Having Voltage Protection Patents (Class 363/56.05)
  • Patent number: 11788752
    Abstract: A power conversion device (3) is supplied with an electric power from an alternating current power source (1). An active filter device (2), which is a power source quality improvement unit, improves a quality of the alternating current power source (1). A controller (37) limits an operation of the power conversion device (3) so that any one of a power-source electric power, a power-source current, and a power-source harmonic obtained when a failure detection unit (4) detects a failure of the active filter device (2) becomes less than or equal to a maximum value of a corresponding one of the power-source electric power, the power-source current, and the power-source harmonic, the maximum value being obtained when no failure has occurred in the active filter device (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: DAIKIN INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Jun Takahashi, Masaki Kono, Reiji Kawashima
  • Patent number: 11728777
    Abstract: Disclosed is an RF (Radio Frequency) power source having a power supply configured to convert an AC (Alternating Current) voltage at a power supply input to a second voltage at a power supply output, and an RF generator configured to receive the second voltage at an RF generator input and to use the second voltage to produce an output RF signal at an RF generator output. According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the power supply performs the voltage conversion without galvanic isolation between the power supply input and the power supply output, which can increase energy efficiency while reducing complexity and cost as well. Instead, the RF generator is provided with galvanic isolation between the RF generator input and the RF generator output, which can be sufficient for achieving galvanic isolation between the power supply input and the RF generator output for safety reasons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: AETHERA TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED
    Inventors: Tim Hardy, Brian Walker, Kirk Zwicker, Charles Schue
  • Patent number: 11722055
    Abstract: The voltage stress is limited across switches in multi-level flying capacitor step-down dc-dc converters during a start-up sequence by a circuit. In one embodiment, the circuit includes a diode that is adapted to prevent reverse current flow during steady state operation, a pull-down switch and a commutation cell, which includes a start-up capacitor and a flying capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: Würth Elektronik eiSos GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Aleksandar Prodic, Michael Halamicek, Tom Moiannou, Nenad Vukadinovic, Alexander Gerfer, Mahmoud Shousha, Martin Haug
  • Patent number: 11658562
    Abstract: A system and method for snubbing transformer leakage energy in a power supply having a transformer and a main switch, in which leakage energy is stored in a capacitor as stored leakage energy when the main switch is turned off, and the stored leakage energy is transferred to the transformer through an inductor when the main switch is turned on.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Marotta Controls, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph Fayez Youssef, Lev Sorkin
  • Patent number: 11646653
    Abstract: A switching circuit for a voltage source converter includes a string of series-connected switches and a string of capacitors. A first conductor interconnects a first end of the string of series-connected switches with a first end of the string of capacitors at a first switch and a second conductor interconnects a second end of the string of series-connected switches with a second end of the string of capacitors at a second switch. A first string of components is connected between the first end of the string of series-connected switches and the first end of the string of capacitors and includes a snubber component for the first switch. A second string of components is connected between the second end of the string of series-connected switches and the second end of the string of capacitors and includes a snubber component for the second switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Hitachi Energy Switzerland AG
    Inventors: Lennart Harnefors, Daniel Johannesson
  • Patent number: 11646652
    Abstract: A circuit to rectify an alternating current (AC) signal produced by an output coil of a transformer responsive to an input current in an input coil of the transformer comprises: an output node and a return node coupled to an output load; a first rectifier, coupled to a first terminal of the output coil and the return node, to rectify the AC signal to supply a current to the output node when the input current is ON; a second rectifier, coupled to a second terminal of the output coil and the return node, to rectify the AC signal to supply a current to the output node when the input current is OFF; and a voltage clamp to clamp a first voltage transient and a second voltage transient of the AC signal that occur at the first terminal and the second terminal when the input current is switched OFF and ON.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: L3Harris Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Justin M. Graves
