Coil components
The novel coil component structure with non-parallel core axes addresses the challenge of miniaturization by reducing the coupling coefficient between coil parts, facilitating size reduction without compromising performance.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Patents
- Current Assignee / Owner
- SAMSUNG ELECTRO MECHANICS CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2022-05-16
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-30
AI Technical Summary
The challenge of miniaturizing and thinning coil components while maintaining performance is hindered by the limitations of increasing the magnetic material ratio and the coupling coefficient between coil parts, which is difficult to reduce without increasing part size.
A novel coil component structure with non-parallel core axes for first and second coil portions, arranged in different directions and forms, such as thin-film and wound inductors, to reduce the coupling coefficient without increasing physical distance.
Effectively reduces the coupling coefficient between coil parts, enabling miniaturization without enlarging the component size, while maintaining magnetic properties and reducing eddy current losses.
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present invention relates to coil components.
Background Art
[0002] With the miniaturization and thinning of electronic devices such as digital TVs, mobile phones, and notebook PCs, miniaturization and thinning are also required for coil components applied to such electronic devices. In order to meet such requirements, research and development of coil components of various shapes, such as winding types or thin film types, are actively underway.
[0003] The main problem associated with the miniaturization and thinning of coil components is to achieve the same characteristics as before despite such miniaturization and thinning. In order to meet such requirements, it is necessary to increase the ratio of the magnetic material in the core filled with the magnetic material. However, due to factors such as the strength of the inductor body and the change in frequency characteristics due to insulation, there is a limit to increasing this ratio.
[0004] On the other hand, the demand for array-shaped components that have the advantage of reducing the mounting area of coil components is also increasing. Such array-shaped coil components can have a non-coupled (Noncoupled) or coupled (Coupled) inductor shape, or a mixed shape thereof, depending on the coupling coefficient or mutual inductance between a plurality of coil parts. Here, for a non-coupled inductor, the coupling coefficient k between a plurality of coil parts needs to be low. By increasing the distance between them, the coupling coefficient between them can be reduced. However, when the distance between the coil parts is increased, the size of the parts also increases, so the miniaturization of the parts tends to be difficult.
Summary of the Invention
Problems to be Solved by the Invention
[0005] One of the objects of the present invention is to effectively reduce the coupling coefficient between a plurality of coil parts and realize an inductor array-shaped coil component suitable for miniaturization. [Means for solving the problem]
[0006] To solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention proposes, as an example, a novel structure for a coil component, specifically comprising: a main body including a first surface and a second surface arranged perpendicular to a first direction while facing each other; a first coil portion disposed within the main body and including a support member and a coil pattern formed on at least one surface of the support member; a second coil portion disposed within the main body and including a wound coil; and a plurality of external electrodes connected to the first and second coil portions, wherein the core axis of the first coil portion and the core axis of the second coil portion are not parallel to each other.
[0007] In one embodiment, the core axis of the first coil section and the core axis of the second coil section can be perpendicular to each other.
[0008] In one embodiment, the core axis of the first coil portion can be parallel to the first direction.
[0009] In one embodiment, the core axis of the second coil portion can be parallel to the second direction which is perpendicular to the first direction.
[0010] In one embodiment, the first and second coil portions can be arranged side by side, spaced apart in the second direction.
[0011] In one embodiment, the plurality of external electrodes may include a plurality of first external electrodes arranged on the third and fourth surfaces of the main body that are perpendicular to the third direction perpendicular to the first and second directions and are opposite to each other, and connected to the coil pattern of the first coil portion, and a plurality of second electrodes arranged on the third and fourth surfaces and connected to the wound coil.
[0012] In one embodiment, the second coil portion may include an insulating portion that comes into contact with the lead portion of the wound coil.
[0013] In one embodiment, the insulating portion may be made of the same material as the support member.
[0014] In one embodiment, the insulating portion can be thinner than the support member.
[0015] In one embodiment, the coil pattern of the first coil portion can be a plating pattern.
