With Conductive Support Mounting Patents (Class 363/144)
  • Patent number: 8705258
    Abstract: A communication device for use with a power distribution module. The communication device allows multiple different DMX universes to be handled over the same cable that also handles power distribution. A front of house module is provided for powering consoles and receiving DMX inputs from the consoles. Two different consoles can be powered and provide their inputs, and either console can be used to control any or all of the universes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Production Resource Group, LLC
    Inventors: Charles Reese, Rusty Brutsche, James Bornhorst
  • Patent number: 8675379
    Abstract: A power-converting apparatus, such as a power module, may include a base plate (16), a first direct current (DC) bus and a second DC bus (22, 24). A power semiconductor component (18, 20) may be electrically coupled to one of the buses, and may be disposed on a substrate (12, 14) physically coupled to the base plate. The power semiconductor component may be made from a high-temperature, wide bandgap material, and the substrate may be exposed to a heat flux based on an operational temperature of the power semiconductor component. At least a first capacitor (50) may be coupled across the first and second DC buses, and at least second and third capacitors (52) may be respectively coupled across respective ones of the first and second buses and an alternating current (AC) return path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Joseph Lucian Smolenski, Michael Schutten, Eladio Clemente Delgado, Richard Alfred Beaupre
  • Patent number: 8665596
    Abstract: Power switching circuitry has a heat absorbing structure, and a heat conductive substrate having power switching components on a first surface and a second surface adjacent to the heat absorbing structure. Electrically conductive members, comprising first and second members, are on the first surface and extend along a first axis orthogonal to the heat conductive substrate. The second portion is more remote from the heat conductive substrate, and has a smaller cross-sectional area than, the first portion to define a shoulder region orthogonal to the first axis. A circuit board is located on the shoulder regions, with the second portions extending through the circuit board. An urging mechanism urges the circuit board against the shoulder regions, whereby the electrically conductive members provide a current path between the heat conductive substrate and the circuit board, and urge the heat conductive substrate into thermal contact with the heat absorbing structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: PG Drives Technology Limited
    Inventor: Richard Peter Brereton
  • Patent number: 8611113
    Abstract: A Voltage Source Converter has a series connection of switching assemblies, in which each switching assembly has an electrically conducting plate member carrying a plurality of semiconductor chips each having at least a semiconductor device of turn-off and a free-wheeling diode connected in parallel therewith. Said chips are connected in parallel with each other by each being connected by at least one individual conductor member to a said plate member of an adjacent switching assembly of said series connection. Each switching assembly has a mechanical switch configured to be open under normal operation of the switching assembly and configured to enable connection of said plate member of the switching assembly to the plate member of an adjacent switching assembly for bypassing said semiconductor chips of the switching assembly to which the mechanical switch belongs in the case of occurrence of a short circuit current through a semiconductor chip of the switching assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: ABB Technology AG
    Inventor: Gunnar Asplund
  • Patent number: 8599554
    Abstract: A power converter is installed in a casing attached beneath the floor of an electric vehicle. The power converter includes a capacitor unit and a power semiconductor module housed in a hermetically sealed part of the casing closed by a cover for closing an access port, and a cooler installed in an exposed part, the cooler cooling heat generated from the power semiconductor module. The power converter includes a bus bar that electrically connects the power semiconductor module and the capacitor unit, and a conductive bar that electrically connects the capacitor unit and the bus bar. The conductive bar is drawn from the upper surface of the capacitor unit, and is bent into a crank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Ryotaro Harada, Tetsuya Takahashi
  • Patent number: 8570782
    Abstract: A power supply circuit includes a voltage regulating circuit, a control circuit, and a switch circuit. The voltage regulating circuit receives an AC voltage signal from a live wire output terminal and converts the AC voltage signal to a control signal. The control circuit receives the control signal and turns on or turns off an electronic connection from the AC voltage signal to the switch circuit according to the control signal. The switch circuit is configured to be powered on and output the AC voltage signal when the electronic connection from the AC voltage signal to the switch circuit is turned on.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignees: Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (ShenZhen) Co., Ltd., Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ling-Yu Xie, Xing-Ping Xie
