Inductor

Abstract

An inductor (100) comprises: a coil (20); a core (30) that contains the coil (20); a pair of terminals (40) that are electrically connected to the coil (20); and a conductor shield (10) that covers a surface of the core (30). The conductor shield (10) covers a top surface of the core (30) or at least a portion of side surfaces thereof. The conductor shield (10) and one terminal of the pair of terminals (40) are electrically connected directly to each other. Further, the conductor shield (10) and the other terminal are electrically connected indirectly to each other via the coil (20).

Description

inductor

[0001] The present invention relates to an inductor.

[0002] Some inductors have a shield for shielding a magnetic field generated by a current flowing through the inductor. Regarding this type of technology, Patent Document 1 below discloses an inductor having a core body (115) surrounding a coil (310), a terminal (lead portion (120) in Patent Document 1) electrically connecting to the coil (310), and a conductive shield (shielding device (500) in Patent Document 1) covering at least a portion of the outer surface of the core body (115). In Patent Document 1, the conductive shield is electrically connected to a solder pad (900), and the terminal is electrically connected to a solder pad (910) different from the solder pad (900) to which the conductive shield is connected, and the inductor is grounded.

[0003] Special table 2019-516246 publication

[0004] When a current flows through the coil and generates a magnetic field, an eddy current is generated in the conductive shield. In Patent Document 1, the eddy current is passed through the circuit via a solder pad (900). However, in this configuration, a dedicated circuit for passing the eddy current must be provided around the inductor, which imposes restrictions on the circuit design.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide an inductor that does not impair the degree of freedom in circuit design.

[0006] The inductor of the present invention is an inductor having a coil, a core containing the coil, a pair of terminals electrically connected to the coil, and a conductive shield covering the surface of the core, wherein the conductive shield covers at least a portion of the top or side surface of the core, and the conductive shield is directly electrically connected to one of the pair of terminals, and the conductive shield is indirectly electrically connected to the other terminal via the coil.

[0007] With the inductor of the present invention, the conductive shield and the terminal are electrically connected to allow eddy currents to flow in the circuit to which the terminals are connected, eliminating the need for a separate circuit for passing eddy currents, thereby maintaining the degree of freedom in designing the electronic circuitry around the inductor.

[0008] The above-mentioned objects, as well as other objects, features and advantages, will become more apparent from the preferred embodiments described below and the accompanying drawings.

[0009] FIG. 3( a ) is a perspective view showing an example of an inductor according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The brazing filler metal is omitted. The brazing filler metal is omitted. The conductive shield is omitted in FIG. 3( b ). FIGS. 4( a ) and 4( b ) are top views of the inductor according to the first embodiment. The brazing filler metal is omitted in FIG. 3( b ). The conductive shield is omitted in FIG. 3( b ). FIGS. 4( a ) and 4( b ) are front views of the inductor according to the first embodiment. The brazing filler metal is omitted in FIG. 4( a ). FIG. 5( a ) is a rear view of the inductor according to the first embodiment. FIG. 5( b ) is a right side view of the inductor according to the first embodiment. FIG. 6( a ) is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the inductor according to the first embodiment, taken along the dashed line in FIG. 3( a ), as viewed in the direction of the arrows VI-VI. FIG. 6( b ) is an enlarged view of the portion X indicated by the dotted line in FIG. 6( a ). FIG. 6( b ) is a front view of the inductor according to the second embodiment. FIG. 6( b ) is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the inductor according to the third embodiment. FIG. 6( b ) is a perspective view of the inductor according to the fourth embodiment. 11A and 11B are longitudinal cross-sectional views of the inductor according to the fourth embodiment taken along the dashed line in FIG. 9, as viewed in the direction of the arrow X-X. Fig. 11A is a top view of the inductor according to the fourth embodiment. Fig. 11B is a rear view of the inductor according to the fourth embodiment.

[0010] The various components of the inductor of the present invention do not need to be independent entities, and it is acceptable for multiple components to be formed as a single member, for one component to be formed from multiple members, for one component to be part of another component, or for part of one component to overlap with part of another component, etc.

[0011] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, corresponding components are designated by the same reference numerals, and redundant descriptions will be omitted where appropriate. In this embodiment, the front, back, left, right, top, and bottom directions will be defined as illustrated. However, these definitions are provided for convenience in order to easily explain the relative relationships between the components, and do not limit the directions during manufacture or use of a product embodying the present invention. The center side of an inductor is sometimes referred to as the inside, and the opposite side as the outside. The direction from the surface of the inductor toward the center is sometimes referred to as the inward direction, and the opposite direction as the outward direction. In addition, the term "flat" as used in this invention refers to a shape that is physically formed with a flat surface as the target, and naturally does not need to be a perfect geometric plane.

[0012] First Embodiment FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of an inductor according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

[0013] First, an overview of the inductor of this embodiment will be described. The inductor 100 includes a coil 20, a core 30 containing the coil 20, a pair of terminals 40 electrically connected to the coil 20, and a conductive shield 10 covering the surface of the core 30. The conductive shield 10 covers at least a portion of the top or side surface of the core 30. There is direct electrical continuity between the conductive shield 10 and one of the pair of terminals 40 (front terminal 41). There is also indirect electrical continuity between the conductive shield 10 and the other terminal (rear terminal 42) via the coil 20.

[0014] Next, the inductor 100 of this embodiment will be described in detail. As shown in FIG. 2 , the coil 20 is formed by winding a wire (e.g., coil wire) made of a conductive material such as metal. The portion of the coil 20 around which the wire is wound is sometimes referred to as the winding portion 21. In FIG. 2 , the individual turns of the wound wire are not shown. The wire may have a circular cross section or a flat cross section (e.g., an ellipse or a horizontally elongated rectangle). In this embodiment, the winding axis of the coil 20 is vertical, but this is not limited thereto. The winding axis of the coil 20 may also be horizontal, front-rear, or the like. As shown in FIG. 1 , the coil 20 is enclosed within the core 30. Here, "enclosed" means that substantially the entire coil 20 is disposed within the envelope volume of the core 30. A portion of the coil 20 may be visible from the outside and not covered by the core 30. For example, the lead-out portion 22 (the portion drawn out from the winding portion 21), which is one end of the wire of the coil 20, may be disposed outside the core 30. Preferably, the entire winding portion 21 of the coil 20 , or the entire coil 20 including the winding portion 21 and the lead-out portion 22 (both ends of the coil wire, etc.), is covered by the core 30 .

[0015] The core 30 is a magnetic member that surrounds the coil 20. Examples of magnetic materials that form the core 30 include ferrite. In this embodiment, the core 30 also extends radially inside the coil 20, forming a closed loop as a whole. More specifically, the core 30 in this embodiment is integrally formed by placing the coil 20 and the terminal 40 in a mold and pouring a resin containing a magnetic material such as ferrite into the mold. In other words, the inductor 100 in this embodiment is a molded coil. Instead of this embodiment, the core 30 may be divided into multiple pieces, as will be described later in a modified example.