[0016] In one embodiment, the second coil portion may further include a filling portion that fills the core region of the wound coil.
[0017] In one embodiment, the filling portion and the main body may contain the same magnetic material.
[0018] In one embodiment, the filling portion and the main body may have interfaces that are distinct from each other. [Effects of the Invention]
[0019] In the case of a coil component according to an example of the present invention, the coupling coefficient can be effectively reduced without increasing the distance between multiple coil sections. [Brief explanation of the drawing]
[0020] [Figure 1] This is a schematic transparent perspective view of a coil component of one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a body that can be used in the coil component. [Figure 3] Figure 1 shows an example of a method for manufacturing the coil portion of the coil component. [Figure 4] A coil component according to a modified embodiment is shown. [Figure 5] A coil component according to a modified embodiment is shown. [Figure 6] A coil component according to a modified embodiment is shown. [Figure 7]Shows a coil component according to a modified embodiment.
Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention
[0021] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to specific embodiments and the accompanying drawings. However, the embodiments of the present invention can be modified into various other forms, and the scope of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below. Also, the embodiments of the present invention are provided to more fully explain the present invention to ordinary technicians. Therefore, the shape, size, etc. of the elements in the drawings may be enlarged or reduced (or emphasized or simplified) for a clearer explanation, and the elements denoted by the same reference numerals in the drawings are the same elements.
[0022] FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing a coil component according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a main body that can be adopted in the coil component of FIG. 1, FIG. 3 shows an example of a method for manufacturing a coil portion in the coil component of FIG. 1, and FIGS. 4 to 7 show coil components according to modified embodiments.
[0023] Referring to FIG. 1, a coil component 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a main body 101, a first coil portion C1, a second coil portion C2, and a plurality of external electrodes 121, 122, 123, 124. Here, the core axis A1 direction of the first coil portion C1 and the core axis A2 direction of the second coil portion C2 are not parallel to each other. When the core axes A1 and A2 of the first and second coil portions C1 and C2 are not parallel to each other as in this embodiment, for example, when they are perpendicular to each other, magnetic flux during the operation of the first coil portion C1 becomes less likely to pass through the core portion 114 of the second coil portion C2. Similarly, magnetic flux during the operation of the second coil portion C2 becomes less likely to pass through the core portion 104 of the first coil portion C1, whereby the coupling coefficient k between the first and second coil portions C1 and C2 can be reduced. Hereinafter, the main elements constituting the coil component 100 of this embodiment will be described.
[0024] The main body 101 contains first and second coil sections C1, C2, etc., arranged inside, forming the overall appearance of the coil component 100. As shown in Figure 2, the main body 101 contains a plurality of magnetic particles 111, which can be dispersed inside an insulating material 112. The insulating material 112 can contain polymer components such as epoxy resin and polyimide. The main body 101 contains a plurality of magnetic particles 111 containing Fe-based alloy components, for example, an Fe-Si-BC alloy. When the magnetic particles 111 are realized as an Fe-based alloy, they can have excellent magnetic properties such as saturation magnetization value, and an insulating film can be formed on at least a portion of the surface of the magnetic particles 111 to reduce eddy current losses, etc. Furthermore, the main body 101 can substitute for a magnetic metal or further contain a ferrite component.
[0025] In relation to an example of a manufacturing method, the main body 101 can be formed by a lamination method. Specifically, multiple unit laminates for manufacturing the main body 101 can be provided and laminated on the upper and lower parts of the first and second coil sections C1 and C2. Here, the unit laminate can be manufactured by mixing magnetic particles 111 such as metal, a thermosetting resin, a binder, and an organic substance such as a solvent to produce a slurry, applying the slurry to a carrier film to a thickness of several tens of micrometers using a doctor blade method, and then drying it to produce a sheet. In this way, the unit laminate can be manufactured in a form in which the magnetic particles are dispersed in an epoxy resin or a thermosetting resin such as polyimide.
