Multi-turn inductor and LC network and method of construction thereof

Claim 3

A method according to Claim 1, comprising: d) applying a cutting means to a second conductive sheet to cut therefrom another discontinuous predetermined pattern, forming therein another multi-turn essentially spiral-like configuration having a plurality of interconnecting regions between adjacent turns of the spiral-like configuration, which interconnecting regions also add rigidity to the thus configured second sheet forming at least one capacitor by orienting the first and second conductive sheets with respect to each other and laminating these conductive sheets to opposing faces of said sheet of dielectric material with at least one portion of the conductive paths on the first conductive sheet substantially aligned with at least one portion of the conductive paths on the second conductive sheet, but with the aligned portions separated from each other by the dielectric sheet, and, applying said cutting means to the capacitive lamination formed by said above steps, thereby eliminating at least some of the interconnections between the adjacent spirals on each of the conductive shcets, and leaving at least one continuous portion of the conductive path on the conductive sheets which is in the configuration of a coil and in which the adjacent windings are no longer interconnected to thereby form an inductive-capacitive (LC) network.

Claim 4

A method of constructing a LC network according to Claim 2, further comprising the following steps: moving a longitudinal web of conductive material past a die cutting station, after said cutting and removing of a predetermined pattern from the first and second conductive sheets, rotating one of the conductive sheets 180 degrees with respect to an axis parallel with one leg of its outer winding, thereby affording the cutting of the second conductive sheet from the same web, with the same die cutting station.

Claim 5

A method according to Claim 1, further comprising applying said first cutting means to a first surface of said conductive metallic sheet to cut therefrom said discontinuous, predetermined pattern in which burrs resulting from said cutting extend from the opposite surface of the metallic sheet, forming a pre-laminate by laminating said first surface of the configured sheet to one surface of a sheet of a dielectric material, applying said second cutting means to said pre-laminate to cut from said pre-laminate another discontinuous predetermined pattern which includes most of the interconnecting regions between the adjacent turns, leaving in the configured metallic sheet said completed multi-turn inductor, in which burrs resulting from said second cutting also extend from said opposite surface of the metallic sheet, while leaving a plurality of interconnecting regions in said dielectric sheet to provide rigidity to said pre-laminate, and forming a final laminate by laminating a second metallic sheet to a dielectric layer overlying said first surface of said first metallic sheet, said second metallic sheet being aligned with the multi-turn inductor, the distributed capacitor thus formed by the aligned inductor and second metallic sheet and separating dielectric layer combining with the multi-turn inductor to provide a substantially planar LC network.

Claim 6

A method according to Claim 4, further comprising providing as said second conductive sheet another multi-turn inductor aligned with the other multi-turn inductor to form a distributed capacitor comprising the two aligned inductors together with the separating dielectric layer, which capacitor combines with the two inductors to provide said substantially planar LC network.

Claim 7

A method according to Claim 5, further comprising providing said another multi-turn inductor according to the steps of a) removing from said second conductive sheet a discontinuous predetermined pattern, forming therein a multi-turn, essentially spiral-like configuration having a plurality of interconnecting regions between adjacent turns of the spiral-like configuration, which interconnecting regions add rigidity to the thus configured sheets, b) forming a second pre-laminate by laminating said configured sheet to a second dielectric sheet, and c) removing from said second pre-laminate another predetermined pattern including most of the interconnecting regions between adjacent turas, leaving at least one continuous portion of the spiral-like configuration with no interconnecting regions.

Claim 8

A method according to Claim 6, comprising Corming said final laminate by directlyl laminating together said dielectric sheets.

Claim 9

U. A method according to Claim 6, comprising laminating the exposed surface of each of said configured conductive sheets to opposite surfaces of an additional dielectric layer.

Claim 10

A method according to Claim 2, further comprising the steps of a) moving an elongated web of conductive material parallel to its length past a first cutting station, b) cutting into a first surface of said web and removing a discontinuous predetermined pattern therefrom to provide said configured sheet, said burrs thus extending from the opposite surface thereof; c) moving an elongated web of a dielectric sheet material parallel to its length, adjacent one surface of the configured sheet, d) joining together the facing surfaces of said adjacent sheets to form an elongated pre-laminate, e) moving said elongated pre-laminate past a second cutting station, and f) cutting into said pre-laminate and removing another discontinuous predetermined pattern therefrom to form said multi-turn inductor extending over at least a portion of said elongated laminate.

