Abstract: A 3-D printing device, in particular an FFF printing device, comprising at least one printing head unit and at least one feeding device for feeding a printing material to the at least one printing head unit in at least one operating state. According to the invention, the printing head unit is provided for melting a printing material formed at least partially of a high-performance plastic, in particular of a high-performance thermoplastic, in at least one operating state.

Abstract: An exemplary inductive power transfer system having a transmitter coil and a receiver coil. A transmitter-side power converter having a mains rectifier stage powering a transmitter-side dc-bus and controlling a transmitter-side dc-bus voltage U1,dc. A transmitter-side inverter stage with a switching frequency fsw supplies the transmitter coil with an alternating current. A receiver-side power converter having a receiver-side rectifier stage that rectifies a voltage induced in the receiver coil and powering a receiver-side dc-bus and a receiver-side charging converter controlling a receiver-side dc-bus voltage U2,dc. Power controllers that determine from a power transfer efficiency of the power transfer, reference values U1,dc*, U2,dc* for the transmitter and receiver side dc-bus voltages. An inverter stage switching controller controls the switching frequency fsw to reduce losses in the transmitter-side inverter stage.

Abstract: An energy absorbing mouth guard is provided with several sets of open spaces. The sets are arranged in the guard at preferred locations. At least some of the sets have arrays of open spaces, where the arrays are arranged in a triangular pattern. Each array in the triangular pattern has three open spaces.

Abstract: A Voltage Source Converter (VSC) (10) with Neutral-Point-Clamped (NPC) topology with one or more phases, comprises an intermediate DC circuit having at least a first and a second capacitance connected in series between a positive terminal and a negative terminal, providing a central tap terminal between both capacitances, and at least one sub-circuit for generating one phase of an alternating voltage, each sub-circuit comprising an AC terminal for supplying a pulsed voltage; a circuit arrangement of the form of a conventional NPC converter, with a first series connection of at least two switches between said AC terminal and said positive terminal, a second series connection of at least two switches between said AC terminal said negative terminal, and switchable connections from said central tap terminal to the centers of both two-switch series connections; and additional first and second auxiliary switches assigned to said two-switch series connections.

Abstract: An energy absorbing element for footwear has a first set of open spaces and a second set of open spaces in a layer of material. The first set of open spaces and the second set of open spaces each have arrays of open spaces. Each array of open spaces has a certain number of open spaces. The arrays are arranged in a particular pattern.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a bar for the electrical contacting of an electrically conductive substrate in the form of a thin, electrically conducting and resilient contact. The bar comprises a current-collecting bar on which a plurality of contact fingers is fitted. The invention is distinguished by the contact fingers being configured resiliently in the direction of the contact to be produced.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for the improvement of the line quality in a system, in which a common feeding (1), via at least one distribution transformer (3), feeds at least two non-linear loads (11) drawing non-sinusoidal currents from the common feeding (1), wherein between the common feeding (1) and the distribution transformer (3) there is at least one primary side transformer line (2) and between the at least one distribution transformer (3) and the loads (11) there is at least one lower voltage secondary side transformer line (22), wherein at least one active filter (24) attached to at least one lower voltage secondary side transformer line (22) is used for the attenuation or elimination of higher order harmonics experienced by the common feeding (1). Furthermore a high power distribution system for use of such a method is disclosed, in particular for the operation of an electrostatic precipitator.

Abstract: A dental appliance for protecting teeth has two front flaps separated by a forward cusp, and two side flaps separated from the forward front flaps by side cusps. An open area is provided in each of the forward front flaps. The appliance may also have a rear palate portion with a rear cusp. The appliance may have a line of symmetry that extends from the forward cusp to the rear cusp. Open spaces may be distributed throughout the sheet of material. A method of protecting the dentition of a patient during a transoral procedure or intubation includes the steps of providing the appliance in a planar first state and placing the appliance in the mouth of a patient so the patient's dentition crowns are located along a bite line on the appliance. The method also includes molding the appliance into a second, non-planar state to conform to the patient's dentition and palate so that the dentition are protected during the transoral procedure or intubation.

Abstract: A dental appliance for protecting teeth has two front flaps separated by a forward cusp, and two side flaps separated from the forward front flaps by side cusps. An open area is provided in each of the forward front flaps. The appliance may also have a rear palate portion with a rear cusp. The appliance may have a line of symmetry that extends from the forward cusp to the rear cusp. Open spaces may be distributed throughout the sheet of material. A method of protecting the dentition of a patient during a transoral procedure or intubation includes the steps of providing the appliance in a planar first state and placing the appliance in the mouth of a patient so the patient's dentition crowns are located along a bite line on the appliance. The method also includes molding the appliance into a second, non-planar state to conform to the patient's dentition and palate so that the dentition are protected during the transoral procedure or intubation.

Abstract: An exemplary inductive power transfer system having a transmitter coil and a receiver coil. A transmitter-side power converter having a mains rectifier stage powering a transmitter-side dc-bus and controlling a transmitter-side dc-bus voltage U1,dc. A transmitter-side inverter stage with a switching frequency fsw supplies the transmitter coil with an alternating current. A receiver-side power converter having a receiver-side rectifier stage that rectifies a voltage induced in the receiver coil and powering a receiver-side dc-bus and a receiver-side charging converter controlling a receiver-side dc-bus voltage U2,dc. Power controllers that determine from a power transfer efficiency of the power transfer, reference values U1,dc*, U2,dc* for the transmitter and receiver side dc-bus voltages. An inverter stage switching controller controls the switching frequency fsw to reduce losses in the transmitter-side inverter stage.

