Fast active clamp for power converters

    公开(公告)号:US11258443B2

    公开(公告)日:2022-02-22

    申请号:US16917215

    申请日:2020-06-30

    Applicant: Apple Inc.

    Abstract: A switching system can include a main switching device configured to switch a voltage, a gate driver having an output coupled to a drive terminal of the main switching device and configured to deliver a drive signal to the main switching device, and a clamp circuit. The clamp circuit can be coupled to the drive terminal of the main switching device. The clamp circuit can include a logic gate configured to drive a clamp switching device coupled to and configured to clamp a voltage at the drive terminal of the main switching device. A drive signal of the clamp switching device can be substantially complementary to the main switching device drive signal. The logic gate can provide at least a portion of a delay between switching transitions of the main switching device and switching transitions of the clamp switching device.

    Fast Active Clamp for Power Converters

    公开(公告)号:US20210409018A1

    公开(公告)日:2021-12-30

    申请号:US16917215

    申请日:2020-06-30

    Applicant: Apple Inc.

    Abstract: A switching system can include a main switching device configured to switch a voltage, a gate driver having an output coupled to a drive terminal of the main switching device and configured to deliver a drive signal to the main switching device, and a clamp circuit. The clamp circuit can be coupled to the drive terminal of the main switching device. The clamp circuit can include a logic gate configured to drive a clamp switching device coupled to and configured to clamp a voltage at the drive terminal of the main switching device. A drive signal of the clamp switching device can be substantially complementary to the main switching device drive signal. The logic gate can provide at least a portion of a delay between switching transitions of the main switching device and switching transitions of the clamp switching device.

    Hybrid charger and inverter system
    23.
    发明授权

    公开(公告)号:US12191776B2

    公开(公告)日:2025-01-07

    申请号:US18533486

    申请日:2023-12-08

    Applicant: Apple Inc.

    Abstract: An electrical system can include an isolated bidirectional converter (having an input couplable to a grid connection and an output couplable to a battery) and an isolated converter (having an input coupled to the input of the isolated bidirectional converter and couplable to the grid connection, with an AC output coupled to a convenience outlet). The electrical system can further include a controller that controls operation of the converters to operate in one of a plurality of modes including a charging mode in which the isolated bidirectional converter operates in a forward direction to charge the battery and the non-isolated converter powers the convenience outlet from the grid connection, and a non-charging mode in which the isolated bidirectional converter operates in a reverse direction to power the non-isolated converter from the battery and the non-isolated converter powers the convenience outlet.

    CHARGING AND BALANCING BATTERIES
    24.
    发明公开

    公开(公告)号:US20240258803A1

    公开(公告)日:2024-08-01

    申请号:US18162346

    申请日:2023-01-31

    Applicant: Apple Inc.

    Abstract: A battery charging system can include a stacked half bridge rectifier (“SHBR”) having an upper half bridge (“UHB”) and a lower half bridge (“LHB”); a blocking capacitor and a winding coupled between a midpoint of the UHB and a midpoint of the LHB; a battery coupled across the SHBR; and control circuitry that can selectively operate the SHBR as a switched capacitor converter (“SCC”) using the blocking capacitor as a flying capacitor by alternating between: a first switching state in which lower switches of the UHB and LHB are closed while upper switches of the UHB and LHB are opened; and a second switching state in which upper switches of the UHB and LHB are closed. The battery can further include first and second series-connected batteries having a midpoint coupled to a midpoint of the SHBR, and the SCC can operate as a balancer to equalize charge between the batteries.

    Single stage charger for high voltage batteries

    公开(公告)号:US11996711B2

    公开(公告)日:2024-05-28

    申请号:US17032721

    申请日:2020-09-25

    Applicant: Apple Inc.

    CPC classification number: H02J7/0014 H02J3/38 H02J7/04 H02M7/219

    Abstract: A charger for a battery power system can include first and second switching bridges with inputs couplable to an AC source, at least one transformer having two or more primary windings (connected in series and coupled to the switching bridges) and at least two secondary windings, and second rectifier/chargers, each coupled to at least one of the secondary windings and couplable to at least one battery. The switching bridges may be respectively operable during positive and negative half cycles of the AC source to deliver an AC voltage to the transformer. The rectifier/chargers may be operable in a first mode to receive an AC voltage from the transformer and deliver a DC voltage for charging the respective battery. In some multi-battery embodiments, the rectifier/chargers may also be operable in a second mode to deliver an AC voltage from a respective battery to the transformer to balance charge between the batteries.

