Invention Grant
- Patent Title: Functionally graded thermal vias for inductor winding heat flow control
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Application No.: US16692653Application Date: 2019-11-22
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Publication No.: US11545297B2Publication Date: 2023-01-03
- Inventor: Ercan Dede , Yucheng Gao , Vivek Sankaranarayanan , Aritra Ghosh , Robert Erickson , Dragan Maksimovic
- Applicant: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc. , University of Colorado Boulder
- Applicant Address: US TX Plano; US CO Boulder
- Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.,University of Colorado Boulder
- Current Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.,University of Colorado Boulder
- Current Assignee Address: US TX Plano; US CO Boulder
- Agency: Dinsmore & Shohl LLP
- Main IPC: H05K1/02
- IPC: H05K1/02 ; H01F27/28 ; H05K1/16 ; H05K1/11 ; H01F27/24

Abstract:
Embodiments of the disclosure relate to apparatuses for enhanced thermal management of an inductor assembly using functionally-graded thermal vias for heat flow control in the windings of the inductor. In one embodiment, a PCB for an inductor assembly includes a top surface and a bottom surface. Two or more electrically-conductive layers are embedded within the PCB and stacked vertically between the top surface and the bottom surface. The two or more electrically-conductive layers are electrically connected to form an inductor winding. A plurality of thermal vias thermally connects each of the two or more electrically-conductive layers to a cold plate thermally connected to the bottom surface. A number of thermal vias thermally connecting each electrically-conductive layer to the cold plate is directly proportional to a predetermined rate of heat dissipation from the electrically-conductive layer.
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