Bridge Type Patents (Class 363/132)
  • Patent number: 11962250
    Abstract: Provided is a hybrid modular multilevel converter (HMMC) based on a neutral point clamped (NPC) topology and having an ABC N-phase structure. The HMMC includes N pairs of identical upper and lower arms, each upper and lower arm being composed of X submodules and Y sets of switches. The switches within each set are cascaded and connected in series, each of the submodules is formed of full-bridge silicon (Si) insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) converters, and at least one of the set of switches is formed of IGBTs of opposite polarities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: GE Energy Power Conversion Technology Limited
    Inventor: Zhi Zhou
  • Patent number: 11962251
    Abstract: Provided is a hybrid modular multilevel converter (HMMC) based on a neutral point pilot (NPP) topology and having an ABC N-phase structure. The HMMC includes N pairs of identical upper and lower arms, each upper and lower arm being composed of X submodules and Y sets of switches. The switches within each set are cascaded and connected in series, each of the submodules is formed of full-bridge silicon (Si) insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) converters, and at least one of the set of switches is formed of IGBTs of opposite polarities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: GE Energy Power Conversion Technology Limited
    Inventor: Zhi Zhou
  • Patent number: 11903110
    Abstract: A virtual and parallel power extraction method by using time division, comprising an alternating current load (1), a load end time-division power extraction control device (2), a switch end time-division power extraction control device (3), and a switch end power supply load (4). The alternating current load (1) is connected in parallel with the load end time-division power extraction control device (2); the switch end time-division power extraction control device (3) is connected in parallel with the switch end power supply load (4); a combination body formed by connecting the alternating current load (1) with the load end time-division power extraction control device (2) in parallel and the combination body formed by connecting the switch end time-division power extraction control device (3) with the switch end power supply load (4) in parallel are together connected in series in an alternating current circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: HUIZHOU HAOMEISHI INTELLIGENT TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hui Li, Long Zhao, Wenfan Li
  • Patent number: 11901805
    Abstract: A method for switching off power semiconductor switches in a bridge circuit having first through sixth power semiconductor switches. The method includes a switch-off process for establishing a final switch configuration in which all power semiconductor switches in the bridge circuit are in a switched-off state. Over the course of the switch-off process, a switch configuration is established in which the fifth power semiconductor switch and the sixth power semiconductor switch are concurrently in a switched-on state, while the first power semiconductor switch and the fourth power semiconductor switch are in a switched-off state. Also disclosed is a bridge circuit having a control circuit configured to carry out such a method. In addition, an inverter that includes at least one bridge circuit of this type is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: SMA Solar Technology AG
    Inventor: Uwe Stickelmann
  • Patent number: 11894790
    Abstract: A control substrate capable of effectively reducing noise input to a plurality of MOSFETs is provided. The control substrate includes at least three parallel snubber circuits (132, 134, and 135). Each of the parallel snubber circuits (132, 133, and 134) is connected in parallel with each of U-phase MOSFETs (126a and 126b), V-phase MOSFETs (127a and 127b), and W-phase MOSFETs (128a and 128b).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: NIDEC TOSOK CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yusaku Seki
  • Patent number: 11869695
    Abstract: A coupled inductor includes first and second magnetic rails, a plurality of connecting magnetic elements, and a plurality of windings. The first and second magnetic rails are separated from each other in a first direction, and the first magnetic rail has a first cross-sectional area A1 as seen when viewed in the first direction. Each connecting magnetic element is disposed between the first and second magnetic rails in the first direction. The plurality of connecting magnetic elements collectively have a second cross-sectional area A2 as seen when viewed in the first direction, and a ratio of A2/(A1?A2) is at least 1.5. A respective winding is wound at least partially around each connecting magnetic element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Maxim Integrated Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Alexandr Ikriannikov, Di Yao
  • Patent number: 11842949
    Abstract: Semiconductor device A1 includes: first terminal 201A and second terminal 201B; first switching element 1A including first gate electrode 12A, first source electrode 13A and first drain electrode 14A; and second switching element 1B including second gate electrode 12B, second source electrode 13B and second drain electrode 14B. First switching element 1A and second switching element 1B are connected in series to each other between first terminal 201A and second terminal 201B. Semiconductor device A1 includes first capacitor 3A connected in parallel to first switching element 1A and second switching element 1B between first terminal 201A and second terminal 201B. First switching element 1A and second switching element 1B are aligned in y direction. First capacitor 3A overlaps with at least one of first switching element 1A and second switching element 1B as viewed in z direction. These arrangements serve to suppress surge voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: ROHM CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Atsushi Yamaguchi, Hiroyuki Sakairi, Takukazu Otsuka
  • Patent number: 11817782