  • Patent number: 11632038
    Abstract: A snubber apparatus includes N parallel charge paths, each of which has a positive-side capacitor, a first diode, and a negative-side capacitor sequentially connected in series between a positive-side terminal and a negative-side terminal, and that allows current to flow from the positive-side terminal's side to the negative-side terminal's side. The snubber apparatus includes N+1 parallel discharge paths, each of which has a second diode connected between the negative-side terminal or the negative-side capacitor in the k-th charge path of the N charge paths, and the positive-side capacitor in the (k+1)-th charge path of the N charge paths or the positive-side terminal, and that allows current to flow from the negative-side terminal's side to the positive-side terminal's side via at least one of the negative-side capacitor and the positive-side capacitor. At least one of the charge paths has a plurality of sections that are turned and adjacent to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Qichen Wang, Ryuji Yamada
  • Patent number: 11616432
    Abstract: A method for controlling an active snubber circuit includes measuring a gate voltage at a first transistor and measuring a gate voltage at a second transistor. The method also includes determining whether the first transistor and the second transistor are in the same state based on the gate voltage measured at the first transistor and the gate voltage measured at the second transistor. The method also includes, in response to a determination that the first transistor and the second transistor are in the same state, enabling the active snubber circuit. The method also includes, in response to a determination that the first transistor and the second transistor are not in the same state, disabling the enable signal. The method also includes disabling the active snubber circuit in response to the enable signal being disabled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: DR. ING. H.C. F. PORSCHE AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Muhammad Mobeen Mahmood, Alexandre M. Reis
  • Patent number: 11489501
    Abstract: According to one aspect, embodiments of the invention provide a distortion detection circuit comprising an input configured to be coupled to an output stage of an amplifier and to receive an RF signal from the output stage of the amplifier, an output configured to be coupled to a module of the amplifier, at least one peak detection circuit coupled to the input and configured to monitor the RF signal and output a first signal based on positive voltage peaks of the RF signal, and a differential amplifier having an input coupled to the at least one peak detection circuit and configured to monitor the first signal and provide a second signal to the output in response to a voltage of the first signal exceeding a threshold level indicative of distortion in the RF signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: SKYWORKS SOLUTIONS, INC.
    Inventor: Gordon Glen Rabjohn
  • Patent number: 11469040
    Abstract: This application relates to a wireless charger with increased efficiency during operation. The wireless charging assembly includes a wireless charger and an electronic device. A transmitter coil in the wireless charger can induct magnetic flux to a receiver coil in the electronic device via a magnetic flux pathway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Saining Ren, Christopher S. Graham, Makiko K. Brzezinski, Rohan Dayal, Paul J. Thompson
  • Patent number: 11456673
    Abstract: A power conversion device includes first to fourth switching elements, and first to eighth diodes. The first to fourth diodes are electrically connected in inverse parallel to the first to fourth switching elements, respectively. The seventh diode is electrically connected in parallel to the second diode. The eighth diode is electrically connected in parallel to the third diode. The second diode is housed in a first package. The seventh diode is housed in a second package, which is different from the first package, and which does not include the switching elements. The eighth diode is housed in the second package, or alternatively, the eighth diode is housed in another package, which is different from the first package and the second package, and which does not include the switching elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: TOSHIBA MITSUBISHI-ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Haruyuki Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 11381234
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, electronic circuitry includes a first surge voltage detection circuit configured to detect a surge voltage generated due to switching of a switching device and generate a first signal indicating a first current; and a current generation circuit configured to generate a second current larger than the first current by amplifying a current in response to input of the first signal and output the second current to a control terminal of the switching device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventor: Kentaro Ikeda
  • Patent number: 11333691
