1. A power converter, comprising:
an inverter circuit comprising a first phase leg comprising a first node, a second phase leg comprising a second node, and a third phase leg comprising a third node;
a first transformer comprising a first side and a second side, the first side of the first transformer electrically coupled between the first node of the first phase leg and the second node of the second phase leg of the inverter circuit; and
a second transformer comprising a first side and a second side, the first side of the second transformer electrically coupled between the second node of the second phase leg and the third node of the third phase leg of the inverter circuit.
2. The power converter of claim 1 wherein each of the first, the second and the third phase legs comprise a respective pair of power switching elements, one of the power switching elements in the pair electrically coupled between a first rail of a power bus and the respective one of the first, the second, or the third nodes, and the other one of the power switching elements in the pair electrically coupled between a second rail of the power bus and the respective one of the first, the second, or the third nodes.
3. The power converter of claim 2, further comprising:
a current doubler rectifier electrically coupled to the second sides of the first and the second transformers.
4. A power converter, comprising:
an inverter circuit comprising a first phase leg comprising a first node, a second phase leg comprising a second node, and a third phase leg comprising a third node;
a first transformer comprising a first side and a second side, the first side of the first transformer electrically coupled between the first node of the first phase leg and the second node of the second phase leg of the inverter circuit;
a second transformer comprising a first side and a second side, the first side of the second transformer electrically coupled between the second node of the second phase leg and the third node of the third phase leg of the inverter circuit, wherein each of the first, the second and the third phase legs comprise a respective pair of power switching elements, one of the power switching elements in the pair electrically coupled between a first rail of a power bus and the respective one of the first, the second, or the third nodes, and the other one of the power switching elements in the pair electrically coupled between a second rail of the power bus and the respective one of the first, the second, or the third nodes; and
a current doubler rectifier electrically coupled to the second sides of the first and the second transformers, the current doubler rectifier including:
a first pair of switches electrically coupled in series between a first pole of the second side of the first transformer and a first pole of the second side of the second transformer, a first rectifier node formed between the switches of the first pair of switches, and
a second pair of switches electrically coupled in series between a second pole of the second side of the first transformer and a second pole of the second side of the second transformer, a second rectifier node formed between the switches of the second pair of switches, the second rectifier node electrically coupled to the first rectifier node.
5. A power converter, comprising:
an inverter circuit comprising a first phase leg comprising a first node, a second phase leg comprising a second node, and a third phase leg comprising a third node;
a first transformer comprising a first side and a second side, the first side of the first transformer electrically coupled between the first node of the first phase leg and the second node of the second phase leg of the inverter circuit;
a second transformer comprising a first side and a second side, the first side of the second transformer electrically coupled between the second node of the second phase leg and the third node of the third phase leg of the inverter circuit, wherein each of the first, the second and the third phase legs comprise a respective pair of power switching elements, one of the power switching elements in the pair electrically coupled between a first rail of a power bus and the respective one of the first, the second, or the third nodes, and the other one of the power switching elements in the pair electrically coupled between a second rail of the power bus and the respective one of the first, the second, or the third nodes;
a current doubler rectifier electrically coupled to the second sides of the first and the second transformers, the current doubler rectifier including:
a first pair of switches electrically coupled in series between a first pole of the second side of the first transformer and a first pole of the second side of the second transformer, a first rectifier node formed between the switches of the first pair of switches, and
a second pair of switches electrically coupled in series between a second pole of the second side of the first transformer and a second pole of the second side of the second transformer, a second rectifier node formed between the switches of the second pair of switches, the second rectifier node electrically coupled to the first rectifier node; and
a controller communicatingly coupled to control operation of the power switching elements of the first, the second and the third phase legs of the inverter circuit, and to control operation of the first and the second pairs of switches of the current doubler rectifier.
6. The power converter of claim 3, further comprising:
a first inductor electrically coupled in series with a first pole of the second side of the first transformer;
a second inductor electrically coupled in series with a second pole of the second side of the first transformer;
a third inductor electrically coupled in series with a first pole of the second side of the second transformer; and
a fourth inductor electrically coupled in series with a second pole of the second side of the second transformer.
7. The power converter of claim 6, further comprising:
a first capacitance comprising a first pole and a second pole, the first pole of the first capacitance electrically coupled to the first and the second inductors at a first potential node; and
a second capacitance comprising a first pole and a second pole, the second pole of the second capacitance electrically coupled to the third and the fourth inductors at a third potential node, the first pole of the second capacitance electrically coupled to the second pole of the first capacitance at a second potential node.
8. The power converter of claim 7, further comprising:
electrically coupling a single load across the first and second potential nodes and in parallel with the second and the third potential nodes.
9. The power converter of claim 7, further comprising:
electrically coupling a first load across the first and the second potential nodes; and
electrically coupling a second load across the second and the third potential nodes.
10. The power converter of claim 2 wherein each of the power switching elements comprises at least one high power transistor and at least one anti-parallel diode electrically coupled across the at least one high power transistor.
