Patents by Inventor Stefan Hain

Stefan Hain 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: 20250150013
    Abstract: A control assembly for a six-phase electric machine divided into two three-phase windings includes two three-phase inverters, each of which controls one of the three-phase windings. Each inverter has a circuit assembly with power semiconductors of different types, and/or different materials, and or different surface areas, and windings of the same phase in the inverter are wound onto the same cog and galvanically insulated from one another.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2023
    Publication date: May 8, 2025
    Applicant: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Fabian Hohmann, Stefan Hain, Matthias Beringer
  • Publication number: 20250079407
    Abstract: A power electronics module includes first and second printed circuit boards, each having an upper and lower layer made of an electrically conductive material and a middle layer made of a non-conductive material, a high-side assembly having a power semiconductor forming a high-side switch, and a low-side assembly having a power semiconductor forming a low-side switch, wherein the first printed circuit board is placed opposite the second printed circuit board such that the upper layers face one another, wherein the upper layer of the first printed circuit board forms an AC-phase connection, and wherein the upper layer of the second printed circuit board forms a DC? and DC+ connection, and AC connections of the power semiconductors point toward and contact the upper layer of the first printed circuit board, and the DC connections for the power semiconductors point toward and contact the upper layer of the second printed circuit board.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2024
    Publication date: March 6, 2025
    Applicant: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Ake Ewald, Stefan Hain
  • Publication number: 20240413119
    Abstract: A contact assembly for power semiconductor chips has a substrate, at least two power semiconductor chips with a first terminal on the substrate such that they are electrically connected, and at least one contact region facing outward from the substrate, with the same type of terminal for connecting to the power semiconductor, a contact component in the form of a conductive metal film, which is at least partially coated with an insulating layer, which has holes exposing the metal film for terminals for the power semiconductor chips, and wherein at least part of the metal film protrudes from the insulating layer and is connected to a dedicated contact region on the substrate in order to connect to identical types of terminals for the power semiconductor chips.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2024
    Publication date: December 12, 2024
    Applicant: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Fabian Hohmann, Stefan Hain
  • Publication number: 20240380332
    Abstract: A half-bridge arrangement includes an AC tap, DC taps, and a half-bridge including first and second topological switches formed from switch modules having semiconductor switches, each switch module having a flat top side with a cooling connection surface and an opposite underside, and side regions. A first current connection lug and signal pin project at first side regions of each switch module, and a second current connection lug projects at second side regions opposite the first side region. The switch modules are stacked so that current connection lugs of a first side region and a second side region lie one above another. Signal pin free ends point in the same direction, and the second current connection lug a switch module is provided along a partial region of the second side region and the signal pins of the other switch module are next to the second current connection lug.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2024
    Publication date: November 14, 2024
    Applicant: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Claudia Kleinschrodt, Stefan Hain, Robert Maier, Fabian Schötz
  • Publication number: 20240269887
    Abstract: The invention relates to a smoothing device (100, 200) for smoothing a structural concrete component (1), comprising a primary cutting edge (104, 204, 204?, 204?, 204??) for separating a concrete layer from the structural concrete component, an axis of rotation (102, 202), and a smoothing surface (106, 206) aligned orthogonally to the axis of rotation (102, 202) for surface contacting of a cut surface of the structural concrete component (1) formed by the separation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2022
    Publication date: August 15, 2024
    Inventors: Hendrik LINDEMANN, Anke LAUBER, Stefan HAIN, Roman GERBERS
  • Patent number: 11997834
    Abstract: A control apparatus for operating an electric drive for a vehicle may include one or more of the following: a plurality of power module, which has one or more power semiconductors; an intermediate circuit capacitor, which is connected in parallel to the power module; a cooler for dissipating heat generated by the power module; an interconnect device for obtaining electrical contact to the power module, where the interconnect device has a first section and a second section at an angle to the first section, and where the first section and the second section are each perpendicular to a main plane of the power module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Stefan Hain, Michael Sperber
  • Patent number: 11968810
    Abstract: A power module for operating an electric vehicle drive may include one or more of the following: a plurality of semiconductor components; an intermediate circuit capacitor connected in parallel to the semiconductor components; a heatsink for the removal of heat generated by the semiconductor components, where the heatsink is located between the semiconductor components and the intermediate circuit capacitor; and an intermediate circuit line that electrically connects the intermediate circuit capacitor to the semiconductor components. The intermediate circuit line may extend perpendicular to a direction of flow for the coolant in the heatsink on a side of the semiconductor components facing away from the heatsink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventors: Ake Ewald, Michael Sperber, Stefan Hain
  • Patent number: 11923785