    Abstract: An inverter device includes a converter circuit and a filter. The converter circuit converts a DC input voltage into an AC intermediate voltage based on six control signals, and includes first and second converters. Each of the first and second converters includes three switches, two diodes and a coupled inductor circuit. The switches of the first converter operate respectively based on three of the control signals. The switches of the second converter operate respectively based on the other three of the control signals. The filter filters the AC intermediate voltage to generate an AC output voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: I SHOU UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Chien-Hsuan Chang, Yi-Fan Chen
  • Patent number: 11804788
    Abstract: A power converter includes an inverter circuit connected between the positive and negative terminals of a DC power supply, three single-phase bridge circuits each connected in series between an AC terminal of one of different phases of the inverter circuit and a motor, and a power conversion controller that generates gate signals to control operations of the inverter circuit and the three single-phase bridge circuits based on phase voltage commands. When a semiconductor switching element of the single-phase bridge circuits fails, the power conversion controller sets the output voltage of the single-phase bridge circuit of a phase to which the faulty semiconductor switching element belongs to zero to continue operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tetsuya Kojima, Hisatoshi Fukumoto, Kenji Fujiwara, Akihiko Iwata
  • Patent number: 11799469
    Abstract: The present disclosure concerns a method and a circuit for controlling first and second switches electrically in series, wherein one or a plurality of crossings of a voltage threshold by a voltage across the first switch cause a conductive state of the second switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives
    Inventors: Léo Sterna, Pierre Perichon
  • Patent number: 11791712
    Abstract: A power conversion device converts a direct-current power on the DC side of the power conversion device to an alternating-current power by an inverter circuit having a plurality of semiconductor switching elements, and outputs the AC power from the AC side of the power conversion device. A current detector detects a reactor current output from the inverter circuit. As overcurrent detector detects overcurrent in a control mode in which the reactor current is caused to follow a reactor current command value, control circuit starts an overcurrent mode in which a time period where the reactor current monotonically decreases is provided. In the overcurrent mode, whether to switch the overcurrent mode to the normal control mode is determined based on the reactor current or in accordance with a timing corresponding to a zero-cross point of a voltage or current on the AC side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takeshi Amimoto, Kikuo Izumi, Tatsuya Okuda, Tomoaki Kimura
  • Patent number: 11784582
    Abstract: The present application provides a power component of a three-level converter, a three-level converter and a wind turbine. The power component of the three-level converter includes: a first NPC bridge arm unit including a plurality of first NPC bridge arms connected in parallel; a second NPC bridge arm unit including a plurality of second NPC bridge arms connected in parallel; and a third NPC bridge arm unit including a plurality of third NPC bridge arms connected in parallel. The number of the second NPC bridge arms is the same as the number of the first NPC bridge arms, and the number of the third NPC bridge arms is determined based on the ratio of the loss of the first NPC bridge arm to the loss of the third NPC bridge arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: BEIJING GOLDWIND SCIENCE & CREATION WINDPOWER EQUIPMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Songge Fu, Xiaofeng Yuan
  • Patent number: 11705737
    Abstract: A method for feeding electrical power into an electrical supply network using an inverter-controlled infeed unit is provided. The infeed unit has an inverter arrangement with a plurality of inverters to generate an output power and feed same into the network. Each inverter has an associated isolating switch to galvanically isolate the respective inverter from the network. Each inverter has a circuit composed of switches to generate an output current using pulsed actuation. Each inverter generates a variable partial power, and the output power is a sum of all partial powers. Depending on the output power, one or more of the inverters are operated as active inverters that respectively generates a partial power. The other inverters are operated as passive inverters that do not generate a partial power. One or more of the passive inverters are operated as blocked inverters and remain galvanically connected to the network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: Wobben Properties GmbH
    Inventors: Johannes Brombach, Tobias Fredewess
  • Patent number: 11699961
    Abstract: A bridge circuit includes a first leg and a second leg arranged in parallel between the first node and the third node. A clamp circuit includes a third leg including a first bidirectional switch disposed between a fourth node that is a midpoint of the first leg and a fifth node that is a midpoint of the second leg. A first reactor is connected with the fourth node and a sixth node, and a second reactor is connected with a fifth node and a seventh node. A fourth leg includes a second bidirectional switch disposed between the second node and the fourth node or the fifth node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takeshi Amimoto, Naoki Nishio
  • Patent number: 11695323
    Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods are described for discharging an input voltage by utilizing discharge circuitry configured to produce a relatively constant discharge voltage value/output voltage, a relatively constant discharge current value/output current, or a relatively constant discharge power value/output power. The discharge circuitry may include at least one power device, such as a DC to DC converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: Solaredge Technologies Ltd.
