Patents by Inventor Akihiko Kanouda

Akihiko Kanouda 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: 12143001
    Abstract: Provided is a power supply device in which the output voltages of unit power converters can be controlled to be substantially constant even when the loads of the respective unit power converters are different from each other. The power supply device in which a plurality of unit power converters are connected in series with an AC system and power is supplied from the unit power converters to load devices is characterized by being provided with a control device for obtaining the degree of load imbalance among the load powers of the load devices and controlling the AC system side voltages of the unit power converters to operate by reducing the power factor of the AC system when the degree of load imbalance increases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2024
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Minglei Gu, Akihiko Kanouda
  • Publication number: 20240283371
    Abstract: Provided is a power converter device that can be properly configured. The power converter device is provided with: a plurality of power conversion units each comprising a pair of AC terminals, a pair of DC terminals, and a power conversion circuit for performing power conversion in one direction or in both directions between the AC terminals and the DC terminals and arranged along a first direction and a second direction different from the first direction; AC wiring for connecting the AC terminals of the plurality of power conversion units in series along the second direction with respect to each phase of three-phase AC; and DC wiring for connecting the DC terminals of the plurality of power conversion units in parallel along the first direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2022
    Publication date: August 22, 2024
    Inventors: Yuuichi MABUCHI, Akihiko KANOUDA, Kimihisa FURUKAWA
  • Publication number: 20240266969
    Abstract: A plurality of power conversion units, a current sensor that detects a current at an output terminal of the power conversion unit, and a control unit that measures a frequency component in a predetermined frequency range of a current detected by the current sensor are included, the power conversion unit includes an AC/DC converter that outputs AC power at an input terminal to an output terminal, a smoothing capacitor that is connected in parallel to the output terminal and smooths an output voltage, and a variable resistance switch connected between one end of the smoothing capacitor and one end of the output terminal, the control unit controls a resistance value of the variable resistance switch according to a magnitude of a predetermined frequency component detected by the current sensor, and the output terminals of the plurality of power conversion units are connected in parallel to constitute output terminals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2022
    Publication date: August 8, 2024
    Inventors: Hiroshi KAMIZUMA, Akihiko KANOUDA, Yuuichi MABUCHI, Kimihisa FURUKAWA
  • Publication number: 20240258932
    Abstract: The objective of the present invention is to reduce the manufacturing costs of an electric power converting device and to reduce the installation space thereof. An electric power converting device comprises: AC/DC converters and AC/DC converters connected in series to an alternating-current power supply; direct-current buses provided on an output side; change-over switches, change-over switches, change-over switches, and change-over switches for selectively connecting the AC/DC converters and the AC/DC converters to each direct-current path; a bus-to-bus connecting switch connecting the direct-current buses in series; and a switch for connecting an electric circuit connected in series by means of the bus-to-bus connecting switch to a load.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2022
    Publication date: August 1, 2024
    Inventor: Akihiko KANOUDA
  • Publication number: 20240055973
    Abstract: Provided is a power supply device in which the output voltages of unit power converters can be controlled to be substantially constant even when the loads of the respective unit power converters are different from each other. The power supply device in which a plurality of unit power converters are connected in series with an AC system and power is supplied from the unit power converters to load devices is characterized by being provided with a control device for obtaining the degree of load imbalance among the load powers of the load devices and controlling the AC system side voltages of the unit power converters to operate by reducing the power factor of the AC system when the degree of load imbalance increases.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2020
    Publication date: February 15, 2024
    Inventors: Minglei GU, Akihiko KANOUDA
  • Publication number: 20240055173
