Quasi-planar transformer construction
A magnetic core for use with a printed circuit board transformer can include one or more inside corners of the magnetic core formed to include a curved channel that serves as a strain relief and facilitates positioning a printed circuit board within a core window defined by the core. The magnetic core can be an E-core. A center post of the E-core can define a notch configured to receive a complementary tab of a printed circuit board of the printed circuit board transformer. A center post of the E-core can be shorter than outside legs of the E-core, so that when assembled with an I-core a resulting core has an air gap. The core can be made of a ferrite material. A printed circuit board transformer can include a printed circuit board having one or more turns of a conductive trace disposed thereon and a magnetic core as described above.
1 . A magnetic core for use with a printed circuit board transformer, wherein one or more inside corners of the magnetic core include a strain relief comprising a curved channel, wherein the curved channel further facilitates positioning a printed circuit board within a core window defined by the magnetic core; wherein the magnetic core is an E-core and a center post of the E-core defines a notch configured to receive a complementary tab of the printed circuit board.
2 . The magnetic core of claim 1 wherein a center post of the E-core is shorter than outside legs of the E-core so that when assembled with an I-core a resulting core has an air gap.
3 . The magnetic core of claim 1 wherein the core is made of a ferrite material.
4 . A printed circuit board transformer comprising:
a printed circuit board having one or more turns of a conductive trace disposed thereon; and
a magnetic core wherein one or more inside corners include a strain relief comprising a curved channel that further facilitates positioning the printed circuit board within a core window defined by the magnetic core;
wherein the magnetic core is an E-core and a center post of the E-core defines a notch configured to receive a complementary tab of the printed circuit board.
5 . The printed circuit board transformer of claim 4 wherein a center post of the E-core is shorter than outside legs of the E-core so that when assembled with an I-core a resulting core has an air gap.
6 . The printed circuit board transformer of claim 4 wherein the core is made of a ferrite material.
7 . A printed circuit board transformer comprising a printed circuit board and a magnetic core, wherein:
the printed circuit board includes:
one or more turns of a conductive trace disposed thereon;
an opening for a center leg of the magnetic core;
a slot along an inner profile of the printed circuit board corresponding to the opening, the slot allowing a wire to pass therethrough; and
a tab including one or more vias connecting different layers of the printed circuit board; and
the magnetic core is an E-core made of a ferrite material and having a center post of the E-core that is shorter than outside legs of the E-core, so that when assembled with an I-core a resulting core has an air gap, wherein:
the center post has a notch formed therein to receive the tab of the printed circuit board including one or more vias connecting different layers of the printed circuit board; and
one or more inside corners of the magnetic core include a strain relief comprising a curved channel, wherein the curved channel further facilitates positioning the printed circuit board within a core window defined by the magnetic core.