Patents by Inventor Stefan Buchhold

Stefan Buchhold has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11522494
    Abstract: An inverter for a photovoltaic system includes a substantially planar baseplate having a front and a rear, wherein the rear forms an outer rear wall of the inverter, and having at least one platform-like elevation that rises in the direction of the front of the baseplate. The inverter also includes a printed circuit board having one or more heat-generating components mounted thereon, wherein the printed circuit board is installed on the baseplate such that the one or more heat-generating components are arranged on the printed circuit board in the region of the platform-like elevation and are in thermal contact with the platform-like elevation. The inverter further includes a potting compound that fills a space on the front of the baseplate and surrounds at least partially the printed circuit board, and a cover arranged on or in the potting compound that adjoins the baseplate, so that the baseplate and the cover surrounding at least part of the potting compound form a housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: SMA Solar Technology AG
    Inventors: Stefan Buchhold, Jens Friebe, Michael Kotthaus, Ephraim Moeser, Torsten Soederberg, Thomas Wappler
  • Patent number: 11146072
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to an inverter with at least one inverter bridge and at least two galvanically isolating DC/DC converters, outputs of the DC/DC converters being connected in parallel with one another and being connected to inputs of the inverter bridge. At least two of the DC/DC converters are intercoupled on the input side via a diode, such that the diode is connected with its terminals to one of the inputs of the two direct voltage converters in each case. The disclosure also relates to a use for such an inverter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: SMA Solar Technology AG
    Inventors: Stefan Buchhold, Jens Friebe, Michael Kotthaus, Torsten Soederberg, Thomas Wappler, Ephraim Moeser
  • Patent number: 11025055
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to an inverter with at least one inverter bridge and at least two DC converters, the outputs of the DC converters being connected to inputs of the inverter. The inverter includes an exchangeable adapter having input terminals for connection to power sources or loads and output terminals connected via input terminals to inputs of the DC-DC converters. Within the adapter each of the output terminals is connected to one of the input terminals and/or another of the output terminals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: SMA Solar Technology AG
    Inventors: Stefan Buchhold, Jens Friebe, Michael Kotthaus, Torsten Soederberg, Thomas Wappler, Ephraim Moeser
  • Publication number: 20200313607
    Abstract: An inverter for a photovoltaic system includes a substantially planar baseplate having a front and a rear, wherein the rear forms an outer rear wall of the inverter, and having at least one platform-like elevation that rises in the direction of the front of the baseplate. The inverter also includes a printed circuit board having one or more heat-generating components mounted thereon, wherein the printed circuit board is installed on the baseplate such that the one or more heat-generating components are arranged on the printed circuit board in the region of the platform-like elevation and are in thermal contact with the platform-like elevation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2020
    Publication date: October 1, 2020
    Inventors: Stefan Buchhold, Jens Friebe, Michael Kotthaus, Ephraim Moeser, Torsten Soederberg, Thomas Wappler
  • Publication number: 20200301493
    Abstract: The application relates to a photovoltaic system having a photovoltaic generator, an inverter and a communication interface configured for connecting an external electrical unit. The communication interface is configured for bidirectional power interchange with the external electrical unit. The inverter can include the communication interface. Furthermore, the description relates to a method for operating such a photovoltaic system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2020
    Publication date: September 24, 2020
    Inventors: Stefan Buchhold, Jens Friebe, Michael Kotthaus, Ephraim Moeser, Torsten Soederberg, Thomas Wappler
  • Publication number: 20200136383
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to an inverter with at least one inverter bridge and at least two DC converters, the outputs of the DC converters being connected to inputs of the inverter. The inverter includes an exchangeable adapter having input terminals for connection to power sources or loads and output terminals connected via input terminals to inputs of the DC-DC converters. Within the adapter each of the output terminals is connected to one of the input terminals and/or another of the output terminals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2019
    Publication date: April 30, 2020
    Inventors: Stefan Buchhold, Jens Friebe, Michael Kotthaus, Torsten Soederberg, Thomas Wappler, Ephraim Moeser
  • Publication number: 20200136394
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to an inverter with at least one inverter bridge and at least two galvanically isolating DC/DC converters, outputs of the DC/DC converters being connected in parallel with one another and being connected to inputs of the inverter bridge. At least two of the DC/DC converters are intercoupled on the input side via a diode, such that the diode is connected with its terminals to one of the inputs of the two direct voltage converters in each case. The disclosure also relates to a use for such an inverter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2019
    Publication date: April 30, 2020
    Inventors: Stefan Buchhold, Jens Friebe, Michael Kotthaus, Torsten Soederberg, Thomas Wappler, Ephraim Moeser
  • Patent number: 9614427
