Abstract: A motor vehicle includes an AC (alternating current) electric motor having a stator with a plurality of stator windings, a rechargeable source of stored electrical energy, and an inverter coupled to the rechargeable source of stored electrical energy and to the AC electric motor. The system also includes one or more controllers collectively programmed to switch the inverter to provide alternating current propulsive energy from the rechargeable source of stored electrical energy to the plurality of stator windings and, using at least one of the stator windings as a boost inductor, switch the inverter to step up a voltage at a charging input coupled to the inverter to charge the rechargeable source of stored electrical energy.

Abstract: An electric machine includes a rotor assembly having a rotor shaft disposed along a central axis. The electric machine includes an inductive position sensor having a sensor target that is operatively connected to the rotor shaft. The sensor target is fixed relative to the rotor shaft such that the sensor target rotates with the rotor shaft. The electric machine includes a stationary member and a rotating member operatively connected to the rotor shaft. The rotating member is spaced from the stationary member by an air gap. The stationary member and the rotating member are configured to enable non-contact power transfer from the stationary member to the rotating member through the air gap. The non-contact power transfer may be an inductive power transfer or a capacitive power.

Abstract: An electric drive unit includes a housing and a rotor rotatably supported in the housing. The rotor includes a rotor shaft defining a rotor axis and a plurality of rotor laminations fixedly mounted to the shaft. The plurality of rotor laminations support a plurality of magnetic poles, and a hydraulic unit connected to the plurality of rotor laminations. The hydraulic unit has a magnetic shunt that is selectively shiftable relative to the plurality of magnetic poles. A position sensing system is operable to detect a rotational speed of the rotor and a position of the magnetic shunt relative to the plurality of magnetic poles. The position sensing system includes a rotor shaft position trigger coupled for rotation with the rotor shaft, and a magnetic shunt position trigger supported by the hydraulic unit.

Abstract: A motor vehicle includes a multiphase AC electric motor having a stator wound with a first stator winding set including three phases and a second stator winding set including three phases, the three phases of the first stator winding set and the three phases of the second stator winding set wound oppositely to one another in the stator. Additionally, the motor vehicle includes a source of stored electrical energy and an inverter coupled to the source of stored electrical energy and to the electric motor to provide switched electrical energy to the first stator winding set and the second stator winding set. In addition, the motor vehicle includes a driver configured to simultaneously switch a relatively high side of the inverter to a first phase of the first stator winding set and a relatively low side of the inverter to a corresponding first phase of the second stator winding set.

Abstract: A power supply system for a vehicle is provided. The power supply system includes a high-voltage battery pack having a plurality of batteries, a primary isolated converter connected to the high-voltage battery pack, and a plurality of distributed isolated converters, each of the plurality of distributed isolated converters being connected to one of the plurality of batteries. Each of the distributed isolated converters includes a primary stage configured to receive power from one of the plurality of batteries and an isolated stage configured to provide power to a low-voltage bus. The bias signals configured to control the operation of each of the plurality of distributed isolated converters are powered by the connected one of the plurality of batteries and activated based on an enable signal provided by the primary isolated converter.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a method is provided for controlling a plurality of converters that are coupled to a plurality of cells of a rechargeable energy storage system (RESS) and configured to supply electric current to other systems that require the electric current, the method including obtaining, via one or more sensors, cell data as to the plurality of cells, the cell data including a state-of-charge for each of the plurality of cells; obtaining other system data as to the other systems, including an amount of electric current required by the other systems; and controlling the plurality of converters, in accordance with instructions provided by a processor, based on both: the cell data, including the state-of-charge for each of the plurality of cells; and the other system data, including the amount of electric current by the other systems.

Abstract: Presented are separately excited motor (SEM) drive systems, methods for making/using such systems, and vehicles equipped with such systems. A motor drive system includes a rechargeable battery unit and a multilevel power factor correction (PFC) device interposed between and electrically connecting the battery unit and an electric power source. The battery unit and PFC device are electrically connected via a traction inverter module (TIM) device and a multilevel power transfer circuit (PTC) device. The TIM contains multiple pairs of TIM switches, and the PTC device contains multiple PTC switches. An SEM unit contains a rotor assembly, which includes a rotor core bearing a rotor winding, and a stator assembly, which includes a stator core bearing multiple stator windings electromagnetically paired with the rotor winding. Each stator winding is electrically connected to a respective pair of TIM switches, whereas the rotor winding is electrically connected to the PTC switches.

Abstract: A slew rate controllable system for powering an electric machine. The system may include a plurality of power switches operable for converting a direct current (DC) input into an alternating current (AC) output suitable for electrically powering the electric machine. The system may include a gate drive system operable for controlling a slew rate associated with transitioning the switches between opened and closed states.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to power module cooling systems. In particular, some embodiments of the present disclosure relate to power module cooling systems with structures to generate three-dimensional swirling and tumbling in liquid coolant flowing within a chamber of the cooling system. Other embodiments may be disclosed or claimed.

Abstract: A vehicle, slew rate control circuit and method of operating an electric motor of a vehicle. The slew rate control circuit is between a gate driver of the vehicle and an inverter of the vehicle. The slew rate control circuit includes a first branch between the gate driver and the inverter, wherein the inverter provides an electrical signal output to an electric motor of the vehicle, and a second branch between the gate driver and the inverter in parallel with the first branch, wherein current flows through the first branch during a first time period and through the second branch during a second time period, wherein the flow of the current controls a slew rate of the electrical signal output by the inverter to the electric motor.