    Abstract: The present invention provides a transformer having a high degree of design freedom for adjusting leakage inductance, while conforming to arrangement constraints between components in order to ensure the insulating properties of the transformer. This transformer has a core formed of a magnetic body, a primary coil wound around the core and being connected to a high-voltage side, the primary coil having two coil layers of an inner primary coil and an outer primary coil arranged more toward an outer peripheral side than the inner primary coil, and a second primary coil wound around the core and connected to a low-voltage side, the outer primary coil being arranged offset with respect to the inner primary coil in the longitudinal direction of the axis of the core.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2021
    Publication date: February 15, 2024
    Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kimihisa FURUKAWA, Akihiko KANOUDA, Yuuichi MABUCHI, Mizuki NAKAHARA, Hideaki TANAKA
  • Publication number: 20240039416
    Abstract: This bidirectional DC-DC converter comprises: a transformer; a first bridge circuit for converting DC power and AC power to each other which are input and output between a first DC power supply and the primary side of the transformer; a second bridge circuit for converting DC power and AC power to each other which are input and output between a second DC power supply and the secondary side of the transformer; a first resonant circuit connectable between the first bridge circuit and the primary side of the transformer; a second resonant circuit connectable between the second bridge circuit and the secondary side of the transformer; a first bypass switch for switching the connection state of the first resonant circuit between the first bridge circuit and the primary side of the transformer; a second bypass switch for switching the connection state of the second resonant circuit between the second bridge circuit and the secondary side of the transformer; and a control unit for controlling each of the first bypas
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2021
    Publication date: February 1, 2024
    Inventors: Abhijit CHOUDHURY, Akihiko KANOUDA
  • Publication number: 20240039414
    Abstract: Provided is a power conversion device that can be realized with a small circuit and is capable of stably converting AC power inputted from a three-phase power source system into DC power. In a power conversion device: an output terminal of a common converter cell in a J-numbered stage is connected, together with output terminals of common converter cells of the other two phases, to common lines; an output terminal of an independent converter cell in a K-numbered stage is connected to independent lines independently of converter cells of the other two phases; and a plurality of switches comprise a common switch for switching the connection relationship between the common lines and DC buses, and an independent switch for switching the connection relationship between the independent lines and DC buses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2021
    Publication date: February 1, 2024
    Inventors: Akira KIKUCHI, Akihiko KANOUDA
  • Publication number: 20240030824
    Abstract: An aspect of the present disclosure is a power conversion device including: a primary-side transformer to which a primary AC voltage is input from a primary-side circuit; and a secondary-side transformer that outputs a secondary AC voltage lower than the primary AC voltage to a secondary-side circuit. The primary-side transformer includes a primary-side primary winding to which the primary AC voltage is input, and a primary-side secondary winding to which power is transmitted from the primary-side primary winding. The secondary-side transformer includes a secondary-side primary winding constituting a closed circuit together with the primary-side secondary winding, and a secondary-side secondary winding to which power is transmitted from the secondary-side primary winding and which outputs the secondary AC voltage. The primary-side circuit and the closed circuit are connected to a common potential.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2023
    Publication date: January 25, 2024
    Inventors: Kimihisa FURUKAWA, Yuuichi MABUCHI, Takae SHIMADA, Mohammed Mosaddique Nawaz HUSSAIN, Hiroshi KAMIZUMA, Yuki KAWAGUCHI, Abhijit CHOUDHURY, Akihiko KANOUDA
  • Patent number: 11296610
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to sufficiently reduce a switching loss. A control device causes a positive electrode of a first voltage to appear at a second connection point by switching second and third switching elements to an ON state. Next, the control device causes the positive electrode of the first voltage to appear at a first connection point by switching the second and third switching elements to an OFF state. After that, fifth and eighth switching elements are switched to the OFF state, and sixth and seventh switching elements are switched to the ON state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kimihisa Furukawa, Shintaro Tanaka, Takae Shimada, Akihiko Kanouda, Mizuki Nakahara, Yuuichi Mabuchi
  • Patent number: 11201559
