# US 12,004,316 B2 · Flexibly configurable converter units

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- Number: US 12,004,316 B2
- Document ID: US12004316B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/761,495
- Filed: 2020-08-06
- Published: 2022-11-17
- Granted: 2024-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2019-09-18
- Assignees: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
- Applicants: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
- Inventors: Klaus Nieberlein; Falko Baumann; René Junghänel; Matthias Nährig; Jens Schmenger; Jennifer Lautner
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12004316B2

## CPC

- H05K 7/14322: {wherein the control and power circuits of a power converter are arranged within the same casing}
- H02M 1/088: for the simultaneous control of series or parallel connected semiconductor devices
- H02M 5/458: using semiconductor devices only
- H02M 7/537: using semiconductor devices only, e.g. single switched pulse inverters
- H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS
- 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)

## Abstract

A converter unit has a main printed circuit board (MPCB) on which at least one functional module is arranged. By the functional module, at least one AC voltage supplied to the functional module via first power connections of the functional module can be converted into at least two DC voltage potentials output via second power connections. The MPCB has conductor paths via which control signals can be supplied to control connections, and the MPCB has conductor paths which extend from a control unit to first and second control connections of the MPCB and via which the first and second control signals can be supplied to the first and second control connections. The functional module is at least mechanically connected to the MPCB at least in the region of the first and second control connections such that the functional module does not use the first and/or the second control signals.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A converter unit, comprising:
a main printed circuit board including first and second control connections receiving first and second control signals via conductor paths of the main printed circuit board; and
a functional module arranged on the main printed circuit board and at least mechanically connected to the main printed circuit board at least in a region of the first and second control connections, said functional module including first and second power connections, with an AC voltage supplied to the functional module via the first power connections being convertible into two DC voltage potentials for output via the second power connections, said functional module being designed to operate without using the first control signals and/or the second control signals.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The converter unit of claim 1, further comprising a control unit arranged on the main printed circuit board and designed to generate the first and second control signals for the functional module, said conductor paths extending from the control unit to the first and second control connections.

### Claim 3

A combination, comprising:
two converter units comprising identical main printed circuit boards, each of the main printed circuit boards including first and second control connections receiving first and second control signals via conductor paths of the main printed circuit board; and
functional modules respectively arranged on the main printed circuit boards at mutually corresponding locations and at least mechanically connected to the main printed circuit boards at least in a region of the first and second control connections, each of the functional modules including first and second power connections which are similar in design and arranged at mutually corresponding locations of the functional module, with an AC voltage supplied to the functional module via the first power connections being convertible into two DC voltage potentials for output via the second power connections, said functional module being designed to operate without using the first control signals and/or the second control signals,
wherein the functional module of one of the two converter units is designed to operate without using the first control signals and/or the second control signals, and
wherein the functional module of the other one of the two converter units is designed to
use at least one of the first and second control signals, when the functional module of the one of the two converter units uses neither of the first and second control signals,
use at least the second control signals, when the functional module of the one of the two converter units uses the first control signals but not the second control signals, and
use at least the first control signals, when the functional module of the one of the two converter units uses the second control signals but not the first control signals.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The combination of claim 3, further comprising control units respectively arranged on the main printed circuit boards, each of the control units designed to generate the first and second control signals for the respective one of the functional modules, said conductor paths of the respective one of the main printed circuit boards extending from the control unit to the first and second control connections.