    HYBRID CHARGER AND INVERTER SYSTEM
    26.
    发明公开

    公开(公告)号:US20240146207A1

    公开(公告)日:2024-05-02

    申请号:US18533486

    申请日:2023-12-08

    Applicant: Apple Inc.

    Abstract: An electrical system can include an isolated bidirectional converter (having an input couplable to a grid connection and an output couplable to a battery) and an isolated converter (having an input coupled to the input of the isolated bidirectional converter and couplable to the grid connection, with an AC output coupled to a convenience outlet). The electrical system can further include a controller that controls operation of the converters to operate in one of a plurality of modes including a charging mode in which the isolated bidirectional converter operates in a forward direction to charge the battery and the non-isolated converter powers the convenience outlet from the grid connection, and a non-charging mode in which the isolated bidirectional converter operates in a reverse direction to power the non-isolated converter from the battery and the non-isolated converter powers the convenience outlet.

    SINGLE STAGE CHARGER FOR HIGH VOLTAGE BATTERIES

    公开(公告)号:US20230208150A1

    公开(公告)日:2023-06-29

    申请号:US18153744

    申请日:2023-01-12

    Applicant: Apple Inc.

    CPC classification number: H02J7/0014 H02M7/219 H02J3/38 H02J7/04

    Abstract: A charger for a battery power system can include first and second switching bridges with inputs couplable to an AC source, at least one transformer having two or more primary windings (connected in series and coupled to the switching bridges) and at least two secondary windings, and second rectifier/chargers, each coupled to at least one of the secondary windings and couplable to at least one battery. The switching bridges may be respectively operable during positive and negative half cycles of the AC source to deliver an AC voltage to the transformer. The rectifier/chargers may be operable in a first mode to receive an AC voltage from the transformer and deliver a DC voltage for charging the respective battery. In some multi-battery embodiments, the rectifier/chargers may also be operable in a second mode to deliver an AC voltage from a respective battery to the transformer to balance charge between the batteries.

    HYBRID CHARGER AND INVERTER SYSTEM
    29.
    发明申请

    公开(公告)号:US20230089299A1

    公开(公告)日:2023-03-23

    申请号:US17457379

    申请日:2021-12-02

    Applicant: Apple Inc.

    Abstract: An AC-AC converter can include a stack of four switches. An input of the converter can be coupled across the stack of four switches, and an output of the converter can be taken from first terminal coupled to a connection point of first and second switches of the stack and a second terminal coupled to a connection point of third and fourth switches of the stack. The converter can further include a controller that operates the switches such that during a positive half cycle of an AC input voltage, the first and second switches are operated with an alternating 50% duty cycle and the third and fourth switches are constantly on, and during the negative half cycle of the AC input voltage, the third and fourth switches are operated with an alternating 50% duty cycle and the first and second switches are constantly on.

    HYBRID CHARGER AND INVERTER SYSTEM
    30.
    发明申请

    公开(公告)号:US20230089072A1

    公开(公告)日:2023-03-23

    申请号:US17457377

    申请日:2021-12-02

    Applicant: Apple Inc.

    Abstract: An electrical system can include an isolated bidirectional converter (having an input couplable to a grid connection and an output couplable to a battery) and an isolated converter (having an input coupled to the input of the isolated bidirectional converter and couplable to the grid connection, with an AC output coupled to a convenience outlet). The electrical system can further include a controller that controls operation of the converters to operate in one of a plurality of modes including a charging mode in which the isolated bidirectional converter operates in a forward direction to charge the battery and the non-isolated converter powers the convenience outlet from the grid connection, and a non-charging mode in which the isolated bidirectional converter operates in a reverse direction to power the non-isolated converter from the battery and the non-isolated converter powers the convenience outlet.

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