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:
Nov. 26, 2002
Filed:
Oct. 13, 2000
Kazuya Uekawa, Nara, JP;
Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha, Osaka, JP;
Abstract
An optocoupler having a driving traic and at least one normally-on driving element couple in series to the driving triac. A light emitting element turns on the driving triac at a time when a phase of a load current is at about 0°. The normally-on driving element is composed of either a MOSFET, or optionally a relay, and an associated element for turning off MOSFET, or relay, at a time when a phase of the load current is about 90°. The arrangement prevents an inrush current or commutation failure, and provides an optocoupler which can be turned off with prescribed timing. Alternative embodiments are disclosed for an optocoupler that can turn itself off when an abnormality occurs, for example, when an ambient temperature rises to an extremely high level.