Patents Issued in March 28, 2017
  • Patent number: 9608486
    Abstract: A rotating electrical device comprising a circuit section being disposed offset from a motor section to one side or another side, in a direction orthogonal to an axial direction of the motor section as viewed in the axial direction of the motor section; a stator configuring the motor section together with a rotor, the stator comprising a plurality of teeth formed in a radial shape and a plurality of windings that each includes a terminal-end portion that extends in the axial direction of the motor section, the plurality of windings being respectively wound on any of the plurality of teeth such that each of the terminal-end portions is disposed further to a side in the orthogonal direction from a central axis of the motor section where the circuit section is disposed; and a plurality of terminals that wire-in the circuit section and the terminal-end portions of the plurality of windings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: ASMO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshimichi Sahara, Masato Ooishi
  • Patent number: 9608487
    Abstract: A winding wire (14) includes a first coil (15) formed by being wound N/2+? times between two predetermined slots (13) present in positions which are point-symmetrical with respect to a rotating shaft, and a second coil (16) formed by being wound N/2?? times between the two predetermined slots (13) which are the same as those between which the first coil (15) is formed, when a predetermined number of turns of the winding wire (14) between the predetermined slots is N.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Mitsuba Corporation
    Inventors: Kenji Sakata, Akio Hoshino
  • Patent number: 9608488
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a stator arrangement for an electric machine, comprising a stator laminate stack, comprising a multiplicity of stator windings, comprising a contact-making device which has at least one contact conductor, which is designed to electrically connect at least two stator windings to one another, wherein a respective contact conductor has at least one connecting lug for electrically coupling an external connection unit to the contact-making device and at least one hook for receiving a winding wire end of a stator winding connected electrically in each case to the contact conductor. The present invention relates to an electric machine comprising such a stator arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Brose Fahrzeugteile GmbH & Co. Kommanditgesellschaft, Wūrzburg
    Inventors: Kevin Koch, Veronique Dillmann, Christian Martin
  • Patent number: 9608489
    Abstract: Provided are an armature for rotary electric machine, an insulator therefor, and a coil winding device for winding a conductive wire on a tooth to which the insulator has been attached, wherein in each of all forward-wound coils and reversely-wound coils, a part wound on a first side surface of two side surfaces of each tooth that are opposed to the respective adjacent teeth forms a straight portion in which conductive wires in respective layers of the coil are parallel, a part wound on a second side surface forms a cross portion in which the conductive wire in an upper layer is wound in a crossed manner on the conductive wire in an adjacent lower layer, and an insulator has a guide for guiding the conductive wire along a base of an inner flange of the insulator at a first turn of each coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Keiichiro Oka, Hiroyuki Akita, Kunihiro Yamaoka
  • Patent number: 9608490
    Abstract: A compressor includes a casing, a compression mechanism arranged inside the casing, a motor arranged inside the casing, and an insulation sheet. The motor drives the compression mechanism. The motor is a concentrated-winding motor having a stator that has a plurality of teeth, and an insulator adjacent to the stator, with windings wound about the teeth with the insulator interposed between the windings and the teeth. The insulation sheet is arranged between the casing and crossover wires of the windings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Daikin Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Keiji Aota, Akinobu Ishizaki
  • Patent number: 9608491
    Abstract: A stator includes a first teeth unit including a first insulator having an annular first crossover wire guide and a plurality of first winding units radially provided at regular intervals on an outer circumference of the first crossover wire guide to cover teeth of one phase group of an alternating current, the teeth of the one phase group having upper halves fitted to the first winding units, a third insulator that covers lower halves of the teeth, and a winding wire of one phase wound around the teeth of the one phase group, a second teeth unit having an identical configuration to that of the first teeth unit in which a winding wire of the other phase is wound in a concentrated manner, with second winding units inserted between adjacent ones of the first winding units, and an annular yoke including a plurality of recesses at regular intervals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masaki Kameyama, Shinya Oishi, Manabu Deguchi, Toshihiko Mizutani, Takayuki Onihashi, Katsuki Fukuyo, Takashi Suzuki
