Modular photovoltaic power supply assembly

• US 8,599,587 B2
• Filed: 07/11/2011
• Issued: 12/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Enphase Energy Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Solarbridge Technologies Incorporated (Totalenergies Se)
• Inventors: Chapman, Patrick, Van Dell, William R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dole, Timothy J
• Assistant Examiner(s): LABOY ANDINO, IVAN A
• Application Number:
  US13/180,168
• Publication Number:
  US 20110267855A1
• Time in Patent Office: 876 Days
• Field of Search: 323/906, 363/34, 363/37, 363/67, 363/71, 363/74, 363/101, 307/82
• US Class Current: 363/65
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/14 Inductive couplings for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/24 of photovoltaic origin
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/381 Dispersed generators
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/003 Constructional details, e.g. physical layout, assembly, wiring or busbar connections
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/155 using semiconductor devices only
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/158 including plural semiconductor devices as final control devices for a single load
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/003 Constructional details, e.g. physical layout, assembly, wiring or busbar connections
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/44 by static converters
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/48 using discharge tubes with control electrode or semiconductor devices with control electrode
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/537 using semiconductor devices only, e.g. single switched pulse inverters
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 40/32 comprising DC/AC inverter means associated with the PV module itself, e.g. AC modules
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 40/34 comprising specially adapted electrical connection means to be structurally associated with the PV module, e.g. junction boxes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/10 Technologies improving the efficiency by using switched-mode power supplies [SMPS], i.e. efficient power electronics conversion e.g. power factor correction or reduction of losses in power supplies or efficient standby modes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/56 Power conversion systems, e.g. maximum power point trackers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 323/906 Solar cell systems

Abstract

An apparatus, device, and system for generating an amount of output power in response to a direct current (DC) power input includes a configurable power supply, which may be electrically coupled to the DC power input. The configurable power supply is selectively configurable between multiple circuit topologies to generate various DC power outputs and/or and AC power output. The system may also include one or more DC power electronic accessories, such as DC-to-DC power converters, and/or one or more AC power electronic accessories such as DC-to-AC power converters. The power electronic accessories are couplable to the configurable power supply to receive the corresponding DC or AC power output of the configurable power supply.

Claims

1. An assembly for generating an amount of output power in response to a direct current (DC) power input signal, the system comprising:

a power supply having (i) a power supply housing and (ii) a configurable power supply circuit located in the housing to receive the DC power input signal, the configurable power supply circuit being selectively configurable, based on at least one control signal, between a first circuit topology to generate a boosted DC power signal at a DC output of the configurable power supply and a second circuit topology to generate an alternating current (AC) power signal at an AC output of the configurable power supply, wherein the configurable power supply is configured to generate the boosted DC power signal at the DC output only while configured in the first circuit topology; and

an AC electronic accessory device having an accessory housing removably coupled to the power supply housing and including an internal electronic circuit located in the accessory housing, the accessory housing enclosing the internal electronic circuit to physically separate the internal electronic circuit from the configurable power supply circuit,

wherein the internal electronic circuit includes an AC input inductively coupled with the AC output of the configurable power supply circuit when the AC electronic accessory device is coupled to the power supply housing.

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the AC output of the configurable power supply comprises a primary coil and the AC input of the internal electronic circuit comprises a secondary coil.

3. The assembly of claim 2, wherein:

the power supply housing comprises an inductive coupling receptacle defined in a sidewall of the power supply housing, and

the accessory housing comprises an inductive coupling connector extending outwardly from a sidewall of the accessory housing,

wherein the inductive coupling connector is received in the inductive coupling receptacle when the AC electronic accessory device is coupled to the power supply housing to inductively couple the AC input of the internal electronic circuit to the AC output of the configurable power supply circuit.

4. The assembly of claim 3, wherein:

the inductive coupling connector comprises an internal chamber, and

at least a portion of the secondary coil of the internal electronic circuit is positioned in the internal chamber of the inductive coupling connector.

5. The assembly of claim 3, wherein the AC electronic accessory device further comprises an elongated ferrite core having a first end and a second end, the secondary coil of the configurable power supply being wound around the first end of the elongated ferrite core and the second end of the ferrite core being positioned in the internal chamber of the inductive coupling connector.

6. The assembly of claim 3, wherein each of the inductive coupling connector and the inductive coupling receptacle has a substantially rectangular cross-section, the inductive coupling receptacle having a slightly larger cross-sectional area than the inductive coupling connector to allow the inductive coupling connector to be received in the inductive coupling receptacle.