    Inventors: Zakay Lifschits, Andrey Omer, Tzachi Glovinsky, Yakir Loewenstern
  • Patent number: 11689013
    Abstract: A source-network coordination type direct-current (DC) circuit breaker based on pre-charged capacitors for an MMC based DC grid is provided. The MMC based DC grid is provided with four converter stations, each having two converters, which are in loop connection through a double-loop DC overhead line. Two ends of each DC line connecting the converters are separately equipped with DC circuit breakers for isolating a fault of the DC line. An MMC active voltage adjusting control strategy is matched with pre-charged capacitor voltage in the self-adaptive mode to provide a beneficial breaking condition for a quick mechanical switch branch, so that the fault line is effectively cut off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: TIANJIN UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Xiaolong Chen, Xiaowen Han, Yongli Li
  • Patent number: 11575261
    Abstract: A system and method for combining power from DC power sources. Each power source is coupled to a converter. Each converter converts input power to output power by monitoring and maintaining the input power at a maximum power point. Substantially all input power is converted to the output power, and the controlling is performed by allowing output voltage of the converter to vary. The converters are coupled in series. An inverter is connected in parallel with the series connection of the converters and inverts a DC input to the inverter from the converters into an AC output. The inverter maintains the voltage at the inverter input at a desirable voltage by varying the amount of the series current drawn from the converters. The series current and the output power of the converters, determine the output voltage at each converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: Solaredge Technologies Ltd.
    Inventors: Meir Adest, Lior Handelsman, Yoav Galin, Amir Fishelov, Guy Sella
  • Patent number: 11569659
    Abstract: A system and method for combining power from DC power sources. Each power source is coupled to a converter. Each converter converts input power to output power by monitoring and maintaining the input power at a maximum power point. Substantially all input power is converted to the output power, and the controlling is performed by allowing output voltage of the converter to vary. The converters are coupled in series. An inverter is connected in parallel with the series connection of the converters and inverts a DC input to the inverter from the converters into an AC output. The inverter maintains the voltage at the inverter input at a desirable voltage by varying the amount of the series current drawn from the converters. The series current and the output power of the converters, determine the output voltage at each converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: Solaredge Technologies Ltd.
