Plural Rectifiers Patents (Class 363/67)
  • Patent number: 7888819
    Abstract: An uninterruptible power supply has first and second input terminals, first and second inductors, first and second AC switch units, first and second storing devices and a control unit. The first and the second inductors are electrically connected to the first and the second input terminals. The first and the second AC switch units are electrically connected to the first and the second inductors for conducting input currents. The control unit is electrically connected to the first and the second AC switch units which may be turned on and off thereby to control the first and the second inductors which charge the input currents and discharge the input currents to the first and the second storing devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Phoenixtec Power Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Cheng-Tan Lee
  • Patent number: 7876586
    Abstract: An 18n-pulse rectifier for AC drive systems having a separate DC bus for each output phase is provided, where n=any positive integer. The rectifier uses three separate phase rectifiers, one for each output phase of a transformer, each comprised of 2n six-pulse diode bridges connected in series or parallel. Each phase rectifier may be supplied with n unique sets of phase inputs from a transformer secondary winding. In some configurations, the n sets of inputs provided to each rectifier are separated by 60/n degrees of phase (when n is greater than 1), while the corresponding inputs to neighboring rectifiers are separated by 20/n degrees of phase. In a 36-pulse example, the phase offsets for the inputs provided to the rectifiers may be ?25° and +5° from the transformer primary winding (for the first rectifier), ?15° and +15° from the primary winding (for the second rectifier) and ?5° and +25° from the primary winding (for the third rectifier).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: Toshiba International Corporation
    Inventors: John D. Kleinecke, Mike Daskalos, Takashi Morishita
  • Patent number: 7859870
    Abstract: A power converter generates direct voltage and includes a phase-shifted PWM bridge with first and second controllable switches connected as a half-bridge with a first tap, for generating AC at the first tap. An output transformer includes a primary winding coupled to the first tap. A full-wave rectifier is connected to a secondary winding of the output transformer. A filter is coupled to the full-wave rectifier for producing filtered output direct voltage. Resonances create surges which may undesirably result in energy loss. A second transformer includes a primary winding coupled to receive the resonant surges and a secondary winding at which transformed surges appear. A second rectifier is coupled to the secondary winding of the second transformer, for rectifying the surges. The energy of the surges is returned or coupled to the source or load. In one embodiment, the full-wave rectifier is a bridge rectifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventors: Michael J. Schutten, Robert L. Steigerwald
  • Patent number: 7852643
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling cross current in an interleaved power converter system having a plurality of converter threads coupled in parallel includes collecting a feedback current from each thread and obtaining a normal current and a differential mode current for each thread, based on its respective feedback current. The normal current of each thread is regulated to a commanded thread normal current value via a respective normal current control loop based on d-q rotating frame parameters. A differential mode cross current of each thread is regulated to zero via a respective differential mode cross current control loop based on d-q rotating frame parameters; while a differential mode cross current DC offset of each thread is regulated to zero via a respective differential mode cross current control loop based on stationary frame parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Richard S. Zhang, Changyong Wang, Zhuohui Tan, Haiqing Weng
  • Patent number: 7843709
    Abstract: A rectifier circuit includes an input terminal that receives an alternating-current signal, a first rectifier circuit that generates a first direct-current voltage from the alternating-current signal, a bias-voltage generating circuit that generates a bias voltage from the first direct-current voltage, and a second rectifier circuit that generates a second direct-current voltage from the alternating-current signal biased with the bias voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Umeda, Shoji Otaka
  • Patent number: 7839664
    Abstract: An AC-DC power supply circuit utilizing an output stage configuration designed to achieve no output ripple at the power line frequency. To eliminate the ripple formed, each separate processing output stage corresponding to a respective ac voltage source phase which provides a 120 Hz ripple, is stacked, in a series connection, and due to their respective ripple phase shifts of 120° degrees, achieves ripple cancellation at the output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: Switching Power, Inc.
