Integrated planar magnetics and connector

Abstract

The present invention provides a magnetics substrate for implementing a coupled transformer and inductor. In one version, the transformer and inductor are used in a DC to DC converter. The transformer includes primary and secondary windings, each comprising a set of planar windings coupled to one another in series and lying on planar surfaces of layers of the magnetics substrate. These planar windings are coaxially aligned along a transformer core axis which is orthogonal to the layers, and the primary and secondary windings are magnetically coupled to one another through a transformer core positioned along the transformer core axis. The inductor includes a set of planar windings coupled to one another in series and lying on planar surfaces of the layers. These planar windings are coaxially aligned along an inductor core axis which is orthogonal to the layers and is spaced apart from the transformer core axis, and they are magnetically coupled to one another through an inductor core positioned along the inductor core axis. The magnetics substrate includes an interconnect coupling the secondary transformer winding to the inductor. It also includes terminal pads lying on a lower planar surface of the magnetics substrate and coupled to the inductor and the primary and secondary transformer windings. Each terminal pad is constructed to receive and couple to a conductive offset pin extending orthogonally from a terminal pad on an upper surface of a first substrate coupled to a first substrate circuit. The conductive offset pins position the magnetics substrate and the first substrate in a spaced apart parallel relationship and also couple the transformer and inductor to the circuit of the first substrate.