Overcurrent protection device
US6118641A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 7, 1993 |
| Grant date | Sep 12, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 7, 2013 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH02H3/087
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A two terminal circuit protection arrangement that: (1) is intended to be series connected in a line of the circuit; (2) comprises (a) a series switching transistor (1) that controls the line current, (b) a control transistor (4) that controls the base or gate voltage of the switching transistor and is responsive to an overcurrent through the switching transistor, and (c) a voltage source, for example a battery (3), a dc-dc converter (58/59) or a Seebeck device (43), applied to the base or gate of the switching transistor which biases the switching transistor into or toward conduction in normal operation; and (3) is capable of being remotely reset into a conducting state by stopping current in the line. The arrangement enables the initial voltage drop that is required to turn the switching transistor (1) on to be reduced or eliminated while requiring relatively little current from the voltage source. The arrangement can be reset remotely by briefly removing the voltage source or load from the circuit.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.