Transformer structure

Abstract

The present invention relates to a transformer structure provided on a circuit board, wherein an opening is formed in the circuit board, and the transformer structure comprises a frame unit, a coil unit, an iron core unit, and at least one conductive member in a shape of "ㄇ". The frame unit is provided on the circuit board; the frame unit is provided with an accommodating space for accommodating the coil unit and the iron core unit; and at least part of the accommodating space is located in the opening. The conductive member is provided on the frame unit, and is electrically connected to the coil unit and the circuit board.

Description

Transformer structure Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to a transformer structure. More specifically, this disclosure relates to a transformer structure having frame units. Background Technology

[0002] With advancements in electronic materials and manufacturing processes, transformer structures have gradually moved towards thinner and lighter designs. However, since traditional transformer structures are mostly stacked vertically on a circuit board, reducing the vertical thickness of both the transformer structure and the circuit board has become a significant challenge for researchers in this field.

[0003] Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of the aforementioned known problems, one embodiment of this disclosure provides a transformer structure disposed on a circuit board, wherein the circuit board has an opening, and the transformer structure includes a frame unit, a coil unit, an iron core unit, and at least one U-shaped conductive element. The frame unit is disposed on the circuit board, wherein the frame unit has an accommodating space, and at least a portion of the accommodating space is located within the opening. The coil unit is disposed in the accommodating space, wherein at least a portion of the coil unit is located within the opening. The iron core unit is disposed in the accommodating space and passes through the coil unit, wherein at least a portion of the iron core unit is located within the opening. The U-shaped conductive element is disposed on the frame unit and electrically connects the coil unit and the circuit board.

[0005] Optionally, the aforementioned conductive element has a first end and a second end, the first end being electrically connected to the aforementioned coil unit, the second end being electrically connected to the aforementioned circuit board, and when viewed along a central axis of the aforementioned core unit, the first end is located inside the aforementioned opening, and the second end is located outside the aforementioned opening.

[0006] Optionally, the position of the first end in the direction of the central axis is higher than the position of the second end in the direction of the central axis.

[0007] Optionally, the aforementioned second end passes through the aforementioned circuit board.

[0008] Optionally, the aforementioned second end is connected to the aforementioned circuit board using surface mount technology.

[0009] Optionally, the aforementioned transformer structure further includes multiple conductive components, and the aforementioned frame unit has a first support and a second support, wherein the aforementioned conductive components are respectively disposed on the aforementioned first support and the aforementioned second support.

[0010] Optionally, the aforementioned frame unit also has two connecting parts that connect the aforementioned first bracket and the aforementioned second bracket, and the aforementioned first bracket, the aforementioned second bracket and the aforementioned connecting parts surround the aforementioned accommodating space.

[0011] Optionally, the aforementioned accommodating space is cross-shaped.

[0012] Optionally, the aforementioned first support and the aforementioned second support are spaced apart by a distance.

[0013] Optionally, the aforementioned coil unit includes a plurality of circuit board coils, flat copper wires, enameled wires, or combinations thereof arranged along the aforementioned central axis direction. Attached Figure Description

[0014] Figure 1 shows an exploded view of a transformer structure 100 and circuit board B before they are assembled according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0015] Figure 2 shows another exploded view of the transformer structure 100 and circuit board B in Figure 1 before they are combined.

[0016] Figure 3 shows a three-dimensional view of the transformer structure 100 and circuit board B combined in Figures 1 and 2.

[0017] Figure 4 shows another perspective view of the transformer structure 100 and circuit board B combined in Figures 1 and 2.

[0018] Figure 5 shows a perspective view of the frame unit F of the aforementioned transformer structure 100.

[0019] Figure 6 shows a cross-sectional view of the transformer structure 100 and circuit board B in Figures 1 to 4 after they are combined.

[0020] Figure 7 shows another cross-sectional view of the transformer structure 100 and circuit board B in Figures 1 to 4 after they are combined.

