Neutral-point clamped inverter device using semiconductor modules
US5459655A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 21, 1992 |
| Grant date | Oct 17, 1995 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 21, 2012 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01L2924/351
- WIPO fieldSemiconductors
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An inverter device includes plural modules, each module being formed by a series circuit having a parallel circuit of a first switching device and a first diode, and a parallel circuit of a second switching device and a second diode, allowing a reduced size, high reliability, high frequency switching and low noise. Each module forms one arm portion of the inverter. Lifetimes of the diodes and the switching devices are set in a manner to equalize losses in the inverter. Preferably, insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs) formed by diffusion are used as the switching devices since the lifetimes of these devices can easily be adjusted to optimize design of the inverter.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.