    Abstract: Method for measuring an operating temperature of a power module (10) that is used for operating an electric vehicle drive, the power module (10) comprising a plurality of semiconductor switching elements (14) and drive electronics (16), wherein the semiconductor switching elements (14) can be switched by the drive electronics (16) in such a way that the semiconductor switching elements (14) allow or interrupt a drain-source current in order to convert the direct current fed into the power module (10) at the input side into an output-side alternating current, wherein the method comprises measurement of a voltage present at a point located on a side of a diode (22) that is connected in series with the semiconductor switching element (14) and that faces away from the semiconductor switching element (14), wherein the method comprises measurement of a drain-source current of the semiconductor switching element (14) that is generated by a current source (18), wherein the method comprises determination of a mathemat
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Michael Meiler, Johannes Hager, Stefan Hain
  • Publication number: 20240047320
    Abstract: A power electronics module, having a DBC PCB having power semiconductors arranged thereon, and a multilayered leadframe including at least two separate subframes. No power or control routing takes place on the PCB. A region of the load source subregion is arranged between the PCB and the gate source and kelvin source subregion and is in electrical contact with the power semiconductors, and an adjoining region is located outside the PCB. A region of the drain source subregion is in electrical contact with a drain terminal on the PCB, and an adjoining region is located outside the PCB. The gate source subregion and the kelvin source subregion have a region above the load source subregion at which said subregions are in electrical contact with the power semiconductors and have an adjoining region outside the PCB which is opposite the drain source subregion and has pins bent above the PCB.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2023
    Publication date: February 8, 2024
    Applicant: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Ake Ewald, Stefan Hain, Fabian Hohmann
  • Publication number: 20240038638
    Abstract: A power electronics module, having a PCB having power semiconductors arranged on connecting regions of an uppermost layer of said PCB, wherein the PCB has a preset dimension to arrange a preset maximum number of power semiconductors thereon. A lead frame arranged above the power semiconductors provides three-dimensional power and control routing, and includes a drain-source connection to connect to a drain-source contact of the PCB, and a load-source connection opposite the drain-source connection via the power semiconductors that is formed from a plurality of subregions, each of which can be brought into electrical contact with the power semiconductors, and a gate- and kelvin-source terminal, which are arranged above the load-source connection and have been brought into electrical contact with the power semiconductors. At least one dummy chip consisting of an electrically nonconductive material is arranged on each of the connecting regions that are not populated by power semiconductors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2023
    Publication date: February 1, 2024
    Applicant: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Ake Ewald, Stefan Hain
  • Publication number: 20240022180
    Abstract: A power module for a current converter for an electric drive of a motor vehicle comprises a termination substrate having electrical contact portions that are electrically isolated from one another, a plurality of power semiconductor elements arranged on the termination substrate, each having a first terminal, a second terminal, and a control terminal, the first terminals of all the power semiconductor elements being electrically connected to a first contact portion of the termination substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2023
    Publication date: January 18, 2024
    Applicant: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Ake Ewald, Stefan Hain, Fabian Hohmann, Chandra Gupta Hazarika
  • Publication number: 20240021436
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a terminal apparatus for connecting a component for an electrical module includes bending a pre-machined sheet metal element, having a first electric terminal device for connecting to a first potential, a control terminal having a control contact, and a second electric terminal device arranged between the first electric terminal device and the control terminal and separated from the first electric terminal device by a gap, and for connecting to a second electrical potential, further having a path section including a first path for contact-connection with a terminal for the second electrical potential of the component, and a second path arranged in parallel with the first, and wherein an edge region of the sheet metal is bent such that the first electric terminal device and the path section are brought together such that the first electric terminal device and the path section overlap.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2023
    Publication date: January 18, 2024
    Applicant: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Ake Ewald, Fabian Hohmann, Stefan Hain
  • Publication number: 20240022036
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a terminal apparatus for connecting at least one electrical or electronica component for an electrical or electronic module includes bending a pre-machined sheet metal element, having a first electric terminal device for connecting to a first electrical potential, a control terminal having at least one control contact, and a second electric terminal device arranged between the first electric terminal device and the control terminal for connecting to a second electrical potential, wherein the second electric terminal device has a path section including a first path for contact-connection with a terminal for the second electrical potential of the electrical or electronic component, and at least one second path arranged in parallel with the first path, and wherein a first bending section of the first path is bent into a lower plane than a second bending section of the second path in order to form the terminal apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2023
    Publication date: January 18, 2024