[0021] Figure 8 shows a perspective view of the transformer structure 200 and circuit board B combined according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0022] Figure 9 shows an exploded view of the transformer structure 300 and circuit board B before they are joined, according to another embodiment of this disclosure.

[0023] Figure 10 shows a side view of the aforementioned transformer structure 300 and circuit board B after they are combined.

[0024] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached drawings: 100: Transformer structure, 200: Transformer structure, 300: Transformer structure, A: Central shaft, B: Circuit board, B0: Opening, C: Coil unit, F: Frame unit, F0: Accommodation space, F1: First support, F2: Second support, F3: Connecting part, M: Iron core unit, M1: Upper iron core, M2: Lower iron core, P: Conductive component, P1: First end, P2: Second end. Detailed Implementation

[0025] The following describes the transformer structure according to embodiments of this disclosure. However, it will be readily apparent that embodiments of this disclosure provide many suitable inventive concepts that can be implemented in a wide range of specific contexts. The specific embodiments shown are merely illustrative of the use of this disclosure in a particular manner and are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure.

[0026] Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein (including technical and scientific terms) have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure pertains. It is understood that these terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with the relevant art and the background or context of this disclosure, and should not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal manner, unless specifically defined herein.

[0027] The foregoing and other technical contents, features, and effects of this disclosure will be clearly presented in the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings. The directional terms mentioned in the following embodiments, such as up, down, left, right, front, or back, are merely for reference to the accompanying drawings. Therefore, the directional terms used in the embodiments are for illustrative purposes and not for limiting the scope of this disclosure.

[0028] First, please refer to Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4 together. Figure 1 shows an exploded view of the transformer structure 100 and circuit board B before they are combined according to an embodiment of this disclosure. Figure 2 shows another exploded view of the transformer structure 100 and circuit board B in Figure 1 before they are combined. Figure 3 shows a perspective view of the transformer structure 100 and circuit board B in Figures 1 and 2 after they are combined. Figure 4 shows another perspective view of the transformer structure 100 and circuit board B in Figures 1 and 2 after they are combined.

[0029] As shown in Figures 1 to 4, a transformer structure 100 of an embodiment of the present disclosure can be mounted on a circuit board B, wherein the circuit board has an opening B0, and a portion of the transformer structure 100 is accommodated in the opening B0. This can significantly reduce the space occupied by the transformer structure 100 and the circuit board B in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction), thereby helping to achieve product thinning.

[0030] Specifically, the aforementioned transformer structure 100 mainly includes a coil unit C, an iron core unit M, and a hollow frame unit F. The frame unit F is fixed to the circuit board B, and a receiving space F0 is formed in the center of the frame unit F to accommodate the coil unit C and the iron core unit M. It should be noted that when the transformer structure 100 and the circuit board B are combined, at least a portion of the receiving space F0 will be located within the opening B0 of the circuit board B.

[0031] On the other hand, as can be seen from Figures 1 to 4, the aforementioned core unit M is composed of an upper core M1 and a lower core M2, wherein the core unit M passes through the coil unit C, and at least a portion of the core unit M and at least a portion of the coil unit C are located in the opening B0 of the circuit board B after assembly.

[0032] It should be noted that at least one U-shaped conductive element P is embedded in the frame unit F to electrically connect the coil unit C and the circuit board B (for example, by soldering the conductive element P and the coil unit C, and by soldering the conductive element P and the circuit board B). In this way, the current signal generated by the external circuit can pass through the circuit board B and the conductive element P to the coil unit C, so that the transformer structure 100 can perform its function. In actual assembly, the coil unit C can be installed and fixed in the accommodating space F0 in the center of the frame unit F, and the core unit M and the coil unit C can be combined with each other. Then, the coil unit C and the frame unit F can be glued together, and the conductive element P can be inserted into the circuit board B, thereby fixing the aforementioned core unit M and coil unit C in the opening B0 of the circuit board B. Alternatively, corresponding engaging structures (such as hooks and grooves) can be directly provided on the coil unit C and the frame unit F respectively, so that the coil unit C and the frame unit F can be engaged and fixed to each other. The connection method of the coil unit C and the frame unit F can still be adjusted according to the design requirements of the mechanism, and is not limited to the one disclosed in the embodiments of this disclosure.