  • Patent number: 8564996
    Abstract: In a semiconductor module, a high-potential side conductor includes a wide section on which the high-potential side switching element is mounted, a high-potential side terminal coupled with a high potential source, and a narrow section extending from the wide section to the high-potential side terminal in a first direction. The wide section is wider than the narrow section in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The wide section has a first side and a second side opposite to the first side in the second direction. A distance between the first side of the wide section and a low-potential side conductor is shorter than a distance between the second side of the wide section and the low-potential side conductor. The narrow section extends from a portion of the wide section closer to the first side than the second side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Masuzawa, Toshihiro Fujita, Hiroshi Taki
  • Patent number: 8537550
    Abstract: A wiring board includes a conductor plate including a wiring portion and an electrode portion connected to a power conversion semiconductor element, a liquid-cooling pipe mounted near the conductor plate and causing a cooling liquid to be supplied therethrough, and an insulating resin material arranged at least between the conductor plate and the liquid-cooling pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Yaskawa Denki
    Inventors: Masato Higuchi, Yasuhiko Kawanami, Katsushi Terazono, Koji Higashikawa, Akira Sasaki, Takayuki Morihara, Takashi Aoki, Tetsuya Ito, Yukihisa Nakabayashi, Tasuku Isobe, Kiyonori Koguma
  • Publication number: 20130229130
    Abstract: A power converter includes a mounting substrate, a one-piece-type connector including an input connector and an output connector, the input connector and the output connector being formed in one-piece and arranged side by side; and a case made of an electrically conductive material. The one-piece-type connector includes lead terminals configured to connect the input cable and the output cable to a power converting circuit and an electrically conductive ground connection portion electrically connected to the case through an electrically conductive member. The ground connection portion includes a shield surface arranged to extend along at least a portion of a side surface of the output connector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2013
    Publication date: September 5, 2013
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kenichi TAKAMATSU
  • Patent number: 8493762
    Abstract: A power semiconductor module includes semiconductor elements of a first system constituting each of arms in a circuit of the first system, semiconductor elements of a second system constituting each of arms in a circuit of the second system, a plurality of DC electrode conductors including a common DC electrode conductor joined to the semiconductor elements of the first and second systems, and a plurality of AC electrode conductors joined to the respective semiconductor elements of the first and second systems. Each of the semiconductor elements of the first and second systems is interposed between the DC electrode conductor and AC electrode conductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Gou Ninomiya, Toshiharu Obu, Kazuhiro Ueda, Yoshiyuki Shimizu, Shinichi Baba
  • Publication number: 20130182481
    Abstract: A nanoscale electron shuttle with two elastically mounted conductors positioned within a gap between conductors produces asymmetrical electron conduction between the conductors when the conductors receive an AC signal to provide for rectification, detection and/or power harvesting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2013
    Publication date: July 18, 2013
    Applicant: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
    Inventor: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
  • Patent number: 8462531
    Abstract: In a power inverter, a coolant passage is fixed to a chassis to cool the chassis; the chassis is divided into a first region and a second region by providing the coolant passage in the chassis; a power module is provided in the first region as fixed to the coolant passage; a capacitor module is provided in the second region; and the DC terminal of the capacitor module is directly connected to the DC terminal of the power module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Fusanori Nishikimi, Kinya Nakatsu
  • Patent number: 8422235
    Abstract: The present invention provides a vehicle power module and a power converter including a power semiconductor element (328), a plurality of connecting conductors (371U, 372U, 373U) for transmitting current to the power semiconductor element (328), and a metallic base (304) upon which the power semiconductor element (328) and the plurality of connecting conductors (371U, 372U, and 373U) are mounted; and the power semiconductor element (328) and the plurality of connecting conductors (371U, 372U, and 373U) are mounted upon the metallic base (304) so as to form a looped current path. Desirably, the power semiconductor element (328) and the plurality of connecting conductors (371U, 372U, 373U) are arranged so as to form two or more looped current paths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsunori Azuma, Mutsuhiro Mori, Kinya Nakatsu, Seiichi Hayakawa, Fusanori Nishikimi