[0026] The first coil section C1 includes a support member 102 and a coil pattern 103 formed on at least one surface of the support member 102, and corresponds to a so-called thin-film inductor. The coil pattern 103 may be formed in a spiral shape, and the outermost part of such a spiral shape may include a lead-out portion L1 exposed to the outside of the main body 101 for electrical connection with an external electrode. The coil pattern 103 is arranged on at least one surface of the support member 102, but as in this embodiment, the coil pattern 103 can be arranged on either the upper or lower surface of the support member 102, in which case the coil pattern 103 may include a pad area P. Furthermore, the first coil pattern 103a and the second coil pattern 103b formed on the upper and lower surfaces of the support member 102, respectively, can be electrically connected via conductive vias penetrating the support member 102. However, contrary to this, the coil pattern 103 may be arranged on only one surface of the support member 102. On the other hand, the coil pattern 103 can be a plated pattern formed using plating processes used in the art, such as pattern plating, anisotropic plating, or isotropic plating, but it may also be formed in a multilayer structure using multiple of these processes.
[0027] The support member 102 supports the coil pattern 103 of the first coil section C1 and can be formed from a polypropylene glycol (PPG) substrate, a ferrite substrate, or a metallic soft magnetic substrate. As shown in the figure, a through-hole is formed in the central part of the support member 102, and the material forming the main body 101 can be filled into such a through-hole to form the core section 104.
[0028] The second coil section C2 includes a wound coil 113, and its end may be provided with a lead-out section L2 connected to external electrodes 123 and 124. To ensure a sufficient number of turns, the wound coil 113 can be realized as a stack of two electrically connected coils 113a and 113b. In this case, a support member for supporting the wound coil 113 does not need to be placed inside the main body 101. The wound coil 113 can be formed by winding a metal wire, such as a copper wire (Cu-wire), which includes a metal wire and a coating layer covering the surface of the metal wire. Therefore, the entire surface of each of the multiple turns of the wound coil 113 can be covered with the coating layer. On the other hand, the metal wire may be a flat rectangular wire, but is not limited to this. When the wound coil 113 is formed from a flat rectangular wire, the cross-section of each turn can be rectangular. The coating layer may, but is not limited to, epoxy, polyimide, liquid crystal polymer, etc., either alone or in combination.
[0029] In this embodiment, the core axis A1 of the first coil section C1 and the core axis A2 of the second coil section are not parallel to each other. Here, the core axis A1 of the first coil section C1 can be defined as the central axis of the core section 104 formed inside the coil pattern 103 that is routed around it. Similarly, the core axis A2 of the second coil section C2 can be defined as the central axis of the core section 114 formed inside the wound coil 113 that is routed around it. By arranging the first and second coil sections C1 and C2 such that the core axis A1 of the first coil section C1 and the core axis A2 of the second coil section C2 are not parallel to each other, the coupling coefficient k can be reduced. In this embodiment, in order to maximize the effect of reducing the coupling coefficient k, the first and second coil sections C1 and C2 are arranged so that the core axes A1 and A2 are perpendicular to each other, as shown in Figure 1. However, the core axes A1 and A2 do not necessarily need to be perfectly perpendicular; even if they are slightly misaligned, the coupling coefficient k can still be reduced.
[0030] As shown in the diagram, the first coil section C1 can be positioned with its core axis A1 parallel to the first direction (X direction) of the main body 101. Here, the first direction (X direction) is the direction perpendicular to the first surface S1 and the second surface S2 that face each other on the main body 101, and the first surface S1 or the second surface S2 can be the mounting surface when the coil component 100 is mounted on a substrate or the like. The second coil section C2 can be positioned with its core axis A2 parallel to the second direction (Y direction) which is perpendicular to the first direction (X direction). In this case, the first and second coil sections C1 and C2 can be positioned side by side, spaced apart in the second direction (Y direction). Of course, as mentioned above, even when the core axes A1 and A2 are not perpendicular to each other, the first and second coil sections C1 and C2 can be positioned side by side, spaced apart in the second direction (Y direction).