[0016] The core 30 of this embodiment has an approximately rectangular parallelepiped shape as a whole. As shown in FIG. 4( a) or FIG. 6( a), the core 30 has an upper surface 30c facing upward, a lower surface 30d facing downward, a front surface 30e facing forward, a rear surface 30f facing rearward, a left surface 30g facing left, and a right surface 30h facing right. The areas of the upper surface 30c and the lower surface 30d of the core 30 are larger than the areas of the front surface 30e, the rear surface 30f, the left surface 30g, and the right surface 30h, respectively, resulting in an overall flat shape. The shape of the core 30 is not limited to a rectangular parallelepiped, and may be, for example, a cylinder or a prism with a polygonal base. The surfaces constituting the core 30 do not need to be completely flat, and may be curved or distorted. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3( b) and FIG. 6( a), the front surface 30e and the rear surface 30f of the core 30 are formed in a single-step staircase shape. That is, for example, the front surface 30e (see FIG. 6(a)) includes a concave surface 30e2 formed on the inside in the front-to-rear direction, a stepped surface 30e1 facing upward, and a convex surface 30e3 formed on the outside in the front-to-rear direction, as shown in FIG. 6(b). The back surface 30f similarly includes a concave surface, a stepped surface, and a convex surface. Alternatively, the front surface 30e and the back surface 30f may be formed without any steps. As shown in FIG. 6(b) in this embodiment, the concave surface 30e2 is slightly inclined outward in the front-to-rear direction as it approaches the bottom, and the convex surface 30e3 is slightly inclined inward in the front-to-rear direction as it approaches the bottom.

[0017] The inductor 100 has a pair of terminals 40, a front terminal 41 and a rear terminal 42. Here, "the inductor 100 has two pairs of terminals 40" means that the inductor 100 has at least one pair of terminals 40 connected to both ends of the coil wire. The inductor 100 may have other terminals in addition to the pair of terminals. The front terminal 41 and the rear terminal 42 are electrically connected to one end and the other end of the coil 20, respectively. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2 , the end of the terminal 40 inserted into the core 30 (connecting branch portion 46a, described later) is bent into a U-shape and grips one end or the other end of the coil 20, vertically sandwiching the one end of the coil 20. The one end of the coil 20 and the terminal 40 are joined by, for example, laser welding, resistance welding, or the like. The mode of electrical connection between the coil 20 and the terminal 40 is not limited to direct contact as described above. The coil 20 and the terminal 40 may be electrically connected via a separate member. For example, one end of the wire forming the coil may be wound around a winding terminal that is a separate member from the terminal 40, and the winding terminal may be connected to the terminal 40, thereby electrically connecting the coil 20 and the terminal 40 via the winding terminal. Alternatively, the coil 20 and the terminal 40 may be integrally formed from the same member.

[0018] As shown in FIG. 2 , the terminal 40 includes a mounting portion 43 bonded to a mounting board (not shown), an outer surface arrangement portion 44 extending on the side surface of the core 30 (the front surface 30 e or the rear surface 30 f in this embodiment), and an insertion portion 45 inserted into the core 30. In this embodiment, the upper end of the terminal 40 is the insertion portion 45, the lower end is the mounting portion 43, and a portion between the insertion portion 45 and the mounting portion 43 is the outer surface arrangement portion 44. The insertion portion 45 at the upper end of the terminal 40 is inserted into the core 30. As shown in FIG. 6( b), a terminal upper surface 45 a of the insertion portion 45 is flush with the stepped surface 30 e 1 on the front surface 30 e of the core 30. As shown in FIG. 6( a), the terminal 40 protrudes forward or backward from the side surface (the front surface 30 e or the rear surface 30 f) of the core 30. That is, in this embodiment, the front-to-rear direction is the protruding direction of the terminal 40. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , the portion of the terminal 40 that protrudes outward from the core 30 is bent toward the inserted portion 45, and the portion that protrudes from the core 30 (the outer surface arrangement portion 44) is arranged along the front surface 30e or the back surface 30f of the core 30. The terminal 40 is also bent between the mounting portion 43 and the outer surface arrangement portion 44. The mounting portion 43, which is the lower end of the terminal 40, is generally parallel to the lower surface 30d of the core 30. As shown in FIG. 6( a), a portion of the mounting portion 43 is arranged inside a terminal arrangement portion 30i that is recessed upward in the lower surface 30d of the core 30. The lower surface of the mounting portion 43 is arranged below the lower surface 30d of the core 30 so that the mounting portion 43 protrudes beyond the lower surface 30d of the core 30.

[0019] As shown in Fig. 2, the upper end of the terminal 40 branches into two or more branches 46 (connecting branch 46a and non-contact branch 46b, which will be described later). As shown in Figs. 4(a) and 5(a), a protrusion 48 formed in an upward convex shape is provided at the base end of the branch 46 between the connecting branch 46a and the non-contact branch 46b. The protrusion 48 is not bent like the branch 46, but protrudes so as to follow the side surface of the core 30. In addition, downwardly recessed recesses 47 are formed between the protrusion 48 and the connecting branch 46a, and between the protrusion 48 and the non-contact branch 46b.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 4( a) or 5( a), the outer surface placement portion 44 has a wide upper portion and a narrower lower portion, resulting in an overall T-shape. A portion of the wide portion, which connects to the non-contact branch portion 46b (described later), is chamfered to form a slope 44b, while a portion connecting to the connecting branch portion 46a is not chamfered and has a corner. The width of the outer surface placement portion 44 (the width of the narrow portion of the outer surface placement portion 44) is preferably at least one-third or at least one-half of the width of the second or third surface of the core 30 (described later). The large width of the outer surface placement portion 44, which covers a large portion of the second or third surface, allows leakage magnetic flux to be blocked by the outer surface placement portion 44. The inductor 100 is grounded to the mounting substrate so that the mounting portion 43 contacts the mounting substrate. The mounting portion 43 and the mounting substrate are electrically connected by soldering or the like. In this embodiment, the terminals are terminals for surface mounting, with flat mounting portions, but are not limited to this. The terminals 40 may be terminals with mounting portions 43 in the shape of pins.

