Power converter and device integrating inductors in parallel of the same

This application claims priority to China Application Serial Number 201510168948.2, filed Apr. 10, 2015, which is herein incorporated by reference.

The present disclosure relates to a power technology. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a power converter and an integrated device of the same.

In recent years, miniaturization of power converter is an important trend of the development of power technology. In a power converter, magnetic components occupy a certain degree of the volume and contribute a certain degree of the loss. Therefore, the design and improvement of the magnetic components becomes very important.

In some application scenarios, such as an application with large current condition, a plurality of paths of circuits connected in parallel are used to decrease the occurrence of the ripples. In common designs of the magnetic components, in order to guarantee the unsaturation and low loss of the material, the volume of the magnetic components has to be increased to decrease the strength of the magnetic induction in the magnetic core. As a result, it is a tradeoff between persuading high efficiency and persuading high power density.

Accordingly, what is needed is a power converter and an integrated device of the same to address the above issues.

The disclosure provides a device integrating a plurality of inductors in parallel. The device includes a plurality of windings and a magnetic core structure. A number of the windings corresponds to a number of the inductors. The magnetic core structure includes a plurality of windows, wherein each window includes at least two windings coupled with each other. When a phase difference of the voltage phases is smaller than a predetermined value, voltage phases of two terminals of any two of the windings within the same window are substantially the same.

Another aspect of the present disclosure is to provide a device integrating a plurality of inductors in parallel. The device includes a plurality of windings and a plurality of independent magnetic core units. A number of the windings corresponds to a number of the inductors. Each magnetic core unit includes at least two windows, and each window includes at least one of the windings, and two neighboring windows share a part of magnetic core. When a phase difference of the voltage phases is smaller than a predetermined value, voltage phases of two terminals of any two of the windings within the same window are substantially the same.

Yet another aspect of the present disclosure is to provide a power converter. The power converter includes a plurality of power conversion circuits, a device integrating a plurality of inductors in parallel and a load. The device includes a plurality of windings and a magnetic core structure. A number of the windings corresponds to a number of the inductors. The magnetic core structure includes a plurality of windows, wherein each window includes at least two windings coupled with each other. When a phase difference of the voltage phases is smaller than a predetermined value, voltage phases of two terminals of any two of the windings within the same window are substantially the same. The load is electrically connected to the output terminals of the plurality of power conversion circuits.

Still another aspect of the present disclosure is to provide a power converter. The power converter includes a plurality of power conversion circuits, a device integrating a plurality of inductors in parallel and a load. The device includes a plurality of windings and a plurality of independent magnetic core units. A number of the windings corresponds to a number of the inductors. Each magnetic core unit includes at least two windows, and each window includes at least one of the windings, and two neighboring windows share a part of magnetic core. When a phase difference of the voltage phases is smaller than a predetermined value, voltage phases of two terminals of any two of the windings within the same window are substantially the same. The load is electrically connected to the output terminals of the plurality of power conversion circuits.

These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present disclosure will become better understood with reference to the following description and appended claims.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are by examples, and are intended to provide further explanation of the disclosure as claimed.

The disclosure can be more fully understood by reading the following detailed description of the embodiment, with reference made to the accompanying drawings as follows:

FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram of a power converter in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2A is a diagram of the integrated device used in the inductor modules in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2B is a waveform diagram of the currents corresponding to the windings in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2C is a diagram of waveforms of the winding voltages and the winding currents when the power converter operates in a continuous conduction mode in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2D is a diagram of waveforms of the winding voltages and the winding currents when the power converter operates in a discontinuous conduction mode in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 is a diagram of an integrated device used in the inductor module in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 is a diagram of the integrated device used in the inductor module in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 5 is a diagram of a part of the magnetic fluxes of the integrated device illustrated in FIG. 4 in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 6 is a diagram of the integrated device used in the inductor module in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 7 is a diagram of the integrated device used in the inductor module in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 8 is a diagram of the integrated device used in the inductor module in an embodiment of the present disclosure; and

FIG. 9 is a diagram of the integrated device used in the inductor module in an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Reference will now be made in detail to the present embodiments of the disclosure, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers are used in the drawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts.