7. The assembly of claim 6, wherein the inductive coupling receptacle comprises a plurality of receptacle sidewalls attached to a rear wall that is inset relative to the sidewall of the power supply housing, the primary coil of the reconfigurable power supply circuit being wound around the plurality of sidewalls of the inductive coupling receptacle.

8. The assembly of claim 3, wherein:

the power supply housing comprises a first attachment connector defined in the sidewall of the power supply housing, and

the accessory housing comprises a second attachment connector extending outwardly from the sidewall of the accessory housing, the second attachment connector configured to mate with the first attachment connector to attach the accessory housing to the power supply housing.

9. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the AC electronic accessory device forms part of an AC-to-DC power inverter when inductively coupled to the configurable power supply circuit.

10. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising a DC electronic accessory device having a housing configured to couple to the power supply housing in place of the AC electronic accessory device, wherein the DC electronic accessory device includes an internal DC circuit located in the housing and configured to electrically connect to the DC output of the configurable power supply circuit when the housing of the DC electronic accessory device is coupled to the power supply housing.

11. A configurable power supply comprising:

a housing including a sidewall,

a configurable power supply circuit located in the housing and configured to receive a direct current (DC) power input signal, the configurable power supply circuit being selectively configurable, based on at least one control signal, between a first circuit topology to generate a boosted DC power signal at a DC output of the configurable power supply only while configured in the first circuit topology and a second circuit topology to generate an alternating current (AC) power signal at an AC output of the configurable power supply different from the DC output, and

a plurality of attachment connectors secured to the sidewall and configured to receive corresponding attachment connectors of an electronic accessory to secure the electronic accessory to the housing.

12. The configurable power supply of claim 11, wherein the DC output of the configurable power supply comprises a pair of electrical wires extending out of the sidewall of the housing.

13. The configurable power supply of claim 11, wherein the DC output of the configurable power supply comprises a pair of DC receptacles attached to the sidewall of the housing.

14. The configurable power supply of claim 13, further comprising a pair of plugs, each plug removably insertable into a corresponding DC receptacle to environmentally seal the DC receptacle.

15. The configurable power supply of claim 13, further comprising a pair of DC electrical wires, each DC electrical wire comprising a first end having a plug configured to mate with a corresponding one of the DC receptacles.

16. The configurable power supply of claim 11, wherein the AC output comprises a primary coil and the housing comprises an inductive coupling receptacle defined in the sidewall, the primary coil being wound around a plurality of inner sidewalls of the inductive coupling receptacle.

17. The configurable power supply of claim 11, wherein the AC output comprises a primary coil wound around a first end of a ferrite core, and

the housing comprises an inductively coupling connector extending from the sidewall, the inductively coupling connector including an internal chamber having a second end of the ferrite core positioned therein.

18. A photovoltaic module comprising:

a housing;

a direct current (DC) power source positioned in the housing, the DC power source comprising a plurality of solar cells located on a front side of the housing and configured to generate a DC power input signal in response to receiving an amount of sun light;

a junction box secured to a back side of the housing;

a configurable power supply circuit located in the junction box and configured to receive the DC power input signal, the configurable power supply circuit being selectively configurable, based on at least one control signal, between a first circuit topology to generate a DC power signal at a DC output of the configurable power and a second circuit topology to generate an alternating current (AC) power signal at an AC output of the configurable power supply different from the DC output,

wherein (i) the DC output comprises a first and second DC receptacles attached to a sidewall of the junction box and (ii) the AC output comprises an inductive coupling receptacle defined in the sidewall between the first and second DC receptacles.

19. The photovoltaic module of claim 18, further comprising an AC electronic accessory device comprising:

an accessory housing removably coupled to the power supply housing, the accessory housing including an inductive coupling connector extending outwardly from a sidewall of the accessory housing, the inductive coupling connector being received in the inductive coupling receptacle, and

an internal electronic circuit located in the accessory housing, the internal electronic circuit including an AC input inductively coupled with the AC output of the configurable power supply circuit.

20. The photovoltaic module of claim 18, further comprising an DC electronic accessory device comprising:

an accessory housing removably coupled to the power supply housing, the accessory housing including a first and second DC connectors extending outwardly from a sidewall of the accessory housing, each of the first and second DC connectors being received in a corresponding one of the first and second DC receptacles, and an internal electronic circuit located in the accessory housing, the internal electronic circuit including a DC input electrically connect with the DC output of the configurable power supply circuit.