Patents by Inventor Klaus Rigbers
Klaus Rigbers 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).
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Publication number: 20220304184Abstract: An inverter with a rated power of at least 3 kVA includes a first assembly which includes a first printed circuit board and a DC/AC converter stage, and a second assembly which includes a second printed circuit board and an EMC filter for the DC/AC converter stage. The first printed circuit board is mounted on a heat sink and lies substantially flat on the heat sink, and the DC/AC converter stage has converter components which comprise power semiconductors, chokes and link circuit capacitors. The chokes and the link circuit capacitors are arranged together on one side of the first printed circuit board, and the heat sink is arranged on the opposite side of the first printed circuit board, and the chokes and/or the power semiconductors are thermally connected to the heat sink via the first printed circuit board and a thermally conductive material arranged between the first printed circuit board and the heat sink.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 3, 2022Publication date: September 22, 2022Inventors: Klaus Rigbers, Thomas Wappler, Gerrit Braun, Andreas Knobloch, Matthias Rehbein
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Patent number: 10530274Abstract: A method for operating a transformerless inverter includes operating first and second half-bridges of the inverter using a unipolar clocking method as a first clocking method, determining a value of a grid-frequency stray current at the DC terminals of the inverter during the unipolar clocking method, and when a limit value is exceeded by the stray current value, operating the first and second half-bridges of the inverter using a stray-current-reducing clocking method as a second clocking method in which the first half-bridge provides an AC voltage at the first AC output, wherein an amplitude of the AC voltage is less than 50% of the amplitude of a voltage amplitude of the grid, and the second half-bridge provides a difference voltage between the grid voltage and the voltage provided by the first half-bridge at the first AC output.Type: GrantFiled: March 6, 2019Date of Patent: January 7, 2020Assignee: SMA Solar Technology AGInventors: Burkard Mueller, Klaus Rigbers, Wilfried Vogt
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Publication number: 20190207534Abstract: A method for operating a transformerless inverter includes operating first and second half-bridges of the inverter using a unipolar clocking method as a first clocking method, determining a value of a grid-frequency stray current at the DC terminals of the inverter during the unipolar clocking method, and when a limit value is exceeded by the stray current value, operating the first and second half-bridges of the inverter using a stray-current-reducing clocking method as a second clocking method in which the first half-bridge provides an AC voltage at the first AC output, wherein an amplitude of the AC voltage is less than 50% of the amplitude of a voltage amplitude of the grid, and the second half-bridge provides a difference voltage between the grid voltage and the voltage provided by the first half-bridge at the first AC output.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 6, 2019Publication date: July 4, 2019Inventors: Burkard Mueller, Klaus Rigbers, Wilfried Vogt
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Patent number: 9866023Abstract: An inverter apparatus includes an input stage receiving DC electric power from a DC power generator for loading a DC voltage link, a DC/AC converter connected to the DC voltage link and feeding AC electric power into a power grid. The apparatus further includes a bidirectional connection for loading a battery out of the DC voltage link and for loading the DC voltage link out of the battery, and a controller operating the DC/AC converter and the bidirectional connection. The controller receives present values of relevant parameters of the battery including working data at least related to a state of charge and safety data indicating a safety state of the battery from a battery monitoring unit. The controller, in operating the bidirectional connection, considers the working data and is commanded by the safety data.Type: GrantFiled: June 9, 2015Date of Patent: January 9, 2018Assignee: SMA Solar Technology AGInventors: Florian Ellerkamp, Aleksandra-Sasa Bukvic-Schaefer, Klaus Rigbers, Claus Allert
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Patent number: 9755513Abstract: The disclosure relates to a DC/DC converter including at least one clocked switching member and at least one inductor which is arranged between an input connection and an output connection of the DC/DC converter and is for intermediate storage of energy transferred by the DC/DC converter, wherein the inductor has a core with permanent magnetization. The DC/DC converter is configured for bidirectional operation, wherein, in a first energy transfer direction, the at least one switching member is switched in a first operating mode and, in a second energy transfer direction which is opposite to the first, the at least one switching member is switched in a second operating mode which deviates from the first. The disclosure also relates to an operating method for a DC/DC converter.Type: GrantFiled: January 30, 2015Date of Patent: September 5, 2017Assignee: SMA Solar Technology AGInventors: Jens Friebe, Klaus Rigbers, Sebastian Lederer