[0021] The conductive shield 10 is made of a conductive thin plate. Examples of conductive materials include metals such as copper. In this embodiment, the conductive shield 10 covers a portion of each of the top surface 30c, left surface 30g, right surface 30h, front surface 30e, and rear surface 30f of the core 30, as described below. The conductive shield 10 may cover only a portion of the top surface or only a portion of the side surfaces. As described in a modified example below, the conductive shield 10 may cover the entire surface of the core 30. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 1, the conductive shield 10 is formed by bending a metal thin plate to cover the top and side surfaces of the core 30. The metal thin plate is formed in an X-shape, and as shown in FIG. 3(a), the central portion of the X-shape (a cover portion 11 described below) covers substantially the entire top surface 30c of the core 30. As shown in Figures 6(a) and 6(b), a portion of the conductive shield 10 extending forward from the top surface 30c of the core 30 (a forward lip portion 12, described below) is bent near the boundary between the top surface 30c and the front surface 30e of the core 30, covering the front surface 30e of the core 30. The length of the front lip portion 12 (the dimension extending downward from the top surface 30c of the core 30) is preferably equal to or greater than the distance from the top surface 30c of the core 30 to the terminal top surface 45a of the front terminal 41. In other words, the length of the front lip portion 12 is preferably equal to or greater than the distance from the top surface 30c of the core 30 to the stepped surface 30e1 of the front surface 30e. In this embodiment, the length of the front lip portion 12 is equal to the distance from the top surface 30c of the core 30 to the terminal top surface 45a of the front terminal 41, and is also equal to the distance from the top surface 30c of the core 30 to the stepped surface 30e1. As shown in Fig. 5(b), the portion of the conductive shield 10 that extends rearward and is bent beyond the top surface 30c of the core 30 (rear lip portion 14) covers a portion of the back surface 30f of the core 30. The length of the rear lip portion 14 is preferably shorter than the distance from the top surface 30c of the core 30 to the terminal top surface 45a of the front terminal 41. As shown in Figs. 4(a) and 5(b), the portion of the conductive shield 10 that extends rightward or leftward beyond the top surface 30c and is bent (right lip portion 15 or left lip portion 16) covers the right surface 30h or left surface 30g of the core 30.The lengths of the right lip portion 15 and the left lip portion 16 are preferably at least half, more preferably at least two-thirds, of the thickness of the core 30. While FIG. 5B shows a right side view of the inductor 100, the right side of the inductor 100 is mirror-symmetrical to the left side. By covering the side surfaces (front surface 30e, rear surface 30f, right surface 30h, or left surface 30g) of the core 30 in addition to the top surface 30c with the conductive shield 10, magnetic flux leaking from the side surfaces can be blocked and misalignment of the conductive shield 10 can be prevented. Alternatively, the conductive shield 10 may not have lip portions (front lip portion 12, rear lip portion 14, right lip portion 15, and left lip portion 16) and may include only a cover portion 11 that covers the top surface 30c (the first surface described below). Furthermore, the conductive shield 10 may not cover all four side surfaces, but may cover only some of the side surfaces with lips.

[0022] 3A, notches 17 are provided between the front lip 12, the rear lip 14, the right lip 15, and the left lip 16, and these lip portions protrude independently from the cover portion 11. The provision of the notches 17 allows the conductive shield 10 to flexibly deform and cover the core 30. Alternatively, the portions of the conductive shield 10 that cover the respective side surfaces may be connected in a continuous manner without providing the notches 17.

[0023] Here, direct conduction between the conductive shield 10 and the front terminal 41 means that the conductive shield 10 and the front terminal 41 are electrically connected without the coil 20. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1 , the conductive shield 10 (front lip portion 12) and the terminal 40 are in contact with each other, and direct conduction between the conductive shield 10 and the terminal 40 is achieved, but this is not limited to this. The conductive shield 10 and the front terminal 41 may also be electrically connected via a member other than the coil 20. For example, the conductive shield 10 may not have a front lip portion 12, and the cover portion 11 of the conductive shield 10 and the terminal 40 may be electrically connected via a conductor. Indirect conduction between the conductive shield 10 and the rear terminal 42 means that the conductive shield 10 and the rear terminal 42 are electrically connected via the coil 20. More specifically, the conductive shield 10 and the rear terminal 42 are electrically connected via the front terminal 41 and the coil 20. If the conductive shield 10 and the rear terminal 42 were to be electrically connected via a path that does not pass through the coil 20, the front terminal 41 and the rear terminal 42 would be electrically connected via two paths, one including the conductive shield 10 and the other including the coil 20, resulting in a short circuit. In contrast, in this embodiment, the conductive shield 10 and the rear terminal 42 are not in contact with each other as shown in FIG. 5A, so no short circuit occurs.

[0024] When a current flows through the inductor 100, magnetic flux tends to leak out of the core 30. When this leakage magnetic flux is blocked by the conductive shield 10, eddy currents are generated in the conductive shield 10. The magnetic field lines generated by the eddy currents cancel out the leakage magnetic flux and suppress its impact on components on the circuit board. Because the conductive shield 10 and the front terminal 41 are electrically connected, the generated eddy currents can flow into an electrical circuit including the front terminal 41, the coil 20, and the rear terminal 42. Therefore, unlike Patent Document 1, there is no need to design an electrical circuit including a solder pad (910) for flowing eddy currents in addition to the solder pad (900) for connecting the inductor 100. In other words, flexibility in circuit design around the inductor 100 can be ensured.

[0025] The core 30 has a first surface toward which the end face of the coil 20 (winding portion 21) faces. In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 6(a), the end face of the coil 20 faces upward or downward, and the first surface is the upper surface 30c or lower surface 30d of the core 30. In this embodiment, the first surface is the upper surface 30c of the core 30. Alternatively, if the end face of the coil 20 faces forward / backward or left / right, the first surface would be the front surface 30e or rear surface 30f, or the left surface 30g or right surface 30h. The conductive shield 10 has a cover portion 11 that covers at least a portion of the first surface (upper surface 30c). In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3(a), the cover portion 11 covers almost the entire upper surface 30c, but because the cover portion 11 has cutouts 17, each corner of the rectangular upper surface 30c is locally exposed from the cover portion 11 in a plan view. Alternatively, the cover portion 11 may cover the entire upper surface 30c, or the cover portion 11 may cover a portion of the upper surface 30c having a smaller shape and dimension. It is preferable that the end face of the coil 20 and the cover portion 11 overlap when viewed from the direction of the coil's winding axis (the vertical direction in this embodiment). Furthermore, it is more preferable that the end face of the coil 20 is covered by the cover portion 11 when viewed from the direction of the coil's winding axis.

[0026] When a current flows through inductor 100, magnetic field lines are emitted from the end faces of coil 20, which are the main cause of leakage magnetic flux from inductor 100. By covering the surface of core 30 facing the end faces of coil 20 with conductive shield 10, the magnetic field lines that are emitted from the end faces of coil 20 and leak outside core 30 are blocked, effectively preventing magnetic flux from leaking outside inductor 100.

[0027] The core 30 has a second surface along which one terminal (front terminal 41) extends. When the cover portion 11 covers the top surface 30c of the core 30, the second surface is a portion of the side surface. Here, the surface of the core 30 along which the terminal 40 extends is, more specifically, the surface along which the outer surface arrangement portion 44 of the terminal 40 extends. In this embodiment, the outer surface arrangement portion 44 of the front terminal 41 is arranged along the front surface 30e of the core 30. In this embodiment, the second surface is the front surface 30e of the core 30. The second surface may also be another side surface (the right surface 30h, the left surface 30g, or the rear surface 30f). A portion of the conductive shield 10 (front lip portion 12) covers a portion of the second surface (front surface 30e). As shown in FIG. 4(a), the front lip portion 12 covers substantially the entire portion of the front surface 30e of the core 30 that is located above the terminal upper surface 45a of the front terminal 41 (see FIG. 6(b)). The front lip portion 12 may extend below the terminal upper surface 45a of the front terminal 41 and cover the underside of the front surface 30e of the core 30. As shown in FIG. 6( a), the conductive shield 10 (front lip portion 12) covering the second surface (front surface 30e) is in contact with one terminal (front terminal 41). In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6( b) and described later, the upper surface (terminal upper surface 45a) of the front terminal 41 is in surface contact with the end surface 12b of the front lip portion 12. As described in a third embodiment, the front terminal 41 and the front lip portion 12 may be in substantial line contact. Alternatively, the front terminal 41 and the front lip portion 12 may be in point contact. By having the conductive shield 10 cover a portion of the second surface (front surface 30e), magnetic flux leaking from the core 30 can be more effectively shielded.