  • Patent number: 8406026
    Abstract: The power conversion apparatus includes a power conversion circuit including parallel-connected pairs of a high-side switching element and a low-side switching element connected in series, high-side driver circuits to drive the high-side switching elements, low-side driver circuits to drive the low-side switching elements, and a transformer to supply voltages to drive the high-side switching and low-side switching elements to the high-side and low-side driver circuits. The high-side switching elements are mounted in a row along a first direction on a wiring board, and the low-side switching elements are mounted in a row along the first direction on the wiring board side by side with the row of the high-side switching elements. The transformer is mounted on the wiring board on the side of the row of the high-side switching elements opposite to the row of the low-side switching elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Junichi Fukuta, Tsuneo Maebara, Yusuke Shindo, Ryotaro Miura
  • Patent number: 8395364
    Abstract: The reliability of a semiconductor device is improved. A package of a semiconductor device internally includes a first semiconductor chip and a second semiconductor chip in which power MOS•FETs are formed and a third semiconductor chip in which a control circuit controlling the first and second semiconductor chips is formed. The first to third semiconductor chips are mounted on die pads respectively. Source electrode bonding pads of the first semiconductor chip on a high side are electrically connected with a first die pad of the die pads via a metal plate. On a top surface of the die pad 7D2, a plated layer formed in a region where the second semiconductor chip is mounted, and another plated layer formed in a region where the metal plate is joined are provided and the plated layers are separated each other with a region where no plated layer is formed in between.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Yukihiro Sato, Tomoaki Uno
  • Patent number: 8376069
    Abstract: The metallic case of a power conversion apparatus includes a casing having a side wall, as well as an upper case and a lower case, a first area being formed between a cooling jacket provided at the inner periphery of the side wall and the lower case, the metal base plate dividing the first area between the cooling jacket and the upper case into a lower side second area and an upper side third area, first and second power modules being fastened to a top surface and a capacitor module being provided in the first area, driving circuits that drive inverter circuits of the power modules respectively being provided in the second area, and a control circuit that controls the driver circuits being provided in the third area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kinya Nakatsu, Hideyo Suzuki, Fusanori Nishikimi, Takeshi Matsuo, Toshiya Satou
  • Publication number: 20130028001
    Abstract: The power converter includes a power conversion section which configures a circuit for power conversion, a power bus bar extending from the power conversion section, a terminal block, and a current sensor measuring current flowing in the power bus bar. The terminal block includes a mounting surface to which a terminal portion of the power bus bar is mounted. The mounting surface faces a direction substantially perpendicular to an arrangement direction in which the power conversion section and the terminal block are arranged. The current sensor is located at a side of a bottom surface on the opposite side of the mounting surface in the terminal block. The power bus bar includes: a sensor-surrounded portion surrounded by the current sensor; and an outer surface faced portion located between the sensor-surrounded portion and the terminal portion along an outer surface on the opposite side of the power conversion section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2012
    Publication date: January 31, 2013
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Akio YOKOTA
  • Patent number: 8354816
    Abstract: An automotive power converter is provided. The automotive power converter includes a substrate, first and second electronic devices on the substrate, at least one conductive member coupled to the substrate and having a first device portion electrically coupled to the first electronic device and a second device portion electrically coupled to the second electronic device, and first and second terminals electrically coupled to the at least one conductive member. When a power supply is coupled to the first and second terminals, current flows from the first terminal to the first device portion substantially in a first direction and from the second terminal to the second device portion substantially in a second direction. The first direction has a first component and the second direction has a second component opposing the first component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, LLC
    Inventors: Terence G. Ward, Edward P. Yankoski
  • Patent number: 8345458
