Patent Publication Number: US-2018040947-A1

Title: Ic inductor having space for receiving electric part

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an integrated circuit (IC) inductor, and more particularly to an IC inductor including a space for receiving the other electrical parts or elements and for allowing the volume of the circuit board and the electrical facility to be suitably decreased. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Various kinds of typical inductors have been frequently formed in integrated circuits, and normally comprise a conductive coil formed around a core, and the core may be selected from an insulator or a magnetic core. Magnetic cores result in greater inductance values but are impractical to form in many types of integrated circuit. The inductance value is greatly affected by the number of turns of the coil, where the inductance value is proportional to the square of the number of turns of the coil. 
     For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,610,433 to Merrill et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,833,603 to Park et al., U.S. Pat. No. 7,564,319 to Ding et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 9,214,269 to Samala et al. disclose several of the typical inductors each also comprising a conductive coil formed around a core. 
     However, normally, the typical inductors have no other spaces or chambers available for receiving the other electrical parts or elements such that the volume of the circuit board and the electrical facility may not be suitably decreased. 
     The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional integrated circuit (IC) inductors. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The primary objective of the present invention is to provide an IC inductor including a space for receiving the other electrical parts or elements and for allowing the volume of the circuit board and the electrical facility to be suitably decreased. 
     In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided an IC inductor comprising a housing including a chamber formed therein, and including a first leg and a second leg, a first conductor attached to the first leg of the housing, a second conductor attached to the second leg of the housing, and an antenna device received and engaged in the chamber of the housing, and the antenna device including a first conductive extension engaged in the first leg of the housing and electrically connected to the first conductor, and a second conductive extension engaged in the second leg of the housing and electrically connected to the second conductor. The other electrical parts or elements may be received and disposed between the legs of the housing for allowing the volume of the circuit board and the electrical facility to be suitably decreased. 
     The housing includes a space formed therein and communicating with the chamber of the housing for defining the first and the second legs and for receiving the other electrical parts or elements and for allowing the volume of the circuit board and the electrical facility to be suitably decreased. The antenna device includes a first coil and a second coil received and engaged in the chamber of the housing, the first conductive extension is extended from the first coil, and the second conductive extension is extended from the second coil. 
     The first coil includes one or more folds, and includes one or more gaps formed therein. The second coil includes a slot formed therein. The antenna device includes at least one additional coil disposed and engaged between the first and the second coils. The additional coil is preferably parallel to the first and the second coils. The additional coil includes at least one fold. The additional coil includes a gap formed therein. 
     Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of the detailed description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a partial perspective view of an IC inductor in accordance with the present invention for attaching to a circuit board; 
         FIG. 2  is a partial exploded view illustrating the operation of the IC inductor to the circuit board; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the IC inductor; 
         FIG. 4  is a front plan schematic view of the IC inductor; and 
         FIG. 5  is a partial exploded view of the IC inductor. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to the drawings, and initially to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , an integrated circuit (IC) inductor  1  in accordance with the present invention is provided for attaching or mounting or securing to a circuit board  8  which includes a number of terminals or contacts  80 ,  81 ,  82  formed or provided thereon, and one or more electrical parts or elements  83  to be disposed or engaged onto the circuit board  8 , for example, the electrical element  83  is going to be electrically contacted or engaged with some of the contacts  82 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 3-5 , the IC inductor  1  in accordance with the present invention comprises an outer receptacle or housing  10  including a compartment or chamber  11  formed therein ( FIG. 3 ) for receiving or engaging with an antenna device  3  therein, and including a substantially cubical or parallelepiped structure or configuration having a compartment or space  12  formed therein and communicating with the chamber  11  of the housing  10  for forming or defining two limbs or legs  13 ,  14 , and two conductors  15 ,  16  attached or mounted or secured to the legs  13 ,  14  of the housing  10  respectively. 
     The antenna device  3  includes a first layer or coil  30  received or engaged in the chamber  11  of the housing  10 , a first conductive link or extension  31  extended from the first coil  30  and received or engaged in the first leg  13  of the housing  10 , and electrically connected or coupled to the first conductor  15 , and the first coil  30  includes a number of bent portions or folds  32  and a gap  33  formed therein, a second layer or coil  34  is also received or engaged in the chamber  11  of the housing  10 , a second conductive link or extension  35  extended from the second coil  34  and received or engaged in the second leg  14  of the housing  10 , and electrically connected or coupled to the second conductor  16 , and the second coil  34  includes a gap or slot  36  formed therein. 
     The antenna device  3  further includes one or more (such as two) additional layers or coils  37  also received or engaged in the chamber  11  of the housing  10 , and disposed or engaged between the first and the second coils  30 ,  34  and substantially parallel to the first and the second coils  30 ,  34 , and the additional coils  37  each may also include a number of bent portions or folds  38  and a gap  39  formed therein. The electrically connecting or coupling of the first and the second coils  30 ,  34  with the additional coils  37  is typical and is not related to the present invention and will not be described in further details. 
     In operation, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the electrical parts or elements  83  may be received or engaged in the space  12  that is formed or defined between the legs  13 ,  14  of the housing  10  for allowing the volume of the circuit board  8  and the electrical facility or electrical parts or elements  83  and the IC inductor  1  to be suitably decreased. 
     Accordingly, the IC inductor in accordance with the present invention includes a space for receiving the other electrical parts or elements and for allowing the volume of the circuit board and the electrical facility to be suitably decreased. 
     Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of example only and that numerous changes in the detailed construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.