FLEXIBLE FOLDING PRINTED INTERCONNECT FOR REDUCING SIZE OF A SURFACE MOUNTABLE MAGNETIC COMPONENT FOR MEDICAL IMPLANTABLE DEVICES

Abstract

A transformer assembly has an electrical transformer with a wound coil. The coil includes at least one primary wire with two ends, and at least one secondary wire with two ends. The wires are wound to form at least one primary winding and at least one secondary winding of the transformer. A substrate is provided for carrying the transformer. The substrate includes a main part and at least one outer part. The main part carries the transformer and the at least one outer part of the substrate is hinged to the main part and is pivoted towards the transformer. There is also described a method for producing a transformer assembly.

Claims

1. A transformer assembly, comprising: an electrical transformer having a wound coil, said coil including at least one primary wire having two ends and at least one secondary wire having two ends, said primary wire being wound to form at least one primary winding of said transformer and said secondary wire being wound to form at least one secondary winding of said transformer; a substrate having a main part and at least one outer part, said main part carrying said transformer and said at least one outer part of said substrate being hinged to said main part and pivoted towards said transformer; wherein each of said two ends of said at least one primary wire and each of said two ends of said at least one secondary wire is electrically connected to a respectively assigned primary or secondary contact formed on said at least one outer part of said substrate.

2. The transformer assembly according to claim 1, wherein said at least one outer part of said substrate comprises a contact device assigned to each primary or secondary contact of said at least one outer part for electrically contacting a respective said end of said at least one primary wire and/or for electrically contacting a respective said end of said at least one secondary wire.

3. The transformer assembly according to claim 1, wherein each of said main part and at least one outer part of said substrate is a printed circuit board, and wherein said at least one outer part is hinged to said main part via a flexible member.

4. The transformer assembly according to claim 1, wherein said at least one outer part of said substrate is pivoted towards said transformer, with said at least one outer part enclosing an angle in a range from 80 to 100 with said main part of said substrate.

5. The transformer assembly according to claim 1, wherein a respective conductor extends from each primary and secondary contact of said at least one outer part of said substrate to associated first and second contacts arranged on said main part of said substrate, wherein the respective said first contacts on said main part of said substrate are configured for making electrical contact with said at least one primary wire and/or the respective said second contacts on said main part of said substrate are configured for making electrical contact with said at least one secondary wire.

6. The transformer assembly according to claim 5, wherein said first and second contacts of said main part of said substrate are arranged on a bottom side of said main part, facing away from said transformer.

7. The transformer assembly according to claim 5, wherein said first and second contacts of said main part of said substrate are formed as Land Grid Array or Ball Grid Array or pins.

8. The transformer assembly according to claim 1, wherein said transformer assembly comprises at least one retention element for connecting said wound coil to said at least one outer part of said substrate so as to maintain a pivoted state of said at least one outer part.

9. The transformer assembly according to claim 1, wherein said transformer assembly comprises an external clip member to maintain a pivoted state of said at least one outer part of said substrate.

10. The transformer assembly according to claim 1, wherein said transformer comprises a core.

11. The transformer assembly according to claim 10, wherein said core is a magnetic core.

12. The transformer assembly according to claim 1, wherein said at least one primary wire and said at least one secondary wire are wound on a bobbin to form said at least one primary winding and said at least one secondary winding of the transformer of said wound coil.

13. A method for producing a transformer assembly according to claim 1, the method comprising: providing an electrical transformer with a wound coil, the wound coil having at least a primary wire with two ends, and at least one secondary wire with two ends, and the wires being wound to form at least one primary winding and at least one secondary winding of the transformer; providing a substrate for carrying the transformer, the substrate having a main part and at least one outer part hinged to the main part; arranging the transformer on the main part of the substrate; pivoting the at least one outer part of the substrate upwards and towards the transformer; and electrically connecting each end of the at least one primary wire and each end of the at least one secondary wire to an associated contact on the at least one outer part of the substrate.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0042] FIG. 1 shows a lateral view of a transformer assembly according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

[0043] FIG. 2 shows a top view of the transformer assembly of FIG. 1;

[0044] FIG. 3 shows a plan view onto a bottom side of a main part of a substrate of the transformer assembly shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

[0045] FIG. 4 shows a lateral view of a pivotable second part of the substrate of the transformer assembly;

[0046] FIG. 5 shows a lateral view of a pivotable first part of the substrate of the transformer assembly; and

[0047] FIGS. 6 to 11 show a process of producing the assembly shown in FIGS. 1 to 5.

[0048] FIG. 12 shows a lateral view of a transformer assembly according to a further embodiment of the present invention;

[0049] FIG. 13 shows a top view of the transformer assembly of FIG. 12;

[0050] FIG. 14 shows a plan view onto a bottom side of a main part of a substrate of the transformer assembly shown in FIGS. 12 and 13.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0051] Referring now to the figures of the drawing in detail and first, particularly, to FIG. 1 thereof, and in conjunction with FIGS. 2-5, there is shown a transformer assembly 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The assembly 1 comprises an electrical transformer 2 which comprises a bobbin 3 and particularly a core 9 that may be formed of, or comprises, a material such as iron, ferrite, silicon steel or another suitable material. The transformer 2 further comprises at least one primary wire 100 with two ends 101, 102, and at least one secondary wire 200 with two ends 201, 202. Particularly, the transformer 2 may comprise any number and configuration of primary and secondary windings. In the following, for the sake of simplicity, only one primary and one secondary wire 100, 200 are described, which wires are wound on the bobbin 3 to form corresponding primary and secondary windings 10, 20.