    Abstract: According to some aspects of the present disclosure, power modules having current sensing circuits, and corresponding sensing methods, are disclosed. Example power modules include a printed circuit board (PCB) having a PCB trace, a first sense terminal coupled to the PCB trace at a first location, and a second sense terminal coupled to the PCB trace at a second location such that a resistance between the first and second sense terminals is defined by a resistance of the PCB trace between the first location and the second location. The power module further comprises a control coupled to the first sense terminal and the second sense terminal, the control adapted to measure a voltage between the first sense terminal and the second sense terminal and determine a current through the PCB trace based on the measured voltage and the resistance between the first sense terminal and the second sense terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: Astec International Limited
    Inventors: Mao Xi Xiang, Jian Feng Lv, Chen Chen Zheng, Qian Feng
  • Patent number: 11329548
    Abstract: A voltage clamp circuit comprises an input portion arranged to receive an input voltage at an input terminal. The input portion comprises a clamp diode having an anode connected to the input terminal. A first terminal of a switching element is connected to a cathode of the clamp diode and a control terminal of the switching element is connected to a reference node (Vref). A resonant tank portion comprises an inductor and a capacitor connected in series at a resonance node (Vres). The resonance node is connected to a second terminal of the switching element. The capacitor is connected between the resonance node and the first terminal of the switching element. The inductor is connected between the resonance node and an output terminal of the voltage clamp. When a voltage at the first terminal of the switching element is greater than a threshold value the switching element is turned on.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATION
    Inventor: Andrew F. McLean
  • Patent number: 11309878
    Abstract: A power conversion system is provided. The power conversion system includes a power conversion circuit and N clamping circuits. The power conversion circuit includes an input port, an output port, N switching power conversion units and N?1 storage device. The switching power conversion unit includes a first switch and a second switch. N is an integer larger than 1. Two ends of the storage device have a first node and a second node respectively. The clamping circuit includes an absorbing capacitor and an absorbing diode and has a first terminal, a second terminal and a third terminal. The first and second terminals are electrically connected to two ends of the corresponding second switch respectively. The absorbing capacitor and the absorbing diode are serially coupled between the first and second terminals for absorbing a peak voltage. The third terminal is electrically connected to the corresponding first node or the input port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: DELTA ELECTRONICS, INC.
    Inventors: Da Jin, Yahong Xiong, Qinghua Su
  • Patent number: 11303219
    Abstract: A power conversion apparatus is provided in a rotary electric machine, converting a power between a DC power source and the rotary electric machine having a multiphase winding. The power conversion apparatus includes: a plurality of switching modules each having a switching element for performing switching to control a current direction of a current flowing from the DC power source to the winding; a plurality of capacitor modules each having a capacitor that suppresses high frequency oscillation occurring on the current due to the switching operation; a positive side conductor connected to a positive electrode of the DC power source; and a negative side conductor connected to a negative electrode of the DC power source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takashi Kashiwazaki, Tomohisa Sano
  • Patent number: 11233679
    Abstract: In some examples, a controller includes an interface to receive presence indicators associated with computer nodes, and a processor to determine, based on the presence indicators, a quantity of a set of computer nodes that are present in a system, and adjust, based on the determined quantity, phases of activity control indications provided to the computer nodes of the set of computer nodes, wherein the adjusting is to vary a first phase of a first activity control indication of the activity control indications relative to a second phase of a second activity control indication of the activity control indications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP
    Inventor: Mark Barlow Hammer
  • Patent number: 11183931
    Abstract: To provide a power converter which can maintain the stability and the response of the feedback control system, even if the frequency characteristic of the chopper circuit changes according to change of driving condition. A power converter is provided with a chopper circuit which has reactor and switching device; and a control circuit which changes a feedback value of duty ratio of the switching device so that a deviation between a target value of output voltage and a detection value of output voltage approaches to 0, wherein the control circuit changes a frequency characteristic of the feedback control, based on at least any two or more of information on the output voltage, information on an input voltage, and information on duty ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Yuya Tanaka, Akinu Nakabayashi, Tomoyuki Taniguchi, Shingo Kato, Matahiko Ikeda, Takashi Kaneyama