    Abstract: In order to reduce parasitic inductance of a main circuit in a power supply circuit, a non-insulated DC-DC converter is provided having a circuit in which a power MOS•FET for a high-side switch and a power MOS•FET for a low-side switch are connected in series. In the non-insulated DC-DC converter, the power MOS•FET for the high-side switch is formed by a p channel vertical MOS•FET, and the power MOS•FET for the low-side switch is formed by an n channel vertical MOS•FET. Thus, a semiconductor chip formed with the power MOS•FET for the high-side switch and a semiconductor chip formed with the power MOS•FET for the low-side switch are mounted over the same die pad and electrically connected to each other through the die pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Masaki Shiraishi, Noboru Akiyama, Tomoaki Uno, Nobuyoshi Matsuura
  • Patent number: 8339823
    Abstract: A Voltage Source Converter having at least one phase leg connected to opposite poles of a direct voltage side of the converter and comprising a series connection of switching elements including at least one energy storing capacitor and configured to obtain two switching states, namely a first switching state and a second switching state, in which the voltage across said at least one energy storing capacitor and a zero voltage, respectively, is applied across the terminals of the switching element, has semiconductor chips of said switching elements arranged in stacks comprising each at least two semiconductor chips. The converter comprises an arrangement configured to apply a pressure to opposite ends of each stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: ABB Technology AG
    Inventors: Björn Jacobson, Gunnar Asplund
  • Patent number: 8300439
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for monitoring, measuring and recording the operating values of each of a plurality of inter-connected AC PV modules and performing a diagnostic analysis, including comparing the those operating values to each other and to operating values recorded at an earlier time to determine laminate degradation and the performance-attenuating effect of temperature, soiling, shading, and snow cover on the modules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: GreenRay Inc.
    Inventors: Ruel Davenport Little, Zachary Adam King
  • Patent number: 8300443
    Abstract: A series connection circuit of IGBTs and an AC switch are contained in one package. The series connection circuit is connected between the positive and negative terminals of a DC power source, and the AC switch is connected between a neutral point of the DC power source and a series connection point between the IGBTs. Straight conductor strips can be used to connect terminals on the package to the DC power source, thereby reducing inductance and thus also reducing voltage spikes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Fuji Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Satoki Takizawa
  • Patent number: 8289681
    Abstract: This disclosure discloses a control unit comprising a plurality of controllers, each controller having a bus bar portion having: a left and a right bus bar holder; an upper and an lower common bus bar; an upper and an lower rotating bus bar; a upper and a lower connecting body; wherein each bus bar holder has protrusions forming a gap, the upper and the lower rotating bus bar are configured to be changed between a first mode that the upper and the lower rotating bus bar engages rotatably with the left bus bar holder, and a second mode that the upper and the lower rotating bus bar are tightened and secured to the left bus bar holder, and the upper and the lower rotating bus bar of one controller in the second mode is connected in close contact with the upper and the lower common bus bar of another controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Yaskawa Denki
    Inventors: Hiroki Kanaya, Takahiro Shimozu
  • Patent number: 8274807
    Abstract: A boost power module and an inverter form a semiconductor module. A smoothing capacitor is arranged outside the semiconductor module. A bus bar forming a power supply line is divided into bus bars, between which a lead member extending outward from the semiconductor module is coupled. The lead member has an electric contact with one of terminals of the capacitor arranged outside the semiconductor module. A bus bar forming an earth line is divided into bus bars, between which a lead member extending outward from the semiconductor module is coupled. The lead member has an electric contact with the other terminal of capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hisao Nishimori, Yasuharu Asai
  • Patent number: 8240411
    Abstract: The metallic case of a power conversion apparatus includes a casing having a side wall, as well as an upper case and a lower case, a first area being formed between a cooling jacket provided at the inner periphery of the side wall and the lower case, the metal base plate dividing the first area between the cooling jacket and the upper case into a lower side second area and an upper side third area, first and second power modules being fastened to a top surface and a capacitor module being provided in the first area, driving circuits that drive inverter circuits of the power modules respectively being provided in the second area, and a control circuit that controls the driver circuits being provided in the third area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kinya Nakatsu, Hideyo Suzuki, Fusanori Nishikimi, Takeshi Matsuo, Toshiya Satou
  • Patent number: 8228700