    Inventor: David Kravitz
  • Publication number: 20100284205
    Abstract: A voltage transforming apparatus includes a first high voltage side coil, a first low voltage side coil magnetically coupled to the first high voltage side coil, a second low voltage side coil magnetically coupled to the first high voltage side coil, and a first switch switching an externally supplied voltage between being supplied to the first low voltage side coil and the second low voltage side coil and being supplied to the first high voltage side coil. The first low voltage side coil and the second low voltage side coil are provided such that a magnetic flux that is generated by current flowing through the first low voltage side coil and a magnetic flux that is generated by current flowing through the second low voltage side coil cancel each other out when a voltage is supplied via the first switch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2008
    Publication date: November 11, 2010
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Toshihiro Noda, Tetsuya Matsuda, Hiroshi Kiuchi
  • Patent number: 7738272
    Abstract: A circuit having a first input and a second input configured to apply an alternating voltage, a first output and a second output configured to supply a rectified and regulated voltage, a rectifier bridge circuit having a current return circuit, a third transistor and a fourth transistor, and a controller configured to regulate the voltage between the first and the second output to a constant value. The current return circuit is connected to the first input, the second input and to the second output. The third transistor is configured as a series voltage regulator and is connected to the first input and the first output. The fourth transistor is configured as a series voltage regulator and is connected to the second input and the first output. The controller is coupled to a control input of the third transistor and to a control input of the fourth transistor. Further, a method for rectifying and regulating voltages of a circuit is provided. The circuit and the method can be used in a contactless chip card.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Christian Klapf, Guenter Hofer, Markus Auer
  • Patent number: 7729142
    Abstract: At least three power converters in a power distribution and power transmission system can be controlled as rectifiers or inverters and are connected together by a direct current network. A measuring direct current voltage and a measuring direct current are measured on each power converter and respectively, transmitted to the respective rectifier control and/or inverter control, and a rectifier desired direct power and/or inverter desired direct power is determined for each power converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Franz Karlecik-Maier
  • Patent number: 7715215
    Abstract: Control of an AC-to-DC power supply assembly fed by a three-phase AC source is provided by: determining whether the power supply assembly includes greater than three single-phase power regulators feeding a common load, with multiple regulators being connected in parallel across a common phase of the AC source, and if so, summing currents provided by the regulators to the common load; and ascertaining whether the summed current is less than a predefined threshold, and if yes, operating the power supply assembly in a line balance mode to maintain power drawn on the phases of the AC source in balance, and if greater than the predefined threshold, operating the power supply assembly in a maximize power mode wherein power is provided to the common load without maintaining power drawn on the phases of the AC source in balance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Frank E. Bosco, Kevin R. Covi, Anthony J. Cozzolino, Gary F. Goth, Raymond J. Harrington, Peter A. Hein, Raymond A. Longhi, Edward J. Seminaro, Peter A. Wendling
  • Patent number: 7710751
    Abstract: A plurality of pickup coils 2A and 2B are provided, resonance capacitors 3A and 3B forming resonance circuits 4A and 4B resonating at the frequency of an inductive path 1 are respectively connected in series with the pickup coils 2A and 2B, and the resonance circuits 4A and 4B are connected in series. Further, the resonance circuits 4A and 4B are respectively provided with rectifier circuits 6A and 6B for rectifying voltages generated by the resonance circuits 4A and 4B. The rectifier circuits 6A and 6B are connected in parallel and feed power to a load 10. Moreover, a switch 5 is provided to switch a connected state and an open state between the resonance circuits 4A and 4B, and a voltage controller 11 is provided to control an output voltage applied to the load 10, by controlling the switch 5.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Daifuku Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shuzo Nishino
  • Patent number: 7639520
    Abstract: The present invention is a method and system for efficiently converting an alternating current (AC) supply to a direct current (DC) output. A power supply in accordance with the present invention may employ variable frequency constant on-time converters whereby switching losses of the converters are approximately proportional with a switching frequency, causing the power supply to be more efficient at light loads. Additionally, a power supply in accordance with the present invention may include multiple-phase converters in which each phase is designed for operation at a fraction of the total maximum load for the power supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Network Appliance, Inc.
