# US 12,003,185 B2 · Modular switching cell > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,003,185 B2 - Document ID: US12003185B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/641,824 - Filed: 2020-08-27 - Published: 2024-02-08 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2019-09-17 - Assignees: Maschinenfabrik Reinhausen GmbH - Applicants: Maschinenfabrik Reinhausen GmbH - Inventors: Angus Bryant - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12003185B2 ## CPC - H02M 1/0095: {Hybrid converter topologies, e.g. NPC mixed with flying capacitor, thyristor converter mixed with MMC or charge pump mixed with buck} - H01G 2/04: specially adapted for mounting on a chassis - H01G 9/26: Structural combinations of electrolytic capacitors, rectifiers, detectors, switching devices, light-sensitive or temperature-sensitive devices with each other - H02M 7/003: {Constructional details, e.g. physical layout, assembly, wiring or busbar connections} - H02M 7/483: Converters with outputs that each can have more than two voltages levels - H02M 7/4835: {comprising two or more cells, each including a switchable capacitor, the capacitors having a nominal charge voltage which corresponds to a given fraction of the input voltage, and the capacitors being selectively connected in series to determine the instantaneous output voltage} - H01G 4/40: Structural combinations of fixed capacitors with other electric elements, the structure mainly consisting of a capacitor, e.g. RC combinations - H02M: APPARATUS FOR CONVERSION BETWEEN AC AND AC, BETWEEN AC AND DC, OR BETWEEN DC AND DC, AND FOR USE WITH MAINS OR SIMILAR POWER SUPPLY SYSTEMS; CONVERSION OF DC OR AC INPUT POWER INTO SURGE OUTPUT POWER; CONTROL OR REGULATION THEREOF (transformers H01F; dynamo-electric converters H02K47/00; controlling transformers, reactors or choke coils, control or regulation of electric motors, generators or dynamo-electric converters H02P) - H01G: CAPACITORS; CAPACITORS, RECTIFIERS, DETECTORS, SWITCHING DEVICES, LIGHT-SENSITIVE OR TEMPERATURE-SENSITIVE DEVICES OF THE ELECTROLYTIC TYPE (selection of specified materials as dielectric H01B3/00; capacitors having potential barriers H10D1/62, H10K10/10) ## Abstract A modular switching cell of a high voltage direct current power converter has a modular switching cell that includes a base module, which has: a first switching unit; a second switching unit; a first capacitor; and a second capacitor. The first switching unit, the second switching unit, the first capacitor, and the second capacitor are mounted on a chassis. The base module is configured to receive at least three different busbar sets, each of the busbar sets having a plurality of busbars for interconnecting the first switching unit, the second switching unit, the first capacitor, and the second capacitor to form one of: two parallel half bridge circuits between a first cell terminal and a second cell terminal; two serial half bridge circuits between the first cell terminal and the second cell terminal; or a full bridge circuit between the first cell terminal and the second cell terminal. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A modular switching cell of a high voltage direct current power converter, the modular switching cell comprising a base module that comprises: a first switching unit; a second switching unit; a first capacitor; and a second capacitor, wherein the first switching unit, the second switching unit, the first capacitor, and the second capacitor are mounted on a chassis, and wherein the base module is configured to receive at least three different busbar sets, each of the busbar sets comprising a plurality of busbars for interconnecting the first switching unit, the second switching unit, the first capacitor, and the second capacitor to form one of: two parallel half bridge circuits between a first cell terminal and a second cell terminal; and two serial half bridge circuits between the first cell terminal and the second cell terminal; or a full bridge circuit between the first cell terminal and the second cell terminal. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The modular switching cell according to claim 1, wherein: the first switching unit comprises a first AC voltage terminal, a first negative DC terminal, a first positive DC terminal, a first switch between the first AC voltage terminal and the first negative DC terminal, and a second switch between the first AC voltage terminal and the first positive DC terminal, the second switching unit comprises a second AC voltage terminal, a second negative DC terminal, a second positive DC terminal, a third switch between the second AC voltage terminal and the second negative DC terminal, and a fourth switch between the second AC voltage terminal and the second positive DC terminal, and the base module is configured to receive each busbar set, of the busbar sets such that the busbars of the respective busbar set interconnect the first AC voltage terminal, the first negative DC terminal, the first positive DC terminal, the second AC voltage terminal, the second negative DC terminal, the second positive DC terminal, the first capacitor, and the second capacitor to form one of: the two parallel half bridge circuits, the two serial half bridge circuits, or the full bridge circuit. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The modular switching cell according to claim 2, wherein at least the first negative DC terminal is electrically connected to the chassis, wherein the chassis is configured as a chassis ground. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The modular switching cell according to claim 2, wherein the first switch and the second switch of the first switching unit, and the third switch and the fourth switch of the second switching unit all include an electronic switch and a diode that are wired in parallel to each other. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The modular switching cell according to claim 2, comprising a single control unit configured to switch the first switch and the second switch of the first switching unit, and the third switch and the fourth switch of the second switching unit. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The modular switching cell according to claim 2, wherein: the first switching unit comprises a first sub-switching unit and a second sub-switching unit, wherein: the first sub-switching unit comprises the first AC voltage terminal, the first negative DC terminal, and the first switch; and the second sub-switching unit comprises the first AC voltage terminal, the first positive DC terminal, and the second switch, and the second switching unit comprises a third sub-switching unit and a fourth sub-switching unit, wherein: the third sub-switching unit comprises the second AC voltage terminal, the second negative DC terminal, and the third switch; and the fourth sub-switching unit comprises the second AC voltage terminal, the second positive DC terminal, and the fourth switch. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The modular switching cell according to claim 1 wherein the first switching unit, the second switching unit, the first capacitor, and the second capacitor are provided with a common heat sink. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The modular switching cell according to claim 1 comprising a bypass switch provided between the first cell terminal and the second cell terminal, wherein the bypass switch is configured to bypass the switching cell. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The modular switching cell according to claim 1 wherein the first switching unit, the second switching unit, the first capacitor, and the second capacitor, are electrically connectable via the busbar sets all from a same side. ### Claim 10 (depends on 2) A system comprising the modular switching cell according to claim 2 and at least two of: a first busbar set, a second busbar set, or a third busbar set, wherein the first capacitor is provided between a first capacitor terminal and a second capacitor terminals, and the second capacitor is provided between a third capacitor terminal and a fourth capacitor terminal, wherein: the first busbar set comprises a first busbar, a second busbar, and a third busbar, wherein: the first negative DC terminal, the second negative DC terminal, the second capacitor terminal, and the fourth capacitor terminal are electrically connected via the first busbar; the first positive DC terminal, the second positive DC terminal, the first capacitor terminal, and the third capacitor terminal are electrically connected via the second busbar; the first AC voltage terminal and the second AC voltage terminal are electrically connected via the third busbar; and the first busbar is the second cell terminal and the third busbar is the first cell terminal, and/or: the second busbar set includes a fourth busbar, a fifth busbar, a sixth busbar, a seventh busbar, and an eighth busbar, wherein: the first AC voltage terminal is electrically connected to the fourth busbar; the first positive DC terminal and the first capacitor terminal are electrically connected via the fifth busbar; the second negative DC terminal and the fourth capacitor terminal are electrically connected via the sixth busbar; the first negative DC terminal and the second positive DC terminal and the second capacitor terminal and the third capacitor terminal are electrically connected via the seventh busbar; the second AC voltage terminal is electrically connected to the eighth busbar; and the fourth busbar is the first cell terminal and the eighth busbar is the second cell terminal, and/or: the third busbar set comprises the second busbar, the fourth busbar, the eighth busbar, and a ninth busbar wherein: the first negative DC terminal and the second negative DC terminal and the second capacitor terminal and the fourth capacitor terminal are electrically connected via the ninth busbar. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The system according to claim 10 wherein the busbars of each busbar set, of the busbar sets, are laminated busbars. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The system according to claim 10 wherein each busbar set, of the busbar sets, comprises busbars that define the first cell terminal and the second cell terminal configured to electrically connect the switching cell with other components, comprising other switching cells, of the power converter. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) A high voltage direct current power converter comprising a three phase voltage input and, for each phase of the three phase voltage input, a plurality of switching cells according to claim 1, wherein the switching cells are connected in series. ### Claim 14 A method of manufacturing a modular switching cell, the method comprising: providing a base module by mounting a first switching unit, a second switching unit, a first capacitor, and a second capacitor on a chassis, providing at least two different busbar sets, each of the busbar sets comprising a plurality of busbars for interconnecting the first switching unit, the second switching unit, the first capacitor, and the second capacitor, wherein the busbars of each busbar set, of the busbar sets, is configured to form one of: two parallel half bridge circuits between a first cell terminal and a second cell terminal; two serial half bridge circuits between the first cell terminal and the second cell terminal; or a full bridge circuit between the first cell terminal and the second cell terminal, and mounting one of the busbar sets on the base element.