Claim 11

A substantialLy planar multi-turn inductor comprising at least a thin, flexible conductive sheet having removed therefrom a continuouns predetermined pattern, leaving a multi-tura essentially spiral-like configuration and a dielectric sheet a first surface of which is bonded to said conductive sheet and has removed therefrom that portion thereof within a discontinuous pattern corresponding to portions of the continuous pattern removed from the conductive sheet and leaving as a part of the dielectric sheet a plurality of portions which interconnect portions of said conductive sheet remaining between adjacent turns formed by the removed portions, which interconnecting portions add rigidity to the otherwise flaccid conductive sheet.

Claim 12

A substantialLy planar multi-turn inductor comprising at least a thin, flexible conductive sheet having removed therefrom a continuouns predetermined pattern, leaving a multi-tura essentially spiral-like configuration and a dielectric sheet a first surface of which is bonded to said conductive sheet and has removed therefrom that portion thereof within a discontinuous pattern corresponding to portions of the continuous pattern removed from the conductive sheet and leaving as a part of the dielectric sheet a plurality of portions which interconnect portions of said conductive sheet remaining between adjacent turns formed by the removed portions, which interconnecting portions add rigidity to the otherwise flaccid conductive sheet.

Claim 13

An inductor according to Claim 10, further comprising a second conductive sheet bonded to the opposite surface of the dielectric sheet and having at least one portion of the multi-turn spiral-like configuration on the first conductive sheet being substantially aligned with said second conductive sheet but being separated therefrom at least in part by the dielectric sheet, the resultant three layer laminate thus forming a capacitor which in combination with said multi-turn inductor results in an inductive-capacitive (LC) network.

Claim 14

An inductor according to Claim 11, wherein said second conductive sheet also comprises a thin-flexible conductive member having removed therefrom another continuous predetermined pattern leaving at least a portion forming a multi-turn, spiral-like configuration, and wherein said conductive sheets are disposed with respect to each other on opposite sides of the dielectric sheet such that the conductive spiral-like configuration on the first sheet includes at least one area in alignment with an area of the conductive spiral-like configuration of the second sheet.

Claim 15

An inductor according to Claim 12, wherein said spiral-like configuration on the first sheet as laminated to the dielectric sheet comprise substantially rectangular legs which spiraL inwardly in the counterclockwise direction and said spiral-like confaguration on the second sheet also comprise substantially rectangular legs but which spiral inwardly in the clockwise direction when both are viewed from the same side of the resultant laminate.

Claim 16

An inductor according to Claim 10, wherein burrs such as may result from the removal of the continuous predetermined pattern from the conductive sheet extend from the face thereof opposite that face bonded to said dielectric sheet..

Claim 17

An inductor according to Claim 14, further comprising a second conductive sheet bonded to the opposite surface of the dielectric sheet and having at least one portion of the multi-turn, spiral-like configuration on the first conductive sheet being substantially aligned with said second conductive sheet but being separated therefrom at least in part by the dielectric sheet, the resultant three layer laminate thus forming a capacitor which in combination with said multi-turn inductor results in an inductive-capacitive (LC) network, and wherein said burrs are disposed away from the dielectric sheet and do not protrude into the dielectric sheet so as to avoid contacting the second conductive sheet to thereupon undesirably short out the resultant capacitor.

Claim 18

An inductor according to Claim 15, wherein said second conductive sheet also comprises a thin-flexible conductive member having removed therefrom another continuous predetermined pattern leaving at least a portion forming a multi-turn, spiral-like configuration, wherein burrs such as may result from the removal of the predetermined pattern therefrom also protrude from the face thereof opposite that face bonded to said dielectric sheet, and wherein said conductive sheets are disposed with respect to each other on opposite sides of the dielectric sheet such that the conductive spiral-like configuration on the first sheet includes at least one area in alignment with an area of the conductive spiral-like configuration of the second sheet.

Claim 19

An inductor according to Claim 16, wherein said spiral-like configuration on the first sheet as laminated to the dielectric sheet comprise substantially rectangular legs which spiral inwardly in the counterclockwise direction and said spiral-like configuration on the second sheet also comprise substantially rectangular legs but which spiral inwardly in the clockwise direction when both are viewed from the same side of the resultant laminate.