  • Patent number: 9608492
    Abstract: A relay conductor of a rotating electrical machine is provided with: a coil connector that is connected to a coil on one side of a rotating shaft and further to the outside in the radial direction than the coil; a power line connector that is connected to an external power line on the other side of the rotating shaft; and relays that extend in the axial direction of the rotating shaft, and link the coil connector and the power line connector. At least a portion of the power line connector is positioned closer to the inner diameter side of the rotating electrical machine than the outer peripheral surface of a stator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Toshiyuki Nagumo
  • Patent number: 9608493
    Abstract: In a rotary electric machine including a stator and a rotor, the stator includes: a connected core (1) composed of a plurality of cores in which a first core (1b) and a second core (1c) are paired to connect in a belt shape to be rounded into a substantially cylindrical shape by being folded at a core connecting portion (1d) so as to surround the rotor; a plurality of coils in which a first coil (3f) and a second coil (3g) are paired; and a crossover wire (3c) which connects the winding end (3b) of the first coil (3f) to the winding start (3d) of the second coil (3g). The crossover wire (3c) are arranged on the inner diameter side than the core connecting portion (1d).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Hiromu Nonoguchi, Kazuhisa Takashima
  • Patent number: 9608494
    Abstract: An opening of a yoke provided to an electric motor is closed by a brush holder of an electricity supply unit. A pair of electricity supply terminals connected to respective brushes is fixed on the brush holder by outsert molding. A brush-side fixing pillar is inserted into a caulking hole piercing through a pigtail connecting portion of each electricity supply terminal, an input-side fixing pillar is inserted into a fixing hole piercing through an input-side connecting portion, and then the brush-side fixing pillar and the input-side fixing pillar are thermally caulked, whereby each electricity supply terminal is fixed on the brush holder. Each input-side fixing pillar and the corresponding brush-side fixing pillar, provided on the brush holder, are spaced away from each other by a predetermined distance so that a first terminal, a second terminal and a choke coil connected therebetween is attachable in place of the electricity supply terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hayami Ichihara
  • Patent number: 9608495
    Abstract: One variation may include a product comprising: an integrated electric bicycle motor comprising: an inrunner ring motor, a rotor mount coupled to the inside of the inrunner ring motor, and at least one battery assembly coupled to the rotor mount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventor: Jussi A. Timonen
  • Patent number: 9608496
    Abstract: Provided is a reaction force compensation device capable of compensating for a reaction force caused by a motor that is continuously rotating. The reaction force compensation device is configured to compensate for a reaction force generated when a motor including a stator and a rotor, which is combined with the stator to be rotatable, is driven, and includes a housing disposed below the motor, and a rotation support member disposed between the housing and the rotor and configured to support the stator to be rotatable with respect to the housing. The stator rotates by a reaction force generated when the rotor rotates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Foundation of Soongsil University-Industry Cooperation
    Inventors: Hyeong-Joon Ahn, Kyoung-Rock Kim, Dong-Jun Kim
  • Patent number: 9608497
    Abstract: The invention relates to a windscreen wiper motor (10), having a housing (12) for accommodating a gearing arrangement which comprises a gear wheel (20) rotatably mounted in a shaft (13), which gear wheel has, on its outer circumference, a toothing (21) which interacts with a counterpart toothing (19) on a drive shaft (15), wherein the shaft (13) is received in a mount (22; 22a to 22c), which is constructed as a bore, of the housing (12) in an eccentric bush (25; 25a to 25c) for setting the distance (a) between the shaft (13) and the drive shaft (15), and wherein a press fit is formed at least in regions between the mount (22; 22a to 22c) and the eccentric bush (25; 25a to 25c).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Valeo Systèms d'Essuyage
    Inventors: Christof Heuberger, Harald Kapitza, Siegfried Stefani, Werner Hartmann
  • Patent number: 9608498