Reference is now made to FIG. 1 . FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram of a power converter 1 in an embodiment of the present disclosure. The power converter 1 includes an inductor module 10 , a plurality of switching devices 12 a - 12 f , 14 a - 14 f and a load 16 .

The inductor module 10 is electrically connected to a parallel-connected output terminal OUT of the power converter 1 . As a result, the inductor module 10 is the output inductor of the power converter 1 corresponding to the parallel-connected output terminal OUT. The inductor module 10 includes a plurality of inductors 100 a - 100 f.

The switching devices 12 a - 12 f and the corresponding switching devices 14 a - 14 f form a plurality of power conversion circuits in parallel. The parallel-connected output terminal OUT is the output of the power conversion circuits. In the present embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 1 , each of the inductors 100 a - 100 f is electrically connected to the corresponding switching devices 12 a - 12 f and 14 a - 14 f . Take the inductor 100 a as an example, the inductor 100 a is electrically connected to the switching devices 12 a and 14 a . The inductors 100 a - 100 f are further connected to a parallel-connected input terminal In. In the present embodiment, the parallel-connected input terminal IN receives an input voltage Vin.

The load 16 is electrically connected to the inductor module 10 at the parallel-connected output terminal OUT. In an embodiment, the power converter 1 further includes other load components, such as but not limited to the capacitor 18 illustrated in FIG. 1 to stabilize the circuit.

In other embodiments, the inductor module 10 can be directly electrically connected to the parallel-connected input terminal IN to become input inductors and is electrically connected to the parallel-connected output terminal OUT through the switching devices. In the present embodiment, the power converter 1 is a direct current to direct current converter. However, the inductor module in the present application are not limited to be used in this type of power converter. The integrated inductor device can be used in any power converter device once the inductor module is included.

The inductor module 10 can be implemented by an integrated device 2 illustrated in FIG. 2A . Reference now is made to FIG. 2A . FIG. 2A is a diagram of the integrated device 2 used in the inductor module 10 in an embodiment of the present disclosure. The integrated device 2 includes a plurality of windings 20 a - 20 f and a magnetic core structure 22 .

The number of the windings 20 a - 20 f is corresponding to the number of the inductors 100 a - 100 f in the inductor module 10 illustrated in FIG. 1 . The electromagnetic process generated by the current inputted to the windings 20 a - 20 f and the magnetic core structure 22 makes the windings 20 a - 20 f function as the inductors 100 a - 100 f . In an embodiment, the windings 20 a - 20 f includes a copper sheet, a litz wire, a PCB winding, a circular conductor or a bunched conductor.

In the present embodiment, the magnetic core structure 22 includes three independent magnetic core units 220 a - 220 c . The magnetic core units 220 a - 220 c include the corresponding windows 24 a - 24 f . The magnetic core unit 220 a includes the windows 24 a and 24 d . The magnetic core unit 220 b includes the windows 24 b and 24 e . The magnetic core unit 220 c includes the windows 24 c and 24 f . The window 24 a includes the winding 20 a . The window 24 b includes the winding 20 b . The window 24 c includes the winding 20 c . The window 24 d includes the winding 20 d . The window 24 e includes the winding 20 e . The window 24 f includes the winding 20 f.

In the present embodiment, each pair of neighboring windows in the magnetic core units 220 a - 220 c share a part of the magnetic core.

In the present embodiment, voltage phases of two terminals of two of the windings within the two windows in the same magnetic core units 220 a - 220 c are substantially the same.

Reference is now made to FIG. 2B at the same time. FIG. 2B is a waveform diagram of the currents I a -I f corresponding to the windings 20 a - 20 f in an embodiment of the present disclosure. As illustrated in FIG. 2B , phases Φ a and Φ d of the currents I a and I d corresponding to the windings 20 a and 20 d in the windows 24 a and 24 d are the same. Phases Φ b and Φ e of the currents I b and I e corresponding to the windings 20 b and 20 e in the windows 24 b and 24 e are the same. Phases Φ c and Φ f of the currents I c and I f corresponding to the windings 20 c and 20 f in the windows 24 c and 24 f are the same. The combination of the windings between the windows of the independent magnetic core units is beneficial in decreasing the loss in the magnetic core units.

