The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 04, 1983
Filed:
Apr. 21, 1980
Richard H Baker, Bedford, MA (US);
Reliance Electric Company, Cleveland, OH (US);
Abstract
In one embodiment of the invention, a switching circuit is provided by connecting the main current paths of a plurality of relatively low voltage transistors in series for switching a relatively high level of voltage, with zener diodes being connected across the main current paths of each one of the transistors, the zeners having a breakdown voltage rating no greater than the inverse voltage rating of their respective transistor, and polarized for breaking down whenever the inverse voltage rating of the transistor is exceeded, the zener diodes also providing a voltage divider circuit for applying appropriate levels of bias voltage to the common connections between the transistors for ensuring the inverse voltage ratings of the transistors are not exceeded at times that the transistors are all turned off, or non-conductive.