Air-core inductor assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11621124-B2
Application number	US-201816769505-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 3, 2018
Priority date	Dec 7, 2017
Publication date	Apr 4, 2023
Grant date	Apr 4, 2023

Abstract

Modern X-ray generators are required to deliver a peak power between 30 kW and 120 kW. This requirement places demanding constraints on the design of the power inverters used to supply such X-ray generators, at the same time that there exist industry incentives to reduce the size of X-ray generators. An trend towards increased frequencies of switching operation in the power stage of modern X-ray generators makes it possible to use air-core inductors, rather than magnetic-core inductors. This application discusses an air-core inductor assembly having an integral current sensor. According to this application, a current sensor can be more accurately provided, which does not drift in position over time, and in a way which reduces the overall bill of materials.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An air-core inductor assembly, comprising:
a printed circuit board comprising a current sensor; and
a portion of a first air-core inductor coil mounted on the printed circuit board,
wherein the current sensor is formed integrally with the printed circuit board, and wherein the portion of the first air-core inductor coil is arranged in proximity to the current sensor to provide an electromagnetic coupling in use in order to enable the current sensor to provide a measurement of the flux present in the first air-core inductor coil.

2. The air-core inductor assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the current sensor is formed from a printed circuit board trace.

3. The air-core inductor assembly according to claim 2 , wherein the printed circuit board trace forms at least one of a loop, a spiral, and a square spiral track inside a portion of the printed circuit board defined by an outer diameter of the portion of the first air-core inductor coil.

4. The air-core inductor assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the printed circuit board trace forms at least one of a loop, a spiral, and a square spiral track outside a portion of the printed circuit board defined by an outer diameter of the portion of the first air-core inductor coil until a terminal diameter, such that the current sensor provides an electromagnetic coupling to portions on an outer side of the portion of the first air-core inductor coil.

5. The air-core inductor assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the printed circuit board further comprises a through-hole inside a portion of the printed circuit board defined by an outer diameter of the portion of the first air-core inductor coil, and wherein a wire connection of the first air-core inductor coil is routed via the through-hole to an opposite side of the printed circuit board.

6. The air-core inductor assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the printed-circuit board is a multiple-layer printed circuit board, wherein the current sensor is formed from a plurality of printed circuit board traces located on a plurality of the multiple layers, and wherein the printed circuit board traces are connected in a series or parallel configuration using printed circuit board vias between the layers.

7. The air-core inductor assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a second air-core inductor coil disposed on the opposite side of the printed circuit board to the first air-core inductor coil, and being in alignment with the first air-core inductor coil to enable a flux coupling between the first air-core inductor coil and second air-core inductor coil.

8. The air-core inductor assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a first coil support on the printed circuit board, wherein the first air-core inductor coil is supported on the first coil support.

9. A method for manufacturing an air-core conductor assembly, comprising:
manufacturing a printed circuit board having a current sensor formed integrally with the printed circuit board; and
providing a portion of a first air-core inductor coil mounted on the printed circuit board, wherein the portion of the first air-core inductor coil is arranged in proximity to the current sensor to enable the current sensor to provide a measurement of flux present in the first air-core inductor coil.

10. The air-core inductor assembly according to claim 7 , wherein the first air-core inductor assembly and the second air core assembly form a resonant multi-stage filter.

11. The air-core inductor assembly according to claim 10 , wherein the first air-core inductor assembly is connectable in series with a load element and the second air-core inductor assembly is connectable in parallel with the load element to enable a complex power metric to be calculated based on a measurement of flux.

Assignees

• Koninklijke Philips Nv

Inventors

• Sattel Timo Frederik

Classifications

• H01F38/28

  Current transformers · CPC title

• G01R19/0092

  Measuring current only · CPC title

• G01R15/181

  using coils without a magnetic core, e.g. Rogowski coils · CPC title

• H01F38/30 Primary

  Constructions · CPC title

• H01F2038/305

  with toroidal magnetic core · CPC title