As a result, take the embodiment in FIG. 2A as an example, the windows 24 a and 24 d disposed in two independent magnetic cores can be integrated as a single magnetic core unit 220 a as illustrated in FIG. 2A . The windows 24 b and 24 e disposed in two independent magnetic cores can be integrated as a single magnetic core unit 220 b as illustrated in FIG. 2A . The windows 24 c and 24 f disposed in two independent magnetic cores can be integrated as a single magnetic core unit 220 c as illustrated in FIG. 2A .

Surely, in the present embodiment, the directions of the currents in two windings are the same. The windings are used in the parallel-connected input inductors or the parallel-connected input inductors at the direct current input terminal or output terminal. However, the present disclosure does not exclude the application of the windings that allows the alternating current flowing through once the phases are substantially the same.

As a result, by using the design of the integrated device 2 , two or more than two windings with the same phase can be formed in a single magnetic core unit. It is not necessary to dispose independent magnetic core units each for one of a multiple of windings. Therefore, the integrated device can shrink the size of the inductor module 10 . Since the currents of the windings in different windows of the magnetic core unit are in the same direction, the direct current fluxes in the shared magnetic core part between different windows of a single magnetic core unit cancel out when the phases are substantially the same, which is beneficial in decreasing the loss in the magnetic core units.

Reference is now made to FIG. 3 . FIG. 3 is a diagram of an integrated device 3 used in the inductor module 10 in an embodiment of the present disclosure. The integrated device 3 includes a plurality of windings 20 a - 20 f and a magnetic core structure 30 .

In the present embodiment, the magnetic core structure 30 includes three independent magnetic core units 300 a - 300 c . Each of the magnetic core units 300 a - 300 c includes corresponding windows 32 a - 32 c . The window 32 a includes two windings 20 a and 20 d coupled to each other. The window 32 b includes two windings 20 b and 20 e coupled to each other. The window 32 c includes two windings 20 c and 20 f coupled to each other.

In the present embodiment, the voltage phases of two terminals of two of the windings within the same window of the same magnetic core units 300 a - 300 c are substantially the same, i.e. a phase difference of the voltage phases is smaller than a predetermined value.

Reference is now made to FIG. 2B at the same time. FIG. 2B is a waveform diagram of the currents I a -I f corresponding to the windings 20 a - 20 f in an embodiment of the present disclosure. As illustrated in FIG. 2B , phases Φ a and Φ d of the currents I a and I d corresponding to the windings 20 a and 20 d in the windows 32 a are the same. Phases Φ b and Φ e of the currents I b and I e corresponding to the windings 20 b and 20 e in the windows 32 b are the same. Phases Φ c and Φ f of the currents I c and I f corresponding to the windings 20 c and 20 f in the windows 32 c are the same. In an embodiment, when the following conditions are met, a multiple of magnetic cores can be integrated to a single magnetic core: (1) the magnetic core includes N windows, wherein N≧2; (2) one of the windows includes M windings, wherein M≧2, the voltage phases of the two terminals of the M windings are basically the same, the voltage phase difference of the two terminals has to be smaller than a predetermined value; (3) the voltage difference of the two terminals of the windings in different windows is larger than the predetermined value mentioned above.

As a result, take the embodiments in FIG. 3 and FIG. 2B as an example, the windows 24 a and 24 d disposed in two independent magnetic cores can be integrated to a single magnetic core unit 300 a illustrated in FIG. 3 . The windows 24 b and 24 e disposed in two independent magnetic cores can be integrated to a single magnetic core unit 300 b illustrated in FIG. 3 . The windows 24 c and 24 f disposed in two independent magnetic cores can be integrated to a single magnetic core unit 300 c illustrated in FIG. 3 .

Surely, in the present embodiment, the directions of the currents in two windings are the same. The windings are used in the parallel-connected input inductors or the parallel-connected input inductors at the direct current input terminal or output terminal. However, the present disclosure does not exclude the application of the windings that allows the alternating current flowing through once the phases are substantially the same.

