Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha

Mamoru Seo

Toru Iwagami

Akio Uenishi

Dong Wang

Shinya Shirakawa

Masaki Sakai

An inverter circuit includes an IGBT () and an IGBT () connected in series between a power supply potential (Vcc) and a GND potential, and an HVIC () and an LVIC () for respectively controlling actuation of the IGBTs () and (). The inverter circuit also includes a capacitor (), a diode (), and a resistor (). The capacitor () is connected between a terminal (VS) and the GND potential. The diode () has a series connection to the capacitor () between the terminal (VS) and the GND potential, with such a polarity that a forward current flows from the GND potential to the terminal (VS). The resistor () is connected in parallel to the capacitor ().

Inverter circuit

A power semiconductor module has a detector for detecting main circuit current passing through a power semiconductor element. The detector includes first and second circuit patterns; a bonding wire connected at first and second bonding points with the first and second circuit patterns, respectively; and a pair of terminal patterns extended from near the first and second bonding points of the first and second circuit patterns. The detector is designed to detect a potential difference between the pair of terminal patterns generated by flowing main circuit current through the first circuit pattern, the bonding wire and then the second circuit pattern, in order to detect a potential difference across the bonding wire.

Power semiconductor module with detector for detecting main circuit current through power semiconductor element

A solid state relay is arranged in high density to connect a first circuit comprising an outer signal source to a second circuit for driving a load by a photocoupler. A diode or a capacitor is connected in parallel to the light-receiving element of the photocoupler to maintain the voltage between the terminals of the light-receiving element to less than the reverse breakdown voltage of the light-receiving element when a surge voltage having rapid rise time is applied between the input side and the output side of the photocoupler. A transistor which causes the reverse breakdown prior to the reverse breakdown of the light-receiving element can be connected in parallel to the light-receiving element.

Growing community of inventors

Tokyo, Japan

Mamoru Seo