    Inventors: Zoltan Zansky, Bill Jacobsen
  • Publication number: 20090273956
    Abstract: A modular converter 30 for converting the electric power produced by aerogenerators, designed to be used within a wind-power plant, which is equipped with: input terminals 30a designed to be connected to an electric-power generator 3 of a single-phase or multiphase type; output terminals 30b; and control devices 36 for controlling the power of the electric-power generator 3. The modular converter has multiple modules 31 designed to receive on their inputs 31.1 alternating electric current and to produce on the respective outputs 31.2a, 31.2b direct electric current to be distributed within the wind-power plant, and, moreover, the control devices 36 receive a signal from the modules 31 and act on the electric-power generator 3.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2009
    Publication date: November 5, 2009
    Applicant: TREVI ENERGY S.p.A
    Inventors: Francesco Castelli Dezza, Fabio Pallotti, Gabriele Marghegiani
  • Patent number: 7613020
    Abstract: A discharge lamp ballast apparatus includes a DC/DC converter having a transformer T1 and a DC/DC converter having a transformer T2, which are connected in parallel; a control section 4 for controlling the output voltages of the DC/DC converters by varying their duties with shifting the operation phases of the transformers T1 and T2 of the DC/DC converters; and a voltage-multiplier rectifier circuit having diodes 7-9 and capacitors 10-12 for generating a high voltage used for starting a discharge lamp 22 by utilizing the potential difference between the output voltages of the transformers T1 and T2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2009
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Nukisato, Takashi Ohsawa
  • Patent number: 7551461
    Abstract: AC/DC rectifiers are vital elements in industry. Their uses include HVdc electric energy transmission, uninterruptible power supplies (UPS), electrochemical plants, railway systems, variable speed induction motors, telephone plants, etc. Regrettably, currents IA, IB and IC on the primary side of the transformer feeding the rectifier are distorted, which is penalized worldwide. Conventionally, this distortion is reduced through an apparatus connected either on the primary or secondary side of the transformer. The proposed apparatus, however, is connected on the DC side of the rectifier. It is demonstrated in a laboratory prototype that this apparatus achieves notably low distortion levels (ideally zero) in currents IA, IB and IC, at low cost and with a simple and robust control system, which is capable of handling rapid load variations. It can also be repaired on line without the need to disconnect the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2009
    Assignees: Universidad De Santiago De Chile
    Inventor: Miguel Villablanca
  • Publication number: 20080304296
    Abstract: A galvanic isolated DC-DC and DC-AC power conversion system is coupled to a plurality of DC sources which are derived from a combination of a plurality of single-phase and three-phase AC-DC converters. The DC-DC and DC-AC power conversion system in one embodiment is configured to provide mixed type outputs (mixed frequency, e.g. DC with 50 or 60 Hz, with 400 Hz; mixed voltage levels).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2007
    Publication date: December 11, 2008
    Inventors: Ravisekhar NadimpalliRaju, Richard S. Zhang, Rajib Datta, Allen Michael Ritter, Ljubisa Dragoljub Stevanovic
  • Publication number: 20080298100
    Abstract: Provided is a contactless power receiving unit which has a simple configuration, and which is capable of generating constant induced electromotive force regardless of the orientation of a power receiving coil. Multiple power receiving coils are arranged to form certain relative angles to one another in a parallel magnetic field generated by a power supply unit. A rectifier circuit is connected to each power receiving coil. An adder circuit is configured to add DC power obtained, through the rectifier circuits, from the multiple power receiving coils, and to output resultant DC power of the addition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2008
    Publication date: December 4, 2008
    Applicant: SANYO ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Koichiro ESAKA, Masaaki Konoto
  • Publication number: 20080205100
    Abstract: A synchronous rectifying drive type semiconductor circuit wherein voltages between drains and sources of power switching elements are detected, temporarily held and compared with a reference voltage. First control signals are generated for turning on the power switching elements depending on comparison result and dead times for the power switching elements are minimized by ORing first control signals and second control signals inputted at input terminals. The first control signals cause the power switching elements to be in “on” state for a constant time until the second control signals as “on” control signals arrive at the input terminals, and then the first control signals as “on” control signals are terminated before the second control signals as “off” signals arrive at the input terminals, thereby swiftly turning off the power switching elements by the second control signals arriving at the input terminals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2008
    Publication date: August 28, 2008
    Inventor: Kozo Sakamoto
  • Publication number: 20080205101
    Abstract: An 18n-pulse rectifier for AC drive systems having a separate DC bus for each output phase is described, where n=any positive integer. The rectifier uses three separate phase rectifiers, one for each output phase of a transformer, each comprised of n six-pulse diode bridges connected in series or parallel. Each phase rectifier may be supplied with n unique sets of phase inputs from a transformer secondary winding. In some configurations, the n sets of inputs provided to each rectifier are separated by 60/n degrees of phase (when n is greater than 1), while the corresponding inputs to neighboring rectifiers are separated by 20/n degrees of phase. In a 36-pulse example, the phase offsets for the inputs provided to the rectifiers may be ?25° and +5° from the transformer primary winding (for the first rectifier), ?15° and +15° from the primary winding (for the second rectifier) and ?5° and +25° from the primary winding (for the third rectifier).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2007
    Publication date: August 28, 2008
    Applicant: TOSHIBA INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: John Kleinecke, Michael Daskalos, Osamu Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20080197706