  • Patent number: 11011453
    Abstract: A cooling apparatus for a semiconductor module including a semiconductor chip, having a case with a top plate, a base plate, a side wall plate arranged between the top plate and the base plate, and a coolant flow-through portion surrounded by the top plate, base plate, and side wall plate; first cooling pins secured to the top plate in the coolant flow-through portion of the case; and second cooling pins secured to the top plate in the coolant flow-through portion of the case and having lengths in a thickness direction from the top plate toward the base plate greater than lengths of the first cooling pins, wherein at least one first cooling pin and at least one second cooling pin are arranged in an alternating manner, and this pattern appears repeatedly at least twice, along a first direction in a plane parallel to the top plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Nobuhide Arai
  • Patent number: 11005359
    Abstract: An electric power converter has a first converter terminal, a second converter terminal, a converter switch and a snubber circuit. The snubber circuit comprises a snubber switch and a passive network connected to the snubber switch. The snubber circuit is connected to the converter switch, the first converter terminal and the second converter terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: DET International Holding Limited
    Inventor: Lucian Budica
  • Patent number: 10263612
    Abstract: A switching device 1 includes a SiC semiconductor chip 11 which has a gate pad 14, a source pad 13 and a drain pad 12 and in which on-off control is performed between the source and the drain by applying a drive voltage between the gate and the source in a state where a potential difference is applied between the source and the drain, a sense source terminal 4 electrically connected to the source pad 13 for applying the drive voltage, and an external resistance (source wire 16) that is interposed in a current path between the sense source terminal 4 and the source pad 13, is separated from sense source terminal 4, and has a predetermined size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: ROHM CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masashi Hayashiguchi, Kazuhide Ino
  • Patent number: 10254375
    Abstract: Systems and methods provide a portable, verified voltage source that allows safe testing of separate non-contact voltage measurement systems. A proving unit of the present disclosure provides a known or specified alternating current (AC) voltage output across an insulated wire, which AC voltage may be fixed or may be user-selectable through a suitable user interface. The proving unit may include a visual indicator and/or an audible indicator that provides the user with an indication confirming that the proving unit is supplying an output voltage with the specifications of the proving unit, so the user will know that the proving unit is operating normally and is ready for testing a non-contact voltage measurement system. If the proving unit cannot provide the specified voltage output, the indicator(s) provides a signal to the user that the proving unit is currently non-functional. The proving unit may additionally verify contact voltage measurement systems (e.g., DMMs).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: Fluke Corporation
    Inventors: David L. Epperson, Ricardo Rodriguez
  • Patent number: 9948290
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a switch module, a sense circuit coupled to the switch module and configured to indicate an operating conduction mode of the switch module, and a drive circuit operatively coupled to the switch module to enable and disable forward conducting mode of the switch module. Once the switch module is in forward conducting mode, the drive circuit is configured to maintain enablement of the forward conducting mode even if the sense circuit indicates reverse conduction mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Alvaro Jorge Mari Curbelo, Thomas Zoels
  • Patent number: 9196574
    Abstract: A snubber circuit includes: a capacitor including a first terminal and a second terminal, where the first terminal of the capacitor is electrically connected to a first terminal of the snubber circuit; and a Bipolar Junction Transistor (BJT), where one of the emitter and the collector of the BJT is electrically connected to the second terminal of the capacitor, and the other one of the emitter and the collector of the BJT is electrically connected to a second terminal of the snubber circuit. The snubber circuit can be electrically connected in parallel to an active component or a load to protect the circuitry connected to the load, and more particularly to absorb spike or noise generated during high-frequency switching of the active component to recycle energy, in order to achieve the goal of reducing spike voltages and enhancing efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: FSP TECHNOLOGY INC.
