Patents by Inventor Daniel Ruppert

Daniel Ruppert 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).

  • Publication number: 20240088821
    Abstract: An exciter circuit for an externally excited synchronous machine, including voltage supply terminals for a voltage supply, exciter current terminals to be connected to an exciter winding of the synchronous machine, a bridge circuit hooked up to the voltage supply terminals, a controller and a protective layout at the side with the exciter current terminals, including: a semiconductor switch switched in series with the exciter winding, and in parallel with a protective diode which is blocking in an exciter current flow direction, and a cut-off voltage decay path running in parallel with the exciter winding and having a connection point between the bridge circuit and the semiconductor switch, having at least one Zener diode layout which is blocking in the exciter current flow direction, which defines a breakdown voltage and includes at least one Zener diode. The controller opens the semiconductor switch when a rapid de-exciting signal is present.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2023
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Inventor: Daniel RUPPERT
  • Publication number: 20240072713
    Abstract: An exciter circuit for an externally excited synchronous machine, comprising two voltage supply terminals for a voltage supply, two exciter current terminals configured to be connected to an exciter winding of the externally excited synchronous machine, and a bridge circuit coupled to the voltage supply terminals, a controller, a protective arrangement at a side of the exciter circuit with the exciter current terminals, wherein the protective arrangement includes a semiconductor switch switched in series with the exciter winding and a freewheeling path running in parallel with the exciter winding and having a connection point between one of the exciter current terminals and the semiconductor switch, wherein the freewheeling path has a diode which, in operation, is blocking in an exciter current flow direction, and a conversion resistor, wherein the controller, in operation, opens the semiconductor switch when a de-excitation signal is present.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2023
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Inventor: Daniel RUPPERT
  • Publication number: 20240039449
    Abstract: A motor vehicle, having an externally excited synchronous machine and an inverter associated with the synchronous machine and connected to a high-voltage network and an exciter circuit associated with the synchronous machine to energize an exciter winding of the synchronous machine, comprising a power electronics layout having at least one intermediate circuit capacitor at the high-voltage network side, wherein the motor vehicle comprises a cooling device for cooling the power electronics layout and a voltage surge protection circuit is associated with the intermediate circuit capacitor, comprising at least one varistor, which becomes electrically conducting by the voltage imposed on it when a voltage threshold value is exceeded, wherein at least the one varistor of the voltage surge protection circuit forms part of an exciter module comprising the exciter circuit and a housing, which is thermally coupled to a cooling element of the cooling device for cooling the exciter module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2023
    Publication date: February 1, 2024
    Inventor: Daniel RUPPERT
  • Publication number: 20240030100
    Abstract: A method for producing an electronic assembly including providing at least one electrical power module, providing a heat sink having at least one flat depression in at least one side and applying a further copper layer in the flat depression, or providing a heat sink and applying a further copper layer to form a flat depression, or providing a heat sink having at least one flat depression in at least one side, wherein a further copper layer is applied in the depression, arranging the copper layer of the carrier element on the further copper layer, and connecting the copper layer to the further copper layer to fasten the electrical power module on the heat sink.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2021
    Publication date: January 25, 2024
    Applicant: AUDI AG
    Inventor: Daniel RUPPERT
  • Publication number: 20240030786
    Abstract: An externally excited electric machine includes an exciter power circuit connected to a rotor winding, a stator power circuit connected to a stator winding, an exciter control circuit connected by at least a first connector to the exciter power circuit, and a stator control circuit connected by at least a second connector to the stator power circuit. The exciter control circuit and the stator control circuit are mounted on a common circuit board. The first connector is connected to a first electrical contact of the exciter power circuit, and the second connector is connected to a second electrical contact of the stator power circuit. The first electrical contact and the second electrical contact are at different heights in relation to the circuit board. The first or the second connector has a geometrical form that bridges over a height difference between the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2023
    Publication date: January 25, 2024
    Inventor: Daniel RUPPERT
  • Publication number: 20230421089