In an embodiment, the predetermined value dΦmax can be expressed as:

dΦ max =(360× L k ×( I max −I 2 ))/( V in ×T )

Take the windings 20 a and 20 d as an example, V in is the input voltage V in received by the parallel-connected input terminal IN in the window 32 a . L K is a leakage inductance of two of the inductor modules 100 a and 100 d corresponding to two of the windings 20 a and 20 d within the window 32 a . I max is a maximum current allowed to be passed by the switching devices 12 a and 12 d corresponding to each of the inductor modules 100 a and 100 d within the same window 32 a . I 2 is a current that flows through each of the windings 20 a and 20 d corresponding to two of the inductor modules 100 a and 100 d in phase within the same window 32 a . T is a period of a voltage or a current of the two terminals of the windings 20 a and 20 d within the same window.

In order to give a clear description of the influence of the phase difference between the windings on the winding currents, reference is now made to FIG. 2C and FIG. 2D . FIG. 2C is a diagram of waveforms of the winding voltages and the winding currents when the power converter 1 operates in a continuous conduction mode in an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2D is a diagram of waveforms of the winding voltages and the winding currents when the power converter 1 operates in a discontinuous conduction mode in an embodiment of the present disclosure.

More specifically, FIG. 2C is a diagram illustrating the influence of the voltage phase differences of the two terminals of the two windings within the same window (e.g. the windings 20 a and 20 d illustrated in FIG. 3 ) on the winding currents when switching devices 12 a - 12 f and 14 a - 14 f of the power converter 1 in FIG. 1 operate in the continuous conduction mode.

As illustrated in FIG. 2C , the voltage of one of the windings is U a and has a phase of Φ a . The voltage of the other one of the windings is U d and has a phase of Φ d . If the phase difference between the two windings is dΦ, the relation between the phase Φ a and the phase Φ d is expressed as Φ d =Φ a +dΦ.

When the phase difference dΦ is 0, the waveform of the winding current I a is the triangular wave as illustrated in FIG. 2C and has the amplitude between I L and I H . However, when the phase difference dΦ is not 0, a circulation exists between the two coupled windings and results in larger current in the inductor. The maximum of the current in the inductor becomes I H +dI, wherein dI=V in *dt/L k . As a result, dI needs to meet the condition of dI<I max −I 2 , i.e. dΦ≦(360×L k ×(I max −I 2 ))/(V in ×T). V in is the input voltage received by the inductor. T is a period of the voltage or the current of the two terminals of the windings within the same window. The waveform of the generated winding current I a ′ is influenced thereby and changes to generate an impulse having a current value up to I H +dI.

More specifically, FIG. 2D is a diagram illustrating the influence of the voltage phase differences of the two terminals of the two windings within the same window (e.g. the windings 20 a and 20 d illustrated in FIG. 3 ) on the winding currents when switching devices 12 a - 12 f and 14 a - 14 f of the power converter 1 in FIG. 1 operate in the discontinuous conduction mode.

As illustrated in FIG. 2D , the voltage of one of the windings is U a and has a phase of Φ a . The voltage of the other one of the windings is U d and has a phase of Φ d . If the phase difference between the two windings is dΦ, the relation between the phase Φ a and the phase Φ d is expressed as Φ d =Φ a +dΦ.

When the phase difference dΦ is 0, the waveform of the winding current I a is the triangular wave as illustrated in FIG. 2D and has the amplitude between I L and I H , in which the value of I L is 0. However, when the phase difference dΦ is not 0, the waveform of the generated winding current I a ′ is influenced thereby and changes to generate an impulse having a current value up to I H +dI.

As a result, by using the design of the integrated device 3 , two or more than two windings with the same phase can be formed in a single magnetic core unit. It is not necessary to dispose independent magnetic core units each for one of a multiple of windings. Therefore, the integrated device can shrink the size of the inductor module 10 . The degree of the integration of the inductor components can be increased.

Comparing the embodiment in FIG. 2A and the embodiment in FIG. 3 , the embodiment in FIG. 3 is more beneficial in shrinking the size of the magnetic core than the embodiment in FIG. 2A . In FIG. 3 , one magnetic core unit only has one window having two coupled windings. However, in the type of the embodiment in FIG. 2A , one magnetic core unit includes two windows each having only one winding. These two windings are disposed in separated windows and are not coupled. The phase difference of the currents between the non-coupled windings is not as strict as the phase difference of the currents between the coupled windings. As a result, the phase difference of the currents between the non-coupled windings is allowed to be larger. However, in order to decrease the loss of the magnetic core, the phase of the currents in the two windings in the same magnetic unit illustrated in the preferable embodiment in FIG. 2A is substantially the same.