[0028] As shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B , the inner surface (lip inner surface 12 a) of a portion (front lip 12) of the conductive shield 10 covering the second surface (front surface 30 e) of the core 30 is located more inward in a plan view than the inner surface (terminal inner surface 44 c) of one terminal (front terminal 41) that is aligned with the second surface. More precisely, the lip inner surface 12 a is located more inward in the protruding direction (front-rear direction) of the terminal 40 than the terminal inner surface 44 c. The terminal inner surface 44 c that is aligned with the front surface 30 e of the front terminal 41 is the inner surface of the outer surface placement portion 44 of the front terminal 41. Being located inward in a plan view means being located toward the center of the inductor 100 when viewed from above. The plan view does not necessarily mean being directly visible. For example, it is sufficient that the lip inner surface 12 a is located more inward in the front-rear direction than the terminal inner surface 44 c of the front terminal 41 when viewed in a vertical cross section such as that shown in FIG. 6B . As shown in FIG. 6( b), the terminal 40 is bent between the inserted portion 45 and the outer surface-mounted portion 44, and the outer surface of the bent portion forms a curved surface 44d. By positioning the lip inner surface 12a more inward in the terminal protrusion direction than the terminal inner surface 44c of the front terminal 41, at least a portion of the end face 12b of the front lip 12 (including the sides of the rectangular end face 12b) contacts the upper surface (terminal upper surface 45a) of the inserted portion 45 of the front terminal 41, as shown in FIG. 6( b). In this embodiment, a portion of the inner end face 12b of the front lip 12 in the terminal protrusion direction contacts the horizontal terminal upper surface 45a of the inserted portion 45, and another portion of the outer end face 12b in the terminal protrusion direction faces the curved surface 44d at a distance. The entire end face 12b of the front lip 12 may contact the terminal upper surface 45a of the inserted portion 45. In this case, it is preferable that the outer surface of the front lip portion 12 is positioned more inward in the terminal protrusion direction than the terminal inner surface 44c of the front terminal 41, or be positioned on the same plane as the terminal inner surface 44c of the front terminal 41. In this way, the lip portion inner surface 12a of the front lip portion 12 and the terminal inner surface 44c of the front terminal 41 are offset from each other in the front-to-rear direction, and the front lip portion 12 and the front terminal 41 are in surface contact at the end surface 12b, thereby providing good electrical continuity between the front terminal 41 and the conductive shield.Furthermore, a portion of the end face 12b of the front lip 12 faces the curved surface 44d of the front terminal 41, forming a recess between the end face 12b of the front lip 12 and the curved surface 44d of the front terminal 41, narrowing inward in the terminal protrusion direction. Solder 50 (described later) enters this recess, firmly connecting the conductive shield 10 and the front terminal 41. The distance between the lip inner surface 12a and the terminal inner surface 44c of the front terminal 41 (distance Z1 in FIG. 6(b)) is preferably at least one-quarter or at least one-half of the thickness (dimension in the front-to-rear direction) of the front lip 12. The thickness of the front lip 12, in other words, is the front-to-rear width of the end face 12b of the front lip 12. The maximum value of distance Z1 is preferably equal to or smaller than the thickness of the front lip 12. Here, the distance between the lip inner surface 12a and the terminal inner surface 44c is the distance in the terminal protrusion direction between the lower end of the lip inner surface 12a and the upper end of the terminal inner surface 44c. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 6(b), the lip inner surface 12a is arranged on the same plane as the upper end of the convex surface 30e3 of the front surface 30e of the core 30.

[0029] Alternatively to this embodiment, the conductive shield 10 may be in contact with a portion (such as the curved surface 44d) other than the terminal inner surface 44c of the front terminal 41. Also, instead of this embodiment, the lip inner surface 12a and the terminal inner surface 44c of the front terminal 41 may be arranged on the same plane, or the lip inner surface 12a of the front lip 12 may be arranged outward of the terminal inner surface 44c of the front terminal 41. In this case, the conductive shield 10 and the front terminal 41 are in substantial linear contact or not in contact at all, so it is preferable to ensure sufficient conductivity between the conductive shield 10 and the front terminal 41 by brazing or other means.

[0030] As shown in FIG. 6( b), a portion of the second surface (front surface 30e) of the core 30 that is covered by the conductive shield 10 (shield covering portion 30a) is located more inward in plan view than a portion of the second surface that is covered by one terminal (terminal covering portion 30b). The shield covering portion 30a is the region of the front surface 30e of the core 30 that is covered by the conductive shield 10. In this embodiment, substantially the entire portion of the front surface 30e of the core 30 above the stepped surface 30e1 is the shield covering portion 30a, except for a portion exposed through the notch 17. The distance between the shield covering portion 30a and the terminal covering portion 30b (Z2 in FIG. 6( b)) is preferably approximately the same as or greater than the distance Z1 between the terminal inner surface 44c of the front terminal 41 and the lip inner surface 12a. Here, "approximately the same" means that the distance Z2 is at least half but not more than twice the distance Z1. The distance between the shield coating portion 30a and the terminal coating portion 30b is the distance in the terminal protrusion direction between the lower end of the shield coating portion 30a and the upper end of the terminal coating portion 30b. In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 6(a) and 6(b), the entire portion of the front surface 30e of the core 30 above the stepped surface 30e1 (concave surface 30e2) is located more inward in the terminal protrusion direction than the entire portion of the front surface 30e of the core 30 below 30e1 (convex surface 30e3). Alternatively, an embodiment may be adopted in which only the shield coating portion 30a of the front surface 30e is recessed rearward, and the recessed shield coating portion 30a is located more inward in the terminal protrusion direction than the terminal coating portion 30b. Conversely, only the terminal coating portion 30b of the front surface 30e of the core 30 may protrude forward, and the protruding terminal coating portion 30b may be located more outward in the terminal protrusion direction than the shield coating portion 30a. The portion of the front surface 30e of the core 30 that is not covered by the front lip portion 12 may be located either outside or inside the terminal covering portion 30b in the terminal protrusion direction. This misalignment between the shield covering portion 30a and the terminal covering portion 30b on the second surface makes it easier for the front lip portion 12 to be positioned inside the front terminal 41 in a plan view. In other words, the end face 12b of the front lip portion 12 is more likely to come into surface contact with the front terminal 41, making it easier to maintain good conductivity between the conductive shield 10 and the front terminal 41.

[0031] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6A , the inner surface of the cover 11 (the inner surface 11 a of the cover) is disposed substantially parallel to the top surface 30 c of the core 30. An insulating material may or may not be applied, for example, to a portion of the surface of the core 30 covered by the conductive shield 10 (part of the top and side surfaces) or substantially the entire inner surface of the conductive shield 10. When an insulating material is applied between the core 30 and the conductive shield 10, the inner surface 11 a of the cover 11 and the top surface 30 c of the core 30 are disposed along each other with the insulating material sandwiched therebetween. When no insulating material is applied, the center and periphery of the inner surface 11 a of the cover 11 are in direct contact with the top surface 30 c of the core 30. In the inductor of Patent Document 1, an insulating material must be applied to the inner surface of the conductive shield or the surface of the core (115) to shield the inductor from noise from the solder pad (910) to which the conductive shield is connected. In this embodiment, the noise does not flow into the conductive shield 10, so there is no need to apply an insulating material between the core 30 and the conductive shield 10. This eliminates the step of applying an insulating material, making it possible to manufacture the inductor 100 inexpensively and easily.