    Abstract: A method and device for generating electrical energy in a combined system of power plant, cold storage system and air compression system. The air compression system has a primary air compressor for generating a primary compressed air flow at a first pressure level. The power plant has a combustion unit which operates at a second pressure level and generates a combustion gas from which electrical energy is generated. The cold storage system has means for generating cold from compressed air, means for storing cold thus produced and means for generating a compressed air flow at the second pressure level using the stored cold. In a first operating mode (charging mode), a first compressed air flow is introduced from the air compression system into the cold storage system to charge the cold reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Linde Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Alexander Alekseev, Christoph Stiller
  • Patent number: 9608499
    Abstract: An insulator includes: a trunk portion that is interposed between a tooth and a stator coil; and a first flange portion that is disposed on the trunk portion so as to be adjacent to the stator coil in a radial direction of a stator core. A notch portion is disposed on a flange protruding portion of the first flange portion that protrudes from the stator core in the axial direction of the stator core from an outer circumferential portion of the flange protruding portion toward the trunk portion. A holder that has a holder main body that is disposed on the notch portion is mounted onto the flange protruding portion. A temperature sensor is held between the holder main body and the stator coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Tomohiro Bessho, Ryuji Kitamura, Katsunari Takagi, Masaya Inoue
  • Patent number: 9608500
    Abstract: A portable generator produces secondary voltage to feed a portable trailer mounted transformer through secondary cables. Transformer voltages are stepped up to primary levels with disconnects/fuses protecting the transformer and generator. From the fuses a primary underground cable feeds a junction box mounted on the bottom side of the portable trailer for underground applications. Overhead applications include a temporary overhead erectable structure with overhead disconnects. A temporary ground rod with a grounding cable is used to establish a path to ground and a common neutral system for the portable trailer and all components of the portable generator apparatus and system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: VMC Power Systems
    Inventors: Mark C. McCartney, Nicolas V. Valente
  • Patent number: 9608501
    Abstract: A rotary electric machine is a rotary electric machine including a stator of a distributed winding type including a plurality of first slots, in each of which winding wires of a plurality of same phases or a winding wire of one phase are arranged, and a plurality of second slots, in each of which winding wires of a plurality of different phases are arranged. The total number of turns in each of the first slots is same as one another. The total number of turns in each of the second slots is same as one another. The total number of turns in the first slot and the total number of turns in the second slot are different from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Shinichi Yamaguchi, Koki Naka, Kazuaki Ando
  • Patent number: 9608502
    Abstract: An impactive vibration generating apparatus includes a rotary unit having a shaft and a coil arranged around the shaft; a fixing unit surrounding the rotary unit and having a magnet therein; a commutator arranged along the circumference of the shaft connected to the coil; a pair of brushes to slidably contacting the commutator; a protrusion attached to one part of the rotary unit; and a stopper contacting the protrusion when the rotary unit rotates so as to interrupt the rotation of the rotary unit. According to the impactive vibration generating apparatus, a sharp and strong single impactive vibration or only a few impactive vibrations can be generated. Further, a strong vibration can be caused by continuous impactive vibrations, and the frequency or cycle of the generation of the impactive vibrations can be adjusted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Inventor: Seong-Ho Shin
  • Patent number: 9608503
    Abstract: An actuator has an electrically conductive coil which has a longitudinal axis and windings through which a current can flow. The coil is surrounded by a highly permeable first ferromagnetic body so that the first body has projections of highly permeable ferromagnetic material above and below the coil in the longitudinal direction. The actuator has a magnet spaced apart from the coil so that a gap forms therebetween. The magnet is surrounded by a highly permeable second ferromagnetic body so that the second body has projections of highly permeable ferromagnetic material above and below the magnet in the longitudinal direction. The magnet is statically mounted with the second body and the coil is spring mounted with the first body so that the coil and first body oscillate in the longitudinal direction when an alternating current flows through the coil. The coil is outside the magnet perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: ContiTech Vibration Control GmbH
