CHARGER

• US 20160285297A1
• Filed: 06/08/2016
• Published: 09/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fuji Electric Company Limited (Fuji Electric Systems Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Electric Company Limited (Fuji Electric Systems Company Limited)
• Inventors: TAJIMA, Hirokazu, TAKEI, Osamu
• Granted Patent: US 10,644,526 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/20 Charging or discharging characterised by the power electronics converter
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0068 Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply H02J7/0013 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0071 with a programmable schedule
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/02 for charging batteries from ac mains by converters
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/08 Circuits specially adapted for the generation of control voltages for semiconductor devices incorporated in static converters
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/084 using a control circuit common to several phases of a multi-phase system
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/36 Means for starting or stopping converters
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/33573 Full-bridge at primary side of an isolation transformer
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 40/00 Technologies aiming at improving the efficiency of home appliances, e.g. induction cooking or efficient technologies for refrigerators, freezers or dish washers

Abstract

A high-speed charger with a long lifespan such that a power converting inverter can be reliably stopped in accordance with a forced stop signal, without causing a malfunction. Pulse transformers corresponding respectively to switching elements configure an inverter. A control circuit outputs gate signals for switching on and off the switching elements to primary side circuits, each of which includes a primary winding of one of the pulse transformers. Gate drive circuits switch on and off of the switching elements based on voltage generated in secondary windings of the pulse transformers. Transistors acting as interruption control switching elements are interposed in the primary side circuit of each of the pulse transformers. The transistors are cut off in accordance with a forced stop signal, whereby an operation of the inverter stops.

Claims

1. A charger configured to generate alternating current voltage using an inverter and generate direct current voltage for charging a storage battery by rectifying the alternating current voltage, the charger comprising:

a plurality of switching elements configuring the inverter;

a plurality of transformers corresponding respectively to the plurality of switching elements;

a control circuit configured to output a plurality of gate signals, which respectively carry out switching on and off of the plurality of switching elements of the inverter, to a plurality of primary side circuits, each of the plurality of primary side circuits including a primary winding of a respective one of the plurality of transformers;

a plurality of gate drive circuits configured to respectively switch on and off the plurality of switching elements based on voltage generated in the secondary windings of the plurality of transformers; and

an interruption control switching element configured to open and close at least one of the primary side circuits, and configured to switch the at least one of the primary side circuits to an open state in accordance with a forced stop signal.

2. The charger according to claim 1, wherein the at least one of the plurality of primary side circuits includes a circuit formed by the primary winding of one transformer of the plurality of transformers, the control circuit, and the interruption control switching element being connected in series to each other and to a direct current power supply.

3. The charger according to claim 1, wherein p1 each of the plurality of switching elements of the inverter includes a field effect transistor,

each of the plurality of gate drive circuits outputs a respective direct current signal, and

each respective direct current signal is obtained by rectifying alternating current voltage, generated in the secondary winding of one transformer of the plurality of transformers, between a gate and source of the field effect transistor of one of the plurality of switching elements of the inverter.

4. The charger according to claim 1, wherein

the interruption control switching element is one among a plurality of interruption control switching elements included in the charger,

each of the plurality of primary side circuits includes a respective one of the plurality of interruption control switching elements, and

for each primary side circuit of the plurality of primary side circuits, the respective interruption control switching element is configured to open and close the corresponding primary side circuit, and switch the corresponding primary side circuits to an open state in accordance with a forced stop signal.

5. The charger according to claim 4, wherein

a first forced stop signal controls each interruption control switching element of one portion of the plurality of interruption control switching elements, and

a second forced stop signal controls each interruption control switching element of another portion of the plurality of interruption control switching elements.

6. The charger according to claim 1, wherein

the interruption control switching element is one among a plurality of interruption control switching elements included in the charger,

the plurality of primary side circuits are divided into a plurality of groups,

each of the plurality of groups includes at least one of the plurality of interruption control switching element, and

for each group of the plurality of groups, the respective at least one interruption control switching element is configured to open and close each primary side circuit thereof, and switch each primary side circuit thereof to an open state in accordance with a forced stop signal.

7. The charger according to claim 6, wherein

the plurality of groups includes a first group and a second group,

the at least one interruption control switching element for the first group is controlled by a first forced stop signal, and

the at least one interruption control switching element for the second group is controlled by a second forced stop signal.

8. The charger according to claim 1, wherein

the plurality of switching elements of the inverter include a plurality of upper arm switching elements connected to a high potential power supply line and a plurality of lower arm switching elements connected to a low potential power supply line, and

the charger comprises

at least one upper arm interruption control switching element configured to carry out out opening and closing of the primary side circuit of each transformer corresponding to the plurality of upper arm switching elements, and switch open the primary side circuit of each transformer corresponding to the plurality of upper arm switching elements in accordance with a first forced stop signal, and

at least one lower arm the interruption control switching element configured to carry out out opening and closing of the primary side circuit of each transformer corresponding to the plurality of lower arm switching elements, and switch the primary side circuit of each transformer corresponding to the plurality of lower arm switching elements in accordance with a second forced stop signal.

9. The charger according to claim 1, wherein the forced stop signal is provided from an exterior of the charger.

10. The charger according to claim 1, wherein the forced stop signal is generated by an occurrence of any one of a plurality of kinds of events.