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Patent number: 9368267Abstract: An inductor apparatus includes an inductor winding, a core defining a magnetic circuit for a magnetic flux generated by a current flowing through the inductor winding, at least one permanent magnet magnetically biasing the core by its permanent magnetization, and a magnetization device operable for adjusting a desired magnetization of the permanent magnet. The at least one permanent magnet is arranged within the magnetic circuit of the magnetic flux generated by the current flowing through the inductor winding. The magnetization device includes a magnetization winding and a circuitry configured to subject the magnetization winding to magnetization current pulses, thereby generating at a location of the permanent magnet a magnetic field which is able to change the permanent magnetization of the permanent magnet.Type: GrantFiled: August 26, 2013Date of Patent: June 14, 2016Assignee: SMA SOLAR TECHNOLOGY AGInventors: Michael Viotto, Klaus Rigbers, Jens Friebe, Peter Zacharias
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Publication number: 20150288185Abstract: An inverter apparatus includes an input stage receiving DC electric power from a DC power generator for loading a DC voltage link, a DC/AC converter connected to the DC voltage link and feeding AC electric power into a power grid. The apparatus further includes a bidirectional connection for loading a battery out of the DC voltage link and for loading the DC voltage link out of the battery, and a controller operating the DC/AC converter and the bidirectional connection. The controller receives present values of relevant parameters of the battery including working data at least related to a state of charge and safety data indicating a safety state of the battery from a battery monitoring unit. The controller, in operating the bidirectional connection, considers the working data and is commanded by the safety data.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 9, 2015Publication date: October 8, 2015Inventors: Florian Ellerkamp, Aleksandra-Sasa Bukvic-Schaefer, Klaus Rigbers, Claus Allert
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Patent number: 9065345Abstract: A transformerless inverter that serves to feed electricity from a DC current source into an AC power grid, has an inverter bridge and a DC/DC converter connected upstream of the inverter bridge. The DC/DC converter converts an input DC voltage that is present between two input lines of the inverter into a DC link voltage present between two input lines of the inverter bridge. The inverter bridge converts the DC link voltage present at the input lines thereof into an output AC voltage. The DC/DC converter includes at least one resonant circuit that has a resonance inductance and a resonance capacitance and is connected on its input side via at least two clocked switches to one of the two input lines of the inverter or an intermediate potential line carrying a potential in between. The input lines of the inverter and the input lines of the inverter bridge are galvanically isolated from one another by a capacitive method.Type: GrantFiled: June 20, 2011Date of Patent: June 23, 2015Assignee: SMA Solar Technology AGInventors: Klaus Rigbers, Regine Mallwitz, Bernd Engel, Peter Zacharias
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Publication number: 20150171751Abstract: The disclosure relates to a DC/DC converter including at least one clocked switching member and at least one inductor which is arranged between an input connection and an output connection of the DC/DC converter and is for intermediate storage of energy transferred by the DC/DC converter, wherein the inductor has a core with permanent magnetization. The DC/DC converter is configured for bidirectional operation, wherein, in a first energy transfer direction, the at least one switching member is switched in a first operating mode and, in a second energy transfer direction which is opposite to the first, the at least one switching member is switched in a second operating mode which deviates from the first. The disclosure also relates to an operating method for a DC/DC converter.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 30, 2015Publication date: June 18, 2015Inventors: Jens Friebe, Klaus Rigbers, Sebastian Lederer
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Patent number: 8817492Abstract: A DC/DC converter includes two input terminals for a DC input voltage, two output terminals for a DC output voltage, an inverter converting a DC voltage into an AC voltage, and a rectifier converting an AC voltage from the inverter into a DC voltage between a first one of the input terminals and a first one of the output terminals. At least one galvanically isolating element is arranged between the output of the inverter and the input of the rectifier, and a capacitance is coupled between the output terminals. The inverter converts a partial DC voltage, being smaller than the full DC input voltage, across a capacitance between the second one of the input terminals and the second one of the output terminals.Type: GrantFiled: June 25, 2012Date of Patent: August 26, 2014Assignee: SMA Solar Technology AGInventors: Klaus Rigbers, Carsten Althof, Frank Papenfuss