Reference is now made to FIG. 4 . FIG. 4 is a diagram of an integrated device 4 used in the inductor module 10 in an embodiment of the present disclosure. The integrated device 4 includes a plurality of windings 20 a - 20 f and a magnetic core structure 40 .

In the present embodiment, the magnetic core structure 40 includes three magnetic core units 400 a - 400 c . Each of the magnetic core units 400 a - 400 c includes corresponding windows 42 a - 42 c . The window 42 a includes two windings 20 a and 20 d coupled to each other. The window 42 b includes two windings 20 b and 20 e coupled to each other. The window 42 c includes two windings 20 c and 20 f coupled to each other.

In the present embodiment, the voltage phases of two terminals of any two of the windings within the same window are substantially the same. For example, the voltage phase of the two terminals of the two windings 20 a and 20 d corresponding to the window 42 a is substantially the same, and the voltage phase difference between the two terminals is smaller than the predetermined value.

In the present embodiment, the magnetic core structure 40 has shared magnetic core parts 402 a and 402 b each disposed between the two neighboring windows 42 a and 42 b and between the two neighboring windows 42 b and 42 c . The currents in the windings of the neighboring windows are in the same direction such that the directions of the direct current magnetic fluxes in the edges of the two neighboring windows are opposite. Hence, the neighboring edges of the neighboring windows can be fabricated as the shared magnetic core parts 402 a and 402 b , which is more beneficial in shrinking the size of the magnetic core structure 40 . In order to make the canceling effect of the direct current magnetic fluxes more obvious, the magnetic resistance of the shared magnetic core parts can be smaller than that of the other non-shared magnetic core parts in the same window. In an embodiment, the shared magnetic core parts include magnetic material different from the material used to fabricate the other non-shared magnetic core parts in the same window. Further, the magnetic material has a magnetic permeability larger than the magnetic permeability of the non-shared core parts. A description is made by using the magnetic core part 402 as an example. Since the magnetic core part 402 is shared by the two neighboring windows 42 a and 42 b , the magnetic core part 402 can include the magnetic material different from the material used to fabricate the other non-shared magnetic core parts in the same window 42 a . In the present embodiment, the window 42 a is fabricated by a regular geometrical pattern, which is a rectangle. Hence, the window 42 a is fabricated by four edges. The magnetic material included in the magnetic core part 402 can be different from the material used to fabricate the other three edges. Surely, the magnetic core part 402 is also a part of the window 42 b . For the same rationale, the magnetic material included in the magnetic core part 402 can be different from the material used to fabricate the other two edges of the window 42 b . Surely, the material included in the magnetic core part can be fabricated by two or more than two kinds of magnetic material once the magnetic resistance of the shared magnetic core part is smaller than the magnetic resistance of the other non-shared magnetic core parts within the same window. Comparing the present embodiment to the previous embodiment, a plurality of independent magnetic core units in the previous embodiment are used to be integrated into the magnetic core structure of a whole magnetic core, and the plurality of independent magnetic core units share parts of the magnetic cores. Reference is now made to FIG. 5 . FIG. 5 is a diagram of a part of the magnetic fluxes of the integrated device 4 illustrated in FIG. 4 in an embodiment of the present disclosure.

As illustrated in FIG. 5 , the windings 20 a and 20 d generate three magnetic fluxes 500 a - 500 c in the magnetic core structure 40 . The magnetic flux 500 a surrounds the magnetic core unit 400 a , the magnetic flux 500 b surrounds the magnetic core units 400 a and 400 b and the magnetic flux 500 c surrounds the magnetic core units 400 a - 400 c . The main magnetic flux that corresponds to the magnetic core unit 400 a is the magnetic flux 500 a.

Similarly, the windings 20 b and 20 e generate three magnetic fluxes in the magnetic core structure 40 , wherein only the main magnetic flux 502 corresponding to the magnetic core unit 400 b is exemplarily illustrated in FIG. 5 .

For the magnetic flux 500 a , the loss of the magnetic core in the shared magnetic core part decreases due to the existence of the magnetic flux 502 in the opposite direction, which is beneficial to fabricate the shared magnetic core part with an even smaller size such that the whole size of the magnetic core structure 40 can be decreased.

