Synchronized array bridge power oscillator
AssigneeContinental Automotive Systems, Inc.
InventorsPerry Czimmek, Mike Hornby
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An electronic high frequency induction heater driver, for a variable spray fuel injection system, uses a scalable array of zero-voltage switching oscillators that utilize full and half-bridge topology wherein the semiconductor switches are synchronous within each bridge for function, and each bridge is synchronized for function along the entire array. The induction heater driver, upon receipt of a turn-on signal, multiplies a supply voltage through a self-oscillating series resonance, wherein one component of each tank resonator circuit comprises an induction heater coil magnetically coupled to an appropriate loss component so that fuel inside a fuel component is heated to a desired temperature.
Claims10
A synchronized array bridge power oscillator for an electronic induction heater driver, the synchronized array bridge power oscillator comprising:
- an H-bridge circuit comprising high-side and low-side semiconductor switches and a resonant tank circuit comprising a tank circuit inductor and tank circuit capacitor, the resonant tank circuit being electrically connected between legs of the H-bridge circuit, the tank circuit inductor configured to be able to inductively heat a fuel injector;
- a plurality of half-bridge circuits, each half-bridge circuit comprising high-side and low-side semiconductor switches and a corresponding tank circuit, the plurality of half-bridge circuits being connected in parallel to the H-bridge circuit and connected in parallel to each other, adjacent pairs of half-bridge circuits forming a virtual H-bridge circuit, which is synchronized with the H-bridge circuit;
- a plurality of induction heater coils, each induction heater coil being coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of half-bridge circuits and configured to inductively heat a corresponding fuel injector;
- at least one energy replenishment inductor coupled to the resonant tank circuit and to the each of the plurality of half-bridge circuits, the energy replenishment inductor configured to supply energy to the resonant tank circuit and the plurality of half-bridge circuits;
- wherein the H-bridge circuit, the half-bridge circuits, and energy replenishment inductor are configured to provide current to a first end of the tank circuit inductor and first end of the induction heater coils during a first half of a sine wave and provide current to an opposite second end of the tank circuit and opposite ends of the induction heater coils during a second half of the sine wave;
- and
- wherein half-bridge switch timing is determined by a synchronized frequency of resonant tank circuits in the H-bridge circuit and the half-bridge circuits.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.