Inductor devices – Coil or coil turn supports or spacers – Printed circuit-type coil
Reexamination Certificate
2001-01-31
2003-07-01
Nguyen, Tuyen T. (Department: 2832)
Inductor devices
Coil or coil turn supports or spacers
Printed circuit-type coil
C336S083000, C336S065000, C336S232000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06587025
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a side-by-side coil inductor.
Many electrical components, and electrical inductors in particular, have length and width dimensions which differ by a factor of 1.5 to 2.5 to facilitate component orientation. This is done to avoid mispositioning a square part by automated robotic assembly equipment which utilizes the size for proper orientation. In this process square components can be rotated 90° from the proper orientation. Proper orientation is important for yielding the proper electrical characteristics, and improper orientation can result in electrical defects.
Inductors are elongated conductors which can take many shapes: straight, wound in a shape such as an oval, square, round, or many other configurations. The maximum inductance from a length of wire requires it to be in the shape of a circle.
Many prior art inductors utilize an oval shaped coil pattern.
FIGS. 1 and 2
illustrate these typical prior art inductors.
Referring to
FIG. 1
the numeral
10
generally designates a typical prior art monolithic chip inductor. Inductor
10
comprises a plurality of sub assemblies stacked upon one another. A bottom sub assembly
20
includes a ferrite bottom layer
22
and a bottom coil inductor
24
printed over ferrite layer
22
. Coil conductor
24
has an outer end
26
and an inner end
28
. The bottom ferrite layer
22
includes a front edge
14
, a rear edge
16
and opposite side edges
18
.
Printed over the bottom subassembly
20
is a first intermediate subassembly
30
. Subassembly
30
includes a first intermediate ferrite layer
32
having a via hole
34
extending therethrough. Via hole
34
is registered immediately above the inner coil end
28
of bottom conductor coil
24
.
Printed over the upper surface of first intermediate ferrite layer
32
is a first intermediate coil conductor
36
having an outer end
40
. Via hole
34
is filled with a conductive filler
42
which provides electrical connection between an inner end
38
of the first intermediate coil
36
and an inner end
28
of bottom coil
24
.
Printed above the first intermediate subassembly
30
is a second intermediate subassembly
44
having a second ferrite layer
46
formed with a via hole
48
and having a second intermediate coil conductor
50
printed on the second intermediate ferrite layer
46
. Second intermediate coil conductor
50
has an outer end
52
registered above via hole
48
. Via hole
48
is filled with a conductive filler
56
registered above the outer coil end
40
of first intermediate coil
36
. Conductive filler provides electrical connection between the outer coil end
40
of the first intermediate coil
36
and the outer coil end
52
of second intermediate coil
50
. Second intermediate coil
50
also includes an inner end
54
.
Printed above a second intermediate subassembly
44
is a top subassembly
58
which comprises a top ferrite layer
60
having a via hole
62
extending therethrough and a top coil conductor
64
printed over the upper surface thereof. Top coil conductor
64
includes a first end
66
and a second end
68
. End
68
functions as a terminal and extends to the end edge of top ferrite layer
60
. First terminal
66
is positioned above the via hole
62
. Conductive filler
69
is within via hole
62
and provides electrical connection between the top terminal
66
and the inner coil end
54
of the second intermediate coil conductor
50
.
A ferrite top cap layer
70
is printed over the top subassembly
58
and covers the top subassembly
58
.
FIG. 2
illustrates schematically the typical prior art coil structure provided by the exploded view shown in FIG.
1
. The coil commences at its lower end
26
and proceeds in a helical pattern upwardly until it reaches the upper end
68
. The general configuration of the coil assembly
10
is rectangular or ovular. That is its length is substantially greater than its width. This enables a robotic assembly of the component into a circuit, and the robotic equipment can sense the rectangular shape of the assembly so as to permit it to be properly oriented within the circuitry.
However, the rectangular or ovular shape of the coils within the coil assembly detracts from the maximum inductance which can be obtained. Inductance is maximum with a circle or a square configuration.
The primary object of the present invention is the provision of an improved coil conductor.
A further object of the present invention is the provision of an improved coil inductor that utilizes the same rectangular space of prior coil inductors, but provides two circular or square coils within that space.
A further object of the present invention is the provision of an improved coil conductor which utilizes two circular or square coils in side-by-side relationship to maximize the inductance for parts of the same size.
A further object of the present invention is the provision of an improved side-by-side coil conductor which is economical to manufacture, durable in use, and efficient in operation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A side-by-side coil inductor includes a first coil comprising a plurality of conductive first coil segments positioned one above another. The first coil segments are connected together in series. A second coil includes a plurality of conductive second coil segments positioned one above another. The second coil segments are also connected together in series. The first and second coils are in side-by-side position relative to one another and are connected together in series.
According to one feature of the invention a plurality of ferrite layers alternate between adjacent pairs of the first coil layers and between adjacent pairs of the second coil layers to create an inductor body having an elongated shape with a body length greater than the body width.
According to another feature of the invention the first and second coils have approximately the same width and length to maximize their inductance. Preferably they are square or circular in configuration, but they may have other similar configurations without detracting from the invention.
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Smith Clark L.
Veik Thomas L.
McKee, Voorhees & Sease, P.L.C
Nguyen Tuyen T.
Vishay Dale Electronics, Inc.
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