    Inventors: Robert Genderjahn, Bernhard Uhrmeister, Hans-Juergen Karkosch, Peter Marienfeld
  • Patent number: 9608504
    Abstract: The present invention provides a The vibration-based electric power generator in which one of ends of a magnet holding member 20 and one of ends of an outer yoke 30 are connected to each other through a first support spring 41 which is a leaf spring, the other end of the magnet holding member 20 and the other end of the first support spring 41 are connected to each other through a second support spring 42 which is a leaf spring, and the outer yoke 30 or the magnet holding member 20 is fixed to a structure 50 such as a wall surface, a road sign, a vehicle body and a railway bridge for generating electric power from vibration of the structure 50. The vibration-based electric power generator has excellent durability and can generate electric power even by slight vibration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: YANMAR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Teruyuki Akazawa
  • Patent number: 9608505
    Abstract: A linear power generator includes a columnar or cylindrical center yoke made of a soft magnetic material and an outer yoke made of a soft magnetic material. In the center yoke, rod-shaped permanent magnets magnetized in a circumferential direction are arranged in the circumferential direction in an outer circumference of the center yoke such that opposed magnetic poles of the permanent magnets adjacent to each other become identical, the permanent magnets are extended in an axial direction, and the center yoke includes plural center-side projecting portions linearly arranged in the circumferential direction. The cylindrical or columnar outer yoke includes plural winding portions, plural groove portions, and an outer-side projecting portion. The winding portions are arranged in the circumferential direction about a center axis. The groove portions are arranged at positions opposed to the permanent magnets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Inventor: Takaitsu Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 9608506
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein may take the form of an electromagnetic actuator that produces a haptic output during operation. Generally, an electromagnetic coil is wrapped around a central magnet array. A shaft passes through the central magnet array, such that the central array may move along the shaft when the proper force is applied. When a current passes through the electromagnetic coil, the coil generates a magnetic field. The coil is stationary with respect to a housing of the actuator, while the central magnet array may move along the shaft within the housing. Thus, excitation of the coil exerts a force on the central magnet array, which moves in response to that force. The direction of the current through the coil determines the direction of the magnetic field and thus the motion of the central magnet array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Brett W. Degner, Bradley J. Hamel, David H. Narajowski, Jonah A. Harley, Michael E. Leclerc, Patrick Kessler, Samuel Bruce Weiss, Storrs T. Hoen
  • Patent number: 9608507
    Abstract: There is provided a device and a method for controlling a supply of power from an AC power source to a load. A switch is arranged in series electrical connection between the power source and the load, the switch having a first state in which the switch connects the load to the power source for supplying an electrical current from the power source to the load and a second state in which the switch disconnects the load from the power source. A power stealing circuit is arranged in parallel electrical connection to the switch and adapted to divert the electrical current away from the power source with the switch in the second state, the power stealing circuit comprising a linear semiconductor device adapted to control a rate of change of a first voltage across terminals of the switch upon the switch being brought to the first state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: SINOPE TECHNOLOGIES INC.
    Inventors: Francois Houde, Sylvain Mayer, Samuel Marcoux-Houde
  • Patent number: 9608508
    Abstract: An integrated limiter and active filter constituted of: an input node; an output node; a transistor coupled between the input node and the output node; a first control circuit coupled to the control terminal of the transistor and arranged to limit the amount of current flowing through the output node to a predetermined value which is responsive to a signal received at a first reference input; a second control circuit coupled to the control terminal of the transistor and arranged to limit the voltage appearing at the output node to a predetermined value which is responsive to a signal received at a second reference input; and a third control circuit coupled to input node and arranged to provide the second reference input, the third control circuit arranged to set the second reference input responsive to the input voltage and to a predetermined maximum allowed output voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Microsemi P.O.E Ltd.
