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:
Mar. 21, 1995
Filed:
Sep. 02, 1992
Steven Widener, Raleigh, NC (US);
Eric Menzel, Wake Forest, NC (US);
Joseph C Paulakonis, Chapel Hill, NC (US);
George W Oughton, Jr, Raleigh, NC (US);
Exide Elecronics Corp., Raliegh, NC (US);
Abstract
A gate-drive circuit (10) is an interface between a clock (12) and control circuit (14) and a circuit (16) comprising an isolated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) devices. The clock (12) provides two complementary clock signals (CLK1, CLK2) to the gate-drive circuit (10); the control circuit provides a signal (ENABLE) for turning the gate-drive circuit on and off, and the gate-drive circuit outputs isolated supply voltages (+RAIL, -RAIL), a drive signal (GATE), and a common reference signal (EMITTER). The control signal is sent across an isolation boundary via a 2-MHz push-pull converter in the gate-drive circuit (10). A transformer (T1) in the gate-drive circuit provides the isolation boundary. The power required to switch the IGBT device (16) is sent through the same 2-MHz converter. The secondary of the 2-MHz push-pull transformer (T1) is referenced to the IGBT emitter. As the primary side circuitry receives 'on' signals from the control board (14), the converter runs and charges secondary-side bulk storage capacitors (C16, C18) in the gate-drive circuit. The gate voltage of the IGBT device is held off until the bulk storage capacitors are charged to a minimum value. When the capacitors have charged, the IGBT gate is turned on as the signal is received from the push-pull converter. The gate is then turned off by a negative voltage when the signal received from the converter is removed.