[0033] In this embodiment, the aforementioned coil unit C includes multiple primary and secondary windings (e.g., circuit board coils, flat copper wires, enameled wires, or combinations thereof) arranged along the central axis A (Z-axis direction) of the core unit M. Furthermore, multiple conductive elements P corresponding to the aforementioned windings are provided on both sides of the frame unit F. The number of conductive elements P and windings can be adjusted according to design requirements and is not limited to the embodiments disclosed herein. For example, both the primary and secondary windings can be circuit board coils, or a circuit board coil and a non-circuit board coil (e.g., flat copper wire or enameled wire) can be used respectively. Alternatively, circuit board coils can be omitted, and only flat copper wire or enameled wire can be used as the primary and secondary windings.

[0034] Next, please refer to Figures 5, 6, and 7. Figure 5 shows a perspective view of the frame unit F of the aforementioned transformer structure 100, Figure 6 shows a cross-sectional view of the transformer structure 100 and circuit board B in Figures 1 to 4 after they are combined, and Figure 7 shows another cross-sectional view of the transformer structure 100 and circuit board B in Figures 1 to 4 after they are combined.

[0035] As shown in Figure 5, the aforementioned frame unit F mainly includes a first support F1, a second support F2, and two connecting parts F3. Specifically, the connecting parts F3 connect the first support F1 and the second support F2 along the horizontal direction (Y-axis direction), and the first support F1, the second support F2, and the connecting parts F3 surround a roughly cross-shaped accommodating space F0. It should be noted that a pair of flanges F4 are formed on the inner sides of the first and second supports F1 and F2, respectively. During actual assembly, the coil unit C can be abutted against the flanges F4 on the inner side of the frame unit F, thereby positioning it within the accommodating space F0. The widths of the aforementioned cross-shaped accommodating space F0 in the Y-axis and X-axis directions correspond to the widths of the coil unit C and the core unit M, respectively.

[0036] On the other hand, as can be seen from Figures 5 to 7, each U-shaped conductive element P has a first end P1 and a second end P2, wherein the first end P1 is electrically connected to the coil unit C, and the second end P2 is electrically connected to the circuit board B.

[0037] As shown in Figure 6, when viewed along the central axis A (Z-axis direction) of the core unit M, the aforementioned first end P1 is located inside the opening B0 of the circuit board B, and the aforementioned second end P2 is located outside the opening B0 of the circuit board B. Furthermore, at least a portion of the aforementioned accommodating space F0, the core unit M, and the coil unit C are accommodated within the opening B0 of the circuit board B after assembly. This significantly reduces the overall thickness of the transformer structure 100 and the circuit board B in the Z-axis direction, thereby contributing to the thinning of the product.

[0038] In this embodiment, the first end P1 and the second end P2 of the conductive element P pass through the coil unit C and the circuit board B respectively, and the position of the first end P1 in the direction of the central axis A is higher than the position of the second end P2 in the direction of the central axis A (Figure 7). The positions of the first end P1 and the second end P2 can still be adjusted according to design requirements and are not limited to those disclosed in this embodiment.

[0039] Please refer to Figure 8, which shows a perspective view of the transformer structure 200 and circuit board B combined according to another embodiment of this disclosure.

[0040] As shown in Figure 8, the main difference between the transformer structure 200 in this embodiment and the transformer structure 100 in Figures 1 to 7 is that the frame unit F of the transformer structure 200 in this embodiment only includes the first support F1 and the second support F2, wherein the first support F1 and the second support F2 do not contact each other and are separated by a distance in the Y-axis direction.

[0041] As can be seen from Figure 8, a accommodating space F0 is formed between the first bracket F1 and the second bracket F2 to accommodate the coil unit C and the iron core unit M. In addition, multiple conductive elements P are embedded on the first bracket F1 and the second bracket F2 respectively to electrically connect the coil unit C and the circuit board B.

