INVERTER FOR AN ELECTRIC MACHINE AND METHOD FOR OPERATING AN INVERTER FOR AN ELECTRIC MACHINE

• US 20130033908A1
• Filed: 08/03/2010
• Published: 02/07/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Schwarz, Albrecht, Heil, Matthias, Haas, Axel
• Granted Patent: US 9,676,277 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 363/55
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/003 relating to inverters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0092 with use of redundant elements for safety purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/51 characterised by AC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/14 for vehicles propelled by ac motors
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/10 Arrangements incorporating converting means for enabling loads to be operated at will from different kinds of power supplies, e.g. from ac or dc
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/5387 in a bridge configuration
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

An inverter for an electric machine as well as a method for operating an inverter for an electric machine. In this context, the inverter has at least one output stage unit for producing a connection between the electric machine and a power supply network, a control unit for controlling the at least one output stage unit, a supply unit independent of the power supply network for the power supply of the output stage unit(s), at least one emergency operation control assigned to the output stage unit(s) for controlling the output stage unit(s) in the fault case, as well as at least one emergency operation supply assigned to the output stage unit(s) for generating a power supply for the output stage unit(s) from the power supply network in the fault case.

Claims

1-12. -12. (canceled)

13. An inverter for an electric machine, comprising:

at least one output stage unit for producing a connection between the electric machine and a power supply network;

a control unit for controlling the at least one output stage unit;

a supply unit, which is independent of the power supply network, for the power supply of the at least one output stage unit;

at least one emergency operation control assigned to the at least one output stage unit for controlling the at least one output stage unit in the fault case; and

at least one emergency operation supply assigned to the at least one output stage unit for generating a power supply for the at least one output stage unit from the power supply network in the fault case.

14. The inverter of claim 13, wherein the at least one emergency operation control monitors operating parameters within the inverter and diagnoses a fault case if at least one of the operating parameters lies below a specified lower threshold value or above a specified upper threshold value.

15. The inverter of claim 13, wherein the at least one emergency operation supply is switchable on and off.

16. A method for operating an inverter for an electric machine, the method comprising:

producing via the inverter and at least one output stage unit thereof a connection between the electric machine and a power supply network, in which, in normal operation, the at least one output stage unit is supplied with power via a supply unit that is independent of the power supply network;

controlling the at least one output stage via a control unit; and

in a fault case, generating power for the power supply of the at least one output stage unit from the power supply network by at least one emergency operation supply and controlling the at least one output stage unit by at least one emergency operation control.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein a fault case is diagnosed by evaluation of operating parameters within the inverter.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein a fault case is diagnosed if at least one of the operating parameters lies below a specified lower threshold value or above a specified upper threshold value.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the at least one emergency operation supply is switched on after the diagnosis of a fault case.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the at least one emergency operation supply is switched off again, as soon as no fault case is diagnosed any longer.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein the emergency operation control controls the respective output stage unit so that an overvoltage in the power supply network is prevented.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the emergency operation control controls the respective output stage unit so that switching elements within the output stage unit are switched to a short-circuit operation.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the emergency operation control controls the respective output stage unit so that an overcurrent in the output stage is prevented.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein, in response to a diagnosis of an overcurrent the switching into the short-circuit operation is not prevented or a short-circuit operation is broken off.