    Inventors: Meir Adest, Lior Handelsman, Yoav Galin, Amir Fishelov, Guy Sella
  • Patent number: 11552551
    Abstract: A method relating to control of a system including a single-phase three-level quasi-Z type source inverter connected to an LC filter which is in turn connected to a load, the inverter including first and second bridge arms, each including a plurality of switches, the method including the steps of (a) for each of a plurality of consecutive sampling periods (i) determining the duration of a shoot-through period for the next sampling period during which the inverter is in shoot-through mode; (ii) choosing a configuration of the switches for the next sampling period (iii) at the end of the sampling period setting the switches in the chosen configuration for the next sampling period; and (b) at a time during the next sampling period and for the duration of the shoot-through period setting the switches such that the inverter is in shoot-through mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: CITY UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG
    Inventors: Chunhua Liu, Yuxin Liu
  • Patent number: 11552575
    Abstract: A method for operating a multi-level bridge power converter includes providing a plurality of switching devices of the power converter in one of a neutral point clamped topology or an active neutral point clamped topology. The method also includes providing a plurality of deadtimes for the switching devices. Further, the method includes selecting one of the deadtimes for each of the switching devices such that at least two of the switching devices operate according to different deadtimes. Moreover, the method includes operating the switching devices at the selected deadtimes to allow a first group of the switching devices to switch slower than a second group of the switching devices such that the first group of the switching devices satisfy safe operating requirements while the second group of the switching devices switch faster than the first group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Nathaniel Robert Michener, Fernando Arturo Ramirez Sanchez, Steven Wade Sutherland, Robert Gregory Wagoner, Rajesh Bhupathi, Igor Berroteran
  • Patent number: 11539303
    Abstract: An uninterruptible power supply (UPS) is provided that includes a split direct current (DC) link having a first capacitor coupled between a positive DC link terminal and a first node, and a second capacitor coupled between the first node and a negative DC link terminal. The UPS also includes a rectifier coupled to an input of the split DC link and a controller coupled to the rectifier. The rectifier includes first, second, and third legs, wherein each leg is configured to convert a first alternating current (AC) voltage received from an AC source into a DC voltage to be provided to the split DC link, and a fourth leg configured to balance DC link voltages of the first and second capacitors. The controller is configured to maintain functionality of the rectifier during at least one of a partial utility power outage, a full utility outage, and a failure of at least one of the first, second, third, and fourth legs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: ABB SCHWEIZ AG
    Inventors: Lorenzo Giuntini, Silvio Colombi, Andrea Mannuccini
  • Patent number: 11522467
    Abstract: A circuit comprising a first power node for connection to a positive voltage of a DC link, a second power node for connection to a negative voltage of the DC link and a mid-point power node for connection to a mid-point voltage of the DC-link, the circuit further comprising a three-level neutral point clamped converter module and a brake resistor connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: Danfoss Power Electronics A/S
    Inventors: Leandro Della Flora, William Giewont, David Michaud, Dan Isaksson, Andreas Doktar
  • Patent number: 11489442
    Abstract: Various embodiments according to the present invention relate to a power conversion device and method, the device comprising: a converter; a capacitor unit including a plurality of capacitors for storing input voltage input thereto; a switch unit connected to the capacitor unit and including a plurality of switches for selectively connecting at least one capacitor among the plurality of capacitors to the converter; and a controller connected to the capacitor unit and the switch unit, wherein the controller determines at least one capacitor satisfying a specified condition, among the plurality of capacitors, sets at least one switch among the plurality of switches to be turned on, the at least one switch corresponding to the at least one capacitor, and sets at least another switch among the plurality of switches except for the at least one switch, to be turned off, so that the at least one capacitor and the converter are electrically connected and configured to allow at least partial voltage of the input volta
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kyusik Choi, Yunhui Han
  • Patent number: 11469026
    Abstract: An inductive driver circuit with improved speed of clamping down a powered solenoid element, which solenoid exhibits inductive properties, for purposes of rapid shut down of the solenoid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: The United States of America as Represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: Philip R. Wetzel, Matthew H. Tomik, Joshua P. Stapp, William V. Hughes, Philip S. Floroff
  • Patent number: 11460871
    Abstract: An electronic device includes a first voltage conversion unit that divides an input voltage and outputs the divided voltage, a detection unit that detects the input voltage, and a control unit that controls the voltage division ratio of the first voltage conversion unit such that the output voltage of the first voltage conversion unit decreases as the input voltage increases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Go Togashi