[0031] As described above, the first and second coil sections C1 and C2 have different structures. Specifically, the first coil section C1 can be realized as a thin-film inductor including a support member and a coil pattern, and the second coil section C2 can be realized as a wound inductor. When the first and second coil sections C1 and C2 are realized as inductors of different forms, it is easy to arrange their core axes A1 and A2 vertically or nearly vertically. For example, if both coil sections are realized as thin-film inductors, it becomes difficult to change the arrangement direction of the support member and coil pattern, and in particular, arranging two adjacent coil sections perpendicular to each other becomes extremely difficult from a manufacturing perspective. In this embodiment, the two coil sections C1 and C2 are realized as different forms so that the direction of the core axes can be easily changed. This will be described later with reference to Figure 3.
[0032] Multiple external electrodes 121, 122, 123, and 124 are connected to first and second coil sections C1 and C2. The multiple external electrodes 121, 122, 123, and 124 can be formed using a paste containing a metal with excellent electrical conductivity, such as a conductive paste containing nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), tin (Sn), or silver (Ag) individually or as an alloy thereof. A plating layer may also be provided to cover each of the multiple external electrodes 121, 122, 123, and 124. In this case, the plating layer may contain one or more selected from the group consisting of nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), and tin (Sn), for example, a nickel (Ni) layer and a tin (Sn) layer may be formed in sequence. Among the multiple external electrodes 121, 122, 123, and 124, multiple first external electrodes 121 and 122 can be arranged on the third and fourth surfaces S3 and S4 of the main body 101, which face each other, so as to be connected to the coil pattern 103 of the first coil section C1. In this case, the third and fourth surfaces S3 and S4 are perpendicular to the third direction (Z direction), which is perpendicular to the first direction (X) and the second direction (Y). In addition, multiple second part electrodes 123 and 124 can be arranged on the third and fourth surfaces S3 and S4 and connected to the wound coil 113.
[0033] Referring to FIG. 4, an example of a method for forming a coil portion will be described. In the case of the first coil portion C1, coil patterns 103a and 103b are formed on the upper and lower surfaces of the support member 202 by a method such as plating. In the case of the second coil portion C2, after providing a hole in the support member 202 that can accommodate the wound coil 113, the wound coil 113 is placed, and the support member 202 can be provided with a groove 210 for placing the wound coil 113. After forming the first and second coil portions C1 and C2, a trimming process for removing a part of the support member 202 can be performed. As shown in FIG. 1, the support member 202 can remain only for the first coil portion C1. Different from this, as in the modified embodiment of FIG. 5, a part of the support member 202 can also remain for the second coil portion C2. Specifically, the support member can remain in the form of the insulating portion 212, and the insulating portion 212 can contact the lead-out portion of the wound coil 113. Since the insulating portion 212 and the support member 102 were integrally formed in the manufacturing process and then separated, the insulating portion 212 can include the same material as the support member 102. Also, the insulating portion 212 may be a region corresponding to the groove 210 of the support member 202, and the insulating portion 212 may be thinner than the support member 102 (t2 < t1). The form of the insulating portion 212 can be different from that in FIG. 5. For example, as in the modification of FIG. 6, the insulating portion 212 is not formed only on the lower surface of the lead-out portion L2 of the wound coil 113, but can be extended to cover the side surface of the lead-out portion L2.
[0034] On the other hand, as shown in the modified example in Figure 6, the second coil section C2 may further include a filling section 115 that fills the core region of the wound coil 113. The filling section 115 and the main body 101 may contain the same magnetic material, and in this case, the filling section 115 and the main body 101 may have interfaces that are distinct from each other. When the filling section 115 is placed in the core region of the wound coil 113, deformation of the wound coil 113 during the formation process of the main body 101 described above can be minimized. That is, without the filling section 115, the wound coil 113 may deform due to the numerous sheet lamination and crimping processes required to form the main body 101. Therefore, by employing the filling section 115 as in the embodiment of Figure 6, the structural stability of the second coil section C2 can be improved.