    Inventor: Kuo-Fan Lin
  • Patent number: 9136757
    Abstract: A power converter includes step-up means for varying a voltage applied by a power supply to a predetermined voltage, commutating means for performing a commutation operation for allowing a current flowing through the step-up means to flow through a second path, smoothing means for smoothing a voltage related to outputs of the step-up means and the commutating means to produce power and supplying the power to a load side, and control means for performing control related to voltage varying, such as stepping up, by the step-up means and controlling the commutation operation of the commutating means on the basis of at least one of a voltage and a current related to the step-up means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Koichi Arisawa, Takuya Shimomugi, Yosuke Shinomoto, Masato Handa, Mitsuo Kashima, Shigeo Umehara, Katsuhiko Saito, Norikazu Ito, Hitoshi Tanifuji, Makoto Tanikawa, Tomomi Higashikawa
  • Patent number: 9128128
    Abstract: There is provided a voltage or current sensing device. An exemplary voltage or current sensing device includes a drive circuitry configured to deliver a drive current to a magnetic core operably coupled with a conductor, for driving the core to cyclical magnetic saturation. The device also includes sense circuitry configured to receive a voltage signal corresponding to an application current in the conductor. The device also includes signal processing circuitry configured to sample the voltage signal, wherein a first sample is in phase with the drive current and a second sample is out of phase with the drive current. The device also includes a feedback loop configured to deliver a compensation current to the magnetic core, wherein the compensation current is configured to balance the magnetic core and wherein the compensation current is based at least in part on the first sample in phase with the drive current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jeffrey Michael Fries, Jeffery Armstrong, Robert N. Bettis, Bradley Dale Brown, Shawn T. Clark, Gregory K. Hann, Mark Kraeling, Steve R. Murphy, Daniel G. Penny, III, Eric Vorndran
  • Patent number: 9088214
    Abstract: A reactor, a diode, and a switching element connected to a path constitute a booster circuit, and another reactor, another diode, and another switching element connected to another path constitute another booster circuit. The booster circuits also function as a power factor correction circuit for correcting a power factor of the input side. Swing chokes are adopted as the reactors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: DAIKIN INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Norio Sakae, Toshio Yabuki, Kazuhiro Ohshita
  • Patent number: 9025350
    Abstract: The present application relates to a cascaded H-Bridge medium voltage drive, a power cell, and a bypass module thereof, wherein the bypass module is configured for bypassing a major circuit module of the power cell, while the major circuit module comprises a fuse, a rectifier, a bus capacitor and an H-Bridge inverter, two points led from the H-Bridge inverter being configured as a first output end and a second output end; a bypass circuit comprises a first bridge arm and a second bridge arm; a point led from the first bridge arm is configured as a first input end of the bypass circuit, a point led from the second bridge arm is configured as a second input end of the bypass circuit, and the first input end is electrically connected with the first output end, the second input end is electrically connected with the second output end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Delta Electronics (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hongjian Gan, Qinglong Zhong
  • Publication number: 20150098251
    Abstract: An apparatus and system for arc fault protection during power conversion. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a power converter comprising a first and a second pair of DC input terminals, coupled in series, for coupling to a first and a second DC source, respectively; an input bridge; an inductor; a first and a second arc fault protection capacitor, wherein (i) the series combination of the first and the second pair of DC input terminals is coupled across the input bridge, (ii) a first terminal of the inductor is coupled between the first and the second pair of DC input terminals, (iii) a second terminal of the inductor is coupled between switches on one leg of the input bridge, and (iv) the first and the second arc fault protection capacitors are coupled across the first and the second pair of DC input terminals, respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2014
    Publication date: April 9, 2015
    Inventor: Michael J. Harrison
  • Patent number: 8976560
    Abstract: An inverter control device includes a voltage detector, a target value calculation section, an inverter control section, an abnormality detector and a voltage clamp unit. The target value calculation section calculates a target value of an alternating current output from the inverter based on a detection voltage. The inverter control section controls a switching element of the inverter based on the detection voltage and the target value. The abnormality detector detects an abnormality in the voltage detector. The voltage clamp unit holds the detection voltage, for calculating the target value, at a first assured voltage determined based on a lower limit area of an assured voltage range that assures an operation of the inverter: and holds the detection voltage, for generating the control signal, at a second (higher) assured voltage, upon detecting the abnormality in the voltage detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Nakamura, Hiromichi Kawamura