    Abstract: Connection portions (225UP through 225WP) to which upper arm control terminals (320UU through 320UW) are connected are disposed at a first edge portion of a drive circuit board (22). And connection portions (225UN through 225WN to which lower arm control terminals (320LU through 320LW) are connected are disposed at a second edge portion of the drive circuit board (22). Upper arm implementation regions (227UP through 227WP), lower arm implementation regions (227UN through 227WN), and a low voltage pattern region (228) in which photo-couplers (221U through 221W) are implemented are formed in the board region between these board edge portions. And signal wiring (40U) that transmits a control signal from a photo-coupler (221U) to an implementation region (227UN) is formed in a conductor layer that is a lower layer than the conductor layer in the lower arm implementation region in which the lower arm driver circuit is implemented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Koichi Yahata, Masashige Tsuji, Yoshio Akaishi
  • Patent number: 8159072
    Abstract: The present invention includes a base, a rectification chip, a conductive element and a coupling collar. The base has an installation pedestal to hold the rectification chip. The conductive element has a root portion to hold the rectification chip. The coupling collar is located at one end of the base to hold a package. The coupling collar has a plurality of anchor portions in contact with the package. Each anchor portion has a convex portion and a concave portion extended to two ends of the coupling collar. The convex portion and concave portion of two neighboring anchor portions are formed in a staggered manner. The cross section area of the convex portion on the annular edge of the coupling collar is different from the cross section area of the inner wall of the coupling collar. Hence fabrication and assembly are easier. Turning and loosening of the package can be prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Inventor: Wen-Huo Huang
  • Publication number: 20120069619
    Abstract: A power converter module for use alone or with other modules in a multiphase power converter. The power converter module has an enclosure that surrounds internal components to prevent radiation of electromagnetic energy, which internal components also limit conduction of electromagnetic energy. The internal components include an EMI filter, a ripple filter, a power converter, and a control interface that communicates with a control system of a power conversion system. The control interface includes a memory that stores information related to the power converter modules so as to improve interchangeability of similar power modules with the multiphase power converter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2011
    Publication date: March 22, 2012
    Applicant: NORTHERN POWER SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Christopher Samuel Badger, Kiran Kumar Kulihithalu Channakeshava, Shazreen Meor Danial, Stephen Paul Hoskins, Jeffrey K. Petter
  • Publication number: 20120063188
    Abstract: A relay-connecting member (16) has relay terminals (32), each of which is fit-connected to an output electrode (28) and a male tab (30) of an output terminal (14). With this structure, by simply inserting the output electrode (28) and the male tab (30) of the output terminal (14) into the relay-connecting member (16), it is possible to easily electrically connect the output electrode (28) and the male tab (30) of the output terminal (14) through the relay terminal (32).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2010
    Publication date: March 15, 2012
    Applicants: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD., SUMITOMO WIRING SYSTEMS, LTD., AUTONETWORKS TECHNOLOGIES, LTD., KOHSHIN ELECTRIC CORP.
    Inventors: Yutaka Hotta, Shiro Nishida, Yuki Higashimori
  • Publication number: 20120057388
    Abstract: The invention relates to improved techniques for manufacturing power conditioning units (inverters) for use with photovoltaic (PV) modules, and to inverters manufactured by these techniques. We describe a solar photovoltaic inverter, comprising: a power conditioning circuit mounted on a circuit board, the power conditioning circuit having a dc power input to receive dc power from one or more photovoltaic panels and an ac power output to deliver ac power to an ac mains power supply; an electrically conductive shield enclosing said circuit board; and a plastic overmould over said conductive shield and said circuit board; wherein said electrically conductive shield has one or more holes to allow said plastic overmould to extend through said shield to cover said circuit board.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Publication date: March 8, 2012
    Inventor: Paul Garrity
  • Patent number: 8064235
    Abstract: In order to reduce parasitic inductance of a main circuit in a power supply circuit, a non-insulated DC-DC converter is provided including a circuit in which a power MOS•FET for a high-side switch and a power MOS•FET for a low-side switch are connected in series. In the non-insulated DC-DC converter, the power MOS•FET for the high-side switch is formed by a p-channel vertical MOS•FET, and the power MOS•FET for the low-side switch is formed by an n channel vertical MOS•FET. Thus, a semiconductor chip formed with the power MOS•FET for the high-side switch and a semiconductor chip formed with the power MOS•FET for the low-side switch are mounted over the same die pad and electrically connected to each other through the die pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Masaki Shiraishi, Noboru Akiyama, Tomoaki Uno, Nobuyoshi Matsuura