Abstract: An exemplary apparatus and method for using intelligent gate driver units with distributed intelligence to control antiparallel power modules or parallel-connected electrical switching devices like IGBTs is disclosed. The intelligent gate drive units use the intelligence to balance the currents of the switching devices, even in dynamic switching events. The intelligent gate driver units can use master-slave or daisy chain control structures and instantaneous or time integral differences of the currents of parallel-connected switching devices as control parameters. Instead of balancing the currents, temperature can also be balanced with the intelligent gate driver units.

Abstract: A switching device for switching a current between a first connection and a second connection including a series circuit of at least two JFETs (J1-Jn), with further JFETs (J2-Jn), which are connected in series to a lowest JFET (J1), and wherein a wiring network for stabilizing the gate voltages of the JFETs (J1-Jn) is connected between the second connection and the first termination. One additional circuit is connected between each gate connection (GJ2, GJ3 . . . GjN) of the further JFETs (J2-Jn) and associated cathode connections of diodes (DAV) of the wiring network. During switch-on and in the switched-on state, said additional circuit keeps the potential of the respective gate connection higher than the potential of the associated source connection.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a bar for the electrical contacting of an electrically conductive substrate in the form of a thin, electrically conducting and resilient contact. The bar comprises a current-collecting bar on which a plurality of contact fingers is fitted. The invention is distinguished by the contact fingers being configured resiliently in the direction of the contact to be produced.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments are directed to a gate drive circuit and a method for controlling a gate-controlled component. The gate drive circuit includes a PI controller that receives an input reference signal (vref,d/dt) controls a gate voltage of the gate-controlled component. The gate drive circuit also includes a first feedback loop for the PI controller adapted to provide feedback from a time derivative of a collector-to-emitter voltage (vCE) of the controlled component. The first feedback loop has a first gain (kv). A second is provided in the gate drive circuit feedback loop for the PI controller that provides feedback from the time derivative of the collector current (iC) of the controlled component. The second feedback loop has second gain (ki) and includes a clipping circuit that modifies the feedback signal in the second feedback loop during turn-on of the controlled component when the time derivative of the collector current is negative.

Abstract: An exemplary apparatus and method for using intelligent gate driver units with distributed intelligence to control antiparallel power modules or parallel-connected electrical switching devices like IGBTs is disclosed. The intelligent gate drive units use the intelligence to balance the currents of the switching devices, even in dynamic switching events. The intelligent gate driver units can use master-slave or daisy chain control structures and instantaneous or time integral differences of the currents of parallel-connected switching devices as control parameters. Instead of balancing the currents, temperature can also be balanced with the intelligent gate driver units.

Abstract: An exemplary apparatus and method for using intelligent gate driver units with distributed intelligence to control antiparallel power modules or parallel-connected electrical switching devices like IGBTs is disclosed. The intelligent gate drive units use the intelligence to balance the currents of the switching devices, even in dynamic switching events. The intelligent gate driver units can use master-slave or daisy chain control structures and instantaneous or time integral differences of the currents of parallel-connected switching devices as control parameters. Instead of balancing the currents, temperature can also be balanced with the intelligent gate driver units.

Abstract: A Voltage Source Converter (VSC) (10) with Neutral-Point-Clamped (NPC) topology with one or more phases, comprises an intermediate DC circuit having at least a first and a second capacitance connected in series between a positive terminal and a negative terminal, providing a central tap terminal between both capacitances, and at least one sub-circuit for generating one phase of an alternating voltage, each sub-circuit comprising an AC terminal for supplying a pulsed voltage; a circuit arrangement of the form of a conventional NPC converter, with a first series connection of at least two switches between said AC terminal and said positive terminal, a second series connection of at least two switches between said AC terminal said negative terminal, and switchable connections from said central tap terminal to the centers of both two-switch series connections; and additional first and second auxiliary switches assigned to said two-switch series connections.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for the improvement of the line quality in a system, in which a common feeding (1), via at least one distribution transformer (3), feeds at least two non-linear loads (11) drawing non-sinusoidal currents from the common feeding (1), wherein between the common feeding (1) and the distribution transformer (3) there is at least one primary side transformer line (2) and between the at least one distribution transformer (3) and the loads (11) there is at least one lower voltage secondary side transformer line (22), wherein at least one active filter (24) attached to at least one lower voltage secondary side transformer line (22) is used for the attenuation or elimination of higher order harmonics experienced by the common feeding (1). Furthermore a high power distribution system for use of such a method is disclosed, in particular for the operation of an electrostatic precipitator.

Abstract: A switching device for switching a current between a first connection and a second connection including a series circuit of at least two JFETs (J1-Jn), with further JFETs (J2-Jn), which are connected in series to a lowest JFET (J1), and wherein a wiring network for stabilizing the gate voltages of the JFETs (J1-Jn) is connected between the second connection and the first termination. One additional circuit is connected between each gate connection (GJ2, GJ3 . . . GjN) of the further JFETs (J2-Jn) and associated cathode connections of diodes (DAV) of the wiring network. During switch-on and in the switched-on state, said additional circuit keeps the potential of the respective gate connection higher than the potential of the associated source connection.

Abstract: An exemplary apparatus and method for using intelligent gate driver units with distributed intelligence to control antiparallel power modules or parallel-connected electrical switching devices like IGBTs is disclosed. The intelligent gate drive units use the intelligence to balance the currents of the switching devices, even in dynamic switching events. The intelligent gate driver units can use master-slave or daisy chain control structures and instantaneous or time integral differences of the currents of parallel-connected switching devices as control parameters. Instead of balancing the currents, temperature can also be balanced with the intelligent gate driver units.