Patent · US Expired

Short-circuit-proof transistor output stage, especially ignition output stage for motor vehicles

US5559661A · kind A · utility

26Cited by
1References
19Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateJul 11, 1994
Grant dateSep 24, 1996
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 11, 2014

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH10D84/642
  • WIPO fieldEngines, pumps, turbines
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A short-circuit-proof transistorized ignition output stage for motor vehicles, has a power transistor (10) connected in series to a primary winding (11) of an ignition coil (12), and a blocking arrangement including a first switching transistor for turning off the power transistor in the event of a very small voltage drop indicative of a short circuit in the coil (12). The voltage drop detector includes a second switching transistor (23') whose base-emitter path is connected across the primary winding (11) and whose collector-emitter path controls the base of a third switching transistor (25) of opposite conductivity type. The collector-emitter path of the third switching transistor (25) is connected in parallel to the base-emitter path of the first switching transistor (27) and the collector-emitter path of the first switching transistor is connected in parallel to the base-emitter path of the power transistor (10). Preferably, the entire output stage consists of a monolithic integrated circuit.

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