[0035] Next, in the modified example shown in Figure 7, the orientation in which the first coil section C1 and the second coil section C2 are arranged differs from that in Figure 1. In the case of the first coil section C1, the core axis A1 is perpendicular to the first direction (X direction), and the core axis A2 of the second coil section C2 is parallel to the first direction (X direction). Thus, by arranging the second coil section C2 with the core axis A2 perpendicular to the first surface S1 and the second surface S2 corresponding to the circumferential surface of the main body 101 (X direction), and arranging the first coil section C1 with the core axis A1 in the direction in which the first and second coil sections C1 and C2 are aligned (Y direction), it is also possible to realize a structure in which the core axes A1 and A2 are not parallel.
[0036] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, it will be clear to those with ordinary skill in the art that the scope of the present invention is not limited thereto, and that various modifications and variations are possible within the scope that does not deviate from the technical idea of the present invention as described in the claims. [Explanation of Symbols]
[0037] 100 coil components 101 Main Unit 102, 202 Support members 103 Coil Pattern 104, 114 Core section 111 Magnetic particles 112 Insulating material 113 Wire-wound coil 115 Filling section 121, 122, 123, 124 external electrode 210 Groove 212 Insulation part C1, C2 coil section A1, A2 core axis P Pad
Claims
1. A body including a first surface and a second surface arranged perpendicular to the first direction while facing each other, Displaced within the main body, a support member and a first coil portion including a coil pattern formed on at least one surface of the support member, A second coil section, which includes a wound coil, is located inside the main body. It includes a plurality of external electrodes connected to the first coil portion and the second coil portion, A coil component in which the core axis of the first coil portion and the core axis of the second coil portion are not parallel to each other.
2. The coil component according to claim 1, wherein the core axis of the first coil portion and the core axis of the second coil portion are perpendicular to each other.
3. The coil component according to claim 1, wherein the core axis of the first coil portion is parallel to the first direction.
4. The coil component according to claim 3, wherein the core axis of the second coil portion is parallel to the second direction which is perpendicular to the first direction.
5. The coil component according to claim 4, wherein the first coil portion and the second coil portion are arranged side by side, spaced apart in the second direction.
6. The plurality of external electrodes are arranged on the main body perpendicular to a third direction perpendicular to the first and second directions, on a third and fourth surface facing each other, and connected to the coil pattern of the first coil portion. The coil component according to claim 5, comprising a plurality of second external electrodes arranged on the third and fourth surfaces and connected to the wound coil.
7. The coil component according to claim 3, wherein the first coil portion and the second coil portion are arranged side by side, spaced apart in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.
8. The plurality of external electrodes are arranged on the main body perpendicular to a third direction perpendicular to the first and second directions, on a third and fourth surface facing each other, and connected to the coil pattern of the first coil portion. The coil component according to claim 7, further comprising a plurality of second external electrodes arranged on the third and fourth surfaces and connected to the wound coil.
9. The coil component according to claim 1, wherein the second coil portion includes an insulating portion that contacts the lead portion of the wound coil.
10. The coil component according to claim 9, wherein the insulating portion includes the same material as the support member.
11. The coil component according to claim 10, wherein the insulating portion is thinner than the support member.
12. The coil component according to claim 1, wherein the coil pattern of the first coil portion is a plating pattern.
13. The coil component according to claim 1, wherein the second coil portion further includes a filling portion that fills the core region of the wound coil.
14. The coil component according to claim 13, wherein the filling portion and the main body contain the same magnetic material.
15. The coil component according to claim 14, wherein the filling portion and the main body have interfaces that are distinct from each other.
16. The coil pattern of the first coil portion is a pattern formed on at least one surface of the support member, The coil component according to claim 1, wherein the wound coil of the second coil portion is formed by winding a metal wire including a metal wire and a coating layer covering the surface of the metal wire.