Abstract: A vehicle, suspension system and method of dampening a force on the suspension system is disclosed. The suspension system includes a damper having a first damping element and a second damping element configured to rotate relative to each other in response to a force received at the suspension system. The second damping element induces an eddy current in the first damping element during relative rotation. A feature of one at least one of the first damping element and the second damping element provides a first electrical resistance to the eddy current during relative rotation in a first direction and a second electrical resistance to the eddy current during relative rotation in a second direction. The first electrical resistance generates a first damping force and the second electrical resistance generates a second damping force.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a system for controller the vehicle. The vehicle includes a motor. The system includes an inverter, and a gate controller. The inverter has a switch for controlling current to the motor. The gate controller is configured to apply a gate current to the switch at a first on-current control level during a first switch-on stage of a turn-on operation of the switch, lower the gate current to a second on-current control level less than the first on-current control level during a second switch-on stage of the turn-on operation, and raise the gate current to a third on-current control level during a third switch-on stage of the turn-on operation, wherein the third on-current control level is greater than the second on-current control level.

Abstract: A battery system for an electric vehicle includes at least one battery cell configured to store charge for powering an electric vehicle, a high voltage bus electrically coupled with the at least one battery, a DC-DC converter electrically coupled with the battery cell, a low voltage bus electrically connected between the DC-DC converter and at least one vehicle electrical component, and a cell monitor electrically coupled with the at least one battery cell and the DC-DC converter, wherein the cell monitor includes a current sensor configured to detect a current from the at least one battery cell to the DC-DC converter. The cell monitor includes a controller configured to estimate a state of charge of the at least one battery cell according to the current detected by the current sensor, and adjust switching operation of the DC-DC converter according to the current detected by the current sensor.

Abstract: A power control system for a vehicle includes a charge port and a contactor connected to the charge port and including a first plurality of switches. An energy storage system includes a second plurality of switches and one or more battery packs. A bi-directional DC-DC converter is connected between the energy storage system and a plurality of vehicle loads. A controller is configured to control states of the first and second plurality of switches to configure in a plurality of modes including a range improvement mode, a first charging mode to perform charging at a first voltage level, a second charging mode to perform charging at a second voltage level, a battery preconditioning mode; and an accessory load support mode.

Abstract: A low voltage (LV) charging system for charging a high voltage (HV) rechargeable energy storage system (RESS), such as a HV RESS operable for electrically powering a traction motor of an electric vehicle. The LV charging system may include an input configured for receiving LV electrical power from a LV source and a distributed converter system configured for charging a plurality of modules of the HV RESS via a plurality of charging circuits. The charging circuits may be configured for separately charging one of the modules with a charging electrical power derived from converting the LV electrical power. The LV charging system may further include a controller configured for individually controlling the charging electrical power provided via each of the charging circuits.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a system for charging a battery of the vehicle. An electric motor couples to a charging station. a diode-clamped multi-level inverter and a processor. A diode-clamped multi-level inverter couples the electric motor to the battery and includes a first leg having a first set of switches and a first AC terminal coupled to the electric motor, a second leg having a second set of switches and a second AC terminal coupled to the electric motor and a third leg having a third set of switches and a third AC terminal coupled to the electric motor. The processor connects the third AC terminal to the charging station and control at least one of the first set of switches to control a first current through the first AC terminal and the second set of switches to control a second current through the second AC terminal to charge the battery.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a system for charging a battery of the vehicle. An electric motor couples to a charging station. A T-bridge multi-level inverter couples the electric motor to the battery. The inverter includes a first leg having a first set of switches and a first AC terminal coupled to the electric motor, a second leg having a second set of switches and a second AC terminal coupled to the electric motor and a third leg having a third set of switches and a third AC terminal coupled to the electric motor. A processor connects the third AC terminal to the charging station and controls at least one of the first set of switches to control a first current through the first AC terminal of the first leg and the second set of switches to control a second current through second AC terminal of the second leg.

Abstract: A vehicle includes an inverter having a power module. The power module includes a high side bus, a low side bus and an alternating current (AC) output bus. The high side bus includes a first switch, wherein a high side current is configured to flow through the first switch in a first direction. The high side bus is disposed in a plane. The low side bus includes a second switch, wherein a low side current is configured to flow through the second switch in the first direction. The low side bus is parallel to the high side bus. The alternating current (AC) output bus is parallel to the high side bus and the low side bus, wherein an output current flows through the AC output bus in a second direction opposite to the first direction.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a system for charging a battery of the vehicle. The system includes an electric motor couplable to a charging station, a capacitor-clamped multi-level inverter, and a processor. The capacitor-clamped multi-level inverter is couples the electric motor to the battery and includes a first leg having a first set of switches and a first AC terminal coupled to the electric motor, a second leg having a second set of switches and a second AC terminal coupled to the electric motor and a third leg having a third set of switches and a third AC terminal coupled to the electric motor. The processor connects one of the third AC terminal and a neutral point of the electric motor to the charging station and control at least one of the first set of switches and the second set of switches to charge the battery through the electric motor.

Abstract: A charging box performs a direct current fast charging (DCFC) session of a recipient by a donor, e.g., during a vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) charging session, and includes a portable housing, disconnect devices connected to a high-voltage (HV) bus to connect/disconnect respective inlet and outlet charging ports to/from the bus, and multiple direct current-to-direct current (DC-DC) converters. A high-voltage-to-high-voltage (HV-HV) converter is connected to the bus. An optional high-voltage-to-low-voltage (HV-LV) converter may be connected to the HV-HV converter. An optional low-voltage (LV) energy storage device is connected to the housing and HV-LV converter. A communication processing unit (CPU) establishes two-way communication between the donor and recipient. A system controller selectively pre-charges the bus, recharge the energy storage device, and selectively command offloading of a DC charging current from the donor, through the HV-HV converter, and to the recipient.