  • Patent number: 8059436
    Abstract: A power converter module for use alone or with other modules in a multiphase power converter. The power converter module has an enclosure that surrounds internal components to prevent radiation of electromagnetic energy, which internal components also limit conduction of electromagnetic energy. The internal components include an EMI filter, a ripple filter, a power converter, and a control interface that communicates with a control system of a power conversion system. The control interface includes a memory that stores information related to the power converter modules so as to improve interchangability of similar power modules with the multiphase power converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Northern Power Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Samuel Badger, Kiran Kumar Kulihithalu Channakeshava, Shazreen Meor Danial, Stephen Paul Hoskins, Jeffrey K. Petter
  • Patent number: 8045352
    Abstract: A power converter includes a switching device composed of parallel-connected semiconductor chips evenly divided into two groups. The power converter includes a positive conductor, a capacitor and an output electrode. The positive conductor includes first and second terminal portions. The output electrode includes an end portion joined to a base portion having first and second connecting portions. The output electrode is formed so as to reduce or cancel a difference existing between an inductance L1 of a current path from a positive terminal of the capacitor to the first terminal portion and an inductance L2 of a current path from the positive terminal to the second terminal portion, by providing a difference between an inductance L3 of a current path from the first connecting portion to the end portion and an inductance L4 of a current path from the second connecting portion to the end portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Jidoshokki
    Inventors: Naohito Kanie, Toshiaki Nagase, Hiroyuki Kobayashi, Toshinari Fukatsu
  • Patent number: 8040708
    Abstract: The reliability of a semiconductor device is improved. A package of a semiconductor device internally includes a first semiconductor chip and a second semiconductor chip in which power MOS•FETs are formed and a third semiconductor chip in which a control circuit controlling the first and second semiconductor chips is formed. The first to third semiconductor chips are mounted on die pads respectively. Source electrode bonding pads of the first semiconductor chip on a high side are electrically connected with a first die pad of the die pads via a metal plate. On a top surface of the die pad 7D2, a plated layer formed in a region where the second semiconductor chip is mounted, and another plated layer formed in a region where the metal plate is joined are provided and the plated layers are separated each other with a region where no plated layer is formed in between.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Yukihiro Sato, Tomoaki Uno
  • Patent number: 8040707
    Abstract: A power converter includes a base plate having thereon a switching device, and positive and negative conductors respectively including main portions disposed parallel to the base plate. One of the main portions is placed over the other of the main portions. The main portions are disposed adjacent to and parallel to each other. The main portions are insulated from each other. The power converter includes a capacitor having positive and negative terminals electrically connected to the respective main portions of the positive and negative conductors. Each of the positive and negative conductors includes a side portion extending from the main portion toward the base plate, and a terminal portion extending from the side portion and joined to the base plate. The side portion is formed with a cutout extending from the end adjacent to the base plate to the opposite end connected to the main portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Jidoshokki
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Onishi, Toshiaki Nagase, Jun Ishikawa, Kazuyoshi Kontani, Toshinari Fukatsu
  • Patent number: 8007255
    Abstract: An inverter-integrated electric compressor enhances vibration resistance of an inverter apparatus integrated with a housing without degrading cooling performance, reduction in weight, or the ease of assembly of the inverter apparatus. An inverter-integrated electric compressor has an inverter apparatus integrated with an inverter storage box of housing. The inverter apparatus includes a metal plate secured in an inverter storage box, a plurality of power semiconductor switching elements mounted on the metal plate, a power substrate on which a power-related control circuit for operating the power semiconductor switching elements is mounted, and a busbar assembly formed by integrating a plurality of busbars with an insulator. The metal plate includes a protrusion extending in a width direction perpendicular to a motor shaft direction of an electric motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Makoto Hattori, Takayuki Takashige, Kazuki Niwa, Koji Nakano, Shunsuke Yakushiji