  • Patent number: 8964414
    Abstract: A DC power supply including a resonant circuit on a secondary side of a transformer suppresses a surge voltage during power recovery of diodes constituting a rectifier circuit, correctly estimates a load current from a secondary current of the transformer, and adjusts supplied power when a load is light. The DC power supply includes a DC voltage source, a converter, a transformer, a rectifier circuit, a resonant circuit composed of a resonant switch and a resonant capacitor, a filter reactor, a filter capacitor, a snubber diode, a snubber capacitor, a load, first and second voltage sensors, a current sensor, and a controller for controlling gate pulses of semiconductor devices constituting a converter and the resonant switch and a signal for adjusting operation timings of A/D converters converting the signals of these sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi Mito Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsuo Kojima, Yuichiro Nozaki, Masafumi Makino, Takeshi Shinomiya, Tetsu Sugiura
  • Publication number: 20140286061
    Abstract: An electronic circuit includes a failure detection circuit that detects an abnormality of the gate potential of a transistor of a bridge circuit. The failure detection circuit monitors an output voltage of a drive circuit that is to be the gate potential of the transistor of the bridge circuit and, when detecting an abnormality, stops the drive circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2014
    Publication date: September 25, 2014
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Katsumi INOUE, Atsushi YAMADA
  • Patent number: 8810176
    Abstract: A boost control section for controlling a converter includes a PI control section and a resonance suppression section. The PI control section calculates a basic command value based on a deviation between a drive voltage generated by the converter and a target voltage to equalize the drive voltage and the target voltage. The resonance suppression section calculates, based on the state of variation of the drive voltage, a correction value for correcting the basic command value to suppress the variation. The basic command value is corrected by adding the correction value. First and second drive pulses corresponding to the corrected command value are outputted to the converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Eiichiro Kawakami, Takeshi Itoh
  • Patent number: 8787044
    Abstract: An energy recovery snubber circuit for use in switching power converters. The power converters may include a switch network coupled to a primary winding of an isolation transformer, and rectification circuitry coupled to a secondary winding of the isolation transformer. The energy recovery snubber circuit may include clamping circuitry that is operative to clamp voltage spikes and/or ringing at the rectification circuitry. The clamped voltages may be captured by an energy capture module, such as a capacitor. Further, the energy recovery snubber circuitry may include control circuitry operative to return the energy captured by the energy capture module to the input of the power converter. To maintain electrical isolation between a primary side and a secondary side of the isolation transformer, a second isolation transformer may be provided to return the captured energy back to the input of the power converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Flextronics AP, LLC
    Inventors: Zaohong Yang, Paul Garrity
  • Publication number: 20140112038
    Abstract: A method in a controller for protection of a voltage source converter including one or more phases, each phase including one or more series-connected converter cells. Each converter cell has a by-pass switch for enabling by-pass thereof. The method includes the steps of detecting an over-voltage condition, and controlling simultaneously the by-pass switches of each converter cell, so as to bypass the converter cells upon detection of such over-voltage condition. The invention also encompasses a controller, computer programs and computer program products.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2013
    Publication date: April 24, 2014
    Inventors: Jean-Philippe Hasler, Mauro Monge, Marcio De Oliveira
  • Publication number: 20140092655
    Abstract: A power converter includes an inverter unit that includes a plurality of semiconductor switching elements constituting upper and lower arms and converts DC power into AC power; a gate driving unit that outputs, to the inverter unit, a gate signal used to drive gates of the plurality of semiconductor switching elements; a driving control unit that supplies the gate driving unit with a switching control signal used for the gate driving unit to output the gate signal; a first abnormality detection unit that performs over voltage detection of the DC power and over current detection of the AC power and temperature detection of the upper and lower arms; and a second abnormality detection unit that detects abnormality of the plurality of semiconductor switching elements of the upper arm and lower arms, wherein the driving control unit includes a first protection circuit and a second protection circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2010
    Publication date: April 3, 2014
    Applicant: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Igarashi, Satoru Shigeta, Takashi Ogura
