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:
Feb. 15, 2005
Filed:
May. 31, 2002
Jeffrey A. Ely, Kokomo, MI (US);
Jeffrey A. Ely, Kokomo, MI (US);
Delphi Technologies, Inc., Troy, MI (US);
Abstract
An improved series-pass over-voltage protection circuit includes a P-channel enhancement mode MOSFET (PFET) continuously coupling a DC voltage supply such as a motor vehicle storage battery to one or more electrical loads. The source of the PFET is connected to the positive terminal of the DC voltage supply, and in normal operation, low quiescent current draw is achieved by coupling the gate of the PFET to the negative terminal of the power supply through a low-current current sink. A gate discharge amplifier including a high current capability transistor connected across the source-to-gate circuit of the PFET is activated by a controlled current sink when an over-voltage occurs at the drain of the PFET, and the inherent high impedance of the current sinks relative to the gate discharge amplifier provides high immunity of the PFET to input voltage transients. The result is a practical and highly effective over-voltage protection circuit for continuously powered electrical loads.