11. The power converter of claim 2 wherein each of the power switching elements comprises at least one insulated gate bipolar transistor.
12. The power converter of claim 2 where in each of the power switching elements comprises at least one metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor.
13. The power converter of claim 1 wherein the first and the second transformers are planar transformers, and the number of turns in the first side of the first and the second transformers is greater than the number of turns in the second side of the first and the second transformers.
14. The power converter of claim 1 wherein the number of turns in the first side of the first and the second transformers is less than the number of turns in the second side of the first and the second transformers.
15. A method of converting power, comprising:
inverting a direct current to produce at least three phases of alternating current;
supplying a first and a second of the three phases of alternating current to a first side of a first transformer to induce an alternating current on a second side of the first transformer;
supplying the second and a third of the three phases of alternating current to a first side of a second transformer to induce an alternating current on a second side of the second transformer;
supplying the alternating current from the second side of the first transformer to a rectifier;
supplying the alternating current from the second side of the second transformer to the rectifier; and
rectifying the first and the second alternating currents supplied to the rectifier from the second sides of the first and the second transformers, respectively, to produce a first voltage across a first potential node and a second potential node and to produce a second voltage across the second potential node and a third potential node.
16. The method of claim 15 wherein the second voltage across the second potential node and the third potential node is approximately equal to the first voltage across the first potential node and the second potential node.
17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:
inductively coupling the alternating current from the second side of the first transformer to the first and the second potential nodes; and
inductively coupling the alternating current from the second side of the second transformer to the second and the third potential nodes.
18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:
phase locking the phases of alternating current supplied to the first side of the first transformer with the phases of the alternating current supplied to the first side of the second transformer.
19. The method of claim 15 wherein supplying a first and a second of the three phases of alternating current to a first side of a first transformer comprises generating a three-level square waveform to the primary winding of the first transformer, and wherein supplying the second and a third phases of the three phases of alternating current to a first side of a second transformer comprises generating a three-level square waveform to the primary winding of the second transformer.
20. The method of claim 19 wherein generating a three-level square waveform to the primary winding of the first transformer comprises phase shift controlling a high side and a low side switch of each of a first and a second leg of an inverter circuit.
21. The method of claim 15, further comprising:
electrically coupling the first and the second voltages in parallel to a load.
22. A power converter, comprising:
a first transformer comprising a first side including at least a first pole and a second pole, and a second side including at least a first pole and a second pole;
a second transformer comprising a first side including at least a first pole and a second pole, and a second side including at least a first pole and a second pole;
means for supplying a first phase of alternating current to the first pole of the first side of the first transformer, a second phase of alternating current to the second pole of the first side of the first transformer and to the first pole of the first side of the second transformer, and a third phase of alternating current to the second pole of the first side of the second transformer; and
means for current double rectifying alternating currents supplied from the second sides of the first and the second transformers.
23. The power converter of claim 22 wherein the means for current double rectifying produces a first voltage across a first potential node and a second potential node and to produces a second voltage across the second potential node and a third potential node.
24. The power converter of claim 23 wherein an output across the first and the second potential nodes is electrically coupled in parallel with an output across the third and the second potential nodes.
25. The power converter of claim 23 wherein an output across the first and the second potential nodes is independently controllable with respect to an output across the third and the second potential nodes.
26. The power converter of claim 22, further comprising:
a number of inductors, each of the inductors electrically coupled in series with a respective one of the poles of the second sides of the first and the second transformers.
27. The power converter of claim 22, further comprising:
a first capacitor electrically coupled in parallel across a first and a second potential nodes; and
a second capacitor electrically coupled in parallel across the second and a third potential nodes.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A sensor device for measuring an axial force in the longitudinal pipe direction of a pipe and at least one torque, comprising:
a measuring element having an adaptor connection;
a pipe extension piece configured to connect the adaptor connection to the pipe, the pipe extension piece being insertable into the pipe;
an alignment adaptor coupled to the pipe with the pipe extension;
a plurality of strain gauges arranged at DMS measuring points in a sensor region between the adaptor connection and an end of the pipe extension piece, which is remote from the adaptor connection;
wherein the axial force and the torque are introduced into the alignment adaptor with the measuring element and are measured with the plurality of strain gauges;
wherein the pipe extension piece with the sensor region has a tubular design, the sensor region extends from the adaptor connection to the end of the pipe extension piece and has a smaller external diameter than the end of the pipe extension piece, an end of the pipe faces the adaptor connection and overtops the end of the pipe extension piece toward the adaptor connection and is decoupled in terms of force from the sensor region and from the adaptor connection;
wherein the DMS measuring points include eight DMS measuring points arranged on the perimeter of the sensor region in a radial plane with a respective 22.5\xb0 offset from four alignment screws having a 90\xb0 offset.
2. The sensor device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pipe is sealed from the adaptor connection by an elastic seal.
3. The sensor device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the alignment adaptor and the adaptor connection interact with one another via at least three alignment screws, and the number of measuring points corresponds at least to the number of alignment screws.
