Hybrid charger and inverter system

    公开(公告)号:US11876458B2

    公开(公告)日:2024-01-16

    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.

    MULTI-PHASE CASCADED BRIDGE FOR DC/DC, AC/DC, AND DC/AC APPLICATIONS

    公开(公告)号:US20240405686A1

    公开(公告)日:2024-12-05

    申请号:US18326557

    申请日:2023-05-31

    Applicant: Apple Inc.

    Abstract: An isolated switching converter can include an inverting bridge, a transformer, a rectifying bridge, and control circuitry. The inverting bridge can receive an input voltage and deliver an output voltage to the transformer primary windings. The inverting bridge can include a plurality of half bridges cascaded across the input voltage. Each half bridge can include an input capacitor; upper and lower switches coupled across the input capacitor and connected at a switch node; and a DC blocking capacitor coupled between the switch node and a primary winding terminal. The rectifying bridge can have an input coupled to the secondary windings of the transformer and can deliver an output voltage of the isolated switching converter. The control circuitry can monitor inverter feedback signal(s) and generate phase staggered inverter drive signal(s). The control circuitry can also monitor rectifier feedback signal(s) and generate rectifier drive signals that operate the rectifying bridge.

    USING BATTERY CHARGER AS A HEATER
    3.
    发明公开

    公开(公告)号:US20240291304A1

    公开(公告)日:2024-08-29

    申请号:US18175884

    申请日:2023-02-28

    Applicant: Apple Inc.

    Abstract: A battery charging system can include a first charger module having a first AC side couplable to an AC source and a first DC side couplable to a battery and first control circuitry that operates the first charger to charge or discharge the battery; and a second charger module having a second AC side couplable to the AC source and a second DC side couplable to the battery and second control circuitry that operates the second charger to generate heat, wherein: if the first charger module is charging the battery from the AC source, the second control circuitry operates the second charger to generate heat without delivering charging current to the battery; and if the second charger is discharging the battery to the AC source, the second control circuitry operates the second charger to generate heat without delivering current to the AC source.

    HYBRID CHARGER AND INVERTER SYSTEM

    公开(公告)号:US20230096722A1

    公开(公告)日:2023-03-30

    申请号:US17457376

    申请日:2021-12-02

    Applicant: Apple Inc.

    Abstract: An electrical system can include a first bidirectional AC-DC converter having an input couplable to a grid connection and an output couplable to a battery and a second bidirectional AC-DC converter having an input couplable to the grid connection or a convenience outlet and an output couplable to the battery. The electrical system can further include a controller that controls the first and second converters to operate in a plurality of modes including a two-stage charging mode in which the first and second converters operate in a forward direction to charge the battery, a single-stage charging mode in which the first converter operates in a forward direction to charge the battery and the second converter operates in a reverse direction to power the convenience outlet, and a non-charging mode in which the first converter is idle and the second converter operates in a reverse direction to power the convenience outlet.

    USING BATTERY CHARGER AS A HEATER
    6.
    发明公开

    公开(公告)号:US20240291394A1

    公开(公告)日:2024-08-29

    申请号:US18175864

    申请日:2023-02-28

    Applicant: Apple Inc.

    CPC classification number: H02M7/219 H02M1/08 H02J2207/20

    Abstract: Operating a battery charger having an AC side stacked half bridge configuration coupled to a primary winding of a transformer and a DC side stacked half bridge configuration coupled to a secondary winding of the transformer to provide heating can include either operating the AC side stacked half bridges to provide a current path through the primary winding that does not include an AC source or operating the DC side stacked half bridges to provide a current path through the secondary winding that does not include a battery. In the former case, operation can include operating the DC side stacked half bridges to alternate between switching states that selectively couple a battery to the secondary winding of the transformer. In the latter case, operation can include operating the AC side stacked half bridges to alternate between switching states that selectively couple the AC source to the primary winding.

    Hybrid charger and inverter system

    公开(公告)号:US12047010B2

    公开(公告)日:2024-07-23

    申请号:US17457376

    申请日:2021-12-02

    Applicant: Apple Inc.

    Abstract: An electrical system can include a first bidirectional AC-DC converter having an input couplable to a grid connection and an output couplable to a battery and a second bidirectional AC-DC converter having an input couplable to the grid connection or a convenience outlet and an output couplable to the battery. The electrical system can further include a controller that controls the first and second converters to operate in a plurality of modes including a two-stage charging mode in which the first and second converters operate in a forward direction to charge the battery, a single-stage charging mode in which the first converter operates in a forward direction to charge the battery and the second converter operates in a reverse direction to power the convenience outlet, and a non-charging mode in which the first converter is idle and the second converter operates in a reverse direction to power the convenience outlet.

    SWITCHING SEQUENCE CONTROLLED CURRENT STEERING FOR STACKED HALF BRIDGE CONVERTERS

    公开(公告)号:US20230299660A1

    公开(公告)日:2023-09-21

    申请号:US18322177

    申请日:2023-05-23

    Applicant: Apple Inc.

    CPC classification number: H02M1/15 H02M5/293 H02M7/53 H02M1/0054

    Abstract: A stacked half bridge converter may be configured to provide an AC output voltage from either a DC or an AC input voltage. The switching devices of the converter may be operated according to a plurality of switching sequences, each switching sequence including one or more switching patterns, each switching pattern including one or more switching states of the switching devices. The switching sequences, patterns, and states may be selected to improve operation of the converter, by regulating the voltage at a neutral point of the converter to reduce ripple, increase switching efficiency, protect the switching devices from overvoltages, and the like.

    Switching Sequence Controlled Current Steering For Stacked Half Bridge Converters

    公开(公告)号:US20220271646A1

    公开(公告)日:2022-08-25

    申请号:US17182856

    申请日:2021-02-23

    Applicant: Apple Inc.

    Abstract: A stacked half bridge converter may be configured to provide an AC output voltage from either a DC or an AC input voltage. The switching devices of the converter may be operated according to a plurality of switching sequences, each switching sequence including one or more switching patterns, each switching pattern including one or more switching states of the switching devices. The switching sequences, patterns, and states may be selected to improve operation of the converter, by regulating the voltage at a neutral point of the converter to reduce ripple, increase switching efficiency, protect the switching devices from overvoltages, and the like.

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