  • Patent number: 11456592
    Abstract: A method manages a fault on a DC voltage side of a converter assembly including a modular multistage converter with switching modules having semiconductor switches and an energy store. Some switching modules are a first type and others are a second type. During operation, a positive switching module voltage, negative switching module voltage or zero voltage are generated at terminals of switching modules of the first type, and a positive switching module voltage or zero voltage are generated at terminals of switching modules of the second type. Upon detecting a DC voltage side fault, switching modules of the first type are actuated such that the polarity of their energy store voltages corresponds to the polarity of a fault current, and energy stores of switching modules of the first type are charged to a voltage exceeding their rated voltage. A converter assembly carrying out the method is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: Siemens Energy Global GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Epameinondas Kontos, Kilian Dallmer-Zerbe, Dominik Ergin, Ilhom Gafur, Sebastian Semmler
  • Patent number: 11444546
    Abstract: The power supply device includes a first winding, a second winding, a third winding, a fourth winding, a first AC-DC conversion unit, a second AC-DC conversion unit, a first power supply terminal and a second power supply terminal. The first and second windings are disposed on a secondary side of a multi-pulse transformer, and coupled to an input of the first AC-DC conversion unit. The first power supply terminal is coupled to an output of the first AC-DC conversion unit. The third and fourth windings are disposed on the secondary side of the multi-pulse transformer, and coupled to an input of the second AC-DC conversion unit. The second power supply terminal is coupled to an output of the second AC-DC conversion unit. Phases of output voltages of the first winding, the third winding, the second winding and the fourth winding are successively shifted left or successively shifted right for 15°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: Delta Electronics (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chao Yan, Hongyang Wu, Liping Sun, Jianjun Ni
  • Patent number: 11442437
    Abstract: Systems and methods presented herein provide for multivariable model predictive control of a multistep plant. In one embodiment, a model predictive controller (MPC) includes a model of the multistep plant. The MPC is operable to linearize at least two steps of the multistep plant into cycle steps based on the model, to process an output signal from the multistep plant, and to independently control the cycle steps based on the output signal to optimize an output of the multistep plant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: LEHIGH UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Matthew Urich, Rama Rao Vemula, Mayuresh V. Kothare
  • Patent number: 11437939
    Abstract: A control system for a multiphase electric motor comprises processing means arranged to determine a pattern of PWM voltage waveforms to be applied to respective phases of the motor, the processing means assigning different PWM patterns for use with different motor positions. In use for a given rotational position of the motor the processing means is normally adapted to apply PWM waveforms according to the assigned PWM pattern unless a different PWM pattern is currently in use at that time, except that in the event that the demanded voltage waveforms cannot be achieved with the current PWM pattern the processing means is adapted to force the PWM pattern to change. Upon the rotor moving into a different position associated with a different assigned pattern the processing means forces the PWM pattern to change to the assigned PWM pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Inventor: Christopher David Dixon
  • Patent number: 11431238
    Abstract: A power conversion device may include a first inverter to which one end of each phase winding of a motor is coupled, a second inverter to which the other end of each phase winding is coupled, and a switch circuit having at least one of a first switch element that switches between connection and disconnection of the first inverter to and from a ground, a first protection circuit being coupled in parallel to the first switch element, and a second switch element that switches between connection and disconnection of the second inverter to and from the ground, a second protection circuit being coupled in parallel to the second switch element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: NIDEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takashi Kitamura, Eiji Wada
  • Patent number: 11431260
    Abstract: Disclosed is a rectifying device provided with a standby power reduction function. When a voltage of unsmoothed DC power, which is output from a rectifying unit that rectifies AC power, is lowered to be equal to or smaller than a discharge reference voltage at a time around a zero-crossing point of the AC power, the present invention can instantaneously discharge a capacitor, which has been charged with the unsmoothed DC power, to be synthesized with the unsmoothed DC power, and thus supply stable DC power to a load without using an electrolytic capacitor. In particular, the present invention can adjust a resistance value of a surge prevention switch connected in series with the capacitor to control a current amount flowing through the capacitor, and thus can prevent a surge voltage from being generated when charging and discharging the capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Inventor: Tae Jun Yoon
