Stacked Inductor with Segmented Windings for Light-Load Efficiency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional stacked inductors fail to optimize inductance characteristics across varying load conditions, leading to inefficiencies in both light-load and full-load scenarios.
Innovation Solution
A stacked inductor design featuring a conductive frame, ferromagnetic cores, and non-ferromagnetic members, where the cores are magnetically connected and the members' thickness can be adjusted to control inductance, enhancing inductance at light loads while maintaining stability at full loads.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If conventional stacked inductor design is used, then inductance is maintained at full load, but inductance is insufficient at light load leading to efficiency loss
Solution Approach 1:
The inductor is divided into multiple independent winding layers (first winding layer, second winding layer, third winding layer) with different turn counts. This segmentation allows each layer to contribute differently to the total inductance based on load conditions, enabling higher effective inductance at light load while maintaining stability at full load.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the winding structure are assigned different properties - the first winding layer has more turns for light-load operation, while subsequent layers have fewer turns for full-load operation. This local differentiation in winding density and turn count optimizes performance across varying load conditions.
2Use of energy by moving object
If inductance is increased for light load efficiency, then efficiency improves, but transient performance deteriorates due to excessive inductance at full load
Solution Approach 1:
The inductor structure enables dynamic inductance characteristics that adapt to load conditions. At light load, the magnetic flux utilizes more winding turns providing higher inductance for efficiency. At full load, saturation effects and the distributed winding structure effectively reduce the inductance, improving transient response without requiring active control mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a single-layer inductor to a multi-layer vertical stacking architecture. This dimensional change allows independent optimization of winding parameters in each layer, creating a composite inductance characteristic that balances light-load efficiency and full-load transient performance across the vertical dimension.
3Reliability
If multi-layer winding structure is implemented, then inductance characteristics are optimized, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple winding layers are merged into a single integrated inductor component with shared magnetic core and compact vertical stacking. This combining approach achieves optimized inductance characteristics through multi-layer construction while maintaining a unified structure that minimizes overall complexity compared to separate inductor components.
Solution Approach 2:
The winding layers are nested vertically one above another, with each subsequent layer positioned to utilize the magnetic flux from previous layers. This nesting arrangement achieves complex multi-layer inductance optimization within a compact footprint, reducing the space and structural complexity required compared to lateral expansion designs.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design achieves higher inductance at light loads, boosting efficiency and maintaining inductance stability at full loads, thereby improving transient performance and reducing core losses.
Implementation Method 1
the upper core, the intermediate core, and the lower core are magnetically connected together
Implementation Method 2
an upper core including a bottom groove; an intermediate core; a lower core including a top groove
Implementation Method 3
the members' thickness can be adjusted to control inductance, enhancing inductance at light loads while maintaining stability at full loads
Data Source
AI summary
A stacked inductor is provided with a conductive frame including a top surface, two side surfaces depending downward from the top surface, two spaced bottom surfaces each inward bending from a bottom of either side surface, an upper space defined by the top surface, the side surfaces, and the bottom surfaces, two vertical legs each depending downward from either bottom surface, two supports each inward bending from a bottom of either leg, and a lower space defined by the bottom surfaces, the legs, and the supports; an upper core including a bottom groove; an intermediate core; and a lower core including a top groove. The bottom groove is on the top surface, the intermediate core is in the upper space, the lower core is in the lower space and supported by the supports. The upper, intermediate, and lower cores are magnetically connected together.