Patent · US Active

Self-limiting active discharge circuit for electric vehicle inverter

US10035422B2 · kind B2 · utility

3Cited by
1References
1Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 14, 2016
Grant dateJul 31, 2018
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 7, 2036

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH02M1/322
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A DC link capacitor coupled to positive and negative DC busses between a high voltage DC source and an electric vehicle inverter is quickly discharged during a shutdown. An active discharge circuit connected across the link capacitor has a discharge resistor in series with a discharge switch. The discharge switch has a control terminal for selectably turning the discharge switch on and off. A disable circuit is coupled to the control terminal and is responsive to a disable command signal to turn off the discharge switch. The disable circuit turns on the discharge switch upon cessation of the disable command signal. A timing circuit powered by a voltage from the link capacitor initiates a predetermined time interval upon cessation of the disable command signal, and continuously turns off the discharge switch after the predetermined time interval while the voltage from the link capacitor remains above a threshold.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.