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Publication number: 20130335178Abstract: An inductor apparatus includes an inductor winding, a core defining a magnetic circuit for a magnetic flux generated by a current flowing through the inductor winding, at least one permanent magnet magnetically biasing the core by its permanent magnetization, and a magnetization device operable for adjusting a desired magnetization of the permanent magnet. The at least one permanent magnet is arranged within the magnetic circuit of the magnetic flux generated by the current flowing through the inductor winding. The magnetization device includes a magnetization winding and a circuitry configured to subject the magnetization winding to magnetization current pulses, thereby generating at a location of the permanent magnet a magnetic field which is able to change the permanent magnetization of the permanent magnet.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 26, 2013Publication date: December 19, 2013Inventors: Michael Viotto, Klaus Rigbers, Jens Friebe, Peter Zacharias
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Patent number: 8587976Abstract: A DC/DC converter for converting an input DC voltage between input lines into an output DC voltage between output lines includes: an AC current forward path connected via switching electric components to at least one of the output lines and at least one of the output lines; an AC current backflow path connected via same electric connections to at least one of the input lines and at least one of the output lines; and an auxiliary converter for compensating a sum of currents flowing via all forward and backflow paths, the auxiliary converter connecting one end of an compensation current path via two pulsed switches alternately to two lines at one side, the other end of the compensation path being connected to at least one line at the other side of the converter. The input lines are galvanically separated from the output lines by capacitances in all current paths.Type: GrantFiled: January 3, 2012Date of Patent: November 19, 2013Assignee: SMA Solar Technology AGInventor: Klaus Rigbers
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Publication number: 20120262952Abstract: A DC/DC converter includes two input terminals for a DC input voltage, two output terminals for a DC output voltage, an inverter converting a DC voltage into an AC voltage, and a rectifier converting an AC voltage from the inverter into a DC voltage between a first one of the input terminals and a first one of the output terminals. At least one galvanically isolating element is arranged between the output of the inverter and the input of the rectifier, and a capacitance is coupled between the output terminals. The inverter converts a partial DC voltage, being smaller than the full DC input voltage, across a capacitance between the second one of the input terminals and the second one of the output terminals.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 25, 2012Publication date: October 18, 2012Applicant: SMA Solar Technology AGInventors: Klaus Rigbers, Carsten Althof, Frank Papenfuss
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Publication number: 20120113702Abstract: A DC/DC converter for converting an input DC voltage between input lines into an output DC voltage between output lines includes: an AC current forward path connected via switching electric components to at least one of the output lines and at least one of the output lines; an AC current backflow path connected via same electric connections to at least one of the input lines and at least one of the output lines; and an auxiliary converter for compensating a sum of currents flowing via all forward and backflow paths, the auxiliary converter connecting one end of an compensation current path via two pulsed switches alternately to two lines at one side, the other end of the compensation path being connected to at least one line at the other side of the converter. The input lines are galvanically separated from the output lines by capacitances in all current paths.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 3, 2012Publication date: May 10, 2012Applicant: SMA Solar Technology AGInventor: Klaus Rigbers
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Publication number: 20110267863Abstract: A transformerless inverter that serves to feed electricity from a DC current source into an AC power grid, has an inverter bridge and a DC/DC converter connected upstream of the inverter bridge. The DC/DC converter converts an input DC voltage that is present between two input lines of the inverter into a DC link voltage present between two input lines of the inverter bridge. The inverter bridge converts the DC link voltage present at the input lines thereof into an output AC voltage. The DC/DC converter includes at least one resonant circuit that has a resonance inductance and a resonance capacitance and is connected on its input side via at least two clocked switches to one of the two input lines of the inverter or an intermediate potential line carrying a potential in between. The input lines of the inverter and the input lines of the inverter bridge are galvanically isolated from one another by a capacitive method.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 20, 2011Publication date: November 3, 2011Applicant: SMA Solar Technology AGInventors: Klaus Rigbers, Regine Mallwitz, Bernd Engel, Peter Zacharias