    Abstract: A 3-phase uninterruptible power supply (UPS) including first, second, and third AC/DC converters, a DC/DC converter, and at least one DC/AC converter coupled to multiple electrical buses. The first, second, and third AC/DC converters each being configured to receive AC power and to provide multiple DC signals to the multiple electrical buses. The DC/DC converter being configured to convert DC voltages present on the multiple electrical buses to a DC voltage that can be used to charge a batter. The DC/AC converter being configured to receive DC power from the multiple electrical buses and to provide an AC output. The 3-phase UPS being configured such that when suitable AC power is provided to the AC/DC converters, the DC/DC converter is configured to charge a battery, and when suitable AC power is not provided to the AC/DC converters, the DC/DC converter is configured to provide DC power to the multiple electrical buses using power provided by the battery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2007
    Publication date: August 21, 2008
    Inventor: Henning Roar Nielsen
  • Publication number: 20080198637
    Abstract: The present disclosure is concerned with a power supply system for railway traction applications including a multilevel AC/DC converter. The converter comprises a plurality of series-connected single-stage cycloconverters or direct AC frequency converters connected between an AC supply line and a traction transformer. The transformer is operable at a transformer nominal frequency below 3 kHz and above the AC line frequency. On the secondary side of the transformer, more than one parallel-connected secondary converter are provided and connected to a DC link. In case of failure of one of the secondary converters, the multilevel AC/DC converter may continue to operate with reduced power delivered by the remaining operating levels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2008
    Publication date: August 21, 2008
    Applicant: ABB Research Ltd
    Inventors: Luc Meysenc, Philippe Stefanutti, Philippe Noisette, Nicolas Hugo, Alper Akdag
  • Publication number: 20080186746
    Abstract: A power supply system (1) comprises a power brick (3) which comprises a power converter (30) arranged in a first housing (2). The power converter (30) converts an AC-mains input voltage (VM) into an AC-output voltage (VO) which has a higher frequency than the AC-mains input voltage (VM). A power supply circuit (7) supplies a DC-voltage (PVi) to an application (8). The power supply circuit (7) and the application (8) both being arranged in a second housing (6) mechanically separated from the first housing (2). A cable (5) interconnects the power brick (3) and the power supply circuit (7) to supply the AC-output voltage (VO) to the power supply circuit (7). The power supply circuit (7) comprises a rectifier circuit (RE1, RE2, RE3) which rectifies the AC-output voltage (VO) to supply the DC-voltage (PVi) to the application (8).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2006
    Publication date: August 7, 2008
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS, N.V.
    Inventor: Anton Cornelis Blom
  • Publication number: 20080175028
    Abstract: The present disclosure is concerned with the provision of the necessary power to the gate-drives controlling the semiconductor devices of a multilevel converter used in railway traction applications. A power loop with a power-loop emitter and a power-loop receptor located in different housings and connected via a power-loop conductor that is at least partially exterior to both housings is proposed. By means of a current transformer inductively coupling the conductor to the emitter or receptor, the power-loop also provides for electrical insulation between the emitter and the receptor. The fact that emitter and receptor are distant from each other offers greater flexibility in the positioning and design of the galvanic separation between the emitter and the receptor or the supplied gate-drive, respectively. In particular, the local voltages of converter levels ranging up to the supply voltage of e.g.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2008
    Publication date: July 24, 2008
    Applicant: ABB Research Ltd
    Inventors: Philippe STEFANUTTI, Nicolas Hugo, Luc Meysenc, Philippe Noisette, Alice Piazzesi
  • Publication number: 20080165553
    Abstract: An AC/DC converter system comprises an input circuit for connection to a three phase AC source. An isolation transformer comprises a set of primary windings and first and second sets of secondary windings magnetically coupled to the set of primary windings. The first and second sets of secondary windings are phase shifted by select amounts from the set of primary windings. The set of primary windings is connected to the input circuit. An AC/DC converter comprises first, second and third three phase rectifiers, the first three phase rectifier being powered by the first set of secondary windings, the second three phase rectifier being powered by the second set of secondary windings, and the third three phase rectifier being powered by the input circuit. An impedance matching inductor is electrically connected between the input circuit and the third three phase rectifier. An output circuit is connected between the AC/DC converter and a DC load.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2007
    Publication date: July 10, 2008
    Inventor: Mahesh M. Swamy
  • Publication number: 20080158921
    Abstract: The present disclosure is concerned with a multilevel converter including a transformer arrangement comprising at least two transformer units, each with primary and secondary windings and a transformer core structure. The latter are merged into one shared transformer core comprising at least one return limb that is part of the closed magnetic flux paths of the at least two transformer units. Sharing return limbs among individual transformer units, in particular when fed with primary voltage signals that have a certain phase shift between each other, helps to reduce the volume and weight as compared to an individual transformer core structure for each of the transformer units. The multilevel converter is beneficially used in railway traction applications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2008
    Publication date: July 3, 2008
    Applicant: ABB Technology AG
    Inventors: Philippe Stefanutti, Harry Zueger, Nicolas Hugo, Georges Dormia, Bernard Descollaz
  • Publication number: 20080084167
    Abstract: Power converter for receiving an input current at an input voltage and for providing an output current at an output voltage. The power converter comprises a transformer (133) having a primary (136) and at least one secondary (138) side, wherein the transformer shows a mutual inductivity Ls. The power converter further comprises at least one switching device (124a, 124b) being operated at an operating frequency ƒop at the primary side of said transformer, and a capacitor Cs at the primary side of the transformer. The capacitor forms a resonant circuit with the leakage inductivity Ls of said transformer, wherein said operating frequency, said capacitor Cs, said mutual inductivity Lm and said leakage inductivity Ls are matched such that the effective value of the output current is substantially constant with respect to variations of a load being traversed by said output current by using resonance principles and operating the power converter in a current source mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2005
    Publication date: April 10, 2008
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS, N.V.
