Gate drive power source for electric power converter
US5424937A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 9, 1993 |
| Grant date | Jun 13, 1995 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 9, 2013 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH03K2217/0081
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An electric power converter comprising a plurality of reactors, a plurality of self quenching type switching elements, the reactors and switching elements being series-connected per one arm, and surge-absorbing snubber circuits connected in parallel to the switching elements respectively, the switching circuits being driven by gate drive circuits connected to respective gates of the switching elements to thereby convert a DC voltage into an AC voltage or convert an AC voltage into a DC voltage. The electric power converter further comprises: an apparatus for recovering energy accumulated on at least one side of the reactors and the snubber circuits and an apparatus for generating a DC source for supplying electric power to each of the gate drive circuits, on the basis of the recovered energy. In the electric power converter constituted by a plurality of self quenching type semiconductor switching elements connected in series, high efficiency is attained through reduction in size of the gate driver and electric power saving.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.