Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.

Duke University

Toyota Motor Corporation

Serdar Hakki Yonak

Lihua Chen

Baoming Ge

Yantao Song

Fan Wang

Vincent T Skalski

Vinh N Nguyen

Brian Joseph Robert

Kenneth John Jackson

Daniel Benjamin Kok

Thomas Zenner

Boris Curuvija

David R Smith

Jae Seung Lee

Ercan Mehmet Dede

Paul Donald Schmalenberg

Shailesh Shrikant Kozarekar

Jungsang Kim

Alexandros Margomenos

Fan Xu

Alvaro Masias

Moon Young Lee

Koji Shiozaki

Frederick W Mau, Ii

John P Casci

Junzo Ooe

Kevin Lloyd Newman

Abdullahi M Hajiabdi

Jeremy Richard Ikerd

Miao Wang

Bryan Joseph Justice

Nan Marie Jokerst

Zhuoyuan Wu

Talmage Tyler, Ii

A variable voltage converter includes a pair of series connected switches, a series connected switch and inductor, and a capacitor having a terminal sharing a node with adjacent terminals of the series connected switches and another terminal sharing a node with adjacent terminals of the series connected switch and inductor such that during operation, a voltage input to the variable voltage converter and a voltage across the capacitor are same and less than a voltage output by the variable voltage converter.

Automotive variable voltage converter with multiple sets of power switches

A vehicle power system includes an inverter electrically connected between a traction battery and electric machine, a three phase coupled inductor electrically connected between the traction battery and inverter, and one or more controllers that operate the inverter while a common mode voltage at a neutral point of the electric machine is constant.

Automotive electric drive with three phase coupled inverter

A power system, responsive to a detected change in an onboard charger or a generator, switches a converter from a first conversion setting, in which a first low voltage value of a medium-voltage bus port is converted to a first high voltage value of a high-voltage bus port, to a second conversion setting, in which a second low voltage value of the medium-voltage bus port is converted to the first high voltage value of the high-voltage bus port.

Varying vehicle charging bus

While a voltage at a gate of one of a pair of series connected switches of a phase leg is greater than a threshold value, circuitry generates a signal with a logical value that precludes a gate driver corresponding to a gate of the other of the pair of series connected switches from driving the gate of the other of the pair of series connected switches.

Control signal modification to preclude phase coincidental switching

A power inductor such as a variable voltage converter power inductor having a temperature sensor embedded therein is disclosed. In one or more embodiments, the sensor may be disposed between the core and the coil or winding. The sensor may be positioned in the cavity of a bobbin or the core itself.

Embedded temperature sensor solution for power inductor

A power converter includes a pair of series connected switches and circuitry. The circuitry includes another switch and an optocoupler that activates responsive to changes in current through one of the series connected switches exceeding a predefined threshold. Activation of the optocoupler causes the another switch to conduct and reduce a gate voltage of the one of the series connected switches to reduce the changes in current through the one of the series connected switches.

Gate control circuitry for automotive variable voltage converter

A power system includes a DC/AC converter, a traction battery, an AC/DC converter electrically connected between the DC/AC converter and traction battery, and a transformer electrically connected between the DC/AC converter and AC/DC converter. The AC/DC converter includes a plurality of semiconductor devices and a plurality of capacitors such that during power transfer from the DC/AC converter to the traction battery, a voltage across each of the capacitors is half of a battery voltage.

Automotive high voltage rectifier circuit

A temperature sensor arrangement includes a housing having on opposite sides thereof a spring element and cover, and a temperature sensor lead and thermal pad such that the spring element is disposed between one of the sides and the cover, the temperature sensor lead is disposed between the other of the sides and the thermal pad, and the cover and thermal pad define opposite exterior sides of the temperature sensor arrangement. The housing carries and permits relative movement of the cover. The spring pushes the cover away from the one of the sides.

Inductor temperature sensor

A power converter has a pair of series connected switches defining a phase leg, a pair of gate driver circuits that respectively provide power to gates of the series connected switches, a positive rail electrically connected with the phase leg, and a clamping circuit including a clamping switch. The clamping circuit, responsive to one of the gate driver circuits being de-energized, activates the clamping switch with energy from the positive rail to clamp a gate of one of the series connected switches associated with the one of the gate driver circuits to another terminal of the one of the series connected switches.

Automotive power converter with rail-powered clamping circuitry

A power system for a vehicle includes a traction battery having an output voltage, a transformer including a coil, and a power converter including a plurality of capacitors and a plurality of switches arranged such that when a first subset of the switches are ON, two of the capacitors are in parallel, an AC voltage across the coil is in a positive half cycle, and a voltage across each of the two of the capacitors is half the output voltage.

Automotive power converter

This disclosure is directed to power systems for transferring power between electrical components. An exemplary power system includes a first electrical component (e.g., an inverter system) having a current sensor assembly for detecting current flowing between the first electrical component and a second electrical component (e.g., an electric motor) in order to more reliably manage and control operation of the second electrical component. The current sensor assembly may include an integrated cooler that includes an internal cooling circuit configured to circulate coolant for cooling one or more bus bars of the current sensor assembly.

Liquid cooled current sensor assemblies

A power inductor includes a magnetic core, a conductor coiled around the core; an end cover secured to the core, a tube configured to convey fluid, and a fluid flow guide supported on the end cover. The flow guide has a receiving portion disposed under an end of the tube to receive the fluid and a distribution portion in fluid communication with the receiving portion. The distribution portion is configured to supply the fluid onto the conductor and the core and includes a plurality of guide walls.

Power inductor with cooling guide

A power converter includes a plurality of switches, a transformer electrically connected between some and other of the switches, and a plurality of series connected capacitors electrically connected between the switches and an output of the power converter. A controller operates the switches such that a voltage at an input of the power converter and across each of the capacitors is same and a voltage at the output is double the voltage at the input.

High-voltage vehicle bus system

An automotive vehicle includes an electric machine, a traction battery, and a power converter. The power converter transfers power between the electric machine and traction battery. The power convert includes a switch that defines a portion of a phase leg, a gate driver circuit that provides provide power to a gate of the switch, and a clamping circuit. The clamping circuit includes a clamping switch that, responsive to the gate driver circuit being de-energized and a voltage of the gate exceeding a predetermined threshold value, conducts current from the gate to dissipate the voltage and clamp the gate to an emitter of the switch.

Universal clamping circuit for automotive switch gate drives

A vehicle, a vehicle power electronics assembly, and a method of packaging and cooling an inductor assembly are provided. The vehicle has a vehicle electrical system with a variable voltage converter (VVC) and an inductor assembly. The inductor assembly has a core and a winding. A bobbin is connected to and surrounds an outer perimeter of the inductor assembly. The bobbin defines an inlet, an internal fluid passage, and a series of nozzles. The nozzles in the series of nozzles are spaced apart from one another about the bobbin and are positioned to spray fluid directly onto the winding. A fluid system is connected to the inlet to provide pressurized fluid to the inlet.

Growing community of inventors

Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America

Serdar Hakki Yonak