    Applicant: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Ake Ewald, Fabian Hohmann, Stefan Hain
  • Publication number: 20230421149
    Abstract: The invention relates to a topological semiconductor switch for power electronics that has at least two power semiconductors, in particular power transistors, characterized in that the topological semiconductor switch has at least one first power semiconductor containing a first semiconductor material, and at least one second power semiconductor containing a second semiconductor material. The invention also relates to a motor vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2021
    Publication date: December 28, 2023
    Applicant: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Stefan HAIN, Matthias LOCHNER
  • Publication number: 20230301008
    Abstract: A switch module for an inverter includes a high-side switch and a low-side switch, each of which has at least one semiconductor switch, wherein the semiconductor switches are attached to a flat substrate; a DC input connection with a positive DC input contact and a negative DC input contact; an AC output connection for outputting an AC phase current of a multi-phase AC output, which is generated by activating the high-side switch and low-side switch on the basis of the DC input; a micro-heat sink that has a coolant intake, a coolant outlet, and a connecting cooling channel structure between the coolant intake and the coolant outlet; wherein the micro-heat sink is designed such that numerous micro-heat sinks, each of which are dedicated to one of numerous switch modules in the inverter, can be releasably connected to one another for fluid exchange at their respective coolant intake and/or coolant outlet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2023
    Publication date: September 21, 2023
    Applicant: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Stefan HAIN, Ake EWALD
  • Patent number: 11746604
    Abstract: A subsea housing assembly has a subsea housing with a first and a second housing portion. The first and second housing portions have first and second electrical connections for data communication. A wall separates the first and second housing portions. The assembly has an inductive coupler with first and second coupling sections disposed in the first and second housing portions. The inductive coupler provides inductive coupling across the wall for data communication between the first and second electrical connections. The inductive coupler has inner and outer coils wherein the outer coil at least partly surrounds the inner coil and at least part of the wall extends between the inner and outer coil. Soft magnetic material is arranged around the outer coil and/or inside the inner coil such that the magnetic flux is collected and guided from the outer to the inner coil and/or from the inner to the outer coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Siemens Energy AS
    Inventors: Jürgen Götz, Stefan Hain, Klaus Ludwig
  • Patent number: 11728748
    Abstract: A power module for operating an electric vehicle drive, comprising: numerous power switches, each of which has a power semiconductor; a control electronics for controlling the numerous power switches to generate an output current based on an input current; wherein the control electronics also comprises a temperature unit configured to detect an operating voltage and operating current in the power semiconductor, and determine the temperature of the power semiconductor based on the operating voltage and operating current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventor: Stefan Hain
  • Patent number: 11711027
    Abstract: A power module for operating a vehicle, in particular an electric vehicle and/or a hybrid vehicle, comprising numerous semiconductor components, which form at least one topological switch; an input contact for supplying an input current to the semiconductor components; a control electronics for controlling the semiconductor components, to generate an output current based on the input current; an output contact for outputting the output current; wherein the control electronics is configured to set a gate current for one of the semiconductor components based on one or more status parameters for the semiconductor component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Fabian Hohmann, Stefan Hain
  • Publication number: 20230110879
    Abstract: An inverter has at least one current phase along a first axis and an input-side current connection for each phase, for receiving a DC input current. The phase(s) output AC output current generated from the DC input current, which is generated by a semiconductor bridge circuit. An intermediate circuit connected in parallel to the bridge circuit has at least one capacitor and heat sink between the intermediate circuit and the bridge circuit. The bridge circuit lies on the heat sink. The bridge circuit has at least one half bridge for each phase, formed by a high side switch and an opposing low side switch, connected in parallel, and each of the phases is located between the associated high and low side switches and on the heat sink, and each high and low side switch is electrically connected directly to the respective phase via a first electrical contact connection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2022
    Publication date: April 13, 2023
    Applicant: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Ake EWALD, Stefan HAIN
  • Patent number: 11532995
    Abstract: The invention relates to an electronic module for an electric drive in a vehicle, comprising an input-side electrical connection for inputting an input current generated by an energy source; an intermediate circuit with a capacitor; a semiconductor bridge circuit, connected in parallel to the intermediate circuit, wherein the bridge circuit comprises a high-side switch, and a low-side switch connected in series to the high-side switch, wherein the high-side switch is connected to the input-side electrical connection via a first current path, wherein the low-side switch is connected to the input-side electrical connection via a second current path, wherein the first current path and the second current path are the same length; and an output-side electrical connection for outputting an output current generated by the bridge circuit from the input current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventors: Michael Sperber, Stefan Hain