[0032] In this embodiment, the conductive shield 10 and one terminal (the front terminal 41) are joined by welding or brazing. Examples of welding include fusion welding using a laser or gas. Examples of brazing include soldering using solder or other metal brazing filler metals. In this embodiment, the conductive shield 10 and the front terminal 41 are brazed to each other using solder 50. As described below, the conductive shield 10 may be brazed or welded to both of the branch portions 46 (described below) of the front terminal 41, or may be brazed or welded to only one of the branch portions. Joining the conductive shield 10 and the front terminal 41 by welding or brazing prevents the conductive shield 10 from separating from the front terminal 41 and ensures electrical continuity between the conductive shield 10 and the front terminal 41. Alternatively, the conductive shield 10 and the front terminal 41 may not be joined to each other by brazing or welding. For example, the conductive shield 10 and the front terminal 41 may be abutted to each other to ensure electrical continuity. The conductive shield 10 and the front terminal 41 may be fixed together with an adhesive.

[0033] As shown in FIG. 2 , one terminal (front terminal 41) has two or more branches formed by branching one end. In this embodiment, the front terminal 41 has two branches 46. Each branch 46 is formed to protrude upward from the outer surface placement portion 44. In other words, the branch 46 is formed by branching the terminal 40 at the upper part of the outer surface placement portion 44. That is, in the front terminal 41, a connecting branch 46a (described later) is formed from the upper right of the outer surface placement portion 44, and a non-contact branch 46b (described later) is formed from the upper left of the outer surface placement portion 44. The branch 46 is not limited to this shape. For example, the branch 46 may be formed by branching from the middle of the outer surface placement portion 44 or from the middle of the inserted portion 45. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 4A , the base ends (the roots from which the terminal 40 branches) of the branch 46 (the connecting branch 46a and the non-contact branch 46b) are preferably located outside the core 30, as in this embodiment. As shown in Fig. 2, a portion of each of the branch portions 46 is inserted into the core 30. In this embodiment, substantially the entire branch portion 46 is inserted into the core 30, and a portion of the base end of the branch portion 46 is disposed outside the core 30. In this embodiment, the branch portion 46 is the same as the inserted portion 45. In this embodiment, like the front terminal 41, the other terminal (rear terminal 42) also branches to form branch portions 46, and a portion of the branch portion 46 is inserted into the core 30. The front terminal 41 and the rear terminal 42 have shapes that are mirror images of each other.

[0034] As shown in FIG. 2 , one branch (connection branch 46 a) is in direct electrical contact with the coil 20, and at least one of the other branches (non-contact branch 46 b) is indirectly electrically connected to the coil 20 via the one branch (connection branch 46 a). Here, the indirect electrical connection between the non-contact branch 46 b and the coil 20 refers to electrical connection via the connection branch 46 a. In other words, the entire non-contact branch 46 b is not in contact with the coil 20. In this embodiment, the non-contact branch 46 b and the coil 20 are electrically connected via the connection branch 46 a and the outer surface-arranged portion 44. As shown in FIG. 4B , the other branch (non-contact branch 46 b shown in FIG. 4A ) and the conductive shield 10 are in contact with each other and joined by brazing or welding. In this embodiment, the non-contact branch 46 b and the conductive shield 10 are brazed to each other with solder 50. The solder 50 penetrates into the gap between the front terminal 41 and the conductive shield 10, and is also disposed between the end surface 12b of the front lip portion 12 and the curved surface 44d of the front terminal 41, as shown in FIG. 6B . In this embodiment, the connection branch 46a contacts the conductive shield 10, but this is not required. Preferably, the connection branch 46a and the conductive shield 10 are not joined. In this embodiment, the solder 50 is not disposed between the contact portions 13, 13 described below, but may be disposed therebetween. By joining the non-contact branch 46b, which is not in direct electrical contact with the coil 20, to the conductive shield 10 in this manner, it is not necessary to join the connection branch 46a, which is in direct electrical contact with the coil 20, to the conductive shield 10. This minimizes the thermal load on the connection branch 46a. Alternatively, the connection branch 46a may be joined to the conductive shield 10, but the non-contact branch 46b may not be joined to the conductive shield 10.

[0035] Second Embodiment This embodiment differs from the first embodiment only in the manner in which the conductive shield 10 and the front terminal 41 are joined, and the conductive shield 10, coil 20, core 30, and terminal 40 of the inductor 100 in this embodiment are the same as those in the first embodiment. In this embodiment, the conductive shield 10 and one terminal (front terminal 41) are joined by welding or brazing.

[0036] In this embodiment, as in the first embodiment, one terminal (front terminal 41) has two or more branches 46 formed by branching one end, and a portion of each of the branches 46 is inserted into the core 30. As shown in FIG. 7 , each of the two or more branches 46 (the connecting branch 46 a and the non-contact branch 46 b shown in FIG. 4( a)) is joined to the conductive shield 10. When the front terminal 41 and the conductive shield 10 are brazed, the solder 50 joining the connecting branch 46 a and the non-contact branch 46 b and the conductive shield 10 may be continuous or segmented, as described below. In this way, the two or more branches 46 are joined to the conductive shield 10, thereby firmly connecting the front terminal 41 and the conductive shield 10.

[0037] In this embodiment, similar to the first embodiment shown in FIG. 4A , one terminal (front terminal 41) contacts the conductive shield 10 at two or more spaced-apart contact portions 13. In other words, in one contact portion 13a, the connecting branch portion 46a contacts the conductive shield 10, and in the other contact portion 13b, the non-contact branch portion 46b contacts the conductive shield 10. The contact portion 13 refers to the portion of the front terminal 41 that contacts the conductive shield 10 and a portion nearby. In this embodiment, it refers to a portion of the terminal upper surface 45a of the front terminal 41 and a portion nearby. In other words, the contact portion 13 in this embodiment is a portion of the base end of the branch portion 46 (the front end of the inserted portion 45 and the bent portion between the inserted portion 45 and the outer surface portion 44). As shown in FIG. 7 , a brazing filler metal (solder 50) is disposed between the one contact portion 13a (see FIG. 4A ) and the other contact portion 13b (see FIG. 4A ). That is, a portion of the solder 50 is disposed between the opposing end faces 13c, 13c (see FIG. 4(a)) of the contact portions 13 facing each other. In other words, as shown in FIG. 4(a), a recess is formed in the terminal 40, surrounded by one contact portion 13a, the upper end face 44a (see FIG. 2 or FIG. 6(b)) of the front terminal 41 that forms the recess 47 and the protrusion 48, and the other contact portion 13b. As shown in FIG. 7, the solder 50 fills and accumulates in the recess. More specifically, the solder 50 contacts the upper end face 44a (see FIG. 6(b)) of the front terminal 41, the end face 12b of the front lip portion 12, and the opposing end face 13c (see FIG. 4(a)) of the contact portion 13. In this embodiment, the solder 50 joins the upper end face 44a (see FIG. 6(b)) of the front terminal 41 and the end face 12b of the front lip portion 12, as shown in FIGS. 4(a) and 7. That is, the one contact portion 13a, the other contact portion 13b, and the gap between the one contact portion 13a and the other contact portion 13b of the one terminal (front terminal 41) are all joined to the conductive shield 10 by brazing material (solder 50). Furthermore, the solder 50 joining the one contact portion 13a, the other contact portion 13b, and the gap between the one contact portion 13a and the other contact portion 13b of the one terminal (front terminal 41) to the conductive shield 10 is arranged in a continuous manner.

