Thyristor power control circuit
US5579192A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 27, 1994 |
| Grant date | Nov 26, 1996 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 27, 2014 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH03K17/725
- WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A circuit arrangement and method for firing a gated thyristor used for applying electrical power to a load, in response to a trigger signal, from a live power lead and a neutral power lead such as found in the common household electrical service. The load to be energized in response to the trigger signal is connected between the neutral power lead and one of the thyristor main terminals, the other thyristor main terminal being connected to the live power lead. The live power lead is biased at a negative potential with respect to the neutral power lead to define a circuit ground at the negative potential. A gate circuit is connected between the gate terminal and the circuit ground for applying a potential to the gate terminal in response to the trigger signal that is at least as great as the thyristor's characteristic threshold potential for enabling current flow between the thyristor main terminals and thereby energizing the load. The potential applied to the gate terminal is thus negative with respect to the neutral power lead. In one embodiment the gate circuit is provided by a single transistor switched on by the trigger signal and connected in line with a diode and resistor bet…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.