  • Patent number: 7957143
    Abstract: A motor controller, which is inexpensive and has small size, is provided by reducing the size of a heat sink used in the motor controller and the number of all parts of the motor controller, wherein said motor controller includes a heat sink, a power semiconductor modules that is in close contact with the heat sink, a substrate (4) that is electrically connected to the power semiconductor module, and a fan (6) that generates the flow of external air and supplies cooling air to the heat sink, wherein said heat sink is formed by combining two kinds of heat sinks, which include a first heat sink (7) and a second heat sink (8), so as to conduct heat therebetween, and, wherein said power semiconductor module is in close contact with the second heat sink (8).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Yaskawa Denki
    Inventor: Kenji Isomoto
  • Patent number: 7952876
    Abstract: The present invention provides a highly reliable electric power converter reduced in parasitic inductance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsunori Azuma, Mutsuhiro Mori, Kinya Nakatsu
  • Publication number: 20110083733
    Abstract: An electronics module docking system includes docking member removably coupled to a photovoltaic module. The docking system includes a first connector port electrically coupled to one or more photovoltaic cells of the photovoltaic module. The photovoltaic module is selectively coupleable to the docking member. The docking system includes a housing to enclose an electronics module. The housing may include second connector port that is selectively engageable to the power electronics module. The power electronics module and the photovoltaic cells are electrically coupled to one another upon selective engagement of the connector ports. The inverter housing is receivable by and removably coupleable to the docking member allowing the inverter housing to be removably coupleable to the photovoltaic module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2009
    Publication date: April 14, 2011
    Applicant: SolarBridge Technologies
    Inventors: Marco A. Marroquin, Stephen P. Wurmlinger, Thomas Paul Parker, Robert S. Balog
  • Patent number: 7881086
    Abstract: A power conversion device in which the inductance of a main circuit is reduced, a surge voltage is suppressed, elements are properly cooled, which is miniaturized and reduced in weight as a whole, and is excellent in handling performance in a manufacturing process and a maintenance work. A positive side arm unit includes IGBT modules, a coupling diode module, a cooling plate on which the modules are mounted, and a first laminated bus bar connected to the respective modules. A negative side arm unit includes IGBT modules, a coupling diode module, a cooling plate on which the modules are mounted, and a second laminated bus bar connected to the respective modules, and both the laminated bus bars and the capacitors are connected to one another by a third laminated bus bar. Both the cooling plates are parallel to each other so that the mount surfaces thereof are set in the same direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Yasushi Nakayama, Takeshi Oi, Kazuyoshi Toya, Akihiro Murahashi
  • Patent number: 7869193
    Abstract: The connection between the terminals of three-phase electric parts used in a matrix converter is simplified to thereby reduce the inductance between conductors. An AC capacitor and an IGBT are disposed such that the linearly arranged terminals of the AC capacitor and the linearly arranged input terminals of the IGBT are parallel to each other, and also that the three terminals of the AC capacitor and the three input terminals of the IGBT are situated close to each other. A bus bar is formed as a laminate bus bar which can be provided by laminating three plate-shaped bus bars on top of each other. In the respective plate-shaped bus bars, there are provided internal terminals for connecting together the mutually adjoining ones of the three-portion terminals of the AC capacitor and the three-portion input terminals of the IGBT, and the mutually adjoining terminals are connected together through the internal terminals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Yaskawa Denki
    Inventors: Shuhei Nohara, Toshihiro Mori, Hidenori Hara
  • Patent number: 7855480
    Abstract: An AC generator, referred to as an alternator, is mounted on an automotive vehicle for supplying electric power to an on-board battery and other electric loads. The alternator includes a rectifier device for rectifying alternating current to direct current. The rectifier is composed of a minus-side heat-radiating plate on which six minus-side rectifier elements are mounted and a plus-side heat-radiating plate on which six plus-side rectifier elements are mounted. Each rectifier is mounted on the heat-radiating plate in the same manner, i.e., by forcibly inserting the rectifier element into a mounting hole formed in the heat-radiating plate. A disc portion of the rectifier element has an outer peripheral surface on which knurls are formed. The outer peripheral surface having the knurls is tapered so that the disc portion is easily inserted into the mounting hole while establishing a firm grip and a good heat-conductive contact between the rectifier element and the heat-radiating surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2010