    Inventor: Yair Darshan
  • Patent number: 9608509
    Abstract: A switching converter providing an output voltage has a first switch and a control circuit. The control circuit provides an auxiliary power supply voltage, and a switching control signal to control the first switch based on the output voltage and a reference signal. The switching converter is shut down by the control circuit when a fault happens, and the switching converter restarts when the auxiliary power supply voltage decreases to a first threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: CHENGDU MONOLITHIC POWER SYSTEMS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Li Xu, Yike Li
  • Patent number: 9608510
    Abstract: A switching regulator uses an over voltage comparator to compare an envelop line signal with a reference wave signal, to detect whether the system is in an over voltage condition. The envelop line signal is indicative of a peak value of an inductor current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: CHENGDU MONOLITHIC POWER SYSTEMS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Naixing Kuang
  • Patent number: 9608511
    Abstract: A method for charging a modular multilevel converter includes: firstly, electrifying DC side of a converter; after voltages of submodules are stabilized, deblocking the converter, turning on all the submodules, then reducing the number of turned on submodules in phase unit; when over-current occurs on a bridge arm, temporarily increasing the number of turned on submodules to suppress the over-current; after the voltages of the sub-modules are stabilized, continuously reducing the number of the turned on submodules until the number of the turned on submodules in the phase unit is finally equal to the number of working submodules of the bridge arm, so as to smoothly transit to a normal operation state. The DC side is charged, such that the voltages of the submodules reach a working voltage before the converter normally operates, and an impacting current is avoided in the charging process by using a proper control strategy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignees: NR ELECTRIC CO., LTD, NR ENGINEERING CO., LTD
    Inventors: Nannan Wang, Jie Tian, Yunlong Dong, Gang Li, Dongming Cao
  • Patent number: 9608512
    Abstract: A control circuit for a step-up converter includes a soft start module configured to control states of N transistor pairs of the step-up converter, where N is an integer greater than two. A driver module is in communication with the soft start module and configured to generate a first signal when N transistor pairs of the step-up converter are ready to switch. A first charging circuit is configured to charge (N?1) capacitors of the step-up converter to an input voltage of the step-up converter in response to the first signal and to generate a second signal when charging is complete. A second charging circuit is configured to sequentially charge the (N?1) capacitors of the step-up converter to (N?1) predetermined voltage values in response to the first signal and the second signal and before operation of the step-up converter begins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Maxim Integrated Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Serhii Mikhailovich Zhak, Mark Anthony Belch, Brett A. Miwa, David Harrington, Jonathan King
  • Patent number: 9608513
    Abstract: Methods and systems for improving load transient response in LLC converters are provided herein. The method includes coupling a current sensing circuit to an output of the LLC converter, sensing load current of the LLC converter, and increasing a setpoint voltage for a power factor correction (PFC) circuit output based on the sensed load current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Raghothama Reddy
  • Patent number: 9608514
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to a diode circuit which uses a Schottky diode. A parallel bypass branch has a switch and bypass diode in series. The operation of the switch is dependent on the voltage across the Schottky diode so that the bypass function is only effective when a desired voltage is reached. The diode circuit can be used as a replacement for a single diode, and provides bypass current protection preferably without requiring any external control input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventors: Henricus Cornelis Johannes Buthker, Matthias Rose, Philip Rutter, Jan Sonsky
  • Patent number: 9608515
    Abstract: A circuit and method to filter a signal is provided. The circuit includes a notch filter circuit to receive an input signal and first and second tuning signals and to provide an output signal. The notch filter circuit has an input-output frequency response that includes a stopband region. The stopband region has a center frequency and has an attenuation level that is based at least on a tuning signal. The tunable filter circuit further includes a tuning circuit operable in at least two modes to generate the tuning signal. The at least two modes includes a tuning mode and a filtering mode. The tuning circuit generates the tuning signal such that the attenuation level of the stopband region is greater in the filtering mode than in the tuning mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Analog Devices Global
    Inventors: Patrick J Meehan, Thomas Conway, Adrian Paul Brokaw, Donal G. O'Sullivan
  • Patent number: 9608516
    Abstract: A battery discharge circuit has a switching circuit and a controller. The switching circuit is coupled between a battery and a load. The controller is configured to generate a control signal to control the switching circuit. When the battery voltage drops below a first reference voltage, the controller adjusts the control signal to regulate the battery voltage to be equal to the first reference voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: CHENGDU MONOLITHIC POWER SYSTEMS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Min Xu, Qiming Zhao
  • Patent number: 9608517
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the invention reduce switching losses associated with existing non-zero volt switching and non-zero current switching in DC/DC converters without the need for a resonant design. Certain embodiments of the invention provide for improved efficiency by reducing switching losses related to the simultaneous presence of current and voltage across high power switching devices. In certain embodiments, this is accomplished by adding a relatively small inductor and two switching elements to various switching regulator topologies. Energy stored in the inductor is used to transition the output of the switching converter to achieve zero volt switching and zero current switching.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Maxim Integrated Products, Inc.