[0038] By disposing the solder 50 between the contact portions 13, 13, the solder 50 can accumulate on the upper end surface 44a of the front terminal 41, particularly in the recessed portion 47, preventing the liquid solder 50 from flowing down when the front terminal 41 and the conductive shield 10 are brazed. Furthermore, the solder 50 contacts not only the curved surface 44d of the front terminal 41 but also the upper end surface 44a on which the recessed portion 47 and the protruding portion 48 are formed, so that the solder 50 contacts the front terminal 41 in various directions. This prevents the solder 50 from peeling off from the front terminal 41. In this embodiment, the cross section (a cross section perpendicular to the extension direction of the solder, i.e., the left-right direction) of the solder 50 disposed between the contact portions 13a, 13b has a larger dimension and a different shape than the cross section of the solder 50 disposed at the upper edge of the contact portion 13. That is, the thickness (dimension in the front-rear direction) of the solder 50 disposed between the contact portions 13a, 13b is greater than the thickness of the solder 50 disposed near the contact portion 13. Therefore, even when subjected to thermal load over time, the solder 50 arranged between the contact portions 13a and 13b is less likely to crack, and the bond between the conductive shield 10 and the terminal 40 can be maintained.

[0039] Third Embodiment The present embodiment shown in Figure 8 differs from the first or second embodiment only in the mounting method of the conductive shield 10. The conductive shield 10, coil 20, core 30, terminals 40, and solder 50 of the inductor 100 in this embodiment are the same as those of the inductor 100 in the first or second embodiment, and the shape in top view is generally the same as that of the inductor 100 of the first embodiment shown in Figure 3(a). Figure 8 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the inductor 100 of the third embodiment. The position and viewing direction of the vertical cross-section shown in Figure 8 are the same as those of the arrow VI-VI shown in Figure 3(a) for the first embodiment.

[0040] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8 , a portion of the cover portion 11 (core contact portion 11b) contacts the core 30, and a hollow portion 60 is provided between another portion of the cover portion 11 (separation portion 11c) and a portion of the first surface (top surface 30c). More specifically, in this embodiment, the length of the front lip portion 12 is greater than the distance from the top surface 30c of the core 30 to the terminal top surface 45a of the front terminal 41. Therefore, as a result of the front lip portion 12 abutting against the front terminal 41, a portion of the second surface side of the cover portion inner surface 11a (see FIG. 6( a)) is separated from a portion of the top surface 30c of the core 30. At this time, one end of the end surface 12b of the front lip portion 12, which is on the inside in the terminal protruding direction (e.g., an inner side in the terminal protruding direction of the rectangular end surface 12b), contacts the front terminal 41. The front lip portion 12 contacts the terminal top surface 45a or the curved surface 44d of the front terminal 41. However, in FIG. 8 , the height of the hollow portion 60 is exaggerated. The maximum height of the hollow portion 60 (the dimension from the top surface 30c of the core 30 to the highest point of the hollow portion 60) is preferably smaller than the thickness of the conductive shield 10 (cover portion 11). The core contact portion 11b that contacts the core 30 is a portion of the rear side of the cover portion 11, and the separation portion 11c is a portion of the cover portion 11 that is forward of the core contact portion 11b (the second surface side). In this embodiment, the core contact portion 11b contacts a corner that forms the boundary between the top surface 30c and the back surface 30f of the core 30. In this embodiment, in addition to the core contact portion 11b, the conductive shield 10 contacts the lower end of the inner surface of the rear lip portion 14 and a portion of the lip portion inner surface 12a of the front lip portion 12 (see FIG. 6B ). The lower end of the inner surface of the rear lip portion 14 contacts the back surface 30f of the core 30, and the lip portion inner surface 12a of the front lip portion 12 (see FIG. 6B) contacts the corner that forms the boundary between the upper surface 30c and the front surface 30e of the core 30. The hollow portion 60 is a space defined by the separation portion 11c, the lip portion inner surface 12a of the front lip portion 12, the first surface (upper surface 30c), and the inner surfaces of the right lip portion 15 and the left lip portion 16. Alternatively to this embodiment, the hollow portion 60 may be provided without the cover portion inner surface 11a contacting the core 30.For example, the cover portion inner surface 11a may not contact the corner of the boundary between the upper surface 30c and the back surface 30f of the core 30, and the lower end of the rear lip portion 14 may contact the core 30. The presence of the hollow portion 60 between the core 30 and the cover portion 11 makes it possible to insulate the core 30 and the cover portion 11 from each other by the air in the hollow portion 60, without having to apply an insulating material to the surface of the core 30 covered by the cover portion 11 or to the cover portion inner surface 11a.

[0041] The cover portion 11 slopes downward from the other portion (separation portion 11c) toward the other portion (core contact portion 11b) toward the first surface (top surface 30c). The downward slope does not necessarily refer to a downward slope in an actual vertical relationship, but rather refers to a slope that approaches the first surface when the first surface is used as a reference. In other words, the cover portion 11 intersects with the first surface. The thickness (vertical dimension) of the hollow portion 60 gradually increases toward the second surface (front surface 30e) and gradually decreases toward the back surface 30f of the core 30. By making the length of the front lip portion 12 longer than the distance from the top surface 30c of the core 30 to the front terminal 41 as described above and positioning the conductive shield 10 so that the cover portion 11 slopes downward, the front lip portion 12 and the front terminal 41 can be reliably abutted against each other.

[0042] 9, this embodiment differs from the first, second, or third embodiment in that it includes not only the conductive shield 10 but also a second conductive shield 70. The coil 20, core 30, terminals 40, and solder 50 in the inductor 100 of this embodiment are the same as those in the first, second, or third embodiment.

[0043] The inductor 100 of this embodiment has a second conductive shield (second conductive shield 70). The second conductive shield 70 covers at least a portion of the top or side surface of the core. The second conductive shield 70 and another terminal (rear terminal 42) are directly connected to each other, and the second conductive shield 70 and one terminal (front terminal 41) are indirectly connected to each other via the coil 20. Direct electrical continuity between the second conductive shield 70 and the rear terminal 42 means that the second conductive shield 70 and the rear terminal 42 are electrically connected to each other via a path that does not go through the coil 20. The second conductive shield 70 and the rear terminal 42 may also be electrically connected to each other via a member other than the coil 20 (e.g., a conductor wire).