    Abstract: The power conversion device includes multiple converter cells. Each converter cell includes a pair of primary-side terminals and a pair of secondary-side terminals. The converter cell transmits power between the pair of primary-side terminals and the pair of secondary-side terminals. The primary-side terminals of the multiple converter cells are connected in series to a primary-side power supply system. The secondary-side terminals of the multiple converter cells are connected in series to a secondary-side power supply system. Among the multiple converter cells, the converter cell in which an absolute value of a ground voltage appearing in the pair of primary-side terminals is the highest is different from the converter cell in which an absolute value of a ground voltage appearing in the pair of secondary-side terminals is the highest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kimihisa Furukawa, Yuuichi Mabuchi, Yuki Kawaguchi, Akihiko Kanouda
  • Patent number: 11152870
    Abstract: A power conversion device that suppresses voltage pulsation of a capacitor of a power converter with respect to a control target whose effective power is to be controlled is provided. The power conversion device includes a plurality of power conversion cells that are connected to each other, and convert a primary-side system voltage into a secondary-side system voltage, a capacitor that is connected to each of the plurality of power conversion cells, and a power conversion cell driver that drives the power conversion cells to add a 3N order higher-harmonic-wave voltage of each of alternating voltages of the plurality of power conversion cells to the each of alternating voltages, and output a voltage made by adding the each of alternating voltages and the 3N order higher-harmonic-wave voltage, when N is a natural number.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Hitachi Industrial Products, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kimihisa Furukawa, Akihiko Kanouda, Yuuichi Mabuchi, Hiroyuki Shoji, Takae Shimada, Mitsuhiro Kadota, Mizuki Nakahara
  • Publication number: 20210305903
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to sufficiently reduce a switching loss. A control device causes a positive electrode of a first voltage to appear at a second connection point by switching second and third switching elements to an ON state. Next, the control device causes the positive electrode of the first voltage to appear at a first connection point by switching the second and third switching elements to an OFF state. After that, fifth and eighth switching elements are switched to the OFF state, and sixth and seventh switching elements are switched to the ON state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2016
    Publication date: September 30, 2021
    Inventors: Kimihisa FURUKAWA, Shintaro TANAKA, Takae SHIMADA, Akihiko KANOUDA, Mizuki NAKAHARA, Yuuichi MABUCHI
  • Publication number: 20210143744
    Abstract: The power conversion device includes multiple converter cells. Each converter cell includes a pair of primary-side terminals and a pair of secondary-side terminals. The converter cell transmits power between the pair of primary-side terminals and the pair of secondary-side terminals. The primary-side terminals of the multiple converter cells are connected in series to a primary-side power supply system. The secondary-side terminals of the multiple converter cells are connected in series to a secondary-side power supply system. Among the multiple converter cells, the converter cell in which an absolute value of a ground voltage appearing in the pair of primary-side terminals is the highest is different from the converter cell in which an absolute value of a ground voltage appearing in the pair of secondary-side terminals is the highest.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2017
    Publication date: May 13, 2021
    Inventors: Kimihisa FURUKAWA, Yuuichi MABUCHI, Yuki KAWAGUCHI, Akihiko KANOUDA
  • Publication number: 20210044212
    Abstract: A power conversion device that suppresses voltage pulsation of a capacitor of a power converter with respect to a control target whose effective power is to be controlled is provided. The power conversion device includes a plurality of power conversion cells that are connected to each other, and convert a primary-side system voltage into a secondary-side system voltage, a capacitor that is connected to each of the plurality of power conversion cells, and a power conversion cell driver that drives the power conversion cells to add a 3N order higher-harmonic-wave voltage of each of alternating voltages of the plurality of power conversion cells to the each of alternating voltages, and output a voltage made by adding the each of alternating voltages and the 3N order higher-harmonic-wave voltage, when N is a natural number.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2018
    Publication date: February 11, 2021
    Inventors: Kimihisa FURUKAWA, Akihiko KANOUDA, Yuuichi MABUCHI, Hiroyuki SHOJI, Takae SHIMADA, Mitsuhiro KADOTA, Mizuki NAKAHARA
  • Patent number: 10862311