    Abstract: An exciter circuit for an externally excited synchronous machine, wherein the exciter circuit comprises power supply terminals connectable to a current source, exciter current terminals connectable to a rotor winding of a rotor of the synchronous machine, and a protection circuit which, in operation, connects conductively the power supply terminals when a triggering condition is fulfilled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2023
    Publication date: December 28, 2023
    Inventor: Daniel RUPPERT
  • Publication number: 20230378894
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a motor vehicle that includes an externally excited synchronous machine, an exciter circuit which, in operation, energizes an exciter winding of the externally excited synchronous machine, a power electronics layout connected to a voltage network and including at least one capacitor, wherein the exciter circuit includes at least one semiconductor switch in a discharge section that connects terminals of the voltage network other than the exciter winding, and a control device which, in operation, closes the at least one semiconductor switch of the discharge section of the exciter circuit to actively discharge the at least one capacitor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2023
    Publication date: November 23, 2023
    Inventor: Daniel RUPPERT
  • Patent number: 11791727
    Abstract: A half-bridge module having two switching units, each of which includes multiple transistors connected in parallel and/or in series, in particular IGBTs or MOSFETs. The transistors are arranged on a first substrate. The half-bridge module has a temperature sensor matrix having a plurality of temperature sensors, and the temperature sensors are thermally connected to the transistors at least in some regions. A temperature sensor matrix is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventor: Daniel Ruppert
  • Publication number: 20230299649
    Abstract: An electrical circuit device for operating an externally excited electrical machine includes an exciter circuit, an inverter circuit, a capacitor, and a support structure. The exciter circuit includes at least one exciter circuit module arranged on a first side surface of the support structure. The at least one exciter circuit module includes at least one direct current terminal that is connected directly to a terminal of the capacitor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2023
    Publication date: September 21, 2023
    Inventor: Daniel RUPPERT
  • Patent number: 11749580
    Abstract: An arrangement which has at least one semiconductor module made of silicon carbide, a driver circuit for the at least one semiconductor module, and a cooling system, wherein the at least one semiconductor module and the driver circuit are arranged adjacent to one another, wherein the driver circuit is connected to the cooling system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventor: Daniel Ruppert
  • Publication number: 20230262945
    Abstract: An electrical switching device for operating an electrical machine comprises an inverter circuit, an exciter circuit and a cooling device, wherein the exciter circuit is formed by at least one circuit module, wherein the circuit module is thermally coupled to the cooling device and comprises a discharge circuit, connected to the inverter circuit and adapted to discharge at least one energy accumulator of the inverter circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2023
    Publication date: August 17, 2023
    Inventor: Daniel RUPPERT
  • Publication number: 20230262943
    Abstract: An electrical circuit device comprises at least one first power electronics module, at least one second power electronics module, a circuit board and a supporting structure, wherein the power electronics modules each lie by a contact side against an associated contact surface of the supporting structure and have one or more terminal pins connected to the circuit board on and/or next to a connection side situated opposite the contact side, wherein the first power electronics module has a lesser thickness between the contact side and the connection side than the second power electronics module, wherein the contact surface against which the contact side of the first power electronics module bears has a lesser distance from the circuit board than the contact surface against which the contact side of the second power electronics module bears, and/or wherein the terminal pins of the first power electronics module are longer than the terminal pins of the second power electronics module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2023
    Publication date: August 17, 2023
    Inventor: Daniel RUPPERT
  • Patent number: 11682984
    Abstract: A converter with a half bridge circuit with at least one active half bridge branch, of which the phase connection in each case is connected via a respective switching device to a respective reference potential. A control device of the converter is configured to alternatingly conductively and non-conductively switch the respective switching device. The first and second switching device in each case includes a parallel connection of at least one transistor of a first type and at least one transistor of a second type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventor: Daniel Ruppert
  • Publication number: 20230182662