    Inventors: Eberhard Waffenschmidt, Tom Neubert
  • Patent number: 7304867
    Abstract: A DC-DC converter of multi-output type is provided wherein a primary winding 5a is wound around core halves 5g, 5h of a transformer 5 between first and second secondary windings 5b, 5c of transformer 5 also concentrically wound around core halves 5g, 5h to form an electromagnetic sparse coupling between first and second secondary windings 5b, 5c. When on-off operation of first and second primary MOS-FETs 2, 3 generates first and second DC outputs VO1, VO2, the electromagnetic sparse coupling can reduce, attenuate or relax serge voltage induced on first secondary winding 5b.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: Sanken Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Usui
  • Patent number: 7235891
    Abstract: An apparatus for controlling the operation of power conditioners (10) for supplying the generated power to an external power system such as a commercial power system, in which power conditioners (10) are interconnected to an external power system, the power conditioners (10) are interconnected through information exchange means, at least one of the power conditioners (10) monitors the reverse power flow, and the power conditioners (10) exchange the monitor information with information of the other power conditioners (10), thereby equalizing the outputs of all the power conditioners (10). A generator (42) has armature windings (60), and an inverter circuit (13) of the power conditioner (10) provided for each of the armature windings (60) is controlled by cable or radio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2007
    Inventors: Masayoshi Tokiwa, Shinji Hibi, Kotaro Nakamura, Masao Mabuchi, Nobuyuki Toyoura, Kenichi Inoue, Katsutaka Tanabe, Yasuyuki Okoba
  • Patent number: 7170760
    Abstract: A switching power supply with clamping circuit includes a clamping circuit between a slave output terminal and a master output terminal thereof, to prevent voltage drift at the slave output terminal. The clamping circuit includes a switching circuit connected between the slave output terminal and the master output terminal, and a voltage stabilizing circuit connected between the slave output terminal and the switching circuit. When the output voltage at the slave output terminal steps up to a certain level, the voltage stabilizing circuit functions and enables the switching circuit, and therefore prevents the output voltage from climbing higher than the load requires.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2007
    Assignee: Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (Shen Zhen) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kuan-Hong Hsieh, Xiao-Guang He
  • Patent number: 7164242
    Abstract: A variable speed drive is provided having a converter to convert an AC voltage to a DC voltage, a DC link to filter and store energy from the converter, and a plurality of inverters, wherein each inverter is configured to convert a DC voltage to an AC voltage to power a corresponding load connected to the inverter The converter is electrically connected to an AC power source, the DC link is electrically connected to the converter, and the plurality of inverters are electrically connected in parallel to the DC link. Each inverter of the plurality of inverters is configured to operate substantially independently of other inverters of the plurality of inverters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2007
    Assignee: York International Corp.
    Inventors: Israel Federman, Harold Robert Schnetzka
  • Patent number: 7088061
    Abstract: A drive system powering a group of machines each fitted with a rectifying unit, wherein the inputs of the control devices of the machines' drive motors are interconnected by an electrical bus which implements a power exchange. The system enables swapping current from a power supply between motors of different machines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2006
    Assignee: Picanol N.V.
    Inventor: Walter Bilcke
  • Patent number: 7068524
    Abstract: An abnormality of a generator provided with a plurality of power supply units is easily detected. Each of the power supply units includes each of output windings L1 to L4, which are wound independently of each other around the single iron core, and each of rectifier circuits 2 to 5. The power supply units produce an integrated output power. Control means 33 to 35 control the rectifier circuits such that an output voltage agrees with a target voltage Vref. In a case where an added up power W becomes a power target value Wref, when the added up current I further increases, a power comparing section 39 reduces the target voltage Vref to prevent the rectifier circuits from outputting power. Further, when the added up current I exceeds a current upper limit ILMT, a gate pulse is stopped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2006
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshinori Nakagawa, Toshio Inoue, Kazufumi Muronoi
  • Patent number: 7019993
    Abstract: A modular design for combining piezoelectric transformers is provided for high voltage and high power conversion applications. The input portions of individual piezoelectric transformers are driven for a single power supply. This created the vibration and the conversion of electrical to electrical energy from the input to the output of the transformers. The output portions of the single piezoelectric transformers are combining in series and/or parallel to provide multiple outputs having different rating of voltage and current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Assignee: Face International Corp.
