Circuit and method for protecting power components against forward overvoltages
US5465190A · kind A · utility
18Cited by
3References
20Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 7, 1993 |
| Grant date | Nov 7, 1995 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 7, 2013 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH02H9/047
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A circuit protects a power transistor of the vertical MOS or IGTB-type during the off state against forward overvoltages. The protection circuit includes a first circuit for limiting the voltage across the transistor to a predetermined voltage, lower than the forward breakdown voltage of the power transistor, a circuit for detecting the quantity of energy dissipated in the transistor when the first circuit is enabled, and a second circuit for turning the transistor on at low impedance. The second circuit is enabled when the detection circuit has detected that the dissipated energy has exceeded a predetermined energy threshold.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.