural support and protection for the toroidal magnetic assembly 100.

[0059] Figure 4B shows a top view of the toroidal magnetic assembly 100. As shown in Figure 4B, the housing 102A of the electromagnetic core 102 can at least partially enclose the windings (e.g., windings 104A, 104B, 104C, and 104D) and magnetic shunts (magnetic shunts 106A, 106B, and 106C). Figure 4B shows the compact design of the toroidal magnetic assembly 100, which maintains and improves electromagnetic performance while enabling efficient use of space. By integrating the magnetic shunts 106A, 106B, and 106C within the toroidal magnetic assembly 100, the need for separate inductors can also be eliminated, resulting in reduced costs and more efficient use of space on the printed circuit board (PCB) for integrating the toroidal magnetic assembly 100.

[0060] Magnetic shunts (e.g., magnetic shunts 106A, 106B, 106C, or magnetic shunt core 306) integrated into toroidal magnetic assemblies (e.g., toroidal magnetic assembly 100, toroidal magnetic assembly 300) may be made of ferromagnetic material (e.g., material with high permeability) and may modify the magnetic flux associated with the magnetic field generated by the windings (e.g., windings 104A, 104B, 104C, 104D, 304A, 304B) and / or electromagnetic cores (e.g., electromagnetic core 102, electromagnetic core 302) associated with the toroidal magnetic assembly. In some examples, magnetic shunts may be configured in various shapes such as E-shape, I-shape, or other shapes. As described above, magnetic shunts, based on their positioning and material properties, may modify the magnetic flux by altering, redirecting, confining, inducing, and / or concentrating magnetic field lines without requiring external input (e.g., without requiring current) or active intervention. In some cases, magnetic shunts do not need to be electrically coupled to the windings (e.g., not electrically coupled in series with the windings). Rather, based on their positioning and material properties, magnetic shunts can help mitigate differential mode noise that may occur when there is a voltage difference between two conductors (e.g., two windings) carrying the same or similar current.

[0061] Figure 5 shows an enlarged view of a portion of an exemplary toroidal magnetic assembly 100 of Figure 1, according to several embodiments of the present disclosure. The toroidal magnetic assembly 100 includes at least a housing 102A, a housing 102B, and a winding 104C including a U-shaped winding 104C-2 and an I-shaped winding 104C-1. As shown in Figure 5, the U-shaped winding 104C-2 and the I-shaped winding 104C-1 are joined to each other in a butt weld arrangement using stack welding techniques. More specifically, in a butt weld arrangement, the U-shaped winding 104C-2 can be positioned at the top and the I-shaped winding 104C-1 can be positioned at the bottom (for example, along the "y" direction perpendicular to the "x" and "z" directions).

[0062] In some embodiments, the gap 502 or space between winding 104C and winding 104D (e.g., the length in the "x" direction of the space separating winding 104C and winding 104D) can be in the range of 4.0 millimeters (mm), 4.5 mm, 5.0 mm, 5.5 mm, 6.0 mm, 6.5 mm, 7.0 mm, or approximately that value, at least that value, at least approximately that value, or any value between those values. In other embodiments, the gap 502 may be less than 4.0 mm or greater than 7.0 mm. The space may include a cavity 206 shown in Figure 2, which can accommodate a magnetic shunt (e.g., magnetic shunt 106C).

[0063] Compared to other mounting configurations (e.g., edge junction configurations) where the U-shaped winding 104C-2 and the I-shaped winding 104C-1 are arranged side by side (e.g., the U-shaped winding 104C-2 and the I-shaped winding 104C-1 are adjacent to or beside each other along the "x" direction), the volume of the toroidal magnetic assembly 100 can be reduced by a favorable 60% to 70%. In addition, the toroidal magnetic assembly 100 can exhibit higher inductance and lower electromagnetic losses per unit volume, thereby increasing efficiency per unit volume and enhancing the electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) capabilities of the toroidal magnetic assembly 100.

[0064] Figure 6A shows an exploded view of an exemplary toroidal magnetic assembly 600 according to several embodiments of the present disclosure. The toroidal magnetic assembly 600 may be structurally and / or functionally the same or similar as the toroidal magnetic assembly 100. As shown in Figure 6A, the toroidal magnetic assembly 600 may include at least an electromagnetic core 602, a magnetic shunt 606A, a magnetic shunt 606B, and a winding 604. Unless otherwise specified, the components in Figure 6A may be the same or substantially the same as the components of similar number in Figure 1.