Reference is now made to FIG. 6 . FIG. 6 a diagram of an integrated device 6 used in the inductor module 10 in an embodiment of the present disclosure.

In the previous embodiments, three magnetic core units are used as the examples. However, in other embodiments, the magnetic core structure 60 can include four magnetic core units 600 a - 600 d or more magnetic core units as illustrated in the integrated device 6 in FIG. 6 .

Reference is now made to FIG. 7 . FIG. 7 a diagram of an integrated device 7 used in the inductor module 10 in an embodiment of the present disclosure.

In an embodiment, the integrated device 7 includes a three-dimensional magnetic core structure 70 as illustrated in FIG. 7 . In FIG. 7 , only the windows 72 a and 72 b included in the magnetic core structure 70 are exemplarily illustrated. Actually, a window (not illustrated) is disposed at a side opposite to the window 72 a , and another window (not illustrated) is disposed at a side opposite to the window 72 b . A surface formed by each of the windows has a corresponding axis, such as the axis A and axis B respectively vertical to the surfaces formed by the windows 72 a and 72 b illustrated in FIG. 7 .

In the present embodiment, the axes of the two neighboring windows are vertical to each other. For example, the axes A and B of the windows 72 a and 72 b are vertical to each other. Moreover, and the axes of the windows on the opposite sides are parallel to each other. For example, the axis A of the window 72 a and the axis (not illustrated) of the window in opposite to the window 72 a are parallel to each other. Actually, when the integrated device 7 is a symmetrical cubic, the axes of the windows on the opposite sides are the same.

In the magnetic core structures of the embodiments illustrated in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 , the axes of the windows of the magnetic core unit are basically parallel to each other. However, the three-dimensional magnetic core structure 70 further increases the flexibility of the usage of the space of the magnetic core structure.

Reference is now made to FIG. 8 . FIG. 8 a diagram of an integrated device 8 used in the inductor module 10 in an embodiment of the present disclosure. The integrated device 8 includes a plurality of windings 80 a - 80 f and a magnetic core structure 80 .

In the present embodiment, the magnetic core structure 80 includes three magnetic core units 800 a - 800 c . Each of the magnetic core units 800 a - 800 c includes corresponding windows 82 a , 82 b and 82 c . In the present embodiment, each of the windows 82 a , 82 b and 82 c includes different numbers of windings. For example, the window 82 a includes three coupled windings 80 a , 80 d and 80 g . The window 82 b includes two coupled windings 80 b and 80 e . The window 82 c includes two windings 80 c and 80 f.

Reference is now made to FIG. 9 . FIG. 9 a diagram of an integrated device 90 used in the inductor module 10 in an embodiment of the present disclosure. The integrated device 90 includes a plurality of windings 906 a - 906 f and a magnetic core structure 900 .

In the present embodiment, the magnetic core structure 900 includes two magnetic core units 902 a and 902 b . Each of the magnetic core units 902 a and 902 b includes corresponding windows 904 a and 904 b . In the present embodiment, the window 904 a includes three coupled windings 906 a , 906 c and 906 e . The window 904 b includes three coupled windings 906 b , 906 d and 906 f.

In the types of embodiments illustrated in FIG. 8 and FIG. 9 , when each the windows in the magnetic core units includes more than two windings, the phases of the windings within the same window are basically the same, and the phase difference between any two windings needs to be smaller than the predetermined value. The calculation of the predetermined value is described in the embodiments mentioned above. Therefore, no more detail description is made herein.

As a result, when the phase difference of the voltages between the windings within the same window is controlled to be smaller than or equal to the predetermined phase difference, the integrated device of the present disclosure can integrate a multiple of windings having substantially the same phase into a single magnetic core unit without influencing the winding currents too much. It is not necessary to dispose a multiple of independent magnetic core units each for one of a multiple of windings. Hence, the size of the inductor modules can be shrunk to further shrink the size of the power converter.

Although the present disclosure has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain embodiments thereof, other embodiments are possible. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the embodiments contained herein.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the structure of the present disclosure without departing from the scope or spirit of the disclosure. In view of the foregoing, it is intended that the present disclosure cover modifications and variations of this disclosure provided they fall within the scope of the following claims.