[0052] Further, for carrying the transformer 2, the assembly 1 comprises a substrate 4, e.g. a printed circuit board (PCB), wherein the substrate 4 comprises a main part 40 which carries the transformer 2 as well as a first and a second outer part 41, 42, which outer parts 41, 42 of the substrate 4 are hinged to the main part 40 and are pivoted towards the transformer 2 as shown e.g. in FIG. 1, such that the outer parts 41, 42 of the substrate 4 enclose an angle in the range of e.g. 85 to 95 with the main part 40 of the substrate 4. Particularly, for allowing pivoting of the outer parts 41, 42 of the substrate 4 towards the transformer 2, the outer parts 41, 42 are connected to the main part 40 of the substrate 4 via flexible members 6 serving as hinges, respectively.

[0053] Due to this pivoted arrangement of the outer parts 41, 42 of the substrate 4, each end 101, 102 of the at least one primary wire 100 as well as each end 201, 202 of the at least one secondary wire 200 can be electrically connected with corresponding primary contacts 411, 412, and secondary contacts 421, 422 (cf. e.g. FIGS. 2, 4 and 5) of the first and second outer part 41, 42 of the substrate 4 without routing them longer distances, since the pivotable outer parts 41, 42 of the substrate directly face the transformer 2 and the wire ends 101, 102, 201, 202 protruding from the transformer 2.

[0054] Particularly, as shown particularly in FIGS. 4 and 5 the first part 41 of the substrate 4 comprises contact devices in form of a slot 5 assigned to each primary contact 411, 412 of the first part 41 of the substrate 4 for receiving the respective end 101, 102 of the at least one primary wire 100, while the second part 42 of the substrate 4 comprises contact devices in form of a slot 5 assigned to each secondary contact 421, 422 of the second part 42 of the substrate 4 for receiving the respective end 201, 202 of the at least one secondary wire 200.

[0055] Particularly each of said parts 40, 41, 42 of the substrate 4 may be formed as a printed circuit board (PCB), wherein the first outer part 41 is hinged to the main part 40 via a flexible member 6 (e.g. a flex PCB), and wherein the second outer part 42 is hinged to the main part 40 via a flexible member 6 (e.g. a flex PCB).

[0056] Particularly, as further shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, a conductor 71, 72 extends from each primary contact 411, 412 of the first outer part 41 of the substrate 4 to an associated first contact arranged 401, 402 on the main part 40 of the substrate 4, wherein the respective first contact 401, 402 arranged on the main part 40 of the substrate 4 is configured for making electrical contact with the at least one primary wire 100. Likewise a conductor 73, 74 extends from each secondary contact 421, 422 of the second outer part 42 of the substrate 4 to an associated second contact 403, 404 arranged on the main part 40 of the substrate 4, wherein the respective second contact 403, 404 arranged on the main part 40 of the substrate 4 is configured for making electrical contact with the at least one secondary wire 200.

[0057] Particularly, as further indicated in FIG. 3, the set of contacts comprising first and second contacts 401, 402, 403, 404 of the main part 40 of the substrate 4 are arranged on a bottom side 40b of the main part 40, which bottom side 40b faces away from the transformer 2. Particularly, the first and second contacts 401, 402, 403, 404 of the main part 40 of the substrate 4 are formed as LGA or BGA pads and are arranged insulated from the transformer 2.

[0058] Optionally, as indicated in FIG. 1 the transformer assembly 1 may comprise a first retention element 81 for connecting the bobbin 3 to the first outer part 41 of the substrate 4 as well as a second retention element 82 for connecting the bobbin 3 to the second outer part 42 of the substrate 4. Such retention elements 81, 82 particularly serve for maintaining the pivoted state of the first and second outer part 41, 42. Alternatively, a separate clip member 83 (indicated by a dashed line in FIG. 1) may be used to maintain said pivoted state.

[0059] In addition to the outer parts 41 and 42, additional outer parts may be arranged so that after pivoting these additional outer parts the transformer 2 is at least laterally completely encased, preferred completely laterally and on top encased.

[0060] Furthermore, FIGS. 6 to 11 show an exemplary embodiment of the method according to the first embodiment of the present invention for producing/wiring a transformer assembly 1.

[0061] Here, as shown in FIG. 6, the transformer 2 (having e.g. a bobbin 3, a core 9, and at least a primary and a secondary wire 100, 200 forming a primary and secondary winding 10, 20) may be mounted with a suitable process, which is not part of the invention, to a main part 40 of a substrate 4 of the transformer assembly 1, wherein the main part 40 and the pivotable first and second outer part 41, 42 of the substrate 4 are initially arranged in a flat configuration.