    Inventor: James Jason LoCascio
  • Patent number: 9608518
    Abstract: A power supply device includes a master power supply module, a slave power supply module and a control module. The master power supply module is configured to output a master output current and an output voltage according to a master control signal. The slave power supply module is electrically connected in parallel to the master power supply module and configured to output a slave output current and the output voltage according to a slave control signal. The control module is electrically connected to the master power supply module and the slave power supply module and configured to output the master control signal according to the output voltage, generate a current compensation signal according to the master output current and the slave output current, and output the slave control signal according to the output voltage and the current compensation signal which is based on the master output current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: DELTA ELECTRONICS, INC.
    Inventors: Guo-Dong Yin, Ben Wu, Zhi-Wei Liu
  • Patent number: 9608519
    Abstract: A switching converter having a power stage with a main switch to convert an input voltage to an output voltage; a current sense circuit generating a current sense signal indicative of a current flowing through the main switch; a PWM generator generating a PWM signal; an OFF time controller generating an OFF time control signal relating to the input voltage and the output voltage; and a logic circuit generating a switching signal based on the OFF time control signal and the PWM signal to control the main switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Chengdu Monolithic Power Systems Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chuan Ding, Tianzhu Zhang
  • Patent number: 9608520
    Abstract: A voltage converter can include a voltage conversion circuit having an inductor configured to be charged and discharged to facilitate conversion of an input voltage to an output voltage, and a switch configured to allow the inductor to be charged and discharged. The voltage converter can further include a logic drive unit configured to provide a drive signal to the switch to control the charging and discharging of the inductor. The voltage converter can further include a mode control unit configured to provide a mode-switching signal to the logic drive unit to control switching between a continuous control mode and a discontinuous control mode based on an inductance current associated with the inductor and a constant load-current threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Tao Peng, Ji-Ming Chen
  • Patent number: 9608521
    Abstract: Provided is a DC/DC converter capable of operating a circuit to perform stable control even when an output voltage becomes 0 V at the time of activation of a power supply voltage or due to a load short circuit. The DC/DC converter includes an ON-timer circuit including: a ripple generation circuit configured to generate and output a ripple component based on a control signal; an averaging circuit configured to output a signal obtained by averaging an output of the ripple generation circuit; a timer circuit configured to generate and output an ON-time signal based on the signal of the averaging circuit and the control signal; and an activation circuit configured to increase a voltage of an output terminal of the ripple generation circuit to a predetermined voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: SII SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshiomi Shiina, Masayuki Uno
  • Patent number: 9608522
    Abstract: A boost converter circuit receives an input power supply voltage and produces an output boosted supply voltage. The circuit includes a voltage regulator, boosting circuitry, and a timing controller. The voltage regulator provides a regulated voltage to the boosting circuitry, which controls switching a transistor to drive the output boosted supply voltage; and the timing controller controls switching the boost circuit from the start-up mode to the normal operation mode. In start-up mode, the regulated voltage is generated from the input power supply voltage. During normal operation mode, the regulated voltage is generated from the output boosted supply voltage. The circuitry performs a low-power start-up when the input power supply voltage is low, and maintains efficient low-power operation by driving the transistor to produce the output boosted supply voltage as the input power supply voltage decreases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS (SHENZHEN) R&D CO. LTD.
