Variable inductor
US6317021A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | May 18, 1998 |
| Grant date | Nov 13, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 18, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01F2029/143
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A variable inductor with a saturable core having three legs, including a center leg and two outer legs. A control winding is wound on the center leg and two outer windings are connected in parallel and wound on the outer legs. The inductances of the windings on the outer legs vary with the current through the control winding. The current through the control winding varies the saturation level of the outer legs. In one embodiment, the inductance of the control winding is substantially constant with a change in current in the control winding. In another embodiment, the outer legs are saturated and the center leg is not saturated. Portions of the core connecting the three legs are tapered down from the cross-section of the center leg to the cross-sections of the outer legs. The invention further includes methods of varying the inductance of an inductive circuit element in accordance with a control current.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.