IP Library Granted Patent US 12,597,786
Granted Patent B2
US 12,597,786 · App. 17/828,477 · Granted Apr 7, 2026

High voltage isolation using discrete non-isolated devices and electrically isolating, thermally conductive substrate

Inventors: Wensong Yu (Raleigh, NC); Dakai Wang (Raleigh, NC); Srdjan Miodrag Lukic (Raleigh, NC)
Assignee: NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY
H02J7/0042H02J7/00309H05K7/20409H05K7/20481H05K7/209
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,597,786
App. No.
17/828,477
Filed
May 31, 2022
Granted
Apr 7, 2026
Kind
B2
Examiner
NGO, BRIAN
Art Unit
2851
USPC
320/107
Abstract

Various examples are provided for high voltage isolation. The isolation can be provided for discrete non-isolated devices using an electrically isolating substrate that is thermally conductive. In one example, a module includes a plurality of switching devices connected in series; one or more rubber buffer disposed between switching device pairs of the plurality of switching devices; and thermal interfaces disposed between switching devices of the switching device pairs and cooling surfaces of the module, the thermal interfaces electrically isolating the switching devices from the cooling surface. In another example, an extreme fast charger (EFC) station includes an active front end (AFE) module that includes at least one module, where the module is a half-bridge power module. The EFC station can include a dual-active-bridge (DAB) high voltage (HV) module that includes at least one module, where the module is a half-bridge power module.

Claims (33)

1 . A module, comprising:

a plurality of switching devices connected in series;

one or more rubber buffer disposed between switching device pairs of the plurality of switching devices; and

thermal interfaces disposed between switching devices of the switching device pairs and cooling surfaces of the module, the thermal interfaces electrically isolating the switching devices from the cooling surface.

2 . The module of claim 1 , wherein the thermal interfaces comprise an aluminum nitride (AlN) sheet or plate positioned between, and in contact with, at least one switching device and an adjacent cooling surface.

3 . The module of claim 2 , wherein the AlN sheet or plate is disposed between two or more switching devices and the adjacent cooling surface.

4 . The module of claim 1 , wherein the switching devices of the switching device pairs are not gated simultaneously.

5 . The module of claim 4 , wherein gating of the switching devices of the switching device pairs are separated by a controlled deadtime.

6 . The module of claim 1 , wherein the cooling surfaces are a cooling channel or a heatsink.

7 . The module of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of switching devices comprise HV MOSFETs.

8 . The module of claim 1 , wherein the switching devices of each switching device pair are separated by a corresponding rubber buffer.

9 . The module of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of switching devices are coupled to a passive clamping circuit.

10 . An extreme fast charger (EFC) station, comprising:

an active front end (AFE) module comprising at least one half-bridge power module comprising:

a plurality of switching devices connected in series;

one or more rubber buffer disposed between switching device pairs of the plurality of switching devices; and

thermal interfaces disposed between switching devices of the switching device pairs and cooling surfaces of the module, the thermal interfaces electrically isolating the switching devices from the cooling surface;

a dual-active-bridge (DAB) high voltage (HV) module;

a DAB transformer; and

a DAB low voltage (LV) module.

11 . The EFC station of claim 10 , wherein the AFE comprises a cascaded-flying-capacitor multilevel AFE.

12 . The EFC station of claim 10 , wherein the DAB HV module comprises at least one half-bridge power module comprising:

a plurality of switching devices connected in series;

one or more rubber buffer disposed between switching device pairs of the plurality of switching devices; and

thermal interfaces disposed between switching devices of the switching device pairs and cooling surfaces of the module, the thermal interfaces electrically isolating the switching devices from the cooling surface.

13 . The EFC station of claim 10 , wherein the thermal interfaces of the at least one half-bridge power module comprise an aluminum nitride (AlN) sheet or plate positioned between, and in contact with, at least one switching device and an adjacent cooling surface.

14 . The EFC station of claim 13 , wherein the AlN sheet or plate is disposed between two or more switching devices and the adjacent cooling surface.

15 . The EFC station of claim 10 , wherein the switching devices of the switching device pairs are not gated simultaneously.

16 . The EFC station of claim 15 , wherein gating of the switching devices of the switching device pairs are separated by a controlled deadtime.

17 . The EFC station of claim 10 , wherein the cooling surfaces are a cooling channel or a heatsink.

18 . The EFC station of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of switching devices comprise HV MOSFETs.

19 . The EFC station of claim 10 , wherein the switching devices of each switching device pair are separated by a corresponding rubber buffer.

20 . The EFC station of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of switching devices are coupled to a passive clamping circuit.

Assignments (3)
CONFIRMATORY LICENSE Recorded Jul 25, 2022
From: NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY RALEIGH
To: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Reel/Frame 060884/0376 →
CONFIRMATORY LICENSE Recorded Jul 18, 2022
From: NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY RALEIGH
To: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Reel/Frame 060680/0664 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 6, 2022
From: YU, WENSONG; WANG, DAKAI; LUKIC, SRDJAN MIODRAG
To: NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY
Reel/Frame 060105/0387 →