[0065] As shown in Figure 6A, the magnetic shunts 606A and 606B may be structurally configured to form an E-shaped structure. Each of the magnetic shunts 606A and / or 606B may form an individual E-shaped structure. The magnetic shunts 606A and 606B may be oriented differently to integrate with the electromagnetic core 602 from both sides (e.g., the top and bottom sides). The E-shaped configurations associated with the magnetic shunts 606A and 606B may provide structural support for the toroidal magnetic assembly 600, enhanced electromagnetic performance, and / or an effective assembly.

[0066] Figure 6B shows a cross-sectional representation of the exemplary toroidal magnetic assembly 600 of Figure 6A. As shown in Figure 6B, the magnetic shunt 606A may be integrated with the electromagnetic core 602 from a first side (e.g., the top side). The magnetic shunt 606B may be integrated with the electromagnetic core 602 from a second side (e.g., the bottom side).

[0067] Figure 7A shows an exploded view of an exemplary toroidal magnetic assembly 700 according to several embodiments of the present disclosure. The toroidal magnetic assembly 700 may be structurally and / or functionally the same as or similar to the toroidal magnetic assembly 100. As shown in Figure 7A, the toroidal magnetic assembly 700 may include at least an electromagnetic core 702, a magnetic shunt 706A, a magnetic shunt 706B, and a winding 704. Unless otherwise specified, the components in Figure 7A may be the same as or substantially the same as the components of similar number in Figure 1.

[0068] As shown in Figure 7A, the magnetic shunt 706A may be configured to structurally form an E-shaped structure. The magnetic shunt 706B may be configured to structurally form an I-shaped structure.

[0069] Figure 7B shows a cross-sectional representation of the exemplary toroidal magnetic assembly 700 of Figure 7A. As shown in Figure 7B, the magnetic shunt 706A may be integrated with the electromagnetic core 702 from a first side (e.g., the top side). The magnetic shunt 706B may be integrated with the electromagnetic core 702 from a second side (e.g., the bottom side).

[0070] It will be understood that various combinations or configurations for integrating a magnetic shunt with an electromagnetic core are within the scope of this disclosure. In some examples, an E-shaped and / or I-shaped magnetic shunt may be integrated with the upper side of the electromagnetic core. In some examples, an E-shaped and / or I-shaped magnetic shunt may be integrated with the bottom side of the electromagnetic core. In some examples, an E-shaped and / or I-shaped magnetic shunt may be integrated with both the upper and bottom sides of the electromagnetic core. In some examples, the magnetic shunt integrated with the electromagnetic core may be structurally configured to form other shapes (e.g., U-shaped).

[0071] Figure 8 is a flowchart of an exemplary assembly process 800 (or simply referred to herein as the process) for assembling a magnetic assembly according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. In some examples, process 800 may be used to assemble the toroidal magnetic assembly 100 in Figure 1, the toroidal magnetic assembly 600 in Figure 6B, and the toroidal magnetic assembly 700 in Figure 7B.

[0072] Process 800 begins in block 802. In block 802, one or more first windings may be mounted to the housing of the electromagnetic core. For example, one or more first windings (e.g., winding 104C in Figure 2) may be mounted to the housing 102A of the electromagnetic core 102. Housing 102A may be mounted to housing 102B before the one or more first windings are mounted.

[0073] In some examples, winding 104C in Figure 5 may be attached to housing 102A and / or housing 102B using stack welding techniques. In some examples, winding 604 may be attached to electromagnetic core 602 using stack welding techniques. In some examples, winding 704 may be attached to electromagnetic core 702 using stack welding techniques. For example, as described above, winding 104C may include a U-shaped winding 104C-2 and an I-shaped winding 104C-1. The U-shaped winding 104C-2 and the I-shaped winding 104C-1 may be joined to each other in a butt weld arrangement using stack welding techniques. In a butt weld arrangement, the U-shaped winding 104C-2 may be positioned at the top and the I-shaped winding 104C-1 may be positioned at the bottom (for example, along the "y" direction perpendicular to the "x" and "z" directions, as shown in Figure 5).

[0074] In block 804, one or more second windings may be attached to the housing of the electromagnetic core. For example, one or more second windings (e.g., winding 104D) may be attached to the housing 102A of the electromagnetic core 102. In some examples, winding 104D in Figure 5 may be attached to the housing 102A and / or housing 102B using stack welding techniques, similar to how winding 104C in Figure 5 is attached to housing 102A and / or housing 102B, such that the U-shaped windings and the I-shaped windings of winding 104D can be joined to each other in a butt weld arrangement.