    Inventor: Alfredo Vazquez Carazo
  • Patent number: 7009853
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of the invention relate to a switched-mode power supply arrangement containing two or more switched-mode power supply transformers (T1 to TN), the primary windings (P1 to PN) of the switched-mode power supply transformers (T1 to TN) being connected electrically in series, an output voltage regulator (AR1 to AR2) being connected to each of the secondary windings (S1 to SN) of the switched-mode power supply transformers (T1 to TN), and the series circuit comprising the primary windings (P1 to PN) being connected to the output of an AC source (WQ). The switched-mode power supply transformers (T1 to TN) can include a ferrite toroidal core (RK1 to RKN), which bears the respective secondary winding (S1 to SN), the series circuit comprising the primary windings (P1 to PN) being in the form of a high voltage-isolated conductor loop (SL) passing through all of the ferrite toroidal cores (RK1 to RKN).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2006
    Assignee: ABB Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Andreas Nagel, Jochen Mast
  • Patent number: 6853568
    Abstract: The present invention proposes a new structure for a high input VRM. This structure is similar to a simple buck converter and can simplify the 48V input VRM design. In this present invention, the interleaved voltage regulator is provided. The interleaved voltage regulator includes an integrated magnetic device for performing both transformer and output choke filter function, a first switch, a second switch, a third switch, and a fourth switch, wherein the integrated magnetic device includes a transformer having a first primary winding, a second primary winding, a first secondary winding, and a second secondary winding, a first choke filter having one end coupled to a first terminal of the first secondary winding, and a second choke filter having one end coupled to a first terminal of the second secondary winding, and the other end of the second choke filter coupled to the other end of the first choke filter to form the output terminal of the isolated voltage regulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2005
    Assignee: Delta Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Wenhua Li, Zhongwei Ke, Guisong Huang, Alpha J. Zhang
  • Patent number: 6845021
    Abstract: The present invention provides a multi-output DC-DC converter which supplies an input direct voltage to a series circuit consisting of a primary winding (3a) of a transformer (3) and a switching circuit (2) to obtain first and second output direct voltages from a secondary winding (3b) of the transformer (3) via first and second rectifying circuits, wherein a switching signal of the switching circuit (2) is controlled corresponding to the first output direct voltage so that the first output direct voltage is caused to be constant, and a variable reactor (10) is inserted into the second rectifying circuit. Thus, loss of power can be reduced in a simplified configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2005
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroki Kanehira, Hiroshi Akama
  • Patent number: 6778414
    Abstract: A novel system and methodology of electrical power regulation, conditioning and distribution on an aircraft is disclosed. The system comprises an alternator adapted to directly connect to an engine on the aircraft and generate variable frequency AC power, a variable frequency AC bus coupled directly to the alternator, and at least one variable frequency AC load at low performance, coupled to the variable frequency AC bus. At least one bi-directional power converter may be coupled directly to the variable frequency AC bus and adapted to convert the variable frequency AC raw power to a fully regulated adjustable-frequency and adjustable-voltage power to control AC motors and other high performance variable frequency AC loads. A bi-directional power converter is coupled directly to the variable frequency AC bus and adapted to convert the variable frequency AC power generated by the alternator into constant frequency AC power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2004
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Jie Chang, Charles H. LeMond, Anhua Wang
  • Patent number: 6751107
    Abstract: A DC power supply device includes transformers that operate with an enhanced efficiency and can reduce the factors that generate ripples in the output voltage to make it possible to downsize the transformers and the smoothing filters of the device, reduce the loss attributable to the switching elements during its constant power output operation and also downsize the heat sink fins so that the overall dimensions of the power supply device may be reduced. The DC power supply device also comprises a pair of switching changers, two output transformers and two rectifying/smoothing sections for rectifying the respective outputs of the switching changers. Each of the two switching changers has the same switching cycle period and the striking phases of the switching elements of one of the switching changers and those of the switching elements of the other switching changer are made variable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2004
    Assignee: Shindengen Electric Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Matsuda, Shinya Ofuji
  • Patent number: 6700805
    Abstract: An electrical power supply apparatus, especially for a motor vehicle electrical system, comprising at least two power supply sources (1, 2) which are both connected between ground and a supply line, and each of which comprises at least one induced current winding and a bridge of rectifier elements (P1, P2), characterised in that one of the two said sources comprises an auxiliary bridge of rectifier elements of positive type (Paux1), the other one comprising an auxiliary bridge of rectifier elements of negative type (Paux2), with means (I; Dc1, Dc2, Dc3; Id), connected to each of the said two bridges and being adapted to be controlled for the purpose of: in a first state, connecting the two auxiliary bridges (Paux1; Paux2) in series, the rectified voltage supplied to the power supply line then being the sum of the voltages supplied by the induced current winding or windings of each of the two sources and then rectified, in a second state, blocking the connection between the two auxiliary bridges (Paux1; Paux