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Yuji Ito, Shigenobu Nakamura
  • Patent number: 7852651
    Abstract: The object of the present invention is to reduce parasitic inductance of a main circuit in a power supply circuit. The present invention provides a non-insulated DC-DC converter having a circuit in which a power MOS•FET for a high-side switch and a power MOS•FET for a low-side switch are connected in series. In the non-insulated DC-DC converter, the power MOS•FET for the high-side switch is formed by a p channel vertical MOS•FET, and the power MOS•FET for the low-side switch is formed by an n channel vertical MOS•FET. Thus, a semiconductor chip formed with the power MOS•FET for the high-side switch and a semiconductor chip formed with the power MOS•FET for the low-side switch are mounted over the same die pad and electrically connected to each other through the die pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Masaki Shiraishi, Noboru Akiyama, Tomoaki Uno, Nobuyoshi Matsuura
  • Patent number: 7839668
    Abstract: A multiple output AC/DC power adapter is provided. The adapter includes an adapter body with an output connector and more than one output plugs configured for connecting with the output connector. The adapter body includes a DC-DC converting circuit having an input terminal, an output terminal, a first adjustment terminal. The output connector includes a positive terminal, a second adjustment terminal and a negative terminal configured for connecting to the output terminal and the first adjustment terminal of the DC-DC converting circuit and ground correspondingly. The output plugs each includes an adjustment resistor having a resistance value different from the other output plugs. Therefore, when equipped with a plurality of output plugs each of the plurality of plugs having different resistor R0, the adapter can supply different output DC voltages for different electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignees: Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (ShenZhen) Co., Ltd., Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shih-Fang Wong, Tsung-Jen Chuang, Xiang-Cheng Wan
  • Patent number: 7830689
    Abstract: First and second bases and composing a coolant path structure are arranged at the middle stage of the power converter, and semiconductor modules and a capacitor are arranged on both surfaces of the coolant path structure. Furthermore, through-holes are formed in the first and second bases, and cables of DC and AC circuits are laid via the through-holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takayoshi Nakamura, Kinya Nakatsu, Ryuichi Saito, Takashi Suga, Hiroki Funato
  • Patent number: 7800921
    Abstract: Power converter system topologies comprise a DC/DC converter. The DC/DC converter includes a transformer coupling a high side to a low side. The high side may include an inverter bridge in the form of an inverter module and an inductor. The low side may include a rectifier in the form of a rectifier module and a pair of inductors. The transformer may take the form of a planar transformer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems US, Inc.
    Inventors: Lizhi Zhu, Fred Flett, John M. Van Dyke
  • Patent number: 7742303
    Abstract: The present invention provides a highly reliable electric power converter reduced in parasitic inductance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2010
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsunori Azuma, Mutsuhiro Mori, Kinya Nakatsu
  • Patent number: 7738273
    Abstract: A connector device in accordance with the present invention includes a first connecting portion and a second connecting portion, the first connecting portion has a power input terminal and an input side ground terminal, and the second connecting portion has a power output terminal and an output side ground terminal. The power input terminal and the power output terminal are connected by a first connecting line, the input side ground terminal and the output side ground terminal are connected by a second connecting line, and the first connecting line and the second connecting line are connected via a rectifier element which passes current only in a direction from the second connecting line to the first connecting line. As a result the connector device can prevent input of power having an inverse direction to an electric load even when the power having the inverse direction is output from the power output device side to the electric load side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshiaki Deguchi
  • Patent number: 7715195
    Abstract: The invention relates to an inverter casing, said inverter casing comprising in the bottom at least one depression for receiving heat dissipating electric components, coils in particular.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignee: SMA Solar Technology AG.
    Inventors: Sven Bremicker, Andreas Donth, Stefan Domagala
  • Patent number: 7672115
    Abstract: The subject matter of the invention is an inverter including a casing (1), said casing (1) including at least two casing chambers (2, 3) that are each closable through a separate cover (2a, 3a).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: SMA Technology AG
    Inventors: Matthias Victor, Andreas Donth, Johannes Häde, Joachim Laschinski, Alexander Benn