  • Patent number: 8665619
    Abstract: This invention relates to a T-type three-level inverter circuit. The circuit includes an absorption unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Liebert Corporation
    Inventor: Bin Cui
  • Patent number: 8659920
    Abstract: A switching device includes a flowing restriction element, a conductor and a snubber resistor. The flowing restriction element has an opening and closing function to open and close a flowing path of an electric current. The conductor is connected to the flowing restriction element. The snubber resistor is connected to the flowing restriction element and constitutes a snubber circuit. The snubber resistor is disposed along the conductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nobuhisa Yamaguchi, Yasuyuki Sakai
  • Patent number: 8634209
    Abstract: A current-fed full-bridge DC-DC converter includes a current source circuit including a direct-current voltage source circuit and a reactor connected to the direct-current voltage source circuit in series, an inverter circuit including switching elements, input terminals and output terminals, wherein outputs of the current source circuit are connected to the input terminals, a transformer having a primary coil that is connected to the output terminals and a secondary coil and a rectifier circuit which is connected to the secondary coil and through which the current-fed full-bridge DC-DC converter generates direct-current output. The current-fed full-bridge DC-DC converter further includes a capacitor connected to the output terminal and the primary coil in series and a controller controlling on/off operations of the switching elements so that a current can flow from the current source circuit through the primary coil and the capacitor in stopping of the current-fed full-bridge DC-DC converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Jidoshokki
    Inventor: Sergey Moiseev
  • Patent number: 8614566
    Abstract: Provided is a DC-DC converter capable of reducing not only a turn-off loss but also a turn-on loss. A snubber capacitor has one end connected to an anode of a step-up diode, a current input end of a step-up switching element and a main reactor. A first snubber diode has a cathode connected to other end of the snubber capacitor, and an anode connected to a cathode of the step-up diode. A second snubber diode has an anode connected to the cathode of the first snubber diode and other end of the snubber capacitor. A snubber reactor has one end connected to the anode of the first snubber diode, and other end connected to a cathode of the second snubber diode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2013
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Shinji Hatae, Khalid Hassan Hussein
  • Patent number: 8614905
    Abstract: A voltage converting apparatus includes a series connection of at least four switching elements each including at least one semiconductor device of turn-off type and a free-wheeling diode connected in anti-parallel therewith. The apparatus has a device configured to measure a parameter representative of the voltage across each free-wheeling diode when turned off and an arrangement configured to control the amount of charge stored in each diode at the moment the diode is turned-off by stopping to conduct depending upon the results of the measurement carried out by the device for controlling the voltage across the diode after turn-off thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2013
    Assignee: ABB Technology AG
    Inventor: Ulrich Schlapbach
  • Patent number: 8605471
    Abstract: A power conversion device includes: an inverter that converts a DC current supplied from a DC power source to an AC current by engaging a plurality of switching elements, which constitute an upper arm, and a plurality of switching elements, which constitute a lower arm, in switching operation; a control unit that includes a signal generation unit that generates a switching signal carrying a command for execution of the switching operation in correspondence to each of the plurality of switching elements constituting the upper arm and the plurality of switching elements constituting the lower arm, and outputs the switching signal thus generated as a control signal; and a drive unit that individually drives each of the switching elements based upon the corresponding control signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive System, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Ogura, Satoru Shigeta, Hiroaki Igarashi, Koichi Ono, Yasuo Noto
  • Patent number: 8570780
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes: a parallel connection structure 1 between a first node and a second node; a first snubber device and a second snubber device having a clamp level that is the same as or higher than the output voltage of a power source section. One terminal of the first snubber device is connected through the first node to one end of the parallel connection structure, the opposite terminal of the first snubber device is connected through a third node to one terminal of the second snubber device, and the opposite terminal of the second snubber device is connected through the second node to the opposite end of the parallel connection structure. Electric power is fed back to the power source section through the second and third nodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Shinsuke Godo, Atsunobu Kawamoto
  • Patent number: 8547715