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2004
    Assignee: Valeo Equipments Electriques Moteur
    Inventors: Cédric Plasse, Jean-Michel Bazet, David Huart, Marcel Vogelsberger
  • Patent number: 6667893
    Abstract: A power converter controller and a method for controlling a power converter are provided. The power converter includes first and second power transformers, each having first and second primary windings and a secondary winding; and first and second switches that alternately couple primary windings of the first and second power transformers to an input power source. The power converter controller receives a feedback signal, such as a DC power output voltage from the power converter. A voltage controlled oscillator responsive to the feedback signal provides a variable frequency signal. A phase shift controller coupled to the voltage controlled oscillator provides a variable phase shifted signal responsive to the variable frequency signal. Gate drive signals are decoded using the variable frequency signal and variable phase shifted signal for driving first and second switches of the power converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2003
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy Charles Daun-Lindberg, Richard John Fishbune, Thai Quoc Ngo, Scott Douglas Strand
  • Patent number: 6642829
    Abstract: The invention relates to a high-voltage transformer consisting of conventional elements disposed in two different groups, namely positive voltage elements (1-5) and negative voltage elements (1′-5′), both types of elements being separated by a single insulating barrier (6). One of the ends of all elements has a ground level or “zero voltage” increasing progressively towards the other end in the positive voltage elements and decreasing progressively in the negative voltage elements in such a way that the elements in each group have equipotential voltages at the same level or distance from the ground level. Said structure eliminates parasitic capacitances and makes it possible to mount the elements very close to each other thereby considerably reducing size and consequently costs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2003
    Assignee: Sociedad Espanola de Electromedicina y Calidad, S.A.
    Inventor: Ángel Díaz Carmena
  • Patent number: 6639816
    Abstract: A power supply system having AC redundant power supplies and a safety device is constituted by a plurality of AC power sources, each of the AC power sources is directly coupled in series with a corresponding one of the DC power supplies which are connected in parallel for outputting a voltage, for providing an AC voltage to operate the corresponding one of the DC power supplies, a control circuit coupled between the AC power sources and the DC power supply which is not directly coupled in series with a corresponding one of AC power sources for creating a conductive path to transfer the AC voltage from one of the AC power sources to the DC power supply which is not directly coupled in series with a corresponding one of AC power sources when the other AC power source is abnormally interrupted in supplying an AC voltage to operate the DC power supplies, and a safe device for preventing the AC power sources from getting short-circuited caused by the inlet of the power supply system being plugged into the outlet o
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2003
    Assignee: Delta Electronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Chu-Kuang Liu
  • Patent number: 6628497
    Abstract: An overvoltage protector bridge circuit for protecting telecommunications equipment against voltage surges on transmission lines utilizes an overvoltage protection device in a bridge circuit having multiple diodes arranged in series or in parallel on each leg of the circuit. The overvoltage protection device conducts when it reaches a threshold voltage potential. The overvoltage protection device is electrically connected between a pair of connection nodes in the bridge circuit. The bridge circuit is made up of multiple diodes arranged along each of the legs of the circuit, which extend between the tip line and the ring line and the connection nodes. At least two diodes are arranged in series or in parallel along each leg of the bridge circuit to steer the excess voltage on the tip line or the ring line, or both, through the overvoltage protection device to ground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2003
    Assignee: Corning Cable Systems LLC
    Inventors: John J. Napiorkowski, Josh M. Wilken
  • Patent number: 6614671
    Abstract: A power supply system for providing power from either a first power supply or a second power supply to an ultimate rectified output. The system consists of a first switch that couples the rectified output of the first power supply to the ultimate rectified output, and a second switch that couples the rectified output of the second power supply to the ultimate rectified output. When the first power supply is providing a voltage within a predetermined window and the first switch is closed, the first power supply provides an inhibit signal to the second switch of the second power supply that prevents the second power supply from providing power to the ultimate rectified output. Similarly, when the second power supply is providing a voltage within a predetermined window and the second switch is closed, the second power supply provides an inhibit signal to the first switch of the first power supply that prevents the first power supply from providing power to the ultimate rectified output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2003