    Inventor: Hongwu Lin
  • Patent number: 9608523
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, a regulator includes: a voltage control circuit to supply a voltage; a clock signal output circuit to output a clock signal controlled by the voltage supplied from the voltage control circuit; and a current control circuit to supply the voltage supplied from the voltage control circuit to the clock signal output circuit, the current control circuit make to flow a dummy current which is determined based on the voltage, and stopping flowing the dummy current at a timing when the clock signal output circuit outputs the clock signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Takayuki Iwai, Yasushi Shizuki
  • Patent number: 9608524
    Abstract: A power supply equipment includes a plurality of units each including a capacitor and an isolated DC-DC converter connected between the both terminals of the capacitor, wherein DC input sides of the plurality of units are connected in series and the DC output sides are connected together in parallel. The DC power supply equipment also comprises control circuits to control the isolated DC-DC converters. The control circuits generate operation commands to operate some of the plurality of units in an alternating sequence with a same time ratio in a predetermined control period in a light load condition, and the control circuits control the isolated DC-DC converters of the units according to the operation command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Ryuji Yamada
  • Patent number: 9608525
    Abstract: A selected-parameter adaptively switched power conversion system, for example, includes a counter for determining a period of an output oscillation a power supply switch, where the output oscillation starts when an output current generated by stored power of the power supply coil decays substantially to zero. An event generator for generating a switching delay event in response to the determined output oscillation period and generates a switching delay event in response to a determination of a phase of the output oscillation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Subrahmanya Bharathi Akondy, Hrishikesh Nene
  • Patent number: 9608526
    Abstract: A DC/DC converter 1 is configured to allow separation of a primary side constitution unit 3 and a secondary side constitution unit 4 of a transformer 2. A secondary side switching element FET 2 is provided in the secondary side constitution unit 4, and controls power supply to a load 12 by intermitting an output of a secondary winding L2. The primary side constitution unit 3 detects an electrical behavior of the primary side generated by the intermittent operation of the secondary side, and controls the power supplied from the primary winding L1 to the secondary winding L2 by operating the intermittent operation of the primary side switching element FET 1 such that a cycle or duty of the intermittent operation of the secondary side falls within a predetermined range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Susumu Okura, Takashi Ohsawa
  • Patent number: 9608527
    Abstract: An apparatus includes an energy storage device, a driver circuit configured to receive energy from the energy storage device, and a bleed circuit configured to reduce an amount of the energy received by the driver circuit from the energy storage device. The bleed circuit is configured to reduce the amount of the energy received by the driver circuit during a startup period. The energy storage device may include a transformer, the driver circuit and bleed circuit being coupled to first and second windings of the transformer, respectively. A method includes receiving, by a driver circuit, energy from an energy storage device, and reducing, using a bleed circuit, the energy received by the driver circuit during a startup period. The energy storage device may include a transformer, the driver circuit and bleed circuit being coupled to first and second windings of the transformer, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Marvell International Ltd.