[0044] 11( a) and 11(b), the second conductive shield 70 has a rear lip portion 72 that covers a portion of the third surface (the rear surface 30f of the core 30 in this embodiment) to which the outer surface arrangement portion 44 of the rear terminal 42 extends, a right lip portion 73 that covers the right surface 30h of the core 30, and a left lip portion 74 that covers the left surface 30g of the core 30. As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11(b), the rear lip portion 72 of the second conductive shield 70 contacts the rear terminal 42. Similar to the front lip portion 12 of the conductive shield 10, the rear lip portion 72 makes surface contact with the rear terminal 42 at its lower end surface. Alternatively, the contact portion between the rear lip portion 72 and the rear terminal 42 may be substantially a line or a point.

[0045] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 11A , the conductive shield 10 and the second conductive shield 70 cover only a portion of the first surface (the upper surface 30 c of the core 30). Specifically, the conductive shield 10 covers the front half of the upper surface 30 c but not the rear half. The second conductive shield 70 covers the rear half of the upper surface 30 c but not the front half. More specifically, the conductive shield 10 and the second conductive shield 70 have the same shape and dimensions, and the areas of the upper surface 30 c covered by the conductive shield 10 and the second conductive shield 70 may be approximately equal. Alternatively, the dimensions of the cover portion 11 of the conductive shield 10 and the second cover portion 71 of the second conductive shield 70 that covers the first surface may be larger or smaller. Either the conductive shield 10 or the second conductive shield 70 may cover the center of the top surface 30c, and either the conductive shield 10 or the second conductive shield 70 may overlap an end face of the coil 20 when viewed from the winding axis direction of the coil 20. Also, in the present embodiment, as described above, the conductive shield 10 covers the front side of the top surface 30c of the core 30 and the second conductive shield 70 covers the rear side, but this is not limited to this. For example, the conductive shield 10 may cover the right side of the top surface 30c of the core 30 and the second conductive shield 70 may cover the left side.

[0046] 10 , in this embodiment, the second cover portion 71 and the first surface (top surface 30c) are substantially parallel, and substantially the entire inner surface of the second cover portion 71 is in contact with the top surface 30c. Alternatively, a portion of the second cover portion 71 may be in contact with the core 30, and a hollow portion may be provided between another portion of the second cover portion 71 and a portion of the top surface 30c. When a hollow portion is provided, one end on the front side of the second cover portion 71 is in contact with the top surface 30c of the core 30, and the second cover portion 71 is inclined downward with respect to the first surface (top surface 30c) from one end on the third surface (rear surface 30f) side to the other end on the second surface (front surface 30e) side.

[0047] 10 , almost the entire cover portion 11 of the conductive shield 10 contacts the front half of the top surface 30c of the core 30. When a hollow portion is provided between the conductive shield 10 and the core 30, one rear end of the conductive shield 10 contacts the top surface 30c of the core 30.

[0048] The second conductive shield 70 and the rear terminal 42 are joined by welding or brazing. As with the joining between the conductive shield 10 and the front terminal 41, the rear terminal 42 may have two or more branches 46, and each of the two or more branches 46 may be joined to the second conductive shield 70, or only one branch 46 may be joined to the conductive shield 10.

[0049] Similar to the positional relationship between the conductive shield 10 and the front terminal 41, the inner surface of the rear lip portion 72 covering the rear surface 30f (the third surface) is preferably positioned more inward in plan view than the inner surface of the rear terminal 42 that is aligned with the rear surface 30f. Also, the portion of the third surface that is covered by the second conductive shield 70 is preferably formed more inward in plan view than the other portion of the third surface that is covered by the rear terminal 42. This allows for surface contact between the second conductive shield 70 and the rear terminal 42, ensuring good electrical conduction.

[0050] Furthermore, the conductive shield 10 and the second conductive shield 70 are spaced apart from each other. A sufficient creepage distance is maintained so that the conductive shield 10 and the second conductive shield 70 are not directly connected to each other. In this embodiment, the rear-facing end face of the conductive shield 10 and the front-facing end face of the second conductive shield 70 face each other at a distance. The conductive shield 10 and the second conductive shield 70 are arranged so that their end faces face each other and are aligned, and the distance between the conductive shield 10 and the second conductive shield 70 is approximately uniform.

[0051] 11B, the length of the rear lip portion 72 can be made longer in this embodiment than in the first, second, and third embodiments, thereby enabling leakage magnetic flux to be blocked over a wider area of ​​the back surface 30f of the core 30.

[0052] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, but includes various modifications and improvements as long as the object of the present invention is achieved. The following modifications can be combined as appropriate.

[0053] In the above-described embodiment, the conductive shield 10 covers a portion of the surface of the core 30, but this is not limiting and the conductive shield 10 may cover the entire surface of the core 30. For example, the conductive shield 10 may be a rectangular parallelepiped having a cavity that can contain the entire core 30, with only the mounting portion 43 exposed to the outside of the conductive shield 10. In this case, a sufficient creepage distance is maintained between the conductive shield 10 and the rear terminal 42 so that they are not directly electrically connected without passing through the coil 20.

[0054] The front lip portion 12 and the front terminal 41 do not have to be in contact with each other. In that case, the front lip portion 12 and the front terminal 41 are electrically connected via a separate member. For example, the front lip portion 12 and the front terminal 41 are joined by solder 50, and the front lip portion 12 and the front terminal 41 are electrically connected via the solder 50.

[0055] In the above-described embodiment, the terminal 40 has a branch portion 46, but this is not limiting. The terminal 40 may not have a branch portion 46 and may contact the conductive shield 10 at one contact portion 13. When the front terminal 41 is in contact with the conductive shield 10 at one contact portion, the front terminal 41 may be in contact with the conductive shield 10 over the entire contact portion 13, or the front terminal 41 may be in contact with the conductive shield 10 over part of the contact portion 13 and not in contact with the conductive shield 10 over another part of the contact portion 13.

[0056] While the above-described embodiment illustrates an embodiment in which the core 30 is integrally formed, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the core 30 may be composed of multiple components. For example, the core 30 may be divided into an upper core and a lower core, with a stepped surface 30e1 (see FIG. 6B ) provided on the core 30 described below as the boundary. Alternatively, the core 30 may be a pot core. For example, the core 30 may be formed by combining a core covering the circumferential surface and one end face of the coil 20, a cylindrical core inserted through the center of the coil 20, and a plate-shaped core covering the other end face of the coil 20. In this case, it is preferable to arrange the conductive shield 10 so as to cover the upper side of the plate-shaped core, for example.

