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).

  • Publication number: 20220304184
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2022
    Publication date: September 22, 2022
    Inventors: Klaus Rigbers, Thomas Wappler, Gerrit Braun, Andreas Knobloch, Matthias Rehbein
  • Patent number: 10530274
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: SMA Solar Technology AG
    Inventors: Burkard Mueller, Klaus Rigbers, Wilfried Vogt
  • Publication number: 20190207534
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2019
    Publication date: July 4, 2019
    Inventors: Burkard Mueller, Klaus Rigbers, Wilfried Vogt
  • Patent number: 9866023
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: SMA Solar Technology AG
    Inventors: Florian Ellerkamp, Aleksandra-Sasa Bukvic-Schaefer, Klaus Rigbers, Claus Allert
  • Patent number: 9755513
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: SMA Solar Technology AG
    Inventors: Jens Friebe, Klaus Rigbers, Sebastian Lederer
  • Patent number: 9368267
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: SMA SOLAR TECHNOLOGY AG
    Inventors: Michael Viotto, Klaus Rigbers, Jens Friebe, Peter Zacharias
  • Publication number: 20150288185
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2015
    Publication date: October 8, 2015
    Inventors: Florian Ellerkamp, Aleksandra-Sasa Bukvic-Schaefer, Klaus Rigbers, Claus Allert
  • Patent number: 9065345
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: SMA Solar Technology AG
    Inventors: Klaus Rigbers, Regine Mallwitz, Bernd Engel, Peter Zacharias
  • Publication number: 20150171751
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2015
    Publication date: June 18, 2015
    Inventors: Jens Friebe, Klaus Rigbers, Sebastian Lederer
  • Patent number: 8817492
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: SMA Solar Technology AG
    Inventors: Klaus Rigbers, Carsten Althof, Frank Papenfuss
  • Publication number: 20130335178
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2013
    Publication date: December 19, 2013
    Inventors: Michael Viotto, Klaus Rigbers, Jens Friebe, Peter Zacharias
  • Patent number: 8587976
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: SMA Solar Technology AG
    Inventor: Klaus Rigbers
  • Publication number: 20120262952
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2012
    Publication date: October 18, 2012
    Applicant: SMA Solar Technology AG
    Inventors: Klaus Rigbers, Carsten Althof, Frank Papenfuss
  • Publication number: 20120113702
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2012
    Publication date: May 10, 2012
    Applicant: SMA Solar Technology AG
    Inventor: Klaus Rigbers
  • Publication number: 20110267863
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2011
    Publication date: November 3, 2011
    Applicant: SMA Solar Technology AG
    Inventors: Klaus Rigbers, Regine Mallwitz, Bernd Engel, Peter Zacharias