    Inventors: Jinho Choi, Hao Peng, Biing Long Shu, Wanfeng Zhang
  • Patent number: 9608528
    Abstract: Objects of the invention are not to receive influence of an electromagnetic noise from a transformer and to reduce a possibility of breakage caused by shock or vibration. In a DC-DC converter apparatus of the invention, a shielding metal frame 300 is placed between a transformer 250 and a control circuit board assembly 240A housed in a case 101. A plate spring 311 attached to the metal frame 300 is pressed to cores 251 of the transformer 250 to fix the transformer 250 to a bottom portion 101a of the case 101. Heat generated from the transformer 250 is transmitted to the metal frame 300 and the bottom portion 101a of the case 101 and is then radiated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsuya Nakazawa, Yoshiharu Yamashita, Hidenori Shinohara, Akihiro Goto
  • Patent number: 9608529
    Abstract: A method for controlling converter such as a Flyback converter is disclosed. A load of the Flyback converter varies between zero and a peak value. The method includes: a load detecting step for detecting the load; and an operating mode control step for controlling the Flyback converter to switch between two or more of a continuous conduction mode, a valley conduction mode and a burst mode according to the load. A converter such as a Flyback converter is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Delta Electronics (Shanghai) CO., LTD
    Inventors: Dong Wei, Dezhi Jiao, Daofei Xu
  • Patent number: 9608530
    Abstract: A circuit configuration contains a resonant converter feeding energy into a primary winding of a transformer, a control circuit for controlling the resonant converter and a plurality of modules. The modules include a frequency generator controllable with variable frequency, a short circuit monitoring unit configured to protect components of the resonant converter, and an open circuit detection unit. The open circuit detection unit is configured to shut down the resonant converter if a secondary side interacting with the primary winding of the transformer is open circuit, without having information from the secondary side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Glenn Mueller, Stephan Rupf
  • Patent number: 9608531
    Abstract: A timing controller provides adaptive timings to control a synchronous rectifier with a body diode. The timing controller has a ramp generator providing a ramp signal at a first capacitor. The ramp signal corresponds to a discharge time when the body diode is forward biased. A second capacitor records an estimated duration signal. An update circuit is connected between the first and second capacitors, for shorting the first and second capacitor to update the estimated duration signal by charge sharing. A comparator with two inputs coupled to the ramp signal and the estimated duration signal respectively compares the ramp signal and the estimated duration signal to control the synchronous rectifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: LEADTREND TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Chung-Wei Lin, Yang-Sheng Lin, Wen-Chung Yeh
  • Patent number: 9608532
    Abstract: To maximize power efficiency, dead time between “on” times of a synchronous rectifier (“SR”) MOSFET switch and a main switch for CCM operation in particular in isolated and non-isolated self-driven synchronous DC-DC converters needs to be optimized. To accomplish that objective, the latest conduction time t of a body diode of the SR MOSFET following conduction thereof is determined, compared with a selected fixed optimum period T1, and incrementally or decrementally adjusted in a subsequent switching cycle while t is unequal to T1, depending on whether t is shorter or longer than T1, so that t eventually is made substantially equal to T1 in length. This process is to be repeated continuously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: JoulWatt Technology Inc. Limited
    Inventors: Pitleong Wong, Yuancheng Ren, Xunwei Zhou
  • Patent number: 9608533
    Abstract: An apparatus to control an amount of current delivered from an AC power source to an electrical load includes a line terminal configured to be connected to the AC power source, a load terminal configured to be connected to the electrical load, a controllably conductive power switch in series electrical connection between the line terminal and the load terminal, and a switching circuit configured to control a conductive state of the controllably conductive power switch wherein the switching circuit is configured to automatically detect at least one electrical characteristic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: LEVITON MANUFACTURING CO., INC.
    Inventors: Michael Ostrovsky, John LiBretto
  • Patent number: 9608534
    Abstract: A detection target voltage is divided by a voltage divider circuit wherein a large number of resistor circuits, each of which is formed by a plurality of resistors being connected in parallel, are connected in series, and the voltage is detected. The output of a multiple voltage detector circuit formed of an operational amplifier, and the like, connected to three arbitrary places in the voltage divider circuit is input into a CPU twice, when the switch is in an on-state and when it is in an off-state. The CPU, based on the two measured voltages, can determine that trouble has occurred when there is, for example, trouble such as a short circuit or disconnection of a resistor of the resistor circuits related to the places connected to the three places in the voltage divider circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hironori Mine
  • Patent number: 9608535
    Abstract: The number of constituent components is reduced so as to provide a small-size and inexpensive electric-power conversion system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Mao Kawamura