[0075] In block 806, the magnetic shunt may be located in a space separating one or more first windings from one or more second windings. For example, the magnetic shunt 106C in Figure 4A may be located in a space separating windings 104C and 104D (e.g., the space including the gap 502 in Figure 5). The space may be structurally formed by the housing 102A of the electromagnetic core 102. More specifically, the magnetic shunt 106C may be located in a cavity 206 (shown in Figure 2) formed by the housing 102A (e.g., using an adhesive to bond the magnetic shunt 106C to the housing 102A).

[0076] It should be noted that the above description with reference to Figure 8 focuses on examples of using U-shaped and I-shaped windings shown in Figure 2 and / or Figure 5 (e.g., U-shaped winding 104C-2 and I-shaped winding 104C-1) in process 800. It will be understood that other winding shapes (such as those shown in Figures 6A and 7A) may also be used in the assembly process (e.g., process 800) and are within the scope of this disclosure.

[0077] The foregoing disclosure is not intended to limit the disclosure to the very form or specific field of use disclosed. Therefore, it is intended that various alternative embodiments and / or variations of the disclosure, whether expressly described or implied herein, are possible in light of the disclosure. Having described embodiments of the disclosure in this manner, those skilled in the art will recognize that modifications can be made in form and detail without departing from the scope of the disclosure. Therefore, the disclosure is limited only by the claims.

[0078] In the aforementioned specification, the disclosure has been described with reference to specific embodiments. However, as those skilled in the art will understand, the various embodiments disclosed herein can be modified or implemented in various other ways without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. Therefore, this description should be considered illustrative and is intended to teach those skilled in the art how to construct and use various embodiments of the disclosed magnetic assemblies.

[0079] It should be understood that the forms of disclosure shown and described herein should be interpreted as representative embodiments. Equivalent elements, materials, processes, or steps may be substituted for those representatively shown and described herein. Furthermore, certain features of this disclosure may be used independently of the use of other features, as will become apparent to those skilled in the art after benefiting from this description of the disclosure. Expressions such as “including,” “comprising,” “incorporating,” “consisting of,” “have,” and “is” used to describe and claim this disclosure are intended to be interpreted in a non-exclusive manner, that is, to allow for the existence of items, components, or elements not expressly described herein. Singular references should be interpreted as relating to plurals as well. Furthermore, the various embodiments disclosed herein should be interpreted in an illustrative and descriptive sense and should not be interpreted as limiting the disclosure in any way.

[0080] All references to joining (e.g., attachment, fastening, joining, connection, etc.) are used solely to aid the reader's understanding of this disclosure and should not create any limitation with respect to the location, orientation, or use of the systems and / or methods disclosed herein. Therefore, where there is a reference to joining, it should be interpreted broadly. Furthermore, such references to joining do not necessarily imply that the two elements are directly connected to each other. In addition, but not limited to, all numerical terms such as “first,” “second,” “third,” “primary,” “secondary,” “main,” or any other common terms and / or numerical terms should also be interpreted solely as identifiers to aid the reader's understanding of the various elements, embodiments, variations, and / or modifications of this disclosure, and should not create any limitation with respect to the order or priority of any element, embodiment, variation, and / or modification compared to or with respect to any other element, embodiment, variation, and / or modification.

[0081] The exemplary algorithms described in relation to the embodiments disclosed herein may be implemented as electronic hardware (e.g., ASIC or FPGA devices), computer software running on computer hardware, or a combination of both. Furthermore, the various exemplary logic blocks and modules described in relation to the embodiments disclosed herein may be implemented or executed by machines designed to perform the functions described herein, such as processor devices, digital signal processors ("DSP"), application-specific integrated circuits ("ASIC"), field-programmable gate arrays ("FPGA") or other programmable logic devices, discrete gates or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof. The processor device may be a microprocessor, but in alternative examples, the processor device may be a controller, microcontroller, or state machine, or a combination thereof. The processor device may include electrical circuits configured to process computer-executable instructions. In another embodiment, the processor device includes an FPGA or other programmable device that performs logical operations without processing computer-executable instructions. Processor devices can be implemented as combinations of computing devices, such as a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, multiple microprocessors, one or more microprocessors combined with a DSP core, or any other such configuration. Although this specification primarily describes digital technologies, processor devices may also include primarily analog components. For example, some or all of the rendering techniques described herein can be implemented in analog circuits, or mixed analog and digital circuits.Computing environments can include, but are not limited to, any type of computer system based on a microprocessor, mainframe computer, digital signal processor, portable computing device, device controller, or in-device computing engine, to name a few.

