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:
Aug. 02, 2011
Filed:
Jun. 21, 2007
Yuji Kato, Saitama, JP;
Keiichi Sekiguchi, Saitama, JP;
Kiyokatsu Satoh, Saitama, JP;
Sanken Electric Co., Ltd., Saitama, JP;
Abstract
A load drive apparatus is provided which comprises a switching elementconnected in series to a DC power source Vand an electric load, a drive circuitfor generating control signals to turn switching elementon and off, a thermal detection elementfor sensing a temperature of switching element, an overheat protective circuitfor generating an overheat detection signal when thermal detection elementsenses the temperature of switching elementover a predetermined temperature level, and a disconnection detection circuitprovided with a current mirror circuitconnected between one and the other terminals of thermal detection elementfor detecting a disconnection in wiring between thermal detection elementand overheat protective circuit. When overheat protective circuitproduces an overheat detection signal or when disconnection detection circuitdetects a breaking of wiring between thermal detection elementand overheat protective circuit, the control signal from drive circuitis prohibited to be given to switching element. In case of disconnection in wiring between the thermal detection elementand overheat protective circuit, the load drive apparatus can prevent thermal damage to the switching element used therein.