IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,027,908
Granted Patent B2
US 12,027,908 · App. 17/746,139 · Granted Jul 2, 2024

High power density universal vehicle charger

Inventors: Lei Hao (Troy, MI); Suresh Gopalakrishnan (Troy, MI); Chandra S. Namuduri (Troy, MI); Dongxu Li (Troy, MI)
Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
H02J7/02B60R16/033H02M7/217H02M7/53871H02J2207/20
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,027,908
App. No.
17/746,139
Granted
Jul 2, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system in a vehicle includes a first set of one or more windings and a second set of one or more windings electrically isolated from the first set of one or more windings. The system also includes a first inverter coupled to a battery of the vehicle and the first set of one or more windings and a second inverter electrically separated from the first inverter and coupled to the second set of one or more windings. A universal charger includes an alternative current (AC) charging port and a direct current (DC) charging port. A switch is controlled to close to connect the second inverter to the battery.

Claims (34)

1. A system in a vehicle comprising:

a first set of two or more windings, wherein each winding in the first set of two or more windings is connected to each other winding in the first set of two or more windings at a first neutral connection point;

a second set of two one or more windings electrically isolated from the first set of one or more windings, wherein each winding in the second set of two or more windings is connected to each other winding in the second set of two or more windings at a second neutral connection point;

each winding in the first set of two or more windings being electromagnetically paired with one winding in the second set of two or more windings and each winding in the second set of two or more windings being electromagnetically paired with one winding in the first set of two or more windings such that each pair acts as a transformer;

a first inverter coupled to a battery of the vehicle and the first set of one or more windings;

a second inverter electrically separated from the first inverter and coupled to the second set of one or more windings;

a universal charger including an alternative current (AC) charging port and a direct current (DC) charging port, wherein the universal charger is connected to a DC input of the first inverter and a DC input of the second inverter via a second switch, and the universal charger is connected to a DC return of the first inverter and a DC return of the second inverter via a third switch, and wherein the universal charger is connected to the second set of one or more windings via a set of fourth switches; and

a first switch configured to be controlled to close to connect the second inverter to the battery.

2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the first switch is controlled to be open during charging of the battery via the AC charging port of the universal charger and the second inverter is not used.

3. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the first inverter functions as a synchronous active rectifier configured to convert AC from the AC charging port to DC needed by the battery and the first inverter is configured to perform AC to DC conversion, power control, and power factor correction.

4. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the first switch is controlled to be closed during charging of the battery via the DC charging port of the universal charger based on a voltage of the DC charging port and the battery being a same voltage.

5. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the first switch is controlled to be open during charging of the battery via the DC charging port of the universal charger based on a voltage of the DC charging port and the battery being different voltages.

6. The system according to claim 5 , wherein the first set of two or more windings and the second set of two or more windings function as a transformer.

7. The system according to claim 6 , wherein the first inverter and the second inverter are a dual active bridge DC-DC converter.

8. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the first inverter and the second inverter are integrated inverters such that a pair of internal inverter switches of the first inverter and a pair of internal inverter switches of the second inverter are fabricated as four submodules of a module that share a capacitor.

9. The system according to claim 8 , wherein a current allocation among the four submodules is based on a current rating of the first set of two or more windings and the second set of two or more windings.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first set of two or more windings contains exactly three windings, and wherein the second set of two or more windings contains exactly three windings.

11. A method of assembling a system in a vehicle, the method comprising:

arranging a first set of two or more windings, wherein each winding in the first set of two or more windings is connected to each other winding in the first set of two or more windings at a first neutral connection point;

arranging a second set of two or more windings to be electrically isolated from the first set of two or more windings, wherein each winding in the second set of two or more windings is connected to each other winding in the second set of two or more windings at a second neutral connection point;

each winding in the first set of two or more windings being electromagnetically paired with one winding in the second set of two or more windings and each winding in the second set of two or more windings being electromagnetically paired with one winding in the first set of two or more windings such that each pair acts as a transformer;

coupling a first inverter to a battery of the vehicle and the first set of two or more windings;

arranging a second inverter to be electrically separated from the first inverter and coupling the second inverter to the second set of two or more windings;

arranging a universal charger including an alternative current (AC) charging port and a direct current (DC) charging port, wherein the universal charger is connected to a DC input of the first inverter and a DC input of the second inverter via a second switch, and the universal charger is connected to a DC return of the first inverter and a DC return of the second inverter via a third switch, and wherein the universal charger is connected to the second set of one or more windings via a set of fourth switches; and

configuring a switch to be controlled to close to connect the second inverter to the battery.

12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the configuring the switch includes controlling the switch to be open during charging of the battery via the AC charging port of the universal charger such that the second inverter is not used.

13. The method according to claim 11 , further comprising configuring the first inverter to function as a synchronous active rectifier to convert AC from the AC charging port to DC needed by the battery and configuring switches of the first inverter to perform AC to DC conversion, power control, and power factor correction.

14. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the configuring the switch includes controlling the switch to be closed during charging of the battery via the DC charging port of the universal charger based on a voltage of the DC charging port and the battery being a same voltage.

15. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the configuring the switch includes controlling the switch to be open during charging of the battery via the DC charging port of the universal charger based on a voltage of the DC charging port and the battery being different voltages.

16. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the arranging the first set of two or more windings and the second set of two or more windings includes arranging the first set of two or more windings and the second set of two or more windings to function as a transformer.

17. The method according to claim 16 , further comprising configuring the first inverter and the second inverter to function as a dual active bridge DC-DC converter.

18. The method according to claim 11 , further comprising configuring the first inverter and the second inverter to be integrated inverters such that a pair of switches of the first inverter and a pair of switches of the second inverter are fabricated as four submodules of a module and coupling the first inverter and the second inverter to a shared capacitor.

19. The method according to claim 18 , further comprising allocating current among the four submodules based on a current rating of the first set of two or more windings and the second set of two or more windings.

20. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first set of two or more windings contains exactly three windings, and wherein the second set of two or more windings contains exactly three windings.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 17, 2022
From: HAO, LEI; GOPALAKRISHNAN, SURESH; NAMUDURI, CHANDRA S.; LI, DONGXU
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
Reel/Frame 059930/0965 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230378797A1 · Nov 23, 2023