    Abstract: A power conversion device includes three first power conversion cells each converting input power and outputting the converted power and having input terminals connected in parallel regarding a first power supply and three second power conversion cells each converting input power and outputting the converted power and having input terminals connected in parallel regarding a second power supply, wherein: the power output from the cell and the power output from the cell are combined to output a first phase power; the power output from the cell and the power output from the cell are combined to output a second phase power; and the power output from the cell and the power output from the cell are combined to output a third phase power. The first phase, second phase, and third phase powers are output as the phase powers or inter-line powers of a three-phase system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Kadota, Akihiko Kanouda, Yasuaki Norimatsu, Takae Shimada
  • Patent number: 10615715
    Abstract: In a power conversion device, a power conversion unit includes a single-phase inverter on a secondary side of a resonant type converter that has an input of a direct current. A power conversion unit group is configured by connecting outputs of the single-phase inverters of a plurality of power conversion units in series. Respective phases of three phase alternate current are formed with the three power conversion unit groups housed in a power conversion device housing. The plurality of power conversion units constituting the power conversion unit group are disposed along a longitudinal direction of the power conversion device housing. The respective three power conversion unit groups are disposed at an upper stage, a middle stage, and a lower stage in a height direction of the power conversion device housing. The power conversion device housing has one end side in the longitudinal direction as output terminals of the three power conversion unit groups.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuaki Norimatsu, Akihiko Kanouda, Yuuichi Mabuchi, Takae Shimada, Mitsuhiro Kadota, Yuki Kawaguchi, Mizuki Nakahara, Akira Yonekawa
  • Publication number: 20190199238
    Abstract: In a power conversion device, a power conversion unit includes a single-phase inverter on a secondary side of a resonant type converter that has an input of a direct current. A power conversion unit group is configured by connecting outputs of the single-phase inverters of a plurality of power conversion units in series. Respective phases of three phase alternate current are formed with the three power conversion unit groups housed in a power conversion device housing. The plurality of power conversion units constituting the power conversion unit group are disposed along a longitudinal direction of the power conversion device housing. The respective three power conversion unit groups are disposed at an upper stage, a middle stage, and a lower stage in a height direction of the power conversion device housing. The power conversion device housing has one end side in the longitudinal direction as output terminals of the three power conversion unit groups.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2016
    Publication date: June 27, 2019
    Inventors: Yasuaki NORIMATSU, Akihiko KANOUDA, Yuuichi MABUCHI, Takae SHIMADA, Mitsuhiro KADOTA, Yuki KAWAGUCHI, Mizuki NAKAHARA, Akira YONEKAWA
  • Publication number: 20190199100
    Abstract: A power conversion device includes three first power conversion cells each converting input power and outputting the converted power and having input terminals connected in parallel regarding a first power supply and three second power conversion cells each converting input power and outputting the converted power and having input terminals connected in parallel regarding a second power supply, wherein: the power output from the cell and the power output from the cell are combined to output a first phase power; the power output from the cell and the power output from the cell are combined to output a second phase power; and the power output from the cell and the power output from the cell are combined to output a third phase power. The first phase, second phase, and third phase powers are output as the phase powers or inter-line powers of a three-phase system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2016
    Publication date: June 27, 2019
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro KADOTA, Akihiko KANOUDA, Yasuaki NORIMATSU, Takae SHIMADA
  • Patent number: 9887638
    Abstract: If an input voltage of a DC/DC converter is lower than a first voltage value that is set in advance, a converter controller maintains an output voltage of the DC/DC converter within a first voltage range that is set in advance by changing an operation frequency of switching of the DC/DC converter in compliance with the input voltage as a first voltage maintaining control. If the input voltage is higher than a second voltage value that is higher than the first voltage value, the converter controller maintains the output voltage within a second voltage range that is higher than the first voltage range by changing the operation frequency in compliance with the input voltage as a second voltage maintaining control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuaki Norimatsu, Akihiko Kanouda, Yuuichi Mabuchi, Tadahiko Chida, Takuya Ishigaki, Takae Shimada