4. The sensor device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the alignment adaptor is in the form of an inverted pyramid frustum and has four obliquely running planar alignment faces which can interact with four alignment screws arranged in the adaptor connection, wherein the pyramid frustum merges into a sphere-section-shaped base which can correspond with a corresponding annular contact face of the adaptor connection.
5. The sensor device as claimed in claim 1, wherein additional DMS measuring points are arranged on the perimeter of the sensor region for the purpose of separate ascertainment of the axial force.
6. The sensor device as claimed in claim 5, wherein four additional DMS measuring points are arranged in a radial plane in association with the alignment screws.
7. The sensor device as claimed in one of claims claim 1, wherein each DMS measuring point has at least one strain gauge associated with a respective bridge circuit.
8. The sensor device as claimed in claim 7, wherein each measuring point has two strain gauges which are arranged next to one another in the longitudinal pipe direction with a measuring grid orientation having a 90\xb0 offset from one another.
9. The sensor device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the adaptor connection is produced from titanium in one piece with the pipe extension piece.
10. The sensor device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensor device is used in an artificial limb.
11. The sensor device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the sensor device is used in a leg.
12. The sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensor device is used in a robot arm of a handling apparatus.
13. The sensor device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the axial force and the at least one torque are measured with separate ones of the plurality of strain gauges.
14. A sensor device for measuring an axial force in the longitudinal pipe direction of a pipe and at least one torque, comprising:
a measuring element having an adaptor connection;
a pipe extension piece configured to connect the adaptor connection to the pipe, the pipe extension piece being insertable into the pipe;
an alignment adaptor coupled to the pipe with the pipe extension;
a plurality of strain gauges arranged at DMS measuring points in a sensor region between the adaptor connection and an end of the pipe extension piece, which is remote from the adaptor connection;
a cover mounted on the pipe, decoupled in terms of force from the sensor region and from the adaptor connection, and arranged covering the sensor region;
wherein the axial force and the torque are introduced into the alignment adaptor with the measuring element and are measured with the plurality of strain gauges;
wherein the sensor region has a tubular design with a smaller external diameter than the end of the pipe extension piece the pipe extension piece is integrally molded on an end of the pipe which faces the adaptor connection,
wherein the DMS measuring points include eight DMS measuring points arranged on the perimeter of the sensor region in a radial plane with a respective 22.5\xb0 offset from four alignment screws having a 90\xb0 offset.
15. The sensor device as claimed in claim 14, wherein the pipe or the cover is sealed from the adaptor connection by an elastic seal.
16. The sensor device as claimed in claim 14, wherein the axial force and the at least one torque are measured with separate ones of the plurality of strain gauges.
17. A sensor device for measuring an axial force in the longitudinal pipe direction of a pipe and at least one torque, comprising:
a measuring element having an adaptor connection;
a pipe extension piece insertable into the pipe and configured to connect the adaptor connection to the pipe, the pipe extension piece having a tubular design;
an alignment adaptor coupled to the pipe with the pipe extension;
a sensor region arranged between the adaptor connection and an end of the pipe extension piece, the sensor region having a smaller external diameter than the end of the pipe extension piece, the sensor region being remote from the adaptor connection and having a plurality of DMS measuring points arranged on the perimeter of the sensor region;
a plurality of strain gauges arranged at the DMS measuring points;
wherein the axial force and the torque are introduced into the alignment adaptor with the measuring element and are measured with the plurality of strain gauges, and an end of the pipe faces the adaptor connection and overtops the end of the pipe extension piece toward the adaptor connection, the pipe being decoupled in terms of force from the sensor region and from the adaptor connection.
18. The sensor device as claimed in claim 17, wherein the alignment adaptor and the adaptor connection interact with one another via at least three alignment screws, and the number of measuring points corresponds at least to the number of alignment screws.
19. The sensor device as claimed in claim 18, wherein four additional DMS measuring points are arranged in a radial plane in association with the alignment screws.
20. The sensor device as claimed in claim 17, wherein the alignment adaptor is in the form of an inverted pyramid frustum and has four obliquely running planar alignment faces which can interact with four alignment screws arranged in the adaptor connection, wherein the pyramid frustum merges into a sphere-section-shaped base which can correspond with a corresponding annular contact face of the adaptor connection.
21. The sensor device as claimed in claim 17, wherein additional DMS measuring points are arranged on the perimeter of the sensor region for the purpose of separate ascertainment of the axial force.
22. The sensor device as claimed in claim 17, wherein the plurality of DMS measuring points are arranged on the perimeter of the sensor region with a 22.5\xb0 offset from four alignment screws, which have a 90\xb0 offset.
23. The sensor device as claimed in claim 17, wherein the axial force and the at least one torque are measured with separate ones of the plurality of strain gauges.
24. The sensor device as claimed in claim 17, wherein the axial force is measured by a first half of the plurality of strain gauges, and the at least one torque is measured by a second half of the plurality of strain gauges.