3D Stacked Power Converter Inductor for High Density
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional power converters have suboptimal performance due to high power loss and limited design flexibility, primarily due to the large size of inductors on printed circuit boards, which restricts the accommodation of more switching devices and results in inefficient power density and thermal management.
Innovation Solution
A 3D packaging structure for power converters featuring an inductor coil stacked above the circuit board with a magnetic core and a magnetic mixture encapsulation, allowing for increased winding size, improved inductance, and reduced thermal resistance, enabling higher power density and efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If inductors are placed on printed circuit boards in conventional configurations, then the power converter can be assembled with standard components, but the inductor size limits power density and restricts accommodation of switching devices
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from planar PCB mounting to three-dimensional stacking, placing the inductor coil above the circuit board in the vertical dimension. This dimensional change allows the inductor to occupy vertical space rather than horizontal PCB area, enabling higher power density without increasing the footprint of the power converter assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements nesting by placing the magnetic core inside the inductor coil, and the entire inductor assembly above the circuit board. This nested configuration maximizes space utilization by having components occupy different spatial layers, allowing the inductor to provide high inductance value while maintaining compact overall dimensions.
2Reliability
If larger inductors are used to increase inductance, then the inductance value improves, but the inductor size increases and restricts accommodation of more switching devices
Solution Approach 1:
The patent achieves high inductance values by extending the inductor coil in the vertical dimension rather than expanding it horizontally. The stacked configuration allows multiple turns of the coil to be arranged vertically around the magnetic core, providing high inductance while maintaining a small footprint area on the PCB.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a composite structure combining the inductor coil, magnetic core, and magnetic mixture. This composite inductor assembly provides high inductance density by integrating multiple functional elements in a compact configuration, achieving high reliability without increasing the overall area occupied by the inductor.
3Loss of energy
If conventional inductor configurations are used, then the design is simple and easy to manufacture, but thermal resistance is high and power loss increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent nests the magnetic core within the inductor coil and encapsulates the entire assembly with magnetic mixture, creating a compact integrated structure. This nested configuration reduces the thermal path length and improves heat dissipation efficiency, lowering thermal resistance and power loss despite the increased structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite materials including magnetic mixture encapsulation that provides both structural integrity and thermal management functionality. The magnetic mixture serves dual purposes of mechanical bonding and thermal conduction, reducing thermal resistance and power loss while the integrated composite structure manages the complexity of heat dissipation pathways.
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
This configuration enhances power density by 50% and reduces thermal resistance and power loss by 30%, allowing for more switching devices and improved thermal performance while maintaining similar packaging costs.
Implementation Method 1
a magnetic mixture that encapsulates the circuit board, the power switching circuit, the inductor coil and the magnetic core
Implementation Method 2
reduces thermal resistance and power loss by 30%
Implementation Method 3
an inductor coil that includes a winding and two ends... The winding of the inductor coil is stacked above the power switching circuit
Implementation Method 4
a magnetic core that is surrounded by the winding of the inductor coil
Data Source
AI summary
An assembly for power converting includes a circuit board, a power switching circuit mounted on the circuit board, an inductor coil that includes a winding and two ends, a magnetic core that is surrounded by the winding of the inductor coil, and a magnetic mixture that encapsulates the circuit board, the power switching circuit, the inductor coil and the magnetic core. The winding of the inductor coil is stacked above the power switching circuit and is sufficiently large to fill up a size of the assembly.