    Abstract: An inverter includes a DC/AC converter, a DC intermediate circuit on the direct current input side of the DC/AC converter, multiple DC/DC converters connected in parallel to one another on the output side to the DC intermediate circuit, multiple inputs each coupled to one of the DC/DC converters, and an EMC filter connected between the inputs and the DC/DC converters. The EMC filter includes chokes in all current-carrying lines between the inputs and the DC/DC converters and filter capacitors between the inputs and the DC/DC converters leading from all the current-carrying lines to ground. The chokes in all current-carrying lines from the at least two inputs are formed by means of choke windings on a common core of a current-compensated choke.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: SMA SOLAR TECHNOLOGY AG
    Inventors: Niels Berger, Tomasz Napierala, Stefan Buchhold, Julia Pinne, Frank Rueckmann, Henrik Wolf
  • Publication number: 20150222170
    Abstract: An inverter includes a DC/AC converter, a DC intermediate circuit on the direct current input side of the DC/AC converter, multiple DC/DC converters connected in parallel to one another on the output side to the DC intermediate circuit, multiple inputs each coupled to one of the DC/DC converters, and an EMC filter connected between the inputs and the DC/DC converters. The EMC filter includes chokes in all current-carrying lines between the inputs and the DC/DC converters and filter capacitors between the inputs and the DC/DC converters leading from all the current-carrying lines to ground. The chokes in all current-carrying lines from the at least two inputs are formed by means of choke windings on a common core of a current-compensated choke.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2015
    Publication date: August 6, 2015
    Inventors: Niels Berger, Tomasz Napierala, Stefan Buchhold, Julia Pinne, Frank Rueckmann, Henrik Wolf
  • Patent number: 8213133
    Abstract: A load breaker arrangement includes first and second input terminals, respectively, and first and second output terminals. The arrangement also includes two relays connected in series with one another, wherein the two relays are coupled between the second input terminal and the second output terminal, a semiconductor switch connected in parallel with one of the two relays, and a third relay coupled between the first input terminal and the first output terminal. A control circuit, in a load breaker mode, turns on the semiconductor switch while the two relays and the third relay are closed, then opens the one of the two relays in parallel with the semiconductor switch, then opens the semiconductor switch to break a current between the second input and second output terminals, and then opens the other of the two relays not in parallel with the semiconductor switch and opens the third relay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: SMA Solar Technology AG
    Inventors: Stefan Buchhold, Sven Bremicker, Frank Greizer, Günther Cramer
  • Publication number: 20090097172
    Abstract: The subject matter of the present invention is a load breaker arrangement (1) for switching on and off a DC current of a DC current circuit in a photovoltaic plant with a semiconductor switching element (4) to avoid a switching arc, there being provided an electronic control unit (5) configured such that one or more signals are received by the control unit, and the load breaker arrangement (1) being configured such that in at least one current-carrying line of the DC current circuit there is galvanic separation by a switching contact that is automatically controllable by the control unit (5) in the switched-off condition and one or more control signals being transmitted to the load breaker arrangement (1) and a semiconductor switching element (4) interrupting the DC current so that the switching contact is de-energized, whereby the signals are flaw signals that are received in case of a flaw in the PV generator, inverter or on the AC side, the DC current circuit being automatically switched on or off by th
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Publication date: April 16, 2009
    Applicant: SMA Solar Technology AG
    Inventors: Sven Bremicker, Stefan Buchhold, Frank Greizer, Gunther Cramer
  • Patent number: 7338311
    Abstract: The object of the invention is a protective device for a load carrying apparatus for preventing or reducing an electric arc during separation of the load current carrying plug connectors (2) using a switch (7) that reduces the load current to such an extent that the load current that remains is harmless, with a protective cover (5) for the load current plug connectors (2), said cover being securable to the apparatus and making it more difficult to remove the load current plug connectors (2) as long as it is secured to the apparatus, said protective cover (5) comprising a means that is operably connected to the switch in such a manner that the load current is reduced by the switch (7) when the protective cover is removed from the apparatus, said protective cover (5) comprising electrical contacts (10) for an electrical means and for electrical connection to additional contacts on the apparatus so that the contacts (10) of the protective cover (5) are separated from the additional contacts (11) and the load cur
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2008
    Assignee: SMA Technologie AG
    Inventors: Joachim Laschinksi, Stefan Buchhold
  • Publication number: 20060077599
    Abstract: The object of the invention is a protective device for a load carrying apparatus for preventing or reducing an electric arc during separation of the load current carrying plug connectors (2) using a switch (7) that reduces the load current to such an extent that the load current that remains is harmless, with a protective cover (5) for the load current plug connectors (2), said cover being securable to the apparatus and making it more difficult to remove the load current plug connectors (2) as long as it is secured to the apparatus, said protective cover (5) comprising a means that is operably connected to the switch in such a manner that the load current is reduced by the switch (7) when the protective cover is removed from the apparatus, said protective cover (5) comprising electrical contacts (10) for an electrical means and for electrical connection to additional contacts on the apparatus so that the contacts (10) of the protective cover (5) are separated from the additional contacts (11) and the load cur
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2005
    Publication date: April 13, 2006
    Applicant: SMA Technologies AG
    Inventors: Joachim Laschinksi, Stefan Buchhold