[0042] As mentioned above, since at least a portion of the accommodating space F0, the core unit M, and the coil unit C in this embodiment will be located within the opening B0 of the circuit board B after assembly, the overall thickness of the transformer structure 200 and the circuit board B in the Z-axis direction can be significantly reduced, thereby helping to achieve product thinning.

[0043] Please refer to Figures 9 and 10 together, where Figure 9 shows an exploded view of the transformer structure 300 and circuit board B before they are combined according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, and Figure 10 shows a side view of the transformer structure 300 and circuit board B after they are combined.

[0044] As shown in Figures 9 and 10, the main difference between the transformer structure 300 in this embodiment and the transformer structure 100 in Figures 1 to 7 is that the second end P2 of the conductive element P in the transformer structure 300 is connected to the upper surface of the circuit board B by surface mount technology (SMT). In other words, the second end P2 of the conductive element P does not pass through the circuit board B, which can greatly improve the yield and reliability of the transformer structure 300 and the circuit board B during assembly, and also helps to further achieve the thinning of the product.

[0045] While the embodiments and advantages of this disclosure have been presented above, it should be understood that anyone skilled in the art can make modifications, substitutions, and refinements without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure. Furthermore, the scope of protection of this disclosure is not limited to the processes, machines, manufacturing methods, material compositions, apparatuses, methods, and steps described in the specific embodiments of the specification. Anyone skilled in the art can understand from the content disclosed in this disclosure that current or future developed processes, machines, manufacturing methods, material compositions, apparatuses, methods, and steps can be used according to this disclosure as long as they can perform substantially the same function or obtain substantially the same results in the embodiments described herein. Therefore, the scope of protection of this disclosure includes the aforementioned processes, machines, manufacturing methods, material compositions, apparatuses, methods, and steps. Additionally, each claim constitutes an individual embodiment, and the scope of protection of this disclosure also includes combinations of various claim claims and embodiments.

[0046] Although this disclosure has been presented above with reference to preferred embodiments, it is not intended to limit this disclosure. Any person skilled in the art may make some modifications and refinements without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure. Therefore, the scope of protection of this disclosure shall be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A transformer structure, provided on a circuit board, wherein, The circuit board has an opening, and the transformer structure includes: A frame unit is disposed on the circuit board, wherein the frame unit has an accommodating space, and at least a portion of the accommodating space is located in the opening; A coil unit is disposed in the accommodating space, wherein at least a portion of the coil unit is located within the opening; A core unit is disposed in the receiving space and passes through the coil unit, wherein at least a portion of the core unit is located within the opening; and At least one conductive element is disposed in the frame unit and electrically connected to the coil unit and the circuit board.

2. The transformer structure of claim 1, wherein, The conductive element has a first end and a second end. The first end is electrically connected to the coil unit, and the second end is electrically connected to the circuit board. When viewed along a central axis of the core unit, the first end is located inside the opening, and the second end is located outside the opening.

3. The transformer structure of claim 2, wherein, The position of the first end in the direction of the central axis is higher than the position of the second end in the direction of the central axis.

4. The transformer structure of claim 2, wherein, The second end passes through the circuit board.

5. The transformer structure of claim 2, wherein, The second end is connected to the circuit board using surface mount technology.

6. The transformer structure of claim 2, wherein, The transformer structure also includes multiple conductive components, and the frame unit has a first support and a second support, wherein the multiple conductive components are respectively disposed on the first support and the second support.

7. The transformer structure of claim 6, wherein, The frame unit also has two connecting parts that connect the first bracket and the second bracket, and the first bracket, the second bracket and the multiple connecting parts surround the accommodating space.

8. The transformer structure of claim 7, wherein, The space is cruciform in shape.

9. The transformer structure of claim 6, wherein, The first support and the second support are separated by a distance.

10. The transformer structure of claim 2, wherein, The coil unit comprises multiple circuit board coils, flat copper wires, enameled wires, or combinations thereof arranged along the central axis.

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