  • Patent number: 11431184
    Abstract: A power supply device includes a storage battery, a capacitor unit connected to the storage battery, a power converter including three phases connected to the storage battery in parallel, a control device configured to control a switching on and off of switching elements included in the three phases respectively, a first connection terminal connected to a P terminal of a DC charger and located between first and second switching elements in any one of the three phases, and a second connection terminal connected to an N terminal of the DC charger and located between third and fourth switching elements in another one of the three phases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Naoyoshi Takamatsu, Hirotsugu Ohata
  • Patent number: 11424689
    Abstract: A power conversion device includes a case, a power module, a smoothing capacitor and a high-voltage connection portion. The power module is housed in the case. The smoothing capacitor is fixed to the case by capacitor fixing bolt, and suppresses voltage fluctuations. In the high-voltage connection portion, the power module and the smoothing capacitor are electrically connected. The locations at which the smoothing capacitor is fixed to the case by the capacitor fixing bolts correspond to the capacitor fixing points. The capacitor fixing points are arranged at positions that avoid corner portions of the smoothing capacitor. The power module and the smoothing capacitor are disposed adjacent to each other at the high-voltage connection portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Keita Abe
  • Patent number: 11424694
    Abstract: A method for controlling shutdown wave blocking of a multilevel inverter circuit and an application apparatus for applying the method are provided. After a shutdown command is issued, the multilevel inverter circuit is controlled to switch between a free state and a specific turn-on state. The free state is a state in which all switch tubes in the multilevel inverter circuit are turned off. The specific turn-on state is a state in which voltage stress withstood by a switch tube, on which clamping protection is not performed, in the multilevel inverter circuit is zero by controlling a specific combination of switch tubes in the multilevel inverter circuit to be turned on.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: SUNGROW POWER SUPPLY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jiacai Zhuang, Jun Xu, Bing Zhang, Peng Wen, Peng Wang
  • Patent number: 11398793
    Abstract: An electric traction machine, a motor vehicle, and a method for controlling dissipated heat in the electrical power plant of the motor vehicle are described herein. The power plant is supplied with a current, where, in order to provide a predetermined amount of dissipated heat, a ratio between a field-forming and a torque-forming current deviating from an optimum ratio for a respective operating point of the power plant is prescribed. The predetermined dissipated heat is provided by a power plant embodied as a magnet-less three-phase alternator while a rotor current flowing through a rotor of the three-phase alternator is adjusted, the field-forming and the torque-forming currents being prescribed such that acoustic interference signals of the three-phase alternator are minimized by the ratio, and the rotor current is adjusted such that the predetermined dissipated heat is provided by a combination of the rotor current and the ratio minimizing the interference signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Daniel Engelhardt, Jovan Knezevic, Hajo Meinert, Thomas Prosser
  • Patent number: 11390378
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an actuator in a landing gear system of an aircraft, comprising: an electric drive for driving the actuator and first drive electronics for controlling the electric drive that are connected to the drive via an electric line, with second drive electronics for controlling the electric drive that are connected to the drive via an electric line, with the first drive electronics and the second drive electronics being redundant with respect to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Liebherr-Aerospace Lindenberg GmbH
    Inventors: Manfred Hinderhofer, Christian Schilling
  • Patent number: 11387746
    Abstract: A switching circuit includes a diode, a semiconductor switch, and a first bidirectional switch. The semiconductor switch is configured to conduct a first current from a second terminal to a third terminal of the semiconductor switch when a first on-state signal is sent to a first terminal of the semiconductor switch. An anode of the diode is connected to the second terminal of the semiconductor switch, and a cathode of the diode is connected to the third terminal of the semiconductor switch. The first bidirectional switch includes a first terminal, a second terminal connected to the anode of the diode, and a third terminal and is configured to conduct a second current from the second terminal to the third terminal or from the third terminal to the second terminal when a second on-state signal is sent to the first terminal of the first bidirectional switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
    Inventors: Hang Dai, Thomas Merlin Jahns, Bulent Sarlioglu, Renato Amorim Torres
  • Patent number: 11388796
    Abstract: Electronic circuitry for independently adjusting color temperature and brightness of an LED light fixture is disclosed utilizing two wires. According to one embodiment, a color-tunable and dimmable LED light fixture has first and second LED light strings connected in an anti-parallel arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Inventors: Greg Price, Gong Fei