    Abstract: A converter system comprises a DC to AC converter, a maximum power point tracking device, and an array-side control. The DC link converts DC from a photovoltaic array to AC for a grid. The maximum power point tracking device is coupled to the array. The array-side control, which is coupled to the DC to AC converter and the device, prevents overvoltage in the DC bus of the DC to AC converter using array voltage and current data from the device and DC bus voltage data from the DC to AC converter during a grid transient by adjusting a maximum power point of the array to increase array voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Xiaoming Yuan, Zhuohui Tan, Haiqing Weng
  • Patent number: 8508957
    Abstract: A power conversion device includes an inverter for converting DC power to AC power to supply the AC power to a load, a converter for converting AC power from an AC power supply to DC power to supply the DC power to the inverter, a DC voltage converter for converting a voltage value of power stored in a storage battery to supply DC power from the storage battery to the inverter when power supply by the AC power supply is abnormal, and a filter which includes a reactor and a capacitor and removes harmonics generated by the inverter. The inverter includes a three-level circuit constituted of an arm and an AC switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Toshiba Mitsubishi-Electric Industrial Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuhide Eduardo Sato, Masahiro Kinoshita, Yushin Yamamoto, Tatsuaki Amboh
  • Patent number: 8502485
    Abstract: A motor drive circuit includes a positive and a negative supply rail for connection to a battery (104), a motor drive circuit including a plurality of motor drive subcircuits which each selectively permit current to flow into or out of a respective phase of a multi-phase motor (101) in response to control signals from a motor control circuit, and a switching means including at least one switch which is in series with a respective phase of the motor which is normally closed to permit the flow of current to and from the subcircuit to the respective motor phase. A fault signal detecting means (160) detects at least one fault condition and, in the event of a fault condition being detected, causes the at least one switch to open. A snubber circuit (150) is associated with the motor and is arranged so that following the opening of the switch, energy stored in the motor windings is diverted away from the switching means through the snubber circuit to the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: TRW Automotive US LLC
    Inventors: Maciej Kudanowski, Andrew McLean
  • Patent number: 8488337
    Abstract: An offline AC-DC converter circuits including an overvoltage detection module, a current limiting module, a PWM module and a switch control module coupled to the above modules. The overvoltage detection module, the current limiting module and the PWM module share a common input terminal. The sampled current signal and the sampled voltage signal are provided at the common input terminal by way of time-division multiplexing. With the time-multiplexed terminal, overvoltage detection for the output voltage is performed during the period when the power transistor is cut off and a current through the power transistor is detected during the period when the power transistor conducts. The two signals are input by way of time-division multiplexing, which are not affected by each other. Accordingly, overvoltage in the output voltage can be precisely detected without additional terminals, and thus the overvoltage can be controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Hangzhou Silan Microelectronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hua Zhan
  • Patent number: 8477518
    Abstract: Disclosed is a device for driving an inverter having a semiconductor switching element. A gate voltage calculating unit (20) calculates a surge voltage from the temperature, current, and DC-side voltage of each of IGBTs of the inverter and compares the surge voltage with the breakdown voltage of the element. The gate voltage calculating unit (20) commands a gate voltage control unit (22) to set a gate voltage higher than the normal value (reference value) in the case of judging that the difference between the element breakdown voltage and the surge voltage exceeds a predetermined threshold voltage and that a margin exists in the surge voltage. The voltage control unit (22) performs switching control of gates of the IGBTs according to the gate voltage command higher than the reference voltage to thereby reduce stationary losses of the IGBTs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Naoyoshi Takamatsu, Satoshi Hirose
  • Patent number: 8446744
    Abstract: A method and a control device control a switching device for providing a resonant circuit with a switching voltage for generating a resonant current in order to provide a required output power at an output of a resonant power converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Thomas Scheel, Christian Hattrup, Peter Luerkens
  • Patent number: 8427846
    Abstract: A three-phase inverter circuit includes an inverter incorporating a plurality of controllable power switches, and an electronic control device adapted to control the power switches. The control device in the event of a measured voltage drop on one phase is adapted to supply a reactive current on the phase with voltage drop and to supply and/or draw an active current on at least one phase without voltage drop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: FeCon GmbH
    Inventor: Stephan Rexilius