[0062] The wire ends 101, 102, 201, 202 are preferably arranged such that they extend upwards and do not interfere with the outer parts 41, 42 when the latter are folded upwards and towards the transformer 2 (cf. FIGS. 6 and 7).

[0063] The outer parts 41, 42 of the substrate 4 are then folded upwards and towards one another/towards the transformer 2 as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. Then, as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 the electrical connections between the first wire ends 101, 102 and the contact devices in form of a slot 5, assigned to the primary contacts 411, 412, as well as between the first wire ends 201, 202 and the contact devices in form of a slot 5, assigned to the secondary contacts 421, 422 are established (see also above). The wire ends 101, 102, 201, 202 may be soldered to the respective contacts 411, 412, 421, 422.

[0064] FIG. 12 shows in conjunction with FIGS. 13 and 14 a transformer assembly 1 according to a further embodiment of the present invention. For all elements, which are identical and/or have the same function as the first embodiment, the references are used accordingly. These functions and elements have been already described and will not be addressed in detail in the description of this further embodiment. Like the first embodiment the assembly 1 comprises an electrical transformer 2 which comprises a bobbin 3 and particularly a core 9 that may be formed out of or comprises a material such as iron, ferrite, silicon steel or another suitable material.

[0065] The transformer 2 in this further embodiment is carried by a substrate 4, e.g. a printed circuit board (PCB), wherein the substrate 4 comprises a main part 40 which carries the transformer 2 as well as one outer part 41, which outer part 41 of the substrate 4 is hinged to the main part 40 and is pivoted towards the transformer 2 as shown e.g. in FIG. 12, such that the outer part 41 of the substrate 4 enclose an angle in the range of e.g. 75 to 105 with the main part 40 of the substrate 4. The outer part 41 is connected to the main part 40 of the substrate 4 via flexible members 6 serving as hinges, respectively. The transformer 2 further comprises at least one primary wire 100 comprising two ends 101 and 102 (FIG. 13), and at least one secondary wire 200 comprising two ends 201, 202. Because of this unilaterally arranged outer part 41 of the substrate 4, both the at least one primary wire 100 as well as the at least one secondary wire 200 have to be fed out the transformer unilaterally, i.e. the side, where the outer part 41 of the substrate 4 is pivoted towards the transformer 2. Each end 101, 102 of the at least one primary wire 100 as well as each end 201, 202 of the at least one secondary wire 200 can be electrically connected with corresponding primary contacts 411, 412, and secondary contacts 421, 422 (cf. e.g. FIGS. 13 and 14) of outer part 41, which is again possible, because the pivotable outer part 41 of the substrate 4 directly faces the transformer 2 and the wire ends 101, 102, 201, 202 protruding from the transformer 2. The primary contacts 411, 412 and secondary contacts 421, 422 are configured similarly than already described in respect to FIGS. 4 and 5 of the first embodiment above.

[0066] Particularly each of said parts 40 and 41 of the substrate 4 may be formed as a printed circuit board (PCB), wherein the first outer part 41 is hinged to the main part 40 via a flexible member 6 (e.g. a flex PCB).

[0067] Particularly, as further shown in FIG. 14, a conductor 71, 72 extends from each primary contact 411, 412 of the first outer part 41 of the substrate 4 to an associated first contact arranged 401, 402 on the main part 40 of the substrate 4, wherein the respective first contact 401, 402 arranged on the main part 40 of the substrate 4 is configured for making electrical contact with the at least one primary wire 100. Likewise a conductor 73, 74 extends from each secondary contact 421, 422 of the outer part 41 of the substrate 4 to an associated second contact 403, 404 arranged on the main part 40 of the substrate 4, wherein the respective second contact 403, 404 arranged on the main part 40 of the substrate 4 is configured for making electrical contact with the at least one secondary wire 200.

[0068] Particularly, as further indicated in FIG. 14, the set of contacts comprising first and second contacts 401, 402, 403, 404 of the main part 40 of the substrate 4 are arranged on a bottom side 40b of the main part 40, which bottom side 40b faces away from the transformer 2. Particularly, the first and second contacts 401, 402, 403, 404 of the main part 40 of the substrate 4 are formed as LGA or BGA pads and are arranged electrically insulated from the transformer 2.

[0069] Optionally, as already indicated in FIG. 1, the transformer assembly 1 of this further embodiment may also comprise at least one retention element for securing the bobbin 3 to the outer part 41 of the substrate 4 Such at least one retention elements particularly serve for maintaining the pivoted state of the outer part 41.

[0070] All additional configurations of the first embodiments, which are not already mentioned relating to the further embodiment, may be combined in addition.

[0071] Furthermore, the method for producing/wiring a transformer assembly 1 according to the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 6 to 11 applies to the further embodiment accordingly.

[0072] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that numerous modifications and variations of the described examples and embodiments are possible in light of the above teaching. The disclosed examples and embodiments are presented for purposes of illustration only. Other alternate embodiments may include some or all of the features disclosed herein. Therefore, it is the intent to cover all such modifications and alternate embodiments as may come within the true scope of this invention.