  • Patent number: 11381189
    Abstract: The system determines that a multiphase electric motor is in a low-speed operating range, near stall. The system determines a duty cycle for each phase of the multiphase electric motor. The duty cycle includes a nominal component and a zero-sequence component configured to balance temperature rises of power electronics devices of the motor drive. Power electronics devices can include diodes, IGBTs, or other switches or devices. The system causes each duty cycle to be applied to a corresponding switch of the corresponding phase of the multiphase electric motor to cause current flow in the corresponding phase. The system may determine duty cycles corresponding to a thermal balance between a switch and a diode of a phase and a thermal balance between a pair of like devices of different phases, and then determine which duty cycle is closer to a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Rivian IP Holdings, LLC
    Inventor: Steven E. Schulz
  • Patent number: 11373491
    Abstract: An emergency lighting security system has a system control panel, a plurality of predetermined light fixtures, each light fixture in communication with a smart switch in data communication with the system control panel. A building distribution panel for distributing power to the light fixtures; Wi-Fi repeaters for boosting signal strength within an installation, and a key-fob operable by a homeowner to initiate an emergency signal to the control panel to set the smart switches into a strobe or flash mode controlling the light fixtures. Also a method of controlling an emergency lighting security system via a wireless control panel with Wi-Fi switches to set predetermined exterior and interior light fixtures into a strobe or flashing mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Inventors: Robert M. Stone, Christopher Walton
  • Patent number: 11362599
    Abstract: A controlling method is for a single-phase bidirectional inverter. The single-phase bidirectional inverter includes a switch and an inductor. The controlling method for the single-phase bidirectional inverter includes an extracting step, a calculating step, and an integrating step. In the extracting step, a current command is inputted to the switch and obtaining a current through the inductor. The current is piecewisely linearized to extract a magnetizing inductance and a demagnetizing inductance of the inductor. In the calculating step, a duty ratio of the switch is used to calculate a variation of the current of the magnetizing inductance and a variation of the current of the demagnetizing inductance. In the integrating step, the variation of the current of the magnetizing inductance and the variation of the current of the demagnetizing inductance are integrated to obtain another duty ratio of the switch in the next cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: NATIONAL TSING HUA UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Tsai-Fu Wu, Temir Sakavov, Yen-Hsiang Huang, Yun-Tsung Liu
  • Patent number: 11356015
    Abstract: Certain embodiments involve a modular medium voltage fast charger. The modular medium voltage fast charger can include: (1) a predictive power factor correction (“PFC”) controller (or predictive controller) for series-interleaved multi-cell three-level boost (“SIMCB”) converters, (2) an active neutral point clamped (“NPC”) dual active bridge (“DAB”) modulation scheme to achieve soft switching, (3) an auxiliary capacitor to reduce NPC DAB turn-off voltages, (4) a comprehensive and scalable protection circuit, and (5) a high-isolation pulse transformer with a bobbin for reducing coupling capacitance of the pulse transformer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: North Carolina State University
    Inventors: Srdjan Lukic, Xinyu Liang, Chi Zhang, Srdjan Srdic
  • Patent number: 11343943
    Abstract: Systems, methods, techniques and apparatuses of power switches are disclosed. One exemplary embodiment is a power switch comprising an outer housing; a power electronics board disposed within the housing and including a semiconductor switch structured to selectively conduct a current between a first power terminal and a second power terminal; a first heat sink coupled to the power electronics board; a plurality of thermally conductive connectors; a second heat sink coupled to the plurality of thermally conductive connectors, a control electronics board structured to control the semiconductor switch, the control electronics board being located within an enclosure formed of the second heat sink, the plurality of thermally conductive connectors, and the power electronics board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: ABB SCHWEIZ AG
    Inventors: Giovanni Salvatore, Slavo Kicin, Fabian Mohn
  • Patent number: 11342858
    Abstract: A power converter apparatus is provided with: a plurality of leg circuits, each including two switch circuits connected in series between input terminals; a transformer including a primary winding and a secondary winding, the primary winding having a first terminal and a second terminal; and at least one capacitor. The at least one capacitor is connected between the first terminal or the second terminal of the primary winding of the transformer, and a node between the two switch circuits in at least one leg circuit among the plurality of leg circuits. The first terminal of the primary winding of the transformer is connected to at least two nodes between the switch circuits in at least two first leg circuits among the plurality of leg circuits, via at least two first circuit portions having at least one of capacitances and inductances different from each other, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Motohiko Fujimura, Atsushi Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 11336173