    Assignee: I-Bus / Phoenix, Incorporated
    Inventor: Guy Thrap
  • Publication number: 20030090917
    Abstract: An isolated power input architecture that includes hot swappable input modules that are electrically isolated from each other so that each may provide input power to power supplies for an electronic device without adverse interactions between the voltages provided by each input module. The isolated input modules are each configured to lock the other out so that only one input module is providing power to the power supplies for the electronic device. The power supply for the electronic device preferably includes N+1 power supplies where N power supplies are required by the electronic device. Either of the isolated input modules provides enough power to supply power to all the N+1 power supplies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2002
    Publication date: May 15, 2003
    Applicant: Maxwell Electronic Components Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Johni Chan, Guy Thrap
  • Publication number: 20030090916
    Abstract: A power supply system for providing power from either a first power supply or a second power supply to an ultimate rectified output. The system consists of a first switch that couples the rectified output of the first power supply to the ultimate rectified output, and a second switch that couples the rectified output of the second power supply to the ultimate rectified output. When the first power supply is providing a voltage within a predetermined window and the first switch is closed, the first power supply provides an inhibit signal to the second switch of the second power supply that prevents the second power supply from providing power to the ultimate rectified output. Similarly, when the second power supply is providing a voltage within a predetermined window and the second switch is closed, the second power supply provides an inhibit signal to the first switch of the first power supply that prevents the first power supply from providing power to the ultimate rectified output.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2001
    Publication date: May 15, 2003
    Applicant: I-Bus/Phoenix, Inc.
    Inventor: Guy Thrap
  • Patent number: 6542390
    Abstract: A power conversion system for driving a load is provided. The power conversion system comprises a power transformer having at least one primary winding circuit and at least one secondary winding circuit, the primary winding circuit being electrically connectable to an AC power source. The system further comprises at least one power cell, each of the at least one power cell having a power cell input connected to a respective one of the at least one secondary winding circuit. Each power cell also has a single phase output connectable to the load. An SCR arrangement including a gate drive and at least one SCR is connected to the power cell input and a DC bus. An SCR controller is connected to the SCR arrangement and the power cell input. The power cell also has a PWM output stage having a plurality of PWM switches connected to the DC bus and the single phase output. A local modulation controller is connected to the PWM output stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Paul S. Bixel
  • Patent number: 6490179
    Abstract: An architecture for a post regulator control circuit that utilizes an advance trigger signal to trigger the post regulator ramp. This advance trigger signal anticipates the beginning and end of a power cycle, and can be used to drive all of the secondary rectifier switches with optimal timing to minimize both cross conduction and body diode conduction. The architecture can be used to cascade an arbitrary number of post regulators. The present invention provides to the auxiliary outputs the full range of regulation available to the main output even in light load conditions. Rather than sensing the beginning or end of the power cycle, the present invention anticipates the beginning and end of the power cycle using the pulse train generated by the feedback loop for the main output. This allows the circuit to prepare the switches for the beginning of the power cycle and avoids problems encountered with inherent propagation delays in the circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2002
    Assignee: Innoveta Technologies
    Inventors: Jeffrey John Boylan, Gary Robert Kidwell
  • Patent number: 6466466
    Abstract: An electric supply system comprising two or more phases (R2, S2, T2), one rectifier (101, 103, 105) for each phase, the second primary terminals of said rectifiers (101, 103, 105) being interconnected, also comprises an Artificial Neutral Point (ANP) creating means (A2) for creating an artificial neutral point (NA2) in the electric supply system, connected in parallel with said rectifiers. The ANP means (A2) short-circuits the zero sequence voltage component of the system but does not affect the positive and negative sequence components. The ANP means (A2) includes magnetic components of such a kind that the vector sum of the phase voltages is zero. According to a first embodiment, the ANP means (A2) comprises one transformer (113, 115, 117) for each phase, the primary winding of each transformer connected to the respective phase (R2, S2, T2) in a star configuration, the secondary windings serially connected and the interconnection point of the primary windings forming an artificial neutral point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2002
    Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget L.M. Ericson
    Inventors: Mats Karlsson, Tadeus Wolpert
  • Publication number: 20020126516
    Abstract: A double control apparatus capable of saving power and a power control method thereof are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2001
    Publication date: September 12, 2002
    Inventor: Cheol-Min Jeon