Patents by Inventor Günther Cramer

Günther Cramer 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: 8373308
    Abstract: A solar power plant includes at least one photovoltaic module for generating power to be fed in a multi-phase grid. At least one inverter is provided for converting a direct voltage generated by the at least one photovoltaic module into an alternating mains voltage. A mains transformer is coupled to receive the alternating mains voltage from the inverter. The inverter is coupled to a primary side of the mains transformer. A direct voltage source coupled between an output of the at least one inverter and an input of the mains transformer such that a potential of the at least one photovoltaic module is displaced and that a bias voltage is set which is different from zero volts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: SMA Solar Technology AG
    Inventors: Guenther Cramer, Bernd Engel, Frank Greizer, Joachim Ralf Laschinski
  • Patent number: 8213133
    Abstract: A load breaker arrangement includes first and second input terminals, respectively, and first and second output terminals. The arrangement also includes two relays connected in series with one another, wherein the two relays are coupled between the second input terminal and the second output terminal, a semiconductor switch connected in parallel with one of the two relays, and a third relay coupled between the first input terminal and the first output terminal. A control circuit, in a load breaker mode, turns on the semiconductor switch while the two relays and the third relay are closed, then opens the one of the two relays in parallel with the semiconductor switch, then opens the semiconductor switch to break a current between the second input and second output terminals, and then opens the other of the two relays not in parallel with the semiconductor switch and opens the third relay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: SMA Solar Technology AG
    Inventors: Stefan Buchhold, Sven Bremicker, Frank Greizer, Günther Cramer
  • Publication number: 20120001491
    Abstract: A solar power plant includes at least one photovoltaic module for generating power to be fed in a multi-phase grid. At least one inverter is provided for converting a direct voltage generated by the at least one photovoltaic module into an alternating mains voltage. A mains transformer is coupled to receive the alternating mains voltage from the inverter. The inverter is coupled to a primary side of the mains transformer. A direct voltage source coupled between an output of the at least one inverter and an input of the mains transformer such that a potential of the at least one photovoltaic module is displaced and that a bias voltage is set which is different from zero volts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2011
    Publication date: January 5, 2012
    Applicant: SMA Solar Technology AG
    Inventors: Guenther Cramer, Bernd Engel, Frank Greizer, Joachim Laschinski
  • Patent number: 8053930
    Abstract: A solar power plant with a plurality of photovoltaic modules for generating a power to be fed in a multi-phase grid, several photovoltaic strings, which are allocated to different phases, being connected to a primary side of a mains transformer and at least one inverter for converting the direct voltage generated by the photovoltaic modules into an alternating mains voltage conforming to the grid being provided and said mains transformer being provided with a neutral conductor and with a grounded terminal, is intended to be improved in such a manner that the life of the photovoltaic modules, in particular in case of thin-film modules, is increased, allowing for high conversion efficiency of the inverters at low wiring costs. This is achieved in that an additional direct voltage source is inserted between the neutral conductor and ground in such a manner that the potential of the photovoltaic strings is displaced and that a bias voltage is set, which is different from zero volt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: SMA Solar Technology AG
    Inventors: Guenther Cramer, Bernd Engel, Frank Greizer, Joachim Laschinski
  • Patent number: 7816631
    Abstract: The inverter housing (1) has a cooling unit (2) for cooling the electronic and/or electric components (4, 5, 5a) of the inverter. The housing (1) of the inverter comprises at least two chambers, the two chambers (7, 8) being separated by a wall (6) for receiving the electronic and/or electric components (4, 5, 5a), the components (5) comprise cooling bodies (4) located on the one side of the wall in the one chamber (7) with the cooling bodies (4) being located on the other side of the wall (6) in the other chamber (5) and the electric or electronic component to be cooled have a high protection grade, the component (5a) being located in the other chamber (8), preferably on the wall side of the wall (6) of the other chamber (8), the other chamber (8) comprising the cooling unit (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Assignee: SMA Solar Technology AG
    Inventor: Günther Cramer
  • Publication number: 20090315404
    Abstract: A solar power plant with a plurality of photovoltaic modules for generating a power to be fed in a multi-phase grid, several photovoltaic strings, which are allocated to different phases, being connected to a primary side of a mains transformer and at least one inverter for converting the direct voltage generated by the photovoltaic modules into an alternating mains voltage conforming to the grid being provided and said mains transformer being provided with a neutral conductor and with a grounded terminal, is intended to be improved in such a manner that the life of the photovoltaic modules, in particular in case of thin-film modules, is increased, allowing for high conversion efficiency of the inverters at low wiring costs. This is achieved in that an additional direct voltage source is inserted between the neutral conductor and ground in such a manner that the potential of the photovoltaic strings is displaced and that a bias voltage is set, which is different from zero volt.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2009
    Publication date: December 24, 2009
    Applicant: SMA SOLAR TECHNOLOGY AG
    Inventors: Guenther Cramer, Bernd Engel, Frank Greizer, Joachim Laschinski
  • Patent number: 7576449
    Abstract: A method of converting a direct voltage generated by a decentralized power supply system into three-phase alternating voltage by means of a plurality of single-phase inverters (WR1-WR3), said alternating voltage being provided for supplying an electric mains, is intended to avoid inadmissible load unbalances using single-phase inverters. This is achieved in that, upon failure of one inverter (WR1-WR3), an asymmetrical power supply distribution is reduced by limiting the output of the other inverters. The method makes it possible to simplify three-phase voltage monitoring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2009
    Assignee: SMA Solar Technology AG
    Inventors: Holger Becker, Günther Cramer, Sven Bremicker, Thorsten Dingel, Bernd Engel, Wilfried Groote, Frank Greizer, Ralf Joachim Laschinski, Matthias Victor, Torben Westphal
  • Patent number: RE44901
    Abstract: A method of converting a direct voltage generated by a decentralized power supply system into three-phase alternating voltage by means of a plurality of single-phase inverters (WR1-WR3), said alternating voltage being provided for supplying an electric mains, is intended to avoid inadmissible load unbalances using single-phase inverters. This is achieved in that, upon failure of one inverter (WR1-WR3), an asymmetrical power supply distribution is reduced by limiting the output of the other inverters. The method makes it possible to simplify three-phase voltage monitoring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: SMA Solar Technology AG
    Inventors: Holger Becker, Guenther Cramer, Sven Bremicker, Thorsten Dingel, Bernd Engel, Wilfried Groote, Frank Greizer, Ralf Joachim Laschinski, Matthias Victor, Torben Westphal