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a power converter device including a power factor correction circuit, a resonance converter circuit, and a zero voltage switching circuit. The power factor correction circuit is coupled to the primary side rectifier circuit, and includes a first switching circuit, a first control circuit and a first output circuit. The resonance converter circuit includes a second switching circuit and a second control circuit. The second switching circuit is coupled to the first output circuit, and the second control circuit is coupled to the secondary side rectifier circuit. The zero voltage switching circuit is coupled between the first control circuit and the second control circuit. The zero voltage switching circuit is configured to obtain a switching voltage of a switch element in the second switching circuit, and output an adjustment signal to the first control circuit according to the switching voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: Chicony Power Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tso-Jen Peng, Mao-Song Pan, Yi-Ching Su
  • Patent number: 11336205
    Abstract: A low frequency direct drive amplifier is disclosed which can simultaneously achieve high drive voltages, high power density, high efficiency, and wide bandwidth operation is disclosed. The power circuit structure includes an input DC-DC converter and an output multi-level DC-AC inverter. The input DC-DC converter's circuit topology is commonly referred to as the phase shifted full bridge, which includes input capacitors, a Gallium Nitride (GaN) based full bridge, an isolation transformer, two rectifying diodes, and two series stacked output capacitors. The output DC-AC inverter includes two series stacked input capacitors (same as the input DC-DC converter's output capacitors), four Silicon Carbide (SiC) semiconductors, four Silicon IGBTs, and an output filter. The disclosure's features the combination of the output multi-level DC-AC inverter circuit topology paired with 1.7 kV SiC semiconductors, allowing for a high voltage direct drive design without a low frequency boost transformer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: Mainstream Engineering Corporation
    Inventors: John Alex Brothers, Christopher John Recio, John Michael Van Treeck
  • Patent number: 11329568
    Abstract: A PWM controlled multi-phase resonant voltage converter may include a plurality of primary windings powered through respective half-bridges, and as many secondary windings connected to an output terminal of the converter and magnetically coupled to the respective primary windings. The primary or secondary windings may be connected such that a real or virtual neutral point is floating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Claudio Adragna, Giuseppe Gattavari, Paolo Mattavelli, Enrico Orietti, Giorgio Spiazzi
  • Patent number: 11329591
    Abstract: A power conversion apparatus includes: an inverter unit; a first capacitor group, an positive electrode of the first capacitor group connected to an positive electrode on the DC input side of the inverter unit; a second capacitor group, a negative electrode of the second capacitor group connected to a negative electrode of the DC input side of the inverter unit; a first terminal portion connected to the positive electrode of the first capacitor group; a second terminal portion connected to a negative electrode of the first capacitor group; a third terminal portion connected to an positive electrode of the second capacitor group; and a fourth terminal portion connected to the negative electrode of the second capacitor group, wherein a distance between the first terminal portion and the third terminal portion is approximately equal to a distance between the second terminal portion and the fourth terminal portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryou Matsuda, Taku Sasaki
  • Patent number: 11323044
    Abstract: A circuit comprising a first power node for connection to a positive voltage of a DC link, a second power node for connection to a negative voltage of the DC link and a mid-point power node for connection to a mid-point voltage of the DC-link, the circuit further comprising a three-level neutral point clamped converter module and a brake resistor connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Danfoss Power Electronics A/S
    Inventors: Leandro Della Flora, William Giewont, David Michaud, Dan Isaksson, Andreas Doktar
  • Patent number: 11303222
    Abstract: A multiphase inverter apparatus includes an insulating substrate, a plurality of half bridge circuits and a phase output lead for each half bridge circuit. The substrate includes a conductive redistribution structure on a first surface and having at least one low voltage bus and at least one high voltage bus. Each half-bridge circuit is electrically coupled between a low voltage bus and a high voltage bus and includes: a packaged low side switch; a packaged high side switch; and a phase output electrically coupled with the respective phase output lead. The packaged low side and high side switches are arranged on the first surface of the substrate. The phase output lead is arranged on and electrically coupled to the packaged low side and high side switches such that the low side and high side switches are arranged vertically between the phase output lead and the first surface of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventors: Tomasz Naeve, Elvir Kahrimanovic, Petteri Palm