[0057] The above embodiments encompass the following technical concepts: (1) An inductor having a coil, a core containing the coil, a pair of terminals electrically connected to the coil, and a conductive shield covering a surface of the core, wherein the conductive shield covers at least a portion of an upper surface or a side surface of the core, the conductive shield is directly electrically connected to one of the pair of terminals, and the conductive shield is indirectly electrically connected to the other terminal via the coil. (2) The inductor described in (1), wherein the core has a first surface toward which an end face of the coil faces, and the conductive shield has a cover portion covering at least a portion of the first surface. (3) The inductor described in (1) or (2), wherein the core has a second surface from which the one terminal extends, a portion of the conductive shield covers a portion of the second surface, and the conductive shield covering the second surface is in contact with the one terminal. (4) The inductor according to (3), wherein an inner surface of a portion of the conductive shield covering the second surface is located more inward than an inner surface of the one terminal that is aligned with the second surface. (5) The inductor according to (4), wherein a portion of the second surface that is covered by the conductive shield is located more inward than another portion of the second surface that is covered by the one terminal. (6) The inductor according to any one of (2) to (5), wherein a portion of the cover and the core are in contact with each other, and a hollow portion is provided between the other portion of the cover and a portion of the first surface. (7) The inductor according to (6), wherein the cover slopes downward from the other portion toward the first portion so as to approach the first surface. (8) The inductor according to any one of (1) to (7), wherein the conductive shield and the one terminal are joined by welding or brazing. (9) An inductor as described in (8), wherein the one terminal has two or more branch portions formed by branching one end, a portion of each of the branch portions is inserted into the core, one of the branch portions is in direct electrical contact with the coil, at least one of the other branch portions is indirectly in electrical contact with the coil via the one branch portion, and the other branch portion is in contact with and joined to the conductive shield.(10) The inductor according to (8), wherein the one terminal has two or more branch portions formed by branching one end, a portion of each of the branch portions is inserted into the core, and each of the two or more branch portions is joined to the conductive shield. (11) The one terminal is in contact with the conductive shield at each of two or more contact portions spaced apart from each other, the brazing material is disposed between one of the contact portions and the other of the contact portions, and the one contact portion, the other contact portion, and the one contact portion and the other contact portion of the one terminal are all joined to the conductive shield by the brazing material. (12) The inductor according to any one of (1) to (11), further comprising a second conductive shield, the second conductive shield covering at least a portion of the top surface or side surface of the core, the second conductive shield and the other terminal being directly electrically connected, the second conductive shield and the one terminal being indirectly electrically connected via the coil, and the conductive shield and the second conductive shield being spaced apart from each other. (13) An inductor, wherein the length of the portion of the conductive shield covering the second surface is equal to or greater than the distance to the one terminal relative to the first surface. (14) An inductor, wherein at least a portion of an end surface of the portion of the conductive shield covering the second surface is in surface contact with the one terminal. (15) The inductor according to (14), wherein the terminal protrudes outward from the core, and an inner portion of the end surface in the protruding direction of the terminal is in surface contact with the one terminal, and another outer portion in the protruding direction faces the curved surface of the bent one terminal. (16) An inductor, wherein a distance between an inner surface of a portion of the conductive shield that covers the second surface and an inner surface of the one terminal is equal to or greater than one-fourth the thickness of the portion of the conductive shield that covers the second surface and is equal to or less than the thickness of the portion of the conductive shield that covers the second surface. (17) The inductor according to (15), wherein a brazing material that joins the conductive shield and the one terminal is disposed between an end face of the conductive shield and the curved surface of the one terminal. (18) The inductor according to (9), wherein the one branch portion is a non-joint portion between the conductive shield and the one terminal.(19) The inductor according to (11), wherein the one contact portion, the other contact portion, and the brazing material joining the one contact portion and the other contact portion at the one terminal are continuous.

[0058] 100 Inductor 10 Conductor shield 11 Cover portion 11a Cover portion inner surface 11b Core contact portion 11c Separation portion 12 Front lip portion 12a Lip portion inner surface 12b End surface 13 Contact portion 13a One contact portion 13b Other contact portion 13c Opposing end surface 14 Rear lip portion 15 Right lip portion 16 Left lip portion 17 Cutout portion 20 Coil 21 Winding portion 22 Lead-out portion 30 Core 30a Shield covering portion 30b Terminal covering portion 30c Upper surface 30d Lower surface 30e Front surface 30e1 Step surface 30e2 Concave surface 30e3 Convex surface 30f Rear surface 30g Left surface 30h Right surface 30i Terminal arrangement portion 40 Terminal 41 Front terminal 42 Rear terminal 43 Mounting portion 44 Outer surface arrangement portion 44a Upper end surface 44b Slope surface 44c Terminal inner surface 44d Curved surface 45 Inserted portion 45a Terminal upper surface 46 Branch portion 46a Connecting branch portion 46b Non-contact branch portion 47 Recessed portion 48 Protruding portion 50 Solder 60 Hollow portion 70 Second conductive shield 71 Second cover portion 72 Rear lip portion 73 Right lip portion 74 Left lip portion

Claims

1. An inductor having a coil, a core enclosing the coil, a pair of two terminals (excluding the terminal for grounding) electrically connected to the coil, and a conductive shield covering the surface of the core, wherein the conductive shield covers at least a part of the upper surface or the side surface of the core, wherein the conductive shield is directly electrically connected to one of the pair of terminals, and wherein the conductive shield is indirectly electrically connected to the other terminal via the coil.

2. The core has a first surface facing the end face of the coil, and the conductive shield has a cover portion covering at least a part of the first surface. The inductor according to claim 1.

3. The core has a second surface along which the one terminal extends, a part of the conductive shield covers a part of the second surface, and the conductive shield covering the second surface is in contact with the one terminal. The inductor according to claim 1.

4. The inner surface of the part of the conductive shield covering the second surface is disposed inside in a plan view than the inner surface along the second surface of the one terminal. The inductor according to claim 3.

5. A part of the second surface covered by the conductive shield is formed inside in a plan view than another part of the second surface covered by the one terminal. The inductor according to claim 4.

6. A part of the cover portion is in contact with the core, and a hollow portion is provided between another part of the cover portion and a part of the first surface. The inductor according to any one of claims 2 to 5.

7. The cover portion is inclined downward so as to approach the first surface from the other part toward the one part. The inductor according to claim 6.

8. The conductive shield and the one terminal are joined by welding or brazing. The inductor according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

9. The one terminal has two or more branch portions formed by branching one end portion, a part of each of the branch portions is inserted into the core, one of the branch portions, is not joined to the conductive shield, is directly electrically connected to the coil, at least one of the other branch portions is indirectly electrically connected to the coil via the one branch portion, and the other branch portion and the conductive shield are in contact and joined. The inductor according to claim 8.

10. The one terminal has two or more branch portions formed by branching one end portion, A part of each of the branch portions is inserted into the core, The inductor according to claim 8, wherein each of the two or more branch portions is joined to the conductor shield.

11. The one terminal is in contact with the conductor shield at each of two or more contact portions spaced apart from each other, Between one of the contact portions and the other contact portion in the one terminal, a recess is formed surrounded by a pair of opposing end faces that are opposing end faces facing each other at the one contact portion and the other contact portion, and the upper end face of the one terminal, The brazing material is disposed in the recess, The inductor according to claim 10, wherein each of the one contact portion, the other contact portion, and the upper end face in the one terminal is joined to the conductor shield and the brazing material.

12. Having a second conductor shield, The second conductor shield covers at least a part of the upper surface or the side surface of the core, The second conductor shield is directly electrically connected to the other terminal, The second conductor shield and the one terminal are indirectly electrically connected through the coil, The inductor according to claims 1 to 5, wherein the conductor shield and the second conductor shield are spaced apart from each other.