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an on-board electrical network for a motor vehicle. The motor vehicle comprises a battery cell unit configured as a so-called SmartCell. The on-board electrical network also comprises a controller for operating the battery cell unit. In order to be able to be supplied with electric energy, the controller comprises a supply connection for supplying a supply voltage. The supply voltage is usually supplied by an energy supply device of the on-board electrical network, which is coupled to the controller via a first connection line. In order to allow for a redundant energy supply for the controller, a second connection line is provided in addition to the first connection line, via which a battery cell of the respective battery cell unit is coupled to the supply connection. The supply voltage can thus be supplied either via the first connection line or via the second connection line on the basis of an operating state of the energy supply device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2021
    Publication date: June 15, 2023
    Applicant: AUDI AG
    Inventor: Daniel RUPPERT
  • Patent number: 11659698
    Abstract: A power module for electric drives is provided which comprises at least one exciter circuit with at least one power semiconductor, wherein the power module is molded and the exciter circuit with the at least one power semiconductor is integrated in the molded power module. A traction inverter is also provided which comprises a water-cooled main cooler, wherein the main cooler comprises a bearing surface which is configured to receive power modules, wherein the traction inverter comprises at least one molded power module, and wherein the main cooler forms a cooling connection which is configured to receive the molded power module on the main cooler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventor: Daniel Ruppert
  • Publication number: 20230143379
    Abstract: A method for actively discharging an electrical energy storage device by means of an electrical circuit arrangement which comprises at least one half bridge comprising two switching elements, wherein the half bridge is connected in parallel with the energy storage device and wherein the switching elements each have a switchable section, the electrical resistance of which can be set in a transmission mode of the switching element by means of a control voltage of the switching element, wherein, in order to discharge the energy storage device, the level of the control voltages of the switchable sections of the switching elements in transmission mode and/or the ratio between a switched-on duration in which the switchable sections of the switching elements are operated in transmission mode during the discharge, and a switched-off duration in which the switchable sections of the switching elements are operated in a blocking mode during the discharge can be set as a function of a discharge current specification desc
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2022
    Publication date: May 11, 2023
    Inventor: Daniel RUPPERT
  • Patent number: 11584246
    Abstract: A system for transferring electrical energy from a charging station to an electrical consumer including a charging plug connected to the charging station by a charging cable and a charging socket corresponding to the charging plug of the electrical consumer designed as a motor vehicle, wherein the motor vehicle is designed to receive a battery voltage at the charging socket and relay it, unchanged, to a vehicle battery, wherein the charging station is configured to receive a network voltage from a power grid and to relay it via a charging cable to the charging plug, and the charging plug is configured to convert the network voltage into the battery voltage by means of power electronics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventor: Daniel Ruppert
  • Publication number: 20230021073
    Abstract: A method for operating an electrical circuit comprising at least one switching element of a motor vehicle is disclosed, wherein the switching element has a control voltage applied to it by a control device and the switching element is switched by the control voltage, wherein during at least one switching process there is determined at least one voltage measurement value describing a voltage of a Miller plateau of the control voltage and/or at least one time measurement value describing a duration of the Miller plateau, wherein the voltage measurement value and/or the time measurement value is compared respectively to at least one associated limit value and upon exceeding at least one limit value the control device initiates at least one action associated with the exceeded limit value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2022
    Publication date: January 19, 2023
    Inventor: Daniel Ruppert
  • Patent number: 11524592
    Abstract: A mobile discharging device for an energy storage device of an electric vehicle and to a method for operating the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventor: Daniel Ruppert
  • Publication number: 20220381806
    Abstract: A method determines a current flowing through at least one switching element of an electrical circuit arrangement. When the switching element is turned on the current flows through a switchable portion of the switching element. The switching element is associated with a temperature sensor and a voltage sensor. The temperature sensor measures a temperature of the switching element and the voltage sensor measures a voltage drop across the switchable portion of the switching element. The temperature sensor and the voltage sensor are connected to a computing device. The computing device determines a current value of the current based on the measured temperature and the measured voltage drop.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2022
    Publication date: December 1, 2022
    Inventor: Daniel RUPPERT