[0082] It will also be understood that one or more of the elements shown in the drawings / figures may be implemented in a more separated or integrated manner to be useful for a particular application, or in certain cases, may be removed or disabled.

Claims

1. A toroidal magnetic assembly, An electromagnetic core including the housing, A first winding that at least partially encloses the electromagnetic core, A second winding that at least partially encloses the electromagnetic core, wherein the first winding and the second winding are separated by a portion of the housing, A first magnetic shunt is disposed in a part of the housing, Equipped with, A toroidal magnetic assembly wherein the first winding or the second winding is configured to generate at least a magnetic field when current passes through the first winding or the second winding, and the first magnetic shunt is configured to at least modify the magnetic flux associated with the magnetic field.

2. The toroidal magnetic assembly according to claim 1, wherein the distance of the portion of the housing is between 4.0 mm and 7.0 mm.

3. The toroidal magnetic assembly according to claim 1, wherein the distance of a portion of the housing is determined based on at least a desired volume related to the electromagnetic core and a desired differential mode inductance related to the electromagnetic core.

4. The toroidal magnetic assembly according to claim 1, wherein a portion of the housing structurally forms a cavity, and the first magnetic shunt is sized to fit into the cavity.

5. The toroidal magnetic assembly according to claim 1, wherein the first winding includes orthogonal plate windings or wire windings.

6. The toroidal magnetic assembly according to claim 1, wherein the first winding comprises a U-shaped plate winding and an I-shaped plate winding joined by butt welding.

7. A magnetic assembly, An electromagnetic core including the housing, The first winding attached to the electromagnetic core, A second winding attached to the electromagnetic core, wherein the first winding and the second winding are separated by the housing, A first magnetic shunt is disposed in the housing, Equipped with, The first winding or the second winding is configured to generate at least a magnetic field when current passes through the first winding or the second winding, The first magnetic shunt is a magnetic assembly configured to at least modify the magnetic flux associated with the magnetic field.

8. The magnetic assembly according to claim 7, wherein the first winding comprises orthogonal plate windings.

9. The magnetic assembly according to claim 7, wherein the electromagnetic core comprises silicon steel, ferrite, or powdered iron.

10. The magnetic assembly according to claim 7, wherein the first winding comprises copper, aluminum, or a composite material.

11. The magnetic assembly according to claim 7, wherein the distance related to the housing is between 4.0 mm and 7.0 mm.

12. The magnetic assembly according to claim 7, wherein the housing structurally forms at least one cavity, and the first magnetic shunt is sized to fit into the cavity.

13. The magnetic assembly according to claim 7, wherein the first magnetic shunt comprises a magnetic shunt core and a shunt housing.

14. The magnetic assembly according to claim 7, wherein the first winding comprises a U-shaped plate winding and an I-shaped plate winding joined by butt welding.

15. The magnetic assembly according to claim 7, wherein the first magnetic shunt is structurally formed into an E-shape or an I-shape.

16. The process of assembling a magnetic assembly for power conversion, The steps include attaching one or more first windings to a first portion of the housing of an electromagnetic core, The steps include attaching one or more second windings to the second portion of the housing of the electromagnetic core, The steps include: arranging a first magnetic shunt in a third portion of the housing that separates the first one or more windings from the second one or more windings; A process that includes this.

17. The process according to claim 16, wherein the third portion of the housing structurally forms at least one cavity, and the step of locating the first magnetic shunt in the third portion of the housing includes locating the first magnetic shunt in the cavity.

18. The process according to claim 17, wherein the step of placing the first magnetic shunt into the cavity includes bonding the first magnetic shunt to the third portion of the housing.

19. The process according to claim 16, wherein the first one or more windings comprises a first winding including a U-shaped plate winding and an I-shaped plate winding, and the step of attaching the first one or more windings to the first portion of the housing includes joining the U-shaped plate winding and the I-shaped plate winding in a butt weld arrangement.

20. The process according to claim 16, wherein the distance between the third portion of the housing separating the first one or more windings and the second one or more windings is between 4.0 mm and 7.0 mm.

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